//------------------------------// // A New Lead // Story: The Naked Gun 42.5: The Trottening // by Ocean Heart //------------------------------// It was early in the morning before Frank Drebin had the entire Ponyville police station fully under control; so far response times were improving, more arrests were being made by the hour and Frank had started his second cup of coffee. Frank was staring at a chart on the wall of connections and leads gathered in different interrogations; the gruff voice of the police stations commissioner yelled over the noise of the office. "Drebin! My office, now!" Frank kept his stare on a photo of what appeared to be a old man walking down an alley... "Hmph.." Frank turned quickly and crossed a few desks until he entered the cramped office of the Comississioner, calling the old pony gruff would be the understatement of the century; stiff pointy face fuzz from long nights and an office; smelling like black coffee was the reward of a hard working cop. Frank was still surprised at how quick the pony gained his trust...something about him just made it easy for any cop to follow such a leader. The stallion sat down in what looked like a worn but comfortable leather chair...which made Frank question where the leather came from if this was a society of vegan horses... "Frank..you've been staring at that picture of yourself for an hour." Frank shot him an incredulous look and recalled the man in a coat walking under the street cam... "But he was witnessed in a known gang area!" "Drebin! You are literally the only human within a three hundred mile radius, that is a picture of you, you moron!" Frank was annoyed at the tone the Chief was taking...apparently the long nights made his temper very short. Though perhaps he was right about that lead... "Drebin...I welcome your help because I know a cop when I see one; but I need you to focus on the leads we already have." Frank took a seat in one of the two chairs, the Chief sitting at his desk and grabbing a stack of case files; throwing them out for Frank to pick, though he picked one up and pushed it out of the pile for Frank. "We got a perp in interrogation, get what you can out of the dirtbag and follow up on what you find...you don't work for us so I want you to go where we can't, but that also means we can't help you if you get in trouble." Frank took the file and stuffed it in his coat for later, he worked with independent investigators before but they never lasted long. The fact that more P.I.'s were killed in action than actual cops made Frank a bit superstitious but the thought of a fresh suspect gave him that confidant smirk. Standing up, the stallion following quickly and outstretching a hoof, Frank awkwardly tried to give him a hand shake but the lack of hands caused it to end in a stuttering fistbump...or...brohoof as the kids call it these days? The pony just shook his head and sat back down, rubbing his eyes as Frank departed. The dim room was only filled with a steel table and very uncomfortable chair...overhead light beaming down painfully bright so the pony occupying the room sat in the darkness. Frank threw open the door and slammed it shut behind him...the punk was playing tough but years of tougher streets and flying bullets was more than enough to break some rat... The file slammed down on the table and pictures of items stolen from a local bakery flew out on the table and he could tell the perp just sat back and smiled... "A set of kitchen cutlery, a dozen sapphire cupcakes and twenty kilos...of frosting....you make me sick you piece of scum.." What surprised Frank was the female voice that responded... "Mind telling me where my stash is now, detective?" She said in a slow and teasing voice... The chair squeaked forward and a cotton candy mane over just as pink color brightened the room. Frank had to double take to make sure his eyes weren't making a mistake...Sure enough a bubbly pink mare was in the chair. Giving him a big confidant grin.. "It's under lock and key, which is where you're going." Frank started for the door, criminals that thought themselves so high above the law admitted their actions proudly; this time though Frank Drebin was there to witness yet another case ending in a dealer going away for a long time...until the voice stopped him dead in his tracks just as he grabbed the door handle... "What if I said I could blow this mob wide open?" Frank grit his teeth and leg go of the door, turning back around to see the mare just sit back happily out of justices reach; kicking her hooves up on the table and hiding her face under that out of control mane... "I got names and places that could cripple those bad apples...maybe if you're good you can get the leader even..." Frank heard knocking on the glass behind him, whoever wanted his attention would wait... "You help us take down the mob and in return, I'll make sure you get off with community service and a small fine..." Frank never made a better offer to anyone, but the fact that he was actually trapped in this world until a crime boss sat with a new orange jumpsuit. Perhaps this was a trick but that look in her eye was enough proof for him to know that this was far from a trick. "No fine." She said with an annoyed tone. His hold was slipping; if this continued it would end with the perp holding all the cards... "Fine..thirty hours of service and a fifty dollar fee." She leaned forward and looked a little fierce.. "Thirty hours and no fine!" "Thirty, thirty." He said. both of their blood was rising.. "Thirty ten!" "Thirty, twenty-five!" He shouted, nearly throwing the chair aside...this was his station and his rules, no back alley scum was going to turn the tables on him, but the strange thing was she just gave a small smile and sat back. "Twenty, ten..." Frank let his jaw hang...scowl growing to take away the shocked look.. "Twenty, twenty!" A stallion behind him shouted eagerly. Somehow a crowd of officers had grown behind Frank and all of them had bidding cards.. The pink mare jumped up in her seat like she knew they were there the whole time. "Twenty, ten!" the mare shouted. Frank looked around baffled but put it aside for the moment to try and regain control. "Twenty, ten!" another cop shouted to take the bid. Twenty, eight! Twenty, five! TEN, ZERO! Five, twenty! Frank was overwhelmed for a moment but a big grin dawned on his face as an idea to end this nonsense hit him.. "Zero, zero!" He shouted triumphantly "Sold!" She shouted and following up by banging a hammer against the table. Frank's moment of victory and watching the room of officers become just him and the perp again was diminished by the fact he just promised a criminal a free ride out... Frank sat down and pulled the file back together, trying to compose his thoughts. This was still his case and if it meant going home, he was willing to leave a smaller problem for the real ponies in..and colored, blue. The pink mare smiled happily that she won this little game which made Frank just more angry. "Now then...I hope we can work together now that I've bought your information, what's you name anyway?" The pink mare smirked... "The names Pie...Pinkie Pie."