The Fire Triangle -- Part II, Oxidizer

The Fire Triangle: Book II - Chapter 3

"Ohhh, I'm sorry to hear that Chief," Judy answered, genuinely sympathetic. Detective Captain Wissent and Chief Bogo were known to be very close, having come up through the ranks together. The bison was supposed to have had a lock on becoming the ZPD's next Chief of Detectives when his boss, Omar Xingu 'pulled the pin' next year.

"Wasn't anything criminal," Bogo was saying, having once again anticipated her thoughts. "Some daft-idiot pedestrian was too busy texting to pay attention to the oncoming traffic. Another driver swerved to avoid her, and it set off a chain reaction." His face became a smoldering ember. "And, wouldn't you know it? The only animals seriously hurt were David and one other driver; the others all walked away with only a few scratches."

Judy suspected that Captain Wissent and that 'one other driver' had been the only larger species involved in that accident—she'd seen rodents crawl out unscathed from vehicles that looked like they'd been steamrolled. Wisely, she kept that to herself; instead trying to focus on what she knew about Detective Lieutenant Charles Saw, the dour, unsmiling, and now acting-head of the ZPD Organized Crime Unit.

A sun bear by species, he hailed originally from the Shan State in Myakmar, an area long under the thumb of perpetually warring crime cartels. Born into virtual slavery, he had escaped, along with his family, at the age of 12, losing his mother and two of his sisters along the way. Because of these experiences, he was known to harbor a deep loathing for all things criminal, in particular the organized side of it. Although Judy had never heard anything about it from the sun bear himself, she had been warned several times—by both her former partner and Benjamin Clawhauser—to give him a wide berth. "You need to know, Carrots; Saw's supposed to be none too happy about you being friends with Mr. Big's daughter."

So far, it had never become an issue and for a very simple reason. Since the day Judy had put on her badge she crossed paths with Lieutenant Saw maybe once in a blue moon.

Now, however, that moon was full and on the rise. "Sweet cheez n' crackers, protect this, thy humble bunny-servant."

"Hopps?"

Oops, Chief Bogo was speaking to her again. She could only hope she hadn't zoned out for too long.

"Before the Lieutenant gets here, I want to ask you something. You knew the sort of trouble you'd be facing if you paid an unauthorized call on Mr. Big—especially after the episode of Rock Hardesty—but you did it anyway; why?"

Okay, this time the doe-bunny's words didn't desert her.

"Two reasons, sir. Number one, like the old saying goes, 'sometimes it's easier to obtain forgiveness than permission.'"

"Let's hope, for your sake, that's the case here." The big Cape buffalo muttered, apparently to himself, and then looked at her again, "and the second reason?"

Once again, she didn't hesitate.

"Sir, if there's one thing I've come to understand over the past few hours it's that the Red Pig and Mr. Big are right on the brink of war. And so I'll tell you what I told him; I'll do whatever it takes to protect the citizens of Zootopia from getting caught up in their fight...even at the risk of my life." She lowered her voice but kept her eyes level with his; "So why not at the risk of my career?

Bogo stared at her for a second and then face hoofed himself.

"Five thousand officers on the force, and I get one who's a Snarl Trek fan."

Judy felt her mouth move sideways, "Actually Sir, I'm more of a Snarl Wars..."

"Shut yer tiny mouth!"