A/N: So the writing bug hit hard and heres the next chapter, I know 3 in a week and this one was written in 48 hours. But this week I've been down in Panama City for dive training so I've had a lot of extra time on my hands and like I said I want to make up for not writing for a whole month.
I am warning everyone this get dark, REAL dark. But i can only know if I went to far or if it was a decently balance if people give reviews and PM's, and I do respond to everyone that shoots a PM to me so if thats how you want to communicate I will defiantly find the time to write back.
So I hope you all enjoy this chapter and look forward to getting everyones reaction.
Nick looked up at the amber eyes staring at him, the wicked smile showing yellowish teeth and a foul smell emanating from it, the fox taser held tightly in his paw. Nick tried to move as another jolt was sent into his body, he had no control of his limbs as they flopped around the floor. His eyes and jaw squeezing tightly as he tried not to scream out, he didn't want to give his tormenter any satisfaction of torturing him. The taser was finally removed as Nick heard metal scraping along the floor. His body getting pulled roughly from the floor and slammed into a metal chair, his limbs pinned painfully as he heard the clicking on zip ties confining him to the chair.
Nick felt a sharp sting across his face then warmth as blood start to drip from his cheek, "Open your eyes, Nicky, I want to you savor this moment." He opened his eyes to the face of the jaguar inches from his. "That's better. Now keep them open or I'll be forced to make them stay open." He walked over to where Finnick was seated and pressed the taser against his stomach causing him to cry out in pain. Nick looked away and shut his eyes trying to close out the screams only to have the taser turned on him. Thankfully it only lasted a few seconds this time.
"Nick I told you to keep your eyes open for all of this. If you close them again I will forget my fun and just keep this taser attached to your friend here and slowly let it shock him to death. It would take long, maybe a few days with how weak he is." The Jaguar laughed through his description of using the taser to end Finnick causing Nick to try and rip out of the zip ties but only caused them to dig in deeper.
"OK! Just put the taser away. I won't close them again." Nick finally stopped struggling as the pain deepened, he could feel the warm blood dripping from the cuts now.
"Good. Now we can get down to the real reason I kept him alive. I knew you would finally come looking for him when I found him a month ago, honestly, it took you longer than I expected." The jaguar walked into a dark corner of the room and came back wheeling a cart with a tray on top, Nick couldn't see the top but he heard metal rattling around. "You were on the case of that rabbit that was chopped up right."
The smirk he gave Nick sent shivers down to Nick's very core, "Yes. Several other cops threw up upon getting to that crime scene. Most of us still have nightmares about it."
"I was hoping for that reaction. I really wanted her pelt to be perfectly trimmed off her body and I planned on mounting it to the wall, but she moved around too much. That's why I decided to dismember her first, she didn't move as much after that." The jaguar had picked up a knife looking it over very carefully then placed it back down and selected another, again examining it carefully.
Nick had to fight to keep the contents of his stomach where they were, that crime scene was the most disturbing thing he had ever walked into. Seeing the pieces of the poor girl scatted around the room was bad but seeing her pelt off her body laid out like a rug on the floor, Nick shook his head trying to remove the image.
"You see Nick, I was giving those girls purpose in life. They were just scum on the street and I put a roof over their heads."
"You're a monster, you sold those poor girls into slavery. Most have probably ended up dead, and after you just admitted to skinning the one I'm sure there are more you took with your own paws." Nick glared at the jaguar, he wanted him dead where he stood.
"Yes I did, most of the girls became very docile after filling them with drugs and alcohol. Some fought and so they were punished. They didn't want the gifts I was going to give them so, yes, I had my fun with them." The jaguar finally seemed pleased that everything was in order on the tray and turned to look at Finnick. "After I killed the guards transferring me to the maximum security prison I began tracking down everyone who was at the sale. Finnick here, was the only wild card at the sale, after doing some snooping that's when I found out he was friends with you and that bunny. I pieced it together and went to tracking him down, put together a big transfer of goods that I knew he couldn't resist and when he showed up here I nabbed him. I brought him up and he's been my guest for the past month."
"It was ME who put together the raid, not Finnick. If you're mad about that then it's me you want to hurt and kill." Nick stared at the jaguar trying anything to get his attention away from Finnick and on him.
"Oh that's what I'm doing, and besides don't take all the credit. I know that rabbit Judy had something to do about it as well. Trust me, I'll get her once I'm done with you two."
"TOUCH HER AND YOUR DEAD!" Nick screamed at the top of his lungs trying to lunge at the jaguar causing his chair to fall over smashing his muzzle into the floor.
"Nicky, Nicky, Nicky." Dimitri picked up the chair and hit Nick with the taser again. "Please keep your voice down, this process is lengthy and I don't want to be interrupted. You see I want you to savor it all. the way I do it he will still be completely alive as I remove his pelt. Then within a few days the infections will set in and he'll finally die. You'll sit there the whole time watching and listening to it, then I will do the same to you and send your pelt to your beloved Judy. You'll then die here and when she comes looking for you I'll have some other fun with her. With all my hunting for you two, I haven't been with a female for a while."
Nick knew he couldn't break the zip ties and any more screaming would just bring more taser use to him and Finnick. He just bore his eyes into him, now he absolutely wanted him dead. He could do whatever he wanted to him but to threaten his Judy, whatever Nick had to do he would see to it this jaguar would end up dead.
"So then," Dimitri picked up a knife from the tray and got the wicked smile back on his face looking at Nick, "shall we begin?"
"TOUCH HER AND YOUR DEAD!" Judy heard Nick scream as she walked into the warehouse, immediately taking cover behind a shipping container. She waited for a moment to make sure she hadn't been spotted. Getting up she slowly worked her way through the warehouse, hearing another voice this time. She worked her way up the stairs to the catwalk getting closer to the sounds.
Hearing the other voice it sent shivers down her spine. "So then, shall we begin?"
Begin what? Judy knew it didn't sound good, she picked up the pace but stayed silent. "You see Nicky, most mammals mess this up when they try it for the first time. They think starting at the neck then yanking down will strip the pelt off easily. However, if you do that you run the risk of hitting the artery to the brain and don't get to savor everything." She was getting closer and hearing the talking going on she knew time was running out.
"If you cut at the ankles and wrist." Judy heard muffled grunts coming from the last room. "Then make slices down the limbs it will peel off nice and easy."
"DAMNIT STOP!" Judy's ears perked up at the sound of Nick's voice as she reached the opening to the last room. She peeked her head around as her eyes shot wide open.
"Oh, Nick, once I begin a piece of art I can't stop. The moment could slip away then it won't be what I was aiming for." A jaguar was flashing a knife at Nick as he was tied to a chair blood dripping from it. Then she saw Finnick, just skin and bones with circular cuts around his ankles and wrist but surprisingly very little blood was coming from them.
"Well now where was I? See, Nick, you can't interrupt art. Oh yes, time to split him open, hopefully, he co-operates otherwise it will be more painful for him."
The jaguar had the knife to Finnick's arm and was about the press it in when Judy acted, "ZPD put your paws up!"
"Judy, no." Nick looked up at Judy, he was slowly shaking his head. He couldn't believe she was here by herself. Yes he had called her, but still after everything that had just happened he didn't want her here.
Dimitri slowly stood up and turned around, his eyes and smile making Judy take a step back. "Well, well, Judy Hopps. Looks like I won't be sending you a pelt after all." The smile grew as he took a step closer to her, the knife glinting in the light. "You'll get to watch it made personally!"
He moved with such speed it completely caught Judy off guard. "AH!" She screamed as the knife embedded itself into her paw causing her to drop to pistol just inside the room. Dimitri had thrown the knife and was then on her in a flash knocking her onto the floor.
Judy shot her feet out as hard as she could catching him in the muzzle and making him stumble back slightly. She ripped the knife from her paw and stared at the jaguar. He was rubbing his muzzle and sniffing. "Been a while since I tasted my own blood. You'll get a few extra points for that one. Maybe I'll make your death quick after I've had my way with you."
He charged again as Judy bounded down the catwalk ducking into the next room hiding in the shadows trying to slow her breath. "Come out, come out wherever you are." Judy could hear him just outside the doorway. "I found you!" His paw and head appeared in the frame and Judy did the only thing she could think of and plunged the knife with all her might into his paw pinning it to the wall and jumping deeper into the room.
He slowly came into the room and looked at the knife in his paw. Reaching up with his other paw he pulled it out and turned to Judy. "Ok you little bitch, I take back making your death quick. I think I'll make him watch as I enjoy you then pull that pelt off, form a nice rug at my home." He was pointing through the half-destroyed wall at Nick.
"Judy please just get out of here!" Nick screamed at her.
"I will not be leaving without you Nick." Judy looked at Nick for a second when a noise got her attention. The jaguar had dropped the knife and was down on all fours growling. Judy looked at the wall again and sprinted at it, she thought there was a hole big enough to leap through. As she was running her ears picked up the jaguar doing the same, she pushed off as hard as her legs could muster and curled into a ball sailing straight through the hole landing with a hard thud on the other side.
The jaguar smashed into the wall causing it to shake violently. Judy looked at the tray and grabbed a knife and rushed to nick starting to cut the zip ties away. She was almost through when the wall came crashing in. "Okay. Play time is over, bunny." Dimitri was walking toward her and Nick growling his teeth glinting in the pale light.
Judy walked back over to the opening, "You want me, come and get me. I'm right here, or are you afraid of a little bunny beating you." Judy stood with her paws wide open. Dimitri turned and faced her, his eyes blazing.
"You asked for it bunny." He dropped down to all four again and leaped at her with claws extended. Judy dropped onto her back and shot her legs out catching his in the ribs and pushed with all her might. He sailed over her but he managed to grab her shirt with a single claw dragging her along. They smashed into the guardrail, it creaked with the force thrust into it.
Judy tried to get up but the jaguar had a firm grip around her waist. He stood up picking her off the ground then leaned down bringing his mouth close to her ear. "This is the end of you, bunny, I guess I'll have to find my fun elsewhere." He brought his other paw to her throat and extended a single claw. "Say goodbye, Judy Hopps."
Judy closed her eyes feeling the claw press against her throat. *POP POP* Suddenly it fell away as his other paw let her go. She opened her eyes to see Nick standing with the pistol in his hand, she looked up to see two darts sticking out of the jaguar. He rocked in place the fell backward, the guard rail giving out. Judy winced at the sickening sound he made as his body collided with the floor below. Judy looked up at Nick. He was still standing in place with the pistol raised.
She walked over and took the pistol from his paws, "Nick, are you ok?" He just kept staring at the spot the jaguar had fallen. She reached up putting a paw to his face pulling him down to hers, lightly kissing him. The sounds of sirens we starting to echo into the warehouse.
He blinked and finally looked at her, "Judy, what happened? Where is Dimitri?" He began looking around the room for the jaguar.
"He's not going to hurt us anymore Nick, you saved me. We have a more pressing issue now of getting Finnick to the hospital."
Nick turned around to look at his friend. He was barely conscious but Nick could see tears were running down his face. "Finnick it's going to be ok, you're going to be ok. We'll get you medical help right away. Just hang in there buddy."
Finnick finally opened his eyes, "Nick." It was barely a whisper, "You're late."
"Ok let's get this mammal to the hospital right away." They medic yelled as he slammed the doors closed the ambulance. The sirens blared as it took off towards Zootopia General. Chief Bogo watched it disappear then turned and looked at the warehouse. This was the second time he had been down here under unsavory circumstances, maybe he could get the mayor to tear it down.
He walked into the warehouse and over the forensics team examining the broken body of the jaguar. He had twisted around in a way no mammal should ever be with a crazy grin still on his face. The chief shook his head trying to rid himself of the image and walked over to the two mammals sitting with the medics getting their wounds taken care of.
"I don't want a detailed report now, that is for the investigation team, not me." Bogo glared down at Nick and Judy. "What I do want to know is why you disregarded my orders, Hopps, and what you were doing here in the first place Wilde."
"I had to find him chief, he's my best friend. I promised him protection after the bust and I let him down." Nick hung his head in shame, he truly did let Finnick down. How could he ever forgive Nick now after this?
"I disregarded your orders because I knew something was wrong. You were too far away to get here in time, I had to act." Judy looked straight at the giant cape buffalo, no fear was in her eyes as she regarded him.
"So I have one officer who decides on his own time to hold an unsanctioned investigation and gets himself caught and almost killed. I then have another officer who won't ever listen to authority and does whatever she wants to do." He reached up and slowly massaged the bridge of his nose. "Do you two realize what a pain in the ass you two are."
They both just shrugged which infuriated the buffalo more, "You two are my best cops in the force. If you don't start playing by the rules, though, and listening to me I may have no choice but to transfer or fire you." His rage building with each word, he turned to walk away but stopped after a few steps. He turned his head around and spoke quieter this time, "It would be for your own good, there are too many cops on the wall. I don't want to ever see your names up there." With that he stormed out of the warehouse, they heard him get into his cruiser and take off.
The medics finished up tending to them and allowed them to leave. "Let's go to the hospital, Judy, I want to be there when he wakes up." Nick was trembling as they walked out of the warehouse.
"Okay, Nick, but first we should go home and clean up. It won't take long and it's only a short detour there." Nick just nodded his head as they walked to their car.
"Nick, Judy wait up." They stopped just as they reached the car, Wolford was running up to them. "Internal affairs needs to get your statements of what happened. It's to be sooner rather than later, I'm sorry."
Judy opened the car door as Nick got in, "We're going home to clean up then go to the hospital the wait for Finnick to wake up. They can do the meetings there." Judy was already around the other side of the car getting into the driver's seat.
Wolford walked around as Judy closed the door and rolled the window down, "I'll let them know, they're not going to be pleased as you two shouldn't be alone together until after the statements. But go get cleaned up and be with your friend. That's more important right now anyway."
"Thank you, Wolford." Judy gave him a warm smile and drove off toward their home. She picked took out her phone and shot a quick text to Fru-Fru, she really didn't want a group of armed polar bears storming the warehouse where the police were. That would be very hard to explain.
They arrived home and showered, Judy staying right outside the bathroom just in case Nick needed her. They were only there for thirty minutes before heading off the Zootopia General. Upon arriving they asked about Finnick and was told he was in surgery, apparently there were internal wounds to go along with the obvious external ones. They sat in the ER waiting room just hoping good news would come soon.
Three hours later they were still waiting, several times Nick broke down crying into Judy's chest. "I failed him, Judy… he's in the situation… because of me. If I had never made that call… he would be ok." He tried talking between whimpers but it was so hard. Knowing his best friend could be dead and it would be all his fault.
"Nick if you didn't make that call we would probably still be on the case of those missing kits and probably finding more and more dead ones." Judy was trying her best to calm him down, "Besides Finnick could have easily said no to you, but he didn't. He wanted to help and he did in a very big way."
Nick looked up at his bunny and her warm smile she was giving him, he truly felt like he didn't deserve her. She was so sweet and caring and the Nick with all his baggage. How did he ever luck out? He slowed his crying down and snuggled up tighter into Judy's chest. She held him tight slowly patting his head until he stopped crying completely. Judy was absentmindedly patting him when she heard soft snores coming from him, looking down she saw he had fallen asleep. Leaning down she kissed his head and continued to cradle him.
Another hour had past when IA finally showed up, Judy gently waking Nick up so they could give their statements. Nick went first wanting to just get it over with, they took him to a doctor's office where he gave his whole story. From the beginning of his search in the homeless camp to the last thing remembered of Judy cutting the zip ties.
"So how did the tranquilizer gun end up in your paws officer Wilde." The elk was writing down on a pad as a digital recorder slowly blinked next to it.
"I honestly don't remember." Nick shook his head trying to remember. "The last thing I fully remember is Judy cutting away at the zip ties, then the wall came crashing in. Judy walked away to the door and yelled for him to attack her. I saw him jump, remember myself screaming, then the next thing I know Judy is pulling the gun from my paws. I looked around but couldn't see Dimitri, only things I saw was the guard railing had a huge section missing."
"Ok, officer Wilde, we have what we need for now. I'm going to recommend you go see a mental health expert about this. Having pieces of memory missing in stressful situations like this is normal. However, if you don't know how to deal with the flashbacks properly they can be very devastating. You've had a very challenging few months, we need to make sure you are properly taken care of"
The elk turned off the recorder and put his pen down. "Off the record, I'm glad you got that bastard." Nick looked at him with shock, "One of my close friends was in that guard van during his transfer. I've been waiting for some sign of him too after him myself, but if anyone else could take him down I'm glad it was you."
"I was only trying to protect Judy. That is the only thing I do remember, he threatened to rape and skin her. I had to protect her." Nick was shaking his head. Protect Judy, it was to protect her, he kept saying over and over in his head justifying to himself why he shot.
"I'm not judging, Nick," the use of his first name brought him back to the room, "I would have done the exact same thing had I been where you were. All this investigation is for is to make sure the firing of the gun was justified. However, how the weapon got there in the first place is another matter that I hope Judy can properly explain."
The two got up from their chairs and walked back to the ER waiting room. Judy got up upon seeing them and rushed to Nick hugging him. "He's out of surgery, in recovery room one. They said you could go see him when you got back."
"Thank you, Judy. I believe it's your turn." Nick leaned in extra close like he was giving her a tight hug, "Come up with something about the gun." he said in barely a whisper. The parted as Judy gave a slight nod to Nick then walked away with the elk.
Nick went over to the reception desk and asked to be taken back to see Finnick, the deer nurse smiled and took him back to his friend. She left gently closing the door behind her, Nick shook his head at the sight of his friend laying there on the bed. He had multiple IV bags hooked up, his stomach was completely wrapped in bandages from the surgery, an oxygen mask covered his small muzzle.
Nick sat in a chair next to him and placed a paw gently on his. "I'm so sorry, Finnick. I never meant for any of this to happen to you. You were always there for me growing up, showing me how to survive on the streets. Without you, I would've been dead long ago." Tears started to fall down Nick's face, "Then I put you in such a dangerous position without even thinking of what they would all do to you." Nick couldn't stop the tears and whines coming from him. He placed his head on the bed and let everything go.
"Never.. let them.. see that they.. get to.. you." Nick snapped his head up to see Finnick's eyes barely open and his head turn toward him, a soft smile building on his muzzle. "That's.. what I taught you.. right?"
Nick smiled and shook his head, "Yes it is, but I'm not showing them. I'm showing you."
"Cut it with that sentimental crap, Nick." Finnick closed his eyes as a slight chuckle came from him, "You know I don't play that game." Nick laughed as well. It was true that Finnick was like a safe when it came to locking away emotions. Finnick opened his eyes and turned back to towards nick, "Thank you. I know you would eventually come and find me. I knew you would never go back on your word. You just took longer than I expected."
Nick chuckled slightly, "Well, hopefully we will stay in better contact after this. Besides, I have a question to ask of you."
"The last time you asked me a question I ended up here." Finnick laughed slightly after his statement while Nick flinched a bit. "I'm playing, Nick. What is it?"
"Well, Judy and I are getting married in a month, I want you to be my best mammal."
Finnick's eyes shot wide open, "Me!? You want me to be your best mammal?"
"There's no-one I would even consider for it. You're like my brother, Finnick, and I would be honored to have you there." Nick started to tear up again.
Finnick looked over at Nick, "Will there be an open bar?" Nick chuckled softly and nodded his head yes. Finnick pondered it for a while, "Well, I guess I could then. At least the booze will keep the lovey dovey stuff down to a minimal.
Both mammals laughed as the doctor and nurse came into the room. "Well, Mr. Finster, you seem to be doing better already. We'll get you moved up to your room shortly. You should only be here a few days, once you start gaining weight and your blood pressure equalizes you'll be ok to be released. Officer Wilde, would you please helps us in wheeling him to his room?"
"Absolutely, doc." Nick have Finnick a warm smile as the pushed his bed from the room.
