First off, I want to give a big thank-you to all the people who have reviewed both the revised Grief's Reunion, and the first chapter of this story. Your comments mean a lot.
Shoutouts to those who reviewed since the first chapter was posted: BrutusDeagon, GhostWolf88 (AO3 and FFN), aomagrat, OrangeBlossom46, x_uve, Spectra98, TheJokerman
THE MORNING AFTER
The Precinct One lobby was busy as Nick arrived the morning after the attack on Mountainside. Press were setting up around a lectern, evidently expecting there to be a press conference with regards to the events of the previous night.
"Morning, Senior!" Clawhauser waved from the front desk.
"You know, I don't know why you call me that, Spots," Nick remarked.
"Oh, you don't get to come back and give everybody nicknames and not have one for yourself," Clawhauser grinned. "Besides, your son has the same name, so… Senior!"
Nick simply responded with a light groan and a half-hearted wave as he headed for the bullpen.
Nick yawned loudly as he entered. He found his seat, situated towards the rear of the room, and clambered onto it. Sat to the right was Officer Tony Wolfovitz, one of Precinct One's mainstays.
"Wilde," Wolfovitz nodded.
"Wolfy," Nick returned the nod with a smug smile, earning an exasperated sigh from the wolf.
"Nineteen years and still with the nicknames, Red," Wolfovitz remarked. "Maybe you should spend more time with Hopps, since when you were around her, you eased off from it…"
The comment made Nick's smug smile drop. Though the newer officers would have been blissfully unaware, long-serving officers like Wolfovitz knew full-well what had happened between Nick and Judy years ago. It sometimes made things a little uncomfortable.
"Oh," Wolfovitz said, taking notice of Nick's soured expression. "Sorry."
"The past is the past, right?" Nick shrugged. "Me and Hopps are moving past it. That's why it's called the past."
Nick fell silent and Wolfovitz thought better than to push further.
The bullpen door swung open again and in came Judy. She seemed irritated as she headed for the front.
"Wow," Wolfovitz remarked. "Haven't seen Hopps that irritated for a while."
"Yeah, well…" Nick replied as he cupped his muzzle in his paw. "You know what's probably going to be eating at her. It's kind of got us all on edge."
"I hear you," Wolfovitz agreed.
"Ten-Hut!" Officer Lupus, the wolf that had taken the role that was once taken by Higgins, called. Most of the Officers began chanting as Fangmeyer walked in. Neither Nick nor Judy joined in.
"All right, settle down…" Fangmeyer took to the podium. "We have some items on the docket before I issue assignments. The first, most obvious one is that we have two fugitives from the Mountainside Prison."
Nick grimaced. His gaze drifted to the back of Judy's head at the front.
"The ZBI wants us out of their fur while they search for the two fugitives and those responsible for the attack on Mountainside," Fangmeyer continued. "I have been told by the Mayor that we are moving to a Code Red. Treat anything suspicious as if it were connected until proven otherwise. The Mayor, myself, and the ZBI, will give the press a statement this morning."
The assembled officers glanced at each other, trying to figure out what was going on.
"Next item: I want Officer Wilde and Lieutenant Hopps in my office after this briefing," Fangmeyer continued. Nick's paw slid from his chin as his eyes drifted back to Judy.
"What did you do this time?" Wolfovitz whispered.
"I have no idea," Nick answered.
"Assignments: Officers Delgato, Wolfovitz, Andersen: you guys get undercover duty in Savanna Central," Fangmeyer called. "McHorn, Rhinowitz, Higgins: SWAT duty in the Rainforest District. The rest of you have patrols. Dismissed."
"See ya, Wilde," Wolfovitz nudged Nick gently as he jumped down from his chair.
Nick grumbled as the other Officers all filed out of the room. Fangmeyer stayed behind to watch them go as they left Nick and Judy behind. Once they were all gone, Nick and Judy filed out of the bullpen and headed for the stairs up to Fangmeyer's office.
Nick glanced at Judy, noting that she appeared tired. He knew how she felt – the whole situation was draining and Nick hadn't had much sleep last night himself.
Fangmeyer padded up the stairs after them.
"Inside, please," Fangmeyer opened the door to her office, ushering the pair inside.
Commissioner Bogo was sat in one of the chairs on the near side of Fangmeyer's desk, evidently waiting for them.
"So… how are the children?" Fangmeyer asked as she sat down at the desk. Nick and Judy looked at each other, unsure as to what the reason behind Fangmeyer's question.
"They're… fine," Judy replied.
"It's been a tough few months," Nick said at the same time. The pair looked at each other again.
"Understandable that things haven't settled yet, with your move back into the police, Wilde," Fangmeyer nodded. "Very few mammals leave the police, try to come back a second time and succeed. Passing the Academy a second time, and so well, was beyond expectations. It's too soon to say, but you could ascend the ranks once again and be back where you were before."
Nick said nothing to the appraisal.
"And Hopps, giving up this chair wasn't something that could have been easy for you to do," Fangmeyer turned to Judy.
"It was the right thing to do," Judy responded.
"Nevertheless, you've settled quickly back into your rank, and your work remains as good as it has been," Fangmeyer remarked. "I'm going to be putting you two together, working on something that has just come in."
Fangmeyer slid a folder across the desk and Judy picked it up. Nick looked over her shoulder as she opened it.
"'Waking Death'?" Judy raised an eyebrow.
"A new drug on the streets," Fangmeyer said. "Brought to our attention after we had some mammals brought in carrying it. Not a particularly… pleasant drug."
Judy continued reading the file.
"It's a Night Howler derivative?" Judy queried.
"Yes," Fangmeyer nodded.
"Excuse me, this is great and all," Nick interjected, "but wouldn't it be prudent to tell all the officers to look out for this? Why us? Is this your way of stopping us from investigating the Mountainside breakout?"
Fangmeyer exchanged looks with Bogo.
"That's right, Wilde," Bogo said. "Consider this assignment in place of looking into it as an official order to back off."
Judy opened her mouth.
"Shut it, Hopps," Bogo interrupted before Judy could say anything. "I know all too well that they tried to kill you. What the ZBI doesn't need right now is personal involvement."
"If you interfere with their investigation, I'll have to suspend you," Fangmeyer agreed. "I really don't want to do that. And that goes for off-the-clock too. We have the Waking Death to investigate, so I would suggest focusing on that."
Nick and Judy glanced at each other.
"We'll get on with it," Judy said finally.
"It'll be just like old times," Nick added, earning a look of slight reproach from Judy.
"I'll take that to mean that there will be no arguments," Fangmeyer said.
"No, Ma'am," Nick and Judy chimed together.
"Good," Bogo nodded, getting up from his chair finally. "If you'll excuse me, I need to report to the Mayor."
With that, Bogo left the room.
"Dismissed," Fangmeyer said to Nick and Judy. They got up out of their chairs and left the room with the folder Fangmeyer had given them.
"So, this thing's a bit nasty, isn't it?" Nick remarked, leaning back on his chair. The pair had returned to their cubicles to start looking into the contents of the folder.
"Night Howler mixed in with some sort of sedative," Judy read from the folder. "Even a very small amount of Night Howler is enough to make you go savage, but… somehow, this new drug stops you from going savage. You just feel the rush of adrenaline, and the sedative stops you from moving."
"… why would you want to be immobilized?" Nick raised a curious eyebrow.
"Guess it makes the rush of adrenaline more powerful if you can't act on it?" Judy shrugged.
"I restate my question," Nick shook his head. "Sounds like a terrible idea."
"Must be some mammals who want it," Judy replied.
"Well, here's hoping we get to the source of it before it gets out of control," Nick said. He leaned over Judy's shoulder to read the document Judy was glancing over.
"Hey, look who's on the list of mammals of interest," Nick said, smirking as he peered over Judy's shoulder.
"Do you mind?" Judy huffed.
"Not at all, Fluff," Nick replied, his claw reaching for the document. He traced the name he had spotted: Marmaduke 'Duke' Weaselton.
"Who knew Duke was connected to all of this?" Nick said aloud.
"Hope your running skills are up to snuff," Judy smirked.
"Carrots, if he runs, I'll chase him down like a dog," Nick grinned.
Nick and Judy had left Precinct One to pursue the lead. Judy drove the cruiser through Savanna Central on the way to one of Duke Weaselton's old haunts.
"You know…" Nick smirked, "you haven't really gotten better at driving."
Judy playfully slammed the brakes on, but Nick was prepared for it, clutching the dashboard.
"Heh," Nick said. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me, Carrots."
Smiling smugly to herself, Judy pushed the cruiser forward again.
"So, uh…" Nick ventured, "how are you doing?"
Judy's smile lowered a little. Her ears drooped.
"I'm fine," Judy replied.
"You're a terrible liar," Nick replied. "I see your ears drooping there."
"It's just…" Judy began. "I'm angry. And I'm scared. I'm angry that she escaped. And I'm scared that she will come after me, after Nicky… after you… actually, I'm terrified of it."
"Well, I'd be lying if I said the whole situation didn't scare me," Nick replied. "Things being as they are…"
"Robin still acting up?" Judy asked.
Robin had been starting to misbehave in the past couple of months, coinciding with the last leg of Nick's attendance of the Police Academy. Nick had ruled out Robin making unsavoury friends, and up to that point, he had not committed any criminal acts.
"Uh-huh," Nick nodded. "I'd be prepared to blame it on some rebellious stage, but I think it's more to do with the whole change."
"I'm sure he'll come around," Judy said. "Nicky was a bit like that too."
"Nicholas had it harder," Nick murmured. "But you're right: I'm sure he'll come round."
For a moment, there was silence in the cruiser, Judy's paws gripping the steering wheel a little tighter than normal.
"Do you think it's right that they tell us to back off?" Judy asked.
"Do I want to see Bellwether and Ramses caught? Yes, yes I do," Nick replied. "Am I going to annoy our superiors by disobeying a direct order? No, I am not."
Nick's attention was diverted to a figure coming out from an alley. Their weasel lead had emerged and was beginning to set up a stand on the corner of the street ahead, no doubt attempting to hawk bootleg movies as he always had.
"There he is," Nick said. "Boy, looks like prison hasn't been agreeing with him."
Duke looked worse for wear. His fur was unkempt, and he looked older than he was.
"Close in," Nick said to Judy. Judy started the engine and crawled the cruiser along the road. Nick wound down the window.
"If it isn't the Duke of Bootleg!" Nick shouted. The weasel froze in place, his shock evident as he stared at Nick.
"Aw, crud, not you guys!" Duke groaned, before turning tail and running.
"Of course he ran," Nick scoffed. "How we doing this? On foot? Or with the cruiser?"
"Think your grandpa legs could keep up?" Judy raised an eyebrow.
"I'll thank you to never say that again," Nick said as he opened the cruiser door and jumped out and started running after Duke.
"Hey, Duke! Where are you going?" Nick called as he ran after the fleeing weasel. He could hear tyres screeching and saw Judy shoot past in the cruiser. Judy skidded the cruiser into the sidewalk, right into Duke's path. Unfortunately for Duke, he had been glancing behind and his attention did not return to his front in time to stop him slamming into the cruiser. Nick slowed to a standstill before picking Duke up none-too-gently. Judy stepped out from the cruiser and to Nick's side.
"Is that any way to treat an old friend when all he did was say 'hi'?" Nick asked.
"We both know you ain't here to say hi, Wilde!" Duke said as Nick let him go. "You was a thorn in my side ever since the Night Howler thing, and now you gotta bust my chops again? All I'm tryin'a do is make an honest livin'."
"Running doesn't make you seem innocent or honest, Duke," Nick replied.
"I ain't givin' ya nothin', Wilde!" Duke said defiantly. "We both know ya here for info on somethin'."
"Oh, yeah?" Nick raised an eyebrow. "A little birdie tells me you were in prison not too long ago. Be a shame to get sent back so soon for something so trivial as bootlegging Floatzen 5."
"… whaddaya want, Wilde?" Duke glowered at Nick.
"Ever hear of something called 'Waking Death'?" Judy stepped towards Duke.
"Uh, uh!" Duke replied, "I ain't steppin' in on that! I got the daylights kicked outta me the last time I pointed you to a drug lab!"
"So, you do know something," Nick smiled. Duke blanched.
"I ain't talkin'!" Duke insisted. "And with your pal Big gone, there ain't nothin' ya can do ta make me!"
"He's got us there, Carrots," Nick said. "I mean, it was unfortunate that Mr. Big died recently, but on the other paw… I'm pretty sure that mammals know a snitch when they see 'em, right?"
"Yup," Judy grinned, cottoning on to what Nick was plotting. "In fact, even if Duke doesn't tell us, I'm sure word'll get around that he even talked to us in relation to it."
"And since he's going to be back in jail for illegal counterfeiting," Nick continued, "there's no chance he can just hide out until it all blows over. Ah, such a shame… You want the privilege, Carrots?"
"You can have this one, Slick," Judy replied.
Nick reached for the pawcuffs at his belt.
"Shame, really… you've not been out that long," Nick said. "Ah, well… Marmaduke Weaselton, you're under arrest for illegal counterfeiting."
"Not the first name, Wilde, you know I hate it!" Duke groaned.
"You have the right to remain silent," Nick cuffed Weaselton. "You have the right to an attorney. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. I take it by now you understand your rights, so…"
Duke said nothing. Judy opened the rear cruiser door and Nick made to throw Duke in roughly.
"Alright, alright! I'll talk!" Duke said finally, just as Nick swung him backwards to throw him in. Nick dropped Duke to the ground and crossed his arms.
"Waking Death," Judy repeated. "Tell us what you know."
"Look, I ain't touched that stuff!" Duke replied. "But I heard that there's a lab for it in Savanna Central, under Banyan Street. That's all I know!"
Nick and Judy glanced at each other. They knew that address. Though the subway station that had been there had long since closed, it was the point the pair of them had entered in order to find the Night Howler lab many years previously.
"Surely they wouldn't be that stupid…" Judy muttered.
"Best place to hide is where somebody's already checked," Nick shrugged.
"You gonna let me go or not?" Duke interrupted. Nick fished the key from his belt and undid Duke's pawcuffs.
"Don't let us catch you again," Nick remarked. "Now, get out of here."
"With pleasure," Duke replied, scurrying off down a nearby alley. Judy got into the cruiser and Nick followed.
"Now, Banyan Street Subway Station is long gone…" Judy said, opening a map on her iCarrot phone. "Where can we get in?"
"Next available stop would be Berry Lane Station," Nick pointed to a location on the map. "We can ask the Transport Police to help us get there using the service tunnels."
"Well, let's get going," Judy started the cruiser and pulled it out from the sidewalk and back onto the road.
In a mansion in Tundratown, Michael Clawford waited patiently.
He was the boss of a Tundratown criminal gang that had gained a lot of power in the wake of the disbanding of the Big Family Gang. His criminal gang had flown relatively under the radar. Michael liked that: he had been flying under the radar before ever thinking of establishing the gang he had created.
Now he had a bigger purpose.
Over the past nineteen years, Michael had seen a lot happen. So-called harmony in Zootopia, the public acceptance of predator and prey friendships and eventually romances…
Appearances could be deceiving, and Michael knew it was all a lie.
He had been waiting patiently since the previous night's raid on Mountainside – a raid he had organized. He had tasked his team with the extraction of what he had called a 'key asset'. Months of planning, training and building resources had lead to that moment, and it was all to progress the plan Michael had.
Doug Ramses was a key ingredient of the plan. There were plenty of scientists who had experience with Night Howler, but they were all busy working for the so-called 'common good' of Zootopia. It might take a small amount of time, but Michael was confident that he could coax Doug's knowledge of the Night Howler chemistry back to the front of his mind.
Michael's team had picked up an extra: Dawn Bellwether. Michael wasn't enthused, but accepted the reasoning they couldn't have just left her there. That team had been carrying non-lethal weaponry, and there was every chance that, if Dawn were discovered, she might give the authorities enough of a lead that would cause the eventual unravelling of Michael's plan.
Besides, it wasn't as if Dawn was completely useless.
"Boss, they're here," a polar bear stepped into the office. Michael examined him briefly – he was one of Big's former enforcers who had been looking for new employment after the collapse of the Big Crime Family, and Michael was happy to oblige.
"Bring them in, Raymond," Michael said finally to the polar bear. Raymond grunted, leaving the room for a moment before coming back in, dragging two sheep inside. Raymond dropped the two sheep in front of Michael, and he examined them both briefly.
"Who are you?" Bellwether asked. "What do you want with us?"
"'Us'?" Michael raised an eyebrow. "Whatever made you think I wanted you, Dawn Bellwether?"
Bellwether stiffened as Michael passed by her and stopped in front of Doug.
"You, on the other hand, will prove most valuable," Michael said.
"Not interested," Doug replied. "Especially not interested in helping a chomper."
"I see nineteen years in Mountainside hasn't changed your charming attitude towards speciesm," Michael let a small smile creep onto his muzzle. "No matter. See, I have a proposition for you."
"Still not interested," Doug sneered.
"Oh, I think you'll be very interested," Michael allowed his smile to grow wider, showing his teeth. "After all, I think you owe me for your rescue… and for not executing you outright. Just be thankful that I need you."
"What the…? What are you?" Bellwether stared at Michael, noticing his buck teeth, before her eyes rested on his abnormally-long ears for a canine.
"You know, I don't think there is a term specifically suited to me," Michael pondered. "See, there aren't many of us in the world, or at least, not many of us who are obvious. But I'm the result of something you strived to destroy: predator-prey harmony."
"Disgusting," Doug spat.
"I'm a poster-child of something that is just so… untrue," Michael continued. "It's laughable. There is no harmony. Zootopia's mantra? A big lie. See, harmony isn't the natural state. Chaos is. No matter what those who wield their power over us might think… there is no co-existence. No symbiosis. I intend on showing Zootopia that."
Michael cracked a smirk.
"Besides, I'd say you owe me, since I'm responsible for your freedom," Michael pointed out. "It was I who organised the attack on the prison. I who enabled your escape, though I will say, you jumped the gun a bit. My mammals were meant to 'rescue' you – and only you," Michael's eyes flitted to Bellwether briefly, "and bring you here. Beyond that…"
Michael paced around to his desk and picked up a wine glass, studying it briefly.
"I can make it worth your while," Michael said, drinking from the glass. "You do as I say, and I'll let you go free, with all the money you would need to disappear and start a comfortable new life outside the Zootopian eye. Even better, I'll let you get revenge."
Doug glared at Michael.
"… what do you want?" Doug asked.
"I need what you did best," Michael answered. "I need a drug weaponized."
Michael opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a syringe filled with a dark liquid. He flicked the syringe.
"I don't know if you've heard of this, but this is a wonderful drug called Latericius Valete Mortem," Michael explained. "On the streets, they call it the 'Waking Death', because of the paralysis it causes. Total shutdown of all voluntary nervous functions. I've never been tempted to try it myself, but as I understand it, it also contains a little something you are familiar with. That's its magic, and that's how it gets you hooked: the Night Howler contained within it is potent enough to cause an adrenal rush, but the paralysing agent stops you from acting on the impulses the Night Howler gives. The so-called 'ultimate rush' drug. And I want you to weaponize it."
"Prove it," Doug said. "Prove this drug does what you say it does."
Michael sneered, revealing his teeth again.
"Perhaps it is fortunate that Bellwether was along for the ride after all," Michael said, snapping his fingers. Raymond stepped forward and seized Bellwether.
"Let me go!" Bellwether protested, trying to shake herself free. Michael took the cap off the syringe and plunged the needle straight into Bellwether's arm. For a moment, Bellwether struggled, but her struggles soon stopped and she went completely limp, the only thing moving was the rising and falling of her chest. Raymond let Bellwether go and she dropped to the floor. Michael stood over Bellwether and clicked his fingers right by Bellwether's left ear, then her right. He waved his paw in front of her eyes and got absolutely no response.
"Interesting…" Doug said, looking down at Bellwether.
"I'm told the drug still lets you see and hear, and you can still smell as well," Michael said. "But that's it. It'll take about an hour for this dose to wear off. In the mean-time, her mind will be flooded by the adrenal rush. As I understand it, it's what they refer to as a 'trapped-in' experience."
"… what is it you want?" Doug turned to Michael.
"I want Waking Death weaponized," Michael replied, "You have experience here: you turned Night Howler, a plant with effects that lasted only minutes, into a potent weapon that affected its victims for months at a time. At first you had the pellet versions, which you used to target specific animals, but if I remember the details of the trial, you were planning on creating Night Howler bombs that would be placed in the vent systems of your targets. I'm after that exactly: Waking Death pellets and Waking Death bombs that affect my targets in the long term. Though I have no use for the Waking Death pellets outside of making sure that I get what I want, the bombs are particularly interesting to me."
"To what end?" Doug asked.
"Can you imagine a more painful way to die?" Michael smiled grimly. "Unable to move. Which do you think gives out first? Your heart from the constant adrenal rush? Maybe your brain? Does the hunger consume you before then? If we are all truly equal in one thing, it's that we all die the same way."
Michael returned his attention to Doug.
"Do this, and I'll make sure you go free," Michael vowed. "You may even be able to perform your tests on choice targets…"
Michael retrieved two photos from his desk and placed them down. They were of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. Doug gritted his teeth as he glared at the photos.
"You're not disagreeing, so I'll take that as us having a deal," Michael grinned darkly. "Good. Raymond, take Mr. Ramses here, get him out of those prison clothes and show him to the lab. Oh, and take that," Michael pointed to the collapsed Bellwether, "and dispose of her. Don't bother with wasting a bullet, just dump her in the Tundra or Sahara."
Raymond moved forward, grabbed Bellwether and carried her out of the room.
And that's the next chapter done! A combination of two chapters here.