Painful Choices

Soft footsteps approached Nick from behind. He didn't budge. The scent was familiar. Perhaps out of respect, the bar remained silent as Nick shuddered a breath, clutching desperately to the deceased Finnick. He froze to the feeling of Fangmeyer's large paws gently pressing down in his shoulders. She sniffled.

"There is a trail outside. I have to follow it. This is murder. I'm calling it in." Nick slowly loosened his grip on Finnick, prompted by the ache in his knees to adjust his position. He sat back, his heartache growing with each second. Fangmeyer whined and kissed him, burying her snout into the fur on his neck. Nick reached behind him and stroked her muzzle.

"We've had our petty little fights as friends do, but there was never any room for malice. We always grouped back up the next day or whatever."

"Nick..."

"Do you really think we can win?" He turned to look at Fangmeyer. She looked as proud as usual, save for the grim sorrow in her eyes.

"We have special forces working in different districts. Big has lost lots of people to the effects of this drug he is pushing – if Jack's theory proves right. Despite big's ramblings on TV, It shouldn't be too much longer. No criminal has ever come out of something like this and won."

"Well, 'should' is not good enough. I thought that if I stayed with you guys, there would be some safety. But no matter what, he finds us." Nick slowly rose to his feet. "I should confront Big."

"No. Not on your own!" Fangmeyer clutched Nick tight as if he were her favorite stuffed toy.

"Let's do this the right way. Nick, come back with me. You have to be patient."

"I don't know what to do!" Nick wiped his face with his paws, smoothing down the fur and drying his eyes. Jennifer took one brief look at Finnick. He was placed on his back, arms at his sides. His blood stained Nick's shirt and pants. She picked up her phone and called in the murder while keeping a careful eye on their surroundings. Nick continued to remain next to Finnick, hoping that Big or someone close to Big would show up. But they must have made a swift exit, judging by the scene leading outside. At least, this was the conclusion Fangmeyer drew as she investigated a spatter of blood by the side exit.

The entrance to the bar was soon blocked off. As officers and paramedics arrived to claim Finnick and investigate, Nick began to think it strange that Big would leave the scene so hastily.

He took one final look at Finnick before he was carted away after pictures and questioning. Fangmeyer deflected other officer's attempts to coax Nick into an ambulance or a police car by lying to them. The gun Fangmeyer slipped into his pants when they were leaving was little courage. No longer having the sight of Finnick's body in the bar, Nick hurried to Fangmeyer's side. Finnick gloating that he hurt Big was echoing in his head.

"Nick. Let's go..."

"Don't let me go," he whispered. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders as she walked him out of the bar.

"I'll shoot anyone that dares to try to separate us." Jennifer raised a paw as they neared a street corner and waited for a cab. Nick leaned into her soft body.

"I have to get back to work tomorrow. The Rainforest District's Police Department needs me. SWAT is going to the climate wall to attack that escaped convict, Thomas Pohc." Nick scowled at the news.

"I think he got Big. Finnick must have hurt him!"

'You think so?"

"You said there was probably a fast retreat from the scene. Finnick said he hurt him. That he hurt Big. If so, then Big must have been rushed away by someone else." Nick jogged to the back of the bar, but officers were still present as they investigated. He growled in annoyance. Fangmeyer already risked enough for him by slipping him a weapon and tugging him away from nosy investigators. He didn't want to subject Fangmeyer or himself to any further scrutiny and stepped back, disheartened.

"Let's go, Nick. There's nothing left to do here."

"We should pursue them," said Nick. "He's hurt. We can catch him."

"Be patient. Let the officers do their jobs." Nick kicked a wave of snow into the air in frustration and turned to Fangmeyer with his paws balled into fists.

"If I stay, what could I do? I have nothing! Finnick is gone! He's...gone." Fangmeyer slumped her shoulder's and sniffled. Her stuttering breath's caught Nick's attention.

"Nick, please stay with me. I love you. Don't go anywhere. You said to not let you go."

"Jennifer..." A car horn briefly squeaked beside them. The small brown vehicle sat idle in Nick's peripheral vision. It honked again as Jennifer attempted to reach out to Nick. He let her pull him close, once again feeling conflicted on whether to stay or run. Her comfort was too alluring. Submitting to the moment, Nick allowed himself to become dependent on her false promise of security, safety, and maybe a chance at winning.

When they returned to Jack's home, the other's were asleep, save for an alert Jack Savage. Jennifer had called ahead and explained the situation, so there were no surprises regarding what happened with Finnick. As she retired to a guest room, Nick and Jack were left the only ones awake. He felt awkward standing as a guest in the hare's home.

"Thank you," said Jack.

"For what?" Nick weakly asked.

"For staying." Nick sighed,

"Just leave it. I got nothing to offer."

"Then shut up and stay safe. We need each other and you know it."

"I'm tired." Nick followed after Fangmeyer when Jack said,

"Judy called. Finally. She'll be here soon." He paused by the door and felt a surprise wash of relief.

"Okay," said Nick and retreated to the room.

Jack sat on his white couch, nervously tapping with his left foot. He waited for news from Sedgewick and Jason about the meetup the Mayor had ordered. rested with his head down on the polished black dining table near the kitchen. Growing more restless and peckish, Jack wandered to the kitchen and opened his wooden container where he kept fruit.

"Shit. Someone ate my peaches." He swiftly looked at his phone as it chimed with an alert: "Though the Mayor scheduled we meet tomorrow, we need you in immediately! – Jason."

"So you do..." Jack suddenly stopped upon exiting the kitchen. Standing to his right, dejected and shaken, was Judy. She turned her face away from him.

"Oh!" Jack rushed in and wrapped her in a hug. But she curled her shoulder's and squeaked with discomfort. The reaction hit Jack with a pang of remorse.

"Sorry," she said. "It's me. I'm not okay." He gave her a foot of space and glared at her. Terrible scenarios of what Judy endured played in his mind.

"Is there anything I can do?" Jack desperately asked. Judy stumbled forward as her legs buckled. Whatever happened to her left her weak. And seeing Judy, a strong cheerful officer, reduced to someone that looked so defeated and meek stung Jack with fury.

"I need rest. I'll need a few days of it. Doctor's orders."

"What happened?"

"I was ambushed and..." Judy blinked tears from her eyes. "I was trapped and almost died. Nick saved me. Gregory saved me." Gingerly, Jack tried to approach her. She relaxed this time, but still she quivered in his embrace.

"Don't say another word. I have an idea now, based on your body language."

"They buried me alive, and Duke–" she cried unable to speak through her sobs.

"Shh. Stop. Please." He kissed her neck, burying his nose in the crook of her shoulder. She buried her face in his, taking deep breaths and slowly calming down.

'Just sit with me please?" asked Judy.

"Anything, Love. Anything." He guided her to the couch. Judy leaned on him for support with every step.

"Duke confessed to shipping the chemicals Big needed for his weapons. He mentioned a sheep named Doug." Jack gently stroked her ears as she rested with her head on his lap. Dr. Cunningham stirred on the table and lifted his head.

"I have strong suspicions about someone very powerful," said Jack. "But I can tell you more later. First, I need to meet up with my bosses." Judy whimpered,

"Today?"

"Yes. I might have good news to bring back." He continued to stroke her ears, finally getting a smile out of her. Her positive reaction was encouraging. She should only have smiles, he thought.

"This feels so nice."

"Agent Savage, Sir, I will be heading off to meet with a chemist regarding the sample Officer McHorn gave me."

"Good to hear, Dr. Cunningham. Oh and if I haven't told you before, you won my vote." The fox laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Much appreciated!" He smiled and gave a nod to Judy.

"Judy, this good fellow is a retired doctor and is running for mayor. He is going to help us find a cure for the drugs being pushed by Big. Dr. Cunningham, Judy is a fine officer who recently ran into some serious trouble on the job. She needs rest and if you could help in any way, can you please offer some assistance?" Jack held Judy's paws in his, adoringly stroking the top of her paw with his thumb. She slowly sat up and edged closer to him on the couch. She reached out to Cunningham as he extended his paw and said,

"I'll do whatever I can to help."

"Dr, the flower used to make Big's drugs is the midnicampum species. Holicithias." Cunningham's eyes widened with delight.

"Smart, isn't she?"

"Judy, Chief Bogo, and McHorn are heading to the Rainforest District now. They are planning an operation with SWAT to take back control of the climate wall." She looked at him aghast,

"I've only been gone 16 hours. What happened?"

"Big was on air earlier. He was rambling like a lunatic about taking control of Zootopia. He bragged about the docks and mentioned having people in control of the climate wall. He's lost it. But that is a good thing. It is irrefutable to anyone now, that Big deserves a life sentence when captured. There is no longer an authority that can protect him. He is so certain that he cannot be brought down because of a few bombs and power outages. Fucking idiot..." Judy wearily leaned her head onto Jack.

"Just stay with me for a few more minutes please?" He smiled and kissed her nose.

"Relax here. I'll take you to my bed before I go. You won't be bothered."

"Jack?"

"What is it?"

"Where is Nick and Finnick? And Fangmeyer?"

"Nick and Fangmeyer are in the guest room resting. They had a bad morning." Jack sighed then forced out the words, "We lost Finnick. He was murdered." Judy squeezed Jack's paw, making him flinch.

"Ow. He snuck out with that tiger. They went after Big and I'm guessing Finnick tried to attack Big or maybe both of them. And he got killed during the attack."

"He seriously went after Big by himself?" The surprise was still fresh to Jack as well. He never would have thought that Finnick, a hard street fox suspected of collusion with the shrew, would have dared to attack him. And to hear that he did it to stop the assault on the city, no less.

"Yes. I don't know any more than that. But Nick is taking it pretty hard. They must have been closer friends than I knew."

"I didn't know that either. If anything, Nick always denied his friendship to Finnick when I questioned him about another case. But that was different." In the ensuing silence, Judy drifted off. Her worn but peaceful expression was a joy to see. Jack lifted her up and carried her to his room. He considered the relationship Nick and Finnick had. Through all this time, this case was becoming more and more personal to everyone involved. Friends were being lost. And Judy, her body language, a sure sign that she...

"Damn it!" Fuck professionalism, Big and his freaks are done.

Jack lowered the blinds on his windows, darkening the room. It was a mess with all the visitors huddling up and moving from one place to another. Unlike the others who have been out all night, Jack managed to get some rest in the early morning hours. While the other officers licked their emotional wounds and prepared for the fight for the climate wall, Jack replied to the urgent text received by his superiors. He quickly changed into a casual suit and slipped a taser down his inside jacket pocket. His front door opened then closed. "Bring good news, Cunningham." Jack followed, intent on collecting everything needed to bring down their targets.