A/N:

I honestly wish I had a better excuse, but I don't. This chapter is long, LONG overdue and I am so sorry for the delays. Real life happened, complete with job issues, a house moving, other projects, massive writer's block and a side of sea bass with lasers on their frickin' heads. It's been a disaster. That said, here is the second-to-last edition of this story. It's a bit shorter than I planned, but still in both the theme and spirit of the tale, itself. I hope it isn't too disappointing. If you're still interested in reading my work, check my profile for some of my newer pieces. I think you'll find them enjoyable.

Now, enough preamble. On with the show!

Judy sat for the third time in thirty hours on the excruciatingly slow funicular railcar, making her descent back down the mountain. Her mind was still reeling from what she had learned about her partner and friend.

And boyfriend. Don't forget boyfriend.

Her inner monologue was being especially unhelpful. Finding out Nick was well off wasn't a surprise. The scale of it had been a bit unexpected, Judy had to admit. Her fox wasn't on par with the old money families, or true financial magnates in terms of capital, but he was close. He wasn't a heavyweight by any stretch, but he was certainly pushing the upper limits of middleweight and that was just when it came to money.

The "community" Nick had founded and led had stunned her. Not the fact of it and that was a surprise in and of itself. What startled her the most was her sense of pride at why he had done it. Her first reaction was confusion, then disbelief. Then, before anger or anything else, came pride. It wasn't until she started realizing the implications that anger and hurt had come into play.

It made her feel immeasurably stupid not to know something so hugely significant about the one mammal she was closest to. It was right there. Literally right under her nose and she missed it entirely. It was a humbling realization of her own ignorance.

Then, Jack piped up.

She knew the buck was doing what was needful and it had certainly worked, but his methods...

As subtle as using a sledgehammer for dental work... How did he survive as a field agent for so long with that kind of heavy-handedness?

While she was displeased with her rabbit friend's behavior, she also appreciated his candor. He'd clarified the situation in a way that she was too close to see. It still felt horribly weird to think about, though. Her boyfriend was on par with Mr. Big in terms of influence and had informational resources on par with Jack's, in the city.

The term "spymaster" still rattled through her head. it was an anachronistic term, barely used since the last of the monarchies dissolved and the last of the city states ceded the power of rule to the central government of Mammalia. A spymaster was usually referred to as a Spider. They created and maintained networks of spies and informants, managed information, addressed threats and acted in the interests of the kingdom or principality. Basically, what Jack did, but Jack was an agent in a clandestine organization. No matter how you slice it, Jack had oversight. Nick, on the other paw, was autonomously empowered. Spymasters answered only to the ruler themselves and Zootopia didn't have a king. It was a silly mental tangent, but assuming Nick thought that way, who would he consider his "ruler"?

The idea was absurd. Chief Bogo dancing the Macarena in a luchador mask and tutu was more likely to happen than Nick bending his neck to anyone. Besides, this wasn't the Renaissance, when such things happened.

Unfortunately, the fact remained and it tortured her. Nick had this huge amount of power and while he insisted it was on the up and up, something felt off. Judy had no doubts that Nick was not involved in anything illegal, but he was also not the type of mammal to leave something so powerful unused. Everyone at the Precinct knew the fox hoarded information like Clawhauser hoarded tasty treats. Let something slip in his earshot and it would be remembered, possibly used in a prank or as part of a "negotiation" to change shifts later. DelGato would never be loose-lipped around either her or Wilde ever again. Judy shuddered as she recalled the prank war two autumns previous.

The arrogant lion had expressed a distaste for spiders. Therefore, naturally, Nick had slipped live spiders into everything from the feline's overturned coffee cup to his locker and desk drawers. DelGato spent the entire day leaping out of his skin as arachnids seemingly appeared everywhere he turned. By the end of the day Nick was reprimanded, if lightly, by Bogo and the Precinct councilor had DelGato scheduled for trauma counseling the rest of the week. Their first session couldn't begin until the big cat was coaxed out of the shower after trying to scrub the heebie-jeebies off himself for the seventh time. Nick was banned from participating in prank wars, unless he himself was attacked first. A couple rookies had made that mistake and regretted it sorely.

In light of that, the situation was only made worse by the fox's ability to read mammals. Officers Trunkaby and Wilde actually got along quite well. So much so that they occasionally ribbed each other. It was cute, Judy thought, to see the snarky fox square off against the sweetest pachyderm on the planet, especially when he lost. However, Nick's tendency to give her suggestions on what to give her girlfriend around holidays was uncanny. Five times, Nick had made suggestions. The single instance Francine didn't take the recommendation was the one gift she got wrong. Badly.

How could someone so observant, who never ignores an angle or fails to exploit an opportunity, fail to make use of something as massive, or powerful as the network he had created? Especially, considering the whole thing and every mammal he'd helped cared enough to take the attack on him personally and act. It made no sense to her.

"Penny for your thoughts, Hopps?"

"They aren't worth a penny."

"That's a depressing thing to say. What's wrong?"

"Oh! No! I didn't mean that. I meant… Oh, hells. I don't know."

"That came out self-deprecating because you're distracted and not paying attention?"

"Yes…"

"Let me guess. Fox issues?"

"What else?" Judy raked her paws over her ears and tried to get her thoughts in order. "I'm just really overwhelmed, Jack."

"Understandable. Especially, considering that latest little number he did on us."

"I thought you handled the news pretty well."

"What? That Red is part mafia don, part spymaster and did it all under our radar? Not at all, Hopps. Not at all."

"So, you're upset about it, too?"

"Yes. I've spent decades in espionage. I know the territory. He managed that without even setting off a ripple. I didn't catch anything, even when I was vetting you all prior to my arrival. It's a hell of a blow to the ego."

"And a little scary."

"You're wondering what else he's hiding."

"Yes. How did you know?"

"You aren't exactly hiding it. You don't have a poker face, Judy. It's rather endearing."

"And you have one that's too good."

"I know."

"Jack, there are a lot of things we need to talk about."

"We agreed to that last night, Jude. When we aren't under threat, I promise I'll tell you everything. After I retire, I won't need to keep secrets."

"I'll worry about you retiring when it happens, but there is one thing that I need to know now. This isn't something that can wait."

"And It's something that Nicky shouldn't be involved in?"

"He should, but I'm impatient. I'm also concerned and I wanted to talk to you about it first.

Rabbit to rabbit."

"Very well. What's on your mind?"

"It's about… Echo."

"Ah… I was wondering when this would come up." In response to Judy's confused expression, Jack continued. "Nick and John. Father and son. My interest in both? Kinda creepy? Am I getting close?"

"Partly. I mean, yeah, it was a little disconcerting at first, but what do I know? We've already proven that love doesn't listen to reason and we don't get to choose. I'm already over that whole thing. What concerns me isn't that you loved John and now Nick. It's more…" Jack looked quizzically at her, waiting for her to finally ask. "Are you sure you're seeing them as separate mammals?"

"Oh…"

"I'm sorry, Jack. I don't mean to question you..."

"But you do. And I don't blame you. Especially after the confusion that plagued our first few months together." Jack sighed. "I did promise you honesty and this won't work without communication."

"As we just demonstrated last night," Judy commented with a wry smile.

Jack rolled his eyes in response. "Quite. Judy, you know I had an issue with seeing them as the same. That isn't a problem for me anymore. I know it's just my word, but I can't really offer more."

"I believe you, but trusting you to know exactly what your feeling is a little difficult for me. It wasn't long ago that you were an emotional ruin. You've made huge steps, but so much progress in a short timeframe is a little surprising."

"You've been talking to Fru, haven't you?"

"A little. Well, she's been talking. I've been listening."

"And you're afraid I still see Nick as John and my emotional investiture is fallacious."

"Don't say that word around Nick or you'll give him ideas."

Jack's chuckle was puckish to say the least. "No promises. All joking aside, I understand your concern. All I can say is that the more I get to know Nicky the more that isn't a problem. I loved John for so long, but he was not a good mammal and he did not treat me like I was something of value to him. He never mistreated me, but I was only ever an afterthought. He cared, but..." Jack trailed off.

"The job came first."

"Always," Jack agreed. "He was a cold-blooded bastard and the best mammal I knew. No matter how much I cared, he didn't. Not to the same degree."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not. At last, that part of my life is behind me. I'm happy. Every day I see more and more differences between what John was and what Nick is. I had them confused at first, but there is no way I can do that now."

"What do you mean?"

"John never marked me. He refused the one time I asked. He claimed it'd give us away, but the mission we were on lasted long enough where even his mark would have faded before we would be discovered. I let it go then, but it was very telling. He tried to make it up to me, but that stuck with me for a long time. But Nick…"

Judy smirked as Jack rubbed at his head. "You're blushing, Jack."

"I can't help it. It feels surreal."

"You're also grinning like a fool."

"You're one to talk," he grumbled lightheartedly.

"So how are they different? I believe you, but more convincing wouldn't go amiss. Also I'm curious."

"Oh, fine… Nick's sweet in all the ways John was sharp. John only came to me when he wanted something, usually in form of stress relief. Nick likes casual affection and cuddling and…"

"All the things that make you look like a giddy fluffball instead of a hard-bitten badass?"

"Thank you for putting it in perspective."

"Oh, come on, Stripes."

"What do you want to know, Hopps? Which is better in bed? Talk about creepy…"

"No! Oh, gods, no… eww… It's just… What's different?"

"Everything. Nick's his father's son, but also his own mammal. There are similarities, but they aren't definitive points. It's be easier to tell you how they're similar."

"It's that big a difference?"

"Oh yes. Like comparing you to your mother. There are some similarities, but not many and fewer every day."

"Ok, now I get it."

"If you want to go to a creepy level again, I have a suggestion…"

"Don't you dare!"

"You don't think Bonnie could handle a good foxing?"

"Oh. Gods…" Judy groaned. "Pass the brain bleach…"

An hour later, Judy wanted mental bleach for another reason. They had made it to the bar where Hiss ran his bookie business from, but once they arrived it was clear no part of their task would be easy. Somehow, the giant reptile had managed to surround himself with a collection of lunatics who all hated each other. Right at the front door the evidence of it clear as day. The shouting match between the Shetland pony who wore the shirt with "bouncer" scrawled across the chest and the mongoose behind the bar was plenty.

The mongoose was particularly unpleasant, muttering about snake kabab as he waved them through to the back. Once the two rabbits were behind the bar, the insanity seemed to intensify. There was a manatee stocking the wet bar on the canal, smoking something rancid and flicking pebbles at the mongoose. The mongoose was making workhorse jokes about the bouncer and the bouncer was taking potshots at the waitress. She was a Jamaican coney and the sweetest mammal they'd seen all morning, until they got back to the office where her boss and his accountant, an elderly buffy flower bat, were working.

The bat was grumbling into an ancient mobile phone with the thickest island accent Judy had ever heard. The topic was as bewildering as the rest of her visit, so far. Jack, to her irritation, was unfazed.

"No. No. No want caribou. No want cheetah. No want sloth. No care if slow is better for deep tissue. Want buns. Buns only. Client is snake, but not eat meat. Only tofu, so all safe. No. No... no! No want any masseuse but bun masseuse. Small paws, strong legs. Yes. No wallaby. No chinchilla. No. No hare. Too big. Ye- yes. I am sure they all good, but dis anaconda don't want none unless you got buns, hun."

"I'm a python!" came a sibilant-heavy shout from the next room.

"You is a tube sock full of whining!"

Some truly disturbing popping sounds came from the adjoining room, causing Judy to take a half-step back. "My back!"

"Ooh... De poor slithery Atlas... You put the world on you shou-," the waitress cooed through the doorway, before bursting into mockery, "Oh no! You no have shoulders! Ahahahahahaha!"

A series of unsettlingly loud cracks rebounded off the walls and Judy couldn't help but ask. "What's wrong with him?" Jack smothered a chortle and leaned against the wall by the door, seemingly enjoying the floor show.

"Would you be wantin' de whole list, honey?" the coney inquired, saucily.

"It's his imagination," the bat stated.

"It's my sacroiliac!"

"Yeas. Yeas. You sacred-idiot-sack," the accountant retorted, tossing the phone into a drawer. Turning to the rabbits, she continued. "When him was behbeh him was angriest shoelace. Now him just giant lazy noodle. Sleep on heated bed all day. Complain."

"Serves me right for hiring from Croc's List…"

"You best keep that forked tongue civil, messtah. Don't think I don't know you be stickin' it out at me behind me back!"

"It's how I see, you infuriating flying rodent!"

"Oh, yeas. You not see so good, but still stare at little white tail all de time..." Turning to Judy she continued, "De dirty perv like de white tails. Oh, yes. He need to keep his forked tongue away from de bunny tush. Lost his last masseuse dat way."

"Do not be mockin' de snake tongue!" the waitress cut in. "He good wit dat! Or so he say."

Jack smoothly cut in. "He says a lot of things, but his sibilants still need work, don't they Hiss?"

"Jack?"

"The very same." He kicked off the wall and leaned into the doorframe. "I hear your back is bothering you, again."

"Oh, dear boy… It's atrocious. Please, for old time's sake…"

"You know the drill, Hiss. Against the wall. I see you installed the bar, already." So saying, Jack motioned for Judy to follow him. She did, but with increasing levels of disconcertion.

Judy watched as the enormous snake dripped creakily off the huge daybed in the middle of the room and oozed jerkily over to the far wall. As the python settled his length against the wall, she took careful note of the ballet bar that had been installed. Under normal conditions, she would assume it was placed for mammals roughly tiger-sized. It became clear why the bar was so specifically placed as Jack placed his hind-paw on the snake's back, just to the side of where she assumed the spine would be and stepped up. The bar was a little above his head and just about perfectly placed to act as a brace to press against, which he did.

A sound similar to walnut shells breaking emanated from where Jack's foot pressed into the snake's back, using the bar as a brace to push down against. Judy winced and then grew disquieted at the moan exhaled by Hiss.

"How's that?"

"Jack, if you ever want to change professions, I'll take you on full time."

"Not happening, but I'll bear it in mind. Now…" Jack moved a little further down the snake's back and repeated the process, which quickly became a side-stepping progression. Be quickly instructed Judy in how to perform the massage and they made short work of two laps down the python's body and back up. All the while, he was acutely aware of the coney's envious glare and the bat's considering look at Jack, but only from the waist down.

Once they were done their serpentine hike, both rabbits hopped down and a much more relaxed, more fluidly moving snake addressed them.

"Jack Savage, as much as I want to believe you're here to visit, I know better. What's happened?"

"Bad things Hiss and you might be caught up in it." He preempted the snake's assurance with a raised paw. "I know you aren't knowingly involved. You aren't suicidal." Jack's smirk took the sting out of the words, but not the meaning. "I need to know anything you can remember about any strange mammals who came through here roughly two weeks ago."

"You mean any mammals who had scales under their skins?"

"More like mucous-producing, but yes."

Now, Hiss was deadly serious. "Amphibians? Here?"

"An old case back from the grave. I'm looking to put it back there as soon as possible."

Judy chimed in. "It's possible they were better disguised than you're used to." Looking at Jack she commented, "We can only assume their techniques for deception have improved since your last run-in with them."

"A bet I'd take, Hopps." Jack smiled proudly and added to Hiss, "What do you say, my friend? Any idea?"

"Nothing comes to mind that was obvious, but I do remember two stoats and a wolverine who came in to collect on a bet placed by a third party."

"Is that unusual?" Judy queried.

"It happens, but not often," Hiss replied. "Rare are the gamblers who trust a courier to not take an extra transportation fee out of the winnings, on the quiet."

"What did they say?" Jack was not trying to hide his eagerness.

"The only thing I caught was the three of them agreeing on how delightful it was to be back in a bayou, despite not being natives to the district. Not terribly unusual, I know, but they did complain about "home" being too dry and rough on their skin."

"An odd complaint for three mammals who are generally unaffected by such issues."

"Skin problems can affect every animal, but three with the same unusual complaint in a work group? Less so."

Jack was musing aloud and it concerned Judy. "What are you thinking, Stripes?"

"I think Stoats are easy disguises for salamanders and a large lizard can pass for a wolverine with some training."

"We have a lead?"

Jack's grin was cold and predatory. "We have more than that, Hopps. We have a short list." Turning to his serpentine comrade, he said, "You have my thanks, Hiss." And he was moving.

Judy had just enough time to hear Hiss' laughter and "Just like old times…" before she was running after him.

"Jack. Jack! What do you know?"

"Enough for a reassessment."

She grabbed his shoulder and pulled him around on the pier. "Tell me!"

"Hopps, there are only so many places that fit what we're looking for, now. We know he's on an island. Now, we know it's inhospitable to amphibians. If we take the number of archipelagos that have loose trading laws and apply those limiters, there are less than six. If we take a hunch and assume that it'd be a good place to grow the toxic plants the frog's known for, it's down to two. That's narrow enough for a naval survey. We're looking for a bio-weapons plant. There is no amount of camouflage that'll conceal it."

"So, you can find him?''

"I can find him. Get back to Nick and stay there. Keep him safe until I get back."

Judy didn't ask any more questions. She sprinted back to the waiting railcar and tapped her foot the whole way home and not just for her impatience. Irritation and concern were also very present in motivating her hind paw. In her enthusiasm at seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, she'd acted rashly. It wasn't until she was trapped on the funicular car that she realized Jack hadn't said how he'd handle it.