A Fresh Start

Nick nudged Judy awake. "Oh sweet cheese and crackers," she moaned, instantly grabbing her head. "You okay Carrots?" He asked her, concerned. She stared at him through narrowed eyes for a moment, confused. "Ugh. Wha- Where are we? Wait- What the-? What happened?" she stammered groggily. He looked down into her beautiful purple eyes, not saying a word, and handed Judy the top half of the note. The bottom half she would never see. Judy read the note and her gentle features changed from a bewildered expression, to a horrified one. She looked back up at Nick. "Sweet cheese and crackers, Nick! This isn't good! We have to get this guy! He is up to something bad!" She gasped, determined. Nick gave her a serious look. "I-I don't know. This could be dangerous. Perhaps we should leave this to the professionals. Judy gasped at the fox, casting him an incredulous look. "What! No! This is our duty! Since when were you to back down in the face of danger? Are you okay Nick? Did something else happen to you while I was knocked out?" Nick shook his head. He felt ashamed to be afraid but he was afraid for Judy. "I just think this could be very dangerous" he mumbled, not meeting Judy's eyes. "Sure but that wont stop us! We have to do this! We are so close but we are running out of time! We have to get this guy off the streets and bring Ava home" she stated hopefully. Nick was slightly encouraged by the lupine's faith. "Okay Carrots, you're right" Nick agreed. He went to start the car but after a few tries, it faltered. "Oh no!" Judy grumbled. "They must have drained the tank or something" Nick decided. He suddenly had a thought and decided to check the glove box for the tracking device. That part had been torn out of the car. "Sneaky!" He commented to Judy, "This guy sure knows what he's doing." Judy frowned. "What now?" Nick checked the radio in the car and the walkie talkie on his belt. They were both busted. The radio was completely smashed in, whilst the batteries had been taken out of his walkie talkie. Judy looked for hers, only to fund she no longer had one. The two looked at each other with blank expressions and shrugged. "I guess, unless you fancy hitch-hiking, we walk" Nick suggested as a last option resolution. "What! All the way back to the station! But we are still in Tundra Town!" She protested. Nick shrugged once again. "Have a better idea?" Judy's ears suddenly perked up. She checked all her pockets. Then sat, rubbing her temples, with her eyebrows furrowed. "My phone. I-I cant find it" she said, tapping her foot on the ground. Nick started to panic as he searched for his own. "Ah, Oh no!" He groaned. "Mines gone too!" He wailed. "Looks like they raided everything!" She stated. "What now?" Nick asked, furious. Judy had no answer but instead just opened the car door and hopped out. "Carrots?" He called after her. Nick saw her pop the boot open and close it after a moment and walk back over to him. She leaned on the door frame and threw an object to him. Nick, caught off guard, caught it clumsily. Yours was in the boot but the tracker's out and its dead. Mines gone." Judy told him. Nick cradled his phone in his arms and stared at it. "Oh thank goodness!" He cried. Judy looked at him with a raised brow. "Oh, uh, and that's, uh weird. I wonder what he would want with your phone?" Nick replied. Judy thought for a moment. "Well if he could hack into it then he may have a lot of my personal information, oh no!" She gasped in horror, hanging her head. Nick stepped out of the car and placed a paw comfortingly on her shoulder. She winced at the touch. Nick had forgotten her wound but she soon relaxed. "It'll be okay. We will get this crook!" He promised. Judy looked up at the fox and gave a half smile. "Thanks Nick," the bunny murmured, hugging him. "So up for a walk?" He asked. Judy frowned, "I think I would prefer getting a lift. There has got to be somebody who would pick us up and drive us to a phone booth at least and the ZPD is bound to be looking for us by now!" She concluded. "Alright. Have it your way but there are some creeps out there and most mammals would be skeptical of a couple of officers out in the middle of nowhere without a car."

The two had walked for about half an hour before anyone had been courteous enough to give them a lift and then still, they had only driven them to the nearest phone booth. Now the two ZPD officers were waiting rather impatiently for chief Bogo to arrive and drive them back to the station. Nick tapped his nails on the metal bus station seat in obvious boredom. Judy patted her foot rapidly on the concrete slab and held her head up lazily, with one paw. "So, what's the plan Carrots?" Nick asked in a feeble attempt to make conversation. The red fox looked down at the bunny with his usual half lidded gaze, waiting in a reply and after a few moments and let out a long sigh and muttered, "At this point I really don't know, yet, but I will think of something" she assured him. Nick flashed his signature smirk, "I know you will. You always do," he said supportively. Nick had begun to really trust this bunny. Judy looked up at her partner with gratitude. "Thanks slick Nick" she grinned playfully.