Chapter 5. The Search Begins

Judy's POV

I opened my eyes, adjusting to the darkness of the basement. My head was pounding from sobbing my heart out earlier. My eyes were also sore and crusty. In other words, I felt like a bucket of buttholes.

"How could my dad do this to me?" I asked myself, aloud.

"He just wants to protect you, Judy."

Frederick's voice startled me. I walked over to the door, pressing my ear against it. "B-But this isn't protection. It's endagering Nick. And possibly other prey animals."

"You're father isn't considering others. He's only thinking about you" Frederick replied. his voice muffled slightly through the door.

I gritted my teeth. "Why should you even care? You're just as mean and cruel as he is. You knocked me out!"

"I was only doing what your father instructed! I didn't do it because I wanted to! I did it becuase he made me. That was the whole plan!" He exclaimed.

"W-What do you mean?" I stuttered.

Frederick sighed heavily before responding. "Judy...your father is not to be trusted. He's not who he claims to be. There's a reason all of this is happening. You, being locked up. Nick, being savage. Me...being your future husband. All of this was planned. I can't explain everything. But I will tell you this. Trust, nobody. Everyone is not who they seem."

"Why are you telling me this, Frederick?' I asked. Silence ensued for a few moments afterward.

"Becuase I truly do care about you, Judy. Even if this was just some insane, sadistic, evil arrangment. I'd take you as my wife anyday. I ment all the compliments I gave that night at the dinner table" He replied.

I didn't know what to think or feel. Frederick made it sound like my father was a...criminal. He wasn't...was he? No. Of course not. That wasn't possible. Right?

I set aside my inner doubts and continued speaking with Frederick. "Look, if you do care about me...the way you claim to, then please, let me go. I have to help Nick somehow. Even if I die trying. It's my duty as a cop. It's my duty, as a friend."

Frederick sighed heavily. After looking around for a moment, I could hear the jingling noise of keys. The door slowly swung open, with him standing in the doorway. A smile appeared on my face and I ran up to him.

"Run along, Judy. Zootopia needs you" He said, returning the smile.

I started to run past him, but stopped a few feet away from him. I rushed back up to him, kissing his cheek. "Thank you, Frederick." And with that, I took off upstairs, out the door, and to the car. I stepped on the gas and headed to the train station. Zootopia, I'm on my way.

Third Person's POV

Frederick watched as Judy took off towards Zootopia. He smile slightly, amazed at her level of bravery and determination. She truly was ment to be a cop. A bunny like her only came around once in a life time!

As he stood and watched the car disappear, he failed to notice the shadow looming over him. And by the time he did notice, he was on the ground, being pinned down.

"I told you NOT to let her go. But, apparently you don't know how to follow instructions. I expected more out of you, Frederick" A male voice behind him taunted.

"I'm not doing anymore of your dirty work...Rex" Frederick hissed in reply. He gave a yelp of pain as he was scratched across the face.

"Then I guess you'll just have to die. You were useful while it lasted. Farewell. Judy's family will be joining you soon."

Frederick's last sight was that of his enemy's glowing red eyes. And then, a gunshot sounded. And everything went black. Forever.

Judy's POV

I impatiently sat outside of Chief Bogo's office. I rubbed my paws up and down my arms. My whole mind was reeling with fear, anger, sadness, and confusion. Why was all of this happening? What happened to Nick? Why did my father lock me up? And what had Frederick ment when he said all that stuff back home?

My questions would go unanswered for quite sometime as the door to Bogo's office swung open. He stuck his head out and looked over at me. His expression was unreadable.

"Come in, Officer Hopps" He said.

I nodded and slid off the chair I'd been sitting on. I walked in his office and hopped onto the chair in front of his desk. I watched his every move as he sat down in his own chair, sighing slightly as he did so.

"Hopps, thank you for returning so quickly. We need you right now, as you probably guessed" Bogo said, staring at me from over the top of his glasses.

"Yes, sir. I need answers just as badly as everyone else" I replied.

"I figured as much. We don't have much information. And what little we do have, is not good. You see, shortly after you left for Bunnyburrow, Officer Wilde started acting strangely. He became easily angered, and appeared to be in some sort of pain. I asked him about it, but he shrugged it off as a simple migraine. Clearly, it was far more than that. Nick hasn't been seen since Officer Waterson's...murder."

I cringed at his use of strong words. It was very celar he wasn't taking this situation lightly. Not that it was ment to be. But, still, Nick was not a killer. Something else was at play here. Something very serious.

"Do you know anything else, Chief?" I asked.

"Not much. But, I can tell you, that a female rabbit was murdered the night before. Far out in the rainforest district. She was about your age, and was even in training to be a cop. She too, was killed by a fox" He replied, tossing a file in front of me.

I slowly opened the file, and cringed at the photos. I had to look away to prevent from getting sick. What fox would do this? And if it was Nick...why? Why? My body began trembling with terror at the thought. As I continued flipping through the file, Chief Bogo's phone rang. He picked it up and spoke for a moment. I didn't pay any mind to it, till he placed his hoof on the file to get my attention.

"Hopps...an incedent has occured in Bunnyburrow. It's your fiance..." Bogo trailed off slightly.

"W-What is it Chief?" I asked, my eyes widening with concern.

"He...He's dead. And so are your siblings. Your mother and father are missing. And the ones dead were slaughtered by...a fox."

My whole world came crashing down then. My heart felt like it had stopped, and my body went numb. Tears filled my eyes, and before I knew it...my own screams of despair were filling my ears.

Nick's POV

I ran through the woodland area of Bunnyburow. I'd been running for about ten minutes. My legs were aching terribly. I knew I was gonna have to stop soon. But, I also had to make sure I was far enough away. Far, far away from the enemy.

Once I felt I was a safe distance, I stopped running and sighed. I set the bundle I'd been carrying in between my teeth on the ground gently. Examining my surroundings, I spotted a few houses in the distance. My ears perked up and my eyes narrowed in on one of the houses. Perfect.

Picking up the bundle again, I ran towards the house. I snuck through the tall grass, making sure not to be spotted. If any bunny saw me, I'd either send them running and screaming, or they'd try to attack me. Not that a bunch of stupid rabbits could do much to hurt a savage fox.

As I snuck up to the back porch of the house, I quietly climbed the steps. I laid the bundle down, and used my claws to tap loudly on the glass door. I immediatly ran off afterwards, hiding in the grass again. I watched and waited.

A female rabbit slid open the door, looking around. She gasped when she spotted the bundle and scooped it up. So pulled the blanket back a little and gasped again.

"Andrew! I found a baby bunny!" She exclaimed.

The one I assume, was called Andrew, stepped out the door. He examined the little rabbit and looked around too. "Who do you suppose left her?"

"Don't know. Whoever it was is gone now" She replied, rocking the baby back and forth. "What should we do?"

"We need to see if he belongs to anyone first. If not, I guess we'll be having another one of 16 children" Andrew chuckled. "Come on, Cindy. Let's call the Police Department."

Cindy nodded and followed her husband inside, shutting the sliding door behind her. I ignored the feral instict inside, which told me to chase them. I turned around and ran back towards the woods. At least, in my savage state, I did one thing right. I'd saved the little bunny's life. But I knew this life saving behavior, would not last long.