Starfall: Chapter 26: Measure of a Man: Part One

Rising to her full height, Delgato returns Siambia's gaze with one of a pissed off Pride leader, tail lashing and a snarl on her lips as she stares down her rebellious subordinate.

Everyone seems to sense the charged atmosphere, stopping every mammal from Precinct One in their tracks along with a few mammals from other Precincts. Least of all Nick who's street instincts are screaming at him that something is seriously going wrong here, and he should make himself scarce.

Instincts that Finnick shares as he moves first, brandishing his bat in front of himself and standing between Nick, his bunny wife. Who'll he'll never admit to in public that has grown on him as a friend, and the two lionesses about ready to tear each other apart.

Each of the male lion guards flanking Siambia raise and aim their weapons at Delgato, only for Siambia to grab a barrel in each of her hand-paws, then gently push them down to point at the pavement. “I'll handle her, go inform everyone else on the change in leadership. That I'm not only the Chief of police for precinct one, but of the entire city of Zootopia. Not to mention that power will only be out temporarily. Mammals loyal to that tyrant Deer in the white-house sabotaged the reactors."

Shouldering their rifles, they salute the lioness before doing as ordered.

“By the great pride, what the eve…" Delgato's cut short as Siambia back-hands her, sending her to the pavement and the mammals around them wincing at the sound it made.

'I'm going to enjoy this.' Siambia grins, then grabs the front of Delgato's uniform. Lifting her back onto her foot-paws.

“The Governor of Camalfornia has declared independence from the dictator in the white-house, as you should already know even if I just didn't say it a second ago. Higgins protested the move and thus was disposed of, thought he was smarter than that. So Stallhoof chose me and I have orders to take care of anyone who isn't in line with this preservation of Diversity, equity, and democracy to the good mammal's of the new mammals republic of Camalfornia and it's shining capital Zootopia."

The distinct lack of the word freedom, and the choice of equity rather than equality does not go unnoticed by both Nick or Finnick as they watch.

Siambia releases her former pride leader, mockingly dusting off the street detritus from her uniform before turning and addressing the forming crowd of officers. Now ignoring Delgato as she works to regain her bearings.

“Speaking of mammals who aren't in line with our new republic. I have standing arrest warrants, personally signed by Stallhoof for one Nicolas Piberius Wilde, and one Judy Laverne Hopps. The former for his still outstanding city and 'state' taxes, so this is to rectify him not having paid his fair share. The latter for being an enemy of the state due to her family unfairly hording valuable land, preventing less privileged mammals from using it. Word of advice my 'former' pride leader, yes I'm also taking charge of our pride, and I don't mean just the females of our pride. It's about time we lions dump those worthless free-loading males and have those who actually do things in charge. If you do not want to share their fate, arrest them now."

Looking over the crowd and smiling, Siambia puffs out her chest a bit as the male lion guards-mammals that arrived with her corral stragglers. Making eye contact or staring down with predatory intent various coworkers not only from precinct one but the rest of the precincts present.

Standing there stunned, not only from seeing their friend Delgato get sucker punched, but the fact they're both now wanted mammals. They miss a certain Tigress reaching down, and picking both of them up by the collars of their uniforms. Said Tigress takes a step back towards the ambulance as Finnick also slowly backs up, his bat held up and at the ready in front of his small form like the swords of old.

“Same goes for the rest of you, side with them and Delgato and share their fate, or arrest them to make the new mammals republic of Camalfornia a better place!" The now pride leader and chief of police roars just as Finnick turns around. Hell-bent on caving in the skull of who just grabbed his friends.

Only to miss Delgato returning the blow Siambia gave her and then some. Sending the usurper to the ground and igniting a melee in the police encampment.

Stepping back, Fangmeyer stares down the fennec fox, and from years of street smarts allows the diminutive fennec fox to tell this isn't a betrayal from the striped feline. She's instead trying to help them. “Get in the damn ambulance you damn fennec fox!" Turning, Fangmeyer tosses Nick and Judy into the awaiting emergency vehicle as the shock of seeing their friends and coworkers fight each other hits the dynamic duo.

'Don't have to tell me twice stripes!' Finnick winces from the roar of the melee as he hops into the vehicle, only to have his ears twitch at the sound of multiple officers rushing at them.

Leaping in after the fennec fox the tigress slams the doors closed, jamming a finger on the locking mechanism. Something that she's instantly glad she did, taking the pain of the stubbed finger over being tackled and arrested by those whom she considered coworkers as they slam against the ambulance door, trying in vain to open them.

“Um… You heard the boss. we're to…" Everyone turns to the EMT with them having forgotten the doe was there with everything else going on, even if they all knew Wolfard was in here being treated by her.

Finnick slams his bat down hard on the nearest object, denting a low hung shelf in the megafauna sized ambulance and scaring everyone in the vehicle. “Do ya job and treat tha wolf!" Spitting out at the EMT, the fennec fox stomps around everyone and then to the front of the vehicle.

They all wince at the hard fleshy smack of a baseball bat hitting a body, followed by the unconscious driver and lethal sliding into the rear compartment they're all in. “Nick, Rabbit. Don't just stand there stunned. Tie tha bastard up and help stripes and the coward keep howling boy alive. We're getting out'a here before more of ya former coworkers turn on us."

The mildly confused tigress watches as Nick grabs gauze and turnacates from the storage nooks, using them to restrain the roe deer while Finnick coaxes the Ambulance to adjust the drivers seat to his stature.

Picking up the lethal and pocketing the small mammal firearm, Fangmeyer's then forced to grab onto a cabinet with one hand-paw. Using the other to keep the still stunned Judy standing as the fennec fox floors the accelerator and newton's laws tries to send any mammal it can back against the rear of the ambulance.

Sparing a gaze to that dork of a wolf she's fallen for, unconscious due to pain meds while strapped to the stretcher for transport. She eyes the EMT doe clinging desperately to a paw-hold on the side of it. Only to look down to Judy, who's come to her senses, and has grabbed onto the stretcher for support in the wildly moving vehicle.

“What the cotton picking HELL is going on here?" Judy glares at everyone. Her ears flat back, irises narrowed to a point. Only for everyone to let out a yell of protest while the unconscious roe deer slams into a medical supply cabinet.

All because Finnick's resorted to jumping a curb to get out of the police encampment, and away from the chaotic melee it's become.

“Judy.. honey.." Nick makes his way over to her, but Finnick beats nick to the punch by bellowing out, over the roar of the engine.

“It's simple rabbit! Ya colleagues, or at least most of them chose their own hides over ya when tha going got tough! Part of da reason I hate cops, other than ya and nicky boy that is."

Everyone's pulled towards the opposite inner wall of the ambulance, causing them to scramble for paw-holds. Due to the fennec fox taking a sharp turn to avoid an attempted blockade to stop those fleeing the melee.

“Just a job ta them, one they don't wanta lose. Doesn't matta if it's for tha money or to support tha families."

Shutting his muzzle, Nick just places a hand-paw on Judy's shoulder. Only to wince at how tense the muscles are under her fur. Like a coiled spring, ready to let loose, frankly it kinda frightens him.

'Just be there for her when reality puts a wall in front of her she can't get around.' The words Mark gave him after they took him in float back into his mind.

'Is this what he meant? Did he know this was going to happen? Did something similar happen in his world?'

Fangmeyer adding her hand-paw onto judy's other shoulder interrupts his thoughts.

Looking up, Nick sees that the word's his friend and former buddy in crime hit the tigress hard as well. Stinging her like the bruises she has under her fur from working the protest line earlier. Fangmeyer's mind fills in the blanks left by her unasked questions by bringing up various bits of conversations she's overheard in the female's locker room over the years. Reminding her how true the fennec fox's words are.

'When's my next raise' She's heard more than once.

'Can I have overtime to pay for something wrong with my kids.' Fangmeyer's heard the married females ask. Along with the ever constant.

'How many mammals do I have to arrest to get a monthly bonus…'

The unconscious row deer driver moans in pain, drawing everyone's attention. Only because he's the only mammal in the vehicle not strapped in or holding onto something that's strapped down as Finnick drives like a mad mammal.

He Slides unopposed towards the rear doors as Finnick accelerates the megafauna sized ambulance to it's top speed to blaze through a thoroughfare before it's blocked by mammals wisely trying to flee the city as it descends into chaos.

“They wouldn't! Their oath! They all took the same oath we did and swore to uphold it!" The rabbit doe yells out and over the engine roar.

In response to Judy's confusion, Nick squeezes her shoulder a bit more and brings her closer to him. His other hand-paw is able to let go of the death-grip on a handlebar he used to keep himself upright with the ambulance no longer moving about like a roller coaster.

“Finnick, where are you taking us?"

The Fennec fox glances back via the rearview mirror. “Some place I'd rather not go. We have little choice though. Tha new powers tha be may have burnt down his manor. But I'd bet ya your fluffy tail nicky boy that tha nearest safe house and depot's still tha and untouched. We can hide tha and figure out whata do."

Just as he opens his mouth to protest the diminutive vulpine's choice of destination, Nick instead lets out a yip of surprise. Along with Fangmeyer letting out a confused chortle as the rabbit doe breaks free of their combined grip. They weren't exactly holding her there against her will to begin with. It's the fact she did it at all that surprises them.

Bounding to the front of the ambulance by bouncing off paw holds and cabinets, Judy's soon in the front of the ambulance. With her muzzle to muzzle with the fennec fox, he instantly notes that Judy's amethyst eyes have a slight feral look to them.

'She's beyond pissed… Hell with it, tha doe needs to learn what tha real world is like. She's like wha twenty-something in tha new system? Way pastime ta still have kitish ideals.'

“Ya oath. Yea tha'll really keep mammal's on tha straight and narrow cotton-tail." Ducking, the fennec fox dodges an enraged predatory swipe from the rabbit doe. Only to watch as Nick and Fangmeyer, both panicking at Judy's actions, grab her. Dragging Judy back to the rear of the ambulance literally kicking and screaming, wanting to tear the fennec's ears off if her yelling is anything to judge by.

“Calm down Judy, lets not crash the ambulance now." Using more of his strength than he would even think that was needed, yet somehow Nick's just barely able to force Judy to look at him in the eyes. Nick too curiously notes the near feral look in those amethyst orbs of hers. All the while Fangmeyer keeps her rooted to the spot with more strength than the tigress ever thought was needed for a mammal so small.

Turning off the thoroughfare onto a gratefully deserted side street, Finnick chuckles. “You know what I mean do ya Nicky. Ya have ta, ya seen it first-hand like I have."

The red fox's only reaction to his former partner and friend who seemingly wants to antagonize his mate into a feral frenzy, and mostly succeeding, is a flick of an ear in his direction.

“By karma, even tha Human in tha short time I talked ta him in tha one night you had me and stripes over. I could tell he would understand this." Keeping a neutral muzzle, Finnick inwardly sighs.

'Just because I know tha truth, doesn't mean I like it. Cotton tail's gotta learn ta stop acting like a kit.' Steeling himself for anything from them as he continues to drive the ambulance. Finnick just rips the bandage off to get it over with.

“Trust? Trust ta whom? Da mammals of tha public? Na it's trust to da System. Tha system isn't as bad as tha nut jobs that just did a coup da'ta claimed, it still was far from trusting ya average public mammal to treat them well. Next is wha, Integrity? Just a synonym for loyalty, but, I ask ya Hopps. Loyalty ta whom? To tha public? Ha no! If it wasn't for tha crazy wool ball, ya would've lost ya job in less than a week because ya acted like your loyalty was to tha public and not tha mayor, governor, or even tha buffalo boy boss of ya's!"

Hearing the dress down the desert fox's dishing out causes the tigress's ears to flatten. The only reason she isn't tongue lashing the fennec fox back is a small part of her mind can see where he's coming from. Not to mention the longer he speaks, the more effort Fangmeyer's having to expend to keep Judy rooted to the spot.

'What has Judy been eating to get this strong?' She muses. 'And where can I get some?'

Nick opens his muzzle to protest what his long time friend said, but is again cut off again by Finnick.

“That leaves bravery, right? Hollow words ta be honest, anyone can claim ta be brave. Ya was brave when ya stood up to ya boss, tha big buffalo. Tha's not what they accept it ta mean though. I'll betcha money right now some are calling themselves brave for arresting mammals who they treated like chums just yesterday!"

Turning the ambulance off the road and into a parking lot, Finnick notes the limousine. The only other vehicle in the lot and that it means Mr. Big is already here. An unexpected, but not unwelcome development for the plan in his head.

“Ya should'a learned it years ago cottontail. Few coppa's want ta, nor can they 'make da world a better place'. It's not their job, neva was ta be honest. Tha job they are supposed ta do is to enforce the status quo while other mammals change tha world. What we just saw was da status quo changing, and with it tha definition of trust, integrity, and bravery. You, stripes and Nicky boy are to damn stubborn ta change with it, and with tha change, you're now just as much a criminal as I technically am."

Parking their commandeered emergency vehicle next to the limo, Finnick hops off the drivers seat and faces the rest of them while idly tapping the still unconscious roe deer with his bat. Looking back at the various mammals staring at him.

Including the rabbit doe who, while he still considers a friend, has the look that if the tigress and nick let go of her, she'll kill him on the spot. Along with anyone else she thinks she has to, to get the world back to the simple black and white view that was her world. A world, which died a violent death along with many who he considered good mammals just minutes ago.

Despite this, he'll die tonight if he has to. All to keep her and Nicholas from meeting the reaper. Hell, he'll even do it for stripes and howler boy. They seem like decent mammals too.

“Just don't stand their all confused. Nicky, Stripes. Get ya tails in tha building and find Mr. Big. He's tha only one who can help us now." Finnick turns to look at the Doe. “As for you."

Finnick points his bat at her as the doe does a combination of cowering while making sure Wolfard's stable. “Get howler there ready ta move inside the building. It'll be safer for ya and him than out here."

Muttering himself about everyone acting like karma-damned kits right now. The fennec fox, despite his small size manages to drag the roe deer ambulance driver with him as Fangmeyer opens the back of the ambulance.

--

A bit earlier.

--

The jaguar chauffeur expertly pulls the limo out of the alleyway, not even getting a millimeter closer to the buildings on either side. Then onto the road proper, effortlessly merging with the heavier than normal night traffic.

Marveling at how the suspension of the vehicle can take the weight of so many large mammals, Mark sits in the back next to one polar bear. The other sits next to Bogo, more relaxed than the human thinks he should be next to a former cop. The two adult shrews and cub use seats more their size, attached to the arm-rest between the water buffalo and the polar bear.

Fru-Fru pays more attention to little Judy than anything else going on in the limo. Her mind still processing everything that led to the rushed and panicked exit of their mansion mere hours ago.

Reaching up and knocking on the glass divider, Mark speaks as soon as it's lowered. “Head to the Wilde's town-home if you would please."

Manchas glances to his employer, Mr. Big as both polar bears tense, while Bogo just watches Mark with a critical eye. 'You're being a bit too bold Mr. Mercer.'

Raising his tiny hand-paw up, Mr. Big signals that the jaguar should do as Mark says. “I'll let it slide for the moment Mr. Mercer. Just remember they're in my employ, not yours. So please be a bit more respectful to the company you keep." Manchas relaxes, raises the divider window and takes the next turn, heading for the town-house.

Looking back over to the elderly shrew, Mark grins. “If I am going to even remotely play any role in 'any' plan you have, or to go it on my own. I'm going to need all my gear and you know that. The combat suit, civilian issue it may be, is necessary, and I left it back at their place. Minus the other plasma-stunner, and this."

Slipping the rolled up tablet out of its secret pocket he holds it up before slipping it back inside the tux.

“That's stupid of you to keep it on your being Mr. Mercer." Bogo snorts. 'Keep acting like this and Stallhoof won't be your only enemy. Mr. Big doesn't suffer fools for long and you're right on the edge.'

Mark grins at him in response. “Nope! It's a smart move to be honest. I expected Stallhoof to think I stashed it somewhere rather than risk losing it, and I was right when his lackeys mentioned as such when they grabbed Vivian just a bit ago. I'll also bet all the money I have Stallhoof also has his loyalists out searching for it rather than defending the Deer. So the safest place to have the tablet's on my person. Making him waste time, effort and the limited amount of his loyalist inner circle trying to find it without having to let me near him. Which, despite the whole kidnapping of Vivian, I doubt he wants if he can at all help it. He knows how dangerous I am after all."

Drumming his fingers on the armrest of his chair, Mr. Big watches Mark relax a bit in the limo's seat once he shuts his weird flat mouth. His subordinate sitting next to him draws the elderly shrew's attention, expecting Mr. Big to give the signal for having the human pay for his presumption of importance in front of the mob boss, only wave the concern of the polar bear away with a wave of his tiny hand-paw.

“Mr. Mercer, you remind me of a certain mammal we both know. Sure of themselves, acting like they know what's going to happen, and have a plan 'to' make it happen in that way. Yet you've yet to show me the intelligence and skill of tongue to back up such an attitude compared to our vulpine acquaintance. So forgive me for being doubtful while being respectful."

Turning his attention to the shrew. “Sorry, that's my mistake then. I figured since you and Bogo here seem to be on such good terms. He'd have shared with you the short summery of my world's history from my collection of books I had on me at the time of my arrest. The stuff I read to pass the time away on the resource runs."

Rubbing his temple from yet another headache, then crossing his arms, Bogo glares at him. “Didn't you say you spent every moment you can to train yourself when you described it to us after your arrest?"

“Every moment 'possible'." The middle Mercer sibling pulls out the plasma stunner. Opening the cylinder he examines each super-capacitor, the manual rotation modified mechanism, the battery charge level, then puts it away.

“One can only spend so many hours a day before training becomes redundant and exercise becomes pure wear and tear and counterproductive to gaining strength. Not to mention those I would learn from, if they had something to teach, were also human and needed some break time too. So there's still a lot of time left in the day to fill, and when you're eight months one way from a destination. This adds up to a large amount of idle time to fill. I filled it by reading and playing games like a lot of others."

'It's also why mixed gender crews were forbidden.' Mark muses to himself.

Turning his attention to everyone else in the limo, rather than just Bogo. “To get back on point, I read history. The reason Stallhoof and lambdon were so successful is this is part of my world's history, which diverges from yours strangely. You didn't have a wave of socialist revolutions in the early nineteenth century, up to the nineteen thirties. Thirty-five fifty-four to Thirty-Six twelve in your base eight system. I think it's because your great war, my world war one, started and ended differently. Back on topic, one Marxist-Socialist, and the other National-Socialist, both equally socialist by the way. Took decades for the myth of the latter not being socialist to die, at least academically."

Pulling out his tablet, Mark rolls it open and brings up photos and drawings showcasing both groups and their leader or leaders.

Everyone but the driver take turns looking at it. Various and differing feelings at how similar they are to what's going on outside the limo past and present play on each of the mammal's muzzles from the polar bears to the shrews. Fru-Fru though quickly waves it away, the sheer brutality shown turns her stomach.

“Both share one thing in common." Mark obliges and lets the others have a better look. “Once the orchestrator gains power, they are inversely at their weakest. You see, those same revolutionaries that helped them get in power. The anti-pa or anti-imperialists, the predator lives matter, the democratic socialists, and the indoctrinated youth in critical species and gender theory etc. All sold a world of milk and honey, a saying back home for everything good. Always become the new regime's 'counter revolutionaries' when their promised utopia doesn't happen, because it was never 'going' to happen. The leaders never intended to fulfill what they promised after these people, I mean Mammals, got them the power they so crave. They were just useful idiots and now their use has run out, so they're not needed anymore."

Mr. Big gestures for Mark to stop showing the tablet. Which he does as Bogo gives a small smile, realizing the glimmer of hope this human has presented to them. “In doing so, they stretch the mammal-power of their inner circle of loyalists to it's thinnest. Stallhoof will have just the bare minimum of them, if that many, around him to feel safe. Too few to stop an assault against his headquarters."

“Exactly Bogo." Mark points while the limo slows to a stop. “I was going to take advantage of this. Just as you realized, Stallhoof will have just minimum amount of his loyalists in the building he's holed himself up in, and where he has Vivian. The governor's and mayor's building as that's where their lackey in the skulk hinted I should take the tablet. The rest will be out eliminating both useful idiots and any other organizations he deems enemies, like Mr. Big's crime syndicate." Silently asking if that's what happened by turning his attention to Mr. Big. The elderly arctic shrew nods once before he continues.

“He's hoping his enemies will be too distracted by the killers in his night of the long knives to realize he's actually extremely vulnerable."

The partition lowers letting Manchas turn in his seat and look at them with his one eye. “We're here, but the door looks strangely ajar and there's a vehicle here that I do not recognize." The concern he has for who he knows lives here carries over in his voice. The two who he nearly killed in a nighthowler induced rage years ago.

Pulling out his Plasma-Stunner, Mark moves to exit the limo only to be stopped by one of the polar bears at the behest of Mr. Big. Speaking up as soon as the polar bear places his large hand-paw on the human's arm. “I don't suppose you also have a plan for this Mr. Mercer."

“Other than take advantage of the possibility they may be expecting me back here to 'grab' the tablet, no." Pausing to think for a moment, he then continues.

“Still, If your polar bears take one step out of the limo before I do, any sort of plan is moot. Whoever is inside will bolt with my stuff, which I'll bet you they have. So please stay in the limo unless you see anyone but me running from the building." The large arctic mammal willingly lets Mark remove his hand-paw from his arm.

Now free, he ignores the glare Bogo's giving him in the process. Mark couldn't give a damn about showing respect to Mr. Big, past gratitude for the ride and willingness to help with a mutual foe as he moves to exit the vehicle.

'Frankly I have no plan other than to try to surprise them.' While not running, neither does Mark slowly walk up to the slightly ajar front door of the Wilde's town-home. He sets a brisk pace of someone eager to get out of the cold and into a warm building as he approaches the slightly ajar front door.

Even to his less acute human hearing, the sounds of two people rummaging the room he's been sleeping in fill his ears. The term is mammal's here, yet so ingrained into him to think of them as 'people', Mark continues to use the term internally even if he's getting better at replacing the term verbally when speaking with anyone.

Tightening the grip of the plasma stunner in one hand, Mark places his other palm first to open the door without touching the handle.

“Going to have to thank Nick and Judy. Must've realized they forget to give me their spare key and left the door unlocked as they left." Purposefully announcing his entrance to those inside, he makes it sound like he's walking casually as he moves to stay close to the only wall with a blind corner in the town-home, on the ground floor that is.

Also near where he suspects whomever is in here with him will be. The ground floor guest room he's been staying in. Straining to hear the movement in response to his arrival, he has to smile inwardly 'Two, about my size. Less than I was expecting, I would've thought they'd send more.

Two I can handle easily like this.' Hearing the clacks and thumps of clawed feet stop, then approach. The foot-falls stop near the blind corner, so he waits for them to make the first move. Keeping himself loose, rather than tense. That's a rookie mistake quickly drilled out of him by the people he paid to train him. Tensing up can cost you vital fractions of a second of reaction time that can mean life or death.

They make their move first a second later as the barrel of a small machine gun peeks around the corner. In an amateur but 'I kinda know what I'm doing' manner. Mark instantly acts, his close combat training paying dividends, and capitalizing on the newbie mistake the lead mammal made in not holding onto the firearm firmly enough while also holding out in front of him like a snake ready to bite him.

Surprising the first wolf, Mark grabs the top of the firearm. Then, without a second to spare and using surprise to his advantage, he yanks down and forward on it, hard. Wolf number one's too stunned to lock his arm muscles in place, allowing his smg to be pointed at the ground, away from Mark.

Putting the lupine off balance, Wolf-one stumbles forward. His lack of trigger discipline also causes a short burst of fire to harmlessly embed itself into the floor next to him.

'Good thing there's no basement apartments in this unit.' Mark mentally laments as his body moves a bit on autopilot.

Taking advantage of a clear line of sight to wolf number two, standing there. With a pistol ready and a garbage bag in the other hand-paw, they stare surprised at what just happened. An opening, which does not go unexploited as Mark unloads a full charge plasma-stunner blast wolf number two's chest. Lightly singing his black 'robber' style clothing, it sends the lupine to the floor with his pistol clattering uselessly next to him.

Turning his attention back to wolf number one, Mark brings the butt of the plasma-stunner down, hard, onto the head of the lupine. Just as Wolf-one regains his footing, but before he has the wherewithal to yank the smg out of the human's grasp.

Falling to his upper set of knees on his digitgrade legs, the outclassed lupine reaches up to cover the growing lump on his cranium. Except that Mark grabs the back of wolf number one's head before slamming his knee into the lupine's muzzle, knocking wolf number one out cold with a loud crack of bone against bone.

The small machine gun clatters to the floor, but thankfully doesn't fire off a few rounds like cheaper models do. 'A small blessing.' Mark mutters to himself.

Not taking any chances, Mark rotates the cylinder in the plasma stunner with a thumb, then shoots wolf number one Just as Bogo and one of the polar bears kick the fron door off its hinges. The former with a service pistol. The latter with a polar bear sized assault rifle that distinctly reminds Mark of a klasnikov, yet isn't surge into the dwelling with the intent to put down whomever fired off the earlier shots.

Relaxing his grip on the plasma-stunner, Mark waves at the two large mammals with an empty hand. 'Heard the smg going off and rushed in most likely.'

“Tie them up or whatever. I'm going to go change into my suit." Picking up the garbage bag wolf-two dropped that he 'knows' has his suit from the shapes poking through the plastic. He goes into the ransacked guest room he's been staying in for some privacy. Instantly cringing at the ransacked and torn up interior.

Snorting, the water buffalo lowers the service pistol he was allowed to keep for his years of service to the city, as the polar bear lowers the polasnikov retrieved from the limo's hidden store. They both look at each other. They were both expecting to find an injured human, not two wolves out cold on the floor.

Holstering his firearm, Bogo moves from the entryway into the living room. Approaching the two downed lupine's with a sigh of sadness escaping his muzzle as he rolls wolf-one over onto his back and checks the unconscious lupine's pulse and eyes. A fast but steady pulse, yet with mismatched pupils are what he finds. The water buffalo knows full well this mammal has a concision even if the fast pulse doesn't match that prognosis. Knowing he'll need medical attention and should be woken up to prevent brain injury.

Most of him would prefer to keep this mammal who would've killed Mark if he had the chance, unconscious for everyone's safety, the rest wants to wake the lupine per how he's been trained for medical triage. Either way, he can't argue with the outcome compared to what he and polar bear enforcer feared.

Looking over to wolf number two, the polar bear's already dragged the lupine into the living room before using a power cord to tie the mammal up at the cost of breaking a lamp. The ursine just shrugs back to Bogo silently asking 'what else they could've used'.

Dragging wolf-one across the floor and next to wolf-two the water buffalo snorts. More out of frustration than anything as he stares at the rapidly panting face with terrorized eyes wolf-two. Following the polar bear's example, he uses a power cord ripped from something. A lamp or piece of electronics, he didn't care to look at what it was. Only making a mental note to give the wildes some money to replace it later.

'What I wouldn't have given for something as effective as these plasma-stunners compared to the tranquilizer darts for non-lethal take downs when I was on the beat. Beats having to try to judge mammal size to dosage on the fly, so I didn't give a perp a lethal dose and turn a simple arrest to an investigation by internal affairs.'

“Do you recognize them?" The polar bear looks to the water buffalo, speaking with mildly accented English, interrupting Bogo's self reflection.

“Don't know who this pup is." Bogo points to wolf-one. “But that one's a rookie from the rainforest district." Pointing to wolf number two with disdain at how an officer could stoop this low.

The heavier footfalls, caused by the combat / magnetic boots of Mark's suit draws both the water buffalo and the polar bear's attention and marking the human's return to the living room. Helmet on, but the gas mask cover held in his hands. It gives mark a rather imposing appearance even if its just Kevlar and trauma plates.

It's the first time either of them have seen the suit in this state. For Bogo, the last time he saw it on Mark was when he was brought in. Back then the human had stretched stolen clothes over it to try to hide his form, thus disguising the full extent of its aggressive military styling to the water buffalo's eyes. Then when it was off of the human, it looked like a brownish version of their swat gear, nothing special really, so he paid it no mind.

As for the polar bear, the sight makes him rethink the mental math of being able to take the human in paw to paw combat.

Especially when the ursine eyes the hilt of a knife on Mark's waist.

“This is a 'civilian model'?" Asking with doubt his voice while standing up to his full height. Bogo makes sure to make eye contact with the human, having read up on what Mark gave them on social cues.

“Yes. The civilian model's made from the same high grade kevlar weave, has the same zero gravity forged trauma plate armor laminated with kevlar. Comes with the same zero gravity forged mono edge knife, electronic systems like iff and radio. It just has a weaker kinetic shield emitter and lacks the motorized strength assist systems the military one has. Though I have heard of rumors of in-field 'hacks' to add one, with mixed results. Frankly, I don't want a malfunctioning waist motor snapping my spine in half."

'Despite that risk, Its something I'm wishing I had about now.' Mark laments. 'Being able to double my running speed in this, double the jumping height and triple my lifting capacity would come in real handy…'

Clicking the gas-mask front part of the helmet in place, Mark picks up the pistol. Looking it over, he deems it unfit for the task ahead as it looks poorly made or badly maintained. So he unloads and drops it, but not the ammo, that goes into a pouch for use in a better firearm if he can find one using that caliber of ammo.

The smg though, gets attached to a magnetic storage point on his thigh being the best of the two weapons available to him now.

Till he can get his hands on one of those 'not' ak-47's the polar bear has. Being sized for the polar bear makes them look rather imposing.

“Kinetic Shield? Let me guess, it's yet another thing you didn't disclose or out right lied about when we apprehended you Mark Mercer." Narrowing his eyes at the human, the water buffalo can't help comparing the duplicitous nature of 'humanity' that he has seen so far to that of the stereotype of vulpine's in general and Red-Foxes like Nick Wilde in particular.

Chuckling as he heads for the door while holding up a finger. “One, I wouldn't have seen it again like my other plasma-stunner." His voice's slightly muffed by the long since expired filter module.

He adds another finger. “Two, it would've ended up in the hoofs of Stallhoof like I pretty much bet said weapon is right now and not sitting in an evidence locker like you think it is."

Raising a third, he adds. “Three, you're about a step away from making your own society wise anyway. Give it another decade and the police will have their own models as replacements to the ballistic riot shields, if your post ftl development follows my world's in way shape or form."

Lowering his hand, he stops at the door and looks at the two borderline megafauna. “I've gotten what I came for. Let's head to where Mr. Big wanted to go. Someone else will either come looking for them, or we can 'after' we deal with the major threat looming over us first."

Bogo and the polar bear look at each other before following Mark out into the winter night. On his way out, Bogo makes sure the town-home's front door is at least placed back into its frame. Not that it will deter looters, because he doesn't want to give the vulpine owner in question something to tease him over, more than he probably already has.

The other polar bear waiting by the limo, similarly armed to the first, lowers his rifle and opens the doors for the three of them. This one also recalculates the mental math on how much a threat the human is due to the kit on him now.

Leading the precession up to the waiting limo, Mark adjusts the smg before getting in, not even acknowledging the stare this polar bear is giving him. The other polar bear follows right behind him as Bogo brings up the rear. The water buffalo gives the polar bear a sympathetic look before the ursine walks around the limo and takes his seat on the other side of Mr. Big.

Bogo turns his attention back to Mark as the human buckles in next to the other polar bear. “What did you mean by 'we're a step away from making our own'?"

Taking a battery pack from his waist and slots it onto the left fore-arm of the suit. Mark looks at his heads up display, showing him the battery's fully charged. Repeating it with his other packs as he replies. “Just like teflon came from the production of nuclear weapons, the kinetic shield comes from the production of FTL drives. Or if I understand a layman's, um laymammal's level understanding. The systems that contain the crystal used to fuel the drive, after being pumped full of electricity. Just repurposed a bit."

With everyone buckled in, Manchas pulls the limo out of the parking spot, then out of the town-home complex. From there the Jaguar takes the limo back onto its original course, before the detour the human wanted.

Getting the gist of the conversation going on before the former chief of police and one of his few remaining loyal polar bears reentered his limo, Mr. Big gestures to the human's left forearm. “What does this 'kinetic shield' do that I assume makes it so special compared to some equipment that may have fallen into my lap that you just had to spend time to retrieve it?"

Leaving the last battery inserted. Mark looks over to the shrew, though the small mammal is unable to see Mark's eyes through the visor part of the mask. The only indication of him looking at the crime boss is the slight turn of the human's head in his direction.

“For about fifteen to twenty seconds per battery and depending on the health of the battery in question. It'll erect a force field roughly human body sized like a Middle Ages tower shield, that will take ninety-nine percent kinetic energy directed at it and reflect it back whence it came. You punch it, it'll cook your hand, um hand-paw as it reflects the force behind it as heat. It's bullet proof up to HV-rifle rounds. At which point it's bullet resistant, aka slowing the rounds, and will utterly fail on a fifty caliber round or larger, thus the kevlar and trauma plates in case that happens."

The gears in the shrew's mind turn. He may have been too hasty to think mark was lacking in backing up his boisterous attitude of martial ability. Such an item if used right may as well render the human bullet proof in what they will need to do.

Looking to his side at his daughter and granddaughter sleeping in his daughter's arms, he is at least glad this human is an ally. They as a family, may still see the sun rise the next morning. Even if he's willing to throw what's left of his life away to make sure fru-fru and his grand-daughter Judy live long enough to see the morning rays.

“Considering the current situation Mr Mercer." Bogo flicks an ear and the subtle turn of Mark's head shows he's looking at the water buffalo now.

“I am going to have to say I am thankful you lied to me and my former colleagues about this. It sounds like something I would rather not let be in Stallhoof's hooves right about now."

“You did what you thought was right at the time Bogo. I do not fault you for that." Mark's attention turns to getting the tablet synced back into the suit's minimal systems.

Watching the human for a moment, Bogo soon turns his attention to the limo's window in thought. Only to realize it was a mistake to do so. The streets filled with chaos running unrestrained upon them fill his eyes. Hurting his sense of justice as both a former beat cop and chief of police.

Even if he has been Ignoring Manchas having to swerve the vehicle to get around stalled or abandoned cars in favor of listening to Mark.

The retired chief of police internally rages at what he sees. A young fox with a joint disorder, forced onto all fours. Something he can tell by the special gloves those who suffer from them have to wear to protect their hand-paws. Tries and is somewhat succeeding in defending a rabbit buck from black clothed and masked mammals. Determined to take the rabbit's life for some reason.

Other black masked mammals loot the high-end apartments around the pair. Even pulling out the mammals that live there and executing them in the streets as they pass by.

The subtle knock on the divider between the front and back of the limo by the polar bear sitting next to Mark draws the human's attention away from the water buffalo. Bulging muscles showing Bogo's about ready to bolt out of the vehicle if no one tries to stop him.

A moment later the all the windows darken to a point they can't see out, nor that anyone can see into the back of the limo.

“My heart aches for them as well Alfonse." The elderly shrew slips out of his seat, placing a tiny hand-paw on Bogo's arm. Despite barely being able to feel it, it draws the water buffalo's attention.

“If our Human colleague's correct, it is but a distraction for mammals like you, as sad as it is. The best we can do for them right now is focus on taking down the orchestrator to stop it from the source, rather than try to save every mammal we come across and play into Stallhoof's plans."

“Speaking of which." Mark Inserts himself into the conversation again. Partly to satisfy his curiosity, but also to further distract the former chief of police for precinct one from doing anything rash.

Something he'd be doing if the thought of Vivian being a prisoner didn't keep him grounded. After all, focus on your objective, don't get distracted. That was drilled into him from the former military men he sought out training from. Doing otherwise would put all the money he spent on that training to waste.

“Where are we going anyway?"

--

A nondescript warehouse a few minutes before the ambulance arrives.

--

“So, this is part of that under the table deal with the police you have? All to help keep the city safe?" Mark looks questioningly to the elderly shrew and his family. All carefully carried in the paws of one of the two present polar bears.

The other ursine's busy unlocking the front door. Swinging it open, he allows the other polar bear to enter. Followed by Mark and then Bogo, bringing up the rear, closes the door behind himself rather than letting it close on its own. The water buffalo locks it to prevent just any mammal from wandering in while they're inside.

As well as shutting out the sounds of a city in turmoil, which only seem to be growing louder.

If the gunshot's, revving vehicles, and various animal sound of pain and anger are any indication.

“Yes Mr. Mercer. The police nor the port authority can be everywhere at once, watch every ship, or inspect every container coming into this fair city. There will always be cracks and holes for those who know them to slip through. This warehouse of mine is a staging area where my organization collects illicit goods that I deem undesirable before, 'arranging', it to be found by the police in a van or some other building before an 'anonymous' tip's placed with the police to tell them where it is."

Looking around at the row upon row of metal racking, most of it sitting empty, Mark walks up to a cardboard gaylord on a pallet sitting on the ground, one of the few things in here. Peeking inside he sees bricks wrapped with garbage bags and plastic wrap filling the container. Mark doesn't have to guess what they are. He's seen enough shows about smuggling after all to know what a brick of cocaine or some other drug is.

Mr. Big motions for the polar bear not carrying him and his family to retrieve a forklift and bring down some pallets. Wordlessly he obliges while Bogo, making himself useful and without prompting from the crime boss. Grabs a folding table from an open air break area nearby, dragging it over to where the polar bear Mr. Big and Mark are standing.

“Drugs, Firearms with missing serial numbers, other contraband Mark Mercer. Sometimes he has the mammals who tried to smuggle them in kept here, if they were stupid enough to try to use something owned by Mr. Big that is."

Bogo, Jumping into the conversation with as much tact as him placing the table in front of the human and the polar bear carrying Mr. Big. The water buffalo retraces his steps, grabbing the chairs that go with the table.

The polar bear carrying Mr. Big gently deposits the elderly shrew and his family onto the table's surface, then takes a step back as Bogo returns with the chairs. He places them around the table before sitting down in the last one with a grunt. Feeling one of his eyes start to twitch, the water buffalo reaches up to use a hoof-finger to persuade it to stop by gently rubbing it.

“A criminal I may be Mr. Mercer." Mr Big walks closer to Mark.

“But I am a breed of one with honor and morals, compared to the amoral monsters after a quick bit of cash. Which now sadly makes up the underworld of the city and most of the country. They're focused more on short term gains rather than long term stable profit. For you may get a quick z-buck selling drugs to a mammal, in the long run you lose more money as they soon cease to be able to pay you. Either from dying of an overdose or becoming so poor to resort to crime themselves to feed their habit you encouraged them to become addicted to. Either way they get caught by the police and put in jail and you lose a customer."

A pallet with another gaylord's removed from a high shelf of one of the storage racks as the elderly shrew speaks. Despite the forklift being a half size too small for the ursine, he expertly sets it down next to the table. Followed by second one shortly after. The shrink wrap keeping bulging sides from breaking.

Walking over, Mark peers inside both only to whistle out loud at the contents. SMG's, Rifles, various other weapons and ammo boxes in the first one. Bricks of C-four with more ammo boxes fill the second.

'There's enough here to arm a small paramilitary group.'

“Some fool of a cartel coyote." Mr. big speaks up louder to grab Marks attention.

“Thought it would be a smart idea to smuggle these into the city from Mexicow for the cartels. Chartering one of my ships to do it no less in the hope that if he got caught, he could pin it on me. All heading for agents they sent across the border posed as 'immigrants' and 'refugees' as the media likes to call them. If I had to guess what they are for, the explosives were to be used on the vehicles of 'anti immigration' politicians. So they can keep the border as wide open as possible. While the firearms were to be used to push out native gangs and organizations like mine and the skulk among others."

Turning to face the shrew, the visor / gas mask part of the suit hides Mark's quirked brow. Knowing full well from the movie that Mr. Big would threaten death of a mammal to get information if he wanted that information or if they disrespected him.

“If you had to guess? Or did you 'get out' of said cartel coyote?" A bit of snark seeps into Marks voice.

Snorting once in amusement, Bogo glances at Mark. “ 'That' is a question I learned it's better to not ask during my tenure." Then down to the elderly shrew. “Still, Mr. Big, why hasn't this been 'given' to the police per our long-standing agreement?"

Looking up, Mr. Big sighs. “Held up due to waiting on the appointment of the new chief of police for precinct one. I want to know if they would be amicable to continuing our deal, or if I would have to take matters into my own paws first. Now though, everything here will serve a greater purpose, to help bring this city and the mammals of the state of camalfornia back under their rightful government and not Stallhoof's hoof."

Picking up a similar rifle to what one of the polar bears carried, Mark examines it. Checking the iron sights, then moving on to firing mechnism. Only to nearly drop the polaniskinov in surprise from the noise echoing through the warehouse as something's bashed open.

Finding the door locked, Finnick 'persuades it' to open. By violently bashing the doorknob off with his bat using a single hand-paw, then kicking the door open. Both of Mr. Big's Polar Bears turn, aiming their polasnikov's at the mammal's entering the warehouse, assuming a threat. Either from those who burnt down the entire Big estate, or some random thug.

Only to see Finnick enter first, dragging the now conscious and squirming roe-deer ambulance driver. Yelling at the fennec fox, Demanding to be released. His pleas falling on deaf ears, large they may be. The desert predator has no intention of releasing a mammal who was most likely going to shoot the few mammals he cares about.

He Deposits him just inside the building, up against a support beam of one of the shelving units.

Nick follows right behind the fennec fox while dividing his attention between unsuccessfully stopping Finnick from doing what he just did, and helping Fangmeyer keep Judy from killing said desert mammal.

Taking up the rear of the precession mammals Bogo's blood pressure didn't want to see, is the EMT pushing the stretcher Wolfard's still strapped down to. Unconscious due to the pain meds in the dangling IV bag to help deal with large chunk blown out of one of his arms.

'Of course it would have to be 'both' Wildes….' Rubbing his head as an eye twitches, Bogo groans. What was a constant source of his headaches when he was chief of police, surprisingly, in a bad way. Turned out not to be as they still continued, though at a less frequent rate after he left… Then came the medical scans proving the cause. Shaking his head, the water buffalo stops that train of thought. Even if seeing Wolfard, in the state he's in, that also isn't helping his mood.

“Mr. Big?!" Both Nick and Fangmeyer blurt out in surprise at the same time. Only for the Vulpine to notice Mark, still holding a polasnikov in his hands while wearing that so called 'civilian' assault suit of his. Yet with a complete absence in sight and scent of his sister, that he entrusted to the human to keep safe during their date.

The arctic shrew looks upon them, only to focus on Finnick intently. A single question coming to his mind.

“I'm curious as to how you know of this place. I never informed you or Nicholas of its existence at all when you were in my employ." His gaze falls onto the rest of the entourage following the fennec fox, stopping his train of thought about finding out who the leaker is of this secret.

Mainly the bunny his grand-daughter's named after, that if looks could kill, she'd be a murder multiple times over. 'What's got so Judith fired up?' He shakes his tiny head then motions to the empty chairs around the folding table. 

“Please sit down. From the looks on your muzzles, we've got a lot to talk about."

Mr. Big's plea for civility, or to at least sit down and not give into the passions this night has laid upon mammal kind. Fall mostly on deaf ears, the only one of the group heeding his words is the EMT as she wheels Wolfard closer to the table before nervously taking a seat.

“No shit we have a lot to talk about!" Nick puts a bit of an edge in his voice. Leaving Fangmeyer as the only mammal holding the bunny's wrath at bay as he walks up to Mark. The vulpine's tail lashing about showing his displeasure.

A move Mark knows is on purpose as he's learned Nick is 'very' good at controlling both his ears and tail. Leaving the human clueless sometimes at his emotional state since the vulpine lacks the human social cues that would tell him what the todd is thinking.

“Where's Copper-Tail Mark? Where's my sister!? You were supposed to be with her." A finger with a clawed finger's pointed up at where Nick knows Mark's face is behind the faceplate.

Coughing politely, Mr. Big draws both the vulpine's and human's attention. “That dear Nicholas, is one of the things we have to discuss while we still have time to do so and that window is quickly closing. So please calm down and come take a seat. You too Mark, I'd like to hear your plan on this situation as well."

--

Meanwhile, at the Zootopia municipal building.

--

One of the lackeys with the skulk enforcer pushes open the door to Stallhoof's office without even knocking. Not surprising the cervine in the least at their rudeness, they're vulpines after all, proper respect of their better's is beyond them. He keeps his displeasure at the lack of a knock to himself though as he looks at them. Standing behind his desk, on the phone to some of his associates in the reactor control room of the climate walls.

Stepping inside both lackeys hold the door open as the Enforcer shoves Vivian into the room.

Causing her to stumble forward. Vivian's unable to stop herself from falling onto the ornate rug, muzzle first, as her hand-paws are tied behind her back and to her tail.

“One Vivian Wilde, as you ordered herd leader Stallhoof." With a smile quite unbecoming of the situation, the enforcer walks up next to Vivian. Yanking the young vixen to her foot-paws despite being about the same size as her.

Even with these theatrics in front of him, Stallhoof pays more attention to the mammal on the phone. Only giving the enforcer, a turned A.I.A agent a flick of his ear in acknowledgment of her presence.

{The reactors are set to blow herd leader, though we had to force the workers to do it rather than our people as they didn't know how. Strange, even though we got them into the same schools they seemed to not understand how to run the place. They're supposed to know the same things, that was the whole point.}

Blatantly ignoring the last bit other than to mentally file a warning to keep an eye on this mammal, Stallhoof calmly replies.

“Wait for my signal, or if you hear via the news that the orange freak of a deer sent in the military to calm the 'situation' here, also you're allowed to kill anyone trying to enter the facility. Even if they claim to have my permission… No scratch that, 'especially' if they claim to have my permission, kill anyone who tries to enter from now on." He pauses for a moment. “Oh, and kill everyone but yourself and a hand-paw's worth of your most trusted associates. They're no longer needed."

Glancing down at his monitor to the live feed of a national news network as it broadcasts military assets gathering just outside the camelfornia border. He sneers, this may have been a tad premature by a few months. He just has to hold out till his associates in D.C. take the cue and do the same there. As well as the other states too.

If Auroxian wants to pull another alamo, he'll oblige. It'll just mean those mammals who won't submit to the herd will be easier to take care of.

The sound of Vivian struggling to free herself from her captors grasp stops that line of thought along with his associate speaking.

{Even the Mammals that let us in? They helped us out after all and seem to be willing herd members.} Ah, yes, those useful idiots.

The deer's eyes then bore into Vivian Wilde's. Simply from the glint in the young vixen's eyes along with her body language he knows that the years of programming of their ideology done in the schools have been undone. All by a single night with that human somehow.

It disgusts him, that a mammal has so much power. Other than him of course, after all the herd leader should be next to the gods themselves as far as the common mammal should be concerned.

“Especially them! Only those completely dedicated to the herd will have access to electricity from now on." Putting his phone down and face up on his desk, Stallhoof focuses his full attention on the vulpine rabble in front of him. One not quite useful idiot turncoat, two useful idiots lackeys with her, and one token vixen for the most powerful piece of computing equipment on the planet that if he had, taking power like this would've been unnecessary.

He laments that the only useful thing the now departed lambdon did was point out that the human must've been lonely for feminine attention. If it wasn't for the fact he specifically asked for the not quite useful idiot to retrieve Vivian, she would've signed her own death warrant for barging in like this. Like she was actually important.

'Still, even Foxes have their uses' Stallhoof mentally murmurs to himself.

Holding his hoof-hands behind his back. The Deer walks around his desk and up to the four foxes. Glaring down at them, only Vivian's brave enough to return the glare with a sneer showing teeth.

“Thank you, Skye Winters. Keep up the good work for the Herd and you may find yourself a bit more than an enforcer for a second rate gang like the Skulk or an A.I.A. field agent."

Only for Vivian's fur to poof out as Skye raises her pistol. Quickly executing the two low level Skulk members on either side of her by a shot to the head.

The youngest Wilde sibling's ears pin flat back as she sees the nonplussed look on the deer's muzzle to this blatant act of murder in front of him, as if he either knew it was coming or didn't care at all at their deaths.

She puts her money on the latter without a second thought, fully fearing for her life right now.

Removing his hoof-hands from behind his back, Stallhoof gestures to Skye as she grabs a bunch of tissues from a nearby table using them to remove the black markings off her fur. Followed by her carefully removing a set of contacts in her eyes revealing reddish-pink pupils.

“An albino, not a reverse Marble fox… That would explain the heavy perfume. Albino's don't have much of a scent…" Vivian mutters, before yipping in pain as Skye violently kicks her to the floor by bashing the back of her knee with a foot-paw.

Snarling down at Vivian, the civilized mask slips on the albino showing the mammal underneath, only the youngest wilde sibling cringing at the sight.

“NO MAMMAL, other than two get to call me that you vixen slut." Only to just as quickly completely change her body language from rage to affection, looking up to Stallhoof with wide, cute, eyes.

“One of them is in the room with us, the other one is that stud of a buck I twisted around by paw so easily. All so I can play 'secret agent'! The whole meme about a license to kill? 'So' true, and 'So' fun! Same with fucking that buck! Ever heard the stereotype of them being able to just keep going and going, like that old T.V commercial? That's also true. You should try it sometime, or should've before crossing us. Guess it's your loss now that you won't be able to try it cause I doubt you'll live long enough to have anyone stick a dick in that snatch of yours."

“Careful Skye" Those two words from Stallhoof gets the Albino Fox to take a step back, away from Vivian before standing up straight, tail still and ears up.

“She's barely worth more alive than dead. So I'd bet my antlers that the human using that tablet I want would have means of finding out if we killed her." The cervine's eyes wander to the one cctv camera in the room, that he put there for blackmail material, even if the public reason and justification was for safety.

“Fine! But I get to play with her once you get that tablet, right? She reminds me of all those other vixens who looked down on me for being like this. Lacking a colorful coat of fur in high school, as if being a fox wasn't hard enough." Sky looks up at Stallhoof with kit like eyes.

Frankly it scares Vivian at how quickly this Skye Winters changes her emotional state, more than any moody vixen or a female mammal she's ever known. She's also unable to protest besides a snarl on her bloodied muzzle as Stallhoof picks her up by the scruff of her neck like some kit. Causing her body to go a bit limp from that hold over of their feral ancestors.

“Maybe, after you and the other Loyalists in the Skulk clean house there of those that might be a 'problem' and I take care of the Human I'll let you have some fun with her. Right now we need her to lure the Human here with that tablet." Carrying Vivian with him back to behind his large, bordering on a megafauna sized desk. The Deer pulls out a bespoke plastic container, slightly bigger than her as Vivian's eyes go wide at the sight. Instantly recognizing it from a previous talk with her boyfriend.

Full of small holes and a metal wire grate on the front with a latch system she wouldn't be able to get her fingers around from the inside even if her hand-paws weren't tied to her tail. It's rather obvious to her that the cervine's going to stuff her into it.

“Like it? I had it made from the files the Human gave us, covering things like what his world is like. It's called a 'transport kennel'. Something those humans used to move the feral versions of your kind around among other small animals around. I do kinda find it interesting its similar, yet a bit different from what you would use to take your pet iguana to the vet. Just lacking the battery and heat lamp."

His free hoof-hand struggles a bit with the pinching latch system, his hoof-fingers slipping on the latch spring tabs, but after a couple of tries he gets it to work. Opening the metal grate on the front, he lifts the transport kennel up onto it's back so the opening faces up.

With a snarl worthy of a predator, despite him being prey, Stallhoof holds Vivian above the transport kennel. Ripping Vivian's hastily thrown on clothes she put on before leaving her apartment with Mark earlier. Tossing the now rags to the side, he shoves the naked vixen into the kennel and closes the grate. The spring-loaded latching mechanism clicks shut.

Squirming, she growls at the fact she barely has enough room to wiggle and turn around to look out the front of the transport kennel. Only to do so again as her anger steals the words from her mouth at how the Deer just treated her.

All while the newly minted deer dictator sets it back down so the grate faces forward, sliding it back under his desk with a hoof-hand and out of sight of everyone but him as he sits down in his chair.

“You're going to pay for this you fucking cud chewer!" Barking out as Vivian's able to at least get onto her knees in the kennel even if she can't get her arms and tail free from the zip-ties the psychotic albino put her in.

In response, Stallhoof opens a lower drawer of his desk. Pulling out a rather familiar looking air-soft pistol to the youngest Wilde sibling.

Any mammal who has even remotely been paying attention to anything the past few years would know the look of the delivery system for the night-howler serum that Bellwether used. It's been plastered over every news channel, newspaper, and website after all. Even after company that made it as a recreational item for playing air-soft and paint ball games went out of business under the multiple lawsuits from the affected families.

Not to mention other companies pulling similar looking lines, for fear of similar lawsuits.

Lowering his hoof-hand, he points the barrel at Vivian. Poking the muzzle through the grating a bit. The vixen's eyes go crossed as she focuses on the tip of it in absolute terror.

“Be a good pelt and be quiet, unless you want your Human boyfriend's last moments to be seeing your worthless hide as a feral creature." The sound of trapped vixen gulping and pushing herself against the back of the kennel gets an amused chuckle out of Stallhoof's muzzle.

He places the air-soft pistol on the desk in front of him, then pulls out another one from the drawer before tossing it to Skye who's still removing black dye from her fur coat.

The albino vixen, whom Vivian's convinced is psychotic and / or sociopathic, deftly catches it with a hand-paw, aiming it at the deer in malice as soon as her finger's on the trigger.

Both cervine and vulpine stare each other down, only for Skye to break down in a giggle fit that Vivian would put money on being fake. “You know how to get to a girl's heart by giving her all sorts of fun toy's." Skye looks it over in mock interest. “What's this for?"

Smiling at the Albino, Stallhoof gestures to the now cooling bodies of her former lackeys on the floor.

“A reward for being prompt and knowing their usefulness has ended before I had to spell it out to you like a five-year-old calf. It has five night-howler doses in it, you won't get more so don't ask. Dispose of the bodies and you can use that on those other vixens you mentioned who looked down on your exotic white coat of fur, or whomever else you want. I don't care because I know you'll help our cause by making our enemies nothing more than the animals they are even if they pretend not to be."

Sticking the pistol into the waist holster, just above her fluffy tail, Skye nods. “Sure thing. Was going to pay them a visit anyway. Heard some of them have had a modicum of success after school, compared to me. Can't have that in a herd can we? They need to share it with everyone for their 'oppressing' the less fortunate, right?" Saying the last bit with more than enough sarcasm that the words drip onto the floor like the blood pooling under the bodies.

Bidding Stallhoof goodbye, Skye tosses the tissues on the floor, grabs both bodies by their tails. Dragging them with her out of the office with as little care as one would do a bag of trash. All the while Stallhoof watches without a hint of emotion on his muzzle. 'She could've waited till they were over the floor and not that rug. Damn thing's ruined now.'

Only after the doors to his office close with a click, does he exchange the air-soft pistol with something Vivian finds just as familiar, but not exactly like the one she saw a few hours ago as the cervine tucks the nighthowler gun into his suit for safe keeping.

“So you do have his other Plasma-Stunner." Venom lacing her words. Noting the differences she can see visually on the one in Stallhoof's hoof-hand as he shows it to her.

Grinning, he lets the caged vulpine admire it before laying it on the desk in front of him. “Even had one of the best scientists in the herd look it over. Guess even these humans aren't infallible with all their advanced tech. They added a mechanism for automatically rotating the cylinder rather than having to do so manually, and put in higher capacity super-capacitors so it will pack more of a punch. They did have extend the frame a tad, because we can't yet make super capacitors as small as they can. Your dear 'Mark Mercer' will be in for quite the 'shock'." The deer chuckles, as Vivian bites her tongue.

'The only mammal here in for a shock is you, cud chewer. There was a reason the plasma-stunner was like that and my boyfriend Mark will show you why… I just wish he'd hurry up and come get me, I'm starting to lose feeling in my tail.'