Chapter fourteen - Risks of the job

If Judy was afraid when her team entered the building, now she was terrified. She had been shot before, twice in fact, so bullets by themselves were not the problem, nor was one mammal with a gun. Facing a whole group of criminals armed with weapons, some of which even the veteran Commander hadn't seen in years, with very clear intentions of killing them... Now that was a problem.

The criminal that got away had given word of their presence in the building to his friends, if the loud shot had not been enough, and suddenly there was a lot of movement around. From the very other side of the building, where the last rooms on the west side were located, two mammals came out running in their direction, armed with those combat rifles. They started shooting and, as Lacsar had explained, their precision was excellent. If they missed to hit them was thanks to the bad aim of the enemy, the distance and the protection of the wall Mark pushed Judy and Nick behind of.

Inside of that room, they could make a stand, but not for long.

As if the heavens had heard their thoughts, two thuds could he heard in the distance and, shortly after, the voice from Tusken came through the radio.

_ - Rhesus, are you ok? _

• Yes, we are fine. Is it clear?

_ - Yeah. They ran right past us. Got'em from the back. _

The macaque waved to his friends to accompany him and reunite with the other two. They could see them, rifles at the ready but wearing a smile, happy to have helped. They took a few steps to meet at the door to the stairs, but more shadows moved in there, announcing the arrival of more armed mammals.

• Take cover!- Said the macaque signaling Judy to get inside the room to the left while he did the same with Nick on the room on the right. From there, they could hear the shots in their direction and Tusken's.

_ - Commander, the access to the stairs is guarded. I can't reach Rhesus and the others or them us.- _ Voiced the boar through the radio.

_ - Same situation on the second floor, Sir.- _ Said Delgato._ - Orders? _

_ - B Team is on their way, defend your position as best as you can. Look for an alternate route to circumvent their blockade. _

_ - There should be an emergency exit on the far side of the hall, but it's unchecked and we would be vulnerable on route.- _ Nathan's voice came in this time.- _ Only alternate exit would be the window. _

_ - Sir, everybody seems to be inside the building at this moment.- _ Intervened Growlain from the outside.- _ Windows are clear to use as an escape route, and we can keep them that way. If they find something to rappel down, we can cover them. _

_ - That would leave some of you temporarily alone against them, not an option.- _ Replied Lacsar.

Judy's heart was racing faster than it had ever been. They were in a very dangerous situation and no visible way out. Their hideout would not help much longer if the criminals decided to use more direct measures.

Fear was taking a very tight hold on her, her hands trembling, something that never happened to her before, shaking the weapon she was holding. Breathing became suddenly hard as if there was not enough air around her. Her natural instinct wanted her to run as fast and far away as possible from danger, but there was no-where to run to. She was trapped there.

A movement where Mark and Nick were drew her attention. The macaque was signaling her to relax with his free hand and his lips said "breathe" without any sound coming from them. Voices were speaking through the radio but Judy could not hear them, her attention fixed in her friend.

A flash of a memory passed before her eyes, from just a couple of hours ago, of her inside a room at the precint with Mark, trying to calm her down. "You are not alone in this", he had said. He was saying the truth: he was in front of her, Nick, even if she could only see his tail as he was behind the wall, was too; Delgato and the others were there in the same situation as her.

She closed her eyes and forced her lungs to take air in slowly. Gradually, her heartbeat became slower and breathing was easier. Her paws stopped shaking and relaxed their grip on the weapon. She was still in the same dangerous situation, but she was in control now.

She looked in Mark's direction to silently thank him when she saw something and got an idea.

• Sir, I've got an idea.

_ - Go ahead, Hopps. _

• Both us and the enemy are hiding in rooms, making it hard to shot without becoming vulnerable. We can't help each other unless any of us takes the initiative and takes care of those on the stairs. Mark is taller than me, I can hide behind Mark's shield and shoot against them while advancing to other rooms, from where we could use a flash grenade more effectively.

_ - Thus, disabling them long enough to take them down and then help Delgato and Rhesus. Do it, just don't stay in the open for more than a few seconds. Even those shields can't hold much hits before a bullet makes a hole in them. Tusken, support them as much as you can, try to draw fire away from them. _

• Understood.- replied the bunny looking at the macaque, Tusken's reply coming through a moment later. She was still scared, and under Mark's determination she saw his fear too, but they had a plan now and were ready to do it.- Nick, you get to one of the farthest rooms while we give you cover and take them down from a safer distance.

• Got it, Fluff.- Said the fox, readying himself to run. On Mark's signal, both Judy and him started shooting at anything that moved while Nick ran to the room at the far end, just in time to avoid a stray bullet going his way. He positioned with as much of his body inside the room as he could and still able to aim.- Go!

Mark came out first, shield at the ready, and let Judy get between it and himself. The bunny could feel the strength of the bullets hitting the shield through Mark's arms against her, which tried to stay as firm as possible, and heard him groan. Still, she didn't waver and the couple started walking as fast as they could, stopping inside each room they passed to let them waste a few bullets and to take a brief respite from the bullet shower. The shield was holding for now, but the dents on its surface told them it was not going to last long.

They provided cover for Nick while they advanced and drew the fire when retreating inside each room, so Nick had the chance to knock out three of the criminals that dared show a hand out of the corner before the pair got to the closest room to the stairs. They weren't as safe as in the previous ones since the criminals had also a better angle to shoot at them, but now the number of bullets in their way was reduced in comparison.

Judy took out a flash grenade from one of the pockets and got ready to throw it. Mark nodded and readied the shield again in front of them and stepped out just enough so she could throw the grenade. They heard shouting in alarm before a loud bang and a bright flash of light made the enemies yell in pain. In their disorientation, some started shooting blindly, one of their friends being hit in the process.

One of those bullets hit Mark's shields, pierced the weakened metal and went through it, landing on Judy's chest. The bunny felt the all too familiar stabbing pain and a new one she didn't recognize at first: her heart had stopped.

Unable to breathe, her vision became blurry and her legs weak. The last thing she heard was Mark's voice shouting her name...

...

...

...

She opened her eyes and took a very deep breath as her consciousness returned, coughing a bit involuntarily. When the fit stopped, she looked around to see she was still in the building. Mark was at the door, facing outside, and her weapon in his hand, ready to shoot at the first sight of movement. Nick was kneeled by her side, without helmet and looking worried beyond measure. She noticed she didn't have hers on either.

• Judy! Are you ok?- Asked the fox, helping her to sit against the wall.

• Yeah, I'm fine.- Answered her trying to remember what had happened. Then she felt pain in her chest and remembered. Hastily, she fumbled with her SWAT suit to get a paw inside and touch where the bullet should have gone in, but she felt no hole in her skin. There was one, however, in her Kevlar vest.

• The bullet passed through Mark's shield, but the vest stopped it.- Explained Nick, more relaxed now.- The impact on your chest stopped your heart. I had to do RCP on you.

• How long?- Asked the bunny. Mark was the one answering this time.

• You passed out a minute ago. I managed to drag you inside while Nick came running. Your plan worked, by the way.- Added smiling in her direction.- We got three of them before the others ran away.

His expression changed as he heard something, but he didn't look alarmed, so Judy understood he was listening through the radio. Lacsar must have asked him to report because he did so.

• Hopps is fine. This floor is secure.

Judy quickly took hold of her helmet and put it on, in time to hear the Commander's instructions.

_ - ...second floor and help the rest of the team. _

• Understood.- Responded the macaque offering Judy a hand to stand up, which she accepted along with her out of the room, the question why he was using it was answered when he saw his TTG (Tactical Tranq Gun) on the floor. She guessed Mark had to drop it to hold her when she lost consciousness.

Close to it were about six sleeping mammals, who they began pawcuffing immediately. If that many had come to their floor and there were more keeping the others busy and more on the basement finishing moving the cargo into the vehicles, then she had been wrong in assessing their numbers. There were probably more that had been silent and she couldn't hear.

Coming to them where Tusken and Jameson, aiming their weapons to the stairs entrance. With Mark on point, they got inside and started climbing up, the sound of shooting telling them they had to be very careful not to announce their presence.

After one flight of stairs, there was a loud bang from outside the building and the boar signaled to stop there. From the stairs above them came alarmed voices and some started running down, only to find some darts to greet them.

Those still above them seemed to become desperate seeing how their numbers where being reduced and tried to push them back by continuously shooting while going down. The team had to retreat again to the first floor and take cover while the criminals shot at them and continued down the stairs, probably in direction to the basement.

• Commander, we heard something outside.- Said Tusken to the radio.

_ - It was us.- _ Replied Growlain instead.- _ Your distraction gave us the chance to plant traps for any vehicle coming out, as planned. They tried to escape, but now their vehicles can't move, They are firing on us, but we can contain them. _

_ - What about the resistance on the second floor?- _ Asked Lacsar.

• _ Nonexistent.- _ Was Delgato's answer as they heard steps coming down the stairs and the lion and the others appeared to join them. Nathan winking an eye to Mark and the others.- They all ran away when they heard the bang.

• They forced us to the first floor and ran down the stairs, presumably to the basement.- Added Tusken.

_ - Go there and detain them. Now you have the advantage, use it. _

Delgato signaled everyone to descend with their weapons ready, only stopping on the first floor to ensure there was no-one. On the access to the garage, the lion peeked around a few seconds and told the rest to come out and take cover. The back of the garage, at their left, seemed to lead to the next floor.

• Sir, we can go down after them or help Growlain with those outside.- Said Delgato.

_ - Go after them. B Team has just arrived, they will help Growlain. _

The team went down the slope, taking cover behind the pillars and construction materials piled around. Other than their own steps, they couldn't hear any other sound. That floor looked empty.

Carefully, they started going for the next one, but Nick stopped them.

• Wait, something is wrong here.

• What do you mean?- Asked Delgato. The fox was looking at some metallic barrels by the start of the slope to the next garage floor. While everything around was covered with a layer of dust, at some distance of the barrels were some clean circles, indicating those barrels normally laid there, and some dragging marks on the floor leading to where the barrels were at the moment. They had been laid there very recently.

Understanding Nick's line of thought, the lion ordered to back up away from the barrels and to take defensive positions.

• Sir, we have a situation here. Wilde has pointed out a possible trap. We believe is some sort of explosive placed there to either hit us or block our way back once we go down to the last floor.

_ - Then they must be around somewhere. Do not proceed further down, no matter what. Check every corner of the floor you are in and, if there is nothing, wait. _

Delgato gave Nick a thumbs up for spotting the threat and made the same three teams as before to check each of the other 3 corners of the floor. Nick, Mark, and Judy went to the northeast, with the macaque and his shield leading the march.

Halfway there, a gun fired a bullet in their direction, forcing them to get behind cover. Nick took a few steps back to have more distance and be able to aim better, Mark stayed behind a pillar and Judy got close to the wall behind abandoned bricks, boxes, and other stuff.

The rest of the team approached from behind to their position as much as they could and readied their weapons.

• ZPD, drop your weapons! You can't escape!- Shouted Delgato.

• Kiss my ass, cat!- Came their reply as more bullets flew their way. The holes in the pillars told them what a bad cover they were, so either they took them down fast or they would have to retreat.

Judy, on the other hand, saw how the piles of stuff were distributed and had an idea. She gestured to Delgato to keep talking to them.

• We are more than you and your friends are under custody. You are underground with no exit at hand. How do you expect to get out of this one?

• How about you turn around and leave, cop? I think that would be a good way.

Judy climbed over the pilled bricks without a sound, keeping her head as low as possible, and climbed down on the other side, closer to the armed criminals too distracted to check over their heads or behind them.

• If you drop your weapons now, you may have a more lenient sentence.

• If you leave, you may have longer lives. What do you expect? We ain't going to surrender.

• Well, then there is no other option. Ehm...- The lion seemed out of what to say to keep then focused on him and said the first thing on his mind.- You are going to get arrested and the full extent of the law will fall over you.

The other six officers facepalmed and had to contain themselves from laughing. Even Judy had to admit that that had sounded very cheesy and very movie-like.

• Who do you think you are, cop? A super officer in a movie?- Several more bullets flew against the pillars, reducing the time they had left.- Go to Furrywood with your friends!

• I don't think you get it, pal!- Said Tusken, his low and harsh voice reverberating in the garage.- You are going to get a life-long sentence in prison whether you like it or not. By surrendering, you may get a better deal, starting with not getting your butt kicked right now!

• Try if you can!- More shooting on their way, in a longer spurt that forced Nathan to retreat behind another pillar.

The shooting stopped abruptly when Judy, who had gotten on top of the cover the criminals where using, shot them from behind. Four mammals, including the black wolf that had been talking, lay there being conquered by the tranquilizer's effect.

• You... tricky...- Managed to say the wolf before falling asleep.

• It's called a hustle, sweetheart.- Replied the bunny, suddenly feeling relieved. It was finished, they had done it.

Delgato approached them and confirmed they were all asleep, taking a device from the wolf's paw before talking to the radio.- Commander, the situation is under control down here. We got them. They had some sort of remote device, maybe they were going to make the barrels explode with this from over here.

_ - Excellent! B Team has captured the ones that tried to escape too. I will send a deactivation team down there. The other teams have also reported success. Good job everyone! _

Everybody shouted in joy and relief, happy to have completed the mission with no causalities. Group hugs were exchanged before they all got a hold of each of the criminals and dragged them outside, where a van was being filled with the sleeping perps. A couple of cars with flat tires blocked partially the exit, but other officers were already trying to move them out of the way.

A visibly happy raccoon approached them from afar, eyeing what they were carrying, and smiled wider.- Very good job indeed. You got me worried for a moment, but you managed to solve the problem.

• All thanks to Hopps and Wilde here, Sir!- Said Mark placing a hand over Judy's right shoulder, his smile so wide you could count all his teeth.- Had she not thought of that plan and he noticed those possible explosives, we would still be there.

All the officers there nodded in agreement and congratulated Judy and Nick for their good thinking. The bunny received the praise with pride and some embarrassment while the fox looked like it was nothing. Lacsar dismissed them and turned to attend other issues, but stopped after one step.

• By the way, take the rest of the day off. You deserve it. And I will make sure to talk to Bogo about rewarding you properly.- He said to the group, who barely waited until the raccoon had left to shout in delight at the news.

After the perps were all placed in the vehicle, including those inside the building, all SWAT were told to return to the precint while the field officers took all the evidence.

The travel back was way more relaxed than the first one. Now they all were more relaxed and happy that all had gone well. Delgato got mocked about how he talked with that black wolf before and everybody laughed, the lion included.

• What did you want me to say? I've never had to make anyone talk and I see a lot of movies!- Was his excuse, though it obviously didn't stop anyone from joking about it.

Some minutes later, they arrived at the precint, got out of the vehicle and went directly to the locker rooms. There they met SWAT from the other teams and asked about their missions. As Lacsar had said, they all succeeded in their objective. It had not been perfect, though, as two officers got shot. Nothing severe, they explained they were similar wounds as Judy's, nothing to worry about. In fact, they would be back on duty in a week tops. Still, the mood in the rooms changed, as it could have been worse.

Not liking how everyone's humor had changed, Grizzoli suggested they should all go out to eat together and celebrate. That raised the spirits of everyone, who accepted and started planning the hour and place to meet.

As they finished changing clothes, everyone gathered in the lobby, where Clawhauser was waving at them awaiting for news about the raid.

• I've been worried sick for you, guys! Is everyone ok?

• We are ok, Benny. Two got shot, but don't worry, just a scratch.- Said McHorn patting the cheetah's back.- But it seems we will lose a friend soon.

• What? Why? What happened?- The relief Clawhauser felt when told everybody was fine was washed away at hearing that from the rhino.

• Well, it seems Delgato here is going to become a Furrywood star. He already has some dialog memorized!

Some managed to just snicker, but the majority simply laughed again while Clawhauser was told what happened in that basement. In the end, he joined the laughing crowd.

• Yeah, yeah. Very funny, guys.- Said the lion, now amused no more by that joke on him.

• Oh, I am going to make a photo right now, that face is perfect!- Exclaimed Mark trying to get a hold of his phone, but did not find it by the look on his face and how he fumbled with every pocket he had.

• Did you forget it in the SWAT vest?- Asked Nick, remembering that he had tried to use it before the raid began.

• Probably. I'll go get it and also tell mom and Shana where we are going. Wait for me!

As he disappeared again in the locker room, Clawhauser asked what they were going to do.

• We are going to Chancey's and celebrate our success.- Explained Grizzoli.- Lacsar said we could have the rest of the day off and I guess Bogo and Mauler had the same good idea since the rest of the team are free too. So, I thought it would be perfect to hang out together.

• Oh, that sounds nice! Would you mind if I join?

• Sure, Spots!- Replied Nick.- You know there is no party without our favorite cheetah around.

• Oh, you flatterer!- Said the embarrassed feline and everyone giggled.- Then, when are you going?

• Well, we were discussing just that. Some say around seven and others want at half past eight, so we don't really know.

• Why so late?- Asked Clawhauser, curious.

• In my case, I want to see my wife and kids.- Replied Snarlov.- I wasn't expecting to go there so soon, so I couldn't tell them that we went to the raid today. If I go with you guys before seeing her, when I get back home I am going to end up sleeping on the couch, if I am let inside the house at all.

• Yeah, I get that. Then, what about this: we start at half past seven or so, drink a beer, eat some chips, chat and such, and then, when you family people come, we start eating?- Suggested Benny.

• That works for me.- Accepted the polar bear. All around nodded in agreement.

• Ok then! All settled! See you all... What's that?

The confusion of the cheetah was obvious when very fast steps sounded in the lobby. Mark and Nathan ran like followed by the devil itself, past the group of friends there and through the main doors.

• What's up with them? Why were they in a hurry?- Asked Clawhauser, but no-one knew what to answer.

Judy and Nick, on the other hand, had seen Mark's face before they disappeared through the door: panic, fear, worry...

• Oh, no...