CHAPTER 1: SHOOT!

It had been a normal day so far. Well, as normal as it could get for Zootopia's favourite crime busting team. Earlier that day, the ZPD had cracked down on yet another Night Howler secret operations crime base and as a reward, Chief Bogo had conceded the night to the team that had made it possible. So there they were, hanging out at Nick's favorite bar drinking their asses off and Finnick taking the time to give Nick an in-depth practical lesson on how not to piss a drunk off, which by the way Judy found hilarious.

A few punches later with a pinchful of laughter they were ready to go. That is, they would have been if a certain someone had not just passed Judy's sight heading towards the door. Judy's eyes narrowed as he slipped through the front door and she frowned before choosing to alert Nick. 'Nick' she practically hissed, standing up and feeling around her hip for her tazer. 'Whaa?' was Nick's incoherent reply as it seemed that he had gone from arguing to drinking in the last few minutes. Judy practically snarled as she realized she must have left the tazer in Nick's car. 'Jackson's here' Judy informed. Nick shot up from his stool with an agility a drunk mammal could not possibly have possessed and looked around him. 'Where?' He asked, looking around him. 'He just left through there' Judy said, motioning towards an exit 'If we leave now, I think we might be able to catch up to him. What do we do about Finnick?' .The tiny fox had passed out on the bar top and a forgotten beer can lay dangerously close to his head.

Nick shrugged 'He'll be fine' he said and began walking toward the door. 'You are a terrible friend' Judy giggled as she walked behind him. 'Yeah' Nick grinned back. They walked out of the bar into the cold night air and Judy shivered as she used her eyes to search the deserted street for their perp. When she had chosen the cotton spaghetti top and jeans to wear out, Judy had not imagined she would be chasing a high profile criminal and now she suddenly wished she were in her uniform.

'I see him' Nick whispered. Following his line of vision, Judy made out the silhouette of the weasel they were after, leaning on a flickering street light, a stick of cigarette in between his lips. He puffed on it slowly, letting a thick cloud of smoke in front of his face. From where she was, Judy could make out the strain in his breathing and the sight of him smoking was getting her more angry by the second. 'You got your tazer on you?' she asked Nick 'I forgot mine in your car'.

Nick nodded. 'Good' Judy said with a subtle nod of her head. Nick's eyebrows furrowed in confusion before his eyes widened in understanding. 'That isn't going to happen fluff' he said sternly to her 'We are going to get the perp and then I'm going to laugh at you for the rest of the week'.

'Jackson is a Night Howler dealer Nick. I'm just taking precautions'

'To hell with precautions'

He made to step in front of her but her small hand grabbed his wrist. 'I'm in front, remember?' Judy reminded. Nick snorted but he let her come before him. Unseen by both of them, the weasel in question gave a sly smirk. With a cough, he threw his stick to the floor before stepping on it and squashing it violently under his foot. With a quick glance around, he began shuffling down the street. Judy and Nick noticed he was on the move and quietly they began to follow him.

Jackson seemed to be unaware of their presence as he walked languidly, often pausing to stare at the pavement or random objects around him. Nick was sure that this laidback behavior should have put his fears to rest but he was as alert as ever and the fact that the mammal in question seemed to be heading into a darkened alleyway had him scowling deeply. Judy seemed to have noticed the same thing as she darted after him. Without a moment's hesitation, Nick went after her and found himself in a poorly lighted back street, Judy a few feet away from him.

'Samuel Jackson, This is the ZPD, you are under arrest. Put your hands in the air and get on your knees'. In the short while it had taken him to reach her, Judy had pulled out her gun, which she had pointed at Jackson and Nick could feel the discomfort she felt at just holding it as he knew she preferred tazers.

Jackson grinned, showing off his yellowed teeth.' If it ain't the bunny cop and her foxy friend. Ain't ya goin' ta read me ma rights first?' he asked. 'Put your hands in the air' Judy repeated through gritted teeth.

Jackson's grin widened and Nick made to move forward, tempted to beat hell out of the weasel. Sensing his intentions, Judy leveled him with a look that said 'I can handle it'. Nick shrugged carelessly, letting her have her way although he moved closer to her.

'If ya say so' Jackson complied with Judy's command, raising his hands up slowly, then the next few minutes were a blur. Suddenly, he pulled out a black pistol which had been hidden in his stained coat, firing three successive shots at Judy rapidly all the while laughing maniacally. The force of the projectiles threw Judy backwards and the minute Judy staggered backwards, Nick saw red. He sprang forward, grabbing Jackson in an anger-filled brutal headlock. The weasel gasped and brought his hands up to his neck, making Nick tighten his hold. His vision was a hazy red as he struggled vainly and finally he stopped as a loud crack resounded throughout the alley. That same sound snapped Nick out of his daze and he dropped the unconscious Jackson as he remembered just why he had attacked the criminal.

'Fluff!'

He rushed to her side, his mind trying to recall anything he had ever learnt about bullet wounds then stopped in surprise when he noted the lack of blood on her arm. If it hadn't been a bullet then there was only one other option, given who Jackson was.

A frown formed on Nick's face as he pulled his unconscious friend closer to him while also sending Jackson's possibly dead body a hate filled glare. Quickly he fished out his phone and dialed 9-1-1, holding it closer when someone answered over the line.

'Hello? Please I need an ambulance, it's an emergency…'