Serendipity's Shadow
Rated T
Chapter 33
Judy got Nick to sit down opposite of Tia on the bed. While she stood before them confident in the plan she was about to explain.
"Okay. Here is what we know." Judy raised a finger to make a point. "Ermine needs Tia alive cause she hid the flash drive with the incriminating evidence."
Nick and Tia nodded.
"Two. Ermine is making a play against Nick for the seat of Zootopia's Shadow." Judy raised another finger. "Three. Ermine wants me either dead…or tortured. The jury is still out on that bit."
"My money's on dead." Nick said.
"I'd put twenty on tortured." Tia stated.
Nick passed a glance to Tia. "If it was anybody else…I'd take you up on that bet."
"The feeling is mutual."
"Focus!" Judy shouted getting their attention back on her.
"Four. All of us together will make it easy for him to do one big hit and kill us all in one go. But it also gives us the higher advantage of keeping safe."
"I feel like we're just stating the obvious now." Nick stated while Tia nodded in agreement.
Judy sighed with an aggravated tone "I am describing all of this to you so you can understand my plan."
"Which is?" Tia asked.
"I become bait."
A silence filled the room as Judy's statement echoed in the two predator's ears.
"Hell no." Nick stated firmly.
"Hear me out."
"Nope."
"Nick."
"Not gonna happen Fluff."
"Nick, I know-"
"Ahem!" Tia coughed getting the two arguing mammals' attention on her. "Judy, how do you being bait help any of us?"
"Simple. Ermine wants me to hurt Nick. Once Nick is hurt Ermine becomes the new Shadow. Then he has everything he needs to get you to confess to where the flash drive is. And even if you don't give him that information, he'd have the power to at least get this trial thrown out."
"I'm still failing to see how you being bait does anything." Nick stated.
"This trial right now is going to happen no matter what. Ermine is running out of time. He's lost his right-hand man and his intel is limited while in prison. He's going to act desperately. And what's more perfect than me going to get the flash drive."
"The flash drive you and I don't have nor know of its location." Nick pointed out to Judy.
"Ermine doesn't know that." Judy countered. "And this is the part that hurts my already wounded heart…but I know for a fact Ermine has somebody in the ZPD."
Nick didn't even look surprised with this information while Tia trembled, remembering she betted her life on the ZPD.
"All it takes is one phone call from me saying exactly what Ermine wants to hear as I talk to somebody at ZPD. It will be like when ancient prey hunted predators."
"Having a living bait to lead the predator into a trap."
"Exactly."
"Uh…I went to school too. And I remember that if the bait wasn't quick or smart enough then they'd just become another easy meal for the predator." Tia stated.
"That's why I made point number four. Whether we stick together or split up Ermine is going to do something if we do nothing."
"And what is it exactly we are hoping to get out of this exactly?" Nick asked.
"Besides more evidence that proves Ermine is one of the few people I truly believe has no chance of redemption. We can get him on assaulting an officer charge. Maybe find out his real plan. And, if we're even remotely lucky, get this mess done and over with. Because I don't know about you but I'm tired of this scumbag making me sleep with one eye open."
Tia and Nick nodded in agreement.
"So, the plan in basic format is to make you a bait without obviously making you look like bait. In order to get Ermine off our backs to keep ferret girl here safe. And to secure even more evidence against him." Nick simplified all of Judy's explaining.
"With the added benefit we might learn his end goal or just completely wreck his plans altogether."
"Okay. But how do we make it a trap if you're going alone?" Tia questioned.
"When did I ever say id be alone." Judy smirked while looking at Nick.
"…You sly bunny." Nick laughed.
"What's the point of being friends with the Shadow if you don't know ever ask for them to do something…recklessly bordering the confines of the law."
"That…sounded like an over-exaggerated way to say mostly illegal." Tia said after a moment.
"It was." Nick confirmed.
"Give me some credit I am an officer of the law at the end of the day."
"Sounds like I got some phone call to make." Nick said while standing from the bed. "Anything else you need from Zootopia's Shadow."
"A map, pain medicine, and tea."
"…Tea?" Nick inquired while Tia sat there confused why that question made him confused. "You don't drink tea."
"Well, I am pretty sure I'm having a caffeine headache right now, so coffee isn't going to help."
"That's a thing?" Tia asked.
"According to my mom, it is."
"Fine." Nick finally agreed. "Anything else?"
"Probably just make the phone calls. Forget the tea cause we all actually need right now is sleep. It's almost midnight."
Nick and Tia turned to look at the clock on the nightstand as it boldly stated it was six minutes till midnight.
"Alright." Nick sighed as he felt his body immediately drain of energy. "First thing tomorrow morning we start planning."
"Sounds good." Judy agreed enthusiastically.
"…Your chipper for someone who just suggested we all go to bed?"
"I'm just trying to not make it awkward as I wait for you two to leave my room."
Tia immediately taking the hint excused herself wishing Judy a good night's sleep. Nick however stayed in place staring the rabbit officer down.
"Is there something I should know Carrots?"
"Probably." Judy answered with a shrug.
"…You're not gonna answer me tonight even if I ask you anything, are you?"
Judy nodded her head in the affirmative. Nick sighed annoyed before giving up and leaving Judy's room.
A cold silence filled the room as Judy stood at the end of her bed. She strained her ears listening for the faintest sound that could imply someone was still at her door. When a solid minute passed Judy could no longer compose herself as she made a run for the bathroom toilet. Her stomach violently threw out the food and drinks she had consumed earlier. The wound on her side ached against the strain her body was forcing her to do.
It felt like a year had passed when Judy finished throwing up. She silently thanked that Nick had all bedrooms soundproof. Taking a glance at her reflection in the mirror Judy was upset with how disheveled she appeared. To Judy, it felt like fate was throwing it in her face even more that besides being a decoy she was practically useless right now.
"What terrible timing, huh?" She asked nobody in particular as she held her stomach.
AN: Not Dead! Sorry, I haven't been posting regularly but I was hitting writer's block for a while. I'm gonna try to get back on track with this story as I have vowed to finish it. In the meantime, I want to thank you all for your well wishes. And I am happy to see that so many of you are still enjoying this story. Make sure to let me know what you think of this chapter. Love You All!