"Suspect is Northbound on the 113 Freeway toward City Center, exceeding 100 miles per hour, darting all over the highway, multiple close calls with civilians!" Squawked Officer Nicolas Wilde as his partner, Officer Judy Hopps, piloted the police cruiser as it roared through traffic. The officers swayed in their seats as the cruiser was jerked from one lane to another trying to keep up with the suspects who were doing their own slalom around the hundreds of other cars on the highway. The towers of downtown Zootopia glittered in the late-afternoon sun as bystanders stopped to watch from the overpasses as the chase unfolded through the city. The sirens wailing as the tires chirped and squealed each time the car was thrown into another lane trying to get close to the fleeing car.
"10-4… Attention all units, vehicle moving at a high rate of speed on 113 Northbound toward Savanna Central, vehicle is ignoring lights, approach with caution…" The static-tinged voice of the dispatcher relayed over the radio as they worked to keep up with the suspects. Nick's claws dug into the control panel on the car door every time his partner weaved too close to passing cars.
"Watch it, Carrots!" Wilde said as the driver suddenly changed lanes to avoid a semi-trailer, the engine of the police cruiser growled menacingly as it catapulted itself around the truck. The fox's heart leaping out of his chest as his partner drove. After all these years, he had never been more routinely frightened until he encountered Judy's driving.
"It was only catnip… catnip!" Judy said aloud, not paying attention to her partner's pleading. She was focused on the highway, dumbfounded by how a misdemeanor possession charge had now become a slew of felonies that was certainly going to land these kids in jail. And they were kids; they looked barely out of high school, one still looked like he had braces. Nick could smell the catnip before the two of them even saw the baggie. It probably wasn't even worth writing a ticket over, heck; a stern talking to would have been more than enough to scare them straight. Judy didn't understand. She didn't understand why their reaction was to steal some guy's car while he was inside the convenience store paying for his gas, couldn't understand why they sped off ripping the hose off of the gas pump. Now, the chase was on, and if her partner knew anything about her, he knew she wasn't going to give up without a fight. With every move the getaway car made, Judy was right behind them. She pressed her foot on the gas pedal trying to get closer to them. They were not going to get away!
"I'd prefer not to have a procession in our honor! Please and thank you!" Nick's claws nearly carving a hole in the dashboard Judy launched across three lanes of traffic, cars all around them blaring their horns and flashing their lights as they swerved to avoid the cops and the suspects trying to evade them.
"If you're going to get car sick, there's bags in the glove box." Replied Judy without a moment's hesitation while her eyes were glued to the getaway vehicle like a child who was glued to their tablet.
"I'm not worried about getting car sick…" he said as Hopps continued speeding down the freeway. " I'm worried about becoming road kill!" Nick felt like a ragdoll in the passenger seat. With every twist of the steering wheel he thought he was either going to end up in Judy's lap, or out the passenger window. If they weren't racing down a busy Zootopia freeway, he might actually like the latter.
"Suspect is exiting the 113 Northbound at Wolfington! Exiting at Wolfington!" Officer Wilde held on as Officer Hopps dove across more lanes of traffic to follow the suspects as they attempted to outmaneuver the rabbit cop. The getaway car was slowed by civilian vehicles on the congested exit ramp. "Eastbound, Eastbound on Wolfington!" The fox relayed as the pursuit continued onto the surface streets of the city center. Now he was getting scared. The freeway was a walk in the park as they now raced through red lights, careening into oncoming traffic, and trying to not to collide with any pedestrians.
"Carrots, you might want to consider letting this one go…" Wilde said gently while clutching the handle above the door, which Judy referred to as the 'litter-box handle'.
"Letting them go… are you out of your mind?" Each of Nick's words hit her like individual slaps to the face. The rabbit shot him an eye, brow furrowed, lip curled in disgust as she was forced onto the curb to avoid side swiping a civilian car.
"Southbound, Southbound on Bullock" Nick radioed.
"These are just kids!" He tried to reason with his partner. "They were probably more worried we'd rat them out to their parents!" He watched Judy's face, laser focused on the suspects getting away from her. Knowing full well he had a better chance of sneaking a doughnut from Clawhauser than to persuade Judy Hopps of pulling back from catching a criminal.
"They are not getting away!" Nick started to wonder if stubbornness was an inherit trait with rabbits, or if it was just her.
"10-50, Suspect collided with civilian, Bullock and Greyhound, suspect vehicle fleeing scene, Eastbound on Greyhound Avenue!" Nick called out to dispatch as the getaway driver drove through a red light, ripping the rear bumper of a passing car clean off and causing the car to fishtail toward the curb. Judy dodged out of the way as the traffic signal mast arm came crashing down, aluminum signals shattering on the asphalt. The bumper of the victim's car spun as it slid across the intersection. Nick could smell the burned rubber from the car at it came to rest on the sidewalk.
"Hopps, this is getting dangerous…" Nick wasn't trying to hide his nerves now. This chase had to end, or someone was going to get hurt.
"Not until we catch them!" Judy demanded as she sped down the boulevard after the getaway car.
"They're heading for the Caribou Arcade…" He said as he watched the cars speed down the street toward the multistory shopping complex. "Call it off, Carrots; we can't risk hitting a pedestrian!" His ears were low on his head as they got increasingly close to the throngs of shoppers. Judy's paws gripped to the steering wheel like a vice; her arms turning with the wheel. Her teeth clenched as she let out a loud growl of her own watching the getaway car dart through traffic.
"Suspect still Eastbound on Greyhound and Caribou Arcade- 10-50! 10-50! Suspect crashed!" The kids in the stolen car were slammed by two cars as they tried to run another red light. Tires screamed as all three slowed to an eventual stop. The mangled wreckage of the getaway car slid onto the sidewalk in front of the Caribou Arcade as people tried to avoid being hit themselves. Nick felt his heart drop into his stomach as his fears materialized before him; now he was just hoping no one had been killed. The police cruiser screeched to a halt as the driver of the stolen car popped open the door and started running toward the massive shopping plaza.
"Oh, no he doesn't!" Growled Judy as she launched herself out of the car and took off after the suspect. "Officer Hopps, I'm in pursuit on foot of suspect! Suspect is a young black jaguar, wearing a red shirt and denim shorts! Suspect is heading inside the Caribou Arcade!" Officer Hopps radioed as she gave chase. Officer Wilde raced to the car where the passenger of the stolen car was still inside.
"Let me see your hands!" He barked to the kid as he approached him. The kid had a look of pure terror on his as he locked eyes with Wilde, his big eyes filling with tears. Wilde listened to him trying to stifle sobs. "Are you okay? What's your name, kid" His voice softened to one of concern.
"Ja-Jason… My arm hurts…" The spotted cheetah blubbered as reality came back and the shock was beginning to wear off. "Officer… I'm sorry… I told him to stop… he wouldn't listen…" The spotted cheetah began sobbing as it dawned on him the situation he was in.
"Officer Wilde requesting EMS at Greyhound and Herdnon." He radioed as he looked over the cheetah.
"Can you move your legs, Jason?" Nick softened as he listened to the kid heaving, his face streaked from crying. The cheetah let out a wail as he tried to move his right leg.
"Okay! Easy, easy, easy!" The fox said as the boy started crying louder trying to move. "Stay still, okay? We're going to get you out, just relax; everything is going to be just fine." Nick soothed as he put a paw on the cheetah's shoulder to calm him down. Nick tried opening the door, but it was mangled shut. His colleagues pulled up to the scene of the accident quickly while Judy ran into the shopping mall after the driver.
"Am… I… going to… jail?" The boy gasped in between words as mucus began seeping out of his nostrils. The cop pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket and held it to the boy's nose.
"Blow." The cheetah did so as Nick leaned against the damaged car. "Now… about jail…" He said in his typical sly demeanor. "First, we got to get you checked out at the hospital, and then, we're going to check to make sure you've been a really good boy." The cheetah's tear-filled eyes were locked on Officer Wilde as his bottom lip trembled furiously. "… and if you super-promise never to…"
"I won't do it again! I promise! I swear! I'll be a good boy! I won't do it again!" The boy begged as he started sobbing again.
"There, there… you'll be fine, sit tight, okay? The paramedics are going to come help get you patched up and you'll be out of here before you know it." The cheetah nodded as Nick turned to address his fellow officers.
"Hey! He can't move his legs and he may have a broken arm!" Nick called out to one of the paramedics as they arrived on scene, pointing to the cheetah.