Aeron awoke to burning pain throughout his body. He quickly began to cough as he attempted to breathe, feeling his lungs scream in agony as non clean air greeted him. Hissing in pain he tried to move only to feel his body was to heavy.

Slowly his eyes blinked open but only a blurred haze greeted his sight. Smoke. He coughed again as he forced his paw over his muzzle as he again tried to move only to fall forward. His body felt like it was being split apart. He couldn't move and he couldn't stop himself from coughing. He was going to die there.

"Hello? Is anyone still in here?" Aeron's ears twitched as his fading mind caught the voice. Gritting his teeth at the pain threatening to tear him apart he forced himself to crawl towards the door. He gave an attempted yell but his throat was so hopelessly dried by the smoke that no sound came out. No he couldn't die there. There was so much he still needed to do...No...

He could feel his conscious fade as he once again attempted to crawl to the exit. If he could just get to the hallway the owner of the voice might see him. His lungs burned as another wave of silent coughing hit him as he curled up into himself.

His vision was almost gone and he could feel what little strength he had left evaporating as his starving lungs begged for air. Faintly, he heard the voice call out again. Aeron gave a strangled yell of frustration as he tried to throw himself forward to only flop onto his side.

Dammit he really was going to die there. He wasn't going to get the chance to say goodbye to any of the people he cared about. Or make amends for the shit he did when he was younger. He was just going to lay here until he suffocated. How pathetic.

"Hey someone's over here!" numbly Aeron heard a voice as paws grabbed him.

"Is he alive?"

"Yes but barely. I'll take him, you keep looking."

"Rodger!" Aeron gave a weak twitch of pain as he felt his limp body being lifted over a mammal's shoulder.

"Hang on buddy, we're getting you out of here!" the voice was oddly soothing as Aeron felt his body being jostled slightly as his rescuer rushed out of the burning building. Finally the unbearable heat was removed and his choked lungs were greeted by fresh air.

Faintly he heard urgent voices surround him as he was taken from his rescuer and laid down. Something was forced over his muzzle and his aching lungs were finally getting full breaths of clean oxygen. However the pain of his body remained and his head continued to swim, making everything around him turn into confusing patterns of sound and color.

He wasn't sure how long he was left laying there as oxygen was pumped into him and someone was tending to whatever wounds he had. However, slowly the rush of confusion calmed and he was able to comprehend the patterns of color and sound.

He was laid in the back of an emergency vehicle and a male cougar paramedic was treating his wounds. The voices were fewer now but sounded like paramedics talking with firemen about the officers keeping the crowd calm and the mammals that needed to go to the hospital.

"Aeron!" Aeron's ears perked up as he heard a familiar voice. Breaking passed two much larger paramedics, the frantic form of Judy Hopps came rushing towards him.

"Judy?" his voice was raspy and could only be heard by her amazing hearing as she switched spots with the cougar paramedic, who had just finished his work. As his eyes focused on her he saw that there were tears in her eyes and she was shaking faintly.

"They did get to you...I'm glad." Aeron gave her a faint smile as he felt her take his paw in both of hers.

"Yeah. Where's Blueberry?" Judy smiled faintly at the nickname as she motioned over her shoulder with her head.

"He's still controlling the crowd. Most have dispersed but there's still some onlookers. He stayed to keep them calm while I went around to talk to those who were inside." Aeron nodded, instantly regretting it as a slice of pain ran up his spine. He had to wonder if there was any part of him that didn't hurt.

"How many others were injured?" he could tell that Judy had picked up on his pain by how the concern in her eyes deepened and her grip on his paw tightened.

"Just three others. Luckily there were no casualties. You got the worst of it." she trembled at this, Aeron squeezing her paws with his. Nick was right, she really was emotional.

"Not surprising. I think that I got the brunt of it." he winced as he tried to slowly move, stopping as he noticed Judy's eyes widen in alarm. He didn't want to give the poor bunny a heart attack.

"What do you mean?" her paws released his as she pulled out her notebook and her pen, preparing to write whatever he said down.

"Well I was up on the roof and I thought I heard someone in the apartment so went to check but didn't see anyone. Then I smelled gas. I was trying to run out the door when there was an explosion and I got thrown back." a frown creased her face as she scribbled down what he was saying.

"So you think this was an act of arson?" Aeron nodded, flinching at the tingling sensation of pain shooting up his neck.

"That would be my guess. Not sure though." her smile lengthened as she scribbled more things down.

"There will be an investigation so we will find out soon. Is there anything else?" Aeron shook his head, this time not reacting to the pain as much. Judy nodded as the concern took over her face again. "They're taking you to the hospital to get better looked at. Nick and I need to finish our shift then we will come check on you." Aeron smiled at her as he watched her hop off whatever she had been standing on.

"Sounds good. Be safe, both of you." Judy smiled back, Aeron noticing he eyes were shimmering again.

"You too."

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Dange glowered over his tusks at the flat screen mounted on the wall in front of him. Right then, some TV show he didn't give two shits about was playing mutely. He was waiting for the news knowing that there would most likely be a mentioning about the fire. Also, if there had been any fatalities, they would most likely report it.

"I don' know what ya are so tense abou' Boss. There's no way he survived that." Dange shot an annoyed look at Yap; who was sprawled out on his stomach over a brand new bean chair, his tail swaying lazily.

"I was quite impressed with your work, Yap. However, if anyone could survive that it would be him." his voice was laced with poison as he spoke the last word, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Is he really that impressive?" Dange's eyes lifted at the sudden feminine voice as he glanced at the entrance to the room that he was in. Veronica grinned at him as she noticed his attention was now on her as she walked in

"It's more that he just has a high level of natural luck, apparently. Any other mammal being with Valentin would have been dead by now." Veronica rolled her eyes as she perched herself on the arm rest of Dange's couch.

"I don't care how lucky this panther is. There is no way he survived that." Dange gave an annoyed grunt as he refocused on the TV.

"We shall see. However, if he's alive or not won't make much difference. Our plan will continue moving. We will take care of your loose string next, Veronica." Veronica nodded her understanding as she tugged on the hem of her tight mini skirt.

"I still don't know why you are so worried about him, Dale. He's never been friendly with the police so I can't see him tattling on me." Dange gave a low sigh as he forced himself to be patient as he felt his calmness slipping.

"He's friendly with Nick Wilde. Even with Wilde being a cop now I highly doubt their friendship has diminished. We need to make sure that he doesn't tell him." a bemused smirk crossed Veronica's face as she leaned back slightly against the edge of the couch.

"I still can't believe that an infamous hustler like Nickolas Wilde has become a cop. The world does love it's little surprises." a bark like laugh answered her as they both looked at Yap, who had one of his ridiculous grins on his face.

"Yeah surprised the hell ou' of me when I firs' saw him! Swore that I was dreamin'." Veronica leaned forward, about to say something, but Dange quickly stopped her.

"Shut up both of you!" both knowing better than to anger him, they fell silent as Dange unmuted the TV just in time for the Moose and Snow Leopard anchors to be shown. Dange kept his attention purely focused on the news as the two anchors went over the meaningless political drivel that he usually wouldn't give a shit about. Tonight though he needed to make sure he didn't miss what he wanted to know.

"In other news, a fire started at an apartment complex in Zootopia Central late this afternoon." Once again a sense of awe tugged at Dange's heart as an image of the flames were shown above the two anchors. Yap really did do good on this assignment.

"Luckily with a quick response from the fire department there were no casualties. However, four mammals were taken to the hospital for further treatment." Dange's left eye twitched irritably. So that asshole made it out alive after all.

"What the hell! How is that possible! He was the trigger for the explosion! How the fuck did he get away?" Yap was now on his feet, ears flat against his skull and lips pulled over his sharp teeth. It was rare for him to be angry, but when he was it was quite the sight.

"Calm yourself, Yap. He will be taken care of in time." Yap growled lowly as he glowered at the TV but he sat back down. Veronica seemed amused by him as her eyes were focused on the fuming coyote.

"Well looks like you were right, Dale. That panther really does have quite the luck streak." Dange nodded his agreement as he turned off the TV.

"As I said, this doesn't change anything. Or next move is to take care of the loose string. We also need to make sure that our product is ready to be shipped out." both nodded, Dange glad to see that Yap was calming down a bit.

"I'm guessing you want me to take charge of checking on our product?" Veronica asked, her eyes gleaming with a dangerous light that excited Dange.

"Yes. I want things ready in three days. As for you, Yap." Yap's ears perked up as he straightened up a bit to show that he was listening. "You and whomever you want to help you will hunt down Veronica's old 'friend' and make sure that he can't betray her." Yap's eyes lit up as he jumped to his feet.

"Righ' away Boss!" with only a second's worth pause to make sure that he was excused, Yap took off to do as he was told.

"He seems to be excited about this." Dange focused his eyes on Veronica as he rose to his feet.

"Yap may be hyperactive and a bit annoying but his taste for blood and unbreakable loyalty makes him quite the underling to have." a playful smile crossed her face as Dange stopped in front of her.

"And what about me Dale? Am I a good underling to have?" Dange's eyes gleamed dangerously as he grinned, holding out his hoof to her.

"You are not an underling, my dear. You are an ally. An ally that I am glad to have on my side." her smile widened as her eyes gleamed with the same dangerous light as his as she took his hoof, letting him help her to her feet.

"I'm glad to have you as an ally as well. However, just remember what you promised or you will see that I can also be a devastating enemy." again excitement burned inside of Dange's heart as he saw the power to back up that threat in his companions chocolate brown eyes.

"Don't worry my dear. I am a gentlemammal that never goes back on his word."

Notes: There we go! I'm hoping to go back to weekly updates now that my schedule has calmed down a bit. Next chapter we will find out how injured Aeron is and also who the Devil's Bite gang is targeting next