A/N: Again thank you to ScaraMedn and KT for their impute as well as Blueberryandhoney. Enjoy guys
Chapter 4:
Pix glanced back at Shelly's shop and was still a bit confused as to what had happened a few moments ago, but he was glad that he had his fresh cup of black coffee. Pix didn't really have anything else planned for the day and didn't want to head home, so he decided he'd head over to the precinct and check the duty roster. Maybe he'd be able to find a range partner or a jogging buddy.
The walk to the precinct was only five blocks and in that time, he ran the pool episode through is mind. He couldn't help but admit that the little cheetah cub, Riley, was cute. He also couldn't help but admit that Jackie was an amazingly attractive mammal.
He had a small smile on his face as he sipped his coffee again, thinking about how she looked in that bikini. She was so different that his ex, Jessie. Jessie was almost as tall as Pix and she wasn't petite, not chubby or anything but had a bit more to her. She was a pretty mammal in her own right but Jackie… Damnit Wilde, he thought to himself with a smirk, this is all your fault… 'Spots in all the right places', no shit she has spots in all the right…
In fact, he realized, stopping in his tracks, she did have spots in all the right places and they were lighter brown instead of black like his. They were also smaller and she had some marbling on her back that he saw today. Giving himself a mental shake, he readjusted his duffle and started to walk again. I should have stayed, he thinks, looking over his shoulder for a brief second and contemplating heading back to the pool. I still am in my trunks. And it would be nice to talk to someone that understood how work really is, he mused. Then he squashed the thought with a shake of his head and kept walking to Precinct One.
immediately upon entering the front doors, he heard a Gazelle song. Looking towards the front reception desk revealed Ben Clawhauser deeply engrossed in his phone. Pix walked up to the desk and stood there for a moment letting his fellow cheetah finish whatever the phone was doing before flicking his ear.
"Huh-wha?" Ben jerked back and almost fell off his seat.
"Morning Ben," Pix said with a small smile. "I thought you were off today."
"Oh, Hi Pix," the portly cheetah smiled. "I was called in because Sampson called out sick and they still haven't filled the other dispatch or reception spot so, yeah…" He spread his arms. "Here I am."
"Awe man, I'm sorry to hear that."
"It's ok. I can use the OT."
"Heh, can't we all?" Pix agrees with a quirk of his lips.
"Anyway," Clawhauser continued. "It's not that I mind seeing your awesome self every day, but why are you here?"
"Oh, I… um… I was at the pool and got done with my workout but I didn't feel like heading home so I thought I'd check the duty roster and see if there was anyone here that wanted a range or workout partner."
Ben just looked at him for a long moment. "I know you S.W.A.T. guys are crazy but seriously, Pix, it's the weekend and there is NOTHING going on."
"I'll only hang around until noon then I'm out, I'll see you later Ben," Pix said as he headed toward the locker rooms to change into his spare range clothes, which consisted of cargo pants, blue ZPD t-shirt and duty belt with a holster and one of his spare pistols, he decided to leave the one in his duffle where it was for no other reason than his spare was right in front of him. Once that was done he checked the duty roster and saw that there was no one signed-up for range duty.
Pix sighed to himself, Of course there wouldn't be anyone at the range at… He glanced at his watch. Nine in the morning on a Saturday. He shrugged. He didn't mind shooting by himself, but found it immensely more productive and, well, fun to shoot with someone else.
"I wonder if Jackie would like to go shooting?" he mumbled to himself.
"I'm sure she'd love it, Morse and you should ask her."
Resisting the urge to jump and give credence to every startled feline joke ever invented, Pix turned to see his red vulpine friend leaning against the wall with a pair of yellow shooters glasses and pink ear muffs draped around his neck. Pix started to openly snicker when he noticed that he was also wearing a pink ZPD t-shirt that was clearly cut for a female.
"Are those regulation?" Pix asked with a smirk as he pointed at the pink ear protection.
Nick's eyes opened wine in mock hurt while waving his right paw up and down his body, "What? You don't like my new ZPD standard issue range outfit? I'll have you know that Spots thought I looked absolutely adorable."
"You lost a bet to Judy didn't you?"
The fox just smiled his normal smarmy smile and put his paws in his front pockets, rocking back and forth on his hind paws, "Yep," he said popping the 'p', "Carrots came out ahead in our betting war at Wolford's expense and since I've lost and I have to do whatever she says for twenty four hours, Princess Fluff has decreed that I, and I alone, must give the range demonstration for the ZPA Cadets on this glorious morning." Nick ended with a showy court bow, complete with a flourish of his left paw.
Pix just chuckled. "So she kicked your ass?"
Nick went back to leaning against the wall and smiled. "Nah, she beat me by one game. I honestly let her win."
"Riiiight."
"I actually did," he smiled a genuine smile. "She needed some sleep. We've been pulling a few doubles lately trying to wrap up a few cases and I knew she didn't want to do this, especially since she was a bit loopy last night. So, I took the fall."
"What were you guys playing?"
"Darts."
"Huh," Pix said with a bit of surprise. It was well known how good Nick was at various games of chance and games where you could place bets. Plus, he was a hell of shot. "Okay," Pix conceded. "I believe you. And, now that I think of it, you and I are actually tied for darts at the moment and as much as I like Judy, well, she's not the best with accuracy, especially after a few pints."
"A rematch that will happen soon I hope and then I can claim the title of 'King of Pointy Things You Throw at Cork'!" the fox declared with a fist pump.
"Challenge accepted," Pix said with a smile.
"By the way, Morse," Nick said as he cocked his head sideways, giving the cheetah a curious look, "Why are you here? You're off today."
"Oh- Um… I went for a swim and didn't feel like heading home or working out so I, sort of ended up here."
Nick ran a paw down his muzzle and gave a long-suffering sigh. "Morse, how many times to I need to tell you, go somewhere and relax."
"I'm great at relaxing," Pix stated, fixing the red todd with mock glare. "I love to shoot things, and it relaxes me."
"Hmm, good point." Nick thought for a moment. "Then I guess you can take the far range and leave the other eleven lanes for me if that's ok with you. It's also a bit of training today with them on the weapons and firearms we use, both lethal and non-lethal."
"Sounds fine by me," the cheetah said. "I'm just going to do some pistol work and maybe sight in my new holographic sight on my AR."
"Oooo, fancy."
"It is. It's the new EOTech. I've been trying to get my paws on one for a while now and…" he saw Nick just staring blankly at him. "You don't care at all do you," Pix stated knowingly.
"Huh? Oh, were you going to give me all the technical specs of something that is inconsequential and has no meaning in my life?" Nick smirked. "Yes, yes you were."
Pix just smiled and laughed. "Touché." He checked his watch and saw that it was almost nine thirty. "When are they due to arrive?"
"Ten."
"Perfect. I'll go grab my gear and I'll get set up and out of your way." Pix headed to the armory and checked out his weapon and a few hundred rounds of ammo for both his rifle and his pistol. As he was walking back he heard his phone go *PING*. He brought it out of his pocket and swiped the screen unlocked. He had a message from Shelly.
When you get done doing what you're doing can you swing by and grab an application for Sam? I think his is actually really interested and I think it would be good for him.
He thought about it for a second and then responded as he was walking the hallway from the armory to the range.
Sure thing. I'm at the precinct now. I'll also ask Nick if he can swing by after his shift on Monday and meet me there so he can answer Sam's questions.
*PING*
You seriously need to take a vacation or something.
He looked at the phone. What was she talking about; he took his allotted vacation time every year.
I take vacations.
*PING*
Away from everything, Pix. As in out of the city. Out of the country even.
What?
Sure. I'll drop the app off after I'm done here.
*PING*
You're hopeless.
Needless to say, Pix was very confused as he walked back into the range and then was even more confused when he saw Nick on his phone smiling. Pix couldn't help but smile at the todd in his pink ZPD shirt with his pink ear protection. He was on the phone and walking toward him.
"Uh-huh… Yep. Of course. Yep- Yeah, they'll be here soon. Do this and we're even, see you soon."
"You alright Pinky Pie?"
"That's Mister Pinky Pie to you," Nick said as he sauntered up to the larger cheetah and stopped in front of him, his head coming up to just below Pix's neck. "And don't you forget it." Nick said as he poked Pix in the chest with every word.
Just to give Nick a taste of his own medicine, Pix quickly stepped back and took a picture of the red fox in all his pink glory. "Oh I won't, not now."
"HEY!" his friend yelled and tried to grab the phone but the cheetah was faster and easily held it out of reach. "Not funny, Morse!"
"I think it is," Pix said as he placed a paw on Nick's head and pushed him back. "You look cute in pink."
"Fine," the todd huffed. "I propose a wager." Nick waved his paws in front of him in a calming manner as he saw Pix start to protest. "It'll be just you and me and the range."
That perked Pix's ears up. However, the grin that curved the foxes muzzle worried him slightly.
"I have to do a taser demo today and I was going to try to bribe one of the desk sergeants but since you're here why don't we do this," Nick said as he put on his signature smile, halfway closing his eyes while crossing his arms over his chest. "We're both great shots and I seem to remember that at the last qualifiers you got a one hundred and I got a ninety seven." Pix nodded.
"So," Nick tented his digits in front of his muzzle and looked up at the larger predator with his emerald green eyes. "I say we go one mag, using our off paws, single pawed, best score on the target wins."
"And what does winning mean?" Pix ask very cautiously knowing full well that this fox usually bet in his own favor, at least outside of his mate.
"If I win, you have to erase that picture or at least promise that you'll only use it for personal reasons," he smirked with waggle of his brows. "Aaaaand you have to take the taser to the chest for the demo."
"HA! WHAT?" the cheetah huffed loudly.
"If YOU win then I take the taser shot and you can print that picture up and post it on the duty roster or in the bull pen or wherever you want. Do we have an accord?" The last five words were said with what Pix could only surmise was a terrible attempt at an aristocratic accent.
Pix eyed him for a moment. "While I have no aversion to foxes at all, if I did want to have a picture of one for 'personal reasons', as you say, it would be a vixen. No offense." Nick just smirked still holding his paw out, but that smirk suddenly went away as Pix smiled a full fanged smile and practically crushed his paw with a firm shake. "Bet!" the cheetah said.
"Um… I think I should be scared." The todd gulped, not used to mammals so sure of themselves in his bets.
Pix just smiled all the wider and said, "Eyes and ears, Pinky," and put on his own shooter's-glasses and ear protection. Nick gave him another nervous assessment and did the same.
Pix pulled out his M&P and checked the chamber, confirming that there was a round seated in the chamber then casually slipped it into his left paw, brought the pistol up, flipped off the thumb safety and instantly unloaded all eighteen rounds into the head of the silhouette target in a steady stream of fire. As the last round left the gun and the slide locked open, he immediately flipped the thumb safety back on and dropped the mag out before visually checking that the chamber was empty and put the pistol on the bench in the lane.
Even though the target was 6 meters away Nick could see that, while the grouping wasn't as tight as it would have been if Pix had used the standard two pawed grip, it was all within the 'head shot' area of the target.
"Shit," Nick groaned and slapped his left paw to his forehead. "You're ambidextrous, aren't you?" he stated more than asked as he looked at a grinning Pix. "I would like to cancel the bet."
"Nope," Pix said mimicking the way Nick popped the 'p'.
"Eh… It was worth a shot." Nick shrugged and with that he picked up his own Glock that was sized for smaller mammals and check the chamber before switching it into his left paw and bringing it up and he pulled the trigger. His shots were spaced a bit further as he aimed a bit to bring his sights back on target after each shot. Pix had to admit that he was a bit impressed at the trigger discipline the red todd had and that he didn't flinch at all, made more remarkable since he knew for a fact that Nick wasn't ambidextrous. As the last round cleared the chamber and the slide locked back on his weapon Nick dropped the mag and checked the chamber like Pix had before setting the pistol down next to Pix's bigger M&P and sighed.
"That was actually really impressive, Nick," Pix said looking down range and nodded. "Nice grouping."
"Yeah…" Nick sighed again. "But not nice enough," he said as he hit the button on the electronic pulley system to bring both targets back to the benches. He looked at Pix's and then at his. They were almost identical except there were three holes right on the line of the 'head shot' target, and while in a scoring match they still would have counted, in this scenario Pix was the clear winner.
"Shit."
The cheetah put a paw on the vulpine's shoulder and said, "Tell you what? I'll just show the picture to a few friends, ok?"
"Does that mean I don't have to take the taser?"
The cheetah shrugged. "Well, you can't welch on your own bet, can you?" Pix said apologetically.
Nick just hung his head in mock shame while Pix laughed. Suddenly the todd's features lit up and he snickered. This caused Pix to immediately stop laughing and stare at the red fox.
"What's so funny?"
"Oh nothing," Nick said with a smile as he looked at the clock on the wall. "The ZPA Cadets will be here soon. I suppose you should head down to your station," he added as he dismissively waved the larger predator away. "I'm going to get some coffee. I know you want some since you're like me and live on the stuff. I'll be back in a minute, if they show up just let them know I'll be here soon."
Pix watched as the door closed behind the red fox and was a bit confused and a bit worried at the same time.