Chapter 1: And He Was Gone

Judy quietly scrolled through the article on the tablet in her lap as she sat upright in bed. She scratched her chin lightly as she continued to look over the horrifying photos from the attack on the other side of the world. The images on screen were terrible enough, but she knew only the tamest could be published in the news. There were likely real horrors from the tragedy she would never see. As she read she huffed a heavy sigh, one that was loud enough for her roommate to hear.

"I know you're still awake, Carrots. I can hear you caring," Nick called out from the kitchen. She rolled her eyes and peered up from her tablet to see the fox make his way into the bedroom, tossing an apple between his paws.

"Things aren't looking any better in Griño," she said sadly, turning her tablet towards Nick who leaned over the bed frame to take a closer look. He frowned and shook his head.

"That country has been on fire for a thousand years," he commented. "Not much we can do about it here."

"I know," Judy said with a frown and sat back against the pillows. "It makes me thankful that the worst we see here is the occasional drug dealer or disgruntled employee."

"Well, there was this one time the city was run by a crazy sheep with a hatred for predators. Pretty sure we fixed that one though," Nick said before taking a bite out of his apple. Dawn Bellweather's plot to turn the entire city against predators was not a particularly happy memory for her, but that case did launch her career and introduce her to Nick, so not all of it had been bad. Judy tossed the tablet onto her bedside table and took in a deep breath. She looked up at him and smiled as he observed her lying in bed.

"Apples for dessert now?" she asked.

"What? A guy can't eat a little healthy? I gotta watch my figure if I'm gonna compete with you," he said, giving her a wink.

"What do you mean compete?" she asked. The sly smile on his face made her immediately regret asking.

"If I'm gonna take a bunny like you to bed, I should at least look like I deserve it," he said as he began sliding himself onto the bed towards her in a playful prowl. "I can't have my partner be foxier than me."

She laughed and lifted her long foot to rest on his shoulder, halting his advance. The sultry look on his face would look silly on any other mammal, but that arrogant grin often succeeded at riling her up. She gave him a confident glare before folding her arms across her chest.

"You and I both know we need some sleep tonight, and if I let you get any closer we'll no doubt fall asleep during patrol tomorrow. Chief would never let us take a weekend off again after that. Besides, I believe the words out of your mouth a few hours ago were 'please no more'."

"Doesn't mean I still can't push your buttons if I so choose," he replied back coyly, turning his head to give her leg a quick kiss. He brushed his nose along her fur while keeping his eyes on her. Judy bit her lip from the way his breath tickled her skin before giving him a little shove and rolling him over to his side of the bed. He finished his apple with a few more chomps before tossing the core into the bin by the door.

"Get your tail up here, I'm freezing. I still don't know why must we keep it so cold in here at night," she grumbled as she lifted the blankets up and scooted herself into the crisp freshly washed sheets.

"Two reasons," he answered while reaching over her head to turn her nightstand light off before joining her under the covers. "First is that my fur is much thicker than yours, so if we don't have it cold I'll turn into a ball of fire every night."

"And the second?" She snuggled in closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder as he laid onto his back. Her feet dug underneath his tail, causing a wonderful feeling of warmth and pressure to radiate onto her bitter toes. He brought his forearm up around her shoulder and draped it over the length of her side.

"It means I don't need to make an excuse to get this close to you," he said huskily, giving her a little squeeze. She smiled and dug her nose into the fur on his side, right on the border where brilliant red turned into a lighter cream color.

A few minutes passed between them in tranquil silence. Judy kept her eyes closed and enjoyed the sensation of Nick absentmindedly running his fingertips in circles along her back. She was thankful that she was with someone she felt comfortable enough with to share quiet moments like this without any awkwardness. Her previous relationships always had this underlying need to fill the empty space with conversation, which sometimes degenerated into arguments. But things just sort of felt natural with Nick. She smiled as he began softly humming a tune to himself, ironically shattering her pleasant moment of quiet.

"What's that?" she asked without opening her eyes.

"What's what?"

"That song you're humming," she mumbled.

"Sweet? You've never heard of Sweet? Your music taste needs to catch up, Carrots. Seriously, it's like you were born a decade after I was," he murmured.

"I was, you dumb fox," she retorted with a groan, letting her exhaustion finally show through in her voice.

"Right, I forgot I'm a cradle robber," he joked. She was much too tired to try and tell him how much she disliked that phrase. A few more quiet moments and she would be out cold. Just then, another thought crossed her mind.

"Hey Nick?"

"Mm?"

"Next time we have a weekend free like this, do you think it's a good idea for me to meet your mother?" she asked softly.

"Of course," he replied easily.

"Really? You're not afraid for me the way I was for you when you met my parents?" she asked. He shook his head lightly and smiled.

"I was nervous because I wasn't sure if I could pull it off without screwing something up. I figured I was bound to say or do something to ruin it, despite your parents being so delightful. But you'll do just fine, I'm sure of it," he said assuredly, giving her side another light squeeze.

"How do you know?" she murmured.

"Fluff, you can take down mammals five times your size, you can spot an expert pickpocket from a mile away in a dense crowd, and you can strike fear into the hearts of mammals with nothing but a glare. I think you can handle one old fox who lives on Beaker Street," he said with a light chuckle.

"Thanks Nick," she said, letting her mind wander again as she began to drift off. A moment went by before Nick turned and switched his bedside lamp off as well. He rolled back over to his side, cradling her into his torso. Leaning down, he planted the end of his muzzle onto the top of her head, taking slow breaths and nuzzling her gently.

"Judy?" he whispered.

"Hmm?" she moaned quietly, teetering on the edge of consciousness.

"I have every ounce of faith in you," he breathed.

"Mmm," she cooed happily. "I have all the faith in the world in you too."

"Yeah?" he whispered again, rubbing her back lightly with the pads of his paws.

"Mmhmm," she reassured him, breathing in the musky aroma of his scent as she started to doze off again. She felt him plant a long and gentle kiss on her head, letting the end of his nose linger there for a moment before finally feeling the soft tug of sleep overtake her.


Judy needed a new alarm clock badly. She still had the same one she brought with her when she moved to Zootopia years ago, and the obnoxious clamor that came from the orange device every morning was starting to get on her nerves. She groggily rolled over and smacked the button with a thump, groaning as she lifted herself from her pillow.

"Come on honey, let's get moving," she beckoned as she rolled over again. Her paw reached out and found only his pillow beside her.

"Nick?" she said while looking around with her eyes still mostly closed. His side of the bed was empty, sure enough, but she immediately noticed how his sunglasses were not on his nightstand either.

"Nick?" Judy called out louder, hoping he was in the kitchen or perhaps the bathroom. She got up out of bed and searched their apartment.

Moving in together certainly meant more space than she had in her older place. Living with a fox meant some things were just a little bit bigger as well. The fridge, for example, had to hold both her veggies and his selection of fish and synthetic meats. The stools at the counter adjusted height so they could be at eye level when they ate, and the bed was longer than anything she ever slept in before. One cop's salary wouldn't go very far in this part of the city, but two cop's salaries together could get something decent, especially if the landlord liked police. Despite her wandering to each corner of the apartment, she could not find the fox.

Perplexed, she found her phone plugged in on the edge of the kitchen counter and opened it up. She saw her background picture of a selfie he had snuck one day while out on patrol, but no texts or missed calls.

"Hmm," she pondered. There were times when he went for an early morning run before roll call, which she often joined him for, but he always mentioned it the night before. He could have forgotten, but then again, his sunglasses were gone as well as his phone and keys. She simply figured he ventured in early to get them breakfast, so she huffed and began sending him a quick text message.

*Not like you to nail and bail, Slick. I better see you at roll call*

Judy hit send and quickly began cleaning herself up and putting her blues on. It felt odd going through her morning routine alone. She was so accustomed to having Nick there, giving her snide comments to help get her mind sharp every morning. When they first moved in, that took some getting use to. But now, not having him there felt a little like going out without her phone or keys in her pocket. The world just felt a little bit off. She pinned her badge to her Kevlar vest and gave it a proud polish with her sleeve before setting off for the precinct.

When she got there, she noticed something odd. There were multiple black SUVs parked near the front where patrol cruisers were meant to be, each with thick tinted windows. The odd sight lit a small concern far in the depths of her mind, as she still had not heard from Nick. Judy furrowed her brow and made her way inside to ask Clawhauser who was visiting. She got her answer right away.

A small group of mammals, all dressed in sharp black suits, huddled in an urgent conversation beside Clawhauser's desk. One of them, a badger, was angrily speaking with the poor cheetah while Clawhauser looked back at him nervously. The other two spoke with Chief Bogo in a similarly heated discussion. Groups of officers were looking at the scene from a respectable distance, quietly whispering to each other. Judy eventually made eye contact with Clawhauser, his eyes widening upon seeing her.

"Chief?" he called out and pointed to where she was standing. Chief Bogo turned from his conversation and glared at her. He raised a paw and ushered her to come closer.

"A word, Officer Hopps," he ordered. All three mammals in suits immediately looked her way, making the hair on the back of her neck stand up on end. She tentatively made her way closer to the chief, trying her best to look confident in the face of leering eyes. Even the other officers observed her expectantly, wondering how the scene would play out. She approached Chief Bogo and folded her paws behind her back, standing at attention.

"Sir?" she asked confidently. Then Cheif Bogo did something she had never seen him do before. He got down on one knee and lowered his head so that he was no longer towering over her. The look on his face could almost be pity, though she must have misread him because Bogo never looked sorry for anyone. The unusual sight did little to calm her growing nerves.

"Hopps, these mammals are from the Zootopia Bureau of Investigations. This is Agent Maple, Agent Juarez, and Agent Brocktree," he said and gestured to the mammals dressed in suits. The moose, Agent Maple, held a stern look on his face as he peered down at her. His magnificent antlers were the size of her parent's back porch. The badger named Brocktree was observing every inch of Judy as her eyes darted up and down. The Jackal, Agent Juarez, instead looked around the lobby keeping his eyes on a swivel. The entire display felt like a coordinated procedure, like they were computers gathering data on every detail in the room.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked tentatively, looking back at the chief.

"They'd like to ask you a few questions," he continued.

"What about?" she said and shot the Agents a glance again. At this point she had to keep her foot from nervously tapping.

"About your partner," Agent Maple said.

"Nick? Has something happened?" she asked the chief. His look of worry deepened the swelling fear building in her gut.

"Have you seen him at all today, Hopps?" the chief asked.

"No. He was gone when I woke up this morning," she said. Judy caught the agents shooting furtive glances at each other. Her ears were at full attention and her shoulders tensed as she stepped closer to the chief. "Please Chief, tell me what is going on."

"Stay calm, Hopps," he began, which ended up being counterproductive.

"Has something happened to Nick?" she asked a little louder. Her tone was approaching demanding at this point.

"Excuse me, Chief Bogo. Perhaps I can fill her in? She is obviously unaware of the situation," she heard from her side. Judy turned to find another mammal dressed in a sharp black suit. This one was a rabbit, about the same height as her, with bright silver fur and black stripes on either side of his face. He had an earpiece spiraling down from one ear into the collar of his suit. His bright blue eyes were thus far the only ones that offered any respect, though still not much kindness.

"Officer Hopps, Agent Jack Savage, ZBI," he said in an even voice, stretching out an open paw. Judy tentatively shook it and returned his stern expression.

"Would you mind telling me, Mr. Savage, what is happening and why the ZBI is asking about my partner?" she asked bluntly.

"I'd be happy to, Officer. But first, I need you to answer a very important question for me," Agent Savage said. This time, the other agents backed off a bit and waited for him to guide the conversation. As much as the growing urgency built up in her gut, she knew that if she continued to demand answers, they were less likely to tell her anything.

"Alright," Judy ventured. Jack looked her up and down very quickly before folding his hands into his pockets.

"When was the last contact you had with your partner, Nicholas Wilde?" he asked.

"Last night, going to bed," she answered honestly. "Did something happen to him?"

"One more question, Officer," the bunny began again.

"Did something happen to my partner?" she asked angrily, her patience beginning to run thin. "I already answered your question."

"I know, I know. Please bare with me, I promise to fill you in," he calmly stated with a paw raised in his defense. He fished out a small photograph from his pocket and held it up to her face. "Just answer me this: Do you know who this is?"

Judy scowled at her interrogator for a moment before looking at the photo. It was a mountain lion with bright yellow eyes peering over his shoulder in a crowded street. She studied his face closely, noting his sharp features and smooth beige fur. She shook her head, and Agent Savage sighed before placing the photograph back into his pocket. He motioned with his paw for the others to back off. They did so, leaving the two officers and Agent Savage alone.

"That," Jack started, "is Victor Pumar, last seen in Griño in October. He's an international arms smuggler who has a history of selling weapons to unstable dictatorships and terrorist organizations. He earned a spot on our most-wanted list a few years back and has been steadily climbing that list ever since. Though, since he stays out of the country, he is difficult to track."

"What does this have to do with Nick?" Judy exclaimed, yet again letting her anger show due to his infuriatingly calm demeanor. Agent Savage simply reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out another photograph, this one wider and clearer. He handed it to Judy, who observed it closely.

"This was captured by traffic cams this morning at 5:22 in the Rainforest District," he explained.

Judy saw the same mountain lion that was in the previous picture. The fur on his face was a little longer, but it was certainly him. He was looking out from the open door of a white van on the side of the road. A few other mammals were on either side of him. One was an ocelot peering out at their surroundings nervously. The other was a red fox wearing aviator sunglasses on his forehead.

Judy gasped and placed a paw over her mouth as she examined then re-examined the impossible image in her paw. Her face twisted in confusion as she looked at the mammal who was sliding the van door closed. His shirt was unbuttoned, and his fur was matted in the rain, but there was no mistaking Nick Wilde when she saw him. There was also no doubt that he was not there against his will, either. It looked almost like a drawing to her, or a cartoon, only because it was so amazingly unreal. She looked back up to the ZBI agent with wide wavering eyes.

"I'm afraid your partner has gone rogue."


A/N: Here we begin what will be one of my longer stories. I'd like to thank all of my beta-readers on this project for helping me theorize, develop, and refine this story to get it ready for all of you wonderful readers. Specifically I'd like to thank DrummerMax64, Eva (EEsDoNotItNow), $nek/Vincent/Ballad/Sans/Frisk, Cimar/Wildehopps, and everyone else who preferred not to be named. This one is going to be a fun ride, and I'm glad I have you guys on it with me.

You can expect Sunday updates with this one. I have the first month of chapters written already so I have a 'life-gets-in-the-way' buffer. Thanks for reading!