Starfall: Chapter 12: Caught
‘Here’s to hoping I can find a decent amount of cash off the next Mammal? Or is it person? I’ts been six months and I can’t figure it out, sigh, doesn’t matter, I’m getting tired of eating fast food. A man can only eat so much chicken or processed bugs, not mention how much extra work I have to do to keep fit while eating it.’
Getting up, but staying within the dense patch of underbrush, chosen for having just the right vantage point. A good view of the sidewalk on this side street along with minimal vehicle traffic coming down the road.
Mark crawls slowly to the edge, avoiding moving all the surrounding branches as much as possible to peek out.
Glancing to his left. ‘ Sigh, not much foot traffic. I probably should’ve of waited till later in the afternoon, not lunch-time since those look like artisan businesses in those older buildings. Meaning few employees and less likely to go out to eat.’
Looking to his right. ‘The rest of the underbrush and trees they planted to form a natural fence to the park along with the gentle bend in should hide me from view from that angle. So at least I won’t be easily spotted.’
Letting go of the branch, Mark grumbles along with his stomach. ‘So I’m going to have to wait till later this afternoon in here, great. I’m going to have such a sore back…’
Tapping his fingers against the ground, minutes slowly pass. ‘The worst part is I can’t use the tablet to entertain myse…’
Hearing the front door of the nearest shop open and shut. The one that's a tailor shop. Mark gets into a squatting position before pulling out the one plasma shocker he brought with him today. The other one safely hidden where he’s been staying.
Placing his thumb on the voltage dial, Mark stares out into the sunlight, nearly straining his eyes to keep them adapted to the light. Rather than the shade he’s in.
‘Okay, what size are they? Please let them be smaller than a bear…’
‘One quick trip to the bank to deposit what we need to pay the bills this month, then I can go back to having lunch with John…’ Marion chuckles to herself as she descends the stairs. Taking a right on the sidewalk. Her dress and almost completely grown in winter coat billows out in front of her with the breeze hitting her back. She clutches onto her purse so it doesn’t get blown about too.
‘More like making sure he eats rather than being absorbed in his work. Sigh, what am I going to do with that tod of mine.’ Flicking her tail once, she follows the sidewalk, picking up her pace slightly.
Only to stop upon reaching the dense brush marking the start of the park the moment the ear closest to the foliage starts flicking to the point she has to force it to stop.
Scanning the shrubbery, trying to pierce the plants kept green year round by treated hot water from the climate walls. Mark tenses up unbeknownst to Marion. ‘Well, she’s more or less in the size range I can stun, but did she just spot me?’
‘Down girl, sigh, your decades removed from having to keep an eye on your tail like this. It’s just a bush, and you’re just not used to the fact this area’s been revitalized.’ Using a hand-paw to stop her ear from twitching, she flicks her tail once in annoyance, turning to continue down the sidewalk.
Rotating the dial to the notch he etched for small mammals like rabbits and foxes, Mark aims, but pauses. ‘That dress kinda looks like one mom used to wear, still, nothing personal, lady.’ He shifts the target just a bit, from the center of mass, to the bare fur exposed by the cut out in the back of Marion’s dress.
‘Hmm, maybe we should invite Nicholas and Judy over for dinner toni…’
The purple tinged cold plasma beam lances out from the bushes with a slight pop of expanding air, striking Marion between the shoulder-blades, wresting voluntary muscle control from her body. The purse slips off her shoulder as she collapses to the sidewalk, muzzle first, scraping the side against the concrete.
Panting rapidly, Marion tries to move, yet finds herself unable to. ‘What the fuck, was that? A taser? It felt like it. Where did it come from?’
Holstering the Plasma Shocker, Mark rushes over to Marion. ‘Okay, Lets get her back up, into the bushes, then see what she has.’
Gently rolling Marion over, Mark winces a bit seeing the scrape on her muzzle. ‘Sorry, that looks like it hurts.’
Mentally wincing as she sees her assailant, Marion tries and fails to growl. ‘Karma dammit, I should’ve listened to my instincts! It’s that damn mugger that’s been all over the news.’ Locking her eyes onto Mark’s through the visor, Marion stares daggers at him. ‘I’ve been hit by a taser before, why can’t I move? A taser doesn’t last this long!’
Carefully sticking an arm under her head to support it, with the other under her lower body, Mark gently lifts her and her purse in one gentle motion. From there it’s a couple of steps to the cover of the brush.
Clearing away some debris with his foot from the base of one of the larger plants. Mark Props Marion up against the trunk while the vixen pants steadily.
“Sorry, I was hoping you would collapse in a different direction. Not, uh, muzzle first into the concrete.” Mark brushes off some dirt and pebbles from her face and muzzle around the scrape with a gloved hand.
‘Fuck you! Whatever you are.’ Continuing her dagger filled glare at Mark is the only thing she can do as he pulls her purse over in front of himself.
“Lets see what you have in here. No, I’m not going to take your phone, or credit cards, or anything else like that. I just need whatever cash you’re carrying.” Zipping open the top, Mark reaches inside, pulling out a compact fur-powder makeup kit.
“Yea, should’ve expected that to be in here.” Tepidly setting it aside, he reaches in again.
‘You’re the asshole sticking their hand into a vixen’s purse, yet you’re nervous touching her makeup?’
“Whomever you are, I bet you must be wondering why you can’t move. I’m not exactly sure on the science behind it, but don’t worry, the effects should wear off within an hour tops, forty-five minutes at least. You may also have a mild first degree burn where the cold plasma hit you.” Glancing back at Marion, Mark’s and her gaze meet, before turning his attention back to the purse, pulling out her wallet next.
“I avoided hitting your dress in case you’re wondering… It reminds me of something my mother used to wear, so I couldn’t bare damaging it.” Sliding the purse to the side, Mark pops open the clasps on the wallet.
Watching him root through her purse, she’d growl, if she could. ‘Whatever you are, your mother obviously didn’t raise you well if you’re robbing people like this. So don’t expect any sympathy for sparing clothing.’
“Never understood why women have these huge and fancy wallets. Do you have them because you carry purses, or do you carry purses because…” Opening the wallet, Mark’s blood runs cold upon the sight of the laminated ID and Driver’s license.
[Marion Loxly Wilde] [Species: Vulpes-Vulpes] [Gender: F] [Age: 55]
‘Hah! I’d laugh if I could. Realized you messed up didn’t ya? My son’s a fucking cop. You’re in a shit load trouble now!’
Looking between the driver’s license and Marion, The vixen manages to blink, much to her delight. Mark only swallows hard in response. ‘Okay maybe this is another Wilde, maybe the name is common like Smith is back home.’
Thumbing past the driver’s license, he finds photos instead of credit cards in the sleeves. Front and center there’s a photo of Marion, wearing a fancier dress, standing next to an all to familiar tod wearing police dress blues.
With a just as familiar looking rabbit standing on the opposite side of the tod from Marion.
Dropping the wallet like it bit him, Mark hastily picks it up a second later, stuffing it back into the purse and zipping it up.
“Well, fuck me…”
Marion blinks amusingly as it’s the only thing she can move. ‘You can say that again! As annoyingly as it was when I was younger, cops protect their own and their family!’
Grabbing the purse, Mark gently places it on Marion’s lap. “Well, as little as it means now, if I had known you were Nick’s mother, I would’ve left you alone and chosen someone else to rob.”
Kneeling down next to her, he picks her up much more gently than he did earlier.
Trying and failing to move her head to look at Mark, Marion finds she’s at least able to move her lips a bit. Raising them a few millimeters into as much of a snarl as she can manage. ‘You’re right, it means jack-shit… Wait, where are you taking me?’
Standing up with the elderly vixen in his arms, Mark frowns. ‘God fucking dammit, I messed up. If they were ignoring someone like me before because I was only doing a minor offense compared to other things going on in a city, they won’t ignore me now. I hurt the mother of a cop, and Nick, fucking Wilde’s mother on top of that!’
Closing his eyes for a moment, Mark forces himself to calm down. ‘No use getting worked up. Anyway, First thing’s first though. Marion came out of that tailor’s establishment.’ Emerging from the bush, he glances down the sidewalk towards the tailor shop. ‘So she must know someone there or buy from there regularly. I can leave her in the care of the employee or employee’s inside if that’s the case. Though from there, then what?’
Sighing he lowers his head looking down at Marion who returns it with as much hate as she can manage.
‘I’m not a criminal, I shouldn’t act like one. I did what I did to survive, and I regret it. It’s no longer an option for me to survive like this. Running now would make it worse for me in the long run. Yet, I’m an alien here, I don’t want to end up on some lab’s dissection table. From what I could get off their version of the internet, humans, hell the entire hominid line of mammals went extinct well before humans evolved and lemurs are the only surviving primate line.’
Emerging once again from the brush, Mark heads for the tailor shop. ‘I guess, wait for the police and turn myself in? Then try to beg them not to send me off to some government research site?’
Hesitating in front of the storefront, he looks down at Marion. “I’m just going to set you inside.” Marion rolls her eyes angrily as Mark glances up at the sign in front of the door. “Suitopia. Weird name.” Shifting her in his arms, Mark reaches for the medium to large mammal door, ignoring the closed for lunch sign hanging in the window to the side.
The aging lock yield's to Mark’s strength, opening the door with a loud snap of rusted metal breaking.
‘Assault ‘and’ breaking and entering, care to dig yourself deeper? Also, Weird it may be, but I don’t think my Johnathan will appreciate seeing me like this.’ Getting both the feeling and control back of her tongue, Marion retracts it to keep it from drying out.
A jingling bell echos through the storefront as Mark opens the door, past many types of mammal mannequins, male, female, of all sizes and shapes. All covered with an exquisite suit, suit-dress, or fancy dress. Until it reaches one of the back rooms where Johnathan, a marble furred color variation of a Vulpes-Vulpes looks up from his worktable. Then to a plate of quarter eaten food, that he forgot about till now.
‘Huh, odd. Were closed, and Mai-lo just left…’ Silently slinking off the stool, Johnathan slowly and quietly pads with practiced ease over to the living area of the building. Returning with an old but well-made wooden quarter staff.
“Well, at least I know where you got your current dress from.” Spotting a row of chairs, in ascending order of size against a wall, all of them near what looks like dressing rooms. Mark places Marion carefully down onto the large cushion of a large mammal chair, which comes up to his waist.
‘Complementing me on my clothing and my mate’s skill with a needle and thread isn’t going to help you know.’
Eyeing the wound on Marion’s muzzle. ‘Might as well take care of that, I’m sure the owner of the place has already contacted the police. After all, the sound of that lock breaking was pretty damn loud.’
Pulling out the remnants of the survival gear’s first aid kit, Mark disinfects the scrape.
‘Big mistake on thinking whomever they are could rob me…. Wait… What the fuck! They have Marion? Oh you’re going to get it now asshole!’ Soundlessly crossing the threshold between back end and front end of the shop, Johnathan takes a detour, so he can go behind the front counter.
Tapping the silent alarm button while maneuvering to stay behind this weirdly dressed, tailless, medium to large mammal.
Using some of his display mannequin’s for cover, to move up behind this strange mammal, Johnathan keeps his breath, slow, silent and steady. Shifting his feet and tail for balance, he raises the staff up in both hand-paws, preparing for a downward strike to the back of this mammal’s head.
‘Hopefully the alarm company alerts the police in a timely manner, for their sake.’
Marion’s and Johnathan's eyes meet. ‘ Thank you hun, and night-night asshole.’
Reaching up to place a covering on Marion’s scrape, Mark freezes inches before touching her muzzle. Noticing Marion’s eyes shifting to look behind him, and not at him alerts him.
Shifting his weight to one side, Mark dodges to the right just as Johnathan brings the Staff down. Only stopping a split second from hitting Marion as it ‘wiffs’ where Mark was a moment ago.
‘They have better hearing than I thought, maybe they’re just a large tailless wolf?’ Johnathan pulls the staff back, twisting himself to face Mark while he straightens his stance with the staff at the ready.
Coming out of the dodge, Mark instinctively pulls out the Plasma-Stunner, aims and only hears a click upon pulling the trigger. ‘Dammit, forgot to manually rotate the cylinder to a fresh capacitor.’ His thumb reaches to complete this task.
Only to have the whole weapon knocked out of his hand, and sent flying across the room with a crack as Johnathan strikes the trauma plate on the back of the hand holding the weapon.
“Go on! Go for it, lets see if you can pick it up before I can knock you the fuck out.” Smiling cockily, Jonathan nearly growls at Mark holding the staff at the ready.
‘Someone your size? You won’t get more than a couple steps… Wait a minute, this Mammal looks like the description of that mugger the police can’t catch. Oh, this getting so much better…’
Standing to his full height, Mark flexes his hand. ‘Nothing’s broken, but that stung. This guy’s got at least some training on how to use a staff.’ Moving into a defensive stance, he smirks under the gas mask.
“I’m not ‘that’ dumb to not realize I wouldn’t make it before you hit me again. Still, you’re pretty devoted to your customers. You don’t need to worry about her, Ms. Wilde here will be fine in a bit, if a little sore.”
Jonathan’s ears fold flat back while pulling his lips into a full snarl, in contrast his tail stays stark still. “She’s my wife!”
Mark’s eyes widen. ‘Fuck! Of course nick would have a father.’
Sensing the surprise off of Mark from his slight relaxation of his defensive stance, Jonathan presses forward.
Using his core muscles to propel a thrust onto a spot on Mark’s belly not covered by plates. ‘Those trauma plates won’t save you. I can still hit you where they don’t cover.’
Grunting from the body blow and the fact he was caught off guard. ‘That’s going to leave a bruise. Sigh, if you want a fight, I’ll give you one.’ Mark steps back while grabbing the end of the staff with both of his hands.
Pivoting his weight to his back foot, then shifting the grip on the end of the staff, using his substantially larger back and core muscles, Mark lifts the staff, with Johnathan still holding onto it.
“Yelp!” Jonathan squeaks as he’s flung off the staff, across the room and into a mannequin of a gazelle. Sending it to the floor in pieces and on top of him.
‘Jon!’ Mark ignores the attempt at a growl from Marion, that comes out as a slight whimper. ‘Karma dammit! If only I could fucking move!’
Tossing the staff off to the side, in the process knocking down a panther shaped mannequin, Mark keeps his guard up, not wanting to repeat the mistake from earlier. “Just drop it Mr. Wilde. I’d rather not fight you, I know I made a mistake when I realized I had stunned your wife because I know it would be futile to run from your son and his partner.”
After a few moments without a reply, he sighs, walking up to the fallen mannequin. ‘He’s not here? Of course, he isn’t. He seems to know his stuff.’ Kicking over the broken display with a foot out of mild frustration.
‘Okay, so I won’t be able to beat this asshole with strength, despite how lean they may look.’ Jonathan slinks his way back around to the counter, and the tools he keeps therein for the wannabe thieves.
‘Oh right, I removed them when my son got into the ZPD…’
Improvising, Johnathan opens the drawer under the counter, cursing that he hasn’t gotten too Marion’s ‘to-do list’, which included ‘oiling the bearings of the drawers’. The loud squeaking sound, letting Mark know where he is.
‘There you are!’ Running over to the low set counter, perfect for the height of Johnathan, but only coming up to about Mark’s thigh, if that. Reaching for the marble colored vulpine with the intention of lifting, and pinning him to the counter till the police arrive.
Only for Johnathan to in a single motion grab a pair of cloth sheers from the junk inside the drawer, and jabbing it into the stab resistant nano weave Kevlar between the few plates on one of Mark’s forearm’s.
Yanking his arms back with a wince. ‘Fucking Hell. You’re getting sloppy Mark.’ Pulling out the sheers, which were mostly caught in the protective fabric.
Only a few millimeters of the tip managing to pierce flesh. He drops them to the floor as Jonathan’s ears twitch.
‘Took them long enough. Still, what the forest’s of Karma is this mammal wearing? I’ve used those to cut Kevlar!’ With his ears back, and lips curled, Jonathan steps back into a defensive stance while Mark hops over the counter.
Assuming a standard Judo ready stance once his feet touch the floor, he stares down at Johnathan.
‘I feel like I’m fighting a kid, but he’s most likely older than I am.’ Shifting his right hand, Mark feints to the side, to follow up with a grab using his left hand in an attempt to subdue Johnathan. ‘Hopefully I can grab him and pin him, then use his cell phone, if he has it on him. To call the police.’
Not falling for the feint, Johnathan closes in and latches onto Mark’s right wrist with his left hand-paw. ‘He most certainly has the reach advantage with these long arms. Manned Wolf maybe? I’d have scented him the second he’s came in if that was the case.’
Clamping down on the wrist, Johnathan yanks, aiming to deliver a blow to the inside of the elbow. Only to find himself pulled closer to Mark as Mark’s left hand grabs a hold of Johnathan’s left hand-paw.
‘If he was my size and about my weight, that would’ve been a good counter.’ Pulling Johnathan’s left… ‘Hand? Hand-paw?’ Off of his right wrist, He moves to gently rotate the arm around to Johnathan’s back, so he can be pinned to the counter.
Growling at Mark, he twists himself around, just enough he can deliver a punch to a gap between the front trauma plate, and the side of Mark’s chest.
Grunting once at the hit. ‘Child size he may be, he still packs a punch and is much more agile. Still, I don’t want to hurt him.’ Mark latches onto Johnathan’s right hand-paw.
‘You’re still trying to pin me? Is that all you know how to do?’ Letting Mark turn him around, Johnathan puts his weight into lifting himself up, forcing Mark to solidify his grip or drop him. Mark does the former.
Then with one foot-paw, claws first digging into the cloth of the chest piece on top of the main trauma plate. He delivers a kick with his claws out against the side of Mark’s gas mask using the other.
Jerking his head back from the force of the blow, Mark releases Johnathan as he pushes off of him, landing on the counter as he falls to all fours before sliding to a stop.
Reaching up, Mark runs his hands over the rents Johnathan made in the plastic casing of the filter cartridge, and the coupling to the mask.
‘Damn lucky I’m wearing this, that would’ve been a deep wound otherwise.’ Shifting back into a ready stance, he pauses mid-way, abandoning it. ‘Guess he did call the police.’
The police siren’s finally becoming audible to Mark moments before the red and blue flashes of light illuminate the room in through the windows on either side of the door.
Locking eyes with the grinning Johnathan as the older vulpine stands, then hops off the counter. “Considering going back on what you said and running from them?” Drilling his furious gaze into Mark eyes. ‘Come on, run, just, so I can see my son catch you, and if not him, then ‘I’ will.’
Sighing, Mark calmly walks around the counter, stopping in the clear path between it and the front door. Going down onto his knees, he raises his hands in the air, palms up, fingers spread, and stays there.
‘Now I just have to wait for them to come in and arrest me.’
The sight utterly stuns Johnathan, causing him to stand there with his jaw slightly agape.
‘What kind of idiot criminal is he?’ Only to be jolted out of his shock as the front door to his shop’s kicked open, followed instantly by his son, and all in but official writing, daughter-in-law entering.
–
A short while earlier.
–
Leaning back in his seat, as far as the front passenger side will go, Nick pops a fry into his mouth. Chews, then swallows.
“I’m telling you Carrots, This Mammal must be some kind of thin bear. Bears are plantigrade, and this suspect of ours is walking on the flat of their feet.”
Putting down the binoculars, Judy glances over to the all too comfortable fox. Smirking a little, she pilfers a fry from his container before Nick can stop her.
“I’ve never seen a bear that thin this time of year. Wolves on the other paw, as well as a certain vulpine I know, seem to be able to lose weight without even thinking about it.”
Picking the binoculars up again, Judy leans forward to watch the less maintained side entrance to the park, from the fast food joint they’re parked in.
Nick chuffs lightly. “How do you explain the lack of a tail then? All the wolves I know, and I know quite a few Carrots, would rather die than have their tails removed. Nor does it look like they enough room in what they’re wearing to hide it.”
“Maybe some other mammal removed it against their will?” Judy’s ear twitches as she sees a family of otters enter the park, not exactly who they’re looking out for.
“A possibility, yes.” Nick snacks on another fry. “The biggest strike against this Mammal being Lupine is as I stated earlier, Plantigrade feet. Few Mammals are this size and have that.”
Sighing while falling back into her seat, Judy lets the binocular’s fall into her lap. “Slick, one of the things I did in school, other than what I needed to do to become a police officer that is, was dabbling in the performing arts. Braces and shoe inserts are readily available to allow Digitgrade actors fill costumes meant for Plantigrade ones and vise versa.”
“I seriously doubt this Mammal is pretending to be Platigrade with something like that, I mean he’s doing a lot better than you did in your grade school play for instance.” Nick’s tone turns playful by the end, grinning widely at Judy, fully enjoying the playful dig at her.
Judy’s ears turn the slightest shade of red, yet still noticeable to Nick. “It was a mistake showing you the VHS of that play.” Mumbling out loud.
“No it wasn’t. Not that it mattered if you did or not after one of your brothers sold a copy of it for cash after it was digitized.” Picking up the empty fry box, Nick sighs and tosses it into the trash bag for the cruiser.
‘Damn winter munchies to go along with the freaking rut season.’
Judy picks up the binoculars and scans the immediate area. “I think he’s still six feet deep in rotten cabbage as far as mom and dad are concerned.” Pausing for a moment. “How about moving to the…”
The digital two-tone alert of their radio activating cuts Judy off followed by the sound of a digitally lowered tone of voice from a mouse or other tiny Mammal’s broadcasting over it.
[Report of a silent alarm at the corner of Terrace and Creek Street reported. Unknown situia…]
Pouncing the receiver, Nick yanks it off the dash. “Car six oh two, Officer Wilde and Officer Hopps responding!” His gaze falls onto Judy, who’s started the car, but hasn’t either turned on the lights nor brought it out of park yet.
‘Move it Carrots!’ Glaring angrily at her.
[That’s a Negative Car six oh two, can another car answer?]
[Car Seven Four Two, It will take us an hour to get there from the meadowlands in this traffic.] The tone of Delgato’s bored leonine feminine alto voice rings through radio.
Gripping the handset hard enough the plastic squeaks to Judy’s hearing, Nick lowers his ears as his tail thrashes against the seat.
[Car One oh Eight here.] Pennington’s deep voice booms over the line. [We would, but we’re already transporting someone to the local station.]
“Explain to me why we cannot respond Dispatch, we’re the closest unit.”
Judy’s stares amazed that despite Nick’s body language, his voice is calm as it was earlier as the handset sounds like it’s going to break in his hand-paw if he squeezes it any harder.
[Regulations Officer Wilde. Car One oh Eight, once you dro…]
Nick’s tail instantly stops beating the life out of the passenger side seat as the click of a line transfer interrupts. ‘Bout time Clawhouser intervened.’ He huffs and lessens his death grip on the receiver.
[Nick, this is Clawhouser. You are cleared to respond to the alarm by me and the Chief. You and Hopps are indeed the closest unit, everyone else is at least a half hour out. Just, return once you’re done for the debrief and paperwork.]
“Buckle up Slick!” Giving only a moment’s warning, Nick just barely has enough time to strap himself in as Judy executes a high speed three point turn out of the parking spot. Slamming the button for their lights and sirens, she peels the cruiser out of the parking lot and into traffic.
“We should be there in few minutes Nick.” Not taking her eyes off the road as she weaves through the traffic, all but a few vehicles making way for them as they should.
The car’s camera recording the plates of the ones that aren’t for a huge traffic fine.
‘Karma have mercy! This is why I want to drive rather than her!’ Claws digging into the seat, Nick clings for dear life. ‘Still, if it gets us there fast enough to save mom and dad…’
Turning so fast, the cruiser drifts onto Creek Street, Judy actually brings the vehicle to a slow enough stop that Nick isn’t thrown against his restraints, only ‘mildly’ pushed against them.
Picking up the handset, Nick looks out at his parent’s shop. “Car Six oh Two at location. Heading in to investigate.” ‘Revitalization doesn’t mean free of crime sadly…’
Judy unbuckles herself while pulling out their weapons locker from under the seat with her foot before leaning down. Retrieving an extra clip of tranquilizers for the both of them with practiced ease.
[An ambulance is on standby in case medical’s needed, be careful you two.]
Handing Nick one of the clips, Judy slots hers it in place on her belt before punching the open door button. It quickly swings open as Nick follows suit with his clip then the passenger side door. Pushing the door closed, Nick jogs around to meet Judy.
“Standard approach?” Looking down at Judy, she nods up at him.
“You take the left, and I’ll take the right, you stay in front of me Slick.” With an ear flick Nick slowly approaches the steps leading up to the multi-mammal door, ears forward and on alert. ‘I would’ve insisted on going first anyway.’
Only placing his hand-paw on his tranquilizer gun as he gets into position to the left side of the door.
Following him up, Judy pulls out her weapon and takes the right side of the doorway. ‘Not that I could’ve stopped him from rushing in first, but at least this way I can spot anyone he ignores in case he sees either Marion or Johnathan injured.’
Holding up one finger as she places her ear against part of the faux wooden door for medium to large mammals, straining to listen in on what’s going on inside.
‘Labored panting, some mammal walking, then stopping. Going back on what you said what? What do you mean Johnathan?’
Feeling Nick tap her on the shoulder, he points up, and she nods, taking mental note of the broken handle.
‘Attempted robbery, Breaking and Entering. Whomever this Mammal is, they’re racking up the charges.’
Getting back into position, Judy holds up three fingers, slowly counting down to one. On the single digit, Judy kicks open the small mammal door. ‘Marion and Johnathan ‘really’ need to get a better door, guess now they have no choice.’ The idle thought passes through her mind at how easy the door yields.
Drawing his tranquilizer pistol, pointing it forward, Nick bolts inside. “POLICE PAWS IN THE… MOM!” Rushing over to Marion’s side, lowering the sidearm, Nick cups the side of his mother’s head with a look of utter helplessness as Marion moves her eyes to look at him.
‘Nicholas, please don’t look at me like that. Just, get that bastard for doing this…’
Meanwhile, spotting the mammal of interest they’ve been looking for. Judy marches forward towards Mark. “Lower your hand-paws! Lay on the ground with your arms and legs spread and don’t move!” Pointing the tranquilizer pistol square at a location she thinks it will get past that getup.
“If it’s any consolation Nick, your mother will be fine. It will just take about…” Mark glances at the clock in his hud. “Forty-five minutes for the stun to wear off.” Lowering his arms, Mark moves to lay on his belly, then spreads out his arms and legs as instructed.
‘I was right, sigh, their voices are nothing like the one’s used in the movie. Both are high-pitched due to their size, but Judy’s is even more so compared to Nick’s. Let alone the voice they used in the movie.’
Ears flat back and a snarl on his muzzle, Nick turns to face Mark, only to have Johnathan place a hand-paw on his shoulder.
“Help Judy, and call for an ambulance, I’ll watch over your mother.” Wiping the snarl off his muzzle, Nick nods, but keeps his ears flat back in anger.
Pulling the portable radio off his belt, he keys it in for Clawhouser and has him dispatch the ambulance, which was waiting, before joining Judy as she holsters her weapon, freeing her hand to help handle Mark’s arm.
Helping her lift one of Mark’s arms onto his back as he doesn’t resist at all.
“Your under arrest for Assault, Breaking and Entering, and Attempted Robbery.” Judy hops over Mark’s back, kneels, and grabs his other arm.
Without thinking Mark raises it up for her to help her out.
Only to get the barrel of Nick’s tranquilizer pistol shoved into the back of his neck, between the small plates there. ‘Well that was a mistake.’
“Don’t fucking move asshole!” Nick digs his foot in a bit more into Mark’s back while Judy pulls out a large mammal zip-tie. Using it to cuff his hands together.
Nick’s ears flatten further against his head, more at himself than anything. ‘Keep it together, as much as I want to show this bastard for hurting mom, Judy will hate me if I throw away all I did to get here.’
“I was only moving my hand for her.” Nick and Judy each grab one of Mark’s arms.
“Get up, slowly.” Judy commands with a bit of an added edge in her voice.
They both lift Mark’s arms off the ground as he pulls his legs underneath him, but both the fox and rabbit have to shift their grip as he stands. Quickly grabbing his bound wrists once he’s on his feet.
“Are you dumb? Moving like that will get you shot by an officer. When we say don’t move, you don’t move.” Glaring up at Mark, Nick doesn’t even hide the snarl in his voice as the lights of the ambulance join their cruiser’s lights shining in through the storefront windows.
Moment’s later a female Goat paramedic and small male deer rush in. Johnathan waving them over, then politely moves just enough to the side, so they can examine Marion.
“I don’t know what this Mammal did to her, other than shoot her with something and now she can’t move other than moving her eyes and blinking.” Nick explains to the medical professionals.
“Judy just looked like she wouldn’t be able to lift my arm is all.” Mark’s statement earns a laugh from the Leporidae.
“I’m not some weak little bunny!” Yanking forward on Mark’s arm “Now move it!” She and Nick guide him out of Suitopia, then over to their cruiser.
The paramedics follow closely behind with Marion on a stretcher and Johnathan in an over coat closely behind them.
Judy pulls out her Tranquilizer pistol, aiming point-blank at Mark. “Don’t move.”
‘Oh please run! That way I can show you I’m not just some weak little bunny. Not to mention I can also pay you back for what you did to Marion! She didn’t deserve this!’
Hopping forward quickly, Nick opens the rear passenger side door of their cruiser, while his eyes track Marion on a stretcher, with the Female Goat loading her into the ambulance.
Poking Mark’s side in between the trauma plates, Judy motions to the open vehicle door. “Get in!”
Without saying anything, Mark steps forward, maneuvering himself onto the cruiser's seat, the moment he’s inside, Nick grabs the seatbelt, buckling him in, a bit too tightly.
A second later, He and Judy slam the door shut.
‘Okay, maybe Judy is a bit stronger than she looks.’ With nothing else to do, Mark watches them through the window.
Turning to look over at Johnathan, Nick raises his ears as his tail stops thrashing. “Sorry we weren’t here sooner dad.”
Walking up and giving his son a hug, Johnathan glances at the strange mammal in the cruiser, then back to his son.
“Nothing you should blame yourself over.” Letting go, he smiles at Nick and then Judy, who walks up beside Nick.
“We were looking for that mammal and yet, we missed him. If we didn’t then mom wouldn’t have been…” Reaching up, Johnathan gently closes Nick’s muzzle with a hand-paw.
“Don’t go down that road again Nicky. Last time you did we didn’t see you for nearly twenty-four years.” He lets go as Nick lets out a sigh.
“It was actually twen… oh right, you don’t like the new base ten system…” Putting on his relaxed and confident mask before glancing over to the front door of Suitopia.
“We’ll call in for some rookie to come and babysit the store for you while you go with mom to the hospital.”
Smiling a bit, Johnathan relaxes and lets his ears, tail and shoulders droop a bit. “Thanks. I don’t know if I should believe what that bastard said about how Marion will be okay…”
“Mr Wilde?” The male deer calls out. “If you want to ride with your wife, then we need to get going, Otherwise you can head on over to Zootopia General Hospital.”
His smile falters a bit. “I’ll keep you posted on how your mother’s doing Nicky.” Taking a hesitant step back, he turns to head over to the ambulance.
Judy gently takes Nick’s hand as he frowns a bit looking over at the Ambulance. “Guess we need to take this bastard to the station then.” He sighs. “Followed by whatever paperwork we need to do to not get in trouble for this…”
Stopping to look back at his son and daughter-in-law. “Be sure to throw the book at him you two.” Climbing into the back of the ambulance with the help of the male deer, Judy and Nick watch it pull away.
Letting go of his hand, Judy looks up at Nick. “Marion will be fine.”
‘I hope she will.’ mentally reassuring herself over and over again.
Judy nods in the direction of the cruiser. “Lets go bring this Mammal in.” She walks around to the driver’s side, opens the door, and climbs in.
Glaring at Mark, Nick walks up to the front passenger side, doing the same.
“I guess it won’t do much good if repeat myself again and say your mother will be fine Nick.” Breaking the silence in the car, Mark watches Nick pick up the receiver as Judy starts the police cruiser.
“No, no it will not.” Barely containing the edge in his voice, Nick brings the in-car receiver up to his muzzle.
Dropping the edge in his voice. “Clawhouser, Suspect in custody. We’re on our way back to the precinct. What’s the eta on the rookie babysitter and the forensic team?” Nick waits for the Cheetah to answer, watching Judy take them back into traffic and then towards the expressway to get back to Precinct One.
Mark quirks a brow. ‘So he’s like his movie counterpart. I wouldn’t be able to switch between anger and calm like that so quickly in his… Shoes? Paws? He’s wearing shoes, so I’ll just go with shoes. Still, the last time I watched it when I first arrived about six months ago. Do they even wear shoes at any other time?’
[I read you Nick. They’re already on their way, so they should be there momentarily. Remember that you’ll need to stop by Bogo for the debrief and the paperwork to allow this breach in protocol once you dump the mammal into holding.]
Nick’s tail does a minute twitch. ‘Buffalo butt’s going to have a heart attack to learn we caught the mugger…’
Glaring daggers back at Mark, Nick then settles into his seat. “Do me a favor Spots, and call Zootopia general, so I can learn what room they put my mother in.”
Judy drums her thumbs on the steering wheel as they fight the lunch rush traffic.
[Will do Nick.]
Placing the handset back onto the dash next to the radio, he looks over to Judy then to the rearview mirror to watch their passenger. ‘Maybe I can get this asshole to tell me what he is.’
Nick’s voice regaining just a bit of the earlier angry edge. “That getup must be uncomfortable to be in.”
Looking up and making eye contact via the mirror, Mark chuckles. “It’s not made for comfort, it’s made to keep the wearer alive in situations far more dangerous than this.”
“Finding out what this mammal is now won’t matter much Slick, once we get him into the station and get him out of that getup.” Speaking up, Judy injects herself into the conversation, before glancing up at the rearview mirror as well.
Adding a bit of concern to her voice, and gaze, Judy continues to look at Mark via the rearview mirror. “You ‘are’ male right? I mean you sound male and Nick hasn’t corrected me since he has a better sense of smell than I do.”
‘Oh right, they’re still in that degenerate time period…’ Letting out a breath, Mark nods.
“Yes I’m a guy. As to what I am, I guess you’ll find out soon enough. So I won’t spoil it early.” Turning his head, choosing to look out the window rather than meet their gazes.
Smiling a bit. Nick watches Judy drive. “It will for me to know if I’m right or you’re right Carrots.”
Rolling her eyes as she brings the car to a stop on the off ramp, Judy returns the gaze. “Why? We didn’t exactly bet on it.”
“More for my piece of mind. Something about him is strange, and I can’t put my claw on it. I mean yes he smells male and I’m sorry I was blinded by my anger at this asshole to point it out to you. Yet, the scent is nothing I’ve ever encountered before.” Glancing to the rear-view mirror, then back to Judy.
The light changes, so she heads onto the parkway that will take them to the precinct. “It’s alright Nick.”
Turning to look forward at the two. “I did try to clean myself up when I could, can’t exactly do that on the streets. Though, if a fox’s sense of smell is anything close to the other members of the caniade species, I guess that doesn’t matter.” Letting out a breath, Mark lays his head back against the head rest.
“So we’re going to need to wash you down with the pressure hose. Good! That’s always fun to use.” Nick turns in his seat to look at Mark, grinning with just a tinge of anger in his joking grin.
Mark chuckles a bit. “That would’ve been funnier if it was in the other voice. Not this squeaky one.” Glancing to look out the window as he feels the vehicle slow and turn.
‘Well, looks like it’s almost time. Once they find out what I am, all I can do is beg to not be sent to the fed’s.’
Nick’s ears move up and forward. ‘Wait, what does he mean by voice?’ The slightest snarl in his grin’s replaced by the tilting his head to the side, just a bit, as Judy turns her ears back to listen in.
“Did my dad hit you too hard in the head? I’ve always sounded like this. In every news segment and all throughout the trial.” Nick unbuckles himself, turning to fully face Mark while Judy parks the cruiser.
Shifting in the seat to move his arms, getting blood flowing to his hands again. ‘Did Judy have to put them on that tight?’ Mark shakes his head.
“Your father knew his stuff, but he didn’t hit me in the head. Scratched up the Gas-Mask with his foot though. Not that it matters, the filter’s long since expired.”
Shutting off the vehicle, Judy presses the button to open the driver’s side door. Nick looks between her and Mark before doing the same.
Opening the rear passenger side door a moment or two after closing the front one, Nick reaches in to guide Mark out of the cruiser. All the while Judy points her tranquilizer pistol at Mark.
“Then what’s with the comment about my voice? I’ll have you know it’s a very good tone for handsome fox like me.” Reaching up, Nick grabs a hold of Mark’s bound hands as he shuffles in place to help blood flow back into his legs.
Looking down at Nick, then back at Judy who closes the cruiser door before locking it with the keyfob, Mark sighs. “I’ll tell you later. You want to know what I am first I bet.”
Nick laughs, and to mark it almost sounds like a gecker. “A criminal eager to get to booking! Now I’ve seen everything.” Tugging on Mark’s bound arm, Nick moves to follow Judy as they head for the rear entrance to the Precinct.
‘More like wanting to get it over with…’ Mentally grumbling as he’s led security door. ‘The tension’s killing me.’
Keying them in, Judy hits the automatic door opener. Causing the medium to large Mammal security door to open.
“Come on you two, quit dallying.” Turning to watch Nick as he leads Mark inside before taking up Mark’s other arm.
“We’ve got to get you to processing,” She glares at Mark, a slight edge to her voice returns. “Before we have to do the paperwork on this arrest.”
“You make such a compelling argument for us to hurry up Carrots.” Not hiding the snark in his voice one bit as Nick smiles to Judy.
“It’s what you signed up for Slick. A few moments of fun, followed by hours of paperwork.” Grinning back, she leads them down the hall and through a couple turns before the hall opens up.
A large prison like gate system separates corporate office like décor with the prison like holding cells, just in front of said gate sits two guard stations. One on each side, both with large fauna officers stationed in them.
Built into the last few meters of the office section, and providing a clean transition between the two styles, sits a reception like desk with privacy rooms to each side, clearly labeled for mammal size and gender.
Male on the left, Female on the right, the smallest farthest away from the desk, the largest just on either side.
“If this was any other time, Officer Wilde, I would say ‘I thought I made myself clear’ in our agreement of handing you and Officer Hopps a case. After you…” Bogo grunts as he stands from the seat he took next to a Male Puma and a Female Lynx who run the intake processing station to wait for the two.
“’Informed’ me of my options, but, it seems the Goddess you call Serendipity, Officer Hopps, has again blessed, or cursed you. Catching, even if it was in the middle of a burglary, the thorn in the Mayor’s and Governor's sides.”
Walking around the desk Bogo approaches the three of them, looking down at the Mammal that was so elusive to catch, yet fell right into these two’s laps.
‘Oh you don’t know how right you are Bogo.’ Mark looks up at him. Locking eyes with the water buffalo.
Returning the stare at Mark, Bogo narrows his eyes. ‘This mammal’s defiantly a predator. Canine? Ursine? Still, that hardened gaze tells me this mammal’s more dangerous than they let on.’
Glancing at Nick, Judy smiles. ‘He’s all yours considering the deal you struck.’ Removing Nick’s hand-paw from Mark’s arm, she leads him up to the first station for processing a suspect. Intentionally, yet unapologetic in breaking the staring contest between Mark and Bogo.
Turning his attention now to Nick, Bogo glares downward, ears back with one flicking randomly. “So, care to enlighten me on how you two just so ‘happened’ to be within two blocks of where the suspect broke into your father’s tailor shop? Officer Wilde.”
‘Oh this should be good. Gonna enjoy making him squirm even though he did nothing wrong. Consider it payback for all the little pranks he’s done.’
When Judy arrives at the desk, the Male Puma stands, and walks around to meet her. “Here, let me help Officer Hopps.” Grabbing Mark’s wrists before Judy lets him go.
She turns an ear to listen in on Nick, trying, and mostly failing to sugarcoat how he planned all this, and how their discussion went in the cruiser.
Of course, he glosses over his outbursts of anger. Then again, once they were together, she quickly learned how testy Nick can get in rut.
The Male Puma guides Mark in front of the mugshot camera, getting him to stand in front of the height chart before grabbing a placard. Judy meanwhile, pulls over a step ladder that will allow her to reach Mark’s face.
‘Even though this is well before affordable large scale three-dimensional scanners, I can’t help feeling this is a little cliché. A mug shot? Complete with a placard and height chart, Really?’
Judy grins from ear to ear as the climbs the ladder. ‘I get to see what he is first!’
“Well it’s time to that that weird mask off of you. So you can show your muzzle and smile pretty for the camera.” She briefly makes eye contact with Mark, then tilts her ears to the side a bit, catching a glimpse of the area around his eyes.
‘No fur around those predator like eyes, except bushy eyebrows? A hairless wolf maybe? Would explain why he’s so bundled up. Even Nick has his winter coat in.’ Grasping the sides of the cylinder, Judy gently tugs on it, but finds the thing won’t budge.
Sighing loudly, Mark turns his attention back to Judy rather than watching the male Puma set up the camera. “If you ‘really’ insist on seeing what I look like in this Judy, pulling the filter cartridge like that isn’t going to remove the gas-mask.” Nearly going cross-eyed watching Judy’s hand-paws let go, Mark blinks a few times.
Putting her hand-paws on her hips, cocking them to the side, Judy stares back at him with a slight sneer on her muzzle. ‘This crap again?’
“Then how do I remove this without having to break it, thus damaging valuable evidence?” She’s tapping her foot-paw against the top step of step ladder by the time she’s done talking.
Sighing, Mark looks at Judy’s eyes, then down to her tapping foot, before meeting her gaze again.
‘Yea I’d rather they don’t break it. Now it’s one of a kind rather than a bog standard civilian model.’
“The gas-mask is integrated into the helmet. Even though they can be separated, they’re technically one piece to create an air tight seal for the wearer. I don’t know if you can do it with your small hands. Um, Hand-paws? Whatever. To remove the gas mask feel around either sides of the face plate for the press-button latches under the foam stripping that makes the seal air tight. Or find the one on the chin plate, which connects to the same mechanism. That one is harder to press though.”
“That’s nice kit for some mammal going around robbing mammals of their cash.” Reaching up, Judy feels around the sides of the Gas-Mask. Stopping once she feels the slight bump on the other side of the seals.
Using the tips of her claws, Judy pushes the buttons.
Watching this, Mark sighs. “Don’t judge, least ye be judged. Not that it’s likely for it to happen to you.”
Hearing the clicks of the latches releasing as Judy pulls off the mask, Mark swallows. ‘Well, here we go. Wonder how they’ll react.’
Momentarily put off balance by the weight as the gas-mask, Judy’s forced to look down at the ladder, away from Mark’s face as she pulls it free.
“By Bastet! What the fuck kind of mammal is this thing?”
Judy awkwardly places the Gas-Mask, edge first on the platform of the step ladder. Her ears focus on the swearing Puma, only to wince at the loud hiss the female lynx makes a split second later.
Turning to look at what caused the Male Puma booking officer to curse, a mammal he knows that doesn’t do so easily, Nick winces at the sight. “That’s… Not a bear.”
With Nick’s attention no longer on him, Bogo straightens himself up. Turning to look at what Nick is looking at, then he hoof-paws.
‘I give Hopps Parking duty, and she turns it into a case that not only takes out mayor Lionheart, it also reveals the plot by Bellwether and the actual cause of the missing and savage mammals. I give Nick a case to help keep Judy sane and interested in the job she’s done so well in so far, and they come back with some kind of fucking alien! By Minos what is WITH these two?!’
Looking back at Nick, Bogo snorts. ‘No bullshit Sherlock.’ Then looking back at Mark. Noting the completely flat face, some kind protrusion over the lips. The strangest thing is the lack of fur besides around the mouth and above the eyes.
Grunting a bit, Judy manages to balance the weight of the gas-mask against the top step, while keeping the ladder from tipping over. ‘That was heavier than it looked. Okay, lets see why everyone’s freaking out.’
Looking at the face of the mammal she just pulled the gas-mask off of. Her eyes widen, while her ears pin themselves flat back against her head and back.
“Cheese and crackers what the fungus ridden cabbage ‘are’ you!?”
Mark rolls his eyes. ‘Well at least they’re not running and screaming…’
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