A handsome, suave fox stood leaned up against a brick wall in a dark Savanna Central alleyway. With his subdued rust-colored coat and black sunglasses, he nearly melded right into the shadows. His head turned subtly as he heard a scuttling; a male otter was approaching.
"Wilde?" The otter called out.
"Mm..." the tod turned a charming smirk on. "What can I do for you, little guy?"
"I was told you got somethin' for a guy like me," the otter's eyes were nervous and shifty, "this guy 'cross the way of my apartment, I feel like he's got it out for me. So, y'know, I was told you could hook me up."
"Of course, of course," the fox nodded, opening his coat. "Got just the thing." He pulled out an ebony knife-shaped instrument, and showed it to the otter.
"Whoa," the otter's eyes widened as he took in the wicked-looking weapon.
"Made from a grizzly bear's claw," the fox released a devilish grin. "Sharpened, of course."
"Really...?" The otter male looked very concerned.
"Oh, don't worry, don't worry," the fox wagged his head, "the owner of this isn't gonna miss it."
"How much?"
"For you? Mmm... maybe thirty bucks," the fox smiled.
"I, um, I only got two twenties," the otter rooted around in his wallet.
"Well, I'm a nice guy," the smooth voice of the tod purred, "how about I take twenty now, and you come back to me if you have any other eccentric needs, you hear?" Without a hint of confirmation, the fox plucked a bill from the otter's wallet.
"Oh, sure!" The otter nodded rapidly, receiving the weapon from the fox. The latter's ear twitched.
"Now get outta here, kit, I think someone's coming," the fox made a shooing motion, his voice dropping to a quiet register.
"Okay!" The otter hissed, hiding the claw. "Thanks!"
Almost no sooner than the otter had rounded the corner did another fox appear at the other end of the alley. A moment's pause struck the fox, then anger flashed into his green eyes as he padded over to confront the fox who was leaned against the wall.
"Nicky!" The tod in the jacket seemed delighted, his jaw dropping onto an open-mouthed smile. "My favorite cousin."
"Your only cousin," Nick returned darkly. He sniffed the air. "You were with a mustelid- an otter? What for?"
"Whoa whoa, with the questions!" The tod lowered his dark glasses, revealing steel-blue eyes. "What's the matter, Nicky?"
"Don't play stupid, Anthony," Nick frowned tightly. "What were you selling, and to whom were you selling it?"
"Tsk," Anthony wagged his head and placed his glasses in his jacket's pocket. "I tell you, no courtesy with you since you joined the cub scouts..."
"That's police, and you're lucky if I don't frisk you right now, Anthony," Nick glowered at him. "I know the kinds of things you get up to."
"Frisk me?" Anthony looked incredulous, placing his paws delicately on his chest. "Goodness, isn't that illegal between cousins in Zootopia?"
"Anthony..."
"I mean, I heard they get up to that kind of thing in Bunnyburrow," Anthony laughed. "Heck, half of the mammals there are probably related somehow anyway!"
"Anthony, shut up," Nick growled.
"Jeez..." the blue-eyed fox regarded Nick with a look of mild pity. "Being with the police really has sucked all the humor out of you, hasn't it? It's a darn shame. Darn shame." Anthony sucked his teeth and wagged his head again.
Nick grunted. "One more smart word out of you, and-"
"And?" Anthony interrupted, drawing closer to Nick. "Y'know what, cuz? How about we make ourselves a little deal. You stay out of my world, since you chose to leave it and all, and I'll stay out of yours? Huh? That sound fair?"
"I was never in your world to begin with, Anthony," Nick muttered.
"Nicky, c'mon, promise?" Anthony smiled patiently. "I mean, I know how you feel about me. I don't think you'd want me getting anywhere close to that little goodie-two-shoes club of yours. It would be quite a shame, wouldn't it? I bet it'd be hard to explain to that little gray partner of yours. What was she, a rabbit?"
Nick's pupils shrank, then he snarled. "Listen, Anthony. Just gonna say this once, for your benefit. Don't even think about it." A wicked grin slithered onto both of their muzzles, as if to challenge each other. "Really, that's more for your benefit than hers. She's taken down much larger mammals than you. On the regular, even. Don't underestimate her."
"I don't underestimate anyone, Nicky," Anthony smiled angelically. "The thing about those poor little mammals though is..." he made a terse motion with one finger. "Just one nick in the wrong place, and it's just- it's a tragedy. Those fragile little creatures..."
A jolt of boiling anger shot up Nick's spine, but didn't quite reach his face. He swallowed slowly.
"You know what? You're right," Nick's posture weakened, his shoulders slinking ever so slightly. "Okay? You're right. I don't really want to get involved with any of the mess you're in."
A scornful laugh blasted out of Anthony's throat. "Ha hahahaaaa... oh Nicky, Nicky..." he slung his arm around Nick, drawing him closer. "It's really a shame about what happened to you. Bound to all of those little rules you gotta follow." He slowly made a fist. "You never were a tough kit, but now you just crumple like a damp sheet of paper. Really such a pity."
Nick pulled himself away from his cousin's grasp and scoffed, looking away.
"Don't let me catch you on my beat, Anthony," Nick warned, though power wasn't in his voice.
"Oh, you won't," Anthony smirked.
Down an apartment hall sashayed a slim arctic vixen, her hips and tail twitching in a flowing, eye-catching manner. She caught more than one eye on the way to her destination, and some wonderment from her onlookers, both at her fetching, lithe appearance, and that her eyes seemed nearly entirely closed. A porcupine wondered if she could even see where she was going. Eventually, she halted after looking at an apartment number, a demure smile on her face. She slowly knocked on the door.
"Mr. Wilde?" She called out coquettishly.
"Come in," was the terse reply.
Thus admitted, the vixen stepped into the apartment, smiling as her head moved this way and that to take in her surroundings. A fox was seated in a chair near a computer monitor, which swiveled around to reveal a grim-looking face with nearly glowing green eyes.
"Mm, Nick, it's been too long," the arctic vixen held her paws out for a hug. "C'mere."
"Not really in the mood for that, Cherry," Nick sighed, standing up. The vixen didn't seem to care, rushing forward and hugging him anyway. Nick groaned and gave her a couple of perfunctory pats on the back.
"What's the matter, Nick?" Cherry pouted up at him. "I was so excited when you asked for me. You wanted to experience my magic paws again?"
"Afraid not," Nick said with a dour expression. "What do you know about Anthony Wilde?"
"...Ugh," Cherry pushed away from him, her own expression breaking into sourness. Her eyes opened, revealing eyes of deep red. "All business and no pleasure, hm Nick? Guess the police force really has changed you."
"Are you still in contact with him?" Nick pursued, staying close to the smaller vixen.
"Not by choice," Cherry shot him an annoyed glance. "The vulture. He's creepy as all get out. I wish I wasn't his favorite."
"And?" Nick looked hopeful.
"He still hasn't encroached on Mr. Big's territory," Cherry frowned.
Nick let out a loud, annoyed sound, swiping a hand and letting out a low growl.
"Believe you me, I'd love nothing more for him to slip up," Cherry smiled with a particularly eerie pleasantness. "I'm sick of him."
"I need a favor regarding him," Nick said stonily.
"Really!?" Cherry's eyes lit up. "Name it! Ooh, do you want him to have an 'accident'?"
Nick's eyes shot open in alarm. "What? No!"
"Oh, come on," the snow-white vixen smiled, pleading, "Mr. Big's polar bears are such clumsy mammals... no one would miss him."
"Cherry," the red fox hissed, "I'm not putting out a hit on my cousin. I'm not."
"Ugh, spoilsport," Cherry huffed. "Then what do you want?"
"I want him scared, terrified," Nick folded his arms. "So bad that he leaves Zootopia."
"Ooh, now you're speaking the language," Cherry slunk over to Nick's couch and sat sideways on it. "I think I can arrange that."
"You sure?" Nick took in an unsteady breath.
"Of course," the vixen nodded. "Mr. Big has long suspected that some of his dearly departed goons have been desecrated by that scavenger. Like I said, one slip up and you'd be an only tod."
"He's not my brother," Nick looked away.
"Why the sudden change of heart?" Cherry charmingly tilted her head. "Even in your hustling days you wanted to stay clear of him."
"He implicitly threatened my partner," Nick reported with a scowl. "That doesn't fly with me."
"Ah yes," Cherry looked to the ceiling. "Your partner. Guess the rumors are true, then."
"Rumors?" Nick echoed.
"That you have a thing for her," Cherry giggled.
Nick laughed, surprising himself, suddenly snapping out of his dour mood. "Oh no, no. Those rumors are definitely exaggerated." He waved a paw. "I'm just devoted to her, that's all."
"Ah, like a loyal dog," the vixen gave him a coy grin.
"Call it how you want," Nick shrugged, the slur not even registering on his muzzle.
"Nick, listen," Cherry straightened up on his couch. "Clearly this whole police thing is stressing you out. I may be one of Mr. Big's spies, but I'm still a masseuse. I can see you're tenser than a caffeinated cat. Why don't you c'mere and let me work on you?"
"I uh, that's not really necessary," Nick chuckled, shaking his head.
"No charge, no strings attached?" The arctic fox tilted her head again in that maddeningly coy way. "C'mon, surely you deserve a good rub down compared to-"
"No thank you, Cherry," Nick shook his head again patiently.
"Aww..." Cherry smiled. "I miss the younger Nick." She made a pleasant trilling sound. "The one who was so desperately trying to catch my eye with his developing swagger. The one who would have paid to feel my paws on him, if I'd made him. Even though I'm pretty sure he could have sweet-talked me into it with that silken tongue of his." She winked.
"I was... ah..." Nick chuckled bashfully. "Yeah. I was just a young hornball then. That and living with Mr. Big for awhile- y'know, arctic weather makes me keep the winter coat longer. That and-"
"Oh, I'm aware," Cherry giggled impishly, a paw to her muzzle. "Fine then, Nick. This is your last favor I owe you, then we're square. I'll get someone to rattle Anthony's cage. If you want anything else from me, you're going to have to let me run my fingers through that glorious coat of yours, understand?"
"Perfectly clear," Nick nodded.
"Fine then," Cherry perked up, hopped off the couch, then walked her practiced way over to the door. "Please don't be a stranger, Nick. I miss you." She winked, and with a last twitch of her hip, she was out the door.
Nick took a difficult swallow; his throat was very dry. He hoped he wouldn't need Mr. Big or his ilk again.
Cherry wasn't wrong, though. His shoulders were as tense as they'd ever been. Maybe he should have taken her up on that massage after all... after all, who would have known? Besides him, that was.