The Fire Triangle -- Part II, Oxidizer

The Fire Triangle: Book II - Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Zootopia stories, characters, settings, and properties belong to the Walt Disney Co. This story is written under Fair Use Copyright laws.

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The Fire Triangle

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Part Two:

Oxidizer

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Chapter 1—A Rock and a Hard Place
(Continued... Part 5)

Before anyone had even said a word to her, Judy knew something important was going on. The realization hit her as she was passing through the front door of Precinct-1. As usual, there was Benjamin Clawhauser, seated behind his wraparound desk. What wasn't so typical was that the moment he spotted her, he cut short his phone conversation and almost frantically waved her over.

"What's up?" she asked, almost forgetting to stand far enough away from the desk to be visible over the rim. There must have been a worried expression on her face, because the plus-size cheetah moved quickly to reassure her.

"No trouble Judy, but Chief Bogo wants you to go straight to his office."

She felt her nose begin to twitch. "Okay, but first I need to..."

"He said don't bother changing into your uniform, just go straight up there."

"Ohhh-kay."

When Judy entered Bogo's private sanctum a moment later, she found him talking on his desktop intercom. His reaction upon seeing her was as instantaneous as Clawhauser's had been; a glance in her direction, and then another one at the squawk-box.

"Never mind, she's just walked in; get up here."

"On my way," said a voice the doe-bunny recognized as Lieutenant Saw.

"Chief, what's up?" she asked, shutting the door cautiously behind her.

"Change of plans, Hopps." Bogo's chair squeaked like a rusty windmill as he swiveled to face her. "Y' won't be going t' interview the Rafaj Brothers today."

Judy felt her face drop halfway to the floor. What the...? Why would he take that away from...? Dangit, that was HER gig; she was the one who had gotten those jackals to crack.

"Uhm, what for, Chief?" she asked, fighting hard to contain her anger.

He folded his arms and leaned forward.

"We've just heard back from Mr. Rodenberg. The Red Pig's agreed to meet with you."

Feeling her anger give way to confusion, Judy stared at him with a foot that was trying to thump. Okay, fine, but then why pull her off the Rafaj Brothers interrogation?

"Wha...when?" she all but blurted out.

"Right NOW," the big Cape Buffalo forcefully replied, jabbing his desktop with a finger for emphasis, "Or not at all; those were Peccari's exact words according to his attorney."

And with that, the doe-bunny's confusion gave way to contrition. The Chief hadn't taken the Rafaj brothers away from her after all; he had only put them on hold. "Should have known he wouldn't—DUMB bunny," her inner voice chided. She banished it by offering up a theory to the Chief. "Sounds to me as if The Red Pig's trying to sabotage this meeting before it even starts—just like Mr. Big did, when he more or less dumped it in my lap. He doesn't want to meet with me, but he can't say so without making himself look bad. And so he's giving himself an out by offering to see me only on very short notice." She cleared her throat, putting on her best underworld snarl. "Hey-y-y, I TRIED, it ain't my fault the cops wuz asleep at the switch."