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Chapter Twenty-Three: The Longest Night

Vernon stood in the ankle deep snow that now blanketed the parking lot of the long abandoned factory. On the outside the wolf appeared stable, not even shivering under the cold winds that were building from the growing storm. But on the inside he was melting down. His mind was a torrent of panic and terror, all screaming for him to do something to save Dawn, while knowing that there was nothing he could do without police help. Vernon grit his teeth as he peered through the gale, watching as Nick Wilde tromped his way over to the phone box at the far end of the lot. A soft whine escaped his muzzle as he silently prayed that it was in working order.

"H-hey..."

Vernon glanced down at the small rabbit standing beside him, the snow nearly up to her mid calf due to her size. Judy had clasped her upper arms, and was huffing in an effort to keep warm. Despite the chill, she still reached out to Vernon, laying a paw on his leg reassuringly.

"We'll g-get her out o-okay?" The rabbit chattered.

Vernon simply looked back toward the distant orange glimmer in the snow, letting out another soft whine. Vernon knew that they would get Dawn out, but what mattered was how long it took. It was clear to the wolf that the longer the exposure to the steady stream of gas, the higher the mortality rate. Between Stoat, Polaraski, and the other Bug Burgas that was fairly evident. The wolf figured a mammal of Dawn's size would be even more susceptible to faltering under those conditions. With each moment that ticked by the wolf felt tension in his chest increase. 'He had to hurry, he had to save Dawn' his mind continued to assail him.

After what seemed like an eternity the fox tromped back over to the pair, his face twisted in grimace.

"Box is gutted, there's no phone." Nick said, rubbing his arms to keep warm.

"W-what!?" Judy replied.

Vernon's heart dropped, the tension in his chest becoming nearly paralyzing. He tried to speak but the words wouldn't come.

"It's gone, It's not there anymore." Nick chomped at the bracing wind.

"Why?" Judy stuttered.

"I don't know Carrots. Blame cell phones. I haven't seen a working public phone in a decade, and I used to be a con-mammal. I made my living in part by public phone lines." Nick grunted.

"W-what do we do?" The rabbit's teeth were chattering.

Vernon felt himself begin to tremble as his panic grew. The longer the cops argued the less time Dawn had. But still there was no solution of how to flag help. Vernon's teeth began to chatter, and he could no longer suppress the steady stream of whines that were coming out of him. His eyes began to dart from one officer to the other as they spoke.

"Is there a g-gas station?" Judy huffed.

"I don't know Carrots, I've never really been this far up in Tundratown. I might as well be in another country." Nick hunched down, continuing to rub his upper arms.

"Well if we start w-walking-"

"We have to pick a direction Carrots, the wrong one and Dawn dies in there. Guaranteed." Nick cut her off.

As the words left Nick's muzzle, the tension in Vernon's chest spread to his head. The terrifying thoughts quickly rose to a deafening din, and Vernon clasped his paws to his head in an effort to ease the phantom pressure.

"We could each go in one direct-"

"Someone has to stay with V-Vernon." Judy had now cut Nick off.

"He's a grown mammal, he can wait here." The fox bared his teeth at the whipping wind.

"W-what if something comes o-out of there, or h-he does something st-tupid and tries to go in there a-alone." Judy retorted.

"Damn I hate this cold." Nick hissed, clasping his paws to his face in frustration. "Had to get dragged out here on the same night they schedule a blizzard."

Vernon's mind had reached a breaking point, a whirling maelstrom of fear and the need to act. All he could picture was Dawn lying dead on the cold factory floor, or being torn apart by the other wild rams. A new sensation began to rise in his chest, the tingling that came before something the wolf always desperately tried to keep under control. But with no hope, and nothing he could do, Vernon couldn't keep it back any longer. It was the act of a desperate and terrified wolf.

"If we had w-working eq-"

"AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Vernon howled loud and mournfully, his head turned toward the night sky.

"AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Came another, and another. Vernon could feel one of the cops shaking him, trying to get his attention.

"E-easy big guy! Tone it down!" Nick's voice bellowed.

Vernon ignored the fox, continuing with another mournful howl. Tears were welling in his eyes now. He couldn't help himself anymore, the pain was too great to keep inside.

"V-Vernon! This-s isn't helping!" Barked Judy.

The wolf had tuned the pair out, lost in a sea of his own emotions. He howled again, a depressing and miserable call. It lingered on the winds for a moment before ceding to the silence of the deep purple sky. Vernon prepared to let out another yell, when he heard something. A low, but steady reply from out of the dark.

"Awoooo...." Came from somewhere nearby, Vernon could tell by the sound alone it was close, maybe a block away. Vernon snapped his head down to look at the two officers. Their eyes were tightly shut, and they had their paws clasped firmly over their ears. Slowly Judy cracked open an eye, and peeked at the equally shocked Vernon.

"D-did you hear that?" Judy asked.

"I heard Vernon." Nick grumbled.

"AWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Vernon called again, his tail wagging as his interest piqued.

"VERNON, PLE-"

"AwwwwwOOOOoooo" Another response cut the fox off, it was closer now and was starting to sound familiar to the wolf.

As he let out another howl, a spotlight fell on the trio. Vernon shielded his eyes from the bulk of the blinding light with an arm, doing his best to peer through the intense beam in an effort to see the source. He could hear a vehicle approaching behind the glow, its brakes letting off a squeal as it came to a stop. As the light died Vernon could finally make out a squad car pulling up to the group. Leaning out of the window of the driver's side was another wolf, paw still up to his muzzle ready to call out again. Vernon's tail wagged furiously as he quickly came to recognize the officer.

"Teeth to tails!" The cop cried. "Puppy is that you!?"

"W-wade!" Vernon cried.

"I don't believe it." Nick sputtered in shock.

Judy hadn't even spoken, instead taking off in leaps and bounds toward the patrol car. The rabbit held her badge up to Wade as she opened the driver's side door.

"Lieutenant Judith Lavern Hopps, ZPD. I need to commandeer your radio officer." She barked.

Wade nearly stumbled out of the vehicle as the door lurched open with him still hanging out of it. Letting his feet touch the ground, Wade stood bent allowing the rabbit to awkwardly push around the wolf. As Judy pulled herself up onto the driver's seat, the wolf walked around the door, looking back at the rabbit slightly bewildered.

"Uh-sure thing Lieutenant." The wolf muttered. Looking back at his brother Wade scratched his head in confusion.

"What in sweet sawgrass is going on around here Vern?" Wade asked.

Vernon had practically bounded at Wade, wrapping his arms around the slightly smaller wolf.

"Am I g-glad to s-see you!" The wolf cried. "What a-are you e-even doing out he-ere!?" Vernon sobbed.

"Same question." Nick added, as he walked up next to the two wolves.

"Easy Vern, easy!" Wade said, patting the wolf on the back.

From the passenger side of the vehicle, another mammal stepped out into the snow. The small arctic fox placed her paws on her hips before throwing a curious glance over to Wade.

"That's your brother?" She asked.

"Yeah Mavsa, this is my little brother Vernon." Wade replied to the vixen. "This is my beat. Mavsa and I were driving along when I heard that distressed howl. Sounded like trouble, so I wanted to check in on it." Vernon pulled away from Wade, now doing his best to suck back his tears. "The last wolf I expected it to be was you though!" Wade laughed.

"You want to let us in on what's happening here?" Mavsa had now made her way next to Nick, she leaned against the cruiser as she spoke.

"Yeah Vern, why are you so worked up?" Wade placed a paw on Vernon's shoulder. "This doesn't have to do with Bellwether does it?"

"Well-"

"The ZPD is on it's way!" Judy yelled from the front seat. "They're sending everything they've got! They should have extraction teams out here in about ten minutes!"

"Ten minutes!?" Vernon cried. Vernon had practically pushed his brother aside as he made his way to the cruiser window, his paws clasping at the door frame. "But we have to get in there now!"

"It's unsafe to go in there Vernon. It's not just the risk of going savage without having proper hazmat suits, but with the power still running to that place the gas is still pouring out. That level of concentrated gas could kill any one of us!" The rabbit looked down mournfully.

"What if the power was off!?" Vernon barked at the rabbit, causing her to shirk into the seat.

"We still couldn't go in there with-"

"Would it buy her some time!?" Vernon cut her off.

"I-er..." Judy scratched her chin. "I guess in theory, I-I mean if the gas flow stopped the amount the remaining gas wouldn't be as concentrated." The rabbit mused. "But we have to wait for the electri-"

Vernon turned back to his brother, grasping the wolf by his shoulders.

"Open the trunk Wade!" Vernon growled.

"What, why!?" Wade sputtered.

"JUST DO IT!" Vernon barked, his eyes were burning with severity.

Wade reached into the passenger window, pulling the plunger that opened the cruiser's trunk. Vernon was already behind the vehicle before the telltale 'THUNK' sound of the trunk opening had even fully sounded.

"What's he doing!?" Vernon heard the rabbit yell out as he dug through the trunks contents. Finding what he was looking for, he grasped the weapon tightly in his paws. Opening the chamber the wolf began to load rounds into the gun.

"I dunno, Vernon!?" He heard Wade respond. Grabbing another handful of rounds, the wolf shoved them into his pocket. 'Thank the gods Dad taught us our way around these things.' Vernon thought, a mad grin forming on his muzzle.

He didn't even look up at his brother as he pushed passed him, the shotgun clasped tightly in his paws.

"Woah Vernon! That's for emergencies only, you ca-"

"Is that a shotgun!?" Judy's voice cried.

"Woah, big guy, that's a polic-"

Vernon pushed passed the foxes, his eyes set on the target jutting out of the snow ahead. The large grey box was covered with icicles, a single padlock securing it's large steel doors. As the wolf closed in on it he could hear the deafening hum of electricity crackling just behind the panels.

"Vernon! Stop right now!" The rabbit called again.

Vernon tuned them out. The blood was pumping so hard through him he could hear the beating in his ears. He was going to do something, the wolf thought. Even if he couldn't go in he was going to do everything in his power to buy Dawn time.

_'CRACK!'_Was the sound the padlock made as the wolf slammed the butt of the gun against it. It fell away immediately under the force of the blow, the metal hook shattering like the ice that incased it. Vernon threw the now unlocked doors open, exposing the complex inner workings of the transformer to the crisp air. The thrum of the electricity flowing through it was earsplitting, but the wolf paid it little mind as he raised the rifle. Backing away slightly, the wolf aimed at the heart of the device.

"VERNON! DO-"

'BOOOOOOOOM!' The first shot smashed into the machinery. The transformer buzzed and crackled, letting a few free bolts of electricity and a volley of sparks fly. The thrumming began to stagger, rising and fading as the surge of electricity shakily tried to keep flowing. The wolf popped open the chamber of the gun again, loading another two rounds in.

"ARE YOU CRA-"

'BOOOOOOOOM!' FZZZZZZT!" The second shot caused the transformer erupt into flames. The force of the blast pushed Vernon back slightly but he managed to remain on his feet. Another explosion ripped through the device, sending shrapnel out of the top of it along with more sparks and fire, and with a final groan the hum of electric energy came to a stop.

Vernon turned to look at the factory, watching the few dim lights inside fade away into darkness. But the factory wasn't the only light to die away. The wolf could see the dim lights of distant buildings along the seaside flicker off one by one. Suddenly the wolf felt the shotgun tugged roughly out of his paws.

"Are you insane!?" Mavsa was now holding the smoking shotgun, staring up at the wolf with accusing eyes. "This is a live round weapon for police use only!" The fox snarled.

"You could have killed yourself!" Judy's voice chimed in. "You might as well have been shooting at a bomb! You're lucky that shrapnel didn't fly at you!"

Vernon looked down at the two small mammals, flashing the two a glare.

"Hey, I cut the power at least!" Vernon hissed. "You weren't willing to do anything but wait!"

The rabbit placed a paw to her forehead. "Because doing something like that could KILL someone!" The rabbit emphasized.

Judy waived a paw at the now dark coastline. "As well as cause a power surge that knocks out the whole area! Do you ever think anything through!?"

"Fine!" Vernon snarled, walking back toward the squad car. Nick and Wade merely stood staring at the others in confusion. "Arrest me then! As long as I gave Dawn a chance I don't care! It's more than you gave her!" The wolf snarled, trudging up to his brother and holding out his paws in anticipation of being cuffed.

Wade merely looked at him dumbly, and after a moment shook his head.

"Why would I arrest you when I used the rifle?" Wade gave a small grin.

"W-what?" Vernon could hear Mavsa reply.

"It was a bad call maybe, but a life was on the line." The wolf continued to grin.

Vernon turned back around to glance at the two mammals in the snow. Judy's ears had drooped, and the rabbit's head was turned to the ground. The fox however, looked particularly annoyed.

"Alright, fine. So that's the story were going with?" She shrugged. "But you owe me one Wade."

It had only been about eight minutes before the lot was swarming with ZPD from every precinct, Although to Vernon it had felt like eons. The area was now fully illuminated under the flashing hazard lights of the various police vehicles as well as the high beams of portable generators. Vernon had spent his time sitting on the hood of his brothers car, saying little after gunning down the transformer in blind desperation. But as the hazmat and emergency teams arrived, the wolf took off like a shot after them. He had almost cleared a path to the arriving masked mammals when a large mammal reached a hoofed arm out, blocking his path. Vernon looked up in shock at the wall of a mammal the arm belonged to. The water buffalo stared at him with a grim and serious expression.

"Hold on! Stop right there!" The mammal growled.

"Dawn's in there! By the door! I have to tell them!" The wolf sputtered, trying to push past the water buffalo. The mammal grabbed the wolf by the scruff with his other arm, effectively stopping him in his tracks. Despite being unable able to proceed, the wolf flailed his arms toward the hazmat mammals as they began to exit their vehicle.

"Chief!" Vernon turned to see officer Hopps run up to his side.

"Hopps." The buffalo replied. The Chief lifted the wolf toward the rabbit. "Is this yours?"

"That's Vernon Hunter." Hopps stated.

"The runaway." The mammal grumbled, eyeing the wolf suspiciously.

"Please sir! You need to tell them! She'll die-"

"You're in some deep trouble son." The buffalo chided.

"I don't care! Just save Dawn! She's outside the door of the office! Please!" Vernon cried, still flailing.

"Chief, its all been a misunderstanding! You have to do what he says!" Vernon looked at the rabbit in surprise.

The Chief let out a derisive snort. "A misunderstanding? If I'm not mistaken he abetted a suspected criminal in escaping police custody. That much is pretty cut and dry."

"Chief, Detective Wilde and I will explain it all in our statements. Just listen to him." The rabbit said pleadingly.

Vernon eyed the water buffalo pleadingly. The chief seemed unmoving, his features remaining stoic and fierce. However after a few moments he let out a reluctant sigh.

"What do you need to tell me Mr. Hunter. Tell me calmly and clearly." The Chief grunted.

"Dawn Bellwether is still in there. She's just outside the office door through that tear in the metal." Vernon pointed a finger toward the gash he had made earlier as the buffalo lowered him back to the ground. "She's going to die if you don't get her out!" Vernon yelped.

The Buffalo stared hard at the wolf for a moment. It seemed as though he wasn't going to act on the wolf's pleas until he swiftly turned and placed a hoof by his mouth.

"Dawn Bellwether is priority one!" The buffalo snarled at the hazmat team. Pointing a hoof at the rip in the metal, he motioned for the team to enter. "In there, she's behind the door on the other side! Get her first!"

Vernon dropped to his knees, frozen as he watched the team enter the gaping metal tear before disappearing into the structure. The wolf had begun biting on his claws before he felt a paw on his shoulder. Looking over he could see that Judy had taken a stance next to him.

"It will be okay Vernon." The cop said. "I'm sure she will be okay."

The wolf simply let out a whimper before continuing to stare at the rip in the building. The wait was agonizing, tearing at the wolf's insides as he kneeled in the snow. Despite Judy's attempts at reassurance, all the wolf could feel was dread. He expected at any moment a mammal would emerge requesting a body bag. The wolf inadvertently clutched his chest at the thought. 'Please be alive.' He thought.

The wolf's breath hitched in his throat when he finally caught movement coming from the opening. Three of the hazmat mammals had come out carrying a small form above the snow. Rising to his feet the wolf did his best to peer over the huddled mammals, but he still couldn't make out exactly who they were carrying. He saw one waive to the nearby paramedics, signaling to them the need for a gurney. As they rolled the bed over, The hazmat team loaded the small mammal onto the cot.

The group parted quickly, flanking the corners of the gurney in order to carry it off and allowing Vernon to finally catch a glimpse of the lamb he'd been looking for. Dawn was still unconscious from what he could see, but the fact that the medical team quickly placed a breathing mask over the ewe's muzzle let the wolf know she was still breathing.

"DAWN!" The wolf tried to run before feeling a familiar tug at the scruff off his neck. Looking back he could see the Chief had once again gripped the wolf tightly, preventing him from moving.

"Mr. Hunter! You cannot just go ov-"

"I NEED TO SEE HER!" The wolf pleaded.

"Mr. Hunter, she hasn't been disinfected! Touching her without hazmat gear would put you at risk of night howler exposure!" The buffalo huffed. Vernon looked at the chief with confusion. "Trust me, it happened at one of the Bug Burgas. One of our officers touched a victim and went savage in less than thirty seconds. He had to be restrained by three officers, and is still recovering in the hospital." Vernon eyed the medical team. They were now loading the ewe into the back of an ambulance.

"Then let me go with her at least!" The wolf cried.

"Mr. Hunter. I'm still somewhat in the dark about all that's happened here, I need statements from Hopps, Wilde, and you. You are the only witnesses we have at the moment." The Chief stabbed a hoof at the wolf's chest. "You will have to wait until I get your statement."

"NO!" The wolf tried to pull free from the massive mammal's grip. "I CAN'T LEAVE HER ALONE!"

Vernon began to thrash harder as he saw the wildebeest reach for his cuffs.

"If you don't settle down I-"

"Chief Bogo!" Judy interrupted.

Vernon went limp, turning his attention to the rabbit. He heard the Chief let out an irritated sigh.

"What is it Hopps?" the large mammal grumbled.

"Just give me a second." The rabbit held up a claw. Judy turned her attention to the group of cops who had first arrived. At a glance Vernon could see his brother and his partner chatting up a very exhausted Detective Wilde.

"Officer Hunter!" The rabbit called.

Vernon watched his brother Wade perk his head up. The wolf turned to look at the rabbit, only for his eyes to widen as he presumably noticed Vernon hanging in the air. The wolf quickly bounded over, clasping a paw to his cap to keep it from coming away.

"What's the problem? What did Vernon do n-?"

"Officer Hunter here would be more than happy to take his brother's statement and send it right back to us while transporting Vernon to the hospital." Judy cut him off.

Vernon looked at Judy in shock. The sentiment was shared by his brother Wade, but the wolf quickly doused the expression and feigned confidence.

"Y-yes sir, my partner and I would be more than happy to assist." Wade added.

"Officer Hopps." Chief Bogo grumbled.

"It's important that Vernon is there Chief, he is Dawn's only medical contact after all."

Vernon felt tears welling in his eyes as he stared at Judy. He hadn't expected the rabbit to help him, not when it came to Dawn of all mammals. The rabbit gave him a soft smile in response.

"FINE!" Bogo snarled, letting the wolf down gently. "He can go, but in the meantime I want you and Wilde to give me your statements now!" The wolf glanced back at the beleaguered Chief of police, his hoof to his head as if suffering from a severe migraine.

"Thank you C-chief." Vernon uttered. The buffalo simply grumbled in reply before waiving the wolf away.

Wade motioned his brother to follow him, before beginning to walk toward his cruiser where the two foxes were still talking. As Vernon began to dutifully follow his brother, he gave a final turn back to Lieutenant Hopps. The wolf's lip trembled as he mouthed a thank you back to the rabbit. Judy gave the wolf a sad smile, waiving him off with a nod.

As the pair approached the squad car Vernon could hear the two foxes sharing a laugh.

"Oh Detective Wilde, you really are a card." Mavsa waived a paw.

"Not so bad yourself miss 'third fox to join the ZPD and class valedictorian'." Nick cooed playfully.

"Hey Mavsa, we have to wrap this up." Wade interrupted. "We're tailing that ambulance on it's way out. My brother needs a lift."

The fox pouted her lip. "Aww, and here I was starting to have a good time." The fox shrugged. Vernon watched as she swayed over to the passenger door.

The fox opened it before turning back to Nick.

"So, you're gonna make a lady ask if a handsome tod like you is seeing some mammal or..." The vixen trailed off.

Vernon watched as Nick let out a weak chuckle.

"Sorry sister." A small smirk crossed Nick's muzzle. Vernon watched as the fox looked over at Lieutenant Hopps, who's arms were flailing like mad as she retold the tale of the nights events to her superior officer. Nick smirked, letting out another soft chuckle.

"I'm afraid my heart belongs to another mammal." Nick's glance turned to Vernon, and he gave the wolf a knowing nod.

Vernon nodded in kind, sharing an unspoken moment of understanding with the fox. It seemed the two weren't so different after all. Vernon gave Nick a smile before making his way to the back door of the cruiser.

"WILDE! GET OVER HERE NOW!" Bogo yelled over the snow.

"Uh-oh, Daddies mad at me." The fox meekly chuckled. Pushing his body off the squad car, the fox began to saunter toward the towering water buffalo.

Now in the car, Vernon tilted his head back and let out a sigh. The last thirty six some odd hours had been the most tense and horrific in all of his life. And while it wasn't over by a long shot just being in a squad car and knowing that the rams had been dealt with allowed some of the tension that wracked his body to melt away. He continued to stare up at the roof of the police car as he heard the doors close, and the engine start. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier as the wolf finally started to succumb to exhaustion. He had expected his brother's question to keep his attention, to keep the wolf from drifting off. But they never came, and thus as the car pulled away the wolf drifted into wearied sleep.