Chapter 28:
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The group raced forward, Carmelita and Judy in the lead, the others quickly tagging along after. Darting onward, cover to cover, the fox at the head of the pack peaking out and scanning each next turn, corner, doorway, crook and cranny, the bunny using her ears to try and hear anything that the vixen didn't.
Every time they pushed they kept their feet light on the ground, the red fox vixen pausing to give her thick boots a careful look as the sound of them on the concrete floor seemed to echo about just a bit too much. Would it be worth the risk to remove them?
She shook her head against it as the constant sounds of Rattigan's base of operations filtered in. The humming static of old fluorescent tubes, of the slowly wafting ventilation system, of the arguing and works going on to their side in the large supply gallery they'd followed Petey along.
Another quick look back, Carmelita checked their positions before turning to move and…
-She froze, Judy's paw on her shirt. She glanced down at the bunny only to see her pointing back at the hare to their rear, Jack's ears up and swivelling. He made his way up carefully, the group gathering in as he near-whispered out. "Someone muttering down there," he said, pointing. "Didn't hear much, but heard your name." He pointed at Mrs Fox, her brow furrowing.
"That or the name of the feline I am unfortunate enough to share a name with," she grumbled. "What else?"
"Sounded… It was a woman's voice," Jack recollected, Kris' eyes going wide.
"It's her."
He took a breath in and out, fur frizzing up as Mr Fox sided over. "Do we want a gratuitous revenge diversion or to carry on with the rescue plan?"
A number of disapproving looks were shot his way, not least of which came from his own wife, only for his nephew to speak out. "Both." He smiled, cutting off the others before they could interject. "We're going to cheat."
Carmelita's head tilted slightly, the vixen giving a glance around for safety before leaning in. "I entrust you have a plan?"
Kris nodded. "They took me to a different part of the base to use her to scare me, so as to get my Dad to work for them. That was right next to where I last saw him, so he's probably still nearby. -I don't know where that is exactly, but I'm pretty sure she does." He looked around before settling on Sly. "You could probably pass as one of Rattigan's goons, to her at least. Go in, give her a few orders, and…"
"I like where this is going," the raccoon smiled. "Only, I may have a slight reputation amongst these mammals." He turned, paw going out to Skye. "But, as an underbody to…"
"-Won't work," Kris said, Sly looking back.
"Why's that."
"She's a fox."
"Ah. I'm not liking who this is even more then."
"-That, and I can't act for scat," Skye said, turning and looking over to a mammal already getting himself up and ready. "Unlike a certain someone I know who's done the whole 'Act as you belong thing' before."
"Ahem," Jack said, working his clothes down and nodding. "Shall we?"
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"-I mean what if she doesn't think I can do this?" Sarrahson grumbled. The feline paced about around her assigned quarters. Spartan, for sure, not that she was complaining. Not that she didn't understand the pressure these mammals were under or grateful for the chance of warmth or a soft-ish mattress or a lukewarm shower after being stuck in the muck in the Nocturnal District for however long… No no, "don't be snarky," she breathed out. "This is better." She sat down, the metal frame of the slightly too small bed squeaking out. "She does value you. -You just let that pelt get the best over you. She's focussing on the mission right now, last thing she needs is a nagging nellie so paranoid of her position and so begging of her personal approval…" She breathed in and shook her head. "Don't be weird Sarah. Don't be."
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…
"What if she doesn't think I'm up to it next time. What if I don't get a chance to redeem myself again, what if…" she froze, mid stride and mid double paw chop down, snapping out of it with a shake of her head. "-No, there'll be downtime. -And don't talk about the mission then, maybe she'd want some time talking about good old girl stuff, and… -And then she'll think you're not taking this seriously, or thinking that things can be all goodie goodie after your last failure, I..." She kicked the floor before getting up again, pacing around. No longer speaking to herself, at least verbally, her closed mouth mimed something one way, then raised a counterpoint the other, tail flicking, frizzing, this way, that, the cat eventually settling down, leaning with paws on her head against a too high too large sink fixed to the wall, massaging her scalp, thinking through… "Next time I need to…"
A sharp knock at the door cut her off, the cat jumping up straight and frantically brushing herself down. A steadied breath to compose herself and she walked over as the second knock finished, opening up the door and… "I…"
"You're Felicity's cat huh?" the hare below her grunted. She'd seen a hare with the group once, but this mammal… "What are you looking at!?" He yelled out. "Yes or no!?"
"-Y-yes," she stammered out, paw going straight up into a salute. "Sarah Sarrahson, reporting for…"
"Well get your tail straight and get over to that pelt historian or whatever. -He's being slow on the research work and we need someone to remind him of the consequences of that!"
"Perfect, she called the right mammal for the job," the serval began. "I won't let her down." She'd already started walking out as Jack carried on.
"Same place as before, now hurry."
"Will do." She began jogging off, perhaps a little too fast. Not so much for Jack by her side, jogging on just behind. Not even for Sly, who followed on quickly after, flicking from shadow to shadow, watching Jack's back and his paw; paw currently flat behind him, ready to dart out left or right if he noticed any other agents of Rattigan down the corridors as they passed them. It was the others, the long convoy trying to follow on, trying to keep quiet, keep hidden that struggled. Carmelita leading, waving them on, each step, all of them doing their best to keep aware, keep alert, keep…
The lead vixen was pulled to a halt, head flashing around to see Mrs Fox behind her, eyes wide and paw gripping her wrist tight and hard. She gave a look back over to Sly up ahead, glancing back and realising something was going on but tugged ahead by the advancing pair. Carmelita turned back but didn't even need to tell the other red fox vixen to get on with it.
"I smell him," she said. "My kit."
Mr Fox nodded on alongside her, the two looking at each other. Carm glanced at them, the others, Sly as he turned the corner up ahead and then rested her gaze on Judy. "Race up and tell him."
She nodded and shot forward on all fours, Carm turning to the others before putting a paw out, halting Nick in his place.
"If she's going…" he began.
"They can manage it."
"What!?" he hissed. "What if there's a whole pack of polar bears, or…"
"I admit that is a concern and the division of power we've been forced into is not ideal, with one group vastly overpowered compared to the other" Carmelita began, following on with Mr and Mrs Fox as they, Kris and Skye already began moving in a different direction. "But rest assured, though undermammaled and the far weaker team, I still have faith us six can hold our own."
Nick frowned but could do nothing but follow on with the small pack. Up front, using Mr Fox and Carmelita to help cover each new turn, they darted on, the increasing feral call tagging at Mr and Mrs Fox ever, ever clearer. The interpol vixen put up a paw to stall them, slowly at first, but then thrusting it out as they chased ever faster, the scent picking up, the two parents starting to rush ahead seemingly not even caring if they crossed the path of an armed guard or… They froze at a door, holding themselves there, Carmelita almost thinking they'd start scratching at it were she not already by its side, ear on it, sniffing…
Baby fox kit yes, but also…
She unlocked the door and raced in, seeing the goat standing by himself and firing off a point blank shot from her shock pistol before he could even bleat. The others pulled in after, Nick pulling the door closed just in time to see Carmelita grab an empty baby bottle -one of a few that had been lying about amidst the jumble of assorted baby supplies, and thrust it into his mouth as he recovered, choking off a scream.
It did nothing to stop him headbutting her straight off, the experienced interpol fighter pulling back but not fast enough to avoid a minor clip on the head. Petey got no respite however as Mr Fox charged in, claws open and teeth bared, a feral hiss from his mouth as he began clawing, the goat forced into a retreat. He spat out the baby bottle, only for a cloud of white formula powder to be thrown into his face from Mrs Fox, blinding him and drying out his mouth, choking what he was about to say. A further step back, into the small baby seat-swing that Kris had slid over from a jumble of gear into place behind him. Hoof on, the chair swinging out, the goat was toppled back with one last kick from Mr Fox. His horns smacked against the floor, ripping up the coloured foam tiles and shielding his head somewhat. -Just in time for Skye to come in, another baby bottle thrust into his maw and then a roll of duct tape out, winding around his jaws to silence him.
Nick was already leaping over, taking him from her and putting him into an arm lock, holding him tight before getting the cuffs out. A nod to Skye, the vixen done, he and the others dragged him back despite his struggles and cuffed both paws behind a pipe in one corner of the room.
The defeated caprid, white powdered face blinking open and riven up, rivulets of white spit-hydrated formula drooling out as he glared at them, frowned slightly.
Nick nodded, looking around at the roughly set out nursery, eyes focussing on the flat pack cot -Badly put together and held in place with the same tape that Skye had used to gag him. "Well, Petey…" He began, only to find a different member of his species already busy at work.
"Where is my kit!" Mrs Fox growled, claws at his throat.
He looked down, then up, then rolled his eyes, mumbling something out.
"What are you saying," Mrs Fox continued to growl, joined in by her husband.
"Probably something about not being able to respond while being held like this."
"That's still no excuse."
"I think it's a somewhat reasonable one."
"What did we say about parenting with a united front?"
"Petey, this is still no excuse for not answering."
The goat shrugged, glancing away a little and mumbling a few more things.
It was Nick that held the answer to their problem, coming in low and grabbing his feet, cuffing them like his hooves to the pipe before coming up. "Okay, first off, the whole 'making it up as you go along' thing may work for songwriting, but I see it didn't for flat pack furniture, huh?"
Petey mumbled a few things out.
"Secondly," he carried on. "We're going to guide you down, nice and gently, I…" -He unlocked the goat's arms only for him to throw himself forward -Carmelita grabbing him by the horns and slowing his fall to a gentle landing.
"I'm not going to have you bleat on and on in your trial about police violence," she hissed, setting him down low. Only to pause as Mrs Fox walked over, thwacking a newly acquired fur-brush into the centre of her paw over and over.
"-Would him going on about civilian corporal-discipline be okay?"
"I don't think he'd describe it as that."
"Do I look like I care at this point," she muttered, looking down at him. He looked up, glancing forward as Skye brought out a pen she'd had on her and the instruction manual for the cot, jabbing at it. Getting the message, he started scribbling out, finishing a sentence and…
Mrs Fox yanked it off of him. "Well," she said, "let's see what you have to say for yourself." A few seconds passed. "-Assembling flat pack furniture was not part of the job description."
She thrust it back down, the goat writing out again. The same procedure was repeated. "Also, you electrocuted me, tried to choke me, clawed me, I think I will claim police brutality thankyou."
Down it went again, along with Mr Fox, leaning in closely. "I want two very simple answers to two very important questions. Where is my son? Where is my tail?"
"And just to let you know, while I don't do police mammal brutality," Carmelita said. "I also know that hell hath no fury like a vixen scorned. Especially when that vixen is a mother vixen and the reason for that scorning involves her kit." She passed her shock pistol to Mrs Fox who walked around to his back and jabbed the weapon under his tail.
"To quote the quote-unquote the younger generation," Mrs Fox said. "We're playing by street rules now punk!"
The others watched on as Petey looked around, looked up at Nick and Carmelita, gaze lingering on their hard unsympathetic expressions. A slight gulp, followed by a choke as white liquid began dripping from his maw. One last sigh and he began writing things down. The interpol vixen pulled it up and read it out. "Well, I guess this is payback then. In that case, here it goes I guess, are you happy that you could only get the truth out of me by cheating?"
"Yes," Nick cut in.
"Entirely," Carmelita followed, carrying on with her read through. "So before ascending to the status of a god, Rattigan decided to have one last night of mortal delights with his beloved. I assisted with that before being called to childproofing duties here. Your ill tempered former little pup was quite the nuisance so I was somewhat relieved when she requested him be there to…" The vixen gave a hissing breath out. "See his new parents exhibit true love for him while they still could. A good impression, is it not?"
Mrs Fox was already at the door, ear on it before leaning out, getting a faint scent trail of sorts leading on. Nick gestured at her to wait as the piece of paper went back to Petey alongside a simple instruction. "Map please."
He gestured the paper back and wrote something down, pausing as she read it out. "Shame really, they were just getting ready to set up the livestream for your own pleasure. With your remaining kits I thought a few parenting lessons on inter generational openness and intimacy positivity may not have gone amiss."
Carmelita read it out, gulping as she gestured for Mrs Fox to come over, rearming herself with the shock pistol. "I said directions," she repeated. "Unless you want this to be the closest you can ever possibly get to kithood."
He began writing out about her 'now fully endorsing police brutality' only for Kris to push in, two fingers out and holding a hooflet tip and knuckle. The goat froze at first, then a slow look of terror began growing on him as he realised it was not him doing it.
"I know that you know that we now know that we are very short on time," he warned. "That very soon our empty cell will be discovered, clever putting it out there." Some of the others nodded, a few others looking at Kris, their eyes widening in growing fear at the realisation. "You think you can make us panic, or try and draw us out, or whatever. You think you can withstand what we can do to you. But I must warn you, I know karate. And now…" He raised his pinky. "I know kung fu."
A slight tremor in the goat, Kris let go, the paper back as he began dutifully writing out their instructions. "Down one flight of stairs, turn left, all along the corridor, right near the end, second last door on the right. Room D61. Through there, left, door ahead, down those steps."
Carmelita scrunched up the paper and took the lead again, waving at her group to charge on. They didn't have the luxury of time anymore and it was no longer just the parental draw of the two older red foxes dragging them along, it was the dreaded feeling of fire on all their tails, real or metaphorical. Stoked up, racing on, their gamble close to blowing up in their faces as down the stairs, turning left and then down the corridor they went. Even so, Mr and Mrs Fox kept the charge up fast, noses sniffing, at first looking unsure as they drifted away only for their ears to perk as they smelt… -Something. Something growing, the draw back on, pushing onto everyone else. At each intersection doing a quick scan, ever shorter, ever more cursory to make sure it was safe, making sure…
Their ears were thrown down as Nick let out a shot, then another, muffled but still deafening as one polar bear then two collapsed to the ground, weapons dropped down in front of them. "Cuss," he hissed, joining in at the back of the pack with the others as they pushed on. Hoping there'd be no more, knowing that they were on borrowed time, watching as…
-He froze as he saw Mr Fox go back, returning with the bears pistols. Oversized but operable, one for him, one for his wife. He felt better, gesturing for the unarmed minor in their midst to get into the middle, lest…
They flinched as a bright light shone out, Carm zapping another bear. They were close though, the door in question just in front of them, D61 printed in blocky letters as they swung it open. No light, that would be okay, Carm's torch on she guided the others in, pushing to the other side and…
They froze as a soft clink came out, a swish in the air as something exited up overhead. Carmelita began to scream, only for the air to do that for them as the world turned burning white.
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Sly kept his pace up, flicking from shadow to shadow. So far, so good. Only one potential interruption, one that Sly had peeked in at and, on seeing they were looking the other way, given himself and Judy the all clear to push on ahead. Sarahson's pace had faded somewhat and in Judy's opinion Jack would have been pushing her further, pushing her on more, keeping her exhausted and looking ahead rather than thinking things over were it not for the fact that, for all his recent changes, he was still not the most active of mammals. That and the size disadvantage was still just that.
Either way, he kept his persona and cover up enough for her to not question it. "-Yes, and I'm with him too," in relation to the other hare, Woundwort, who'd arrived recently. "-Rattigan has contacts, he has mammals, and those mammals have contacts and underlings himself! You say you're a valuable asset, I'm sure you can work out why those mammals have assistance too. You hear me!?"
"Y-yes," Sarrahson said, shocked a little by Jack's yell, even if not directed at her. Instead to a pair of polar bears walking past, a screen and some set-up in paw.
They looked at her, then at Jack. "What are you looking at? She's following my orders, me mine, you yours?"
"I not…" one of the bears began, only for Jack to huff.
"I've not seen either of you two before either," he spoke, finger out. "Now, unless you want me to escalate this with the mammal responsible for getting your boss out of a jungle hellhole and home and dry, I'd advise you to do your job and me mine. Understand!"
"Da… -Da," they both said, moving on.
"Polar bears," Jack grumbled, Sarahson nodding and starting to talk about this one she'd been in duty over, and how he had no capacity to think for himself etcetera etcetera…
Jack and Sly carried on behind, pausing as they began seeing Jack jerking out his paw this way, then that… -More mammals around, more danger, more…
Judy's ears went up as she heard them, only to pause as Sly skipped to a halt in front of her and pointed up. All along the top of the concrete corridor were a set of cable trays bundled with browning and cracking wires and cables. The raccoon then pointed over to a nearby cable dropping from it and going down to a set of exposed electrical switches. They ran and leapt, scrabbling over the boxes before Sly gripped the cable, pulling himself up it with his cane in his teeth and Judy on his back. She got out, slipping into the tray, down on all fours in the limited space but comfy. Sly also on all fours, but less so.
He waved her on to follow before carrying on himself, limbs squeezing and pushing as he went, pausing as he brought out his Binnocucom, checking it. The relayed signal was weak, very weak. But it was still there. "Bentley," he whispered. "Can you copy, can you?"
"Very faintly," the turtle said. "Status update?"
"Tense, we haven't found them yet but we could do with a distraction."
"Fire alarm again, or…"
"No, tell the ZPD to start the attack." he said, breathing in and out. "We're close, hopefully you'll fight in to meet us."
"On it," the turtle said, Sly putting his Binnocucom away, but not before hearing the turtle mention 'the others' too.
He began pushing on, squeezing down, pushing through. Judy was already way up ahead, following Jack and Sarrahson, and his nose was sensitive enough to follow her scent. As were those of the bears too, though with Jack making his presence known enough it seemed they weren't realising that they were two bunnies down there, not one.
Or three, as Sly reminded himself. He'd heard things about that mammal.
Either way, he kept on moving, silent, scentless, pushing on before turning, finding Judy up in front of him, watching on at the increasingly loud discussion beneath them.
"I was told to take this mammal to the silverfox. The adult silverfox," Jack said gruffly to a waiting bear. "I was told she knew where to find him."
"-And I did, he was here," Sarrahson rushed out. "When I last saw him he was here and…"
"Yes, yes," Jack waved off. "I'm not angry at you." He turned, throwing a finger forward. "I'm angry at you for not telling us where he's been moved to and is working, wasting our time."
The polar bear looked on, frowning. "I don't know you…"
"And I don't…" Jack began again only to be cut off.
"-Da, just safety first, you know," he waved off. "Just confirm with the bosses and…"
"And interrupt them during a very busy time?" Jack warned. "Would you want to do that, huh?"
He shrugged. "I'm sure they would understand." He paused, looking forward. "So I interrupt, I have nothing to fear. Question is, do you?"
"Just to let Felicity know, I…" Sarrahson began only to pause, not sure which exact way to go. The bear and the hare stared off against each other while increasing numbers of polar bear workers were starting to gather behind them. Only a few, but they watched, waiting for the confrontation to go one way or the other. The hare increasingly outnumbered and his bluff ever more faltering.
"Ivan!" They were all cut off as a raccoon in a dusted up and shorts jacket walked forwards towards the bear. Paw to his head he threw it out. "Where… What's the holdup here."
"W-Who are you?" the bear asked.
Sly blinked, mouth opening up. "You don't… -We introduced each other," he exclaimed. "You don't…" The bear snorted only for Sly to wave his head in exasperation. "Solveny, Mikhael…" He listed off the other bears names before turning back to Ivan. "We all introduced each other, we all got to know… -Well, that's what I get for trying to make friends, isn't it?" He crossed his paws, staring down at the polar bear.
Ivan stared down back, just as effectively. "Tell me, what would our organisation have use for in hiring trash panda like you?"
A few sniggers came out of the other bears, Sly working something around in his mouth before spitting out. "Smart talk from a newbie here."
"Tchhooork," Ivan scoffed. "Newbie? I've done more years than I can count, inside, for…"
"For Big, right?" Sly cut in. "Well guess what? How long has this place been going for? How long have we been adapting it, cleaning it, making sure it doesn't flood or go dark. -You know, I've worked here plenty long for Rattigan, and when you new transfers came over I wanted to bridge that gap. I didn't want it to be oldies and newbies, but I guess some mammals can't get over themselves can they?"
"I…" Ivan paused a little.
"Well, go ahead, disregard one of your bosses' old timers. Disregard the important order a new and much more effective underling seems to have been given." He pointed to Jack, holding back a reaction at the newly inflated Sarrahson deflating somewhat. "Go on, act all high and mighty, act…"
"Down the corridor, three on the left," one of the other bears said, turning to Sly. "And sorry for him, Sprock."
"Yeah, can't believe you forgot his name Ivan," another said, a few other bears nodding approvingly of how 'Sprock' was a good pal and good worker and had been nothing but nice to them. All before being cut off as a set of beeps went off, the bears pulling out some pagers and running off, throwing a few 'see you soons' as they went.
"I… -Right," Sarrahson began, marching off once more. The two others followed her, 'Sprock' mentioning he had a repair job to do around that way too. The directions given were thankfully correct as they soon came across a room with two polar bear guards in front of them. Sly and then Jack gave a glance back. The cable tray they'd followed didn't go this way so Judy would have had to have slipped down and snuck on foot, alone; a column further back provided an effective place for her to shelter, so he knew where she'd be waiting, hopefully…
"What do you… -And who are you?" one of the bears asked, looking first at Sarrahson and then her escorts.
"What?" the serval asked, glancing at Sly. "Don't you recognise Sprock?"
The bears glanced at each other. "I thought that badger," one said.
"Da," the other agreed, "and work for Vladzotz…"
"No no, that Russell…"
"Was that name, I thought it Ross or…"
"-You know," Jack cut in. "Different mammals can have the same name. We're already dealing with a double Felicity situation."
"And who are you?" one of the bears asked.
"One of Woundwort's mammals," Jack said, "I was requested to get our helper here to light a fire under Dr Silverfox's tail."
"I hear he be working hard," one of the bears said, the other saying that he appeared to be going at it as fast as he could.
"-And you trusted that?" Sarrahson asked, scoffing at them as she crossed her arms. "Listen. I have years of experience with foxes and at the end of the day there is one simple truth. If you give them an inch, they will take a mile. He gave you a good show and now he's slacking, you have to keep your eyes on them. Now," she cracked her knuckles. "I have a very important job. Getting that awful mammal in there to do something worthwhile for a change. Now, are you going to cause another delay, or let me get on with my job?"
Standing up, the bears began moving to the door, Sly looking down to see Jack reaching for his weapon. Reaching into his back, Sly began reassembling his cane as fast as he could. He'd practiced it thousands of times before, so it wouldn't be long until.
"Stop…" One of the bears said, pausing with the door half open, a confused sound coming from the captive inside. The bear turned to Sly, head tilting. "Nyet, I know you from somewhere, I…" His eyes widened just in time to see Sly charge forward, cane out and slamming down into the brow of the bear's head before two feet shot out, kicking him in the eyes. He roared, pushing back, paw blindly going for his weapon before he swung out as Sly whacked him hard with his cane, stumbling forward, calling for help.
The other bear was already on it, pulling his gun only for a shot to ring out, then another, the massive mammal clutching his gut and falling to the floor, eyes turned to see Jack steadying himself after two oversized shots. The hare aimed to finish off his unintentional and highly improvised Moozambique drill only to leap back as a clawed fist swiped his way, Sarrahson following up with a kick to his chest and sending him flying. She leapt forward, grabbed the gun, stumbling to aim it and giving Jack enough time to skitter away, all four paws sliding on the floor as they dragged him off. Turning, seeing one bear bleeding out on the floor and the other toppled with the raccoon hiding behind him, she turned to the door, glancing a view of Dr Silverfox inside, hiding under a desk. She aimed her weapon and advanced in.
With a groan, one bear stood up, sweeping with his claws to try and clear Sly away. The raccoon was panting, on good form, but stepping back the bear was able to reach for his gun while helping his injured comrade up. Blurry eyed, the other bear aimed his weapon and fired a few wide rounds, Sly easily dodging but forced to retreat.
"Very clever," the less injured bear said… Panting in and out. Weapon waiting for Sly to emerge from cover, another eye glancing in the other direction. He'd figured the stupid savanna cat that made herself somewhat useful, even more so as she returned, frogmarching the academic vulpine out with a gun to his back.
"Oh no," she corrected, hissing at them. "Stupid. Stupid and pathetic. You know, I dealt with raccoons and hares before," she announced, glancing both ways up the corridor. The more injured bear lent back against the wall, trying to wrap something around his midsection as he panted hard. "The first," she glanced over to near where Sly was. "The first was arrogant, thought he was above others, slinked in acting the charmer, getting his little following going and getting mammals to do their work and stuff. Grubby little paws always working away, working away, little artist drawings that charmed mammals and we were supposed to keep, even though I knew they were signaling to their outside gangs and stuff. All hidden up by his arrogant little 'I don't care' persona. And hares? Oh, I can tell you stuff about what the worst hares do, they give foxes a run for their money. Though at least they kept their filth to their own species, they…"
Two shots cut her off, both bears grunting and slumping down, collapsing on top of her and Dr Silverfox. -Only for the serval to be thrown back, aim thrown off by the assault as her captive span around to stomp her foot, jab her eyes, gut punch her and stab and maul her with half a dozen karate moves all before she was left shaking, bent over, before two dead arctic ursines collapsed down on top of her with a thud.
A single trembling paw was left sticking out, claws gripping at the floor.
The stunned Silverfox glanced around, seeing an unfamiliar raccoon with Judy Hopps, smoking gun in tow. "I…" His body sagged with relief before he glanced the other way to see… "-Jack, was it?" he asked, as the hare walked up.
"Yes," he said. "At your service."
"Are you safe," Judy began.
"Yes, but not okay," Dr Silvefox said, turning down to the pile. He leant in over the groaning Sarahson, head slowly dragged out from beneath the blubber, a snarl growing on her face. "This is for my son." He let out a sudden kick, the other mammals flinching at the sharp cracking that came out.
The fox looked away unsettled as she groaned before going quiet. "I… Thank you, but they have my family, they have…"
"-All out," Sly said. "Except the baby but we have good mammals working on it."
"We're getting you out," she said, scanning around. "We're going to have to run."
"But the main ZPD forces will be on their way in," Sly said as they began pushing onward. "Some other bears were peeled off earlier." He brought out his Binnocucom, looking through it. "Come on… Come on… No signal…"
"You okay?" Jack asked to Judy, the bunny glancing back.
"I…" She looked down at her smoking gun but was too busy to talk.
The hare looked at it then up at her, eyes widening. "First time?"
She nodded.
"Welcome to the other side of the bridge," Jack said. "It's okay."
"Thanks," Judy mumbled back.
-Listen," Sly cut in, giving up on the Binocucom and turning to Dr Silverfox. "The stuff they had you doing, do you know where Rattigan keeps his talisman? Or where they're setting it up."
"I… -Apparently this is a nuclear power plant," he said, paws waving up a bit as they reached the stairs and began climbing. "And I heard something about it being over the reactor or…"
"The charging hall," Judy said. "We've seen the plans. Makes sense." She turned to Sly. "It's behind the big doors at the end of that avenue. Only issue is that, well, they can lock it down and you won't be able to get in."
He glanced away, frowning. "Then once I get you three to safety I'll find a way in." He paused as they reached the top of the stairs, Sly trying to get in contact again. "Come on… You worked here before."
Jack paused, nose twitching. "That's how you knew all those guys' names and stuff."
"-Yeah, Bentley's hacking found the notes and stuff for Rattigan's security network and forces and wired them in." He tapped the side of of his device, flashing a smirk. "Done it loads of times before. Haiti, China, you name it. -Seems laser security has gone out of style, but some supervillain habits like rigorous notes on all your goons never… -Ah! Bentley! We have Dr Silverfox."
The turtle nodded. "Sly, the ZPD have started battling for the main lift in."
"Good," he said. "We saw a bunch of forces get called off and…"
"They weren't going there," the turtle said, Sly's ears and tail going down as he heard the tone.
"How big is the problem?" Sly asked, already not liking the answer.
"Let's just say… Yes."
.
.
Carmelita groaned as she got up. A light, flash, movement and kicks. She'd fired out but… Her paw reached down trying to find…
"Looking for this foxy cop?"
The vixen growled as the world came into focus again. They were still in the room they were in before, only now sharing it with an uncomfortable number of goons. Mostly polar bears, an odd elk. But looking forward her eyes lingered and fixed on the smug pallas cat, a sniggering little bat on one shoulder and a very pleased looking rat on the other.
Felicity twirled Carmelita's shock pistol and slipped it down, gesturing for the other mammals to get up. Their weapons kicked out of their paws, those in the paws of their captors raised, aimed and waiting, Carm had no choice to comply, paws above her head as she stood up. As did Nick, as did Kris, as did Skye and Mr Fox and Mrs Fox. The motherly vixen stared daggers at the pallas cat while her husband's eyes bored in at Rattigan, a massive very familiar throw around his body.
"That's… my… tail…" he snarled.
"Oh, this?" Rattigan asked, smiling. "I'm surprised you noticed it. Either way, goes very well with my tiger cloak." He slipped it off revealing a billowing cloak of striped reds, whites and blacks. "From a real tiger too…"
"Don't think you can bluff us," Nick said. "Too small for a tiger."
"It was from a very small tiger," he smirked, waggling his eyebrows as Nick shook his head a few times, teeth baring.
"-Doesn't matter," Carm said. "You're going down."
"Ah, not before you are," he smiled, glancing at Felicity. His Felicity. "Oh, she is clever. But in this case, I must give my heartiest congratulations to a certain, special someone." There was a pant of excitement from the bat only for him to whimper in disappointment as Rattigan clapped his paws, some of the bears to the rear parting and letting in Petey. He'd wiped his face clean and given himself somewhat of a tidy up though looking closely the signs of his unusual treatment were still there. He looked over at the group.
"As I said," the goat began, "parenting lessons might have been advisable." He reached in to reveal a small babymonitor, its partner revealed by a chuckling Felicity.
"Admittedly," she continued, "having Paddy's and my own delightful experience interrupted by your rudeness was not appreciated. Though still, I must thank you…" She walked up to Carmelita, smiling. "You didn't have to read out what he said for me deary. The truth, and the select lies too."
"I mean I'm not sure what they expected," Petey shrugged. "I wasn't telling the truth before, I didn't now, though maybe the exact method of such varies. Still, I feel this is a lot more on them than it is on me."
"Ah, humble as ever," Rattigan smiled, "Just…" He snarled, looking down to the source of a bunch of high pitched whines. "-Oh fine, you did good by dropping the flashbang as well. Happy now!?" Fidget, the small bat, seemed pleased by his recognition, then excited at what was coming next. "-Anyway," Rattigan carried on. "I'm well aware of the attack seemingly going on upstairs and know for a fact that until they walk all the way down here and take control of the lower lift controls, they won't be able to break in. And, while annoyingly rushed, I will have achieved ALL my goals well before that." A grin grew on his face. "So, while I might be interested in having you, as I have others, held here so as to witness my ascension and the glory that comes with it…" The grin turned into an excited snarl. "I think it'll be much safer to just kill you now. You don't deserve the gift, anyhow. MOOKS! READY!"
He raised his paw, Carmelita's breath going chill as the mammals around her raised their weapons. She heard Mrs Fox whimper and glanced over to see Mr Fox hold her and Kris tight, she saw Skye close her eyes and…
"AIM!"
"-And give Sly Cooper no reason to hold back!"
The room went quiet, all eyes turning to Nick, his paws up and a stern look on his face as he turned to Rattigan.
The rat stared back, face starting to wrinkle. A growing seethe on his muzzle, whiskers twitching.
Nick just smirked, paws on hip. "You really think this is all of us? Huh? I may not be the most experienced in terms of Sly's exploits, but I've heard enough. And I can see it on your face now. You know he's here. You know he's here to stop you. Ha, for all we know every mammal you have working on your machine is knocked out already, your talisman stolen. And, at the end of the day, there's only one… One thing that will hold him back from going all out, isn't there? And you're not going to throw that away because deep in your heart you know the simple truth. We're not trapped down here with you, you're trapped down here with him."
"Paddy…" Felicity began, only to receive a paw up in response.
"He…" Rattigan seethed through gritted teeth. "Is quite… -Incredibly… Indescribably… Annoyingly… Infuriatingly… Correct." He gestured to the other mammals. "Sly Cooper is unfortunately blinded by these stupid feelings of morality and loyalty and what-what. And, seeing as these cowards aren't ready to die for their cause and I'm not ready to have to face down a vengeance fuelled Sly with nothing to lose and no leverage over him…" He looked like he'd throw up for a second before gesturing to the door. "Lead them out, into the open, cover them. Prepare for an assault from any angle and do not hesitate to act. Felicity, call your mammals and get the rest of the family here." She nodded. "And Petey?"
"Yes sir?" the goat asked.
"Did you bring any of the tape?"
"They used the last of it sir."
"Oh, wasteful wasteful," he muttered, before barking the order for them to move out.
"Good thinking," Carmelita whispered to Nick. "Though given what we're facing, even now part of me trusts Sly to know the true mission."
"Yeah," Nick said, glancing at Skye, the Fox family, Kris. "Well, maybe I'd have to have seen Clockwerk to truly get it. But, I'll tell you something."
"What?"
"Part of you may trust Sly to finish the mission… But all of me trusts Carrots to save our tails."
They were herded along the route that they'd been instructed to by Petey, only to find out it led them not to a private room but the long open atrium through the heart of the facility. Far away at the loading bay end faint sounds of battle could be heard while, rising up above them and closed solid was a large inward opening set of steel doors, the charging hall beyond. Catwalks rose up along the walls around them, pipes and warning signs welded in place, heavy doors leading to smaller rooms beyond. Doors that began clamping shut as Rattigan began yelling orders. All mammals inside to get out the last door, to get weapons ready, to guard those outside.
"They're done anyway," he said, brushing his paws. "I could transform now, but while I already have one mammal sworn to fight me again once that happens, I'd rather not have the unknown element of one that actually poses a threat, I… -Speaking of such…" He smiled as he saw Woundwort walking up. Several guns on his hip, a concerned frown on his face, the hare glanced over to the far distance and sounds of battle.
"We've got enough explosives to blast the shaft closed, we…"
"-Excuse me," Rattigan cut in sharply. "Who introduced you to my explosives?"
"I did," he smiled, glancing over. "While I'd prefer to use them on Kehaar rather than on stopping those mammals, I'm willing to settle."
"Make that two mammals," Rattigan muttered, pausing as he saw the hare walk up to Mr and Mrs Fox.
"Good attempt."
"Thank you sir," Mr Fox said with a smile and a nod.
"AHEM," Rattigan cut in, garnering the one-eyed hares attention. "I'm going to need you to stand guard over them. We might be getting an exceedingly dangerous raccoon attacking us in a moment. One who, along with her," he gestured at Carmelita. "Are the ones who've taken on your big bird before. And won. So, defeating him…" Smiling, paws out, the rat sold out his offer.
Woundwort took a deep breath in, a grin growing on his face. "Oh marvelous." Nick meanwhile noticed a few of the polar bears who'd ambushed them suddenly looking very nervous… No… -Guilty on the mention of a dangerous raccoon on the loose.
"If you insist," the rat grumbled to the hare, gesturing over and bringing out a microphone of sorts. He called through it, an announcement system ringing out loud and clear. "Attention Sly Cooper! Yes I know you're here you pathetic orphan runt! You betrayer of everything a good criminal stands for! Blue-turner, loot stealer, coffin hogger! I have your vixen! I have your friends! I have a family, with a baby! Come on, I know you, you can't resist being Mr Goody-good, can you? You know, I might just find a cupboard to make the kit hide in while I kill his mother and father! Hear that? Wanna stop that? Come find me! Come find me Sly!"
He placed it down, brushing his paws. "That should make him angry."
"Good," Carmelita smirked, Rattigan flashing her a look only for the both of them to be cut off.
"ROWAN!"
Walking towards the group were a lion and tiger, holding a baby carrier between them. The kit inside whining out, Mrs Fox started going for him only for a heavy white paw to hold her back. She gave the bear doing it a look that could reinstate the death penalty by itself but was forced to stay still.
The kit made some noise, calling out, but was held high enough that none of them could see him.
"You're disturbing my kit," the pallas cat smiled, Mrs Fox snarling at her.
Breathing in and out, she and her husband stood still, on edge, waiting for a moment. Not that Rattigan intended to give them one. Though, as the two goons dropped down the baby and picked up weapons, Nick felt he could.
"Quite the downgrade, huh?"
The lion ignored him and the tiger just looked over, stroking his chin. "My my, I think one is projecting much."
"Not really," Nick said. "You two were, what, his top cats once? THE goons. The ones doing the missions, doing their jobs without us even noticing, etcetera… Ha, remember when we bumped into each other in the theatre. Good times."
"And remember your international missions?" Skye asked, glancing to Nick and, with his tiny nod, carrying on, voice firmer. "Up into the mountains, tracking us," Skye added. "Following us, battling in the forest."
"You were there, so much planned for you," Nick smiled, only to throw his paws down. "Only for you to cuss it up SO bad! I mean look where you are now? Kit sitting duty."
"Can a mammal like I not have a fondness for cubs?" The tiger purred, leaning down and patting Rowan's head.
Nick blinked. "Okay, I know you actually did mean that innocently enough but…" He shrugged before glancing over at Woundwort. "I mean look, you've been replaced. By a hare."
"We still have our vital role," the lion spoke. "Fighting, attacking the best defended witness compound in Zootopia and bringing those mammals in." He pointed at the Fox family.
"All of them, as Dr Silverfox will be pleased to corroborate," the tiger added.
"Yes, yes," Felicity smiled, the pallas cat extra smug. "Unlike some felines, these ones don't have a raging inferiority complex. Nice try though Wilde."
"Indeed," Rattigan said. "I now hope that they bag your bunny."
Nick didn't respond.
"She is here isn't she?" Rattigan carried on, smiling. "You wouldn't just… Come alone. She's still out there… Working with Sly? Then again she's always had a strange relationship with our side, no?" He smiled before his gaze hardened. "Your oh so neutral reaction betrays you Wilde. Now, who else is down here?"
"Their hyena agent," the lion added. "I'd expect him to be battling down here too. He must not be underestimated."
"Yes," Rattigan agreed. "That…"
"Wait!" Nick scoffed. "Hyena agent?"
"The trained fighter you have," the lion spoke. "The cackling dumb fool who…"
"Okay," Nick said, clapping. "Agent then fool, I know where this is going. I know where this is going!" He turned to Felicity. "You might need to revise that statement about feline inferiority complexes here, because MAM, does lion here have one!"
"Silence fox! Do you know who you're speaking to here!" The lion roared, a cry coming from behind as Rowan was scared to tears. "I could crush your skull in my paws, I am descent from royalty who…"
"Yeah, yeah, the big scary lion goon beaten multiple times by a random accountant who..."
"-Accountant!" the lion snarled, only for a shot to break him off. Only a small shot, all eyes going down to Rattigan, a small recoilless rodent gun in his paw and pointing up.
"Cubs…" Rattigan groaned. "Stay focussed, Sly Cooper is here, is after us, and could attack… At any time, at any…"
The lights went out.
Everywhere.
"Oh for cuss's sake!" Rattigan yelled. "Don't let them move!"
Nick had started backing off only for a heavy presence to halt him. While his night vision may have be good, he was squared off against mammals who were technically nocturnal for large parts of the year due to the seasonal absence of the sun itself. The others seemed to have been in the same situation, even before Rattigan ordered his mammals to hold them together.
Far off he could hear the fighting going on, then something else…
"I? Hello?" Rattigan grumbled, some banging coming out. "Did, -right, this channel works. Must have hit a lighting circuit or something. Status seven, fire up the backup lighting circuit." There were some more grumbles, some comments about how nuclear facilities were always overengineered showing how much of a genius move his choice of base was. A few more grunts at it taking so long to switch the backup lights on and…
"What is that?" Carmelita asked, as she heard more mammals on both sides raising the same question. The ground had ever so slightly began to vibrate, the whine of heavy electric motors filling the room, along with the clanking of metal on metal, getting louder and louder, more frequent and more unstoppable. Something was coming, something big.
Nick closed his eyes only to open them again. "Uh, I know the answer will be yes, but you read up about the police operations on his proxies before you arrived, yes?"
"Sí..."
"The one with Kazar."
"The boring one dimensional one? Yes."
"What are you talking about," Rattigan spoke. "What's going on!?"
"Well," Nick said. "They tried to trap ZPD forces there. Remember how Carm?"
"Ah. Let me guess, our one's going side to side, not down?"
"More back and forward," Nick said.
"Okay, no more beating around the bush," Rattingan snarled. "I…" He paused as he heard his communicator cheep again. "I… -WELL TURN THEM BACK ON ALREADY!"
A second later the lights glowed to life, all mammals turning to look down the avenue at the sound, and seeing the massive gantry crane that ran its length rushing towards them, fast, four familiar mammals in the control room.
Rattigan just quivered, eyes focussing on one in particular before roaring out. "COOOOOPPPPPEERRRRRR!"