This story started as a prompt idea I wanted to submit on Tumblr but instead decided to write it myself when the story just started to develop in my head.

It happened several times now since the clusterfuck that was Peach Trees case that Dredd found himself in a tight spot with backup still good ten minutes away. And every time he managed to get out alive and unharmed, for the most part at least.

He didn't expect a repeated performance today when he came to investigate a murder of a young woman whose butchered body was found in an elevator. It was supposed to be a simple case, but it appeared the first look deceived once more.

The woman was quickly identified with the help of DNA and her record showed she was reported missing several days ago, her case was among those 94% that were never responded to. Her address showed she was a long way from her home in sector 2 and Dredd was eager to find out how she ended up in Ezquerra Block in sector 13.

He already had his suspicion when one of the onlookers flinched upon seeing him examine the dead body before he rushed away. Dredd didn't recognize the emblem on his back. He knew all the major gangs in this sector but this one was unfamiliar to him.

In retrospective, perhaps it was a mistake to go after a guy before informing control, but he didn't expect backup would be necessary. He was Judge Dredd, he could handle perps.

But what he couldn't handle was a well known human trafficker that was believed to be killed several years ago during a raid on his base of operation. He had no idea how the man survived but the fact remained he was still alive and he wanted to remain so.

And Dredd needed to die to ensure his secret and his business would be safe.

He only managed to get a passing glimpse of the man on the other side of level 17, not enough to execute him, but enough to make a positive identification and inform control, before the henchmen were sent to kill him.

Dredd didn't have any other option but to pull back from the open and kill as many perps that were out to get him while waiting for backup.

It wasn't an easy task, it if was anyone could do it, but he managed to execute two that were trying to trap him in a dead end corridor before he moved down one of four main hallways on the level. The sound of footsteps resonated from his right and he took cover behind a crate filled with garbage, waiting patiently for the perps to come his way. When they haven't, and instead walked in the direction he just came from he knew he had to move fast. They would soon discover the bodies of those who were already judged and realize he already passed through.

He continued in the direction he was previously going in when once more footsteps made him pause. This time it was a sound of half dozen people running, coming from behind him. He knew he had to get out of the wide hallway so he took a first turn to the left and found himself in a dead end, like the one he avoided previously. And the perps that were chasing him were almost there.

"He's going toward the elevator." He could hear a gruff male voice giving directions, "Are the guys in position?"

"Yeah. They are armed and ready." The voice that clearly belonged to a teenager answered.

Dredd shook his head. Kids. They were recruiting kids in their ranks.

He looked behind himself to see if there was anything he could use as cover. But there wasn't anything. The dead end of the hallway was clear of clutter and he was a sitting duck. Drokk.

The door behind him opened and Dredd lifted his lawmaker, believing someone was trying to get to him from behind, but instead of an armed perp he was expecting he found himself looking at an unarmed woman.

A woman he knew.

"You should get inside." She said calmly and entered the condo, leaving the door open for him.

Dredd looked in the direction from which the voices were coming before he entered the condo and shut the door, locking them. Right away he leaned on the cold wood, trying to listen; to hear if they already walked by, but there was nothing but silence coming from the other side.

"They are checking the empty place near the junction, they think you might have hid there." She informed him, breaking the silence.

Dredd closed his eyes and nodded slightly, not bothering to say a word. He didn't need to. She could hear him even when he was quiet if she wished to.

It was eerie how similar this position was to the one he was in back then in Peach Trees. Last time she got him to cover as well, having a woman open her door for them, and unknowingly shelter a person that executed her husband not ten minutes earlier.

Looking away from the peephole Dredd looked at the blonde woman standing in the middle of the room, her hands crossed over her chest, looking back at him.

Cassandra Anderson, the psychic rookie from Peach Trees.

The rookie he failed.

He didn't need to close his eyes to remember her face expression in that elevator while he was patching her wound. She didn't show any indication she was surprised when he informed her she failed. She expected it.

"Anderson." He muttered.

"Judge Dredd." She nodded her head like in a greeting before turning away and leaving the room for few seconds. When she returned she had a bottle of water in her hand that she offered to him.

Dredd grumbled something she didn't understand and turned away from her, looking out the peephole again.

"Backup arrived. They are in the atrium. The men that were after you are getting backup as well." Cassandra informer her former assessment officer.

"Where is the base of operation?" Dredd asker after few seconds of silence while he thought about everything she just told him. It didn't escape him that she sensed the Judges arriving from 17 levels above.

"Level 19. He took the entire east central hallway, some condos are basically cells for girls that were special orders." She told him what he needed to know.

"Did it ever cross your mind to report that?" Dredd couldn't stop the anger he felt from being heard as he snapped at the former cadet of the Academy of Justice. He expected more of her.

"I have, on several occasions. Anonymously, because I didn't want to attract attention." A frown similar to Dredd's appeared on her face, "It was a good choice, too. Several times Judges responded and each time it was the same ones. They spent more time trying to find out who reported it then stopping the trafficking and judge that maniac."

"Which Judges?" Dredd growled.

"I don't know." Cassandra answered honestly, not at all scared of his anger, "I probed their minds but didn't dug deep. Some people can sense when a psychic is digging through their mind."

"You should have taken that chance." Dredd focused his irritation on her.

"I'm helping the medic in the block. That is my job now. Not catching perps or possibly corrupt judges. I'm not armed and have no backup. It would be a suicide." She pointed out coldly, angry that he was scowling her for not doing something she would have been doing for three years now if only she passed that damn assessment.

She didn't blame him for her own mistake; for failing. His decision was fair, she did after all got distracted which have a perp a chance he needed to capture he, and then her lawmaker was destroyed. Not to mention that kid she let go, the kid that helped ma-ma's clan because they would have killed him if he didn't. It was her last decision as a rookie and she stood behind it, even now.

But having to hear him scowl her for not doing a job of a Judge when she wasn't one… she didn't like that.

The speaker in his helmet came to life and Dredd heard one of the Judges that came as backup inform him they are on lever 17 where he told the control he was during his last contact before asking for his current location. Instantly Dredd turned towards Cassandra.

"The backup is here. Are any of them-"

He didn't even get to finish that question before she shook her head, her brown eyes closed and a look of concentration on her face.

"You are safe to contact them." She eventually said before opening her eyes and looking at Dredd just as he spoke into his glove comm..

"This is Judge Dredd, I'm in the west central hallway, close to the elevator."

Cassandra couldn't hear the response he received, but she presumed they informed him they are going in his direction because Dredd opened the door of her condo and walked outside, closing it behind him. Without saying a single word.

Dredd just stepped in the hallway when the backup appeared on the other end and approached him. He was pleased that Hershey was one of the Judges that came in assistance despite it not being her sector. He suspected it had something to do with the perp they were after but didn't bother to ask. It didn't matter.

All that mattered was to get the creep and judge him for the crimes he committed.

That night, possibly the first time since he was a rookie, Judge Dredd sat down and wrote a report from start to finish. He told himself it had nothing to do with Anderson and her assistance but still he made sure he mentioned she repeatedly reported the happenings in the block and the possibility of the corrupt Judges responding.

He expected to hear from the Chief Judge about that, but what he didn't expect was for her to wait for him in his condo. What especially surprised him was a presence of a psychic.

Citizen Cassandra Anderson, a civilian and a failed cadet.

She stood calmly in front of the window, looking outside, her back to the door through which he just entered, giving him a chance to run his eyes over her form.

She was still in good shape, didn't look malnourished or sick, something he noticed few days ago in Ezquerra block. She took a good care of herself. Didn't give up just because she failed her assessment.

"Every time I read about corrupt Judges in a report I feel it as a personal failure." The Chief Judge spoke after Dredd closed the door shut and focused on her, "It's our duty to protect the citizens of Mega City One, not to be the ones to commit crime or look the other way. I want those Judges apprehended and questioned. The council wants them apprehended and questioned. And we agree that on our own we can't catch them all. We need help."

Dredd nodded silently, he knew exactly what Chief Judge meant. They needed Anderson. Perhaps he did make a mistake failing her, having a psychic as a street Judge would help solving some tough cases much faster. But there were standards, rules, during an assessment and she failed.

"I stand behind my decision." He commented after few moments of silence.

"And the council agrees with you." Chief Judge said back before focusing on Cassandra, "You are a civilian now and we can't force you to assist us. One of the council member suggested I threaten you with Cubes for obstruction of justice if you refuse but that would be irresponsible and just plain stupid. We can't give you another chance to become a Judge, no second assessment. But we would like your expertise in acquiring information."

"You want me as an interrogator?" Cassandra asked. She was slightly confused, the interrogators the Hall of Justice had were experts at getting perps to talk. They didn't need her help.

"No. I want you as eyes and ears in the city. You will have no contact with the Hall of Justice, which is why I asked you to come here instead. It's time we regain the city back, starting with the corrupted Judges before we move to other big fishes."

"Yes, sir." Cassandra said instantly, easily falling back into old habits.

"I know we technically committed breaking and entering but I need discretion Dredd." The Chief Judge said, focusing on the frowning man by the door, "There aren't many I know for sure I can trust. And what is more important you have already proven Anderson can trust you. She will report directly to you, and in turn you will report directly to me, no written reports. This will last for a year; the continuation of the arrangement will depend on the results. We are stretching regulations here but it is for the good of Mega City One. How does that sound?"

"Is the council certain we can trust a civilian?" Dredd asked instantly.

"A civilian? No. A psychic who already proven her allegiance? Yes."

Dredd looked at Cassandra and saw her looking at him grimly. A side of his mouth lifted into a small smile before he frowned again and turned to Chief Judge, "When do we start?"

The ending supposed to be different. Dredd just supposed to leave Anderson's condo without looking back and that would be it. I have no idea how this happened.