Zootopia 6

"What happened?" Judy reacted in a flat hiss.

Bogo and Wilde both expected some kind of outburst from the little bunny at the news, but not this.

"Uh, Sheriff Clark called me. Said the scene implied your Father had been attacked by a fox, a Gideon Grey."

"That's impossible. Gideon is his partner and good friend." Judy growled.

"And that is what he said as well. Moreover, a closer look appears that the scene was staged. Mr. Hopps and Grey had been drugged, then Hopps was attacked, a neck bite and shake, along with some simulated claw slashes on the upper body."

"How bad is he?" Judy was clenching and unclenching her paws.

"According to the Sheriff, quote, "The stiff neck finally paid off for the old coot". He's at Tri-burrow General and, while still tentative, the injuries don't seem to be life-threatening."

"The Raccoon! Compare the bites!" Judy was becoming more animated, clearly having a swarm of thoughts in her head. "An attack on Dad doesn't make any sense."

"Unless it was intended to spread the fear outside of the city proper." Bogo suggested.

"Or to strike at you, indirectly." Nick made a worried face, "Being the Poster Bunny for Zootopia and all." That Judy had not thought that was still a little bit of a blind spot. She'd never wanted the notoriety, and tended to underestimate herself in that way.

"I need to get back there." Judy exclaimed, "Chief, they can't get away with this!"

"And you know who 'they' are?" Bogo was getting a little worried; the little bunny was taking on a bit of a hysterical tone.

"It must be the PDR agents! I know I can find them!"

Bogo's face twisted in pain, "Sorry Hopps, but you're the one mammal I can't have on this investigation, and you know it. But, you are going back home for your family. They'll need comfort and someone with some savvy about procedures, and just as important, how to deal with the media dung-storm that's coming."

At that, Judy clenched her whole body in repressed rage and began to tear up in frustration.

Bogo looked over to Wilde to help his partner. "Wilde, help her prepare, but I don't want you going with her. The Sheriff said, though he's firmly convinced Grey is innocent, he's holding him to keep up appearances. Hopes that who ever did it won't be as anxious if they're not suspected. But he's afraid preds in general and foxes in particular are not going to be welcome until this gets settled."

"And I expect you'll dutifully pass this on to our 'friends'," said with a particularly contemptuous hiss, "so we get to sit on our thumbs and they play some spook games while they get away!" Judy was now breaking down in tearful frustration. Nick looked to Bogo, who nodded, ever so slightly, and went over to hold the shuddering bunny.

"Come on Judy, you got to be strong for your folks and family." He soothed, giving her a little stroke. She only stiffened a bit more. Then slightly pushed away.

"I'll be fine." She gasped, "Just let me recover a bit. Give me a couple to clean up." She sniffled and gestured to her tear streaked face.

Nick watched his partner leave the room feeling stricken. He hadn't seen her so despairing since that wonderful, awful day under the bridge.

Bogo spoke up after she left, "Wilde, I'm afraid she's right about one thing, you'll have to relay everything to our 'friends' as soon as possible."

"Are you going to give the investigation over to them entirely?" Nick challenged.

"Of course not. I'll have a team out today, the public face of any investigation, and as a favor to Sheriff Clark. We went to the ZPD academy at the same time, but he opted to go back to the county. And someone from our PR department to help run interference. This modern 24 hour news will mean they'll be crawling with media in no time." The last said with his own rather impressive growl.

Though it was more than 'just a couple' Judy came back, seemingly much more settled. "Sorry about all that Chief, but this whole thing has been like a nightmare that just doesn't end."

"Are you good to go back home and just help your family?" Bogo carefully prompted.

"Yessir. And I can finally use some of the leave personnel has been nagging me about."

"Hopps, I'll have a team going to the Tri-burrows in the next few hours and you can get a ride with them. Let them take you home."

The Rabbit made a face, but nodded.

"Okay then. You good to go back to your place for any packing? I'd let Wilde drive you over, but I need him to talk to our 'friends' ASAP." And in that all three shared a sour face.

Judy nodded again, "I'm good, Sir."

"Good, I'll have the team call you to coordinate. Likely Horton, maybe Frasier, and someone from PR."

Nick got his prerequisite cover files to carry over to the PD's office, giving Judy a furtive little paw squeeze in parting then was off.

Again he found himself with the icy Agent Anlef. As before, he recounted the various details that Bogo had mentioned and the speculations that had arisen. And as before, she asked a few question but gave no hints as to her own thoughts. Then, "Where is Officer Hopps? I would have expected her to be with you."

"She went back to her place. She's going to be going back home to help with her family. But definitely not going to part of the investigation."

The cat gave him a very skeptical eye, but said nothing. To close, she did tell Wilde to tell Bogo that he could contact her more directly 'in the usual way' as needed.

And that was that. So Nick found himself heading back to Headquarters when he got a 'phone call. It was Bogo. "Yes, Chief?"

"Do you have an alternate number for Hopps? I just got a call passed on to me, her Mother tried to call her and couldn't get through."

"Hang on, I'll try mine." That was odd, it was going directly to voice mail. "Sir, she might have turned her 'phone off if there was any media attention, maybe?"

"I'll check with PR, but I didn't think the media had got wind of it yet."

"Sir, I'm enroute back from the PD's office, so I could swing by her place and check?"

"Do that."

About the time he got to her building, he got another call, the Chief again. "Wilde, I suspect you won't find her there, or anywhere else."

"What?" Nick's gut knotted.

"Get back here and I'll fill you in."

Nick was back at the precinct in record time and found Bogo waiting for him at the parking bay. "It looks like your partner has gone rouge."

"Damnit!"

"She shut off her 'phone, comm and beacon, then a half hour later, 'Nicole Savage' bought a ticket for a compartment on the Transcontinental." Bogo half-whispered. Though the bay was empty, he wasn't happy about talking about this in the open.

"Nicole Savage?"

"It was an undercover persona we'd assembled for Hopps in case we needed such. A complete identity package, absolutely air tight, supported back story, credit cards and a passport."

"But why the transcontinental?"

"It's the next express that makes a stop in the Tri-burrows. But why book a compartment- ? Ho, clever girl." the Bull shook his head. "I'll bet she's leaving a trail. She's out of communication, so can't officially be called back, but still wants us to know where she's going. It was a big purchase on her credit card, to make sure we'd notice."

"Or it's a decoy." Nick suggested. He doubted she would try so simple a ploy, knowing it wouldn't pass legal muster. He also suspected she was potentially a lot more devious then even he gave her credit for. "If she wanted to tell us where she was going and how to get there, she'd know we could have her intercepted the moment she stepped off the train."

As much as he wanted to help Judy, he feared she would only make a mess of the investigation in her current state. He also knew that this could be a career-killer, and nipping it in the bud might be the only chance to save her.

"And I'm going to do just that, I'm afraid." Bogo could read Wilde's expression of concern. "While I want to catch those responsible, I want to help salvage Hopps' situation as well."

About three hours later, three deputies watching those few Continental passengers that disembarked didn't see a particular grey Rabbit in the mix of other mostly rabbits.

Shortly thereafter, a blonde bunny in low budget casual jeans and top scanned the crowd waiting for the overnight train to Rain City. Seeing a large brown rabbit sitting alone, she approached him, "Pardon me, but weren't you at Paul's last night?" Her air all to much some dirt farmer's daughter.

The Buck, rather non-descript, in rather non-descript attire, gave the low class Doe a dismissive glance "Sorry, Miss, I do not know of this 'Paul's'. You must be mistaken."

"I'm so sorry. G'day." And she backed off rather apologetically.

A short while later, 'Nicole Savage', in understated business attire, booked a seat on the train to Rain City.