Fourteen
There was a tense silence as Mahery's words hung in air between them. Stella and Howle both shifted back into more defensive stances. Across from them, the tiger and bear behind Mahery mirrored their actions. Mahery held up his paws. "We're not here to fight you. We want to help."
Stella scoffed. "A member of the Order wants to help us?" The question was ripe with disbelief.
"I used to be a member. I ran away from that place and its ruler many, many years ago. I came to build a new life here, in Zootopia." He spread his arms wide to encompass the empty hallway and beyond. "Where animals can be anything."
"You're mocking us," said Howle.
"Why do you think so? Is it so hard to believe that not everyone who was born in the Wildlands would want to live tooth and claw, fighting for every scrap of food, clothing, respect, peace?"
"You didn't just move here," said the wolf. "You managed to fake an ID and background. You joined our government and rose to one of the highest ranks you can achieve. Those are not the actions of someone looking for a quiet life of anonymity."
"A runaway can't have aspirations?"
"Aspirations are usually motivated by a goal." The wolf gave him a hard look. "So what, exactly, were you trying to achieve?"
Mahery tutted like professor who was disappointed in his student's deductions. "You suspect me of having ulterior motives. That I am somehow plotting against you. But truly, I am more devoted to this city than anyone. Because I know what the alternative is."
"So you have no connections to the Order at all anymore?"
"Depends on what you mean by 'connections.'"
"This isn't a game!" Howle's words cracked through the air like a whip, making everyone jump, even Judy and Stella. His paws were fisted, his upper lip quivering like he was fighting the urge to snarl. Judy had never seen him lose his temper like this.
He has a mate out there. Pups.
"My apologies," said Mahery softly. He gave a slight bow of his head. "Rest assured, I am very aware of how serious the situation is. But I too have things I need to protect."
"So you are hiding things from us," said Stella.
"Make of it what you like. I consider you allies, but I still must be circumspect in how much I reveal."
Stella snorted. "What makes you think we'd be allies with you?"
"I have been watching the goings-on in Zootopia for a long time now. When you're brought up like I was, you learn how important it is to pay attention to things like the shifting mood of society, the government's choices in policy changes, and of course..." Here those intense eyes shifted to look at Judy. "The mammals who rise and fall in prominence. Having observed all that, my answer to your doubt is yes, I do think enough common ground can be found between us to facilitate an alliance. I have faith that you will understand."
"Understand what?" asked Judy.
"That we are not all the same." He turned back to Howle. "You're right. I came to Zootopia with a purpose. And I became the head of the ZPD for the Rainforest District in order to be in a position where I could fulfill that purpose more easily."
"Which was?"
"To make Zootopia a sanctuary. A place of escape for those like me who wanted to get away from the violence of the Wildlands."
"You've been sneaking Order members into Zootopia?" said Stella, aghast.
"Ex Order members," corrected Mahery. "You needn't worry. They are just as loyal to Zootopia as anyone."
"To Zootopia?" asked Howle, "or to you?"
The tension was back. It made Judy's nose twitch.
From the floor, one of the collapsed animals moaned. It was enough to redirect everyone's focus. Judy stepped forward. "Before anything else, we need to secure these prisoners. Then we should take this conversation to Chief Bogo and Commander Stelmaria. They will need to hear it all anyway." She looked at Mahery. "Is that okay with you?"
The fossa made a sweeping gesture that was half bow, half granting permission. "A smart suggestion, officer Hopps. By all means, I would like to clear the air with my fellows." He waved to the tiger and bear still standing silently behind him. "Allow me to introduce my compatriots: Kali and Teddy. If you two would be so kind as to help them move the prisoners? Thank you."
It was an awkward trip to the jail, with everyone trying to keep an eye on everyone else while dragging multiple bodies down stairwells and around hallway corners. And then on top of that, making sure to regularly check their surroundings in case of any surprise attacks.
Judy had radioed ahead to let Stelmaria and Bogo know they were coming with guests. If the tension had been thick before, it positively crackled when the three ZPD heads faced each other.
"Shall we take this somewhere more private?" Stelmaria asked. Bogo grunted his assent. Mahery smiled pleasantly and said, "After you."
They disappeared into a small side office. Kali and Teddy took up positions against the wall nearby. The other ZPD officers had also taken up stations around the jail. The air had cleared from the explosion, no doubt helped out by the gaping hole inside one of the cells. Beyond the rubble of brick Judy could see part of the street. If not for the heat and the smell of the urban outdoors, Judy might have thought it another hallway inside the station. She had never seen the city so empty and quiet in the daytime.
She pulled out her phone. Next to her, Howle had already done the same.
"My service is down," he said. "Is yours?"
Judy nodded. From across the room, Francine said, "Internet's down too. We've been trying it for ten minutes now."
There was a sound of cracking plastic. Howle was squeezing his phone so hard his paw was trembling.
"Howle…"
He threw his phone down and stormed out.
"Should we follow him?" Judy asked Stella.
The cat shook her head. She picked up the phone and checked the screen. It was cracked, but it still glowed with life when she tapped on it. She slid the phone into her pocket. "Let's give him a few."
"You seem like you're handling this better than all of us," said Judy.
Stella shrugged. "I've only got a sister to worry over. She lives on a houseboat out in the Rainforest District, so I'm not too stressed about anyone being able to bother her right now. Still. I never not been able to reach her when I wanted to. That makes me feel a little antsy."
"Yeah," said Judy. Whether it was one family member or a couple hundred, it didn't feel good to be out of contact when bad things were happening.
And then there was Nick's situation to fear for. Was he with the Natural Order now? Was he still hidden somewhere deep in the Wildlands? Or maybe he was with one of these rogue bands in the city? What horrible things was he experiencing, pretending to be one of them? She wanted to run and not stop until she found him. She wanted to wrest Nick from those evil clutches that held him trapped and feel him solid and breathing in her arms. But she didn't have the freedom to go searching for him, or any idea of where to start even if she did. It was torture not knowing. Her only consolation was that she knew, wherever Nick was, he was trying his hardest, which meant she could do no less.
"Hopps." Bogo stuck his head out of the small office. "Join us for a moment."
Inside the office was a long table and some chairs. Frosted windows allowed for natural lighting while keeping the room private to the world outside. Mahery and Stelmaria sat across from each other. Bogo sat next to the Commander.
After a brief hesitation, Judy took a seat next to the fossa. It felt like it would've been rude not to.
"We've been discussing Mahery's little secret history," Stelmaria told her. "He said he already discussed it with you upstairs."
"Yes, that's correct," said Judy.
"Of course, we have reservations about trusting him." She shot Mahery a look, as if daring him to defend himself. He just smiled back politely. "But it's undeniable that we could use the help. What's your opinion on this, Hopps?"
Judy's heart rate kicked up. She looked around at the three of them in surprise. "You want my opinion?"
"It seems one of the few things we all share is trust in your judgement, Hopps. Mahery has agreed. If you think he's a danger to us he'll let us lock up him and his two guards out there without a fight." She gave him a dark little smile. "As if we couldn't do so otherwise."
That was… a lot of pressure. Judy looked over at Mahery. He sat with his legs crossed, his paws folded in his lap. His posture was relaxed. He met her eyes and nodded encouragingly. Why did he trust her so much? The Commander and Chief she understood at least a little. But Mahery didn't even know her.
And for that matter, she didn't know him. All she had to go on was first impressions and the few comments Nick had made about the fossa's help with the missing mice case. In her gut Judy thought Mahery had good intentions, but she couldn't tell her bosses, these strong, smart, important mammals responsible for saving Zootopia, that they should trust an unknown like Mahery just because it "felt right" to her.
They were all watching her, waiting for her to speak. They would want to hear reasons based on logic, not emotion. Judy straightened in her chair and cleared her throat. "Chief Mahery approached us in good faith, knowing the seriousness of what he would be revealing and how badly we might react to it. He's gambling with his very freedom to try and help us. I can't see what he might gain from doing that, besides maybe a reprieve for himself and anyone who's with him who helps us stop the Order. Considering where we stand now, I think that would be a reasonable deal to accept. It will be to our detriment to ignore his offer of aid. We need all the help we can get."
"And if he's lying?" asked Commander Stelmaria. "If he's looking to get something else out of this? Turn the tables when we least expect it?"
Judy regretted taking the seat next to Mahery. It was awkward discussing this while he was sitting right there. "Then we deal with it then. Our forces may be small, but I think our numbers and experience still outweighs his." She shot him an apologetic glance. "No offense."
"Not at all. You were as fair and wise as I was hoping you would be." He looked over at the leopard and buffalo. "So, you heard officer Hopps thoughts on the matter. Does her trust mean we can set our differences aside and work together now?"
Bogo looked at Stelmaria. She sniffed and made a 'go ahead' gesture before crossing her arms and leaning back in her seat.
"Fine," said Bogo. "But if you are really hoping for some kind of reprieve for sneaking your way into our city as officer Hopps believes, than you had better have come with good information, and lots of it."
"I will do my best to enlighten you however I can," promised Mahery. "But you should know that my information is also limited. As I told you already, I left a very long time ago, and I was never part of Silos' inner circle. Zootopia was still just an obsession for him at that point. Something he liked to rage about when the mood struck him. But there were no plans for attacking the city as far as I was aware."
"And yet you knew they would strike at the police department first," said Stelmaria.
"Only because I saw the arrest report that you had one of his most dedicated followers here: the Jackal. Getting him free would be a top priority for the Order."
Bogo expelled a frustrated breath. "That was one of the prisoners who got away," he admitted.
Mahery frowned. "That is… unfortunate. The Jackal is strong and smart. There's no telling how much destruction he'll be able to cause out there."
"He is still just a puppet," said Stelmaria. "If we can cut the head off the snake, that's the biggest problem solved. Is there nothing useful you can tell us about what this Silos might want?"
"Besides the collapse of society?" The fossa thought about it. "I do know he hates the mayor. Apparently, the lion's ancestors were the ones responsible for decimating the cobra king clan. Or at least he believes so."
That was in line with what Fru Fru had told her. Judy relaxed a bit more at this additional proof of honesty.
"He'll need to be defended then," said Bogo, not sounding thrilled at the prospect. He looked at Stelmaria, who wrinkled her nose.
"We don't have the numbers to put up a decent defense." Those sharp eyes pinned Mahery. "You insinuated that there were others hiding out in the city. Could you call on them to fight if you needed to?"
For the first time, Mahery looked less than sanguine. His voice was more curt than before as he responded, "Why? So you can use them as fodder and then round up the remaining to dispose of later? I don't think so. What about your own citizens? Do they not have to fight for what's theirs? Why are you not calling on them to act?"
Stelmaria growled, a deep, slow rumble in the back of her throat. "Where's the gratitude for the city that rescued you?"
"With all due respect, we rescued ourselves."
"Zootopia has sheltered you—"
"Yes, a grand shelter that would not welcome us if it knew where we came from. Why should such a shelter not have to defend itself?"
The leopard rose with her fangs bared. The fossa tipped his chin up, meeting her gaze squarely. Chief Bogo smashed his fists down on the table. "Enough! Commander, if you'd please. Take. Your. Seat."
Stelmaria's glare was sharp enough to cut, but she sat, tail lashing.
"It is in everyone's best interests to keep Zootopia out of the Natural Order's paws," Bogo told them. "We must all do our part."
"A compromise then," offered Mahery. "Come up with a solid plan, and if it seems feasible enough, and fair to both parties, then I will think about requesting help."
"To come up with a good plan, we need more information first," said Judy. "On Silos especially. Strengths, weaknesses, triggers, anything."
Bogo looked at Mahery. "Well?"
The fossa raised his paws helplessly. "I'm sorry. I know nothing."
"What about the rest of your group?" asked Stelmaria. "Are you claiming that you all know nothing?"
"Those who defected did so because they were different. The Order viewed them as weak, either physically or emotionally. Therefore none of the animals in my care would have been trusted as confidants with the information you're looking for."
"Should we send someone after the Jackal?" Stelmaria wondered aloud. "Maybe we could get some answers out him?"
"Even if you caught him, he would die before he gave away any secrets about his beloved leader," said Mahery. "Trust me. He considers torture a hobby, and withstanding extreme pain an honored sport. You won't break him."
"Then we have no one."
He tapped a claw against the tabletop, pondering. "There may be one mammal… But I cannot say for sure."
"Who?"
Mahery sighed. "Ciara. Her family has been close to Silos' for generations, but it always seemed to me that she kept a bit of a distance from the others, Silos included. I could never be sure… Still, her fighting skills made her a favorite. And it's been years since I've seen her. She showed up in the city not too long ago. If she knows about me or the others, she hasn't tried to reach out to any of us. Odds are Silos sent her as a scout, and if that's so it doesn't bode well for her allegiances."
"Wait," said Judy. "Did you say Ciara? I know that name. She's a serval, right?"
"You've met her?"
"Only briefly. She's been playing piano down at a bar I go to."
"That's her," said Mahery. "She's always been musically inclined. Even though it wasn't considered a worthy pastime, she was good enough at fighting that no one ever argued with her about it. She used to play songs on a pipe she made out of jungle reeds. It sounded like the forest was singing." Judy didn't think she was imagining the wistful note she heard in the fossa's voice.
"I don't give a fig leaf about her musical talent," said Bogo. "Will she talk to us?"
"I have no idea," said Mahery. "But she's our best bet."
"I'll go," said Judy. "I'll try and talk to her."
"Are you sure, Hopps?" Both Bogo and Stelmaria looked unsure. "Maybe we should send someone else…"
"I'll go," she insisted. "I know where to look for her, and I know enough about the Order to hopefully get her attention. It should be me."
And maybe, if she could get Ciara to confide in her, the serval would be able to tell her something about where Nick was.
"Take a tranq gun with you," said Stelmaria.
"Yes, Commander."
"You've still got your walkie?" asked Bogo.
"Yes, sir."
"It won't work if you get too far away, but it's better than nothing. We'll work on securing Lionheart. If the Natural Order wants him, then we need to stop that from happening." An oddly somber look passed over the water buffalo's face. In a more hesitant voice he said, "I should tell you, Hopps. Earlier, we found a contract…"
"I already know about it," said Judy, sparing him the explanation. "And I know it's not true. Don't worry. Nick would never abandon us."
Bogo looked approving. "Just keep in mind that not everyone's as clever as you are. Keep an eye out."
"Yes, sir."
"We'll keep a few officers stationed here to watch the place and give everyone a spot to meet up. And I'll get Clawhauser back here to oversee security. Once you get what you can out of your feline, meet us back here."
"Understood."
Bogo rose, and the others followed suit. "All right, everyone. Let's do this."
Bunny Burrow might have been a small, rural neighborhood on the outskirts of Zootopia, but it could rival the city proper in terms of population density. Nick saw not a soul as he made his way through the area. He felt eyes on him constantly, but no one ever approached; not the Order, not civilians. Every once in a while he'd spy someone peeking out at him from behind a window curtain or from around a broken doorway, but they always ducked away like whack-a-moles and Nick never stopped to investigate. There was nothing he could do for them anyway.
Thick, black plumes of smoke rose from the scattered plots of farmland, giving the otherwise clear day a hazy, overcast look. The flames weren't visible from this distance, but Nick could feel the heat all the same. It wafted through his fur like the caress of hot claw tips, making him shiver and sweat at the same time. Buildings and fields warped and rippled in the heat, as if physics were falling along with society and the world was melting away.
The air smelled of smoke, charred wood, and roasted vegetables. The last was just random and pleasant enough to keep Nick grounded. He'd used to think that the only thing worse than a vegetable was a hot, mushy one. But Judy loved roasted vegetables. Now he'd eat a thousand plates of mashed veggies if it meant getting to see Judy again.
He could hear sounds of violence in the distance: shouts and the sounds of breaking glass. Impossible to say from which direction it was coming from. The smoke was playing havoc with the acoustics of the valley. He hoped Judy's family was still safe. He hadn't factored in how he would find their house from here. He had been searching in what he hoped was the right general direction, but most of the homes looked similar. Each one was built into the rolling hillside with wooden fronts heavily decorated in pastels with flower boxes in every window and other cutesy embellishments that made Nick think of gingerbread houses in springtime.
He had two options: he could either continue to search blindly and hope luck brought him to the right home in time, or he could make his way back to the station on the other side of the neighborhood where he had Judy had first arrived and pray he remembered enough to retrace their steps accurately.
After a short debate, he decided to go with the latter. Better to rely on his memory, such as it was, than sheer luck, which seemed to be in short supply right now.
Reversing direction, he started towards what constituted as Bunny Burrow's central hub. He had to backtrack twice due to fires spreading across the roadways. There was nothing "distant" about the flames here. These blazes growled like sentient beasts as they ate up the crops, the grass, the weeds, the wooden fences with their delicate white paint. Nick spent precious time finding his way around, cutting through backyards and down sketchy looking alleyways. It was sheer luck when he climbed over a fence and found himself in Bunny Burrow's downtown.
It was just as vacant here. There were signs of destruction everywhere. N.O. was spray-painted across anything flat enough to be legible. Windows were shattered. The colorful banners that decorated the square had been slashed. Snack carts were overturned. Goods from multiple shops spilled out into the street. A small fountain in the center still burbled cheerfully, oblivious to the debris that now filled it, or the blood that splattered its side.
Nick edged his way to an abandoned clothing store. It was small, filled mostly with touristy t-shirts that said things like "Hip-Hop till you drop in Bunny Burrow," and "I'm worth twenty-four carrots!" There was no sign of a shop clerk anywhere.
Nick found a dark green jacket more or less in his size that was thankfully pun-free and shrugged it on, tugging up the collar. There was a hat rack by the checkout counter. Nick grabbed a black baseball cap off it. It had an image of a carrot on a stick in white stitching on the front. He pulled it on low over his eyes. He was still far from invisible, but hopefully he'd be able to blend in a little more than before.
He slipped back outside and made his way to the Zootopia Express train station, following the signs. He passed a school house and a gardening shop, a few restaurants and more souvenir stores. Occasionally the feeling of being watched would return, but just like before no one appeared to beg or hassle him.
He had just spotted the stairs that led up to the station's front entrance when he heard fighting coming from one of the stores across the square. There was the sound of a fist hitting flesh, then a pained grunt. Mean laughter broke out as someone said, "Not bad for a Zootopian lemming."
Nick edged a little closer, using the bigger bits of scattered debris as cover. Ahead sat a bakery. The front widow had been smashed in. Shards of glass sparkled like sugared topping on the half-destroyed pies, cakes, and other baked goods that had been put out on display. A bison, kangaroo, and dingo looked to have cornered someone behind the counter.
I should go. The thought didn't sit well on Nick's conscience, but he already had too many problems to handle. He couldn't get involved in every scuffle he came across or he'd never accomplish anything but getting dead that much sooner.
Across the way sat a battered pick-up truck, still idling. Nick slunk over to the vehicle. The driver's side door hung open, the turn signal still ticking for a right turn. There was a clump of fur in the passenger's seat and a smear of blood across the dash, but otherwise there was no sign of its owner.
From the bakery came the sounds of scuffling. There was a loud whoop and then a shout, "Finally, someone who knows how to use their fists!"
See? They're holding out just fine. You need to go. Judy's family needs you.
But even as Nick thought it, he knew Judy wouldn't want him to leave someone in trouble. Not for any reason.
Cursing, he climbed up into the driver's seat. From here he had a better view into the bakery and could see the animal they had cornered. Acid churned in his stomach. It was a fox. He wore a striped pink apron and the fists he held raised were covered in flour. The dingo in front of him rubbed a dusty cheek.
"I spy a fighter with experience here!" shouted the kangaroo.
He's got a better chance than most, rationalized a little voice inside Nick. Certainly better than the bunnies out there waiting for you. You should go.
At the kangaroo's words, the fox dropped his paws. He rubbed them on his apron as if suddenly needing to get the flour off them. "I-I'm not... it's nothing really."
"He's modest too," mocked the bison.
"Well no one's perfect," said the kangaroo.
The dingo gave a yipping laugh.
"The Order would welcome an animal of your skills," the kangaroo said to the fox. "You should join us."
"That's um… a mighty fine offer there," said the fox. "But uh… I'm just a humble baker. I don't see that I could—"
"You socked ol' Marley here easy as pie," said the bison. "I think you'll manage just fine."
"Well that may be. But that was because you fellas came in swinging. I'm not lookin' to fight anyone. Really."
The kangaroo advanced on him. "The fight is already here, fox. The only question is, would you rather fight them? Or us? Choose carefully. Only one will give you a chance at surviving."
The baker held up his paws, palms flat this time in a gesture of submission. "I really don't—"
The kangaroo leaned back on his tail and kicked out with both feet, striking the fox square in the chest and knocking him backwards into the shelving. Jars of jellies rattled and boxes of cookies rained down to join the growing mess on the floor.
Nick had seen enough.
He threw the truck into drive and and slammed on the gas pedal. The old engine snarled as the vehicle bucked forward with surprising power. He flicked on the headlights before he floored it to towards the bakery, laying down on the horn as he went. He saw the four animals look up, their wide eyes glowing in the reflection of the high beams they as they watched in terror as the truck bore down on them.
The three Order members scattered like roaches deeper into the bakery. The fox stayed frozen on his paws and knees, gaping.
Nick slammed on the breaks just as he hit the curb. The truck screeched to a halt a foot from the bakery's broken window, slamming Nick against the steering wheel. Right. Seatbelt.
The fox was still staring. Nick shouted out the window at him. "Well? Get in already!"
That unstuck the fox's feet. He scrambled up, one arm wrapped protectively around his middle. He barreled out of the bakery just as Nick spotted movement from deeper in the shop. His little scare tactic had bought them seconds only.
Nick shoved open the passenger's side door and the fox dove inside. The dingo rushed out, the kangaroo and bison right behind him. Nick didn't wait for the fox to get settled. He cranked the wheel sharply to the left and hit the gas. The truck roared forward and the other animals were forced to duck back inside to avoid being plowed down. Metal shrieked as the corner of the truck raked the side of the building. They bounced off the curb and back onto the road, and Nick laid on the gas, taking them fast, fast, fast away from the bakery.
The fox had finally managed to situate himself. He let out a gusty breath and turned a pained smile on Nick. "I appreciate your assistance back there, friend. Those fellas sure were a pushy bunch. I don't know why they're causin' such a ruckus. Or why it's takin' the ZPD so long to—"
Nick cut him off. "I need you to give me directions to the Hopps family farm."
"The Hopps' farm?"
Nick cut him a look. "You know the way, don't you?"
"Well, sure. But…" He cast a look out at the smoking world around them. "You realize they've been setting fires all over the place. Aiming at the farms far as I can tell. Might not be the smartest thing to go driving out that way now—"
"Either you give me directions," said Nick, "or I pull over and you can fend for yourself from here."
"All right, all right! if you're so antsy about it we can go there now. You a friend of the family or somethin'? Did Judy send you to check on them?"
Hearing the fox say Judy's name did strange things to Nick's insides. "Or something."
"Name's Gideon, by the way. Gideon Grey." There was an expectant pause. Nick ground his teeth. "Nick."
Silence. Nick chanced a look at him from under his ball cap. Was that a flicker of recognition in the fox's eyes? Nick wasn't sure.
Doesn't matter. As long as he gets me to where I need to go.
"Which way?" he demanded as a crossroads closed in up ahead.
"Oh, uh, straight," said Gideon.
"Do you have your phone with you?"
"Sorry. It's back in the bakery. I always leave it under the counter while I'm working. Keeps me from getting flour on it."
Of course he did.
They only had to detour once because of fire. At one point, Nick was forced to stop as a herd of sheep fled across the road. He debated offering them a ride, but they were already deep into the scorched fields before he could make a decision, and he drove on before the guilt could get to him.
If Gideon had an opinion on picking up hitchhikers, he held his tongue. He gave directions when needed, but otherwise stayed quiet. His breathing was a bit labored; he still hadn't let go of his middle. Nick suspected cracked ribs, at the very least. Hopefully it wasn't something more serious. A hospital visit wouldn't be feasible for a long while.
If this all ends badly, thought Nick, it may never be again.
Finally, Gideon had him pull over into front of a gentle, grassy rise. There were picnic tables outside and a tire swing hanging from one of the bigger trees growing out of the hillside. Nick recognized the wide front porch, the flower garden, the pink and white eaves.
This was it!
Beyond the home, black smoke bubbled up from the fields. The fire was close here, and it was growing.
"So what—"
Nick was out of the truck before Gideon could finish his question. He sprint up the porch. No one answered when he rang the doorbell. He tried knocking. As loudly as he dared he called out, "Stu? Bonnie? Are you in there?"
Silence.
He tried the door. Locked.
Nick tried to think. The curtains were pulled closed, so he couldn't peek inside. Should he pick the lock on the door? Or maybe break a window? But that might make things worse if others came by. What if they weren't inside? What if they had gone somewhere else?
What if you're already too late?
Gideon had finally made it out of the truck and joined him on the porch. "No answer, huh?" He looked at the house thoughtfully. "Wonder if they went to hide in their emergency shelter."
Nick stared at him. "Emergency shelter?"
"Well, Stu uses it for storage. But he always said it was big enough to fit the whole family, and stocked to feed them too, if need be. Course, it's not like he ever tested it—"
"Where is it?"
"'Round the back of the house. I can show you if you'd like—"
Nick was already off. He could hear Gideon struggling to keep up behind him.
There were toys back here. A swing set and a small fire pit. And the fields, hot and smothered in black. Here and there Nick spotted licks of flame, but he could hear it: the crackle of burning crops. And he could smell it, strong and acrid. They were downwind from the blaze. With nothing to stop it, it would sweep right over the house.
Behind the swing set, a smaller grassy mound with a set of plain wooden doors caught his eye. "Is that it?" he asked as Gideon caught up to him, huffing and puffing. He gave a jerky nod, too out of breath to answer.
Nick approached the doors. The handles were made out of metal rings, sized for a bunny's paw. Nick took hold of one and pulled.
There was the sound of wood splintering as the door lifted. A small wooden bolt, now cracked in two, clattered down a set of stone steps. Nick grimaced. He hadn't even felt the resistance.
"Hopps family?" he called.
No answer. He made his way down, going slowly. Gideon was a heavy breathing shadow at his back. The steps were steep and twisting. He was just starting to get dizzy when they reached the bottom and the room opened up. For a moment, it was hard to focus. There were bunnies. Bunnies everywhere. Crowded into every nook and cranny. Filling up every inch of floor in a shifting mass of furry heads like some kind of living pointillism painting.
Those closest started at his appearance. He didn't recognize them from his visit with Judy, but then there had been too many to remember every last face. At least he didn't see any of the Order.
"Hopps family?"
The unfamiliar bunnies pushed back against the others, unsure of him, but then from in the crowd came a voice he recognized. "Nick? Is that you?"
The sea of bunnies parted and Stu and Bonnie Hopps emerged. Nick braced himself. He had been so focused on reaching them that he hadn't stopped to consider that his help might not be wanted here after the awkward way they had parted.
It didn't matter. They would have his help whether they wanted it or not; whether they trusted him or not. If begging didn't make them listen, he could play the bad guy too, if it came down to it. Whatever it took to get them to safety. If he had to snap and threaten—
Soft, bunny arms folded around him and squeezed tight. "Oh thank goodness!"
Nick froze.
Bonnie pulled away enough to look him over. "Are you hurt? Oh, you look exhausted. And so thin! You've lost weight since the last time we—well. I can't believe you're really here. Stu! Stu, look, Nick came! And Gideon too!"
She let him go to give Gideon the same inspection. That was fine. Nick needed a minute unobserved to collect himself. The hug had been so unexpected. Judy's mom was like some kind of affection ninja, attacking right when you least expected it.
Bonnie prodded at Gideon's middle while the fox tried not to wince. "You're hurt."
"Just a bruise, Mrs. Hopps. Never you fear."
"Still, we should wrap it." She directed a bunny near her to grab the first aid kit. "I don't suppose Judy came with you?"
The question was directed at Nick. His chest constricted. He shook his head. He had been wondering the same thing. With Zootopia in such turmoil of course she would want to check in on her family. But then the ZPD was probably out there busy fighting, Judy included.
The thought was terrifying.
"We got separated." Technically not a lie. "But I'm sure she's fine. Has anyone tried to contact her?"
"There's no service down here," said Stu. "After we got everyone together here, I went back up to try and call. Nothing goes through."
Compliments of Silos, no doubt.
So getting in touch with Judy would be harder than making a phone call. Fine. He'd deal with that later. Right now he had her family to worry about.
"First, we need to get all of you out of here," Nick told her parents. "It's not safe. There are bad animals out there and this place isn't secure. If I can get in then so can they. Plus the nearest fire is headed in this direction. Is there a back way out of here?"
But he could see even at a glance that there wasn't one. The walls were nothing but shelves of fruits and vegetables, fresh, dried, canned and jarred. No exits.
"But where can we go?" asked Bonnie. "From what little we saw on the news, it looks like these animals are everywhere."
"You're right," said Nick. "They're probably all over the city by now. Which is why all of you need to go to the Wildlands."
Gasps erupted around him like surround sound.
"Did he just say—"
"We can't go out there!"
"It's illegal!"
"There are monsters out there!"
"The monsters are all in Zootopia now," said Nick, raising his voice to be heard about the rapidly rising din. "And whether it's illegal or not is irrelevant. This is about survival now."
He ignored the worried whispers that continued to travel around the room, focusing instead on the two bunnies he knew he had to convince: Bonnie and Stu.
Judy's parents were doing that thing where they seemed to be holding a silent conversation using only their eyes. Even without knowing exactly what was being conveyed between them, their doubt was clear.
"I know it's intimidating," Nick said gently. "But it's the safest place for all of you to hide out and wait. I promise." Even if Silos did have a small army, it still wasn't big enough to waste animals on patrolling the entire perimeter of Zootopia. The snake wouldn't care about runaways until well after he had the city secured.
"But how would we even get to the—the Wildlands?" asked Stu, whispering the last word like he feared even speaking of it.
It was a good question. The border wasn't that far away, but it was still a lot of bunnies to move across a dangerous area.
"What about the truck?" said Gideon. His middle was now wrapped in a thick layer of gauze. At least he could stand upright now.
Nick thought about it. "We'd have to make multiple trips. I don't think we have that much time."
"What about the tunnel?" asked an old, croaky voice.
More bunnies parted. Great-Gran Rabby pushed his way through, several of the smaller kits at his heels.
"Would you let it go, Gran Rabby?" pleaded a bunny Nick recognized as Hopper. "There is no tunnel!"
"There is! I heard 'em when we first came down here, scurrying off like rats!"
"This is the tunnel you think the neighbor's dug?" asked Nick. At the old bunny's nod, he said, "Can you show me where you heard them?"
Great-Gran Rabby led the way back. Bunnies parted to let him and Nick through. Bonnie, Stu, and Gideon trailed behind.
Gran Rabby slapped a gnarled paw against a rack full of fruit preserves. "Right behind here."
Nick reached through and pressed a paw to the papered wall, feeling for vibrations, but there was nothing. Still…
"Does anyone have a shovel?"
One was procured, passed along paw to paw until it was finally handed over to Nick. It was more of a trowel than a shovel, but it would do.
"You're not really going to—" Stu started to ask, the question stuttering off in a dismayed cry as Nick stabbed the blade in. It tore through the thin paper covering and into the packed dirt behind it. Judy's father gave a sad little moan of resignation and looked away.
"How deep?" Nick asked Great-Gran Rabby.
"Oh, a couple feet or so, I reckon."
So Nick dug. Over two hundred pairs of eyes watched him in silence. When it got too awkward with the rack in the way, he pried out the stakes holding the shelving up and tore it away. Stu let out a horrified squeak and rushed to take it before the preserves could spill.
Nick kept going. Another foot in. Another. Dirt coated his face and paws. His arms were starting to feel like jelly. He glanced over at Gran Rabby, but the bunny only nodded and gestured for him to continue.
Just when Nick was starting to think the old bunny had been mistaken after all, he threw his back into another swing and felt the shovel break through the last layer of dirt and hit open air. When he yanked the tool back, light spilled out from the space beyond.
"He found it!" squeaked a voice.
Suddenly more bunnies were there, surging around him to dig at the wall with tools and paws. Nick ducked aside to avoid being hit with a tiny pickaxe.
When the hole was wide enough to pass through, the bunnies moved back to let him investigate first. Gran Rabby had been right. It was a tunnel. Battery operated lamps lit the way every few feet. The tunnel seemed to stretch onwards straight east. Nick tried to map it out in his head. There should be nothing in that direction but a small bit of unfarmed land, and beyond that, the Wildlands. It was as safe a path as they were going to get.
"It's clear," he called back to them. "Grab whatever food you can easily carry and come on through. If there's anything you think could be used as a weapon, take that too."
It took time. Over two hundred bunnies and more than half of them looked like they wanted to flee back the other way. And those that weren't scared plastered Nick with questions: What sack of potatoes would it be better to bring, russet or red? What type of vegetation grew out in the Wildlands? What was the temperature like, and did they have time to run back and grab a coat?
The only weapons they had were gardening tools. Someone passed Nick a bunny-sized axe. In his paws it was more of a long-handled hatchet, but it was better than nothing.
With the help of Bonnie and Stu, Nick was able to slowly start herding the family down the tunnel. There were no signs of the infamous neighbors, but they did pass crates now and then that smelled like, as Great-Gran Rabby had called it, that hippy-hoppity grass.
Eventually, they came to a fork in the tunnel. One way sloped upwards. A quick check by Nick confirmed it led up into the neighbor's house. The other way continued on towards a pinprick of light in the distance. Nick could just scent fresh air blowing from that direction.
"Keep going straight," Nick told Bonnie and Stu. "Find a place to hide and stay there until you know it's safe or someone comes to find you."
Here, Judy's parents hesitated for the first time.
"But Judy…" said Bonnie.
"Will be fine. I'll make sure of it," promised Nick.
Stu gave a jerky nod. He had the glazed look of someone completely overwhelmed and not really taking in what was happening anymore. But Bonnie was made of sterner stuff. She turned to Nick with a look in her eye that made his heart ache because it looked so much like Judy when she was determined about something.
She took his paw in hers. Nick waited, stealing himself for a reprimand, or possibly a threat of what she would do to him if he failed in his promise to keep Judy safe.
"We owe you an apology, Nick."
The soft words startled him more than any display of anger ever could. Nick yanked his paw back out of sheer surprise, but Bonnie caught it as smoothly and easily as if she'd caught hundreds of escaping paws over the years, and maybe she had.
"You trusted us enough to come visit and we hurt both you and Judy. For that, Stu and I are so, so sorry, Nick. You'd think we'd learn by now that what makes us happy isn't always what makes our kits happy, but we still get caught up sometimes and forget. I hope you'll forgive us for that." She brushed at the dirt caking the back of his knuckles, and it was such a mom thing to do that it put a lump in his throat. "The truth is, there is no one else in Zootopia who could make Judy as happy, or keep her as safe, as you can. And we are so grateful to you for loving our daughter even in the face of… everything. Including lacking parents."
"You're not—" Nick started to say, but Bonnie reached up and wiped some dirt off his nose, effectively silencing him.
"Now you be careful out there, you hear?" she told him, with just enough maternal warning in her voice that he could do nothing but nod obediently.
She smiled and patted his cheek, then released him and turned to her husband. "Well? Don't you have something to say to him?"
Stu seemed to recollect himself a bit at that. He stepped forward and met Nick's eye, his chest puffed and his chin firmed. He sucked in a breath, and Nick braced himself for sharper words.
Judy's father burst into tears and threw his arms around him, crying, "Take good care of our daughter, son!" And Nick found himself frozen in terror for a whole new reason.
"Okay, okay, that's enough," said Bonnie, prying her husband off. "You're scaring the poor fox."
From overhead came a earth-shuddering boom. Bunnies shrieked as loose dirt and rock rained now on them.
Everyone hunkered there, waiting, but the sound didn't come again and the tunnel didn't seem to be in danger of collapsing.
"What was that?" someone asked.
"A sign that it's time for you to go," said Nick. "Remember what I said. Be careful. Stay hidden. This will all be over soon." One way or another.
The bunnies didn't need to be told twice. They scurried off towards the distant sunlight, a few, including Clover, even shouting out goodbyes to Nick as they went.
Gideon was one of the last to pass by him, having agreed to bring up the rear of the group when they'd first entered the tunnel.
"Welp," he said. "It was nice meetin' you. I guess I'll be stickin' with the Hopps family for now."
"Not quite," said Nick, catching the fox by the shoulder and bringing him short. "You're staying right here."
"I-I am?"
"There's no way to close off this tunnel," said Nick. "Anyone who enters the house above us or who goes into the Hopp's storage cellar is going to find it. So someone needs to stay on guard in case members of the Order come sniffing around."
"And you expect me to do that?" exclaimed Gideon. "I couldn't fight off three of them!"
"You shouldn't need to do any fighting. All you'll need to do is convince them that you're part of the Order and that you've already searched the tunnel. It's not like it's a fun job and they'd be wasting their time to do it twice. They'll leave. Trust me."
"But I'm not actually a member! Won't they notice?"
"There are too many for them all to recognize each other."
"So if I say I'm one of them they'll just believe me?"
"That depends. How good are you at acting?"
The fox's terrified expression was answer enough.
"In that case, you can prove yourself another way."
"Prove myself how?"
Nick pulled out the small axe he'd been given. "By marking yourself."
Gideon eyed the weapon warily. "Just what kind of mark are we talkin' bout here?"
Instead of responding, Nick took a seat on one of the crates. He ran a claw along the blade of the axe, checking its sharpness. "You know who I am, don't you?"
It was hardly a question. Gideon's gaze turned shaky. "I reckon I've seen you before, sure. On the news and such."
"Most mammals have some kind of comment to give the first time they meet me. Especially other foxes. It's not always positive, but it's like they just have to get it out. But you just pretended not to know who I was. Why is that?"
"I've never been one to care much for celebrity," mumbled Gideon. "No matter what species they are."
Nick chuckled once without humor. "Can't argue with that. Then I suppose you also didn't hear that Judy and I are together now."
Gideon shrugged stiffly. "Must've missed it."
"Or maybe you were hoping that I would miss it."
That got a genuine look of confusion from the other fox. "Miss… what now?"
"After all, if you played dumb and pretended not to know I was seeing Judy, then I might pretend not to know that the family friend who's in business with her father was also the bully who left a scar on her face when she was just a kit."
Nick let the last pretense of good humor evaporate from his expression. "Or maybe you were hoping I hadn't noticed the mark on her cheek in the first place? Unfortunately for you, I pay very close attention to my mate. And of course once I found it, I had to know how she had gotten it." The number of puzzle pieces that had come together then, when she had explained. Not just about the scar, but her fear of foxes, so much more extreme than the usual distrust other animals showed. "Oh, we had a long discussion about you." Nick had been chomping at the bit to confront Gideon and make him pay, but Judy had forbade him from going after him in any way. It was the only time she had ever put her foot down like that, and tensions had been high for days after.
Gideon's entire focus was on the axe. Nick hadn't realized he'd raised it quite so high as he had been talking. He lowered his arm, a sharp, chopping gesture, just to make the fox flinch.
"Look, I've got no excuse for how I acted back then," said Gideon. "All I can say is that I've been doin' my best to work on myself and address the issues that have been poisonin' my outlook for so many years. If there's anything I can do to apologize—"
"As a matter of fact, there is," said Nick. "The mark I mentioned that the Order uses? It's initial, carved somewhere on their bodies." Nick twirled the axe and smiled at him, wide enough to show his fangs. "A scar for a scar sounds fair to me. Don't you agree?"
Gideon's eyes were wide. He made a wet, choking noise, but didn't move away when Nick rose, slipping off his coat off and tossing it onto the crate behind him before stalking toward Gideon.
When Nick was a foot away he stopped. He paused to see if the fox would run or start pleading for mercy. Gideon was shaking like a leaf. Maybe he would faint? That might be satisfying. But then the bully turned baker screwed his eyes shut and thrust out his arm, stuttering, "G-go ahead then."
Really, this fox was no fun at all.
Nick brought the axe down. The blade was duller than he'd thought and he was forced to slice it back and forth across his arm several times in order to break through fur and skin. But finally pain sparked, sharp and deep, and blood welled. Nick grimaced. Gideon peeked an eye open, saw the red seeping through Nick's fur, and yelped. Nick grabbed him by the collar and yanked his head down. "Hold still."
"What? But I thought—"
"Shut up." Nick dipped the pad of one claw into the bleeding cut on his arm, then wiped the gore onto Gideon's cheek in careful strokes, until the blood had saturated the fox's fur and made the N.O. Nick had smeared there clear and bold.
When he was done he stepped back to inspect his work. No one should be able to tell there wasn't an actual injury there unless they got right up on the fox. It would have to do.
He used the axe to cut away a piece of his shirt and tie it around his cut. Gideon watched all his silently. When his paw started to creep upwards to feel his cheek, Nick smacked it back down. "Don't."
"Sorry!"
"You will stand here," Nick told him, letting a growl enter his voice. "If anyone from the Order comes by, you will make up whatever story you have to in order to get them to leave."
"And if they don't believe me?"
Nick shoved the axe into his paws. "Then you get creative."
Gideon gulped. Nick did not feel sorry for him. Nope. Not even a little bit. He'd already saved Gideon from the Order, and he hadn't beaten the baker senseless for what he had done to Judy. As far as Nick was concerned, the fox already owed him two times over for that.
Plus, Gideon had a better chance of putting up a fight than a family of farming bunnies. Nick could already guess what the Hopps family would do when they got to the end of the tunnel. They would see the great big expanse of Wildlands before them... and they would freeze. They would hunker there, justifying that the tunnel was cover enough, and that they were far enough away already to be safe. They wouldn't move until danger was bearing down on them, and Nick didn't like to think who might not make it in that last second scatter. If Nick had to prioritize the safety of others, than he darn well was putting Judy and her family above some bullying fox. And if that made him no better than Gideon Grey… then so be it.
"I'm leaving the safety of Judy's entire family in your paws," Nick told him. "You probably couldn't care less if you let me down. But from what I can tell, you owe the Hopps family more than you could ever repay. So you should do your best not to let them down."
"What about you?" asked Gideon as Nick turned away. "Where are you going?"
"Oh, you know," Nick grabbed his jacket off the crate and shrugged it back on. "Other places to see, mammals to meet."
"Are you going back to stop the Order?"
"Stop them?" Nick turned back and smiled bitterly at the other fox. "Haven't you heard? I'm one of them."