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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This chapter is dedicated to the memory of Alp Sarsis, author of the Guardian Blue fanfic series. Godspeed, brother.
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Chapter 9: Conor's Story
(Part 1)
"I was born in a crossfire hurricane
And I howled at my ma in the drivin' rain..."
The Rolling Stones - Jumpin' Jack Flash
Erin Hopps had never been more irritated.
"See?" She said, indicating the space beyond the door with a sweep of her paw, "I told you there was nobody out there."
Conor only raised his nose and sniffed. "Just coz you can't hear 'em—and I can't smell 'em—doesn't mean there's nobody out there, Snowdrop."
Oooo, the 'S' word! At once the insides of her ears turned red as stoplights
"Don't...even...!" the white-furred young bunny hissed, jamming a finger upwards while her right foot commenced to thump like a sewing machine. It was bad enough when he called her that in private—but in front of his stinking lawyer? She was halfway ready to drop him off ANOTHER fire-escape. And speaking of Mr. Rodenberg when she looked his way for a reaction, she noted that the rat-attorney appeared far more sanguine than her about the current state of affairs.
"Sorry kiddo; for once, I have to agree with your boyfriend..."
That brought an instant rejoinder—from both of them.
"He's NOT my boyfriend!"
"She's not my girlfriend!"
"Yeah, yeah...all right, my bad." The grey rat shrugged and waved a paw, "But he's still right, Ms. Hopps; you can't be too careful in a situation like this." He thumbed his chest and nodded at the doorway, "Believe me, I know; I've been in similar places, a lot more times than I care to count." And then, waving an inviting paw at the chair beside the bed, he said. "Now c'mon and sit down; let's hear what this silver-fox kid has to tell us."
Without waiting for Erin to comply, he turned and put his paws on his hips, looking straight up at Conor with a piercing gaze.
"Oh...and Booby?"
"Yeah?"
Halfway closing his left eye, Rodenberg widened the other one until it looked like a glittering black marble. And then, flashing his incisors, he angled his nose even further upwards.
YOU ARE READING
The Fire Triangle -- Part II, Oxidizer
Mystery / ThrillerNick and Judy have gone their separate ways, and the arson attacks plaguing Zootopia have abated. But soon, a new peril will arise, threatening to turn the city into a war-zone, a menace that will quickly become fursonal for Judy Hopps. Nick Wilde...
