Bellwether's preferred plan fell through. Judy didn't bring down Lionheart's operation as originally hoped.

But she still witnessed its death first-hand.

Doug frowned through the windscreen of his truck. This stretch of the Meadowlands was as empty as Zootopia ever got, but it was sheep territory. It was frankly insulting Lionheart and his wolves had set up here. He changed gears roughly. It was time to move.

They had known Lionheart was impeding them from the start. The first mark had been Lionheart's bodyguard. Doug shot him personally. And it didn't even make the news.

Lionheart had filed a missing mammals report and quietly moved on. Bellwether had expected that. That first attack was mostly intended to leave him rattled. It was the ensuing targets who were going to splatter blood across the headlines.

Except they didn't.

When over a dozen darted predators only garnered a few vague murmurs from the public, it was clear someone was working against them. With so few potential candidates, and his proximity to the first target, Lionheart was obviously their secret opponent. Bellwether had underestimated him. She admitted that. But no more.

Doug's truck passed over a pothole. Roads out here weren't great. It made sense that Lionheart would hole up somewhere so isolated. Bellwether had actually discovered the location of Cliffside some time ago, but she didn't want to attack it herself. That was Judy's job. Or it had been.

Plans changed. Everything was riding on this concert. So there would be no silent brigade of wolves to sweep in and contain the carnage. Not tonight.

They had never taken any action this drastic. So far, their moves had all been subtle, calculated. Doug wouldn't question orders, but truthfully, he didn't like this. He preferred a slow, surgical approach.

Like, for instance, how they had dealt with their supplier. Weaselton was adequate in his role, but he needed to be removed from the operation. His mouth was too big, his questions too invasive. The fact he was also very, very irritating made it easier to cut him loose. Best of all, he was a pred – and a lowlife pred at that. A perfect target. Dosing him with the material he himself provided was efficient. Doug liked efficient.

It was also poetic. Not that Doug cared about poetry.

For once, instead of clearing out quickly, Doug had lingered to watch his work. He kept an eye on Weaselton's apartment, seeing those damn wolves show up like clockwork. They bundled the weasel into a net and left. They were in such a rush they didn't stop to grab his phone. That kind of shoddy work was why had never discovered Doug. He slipped into the apartment, claimed the phone himself, then returned to his position in the office block across the street.

Then Judy Hopps arrived.

She was smarter. She had almost spotted Doug – he had to hide from sight as she came to the window. But he witnessed the ensuing fight. Her and her lanky sidekick versus the two idiots.

Doug wondered if anyone in this city was on his level.

Now he was trundling towards the 'secret' base, with a selection of high-end equipment and two of his associates in tow. Woolter: the black sheep of the White family. Jesse: someone who became a lot less intimidating once one learned why he wore an eyepatch. They followed his truck in a nondescript black car.

Only one road led to Cliffside, and the high security presence meant they couldn't get too close. Doug parked outside the gate, an imposing structure of black metal and needlessly creepy statues. The car pulled up as Doug assembled his sniper rifle, his colleagues getting out.

Jesse stared up at the asylum with one wide eye. "So this is the place, huh?"

Doug didn't look up. "Footage from the traffic cameras and supply manifestos that aren't as well hidden as Lionheart thinks they are. Yes. This is the place."

Rifle ready, he put the scope to his eye and surveyed the defences.

"Well?" said Woolter.

"Pack of wolves," said Doug, earning mutters of disgust from his companions. "Two on the outer perimeter, manning a booth... five more by the main door. Probably more inside. But not too many. Operation like this would keep most of its security external."

"So, what? A dozen overall?"

"Sounds about right. For wolves." The rifle was almost perfectly still in Doug's hands. "But there could be more somewhere. So when we move, we move quickly. I don't like leaving something this important to you idiots, but I gotta be on the other side of town asap. I'll help you with the external security, but everybody inside is your problem. Got it?"

"Yeah, boss."

"Good. If we fail the approach, the ones at the outer booth will raise the alarm using..." Doug's stony expression faltered as he frowned into the scope. "The hell? Is that a rotary phone? Seriously?"

"Huh," said Jesse. "I guess they're really scrounging whatever they can find, huh?"

"Seems like it. But don't underestimate them." Doug lowered the rifle. "They made it this far."

Woolter's brow furrowed. "Hey, didn't you say they have Whats-hername in there too? The rabbit who kicks people? What's the plan for her?"

"You're assuming they haven't executed her." Doug's tone didn't change. It never did. "This operation's precise, and it's run by preds. I guarantee she's already dead. It's what I would do."

"That's always your solution," said Jesse lamely. "Murder."

"Yes. It is." Doug's eyes were cold, as ever. "Something you might want to remember in case you screw this up."

Jesse gulped. "M–... message received, boss."

"No, seriously," pressed Woolter. "Lionheart's all about that inclusive hippie crap. He could have prey in there too."

"Yeah."

"So... we don't tag them with the blue stuff, right? That'd defeat the purpose."

"It would," agreed Doug. "But dose every pred you see, and I don't think that'll be a problem. Our employer wants no survivors. Make it look like the 'disease' spread to the doctors – everybody should either be savage or ripped to shreds. When you're done, leave no evidence you were here. If you can, make sure Lionheart's still implicated. That'd be helpful. But the priority is crippling his team."

He returned to the truck, retrieving some items. A second rifle, which he shoved into Jesse's arms. A cylindrical device and an ominous tube, which he handed to Woolter. A black box with multiple antennae, which he checked over briskly.

Jesse looked over, loading his rifle. "That's the... blocker thing, right?"

"Yes. Knocks out cellphones and internet within one hundred and fifty meters. Don't break it. It was expensive."

Doug glanced to Woolter, who had loaded the canister into his weapon.

"Ready?"

"Yep."

"And you?"

Jesse looked down the scope. He swallowed. "Yeah. Got the outpost in my sights. Wolf in the doorway."

"Copy that. As soon as I turn this thing on, we go."

There was silence for a moment. Not as any expression of remorse or sympathy; just a necessary pause as Doug ran through his mental checklist one last time. Everything in place. Time to move.

He flicked a switch on the blocker. "It's live." He hefted his rifle up and took aim. "Fire canister."

Woolter, hands steady, pulled the trigger on his gun. The tube shot upwards in an arc, silently sailing toward the asylum's front doors. "Looks clean!"

"Roger," said Doug. "Fire pellets."

He and Jesse both fired. Doug's shot was precise, nailing the outer sentry right in the neck, but Jesse's went wide. The pellet impacted against the outpost, leaving bright blue splattered on the wall.

The wolf's eyes widened, military instincts immediately pushing her to find cover – but before she could, Doug quickly trained his scope on her and fired a second shot. Right under her ear. She spun, fell, and joined her partner in writhing on the ground, her muscles twisting unnaturally.

"You suck at aiming," said Doug, irritation creeping into his monotone.

"Sorry boss, w-won't happen again."

"Mmh."

Meanwhile, the canister had almost arrived. The wolves noticed, pointing skyward, reaching for their radios to–

The tube exploded in a vivid blue cloud.

Doug watched through his scope as vague silhouettes twisted in the fog. All five guards affected. Inhaling. Succumbing.

Initial breach successful.

Doug dropped his rifle into the truck, then shoved the blocker into a black backpack. He exchanged that for Jesse's rifle, throwing it into his vehicle as well. "Gasmasks on and load your pistols. Like I said, no witnesses."

"Understood."

"Got it, boss!"

Without a word, Doug slammed his truck shut and moved for the driver's seat. Jesse noticed a flash of metal in his hand before he got in and drove off.

The two sheep fixed their gasmasks into place, Jesse ensuring his backpack was secure. "Was Doug holding an e-cigarette? I didn't know he vaped."

"He's addicted to foamy lattes," muttered Woolter. "It's a slippery slope."

Nick had never seen so many muzzles.

This operation was outfitted like a military unit in both the calibre and quantity of their equipment. Every room was put to use. He and Judy had been shoved into a nook at the front of the building, twilight drifting through the barred windows. The closest thing to a waiting room in the facility; it wasn't like they got a lot of guests.

And even here, there were boxes and boxes of muzzles.

"Nick?"

Of course they had muzzles. They were dealing with savage predators. Dangerous, unthinking threats. Monsters, almost. Monsters with teeth. Powerful jaws. So of course they had muzzles. It only made sense. But...

"...Nick?"

Did they feel it? Were the infected animals still aware of how restrictive it felt, the crushing – the incomparable claustrophobia of – the way it pressed into your face, inescapable, overpowering your senses and the the the the

"Nick!"

Nick started. He glanced around, eyes wide. When he saw Judy, sitting in the chair across from him, his heartrate levelled out. Slowly.

"Sorry. I was... thinking about something else." He coughed. "What's up?"

Judy's fingers worried the handkerchief around her ear, but her gaze didn't leave his face. "I've given it some thought. You can go home."

He blinked. "What?"

"Gotta hand it to Lionheart, this operation's impressive. It's gone weeks without anybody in the ZPD having any idea it exists. And from the looks of things, it can keep that up."

"So what you're saying is..."

"I could stay here. Work with them to stop this disease. Follow their lead to avoid the ZPD. Live in this dingy old hospital if I have to." She smiled weakly, gesturing to her red bodysuit. "They, uh, might ask me to switch back to black after all."

Nick felt his ears flatten. "...Are you serious?"

"Yeah. I can't guarantee anything, but maybe we can cut some kind of deal. Lionheart seems to think you're trustworthy." He expected her to make some crack about how that was obviously a mistake, but she stayed businesslike. Polite. "Maybe if I agree to work for him, and you agree to keep quiet, he'll let you leave? You could go home. Look after your mom. Sound good?"

It did sound good. Escape. Get as much distance from this deadly chaos as possible. Resume his old life. It wasn't much - quiet, lucrative misery - but it was his. Not this. This danger, this intrigue. This risk.

So, for once, he was surprised to feel nothing.

"No," he said. "You gave me twenty-four hours, and I'm not leaving before they're up. It's the least I can do."

She raised an eyebrow. "I'm not gonna force you into anything. If you're not comfortable with this, there's no shame in calling it quits."

He met her gaze. "Yes. There is."

Judy sighed quietly, unable to fight off a smile. "Well... that's the spirit."

They regarded each other for a moment, the silence warm. Nick felt himself relax a little. Maybe he was finally–

A chair creaked.

They both looked up. Across from them, sharing the small room, were their two chaperones. Larry was upright in his chair; arms folded, posture impeccable, eyes firm. Gary, meanwhile, was leaning forward, completely engaged in their conversation. His brown eyes were shining.

Judy cleared her throat. "Uh... You guys were listening to all that, huh?"

"Unfortunately, yes," said Larry.

Gary laughed. "Ignore him! I think you're–"

Judy heard it first, her ears shooting up. Then Nick and the wolves caught it. Gary stood, expression darkening, and moved for the window.

"Oh my god...!"

They joined him, looking into the courtyard. The sentries were coughing violently, caught in a vague blue haze; vapour of some kind, already clearing. Nick was about to say something when one guard, tall and bulky, pulled open his collar as though to get air – and then fell upon the wolf next to him. Eyes wild. Fangs out.

The air froze.

As Nick and Judy stared in horror, Larry tore the radio off his belt. "This is Lawrence. I'm with Gary and the vigilantes. All other units, sound off, now!"

"This is Freya! Still guarding the cells."

"Lyall. I'm with the doctor."

"Lupita here. By the computers."

Then, silence.

"That's everyone?!" said Larry, mostly to himself.

Gary bit his lip. "Everybody else was stationed outside..."

Larry looked to his partner. For a moment, he seemed uncertain. Vulnerable.

Then his eyes hardened into ice.

"Listen," he said, and everyone listened. "We're under attack. Possible bioweapon. Everyone stationed outside – all seven – seem to be going savage. They need to be subdued for their own safety. Otherwise, they'll tear each other into pieces!"

He strode out of the room. Gary followed closely. So did Nick and Judy, almost by magnetism.

"Gary and I are going out there," he was saying. "We'll act as the vanguard. Lyall, Lupita, I want both of you to join us when you can. But first, Lupita, contact the night shift. Inform them of the situation and get them down here, now."

"Okay!"

"Lyall, help the doctor prep the clinic." His voice was grim. "She's going to have multiple patients."

"Understood."

They arrived at a huge steel door. Larry nodded stiffly and Gary hopped up, tapping its keypad.

"And me?" came a voice over the radio.

"Stay by the cells, Freya," said Larry. "This whole thing could be a diversion. We need someone guarding that room."

"Solid copy. Will the four of you be enough?"

He visibly forced himself not to sigh. "God, I hope so."

Gary opened the door and rushed in. "Dibs on the net cannon!"

Nick and Judy followed them, finding themselves in an armoury. Weapons and firearms lined the walls, alongside lockers and crates packed with various kinds of ammunition. Gary had grabbed something blue and cylindrical, and was strapping a bandoleer of tightly-coiled spare nets to his shoulder.

Lupita's voice crackled back through the radio. "Larry, problem. Something seems to be blocking outward communications."

Gary fished out his phone – and frowned at the lack of bars. Larry bit back a snarl. "Can you fix it?"

"Maybe?"

"Try."

On cue, Judy stepped up. "What about us?"

"Good question." Clicking off his radio, Larry reached for firearm hanging on the wall. It wasn't a tranquillizer. "I guess the sensible option is killing you both."

Nick's blood went cold.

Judy's, as ever, ran hot. "What?!"

"Yeah, no, what?!" said Gary, ears tall. "Larry, no! What are you saying?!"

Larry focused on the gun. "They've only been here a few hours. This isn't a coincidence. We need to ensure they don't do any further damage."

"They want to help!"

Larry's grip tightened. "They could be double agents!"

"What kind of bizarro plan would that even be?!" yelled Gary, thrusting out his arms. "Double agents only work if you trust them!"

"Which you do!" snapped Larry, his voice raising. "For some ungodly reason, you've shown these two lunatics nothing but warmth ever since they arrived! I know you're... You see people differently. You trust outsiders. But I don't! And considering all the data, I'm not gonna trust them!"

Gary met his gaze. His voice was soft. "Then trust me."

Silence hung in the armoury. Larry stared down his partner, expression unchanging. Nick was terrified of moving. If he moved, if he breathed, they'd see. His instincts screamed at him to keep still.

Then Larry sagged. He hissed through his teeth, dragging his eyes over to Nick and Judy. "You're lucky," he said, "that my partner is such a sap."

"Haha, yes!" said Gary. "We're teaming up! I'll grab your stuff, Judy!"

He bounded up to a nearby locker as Larry replaced the gun with a tranquillizer. "Be thankful we don't have time for discussion. Every second we waste puts the pack in more danger. If you're up for this–"

"I am," said Judy, because of course she was. Nick nodded weakly.

"Good," said Larry. "Maybe you'll prove useful after all."

Gary returned with a box. "Here's your cool costume!"

Judy took it, quickly surveying the contents. Helmet, chest piece, wristguard wristguard belt – all there. "Thanks!"

As she suited up, Larry tossed a pistol to Nick. He caught it. Just about. "Here, fox. You might need this."

Nick stared at the weapon. "This... this is a gun."

"It's a shock pistol," said Larry, urgent and terse. "Non-lethal, but effective. Anyone tries to bite you, zap them."

"You're just assuming I can use it?"

"You'll figure it out!" said Gary with a bright smile. "I believe in you."

"Don't worry, Nick," said Judy, sliding her helmet into place. "We'll take point. You just focus on defending yourself. I'll try to watch your back, but don't do anything stupid." She flicked up her visor, letting him see the wry look in her eyes. "I know that's hard for you."

Nick smiled – then tensed as Larry grabbed his shoulder. "She's right. Stay by the door. We can't afford you screwing this up."

Gary frowned, hefting the cannon. "Jeez, Larry, that's–"

"We don't have time to be polite!" snapped Larry. He turned back to Nick, eyes cold. "You're a liability, in more ways than one. Remember what we discussed. Stay back, understand?"

Nick resisted the urge to glance over to Judy. The wolf was right. He had slowed her down enough already. Keeping his expression even, he nodded. "Yeah. I understand."

"Good. Move out!"

Larry broke into a sprint, Gary close behind. Judy glanced to Nick, flicked her visor back down, and followed.

The four of them were soon thundering down the stairs. Judy, naturally the fastest, led. Gary and Larry moved together, covering the distance with easy, focused strides.

Nick brought up the rear, huffing steadily. "Oh god... oh god... oh god..."

Gary dipped behind, drawing level with him as they neared the ground floor. "Hey, don't worry, little buddy. Fighting's not so hard. It's all in your head."

Nick focused on moving, but his sarcasm kicked in instinctively. "Being torn apart by... savage wolves isn't... a matter of... perspective."

"Oh, that's not what I mean," said Gary. "I mean it's all in your head. You're small, yeah, and you should be careful. But the most important part of fighting is working out what the other guy's gonna do." He beamed. "You seem good at that!"

"Thanks..." Nick glanced up. "And what are... these guys... gonna do?"

Gary turned his attention forward, his expression darkening. "Probably... a lot of biting."

"God."

They reached the front doors. The tall, frosted glass and intricate gold patterning – too ornate for a hospital, a sign of the building's age – obscured what was happening. But Nick could hear it. The growling. The snarling. The howls of pain.

Judy hung back, letting Gary and Larry ahead. They each took one side of the main door, checked their weapons, shared a nod. Then they pushed through.

Nick immediately caught the smell of blood.

He trailed after Judy, surveying the scene quickly, unwilling to linger on any part too long. Five wolves were still fighting, feral and caked in blood. Two more lay on the ground. Unmoving.

Gary dropped to one knee, aimed at a wolf, and fired. A net exploded from the cannon, trapping it. It snarled and thrashed, trapped. "That's one! Cover me." He began to reload, Larry sticking close.

Judy charged in. A wolf noticed her, lunging. She ducked to the side and kicked it full-force in the side of the head. It hit the ground and rolled.

"Hah!" Judy planted her hands on her hips. "This isn't so–" and another wolf tackled her.

"Hopps!" Nick tensed, rooted by the door. He watched as Judy wiggled free and tried, unsuccessfully, to get some distance.

When it came again, Judy reacted in time to kick off the ground and sail over its snapping jaws, but her jump was sloppy. She landed messily on its back, grabbing the collar of its shredded coat for support. It thrashed furiously, trying to dislodge her – and then another wolf slammed into them.

Nick glanced over to the partners, but they weren't faring much better. Gary had missed his second shot, allowing the largest wolf – frighteningly strong even before being dosed – to close in. It had tackled Larry to the ground, and Gary was wrestling it to keep its teeth from his partner's throat. "Of course it would be Boris," he huffed, in a tone more exasperated than anything.

Nick turned back to Judy and the two remaining wolves. She was still alive, but the wolves were fighting over her like, well, a scrap of meat.

Each one had bitten down on an arm, and while her wristguards took the brunt of the damage, she was helpless. Her feet dangled uselessly, off the ground, unable to build momentum. She twisted in their grip, pulled back and forth, yelling her defiance.

Nick felt something shift.

Larry was right: he was a liability. But how much longer would he stay that way? Judy had offered to send him home. He said no. He had made his decision, like an idiot, and he had to stand by it, like a courageous idiot. It was time to move.

It was only after he had started charging that he remembered he was holding a gun.

He didn't have a soldier's instincts. But that just meant he would improvise.

The wolf on Judy's left seemed the greater threat so Nick ran for it, closed the gap, and slammed his weight against it. Nothing happened. That avenue exhausted, Nick aimed the shock pistol for its neck, hissed a prayer, and fired.

Electricity singed the wolf's flesh and it yelped, but its grip on Judy only tightened. Angry and terrified and lacking other options, Nick fired and fired and kept firing.

Finally the wolf fell back, jaws loose and stance weak. Nick aimed for its face, firing until it collapsed and lay still.

"Thanks!" Judy let herself be dragged by the other wolf, feet back on the ground. Unable to strike decisively, she unclipped her belt with her free hand. She looped it around the wolf's back teeth, grabbed both ends, and yanked. Its lower jaw dropped enough to free her arm, though the wolf immediately bit back down on the belt.

Judy darted back, letting Nick finish the wolf with several shots to the face. He watched as it swayed woozily, then fell.

Nick found himself staring at the pistol in his grip. His hands were shaking, but not out of fear.

"Holy crap," he breathed. "I did it."

"Yeah!" Judy slapped him on the back, hard enough to upset his balance. "Nice work, Slick."

"Th-thanks." He turned to her. "You okay?"

"Yeah, actually. Although..."

She watched as her mangled wristguards slowly, miserably, slid off her arms, too damaged to stay tight. The wolf saliva didn't help. Now the only black on her costume was her visor and chest piece, leaving the rest of the red bodysuit bare.

"Starting to feel a little underdressed, here."

He managed a smile. "You're wearing pyjamas. Embrace it."

They looked up to see Larry slam a dart into the final wolf's neck. Gary fired another net for good measure, then similarly contained the others.

Before long, all the savage wolves were restrained. It was over.

Gary threw his head back and howled into the twilight air. Larry's ears perked. He resisted long enough to look around, but the afflicted wolves were secure. They had a moment. He indulged himself in instinct and joined in.

Then, so did Judy.

Nick stared. "Podunk, what the hell are you doing?"

Judy laughed. "What? It looked fun. And it is! Get in on this, it's like a group hug!"

She resumed the howl, head back and ears high, throwing her shoulders into the motion. Gary's voice shook as he fought off a laugh, overjoyed Judy had joined. But soon the three voices had a steady harmony.

The savage wolves – those still conscious – watched from their nets. One stopped thrashing. It listened for a few seconds. Then it joined as well.

Soon, the howl was bolstered by several savage calls. Their cries were loud, powerful, burning with anger. But they were unnatural. Harmony became discord as voices wavered, sickly and directionless. An eerie dirge for a doomed pack.

Nick's ears flattened. The sound surrounded him, clawing at him. He disliked loud noises at the best of times, and this was nowhere near the best of times.

"Okay. Okay!" he yelled, fighting to make himself heard. "It's officially become creepy! Can we stop?!"

Larry ended his howl. "The fox has a point. Moment over." He nudged Gary, who dutifully trailed off. Judy followed suit. The savage wolves continued aimlessly for a few moments, but without a steady centre, the sound collapsed.

Larry moved towards the canister, lying discarded on the concrete. "Hmm. Seems this 'plague' is artificial after all..." He knelt, reaching for it.

Nick tensed. "Wait! Don't touch that!"

Larry stopped, turning. "Why not?"

Nick took a breath. "Because if I was some, some kind of terrorist with a bioweapon, and I left my equipment in plain view, I'd've probably booby-trapped it."

Larry blinked. "I hadn't even considered that. Good catch, fox." He stood. "Some of the night shift have bomb disposal training. We'll wait for them to get here. Until then, our priority is to secure all the victims, and find out who the hell did this." Judy nodded, as though this all made sense. Nick felt sick.

Gary whined. "Um, guys... shouldn't Lupita have shown up by now?"

Judy's ear pricked. She turned slowly towards the asylum's open door. From outside, the four could see the stairwell – and suddenly, clattering down the steps, came a wolf.

It was Lupita, or it had been. Her black coat flapped loosely around its body as it came to the lobby. It looked up, savage eyes landing on the rabbit, and growled. Then it burst into a sprint.

Larry went to reload his tranq gun and Gary fumbled with his cannon and Judy squared her shoulders and readied herself. Nick, meanwhile, moved to the door – and, at the right moment, just as the wolf was almost outside, closed it.

There was a thump and a muted whine as it slammed into the thick glass head-first. Larry shot him a glare and Nick just shrugged.

The mercenary ripped the door open, took a second to survey the she-wolf, and then shot it in the neck with a dart. It stayed down.

His eyes were cold, but no longer steady. His nose twitched. "Somebody got past us, inside the building..."

Nick barely processed the change. One moment, Larry was standing over the fallen wolf – a second later, he was grabbing Nick's shirt, roaring into his face. "You! What happened to watching the door?!"

Nick was working up the nerve to point out that Larry had ordered him to stay by the door, not watch the door, when another voice cut through the air.

"Larry!" Gary strode up, eyes hard. "Put him down."

"But–"

"But nothing! Yeah, someone got in. We all missed them. We're all to blame. Don't waste time yelling, we need to get inside!"

Larry shut his mouth, nodding curtly. "Yes. Right. Let's go." Without looking at Nick, he pushed him away and stepped over Lupita. Back inside.

With nothing on the ground floor, the four went back up the stairs. Nick found himself in front, claws worrying the yellow paint of his shock pistol as he ran.

They came to the corridor with Madge's clinic and Larry yelled at him to stop but he didn't. He reached the door, out of breath. "Madge? You okay?!"

A second later a grey blur burst out of the doorframe, pinning him to the ground. His pistol slid along the floor and under a set of heavy metal shelves.

Hands free, Nick managed – barely – to grab the honey badger's face before it tore his throat out. His arms strained as he fought to keep it back. "Madge is not okay! Not okay!"

"Her too?!" Judy leapt in, kicking it, but it didn't budge.

"Move!" yelled Gary, and Judy moved. He fired a net, trapping the badger. It hissed monstrously and tried chewing through the rope, but the rope held.

Larry strode into the clinic as Gary checked his bandoleer. He sighed. "That's my last net. Switching." He casually tossed the cannon aside, drawing a tranquillizer pistol like Larry's.

Judy offered Nick a hand. He smiled weakly and took it, standing.

Larry returned. His face was expressionless, but suddenly, it seemed like an act. "Swept the room."

"And?" said Gary. "What's in there?"

"Lyall." Larry started walking, eyes forward. "Come on. We need to keep moving."

Gary hesitated at the door, then followed, ears low. Judy jogged after them, and Nick – unarmed, scared, increasingly sure he was trapped in a bad dream – stayed close.

Larry led them toward the cells. As they approached, voices became audible. Unknown voices. Larry held up a fist, and they closed the distance silently.

They took cover against a corner, peering around. Their disparate heights made it easier to share the space.

Two sheep, both in gasmasks, were by the door. Freya was on her knees, blood running from her nose. Jesse held her by the collar as Woolter towered over her.

"Give us the code, pred!"

Freya smiled. "Bite me. Literally, try it. Bet I wouldn't even–"

Woolter whacked his pistol into her nose, and she whined. Gary and Larry snarled in silent synchrony.

They shared a nod. Both readied their tranquillizers. Then they leapt from cover – the sheep shouting in surprise – and fired.

Two darts flew. One came for Jesse, who bleated and shoved Freya into its path. It hit her neck, eliciting a yelp.

The other caught Woolter in the shoulder. He grunted, his legs buckling as it immediately took hold. But before he succumbed, before he and Freya both crumpled, he groaned angrily, raised his pistol, and fired.

The pellet went straight for Gary.

His instincts failed him. He froze, eyes wide. Vulnerable. "Oh, no–!"

Larry didn't speak. Larry just acted.

Gary flinched, looking away. Nothing happened.

He looked up, straight into Larry's soft eyes.

He was right in front of him, hands on his shoulders. Vivid blue on his neck. He met Gary's gaze. Slowly, he broke into a tender smile. It was the warmest Gary had ever seen him.

Then it started.

As Larry began to twitch violently, Judy burst from cover, screaming in rage. Jesse fixed his pistol on her and Nick tensed. But no shot came. Jesse blinked a lot and said "Wait, no, not–" before Judy jumped and slammed both feet into his chest. He wheezed and fell.

Gary watched numbly as Larry turned. He wasted vital seconds staring in horror before trying to reload his pistol, pulling out a fistful of darts with one shaking hand. "C'mon c'mon no no no please–"

The savage wolf lunged suddenly, dropping its own gun and sending darts flying everywhere. It slammed into Gary's chest, writhing. He tried to wrestle it, but it twisted viciously in his grip, its maw on his arm–

The wolf bit down.

"Ow," said Gary, face tensing as he fought to downplay his reaction. "That's my arm. Okay. Okay. Ow. Oh god."

"Hang on!" Judy leapt in. She kicked the savage wolf in the head and it fell back with a whine.

Gary instinctively brought his injured arm in, cradling it – and looked up, eyes frantic. "Wait! Don't hurt him!"

"Don't what?!" spluttered Nick. "He was chewing right through you!"

"Not on purpose! He can't help it!" Gary ignored his wound, his attention only on Judy. "Please, please. He's my – don't hurt him."

The wolf stood, a snarl shaking its body. Judy watched it, wary. "I'll... I'll try."

It advanced on her, then leapt forward. Judy dodged to the side, its jaws closing on empty air, but it turned nimbly and dove for her again.

Nick pulled his eyes away, trying to think. Darts on the ground. Larry's discarded gun.

Come on, idiot. This isn't hard.

As Judy struggled with the wolf, Nick crept forward, taking the gun and a dart and desperately teaching himself how to reload. It shouldn't be–

A yell pierced the air. Nick flinched, ears up. Judy must have tried a kick – her foot was in its mouth. It bit down hard on her ankle, then shook her around by the leg. Nick's nose caught blood. The wolf flicked its jaws and threw her against a wall. She hit it and didn't get up.

Nick froze, knowing he was next; but the wolf turned to Gary instead, eyes sharp. It advanced and Gary backed away, but he slipped on a loose dart and fell. Nick dragged his eyes back to the gun. Go. Reload it reload it now you stupid–

The wolf kept coming as Gary shuffled backwards. He kept his mangled arm up. It couldn't do much, but it blocked his throat, if only from view. With his good hand, he reached out pleadingly.

"Larry... c-c'mon..."

He hit the wall. Nowhere to go. The wolf still coming.

"Larry, please..." His face twisted in pain. Not his arm. "I... I never had the courage to say this earlier and now maybe you'll never understand it but I love you, man! Like, I – not – just – I love you! You matter to me more than anyone else, and I wanna spend my whole life with you, and...!" His breath hitched as he fought off tears. "Now I'm gonna cry, I promised my mom I wouldn't die while crying but...!"

He shut his eyes.

The wolf closed in.

...Nothing.

Then, wetness.

Nick stared. The savage wolf was placidly licking Gary's face. He opened his eyes, confused, then burst out laughing.

"Oh my god... oh my god! Larry! This – you – awh!"

Nick shook his head, refocusing. He had finally loaded the dart into the gun, and the wolf wasn't moving. This was his best chance. He aimed, took a breath, and shot it in the neck. The wolf yelped, then turned to Nick, anger returning.

"No, no!" Gary reached out with his good hand, stroking its face. "Shh, shh... it's okay. Just ignore him. I'm here. I'm here..."

The wolf's eyes stayed on Nick, but it didn't move. After a moment, it began to sag, eyelids drooping.

"That's it... just, uh... just try to relax..."

It slowly lowered itself onto Gary's chest; he kept stroking its head, making sure it was calm. Soon, its eyes drifted shut. Larry was asleep.

Judy dragged herself up, standing next to Nick. "Good job. You handled that well."

"Thanks..."

Gary looked over to them, smiling thinly. "Y'know, I've waited a long time for this. This... isn't how I pictured it."

"How is he?" said Nick.

Gary nodded. "...Heavy."

Nick glanced to Judy's ankle - and winced. "Oh, Hopps, that looks bad. I could maybe..."

"I'm fine," she said.

"Uh, I don't mean to contradict you, but it really does not look like–"

"I'm fine," she snapped. "Don't waste time on me. Help Gary. He's hurt a lot worse."

Nick hesitated, but she was right. "Yeah, okay. Good point."

"Yeah," said Gary, pinned under his partner. "Very good point. Very very good point. I like that plan. I like the Help Gary plan."

He and Nick moved Larry to the side so he could sit up. Then they gingerly removed Gary's arm from his sleeve. The mangled black fabric was an indication of how badly Larry had bitten him, but seeing the wound still turned Nick's stomach. Red blood against white fur, seeping through. Still flowing.

Nick's nose wrinkled. The stench of blood was thick. "Is Madge your only doctor? She's..."

"Yeah," said Gary softly. He rallied, forcing a smile. "There's other doctors, they're just all at home right now. She always worked the hardest... Besides, one of the night shift guys used to be an EMT. He'll look at this. For now, could you just help me, uh, stop bleeding everywhere?"

Nick forced himself to breathe. "Yeah. Yeah, I can."

As they worked, Judy approached the sheep. She kept her weight off her bad leg, almost unconsciously. Her attention was elsewhere.

Woolter was down. He wasn't getting up any time soon. But Jesse was still conscious. He was only stunned. He had come here, he had brought this disgusting drug and knowingly used it on real people, inflicted this on Larry and the guards and god knows how many others? And he just sat there, blinking. Completely unhurt.

Judy's fist clenched so hard it began to shake.

Jesse looked up as the rabbit closed in. Her voice was low. "You. Name."

"What?"

"Tell me," she spat, "your name."

His mouth flapped uselessly. Then he recovered. Slightly. "I... I'm not saying anyth–"

"Jesse," said Nick, still focused on Gary. "His name is Jesse."

The sheep stared. Gary whined softly, watching Nick with awe. "...some kinda... name wizard..."

Judy was silent for a moment. The light caught her visor as she looked up to the door. The keypad.

"Gary. Give me the code to the cells."

He shrank, ears flattening. "I... I dunno. Larry wouldn't want me, uh..."

"Larry," said Judy levelly, "has gone savage. Because of this... pathetic excuse for a person. I have a solution. A way forward. And to do it, I need the code."

Gary bit his lip. "...It's 3-7-9-1."

"Thank you."

Judy jumped up, grabbing the keypad and quickly hammering in the code. The door unlocked. Then she grabbed Jesse by the collar and pulled him inside.

Nick blinked. He followed her, leaving Gary sitting lamely on the floor. "I'll be here, then..."

Judy dragged Jesse past the cells. She stayed stoic as predators roared and rattled the glass. Jesse was having a harder time remaining calm.

"I-I don't care what you do... I'm not–" He yelped as a tiger threw itself against the glass. Nick flinched too, but stayed close.

Judy came to a cell at the back, shoving Jesse to the ground. A grey wolf emerged from the darkness, golden eyes gleaming.

"Jesse, this is my friend Randy. I know he's craving to meet new people."

Jesse glared. "What? Another savage wolf? That's not scary. Me and Woolter got this far, remember?"

"You did," said Judy. "With your drugs and your weapons and your masks." She tore his gasmask off, throwing it against the glass. Randy snarled. "But what if I put you into this cell? Just you and Randy, no toys. What then?"

Jesse paled. "...You wouldn't."

"Try me."

Nick stared. "Hopps..."

"Shut up." Judy grabbed Jesse's shirt, pulling him closer to the wolf. "He has it coming."

"No, Judy. Seriously. You really–"

"Quiet," snapped Judy. "I don't need you to play good cop. I'm not a police officer any more. In fact, there's no police here at all. So if I put you," she yelled, slamming Jesse against the glass, "into this cage," slam "no-one would care," slam "and no-one would miss you!"

Jesse was hyperventilating now. Randy was right up against the wall, flecks of spit on the glass.

"Talk!" Judy roared.

"I can't! I, I–"

"Who are you working for?!"

"Please!" he sobbed. "They'll kill me!"

"And who do you think you're talking to?!"

Jesse cracked, flailing an arm. "Okay, okay! I'll tell you! Just... just gimme a second, to, to... oh mom..."

Judy stepped back, leaving him heaving in breath. She raised her visor, rubbing her eyes.

Nick pulled in close. "Nice one, Hopps," he murmured. "Glad I could add to the authenticity of the act." He paused. "It... was an act, right?"

"Yeah," said Judy. "Sure."

She turned back to Jesse, stance firm. "Don't keep me waiting. I'm not a very patient–"

"It's Bellwether!"

"It's Bellwether?" Judy blinked, ears tall with shock.

"I mean, I'm not sure," he blurted out. "I don't have any hard proof or anything but one time my boss Doug was on the phone and I heard it and it was definitely her? And I'm pretty sure there's only one person higher than him and it'd make sense if it was her 'cause she's a sheep and we're sheep and like that's her plan. I think." He stared at them, wild-eyed. "Sheep."

Nick and Judy shared a look, not quite able to process this information. But Nick saw the confusion in Judy's eyes change. It didn't vanish, but the urgency of the situation broke it and crushed the fragments into rage, as coal turns to diamond under pressure.

She glared at Jesse. "Keep talking! What's this 'plan'? Where is your boss now?!"

Zootennial Stadium was already beginning to fill.

Mammals of every size jostled outside the huge, curved building. The atmosphere was bright and lively, despite the concert's posters bearing atypical terms like 'charity' and 'benefit' and 'missing mammals'.

Backstage was a cacophony, workers of all description rushing to get everything in place. The technical staff were performing final checks on the lighting, the audio, Gazelle's beloved fog machines. Various stewards and managers strode the halls, eyes sharp for any errors. The dancers were practised and stretched and had little else to do but breathe and savour the nervous pre-show energy.

Gazelle was supposed to be in her dressing room. The make-up staff were particular here, and wanted to triple-check that her eyeliner was perfect. But Gazelle had always been a free spirit. And she loved to jog through the back corridors, seeing the effort that went into every show. Her ornate red dress sparkled in the stark light, but it wasn't as bright as her smile. She was the star, yes, but she knew she was merely the most visible of thousands of talented, hard-working mammals.

She slid through a back room, earning a few startled smiles from the workers. She grinned as she passed. "Alright, people, let's give 'em a great show tonight!"

It was the perfect moment for Doug – working in the corner, the janitor's cap he had appropriated covering his face – to say something like 'Oh, I'll give you a show alright', or 'Yeah. It'll be a night to remember.'

But Doug wasn't that kind of guy.

wow judy and nick were in that waiting room for a loooooooong time

Uh, let's go ahead and call that three month hiatus semi-intentional. It took me ages to finish this damn chapter (and that probably shows), but I have a decent grasp on the rest. I'd say "Hopefully updates will be consistent now!" but I already said that, so, uh

Much love to zooLover for providing some great, in-depth analysis on Bellwether's operation, which really helped me overcome some bad writer's block. Also, our fantastic new cover was made by the wonderful RadicalRobo! I definitely recommend seeing more of his art on his tumblr blog of the same name, especially if (like me!) you enjoy cool depictions of everyone's favourite rabbit secret agent who doesn't actually exist, Jack Savage. Huge thanks to you both!