The Fire Triangle, A Zootopia Fanfiction -- Part One

The Fire Triangle, A Zootopia Fanfiction -- Part One: Fuel - 106

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—A Zootopia Fanfiction

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Part One:

Fuel

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Chapter 13 –Facts are Stubborn Things
(Pt. 1)

Nick coughed into a fist and began to make his pitch.

"I realize this must seem like a distraction, Chief. Trust me—it's not. And we're not offering any speculations here. All we ask is that you examine the evidence and make your own...' Mmm...no, I don't think so. '...And draw your own conclusions. Yeah there we go." He turned and looked at Judy. "What do you think, Carrots, is that better?"

'Carrots' didn't answer him right away; what she did think was, "If I hear you rehearsing that stupid speech ONE! More! Time...!"

She said nothing of the kind; it wasn't just Nick and his constant prattling that had her in such a tetchy mood, (although that certainly didn't help.) Nope, it was the ringing chorus in the back of her head.

"PRED AND PREY – KEEP AWAY! PRED AND PREY – KEEP AWAY!"

And so she opted for a slightly more diplomatic response.

"Nick, please? We're getting enough stares as it is...and stop worrying; it'll work just as well either way."

In other words, whichever way the fox presented his argument, it was going flop like a beached mackerel. Ohhhh, sweet cheez n' crackers...somehow, she had to persuade him to let her do most of the talking.

They were parked on a bench, outside Chief Bogo's office—sitting as far apart as room would allow. (Lovebirds....US?) They were waiting not for his summons, but his return. (He'd been absent for most of the day, something like a record for the ZPD police chief.)

From what Judy had overheard since returning to Precinct-1, (thank goodness for those sharp rabbit-ears,) Bogo was not going to be in the best of moods when he landed back here. He'd reportedly been forced to call an impromptu press conference in the wake of the Flora and Fauna blaze—and the media had hammered him mercilessly. The LAST thing he was going to want to hear was some cockamamie story about predators going savage again.

Nonetheless Judy felt she had no choice. By now, she was doubly sure of what she'd seen in the alley behind Rafaj Brothers Jewelers...and Nick was equally certain of what he'd witnessed out back of the Flora and Fauna flower shop.

One question remained, however...and now the red fox finally asked it.

"Why, Carrots...why did Mr. Big—or whoever—go after that flower shop? I don't remember seeing it on the list of possible targets."

There it was, out in the open at last. Or...perhaps it was better to say that the lid was off the can of worms.

"You didn't," Judy told him. "I checked while we were on our way back to the precinct, and then did a data-base search, (anything to take her mind off that angry crowd.) As far as I can tell, the Red Pig doesn't have ANY sort of connection to Flora and Fauna...and please don't say, 'then why' again. If I knew that I'd have already told you."