Goals for 2019:

One more story for Bad Cop titled Bugs!

May or may not consider working on a Fanfic for Fable the video game franchise. I was toying with the idea for an American story set in modern time New York.

I want to do original stuff that is not from any fandom. So I'll be looking to make time for this as well.

Hopefully, I'll get a pay raise and promotion. Work is so demanding. And my resources are...slim. Anyway, On with what just might be the first of the last three or four chapters!

I See You

Nick stood by the back window in Jack's home overlooking the backyard. Even with the dipping of the late afternoon sun painting the world orange, the backyard appeared dark green. The leaves clicked musically through the air as a breeze bullied them. He stared at the tallest trees, pulling shapes from his mind. A circular shape with a skinny snout took form from within the tangled branches in Nick's eyes, resembling a rodent-like head.

Nick raised the metal gray rifle in his paws. It was heavier than expected and felt a little like hard plastic. No wonder SWAT and other officers looked so in shape.

"Widen your stance just a bit," instructed Fangmeyer. "Pretend you will shoot. Anticipate heavy kickback. Always have a strong grip on the barrel and handle. Rest its butt in the crook of your shoulder." Nick looked through the scope. It was an odd view, uncomfortable. But he wasn't trained for this. Still, it was interesting to try. He straightened his shoulders as he stuck out his elbow and pointed the rifle toward the head in the trees.

"I see you," he whispered.

"Don't overstretch," said Fangmeyer. "Just raise it casually, but keep yourself firm. Yes. Looking good, Red." Nick lowered the rifle and sighed.

"Heavy." She smiled at him. From behind, Selene shuffled papers into a folder and sighed satisfactorily.

"Okay. It looks like I have everything I need."

"All set there, Chips?" Fangmeyer tilted her head at Nick, amused. Selene, not so much.

"Chips?"

"Chipmunk," said Nick.

"Heh, call me 'Chips' again, and you'll be choking on your tail." He gave a forlorn smile.

"You sound like...Finnick." A chill wrapped around his bones as he turned to hear a low howl escape Fangmeyer's throat. "You're a good singer." She turned away abashed.

"Sorry. That wasn't intentional."

"Nick, thank you for your cooperation. I'm sure Jack appreciates it." Nick turned to face Selene. He rested his back on the window. "He's worth the trust." Nick shrugged his shoulders.

"Jack's eyes are always on me now." He stole a glance at Fangmeyer. She furrowed her brows quizzically and asked,

"What happens when this is over?"

"Big and his goons get locked up. Jack and I spend the next two years doing paperwork on this disaster." She shook her head and laughed. "So not looking forward to all the work!" Nick scoffed a chuckle, grateful he wasn't in her line of work.

"I'll take some alone time. Get my head straight. I could use the peace and quiet. But..." He turned to Fangmeyer. She stepped forward and took his paws in hers. The dipping sunlight bathed her white fur in orange and illuminated her blue eyes.

"Yes, my tall, pretty wolfy?"

"Are you alright...with money?" It seems the question was on both their minds. He sighed in resignation, dropping the attempt to lie before even trying.

"At the moment? No. I really did lose everything." She lapped at the top of his nose, forcing a smile out of him and then pressed her muzzle to his in a firm kiss.

"You won't have to worry about that with me."

"But you don't make that much, do you? I mean, officers don't get paid much."

"I get more than the average officer because of my position with SWAT and my skills."

"I want to open an amusement park," he sputtered. He didn't expect to say it. It just sort of happened. She rubbed the top of his fingers in her paws as she held them.

"Isn't Zootopia itself an amusement park?" she joked.

"Sometimes."

"Hey, what is that?" Selene turned to the front door. Muffled voices buzzed on one of Jack's espionage mics left on a table pointing toward the door. The speaker on the back end of the toy-like gun-shaped mic filled the home with the buzzing of heavy accented voices. Nick clenched his fists.

"It couldn't be..." He tip-toed towards the door and listened. His free ear swiveled to the mic transmitting sounds while the other rested on the door.

"This is supposed to be Jack's house. We have to burn it down. Remember the instructions. We're short on time. Big needs us. Let's be quick."

"Does it even still matter?" asked the other.

"The bears!" Nick hissed. He forcefully guided Selene to Jack's room, shushing her with a finger before closing the door. Fangmeyer grabbed the rifle.

"You know how to work the security on this house?"

"No, not really." Nick shrugged. "But I got an idea. Just listen in on me. I have a history with them." Fangmeyer nodded. Nick directed her to hide, so she avoided the windows and knelt next to a couch. After a deep breath, he thought back to his hustling attitude when his relationship with Big was at it's strongest. But now it took more effort to force back the revulsion the memories brought.

Nick opened the door. He barely took three steps out before he spotted two large bears strolling up the narrow path from the street to the house. In the left bear's paws, a red canister full of gasoline. The bears stopped and scowled. The one on the right, most familiar to Nick, tilted his head with jaw agape in confused surprise.

"Nick? What the hell?"

"Kevin! Craig! Quite a surprise eh? You're all set?" Craig, the left bear, looked around suspiciously and hugged the can of gasoline to his chest.

"What are you going on about?" asked Kevin.

"Oh, I'm the implant. Haven't you heard?" It was almost too natural how he fit the role. The act, the lie. It still gave him a thrill. "Come on, don't look at me like that! If Big gave me away, I wouldn't have gotten inside as I have. I know all the good spots. Follow me." Nick glanced back at the house as the bears exchanged bewildered expressions toward each other. Fangmeyer's ears swiveled from above the couch for a moment before dipping out of sight. Nick gestured with his thumb to the path leading to the backyard. With a shrug, the bears followed.

"I gotta tell ya, it's been quite a trip."

"What do you know of this rabbit?" asked Craig. "If we don't stop him now, Big is going to fail. Although, if you ask me, he already has." Craig yelped and nearly dropped the gasoline as the larger Kevin hit him in the side.

"That's how you feel about your Family?" he growled.

"S-sorry. I'm just saying, that stupid fennec fox hurt him. And Bellwether's attack went bad. It hasn't been a good time, is all."

"We'll make it all right. There is no leadership in Zootopia without Father Big." Nick turned to nod at the bears then hid a smirk at the news. He mentally tsked at how they sounded more and more like some deranged cult. Nick stopped just at the edge of the house, on the entrance to the backyard. The bears impatiently grumbled and looked at him as he turned.

"Well? What's the quickest way to light it up?"

"Arms up! Both of you! ZPD!" shouted Fangmeyer from behind. They stood rigid with widened eyes. Nick caught a pistol tossed his way from between the bears. He grimaced and aimed up toward them.

"Oh please," scoffed Kevin. "We know a little about you, Nick. You wouldn't hurt a fly. Who are you trying to bluff with that?" Nick fought through his trembling nerves. He couldn't be called on a bluff nor let them proceed any further. And trained fighter or not, Fangmeyer would have benefitted from a more suitable partner for such large mammals. Nick wished McHorn was around. But he wasn't. Thankfully he did have the gun. And Fangmeyer kept her rifle pressed into their backs.

The challenging taunt echoed in his head. Nick thought about Duke; his most recent conquest and failure. How he reacted in rage to the assault on Judy and tackled Duke while his pants were still down. He chased Duke into a junkyard and watched as the unsteady, poorly layered junked car teetered on the edge of a pile. Duke backpedaled away from Nick in cowardice and bumped into the pile of cars, causing the teetering pile of junk metal to fall over and flatten him. The weasel's eyes burned an ugly image in Nick's mind. They bulged from the impact, almost popping out of his head. He drew on that cold anger and disgust. And on the strength needed to ignore Duke's pleas for help as his ribs were crushed under the weight of the car. He also drew on the anger from his arriving too late to protect Judy.

It wasn't his usual mode of action. No, Nick fought with wit, ugly remarks, bitter words. His insults were his bites. But that wouldn't suit this occasion. And when Kevin made just the slightest movement forward, Nick pointed the gun toward him. A hot stream of blood coated Nick's face. Kevin stopped, choking and falling to his knees with a spurting hole in his throat.

"NO!" Craig dropped the gasoline as Fangmeyer knocked him in the back of the head with the rifle. He fell to a knee yelling obscenities as Fangmeyer rushed to cuff him. Nick took a step back, trying to tear his angry gaze away from the panic-stricken face of Kevin choking to death in the backyard. The smoke from his gun filled his nostrils. He didn't catch the angry muttering of Fangmeyer. Another one down, he thought.

Selene was shouting from inside. She banged on the window, drawing their attention.

"Trouble in the Rainforest. Jack was found in the water! I'm going back to the MIC." She dashed off before they could respond. With their hands full, she was clear to leave both Nick and Fangmeyer with the burden of the bears.

"It's done! All of it." Craig didn't resist as he was cuffed. He turned his face away from Kevin and remained on his knees. Fangmeyer radioed for backup while Nick approached, keeping a firm grip on the weapon in his right paw.

"Where is Big? What happened to him?" Craig sneered at Nick, but he didn't flinch. Not this time. Though his heart drummed violently, he fought his fear with anger.

"Finnick attacked him. Stabbed up his arm and scarred his face with a broken bottle. Kevin stopped the fight and killed Finnick. We took Big away for help. But I'm not telling you where!"

"Loser."

"But I'm no turncoat."

"I'm not miserable anymore." Nick smiled, "I'm free! And your precious daddy will be sniffed out and tossed away. Soon." Craig glared with a tight jaw. He remained on his knees, putting him eye level with Nick.

"He loved you like family." Nick cringed in disgust. "You would have been given so much."

"At too high a cost. My soul is not for sale."

"Always the poet..." Fangmeyer hauled up Craig and walked him to the front street toward the sound of approaching sirens. Nick stood behind increasing his distance from them. He grabbed the rifle she laid in the grass and stared at the backs of Craig and Fangmeyer. Another murder with him and Fangmeyer at the scene. He hoped this wouldn't become a pattern. But if it was going to end...No, trust Jack and Judy and everyone else. He paced with gun in hand like an impatient guard. His thoughts spun tumultuously. The rainforest was looking like a hotbed of activity if Selene was correct. He took one final look at Fangmeyer who wasn't paying him attention as she worked to control the scene and guard their captive Craig.

"I love you," he whispered. Then he silently walked away from her and Jack's home.