Chapter Summary

What can I say, I am a hack...but I wonder if I can take the idea and run with it in relation to Clawhauser. Makes you think really...what is our friendly cuddly cat hiding behind his cheery smile... Maybe he is a member of The Division. Thoughts?

Chapter Notes

Warning: Written quickly, not beta'ed, and edits are not in depth. Will continue to edit and refine if I spot problems.

"Soooo...to recap," Nick began as he idly flipped open the cylinder of his revolver and checked its contents, "I'm down to my last full six and three loose rounds, Tolski 'the Pred-Eater' Bunivoch's goons are searching the building, and we got to get this scumbag somewhere safe with only you and me? Is that what's happening right now?" he finished as he snapped his revolver closed and ratcheted the into place. His black furred paws felt cold and calmy, his pads soft. Really, it was not a good day to get out of bed, he took a sick day for goodness' sakes. He kicked SBI agent Don Drooper in the side for emphasis. The long jowled pig in a suit kept silent, sullenly staring up at his two captors.

Being a corrupt government agent was cool, but god damn what did he have to act so cool..."

Judy Hopps hummed as she checked her own war-dog of a sidearm, the combat .45 that she personally bought instead of using a department provided magnum. It was a thousand dollar safe queen that had lost its royal status, its slide now sporting a long scratch down its black finish. She left it unsaid she was down to her last four rounds, with one in the pipe. "You're forgetting Clawhauser," she offered, gesturing over to the window where their brother officer, dressed in his patrol blues was looking out of the window. He was carrying a plastic Wonder Nine, and by the looks of things still had three more mags.

"Yeah!" Clawhauser nodded enthusiastically, he glanced back out the window, "Oh, and another SUV of guys showed up."

"Terrific," Nick drawled, pinching the bridge of his snout. Yes, it was so terrific. Three dozen more killer rabbits that would turn the lot of them into pet food, "Well, I know these buildings, classic Happytown projects like these usually have these big ass chambers you can get into if you go vent crawling. They lead into steam tunnels. We just need to get to a utilities room, and I can get us out."

"Sounds like a plan, but we need a safehouse," Judy replied calmly, before she reached down to drag the pig up, "Up and at 'em, Bunivoch's going to kill you too, so might as well cooperate."

"You'll never make it, Bunivoch has animals in the Bureau and the ZPD, they know each and every safe house in the city," Drooper scoffed, his serious expression not ever changing once over the last few days. From the moment he walked into their station house, a trusted federal agent, to now, a unmasked traitor.

"We can go to my place. No one knows where I live," Clawhauser offered as they breached the hall and started towards the stairs, "Not even Margy."

"...really?" Judy asked as she leaned around the corner, she motioned it was clear and they pressed hard towards the utilities room.

"You seriously going to ask that now Carrots?" Nick retorted as he holstered his revolver and went to work picking the old lock, he didn't even need to get out his picks. Just use his Zootopia Express...well, not his. He hummed as he took Drooper's wallet and fished out a credit card. It would also make short work of the War era screws that held the grate in place.

"What? I mean, no offense Clawhauser, but you seem like the type to have parties," Judy replied, she shrugged as she pulled the door closed behind them all.

"None taken Sweetie, though no, I'm a really private cat," Clawhauser replied, as he blushed at the grate. Oh boy...

He'd have to suck it in.

Nick pulled the grate to the side, and fished out a roll of ducktape and a screwdriver from one of the tool boxes, and glanced at Clawhauser...perhaps he'd need more duck tape, something new came up.

Most utility vents were big, needed to be because union rules, and union mammals tended to have big ass cracks. It was a stereotype sure, but not a unearned one.

After giving Clawhauser a little adhesive assistance, and Drooper some adhesive muzzling, it was a short crawl towards the steam tunnels and out onto the street.

They needed a ride, and what joy was there, when four black late model SUVs were sitting there for the taking.

Unsurprisingly, hit squads tended to leave at least one guy with the getaway cars.

"*whistle* Yo!"

Also unsurprisingly, when a fox steps out from out of nowhere and gives a whistle, rabbit hitmen tended to focus on them, which definitely leaves them open to a taser jammed into their spine set for wolf.

Gzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Thump.

"Let's go," Judy mumbled as she opened one of the doors, shoved Drooper into the back. Clawhauser nodded as he took shotgun. Nick, he paused to at least kick the hitman into the recovery position before taking his position as the driver.

Also, also unsurprisingly, crime bosses didn't invest in the newest and flashest SUVs for their murder squads, with their new anti-theft keyless ignitions and computer controlled engines. And they definitely didn't come with GPS and Lojack.

Nick popped the cap off the ignition and jammed the screwdriver into place. And with that they were off.

They ditched the SUV a district over from where Clawhauser said he lived, the RD's lower branches would make short work of a unattended and already jackable SUV. Clawhauser surprisingly lived in the Mangroves, for a Savannah cat he choose a very strange place to live...

"Clawhauser...urm...where are you taking us?" Judy asked with concern as they went deep into the Canals District. Was not the best of places, the outskirts of Zootopia had spotty CCTV coverage, and well...it was also not a sort of neighborhood one would expect the lively and kind Clawhauser to live in. He was the type to have guests and serve amuse-bouche right? Little spoon fulls of tart cheese or stuff like that.

"Home." He said simply, as he took off his shirt and tied the sleeves around his waste. His light duty vest and wife beater shined white, very clean and nicely pressed. He led them towards a Mangrove apartment, it was a amphibious place. Go up, and you were in a treeblock apartment, go down you were in a lagoon pool loft. This building was pretty security conscious, to which Judy approved, and Nick cased. The security keypad was only six months old, new model. Most places didn't bother updating that sort of thing...though he appreciated the dark low watt bulb and the fact there were no Jam Cams or expensive wireless CCTV cameras around. Big old wired domes stood above the door.

Clawhauser ushered them inside quickly, after all it looked very suspicious. Three animals forcing a cuffed and duck taped fourth into a building in the dead of night. Clawhauser motioned for them to follow quickly, hopping up the stairs with a unusual energy. Though he did get red faced, his cheeks puffing as he led them to his second floor apartment. A big hardwood door with four deadbolts met them, and Clawhauser worked them with familiar ease. With a quick smile and a wave in, he let them into his...apartment.

"...you live here?" Judy asked with surprise, as she pushed Drooper in and let him sit on the floor of the entrance hall. It was...austere. No posters, no photos, no...well...no Clawhauser. Woodcrate furniture and a cheap big screen in the corner...and a gun rack filled with what looked like military grade assault weapons and armor behind a steel security cage...and...lots of knives and reptile heads...and...chitin shells...and bit stuffed fish...a go-bag hung on a coat hook. There was a map of Zootopia opposite the go-bag. What looked like a gasmask and hooligan's bar hung off it...

"Yeah...and I'm afraid I'll be moving soon..." Clawhauser hissed awkwardly, it was their first meeting all over again. Just like when he called her cute, and they had a talk. Nick just silently stared at the two of them, really...that was her response to...to...this.

He pushed past, well...perhaps work would distract from this new...friendship dynamic development.

Rip.

Drooper stared at them, unflinching.

"Bunivoch will find us."

"Nu-uh. I lease this place out of a shell corporation," Clawhauser happily and congenially interrupted.

"Urm...yeah!" Judy tried to get on board with this development.

"And my mail goes to a PO box in Tundra Town," He continued without missing a beat.

"Yeah?" Judy repeated blankly.

"My neighbors think my name is James Blackmark," He began to nod as he went to his bare kitchen area towards his fridge, which was thankfully well stocked. That was something Nick could take solace in.

"Yeah." Judy glared at Drooper, might as well get into it.

"And all the people I work with think my name is Benjamin Clawhauser," Clawhauser finished as he fished out a bottle of cold milk for himself and some ready-to-eat sandwiches.

"Yea-wait, what?" Judy turned to look at him in confusion, while Nick stared bug eyed. Drooper seemed unfazed as ever.

"Don't worry it about it sweetie!" Clawhauser waved it off as he prepared dinner for the three of them. Sandwiches and soda, or milk in his case, would have to do. He could microwave them if anyone wanted hot food.

"Okay...right, where is that evidence Drooper? A pig like you, you keep copies, protection and insurance..." Judy nodded slowly towards her...friend? She glanced back towards Clawhauser.

Drooper stayed silent.

"Want a CTL Jude? Nick, shrimp?" Clawhauser asked, holding up the sandwiches in question.

"I'll take a gin sour if you got it." Nick mumbled, as he leaned against the wall. Where exactly was he? Did he hear the dulcet black and white tones of Rod Steering?

"Dry bar next to the cage Hun, help yourself," Clawhauser mentioned as he selected a shrimp poboy for himself, he made them all in advance for times like this, you know when you had friends over, "Oh, I'll get some .357s out of there for ya, Judy, you carrying a .45 right?"