ZOOTOPIA: MAGNUM FUR

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney.

After doing a bit more research, I have now come to the conclusion that my previous time frame for the Reckless Endangerment series was the correct one. While the majority of Zootopia took place in 2015, the conclusion of the Night Howler case took place in November, and that means Nick must have graduated from the police academy some time in 2016. While my story does take place during Nick's first year, it mostly takes place towards the end of his first year, which would be in 2017, so that means I'm going to have to update all of the dates in this story and Reckless Endangerment and Scales of Fear to match that. Again. Dammit.

Chapter 11: Frame Work

Date: Friday, May 13th, 2017

Lisker paused the footage before rewinding it again. "What about Horrowitz? He was also present at the fox's interrogation, wasn't he?" Bogo asked in the video. "I forced him into it," Benezio lied. "How?" Bogo asked. Lisker frowned as he listened. "I found some skeletons in his closet and threatened to expose them if he didn't cooperate with me," Benezio said.

Lisker paused the video and closed his eyes. Benezio was his friend, but he had also become a liability. However, with the story that he was weaving to Bogo, Lisker knew that he could still trust the tiger to remain loyal to him and their cause. He unpaused the video again. "Is that so? Would you care to tell them to me?" Bogo asked.

"No. He did his part, so I won't say anything," Benezio lied again. "And if we ask him about this, he'll tell us the same thing?" Bogo asked him. "Well... I may have also vaguely threatened to... put him in the hospital as well, so to speak," Benezio lied once more. "I still don't understand, Furmington. Why would you do this?" Bogo asked him.

"I thought I was doing the right thing. They were criminals, so I didn't see anything wrong with what I was doing," Benezio said. "That tranquilizer gun... was that yours?" Bogo asked him. "It wasn't my property, but I did use it. I forced Horrowitz to put the same cleaning supplies I had used on it in the fox's van, so that the stains on it would match," Benezio said.

"Does this mean the you admit to the murder of Vincent Grimes and his associates?" Bogo asked the tiger. "I... yes, Chief," Benezio said. Lisker silently nodded his head in approval as he watched Benezio continue talking to Chief Bogo. "Now, you admit to killing Grimes, but what about the others?" Bogo asked him. "Others?" Benezio asked. "I'm not referring to the other two animals in his house. I mean the Fasa Brothers, Reginald Vanderbelt, and a few other criminals on this list, all of whom were killed with the same toxin as Grimes," Bogo said.

"Well... I-" "You've never had duty on a motorcycle, Benezio, and most of your partners haven't been from the Third Precinct. You couldn't have killed all of them," Bogo said. Benezio sighed and looked down at the table. "Come on, who's the other one?" Bogo asked him. "I don't know. I don't know who they are. I received a note in my locker, telling me where to find the gun, and giving me the address of Vincent Grimes. I destroyed the note at home later, after memorizing the address," Benezio lied.

"Did you recognize the hand writing?" Bogo asked him. "No. It was typed on print paper, and it seemed like it had been cut from a larger paper with scissors. It was on the bottom of my locker. I don't know who put it there," Benezio lied again.

At this point, Lisker was no longer paying attention to the video. The part that had caught his attention was when Bogo had mentioned the list of other criminals killed with the same weapon. That was the part that worried him the most. I can understand them having reports for Vanderbelt and the Fasa brothers, but the others from the Third Precinct? Someone gave them that information, Lisker thought to himself.

Lisker began pulling up video footage from earlier on Thursday and Wednesday, going through each camera to see who had contact with the trio who had caught Benezio. Eventually, after two hours of careful scrutinizing, he found his quarry. "Bingo," Lisker said with a frown. "I should have known," he said to himself.

He looked down at his watch. The time given to Horrowitz by Sharpo's liaison would pass in a few hours, but it wouldn't matter at this point. With Benezio's arrest and actions, the entire operation had been thrown off. They would have to wait until the next month's delivery before they could strike at Sharpo. Unfortunately, with how close Wilde, Hopps, and Milius were getting to the rest of the ring, Lisker knew that his group would have to curb back their actions and wait.

However, the animal who had given information to Milius and the others still had to be dealt with before they could screw things up further. Lisker took out his cell phone and sent text messages to two of his other subordinates. If they did this right, then they could remove two obstacles instead of just one.

"So, Fin, how does it feel to know that you'll be free soon?" Nick asked his friend, who was still being held in a cell. "Define soon," Finnick said grumpily. "Another hour, I suppose," Nick replied. "Well... I guess it feels good to be proven innocent," Finnick said. "When you get out, would you like to go get something to eat?" Nick asked him.

"Nick... I'm sorry, but... I've had my fill of bein' around cops. Maybe some other time, but... I need to know... why didn't you try to help me sooner? Why didn't you come talk to me as soon as you heard about this to get some answers?" Finnick asked him. "I... the Chief and Lieutenant Lisker both told me to stay away," Nick said. "What? So someone tells you to stay away from your friend after he's been hurt, and you do what they say? Nick, that tiger tried to lie to me by saying that you told them to do that to me!" Finnick exclaimed.

"What!? I would never have someone do that to you!" Nick replied. "Then why didn't you come see me to hear my side of the story? I'm your friend! You should have at least tried to hear my side!" Finnick shouted at him. "Would you have tried to tell me the truth?" Nick asked him. "I... I don't know," Finnick replied quietly. "I just... I have too much anger inside me right now, Nicky. I need to be alone for a while," Finnick said.

"Would you like... someone else to escort you when you're released?" Nick asked him. "Maybe," Finnick replied before he sat down on a bench in the cell. "I'm sorry, Finnick," Nick said. "I know. But, like I said, I need to be alone for a while. I'll see you around," Finnick replied. "Yeah. See you around," Nick said quietly as he walked away.

Nick made his way to the locker room where he grabbed his stuff before heading out to the lobby. "Later, Clawhauser," Nick said as he waved to the cheetah. "Later Nick," Clawhauser said with a smile as he waved to him.

Date: Saturday, May 14th, 2017

Cynthia Furrero had just finished her shower when she heard the door bell ringing. Her ears perked up in curiosity as she exited the bathroom with a towel around her. "A girl can't even dry off," she muttered in annoyance. The bell rang again. "Okay, I'm coming, just hold on," Cynthia barked as she approached the door.

The bell rang one more time before she reached it. "Okay, who is it?" she asked as she peeked through the peep hole. The hallway was empty. Immediately, Cynthia felt a sense of foreboding as she slowly backed away and returned to her bedroom, closing the door and searching for her cell phone. "Where did I-oh shit!" she hissed as she remembered that she had taken it into the bathroom while she was getting her shower.

Slowly opening the door, Cynthia quietly crept through her short hallway before entering the living room, going past the kitchenette and heading for the bathroom. Entering the bathroom, she grabbed her phone, just in time to hear the apartment door creak open a second before the lights in the living room and kitchenette went out. Cynthia's fur began to stand up as fear coursed through her veins.

She gulped and took a deep breath as she remembered her training and kept her paws and claws ready. She kept her eyes on the doorway of the bathroom, looking out into the darkness that had enveloped the rest of the apartment. Cynthia tried to steady her breathing and her heart rate as she slowly stepped towards the door, hoping to grab it and close it so she could lock it shut while she called for help.

Carefully, with her paws trembling, Cynthia slowly reached out to the door, her eyes flicking back and forth between the door and the darkness as she got closer to her goal. She licked her lips just as she she was about to grab the handle. Her heart rate seemed to soar as she slowly tightened her grip around the handle, right before a glove-clad paw descended and grabbed hers.

Cynthia yelped as the figure dragged her into the darkness, grabbing her maw and holding it shut before someone else punched her in the gut. Cynthia felt dizzy as she collapsed onto her knees, before the lights in the living room came back on. Cynthia forced herself to look up at the figure in front of her. It was a gray wolf. Looking around, Cynthia saw two more wolves standing around her. All three wolves had on face masks.

"Officer Furrero," the largest of them said in a cold tone. Cynthia instantly recognized his voice. "Lieutenant Lisker," she gasped. Lisker sighed as he crouched down near her, holding a baton in one of his paws.

"It really does pain me to do this, but really there is no choice, unless you decide to join us, that is," Lisker said. "Join you?" Cynthia asked him. "Yes. You could join us, Furrero. I know you have talent, and it would really help us," Lisker said. "Why should I?" Cynthia asked him.

"You'd be helping us make the world a better place," Lisker replied. "Better? You think that murder and torture will make the world better?" Cynthia spat in disgust. "What happened to the fox was unfortunate, and I wish it could have been avoided. I really do," Lisker said.

"But, the thing is... we have a job to do, Furrero, and you've threatened our ability to do that job," Lisker said. "You gave information to Inspector Milius and Officers Hopps and Wilde, information that threatened to expose us," Lisker continued. "All I did was show them the obvious," Cynthia said. "Maybe, but the fact remains that you're too damn resourceful. You can join us, or be against us. I'd rather you join us, Furrero," Lisker said.

"No," Cynthia replied. Lisker sighed in response. "Then... I really am sorry for this, but you must be silenced," Lisker said. Cynthia quickly lunged forward and pushed Lisker to the ground, only for the other two wolves to grab her and pull her back. "Sorry, Cynthia, but you had your chance," one of them spoke. It was Gregory Pelton.

Cynthia kicked one of her legs up and hit Pelton in the muzzle, stunning him briefly before Blackwell, the other wolf, punched her in the gut. He then straddled her and began raining blows down upon her face and torso, scratching her face with his claws. Cynthia tried to fight back, but Lisker and Pelton had both already recovered and were holding her down.

"Don't struggle, it'll be over soon," Lisker said quietly as Blackwell continued beating Cynthia before he handed him the baton. She tried to bite his right paw, only for Pelton to grab her bloodied mouth with his other paw. "Bad girl, Cynthia. You should have taken the offer," Pelton said as Blackwell delivered a strong punch to her throat. "That'll keep her quiet," Blackwell said as he stood up and backed away before raising the baton and bringing it down on her stomach, chest, and legs.

He beat her again and again, until Lisker pulled him away. "That's enough, Quinn," Lisker said to him. "Now... she clearly didn't trip and fall down the stairs, so someone's going to be asking questions," Pelton said. "We have no choice, even in such a short time frame, but we have to frame someone," Lisker said with a sigh.

"If only Benezio hadn't tried to frame that fox and torture the weasel, this probably could have been avoided," Pelton said. "Who gives a shit about the fox? He would've been taken in for something anyway," Blackwell said. "Quinn, would you please keep your bigotry to yourself for once?" Lisker reprimanded him.

"So, who do we set up?" Pelton asked Lisker. "Why not Wilde? We know that he banged her once, so he knows where she lives. Hardly anyone else in the station does," Blackwell suggested. "His anger at his friend's treatment could be used as motivation for him attacking her," Pelton said. "Possibly, but we still need samples of his fur to plant at the scene," Lisker said.

"I have that already covered," Blackwell said as he reached into a pocket on his black jacket and pulled out a plastic baggy with tuffs of orange fur in it. "How long have you had those?" Pelton asked him. "Oh, since Friday morning. It was pretty hot that day, and the fox had started shedding before he got inside the station. I merely collected it when no one was looking," Blackwell said.

"You're creepy, you know that?" Pelton said to him. "Just... get started," Lisker said. "Wait... do we know where the fox is right now? What if he has an alibi that holds up? It would make things obvious that hes being framed if he has an alibi that checks out," Pelton said. "Grab Furrero's phone and text him. Find out where he is," Lisker said.

Pelton walked over to the floor where Cynthia had dropped her phone, carefully picking it up with his gloved paw. "It's locked," he said. "What does it take to unlock it?" Lisker asked him.

"Paw print swipe," Pelton said. "Well, she's right there on the floor," Blackwell said. Pelton sighed and crouched down, grabbing one of Cynthia's paws and swiping it against the screen of the phone. "Bingo!" Pelton exclaimed as the phone became unlocked.

"Okay, find out where Officer Wilde is right now," Lisker said. Pelton typed in a message and sent it. Two minutes later, there was a reply message. "He's at home right now. He's recovering a workout with Hopps and... who the hell is Benny?" Pelton asked. "Clawhauser," Blackwell said. "The cheetah? That guy works out?" Pelton asked in disbelief.

"Guys, there are more important things to worry about right now," Lisker said firmly. "Right. Should I text him back?" Pelton asked. "Uh... just say that you're bored and drinking. Tell him that the door's unlocked if he's interested," Lisker said. "What?" Pelton asked him. "You're using Furrero's phone, so pretend that you're Furrero," Lisker said. "Oh, right," Pelton said before typing in the message and sending it.

"Okay, it's done. Now what?" Pelton asked Lisker. "Find something with alcohol in it and follow my instructions," Lisker said to the duo. They both retrieved some beer bottles that Cynthia had in her fridge. "Now, do exactly as I say," Lisker said.

Blackwell and Pelton did as they were told. Soon, there were glass shards and beer spilled over Cynthia's face and carpet. "Now, plant some of Wilde's fur around the place and the one surviving empty bottle," Lisker said. Blackwell complied and began his work. "And that is how you manufacture a fake crime scene over a real one," Lisker said.

"What about the baton?" Pelton asked. Some of Cynthia's blood had gotten on it. "Keep it intact and don't clean it. We'll need it as it is for later. Trust me. Just make damn sure you don't put your own prints on it, understand?" Lisker said. Both subordinates nodded their heads in affirmation. "Good. Now, we have a fox to take care of when the time is right," Lisker said as he turned around and walked to the door.

The trio soon left, making sure to leave the door unlocked, with Blackwell putting a few of Nick's fur strands on the floor near the door before leaving. After ten minutes had passed, Cynthia began to move, tiredly and painfully, as she crawled toward her phone. Her breathing was labored and her vision was blurry. She finally reached the phone and unlocked it, desperately trying to reach a specific phone number.

She found the one she needed and waited for her landlord to pick up. "Hello?" the aardwolf asked over the phone. "H-Help... please," Cynthia struggled to say. "Miss Furrero? What's wrong?" Mr. Geffen asked her, concern evident in his voice. "H-Help... call... help," Cynthia said, her mind unable to focus properly. "Where are you?" Geffen asked her. "In... apartment. Please... help," Cynthia said as darkness threatened to overtake her. She felt herself slowly slipping into a state of sleep, before her landlord finally made his way up to her room number.

"Miss Furrero!" Geffen exclaimed as he saw her bloodied and beaten form on the living room floor. He rushed over to her side. "What happened!? Who did this to you!?" he asked her. "N-Nick... next. Tell... police," she rasped out, tiredness finally claiming her. "Nick? Who's Nick?" Geffen asked her. He looked around the room, trying to make sense of her words, before he saw some orange strands of fur on the floor.

"Wait a minute... that fox who was here last week; his name was Nick. That bastard," he snarled with a frown. He quickly took out his phone and dialed 911, requesting an ambulance. When help finally arrived, Cynthia was unconscious. She was taken out to the ambulance on a stretcher by the EMT's. As Geffen watched her being loaded into the ambulance, two police officers, a wolf and a tiger, walked over to him. "We're officers McLeod and Fursfield. We'd like to ask you some questions, sir, since you were to first to arrive. Is that okay with you?" the wolf, McLeod, asked him. "Uh, sure," Geffen replied. "Thank you for cooperating," McLeod said.

Date: Monday, May 16th, 2017

As Nicholas Piberius Wilde drove his car to the parking lot outside of Precinct One's station, he began fiddling with his radio, trying to turn down the volume. "Beneath the pale moonlight! Someone's thinking of me, and loving me tonight!" sang a female voice on the radio. "Ooh! I know this one," Nick said to himself with a smile as he pulled into the parking lot and found a spot. He waited another three minutes for the song to end before turning off the engine and getting out of the car.

"Been a while since I've heard that one," he said to himself as he closed the doors but left his windows down, since the temperature was already in the seventies, Fahrenheit. He started humming the song to himself as he walked into the station, pausing to wave at Clawhauser, who looked at him with a strange look of uncertainty as he waved back. Nick's smile wavered as he wondered what made Clawhauser seem so uneasy.

"Hey, Big Guy, what's up?" Nick asked the cheetah. "Oh, uh... n-nothing's up," Clawhauser lied. "Oooookay," Nick said. "Um, Nick," Clawhauser asked in a whisper, "I don't mean to be rude or anything but... watch your back. Literally," Clawhauser said. "Watch my-why, what happened?" Nick asked him. "I-I'm not allowed say. Not... to you," Clawhauser replied sadly and reluctantly. "Not to me? What does that mean?" Nick asked him.

"I... Judy's in the briefing room already, so I don't know how much she knows but... don't tell anyone I said this, but on Saturday... Cynthia Furrero was assault and put in the hospital," Clawhauser said. Nick's eyes widened. "W-What? What happened!?" he asked. "I don't know all of the details. All I know for sure is that... they found someone's fur at the scene, and while the officers talking were trying to be quiet, I heard one of them mention that it was... fox fur," Clawhauser explained. Nick's jaw dropped. "Now, I know that you wouldn't do something like that, but everyone else is on edge, especially since they know that you... you know, slept with her the other week," Clawhauser said.

"But... I got a text message from her that night. She said she was drunk and bored, but I was too tired from that workout Judy put us both through to go over there and do anything," Nick said. "I know that. I'm sure that this is a misunderstanding. The fur might not be yours at all, and if it is, then it could have been there from your romp with her the other week for all anyone knows, but the fact is... you have a target on your back now," Clawhauser whispered to him.

"So... don't be surprised if some of our coworkers are... looking at you strangely," Clawhauser said. "Yeah well, thanks for the heads up, Benny," Nick said as he walked away and entered the hallway where the entrance to the Bull Pen was located. Stepping in front of the door, Nick took a deep breath and prepared himself for what might be inside. "It'll be okay. You're innocent, and they all know it. You know it," Nick said to himself before opening the door and entering the briefing room.

The chatter and noise that had filled the room prior had now dissipated as everyone turned to look at him. Nick looked around. Judy was nowhere in sight. His other coworkers, however, were all looking at him. Some had blank faces, others were scrutinizing, as if trying to study him. Some officers had frowns, and others had glares that held silent threats behind them.

Nick suddenly felt very small, and almost found himself being transported back to that night when he took the initiation for the Ranger Scouts. Only this time, he knew from the start that something was wrong. "Um... hey guys. What's up?" he asked as he waved. "Uh... hey, Nick," Hooper said. Pelton and Blackwell both glared at the other wolf.

"So... room's pretty quiet. Has Bogo already trained everyone to to keep silent before he arrives now?" Nick asked in a sad attempt at a joke. Everyone was quiet as Nick took his seat next to McHorn. McHorn, to his credit, seemed rather indifferent to the atmosphere that everyone else in the room was generating. Of course, McHorn was also asleep.

Nick could hear the whispers around him. "How do you know it wasn't leftover fur from their one night stand?" "Busted her face up real bad." "He doesn't look strong enough to do the kind of damage Furrero had." "Fucking scum. I knew he couldn't be trusted," another officer whispered. "Foxes. They're all the same." "Maybe it was a different fox?" "To think we actually thought he could be trusted. We ought to just put a muzzle on him now," another one said, this time striking deep inside Nick's psyche.

Nick struggled to keep his cool as he heard the remarks get worse and worse around him, trying his best to ignore the glares and rude gestures from his colleagues. Soon, the door opened and Judy stepped in, followed by Chief Bogo. Judy hopped up into the seat next to Nick. "Good morning, everyone. Our first item to review is the fact that our bathrooms will be undergoing renovation, one at a time, so that newer and smaller toilets can be added. Plumbing in sections of the building will be readjusted on a large scale, one section at a time," Bogo said.

"Now, next item on the docket. Last night, we received a very generous donation in the form of a new coffee machine along with several boxes of coffee, multiple flavors I might add. Unfortunately, someone crushed all of the large cups, so you'll have to bring your own," Bogo said. "Now, next on the docket, and this one is very important. As many of you are aware, on Saturday night, officers McLeod and Fursfield responded to an emergency call at East Savannah Apartments, where one of our own, Officer Cynthia Furrero, was reported to have been assaulted. She was then transported to a hospital where her condition was listed as being critical due to the severe nature of her injuries," Bogo said.

Several animals glared even harder at Nick. "Last night, her condition changed from critical to stable. Unfortunately, she is still unresponsive. Updates to her condition will be made available periodically. Her exact location is a need to know basis. When she becomes responsive, I will be the first to know and will inform anyone who is curious. Until then, her exact location is going to remain unknown except to myself," Bogo said.

"Any questions?" Bogo asked. Jurro raised his paw. "Yes?" Bogo said. "Is it true that orange fur was found at the scene of the crime?" Jurro asked. "That detail is currently under review as part of the investigation," Bogo said. "Who's in charge of the investigation?" Pelton asked.

"Lieutenant Lisker has been put in charge of the investigation," Bogo replied. "Hey, is it true that the fur found at the scene tested positive for the DNA of a fox?" Blackwell asked in a cold tone as he glared at Nick. "Blackwell, that is currently under investigation," Bogo said.

"Just askin' is all," Blackwell said. "Now, onto the next-" Bogo was interrupted when the door opened and Lisker motioned for him. "Can I speak with you, sir?" Lisker asked. "Is it important?" Bogo asked him. "Extremely," Lisker replied. "Everyone wait here while I speak with Lieutenant Lisker," Bogo said as he stepped out into the hallway with the wolf, closing the door behind him.

"Hey, Wilde," Blackwell said with a cold tone. Judy and Nick both turned their heads to look at the wolf. "Cynthia was like pack to the rest of us transfers. You'd better watch your back and hope no one finds anything, or I might forget to hit my brakes if I see you crossing the street," Blackwell said. "How dare you!" Judy yelled at him. "Calm down, both of you," Hooper barked in a commanding tone. "There's no conclusive evidence that he did it, Blackwell," Hooper added before he sent an apologetic look at Nick.

"Thanks, Sergeant," Nick said. "No problem. Innocent until proven guilty, remember? Of course, if you are guilty, then I'll rip your dick off and shove it down your throat, but until then, you're safe," Hooper said. "Right," Nick said in nervous response.

"Just let me inspect his car and home while he's on duty today," Lisker said. "Ask him for permission, Lieutenant," Bogo said. "And if he refuses?" Lisker asked. "Then get a search warrant," Bogo said. "Fine. I'll wait until you hand out assignments, but I still want to talk to him," Lisker said. "Lisker, I know that Furrero was close to you, but if you allow personal feelings to get in the way of professionalism, I'm pulling you from this investigation and putting someone else on it, understand?" Bogo asked him.

"I understand, Chief," Lisker said with a nod. "Good. Now, if you find evidence that links him to the crime, then I will have him brought in for questioning," Bogo said. "Forensics already found his fur at the scene," Lisker said. "Which, according to certain rumors, were probably already there from last week," Bogo said. He didn't care much for the gossip that went around the station, but it still ended up reaching ears regardless.

"Fine. I'll ask him for permission to search his car and residence. If he doesn't comply, I'll get a warrant," Lisker said in false frustration. "I'm glad we understand each other, Lieutenant. Now, I have a morning briefing to resume," Bogo said before he returned to the Bull Pen, as the briefing room was so affectionately named. Lisker watched him silently, slowly counting down the minutes in his head until he could enact the next part of his plan.

"Sure. You can search my car. I have nothing in there, so go ahead. I wasn't there when it happened, and I didn't do anything to her, so search all you want," Nick replied. "Okay. What about your residence?" Lisker asked him. "Go ahead. You can search there too. I have nothing to hide," Nick said confidently. "I certainly hope so, Wilde. You're a good officer. Hopefully, this whole thing is just some kind of setup, since I know that there are plenty of individuals out there who aren't happy with a fox being on the force," Lisker said.

"I'm not sure if me being set up would be a good thing or a bad thing then," Nick said. "It's bad because it means prejudice is still rampant. It's also good, because it means that you're innocent," Lisker said. "Well, there's one way to look at it," Nick said. "Don't worry, Nick. I'm sure that Lieutenant Lisker will prove that you're innocent. You've done nothing wrong, and once this is cleared up, we'll catch the real criminal," Judy said confidently.

"I certainly hope so, Hopps," Lisker said before he walked away. Nick and Judy stared after him, and while Judy seemed to be willing to trust Lisker, Nick began to once more feel that bad vibe that the wolf had given off when they first met. While Nick wanted to tell himself that it was nothing, the feeling wouldn't go away. Something was off about Lisker.

A Few Hours Later...

Lisker stood in front of Chief Bogo with a frown on his face. "I wish I were wrong, but... the evidence doesn't lie, Chief. The baton I found in his car is the same one that's been listed as missing from our inventory. And, according to forensics, the baton matches the weapon used to deliver most of the injuries to Furrero," Lisker said. "Were his paw prints on it?" Bogo asked him.

"Not that I could find," Lisker said. "But... I found a pair of gloves as well, along with latex gloves to slip over. That would provide two layers against his prints being left on anything," Lisker said. Bogo sighed forlornly. "It... dammit," Bogo said. "He has the weapon, he had the motives and opportunity. His fur was found at the scene, and he even admitted that Furrero had contacted him that night, asking him to come over," Lisker said.

"He showed me the text message that she sent him. The door was unlocked, and the land lord said that she mentioned Nick's name before passing out," Lisker said. "But... would Wilde deliberate go out and do something like this?" Bogo asked. He didn't really like Nick, although he didn't dislike him either, but he still found it difficult to believe that Nick would ever do something like that to someone, at least intentionally.

"Well, given the amount of alcohol found at the scene, it's entirely possible that the assault may have started out as an argument that went out of control. I don't know why he would take a baton with him if he didn't intend to do anything, but that's what I've got," Lisker said apologetically. "I'm sorry, Chief, but we have to at least bring him in for questioning. I don't want to believe it either, but Wilde is the most logical suspect," Lisker said.

"Go ahead. Bring him in," Bogo said reluctantly. "Before or after his shift is over?" Lisker asked the cape buffalo. "The sooner the better," Bogo replied. "Right. What was his assignment today?" Lisker asked him. "He's on patrol with Hooper today in Sahara Square. Hopps is currently working with Trunkaby at a Career Day activity at an elementary school in the Meadowlands," Bogo said.

"Huh. I thought you would have both of them together," Lisker said, genuinely surprised by this information. "Not always," Bogo said. "I'm still trying to make sure that they're both capable of working with others before I decide to make their partnership permanent," Bogo explained. "That's... that's a good idea," Lisker admitted with genuine approval.

"Except for the part where you have Hooper driving a car," Lisker then added. "He needs to learn how to use one," Bogo said with a slight hint of humor. "Well, hopefully, Wilde knows how drive too. I don't want to imagine the carnage Hooper might leave behind if he has to be the one driving them back to the precinct," Lisker said. "How did Hooper ever become a sergeant without being able to drive a cruiser properly?" Bogo asked him. "We had different cruisers back when he started out, and he spends most of his time on a motorcycle anyway," Lisker replied.

"Well anyway, go out there and... bring back Wilde for questioning," Bogo said. "I will. Do you know if anyone else has patrol routes close to where Wilde and Hooper were assigned? Just in case I need assistance?" Lisker asked him. "Pelton is on patrol near the second Sahara Square transitional tunnel," Bogo said. "Okay. He should be enough if Wilde proves to be uncooperative," Lisker said as he left the room.

He quickly took out his cell phone and sent a text message to Pelton and Blackwell before he entered the elevator and made his way to the first floor, heading over to the garage. I'm really sorry about this, Wilde, but it's for the greater good. You'll understand one day, Lisker thought to himself as he entered his unmarked black sedan and drove out of the garage.

Nick Wilde and Maes Hooper sat in the cruiser, sipping sodas while watching for speeders. "Thirty-five," Hooper said as he read the speed scanner. "That's a bit below the limit," Nick remarked. "Yup," Hooper said with a sigh.

"So... um, I have a question, if you don't mind me asking," Nick said. "Go ahead and ask," Hooper said. "Well-" "Forty. Sorry, continue," Hooper said. "Okay. Well, Blackwell said that Cynthia-I mean, Furrero, was like pack to you guys, right?" "I believe he said that, yes," Hooper responded. "So, you're also part of the... pack, right?" Nick asked him. "Sort of. I'm the only one who accepted a promotion to sergeant. The others wanted to keep their positions when we transferred, although I think Furrero did try to become a junior detective. I don't know if that went through or not, though," Hooper replied.

"So, how come you stuck up for me, though? I mean, you all seem pretty close," Nick said curiously. "Wilde, we might all be from the same precinct, but I was never really close the way that Lisker and the others were. I mean, I get along with them just fine, but I'm more of the odd one out," Hooper explained. "Why's that?" Nick asked him.

"Well, there's something about Lisker that just seems off. It's hard to explain, but I've never looked up to him the way the others have. They all cling to him like a father figure, even Furrero saw him that way at one point, but I guess I was just too independent to really feel like I needed one. Besides, my own father was plenty for me, so I never felt the need for a replacement figure," Hooper said with a chuckle.

"At least you knew your father," Nick commented. "What do you mean by-oh," Hooper said apologetically. "He died when I was young, or he disappeared. I'm not entirely sure which, to be honest. I just know that one day, when I was a kit, he left the house and never came back," Nick said. "That sucks," Hooper said. "No shit," Nick said in agreement.

"But, you still haven't explained why you stood up for me this morning," Nick said. "Oh. Well, innocent until proven guilty. Your fur may have been found at the scene, but you were there the previous weekend, right? And not many people know this, but Cynthia's never really been a big clean freak. She only cleans her place once every two or three weeks, not every week, like some people," Hooper said.

"How do you know that?" Nick asked him. "Because I've been to her place before, Wilde. You ain't the first guy she's rolled around with," Hooper said. "Oh. Were you and her..." "No, it was a one time thing. It was fun, but it never went beyond that," Hooper said. "Huh. What about the others?" Nick asked. "I have no idea. I never heard any rumors about her with the others, and the only reason everyone at Precinct One knows about you and her is because Clawhauser's mouth runs faster than his brain," Hooper said.

"So, don't take this the wrong way, but why do you suck at driving?" Nick asked the wolf. Hooper snickered at the question. "Because I spend all of my time on a motorcycle, Wilde. I've always felt more at one with a bike than I have with a four wheeled behemoth," Hooper replied with a smile.

Nick reached down for a soda bottle when he saw that there was only one left. "Uh-oh. There's only one soda left," Nick said. Hooper held a fist out. "You're not seriously going to beat me up for it, are you?" Nick asked him. "No, Rock Paper Scissors," Hooper said. "Oh," Nick said as he held out one paw in a fist. "Ready? Rock, Paper, Scissors, shoot!" Hooper said.

Nick's paw was paper, while Hooper's paw was scissors. "Hey, what's this?" Hooper asked as he took the last soda bottle and opened it. "Oh, it's victory," he said with a smirk after taking a chug of the soda. Nick rolled his eyes, causing Hooper to snicker.

Nick soon looked up at the rear-view mirror and saw a motorcycle approaching. As it got closer, he realized that it was a ZPD motorcycle, with a wolf riding it. "What the hell?" Nick asked. "Huh?" Hooper asked him. "We've got a traffic guy coming up to us," Nick said in confusion. "What? Is our radio turned on? Maybe we missed a bulletin or something," Hooper said. "No, the radio's turned on, and the transceiver is on the right frequency," Hooper said as he fiddled with the equipment.

Hooper looked out the window as the motorcycle slowed down before coming to a stop just behind them. He saw the wolf disembark the bike before looking around. "What the hell is this about?" Hooper asked himself.

"Wait... that's Pelton. He's supposed to be stationed near the transitional tunnel. Hey, Pelton, what are you doing out here," Hooper asked as Pelton approached him. Pelton stood tall and still, as he looked inside the window at Hooper and Nick. Pelton retrieved his radio and spoke into it.

"This is officer Pelton. I have arrived at the cruiser containing Officer Wilde and Officer Hooper. I am now approaching the vehicle," Pelton said as he released the button. "What? You've already approached the vehicle," Hooper said. Nick's fur began to stand on edge. He knew, deep in his gut, that something was very wrong. "Hooper, raise the window," Nick said.

"What?" Hooper asked as he turned to look at him. Nick saw Pelton retrieve something from his belt and lunged forward to hit the window. "Wilde, what the hell are you-gack!" Hooper cried as Pelton stabbed him in the throat with a switchblade. "Hooper!" Nick cried as Pelton removed the blade and stabbed Hooper again. Nick grabbed Pelton's arm and tried to force the blade out of his paw, only to get his nose sliced. Nick whimpered and fell back.

Hooper looked at Pelton while pressing his paws to his throat. "It's all for the greater good, Maes. Trust me," Pelton said before slashing the blade across Pelton's throat. "Hooper!" Nick cried as he tried to put his paws against the wolf's throat to keep pressure on the cut.

"No, no, no!" Nick cried as Pelton bled out. "This is officer Pelton. Officer Hooper is down. Officer Wilde is absent. Hooper requires immediate medical attention! Officer Wilde is nowhere-wait, I see him! Officer Wilde is fleeing the scene, requesting permission to pursue!" Pelton said into his radio.

"That's your cue to run, fox," Pelton said with a vicious grin. "Pelton, why!?" Nick asked him as he tried desperately to stop Hooper's bleeding. It was in vain, though. Hooper was losing too much blood. "W-Wilde," Hooper rasped, struggling, "R-Run. G-Go," Hooper said as he tried to get his taser gun. He lifted it with what little strength he had left and fired the taser at Pelton, who stumbled back in shock. "Run," he rasped one last time before he fell silent.

"Hooper!? Hooper!?" Nick cried as Hooper's eyes became lifeless. He quickly unbuckled his seat belt and jumped out of the cruiser, moving forward, before he stopped and looked back at the motorcycle. He knew it wouldn't look too good for him, but it was his only chance to survive, since Pelton's actions made it clear that the wolf had no qualms about killing.

Nick quickly ran over to the bike and hopped on, thanking his lucky stars that Pelton had left the keys in the ignition as he started it up. He saw Pelton starting to recover from the attack and quickly drove past him. Pelton looked onward as Nick fled the scene. "This-This is officer Pelton. Hooper is dead, and Officer Wilde has taken my motorcycle. I repeat, Officer Wilde has killed Hooper and has fled the scene. All units be on alert! Wilde is armed and dangerous! I repeat, Officer Wilde has killed Officer Hooper and is currently on route 134 using my motorcycle," Pelton said into the radio.

"We hear you, Pelton. All units have been notified and are en route to the scene. Stay there until medical services can arrive, Dispatch out," a voice other than Clawhauser's said. "Wait... I thought we only had Clawhauser for dispatch," Pelton muttered to himself as he watched Nick disappear into the distance. "And now the hunt begins," Pelton whispered with glee.

Authors Note: I really don't have anything to say. I just wanted to put an author's note here. Although, I will mention that I wrote the final sequence while listening to the tracks, "The Hunsacker Story" and "The Helicopter/Riggs Walks Away" from the special edition of the Lethal Weapon (1987) soundtrack, in that order. I also wanted to write a sequence where Finnick goes to Dom's Bar & Grille to take his mind off of things and provide some introspection, but I thought that it would slow down the pacing of the chapter too much. Anyway, and this doesn't count as a spoiler, in the next chapter Nick is now on the run from his own fellow officers.