Chapter 8

“We're meeting your contact at Finnick's bar?” Judy stood in front of a run-down building, the neon-pink glow of the ‘open’ sign splashed across her face.

Nick opened the door. A blast of cold air and the scent of stale peanuts engulfed them both. “If we went to a different bar, we'd have to pay for drinks.”

Judy conceded his point and stepped through the door. It took a second for her eyes to adjust to the dim lighting, alt-rock blasting through a set of speakers hidden somewhere above them.

“If all you're gonna do is sit there and cry about it, nothing's gonna change! Go apologize to her and pull your head out of your ass, it's not a freaking hat!”

Nick let out a snort as Finnick rounded the corner of the bar, shaking his head and muttering to himself. “Freaking kits have no life experience.” He stopped, eyes narrowing as he spotted Nick. “Damn it, Wilde, I thought I banned you from this place!”

Nick grasped at his heart, letting out a gasp. “You did? Then why do you keep calling me, begging me to stop by, saying you miss how my eyes shine in the darkness?”

“Oh, that's your number? My bad, I thought I was calling your mother!”

The two stared at each other before bursting out laughing. Nick walked over, giving the smaller fox a fist bump.

Fin turned to Judy, tossing her a head nod. “What up, bunny cop?”

“Hey, Fin! How's everything going here?”

He shrugged his shoulders, sliding her a carrot ale and passing a shot of rum over to Nick. “Can't complain. Tips are decent, and the hours work for me. You keepin’ this scoundrel outta trouble?” He pointed at the glass in Nick's paw. “Brand new, first batch. Triple-aged in oak barrels, whiskey barrels, and, get this, cold brew barrels. Figured your weird ass would enjoy it.”

Nick hummed slightly as he took a sip, holding the glass up and nodding in approval.

“I'm doing my best,” she said, “but sometimes he makes it truly difficult. To be fair, most of the danger he's in comes from me wanting to smack some sense into him.”

He slid his now-empty glass back to Finnick as he stuck his tongue out at Judy playfully. “That's because you're a bloodthirsty bunny with no remorse for those that you hurt.”

Judy flinched.

She brought the glass up to her lips, letting it rest there without taking a sip, staring at the countertop in front of her.

Nick frowned. “That came out wrong, I'm sorry. You know I didn't…it's not–”

“I know,” she responded curtly. “I know you didn't mean it like that. Still a little raw, I guess.” She glanced up, forcing out a rueful chuckle. “Overly sensitive bunny.”

Fin silently poured another shot, sliding one to each of them. He raised his own shot and closed his eyes. “What once was returned to where we came. To Bridget.”

“To Bridget,” they replied in unison. Judy set her glass back down. “Thanks, Fin.”

Finnick slammed his shot, wiping his mouth with his paw. “You're an honorary fox now, ya know? Not many can say they've participated in a Remembrance ceremony. I'm glad to have ya on our side, rabbit.”

As Fin turned to wipe down the bar, Nick kept his gaze on Judy, his own expression still shadowed with regret. He gently nudged her paw with his. "Seriously. I'm sorry, Carrots. That was a dumb thing to say."

She gave him a small, genuine nod, the tension finally leaving her shoulders. "I know."

“Speaking of fox culture,” Nick began, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. “Using a fox favor to get us an apartment?”

“Don’t go makin’ this into some big mushy deal. I scammed a guy at a card game, so what?”

“You used a fox favor. That’s not nothing.”

“Look, do you like the apartment or not?”

Nick raised his glass with a genuine smile. “We love the apartment. Thank you, Fin. Truly.”

He tossed the rag over his shoulder and clinked his bottle to the glass. “Yeah, yeah, don't get yo panties in a bunch, Mr. Emotional.”

Judy swiveled in her seat, looking around the bar. “So, got eyes on your contact?”

“He should be here.” He stood up and looked around the bar, pausing as he made eye contact with a weasel sitting in a dark corner. “There he is.”

Judy groaned. “Is that Duke? Your contact is Duke Weaselton?"

“He may not be a great criminal, but he moves around constantly. It kind of works in our favor. He reached out to me, though, so I have no clue what the caveat to his help is.” Nick shrugged.

He then turned his head and called out, “Duke! So glad to see you again.” Nick slid into the booth, leaning back and crossing his arms as Judy slid in next to him.

He grinned at the two across from him, sipping on a beer. “Well, if it isn't my favorite coppas. I hear yous two are on the lookout for some sorta badger.”

Judy nodded. “We are. I'm assuming you have information on him for us?”

“Yeah, flopsy, I've seen him out n’ about. He's a busy guy, that one. Seems he always gotta be doing something.”

Nick leaned forward, grabbing a paw full of peanuts from the container on the table. “And why would you give us this info for free?”

“What, can't a guy just be fulfillin’ his civic duty or whateva?”

“You've never been one to fulfill any kind of civic duty, Duke. What's the real reason?” he responded.

“Alright, alright. Look, see, okay… I've started to go legit. Everything after the whole night howler stuff, it all messed me up real good.”

He paused, picking at the label on the bottom of his bottle. “I could have stopped it. I could've said somethin’.”

Judy looked down at her own paws. “We all made mistakes during it. None of us can shoulder all the blame. This is a great step to take to heal yourself, though. I’m proud of you for making a change though, I know that isn’t an easy thing to do. We all need a second chance at times. What information do you have for us?”

“I got real good at bein’ resourceful, so I've taken that to helpin’ local businesses fix stuff on the cheap.” He squirmed slightly, his eyes darting away, before looking directly at Nick.

“Look, I'm helping your Ma out at the bakery openin’ in Downtown, and I overheard her sayin’ she was worried about you guys. Word on the street has been that someone high profile was kidnapped and there was a failed raid last night, and y'all are lookin’ for a shady badger, and I figured after all the bad I did, maybe I can help.”

Nick stared at him, his expression neutral. “You're working with my Mom. Duke, I swear if you-”

“Relax, Wilde! I told yous, I ain't trying to do any more funny business! Her and that chubby fox she works with needed someone to help with paintin’ and whatnot. Had me runnin’ errands all over the damn place.”

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a piece of crumpled paper. He flattened it and slid it across the table. “Here. I got a list of a few places I seen him in that stood out as odd. I don't know if it'll help, but last time I stayed quiet, everything went to crap.”

Judy reached out and picked up the paper, giving it a once-over. Her mind raced, attempting to nail any location to anything specific they already knew, and planning on how to capitalize on the new information. She handed it over to Nick and nodded. “Thank you, Duke. Good on you for making changes.”

Nick slumped back, drumming his paw on the table. “Yeah, well, if you are telling the truth, then thanks.” He started to scoot out of the booth, following Judy, then paused. He stared ahead, then slowly turned back to the Weasel. “If you scam my mother in any way, our best search and rescue dogs on the force won't ever find your body.”

Duke gulped as he sat up straighter. “Understood. I promise, I ain't doin’ nothing. Cross my heart and all that.”

He nodded, sliding out of the booth and walking away. They gave a quick wave to Finnick before heading out of the bar. Nick stopped, taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out, closing his eyes and taking a moment. “Seems like the savage mammal incident worked as a scared straight program for him.”

She leaned against the wall next to him, staring up at the night sky as wisps of fog encroached around them. “I guess every cloud has a silver lining, as the saying goes.”

She pulled the paper back out, staring at it for a few minutes silently. She blinked a few times, bringing the paper closer to her face, trying to shake away the blurry vision. “He wasn't lying; this really is all over the place. He's got a hospital in Tundratown, a hydro station in the Meadowlands, a few shops downtown, and an office building in the Rainforest District.”

“Let's call it into dispatch. I bet you we can get the other precincts in those districts to canvas. Maybe we can see about going through some of the data with Jen and seeing if any of these locations stand out for some reason.”

She let out a yawn; the bags under her eyes and her shuffling gait betrayed her desire to continue their search.

Nick checked the time on his phone, the numbers on the clock laughing at him, time droning on with no end in sight. He sighed, shivering in the frigid air. “It's one in the morning. Jen doesn't start at the office until eight. Let's get the canvassing started with the night shift, and as difficult as it may be, we should try and get a little bit of rest.”

Judy resigned with a nod, rubbing a paw on her temple. “Yeah, you're right. It feels wrong to sleep while Jack is still missing.”

“It does, but if you fall asleep mid-rescue, he will never let you forget it, and the mocking will be even worse, right?” Nick's eyes dropped from exhaustion.

She tugged on her ear, taking a half step closer to Nick. “What if he's already dead? We're approaching the 48-hour mark. Most kidnapped victims are killed within that time frame.”

He pulled her closer to him, wrapping an arm around her. “It doesn't fit logically. If they wanted him dead, why move him? They want something from him.”

Judy leaned against Nick as they walked down the sidewalk towards the subway station. “We get a few hours of rest. Then we find him. He's slipped out of our paws once; we can't–no. We won't let it happen again.”

He squeezed her shoulder as they walked. “Hopps and Wilde. The dream team.”

Four hours of sleep came and went, leaving them both grumbling as their alarms went off. They were exhausted; the mental and physical toll of the last 36 hours were catching up to them like a fiery train crash.

Nick sat at the table, a coffee mug in his paw. His fur was disheveled, his eyes red, and his uniform was still untucked. Judy walked out of the bedroom, looking slightly more put together, but her eyes were just as bloodshot.

The morning passed by in silence. There were no witty quips from the fox andno relentless optimism from the rabbit. They gripped the same pole on the subway, the screeching of the brakes occasionally piercing the dead air as they drew closer to the precinct.

Judy moved to step off the subway, stopping to turn when she noticed Nick hadn't moved. She tapped his shoulder. “Nick? We're here.”

He blinked, shaking his head and inhaling sharply as he started forward. “Yeah, sorry, I'm here. Guess the coffee isn't really working the way I'd like it to.”

“Well, maybe a bit of new information will help,” she replied, holding up her phone. “Jen texted me when she got in. She's got an update from the canvassing that was done last night. “

Nick's ears perked up slightly at that, the edges of a smile tugging at his eyes. “Knowing Jen, she'll be able to get us caught up in seconds with how fast she speaks.” He tugged open the doors of the precinct, and the duo made a beeline for the Nerd Herd.

“Hopps! Wilde!” Jen shouted as they entered, waving her paw towards them. “Morning, you two! So, I got Judy's message, and I followed up with the night shift from the other precincts. Downtown didn't really get anything, but Bogo said he'll be sending another team out to canvas the storefronts since most of them were already closed by the time you called in the tip.”

She paused as she reached back to the printer, handing them a few documents. “The Hospital in Tundratown is apparently where his sister works, and he visits her on occasion, but never stays for too long. Word is he hates the cold.”

“So, it's unlikely Jack is there,” Judy replied.

Nick reached over and pointed at the list of places Duke had provided. “We can wait and see what the team gets, but I'd bet money he isn't downtown. There is way too much foot traffic to do anything incognito. Trust me, it's a last resort.”

Jen let out a snort in agreement. “That being said, the office buildings in the Rainforest District your informant gave us we couldn't really find any information on. No ties to Asher in any of the companies that reside there that we can see.”

“And the hydro station?” Nick asked.

Jen shrugged. “There isn't one. We have one in the Rainforest District and Tundratown, but the Meadowlands and Rainforest District share power, so one isn't needed there. Is it possible he meant the Rainforest District?”

Nick quickly shook his head as he stared at the map of Zootopia on the screen. “Duke was born and raised on the streets. He may not always be the brightest, but he knows his way around the city better than anyone else I know.”

Jen pursed her lips as she typed at the computer. “Okay, well, I'm not seeing any hydro stations in the Meadowlands. Maybe he confused it with something else?”

Nick rubbed the back of his neck and exhaled. “I guess that's possible. Like I said, he-”

He paused mid-sentence, his head tilting up. “Does that map only show current hydro stations?”

“I believe so.” Jen leaned forward, clicking a few buttons and drop-down menus before her face lit up. “Oh! There used to be a station in the Marshlands! Good catch, Officer Wilde! It looks like it was a smaller one that was shut down because it was specifically designed to power a single location. Odd. Let's check the archives….”

She went quiet, small hums and chitters slipping out as she searched. “Had to dig for this, but it looks like the Marshlands Aquarium used to be there and the hydrostation was attached to it. It's been fully decommissioned and closed, but has been left vacant at the end of the Marshlands as it would cost more to demo it.”

Judy clicked her pen. She opened her mouth, stopped, and snapped it closed. She shook her head, moving to speak once more. Again, the words died on her lips, an idea taking shape but not fully forming.

Her eyes snapped open wide as she gasped, turning to face Nick. “Fish! It wasn't ever about me! Oh, I'm so stupid, it's where he's being taken to! He was trying to tell us where to find him! It's fish!”

Nick laughed, rubbing his paws across his face. “Oh, that sly bunny.”

Judy faltered. “That's not enough proof for any kind of search. We also don't have any confirmation that he's actually been taken there. It's all a hunch at this point.”

“So, let's go get some proof,” Nick said simply. “If we're wrong, we don't want to waste any more time looking there, but if we're right, we can call for backup. It's an abandoned building; no warrant is needed.”

Judy couldn’t argue with that. “That's true. No need to waste any more time. If Jack's there, we can have him back in safety by lunch! Let's get a move on!” she yipped, turning and dashing towards the door.

Nick waved over his shoulder as he followed after the bunny. “Thanks, Jen! We owe ya!”

By the time they reached the outskirts of the Marshlands, Nick had already downed his second cup of coffee.

The morning sun beamed across the hood of the cruiser, the humid air sticking to his fur. They pulled off to the side of the road, the old run-down aquarium looming against the gentle greens and warm yellows of the foliage.

Nick picked up the camera and zoomed in, looking around the lot. “Few trucks in the parking lot, but otherwise it's looking fully deserted.”

“Any indication that the trucks belong to Asher and his crew?”

“No, for all I know, they could have been here for years. This area gets enough rain to clean off the cars and stop dust from sticking.”

Judy threw open the door and hopped down. “Then we go in and investigate.”

Nick scrambled after her as she took off towards the building. “Whoa there, Speedy Gonzales! We can't just barge in.”

She thumped her foot, for a moment, before sighing and relenting. “No, we can't. But we can look in the windows and walk the perimeter to see if there's any evidence that any of them are here.”

“Agreed. We find what we need to call in the cavalry and nail this bastard.” Nick lifted his paw in a fist bump. “Wilde n’ Hopps, dream-team!”

The two turned and scurried down the side of the small hill, stopping as they reached the broad side of the aquarium. It was a large, dark blue building, its age showing with sun-bleached paint. Nick scanned the wall, scowling at the lack of vents and windows. He gestured to Judy, heading down the south side of the wall, and turned the corner.

A door sat at the opposite end from where they stood. Judy ducked her head as she moved towards the door. “Let's peek our heads in and see if there's anything.”

Nick tripped over the uneven asphalt and growled. “I swear if Jack isn't here either, I'm going to start ripping doors off of buildings until we find him.”

“I'll be right behind-” Judy snapped her muzzle shut as she jumped back against the wall, glancing around the edge. Two armed wolves were heading towards them, lost in conversation.

Nick glanced over at the door and yanked it open, pulling Judy in with him. He closed the door silently. Everything was black.

Slowly, it started coming into focus as he adjusted to the dark interior.

They were in some sort of maintenance closet, filled with broken and rusted tools, nets, and chemicals. The smell of bleach and cleaner burned his nose, and the floor was damp and cold beneath their paws.

Judy exhaled slowly and gripped Nick's arm. “Please tell me it's clear.”

“Right. Bunny eyes. We're in the clear, at least in this room,” he whispered back.

“That's promising. I can't see a single thing, I might as well be blindfolded and buried, as my dad says.” She kept her grip on his arm as they slowly moved forward, Nick guiding them to the exit on the far side.

She stumbled slightly, and he caught her, wrapping a paw around her waist. “Careful, Carrots. You can fall for me later; we've got a job to do for now.”

She snorted and straightened up as they reached the door, shivering slightly as Nick let go to open the door, the strip of light around it brightening as he did. He froze, then pushed the door open. “Clear. It should be bright enough for you to see out here.”

She stepped out beside him, blinking a few times. The silence seemed to echo as her eyes adjusted to the gloomy interior. They had entered the aquarium proper, right at the entrance of the giant underwater tunnel. The algae-filled water was green and murky, diffusing the sunlight down to a dim trickle, casting everything in a green glow.

Judy stepped up to the glass, placing a paw on it, and looked out at the never-ending water. The light shimmered through the mud and algae, the roots of lily pads reaching down into the dark abyss below.

The occasional fish swam by, casting eerie shadows that danced along the tunnel. “How is anything still alive in here? Hasn't this been shut down for years?”

Nick stepped up beside her, turning slowly as his gaze followed a rather large-looking shadow above them. “From what I read on the way over, the aquarium is attached directly to the Marshlands' main aqueduct. When it was decommissioned, instead of demolishing it, they flooded it all and left it open to let nature take over.”

They kept walking and exited the tunnel. They froze when the sound of muffled voices echoed from down the hall. They crept slowly over, nudging a door open by an inch. Peering in, they saw Asher walking in circles on the phone.

Judy held a paw up to her muzzle as Asher took a step to the side, yelling into the phone. As he did, Jack came into view, chained up in a metal cage, arms bound behind his back as he sat slumped on the ground. A few fresh bruises adorned his arms and face as he stared at the badger with venom in his eyes.

“I know, but the deal has changed! I need another 50k, and I'll give you the necklace, but I keep the bunny. You don't even need him!”

Asher growled into the phone, his voice lowering as he pulled it closer to his muzzle. “You have two hours to decide before I decide for you, and you lose the necklace AND the bunny! “

Judy yanked her head back and scooted away from the door, pulling her walkie out. Nick dashed after her, skidding around the corner to a stop, far enough away to not be heard or seen.

“Dispatch, we found Savage! Code 8, send backup to Marshland aquarium!"

Judy silenced the walkie as the door down the hall slammed open. Asher walked out, passing a few feet in front of Nick and Judy, his focus consumed by his phone. “Damn pelt doesn't know when to shut up.”

They both released a silent sigh as he disappeared further down the hall. Judy unholstered her tranq.

Nick grabbed her arm before she could move. “Backup is only a few minutes out.”

“Last time we waited for backup, we lost him!” She snapped back. “I can't make that mistake again. We’re too far from the station. We can secure Jack until backup gets here, maybe even sneak out. That way, we don't have any risk of losing him again.”

Nick's conviction wavered, giving in with a nod and unholstering his own tranq, following after Judy. They slipped into the room, sweeping it quickly and finding it empty except for Jack.

The room was small and dim; one lone light bulb hung from a chain, illuminating the room. Pipes above them leaked ice-cold water tinted with rust, and the smell of bleach and chlorine permeated the walls.

Jack looked up, yanking on his chains. The fire died in his throat as his eyes focused on the officers, a look of confusion followed by one of relief crossing his face. “Nick? Judy? You found me! Oh my God, you guys actually found me!” He let out a choked sob, his shoulders slouching in relief.

“Hey there, Stripes. You know, if you wanted our attention, you could have just sent a card. Carving a message in wood is a bit dramatic, don't you think?” Nick squatted down, quickly picking the lock with his claws.

Judy stepped up next to him, her tranq trained on the door. “Are you hurt, Jack? Can you move?”

He shook out his shoulders, rubbing his wrists where the handcuffs had been moments ago. “I'm fine, just a little bruised, and really ready for this nightmare to end.”

“Freeze! ZPD! Asher, don't move!” Judy shouted, raising her tranq as the badger walked back into the room.

“You two are the biggest pain in the asses, aren't you? Always getting into other mammals' business. Well, that ends now. Alpha Team!” He growled, snapping his fingers as eight armed wolves spilled into the room.

Each one had a tactical vest and their melee weapon of choice, as well as a nasty snarl pasted on their muzzles.

Nick joined Judy, his tranq raised. “We only need to hold them until backup gets here. It should be any minute. Jack, you need to try and get out of here. Get to cover somewhere and hide. When Bogo gets here, we'll find you and let you know it's clear.”

Jack gulped and moved around from the cage, backing up slowly.

“Get him!” Asher shouted.

“Never a dull moment, eh, Hopps?”

Judy steadied her aim, eyes locked down the sights of the tranq, and pulled the trigger. She nailed the one closest to Jack in the shoulder, and Nick did the same to the one next to him. They went down hard and fast.

Six wolves continued to rush them.

They pounced before they could reload. One came in low, swinging brass knuckles, while the others circled, looking for an opening.

Nick dodged, jumping backwards. “No warning? That's not very gentlemanly of you.”

Judy turned to launch at the third wolf, her exhausted muscles struggling to gather their usual momentum. She missed, just shy of his stomach. The feeling of a fist connecting with her side caused her to let out a yelp.

Nick dove under the wolf in front of him. He popped up, slamming his fist into the next one's chin. He jerked back as Judy sailed through the air, grunting as she made impact with the floor and rolled.

“Judy!” Nick cried, frantically looking for a path to get to her.

She bounced up on shaky paws, barely dodging another attack. “I'm fine! Nick, vault kick!” she shouted as she ran towards Nick.

One of the larger wolves dove forward, trying to tackle Nick’s legs out from under him. Nick jumped up, yanking his feet out of the way, and landed on the other side. He crouched, cupping his paws as Judy ran towards him.

She launched off Nick’s paws, ricocheted off the ceiling, and drove both feet into the wolf’s skull, flattening him against the ground.

Five wolves were left now, and none of them looked pleased.

She paused, panting, and whipped her head to the side, dashing towards her partner. Her leg buckled, and she stumbled under her own weight. “Watch out!”

A fist cracked into Nick’s back. He stumbled, wheezing. He turned, blocking the first blow with his arm, but the second one landed. His muzzle snapped sideways.

Blood ran hot from his nose as he staggered back, vision blurry. The wolf stepped back, whipping out a tactical knife with a snarl.

Nick shook his head and growled back. He stood, squaring up against the wolf. He froze, gasping with his eyes wide, lips trembling as he looked above the wolf in front of him.

The wolf looked up, confused. Nick brought his eyes back down and smirked. “It's called a hustle, idiot.” Balling up a fist, he landed a hard blow straight into his stomach, before gripping the wolf's head and slamming his knee against it.

The knives in the wolf's paws scattered across the floor as he tumbled backwards, smacking his head against the metal bars, now out of the fight.

Four more were left standing.

Judy limped over, standing next to Nick as the wolves formed a half circle in front of them, pressing in.

Nick adjusted his shoulders, struggling to raise his paws back up, exhaustion fully taking hold. Their faces bruised and bloodied, Judy wiped sweat from her eye, smearing blood from a fresh cut across her forearm.

“On my signal, we unleash hell,” Nick said, spitting blood on the ground, attempting to steel himself for one more round. Despite his bravado, the fox swayed slightly, and the rabbit's nose twitched out of control.

They were exhausted, outnumbered, injured, and backup was nowhere to be seen.

Nick's eyes narrowed. “Alright, hot shots, let's-”

A black blur came from behind the wolves, a sudden THWACK as the two in the middle gripped their snouts.

“The hell?!” the one on the left shouted.

Jack hit the ground and rolled. He sprang up, spun, and drove a heel straight into the side of the wolf’s temple.

Three wolves remained.

A fist flew at him from behind. Turning, he caught it and twisted, bringing the wolf attached to it to his knees. He pulled his elbow back, slamming it across the wolf's temple. He let go as his enemy's head snapped sideways, crumpling to the floor.

Another down. Two remained.

Jack ducked as a bat whistled past his ears. He jumped up, flipping backwards over the new attacker, his eyes inches from the wolf’s as he glared back at him.

He landed, slamming his fist into his spine and kicking the back of his knee, bringing him down. His paw gripped the back of the wolf's head and slammed it against the wall.

One last wolf remained.

He dove out of the way as the knife flew past his head, lodging itself into the wall. He reached back, pulling it from the wall, and hurled it towards the last wolf.

The blade sank into his leg, causing the wolf to howl out in rage and pain. Jack lunged forward, driving a knee under the wolf’s chin. A sickening crack echoed through the room. Before the wolf could fall, Jack twisted, spun midair, and blasted both hindpaws into its chest. The final hit launched him into the wall like a broken toy.

No wolves remained.

Jack stood among the wreckage, chest heaving, paws trembling.

Judy's ears twitched, eyes narrowing on the door before snapping back to Jack as he let out a half-hearted laugh.

Jack looked at the two officers, both bloodied and wide-eyed. He took a shaky step forward. “I… I don’t know how I did—”

His voice cut off as Asher reappeared from behind the door with a ferocious yell, startling the three mammals.

Jack spun to counter, his paw cutting through empty air. Asher slammed his fist as hard as he could into Jack's side, sending him flying, skidding across the floor, and gasping for air. “SCREW ALL OF YOU, FILTHY PREY. THIS ISN'T OVER!”

He turned and ran, the sound of tires screeching a moment later. Sirens wailed, growing closer, the backup finally on its way.

Nick and Judy ran over to Jack, kneeling next to him. “Jack? Jack, can you hear us?” Judy asked, her voice laced with panic.

Jack coughed, taking in a shallow breath and grimacing in pain. “Guys, I know Kung Fu. Why do I know Kung Fu?”

“Ya know, buddy, I have that exact same question for ya, but we have some more pressing matters to attend to,” he said, lifting Jack's shirt to show Judy a very large and concerning-looking bruise that was quickly spreading along his chest.

Jack let out another pained gasp, struggling to suck down air as he held up the necklace he had snagged off the badger. “Breathing hurts. But it was worth it.”

Judy wiped blood from her cheek. Jack was alive, but barely. Every breath he took made her flinch in sympathy. She looked at Nick, and his paw trembled on the walkie. The fur around his muzzle was stained red, and his eye was slowly turning black. “Aquarium is clear. We have Jack. Send the RA unit ASAP! Possible internal injuries.”

He set his walkie aside and glanced at Judy, his ears flat against his skull. “Probably broke a rib in the fight. We got him, Judy. It's over.”

She nodded, patting Jack's shoulder. “Yeah. It's over. You're safe now, Jack. Hold on a bit longer, an ambulance will be here soon.”

Jack looked up at the ceiling, wheezing with each breath as everything faded to black.