A Fox in the Machine

by Blkdragon7

A deep dive into the psychosis of my muse. This one is both light hearted and dark as hell. In either case, it should be fun. Any summary beyond that would give away the farm, as it were.

13. Chapter 13

Hello again my good and loyal readers. Welcome to chapter 13 of A Fox in the Machine.

I do not own Zootopia or its characters, that's Disney. I only own my own OC's.

Anyway. On with the show, such as it is.

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Chapter 13

Over the following week Nick settled into being alive again, getting to know Piberius and what they became, and generally learning to be alive again while not just a head being tortured. Judy, Nick, and Chet found their rhythm as a trio, including in the bedroom. Nick also got to get out and explore what the world had become in the years since his death.

Nick's return to the living, and the revelations of what he had been subjected to, made him a minor celebrity. Judy, with massively improved designs provided by Piberius, got back to work as a hunter while Nick worked through counseling. Chet took on a larger role in the band and as a full manager of the chop shop. Nick even got into the act and did some singing on a few new songs.

Once the initial fervor calmed down after the rescue., most mammals understood that The Borg was Judy, and that she had a direct paw in the events of that day. The media was slowly digging through the data store that would likely take years to pull all the truly juicy bits out of, resulting in a new story about the misdeeds, horrors, and nightmares committed by GenoM. With Genom pretty much dead in the water, Judy and team were even able to start selling branded cybernetics again, thus rebuilding what GenoM stole from her, after they stole Nick. The Brand WHS, which stood for WildeHoppsSteel, for Nick, Judy, and Chet, became the name to know in the cybernetics market if you wanted top of the line with an upper middle grade price.

That return to the cyberware scene resulted in them getting hit with threatening letters from the remains of GenoM. Something Piberius shut down fast, as he was able to show that many of the critical patents needed to make him a reality were stolen from Judy during the corporate espionage stage. GenoM, and specifically their lawyers, really didn't need that coming out while already burning through money so fast they made it seem like a sport as they defended themselves against every new revelation coming out of the data store.

GenoM's issues were made much worse because they were getting no help from the government or military, given that a lot of the top secret projects that were now exposed were government contracts. Lots of politicians were in the hot seat, if not looking at potential charges themselves. Things like biowarfare stuff, and the micro-fusion weapons Piberius had used to destroy his organic host, as well as the Boomer facilities were less than savory projects. Given the use of deliberately damaged brains and the uploaded stolen patterns of Nick for the Boomers. Plus mammals were kinda nervous about genetically tailored plagues that targeted specific species. Worst, was the revelation that they were actively trying to create a tailored plague to turn any infected mammal permanently savage. That was one that Henrietta was a lead on, and one of the reasons she was one of the most wanted mammals on the planet.

Many attempts were made to find and destroy the servers that hosted Piberius' data store by the remains of GenoM, senior members of the government, military, etc… As it implicated many of them in the absolute horror and atrocities committed against marginalized mammals, mammals in general, and prisoners recorded as deceased but actually used as experimental subjects. Meaning just about every species had an example or twenty of a member of their species being vivisected, alive, for some twisted experiment.

As far as the Department of Justice was concerned, it was making filing charges against mammals almost too easy. The fact that Piberius was able to log, track, and document the attempts to destroy the data store, only made things worse, as it was seen as attempts to destroy evidence. A lot of mammals were going to be going to prison, if they hadn't already escaped the country.

None of the attempts to locate and destroy the data were successful, nor could they be, because the servers were all virtual. A few gigabytes here, a hundred there, spread across the net. Meaning, there was no way to actually destroy the servers or the data. It was also almost always in motion except when being accessed. Which is how they tended to try and target it. Access it, keep reading it to trace it, then hit that location. Even if they were able to destroy a part of it, it was duplicated dozens of times across the net, making the effort pointless.

In the end, the President took a widely criticized action and pardoned a large portion of the mammals implicated. He got away with it because those that he pardoned were just doing their jobs, such as lower level researchers, security guards, and the like. Those that either wouldn't know that wider implications, or were only tangentially a part of problematic work by GenoM. Even those who should have, or did, but were in a spot that they clearly could not have come forward as a whistle blower without risking their lives and the lives of family. Something proven true in the documentation of murders and assassinations of dozens of mammals who tried to raise an alarm. A good number of the V and C level executives also got those pardons, though their job prospects were places like BuggaBurger on the overnight shift. However, researchers and advanced techs like Henrietta, the ewe that tortured Nick, were not on that list. Mammals demanded their pound of flesh, and researchers like her got to be the proverbial scapegoat.

Laverne and Piberius grew, spending as much time on the net as in their bodies, despite their capabilities as advanced and powerful AI. They also found the pleasures of the physical, be that a meal or sex, to be too alluring to totally forego.

Six months after the rescue of Piberius the discussion turned, specifically between Nick, Judy, and Chet.

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Nick rolled his eyes. "Judy. I don't understand, and I am pretty sure Chet doesn't either. What is the issue, Fluff? Piberius has perfected the new body, artificial womb and all. We've got the embryo's already created. It's just a matter of…" Pausing at the look from her. "What?"

Judy's look softened, and she gave a deep, tired sigh. "It's just. There's one thing that we must deal with first. I've put it off, but before we do this. Before we become a family like that. We need to deal with this."

Chet sat up on the bed. "What is it? Is the womb not going to work? Did the genetic mixing fail with me? With Nick?"

Shaking her head with a smile. "Nothing like that." Pointing to the screen on the wall opposite the bed. "We just have to decide what to do with… her…." The screen lit up with a view of a cell. Inside said cell was an ewe they all knew well. "She's not missing. We've had her from day one of the rescue. We… Piberius and I have discussed it. Laverne wanted to burn her like a witch of old. Maybe vivisect her and then hang her on a pike in the middle of Savannah Center, with some mods so she couldn't die but feel all of it. Same with skinning her. Then there was the discussion of cutting her up in such a way that all her parts were separated into individual biological systems and suspended in some bio-medium. Thus turning her into a living biology text, again making modifications so she can feel it all but never die.

Laverne was very… creative… in some of the ways she wanted to deal with her. We, Piberius and I, overrode that. Finally, Piberius and Laverne agreed that it should be left to us. More to the point, you, Nick. She showed up just as Piberius was finishing his download, planning on doing what, I'm not sure. She did have one of those fusion grenades, so maybe she was going to blow him up? Not sure what her plan was. We've just been waiting for things to calm down. Before we move forward and become a family. It's something we need to do."

Nick was focused on the video. "Is… is this live?"

"Yes. She's had access to the news and such, but carefully restricted and controlled by Piberius. That being, she has not been able to send anything out, only view and read. That, and as far as she knows, she's only been here a few weeks."

Nick nodded. "I see. My first instinct is to just turn off the lights and let her stew there for a few years. Then, after that, cut her head off and let her enjoy that feeling while being kept alive. Maybe hook her brain up with some electrodes and stimulate her pain centers. See just how much that cunt can take."

On the screen, she was spinning around. "Hello?"

Nick laughed. "Oh, she can hear me? Good. Do you hear that? That's what I would want to do with you. See how much pain you can take before your brain gives out. Then flip the script and see just how much pleasure you can take before your brain gives out. Trust me, it's far worse than dealing with the pain. The brain has insulations against pain. It has evolved protections against pain, and there are levels above which it won't really register as any worse. Even just turning off pain response entirely. Pleasure is different. The brain isn't designed for just pure pleasure stimulation. It doesn't know what to do with it. It's agony. It's addictive. It's horror. There is no worse torture. You… You just want it to stop, but you don't."

Nick turned to Judy. "Is there a way to give her an implant, maybe a modification of her implant to stimulate her pleasure center and just keep it stimulated?"

Judy gave a grim smile. "Yeah. Would be pretty easy, actually. Would be a simple extension of what we use for Piberius, Laverne, and myself to provide the pleasure experience from sex, etc… Especially with the new upgraded bodies we will all be moving into."

Nick nodded. "That's what the modifications of your housing are for then? Direct connections to the new body?"

Judy nodded. "Yep. With that, unless the body itself is destroyed, I won't be body hopping anymore. I'm okay with that though." Turning her attention to the screen. "We'll be down shortly, Henrietta." The ewe looked around as the screen went black, terror on her face.

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Several hours later, Nick, Chet, and Judy stood outside the cell within which was the ewe that tortured and murdered Nick multiple times in order to create Piberius. Who, through the GenoM corporation, lied about Nick's failed eChip, stole his genetic sample, and then used him as little more than a disposable piece of equipment. His mind. His very person, treated as nothing more than a battery to be used and discarded.

Nick stared into the cell as they stood on the other side of a one way wall. "I… I don't know how to feel. I know what she did, but I've been in counseling to help me deal with what was done. Though my counselor also says it would be good for me to confront her, if I can. I kinda expected that to be in a courtroom for a victim statement."

Judy nodded. "It can be that. I can push a button and she will wake up in a ZPD holding cell. Mike's kinda been bugging me about her. We could also set up a safe house for her, and then drop a tip. We've got her tagged in a dozen ways. There is no place on this planet she can hide from us."

Chet chuckled. "Well, if that is the case. How about this? We dump her. We tag her a few more times in obvious manners, things she can locate, things she could have a back alley cyber-doc find. Let her run, even help her a bit. Keep most off her trail, allow a few to get close and spook her. Then, Nick can be in her room. A projection or something, maybe we modify her eyes with one of those bio implants Piberius has come up with. That way she can see him. You can have a conversation with her, and to anyone but her, she looks insane. A cyberdoc isn't going to know to look for a bionetic implant, or even what it is if they notice it."

Judy grinned wickedly. "Oh, I like that. Whenever you feel like it, Nick, you can connect and tease her. She can spend the rest of her life on the run. They are going to try her in absentia if they don't find her in a few more months. We can monitor her, and if she is breaking down, thinking of turning herself in."

Nick nodded. "I like it. I like that better than the torture of pleasure I was talking about. It's… It's why I'm so nervous when we have sex. It's just. The pleasure, it's so good, and it's real, but then I want more and more, and…"

Judy and Chet pulled Nick into a hug, Judy speaking. "We understand that you have issues Nick. It's okay. We do not take it as anything but part of everything else. You've been through so much, we'd be bad mates indeed if we judged you for that."

Chet continued. "And whenever your counselor wants us to come in, we'll be there in an instant, you know that. I know it can be hard to express, if it's possible at all."

Nick sighed and snuggled into the hug, holding on tightly. "Thanks, guys. After everything, it can be hard to remember at times that this is all real, and all that is over." After several long moments, Nick released the hug and turned back to the ewe. "Now, let's give her some hints as to the horror that will fill the rest of her life. With this plan, even if she does end up in prison, I can still bother her."

Judy nodded and tapped a small icon on the wall, the wall going transparent. "Hello, Henrietta. Doing badly, I hope."

The ewe spun to face them. Seeing Nick, her muzzle flashed from shock to rage and settled on a bit of fear and apprehension. "Uhm…"

"Oh, don't worry. You'll be getting out of here soon. We have finally decided what we are going to do with you."

Nick nodded with a grin showing all his teeth. "Hello, Doc. So, we're obviously not going to go into a lot of details. I'm sure you can give some guesses. We're going to tag you. I'm thinking of one of those old ear tags, or maybe three. I think they used to do that through the tail too, so we'll do that. A few under-skin tags too. That way we can keep track of you. Then, you get to go free. We'll keep an eye on you. Make sure you are safe. Eating well. Not getting involved with people you shouldn't, things like that.

We're still deciding where in the world to let you go. It'll be somewhere we can do physical check-in's every so often. Stop by and say hi. Get a meal. And that will be the rest of your life. No matter where you go, you can be guaranteed to know that we will be watching. Everything you do, everywhere you go. We will be watching. That old song will be your life. Just not unrequited love. Every step you take. Every move you make. We'll be watching you. You'll need to keep your head on a swivel, keep watching over your shoulder. You'll see me, or Judy, Chet, or a collection of us, there. Be sure to say hi when you see us. Make sure you know Chet here, because he might take offense if you don't notice him."

"You can't do that!"

Judy chuckled darkly. "Actually, that's exactly what we are going to do. You see, you have actually been here for more than six months. You've been given a drug that suppresses memory formation. We'll have this conversation a few more times as we prepare you to be released. Kinda a rehash, make sure our lines work. Some dress rehearsals, as it were, before we take you off the drug so you can actually remember and know why you are seeing Nick. Then… we'll let you go.

You murdered him dozens of times, for no more reason than because you could and you enjoyed his screams. You killed him. Murdered him hundreds of additional times as you worked out the kinks. You're going to spend the rest of your life in fear. A very long life. You're going to spend the rest of your life wondering where and when one of us is going to appear." Pressing the button on the wall and turning it opaque again.

Nick grinned. "Oh, that's just beautiful. Please tell me that once she has the implants, you'll wean her off said drugs and we'll play out the meeting a few times. Stop the clipping of her hooves and wool so she can notice that it's getting longer, then clip it but not being on the drugs…"

Judy nodded wickedly. "Oh, I like that. Let her think she's getting over on us. That she's overcoming the drug, etc…"

Chet laughed. "I like this plan. How soon can it be enacted?"

A hologram of Piberius and Laverne appeared, Piberius speaking. "Oh, I very much like this plan too. I've got her genetic sample on file, just in case Judy decided to filet her for a mutton, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. I mean, you did threaten it a few times." Judy shrugged as Nick and Chet laughed, Piberius continuing. "Something I think we ought to do. Grow a few lamb steaks from her sample and you guys can have them for a meal, out here, during the final stages where she thinks she's overcome the drug. As for the implants, I'll get those designed immediately and we'll have them grown by tomorrow. The sooner we get her out of here the sooner we can start torturing her."

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Once all the tags, trackers, and upgrades were finished, they kept her on the drug until just after her trial was completed. Ready to enact the plan and release her. Nick, Judy, and Chet were again standing outside the cell and watching Henrietta as she rewatched a six month old news program.

Judy grinned at the ewe as she tapped the button turning the wall transparent again. "You know, Henrietta. We have discussed and debated many options to torture you, kill you, in many slow and horrific ways. Tortures born of the horrors you inflicted on Nick."

The ewe spun around angrily. "When I get out, you're going to be sorry you disgusting beasts. Your perversion will be exposed and I will be vindicated." The venom in her voice was palpable.

Nick laughed. "You've been here going on 8 months, Doc. Fed a drug that prevents memory recording in your brain and therefore your eChip." Tapping a few keys on a forearm mounted control, the news flipping to current. "You're one of the most wanted mammals on the planet. That drug, you've been cut off now. You're gonna wake up with a nasty headache in the morning.

You're also gonna be tagged, like the beast you are. Like some ancient livestock. In fact, check your ears. They're already there. We've also added a few trackers. We're letting you go. Your trial started last week. Verdict expected tonight, which is why we're releasing you. They're talking about reinstating the death penalty. Just for you. That wasn't even discussed as an option for you sister."

She looked out aghast as Nick continued. "Yeah. You're gonna want to run. We're giving you a head start, because of the trackers. You're getting a week before we pass the frequency off to the highest bidder. Gonna give you a chance to run and hide.

We are going to give you a chance I wasn't given. To live. We're gonna look in on you every so often. Make sure you're eating well. Not getting in with the wrong crowd. Like I said. You're the most wanted mammal and everyone knows what you did. So there are lots of mammals of an unsavory nature that would want to use you. I mean, we've even considered turning you in ourselves. A seventy five million Z bounty, alive or viable eChip, is nothing to sneeze at, and that was just upon your conviction in absentia. I can only imagine that it will go up for the next few years.

I'm also quite certain there are many more that would want to make a meal out of you for what you did. But don't worry. We'll be there to save your wool. So just remember. When you're walking down the street and you see one of us in a cafe. Make sure you stop and say hello."

She glared out at them. "You're monsters! I will do no such thing."

Chet laughed, though there was no humor in the sound. "You think you have a choice? You're bait. A worm on a hook to allow Judy and Nick to catch mammals arguably as bad or worse than you. Just when you think you're clear of us, we're going to remind you who owns you. You may not be in a cell, but make no mistake. No matter where you go. What you do. Who you know. You belong to us."

Judy reached up, pausing over the button. "Sleep well, Henrietta. Really. This is your last night as a free mammal, despite being in a cell." Pausing. "Oh, and by the way. This was just a dry run. We wanted to see if our speeches are as smooth and working as well as we think. I think this one works well, better than the last few. Nick?"

Nick nodded with a grin. "Yes. Definitely the best so far. I say we go with it."

Chet smiled with a nod as well. "Agreed. Adding my part did the trick."

Judy smiled. "Too bad she won't remember this part in the morning." Judy then hit the button. Henrietta fell asleep suddenly due to the gas added to her cell while they discussed the speech. Some spots of wool were shaved shorter, as if over healed surgical locations.

She was then awakened and played a recording of the talk, with clothes changed on Nick, Judy, and Chet, courtesy of Piberius and Laverne. This was done four times, before she was actually knocked out for transport. The last instance without the conversation at the end about how well it worked.

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GenoM as a corporation was chopped up by the government and sold. The public release of the horrors, many government sanctioned, was too much to let the company persist. This was one of those rare situations where the top echelon of a company got lead parachutes instead of gold ones, and a few actually ended up with decades in prison, if not worse. Even those that got pardon's were now infamous, targets of lawsuits, and had job prospects that were, at best, BuggaBurger on the midnight shift.

Nick, Judy, and Chet had a total of seven kits together, combinations of the three of them. Two were Nick and Judy, two were Judy and Chet, two a combination of Nick and Chet, accomplished by a careful combing of their combined genetic samples. Their final kit was a combination of the three of them.

They were happy as a family, as a trio, and as parents. Their kits took over the corporation they built, being one of the companies to whom large chunks of GenoM were sold. Given the evidence of the takeover, corporate espionage, and that those were large contributors to GenoM's status and success, WHS got first claim on many pieces of GenoM.

Two of those kits, the Judy/Nick pair, were the ones to finally break their parents' records in the ZPD and become the new gold-standard for a team. As well as achieving Chief of Police at Precinct One, and ZPD Commissioner between the two of them.