A/N: Special thanks to usersnamesweretaken for his help in beta reading and editing. You did as always a great job.

This will be, for now, the last chapter of the second arc in a while. I'm still more than willing to continue and especially end this story one day but I also need to rewrite the older chapters. Plus, there's a lot of other stories I want to continue like "Savage Force" or "False Paradise". Don't think I would stop writing, I write almost every day but I need some time to prepare new things which you can hopefully enjoy.

With best regards

Ansem

What happened before

Arthur's tale has ended for now and it is time that we focus our attention back at the events of the Company, where we follow for a while the disturbed mind of Trogon and went back to a certain restaurant, in which a group of mammals is still waiting for the return of Heishiro Katsuragi.

41. Of Things to Come

"The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty: not knowing what comes next." ― Ursula K. Le Guin

Trogon

The tall, black wolf was pissed as he stood in the elevator which brought him slowly to the 110th floor of the building that stood beside other skyscrapers in the center of Zootopia. One among dozens and no more special than all the others.

It was almost midnight and normally he would already have his pleasure with these two deer sisters, who stood shyly at the end of the bar he visited not even half an hour ago. Two girlfriends who just hit the legal age and who wanted to have a little bit of fun in the big city. Oh, and they would have fun together… or at least he would.

Everything was going perfectly; Brian the barkeeper had already put the Rohypnol into their cocktails. One part spiced rum, one part coconut rum, a little bit of peach liqueur and some pineapple juice and voila, one of his favorite cocktails was born. The perfect sweet drink to swallow some bitter pills and maybe even other things later.

They talked, they drank, and they had fun, but then the old fox had to text him and everything was for nothing. Especially today, after all the effort he had put into this he wanted to claim his reward.

'Great...now someone else would have fun with… what were their names? I'm pretty sure one was Miranda but the other one? Sally? No. Holly? Ah, who cares? Not that I would have remembered them anyway when I would've kicked them out of my apartment tomorrow morning. By then, I would have everything I wanted, and that was the precious memory how I did whatever I wanted with them...Oh! And the recording of course! Something I could watch over and over again until it bored me, though that could happen very easily these days. But now… I would have none of this because I had to appear at work… on a Sunday night! Damn fox, I hope the reason why he called for me is important,' Trogon thought and loosened the black tie around his neck.

The door of the elevator opened with the typical 'ping' noise. He stepped out and went around the next corner. Everything up here was under the direct command of the old fox and most of the time full of busy office mammals. But right now, on a Sunday night, there should be no one here at all. Well, there shouldn't, but when Trogon held his security card against the plastic pad beside the door, followed by the paw pad for his thumb.

Trogon had never understood why the old fox had taken such high security measures for the accounting department. It was one of the legal parts of the company and one of the two departments he inherited. Every boss of the company was leading at least two, a legal one and one that operated in the shadows of the city. Adrian Wilde, better known as Kingfisher was in the world of the company the leader of the official Accounting Department and the unknown Executive Department. But who in the name of the three goddesses would try to steal something from the least interesting department of all? Mammal Ressources, okay, if you need the names; research and Development, understandable; but Accounting? Trogon shrugged it off as paranoid behavior.

The doors opened and he saw that one light was still burning somewhere up here. When he walked towards the office of Kingfisher, Trogon saw that there was a light coming from the anteroom of the old fox's office. Olivia Smith was his personal secretary and a true beauty. She was a maned wolf with chestnut brown fur and also one of the mammals who stood high in Trogon's top ten of females he wanted to have at least once. Maybe she would even try to fight and cry, then he could enjoy the whole process even more. Let them call him sick or twisted, Trogon did not care. His pleasure and the satisfaction of it was everything he was interested in. Maybe he was born with a disturbance or he had developed one out of pure boredom but one thing he knew for sure, he had no bad childhood and there was also no critical event that made him to the wolf who loved himself more than anything else. And who loved torture more than golf, tennis or any other game. Physical or psychological, one was as good as the other to him.

A grin spread over his face, when he slowly closed the distance between her and him.

'You lose some and win some, right? And as it seems is the boss not here...which means I can have a little bit of fun with her.' Trogon grin widened when he imagined what he could do with her, here at this time.

Olivia stood at the photocopying machine and was deeply sunk into her work. So much, that she didn't hear him until it was too late. His arms cut off her escape routes, when he placed them on the copying machine to her left and right, in a way that set her trapped between them.

"Good evening, Miss Smith," Trogon said and smiled down at her. The poor maned wolf turned around and pressed against the machine which still produced one copy after the other. The bright moving light illuminated her in the half dark and made her even prettier. She wore a white dress with a yellow flowers all over it, that went down to her knees. The long mane on her head was neatly brushed back. She looked as if she was coming from a date in a nice restaurant.

"M-M-Mr B-black...what...h-h-how can I help you? A-a-and it's Misses Smith. I'm married, S-Sir," Olivia replied carefully and tried to force a smile onto her muzzle. But her choice of words was not the best, especially in the company of someone like Gordon Black, who was known to the most mammals in this office just as Trogon. He knew that all of them were afraid of him.

He leaned closer to her and she did everything she could to put some space between them. She looked to her left and right, but there were no possibilities to escape and so she pressed even more desperate against the copy machine with all her strength. There was fear in her eyes and a lot of it. Trogon saw this and enjoyed every second of it. He could feel the first real wave of desire for her swelling up in him. He licked his lips and let his gaze wander down her body.

"Oh, I'm sure there's something you could help me with," Trogon exclaimed, smiling, and put his right paw on her thigh and skirt. Olivia began to tremble in mild panic when he pulled her skirt slowly upwards. What made her dead silent was the fact that he was carefully watching how she would react. She could see that and he knew it. Tears began to flow down her face.

'Come on, start to plead and be my little bitch.' Trogon thought.

"S-sir...p-p-please stop. I-I-I don't want that," Olivia said with desperation in her voice and tried to pull down the half lifted skirt. But she wasn't strong enough to keep him away, all she could manage to do was to stop Trogon in lifting it even further.

'Yeah, that's how I like it. Fight my little darling. Oh, I wish I could record that for my collection.' Trogon thought and saw how fast she was breathing but no word or scream escaped her muzzle. She knew it wouldn't change anything. They were alone, up here on the 110th floor of an office building on a Sunday night.

Grinning like the devil himself, he leaned with his muzzle to her ear and whispered, "You just don't know that you want it, believe me. As long as you behave I will not hurt you too much."

Olivia began finally to cry. The young maned wolf still tried to hold down her skirt but in the end Trogon was stronger. Disgusted by him and surrendering to his strength, she turned her face away and tried to lock herself in. A defense mechanism as old as mammalkind itself. Olivia knew that she was physically too weak to win, so she tried the next best thing, she closed her mind up from feeling too much. Trogon, who had witnessed such behavior many times, hated it like moles hated the sun. It spoiled the fun he could have and in the end, all of this was just about fun for the black wolf.

'No, no, no, that's not how the game is played, bitch. Let me teach you how it's done.' Trogon thought and grabbed with the paw which was initially between her legs and almost where he intended to be, up to her chin. Maybe he used a little bit too much force when he forced her head to his but who cared? Trogon definitely did not.

"Look at me! Hey! I said look at me. Good, now open your eyes." Trogon ordered her and she followed his command slowly. They were red and swollen from the tears but Trogon could also see how much she hated him. The black wolf did not care, he loved it.

When she looked up to him, Trogon could see not just hate but also fear. The second emotion was dominating her and it was then that he knew that he had won. What followed was just the icing on the cake for him.

"Whatever I'll do to you in the next… well, let's be generous and say forty-five minutes, you will look at me. Every time you look away, blink too long or just press your eyes together because you wish that it's over, I will hurt you. Got it?" Trogon said still grinning and Olivia nodded slowly that she understood.

"Good," the black wolf answered pleased and continued. His paw dropped and touched her now at her inner thigh, from where he was gliding slowly upwards, "Now, where were we?"

His grin died instantly when he heard the click sound of a loaded gun from behind him. The next thing he recognized was the scent of Kingfisher and he knew that the fun was over, 'Damned this old fox is much too quiet on his feet! I mean come on, would ten minutes have really been too much to ask for?'

"Hey boss… Funny thing that you're already here. I thought I could have a little private conversation with Misses Smith before you…," Trogon began but Kingfisher interrupted him without mercy.

"Shut the hell up, Trogon!"

He hadn't seen the old fox since Friday but his voice sounded as if he had a bad day. A very bad day.

"The last time I was in such a situation, I shoot off the ear of a mammal the whole town called just the Butcher of Zootopia. He was known as a monster but I guess you've never heard of him, right?"

"I… I have heard of him and know the stories about his cruelty." Trogon answered carefully. In fact, everyone who was born here knew about the Butcher and other crime lords from the old days.

"Good. Do you want to know what I did?"

"Y-yes, Sir." Trogon replied and knew he had made a huge mistake.

"He wanted to rape a young feline. Back then the victim would have been a child of fourteen years. Fourteen! I could've let him go without shooting him, but I couldn't. I hate mammals like him and in this moment I couldn't help myself and pulled the trigger. And now, so many years later? I have to intervene with one of my own subordinates because he can't keep it in his pants and even worse, he can't keep his sadistic tendencies at bay! Just because no one is looking, he almost rapes a married female mammal, who's also my private secretary!" Trogon felt that Kingfisher was completely enraged and guessed he had gone not just a step but even a mile too far. The fox made a small pause and exhaled deeply before he continued, "Guess what happened to the mammal I shot an ear off?"

"You killed him, Sir?"

"No… He was bleeding terribly but I didn't kill him and he didn't die… not then. Back then I didn't know it was a mistake to let him go. But he took the time and planned everything for his revenge. A lot of mammals died, because of my mistake but you could say I learned from this event. And now, all these years later I am in the same situation but this time...I aim directly at the head. Don't think I would make the same mistake twice. So, you can decide. Drop your paw and live… or raise it and die," Kingfisher explained behind him. It took not even two seconds and Trogon's paw was down.

"Wise decision. Now go into my office and wait."

"Sir, I can explain…," Trogon began his sentence while he turned towards the old fox but what he saw made him speechless. Kingfisher looked devastated. Surely, he had seen him tired before, but like this? Never. The eyes of the old fox were bloodshot, his fur and standard black suit in a messy condition. In comparison to Friday, he looked at least ten years older as he really was. Normally, it was the opposite and he seemed like a trained male fox in his forties.

Kingfisher pinched the bridge between his eyes and growled in a low voice, "Just do what I say and go, or I might rethink my decision of keeping you alive!"

Trogon raised his arms in defense and walked away but not without a last glance at his former prey. Olivia, the young and beautiful maned wolf, still stood petrified in front of the copying machine. Her paws were folded in front of her chest to a silent prayer. Her lips moved but no sound escaped them.

'Tsk, yeah. Pray to the three goddesses or whoever you believe in. No one will help you. Not now and not the next time I meet you alone. And, I promise you that much, then we will have our fun.' Trogon thought and found his smile again. While he walked through the rows of desks, which were filled with monitors, laptops, papers and other daily office supplies. He could hear the old fox talking in a calming voice to Olivia. Every now and then even a loud sob could be heard. He couldn't understand what they were talking about but Trogon didn't believe that the old fox could manage to persuade her to stay. Not after the things he said and did. Maybe she would even quit the job?

'Guess I will get a little spanking from daddy today.'

Kingfisher's office was behind a massive glass wall from where he could see his employees and they could see him. The whole room resembled a library more than an office. After entering through a large double glass door built into the glass wall, every mammal stood in front of several rows of bookshelves. On the complete left and right side stood two rows of shelves with a length of maybe eight meters for each shelf. Directly in front of it stood the second row of shelves with the same measurements. To the right and just at one point between the two shelves on the wall stood a small bar with bottles of brown and white liquids below a large oil painting.

Trogon filled a tumbler with an expensive scotch and looked at the painting for a while. It showed a crowd of different mammals with their arms raised to a hill on which stood three hazy beings in white. The faces of the three were not visible but Trogon could feel that they were smiling. He had no idea why he thought that but it was true, for him at least. The piece of art had the title 'pilgrimage to the three goddesses' and it was obvious who the three beings in white should represent.

Religion, the three Goddesses or this stupid singing every Sunday morning where everyone had to wear his finest cloth, Trogon hated every part of it. For him it was nothing more than a gathering of weaklings who prayed for help because they couldn't help themselves. His face twisted in disgust about the painting and walked to Kingfisher's main desk, a dark cherry wood table, which was packed to the brim with books and a massive computer monitor. The black wolf sat down in the grey ostrich leather chair to the right, that was waiting beside two other chairs for visitors in front of the desk. Trogon took a deep sip and stared over the town they controlled for so many years, but in the end, his gaze stopped at the object that was closest to him - the balcony. He was as always impressed by this gigantic monstrosity Kingfisher had up here, only accessible through his office. The damn thing was at least fifteen meters long and was shaped like an u-curve. It was useless in Trogon's eyes, but pretty impressive nonetheless.

Five more minutes passed before the door swung open and Kingfisher walked in. He didn't walk to his desk but to the painting, stepped on a small leader and swung it to the side. It revealed a vault he size of the fox. Trogon had seen it many times before, but he had never seen what was in it. The old fox made a real secret out of it. With a little bit of fear in the back of his mind, he peeked over his shoulder and saw Kingfisher already returning with a large white bottle in one paw while he removed his coat and tie with the other, throwing them on the table.

'Okay, that's unusual. Mr-always-stick-to-the-rules-and-always-perfectly-dressed has never done something like this before... And he looks terrible. As if he had cried or was going through a divorce... and since when is he drinking something other than coffee? Wait... is that homemade booze? Holy cow! What's happening?' Trogon looked confused at the fox and his confusion rose even more when he saw how Kingfisher let two glasses appear from under his desk, 'Wait… He's prepared for something like this? Who is this fox? That's so different from his normal behavior. What's standing on the bottle… Sanchez personal Rum... Catacas 1983? What is going on here?'

Kingfisher poured a thumbs width of the Rum into one of the two glasses and drank it in one gulp and without grimacing or even flinching. He seemed to enjoy the burning sensation and smiled a little bit when it was done in his stomach.

"Ahhh… still as good as in my memories," Kingfisher said with a bitter smile. He looked more relaxed now and decided to open the two highest buttons of his shirt and began to roll up his sleeves until he reached his elbows.

"Pleasant memories, Sir?" Trogon asked carefully, with a grin on his muzzle. Kingfisher was better now and he tried to keep it that way. And if there was one thing he loved almost as much as torture and humiliation, then it was gossip about his colleagues and subordinates. The smile on Kingfisher's face faded.

'Let's see if the old fox can give me any interesting news.'

"No...most of them aren't very pleasant but I shared this Rum once with two mammals I really like."

"Really? Mammals you like? Who should that be?" Trogon asked again and felt that Kingfisher was calm again. Maybe he would give him even a satisfying answer.

"You wouldn't believe me anyway," Kingfisher said with a smile and poured himself another drink but this time he also filled the second glass and positioned it ostentatiously in the middle of his table, right in Trogon's point of view.

'Maybe he isn't so mad at me… I mean, he even poured me a drink,' Trogon thought and tried to stretch his luck a little bit further.

"Well, you could try? And I could try to stretch my suspension of disbelief as far as I can. So hit me with whatever you got." Trogon said and leaned back with an empty glass in his paw. He had no hurry, there was a new drink already waiting for him.

"Okay," Kingfisher replied and began to grin, "The two mammals with which I drank this rum once are the current director of the ZBI and his wife who is the leader of the Intelligence branch of the same institution. Or to make it more clear, Arthur and Camila Lynch."

For a moment, Trogon gazed at Kingfisher, until a small chuckle grew into huge laughter. The smile of the fox vanished not once. He probably expected that the black wolf wouldn't believe him, but that was okay.

"Hahahah… Okay, you got me. I don't believe you. I can't stretch my suspension as far as that. Which would be from up to the moon and back! That's...! That's just ridiculous!"

"Oh it is, but that doesn't make it untrue," Kingfisher said, grinning and Trogon found himself dumbfounded. He couldn't say if the story of the old fox was true or not, a fact that bugged him tremendously. He was the specialist for interrogations and seeing the fine nuances in the eyes and faces of a mammal. It could be a lie… on the other paw, Trogon knew that there existed a lot of strange stories around the old fox and if just a fraction of them are true, why not this one too?

Trogon shook his head in disbelief and grabbed for the filled glass in front of Kingfisher. Calm and comfortable seated in his office chair the fox watched the black wolf. When Trogon had almost reached the glass Kingfisher spoke.

"Who said this glass is for you?"

"Well… I assumed…" Trogon said, now truly confused by the old fox.

"Yes, you assume that it is yours and that's also your god damn problem, Gordon. And you do this every time, when you overstep your boundaries. You assume everything here is just for the likes of you."

'Gordon? Did he really call me by my real name? Something is wrong here and I don't think that I will like it at all.'

"Oh don't look so puzzled, boy. Let's just say, that for once, I have enough of your bullshit. I always warned you that your actions will have one day have consequences and the attack on Olivia was one mistake too many. You never wanted to listen. Instead you cracked joke after joke and had to fear no punishment. Until now…," Kingfisher said and grinned sly at him. Confusion was on Gordon's mind and he hated it to be confused.

"What are you talking about, old man?" Gordon said with an insecure smile. Trying to play his part as good as he could. Meanwhile, Kingfisher crossed his legs and folded his paws on the upper knee.

"I'll be honest with you Gordon, I don't like you… In fact, I even hate you. You act as if you own this town and the mammals who live here. The only one you really work for is yourself. Pleasure is your only aim and that disgusts me the most. We both know that behind all of this is nothing but an empty space," Kingfisher said and waited for a reply.

"You're one to talk. Act as if I own the town? How many mammals have you killed over the years? Dozens? Hundreds? Maybe even more...but after all of that I never thought you're a hypocrite."

"Don't worry. I know what I did and that there were too many mammals who died through my paws. Directly or indirectly...but I never tortured and I never made them suffer. I did what I had to do as painless as I could." Kingfisher replied dryly. The smile on his muzzle was gone and he looked now more stern than ever; Whatever he had done today it was no pleasure for the old fox.

Even though Gordon knew it was better to shut up he couldn't restrain himself from giving Kingfisher his thoughts. "Did what you had to do!? Was leaving your pregnant wife together with your unborn daughter and your four-year-old son also what you had to do? What a father you are! And if you hate me so much, why am I still such a member of the company?" Gordon shouted at the fox and regretted what he said immediately. Kingfisher, however, did not respond. He just stared at Gordon and waited. Like a predator who watched his prey.

"You're walking on thin ice, Gordon. Talking about things you do not understand. And How could you? But okay. If you wish so...let's talk about family. To make this clear, I'm well aware of the fact, that you're someone who is just interested in yourself. You have no living family left, no friends in the whole wide world and of course no partner. You have no idea what it means to give up what is most precious to you so that they can live a more or less peaceful life. You instead, Gordon Black, a son from a good household, who knew his whole life not one day of sorrow or fear, would never sacrifice your own life or happiness for someone else. I know everything about you, back in the past, your Mommy was always there for you and Daddy could always keep you out of trouble. Which was pretty easy for a lawyer like him…" Kingfisher began and watched carefully how the black wolf reacted.

'Oh, I hurt you and now you hurt me? Fine, let's play that game and see what you got, oldtimer,' Gordon thought and waited. His face completely expressionless.

"...Let's begin with your mother who stayed home to take care of everything you wanted and needed. Money was never a problem for the Black family and then they got such a good son. The perfect ending for an already perfect story. Oh, and what for a good and bright boy you became. Fantastic grades, no obviously trouble during your school time, even though there were some rumors in your surroundings. About girls who got molested and violated, but no one dared to talk. Especially not the victims and they were predator and prey alike... nobody in the ZPD or the school staff came to the conclusion that it could be one perpetrator alone. They thought it must be one for every species which became a victim or maybe even a gang." Kingfisher explained. Gordon expected a grin but there was none. The face of the old fox was hard and unforgiving.

'From where did he know those things?' Gordon thought and tried to find an answer. It was one thing to discipline him but to talk so freely about his private life. Where did he get all this information? Gordon didn't know. He thought his dad had closed the story about the girls from his high school, so no one could ever find any dirt about him.

'Someone dug deep and well in my past, so much is sure. Not bad.' Gordon thought and kept his gaze on the red-furred mammal in front of him.

"No trouble for you then or afterwards. Almost like the happily ever after in a twisted fairytale where the bad guy wins. Your life continued with so many highs, best of your year, University of Zootopia with a major in law, best of your class there . . . Almost perfect. until a big downer hit you. Your parents died in a car accident. You know, I asked myself sometimes if you really cared for them or even felt something like grief. Maybe you did. Who knows and honestly... who would believe you if you did," Kingfisher explained with a chuckle after the last sentence but didn't even look over to Gordon at this point in time. The black wolf still tried to keep calm about this short but detailed and scaringly exact outline of his life. The fox continued after sniffing at his drink in obvious delight, "But even with their death you had it good. Mommy and daddy were rich and you were their only child. And as the good son you are, you honored him by becoming a lawyer, just like your old man once was and began to work as an apprentice in this company,the only intern who could wear the same expensive clothes as his superior coworkers."

"Please, don't come to the wrong conclusion. We inspect all the mammals who work here in the same manner. We needed to see your whole background and of course, what you and the other interns were capable of. To find out such things, we had the internal tests, which you all passed with flying colors. We knew soon that you could become a real lawyer at our company but you also passed all the tests to become an agent of the company. Never before had I seen somebody who could be so empathetic to another mammal. You interrogated them without their knowledge or any kind of suspicion because they thought they were talking to a friend. But no matter what you did to another mammal, if you tricked, deceived, hurt or killed them, you never felt any kind of guilt or shame. Am I right?" Kingfisher asked directly and Gordon knew he better gave the direct answer.

"Yes, you're right. So what?" Gordon said dryly and continued in his mind, 'Yeah… So what? I don't care for any of them or my parents or any other mammal. The better question is, why do you care so much, old fox? For a mob boss you do so many unnecessary things. You always it's for the sake of the Company, to keep it as a secret. Really? But I guess...no I know, you feel guilt for everything you did. You're not as hard as you act and as much as you want to play down the role of your family, you care about them.'

"I know what you think, Gordon. What in the name of the three does the old fox want from me? Well… I look at your life and all the opportunities you had. All the potential. You could have become anything, really anything from a great lawyer, to a city council member, maybe even a mayor who changed this town for the better. But somewhere along the path, you decided to become an asshole. You're very useful for the company, I give you that, but you act as if everything here belongs to you and that nothing you do has consequences… those times are over," Kingfisher said and gulped down the second glass of rum, just to refill it seconds later with the same amount.

"What does that mean for me?" Gordon asked and ignored the insult as best as he could. If the words of the fox were true and they were almost always, then he should keep his mouth shut, because no matter what comes next, Gordon wouldn't like it.

"It means that I strip you off your codename, your leading position, your privileges, and your high salary, but I guess the last point is rather meaningless for someone as rich as you… And I give you a new mission. During this mission you can prove yourself and show me that you're capable of restraining yourself, act according to orders and be a good boy. How does that sound?" Kingfisher said and a grunt escaped Gordon's muzzle. It took him a while before he could answer.

'You goddamn asshole. You didn't do that for nothing.' Gordon thought but decided to keep calm and his anger at bay.

"Terrible… but it's not as if I had any other option. I like living you know? I mean, it's that or death, if I remember the rules of the Company correctly. So…*sigh*... Let's get this done, because I have the sudden urge to drink. Tell me what the mission is about so I can go home and get hammered," Gordon said and felt nothing at all. He was always somebody who quickly got comfortable with new situations, but this time, it frightened even himself a little bit.

'Mmh, if that's the worst that can happen when you try to approach his private secretary then I'm fine with it,' Gordon thought and grinned internally. 'Maybe the job is even interesting…'

"You'll play the part of a City Council Inspector for the next month to observe a group of mammals and act if necessary. Tomorrow, you will begin to adjust to your new role, that's why Misses Smith is preparing all the papers for you. She was so kind to come here even at this hour and help me out," Kingfisher explained. Gordon could clearly see the dark glance that the old fox gave him when he mentioned the name of his secretary, but Gordon ignored it.

"Fine by me, but where will I work as an inspector? And even more important who are the targets?" Gordon asked indifferently, to show that what Kingfisher had said until now didn't touch him. Once again, the old fox began to talk.

"Your new workplace for the next few months will be the Precinct One and your targets will be Judy Hopps, my son, the oldest child of the richest mammals in Zootopia Elliot Anderson and all the mammals in their direct environment. Which means my daughter, her mate Stella Conroy and a black wolf like you with the name Nathan Graham. By now those will be your main targets but more could follow." Kingfisher said. His eyes never met Gordon's. All he did was to watch how the liquid floated around in his glass to the movement of his paw. Kingfisher looked incredible tired but at the same time unsure if what he was doing really was the right thing. He was brooding, something else that was new. Normally the old fox knew exactly what he wanted.

In contrast to the fox, Gordon loved the mission already. In fact, he needed all his concentration to hide a grin that was forcing itself from the back of his mind onto his muzzle, 'Finally! How long have I waited for an opportunity like this! Oh, this will be so much fun. Playing with the most famous cop in the whole town and I already thought for a minute I would get a real punishment. But this! This is like a big win in the Zootopia lottery! Conroy, Graham, Anderson, both Wild siblings and Hopps as a cherry on top of that! There remained just one question for him.'

"Why me? I thought we have the hare in precinct one to do the same job?" Gordon asked curiously.

"Do you really think I trust that psycho? He's obsessed with Miss Hopps and tries everything to be close to her. No, I need someone else there but he could be useful." Kingfisher said.

A faint knock came from the door, that brought Kingfisher back to reality.

"Yes, Misses Smith. Please, come in."

Olivia walked in but hesitated half-way through the room when she saw that Gordon was still there. He was grinning at her, while she approached the office desk carefully.

"Don't worry, he will do nothing. I promise," Kingfisher said and turned to the wolf, "I guess you like the mission, I gave to you?"

"Oh, let's just say there's not much to complain about," Gordon said. He was no longer able to hide his grin and the movement of his tail.

"Good," Kingfisher replied with a smile, "But let's not forget your punishment."

'Punishment? I thought he already did that?' The smile on his muzzle died slowly.

"Did you think taking all your privileges was all the punishment you would get? No, no, no, " Kingfisher said and took two big and heavy looking envelopes from Olivia, "Thank you, my dear. And please stand by a moment, I want you to hear the following."

Olivia wanted to protest but decided otherwise. She folded her paws in front of her lap and waited patiently. Gordon could feel that he made her obviously uncomfortable. Her gaze switched every five seconds nervously to the black wolf and then back to the huge cherry wood desk, where her boss sat.

"You know, Gordon. For a long time, I wondered what it is that you're after. What you really want. It couldn't be self-confirmation of yourself and your masculinity because let's be honest, you could have the two deer sisters in the bar without the roofies in their drinks. You're a good looking mammal, who's not too stupid to articulate himself. So I asked myself why the drugs?" Kingfisher explained and leaned back again. In Gordon's mind was just space for one thought.

'He's watching me! The old fox is watching me and I didn't even notice! Who could have done it? Maybe Paul? I should have never trusted that stupid tiger of a barkeeper...or...or maybe it was someone else. But who could it be?' Gordon thought. He could feel his heartbeat rising and saw again the predatory glance in Kingfishers eyes.

"Your public behavior wasn't enough to explain everything to me, so I ordered someone to sneak into your apartment and search through your stuff. I bet you didn't even notice," Kingfisher said with a slight smile on his muzzle.

Gordon hadn't noticed anything and his heartbeat rose even more.

"At first, I expected a mess but your rooms were tidy. Almost pedantic. The whole picture wasn't complete and I needed to complete it. No debts, no dirty laundry or obvious fetish. And then it clicked when I saw just one of your little self made videos. I understood that it's not about torture or pain... Also, quite a collection you have there, and what a catalog of evidence it would be if it lands in the wrong paws. Just imagine the headlines 'Son of famous Zootopia lawyer found guilty of rape in various cases.' What an end for such a promising mammal," Kingfisher said and spread his arms to paint a headline into thin air. When he looked even Olivia's gaze had changed from intimidated to curious.

Gordon's heart rate was almost exploding and if he hadn't had his black fur, he was sure to be as pale as a damned ghost at this very moment. 'It was one thing to know about my past but this. I'm damned.'

"But I digress. What I noticed was that there are two basic things you want above all else. Maybe you're not even aware of this yourself but your whole life is about seeking power and to keep control over other mammals. So I thought, what could be more fitting for your punishment than to tell you that you're not safe in your own home?" Kingfisher continued.

"Start! What do you mean with start? I get your threat, okay? There's no need to…," Gordon stood up and stepped to the desk. All the time while he was working for the Company, Gordon respected the old fox but right now he feared for his life and all the small and dark stories about him came to his mind. His shouting was fiercely interrupted by Kingfisher. The voice of the fox was so harsh that it allowed no word beside it and his gaze alone was a death threat.

"You understand nothing, Gordon! Because by now I didn't even start to threaten you but I will! So listen closely, if you'll ever lay your paws on a female mammal without their consent, and believe me I will know, "Kingfisher made a small break before he ended, "I will kill you and that is not just a threat but a promise."

A minute passed in which nobody said a word.

"And if there should happen anything to me, believe me, boy, there is someone who'll do my work for me. There are mammals you don't even know who can hurt and I tell you, pray that you'll never meet them." Kingfisher ended but wanted a reply, "Do you understand me?"

Gordon nodded. It was a weak sign of consent but enough to please the fox behind his desk. In the blink of an eye the face of Kingfisher changed from serious business to a soft smile.

"Good. Now, my dear Olivia, I think it's your turn to claim your amends." Kingfisher said, while he smiled up to the maned wolf, who looked in return at him with wide eyes.

"Sir, I-I h-have no idea…," Olivia began and was as lost as Gordon in the current situation.

"Well, he touched you in an inappropriate way that hurt you deeply and I'm a huge supporter of the old but simple law, an eye for an eye." Kingfisher explained.

"Sir, I still don't…," Olivia looked nervous to her Superior as if she waited for a direct command.

"Hit him," Kingfisher said dry, while he looked with a sly smile over to Gordon, who couldn't believe what he just heard. Seconds past and all that happened was that the black wolf began to laugh.

The sound that the wolf made in the large office was eerie. So much, that Olivia began to tremble. Gordon, however, was aware of his dire situation but he would stay to Kingfisher's threat. He would not touch her but his situation was just too surreal for him.

"Absurd! You can threaten me all you want but to think that this dumb bitch would hurt me. Never! I bet she couldn't do it, even if her life depended on it. She maybe looks like a predator but she's nothing but prey, an easy target for everyone like me who wants her on her knees..." Gordon fell suddenly silent. He expected a lot but never that Olivia's flat paw would slap him across his face. But she did. One slap was everything the desperate female wolf could do but it was more than enough to show a mammal like Gordon Black the line he shouldn't dare to cross.

He could taste blood at the spot of his lip where Olivia's golden wedding ring had hit him. But the pain didn't settle in, the shock was still not over.

"I'm not your prey, nor anyone else! And...and if you should ever approach me like today, I-I-I will defend myself with all I have!" Olivia yelled at the black wolf, with shaking paws that were clenched in front of her chest. There was a deep scratch in her wedding ring, where she had hit Gordon's muzzle and probably even damaged some one of his teeth, but Gordon didn't respond to her and she didn't notice. Not then. All he was capable of doing was to stare at the blood which he wiped from his lips.

"Good, my dear. You've done well. Please, have a drink. I already poured you one and I'm sure that it will calm your nerves." Kingfisher said satisfied and handed his own secretary the glass which Gordon wanted to claim for himself not too long ago.

"Th-thank you, Sir." Olivia replied and took the glass with both of her shaking paws. She drank everything in one gulp, which made her face flinch in an adorable way.

"Better?"

"Better." Olivia replied, while the old fox stood up and walked over to her.

"I have to thank you again for your quick help and excuse for this inappropriate behavior of one of my underlings. May I escort you to your car, Olivia?" Kingfisher said while he laid carefully a paw on her back to comfort her.

"That would be awfully nice of you and don't worry, I think we settled everything here and now." Olivia said and seemed to remember something, "I'll just get my purse and coat, and wait for you at the elevator, Sir."

With shaky legs, the young female maned wolf walked out of Kingfisher's office. From some meters away she looked like a young child who just learned to walk and who just did some insecure steps. Before the old fox followed her, he stood himself beside Gordon and laid his right paw on his shoulder.

"Never forget who is really in charge here." Those words were everything that Kingfisher said before he took his jacket and left to the waiting Olivia. Five minutes had passed since then and he was still sitting in the silent darkness of Kingfisher's office. The town and the emergency exit were the only light sources available.

The time passed but Gordon didn't move. He just sat there and waited. For what, he couldn't say. His mind was blank. Never before had one of his victims hurt him, some of them had struggled for a while but he was never physically harmed and even more important, never mentally. The old fox was right, power and control were the fundamental cornerstones of his personality because they were concepts that worked. They worked in Kindergarten, in Highschool and even now. They were easy concepts on which you could rely on. At least until now. Gordon knew that the old fox hadn't done that for nothing he wanted to make clear where Kingfisher stood and where he, Gordon Black, was in the hierarchy of this organisation. One day Gordon would get his revenge on the old fox, so much was sure for him.

When he was finally leaving the dark and empty office, he felt empty beyond belief and somehow drained. There was no one here and no one in his apartment. No one he could go to. No one who would care about him when he would disappear or die. Gordon Black was alone as ever, but for the first time in his life, he felt lonely and powerless.

Judy

At a certain point in time, even the most enthusiastic bunny in the world had to accept that the mood was simply dead. The clock showed that it was almost midnight when Judy took a good look around her discouraged group of friends. Stella, who still sat at the right end of the round couch of the separee, had opened after two glasses of Stout and a considerable number of whiskey shots the highest buttons of her uniform to breath more easily. With her right paw, she swiveled her glass with a last sip of liquor in it, while her left paw caressed slowly the red fur on Patty's head which laid on her thighs.

The red vixen, however, wasn't sleeping. Most of the time she stared with her eyes at the ceiling but every now and then she took a glance at the clock on the other side of the room. Laying on her back, her feet wriggled nervously against Judy's right arm but the doe had already given up to stop Patty from bugging her. Every 'Please, Patty. Stop it.' from Judy followed an 'Oh honey, this vixen here really want to stop but my feet? No chance, they have a will on their own.' from Patty. After the third time, Judy just surrendered with a groan to the sassy vixen and tried to ignore it as best as she could.

Close to her left sat Nick, his tail wrapped around her back to keep her warm. He was mindlessly playing with the black poker chip he got from Jack, while he watched, like his sister, the clock on the other side of the room. The ZBI agent allowed Nick to tell Judy everything about their shared past, but the story around the poker chip was one the fox always tried to dodge when Judy wanted to know more.

'One day, Carrots, when you're old enough for this story, I'll tell you everything.' Nick had said two weekends ago when they laid together in bed after a romantic dinner on their balcony, which Judy had prepared with a little bit of help from Emilia. Nick's mother was as always glad to help the bunny with the preparations. Back then, Nick had just drawn the blanket over their heads and started cuddling. One kiss to the bunnies cheek and another one on her ear and Judy knew that the interrogation had to be deferred to another day.

To Nick's left laid Nathan with his head on the table, while he was snoring softly. His empty glass still enclosed by his left paw. This evening, the young wolf learned the hard way, that drinking with Emilia Wilde was just a good idea if you know what you do and could take the alcohol. The first part of the lesson came today but the most important part would come to him when he would awake in the morning with a devastating headache.

Elliot, however, had stopped to sit around and was now walking up and down in front of the group's table. With his smartphone in his paw, he still typed like crazy on the glowing screen, cursing every now and then. Nobody knew what he was talking and even when he got a question from Nick, he just walked on with even more typing, reading, and cursing.

"He's not coming back, Nick," Patty said in a discouraged voice and continued to stare at the ceiling.

"Thanks for the intel, Sherlock Wilde. Maybe you should've gone to the police academy and not me." Nick responded slightly annoyed.

"Maybe I should have," Patty responded and lifted her upper body into a sitting position, "And you know what? Those blue uniforms would look better on me than you, brother."

Nick was bored until now and seemed even a little delighted about the small quarrel. The poker chip in his paw disappeared and he clapped both of his paws to his heart, "Woah, oh no...that hurts Patty...oh wait. It doesn't."

"Oh, I know it does. You just don't want to admit it and now you play the tough one in front of your doe." Patty continued with a grin on her muzzle.

Sudden laughter came from Judy which broke the tension between the fox siblings. Both of them turned to the grey bunny with question marks on their faces.

"What's wrong?" Patty asked.

"Sorry, I just can't imagine that Nick plays the tough guy while I'm around, that's definitely my part. Right, Slick?" Judy replied and nudged him playfully with her elbow into his side. Nick smiled down at her and remained silent, "And besides, Patty, I think Nick looks great in his uniform."

"Do you hear that, Sis? I look great in it." Nick replied grinning.

"Yeah, says the bunny from the countryside, where everything fashion-wise that goes beyond an overall is counted as something extraordinaire." Patty shot back still smiling. She looked from Judy to Nick and back, waiting for a continuation of their little rivalry.

"And down you go," Stella said from behind Patty. The arctic vixen laid her left paw on Patty's forehead and pulled her back down to her thighs, where she laid before.

"Hey! What's that for?" Patty replied huffily.

"That was one too much. You, my darling, become always bitchy after some drinks, especially late at night and you know that." Stella said while she fondled the fur on her partner's head.

"I would say I wasn't too bitchy…," Patty replied with crossed arms and closed her eyes to enjoy the treatment from Stella. The group went silent again and remained in such a state until Judy made a decision that she wanted to share.

"Alright! We will wait another half hour for Heishiro's return. If he's not coming back. We go home and catch some sleep. Tomorrow is a long day and somehow we also have to wake Nathan...or bring him home...somehow" Judy said and stood up. With little effort, she slipped under the table and walked towards the kitchen, in her pocket was still the knife which Emilia had drawn earlier in her confrontation with Adrian and which she wanted to return.

"And where do you want to go, Carrots?" Nick asked with raised eyebrows.

"I want to check on your mom. Anything wrong with that?" Judy replied. She could hear her fox almost thinking behind her.

"Nope, just check on her, Fluff. I'm not too fond of her in her drunken state, always brings back memories of Christmas with her and the guys from the restaurant." Nick said and shuddered. Not even a second later and Patty was again sitting between her brother and Stella with a grin. The arctic vixen sighed about the sudden change of her mate and began to empty her drink instead.

"Oh, come on, Nick. It wasn't so bad! Remember that one time when uncle Heishi and mom sang all those Christmas songs wrong because they had too much wine?" Patty said delightedly.

"Yes...and it was so awkward, that I don't want to remember it...but thanks, Sis," Nick replied and tried to take the empty glass out of Nathan's paw but the black wolf held it too tight. In the end, he needed several attempts to rob the glass from his canine friend.

"Hah! Gotcha!" Nick replied satisfied.

Judy stopped at the kitchen door and took a last look back at her group. 'Why can't it be always like this?' Judy asked herself and turned after a deep sigh away from her group.

The conversation between her fox and his sibling went on, after some time, even Stella joined them. Just Elliot was still typing and Nathan, well, he was still sleeping when Judy entered the dark kitchen. She needed a moment to adjust her eyes to it but the bright moonlight was helping plenty to navigate through the room.

Brushed metal and professional kitchen gadgets reflected the pale light and made the normally so chaotic room look almost peaceful. Judy walked past the massive kitchen isle and reached the steps that lead to the upper part of the greenhouse on one end of the floor or Emilia's office on the other. Her grey paw had already enclosed the handrail when she paused and decided to get something from the kitchen for the elderly vixen. A minute later, Judy stood smiling in front of the office door. In her left paw a large glass of water with two slices of lemon in it. She knocked but there was just silence.

Judy decided to knock again, this time a little bit louder than before. A painful moan sounded from the other side of the door, followed by tortured sounding, "Come in."

With a bright smile on her face, Judy walked in and saw how Emilia tried to sit herself up on her small red couch but seemed to have trouble because of her injured arm. Quickly, the young doe rushed to help the elderly vixen.

"Let me help you, Emilia," Judy shouted and supported her to get into a better position.

"Ahh...thank you, my dear. I guess it's official now...I'm too old to drink...or at least I shouldn't drink too much of the hard stuff." Emilia said with a smile to hide her pain but it was no good, Judy saw that her headaches were already here and tormenting her.

'Why do all Wildes have to play the strong one?' Judy thought and had to smile herself. It wasn't hard to see how much the foxes in her life resembled each other. They were a family through and through but just one fox didn't fit into the picture and somehow that bugged Judy. Adrian and everything around him was like a mystery to Judy. Why was he doing what he did? What is his aim? Why this private conversation with the whole group? Why now?

'Maybe I should discuss tomorrow with the others.' Judy thought and put on a smile to cover her concerns.

"Here, I assumed you could use some," Judy said and pushed those thoughts into the back of her mind. With one paw she held the glass with the two pieces of lemon, who drifted in it like lost ships after a storm, to Emilia.

"OH, my… you're too good for this world, Judy." Emilia said and drank the water slowly. When that was done, not even the remaining lemon pieces were safe. With delight and a little shiver, she sucked on the sour fruit. Meanwhile, Judy sat beside Emilia and took a good look around the little office of the elderly vixen.

The room was small but filled with shelves on every wall with files, bills, and books, which were neatly arranged and left no doubt about the seriousness of the owner. The only exception to the shelves was the couch on which the two females just sat and Emilia's desk. The couch stood below a large window, that showed a beautiful view over the greenhouse and huge parts of Belmont's Oasis, a beautiful park with rare plants in central Zootopia which was once created and sponsored by Vincent Belmont, an ancestor of one of the founding fathers of the city.

On the desk was beside an old telephone just paper, pencils and some pens.

Just for a second, Judy wondered that there was no computer on the desk until she remembered that Emilia was no fan of modern technology. It wasn't too complicated for her, Emilia simply preferred the old way and the fact that she wasn't always reachable. 'If someone wants something from me, then they should have the decency to approach me personally or not at all.' The vixen explained once to Judy and Bonny Hoops during the Christmas holidays, while she was cutting carrots and other vegetables into small pieces.

"Ohh, yes! That hit the spot." Emilia exclaimed and laid back on the comfy couch.

"Better?"

"A little bit, but I know now that my next morning will not start with a gigantic headache," Emilia replied and smiled down to Judy. This time it was more for the sake of smiling and not to hide her pain.

"And...well…," Judy began but was struggling to find the right words for what she wanted to ask. 'Sweet cheese and crackers, how do you ask somebody about her husband, who just threatened everyone who was part of that conversation? How?'

"You want to know about, Adrian. Right?"

"I'm sorry, but I need to know what he's up to, Emilia. Every little bit of information about him could help to bring any light into the whole situation...I mean...why us? Why now? Who are his allies and what's that all about? There's so much...are you okay? " Judy said and touched with her paw Emilia's back. The vixen had begun to cry in silence, no word and no sound came from her.

"Believe me, Judy, I also want to know all those kind of things. For a long time, I thought about him every day and night, how he left us and what he was doing. I couldn't understand how he simply disappeared from our lives. And be sure, I hate him for what he did, but…," Emilia ended her sentence and grabbed with her left and still good paw the fabric of her black skirt. It was the first time that Judy saw her ashamed of something.

"But?"

A deep exhale came from Emilia before she began to talk in a soft voice, that was so unlike her but spoke what was on her mind, "...but even after all, he said today and the things he said to me on the day he left me, I still love him. I guess it sounds weird...and almost like treason to all of you but the truth is, that I still love the mammal who almost broke my arm today. Only the goddesses know that I did worse things to him when we lived together and he just laughed about it. But believe me one thing, Judy. There are a lot of mammals who tell others that they are over their husbands or lover when they were left behind, but I know that they are not. They're lying to themselves when they try to cover up the part of their heart and soul that is now missing. You...you probably can't understand me, Judy...and I hope you never have to."

'No! No, no, no, no. . . that can't be true. Emilia must be joking.' Judy thought in shock when she heard what Emilia said to her and moved instinctively some inches away from the vixen. The last time, Judy felt like this was years ago and happened when her mother told her crying in her arms, after a long day of fieldwork, that her grandmother had died. It was not understandable for her that this had really happened but she had to accept it. Back then, her whole mind had stopped working and refused to start and work as it should. And now the sentence 'I still love him' circled in her mind like a black hole that swallowed every other rational thought without resistance.

"How!" Judy shouted at Emilia and tried after her first harsh reaction to calm down. With clenched fists, she sat beside the vixen she admired so much and took in several deep breaths of fresh and chilly air from the slightly open window behind her. After a few seconds, she seemed calm on the outside but was still furious on the inside, "How can you say something like this? All those years, he lied to you! And you...you still love him?"

"Judy...it's not as easy as you think."

"Oh really? I think it is! He lied to you and he probably chose you just for his own pleasure! He seemed like the kind of mammal who would do something like this!" Judy said with a disgusted face.

"Judy…" Emilia tried to intervene with a soft smile but Judy didn't care. The doe had talked herself into a rage and went on without mercy.

"He fooled you and probably did all the time what he wanted for his own selfish reasons!" Judy continued, not realizing that she talked herself into a rage.

"Judy…"

"And...and, when he had enough of you and Nick and Patty. He ditched you like a useless toy and went on!"

"Judy…," Emilia said and laid her left paw on Judy's, "...it wasn't him who wanted the relationship in the first place. It was me. I choose him, not the other way around. And I can say for sure that I was never his toy...but for the other way around. Well..." Emilia said and ended with a grin, that Judy knew by now to interpret. The doe blushed but kept staring at Emilia.

"You...What?" Judy replied astonished, while the expectations she had created in her mind, about how the relationship between Emilia and Adrian Wilde was, began and ended, started slowly to crumble into pieces.

Instantly, Judy recalled the first lesson of detective procedures with Nick, Stella, and Nathan, in the Police Academy. It was the most important advice Detective Pinkerton, who was an old and already grey boar but also a detective with over thirty years of experience, gave them for their future work. Never go too biased on a case or you will mess it up.

Right now, Judy had ignored this first rule to be a good detective.

"Judy...if you ask me, then Adrian lied to me just two times, since the day I met him. He was never a liar but he could play whatever was demanded of him if he needed to. Oh, dear mammals... I never thought I would have to talk with someone about all of this...You see…," Emilia began and grasped Judy's paw tighter. The vixen searched for the right words but Judy didn't know if she would like them, "Maybe you don't believe me, but...the Adrian I knew was nothing like the mammal you met today. He was... kind,... loving and also carrying."

"You're right. I don't believe you." Judy said cold and asked herself if it was fair to treat Emilia like this and the voice from her mind could just reply with a loud, 'Yes.'

'Of course, it is! She defends a criminal, a murderer, and a monster, after all the things I heard today. How can she still love him?' Judy thought with trembling paws and knew that Emilia could feel the shaking, but Judy did not care.

"Nick told me what a father he was! That he left his family behind and never returned, how much more do I have to know? Nick even said that you stopped to care for him...and now you tell me the exact opposite?" Judy said maybe a little bit too loud. By then, Emilia looked almost apologetic.

"I have to admit that my anger about Adrian after he left was too strong to think straight, so I did what I thought was the only right thing. I played it down in front of my children and tried to be the strong one. Someone who tried to manage work, kids and just a small amount of money for three mammals. It was not always easy. In the following years, I had no time or will to think too much about Adrian because life kept me busy. In the end, it was Nick and his leaving that made me rethink my past and what had happened. I had lost two of the most important mammals in my life and I knew I had to understand why. You see, Judy...What made me angry today to the point where I snapped, was not the words he once said to me or that he threatened me and Heishiro. What did the trick was the fact that he lied again to me. Tse, he probably thought I wouldn't recognize his little play." Emilia said with a bitter smile while she began to massage her temples with her bad arm. The procedure seemed to cause pain in both body parts at once.

"But how can you say for sure that he didn't lie to you during the time the two of you lived together? How?" Judy said and sounded almost desperate to hear the answer from Emilia. In return, the elderly vixen smiled knowingly through the pain, that was still coming from her arm and headache.

"Judy, my dear," Emilia said and began to stroke the back of Judy's paw with her thumb, "There'll come a time in the far or near future, where you know when your partner lies to you and when he's honest...And there'll be moments in which he can't lie. In those moments you just see who he truly is."

"What...what do you mean?" Judy said calmer. Her anger was still there but so was her interest to know what the elderly vixen meant. Judy saw that Emilia thought of some pleasant memories, that made her whole face lit up.

"As I said earlier, today...that wasn't the Adrian that I knew, just the one I saw last before he left. But...Let me tell you a little story, Judy, "Emilia said and cleared her throat before she went on, "The day I went with Nick into labor, Adrian was more nervous than I was. He was a mess, a mental wreck. He walked around the house, double-checked every piece of luggage which he had carefully prepared for the hospital and asked several times on the phone when the taxi he had ordered would finally arrive. All of this happened, while I sat in my armchair and watched him go crazy with pain and delight. We needed the cab, you know? Because Adrian is the worst driver I have ever seen in my whole life. Oh my, how often have I mocked him for this? Countless times, I guess, but he never complained about it. All he did was smile softly and say, 'As long as I'm good enough for you, I'm fine with it'."

Emilia had to laugh and Judy watched how young the vixen looked when she was happy. The anger faded, slowly but it did and Judy thought that it wouldn't hurt to keep that smile on Emilia's face for a little while longer.

"Well...the apple doesn't fall far from the tree," Judy said smiling.

'Oh sweet cheese and crackers, I really can't be too long angry with a fox from this family...I hope that will never be my downfall.'

"No way... don't tell me. Nicholas can't drive, too?" Emilia asked and chuckled.

"He can drive if he wants to...but in comparison he's better at cooking," Judy replied, trying to keep a straight face. The vixen looked suspicious at Judy and moved her eyebrows in a way how just a true Wilde family member could do it.

"But...Nicholas is terrible at...oh! Now, I get it. Those damn alcohol let me think so slow…," Emilia mumbled and went on. Judy could already see the joke on her lips, "However, we both know that if he produces an unburned garden salad, we can be really happy." Emilia said laughing. Without thinking, Judy joined her just too willingly in her laughter. Her mind said it was wrong to laugh with her but somehow it felt right at this moment of this crazy day.

This time it was Judy who took Emilia's paw and gave her a quick squeeze to cheer her up. Monster or not, what Emilia had told her sounded like a completely different mammal from a completely different planet, and Judy wanted to hear Emilia's story to the end.

"I'm sorry, how I reacted to you, Emilia. I would like to hear the end of your story." Judy said.

"No need to apologize, my dear. I guess I would've reacted even worse in your situation...Where was I?" Emilia replied and tried to concentrate where she stopped.

"You ended with the cab."

"Ahh yes. There we go...The cab stopped ten minutes later than planned in front of our house. The driver was a young raccoon who already wanted to protest when he saw Adrian enter the backseat area with a bag but remained silent when he saw me and my big tummy. Words were exchanged where we wanted to go and then there was just silence. Silence was always something that made me nervous and to know that one more mammal would soon be part of my family didn't help at all. So, I sat there and fumbled with my paws on the big blue ribbon that was right on top of my big belly and the dress I wore that day. And without even recognizing it, tears began to stream down my face. It was all too much for me and besides that, it was also the first time where I didn't know what would happen. No one had told me. My mother died when I was young and so I had no female relative who could've helped me through this. I was scared like the young girl I was at that time. But then…," Emilia paused and smiled.

"Then?" Judy replied and looked up to the vixen and saw the warmth in her gaze and smile.

"Then, as if he knew what to do, Adrian took my paw into his and said, 'Don't worry, Em. I'm here for you...I love you.' And he kept his promise. For the next seven hours, until Nicholas was born, he didn't let go of my paw or even left my side. No matter how much I cursed at him or tried to squeeze his paw to a bloody pulp after every contraction, he remained at my side. In the most critical moment, he turned and said to me, 'You're doing great, Em. I know you can do this...and to the curses. You know you love me, right?'. I was at the highpoint of the last contraction and I replied through clenched teeth, 'Do I know that?' but the pain eased and my mind was soon back where it belonged. Exhausted and tired, I smiled at him and replied with a simple, 'Yes...yes I do.' Not even a second later, Nicholas's first screams broke the short silence. It was one of the happiest moments of my life, Judy." Emilia said and waited.

Judy would lie when she would say that she wasn't touched by this story. But the more she heard, the more question began to pile up in her mind. Starting a case with an unbiased mind was one thing but to have so many contradicting points for the main suspect was simply a nightmare, for which she had no solution. Judy even wished she could meet the young Adrian Wilde for a little while to ask him some questions and see if Emilia wasn't able to see some red flags through her rose-colored glasses, but even this, Judy doubted.

"I like this story and the moment you mentioned. I guess, I also begin to understand why you still love him. He seemed to be a real gentlemammal...similar to his son." Judy replied.

"Oh! A gentlemammal he was for sure...but that wasn't the moment I meant, my dear." Emilia replied with a grin, "After a long time, in which little Nicholas was cleaned from head to toe, checked if everything was alright with him and swaddled into a thick blanket, he was given to me. I kissed and snuggled him for nearly an eternity and when I had my fair share of my son, I wanted to give this small piece of fox to Adrian. At first, he looked shaky and even drew his paws nervously back when I wanted to hand him, Nicholas. 'A-are you sure, Em?' he asked me reluctantly but I gave him no choice and put Nicholas in his arms. 'He's your son. If not you, who else should have the right to hold and love him?' For a while, Adrian stared just down at Nicholas and Nicholas stared back at Adrian. Then and without a warning, Nicholas laughed for the first time and Adrian began to cry with a proud smile on his face. It was the first time I saw him like this and the moment in which I knew that he truly loved his newborn son. I ask you, Judy. What is more possible? That something happened and because of this he had to disappear by lying two times straight into my face or that he faked almost five years of a happy marriage...and you don't have to believe me but those tears were genuine, Judy." Emilia said and leaned back on her couch with her eyes closed.

"No, I guess you're right and as difficult it may be for me, but...I believe you, Emilia. But what is this all about? Why did he do all those things? I mean what is the bigger picture here?" Judy asked desperately. Instead of an answer, Emilia could just shake apologetic with her head.

"I...I don't know, Judy. I'm sorry but I wish I could tell you more but...I can't because there isn't anything else. He never spoke about his past and I never bothered him to tell me. We were happy and that's basically all. During our marriage, we were just a happy little family." Emilia ended and another silence set in.

It was a dead-end and Judy was already desperate. If not even the wife of Adrian Wilde had any idea what this was all about, how else could give her a lead? And all those memories and facts that didn't fit. It would be no easy case and then there were Nick and the others... Tears began to roll down Judy's face when she thought about her friends and partner down in the restaurant.

"I have no idea what I should do, Emilia...All of them believe in me and think I would know what we have to do because I'm the so-called hero of Zootopia. But I'm no hero. I have no idea how to lead mammals who trust me. If it would be just about me, I had no problem to take any risk or fight any opponent...but it's no longer just about me. Nick, Patty, Stella, Nathan, Elliot... My decisions will probably decide about their life and...I don't want to think about it but maybe their death. I have no idea how this whole mess will turn out. The whole town could be our enemy as far as we know." Judy said and began to wipe away her tears, twitching nervously with her nose when more thoughts came to her mind but none of them were helpful to her. In fact, it made her even more worried.

"Listen, Judy...I'm no complete idiot. I'm probably a love drunk fool who still clings to someone she should've abandoned a long time ago from her heart...but I simply couldn't do that. If Adrian really committed crimes, he has to be punished for them. And I will try to help you as well as I can and as I thought about it, there could be something useful. You see...there's still a box with his belongings in the attic of our...my house. Not even Patricia or Nicholas know about it." Emilia said and shook her head, "Tse, how pathetic."

"What do you mean?" Judy asked confused.

"He hid it once before me but I found it. It was one of the reasons we began to argue on this infamous Saturday and what did I do? I kept the lie of it being non-existent to my own children." Emilia explained and looked over to Judy, "I will search for it and give it to you. Do with it whatever you want...I'm sure you'll make a better decision than I did." Emilia explained and smiled at Judy in the typical Wilde way, that Judy loved so much.

"How can you be so sure?" Judy asked and wiped the last tears from her eyes.

"You, my dear, are meant to do great things. I know it."

"Yes, you said that already, "Judy replied with rolling eyes and chuckled, "but how can you be so sure? Maybe your son was right and I'm just a dumb bunny after all." Judy replied with a bitter smile. The reaction of the vixen doesn't come immediately. She took her time and seemed to search for certain memories.

"My father always said:'... in the end, my sweetling, everything will be fine.' And I never understood how he could say something like that in such a broken world. But now, after I met you...I got a glimpse of what he could have meant." Emilia said smiling, while she leaned closer to Judy.

"But...but what if not everything is fine? What if the problems are getting worse and worse?" Judy asked. One glance at Emilia and she knew that the vixen had awaited this question.

"I asked my father the same question and he simply said, 'Then my dear, it is not the end.' and smiled," Emilia replied and saw how Judy thought about these words. But Emilia already knew that it wouldn't take long before the next question would be asked by the bunny.

"Can I ask you one last question, Emilia?"

"Of course, my dear. Anything you want."

"Why do you trust me so much and think so highly of me? I don't get it."

"Why?" Emilia asked amused and laughed heartily, "Because you are the hero of Zootopia. No doubt about it for me. You saved all those savage predators and you caught Bellwether!"

"But just with Nick's help! I couldn't have done any of those things without him." Judy replied but Emilia did not care. She just continued and leaned even closer to Judy. Now, there was just a gap of some inches between the two. Judy could see every white tooth of Emilia's smug grin, but even so, there was no fear in the bunny. Not even the tiniest bit.

"...but most important to me, you brought my son back and even more important, you make him happy. For this... you will always be my hero, Judy." Emilia ended and gave Judy a kiss on the forehead. Smiling, Judy looked up and replied, "I guess members of the Wilde family really love to kiss bunnies, Dontcha?"

"Well, in my defense, I heard from my children that it brings luck to kiss a bunny. Both did and both are very lucky with their current partners. And isn't that what really matters?" Emilia replied, still smiling but Judy could see the need for sleep in her eyes, "You should go back to the others, my dear. And remember that I'll call you as soon as I found his last belongings. Maybe it's not much but I'll help where I can to solve this case."

"Thank you, Emilia. For the little talk we just had and of course the help you want to provide." Judy replied.

Without further ado, Judy stepped down from the couch but turned the last time for tonight back to the sleepy-looking vixen, "You should catch some more hours of sleep. I'll tell Patty to look after you in the morning."

"Aye, aye, Captain," Emilia replied while she slowly drew a blanket over the body, while a yawn escaped her muzzle. Judy turned off the lights and closed the door to the small office. Even after this long conversation, she had no idea what Judy should think about Adrian Wilde. Right now, it seemed as if the truth behind Adrian Wilde lay in a thick and heavy mist that was full of dangers for them but this wouldn't be the first time she had to face dangers.

She had found the missing mammals with no other resources than Nick's help. She and Nick had caught Bellwether, even so, the situation seemed more than hopeless. And now with even more help, Judy was sure that they could find out the truth behind Adrian Wilde and the Company.

She had to find the truth. This town was for everyone and not just some gangsters who thought they could just take whatever they want. For now, Judy pushed the thought about her dead cousin aside. As long as there's no hard evidence for or against him, there's no use in thinking too much about it.

Not even half a minute later and she walked out of the kitchen and directly towards their separee. The scene was almost unchanged. Nick, Patty, and Stella were still talking but at the spot where Judy sat before was now Elliot with a glass in his paw, who seemed to have given up on whatever he was doing before.

With a single jump and a loud bang, Judy stood on the edge of the table. Her landing was so loud that it woke the poor Nathan. Startled by the doe, Nathan got up and blinked alternately with a green and a blue eye at the mammals around him, not really aware where he was or what happened.

"Good morning, sunshine." Judy chirped cheerfully at the black wolf, who responded with a smile, followed by a yawn, "Good morning, Judy."

"How's mum, Carrots?" Nick asked.

"Oh, she's fine. No need to worry," Judy replied to her fox and turned to Patty, "But just in case, could you take a look at her in the morning, Patty?"

"Sure thing. I'll make a quick visit before I start my shift at work. The best thing is if I take some painkillers with me. She sure drank a lot for a female mammal of her age...and good thing she's not here to hear that." Patty replied worried and began to search for something in her bag.

"I...I want to say something to all of you and it's kinda important." Judy said and waited. One mammal after the other turned towards the bunny on the table. Nick gave Judy a small node to show her that she could begin.

"I don't know what lays ahead of us. And I don't know the dangers or risks we have to face, but I also don't know the happy times we may have or mammals we will meet and call someday friends on our way. I don't want to lose anyone of you but I know we have to risk our lives to succeed, because the enemy is strong and merciless. I can't force you to follow me and I would never do that. And I know that every one of you had already given me their word to fight the company but I need to ask if you stand by my side no matter what happens... Because you've seen today what it could mean to stand against the company. And this was nothing to the things that still awaits us," Judy said in a strong voice, while her eyes wandered from one friend to the next, "Every one of you has their own reasons to fight and I know that I don't need an army to bring this town peace and justice. All I need is you and your trust in me. If you give me that, then I'm sure we will succeed. We will end the lies that made the Company to what it is now, we will end the death of mammals that no one remembers and together we will make this town, our home, a better place...My only question is...Are you with me as your leader?"

Silence reigned in the almost dark restaurant and all eyes were set on the young but enthusiastic doe.

"Carrots, you know I would follow you even into the deepest depths of hell...and maybe we're even up to do just that. But...you can have everything from me that you want, my word, my body, my life...it's all yours. You know that." Nick explained and ended with a smug grin that Judy loved so much.

"Thanks, Nick," Judy replied and smiled at him.

"You know what they did to me and you also know that I want to see those bastards burn. The longer and hotter the better. I don't care how much it costs me. You have my word that I will follow you, even if it kills me." Elliot said and Judy knew that every word of him could be set to stone, even so the last part scared her.

"Thank you, El."

"Nothing to thank me for, boss," Elliott said and took a sip from his drink, which was a clear liquid.

"The more time I've spent time with you in the last month, the more I knew how important you became with every new day. But I also learned one other thing about me. I have to find out who my parents are. And you can call me crazy or naive but I have the feeling that they had something to do with all of that...but even if it wasn't for them. I can't let you, as my family, just run into the flames...all of you have my word." Nathan said and looked at his folded paws. He still looked a little bit drunk but Judy could feel that he meant what he said.

"Thank you, Nathan."

Judy turned to her left and looked at two grinning vixens. Each of them had their arm slung around the other one. White and Red, they seemed as if they would contradict each other, like fire and snow. But Judy knew no one who could be closer than those two. In the end, it was Patty who spoke. Not that Judy had expected anything else.

"Girl, don't look at us like that. I can see the doubt in your purple eyes, but no need for that. You can be sure that we two beauties stay behind you, no matter what. Second of all, you darling need some female backup to give these Company mammals a good whooping. From what I saw today they definitely need one. Am I right or what, Stella?" Patty said triumphant to Stella and held her paw up for a high-five. The arctic vixen smiled just softly at her partner and took her paw slowly down. Carefully, she enclosed the dark red paw with her two white ones.

"Hun, on my part, I would feel much safer, if you would support us only from the sideline. You're not a fighter...well not in the literal sense of it...but you know what I mean. Life-saving, patching up mammals and most of all emotional support, that's what your good in. Please stick to this, will ya?" Stella asked and both vixens looked at each other for a while. Everyone could see the concern and love on Stella's face as well as her wish that Patty would just accept the request of her mate.

"Fine...I'll stay on the sideline...," Patty said disappointed and rolled her eyes. Stella gave her a quick kiss on her cheek and the red vixen turned grinning to Nathan, "...but I can't wait to fix on of you up. I hope it's you, Nathan. I never had the chance to operate on a wolf."

Patty had an almost crazy smile on her face when she said that and Nathan looked as if he didn't know if that was intentional, a form of really dark humor or just honest excitement.

"Ehmm...okay. Let's hope that it will never come to this. Hehe." Nathan replied with an insecure chuckle and earned himself a wink from Patty in return, "Never say never."

"Anyhow, " Stella said and drew the attention back to her, "You can always count on us, Judy. Without exception."

"Thank you, all of you." Judy said with tears in her eyes, "You can't believe how much that means to me."

"I would say, that demands a toast!" Nick said and poured everyone a drink from a bottle that he had pulled from under the table and which contained a clear liquid but no label on the front.

"Nick? Really? Didn't we have enough for one night." Judy asked.

"Oh come on, Carrots. One last drink to cheer us up, that's all I'm asking for." Nick begged her and as always when he looked at her like this, with his big green eyes and smug smile, she couldn't deny his request. Silent, she thought to herself, 'This damn and handsome fox.'

"Fine...one last drink before we go, but make it quick," Judy said loud and nodded

"Alright. Everyone! Raise your cups!" Nick commanded and everyone followed his order, "To our leader and that we will make a better world."

"...And to all of you. The best friends a bunny could ask for. Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Everyone replied and drank.

The liquid was down but every mammal on the table began to cough and moan from whatever they just drank.

"Damn, Nick. What was that?" Patty asked her brother and Stella added, "Yeah, it felt as if I would burn from the inside. That can't be good."

"I…*cough*...I have no idea. If I had to guess I would say it's self-made booze from Mum. But I had no idea she would make it in such intensity. Bah, that was much too strong."

"Oh no...I think I'm blind. Nathan! Do something!" Elliot shouted in fear and Nathan reacted immediately. He snapped his fingers in front of the beavers muzzle, who just blinked several times and went back to his calm but grumpy self, "Okay, forget it. False alarm."

"I think it was quite nice," Judy said. She was the only one who didn't complain but looked at the mammals around her with a bright smile on her face, "I think I would take another one."

Everyone stared at Judy as if she was the toughest mammal in the world. A true badass or so Elliot would say. No one of them could see behind her mask of pain and fear, not even her fox. It was this very moment that she understood why Emilia did certain things the way she did. It was not about her, it was about them. There was no gain in telling them now, only loss. So, she decided to keep the conversation between her and Emilia to herself. Hoping, that one day a better moment would arrive to tell a story that no one wanted to hear.

'I never thought that being the leader meant to be the loneliest person of a team. But here I am. Let's keep that smile for a little longer, Judy. Their day was hard enough.'

With her mind made up Judy continued to smile for her friends.