No warning this time. Yay!...?
Silence fell over the group of mammals as the limousine drove through the night. Dazzling storefronts passed by in blurred streaks of color that temporarily illuminated the inside of the vehicle. With the exhausted state of her mind, Judy found herself succumbing to sleep as shadows hypnotically danced along the windows. Paired with Nick's warm presence, Judy felt safe and content as if there were no worries left in the world.
Unfortunately, reality had a funny way of popping one's personal bubble of peace. For Judy, it was the fact that her tired mind refused to settle down. Thousands of thoughts whizzed through her head, every one of them demanding her attention all at once. The most prominent was that of Mr. Big's physical appearance.
Judy had believed Connor when he said that Mr. Big wasn't looking well, but now she knew exactly how well: the shrew looked old and frail, and his fur was lackluster, to say the least. Now that Judy had gotten a good look at Mr. Big, Nick's previous prediction seemed all the more imminent.
"My child, it's not polite to stare," said Mr. Big, breaking the silence.
Judy blinked before averting her gaze, her ears lowering in embarrassment. "I'm sorry," she muttered, her voice barely carrying over to Mr. Big. "It's just that – well, Connor said that you might not be feeling well, but I didn't expect you to look so –"
"Old?" Mr. Big interrupted. "It's alright, Judith. I've looked worse, believe me. And like every other time, I'll get through it. Besides, it's not me you should be worrying about: your husband looks worse than I do, and that's saying something."
Despite the constant aching in his body, Nick cracked a weak smile. "You and I both know that I'm the good-looking one in this relationship," he joked. "Besides, I'm fine. It'll take more than a few drunk mammals to keep me down," he boasted.
"Yeah, but they can definitely get a few hits in," Judy piped up, drawing a chuckle from the other mammals in the car. "You look like you just finished sparring with Bogo and won."
There was something about the fact that Judy was cracking jokes again that set Nick's mind at ease. If anything, it told him that she wasn't on edge anymore, willingly accepting his little, loving gestures. "I'll take that as a compliment," Nick stated, his grin widening.
Judy rolled her eyes before squeezing herself into Nick's warmth. After she was comfortable and Nick had wrapped his arm around her, she caught sight of the sad smile on Mr. Big's face that was sent their direction.
"Is there something wrong, Mr. Big?" Judy asked as her thoughts came whizzing back. This time, all she could think about was how the shrew was doing physically and emotionally.
"Nothing, my child," Mr. Big lied as he glanced over his shoulder at the driver. Turning back, he let out a tiny sigh. "Well, nothing wrong with me. I'm more concerned with your states of being. Thanks to the media, anyone with half a mind knows that you two are going through some hard times – times that would normally tear two mammals apart. I've had enough of those experiences in my lifetime to know that this –" he vaguely gestured towards Nick and Judy with his paws, "– is something that a mammal should never have to go through. However, as the old saying goes, what doesn't kill you can make you stronger, but only if you make the choice to let it do so."
Mr. Big's words hung in the air as the group fell silent. As the limousine drove along, fewer storefronts passed by; instead, apartment buildings of all shapes and sizes began to tower over the streets.
"Anyway, enough about this touchy subject," the crime boss suddenly declared, gently startling the fox and bunny. "We've got better things to discuss. For example, how are you two doing with your week off?"
Nick scoffed. Of course Mr. Big would know about their week off despite the fact that the media hadn't been given that bit of information. "It's going great," he answered with a half-lie. "I know that I am enjoying spending a whole week with my wife outside of work, but I can't speak for her."
"I'm fine," Judy automatically replied. "Tired, too. The past few days have just been rough, but I'm sure after a few good nights' rest, everything will be back to normal." She smiled when Nick gave her an affectionate squeeze.
"I hope it will, Judith," Mr. Big muttered. "However, before I leave you for the night, I want to pass on some advice that I think you two may find useful to hear."
The two cops' ears perked towards the crime boss – the only sign in their relaxed postures that they were listening. "Lay it on us, Mr. B," Nick said, his suave mask in place as he leaned back.
After a beat of thoughtful silence, Mr. Big began, "You two have something incredibly unique and special between you; it's not every day you see a fox and bunny in love. This means that you two are pioneers in a sense. Everything that happens from here, and everything that has happened was and will be entirely new and unheard of. You probably already know this, but there will be some areas of your relationship that you won't be able to get advice on because there's literally no one else. You mustn't allow that to keep you from working together to get through such hardships. It may not be easy, but that means that it's worth it.
"You two are setting the stage for a new generation. How you decide to live your lives together shall become a precedent for similar relationships in the future. To some, this responsibility would be too great to handle, but I know you two. You don't back down from a fight, and you tackle any problem head-on; it won't be hard for you to find the motivation to push past this situation.
"I say this because rough times are ahead. Victor's gaining power, those four goons are still at large and under his control, and the people of this city are starting to doubt again. You two will need each other now more than ever, and if you don't hold on tight to what you have, it could be lost forever. Trust me, I made that mistake a long time ago, and it still affects me to this day."
"If you don't mind me asking," Judy spoke up as Mr. Big finished. "But what was that mistake?"
Silence fell over the car. Mr. Big seemed deep in thought, but Judy couldn't help but feel guilty for bringing up something that was possibly uncomfortable for the crime boss.
Finally, Mr. Big spoke up again. "My wife and I had a fight one night, and it fractured our relationship. It could have been repaired, but I was selfish and arrogant at the time. During my time as leader of the crime ring in my family, I could never bring myself to confront my wife and fix what we had. So, when a rival family killed her in an attempt to get to me, I realized how wrong I had been. Since then, I've been regretting every decision I made after that fight."
The shrew paused before turning towards Nick and Judy. "Don't make the same mistake I did. If you have a problem, talk it out. If one of you is hurt, heal together. The best that you two have is each other, and that's the best you will ever have."
As Mr. Big went silent, the limousine came to a stop. Judy glanced out the window and smiled longingly at the welcoming facade of the apartment complex that she and Nick called home.
"This is where I leave you," the crime boss declared, drawing Judy's gaze from the window. "I don't need to tell you this, but Nick, take it easy."
Nick nodded. "You got it, Mr. B," he replied as the driver, a fox about as tall as Nick, opened the door.
Judy leaned forward so that she could gently kiss both of Mr. Big's cheeks. "Thank you for the advice. I'm sure we'll put it to good use."
"I would hope so," Mr. Big replied with a warm smile. "Now, you two have a good night."
Judy nodded before hopping out of the car next to Nick. The driver closed the door behind them and sauntered towards the driver's seat, winking at the couple. Nick and Judy watched as the limo drove off and melted into the night.
"Come on, Carrots," Nick said, breaking the silence as he gestured towards the complex behind them with his head. "Let's go inside. I'm sure Stacy will be happy to see us." Judy nodded as she followed the fox into the apartment complex.
Stacy looked up from her newspaper upon hearing the front doors open. She noticed Judy first, bringing a smile to her face as she opened her mouth to greet her favorite couple. When she caught sight of Nick, however, the smile was replaced with a concerned frown.
"Hey guys," she called, drawing the couple's attention. "What happened?"
Nick shrugged. "Oh, you know me, always trying to impress the missus. I got a little too cocky today and had a tussle with a rather mean lamppost. I still won, though," Nick joked before Judy could answer.
"I thought you guys were supposed to be taking it easy?" Stacy contended, crossing her arms and shooting a hard glare at the fox.
This time, Judy managed to speak up before Nick could weave anymore of his ridiculous tall tale. "We know," she admitted as her mind quickly came up with a more believable lie, "but we couldn't help it. We saw a poor mammal getting mugged, so Nick jumped straight in and took on the attacker. I came in late, hence his surplus and my lack of 'battle scars.'"
Stacy's frown morphed into a sad, pitying smile. "A couple of saints, you are," she muttered, shaking her head. "Just don't do anything like that again for a while. You need your rest after what happened. Now shoo! Get upstairs. Do something relaxing," she added, quirking her eyebrow before turning to her newspaper.
Judy couldn't help but crack a smile as she and Nick made their way to the elevator. "You two have a good night!" Stacy called as the doors slid shut.
Silence followed as the spacious elevator car steadily climbed. Judy watched Nick, trying to decipher what was going on in his head. Being rather beat up made it hard, however, as she couldn't tell if the faint scowl Nick had was from the pain or a particular thought. The more she thought about it, the more the silence seemed to grow.
"Nick, are you alright?" Judy asked, shattering the silence. Nick blinked and then turned towards her. She had apparently interrupted a deep thought.
"You say something, Carrots?" Nick inquired apologetically.
The elevator came to a stop, and the doors opened with a 'ding!' before Judy answered, "I was asking if you were alright."
"Yeah, I'm alright," Nick replied as they stepped out into the hallway. "Could be better, but still."
Judy chuckled weakly. "Yeah," she mumbled as her ears folded against her head.
This didn't go unnoticed by Nick, who immediately grew concerned. "Are you alright, Carrots?" he asked as they made their way to their apartment.
The bunny shrugged halfheartedly. "I don't know," she admitted. "I just want to eat, watch a movie, and cuddle with a certain fox."
Nick carefully wrapped an arm around Judy and pulled her close, placing a kiss on her forehead. "That can be arranged," he said with a smile on his face, and he led Judy into the apartment and closed the door behind them.
The Tundratown wind was as cold as ever, and the falling snow gave the black night a white-blue hue. Light could barely travel through the thick fog that hung over the road, making it nearly impossible to see. The limousine sped by, looking like a black streak cutting through a sea of white.
Mr. Big's mind continuously repeated his conversation with Nick and Judy, pointing out things that he wanted to say but didn't. Parts of the conversation began to direct themselves at the shrew, their meanings becoming advice that he should have lived by when he was younger. These thoughts left him regretfully grumbling as the limo made its way back to his manor.
Jim Bratva looked down at his old friend, concern in his steely eyes. The perpetual frown that resided on his muzzle was now a bit more genuine as the polar bear tried to read the shrew. Unfortunately, Mr. Big was by no means an open book when it came to inner emotions.
"I can feel you judging me, Jim," Mr. Big squeaked, drawing the polar bear's attention. "It's not comfortable."
The ghost of a smile passed over Jim's lips. "Sorry, my friend. I was just wondering how you are doing. You seem to be deep in thought, no?" he asked in his deep, thickly accented voice.
The shrew in his paw sighed heavily. "I am, yes," he admitted. "Times are changing for the worse, and there's not enough to be done or thought about to get prepared for it. What's about to happen will forever scar Zootopia."
"Why so dramatic?" Jim inquired, quirking an eyebrow. "It can't truly be that bad?"
"I could be overreacting, yes," Mr. Big admitted with a faint chuckle, "but what Victor is doing will affect many mammals. That much is certain."
The gentle purr of the limousine's engine and the faint howling of the wind were the only sounds that could be heard as the two mammals grew quiet. The silence didn't last long, though, as Jim spoke up again, "What about Victor?"
Mr. Big glanced up at his friend. "What do you mean?" he inquired.
"What about him?" Jim repeated. "You've been working with him a lot in past few days. What are your thoughts of him?"
"Do you want the good or the bad ones?" Mr. Big asked dryly. The silence from Jim was the answer. "Honestly, he's too ambitious for his own good, and he thinks he knows everything that's going on at a specific point in time. He thinks he can read people, which only ends up with him putting his money on the wrong horse, so to speak. Look at what happened to the Wildes; Victor had trusted those four enough to accidentally give them the opportunity to do this.
"However, that doesn't mean that he's void of good qualities. He acts like any good businessman should: always considerate of the competition, understanding of the importance of personal contact, and can pick himself up after taking a hit. He also understands that what he's trying to achieve will come at a cost that not many are willing to pay."
Jim nodded. "That is good thing, yes?" he inquired.
"If you know the cost, you can work towards using only the necessary resources instead of squandering everything you have," Mr. Big replied. "So yes, my friend, it is a good thing."
A massive SUV passed the limousine, catching Mr. Big's attention for only second before he ignored it.
"Aww, it's so sweet to know that you care," came a familiar voice. Mr. Big and Jim looked up at the window that connected the front of the limo to the back and found Victor casually leaning through it. The fox was dressed as one of Mr. Big's drivers and wore a sly grin on his muzzle.
"I was wondering when you would finally come and join us," Mr. Big stated before gesturing to the seat directly across from all three of them. "Why don't you sit down, or do you need to drive?"
Victor slipped through the opening and sat across from the crime lord and his bear. "I've got our transportation covered," he said as he leaned back in the seat. He was right; the limousine seemed to be driving itself as the three mammals sat in silence for a few seconds.
"I want to thank you for what you said to my son," the fox said after a few seconds. "That advice will be very helpful for him during the next few days."
"I didn't say it to help you," Mr. Big snapped. "Even if you didn't have anything planned, they both needed that advice."
Victor held up his paws in a defensive gesture. "Okay, I'm sorry. No need to get pushy," he apologized. "Besides, I hope you haven't forgotten why I'm here in the first place?"
Mr. Big said nothing, leaving the car in silence for a moment. The two crime leaders locked gazes: Mr. Big glared at Victor while the fox stared back with a casual smile. Finally, Mr. Big looked away as a coughing fit overtook him.
"I thought so," Victor said, suddenly becoming very serious as he leaned forward. "Have you seen a doctor about that?"
The shrew laughed – a gross, hacking sound that made Victor wince. "If I had a dollar for each time someone asked me that, I'd be the richest mammal in all of Zootopia," Mr. Big sarcastically joked. "But in all seriousness, I will be seeing a doctor soon."
Victor nodded in approval as he leaned back in his seat. "Now, I didn't come here to check up on your personal health," he admitted as he clasped his paws together and shifted his weight a bit. "We have more important matters to discuss."
"That we do," Mr. Big agreed. "Though I must ask: how did you know where to find Officers Wilde and Hopps? We couldn't have happened on them by coincidence."
"Ever since the warehouse incident, I knew that my son and his wife would be taking it hard. So, to make sure that they didn't do anything stupid or get into another 'situation,' I put them under surveillance," Victor answered. "But you already knew that – you're stalling."
"What makes you think that?" Mr. Big innocently asked, shrugging. "I want nothing more than to talk about my early retirement from the criminal business."
Victor sneered at the crime boss. "I thought you were serious when you called me earlier today," he stated with dry sarcasm, folding his arms over his chest.
"This hasn't exactly been an easy decision, Victor!" Mr. Big snapped. "Do you realize how much would be at stake should I suddenly be removed from power? Do you realize the danger that my family would have to face? What of my daughter, hmm? How would she take this decision!?"
"I promise that your daughter will be kept safe –" Victor began, but he was interrupted by Mr. Big.
"– That's not what I was asking," the shrew snapped before his body convulsed with another coughing fit. After clearing his throat several times, he turned his gaze back to the fox. "I have no doubt in your abilities, but it isn't just my Fru Fru that I'm worried about. What of Nick and Judy? What of the city? I've kept so much held at bay – what you're about to do could be the last straw on the camel's back."
Silence fell over the car. Mr. Big sat patiently, waiting to hear Victor's response. He studied the fox as the seconds ticked by. While Victor was leaned back and relaxed, his expression was anything but – cold, calculating, emerald eyes simmered above a faint scowl.
"I am aware of the repercussions, Alphonse," Victor snapped. Mr. Big didn't so much as bat an eye at the use of his first name, "and I'm fully prepared to face them."
"Are you?" the shrew challenged, leaning forward in his minuscule chair. "If you're found out, I'm not sure your son will be as willing to follow your plan, Victor."
"What do you know about my son?" the fox barked, suddenly lunging forward as if to strangle the small crime boss. Jim tensed – the only noticeable movement made since the conversation had begun.
"What do you know about your son!?" Mr. Big shot back, holding his ground. Victor's fiery gaze faltered. "You left when he was just a baby and never came back! He's never known his father, and you've never known your son! Unlike you, I know what it takes to be a parent, and frankly, you don't qualify. So I recommend restraint when talking about what your son will and won't do."
Silence once again fell over the car as Victor and Mr. Big glared at each other. The tension in the air was thick enough to be cut with a knife. Slowly, Victor leaned back as his ears folded against his head – he was shaking with rage, but Mr. Big had made a valid point. Not for the first time, Victor imagined how his life could have been different had those city officials put him out of business.
"I did what I had to do," Victor muttered, still sending Mr. Big a hard glare.
"Right, the 'necessary sacrifice,'" Mr. Big's fingers made air quotes as he said this. "I've made those too. However, such a sacrifice does not suddenly give you any right or authority on that subject; you may have sacrificed your son for your work, but you don't get any say in how he was raised."
Victor went silent again, and the anger in his eyes dimmed somewhat. He still glared at the shrew, though, as his mind processed the argument so far. Mr. Big was right: Victor didn't really know his son. Hell, even his brief meeting with Nick about a week ago felt so alien – he felt as if he were meeting a complete stranger. From that thought grew an icy ball of guilt and regret in Victor's stomach, which only fed his determination. His plan was going to work, and he was going to finally be reunited with his son.
Mr. Big let the silence draw out and sink in. Call it a unique skill, but Mr. Big had always had a way with words – or lack thereof – giving him the advantage in many situations such as this. However, the crime lord wasn't trying to only gain the upper hand here. No, he needed to get Victor to listen to reason before he made this decision.
A sigh escaped Mr. Big's lips. "Even with the risk of the damage that would be done, you're still willing to go through with your plan?" the shrew asked; however, the steely gleam in Victor's eyes told him that the decision was already made, and Victor wasn't going to change his mind.
The fox nodded curtly. "Yes," was the brief reply.
Mr. Big turned towards the window, his gaze searching out past the snowy fields and the freezing blizzard. "You promise that my daughter will be kept safe?" he asked after a few moments of silence.
Victor nodded. "I'll personally make sure of it if necessary," he replied, his tone completely lacking the sarcastic nature that it had when this conversation began. Instead, he spoke with complete professional courtesy.
Mr. Big gave an approving nod. "And Nick and Judy – what will become of them?"
"Well, if everything goes as according to plan, then they'll be perfectly fine," Victor stated as he scratched his neck.
"And if everything doesn't go according to plan?" Mr. Big inquired, quirking an eyebrow as he turned his gaze back to the fox.
"It will," Victor answered coldly.
Mr. Big scoffed. "If I didn't know any better, Victor, I'd say that you were a bit cocky," he gently accused. "Trust me when I say, any plan made by any mammal is destined to fail in one way or another. You may have every single detail plotted out; you may have every single countermeasure prepared. However, the moment your ideas are set into motion is the moment that your carefully laid out plan will fall apart. It may become something new that still gets you to where you want to go, or it may utterly fail." Mr. Big paused, allowing the advice to sink in. He watched as Victor continued to glare at him, but the look in those emerald eyes said it all: his point had gotten through.
"They could be fine if my plan doesn't work, or they could be severely hurt," Victor quietly admitted, averting his gaze from the shrew.
"Is that a risk that you're still willing to take?" Mr. Big inquired.
"Yes," Victor muttered. Mr. Big barely caught the sound.
When those emerald eyes again locked with his, Mr. Big saw a steely determination simmering beneath the surface. It was a look that he had seen in a pair of amethyst eyes about three years back, and it had sent a faint chill down his spine. Coming from the fox, Mr. Big realized why Victor had been able to take control of Al Capaw's gang.
"If there is one thing that I know about my son, Alphonse, it's that he knows how to pick himself up after being kicked to the ground," Victor continued, leaning forward in his seat. "Now that he's mated, I doubt that there will be anything that can put him down for long."
Mr. Big remained silent for a tick of the figurative clock before nodding. "That is something we agree on."
Victor gave the shrew a weak smile before checking the watch on his wrist. "Would you look at the time," he noted in a halfheartedly sarcastic tone. Turning back to Mr. Big, Victor said, "So, are we in agreement?"
"About what?" Mr. Big asked as he distractedly brushed off his tuxedo.
"About who's going to replace you during your break from power!" Victor cried, his eyes glowing with exasperation. "Like you just said, you just so happen to be one of the most powerful crime bosses in all of Zootopia. Suddenly stepping down from your seat of power isn't really a fantastic idea considering the fact that you could create a destructive power vacuum that would tear apart the city!" He looked hopeful that his rather drastic explanation would make his point for him.
"I already thought of that, Victor," Mr. Big began. "My son-in-law –"
"– is not prepared for the responsibility," Victor interrupted. "He's barely handling being a father. You need someone who's experienced as a crime boss and will be willing to step down should you choose to return."
"Someone like you?" Mr. Big asked with a cold, emotionless tone.
Victor paused for a second, his ears flattening against his head as his gaze faltered. "Yes," he answered. The word hung in the air as silence fell over the car.
Mr. Big could feel Jim tense at the request, indignant that the fox would even ask such a thing. He could also see the anxiety in Victor's emerald eyes. There was something about how self-aware Victor was that resonated with Mr. Big: the fox knew that he was crossing some sensitive boundaries with his request, yet he refused to push his luck any further than it needed to be.
Maybe he isn't as arrogant as I thought, Mr. Big presumed.
"Fine," he answered, breaking the silence. Jim and Victor flinched before a single, similar thought ran through their minds: Really!?
"Don't worry, Jim. It's fine," Mr. Big said as he turned towards his old friend. Glancing back at Victor, he continued, "Are you sure you're prepared for the responsibility, though? I have a lot of contacts, agreements, and business deals that need handling."
Victor nodded. "I understand that, and I've been thoroughly studying and investigating everything – I'm familiar enough with your deals and such that the transition should be seamless."
Mr. Big nodded, impressed with Victor's dedication and somewhat unnerved that most of his private business dealing had been uncovered. Jim remained on the unnerved side as he was still suspicious of the fox.
The watch on Victor's wrist suddenly beeped, the shrill sound piercing the air-conditioned atmosphere of the car. "That's my cue," Victor said and proceeded to roll down a window. The freezing, Tundratown wind immediately began to circulate inside the vehicle as bits of snow melted onto the seats and floor. "Should I expect your 'partners' at my headquarters, or should I conduct your business in your house?" he inquired over his shoulder.
"If you don't have anyone who can run your business while you're gone, you can host them there. If you do, then I'd prefer the deals be done in my office – the ice pool is a rather convenient persuasion device, as you already know."
Victor smirked and nodded before climbing out the window of the moving limousine. It didn't surprise Mr. Big to see a second SUV driving alongside the window before pulling ahead. He continued to gaze out the window that Jim soon closed. It took a few moments, but soon the chilled temperature from outside dissipated as the car warmed up.
Victor scrabbled through the open window and toppled onto the back seat with the grace of a toddler learning to walk. He heard the nearly imperceptible snicker from Richard, who was currently driving through the blizzard.
"Quiet, you," Victor jokingly snapped as he dusted some snow off of his driver's suit. Satisfied with his appearance, the fox climbed into the passenger seat.
"I didn't say anything, Victor," Richard defended innocently, glancing at his friend. "I take it the conversation went well?"
A smile spread across Victor's features. "Very well. I now control everything that Mr. Big does."
"Until he chooses to leave retirement, that is," Richard added.
Victor gave a dismissive wave of his paw. "Ah, I'll worry about that later. Let me enjoy this victory for now."
Richard nodded as his foot pressed on the gas, sending the SUV forward. Victor glanced past Richard to see the state of the first SUV. Though it was impossible to see past the snow and tinted windows, the fox could imagine the four idiots he hired driving along, careful to not mess up again. Victor glanced towards the back of the bulky vehicle. A metal hook – attached to the SUV's trailer hitch – was lodged into the grill of the limousine, pulling the longer vehicle along.
"Did I make the right choice?" Victor asked suddenly, breaking the silence that had fallen.
Richard quirked an eyebrow in confusion as he drove the SUV further ahead, leaving the limo behind. "Pardon?"
"Having those four drive tonight – was that the right choice?" Victor asked again, somewhat annoyed he had to repeat himself.
"While I would've trusted just about anyone else, I don't see any problem with having them on this task," Richard answered, his voice drawing out and stressing different syllables – it was as if the wolf's voice was made of molasses and gave him a cold and calculated air. "They also know not to cross your path again. They'll carry out their duties as instructed."
"I hope so," Victor mumbled before leaning back in his chair and pulling the cap over his eyes, intent on dozing off.
"Do you really trust that fox, Alphonse?" Jim asked, breaking the silence that had fallen over the car.
"Somewhat, yes," Mr. Big answered, his gaze still directed out the window. Snow-topped trees whizzed by in a blur. "However, I don't plan on him keeping his word should I choose to come out of retirement. My health was simply a coincidence he was willing to take advantage of."
"Then why did you let him take your place?" Jim inquired, sounding incredulous.
"Because he made a good point: I need someone to take over while I'm gone. However, it's very possible that this will blow up in his face," Mr. Big commented with a sort of satisfaction. "Now he not only has to deal with his business, but with mine as well. I'm sure he'll find soon enough that it won't be as easy as he hoped."
A smile crept over Jim's muzzle as realization dawned on him. "I see. So, figuratively, you handed over lit bomb to Victor."
Mr. Big nodded. "And we get to wait for the boom."
Suddenly, a harsh, metallic snap sounded in the car, startling both mammals. Not a second after the sound vanished, the limousine began to drift towards the left. Before Jim or Mr. Big could question why this was happening, the squealing of tires on asphalt met their ears. Unfortunately, the snow-covered road provided a small amount of tension – the car that desperately tried to swerve to safety rammed head-on with the limousine.
The long vehicle was flipped onto its side as it slid off the road and onto a steep decline. Harsh crunching sounds echoed through the night as the sleek, black car toppled down the hill, ramming into trees as it went.
The limousine rolled to a stop at the bottom of the hill. Its metal body was no more than a crumpled, lifeless husk as smoke gently poured from the machine.
There we go! The end of Act 1 of Family Ties! Two more Acts to go before this story is finished, so buckle up; we're just getting started! I must warn you all, though: things will take a very serious and somewhat dark turn. Basically, don't expect a lot of fluff, but be prepared for a lot of emotional turmoil and super dark, secret plans.
I also wanna take a moment to thank my beta readers, without whom this story wouldn't be nearly as great (or on time).