Disclaimer: I own nothing!
"Hello!" – normal speech
"Italic on the whole sentence." – thoughts
Italic on individual words – emphasis
The Darker Side
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"The Boss will be with you in a moment, Master Wilde, Officer Hopps." Raymond told them, as they were led inside Mr. Big's study. "He has some last-minute matters to settle regarding the party. Please, make yourselves comfortable."
Kevin gave him a wink. "You know were the liquor cabinet is, sir."
And they left.
The study was exactly as he remembered it. It had the same somber decoration. The same low bookcase, the large stone fireplace (which, as far as he knew, had never been lit), the rickety old lampshade, even the aforementioned wooden cabinet, filled with rare and very expensive spirits. The same finely-crafted mahogany desk dominated the center of the room, and it still had that old relic of a phone sitting on top of it. It almost seemed as if the last seven years had never happened, as if the snow that covered everything but the desk and the chair behind it had not been disturbed in all that time.
This room was an exercise in duality. It was a place for relaxed meetings among the Family, but also the place where Mr. Big conducted serious business with partners and adversaries alike. And, occasionally, the place where he terminated those relationships in a very permanent fashion. His eyes were draw to the innocent-looking carpet in front of the desk. The same carpet upon where ZPD officer Judy Hopps now stood, with arms crossed and ears up, as her keen detective eyes scrutinized the room.
He stifled a groan. Any moment now the questions would begin, he was sure of it. The ride had been uncomfortable enough, with him brooding over old memories and Carrots siting all stiff at his side, never breaking her vigilant gaze from the polar bears. He figured their presence had been the only reason his interrogation was delayed for so long.
The rabbit's gaze took in all the details. She stomped a foot on the carpet a few times and frowned at the faintly hollow sound. She could probably hear the cold running water beneath it, just like he could. Once she was satisfied with her examination of the study, she turned to him. He saw worry on her face and guessed she had reached the end of her patience, ready to start inquiring about exactly how he was connected to a mafia boss.
"You alright?" she asked him in a concerned voice.
Nick blinked once, then twice. That had not been the question he had expected.
"Huh?"
Hopps took a quick glance at the door, making sure they were not about to be disturbed. "It's just…" she started again, even more worried now. "You're looking so down since we got into that car. Those bears seemed to really respect you, so I thought…" she bit the bottom of her mouth with those big teeth of hers. "Are you in trouble with Mr. Big? Because it was never my intention to put you in danger, I swear."
The fox needed a few moments to process that. "Wait, you're worried about me?!"
The nod she gave him was all seriousness. "Something's eating at you, don't try to deny it. You don't need to stay here, Wilde."
Nick could not decide whether to be touched that she cared about his wellbeing at all, or to grunt at how she still did not seem to understand the situation. It was her fault he had been roped into this 'visit'. The cunning old bastard had assumed (correctly) that the bunny would jump at the opportunity to continue her investigation, and made it clear through Kevin and Raymond that her continued health would be up to the fox.
He really did not need an iced bunny on his conscience. It was already tainted enough.
He settled for a chuckle. "Bit late for that, eh Carrots?" he rested his back on one of the cold walls, letting the smirk she was familiar with play on his muzzle. "Unless you want to see me jumping out the window…" he trailed off.
The rabbit looked intently at him. "We will figure something out. Look, I know your presence here is supposed to be some sort of insurance for my safety, ok? But I can take care of myself, promise."
He blinked, again. So she did get it.
Smart bunny.
She gestured towards the door Raymond and Kevin had left through. "With how they treated you, I assumed you would be fine. Was I wrong? I want to find Mr. Otterton, but I won't have you harmed or… or worse, to see it happen."
He shook his head slowly. "Ooookay… I must've walked into another dimension or something. Is this the same rabbit who has threatened me with arrests every time we met?"
"Shush it, fox!" she gave a cute little huff. "You're still a hustler, and a little jail time might do you some good." her eyes softened, and the worry was back. "Doesn't mean I want to see you beaten up and thrown into a ditch or something."
He managed not to let out a humorous scoff. She was smart, but still very naïve if she did not know what usually happened inside prisons.
"No need to worry." he tried to assuage her concern. "I will be perfectly safe here."
"But you seem…"
He sighed and left his place at the wall. "I ain't fearing for my pelt, Carrots." he walked to the fireplace, stopping below the framed photos on the mantelpiece. "Honestly, I'm much more worried about yours." he told her distractedly. He stared at the picture of an ancient, but elegant, lady shrew at the top of the wall.
"So you're finally resting now, Mrs. Norris." he thought with regret. He remembered the strict but fair grandmother, and they had some really nice conversations over a hot mug of coffee. She had a very sharp mind and a will of iron, but had been frail of body and sickly for the whole time he lived at the mansion. That did not stop the dedicated matron from making dinner for her family every chance she got, however.
It was a tremendous shame she had not lived to see her great-grandchildren.
Hopps' soft voice broke the fox from his reverie. She was standing next to him. "Thank you."
He blinked, then glanced down at her. "Whatever for?"
"For helping me find Otterton. For sticking up for me back at the parking lot. Friends or no, I know you were threatening those bears to let me leave." she told him earnestly. "And you came here, even when it's obvious as heck you didn't want to. I am a bunny cop, and you are a con-fox. You got no reasons to help me, Wilde, but you still do. So… thank you for giving a damn, I guess is what I'm trying to say." her ears were down, and those purple eyes were filled with honest gratitude. "I… I misjudged you."
Nick kept his nonchalant face, but he was secretly at a loss for words. He couldn't remember the last time a mammal that was not Priscilla or Finnick (in his own manly, gruff way) had given him a heartfelt thanks like that. Not in over half a decade.
"You're too good for this city, bunny." he thought, not for the first time.
He decided a bit of honesty would not hurt. He put his paws in his pockets and relaxed against the fireplace. "Yeah, I misjudged you too, Fluff. You're not half-bad… for a little hick." he joked.
She crossed her arms and gave him that confident smirk of hers. "You ain't that much worse yourself, for an overgrown townie."
For a few moments they both stood there with their little smiles, a sense of understanding and a comfortable silence filling the otherwise cold and gloomy room.
"But what is your history with this crime boss, anyway?" the doe asked as she also looked at the frames above the mantelpiece, and that made her miss the tiny wince that slipped through his face. She took a closer look at the photos, face frowning in confusion, and pointed at them. "And what is it with all the shrews?"
"Well, you see…"
Both of them straightened up when they heard heavy, very heavy, footsteps approaching the second door in the room. Nick took a deeper-than-usual breath and walked back to stand in front of the desk, Hopps following close behind.
Mr. Big had arrived.
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She was in the process of sorting the absolute mess her boss dared to call 'finished paperwork'. She restrained the urge to go and strangle the large bastard when she found yet another report from the Office of Transportation in the folder belonging to the Department of Mammal Health.
Unsigned, of course, because that was just typical.
She put the report together with the others she would need to take back for him to sign, a pile that was growing larger by the minute. She was in the middle of wondering just how she would manage to finish her own paperwork in time (it looked like another sleepless night for her), when there was a soft 'ping' as her phone received a message. Not the larger smartphone she used for work and private matters alike, no. Her other one.
The phone only one other mammal knew the number of. The same mammal who had given it to her in the first place.
The message was a simple and direct one, as all his messages were. We found the runaway jaguar. He is a danger to the Flock and to the future of the city. He must be dealt with as quickly as possible.
It was followed by a name and an address. She immediately called the Chemist.
The line rang many times before the often distracted mammal on the other side picked up. "Big Sister?" came the ram's slurry voice.
"Our benefactor has found the jaguar." she informed him crisply. 'The jaguar you let escape', it was what they both knew. "Renato Manchas. He's hiding out in the Rainforest, 339 Vine Walkway. You know what to do."
There was the sound of rustling as the Chemist started to gather his equipment. "Should I wait until the target is near the public?" he asked. "The formula is perfected. There's no more reason to hold back, Sister."
She considered the idea for a moment. All their first targets had been 'trial-runs'; secluded tests meant to attest the effectiveness of their new weapon. The real plan was to strike their foes in places isolated enough to not have any other mammals witness the transformation, but close enough to a busy area that they would later be seen… and felt. They had been about to start, when their benefactor informed them about the otter, and the danger he might pose to the Flock. So she had the Chemist take care of the problem, only for the ram to leave yet another loose end.
"No. Get rid of the jaguar. We can start selecting higher-profile targets once we make sure there are no more witnesses."
"You said it, Sister." the ram agreed in his usual apathetic way.
"One other thing." she warned him. "Take the Engineer along to support you. We know who this jaguar works for and where he is. He might have protection."
She heard the distinctive sound of a tranquilizer rifle being disassembled. "I get to him, and that problem will take care of itself." he remarked flatly.
"Just in case, brother." she told him in her 'this is an order' voice. And she added for good measure. "We don't want any more mishaps happening, yes?"
There was a long moment of silence, before the Flock's Chemist answered indifferently. "Understood, Big Sister."
"Good."
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Her mind screeched to a halt when the monstrous polar bear she had assumed to be the infamous Mr. Big opened his paws to reveal the elegantly dressed, old artic shrew sitting in a miniature chair. His black tux was decorated with a classic red flower at the breast. His eyebrows where the thickest she had ever seen, and they were carefully combed. He was so small, his feet barely came to the edge of his seat. He looked at them with the calm and assured air of someone with nothing to fear.
"Wait, what?!" was the very intelligent thought her mind supplied to her.
Aloud, she said even more intelligently. "Eh?"
Her fox partner took a step forward. "Mr. Big, sir." he greeted simply. His voice was respectful, and even while she was busy trying to reboot her brain, she could hear the slight trace of warmth on it.
The little boar opened his arms, a calm smile gracing his snout. "My child…" his voice was wheezy, but welcoming. "…it warms this old heart to see you return to my house. It has not been the same without you."
Her companion hesitated for a second, before moving forward and trading light kisses on the cheeks with the old shrew.
"The shrew is Mr. Big!" Judy's brain finally arrived at the most logical conclusion. Right before it screamed in astonishment. "Wait, the SHREW is Mr. Big?!"
When he got back beside her, Wilde spoke again. "It is good to see you, sir." he hesitated for another moment, before sighing. "But I am sorry if I can't honestly say I enjoy being back here."
The little guy deflated, his smile turning into a regretful frown. He took a tired breath of his own. "I understand, child. There is no need for apologies. We all have demons that are too strong to overcome." he gestured kindly to the fox. "But you are of the Family, Nicky. I do hope you remember that. And for as long as I am the Head of this house, you'll always have a place inside my halls. Your troubles are my troubles, and your enemies are my enemies."
The way his voice darkened when he spoke about enemies, his little snout opening to reveal tiny but vicious-looking teeth, was the first sign the doe had that this slip of a mammal might just be someone others should tread lightly around.
The humongous bear behind him also inclined his head minutely, as if agreeing.
Wilde nodded seriously. "I remember, sir, and I thank you." then he put his paws in his pockets and the solemn visage shattered under a grumpy scowl. "But do you need to keep sticking your damned watchers on me, old boar?"
The outright petulant tone made the rabbit snap a worried look at the shrew, wondering how he would take such blatant disrespect. Her body tensed, ready for action.
Mr. Big just smiled indulgently. Even the bear snorted in what almost sounded like amusement. "It is my duty to watch over my Family, you know that." then his voice turned disapproving, though it came off more as fatherly concern. "And I have followed some of your business ventures." the old boss clicked his tongue. "I cannot say I favor them. You're a talented young Predator, Nicky, and yet you waste your best years away with such fruitless endeavors. A mammal must always strive to build a legacy for his name, but you would rather see your own tarnished or forgotten."
Wilde was not offended by the rebuke, but neither did he seemed concerned. "I'm afraid my 'talents' would not build the kind of legacy I would be proud of anyway, sir." he shrugged. "And I earn enough to pay the bills."
The boar made a sharp chopping gesture with his tiny paw, the big green stone of one of his rings glinting with a cold light. "Nonsense, young mammal!" he admonished the fox, firmly. "We've talked about this years ago. If you truly wished to, you could succeed at any craft you wanted. You lack in neither intelligence nor resources, Nicky. You need only apply yourself."
The bear nodded slowly again, like a silent white-furred colossus.
"Yes, sir. I'll think about it." the fox agreed in slight exasperation. "But what is this about Fru-Fru getting herself hooked up?"
It was obviously a cop-out, but the shrew smiled again. "Ah, yes. My daughter has certainly taken her time in selecting a suitable life-partner. But I find myself content with her choice, regardless." he crossed his paws over his protruding belly. "Which, of course, takes us to the reason you accepted my invitation here after all these years."
Finally, after being ignored by everyone in the room for so long, Judy found herself the center of all attention. Even hidden away behind those bushy eyebrows, she could feel Mr. Big's eyes drilling into her. It made her shiver just a bit.
"Young Miss Hopps, I welcome you into this house." he told her formally. "It is rare I receive an officer of the law inside my halls, but know that any friend of Nicky is an honored guest in here." suddenly, there was a subtle but undeniable warning behind his words. He straightened, supporting himself on the armrests. "Respect the common rules of cordiality while you remain with us and you have my word of honor, child, that you shall be treated in kind."
The rabbit steeled herself, posture confident and arms behind her back. "Thank you, sir. I will." no reason to make trouble, even if the boar in front of her was supposed to be the greatest criminal in the district. But she would not be all meek and submissive, either. "Please, sir, your… ahhh, 'employees' told us you knew where to look for Emmitt Otterton?"
Mr. Big seemed to approve of her firm stance. He nodded, relaxing back on his seat. "Not where to find him, I apologize. But I believe we can shed some light as to why he disappeared, as well as point you to where you could learn more."
She took an eager step forward, but reminded herself to not come too close. "Sir, that would be helpful beyond words! His family is so worried about him!"
"We, too, are concerned for Otterton's safety. He is much liked by the Family." before she could ask him more, however, he put a paw up. "Nevertheless, Nicky came here to attend my daughter's wedding. Alas, the vows have already been said and the ceremony itself has ended, but the reception is still underway. You will both come upstairs with me and partake from my hospitality. Enjoy yourselves for an hour or two, youngsters, and then we shall discuss Otterton."
She started to protest, but Wilde's gentle arm around her shoulders stopped her cold.
"Why, we would love to celebrate with you and your guests, sir!" he answered brightly. "Wouldn't we, Carrots?"
His sudden invasion of her personal space had surprised her, but she found she was not too bothered by it. And the look he gave her was clear enough.
'Don't push your luck, Officer.' those green eyes warned.
She sighed. "Yes, sir. I would be delighted." she said in resignation.
"Excellent!" the boar clapped his paws with surprising vigor. "Now, the dance should be finished by…"
There was a heavy knock on the door, which opened to reveal another suit-wearing polar bear. This one was much smaller than the one that carried Mr. Big, but he also had a shrew resting carefully on his open paw.
She was a young sow, with an elaborate hairdo and wearing a lovely white wedding dress. The bear brought her to the desk.
"Daddy, why did you scurry away after our dance?" she demanded with paws at her hips. She was so focused on her father that she did not even register the grinning fox with an arm around a curious bunny just a few steps away. "You better not be icing anyo…"
"Hey Shortstuff, looking good! No wonder you have young and successful boars tripping over themselves to marry you."
The sow jumped in surprise at the con's voice, then her eyes zeroed into the russet-colored vulpine. She was stunned silent for about five seconds, before she all but flew from the desk to latch onto Wilde's neck.
"FOXY!"
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"Oh thank you, daddy! Thank you for this wonderful present!" the newlywed kept saying while she kissed her father repeatedly above Koslov's paws. The old boar tried to appear dignified, but Nick knew he basked in the affection. Mammals could say whatever they wanted about Mr. Big, but no-one could deny he loved Fru Fru with all his heart. Nick knew the only reason the shrew was tolerating a cop's presence inside his house was to see his precious daughter smile.
They were all walking the dim corridors of the mansion in the direction of the courtyard. Even from here, he could clearly hear the music playing outside.
"I thought you were never going to pry her away from you." Carrots quipped quietly from his side, stifling a giggle.
He shot back just as softly. "Yeah, you keep laughing, rabbit. I can tell she already likes you. Soon, it will be you enduring those sharp little claws on your pelt." despite his words, there was a clear fondness there.
And it was true about Fru Fru taking an instant liking to the cop. All it took was the doe complimenting her hair and dress, and that she appeared to be friends with him.
Said doe smirked, joking along. "Well, I am a proper nice bunny, so that's just natural. She liking your sleazy self is what I call mystifying."
He looked sideways at his small companion, amused. "Careful, Fluff, or I might just turn my irresistible charm on you."
"I would like to see your try, fox." she shook her head, still smiling. "But seriously, what's the thing between you two? She treats you like a big brother." she asked him, long ears raised in curiosity.
Nick sighed. "You know, in many ways I was. It's tough being the single daughter of a rich and powerful mammal with a lot of enemies. Shortstuff used to live a very sheltered life, with little but grim-looking bears for company. Her mother passed away when she was very young and even if Mr. Big loves her dearly, he's a busy boar." he tilted his head, smelling the multitude of mammals concentrated nearby. He started cataloguing their scents, ready to match them to faces. "So then comes along a handsome and witty fox. It was just natural she would be interested."
Carrots elbowed him in the arm. "Oh, you're full of it, Slick!"
He smiled. "All right, but the argument stands. I was novelty around here, and willing to indulge her questions. Even a mole could tell she was lonely, so I always tried to spend some of my free time keeping her company. Telling her jokes and stories. Even escorted her around Zootopia sometimes, though mostly to and from Little Rodentia. She's kind of a shopping addict."
"Yeah, she looks the type." the bunny was looking at him strangely.
He nodded. "That she does. And she could be downright ditzy most of the time, guess that hasn't changed. But she's still Mr. Big's daughter, make no mistake. There's a cunning mind beneath that thousand-bucks hair." he told her with pride. "I'm glad she's getting married to what seems like a nice guy. She deserves to be surrounded by good mammals." he noticed Hopps was still looking at him as if she was seeing him for the first time. "What?"
"Oh, nothing." she answered mysteriously, a slight smile on her face.
He could not ask anything else, because they had arrived at the party. Mr. Big's moderately-sized courtyard was full of light. Over a hundred soft lanterns cast gentle hues over the temporary gazebo that had been raised in the center of the area, covered in white fabrics. A large round table sat beneath it, a self-contained and tastefully decorated party floor for shrew-sized mammals. Dozens of them were currently enjoying themselves, talking at the little tables or dancing to the sound of the animated old-world music. A few of Mr. Big's guards stood around, keeping a stoic watch over the guests.
Looks like the party was in full swing. That made him remember he was hungry, only having had breakfast with Finnick very early in the day. Unfortunately, it seemed all they had was shrew-sized plates and silverware, and he would not suffer the indignity of using either.
He was not that desperate for cake, thank you.
In very short order, two larger chairs had been brought for the fox and bunny. They were seated at the side of the 'party floor' where a longer table had been reserved for Mr. Big and his most favored business associates. All of them looked strangely at the pair, especially the rabbit in a cop outfit, but a few words from the old boar were enough to reassure them. It also helped that some recognized Nick. They might not know exactly what the fox did for their Boss, but they remembered he was a very trusted employee.
Fru Fru wasted no time in introducing her brand new husband, in that usual overexcited fashion of hers that could be so irritating but also endearing. The young boar greeted them jovially, but there was an air of apprehension about him when he extended his tiny paw for the fox to shake. His wife had likely told him some stories.
Nick's returning smile, carefully measured to show the full length of his sharp fangs, probably did not help. His congratulations also had the poor guy sweating under his fur. "That's a very special young lady you got there, pal. She can be a pawful, but she deserves nothing but the best. You would do well to provide it, or you might find that your life is much less bright without such a fantastic sow in it."
Mr. Big gave Nick an approving nod, while his daughter flushed red at the compliments.
The groom caught his implied message, and nodded nervously. "Yes, sir! I know that, sir!" then he looked at his new wife, blushed as well, and spoke with much more confidence. "I do love her, sir. I've vowed to provide and care for her every day of my life, and that's an oath I intend to keep."
"Oh, Fero!" the sow gushed happily, throwing herself at him.
Nick nodded at the determination in the younger mammal's eyes. "Good." then he looked to the side and noticed that Carrots was giving him that strange smile again. It was starting to freak him out a little.
"Well, at least she's relaxing." he considered. The rabbit seemed resigned to wait for a while before getting her answers, and also more comfortable being around a crime boss then he would expect. She was quick to adapt, that was for sure.
It probably helped that she was a fearless little thing.
For the next hour, they talked. Some of it was spent with Fru Fru grilling him for details about his life. Fortunately, she was far less interested in his professional dealings than she was in his personal life (she asked him at least four times if he was seeing anyone, as if he might somehow slip and say yes), and was also looking for any funny anecdotes. He had plenty of those. Finnick's repeated attempts to score himself a hot vixen had a tendency to turn into train wrecks very quickly, and his drunken binges were the stuff of legend. In both cases, Nick was the one that had to rescue the grumpy fennec. Even Carrots could not help but laugh herself silly a couple of times, and he felt particularly proud of those.
They paused for a round of photos. Many were taken from the star couple and their families. Fru Fru insisted on taking some shots with Nick, both alone and together with her father. He agreed easily, but subtly convinced her not to do the same thing with Carrots.
The bunny really did not need physical evidence of being all chummy with a known crime boss. She seemed to understand that, too, and gave him a grateful nod. However, no one could convince Fru Fru that Nick and Judy should not take a picture together, no shrews or bears around. She was pretty adamant about it.
"It's my wedding, Foxy!" she stomped her foot, pouting cutely, paws closed into fists at her sides. "If I can't have my picture with Judy, I'll have her take one with you so I can remember she was here!"
He looked at his fluffy partner, letting her make the call. The doe looked back at him for a long moment, before smiling slightly. "Yeah, sure. I don't mind."
The newlywed squeaked in excitement, and they soon found themselves posing for the shrew with the old-style camera. Never one to miss a joke, Nick put one arm on the top of the bunny's head, smiling serenely while he used her as a support. Instead of throwing him off, as he had expected, she instead just crossed her arms and gave her own exasperated little grin.
And after that first shot was taken, she surprised the hell out of him by hugging him tightly around the waist, carefully disguising her vengeful smirk into a beatific smile. Before he could recover from his shock, the camera flashed again, capturing his dumbfounded and graceless face for all eternity.
Fru Fru laughed in delight, and even Mr. Big gave him a toothy smirk. He turned back to Carrots
"Evil bunny." he told her, but grinned.
"You asked for it, dumb fox." she smiled back, very pleased with herself.
They got back to their seats, and he found himself eyeing the waiters with little slices of white cake circling around.
Nope, still not that desperate.
This time, Fru Fru turned her attention from the fox, focusing instead on the bunny. Nick listened with interest while Carrots told a little about her childhood at the farm, and about all the trials she had to overcome in order to achieve her life-dream of joining the force. But it did not take long for that conversation to degenerate into your typical 'girl-talk', and the fox turned instead to a discussion with Mr. Big and Fero. The younger boar finally relaxed around him while they talked about commerce, and both of them came out of it impressed with each other's knowledge and savvy. Raymond had not been kidding about the guy's talent on the field.
"You like Gazelle, too?!" Fru Fru's loud exclamation managed to grab his attention. Seemed like their talk had turned to music. "She is like… the best!"
"I know, right?!" Carrots agreed, just as excited. It astonished him that she could be such a badass cop at one minute, and a perfectly girly doe at the other.
Come to think of it, she reminded him a little of Sensei...
The bunny kept going. "Her latest single, 'Try Everything'? I love it! It represents me so much! I must've listened to it for two hours straight on my trip here to Zootopia."
"Which other genres do you like?" the sow asked.
"Oh, I'm pretty eclectic, really. I like almost everything, from The Beagles, to Kanine West, to Hyena Gomez." she put a finger to her mouth. "Can't handle the really slow stuff, though. Guess I'm just too active."
Fru Fru nodded knowingly. "Hu, hu. I got you." then she turned to him, and a smirk played on her snout. "Foxy here is just booooring. He only likes ancient stuff. I must have learned every single lyric from the Outlaws, he listened to them so much. That's like… prehistoric."
"Hey! You show some respect for the manly classics, young lady!"
"You're old, Foxy." she put her tongue out to him.
"I prefer the term 'finely matured', thank you." he said, buffing his claws. He would have pointed out that she was only a couple of years younger, but he knew better than to comment on a female's age.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Carrots interrupted them. She pointed an accusing finger at him. "The Outlaws?! You are a fan of country rock, and I am the bumpkin?!"
He shrugged. "And rock 'n' roll, and blues, and jazz… you know, good music. Not this overly-synthetic pop crap you youngsters are so hooked on these days."
The doe shook her head, laughing. "You're a damn hypocrite, fox."
"Hardly. You guys had to do something right, yeah?"
"Like putting the food on your ungrateful tables?"
"Something important, Carrots."
They grinned at each other. He was surprised by how much fun this trip was proving to be. The dark memories were still there, always on the edge of his thoughts. But the good ones brought by Fru Fru, and the constant amusement that was this bunny cop in front of him, helped to keep them at bay.
The talk about food also reminded him of cake.
"Oh, darn it! I am that desperate now."
At the same moment he signaled the waiter in the corner, Mr. Big finished talking with one of his associates, and turned to them. "Nicky, Officer Hopps, I believe you've fulfilled your end of our deal. Now, it's time for me to honor mine."
That made his partner snap to attention, going instantly from 'cheerful doe' to 'super-detective'. Her ears went up, her purple gaze became razor-sharp, and she focused all of her attention on the old shrew. Nick left them to it, as the rabbit was more than capable enough. He was still trying to keep himself detached from the case, the better to walk away if things got too messy. He was only helping Carrots to keep her from killing herself, he did not care for any otters.
Nope, not at all.
The waiter brought him the cakes and he took one plate carefully, barely able to hold the thing with the tips of his claws. He eyed it for a moment, shrugged, and went to chuck the whole thing down his muzzle.
"Foxy…" came the firm warning. He turned to see Fru Fru looking at him in displeasure.
"What?"
She huffed. "What are you, some uncouth savage?" she grabbed a fork and extended it to him.
He looked from the little cake half-way to his muzzle, to the even tinier piece of flatware on the sow's paw. "You're kidding, right?"
All she did was narrow her eyes and shake the fork at him.
He thought about protesting, but then remembered this was Shortstuff he was dealing with. "Fine." he grumbled, and took the fork. He looked at both items with some skepticism, before scoffing lightly and very carefully cutting a piece of the cake, under the sow's watchful eyes. Then he finally took a taste…
…and promptly told his pride to go screw itself. This was good stuff!
As he happily demolished his cake, he had nothing else to do but listen to the discussion between Carrots and Mr. Big.
"Wait. Otterton attacked your driver?" the rabbit exclaimed.
"Otterton." the old boar confirmed with a nod. "Manchas said he went crazy, like a mammal possessed. And he has the scars to prove it. Otterton disappeared into the night, and none of my contacts has reported any sight of him."
The cop was thinking furiously. "That would explain the size of the claw marks in your car. And the lingering blood Wilde smelled." then she shook her head. "But… Mr. Otterton is a peaceful, sweet little otter. It doesn't make sense."
Nick spoke softly. "We are all still animals, Carrots. I've told you that before."
She turned to him, and the doubt was evident in her eyes. She still had a lot to learn.
His old Boss agreed. "Nicky tells the truth, my child. Whatever happened to make Otterton act so irrationally, or what he wished to discuss with me, we can only guess. If you want to learn more, you'll need to talk with Manchas. I confess to not taking the full story out of him." the boar sighed. "The incident left him scared half to death. I was barely able to learn what little I've shared with you. He has been a loyal employee for many years now, so I allowed him some time to recover from the ordeal in a place he would feel safe."
The bunny nodded, determined now that she had another lead. "Where can we find him?"
At that moment, however, Fru Fru jumped out of nowhere and in front of the cop, taking her paw in a tiny, but firm, grip. "Judy, I need your help! I've still not finished packing the bags for my honeymoon! I need someone to help me decide!"
The rabbit blinked, then tried to excuse herself. "Ah… sorry, Fru Fru, but this is really important. Can't any of your other friends…"
"Those shrews wouldn't know fashion if it clawed at their eyes!" the sow interrupted, pouting outrageously. "I need a different perspective, like yours!"
The larger female turned to him for help, and he told her promptly. "That's the Pout of Doom, Carrots. You ain't getting out of that one. How 'bout you go with Fru Fru, and I'll note down Manchas' location and the details with Mr. Big, okay?" the old boar nodded his agreement.
The doe looked to the sow's imploring face, and took only a second to cave. "All right…" she sighed in defeat.
"Yay! Come on!" Fru Fru jumped up into the bunny's shoulder.
"We will be at my study when you're done." the crime boss told them, as the pair walked away from the party table.
Before he left, Nick took a full platter of cake slices.
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Judy tried to keep from snickering at the absolutely furious pace of Fru Fru's gossip. They had been alone for only a few minutes, but already the little shrew had revealed the juicy details of no less than four relationships.
Who knew a bunch of little mammals could be so scandalous?
In fact, this whole evening had been completely unexpected. Here she was, a cop on a case, attending the wedding of the heir to a crime boss, in the company of a fox hustler.
A part of her felt guilty, but she was a practical doe. There was little she could have done to pressure Mr. Big into telling them the info on Otterton sooner. And his daughter was just a delightful little creature. Really, a mammal who loved someone else as strongly as Mr. Big loved his daughter could not be that bad. Could he?
As for Wilde, well… 'radically' would be a good way of describing how her opinion of him had changed in just a couple of hours. She had really misjudged that fox.
She and Fru Fru were in the sow's room. More accurately, they were in the room of the mansion where her own miniature house had been installed. It was a lovely pink and lavender building (to complement the white and periwinkle walls of the room itself), complete with its own tiny courtyard and garden. The bunny watched Fru Fru from outside one of the little windows, as she presented article after article of clothing to her from a seemingly endless supply.
"This one?" she asked, putting up a light green evening dress.
"It looks adorable." the bunny nodded.
"Oh, thank you." she smiled. And then she gushed with paws beneath her snout. "You know what else looked adorable? You and Foxy together!" she twirled around, using the clothing as a make-shift dancing partner. "You talked so naturally, it's like you've known each other for years!" she stopped and shot the rabbit a sly grin. "Are you sure you guys are not an item?"
Judy huffed in good humor. What was it with the mammals of this city that they were so quick to assume she was in an interspecies romance? With a Predator, even! Sure, it was not unheard of and she had nothing against it personally, but still…
"You know," she suddenly thought of something, "you are the second female friend of Wilde's that has said that. Can I expect a pattern here?" she asked, only half-joking.
"Well…" Fru Fru dragged the word out, still looking at her slyly. "I guess Foxy tends to surround himself with very smart and perceptive girls. I mean, look at yourself!" she giggled, then whispered conspiratorially. "I think he's trying to make up for his own deficiencies."
They both laughed.
"But seriously, dear, Foxy is a nice catch. Why, if I didn't have to ensure the survival of the family line, I might've gone after him myself!"
Judy frowned. Her morals were instantly riled up. "Wait, you're marrying another shrew just because of that?"
"Oh?! No, no, you silly!" the sow waved a dainty paw. "Daddy isn't pressuring me to do anything, though I know he wishes to keep the family legacy." she turned serious, and it was the first time the entire night that Judy saw anything but a happy expression on Fru Fru's face. She looked far from ditzy now. "And you know what? I agree. Blood is important, especially in this family. Daddy's associates are all pretty old-fashioned. They would question any heir that was not a true Big."
"But that's…" the doe tried to protest, but was interrupted.
"Oh, pish! Stop worrying." she gave a philosophical shrug. "We all have responsibilities, it's no use fretting about them. And besides, Fero is a good boar and he makes me smile a lot, too. We are also far more compatible in… hem hem, other areas."
She blushed furiously, and the rabbit gave an embarrassed laugh herself.
"Still think you should go after Foxy, though. I mean, look at that!"
She pointed at one of the photos above her fireplace. The room's, not her little house's. Judy frowned, not having paid particular attention to the frames. There were a lot of shrews, naturally, but one photo in particular set itself apart.
It showed the image of a 20yish red fox wearing a slick dark-grey suit with a matching tie and a rich burgundy dress shirt. He stood tall, posture confident. The suit's top was off, swung casually over the fox's shoulder by a paw, the other inside his pocket. The eyes were hidden by a pair of black shades, and there was a slight smile on his face.
The doe blinked in astonishment at seeing the picture. She slowly took it from the mantelpiece and looked from it to Fru Fru. "This is Wilde?!"
She nodded. "Yep! Really knows how to clean up when he wants to, huh?"
She gave a snort but was soon contemplative again, looking at the photo. After a few seconds, she shook her head. "Boy, he sure changed a lot over the years. First, he was a little punk." she gave a tap to the frame in her paw. "Then he actually looked like a serious grown-up at some point." finally, she waved at the door leading out of the room him. "And now he seems like a lazy bachelor whose house is probably a dump."
The shrew giggled.
"This is from the time he worked with your dad?" she asked distractedly, giving the professional-looking vulpine in the picture another appraising look.
"That's right." the sow confirmed. She was now putting all her chosen clothes in traveling cases. Five of them. A minute passed where both mammals were lost in their own thoughts. Eventually, Fru Fru broke the silence. Her voice was now gloomy. "It was so sad when he left us. But I understood. After how that last Hunt went, I think I'd have done the same."
That word crashed through the rabbit's mind, bringing her full attention to the shrew. "Hunt?"
She was still going through her stuff, not even looking at Judy. "Yeah. Foxy was Zootopia's best Hunter. There wasn't a single mammal lowlife that he couldn't take down. None of the others came even close to him." she said with pride.
Judy went deathly still, her sharp mind finally making the dreadful connection it had avoided all night. A knot, tight and painful, started to form deep inside her stomach. "Take down?" she was surprised her voice managed to stay cool. "You mean, capture?"
"Sure, sometimes." the little sow shrugged. "Daddy likes to look the scum in the eyes before icing them." the vicious little smirk on that usually cheerful face was disturbing to see, and left no doubt this truly was Mr. Big's daughter. "But Foxy would usually just get rid of them himself. No need to bring trash into the house, right?"
The knot turned into an icy spike, digging deep into her gut and sending bile up her throat. The smiling face in the picture she held with her now trembling paw seemed to mock her.
"Right." she finally said, though one could be forgiven for thinking a robot had answered.
"Okay, I'm all done." the sow exclaimed cheerfully. "The boys will take care of it now. We should go back to daddy's study."
"Yes, we should." the cop agreed, voice still tight and mechanical.
She allowed the shrew to climb up to her shoulder, and they walked back to Mr. Big's private office. Like before, Fru Fru chatted all the way there, but she was no longer listening. They arrived at the door and the bear standing guard bowed to them and let them in.
"…in less than a week, Nicky. Any line of business you want. All legitimate, and no strings attached." Mr. Big was saying.
"I'll consider the offer, sir." the familiar voice answered.
There he was, standing in front of the study's desk with that same relaxed stance and half-lidded eyes, easy smile playing at his muzzle. He looked just as he had twenty minutes ago.
And yet, she now saw someone else entirely.
"There you are, Carrots! You ready to… go?" the moment his eyes fell upon the bunny, the smile vanished. They stared at each other for a second, before the fox took a deep and wary breath, eyes closing for a moment.
He turned to the crime boss. "Mr. Big, I thank you very much for your hospitality and your help." he bowed slightly. The shrew just waved him off in a 'don't think about it' gesture. Wilde kept talking. "Now, sir, can we please be excused for a moment? I think my partner and I need to have a discussion."
The boar also looked at her, and nodded after a few moments. "Indeed, you do. Please, use this room for as long as you need." with another gesture, Koslov took his boss into his paws, before doing the same with Fru Fru. She waved happily at them both.
"Bye, Foxy! Please come back to visit soon. And you too, Judy! It was so nice to meet you!"
Wilde grinned at her, though it was a little strained. "I'll try, Shorstuff. You take care now. Don't do anything I would."
Judy's paws twitched at that statement, but she managed a nod and a fixed smile. With a last round of waves, they were left alone inside the cold study.
No one heard the newly minted wife whispering under her breath, after the door closed.
"Good luck, Foxy."
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The non-descript yellow van was parked at the exit of one of the many abandoned tunnels of the massive Zootopia Subway System. Reclined against the closed door, the Chemist waited for his partner. His trusty sniper rifle was safely collapsed inside its traveling case, a satchel slung over his chest held all his many vials and flasks, and he had traded his preferred yellow pants and jacket for a darker outfit appropriate for the mission.
After a few more minutes, another ram emerged from the dark tunnel. He too wore clothes that would allow him to blend more easily with the night. However, the round safety goggles over his eyes shone with a faint red light, and he also had a large belt full of various tools, along with a backpack. Beneath one arm, he carried a sleek-looking machine.
"About time, Engineer." the Chemist told him in his usual bored tone.
His partner's voice, on the other paw, was gravely but cheerful. "Sorry, brudda. Had to give good ol' Rackety here some love." he tapped the machine in his arm fondly. "Chekin' if all them parts are nice and ready. He'll have our backs inside that gang zone."
He suppressed a scoff with the ease of long practice, he would never understand why the other ram treated that machine as if it was somehow alive, but a second later the feeling of annoyance was already gone. Feelings never lasted long with the Chemist.
Still, the Engineer's beloved flying contraption would be fundamental in helping them reach their target unseen, along with providing some additional back-up if things turned hot. Despite his earlier protest when Big Sister ordered him to bring the tech-savvy ram along (he never liked to introduce more variables into his experiments if he could help it), he recognized this mission would be difficult to accomplish by himself, due to the target's location.
"Let's go." he opened the van's side door and went inside, telling their driver to gear up. The other ram quickly joined him.
"Right behind you, brudda."
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"You killed other mammals?! That's what you did during those nine years?! You made hits for Mr. Big?!"
He cringed. Not so much at the words but at the tone of absolute betrayal that filled the bunny's voice. Her little body trembled with fury, and her eyes flashed with revulsion. It all tugged at his chest with a painful strength that was really surprising, because she was hardly the first mammal to look that way at him and it should not have mattered so much.
But it did.
He kept his own voice flat, and his disinterested eyes on the lampshade at the corner of the study. "You knew Mr. Big was a crime boss, Carrots. You must have seen the movies." as was his wont, he buried uncomfortable feelings under a shield of sarcasm. "What the hell did you think that involved? Sunshine and rainbows?"
The doe snarled. Her paws clenched so tightly that the knuckles must have been white beneath the grey fur, and he knew she was struggling to keep them off her gun. For someone sharing a room with a killer, she did not seem all that scared.
Fearless, indeed.
"You…" she swallowed whatever it was she was going to scream at him, and tried to take deep breaths. It was half a minute before she could speak again. "I thought you were a-a fence, or a smuggler or something like that! Not some kind of hitmammal!" she spat. "I mean… I thought you were… that you were…" she struggle to find the words.
So he chimed in. "A weak, shifty, opportunistic little fox, right? Not the kind of guy you would imagine trading blows with large Prey and dangerous Predators." he snarked. He really did not mean for his words to sound accusatory, but that was just what they did. "Looks like you didn't ditch that repellent at all, eh Carrots?"
She recoiled as if he had slapped her. Even the paw that had been held near the zapper went to her left cheek for a moment, as if something hurt her there. But she recovered quickly, renewed outrage filling her eyes.
"I thought you were a good guy, you bastard!" she all but screamed. "I thought there was some actual fucking decency in you! That the conning might have been the only way you knew how to survive!"
Nick grimaced. He now regretted his hasty words, but what really made him feel like dirt was the single hitch in her breath and the subtle wetness at the corners of those purple orbs.
It did nothing to stop her anger. "Turns out, there was something hiding beneath the con-fox, eh? Just not what I expected. Guess I am a dumb bunny after all." she finished in disgust. Whether it was directed at him or herself, was hard to say.
Likely both.
For the second time that night, bunny and fox stared at each other inside Mr. Big's study. This time, though, the silence was the furthest thing from pleasant. Nick soon found himself unable to keep looking at the doe, and went to stare at the frozen courtyard beyond the tall windows with paws in his pockets and a hunch on his back. He did not know for how long he stood there, watching the snowflakes falling gently from the inky-black sky, only visible in the pale yellow light of the wrought iron lampposts. Hopps, he could feel, had not moved at all.
Eventually, he let out a weary sigh. "Look… I know it will mean very little to a police officer but, in my defense, I didn't go around offing innocents on the streets. I was a Hunter, Carrots."
He heard her derisive scoff behind him. "Yeah, I heard the term. Such a romantic euphemism for murderer." her voice was flat and he did not know whether he preferred that, or her open hatred.
He turned back to the room and met her eyes again, which were as unreadable as her voice. He considered her for a moment, before waving an arm at the mansion around them.
"Tell me, do you know what separates these mobsters from common outlaws?"
The bunny crossed her own arms. "Oh gee, I don't know. Money? Power?" she guessed with disinterest.
Nick nodded. "Yes. But also rules, Carrots. Hierarchy, structure, organization. The Alpha gangs of this city are their own little armies. They have laws and borders, and the power to enforce both. To keep the territory clean and the business running."
He paced in front of the window, the spectral light filtering from behind casting shadows around his form. All the while, the bunny watched him.
"The gangs have existed in one form or another for hundreds of years. They are a remnant of the time when Zootopia was still just a bunch of different mammal tribes barely stomaching each other. They are as much about drug dealing or money laundry, as they're about upholding racial ideals. A few are only about that."
That made the bunny loose her apathetic stance. "You're telling me the organized crime in Zootopia is a bunch of racist groups?!" she asked, shocked despite herself.
He shrugged. "It's more complicated than that, and it is a looong story. But yeah, almost every gang here is built around a certain 'theme'." he gestured again to the mansion they were currently in. "The Family, as you might have noticed, is mostly formed by cold-climate Predators… with some exceptions."
"Like you." she hissed.
"Not for almost a decade now, Carrots… but yes, like me." he sighed, scratching at an ear. "Okay, quick history lesson! It used to be that the gangs were always at each other's throats. It was a constant war. While the normal, law-abiding folk of Zootopia learned how to work together… if you call Predators and Prey always eyeballing each other 'working together'," the fox scoffed while making quoting marks, "here on the underworld we were still pretty much living in the stone age. A bunch of animals always trying to be on top of the food chain."
He paced again. "The Law eventually became too strong, and started to crack down on the gangs. They fought back, and every day was pretty much a bloody mess. But a few decades ago, the leaders of the Alphas of the time realized that all the carnage was taking them nowhere. All they got by trying to fight both each other and the authorities was lost money and lives. So, they made a Pact."
"Wait!" he could see that the professional inside the rabbit was curious, even while she still looked at him in distaste. "That's the second time you mentioned 'Alphas'."
Nick nodded to her. "Yep. That's how we call the five most powerful and influential of the gangs, the ones currently at the top of the food chain. Don't think I need to say it, but this number has changed a lot over the years, as well as the gangs that hold the title."
She frowned, but nodded. "A Pact, you said?"
"To stop fighting each other openly. To stomp down on the lesser gangs and control every shady dealing that happened inside their turf. Or try to, anyway." he shrugged. "And to make damn sure no one crosses the line without getting punished."
A disbelieving eyebrow went up on Carrot's face. "There are lines?"
The fox snorted. "Oh, you bet there are lines! Everyone has a moral code, Hopps, as slim and twisted as it may be. It's no different for the gangs." he shook his head. "It works like this; the Alphas lay down the ground rules for the lesser groups under their influence. Those gangs are usually allowed to do whatever they want within those limits. Sometimes they have even smaller groups under their power, so we call them Betas, and the process repeats itself." he waved an airy paw. "But we are talking about criminals here, obviously there's still gonna be squabbling for turf and a lot of infighting. So each Alpha gang also establishes the 'rules of engagement' for gang disputes. Those can be as violent as you can imagine, and also much more diplomatic than you'd expect. The most important thing is: the Alphas themselves don't fight each other. Not directly."
He paused for a moment, then pointed at the badge pinned to her chest. "And of course, everyone deals with the ZPD as they see fit."
Her glare came back, full-force. "And where do you come in, Wilde?"
Nick returned the glare with his own narrowed eyes, shaking a finger at her. "Not yet, Carrots. Let me finish." he straightened. "It's not just gang conflicts that are kept under control. Murder, rape, kidnapping, drugs, robbery, arson, blackmail, etcetera, etcetera…" he waved a dismissive paw. "…any crime committed outside of a turf's rules is a problem. It calls undue attention from the authorities, scares the locals, and mess up with business."
He left the window, walking back to stand in front of the desk. The wary back-steps Hopps took as he came closer bothered him more than he was willing to admit.
He reclined against the red wooden surface with arms crossed. "A gang is supposed to take care of their turf, keep freelancers and rebels in check. But sometimes they can't, or sometimes a whole gang goes rogue for whatever. So the local Alpha send in the Sweepers, their soldiers who take out the trash and keep the territory clean." he was silent for a few moments, looking at the floor. He sighed. "But often, the offenders are not known, or they run away and go to ground… or are just too dangerous. That's when the Hunters are called in."
The rabbit's nose twitched as realization dawned on her face. "You… you hunted down other criminals?"
He nodded, one paw tapping gently against the polished mahogany. "Truth be told, I had to be as much of a detective as you are, Hopps. I examined crime-scenes, collected evidence, interrogated witnesses, investigated clues, followed trails… all the good stuff."
She looked very offended that he would compare himself to a cop. "And then you just killed your suspects?!" she put a heavy emphasis on the word. "Or brought them here so your Boss could do it, instead?" she angrily kicked the carpet in front of the desk, revealing the trapdoor beneath. "No trials, just your shoddy 'investigation'? That's crap, Wilde!"
He looked hard at her, genuinely offended. "There was nothing shoddy about my work. And no, it was often just about giving them one hell of a scare. Ya' know, if the stuff they did wasn't too bad." he shrugged. "Sometimes things were not as they seemed at the start, and my targets were just mammals caught between jagged rocks and sharp places. Mr. Big is ruthless, but he can appreciate having only bad options left to choose." then his ears went flat and his muzzle opened in an unconscious snarl, as dark memories came back. "Other times it was way worse, and what seemed like a small-time thief was actually a sick-as-fuck elk who kept kits and cubs chained to the walls of his basement. You wanna guess what he did to those kids, Officer?" he spat, voice full of venom.
The bunny was taken aback, unable to stop the revolting thoughts that must have been popping up inside that fluffy head of hers. They stood in silence for a long minute, until she was eventually able to recoup.
"T-That's..." she took a deep breath. "You really want me to believe that you 'Hunters' only go after bad guys?"
The fox snorted. "'Bad guys' can be a very hazy term, Carrots. But no, you're right. Most Hunters are just very skilled hitmammals, and are not particularly concerned about who they use those skill against… or for whom." he gave a wary, tired sigh. "But remember what I said about morals? Well, I've mine too, believe it or not. Mr. Big knew better than to send me against someone he didn't think would deserve it. We had a deal."
The old boar was not the only one who could be very dangerous when crossed.
Understandably, the bunny still looked at him with abject mistrust. "So you're telling me you never made a hit on an innocent?" she asked in disbelief.
Nick was silent for a long time. So long that the bunny started to fidget where she stood. A flurry of memories that cut into his heart even deeper than what he had found in that psycho's basement threatened to overwhelm him. It was with much effort that he forced himself to answer.
"No, Carrots." he told her, voice low and angry and stony and just filled with self-loathing. "There was one mammal who absolutely did not deserve me in her life. It was afterwards that I…" he swallowed the bitter lump in his throat "…that I left Mr. Big's employment and became a hustler." he finished quietly, lost in thoughts.
The doe opened her mouth to ask him more, but one look at his darkened eyes seemed to discourage her. Instead, another uncomfortable silence descended upon them.
But her paw was no longer twitching for the zapper. That was something, at least.
He heard the bunny sigh. "You know you just confessed a lot of things to me?"
He snapped himself out of his brooding, and blinked a few times. "You're hardly the first cop to know 'bout a crime and be unable to do anything with it, Carrots. It's my word against yours." he shrugged. "Feel free to use those amazing detective skills, if you want to." he was not trying to be mocking. He honestly did not care. There was not a prison in Zootopia that could hold him.
She took a threatening step forwards. "I just might do that, Wilde."
He nodded evenly. "Be my guest. Just please do me one last favor and leave the old boar alone? I don't want to see you turned into a copcicle."
"You're asking me not to do my job?!"
"I'm asking you to be smart, rabbit! To be realistic! Even if by some ridiculous miracle you manage to bring him and the Family down, there're lots of much worse gangs just itching to take the place. Mr. Big is a damn saint compared to the other great leaders." he shook his head. "Don't believe me? Ask that chief of yours sometime if he would rather deal with another Alpha gang. One not so willing to keep the peace in the Tundra."
She caught his implied drift, and went ramrod straight in indignation. "You're accusing Zootopia's Chief of Police of having an accord with gangsters?!" she hissed furiously.
He gave her a toothy smirk. "Why don't'cha ask him?"
She stomped her foot, but did not take the bait. Instead she paced around a little, paws on her hips, cottontail trembling. The fox watched in amusement.
Finally, she turned back to him, eyes set. "That's it! We're done, Wilde. Just tell me where Mr. Manchas is, and I'll be on my way." she narrowed her purple eyes. "And you'd better make yourself scarce, if you know what's good for you."
"Wow… giving me a head start, Officer? You do care." he put a paw to his heart.
She just glared.
In that moment, Nick Wilde found himself with a choice. He could simply tell the rabbit where to find the jaguar and wash his paws of the whole mess. Whether she would really come after him next was a problem for later.
However…
"No, I don't think we're done yet."
"What!?"
The fox scratched his muzzle, looking at her with half-lidded eyes. "Your jaguar is inside Los Desperados territory, Carrots, as a favor for Mr. Big. The two groups have an accord, so they've agreed to let his employee hide inside their patch of the jungle." he walked up to her, and was pleased to notice she did not step back this time. Though she still glared at him. "Rainforest is far less policed than Savanna, or even Sahara. And the Cartel is much less friendly than the Family, believe me. I wouldn't take your copsy tail inside their turf uninvited."
"I can have backup." she grunted.
He raised an eyebrow. "You're gonna need a lot of backup. You that confident your chief will mobilize a raid into known Cartel territory? Just to interrogate Manchas?"
She opened her mouth, then closed it with a huff.
"That's what I gathered. Look, the guys in there know me, all right? They know I am still in good standing with the Family. I vouch for you, and they won't bother us."
She stared at him in disbelief. "After everything you said, you think I want to take you along? You're crazy, fox."
He raised a finger. "Life ain't about what we want, Carrots. It's about what we can or cannot do, and what we can or cannot accept." he hunched in front of her, paws on his knees so that their eyes were at the same level. "You can't find Otterton without my help right now, it's that simple."
He waited for the flurry of arguments and protests dancing behind her eyes to die out. He knew this rabbit was too smart and professional to overestimate her chances. When he saw her face fall in resigned annoyance, he extended a conciliatory paw to her. She eyed it warily.
"So the question here is: can you accept the aid of a former Hunter, in order to find Mr. Otterton…"
He let the question hang in the frosty air for a moment.
"…or can you not?"
It seemed as if an eternity had passed when she finally walked away from him, ignoring his paw. "Let's go." she told him flatly.
He righted himself and fixed his tie, making sure to hide his relief. "Lead the way, Carrots."
The doe stopped, turning hooded eyes back to him. "It's Officer Hopps to you, Wilde. We clear?" she went to the door without waiting for his answer. Nick closed his eyes with a sigh, murmuring under his breath.
"Crystal."
ANs:
So, this chapter got way larger than I expected it would. And it's mostly just talk. How 5 minutes of movie became over 11k words, I can't really say. Hope it wasn't boring.
Next chapter should be really action-packed, though.
As always, huge thanks to Magus Neon, Zero1606, PantheraTigr, Number66 and ThatOneGuyWithTheThing for leaving an opinion on the last chapter. And to all the readers.
