Zootopia: A Tale of Two Foxes

Chapter VII: Faithful and Loyal

The next day at the ZPD seemed pretty normal, considering there were no early wake-up calls this time. However, the moment Judy and Nick walked in through the doors of the ZPD, from the start it was anything but "normal." The other officers were gathered in a corner of the ZPD, all of them standing around a shorter individual in the center. Though Judy and Nick could easily have asked Clawhauser what was causing all of the commotion, they wanted to see for themselves. Once they reached the group, they saw the figure whom the rest of the officers had surrounded. It was none other than Jack Savage himself. Listening closely to the conversation, Judy and Nick picked up bits and pieces of the conversation, "And when those fox thugs thought they had me, I just told them one little phrase, 'Don't mess with the Savage.' Before they knew what was going on, McHorn, Rhinowitz, and Fangmeyer came behind those thugs and gave them a good old taser right up the back. Something told me they would still be feeling that in the morning!" The officers all laughed, but Judy and Nick could not help but feel confused. Had something occurred last night when they had gone home early? Fortunately for the two officers, they were both about to find out.

Seeing Judy and Nick arriving, Jack turned his attention to them, exclaiming to the other officers, "Well my good friends, look who's arrived!" All the other officers turned their attention to both officers, but Jack was not done yet, "I imagine you rested well last night?" he inquired. "We both did." Judy heard Nick remark, rather surprised at the generality of his tone. Considering how things had gone yesterday, she had expected him to give a biting remark of some sort, if he spoke at all. "You didn't miss too much, Hopps and Wilde." McHorn added, "Savage was only talking about what had happened at one of the bars last night." Seeing that he had both of the officer's attention (and Jack's "permission"), McHorn gave them the scoop, "Last night, while Rhinowitz, Fangmeyer and I were heading off to the bar at the end of the day, Mr. Savage decided to join us. As it turned out, there were a few thugs waiting for someone like Mr. Savage to enter the place, but the rest of us didn't notice. However, this clever little jackrabbit identified the thugs rather quickly, managing to grab their attention and luring them outside, where we officers could catch them in the act. His plan worked brilliantly, and now we have three new badger thugs in custody, alongside our two most recent polar bears." Judy and Nick could not help but be impressed with Jack's good work, and from the sounds of it, he was already becoming popular with the folks at the ZPD. Maybe there was more to Savage than met the eye. Judy thought to herself, I just hope Nick sees that too. Finally noticing that the rest of the officers were heading to the bull room, Nick calling her name to snap her back to reality, Judy hurried as fast as she could to catch up with the other officers, ready to start the day.

* * *

Minus the continuing talk about Jack's dealings with the thugs last night, Nicholas thought that the bull room was pretty normal, with Bogo being his normal, drill-sergeant self. Bogo had informed the officers that Jack would do some interrogating with the polar bears still in custody, but otherwise the duties were pretty much as expected that day, including for him and Judy. Nevertheless, Nicholas did want to have a few words privately if he could with Raymond and Kevin, for he and Judy were still trying to figure out if Mr. Big was behind any of the recent crime scenes. "Hey Chief, mind if Judy and I ask the polar bears some questions first?" Nick asked Bogo. Bogo looked at him dubiously, saying in reply, "I doubt that a fox could intimidate a polar bear into giving anything useful away, but you can try if you wish." "Thank you, sir." Nick replied, though if that was the logic Bogo was using, he wondered why the polar bears would be more scared of a jackrabbit. Was there something scary about Savage? Nick thought to himself curiously, but he had no time to find out. For now, he had some questions for Raymond and Kevin.

Entering the room where the two had been cuffed (though the cuffs were also reinforced with chains, considering they were polar bears and all), Nicholas approached both polar bears cautiously. The polar bears only glared at him, but finally one of them seemed to recognize Nicholas. "Nicky, is that you?" one of the polar bears asked in a gruff, deep voice. "Yes Kevin, it's me." Nick replied. "I don't have much time, but while I am here, I have a few questions to ask." Kevin did not seem to react much, only stretching his neck as Nicholas asked the first question. "Did you guys actually steal that money from the bank?" He could tell that Judy was giving him an odd look, but Nicholas felt certain this was still an important question to ask. Both polar bear's eyes lit with surprise, but it was Kevin who answered back firmly and honestly, "No we did not. The money was dropped at our feet by other animals, and before we knew it, smoke filled the air and they were gone." That made sense. Nick thought to himself, remembering the hint of smoke that had tainted the air of the warehouse. "Were they foxes, by any chance?" he heard Judy ask. Kevin turned to his head to Judy, and just as he had with Nicholas, he answered her honestly, "Yes, yes they were. There were five of them, if I recall correctly." Glancing at each other, both as a confirmation that their suspicions had been right and to determine who should talk next, Nick gave the polar bears one last question, "Did Mr. Big order the attack on a family of foxes, moose and rabbits the other day?" Both Raymond and Kevin looked at each other with confused glances, and turning back to Nicholas, Kevin gave only these words, "My deepest condolences to those families." Having gathered what info they needed, Judy and Nick made their way out of the interrogation room, leaving Raymond and Kevin as they were.

Turning to Judy, he could tell that she was thinking the same thing as he was: time to question and warn Mr. Big. Before they could take off however, Bogo called for them as he approached the interrogation room himself. Obeying his order and coming up to the chief, Bogo asked Nicholas, "So Officer Wilde, did the polar bears talk?" Knowing what danger he could easily put himself and the polar bears in if he told the truth, Nick forced himself to lie to the chief, "Unfortunately, no. It's as if they are made of stone, sir." Bogo seemed satisfied (and also didn't seem too surprised either) with his answer, and when all was said and done, Bogo immediately made his way into the interrogation room. Seizing their chance, Judy and Nick quickly formulated their plan as they made their way down the hall. Once outside the ZPD, they would drive Nicholas' car over to the Naturalist Club and call up Mr. Manchas. With any luck, they would come into contact with him soon and reach Mr. Big's place in no time flat, and thus be able to get from Mr. Big what they needed; answers for their many questions.

* * *

As Judy and Nick hastily made their way out the door, saying "Good morning" to Clawhauser once again, none of them realized that they had been noticed. Leaning against a wall, with a good view of the ground floor of the ZPD, Jack watched as the two officers hastily made their way out the door. Where are they off to in such a hurry? he wondered. Knowing that Bogo would require his presence at the interrogation room in a few moments, Jack decided to call over one of the younger officers in the ZPD, knowing fully well that his reliability as an officer was one of his few epithets. "Officer Satur, I have a task for you." The timber wolf immediately turned his attention to Jack, and he came as swiftly as he could to the jackrabbit, ready for any orders. "What do you require of me, good sir?" Alex asked Jack. "I need you to follow Officer Hopps and Officer Wilde, if you would please. They left the ZPD in quite a hurry, and I am curious to know where they are off to. If all else fails and there is nothing suspicious, feel free to return." Jack ordered. Alex gave Jack a respectful salute, and without another word, made his way into his own cop car, ready to track down the two officers and follow them as closely as he could. Once Jack saw Alex bolt out the door, he made his way to the interrogation room, ready to extract all the excess information that he could ever desire from the ZPD's two polar bear hostages.

* * *

Fortunately for Judy and Nick, Mr. Manchas had arrived in good timing, looking rather pleased to see them again. After they situated themselves comfortably in the limo, Manchas informed them that he would keep their windows closed, for reasons that didn't need to be explained to either Judy or Nick. They knew that they would safely arrive at Mr. Big 'place, but none of them knew that following closely behind was another car, acer whose driver was faithful and loyal to one cause: to protect and serve the citizens of Zootopia.