Hello everyone.
Again, I'm not dead. I apologize for the huge delay, I am working on my writing ethic.
First of all I want to thank people (mammals?) that have helped me in creating this chapter.
Cimar, thanks for your advice and corrections that help me see the plot in a clearer way. XD
And big, BIG, HUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE thanks to TheoreticallyEva. (many hugs) There are no words in existance, that could express my gratitude for her help in recent months. Thank you! Thankyouthankyouthankyou! I could praise her all day here, but I shall refrain from it, as she would smack me with a bottle of sparkling juice for it. XD So let me just add that if you like a good read, visit her profile on FF and read her stories, you definitely won't regret it!
And of course, I'd like to thank all my readers, for their tenacity and limitless patience, when it comes to my erratic posting schedule. I apologize again and thank you!
Now, to address your reviews from the last chapter.
Yes, I have left a small cliffhanger, I hope you don't mind. XD
And I can see that the "Kill Will" movement is doing quite well. Ahahah...
As for the current chapter, we have a small cameo here, and who knows, maybe not the last one. ;)
Also, YES! I finally get to show Vasily in the story! (dances around) He will also appear in chapter 41 and ohhhhh, things will get bloody. (insert maniacal grin here)
Oh, and one more thing - for those interested, if you want to know how Nick's morphed voice sounds, I direct you again to a youtube video "Mass Effect - Conversation With Sovereign"
Sooo, without furhter ado...
Chapter 40
The grey fox siblings swallowed before grabbing the handle. When they finally did so, the door swung open silently on well-oiled hinges, unlike the ones in their apartment. Lydia grasped her brother's paw tightly and gave him a worried look.
Ethan let out a defeated sigh and shook his head. He stepped into the darkness behind the door, with his sister in tow. Before their night vision allowed them to scan the place in which they'd ended up, the all-too-familiar morphed voice called from within the darkness.
"Shut the door," it ordered.
Lydia instantly moved closer to her brother and clung to his arm. Ethan placed his paw on hers, trying to comfort the girl a bit. After that, he obeyed the voice and closed the door behind them. With all that happened so far, he dared not argue.
As soon as the grey fox fulfilled that order, there was a click. Light filled the room, making the vulpine siblings wince and narrow their eyes. Such a sudden change in lighting was never a pleasant thing for mammals with night vision. When they got used to it, they were greeted with something they would never expect after the recent events.
They were in an apartment.
Not some kind of freakish, creepy lair of a villain, but a well-kept and clean place. An apartment you'd expect from a middle-class mammal living peacefully in Zootopia, not from a masked monster who made gangsters wet their pants. And said monster was waiting for them in the middle of the living room.
"What do you want from us?" Lydia blurted out in a nervous voice.
"I want you to accept a deal." The mammal in the camo suit declared.
Ethan swallowed anxiously, his mind giving him a multitude of options as to what an arrangement with this kind of mammal would mean. "W-What kind of a deal?" He asked in a weak voice.
"From now on, you two will live here," he announced. "It will be rent free for the first two months, but after that period of time, you're on your own." He pointed at the vixen. "You. Get a job. A legal one, so I don't find you stealing any more purses."
The girl lifted a finger to aim it at herself questionably.
"Yes, you." The masked mammal took a few steps towards her. However, that's when Ethan stepped in, placing himself between them.
"Leave my sister alone." The young fox said with as much courage he could muster. Still, the brave impression got somewhat softened after he added, "Please."
Nick looked at the fellow vulpine's nervous expression and the obvious fear in his eyes. This caused him to reconsider his first strategy for dealing with this problem. He initially hoped to settle this with a simpler method, but it seemed that his approach was the wrong one. That's why, after short internal debate, he decided to try out something he considered 'the Judy's way.' And it was far more difficult. Not to mention if it was done wrong, it could make him a wanted criminal.
*Still…*
Nick let out a morphed sigh. "All right… I think I owe you an explanation. Let's talk." He reached to the back of his head. "Some introduction is in order." As he said that, his fingers undid the fastening of the mask, and he pulled it off.
A pair of green eyes looked at the siblings. "My name is Nicholas Wilde." Nick stated with his now normal voice.
There was a moment of silence, during which both siblings gaped at the red fox.
"The Nicholas Wilde?!" Lydia gasped.
"The first fox ZPD officer in history?!" Ethan muttered in shock.
Nick raised a surprised brow at this reaction. Even his ears lowered a bit. "Uh, yes?"
The girl gasped. "Oh my gosh! It's really you!" The fox officer leaned a bit away when he saw the hint of glitter in her eyes.
"W-Why are you looking at me like that?" He stuttered under the weird gaze of the grey vixen.
His words made her snap back to reality, and she quickly took a step back. Then another. This reaction seemed far more natural to Nick. After all, not long ago, he was close to- *Ah… Let's not dwell on this.* He shook his head mentally.
"Nicholas Wilde," the girl's brother said as if reciting something, "first fox to be accepted into the ranks of the ZPD. A puzzle yet to be solved, regarding his future and impact on the vulpine society as a whole."
A frown decorated Nick's forehead and he directed his focus to Ethan. "Sorry?"
Lydia, who now returned to her brother's side while holding her own arms, provided an answer. "He is quoting a newspaper article about you…" She was muttering now, and Nick could feel how much the temperature dropped in her voice. He had no right to blame her for it, after all he did.
However, he refocused again on what her brother said. A gear spun in Nick's mind and issued forth a mental picture. "The Daily Tail? Written by Amanda Friskers?"
Ethan blinked. "You… you've read it?"
"Briefly." The fox officer waved it off, not delving into an explanation about his abnormal memory. "But let's return to the matter at paw, alright? I know that we have met under very… unusual circumstances-"
"Unusual?!" Lydia blurted out and this time her voice contained anger. "I almost fell to my death, because of you! You have chased me for miles and attacked us at our home!" She now took a step forward while pointing an accusatory finger at the suited up fox. Nick also noticed how her ears flattened against her head in agitation. "You- You-" Her finger trembled, as she tried to get the words out. "You were supposed to be our hope!" Lydia finally blurted out.
Nicholas Wilde was speechless.
His mouth dropped open when he tried to process what he just heard. *Say what?!* He blinked and stared at the sister and then brother. One was nervous, the other angry. Getting no further in his attempt to explain this, Nick turned around. He walked up to the couch in the middle of the room and dropped on it, throwing his mask right next to him. Bringing his paws together, the fox sighed with a heavy voice.
"I am sorry, Lydia…" Nick spoke quietly, as he stared at the floor.
"Sorry?!" She barked, with her lip shifting up a bit, just to show an inch of her teeth. The young vixen was about to step closer, but her brother caught her arm and shook his head.
"Let go, Eth!" She snapped at him.
"I know…" Nick's voice gained their attention again. When the girl looked back at him, she saw a very solemn expression, paired with lowered ears. "What I did to you two is inexcusable. I-" He lost his voice for a moment, then he lowered his gaze to the floor. "And I'm sorry. I truly am." Nick made another pause, during which the siblings remained silent as well. "I will do what I can to repent for my offences…"
Ethan and Lydia stared at the uniformed fox, then looked at each other. Neither had a clue how to respond.
Nick solved the problem for them, when he stood up. "I have bought this apartment long time ago. You can live here for now." He indicated the place with a wave of his paw.
The girl narrowed her eyes. "Wha- First you attack me- us," she corrected herself instantly, "and now you offer us a new place? What kind of a deal is this?!"
Nick mentally went over possible ways he could address this, but he didn't have the luxury of spending a lot of time here. That left one option.
He closed his eyes and let his head tilt back a bit. Then he focused on some negative emotions. It wasn't hard, as recently he had them in sufficient amount. His breathing gradually accelerated.
After a couple of seconds, he lifted his eyelids.
Both siblings sucked in air and made a half-step back.
They were now looking into a pair of savage eyes with vertical pupils.
"What is this…" Ethan backed further away, pulling his sister with him. This time she didn't resist.
Nick pointed at his eyes. "This is the reason I chased you. I was hit with the drug that our ex-mayor used to make predators, like us, go savage."
Lydia kept staring wide-eyed. "Then why are you-"
"I have managed to keep my sanity-" The fox officer paused and tilted his head a bit, to accentuate his own annoyance at what he just said. "Well, mostly… And what happened with-" Another pause, after which he simply pointed at the girl. "You can call it a side effect. And I don't like it any more than you do, but it's something I have to put up with."
This news took the young foxes several more seconds to digest. Then Ethan spoke up. "Hang on, they've let you stay on the force in such a condition? What about the antidote? Why didn't they give one to you?"
Nick held up a paw to stop the string of questions. "It's… complicated. And I don't have the time to elaborate. Rest assured, this is just temporary." As he said that, he closed his eyes for a few moments and reopened them with normal pupils. "I am going to get treated soon, so there is no need to worry about that. Still!" The fox raised his voice to stop the girl from interrupting. "I am not dodging any responsibility here. It's my fault that you've both been put through this. And if there will be a chance in the future for me to help you, then I will certainly do so. Again, I'm sorry." He lowered his head in front of them.
Ethan and Lydia exchanged glances.
"Well… I can't say I'm feeling fine after this evening… But I guess it could've been worse…" The young fox spoke first and then raised his brows at his sister.
Lydia shook her head in resignation, following this gesture with a sigh. "I'm definitely not fine." Nick winced hearing her words. "But I've never been one to hold grudges. Besides, if you are letting us live here," she indicated the apartment, "I guess it balances out somehow."
The uniformed fox gave her statement a small nod of appreciation. "Thank you for your understanding. I hope that maybe you will be able to forgive me someday."
The girl said nothing this time, but folded her arms and looked away.
Nick checked the time and clicked his tongue. It was getting really late, which meant that he had to quickly wrap things up here. Therefore, he started putting on his mask again. "I need to leave, but I want to assure you that my offer stands. At first it's rent free, but later on, there will be some. Don't worry, a reasonable one." He finished with the mask. "As for the caracal earlier…"
Ethan visibly tensed hearing this, and it did not escape Nick's attention.
"My guess is that you got a debt with him, on which he placed ridiculous interest rates?"
The young fox just hung his head. "Yes…" He mumbled quietly.
"Figures." Nick commented as he headed towards one of the windows in the living room. "Don't worry, he won't bother you again."
"Wha- How can you know that?"
The fox officer tapped the hidden button to switch on the voice morphing device. "You sure you want to know the answer?" The dark mask turned towards them.
"Ugh…" Both siblings flinched hearing that voice again.
"But there is one thing I must ask of you – keep my identity to yourselves." Nick continued. "You are not to reveal it to anyone."
"What," Lydia scraped together enough rebeliousness to snort, "scared that your big secret will be uncovered?"
"I am simply asking you not to talk about it. If you won't comply with my request, well…" He paused and opened the window. "I will be forced to take… countermeasures."
Neither of the siblings liked the way he phrased that.
Nick gave them a nod and jumped out of the window.
.
.
The sun had risen over Zootopia, only to find that some mammals were already awake, including a grey-furred doe and a cheetah. They had agreed to meet as soon as possible, and, since it wasn't an official visit, they couldn't use a ZPD cruiser. Therefore, Jackie volunteered to pick Judy up with her car. The doe was also in quite a good mood, thanks to a late night text from Nick about this day. He said that they can meet Alyssa personally today, and even in a cafe in Savannah Central. That meant saving time on a trip to Outback Island, which was very important for them, due to the time restraint.
Now, as the bunny was waiting right outside her apartment building, the roar of an engine down the street made it clear that Jackie had arrived. Just like Nick before her, Judy was shocked to see what the cheetah was using for transportation.
When the Lamborghini stopped right next to her and the door opened, only the sight of the friendly feline stopped her from thinking that it pulled over next to her by mistake.
"Need a ride?" Jackie grinned at her friend.
The stupefied doe practically crawled into the passenger's seat. "How- What-" She failed to form a question, so she just indicated the car in general.
"Oh, don't worry." Jackie sent her a wink. "Perfectly legal and all mine. Now, we have an appointment before us." With a smile and a paw on the gas pedal, the cheetah made the car launch forward, and Judy was about to learn why the driving instructors at the academy referred to Jackie as 'that crazy bitch.'
.
.
About 10 minutes of insane, and barely legal, drive later, the two females got out of the car. In case of Judy - dropped down to plant her wobbly hindpaws on the ground. She was not one to shy away from a car chase, but Jackie's driving skills belonged in an entirely separate dimension.
"So, how does this work, or should I not ask?" The bunny officer inquired of her friend as they were about to enter the main building of the female ward in Zootopia's jail facility. She was curious how could Jackie afford such a car, being a police officer, yet she hasn't voiced it. The doe has learned, that it's best to keep such questions for an appropriate time.
When someone lowers their guard, for instance.
"I mentioned my ex, and let's just say that he has a sister who will do anything for her little brother. Including doing a favor in exchange for not embarrassing him on the Internet. While he is tied to administrative work, she handles contacts with the prisoners."
"You're a mean one." Judy shook her head with a brief smile.
Jackie replied with a grin.
.
.
Soon, they were standing in front of the door leading to an interrogation room, where, as they were told, a certain weasel was awaiting them.
"Five minutes, not a minute longer." The female guard stated harshly, no doubt the aforementioned sister.
The officers nodded without a word and finally entered through the door. Uma was indeed there, sitting in an orange jumpsuit on one side of a steel table, her wrists cuffed.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Officer Chops and her sidekick – Officer Splashers."
The females replied at the same time.
"That's Hopps."
That's Spotters."
At that point, they cast a quick glance at each other. Uma watched this and chuckled.
"Hah, and what does the comedy duo want from me again? You already got me locked up." She raised her paws to indicate the pawcuffs around her wrists.
Judy and Jackie settled on the chairs on their side.
"Just a few follow-up questions regarding your case." Said the doe. Then she placed the file she was carrying on the table. "Keep in mind that every additional piece of information you give us might be beneficial for you. And by that, I mean the possibility of a shortened sentence."
The weasel simply shrugged. "I have nothing more to say." She leaned back with a smug expression on her face.
Judy gauged her posture for a moment in silence.
Then it was Jackie's turn to speak. "Why did you stab Nick?"
More silence followed that question, but this time, "The Bride" showed them a smile. "Aww, Nicky told you about that, too?" Now she leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table and resting her muzzle on her paws. "He must have a beautiful scar to remember me by." Uma sighed with a dreamy voice. "That is, if what you are saying would actually be true and for what you have no evidence."
Both officers stopped their jaws from dropping. Judy refrained from commenting, but Jackie had no such reservations. "You're a psycho…"
It only earned her another smile. "I prefer to think that I just view the world differently than you lot."
Jackie shook her head in disbelief. She couldn't process why would Nick date a female like this. There was also a possibility that the weasel was lying, but still… Nick didn't refute her statements.
The bunny officer drummed her fingers on the table for a while before she stood up from the table. The other females watched her walk to the corner of the interrogation room. Once there, Judy hopped in the air and plucked out the cable from the camera.
With that done, the doe returned to the table. "We're not here to get you charged with anything on top of what you already have under your belt, so… Why did you stab him?"
Uma eyed the unplugged camera, the bunny, and the cheetah. "I say… You're both sooo interested in Nicky. I think I'm getting jealous." The assassin showed them a nasty half-smile.
"Why?" Judy persisted.
The weasel stretched her arms forward on the table, letting out a delighted grunt. "Mmm, I guess there's no harm in telling you." She sat back up. "See, dear ol' Nicky is a traitor."
Both officers' ears twitched with curiosity.
"Say what?" Jackie blurted out.
"What you just heard." Uma shrugged and then adorned another one of her wicked smiles. "Also, if one of you gets a chance to undress him to his bare fur, you'd find at least one more scar." She watched with interest how Judy's cheeks got a bit rosy. Jackie, on the other paw, didn't seem fazed by such a suggestion.
And the doe was grateful to her friend for being the one to continue the conversation.
"What other scar? How many times have you maniacs hurt him?" Jackie's voice was now deprived of her usual cheerfulness.
Uma snorted. "Hurt him? He's the one who brought this on himself."
"Brought what?"
But then the weasel leaned on the chair again. "I'm done talking. Ask Nicky if you're so desperate to know." Right after saying that, however, she quickly leaned towards them, changing her voice to almost a snarl. "Let me explain one thing before you waste your breath. Even if you'd offer me ten million in cash, a full pardon, and a flight out of the country, I'm not saying one more word." With that, she leaned back again and went silent.
Both officers watched her without a word. The intensity of this statement popped out of nowhere and somewhat took them by surprise. Still, Judy wasn't going to give up so easily.
"We can protect you. Place you in the witness protection program." It was a line so basic that it sounded almost cheesy. Anyway, it didn't draw any reaction from Uma. She just kept staring at them without moving an inch.
Jackie leaned over the table. "You're already finished when it comes to the organization. This is your only chance to avoid rotting in a cell."
Again, no reaction.
The remaining few minutes followed the same scenario. No matter what Judy and Jackie would say, Uma was adamant about staying silent. Very soon, the guard from earlier opened the door.
"Time's up."
The officers had to reluctantly end their visit, so they stood up and left the room. Jackie patted the guard on the shoulder as she passed by. "Thanks, girl."
When they finally got outside, Jackie grunted in disappointment. "Ugh, a dead end. She was so annoying!"
"I know what you mean, but we still got some bits of information."
"We did?"
Judy nodded. "You noticed how she wasn't interested in the witness protection program?"
"Mhm."
"And what does that tell us? I doubt that it's because she's that loyal to the organization. Most likely it's because she is certain that it wouldn't help her. So I think we can safely assume that the organization has someone on the inside who leaks information about the program."
Jackie scratched her chin in thought. "Hmm, true… Also," she raised a finger, "if we are to follow your track of thought, she also said that even a flight abroad is out of the question. So wouldn't that mean that she wouldn't be safe out there?"
"Good point." Judy commented but let out a sigh afterwards. "Still, I was also hoping for something more."
"Oh well, we tried. After all, what else can we do? Hire them?" Jackie quipped and leaned down to nudge Judy's shoulder with her elbow.
"Har, har…" Judy rolled her eyes. "You've spent too much time in Nick's company." Right after she said those words, both females' moods dropped.
The rest of their way to the car passed in silence.
"You think she was telling the truth?" Jackie eventually asked in a low voice.
Judy looked up at the feline. Neither of them had bright expressions. "You mean about the scars?"
A nod.
Standing by their vehicle, Judy played mirthlessly with the tip of her droopy ear. "I don't know… I mean, he showed me a scar on his chest when we were in Bunny Burrow, but I have no idea if there could be more."
"Wait…" Jackie stiffened after Judy's words. "Why did you strip him?"
Almost immediately after that comment, the insides of Judy's ears started gaining a shade of pink. "I didn't! He showed it on his own!" The doe noticed the expression on Jackie's face. "Wait! Not what you're thinking!"
"Reeeeally?"
"He just unbuttoned his shirt a bit and showed me where the scar is! I didn't even touch him, alright? Now, can we please drop this topic on focus on what's important?" Judy didn't wait for an answer and opened the car's door.
Jackie followed in her tracks, settling in the driver's seat, with a big grin on her face. "Oh, I don't know. Nick's bare chest sounds quite important." The feline officer watched with interest as Judy's ear's flung up.
"Why do you insist on going back to this?! Besides, didn't you break up with him?"
"Oh I did. Now we're just talking about teasing you." Jackie snickered under her nose.
"Jackie…" Judy's voice started to get hard around the edges.
"Fine, fine…" The feline gave up, but couldn't stop a discreet grin, as she watched the color change in Judy's ears. "So, where to now?"
The doe let out a sigh of relief and reached up to buckle herself up. "To the precinct, if you could. I have something to pick up there."
"Okay." Jackie shrugged and stepped on the gas.
.
.
Carmine Clawse was currently an irritated mammal.
It was a state in which his mammals preferred for him not to be. That was because the jackal usually took out his frustration on the nearby targets. This time, his negative attitude was directed towards the ZPD and the fact that they had arrested one of the handlers working for him. It wasn't exactly a situation that was potentially dangerous to the crime boss, but it made him plenty… upset. It was more a matter of reputation. And in his line of work, reputation had more value than money.
And he had recently found out that the two things that belonged to him were taken in by some middle-aged vixen. Learning of this made him think about the potential pain he should deliver upon the wench who interfered with his business.
Nobody steals from him.
Oh yes, she will definitely learn about pain.
.
.
A guard banged on the cell's door.
"You have another guest." She informed the female weasel, causing her to lift her head from the bunk and look up with curiosity. It hadn't even been an hour since the bunny and cheetah had left the facility, so there was little chance that it was them again. With nothing else to do, Uma shrugged and obediently followed the guard. However, this time, she didn't lead her to the interrogation room; instead, they headed to the visiting room.
Once there, she wasn't sure who would want to visit her. What she didn't expect was the sight of a mammal in a dark grey hoodie sitting in the spot where the guard was leading her. The cowl was hiding most of his face, and only the tip of the mammal's muzzle was visible from under it. Uma was slightly surprised that guards allowed such an outfit, but as they got closer to her visitor, more of the mammal's face became visible, and blood drained from the weasel's face.
She knew who came to visit her.
"Ten minutes," the tigress guard announced before going away, but Uma wasn't listening to her at all. Her entire focus was on the mammal before her. He was sitting up straight, with white-furred paws resting on their respective thighs. The mammal didn't move in any way or remove his head cover when she arrived by the thick glass between them. Despite the bulletproof glass dividing them, armed guards everywhere, and the mammal's own complete stillness, Uma felt like she had arrived for her execution.
She more dropped down than sat on the chair, her legs trembling too much to support her. When she did that, the hooded mammal slowly reached out to the phone on his side.
Seeing this, Uma did the same with a shaking paw. She carefully moved the handset to her ear.
"Vasily… please…" She began with a quivering voice. "I didn't tell them anything. No names, no addresses, nothing!"
He didn't reply or move, just kept silently staring down at her with a cold gaze.
She swallowed with difficulty, his silence torturing her with uncertainty. "L-Look, I know I screwed up, but I never said anything about us!" She leaned slightly forward. "You have to believe me!" Her voice dropped to a begging whisper. Uma wasn't exactly aware of this, but her body was practically oozing the smell of fear, and shortly, one of the guards was bound to sniff it up.
The hooded mammal remained silent, nor did he move a muscle. Even his face remained motionless.
In desperation, the female weasel decided to play her last card, one she considered her last hope to live longer than the next 24 hours. Even now, with the mammal before her, she considered herself to be at death's door. There was only a pawful of mammals in the organization who were active for as long as Vasily, Uma being one of them, and they very well knew how fierce he could be when it came to loyalty. Like every member, it was carved into her memory that with Vasily, you were either loyal to the organization or dead.
"Boss said that it's all cleared. That I am forgiven." Uma mumbled to the phone, awaiting the slightest reaction from the mammal before her, knowing that his decision meant either her life or death.
And after several agonizing seconds of silence, the mammal finally spoke in broken English, with a heavy Russian accent.
"I not forgive."
Then he placed the handset back on its place before standing up in one fluid motion.
Uma followed his movement with her eyes as the mammal straightened up to two times her own height. She could barely swallow when his words almost caused her phone to slip from her trembling fingers.
Was she going to live? Was she going to die?
Uma sat on the chair, frozen into position. Only her eyes were moving, following the hooded mammal as he left the room, leaving the female weasel in the abyss of uncertainty.
.
.
The hooded figure left the building of Zootopia's central jail and cleared the parking lot in front of the facility to cross the nearby road and join the mammals moving along the sidewalk. After a few minutes, however, he turned into a rather featureless alley, followed the narrow passage through several turns, and finally walked out onto a sort of a backyard of the dirty apartment buildings. The barely lightened space was connected with a few other, narrow alleyways.
There he stopped, standing in the silence with paws in the pockets of his hoodie. In this location, even the buzz of the streets wasn't reaching through. It took two more minutes of this soundless situation for several shadows to emerge from the other paths as mammals entered the backyard with the hooded figure. A brown wolf in a jacket and untucked shirt stepped forward, a pistol with a silencer in his paw.
"Well, well," he began, "it seems you're as sharp as they say, aren't ya?" As the canine was talking, more figures stepped out from the alleyways and joined the others. The group consisted of medium-sized mammals, mostly wolves, all of them armed with knives and spiked knuckles. Three of them also had guns. "Still," the brown-furred canine showed a cocky smirk, " to think we'd be able to track you down this easily… The organization really is getting sloppy."
The hooded mammal remained silent and didn't move an inch from his spot.
The wolf leader nodded his head, and the group started to spread out with the obvious goal of encircling the hooded figure.
"I'm sure you understand that it's nothing personal. It's just that your time has run out, and our employer is going to take over, so-"
The silent mammal took out his paw from a pocket, holding a cell phone. He casually lifted it to the hood while pressing an icon on the screen. This action caused the wolf to raise a brow, making him actually curious as to what this person had in mind.
"It is me." The hooded mammal said with his Russian accent. "Twelve dish, jail backyard, I call." With that said, he put the phone back to his pocket.
The leader of the group facing the lone mammal frowned at what he just saw. "It doesn't matter who you call, it's too late for asking for any backup." He gestured with his free paw, and the group began its slow approach, tightening the circle around their victim.
But the figure just gave the wolf a calm gaze from under his hood. "No backup." He reached to the edge of his hoodie at the small of his back, and his paws slipped under the material to return with a double-edged knife in each one. He flicked his wrists, and the short blades whirled in his fingers before he grabbed them swiftly.
"Cleanup."
.
.
The morning switched on the fox's internal alarm clock, and Nick lifted his eyelids to the welcoming sight of the dirty, concrete ceiling of his 'apartment.' This awakening was a novel experience for the fox, as for the first time in his memory, he actually was, in a way, disappointed that his dream ended.
Though maybe it was a good thing it did. There was no telling if his mind could take in any more of-
He immediately sat up straight, trying to cover the recent images with something else, something calmer, less intense, less… provocative… *Ah, crap. Who am I kidding?* He didn't have to look down to know that there was a rather large bulge in his boxers, and it wasn't from any swelling. At least not that kind of swelling.
*Sweet cheese and crackers,* he repeated his partner's saying in his thoughts. *Why did I even have this kind of dream?!* The answer was rather obvious when he thought about it for a second. He was in love with the smallest and most beautiful officer in the entire ZPD, and thanks to the blasted serum in his bloodstream, his body was obsessed with the idea of mating with her. But the more troubling question was... *How the hell am I supposed to look at her today?!* He hid his face in his paws, desperately trying to come up with a solution to this problem. Trouble was, with his flawless memory, he couldn't get out of his head the images of her fur, the shape, the-
He felt a part of his body twitch in his boxers.
Nick jumped out of his bed like from a slingshot and leapt to the basin by the wall. He shoved his head under the tap and turned on the cold water. With the chilly liquid dampening his fur while cooling his head, Nick did his best to think of something other than the bunny who appeared in his dream last night. But neither the cold water nor attempts at focusing on something besides the hot, exciting image of Ju-
"Oh, for Nature's sake!" Nick cried out and sprung up to a straight position. He changed tactics and decided to snatch his clothes. Which didn't do much to avert his thoughts from the images his memory permanently stored in his mind. Very vivid images. Very intimate images.
The fox shook his head vigorously, once again trying to focus on a different topic. And he found one, even if very bitter.
*I have to tell her…*
The events of last night were the most solid proof that he needed to come clean about it. He barely managed to control himself then, but what if he hadn't? The thought of the possible outcome sent a shiver down his spine.
.
.
"Breakfast? I was needed because you were invited for breakfast?"
"Precisely." Volkov's mouth widened in a smile.
He was sitting in the passenger's seat, on his way to visit a certain vixen.
His rabbit companion didn't look so pleased. "Boss… Is it really necessary-"
"Are you questioning my decision?" The wolf kept smiling, as he addressed the bunny.
The rabbit clenched his fingers on the steering wheel and focused his eyes on the road ahead. "No…"
"Good. Keep a sharp eye." Volkov nodded as he looked outside of the passenger's window to look at Vivian's apartment building.
Once his chauffeur pulled over at the nearest free spot, Volkov grabbed the bouquet of flowers he had with one paw and stepped out of the car. His choice of attire for today was a rather regular one. The wolf donned a simple jacket, matching pants and a light-colored shirt. Nothing fancy, just regular clothes, as he followed Vivian's instructions. The vixen told him specifically that she didn't want to see a suit-wearing lawyer for their meal, but a regular mammal. It was one of those little things that made him smile internally when he thought about her. She didn't want to see the image of him, who he becomes in front of others. Vivian made it clear that this was to be a time between a wolf and a vixen, regardless of who they were.
With those warm thoughts in his head, Alexander Volkov headed to the building's entrance, his rabbit companion trailing behind. As it turned out, their arrival was about to get much more… eventful.
Two quite burly tigers were already at the door, and their very sight made Volkov narrow his eye. With their work overalls, they might have looked convincing to a regular mammal. However, Volkov was anything but regular.
"Gentlemammals," he said aloud as he approached them, "is there a problem?"
Two striped heads turned towards him to give the wolf a once-over. His eyepatch and the scarring definitely looked unusual. And judging from the grimace that nestled on the tigers' faces, things could very quickly spin towards a nasty resolution. However, they both managed to force more natural expressions onto themselves, and one turned to face Volkov.
"Can we help you?" The feline asked. "Sir." He added right after a brief pause, as if suddenly remembering it from an invisible script.
"Oh, I am just curious what you two were dealing with in the building?" The wolf showed them a harmless-elderly-mammal smile. "I mean, you have your professional attire, but have you misplaced your work tools?"
The tigers exchanged brief glances.
"We got 'em inside." One of them grumbled.
"I see. Still, if I may ask, what kind of defect has appeared for two strong tigers to be dispatched to deal with it? I hope it's nothing life-threatening?" His smile widened a bit.
"Broken pipes." Grumbled the other one of the tigers.
"Oh my, is that so? That's very interesting, as I have a friend who lives here, a lovely vixen, I must tell you, and she didn't mention anything about broken pipes."
His friendly approach and logical deconstruction of their answers finally pushed them over the edge, and the tigers dropped the neutral act. With scrunched faces and knitted brows, both predators started approaching the wolf.
They managed to take just two steps before one of them let out a gasp and collapsed to the ground with a tranq dart sticking from his neck. Seeing this, his companion's paw shot to the pocket of his overalls.
"Don't." Said a cool voice from the side, making the tiger freeze and glance towards the speaker.
The feline saw a grey rabbit with black stripes on his fur, aiming a tranq gun straight at him. His paws were steady and gaze focused and cold. The rabbit's posture said it clearly - 'one move and you're going down.'
Volkov stepped forward. "As you can see, my colleague has quite the fast paws and a good aim. So if you don't want to join your friend on the ground I suggest you scram, boy." All pretense of pleasantry disappeared from the wolf's voice with the last word. With that said, he took another step forward. "Do that, and tell your maggot of a boss that either he backs off, or he will be dealt with." Volkov nodded towards the bunny. "My colleague will see to that."
The tiger eyed him and the small mammal next to him, before choosing to just nod. After that, he started to retread with cautious steps, making sure to not make sudden movements.
"Boy!" Volkov called to him, just before reaching out with his cane and tapping the leg of the unconscious feline. "You forgot something."
.
.
After calming down enough to operate in public, Nick took a double dosage of his medicine, hoping that it would last long enough. After that, he departed for the meeting place he suggested in his text to Judy. He didn't choose the precinct, for obvious reasons, so he settled for meeting on the square in front of Zootopia's central railway station. It was a public place, crowded and considerably loud, so there was a very miniscule chance of someone successfully eavesdropping on them. Also, it would be easy to disappear in the crowd, in case they were followed.
The fox had chosen one of several advertising pillars to lean on with his back. He arrived a few minutes earlier than the set time, so he decided to follow his usual practice and pulled out his phone. Nick managed to go through several pieces of information when a raised voice reached his ears.
"Darn it!"
The fox looked up from the phone's screen to see an upset bunny. One he didn't see before, which most likely meant that she was new to Zootopia. That and a suitcase-big, by rabbit standards-next to her. The two elements formed an equation with one possible result: 'Just arrived by train'.
"Not now, ugh!" The doe tapped vigorously at the screen of her phone.
Nick cast a quick glance around, and nobody seemed to be acquainted with her, at least nobody in sight. When he focused on the bunny again, there was a short internal debate in his mind. One that was about to deciding whether to ignore her or help. After all, he might be just a bother, as someone could appear any moment. Still, it was rather short, as the 'helping' side threw an argument that he was now a police officer, and it was his duty to help citizens. Not to mention that he never liked a sight of a distressed female. Therefore, the fox put his phone back into its pocket and headed towards the girl.
From her appearance, he could guess that she was in her late twenties, though she was dressed rather formally. Her fur was grey, like Judy's, and she was wearing two-layered attire that consisted of a red shirt and a white blouse on top of it, with a laced finish around the neckline and shoulders.
"Excuse me." He stated when he got closer, and his voice caused her to raise her gaze from the phone. Nick looked at a pair of brown, cautious eyes. "Just to get over it, yes, I'm a fox, but I am also a ZPD officer and just wanted to ask if everything is alright."
"Oh, um…" She stuttered a bit with her answer. "I'm fine, it's just… Well, my battery's dead." She held up the phone with its black screen. "And without a map, I can't find my way around here. I mean," she indicated the bustling square with a wide gesture, "this place is just huge."
Nick smiled. "First time in Zootopia?"
"Ah, rather obvious, right?" The girl returned the smile, now a bit more relaxed. "Big luggage, no idea where I am… What could have given me away?"
The fox folded his arms in front of him. "Don't worry, it's the usual state of all newcomers." He allowed himself a small chuckle. "But, since we're already talking, maybe I can help you with directions? Lived here all my life and know this place inside out."
The doe beamed and removed a rebellious lock of hair from her face. "Yes, it would be great!" Then her joy slightly faded. "Aand I just forgot that I have spent my last money on the train tickets…"
This comment actually made Nick stifle a laugh. "No, no, sorry." He raised a paw in response to her frown. "It's just that I find it quite funny that you automatically assumed that I'd ask for money."
"Oh… I'm sorry!" She waved her paws in panic. "I didn't mean-"
Nick just shook his head with a smile. "No worries, miss…" He raised a brow.
"Ashley." She extended a paw. "Friends call me 'Ash'."
He accepted it. "You can call me Nick. A pleasure to meet you."
After they exchanged a friendly pawshake, the fox placed his paws on his hips. "So, where to, Ashley?"
The doe raised a finger, and then her paw dived into a small, dark purse she left on the suitcase. It returned shortly, holding a pamphlet. "I'm going to a temple!" She gave him the piece of paper.
Nick raised his brows in curiosity and, indeed, saw a picture of a quite impressive building. It was all white, and its architecture was centered around a large spire.
"Ah, this one."
"You know it?!" A sparkle appeared in her eye.
This time Nick showed her a smirk. "I know every place in this city."
"Good golly! I wish I could. I have to rely on Zoogle maps…" She sighed, as her ears flopped down. "Which sometimes is unavailable."
The fox tapped the side of his head. "Best map you can have is right here. You'll never lose it or run out of battery."
His words actually made her scrunch her nose a bit. "If you put it that way, I think that there are several ways one could counter that argument."
"Wait," Nick snorted, "you're a priest or a philosopher?"
"Oh, I'm no priest." She quickly shook her head. "Though your guess isn't that far off. I came here to be a missionary." They way she said it, the conviction seeping from her words, it immediately reminded him of a certain rabbit female that he knew. Also, it only occurred to him now that she could be roughly the same age as Judy. Besides… Maybe it was the time he spent with Judy or just learning a thing or two about rabbits, but he couldn't deny that this girl was quite attractive, at least by rabbit standards. It made him wonder why a pretty girl like her would want to use her time to preach the words of her faith. And he immediately scolded himself for that thought. It was none of his business what she wanted to do. In Zootopia, anyone can be anything. Besides, what does outer appearance have to do with faith? Nothing.
"So do you have a transport arranged? Or will you aim to make a pilgrimage to that place on paws?" He didn't even try to hide a grin.
"Oh very funny, but just so you know," she pointed a finger at him, "I would walk there if I had to. I love walks."
"Sorry, sorry, just a habit of mine. As an apology, let me offer you a ride to your destination. And before you even think something suspicious, I'm talking about a taxi. Fair enough?"
The sudden change of topic surprised her a bit, but only for a moment. "Wait, but I have already told you that I don't have-"
"My treat." He interrupted with a smile. "Consider it a welcome gift to Zootopia. Can't let visitors have a bad experience during their first visit." Nick sent her a wink.
"That is… very nice of you. Though I will insist on returning the favor one day." She seemed happy with herself about the idea of repaying someone's kindness.
"Be careful what you wish for." Nick chuckled as he pulled out his phone to call Mr Bites. It was a short exchange, just enough to ask if he was available, which he luckily was, and give him the address.
The elderly wolf arrived shortly, and all that was left was to pack the girl's luggage to the trunk of the car.
Ashley stood in front of Nick and thanked him again, shaking his paw. She had already turned towards the cab's door when her ears shot up. "Oh! I almost forgot!" The doe spun back to Nick. "Do you also happen to know where I could get some sparkling juice here?"
The fox tilted his head a bit to the side. "That's an unusual question from a bunny."
"Ah, well, it just happens to be one of my favorite drinks." She grinned at him.
Nick scratched his chin for a second. "Well, there is a Pawmart not far from the temple you are heading to. They should have some there."
"Great!" Her eyes practically gleamed, and she launched herself at the fox to wrap her arms around him in a hug. "Thank you so much for your help."
This sudden gesture startled Nick, though his enhanced senses noticed the movement the moment it began. If he wanted to, the fox could've easily dodge it, had he deemed it a threat. However, he learned to control the impulse to back away and just stood still.
"Aren't you a friendly one..." Nick muttered, unsure what prompted such a gesture.
The doe pulled away, grinning from ear to ear. "Actually, not that much. But you are definitely a good mammal, and I just felt like doing it."
Nick couldn't stop a smirk appearing on his face. "You can't be sure. Maybe I'm actually a bastard?"
She shook her head, the grin still present. "No, I don't think so. See you around, Nick!" With that, she got into the car and they drove away, leaving the fox on the square, a little puzzled about the encounter.
.
.
Carmine Clawse was rather angry at this point. For those who knew him, it was a sign to stay away until he could calm down. Though not aware of it himself, whenever he was irate, he would tap something with the claw of his thumb. And at this point, sitting in his broad arm chair, the wolf was viciously tapping away at his wooden desk.
"Say that again…"
The tiger thug rubbed his forehead. "They chased us away, boss. Rob got hit and that rabbit had a tranq gun aimed at me…"
"Do you even hear yourself?" Growled the voice in the phone. "You're telling me that two tigers were chased away by a crippled old wolf and a bunny?!"
A muscle twitched on the feline's face, but he decided to quietly swallow the jab. "The wolf said that 'our boss' is to 'back off' and stay away. He even mentioned that vixen."
A short silence followed his words. "He what?"
"What do you want us to do now?"
"I'll tell you what I want." The jackal stood up from his armchair. "I want that guy and that bitch dead!" He slammed his fist on the desk. "I want her family dead!" Another slam. "I want her home burned to the ground!" Slam!
"You got it, boss."
.
.
After thanking Jackie and splitting with her at the precinct's parking lot, Judy immediately headed towards the main entrance. She had a certain destination in mind, and it was a close one.
"Hey, Clawhauser!"
The portly receptionist waved at the doe with a cheerful smile. "Hello, Judy! It's always good to see you."
"Do you have the letter?" She went straight to the point, but also with a smile.
"Yeah, just like I texted you." He reached to a part of his large desk and his paw returned, now holding a sealed envelope.
Judy swiftly hopped up to take it from him. "Thank you. I appreciate your help."
"No problem, glad I could help-"
"Officer Judy Hopps?"
The grey bunny turned around to see a red fox wearing a plain black suit and button-up white shirt standing in the lobby near them. He was looking straight at her with a pair of sharp brown eyes. He had a rather slender form - fit, but not as buff as Nick.
"Yes, that's me," she replied, rather curious what this fox could want with her.
"We should talk somewhere more private." He stated, looking up at Clawhauser with an unfriendly glare. "I'm here for official purposes, and it's not meant to be disclosed in front of a third party."
Judy narrowed her eyes, not happy about this mammal's attitude. However, the feline receptionist just shook his head and pointed his paw toward one of the distant doors. "You can use one of the office rooms, sir." He said with full professionalism.
The fox eyed him for a moment, before giving a nod and walking in the pointed direction. Judy shrugged and turned to follow him. "Thanks, Benji!" She called over her shoulder.
Once they were both in an empty meeting room, Judy faced the fox visitor. "May I ask what is this about, sir?"
The red-furred predator approached her and produced a golden badge.
"Special Agent Sirius Pawthorn, ZIA." He introduced himself, causing Judy's ears to twitch slightly.
"ZIA?" She asked, taking his offered paw and shaking it firmly. "And here I thought that Nick was the first fox to don a uniform."
The male flashed a humorless smile. "Sneaky, dishonest, untrustworthy, deceitful... We make for perfect agents, wouldn't you agree?"
Judy considered his question, as her ears slowly fell. "I have a fox friend and he is none of the things you've mentioned." She stated with conviction.
He only shook his head. "We appear to be. At first."
She ignored his remark and opted for changing topics. "What would the Zootopia Intelligence Agency want with me?"
The fox noticed her expression and folded his arms. "No need to be surprised or anxious. I am short on time, so I'll cut straight to the chase." He reached to the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out a phone. He tapped the screen several times and then turned it to Judy. "Do you know this mammal?"
The photo showed a wolf with an eyepatch in the arrivals zone at Zootopia's airport. He was using a cane for support and pulled a small suitcase on wheels behind him.
She instantly recognized the mammal and glanced at the fox. "Should I know him?" The doe said in a cautious manner. She wasn't 100% convinced that this mammal was really a government agent. Considering recent events with Bellwether and the missing tapes from jam cams, she decided to be extra careful about whom to trust.
The self-proclaimed agent raised a brow. He swiped the screen with his clawed finger, and a new picture appeared.
Judy, Vivian, and the same wolf sitting at one table in a restaurant.
At this sight, the doe's eyes widened, and her ears stood up in alert. Right after that, she glared at the fox.
The vulpine showed her half a smile, again without any humor in it. "I think that answers my question." He let Judy blush in the awkward silence for a moment. "Now, I could take this through the official route, but I'm willing to hear your explanation first." The fox sat on one of the empty chairs. "What is your connection to this wolf?"
Judy's first response was silence, as she was thinking about her answer. She didn't know anything for sure about this mammal and therefore no guarantee that he wasn't involved in the information digs within the ZPD. Still, if he was a decent, loyal agent...
"None, I had no idea that he was in that restaurant."
"Is that so? Then it was a pure accident that you walked into a restaurant where he was sitting with Vivian Wilde, who just happens to be your partner's mother?"
Judy clicked her tongue, but only in her thoughts.
"Look, officer, I know that you have some connection to him. Why not spill the beans while I'm still trying to be nice?"
"Who are you?" He got a question in response, paired with a cautious glare.
The fox narrowed his eyes and kept silent for a long moment. Then he leaned back on the chair.
"Fine, have it your way, but I expect honesty in return. Deal?"
Judy folded her arms. "Let's assume that my answer is 'yes.' So again, who are you?"
He smiled, hearing her first question as one that she already asked. "I gave you my name, so I have to conclude that your question is not that simple." With these words, he stood up and approached the wall, right where a white board was hanged. "I am someone who has been trying to get his paws on a slippery snake called Mr. Pink Plushie." The fox took a marker and drew a simple outline of a wolf's head in the center of the board. "No witnesses, no tracks, no evidence, no trails, no traceable connections, and a lot of dead ends. That's how you could describe this guy." He tapped on the drawing with the marker. "Until now." The vulpine produced his phone again.
Judy's nose twitched. "You're talking about Vivian..."
"Precisely. Imagine my surprise when I see him in the company of two easily traceable mammals. And here's my question: What do you know about that bastard?"
Her nose twitched again. She still had some doubts, but she also knew that if this mammal had wanted, he could have brought out some really big guns. The position of a ZIA agent wasn't one to be trifled with. Judy ultimately decided that cooperation would mean the path of least resistance. That, and she could probably benefit from it, too.
"For some weird reason, he has some sort of attachment to Vivian."
"Attachment?"
"He was... flirting with her in that restaurant."
Her words caused a small glint to materialize in his eyes.
"Now that is very interesting. And how come you were there?" He directed his questioning at her again.
The doe shrugged. "I am friends with Vivian. She invited me."
The fox seemed to weigh her words." And your partner?"
Judy was careful not to show surprise. "What about him?"
She didn't want to lie, but she also believed in Nick's desire to be a better mammal and supported him in that endeavor. Revealing his past connection to Volkov would bring him a lot of trouble. Judy concluded that he could do a lot of good as an officer, which would be the best way for him to atone for his past wrongdoings.
"How is he involved?" The fox persisted.
Judy shrugged. "I wouldn't know if he's involved in anything. He barely even talks with Vivian."
There was a long pause between them.
"I see." That was all he said about it. "Still, I have gained some useful information." The fox put the marker away. "Maybe with this, my investigation can move forward."
Those words made Judy's ears twitch, and she stepped forward. "You're not going to involve Vivian in this?!"
He raised his brows. "Excuse me?"
The doe stood right in front of him. "You're not going to put her in any danger, are you?"
The fox let out a sigh. "Missy, we're talking about an official investigation here. I'm not going to waste years of work, just because you're worried about someone! However," he raised a paw to indicate he hadn't finished, "I am not going to put her at any unnecessary risk. Though you should be aware that Plushie will get rid of that female if he were to suspect that she could compromise him in any way. He's done that in the past."
"What do you mean?"
He shook his head. "I can't talk about details. However…" The fox scratched his chin. "The only bit of information I can give you is a name: Eveline Tigri. She used to hang out with this guy, too, and now she's dead."
Judy couldn't hide her shock from this revelation and her eyes widened slightly.
"Consider this my warning," the fox went on, "but at the same time, do not alert her or he will get suspicious." He looked at his watch. "I have to run, but we will be in touch." The vulpine pulled out a business card and handed it to Judy. "If anything happens regarding that bastard, call me at any time of day or night."
And with that, he was gone, leaving a puzzled bunny behind.
She had a new problem now. If what this mammal was saying was true, then Vivian was in danger. However, she couldn't bring it to her attention or talk with Nick about it. That left her with only one option.
Getting to Volkov first, before anything happens.
.
.
Nick checked his phone to look at the time again. It was just five minutes, but his partner was never late. Running behind schedule was a tad bit weird for her. *Maybe something has-*
"Nick!"
The fox froze, suddenly not so sure if he was capable of looking at his partner so closely today. With the images of her entire body still so damn fresh in his mind, Nicholas Wilde swallowed before turning around to find out if he'd be able to avoid getting charged for sexual assault.
"Hey, Slick!" The grey bunny came into his view, dressed in her casual clothes, but in Nick's mind she was completely nak-
"Hey, Carrots…" The fox's mouth released something that was somewhere in the middle between a strained gasp and a cheerful welcome. It took all of his willpower and then some to not pounce on her at this point. Even without the serum screaming at his senses, Nick couldn't take his eyes off the beautiful bunny in front of him, as she looked at him with concern.
With his senses savagely enhanced, the whole matter gained a whole new dimension of difficulty. Sight, hearing, smell… All of them were bordering on going into overload when they got attacked by the doe's presence. Nick didn't just feel her scent; it was more like his nose gathered in all the tiny particles from the air that wore the "Judy Hopps" label and weaved them together in the complex pattern of an aroma so intoxicating that it almost made breathing impossible. The fox's ears didn't have it any easier when every word said by the bunny reverberated within them, encapsulating his mind in the sweetness of every note made. Right now, if she told him to shoot himself with a tranq dart, he'd just ask, "How many times?" To top it all off, she stood right in front of him in all the glory he perceived in her, so he had full view of the grey doe. And while the image of her from last night was still burning hot in his mind, his eyes were now taking in every little detail of her body, every single strand of fur, every curve and line, every scar…
*Wait, what?* His brain shook off the pink haze that surrounded it, and started processing again. He then noticed what he saw a second before and lifted a paw to brush the fur on her cheek to reveal several horizontal lines on her skin, clearly healed long ago, but still there. *Where did those-*
"Um, N-Nick?" Her stuttered mumble made him blink and reassess what he was doing.
They were standing face to face, and he was slightly leaning down to her. His paw was on her cheek, where his thumb brushed the old scars. And Judy was frozen in place with her ears low behind her and a blush decorating her face. An awkward second of silence passed before Nick regained enough common sense to remove his paw from her cheek as if he'd been burned.
"S-Sorry! I-I just noticed something on your cheek a-and when I leaned down I saw the scars…" He tried to explain himself, hurriedly straightening up.
Her own paw rose to her cheek when she heard him mention the old wound. "Oh, that… It's nothing. I got clawed when I was a kid, but it healed years ago."
Nick's eyes widened at her explanation. "Clawed?! Why? Who did this to you?" He gestured towards her cheek and also felt his blood heating up after hearing about someone hurting his bunny.
Judy placed a paw on his forearm. "It's okay-"
"No, it's not!" He snapped, surprising the doe with his harsh voice. "Someone hurt you!"
His partner squeezed his arm a bit. "That was years ago, Nick! I am fine and already forgave the mammal who did this. No need to make a scene about it."
Her voice was soothing and her words reasonable, but to the overprotective savage, it wasn't enough. Not even close. "Who did this?
Judy let out a sigh, seeing that her partner wouldn't let it go. "It was a local bully. He stole some fair tickets from my friends, and I confronted him about it. That's all."
"Carrots, a bunny wouldn't be able to give you such scars… It was a predator, wasn't it?"
"Uh, why are you acting like this?! I told you that it's fine!"
Nick opened his mouth to retort, but nothing came out of it. *She's right… I'm acting like a complete loony… Serum, possessiveness, love… All that is messing with my head.*
"Okay…" He admitted weakly. "Sorry, it's just… I hate seeing you hurt."
Her expression softened, and she showed a small smile. "And your concern warms my heart, but this is history, okay? I've moved on."
He couldn't do anything else but sigh. "All right…"
This reaction got picked up by his beloved bunny. "Nick… Are you sure you're okay?"
The fox's mind replied: *No, I had the most 'peaceful' dream in years last night. One that didn't end up in me waking up screaming. One that included a very beautiful bunny. One in which I had very wild and passionate sex with said bunny. And that bunny is now standing right in front of me, which makes it nearly impossible for me to not think of all the things we did together in my dream. And it doesn't help that my bloody perfect memory keeps replaying every single move, your every half-glazed stare, your sweet, lust-driven scent, your every moa-*
"Yes." The fox's mouth said.
"Okaay, I'll trust you on that." She said with caution. "But do remember to tell me if something's wrong, alright?"
"Sure thing." He managed to reply quite normally. "Soo," he folded his paws behind his back, "ready to go and meet Alyssa?" It could be enthusiasm speaking, but Nick just desperately wanted to change the topic.
His partner grinned at him. "Always!"
.
.
"Okay, this is the place." Judy announced as they got out of the cab.
"Indeed it is, dear Watson." Nick replied with his usual, if not even smugger, smirk.
"Har, har." She nudged him lightly with an elbow. "So how do we know it's that Alyssa lady?"
They strolled towards the cafe, both nonchalantly looking over the scarce number of guests through the front windows.
Nick sighed at her question. "That's actually the tricky part." He said as he held the door open for Judy.
"What do you mean?" One of her ears twitched slightly towards him. The moment she noticed this, she had to fight an impulse to pull down the misbehaving ear. Ever since her talk with her mother, Judy was extra cautious about her ears. She forced herself to focus on their surroundings.
"Well, I didn't mention this before, but-"
"Pamiętasz mnie, lisku?" [Remember me, foxy?]
Nick froze in place. "Ah… This ain't going to be pretty…" He mumbled before closing his eyes and turning towards the speaker. Judy also turned around to see who was talking to them.
A vixen clad in black and grey fur stood up from a nearby table. Judy could use a variety of words to describe her, but a pack of panting foxes would beat her to it, shouting adjectives like 'hot' or 'sexy.' Interestingly, her attire was rather modest. A seemingly normal and plain jacket-shirt-pencil skirt combo would make any female look like a professional office employee.
"Don't tell me…" Nick croaked. "You're Alyssa now?!"
"Hmph!" The vixen huffed and strolled towards them.
In her walk, Judy could fully grasp where the secret to her appearance was. At first she assumed it was in the way she was wearing her clothes, the way they looked on her, but that was just a part of it. This female moved with a serpentine grace that had most likely charmed many males.
But when the doe looked the vixen in the eye, she understood that it wasn't charm. It was a trap.
The cold, amber gaze of the elegant female focused on the fox officer, who seemed to try to look as innocent as possible.
"Hey-" He began, but didn't get to say anything more.
Slap!
A perfectly angled swing of the vixen's paw made his head to jolt to the side.
"Ah, not sure I deserved that…" He mumbled.
"Nick!" Judy immediately jumped to her friend's side, but the fox just waved his paw to stop her. Then he straightened up and looked at the vixen again.
"Niezbyt miłe powitanie po tylu latach." [Not a pleasant welcome after all those years.]
SLAP!
This time Nick staggered a bit on his hindpaws, even with his sturdiness improved by the mutation. The hit instantly reminded him that despite a deceivingly slim figure, this lady packed some serious punch.
"Ukradłeś mój samochód!" [You stole my car!] The female growled in perfect Polish.
Judy, who followed this turn of events with wide eyes, again surprised about the use of a foreign language, was about to confront the vixen, but Nick shook his head. The doe raised a confused brow.
"What? You're going to say that you didn't deserve that either?"
"No… That one I deserved." He replied with a slight wince, before turning back to the silver fox female. "Pożyczyłem. Pożyczyłem bez pytania o zgodę." [Borrowed. Borrowed without permission.]
She pointed a finger at him and Nick raised his paws defensively.
"Ale z absolutnym zamiarem zwrotu." [But with every intention of bringing it back.] He almost squealed.
"Ale go nie oddałeś!" [But you didn't!] She jabbed him in the chest with her finger. "Znikasz, ot tak sobie, a po latach dostaję wiadomość, że chcesz dostać ode mnie jakieś informacje?" [You disappear, just like that, and after years of silence, I hear that you want some information from me?]
At this point, Nick was slightly leaning away from the dark furred vixen.
"Możesz odrobinę zwolnić? Daj mi chociaż przedstawić moją przyjaciółkę." [Can you slow down a bit? At least let me introduce my friend.]
The vixen reluctantly peeled off her gaze from him and directed it towards Judy.
"Przyjaciółkę?" [A friend?] She quirked a brow. "Ty przecież nie masz przyjaciół." [You don't have any friends.]
Nick ignored that remark and placed a paw on the bunny's shoulder. "Meet Officer Judy Hopps, my partner at the ZPD."
The doe received a hard, calculating stare. "A cop, eh?" The vixen pushed Nick a step back with her paw. "To, że sam stałeś się jednym z nich jest dostatecznie niedorzeczne, a teraz jeszcze przyciągasz ich ze sobą?" [It's already ridiculous enough that you've turned into one, and now you're bringing more with you?] She addressed those words at Nick, but she kept her eyes fixed on the bunny.
But then the doe stepped forward with a smile and offered her paw. "Witam, miło mi poznatch." [Hello, it's nice to meet you.] She stated in somewhat distorted, but recognizable Polish.
Subsequently, Nick's jaw dropped.
*What the he- When did she-*
"Oh?" Alyssa gazed at the bunny with renewed interest. "Mówisz po Polsku?" [You speak Polish?]
"Nie barzo." [Not really] She replied with a borderline smirk. "I simply have learned that a certain fox friend of mine can use it to tease me, so I've learned a little bit to prevent it."
"Did you now?" The vixen folded her paws, which emphasized her jacket covered chest. Judy immediately suspected that it was on purpose.
Still, what the doe said earned her a smile on the vixen's face. "Now you start talking my language. Fine, then. We can discuss this further." Alyssa turned around and headed back to her table, simultaneously clapping a few times on her thigh with a paw. "Do nogi, lisku." [Heel, foxy.]
Nick rolled his eyes, but followed her nonetheless.
Walking behind Alyssa, Judy immediately made two mental comments.
She didn't have to move her hips like that.
She definitely didn't need to move her tail like that!
As they were walking, Nick suddenly got elbowed in the ribs. "Oof! What was that for?" He hissed quietly to his partner.
"Just on principle." She replied in the same fashion, as they got to the table.
Alyssa settled on her chair while the officers sat at the other side of the table. "Alright then, what does the odd duo want from me? Albo raczej, czego ty chcesz ode mnie?" [Or rather, what do you want from me?] The last sentence was pointed at Nick.
The fox groaned at how the focus of the conversation had turned towards him instead of the case.
"We're here unofficially." He explained. "And we'd like to know if you have prepared a false prison transfer request in the past months?"
"Hmm." The vixen rested her muzzle on her paw. "And what's the benefit for me, if I were to answer that question?"
"Sincere gratitude of the ZPD for assisting in solving a case that could affect the entire city." Judy went forward with her answer.
Nick wanted to facepaw himself. "What my esteemed colleague means is that this is not a small thing that could be brushed aside. Come on, you know I wouldn't bother you with something unimportant."
Alyssa leaned back on her chair. "Sounds quite interesting. Ale znasz zasady. [But you know the rules.]"
Nick weighed her words for a moment. It's not like he wasn't aware that it could require a payment, but still… "Fine…" He grumbled. "Let's say that we'll owe you a favor."
"O nie, nie, złociutki. Ty będziesz mi winien przysługę." [Oh, no, no, sweetheart. You will owe me a favor.]
Judy's command of the language wasn't enough to understand what exactly made her partner cringe for a moment. However, after a few seconds, he recollected himself and nodded.
"Alright." Alyssa flashed them both a grin. "Let's hear what this all is about."