Chapter 4: A Larger Plan (written in 2018)
Three days later...
She couldn't remember anything concrete. It was a bunch of flashes of light. Pieces were there but the puzzle was thrown into the air. She never thought she could smell emptiness. When she regained consciousness, she was welcomed by the deep echoing of her breath. Blindfolded, she could see the large space she was in, and the more she struggled, the more her cuffs would get tighter.
She felt thin wood underneath her bottom. It was a chair that she could tell was bound to the floor below. It was cold, but there was no breeze. All the while she felt violated. Not that she had been kidnapped—no—but that her gold badge had been forcibly removed from her uniform. She perceived her current state of identity as alien, a state of limbo between a cop and a civilian. It was the greyness between black and white.
She had no clue how long she had been staying there. She knew one thing, though. She had to leave... and fast. So many animals must be worried sick about her! And Nick? Oh... Nick... If she couldn't rescue herself, she was darn sure Nick would bite his own tail off trying to rescue. Even if she was in some crazy dimension where he wouldn't, Chief Bogo would be knee-deep in all of his officers for sure. Nobody takes a cop and gets away with it—which led Judy to think why on Earth would anyone try? Clearly, this was a planned event. Nobody would take her unless they were positive that the kidnapping would be successful. The thing about crime-saturated animals was that, no matter what, they do things to keep the cycle of their institution running. They needed her. The question was why.
"Please, make yourself at home," echoed a masculine voice in front of Judy. "Hope the straps aren't too tight."
"Tight enough to be illegal," she replied sternly. "You mind telling me what's going on?"
"Oh, sure, and while I'm at it, I should give you my name and what I do just so you can post it on some dating site."
"Can't blame a girl for trying."
"I suppose not, but let me remind you who's the tied-up one here."
"And let me remind you of some history. Good guys win. Bad guys lose. Rinse. Repeat."
"You should know the best villains are the ones who are the best heroes in their perspective of the story."
"Same could be said for you."
"Ha, ha! You're smart! I'm not gonna lie; they weren't wrong about you. You're perhaps a greater potential asset than we could ever dream up. You should give yourself a nice pat on the back."
"Untie me and I will," she replied.
"I prefer to do the honors." Judy was unaware of a huge foot that hanged above her. After he made a clicking sound, the foot came down and a boom echoed throughout the airport hanger.
Meanwhile...
A knock on the door ensued while Bonnie was knitting on the rocking chair. Her husband was napping on the couch with ten of their offspring on his chest.
"Stu, honey, could you get the door? Please!?"
"Ugh. It's probably Pop-Pop confusing our house as the neighbors'."
"We don't get that many visitors. I know a different knock when I hear one."
"Fine, fine, but don't say I didn't warn you."
Stu opened the door and saw two yellow legs towering above the porch. He screamed and took a step back. It was Mayor Lionheart.
"Oh, is this the door? Hi! This is the mayor of Zootopia. I've come to personally deliver some news to the family of Officer Hopps." Bonnie's ears instantly perked, and she hopped to the front door.
"Some news? Please come in!"
"Uhh, dear? I don't think Mr. Lionheart and his security can fit in our house," said Stu.
"Oh... right..."
"No worries. I've come alone," said the lion. "You know Officer Hopps has been such a dedicated treasure to my city, handling crime wherever she sees it, including stopping a devious plot involving my own colleagues, but something has happened that appears to have gotten the best of her."
"What?"
"She has just been reported missing after not showing up for work for three days in a row. In her line of duty, it's safe to assume she's been compromised."
"Really?!"
"Yes. I've also come to personally give my condolences and assure you that my citizens are doing everything they can to find her and bring the ones who took her to justice."
"Stu, we've got to do something! Our baby is out there and needs our help!"
"What are we were gonna do? We're just a bunch of carrot farmers. That's the big bad world out there!"
"Judy is a Hopps like all of us. If she can do it, so can we. We're going to Zootopia."
"But honey, who's gonna watch the kids? Pop-Pop?" They looked at each other and replied in unison.
"Gideon can do it."