Disclaimer: This Chapter is a violent one.

Brutality

"...the shrew is the most vicious predator to ever exist."

Big stood over his grandmother's grave in the Resting Gardens; a cemetery in Little Rodentia. Though many other mammals would have found the temperate climate quite comfortable, Big was overheating. Shrews were not meant for such warm weather, and his suit was not helping matters. Big persevered and stood with a bowed head and folded hands. Frieda placed a hand on his shoulder. He did not physically acknowledge her touch, but he spoke to her while preoccupied with other thoughts.

"Sweetpea, daddy's going to have to discipline an unruly family of lions." Frieda whined,

"I know you've been upset recently. And it always worries me to see you upset." Big turned his gaze away from the grave to look at Frieda and responded by grabbing her hands. Their thin pink fingers locked together. She faintly smiled. "It's time for a real punishment huh?" Big looked again at the headstone marking the grave of his grandmother.

"Yes, it is. I came here to reflect on my grandmama as I do before I make such a decision. Once I decide to go through with these unpleasant acts, I always pay a trip here first. This is not my typical discipline. This will have to be...special." Frieda crossed her arms and put a steps distance between her and Big.

"Can I be a part of it?" she asked. Big frowned as he thought about her request. Though she was not unfamiliar with his punishments, he wondered if she could handle what he had in mind. Upon realizing she was staring at him seriously, he said,

"Yes. I'd like you to see you try. Show me what we can do together."

Frieda smiled and looked at the grave. A sudden thick thud of footsteps echoed behind Big. Big and his daughter turned to find Grizzoli and Kevin standing in front of them.

"What's this?" He stared in surprise. The bears respectfully kept three feet of distance between them and the shrews. Big noticed that Grizzoli wore his police uniform. He concealed his impatience and offered up his right arm. The bears took turns kissing Big's crescent ring. Grizzoli looked up at Big while he bowed and kissed the ring as if waiting for permission to speak. Kevin had taken a step back, making it clear he had little to say. Big nodded silently to Grizzoli.

"Father Big," he began, "I have news concerning Nick and Delgato." The timing couldn't have been more improper. Big imagined himself back-handing the bear for disrupting him in the cemetery. But he was far more outraged at the confusing silence and failure of Delgato. Big's voice rumbled in a low growl,

"If you must come to me here of all places, and disrupt my sacred thoughts, it better be ground-shakingly urgent, Grizzoli." Grizzoli nodded. A stunned shaky breath confirmed Big's words have sunk in.

"Delgato spoke with me at BBL last night. He confessed to me everything that happened." Big turned to his daughter. He contemplated letting her stay for the chat. After a pause, he scowled and said,

"Honey, go get us car service so we can have a ride back to Tundratown. I need to have a chat with my bears." Frieda responded obediently while trodding off,

"Yes, Daddy!" Big stuffed his hands in his pocket, adjusting his stance so he was more relaxed and said,

"Go on in as much detail as necessary." Necessary for Big simply meant everything. Thankfully, he did not have to explain this to Grizzoli.

"Delgato was scared off by an officer that approached Nick's stall to ask Nick questions about an investigation. I don't know what the investigation was, but it caused Delgato to panic and back off from collecting payment. When Delgato was concerned about the officer viewing him suspiciously, he hired street goons to extract the money from Nick and give it to him. The initial idea was to make it look like a robbery, but even this went wrong. More officers showed up later that night. He ended up losing your money and got Nick hospitalized, then arrested."

'What!?" The shrew's response was as automatic as it was furious. A surge of adrenaline tickled his face. Grizzoli cowered before the outburst and turned his head away. His six-foot frame shrunk where it stood. Grizzoli's response served as a balm that almost instantly soothed Big. To Big, the sight of a muscular polar bear shrinking before a four-foot shrew served as a powerful testament to the authority and respect he commanded, demanded and pummeled out of others.

"This is going to draw even more attention from the authorities and force me to rely on Bellwether yet again for protection. I refuse to remain indebted to her. She doesn't get to lord things over me like she already does with her government position. It is beneath me."

"Yes, Father Big." Big turned to Kevin, his most loyal follower,

"Hey, come on over." The large bear stepped forward and stood over Big like he was a priceless artifact that shouldn't be touched. Big took one final long look at his grandmother's grave. He spoke without facing them,

"I do not want any of you to eat for the rest of the day. We are most certainly entertaining dinner guests tonight. Nobody eats until dinner. And we will have Delgato be our guest of the evening."

"Yes, Father Big," replied the bears in unison. Their simple responses were pleasant and expected. Big faced them and grumbled as he thought about the officers Grizzoli mentioned. "What are the names of the officers who disrupted Delgato's collection?"

"Officer Judy Hopps was one. I believe the other two officers that showed up later were officers Mike McHorn and Jennifer Fangmeyer."

"Yet more meat for the grinder. Their time will come along with everyone else's. Hell, if it all goes right I won't even have to do anything other than what I plan to anyway." Big turned to his right, attracted to the sound of grass crunching beneath his daughter's steps.

"All set," she cheerily said. Big smiled as he admired her black dress and pinned-up hair. Modest yet appealing.

"Honey, we have a change in plans for tonight. I'm going to put in a series of calls, one to Bellwether. I know you like her. We have to remedy a problem as soon as possible. So tonight, I just have one request." He waited for her response. She looked at him seriously then asked,

"What do you need, Daddy?"

"Do not eat until later tonight. No food. We will feast as the shrews do. And hunger will only make our feast that much more enjoyable." Frieda fist pumped the air in barely contained excitement. He never let her participate before in his 'dinner for discipline' events. Big never concealed the details from her though, so he presumed she knew what to expect. Big stood in front of his party and motioned with a hand for them to follow.

"Kevin, contact my gathering squad. The three tigers. I need them to collect Delgato's family. Bring them to my home. Do this right now. Tell them it is urgent and that if they hesitate for even a second, I will tear the stripes from their bodies from head to toe using my nails." Kevin nodded in understanding saying,

"Yes, Father Big." Big watched as Kevin hurried off and reached into his pants pocket for his phone.

"There you go. See how easy that is? I give a command and you follow. It's not complicated!" He smiled when the statement made his daughter giggle. It always pleased him to hear her laugh at his remarks.

They walked back past a few rows of gravestones. The cemetery was divided up by the sizes of mammals. The Resting Gardens had a special corner for mammals under 5 feet. Larger mammals would be placed along the bottom edge of the cemetery while the smaller mammals were buried higher up toward the center of the big hill. Grizzoli hurried to Big's side,

"Mr. Big, I must return to my patrol." Big waved off Grizzoli.

"Fine. Fine. If you see Delgato, stay close to him. Bring him to me tonight."

"Understood."

"Hurry off and put some distance between us. You don't want to be seen next to a 'dangerous criminal' do you?" Grizzoli only shook his head and jogged out of the cemetery.

Big reached for his phone. His head spun with thoughts stressing over how Nick could have been arrested. He wondered if Finnick was targeted as well. Did they say something? Did Nick get into some other trouble?

"How the hell does a fox go from a hospital bed to a prison cell overnight?" he shouted to nobody in particular. Big wondered if he would have to fight the law once again in court. Bellwether could only help him so many times...

There were too many questions and too many people to extract answers from. Annoyed and knowing that taking any course of action would be far more prudent than hours of speculation, he swiped a finger on his touchscreen, scrolling through his contact list. I'll get Bellwether out of the way first.

Big and the others made their way out of the Resting Gardens cemetery. A short red limo was waiting for them. Kevin patiently stood in front of the limo as if he was expected to halt the vehicle with a large paw in case it drove off without them. Big entered the car first, followed by his daughter, then Kevin. Big had just hit the call button on Bellwether's number when the colossus of a bear spoke,

"I have reached the gatherers and delivered the message. They are well on their way to the Delgato's."

"Good, Kevin. At least the family will be cooperative. They can be easily disposed of." The voice of Bellwether drew Big's attention to his phone. "Excuse me," he said to Kevin. "Bellwether, it is Big."

"Wonderful! So glad you could call. I was going to tell you that the load of serum you requested is ready for pick up." Big sat up straight, glad for the news.

"Listen, Bellwether I'm having a bit of a problem right now. One of my important fences is under watch by the police. Can you find out what might have happened?" All was quiet in the limo as Big worked through the conversation. Frieda was the most intent of the other three to listen in. Big turned away from her as he listened to Bellwether's response,

"Oh! I actually was alerted earlier today of the cargo mishap. Yes, I'll be submitting a notice to Bogo explaining the mess. Somehow, there was a leak in your...acquisition of the cargo. But don't you worry your pretty little head."

Big gripped the edge of his leather seat tightly enough that his nails cut through its skin. Who would dare squeal on Big?

"I see. So it was the business in the rainforest that attracted attention. Alright, together we'll figure this out. And as always, your business is greatly appreciated. Thank you, Assistant Mayor Bellwether."

"With your ferocity, Mr. Big. I'll be more than an assistant soon enough." Big grit his teeth, thankful that he was talking to her on the phone and not in person.

"Yes, indeed. I'll have Manchas pick up the cases of serum tomorrow."

"Oh, Mr. Big?"

"Yes?"

"In six days time, there will be a little dinner event in Tundratown involving the Mayor and other political candidates. I think it would be the perfect time to set things into motion, don't you? Once you get the serum, you can finally armor your squad; together we will swiftly uproot the powers that be in one night. I will be at the dinner event alongside the mayor to poison his food. He will go into a frenzy and attack the others on his table. Once he is disgraced, I can step in and secure our position in the city. I want you to lead your horde of rage-fueled mammals through the streets. You have your targets, as I have mine."

Big nodded thoughtfully. There was such a length to the following silence that Bellwether attempted to speak up again. "Hel–"

"It will be a busy two weeks for me," interrupted Big. "But I think we can make it work. Zootopia will fall to its knees and my Family will rise to give new life to this swamp of a city." Bellwether cooed over the phone,

"Glad you are on board. I'll do my damage control for this mess over here while you get set up. And we will meet in the middle just before launch day. Good?" Big blinked, staring at the seat occupied by Frieda.

"Yes. Perfect." Big hung up the call. Frieda had been excitedly staring at Big.

"So? What's happening?" Her voice prevented him from mulling over his conversation.

"A lot is happening, sweetheart. And when a lot is happening, it is good to have friends to help. No matter who you are or what level of influence you have. It pays to have friends in the right places."

"Aww, come on, Daddy. Details!" The odd charm to her excitement was a weakness for Big. He smiled and tilted his head fondly.

"I'm having a shipment of potent chemicals come to the house sometime tomorrow. If you come across them in the house, store them in my room and say nothing of it." He stared at her and waited for her to confirm she understood the directions. She bounced up in her seat, grateful for the notice and said,

"You got it! I'll let you know if I see it."

"Good girl." Big reached into a hidden compartment and grabbed a bottle of fizzy ginger beer. He poured himself a glass and leaned back in his seat. His phone beeped with a message from Grizzoli:

"I am with Delgato. We will meet up at the end of our shifts in BBL." Big smiled, satisfied. For once, things were going his way. He quickly responded,

"My gatherer's will follow you and help grab him then. Let me know when."

"Easy enough, Mr. Big. I will get it done." Big leaned back into his seat and avoided conversation with the other passengers. He battled his frantic thoughts, focusing on remaining calm. Depending on others was always stressful. Even with the good news he received, he never wanted to be dependent on others for any reason. It was always just a matter of time before someone disappointed him.

Their ride to Tundratown was just under an hour. The dark tinted windows and the smooth streets leading from Savanna Central to Tundratown lulled the passengers into a sleepy calm. For every moment Big turned his attention away from the ride, he immediately lost track of their whereabouts until he returned his focus to what was beyond his window.

Big exited the car last and stood in the artificial cold just a block away from his home. The driver honked a goodbye then drove off. On a lamp post to his left, Big saw a flier detailing the dinner event Bellwether spoke of. Candidates were promoting the dinner and using it as an opportunity to plug themselves as being actively engaged and concerned with local affairs.

In attendance at the event would be Mayor Lionheart, a Dr. Frank Cunningham, and a few others with less renown. Big imagined his name being on the list and smiled. I'll make it so that my name is the only name. He looked away from the flier to notice that his daughter had led the others up to the house already.

"Oh what, I stop to read a flier and you all assume I'm invisible?" He hurried back to his home to join the group.

"Sorry, Daddy!" Frieda laughed.

"Father Big," Kevin stopped at the gate entrance and bowed his head.

"Yes, Kevin?"

"I have just received a text from the tigers. They are on their way here with the Delgato's."

"Alright. When the tigers get here, they will be sent to meet Grizzoli in case Juan puts up a fight. I want you to do nothing but prepare the vault. I will call you when I need to. Enjoy the privacy." Kevin nodded solemnly then turned his bulky body to walk inside. He lowered his head to avoid hitting the rim of the door frame. Big stood alone inside the vestibule as his daughter and Kevin walked further into the house. He paused to take in the view. There was nothing like home.

He could see the long edge of the kitchen to his right from where he stood. With determined steps, he made his way to the kitchen. Long and spacious counters ate up most of the space on the far wall disrupted only by a fridge in the corner. Embedded into the left side of the counter, just off center was an oval sink. Three cabinet doors were hinged under the counter with equidistant spacing. Inside were neatly stacked tools. At least, they were as neatly organized as they could be for all the shapes and sizes.

Pots and pans took up one cabinet. Larger sharp objects like cleavers and spikes with rubber grips on one end sat in the middle cabinet with saws and clamps. Opposite them in the center was the stove and oven. A large rectangular cutting board that could have doubled as a wooden shield was resting to the left of the stove. He dug into the center cabinet of the long counter and pulled out two saws of varied length, a spike and a pair of clamps. The items were placed on the counter and made to look presentable like he was preparing a show for his guests. He smiled to himself. They will do more than see these tools. As he exited the kitchen, Frieda walked past and toward the door.

The tigers had arrived. Like a good host, Big stickered on a wide smile and waved inside his guests. The three tigers; a group made up of one female and two male, entered first then stepped aside to introduce Marian and Gerard Delgato. Marian walked in keeping Gerard close by her side. She had an uneasy smile.

It took considerable effort to greet them without snarling. Looking at the family reminded him of Juan and his incompetence. It reminded him of the sudden halt to his plans for the week. Any resemblance to Delgato became a blight in his mind. And he planned to make it so that the name no longer existed in corporeal form.

"So glad you two could come by. I'm sorry for the short notice. I just couldn't leave you two out of this special event." Frieda stood by her father's side and took cues from his body language on how to react. "I heard about your tennis lessons and wanted to congratulate you on your journey. I know it can be a tricky sport to master." Marian blinked with surprise,

"Um, sure. Thank you. I didn't know you were a fan of the sport." Big forced a chuckle,

"Well, my limo business picks up all kinds of folks. And we have serviced some athletes on occasion. Consider this a good-luck lunch slash dinner. And hopefully one day, You may ride in one of my limos as you journey to pick up your own trophy." Marian smiled at his suggestion. Big still knew how to hook them.

"Mr. Big. You have such a big house!" Gerard looked around from wall to wall and smiled. He then looked down at the black and white patterned floor and grew dizzy. Big approached the cub and placed a pink hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, it is. Little Gerard. I like my houses big." Big looked at Frieda and gestured with his head toward the tigers. They sat in the main room, lounging and waiting for further instruction. When Frieda saw the motion, she walked over to them as Big spoke. "Frieda, go and see the tigers and the Delgato's upstairs to our nice guest room for a moment." Marian smiled gratefully although still visibly uneasy about the invite.

"Oh, well that's more than we could ask for. You do so much for us, Mr. Big." Big smiled theatrically,

"You flatter me. I only do what is best for everyone." Frieda motioned for their guests to follow her. The three tigers walked behind the Delgato's, sandwiching the lions between Frieda and the tigers as they were guided upstairs. When they began their ascent, the smaller male tiger glanced back to Big as if waiting for a command. Big motioned with his hand, pantomiming a pair of scissors. "Let's make it quick. Both of them." The short tiger paused for a moment as he considered the request. He lingered long enough to fall behind the others that had already reached the second floor. His eyes never left Big. And Big stared back, challenging the tiger to disobey. He eventually nodded, acquiescing to the command.

Satisfied, Big hurried over to the dining room to the right. He skirted past the kitchen and cleared the chairs away from the dining table. It had retractable wheels that folded on the inside of its legs. He unlocked and balanced the wheels one at a time. Above, he heard a brief struggle. There was a scream that barely lasted a second, then all was quiet. All he could feel and hear in the ensuing silence was his heartbeat. Frieda hurried downstairs and called,

"Daddy!" Big scurried over,

"What?"

"It's done," she said. Though her voice sounded oddly cheerful, her face was unreadable. Big nodded,

"Thank you, Sweetpea."

"Welcome," she sighed, then headed back upstairs. Big mumbled to himself, confused by the awkward exchange with his daughter. Maybe she just got a little scared. Or maybe the act bothered her. He made a mental note to talk to her sometime. The trumpet melody going off in his pocket stole his attention away. Big immediately answered his phone while he worked to wheel the table over to the kitchen,

"Yes?"

"Mr. Big, I have Delgato and we are both here in Tundratown at your bar."

"Perfect! I'll send my tigers over. He is to be brought here bound and tied."

"As you command." The call cut. He hurried upstairs and panted. His sudden lack of breath surprised him. He looked at the tigers and chuckled, mildly embarrassed they noticed him winded.

"Age comes for us all. Hah!" The tigers stood outside the door with unreadable expressions. The female had thin streaks of blood on her fingers, indicating she tried to clean them. A noticeable red dot on her chin revealed the cleaning method she preferred. "Nasty business. But when you want to be effective, you can't be squeamish. Now, I need you to go and fetch Delgato at my bar and limo service. Thank you and make haste."

The tigers trodded off, a pitter-patter of footsteps overlapped each other as they walked past Big with only a nod confirming acceptance of their instruction. "Loyal, efficient, deadly and good form. You boys and girls are my best!" he praised. They continued on their way silently.

Big turned toward the room where he expected the bodies to lay. He paused for but a moment with his hand on the handle as he steeled himself to enter. He turned the knob after a breath and pushed it open. It was quiet. Gerard and Marian lay on the bed, heads twisted at unnatural angles. Some blood trickled down from Marian's throat, wetting the blanket she laid on. Gerard was in much better form but just as equally dead.

Big lifted the cub first, being smaller and lighter. He carried the limp child down the stairs and set him into the kitchen next to the saws he placed on the counter.

"Don't ever tell me I don't do dirty work," Big grumbled. The hour wore on and Big and Frieda worked to prepare the bodies in the kitchen. Her earlier discomfort had vanished and she worked at an equal pace with Big to set up the planned feast. They were so lost in the gruesome act of separating organs and limbs that the bell at their door surprised them when it chimed. Big opened a drawer and grabbed a roll of super-tape and stuffed it into his back pocket.

Frieda and Big sped up their preparation of the different body parts, placing them on platters and covering them up. The house smelled of burnt innards and fur, but the metallic odor of liver overwhelmed the other scents.

"I think we're ready now. I'll go and get the door," said Big. He opened to see Grizzoli waiting patiently by the entrance.

"Thank you for not abusing my doorbell, Grizzoli," said Big. The bear only smiled uneasily. Big rubbed his palms together and said, "So. In the car?"

"Yes, Mr. Big." Grizzoli scowled and stepped aside to allow Big to pass. He ignored Grizzoli's mood and locked his eyes on the vehicle out front. It's all just business. There were wrongs that needed to be set right.

"Grizzoli, you may stay or go home."

"I will take my leave." From the corner of his eye, as he focused on the car and tigers, Grizzoli gave a parting bow then walked off of his property. The three tigers stood guard at the trunk of the dusty green car, arms were held by their fronts, paws clasped and legs just narrow of shoulder width apart. Big wagged a finger appreciatively at the tigers,

"Wonderful work. At ease. At ease." Big popped open the trunk containing the most important person of the evening. He stared into the dazed eyes of the lion, dressed in civilian clothes. "Hello, Delgato."

Big grinned at Delgato's panicked squirming. He refused assistance when he grabbed Delgato. He wanted everyone present to see his physical strength; to show that he can handle larger mammals and push them around with his own hands. Delgato became so paralyzed with fear he did not struggle when Big reached out to carry him. Big hauled him up in front of his audience and stumbled a bit before finding his center. He carried the bound lion from the front of his home all the way to the diner. Frieda watched with interest as her father displayed his strength.

The relief when the weight was off of Big was immediate. He exhaled with satisfaction and flexed his back. Small bones popped in place from the stretch. Delgato was thrown into a chair in a corner of the now empty dining room. The table with lion delectables was waiting to be presented. Big dragged a seat opposite Delgato and sat down in front of him. He waited for the lion to pick his head up. Delgato was not gagged, but his ankles and hands were tied. From behind, Big could hear the tigers entering the dining room. Big took out the super-tape from his pocket and pulled a long thick strip of tape. He walked around Delgato's chair, planting the beginning of the strip on the backrest. He went around the chair four times with the tape, pulling up and down, sticking Delgato's torso to the chair.

When he was finished, Big returned to his seat. To any other mammal, Delgato would have made a pitiable sight. Big only looked at him with disappointment, fury, and disgust.

"I must say, I thought you were going to do well with me." Delgato's shaky breaths filled the emptiness of the dining room. Big could feel his daughter sneaking around the corner. Watching. He ignored her. "I was told everything. You got Nick hurt. You hurt my flow of income. You might have put me in the sights of the ZPD once more. Your stupidity has caused me to halt my movements in the city temporarily so I could play damage control. You couldn't figure out how to work around a stupid police officer and then you ignored me when I reached out to you. You disrespected me and my family. I bet you would have run away if I didn't hunt you down, huh?"

Delgato tried to speak, but he could barely put together even broken words over his whimpers. Big glanced behind him, feeling the eyes of the tigers on his back. He noticed that the shortest of the tigers, their leader, was not present. Big shrugged then turned his attention back to Delgato. "I invited you here so you could see your family one last time." Big smiled. "You'll all get to eat together. My treat. But before that, I must know from you personally. Who were the officers that caused you so much trouble?" Delgato responded as if he was reaching for a lifeline.

"J-J-Judy H-Hopps! Mike McHorn and Jennifer Fangmeyer. All of them. They did this! Kill them!" Big parodied an attempt to soothe the lion,

"Shh...shh...It's okay, Juan."

"I'm s-sorry...please sto-" Juan's begging was interrupted by coughing. He quivered in the chair and drooled.

"I did not tell you to beg!" shouted Big. His blood boiled and his ears began to ring. The sides of his vision dimmed as blood rushed to his head. From behind Frieda, the heavy steps of Kevin were heard as he approached, drawn to the shouting. In an almost unnatural growl Big spoke, "After I deal with you, I'm going after the entire police department. I will tear the city down and build it back up. All for me! And I am so close to getting it done. But incompetence like yours pushes me back. I won't tolerate it."

"N-Nick was arrested because of the rainforest job."

"He's an extra income machine. Him and Finnick. I won't lose them. Nor my others. I now have all the armor for my squad. And tomorrow, a special gift is being given to me that will give my family real power. My reign is nigh, Delgato. Unlike you, I won't let the family down."

Big stood up and pressed his nose to Delgato's. He flinched and looked away unable to meet Big's stare. Big licked the tears from Delgato's face.

"Speaking of family, how about we all sit for dinner?" Big turned back to see Frieda react on cue. She hurried to the kitchen and dragged the table back into the diner.

"Where...are they?" Delgato asked. Frieda turned the table round the corner and pushed it back to its original position in the center of the dining room. She winked and walked off.

"Oh, your family?" Big eagerly walked over to the table. He stopped by the closest edge, to one of the smaller platters. Delgato watched with widened eyes and shortening breaths that caught in his throat when he noticed the odd smells and dried streaks of red on the tablecloth. "They're with us. They're tonight's meal!"

Big lifted up the platter to the sound of mournful wails. On the platter were two severed paws. He continued walking up the length of the table, removing more platters and flamboyantly tossed them aside. They crashed to the ground and reverberated over Delgato's horrible cries. Kevin walked up to the table from behind Big. Big turned to him and the tigers and pointed at the table. They nodded and purred while picking pieces from different plates. The heads of Delgato's sister and son were set in the center, facing away from each other. The sight was enough to break Delgato down beyond response.

"Why not have a taste, Delgato?" Big grinned and chewed on unidentifiable flesh.

"Monster!" Big was so enthralled with himself, he continued to rave over Delgato,

"I think by now it is irrefutable that the shrew is the most vicious predator to ever exist. And I wear my brutality with pride!" Big slapped the large Kevin on his back. "Kevin! Ice him!"