The Fire Triangle -- Part II, Oxidizer

The Fire Triangle: Book II - Chapter 63

Disclaimer: Zootopia stories, characters, settings, and properties belong to the Walt Disney Co. This story is written under Fair Use Copyright laws.

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The Fire Triangle

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Part Two:

Oxidizer

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Chapter 9: Conor's Story
(Continued...Part 14)

♪ "No matter how the race is run, it always ends the same
Another room without a view awaits downtown
You can shake me for a while, live it up in style
No matter what you do, I'm goin' to take you down

Shakedown, breakdown, takedown
Everybody wants into the crowded line
Breakdown, takedown, you're busted
Let down your guard, honey
Just about the time you think that it's alright
Breakdown, takedown, you're busted" ♫

Bob Seger - Breakdown

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"Hold it right there, fox-kid!" Vern Rodenberg was out of his chair with his arms spread, like Mooses preparing to part the waters. And then he lowered them again, very slowly. "That red panda cop...she wasn't...who I THINK she was?" His whiskers were quivering like guy-wires in a gale.

"Yep," Conor nodded, unaffected by the grey rat's outburst-as if he'd known it was coming all along. "That was ZYPD Detective Sergeant Claudia Nizhang." The right-side corner of his mouth angled upward, "Or...Zootopia City Councilmammal Nizhang, as she calls herself today."

Rodenberg's gaze hardened and his whiskers froze in place.

"Then you better hope you never run into her, booby. She'll recognize you in a Zoo York minute. She may not be a cop anymore but believe me, she never lost the instinct...or the hunger."

To both his and Erin's considerable surprise, the fugitive young silver fox only fanned a paw. "Nahhh...nothin' to worry about there, Counselor."

The grey rat blinked, stared, and then unsheathed his incisors.

"DON'T get cocky on me, kid." He hissed.

"How do you know that?" Erin Hopps interjected...quickly, before the rat-attorney could threaten to quit on him-again.

Conor sat like a stone figure for a second...but the young, white-furred bunny could tell that he was trying not to smirk. It was a useless effort, and in a flash, he was sporting a puckish grin.

"Because I already ran into her, here in Zootopia-and she didn't know it was me."

Erin's eyes went wide and her ears dropped sideways. Mr. Rodenberg only drummed his fingers on the crook of his arm, looking testy. Conor saw him and swiftly back-pedaled.

"Maybe...I better tell you how it happened."

"Yes, that would be nice," the rat-attorney nodded, refusing to soften either his expression or the tone of his voice.