Officer Hopps' ears perked at a soft rustling sound. She swiftly angled her night vision goggles in that direction and aggressively stared at it.
"Oh dear. We better call the precinct. There's a nefarious wind out," her partner drawled.
"Shh!" Officer Hopps continued to hold her gaze on the bush for a spell, then sighed and slumped back into her seat.
"Chief Bogo, Chief Bogo!" Officer Wilde pitched his voice higher, "I would love some experience in night-time vigilance! I think it would be a fabulous opportunity. You know how all I am about..." Wilde sarcastically lifted his paws and made air quotes "... career development."
"Oh be quiet. It always looked so much more exciting in the flicks! I thought you would prefer it as well."
Wilde smirked, "My ancestors may have been nocturnal but years of having to accommodate you day-trotters have pretty much mucked up my sleep cycle. I'm just as tired and bored as you. And you know what happens when I'm bored?"
"You torture me?" Hopps spoke in a monotone.
"Bingo, Carrots. You know me only too well."
A loud creaking sound echoed out. Hopps leaped into action with glee and spoke into her receiver, "Suspect is on the move. We'll remain on his tail and send updates." Officer Hopps cheerful disposition immediately plummeted when she saw the suspect. Or rather, how much of the suspect she couldn't see. The suspect was a Northern raccoon and she could barely make out his outline in the dark. She squinted at the bulbous shape as it moved past their hidden vehicle and scurried down the road.
"Never send a rabbit to do a fox's job. What did you folks do before me?" Officer Wilde took out a matching receiver and quietly opened the door and leaped out. "Keep in touch, darling."
"Wait! Nick!" Judy hissed, "We stick together!"
"You can barely see me, Carrots. Why don't you wait for backup? That's a good bunny." Judy was aghast to see he was right. Once Nick left the confines of the car and started walking further away, he disappeared from her view.
"Crackers!" she hopped out of the car and looked for him. Both he and the suspect were nowhere to be found. Her heart was beating rapidly. She opened the receiver. "Officer Wilde is on the tail of the suspect. We've been separated. I repeat we've been separated." She attached the receiver back to her belt and started sniffing at the ear and perking her ears up. Against all instinct, she entered the darkness in pursuit of her partner.
Officer Wilde followed the raccoon to a construction site. Deep in the folds of the site, the raccoon was frantically moving blocks aside. "What are you doing, Sammy?" The raccoon yipped and fell. Once he recognized Nick's face, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Jeebus Nick. I'm in such a state, I didn't even hear you." Then he noticed Nick's uniform and his ears dropped. "I heard the rumours. I thought that's all they were."
"No, they're true," Nick grinned, "I am getting more devilishly handsome every day."
"You need to help me, Nick." Sammy continued to move the blocks and took out a satchel of Nip. Nick made a sharp intake.
"What are you doing with that Sammy?"
"It's not mine, Nick!" The racoon was beside himself with grief, "I'm being framed."
"What?" Nick hopped down and looked into the hole Sammy made. It was filled with Nip. "Oh no Sammy. No no no."
"I am! I am!" Sammy opened the bag he had carried and started removing Nip which he threw into the hole.
"Sammy, they've tracked you down. They're coming for you. We picked up a Calico who was carrying and she said the rendezvous was at a watering hole near your place."
"No! No! No!" The Raccoon started covering up the hole with blocks again, "I'm telling you! They keep appearing in my mailbox. Someone is framing me." Suddenly, a light shone in the crevice.
"Keep Your Paws Up Where We Can See Them. Drop The Bag." Nick looked up and saw Judy with the reinforcements. A Rhino and a Wolf he didn't recognize stood beside her and started making their way towards Sammy. She grinned at him good naturedly. "You really need to decrease the amount of cologne you wear Officer. I could smell you mile off."
"Judy, you don't understand. I was talking with him. He's not the ringleader." Sammy seemed to calm down a bit at hearing Nick defend him. Then he noticed that the Wolf didn't seem to be slowing down. The Rhino pinned his tail down as the Wolf took out a pair of handcuffs and tailcuffs.
"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be used against you in a court of law."
"Judy! I don't think Sammy did it. HEY! STOP! PUT HIM DOWN!" Nick tried to grab at the Rhino.
"Officer Wilde. Thank you for tracking down the suspect. We'll take it from her. You're new, so you may not be accustomed to it yet. Criminals would say anything to save their hide. Especially raccoons." Sammy's tail was tied around his body and locked in place. The wolf picked him up and easily flopped him over her back. "Submit your report in the morning."
Judy grabbed at Nick's arm. "Nick, calm down. NICK!" She stopped him from biting the Wolf officer and pulled him back into the crevice. "C'mon we have to document this crime scene and go to bed. Doesn't that sound nice? Some sleep."
Nick slumped down dejected as he watched his old friend being taken away. He turned to look at Judy, "Judy, he told me he was being framed. I think he was telling the truth. "
Judy started brushing his fur with his claws in a soothing motion. "I believe you."