Morning/Evening/Afternoon everyone!
Thank you again for all favorites, follows and reviews! It's very kind of you all :)
Here's a new chapter for you, slightly shorter than the ones before, but it was dictated by the plot so that it won't look weird and chopped up.
And that's all of my rambling this time ;D
Here you go:
Chapter 14
„Hey there, Fluff. Feeling better?" Nick casually greeted the bunny when he approached her bed.
Judy was sitting up straight, dressed in a typical, hospital attire. After almost always seeing her in a uniform, this clothing felt really out of place on this dutiful bunny.
"Nick! You're all right!" She beamed at him.
He rolled his eyes at her words. "Carrots, you got hit by an SUV, rolled into ICU and first thing that comes to your mind is if others are ok? That's not normal." The fox stated as he sat by her bed.
She showed him a smug smile and thumped her chest with a clenched paw. "I told you that I'm tougher than I look."
He shook his head. "Seriously, don't scare me like that anymore."
"Now look who's talking." Judy mused ironically.
Nick couldn't help but to chuckle. "Point taken."
They sat in an awkward silence for a moment.
"Look, I… I'm sorry Carrots. It's all my fault. If I didn't run ahead like an idio-"
"It's okay, Nick. I'm fine." She gave him the most disarming smile he ever saw. "I know you would have done the same for me. Besides, if not for you we wouldn't have even found the guy." Nick felt embarrassed hearing her words. It was a praise he didn't deserve.
"So what about the thieves? They got them?" The bunny inquired of her friend and Nick was prepared for this question.
"Only the one that you took down with your gun. The other one is still on the loose." The fox gave her an answer that clearly didn't make her happy.
"Why?! What happened?!" She jumped to her feet and stood on the bed.
"Whoa, whoa, slow down Fluff." He raised his paws to calm her down. *The last thing she needs right now is excitement.* But Judy was still standing there, nose twitching furiously and her ears perked up. "Look, you just got out of a close encounter with a car so play it cool, alright? Or do you want me to become your personal nurse if you get yourself in a worse state?"
This tactic seemed to work, as the bunny flinched a little. Seeing this, Nick decided to push a little more. "What if you won't be able to care of yourself properly and need help with, for example…" He tapped his muzzle thoughtfully. "Taking a bath?" His grin was so wide that his ears were in danger of falling off.
"W-w-what?!" She dropped on the bed and covered herself up her chin with a quilt. It looked as if she tried to protect herself from Nick with it. "Don't you joke around me like that!"
"Sure, just stay down like a good girl and ol' uncle Nicky will behave himself." The fox's snigger made her frown.
"Not funny, Nick. Not funny, at all."
He shrugged. "Well, it's still better than becoming the meter maid of the month. Bogo wants you to know that until I officially graduate from the academy, we're not allowed on the street together, else you're up for a long friendship with parking duty. A month."
The bunny shivered at the mere thought. "Uugh, I don't know if I could stand it… But still, it's not fair. We were doing just fine."
Nick raised a brow. "Says a bunny in a hospital bed."
Judy folded her arms in irritation. "I'm not sick. I'll be discharged tomorrow." She huffed.
"That sounds like a plan, stick to it." Nick clapped his paws on his knees and stood up. "Since you're 'all fine' I'll be going for now as I have some stuff to do before the academy training starts."
"Oh, ok. Umm…" The fox noticed how her ears drooped. "If… if you have some time, would you drop by my place and bring me your book? I'd have something to kill time."
He couldn't stop the smirk forming on his face. "A bunny letting a fox into her burrow? That's got to be a first."
"Don't you get any ideas in that red-furred head of yours!" An angry finger was pointed at him. But he didn't mind and turned around to head for the door. "Don't worry I'll put everything back in place!" He playfully waved a paw above his head.
"Nick! The keys!" Judy yelled but he already left the room. She considered running after him but a nurse entered the room to check up on her. And she'd be surprised how quickly Nick's face changed in the corridor. All cheerfulness disappeared, replaced by a vengeful expression.
*But first, I have to deal with a certain someone.*
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Judy sat on her bed, arms around knees and tried not to think what Nick could do in her apartment. Not that she had much stuff in there, in worst case he would tell something stupid to her neighbors and later she wouldn't hear the end of it. Like something about being her… nurse. Or worse, spouting some nonsense about baths…
The moment that thought sank in, Judy's cheeks flared with red. She covered her head with a pillow, muffling her voice. "Stupid, stupid, DUMB FOX!"
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Zungo eye's fluttered as the jaguar returned to the world of living. It wasn't the most pleasant experience; his neck was burning in the spots where two paws were trying to squeeze the life out of him. There was nothing but darkness around him. All he could tell was that he was lying on his stomach on some hard and cold surface. He groaned. Or at least tried. He had a gag in his mouth, preventing him from making any unwanted noise. Now fully awake, the thief's eyes shot wide open and he tried to move his limbs. Both his arms and legs were tied. The feline struggled for some time, whining miserably but had to stop from exhaustion.
Then a shining light appeared not so far from him and he squinted to see its source. More light appeared followed by rumbling of metal as someone lifted a black square in front of his eyes. Zungo's eyes finally accustomed to the new lighting and saw a figure walking into the room. No, not a room. It looked like a garage and then the jaguar noticed his own car next to him, along with the broken windshield. A pair of hindpaws stopped right in front of his nose.
"Rise and shine, fleabag." Said a voice over his head.
Zungo raised his eyes enough to see a red fox. His body hunched up slightly on instinct, seeing the face of the mammal that almost choked him to death.
The fox crouched down and stared at his prisoner. He was wearing an unreadable, blank expression.
"Here is what's going to happen: I will let you live and you will go to the nearest police station to turn yourself in. You will never mention me and you will say that you drove away from the crime scene." His voice was monotonous, almost hypnotizing. "In your testimony, you will state that you came to them driven by the feeling of guilt and want to plead guilty, do you understand?"
The jaguar nodded nervously. Anything, but to get away from this apparition. He knew that these emotionless eyes boring into his face will haunt him at nights. And the fox leaned even closer.
"I will free you now and give you the keys to your car. In its glove compartment you will find money for replacing the front window. Do it before going to the station, got it?"
Another nod.
"Good."
His captor flourished a knife and started cutting him free. For a brief moment Zungo considered jumping at the fox and evening the score, but that thought evaporated instantly when their eyes met. The jaguar never saw such an indifferent gaze directed at him. It was so empty, that he felt dragged into that void, his life holding no meaning for the owner of this stare. He swallowed hard, took the offered keys and scrambled towards the vehicle to grab the door handle.
"And there's one more thing." Zungo froze in terror hearing the voice again.
"I'm sure that you wouldn't even think of trying to escape from our deal by say, running away?"
The jaguar cursed under his breath, amazed that the red furred predator could read his mind.
"N-no, of course not!" He stuttered.
"Indeed, then if I were you, I'd sue my face for slander." The fox stepped closer. "I know you, Richard 'Zungo' Fangriggs. Twenty-seven years old, arrested twice for mugging, once for breaking and entering. Three years in Zootopia's Central Jail. Brother Jacob, five years older, incarcerated for attempted murder. Sister Adrienne, two years younger, student of law, the first one in her year, promising career ahead of her." Again, the monochrome tone. "I know you. I know everyone. Don't forget that."
"Yes!" Whined the jaguar, his back pressed against the car's door in attempt to distance himself as far as possible from a mammal half his size.
"Good. Off you go."
Zungo stepped sideways, opened the door with trembling fingers and slipped inside the vehicle.
Nick listened as the SUV drove away and the sound eventually faded into the city's regular buzz. The jaguar probably didn't even notice that he drove out of a garage, that was just meters away from the crime scene. The fox breathed out and his legs gave out. Sitting on the hard concrete, he focused on his breathing to calm himself down. *That was nerve wrecking…* This type of hustle was not his style, never before he tried to play a villain. It wasn't him, threatening people in such a way. Sure, he sometimes used some leverage to convince mammals to do stuff for him, but never direct threats.
*Is this that blasted serum again? Damn it! Messing my head in more and more ways. What am I, turning into a thug?* Nick decided to stay on the floor until he fully felt calm again. He has to speed up gathering neurological information.
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Later that day the creaky door to a miniature apartment at Grand Pangolin Arms swung open. Nick put his lock picks back to the pocket and walked in. To be honest, he was shocked how small the place was. It was no mystery that cops received a rather meager salary, but still, this place was a rickety hole. *Dang it, it's hardly bigger even than my own place.* No wonder she was always happy on the job. Staying here for too long would surely force someone into depression. A framed picture on the old desk caught his attention. It presented Judy with a couple of older rabbits and a crowd of little ones. *Has to be her family.* This thought made him feel slightly uncomfortable, as it reminded him of the lack of his own, save for his mother. Not wanting to go down that line of thought, Nick put the picture back on the desk and looked around for the book. His gaze was drawn to the bed and a line of plush toys placed on it, he chuckled seeing the bunny with a bandaged leg in this collection. It gave the fox a nice, warm feeling that was a rarity for him – appreciation. It seeped in through the cracks of his shell, made by the stubborn and honest bunny and reached to his heart, making him smile in a genuine way, without any smugness or sarcasm. *Thanks, Carrots…*
He noticed the book lying on the pillow. It had various page markers sticking out. She sure was taking this reading seriously, but then again, what she didn't take seriously? Nick picked up the book and headed for the door, glancing one last time at the apartment. The toys once again caught his attention and gave the fox an idea that made him grin.
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Judy's ears twitched hearing pawsteps on the hospital's corridor, trying to discern if they belonged to a fox. But it was only a nurse making rounds and checking up on patients. "Ms Hopps." The camel called out to the bunny. She approached the bed and handed her a familiar book.
"A fox came to the reception desk and asked to pass this on to you."
"Oh… thank you." Judy couldn't hide her disappointment. She thought that Nick would come see her personally.
"You're welcome. He mentioned something about a message inside." Said the nurse and left after that.
The bunny quickly flipped the title page to see that, indeed, a piece of paper was put inside. The text on it was short.
Nice clothes. Especially the top drawer.
N.
Judy felt embarrassed before, when he mentioned baths, but now she could almost explode from a mixture of humiliation and anger. She kept her underwear in that drawer.
"NICK YOU BIG JERK!" Her shout echoed in the corridor.
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What the bunny didn't know was that Nick was currently strolling through one of the corridors in the same building, but on the opposite side of it. With fake reading glasses and a lab coat he was indiscernible from other doctors in the hospital. A fake plaque on his chest informed the world that he was Albert Tails. His goal for today was the part of the building where they kept the savage mammals and to be more precise, the medical documentation about their behavior. He read some books about workings of the brains of mammals and hoped that it would be enough to understand all the medical charts and test results regarding the 'savages'.
Getting in was almost too easy. Nick 'accidentally' bumped into a doctor walking out of the restricted area and after giving his apologies they each went their ways. Except now the fox's' fingers were playing with an access card that appeared in his pocket.
After going through the glassed door, Nick walked in the direction the sign 'Archive' was showing. But then he heard sounds. Very disturbing sounds. Huffs, howls and angry snarls filled the corridor. The fox felt that he should've avoid them, but deep down something pushed him to find out the source of all the noise. And when he actually did, Nick regretted it instantly. He was in a corridor with huge windows on both sides. They were placed there to observe mammals on the other side of it. Nick swallowed nervously.
*Holy crap…*
This was where they kept those hit by the serum. Those that weren't able to withstand its effects like he could. Various predators kept on leashes, their world reduced to a padded room and the length of chain. Shiver crawled all over his skin at this sight. *I could have ended here…* The gravity of that thought shook his legs. But an even worse one followed. *I could still be locked in one of these rooms.*
His heartbeat accelerated and a burning orb formed itself in his intestines. The sight of other savage animals provoked his own feral side. They were too close, they were impending on his territory, they were enemies. The fox supported himself on the wall, one paw clutching his aching chest. The monster inside fought to break free. But he couldn't allow that to happen. With few deep breaths he managed to calm himself enough to look like nothing was wrong with him. If he'd be in a different mood, Nick would definitely laugh at the irony of this situation. A savage predator walking freely around the area where ones like him were kept under lock and key. The only positive thing he could've come up with was that they weren't wearing muzzles. In such a case, he'd most likely freak out. Nick shook his head and headed for the archives. Once there, he entered a well-lit room with dozens of shelves with tons of documents on them. He strolled between them to the opposite end of the room where several computers were lined up by the wall. He plopped to a chair in front of one of them and switched on the monitor.
*Time for some reading.*
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Judy raised her head from the book when her phone buzzed. She knew the number by heart. The bunny picked up the phone and accepted the call.
"Hey, mom! How are you doing?"
"Oh, we're all fine here, sweetie. Better tell me how's life in the big city?" Bonnie Hopps sounded expectant over the phone. Judy didn't choose the video conversation on purpose, as she didn't want her mother to see the hospital clothes. "We've already heard about your big success. Congratulations! Your father is so proud that he might start flying with all the puffing of his chest."
"Thanks, but we just did what's right. I don't think it deserves this much praise." Judy stated with modesty that was one of her best traits.
"Of course it deserves it! You're everywhere in the news! First bunny officer solves the big case! Be more proud about what you do." Her mother was never one to withheld words of encouragement, save for one occasion - joining the ZPD. But she quickly accepted her daughter's decision and supported her since. The younger Hopps adorned a shy smile.
"Uhh, mom, you know I'm not the type to boast. Besides I didn't do it on my own so it wouldn't be fair to grab all the attention." She rubbed her neck.
"What do you mean sweetie?"
"My friend helped me so it's a team effort."
"Ohh, you didn't mention a friend before." Bonnie chirped in that motherly tone that always wanted to add a prefix 'boy' to that word. Judy knew that and let out a sigh. "Mom, please don't go that way. He's nothing more than a friend, even my best one, but nothing more. Besides, he's a fox." This was a tricky part. Her parents weren't that open to new ideas, even though they accepted Gideon enough to work with him. Judy wasn't sure how would they react to the fact that their eldest daughter has a fox for a close friend. She could hear a surprised gasp in the speaker.
"Oh... really?"
"Mom…"
"Well, it's just that, you know… foxes aren't generally considered…
"Before you say or think anything else - he's a great guy and I know that I can trust him. He has never hurt me and helped me a lot. I don't care what species he is, even a fox." She explained to her mother.
"Hm, alright sweetie." She didn't sound completely convinced, but decided not to press the issue. "I'm sure you know what you're doing. But even if you say team effort... There's no mention in the news about a fox involved in solving the case."
"What?!" The younger bunny's ears sprung up.
"Like I said, everything is about you."
"But he was… we worked together… why no one mentioned him?" Judy was going through possible reasons in her head, trying to find one that was plausible.
"I have no idea sweetie, but if you know about it, isn't it the most important part?"
Judy had to agree with her mother. To her, Nick was a very decent fox that helped to save the city. She'll just solve this issue later. "You're right, mom… Still, I think it's unfair. But that's my problem, so enough of that for now. Tell me how's it going at home…"
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Several hours passed and Nick finally left the hospital building. He was in very deep thought. From the documentation about the savage patients he was able to draw a conclusion.
The serum altered the brain.
He suspected as much before, but didn't think that it would be this serious. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Computed Tomography, Positron Emission Tomography… All those tests clearly showed changes in the brain functionality. And there was no telling how severe the damage could be or will it be possible to reverse the affected areas to their previous state. What would be the effects of a therapy when the serum is made and applied? Memory loss? Partial or complete paralysis? Speech impediment? The brain controlled so many of one's body functions it was impossible to predict what could be the consequences of messing with it. Maybe the 'savages' were incurable from the start? *What if I'm incurable?* That thought made him shiver.
With an upset mind, Nick trudged towards the direction of his basement 'apartment'. Later that evening he munched on an old loaf of bread and a piece of cheese he bought several days before. It was no extravagant supper but it provided him with a portion of calories and that was enough. The events of the day still bore heavily on his mind. He lied on the uncomfortable bed and was going over and over the medical test results. *When they make the serum, should I take it? I'm in control right now, should I risk potential brain damage?* Those questions didn't leave him until his consciousness started fading and he drifted into sleep.
Several hours later the silent darkness of his room was torn apart by a bloodcurdling scream. Nick sprung up from the bed, clawing furiously at the back of his head. Cold sweat ran down his neck and he was panting heavily. It took few agonizing seconds for him to realize he was awake. He lowered his trembling paws, now covered with blood. His blood. Nick stayed like that for a long time, his breathing the only sound in the darkness. An hour passed or maybe two, he didn't count. Only when he felt calm again, Nick stood up from his bed and went to the sink to get rid of the blood.
*Another night, another nightmare…* He thought gloomily.
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The next day rolled in, only to find a hyped bunny fully awake and waiting for it. Today she could finally go home and back to work on the next day. The doctor checked her test results and nodded in approval, signing the release form. After that Judy took a cab to her place and arrived at the door of her apartment, slightly nervous about what she could find there after Nick's visit. The lock wasn't busted so he had to find another way in. Did he borrow the spare key from the landlady? Highly unlikely. The bunny braced for the worst and opened the door. Luckily, nothing seemed out of place at the first glance. She scanned the room more carefully and noticed a piece of paper hanging from the top drawer of her chest of drawers. She picked it up and read the words written on it.
It's called a hustle, sweetheart.
N.
With eyes now wide open she pulled the drawer open. All of her clothes were there, nothing seemed out of ordinary.
"What the…" She flipped the paper around to check if anything is written on the other side. Nothing. This had to have some meaning to it, Nick was always playing pranks on her and wouldn't write something like this with no reason. And then it hit her.
"He never touched the drawer!" Judy groaned, knowing that she's been had. The fox just played with her, by writing that message earlier. The bunny angrily threw her bag on the bed, disarranging the plushies. And then she noticed that a red color flashed between the stuffed animals. Judy reached out and picked up a toy she has never seen before: a red fox with green eyes.
She stared at it for a moment before a muffled snigger escaped her mouth. He's done it again.