ZOOTOPIA: MAGNUM FUR

Disclaimer: Zootopia is property of Disney.

Chapter 14: The Big Hustle

Date: Tuesday, May 17th, 2017

After Lisker and Judy returned to the station that evening, the rabbit officer couldn't help but feel depressed. She had just learned that someone she looked up to was a serial murderer, along with several other officers. Pelton, Blackwell, Horrowitz, and Benezio were all killers, and Lisker was the ring leader.

She looked over at Clawhauser as she and Lisker walked past his desk. "Hey guys, no luck today?" Benjamin Clawhauser asked them. Lisker shook his head. "Nope. Not a single lead on Wilde's location," Lisker said. "No one else has found him yet either," Clawhauser said.

"Well, I guess that means he's still alive at least," Lisker said. "Hey, yeah! That's right," Clawhauser said with a smile. "Have you heard anything about Furrero's condition yet from the Chief?" Lisker asked the cheetah. "No. I haven't heard anything about her at all today," Clawhauser said while slowly shaking his head.

Judy's nose twitched as she began to realize what could happen when Cynthia finally woke up. "Well, just be sure to keep us posted," Lisker said as he walked away. Judy trailed after him quietly until they finally reached his office. Lisker hung up his jacket and sat down on his chair in front of his desk. "So, tomorrow I expect an answer from you," Lisker said as he looked Judy in the eyes.

"You don't have to join us, but you still need to stay quiet. When we capture Wilde, we can offer him the same deal," Lisker said. "And if he refuses?" Judy asked him. "Well, he's still wanted for murder and assault, so he'll probably end up going to prison anyway. If he joins us, then perhaps we can salvage this situation and change a few aspects of the story. After all, Pelton still maintains that he only arrived after the fact," Lisker said.

"And what happens if neither of us want to stay quiet?" Judy asked him. "Then I'm afraid that Wilde will go to prison and you will either join him or disappear. And, of course, your connection to a certain arctic shrew will also be revealed to everyone," Lisker said. "How do you know that this won't catch up to you?" Judy asked him. "Because I've been doing this for years, Hopps. I know how to cover my tracks. I know my limitations," Lisker replied calmly.

"But the others don't. In fact, if you hadn't tried to frame Finnick, we probably would never have caught on to Benezio and Horrowitz. We would've only noticed Pelton or Blackwell when we put the pieces together," Judy said. Lisker took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a few seconds. When he opened them, he looked at Judy with a frown.

"Hopps, even if those boys get caught, there are still plenty more where they came from. I can easily recruit others to my cause. I was hoping you would be one of them," Lisker said. "Like I said in the car, we both want justice, and we both want to make the world a better place," Lisker added. "Yes, we have very different ways of doing it," Judy replied.

"Hopps, I've read your file. You've wanted to be a police officer since you were a child. It's been your dream to change the world, and now you have a chance. I thought you would be more than willing to take it," Lisker said, confused. "Well, I'm afraid that you've misjudged me," Judy said.

Lisker sighed in disappointment. "You still have until tomorrow to make a decision. Can I trust you to at least keep quiet until then?" Lisker asked her. "I'll keep quiet about you-know-who as well," Lisker said. "Fine. I'll tell you my decision tomorrow," Judy said reluctantly. "Okay. You have my word that I'll stay quiet as well. And Hopps? I really do think that you're a stellar officer," Lisker said as Judy exited his office. Judy nodded her head in slight appreciation before closing the door behind her.

Walking over to the elevator to head up to the office area where her cubicle was located, Judy stopped and looked down the hallway at the lobby, where Clawhauser was still seated, chatting away with Snarlof and Delgato. Wait a minute... Clawhauser! He knows about Fru Fru! I... I don't know if I can trust him with the whole truth, though, Judy thought in desperate contemplation. He's the only chance I've got... and Milius! I forgot all about him! But, can I trust him to keep it quiet? If Bogo finds out... I'll get fired for sure. But... they're the only ones I can trust right now, Judy realized as she entered the elevator and ascended to the floor with the office cubicles.

Conan Milius had just taken his flash drive out of the computer when Chief Bogo opened the door to his office cubicle. "Inspector," Bogo said cordially. "Chief," Milius responded blandly.

"I... haven't yet received a report from you today," Bogo said. "There wasn't much to report," Milius said. "What about your lead?" Bogo asked him. "It was a bust," Milius said. "I see. I still expect a report from you before you leave today," Bogo said. "I know," Milius replied.

"Uh, Chief?" Milius asked as Bogo turned around. "Yes?" Bogo asked him. "What's Lisker's progress on his case?" Milius asked. "That's not really your concern," Bogo said. "Oh, but it is, Chief. They're connected. I know it, you know it, we all know it. And you and I both know the common thread between them," Milius said with a smirk.

"Conan... drop it. I've already have one cop in a hospital, one dead, one in a holding cell, and another on the run. I don't need you to start making accusations against other officers when we still have to find Wilde," Bogo said. "Chief, Benezio never had patrol duty in the areas where all of the victims were found. The only one we can connect him with is Grimes. You and I both know that the other killer is still out there, and we have only two possibilities," Milius said.

"Milius, when you have proof that points to a specific individual, then we'll talk. Until then, focus on your own case," Bogo said as he turned around. "You know that Wilde is innocent, Chief. We both know that he didn't kill Hooper," Milius said. "Milius, I'm warning you right now," Bogo said. "Pelton did it," Milius said with a grin.

"That's it," Bogo said angrily as turned around and held out a hoof. "Finish your report on the pool house case and get ready for a nice long suspension," Bogo said. "Sure thing. Just give me an hour and I'll be out of your fur," Milius said. Bogo snorted and turned around, storming out of the cubicle and down the hallway.

Well, I guess it was a good idea to leave Wilde back at the bar. And with a suspension, I have all the time I need to work on proving the fox's innocence, Milius thought to himself as he sat back down and began typing his report. "But... do I tell Hopps about his location?" Milius asked himself in contemplation. "If I do, then what are the chances of Lisker finding out?"

Hours Later, in the Indoor Firing Range

Lisker took aim at the target on the firing range and squeezed the trigger of his Smythe & Weasel Model Z-29 revolver one last time. He pressed the button for the rail to bring back the target sheet. He took off his ear muffs and looked at the target sheet before grabbing it. "I've still got it," he said to himself.

All six shots were in the center torso region, inside the center-most circle. Lisker tilted his head when he heard foot steps approaching his stable. Turning around, he saw Horrowitz, Pelton, and Blackwell standing together. "What's the plan?" Pelton asked Lisker. "For Wilde?" Lisker asked them. "No, we know what that plan is," Blackwell said bitterly.

"We meant the rabbit," Horrowitz clarified. "Hopps? I've given her twenty-four hours to decide if she wants to join us," Lisker said. "But, Sir, she could easily tell anyone about us in that time!" Blackwell hissed. "No, she won't," Lisker said. "How do you know that?" Blackwell asked him.

"Because I have blackmail on her. As long as I stay quiet about her secret, she will keep quiet about ours," Lisker said. "You mean her connection to Mr. Big?" Horrowitz asked. "Yes," Lisker said with a nod of his head. "And if she doesn't want to join us?" Pelton asked. "Then we give her a chance to keep quiet. The moment she talks, we'll set her up to fall. I'd personally rather not kill her, seeing how she's actually helping bring about change in her own way, but at the same time... we can't let her expose us before we've accomplished our goal," Lisker said as he leaned against a wall of the shooting stable.

"We could find someone or something she values, and threaten her with it," Blackwell suggested. Lisker furrowed his brows and turned his head, glaring at the younger wolf with scorn. "Say that again?" Lisker asked him. "We threaten someone she cares about so that she'll stay quiet," Blackwell elaborated. "Like Wilde?" Horrowitz asked. "Oh yeah, if we find him before her, then we can use his safety as leverage against her," Pelton said.

"I've already promised her that we'll bring him in alive as long as she cooperates with us," Lisker said. "Then she still has an angle to work with. What about her family?" Blackwell asked, earning a growl from Lisker. "Quinn... you're treading on thin ice right now. If we punish Hopps for her actions, then we only attack her or Wilde, not her family or his. Leave their families out of this," Lisker said firmly.

"But it would guarantee her cooperation," Blackwell protested. "No. First of all, we are above that. Hopps's family is off limits, understand? We punish only her for her actions, not her family. Her family has no involvement other than blood relation, so there is no reason to go after them," Lisker said.

"What about Wilde's family?" Pelton asked. "He only has his mother. No, we're not touching her either," Lisker said. "Oh, come on! She's a fox, just like him!" Blackwell spat. "Quinn, you hold your tongue right now or so help me I will tell Bogo that I've found a suspect in the murder case," Lisker said.

"You wouldn't," Blackwell said. "I would. You already crossed a line when you attacked the other foxes at the pool, and now you're suggesting that we attack people's families," Lisker said with a frown. "That is not how we operate, Quinn Blackwell. That's two strikes." "So, Pelton killed Hooper in order to frame Wilde," Blackwell retorted. "It wasn't my brightest idea, but Hooper was never pack to begin with. He would have easily put the pieces together and exposed us," Lisker said.

"What about Milius?" Horrowitz asked. "Damn, I forgot about the cat," Pelton said. "Hopps said that he has Wilde's phone number, and he knows about you, Pelton," Lisker said. "So Milius has access to Wilde? He could lead us to the fox," Horrowitz said. "Unless he's already found him," Pelton said. "Then what do we do?" Blackwell asked.

"We find Milius, and then we find Wilde," Lisker said. "But, what do we do about Milius after we've located Wilde?" Pelton asked. "Well, Milius isn't exactly the most likeable cop in the ZPD. He's constantly earning spots on Chief Bogo's shit list, but all things considered, we might be able to sway him to our side," Lisker said. "And if we can't sway him?" Blackwell asked. "Then you know what needs to be done," Lisker said. "Should we make it look like Wilde did it?" Pelton asked.

"Flip a coin. On one paw, it might seem suspicious if you find another dead cop at the scene, but it might also motivate everyone else to search harder for him," Lisker said. "But they might definitely kill him without hesitation in that case. I thought we wanted to bring him in alive to make Officer Hopps cooperate us," Horrowitz spoke up.

"What if we make it look like an accident? Like his car malfunctioned? Or perhaps he slipped off a ledge while pursuing Wilde?" Pelton suggested. "No one would blame Wilde under those circumstances, would they?" Horrowitz asked. "Weren't you paying attention? Half of the force was trying to kill Wilde yesterday without bothering to find out if he was truly guilty," Lisker said.

"If we're going to bring in Wilde and take care of Milius while watching Hopps, we're going to be spread thin," Pelton said. "We need another person," Blackwell said. "If only we still had Benezio with us," Horrowitz said with a sigh. Blackwell's ears perked up.

"Is there any way that we can free Benezio?" Blackwell asked. "Not without arousing suspicion from everyone," Lisker replied, shaking his head ruefully. "I could try to get him out. I can forge the documents to make it look like he's being transferred to an undisclosed location," Horrowitz said. "Are you certain that you won't get caught?" Lisker asked him.

"I'm positive," Horrowitz replied with a grin. "But then who's going to pick him up?" Pelton asked. "Oh, I hadn't thought of that," Horrowitz said. "Maybe I can convince Bogo to let him out," Lisker said. "How?" Pelton asked him. "It'll be a chance for Benezio to "redeem" himself in everyone else's eyes. Like a test of sorts," Lisker said. "Um, look, I'm all for Wilde getting the shit kicked out of him by Benezio, but I'm also pretty sure it would take at least a few days, if not more than a week, for Benezio to get let out of holding," Pelton said.

"You are such a killjoy," Blackwell said. "No, he has a point," Lisker said reluctantly. "Even I wouldn't be able to get Benezio out so easily. And Bogo would definitely question where the documents for Benezio's transfer are coming from and who signed them. He's not stupid enough for this plan to work," Lisker added.

"So, there goes that plan. What can we do now?" Horrowitz asked. "We'll just deal with whatever comes our way. I'll take care of Hopps and Milius. Pelton and Blackwell; the two of you just go along with whatever assignment Bogo gives you. I'll see if I can get Bogo to give Hooper's bike to you, Pelton. Hooper definitely doesn't need it anymore," Lisker said. "What about me?" Horrowitz asked.

"Um... Just go along with whatever assignment Bogo gives you," Lisker said. "Right now, all of you just go home. Arrive here an hour early tomorrow and I'll have a plan ready," Lisker said after a minute of thinking. "Yes sir," Pelton said as the trio left the stable, leaving Lisker alone with his gun and his target sheet. He looked down at his gun in silent contemplation before reloading it and hanging up a new target sheet on the rail.

After setting the rail to take the sheet out to a distance of 30 meters, Lisker aimed his gun at the target and narrowed his eyes. In his mind, the target was a gazelle with a crazed look in his eyes and manic grin on his face. "You want a lawyer? Here's your fucking lawyer," Lisker whispered as he remembered the pleading and begging that the psycho had done when he'd tracked him down all those years ago.

He fired until his gun was empty and retracted the target sheet. After taking the sheet off of the clip on the rail, he looked at the cluster of shots on the sheet. One shot in the head, three in the torso, and two in the groin. He frowned as he looked at the sheet. In his mind, he could still hear the maniac laughing about letting the fox kit die. He would always hear that laugh, every time he was alone, until the day he died.

Judy Hopps sat on the edge of her bed, holding her cell phone in her paws. She held the device as though it held the keys to both her salvation and her destruction. Taking a deep breath, Judy selected Clawhauser's number from her contact list and typed up a lengthy text message. After looking it over, she hit the send button and watched as the two-part message was delivered, waiting for the progress bar to reach completion.

As soon as the bar hit 100%, Judy let out a sigh of relief and promptly fell back against her bed, staring up at the ceiling. "I just hope he manages to get a hold of Milius. I never got his number," Judy said to herself. "Is that the guy she's dating?" Judy heard Bucky ask from the other side of the wall.

"I thought she was with that fox?" "You mean the one the police just posted a WANTED notice for? Oh, dude!" Bucky exclaimed. Judy's eyes widened and her ears shot up at hearing about the WANTED notice. She quickly used her phone to access the latest news and saw that a WANTED notice had indeed been spread to various news media outlets. The notice had just been sent out two hours earlier.

Judy quickly dialed Clawhauser's number. "Hello?" Clawhauser asked. "Clawhauser, who sent out the WANTED notice for Nick!?" Judy asked him. "WANTED notice? There shouldn't be a WANTED notice posted for at least another two days. Chief Bogo's been trying to minimize media attention and keep this case quiet until we can narrow down Nick's location," Clawhauser replied. "Well somebody didn't get the memo!" Judy retorted.

"I'll tell the Chief right away! Oh, I just got a notification for two text messages from you. Are they also about the WANTED notice?" Clawhauser asked. "No, they're about something else, but it's still important that you read them after you've talked to Bogo. And, Clawhauser, please only tell Inspector Milius about the text messages. I... I can't trust anyone else, aside from you and him," Judy begged.

"Okay. I'll make sure to talk to him when he comes in tomorrow morning," Clawhauser said. "You don't have his phone number?" Judy asked him. "No. I have an old number of his, but that was from a few years ago. He's changed his phone number since then. I don't know his new number," Clawhauser replied. "Okay. Just... please make sure that you keep this between just you and him. It's about Nick... and something else I've been keeping secret, but first I need you to talk to Bogo about the WANTED notice!" Judy said.

"You got it!" Clawhauser replied before hanging up. Judy took a deep breath and then let it out in a shudder. "Why is this happening?" she asked herself. "Maybe the universe just has it out for you! Try being someone else!" Pronk suggested through the wall. "Dude, it's her friend that's in trouble, not her!" Bucky chided Pronk. "But just listen to her! She's practically blaming herself for everything that's happening to him! It's just like that incident last year when those predators were going crazy because those sheep were drugging them with toxic plants and she made those naive comments on live TV! Her heart is just too big and fragile! Her own boundless love is causing her to destroy herself from within in a twisted irony of fate!" Pronk retorted.

"That is the fourth stupidest thing I have ever heard you say!" Bucky shouted back. Judy glanced at the wall before returning her attention to the ceiling as she tried to find the will to sleep. "I thought the fourth thing was me blaming aliens for the TV being broken?" Pronk asked. "That was the FIRST of the stupidest things that I've heard you say, not the fourth!" Bucky retorted. Judy sighed as she felt her eyes begin to water.

Right now, Nick's life was in even more danger than ever, and her two neighbors could only argue about the stupidest things that they've said to each other. Judy hadn't even realized that she was sobbing by the time the two animals had stopped shouting. "Oh great! Hear that!? You made her cry! Good going, jackass!" Pronk shouted at Bucky. "It wasn't ME! It was YOU! You're the one who's always shouting and saying stupid things!" Bucky retorted.

"What!?" Pronk asked in shock. "You heard me! Now go over there and apologize to her!" Bucky ordered Pronk. "Hey, we told her right when she moved in that we wouldn't apologize for being loud!" Pronk snapped. "We didn't say anything about being insensitive, though! So go over there and apologize in person for being an asshole!" Bucky retorted.

"But she can hear us through the wall! Why can't I just apologize through the wall!?" Pronk asked. "It's more heartfelt when you do it in person!" Bucky yelled back. "But I'm naked and smell like sweat!" Pronk protested. "Then get dressed and put on deodorant!" Bucky shouted.

By the time Pronk had gotten dressed and made his way over to the door, Judy had already cried herself to sleep.

Date: Wednesday, May 18th, 2017

Conan Milius quietly drove his car into the parking lot of the ZPD First Precinct. After getting out, grabbing his coffee, and locking the doors, Milius glanced over at the still-parked green car that was owned by Nicholas P. Wilde. Walking past the car, Milius stopped and walked over to inspect it, holding his coffee firmly in one paw as he did so.

He crouched down to look at the ground underneath and around the car for a few minutes before standing back up and walking away, entering the front doors of the station. Walking up to the front desk, Milius signed in. He was about to walk away when Clawhauser whispered to him. "Hey, can I speak to you... privately?" Clawhauser asked him.

Milius raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Well, I do need to-" "Now, please?" Clawhauser asked him. Milius sighed. "Okay. Where at?" Milius asked the cheetah. Clawhauser quickly scanned the room before ushering Milius over to the backside of the monument behind the front desk. "Okay, what is it?" Milius asked grumpily. "Well... Judy-I mean Officer Hopps, wanted me to tell you as soon as possible," Clawhauser said.

"Tell me? Tell me what? Don't play games, Clawhauser. Just tell me what she wants me to know, or I'll ask her myself," Milius said. "She's the godmother of Mr. Big's granddaughter," Clawhauser whispered. A confused look appeared on Milius's muzzle before his eyes widened marginally. "Huh. Well... I honestly was not expecting that," Milius said.

"Yeah... she, uh, doesn't want the Chief to know that she has connections to Mr. Big, even if it wasn't entirely intentional. Remember the Night Howler incident?" "Yeah, why?" Milius responded. "Well, remember how she caught Duke Weaselton in a giant donut in Little Rodentia? She saved Mr. Big's daughter from being crushed by the donut when Weaselton dismantled it from the roof of a coffee shop," Clawhauser explained.

"Okaaaaayyy... how do you know all of this?" Milius asked the cheetah. "Judy sent me some text messages explaining it last night," Clawhauser said. "Oh," Milius said. "Yeah. So, she and Nick got caught by Mr. Big's henchmen while searching for Mr. Otterton in Tundra Town, and Mr. Big's daughter saved their lives when she recognized Judy as the cop who saved her," Clawhauser explained. Milius nodded his head.

"Okay. Well... why exactly does she want you and me to know this?" Milius asked him curiously. "Well... Lisker found out and is using the information as leverage to make her cooperate with him," Clawhauser said. Milius's eyes widened before narrowing in anger.

Milius then smirked. "Well now, looks like I've got a wolf to talk to today," Milius said. "Yeah, but-wait... I just remembered something," Clawhauser said. "Yeah? What's that?" Milius asked him. "Didn't you get suspended yesterday?" Clawhauser asked him.

Milius's eyes widened. "Oh yeah. I... I can't believe I forgot," Milius said in shock. "So... you might want to clock back out," Clawhauser said. "Yeah, I... I should do that," Milius said before walking back around to the clock-in sheet at the front desk. He then walked back over to Clawhauser. "Uh, you didn't hear this from me, but... Pelton killed Hooper and framed Wilde," Milius said. "Well... Judy kind of already explained that. What do we do?" Clawhauser asked.

"What do we do? Well, since I'm not supposed to be working today, I can head right on over to where Wilde is hiding, pick him up, and drive around looking for other cops to piss off by saying that I found him first. Then I can find a place to hide him and say that he got away and that I still did a better job than the rest of them," Milius said with a grin. "Uh-huh. Look, Lisker's in charge of the whole killer cop thing, and he's a lieutenant!" Clawhauser whispered fearfully.

"Benjamin? There's something very important that I need you to do for me. I don't know what it is yet, but when I know, I'll call you," Milius said. "But, you don't have my phone number," Clawhauser said. "Sure I do. You just don't have mine," Milius said. "Hello?" someone called out by the front desk. "Just tell them that you were reminding me about my suspension after seeing me enter the building," Milius whispered.

"Gotcha," Clawhauser whispered back before he made his way over to the front desk. Milius sighed and made his way over to the first floor break room. Opening the door without hesitation, he found two wolves sitting together at a table. Aside from himself, these were the only animals in the room.

Milius took a deep breath as he sized up the two cops who were focusing their attention on him. "Good morning, Inspector," One of them, Pelton, managed to say. "Mornin', Officer... Pelton," Milius replied before taking a sip of his coffee. "You know, with the way that you keep eyeing us, one might think that you're looking for something," Blackwell said.

"Yeah," Milius said. "So, um, I don't want this to sound out of line, but... do you get a kick out of it?" Milius asked before taking another sip of his coffee. "Excuse me?" Pelton asked in return. "A kick. You know, a thrill? A sense of excitement?" Milius clarified. "Excitement? From what, riding motorcycles?" Pelton asked. "Yeah, it feels pretty nice," Blackwell said.

"Oh, I bet it does. Shame that Hooper can't enjoy that anymore, isn't it?" Milius asked. "Yeah. That's, uh, definitely a shame. The funeral is this weekend," Pelton said. "Mm, I know. Chief told me. Any news on Furrero?" Milius asked them. "Nothing yet," Pelton replied. "Good. I guess that means she's still breathing," Milius said before sipping his coffee.

"Yeah. Chief gave me Hooper's bike this morning. I mean, it was his bike, but... well, he doesn't really need it anymore," Pelton said. "No, he doesn't. You certainly made damn sure of that, didn't you?" Milius said before taking another sip of his coffee. Both wolves glared at the leopard.

"You have a big mouth," Blackwell said. "Yeah. Big mouth, with big fangs, and I got big claws too," Milius said with a smirk. "Yeah. It's no wonder you're always on Chief Bogo's shit list," Blackwell said. "Well, I can't exactly deny that," Milius responded.

"We read about the incident in the Furmoore area a few years back," Pelton said after taking a breath. "Furmoore... yeah, I remember that night," Milius said. "A lot of animals in the ZPD and the city government got riled up over your use of force," Blackwell said.

"Yes, well, when I see an adult male chasing an adult female with the intent to commit rape, I shoot the bastard," Milius said. "You did what needed to be done, and someone with that kind of determination and conviction would certainly be at home with us. Being part of a group, being pack; it would certainly help you out," Pelton said. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but if I'd had a taser or a tranquilizer with me, I would have used one of those. I shot that antelope in the groin because all I had was my gun... and I thought it was poetic," Milius said.

"Poetic? Yeah, I can certainly understand how that was poetic," Pelton said, nodding his head. "Yup. It was completely justified, unlike some of the things that you guys have done lately," Milius said before sipping his coffee again. "With a few unfortunate exceptions, we've made sure that all of our targets were deserving of their punishments," Pelton said.

"Oh, really? And I suppose that Furrero deserved to be beaten within an inch of her life? What about Hooper? What exactly did he do to deserve getting his throat slashed?" Milius asked with thinly veiled disgust. "And what about Wilde? What did he do to deserve being framed for assault and murder?" Milius asked them with a cold glare.

"They were necessary sacrifices," Pelton said. "Sacrifices? Oh, I see. Furrero was close to exposing you guys to the whole precinct, so you tried to kill her. But... what the hell did Hooper do? I'm still a bit confused by that," Milius said. "Was it really necessary to frame Wilde for murder, Pelton? Or did you just get a sick thrill from it?" Milius asked in disdain.

To his credit, Pelton remain neutral, while Blackwell began to growl. Pelton held a paw up toward Blackwell, signaling him to calm down. Blackwell stopped growling, but continued glaring at Milius. "Listen, Inspector, if we're caught, then we can't continue our work. While I was just following orders, I do agree that Hooper's death was regrettable, but what's done is done. We can't change the past," Pelton said.

"No, but you can disobey orders that are unlawful," Milius said. "Inspector, I don't think you really understand just what it is we're trying to do," Pelton said. "And just what are you trying to do?" Milius asked him. "We're fixing the mistakes made by the system. We're taking a stand against injustice," Blackwell said. "The law is broken. We've seen that much, and it isn't right when a rape victim is harassed or ignored because of their species. It's sickening when a murder victim's family has their spirits crushed because the killer was let free thanks to biased officers or bigoted judges and juries who don't care because of the victim's species," Pelton said.

"We've seen how the murderers and rapists are then free to kill and rape again, as long as their victims are a species that nobody likes, or when the criminals have enough money to bribe their way out. It's wrong, and it happens too often," Blackwell said. "The courts and precincts keep quiet about it, and no one knows except for the few officers who dare to open their eyes. And we've opened our eyes, Inspector," Pelton said. "And you think that makes you above the system? That it somehow doesn't apply to you anymore?" Milius asked in return.

"Inspector, we're doing what has to be done because the system we have now is broken. I thought I made it clear to you why we're doing this, but maybe I have to use simpler terms: the system isn't worth upholding," Pelton said. "Doesn't matter," Milius retorted. Both wolves raised eyebrows at Milius's declaration. "As broken as the system is, it's what we've got. And we have a duty to work with it as best we can until someone makes some changes to it that make sense or until something better comes along," Milius finished passionately.

"Alright, so maybe something better will come along one day, or maybe someone will make some sensible changes. The question is when, though? When does it happen? Do we just let the bad guys get away until we can't do anything? What if we die before those changes or new system can happen? What if the victims die before they can see that justice has been served?" Pelton asked.

"I don't know. Let's see how Hooper's family feels knowing that you'll never get locked away for killing him," Milius said. "What family? He wasn't married, didn't have children, nor did he have any ongoing relationships with anyone," Blackwell said. "What about his parents and siblings? I know that they still exist," Milius suggested. Pelton and Blackwell merely glowered at him.

"But... you've convinced everyone that Wilde killed him. You've certainly got everyone riled up and frothing at the maw now. Using the same prejudice that's broken the system so that you can continue your little war against it. I don't know if I would describe that as irony or hypocrisy," Milius noted. "So what? He's a fox. An exception amongst them, but it's not like he would have lasted long on the force anyway," Blackwell retorted.

"Well, I guess not. After all, he's an honest cop, not a smart one," Milius said. "And we know that honest people don't last long anywhere." "Watch it, Spots," Blackwell growled. "Cool it, Quinn," Pelton said. "So... you've sacrificed Furrero, Hooper, and Wilde. Hopps is next on the list, but what about me? When and how do you plan to sacrifice me, exactly?" Milius asked the duo.

"That depends on if you continue to stand against us. If you join us, then we don't have to do anything. Maybe you can have a long career doing the right thing," Pelton said. "I don't think so. You boys have beaten one cop into a coma, murdered a second cop, and then framed a third cop for what you did to the first two. Why the hell would I ever join you?" Milius asked them.

"If you guys had stopped after killing the Fasa brothers, just Gringwald, and Grimes... maybe I could see a future helping you, but you've crossed a line that even I won't touch. I may be a dirty bastard, but I at least know my limitations, unlike you," Milius said. "Well, it seems that we're at a crossroad here," Pelton said. "Yeah," Blackwell added darkly.

"Tell you what. I'll keep my mouth shut until Hopps's shift is over. After that... you'd just better hope that I don't get all of my evidence to Chief Bogo before you can get to me yourselves," Milius said with a grin before he turned around to open the door. "Oh, one more thing... I already know that you boys work for Lisker. It wasn't that hard to figure out, in case you're wondering," Milius said as he left the room.

Walking back over to the front desk, Milius took a key out of his pocket and gave it to Clawhauser. "Oh, what's this for?" Clawhauser asked him. "It's for a drawer in my desk, in case I don't come back after my suspension is over," Milius said. "What's in the drawer?" Clawhauser asked him. "Something I'll need you to give to Chief Bogo. Listen, Clawhauser... our friends from the Third Precinct know that I'm onto them. You're the only officer that they don't suspect of knowing anything. Please keep it that way as long as possible," Milius whispered to him, glancing over at the hallway.

"How long do you have until they come after you?" Clawhauser asked him. "Until Hopps's shift is over, but I should be able to collect all of my evidence, grab Wilde, and make it back here before then. What time does the morning briefing usually end?" "Well, I haven't attended any for a while, so I don't know for certain. But... I'd leave now if you want to get out of here without being followed," Clawhauser whispered back.

"When they leave, try to find out where everyone is heading or what they've been assigned, but don't be suspicious about it. See ya' around," Milius said before briskly walking out of the lobby and into the parking lot. Clawhauser looked back down at the key in his paws. "This is too much," he whispered to himself.

One Hour Later...

Inside the briefing room, Chief Bogo stood before his officers, an angry scowl on his face. On the board behind him was an image of the WANTED notice for Nick Wilde. "Alright... last night, someone prematurely sent this notice out to every news media outlet in Zootopia, and so our attempts at recovering Wilde quietly have been torpedoed. I still want everyone on their usual assignments. If a call comes in regarding Officer Wilde, I will assign the team nearest to his location to go find him and pick him up," Bogo said.

"We have additional dispatch officers at their posts. Also, Officer Pelton, the paperwork was completed this morning, and Hooper's bike now is yours to use. Honor his memory with it," Bogo said. Pelton nodded his head in affirmation. Judy glanced over at him before returning his attention to the Chief.

"Now, assignments are as follows, and I don't want any arguing or backtalk. Fangmeyer, you have parking duty today in downtown. Grizzoli, you have paperwork that needs to be finished before noon today. Blackwell, you have traffic duty along the freeway in the Rainforest District. Pelton... you have patrol along the transitional tunnel between Savanna Central and the Rainforest District," Bogo said.

Both wolves nodded their heads and walked out of the room. "Horrowitz, you have patrol with Burns today, in the Canal District. Chaney and Whittaker, you both have patrol in Sahara Square today, your usual routes. McLeod and Fursfield, you both have patrol in downtown. Make sure that Fangmeyer doesn't lose his ticket gun." "It was one time," Fangmeyer muttered under his breath.

"Hornwitz, you and Statham have patrol in the Meadowlands, near Burwick Road. There have been reports of someone defacing private property with 'offensive' graffiti," Bogo said. "Oh, what a nightmare," Statham said sarcastically as he and Hornwitz got up and walked out of the room. "Rhinowitz and Trunkaby, you both have patrol near the Tundra Town transitional tunnels in Central. Johnson, you are temporarily being partnered with Officer Wolford at a location that I will disclose to you later. Please stay behind until then," Bogo said before continuing listing off assignments.

"Hopps, Lieutenant Lisker has once again requested your assistance in tracking down Wilde. Please see him immediately," Bogo said. "Now, Johnson and Wolford, please follow me to my office," Bogo said as he led the lion and wolf out of the room. Judy hesitantly got out of her seat and walked over to the door, pushing it open and looking through the hallway before walking over to the front desk to see Clawhauser.

"Psst! Hey, Clawhauser!" Judy whispered, causing the cheetah to look over the desk in order to see her. "Judy, what's up?" he asked her quietly. "Have you talked to Milius yet?" she asked. "Yeah. He knows where Nick is hiding. He's gonna go find him and bring him back today without anyone knowing," Clawhauser said. Judy's eyes widened in surprise and hope. "He-He is?" Judy asked him, her paws clasped together.

"He's gonna try, but... I heard that Pelton and Blackwell have patrol duty near the Rainforest District. Somewhere in there is where Nick's hiding, and if they catch him coming out... Milius gave me a key to a drawer in his desk with some stuff he wanted me to give to Bogo, but he wouldn't tell me exactly what it is," Clawhauser whispered.

Judy nodded her head in understanding before hearing the sound of soft footsteps emanating from paw pads under a canine's feet. Judy looked to her right and saw Lisker casually strolling towards her and Clawhauser. Lisker smiled at Clawhauser and nodded his head. "Morning, Clawhauser," Lisker said in a friendly manner.

"M-Morning, Lieutenant," Clawhauser replied. Lisker caught the slight hesitation in his voice. "So, did you forget how to get to my office?" Lisker asked Judy as he leaned against the front desk. "No, I was just talking to Clawhauser," Judy said. "Oh. The latest gossip, I take it?" Lisker asked her. "Well... not much, really. All everyone talks about now is Nick-I mean, Officer Wilde and whether or not he's actually guilty," Clawhauser said.

"Hmm, well, if we can bring him in alive, then we may just find out," Lisker said before walking off to the hallway that led to the parking garage. "Come on, Hopps. We've got to find Wilde before some trigger-happy idiot does," Lisker said. Judy glanced back at Clawhauser one last time before racing after Lisker.

Dom's Bar & Grille

"So, what's the plan?" Nick asked Milius as he buckled his seat belt. "I'm gonna call dispatch and tell Clawhauser that I've found you," Milius said. "What!? I thought we were gonna do this without anyone noticing!" Nick shrieked. "Wilde, those bastards know that I'm onto them. We have to expose them, and I don't give a damn about the repercussions that the department could face either. We need to take them down, and we need to prove that you're innocent," Milius said.

"But-" "Listen! Do you know what's going to happen when Furrero wakes up?" Milius asked the fox. "What's gonna happen?" Nick asked. "Those bastards are gonna find out, and they're gonna finish the job. Lisker is a detective, so he'll find out eventually where Furrero's being kept, and then he'll send one of his three boys over there to finish her," Milius said. "But how do we expose them?" Nick asked.

"Simple. we put our lives on the line. We have to make them chase us and show everyone just what they're willing to do," Milius said. "You say that like you've done it before," Nick noted.

"That's because I have," Milius responded. "Lisker doesn't know about this, since the case was swept under the rug, but I once took down a group of crooked cops before, and I don't mean that they were vigilantes like Lisker and his boys. No, these guys were simply power-hungry and corrupt as hell," Milius said. "So... did you arrest them?" Nick asked him.

"No, Bogo did. I simply baited them into showing their true colors," Milius said. "So... did Bogo send you out here to collect me?" Nick asked. "No. He doesn't even know what I'm doing. I'm suspended for the rest of the week, after all," Milius replied. "Oh, so-wait... you got suspended!? How did you manage that?" Nick asked the leopard.

"I mouthed off and told him that Pelton killed Hooper," Milius said. "He didn't believe you?" Nick asked him. "I don't know. I don't think he wants to believe that there's another group of crooked cops unless there's solid proof. Three of the assholes that he arrested before were his best friends," Milius said. "Oh," Nick said. "Yeah. It kind of... broke him, I think, to see that the people he trusted the most were the ones who had deceived him the most," Milius said.

"Ouch," Nick muttered. "Yeah, so let's go break him some more," Milius stated as he put the car into gear and backed up out of the parking space before turning around and driving out of the lot. As Milius neared a stop sign, he grabbed his radio and spoke into it. "Come in, Dispatch, this is Inspector Milius, off duty. I have located Officer Wilde and am now attempting to secure him. Come in, over," Milius said.

"Just give them a minute," Milius whispered as he saw Nick's expression. "This is dispatch, we copy you. What is the location of Officer Wilde?" a female voice asked. "Huh, I thought that Clawhauser was the main dispatcher," Milius said before speaking into the radio. "He's inside an eatery called Dom's Bar and Grille. He just went inside, so I'm gonna wait a minute or two before heading in after him," Milius said.

"Ten-Four. Please wait for backup to arrive before proceeding, over," the dispatcher said in a firm tone. "Affirmative, over," Milius said. "I love saying 'over' for some reason," Milius mused out loud. "I don't know why." "Uh-huh," Nick muttered. "Well, let's get going," Milius said as he starting driving down the road.

"Dispatch said to wait," Nick said. "And do you really want me to do that?" Milius asked him in response. "Not really," Nick said with a smirk. "Okay then," Milius said as he kept driving.

"Wait, the dispatcher said something about backup. Who are they going to send as backup?" Nick asked. Milius stopped the car before reaching into his pocket to get his phone. He handed it to Nick. "Call up Clawhauser and ask him who's on patrol here," Milius said before he resumed driving. Nick dialed Clawhauser's number and waited for the cheetah to answer.

"Inspector?" Clawhauser asked. "Uh, no. Clawhauser, it's me," Nick said. "Nick? Oh em goodness! Are you okay?" Clawhauser asked him. "I've been better. Anyway, did you hear Milius's call to dispatch?" Nick asked him. "Yeah. But I thought he wanted to bring you back here quietly. I'm really confused right now," Clawhauser replied. "Well, Listen, who's on patrol in or near the Rainforest District right now?" Nick asked him.

"Horrowitz and Sergeant Burns on on patrol in the Canal District right now, but Blackwell and Pelton are currently doing patrol near the transitional tunnel. They'll be the first ones to arrive," Clawhauser said. Nick turned to look at Milius. "Blackwell and Pelton might be the first ones to head our way," Nick said. "Good. That makes this a whole lot easier," Milius responded with a grin.

"Clawhauser, do you know if anyone else is heading our way?" Nick asked. "I just got a text from Judy. She and Lisker are heading your way," Clawhauser said. "Ask him if there have been any updates on Furrero's condition," Milius said. "What?" Nick asked. "Just do it," Milius insisted. "Uh, Benny, have there been any updates on Furrero's condition?" Nick asked.

"Not for Furrero herself, but I'm pretty sure that Wolford and Johnson were being sent over to wherever she's at in order to provide more security for her today," Clawhauser replied. "He says there are no changes in her condition, but Wolford and Johnson have been sent over to her location for security today," Nick relayed as they reached the stop sign at the entrance back onto the main road.

Milius furrowed his brows in thought. After taking a deep breath, he spoke. "Tell Clawhauser to tell Hopps that we're heading to Furrero's location," Milius said. "But we don't know her location," Nick retorted. "Lisker and the others don't know that," Milius said with a smirk. Things suddenly clicked in Nick's mind.

"You're crazy," Nick muttered. "Maybe. But if they think that we're going to Furrero's location, they'll follow us," Milius explained. "And they'll attempt to kill us?" Nick asked him.

"They'll try that either way, but if Lisker can find an excuse to kill us and justify it, this is his best bet, and what weapon do you think they'll use on us?" Milius replied. "The conotoxin darts," Nick said. "Yes. If they have those on them, then we can prove their guilt, and we can prove your innocence. That toxin would kill Furrero without any trouble if they were to get to her, and for us? Lisker could shoot us with his piece or he could let Pelton and Blackwell use their snail venom," Milius said.

"What about Horrowitz?" Nick asked him. "Shit, I forgot about him. He's with Burns right now, though, isn't he? Burns can handle him if he tries anything," Milius said. "I hope so," Nick said. "Right, now, give the message to Clawhauser," Milius said. "Oh, right," Nick said before telling Clawhauser. "Are you sure that you guys can make it back to the station or someplace safe in time?" Clawhauser asked.

"No," Nick replied. "But we have to try. For Judy's and Cynthia's sake," Nick said. "Where are you guys right now?" Clawhauser asked. "We're turning back onto the main road so that we can return to the freeway and get to the transitional tunnel that leads to Savanna Central," Nick said. "Okay. Good luck, guys. Bye," Clawhauser said before hanging up.

"So... how long are we gonna stay in this spot?" Nick asked Milius. "Until they can see us," Milius replied. "This is crazy," Nick said. "It's a hustle," Milius said. Nick's eyes widened as he looked at Milius. Milius glanced over at him with a smirk. The duo soon heard the faint sound of a motorcycle heading their way. "An animal's got to know their limitations," Milius said. "Let's see if these guys know theirs."

Author's Note: The next chapter will have the big chase scene, swearing, action, and other stuff. This climax is upon us, and now the only question is... will our heroes survive, or will this so-called 'prequel' stray from continuity with Reckless Endangerment?