Out in the open.
(Judy POV)
Nick and I are sitting on the back seat of the SUV once more. This time however, I feel more
comfortable. I can't quite put my finger on it but something seems different. Not about the
SUV, but about how everything feels. I decide to turn my gaze to Nick, who seems to be deep
in his own thoughts.
I slide my Paw into his, in an attempt to pull his attention to me. His pulse is racing!
Whatever Coldten was doing, seems to be affecting him more than it did me.
I feel his pulse beginning to slow. When I pull my gaze up from his Paw, I find myself looking
into his eyes. "I'll be fine Carrots." He says trying to be reassuring, but his voice is a mix of emotions.
Even Waterwood seems to be distracted. I recognize the look on his face.
He may be driving but he's not all there. Why did this affect Nick and Waterwood so much.
Is it because they're males? It could be some kind of pheromone. No, it can't be that, Nick
would've smelled something.
I start to replay that moment on the bench for myself. Waterwood knew he was there
before he spoke. What could it have been? That scratching the back of my mind. Could that
have something to do with? It was almost piercing in a way. Could it have been some kind of
high-frequency sound? I think it over for a second. Maybe, wolves can hear higher
frequencies better.
So if it was a sound, what was admitting it? could it have been that strange bracelet?
No, it was old, and almost paperthin. To thin to hide any kind of technology in.
Then it suddenly dawned on me, It can't be a frequency, or it would affect him to.
He could of been wearing ear plugs. A voice in my head argues. But I didn't see any.
"So what's the plan for the warehouse?" Nick says, derailing my train of thought.
"Simple. We use the key to unlock the door, walk in, and if we find what we're
looking for, we call backup to secure the location."
Waterwood says, the words slipping out of his mouth with great haste. he's clearly still
freaked out from that moment.
I spend the rest of the trip down to the warehouse worrying about what we'll be walking into.
Michael said there wasn't going to be any guards, however I'm not inclined to believe him.
Nick tries to reassure me that everything will be fine, but it's clear he still shaken.
We pull around the side of the warehouse where we saw Coldten interacting with those animals.
Many of the rocks are still displaced from where the rhino had stood. Even the markings from the
Timberwolf scuffling backwards trying to get to his hind paws, are still visible.
It doesn't take us long to find a door that has a lock that matches the kind of key we have.
Waterwood slides the key in the deadbolt. Before he turns it, he feels the need to remind us.
"Remember, if things escalate call for backup and run. However I'd prefer if you tried to do
both at the same time." He then unlocks the door, and steps in first.
We follow close behind with our paws on our guns. The place is filled to the brim with
mostly metal crates with a few wooden ones scattered around.
All the metal crates are stacked upon each other, all the way to the far distant roof.
Waterwood picks up a crowbar hooked over the edge of a concrete barrier wall.
He then prize open one of the wooden crates. Once it is sufficiently opened enough, he
tosses the crowbar to the ground, deciding to open it further with his own Paws.
The crowbar pinks on the ground sitting piercing echoes through the warehouse.
The rest of nails squeak as they are pulled from the crate, creating even more noise.
"Officer Hopps, call for backup." He says calmly, pushing the lid of the crate so that it
rests against the metal one behind it.
I pull out my walkie, and start to call out. "Clawhauser, we need backup at 2062 Blackwater Rd, immediately."
I say into the device with urgency. I see Waterwood's ear flinch as he goes for the gun under his left arm.
As he pulls it out of its holster, he kicks me into Nick, sending both of us flying behind
one of the concrete barrier walls. We get to our hind paws, and pull our weapons from their holsters.
I hear the ear shattering blast from Waterwood's firearm, just before an ascending sound
pierces the air. It's reminiscent of a defibrillator charging, but far louder.
When the tone reaches its apex, it is replaced by electricity arcing with the sound of air brakes mixed in.
Bolts of blue light fly past, hissing as they go. Some crack against the concrete barrier we're
hiding behind, tearing apart the corner. The ones that missed the barrier, slam against the
back wall, leaving scorch marks and partially melted metal. Waterwood sits his gun on the
ground, and starts making paw gestures towards us. All I can think is; crap, I should have
learned what all that paw waving means by now.
"He wants one of us to go right, and the other to go left when he returns fire."
Nick says over the sound of what I'm assuming is one of the prototype weapons.
They'd be more interested in selling them, my fluffy butt. I think to myself, growing
increasingly annoyed at Waterwood. "He wants us to dart the assailant." Nick continues.
The weapons suddenly stops firing, followed by a loud hiss. Waterwood takes this
opportunity to return fire. He pauses to let Nick go left while I go right. I dash around some
crates, as I hear the prototype weapon begin to fire once more. I don't think the assailant saw
us, so we can sneak around behind him.
I get on the same isle the assailant is shooting from. The sound of the prototype weapon is
so intense my ears are beginning to ring. I find a wolf shooting through a break in the crates.
His bushy snow white tail is all I can see of him. He can't be an Arctic wolf, he appears to be
larger than Waterwood, Wearing all black with a odd Hooded trenchcoat.
I can see Nick appear on the opposite side of the isle from me.
I can see him quietly return his gun to its holster, before pulling out his pawheld dart gun.
I barely hear the dart gun fire, over the sound of the prototype. I then hear a rather
high-pitched yelp, as the prototype falls silent.
I lean around the corner of the crate, just in time to see the assailant pull the dart from his thigh.
"You fucking fox." I hear an unexpectedly feminine voice say, just before the assailant
begins to slide down the crate. He lets the prototype plop to the ground, so that he can grab
the side of a crate.
He appears to be examining the dart, when he continues to slide down the crate he had
been clinging to. His claws scraping away the paint on the metal crate as he goes.
The assailant finally comes to a sitting position, before falling backwards the rest of the way.
I can see him relax, and the dart he pulled from his thigh, then rolls from his paw.
Nick returns the dart gun to it's position on his belt, before rolling the assailant on his stomach.
It takes no time at all for Nick to slip his pawcuffs on to the assailant's wrists.
I walk to Nick's side, as he rolls him over. "Carrots, can you help me prop her up?"
He asks struggling to pull the assailant, who is almost three times our size into a sitting position.
"Her?" I ask, more than a little confused.
"Believe me Carrots, she's female." He replies tapping his nose, indicating to her scent.
I'm inclined to believe him on this, I've grown to trust his nose.
I remember one night Nick told me that; his since of smell may not be as good as a
Wolf's, but it's still better than most. That's also around the time I started to avoid the Wolf
ZPD officers. Worried that they may pick up on something when I'm around Nick.
Nick and I struggle to lift the assailant, desperately trying to get her into a sitting position.
Once we achieve this goal, Nick pulls the hood off of her head.
"Whoa." I say as I look over her features. Her nose being the first thing I notice. It looks a little
off, still looking mostly like a wolf's nose, but it appears almost deer like.
The same can be said for the rest of her features. Even her body seems to be more slender
than you would normally see on a Wolf.
"Is she a hybrid?" Nick asks with a measure of disbelief. His disbelief justified, A cross
between two species is very rare, especially between a pred and prey. I've never seen a
hybrid in person before. "That has to have been modified." Waterwood exclaims emerging
from around the corner, almost startling me.
He returns his gun to its holster and walks over to us, not even glancing at the assailant.
"The prototypes overheat after four shots." He states with a mixture of excitement and concern.
"Maybe she knows who modified it." I reply gesturing towards the assailant.
Who is still unconscious, and propped up against one of the crates behind Waterwood.
He turns to face her, and appears to be almost shocked at the site of her.
I guess he's never seen a hybrid in person before, like Nick and I.
He then kneels next to her, reaching into his coat, before pulling out a pill.
He puts the capsule under her nose, and cracks it. Immediately she gasps, opening
her mouth, as her Icy blue eyes pop open. She looks at the gun on the
ground next to Nick, then up at us.
"You damn Fox!" She yells, directing her full anger towards Nick.
She then turns her attention to Waterwood, and her features relax as her ears fly back.
"Dad?" She says almost in a whisper, with a hint of surprise in her voice.
My heart drops as her ears come back up, and her features return to that of anger.
"Let me go. NOW!" She barks as she struggles with the cuffs.
"I can't do that." Waterwood replies calmly.
"Samantha, why did you run?" He continues in that soothing fatherly voice we heard
him speak in earlier, completely leaving Nick and I in the dark.
Her features relax again, before she yelps. "You let them die!"
Waterwood's ears slide back before replying. "Kai, you don't understand.
I only just pulled you away when the cars exploded."
His voice so full of emotion, it's hard to tell if he's even happy he found her.
"Did you really think I didn't want to save them." Waterwood continues, his
voice surging with urgency. "There isn't a day that goes by where I don't miss them...
Where I don't miss you." I throw my arm around Nick's, pulling him back to give
Waterwood and his daughter more space.
This explains the lack of pictures in his office and home.
I knew that he must've lost family, but I never thought that he lost them like that.
With all that's happening, I find it difficult to put everything in order.
The thing I find most heartbreaking, is Waterwood's statement: save them.
Indicating that there was more than just his wife in the car. Losing not only the
love of one's life, but their children as well. I don't think my heart would be able to take it.
At least he saved his daughter. At least she is alive.
Samantha's ears lay back before she responds.
"N-No, You held me back! you-" She trails off with a quiver in her voice, as her eyes start to water.
"It was too late Kai. They were already gone.
And now you're working for the animals responsible." Kai then sniffles. "W-What?" She asks in a struggle.
"I looked into what happened. It was a weapon deal gone bad.
The resulting shootout spilled out onto the highway, causing the pileup."
"I'm not working for them." She states, gaining control over her
voice once more, however the tears are still running down her muzzle.
"I broke in." She admits. "I'm looking for more of those." She continues gesturing towards
the prototype with her muzzle, flinging off some tears and it's direction.
Nick leans down to pick it up.
"Daddy, I'm sorry." She says before she clinches her eyes, forcing the last of her tears to flow from them.
"I was so angry, for so long. I-" She pauses when her father pulls her into a hug.
"I know sweetie." He says to her as he holds her tightly, appearing to never want to let her go again.
I look at the weapon in Nick's paws. The sleek white weapon appears out of place in his dark red Paws.
Even the bright blue light that shines from within it, just seems so unreal.
Nick puts his paw on the grip, and a descending tone emits from it, as the lights become dim, and
finally goes out altogether. "The rest of those aren't here." I hear Samantha say to us. "I was just about
to leave, when I ran into you." I look back at her as Waterwood Pulls her to her hind paws.
"Do you know where they are?" I ask carefully.
Now that she's standing up next to her father, it's a lot easier to see how much taller she is, not
just to her father, but any other Wolf. She looks down at all of us, as we start to hear sirens in the
distance, getting closer with each passing moment. "The syndicate that's renting this place, is renting
another warehouse in tundra town. It's a lot smaller." She states confidently.
"Do you know the address?" Waterwood asks, as he looks up to her.
"Yes." She replies, as she struggles with her pawcuffs again.
"Can't you just let me go." She says, finishing with a smile filled with sharp teeth.
"You admitted to breaking and entering, with the intention of theft." Nick states.
"But I didn't actually steal anything." She argues.
"Sweetie." Waterwood interjects. "Ni.. Officer Wild is right." He states, correcting himself.
I'm a bit surprised that he almost called Nick by his first name.
We walk around the crates as Kai discloses the location of the warehouse.
She tells us that at first she thought the smaller warehouse was a decoy.
However seeing that the prototypes aren't here, they must be at the other location.
We walk out side, just as our backup arrives, sirens blaring.
The sirens begin to wind down as the squad car surround us. Bogo Steps out of the lead
car, and walks up to us in his usual brooding manner. "Hopps, Wild. Why aren't you in uniform?"
He asks stopping in front of us, crossing his arms.
"And Who's this?" He asks, now looking directly at Samantha.
Waterwood steps forward and looks directly at Bogo.
"This is my daughter. She needs to be arrested for breaking and entering as
well as attempted murder of a federal agent, and police officers."
"What!" Samantha yelps. "Dad, no. Please!" She begs.
Bogo's expression Goes from brooding, to that of disbelief.
"She may try to flee, however I would appreciate it if she was treated kindly." Waterwood Says in a threatening tone.
Bogo turns to the other officers approaching us.
"Delgado, arrest this young lady, and read her, her rights."
Bogo turns Back to us, and this time looks directly at me.
"So I take it you found the illegal weapons.
And all without getting my best officers killed."Bogo state sarcastically.
"You know God damn well that wasn't my fault." Volin barks, jabbing his finger at Bogo.
Delgado takes Kai, and starts reading out the usual rights speech, as she pleads with
her father once more. "You'll be fine Samantha, I'll be right behind you." Waterwood
says as Delgado assists Kai into the back of a squad car.
I look back up at Bogo, and reply.
"Yes sir, but there's still one crate unaccounted for. Kai or, Samantha gave us it's location."
I state, not entirely sure what I should be calling Waterwood's daughter. Bogo turns his
head to look at Nick, and I do the same.
He's still holding the prototype in his paws.
"What the hell is that?" Bogo asks.
"It's classified." Waterwood interjects, still angry about Bogo bringing up the last time
he worked with the ZPD. "I need to call in the location of the last crate." He continues as he
storms off towards his SUV, phone in paw.
Bogo follows Waterwood With his eyes as he walks off.
He then returns his focus to me, before asking. "Hopps, Wilde. What the hell is that thing?"
I take a deep breath. "It's a prototype weapon sir. There the reason he wanted our help.
Everything will be in my report." I reply hastily.
Waterwood returns from his call, and stops next to chief Bogo. "My fellow agents will be
taking care of the last crate." He turns his attention up to Bogo before continuing.
"I need to speak with Nick and Judy for a moment. Privately." Bogo nods with a grunt, then
turns and walks off towards the other officers. When the chief is sufficiently out of
earshot, Waterwood turns his attention to us. "I'm sure you both have questions."
He says over the sound of the chief barking orders.
I'm still trying to process what happened so I struggle to find something to say or
ask, when Nick steps forward. "I understand that you lost family in an accident a few
years ago, but what I can't understand is; is it Kai, or Samantha."
Volin lets out a little laugh before replying. "Her name is Samantha Caitlin Waterwood."
He then turns to look at the squad car Samantha is sitting in, before continuing.
"When she was younger, she mispronounced her middle name is Kai-lynn." He raises
his paw to his face to wipe one of his eyes. "Chloe started calling her that is a nickname."
"Chloe?" Nick and I both ask.
"Her mother, my wife." He responds. "She was a white tailed deer, and so beautiful.
Thank you for not shooting her." He says turning back to us.
"I owe both of you more than you can know. If you two ever need anything, do not hesitate to ask."
"What about letting me borrow your Furroari every now and then." Nick says in a half joking tone, trying to lighten the mood.
"Actually I was thinking about giving it away. If you'd be interested. I don't drive it anymore."
Nick darts a quick glance at me before turning his attention to Waterwood.
"Yes! Yes, I want it." Nick yelps in excitement.
Some unmarked SUV show up, and agents hop out, and walk up to Bogo and the other officers.
Waterwood takes us back to his place, and tells us it'll take a bit to get the paperwork together for the Furroari.
We then get in Nick's car, and head to the ZPD to file the proper paperwork.
It takes a few hours, but I finally finish. I go over to Nick's desk, just as he finishes his.
"Hay, Nick. Can we talk?" I ask from the entrance to his cubicle. Nick logs out of his
computer, and swivels in the office chair to face me.
"Sure, what's up Carrots?" He says as he stretches, throwing his arms over his head.
I check the neighboring cubicles, to make sure that were alone. I walk into Nick's
cubicle, and push the chair he's in, all the way to the back to make sure no one can overhear us.
"Nick, I think we should tell Bogo when we request the vacation time." I say in a whisper.
Nick starts darting his eyes around my face. as I continue in the same hushed tone.
"He's going to find out eventually, and it be better if we told him, rather than he find out some other way."
Nick looks over my head towards the entrance of the cubicle, then back at me before he responds.
"We're always careful, so how would he find out?" Nick replies, with a increasingly worried expression forming on his face.
I look deep into his eyes before replying. "I'm tired of keeping us a secret, and
what happened today at the warehouse, made me realize what we have can be
taken from us at any moment." I take his paws in mine as I continue.
"Nick, I love you, and I'm not going to let what other animals think prevent
me from living my life the way I want to live it."
"It's about time." Nick says pulling my face to his. I close my eyes at the moment our lips meet.
I can't believe were doing this here in the precinct, but I just don't care.
I put my left paw on his shoulder, and the other on the back of his head as I lean further into him.
"AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW." I hear shrieking from behind.
I pull myself away from Nick, as I spin around to see Clawhauser bouncing up and
down with his paws curled in front of his mouth, as he yelps.
"Oh you guys when did you-" I quickly start to shush him before he can continue.
"Oh right, that's against regulation." He then gasps before continuing.
"Wait, I'm supposed to report things like this." I hear Nick's chair squeak as he gets off of it.
He stands beside me, as he starts. "Look buddy, we were just going to go tell Bogo, so don't worry about it."
Nick then walks by Clawhauser, heading left towards the door, and I follow closely behind him.
As we exit the office areas I hear Ben squeak once more. Nick and I step across the hall to
a elevator. We take it up to the third-floor, and get to the door to Bogo's office. I look into Nick's
eyes, before knocking. "Come in." We hear Bogo say, I open the door, and we both step in to see
him doing paperwork again.
"Sir can we talk." I ask. He nods, and we climb up into the same chair on the left.
Nick sits to my right as Bogo says. "This better be quick, I'm busy." He says in his usual
annoyed tone.I glance at Nick before I start. "We were hoping to get some vacation time."
He stops writing in one of the folders, and looks up towards us.
"Vacation time. Both of you?" He asks perplexed. Here we go. I think to myself.
I take my right paw out of my lap, and hold it open between us. Nick lifts his paw out
of his lap, and puts it in mine, weaving our fingers together.
We rest our arms between us as I look directly at Bogo. "Yes sir, both of us." I say, as Bogo's eyes widen.
"I just need some time to recuperate, and I'll be right as rain in a week, it will also be a
good opportunity for Nick to come meet my family." Bogo sits his pin down, and folds his arms
on his desk. "How long?" He asks in a low voice, completely ignoring what I said. I take a deep
breath before replying. "About, three in a half months now. Sir I know it's against regulation, but
I was hoping Nick and I could stay partners."
Bogo hangs his head, and exhales heavily through his mouth. "Hopps, Wilde, I'm granting your
vacation time, because I've noticed how tired Hopps appears by the time noon roles around.
But as for your-" He pauses, and turns his attention to the door behind us, which has just opened.
"Bogo, I was hoping we could-... Oh hello, it appears I'm interrupting again."
Nick and I both lean around the chair, to see Volin stepping through the door. He walks over, and
stops next to us. He turns his attention from the chief, down to us.
"Well it appears a certain secret is out." He says, putting more attention on mine and Nick's
paws, which are still woven together.
"What do you want, Waterwood." Bogo snaps, breaking the silence, and pulling our attention to him.
"There are a few things I wish to discuss with you." He says in an obviously hostile tone.
"However." He continues. "I believe you're already having a conversation with Nick and Judy?"
"Yes." Bogo starts. "I was just about to tell them it is against regulation to-"
Volin lets out a pif, followed by a slight chuckle breaking Bogo's concentration.
"Regulation?" Volin starts. "It wouldn't be the first time you broke regulation."
Bogo's Jaw immediately tightens, followed by a glare, being fueled by pure anger.
"Why don't you two had home." Volin says, glancing to us slightly."You've had a long day, and
I have a lot to discuss with the Chief."
"Hopps! Wilde! I expect to see you here at this time next week. Dismissed!" Bogo says gritting his teeth.
"Oh you're going on a vacation. That's a great idea, have fun." Volin says pleasantly, as we
slide off the chair. We hastily exit Bogo's office, and head back to the elevator. When we get off
the elevator, we quickly make our way through the main lobby, and out into the parking lot.
Nick and I are quiet on the drive back to our apartment. I'm worrying over the fact that
we might not be partners anymore, and that it may lead to us breaking up. I've never seen
Bogo so angry, and I wonder what Volin was talking about when he said; it wouldn't be the
first time Bogo broke regulation.
Nick parks the car, and we had into our apartment building. We just get to the elevator as it
opens, to let the annoying gazelle couple step off. "Oh yeah this is going to be awesome."
One of them says in his usual annoying voice, as they walk past us, not even realizing that we were there.
We then take the elevator up to our floor. "So, where do you think they're going?" Nick asks as we
step off the elevator. "Nick." I say gently. "I honestly don't care. All I can think about, is climbing into bed."
I take my overcoat off as we step through the door, and I put it back on the coat rack.
"You okay Carrots?" I hear Nick ask, as he places his paw on my shoulder.
"I'm fine, Nick." I try replying in a reassuring tone, but I find myself lacking the energy to do so.
"You're not fine, your ears are droopy." He replies, turning me around to face him.
Now placing both his paws on my shoulders, keeping me at arms length.
I look to the floor trying to avoid his gaze.
"Nick I-"
"Carrots, look." Nick starts, cutting me off. "If we get back from our vacation and were
not partners anymore, we still have each other. I'm not going anywhere, Judy."
I love it when he says my name. I turn my gaze up to his bright green eyes, before placing
my paws around his head, and pulling his lips to mine.
Nick then removes his paws from my shoulder, and slides his arms around me, pulling my body against his.
I begin to feel a fluttering feeling in my chest, as my paws make their way under his shirt.
We can't do this, what about... The gazelle couple is gone, we saw them leave just as we arrived.
With them gone, there's no one to overhear us.
And so our vacation begins tonight. I think to myself, while fighting my
trembling paws. Desperately trying to undo the buttons of Nick's shirt.
Our lips locked together, only parting to take breaths.
His paws under my shirt, and making their way up my body.
I never wanted this more, but I can't stop shaking, even he's trembling slightly.
End part #7
I would just like to add that; Furroari is a pun. Fur + roar + the i from the end of Ferrari.~