Chapter 10: Another Officer Down

Nick's apartment 3:30pm

Judy sat against the door of Spots room. Michael and Petey were in her lap and Cotton was sitting across from her in the tiny hall. She still didn't trust Judy fully after she was mean to Nick in Bunnyburrow, but was interested in what she had to say. Spots was sniffling on the other side. She was mad at Judy and Nick for not telling them of their connections to Mr. Big, the head of the biggest mafia family in Zootopia. She felt hurt and betrayed by them. Especially since another mafia head, Rusev, killed her birth parents. Judy started to explain exactly what happened.

"It happened during my first big case. I had 48 hours to solve the mystery of the missing otter, Emmitt Otterton and I needed Nick's help. I didn't trust him a all at the time because he'd conned me out of twenty bucks the day before."

"What happened to them?" Michael asked.

Judy was confused. "Happened to who?"

"The twenty bucks! Did they all run away?"

Judy laughed at her son's naivete. "Ha-Ha! No honey, not bucks like male rabbits or deer. I mean money!"

"Oooh!"

"Anyway, we had gotten the license plate of a limo Emmit was driven in. It lead us to Tundratown and the limo we investigated belonged to Mr. Big! His polar bears snatched us and brought us to him. Mr. Big was ready to ice the both of us because your father sold him a rug made of skunk butt back in his con-artist days. However, the day before, I had saved Mr. Big's daughter, Fru-Fru from getting squashed by a giant doughnut sign that a weasel I was chasing through Little Rodentia knocked over. Since I saved his daughter's life and complimented her (honestly, she does have the best fashion sense), he let me and Nick live and made us part of the family. You see Spots...We didn't WANT to be part of the family, but if we had refused, we'd be dead by now. It was all happenstance."

Judy continued. "As far as today goes, he almost iced me again."

"Why?" Spots asked from the other side of the door.

This made Judy happy. She was at least listening to what she had to say. "Because Nick unknowingly re-started a war between Rusev and Mr. Big. He thought he could get on Mr. Big's good side while in prison. So earlier today, he beat the hell out of Rusev with a barbell."

This made Spots giddy with joy. Nick had gotten revenge for her parents. "HA-HAA! YES! Go dad!"

"He did so in Mr. Big's name. However, what he didn't know was that Mr. Big and Rusev had a truce. It was a stalemate that kept out any more bloodshed. So now, your father had ticked off both sides."

Cotton was at full attention and worried. "So what did you do?"

"The war started almost immediately. Within the hour that Nick attacked Rusev, Rusev's mob came to Mr. Big's home to wage war. So...I made Mr. Big an offer. Have his men protect Nick in the prison and I'd protect him by fighting in the war outside on his front lawn alongside his men. I dressed myself up in heavy makeup and a tux to look like Jack Savage so if any police or reporters came around, they wouldn't find out I was working for Mr. Big. Also, Rusev wouldn't find out it was me and come after you guys. I kicked a lot of butt out there. I used a bo staff and took out waves of enemies!"

She got up and displayed some of her martial arts moves. "I took out a cheetah twice my size. HEE-YAH! Then a swarm of rats. Hee-Yah! HAA! POW!"

The kids were giggling, but then Judy settled down and sat back on the floor. "And then...then it got real. TOO real! I found some real competition in a pig covered in tattoos who was also a mixed martial artist. It was my bo staff versus his nunchucks and it was going pretty good for while. But then, I got too overconfident, we dropped the weapons and fought with punches and kicks. I was doing okay, but...but then he tackled me and brought out a huge pocket knife!"

The kids gasped as Judy kept talking. "His weight was too much for me! The knife came closer and closer to my chest and...and I thought of everyone I'd be leaving behind if I died right there. And I thought of you Micheal and...and it gave me strength. Strength I didn't even know I had! I pushed back. I managed to get my feet under him to push him off when Raymond, the polar bear shoved a huge knife right through the pig's chest!"

Michael had a few tears running down his cheeks. "H-He died?"

Judy hugged her child closely. "Yes. A lot of people did on that lawn. It became all too real. Both sides lost a lot of lives. I told Mr. Big then and there that while I'd always be friends with Fru-Fru, me and Nick were done being part of his family. He agreed and I washed off the makeup...and blood and came back here. I hope I never have to do something like that again."

Judy looked over and saw Cotton in tears looking back. "Y-You almost lost your life to protect daddy?! Even though he kept secrets from you?!"

"Yes! I love your father. Even if he doesn't fully trust me."

For the first time, Cotton ran over and hugged Judy close to her. She cried a little in her arms. "SNIFF! Thank you! You can marry my daddy now!"

Judy giggled. "Hee-Hee! We'll see!"

Judy, Michael and Cotton fell backwards when Spots opened the door she was leaning against. They all laughed as Spots stood over them, wiping a few tears from her eyes. "Okay, Miss H. I guess I can forgive you. I just wish you and dad had told me sooner!"

"What's this 'Miss H' crap?" Judy replied. "Earlier today, you called me 'Mom'. I used to hate that, but now...now I kinda like it!"

Spots giggled as she picked Judy up. "Oh, is that so? Well, I'm not calling you 'Mom' again until I see a ring on that finger. Speaking of which, guys? Now!"

Spots put Judy down, then grabbed her paws. All the kids got down on one knee and put their paws on Judy (Cotton had a hard time because her knees went backwards). "Okay! Three...two...one."

They all said it in unison with Michael's words being in parentheses. "Judy (mommy), will you please marry daddy (uncle Nick)?"

Judy gasped and was genuinely surprised by this. "Awww guys! Did Nick put you up to this?"

"No mommy..." Michael replied. "We came up with this ourselves!"

"It was actually Cotton's idea." Spots said.

Judy looked down at Cotton, then picked her up and gave her a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Yes! Yes I will gladly marry your father! But first, we need to come up with a way for me to propose to him. Let's go back to the couch. I'll make us some snacks and we'll think up some plans."

Spots interrupted Judy for a moment. "By the way, Mrs. Otterton invited you and dad to a 'free fun night' at Mystic Springs Oasis next Friday. Do you know what that's about?"

Judy threw her hands up in frustration. "UGH! Not that again! I'm not interested in doing that kind of thing!"

"What do you mean?" Spots asked.

Judy whispered to her. " 'Free Fun' means 'free love'. I'm guessing Friday nights, the Mystic Springs Oasis does a bit more than nudity. The Ottertons are...well...into that kind of thing. Have been for years, I found out."

"No kiddin'?" Spots replied. "And she wants you and dad to..."

"Ssshhh! Keep it down! Yes, but I would never do that! Did you know their youngest isn't even Emmitt's?! He doesn't even seem to care!"

"That's sad." Spots replied.

"Mind you, they're sweet people,. They just have a wild, secret life. I figured as much when I was searching for Emmittt and found out he went to a nudist colony and delivered flowers for the mafia."

"I think I know more about Emilia Otter now than I ever wanted to." Spots replied.

Judy chuckled. "Yeah. When it comes to their private lives, we otter mind our own business! Ha-Ha! Get it?"

Spots just looked at Judy in disgust.

Judy was miffed. "Oh that was funny and you know it!"

"Now I know why you love dad." Spots replied. "You have the same poor sense of humor."

Meanwhile, at the Clawhauser's home...

Terry was nervous as she looked up at the 30 foot tall eucalyptus tree towering high in the middle of Suzie's bedroom. She was very nervous. She had a massive fear of heights, but she had to push past it to rescue her potential daughter Sarah out of the top of the tree. Despite her bottom half being paralyzed, Sarah lets nothing deter her from running or climbing and sees things that she shouldn't be able to do as a fun challenge. But now, she has climbed near the top of the tree using her upper-body strength and doesn't have the ability to climb back down.

Terry was scared and looked to the other for help. "Ben honey, do you think you could climb it?"

"I'm too fat and out of shape!" Ben replied.

"...Alice? Mom?"

"I'm way too old to be climbing high trees like that. Not with my bad hip."

"S-Sister?"

"Are you kiddin'? I'm old! Also...HOOVES!"

Suzie came up from behind Terry and picked her up. "Don't worry Aunt Terry! I'll put you up as high as I can reach and you'll be most of the way there!"

She grabbed Terry by the waist and lifted her up much to her protest. "Wait! No, wait! EEEEE!"

"Here you go!" Suzie said as she put Terry on a high branch of the tree. "I'll be right here to catch you if you fall, so don't worry!"

"IF I FALL?!" Terry said. She had her eyes closed. "Wh-which way t-t-to the base of the tree?"

"It's to your left." Suzie replied. "And you need to look! Just don't look down!"

Terry opened her eyes and immediately looked down. She got a huge sense of vertigo as the ground seemed like it was a mile away. "EEE! Why did I open my eyes?!"

Suzie gently brushed her snout against Terry's muzzle. "I'm right here mama. I won't let anything happen to you. You can do this! You're a tough cop!"

Terry smiled. "You're right! I can do this!" She willed herself to the base of the tree and dug her claws in and started to climb.

She shouted out for Sarah. "Sarah! Sarah! Are you there?!"

"I'm up here new mommy!" Sarah replied. "Come get me! This tree is fun! I got a nice view!"

"This isn't a game!" Terry shouted back. "You can't use your back legs and you can easily fall!"

"C'mon new mommy! Don't be such a fraidy-cat!"

"I'm not a fraidy-cat! I'm just worried and scared!"

Sarah teased her. "Fraidy-Cat! Fraidy-Cat!" She teased Terry by hanging off one of the branches. "Look what I can do!"

"Stop it!" Terry yelled below her. "Please don't move! I-I-I'm scared to death as it is!"

Sarah started swinging from the branch. "Wheeee!"

Terry freaked out "Oh my gosh! Stop!"

"I'm okay new mommy, I..." While her front claws were dug into the branch, they were tearing through the bark and she was sliding off. "...HELP!"

"SARAH!" Terry screamed.

Her claws slipped through and Sarah started to drop. Everyone gasped as she fell about five feet through the air, but with one paw, Terry managed to catch her and cling her to her chest. "Gotcha!" Terry froze for a moment as she breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Through sheer motherly instinct, Terry gently bit into the scruff of Sarah's neck so she could climb down the tree down.

Angry and upset, Terry tried to talk with a mountain lion cub in her mouth as she climbed down. "Ooo aww in big twubble yung wady! I otta fpank ooo!"

"I'm sorry." Sarah replied.

"Durn white yur foowy! I waf fcawed haff to deaf!"

Suzie tried to but in. "Aunt Terry, I can..."

"Nod now!" Terry said as she climbed down further. She was unaware that she was already well past the point where Suzie could grab her.

"Why did ooo do diff?!" Terry asked Sarah.

"I don't know!" Sarah replied. "Kids tell me I can't do this or that because my bottom half don't work, but I can still wag my tail and...and with my skates I can still run and...and with my claws I can still climb. I don't care if I'm handicapped! I can do what anyone else can do if I try hard enough!" Sarah started to cry. "I don't wanna be in a wheelchair when I grow up! I wanna run! I wanna jump! I wanna climb!"

"Ooo cun do wots of dose fings!" Terry replied "Bud oo god do know or wimits! Ooo cand do effweyfing!"

"I know." Sarah sniffled. "I can't even use a potty! I'll have to go in a diaper for the rest of my life and smell like poo when I'm playing with other kids! They make fun of me and call me stinky cat! SNIFF! It's not fair! I wanna be normal!"

"Wife's nud aways...Wad's diss soft bwanch?"

Terry finally looked up and saw Suzie looking down at her. Suzie giggled. "That's the dirt around the base of the tree. You're on the ground Aunt Terry!"

Sure enough, Terry was standing on solid ground. Delighted beyond belief, she put Sarah in her arms. "I did it?...I DID IT! I climbed all the way down on my own!"

Ben and Alice ran up and hugged Terry and Sarah. They were both delighted. Camella just jotted some things down in her notes.

Ben was proud. "Oh honey! That was great! You were so brave!"

"You did very well considering the circumstances." Camella said. "Still, you'll need to put some metal shielding down on the center of the tree to keep her from climbing again."

"Good idea and thank you." Terry replied. "Now, let's finally go into the kitchen before something else terrible happens!"

ZPD Maximum Security Prison 4:15pm

Nick had a nice, large audience of prisoners in the prison library listening to his every word. He was very happy and content that so many prisoners wanted to change their criminal ways and just needed someone to talk to them.

"It's like a very wise bunny once told me. 'Change begins with you. It begins with me. It begins with all of us.' We predators...we're not the violent criminals society wants us to think we are!"

He got a "YEEAH!" response from the crowd. "This is why the Big Cheese's plans will fail. He's expecting a ton of predators to go out and attack all the prey out there and frankly, it's not in our nature! It hasn't been for a millennium!"

Just then chief Bogo and several officers came into the prison. Nick noticed Bogo right away. "Hey buffalo butt! Over here!"

The prisoners laughed. "HA! 'Buffalo Butt!' " Jake repeated.

Bogo talked to Nick. "Hello Wilde. We're not here to get you out. We're escorting Rusev up to interrogation. We have several questions for him regarding his connection to the Los Lobos gang and the missing whereabouts of the hippo you...(he moved his hooved fingers in quotations) 'shot' last night."

Nick was shocked "Rusev has him?!"

"We believe so." He pointed to the elder wolf in the audience around Nick. "You. You're with the Los Lobos gang, correct?"

"I was, but not anymore. I'm with the Wilde Boys now!"

Bogo arched an eyebrow. "Wild Boys?"

"With an 'E' at the end." Nick corrected Bogo. "Jake started the gang. They're a group of prisoners who want to better themselves through rehabilitation."

Bogo leered at Nick. "Hmmm...Not sure how I feel about that. You DO realize everyone here knows you're still a cop. Right?"

"I know..." Nick replied. "But they have my back and Mr. Big's men are protecting me from Rusev."

The elder wolf approached Bogo. "Mr. Chief...sir. I do have some information regarding the missing hippo. I'd be more than happy to share that information with you."

Bogo was surprised. "Excellent! Come with me. You may get some time off your sentence."

Just then, they heard a voice from behind. "Pathetic traitor! You sneetch!" It was Rusev. The large polar bear was in pawcuffs and being escorted by officers Delgato and Simmers (a grizzly bear).

Bogo turned his attention back to Nick. "By the way Wilde, I'm sorry, but until we rescue Higgin's brother, we don't have enough evidence to release you just yet."

Nick was shocked. "What?! But you just said, everyone knows it's an undercover job!"

"Yes, but the press doesn't know that, and I doubt they will without the evidence. The fake gun is missing and so is the victim. If we go to trial with this, the judge will say we're covering for an officer. Before I release you and go to the press, we need Higgin's brother back."

Nick was furious. "You can't do this to me! I did my job you rat bastard!"

"I'm sorry!" Bogo replied. "You'll be out soon. I promise."

Jake put a paw on Nick's shoulder. "It's alright brother. We need you here right now anyway. C'mon tell us some more stuff. You're inspiring us!"

"Hold on!" Rusev replied. Pulling against the officers he went over to Nick. "Now Rusev is not sayink he has heeppo held up somewhere, but eef I deed, I would tell men to look at surweillance tape on news and copy bullet hole shooting heepo deerectly in chest! Makeenk sure you stay here a long time! Heh, heh, heh! HAA! HAA! HA!"

The officers pulled Rusev back while Jake and Kevin held Nick down. "You won't get away with this!" Nick screamed. "You just confessed in front of a ton of people!"

"Crookeed cops and preesoners! No pheeshycal evdience! HAA! HAA!"

The officers yanked on Rusev. "Come along! Now!"

Jake pulled on Nick who was struggling to get at Rusev. "Calm down brother!"

Nick was still yelling. "Dammit Bogo! Let me out! RUSEV!"

Meanwhile, at the Clawhauser's ….

Everyone was seated at the kitchen table. It wasn't as large as a normal giraffe table as Ben had it replaced a while ago. Camella and Suzie were enjoying the hay pie while Ben was looking through the cupboards.

"This is quite delicious!" Camella replied. "You did a very good job Alice. Especially for someone who hasn't worked with hay before."

"Thank you!" Alice replied. "I'm just sorry about the apple pie. Ben you have any snacks for the rest of us."

Ben was a bit sad. "I guess I'm going to have to dig in to my doughnut rations."

Camella was surprised. "You have doughnut rations?!"

"Oh yes! In case I need a fix. I have them all in Puppaware boxes to keep them fresh. Let's see..Monday's all gone...No Tuesday donuts...Here! I have my Wednesday and Thursday stash left! Let's eat!"

Terry was a bit surprised. "Honey! There's like three dozen donuts here!"

"Your point being?..."

Terry just sighed. "Nevermind." She then munched on some donuts and shared them with Sarah who she was holding in her arms.

"Ahhh..That was good." Camella said. Terry and Ben were happy that she was content, but then, she suddenly pulled out a cigarette and started to light it much to Ben and Terry's dismay.

Terry pulled Camella's arm down just as she was about to light the cigarette. "E-Excuse me, but we don't smoke in this house."

"So?" Camella replied. "I do."

Alice butted in. "But we have children inside right now. Second-hand smoke is a killer!"

"Just tell them to go into the living room." Camella replied.

Ben had enough. He stood up and talked directly to the sister. "I'm sorry sister. We want to do everything to please you during your visit, but I absolutely refuse to have smoking in my house! You'll have to light that outside."

Terry agreed. "I'm with Ben on this one. I...I'm sorry sister."

Camella shrugged her shoulders. "Okay then. If you need me, I'll be outside. But first..." She got out the list again and started writing some notes down. Then, she got up and left.

Terry was scared. "Not that list again!"

Suzie noticed something. "That's funny...She never smokes in front of the kids usually. She always smokes in the kitchen when there's no one around."

Terry handed Sarah to Suzie. "Why don't you two watch TV for a bit?"

"Okay!" Suzie replied and she carried Sarah into the living room.

With the three sitting privately in the kitchen, Terry put her paws to her face. "Oh GOD! Can this get any worse?!"

Ben and Alice just looked at each other with worry. However, Terry took notice. "What?! What are you keeping from me."

"It's...it's..." Ben replied. "I'll tell you tonight when this stuff is all clear."

Terry was angry that Ben and Alice were keeping a secret from her. "No secrets! Tell me now!"

Ben put his paws to his face and wept. "I-I-I...I'm so sorry Terry! Detective Oats came to the door and told me just before Camella arrived. Wolford...He...he was caught in a huge explosion and...AND WAS KI-HI-HILLED! OH GOD! I'M SO SORRY!"

Terry just froze. A look of shock went over her face and she froze there for a long time. Finally, she spoke. "No...No! That can't be! He's my best friend! MY FIRST LOVE! NO! NOOOOO!"

She ran past the children in the living room and bolted out of the flap outside. She screamed at the top of her lungs. "NNNNNOOOOOOO! AAAAWWW-HAAAWWW-HAAAAWWW!" She fell to the ground. Sister Camella saw the whole thing and went over to her. "Terry! Terry! Relax! It was just a test! I would never smoke in front of the children!"

"I-It's not that." Terry replied as Camella helper prop her up and onto a bench outside in front of the brownstone building. "M-M-My best friend in the whole world just died! MY partner at work! I-I-I can't live without him! I just can't! Oh God! Poor Auburn! She's pregnant with his litter!"

Camella patted her back. "You must be going through hell right now. Here, let me get you some tissues."

She dug through her purse for tissues just as a suspicious-looking, teenage cougar walked by. "Excuse me ma'am. Do you got the time?"

Camella foolishly went to look up at her watch when the cougar snatched her purse and made a run for it. "MY PURSE!" Camella shouted."

Terry was pissed beyond belief. Today was not the day to steal in front of her. She took off running for the thief. "Oh no you don't! Freeze! ZPD! I'm an officer of the law!"

The panicked cougar saw the large tiger in pursuit of him and he quickened up his pace. "Oh shit!"

Terry was in full race mode. She started to run on all fours and was catching up to the perp.

Ben bolted out of the flap of his front door and saw Camella. "I heard yelling! What happened?!"

"A young cougar just stole my purse and she took off after him! Hurry!"

Ben did just that. He took off as fast as he could. He paced himself so he wouldn't run out of breath quickly.

The cougar tried to take a shortcut down an alley. Bad move on his part as it was a dead end. "Oh no!"

Sure enough Terry was right behind. She stopped just ten feet in front of him. Her claws were unsheathed. "Look kid...just give me the purse. I've had a REALLY bad day and you're pissing me off!"

The cougar was fumbling for something in his pocket. "S-S-Stay back!"

Terry roared as she leaped at the thief. She landed on top of him with a look of shock in her eyes. He had found the item in his pocket and it was a large knife that had stabbed right through her rib cage.

The teenager panicked when he saw the blood and dropped the purse. "Oh MAN! I'm outta here!" He took off running as fast as he could. Terry got about halfway up but the pain was to great. She clenched her paw at her pain and saw her paw full of blood from where she touched the wound. She fell back down. She was starting to lose vision.

Ben arrived to see her lying in a pool of her own blood. "TERRY! OH GOD TERRY! He ran up and saw the wound. "Hold on!" He took his shirt off and put pressure on the wound. "You have to keep pressure on it or you'll bleed out!" He screamed out loud. "SOMEBODY HELP!"

Terry looked up at him and smiled as Ben's tears fell on her like rain.. She could barely talk. "Honey...I got her purse...back." She then passed out.