Chapter Seventeen

Corruption and Lies

Jack deposited the wolf onto the ground unceremoniously. He quickly moved to him, picking up the predator and slamming him into the bumper of the crashed car. Jack grabbed the metal bumper and morphed the back of the car into a knot around the wrists of the wolf. Nick approached Jack, "What did he say?"

"We have to get to the hospital this instant," Jack answer back as he closed the distance. His wings rolled in and dissipated. The armor followed suit. Nick looked to Jack, "What's going on?"

Jack looked to the Nexus. It had shrunk significantly; it was no longer on his hand at all and was halfway down his forearm. Jack looked to the fallen telephone pole. He spied one of the loose wires. He saw a small spark of electricity from it. He walked over and grabbed it. The rabbit began to drain the energy from it, "Judy is in trouble."

"What?" Nick was only able to respond with that.

A single thick blue tendril grew from the broken end of the wire and interacted with the Nexus. Jack looked to Nick, "They're going after Judy."

The Nexus continued to grow as Nick asked, "Why her?"

"Because she and you have become a nuisance," the wolf spat from the side.

"A nuisance?" Nick asked looking to the wolf, "Because we are doing our job."

"Just because you are doing your job doesn't make it right."

Nearly Jack's entire arm was coated in the Nexus when he dropped the wire. He strode up to the wolf. He grabbed him by the chin, smacking his head into the car, "When are they going after her?"

The wolf cracked a smile, "They already got her."

He gave a laugh. Jack slammed the wolf's head into the car, knocking him out. Jack stepped away and towards Nick, "Hold on."

"What are you doing?"

"We are going back to the hospital." Jack answered channeling more energy into the Nexus. He concentrated on the task he was about to perform.

"Teleport?" Nick asked.

"Teleport." Jack confirmed. The two were consumed by a ball of electricity that vanished fast. There was no evidence of the rabbit or fox once inhabiting that spot on the road. Police sirens in the distance neared the area of the crash.

In a flash of light Nick and Jack appeared in the reception area of Savanna Central Medical. The room was devoid of activity. A siren was going off, and lights by the doorways were flashing. Nick tried to regain his composure after the teleport. Jack rushed towards the reception desk. He jumped up and looked to see the body of the nurse they saw earlier. A bullet hole was right between her eyes, and a nice sizable puddle of blood had formed around her. Nick spoke up from down the room, "Seems they already got here."

Jack jumped down from the desk as Nick walked towards him. Jack said, "They had lethals."

"Not leaving anything to chance," Nick commented as he headed towards the elevator. Jack followed as he asked, "Going to see Judy?"

"I'm not leaving until we see if she is here."

The elevator call was not working; the alarm disengaged them from operation. There was a set of stairs not that far from the elevators. They followed the signs marking their location and rushed to the third floor. They saw several bodies on the hallway of the floor. Nurses, doctors, and few guards made up the visible body count. Each of them had bullet holes in precision locations. These mammals that attacked the hospital were professionally trained. Each of their shots were dead on, and accurate to kill with one shot. Two if necessary it seemed. Nick jumped over the dead bodies and towards room 338.

Jack lazily followed. He saw Nick stop in the doorway of the desired room. Nick seemed to deflate, and almost refused to enter the room. Jack rushed to close the distance and the vulpine entered. Jack remained in the doorframe and watched Nick. The red fox just stood in the middle of the room. The bed sheets were half on the floor. The gown Judy was wearing was ripped and on the ground. Jack stepped in, "We are going to find her Nick."

Nick fell to his knees, "How?"

Jack wasn't sure. He just felt like it was what he should say. Jack didn't answer. Nick's ears fell as he turned to look at the rabbit, "How do you know we can?"

Nick stood up, "They got her and left, there is no way we can find her."

Jack could see the inkling of tears in Nick's eyes. Jack faltered to answer at first, but he remembered one thing the wolf had said, "The Palm Hotel."

"What?" Nick looked at Jack with confusion.

"The wolf said something about the Palm Hotel, that must be where they took Judy."

Nick was not able to give a response as the two of them heard footfalls coming their way. They turned to the door as a mammal arrived. It was a lioness dressed in jeans, a black shirt. She had a navy blue jacket as well; there were golden letters on the shoulder that read HICU. Behind the lioness came a black bear, dressed similar to her. The bear lowered the tranq gun he was holding as he saw the two occupants of the room. Nick spoke, "HICU?"

"Yes," the lioness showed the sleeve of her jacket.

"Officer Wilde," Nick gestured to himself. He pointed to Jack, "This is my consultant Jack Savage."

"Sarah Mulder," the lioness gestured to herself. She pointed at the bear behind her, "Phil Scully."

The bear nodded to the two. Sarah asked, "What are you two doing here?"

"Officer Hopps," Nick answered, "The mammals that attacked us last night on Arum Drive attacked the hospital for her. They took her to the Palm Hotel."

Sarah looked to Phil and nodded. The bear returned the gesture and raised his gun. He fired one shot right at Jack. The rabbit looked to the dart; he quickly pulled it out as he channeled energy to attack. Nick shouted out, "What the hell!"

Sarah removed her gun from her holster and fired a dart at Nick. Jack was unable to make an attack as the fast acting tranquilizer knocked him out. He fell to the floor. Nick tried to fight the effect, but he was losing. Sarah strode into the room, "You are predictable Nicholas."

Nick fell to the ground as he was on the cusp of unconsciousness. Sarah knelt down, "And you are a nuisance that must be dealt with."

Judy groaned as she came to. Her memory was foggy, but she remembered animals charging into her hospital room. She could remember the sounds of pained gasps, silenced bullets, and pleas for mercy. Pleas she figured went unanswered. After they stormed her room she was shot, but not with a bullet. She remembered seeing a red tuft of a tranq dart in her stomach. Judy's eyes opened wide as she finally woke up. The haze of the tranquilizer finally disappearing. She tried to move, but she was met with restriction. She was in a massive room cloaked in darkness, so much so that she could not make out the edges of it.

She was on a raised platform in the center of the room. The stage fell off not that far from her. She could see rows and rows of seats all surrounding the stage. She was in a stadium of some sort. The only source of light was a large stage light overhead that illuminated the podium. In the very center Judy spied a black metallic cylinder. There were markings and etchings on the surface of it, yet she was too far away to make them out. She looked down to herself. She was no longer wearing the hospital gown. She wasn't wearing anything at all, she was naked. Instinctively she tried to cover herself, but she was met with the same resistance. Her leg was still in its cast, and the bandages were still around her stomach. Her arms were held behind her back. She looked over her shoulder, her arm was out of its sling and handcuffs were done on her wrists. The cuffs were bolted to the floor by a nail, obviously fired from a nail gun. She adjusted her sitting position and used her good leg to cover herself as best as she could.

She heard a voice erupt from the darkness, "It's good to see you are awake Miss Hopps."

Judy's ears perked up to the sound, but she lowered them as a honey badger walked to center stage. He stood next to the black cylinder. He placed a paw on the surface of the metal, "I was afraid my men might have overdid it back at the hospital."

"Who are you?" Judy spat at the mammal.

The badger didn't answer as three more mammals emerged from the darkness. They stood on the edge of the light, but Judy was still able to make them out. She shrunk back; they were the mammals from the hospital. She recognized the wolf, horse, and pig. The badger spoke, "My name is Albert."

"What do you want with me?" Judy asked trying to make herself as small as possible.

Albert stepped away from the cylinder and strode towards Judy. He spoke, "I'm not the one that chose you to be here. My boss wanted to ensure that an annoyance like you would be dealt with."

"And who exactly is that?"

"It doesn't really matter that much at the moment," Albert redirected the question as he turned and walked back to the cylinder. He reached for the top and pressed a button, and then stepped to the side. A hiss of air sounded out as the sides of the cylinder separated into three panels. They hit the floor to expose the inner workings of the device. Inside was a glass cylinder, the inside was lit amber. Inside the glass chamber was a series of metal coils. Albert looked to Judy, "What happens to you will be the least of this town's worries."

"You're the ones behind the savage case," Judy stated with realization.

"Fast bunny," the pig spoke with sarcasm.

Albert ignored the commented as he answered, "Good deduction, but that was just a test."

"A test? What kind of test?"

Albert stepped closer to Judy. He loomed over her. She turned away from him, she didn't want him this close to her when she was without clothing. The badger lowered himself slightly to be eye level with the rabbit. He smiled, "A test to see if prey were susceptible to the effect."

Judy didn't answer; she folded her ears over her shoulder to get more cover. Albert straightened back up, "Don't like being natural Judy?"

She glared daggers at the badger, "Especially not in the company of someone like you."

"You wound me Hopps," Albert held his chest in mock pain. He dropped the joke and continued, "It seemed fitting."

"Fitting?" Judy cocked her head to the side.

Albert looked to the side, "We know someone will more than likely come to save you," he paused as he walked back to the device, "But we have a surprise in store for them."

Albert remained still next to the device, facing away from Judy. She chimed in, "What surprise?"

"This," Albert answered turning around with a gun in his hand. It wasn't a lethal, neither a tranq gun. Judy recognized the weapon instantly. She stared Albert down, "Where did you get that?"

"From a little sheep friend." Albert smiled as he pulled down on the trigger.

A small whip of wind was all that sounded out. Judy was unable to dodge the projectile, being stuck in place. She was pushed onto her back. Judy stared down in horror at the blue smear of liquid smack center of her chest. She looked back up at Albert. He lowered the pistol, "Give her a few seconds, remove the restrains and then we leave."

He reached for the device and turned a dial. He looked back to Judy. Her vision began to fade. She felt her heart begin to race. Her breathing was faster. Her nose was twitching. Judy spoke, "Ni-Nick w-wi-will s-stop you."

"I doubt that Hopps," Albert turned back to Judy. The horse and pig had already made their exit; the wolf began to walk towards her. He held a bolt cutter in his paws. Albert wore a sinister smile, one that read confidence. As if he knew he had won, "How can he stop us when they will be too busy being dead?"

"W-What d-did you d-do t-to him?"

Albert didn't answer as he walked into the darkness. His voice echoed out, "They should be arriving at the hospital right now."

"He w-will stop y-you!" Judy shouted out. She gave a growl at the wolf still standing by her side. She recoiled at the action she didn't mean to make. The wolf smiled, "How does it feel to go savage bunny?"

Judy didn't answer. She tried to speak, but her voice didn't come out. Her vision tunneled, her eyes glazed over. Her pupils increased in size. The wolf bent down and snapped the cuffs in half. Instantly she tried to scurry away from the wolf. She tripped over her injured limbs. She bared her teeth and began to gnaw at the cast on her leg. The wolf laughed as he made an exit. Judy continued to chew at the cast, beginning to break it. The dark room was filled with the sound of charging electricity. Sparks flashed into existence inside the glass chamber taking center stage.

Nick heard the muffled sound of a car engine. His ears twitched as he could also sense the presence of other mammals. He kept his eyes shut as he tried to move, but he was bound tight. He heard a voice speak aloud, "It would seem he's awake."

Nick opened his eyes to see the white painted back of a van. He looked down to see a large concrete block served as his seat. A loop of rusted metal sat in the center of it and Nick was handcuffed to it. Behind him he saw a still unconscious Jack was also bound. He noticed that the Nexus had been removed. Nick looked to the other occupants of the back of the van. There was Sarah and Phil, still dressed in HICU garb. Sitting in between the two of them was a new addition, a rhino. He was dressed just like the other two, but he lacked an HICU jacket.

The van still remained in motion as Nick asked, "So, fake HICU uniforms?"

"Nope," Sarah answered, "Real agents."

"So the HICU is the bad guy." Nick nodded his head. He looked to the floor, "Yet another fantastic job by the Zootopia government."

The van came to a stop. Nick was forced towards the back door of the van, but was held in place by the immovable concrete block. As soon as they came to a stop Sarah and Phil rose up and opened the back door. Nick looked out see to the edge of an unfinished bridge. He recognized it instantly. Everyone in the city could see the new bridge that would span Bayou Bay, the body of water to the west of the Rainforest district. It would connect the Marshlands and allow for more growth beyond the peninsula that the metropolis populated. Far across the water he spied the other end of the bridge. As well as the beginning development of the new Docks to take most of Zootopia's trading ports off of the mainland. Another one of Malay's plans. They had recently just got the first end towers set up. He could see in the middle of the water the starting work for the other two tower foundations. The van backed up till it was on the edge of the bridge, Nick could see the waters far below.

Nick felt the presence of the rhino looming down on him, Nick turned to him and asked, "Are you HICU as well?"

The rhino didn't respond as he effortlessly pushed the concrete block closer to the edge. Nick panicked, "So you are just going to kill us?"

"Yes," Sarah shouted from the side of the van. Nick turned away from the rhino and looked out to the expanse of water. The rhino took a step back as the lioness continued, "In less than a day the three of you have nearly derailed our entire operation."

"Good," Nick smugly stated.

Sarah continued, "We had to rush our plans, but we also had to make sure that there would be no more meddling from you."

"So the Palm Hotel then?"

"Can't trust the lackeys off the street to keep their muzzles shut," the lioness said more to herself than to Nick. There was a slight pause before she continued, "But yes. That's going to be our next test. After that the main event."

"Savage animals?" Nick asked.

"Isn't it obvious," Sarah mocked.

"Just seems like it's not that original. Bellwether did the same thing and it failed."

"That was because that dumb ewe wasn't thinking about the long run. She was doing it too slow. We will have it done within hours, not months like she was trying."

"Good for you, but you aren't the best villains. You are just using what someone else did."

"Are you trying to belittle us Wilde?" Sarah asked.

"Is it that obvious?" Nick remained his demeanor as he teetered on the edge of plummeting to a watery grave.

She laughed before continuing, "Even to the end you try to be the smug one."

"What can I say," Nick tried to shrug, but his restraints prevented him from doing so, "A con-artist to the end."

"It's a shame you will be dead, won't be able to see Zootopia rip itself apart tomorrow."

The rhino took the queue and began to push the concrete block closer to the edge of the van. As the edge began to consume their perch Nick asked, "Took the Nexus as well?"

"Nexus?" Sarah asked. She gave an 'oh' of realization, "You mean the device your little rabbit friend had. Of course, something that powerful would be very useful to us."

"You won't win," Nick said as the block hovered over the precipice, the rhino being the only thing holding it from plummeting. Sarah asked, "How so Mister Wilde?"

She answered her own question, "The ZPD are not looking into it. The only ones that can do anything are indisposed, or about to be dead." She paused, "Zootopia will be destroyed in less than a day. And the one wrench in our plans, Mister Jack Savage, is going down the drain with you. We won Nick; there is no argument in that."

"You'll see," was all Nick gave in response.

"No. What I rather see is you drowning. Drop'em."

The rhino followed the order and released his grip on the block, sending it over the edge. Nick watched as they fell to the waters below. Not wanting to waste precious seconds of air time he reached over his shoulder and grabbed one of Jack's ears in his maw. Once he got a hold of it he bit down hard. Jack jolted awake screaming. He tried to grab his ear, but was unable to move. He looked behind him to Nick. Nick spoke first, "Talk about it later, can you call the Nexus."

"Call the Nexus?" Jack looked to his arm to see it wasn't there. He saw the water below, "Are we being killed?"

"Less talky, and more savey." Nick ordered with earnest.

Jack spoke, "I don't think I can."

"Well then think you can little engine!"

Jack gave Nick a deadpan look. Seeing now was not a time to waste seconds he sighed and closed his eyes. He wasn't even sure where to begin to contact Ness. He figured he could only talk with him if the Nexus was connected to him. If by a miracle Jack did hear a voice in his head, "Are you awake sir?"

Jack spoke to the voice in his head, "Ness, now would be a good time to get back to where you belong."

"Very well."

Ness' presence faded as Jack felt something on his right arm. He looked down to see the Nexus had made its way back to him. It grew along his arm as it resituated itself. Just as it reattached the concrete block broke the surface of the water. Nick and Jack held their breath as they were dragged to the bottom of the less than shallow water. Acting fast Jack heated up the Nexus, causing the water to bubble and the metal to melt away. He dislodged himself and then freed Nick. They swam to the surface.

They aimed for underneath the bridge as they broke the churning surface. Nick spoke, "A bit to close there Stripes."
Jack grabbed his bitten ear and inspected it. There was a nice set of marks adorning his left ear. He even saw holes through the pink inner flesh and blood beginning to mix with the water. He began to swim to shore, "Ness can you fix my ear?"

Without a word Jack felt warmth encapsulate the afflicted appendage. They reached the shore and remained there for a few seconds. Nick spoke, "We have to get to the Palm, they will probably try to stop us from getting there now."

"With the Nexus back in my possession, they know we could have survived." Jack suggested.

Nick looked at the area around them. He spied a parking lot half filled with cars, "Maybe another car chase."

"One was good enough for me," Jack answered standing up "But if it's for Judy, sure."

Nick stood up and began to walk towards the cars, "Do you care for her?"

"I got her into this mess," Jack answered.

"We both did." Nick tried to take some of the blame away from the white rabbit.

Jack didn't answer back. Nick took the lead as Jack looked to the Nexus, "I thought that only I can remove you?"

"Well, not exactly," Ness answered, "You can remove me, but if you are unconscious I cannot remain attached properly. I can be removed that way. Or if you are killed. Or your arm is chopped off."

Jack didn't answer as he rushed to catch up with Nick who had found a car their size.

Bogo sat at his desk reading over a document sent in from city hall. He was pulled away from his skimming when his phone rang. He picked up the receiver, "Chief Bogo, who is speaking?"

"This is Darius," came the caller.

"Mister Grey," Bogo was surprised with the caller, "Why the call?"

"It has to do with two of your officers."

Bogo gave a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Hopps and Wilde?"

"More Mister Wilde than Hopps." Darius answered.

"Listen, I just heard that the hospital was assaulted. My department is in a bit of disarray trying to control the situation."

"It's not about that Bogo," Darius corrected, "It would seem that Wilde and that Mister Savage took it upon themselves to continue investigating the case I took from their possession."

Bogo didn't responded at first. He smirked as he answered, "I'll see what I can do, but I'm stretched a bit thin here with the whole hospital thing."

Darius sighed from the other end. Bogo continued, "I'll put an APB on them. Try to settle this as civil as possible."

"Fine, if that is so, then I will probably spare some of my resources to detain them if they continue."

Bogo slammed his fist on his desk, "They are not fugitives! One of them is my officer and I will not have them treated as criminals."

"If they continue, I will treat them just as that." Darius hung up the call. Bogo fumed as he slammed the phone down on the receiver. He picked the phone back up and dialed in a number. The phone buzzed once and went straight to voicemail, "Wilde's name, policing's the game. Leave your mark after the beep."

Bogo hung the phone up as the beep went off. He dialed another number, "This is Judy Hopps. I'm sorry I can't answer your call at the moment. Please leave your number and message and I will get back to you as soon as I can."

Again Bogo hung up as the beep went off. He sighed as he looked to his phone. He rubbed his head, feeling the onset of a headache. He punched in a number, "Yes Chief Bogo?"

Clawhauser's voice rang out through the receiver from his position at the reception desk on the ground floor.

"Clawhauser I want you to put out an APB on Wilde and Savage."

The cheetah didn't respond. Bogo could hear the munching of something in his mouth over the phone. Ben gulped and asked, "Excuse me sir, did you say Wilde as in Nick Wilde?"

"Yes, our Nick Wilde." Bogo confirmed.

"And that fluffy white bunny with the stripes you sent off with them?"

"Yes, the very one."

"May I ask why?"

"You may ask, but you won't get an answer."

Ben gave one last question, "What about Judy?"

"Leave her out of it." Bogo hung up.

He leaned back in his chair with a sigh. He did not want to do this. He rather not, but his hands were tied. He hoped Nick would not get himself in trouble. Bogo's phone rang. He picked it up again Clawhauser was on the other end, "Umm…" Ben trailed off.

Bogo filled in the silence, "What is it Ben?"

"I just got a call in from Precinct Three of a car chase."

Bogo didn't like where this was going. Ben continued, "They and the HICU are in pursuit of Wilde and Savage sir."

Bogo didn't say a word. "Sir?"

Still no reply from the buffalo. "Umm Sir?"

Bogo slammed the phone onto the receiver. The phone platform was mashed in half and a hole was punched into the top of desk into the drawer below. "Wilde!"

Jack had followed Nick to his car of choice. It was a small blue car. It was smaller than the one they had in the short chase earlier, fit for smaller mammals. As Jack neared he asked, "You want to take a car, and not my motorcycle?"

Nick answered as the rabbit closed the distance, "A car would be better in a chase. We will be less exposed than on a cycle."

Not objecting, Jack approached the driver door and sent a tendril of energy into the lock. As he undid it he stated, "I drive."

"Why you?" Nick asked from the side.

Jack looked back to Nick, "Because I said so."

The door unlocked and the car alarm went off. Nick rushed to the other side, "Now they know where we are."

Jack jumped into the car. He slammed his paw on the dashboard, the alarm shutting off, "They know where we are going I doubt it matters at this point."

Nick got into the car, "I still feel we need as much of a lead on them as we can get."

Jack started the car and backed out of the spot, "If it comes to them gaining on us, I'll handle it."

Jack made his way for the exit. As they drove they saw an otter rushing across the lot towards them, "Stop! That's my car!"

The rabbit and fox ignored the command and headed to the unguarded exit to the lot. Nick looked back to see the otter fish out a phone and make a call. Nick turned back, "The HICU might not be the only ones chasing us now."

Jack didn't respond to the comment as he turned right. He spoke to Ness, "Give me a GPS route to the Palm."

"Sure Jack," Ness spoke up projecting a map on Jack's side of the windshield. The roads were outlined faintly blue and a yellow path was highlighted with a red arrow marking their location. It was faded so the Jack could see the road ahead, but also able to see the directions. Ness ordered, "Continue straight on this road for about a quarter mile then take a right."

Jack looked to the display and pressed on the gas. He looked to the radio, "Can we get the police scanner?"

"Why?" Ness asked.

"We might be getting some company soon," Jack answered as he reached out and grabbed the radio. Electricity sparked from it. Static filled the car as it tuned. The static died as a voice sounded out, "I repeat we have a five-oh-three by the VerraZebra Bridge, a white rabbit and red fox have stolen a blue Nissand Viper Sedan. Said to be heading east on Bayou Boulevard."

"That otter was fast," Nick commented on the police report already signaling them out.

Jack reached back and made the turn as directed, "The HICU probably wants to stop us as soon as possible."

"Turn left ahead," Ness spoke up.

Jack followed the directions. Ness continued, "Stay on this road, make a merge to the left in a quarter of a mile."

The police scanner came to life, "This is Agent Mulder HICU, I have conformation of the Viper, will pursue."

Seeing fit he heard what he wanted Jack waved his hand to dismiss the police scanner. Nick looked out the back to see a black van was gaining on them. Jack checked the mirror to see it as well. He pressed down on the accelerator as the van turned on its lights and sirens. The voice of the lioness echoed from the van, "Pull over this instant Savage and Wilde."

Jack ignored and pressed further on the gas. Ahead he saw a pair of cruisers were heading towards them, their lights on as well. Seeing the walls closing in fast, Jack made a hard left turn, right into an alley. The side of the car scraped against the brickwork as they exited the other side. The van and police cruisers were too large to enter the alley, thus had to turn around to continue to pursue. Ness corrected the route, "Make a right coming up."

Jack followed the heads up display on the windshield. He was happy the streets here were mostly devoid of activity, but he knew they had to cross through more populated areas to get to the complete other side of the city. Jack made the turn, as did a police cruiser right on his tail. He pressed on the gas. Ness elected to change the GPS into a better HUD, better to show than tell like a GPS. This took the form of a faint yellow arrow projected on the glass to look like a part of the road outside. Jack ordered, "Can you get us to a highway Ness?"

"Recalculating," Ness seemed to mock the more computer like voice a GPS was programed with. Even if his voice was just a few aspects above that. The cruiser behind them spoke up, "Pullover Wilde."

Nick looked to Jack, "Why the highway?"

Jack took the directed left turn, which he had to make a right soon after. He was on another straight stretch of road as he answered, "We have to get to the Palm as soon as possible. A highway allows us the fastest route."

"You do know the police cruisers will be able to outperform you there right." Nick stated.

"That's what I plan on happening," Jack looked to Nick with a sly smile. Nick did not like where this was going. Sensing that was indeed what the rabbit was planning Nick ordered, "Don't kill anyone."

"Can I just shoot them in the leg?" Jack countered as he merged slightly to the right to get on the proper road. Nick interjected, "So long as it is none fatal."

Jack agreed as he followed the road. Jack looked back to see the cruiser had gained on them. The HICU van was also not that far behind with a cruiser alongside it. Jack spied the closer cop getting into position to perform a PIT maneuver. But with the size difference it might as well just be a drive over maneuver. Again the cruiser spoke up, "Stop now or we will be forced to take action."

Jack charged energy into the Nexus. He concentrated as he channeled it through the wheel of the car and down to the asphalt below. He kept the flow of energy with the car, and once it collected into a large enough surge he let go of the buildup. Jack watched through the rearview mirror as the road directly behind them erupted. Chunks of road and rock rose in the air, right into the police cruiser behind them. The front of the car was cratered, as well as the front tires by the sharp floating pieces of matter. The cruiser hit the massive pothole and was vaulted upwards landing on its roof. It slid to a stop in the road as the van and other cruiser passed it by.

Jack took the directed slight left as the two other pursuers mimicked his actioned. Jack looked back to see the black van was beginning to close the distance. The cruiser was trailing behind it as a second joined it and he noticed a third was not that far off. He took a slight right and entered on a straight stretch of road before the entrance to the highway.

The van was upon them, Jack looked back. He needed to stop the HICU, they would stop at nothing to stop them and destroy Zootopia with whatever their Berserker was. Jack looked to Nick, "Take the wheel."

Nick snapped to attention. His ears perked as he gave Jack a sideways glance, "Excuse me?"

"Take the wheel Wilde!" Jack ordered as he removed his hands from the steering wheel. Nick leapt from his seat and grabbed it. He kept the car on its straight path as Jack stood up in his seat. Nick asked, "Where are you going?"

"Out," Jack glanced behind him. He looked back to Nick, "Go ahead without me, I'll catch up when I'm done."

"Ok Stripes." Nick watched as Jack faded from existence and fazed through the seats and out of the car. Nick took the driver's seat as he looked in the mirror to the street behind him. Jack stood in the very center of the street as he became tangible again. He turned halfway to look at the advancing van. It seemed to pick up speed further as it raced towards him.

Jack gave a small twitch of his right hand and the suit of crystal armor encapsulated him. The ground cracked as asphalt was removed and plastered to his body. The crystal armor was covered with an additional coating of the ground. He clenched his fists as the van closed the distance to ram him.

The front of the van impacted the rabbit, the front bumper bend and morphed as it was deformed. It was as if the van just rammed into one of those protective pylons on the sidewalk. The van shaped as if it was trying to hug Jack. Jack flexed his shoulders and a blast of energy dislodged the broken metal from his body. The van lost all of its momentum and rested in front of Jack as he reached forward and grabbed the broken bumper. The asphalt coating fell and the blue crystal armor glowed brightly. He effortlessly picked up the vehicle and tossed it over his shoulders. Jack ignored the other encroaching police cruisers as he looked to the airborne HICU van. As it reached the top of its short arch and began to fall back to the street on its roof.

Jack slammed his foot into the ground, cracking the road, and he thrusted his arms upwards. The ground responded by shooting a spike of earth skywards and into the van. It skewered it in place and it remained suspended by a long spire of rock. Jack turned around as the cruisers closed in; he repeated the earth bending move and a wall erected across the entire street blocking the cars off. He heard one of them slam into the blockade. Another hit the first, but the third seemed to stop in time. Jack looked back to van. He saw the lioness Mulder pressed up against the cracked windshield. She looked to him. Jack gave a little salute and he disappeared in a flash.

Jack re-materialized in the passenger seat of the car, Nick was at the wheel and the car was not moving. The armor faded from his face as he looked around. Jack saw the spectacle he just performed not that far down the road. He looked to the fox. Nick looked to Jack, worry was plastered on his face. Jack spoke, "I told you to go on without me."

Nick didn't answer at first. Jack stared him down expecting him to. Jack sighed as he sat back down in the seat, "Just wanted to see me do my thing?"

"How are you alive?" Nick finally spoke.

The fox took the car out of park as he finally got over it and drove towards the nearby on-ramp to the highway. Jack answered as Nick took the last left they needed before the ramp, "I made myself into an unmovable object. And since the van wasn't an unstoppable force I won in that game of chicken."

Nick merged onto the empty ramp and onto the bizarrely empty highway. Nick spoke, "I don't like this."

Jack stood up in his seat and looked down the long stretch of ghost town like roadway. He could just make out something on the horizon. He squinted his eyes to get a better sense of what it was, but to no avail. Without objection Nick continued down the road closer to the Palm. As they moved down Jack spied the reason to the empty highway, a roadblock. Jack looked to Nick, "Roadblock ahead."

Nick perked up at the statement. He looked down the road to see it as well. He added, "I can make out five heavy cruisers, no way are we going to get through them with this car."

"What if we don't have to go through them?" Jack suggested.

Nick lessened on the gas as the distance to the line of cop cars lessened. He looked to Jack, "I'm fine with you doing what you did to those HICU scumbags back there. But I draw the line at my fellow officers. I don't want them harmed."

"Ok, then how else do you expect us to get to the Palm with a literal block in the road."

"Can't you just teleport?"

"No," Ness answered, "It may be the same as the Palm back in Jack's Zootopia, but it can have a completely different landscape. That makes it unsafe to teleport blindly."

"And we can't turn back," Jack added.

"Looks like we are stuck between a rock and a hard place." Nick stated.

Jack turned from the fox. They were going slow now, the roadblock was still a ways away. Seeing something out of the corner of his vision Jack looked behind to see encroaching cruisers speeding down towards them. Jack spoke, "Press on the gas."

"What?" Nick asked confused.

"Just do it Wilde." Jack ordered.

Nick noticed the movement in the rearview mirror and followed the rabbit's instructions. As their speed increased back to what it once was Jack smiled. They were enclosing on the road block. He could see cops in armor move around and hunker behind their cars as the smaller car closed the distance. Jack looked to Nick and asked, "Have you ever wanted a convertible?"

Nick stole a glance at Jack with a raised eyebrow. He didn't speak, but his face was plastered with confusion. Not understanding where the random question had come from. Jack rolled his eyes and he charged up the Nexus. Crystals flowed forth from the gauntlet and latched onto the steering wheel, taking Nick off of it. More crystals morphed onto the gas pedal pushing it down to the floor. The wheel was stabilized, keeping the car on a straight path towards the road block. Jack pointed his fingers like a gun to the roof of the car and a single blast of energy erupted upwards. The roof of the car was ripped right off and landed on the road. Jack summoned the crystal wings and grabbed Nick's arm. In a blast of air the two were launched out of the car and high into the air, the windows erupting in their wake.

The accelerating car slammed into the road block, pushing one of the cruisers back. The officers jumped back as the car impacted. Jack hovered high above the highway, giving him a good view of Zootopia. He even spied the Palm hotel. The pursuing cruisers came to a stop as their occupants exited to see the flying rabbit with a fox in his grasp. Nick shouted, "Are you insane?"

Jack gave a flap of his wings as he looked to the fox. Nick brought his other hand up to grab Jack's. Nick's ears were plastered backwards. Jack asked, "Afraid of heights?"

Nick gave a half laugh, "No. I just don't like to be dangling over certain doom by a mammal half my size."

"Cry baby," Jack countered looking back to the Palm. He saw a large pool of water nearby. He focused on his target and let go of the energy he was building up. The officers on the ground watched as the floating rabbit and fox disappeared in a flash of white light.