WARNING: The end of this chapter contains strong emotional torture and physical torment. I would advise any readers that are sensitive to these subjects to either skip the last section of this chapter or to proceed with caution.
ALSO: I have gone back and included a very important detail in the office scene with Victor and Dallas; I can't believe I forgot it, but I fixed it, and now the plot will go on as planned. If you have already read this chapter before, I recommend at least reading the office scene so that you can find the important detail!
"Goddammit, Wolf! We want them alive!" Dallas growled as he exited the van. "Why did we even let you drive in the first place!?"
"Because 'it was his turn,'" Hoofston replied, sending a glare at the wolf in the process.
With a sheepish grin on his muzzle, Wolf shrugged innocently before exiting the van. He was soon followed by Chains, and the four criminals surrounded the demolished convertible.
Several moments of silence passed by as the group tried to decide what to do. If they pried open one of the car doors, would they find two dead cops? If they did, what would they do with the bodies? What if they were alive? Would they be so injured that they'd die out anyway?
Dallas got tired of waiting and walked up to the twisted hunk of metal. The fox leaned over to peer through the window, mentally steeling himself for whatever it was he was about to see. He couldn't suppress the sigh of relief that escaped his lips as he saw the unconscious fox and bunny inside; they were bruised and definitely injured, but still breathing.
The fox turned back to the others. "Chains, I need some help over here!"
The bear lumbered over, and with his help, the car door was pried free from the mangled mess. As the fox climbed inside, Hoofston and Wolf walked closer.
"Alright, give me a hand with these guys!" Dallas ordered from inside the convertible. A moment later, he emerged from the wreckage, pulling the two cops behind him. Hoofston and Wolf immediately set to work, picking up the unconscious mammals and carrying them back into the van.
"So now that we got these guys, what are gonna do with 'em?" Chains asked, drawing Dallas's attention away from the van.
Dallas shrugged. "I don't know. We'll take 'em back, show 'em to Victor. He keeps saying that his son is the key to his plans, so I don't think he'll mind that we did him a favor."
The massive bear snorted. "Sure. Just don't forget to leave the part out where we nearly killed them in the process."
The fox growled. "That was Wolf's fault, not mine," he defended as he began walking towards the van.
Chains snorted again. "Right, but you're the one who let him drive!"
Without looking back, Dallas flipped the bird at Chains, who only snorted again. Moments later, the unconscious cops were stored in the back of the van, and the four criminals got ready to leave.
"Woah, woah, hold up a minute, Wolf," Dallas said, raising a paw to stop the wolf who had begun to make his way towards the driver's seat. "You had your turn; let someone else drive now."
With a groan of disappointment, Wolf slunk away from the door before entering the van through the back door. Dallas sat himself behind the wheel, and after making sure everyone was inside, he started the ignition and backed away from the wreck.
The drive back to the hidden catacombs wasn't very long, even with the crowd of mammals visiting the amusement park. For the second time that day, Dallas drove the van through the small shack and through the damp tunnels before parking in the designated spot.
"Alright, you guys stay here," Dallas said as he exited the van. "I'll go get Victor."
"Good luck! We'll miss you!" Chains said, giving the fox a dramatic wave and a smarmy grin. Dallas chose to ignore the bear and made his way through the small crowd of bustling mammals.
The damp walls did nothing for the growing unease in the fox, but it helped keep Dallas moving forward; if one stayed still for too long, the chill would eventually become too uncomfortable. While the main rooms were given a lively appearance with decorations, the tunnels between areas were kept strikingly bland. Save for the flickering fluorescent lights that hung from the ceiling, the gray walls were completely barren. Dallas couldn't help but be reminded of a prison.
In reality, it didn't take very long for the fox to reach Victor's office, but due to the brooding atmosphere of the catacombs, Dallas felt like he had been wandering aimlessly through a maze and just now found the exit. An oak door big enough for the larger mammals of Victor's group to enter loomed before Dallas. While most other mammals would have felt a strong sense of dread, the fox felt relatively calm; whether it was out of ignorance of Victor's true nature or just an act of defiance against the older fox, Dallas did not know.
After giving three sharp knocks on the dark wood, Dallas waited for the reply. Victor's muffled voice came from behind the door, allowing the fox entry. Without wasting any more time, Dallas passed over the threshold into Victor's office.
The room was just big enough to be comfortable to the larger mammals, yet it wasn't as decorated as Dallas would have thought. A bookshelf lined the wall to his left, filled with various knickknacks, books, and an odd-looking, broken collar stored almost reverently in a glass case. To the right was an electric heater and a few shelves that held various bottles of scotch and a few framed photos. Standing before Dallas was a long desk, atop which laid a map of Zootopia that Victor was currently pouring over. The only illumination in the room came from a single, warm light that hung from the ceiling.
"Victor?" Dallas piped, still adamant about not calling the older fox Sir.
Emerald eyes looked up from the map and regarded the younger fox with cold annoyance. "What?" Victor barked after a beat of silence, his voice low and scratchy; by the looks of the near-empty bottle of scotch next to him, he had been drinking a bit too much.
"The boys and I have got something to show you," Dallas said, unable to help the somewhat victorious smirk that crept over his muzzle.
"You do, huh?" Victor asked. "Is it important enough for me to stop the important work that I'm doing?"
Dallas nodded, his smirk now a broad grin. "One-hundred percent positive," he replied.
Another beat of silence passed before Victor sighed and downed the rest of the bottle next to him. "Alright, fine. What is it?"
"I'm afraid you'll have to follow me," Dallas said. "I had the others stay behind and make sure that everything was alright till we got back."
Victor sighed again as he rubbed his temples; a headache was definitely on its way. Without saying anything, the older fox walked around the desk and followed Dallas out of the office. Judging by the look on the younger fox's face, whatever the four had brought back was putting them in a good mood. Victor wasn't sure whether to be excited or wary.
After a few minutes of walking through the tunnels, Victor and Dallas reached the main room where the other three criminals were waiting patiently. Dallas trotted ahead while Victor fell behind as he wasn't one-hundred percent excited to see their surprise.
Though, when Victor peeked into the back of the van, he suddenly wished he had been there sooner; the punishment would have been much swifter.
"What the hell is this?" Victor asked in a sharp hiss, his hackles raising and his fur bristling. Inside the van was a fox holding tightly to a small bunny, both of them unconscious and barely breathing.
"You kept saying how important these guys were to your plan, so we got them for you!" Wolf chirped, his tail happily wagging behind him. "You're welcome!"
A low growl escaped the older fox's throat as a few seconds passed. Victor clenched his eyes shut before taking a deep breath to calm himself. However, the effect was only temporary; his anger flared again before he even opened his muzzle to speak.
"Why the hell would you think that I wanted them here!?" Victor hissed, glaring daggers into each of the four criminals. "They're the best damn cops in the ZPD! If they go missing, half the city's gonna be searching for them, and the other half is gonna be talking about it! This place will be found out for sure!"
Wolf shrank back, his ears folding against his head and his tail lowering between his legs. Victor turned to the other mammals. "Tell me exactly what you did to get them here. Now."
"We heard that they were in the area," Dallas began, shrugging indifferently. "Knowing how they somehow managed to find us when we hardly left a trace, we were sure that the cops would eventually sniff this place out. So, we took the necessary precautions."
"What were those 'necessary precautions?'" Victor asked.
"Driving them off the road and ramming them into a tree!" Wolf exclaimed, and a silence fell over the group. Dallas placed a paw over his face, Hoofston nervously shifted his weight, and Chains made no perceptible movement.
"You idiots!" Victor cried, earning a few looks from the bustling mammals around them. "I had them right where I wanted! Wooly was taking care of them; they would never have suspected that there was anything off about this place!"
"Well, I'm sorry that you seem to underestimate them," Dallas challenged, crossing his arms across his chest.
Victor paused for a second, his emerald eyes regarding the younger fox before him. Oh, his ignorance is as funny as it is annoying, the older fox thought before chuckling darkly. "You think I underestimate them, do you?" he asked. He felt a little of his anger ebb away as the pieces clicked together. "No, I underestimated you. I should've guessed that you would do anything to get your revenge, even though I already promised it to you."
Dallas tensed up, his ears and tail twitching as he tried to keep them still. This did not go unnoticed by Victor, who chuckled again. "Oh, you guys are morons!" the chuckle turned into a hearty laugh that echoed throughout the spacious room. Dallas dipped his head, hiding his sneer as a low growl escaped his throat.
Victor took a few moments to calm down, but when he did, his voice still had a sharp edge to it. "Well, lucky for you, I'm not a moron. I can make this work to my advantage, and make you happy. I own a warehouse out in Tundratown. You four will take my son and his wife there, and you can do whatever you want to them as long as they live. I'll get the mayor on the phone, and we'll set up a ransom. They'll eventually give in, pay us the money, and Officers Wilde and Hopps go free with the humiliation of being kidnapped by the very same criminals that they once arrested!"
Dallas and the others seemed to think about the proposition for a moment, occasionally glancing at one another as unspoken words traveled between them. Finally, after a few moments of silence, Dallas spoke up. "Alright, we'll do it."
Victor clapped his paws together. "Good! Now, since you four literally wrecked my kid and his wife, we have to make sure that they're gonna live! Don!" the fox's sudden shout gently startled the four criminals and reverberated around the room. Moments later, a tall, brown horse trotted up to the group. His gray eyes quickly glanced over the mammals before locking eyes with Victor.
"Yes, señor?" he asked with a faint Spanish accent.
"These morons tried to kill these two cops," Victor said, gesturing to the fox and bunny in the van. "I really want them alive, so could you check up on them?"
Glancing into the van, Don's eyes widened as he realized who the cops were. After quickly shooting angry glares at the four criminals, Don turned back to Victor. "Of course, señor! I'll make sure that they're perfectly healthy!"
Victor seemed to relax a bit. "Thank you," he said before turning to gently pry the bunny out of the fox's arms. Being as careful as one would be with a newborn kit, the older fox held the bunny close to his chest as he moved out of the way to allow Don to retrieve the other cop.
"As for you four," Victor said, once again glaring at the criminals. "You won't be needed until later. Stay out of trouble, or you'll be answering to Tony." With that, the fox followed Don into one of the side tunnels.
Silence fell over the group as the other mammals in the room returned to what they were previously doing, though a few angry glares were sent towards the criminals.
"That could've gone better," Wolf muttered, earning him the silent agreement of his three friends.
Bright lights shone from somewhere past the fox's eyelids and, combined with a dull throbbing, began to give Nick a painful migraine. Letting out a low groan, Nick tried to open up his eyes. As he did so, the throbbing increased in strength, discouraging the fox from continuing.
"I'd stay still if I were you," said an unfamiliar voice; it echoed as if it was sounded from far away. "You have a minor concussion."
Though he didn't have any other choice, Nick did as he was told. As he slowly came to, he began to pick up various noises from around the room he was in: metallic tools scraping across metallic surfaces; the faint beeping of two different heart monitors and other machinery; the shuffling of feet and hooves along a concrete floor. Nick deduced that wherever he was, it wasn't good.
The next few moments went by, and nothing seemed to be happening. The owners of the hooves and feet continued to shuffle around the room, quickly followed by the gentle scraping of metal before more shuffling ensued. Suddenly, the bright lights above Nick were blocked as a figure leaned above the fox.
"Alright, I need you to open your eyes for me, Officer," said the voice, sounding a lot clearer now.
Slowly, Nick did as he was told. While the blocked light helped some, Nick's eyes slightly stung as he was finally able to visually take in his surroundings. The first thing he noticed was the brown horse standing above him, expectantly watching him with gray eyes. Taking a quick moment to tear his gaze away, Nick looked around the room. The walls were dull gray in color. Several machines and beds littered the space, confirming Nick's suspicion that he was in some type of medical ward. Nick reluctantly turned his eyes back to the horse standing above him, bracing himself for whatever was in store for him.
"Cognitive activity seems normal," the tall mammal said as he leaned forward. His gaze seemed to bore holes into Nick, making the fox squirm uncomfortably.
The horse pulled out a small flashlight and shone it directly into Nick's eyes, who instinctively blinked in response. "Sorry, but I need to check your eyes," the horse apologized. Nick sighed before forcing his eyes to remain open as the flashlight was shone from one side to the other. "Pupil dilation is somewhat normal. That's good; your concussion isn't as serious as I thought!"
As the tall mammal turned away, the bright lights shone directly into the fox's eyes. Nick brought his arms up to cover his face as he turned away, groaning as he got over the stinging behind his eyelids.
"Oh, sorry about that," Nick heard the horse apologize, which was then followed by a faint click. "I forgot that the lamp was still on."
A moment passed before Nick felt comfortable enough to put his arms down. When he did, he realized that the bright lights were turned off. A small sigh of relief escaped his muzzle as he lay back on the bed in time to feel a newfound surge of pain in his head. His eyes screwed shut as he let out a low whine.
The pain soon faded into a dull throbbing, and soon after, Nick felt the rim of a small cup touch his lips. "Take this," the horse said. "It will help with the pain."
With some hesitation, Nick took the cup, parted his lips, and tilted his head back to down the contents. As soon as the liquid ran down his throat, Nick's chest convulsed as a coughing fit racked his body. Nick felt a firm paw beat at his chest to help him along, and after a moment, the fox had calmed down again. As he lay back on the bed, Nick's ears suddenly perked.
A paw had beat against his chest. Horses had hooves.
Nick's eyes snapped open as he pushed himself up with his elbows. He quickly scanned the room and found the owner of the paw. An older fox was sitting on a stool with his back towards Nick, intently watching the unconscious bunny in the bed to Nick's right. Gray fur mingled with red on the fox, complemented by the brown business suit.
The name of the fox immediately popped into Nick's head: Victor.
"You know, Nick," Victor began, his eyes never leaving the bunny, "there comes a time in every father's life where he looks back and prides himself on how he raised such wonderful children. It's strange, really. I didn't get to watch you grow up; I didn't get to be there to help you as you learned to make some tough decisions; I didn't get to raise you as my own. Yet, I can't help but feel a sense of pride in what you've become."
The fox turned towards Nick, a faint warmth in his emerald eyes. "I do have to say, though, that you're stupid for thinking I wouldn't recognize you the other day," and just like that, the warmth was replaced with a detached light; the very same look that Nick had perfected in his life as a confox.
Victor rose from his stool and walked over to Nick. "How are you feeling, Nick?"
Nick just stared at the older fox, unable to say anything as hundreds of different emotions and thoughts rushed through his head. The most prominent of these feelings was betrayal, anger, and a fear of what would happen to Judy.
Either Nick was getting rusty at hiding his feelings, or Victor was just as good at reading other people as Nick was because, after a moment, the older fox chuckled. "I see. Nearly dying in a car wreck doesn't go well with being kidnapped by your old man, huh?" Victor laughed again. "Well don't worry; Don here has made sure that you and Officer Hopps will live."
The fox then turned and walked towards the other bed where Judy was just starting to wake up. "Don't you dare touch her!" Nick hissed as Victor leaned over the small bunny.
Victor's green eyes flicked towards the younger fox, regarding him with a sort of amusement. "Or what? Attacking me in your state wouldn't be very smart. Besides, you may hurt Hopps," Victor added with a slightly pouting tone that only served to feed Nick's anger.
The older fox chuckled as he noticed the intensity in Nick's eyes. "Calm down, son, I won't hurt your mate. Sheesh, this bunny's rubbed off on you; you're so emotional."
Nick didn't want to calm down. He wanted to lash out at the fox before him. He wanted to hurt Victor for not being there throughout his life. He wanted to get Judy away from here and keep her safe. However, Victor had a point: Nick was in no condition to do anything that he would have wanted to do. With a low growl, Nick reluctantly calmed down.
"That's better," Victor said as he leaned back, and a snarky grin crept over his muzzle. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to officially meet my daughter-in-law."
Suddenly, Nick felt a sharp prick in his arm. Looking down, he realized that the horse had silently stuck a needle into the fox and had already injected its contents into his bloodstream. A moment later, the world fell out of focus as Nick's head began to spin like a top. With a slurred groan, Nick fell back onto the bed; the only movement from the fox was the steady rise and fall of his chest.
Judy blinked as bright lights shown down on her, bringing tears to her eyes. With a shaking paw, Judy carefully wiped at her eyes as she sat up. She immediately regretted the move, though, as her head threatened to explode. With a sharp intake of breath, Judy lay back on the bed, her face scrunched up as she fought the pain.
After a few moments, Judy tried opening her eyes again. The process was slow, but the light didn't sting as much as before. When Judy finally opened her eyes, she took a moment to glance around the room.
Her ears perked up as she realized she was in some kind of medical ward. The room was filled with all types of medical machinery, and dozens of beds lined the gray walls.
A voice to the bunny's left suddenly drew her attention. "Ah, you're awake!" Turning towards the voice, Judy was surprised to see a tall horse smiling down at her. "Good! I have a few questions to ask you, if you don't mind, señorita," said the horse.
Judy gave a hesitant nod as she tried to figure out where she was. Did she and Nick make it out of the wreck alive? Had the ZPD found them and taken them back?
"Excuse me, Officer Hopps?" the horse asked, gently waving his hoof in front of the bunny's face.
The bunny gave an inquisitive hum before she realized that she had zoned out. "Oh, sorry," she said as she shook her head. "I'm ready for the questions."
The horse gave an amused snort. "Uh-huh," the tall mammal said, raising an eyebrow at Judy. "Anyway, does your head hurt at all? And if so, how badly on a scale from one to ten?"
Judy thought for a moment. As she did so, the throbbing in her head became more prominent, eliciting a small groan from Judy's throat. "Ugh, I'd say the pain is at about six or seven," she replied.
"Is it a dull or sharp pain?"
"Dull," Judy replied.
"Alright then. Give me just a moment," the horse said. Judy heard the shuffling of hooves on concrete before suddenly feeling the brim of a small cup touch her lips. "Drink this; it will help."
Still suspicious of her surroundings, Judy hesitantly downed the contents of the small cup. The medicine tickled at her throat, but it wasn't anything worse than the many tonics the Hopps family had back home. Clearing her throat to get rid of the itch, Judy began to feel the pain ebb away.
"Better?" the horse asked after a moment.
Judy nodded. "Much better," she replied before opening her eyes again. Turning towards the horse, Judy's ears perked in surprise. Lying unconscious on the bed to her left was Nick, and sitting on a stool near the edge of the bed was a fox that near-perfectly resembled her husband. Strikingly green eyes regarded the bunny, who couldn't shake the feeling that she was being assessed by this fox.
A name popped into Judy's mind as she stared back at the well-dressed predator: Victor.
Several more seconds of silence passed before Judy scrounged up the courage to speak. "H-hello," she squeaked before mentally kicking herself for saying something so stupid.
Victor, however, seemed amused as a warm grin crept over his muzzle. "Hello," he replied, his emerald eyes sparkling in the bright lights.
Judy sat dumbfounded, unsure of how to continue the conversation or whether the conversation was worth continuing at all. Thankfully, she didn't have to wait long before Victor spoke up again. "I don't think we've officially met yet," he began with a polite tone; however, Judy felt a growing sense of unease emanating from the fox before her. "My name is Victor Wilde, and, apparently, I'm your father-in-law."
Hundreds of different thoughts rushed through Judy's mind, but the most prominent one was the fact that even though Nick was in the very same room, Judy did not feel safe. Keeping her mouth shut and choosing not to speak, Judy desperately hoped that Nick was alright and would wake up soon.
Victor gave a sad sigh. "I just can't get a break today, huh?" he asked himself as he shook his head. "Whatever," Green eyes snapped back up towards the bunny, who faintly winced under the intrusive gaze. "You don't have to be afraid, little bunny; I won't hurt you."
Judy remained silent as she carefully studied the fox for any signs that he may be lying; being around Nick for three years had considerably honed Judy's skills. Upon finding no such signs, Judy allowed herself to relax while keeping her guard up.
The older fox seemed to brighten at this. "That's better," Victor said with a grin. "Now that you know my name, could I be so lucky as to learn yours?"
"I have a funny feeling that you already know that," Judy said, surprising herself with the calm and even tone she had managed to use.
Victor looked somewhat hurt, but the emotion was quickly replaced with the general detachment that Judy had come to associate with Nick. "I just know you as Officer Hopps," the fox said, "but I don't know your first name. Since you know mine, it's only fair that you tell me yours."
Judy crossed her arms as she shot an annoyed glare at the older fox. She opened her mouth to speak before pausing. The bunny couldn't help but feel an odd sense of deja vu; she'd scolded Nick like this before. The realization made Judy blink in surprise; Nick and Victor were very similar, yet so different!
Shaking her head to keep these thoughts from causing another migraine, Judy turned back to Victor. "Judy. My name is Judy."
Victor smiled. "That's a great name. I'm guessing that you took my son's last name, but on-duty you're known as Officer Hopps?"
Judy nodded. Victor's smile widened. "Wonderful. I'd say welcome to the family, but I haven't been a part of it for years. I assume you've already met my wife, Rachel?"
A sad light seemed to envelop Victor's eyes. Judy remained silent and nodded, though she did watch the fox a bit more avidly now. The next question caught Judy off-guard.
"Do you like her?"
The bunny stared for a moment, unable to form any real thoughts towards answering the question as she studied Victor. The fox's expression was genuine and hopeful, and his tail expectantly wagged behind him.
With hesitancy, Judy replied, "O-of course. She's a wonderful mammal. I can see where Nick got his soft side from." She didn't know why she added this last bit, but it felt almost wrong not to say it.
Victor chuckled. "I can't argue with that," he said, and his eyes glossed over as memories began to develop in his mind. The dreamy light was quickly replaced with a cold sadness, however, which brought Judy to the point of almost feeling pity for the older fox.
Suddenly, Judy felt a sharp prick in her arm. Turning to her left, she managed to catch a glimpse of the tall horse as he finished injecting some kind of medicine into her bloodstream. A short moment later, Judy began to feel light-headed.
As the world began to lose focus, a muffled voice echoed through her head. "Take good care of him for me," it said before a warm darkness enveloped Judy's consciousness.
The bunny's chest rose and fell at a steady rate, adding to her peaceful demeanor. Victor sighed as he turned towards his son. Nick's mouth hung agape, and his tongue lolled out the side of his maw in a comical manner. At first glance, one couldn't have guessed that these two mammals had just survived a car crash.
"There, all done," Don said as he rubbed his hooves together. "They'll live."
"Good," Victor said in a relieved tone. "And the 'medicine' you injected them with?"
Don smiled. "Don't worry: it's just a harmless mix of different sleep-inducing chemicals and medicines; when they wake up, they'll think this whole ordeal was a dream."
Victor gave a sigh of relief with a tint of sadness. "Great. If you would get these two loaded into the van, that would be great," he said as he turned to leave. He only got a few steps before remembering something and turning back to the tall horse. "Also, I'd prefer it if you keep those four idiots from getting their paws on my son and daughter-in-law while they're still here; have Tony or someone help you if needed."
"Of course, señor," Don said with a nod.
Satisfied, Victor turned and exited the medical ward. From there, he made a direct beeline towards his office in silence; he had a phone call to make.
If there was one thing that Nick knew right now, it was that he was no longer in the medical ward.
His arms were tied behind the back of a chair; the angle strained his muscles, the dull pain now stinging due to his waking consciousness. His legs were tied to the legs of the chair, rendering him immobile. His breath came to him through labored pants, and his eyes refused to focus on anything.
Nick took a moment to regain his focus, which turned out to be tough going as his mind and body were incredibly sore. Every muscle felt spent, and a strong migraine threatened him every time he tried to think. Whenever Nick could finally get his mind to focus, he realized that he was in a large room filled with wooden crates of all sizes and that Judy was nowhere to be found.
The sudden sound of voices drew his attention towards the front of the room. "Does this thing still work?" said one of the voices.
"Yeah, I think so," said another. "I wouldn't be surprised if they kept a couple of these still working as a backup plan."
"I'm not sure whether we should be grateful or angry," said a third.
"Guys, look!" said a fourth, sounding very excited all of the sudden. "He's awake!"
"So he is," said the first voice. The four mammals then walked towards the fox, who was still trying to sort the whole situation out in his dazed mind.
The face of a fox with cold, sapphire eyes suddenly filled Nick's vision. "Good morning, Sunshine! The earth says hello!" this earned a chuckle from the fox's cohorts.
A gap in the pain allowed the memories to rush back to Nick. The van. These four assholes who tried to do his wife and him in. His father. A sudden flash of anger rushed through Nick's system, and the fox suddenly lashed out; in his current, tied-up state, all Nick could do was growl and harmlessly bite the air in front of Dallas's face.
The other fox chuckled. "I'm afraid we can't have this behavior, Officer Wilde," Dallas chided as he reached out towards the other criminals, gesturing for something. "What would your superiors say? What would your wife say?"
The image of Judy suddenly formed in Nick's mind, and a wave of panic washed over the fox as he was reminded that Judy wasn't in the room with him. "What did you do to her!?" Nick hissed, the anger in his emerald eyes boring holes into Dallas.
"Nothing," Dallas replied smoothly, "yet. As for you, though, we have a lot of fun stuff planned."
"Yeah!" Wolf exclaimed, his tail wagging excitedly behind him. "We've been dying to repay you two assholes for what you did!"
"That's right," Dallas agreed before turning back to Nick. "And I think we'll start with this." Suddenly, Hoofston and Chains were on either side of Nick, firmly holding him in place. Nick didn't know exactly why at first until he saw what was now in Dallas's paw: a muzzle. Images flashed in the fox's mind, and Nick was suddenly back in the Junior Ranger Scouts initiation. His "friends" all surrounded him, laughed at him, as the muzzle was none-too-gently forced over his face. Nick tried to break free of his restraints, but with how sore his body already was, he was quickly drained of any remaining energy to fight.
The muzzle was cold, and it uncomfortably bit into his fur. No matter how hard he tried, Nick couldn't shake the contraption off, which fueled his rising anxiety. His breathing came in panicked gasps, and his heart erratically beat inside his chest.
"There, that's better," Dallas said, pulling Nick back into the warehouse. "Now I should have no trouble with this."
The muzzle kept Nick from seeing what the second contraption was, but the fox didn't feel like finding out. Nick struggled again, moving the chair about slightly. He didn't stop struggling as he felt a cold and foreign object wrap around his neck. There was a click, a button press, and then a powerful shock.
Nick screamed against his muzzle as electricity surged through his system, immediately stopping his struggle. The pain stopped, and Nick was left in a panting mess, his body leaning forward and his head hanging.
"It works like a charm, Dallas!" Chains said, though it was evident to everyone in the room that the collar had worked.
"Perfect," Dallas said before suddenly pulling Nick's face towards his. Cold sapphire clashed with sharp emerald. "You know, had you and that bunny been normal cops, we would have let this whole situation go; a lucky break, we would have called it. But no, you two had to be the first fox and bunny cops in the ZPD – celebrities! When you're taken down by celebrities, you lose a lot of credibility among civies and potential employers.
"You're lucky that we're in a good mood today," Dallas continued as he stood up, "or else we would have killed you and your wife and left your bodies in a dumpster somewhere; you'd have been a lesson not to mess with us."
"However, that doesn't mean we won't have a little fun, though," Chains added, a cruel smirk on his face.
Dallas smirked in agreement. "You're right, Chains." Suddenly, Dallas smacked Nick across the face; the sound reverberated throughout the large room. As Nick recoiled from the hit, Dallas grabbed the fox's muzzle and pulled it towards him before striking Nick with his other paw.
The muzzle harshly bit into Nick's skin now, drawing blood. Nick felt dazed, and his vision took a second to refocus. Suddenly, his face was being pulled towards Dallas again.
"You have no idea how good that felt," the criminal said, a cruel light in his eyes, "but we're not done yet! Hoofston, Chains, go get the other one."
Nick's ears perked at this, but his heart sank to the pit of his stomach. If Judy was alright, she wouldn't be for much longer.
Seconds later, the two convicts returned, dragging an unconscious form behind them. Walking directly into Nick's line of sight, Chains and Hoofston none-too-gently dropped the bunny onto the ground, eliciting a soft grunt from the smaller cop.
"Judy!" Nick wanted to call out, but with his muzzle, it sounded more like a stifled cry.
The bunny slowly stirred awake. As she picked herself off of the ground, Nick could see that her gray T-shirt was torn in a few places, and her fur was disheveled.
Dallas stepped forward, blocking the small bunny from Nick's sight. Hoofston and Chains stood on either side of Nick, and Wolf simply watched the whole ordeal with avid excitement.
"What do you think, boys?" Dallas asked, glancing to each of his cohorts. "Shall we see if bunnies are as fast as they say?"
Dark snickers and slow nods were the answer that Dallas received. Without any hesitation, the fox turned back to Judy, pulled out his pistol, and fired.
A wave of cold shock washed over Nick as his heart stopped. The sound of the gunshot reverberated throughout the large warehouse, seemingly drawing out its echo for as long as possible. Time seemed to stop as Nick tried to process what just happened. Another painful shock from the collar brought the fox cop back into reality.
"Damn it," Dallas granted, hiding his smirk from the fox cop. "Missed." Before firing a second shot, the fox retrieved a silencer from his belt and quickly attached it to his gun. He suddenly fired again; the sound that echoed in Nick's head was the bullet lodging itself deep into the wooden floor.
Dallas continued to fire at the bunny while making sure to keep Nick from being able to see what was happening Glancing over his shoulder, Dallas could see the horrified look on the fox cop's face as Nick waited for the sound of the bullet hitting flesh.
Fortunately for Nick, that sound would never come. Due to the request given by Victor to keep the two alive, Dallas made sure to purposefully keep his aim off of the bunny. That didn't keep the fox from enjoying the fear that rolled off of Nick, though.
Judy had been startled out of her stupor with the first gunshot that left a harsh ringing in her ears. She had scrambled in the direction she had hoped was not towards the bullet while her nose twitched and her heart threatened to explode. Suddenly hyper-aware thanks to her police training, Judy felt like she had taken in every detail of her surroundings all at once: the wooden walls and floor; the stacked crates; the four criminals that surrounded her and her husband.
However, after Dallas began to fire at her some more, Judy soon began to realize that the fox had no intention of actually shooting her. She soon began to find a pattern to Dallas's gunshots, and using the excuse of dodging to get a better position, Judy suddenly launched herself at Dallas.
Nick's eyes widened in surprise and relief as the criminal was suddenly tackled to the ground by a familiar gray blur. The shock from the collar couldn't diminish Nick's joy at knowing that Judy was still okay, but it was short-lived as Dallas pushed the bunny off of him and stood up.
"Why you little –!" he exclaimed as he kicked Judy in the stomach. The small bunny fell to her side, clutching her abdomen in pain. "It seems I've got to remind you why you shouldn't stand up to predators! Turn off the lights!" Dallas ordered Wolf; to Hoofston and Chains, he grinned. "And blindfold the fox; wouldn't want him using his night-vision, now would we?"
The last thing Nick saw before the cloth was tightly wrapped over his eyes was Dallas advancing towards Judy with a dangerous look in his eyes.
Nick's anxiety greatly increased now that he couldn't see. His heart beat so fast the fox was sure it was going to explode at any second, and his breath came in uneven, gasping pants. His muscles shook uncontrollably; whether in anticipation of another shock or because of fear of what was going to happen to Judy, Nick did not know.
Suddenly, a low growl caught Nick's attention. The sound sent shivers down the fox's spine, but what came next was even more horrifying. A loud tearing sound suddenly filled the room, followed by a startled gasp that undoubtedly came from Judy. A sharp cry of pain came next, followed by another growl. The faint sound of biting teeth met Nick's ears, followed by the weak scent of blood and another cry of pain.
Nick felt his blood run cold. Another bite, more blood. A tear in clothing, a cry of pain. Another growl, a name being called – his name. Nick struggled against his restraints, desperate to get to Judy. Nick's mind could no longer form rational thought; instinct now drove him. He needed to get to Judy, his mate; he needed to protect her, to keep her safe.
The darkness began to morph, and Nick was suddenly back in the forest clearing, immobilized by that one damned root. There was no rain or thunder, but there was Judy sitting in the center of the clearing, staring in terror at the savage animal before her. Nick's eyes followed the bunny's gaze, revealing Judy's tormentor.
A feral fox with startlingly emerald eyes stalked Judy. Its hackles were raised, its fur bristled, and globules of saliva fell from the growling maw. Hunger filled the fox's eyes as it regarded Judy and slowly advanced. Nick watched in horror as all Judy could do was back away, staring in wide-eyed terror at the beast in front of her.
Nick knew that he had to do something, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't. Roots burst from the dirt beneath him and curled around his wrists and ankles, rendering his limbs useless. He tried to call out, but even his muzzle was snapped shut as roots violently coiled themselves around it. This didn't stop Nick from struggling, even though a white hot surge of pain that originated from his neck coursed through his body at regular intervals.
The feral predator suddenly pounced on Judy with a loud growl. The bunny's arms were pinned beneath the fox's paws, leaving her helpless and vulnerable. Nick tried to scream, to get Judy's attention and tell her that everything would be alright, but the roots tightened and dug into his flesh, and another wave of pain overtook him.
Suddenly, Judy's shoulder was in the fox's jaw, and the bunny's scream of pain etched itself in Nick's memory. Tears stung at his eyes as he continued to struggle, but the hot pain from his neck was quickly draining his energy. Nick's eyes widened, and a scream tore from his throat as the savage beast removed its maw from Judy's shoulder, taking with it a large chunk of the bunny's flesh.
Judy's cries grew louder as blood flowed freely from the wound. The fox continued to hungrily stare at its prey. It leaned closer to the injured bunny, opening its dripping maw over Judy's vulnerable neck. Though, before it made any move sink its teeth into the bunny's flesh, the fox looked up at Nick. Its emerald eyes regarded the incapacitated fox with a slight curiosity. Suddenly, the emerald eyes morphed into cold sapphire and filled with a victorious smugness.
Before the fox could turn back to the bunny, the entire clearing dissipated into nothingness; Nick was back in the warehouse, tied to a chair, and listening to his mate's pain.
The shock collar administered powerful surges of electricity to the fox, but that didn't stop Nick. He fought against his restraints until the rope cut up his wrists and ankles; he fought until his entire body felt numb due to the amount of electricity coursing through his muscles. A determined growl escaped Nick's throat as the fox thrashed about in the wooden chair.
Suddenly, Nick's face was introduced to the cold, hard ground, knocking the air out of him. The shock collar administered yet another surge of electricity, effectively draining the rest of Nick's energy. The growling, tearing, and biting continued as Nick lay on the ground, still tied to the chair. With no more energy to struggle, the fox cop was left broken and tired as tears streamed down his face.
I'm sorry, Judy, he thought before blacking out.
Everything was dark.
It was times like these that Judy wished she had night-vision like her husband.
Judy saw Nick being blindfolded and the look of sheer terror on his face. The bunny had wanted to run to her fox then and there, to comfort him and tell him that everything was alright. All of those thoughts vanished, however, as she noticed Dallas stalking towards her before the lights went out.
Now, the bunny felt alone as she aimlessly groped about in the darkness. She hoped that she could maybe find Nick or that he would find her, but a low growl stopped her in her tracks. The sound came from nowhere and everywhere, surrounding her very being. Judy's nose twitched as her ears swiveled to pinpoint the source. Suddenly, Judy felt the back of her shirt tear as claws ran through it. Startled, the bunny gasped before scrambling away from that spot.
She backed into a warm body. Before she could react, Judy felt sharp claws penetrate the skin of her thigh, eliciting a cry of pain from the bunny as she rolled away. Another growl followed her. Judy came to a stop and immediately scanned the darkness around her. Pain screamed at her from her injury, distracting the bunny for a split second. Suddenly, sharp teeth clamped down on Judy's ear, penetrating the flesh. Judy cried out as she tried to roll free, which only threatened to damage her ear more.
The teeth let Judy free, and the bunny quickly scrambled away. Her breathing was short and sporadic now, and her nose twitched uncontrollably. The darkness began to morph, and Judy was suddenly back at the Bunnyburrow festival, confronting Gideon Grey. However, this Gideon Grey was much bigger, much scarier, and much more dangerous as he loomed over the small bunny.
"You just don't know when to quit, do you?" the nightmarish fox growled before suddenly locking its teeth around her injured leg. Judy felt them penetrate her skin, eliciting another cry of pain from the bunny. Blood freely flowed down her leg as she scurried away. Her injuries slowed her down considerably, making her easy prey.
Suddenly, white hot pain erupted across Judy's chest as she felt claws slice through her shirt and skin. The bunny curled in on herself as she rolled away, trying to put pressure on the newly inflicted wounds. As another growl echoed around the bunny, Judy shrank into herself and shook with terror.
"Nick..." Judy called in an uneven tone; whether she did so to calm herself down or to remind herself that Nick was still there, the bunny did not know. Her ears perked as she heard the sounds of someone violently struggling against a wooden chair, the repeated bzzt of some electrical device, and a growl that was different from the one that constantly tormented her, yet did nothing to soothe her nerves. At this moment, all it did was tell Judy that there was yet another predator that could be stalking her.
There was a loud thud, and the struggling stopped. The deafening silence that ensued increased Judy's anxiety as she awaited whatever fate the predator had in store for her; she couldn't run anymore. Blood flowed from her ear, chest, and leg, and each wound stung with searing pain. Judy felt tears well up beneath her eyelids, and she did nothing to stop them.
I'm sorry Nick, she thought as she gave up and curled herself into a ball, sobbing quietly.
Not a second after she did this, though, did her ears pick up the sound of distant police sirens. A powerful wave of relief crashed down upon Judy, and the bunny felt her determination replenish almost immediately.
The growling stopped and was replaced by a gruff voice. "Everyone shut up!" it said, though it was already quiet in the room. The sirens grew louder.
Dallas cursed darkly before standing up on two legs. "The ZPD are here!" he exclaimed. "Why is the ZPD here!?"
The lights were back on. Judy silently gasped as she caught sight of Nick. Her fox was lying on the floor, his body still tied to a chair. Small trickles of blood poured from wounds inflicted on his wrists, ankles, and muzzle. An odd-looking collar was wrapped around his neck, a light from a small, attached box flashing red. The metal contraption on his face nearly crushed Judy's heart.
"Victor!" Dallas's voice drew Judy's attention towards the four criminals. The fox was talking into a radio in his paw; Judy strained to listen to both sides of the conversation.
"What is it this time?" asked a tired-sounding voice from the small device.
"The ZPD is heading our way!" Dallas hissed, his blue eyes flashing with anger.
"What!?" Victor exclaimed. "The mayor said he wouldn't get the police involved!"
The four criminals glanced at each other; Victor didn't sound too convincing.
"What should we do with the cops?" Dallas asked, not even bothering to glance at the two broken mammals behind him.
"Leave them," Victor replied. "The ZPD will be too distracted with finding their best cops that you four will have enough time to escape; I need you here!"
A beat of silence passed as the four criminals considered Victor's orders. They had the two cops in the palm of their paws, and now they had to give them up. However, the desire to stay out of jail conflicted with these desires, leaving each of the convicts in an awkward emotional state.
"Fine," Dallas said, breaking the silence. He quickly turned off the radio before turning back to the two mammals.
Judy quickly went limp, pretending that she hadn't just heard the entire conversation. Whether it was because they actually bought the act, or because they were too worried about the current situation, Judy did not know, but the four criminals paid the bunny and fox no mind as they milled about the warehouse, retrieving their gear and ammunition.
"Man, did you see how riled up that fox was getting?" Wolf asked as they gathered their things. "And over a bunny too!" He doubled over with laughter.
"If you ask me, they got what they deserved just for taking the pred-prey harmony too far," Hoofston said with a disgusted tone of voice. "Thinking about what he must do to her at night is enough to make me sick."
Judy felt her ears grow hot as her anger boiled at what the convicts were saying. While the bunny had grown accustomed to the general prejudice from the city, she hated when other mammals used their hate as an excuse to hurt other mammals.
"Everyone, shut up!" Dallas called from the back door. "You guys can talk about how much you hate these two later; we have to get out of here now!"
The sound of shuffling paws and hooves filled the room before the back door closed, leaving the warehouse silent, save for the ever-growing sound of police sirens. Judy dared not move in case one of the criminals had forgotten something and decided to come back for it. The seconds ticked by at a crawl before Judy heard a small groan escape Nick's throat. Turning towards the fox, Judy's eyes widened in hope as Nick began to stir. One eye fluttered open, followed by another. Ignoring her screaming injuries, Judy crawled over to her fox, tears welling up in her eyes.
Being as careful as possible, Judy began to untie the rope around Nick's wrists and ankles. The chair fell to the side with a clatter, and Nick's body remained on the ground in a more comfortable position. As she removed the metal device from around Nick's muzzle, Judy couldn't help the bout of anger that boiled up inside of her; how dare those four criminals do this to her husband! It was in that anger that Judy chucked the muzzle across the room, but in her current state of fatigue, it only traveled a small distance.
Turning back to Nick, Judy noticed the small collar around his neck. The small box attached to it was flashing red – hopefully not a bad sign. With shaking paws, Judy carefully removed the device and studied it. The strap was made of synthetic, aged leather, and a buckle closed off the open ends. Judy turned the collar to examine the small box. The light was rapidly flashing green, and a small vibration could be heard. Furrowing her brows in confusion as she tried to find the off switch, Judy's paw touched the box. A small surge of electricity pulled her paw back, startling the bunny. Holding her paw close to her chest, Judy watched in weak fear and curiosity as the box suddenly sparked, fizzled, and died; a small stream of smoke was left over from the display.
Judy quickly threw away the apparent torture device and turned back to Nick. The fox was slowly coming to, but Judy could tell that he was spent. Scooting herself closer to her fox, Judy began to gently pet Nick's ears. The police sirens were much closer now.
"J-Judy?" came Nick's weak voice, sounding heartrendingly hopeful.
The bunny felt a small smile form on her muzzle. "Yes, Nick; I'm here."
Suddenly, Judy was in Nick's arms, tightly held to his chest as the fox sobbed silently. The bunny was taken by surprise at first, but soon melted into the embrace and felt a few tears of her own fall down her cheeks.
Nick pulled away for only a moment as he quickly looked Judy over, looking for any signs of damage. Anger boiled up as he saw the bites and cuts Judy had accumulated due to Dallas's "teaching," Nick was beyond relieved that Judy still had her shoulder intact. Once he was satisfied, Nick pulled Judy back into their tight embrace, making sure to be careful of his mate's injuries.
Both cops flinched when they heard the front door explode into the room, Officer McHorn having charged through the wooden obstacle. Other officers quickly filed into the room, along with a group of paramedics. The last to enter the warehouse was the massive figure of Chief Bogo.
Upon seeing the two cops in the middle of the room, Bogo turned to the other officers. "Get me a perimeter around this place! I want every single crack searched; we are going to find these guys," he bellowed before making his way to the fox and bunny. The paramedics followed close behind. "Get these two patched up; I want it to be like this never happened!"
Nick didn't want to let Judy out of his arms, but he didn't want her to suffer, either. So it was with some reluctance that the fox let the bunny free from his embrace long enough to get her injuries treated. The group of paramedics split into pairs; one pair treated Judy while the other treated Nick.
Judy winced as her bites and cuts were cleaned and constantly winced as her more serious injuries were stitched up. Nick wasn't that much better off: his wrists, ankles, and face burned like hell as his injuries were treated. As the paramedics worked, the chief lumbered over to the two cops.
"How are you holding out, Hopps?" Bogo asked, taking a seat on the floor as the paramedics finished with Judy.
"I'm fine," Judy said in a shaky voice; the recent events of the evening continually replayed in her mind. She could still feel the fox's sharp teeth, his razor-like claws; the bunny's shiver had nothing to do with the cold.
Suddenly, a group of officers reentered the warehouse. "Sir!" said Officer Delgato. "We found tire tracks leading away from here!"
"Well then what are you standing around here for!? Follow them!" Bogo bellowed.
"No disrespect sir, but with the blizzard, those tracks won't be visible long enough," Delgato reported.
"I don't care!" Bogo's voice rattled the floorboards. "Follow them for as long as you can and then guess from there. We're not resting until these bastards are put behind bars!"
"Yes sir!" Delgato saluted before he and several other officers exited the building.
Bogo then turned to Nick. "How are you holding up?" he solemnly asked.
Nick sighed. "I don't know," he lied, but he actually did know as he thought to himself, My body hurts, my mind hurts, and my heart hurts. I've never felt like this before and it scares me. The fox seemed to brighten as Judy crawled into his lap and showed no sign of moving.
It didn't take a rocket scientist to piece together what had recently happened, and the thought saddened and angered Bogo. The buffalo had a strong idea of what Nick was feeling; the chief had felt it when his wife pushed him out of the way and took a bullet meant for him. Bogo growled as he suppressed the memories and turned to the two cops.
"Don't worry, you're going to be fine," the buffalo grunted; behind his solemn expression was a glimmer of hope. "I'll personally make sure of it if necessary. As for the bastard that did this? They'll be rotting in jail for a long time."
"Hey, Chief?" Judy asked as a thought suddenly formed in her mind. When the cape buffalo acknowledged the bunny, Judy continued, "How did you find us?"
"We got an anonymous tip," was the curt reply.
Judy's brows furrowed in confusion. "But sir, before you got here, the four criminals were talking with Victor; it seemed that they had established a ransom for us."
Bogo's expression darkened. "Well, we didn't hear anything about this ransom," he stated. "I'll have a talk with the mayor; if he's holding anything back from us, rest assured that we'll dig it up."
With that, the buffalo stood up and made his way to a group of officers. Nick and Judy simply embraced, fighting off the harshness of reality with the other's warmth.
A sympathetic expression on his face, one of the paramedics walked over to the couple. "I hate to bother you, but we need to get you to the hospital. They'll be able to thoroughly treat any injuries that we can't. It'll only be for the night, though; you'll be heading home first thing in the morning."
Nick and Judy quickly glanced at each other, an unspoken conversation traveling between them. Turning back to the paramedic, the two cops nodded in understanding. When Nick made a move to stand up, he was quickly stopped by his injuries.
"I thought so," said the paramedic before motioning to the rest of his group. They immediately walked over, carrying a stretcher. With the help of the larger mammals, Nick and Judy were gently placed atop before being wheeled out.
The paramedics paused when Chief Bogo lumbered over. "Officers, you're on leave until further notice," the buffalo stated. "I don't want to see head nor tail of either of you for at least a week, am I clear?"
On any other day, Judy may have argued. She may have said that they still had a case to solve, that they weren't finished yet. But after very recent events, all Judy wanted to do was curl up next to her fox and sleep her troubles away. She and Nick nodded before being wheeled out of the warehouse.
Nick's arms never left their position around Judy during the drive to the hospital, and soon the two cops fell into a restless, dreamless sleep.
If you have already reviewed this chapter but still want to due to the change, PLEASE PM me so that I can hear your thoughts on this! I love reviews, and I really want to know if this rewrite messed with your emotions like I wanted it to. Or if it was just generally terrible. Either/or, you know?
I feel like I've been apologizing to everyone and no one in particular these past few days, but I'll do it again. To all the readers that I accidentally hurt with the near-rape experience in the original script of this chapter, I'm sorry. I know that rape is something that should be brought to awareness and should be dealt with, but writing it in my stories is not how I'm going to do that; because I'm the one making these characters do these things, I feel like I'm just as bad as the raper.
I'm also sorry to myself, who was emotionally drained this past weekend as I tried to overcome my doubts and my being uncomfortable with this chapter. I got praise and criticisms that contradicted each other, and I got people hurt with this chapter; overall, it was not a fun weekend at all. Hell, I had wanted to just give up and quit! "Oh, I hurt readers and wrote something that I didn't like at all? Time to pack up and head out!" But I trudged through it, and I actually managed to have some fun with this rewrite.
I hope that you all can forgive my stupidity and silly emotional state as I try to make up for my mistake and get the ball rolling again. Thank you.