Chapter Summary

Everyday, when you strap on your badge, you wonder. Is today the day?

Chapter Notes

Warning: Written quickly, not beta'ed, and edits are not in depth. Will continue to edit and refine if I spot problems.

Judy loved their pursuit cruiser, it was big, strong, fast. A darling with only ten thousand miles on it, she adored this cruiser. Hotel-14, sure, the jokes got old, and with Nick finally partnered with her, the boys and girls of the presdigious Squad 1 were hazing them, but it didn't matter. It was all good. This was the fast-track to a Detective's Shield, hell, being in the elite Squad 1, Bogo's hoof picked patrol officers, that was already career making...but no, she was a bunny with plans. With so many plans, she'd have her Detective's Shield in two years, her Captain's Pips in ten years. She'd be a inspiration, the MIP would make the world a more inclusive place...and she was sitting pretty, with proof that things got better.

Nick didn't really notice his partner's daydreams. Well, he did, "Eyes on the road Carrots," that easy dream popping reminder, no he and her had a groove for that. No, he was busy with his various feeds. Stocks, sports book, news, social media, the new Match Three tile game. His high score was safe, as he threw a leg up to brace against the passenger side dash and braced for Judy's short stop. She only got him like one in four times now. Heh, he smirked at her. She smirked back, before they continued on, down their beat along Central Main, the long straightaway a haven for speed freaks during slow traffic. Whenever Moogle's Zaze app posted no traffic, you were bound to find a few young idiots racing down on their custom bikes. All neon glow and plastic bodies, no matter that every once in a few months one of them turns into a smear on the asphalt.

Nick is keeping a eye on Zaze, clear traffic for eight blocks. That's bound to draw a few of the speed junkies out. He is keeping a eye on it, so he is not the one that notices the parked van in front of the Bank of Zootopia branch, engine running with no driver. He's not the one to notice the weight of the suspension sagging, as if there was a big animal in the back. He is not the one to notice, the muffled crack of a gunshot. Of many gunshots. Judy's eyes dilate as her ears swivel towards the bank, as she instinctively thumps her paw, once, twice, trice. Nick knew what that meant, danger, don't freak out. He sees it immediately, his eyes flicking up from the little screen. Looks like some crew with some brains, lookout hiding in the back of that van.

Watching. Waiting.

Judy doesn't turn on the lights, no she drives down, like she is wont to do. Some dumb cop, just passing by. They turn the corner before Nick is on the radio, and she's doing a U-Turn and sliding up to cover.

"Central, Possible 2-11 on eight thousand block on Central Main, Hotel-14 responding. Requesting backup, Code 2-High. Hotel-14 Over." Nick's voice was smooth, steady, as he reached for the switch under the radio that would unlock the cruiser's carbine. A old 9mm war surplus piece that probably saw most of its life in a wooden create somewhere while its siblings served in various conflicts. The empty magazine well looked cavernous, hungry...his paw was already reaching for one of the three magazines they were issued.

"Hotel-14, clear copy, showing Hotel-12 and Hotel-15 responding. ETA four minutes. What is your six? Over." Dispatch always patched in Clawhauser when Squad 1 responded to anything more than a fender bender. He would bring in Bogo, if it warranted is attention.

"We are at the corner of Central Main and Telungoo-" Was all Nick could have gotten out, as the back van doors opened. A big bull, wearing a red ski mask and a poof winter coat was toting a military style assault rifle and taking aim. Judy could see what looked like a police radio unit, frayed wires and cracked screens behind him, and she could hear him call out, back to the bank.

"we've been made!"

BRATATATATATA!

The windshield shattered, as she ducked down and pulled forward, her paws dragging the wheel into a turn. Nick was down, scrunched up as well, hiding behind the armored door panel on his side. Glass flew as Judy did her best to pull into the middle of the street, and throw on the lights and sirens. There needed to be some sign not to drive down this road. Otherwise civilians could get into a cross fire, never mind SOP was to pull back, never mind that she and Nick were not expected to face up to this kind of threat.

This was what SWAT was for.

"Shots fired, shots fired! Officers taking fire on Central Main, suspect armed with automatic weapons. Eyes on Male IC-BB wearing a red mask and green winter jacket." Nick's voice didn't deep, still smooth and steady as he gripped his arm rest tight and Judy threw the cruiser into park. Judy and he needed that backup, he could not fuck this up. Even as his window turned into so much shrapnel over his head, as he could feel the vibrations coming through his door. He was not going to fuck this up.

BRATATATATATATATTA!

"Plate number Bravo Victor Niner Niner Six One Six!" Judy screamed over to him, she was getting out. Her body protected by the wheel wells of her car, the engine block too. She reached out to drag Nick out. He was fine, but he went limp as his side dragged across the center divider with the old surplus carbine in its mounting. His free hand tugged at it, and there was a slight snap as its wire stock crumbled against its mounting brace. It would do. He was flat on the ground, radio bungee straight.

"Help is on the way Hotel-14! We have all available units in bound!"

"Copy that." Nick replied, letting go over the radio as Judy armed up. Three mags, sixty shots. Well, one mag, twenty shots. Nick was reaching in for the other mags, as he felt something red hot bit into his shin. It didn't matter, as he found the two things. Judy was already slapping the magazine and pulling the bolt.

"POLICE! DROP YOUR WEAPONS!" She screamed out, not that it would do much good, it was what was expected. SOP. She didn't duck out, pop out, or jump out. No she curled up, making sure not to leave the safety of the wheel well. The hot black asphalt singed her fur, as she lay back and started to take pot shots.

Pop! Pop!

Miss. Miss. She had to take a breath. She was aiming high, dust spraying from the BoZ sign above the door.

BRATATATATA-silence.

Her eyes instinctively closed as she felt something bite into her face. Divots in the asphalt spraying stone and grit into her left side. The shooter was out, her brain supplied.

The dispatch was screaming for their status as Nick popped the trunk release. They needed more ammunition. There were another three magazines in the back.

"COVER ME!" Nick called. Judy nodded, and she did the unthinkable. She leaned out.

Popopopopopoppopopopopoopopo!

She dumped the mag into the back of that van, the bull cursing as he scrambled into the driver's seat and his partners made their appearance. Two more bulls, yellow ski mask and green ski mask. Poofy winter coats all.

Assault rifles all. Nick grabbed the ammo can out of the back, and Judy locked onto a empty magazine as the two bulls opened up.

BRARTATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATA!

Spraying and praying. Nick felt something whiz by his ears, and something sparked off the open trunk lid as he ducked behind the other wheel well.

Judy was already pulling the old mag out and slapping in a new one. Twenty shots, no hits, she felt like cursing herself. She had scored Expert on her firing qualifications. Her eyes glanced to Nick, as he tried wrestle open the ammo can.

His pants were soaking wet from blood, a angry looking gash on his shin leaking out his life. He didn't seem to notice.

"NICK! NICK! STOP THE BLEEDING!" She urged, not noticing her own blood that was flowing down her left cheek. Sirens. She could hear sirens.

"IT'S NOTHING! FIRE BACK! THEY'LL FLANK IF YOU DON'T!" Nick retorted as he started to feel a red hot burning in his leg. Judy didn't have to be told twice, as she went back to engaging the targets. They weren't piling into the van. Why weren't they piling in? Judy wondered as she aimed, and took a breath. Hotel-14 would probably never drive again, as wheels popped and the whole thing started to list. The engine was smoking and clanking. The two bulls were not letting up.

Is today the day they would not go home?