"What is it Hopps?" Bogo said as he Nick and Judy approached his desk. "This had better be important." Nick watched Judy fish for her phone from her pocket and hold it up to the large buffalo.
"Look." Bogo leaned down and took the phone in his hoof and read the text message. The words and the image had been bouncing around in Nick's brain ever since he first read them.
Hello, Judy. Having a good day back on the job?
Under the words was a photo of the the sign welcoming anyone to Bunnyburrow. That alone would've have been slightly concerning, but what warranted calling the Chief was the text that came immediately afterward.
D.B.
Judy had immediately wanted to rush to Bunnyburrow to make sure her family was safe, but Nick had to convince her to call it in first. If Bellwether was up to something, they would need the rest of ZPD behind them to stop her, even if it took a little longer.
Bogo studied the text message. After several seconds he looked up at Judy and Nick and held up the phone.
"Take this to the techs downstairs, if Bellwether has the other phone on, we can trace it," he said as Judy took the phone back.
"She wouldn't be so stupid to leave the phone on," Nick warned. Just as he spoke, the phone buzzed again. Judy's expression after seeing the number was all Nick needed to know that it was yet another message from Bellwether. Nick took the phone after Judy read the text.
Three hours. I can't wait to see you again, Judy.
D.B.
Bogo read the message and immediately stood from his desk.
"Hopps, be ready to leave in the next fifteen minutes," he said.
"Wait, don't you think it's a trap?" Judy replied with a hint of shock in her voice.
"Of course it's a trap," Bogo shot back. "I never said you were going alone." As he spoke, he pressed the button on the intercom on his desk. "Clawhauser, call up SWAT team four, Code 11. Have them ready to go ASAP" Clawhauser affirmed and Bogo turned his attention back to the pair of officers standing in front of his desk. "Hopps, go have the techs trace the phone. We need Bellwether's location."
"Yes sir," Judy replied before she walked out of the room, leaving Nick alone with the Chief.
"Sir, do you think it's wise to send Judy to Bellwether?" Nick asked, hoping he wasn't overstepping his bounds. "Isn't she a little to close to this case?" The large buffalo sighed.
"I wish we had another choice, Wilde," he said, "but the message explicitly mentioned Judy, and I am not willing to gamble innocent lives over something we can control." He paused. "Plus, I trust her to do the right thing. Now, go, you need to be ready to leave as well."
"Well, I'm glad you trust me too, sir!" Nick said as he headed for the door.
"Just get going, Wilde!" Bogo shouted after him as Nick walked into the hallway.
The SWAT van rumbled down the dirt road towards Bunnyburrow, the passengers inside swaying with every bump in the road. All of them were dressed in heavy black tactical gear except for Nick and Judy. Nick glanced around at the nearly dozen SWAT officers packed into the back of the van. They were nearly all predators; mostly wolves, but a few cheetahs and leopards were sprinkled in as well.
The team leader, a dark gray timber wolf by the name of Sergeant Jonathan Caine, was on the phone with someone. After several minutes, he hung up and moved over to Judy and Nick, struggling to move through the mass of bodies crammed in the van.
"OK, that was a Sheriff Harry Buck," Caine said. "You know him?" he asked Judy. She nodded.
"Yeah, he's been the sheriff since I was... Oh, gosh, since I was twelve, I think." Judy answered.
"Yeah, well, he's offered full cooperation in our investigation," Caine clarified. Judy stifled a small laugh.
"It's not like he did much anyway," Judy said. "It was a more of ceremonial role than anything else."
"It's a formality," Caine agreed. "But we're gonna meet him and then search the town for any sign of Bellwether."
With the base plan in place, the van rolled to a stop near the town hall. One of the SWAT officers threw the back doors open and the small squad leapt from the back of the van and began removing their gear. Nick was impressed by the sheer amount of stuff each member wore.
As the SWAT team got their gear ready, Nick saw an older rabbit and an old sheriff's uniform approach the group. Caine saw him too.
"Mr. Buck," he said, holding out his paw. The rabbit returned the favor but Nick noticed a slight hesitation to shake the hand of the larger predator. Nick also noticed the sheriff eye Nick with slight suspicion.
Well, some things don't change.
"Ok, we'll need everyone on the main street to stay in their homes while we search the yards," Caine explained as he pointed toward the houses not far away. While most of the population of Bunnyburrow lived far away from the city center in farms, those rabbits that weren't farmers lived close to the town center. If Bellwether was planning something, she would want the larger population density to witness it.
"That can be arranged," the sheriff replied. "You said you're looking for a sheep?"
"Yes," Judy said, joining the conversation. "She wanted on domestic terrorism and attempted murder charges," she explained "and we have reason to believe she's here somewhere."
"Well, I'll be...!" the sheriff said, almost as if he hadn't listened to a word she had said. "If it isn't Judy Hopps! I remember when you were born!" Nick couldn't help but smile when the look of annoyed frustration crossed her face. Caine looked at the watch on his wrist.
"We don't have much time left before Bellwether's ultimatum runs out," he said before motioning to his men to move out. Caine only walked a few steps before his body suddenly jerked. Fractions of a second later, the loud report of a rifle echoed down the street.
"Contact!" one of the officers shouted as Caine collapsed into a heap in the dirt.