09
live & let die
A reminder to everyone that this work is under 'T or PG-13' rating as it contains situation that would require some form of 'trigger warning' (like assault, blood, suicide, violence, etc.) which the author (yours truly) wants to reiterate with an imperative sentence: PLEASE READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.
There was a clang of bolts, and the door opened, revealing yet another polar bear —who undoubtedly was the largest out of everyone Jack had seen tonight — in a black suit with a gun in his paw who stepped aside as the odd pair went through into a carpeted hallway.
'The Boss will see him now.' he said and gestured to the door facing them.
With a brief knock, Raymond nodded at him. "Thanks, Kozlov." He opened the door and led the way through.
Two other mammals, a scared-face jaguar and a middle-aged otter, escorted the jackrabbit to a small leather armchair once the previous mammal in charge released him. They sat him down to face an elder shrew in a miniature high-backed chair, behind an expensive desk, watching them quietly.
It was a relief to be rid of Raymond's vice-like hands. All sensation had left the agent's forearm as he let them hang beside him and welcomed the dull pain as blood started to flow again.
Mr. Big was still looking at him, his head resting against the back of his seat, and said in a raspy accented drawl. 'It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Jackson Richard Savage.'
Jack said nothing — not because he was slightly taken aback by the use of his civilian name, but more so on the fact that every government office's dossier of this mammal had conveyed nothing of him; nothing of the power and intellect which seemed to radiate from him.
None of them mentioned how his gaze was very steady and penetrating, as though it seemed to devour, or perhaps encompass the whole of something it rested on. His eyes were not those of a savage mammal, but they glinted with pure animalistic fervor. And, curiously enough, there was nothing disproportionate about his tiny monstrous physique, which the jackrabbit could only imagine so ghastly must have been hell bent since his adolescent years as a form of revenge against fate and against the world that hated him because of their fear towards him.
The agent turned round in his chair, not seeing an exit of some kind, as the three mammals in the room stood rather uneasily against the wall behind him. They were not looking at Mr. Big and were instead staring at a female Zebra effigy which stood in an open space of the floor beside the mafia boss.
Even with his slight knowledge of theology and the occult, Jack recognized her at once — Karma, the Goddess of Actions and Consequences and the Chiefess of Freedom who was entrusted with the Wheel of Life.
Mr. Big spoke again.
'You may smoke if you wish, Mr. Savage. Though if you have any other request, you may care to address any of the gentle mammals present. I shall be ready for you in a moment.'
Jack leant forward and lit a cigarette, gratefully drawing the smoke deep into his lungs. He did not feel particularly worried by his position, nor did he believe he would come to any harm. It would be a clumsy affair to have a repeat of the failed termination right after he arrived in Zootopia. Which made him even more worried about Mousawitz who was nowhere in sight.
The Big Boss's muzzle rolled slowly back from his teeth.
'I have not seen a member of the ZMI6 for many years, Mr. Savage. Not since my Frubellina was compromised in her mission during your crusade against the Nighthowlers. Your Service means well, no doubt about that. You have some able gentle mammals, and not to disparage Lucinda or the delightful young Roxanne, ladies as well. She also has a double-0 number like yourself, 007 — I believe hers is 009, if my sources are right. The significance of the double-0 numbers, as I recall, is that you have had to kill a mammal in the course of your assignments. And there couldn't be two double-0 numbers operating, unless it's for desperate measures. So, pray tell Mr. Savage, are you here to kill me? Or, by any chance, are you here to also unmask the real devil in disguise?'
(-from Chapter 9, Live Let Die, Book 3 of The Savage Seas series, by J. L. Hopps.)
It was a gloomy day, not because the weather was bad—if anything, the sun was shining brightly—but because of the dark clouds that loomed over Skye's head. The vixen had been detained for the past month, and the weight of her situation had made it impossible for her to find any joy. Being a low-life predator in Zootopia was hard enough on its own, but now she would be forever known as The Arctic Bitch from Hell who stabbed the A-List movie star, Jack Savage.
The city and the entire Animal Kingdom were still on fire because of Jack's attempted murder and unconscious state. Some of his colleagues had made a few social media posts letting everyone know that he was fighting as hard as he could, while others had implored citizens to pray that justice would prevail.
"Are you ready?" Officer Fangmeyer asked, placing a comforting paw on the arctic fox's shoulder. She and Nurse Heidi had both requested to be the ones to take her to court. They had been a beacon of kindness in this storm, and Skye was deeply grateful for their support. Yet every step felt like a journey through a minefield; each tap of her feet out of the precinct hall's tiled floor seemed louder than the last.
The vulpine could only manage a shaky nod, her anxiety evident, as they slowly made their way towards the entrance of the police station. She cast a grateful smile at the two, whose steady presence had been a small comfort during her darkest moments.
The tigress and the hedgehog exchanged worried glances, sensing Skye's trepidation. Outside, a swarm of reporters and photographers waited, their cameras flashing as they shouted questions. They only intensified her nerves, as she got hit by a sense of déjà vu. Trying to avoid the piercing gaze of the press, like the way she did when she was initially arrested, she kept her eyes cast down until they reached the police mobile.
Inside, the atmosphere was tense. Nurse Heidi reached for the radio, trying to distract the vixen from her anxious thoughts. However, the instant the radio turned on, the broadcast was filled with news about her trial. Reports of the court proceedings, updates on Jack Savage's condition, and public reactions blared through the speakers.
Heidi quickly turned off the radio, her face apologetic. "Sorry about that, Skye. I didn't realize they'd be broadcasting your trial. I should have checked first."
The arctic fox swallowed hard, the sound of her own name in the broadcast making her stomach churn. "It's okay," she managed to say, her voice barely a whisper. Knowing that there were still mammals who care for her, was enough to ease her burden.
The police mobile drove through the city streets, eventually arriving at the courthouse. When the vehicle came to a stop, Skye felt as though her heart was about to leap out of her chest. Following behind the ZPD officer and nurse, she held her breath as the large door creaked open. Its walls were made of a mixture of tan and brown wood, as were its desks and benches. Though instead of a legal team or different officials sitting at the front, she was met with empty chairs, including the judge's middle seat. She was even more confused when her eyes landed on the vacant rows where she thought dozens of mammals would be. She glanced around to check for Jack's family, especially for her favorite author, but they didn't seem to be present—in fact, no one seemed to be.
'What the hell is going on?' Turning to cast a questioning gaze at the only mammals in there with her, she was met with both their eyes staring straight ahead, ignoring her.
"Skye Winters?" an unmistakable voice could be heard as soon as a door opened from somewhere behind.
The vulpine was too scared to look over the mammal calling her name. Every cell in her body was frozen as her throat clenched so tight it was harder to breathe. There weren't any words that could describe the emotions that were flooding through her all at once.
"Skye?" He shakily repeated, and every mammal could note the tremble in his voice, and she guessed that tears were already flowing down his cheeks. She remained unmoving as his paw steps came closer and closer. "Skye, please look at me."
Every nerve on her body was on edge, like she was completely paralyzed. The breakfast she forced to swallow earlier was now threatening to come back up. Not to mention her sweating palms and trembling legs about to give out on her.
"Nadine," Skye kept her eyes locked on the side of Officer Fangmeyer's face, her voice quivering. "Uh, could you. . .could you escort me back to the cells?"
Nadine's eyes widened in confusion. "What? Why would you want to go back there?"
"I, uh, think I'm hallucinating from my concussion yesterday."
Heidi, trying to comfort the vixen, said softly, "You're not hallucinating, Skye."
"I am. I really—" Before the arctic fox could finish, Nadine grabbed her muzzle and turned her towards the owner of the voice she had been dying to hear for almost a month and a half now. Knees finally buckling, she fell back on her ass as her eyes scanned over the suited jackrabbit before her. Tears began spilling from her eyes at the same rate they were spilling from his.
"Winters, huh?" the buck choked out, crouching to the ground in front of her—paws clutching her knees that were bent between his legs.
Desperately, the vulpine searched all over his face and body, her brain having a hard time processing anything. He looked and sounded like Jack—but any information other than his black suit and tie wasn't sinking in. Looking past his shoulder, she also saw J.L. Hopps and Nicholas Wilde standing together at the back of the room, both smiling, with tears flowing down the former's cheeks. From the way her cousin had his arm around the bunny's shoulder, Skye could only assume she must have been sentenced to death and this was all just a part of an elaborate dream.
Then, as if reading her mind, the vixen felt Jack's hand cup her muzzle. Her breath hitched, and her skin felt like it was on fire where his paw pad stroked over her cheek. Sapphire and cerulean eyes met again, and adrenaline started coursing through her so intensely that her vision began to get spotty.
Blinking a couple of times and trying to control her breathing, she finally whispered, "Is it really you, Jack?"
"It's me, Skye," he croaked out, the tears dripping from his cheeks and down onto her knees. "I'm here now." She began taking in his features as his face got closer to hers. His free hand cupped the other side of her muzzle as well and gently pressed his forehead against hers, sobbing. "I'm sorry for being late."
Her throat tightened again. "I knew I said I'll be waiting for you, but damn, why'd you make me wait this long?"
"I know, I remember." Gently squeezing her face as he breathed out, though she could tell he was holding himself back because of her injuries. "It's all my fault, Skye, and I'm so sorry."
It was at that moment when it all finally sank in, and sobs began escaping the arctic fox.
Jack Savage was here.
Jack Savage was awake.
And Jack Savage remembered everything.
The jackrabbit pulled back and wrapped her frail body in his arms, though the both of them were weaker now than they were a month ago. He sat on the floor with her and cradled her to his chest, stroking the fur between her ears as he let her sob into his shirt.
"Be careful of her ribs, Jack," Nadine softly said when the buck squeezed her tighter. "They've been messing her up for a week now, so actually, be careful with her in general."
Every mammal in the room could sense the rage boiling in Jack's body but no one uttered a word, as he continued to hold the sobbing vulpine against him. It took another five minutes before she stopped and kept her muzzle buried into the crook of the rabbit's neck.
"Is it true?" Jack delicately asked.
"Is, uh, what true?" Skye murmured, looking down at her lap.
Her face was gently pulled back up towards him as more tears threatened to fall from her eyes when she saw the look on his face—a mixture of guilt, sadness, and rage.
"I'm already getting every mammal in that establishment investigated and fired accordingly. At this rate, only Nadine and Nurse Heidi will be left with a job," he explained angrily. "But I need to hear this last part from you."
The vixen's weary and exhausted eyes blinked at him, waiting for him to continue. He took a deep breath, and her paws anxiously stayed clutching the fabric of his shirt.
"Did my brother, Tommy, attack you?" His tone sent chills down her spine as she frantically averted her gaze.
"Uh, I mean, I wouldn't say he attacked me," the arctic fox nervously answered. "And it's just a misunderstanding—"
"Please don't lie to him, Skye," Jude's warm voice interjected, and the slightly larger female had to bite into her lip to stop herself from bawling all over again when she felt the doe's paw on her shoulder.
Jack's face was only inches from hers now, and it was stirring her numb heart up for the tiniest bit. Trying not to break eye contact this time, she whispered, "It, uh, didn't hurt or anything."
"That's not true, Snowflake," Nick said with a growl, stepping closer to crouch down beside the rabbits. "You said it burned harder than when Carrots over here let you get arrested by the fuzz."
Jude pulled her paw back as she and her brother seemed to have some sort of telepathic conversation within the span of mere seconds. It was quite intense that the todd visibly shivered and slowly backed up before he got yelled at by either of them (especially by the shorter lapin scowling at him).
"Then, he did hit you," frowned the buck, turning his attention back to Skye. "And Judy remained on the sidelines while you're in prison."
Glancing at the apologetic-looking bunny who was standing too close to her cousin again, Skye sighed. "J.L.—Judy, was—" A beat passed. "—clearly watching over you. And Molly did reprimand Tommy for hitting me. Gazelle too, when he was about to have a go again."
Jack's shoulders tensed with anger. "He almost hit you twice?"
"Uh, yeah...but it was just a slap, though," the arctic fox mumbled as she looked back down at her lap.
"Thank you for confirming it to me, Skye." He took in a deep breath before pulling her back into his chest, exhaling. "No one, not a single mammal would ever lift so much as a paw against you from now on—unless they want to deal with me." The vulpine flushed as she felt the jackrabbit's soft lips press against the top of her head. "There is no trial against you anymore, and there wouldn't be. We're getting you out of here today."
Hope returned to her eyes that had lost their sparkle weeks ago, as she glanced around the other present mammals in court. "I'm free? I don't have to go back in prison anymore?"
"Yes, Skye," Nadine smiled warmly at her.
"I'm glad 'ya had that porkchop warden fired and that prairie mutt court attorney o'hers blacklisted, Savage." A deep voiced rumbled from right outside the judge's entrance. "I've always wondered what them kangaroos' chambers look like. Y'all ain't gonna have me arrested, are ya?"
Finnick's comments caused a ripple of laughter in the room, including from Jack, who choked before joining in, the atmosphere lightening slightly.
"I'm not going to lie," Heidi said with a chuckle. "That was actually funny."
"Yeah, big guy. Way to lighten the mood," Nick added with an impish grin.
Skye, though still overwhelmed, couldn't help but notice the little things between her cousin and her favorite author. The way Nick's arm rested casually on Judy's shoulder, and the way the doe's ears would twitch whenever todd spoke. Their interaction— of exchanged glances and smirks that were not entirely platonic—had a comfortable familiarity that hinted at something deeper.
"Uh, I'd love to hear more about those vile mammals," Glancing back and forth between the two, Skye pointed at them. "But first, can anyone tell me how did these two happen?"
"Ain't that the million-dollar question," Finnick flashed a crooked grin. "How sly ol' fox and lil' sassy bunny got workin' together is somethin' I reckon we all wanna' know."
Nick shrugged nonchalantly as Jack's gaze, which was ambiguous yet with an undertone of curiosity, returned to the equally intrigued vixen.
"I'm only letting Judy's behavior towards you—" His sister's face now slightly flushed, shifting nervously under, then away from a russet arm. "—and whatever's going on between them slide," He tilted his head back to the odd pair, where the todd was glancing sideways at the bunny, who was now glaring at an unruffled fennec fox and an amused tigress cop. "Only because they're the reason why I have even woken up."
'Oh, I see. The two have gotten closed because they teamed up to save—'
"Wait, what?!"
The characters, miscellaneous, and settings are owned and trademarked by Disney, and in no way, shape, or form do I claim ownership over them nor the world of Zootopia (aside, of course, from my original characters and some fictional places that I added) - though I would never not thank Byron Howard and Richard Moore for giving us these anthropomorphic mammals that we love to hate (I don't know, Jack and Skye are growing on me...particularly in this work) or hate to love (still a Nick and Judy shipper...if you have an issue - there's the door!) because without them, this retelling would not have existed.
Today's forecast: Double update with a (somewhat major) Cliffhanger (lmao).
Please don't hold that against me considering that I finally dragged Jack to get up on his ass and save Skye — but I would want to know if y'all think it's too soon (or not) and how are we feeling about the turn of events lately (especially since I kinda — sorry not sorry — did put a little WildeHopps surprise here)?
Not to worry though, everything that I incorporate in the story (including the excerpts) are tied to the overall plot (which y'all [hopefully] would get to see in the next chapters to come) — and if parts are still vague, I'll try my best to go back and edit the chapters for coherence.
And while we're on that note, I also would like to put a disclaimer about how I personified (or used a Zebra in association to) "KARMA" when I am aware of the fact that it is a "CONCEPT" (or an idea/a law) in Buddhism and Hinduism that is meant to determine the nature of a person's (next) life or existence based on their positive/negative actions (if I get that wrong as well, I'm sorry, and feel free to correct me in the comments — it's not only welcome but also appreciated). I would explain why I applied it as such in the next chapters to come (Hint: It's a clue/spoiler). . .but I promise y'all, I don't mean to misappropriate and disrespect anyone's religion or belief.
Lastly, I decided (on a whim) to open a WebNovel/Inkstone account and publish this story there as well since I just recently discovered that the traction for FFN is not as accurate as AO3 or WebNovel (still, no hate though). And if you have an account there (too) or have some spare time, please vote and support my stories like you do in these other platforms. Thank you very much!