Chapter 8 – Aftermath

Gnasher left his cell, headed to the restrooms on his floor. He was furious! Not only had that mangy mammal interferred with his fun, but had caused him to be arrested! Now, he was just waiting to be bailed out by The Boss and he could get his revenge! Of course, if The Boss wasn't going to bail him out, he could always make a deal with the District Attorney.

Distracted by his angry musings, he failed to notice when some other mammals in the Medium Wing of the jail began moving in his direction. He definitely noticed when he suddenly bumped into another mammal. Focusing, he noticed that it was a wolf with a scar running down over his left eye, the milky orb bright against his midnight dark fur.

"Get out of my way buttsniffer!"

The wolf just stared at him making sure he had Gnasher's attention. Gnasher didn't even seem to notice more mammals coming up behind him. Seconds later Shadow Hunter, the wolf, was ready. He smiled a cruel smile showing his very sharp, white teeth and said "The Boss sends his greetings Gnasher!" and, ironicly, used the same words that Gnasher had uttered mere hours earlier "Get him!"

Something slammed against the back of his head, stunning him. That didn't stop him from yelping when he began getting stabbed by several shivs. Pain became his world but curiously, he soon began to be numb to it all. He could feel the impacts of being stabbed over and over, but there was no pain. He just felt warm, and sleepy. He could only see darkness and hear a kind of rushing in his ears.

Gnasher didn't even feel himself hit the ground as the crowd scattered, all of them dropping their shivs. The guards rushed in calling for medical, but it was too late. The former leader of the Happy Slayers learned what it meant to make yourself a liability to The Boss.

oooOOOooo

Zoe finally arrived home a little after four a.m. She tried to be quiet since her roommates were bound to be asleep. She entered her apartment, turned, and locked the door. As she started to turn back, the living room light came on. Blinking rapidly she could see her roommates all standing near the bedroom doors.

"What in Morpeus's name are you doing coming in so late?" Asked Layla grouchily, the black band of fur across the racoon's eyes making them stand out. Layla was the bossiest, and most opinionated, one of the four.

"Well..." Zoe explained everything that had happened from the time she left Randall's apartment until she arrived home.

Desiree, a Koala from Outback Island, and Amanda, a sheep from The Meadowlands, both came in to give her hugs and comfort her. Layla, typically, looked like she was trying to find some way to blame what happened on Zoe. Finally, she just snidely said "If it was me having to choose between rape and being near that freak of nature, I'd rather be raped!"

The other three roommates could only stare at her in shock, their eyes huge and their mouths hung open. When almost a minute passed withouth them saying anything, Layla just huffed and went into her and Zoe's bedroom. Zoe looked at her two friends and asked "Can I spend the rest of the night with you guys?"

Desiree explained why the were up so late "We thought that you and Randall had finally decided to do the deed."

"Oh, he wants to but I don't."

"Why not?" asked Amanda.

"I don't know. He's cute and all but there just doesn't seem to be that 'spark' you know?"

Both Amanda and Desiree agreed. Zoe was, after all, a romantic.

Zoe yawned and then said "Let's go to bed. I can get a few hours sleep before we have to get up for class."

The other two nodded but, as soon as they got in their room, the questions started, both tag teaming Zoe, beginning with Amanda.

"So, did you kiss?"

"Was it good?"

"Did you use tongue?"

"Did HE use tongue?"

oooOOOooo

A full day had passed after the alley incident and Dylan was sitting on his couch with several pillows stuffed behind him. If he didn't move too quickly or too often, his back would only be a dull ache. Of course, his pain meds helped with that. He was presently watching TV, the remote in his left hand. It sucked because he was right handed. Any coding he wanted to do was slowed down since he could only type one handed. Plus, he'd had to cancel his date with Fabienne. She wished him well and told him to call her when he was ready to go out again.

There really wasn't much on as most of the good shows wouldn't come on until prime time. Which, for Zootopia, was 7 pm until 11 pm for those mammals that were diurenal and 7 am to 11 am for those that were nocturnal. So, when there was a knock on his door, Dylan welcomed the distraction.

Getting up and walking to the door he looked through the peephole to see a blue eye looking back at him. "Dylan, it's me, Zoe, may I come in?" her voice was muffled by the door. Dylan quickly unlatched the door. Zoe was standing there with a covered picnic basket held in her paws. She looked at him a little sheepish and explained.

"I had stopped by to see you at the hospital but I was told you had already been discharged. I asked if I could get your address when a nice wolf named 'Stacy' gave me your address." She then looked at him with a slight smile on her face and asked coyly "Are you two going out? Or, maybe she's your girlfriend?"

Dylan raised his left hand up, palm out "No! Stacy is just a friend."

"If you say so." Zoe said as she slipped past Dylan and entered his apartment. "Just kidding! Rumor has it you're dating Fabienne!" Fortunately, Dylan was a clean person so it was presentable. Zoe looked around and, when she saw the dining table, placed the picnic basket on it.

Dylan closed the door and asked "Are you okay? I thought you were in med school, shouldn't you be in class?"

"Nah, it's Oktoberfest today. I kinda figured you were here instead of out at all the parties. I have some chicken soup and some sandwiches. I also brought some wine, I hope you drink alcohol. Where is your dishware?"

"Bowls and plates in the cabinet to your left. Silverware in the drawer next to the stove. But why are you here?"

Zoe looked over her shoulder at him as she paused pulling out two bowls. "Well, I knew that you were going to be mobily challenged due to that laceration on your back and, knowing bachelors, you would only have leftovers in your fridge. So I decided to come over and check on you and, while I was doing that, I thought I'd feed you as well."

Dylan was amused. He didn't know what to make of Zoe. This girl tracked him down just to make sure he was okay. She didn't seem to have the typical fangirl personality. Plus, she seemed too intelligent to have some kind of hero worship going on.

Zoe finished setting up the table and they both sat down. She poured both of them a half glass of wine before Dylan explained that alcohol and medicine didn't mix. Zoe apologized, looking contrite. "I should have remembered that, sorry!"

Dylan told her not to worry about it, she meant well. Dylan did find the soup to be excellent and told Zoe so. She brushed the compliment off saying that she got the soup from a diner around the corner from her apartment.

As they ate, they talked and each learned more of the other, Dylan learning more of course since Zoe had seen his interview. He learned that she was in her last year of med school and would be starting her residency the coming summer. She found out that the reason he handled himself so well against the gang was because of training he'd received where he came from.

No, he wasn't law enforcement there, he was a geek who used to get beat up when he was younger until he decided enough was enough and bugged his parents until they let him start going to marital arts classes.

He learned she rented a two bedroom apartment and shared it with three other mammals she was going through medical school with. She learned he loved to program computers, or 'to code' as he put it. He learned about her boyfriend Randall and that was why she was in the area that night.

Dylan was in a happy place. He was enjoying the easygoing conversation with Zoe, enjoying some good wine. So it was a surprise when she asked "What about you and Fabienne? There's all sorts of gossip about you two."

Dylan smiled ruefully, "We've been dating for a few weeks so far. I don't know, I'm just taking it day by day."

Zoe's eyes lit up and she smiled and said in a low voice "Oh, do tell, do!"

Dylan looked at her and asked "Why is every female I meet curious about my love life? Don't ya'll have anything better to do?"

Zoe looked him in the eye, smiling. "Well," she said "isn't that something friends ask?"

Dylan laughed. Okay, he'd play the game. After all, he liked making friends. He was a social animal after all, even being a geek. "Okay, we've been out to a couple of dinners and met up for lunch a few times."

"Aaannnddd?" She pushed.

Dylan sighed and shook his head "We've kissed goodnight the last couple of times but that's as far as it got, okay Nosey?"

"Was she any good?" Zoe asked, her eyes still alight in interest.

Dylan just groaned and face palmed. Then he heard a knock on the door and he said "Saved by the bell."

Zoe's head tilted back a little and said "That was a knock smarty pants. Were you expecting anyone else today?"

Dylan shook his head as he got up and answered the door. The peep hole didn't show anything at first. Then he caught a glimpse of a grey blur before they knocked again.

"Dylan! Let us innnn. We're here to arrest you!" Judy's muffled voice came through the door.

Dylan laughed and, without opening the door, said loudly "If I don't let you in you can't arrest me!" Through the door Dylan could hear Nick tell Judy "Told you we should have told him we were Portal Rush."

Laughing, Dylan opend the door and let his friends in. Both were in plain clothes meaning they were probably off. Nick and Dylan fist bumped before Judy jumped up and gave Dylan a crushing hug, being careful not to hurt him further before dropping down. Dylan closed the door behind them.

"I'm happy to see you two! Here, let me introduce you to my newest friend!" Dylan escorted them over to the table where Zoe was sitting. Seeing Nick and Judy she sat up ramrod straight, her eyes widened, and she started breathing fast. Dylan looked at her and thought Okay, there's the fangirl...

"Nick, Judy, I'd like to introduce you to Zoe Loper. She's the girl that had the issue with that gang the other night. Zoe, these are my friends, the ones who first found me when I arrived, Nick and Judy Wilde."

Judy looked at Dylan with a smirk as Nick lightly elbowed him in the side. Then Judy turned to Zoe and held out her paw "It's a pleasure to meet a friend of Dylan's. Your little escapade with the Happy Slayers has been the talk of the station."

Zoe was startled at first, staring at Judy's paw, when both her paws suddenly flashed forward and grabbed Judy's. She then started shaking Judy's paw rapidly up and down, causing the little bunny's body to shake. "Oh my GOD'S!" Zoe gushed "It's such an honor to finally meet you! You are so AWESOME! Thank you for all that you've done for us!"

Nick and Dylan looked at each other and tried to keep their laughter in. Nick looked at him and said "Fangmeyer said you guys kissed last night. I thought you were dating Fabienne?"

"Fangmeyer needs to have his eyes checked. She kissed me on the cheek thanking me for saving her just before I was put in the ambulance. And yeah, Fabienne and I are dating."

"What about that nurse he and Higgins saw kiss you at the hospital? Quite the ladies mammal aren't you my friend?" Nick said with a smirk.

"Stacy is just a friend!" Dylan didn't say anything else to defend himself as Stacy's personal life wasn't his secret to tell.

Nick smirked, getting the reaction he wanted out of his friend. Meanwhile, Zoe was still talking nonstop, going completely fangirl on Judy. Dylan decided to take pity on his friend and grabbed their still joined paws. "Zoe, let's sit down and we can all talk okay?

Still wide eyed she asked him "Why didn't you tell me you were friends with the Wildes?"

"Hadn't come up in conversation yet." Dylan shrugged.

All four mammals sat down at the table with the main topic of discussion being the encounter the night before last. Both Zoe and Dylan told their sides of what happened and then Judy explained how several gangs were either expanding their territory or were getting more violent. She also informed Dylan that there was worry that the gang would probably retaliate and that Bogo had actually suggested that he begin carrying a few of his weapons around. She also said that a lot of the officers at the station was in awe that he used a mop handle of all things to defeat 5 mammals.

Dylan tucked his chin down to his chest as he started thinking. He hated that Zootopia had an issue with gangs similar to back on Earth. He didn't want to hurt anybody, but he didn't feel like letting them kill him either.

The other three mammals were looking at him as he raised his head. "I don't like hurting people, but I'm not going to let them hurt me either. My teacher used to say that the best way to avoid a fight was to run from it. Unfortunately, that's not possible for me." Dylan looked at the Wildes. "That many gangs increasing activity at the same time isn't natural. It goes against social dynamics. Someone or something is causing this."

Nick nodded as he answered back "That's what the Gang Task Force is saying and that they're looking in to it. Until it's resolved though, Bogo is having a car swing through your neighborhood every half hour. Stay alert Dylan."

Dylan was rubbing his chin in thought "Judy, see if you can get me all the information that the Gang Unit has and let me see if I can write an algorithm to not only predict the gangs activity, but maybe even back track and find the source."

"I don't know if they will allow that, but we'll talk to Bogo and see what happens."

Dylan sighed and looked around at the worried faces of his friends. "Well, this has kind of harshed my mellow." He was rewarded with confused looks all around before Nick smiled and said "Another one of those sayings from where you came from?"

Dylan just chuckled.

oooOOOooo

Cutter leaned back against the dumpster as another cop car cruised by. They were as thick as fleas here. The disaster at the alley the night before was only a few streets away. He knew that the mammal Ambrose, or 'The Furless Wonder' as The Boss liked to call him, had to live around here somewhere. Cutter restrained a laugh, avoiding calling attention to himself. The Furless Wonder! He thougt to himslelf, The Boss is smart! His plan is going to work and we won't have to settle for scraps anymore!

The last bus arrived at the nearby bus stop right at 11 pm. From there to where the alley was went west, so that was his direction of travel. Since there were only 3 apartment complexes that way, he'd just have to be patient and find out which one he lived in. He'd show The Boss what he was capable of. Gnasher was a brute. A brute with a temper that lived by his urges. Cutter was different. Cutter was smarter. He could make plans, follow them, and get results. He was going to go far under The Boss, far indeed!

oooOOOooo

Dylan was becoming despondent as he checked his phone for the umpteenth time. No missed calls or texts. He sincerely hoped that he wasn't being ghosted. It had been over a week since he last talked to Fabienne. She had even told him to call her when he was ready to go out again. He just wanted to talk to her and find out how she was doing. With a heavy sigh, Dylan steeled himself for another Alexis situation.

He had tried working on the algorithm he told Nick and Judy about, but he just couldn't seem to concentrate. Other than Rick bringing him his course work he would probably be going stir crazy. With the possibility of being attacked, and with his arm in a sling, he was at a severe disadvantage in protecting himself. So going out for a walk was pretty much out of the question.

Almost in desperation, he grabbed his banjo. Strumming would pull on his back but picking? Picking was just fine. He played some bluegrass, then started accompanying himself as he sang some country songs. He switched to his electric guitar and, without straining his back too much, sang some pop songs. Afterwards, he felt much better. Music always did that for him.

What surprised him was when he finished the last song and started to put his guitar away was the sudden sound of clapping and whistles coming from outside his window. Carefully crawling over his couch he leaned out and saw many of his neighbors outside looking up at him. He smiled shyly and waved which caused the applause to rise in volume.

Dylan felt tears running down his cheeks. While he had friends, this was the first time he'd truly felt accepted by the people of Zootopia. He pulled himself back in, grabbed his banjo, and sang one of his favorite songs, 'Banjo' by Rascal Flatts. Then he grabbed his guitar again and played another one of their songs 'Life is a Highway'.

His encore done, Dylan leaned back out his window and waved, letting the crowd know how much he cared and appreciated them, yelling out "Thank you's." He sat back down listening to the clapping die down. He felt so much better now. Maybe, just maybe, he could manage a career and a business. It may mean that there will be more pressure on Rick but Dylan would ask him about it the next time they talked.

oooOOOooo

Cutter stood at the back of the crowd in plain clothes. He wasn't supposed to take off his gang vest, but there was brash, and then there was smart. Being smart allowed him to find The Furless Wonder so quickly. He fake clapped trying to blend in to the crowd, but the ear to ear grin was real. He has to be stupid to announce himself like that. But hey, much easier for me. Now just to wait and strike when the time is right.

Cutter turned and left, walking down the side walk right past the police cruiser parked there waiting for the crowd to disperse. Plans were already forming in his head on how to access the apartment later tonight.

oooOOOooo

Still basking in the afterglow of the applause, Dylan had sat down and started writing down a play list for a set. He'd talk to Wade, maybe he would be willing to form a band. If not, he might know some mammals that would like to.

Dylan's phone rang and, when he picked it up, he saw that it was from Judy. Pressing the 'Accept' button, Judy's face appeared on his screen. "Hey Dylan! You sounded great my friend! Nick and I are here with those files you wanted so open the door already!"

Smiling, Dylan did so, welcoming his two best friends in. Nick was carrying actual paper files while Judy had some envelopes. Nick sat them on the dining room table while Judy handed the envelopes to Dylan. Sorting through them, Dylan separated the ones from mammals he didn't know, suspecting they were more marriage proposals. He hadn't been getting as many as he used to, but they still came. Of course, some of them were hate mail as well. Those, once he realized what they were, went directly to the garbage can. Then he stopped when he saw the pawwritten address on one. Dylan felt himself beginning to go cold inside. He found himself slowly opening the envelope before letting the letter fall into his hand.

"Dylan? What's the matter?" Judy asked, her face full of concern. She'd seen his expression when he saw the envelope and was shocked to see his skin tone lighten, something she'd never seen a mammal do before.

"It's from Fabienne." He stated dully.

"Maybe it's an invitation?" Judy metioned.

Dylan shook his head "No, I've been trying to call her and send her texts and she hasn't answered me back for over a week now."

Dylan unfolded the letter and began reading.

Dylan,

Sorry I haven't answered your calls or texts. We've been kind of busy here working on a huge story that's about to break. We were told not to mention anything about it, no texts, no calls. But, they didn't say anything about paper mail ;-)

I would love to treat you to dinner for your heroics. We're airing a segment about how you bravely fought off a gang to save a damsel in distress. Everyone was so impressed. I'm sure there are females swooning over you right now but I'm the one who has you! I still think of our last kiss.

Just let me know when you're ready for that dinner my Snugglebuddy.

Yours,

Fabienne

Dylan dropped onto the dining room chair, barely acknowledging the pain it caused his back. Judy placed her paw on his arm and asked "Dylan? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, everything is okay. At least, I think so." Dylan gave the letter to Judy who read through it quickly.

"Well, it seems everything is okay." Judy said, laying the letter down onto the kitchen table "Especially when she is still thinking about a kiss you two shared?"

Dylan gave a half smile "Uh, yeah. It was pretty good."

"Only pretty good?" Nick chimed in.

Dylan looked at him and said "Yeah. I mean, I don't know how to judge it. I've never kissed another mammal other than fellow humans like that before, so I have nothing to compare it to. I enjoyed it but it seemed like something was missing."

Nick and Judy looked at each other. They remembered the first real kiss they ever shared. They both remembered exactly how it felt, like they were the only thing in existence, the warmth they shared, and how right it was. It wasn't long after that they were engaged.

oooOOOooo

Dylan knocked and then entered Dr. Reinhold's office for his bi-weekly session. They had been talking about a myriad of subjects dealing with the differences between where he had come from and Zootopia.

One of the things they had discovered from the use of hypnosis and Dylans own memories starting to come to the fore, was the effect from where Dylan felt like he was being taken apart and put back together again. The theory so far was that he had been modified to fit in better with Zootopia. After all, the odds of him being able to speak the language were astronomical. There was also the idea that he had been changed to be more accepting of the culture.

Dr. Reinhold had asked for, and been given permission, get copies of his medical records and, during each visit, give a blood sample for tests. Wanting to know more about what was going on, Dylan had no problem giving his permission.

"So, how have you been doing my boy?" Dr. Reinhold asked.

Dylan gave him a quick run down of everything that had happened to him recently, including his relationship with Fabienne. Dr. Reinhold nodding or shook his head in response to Dylans story, punctuated with the occasional "Mmmhmmm."

That led them to discuss the biological and psycological differences of the sexes between the two worlds as well as mating practices.

A/N: Okay, things are starting to move apace. Started the music portion which will probably take precedence over his coding. Never fear, his coding skills will be important later on.