The Good Life
AN: I realize this is short, especially for it being a month since the last update. Most of that's my fault. I wasn't exactly busy, but I just didn't get off my butt to actually write this. Full disclosure, the reason why I had to skip the last update is because I was extremely busy. The reason this is so short even after an extra two weeks is simply because I had no motivation to do anything. So, sorry about the short chapter after the long wait.
Next chapter will be the last one, in any event. And after that, there'll be an epilogue, and then it'll be done. Can't wait to finally cross this off my list of things I need to worry about.
Disclaimer: I do not own Zootopia or The Bad Guys.
Chapter Twenty:
The next day, an unmarked black sedan pulled up in front of Alex's house at ten in the morning. While initially suspicious, Diane quickly assured them that it was okay. "It's just my ride back to the airport." Nick had been the first one to spot it through the front window, and Alex had gotten up from his spot to part the blinds enough to peak through. That's when Diane had reassured them everything was fine.
"You're leaving already?" Snake asked, curious but not overly so.
"You know what they say. 'No rest for the wicked'," she joked. "I've gotta get back to California, hopefully salvage what I can from this mess...no offense." That last bit was directed right at Mason, who muttered a soft apology.
Being a good host, Alex stood to walk Diane out of the house. "Well, good luck then. I'll give Sam your regards."
"Thanks, Alex." She paused just long enough to approach Mason, and she gave him a quick peck on the cheek before giving him a stern glare. "And you... Best. Behavior."
"Yes, ma'am," he mock saluted, though she saw through his ruse easily. She just crossed her arms, giving him an unimpressed stare, and his expression fell. "I promise, Diane. I'm sure Alex will keep me out of trouble, too."
"Got that right," his cousin agreed.
Not much worth noting was said after that. Soon after, Diane left, giving her goodbyes to those gathered in the living room as Alex escorted her outside to her car. Mason watched through the window as she got in and waved to him one last time before her door was shut, the tinted windows preventing him from seeing her. Still, he waved back. Then, the car pulled away, and Mason sighed as it disappeared around the corner.
Already, he missed her.
As he gazed out the window longingly in the direction she'd gone, ears folded back in sadness, a sudden interjection made him jump in surprise. "Aww...that's so adorable!" He turned to the rabbit, who was watching him with sparkles in her eyes, hands clasped in front of her as she clearly struggled to hold in a happy squee.
Nick snickered at the rabbit's reaction, and Snake just rolled his eyes in exasperation. "You've been reading cheesy romance novels again, haven't you, carrots?"
She punched him on the arm, and he rubbed the sore spot while smirking at her. "That's because they're good reads!" Nick just shook his head in amusement as Alex walked back in.
Life went on as normal for almost a week after that. Sam would leave early before anyone but Alex was awake. Mason could only assume that was because she wanted to avoid him and Snake as much as possible. Speaking of, Nick and Judy ended up going back to the precinct during the days to work, though Alex got to stick around during the day, at least until the Monday that Mason had to go the police garage to start his community service. Snake had to come with since Alex didn't trust him enough to stay at his house alone.
Once his service started, Alex would drive Mason to the precinct, go to work for the day, and once the garage closed for the day, Alex would get off and drive them back to his house. As for his service, it wasn't bad. There was an officer watching him at all times, and one of the other mechanics there would check in on him regularly to make sure he wasn't sabotaging anything.
He even got free lunches, courtesy of Alex.
About a week into his service, though, things took a turn for the worse.
It started at the end of the workday when the mechanics were leaving and Mason was just chatting idly with Snake and waiting for his cousin to pick him up. When Alex did show up, it was clear he was worried, a fact that both former criminals immediately picked up on.
"Something wrong?" Snake asked.
Alex stopped next to them, looking around as if expecting someone to be watching them, Seeing they were indeed alone, he grabbed Mason by the arm and began escorting him to the door. Snake followed behind without a word, though even he seemed concerned by the strange behavior.
Mason went along with it, though that didn't stop him from asking his cousin what the problem was. "The chief arranged a raid on King's warehouse last night. A lot of the racers there got arrested, but the lion himself got away." Mason felt a chill go down his spine and now he was looking around at his surroundings more carefully. "Three of the officers that tried to detain him are now in the hospital in critical condition." And as if things couldn't get worse, "And both of the racers we detained in the race that we arrested you were killed by another inmate. Chief thinks King was somehow involved, which means you're next."
"Then why aren't we staying in the police station!?" Snake snapped.
"Because this is the first place he's going to look," Alex shot back. "Until we find King, the Chief wants us staying at my place. Wilde and Hopps will be staying permanently until then, too, for extra security."
They were in the parking lot by this point, and Alex's BMW was in sight. It was dark, the lot sporadically lit by the lampposts. All three of them had their heads on a swivel, the news of King's escape making them all paranoid. Anyone could be hiding behind any one of the parked cars in the lot. Fortunately, they made it to the car and got in without issue. The worry and concern diminished quite a bit once they were safe inside, and soon they were on the road heading back to Alex's place.
The drive was quiet. Alex had turned the radio off, and all of them were keeping their eyes out for anything suspicious, like a tail. However, even taking a long, complicated route, it became clear after a while that no one was following them.
Still, there was a lingering feeling of paranoia and anxiety when they pulled into the driveway of Alex's house. Nick and Judy's cruiser was parked on the curb, but the house was dark. There were no lights on inside, and the outside lights were off, too. Snake and Mason shared a look, and then they looked at Alex who looked equally concerned. All three of them felt it...
Something was off...
"Call Sam. Tell her to stay away from the house tonight," Mason told his cousin as he unlocked the door and slowly stepped out of the car. Alex was already dialing his wife by the time the two former criminals got out.
Mason crept to his car, which was parked right next to where Alex had stopped, fished his keys out of his jacket pocket, and unlocked the trunk. His gun was still where he left it. Giving the dark house one last suspicious look, he grabbed the firearm, checked the mag to make sure it was fully loaded, and then pulled back the slide to prime it for firing. "I really hope I don't have to use this..." he muttered. Snake looked at him curiously, but Mason was more talking to himself. "This is gonna be a hard one to explain to the neighbors...and the cops."
There was nothing for it, though. If Nick and Judy's cruiser was parked out here but the lights in the house were off, there were two possibilities. Either they were asleep and were rude enough to turn all the lights off when more people were due to arrive, which was highly unlikely. Or...something was wrong. Whether that meant there was someone in there right now or that Nick and Judy had been kidnapped a while ago, he didn't know.
One thing he did know...he wasn't going in there half-cocked.
Alex stepped beside him, his gaze on the front door. In his left hand was a stun gun that both Mason and Snake looked at dubiously. "Alright...you two stay here. I've already called the station, and both Hopps and Wilde are supposed to be here. Neither of them are answering their cells, either. So I'll go in the back door and check things out." Only then did Alex turn his gaze back to the other two. "If you hear..." He trailed off when he noticed Mason's hard look and the gun in his hand. "You know it's illegal to have one of those in Zootopia, right?"
Mason scoffed. "You gonna throw me in prison for it?"
Alex glanced at the gun for a moment longer before shaking his head. "Just don't use it if you don't have to. Gunshots going off in a neighborhood like this one is sure to cause alarm, and I doubt the cops answering the call will be as understanding as me. Now, seriously—"
"Stay here?" Mason finished for him. "I don't think so. I'm not letting you go in there where there might be a dangerous lion waiting for us. Not with that little shocker you got there."
Alex's gaze hardened. "You're not a cop, Mason. I am."
"No, I'm not a cop. I'm just a guy who's used to sneaking into heavily guarded places without being seen." He poked his cousin in the chest. "You stay here. Me and Snake will scout the place out, make sure none of us are walking into a trap."
Before Alex could think too hard or argue about it, Snake piped up. "I'll sneak in through an upstairs window, take a gander, and come back here if I find anything." Snake dove into the open trunk of Mason's car, rummage around in one of the bags, and then appeared again wearing a black sleeve that covered most of his body.
Without a word, he slithered off, blending into the night.
About five minutes later, another police cruiser showed up, lights flashing. Wolf threw his gun back into the trunk as soon as he saw said lights bouncing off the other houses in the distance, and when they pulled up to the curb, Alex went down to brief them on the current situation. He just stayed put, leaning against the trunk of his car.
Those two officer, another wolf and a tiger, both drew their own stun guns and moved towards the house. The tiger went to the front door while the wolf went around to the back. Mason watched them go with a raised brow, concern for his friend rising, but Alex approached to ease those worries. "I told them not to shoot the snake if they see him."
The two turned just in time to see the tiger twist the knob of the front door, pushing it open slowly. Mason narrowed his gaze suspiciously. That door should've been locked. It's almost like someone was inviting them in.
Several minutes of tense waiting later, the two officers came out of the front door, Snake slithering out behind them, and all three of them approached the two wolves. "There's nobody in there," the tiger reported. "But there's definitely signs of a struggle."
"Any blood?" Alex asked, concern evident in his voice.
"Some," the wolf officer admitted. "Not enough to make me think whoever was injured was critically so."
Alex sighed, and Mason noticed Snake looking at him pointedly. Apparently, Snake had something to tell him. Alex sighed. "Alright...let's call it in. Get the forensics team down here, see if they can find anything. I'll go give the place a once over, see if there's anything out of place that might give us a clue as to what happened."
The two officers nodded, the wolf glancing at him suspiciously for a moment as they passed by where he stood. Alex walked into the house while the two officers went to their cruiser to report the crime scene. Now that they were alone, Snake came up to him and silently passed a piece of paper into his waiting hand.
It was a note with a simple message:
You speak, you die.
AN: Yeah, like I said. It's short. I figured it was better to put out this as it was rather than make everyone wait another two weeks for me to finish it.
Until Next Time
AdmiralCole22
