Chapter 10 part II

Paws of Steel

The sun had risen yet again over the city of Zootopia, bringing with it a new work week for some and the begging of a week of football matches. It was just past 8 in the morning when Nick, Judy and their fellow officers arrived at the arena after the first night in their hotel rooms. Nick and his new partner Brian Bigsby, were going through the gate having shown the young squirrel who was one of the many ticket takers, their all access passes. Judy and Sara, were already inside the arena and looking around the deluge of fans going in to see the first match that was due to start in just a couple hours. Judy and Sara were checking around, trying to observe where the staff are working and the grey areas where foot traffic is light.

"Alright let's see what we can see. Sara, I'm going to go over and look around over by …" Judy paused seeing Nick and Bigsby walk in the front gate and up towards the entrance to the stands. Bigsby pointing up at something and Nick doing the same. Without telling her partner Judy took off to see what Nick and Bigsby were observing underneath the massive stadium.

But before she could get even more than a couple of feet, her partner grabbed her arm.

Judy turned her head to see Sara surprised at Judy's lack of control in the situation.

"Sara, what are you doing … let me go." Judy asked confused, eager to see what Nick and his partner were looking at.

"Not until you quit pulling away." Sara affirmed, strengthening her grasp on Judy's arm.

Judy groaned, staring Sara down, a scowl across her face.

"Fine …" Judy replied annoyed at her friend for keeping her from seeing her husband. "Why did you stop me?"

"Because Judy ..." She replied quietly to Judy "We have only been here for like twenty minutes okay, let's try not to blow our cover so quickly …" She looked over Judy's shoulders to see Nick and Bigsby looking back at another area of the arena. "Look, when they leave that spot we will go and try and see what they are seeing … besides it might not be anything important to the task at hand."

Judy conceded, sighing missing her chance to hug her best friend and husband.

"Alright, who knows we might can run into them later today or something." Judy added winking at Sara

"Yeah, who knows we might run into them." Sara said training her eye on a certain badger that just walked behind Nick and Bigsby as they went through one of the entrances to the stands.

"Hey Judy, that badger over by those vending machines next to where Nick and Brain were a few seconds ago." Sara stated, pointing out the suspicious looking mammal. "What's he doing?"

Judy looked too see a badger that was dressed in a white shirt and blue jeans. He was wearing gloves for some reason.

"Yeah, he probably works here or something." Judy replied walking towards the spot that Nick and Bigsby were standing at moments before. "C'mon Sara let's see what Nick and Bigs were looking at."

Sara huffed

"His name is Brian." Sara replied in a huff, following Judy to where Nick and Bigsby were, also allowing them to get a closer look at what that oddly placed otter was doing.

Now beginning to put up caution tape and cones with placards that said, 'Wet Paint'.

Judy and Sara walked over to the spot Nick and Bigsby were. They looked up to See Banners hanging from the ceiling of the underside of the stands.

As she did so the odd badger behind them opened a few buckets of paint, throwing the lid on the ground. This perked Judy's sensitive hearing and she nudged Sara to turn around and walk with her. Sara having read Judy's lips tagged along, making occasional glimpses at the paint the badger had begun to lay down on the beams. It smelled a little to and shimmered like a sport fishing boat, metal flakes glisten in the light.

He was using a very think and wide paint brush and a very thick mixture of paint, unlike anything they had ever seen. It wasn't oil or latex or anything of the sort. They turned around walking past the mammal, getting a better look not stopping or making eye contact with the badger that was now laying down the paint at a furious pace.

"Did you see that?" Judy asked after they non clamantly walked by and headed into the main stand entrance. "That badger really had picked up the pace."

Sara looked around at the field and the stands that were beginning to fill with all manner of football fans. Mammal's big and small. Predator and prey, excited to see the first of many matches for the week.

"Yeah I did." Sara replied turning her attention to Judy. "Why are they painting that, why now?" She asked

"I have no clue, one would assume all the prep work would already be done, surely." Judy stated as fans walked by them.

"Wait … You just asked, 'why are they painting that?' did you not?" Judy asked Sara confused at her question and how she asked it.

"Well yeah of course I would question that." She replied shrugging her shoulders and cocking her head as she did so, before putting her left paw on Judy's right shoulder and extending her right arm, as if to show her the whole arena.

"See all of this, the company my dad works for made all of this and it's all galvanized steel … the whole structure."

"Okay and this important, why?" Judy asked intrigued and confused what 'Galvanized Steel is.'

"Judy my dad has built stadiums, ball parks and sky scrapers since I was like two. I may be a cop, but I know allot about buildings and how they are constructed from listening to my dad." She began to explain with urgency in her voice.

"This steel is Galvanized steel that supports this structure. It's a coating of zinc that prevents corrosive substances from reaching the steel underneath. It's nearly rust proof and this is a new stadium, there is no way they would be painting this now, and that process is not the proper method … something isn't right."

Judy raised her eyebrows and looked back down back to where the badger was painting.

"You know your right, why would they be painting today, especially during this week of all weeks." Judy stated now getting even more curious. Then it hit her.

"Nick said that our 'interests' were crafty and would do anything to get a job done." Judy said to herself remembering the interrogation of Cornelius.

"Do you think that painter has something to do with this whole 'deal'?" Sara quietly asked Judy, trying not to look like they were suspicious.

"Maybe …" Judy stated before she looked up above them to the top of the stands.

Above them were the Luxury boxes and media room, along with fans taking their seats waiting for the first match of the week. Judy looked up to see sports casters and announcers entering the media room and the luxury boxes starting to come to life with wealthy fans, enjoying the high life and the view.

Sara then looked up, seeing the same thing but was stopped in her tracks by an odd thought, something she remembered from chemistry class.

"Judy, I'll be right back okay. I'm gonna go to the little otter's room." She told Judy, getting a bad felling about what was going on.

"Okay, while you do that, I'll see if I can get ahold of Nick and the others to see if they've found anything." Judy replied as she began to ascend the stairs between the rows of seats.

"Alright, text me if you find something." Sara told her as she walked down the stairs and to the breezeway that led down to the area they were a few minutes before.

Sara made strolled nonchalantly to the main hall underneath the stadium. Observing all the mammals around her and one that had moved a few yards from his last position. The badger had moved and was now painting directly below where the luxury boxes are located. This time he wasn't alone, there was a raccoon and a lion that had taken his place.

Suspicious of their job, Sara moved closer wanting to get a closer look. She hesitated though not wanting to have her cover blown, she quickly thought of a plan to get his attention and a closer look. She walked right up to the racoon, who was wiring lights to the supports and from what she could see … he was doing a poor job.

"Excuse me sir, do you work here?" Sara asked in her most innocent tone, to come off as just a harmless soccer fan who needed some directions.

The racoon turned around putting down his pliers and wire stripper on the steel beam. A scowl across his black and grey muzzle.

"Uh, sure … yeah work here what do you need, can't you see I'm busy here." He answered in a rude baritone. Annoyed that he was interrupted by the young otter.

"I'm sorry, I was just looking for the little otter's room." She replied trying to sound innocent getting a closer look at this now apparent wiring bogdge job.

"Yeah over there past the vending machines. Now can you please go young lady I'm busy." He rudely answered, grabbing his tools again and resuming his work.

Sara stepped back and nodded.

"Thank you, sir, have a good day and bless you sir." Sara said as she slowly backed away and headed to the bathroom.

Meanwhile, Nick and Brian were Just getting around to looking around the parking lot dressed as parking attendants. Nick had the Idea to pay off a couple of the teenage workers of similar species to himself and Bigsby. They borrowed the red shirt and black slacks and began to snoop around the parking lot and parking garage. Nick knew one fact about the Torino family from when he was in his teens and he had a hunch that the family was still loyal to their favorite brand of car, Mercedes Benz.

"Alright, let's see, we need to find out where the high dollar rides are being kept." Nick stated looking around the carpark, looking through the rows of normal average joe cars; trying to find something that was worth more than most mammals yearly salary's.

Brain began to look down the rows and rows of cars, but none seemed to fit the build or the owner and mastermind of any criminal enterprise. For nearly half an hour they searched and still nothing.

"Nick, all I see is bunch of ordinary heaps of junk. The rides we're looking for are probably going to be up there in the parking garage." Brian told Nick, theorizing where he would have the high-class vehicles parked if he was running the show.

Nick looked around at the other rows of cars and trucks. All of them too ordinary to warrant a wealthy mammal, good or bad.

"Yeah, you're right … lets head over to the parking garage, who knows we might find something." Nick said to Bigsby agreeing with his partners theory.

Nick and Brian found one of the parking lot attendants golf carts and snatched it up. Not having the key Nick hotwired its simple ignition and they were on their way. Zooming though the parking lot in a stolen golf cart and in borrowed cloths, they quickly made it to the multistory garage. Nick slowed down, so that he and Brian could look at the cars that were parked in the garage.

"Damn … man I wish I was a championship footballer. Look at these rides!" Brian exclaimed, his eyes wide and mouth a gob.

Nick couldn't help but grin seeing the millions of dollars in exotic cars that were all parked perfectly into wide spaces. Each one more impressive than the next.

Lamborghinis, Furraris, Maserati's, Big Audi's, M-Powered BMW's and all manner of luxury branded saloon cars and off roaders. This place was a motoring enthusiasts wet dream and defiantly somewhere you would find a top of the line Mercedes. Trouble is, there were more Mercedes and BMW's than any other brands of car in the place. So, Nick and Brian had their work cut out for them.

Nick stopped the cart and made sure nobody was around.

"Alright, we need to split up okay, Bigs …" Nick stated getting out of the golf cart. His nose twitching and ears perked up at attention. "Were looking for Zootopia Plates or Oceian."

Bigsby nodded getting out of the cart and walking around to Nicks side of the cart.

"Alright, so if either of us find one of these cars with 'Zootopia plates or Oceian plates' what are we going to do Nick?" Bigsby asked still not completely understanding Nicks plain.

Nick, scoffed. He knew that if Judy were with him she would already know what he was thinking.

"Look, It's either a Mercedes or something in that range … top of the line too. Nothing budget so …" Nick paused still not sure what models were the tops, all he knew was their preferred brand and that it usually had four doors.

"AMG … or maybe a Maybach." Bigsby told Nick, being a car enthusiast, he knew all the high end makes and models, even the special editions.

"Yeah, those … that's what they will be in. If they're here." Nick affirmed as he started to make his way around the first of five levels of the multistory carpark.

"So, what are we going to do, bug it or something?" Bigsby joked, looking around at all the other cars that surrounded them.

"No, were going to get a list okay. Then, once we have a list … I'm going to have the plates checked and get a profile on the owners." Nick elaborated as he began to explain his plan. "Just take a picture and text it to me. I can have the plates ran as we continue to search okay."

"So, once we know the car, we can tail it." Bigsby said having caught on to Nicks plain.

Nick snapped his fingers

"Bingo … we can tail them and then arrest them away from any innocent fans, because knowing these guys it might get ugly." Nick alluded to a possible fight, remembering all the times that Mr. Bigs associates would be badly injured or even dead, after fights with the Torino's.

"Alright, well I see twenty pictures already were going to have to take and this is just level one. We better get a move on before anybody sees us." Bigsby added as he and Nick split up to find a car that was registered to one of their suspects.

"Oh yeah, if something goes wrong play it cool." Nick added before he sprinted off to the next level of the multistory.

Bigsby nodded.

"Alright let's get to work." Bigsby said to himself, before taking a selfie with himself and a yellow metal flake Ferrari, before taking the first plate snapshot on a white SLS Black.

Whilst Nick and Brian began to go and conduct a carpark investigation. Sara found Judy, having ran in and out of the restrooms after confronting a couple of 'workers', over on the pitch getting a better look at the high points of the stadium and a few low points of the Spanish players.

"Jude the dude!" Sara shouted from first row above where Judy was 'observing'.

Hearing her childhood nick name, Judy turned around and ran over to her friend and partner.

"Hey, what took you so long." Judy stated fumbling trying to flip the page that had a couple autographs gracing its pages from two of her favorite players. She began to randomly jot down facts, trying to look professional.

"What have you been doing?" Sara questioned, having observed Judy for about a minute. "We're looking around for a certain player, wink wink."

Judy instantly became embarrassed her ears falling quickly at her partners correct assumption of goofing off. She tried to hold it in and think of a lie, but Sara's devious look broke Judy's unusually strong shell.

"Look, I got a couple autographs and asked if I could go out onto the pitch. I got a much better view from that position." Judy explained as she started to show Sara with an open paw gesturing that she had gotten the view of the points of interest at every corner of the arena, trying to validate her behavior. "I found five points of viewing." She added grinning looking back at the firm rears of the stout footballers.

Sara rolled her eyes, and giggled a couple times at Judy's response, knowing full well what she had done.

"Well while you were 'observing', I found something. Meet me over by the café on the North side okay." She said leaving Judy to make her way to the Café near the opposite side of the arena, underneath the very structure those workers were at on their side.

Judy having no time to respond, took off to players tunnel and then to the main breezeway to the northside of the arena.

"She must have found something big." Judy said to herself as she ran to the café. Passing all manner of mammals, but one made her stop in her tracks.

Her heart began to beat fast, thinking quickly she dove behind a row of three trash cans. She peeked around the bin on the end to take a second look. To which she laid eyes on none other than one of the suspects from the slide. It was the lion with an eyepatch coving his right eye. He was wearing black slacks and a bright jungle green shirt with a black tie, walking past her with a suspicious Ram wearing stained coveralls. She snapped a photo with her phone and checked to see if the coast was clear, making sure there were no other following them. She quickly made her way to the café to meet up with Sara.

Sara, having made it to the café already, bought Judy a can of carrot flavored soda and an Orange Fanta for herself. She looked around checking to see if she could spot any other undercover officers or FLAG agents, but all she saw was Judy weaving in and out of the deluge of mammals making their way to the stands, getting ready for the first match of the week.

"Sara!" Judy shouted, evading being crushed by a couple of rhinos. Scrabbling for traction on the slick concrete, before regaining her grip and rushing over to the table where her partner was sitting. A bemused yet concerned look on her face.

"Judy, SSHSHHSHSH, chill out!" Sara yelled waving her arms side to side, trying to get her to calm down.

Judy swung around the table and landed in her seat, gasping for breath. Swallowing some of her saliva Judy tried to tell Sara who she had just seen.

"Judy, what's wrong?" Sara asked, passing Judy the carrot soda that she had bought for her.

Judy popped the top and to a few gulps, desperate to quench her thirst having sprinted over half a mile at full chuff to that side of the stadium.

"The Lion …," Judy said with a gasp before taking another swig of her drink. "The lion from the slides in the briefing, he's here along with some ram, I'm not sure but he looks familiar."

Sara was shocked at what Judy was telling her, and it confirmed her suspicion about the unusual workers, milling around where they were a few minutes ago.

"If he's who you say he is … how do you know, are you sure?" She asked knowing that tens of thousands of mammals are roaming around this place, Judy could had mistaken that lion for another.

Judy fumbled for her phone and brought up the picture that she took from behind the trashcans.

Sara looked and got into her message app and sent it to her phone and then sent it to one of the FLAG agents.

"See, I told you that's him!" Judy yelled convincingly to her partner, her thirst still not slated after taking another drink of the sugary drink.

Sara looked around to make sure that they hadn't been overheard, looking for anyone staring at the duo with malicious intent.

"I'm sending this picture to Knight, if he confirms we need to call everyone. Get everyone ready to tail these guys." Sara told Judy before sending F.L.A.G officer Jacob Knight the message, keen to get an authorization to pursue the suspects.

Meanwhile, on the upper levels of the stadium, officer Knight was looking at a strange beacon connected to a satellite receiver next to it that he found near the media booth, when his phone buzzed a couple of times, signaling that he had received a text from someone with his direct number.

The creame-colored bunny took off his black costa shades holding them in his left paw. He then took out his phone from his pocket looked at the photos and then sent them to Chief Bogo and Mr. Miles his boss. After a few seconds the I. D's of the mammals in question were confirmed. But, before he could send his message for a gathering call to the other agents, He received a message from Nick.

"What, who's here?" Jacob said to himself reading Nicks first message before receiving one immediately after.

The message read

"Van Howler and his body guard are in the parking garage, 4th level west corner. HURRY!"

Jacobs eyes widened his heart beat pounding in his chest as the adrenaline began to surge through his system. He replied to Nicks message.

"Send me a pic, also how do you know that's him?" Jacob asked in the message.

At that time Nick was hiding underneath a black Range Rover for cover trying to stay hidden.

Nick read Jacobs message.

"Damnit." Nick thought to himself easing his phone back out of his back pocket and going to the camera app. "Give me a good shoot of your ugly mug you bastard … c'mon turn around." Nick thought to himself before taking a quick burst of pictures after his mark turned to walk towards a car parked a couple of spots over.

Nick quickly sent the photos to Knight and to Judy along with his location before putting the phone back in his pocket.

Jacob got the pictures almost immediately after Nick hit 'send'. He was quick to send the photos to agents Walton and Winslow of the M.B.I., but they didn't respond. Even after sending the messages five times over in a period of a minute or so. To which Nick who was pinned down in the garage was desperate for a response from Knight and his fellow officers including his temporary partner officer Brian Bigsby.

After five more minutes, Van Howler along with his body guard, were sitting in his White Battleship of an AMG Mercedes S65. It's engine idling a deep yet smooth rumble, its turbos spinning and quietly whistling. He was sitting with his body guard in the car chatting with a couple of mammals behind the tinted glass. Nick had no Idea who or what they were, but he had a feeling they were bad news. Brian, was still on the second floor checking around when he was nearly struck by a Black BMW that was moving at an alarming rate towards the upper floors to where Nick was still pinned down under the Range Rover. Nick heard the car making its way up the levels. The Beaver's M Powered engine humming as its driver climbed to his level, flying by nick and violently stopping in the space next to Van Howlers car.

Nicks phone buzzed as he watched two black suited mammals get out of the car.

He pulled his phone from his pocket yet again, trying to stay quiet and hidden.

It was a message from Judy.

It read.

"Nick Jacobs been trying to get ahold of you, he just messaged me. He said his boss and Bogo confirmed that's Van Howler and his body guard." Nick read the message to himself. Then another message from Jacob.

"Nick, where are you?!" Judy asked via text

Nick responded to the text, imagining the urgency in her voice.

"Pinned underneath a black Range Rover 4th level near the western corner. Hurry I think there is about to be a fight something going down!" Nick typed franticly, fearing that any minute he would be found or that the owner of the Rover would call for their 4x4 to be brought down via valet.

Jacob began sprinting down the stands, weaving between mammals big and small, cutting across empty rows of seats. Reaching the bottom, he sprinted through the breezeway towards the exit, but before he could make his way to the carpark and the multistory he was stopped.

"Jacob!" A loud shout came from behind him. "Hey, blonde bun wait up!" Yelled another female voice. Turns out it was Judy and Sara, making their own way to the parking garage.

"What are you two doing!?" He shouted, not wanting them to follow him.

"Backing up our partners and finding my husband that's what." Judy asserted as she took off once more towards the garage, having gotten an urgent message from Nick and Brian to hurry that they need back up.

"What the ... WILDE, OTTERSON!" He furiously shouted, throwing his hands in the air before grabbing his phone and hitting the panic button on his phone. This sent a signal to F.L.A.G headquarters and to Devon Miles. To which as soon as the signal reached him, he had direct contact with Jacob.

Chief Bogo was alerted as well and Lt. Higgans along with the S.W.A.T team sprang into action, hurrying to make their way to the arena and Knights last known location which was the arena entrance.

Across town, Devon Miles a Puma wearing a light beige colored suit with a grey shirt and a silver tie, picked up his secure Paw Phone and made a secure call to Jacob.

Jacob's phone rang as he was nearly at the first level of the parking garage. He slowed to answer his phone.

"Knight!" He answered hastily, as he along with Judy and Sara were making their way up the first levels.

"Jacob, what in heavens name is going on over there?" Devon frantically asked looking at his G.P.S signal on his computer.

Jacob didn't slow down, making quick work of the first level but still behind Judy and Sara.

"Listen Devon, Villa is here and he's got Officer Wilde and Bigsby pinned down. They don't know they are there, but they will soon if any of those cars they are hiding around are moved." Jacob told Devon in a haste.

"What are you planning Knight … KNIGHT!" Devon Shouted at his phone after Jacob didn't respond.

Jacob narrowed his eyes sending a message on his personal phone to Agent's Wilton to meet him on level four for a 'dance'.

"I'm going to pay the Wolf that killed my brother a visit." Jacob deviously responded to his boss.

Mr. Miles eyes nearly lept from his skull and his blood pressure went through the roof.

"Knight, stand down that's an order!" He yelled before Jacob hung up. "Jacob!" He shouted but the call was terminated.

Devon grabbed his gun and his coat, the old Puma running in an adrenaline-fueled rage. Bursting through the front door of the F.L.A.G operations temporary offices, he ran to his red Jaguar XKR and left his parking space and expired meter in a cloud of tire smoke and supercharged V8 fury towards the arena.

Now, Judy and Sara were running up the stairwell that ran up the east side of the parking garage. Reaching the fourth floor they quietly opened and closed the door and took cover behind a couple of Bentley's. Sara peeked under and around the front of the car to see a massive grizzly bear standing outside the Mercedes that Vanhowler, along with two others were occupying.

Sara nodded to Judy, before making their way along the back wall in front of the noses of the high-end exotics. Treading lightly Judy made it to the Range Rover that Nick was hiding under and Sara had found Brian who had found cover under Catillac Escalade next to the rover.

Nick wasn't scared or startled by his partners. He could smell Judy before she reached the third floor and Bigsby knew they were on their way, on account Sara texted him and told him.

"Welcome to the party Carrots." Nick said jokingly to his wife, trying to break the tension of the situation.

"Nick what do we do?" Judy whispered her nose twitching her ears drooped down.

Nick looked at Judy and then back at the suspects' car.

"I thought we could wait until they are about to leave and then call for backup." Nick suggested thinking about texting Bogo.

"To late, Wilde." A voice whispered to him nearly making nick go pale and Judy's heart skip a few beats nearly making her faint.

It was Jacob who had made his way up and under the Rover like a silent assassin.

"Dude, what the fuck, you nearly gave her a stroke and me a heart attack." Nick whisper yelled, bearing his teeth.

"Sorry, how many are there?" Jacob asked quietly, readying himself.

"Three in the white car and one in the black one, along with our mountain of a grizzly bear guarding the whole show." Nick told him, still trying to think of a plan.

"Good, that's all I needed to know. Now go, get out of here you two and take the other two with you." Jacob told him his breathing becoming more intense, taking his Glock from his vest. Making sure he was fully armed and ready.

"What no." Nick whispered to Jacob trying to get him to put away his weapon.

"Jacob, what are you doing, you're not gonna do what I think you are … are you?" Judy asked taking his arm, afraid that their new friend is about to get them all into a deadly situation.

"Then you know what I'm about to do …" Jacob said before taking a deep breath. "That's why I just told you guys get out of here, I don't want any of you getting hurt."

"We don't want you getting hurt man, put the gun away and wait until we have backup." Nick pleaded, trying to talk some sense into Officer Knight.

Before Judy could say anything the sound of tires squealing, and an engine could be heard. In a flash a white van pulled up behind the rover its tires screeching when it came to a stop. It was Knights partners, the Wilton brothers.

Jacob quickly left from below the rover and to the back of the van, the doors open and ready for him with his two friends.

The engine cut out and a single shot rang out.

Nick and Judy, along with Brian and Sara turned their attention to the white Mercedes where all three of its doors were open. On one side, Van howlers body guard in front of the BMW. At the Merc, Van Howler and two Jaguars stood on the opposing side of the car along with Van howlers driver, a cheetah.

An eerie silence fell over the fourth floor of the garage, only the Mercedes engine could be heard idling and crowds cheering in the stadium.

The Timber Wolf began to slowly clap four times.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't F.L.A.G. and your civil servants from the local fuzz." Vanhowler announced with a deep and bellowing smug tone. "I'd know that old white van anywhere, and you too Devon Miles!"

"Mr. Miles isn't here, but I am!" Yelled Jacob Stepping out from behind the van.

"Hahaha, oh how cute, Devon sent the one of his bunnies, or should I say the now token bunny." Vanhowler joked, hinting of the murder of his brother by he and his bodyguard a few months back. "Oh wait … too soon." He joked again, this time infuriating Jacob.

"Not to mention the two M.B.I clowns that the chief of police tried to use to have me killed." Villa hinted seeing Winslow and Walton getting out of the car with the body guards assistance.

Hearing Villa mention the murder of his little brother infuriated Jacob, making his blood boil and his hands clench the grip on his pistol; aiming it right between Vanhowler's eyes.

"You mention Jeremy one more time, and I'll kill you right now with my bare paws! I don't need a weapon to do that Villa." Jacob sneered his fur on his neck standing on end, and his muscles tense, finger on the trigger.

"Oh, don't worry, you won't need to kill me for Jeremy, but Walton and Winslow well that's another story." He chuckled in a psychotic cheerful way. Before taking his .44 magnum and shooting Walton and Winslow in the head, dropping the two Jaguars to the cold concrete, their blood and brains splattered all over the side of the BMW that was behind them.

Nick and Judy winced at the shoots and seeing and hearing the bodies hit the pavement like two heavy bags of sand landing with a thud.

"You, bastard … why?" Jacob asked, walking closer to Vanhowler and looking at the bodies of what Jacob had now deduced as double agents, or they had been found out.

"Because, they lied to me, they said they would get rid of the law enforcement presence for this operation." He said blowing the smoke from the muzzle of his weapon. "My associates have identified six officers from the Zed P.D and I know they're here somewhere. Where, I don't know, but soon enough I will. Right after I kill you and your partners in the van."

"Yeah, then what?!" Jacob yelled still aiming his weapon at the wolf. "Huh, what's your grand murder slash cover up stunt going to be this time, aside from killing your Uncle and your countries leader."

"That old, grey, fucking loon, my uncle deserves every bit of pain he can get. He supported my biggest enemy … and he along with Starion must pay." He stated, enunciating every word angrily as his eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head.

Jacob shook his head.

"You're a mad mammal, Vanhowler … so what is your grand plan?" Jacob asked as Judy hit her voice recorder on her phone, as she and Nick watched the standoff.

"Tell me Jacob do you remember chemistry class in college?" He asked, shutting the rear door and walking to the front of his Merc.

Jacob cocked his head sideways a bit, narrowing his eyes.

"Yeah, why … what did you do make a bomb, because if you did, I hope you and Torino used the same guy that you used in the failed Z.P.D bombing." He said smugly reminding him of his past failure in cahoots with Rocky Jr.

Vanhowler shrugged his shoulders and smiled revealing a gold fang becoming even more cocky and condescending.

"Oh now, I went mental and elemental." He Joked before continuing chuckling like a mad mammal. "Have you ever heard of thermite, agent Knight?" He asked as he began to pace back and forth in front of his car a slight nervous twitch making his right eye blink furiously.

Sara, began breath heavily hearing this, she remembered the painters and that weird paint on the steel supports to the stadium.

"Holy shit, he's gonna …" She thought to herself before she heard Jacob answer. Brian putting a paw on her back to try and calm her down, and he did indeed calm her and got her to listen once more.

"Yeah, its mixture of Iron oxide and Aluminum powder, its hot as hell when ignited …" He answered, remembering the experiments in college. Jacob looked back behind him to the stadium that could be seen through the parking garage. "You're not going to do what I think you're going to do?"

Vanhowler smiled and laughed manically for a few seconds.

"Try me …" He said before laughing maniacally some more like an insane mental patient "Oh it's going be a hot ticket today when my uncle and the P.M show up soon to watch the first game."

Jacob was now thoroughly vexed, he tried to fight the urge to pull the trigger, but with every word that maniacal wolf spoke it was getting harder and harder.

"You're not going to get away with this and you know it Vanhowler. Or shall I say … Villa." Jacob jested knowing that Vanhowler hated his own name.

Vanhowler growled, bearing his teeth at Jacob, who didn't even flinch.

"No body, not even your brother called me that and lived to say it a second time, not to my face, you scum." Vanhowler snarled, becoming more vexed by the second, keen to pull the trigger of his weapon and end the standoff.

He raised his weapon to take his one and only shot at Jacob, but then the wail of Sirens and whirl of helicopter blades could be heard closing in fast and the whine of the supercharged engine of Devon Miles's Jaguar could be heard screaming up the multistory lower levels.

"Hear that Villa, it's over … the cover ups, murders, drugs, guns and not to mention the election rigging. It's over, you might as well give it up!" Jacob shouted confidently as Devon came to a screeching halt behind him in his red Jag, throwing open his own door and aiming his own gun at Villa.

"You heard him Vanhowler, surrender and put your hands up." Devon yelled in a British accent as the sirens gained volume as the full force of the Z.P.D got closer and closer.

"Nick, Judy, Sara and Brian, c'mon out!" Jacob yelled, letting them know that they needed their backup to get the message to Villa Vanhowler, that the jig was up.

Nick and Judy, along with Sara and Brian emerged from underneath the 4wd's weapons drawn.

"What the hell, you lot were there this whole time?!" Villa Snarled in anger that he had been caught.

They all drew their weapons, Judy grabbing her Glock 9mm and Nick his custom .40cal.

"Give it up Vanhowler, your surrounded!" Judy Yelled, aiming her weapon at him, her body on full alert.

Nick standing by her side heard something from behind him. It was the door shutting, and as Nick turned he caught sight of Rocky Torino Jr. Brandishing a knife and running right at them at a full sprint a devil possessed look on his face .

On instinct Nick turned around and with a single shot between the eyes shot Torino only a few feet from Judy. Dropping him only a few feet from his wife, the knife falling from his right paw to the now blood-soaked cement.

Nick had never shot anyone before, he was in a state of shock that he had taken a life. His breathing heavy and eyes wide. Stared at the bloody body of Rocky Torino Jr for a moment.

"Nobody, puts a single paw on my wife." Nick asserted, his grip so tight on the handle that it began to dig into his skin beneath his fur.

Nick then turned back around, all eyes still on him, now taking aim at another potential target.

"You heard her Vanhowler, its over, enough with the bloodshed … drop your weapon and put your paws in the air! Nick shouted at Vanhowler, his finger still on the trigger aiming his weapon along with his partners at him and his body guard.

Seconds later a car could be heard coming up from the lower levels, Bigsby turned around to look and caught sight of a White Alfa Pawmeo Gulia being parked by one of the attendants. Upon turning the corner on the opposite side of the ramp the unsuspecting teen stopped at the sight of the Timber wolf and his body guard now brandishing pistols at him. The young lynx froze when Vanhowlers body guard caught sight of him, he slowly got out of the car leaving it running and bolted for the stairs.

The sirens of the armada of ZPD forces getting closer and closer by the second began to anger Vanhowler and his body guard. Seven pistols aimed at him put him into a panic.

"Give it up, its over Villa!" Nick shouted, adrenaline coursing through his body, his fur on his neck standing straight up like a soldier at attention.

Villa let out a maniacal laugh, bearing his teeth and snarling.

"Never … NEVER!" He shouted raising his weapon once again and aiming it at Nick. A murderous look in his eye.

Jacob sensed the pull of the trigger before the weapon fired its deadly copper slugs seeing the aim of Vanhowler's weapon he jumped in front of Nick.

Three shots were fired in quick succession aimed at Nick, but instead the rounds struck Jacob in the chest, abdomen and thigh. He rolled three times sliding to a stop on the cold concrete floor of the structure. Clinging to life, bleeding at an alarming rate. Seething pain coursing through his body.

The Wilton brothers returned fire along with Nick and Judy, all of them striking the cars around Vanhowler as he fired back at them along with his body guard. Until a well-placed shot from Brian took out the Grizzly body guard. In a hail of bullets, Villa Vanhowler jumped into the passenger seat of his White Merc, telling his driver to 'get me out of here!'

Nick and Judy along with their partners and the F.L.A.G agents leaped out of the way of the speeding Merc. Passing them trading paint grazing the side of Devon Miles's red Jaguar. Drifting around the corner, Vanhowler riding shotgun, began to head down the levels of the garage. Tires squealing and engine roaring as the AMG Merc powered its way down the lower levels to the exit.

"JACOB, my god no not again … no not you too." An angry Devon Miles screamed, running over to the fading blonde bunny. Jacobs, black suit shimmering, stained with his blood.

Brian and Sara, ran over to his aid, Sara Taking off her shirt trying to stop the bleeding in his thigh, while Brian made a call to Chief Bogo, pleading for paramedics.

Devon, who was furious at what had just occurred turned his attention to Nick and Judy. However, Nick and Judy weren't sticking around to watch one of their fellow law enforcement comrades die in vain.