Here is the 46th installment. Hope you enjoy.

Notes now live at the end of the chapter, so here is the obligatory, on with the show.

Sadly, I do not own and thus can claim no rights to Zootopia or its characters. They belong to Disney.

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Lunch and Revelations :

(No, the 10-7 is not mine. I absolutely love the idea of the bar, and include it by name here as a nod to that excellent fic by BlueLightHouse that you really should be reading, along with their other fabulous fics. Here, the 10-7 has evolved to more of a bar-and-grill.)

Driving up to the 10-7, Nick see's Lizz's car already in the lot and parks next to it. After getting out, he walks up to the large rhino at the door who gives Nick the stink eye. "Wilde... What are you doing here?"

"Oh, come on. Judy, Lizz, and Mike are already inside. I'm meeting them for lunch. You really going to make me do it, bud?"

Glaring down at Nick for a few more seconds before breaking into a smile. "Of course not. You still owe me a rematch so I can win my money back."

Chuckling as the bouncer stepped aside. "You know it ain't never going to happen. You have a literal encyclopedia of tells, but not nearly as many as Avril. I swear, that mammal couldn't bluff his way out of a wet paper bag."

The rhino laughed heartily. "Oh, don't I know it. Even I can read him." Stopping Nick as he was just about through the door. "How long have you known?"

Nick looked up. "Almost two weeks now, for certain, suspected for a while. When did you figure out Judy and I?"

The rhino looked down at Nick confused. "What now?"

Giving a grin and slipping past. "Who do you think is the father of her kits? It sure ain't no rabbit. Those kits are one hundred percent half fox."

The rhino watched Nick vanish into the darker interior of the 10-7 bar and grill with a shocked look. "Well I'll be." Closing the door, he returned to his chair and his watch. Really, he was on break. They rarely needed to eject anyone, and with a place dedicated solely to first responders, there were more than enough off duty cops, firefighters, EMTs, and others front line workers, to regulate all but the most rowdy, which is where he came in.

Nick removed his sunglasses as the door closed behind him and took a second to let his eyes adjust. It wasn't that it was dark inside, it was just darker than the bright sunshine outside. Once he could see and therefore avoid other patrons and the furniture, he followed his nose to the booth his mate was sitting at with Lizz and Mike. They were getting a lot of looks from those with good noses, and even those without. When he slid into the booth and pulled Judy into a kiss, the room erupted.

Turning, they both blushed slightly as the rabbit waitress ran up. "No way! How long?!"

Judy laughed. "A few years now. We came out to help these two lunks realize they were not alone. We're still keeping it generally on the down low." Elbowing Nick. "But I guess that just died. We're really here to make sure Lizz and Mike are public."

Nick nodded. "In that vein. Would you get me the mic, there is a short announcement I need to make."

Mike's eyes went wide as Lizz hissed. "Nick! You wouldn't! Don't you dare!"

Nick laughed. "Oh, I'm going to more than dare. I might remind you that we need to make you two out in the open to give ammunition against any challenge you may face in your official recognition with the pack."

Mike sighed in defeat, turning to Lizz. "I hate it as much as you, love. However, Nick is right. It's why we chose both him and Judy as our Firsts. He's doing what is best for us, even if we're not necessarily comfortable with it."

Lizz looked at Mike and gave her own defeated sigh, just as the waitress returned. The music had turned off a few moments before. "You're right. I hate it, but you are right." Looking to Nick. "Okay. Do your thing." Returning her attention to Mike. "I accept this for you, because you are worth it. Never doubt that you damn, dumb wolf." Pulling him into a deep kiss that had the waitress gasping along with a series of shouts from the patrons that saw it as she handed Nick the mic.

Mike nodded. "And I you, love."

Nick hopped up onto the back of their booth, and brought the mic to his muzzle. "Hey there my friends, brothers and sisters in blue, and the rest of you riff-raff that they seem to let in here." The response was a lot of laughs and good natured booing, some colorful insults, etc… to which Nick bowed. "Thank you, thank you. You are too kind. Anyway, I'm not actually up here to harass the hose daggers, accident chasers, vampires, etc... No, actually I'm here to announce and ask you to help me celebrate the most recent, as in last night, wedding of two of our fellows. Mike Wolford and Lizz Fangmeyer. They have been together for several years, but hiding it, and as of this past week, they are finally out in the open." Looking down at Mike and Lizz. "Come on you two. Stand up and be recognized. You'll notice Lizz's condition, well you will also be surprised and need to help me also congratulate them both as those cubs are Mike's, and healthy as far as the doc says."

The cheers that rose included roars, howls, barks, and any other noise a mammal can make. An elephant trumpeted from the back near the bar. A steady train of promises of drinks in the future, warm congratulations and well wishes passed the table. After a while, Mike got tired of it and snatched the mic.

"Hey mammals. I want to thank you all for the good wishes and welcome. Worry, if not outright fear of how you mammals that we respect so much would react, was part of why Lizz and I hid. However, there is another couple you all should be celebrating as well. One who was a bit smarter than Lizz and I. You know them. You love to hate him and love her. They are the very reason that Lizz and I are no longer hiding, on good terms with my parents and hers, and even able to stay together as partners, as long as we keep it professional on the clock." A random comment about the ZPD being professional, followed by scoffing laughs forced Mike to pause, though he otherwise ignored the comment. "You know Nick Wilde. You know Judy Hopps. Did you know they are both WildeHopps and have been married for several years? You all saw Judy and wondered what lucky buck knocked up our favorite rabbit. Well, it wasn't a buck, it was a fox, and just like my pups with Lizz, they're healthy too."

There was dead silence in the 10-7 for a good thirty seconds. The first sound was someone cursing, loudly, and with feeling, from two booths over, followed by a groan from the bar, then the bar erupted into a roar from the assembled mammals just as loud as before. Another train of congratulations and well wishes passed by the table. Leaving all four mammals grinning and thoroughly embarrassed.

The waitress dropped off their food and a few special treats for the ladies. "Hey guys. It's really great you found each other. Don't worry about the charge. It's covered. Congrats to all of you. Management just wants to know why you didn't hold it here?"

Nick laughed. "Because their wedding was something Carrot's and I pulled off in a few hours last night at the Wolford pack estates after Family dinner. Mike's the Designate after all, and after last night, I'd say Lizz is fully recognized by the Alpha's as Mike's mate and therefore next in line with him."

The waitress started at Nick for a moment. "No way. You're going to have to try harder than that, Fox."

Mike laughed with a shake of his head. "He's not joking. I am the Designate, and Lizz is most definitely acknowledged and accepted by my mom and dad, the Alphas, as my mate and my mom's successor. Nick and Judy are therefore also acknowledged and recognized as our Firsts."

The brown bunny looked at Mike in complete disbelief. "Okay... Well, now I've seen everything, and this is a first responders bar. Congratulations, again."

There were still a few that would stop by as they arrived and heard the news, or before they left. After their meal, Mike, Lizz, Judy, and Nick headed to the precinct, to many more cheers and well wishes as they left the 10-7. As well as several loud exclamations of 'WHAT? You're pulling my tail!' from mammals who had arrived after the initial announcements and asked what the deal was.

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At the precinct, they parked next to each other and helped their respective mates out of the car. Mike smiled over at Nick and Judy. "Okay, I'm going to check on the megafauna van. I'll meet you guys in the conference room."

Nick nodded. "Sounds good Mike. Judy, Lizz, if you two can make sure things are set up for the record, I'll make sure the mammals giving their talks are here and get them to the conference room."

Judy grinned at Nick. "No problem Nick. I know it has only been a few days since I was here. It still feels like coming home a bit."

Giving a chuckle, Nick led the way. "If it were any other mammal, that would sound weird, Fluff. From you, it would sound strange if you didn't say it. If you see anyone you think might make for a good reaction on the video, try and convince them to join. I texted a lot of mammals yesterday and this morning, but there is no telling how many are actually going to show up. So any extras would be great."

Lizz chuckled. "We'll get you an audience, Nick. Right Judy?"

"One hundred percent. Don't worry Slick, we will fill the room for you."

Nick headed for the front where he found another red fox, Gerald Wick, a skunk named Allen Steegal, and a marble fox known as Frost. They were currently being regaled about Gazelle's newest project, specifically the charity album that she supposedly had unknowns singing on. With a grin, Nick stepped up to save the poor creatures from Ben.

"Ben, Buddy! I'll take these fine mammals off your paws, as long as you have hooked them up with their visitor badges."

Ben turned with a grin. "I have. They said they were supposed to meet you here."

Allen crossed his arms and gave Nick a look. "It's a lot to ask, me stepping willingly into a police station, let alone this one, Wilde. This better be worth it."

Nick smiled. "I'll explain more in just a moment. If you guys will follow me."

Nick then led them back into the precinct and into a large conference room where several officers were making themselves comfortable. Off to one side Lizz was chatting with several officers, while Judy was leading another pair of officers into the room. Nick led Frost, Allen, and Gerald to the front and side of the raised stage then turned to them.

"Okay, so as I told you over the phone. I have been tasked with creating a training video for the ZPD. This training is meant to feature the lived experience of marginalized mammals like you three, myself, and others. So all you have to do is stand up there with a mic, walk around if it helps, and tell a few stories about your interactions with the ZPD. How you were profiled, mistreated, especially if you were arrested, and how that affected you, your family, jobs, life, etc…"

Frost nodded. "Easy enough. But will it do any good?"

Nick shrugged. "It can't hurt, and I can tell you that nothing like this currently exists. The current training we get as officers is basically, don't profile based on species. The point and hope of this training will be to show what it is actually like, what arresting a mammal just for being a fox, or a skunk, etc... does. If you lost a job because of an arrest, make sure that is one of the stories you tell. The point is to at least make them see that arresting a mammal has consequences."

Gerald smiled. "Like you said, Nick. It can't hurt."

Nick nodded. "It will become mandatory training, and will be added to the Academy curriculum as well. So bring your best, or worse, as the case may be. Pull those heart strings, because part of the training will include the actual arrest records so they can see that there really wasn't a reason to pick you up." Seeing Judy motioning him over. "So don't pull any punches. Twist the knife. Now, wait here. I'll be right back. We may be about ready."

Nick walked over to Judy who smiled up at him. "We're ready. Delgato will be here in a few minutes, he was on patrol. Mic's are hooked up."

Giving Judy a kiss between the ears. "You're the best. You and Lizz go sit down. Who is manning the camera?"

"Jeff has the camera. We will give them that basic test after this, and then we'll work on more targeted tests after the final recordings are done."

"Sounds great." Nick swung by Jeff and let him know they would be starting, and grabbed a mic, before joining the three guests. "Okay. So I'm going to open this, and then you can come up as you feel motivated to do so. Do you know who will go first?"

Front raised his paw. "I'll go first."

"Perfect. I'll introduce you, so just walk up when I do so."

Nick stepped up on the small stage at the front of the room. "We recording Jeff?" Seeing the nod, affirmative ear flick, and thumbs up as Jeff did not look up from the laptop connected to the camera. "Good afternoon. As you may know, my name is Sergeant Nicholas WildeHopps, though most of you just know me as Nick, or more likely, Judy's fox. This is being recorded and you all have a small test we will ask you to complete once the mammals that are here to speak to you are finished. Once this is all done, a modified version of the video along with a more expansive test will be added to our annual training. So please, when it comes time for questions, ask them. The questions will help with the future training, and help build the final tests that will go with it.

We have four speakers for you today that I hope will help you as officers understand the consequences of your decisions. As officers, we go through a lot of training, but one of the things that most ZPD officers don't seem to grasp is that arresting a mammal just for being a fox, a raccoon, just because they looked suspicious, can have drastic consequences for that mammal. They can lose jobs, family, their home, and even kits to kit services." There was a murmur through the assembled officers. "No. I am very much not kidding. Our first speaker is a marble fox." Frost started walking up to Nick. "His name is Frost, and no, he does not have a last name. The reason for that is something I'm sure he'll tell you." Turning, Nick handed Frost the mic.

Frost took the mic from Nick with a nod and then turned towards the assembled officers. "Thank you Nick. Hello. My name is Frost, and no, just as Nick stated, I do not have a last name. The reason is simple. The orphanage I was placed in by Kit Services when I was five, never bothered to give me one. For that matter, they never called me anything but Frost because of my coloration, so even though I was born with a name, I don't really know it anymore. Kit Services even changed the name on my documentation to just Frost after a few years.

The question is, how did I come into the charge of KS? That's really a short story, but I'll start with it. You see, my dad was killed in a hit and run that was never investigated, because he was a fox. So as the officers that arrived at the scene said, and something I'll never forget, he was a fox, so he must have done something to deserve it. He was walking me home from the kit sitter. Of course the cops called KS, and they never bothered to look for my mom and little brother. Just put me in the system, and that is where I was raised.

I was put in a number of homes, but anyone willing to take a fox through KS was just looking for a slave, and so I became just one more run away fox that you fine officers like to pick up and put right back into the system we were running away from. Most of those homes were medium to large prey households, because foxes are omnivores they figured that they didn't have to feed me meat at all. I was under-nourished for most of my life and am therefore six inches shorter than I should be.

Before I continue. One thing I beg all of you to do. The next time you pick up some runaway. Especially one in the KS system, ask yourself what they are running from. Are they being beaten? Are they just a slave for those that are supposed to be looking after them? I was just that from five until fifteen when I was able to run away and keep from getting caught for a year, after which I was put in an orphanage, again just not a KS orphanage, and that honestly made all the difference. I was in an orphanage, and in and out of foster homes that needed some fox labor from the day my father was killed until I was sixteen.

I'd run away, get picked up by one of you, be delivered to KS, and put right back into a situation I was trying to escape. Beatings, lack of proper food, a bath only when you start to stink, and then it was cold water and harsh soaps. That is the day to day reality of being a fox kit in the system, and I mean that even today. Don't fool yourselves. That is the literal reality right now, out there in Zootopia." A hint of anger tinting his voice as he took a deep breath before continuing. "KS never bothered to ensure I was being sent to school, so landing in that last orphanage, a non-KS orphanage, was the first time since my dad was killed that I was fed properly, that I was sent to school.

The other orphanages, the KS ones... they were, at least for foxes, raccoons, and the like, just clearing houses for slave labor to rich prey and predator homes that need it. Once done with you, you went back to the orphanage until you were needed again.

It was different at that last place. They actually cared. At first, the teachers thought I was just stupid, until another fox teacher sat down with me and listened. She took me in, and by the time I was 18, I actually was educated to the level I should be. Sadly, even after she took me in, just before what the paperwork says is my birthday... It isn't, by the way. My birthday was some time in late spring, but KS just put the date I was put in the system. Yeah, my official birthday according to the city is the day my father was killed. Really kind of ruins birthdays.

Anyway, after she took me in, I was picked up by ZPD a good dozen times just walking home from school. I hadn't done anything except walking while a fox. One time the officer accused me of being truant, and put me back into KS. I wasn't, my foster mom, who worked at the high school had to stay late for parent teacher night.

Sadly, when I turned eighteen I couldn't stay there anymore unless I could prove I was paying rent, some random KS rule that the case worker just pulled out from under their tail. So I got a part time job. I'm just lucky they gave me a few weeks to find a job, since there wasn't any notice about said rule, and it isn't as if we could argue it without a lawyer, which neither of us could afford.

I lost that job a week later while I was walking to work. The place had apparently just been robbed, and even though the robber was a white tailed deer buck, I got arrested and put in lockup for three days because it was a Friday night. Keep in mind minimum wage was 8 Z's at the time, and I was being paid 3, under the table, because I am a fox. Were any of you going to believe me? I assure you, they had all the proof that I was getting paid my eight.

I got another job, which I lost for the same reason. Got picked up and thrown in lock up for eight days that time. Was over a holiday weekend. I got pinched on Thursday afternoon, didn't see a judge until Tuesday because the court was busy. Then I spent another three days waiting, before I was released. Since I was a fox, and hadn't been allowed a phone call, the officers in the precinct just assumed I was trying to scam them, my employer didn't even pay me my last paycheck. Claimed I had abandoned my job. I was again... walking to work.

I could go on and on with slight variations on the obvious theme. It reached a point that I could no longer get a job… Thankfully the case worker stopped paying attention after about six months. I worked odd jobs for cash after that, doing all I could to help.

After my foster mom passed, I was homeless. I got picked up for vagrancy. I ended up in shelters, but a lot of shelters will not take foxes because we're thieves." Giving air quotes. "Then homeless camps, and the mammals there at least understand and don't judge. Social Services could never find my paperwork for assistance, no matter how many times I filled it out. Eventually, like a lot of foxes, I did end up committing crimes. I'd shoplift a sandwich from a convenience store. It got worse. I got into Nip, and then harder things. Finally I landed with a gang." Pointing to his ear that had clearly been cut to reshape it. "That led to far more serious crimes.

I eventually got picked up and did five years, and I deserved it for what I did. But I hope you can see that, while I make no excuses for the decisions that landed me in prison, there were a lot of things that led to me being in that position. Those things are Kit Services, and in my case, the ZPD officers who decided to pick me up and toss me in lockup because I was a fox and I must have done something. Questions?" A wolf raised his hand. "Yes?"

The wolf stood. "Officer Wellet. You're telling me that Kit Services didn't make sure you were being sent to school or fed correctly?"

"That is exactly what I am saying, Officer Wellet. KS, at least as far as mammals like foxes, skunks, weasels, raccoons, etc... They don't care. I was the third fox to be placed with one of those foster families, and the first to survive, because I ran away. The previous two died after a few years of the beatings, lack of proper food, and general neglect. And that is going on right now. To answer the question of why you aren't investigating this, because of the powerful mammals that KS serves, the ZPD has no authority to investigate them, unless a kit dies, and even then, it has to be reported, which it almost never is." A leopard raised his hand. "Yes."

"When was your first arrest that was legitimate?"

"I'd say the first time I was arrested for actually doing something was when I was picked up for stealing a cart full of groceries. It was just before I got in with the gang. A group of us, five foxes, a pair of raccoons, a trio of weasels, all siblings, escaped from a KS orphanage. I had taken them under my wing as I had been on the street many times. Stints of a few months at a stretch before one of you would pick me up.

We went into a store late, loaded up a pair of carts, and then made a run for it. Security grabbed Hal, but I ran back while the others loaded up the abandoned car we had gotten running. I got Hal free, but I got snagged. That food fed them for over a month. Two of the foxes and one of the weasels got jobs, and they were able to get a place and food with actual money instead of the abandoned warehouse we were holed up in. They run a shelter now that specializes in mammals like we were, built out in that very warehouse we lived in. I don't know what happened to the raccoons.

It was during that short jail term that I got in with the gang. That was my 57th arrest. Got six months, which was the max, because I had an arrest record. Didn't matter to the judge that I had never even been charged under any of the other arrests. Note, I wasn't actually released for two years. I didn't join the gang until I'd been in for about nine months. At that point I knew I wasn't getting out any time soon. I got laughed at when I suggested to the guards that I should have been released. I'm a fox after all, so I had to be lying."

Nick walked up with another mic. "Any other questions?" Seeing just shocked looks, Nick nodded. "Great, so I'll give you some background. That arrest was actually Frost's 75th arrest, and yes, it was the first where any actual charges were laid against him. I pulled the file before inviting Frost here to speak. The arresting officers included assault on an officer, claimed he bit one of them, and added a bunch of other charges. They claimed, and the store gave an accounting for more than three grand in stolen food. Hal is a raccoon shorter than Frost. Even with two carts, we all know there is no way they managed to steal three grand worth of food." Looking to Frost. "I have Hal's number, if you want it."

Frost nodded with a smile. "I'd like that."

Nick turned back to the audience. Before I ask our next speaker up, are there any other questions." Seeing Officer Wellet raise his paw again. "I'm still freaking out about the whole Kit Services thing. I find that hard to believe."

"Then you should ask Judy about why she has a black mark in her jacket for abuse of authority." Giving a wry smile at the shocked look. "Yes, Judy Hopps." Pointing at Judy who looked back at Wellet and nodded. "When you arrest certain mammals, those considered marginalized, KS is often waiting and leaps in to take kits away from parents. I think based on Frost's story, you know why. When you go on one of those calls for KS, pay closer attention. Because when KS walks away with those kits, if they are a fox, a weasel, a skunk, raccoon, etc... The likelihood of that parent ever getting their kit back is effectively zero. Now, while you're thinking on that, our next guest is Gerald Wick."

Gerald stepped up having gotten the mic from Frost, Nick having a second one that he turned off as he stepped off stage. "Thank you Nick. Hello, my name is Gerald Wick, and prior to a few months ago, I was serving prison time for the murder of my mate. You may or may not know it, but I was was framed for her murder. Why? Two reasons. First, I was a fox, and second, we were an inter-species couple, and worse, pred-prey. There was an accident, a truck hit us in Tundra Town. I was thrown from the car, but she wasn't. I know I had my seatbelt on when we got in the car, but why I had taken it off is unclear, much of my memory of the accident is flashes and terror.

When our car came to rest after the hit, the rear of the car was in the river, the front, with her in it, was still on the bank. I tried to get the ZPD officers to listen, to save her. All they needed to do was use the winch on the front to pull the car up onto the bank, or even just hold it in place.

Sadly, and I want to be sure you understand, I do not blame all ZPD officers for this, but those responding officers were part of an anti-inter group. The same one that Officers Judy and Nick WildeHopps have been investigating and arresting. They saw an opportunity, those first responding officers. Let her die, and frame me for her death. Neither of our families were supportive, so they bought what I was accused of without question. Her mother was there in the hospital when I woke up. Started hitting me." Gerald paused and wiped away a tear. "I really hoped in that moment that her mom would hit something vital so I could join her. The last thing she saw was me, in the back of a ZPD cruiser, screaming for them to help her.

That is how I ended up in prison for a decade. I was cleared recently thanks to the efforts of Nick and Judy. They also saved me from ending my own life. You see, I was released from prison on parole just before they were able to get a judge to sign off on things. I stayed with some friends, but they all eventually kicked me out. Shelters don't update their information, so even though I was cleared in the system, they still had the old data, and shelters don't let murderers stay.

I purchased a gun, and I don't know if I was going to use it on myself, walk out on the ice where she died and shoot it out from under myself. Or perhaps I was going to brandish it at one of you. Nick and Judy, and their friends and family stopped me. For that I am and will be eternally grateful.

Now you see. While I was in prison, I was actually treated better by the prisoners than the guards. The hardened murders, thieves, gang members, etc... They could all tell that I was innocent. I guess there is a smell, or so said my cell mate. Nice guy, a leopard. Cute cubs. In for killing five in a gang shootout. He'll get out in another twenty years, if he doesn't die in there. But you see... They protected me. Looked after me. Made sure I was safe and out of the way when something was going to go down. Prior to Nick and Judy, my interactions with the ZPD included a beating with your standard issue batons, because they could. I was arrested for walking while fox so many times I seriously lost count.

I remember one instance when I was 22. Keep in mind I owned my own bar. This was just as I was starting, and I was walking back from the bar to my apartment. I was exhausted, because I had just worked from 6am to 4am the next morning. I wasn't able to afford more than two employees at the time. So I was a little punch drunk, thus why I was walking. I knew I couldn't drive, and it was only a few blocks to my studio apartment.

I got stopped, tried to explain and got tazed for daring to question why I was being stopped. Spent a week in lock up before they remembered I was there and put me before a judge. Charges of public intoxication, etc... Charges ended up dropped because I had been forgotten about and the officers didn't show up. Lucky me, right? Wrong. When I got back to the bar, I had an eviction notice on my door and had one day to clear out. Why? Because the owner of the building found out I was a fox. I got the important things out, but I lost more than five grand in stock that I couldn't move in time.

Before you ask, no I did not call the ZPD, because you would have just assumed I was stealing it, and the owner said he would claim as much. My business license and alcohol license meant nothing, and if you are honest with yourself, you know that is true. I'd have lost everything if I had called the ZPD. Couldn't call a lawyer either, because again, fox. It would have cost more just to get a lawyer's feeling on the case than I lost. I found a new place in Tundra town. Was actually owned by an old deer. He'd served with a bunch of foxes, so breath of fresh air, he didn't treat me like a fox, but as a mammal.

Note, my landlord for my flat kicked me out as well after that arrest. I used some of the storage space at the bar to keep my things, got a comfy couch, and lived at the bar for longer than I care to admit. Like I said, the bar was successful, once I changed the name and no one realized a fox owned it. There is a pervasive speciesism in this city towards foxes and other small predators, as well as a few other smaller species. Sadly, the ZPD is on the front lines of that, enforcing it, spreading it, and making it worse.

I had a couple officers get way too drunk. They got cut off and escorted out. We called a zuber for them, on the bar. They called in some of their friends, claimed their drinks were spiked, and we had a swat raid, three weeks in a row. Never found anything, but did confiscate a lot of booze, and a few of my boxes each time. In total, I lost fifteen grand in stock between the three raids, about half my clothes, and some other personal items. I also had to close for two weeks, change the decor, and reopen under a new name. So add another ten grand in costs for the renovations and advertising.

All the while, I had my manager who I trusted implicitly to operate things when I would inevitably get picked up by the ZPD. Didn't matter if I was wearing torn jeans and a t-shirt, or a three piece suit. While I owned the bar, it obviously closed when I was in the hospital and on trial . Yeah, they tried me while I was in a medically induced coma. Erel tried his best, but he couldn't keep the place open, plus the city seized my assets and sold them off, including the building the deer left me when he died. He didn't have any other family.

I got arrested and tossed in lock up so many times, it was more Erel's bar than mine. I would get pulled over, and since it was a newer car, it was clearly stolen and the registration was fake. So I got charged and went up on charges for grand theft auto at least a dozen times. As a note, when that happens and you are a fox, you don't get the car back. I stopped buying new cars. I found that more than ten years old with a good number of dings, bad paint, and I didn't get accused of stealing it, because I guess that is the kind of car a fox is supposed to drive.

I could go on and on about this incident or that. The fact is, I am one of the lucky ones, until the accident that is. I was doing well for myself, I was a successful bar owner who everyone thought was just one of the bartenders. I had mammals to count on to take care of things while I sat, again and again, in lockup for who knows how long this time. Just a day? A week? My longest sting was three weeks and two days.

So what I am asking you here is this. That fox, weasel, raccoon, or whatever mammal you're picking up. Ask yourself why you're doing it? Are they actually involved in what you are investigating? If so, outstanding, slap the cuffs on. However, if they are just a fox that happens to be walking down the street. Think about what you arresting them is going to do. If they have done nothing wrong, then don't hassle them. I promise you, every fox, weasel, skunk, raccoon, and others like them get scared when they see a ZPD cruiser. I doubt you understand the terror all three of us have just walking in here. Frost cracked it as a joke, but none of us took it as such. He asked how long it would be before we were in lock up downstairs.

Even now, I ask myself. Am I going to get picked up? Did I look at them too long? What do I have on me that they could construe as a weapon? I need to text someone to let them know. Did I remember to install that recording app on my phone? Do I have time to start it? Does this alley have an opening at the other end that will take me away from this cruiser? Do I think I can get across this street and into that ally on the other side that I know I can get lost in?

If you pull up somewhere and you see someone like me bolt across the street and into an alley. The likelihood is that they are not guilty of anything, but are scared of what you officers are going to do to them. Are you going to toss them a beating? Arrest them just because? They're most likely running because they are praying they can lose you and therefore not the job they desperately need to feed themselves and their family.

Thank you for listening, and I hope you will take to heart what we say here today." With that Gerald stepped off stage with Nick returning.

Nick stood again on the stage. "Thank you Gerald. Judy and I are very glad we were able to find you. We have two more speakers for you today. Next up is a very old friend of mine, Allen Steegal. I've known Allen since we were kits. Allen runs a very successful security consultancy. However, much like Gerald, despite being the CEO of a company, he gets picked up regularly just because he is a skunk."

Allen stepped forward, getting the mic from Gerald. "Thank you, Nick. He is right. My company is one of the top twenty security consultant firms in Zootopia, and yet I have to keep my muzzle off the advertising. Most clients only know me as one of the company's employees, if they see me at all. I lost a lot of business in the first few years, and took a number of reputational hits because I would get picked up by a ZPD officer. Never got charged with anything, just got picked up and dropped into lockup.

Hell, the most recent incident was last week. I got picked up on Tuesday, didn't get out until Friday, and only because the night guard that came on shift Thursday night recognized me and made sure I got seen first thing Friday morning. My conversation with the judge has gotten rather informal at this point. You're going to ask, or suggest that it was probably scent based. Well, I had my glands removed when I was two. The reality is, a skunk like myself, without glands, has less scent then just about any animal.

So no, I do not stink. I pay taxes on an income in the six figures, and yet, just like the others that have spoken today, I get picked up for literally no reason and spend days at a time in lockup. I've been picked up as a robbery suspect and spent three weeks in jail. The actual culprit was a tiger. I get it. I have stripes, that must have been why I was picked up. No, unlike many, I refuse to dress down to my expected position. I refuse to drive a beater just so you don't accuse me of stealing the car.

As a skunk, I'm also lucky that lawyers will talk to me without charging me the entire case ahead of time, so I get my cars back. I do not however bother pursuing the officers, because I know there isn't a point. You can just say, well we thought X or Y, and all is forgiven and I have better use of my money then pursuing it.

Much like the previous speakers, I could go on and on about this instance where I was walking past, or just happened to be near something that happened, and I would get picked up. The most recent one was me walking out of a restaurant. I paid with a credit card. I had the receipt in my wallet. Learned a long time ago to always hide the receipt because I might need it. I wasn't picked up for the meal and not paying, even if I do get accused of that at least once a month, as well as stinking up a place. No... This most recent time I got picked up was because one of my now former clients accused me of stealing their secrets.

I will remind you, I own a security consultant firm. Half our job is to test the security of our clients, both physical and network. So yeah, I swiped something. It was logged, documented, and the client even signed off on the effort. Once we are done with our evaluation, everything is returned. We even hand over the hard drives their data gets stored on if part of the intrusion effort involves IT.

Instead, this one client decided they would accuse me of theft and get our work product without paying. They used you, the ZPD, against me and my company, and instead of looking into the accusations. Instead of investigating, the ZPD just got a warrant out for me and picked me up, and this was not the first time either. You see species, skunk, and like with foxes and others, you don't even think that the claims made against me might not be real.

I am however luckier than Frost, Gerald, or Nick. I managed to dodge you better, because I am a skunk. All I had to do was lift my tail in your direction and you'd flinch back, giving me the opening to get away. You see, I'm a qualified Electrical and Mechanical Engineer, and have multiple certifications in IT security, and other things. I got all that online, and only because I got those online do I have them.

You see, I attended the ZU for two years, and worked to pay my way through. Yet, when it came time to take my finals and graduate for my associates, someone in the university noticed that I was a skunk who was qualified as the valedictorian, and my records vanished. It was as if I had never attended a day of classes. When I raised hell for that, you got called, and I spent a week in lockup. When I got out, all my stuff had been tossed out of my apartment into the alley behind the building.

When I confronted the manager of the building, you got called again. I spent four more days in lockup. That is when I ran into Nick. He was in lockup at that time and took me in, since I had nothing but the literal clothes on my back. He helped me. Let me use his computer and got me started in some online classes. He paid for my first semester of classes, which were just a rehash of what I had already spent two years getting A's learning.

He then gave me the seed money to start my company, and helped me get started, interview mammals, and helped me hustle to get clients. It was his idea to put Fred as the face of the company. You know what Nick asked of me in return? His money back and to set up security for his places. He still pays me cost for the materials.

I guess that is all for me. All my other stories will just be a variation on the theme you have already heard. Like the others. I ask that you think before you arrest. Ask a few questions, and don't just assume that because the mammal is a skunk, a fox, or any other species, that they are guilty of something. Nick."

"Thank you Allen. We'll do some more questions for all our speakers at the end. But now, it is time for our final speaker. Me."

The statement caused a chorus of whispers and shocked exclamations to move through the small crowd of officers. Nick waited until they had quieted down with his usual smirk. Officer Wellet stood up again. "Sergeant? Are you serious? You've lived like these others have described?"

With a dark chuckle, Nick nodded with a sigh. (Chap27) "I selected all of the officers here in the room, because every single one of you has arrested me at least once, prior to me becoming an officer. So let's start from the beginning. When I was eight, you, Officer Wellet, arrested me."

Still standing, he took a step back, eyes going wide. "No... That was you?"

Nick nodded and continued. "It was. I had just tried to join the Junior ranger scouts. They were just kits and repeating the hate and what not that their parents had taught them. Still, they pushed me down, kicked more than a few times to make sure I knew my place, and then muzzled me. I wanted to be a fire-mammal, or a police officer, or something like that. I wanted to make a difference and as Judy says so often, make the world a better place. To prove that a fox could be more. I figured joining the scouts would help me prove that.

That was however not what society, or the kits at school, the teachers, the administration, or the police officers I would encounter through my life, said I could be. Not even my mates' first interactions with me were anything but suspicious of me for no other reason than I was a fox. Do you remember, Jed, what you told me when you arrested me?"

Wellet shook his head and looked away. "No. But I know it was not good. Oh gods, you were eight?"

Nick continued, pacing across the stage slowly. "Three days past my birthday. I still don't know how my mom actually scraped together the money to buy that scouts uniform. You told me, as you cinched the cuffs on my wrists, and attached another muzzle on me, that you had gotten a few reports of a suspicious mammal wandering the streets. So you were going to take me in.

When I saw you, I ran up to you because you were a cop, and a fellow predator, and I had just been attacked by a bunch of prey mammals. That was my first arrest. When they processed me, I gave a fake name, because that is what my mom taught me. That is what all fox parents, and weasel parents as well, tell their kits to do." Glancing over to Allen, who gave a thumbs up and nod. "As well as skunks and I'm sure raccoon's and many others do. "I was in lock up, as an eight year old, for three days. Funny thing is, that is where I met the mammal that is probably the reason I lived long enough to meet Judy, Finnick. He was fourteen at the time, and you had arrested him as well. Fennec fox, super deep voice.

Kit Services picked me up from lock-up. I escaped from them a day later and returned home. Of course, that meant I had two days of unexcused absences, and since I was a fox, that meant my grades suffered because I was not allowed to turn in things late like the other kits. The best essay I ever wrote was around that same time, and while turned in on time, the teacher gave me a D on it. Judy has looked it over. Says it was A+ and several grades higher than I was at. They gave me the D because they accused me of not writing it, but couldn't prove it. Ask any fox, and you'll find that this is a common issue that they experience in school. Or, another student will claim our work as theirs and no one questions it."

Judy piped up. "So everyone here knows. The average fox intelligence level is higher by over 20 points of the average of any other mammal not a fox. This has been verified statistically, and actual, honest studies, suggest they have been forced to evolve higher intelligence to counter the speciesism that they experience from the rest of us and society as a whole. While it might be illegal, discriminating against a fox is easy and basically unpunished. Even when pursued, the fines a business might experience are absurdly small, pennies really, and something most businesses can pay out of petty cash. That's if they even get prosecuted at all."

Nick nodded. "Judy's right. As I moved through my life, every one of you in here picked me up at least once. You Jed, did in fact only pick me up that once. The rest of you. The smallest number of arrests was five, for officer Fangmeyer. As far as all of you were concerned. I was a fox, so I MUST have been guilty of something. A few of you even said as much. Thankfully, I never had a family, or a normal job to lose. So I was lucky in that way.

After that incident, and being arrested by you, Jed. I started to actually hear the things that other mammals were saying about me. That elk that I bumped into. It wasn't because I was clumsy, or he didn't see me. No, he saw me, and went out of his way to bump into me so he could scream obscenities at a fox kit, because I was a fox and no one would bat an eye. If he took a swing at me and bloodied my nose, I obviously had it coming. I have more than a few scars to show for that kind of treatment.

So by nine, I had shut down when away from my family and a few friends. I hung around Fin when I could, and he was teaching me more about the reality of being a fox that my family insulated me from. The last straw was when some mammal decided that my father had cheated him. My father was a tailor, and one of the best in Zootopia. He would make a suit for any mammal from a shrew to an elephant.

It didn't matter what was on the receipt, and it was signed by the other mammal with the agreement and terms spelled out and initialed. My father learned early to do that to protect himself. In the end it didn't matter because the ZPD didn't bother to investigate. My dad was a fox. The officers showed up, took a few statements and photos and left. I overheard them talking as they walked back to their car. And I quote. Why did they bother calling us out for this, it was a fox. Probably had it coming. Whoever killed him did the city a favor. One less fox to deal with. Should have killed his kit too.

An actual investigation was started and the mammal who murdered my father over a difference of fifty Z's, was charged last year when I handed Bogo the closed file, along with all the evidence I kept, which included the receipt that proved what they had agreed to. Note, they are probably going to get off even so, because it has been so long. The prosecutor told me the last time they emailed me that the most he is hoping for is a plea to basic mammalcide. That because of the lack of investigation, that I was the one that held the evidence for all those years, most of it was ruled 'inadmissible.`

Several angry growls came from the assembled in the room. "I was ten, two days before my birthday when that happened. It shattered my mother, because foxes mate for life. She managed only because of her kits. I had an older brother and I have a younger sister.

Mom worked her fingers to the bone to keep us fed and a real roof over our head. Though we still had to live in Happytown. We were the definition of food insecure. As foxes, we could not afford health insurance, nor could my mom get a job that offered it. Insurance companies make foxes pay as much as ten times, sometimes more, than other mammals. I pay, for the union supported, officer insurance plan, more than any other ten officers combined. Because I am a fox.

Even if she could, they wouldn't have offered it to her. Foxes have weak constitutions, don't you know. In reality, we have very strong constitutions and immune systems, but we cannot get health insurance, and getting care is not something we can get without paying up front. My brother got sick. We tried all we could, but he just wouldn't get better, so she finally took him to the Emergency room.

Back then there was the predator section, and then the fox, weasel, etc... section. It's still set up that way if you look, it just isn't used as much. My mom waited with my brother for two days. Two days. Not that they tried anything or gave him anything. Just demanded payment up front and when she couldn't pay, tossed her and my sick brother out into the rain. We did our best to help him and make him comfortable. My older brother died on my twelfth birthday, or at least, when I woke up that morning he was dead.

My mother was already struggling, and that just made it harder. I don't know how she survived that. So, at twelve, having just lost my brother, my father a year before, and my mother struggling to afford any food at all for me, my sister, and herself, as well as a place to live. I knew my mom was eating maybe every other day while working three and four jobs on a given day. She had five that she balanced.

I did the math in the mind of a twelve year old and ran away from home. I waited until after my party, and the backpack they gave me served me well for many years. I still have it. I figured she would have one less mouth to feed, then maybe she could quit one of her jobs. Let her focus just on my sister. That's what I said in my note. That I was going to go make as much money as I could and send it back to her and my sister so they could eat. That they shouldn't worry about me, that I would be okay, as long as they were.

To answer the question I know a few of you are wanting to ask. After they took away my brother's body, and that is all they did. Tossed his body in a bag and dragged it out, and down the stairs. They didn't carry him away, they dragged him out... in a bag. Thump thump thump, down the stairs. That night my mom and sister still tried to celebrate my birthday, relabeling the present from my brother as being also from my sister. In fox homes, when someone dies like that, you don't talk about it. You grieve in private, but you don't acknowledge that mammal anymore. So we just pretended he didn't exist, despite his presence in photos. I ran away that next day.

I went to school with my books, dropped them on the counter, made the secretary sign for them, went home, packed up the new backpack, and left that receipt with a note. I hoped that the school would accept that and not charge her for my books. They still did. Four times, and tried to send her to collections for a fifth time, but she had my receipt, plus the other four she paid.

I had fallen out of touch with Fin, but after my brother got sick, I looked him up again and was starting to work a few hustles to bring in some extra food to the house. So that is when the next few arrests happened. As always, never charged. I was just a fox that happened to be in the wrong spot.

When I ran away, that became my life. Every spare cent I made, I sent to my mom and sister, keeping only enough to feed myself, and then only barely. You can guess how my life went from there. If all society was going to see was a no good, lying, cheating, thief of a fox, then that was what I would be. And you know what... I was damn good at it! At least that is who I was until a certain rabbit hopped into my life.

As I said, I was lucky that I didn't have a regular job to lose. Though every time you all arrested me, that was money I didn't make and therefore couldn't send to my mom and sister. I have a total of 200 arrests on my record, under the name Nicholas Wilde. If we count all the false names I gave, I have more than 450 arrests. I had a different name for every precinct. Not a single one of those arrests resulted in a charge of anything more than a misdemeanor that got dismissed as well. I have spent more than six months in lock-up in my life. Because no matter what the crime might have been, I was suspected by default because I was a fox.

We all know we can only hold a mammal for forty eight hours without charging them. I've spent as much as two weeks in lock-up. Just think about that for a moment. For most mammals, that forty eight hours as a no call, no show, will cost you your job, though if you have an understanding boss, you might be able to get away with that once. For a fox and other marginalized mammals, there is no chance, and you probably won't even get your last paycheck. Heck, if your boss knows you got arrested, even if they let you walk as soon as you get to the station, you're fired more often than not, and there is nothing you can do about it. Then the fact that foxes and others like us are regularly held for far longer than 48 hours just makes it worse.

Now, think what happens beyond just losing the job they had to beg and plead to get, and at which they are getting paid a fraction of what they should be. Yes, it's easy for companies to underpay foxes and others, because we cannot report them. If we do, we'll be out of a job, along with others that we work with. But it gets worse, because then Kit Services gets called in. How many of those supervisory calls for Kit Services have you been on? When you think about it, when you get called out on one of those, what kind of mammal is it usually?

You see, when a company fires a fox, they will often call Kit Services who will pick up that mammals kits, and the likelihood of them ever getting them back does not exist. As suggested before. We, foxes, weasels, skunks, etc... teach our kits to give KS false names, to run away and back home as soon as we can. Sadly, KS has gotten better at holding kits and so it has gotten harder for our kits to find their way home once picked up by KS. I'll remind you of how Frost ended up with his name. If you really want to learn just how bad it is, ask Judy why she has a black mark in her jacket for abuse of authority. Here's a hint, it was against KS.

Let me close with a few final points. Some of you may not realize it, but both Judy and I are required to carry at all times. This means our weapons and badges, and I am very lucky for that fact. You see, in the past six months I have been accosted by officers from other precincts dozens of times. Excuses ranged from harassing a rabbit, yes, that would be Judy, my mate, to just looking suspicious. Then they find weapons on me, and you can imagine how that goes.

I've also been arrested four times for impersonating an officer when I presented my badge in that six month period, and have spent ten days total in lock-up for it until Judy located me. They have tried to charge me with illegal firearm possession, and a number of other charges. My weapon was even destroyed once and that precinct had to buy me a new one. As a note, I'm a fox, so I don't get a phone call in most precincts, not that a lawyer would bother talking to me if they let me. When I do get a call, it is to a speech to text service that sends a text message to Judy, and a few other numbers.

I'm a cop now, as you all know. I've made Sergeant, and my muzzle has been on the news many times at this point. But think about that. Just in the last six months, I've spent nearly a month in lockup all told. The next time you don't see me show up and Judy looks angry, and is then just given a nod from Bogo, after which she takes our cruiser out solo. She's not going on patrol, she's on a fox hunt trying to figure out which precinct's lock-up I'm sitting in.

She has to do it in person, because, and I know this is getting redundant, but because I'm a fox, as often as not, they don't even bother to put me in the system. A lot of them assume my ID is fake and I'm just trying to use the fame of that one token fox to get off for whatever they think I've done. Since I am armed when they pick me up. At this point I think I'm developing a tolerance to our tranq darts. The fox is armed, so he gets tranq'd by default.

My final bit of experience will help you understand some of my attitude and experience here as a cop. When I first started, Mammal Resources refused to add me to the insurance coverage we all share. I'm sure you all remember the spectacle of Judy arresting and charging several MR mammals. That was why. They refused to add me, and the union wouldn't help either.

It was three months after I graduated and joined the precinct. I got hurt taking down a suspect. Nothing major, a few scrapes and bruises, but something any one of you would have just gone in and been seen for. I didn't bother, because I didn't have the money to pay up front for care that would have been at best just sending me home with some aspirin, motrin if I was lucky.

Judy being the good partner that she is, insisted that I get seen and I told her no, because I couldn't afford it. She looked at me like I was crazy, that all officers had coverage. I'm sure the idea that I didn't have coverage the moment I walked in the doors of the precinct is unbelievable. I have coverage now, and I still pay more than any ten of you do.

I remember laughing at her over that and reminding her I'm a fox, as in my mind that was all the explanation needed. We don't get insurance, and we don't see the doctor unless we can pay up front. She wouldn't listen, it was Judy afterall, and dragged me to the hospital. We entered and things went south from there, despite me being in uniform. They initially refused to see me, saying that I needed to wait in the designated area. So that is where I started to head, figuring it might be a day or two, so I made some comment about her bringing me something to eat while I waited, but you all know how Judy can be. So I got seen, bruised ribs and shoulder. I'm checking out and they hand me the bill and demand payment or they'll demand that Judy arrest me for theft of services. Keep in mind, I am still in uniform.

You can imagine how that went over. It was how she also learned that I was in fact not on the police insurance plan, just like I said. So she marched us out of there with threats against the doctors and nurses. Drove us back to the precinct and we went to MR. They of course confirmed that I was not, and would not, be put on the insurance rolls, because... fox. I swear, that was the angriest I had ever seen her up to that point. All the while with me in the background not sure what to do, other than trying to convince her to stop. I'm a fox. I don't get things like that, but you all know Judy. She doesn't buy into that.

You see. It is only because of the advocacy of Judy that I am on the insurance rolls and not billed into oblivion every time I get hurt on the job. If it wasn't for her, I'd have died many times over, because I am a fox and as far as most mammals are concerned; the only good fox, weasel, skunk, raccoon, etc... is a dead one. I have nearly died a few times in the hospital, because they wouldn't work on me until Judy starts screaming. Actually had the hospital administrator in cuffs once, planned on charging him with murder, and I'm sure she would have been able to make the charges stick.

This is why we, marginalized mammals, do not trust the ZPD. The experiences you have heard are not outliers, but the rule for our experience. The exception is one of our species that has never been arrested for no reason, who has never spent days in jail without charges, who hasn't been targeted by other mammals because of our species, who has had the support of other mammals not their family.

I will reiterate what the others have said. If your suspect is actually a fox, a weasel, a raccoon, arrest them, but if they just happen to be walking by somewhere. Think about all the secondary effects your actions as an officer are going to have. If the only charge is going to be something like jay-walking, because they were crossing the street to avoid you, maybe you should look the other way. I can promise you. That fox you are arresting is terrified. They will rarely show it, but they are asking themselves. Am I going to get a beating? Will I still have a job? How long am I going to be stuck in lock up this time? Please don't let KS go after my kits. Please let a friend see this and let my mate know so they can hide the kits until I'm out and can find a new job.

Why did that fox, that weasel, that raccoon, run? I think we have let you know why at this point. If they're guilty of something, great, pursue and arrest them, but if not... Just think it over. I'm now going to open the floor to questions."

It was dead silent for several long moments before Trunkaby raised her trunk. "Nick... I suddenly don't feel like I deserve to call you that... Sergeant WildeHopps... You've really been arrested that many times and spend that long in lock-up? And never charged?"

Nick nodded. "I have. I have the paperwork for every incident, and when this training video is completed, the reference to the records of all the mammals will be included as reference, including all of those of mine that are under fake names. To answer your other question, eighteen times, but nothing in the two years before I joined the force."

A leopard Officer raised his paw. "Sergeant. You went three months without coverage? But I know you were hurt several times in that first three months. How?"

Nick shrugged. "Just as I, and every fox out there has our entire lives. I dealt with it. I took pain killers. Took a day off if I had to, and that I can tell you is a privilege that maybe one other fox in a thousand in the city has the option of doing. The normal for us is to just work through the pain and hope it heals."

The leopard continued. "But what about Bogo? Didn't he know?"

Nick shook his head. "Not until Judy marched those MR mammals through the lobby to lock-up. I will give him credit. He was truly livid when he understood why she was doing it. The cost of my coverage for that injury was taken out of their final paychecks. I was also sent back to the hospital for a full work up. It's why I was on desk duty for a month while I was being treated."

A wolf by the name of Houwells stood up. "Sergeant. I don't understand what you mean by you pay for the insurance. I didn't think any of us did."

Nick smiled. "Actually you do, but it is a small charge for you and most everyone else. There are some differences depending on species and job. Dedicated SWAT pays a bit more, things like that."

"Then how much are you paying?"

Nick glanced at Judy who nodded. "This is something that not even Bogo was able to do anything about. The insurance company all but refused to put me on the plan. In the end, I'm on a separate plan with a lot of restrictions and I pay a thousand Z's a month. Most of you pay maybe ten or twenty Z's a paycheck. Otherwise I would go without. I can only use it for things that happen on the clock, and they require copies of my and any other responding officers reports, except Judy's. They won't accept hers, since she is my partner and mate."

Eric stood up with a growl in his voice. "That... That is not right! How. How do you put up with that?"

Nick shook his head sadly. "Eric. Buddy. That is the whole point of this, to help you and every other officer understand that your actions have consequences. You know that, but when it comes to marginalized mammals, those effects can be far reaching and go well beyond a few days in lock-up. How often have you heard it said that a fox, a raccoon just needs to buckle down and get an honest, legit job. Yet, you have all arrested foxes, raccoons, and others for no reason. Every time you did that, if we had that honest, legit job, you arresting us cost us that job.

We might have been fed in lockup, and that is a maybe by the way, but what about our family? That day's pay may have been what fed them for the time we're in lock-up. Arresting one of us for no reason will most likely cost us that legit job if he had it, and after a few arrests, getting that legit job becomes even harder to the point that we can no longer get an honest job. At which point, if we want to feed ourselves and our family, we have no choice but to turn to crime.

We're looked at as being unreliable, because the ZPD has helped feed that stereotype every time you arrest one of us without justification, and there is nothing we can do about it. How can we be reliable at a job, when we can get pinched by the ZPD at any time for no reason, no call to tell our boss that we won't be in, just no-call, no-show. Because of that, we have no choice but to accept any job we can, and for whatever pay they are willing to throw our way. Minimum wage is 10 Z's, if a fox or weasel makes half that an hour, they're doing well. And no, there is nothing we can do about that for reasons explained before."

A deer officer stood up. "Then why don't you just get together and report them, or report them anonymously?"

Nick shook his head sadly, a hint of anger tingeing his voice. "You have never had to use that system. The companies have lobbied and worked the system. It is not anonymous. You know what happens when a fox gets fed up with an employer essentially paying them slave wages? They call that tip line you have never had the need to use. They have to give their name, where they work, all that great information. Then... The employment enforcement division reaches out to the business and arranges a visit, giving the business all the information on the mammal that called.

After the inspection, which never finds anything because businesses that bother to employ foxes keep more than one set of records. The employment enforcement knows this, but the company is employing foxes, so what does it matter if they're not actually getting paid like they should, as long as the books say it is that way. Of course, since it is a visit arranged ahead of time, a fox with a perfect record of attendance, employee of the month for six months, suddenly has a history of write ups. Doesn't matter if he hasn't signed them.

Stop me if this starts to sound familiar, officer. Then he's accused of stealing from the company, the ZPD is called. He runs out the back of the company and lucky for him, gets away. He then burns the fake ID he was using for that job, because that's another thing, since they don't pay us actually on the books, we work under fake names. You still trying to find Jeff Wilder? Well, I'm standing right here. That was the last legit job I was ever able to get until the one I have right now.

I may have been a hustler, and lived in the gray area of the law, but I have never stolen anything in my life. I was fifteen, and I was making 2 Z's an hour, working fourteen to eighteen hours a day, seven days a week at that job. No, I was not paid overtime, no sick time, no vacation. If I took a day off, I simply didn't get paid. I managed to dodge the ZPD for almost a year, and held down that job for that time, until I dared think that maybe I should actually be paid the same as the wolf that sat next to me, or the deer that had the spot behind me. So please, don't try and preach to me about things you have not the first understanding of."

Judy was on the stage and stopped Nick, wrapping him in a hug. "Nick, stop. His question is exactly why you are here."

Taking a deep breath, Nick returned the hug and then shook himself out. "Sorry. But I will finish the story. After I ran, and something I'm sure you are unaware of. They also fired every fox and weasel that worked there, along with that wolf I sat next to. The EED rep was standing there when they did it. They didn't pay any of them for the work they had done up to that point, which was more than a weeks worth of pay. The EED helped that manager see us out and then called KS. Three of those foxes and one of the weasels had kits. All of them had their kits taken, with the help of officers just like you, by the time they got home. Since it happened early in the day, I wouldn't be surprised if you got called out on one of those to oversee it."

The deer sat down heavily. "I... I was called out on three of those that day."

"Those kits never got free of the KS system. I make this promise to you, and I beg you. Do not look up what happened to those kits. I know you. Don't do it. Do yourself a favor, John. Do not do it." Wiping his eyes. "Sorry everyone. This got a lot more personal than I expected. I think Judy is rubbing off on me. As a reminder, the purpose of this is to create a set of training videos that will be added to annual training to try and help all officers understand that their actions, all of them, all of your decisions, have consequences. If there is one last take away. When you are arresting that fox, that raccoon or weasel, who is in fact guilty of something. Who is angry and scared. I'm not saying let them go, but try and be a bit more understanding, but I assure you, most of them are not criminals by choice.

None of us want your pity, we just want you to consider your actions. We want you to take our stories and understand what mammals that have not had the privilege and opportunity you have had, go through. We tell you these things not to hurt you, but in the hope that you will take what you learn here and be better cops because of it. Thank you."

Nick stepped off the stage and Jeff stopped the recording and started making copies. "Nick, I'll have several copies for you in about ten minutes.

Nick nodded. "Thanks Jeff. I appreciate it."

Judy pulled Nick into another hug. "You did good Nick. I know that wasn't easy."

"I know it is for a good cause. I'm kinda shocked I was able to do it without alcohol."

"Because you are a good person, and you know that this will help more mammals. If your story, and that of the others, can make a change within the ZPD, then you are helping a lot of mammals."

"I know, and I had my strength here with me." Pulling her close. "You."

Judy blushed. "Nick..."

Giving her his trademark smirk. "What? It's true. You, Judith Laverne WildeHopps, are my strength."

"Niiiick... Stop it, you're going to make me cry." Judy whined.

Eric walked up. "Uhm... Nick. I... I'm sorry. I had no idea. I don't know how you can be around all of us. Any of us."

Nick looked up and smiled. "Eric, it's part of that credo I mention from time to time. I knew that, at least for most officers, it wasn't personal, it was an unwritten procedure. It was how you were trained, what you were taught, and you have never known someone who could clear the reality from what you were always told was true. The fact is, most officers in the precinct that were around prior to Judy roping me into the Missing Mammal case, have arrested me at one time or another. I don't expect to get through to every officer, but my hope is that it will reach enough that the current culture will see a change."

The deer officer, John walked up. "Can I ask you why you don't want me to look up what happened to those kits? You knew I got called out on those didn't you?"

Nick looked up sadly. "You can ask, but I really don't want to tell you, because it will be little different than you looking up what happened. What I can tell you is that the vixen with the two brothers, works as a nurse at a free clinic that services marginalized mammals in Happytown."

John looked at Nick and took a step back, blinking to hold back tears. "No..." With that he turned and rushed away.

Judy looked down sadly. "He's going directly to his desk and going to look it up."

Trunkaby watched him go and then turned to Nick. "So what did you not tell him?"

Nick looked down and shook his head, while Judy sighed and spoke for him. "Nick blames himself for what happened."

Sighing deeply. "I ask myself a lot. What would have happened if I hadn't made the call and just been happy with my two Z's an hour? Maybe... Lots of what if and maybe."

Trunkaby watched Nick with concern. "What happened?"

Judy looked up. "Her brothers and her were given to a rich family out in the Meadowlands. They were essentially sold as slaves just like Frost described. The todds were collared with shock collars and forced to work, and all of them were used. We don't know what truly happened with the todds, but they died on the property the same day she escaped. We can only assume that they scarified themselves to get her out. We can't look into it because the ZPD has no authority, and she wont' say.

Of the others that were overseen by John, two more died in KS custody, we think beaten to death because they were foxes, and the raccoon's made it out of KS, at twenty, because their paperwork was filled out to make them younger, but OD'd a few years later. We don't know what they went through. The last is going to be the worst for him though. She was only five when she was taken. She figured out who it was that John was. She was a suicide by cop. Last year."

Trunkaby started crying. "Oh gods. No..."

Nick nodded. "Come on Judy. We need to find him."

A few minutes later, Judy and Nick, trailed by nearly a dozen officers, followed the sound of crying to John's cube. He looked up at Nick, tears flowing. "It would have been better if I had just let her shoot me. She was just a kit. Was still just a kit. What happened to her that drove her to do that, and why did it have to be me?"

Nick stepped up and put a paw on John's shoulder. "I don't know John. Don't blame yourself. If anyone was at fault, it was me. If I hadn't made that call. If I hadn't decided that I deserved to be treated like my co-workers, none of that would have happened. In reality, it was neither of our faults directly. It is the reason I was tasked by Bogo to create this training, so we can try and stop more of exactly this from happening. Now come on, you need to go see the counselor."

John looked at his badge which he had taken off and held in his hooves with sad eyes. "I don't deserve this."

Nick closed John's hoof around the badge. "Yes you do. You are a good cop. The key here is to take what you know now and help it make you a better cop. To do that, you need to see the counselor, and then apply this as the good cop that you are."

John turned to Judy. "Is this what happened to you?"

Judy nodded. "Yeah. I came across a situation where I found foxes and others being mistreated, underpaid, etc... And a near duplicate of what Nick described happened. I did everything I could to block, frustrate, and interfere with KS. I'd take ten black marks if I could take back making that call. The company itself got fined like five grand, total, and as I have learned, only because I am an actual ZPD officer. Otherwise it would have likely been put in as a warning citation and been the end of it. I get it."

Nick pulled John to his feet. "Come on, John. I'm sorry I told you. You hit a nerve with your question. It wasn't fair to slap you with this."

John shook his head as Nick led him towards the counselor's office. "No. I'm glad you told me, Nick. It is going to take some time to process... I have been on so many of those. How many were situations like that one?"

Stopping outside the counselor's office, Nick opened the door. "I won't lie to you, John. Most of them were probably like that." Nick spoke up so the counselor could hear. "John, talk to Henry. It is what he's here for, and after this revelation, you need it."

A voice coming from inside. "Thank you, Nick. Come in John."

Nick closed the door behind John and turned to the others. They all looked at him and he frowned. "What? I see Henry regularly, and if you are not, you should be. It's one of the benefits of being an officer that I can take advantage of that doesn't cost me money."

Wellet shook his head. "I see him at least every other month. No, I'm just realizing that what you said is completely true, and probably carefully cleansed of the worst of things."

"You would be right. That was more than I expected to say, and only a fraction of it. Remember, there are more than 400 arrests, and probably more than three times that many times that I succeeded in giving an officer the slip."

Nick took the video's from Jeff who had caught up with the group. "Thanks Jeff."

The group then broke up, several knots of conversation about what they had learned and how the implications of it reflected on them as officers. Nick and Judy headed towards the cars, followed by Lizz and Mike. Once at the cars, they stood in silence for several seconds. Mike finally turned to Nick. "Nick... We..."

Nick shook his head and held up his paw. "Mike. You are both long since forgiven. I do have a question for you, Mike. Are we going to be able to use the mega-fauna van?"

Giving Nick a smile, Mike shook his head. "Sadly, no. However, I do expect a number of mammals to show up to help with the move, beyond Judy's siblings. When are they going to show up, anyway?"

Judy shrugged. "They're farm mammals. They'll be up and on the road by five, no later than six. It'll depend on traffic and such. I would expect them between ten and eleven. I will text you as soon as they show up. Nick will lead the crew that will move you over to your new apartment. Mike, I assume you're going to drop Lizz off to watch over the delivery and you'll be there at your current apartment to direct the packing?"

Mike nodded. "That is the plan."

With a smile, Nick nodded. "Now that the first recording is out of the way, I'm hungry, and I know our wives are, so let's get some food."

Mike nodded. "Sounds good, Nick. Where to?"

Nick pulled out his phone and sent a quick text, and got an immediate response. "Okay. So we won't be able to have dinner for a few hours yet. Lets head back to your parents place, Mike. That way when Carlos calls me, we can just head out."

Judy smiled. "Perfect. We can get a snack, and then head to an early dinner as soon as Carlos calls." Taking Nick's arm. "We'll meet you guys there."

They climbed into their respective vehicles and headed out.

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A/N

Remember to share the love. Review and Fav. It is the life blood of every writer to know you are enjoying their work. I also want to thank everyone who has Fav'd, followed, and reviewed this little project. I know that isn't much, but to me, it's huge. Even as a writer of original fiction, that you enjoy this means a lot to me as an author. You can check out my original work and link to my Blog, Scribblings, where a lot of it lives by hopping over to dcballard . com ( Direct: ascensionnovel . / scribblings (remove the spaces) because the forwarding is misbehaving.)

If you enjoy this, and you are not also reading my original Log Entries series over on my Blog. Why aren't you? (takes a Nick-esk pose of hurt) Also. I am now posting them on AO3, so you have even less excuse. It's free, ORIGINAL fiction. "An original story told through the log entries of the pilot and captain of an experimental star ship."

You should really be checking out my bestest bud, Bear678, and his story What Foxes May Come.

So keep those reviews and comments coming. And also remember, if you see issues, misspellings, etc... Let me know in PM, I'm under no illusion of being perfect and want to fix those things I miss.