Arc 2- The Approaching Storm: Part 2- Confusion
The patrol cruiser hummed smoothly as it coasted through the quiet streets of Savannah Central, the orange hues of sunset casting long shadows over the city. Nick Wilde lounged in the driver's seat, one paw on the wheel and the other lazily draped over the armrest, his usual smirk firmly in place. Beside him, Judy Hopps fidgeted restlessly, her brow furrowed in deep thought as she stared out the window.
"She couldn't have just walked out," Judy muttered, breaking the silence for what felt like the hundredth time. "It doesn't add up."
Nick sighed, a bit of exasperation tugging at his features. "Carrots, you've been obsessing over this since yesterday. Bellwether escaped—yeah, it's a headache—but overthinking it isn't gonna help."
Judy turned to him, her expression incredulous. "Not overthinking it? Nick, she nearly tore the entire city apart. She should've been in one of the most secure cells in Zootopia. There's no way she could've gotten out without help. We all saw the report. The security cameras went down for only a few minutes!"
Nick raised an eyebrow, glancing at her. "And? That's all the time a master criminal needs."
Judy crossed her arms, her nose twitching in frustration. "No, it's not! The cameras might've been down, but her cell was still locked. There were no signs of tunneling, no broken bars, and no windows. The guards didn't even notice she was gone until days later. How do you explain that?"
Nick opened his mouth to respond, his paw gesturing vaguely as he tried to piece together a coherent explanation. "Well, maybe she—uh… maybe someone… y'know…" He trailed off, his ears flicking in defeat. "Okay, yeah, I got nothing. It's weird. Even I couldn't slip out of a setup like that, and I'm the king of getting out of tight spots."
Judy groaned, slumping back in her seat. "Exactly! So how did she do it? There's no way the guards were all that blind or stupid." She straightened up, her ears perking as a new thought struck her. "Unless... unless the entire prison staff was in on it."
Nick snorted. "Sure, Carrots. And next you'll say they're all secretly sheep in disguise. Baaa-d conspiracy theory." He chuckled at his own joke, but Judy didn't look amused.
"I'm serious, Nick. Nothing about this makes sense. Bellwether had to have had help, but from who? And why hasn't anyone found any leads yet?"
Before Nick could respond, the crackle of the police radio interrupted their conversation. "Attention all units, we have a report of multiple savage predators at Mystic Spring Oasis. Repeat, savage predators at Mystic Spring Oasis. Officers are advised to proceed with caution."
Judy's ears drooped, and she let out a groan. "The Naturalist Club? Of course, it had to be there."
Nick's smirk widened as he flipped on the cruiser's siren and accelerated. "Well, Carrots. It begins."
Judy shot him a look, but despite the seriousness of the situation, she felt confident that they could handle this. Probably because you this point, she knew that Nick had her back.
The cruiser sped through the streets, the towering buildings of downtown Zootopia giving way to the lush greenery of Mystic Spring Oasis. As they approached the gate, the unmistakable sound of chaos reached their ears—growls, snarls, and panicked cries filled the air.
Nick parked the cruiser and stepped out, surveying the scene with a low whistle. "Well, this is... wild."
It certainly was, as not only were these predators savage, they were also unclothed due to it being a "naturalist" club.
Judy shut her eyes, took a deep breath, and open them. Now focused, she rested paw resting on her tranquilizer gun and nodded to her partner. "Stay sharp, Nick. We need get things back under control now."
The duo ran in through the gates and were immediately greeted by the sight of two savage pumas chasing a panicked giraffe through the meditation garden.
"Officer Hopps! Officer Wilde!" Yax the yak called out, waving them over. "Thank the universe you're here! Things are, like, totally not chill right now."
Judy darted over to him, Nick close behind. "What happened, Yax? Did you see what set them off? Did you see a shooter?"
Yax shook his head, his dreadlocks swinging. "Nah, man. Everything was cool until it wasn't, y'know? One minute we're meditating, the next, boom! Savage city."
Judy's paw tightened on her tranquilizer gun. "One of Bellwether's rams must be lurking around somewhere," she said gravely.
Nick's eyes shifted back and forth. "Keep an ear out, Carrots. I'd hate to see you get hit and go hopping mad."
Before Judy could reply, one of the pumas turned around, taking in the sent of rabbit, and let out a deafening roar beford charging at her. Judy reacted instantly, firing a tranquilizer dart that hit the puma square in the shoulder. He staggered, then collapsed with a heavy thud.
"Nice shot, Fluff. I guess carrots are good for your eyes," Nick said, his own dart gun ready as the second puma turned its attention toward them.
"Focus, Nick!" Judy called out, dodging as the big cat lunged. She jumped high, bounding off of the cat's head. The puma snarled and shook off the blow to his head. He turned, now fiercely focused on Judy. This allowed Nick to put a tranquilizer dart in his rear. After an unsteady step forward, he fell as well.
"Two down, more to go!" Nick said he loaded another dart into his gun.
"Come on!" Judy shouted urgently, and the two officers quickly ran towards the sound of savage predatory growls, which formed a terrifying symphony of chaos.