Taste of Savage

Punishment

     Hopps was in the hospital. It's been two days since the incident. Judy Hopps, city hero, shot. It was all over the news. They had pulled in Wilde for an interview, trying to get information on the case and on Hopps's condition. Nick didn't give them much, a generic speech about how the ZPD had everything under control. I was ninety percent sure he was ordered to say that though.
   Chief wasn't happy. Hopps had blown their cover and endangered a guest member of the ZIA. He had decided to wait until she was feeling better before punishing her. How thoughtful.
   Wilde never left Hopps's side. He seemed genuinely worried. I felt sorry for the two.
  
   Bogo and I walk into Judy's hospital room, where she and Nick were both at. Bogo stands over the two and I sit in a chair and sip my coffee.
   "Hopps, you blew your cover. You endangered an officer and an agent. For this screw up, I'm suspending you for a month. Your badge has already been confiscated." Bogo told her in a calm voice. Judy doesn't look up. Nick doesn't say anything.
   "Wilde, because Judy will be gone for a month, you will take parking duty until she returns."
   "Wait, no, that's not fair! First off, nobody but you blames her! And probably the creepy bunny that followed you in here." He gave me a dirty look.
   "Second-"
   "That's enough, Wilde!" Bogo yells over him. Nick seemed to cower a bit.
  Bogo turns to leave but stops at the doorway. "To clarify, the month doesn't start until Hopps is fully recovered." Then he left.
   "Nick, you shouldn't argue with the chief." Judy says softly.
   "But it's so unfair! You got shot!"
   "Nick-"
   "It's not your fault! You didn't plan on getting us caught!"
   "Nick please sto-"
   "No! This is bullshit! This would have never happened if this fucking rabbit never-"
   "Wilde!!"
   Judy had screamed at him. Nick definitely cowered this time. Then he gave me a dirty look.
   "This is your fault..." he tells me. "It's your fault we were given that case. It's your fault we had to go into a drug den. It's your fault Judy got shot." Then he walked out the door.
   Judy sighed. "I'm sorry about him... and I'm sorry for puting you in danger..." she mumbled softly. I take a deep breath.
   "You're a good cop, Hopps. Just not the best undercover. Wilde though, he doesn't seem cut out for the job."
   Judy shook her head. "He is cut out for it. Without him, we'd have never solved the night howler case. When Chief Bogo told me my time was up that night, Nick stood up to him. It was his idea to check the jam cams. It was him who told me where to look for Odderton. It was him who helped me find Weaslton and in turn, find the howler lab. If it weren't for Nick, predators would be all locked up and Bellwether would be Mayor."
   I think about what she was saying, but that doesn't change much.
   "Judy, he's not officer material. He's just a good informant, that's it."
   She was quiet for a while. I can tell she wanted Nick on the force, badly. Like she had something to prove. Or maybe, she knows he has something to prove. So, I decide to give them that chance.
   "Once you return to us after your suspension, I'll give you a month to prove Nick is more than he appears to be. If you fail, I will personally see to it he is fired. If you do prove me wrong..." I thought hard for a second.
   "Prove me wrong, and I'll see what I can do to get you both a promotion."
   Her ears perked up at the word 'promotion'. "Deal! I mean, Yes sir! We won't let you down!"
   I smile at the optimistic fool.