Judy entered her profession's place enthusiastically with a huge smile on her muzzle. However, she was wondering whether she did the right thing yesterday. "Hello, Mr Otterton, I'm here for to work."

Then from the rooms around the back, Mr Otterton responded. "Hey, that's great but there is someone here who was asking for you." Judy paused, 'was it? Could it be? Already?' She wasn't sure. She headed round the back cautiously, still unsure whether what that mammal wanted was what she though they wanted.

When she reached the room, it was the small office that she signed the papers in when she was signing up. Inside the small room were two mammals, one was Emmitt but the other was a vixen. She looked a bit different. A bit off. "Hello, what can I help with?" She asked.

The vixen turned around with a smile, although it seemed artificial, maybe even superficial. Probably superficial. "Ah yes, there is a matter I have to discuss with you, and it would be about The Spectral Showman." Emmitt turned to Judy, eyeing her cautiously.

"What would you want from me?" She asked, trying to gather as much information from her posture and movements as possible. "I mean, it's not like I know the mammal." She stated convincingly, without doing anything to show she was lying. The room was calm but filled with so much distrust that it was palpable at this point.

"I think you could direct me to him."

"What gave you that foolish idea?"

"Experience. He is a tricky mammal to find but there are a few that know him fursonally and I have reason to believe you are one of them." The vixen straightened her face. She then leaned in towards the rabbit, who stood there with no emotion on her face. "So will you tell me or will I need to convince you to do so?"

"I think you are severely mistaken."

"I don't make mistakes like this." The two eyed each other aggressively, neither was giving way for their opposition to gain the lead.

"Ladies, how about we calm down a bit? I'll make some herbal tea for us all to soothe our minds and tempers." Emmitt cut in, trying to avoid a fight.

"Yes please do, Mr Otterton." The vixen responded. At this point Emmitt left, giving the two females a few seconds to talk in private. "So, can you tell me where Nick is."

Judy froze for a second, it was this moment she realised, this mammal knows a lot more than she lets off. "What did Nick do wrong?"

"Cut the bullshit, girl. We both know that he is the Spectral Showman. So would you kindly tell me where he is." The vixen snapped. She was starting to get impatient. Her joyous veil started to wash away. She started to show her teeth to try and scare the small rabbit, but Judy stood firm and didn't react.

"No." Judy responded bluntly. "Why would I help you, if I don't even know you?"

"You can call me Red."

"Red?"

"For Redempta."

"Your name is Redempta?"

"...Yes." Red responded, not even believing her own lies that she was delivering.

"Okay then Redempta, I won't help you since I don't see a reason to do so." Judy returned, not wanting a full confrontation, considering her broken arm.

"He is a dangerous mammal for starters and he should be put in the slammer."

"So should you, considering a lot of what I've seen in the past 5 minutes."

"And you, don't forgot what got you that broken arm."

"How did you..."

"Tools of the trade, now tell me where your partner in crime is, Ms. Sinful Serenade."

Judy then leaned against the pale wall beside her. She tried to look calm and unaffected but her insides were screaming in fear and filled with some much uncertainty. "I have nothing to tell you, Red." She steadied her breathing. "Besides, you said few know him fursonally like that, and clearly you do as well."

"Maybe I did at some point but that time has long passed. Ms. Hopps, if you would wish to know, ask your uncle what happened so long ago." She then chuckled. "Ahh, good times." She declared while rubbing her chin. There was a slight metallic scraping sound that was created from the rubbing. She then sighed, while looking slightly more annoyed. "Now with that out of the way, tell me where he is." She stood up and lunged for the rabbit, grabbing her throat. "I won't ask again."

She struggled to break out as her paw was like a vice, refusing to let go of what it has ensnared. "I... won't... help... you... if... I'm... dead." She coughed out as best as she could. Red loosened her grip but still held the rabbit against the wall. A flood of air then entered her lungs as the pathway was finally opened. She coughed and spluttered to try and regain her breath. "You're really not good at this, are you?" She smiled mockingly. "But I enjoy your tenacity." The vixen then tightened her grip again.

"Then I see you are of no use to me. Shame, you could've helped me well."

20 minutes earlier

Skye wiped her tears and raised her head from her currently unconscious partner, in every sense of the word. "You can't die, please, don't die." She muttered shakily, hoping for the best. She looked back at the door in the medical room, where a sign was hung saying critical condition.

A doctor returned. "I'm sorry ma'am but visiting times are over, you have to leave." She reluctantly stood up and nodded. She taken one last look at Jack and ruffled his fur at the tip of his forehead.

She walked up to the doctor and asked in a sombre tone, "Can I please have his phone? Just for my own sake."

The doctor looked around and sighed. "Fine but only because you have a somewhat close connection to him. Don't tell anyone I did this."

Skye smiled lightly and stated jokingly, "Well, I've been keeping secrets my whole life, another one wouldn't hurt." Her happy facade quickly disappeared as she finished her statement. The two then walked to a locker, where patient items were kept. The doctor pulled out what seemed to be a small phone, which had a almost completely shattered screen. She pressed the power button then tapped on the screen to see if it worked and by some miracle it did. Sort of. Tapping the screen did nothing to the phone. She looked t the doctor for a second, while slightly tearing up, and muttered her gratitude.

"No problems, well except if anyone finds out." Even though he was making a joke, he kept a straight face when stating it, trying to stay in tone with his surroundings.

Skye nodded and looked at the screen one more time, this time noticing the message and its sender through all the cracks. Her face turned from one of sadness to one of business. "Once again thanks, but I have to go. Turns out he had an important meeting so I have to cover for him." The doctor nodded and let her go. She darted towards the main entrance/exit, fishing for her car keys in the process. She rocketed out of the building haphazardly, nearly bumping into someone in the process, and launched herself towards her car.

When Skye reached her grey car, she slid over the bonnet and unlocked her car, jumping in as she opened the door. "Where does she work, where does she work?!" Skye asked no-one in particular in a panic. She started her car and started to drive off with no destination in mind. That's when it hit her. "The flower shop! He bout those flowers for himself when he spoke to her. She must be there." She turned around and drove towards that location as fast as she legally could. After a few twists and turns, she finally arrived at her destination. The car was parked and the fox ran for the entrance, bumping into a different fox.

5 minutes earlier

Isamu was returning with a coffee in his paw. He started moaning mostly at himself. "I should've slept longer. I hate working earlier hours. Why can't I protect someone who works later?" He took a sip of his coffee, which burned his tongue slightly, but he didn't react. He kept walking towards the shop until a weasel tried to mug him in a small alleyway that was a good shortcut. Isamu let out a yawn and rolled his eyes. "I have nothing you would desire."

"You have money, give it."

"No, I would rather not." The weasel then lunged with his knife to try and stab him in the chest, but Isamu, even in his tired state, was much faster, grabbing the paw and twisting the knife out of his grip. "I'm not in the mood, leave, before I decide you weren't..." He took a sip of his coffee. "punished enough." The weasel nodded and ran away, holding his paw that was in pain. He then groaned. "Money, of course he wants money, can he not work for it? Mammals these days." He kept moving, hoping to get to where he needs to fast enough.

Then his phone pinged. He pulled out and read who sent it. When he saw the word Spectre, he instantly woke up and read the text. 'What are you doing right now?'

Isamu held his breath, 'Covering Serenade' he responded quickly, or at least as quickly as he could with one paw.

'Right, nvm keep doin tht.' was returned then a second message popped up 'tell me when u done'. Isamu pocketed his phone after that. He kept walking, now slightly more awake than before. He headed to the the place he was meant to be and as he grabbed the door, someone knocked into him from behind, causing him to drop his cup. He groaned and turned around.

He then saw Skye trying to push past to get to the door and grabbed her shoulder, preventing her from stepping in the spilled coffee. "I'm really sorry, I'm just in a rush. Oh it's you." The last part of her speech was stated with a vile disdain but Isamu ignored it.

"Why are you here?"

"To talk to her."

"I'm contractually obligated to protect her so I will be there."

"Fine, but lets go now." She stepped over the brown puddle and then pushed the door open, letting herself pass through.

Judy

The two heard the door open. "I guess playtime is over." She groaned, heading through the back door. Judy fell to the ground and started to sputter violently, while also taking huge gasps of air. Isamu and Skye walked in and instantly started to worry about her when they saw her on the ground, grabbing her neck.

"What happened?" Isamu instantly asked in a panic, he nearly failed to keep her alive it would seem.

"Some fox, I don't know who, she was quite enigmatic, tried to ask about Spectre." She grabbed another mouthful of air. "She nearly killed me since I refused to give her what she wanted." Skye stood there awkwardly. Judy turned her body to sit on the floor. "Jiro, I thought you were going for coffee." Isamu turned to Skye with a tired expression plastered over his face. Skye just smiled in return. "You know what, forget I said anything." She stood up from the ground and reluctantly asked, "So, Skye, what do you want?"

Skye rubbed the back of her head knowing it was a terrible time. "I err... I..."

"You were in such a rush that you knocked into me, and now you forget?"

"No it's not that just..."

"You wanna ask about Spectre, go ahead, I'll probably avoid answering but hey ho."

Skye sighed. "Yeah, I'm sorry just dealing with a rough time now, he would know what. I just wanted to ask, what did you mean by it was revenge?"

"Oh, he told me, knowing the conversation me and Jack had, roughly, and explained his side of the story. He finally found out who killed his parents and well wanted to avenge them." Isamu smiled awkwardly when he heard that. Skye opened her eyes slightly wider in shock.

"Wait so his parents were murdered? Huh, I should've expected that." She lowered her head a bit. "Well, now it's just awkward."

"Not yet, at least not entirely." Judy tried to reassure. She then scratched her cast. "Ugh, how long do I have to wear this stupid thing?"

"You had it for about a week so far, not counting the month in hospital."

"Exactly, month! How much longer?!" She started to get restless.

This was when Emmitt returned with the tea. "Oh, hello everyone, I wasn't expecting so many guests today."

"Neither was I." Judy bluntly responded, dreading the amount of attention she was getting lately. "Anyways, so what now?"

"We need a description of the mammal that attacked you." Skye instantly stated.

"Attacked? What happened here?"

"Well, I don't know, generic red fox, with a slight metallic sheen, I guess, don't remember her eye col-"

"Blue, her eyes were a strong royal blue." Emmitt added, wanting Judy to not be endangered too much.

"I'd remember that if she wasn't trying to murder me. It wasn't like I had a good way of fighting back." Judy raised her broken arm and groaned. "Not like it would've helped in any way shape or form."

"I think that could be good enough, and also, if you have anything else to say, send it to this number now, please. His phone is..." She started to trail off as a tear started to form in her eye. Isamu put his paw on her her shoulder and smiled empathetically whilst nodding with understanding. Skye lightly turned her head towards him and lightly smiled. "Thanks... friend."

2 minutes earlier – outside, around the back

"Damn, I nearly killed her. Fuck." She cursed herself. "I let myself go to far again." She then took some deep breaths while climbing to the top of a roof. "I'm sorry, I failed, I didn't learn anything."

"That's fine, he wouldn't tell it to nearly anyone. She must be important herself so, maybe try and do a few things with her instead..."

"I nearly killed her alree... I mean hehehe there was no physical interaction." She stated it with a completely guilty voice, while still trying to avoid making it too obvious.

"I expected as much from you, somehow everything turns into a fight. You are filled with so much untempered rage, control it. Direct it properly, use it as a weapon and our enemies shall fall." The entire line was stated calmly and charismatically, almost as if he wanted to seem smooth while saying it. It was entirely in character for him, at least as far as she knew, it was. Then there was a silent pause from the two of them as she tried to get as far away as possible. "I'll be glad to say that our new friend is starting to co-operate so we might be able to do a few new things around here."

"Something tells me the fiery fennec would be a better friend though."

"Shorty? Really? What makes you say that?"

"Just a hunch."

"Get back here before something happens, especially since she saw your face and, considering your actions, will definitely side against you." The receiver sighed audibly through the speaker.

"Already on it, I'll be there soon."

A few minutes later.- Inside the store.

Police were now present and put all the witnesses, plus the victim, in one room, except Skye, she had full access to everywhere. They blocked off the office, where Judith was strangled and nearly murdered, to try and find any clues for who could've been the perpetrator.

Then one of the officers took a statement from each of the individuals present. He made sure to do it in a separate room to avoid copied testimonies, just in case.

"Mr.?"

"Isamu Jiro, please call me Isamu."

"Okay Isamu, did you see anyone while you were here?"

"Iie, I didn't see anyone, I arrived alongside the white vixen that was present."

"Agent Frost?"

Isamu shrugged, "Is that her name?"

"White agent? Walking around here like she owns the place currently? Fox? Female?" Isamu nodded at each question. "Yeah, it's her."

"Then yes, she can back up my story, especially since she knocked my morning coffee out of my paw." There was a slight annoyance at the last part of the sentence.

"Oof, that must feel bad, I get it, anyways, if that's all you know then I'll ask someone else, head back now." Isamu stood up and walked to the door. "Wait, why were you there? You are the biggest enigma here."

"I'm her friend and I'm also tasked with protecting her for the time being." His response was cold and tired.

"Thanks for telling you can go back now." Isamu left the room, and then came a different officer.

"Lieutenant Wolford, sir, who should I bring now?"

"Fangmeyer, bring me Agent Frost, she was at both places conveniently just after they happened, I'm not enjoying this." He groaned. Fangmeyer left the room, searching the area for the agent. Wolford looked around and noticed it was silent and empty. He sighed morosely. "I'm a dying breed, the noble enforcer of the law is slowly fading away. Most are taken bribes from some crime lord somewhere, some are moles and then there is me and Trevor, Why is that the easy road so many take? Why doesn't everyone who join want to be good, uphold the law? Not like I can fix it. The commissioner is good, just too blind and naïve to see the issue. I guess all that I can do is my best and hoped the world gets better." Wolford looked down at the ground. He knew he was starting to feel down in the dumps but he had a job to do so he better do it.

Then the door suddenly opened. "What do you want Michael?" Wolford rolled his eyes at that. "Trevor told me you wanted to talk to me."

"Yeah, sit down." She complied. "I just want to ask about-"

"What happened? Yeah, I don't really know. I juts arrived to see her on the ground grabbing her throat. I walked in alongside the fox ninja, sorry don't know his name. Possibly bumped into him and caused him to spill his coffee but that's an irrelevant detail." Skye started to blush from embarrassment. "I was there because the victim sent a message to my currently unconscious partner and thus I am trying to continue the case."

"And what is that case may I ask?"

"The capture and arrest of the most deadly and notorious assassin in the world."

"The Spectral Showman. Damn, you have your work cut out for you. I have another question though, don't you find it convenient and coincidental that you were at both scenes of the crime as they happened?"

"Y-" It then clicked in her mind what he was insinuating. "Hold up, I'm not a corrupt agent. Why do you think that? I have the same job as you, to uphold the peace, I just have to do more dangerous tasks. So of course I was in both places. I live right next to the first place and for here" She fished in her pocket and pulled out Jack's phone, sliding it across the table to Wolford. "I told you why."

Wolford looked at the phone and chuckled lightly. "You got me there, fair enough. You can go."

"Thanks." Skye snapped back.

"I'm sorry." Wolford mumbled guiltily.

Skye froze for a second. "What? What did you say?"

"I said I'm sorry, sorry for doubting you." He stood up and walked towards her. As he reached her, he pulled his paw out and gave it to Skye to shake. Skye smiled and took the paw. "It's hard to know who to trust on this side anymore."

"I get what you're saying, it's hard for me too. I forgive you." Wolford nodded.

"I need a smoke now." Wolford commented as he followed Skye out of the room.

Outside, he felt his phone ring. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself down. That was when he grabbed his phone and opened his eyes with feigned enthusiasm. The phone read 'Honeyboo'. "As long as no-one sees that, I should be fine." He then answered. "Hey Angie, how are you?"

"I'm fine but where are you? You said you would be home by now."

"I know I know, just I'm sorry I have to deal with this attempted murder case, it should wrap up real soon."

"Be here quick, you know how lonely it is here."

"I'll try my best. I'll see you soon."

"Bye, be home quick."

The line disconnected. Wolford sighed again and pulled out a cigarette. He placed it in his mouth and was about to light it when his phone rang again. "Who could be calling me now?"

He pulled out his phone, again, and read what it said, again. But the difference was that he didn't recognise the number. He looked at it cautiously and answered. "Hey Mike, long time no see. By the way smoking is bad for you."

"And you are? Also where are you?"

"A trusted source that's somewhere in the vicinity."

"Trusted? Why should I trust you?"

There was then a stifled chuckle on the other side of the call, "Come on, don't you recognise this voice? Don't tell me I've been out for that long already."

Wolford stood there for a minute and pondered who it could be. He lit his cigarette and that was when it hit him. "You! Why are you calling me? You probably nearly killed her, only to hear two mammals walking in."

"A metallic sheen, me?" The caller asked rhetorically.

"Goddamn it Spectre, I can't help you, I tell you that each and every time. Why do you keep trying?" The anger was rising with every word that was stated.

"You know that it's because you don't take bribes and because of that I trust you enough to help you."

"Help me? How would you help me? Would you give yourself up?"

"Heh, you wish, no what I was actually going to say was I can tell you who to trust, since that is such a big issue for you."

Wolford calmed down. "What's in it for you?"

"I get to find out who tried to kill her. I can't let that slide."

"I have shit to deal with, now would you kindly fuck off."

"I'm willing to talk soon." That last comment confused Wolford. It was unusual for Spectre to act like this. He walked back in, after throwing his cigarette in the bin. When he went in, he requested to talk to the victim.

He sat in the room he sat in before and waited. That was when the rabbit walked in. "So broken arm and now injured neck, must be rough."

"Could be worse." Judy shot back, grateful that she is still alive. "You could've been analysing me instead."

"So, by what I've heard so far, you have nearly been murdered by a red vixen with royal blue eyes. Her fur had a metallic sheen and she wore almost entirely black. She had no defining marks and by what we can tell, left without a trace."

"Sounds about right. Yeah."

"But here is what is puzzling me. It's the after effects. If she held you up the way she did and choked you, why didn't she just make sure you were dead, she could've killed you easily."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, but yeah, I see what you mean."

"Also, where does Spectre stand in all of this?"

Judy didn't react to the name, partially to hide her connection and partially because she was used to hearing his name now.

"You know, he called me and when asked what's in it for him, he said finding out who tried to kill you. How do you know him?"

"He saved my life."

That one sentence completely flipped the entire script in Wolford's mind. He shook his head in disbelief and tried to comprehend the sentence. "Hold up, he saved your life? Are you sure you're not mistaking him for someone else? I mean I refuse to believe that you were saved by a cold-hearted killer."

"I was saved by a cynical misunderstood mammal that has his morals skewed by the world he grew up in, I don't know why he saved me, but he did."

"Who are you to him though? Why does he care about you enough to say that having revenge for you is enough of a reward."

"I can't answer that question, not in the way you hope I would. The answer I possess is I don't know." As the words left her mouth, she looked empty. She didn't know how to react to that either. "I don't know." She stated again, reaffirming the uncertainty of her current situation.

Both stared at each other blankly, Wolford just hit another dead end. After a few seconds, Wolford finally snapped. He slammed the table with his paw. "Damn it! Why can't anything ever just be easy?!" Judy just sat there unflinchingly and watched with empathy.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you much but I tried, I guess."

Wolford turned to her. "It's not you, it's everything. The cases, the hours, the mammals. I rarely see my own wife. Every cop that you see, or at least almost every, works for some criminal somewhere. There is no justice. Do you understand how difficult it is for me to do my work when everyone else hold me back? Then it's the issue that Spectre just calls me every so often with some bullshit reasoning to try and get me to help him. He never offers money, he just asks, that's it. I don't even know where to start to arrest him since he's-"

"A ghost. He always tries to hide, even in plain sight. He's good at what he does, I'll give him that but he lets his, hmm how do I say this, worse part take control of him." Judy sighs. "I have a feeling that he could be nice, ish."

Wolford exhaled for a prolonged period of time. "I don't know what to think anymore, It hurts to do my job now."

"For the longest time, I wanted to be a police officer but, well, they wouldn't let me join the academy so here I am."

Wolford looked at her curiously. "Why?"

"Because I want to help others, to serve and protect, right?" She smiled radiantly. Wolford heard that and smiled himself. "I just want that thing of waking up in the morning and knowing that what I do, will make the world a better place. Let mammals rest easy because there's less danger where they live."

"That's basically why I joined, I wish I could return to that stage of my life. Now I consider early retirement at the age of 34."

"Don't quit. Someone, somewhere appreciates your help, always, remember that."

"I guess." He then nodded. "So what about Spectre, kinda weird if a cop knows the best murderer in the city?"

"I'll figure that out when we get there."

"I'll give you some advise now, listen to your heart, emotions could really simplify your choice."

"Yeah. I see what you mean." Judy smiled again. "Now what?"

"You can go back." Wolford sighed. "I need to rethink how I deal with this case." He raised his paw and wiped his eyes, from all the time he kept it open and sighed, feeling as though he was backed into a corner. Judy nodded and left the room.

He pulled out his phone and called the number that called him not so long ago. "When and where do you wanna meet?"

"Really? You finally say yes? Are you serious?" There was then quiet cheering from the other end. Then it suddenly paused. "You didn't do that because you want my head to serve on a silver platter, do you?"

"No, I wanna know what you want. But.." He then paused for a prolonged period of time that caused Spectre to silence himself. "I'm not doing anything illegal."

"Of course not mate, but I do have a few things in mind already, of course in return for something I can do."

"When and where I said."

"Right, right, but you have to know that this is quite a monumental moment, I got you to work with me." He chuckled a bit more. "Right, I've sent you a letter, once you read it and memorise it, burn it."

"Can't you make this easy?"

"No, this way you can't be traced. Leave nothing to chance. Oh and before I forget, bring the rabbit along, but make some shit up to not let anyone else follow, especially Li- I mean Skye, nearly slipped up there." He giggled lightly when he realised. "Anyways, you got all that? Good." He hung up.

"I'm regretting this already."

A/N:Hey, everyone, oh this is awkward. So, I decided to take a break due to a few personal issues and the fact that my previous drafts were mystically deleted but here I am finally back so no problems right?

Anyways, decided to bring in another character with my own interpretation as you see.

With all that being said, I really feel I could really be doing more than I am already but the truth is I don't know what.