Hello everyone.
New chapter for you. I am trying to get them out at a better pace, but I can't make any promises on that. Soon, I will have to shift my focus to writing my own novel, and I have a deadline for it, so... Apologies in advance.
As always, I am deeply grateful for your continuous interest and support. It truly brightens my life, and it's pretty dark at the moment. Honestly, it would be pitch black, if not for my wonderful friends and readers. I don't deserve you, guys.
Speaking of friends, my best friend once again valiantly rushed to the rescue of my crippled punctuation skills. Gargantuan thanks to TheoreticallyEva, who sacrificed some of her precious time to come to my aid. Thank you.
Once again, I strongly recommend reading her, now complete, fanfic "The Tale of Crossfire and the Hustler".
Chapter 44
The fox let out a sigh. "Let's try this again… Where did you get the order for this package?"
"I-I-I don't know anything! I swear!" The panicked voice belonged to a scrawny-looking caracal, who was in quite a predicament at the moment.
"Oh? Okay, then I guess our talk is over." Nick slapped his knees and stood up from his seat.
"H-Hey! Heyheyhey! No need to be so hasty!" The feline shot to his hindpaws so quickly that he almost knocked over his glass. "Let's talk about it!"
They were facing each other across a table at a bar located in Sahara Square. It wasn't what some would call a shady place, but it was the place where Nick was certain to find the caracal.
"Really? If you got nothing to say, then I'm off to chat with Gustav. I'm sure he will be thrilled to know that he has a snitch in his group." The fox showed a dark smile. "Ciao."
The feline criminal launched himself over the table to grab Nick's arm. "Okay, okay! I'll talk!"
Nick kept smiling as he sat down again. "Go on." He felt a little bad for the feline. The fox knew that the caracal was responsible for giving away information about the docks to the ZPD. Giving the honey badger false information earlier was just a way of cornering the real culprit. Luckily for Nick, Gustav had more than one traitor among his mammals. Framing one of them was child's play. Besides, the one he pointed out as a snitch to Gustav was one of the more despicable mammals in his memory files. He considered directing the gangster's wrath at him as a form of karma. Of course, should Gustav ever find out he had been duped, he would be furious. But there was only a little chance of that. The honey badger gangster was famous for his explosive character. The snitch won't even get any time to talk.
.
.
"Hey, there, Weaselton."
The weasel froze at his spot behind a portable table cluttered with goods, knowing very well that such words, said with a certain amount of friendliness, meant that someone was about to ruin your day.
That and the fact that he knew this voice. Which was why he didn't even bother to look in that direction. Instead, he immediately bolted in the opposite one.
Or… he tried.
"Hi!" A cheerful voice greeted him, in the company of a large paw yanking him up in the air.
Duke looked straight into the grinning face of a cheetah.
"Why the rush?" Judy approached them with a casual stroll. "Relax, we're not here officially."
"Huh?" Weaselton stopped wriggling in Jackie's grasp. Indeed, only now did he notice that both females were dressed casually. This was certainly something new. "Whaddya want, then?"
The doe showed him a smile. "I wonder if you can get us a certain item."
.
.
Nick glanced at his phone again. It was almost time for their meeting. Yes, he did get a text from her that said everything was fine. Yes, she is a sly bunny and capable of knocking out a rhino. Yes, she would let him know if there was any trouble… *Right?*
Checking the time for the seventeenth time in the past five minutes, the fox-
"Nick!"
The ever-energetic grey furball bounded in his direction, sending a wave of warmth into his heart with every step.
But he didn't expect to be captured in such a tight hug from his partner. "H-Hey, missed me that much?" he managed with a slightly struggling voice.
Judy chuckled and raised her head, granting him a view of her marvelous eyes. "I was worried, dumb fox. I was certain that you would meet dangerous individuals. I'm simply glad that you are okay."
Nick let out a small laugh and gently patted her back. "I'm fine, as you can see." And he was most pleased to personally see that she was all right.
Together, they went into the same bar where they'd met Alyssa before. It was a convenient location for them, and relatively safe to talk. They got their drinks and sat down at a secluded table, summarizing all they knew so far.
"Okay…" Judy began with a sigh, "so we have someone with huge resources, no morals, no regard for mammals' lives, and apparently has experience in working in secrecy… Who would fit the bill?"
Nick shrugged. "The government?"
His answer got an eye roll from the bunny. "I'm talking about real suspects."
"Well, history has repeatedly shown that, in many cases, they should be the main suspect."
Judy was going to comment on that, but she simply waved her paw dismissively. "Fine, let's entertain that thought for a moment. What would be their goal in this? Making mammals go savage?"
Fortunately for Nick, his trained instincts sometimes worked faster than his brain. That's why his muzzle stubbornly remained shut when he tried to speak.
How could he explain what he heard from Octavius?
His brain switched to the highest gear, desperately trying to come up with a logical reason without any proof backing it.
"Well, maybe they are testing some new biological weapon?" He tried that.
The doe rested her cheek on a paw. "Would make sense, but I hope that I don't need to remind you that Zootopia is not involved in any kind of conflict? It would be like selling ice at the North Pole."
"Fair enough…" The fox scratched his chin. "Then maybe this is done by some private entity? Ugh, I'm not sure which scenario would be worse."
"I vote for the private option." She held up a finger. "Think about it. If this were to be done by a government institution, why would they falsify a transfer order for Bellwether? It would be much simpler to just issue such an order from the top, and it would go unnoticed among other official documents."
"Ah, I see your point here." Nick nodded thoughtfully. "But what does that leave us with? My suspects didn't bring us much information, as they all received requests from seemingly random mammals."
She nodded to that. "It was similar in my case. However," she showed a little smile, "one of my couriers told me an interesting detail. The mammal that gave him the order was rather odd-looking." Judy proceeded to describe the things she heard about the appearance of the mysterious employer.
"Ah!" Nick snapped his fingers. "Gingerbread!"
Judy's brows rose up in interest. "You mean the guy? Or are you hungry…?"
"His nickname is 'Gingerbread'. Not a very flattering one, and definitely not one to be used in his presence." The fox smiled to himself.
"And you are going to tell me the origin of it?" She gave him what Nick called the 'bunny look'. She would slightly narrow her eyes, pairing it with a suggestion of a smirk, intended to dare him not to do something.
He found it incredibly sexy.
Also, he longed for a day when he could say that out loud to her. "Just a little touch of folklore here." The fox diverted his thoughts back towards the conversation.
"Wait…" Judy tilted her head to the side a bit, making her ears flop a little, too. "In the stories, the gingerbread mammal keeps running away," she recalled the tale from her childhood, "but eventually gets eaten by a… fox." The doe folded her arms. "You ask me to believe that's a coincidence, Mr. Fox?"
Nick chuckled briefly. "Yes, yes, I do."
The bunny rolled her eyes while shaking her head. "One day, I will raise you to be a proper adult."
To that, the vulpine officer rested his muzzle on a paw, grinning mischievously. "No, thanks, I much prefer to be improper."
Judy mimicked his posture. "How the heck did your mother put up with you as a kid?"
"She didn't." He shrugged, the smile not leaving his face.
His companion shuffled a bit closer, glazing her tone with a touch of honey. "Nick, has anyone ever told you just how irresistibly annoying you are?"
The fox could barely contain the mirth swirling in his soul. This female was so utterly, indisputedly, absolutely perfect.
.
.
Nick held the door for Judy as they were leaving the bar before walking right behind her into the evening air. They kept chatting over a long stretch of time, part of it serious, part just for fun. The duo settled for hunting down the "Gingerbread" mammal the next day. That's due to Nick's information about the hyena's work schedule. Being a smuggler, he was mostly away during evenings and night time. Therefore, they would seek him out first thing in the morning.
"All right," Nick grunted while stretching his arms, "we have one more lead to follow."
Walking beside him, Judy internally scolded her eyes for sneaking a peek at how the fox's body moved. Recently, she had a growing confusion about her reactions to Nick's presence. The way they talked, how they joked together… It all seemed to occur so… so naturally. Never before Judy had such a feeling of freedom around someone else. She never pretended anything in front of her friend, never felt nervous about any of her insecurities. Her jokes, comments, thoughts, and snappy retorts? He was taking them in and with a smile, or a smirk, on his muzzle.
Tearing her thoughts away from that line of thinking, Judy once again scolded herself. She was in a relationship and was not going to let her genes control her mind.
"We have to make sure that we pin down that guy. Someone has to know something substantial." The doe convinced herself that her voice sounded normal.
Nick just couldn't pass up the chance. "Good to know that you have a thing for pinning down guys." He snickered.
Ears twitching, Judy squinted her eyes at her partner. "Only the misbehaving ones. Are you well-behaved, or should I pin you down as well?" she asked sweetly.
*Yes…*
"Nah, I'm good." He raised his paws in defense, fighting his rising body temperature. Not for the first time, he cursed his graphic imagination. "Let's leave your combat expertise for dealing with that coyote tomorrow."
"Oh, I don't know…" she mused, taking a step towards him, holding both paws behind her back. "I do need to practice from time to time."
Nick whined internally from how he held back right now. At the same time, it frightened him just how much this moment resembled the tormenting dream he'd had about a very flirtatious bunny. Right now, he was burning from desire, and shivering from fear. To save himself from this situation, he had to immediately change the course of the conversation. *I hate this, but… No other choice.*
"Maybe you should practice with your boyfriend, hm? I'm sure he would love to volunteer." Each word forming this sentence was like a dagger stabbing at his heart.
To his horror, the object of his love stepped even closer, with a dangerous smile on her face. "Maybe…" Her paw slowly reached forward to grab the end of the fox's tie, tugging down. "Or maybe I just like a bigger opponent."
Nick froze.
*Calmdowncalmdowncalmdown!*
That's when Judy laughed, flipping the tie up, making it land on top of his muzzle. "Relax, Slick! Your gentlemammal's backside is safe, for now."
"That surely is a relief." Fortunately for the fox, his vocal chords were more or less functional. But it hurt, it hurt to hold back, while he dreamed of holding her. His muscles were almost snapping from the tension of the opposite forces. One pushing them to embrace the bunny, the other forcing them to stay put.
The sound of a text message eased his pain by directing his attention elsewhere. Taking the phone out of his pocket with a stiff paw, Nick tapped the screen to unveil a message from his mother.
'Can we talk?
With supper.'
The rescue turned out to be a guillotine. "Ah…" He breathed out with a flat voice.
Judy frowned, seeing her friend's reaction. "Bad news?"
"Yes and no." Nick sighed with a negative supply of smiles on his face. "Just need to bleed on a plate."
For a second, Judy's face was unsure what to express. It eventually decided on confused bewilderment. "Is there a chance for you to describe what that means? Or should I just go to sleep today, wondering if my partner isn't taking part in some sort of cannibal buffet?"
As always, his bunny had a way to distract him from any grey thoughts. *My bunny… * Nick thought to himself, but before he could dwell on that, he had to address the lady's question. "Just…" He already had a swift response at the ready, one that would have little to do with the truth. Yet, somewhere on its way to his mouth, it magically changed into: "... Having supper with my mom."
"Ah…" Judy didn't need any further information. "And you're thrilled to talk about something?"
The hustler in him simply had to make him smile. This girl was truly a gem. "I'll just bring some paw cuffs with me."
One of the corners of the doe's mouth curled up. "That I'd like to see. The sneaky Slick, explaining to his own mother why he's cuffing himself to furniture."
Nick sighed at his friend's teasing. "Wouldn't be the craziest thing I had to explain to her."
At that, Judy's ears twitched as her face brightened up. "Oh? Do remind me to ask Vivian for more detail."
Nick smiled while leaning down. "Seeing this grin, I'm sure you won't need a reminder."
The two looked at each other in comfortable silence, both wearing smiles they got from each other.
"Mom, look! That bunny and fox will kiss!" A little voice called out, making them jump.
Indeed, a moment ago, Nick was leaning toward her, which could look like a prelude to something more. Just a few feet from them, a little hedgehog was pointing a finger at them. A moment later, his mother hurriedly grabbed the boy's shoulder and pulled him away, casting a displeased look in their direction.
Nick was used to getting looks like that. He kept receiving them all his life. But this time, it was also directed at Judy. He turned to look at his companion, and very briefly saw her looking back, right before she averted her eyes.
*Did she just…* Nick abandoned that thought the moment it appeared. One of the iron rules of life, which was hammered into him by many experiences, was 'don't get your hopes up'. It served him well for years, and he wasn't going to make a change right now.
Therefore, the fox nonchalantly ignored the scene that had just happened. "Well, we have a suspect. We have a location. All that is left is time."
Judy nodded to that, maybe a little too eagerly. "Good! Then we're all set. We can get that mammal first thing in the morning."
Nick gave her a slightly worried look. "Right… Then…" He pointed over his shoulder with a thumb. "My mother is waiting, so…"
The doe waved her paws in front of her hurriedly. "Of course, of course." She even took a step back. "I'll get some grub on my way home and have an early night. We'll be busy tomorrow."
"Sure, we got a sheep to catch." Not exactly feeling like it, but he still showed a small smile.
Judy looked to the side, rubbing her own arm idly. "So… Um… I'll… I'll be going, then… And food, get it, eat it, sleep…" The doe seemed to run out of things to say, only her nose twitched a bit. Then she jumped forward, wrapped her arms around the stupefied fox in a strong hug, and pivoted to run away.
"Bye, Nick!" she yelled over her shoulder. "See you tomorrow!"
And… she was gone.
Nick simply stood in place for a good minute, before he asserted that no more sudden surprises were going to happen. It was a bit of a shock for him to see her so scatterbrained. The doe always was as sharp as a surgeon's scalpel. *Is she suspecting something?* That thought chilled him to the core.
Trying to get his mind off this topic, the fox began torturing himself with the vision of his mother's truth buffet.
.
.
Far from the fox's eyesight and way outside of his earshot, Judy finally stopped to rest her back against a wall. Her heart was beating like mad as she was panting from the rush.
She definitely needed better control over her biology.
Her head was still replaying what the young hedgehog had said. Not that she didn't want to-
Her ears flung up, all rosy pink on the inside, just as her eyes shot wide open. In the next moment, Judy groaned, grabbed the disobedient hearing organs, and pulled them down on her face.
After staying like that for a couple of seconds, the bunny grabbed her phone and dialed a number, urgently seeking a distraction. "Jackie? Do you have what we need? Great, please tell Marcus to meet us at my place."
.
.
When the door opened, Nick saw a neutral expression on his mother's face.
To be honest, he wasn't exactly sure what to expect. Even though he knew his mother, the fox had mixed feelings as to where this could lead.
Vivian said nothing. She only stared at him in silence.
His soul shifted guiltily under her gaze, even though he didn't find it judgmental or scolding. She simply… looked.
"Hey…" Nick decided to break the impasse. "Still want to eat together?"
Vivian still didn't reply, keeping her eyes fixed on his face. Finally, after he started losing hope for any interaction, the vixen slowly approached him and reached out to wrap her arms around his back. She pulled him close, with her cheek pressing against his. Nick stiffened for a moment, but then moved his own paws to return the gesture. They stood in the corridor, embraced not with words, but with something much deeper.
After a while Vivian stepped back, nodding towards her apartment. "Come in. The girls went out to see a movie."
Nick judged her voice to be neutral, which was a positive sign. After all, she was stricken with devastating news. It wouldn't be strange for her to be rather bitter. Fortunately for Nick, like many times in the past, Vivian was much stronger than that.
The fox ventured inside and saw a fully set table. It wasn't anything extravagant, but he didn't expect anything else. His mother invited him to sit while she put on the kettle for tea. Nick pulled back a chair when he suddenly froze.
Blueberry pie.
Among several types of food available on the table, the fox spotted a plate with several slices of his mother's blueberry pie. It was an unspoken bond between them, ever since he was small. As a child, Nicholas Wilde was a beacon of trouble of all sizes. It led to numerous lectures and sighs from his parent. Sometimes, he would brew more of a disturbance than usual, and even his patient mother would be at a loss for words. During those times, a certain ritual was born. If there was a time when Vivian was upset with Nick, she wouldn't yell at him. She was silent. However, she had a certain way of telling him that things were okay and that she's not upset anymore. Whenever Nick would find something with blueberries to eat on the table, it was a sign that the silent period was over.
And now there was a blueberry pie right in front of him.
The fox cast a cautious glance at Vivian, but she paid him no mind, focused on making the tea. Without any other signal about what to do, Nick sat down, obediently waiting for her to join him.
It took a few minutes for the vixen to walk up to the table with two steaming mugs. She then settled down on Nick's right side and let out a sigh.
"I won't lie, Nicholas," Vivian began with a much heavier voice than before, "I am gravely disappointed with you."
Nick's ears slowly fell down, eventually flattening against the back of his head. This was it… His purgatory. His first instinct was to apologize, but he instantly remembered how she berated him for that. With nothing else coming to mind, the silver-tongued hustler sat in silent shame.
"Tell me… " Vivian began, but her voice disappeared before she could finish. She took a deep breath, holding her eyes closed. Only then did she look directly at him, her gaze firm, yet fearful. "Have you really killed someone?"
The weight of that question filled the air with grim silence.
But Vivian wasn't going to let it last. "Nicholas…"
He curled his fingers into fists on the table. Just the way she said this… Nick squeezed his eyes shut and moved his muzzle away an inch. His mind was filled with the vision of a row of faces.
"Yes."
His mother let out a strained gasp, as if she'd been holding her breath till now. She was staring at the table with a pained gaze. If her son were to look right now, he would notice the tremble of her shoulders. "Why? Who?" she rasped right after.
Nick remained silent as his mind analyzed all possibilities. *How much can I tell her? How much truth before she comes to hate her own son?* Still, he knew that he couldn't keep her in the dark forever. Not after Volkov revealed his past. Nick shook his head internally. *Father… is this a blessing or a curse?*
After another period of tense silence, Nick sluggishly turned to face his mother. The mere sight of her expression was almost enough to make his heart crack in two. And yet, here she was, asking for more pain, more disappointment.
"Does it matter?" He forced the words out of his mouth.
Vivian did not explode, scream, or slam her fists on the table. She simply leaned slightly forward, lowering her voice. "It matters to me. I want to understand."
"Understand?" The word slipped from his tongue in an almost mocking tone. "The dead are dead, regardless of the reason."
"Reasons are important, Nicholas. Because I refuse- You hear me? I refuse to believe that my own son would murder someone in cold blood, just for money." The vixen shook her head, not taking her eyes off him. "You're not like that, never were. Even if you distance yourself from everyone, I know who you are at the core."
For a little while, Nick couldn't help but stare at his mother. When he finally looked away, his gaze rested on the table, uncertain what it should depict.
He spoke, using a voice that sounded like a whisper from a cemetery. "I have killed because I had to. There was no other way." His eyes gained a certain indifferent focus, as he looked at her again. "Don't misunderstand. I know that I have committed crimes. There's no denying that. And I will remember them for the rest of my life."
She had no reply to that. Instead, Vivian moved her paw to place it on top of Nick's fist.
There was no reaction from him, except for his gaze moving to her paw.
"I understand." she said quietly. "Thank you for talking to me."
Nick was surprised, to say the least. Once again, he felt filled with respect towards the vixen in front of him. Where some mammals would rant or yell, probably demand to know everything, his mother had chosen to hear what he was willing to say. She didn't pressure him into spilling every last detail, but asked for what he was ready to provide.
Vivian gave his paw a little squeeze. "Come on, let's eat." Her voice regained a touch of softness.
.
.
Living by herself, she never considered her apartment to be too small. However, since she had guests in the form of two large predators, Judy had to refresh her view.
Jackie somehow slipped inside and sat on the floor, resting her back on one of the walls and setting the package she brought right beside her. Marcus had a bigger problem.
"Hopps, I know that the ZPD salary isn't that great…" He grumbled after managing to squeeze through the door. "But isn't this place just too pocket-sized?"
The doe just shrugged with a smile. "Since I'm compact myself, I don't find it too cramped." Clapping her paws, she cut the topic. "Okay! We have a confirmation that the organisation has placed me on their hit list. And Marcus has made it clear that it has to be done today. Which means that they will either attack me here, or seek for a chance to strike once I leave the apartment."
The tiger nodded tersely. "I also specified that I don't want them to use firearms. This will improve our chances."
Jackie scratched her head. "You almost make it sound as if we're ordering lunch from a fast food joint." She adorned the stiff smile of a customer service employee. "One dead rabbit, comin' right up! Would you like extra ketchup with that?" The cheetah got silent gazes in return. "Fine, fine… be all grumpy."
.
.
After a satisfying meal, Nicholas gratefully accepted a plate with the pie from his mother. No matter the condition, he found that he was unable to refuse eating blueberries, maybe with the exception of poisoned ones, and even then, he would hesitate.
The blissful effect of his favorite fruit managed to melt away some of the tension in his body. However, he was not meant to enjoy the tranquility of the moment.
"Nick, it's tomorrow, right?" Vivian asked from her seat. "Your talk with Judy."
To his credit, the fox didn't choke on the tea he was sipping. He even placed the cup back on the plate . "Yeah…" Nick muttered with eyes already gazing into the upcoming day. He already tested numerous scenarios in his head and estimated his chances of a nondramatic conclusion to be close to zero.
"It will be fine, Nicky. She is a sensible mammal and will definitely hear you out."
"Will she?" He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a few deep breaths before turning to his mother.
Vivian stifled a gasp, looking into a pair of savage eyes.
"This," Nick muttered, pointing at his now scrunched-up face, "is not some cold to cure, fracture to heal, or a wound to stitch up. I'm a mutant now. It's all embedded into my body, and I can't flush it out with a pill or cut it out through surgery."
"... What about the cure?" The vixen asked with a weak voice, not taking her eyes away from Nick's. "Surely it's worth a try."
"...I don't know." The fox clenched his fists again. "Besides, I can't take it right now." He immediately raised a paw. "Sorry, I can't tell you any more details. There are circumstances connected to my job. Just…" His voice softened. "Please remember that it's not me hiding things from you, but I am obliged to keep silent, okay?"
His mother remained silent for a moment before giving up with a sigh. "I guess I should be thankful for that, considering alternatives…"
Nick sighed as well, closing his eyes. A few seconds later he opened them again, pupils round and normal. "I just… I wish she could forgive me. That would be enough."
"Would it?" Vivian said before she could bite her own tongue.
Nick's heart rate increased as his mind started processing her question. "What?" he asked cautiously.
"No, nothing, just old vixen's muttering." Her quick response made him narrow his eyes. The fox even moved his paws to grip the edge of the table.
He was no fool. "You're talking about my feelings for Judy, aren't you?"
"Nicholas… I… I'm just worried." For the first time since he came, Vivian lost her composure in the conversation. "I know that you love her, and that nothing would make you happier than being with her-"
CRUNCH
Nick's fingers crushed the wood in their grasp, leaving two holes in his mother's table. Vivian jumped in her seat, with her ears flattening against her head.
He noticed that reaction. It burned his soul with guilt. The fox jumped to his feet, backing away, his eyes wide. Woodchips were falling from his uncurling fingers. "I… I'm sorry! This…" Words were failing him, and he felt himself slipping into desperation once more. The beast had taken over without him noticing. He was losing control...
Vivian saw the raw strength he used to crush the thick wood, saw the impulsive action, but most of all… She saw her little boy overwhelmed with shame and fear.
The vixen stood up from her chair and slowly approached Nick. The moment he noticed the movement, his arms shot forward to ward off her nearing. However, she ignored the claws pointed in her direction and walked right into his arms, wrapping her own around his torso. "It's okay, Nicky. Everything is okay." Vivian raised one paw to pet his head while repeating soothing words.
.
.
A small stream of smoke trailed from the scorched end of the cigar.
"Yes, Martha?" The red fox asked without looking away from the glass wall by which he stood. His gaze was fixed on the city below them, the cigar in his mouth.
"It seems that Officer Judy Hopps was contacted by a ZIA Agent named Sirius Pawthorn. They talked for about ten minutes, sir," his arctic female fox secretary reported.
The male fox didn't move from his spot. "What did they talk about?"
The vixen checked her tablet's screen. "The possible leads on the organization, sir."
Hearing this, the fox's mouth stretched to form a wide, toothy grin. He held the cigar with two fingers. "I love it when a plan comes together!" He said, turning around. His dual-colored gaze rested on the white vixen. "Wouldn't you agree, Martha? That feeling of your toys dancing in the palm of your paw?"
The young female bowed her head respectfully. "I couldn't say, sir. I have never experienced it."
He kept her under a curious stare while he approached his desk. "Yes. I can imagine that." He tapped the end of the cigar on an ashtray. "You are a good person, Martha. Honest, hardworking, and loyal." The fox inhaled with the cigar.
"If you say so, sir." She didn't raise her head as she said that.
Her words made him chuckle, and he directed his steps towards her. "No need to be so modest." The fox closed the remaining distance between them in a snake-like walk. "One should be proud of their virtues and, at the same time, aware of their… weaknesses."
She felt his finger under her chin and stifled a surprised gasp when he lifted her head. Their gazes met. Gold and emerald staring deeply into her ambers.
The fox tilted his head slightly to the side. "Do you have any weaknesses, Martha?" he inquired in a low voice.
It took enormous effort from her not to shiver. "I know of at least one, sir," she admitted weakly.
He stared at her for another second before showing a smirk and stepping back. "I see." He turned around and headed to his desk. "Take good care of that weakness."
Martha breathed out silently, and her body relaxed a bit. "Yes, sir. Do you need anything else?"
"No. That will be all for now." He sat on his chair and unlocked his computer.
The secretary bowed her head again and left the room. When outside, the vixen closed the double doors behind her and then rested her back on them, letting out a small sigh.
Then the sounds of coughing from the office reached her ears, and she closed her eyes. The young female squeezed a paw in a fist on her chest.
"Ehem!" someone cleared a throat nearby, startling the vixen. She quickly opened her eyes to see a spotted hyena in a suit. He was wearing a pair of spectacles and had a briefcase in his paw. "Is Mr. Wilde available at the moment?" he inquired of the secretary.
She straightened up and looked him directly in the eye. "No," she lied. "He's busy and asked me to not let anyone in for the next fifteen minutes."
The spotted predator didn't move. His only reaction was a raised brow. "I see," he said flatly.
"If that is all, I have duties I need to attend to, Mr. Schulz." With that said, she headed to her desk.
As she passed by the hyena, he spoke, keeping his gaze straight ahead. "Do you really think that he will look at you in the same way?"
His voice was calm and casual, but it almost caused the vixen to trip on a flat surface.
"I… don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Schulz." She replied with slight hesitation as she sat behind her desk. It wasn't as grandiose as her employer's, but it was still a huge one. It was white, elegant, designed according to the newest trends in office furnishing. It also had all the necessities a secretary would need: A landline, personal computer, an all-in-one printer, a small chest of drawers under it for documentation, and even a personal coffee machine.
The last item wasn't there at the beginning, but that changed after she bumped into Mr. Wilde during one of her trips from the kitchen with a cup of coffee. She spilled everything over his shirt and tie, ruining his outfit. Martha considered that the end of her career, but the fox just laughed and told her not to worry. He even thanked her for a perfect excuse to skip a boring meeting and invited her for lunch. It ended up being a trip to a Dormeowl store to purchase a new suit that cost almost as much as her yearly salary. Mr. Wilde even asked her to pick up a proper tie for him, which she did, albeit with slightly trembling paws when she saw the prices.
But the real surprise was the lunch. After purchasing a suit from one of the most expensive brands in the world, Martha was completely shocked to be sitting in a bar that would be considered by most mammals as a mediocre one. Nothing fancy, cheap furniture, rather cheesy decorations, and a grumpy elderly lady as a waitress. Martha felt a bit out of place here, she in her perfectly neat and clean bright blue shirt, along with a simple, black knee-length skirt, and the fox in front of her in attire that probably represented a month's revenue for the place. Still, none of this seemed to bother her employer when he ordered the food. To the vixen's pleasant surprise, it was quite good.
Mr. Wilde noticed her expression then and let out a chuckle, causing the vixen to look up from her dish. She was met with a brilliant smile.
"Why pay fifty dollars for a single dish, when you can eat more and better for five?" And he winked at her.
It was then when her heart skipped a beat for the first time in his presence. Martha wasn't exactly sure what caused it. Not just his looks, though he was a very handsome fox. Not his wealth, as she never cared too much for that in a guy. It could have been the way he interacted with his daughter, and the two of them were a lovely sight every time they were together. Maybe… Maybe it was how he behaved in her presence. Usually very dominant, always in control of the situation, cunning and manipulative, often using underhanded methods to achieve his goals. Still… ever since her first day at the office, even since her job interview where she was shaking like a leaf, he never looked down on her.
Never belittled her.
He also seemed to have limitless patience when it came to her mistakes. His only comment on her blunders was always, "Don't make the same mistake again." Not that she was making so many of them, but it was unavoidable due to this being her first real job. Martha was already surprised that she got invited for an interview in the first place. She had sent her CV out of desperation, not having much hope to be considered for such a position without experience. Yet, here she was, already working as Mr. Wilde's personal secretary for over a year. She learned fast and improved every day, working very hard, so that she would live up to the trust he had placed in her.
The vixen leaned back in her office chair with a quiet sigh. However, the hyena wasn't through yet.
"Forget about it, Miss Frost. It's pointless, and you know it," he stated from the couch for the guests where he was seated.
"Do you have any business with me, Mr. Schulz?" she snapped back. The vixen instantly realized how harsh she sounded and quickly put a paw to her mouth while a small embarrassed blush appeared on her cheeks.
The hyena didn't seem to be bothered by her tone. "I only want to make sure that you won't forget your place when it comes to Mr. Wilde." His voice was annoyingly calm and collected.
Hearing his words, Martha squeezed a pen in her paw. Nevertheless, she showed him a perfect "secretarial" smile. "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Schulz. I assure you, I am fully aware of my place as a secretary."
The spotted predator raised one of his brows again. "Good."