Give Me All the Intel

After walking for a while, I found a small park with a bench which seemed like a good time to give the low down to AAL, who was still asking me a bunch of questions. He was even getting me worried since I thought he was going to have some sort of systems breakdown, which prompted me to say "Look, everything is going to be okay. You just have to understand was has happened in the last.. well, what seems like, 4 hours, okay?"

"Okay sir.. okay. What.. what happened to you?"

"Long story short, S.C.D. wanted me dead for some reason. Why? I don't know. Then I met this person called the Guardian where I asked for a second chance at life. Now, I'm here."

"Alright… That does sound strange but I'm just glad you're okay. It's a shame that.. whoever this S.C.D. is, wanted you dead."

"What do you mean 'whoever this S.C.D. is' AAL? You were programmed by them. You know my name, so how…"

"Sir, I can't recall anything from that's related to S.C.D. All I know is you, your name, and my usual standard routines in battle."

Shit. Someone must have deleted his memory right before the crash happened. Hence why he never came back online right after Headmaster told me to "have a nice trip." What intrigued me the most was how he was still functioning in the new world. How? I asked myself. So I had to ask him, hoping the "L" in AAL was still logical.

"AAL, how are you still functioning? I mean, we are in the new world, so.."

"Well sir, I've been doing some research in the past minute or two. Apparently this place that we live in now is called 'Zootopia', a place where all animals, peaceful or predators, have been living in harmony for quite some time. They almost, acutally… they look just like you! It appears to me sir, that we're living.."

"…In the same world that was the old world, except the animals are the humans and I'm the animal."

Well that pretty much confirmed my suspicions about why my active camo and AAL are functional. The tech here allows it.

I feel like the luckiest man in the weirdest kind of shit right now.

"Sir, what are we going to do now?"

That was a very good question. What was there to do? I asked for my equipment and now I don't have much use for it.

"How about we start asking questions. I'll still wear the bandana and just tell people that I have a severe burn on my face." What a good use for the skull. I mean, people will think I'm creepy but at least they won't be in awe of me… yet. "Let me try going into this store hear. You're on alert until I get out, got it AAL?"

"Got it. And Sir, may I just say it's good to be back."

"Same here, bud, same."

I walked across the street where there were some bystanders looking at me. I simply said to them, "Severe burn marks, I have to wear this" I said. I tried to smile, but it's pretty hard to smile when your entire mouth is covered. The onlookers simply shrugged, and kept walking. I can't believe that actually worked. Huh, maybe I can get away with this..

I walked into the store, there I could see behind the counter were two elephants, one I can presume was the owner and the other just walking to the back as if he done something wrong. Without a beat, the owner spoke right at me.

"Hey! I don't accept thieves in my shop, so you better be thinking about.."

"Burn marks, on my face dude. Yeah, you should really not judge someone right out of the gate. That would be pretty bad business wouldn't you think?"

I knew being a smartass right off the bat wouldn't land me in the good, but hey… you might as well stretch a lie as far as you can.

"Very well then.. what do you want? Are you looking to buy?"

"I'm looking for something. Can you help me find the nearest library? Or, I don't know, computer?"

"Look pal, I don't know what makes you think asking that will help my business" He gave me a snarky look, I knew I was going to get that since I set myself up for that "So I'm going to ask you one more time: Are, you.. looking, to buuuuuuy?"

I could tell I wasn't getting anywhere with this guy, so I simply shrugged and left the building. I kinda happy to leave the building, I mean, at least no one bothered to ask me "What the fuck are you?"

As I looked left, I could see a fox just walking down the street. I was going to go after him, thinking maybe he could help me get pointed in the right direction. At this point, anyone that looked competent enough seemed like a viable answer to my question. That was, until, I heard voice behind me.

"Excuse me sir, are you looking for something?"

It was high in pitch and energetic. Like… it was sound of hope. What was even more strange… it sounded like my former wife, Rachael. Rachael? Is that really the sound of my wife calling? I was confused, so immediately I turned around. Sadly, it wasn't Rachael, but it would have been a fucking miracle had it been her.

It was a rabbit.. a small, rabbit.

"Hi, I'm Officer Judy Hopps! I did overhear the conversation you were having inside. Don't worry about the 'elephant in the room', he's just stubborn and doesn't treat people fairly."

I was in shock. On one hand, I had a rabbit that sounded exactly like my wife, and on the other hand, the rabbit that didn't seem too afraid who I was.

"Are you okay? You look kinda.. huh, well.. lost!" I actually had to regain my senses and talk normally.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I was just looking for something. You said you were an officer, right? A Police Officer?"

"Yes I am! I'm ZPD's newest recruit. I'm the first ever rabbit to become a police officer and today's my first day on the job! And you are?"

Shit. What do I say? Do I tell her my real name or just lie? Awh screw it, she seems trustworthy enough. At least I hope so..

"Howard. I'm new around town, I just came in form *points in a random direction* that way… yeah, I think."

"From Tundra Town I assume? You look like you're dressed for winter."

I look down and saw that my get up did look like I was ready for winter, but I didn't want to say exactly why I was dressed like this.

"Oh yeah, I'm from Tundra Town… Alas.." Shit I couldn't say Alaska, that place doesn't exist here, "…Alas I wish I would return back thought." Whew. Nice save.

"Well, nice to meet you Howard. What I actually wanted to say was, what are you? You don't look like anything I ever seen in my life.."

Oh. She wanted me to answer that question. Oh, great. NOW what do I say? I don't want to say that I'm a human, otherwise I'm going to blow my cover. I decided I was going to play the bullshit card, and trying that card on an officer seemed like the dumbest move in the book.

"I don't know… what I am, to be honest. Hence why I asked back there if there was a library to study what I was. Yeah, that was why, totally. It's starting to come back to me now.." I quickly had to divert the conversation to something else cause I knew this rabbit would probably start asking a lot questions that I didn't feel like answer. I already had to deal with one today (Sorry AAL). I looked around and saw tickets being filed under cars in an expired parking zone, which prompt to say "So you're on ticket duty, I presume?"

Her mood went down considerably when I brought that up "Well, yes.. I always wanted to be the one to solve a big case or save the day. The others don't think too much of me since I'm just some cutsy, small, little rabbit! I never thought that I would end up on ticket duty. I wish they would of put me on one of their big cases they're currently doing."

Bingo. I quickly became intrigued.

"Big cases… what are you referring to?"

"Missing animals case. There's been reports that at least 14 mammals have been reported missing, and yet no one at the department has gotten anywhere close to finding them. It's been really griping city hall lately so we're trying our best to find out what's causing this. Well, I say they, because like you said, I'm on ticket duty and.."

I could tell she was making this really sad, like being a police officer didn't mean anything to her. Her dream job of being, which I would assume from her rambles, of being a detective were done. I didn't want gain any more attention drawn to myself, especially if she started to cry. Dear God, that's the last thing I need to do is to make a police officer cry. I finally crouched down to her level so I could actually talk face to face.

"Hey, cheer up. You're not going to start at the top of where you began, you kinda need to work your way up. I mean, at least that's what I was taught when I was young. You start somewhere small, I mean… at the bottom of everything and you eventually work your way up. Don't let it bother you that you're not solving cases right out of the gate. If I had to guess, whoever assigned you just wanted to protect you, hence being the first bunny cop. I'm not saying it's discriminating, it's just I guess he or she doesn't want to put a heavy burden on you. But that doesn't mean you're just a ticketer, you're still a cop. You don't acknowledge someone that there's a problem, you go out and help the public. So yeah, while it's wonderful that you're the first bunny cop of your kind, don't let anyone bother you with that. You're still a cop."

She cracked a smile and I could she was feeling a bit better.

"Thank you Howard, that was… inspirational. Like… all the other mammals that are officers are way bigger than me, so I always feel a little intimidated deep down because of my size. But you… there's something strange about you… You're not an undercover cop are you…"

"No, I'm not an undercover cop officer. I actually have to get goin.."

"Wait, you can't just leave. You haven't identified yourself as what mammal you are, and if you abide by the law, I'm going to have to take you into custody."

Oh, great. I just found my first lead of the day and I can't even get to work because someone's going to arrest me. As nice as Officer Hopps was, I didn't want to risk myself being exposed more than I have to. I had to create a distraction, so I acted quickly. I glanced above her head, and said "Hey, uhh… oh, oh that's not good."

"What?" Hopps said as she turned around, "What is…"

As soon as she turned around I turned on my active camo and blended right in. I had to move away as slowly as possible but quickly enough too. From afar, you wouldn't be able to notice me, but up close you could tell that something odd was right in front of you. It was like if your eyes were playing tricks on you and you could see a bubbly image moving. Still being crouched, it made the transition much easier to get away from Miss Hopps. I slowly walked away from her and out of sight, and by the time she turned back around, I could hear hear,

"Hey, where did you go? What.. what?"

She still wandered around until she gave up. She looked down like she was about to cry until I heard her say "It was just your imagination Judes, just a ghost."

Sorry Miss Hopps, but not yet. I did feel a bit bad about how I ended the situation. The only friend I had so far in this world was AAL, and he was essentially a computer. It didn't make things any better when she sounded exactly like my wife.

I had to refocus. There would be time to think about this later. I turned on my coms. and spoke.

"AAL, do you copy?"

"Yes sir, I hear you."

"Did you get all that?"

"Well she seems like an energetic woman. Rabbit, I should say. She did mention about the missing mammals case. I'm currently going through the databases to read more about it. So far I'm reading 14 and only 14 mammals missing, each from a different species. I'll send it to you when I complete my search."

"Thanks."

"Oh, and sir?"

"Yes?"

"Considering Miss Hopps was the first mammal not to question too far on what you were exactly, albeit at the end there, I'm suggesting she might be a viable ally in the future."

"What makes you think that?"

"Energetic, kind-spirited and doesn't judge on race… well, mammal preference, including you. I think she was more intrigued who you were rather than being scared."

"I'll think about it. But right now, we need to focus on this lead that's been given to us. It's small, but I think we'll be onto something here soon."

"Right sir, I'm on it. Dismissing."

As evening drew closer, shit was about to get real now. New world, same story. Let's go.