AN: I'm surprise people forgot who Kaiden was considering you just met him in the previous chapter. If you still can't remember, just re-read the previous chapter. I don't really have much to say other then we're past the halfway point in the story now. Enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't Own Zootopia

There was a soft silence between the officers and the confused zebra teenager who they only met not to long ago. "Um, hi again?" greeted Kaiden as he rubbed the back of his neck. "What are you officers doing here?"

"We're here to check something out. You work here?" asked Judy, tilting her head.

"I live here. My Dad and I live upstairs. He owns the store and I help out a bit after school," answered Kaiden as he walked over to the basement door. "I'll get him."

While he yelled for his dad to come up, Nick whispered to Judy, "Third best sharpshooter in his age group? Member of the PPP? Access to guns? Lost a friend to predator bullying? Tell me we're not this lucky?"

"We don't know anything yet, Nick," replied Judy, bumping his side. "Let's not assume."

A new zebra, much older and grizzled in his face, came up and smiled at the two while Kaiden stayed behind him. "Howdy, I'm Keith Blackstripes. What can we do for Zootopia's finest?"

"Sir, we're investigating a murder case," answered Judy as she showed them a copied file of the bullet that killed Officer Pond. "We have reason to believe the that bullets used in the gun to kill our victim were custom designed in this store. We also have reason to believe the gun came from here too."

"May I see that?" asked Mr. Blackstripes as he took the folder. Opening it up, he looked at the details with narrow eyes before nodding his head. "Yes, I remember this order. A bounty hunter requested six boxes of these for his handgun. Poor guy got killed by his target before he could pick them up, so I just kept them around as a special deal just in case." He turned to his son. "Kaiden, can you get one of them?"

"Sure, Dad," replied Kaiden as he went to the back of the store. A few minutes later, he returned and showed the box to the officers. Opening it, they saw that it was indeed a cleaner and perfect version of the bullet. "If it was used in a murder case, it might have been the thieves who stole from us."

Nick and Judy's eyebrows lifted. "You were robbed?" asked the fox with a hint of disbelief. He had noticed the security cameras, alarm system, and no doubt they locked the place up. No armature group of thieves could do this without being lucky. Meaning this was professional or an inside job…

"Yeah, a few weeks ago. I took my boy out for a camping trip, but some punks managed to break in and rob us. A few pistols, rifles, and some ammo. None of the heavier stuff like the shotguns or semi-autos," replied Mr. Blackstripes.

"What kind of firepower do you have here?" asked Judy.

"Everything except for automatics, explosives, and sniper rifles," replied Mr. Blackstripes. "Funny thing is, our security was taken down even though I thought I put it up. The officers I talked to think they had a hacker. It's becoming more popular these days they said. They even blacked out my cameras."

"I see," said Judy as she quickly wrote everything down. "Well, thanks for your time. We're going to take this carriage of bullets and continue our investigation. If we need anything, we'll call you."

"No problem. Have a nice day," said Mr. Blackstripes as he turned around and whistled while his son stared at them for a few seconds longer before following him.

Once the two officers were outside, Judy turned to Nick and crossed her arms. "So, thinking what I'm thinking?"

"That Kaiden just become a prime suspect?" Nick said as he rolled his eyes. "Of course, we can't accuse him without evidence. Still, we can keep an officer on watch duty to see who he meets."

Just as they got into their car, Judy's phone rang, and she quickly answered it as Nick started the car. "Officer Hopps."

"Judy, it's Clawhauser! Chief wanted me to give you guys an update on those bullets used to kill Officer Pond," replied the voice on the other end. "Turns out the same type of bullets were used in two other situations around two months ago. One was a multi-homicide and the other was a suicide. But get this. They both happened on the same day just five hours apart from each other with the murders happening first."

"Wait, are you serious? Why wasn't this reported before?" asked Judy.

"They happened in two different districts so the ZPD precincts didn't connect the dots. We got lucky because as Precinct One we have access to all the databases of the others. The murders happened in Tundra Town under Precinct Twelve's watch while the suicide happened in Downtown with Precinct Four. The Chief's already got the officers involved in both cases waiting for you to arrive in either location."

"Okay, thanks Clawhauser," replied Judy. "We'll get to it. Keep us posted if anything new comes up."

Ending her call, she turned to Nick who raised an eyebrow. "The same type of bullets was used in previous crimes on the same day two months ago. One was a multiple murder case while the other was a suicide."

"That's not a coincidence," replied Nick, grinning. "I got a feeling we might have just gotten our next big break."

The officers, Chad and Blake, asked to meet a diner so they could have lunch. The two polar bears sat across the shivering fox and rabbit who were looking at their soup… their frozen pea soup. Nick, taking a spoon, lightly tapped it and barley got a crack. He glanced at Judy with a smirk as she tried to get her stuck tongue off the bread bowl they were given upon sitting down. They do say Tundra Town food has an acquired taste to it.

"You guys going to eat? It's on the house," replied Officer Chad, ripping a whale burger apart with is might jaws while his partner sipped his sixth coke bottle. Some of its guts managed to hit the table which made Judy gag a bit.

"Thanks, but I'm an ice diet," replied Nick as he put his spoon down. "So, tells us about that homicide case?"

"Right, so me and Blake here were on our lunch break when we get a call about shots being fired in the back of an alley along St. Christmas Ave," started Chad, wiping his blood covered mouth with his paw. "We get there, ready for anything. We find these four wolves, all around their late teens, filled with holes in them. Shooter was wild and crazed because the shots were all over the place."

"Had to be more then one guy doing it. Or so we thought," replied Officer Blake as he motioned the snow leopard waitress for another coke and extra fries. "We thought it was some gang attack or something. The wolves themselves were just a bunch of delinquent punks. Biggest crimes they committed were possession and vandalizing the neighborhood. Typical hoodlum stuff."

"We thought they maybe messed with the wrong animals, so we tried hitting up the local gangs to see if they were involved. None of them said they had no beef with them and it wasn't any gang's territory," continued Chad.

"You didn't find the weapons that killed them?" asked Nick as the snow leopard arrive with Blake's order as well as a glass of hot water that she put in front of the fox. Nick used it to pour all over Judy's tongue which made her cry a bit, but it got her freed. "Thank you."

"Happens all the time," she replied before walking away.

"We did. Nothing turned up. Finding evidence is always harder in Tundra Town thanks to the weather. We barley managed to find the bullets," replied Blake, shrugging. "We kept on the case for awhile until we got the call saying it was connected to your cop's death and a suicide. You sure their connected?"

Clearing her throat, and waving her tongue, Judy answered hoarsely, "Considering who it is that killed themselves. We think so."

"So, who was it?"

"Thomas Woodchip. Age 17. Self-inflicted gunshot to the head. Instant death." The file landed in front of Judy and Nick as its owner, a female pig, sat down in her office chair. Her desk was littered with case files with two large fans, and three mini fans, blowing in her face. Not that it did much good since it looked like she had been sweating so much she was going to look like bacon in a minute. "You're lucky I keep myself organized or I never would have recalled that case with your strange bullet."

This is what she calls organized? Thought both Judy and Nick as they saw pizza boxes, Chinese takeout, old baseball tickets, beauty products, case files, paperwork, candy wrappers, and mini anime magical girl figurines everywhere on the desk.

"What can you tell us about it?" asked Judy as she instantly recognized the face of the teen. It was the same one Kaiden laid flowers to at the memorial.

"Not much to say. Kid was being bullied. Parents are always away on business. Decides to end it all with suicide note. Sad how that's becoming more popular among the youth these days. I blame our hedonist culture and lack of good family structure," replied the pig officer as she typed into her computer.

"Did you find the gun?" asked Nick.

"Nope. Searched high and low. Never found it. We knew it was suicide due to the way the bullet entered the brain. Plus, we found a bunch of painkillers in his stomach during the autopsy. Guess he was afraid of screwing up and bleeding to death," she suggested before wiping her nose with a used napkin.

"I don't suppose one of his bullies was a set of wolves?" asked Judy.

The officer paused in her typing and turned to them with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah, how did you know?"

It didn't take long for Judy and Nick to request for Kaiden and his father to be brought back to HQ for interrogation. When Kaiden's father asked why they were here Judy laid down everything for them to hear while Nick watched their reactions. The murders, the suicide of Thomas Woodchip, and the fact that both incidents used the same bullets that killed Officer Pond. All done by the same type of bullets, and mostly likely the same type of gun. Neither of the two spoke as they stared at the files and photos in front of them. Nick paid special attention to Kaiden who looked away upon seeing Thomas' photo and he looked ready to puke.

When it was all said and done, Mr. Blackstripes shook his head and wiped his face a bit in disbelief before glancing at his son. Kaiden didn't look at his father in the face. He just stared at his own feet in shame. Turning back to Judy, he asked, "What does any of this have to do with my son?"

"Look, Mr. Blackstripes, I think you know perfectly well what we're indicating here," answered Judy, staring at Kaiden. "We know for a fact that Kaiden and Thomas were friends. Best friends in fact."

"Yeah, they've been friends for a long time…" muttered Mr. Blackstripes, rubbing his mane. "God, hearing him kill himself…"

"With a bullet that happens to be the same custom design you made. The same that killed those four wolves who, according to what we know, bullied Thomas almost relentlessly," continued Judy.

"They weren't just bullying him!" shouted Kaiden, slamming his fist on the table and growling. "They were assaulting him! Stealing from him! We asked the police to do something and you guys did nothing! Not to mention his worthless parents were five thousand miles away doing jack shit while their son was lonely and miserable!"

"Kaiden!" shouted Mr. Blackstripes, as he gripped him by the arm and forced him to stare into his face. "Kaiden, you're my son and I love you, but I swear on your mother's grave that if you had something to do with this…"

Kaiden bit his lip and lowered his head. "It's all my fault…" He shook his head and wiped away tears that dripped down his cheeks. "I'm responsible… if I wasn't so stupid…"

Sitting down, Judy rested her paw on his hoof and whispered, "Kaiden. What happened?"

Taking a few deep breaths, he muttered, "I gave him the gun. And the bullets. I gave it to Thomas."

"You gave one of our guns to a minor? Kaiden… why? Haven't I told you these things are not toys!? Do you know how much trouble you'd be in?! Or the trouble I could be in? I could lose my license for this! I'd be out of a job!" shouted his father in disbelief.

"I know, Dad! But what was I supposed to do?! Thomas nearly went to the ER last time and he was afraid for his life! He asked me to just… to just loan him the gun!" He slowly fell into his father's chest who held him tight. "So… s-s-so I gave it to him… I taught him… how to use it… when I heard what happened… Oh god, it's all my f-f-f-fault!"

"Shhh. Shhh. It's okay," whispered Kaiden's father, patting his son on the back. "You didn't know… you didn't know…"

Judy and Nick looked at each other, their eyes already agreeing to what they were thinking. Kaiden, for all his faults, was telling the truth. "Kaiden," asked Nick, sighing. "What happened to gun?"

"I don't know…" replied Kaiden, shaking his head. "I was afraid they'd find it and trace it back to dad, but they didn't find it. Or the ammo either…"

"What kind of a gun was it?" asked Judy.

"A P225 X-Five," replied Kaiden, shaking his head. "I've been lying about it being there in the inventory paperwork."

"I know which one he's talking about. I'll get you the paperwork. Whatever you want. Just… please be easy on my son?" asked Mr. Blackstripes, holding his teary-eyed boy.

"Thoughts?" asked Chief Bogo as he watched the father and son talk to a lawyer who had arrived for them.

"I don't think he's involved with the Predator Hunters," replied Judy, crossing her arms and shaking his head. "He made a stupid mistake that got a lot of animals killed… but he's not one of them."

"He's still responsible for giving a gun to an unregistered minor which resulted in the deaths of six individuals, including Officer Pond," replied Nate Neko, shaking his head. "He'll most likely be made an example by the DA, but its out of my paws. They're gonna let someone else handle him."

"His alibi also checks out, at least for some of the attacks," replied Nick, reading the testimony that he had written. "His father gives notice that his son was with him during the time Marcus and Fennick were killed. However, he didn't have one for when Josh was attack or during the incident at the junkyard where Pond was shot."

"You think he might be lying about not being involved?" asked Judy, tilting her head.

"I don't know. He does feel regret over the death of his friend, but he didn't mention anything about the wolves. Plus, he could have stashed the gun after Thomas's death. There's also that robbery a few weeks ago. Maybe he had a hand in it for his friends to grab and arm themselves. It's easier to kill with a gun then it is with a knife or baseball bat."

"Well, hearing from how those wolves treated Thomas, I guess you can't blame him," Chief Bogo said, rubbing his chin. "But it is possible he could have stashed the gun. The apartment was unlocked, and we can check the cameras of the apartment to see if anybody entered there during or after the suicide. As for the insider robbery theory? A possibility."

"Maybe we can have Bronn and Ellis point Kaiden out as one of their group? Or maybe guilt Kaiden into confessing?" asked Nick.

"Well, let's face what we know," replied Chief Bogo. "We know what type the gun is and how much ammo they have left according to Mr. Blackstripes. This is, of course, ignoring the fact that they might be armed with other weapons. We know that Kaiden, Bronn, and Ellis were all part of the same therapy session dealing with lost ones from predators. And that Kaiden can't place his whereabouts during half of the attacks by the hunters."

"And one of the attackers was verified to be a zebra. So Kaiden could still be a suspect. Whose to say all five of them were together in every attack?" pointed out Judy.

"So, what's our next move?" asked Nate.

"We'll keep Kaiden here for now," replied Chief Bogo. "We'll start alerting all cops to be wary of that X-Five gun with its serial number and get the videos from the apartment to see who took the gun from Thomas after he killed himself. Meanwhile, I want-"

"Sir!" interrupted Clawhauser as he gasped for breath after bursting in. "Sorry… let me… catch my breath… quite a distance to get here…"

"… it's a three-minute walk," said Judy.

"Really? Felt like five." Clawhauser shook his head before quickly replying, "Forget that. I got calls from Officer's West and McHorn! Bronn and Ellis just left their homes and are heading out!"

This got everyone's attention as Chief Bogo quickly turned to Nick and Judy. "They must be going to meet the other gang members. Go!"

"Sir!" the two shouted as they rushed out.

"Clawhauser! Tell West and McHorn to keep their eyes on those kids or I'll put them on parking duty for a year!"

"Sir!"

Getting in the nearest car they could, the furry duo drove as fast as they could with their sirens blasting. West and McHorn kept in contact with them always, announcing any changes in direction. Keeping an eye on the road, Judy had Nick direct her where to go while he kept his eyes on their map. "Make a left," said Nick, which Judy obeyed as he then grabbed the radio. "McHorn, where is Ellis heading now?"

"He just got on the D34 bus and is heading south on Dove. St. Still on him," reported McHorn.

"This is West. Bronn is getting on a train station on 19th Street. It's a stop for the R and F trains. I think I might lose him at this rate."

"Clawhauser, is there a spot where the D34 bus and either the R or F train stop at?" asked Nick, praying his large buddy could find one.

"Wait one moment… and yes! Bingo! Corner of Darwin Ave for the F train!" replied the cheetah with a laugh. "I am good!"

"Thanks, Clawhauser. Donuts on me tomorrow if we get them," replied Nick as he turned to Judy. "You ready to finally get these guys, Carrots?"

"I've been waiting since this case started," replied Judy pushing the gas even harder then before. "This ends today!"

Thirty minutes later, McHorn announced that Ellis got off the bus and he saw him join up with Bronn. It had gotten late at night by the time the two met and they were looking over their shoulders as they traveled down the street. Ten minutes later, Judy and Nick arrived on the scene. Chief Bogo gave strict orders not to arrest or approach them until back up arrived, so the three cops were forced to tail them on paw as the two teens continued to walk down the street.

Despite his size, McHorn was good at keeping himself concealed and silent while smaller animals like Judy and Nick had no problems at all either. The three continued to follow them from a distance until they made their way inside an abandoned supermarket that had been boarded up and with a demolition sign on it. Pushing some boards away, the two entered the building as Judy, Nick, and McHorn observed it from behind a corner.

"Looks like they went inside. Should we follow?" asked Nick.

"Orders were to stay put until reinforcements arrived," answered McHorn.

Nick grumbled. "I don't like this. Something feels off. That building could have a dozen escapes and we can't cover them all."

"Good point," replied Judy, narrowing her eyes. "Maybe we should send someone around just in case."

"I'll go," volunteered McHorn, nodding. "But don't go in unless something happens."

The three of them jumped as two loud gunshots echoed from the building and nearby birds scattered. "Does that count?" asked Nick as he drew his side arm.

The three rushed towards the abandoned supermarket as Judy called into her radio. "Shots fired! Shot fired! We're moving in!"

McHorn took lead as he bashed his way through the wooden planks with his brute strength. He checked the front isles before noticing some figures retreating into the back. "I got runners! Stay here and secure the store!" He shouted as he rushed after them.

Nick and Judy nodded to each other and took separate paths to check the area. Judy kept both her gun and ears up, ready for anything. Hearing something to her left, she turned and aimed only to sigh in relief when it just tuned out to be some fallen rubble from the ceiling.

"Carrots!" cried out Nick on the other end. "Call for medical!"

"Nick!" shouted Judy as she rushed over to him, spotting him kneeling down. "Are you hurt?! What happ-oh my god!"

She covered her mouth upon seeing what had been shot. Bronn's wide eyes were staring upward as his face bleed out from the bullet hole in the middle of his forehead. Bits of bone, gushes of blood, and slobs of brain were leaking out from both sides of the head as it was clear the bullet went right through the skull at point blank range. Nearby, Ellis had been shot in the chest with his paw holding onto his wounded side as his eyes remain shut. There was a faint raise and fall of his chest as Nick did his best to keep pressure on the wound with his shirt, but it was clear that if he didn't get any medical help soon he would be a goner just like Bronn.

"Judy!" shouted Nick, forcing her back into focusing on the task at hand.

"This is Officer Hopps, I need a bus for a wounded suspect. Shot in the chest, bleeding bad. One suspect is dead, shot in the head," reported Judy into her radio.

"Roger, EMT's one minute away!"

The sound of steps alerted the two as Judy raised her gun, but to her relief it was just a furious looking McHorn. That fury faded when he saw the wounded kids and rushed over with a grim frown. "What happened?"

"Found them like this," replied Nick, holding his blood-soaked shirt. "I thought they were both dead until I checked Ellis' pulse. What about the runners?"

"Got away," grumbled McHorn, just as sirens were heard outside. "Lost sight of them just as I rushed out."

Rushing inside, a pair of gazelle paramedics went to work as they relieved Nick of his burden and started sealing the wound while a stripped tiger and panda bear came in with a EMS stretcher for Ellis. The three watched as they took Ellis away while another stayed behind to look after Bronn's body. Other officers soon arrived and began to sweep and check the surrounding area, but the three that first arrived just continued to stare at Bronn's lifeless wide eyes.

"Why… why did they do this?" asked Judy, shaking her head as a tear dripped down her face. "They target predators not their own kind."

"… silence," replied Nick, shaking his head. "It was to silence them in case they talked."

"If they're willing to kill their own just to keep themselves from getting caught… how far are they willing to go?" asked McHorn.

Nobody answered. Just stood there as Bronn's body was soon placed in a body bag and take away.