Chapter Sixteen
Icy Reception

	Pearl lead them back to the compound using a series of back tunnels. They were old and all the lights no longer had power, but thanks to Pearl's flashlight they were easy enough to traverse. After a time, Nick finally recognized where they were, back in the central chamber where they'd met with the baron and received their tranq guns. When Nick tried to mention it to Judy he could see the stressed look on her face and decided against it.
	The three of them remained quiet as they climbed the stairs leading back to Lavender's brothel. Nick shouldn't be surprised that the sewers that traveled all over Zootopia would have a back door to the lower levels of the hideout. It was an impressive, if not, elaborate set up. Once they reached the top of the stairs Pearl looked at them.
	“I'll take the package.” The smaller fox pulled the strap down from Nick's shoulder tossing it on the pile of black bags.
	 “How's the baron supposed to know we did what he said?” Nick cocked an eyebrow at the white fox.
	“He already knows. Please keep moving.”
	“What's going on here?” Judy asked.
	Pearl hesitated at first but he pulled a standard issue tranq gun from the folds of his puffy white coat. He held it low and close to his body to ensure neither of them could grab it away successfully. His blue eyes betrayed him giving away the conflict that raged inside of him.
	“Inevitability, that's what. Please go.”
	Judy hung her head and started through the storage closet with Nick following in behind her. Nick didn't want to hurt Pearl, he knew the little fox was only doing what he felt was right. Nick opened the door into the hall of the brothel. The place was a quiet as a tomb. No lights or music, it was empty and silent. Nick turned and looked at Pearl.
	“I don't get it. You promised me I had until the end of the week, why would you rat me out early.”
	Pearl shoved the gun in Nick's gut tears welling up in his eyes. “I didn't...Finnick did.”
	Nick felt a pit open in his stomach, of all the mammals they'd met in this place, Finnick was the one he never expected to rat him out. Knowing that the little fox betrayed them and now allowed them to be lured into the spiderweb for the kill was unimaginable. Judy wore the same look on her face a visible gut punch that caused her to be sick. Pearl wiped his eyes and cleared his throat.
	“There's more going on here then you realize. Mammals are going to get hurt tonight but I have to protect mine.”
	Pearl moved close touching his lips to Nick's in a soft peck. “But I'll secretly be rooting for you both. Now please, go.”
	Nick glared at the small fox and wiped his mouth. The earnest way Pearl spoke was admirable. There would be no more questions. The two of them turned continuing to walk. When they reached the main hall, everything felt like deja vu. The remnants of the first time they'd returned successful from a mission. Except this time the air in the room was heavy. Something was wrong. There was no dancing, no music, and it was as quiet as the brothel had been. Everyone was staring blankly in their direction. Above them on the stage stood the baron, again his daughter was on one side and Finnick was on the other. The baron's steely gaze following the pair as they were led in front of the circle.
	Nick's gaze met Finnick's his large ears slipped back as he shook her head then he looking away. That was when the fear gripped him, Nick's heart started pounding in his chest. He grabbed Judy's hand and could feel that she was trembling. Every muscle in her body was tense. 
	“You both did an amazing job this evening. I knew I entrusted this job to the right lackeys.”
	There was a spattering of laughter that ended almost instantly when the baron glared around the room.
	“I opened my home to you. I opened my heart to you and you betrayed me.” The baron gripped his chest as if to keep his heart from being ripped out. “You lied to brother Finnick and used him to your own means. You...you took advantage of us.”
	Nick could see a wave of confusion spread across the faces of the group gathered around them. It was evident those among them who knew the truth about Nick and Judy. Honey shook her head slowly tugging hard at the guitar strap across her chest. Pearl, looked away. Lavender crossed her arms chewing her bottom lip. Even Bleaker and Barker stared at them.
	Baron looked around the room wiping his lips with the back of his hand. “Everyone, my family, I'd like to introduce Officers Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde of the ZPD.”
	Nick could see the shifting gazes turn from confusion to fury. The voices started as a rippling murmur growing to a waves of shouting. Nick reached up removing his contacts. Tossing them and his hat away. Judy followed suit. Nick was taken aback by how beautiful her purple eyes were.
	Manx spit in Judy's face. “I can't believe I kissed you.”
	Judy backed into Nick wiping her face frantically. He wrapped an arm across her chest pulling her close. Baron made a beckoning gesture to Lavender, the skunk girl wasted no time stepping forward. She shoved a standard issue tranq gun into the crook of Nick's neck as she dug around the band of his pants. Out of the corner of his eye, Nick saw Pearl was doing the same to Judy. Nick felt something unclip from his belt realizing they were taken his gift from the baron, his tranq gun.
	“I'm sorry...” Lavender whispered, her breath was warm against his cheek. “This goes beyond how I feel about you. I wish you the best of luck.”
	Nick glared at her out of the corner of his eyes, too afraid to move with the gun pointed at his neck. When she pulled away he could still feel the cold indent of the barrel in his neck. The baron cleared his throat wringing his hands so hard  they might crumble under the pressure.
	“I...can't even come up with a punishment fitting enough for the two of you. I just want them dead, gone, I want their bones to litter the most ancient tunnels of the old sewers where they will be forgotten.”
	A cheer erupted but was cut short when Finnick interjected. “Wait!”
	Nick felt his stomach clench, a mixture of hope and dismay battling in his gut. Maybe the little fox would come through for them. But all of the hope drained when he saw the little fox's eyebrows shift from their compassion arch to a burning angry gaze.
	“What is it brother Finnick?”
	“I want the honors of killing them myself!”
	Honey's mouth fell open as she looked at the tiny fox. The brutality in his voice brought tears to Nick's eyes. Judy pushed her face into his chest. A cruel smile curved across the baron's lips. A delighted sneer of a mammal who was about to receive everything he wanted.
	“Good, brother Finnick. Dart?”
	“Dart.”
	The crowd started chanting dart over and over again. It only caused the baron to grin more. Again he made a beckoning motion. Lavender ran towards the stage. A large lion hefted her up onto the stage so she didn't have to run all the way around the room. The baron held his hand out and Lavender placing Nick's holstered tranq gun in his hand.
	“Thank you, Lavender.” The baron's voice was barely above a rumble.
	Lavender nodded and ran to join Honey. The two embraced and shared a kiss as they watched the events unfolding. The baron jerked the gun free from the holster tossing it away. Finnick was eager to accepted the shining aluminum gift. After he tested the weight, the once small gun look huge in the small fox's hand. He aimed the gun at Nick's face.
	“One to numb...” The baron growled.
	“Two to sleep...” Finnick hissed through a smile.
	Nick swallowed kissing the top of Judy's head. “Three...”
	Finnick turned and fired the gun at the largest mammal closest to Nick and Judy sending it falling back. Everything slowed down around them. In the echoing hush of a collective gasp that spread throughout the room. Bleaker and Barker drew guns from behind their backs firing at two more of the larger mammals. Nick spotted the standard green feathered darts right before they plunged into their targets. Lavender pulled Honey close drawing her tranq gun planting a dart into the closest of the badger body guards. Pearl fired a dart into Manx's chest stopping him inches from away from reaching Judy.
	Finnick brandished a badge from his pocket. “ZIA, bitches, you all under arrest.”
	The room fell into pandemonium. Larger mammals stampeded over the smaller ones to escape. Bodies raced around knocking into Nick and Judy. The baron shifted kicking Finnick hard enough to send him falling down into the circle below. Nick launched forward wrapping his arms around the tiny yet sturdy fox as the fell the few feet into the pit.
	“Good catch, Nick.” Judy shouted planting both of her palms into the chest of a passing tiger sending him to the ground.
	“ZIA? Really?”
	“Later, Nick”
	A white fox appeared next to Judy. Pearl thrust her tranq gun back into her hand before turning to get the crowd under control. Finnick gave Nick back his gun before drawing his own. The two foxes scrambled to get out of the pit. Honey's scream from stage brought Nick and Judy to look at her. The baron fired once into Lavender's gut before kicking her down the short flight of stairs. Bleaker was already moving to her aid.
	The baron is grabbing Honey by the wrist his voice cracking with his rage. “Traitors, all of you. Get them you fools.”
	Baron took off towards the flight of stairs that lead to his private quarters dragging Honey behind him. Judy already sprang into action. Quickly she darted through the crowd, her size allowing her to slip between them easily. Thanks to her strong legs she was able to use two larger mammals as stepping stones to propel herself onto the stage in pursuit.
	“Go man, I'll take care of this.” Finnick urged Nick.
	“Are you crazy?!”
	A lion thug ran towards them swinging a bat furiously. Finnick put a dart in his knee watching as the lion buckled falling on is face. The bat rolled to a stop at  the small fox's feet. Finnick picked it up hefting the weight of it on his shoulder.
	“I got this but your girlfriend needs you!”
	“You're right.”
	Nick started for the stairs up to the stage. He was intercepted by a wall of bodies. Barker appeared behind him tugging the smaller fox off his feet. The world began to spin then Nick was flying through the air. He curled into a ball feeling the wood of the stage bite into his shoulder but the enertia carried him back to his feet so he could continue his pursuit. It was nice to see that something he learned in the police academy was finally paying off.