The humming of the engine and the flapping of the tarp over the two trucks flared loudly as they marched down the road, Zootopia was far behind, falling short in the fog of the night. Two soldiers sat on each side of the long cargo bed of one of the trucks, in between them were Jane and Ivan on one side, Judy and Nick on the other. Judy had a frown plastered upon her face.

"A police officer arrested for doing nothing?" She thought to herself, "Ridiculous." However, there was nothing she could do about the matter, so she sat, holding her anger inside. Jane rested her head on her father's shoulder, his head on hers.

"Sir." Ivan spoke carefully to the soldier next to him, lifting his head from Jane's. He wanted to get as much information with as little as possible. "My daughter here has school tomorrow, I I might get fired from my place of work." The jaguar spoke softly, but forced panic into his voice, hoping the soldier would fall to pity.

"This is being done for your best interests. We can't have you around, the wolf is still on the run." The soldier looked at his watch.

"But why?" Ivan whimpered, staring at the ground.

"We're not after you. We're after him." The soldier slipped, instantly closing his mouth at his error, Ivan wasn't stupid, and the soldier knew this now. Ivan angled his head away to hide a half smile. He already had that idea in his head, due to the soldier that questioned him back at the house, but he wanted confirmation. The two trucks rolled towards a sign. "Edinburgh" was written in fancy, cursive letters across it.

"Never been here before." Nick commented, observing the sign from under the tarp.

"Please remain seated." A soldier put an arm on Nick's shoulder, whispering him a warning. Nick turned around, his legs slipping out from under him and back to dangling off the seat. The silence revived, and the only thing heard was the engine and the tarp once again. Eventually, the two trucks turned into a large empty landscape, with the exception of the several buildings located in the middle. Everyone swayed slightly to the side as the truck halted. The driver making a brief exchange with the gate keeper. Fences surrounded the whole location. Ivan strained his head to his side, taking note of the place. Trucks were lined up in one area, buildings were spaced out, each one bare of any decoration, mostly just beige and white in color. They were in a military base.

The truck parked next to the many others in the parking lot, the occupants finally able to see the paws in front of their faces as light poured under the tarp of the truck. A latch was heard and the metal door blocking the back of the truck was swung open.

"I am Lieutenant Lukemelts, do precisely what these men and I ask of you and we will have no problems." A bear entwined his paws behind his back as he introduced himself with nothing but monotone. He clearly wasn't getting any younger. "I shall lead you to your place of stay until further notice." He motioned for everyone to leave the truck. Two soldiers hopped out first, Ivan, Jane, Nick, and Judy followed after, then the last two soldiers. Lukemelts treked across the large open field of concrete, a herde of paws following behind.

"Can a fox get something to eat around here?" Nick stuck his head up to extend his voice to Lukemelts, still falling second shortest of the group, Judy taking first place.

"Of course, it's the least we can do." Lukemelts raised his voice, and Nick sighed in relief. The stomping of boot and claw was heard over anything else, the group entering two glass doors into a corridor. "You will be under supervision at all times, with the exception of your room." He continued.

"Why do you want Alex?" Judy piped up from behind Lukemelts. Ivan slumped his shoulders, and looked down to her. The bear remained silent, causing Judy to groan. She didn't pursue the issue, to Ivan's relief.

"Here we are." Lukemelts informed the group, stopping at one of the many doors in the hallway. He opened the door and stepped aside, granting entrance. The four of them were ushered into the room by the soldiers, not forcefully of course. There were two large blow-up mattresses with pillows, rough, carpet floor, and another door. "How is spaghetti?" Lukemelts asked from the doorway.

"Fine." Ivan answered for everyone. "We didn't bring anything, how do you expect us to stay here for..." Ivan rolled his hand, non-verbally seeking an answer.

"We can arrange for clothing, if that's what you're asking." Lukemelts shrugged lightly. "Your room has been prepared in advance, the bathroom has everything you would need except for a shower, if you'd like to use one, ask one of the gentlemen standing outside your door." He instructed, before backing away from the doorway, wrapping his paw around the doorknob. "Your meal should be here in fifteen." He closed the door behind him.

"Jesse is still in Zootopia, alone." Jane rested her paws on her forehead, sitting down on one of the mattresses. Judy and Nick sat across from her on the other mattress.

"He should have just came downstairs." Ivan scolded Jesse's actions as he slowly paced around the room. "Even if he is with Alex, that's more dangerous than alone." Ivan wiped his paws across his face, before marching into the bathroom and closing the door.

"Look on the bright side, they're treating us fairly." Nick put his arm across Judy's back and over her shoulder. A light tapping echoed from the door. Nick lifted from the blow-up mattress and opened the door. Nick's eyes fell down upon a fox. This fox wore a dark, but faded red suit, a white under shirt covered his arms, all the way down to just above his wrists to accommodate for his watch, where they cuffed perfectly. His removed his paw from his tie and smiled with narrowed eyes into Nick's.

"May I?" The fox raised his paw, drawing a path into the room. Nick didn't hesitate to push the door open wide and step back. Nick furrowed his eyebrows as the suited canine approached the two beds on the floor.

"Ahh yes. Judy Hopps, and Jane Mauler." The fox did the introduction for them, as he has already met the both of them. "I haven't seen you since you were a baby." He placed his paws on his knees, leaning over and meeting the jaguar's eyes. "I remember when I could hold you in my arms. How old are you now?"

"Thirteen." She muttered. Jane towered over the fox now, and was getting taller by the month.

"Oh where are my manners." The fox spun around to face Judy, who was still sitting in confusion. Nick stood next to her with his arms crossed. "We met long ago, I believe, more so with your friend Alex, yes?" He flattened a paw against his chest, squinting his eyes as he finished. "Elliot's the name." He smiled. A croaking interupted Elliot, and he slowly turned his head to see the scowl of a lifetime. Ivan filled the bathroom doorway, his head held low as his body stood straight.

"Brave to come here." Ivan complimented Elliot. He make quick observations of the room. "Especially alone." He growled.

"Oh please, that was half a decade ago." Elliot chuckled lightly, holding his paws together behind his back. "I've forgiven you. The claw marks around my neck are long gone." Elliot smiled, holding his chin up for everyone to see. "Just like the court has forgiven me, I got out in record time." He tapped his watch.

"Why are you here?" Ivan changed the subject. Making Elliot raise his eyebrows.

"I'm merely here to ensure the fair treatment of the guests." He motioned to the four of them.

"Why are you really here?" Ivan stepped out of the bathroom doorway with one soft paw. Elliot sighed in response, slumping his shoulders in defeat.

"I'm here to talk you out of escaping." Elliot straightened himself, sternly, but mostly admonishing. "Fighting back will only make things worse." Judy and Nick, who sat behind Elliot, as he was keeping his eye on Ivan, seemed to agree with this, nodding their heads slowly. A few silent moments when by, even Ivan knew he was right.

"Are you 'modified'?" Nick brought to Elliot's attention, turning to face him. Judy had told him most mammals were, and his curiosity took over.

"Hm?" Elliot raised an eyebrow. Ivan remembered this whole ordeal, when the globe began to spin with technology. It happened so fast. "Oh, me? No." Elliot chuckled softly.

"Why not?" Ivan interjected. It didn't make sense for the common mammal to not want the numerous health, physical, and mental benefits of being injected with serums, medicine, and being augmented, right?

"Unnecessary, I'm the healthiest mammal I know." Elliot claimed, his shoulders shrugging. "Nice chat we had." Elliot glared at Ivan. "However, I must be going, try to stay out of trouble." He strolled towards the door.

"Wait." Ivan held out a paw. "My son, Jesse, is with Alex. Could you make sure that any unwarranted violence is avoided?" Ivan knew the chase on Alex was inevitable at this point, and was merely looking out for both his son and the wolf's best interests. There was a pause, Ivan needed just a bit more. "A favor, if you will, an apology." Ivan muttered, Elliot nodded respectfully before slipping out the door.

"Is there something I missed?" Nick questioned, clearly irritated. "The day I wake up Alex is being hunted by his own." He stretched his arms out.

"I'm still tracking down why they want him." Ivan rubbed his chin, bemusing about the situation.

...

Ivan's back slammed onto cold metal, he was panting, shock purging through his whole body. "GET HIS DAMN SHIRT OFF!" A gritty voice boomed across the icy, barren room. Two pairs of claws surrounded Ivan, his upper clothing was torn over his head and flung to the floor. The poor jaguar lifted his head barely enough to witness it. His blood stained fur resides below his heavy eyes, his stomach riddled with pain. A heavy paw repositioned Ivan's head back against the bed, if you are even willing to call it that.

"HE'S BLEEDING FAST!" Another voice echoed through Ivan's ears. He was surely out of it, nearing unconsciousness. Two carts were ushered into the room by lab coated mammals. Two heavy paws stepped in behind the chaos of the whole room. A panda slowly sided Ivan's bed.

"Ivan." The panda's voice was faded and barely audible. "When we're finished, there won't be a soul who can stop you." He smiled wide and grim. The panda retreated as the crowd of doctors began to move around the bed. A bone saw was placed on the cart next to him. Needles, knives, bandages. Ivan watched as these things circulated, before his vision blurred to black, he was dead, he was sure of it.

...

"Ivan, you're thinking a bit too hard, our food is here." Judy tugged on the bottom of his shirt. Judy and Nick already had their plates, and moved to their place on the mattress, eating quickly, but quietly. Jane walked away from the door, two soldiers watching as she handed Ivan his plate. Ivan paused for a moment, staring at the spaghetti, but followed Jane to sit on the mattress.

"What makes Alex the odd man out?" Ivan proposed, regardless that he already come up with a solution to it, or at least he thinks so.

"Maybe he's been behind the scenes without telling us." Judy replied, pausing from her spaghetti.

"What would he possibly hide from you?" The jaguar looked at his spaghetti, twirling his fork to prepare another bite.

"Nothing I can think of, he is very open with me, especially after Nick's coma." She leaned into the fox's shoulder, which made him smile.

"Alex is very unique." Ivan began his grand proclamation. "His abilities given to him by the the serum have only been replicated by a fraction. They want Alex's body." He pointed to his own chest.

"Assuming you are correct, why wouldn't they just ask for it?" Nick countered. He may not know much about the situation, but he was trying to gather what he could.

"Alex would never give it to them, he's smart enough to know what they would do with it." Ivan nodded to himself, rubbing his chin.

"Who exactly is 'They'?" Judy piped up, raising an eyebrow.

"'They' are the whole nation: leaders, manufacturers, the police, the army..." Ivan trailed off, running out of things to list. "Alex can dodge a bullet, who wouldn't want that kind of power." He stuffed a fork full of spaghetti into his mouth vigorously.

"We can't do anything about it anyways." Nick broke eye contact, focusing on finishing his meal.

"I'm an addict." Ivan smiled. "Addicts never truly quit, they just hold off." He paused again, licking his lips. "I'm an addict for crime."

"You told us you were done." Jane looked away from Ivan, pouting.

"Done?" Ivan tilted and scratched his head, clearly nonplussed at the remark.

"With crime stuff." Jane wasn't very informed about Ivan's old line of work, but she knew of it.

"Sweetie, this is for a friend." Ivan soothed, patting her on the shoulder.

"It always is." She sighed, wriggled Ivan's paw off and placing her empty plate of spaghetti on the floor, after all, she was the only one focused fully on eating rather than conversation.

"If you guys want to help Alex, getting out of here is the only way. My son is still buried somewhere in Zootopia, probably cold, crying, maybe even hurt. I would hate myself if something bad happened to him." Ivan spoke boldly, but quietly, realizing someone could easily try to listen from outside their room.

"I want 20% of the cut..." Nick interjected with a frown, squinting his eyes. Judy elbowed him the stomach, causing him to fall back onto the mattress and laugh. Ivan bared a small smile, but quickly pushed it down.

"This is an almost forty year old mammal here guys." Ivan's smiled reappeared, not caring at this point.

"Damn I'm old." Nick sighed happily.

"I'm nearing thirty." Judy's eyes widened.

"I can relate." Ivan sounded scared, "I'm just past that." They all sighed as they dragged on the joke. "On a more serious note, if you want to break out, it's tonight." Ivan smiled grimly.

"What if we get shot?" Jane asked, looked up at Ivan with eyes of fear. Ivan didn't take Jane into consideration, he was only remembering his past.

"We need to get a hold of Elliot..." Ivan growled, yet smiled at Nick and Judy. He had a plan.


Author's Note

This chapter was also going to include Alex and Jesse in Zootopia, however, I feel that it's better to split them up by chapter. Sorry about the long wait only to receive a small chapter, I've had a busy week, next chapter will be longer.

Please leave a review with your thoughts and suggestions. If you'd like to see the next chapter about our gang after they finish their spaghetti, or if you'd like to see Alex and Jesse, let me know and I will most likely accommodate.

Buckle your seatbelts for next time, goodnight.