Judy and Nick confidently entered the lobby of Precinct One early next morning. Judy had a bounce in her steps and Nick expressed his normal pose of paws behind his back and head raised. Officers in the lobby took in the strange sight for the current situation, unaware of the reason behind their behavior. Ultimately, they passed it off as them trying to remain positive. Judy and Nick approached the reception desk to see Clawhauser slowly eating his cereal.
"Morning Clawhauser," Judy greeted.
Her voice brought the cheetah's attention back to them. Clawhauser looked over to see the two standing before them. "Oh...hey, you two."
They noticed Clawhauser's gloominess and soft voice.
"What's got you all sad, Ben?" Nick asked.
The cheetah slowly set down the cereal bowl. "I'm…still freaked out from that night. I know I should be more concerned with the earthquake, but I can't get those images out of my head!"
Judy immediately understood what he meant. "I remember. You were right there to see everything."
"The way he took down all those officers including the Chief; I've never seen anything like that before. It was like watching Judy in the sparring ring on steroids but only bigger!" He slowly became terrified while recalling the memories.
Nick slowly nodded. "That sounds about right. Ow!"
Judy had punched Nick in the arm for that remark.
"Anyways," Clawhauser continued, with a hint of fear in his voice. "When he looked at me after I warned him about the reinforcements, I thought I was done for!"
"It must have been frightening from that close," Nick pitied Clawhauser for having to be that close. "But we can assure you there's more to him than what was seen."
"Trust us." Judy affirmed.
"Yeah…okay." Nick and Judy saw a small smile appear on Clawhauser's face. "You two really know how to cheer a friend up. Thank you."
"No problem, Ben." Nick said and then giving him a finger salute.
"See you around!" Judy exclaimed.
Nick and Judy continued on to the bullpen, never losing that confidence from when they first entered. Inside the room, they noticed empty chairs while walking to their seat. They never did count how many officers the Assassin injured that night. Only happy that they would eventually return to work and worried that the Templars had all but declared war on the ZPD. Nick and Judy made it to their seat just when Bogo made his entrance. The officers in the room noticed a large cast covering his upper body under his uniform, signifying the extent of the injuries received from the Assassin.
"All right, let's get started." The Chief looked at the officers in the room and could see their anxiety over the damage report. "I know many want to know the damage report so here it is. A 6.5 earthquake struck Tundratown last night. Property damages have reached into the millions as of this morning." Bogo paused as he dreaded the next part. The others noticed this also. "72 confirmed deaths. 24 of them police, paramedics, and fire department. All from that district alone."
The news hit the officers hard, but it hit Nick and Judy the hardest knowing they could have done something to prevent the earthquake. Judy nearly broke into tears and tightly held Nick. Nick himself bit his lip as his paws clenched from the emotions threatening to flood over. It took all their physical and mental strength to not let the guilt overwhelm them. They wanted to come forward with the truth but currently lacked the evidence and it would put the Assassin at risk of being arrested. Their current job was to arrange the meeting and let the Assassin explain everything.
"As of right now, I am currently suspending all your cases indefinitely. If you think your case is vital, please raise your arms and we can speak about it in my office."
Knowing this was their chance, Judy and Nick slowly raised their paws, not bothering to look around if anyone else did. To their fortune, a few others did so.
Bogo checked to make sure they were since with their response before replying. "Those who raised their arms. Please leave the room and wait outside my office."
Judy and Nick wasted no time in running out the room and to Bogo's office, ignoring the stares being made at them. Despite arriving at the office first, they made sure to be the last ones to see Bogo. Even if his patience would be thin by their turn, Nick and Judy knew Bogo would not turn down the opportunity to meet the Assassin. They just need to convince the Chief to not have him arrested.
Minutes later, Bogo finally arrived and took the first set of officers into his office. Over an hour passed as the Chief listened to their reasons for not having their case suspended. Most of the requests were denied if it didn't require the officers to be undercover or meeting with an informant. Judy and Nick remained confident that Bogo will accept their request and be willing to listen. The office door opened and the officers from the most recent meeting came out dejected. Nick and Judy gave them small words of comfort before entering the room.
The two saw Chief Bogo sitting at his desk with his hooves clasped together. "Hopps, Wilde, take a seat."
Nick couldn't resist a smirk and a comment. "How are you feeling Chief?"
The buffalo glared at the fox, knowing Nick was denied the opportunity last night. "Very funny Wilde. I feel like a jackhammer crushed my chest."
"At least you're still alive. How are the other officers?" Judy said.
"The ones who fought with me are on medical leave indefinitely but will recover and can return work. The rest only have minor injuries. That killer is paying our medical bills once he is arrested."
"Maybe he can work it off by teaching you some of his moves." Nick offered, his heavy sarcasm present.
Bogo glared at Nick, but not as intense because of the pain. "I'm not going to respond to that because I'm in so much pain right now. Just sit down please."
"Yes, sir." Judy said.
They quickly sat down in the seat. The room was silent until Bogo asked the question.
"Hopps. Wilde. Tell me why I shouldn't suspend your case. I know it's important, but you haven't produced any results yet."
"Actually, we have," Nick clarified. "But it's something you must see for yourself."
"Show it then."
"We…can't show it to you right now," Judy hesitantly said. "The reason is...uh."
Bogo became annoyed at their hesitance. "Spill it already! My patience is running thin here!"
"Well…uh…" Nick said, trying to break the news of their encounter.
But then Bogo's eyes widened when the realization hit him. "Wait, did you actually meet with the killer?"
Judy and Nick instantly became silent.
"Well?"
The two slowly nodded with hesitation.
"And did he threaten you to not speak about it?" Bogo had every right to feel this way if anyone threatened his officers.
"No, absolutely no!" Judy vehemently denied and motioning with her paws. "We just didn't know how you would respond."
Bogo snorted. "Obviously I'm confused as to how this happened yet immensely relieved to finally have a major breakthrough. Our strained partnership with Depolitio and now this earthquake has been a nightmare so having the killer appear makes up for it."
"Well if you hold a meeting at night, order the officers not to arrest him, and keep it to just Precinct One, then he will be happy to explain his reason for coming forward and the killings." Nick proposed.
Chief Bogo groaned at the proposal, the pain making him unaware of the last condition. "I have serious issues with this. If it were not for the pain I'm feeling now, I would greatly express my opposition. It feels like we're giving in to his demands."
"It may sir, but it's actually for the safety of himself and the ZPD." Judy reasoned. "There could be moles on the force."
Bogo immediately became serious and shot them a glare. "What do you mean?"
Nick took a deep breath before speaking. "We can only tell you this since the killer has the full details. That boar officer was a mole, and we don't know if the other Precincts have been infiltrated," Nick said. "That's why he requests to speak only to Precinct One."
Bogo suddenly remembered the terms for the meeting and then everything made sense. Nothing angered him more than having turncoats among his officers. If there was even the slightest possibility, he would do everything in his power to confirm or deny the accusation. "Very well. Bring him here, and I promise we will make no attempt to arrest him," He quickly raised his finger. "But if we believe he is an immediate threat, we will take action. I will inform the officers about this."
"Thank you, Chief," Judy said. "You won't regret this."
"I hope so." His voice becoming more soft. "I'll let you have the rest of the day off in case you have difficulty contacting the killer. But I absolutely need you tomorrow for the Tundratown recovery."
"We understand, sir." Nick said.
"Good. Now if you excuse me, I'm going to take some medicine."
As Judy and Nick left for the Assassin's base, they contacted him with the radio they let him keep from their trip to Tundratown.
"Hello? Are you there, Assassin?"
Moments later, "I am. Do you need to come in?"
"Yes." Nick said.
"Make sure no one sees you before you enter. The wall will be down."
Judy and Nick checked for anyone else was around before lifting the cover. With no one in sight, they climbed down the hole and followed the tunnel to the Assassin's base. On the way, the two heard sounds of wood being beaten coming from the direction of the base. They arrived to see the Assassin practicing on a wooden dummy upon.
"Training your skills?" Judy asked.
"That and staying in shape. Give me a moment. I'm almost finished with this technique."
"Take your time." Nick said.
Judy and Nick watched the Assassin complete the combat technique on the wooden dummy.
The Assassin breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, I apologize for the delay."
"No worries," Nick said. "Seeing this explains your combat skills."
The Assassin shrugged his shoulders. "Long hours of practice and a calm mind are all it is. So what's the decision?"
"Chief Bogo has agreed and will set up a meeting." Judy said.
The Assassin smiled and nodded. "Good, and I'm nearly ready with the information to present, especially on the Templar police officer. That will definitely convince them to relax for my explanation."
"However," Nick interjected. "Chief Bogo did warn that if they see you as an immediate threat, they will not hesitate."
"I won't give them a reason. My appearance and actions from my visit should be enough for them to reconsider."
"Since we're waiting on Bogo to arrange the whole thing and our only assignment for today is to inform you, would you consider telling us more about the Assassins and Templars?"
The Assassin took a moment to think. "Hmm. It's only fair since you risk a lot. But I have one condition," He brought is paw out. "Give me all recording devices in your possession. I don't want this information to leak because you are not officially Assassins. And because of that, you two are still on a need-to-know basis. I will not reveal or discuss anymore once I reach that point."
"We understand. There is the danger of knowing too much." Nick said.
Judy and Nick relinquished their recording devices and listened to the Assassin explain the long history and ongoing conflict between the secret orders. The Assassin finally revealed the name of the object being sought: Pieces of Eden. He further listed the different types and explained a few of their powers. One of which is mind control. The main reason the Assassin is working hard to prevent the Templars from acquiring it. Knowing he could trust them, he revealed a few secrets to support his explanations.
The secrets were mind-boggling for Judy and Nick. Despite being told the conflict occurring through different fronts, it did not prepare them for how extensive the Assassins and Templars are. With the revelation, they swore to secrecy to not speak any of it outside the base. After revealing the selected secrets, the Assassin refused to discuss the matter further and returned their recording devices. The discussion then moved to more general topics such as the Assassin's training and lifestyle.
Nick and Judy thought about revealing their newfound convictions to him but decided against it for now. Normally, they would jump at the opportunity to be part of something exclusive if desired. However, years on the police force has taught them that both sides need to come to terms before any promotion or initiation is made. The only thing holding them back was the thought of intentionally taking a life. All three unofficially understood that this was a major obstacle the officers must overcome first.
A few days later, Chief Bogo notified all available officers and informed Judy and Nick that the arrangements were made. The two then informed the Assassin of the news.
"Assassin," Judy said. "Bogo just told us that everything is ready."
"Good, I'll meet you in front of Precinct One."
"We'll see you there then." Nick said.
That night, Judy and Nick waited outside the building for the Assassin eating their takeout for dinner: a salad for Judy and a bug burger and fries for Nick. They had spent the past few days being part of the relief effort in Tundratown. Their small stature proved valuable in locating and comforting the survivors until bigger mammals arrived to rescue them. To their relief, the seismologists determined the cause of the earthquake to be the collapse of an undiscovered underwater cave but are baffled at the previously unknown fault line. The funeral service for the fallen was difficult but it finally allowed them to release the pent up emotions. Judy broke down crying and had to be comforted. Nick too shed a few tears as the guilt slowly spilled over. They knew very well the Templars were responsible for the losses and on that day, promised to avenge the deaths. Not to their surprise, Depolitio, among other organizations donated to the relief effort. Despite the tension, they put their differences aside for the benefit of Zootopia. What was once a name that represented Zootopia's bright future had become tainted for Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde.
"Mind if I get a fry?"
Nick and Judy turned in the direction of the voice and were surprised to see the Assassin standing close. They wondered how long he had been standing there or if he'd just arrived.
"Uh, sure." Nick said.
"Thanks."
Nick held up his box and the Assassin grabbed a fry and covered it in ketchup before eating it.
"How did you do that?" Judy said in astonishment. "My hearing should have picked up your paw pads on the street!"
The Assassin swallowed his fry. "Trade secret."
Judy pointed her fork at him. "Don't think you can keep this up!" She then lowered the utensil. "Are you ready for this?"
"Yes. Although it will be difficult to avoid mentioning Assassins and Templars, my main concern is that my actions or words might offend the officers. I just know they're looking for a reason to retaliate."
"Don't worry about that," Nick reassured. "We'll stand guard by you in case that happens."
"Thank you. Remember that they're on a need-to-know basis. Embellish the details of our roof encounter and cooperation."
"Right up my alley." Nick said with confidence.
The Assassin saw the entrance to the building unguarded. "Something tells me I'm in for a warm welcome."
Judy finished her salad and tossed the plastic in the trash. "Just stay close to us and don't do anything unless ordered to."
"I really hope Chief Bogo did tell the other officers about your arrival or we'll have a serious problem on our paws." Nick said while throwing his trash away.
They cautiously entered the building and discovered the lobby silent with Clawhauser at the reception desk the only officer present. The cheetah faced the door when he heard them open. Clawhauser was excited to Judy and Nick approaching, but when he saw the Assassin with them, the cheetah immediately became frightened.
"Is that him?" He said, quickly cowering behind the desk
"Yes, did Chief Bogo tell you?" Judy asked.
Clawhauser slowly nodded. "He wanted another officer to accompany you in case anything happened. He's not going to hurt me is he?"
"Don't worry Clawhauser. He has no intention to." Nick looked up to the Assassin. "Right?"
The Assassin nodded.
"O…Okay then, follow me."
Clawhauser slowly stood up and nervously led them to the bullpen. At the door, they heard the chatter in the room. The officers were motivated to capture the Assassin and avenge their fallen officer. Clawhauser first entered the room to inform Bogo of their arrival. Moments later, he exited the room and gave the Assassin a warning.
"I wouldn't want to be you right now. The ZPD wants justice for all the damages and chaos you caused, but I will say this and I know Chief Bogo won't admit it. The two of us are grateful for you saving Gazelle's life back at the concert."
The Assassin smiled at Clawhauser's friendliness. "Glad to know I have a few more friends in the ZPD."
"Well then, you should hurry on in now."
"Thanks, Clawhauser." Judy said.
While the cheetah went to clock out, Judy and Nick entered first to make the introductions.
"Chief." Nick said while nodding.
"Hopps, Wilde," Chief looked up from them to see the Assassin standing outside. A scowl formed on his face as they exchanged looks. This display caused confusion among the officers seated, unaware of the Assassin outside the room. They tried to peak out the door, but the Assassin stood out of their line of sight.
"Let me speak first before I let you introduce our visitor." Bogo said.
"Thank you, Chief." Judy said.
Chief Bogo walked to the podium and the room gave him their undivided attention.
"Alright, I know this is late for a briefing, but it is very important. First, I want to congratulate your efforts in keeping this incident at the ZPD quiet. The eight officers injured alongside me are recovering well but it leaves Precinct One short staffed for the time being. A donation pool is open for the family of fallen officer and any contribution is welcomed. Secondly, I also want to congratulate your efforts in helping the recovery in Tundratown. Now onto the meeting. A few days ago, Officer Hopps and Officer Wilde once again made a major discovery on the White Feather Killer case so I will let them speak about it."
Nick brought two chairs so he and Judy can speak at the podium.
"Thank you, Chief," Judy said before facing the officers. "First, we want to tell you the truth behind the roof encounter as it was the starting point for what led to this. Right before we confronted the killer, we almost lost our lives during the chase. To our surprise, he rescued us just before we fell to our deaths."
Understandably, there was a small commotion among the officers. Why would the killer rescue two cops who are trying to arrest him? Especially high-profile figures of the ZPD?
"Yes, we were confused as well and questioned his decision to save us," Nick confirmed. "The only response we got was in the recording. The next time we encountered him was at the infiltration," This part they relied on the story they made that night. "After surviving that encounter, Hopps and I suspected he wanted something else with us."
"After the outcomes of both encounters," Judy said. "Officer Wilde and I took the liberty of doing our own investigation to find out the truth. It eventually led to coming in direct contract with the killer."
"We proceeded with caution and convinced him to come to the ZPD and tell us his information for not only his best interests but also Zootopia's," Nick said and then took a deep breath. "At this current moment, he is standing right outside the room waiting to come in."
The room nearly erupted in a riot and engulfed in a flood of negative emotions. Some officers began to leave the table to investigate. Judy and Nick quickly calmed them down before it was out of control. It helped that Bogo threatened anyone who leaves their tables would be assigned to parking duty indefinitely.
"Please calm down!" Judy pleaded. "We know how everyone here feels, but Nick and I urge you to hold back those feelings. This mammal has information that will break this case wide open. The two of us already got a sneak peek and believe us. It was eye opening."
"However before he comes to speak," Nick said. "You must know the information is very sensitive and must never leave this room. Any leak will not only endanger his life but all of Zootopia's. And now, we will introduce you to our visitor."
The Assassin entered the room and the room became silent. The tension could be cut with a knife. Angry glares set upon him and low growls were emitted, but he ignored them and walked to the hood was the only thing protecting the Assassin from truly making eye contact. If losing their job and being injured weren't consequences, the officers in the room would have charged forward and attacked at the Assassin. The entire room was a tinderbox waiting to be set off. Judy and Nick moved the chairs and let him take the stand while they stood guard in front of the podium. The stern glares the two gave off and paws on their weapons sent the message that they were willing to put themselves at risk in order to protect the Assassin if necessary. The sight of Bogo's death glare and his hoof on his own weapon brought insurance.
"Thank you, Officer Hopps, Officer Wilde." He turned his attention to the officers seated. "I want to begin by apologizing for any injuries I inflicted on you up to this point and say that I fully support the ZPD." He revealed his bandaged paws. "It's not much but even I didn't escape punishment from my actions that night." The Assassin placed his paws back on the podium. "Now, I want to show you something on the officer I killed." He pulled out the file and began posting its contents on the board behind him. "I know many of you here want justice, but this information will explain my reasons for taking that officer's life."
As they looked at the information, their anger slowly turned to devastation. Betrayal from one of your own always hurts, especially if the individual was entrusted to protect and serve. Judy, Nick, and the Assassin could see the cracks forming, but Bogo and the officers needed a little more push before the Templars' plan could be revealed.
"From the information, he was sabotaging your operations from the start of the investigation on me," The Assassin continued. "He allowed the false mayor bodyguard and the tiger dancer to infiltrate and nearly kill their targets. How they replaced the real ones is unknown to even me, but I can only assume the worse. If you wonder why I didn't allow them to be arrested, it's because they would either carry out their orders and/or be assisted by the officer in escaping or setting free after their arrest."
Chief Bogo and the other officers were confused from hearing that last sentence. Now it was their chance to make Precinct One their allies.
"These mammals have much influence in Zootopia, or rather some of them had. They are part of a secret organization that either controlled or currently controls major occupations in Zootopia."
He pulled out another file and posted its information. The Assassin momentarily looked down at the photos of the CEO, COO, the kangaroo, and one other mammal. Not yet. Too high-profile. He closed the file and returned to the podium. The officers saw the photos of the different mammals involved with the organization. Some were high-quality publicity photos while the rest were taken from a separate investigation. All but two were crossed out and they understood the ones crossed as slained by the Assassin.
"These mammals worked with Bellwether during the Night Howlers, but she severed ties with them because of differences. In reality, they were only using her for their own goals. To put it plainly, they want to control every aspect of Zootopia so the city can be at peace." He pointed back at the board. "As you can see, they were making progress until I appeared. Now I do not take issue with their goal. What I do take issue is their methods. As explained to Officer Hopps and Officer Wilde, do you want to choose how to live your life or have it be chosen for you without objection?"
Bogo and the officers in the room slowly became more convinced from listening to the Assassin. If the face of the ZPD trusted him, then they should give him a chance.
"Believe me. I was reluctant to come speak because the information is very sensitive. The only reason I did is because my assassinations are making it difficult for me to track these mammals. You are free to choose to assist me. I only care that the ZPD is no longer an enemy. That's all I have for now. I do have one question before Bogo comes in to conclude the briefing." He took out the taser. "To whoever this belonged to, can I keep it?"
He waited for a response but none came. "I'll take that as a yes. Thank you for your time and patience."
The Assassin stepped away and Chief Bogo came on. "I think we all can agree about having a change of heart. This is very serious right now and the livelihood of Zootopia depends on it. These mammals must be stopped before they succeed. We will continue this tomorrow morning. Remember, this information must not leave the building and we must wait until there is more information before releasing this to the other Precincts. Do you all understand?"
The officers collectively nodded. The possibility of moles in the other Precincts was likely given how extensive the mammals' influence is.
"Good."
"And don't worry about hiding my entrance." The Assassin said. "I'll be here."
The next morning, they all met again in the bullpen to hear the Assassin's plans for taking down the Templars. True to their promise, all the Precinct One officers remained silent on the information and eagerly waited for their orders. The Assassin watched in satisfaction and relief that he was gaining allies in the fight against Templars. The moment the Templars begin losing their power and influence is when the true nature of Depolitio and the secret Orders revealed.
Chief Bogo took the podium to open the morning's briefing. "Now that we had time to digest the information, we can begin working to expose these mammals and their plot. Speak with our visitor if you wish to assist and he will inform you of any assignments. For now, I will let him continue to speak on the case."
The Assassin took over. "Thank you, Chief Bogo. First and foremost, do not, I repeat, DO NOT go after the targets. They will discover our alliance and will do everything in their power to discredit you to the public. We know I already caused enough of that so leave them to me. You can cover up any future assassinations I carry out to protect all of us. Second, do you remember the earthquake reported in Tundratown?"
The officers nodded and immediately gave him their full attention.
"It wasn't a natural occurrence." He pulled out some files. "During our meeting, I convinced Officer Hopps and Officer Wilde to partake in my own investigation. In Tundratown, we discovered a hidden temple that held an artifact suspended above a pedestal. The artifact and the temple served as an anchor for that section of Zootopia and if disturbed…well you heard the news. Before you ask, no, we did not disturb the site. What happened was that we encountered those mammals and warned them about the dangers. They did heed the warnings but decided to use the opportunity to eliminate us."
He could see the anger rise in the room as they waited for the next words. The revelation all but confirmed their determination to bring down the Templars.
"Unfortunately, there could be more of these temples located in Zootopia. While they do not intend to disturb them, their pursuit of a particular site could lead to these and they will not hesitate to secure them. This is another reason why I came here." He lifted the stack of files. "I want you to investigate these possible locations and report the findings. Do not attempt to secure the area if the descriptions match. It will attract their attention and alert them. We'll discuss how to secure the sites when we find them. Chief Bogo will assign the officers and I'll assign the locations."
Chief Bogo took the podium and grouped the officers for the assignments. The officers approached the Assassin and he handed them a file. For Judy and Nick, they remained assigned to him because Bogo did not want to risk other officers ruining the fragile partnership.
"Thank you again for helping with this, Chief Bogo." The Assassin said.
"A pleasure to help, Mr.…"
"Call me the Sentinel."
"Well then Sentinel, the ZPD is very grateful for your knowledge and services." Chief Bogo then exited the room, leaving Judy, Nick, and the Assassin alone.
"That buffalo is going to be a pain to work with I can feel it." The Assassin said once he was sure Bogo was out of earshot.
"You'll get used to it," Judy assured. "He does that to all new recruits and partnerships."
"Why am I not surprised? Nice cover by the way. I couldn't have said it better than myself."
"Like you said, they're on a need to know basis." Nick reminded.
"You did a good job with your presentation as well." Judy complimented.
"Thanks, I'm surprised I made it through without saying the words Assassin and Templar. Anyways, I have a request. I need to speak with Bellwether about the remaining Templars. She may have insight on their plans that will be valuable."
"We can do that," Nick said. "But I don't think entering with your hood on is a good idea."
The Assassin switched the hood with the top hat from earlier. Judy and Nick realized he had just allowed them to see his face. The Assassin had brown eyes and all the features of a feline: eyes, ears, nose, whiskers, etc. Despite the face reveal, they couldn't pinpoint an exact species because the features were a mixture. One possibility did cross their minds but they withheld it for the time being. If the Assassin had a reason for covering his face for most of their encounters, then they will wait on him to tell.
Still, Nick crossed his arms and his face immediately fell with skepticism at the disguise. "You really think that's going to work?"
The Assassin chuckled. "You'd be surprised at how easy it is to fool the eyes. Now all that's left is to deputize me so I can enter with you two. I strongly wish to not reveal my identity."
Nick's skepticism was immediately replaced with a smirk. He took out his wallet and pulled out a sticker with the words Junior ZPD Officer on it. Wasting no time, Nick walked up to the Assassin and placed the sticker on the robe.
The Assassin inspected the sticker for a few seconds before smiling and nodding in amusement. "Nice."
Still smirking, Nick admired the display. "Never gets old. Back on the subject of Bellwether, I hope you have better luck with Bellwether because she didn't say much when we talked to her."
"I'll convince her with my incentives. Just make sure we're the only ones talking."
"We can arrange that," Judy said. "We'll let you know when we're ready."