Need

Chapter 7: Nick

I DON'T OWN THE ARTWORK!

I watch as Jack rips one of sleeves off of his uniform and wraps it around Judy's arm. He's so gentle with her. I'm cursing myself for not being fast enough to protect her. Fear isn't in her vocabulary.

Soon, paramedics arrive and take her away to the hospital for medical treatment, she needs stitches.

A forensics team shows up and takes picture of the abandoned building. When Scott set off the alarms by running through fire exit, we weren't aware that he'd stolen some things. When the fire alarms went off, they overshadowed the other alarm. The cheetah that Judy had talked to earlier, came and found me. She told me some merchandise was missing from the lingerie and ladies undergarment section. The cougar made off with several packages black and red lace panties, and one package of bunny sized underwear.

The youngest missing female is Marcy Davis, she's a nine year old rabbit. A sick feeling in the pit of my gut tells me the bunny underwear are for her. Scott Prowler is a twenty-six year old cougar with a history of rape, molestation, sexual assault, lewd conduct, and so much more. Usually his victims are grown females. Regardless, we need to find these girls, if they're with him, I can only imagine what they're enduring. A shudder runs down my spine.

I'm afraid that this only the beginning of a blood soaked war. A very bloody war.

We regroup back at the ZPD, Judy walks in, one arm wrapped around Jack's waist in an attempt to support herself. Her arm is wrapped in bandages, and they obviously gave her some sort of pain medicine, that would explain why she's leaning on Jack. Light weight little bunny.

He doesn't seem to mind her using him as a crutch, he seems happy. When did she stop using my help? I'm her partner. I'm here to catch her when she falls, aid her when she's sick or hurt. But all that is going down the drain thanks to that whelp. He just swoops in and sweeps her off her feet. Maybe she doesn't need me around anymore, my heart aches at that thought. A tear spills from right eye. Why am I feeling this way?

Jack picks Judy up and helps her climb in the seat next to me. "Don't let her fall off." He says to me in a threatening tone.

"I won't." I growl, wrapping my arm around her waist to ensure she won't fall. She feels so small in my embrace, yet, she fits perfectly against my side.

"Ugh, my head feels fuzzy." She moans, resting her head against my chest.

"You should go home then." I sigh, knowing I'm wasting my breath. She could be half dead and would still want to work cases.

"No, those girls need my help." She groans.

Bogo storms into the room, a grave expression etched onto his face. "Four more girls have gone missing in the past thirty minutes. The number will only keep climbing, until we stop the criminals." He lements.

Everyone grows deathly silent and our gazes shift to the bull pen door. No friggin way! Gazelle is standing in the door way, her fur is disheveled, and her eyes are red from crying.

"Chief Bogo, I need your help." She begs, grabbing him by the arm. "They took her."

Chief's shocked expression melts into one of compassion. "Took who, my dear?"

"My niece, Lacey Hornsby. We were shopping at the mall, I turned my head for a second to look at some skirts, and when I looked back, a male lion had what looked a gun pressed to her side and was forcing her out of the store. I ran after them shouting for help, but when mammals recognized me, they flocked around me begging for autographs. By the time I got them to understand I needed help, the lion made off with Lacey. Please Chief Bogo, help me, she's only eleven years old!" Gazelle explains in such a hurry, that she runs out of breath and has to take a sharp inhale.

"Miss Gazelle, we are here to help you." Bogo says reassuringly.

I find myself wondering if her niece's abduction has anything to do with the missing girls, or if she was taken by a desperate mammal in hopes of getting a ransom from Gazelle.

Bogo escorts Gazelle to his office, while the rest of us study on the case. According to Fangmeyer, Delgado, and Apser, almost all of the girls went missing during the night. When the parents went to wake their daughters for school, their beds were empty and their bedroom windows were wide open. Someone had picked the windows open. Whoever took them, followed them, studied their routine, and waited for the perfect time to strike. As for Marcy Davis, she lived in a big house, with servants, and high-tech security system- meaning her abduction had to be an inside job.

All of this is giving me a splitting headache.

Pant! Pant! I hear someone inhaling loudly. Seconds later, an otter runs into the bull pen. She's in a black lace bra and panties that have tears in them, patches of fur around her neck are missing, and blood trickles from between her legs. Trauma fills her gaze.

That's seventeen year old Pearl Ottery, one of the missing girls.

She's so scared she can barely breathe. Breaking character, I run to her, barely catching her before she hits the floor. "None of the other girls are safe..." she mutters before blacking out.

What in the hell is happening?