Hey everyone! So I ran into a bit of a block with my other story (Beneath the Surface), so I put it on the backburner for now, but a new idea came along, so let's give this one a shot :)

To put it into context this story takes place seven months after my first story (The First Day), or seven months after Nick's first day on the force.

There's not really much I can add at this point, so I'll avoid rambling on. Hope you guys enjoy this story, and feel free to follow and review if you enjoyed it, or have any suggestions for future chapters.

Let's go!

(Disclaimer: All the characters and referenced scenes from the movie belong to Disney)

"Earth to Nick, you hear me?", a familiar voice brought the fox out of his thoughts.

The heavy rain poured outside, washing over their police cruiser as they drove through the streets. He didn't like the rain, it reminded him too much of the times when he still lived under the bridge, when any intense rainfall like the one today almost guaranteed a nasty cold. Nowadays, with an apartment of his own, those worries were a thing of the past, but the memories remained.

Bringing himself back to the present, he recalled what was going on. It was an uneventful day, the heavy rain keeping everyone indoors, with no issues reported anywhere in the city. Sure, it meant their patrols were boring, but it also indicated their precinct was doing a good job. It was, after all, the best precinct in Zootopia, and they were certainly living up to it. Almost seven months have passed since Nick graduated from the academy, and most of their days were filled with similar patrols, with an occasional open-and-close case. Nick certainly didn't mind it though, especially not after the fateful events of his first day which nearly took the lives of Judy and himself.

"Sorry Carrots, you asked something?", he inquired, bringing his attention to his partner, who was currently driving the vehicle.

"I asked: truth or dare?", she responded, giving him a quick glance and a smile before her eyes returned to look down the slippery road ahead.

"Ah yes, the innocent game that almost always pushes the boundaries of the inappropriate", he smirked, the sarcasm evident in his voice. "Okay, fine, truth. Not like I could do much on a dare here."

"Oh, you'd be surprised - I can be pretty creative", Judy winked at him playfully. "But fine, truth it is."

She paused, trying to come up with a question of her own. The car was silent for about a minute, until she suddenly had an idea.

"Soooo, how many girlfriends did you have?", she blurted out, before quickly turning away, realizing she sounded a little too eager there. Nick, however, was quick to notice her tone and subsequent embarrassment.

"Well well, Carrots, if I didn't know you better, I could've sworn you were flirting with me", he stated, his smirk not disappearing from his face.

"Har har, you keep thinking that slick, if it makes you feel any better. Also, I told you quite a bit about my private life, so it's only fair you tell me a little about yours too"

It was true, she did tell him a fair amount about her private life, mainly that she never really dated due to her commitment to her ultimate goal. Yet, apart from Nick telling her he was single, which came as a surprising sense of relief to her, she didn't know much else. Being curious was okay, right? It was only an innocent question... okay, maybe it was a little more than curiosity, but still... She did indeed wonder how her partner's private life was structured. She didn't quite know why she was this curious, but she paid it no attention, especially when Nick's voice suddenly broke through her train of thoughts.

"Earth to Carrots", he playfully mocked her, repeating her own statement. "I answered your question. Is it my turn now?"

"Wait, that's not fair! I didn't even get to hear it!", she complained.

"Well, that's your loss. I did what you asked..."

"...but this time, I can keep you on the hook forever until you answer", Judy smiled.

"Sly bunny", Nick muttered. "Okay, fine, I'll tell you again. The answer is 2. Again though, I expected a more creative question from you."

The rabbit looked on victoriously, knowing she just won a battle.

Before either of them could make another comment, their radio crackled to life.

"Hopps, Wilde, come in, over", Chief Bogo's gruff voice could be heard.

Normally, Clawhauser would be the one handling communications during their patrols, so hearing the Chief on the radio was rather unusual, but not necessarily alarming at first.

"Roger Chief, what could this fox and bunny do for you on this terrible, rainy day?", Nick replied, picking up the radio.

"Cut it, Wilde. We need both of you at City Hall, now."

They couldn't quite tell where this was going. Why City Hall? The new mayor certainly took a liking to them, but to the point of wanting to see them on patrol? Or was this something more serious?

"Roger, on our way."

Time to find out, Nick thought as Judy turned the vehicle on to a street that would lead them directly to their destination.

Within minutes they had arrived. From the sight in front of them, it was clear this wasn't just an average meeting with the mayor. Visibility was poor in this rain, but as they approached City Hall they could make out several police cruisers that were parked near the complex, their lights still on, as well as a black, armored van, with "SWAT" printed on the side in white letters. Officers were gathered together, clearly discussing something, only to turn around to greet the newcomers as the fox and rabbit killed the engine and opened the doors to step out into the rain. If the rainy weather was supposed to play an ominous role of sorts, like it often did in theatrical plays and movies, it was certainly doing its job well.

"Hopps, Wilde, it's good to see you here", the Chief began as both officers saluted him. "So, long story short, we have a hostage situation here. We need your help."

"Sir, with all due respect, maybe the SWAT team would be better for this?", Judy inquired, her facial expression confused, much like the fox's next to her.

"In theory, yes. In practice, no. The suspect asked to see you two specifically. I'm not sure why, but it may be best to do what they ask. You're both officers, among the best in the precinct, so I have faith you'll be able to settle this one."

Both officers in front of him nodded in understanding.

"Since this can get nasty really quickly, I'll need you two to have lethal weapons on you. However, do not use them unless you have no other choice. Remember, your first priority is to diffuse the situation, not escalate it."

"Yes sir", Nick and Judy said in unison, as they headed back to the cruiser to pick up their weapons. They were standard issue police pistols, nothing fancy, but they certainly got the job done. Most of the time, ZPD officers carried only tranquilizer guns, with lethal weapons being very strictly regulated. Only the SWAT teams were able to use them, or when the officers were embarking on a particularly dangerous mission, such as this one. In all other cases, the weapons were left in a hidden compartment in their cruiser.

Having City Hall targeted by a criminal organization to take hostages was a first. Almost all mayors of Zootopia were respected, both by supporters and the opposition alike, not to mention the security in the building was fairly tight. The current mayor was no exception. After the Night Howler incident, Lionheart announced he would not run again in the position, choosing to simply serve in City Hall with his party. His successor was Andrew Theodore, a quick witted, jovial antelope was able to return the city to its former splendor with exceptional results. Many hailed him as the greatest mayor in decades, and being in his early 40s, he still had a great career ahead of him. How could anyone want to target a figure like him, especially when he was doing so much for the city? Both Nick and Judy could only guess as they quietly entered the City Hall, their weapons in their paws, ready to fire back at any target. They were met with almost complete silence.

The massive hall was uncharacteristically empty, and there were no obvious signs of a struggle. If anything, the security forces would have put up a fight against any perp who intruded. Either their suspect simply walked in without any resistance, or he was a really efficient shooter. All in all, it was a strange situation. Then, they saw them - a small group of 4 security guards in blue uniforms and Kevlar vests, huddled close to a wall beside the mayor's office, their weapons drawn. Upon seeing the officers, the guards waved them over.

"Officer Hopps and Officer Wilde, ZPD", Judy announced as both she and Nick flashed their badges, earning a nod from the guards.

"Good, you're just in time", a sheep said nervously. "The suspect wanted to see you two. Shit's not looking too good at the moment."

"Why does he want to see us?", both officers said in unison upon hearing the statement for the second time today.

The sheep shrugged.

"No idea. But it's best to go in there", he replied looking at the mayor's office.

"Wait, they have the mayor?!", Nick exclaimed.

"He has the mayor. It's just one guy.", the guard clarified.

"And how exactly did he get through all the security?", was the immediate response from the rabbit cop. Shouldn't the guards have stopped one intruder?

"He killed the 2 guards on this floor almost immediately after entering - one shot for each guard. They stood no chance. By the time the rest of us arrived, he was already in the mayor's office making demands. Trust me, he's good."

Nick and Judy exchanged nervous glances before making their way over to the office.

"No weapons alright? Let's get a read on this guy and try talking our way out. There's almost always a way to get them to crack.", Nick whispered before raising a paw and knocking on the door.

"ZPD - open the door please."

"Ah, it must be the city's heroes!", a smooth, baritone male voice called from the other side. A coyote opened the door for them, holding a gun in his other paw, keeping it trained at the mayor who stood across the room.

"Please, do come in.", the criminal beckoned, closing the door behind them. His voice was not concerned, not nervous - on the contrary, it seemed incredibly nonchalant given the situation.

The fox and rabbit surveyed the room. It wasn't much different from any other day in the office: clean, orderly, and there was no sign of a struggle. Clearly the mayor was caught off guard by this.

"L-listen, b-b-buddy, I'm telling you again, I don't know what you want, and you won't get much from holding me up. The police are here, and I suggest you surrender before it gets worse.", the poor antelope mayor stuttered.

The perp, however, remained unfazed.

"Oh, but I get to see these 2 fine officers in action! Always wanted to see what you can do. To be fair, that's why I called you here in the first place. It's more of a bucket list kinda thing for me", he admitted enthusiastically, almost as if though he was ignoring the mayor's comment, yet providing him with an answer. "I mean, the fun is only beginning."

Oh boy, this guy has a bland bucket list... Nick thought to himself, but opted not to say anything.

A smile split the coyote's muzzle as he glanced over to the two officers in front of him.

They took in his appearance: reddish-brown fur, fairly slim, but not as slim as Nick, holding a pistol in his gloved paws. He wore dark pants and a black trench coat, which struck the pair as rather odd. Sure, the current weather wasn't warm, but it wasn't so cold as to require one to wear a coat. Was it used to conceal the weapon when he walked in, or is there something else? Did he know something they didn't? If so, he may be one step ahead of them already, something they could not afford.

The officers took a step forward to approach the suspect, only to immediately stop in their tracks as the coyote reached onto the coat and pulled out a string.

"Whoa whoa, officers, I'd suggest you stop there. After all, I'm sure the ZPD would want the two of you in one piece - not in pieces. And the office is rather nice too - wouldn't want to ruin it now, would we?"

Both Nick and Judy saw where the string ended. The entire inside of the trench coat was lined with what looked like C4. If it went off, none of them would make it out of the office - death would be instant. The situation just got even trickier to handle.

"Oh, and before we continue... allow me...", the coyote began, walking over to Nick and bringing down the handle of the gun across his face, before swinging it into his stomach. Nick doubled over in pain, spitting out a bit of blood, but otherwise didn't react or retaliate. He knew this was a game for the criminal. He was testing them, and the fox was not going to give him the satisfaction he was looking for. Judy, on the other hand screamed in terror, anger flashing in her eyes, only to subside as the suspect gently tugged on the string, glancing at her with a sly smile, almost like that of Nick when he was pulling a con.

"Hey, remember, you don't want me pulling on this, so I'd suggest you stay where you are and watch", he reminded her. "Sorry about that by the way, Officer Wilde. I've just always wanted to do that to a fox, and believe me, I'm sure many other mammals in the city wouldn't mind doing that either."

The rabbit looked down at her partner with a look of utmost sympathy and concern. The fox glanced up at her.

I'm alright, don't worry about me, it seemed to say.

"Meh, I've had worse", he stated, trying to put on his smirk again through the pain.

The coyote smirked back, but with a much more venomous look in his eyes.

"Oh? We'll see about that."

The mayor stood there, terror painted on his face as he witnessed the scene unfolding in front of him. The coyote turned towards him and motioned at the door with the gun.

"I have to say, I was expecting something more exciting from the two of you. You pretty much did nothing to stop me? Quite pathetic if you ask me - where's your creativity? I mean... the ZPD must really be running out of good officers if they had to settle for you two", he called back to them with a chuckle.

"Now, where were we? Or right! So, Mr. Mayor, I'm going to ask you to step out of the office and do as I say."

"You know I'm not going anywhere. As long as I'm alive I'll be doing my job, right here", the antelope seethed, determination on his face, the terror gone as quickly as it had come.

"Oh... well, that's a shame", the coyote spoke softly, glancing down at the gun in his paw. He was quickly interrupted when both Nick and Judy pulled out their weapons, aiming them at the suspect. This had gone too far.

"Whatever you are doing, stop in the name of the law!", Judy called out.

The room was silent for a few tense moments.

Just then, the coyote started raising his arm holding the weapon, and a trigger clicked.