The morning was the same as usual for Leo as he strode into his office. Which he found rather odd, considering what happened the night before. The press went wild with the story of the raid at the Bismarcks, especially because the police chief went down personally, but so far the City Hall staffs he had talked to this morning didn't seem overly concerned with it. Not sure about the mayor though.

He got a call on his phone.

"Yes? ... Done? Good. ... Yeah, good. ... I know. ... All right, bye."

Leo had expected that call after he found out there was an injured civilian during the raid. He sighed when he recalled about the cougar; He had gone to the hospital this morning to check up on the cougar, and the result wasn't pleasant.

To be honest he was feeling tired as he checked on the cougar very early in the morning. But he thought it was worth it somehow as he ended up witnessing something important.

The cougar woke up thrashing violently until he was sedated by Dr. Creekmare.

He was still pondering the cause of it. The doctor said the cougar was dying, which didn't correlate to the violent thrashing.

Leo then approached a camel clerk.

"Good Morning, Ms. Daria," Leo paused for a while admiring the necklace Daria was wearing, "Has anyone from Icekin arrived here for the air conditioning maintenance?"

"Yes, Mr. Lionheart, a ram servicemammal by the name of Woolter."

Leo looked around to see no ram at the lobby.

"Has he... left?"

"No, sir, he said he just wanted to go to the restroom- Oh, there he is."

Leo saw an approaching ram wearing an Icekin shirt, and the ram immediately spoke to Daria.

"Excuse me if I may have been away too long, but is Mr. Leodore Lionheart here?"

"He... is," Daria pointed towards Leo.

"Hello, Mr. Woolter," Leo offered a pawshake, "I just heard from Ms. Daria here that you would be doing the air conditioning maintenance?"

"Yes, sir," Woolter shook Leo's paw.

"I'll take over from here, Ms. Daria. Thank you."

Leo then guided Woolter to where he should do his work and whom he could speak to in lieu of him in case. Leo himself then went to his office to prepare for the day.

The city council morning meeting was relatively short as far as Leo was concerned, and Mayor Bellwether seemed to be uninterested in discussing much about many of the issues. This irked the lion, and he would fish out for some answers on the mayor's trip back to his office.

"Look, Mayor, the entire council is still not keen on your budget idea for this project," was just one of the many things Leo wanted to question the mayor, "Can't you just spend more time in the office to talk this over instead of going out yet another time?"

"You make it sound like I don't make time for city business," Mayor Bellwether retorted.

"I think you should start counting the sheer amount of hours you've been away from City Hall."

"I have important stuffs, Lionheart. Besides," Mayor leered at Leo, "you yourself are quite the busybody from what I've heard."

"Oh, yeah? Like what?"

"Playing Samaritan to that hospitalized tiger?"

Leo huffed in exasperation.

"You wouldn't happen to think that I did that to bolster the city's faith and trust for us City Hall folks?"

"You're just fanning your own ego, Lionheart," Mayor rebuked, "That majority vote for you to become Deputy Mayor had gone over your head."

What's with this personal attack all of a sudden? Leo decided to shrug it.

"Sounds like you've already forgotten about the demonstration two weeks after you were sworn in."

"About not liking a sheep mayor, yes?"

"No, about why you dropped the plans for a few favored facilities to make way for a few superfluous ones."

"Oh, please," Mayor wheezed, "Those chompers always have some excuse."

"Language, Douglas-"

"Don't! Call me. That."

Leo sighed. It wasn't everyday that he called Mayor Bellwether by his first name, not since he last saw him during the university years. But he was always perplexed why Mayor took offense to it all the time.

"As long as I am mayor, I will be addressed as Mayor. Bellwether."

"Ok, sorry, slip of tongue. Anyway, back to the council meeting, mind if I arrange another one later today? That is, if you're free."

"Just share me the discussion later or tomorrow when I'm free."

Bellwether picked up his phone, and at the same time Leo saw Woolter seemingly about to head out.

"Mayor, we'll talk again later. Have a nice day."

Leo then rushed downstairs to meet Woolter.

"Hey, Mr. Woolter, how's it going?"

"I've finished for today."

Leo furrowed as he looked at the time. Just a little over an hour? Really?

"You sure you're done with it? That was fast," Leo sounded part-amazed and part-skeptical.

"Yes, sir, today's maintenance is a quick one."

"You're talking as though you're coming again tomorrow."

"Yes, sir."

"Then aren't you being too quick, here? This building's a big one-,"

Leo then noticed Chief Frank Clawhauser about to walk out, and the two traded gaze. The cheetah seemed to have been at City Hall for some time. Leo then shot a quick "Oh, hi, Clawhauser" before turning his attention back at Woolter.

"So anyway, you're saying today's not the entire work, but wouldn't the entire maintenance finish earlier if you stay an entire day?"

"Then I can come back with a coworker to speed up the process tomorrow, sir."

Leo shook his head. This ram sounded too nonchalant, and Leo became concerned about the works. Before he continued, he noticed Clawhauser walking towards him.

"I'll call your manager to discuss again about this. Thanks for today."

The ram then left, leaving Leo and Clawhauser by themselves.

"I had wanted to talk to the mayor about something," Clawhauser wasted no time asking, "and I wonder if you know."

Now this is something, Leo thought. It wasn't everyday that the police chief wanted to talk to Bellwether. Although at the same time Clawhauser seemed to suspect that Leo was in cahoots with Bellwether regarding whatever it was the cheetah wanted to ask, if his arm-folding was any indication.

"Seems like a big case," Leo chortled slightly, though Clawhauser's bandages finally caught his attention.

"There was a cougar civilian who was hospitalized due to an incident at Rainforest last night, and I heard the City Hall took interest in him."

So ZPD had also taken interest in that cougar.

"No, I'm afraid I've heard nothing about that."

Leo answered quickly. Clawhauser's hum hinted some suspicion, and Leo himself then feigned tapping his chin. Admittedly Clawhauser's words were not so accusatory, but the cheetah was right; Someone at City Hall took interest in the cougar.

"Thank you for your help," was all Clawhauser replied with before walking away.

For some reason Leo thought of asking about Clawhauser's condition. He then reached out to Clawhauser and tapped the cheetah on the shoulder. Clawhauser swiveled so suddenly that it surprised Leo.

"Whoa, easy there," Leo composed himself, "I heard about last night. Are you okay?"

"Yes, I am," Clawhauser sounded puzzled, "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, nothing. I mean, well..."

Leo began thinking up an excuse when he remembered his visits to the tiger and the cougar.

"... You may be a police chief, but otherwise you're still a Zootopia citizen."

Which, as far as Leo knew, was true. He had wanted to be a mayor because he believed he cared about the well-beings of Zootopia citizens, and he wanted them to know that. That he lost the top seat was a personal sore point to him, but he was glad that the populace was somehow willing to let him be deputy mayor. He had heard that they weren't keen on the other candidates of the deputy mayor, who were handpicked by Bellwether after the sheep got the job, saying that unlike Leo, they looked too meek, too subservient or even too sycophantic. There were even complaints of nepotism, which Leo just couldn't wrap his head around since he knew there were no other Bellwethers in Zootopia politics.

Leo then realized he was too lost in thought without noticing that Clawhauser had left without a word. That cheetah had always been curt. Leo sighed and headed back to his office.

The city council meeting that late afternoon wasn't very fruitful. The councilors merely repeated their stances this morning, and the other few preferred waiting for mayor's words for the issues. And Bellwether had once again left for the day.

Leo figured he might as well go home to sleep.

He then worked as normal in his own office. At least there's a few new feedbacks that he could add to the housing projects at Sahara and Tundratown.

His phone rang. The number belonged to Zootopia General Hospital.

"Hello? ... What did he do? ... I see... All right, I'll manage from there. Thank you."

Leo leaned back and wheezed. Clawhauser had paid the hospital a visit to interrogate their security staff about security cam footages. Which meant now Clawhauser knew there was a group of wolves who took the cougar away, and the cheetah would likely suspect kidnapping.

That cougar's about to become a messy affair.

Leo had thought about the cougar. That was the first time he saw a dying mammal suddenly waking up in rage, although the raging itself wasn't new to him. And that worried him.

Leo ran his paws over his face, and stopped at his nose. He still felt the thin, jagged ridges running across his nose. Moreover, he still keenly remembered how he got them, not very long ago, might as well yesterday.

Given the result of the council meeting earlier, Leo had opted to draft up several documentations, mostly contingency plans, related to the projects discussed that time. He wasn't paying attention on how long he had been holed up in his office after dinner earlier, and he was a bit surprised when he saw the clock. Still, there were some more work to do, so Leo steeled himself for working possibly until midnight.

He then heard someone ringing his mobile phone. Leo shrugged; Given that this was already past office hour, nobody would ring his office line. But the name he saw on the screen made him tense; He wasn't expecting this call now.

"Hello, doctor. ... Yes, why are you calling? I mean usually they're the ones... Oh, uh huh... What do you mean I know him? ..."

Leo went agape.

"No way..."

A moment of simply listening later, Leo made up his mind.

"Listen, I'm going there now... Just one? ... I see, that'll do."

Leo then hastily packed up his work, left his office and headed down to the lobby. There was no one left there except a snow leopard security guard on patrol.

"Going home soon, Mr. Lionheart?" the snow leopard greeted.

"Oh, yes, Mr... Purrton." Leo almost forgot the name of this guard; He didn't see him often enough.

"Then have a safe trip, sir," Mr. Purrton tipped his cap, and Leo saluted as though doing the same.

Leo hadn't waited for long outside City Hall when a black sedan arrived. The white wolf driver had only wound down his window halfway when Leo nodded and got in.

After what felt like hours of driving northward in the dead of the night, Leo looked out to see that he had left the civilization. The roads were now dark, unilluminated, but still operational despite a lack of maintenance. Leo remembered this stretch of road had never seen use for years, which was why there was never any budget spent on it.

At the end of the dark path, Leo saw a dark building overlooking a cliff- no, a waterfall. The sedan went through an archway that said 'Cliffside Asylum'. As they reached the gate, a wolf in the guard post opened the gate. Leo recalled he had asked the wolf driver about his companions, and the wolf only said they were recuperating. The relative lack of anybody out here creeped him out, though he decided not to question that until later.

Leo went into the building himself as the wolf driver made his way back to the gate.

Leo was greeted by another wolf carrying two flashlights. The wolf parted one to Leo who was in the midst of taking off his jacket due to the sweltering interior, and the two then navigated the dark halls with the lights. Leo noticed this wolf was brown, but what alarmed him more was that his T-shirt was shredded in some places. Shredded as though with claws. And the wolf himself was appropriately bandaged.

The building had not been used for a very long time, that much Leo knew. He had been here before. There would be one sector in the building where the power still ran. And that was where he was being guided to.

"I can make it from here," Leo told the wolf at some point, "you can go back to whatever you're doing."

"Yes, sir."

Leo then saw light at the end of the corridor. He had found his destination, which was only marginally more illuminated than the rest of the building.

The first room Leo walked past after reaching the only powered sector in the building was an infirmary. He was surprised when he saw several wolves inside looking messed up, badly injured, and three or four were apparently unconscious, or maybe sedated. A badger in medical outfit noticed Leo at the door.

"Could you help with the patching?" the badger asked one of the wolves, "I'll attend to Mr. Lionheart."

The badger then picked up a docket, a pen and a few other things, then signaled Leo into another room.

Like the infirmary, the room the badger led Leo to was rather dim. Unlike the infirmary, there were cells in the room. Leo gazed around to see a few mammals inside the cells. No, mammals weren't the right term to describe these... animals. Yes, animals. They were all down on all fours, snarling, growling... pouncing without warning whatsoever. Including that one bear.

Leo kept remembering that bear. A loner, having no kin who lived in Zootopia, but nevertheless a sweet chap. That was, until one day when the bear invited Leo to his house for evening tea (actually the bear mentioned it offhand, but Leo decided he wouldn't mind some hospitality from a civilian), saying that it was as appreciation for whatever the lion had done to the city.

Leo still remembered the silence of the house, the sound of kettle, the aroma of supermarket tea (which was fine; that bear wouldn't be able to afford connoisseur tea), the short banter among the bear, Leo and one of his wolf bodyguards. Then the sound of broken teacup, a sudden groan. And there were a lunging bear, his bodyguard wrestling the bear, his own paws choking the bear, and tranquilizer darts.

Until today he couldn't understand what happened and how and why. And eleven more savage mammals later, he still hadn't found a clue.

But the shock from the latest case eclipsed the rest.

"As I have told you before, sir," the badger doctor pointed out at one corner cell, "he was the latest mammal to go savage."

Leo nearly dropped to his knees when he saw a cheetah being restrained in the cell. Not just any cheetah; a muscular cheetah, wearing a tattered remains of a police uniform. Even in restraint, the cheetah tried to flail wildly, as if to mock the frailty of his bindings.

"This is his name tag, sir."

The badger produced a ripped piece of cloth with a name tag attached to it.

Clawhauser.

It took Leo forever to compose his words, all the while watching the cheetah thrashed as much as he could under restraint. The badger spoke first.

"This guy... is a monster. We sent nine of our wolf squad in total, and he trashed them. Only one managed to get out of it completely unscathed."

"... Doctor..."

"Yes, sir?"

"You have got to find the cure now."

"Yes, sir, I understand-"

"You don't understand!"

Leo was shaken by his own words. He had just snapped at her.

"I'm sorry."

"No, I am sorry, sir," the badger spoke as if trying to console him, "I still don't know why this kept happening. Even now I'm still hypothesizing about the root cause."

"Which is?"

The badger gulped, as if knowing her next words would make Leo blew up.

"The mammals who have gone savage are all predators. I am beginning to suspect it might be down to the biology."

It took Leo some time to digest what he just heard, and he reflexively lurched towards the badger.

"Did you... do you realize what you have just said?"

"Yes. And sooner or later the public will know. Or will have to know."

"And tell them that we predators can go savage at any moment? Doctor..."

"Are you serious?!"

Leo yelled, and the cheetah roared as if in accord.

"If the public don't know about this, sir, eventually there will be civilian casualty from the savage predators," the badger tried to remain calm, "Our wolf squad haven't recovered well enough to respond to any savage predator in the near future. If the public knew in advance, at least-"

"No. No no no, no."

Tell the public that only predators go savage? Leo knew nothing good will come of it.

"I will provide you with more resources. I will pay you more. But I want you to find the cause and the cure now, before the public find out that a ZPD officer has gone savage."

Leo huffed as he began to turn around. He gave one last look to the cheetah, and he glared back with frenzied eyes.

"ZPD is one of the only semblances of order we have, doctor. And we have a lot of predators in ZPD."

The badger froze. That was one sentence she realized she couldn't refute.

"I'll do my best, sir."