Chapter 14
Judy did not want to explain the plan to the others until they get inside Jason's cruiser for fear of eavesdropping. Soon, they got in the cruiser with Jason and Emily sitting in front while Judy and Finnick sat in the back. Then, Jason drove his car along the busy Zootopia streets on the way to the army's command center near the school. It was hard to believe that the day was beautiful, sunny and peaceful despite the chaos surrounding the school.
"All right," Judy said to the others, "I was thinking of using the air conditioning system, and I believe that Finnick and I will be able to fit inside because of our small sizes while the others can create some diversion to keep them busy while we get Nick and Hucky out. What do you think?"
"Are you out of your tooting mind, Officer Toot Toot?" Finnick retorted.
"Afraid?" Judy teased as she crossed her arms, "Is our little guy claustrophobic?" which brought laughter from Jason and Emily.
"All right!" Finnick said with annoyance, as he crossed his arms, "But we gonna find where Nick and Hucky are cuz, I sure as hell not gonna end up in their pot of hot soup they are preparing for tonight in a wrong room!"
"Don't worry; we will gather some information from the army and determine where we go. They also have some equipment such as night goggle and other things that we could borrow. Hey, we could do something like that guy did in movie 'Mission Impawssible' – you know – the hanging thing in the secure room?"
"Oh boy!" Finnick groaned as he rolled his eyes as Emily giggled at his reaction.
"Also," Judy added, "We will need Mr. Big's help in this matter. His polar bear bodyguard can make some diversion while we go rescue Nick and Husky."
"Mr. Big?!" Jason exclaimed, "What make you think he'll help a cop like you?"
"I saved his daughter's life couple years ago, so Mr. Big will give me a hand as he has done in missing mammal/savage case."
"Really? I did not know that he helped you with that case. I read your report, and you did not mention him!"
"He has a reputation to keep, so he did not want me to 'spoil' his reputation by helping a cop in solving a case, so I kept it quiet for him."
"Ahh… That would also explain fewer criminal activities in Tundratown in the last couple of years. So, tell me how will they do to help us in this matter?"
"Leave it to us," Judy smiled as she crossed her arm, "They are great at improvisation so they'll think of something that I would not think of. But, promise me that you don't say anything to Bogo."
Others nodded in agreement, as Judy took her iPhone from her pocket, dialed to Fru Fru. After a short discussion, Mr. Big agreed to send two of his best bodyguards, Raymond and Kevin, to meet them at the army command center. Jason and Emily were amazed on how smoothly they worked out together.
Soon, they arrived at the army command center. Mr. Big's bodyguards came just a few minutes after they arrived. Judy introduced her team to the bears. Then the group went to the tent attached to the bus-sized mobile command vehicle, where the commander and other military officials were located. They gathered around the small table in the tent containing what appeared to be the blueprint of the school.
The general, a muscular bison, saw the group entering, walked over to them to greet them.
"Good afternoon and welcome to our command center," the general said, "I assume that you are Officer Hopps and your team, am I right?"
"Yes, sir, General… uh…" Judy said.
"Roamer. Chief Bogo contacted me about your wanting to rescue your fellow officers, and he mentioned about your determination to get your cases resolved, especially your first case – the missing mammal case. He also said your high marks at the academy that rival our tests. So, I am inclined to believe him about your abilities to mount the rescue missions, but I want to add a few of our men to your missions, fair enough?"
"Yes, fair enough, General Roamer," Judy agreed.
"And, the ZIA wants to send in one of its agents –"
"No," Judy interrupted with her eyes frowned, "I don't want that sex-maniac doofus, Agent Savage, because of what he did that almost ruined Nick's and my friendship last year. Besides, Nick would be very furious if Jack is on our team. He will not need the nighthowler dose if he sees that stupid striped bunny."
"Oh, yeah," Jason interjected, "I remember Ben telling me about Nick giving –"
"Shut up, Chewhauser," Judy growled.
"Shutting up, officer," Jason gulped as Finnick giggled. Judy slapped Finnick's back of the head to stop his giggling. Then the polar bears hit Finnick's head in turns. The fennec fox rubbed his back head in annoyance as he looked up at the polar bears. Emily looked confused, as she did not know what happened. Jason shook his head at her as she was about to ask.
Every officer at ZPD remembered the incidents with Agent Jack Savage, and they learned not to mess with an angry bunny cop. Even large mammals stayed away from Judy in her angry state or during her PMS period. Nick was the only person outside of her family who can manage to soothe her down. Savage came at a wrong time – during her PMS, and Savage angered both Nick and Judy with his flirtation with her that has gotten himself a shiner from Nick. Fortunately, Savage decided not to press charge against Nick for assault as it happened during their off-duty time. Despite that he has apologized to both Nick and Judy, they still would not let him near them again.
With that issue aside, Judy introduced her team to the general, and he returned the gesture by adding some of his men – a hippo, grizzly bear, and a couple of cougars by the name of Floater, Wildhoney, Wildcat, and Montana.
Judy proposed her idea of Finnick and her using the ventilation system in the building while the bigger mammals make some diversions to draw some Naxi away from Nick and Husky's location as soon as they confirmed their position. The army provided the night goggles for Judy and Finnick as the vent would be too dark to see clearly along with climbing gears. The cougars would impersonate as Naxi sympathizers. The army soldiers would focus the shooting to keep them busy while the polar bears, Emily and Jason make another diversion to draw more troops away from Nick and Husky's location. The general proposed that cougars would go through the front gate as drunken Naxi supporters to start the diversion.
The general and Judy agreed with the plan and made some minor adjustments to ensure that everything would coordinate more efficiently with everyone. Everyone get the small communication devices that fits inside their ears along with small Bluetooth signalers that alert the teams of any cues, changes, or troubles. The teams, except the cougars, changed into camouflage clothes before going out on the mission.
Time was running out, Judy and Finnick rode with the bears in their limo, went to the other side of the campus to enter undetected over the wire fence, and entered through one of the ventilation system's vents, which located behind one of the large trees that covered their activity from views of other people, especially the Naxi. The bears continued driving away from the campus to meet with one of the army soldiers to enter the camouflaged armored truck with Floater and Wildhoney, turned back to the back of the campus and waited for the cue from Judy before ramming through the fence.
As the rest of the army positioned themselves in strategic spots surrounding the campus. The cougars, wearing offensive pro-Naxi t-shirts, drank a few beers and spelled some beers on their shirt to create an impression that they were drunk. Then they drove like a drunk up to the front gate to 'volunteer' themselves to join the Naxi.
Judy and Finnick put on their night vision goggles and turned it on. They could see the greenish view of the vent clearly now. They waited and listened for the general to start.
Soon, General Roamer's voice heard in their earpieces, "Are everyone in position?"
"Checked," said the first voice, one of the cougar's.
"Wildhoney, here. Checked," said the second voice.
"This is Hopps, checked" Judy said into her mic attached to her earpiece.
"Ready in three," the general voice said. Judy looked at Finnick who give her thumb up.
"One… two… three!"