Chapter Nine: The War Begins

Me: "I've got a good idea of how I'm going to play this chapter out and where it ends! It won't take long!"

25 Pages later: "...I'm going to have to split this into two chapters" (Average chapter is 12-15 pages long.) The good news is that you're gonna get the next chapter very soon. It's almost done. Also, I'm kinda in the zone again as I'm enjoying these latest chapters.

Late evening at the Hopps Homestead

There was a knock on the door of the Hopps home. Judy's younger brother, Jimmy Hopps answered it. "Hello?"

Two duck-billed platypus in business suits and sunglasses were at the door. "Excuse us, young man. Is your father home?"

"Yeah. Just a sec." He shut the door and called out to his father. "HEY, DAD! YOU GOT VISITORS AT THE DOOR!"

Stu Hopps came to the door and opened it tepidly. He was suspicious. "Who's this?"

"Kidnappers, sir. Hired kidnappers."

"Oh, thank goodness! For a minute there, I thought you were the tax collec-AAAHH!"

One platypus yanked Stu out of his house and threw him into the back of their van. They took off in a hurry.

Meanwhile…

Officer Wolford was drowning inside of agent Aqua. The liquid lynx laughed. "HAHAHAHA! Squirm and kick all you like! You're trapped inside me until you die!"

Try as he might, the wolf could not find his way out of the watery blob. She absorbed more and more water from nearby puddles and became larger. But then, someone tackled Wolford splashing thier way through agent Aqua which caused the lynx's form to temporarily change into a giant puddle.

Wolford coughed up water, then looked over to see his rescuer. "Fangs! What took ya so long?! You were supposed 'ta be hidin' in 'da car!"

"Sorry! I fell asleep."

"I almost drowned!"

Fangmeyer looked over to see the agent taking shape again. "Can we argue later?! We gotta run!"

"Right!" Wolford and Fangmeyer took off as fast as they could as the watery waves of agent Aqua gave chase.

They ran across the street in a busy intersection. Cars were honking and one truck smashed into the gelatinous agent with a splash. It didn't slow her down for long.

"At least she's chasin' us and not civilians!" Wolford noticed.

Fangmeyer got on her walkie. "This is officer Fangmeyer! Officer Wolford and I are being pursued by… Well, a lynx woman made of water! Requesting backup! Over!"

Her conversation was heard by both Bogo and the judge through Bogo's walkie. He was having the judge listen in to get the warrant. "NOW do we have enough proof?!" Bogo asked the judge.

"I'll admit, SOMETHING is going on over there," the old raccoon judge admitted. He handed Bogo the warrant. "Here. try not to turn the place into a warzone."

"I'm afraid in this instance, I can't promise that."

Meanwhile, Wolford and Fangmeyer were still being chased. "We gotta think 'a somethin!" Wolford exclaimed.

Fangmeyer got an idea. "There! That supermarket! They're bound to have a walk-in freezer, right?!"

"Yeah, but you already dealt with an ice lady. I don't think it's gonna work."

"I don't need her to turn into ice."

"Then what?!"

"No time to explain. You go over to the storage aisle and get the largest zip-lock bags they have at least gallon-sized bags. Get a bunch. I'll lure her to the dessert aisle. Meet me in the back of the store where the walk-in freezer is and keep the door open! Hide behind it. When I give you the word, shut me in with her."

"That's crazy!"

"Just do it!"

Fangmeyer showed her badge as she ran into the store. "ZPD! Everyone, please leave the store immediately!"

The otter store manager came up to her furious. "Just what is all this nonsense abo-"

The watery blob known as agent Aqua splashed into the store. "There you are!"

The manager panicked. "Nevermind! Everyone run for your lives! Black Friday in reverse!"

The panic people pushing their way out gave Fangmeyer enough time to get some headway. "Come get me, you watery witch!" She then realized, she had a problem. "Why didn't I check for the dessert aisle first?!... There it is!"

She ran down the dessert aisle. "Cake mix?... No… Not Pudding…. There!" She grabbed dozens of small boxes in her arms.

She was almost caught as a massive wave from the next aisle over almost got her. "Hold still, you damn tiger!" Aqua shouted."I can't drown you if I can't catch you!"

Aqua chased after Fangmeyer again. The chase went to the back of the store where Wolford was hiding behind the door of the open walk-in freezer. "NOW!" shouted Fangmeyer. She ran into the freezer with agent Aqua in cold, wet pursuit. They entered the room and Wolford quickly shut the door behind them.

Aqua was delighted. "So what, now?! I freeze into a block of ice? You'll drown before I freeze! I got you right where I want you!"

"Same here," Fangmeyer replied as she clawed into the small packages she was holding. She charged into Aqua. "You want me?! You can have me!"

The tiger was now trapped inside of agent Aqua with a worried Wolford waiting on the other side peeked through the tiny window of the freezer door.

The lynx couldn't help but laugh. "What the hell were you thinking?! Is this some sort of self-sacrifice?!"

Aqua delighted in feeling Fangmeyer squirm and kick for life inside of her. "That's it! Keep squirming! You'll never… wait. I'm green?! Why am I turning green?!"

Fangmeyer was able to burst her head out of one side. "GASP! You're starting to solidify! This is a dozen boxes of powdered, lime jello I mixed into you! Just pour it in, stir and chill! The freezer just makes you chill faster!"

Aqua noticed she could no longer trap Fangmeyer inside of her. Parts of her fell off and she quickly absorbed it back in. "Wait! No! This is impossible! If I'm solid, then…"

Wolford rushed in and punched her head clean off the rest of her body. "Then ya can't drown anyone! Yer nuthin' but a blob now lady!"

She quickly got her head back, but the freezer was too much for her. "I-I'm freezing too much! Hardening! Can't….. move!"

Fangmeyer slashed at her with her claws and agent Aqua dropped to the floor in gelatinous chunks. "And that's what the zip-lock bags are for. Let's pick up her and stuff her into our cooler in the trunk. Even if she thaws, the bags should contain her. The way her body works, she should survive."

"Great I gotta take everything outta 'da cooler for her 'ta fit!"

"Well, you know what they say, dear."

"Don't, Fangs! Please, don't!"

"There's always room for jello."

"UGH!... By 'da way. Why does 'dis dessert even exist in our talkin'-mammal world if it's made from animal byproducts?"

"It's best not to question these things."

Earlier, inside of Chemiracles…

Judy and the others were down on their knees. Outside, Finnick, Greg, and Sugar were in the midst of being kidnapped and Wolford was about to be attacked by Aqua. Susan Sweet seemed to have triumphed. "You five lost before you even got here. I have the power of vision. I can see through everything and even zoom in. I saw you plotting against me."

"That power came at what cost?" Sniffer asked. "The side-effect cost you your emotions."

"A wonderful side-effect if you ask me. It dropped my ability to feel emotions by ninety percent. I was not only able to see things clearer physically, but emotionally as well."

"Even when my smelling power was at full, I could smell how heartless you've become."

"The better to do my work. It rids me of such petty things as 'morals' and 'empathy' that hold back the progress of science. But don't worry Judy. My daughter is immortal and constantly regrows tissue. She'll live to be dissected and have her valuable blood drained again and again. However, unlike the hippo you saw in the window, I'm afraid it will be VERY painful. I see agent Gasser is on his way back. Agent Aqua is having trouble with a wolf and a tiger. Hmm...You see, Judy, that's wh-" THUNK! THUNK! "OW!"

Behind Nick and the others, Bandit had stolen Judy's dart gun and multiplied into two. She then quickly shot Suzy and the mountain lion. "I thought this was the tranq dart! Judy, which is the tranq dart?!"

"The yellow one!" Judy shouted. "Hurry!"

Bandit shrank back to one and grabbed the yellow dart so she could make four of them.

The mountain lion was furious. "Dammit, KNEEL!" But it had no effect. "My powers! They're gone! What did you do?!"

"Bandit! Hit her and not Suzy!"

The mountain lion charged, but the Bandits put four yellow darts into her. She dropped like a sack of bricks.

Everyone quickly got out of their loose ties and Judy nabbed Suzy by her tail. "You're a monster!"

Suzie's entire behavior changed. She was bawling. "I know! I know! I'm a monsterrrrrr! I can't stand this guilt! This horrible guilt! I can't take it! Make it stop! Give me my powers baaaack!"

"No. You reap what you sow, Susan."

Nick was a bit disappointed. "I wish we could have heard her whole spiel before you took action, Bandit."

"Hey! I'm dying here! I don't have time for that junk!"

Duke was looking out the window with a worried look on his face. "Guys, that Gasser is almost here!"

Nick looked at Sniffer. "What do you know about Gasser?"

"He can turn into a form of knockout gas. He can even make himself poisonous."

"I got it! Duke, snatch a lab rat and make him tell you where the janitor's closet is. We need a vacuum."

"On it!" Duke replied and quickly took off.

"Sniffer, I don't suppose there's a diet Pupsi dispenser around here?!"

"Actually, they have them all over."

"Really?! Why?!"

"Experiments can get out of hand. The lab rats don't try any experiments on themselves and they love the stuff."

"I guess that makes sense. I'll go grab one. You know where the rat was that let you in?"

"...Ah, yes! I'll have him stall Gasser at the door."

"Great! We got a plan!"

"Is it always this close to death with you two?" Bandit asked.

"Pretty much. Yeah."

Meanwhile, two lab rats were walking down a hallway. "And that's why 'Revenge of the Sloth' is the best prequel!" said one rat to another.

"You're crazy!"

"No, that guy running towards us looks crazy though. Ya-Hey!"

"Wha?"

POW!

Duke knocked out one rat with a solid punch and quickly grabbed the other.

The rat squirmed cowardly. "EEE! Please, don't with the face, punch!"

"Where's your janitor's closet?!"

"Down that hall and to the left! Please don't hurt me! I'm allergic to pain!"

"I'm taking you with me so you don't squeal."

"I can't help but squeal! I'm a rodent!"

Meanwhile, Gasser had made it to the back entrance. "This is agent Gasser. I have three subjects."

"It's been a busy night," the rat on the monitor replied. "I'll have you in soon. The door won't seem to open what with the glitching and the wiring."

The rat lied. Sitting on the floor beside him was Sniffer with Nick's tranq gun aimed at the rat. "It-It'll be just a moment!"

Gasser, however, was getting suspicious. "Something's off. I'm gonna seep in!" He put Finnick, Greg, and Sugar down on the ground and turned into gas. There was enough ventilation at the bottom of the door to seep in. Further and further he seeped into the other side. But something was off. He could hear the loud fan of a machine and he could feel his gas form being sucked into a very, dark, cramped, and wet place. Suddenly, he took lynx form and it was out of his own control. He was trapped. "Hey! I can't move! What's going on! Let me out!"

"I don't think so," Nick said on the other side of the vacuum. "You know, it's amazing what a large, industrial-sized vacuum can hold. I was just going to suck him up and drown him with diet Pupsi, but then this vacuum was so large I was able to put the Pupsi in first and let your gaseous state absorb it."

Duke had a question. "Hey, Nick? How's he gonna get outta 'dere? 'Dat container's made 'a solid metal!"

"Yeah!" said Gasser from inside the vacuum. "Help me!"

"Meh. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Judy, you got the kids?"

The vacuum was shaking around. "AWW! Come on!"

Judy had the door open with Sugar in her arms and was dragging Greg in. "I got them. Can you get Finnick?"

"Sure thing, Carrots." Nick grabbed Finnick from outside and shut the door behind him. "Now, how do we wake them up?"

Sniffer grabbed Finnick. "Like this." He slapped him in the face a few times.

Finnick woke up furious. "Hey! What the hell, man?!"

Sniffer couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, that felt good!"

Gasser was still furious. "Sniffer! You traitor! At least we got one of you little bastards!"

"Who?!" Nick asked.

"My partner saw the possum girl dissolve into nothing."

Bandit rushed over. "Wait! My duplicate dissolved?! Are you sure?!"

"Sure I'm sure! How often do you see a possum turn into dust?!"

"...That. That must mean I'm the original Bandit! Dad! What time is it?!"

Duke looked at his watch. "It's around 5:10. Accordin' to my watch, ya still got five minutes."

"It's 5:24," Judy replied. "Duke, your watch is slow."

Bandit was elated. "I'm still alive… I'm the original! Greg was right! I'M GOING TO LIVE!" He hugged tightly onto Duke and started to cry. "I'm going to liiiive!"

Duke was holding her tight. "It's okay, sweetie. Yer safe now. Kinda-sorta."

"SNIFF! I was so scarrrred!"

"Well, yer gonna be alright. Now we got plenty of time 'ta go get Smokey."

"It's getting riskier and riskier," Sniffer warned. "We'll need to power up. All of us."

Suddenly, Greg woke up in Judy's arms. "We're gonna get superpowers?!"

Judy couldn't believe it. "Oh sure. THAT'S what wakes you up!"

"Heck yeah!" He looked around. "Hey, Bandit."

"Hey, Greg! Guess what? My dead dupe dissolved! I'm alive!"

"I told you already. DUH!"

"Jerk."

Judy yanked at Suzy. "Alright, you! Where's the main part of the lab?!"

.Suzy was still sobbing. "I'm a worrrm! I'll take you, just give me my powers back! I don't wanna feel!"

"Just shut up and tell me where!"

She pointed. "Down that corridor, to the left, and down two flights of stairs. You'll never get in! Security is far too tight. It would take a miracle!"

Suddenly, an announcement came over the intercoms. "ATTENTION! The ZPD is forming a barricade around the front of the building! All three precincts are involved! We need all major security outside immediately to meet up with Mr. Frost. All of our high-powered security must evacuate at once and assemble with the mafia outside! This is an emergency!"

Nick, Judy, and the others all hid behind desks and equipment as a large group of super-powered animals rushed past them to get ready to fight the police outside. Within moments they were gone. It got quiet and Duke peeked around the corner to see if anyone was left. It was empty. "Hallelujah!" he said.

They all ran down the hallway. Judy carried Sugar in one arm while dragging Suzy with her free paw.

Greg looked up at his mother. "Do you want me to put her in the pouch again?"

Judy stopped momentarily. "Sure. until she wakes up."

Greg's bunny ears drooped. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect her."

"Nonsense. You've been doing a great job. Even I would have been overpowered."

His ears perked up again. "Really?"

"Yes. You're my little superhero." She kissed him on the forehead and he giggled.

"Hee-Hee! Thanks, Mom."

They were down the stairs when they saw one of the lab rats with a guinea pig on his shoulder. Nick quickly grabbed them. "Where are the kids?!"

The rat squealed. "EEE! Don't hurt us in the face, crotch, tail, general areas! We're just doing what we're told!"

"We're with the ZPD and we're going to free these kids! Now, where are they?!"

"You're… You're here to rescue all of us?!" He started cheering. "Whoo-Hoo! We're saved! We're all saved!"

Nick was confused. "Wait. I thought you worked here?"

"Oh, we do! But we don't have a choice. What with the blackmail, and the threatening to kill our families, and the no paid vacations, and the GLAIVEN!"

"Although the medical and dental are great," said the guinea pig. "But what they're doing goes against every fiber in my being! We were too scared to go to the cops!"

Bandit grabbed the lab rat. "Where's my baby brother?! Where is Smokey?!"

"The little possum? Ah! Experiment 818! He's close. The name really fit too."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see."

They came to a large hallway with windows all over. Each window had a room with a child inside. "This is hallway one of two. Let me see… This is in numerical order, so Smokey's hall two. Follow me."

Nick gave some orders. "We need to free ALL of these poor kids. Finnick, go with the lab rat, Duke, and Bandit. Judy and I will stay here with Sniffer, this Guinea pig, and Greg and free the children in this hall."

"My name is Kelvin!" said the guinea pig. "Like the temperature."

They looked around and saw different children in the rooms. One was a kangaroo joey that was sleeping but in mid-air. Another was a rhino, pacing back and forth in his room, but phasing through all of the furniture. "How does he not just escape the room?" Judy asked Kelvin.

"The same way the containment suits work on the elemental agents," Kelvin answered. "It's a field made from unstable molecules that we call 'Plotconvenium'."

"Elemental agents? Plotconvenium?"

Sniffer interrupted. "Perhaps I should explain. There are three kinds of superpowers developed here. Enhancements, as Susan and I once had. This means…"

"Enhancing something you already have."

"Very astute, Mother Judy! Yes. My sense of smell or her eyesight. Then there are Elementals, such as the late Kaboom, Firefox, Gasser…"

Nick interrupted this time. "Or Officer Growler who could turn into light."

"Yes. They can turn into a single element. They need containment suits on to contain their power, or else they can't control it."

"... Why don't they just drink some of that diet Pupsi to just tone it down? That's what Growler did and now he's a living night-light."

Sniffer looked at Suzy. "In some cases, they had no choice, otherwise. Ask her".

Susan looked up. "I…. I just wanted them at their full potential. Give me my power back! I can't stand this hurt and guilt!"

Judy sneered at her. "Live with it. What's 'other'?"

Sniffer just shrugged. "Like that." He pointed at the window behind Judy.

Judy got scared as a very young bat peeped out in front of the window. "Hi!"

Judy jumped/ "EEP! A bat!"

Nick was surprised. "You got a problem with bats, Fluff? I think he looks cute!"

"A… A slight phobia. Yes. I know it's irrational. What's so 'other' about him?"

Kelvin climbed up the tiny stairs made for his species. "Hey Fixer! Show the lady what you can do."

The bat smiled. "My name's Fixer! I'm a fruit bat!"

"I prefer the term, 'flying fox'," Nick replied. "Awww! You're a little cutie!"

Judy was disgusted. "You think that thing's cute?!"

Fixer interrupted. "I'm not just any kind of fruit bat! I make my own meals! Watch!"

Hanging upside down, Fixer spread out his wings and to the surprise of Nick and Judy, something started to emerge from the wings. "Check it out!" the bat said. "I can make an apple from this wing…" the apple fully emerged and dropped to the ground. It was a perfect shade of red. "...or a pear from this wing!" Sure enough, a pear started to emerge. It looked perfect as it also fell to the ground. I can change the fruit with a thought. I can make green and purple grapes come out my nose and I poop bananas!"

Nick chuckled. "A fruit bat that can make his own fruit! That's cool. He'll never go hungry. Why is he called 'Fixer'?"

Kelvin explained. "He has a side effect from his powers. We thought he could fix machines, but it ended up his 'fixing' is only shallow. The machines look brand new and shiny on the surface only. They're still broken inside. A useful power if you want your stuff to look appealing, I guess."

Nick stared back at Fixer. "Well, Fixer, you and all the other kids are leaving with us!"

The young bat got a little scared. "But… But this room is all I know! Where will I go?"

"Well…. maybe with me?"

This news upset Judy "Hold it just a second!"

Nick got on his knees and begged. "Can we keep him?! Oh, please! Please! Please!"

"He might already have parents missing him."

Nick got up and asked Suzy. "Hey, Weeping Willow! Where's he from?!"

"We stole him from an orphanage three years ago," she replied. "How can I do such a thing?! BAAAHH!"

"Man, those guilty emotions were in debt and have come back to get paid in full. Well, Carrots?"

Judy was getting frustrated and was still a little scared of the bat. "Nick, I…" she raised her ear. She could hear something… or someone. "Something's wrong! We're not alone."

Sniffer used his natural wolf scent to sniff around. "We're in trouble. Not all security left. They're here."

"Who's he-OOF!"

Nick watched as Judy got knocked down out of nowhere. Her head snapped back as if someone punched her before she fell to the ground. Only there was nothing there.

Sniffer warned everyone. "Quickly! Make good use of all of your senses, but sight! The invisible twins are here."

Meanwhile, outside of the lab…

Dozens of cop cars were surrounding the Chemiracles building. All the cops had their car doors open and were hiding behind their doors as Chief Bogo got on the bullhorn. "This is the Zootopia police department! We have a warrant to search the premises. Please vacate the building in an orderly fashion!"

Several agents came out of the front of the building. There was a large parking lot between the building and the sidewalk where most of the officers were parked. Before the agents could say anything, several limos from down the street near the back of the building drove over the curb and into the parking lot. Over a dozen polar bears and arctic foxes in business suits came out of limos. The final polar bear to come out, was the new, big boss himself. Mr. Frost.

"The only one who needs to vacate is you, Bogo! This is my turf now! When the government stopped funding this place, Mr. Big and I took over the funding. Every bit of this place belongs to me now."

"Then you will be held personally responsible for the horrors the children have been suffering inside! We know about the experiments going on! Dissecting them! Cloning them! Injecting them with serums that do God knows what!"

"What's going on is progress! We are curing diseases! We are coming close to immortality!"

"At what cost?! Your soul?!"

"Petty morals will always get in the way of true progress Bogo! There's nothing you can do to stop me! I am in control now! Not only of this building but of this city!"

"Over my dead body!"

"If that's what it takes. Tell me something Bogo. How well do you trust your own men? How about the other precincts?! Think they're your brothers in arms?!"

Bogo looked back. About twenty percent of the police officers, including Grizzoli and Johnson, aimed their guns at their own partners. They aimed back. It was a standoff of officers with their guns drawn on each other. Now, Bogo not only had to deal with a super-powered mafia but some of his own men turning on each other.

"Oh….shit!"

.