AN I'd like to thank HawkTooth, Hewhoislost, WingedKatt, Panoctu, and two Guests for their reviews of chapter thirteen, and eng050599 for edits and suggestions for this one. The last three chapters covered one very busy day for the members of our resistance cell-but the plot must now move on!
I had intended to finish this in less than the five weeks you've waited, but some mild writers block and the distraction provided by contributions to Cimar's Fluff files conspired against me.
Chapter Fourteen:
Departures
Rhythmic waves of consciousness successively built until they resolved into an incessant beeping. Then motor function kicked in, and Judy's left paw blindly but accurately swung back to silence the clock on the windowsill. She reflexively drew the other to her side under the sheet—unimpeded by anything foxy, warm or stuffed.
She and Jack had made sure of that early last evening. Her problematic plush was gone, as was the framed picture from Nick's graduation—the only previously displayable one of the few photos they had together. Now the one of her receiving a commendation from the city kept the family group shot company. She slid her legs off the side of the bed, sat up and spent a few seconds rubbing away the vestiges of her delayed and badly needed respite.
Except for the used dresser and mini fridge, her apartment looked much the same as it had when she'd first rented it. My familiar lonely waystation on the way to a better life, she thought ruefully. One not only imagined, but also achieved—for a single night. She'd been in a better place than this, snuggled warm in bed with her fox. But fate and society were sadistic partners—and had immediately snatched that forbidden life away from them. It was little consolation that Jack and Skye had been able to manage a few furtive years together.
She'd maintained her composure for awhile last night while they'd sat and held each other. Her eyes had been closed as Nick caressed her ears—when he'd softly said, 'Judy, please be careful, I can't keep you safe anymore.' That opened the floodgates, the only good had been that his shirt was already damp from his trek through the rainforest district.
Nick had tried to recover from that and get her busy with the clean up from dinner. She'd still cried, first into the sink, and finally against him again; she'd only come out of it when she felt a warm drop hit the back of her ear—then another. They'd gotten to each other again, as mates should. It had been hard to regain their composure before Kristen returned.
All right Judy, you're better now; all cried out and reasonably rested. She retrieved one of her rescued veggie wraps and warmed it slightly since she didn't want it to get too soft and soggy. It went down better than she'd expected, so she followed the rest of her normal routine; with the assumption that it's like one of those mornings where you'll meet Nick at the precinct instead of here. Finished and ready to go, she looked at dad's old Fox Away spray on the stand by the door—where it had been on her first working day at the ZPD. She'd left it out meaning to give it to Skye, but that wasn't practical anymore. She hesitated, then swapped it out for the generic pepper spray on her belt. It was just about the worst reminder of times spent with Nick she could have—but about the safest one to carry.
Carry on as expected; that's your best strategy now. Be assigned to a new partner and settle in. Unfortunately, if the ZBI did that with Jack, she'd be left alone to coordinate with the companies, Finnick, and the chief. She'd also need to watch over Vivian for Nick.
Judy left the apartment and scanned what she could of the street from inside the Grand Pangolin's lobby before stepping outside. No one obvious, but if not now, she'd soon be under some kind of surveillance due to her past close association with Nick. That would make any further contact with Kristen and Vivian problematic too.
Also, they only had a few days to implement their alternate means of communication, or agree on safer places to meet, before they all dispersed. Their task ahead was thoroughly daunting, and had undoubtedly contributed to their separate emotional episodes last night—with only their vixens seemingly unaffected. Did they just hide it better?
Maybe she'd never fully understand the life that Nick had lived, or those of other foxes. Yet among one of the most widely distrusted and maligned species in society, she had found friends, her mate and acceptance as family. Judy knew she wouldn't have it any other way. What had Jack said? He had friends worth fighting for. Now, so did she.
Well, you did want to make the world a better place, she reminded herself. Judy didn't remember the phrase's origin, although she'd repeated it ever since a stubborn young bunny decided to become more than what she was expected to be. But she'd assumed that making the world a better place meant doing it incrementally, not all at once! So if she wanted to live in that better, more tolerant world, it would require rapid and fundamental change to society. That might be their higher purpose, beyond just preserving what they already had. After all, hadn't Nick accused her of picking idealistic hero as a profession?
Head and ears up, she jogged to the next stop to catch the tram. She could save a few minutes and get right to work. She hoped the chief was available, or had left some message.
A middle-aged raccoon exited the ZPD as she walked up, held the door open for her, and nodded her through with a "Mornin' Officer." Judy smiled her thanks; she appreciated even a minor positive start to this day. That mood died abruptly when she spotted a tall dark-furred llama in business attire talking with Clawhauser inside. She walked up to the reception desk, careful to give only passing notice to Jack and Skye's favorite mammal.
"If you find out anything more from them, let me know." Chief Tarija's voice betrayed repressed frustration as she looked down at an uncharacteristically stiff dispatcher. Finished, she shifted her gaze to Judy.
"Excuse me ma'am," Judy said in passing. She refused to meet the llama's nearly vertical scrutiny. "Officer Clawhauser, I'm early for my appointment with the chief, is he available yet?" Judy knew she should acquaint herself with their adversary given the opportunity, but right now didn't seem propitious. She hoped Ben would rescue her.
"A few minutes ago he had a pressing matter to attend to," Tarija said frostily. "Your appointment might be delayed. Since you have a few minutes anyway, that's all I will need from you." She reached to hold her ID down at Judy's level and looked pointedly at the lobby clock—it showed 10:48, well shy of any expected normal meeting time.
"Do you want me to try and contact Chief Bogo now?" Clawhauser said professionally without a hint of his normal personality.
"No, only if Officer Hopps runs up against her…appointment time with him."
She was stuck and followed Chief Tarija to the interview room Clawhauser reluctantly assigned to them.
These rooms had several wide steps along one wall, with appropriate chairs for each level. That brought smaller members of the often-uneasy public closer to eye level with the uniformed officer taking their report. It also kept the smallest comfortably away from officer hulking rhino or officer bigfangs if a smaller employee wasn't available to help them. Judy had to admit that she also preferred to keep her distance from chief evil llama.
"First, Officer Hopps, I must apologize," Tarija said in a warmer voice after they'd seated themselves. "I have had a rather frustrating morning. But that must sound inconsequential in the face of the betrayal you suffered yesterday."
Judy could only mutely nod and try to listen for any useful information amid the coming lies about Nick.
"Better that you learned the truth now about your officer partner, rather than further misplace your trust until it was too late. All mammals have good and bad qualities, it's the ratio of those that determines their place in society—some never meet the minimum for inclusion. Many predators can't escape what they are however hard they struggle against it throughout their lives; we see reversions all the time. Some will embrace their primitive natures, and those we must segregate or remove for the safety of the rest of civilization."
"Officer Wilde hasn't ever shown violent tendencies, he's one of our best public outreach officers. I've never felt uncomfortable around him." However futile, she was not going to let Nick go down undefended!
"Your sense of fairness is commendable Officer Hopps. Unfortunately, your ex-partner proved to be the manipulative type that lulls us with their exemplary behavior, while they secretly undermine everything we work to protect. This Wilde maintained his longtime contacts with criminal elements and carefully positioned himself to exploit the void left after the arrests of Bellwether and her cronies. We have solid evidence that he intended to resume the production and distribution of controlled substances, under the cover of new pred allies recruited from within law enforcement."
Judy found the fabrications preposterous—between his academy training, and working closely with her as a rookie officer, Nick never had any time for that. At least that was mitigated by the realization that Tarija had no idea of how closely she'd worked or otherwise associated with him. That reinforced what Skye had reported to them about her.
"We already know of two of his associates," Tarija continued, "and once this is all brought to trial, you should find the evidence compelling. For now, I would like to offer you the opportunity to assist an important investigation that is not involved with your ex-partner. Agent Savage has requested your help, since his new assignment will be based out of Bunnyburrow for at least a few weeks. Your value there to provide local cover for him is obvious and you should also be able to enjoy a needed break from the disruption of your duties here. Bogo approves of this, and Savage will be in contact soon to brief you."
Sorry Nick! Judy reproached herself. She'd briefly felt selfishly relieved that she could spend time with family without having to bring and explain her mate. A shiver rippled her fur and dropped her ears. Of course her parents would assume that's why she'd brought Jack home! She would have to gently dissuade their revived hopes without concerning them into finding a therapist for her. Then there'd be quelling gossip among the rest of the family!
"Officer Hopps? Is something amiss?" Tarija managed to sound solicitous.
"No, no! Everything's happening at once, I think it just caught up to me. I guess I could really use that break, I do appreciate your consideration Chief." Judy tilted her head to smile up at the llama, which also helped restore her ears to their expected place. She walked the ZBI chief to the doors, and paused inside to see that she'd really left. As soon as Judy turned back, Clawhauser silently motioned her over. He pulled a donut box out from under his desk, then a small fiberglass one with snap latches holding its halves together.
"Raccoon was just in here Hopps, gave me this to give to the Chief. Said his name was Alder like that meant something, that mean anything to you? You OK Hopps?"
"Did that llama Chief Tarija see this!" she bounced up in his face, barely keeping her voice down. "Oh, sorry Ben, it really matters." She glanced around hastily to see if anyone was near, which served to further infect a concerned Clawhauser with her nervousness. The cheetah slid the small case behind his donuts and out of sight.
"Uh, no, he was leaving when she came up from interrogation. She and another ZBI agent were here to question Packard and Krumpanski—does…does this have anything to do with what…happened to Wilde yesterday?" Clawhauser said in concern.
Judy held up and briefly waved her paws to hush him, then quickly jumped onto the reception desk, then down behind it. Fortunately the lobby was fairly empty at the moment.
"What is this?" Ben reached the box down to her and leaned over as if to shield her. "What's going on?" he said quietly, "I'm…Hopps, it's hard to believe what they're saying about Wilde."
"Me too, I'm sorry Ben, I can't tell you what's going on with our investigation without endangering you as a predator." She hated having to say that as the realization slowly spread on the kindly cheetah's face.
"It's still not over, is it? I mean from last year." Clawhauser's voice was low and serious. "Is that why they're after Wilde, because he was involved before? Who are they this time?"
"No it's not, and these new conspirators seriously want Wilde, but I can't say more now. Our only advantage is they're unaware of us knowing about them. Say nothing to anyone at all, Bogo will tell you what you need to know." Judy reached as high as she could to put a paw on Ben's arm. "Promise me, not a word. About this too." She hefted the box and got a solemn nod before Clawhauser pointed her up to Bogo's office.
Judy worried that she'd already revealed too much, but at least claws would be wary of Tarija and would realize that Nick was still free. And that she might have been in contact with him. Clawhauser's gossip aside, she took comfort in the chief's implicit trust in him.
Bogo's office door was slightly ajar and the chief himself opened it for her as she walked up, then locked it behind them. Inside, a radio was tuned to some daytime talk station, and Jack Savage was seated on a pile of folders placed in the middle of the chief's desk texting on his phone. A second stack was placed for her, so she hopped up feeling that she was desecrating sacred ground on Bogo's desktop.
Jack finished with his phone, gave it to her and spoke softly. "It's Skye's, we decided it's too dangerous for her to keep it once she leaves; it's yours now." Judy looked in the 'sent' folder and read his text while he and the chief waited. She had to dig out her card as Jack had used some of his codes. It was to Kristen, telling her to get the beast thoroughly cleaned and not to drive it for awhile. It also asked her to confirm when she'd set up the meeting and drop point at her family's garage to allow safe contact with Vivian. Judy looked at the hare and rubbed her free paw on her thigh; Jack nodded, so she erased the message.
"Mrs. Wilde's got both our numbers and will text when she has the procurements for us," Jack said. He looked curiously at the box. "Looks like one of Dr. Soren's sample cases."
"From Doctor Alder," Judy confirmed in a low voice, and set the box in front of Bogo—who'd leaned close enough to be really intimidating no matter how quietly he sat. "A raccoon who wasn't him dropped it with Clawhauser fifteen or twenty minutes ago. Chief Tarija came up there and missed seeing that by less than a minute!" Judy let her voice rise up enough to make Jack hold a finger to his muzzle. Everything tumbled into place when she saw that the radio's speakers faced the window behind the chief. The agent was seriously concerned about outside surveillance!
"Well. Let's see what ZBI management missed. If one of you…" Bogo looked momentarily abashed, his thick fingers together were the same size as the box.
Judy opened it and Jack removed a folded paper set on top. Under it in bubble wrap were two small liquid filled vials. She lifted one out to show Bogo and saw a small bone inside, possibly from a paw, with lengths of split tendon strung from one end. The other held a dark matted strip of fur and hide. Their labels were ambiguous, certainly of Kristen's devising. The gristly remnants made her uneasy, so she wrapped the vials back up.
"Oh shit," Jack breathed. He looked up from reading the paper, then down at the vials in the box. "So she almost had this in her grasp. Chief Bogo, Tarija recently learned of the existence of these remains from a rural newspaper and just gave me a priority assignment to find and secure them. I will also soon coordinate with several teams tasked with recovering live feral animals." Jack looked to her again. "I seem to have moved up in their world."
"I saw Tarija talking with Clawhauser," Judy said. "He had to have just put it under the counter—maybe a foot away? She talked with me too, told me you had that assignment up in Bunnyburrow and wanted me to assist, but didn't say any more about it."
"I don't know about you Hopps, but my heart won't tolerate many more of these coincidences!" Jack gave her an awkward smile. "Tarija also insinuated that I might use our coming close partnership as an opportunity to…seduce you to the dark side."
"That doesn't surprise me as much as it should, Hopps," Bogo mused. "Although it fits in with my earlier discussion with Savage. We think at present, the conspiracy is widespread but shallow, as illustrated by his own hasty promotion; they desperately need committed recruits to take advantage of these recent opportunities. Now about this," the chief indicated the box, "a testing sample?"
"Yes," Jack said. "This is part of our best evidence that primitive mammals are alive today. Our doctor friends want to get this genetically sequenced to absolutely prove it." Jack gently waved the paper. "Alder and Soren don't want this done by any of their colleagues at the university, they say it would be impossible for them to keep a discovery of this magnitude secret. They suggested that we make a discreet approach to an independent genetics lab near Zootopia General Hospital."
"Using proxy deliveries. Well-done Savage, you've already got your scientists thinking about operational security." Bogo's brief expression of approval then fled from the unfamiliar terrain of his face. "Now to Officer Wilde; you seem confident that Mrs. Wilde can make adequate arrangements for his security—and that once you two leave, that she will serve as my only informed local contact?"
"We don't really have a choice anymore," Jack admitted, "however, as we did, you may find her more useful than you might expect. She will insist upon meeting with you as soon as Officer Wilde's fall from grace hits the media, as would be expected of any concerned parent. She should prove a competent actress. That's your opportunity to arrange ways to safely utilize—and protect—her, since by then her son will be…elsewhere."
"Do you concur Hopps? I seem to have lost one Wilde for another," Bogo glanced at his clock, "in less than a day." He leaned closer to listen to her, as his expression implied that a far longer respite from vulpine responsibility would have been most welcome.
"Yes chief, I do." Judy decided he could use some more reassurance. "You should be relieved to know that I think Mrs. Wilde got most of the maturity in her family."
"I certainly hope so—assuming there was enough to start with considering how little was imparted to her child. Let us hope he is able to acquire some more by the time we get our officer back."
Judy felt the chief's attempt at optimism fell flat given their circumstances, but she still had to appreciate the implied respect for Nick he'd shown. Jack passed her an expanded code card—his comment about Bogo's suggestions interrupted by a text notification. He opened it and gave the kind of sigh that Nick would have found cute if she'd done it.
"Oh well. No peace for the pursued. It's a ticket confirmation from Tarija's office; we're on the 6:15 tonight to Bunnyburrow. My, they are in a hurry aren't they?" Jack picked up the sample box and hopped off the desk. "Duty calls chief Bogo, and we've got six hours to deliver and explain this, pack, and make arrangements for our late arrival."
Judy waved her smartphone at him, then finished her message. "That's done. All I have to do is tell the folks I'm coming home and they'll have someone at the station to pick us up. They know when it arrives! You'll stay at our place, we have plenty of guest rooms."
"Only a guest room Miss Hopps?" Jack gallantly offered his paw and a broad smile, then needlessly over assisted her down from the desk. "I've been directed to commence my assignment as soon as possible! At least my case officer will be pleased there's progress."
"Just keep me informed about your investigations!" Bogo then snorted and waved them out petulantly. Judy was certain he'd be cradling his head as soon as the door closed.
Judy stepped off the tram and crossed the street towards the architectural hodgepodge of periodic expansions that was Zootopia General Hospital. Several other structures surrounded the main sprawl—fortunately there was a well placed map display to alleviate the confusion. It directed her to the most modern of the ancillary buildings, a modest sized glass and steel edifice identified by polished letters above the entrance as the Honeywell Genetic Counselling Centre.
Counselling? Somehow that didn't seem sufficiently analytical. She'd headed over as soon as she spotted the name Honeywell on the directory. Jack had said he'd meet her here by three if possible, otherwise she was to go ahead without him. He still had ten minutes, so she decided to wait for him out here.
They'd gone to her apartment and cleaned out the mini fridge for a quick lunch; then Jack left for his hotel to pack and 'run some errands'. Judy knew one of them was named Skye. That gave her time to inform the landlady of her planned absence, change back into her everybunny clothes, and pack what little she needed to go home. Actually, the bulk of that was her uniform—their investigation should be mostly undercover, but a majority of the family had yet to personally see her in it.
Five after and no Jack, she couldn't put this off any longer. The door admitted her to a waiting area finished in soft pastel colors—like those of her flying bunny gift bag with the samples inside. To one side a jackal sat with a coyote, their paws crossed; they watched her walk over to the reception window to step up on the mid-sized mammal riser. That got Judy high enough to see the gnu receptionist, who noticed and turned away from her paperwork.
"Good afternoon Miss, and welcome to the Honeywell Centre…can I get you to sign in here?" The receptionist handed over an appropriately sized tablet, and directed Judy's gaze to the sign-in. As she reached out to take the tablet, she noticed the gnu's nameplate, identifying the receptionist as Natalie Clove. The bulky bovid turned away and consulted her computer. "I don't see anyone of your species on today's schedule."
"Uh, I don't have an appointment ma'am, but it's important that I talk to someone who can do some genetic testing for me." Judy started to feel some doubts about this place.
"Do you have a referral from your physician, Mrs…?" The gnu was scrutinizing her carefully.
"I'm sorry, I need to keep this as private as possible. It's really important that I talk with someone in authority." Judy had tried to keep her voice down, but not by enough, she heard padding behind her. She turned to see the young jackal—who'd begun to show—her presumed boyfriend or mate had apparently been told to stay put.
"It's alright Hun, they're discreet," the jackal said soothingly from a polite pace back. "This is our fourth time here and they're careful with personal privacy." Natalie smiled at Judy in confirmation as the jackal returned to her seat.
"Thank you Lilla, Dr. Hawthorne should be ready for you soon," the receptionist said as she glanced over at her monitor again before fixing her gaze on Judy.
"Now miss, normally walk ins aren't an issue, however, we're quite short staffed today, and only two physicians are on call. If I could have your name, I could put you down for our next open consultation on May eleventh."
A rush filled Judy's ears as she took in the soothing décor, the young inter couple, their concerns with…this was a fertility clinic! Her eyes frantically latched onto the brochure rack next to the window—the first one to seize her attention was…The Adoption Option!
Judy was given a new patient form; she walked over to the entrance in frustration to see if Jack had come yet. Nothing—she had to have made a mistake.
Judy turned back to admit that and ask where she needed to go, only to see a gazelle come through the door from deeper inside the facility and veer towards her after a brief exchange with Natalie in reception.
"Good morning," she said, and offered Judy her hoof in greeting. "I'm Ellen Antlerson, one of the Centre's counselors. I understand that you have some personal questions, and if you'll come with me I'll do my best to give you some answers."
Judy followed her silently; at least she gotten past the receptionist and might get more useful answers from this one. They passed several large mammal exam rooms and she was ushered into an office down a cross hallway.
"I'm not a patient!" Judy raised her paws and preempted Ellen before either of them took a seat. "I just need to get some genetic testing done on this." She pulled the sample box out of her bag. "With as few people knowing about it as possible!"
"Now miss…oh very well. We here at Honeywell specialize in prenatal genetics and care; we don't have the staff to devote to more routine screening that can…a moment." Ellen listened to her desk phone and finished with an, "I understand."
"Your confidentiality is very important to us Amy, and your mate just arrived. I'll be right back with him." The gazelle gracefully swept out of the room and left Judy to glower at Jack's presumptive cover story—although it was a reminder that she'd been wise to conceal her identity so far. Unfortunately, when Ellen returned with Jack, she gently insisted upon some form of identification from them.
"You never saw this and we were never here," Jack said darkly as he pulled back his agency warrant. After Ellen had hurried out and closed her door, he gave Judy a wry smile and said, "You have no idea how long I've waited to say that!"
"We want these people to help us dear!" Judy admonished. "That requires an apology." Jack nodded and they waited to see if this new Dr. Wilson could provide what they needed.
The door opened almost a half-hour later and an older brown-furred rabbit in the expected surgical scrubs and white coat paused, paw on handle, to take stock of them. "If you'll both follow me, we can give Ms. Antlerson her office back and you can tell me what is so important that it has you seeking aid from a maternity clinic?" The buck led them up to the second floor, and into a rather spacious office. As they entered, Judy glanced at the plaque beside the door that encouragingly said 'Director and Chief Physician'.
Doctor Wilson motioned towards a pair of vacant chairs and bade them to sit. Jack took a moment to look around the room before nodding to Judy; she placed the opened box and her ID alongside his on the doctor's desk.
"I'm Dr. Doug Wilson, agent Savage…and Officer Hopps," he said with evident surprise directed her way. "Who referred you to us?" he said as he pulled a vial out and examined it. "This is clearly a forensics issue, and is quite outside the work that we perform here."
"I'd rather not say for everybody's safety doctor," Jack said. "You were recommended for the security that you can hopefully provide for us. To start, were you at all involved with the savage predator crisis last year?" Dr. Wilson's expression clearly answered that.
"Those events I'd prefer not to be reminded of agent Savage. At first we assumed the rest of the medical profession had things under control, later we did considerable work to determine if there was any genetic component to the behavioral regressions—and after the toxin was characterized, we did help to verify its biochemical effects." Dr. Wilson paused and gave Jack a penetrating gaze before coming to a decision. "We soon realized that our efforts were being hindered by elements within city government—requested samples gone missing, restrictions on needed medical information, even our reports edited without our knowledge!"
"Please don't take this the wrong way doctor, but I'm glad to hear that," Jack said firmly before glancing at Judy. They gave the doctor time for his thoughts and watched his ears gradually droop behind his head.
"So here you are agent," Dr. Wilson said slowly and clearly, "unwilling to use the certainly adequate resources of both the ZBI and the ZPD, and in the company of the officer responsible for exposing the assistant mayor's conspiracy. It went beyond her and you didn't get all of it then, did you?"
"No we didn't. Bellwether was part of something greater, but set them back when she acted prematurely. It remains rooted within several federal agencies, has regrown, and what this sample represents could advance their agenda considerably." Jack reached to lift the box. "In the wrong paws this could result in the violent removal of many predatory species from society. In the right ones, it will still shock and spread suspicion among a lot of us."
"If this is just a sample, there should be many researchers who could identify it from the morphology of the rest," said Dr. Wilson, apparently choosing for the moment to consider the immediate problem rather than its broader ramifications.
"That's not the issue Dr. Wilson," Judy said. "We already know it's a Coypu. The individual this came from died about six months ago, we need you to compare it to a modern Coypu and determine its genetic age."
"Our scientific source for this sample, mentioned something called a molecular clock," Jack added. "They're afraid the university lab, and others, could not contain a discovery this significant, and are themselves likely already suspect and under surveillance due to their awareness of another suppressed discovery."
"Oh Spirits, you're serious." The Senior Physician sat up straighter and reached for the box. "Have they made an estimate of how primitive this Coypu ancestor—no, I suppose it must be a cousin—might be?"
"All here doctor," Jack held up the paper from the box. "One of us, or one of them," Jack waved the paper, "will contact you when we need this information. If things go badly wrong like last time, contact Chief Bogo of the ZPD.
"You are asking quite a lot of us Agent Savage, and implying personal risk. I'm not going to risk harm befalling any of the staff or patients here simply on your word alone. Aside from the presence of Officer Hopps, do you have any other corroboration of this?"
"None I feel comfortable sharing. However, I gave you the power of life and death over both myself and my investigation as soon as I showed you my badge," Jack said flatly.
"I see…I understand what you want, but you need to know that practically, it might be quite difficult," said Dr. Wilson. "DNA degrades rapidly after death Mr. Savage, so I'd like to know the interval between that and this." He gently tapped a vial.
"Best guess four or five months, the remains were found washed down a streambed and did not reach expert paws until recently." Jack's expression echoed Judy's thought of—well; it was worth a shot.
"Warm and wet is the worst case; ideally you want frozen or rapidly desiccated," said a disappointed Dr. Wilson. "We'd be lucky to recover even one percent of this genome. That said, if we can find any recognizable regions, we still may be able to pin down when the two populations diverged, but given the age of the sample, and the conditions it was exposed to, the odds are we won't be able give you many answers. Even so Officer Hopps, that will not be the 'genetic age' you mentioned, evolution is not a steady linear progression, each branch proceeds differently, in accordance with its environment."
"We just need some form of additional proof that this is a primitive animal that was alive very recently," Jack said and passed over the paper. "Similar evidence exists, but most has already been seized by government authorities involved with the conspiracy. Hence our need for secrecy."
"I realize that," said Dr. Wilson. "Your need and my own curiosity leads me to accept this task—with conditions! Our patients come first; I will not allow this to interfere in any way with the care we provide. It could take considerable time, and I will require the assistance of at least two others on our staff. Don't be concerned, we are a tightly knit team; several of us have been together since we opened our doors almost nine years ago, and I know whom to trust with this."
"I assumed that might be the case," Jack admitted. "Hopefully you will have all the time you require doctor, I don't expect to need these results for at least a month, or more."
"What about paying for this doctor?" Judy asked. "We can't access any funds for you without revealing to the conspiracy what we're doing. We're afraid some of them may be in his chain of command!"
"We can cover immediate costs; just keep society together officers, so there's someone to send the bill to!" Dr. Wilson stood, took the sample box, walked them down the hall to an elevator and stopped them back on the first floor. "This will be secure down in the lab, your exit is through those doors ahead."
More mammals were starting to board the train, so Judy lifted her bag and joined them, not wanting to be excluded from the best seats. There were already several other rabbits seated around the forward rim of the third car's tall mammal cupola as she climbed up, but the back was empty. She sat, saved another space for Jack with her bag and hoped the hare made it here before departure.
This was her preferred place due to the expansive view, which now allowed her to scan the station for any approaching exotically striped ears. He had seven more minutes—If he didn't make it, she'd have until ten tomorrow to lower the family's expectations before he finally arrived.
Jack did, wearily mounting the narrow steps to plop into his seat. "We've got problems, but they can wait a bit," he said quietly. "Figured you'd be up here."
"Didja see those ears! Gotta be a hare, he's so tall. What're their problems!" The soft youthful voices seemed to come from immediately in front of them. She shared a look with Jack; the shape of the cupola made for a good whisper gallery. He looked around carefully for a few seconds, then leaned forward and to one side.
"I wonder if the parents approve of their talking that way about us commissioner!" The startle reaction from adults and kits alike at the other end was satisfying, and everybody remained silent as the express accelerated out of the station. Once they passed the Palm Hotel and moved out onto the causeway over the bay; the view behind became spectacular. The sun was low enough to scatter brilliant reflections across much of downtown, and Jack acknowledged her choice of seats with an appreciative nod. Judy watched the scene behind recede, and wondered how many more sunsets would see Zootopia's ideals remain intact.
Dusk was well advanced when they relocated to some reasonably secluded seats in the last car. Jack pulled out two Grab-N-Go meals and rapidly finished off both of them after she politely declined his offer of one.
"Good news first," Jack said after his last swallow. "Agents Kristen and Vivian have been very busy today and have completed most of their assignments, as well as another under their own initiative. I'm actually proud of both of them!"
"Admit it Savage. You have a thing for slinky vixens. Or is it just long fluffy tails?" Being a hare, his also rather outclassed hers in that department. "Won't that make it quite bothersome for you to seduce little old me!" she wheedled at him.
"Maybe so miss Hopps." He smirked back and opened his briefcase to show her some new phones. "We now have enough burners—they gave me these at the rendezvous point they set up at the Soren's auto business. It's more than adequate. Vivian's confident that she'll have Nick's new ID in a day or two, as well as one of her own at his suggestion. The Soren's also sold her a used car at an inflated price to launder a few thousand extra for him."
"That sounds really dangerous Jack! That makes an obvious connection between all of them right when Nick's declared a fugitive. Kristen and Vivian are already being watched!"
Kristen's got that covered! Tomorrow's Friday, and that's when their business deposits checks and does other banking. Vivian lives in the area; she predated her check to last week and the paperwork for the car reflects that. Nick's new status hasn't been publicly revealed yet, and there's no way she could have known about that anyway. Further, she'll have the car, so no apparent benefit there to Nick, but she will have greater mobility if needed.
"I also briefed her more fully and suggested that in our absence she might be needed as a go-between for the ZPD, the Growley's, and Pouncet's. Should have seen her face, Judy!"
"She's probably already started to look through her outfits to see if she can fix up something acceptable to high society!" A brief sympathetic laugh escaped Judy's lips; she'd had some recent reminders of her own lack of stylish wear.
"Vivian wasn't our only busy vixen," Jack said, "we arranged for Skye to have covert access to the ZPD network this morning—she dug around for a couple of hours and found a lot. Ever since her assignment to remand Bellwether to federal custody, we'd wondered about the current disposition of others involved with the crisis. Turns out Lionheart's also in federal custody, 'held for pending charges,' with no other information available about his present status or even location! The same for that sheep chemist Ramses, and at least one of the sheep ex ZPD officers. The only ones that appear to be still incarcerated locally are low-level hired muscle and the like."
"I thought mayor Lionheart had already been released…or was about to be," Judy tried to keep her voice below the notice of other ears in the car.
"Apparently, so does the news media for the moment," Jack pointed out. "That gives us one usable countermeasure, we might cause some disruption of plans if we feed that tidbit to the Growley's. However, Bogo suggested we hold onto that one for at least a few days, and I agree." Jack pulled out a folded newspaper sheet and gave it to her.
"They've ramped up their media campaign against predators somewhat faster than I expected, seems the conspiracy is feeling the time pressure. Skye found this published in at least four major cities today after only a cursory look on-line."
This is bad, Judy thought as she read. The article claimed that at least three nighthowler affected predators had suffered what was being called an 'atavistic flashback', an abrupt and unpredictably delayed return to savage violence. No names or incident information was given for claimed privacy reasons—which she knew would only serve to throw suspicion onto any predator even marginally linked to the prior crisis.
"It's another agency pseudonym and front, so any inquiries from legitimate news organizations will allow them to be fed corroborating information! And they'll run with it!" groused Jack, "controversy and ratings are their mother's milk."
"Don't we have some kind of in with the media due to the Growley's?" she asked him.
"Not really, Fabienne's just a presenter, they don't own ZNN. She can plant a story; I don't think she could kill one like this." Jack filed the paper away and gave her another that looked like a screen shot. "
"Dr. Jarvis Ulric's office vandalized, and home robbed two days ago," Jack summarized. "They're blaming the former on a disgruntled student, but this has government stink all over it. They didn't say anything about Ulric himself." Jack busied himself with his smartphone. "Let me see if there's any update on that before we run into signal issues out here."
Judy left him to it and looked outside. Full night had fallen and there was no moon to illuminate the landscape, so she could only see occasional lights pass in the distance. Except for one more intermediate stop, it would be like this for almost the next two hours. She was idly wondering which—and how many—family members would meet them at the station when Jack finally drew her attention.
"Our Fairfield investigator has now apparently vanished. If his paranoia was in good order, he's on the run like Nick. If not, the conspiracy may have taken care of a loose end."
"You're not suggesting that they killed him are you?" Judy was horrified that the conspirators would resort to that so readily—and that their own lives might now be at risk if they were exposed.
"I'll assume Judy that your uncomfortable with the realization they'd have to go to these lengths to cover up prey culpability with that meat farm—rather than just being charmingly naive. This also tells us that doctors Alder and Soren are at more immediate risk since they're known to be aware of the Fairfield evidence, and Skye even more so! Now I've got some messaging to do!" Jack swapped his smartphone for one of the burners.
Judy shifted closer to the window to acknowledge that and looked out at nothing as they kept rolling further into the darkness.
A.N. Thanks to eng050599 for arranging our visit to the Honeywell Centre. His admittedly rather dark fic Lost Causes & Broken Dreams and its copious scientific notes, is an excellent introduction to reproductive genetics.
Our next exciting installment will be—Chapter Fifteen: Out of the Frying Pan. It's in the works—hopefully without any more fluff-induced delays!