"NICK!"

Nick released pressure on the trigger just before the the gun fired, startled by the loud shout behind him. He spun around and saw Judy standing in the doorway of the darkened basement. She was holding her sidearm, and it was pointed at Nick. Bellwether stood, unharmed, her hoofs covering her face.

"Nick, whatever good you'll think will come of this, it's not worth it," she said in a calming voice.

"You of all people know what she's capable of," Nick shot back. Judy raised her weapon slightly, a stern look of determination written across her face.

"It's not our place to decide that, Nick," she replied sternly. "We are police. We are not judge, jury, and executioner. She deserves every right I did while I was on trial." Nick shifted his gaze between the cowering Bellwether and Judy. He started to lower the gun, only slightly. His brain was reeling.

Suddenly, Bellwether lunged toward Nick. He didn't have time to react when his ears were assaulted by a deafening crack which echoed off the concrete walls in the small room. Nick cupped his ears and waited for the ringing to subside before he could regain his senses.

He looked around the room and saw Judy standing in a defensive pose, smoke wafting from the barrel of her weapon. Bellwether lay on the ground the feet away, motionless. Judy was breathing hard and Nick realized his own heart was racing. Bellwether shifted slightly, causing both Nick and Judy to jump slightly.

"You shot me!" she shouted in a voice filled with genuine surprise.

"What?" Judy asked, her voice slightly louder than normal.

"You actually shot me! I didn't think you'd actually... Argh!" Bellwether rolled over and Nick saw a small trickle of blood from her right arm. The bullet must've barely grazed her arm just above the elbow.

"What are you saying?" Judy asked again. Nick saw the look of confusion on her face.

"You OK, Carrots?" he asked, keeping an eye on Bellwether, who hadn't even managed to move to a sitting position. Judy turned to Nick.

"What?" Her voice was still louder than normal. Nick suddenly realized what happened.

"Can. You. Hear. Me?" Nick asked, speaking slowly and making sure to enunciate each word clearly. Judy processed the words for several seconds.

"I can hear ringing!" she shouted back.

"OK," Nick said under his breath as he turned back toward Bellwether, who was still complaining about her gunshot wound.

"She actually shot me! Can you believe that?" she asked Nick as he approached, handcuffs in hand.

"Yeah, actually," Nick replied. He knelt down and started putting the handcuffs on her. "Dawn Bellwether, you are under arrest. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law."

"I need a hospital!" Bellwether said.

"You'll be fine," Nick answered flatly. "You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights as I've explained them?"

"Yes, just get me out of here!" she said in response.

"My pleasure," Nick said as he pulled the sheep to her feet. Bellwether let out a groan of pain as she stood. Nick looked at Judy. "Can you hear yet?" She held up her fingers to indicate that she could hear a little, but a gunshot in an enclosed space could not have been kind on her sensitive ears. Nick nodded in response and pulled the radio from his belt.

"This is Officer Wilde, we have Bellwether in custody," he said.

"Copy that. Sniper in custody," the SWAT officer on the other end of the line replied.

"10-4. There's at least one more ram around here, so be out on the lookout for him," Nick warned. "We're bringing Bellwether to the van."

"10-4, copy that," the voice responded. Nick placed the radio back on his belt and turned toward Bellwether.

"Come on, we're going," he said and nudged the sheep toward the door. The trio left the old building and walked back toward the town center. As they came outside, Nick saw the SWAT officers milling about, looking for other associates of Bellwether. The ram that had shot at the officers was lying on the ground with a SWAT officer standing guard over him.

Nick guided Bellwether to the van that was still parked in the center of the square and lifted her into the back before climbing in himself. Judy slowly climbed in. It was obvious her hearing wasn't fully back yet. Inside the van were two of the SWAT officers, Sergeant Caine and the squad medic, who was looking over him. Nick pushed Bellwether into a sitting position on the floor and looked up at the two officers.

"She needs to patched up," he said to the medic.

"She shot me!" Bellwether added while gesturing with her head to Judy. Judy responded with a sarcastic smirk. Caine was clearly impressed and struggled to stand inside the cramped van. Nick could see the damage to his vest caused by the bullet. The wolf was clearly sore.

"Good job, Wilde," he said, moving over to Bellwether. "Now, what can you tell us?"

"He tried to kill me," Bellwether said, looking at Nick. "While I was defenseless," she added in a darker tone. Caine looked at Nick suspiciously.

"No, he didn't." All three looked to Judy, who seemed to have regained her composure. She looked at Caine. "She had just threatened me. Nick couldn't be sure if she had a weapon or not." Judy looked back at Bellwether. "Plus, you lunged at him right after that, so you have no room to talk," she added sternly. Caine seemed to accept the explanation.

"Now, what can you tell me about what you were doing here?" Caine asked Bellwether. Bellwether shot the wolf a defiant look but remained silent. The medic moved over and started looking at Bellwether's arm. She winced in pain.

"Sir, third suspect in custody. Caught him trying to jump a fence," Caine's radio said. Caine depressed the transmit button. "10-4, Copy that." He turned his attention back to the prisoner in front of him.

"Well, if you won't talk, we have to others outside who I'm sure would love to answer these questions," he said. Bellwether's expression suddenly shifted from defiant to worried.

That got her.

"I want my lawyer," she said.