Disclaimer: I own nothing!
"Hello!" – normal speech
"Italic on the whole sentence." – thoughts
Italic on individual words – emphasis
The Unlikely Ally
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In a city as large as Zootopia, where millions upon millions of mammals made their homes, there was bound to be more than just one 'Nick Wilde'. But when Judy decided she needed every advantage she could get in her second encounter with the con-artist, and that a good way to start would be by digging up his official records, she found only one Nicholas P. Wilde that was also a grown red fox. She brought up his files; criminal history, educational records, financial information, and whatever else was available. She had some suspicions about what she would find, based on his chosen 'profession'.
What she read was both expected… and strange.
"Something isn't right here…" Judy mumbled to herself as she examined the screen in front of her.
"You about done, Officer?" a faintly snide voice interrupted her thoughts. The way the grumpy-looking wallaby said the word 'officer' suggested he had doubts about the accuracy of the term. "I have a lot of work to do and little time to waste."
The rabbit resisted the urge to sigh. It became obvious the moment she stepped into the precinct's Records Office that the mammal in duty subscribed to the 'she only got here because of politics' club Chief Bogo had told her about. Somehow, knowing the source of his displeasure did not make enduring his patronizing any easier.
But Judy remained professional. "I believe so, sir. I will need these files here in print, please." she gestured politely to the screen.
The yellow-furred wallaby made a face like he was going to protest, but then shut his mouth with an audible 'click' and sat back down on his desk's computer. The office was a large and musty-smelling room mostly occupied by filling cabinets of all sizes, along with lengthy metal racks that groaned under the weight of hundreds of boxes. The rabbit still had no access to the ZPD's network (the Chief said he had I.T. working on that) and was forced to ask the recalcitrant clerk for aid. Fortunately, the buffalo had the foresight to call ahead and inform Records that she should be given the standard clearance for a detective. Bogo was nothing if not thorough.
Muttering to himself all the time in a tone he thought she could not hear (she could), the officer proceeded to print the requested files and put them into a blue folder. "Anything else, Officer?" he asked not-quite rudely.
"No, sir. Thank you for your help."
"Whatever." he grunted, and hopped to the back of the room. Apparently, he could not suffer her sight any longer.
So different from her earlier experience... She had gone to the Armory before coming down to Records, and Jeremy Wallace, the warthog sergeant in charge, had been every bit as friendly as Clawhauser.
If not nearly as enthusiastic.
The fearsome-looking old suid gave her a pair of handcuffs and a regular black WGM K-25 stun pistol. It was the smallest model he had available and it still looked huge in Judy's hands, but at no moment did the sergeant look at her as if she could not handle it. On the contrary, he told her he would love a little match at the shooting range when she had the time and the rabbit felt nothing but professional curiosity in the request. Proof that not all ZPD officers were opinionated jerks like this one.
With a shake of her head, the bunny put both good and bad cops out of her mind. She focused again on her current mystery.
Turned out, Nicholas Wilde had a record. An extensive one in fact, and it all began when he was just a wee kit. At the age of 9 he had been brought before the Zootopia Court of Youth for assaulting a group of junior Ranger Scouts during his initiation to their troop. The case had been messy, with Wilde accusing the other boys of violent hazing while their parents called the fox a deranged antisocial. In the end, the kit was subjected to extensive counseling regarding his 'aggressive tendencies'.
It did not seem to work, as more and more files were added to his record. For the next several years, as he left kithood and became a teenager, Wilde had been a regular visitor of the juvenile systems. Petty theft, vandalism, more violent altercations when he was older (though those almost always involved other known wrongdoers), he even seemed to have joined a gang of teenage Predators sometime around 13. By all accounts, he had been a very angry young fox, with a fiery disdain towards authority and a strong dislike of Prey mammals.
"An even worse version of Gideon Grey. Coincidence?" a traitorous voice inside Judy's mind whispered. But it was just a vestige of old-rooted fears, and the rabbit was quick to dismiss the thought. It was much easier now than it would have been just the day before.
Despite that, it was undeniable that Wilde had been a first-rate young delinquent and was well on his way to becoming a full-grown thug.
But then, just a few months after he turned 16…
She got back to the reception hall, the burst of sound as dozens of mammals spoke animatedly assaulting her sensitive ears full-blast. Officers went about their duties or socialized a little in the corners, while a couple others brought in some suspects for questioning and citizens of all sizes came to report a theft, or file a charge, or (in the case of a caribou doe with the most ridiculously frilly dress Judy had ever seen) loudly complain that someone was posting 'indecent' photos of her on the web and the government had better take responsibility for it. Clawhauser had a look of barely-concealed boredom as he half-listened to her tirade, before his eyes found Judy and his snout formed a real smile. He gave her a double thumbs-up and mouthed a 'good luck', which she answered with a smile of her own and a paw wave.
When she finally got out into the open air in front of Precinct 01's main entrance, she was startled to realize it was already dusk. The scenery was beautiful, with nary a cloud in the sky and the green grass and trees of the park in front of the precinct weaving gently in the warm evening breeze. The background was framed by the golden towers of Savanna Central, bathed in the fire of the setting sun. Hundreds of mammals could be seen wandering around, enjoying the last bit of natural light at the park or just going back to their homes after a hard day.
She also realized that she had not eaten anything since breakfast.
Judy briefly considered going after the fox right then, but thought better of it. It was best to give a more thorough reading of his files first, as she had been so caught up on his criminal records that she had barely touched the rest. She would have all night to come up with some plans to deal with the con, as she expected he would try to be difficult.
Before she started to make her way back to her rented room, she gave one more look at the vulpine's records. Her eyes lingered on one particular picture, taken on Wilde's last stint in a precinct's holding cell, almost 16 years ago. The image of a young fox with a split snout and some nasty-looking scratch marks on his collarbone and shoulders (which had to belong to a mammal much larger than him) glared back at her, green eyes filled with raw defiance. There was so much anger and loathing on that face, that the rabbit had trouble conciliating it with the older fox that hustled her just the day before. This was no suave and charming con-artist. There was nothing calm or lazy about the youth in that picture.
But mammals changed, that much she knew. Wilde might still be a crook, but he seemed to have put his violent ways behind him at the very least. She would still be on guard, of course, but was confident she could handle anything physical coming from him.
And in any case, it was not the fox who she was gunning for.
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Up on the precinct's Visitor Lounge, she watched from behind the ceiling-length windows as Officer Judy Hopps disappeared into the busy streets. She sighed, absently fixing her glasses. Through the reflection on the glass, she caught sight of Maria Gimmer on the other side of the room. The dark-woolen ewe saw her too, and gave the barest of nods, before going on her way.
So it was done. She sighed again, lamenting the loss of a faithful and strong brother. But what had to be done, had to be done.
As she made her way out of the ZPD headquarters, her thoughts went back to Judy Hopps. She sympathized with the rabbit, she really did. She knew better than most how hard it was to overcome other mammal's expectations, how it felt to be looked down upon. She had actually been all set into giving the little bunny a helping hand. Letting her know she had a friend in the city. It would certainly not hurt to have one more indebted contact close to Chief Officer Bogo.
So when she heard Hopps had been caught in some kind of scuffle, she thought it would be the perfect time to start gaining her confidence. Then she learned one of her followers had made a complete mess of a simple lookout job, and she had to run some frantic damage control instead. But despite the difficult position the doe's actions put her in, she was not angry at Judy. She was, in truth, very surprised by just how amazingly competent she seemed to be. She was ashamed to admit it, but despite her own annoyance at how Hopps had been discriminated, she too had subconsciously dismissed the rabbit as a serious police officer.
Such was the strength of Zootopia's prejudices, that they affected even her!
It did not change the fact she was no longer so sure about bringing Hopps close. Sure, she might actually find out where the otter was and thus help the Flock's plans move forward, but what if she dug a little too deeply? Who knew what tricks that bunny could pull out of her hat? No, she had to think more about this.
And in the meantime, it would be best to have Hopps watched carefully. Just in case.
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The first thing Judy did after leaving the station the next day, was to make her way to the most recent address listed on Wilde's forms. She found herself in front of a nice four-story building on the Savanna suburb whose apartments, she was just a little irked to discover, were much nicer than her own dilapidated flat. They were about ten times larger, just to begin with.
But she soon learned her target was not at home. She did spoke with the building's resident manager, and the middle-aged raccoon had nothing but good things to say about his fox neighbor. How he was polite and sociable, never hosted loud parties, and had the best jokes.
"Wasn't so keen ta having him here back when, ya know?" he told her in confidence, and with a really thick slur. "But he's really not bad, fer one of them foxes anyhow. Can't imagine such a harsh-working fella being inta trouble with ta law." he completed, fishing for more info.
"Oh, he must be hard at work right now, no doubt." she thought, but refrained from inflicting her sarcasm on the poor manager and just thanked him for his time.
So she went to Sahara Square next, to the spot where she had seen Wilde and his fennec partner loading up their van the day before. She found the van parked inside that same alley but, again, there were no vulpines to be seen, large or small. With her more obvious options exhausted, the rabbit was left with either waiting for them to return, or the daunting prospect of roaming the streets of Zootopia at random, hoping to catch sight of either fox.
Judy had never been one to wait around. It was just after lunch (that she had missed again), when she found the fox calmly walking down a sidewalk back on Savanna.
As she went to drive beside him, she noticed the pink stroller he was pushing and her ears caught the muffled sound of an absolutely horrible snoring coming from under the closed hood. But even as she was right beside the walking fox, he made no sign of noticing her or her little transport. So she gave him a couple of brief honks (which sounded just pathetic and made her cringe on the inside every time) for good measure.
When his green eyes finally settled down on her, his snout opened into an easy smile, and his voice was cheerful. "Well, if it isn't Officer Tut Tut! Still around, I see."
She gave a half-laugh. "It's Officer Hopps, actually, Mr. Wilde." she tried, but could not resist adding. "Surprised?"
His eyes became half-lidded, but the smile and cheery voice remained. "A bit saddened that some people won't follow good advice, but surprised? No, not at all. I expected no less from you, Carrots." she managed not to scowl at the enduring nickname. He went back to looking at the path ahead. "And I see you ditched the hat and coat. Got yourself a promotion, yes? Congrats."
She blinked, and almost ran over a little mouse and his tiny car. She had not expected a compliment, even a fake one. "Ah... yes. Yes, I did."
The fox closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. "Pity. Those poor, lonely meters will never find themselves such a zealous caretaker again, I'll bet."
The rabbit's smile became stiff. "I'm sure they will manage, Mr. Wilde. Now," she raised a notepad and a carrot-shaped pen to him, "I came here to ask you some questions about a case."
Wilde gave her a side glance. "From meter maid to detective in less than a day? Way to hop up the ranks, Officer." he raised a mocking thumb to her. "But I'm afraid I can't help you. Too busy. See'ya." and he picked up his pace. Her nose twitched at his complete dismissal of her.
Well, that just would not do.
Putting a short burst of speed, Judy went over the sidewalk and parked right in front of the fox, blocking his path. Wilde stopped, one eyebrow raised high in curiosity, but he was no longer smiling.
"Really, Carrots? You're gonna wake the baby."
The rabbit scoffed while she got out of her car. "We both know that's no baby, Wilde." she went to stand in front of the con, blue folder tucked beneath her arm and carrot pen in hand.
"Let's see if two can play this game."
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At the roof of a low building over two blocks away, a brown-furred squirrel watched the two mammals from behind the ultra-magnifying lens of his camera. He was hidden from any observation himself, with only the tip of the aforementioned instrument peeking out from his cover, and the lens had been designed to not reflect any light. He could not hear their conversation, of course, but that was a necessary compromise. If he knew in advance that his mark would meet with someone, and the location, he could have planted a listening device nearby. Sadly, that was not the case.
In fact, nothing about this mark was easy. He had spent the whole morning jumping from district to district, and it was a pain in his furry butt to find a new hiding location every time. Yet, from the very beginning, his employer had made clear to not underestimate his mark's senses, appearances aside. And the squirrel was not the best observer in the city for nothing.
He was curious about what business his mark had with one of their kind, though.
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"This is important." Judy began seriously, before turning on her best mocking tone, "I think your ten dollars' worth of pawpsicles can wait?" the pen was discreetly pointed at Wilde, she made sure her thumb was covering the speaker at the side.
One thing she learned in her life was that tricksters were a prideful lot. She hoped to goad Wilde into saying things she could make him regret.
But it was not to be. Instead of being riled up, the fox relaxed. "You know how it is, Fluff, every single cent counts." he crossed both arms over the stroller's handle. "Gotta put food on the kit's table." he added, smiling again.
That made her bristle, could he just stop lying? "You don't have any children, Wilde." she bit out.
"That we know of." he countered easily. "But I was talking about my future kits, of course. Need to save up for the little brats." then his smile got just a bit sharper, and she could hear a note of triumph on his next words. "Glad to know you checked, though. Really thorough, Officer."
Judy could feel herself blushing under her fur. She wanted to provoke the fox, and it was her that ended up losing her cool. Something told her she had just lost her chance to trick Wilde into saying anything incriminating.
She sighed, lowering the pen. Time to try and appeal to whatever shred of consciousness the crook still had.
"Please Wilde, just look at the picture?" she showed him the photo of Otterton licking his candy. She tried to instill as much earnest in her voice as she could. "This is Emmitt Otterton, and he is missing. You sold him one of your pawpsicles about two weeks ago, right? Do you know him?"
The fox gave the photo a disinterested glance. "I know everybody, Carrots." she could barely start to get her hopes up, before he dashed them. "I also make a point in not involving myself with stuff that's none of my business." a disdainful snort came from inside the baby stroller, and Judy realized the snoring had stopped for a while now. Wilde ignored the sound. "So yes, I sold your otter a pawpsickle. No, I don't remember snuffles about what he did after that. Can I get back to work now?"
He was lying, she knew he was lying. The rabbit had been paying close attention, and she saw how he shifted his gaze for a fraction of a second when he denied any more knowledge of Otterton.
"For once in your sad and miserable life, can you do the right thing, fox?" she gave him her harshest glare. "There is a wife and two sons who are desperate to have their husband and father back. You can't spare your precious time for a cop? Fine! Do it for them!" she took out the picture of the Otterton family, and would have shoved it into his furry face if it was not for the stroller between them.
Wilde looked at the new image in her hands for a while, eyes veiled. But in the end, he took a tired breath and spoke with an apathetic tone.
"This might surprise your cottony self, Carrots, but not everything has to be a crime-in-progress." he straightened from his previous slouching, and fixed his tie. "Sometimes, a mammal might just want to disappear for a while. Ever thought of that?" he started pushing the stroller around her. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I do need to prepare for those oh so looming kits…"
Her leg on the stroller stopped him abruptly. She heard a decidedly un-babyish grunt from beneath the hood, and the fox closed his eyes in exasperation.
"Ok, this is starting to get ridicul…"
"You would know about wanting to disappear, wouldn't you Wilde?" she interrupted him, voice nonchalant.
His eyes snapped open, and the look he shot her was so piercing it almost made her flinch. But she did not, because it also confirmed her suspicions.
"What? I checked you up, remember?" the smile she gave him was sardonic. "So tell me, Mr. Hustler, where did you vanish to between the spring of 2000 and the winter of 2008?"
It took a second for him to plaster another smile on his face. "Oh, you know, I was out there." he waved an airy paw. "Seeing the world, broadening my horizons…"
Her voice was mocking. "What, tired of the gang life?" she crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow of her own. "You were gone for almost nine years, Wilde. Your mother even filed a Missing Mammal report that was never withdrawn. It's still on ice back at the ZPD."
At the mention of his mother, the fox's smile twitched, and the rabbit was sure it would have curved into a snarl if its owner had not kept himself in check. Interesting.
"That's old history, rabbit, and I fail to see how it is any of your business." he told her, and for the first time since they met, Judy heard an undercurrent of anger. His eyes narrowed to almost slits.
She ignored it. "Your missing status was buried for so long, that when you suddenly applied for that permit to sell food six years ago, nobody even thought of questioning you about it." she put a finger to her mouth. "But you know what I find the most curious? That was the same day you bought your apartment, wasn't it? I went there – nice place, by the way – and I can't help but wonder how someone who spent almost a decade out of all official notice somehow had the bucks to buy real state in Central upfront like that." she put her paws on her hips, and affected an innocent thinking pose. "One wonders where you got the money, yeah?"
The fox tapped his fingers against the stroller's handle, and each contact of claw against metal was like a hammer blow in the silence that followed. The sounds of cars and pedestrians in the streets around them felt like coming from behind a wall.
When it seemed Wilde would just stand there staring at her, Judy decided to end it. "Look fox, I couldn't care less about your past, okay? All I want to do is find Emmitt Otterton, and as loath as I am do admit, you're the best lead I have at the moment." she went closer to him, and once again green and purple orbs tried to drill into one another. "So unless you want to make it 'my business' to investigate what your sorry ass spent those nine years doing, you're going to tell me where that otter went, and you're gonna do it right now." she smiled sarcastically again. "I mean, I am just a dumb bunny." the smile turned as feral as a rabbit's could. "But I assure you, I'm stubborn as hell."
Another tense moment of silence followed her words, and a flurry of thoughts seemed to struggle inside the con-artist.
A deep and gravely laugh came from the pink stroller next to them.
Both fox and rabbit turned surprised gazes to the baby carriage, the heavy atmosphere that had surrounded them shattering. The hood was drawn back, revealing the large cream-colored ears of Wilde's little fennec partner. He was wearing the same elephant pajamas of the day before (which still looked too damn cute on him), and was laughing his guts out.
"Ha ha ha! T-this, this r-rabbit…" he stopped for a moment, chortling, and tried to rein in his mirth. He pointed a finger at her, still doubled over, and the look on his eyes was of incredulity. "T-this r-rabbit, she…"
"Finn."
The con-artist's word was mild, but it cut through the air like a knife. It had none of the controlled anger from before. In fact, during the time Judy had stared entranced at the fennec, the larger fox had relaxed completely. He had a paw beneath his muzzle as he looked at his friend.
Said friend now blinked up at the red fox, muzzle half-open in mid-laugh. In the next seconds, a silent conversation seemed to go on between the two vulpines, and the rabbit looked from one to the other trying to make heads or tails of it. 'Finn's' head tilted to the side in confusion, and Wilde weaved a lazy paw back. The desert fox blinked one last time and a sly smirk blossomed on his snout.
"She got you, Nick!" he laughed, pointing back at her. But she was sure the object of his amusement had changed completely while they had their little staring contest. "Got you by the nuts, partner!" he jumped up and caught hold of Wilde's necktie. The con, for his part, looked a little amused as well. "Here, you'll need one of these." he took out the sticker badge she gave him before, and just about hammered it into the fox's breast-pocket.
Then he jumped down to the sidewalk and started walking away, pulling the stroller with him. "You enjoy your time with the fuzz! Might just end up handcuffed by the time you're done!" that sent him into another laughing fit.
Judy could just stand there, totally confused, until the fennec disappeared around the corner. Only then was she able to look back at Wilde, to see he was contemplating her.
"W-what?"
He clasped his paws behind his back. "I don't know where the otter is, I only know where he went."
She blinked. "Just like that?"
He grinned. "After that badass display? You bet."
"Oh! Ah... great!" she took out her notepad, still not believing how things got resolved, and looked expectantly at him. "So…"
"However…" he told her, grin growing larger, "…I have one tiny condition before I will tell you."
The doe sighed. Nothing could be easy with this fox, could it? "What is it?"
"I'm going with you."
Her ears went straight up. "Say that again?"
"I'll tell you where Otterton went," he repeated slowly, "but I want to go there with you." he pointed from him to her as he spoke.
Judy's nose twitched. What was his game now? "I had to threaten you just to make you tell me this small thing. What the heck happened to 'none of your business'?"
He stepped closer, looking down at her as if he was greatly enjoying this. He likely was. "Well… now it is my business, ain't it? I don't want anyone to say that Nick Wilde does his stuff half-assed." his voice got just a bit sarcastic. "And maybe I also want the opportunity to see the great Officer Hopps hassle someone else for a change."
Her puzzlement gave way to suspicion. "This is detective work. You really think I'm bringing a con-fox along?"
"Correction, this is a dead-end until I tell you what I know." he countered evenly.
"You already confessed to knowing about Otterton. I have enough to bring you into the precinct for questioning."
"That you do." the fox agreed, and brushed some imaginary dirt from his shoulder. "But your otter isn't getting any younger, is he? What was it you said? A wife and two kids waiting at home?"
She gritted her teeth, swallowing the very impolite retort she was about to utter, and took a deep breath. She was thinking on bringing him along anyway, if only to make sure he was not leading her into some fake chase. She would just need to keep sharp.
"Fine!" she stomped back to her transport. "Get inside." she pointed at the seat, it was large enough for the two small mammals. The fox went after her languidly. "But I warn you, Wilde!" she turned and jabbed her finger at his chest. "I see you taking me to some gang hideout or whatever, and I swear you'll find yourself in prison faster than you can say 'pawpsicle'!"
He became dead serious for a moment. "I left that life behind, Carrots. If you believe nothing else I say, believe that." he then raised his paws in mock surrender. "And it's nowhere dangerous, keep those bunny knickers on." something about that phrase made him smile bigger.
"In fact…" the glint in his eyes was of someone about to play a prank. "…I think you're gonna love the place."
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The squirrel quickly put his camera away, ran towards a side of the building that was not visible from where his mark was, and, without hesitation, dived over the parapet. Just on the other side there was a light but sturdy cable that he had prepared for a quick exit, and he grabbed it with a gloved paw as he rappelled down to the deserted alleyway below. In seconds, he entered his own non-descript car and went to follow his mark from a safe distance.
As he quickly caught sight of the scooter's warning lights (could they make it any easier?), he used his phone to contact one of his employer's other agents.
There was a single ring before the call was accepted. "Yeah, it's me." he squeaked. "Target made contact with someone… unexpected. They are going somewhere together. I need you to check them out." he quickly sent a picture from his camera that had been automatically stored on his phone. "You got it?" he waited while the other mammal exclaimed in surprise. "Yeah, I know." another pause. "No, she did not arrest the fox, this is something else."
He saw them turning into an avenue, and he was now sure they were headed to Sahara Square. "Who knows with their kind?" he snorted. "It could be nothing, or it could be a new threat. Check them up, and we might be able to tell which one it is." he heard his interloper complaining about how hard this was going to be for him. He laughed cruelly, something most would find strange in such a high-pitched voice. "Do I care, mate? Boss is paying me a lot of bucks to keep track of this mark. You get a lot of bucks to find things out about anyone in this city. So handle it."
He weaved expertly among the traffic. Sometimes, it really paid off to have a little car. "Yeah, 'course I'll keep at them. You worry about getting that info." he ended the call without waiting for an answer.
"A bunny and a fox." he murmured to himself, shaking his head. "Should be interesting."
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When they finally went back into Sahara Square's hot streets, she was all but ready to try and scrub her eyes with bleach.
The Special Officers Course at Zootopia's Police Academy was one of the most extensive and grueling training regimes in the mammal world. During those long months, Judy Hopps learned to handle every kind of dangerous situation that a cop could find themselves in.
She learned how to survive the different environments of the mega-city. She learned how to subdue targets big and small. She learned how to use all kinds of weapons, from knives to pistols to sniper rifles. She learned how to disarm bombs. She learned how to disperse riots. She learned how to conduct a high-speed chase. She learned how to negotiate in a hostage situation. She even learned how to go undercover.
And she excelled in almost all of it. By the end, she was confident the Academy had prepared her for anything.
She was NOT prepared for what waited her inside the Mystic Spring Oasis naturist club.
Everywhere she had looked, there was bared skin, fur and… parts. She did her best to look at the ground, to hide her eyes with her paws, but she still had to watch where the yak receptionist had been leading them. And even those small glimpses where enough to make her want to bury herself three feet beneath the ground.
Was it possible to die from embarrassment?
And the whole time, Wilde had just strutted beside her without a care, wearing the most satisfied expression in the world. His sly glances had almost been enough to make her anger overcome her mortification, and she wanted to punch his foxy mug so much that it hurt. Would it have killed him to give her a little warning?
Then again, seeing her squirm had probably been the reason he wanted to come along in the first place.
"Well, I had a ball." the fox said cheerfully. Her paws twitched with repressed urges. "How about 'cha, Carrots? Enjoyed the sights?"
"You have no idea how much I want to beat you up right now." she hissed at him.
"Tsc, tsc. Police abuse…" he smoothed his shirt. "You're welcome for the clue, by the way."
She gave one last huff, but the reminder of the very good lead she got from the club's receptionist helped to calm her temper. The fact he could have told them all those things without even leaving his desk, skipping that whole unpleasantness, made her want to pull her ears out.
With great effort, she pushed all those memories inside the 'Never Open Again' folder of her mind, focusing back on the case. "Isn't it strange that none of Otterton's family or other friends knew about this club? I mean, six years? And he never told his wife?"
She was speaking more to herself than anything else, but Wilde chose to answer anyway.
"Not really, no." he told her, scratching the underside of his muzzle. "Most of those mammals back there are obviously proud of their lifestyle, but I betcha some see it more as a 'guilty pleasure'." he shrugged. "Perhaps the old fella was just ashamed to admit it. Or perhaps," he grinned, "he didn't want the missus complaining about his wandering eyes…"
The bunny frowned, ignoring that last remark. "He… he just doesn't look the type to hide things like that."
"Like I didn't seem the type who would hustle a cop?" he quipped, and she shot him a glare. "We all have our dirty secrets, Carrots. It's just that some of us have far more of 'em than others."
That made her smirk. "Gee, your list must be the size of Zootopia."
"Nah…" the con shrugged again. "The size of the Rainforest District, perhaps."
The doe shook her head. She started flipping through her notations, ending up on the page with a plate number. "Now, to find out who this car belongs to…"
The fox went to prop himself against one of the giant plant jars in front of the naturist club, idly watching the approaching midday traffic. "That should be cake for a copper, eh?"
Her ears twitched. "Usually, yeah. But I'm not in the system yet… Chief said it would be done by tonight." the ears dropped now, and she put both paws against her closed eyes. "Uhrg, I'll have to grovel to that damn wallaby again."
"Now that I would love to see."
"Oh, shut it!" she sighed. "Well, no choice…" she turned back to the fox, paused for a while, and took a deep breath. "I won't say it was a pleasure, Wilde, but… thank you for the help." she crossed her arms. "I'll even let your obvious new scheme with that fennec go away today, but remember…" she pointed at her eyes, then at him. "Good day."
She started to make her way back to her scooter, but did not take ten steps before a lazy voice called her.
"You know…" she turned her head to look at the fox, and saw him watching the sunny sky with a placid gaze. "If you'd rather not deal with your 'honorable' colleagues, I happen to have a friend at the DMV who could run that plate for you." he picked up slowly at the inside of one of his red ears. "Why, it's even much closer to this place than your station…" he trailed off, now looking at her suggestively.
She blinked, then her eyes narrowed. "That's awfully generous of you."
"Just looking out for my reputation, remember?" he joked. When her suspicious expression did not waver, he put his paws in his pockets and came closer. "Ok, seriously. My partner already called it a day, he must be on his third nap by now actually, which means that I won't be making any more money today." his face went serious for a moment. "I don't care all that much for your otter, Carrots. But as you made sure I had the whole afternoon free, I don't mind helping you." he smirked, showing his sharp teeth. "If for nothing else than because this has been terribly amusing so far."
Judy tapped her foot while she considered the proposal. She really was in no mood to deal with more bigotry that day. Between the wallaby back at precinct and Wilde, she honestly thought the con-fox was the more bearable jerk.
A crook, a fox crook, better company than a fellow cop? What was the world turning into?
She knew she could just ask Chief Bogo directly for help, and was reasonably sure he would have the info she needed in a matter of minutes. But even if he had not said so outright, she knew this case was as much a trial before his eyes, as it was a chance to prove herself to the other officers. Despite her fierce desire to find Otterton as quickly as possible, she did not want the cape buffalo to think she was the sort of mammal who went crying to daddy every time she hit a snag.
"Okay, I'll bite." she finally decided. "I hope your 'pal' can make this happen faster and in a friendlier way. Come on." she waved for him to get into the scooter.
"Oh, it'll be friendlier, alright." he told her. Then he added in a whisper so quiet, even she could not make out the words. "Don't know about faster, though."
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The squirrel watched from a nearby café as his mark and their unexpected companion prepared to leave. He quickly, but calmly, finished his small coffee and put a large bill beneath the empty cup. He then went back to his car while keeping the mammals in sight with his peripheral vision. This time he had been able to plant a tiny microphone while they were inside (in the very same jar the fox had used as a recliner) and he had listened to a most curious conversation.
He had just started the engine and was taking to the street, when his phone rang. It was his fellow agent.
"Hit me." he squeaked.
The other mammal quickly relayed the information he had been able to acquire, saying how he had to check in a rather large favor and that it had better been worth it.
"That actually confirms a couple things I've just learned." he said after the information broker was done. "Very interesting. Ya' know what? I think we could use this…" he spent a minute in contemplation, and one of those ridiculously tall giraffe cars blocked his vision of the scooter for a couple seconds. By the time he finally managed to rid himself of it, the target was gone.
He kept his cool, though, and used his finely-honed instincts to get back on the trail. The police lights, once again, made it too easy.
He finished his thought. "Yeah, we can use this. I'll call the boss and pass this info along, you stay sharp in case I need you again." the small mammal listened amused to the other's rude words. "Yeah, fuck you too, mate. 'Till next time."
He finished the call, and immediately called the private number of his employer. The one he should never call unless he had something really good to pass along. He was confident this qualified. "Hello, boss? It's Jimmy." he spoke, and this time he was the very figure of politeness. He knew better than to be disrespectful to the mammal at the other end of that line. "I think we might have what you need…"
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After assuring her that this would not take as long as she feared, even throwing a sarcastic quip about how in Zootopia 'anyone could be anything', her vulpine companion went straight to one of the many desks at the reception of the Department of Mammal Vehicles, completely ignoring the dozens upon dozens of mammals that waited impatiently at their lines. There were more than a few dirty looks sent their way.
Others just looked incredulous that a bunny and a fox were walking side-by-side.
When he was close enough to the sloth behind the counter that he would be easily heard, Wilde called his 'friend' in the most charming voice she had heard from him yet.
"By the blossoms in the fields and the stars in the sky, if it isn't the finest sow in all of Zootopia!" he went to rest against the desk, waiting with a pleasant smile while the sow in question turned, sluggishly, to look at him. When her eyes landed on him, the fox continued in the same suave manner. "Priscilla, darling, can I just say you look positively dazzling this day?"
The cop had to admit, she was a little shocked. She expected the con's contact would be some shifty type. Perhaps a sort of drinking buddy or the like. She had not expected a nice-looking sloth lady with pink clothes and purple glasses.
The sloth's expression slowly morphed into a happy smile. One of her paws, filled with very long claws, raised up to her mouth in a delighted gesture.
"Nickie… Wilde. How… nice… to… see you." her voice was velvety soft and, if not for the painfully ponderous pace, would have sounded lyrical. "What… can I… do… for… you… my dear?"
The fox put a wounded paw to his heart. "Oh madam, why do you always assume the worst of me? Can't I just come here to bask in your beauty and brighten my dreary day?"
The sow gave a gentle slap at his arm that took the whole of twenty seconds from start to finish. She giggled softly, each syllable coming by itself.
"Stop… it… you rogue!" she giggled again. Then she noticed the small rabbit beside him, wearing an uncertain smile. "Oh…my! And who… is... this lovely… doe? A… ladyfriend?"
The implication behind that question made Judy's ears burn, and she almost choked on her next breath. Wilde spared an amused glance at her as she coughed in indignation. "Come now, Priscilla! You know this foxy heart only has space for you." he took her paw and kissed it gallantly. "This fierce-looking bunny right here is Officer Hopps, and she is only a temporary partner, sadly." he patted her head, and she resisted the urge to smack his paw away. Then he came closer to the sloth and stage-whispered. "And between the two of us, I think she's the 'work before love' type anyway."
"Hey!"
"Don't… be… mean… Nickie." the sow admonished him, then turned her kind eyes to the rabbit. "I… take it… you… are the one… that… needs a… favor… hum?"
She gave one last huff to the fox, before smiling at the sloth and getting to business. "Yes, ma'am. We need you to run a plate for us, please. We are in a big hurry!"
The larger mammal just nodded. "Number?" she asked.
"29THD03."
The sloth promptly started to input the characters into her tablet, though her speed (or lack thereof) made the bunny want to squirm. Priscilla also seemed capable of multi-tasking, because she kept chatting with Wilde even while running the plate.
"You and… Finnick… should… come by… sometime… for dinner. It's… been… so long." she told the fox.
He shrugged apologetically. "Ah, you know Finn… if it doesn't involve money, vixens or booze, he can't be bothered." he then raised a solemn paw. "But I promise my lady that I'll bring both of us reprobates to your lovely abode someday soon, even if I have to drag his sorry little ass there."
She gave a small, satisfied smile. "You… do that." and she turned the screen of her tablet towards them. "Here… you go… Officer."
Judy stared at the screen in confusion for a second. She had expected the sloth to print the info.
"It's… faster." Priscilla said.
The rabbit grinned in thanks, and quickly noted down the information. She got excited. "It is a limo from a private company at Tundratown! Maybe he's still there!" she went to dash out of the building, but remembered herself in time to turn and bow to the helpful sloth.
"Thank you so very much, ma'am!" the sow just nodded again, still smiling.
"Bye, darling. Always a pleasure. I'll call ya." Wilde gave the sloth a jaunty wave, and joined her. When they left the glass doors, Judy was pleased to notice it was still mid-afternoon.
"That wasn't so bad after all." she thought. They still had a couple of business hours to check the limo service that would hopefully point her towards her missing mammal. "And it was definitely better than dealing with that asshole at Records."
As they climbed inside her scooter without a word, Judy did not even stop to think about how she was bringing the fox along for the ride again. This time without any protest.
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They all had to deal with some heavy traffic that not even their small vehicles could move quickly through, and it was the time of the day when the world gained a blue-gray tint, just before sunset. It enhanced the already austere landscape of Zootopia's coldest district, making everything look solemn and still, despite all the mammal movement around them.
When they entered Tundratown, their little squirrely stalker saw the direction the two mammals were going, and considering the place they had left from, he connected the dots. It was time to call the Boss again.
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"Good afternoon, sir. I'm Officer Judy Hopps, ZPD. We would like to ask you some questions."
The thick-coated horse that met them wore an immaculate black suit, complete with a chauffeur's cap. He gave them a coolly polite look from the moment they entered the frozen parking lot of the Tundratown Limo Service, and his size and bulk made him tower over the much smaller mammals.
"I see…" the equine's voice was also on the worst side of frosty. He shot a quick, distrustful look at the fox beside her. "Can I inquire as to the nature and subject of your questions, ma'am?"
Judy was getting a bad feeling about the prospects of this visit. "I'm in the middle of an official investigation about a disappearance, Mr…" she looked at his silver name-tag. "…Hostner. We have reason to believe that the vanished mammal, Emmitt Otterton, used your services on Tuesday evening, 11 days ago." she showed him the photo, and the horse barely even glanced at it. "I would like to confirm this information, and ask about his itinerary and possible whereabouts." she clasped her paws at her hips and waited expectantly.
The worker's answer was immediate and very firm. "I am sorry Officer, but this company is known, and sought, for our standards of professionalism and discretion. We do not make a habit of disclosing information our clients might like to keep private." he turned from them, going back towards the little security shack next to the entrance. "I cannot deny or confirm anything about any otters, nor can I allow you to enter our premises any further. Unless you are able to produce a warrant, I'm afraid I must ask you and your companion to leave."
The rabbit looked up at Wilde, who just gave her a 'you are the detective here' kind of shrug.
"Sir, please." she tried again. She really did not want to go through the hassle and delay of requesting a warrant. "Mr. Otterton isn't being accused of any wrongdoings, and he might be in grave danger. Every minute counts."
"I regret not being able to help you, Officer. But I don't make the policies." he did not sound all that regretful to her.
The doe was about to try a more heavy-pawed approach, when a phone inside the shack started to ring. The horse went to answer, but left the door open so he could watch them. "Tundratown luxury transports, how can we be of service?" a second later his eyes widened to the size of dinner-plates, and his voice became positively obsequious. "S-sir! How c-can I… what?! Yes, they…" his eyes jumped nervously back to the bunny and fox. "I-I, what? Ah, yes sir, of course sir. I understand, sir. I'll do it at once! Yes, sir! Thank you sir!"
As he put the receiver back down, his hoof was trembling slightly. He suddenly appeared much smaller.
"I'm sorry ma'am, there's some urgent matters that I need to attend to. However, feel free to enter the parking area and conduct any searches you feel necessary. I'll be with you again shortly."
And then he slammed the door of the shack in their faces, and left the baffled pair standing there.
"Ooookay… what the hell? Who do you think that was on the phone?" she turned back to her 'partner', only to find the fox looking fixatedly at the shack, a frown on his face and green eyes shadowed. Was it just her, or did Wilde's posture appear even looser than usual, despite his expression?
"Something fishy going on, Carrots…" he eventually looked back at her. "But…" he glanced briefly at the door the horse disappeared into. "…we do have permission now… sorta." he gestured towards the cars. "Your call."
She thought for a moment, and her right paw tapped at the grip of her stun pistol. It was a comforting weight at her side, and she made sure the strap keeping it in place inside the holster was open. "Let's take a look at the cars, but keep those eyes peeled."
He nodded. The sun was starting to set now, and a red hue began to paint the horizon. The pair walked slowly towards the row of parked limousines, all large ones to accommodate all sizes of mammals, and they seemed like white sleeping beasts in the darkening light. There were 9 of them on the lot at the moment. At the far back of the parking lot, there was a small building that probably served as a lounge for the drivers. It looked deserted at the moment; they were just about to close for the day.
Judy let out a frustrated huff when she saw most of the limo's plates were frosted over.
"Damn it! I'll take those on the left and you take the others." she told him, already walking to her side. But she was stopped by Wilde's gentle tap on her shoulder.
He was looking at a limo on the right row, which was kept a little apart from the others. "No need, Carrots. I think that's our ride."
She blinked. It, too, had its license plate covered by ice and illegible. "How can you tell?"
"'Cause it still smells of rage, fear and blood, though it's very old." he told her grimly.
She started at that. Was he serious? He looked serious, which considering his usual mood must mean that he was. She sniffed the air herself, but though she could distinguish a plethora of scents, there was nothing particularly strange about them. She knew a fox's sense of smell was better than a rabbit's, but was it that much better?
"Well, nothing to lose anyway." she decided, and went towards the limo, Wilde trailing behind. She had a paw on her gun now, and made sure the horse attendant was still inside his shack while she went to clean up the car's plate.
29THD03
"You're right! This is it!" she whispered, only to notice the fox was not beside her. Instead, he had not bothered with confirmations and went straight to the car's rear door, which he had already opened.
The glance he gave her was unreadable. "You'll want to see this, Carrots."
She went there, now fearing what she might find. And under the growing shade of twilight, she looked in shock at the inside of the luxury vehicle. Everywhere inside the limo, there were claw marks. Dozens upon dozens of them. Deep, angry scratches, though they obviously belonged to a small mammal. The seats, the floor carpet, the side coverings, not even the ceiling was unscathed. One of the headrests looked as if it had been chewed through.
"If your otter was here, he had a really bad day."
She barely heard him. "You ever seen anything like this?" she asked.
There was a couple of seconds before Wilde answered. "Yes."
She started. "What?!" but the fox was already inside the car, looking around with suddenly focused eyes. So she went in too, and started to apply her training to the scene.
She had her gun draw.
She was about to open the little privacy window to check to front of the limo, when she heard the con-artist hiss in alarm. She immediately turned, body crouched and pistol raised, scanning for threats. But all she saw was Wilde standing next to the tiny bar, holding one of the crystal glasses. She noticed it had a stylized white 'B' on it.
"Don't do that!" she hissed back at him. "You want me to zap you by accident?"
But the fox looked at her with a dead-serious gaze. "We're leaving, Carrots." he told her, and his voice was urgent. "We're leaving right now."
"W-what?! What are you talking about, we're not leaving. This is a crime scene!" she looked to the direction of the security shack. "In fact, there's a lying horse that I need go and put in 'cuffs."
But her partner shook his head, putting the glass back down. "That would be a mistake. This car belongs to Mr. Big, which makes the horse one of his employees."
She was starting to get really worried about this shift in the fox's demeanor. "Who's 'Mr. Big'?"
"The most feared crime boss in Tundratown." Wilde informed her, stepping closer. His ears were up in attention. "And one of the most powerful in all of Zootopia. He's rich, connected, has an army of agents at his beck-and-call, and is absolutely ruthless about protecting his interests. If he's the one that made your otter disappear, then there's little you can do about it now."
She gaped at him, trying to process all that.
The fox massaged his forehead, eyes closed in regret. "Dogshit! If I had known Mr. Big was running a fucking limo service now, I'd never have let you come here."
That snapped her back, and she narrowed her eyes at him. "Let me? What the hell to you mean by that, Wilde?!" she stomped her foot. "And you don't seem all that scared of him."
He glared back at her. "I'm not a cop, Carrots."
"Well I am, and I'm not afraid of any criminal, big boss or not! I'm going to interrogate that horse." she stomped to the door, but was stopped once again by Wilde's paw.
This was no gentle tap, though, it was a full-on iron grip. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough to let her know she was not going anywhere. The rabbit tried to shake it off, but found that the fox was much stronger than she expected. So she whirled around to give him piece of her mind, only to flinch as she saw him hunched over her with his face inches away from her own. His frosty breath hit her nose, and it smelled strongly of cinnamon, with the faintest undercurrent of tobacco. It surprised her.
But not as much as the fierce gaze that he pierced her with. Something small and primitive at the back of her mind screamed at her, and Judy was almost overcome with the urge to spring back and raise her gun at him. She was only able to push the instinct down because she could see the glint of sincere worry hidden beneath the intense stare.
"You listen to me very carefully, Hopps." he began, when he was sure he had her undivided attention. "Remember what I said about this city's dark side? Well, you mess with Mr. Big's business, and you're gonna dive bunny-ears-first into it. And it doesn't matter how great a cop you are, you won't survive the trip. You get what I'm saying?"
"I… you…" she was speechless once again, wondering what to do. Before she could think much further, though, Wilde's ears twitched and he looked up in alarm.
She heard it, too. The sound of another car approaching, and then parking nearby.
The fox closed his eyes. "Damned..." he whispered. He straightened and released his grip on her, fixing his tie. "Ok, you want to leave this place in one piece, Officer? You stay right here while I try to talk our way out of this mess." he stared imperiously down at her. "I'm serious, bunny. Stay! Put!"
And then he left, closing the door behind him.
Judy followed his advice for the whole of three seconds, before scrambling outside with her gun at the ready. She saw that a new limo was now on the parking lot, this one a lustrous black. Wilde stood middle-way between the two vehicles, hands in his pockets, waiting for the newcomers to make themselves known. All he did when she went to stand defiantly next to him, was to sigh in resignation. They both remained silent.
The tinted windows did not allow her to see inside the car. But it was impossible not to notice when the rear doors opened and two massive polar bears got out. Both were male, of similar size, and wore matching sport sweaters. They walked slowly towards them, and barely spared a flat look to the pistol in the bunny's paw. She was surprised to notice their faces were serious, but not unfriendly. They stopped a respectful distance away, huge paws crossed beneath the waist.
Before she could speak, Wilde greeted them. "Raymond, Kevin." his voice was relieved. Her head snapped to him so fast, her neck protested. He knew them?
"Master Wilde." the bear on the left inclined his head politely, followed by his companion. His deep and gruff voice was also not hostile or threatening in the least. "Great to see you in good health, sir."
The con took a deep breath, once again massaging his forehead. "If you guys are here, that means the old boar knew I was coming." he huffed, and glared at the much larger mammals. "He put one of his little stalkers on my ass again, didn't he?"
The bear on the right, Kevin she guessed, smiled lightly. "Boss worries about you, sir. He likes to make sure you're not in trouble."
The fox scoffed, but then closed his eyes and seemed to be doing some furious thinking. After just seconds, he looked back at the bears. "That little blue car…" he spoke slowly. Then he snapped his fingers in realization. "The brow squirrel at the café… I thought he looked too casual. Darn it."
Both bears looked at each other in amusement, before the one she guessed was Raymond nodded. "Sharp as ever, Master Wilde."
"Not enough, it would seem." he shook his head, then took a step closer. "Look fellas, can you just let my friend here leave? I didn't know who owned this joint, and would really hate for this to become a problem." his tone was mild, but there was no mistaking the steel behind it.
Judy was so tempted to step in, but wanted to see where this was going. She was also amazed, and even a little touched she had to admit, that the con-artist seemed willing to get into trouble with these huge guys for her sake.
Said guys once again traded looks, this time serious ones. Kevin then came forward, paw going inside his sweater. Judy instantly pointed her gun at him, eyes hard. The bear paused for a second and much more slowly drew an envelope from inside the clothing, making sure she could see the movement.
Wilde accepted it with a frown. It was pristine white, with golden filigree and lettering, and a wax seal in royal red. He quickly broke the seal and opened the folding letter, scanning the contents. Half-way into it, he stiffened.
"Little Fru Fru is getting married?! Tonight?!" he looked at the bear for confirmation, who nodded. It was Raymond who spoke.
"To Mr. Fero, a young but successful businessman. His father was a good friend of the Boss while they lived in Rodentia. They reacquainted a few months after you left us, sir. He seems an honorable boar. The Boss approves."
Kevin took over. "Boss would be very happy if you could join the festivities, sir. And the young miss would be ecstatic, of course. She really misses you."
By this point, Judy had lowered her gun. Wilde also lowered the invitation. She could not see his face very well, but he seemed deep in thought. The bears waited patiently.
When the fox finally spoke, it was with clear regret and some other, deeper emotion the rabbit could not place. "Thank the old boar for me, fellas, but I can't accept it. Send my warmest regards and best wishes to Fru Fru, please."
He extended the letter back to the bear. But the larger mammals made no move to take it. For the third time, he and his partner conversed in silence, before Raymond spoke. He had a small grin on his large snout.
"The Boss expected you might say that, Master Wilde. So he has a deal for you… and your cop friend."
Both small mammals perked up at that, if perhaps for different reasons. Kevin looked at Judy. "We know you're looking for Emmitt Otterton, Officer Hopps." he nodded politely to her. "Boss ain't got nothing to do with the disappearance, just to be clear. Master Otterton was a trusted and much valued member of the family."
Raymond finished. "But he can tell you where to look next." the little smile turned shrewd. It looked strange on the tough-looking bear. "And if you come to the house tonight, Master Wilde, he will tell your friend here everything he knows."
ANs:
So, that took a lot longer than expected. Sorry, didn't have any spare time for the last two weeks. Next one will be much faster. Please give me your thoughts.
To be clear, I am making Nick 32 years old in this story, with Judy being 25. I know the usual canon for her is 24, but I decided that our bunny had her 25th birthday at the Police Academy.
Huge thanks to Zero1606, 07wolfe, TheSinfulDragonEmperor and Magus Neon for the reviews. And everyone who read it, too!
