YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO THE MANECHESTER MANOR
CHANDLER MANECHESTER REQUESTS YOUR PRESENCE AT THE MANSION OF THE MANECHESTER FAMILY FOR A GATHERING OF A FEW DAYS WITH FRIENDS.
YOU SHALL RECEIVE ACCOMODATIONS AND FOOD, AS WELL AS PLEASANT ACTIVITIES TO PASS YOUR TIME DURING YOUR STAY.
FOR THIS GATHERING, IN THE SPIRIT OF THE INCOMING HOLIDAY, YOU ARE ASK TO WEAR A MASK FOR THE PARTY. YOU HAVE THE FREEDOM TO WEAR AN OUTFIT THAT MATCHES YOUR CHOSEN MASK, IF YOU SO DESIRE.
THE EVENT SHALL BEGIN ON THE NIGHT OF OCTOBER 23; A LIMOUSINE WILL BE PICKING YOU ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE SAME DAY. PLEASE, GIVE YOUR ANSWER UNTIL THEM.
YOUR PRESENCE WILL BE AN HONOR AND A DELIGHT.
Nick and Judy finished readying the invitations that had their names on it, and they looked back at the cheetah, both of them with raised eyebrows.
"Did the donkey actually gave you this?" Nick asked, and Benjamin nodded.
"Yes, he said it was from Chandler." Benjamin said to the two. "That definitely is his handwriting."
"And he invited us all for a gathering?" Judy asked, looking at the invitation. "I mean, I had the impression that the Manechester family was at odds with the ZPD." She said, as Nick had told that to her less than thirty minutes ago, and he even explained of the reasons for this.
"Yeah, that caught me by surprise too." Ben said, "I mean, Chandler and I get along great but... he never invited me to his house before, because of his family and stuff."
"You talking about how they dislike predators?" Nick asked him, "Because I heard a few things about that."
"No, it's not really it." Benjamin said, looking to the side, and Judy looked in between the two predators as they spoke of something that she failed to understand.
"Is just... with what happened... I'm not sure that they would want to have me around. I mean, they didn't really liked me when Chandler and I first met already."
"And yet, now you are invited to their house." Nick said, looking at the invitation. "So, we are supposed to wear masks and costumes, right?"
"Yeah, that's what it says in there." Benjamin said, looking at the invitations, and seeing how it said that they should at least wear masks.
"Now that's interesting." Nick said, looking at it as well, "I wonder what kind of costume I should wear?" He asked, looking at it, and Judy looked at her own invitation. However, while Nick was thinking of what kind of costume he should wear, the bunny was thinking about other kinds of subjects.
Why these invitations came to the three of them?
I mean, it could be understood that Chandler Manechester would send an invitation for Ben, since the two are obviously great friends, but inviting her and Nick as well? They were not acquaintances with the horse, as they barely even spoke properly.
"Just how long will this 'gathering' last?" He asked, and he then thought of something:
"Hey, think we will stay in there until the Halloween night? Maybe we even get invited to the famous Manechester party." He said.
"Oh, heavens!" Ben said, looking at him, "I would never feel comfortable at that kind of party."
"I'm sorry, what?" Judy asked, looking at the two predators.
"The Manechester party! The one they do every Halloween." Nick said, looking at his bunny partner. "What, never heard of it?"
"Not really." Judy said, looking at them both. They shared a look and Nick looked back at her.
"Carrots, you definitely need to get out more." Nick said, and looked at the bunny.
"Every Halloween, the Manechester family makes a great party at their mansion." Ben said, looking at the bunny, "It is the kind of event that everyone in the city knows about, and that everyone would like to participate." He looked at her for a few moments, and then he looked away, "Well, with a few exceptions... I never saw myself participating of that kind of party."
"Yeah, some mammals don't." Nick said, agreeing with the cheetah. "I've been in one of these parties once, and I don't think you would be liking it either, Carrots. Too much loud music and... certain kinds of activities."
"What types?" Judy asked, looking at Nick, the fox didn't answered. She looked at Ben, and saw that he was blushing.
"It is a very wild type of party." Ben said, and Nick nodded.
"I'll say. I have not been on many of these parties, but I certainly hear some stories of it." The red fox admitted, "I heard that last time they set an entire cabinet on fire, and that they danced around it as if they were making a sacred bonfire dance... totally naked."
Judy blinked as she looked at the two, and she was indeed a bit surprised.
"Anyway, if we stay for their party, I hope we stay at the normal part of it." Ben said, and Judy was about to ask him what he meant, that was when another voice called them.
"And, what are you all talking about?"
Everyone turned to see no other than Bogo standing in there. They all had completely failed to notice his approach until he spoke to them.
How is he so silent being so big!? Judy thought as she looked at the buffalo, who looked back at all of them.
"Hey, Chief!" Nick said, saluting their boss. "So, what you doing out of your office?"
"Had to go make copies of some documents that the City Hall requested." He said to them, "My fax machine decided that today was a good day not to work. As you all have, apparently." He looked at them, and Ben looked down, as he knew that he had not a good justification to give his Chief. He was so surprised as to receive such an invitation that he had immediately rushed to talk to the two smaller officers. Only then, he realized that he had left the front desk completely unattended.
"Sorry, Chief." Ben said, looking down in shame "Is just that... something happened and I had to come to talk with Wilde and Hopps."
"Really?" Bogo asked, "Did it involved someone's death? Because otherwise you all should be focusing on your assignments."
"We got invited to a mansion." Nick said, showing him his invitation, and this caused Bogo to look back at him with a raised eyebrow. It were Clawhauser and Judy that developed the topic, explaining it to the buffalo.
By the time they had explained everything, Bogo was looking at all of them with an expression of indifference, but he did had a raised eyebrow.
"So, you just received all of these invitations on the front desk?" He asked Ben, and the cheetah nodded.
"Yeah, all of them." Ben said, looking at his own invitation, and to the ones addressed to his siblings. "I guess Chandler thought that I could deliver them all in person." He said, looking back at the buffalo.
"Are you going?" Bogo asked, and ben looked down.
"Well. I don't know, it is kind of sudden. I mean, the party will be in two days from now, but still, I guess that Josh and Marcy will want to go, they really like parties and..."
"Clawhauser, this is not what I meant." Bogo said, and the cheetah looked at him again, "Are you going to go?"
Ben looked at him for a few moments, before he looked back down.
"Well, it was Chandler who invited me." He said, and hesitated for a while, "I'm don't know yet, but I think that I should go."
"You sure?" Bogo said, and it was one of the se rare occasions in one that looked at his face could see what seemed to be genuine concern.
Ben didn't answered, and he just looked down. Bogo looked back at him with worry, and the to smaller officers both looked in between the two.
"Why have they even decided to do this now?" Bogo asked, looking at the cheetah. "Why make such an invitation?"
"I think it was mostly Chandler." Benjamin said, "I guess that he wanted me to be part of it."
"But did his family agreed with this?" Bogo asked, looking at the cheetah. "Did his father agreed with this? Did Yahya Manechester agreed with this?"
The question hanged in the air for a while, and it seemed that Ben was not capable of answering that. Meanwhile, the two cops shared a look between themselves. That was when Nick spoke:
"Well, I don't know about that, Chief." The fox said, causing the buffalo to look at him. "Maybe you could give them a call and ask them about that."
Judy felt like smacking Nick, while Ben only looked at him. Bogo looked at him also, with an annoyed expression, but his gaze them softened.
"You know, Wilde? That is actually not a bad idea." Bogo said, surprising the fox, and without saying anything else, Bogo turned around and started to walk away, leaving the three to stare at his departing form in silence.
"Did the Chief just... agreed with me?" Nick asked.
"I guess he did..." Benjamin said, and he looked at the Chief.
"Why did he mentioned Yahya Manechester?" Judy asked, after a few moments of silence had passed. This caused Benjamin to look back at her.
"Oh... That?" The cheetah said, looking at the bunny, "Is just... Chandler would need his permission to receive guests over, and his father's. Especially for... someone from the ZPD."
"Why would he need their permission?" Judy asked, "I mean, it is just a party and he is an adult, right?"
"Is because the house is not his', but his family's." Nick said, "These guys are kind of careful with who they let inside their house, and they are famous for not inviting just anyone. Adrian Manechester is careful with who he even allows inside the mansion, and his father, Yahya, is even more uptight."
Judy looked at him, and she then looked back at Benjamin. She couldn't help but notice that the cheetah seemed upset. No. not upset. It seemed that he looked a bit... worried?
"Hey! Wilde! Hopps!"
The sudden voice broke the three out of their thinking, and caused them to look at where it came from. They saw the familiar faces of the enforcers walking to them. Emilia was waving her arm at them; she was probably the one that had called out. Her uncle was walking by her side, and he looked as serious as he usually was, as he walked in their direction.
"Guys, we were looking for you!" Emilia said as she walked closer to them. Her uncle following right by her side. "So, let's go?"
Judy and Nick both blinked at her.
"Go? Go where?" Judy asked, and Emilia said:
"To do our job. I mean, you guys are still assigned to help us, right?" She asked, and Judy and Nick continued to look at her, and now so was Benjamin, all of them had confused expressions on their faces.
"Okay, you guys could say what this is about?" Nick asked, and it was Marceli who answered:
"We talked with some contacts based on the information you gave, Officer Wilde." The black tod said, looking at Nick, and looking at his partner. "We have confirmed that Blackwall is, indeed, still in Zootopia."
"And we might have discovered where he is staying." Emilia said, "So, we gotta go in there and see if this proceeds. So, your cruiser?"
She seemed quite pumped up, and this did made Nick and Judy share a look among themselves. However, they were soon following the two enforcers, as they were to do their assignment.
"Okay then." Ben said as they left. "I'm gonna go back to the front desk then." He said, and walked back to his place.
As he walked, he looked down at the invitation on his paws, and he seemed to be in deep thought. Almost as if he was debating to himself.
Once more, the cops and enforcers were on the cruiser, going on for their new lead.
This one has led them into an area that stood in the narrow division between Tundratown and the Rainforest District. It was into a patch of sparser trees from the rainforest that stood just on the edge of the permafrost area that was close to the Rocky Peak and the Glacier Falls. Right between them, actually. The area had, as a result, some of the humidity of the rainforest with some hint of the cold from the Tundra.
"According to my source, Blackwall has been seen around this area." Marceli explained to them, as they parked on a certain area, one that stood between a few trees that helped to conceal the car. They looked forward, to the area that was rocky, half-frozen ground with some sparse trees over the sides of the road.
"They say that he has been going come and forth in this street, as well as some other mammals who are supposed to be with him." The black tod explained, "A snow leopard, a hyena and a huge boar."
"Think he is controlling all of them?" Emilia asked, "I thought he could only control one at a time."
"It is true." Marceli said, looking at his niece. "He cannot control more than one mammal at a time. This is something we are absolutely sure of. The other ones must be with him from their own free will."
"These would be Slimy Tusks and Laughing Joe." Nick said, looking back at the two enforcers. "I don't doubt that they would be tagging along with that mage, especially if he is paying them. These two are really different, but they still have a lot in common, like the fact that they side with anyone that is giving them enough advantages."
"Like a mage that could pay in gold and protect them from other mages." Emilia said, and Nick nodded at her.
"We don't know where they are exactly. But we do know that they have been seen passing by this part of Zootopia with frequency." Marceli said, "This street in particular. Sometime they are all together, sometimes only one of them carrying Blackwall, sometimes only one or two of them, without Blackwall. But they surely pass by this street a lot, according to the sources."
"You know, my contact said the same thing." Nick said, looking at the street. "Slimy Tusks and Laughing Joe both pass by this street a lot in the last days, and they have been seeing carrying groceries or others things. A friend even told me that he heard that a hyena and a boar had been going on some pawnshops to sell gold."
"The gold that Blackwall received as the payment." Marceli concluded, and Judy looked at them.
"Okay, so what do we do now?" Judy asked, and they looked back at her.
"Now we wait." Marceli said, looking at the bunny. "We wait for one of them to show up, and them we follow without being noticed."
"Kind of like a stake out." Nick said, looking back at her. "It would actually be easier if we were out of police uniform, and on a regular car."
"We just have to stay out of sight as we follow them." Emilia said to the two, "It should be a breeze."
With this said, it was then decided. The four mammals would remain in the car and wait to see if they could catch sight of any of the mammals who they knew that they should keep an eye out for.
So, with this knowledge. They waited.
Waited.
Waited.
And waited.
Minutes were slowly dragging, and they were turning into hours.
It was painfully slow. At least for Judy. Marceli looked like this was not the first time that he had to wait, as he simply sat in there, looking ahead with attentive eyes, as if ready to catch up the first sight of the mammals that he was supposed to see. Judy tried to follow suit, but she found herself with less experience than the black tod seemingly had.
Nick and Emilia looked like they were more susceptible to the boredom than the other two mammals. Nick had already pulled out his phone and he was fumbling into it, looking for something to read online, like some story from a website. Emilia, on her end, was looking at the window, and she seemed to be doing like the young kits and seeing which droplet of water formed by the humidity would win the race. Occasionally, she would give some help by breathing over the window, her breath causing the window to fog up and causing more moisture to accumulate on the other side, causing the droplets to become bigger and go faster.
"You know, you two should try to pay some attention as well." Judy said, as she noticed how distracted the two other foxes had become.
"Why? You guys are already paying attention for all the four of us." Emilia said, "You will surely call for us if anything interesting happens."
"I second her in this." Nick said, still fumbling on his phone. His eyes were on it, but he was sure that his bunny partner had her eyes on him as she glared at him.
"Any sign of anything suspicious?" Judy asked to the black tod. "Any sign of a boar or hyena? Or maybe of some snow leopard?"
"Not at all." Marceli said, he continued to watch, and so, the silence resumed, as two mammals looked intently at the street, and two others did their best to distract themselves as they waited for something to happen.
The silence lasted for a while, and it was soon becoming unbearable to some.
"Sooooo... anything going on with you guys lately?" Emilia asked, Nick looked away from his phone to look at her in the backseat through the metal grid, and even Judy was now looking at her direction, both with raised eyebrows.
"I mean, this is the kind of thing that I should ask, right?" She said, looking back at the cops. "After all, we are pretty much pals at this point, and we don't really talk a lot, do we? You know, maybe we should talk a bit more, you know, know each other a little better."
They continued to look at her, and now so was her uncle. She became a bit awkward at this, and she was soon clearing her throat.
"Well, anyway, we don't each one of us start saying something that we really love to eat? For example, I love chicken." Emilia said, looking around, and Nick was the one who spoke right after her.
"Well, I do love blueberries."
"Great!" Emilia said, looking back at him. "What about you, Hopps?"
Judy looked back at her, and she said:
"Well, I do like carrots, as you can probably guess... and also I like peaches and apples."
"That's nice." She said, and she then turned to her uncle, who was looking at her as she looked back at him expectantly.
"I like fish." He said, looking back at the street, once more resuming watching. Emilia was satisfied with her attempt having actually worked. Well, kind of.
Soon, the mammals were slowly starting to talk as they continued to keep watch. In this, they were able to learn a bit more about each other, as Emilia seemed like she had no problem about talking of what she liked and disliked. The cops learned that she loved violin music and that she hated bitter fruits.
The talk developed, as they were able to make it seem that they were not in there for so long, and even Marceli was giving his occasional opinion on the talk, even though he was clearly more focus on watching the street than actually talking.
The talk varied from everyday subjects and some things about them to more diverse topics. Some of them even went to subjects that were relate to the world of magecraft and to the Association.
"So, the headquarters of the Association is in England, right?" Nick asked, "Any chance it could be in some big city, or near it? Like, let's say, Liondon?"
"We cannot talk about this, Officer Wilde." Marceli said, beating his niece, who seemed to be ready to say something.
"Of course." Nick asked, and he looked at the black tod through the mirror. "Just like you can't talk on some mage who has given you trouble lately."
"This is unrelated to the investigation." Marceli said, and Nick looked back at him.
"Yeah, but I'm not talking about the investigation now." He said, "I'm more talking about some mage that we should be careful with if we ever ran into them."
"Mages value their privacy." Marceli said to him, "They want to be able to conduct their business without having to worry about being targeted by those who cannot understand them."
"Even the ones who break the law?"
"The ones who break the laws of the Codex are dealt with by the enforcers, and judged according to our laws." The black tod said, "We do our best to ensure that these mages will not harm or threaten the innocents, be them mages or not. You don't need to worry about it."
There was a brief silence, and Nick then shrugged.
"I'm gonna take your word to it, pal."
With this, there was another brief silence, and now it was Judy's turn to break it.
"So, when you speak of these mages who break the laws of the Codex." Judy asked, looking at them through the mirror. "You mean mages like Blackwall?"
"Indeed." Marceli said, "He is wanted for using the power of his mystic eyes to control innocents. It is a clear disrespect to the laws of the Codex. He has been wanted for quite some time now."
"And you still have not been able to get him?" Nick asked casually, and Marceli sighed.
"Blackwall is not particularly dangerous as a mage, but he is... full of resources and tricks." He said, "He has been able to avoid capture for a few years now. Every time we seem to be closing in to him, somehow he manages to outsmart us. Some say that he has either the skills or sheer luck, but the fact is that we still were not able to catch him, even though he is, by our standards, someone who only commits minor infractions."
"So, controlling other mammals is a minor infraction?" Judy asked, "I mean; he is forcing others to act against their will."
"True." Marceli said, and he looked at her, "However, all of the times that Blackwall has controlled someone, he has done so only for the purpose of gaining money. The few accusations of him having controlled others for entertainment only involves forcing them to play the fool in front of him for laughs. He never did anything that could be classified as a depravation, and neither has he ever murdered anyone."
Judy took in what the enforcer was telling her. Indeed, it seemed that Blackwall was not the worst kind of mammal. However, to her, it still seemed that something like taking control of other mammals and forcing them to do things against their will should not be consider only a minor infraction.
"Both this and the fact that his skills as a mage are mediocre makes the Association consider him more of a mild nuisance than an actual problem." Marceli said, and Emilia nodded.
"Yeah, there are more dangerous mages out there that we need to focus on. But still, we really don't like Blackwall." Emilia said, "Especially after two years ago when he controlled one of us and used him as his new bodyguard for nearly two weeks."
"He actually did that?" Nick asked, quite surprised by this new information.
"He kept a law enforcement agent with him for two weeks?" Judy sake, as surprised as Nick. "But that classifies as kidnapping!" She said.
"Yeah, that rat really went over the line when he did that." Emilia said.
"And that was also considered a minor infraction?" Judy said, "Kidnapping and controlling an enforcer?"
"He didn't killed or tortured him." Marceli said, "Also, according to that enforcer himself, Blackwall actually took good care of him while he was controlling him. He made sure to feed him and keep him clear from danger."
"It even seemed that the guy came to like Blackwall." Emilia said, "He was transferred to another job the week after we rescued him."
"This only reiterates the fact that, despite his behavior, Blackwall might not be of all bad or dangerous."
"Well, he may not be the worst case, but he is still a criminal." Judy said, looking at the two enforcers. "I mean, he basically turns mammals into his mindless slaves and forces them to tag along with him. He takes their freedom and takes them away from their loved ones. This cannot be classified only as a minor infraction."
"I understand that this troubles you." Marceli said, "Believe me. But these are our laws, and I'm afraid that they might be a little lax in certain points when compared to yours."
Judy looked at him. She was still processing all that she was learning now. In fact, it did seemed that the laws of the enforcers could be consider a little lax, if doing what Blackwall did was considered a minor infraction. Kidnapping others was a serious crime in most other laws around the world.
"And you all consider him just a nuisance?" She asked, and Marceli looked back at her.
"This is with the authorities of the Association." He said to her, "Most of the decisions regarding the level of interest of criminals and the severity of their infractions are decided by the Council and the orders of capture part either from them or, more rarely, from a very influent Lord. All we do, as enforcers, is to make sure that their decisions are carried through."
"So, you guys are basically on a leash to everything that the Council decides?" Nick asked, looking at them both. "As in, you go when they say 'fetch' and you stay when they say 'heel'?"
Marceli looked at him, and so did the others. This kind of talk was offensive, and Judy knew it very well. She nearly felt like giving him a smack for saying it like that. However, Marceli sighed as he said:
"That... is actually quite accurate."
Judy and Nick both blinked as they looked at the black tod, who looked back at both of them.
"The purpose of the enforcers has always been carrying on with the decisions of the Council." Marceli said to them, "It was like that before the Codex, as our mission was to go after traitors and of those who risked exposing our secrecy. With the coming of the Codex, our purpose has changed, as we were now entitled with defending and upholding the new laws. But, truth is, in essence, we are still subject to all of the wills of the Council."
"We can only investigate something or arrest someone if they say we can." Emilia said, and it was obvious that both she and her uncle didn't really liked it.
Nick and Judy looked at them, before they shared a look among themselves.
"But... that is not really a bad thing, is it?" Judy asked, looking at both of them. "After all, the Council wants the laws to be upheld and the ones who break them to be punished, right? So, they should give you full freedom to carry on all of your missions, ain't that right?"
"Carrots, I don't know much about mages or about their politics, but I'm pretty sure that it does not works like that every time." Nick said, "Especially if our own interactions between laws and politics is of any indication."
Judy looked at him, and she opened her mouth, as if she as wanting to say something. However, she soon closed her mouth again, and she said nothing more.
"Police forces have autonomy in certain areas." Marceli said, looking at the bunny. "They are, however, limited by the regulations and procedures that they follow themselves. Something similar happens with the enforcers, as we often see ourselves tied by the bureaucracy of the Association, as well as by decisions coming from the higher ups, who say that an investigation is to be abandon or that certain mage who committed an infraction is to be let go. This kind of thing happens from time to time."
He was right.
That was the worst part.
Judy was an idealist to the end, and she believed in justice. However, she had been maturing ever since she met Nick, and she already learned that sometimes personal biases and even personal interests could get in the way of police work. That was the kind of thing that you saw happening on series and movies, but Judy had been sure could never happen in the real life. However, she was soon coming to realize that this kind of thing could actually happen.
If it could happen to the police. This meant that it could totally happen to the enforcers as well.
"So, basically the Council can get on the way of your work?" Judy asked, and Marceli looked back at her.
"Sometimes, but not always. Also, very rarely in an explicit way." He admitted, "Sometimes there are certain interests involved, or sometimes there is a bureaucracy that is needed to be able to actually prove that the suspect is guilty. Either way, sometimes doing or job can be proven quite a challenge."
"The Council basically controls everything." Emilia said, "I mean, even though we have an ex-enforcer on the Council, sometimes it can be really hard to just get the job done. These guys are often controlling all of us and all that we do." She said, seeming bothered by it. None of the two cops was sure of what to say in a moment like that.
"Yeah, it really sounds like the council keeps the enforcers on a short leash." Nick said, after a few moments of silence. That was when Emilia looked at him and opened a smile.
"Yeah, they often try. But they can't really control all of us." She said to them, and it seemed that she was taking pleasure in saying this kind of thing. "Some of us just refuse to be controlled. If you doubt, you can ask your plump friend's twin."
"What, Clawhauser's brother?" Judy asked, and Emilia nodded.
"Yeah. He is the kind of mammal that the council cannot really control." Emilia said to them, "He and the rest of the Berserker Squad."
"Berserker Squad. Yes, Spots' brother spoke about them, right?" Nick asked, looking at them. "They are some kind of elite team, right? Like, champions among enforcers, right?"
"Well... they are a special division, so to say." Marceli said, looking at them. "They are the kind of team that is sent to deal with subjects that are... too complicated for most enforcers. They are famous for obtaining results, but they are also famous for... their methods. Also, there is a lot of talk on how reckless they are."
"These guys do things their way." Emilia said, "They are guys who do what they must do and don't let anyone tell them that they should not do their best. Not even the Council."
"They answer for a lot of cases of insubordination and disrespect for procedure, and even for abusing their authority in certain moments." Marceli said, looking at his niece. "They are indeed efficient, but they are also unpredictable and reckless."
"And they always get results!" Emilia said, now it seemed that she was talking to her uncle and had forgotten about the two cops on the cruiser. "You always tells me how the Berserker Squad always gets the job done, even though they are crazy! Remember, you even mentioned that it was convenient that Joshua Clawhauser was here in Zootopia."
"Emilia." Marceli said, looking athis niece, and she continued:
"What? You did said it!" She said, looking at him, "I mean; if he is like the others always say that he surely could be of great help to us! I mean, he is not the Drachenwolf guy, but he certainly could help us a lot."
Nick and Judy looked at the two of them as they continued to talk to each other.
"I'm sorry..." Nick said; raising a paw as if he was asking for the word, and they both now looked at the red fox. "Not wanting to get in the middle of this little squabble you two are nearly having, but I have to ask. Who is 'Drachenwolf'?"
"Oh, just the best enforcer of the history of the Association." Emilia said, "Seriously, the guy was a legend."
Marceli looked at her for a few moments, before he looked away.
"Indeed. He made a name for himself as the best enforcer of our recorded history." The black tod said, "He was famous for always obtaining results and for having helped many mammals and captured many criminals."
"And the guy had experience with the MTC!" Emilia said, looking around the cruiser. "He already thwarted their plans a lot of times, and he even helped expose one of their lines that trafficked mammal to serve as sacrifices. They say that the guy led the entire mission like a pro, and that it was one of the greatest victories that the enforcers had over the MTC in the whole story that we try to fight them."
"Wow..." Judy said, and Nick whistled a bit at this. It was indeed impressive. This Drachenwolf seemed to be quite something.
"Uncle Marcel told me everything." She said to the two cops, "The guy was a good detective, he was smart, full of resources, strong, a good fighter, he was everything that a good enforcer could hope to be. Also, he didn't let the Council tell him when he should wait or that he should give up on something, especially when there were lives on the line. When he put it on his head that he should save someone no one could stop him. He truly was the best."
"Was?" Nick asked, looking at her, "As in, 'not anymore'?"
"Yeah, the guy quit years ago." Emilia said to them, "Apparently there was something involving some case that he couldn't solve. Uncle Marcel knows the details." She said, gesturing to her uncle.
"It would be great if we could contact him and ask for his help, wouldn't it?" Emilia asked her uncle, "I bet we would have this whole thing solved in no time." She said, and Marceli looked at her for a few moments.
"Yes. Perhaps." He said, and soon he was adding:
"We are all losing our focus. At this rate one of them could pass by us and we would completely fail to see." The black tod was indeed making a good point, and soon, the mammals had their attention turned back to the road. Once more, the silence stablished itself as they looked at the empty road.
A silence that grew unnerving as the minutes dragged on.
"Hey, I know we need to keep focus in here and stuff, but what about some music to pass our time?" Nick suggested, as he reached out for the radio and switched it on, right on time to catch a certain station:
"Yeah, my bros, it seems that all that we still talk about was the event in the New Den Plaza." The male voice said in the radio. "There are so many stories going on around this event that it is hard to follow. I mean, a group of mages taking an entire mall as hostages? Mages and ex-mages inside of the mall helping rescue everyone? All the while, the enforcers themselves worked along with the ZPD and some guy from the Technocracy rescue everyone? Darn!"
"Now, everyone got a lot to think ever since that day, and some focus on some things and others focus on other things." The voice on the radio continued, as the mammals in the cruiser listened to it. "Some are thinking how it was possible that a bunch of crazy mages pulled out something like that right under the enforcer's snouts, which is understandable. Some are thinking about the hidden mages that have been living among our society, like that vixen, Sophie Wilde, and that big cat named Clawhauser. These guys are both ex-mages, from what I've heard, but they showed that they can still kick some tail. The Clawhauser guy even saved Gazelle herself. Also, the popstars dancers are also mages, in case you don't know that already."
"Others, however, are still thinking about ex-mayor Bellwether. After all, she was in there as well, and that whole mess in the mall could have very well been her doing, as some of my friends have been saying. Still, some of the guys at the mall said that she actually helped the mammals in there to survive and to escape. Of course, it could have all been a ruse."
"However, there is still one other thing about Bellwether on that event of New Den. Actually, it was something that happened right before, and that, I have to say, caught many by surprise. There was a fox in there, and after the craziness of the mall ended and everyone was safe, Bellwether kissed this fox. Right on the lips."
"That's right. Bellwether, who had tried to kill all predators of Zootopia, had a French kiss with a fox, of all mammals. Now, how come a mammal who obviously showed hate for all predators ended up kissing one? And a fox to booth! Of course this would surprise many, so much that some are still talking about it now, several days later. So, what are your thoughts on it? Did she regretted having persecuted predators? Is she plotting something? Give us a call right now and tell us your opinion."
"Okay, our hotline is lighting up like a Christmas tree, and we have our first listener. Hey there, you are live in Bear Bro Talk, what are your thoughts?"
"I think that ewe definitely had something to do with that! I mean, what were the chances of an attack happening just across the street right in the moment she was passing?" The other male voice said, and this one was much deeper than the host's. "She probably planned the entire thing! Maybe she hired a few guys to help her escape, but it backfired and then she had to team up with the good mages to save her hide! That was totally her own doing!"
"Now that is an opinion. Just wait, lets hear another listener. Here is Bear Bro Talk, you are on air."
"You know, I never liked Bellwether." Said the female voice. "I have a romantic relationship with a predator, and I had to see her being a victim of prejudice, do you know she was beaten by some prey back on the time of these hate mobs. All because of that stupid ewe and her plot. She made my girlfriend's life so much harder. Hers', of her entire family and of who knows how many more predators. I never liked her, but now I think I despise her even more. I mean, she sowed hatred for predators all around the city, she poisoned them to make them go savage to make everyone fear them and turn on them, and she kisses a fox? She is such a hypocrite!"
"Yeah, you are not the only one who thinks that. Okay, next listener. Bear Bro Talk, you are live."
"So, the ewe actually doesn't hates predators all that much, huh?" The owner of that specific voice was male and had a suave way of talking. "Well, maybe all she needed was some big and strong pred to treat her right to fix that head of hers'. Well, I like prey myself, and I am far better than some pelt. So, Bellwether, in case you want some good and nice pred loving, my phone number is 877-"
"Sorry, this is not this kind of show, next listener."
"That ewe is pure evil!" Another voice said, "A sinner in its purest form! She just like all of these mages! They should all be slaughtered before any more of them can endanger the lives of civilians."
"Well, you have the right to your own opinion, I guess. Next listener."
"I do believe that she is planning something." Said the female voice on the other end. "She already proved that she can manipulate others, and I'm pretty sure that she is planning something, and I do believe that the fox she kissed is somehow a part of it. Maybe he helped her plan the attack on the mall, and maybe he is with her at this moment planning on their next move. Who knows, maybe he even helped her with her original Night Howler plot two years ago."
"Hey!" Emilia said, advancing and looking at the radio with anger. "Don't you say this about my cousin! He wasn't even in this city two years ago!"
"So, forget the radio." Nick said, turning of the radio, while Marceli was now trying to calm down Emilia.
"I mean, how can that woman suggest such a thing about Krys? She doesn't even know him!" Emilia said, still fuming with anger. "I mean, this is so wrong! He would never do anything like that!"
There was a little while more of silence after the radio was turn off, and it would take nearly a minute before Nick finally broke the silence once more:
"So, with all that happened, we never asked you guys, right?" he said, turning around to look at the enforcers. "Did you guys actually talked to Bellwether? Did she said anything regarding what happened in the mall?"
"She claims not to have any connection with that, nor knowledge that it would happen." Marceli said, looking back at the fox. "She seemed sincere to me, and Krys agreed in that point."
"Did he?" Nick said, and Marceli glared at the fox through the metal grid.
"Yes, he did." The black tod said, and then Emilia said:
"Anyway, she was unable to get us any useful information." The vixen spoke, "This ended up being a waste of time."
"Why didn't you two took us to interview her along?" Judy asked. This was something that she had been asking herself for quite a while now. The two foxes looked back at her through the grid, and it was Marceli who answered:
"We assumed that you would not want to have to talk with her." Marceli said, looking at the bunny, "After all, I assume that after all that happened, she might not be your favorite mammal."
Judy looked at him for a few seconds. She then looked away, as she recognized that this was actually a pretty good justification. Indeed, after all that Bellwether had done to them, she was not the kind of mammal with whom Judy would like to spend an evening, and she was sure that Nick was of the same opinion.
"Besides, like we explained before, in case you forgotten, we need to keep her location a secret, per request of the mage who is housing her on his property." Marceli said, and Judy sighed.
This was another justification that actually sounded pretty good. However, she couldn't help but think that this somehow showed that the mages didn't trusted the ZPD. This was something that bothered Judy, as if made her think that this would make it harder for them to cooperate with the ZPD in the case of need...
"So, is she still in her secret safe location?" Nick asked, and Emilia nodded.
"You can bet she is. And Krys is in there, making sure that she is not going to escape."
"Well, good to know." Nick said, "He surely can keep an eye on her while they are making out."
Emilia and Marceli both looked at the red fox, and he looked back at them.
"What? I'm just saying." Nick said, looking at the two enforcers. "I mean, you guys saw him making out with her back on that night, right?"
They looked at him, but they said nothing. Indeed, they had to admit that Wilde indeed had a point for talking about the fact that Krys and that ewe had indeed kissed. This was something that had surprised the two enforcers.
"Indeed, we'll have to remember to question Krys more deeply on this after this is all solved." Marceli said to the fox. "Maybe after the situation has been solved and Bellwether has been taken to the Association."
"Really, why not right now?" Nick asked, looking back at them.
"Too many things happening at once." Said Marceli, "We need to think at one thing at a time, otherwise we won't be able to focus on anything."
"Yeah, that's reasonable." Nick said, shrugging. "Well, let's hope that Bellwether has not convinced Krys to help her escape by then."
"He would never do that!" Emilia said, looking as if the words of the cop had offended her.
"Are you sure?" Nick asked, looking back at her.
"Yes, I am!" She said, looking back at the tod. "Okay, so maybe they both kissed. Big deal! It does not means that he is going to help her get away!"
Judy looked back at the vixen. She could understand that she would be defensive in relation to one of her own relatives. She was pretty sure that she would be too if she was on the vixen's place. However, she disagreed with her in a certain point.
The fact that Bellwether and the fox had kissed was a big deal. It showed that there was something going on between them, something that should not be going on between a psychiatrist and a patient. Much less between an agent of the law and the convicted mammal that he was supposed to be watching over.
"Well, if I had told you a few weeks ago that he would be smooching with that ewe, would you have believed it?" Nick asked her, and Emilia raised a finger and opened her mouth, as if she was ready to make a tirade and defend her cousin. However, she didn't said anything, and just stared at the other fox, before she looked down, closing her mouth and lowering her paw.
"I have to admit." Marceli said, seeing how Emilia was unable to talk in defense of Marceli this time. "His behavior regarding Bellwether was... surprising."
"Yeah, I guess he got a bit too involved." Nick said, and Emilia once more looked at him.
"Well... maybe, but this does not means that he is on her side now!" She said, "And neither that he would betray us!"
"Hey, I'm not saying that he would." Nick said, in an apologetic tune. "I'm just saying that he got really involved with her."
"All that because of that kiss?" Emilia asked, and Nick looked at her, before shrugging.
"Yeah... the kiss, and his tail."
Emilia blinked, looking back at him.
"His... tail?"
"Care to elaborate what you mean, Officer Wilde?" Marceli asked, looking at the red fox, and Nick looked back at him.
"It was on the car when we were taking her to you." Nick explained. "She was sitting there, all cuffed and all obedient, and looking quite sad. It almost didn't seemed that she was the same crazy ewe that we knew." He said, casting a glance to Judy as he said that, and the bunny looked back at him.
"Your cousin was sitting right by her said, and then, out of nowhere, he shifted on his seat, and his tail landed right on her lap." Nick said, and the two foxes looked back at him. Marceli with a raised eyebrow, and Emilia with wide eyes.
Judy looked between the three foxes, with a raised eyebrow of her own, as she looked in between the three, not really understanding what they were talking about.
"M-maybe he didn't noticed." Emilia said, and it sounded as if she was trying to offer a justification. "Maybe he just changed position and his tail landed on her lap, and he didn't noticed it."
"Really?" Nick said, looking at her. "He also didn't noticed Bellwether hugging his tail?"
Emilia's eyes widened as she looked back at Nick.
"Did she touched his tail!?" She asked, sounding really surprised. "Did she... actually touched it?"
"Held it in her arms like a kit snuggling a plush." Nick said, and Judy continued to look in between the foxes, as both of the enforcers seemed to be really surprised about that.
"No way would he not have noticed that." Nick said, rather matter-of-factly, "Actually, if you ask me, I guess that this was what he wanted. And that it was not the first time."
Both Marceli and Emilia looked at him, the vixen shocked while the tod looked more serious than usual. Both of them seemed like they were processing what Nick had just told them.
"Hmmm, excuse me?" Judy said, looking at the three of them, "I'm sorry, I think I am missing something. How is the fact that Bellwether hugged his tail more meaningful than they both having kissed? Because, that is kind of the impression I am having from how you all are acting."
The foxes all looked at the bunny, and it was Nick who spoke:
"It is a cultural thing, Carrots." Nick said to her, and she looked back at him. "A fox's tail is a matter of great pride and importance. You might have noticed how I make sure to always make mine look perfect at all times. I invest a lot of time preening my tail and making sure that it is nice and taken care of."
Judy looked at him with a raised eyebrow, as she was still not getting it. Nick then proceeded explaining:
"You know that touching someone's tail without their permission is not really a polite thing to do." Nick said, looking back at the bunny. "Well, for foxes that is even more serious. Our tails are the things that we value the most. Well, one of them, anyway. We don't really accept for just anyone to touch them. Most of the times, we only allow our tails to be touched by certain mammals, like very small kits, and our mates."
Judy blinked, looking at Nick, and then she looked back at the two enforcers.
"If Krys really lets her touch his tail like that..." Marceli said, and he looked as if he was truly considering the meaning behind this, and so was Emilia.
"It means he sees her as his mate?" Judy completed, and they looked at her.
"Or at least as his sweetheart."
"M-maybe he could just have gotten really good friends with her." Emilia offered, "Maybe he just got to trust her enough to let her touch his tail if she is feeling bad. Some foxes do that sometimes."
She was trying to defend her cousin; however, Judy had the impression that she was not fully convinced of this herself.
"Even if that was the case, it would still imply a great level of connection." Marceli said. "A kiss might even be something that happens in the spur of a moment, and you can even blame it on impulse or even some passing feeling, but trusting her enough to let her touch his tail means an actual level of connection, even if it is one-sided."
"Yeah." Nick agreed, "Not to mention what happened before they entered the car."
The two enforcers looked at the fox cop once more.
"What happened before they entered the car?" Marceli asked, as both he and Emilia looked very intently at Nick, who then spoke:
"She had just been given to us, and she looked to be really scared. The doctor was standing right by her side. I make some commentary, nothing too bad." Nick said, immediately defending himself, both to the enforcers and to his partner, who were all looking at him now. "Well, the point is, my commentary made Bellwether more uncomfortable than she already looked, and the good doctor steps up and glares daggers at me. That's when I notice..."
Nick looked as if he was making a dramatic pause, looking intently at the two other foxes.
"That he had wrapped his tail around her."
Emilia gasped at this, and even Marceli showed surprise.
"Are you serious?" The black tod said, looking intently at the red fox, and Nick nodded at him.
"His tail was curling around her as if he was trying to protect her from the cold." Nick said, and the two foxes looked back at him. Judy, once more, was not quite following it.
"Wrapping the tail around someone is meaningful for foxes?" Judy asked, feeling kind of dumb for having to ask that. Like a kit that asks obvious questions to the grownups. However, Nick seemed not to mind answering.
"It is something that comes from the old times, when foxes still lived on the wild and sometimes had to tolerate long winters." Nick said, looking back at her. "It is one of the reasons why we have these long and bushy tails, to wrap them around ourselves like blankets to stay warm."
"Well, back on the day, the foxy parents also wrapped their tails around their little kits, to help keep them warm during the winter, and also during the night." Nick explained to her. "As a result, we consider wrapping your tail around someone something really meaningful."
Judy took in what Nick was explaining. Soon, she was making her own connections.
"So... it is a defensive act." Judy said, trying to understand it. "It is an act of protectiveness?"
"It is." Marceli said, causing the bunny to look at him. "But it is also much more than just that."
He raised his face to meet the bunny's eyes.
"It is an act of possessiveness." The black tod said to her. "When we wrap our tails around something, we want to protect it from others. We want to keep others from coming and taking it. We only wrap our tails around a mammal when it is a mammal that we recognize as ours'."
"Namely: our own kits and our mates." Nick concluded.
Judy looked in between them, and it seemed that the enforcers were in deep thought. The bunny was not sure if she should even say anything at this point.
"How..." Emilia said, "Just... How? How did it happened?"
It seemed that she truly could not understand.
"I mean. She is... and he is... I just... How?"
It seemed that her uncle was also thinking about something, and that was when Nick broke them out of it, when he saw someone on the street.
"Hey, guys! Check it out." The tod said, pointing forward, and prompting everyone to look. They all saw a big boar with a very corpulent body. He was wearing an old t-shirt that looked to be two sizes too small for him, as it hugged against his chest and left his belly exposed to the air. He also wore a pair of ripped jeans, and he was carrying a bag in one of his hoof, while the other one scratched his armpit. Right after, he removed it from his armpit and sniffed it.
"Slimy Tusks." Nick said, and he and Judy both tensed as they looked at the big porcine.
The enforces got a bit tenser as well, as they both knew that this was one of the mammals that was with Blackwall. The rat was not with him, but he most likely knew where the rat was hiding.
"Okay then..." Judy said as she started the cruiser, a determined look on her eyes, the one that always appeared when it came the time for action in her cases.
"Let's do this."