TRIGGER WARNING. I would just like to throw out there that this one is going to be harsher and more intense than the first one. This one will be even more of a roller coaster ride than the first one. It will also deal with very touchy subjects such as suicide.

Also, if you haven't read the first book in this series, please do. It is called Mastermind. Please go check that out. It won't be as well written as this one as I have grown much as a writer. With that said, enjoy. ALL RIGHTS TO ZOOTOPIA BELONG TO DISNEY, I ONLY OWN THE PLOT.

There were two things surrounding Nick. The darkness and dampness of his room and his thoughts. The room wasn't much. The carpet was ripped in the corners and there were water marks on the ceiling. The old-fashioned wallpaper, outdated years ago, was peeling at the corner which was located above the one person table where Nick ate many meals alone. That was when Judy wasn't over of course.

The chair that Nick sat in faced the window and his wide emerald eyes stared out onto the city which he and Judy had been protecting for what seemed to be an eternity. It was almost dark, and the lights were shining out of every window as far as the eye could see. Some called Zootopia the city that never sleeps and Nick certainly wouldn't disagree. He himself hasn't slept. Not since the incident.

His eyes were glazed over by the warm tears resting in them. Tears that held so much heartbreak and sorrow, Nick couldn't bear them any longer.

A silver shine caught his eye making him take his eyes from the window and track the metal object that had been resting in his paw for quite some time. He stared, water droplets falling from his eyes and landing on his jeans, creating oldy shaped dark marks on them. Nick's heart and soul were wrestling and his stomach was clenched and twisted into a thousand knots. But his brain didn't tell him to stop. It didn't tell him to call Judy.

Judy.

Nick glanced over at the piece of paper sitting on the desk to his right. It had Judy written on the top of it. A letter that had taken Nick a hundred times to write. It still wasn't perfect but he didn't have the means of writing it again. Next to her name was a heart, a poorly drawn one at that.

Nick shuddered and turned his gaze back to the revolver in his hand. He twisted it and looked at it, inspecting every inch of it before he began. Everything was silent, his brain had blocked out the everyday noises of his apartment. The dripping of the drain that wouldn't shut off, the clicking of the fridge, and the squeaking of the floorboards outside in the hallway. All of them seemed to fade away. Their noises replaced with screaming.

Judy's screams. His mind replayed the scene over and over again in his mind.

"This is all your fault you worthless fox…"

Screaming...

"She never loved you. She was never your friend Nick. She feared you."

More screaming...

"Did you ever think that a friendship between a bunny and a fox would ever work?"

The muzzle...

There seemed to be no stopping the rainstorm that was now coming out of his eyes. Just as a tear fell to the shiny metal of the gun, Nick raised his right hand and stood up, still facing the window. He was wearing his brand new tux Judy had helped him buy a few weeks ago. His tie was loosely tied due to his lack of ability to do it properly. Plus, shaking hands don't make good for tying ties anyway.

The cold metal of the revolver rested against his temple, it's soothing and smooth surface caressing his fur. His finger moved to the trigger and started to move. Closer and closer it came.

His mind had blocked out everything around him to the point where he didn't hear the door burst open as Judy came in. Even if he had, he was too close.

BANG…

4 weeks before:

"Good work today, Judy!" Clawhauser's loud and cheery voice flooded the lobby of the precinct as Nick and Judy approached him. Officers in blue alike turned to see the wide-smiled Clawhauser.

"All in a day's work," she replied with a smile.

"A day? Carrot's, it's not even lunch yet! Who knows, maybe we will do something else amazing the end of the day." Nick smiled, bumping Judy's arm with his, "Although I do have to admit, I am kinda tired. Mind sharin' one of those donuts with me, Ben?"

Reaching underneath the counter, Clawhauser pulled out a whole box full, followed by a muffled, "Anyone you like!"

Reaching into the box, Nick pulled out a chocolate donut with purple and blue icing on it. "Thanks, I owe ya!"

"Hopps, Wilde, my office, now!"

Bogo's voice rang out through the building as they both turned to Clawhauser. "Don't look at me," he said in reply. "Maybe that's his happy sound. I mean, we wouldn't know because no one has ever heard it before."

Nick laughed. "There is only one problem Ben. I have heard that voice before."

Nick and Judy hastily made their way down the hallway. Stepping into his office, Nick and Judy prepared for the worst, their thoughts trailing to every possible reason they could have been called into the office.

Bogo's office was a large square of walls lined up and down with cork boards and whiteboards which in themselves were covered in color and scribbles. His desk was cluttered with many papers and electronics. However, in the middle of his desk, it was empty all but one white envelope.

"Good afternoon Officers, please have a seat."

Turning to Nick, she gave him a strange look, conveying her strange thoughts on the behavior of their fearless leader. Shrugging, the two took their seats in the red-lined chairs on the opposing side of the desk to Bogo.

"I know that it has been months since the Mastermind case. I never told you congrats, or how proud I was of you two staying strong through it all."

He paused and took a deep breath. Nick was starting to become suspicious of Bogo's actions while Judy was still wondering why they were here in the first place, her mind still lingering with fear of being in trouble.

"But, I am afraid I have bad news. This was dropped off this morning to one of our cleaning people that were washing the windows on the outside of the building. She said that the male was a cat, yet couldn't tell the species under the black hoodie that he was wearing. He asked her to give it to you, Judy."

Placing his hoof on the envelope, he slid it down the clear path on his oak desk, pushing it to Judy.

Without so much of a thought, Judy grabbed the letter and opened it, the tearing building enough tension in the air it could have snapped. With a deep breath, she opened her mouth and began to read in a steady, yet shaky voice.

"Dear Judy,

How has life been? Good? I hope so, cause that will make this all the more fun. You know, the city has finally been able to calm down after that whole Mastermind incident a few months back. But funny thing. I don't like calm. It's too… dull. I like action and suspense. And since you and your ZPD buddies seem to be doing a good job at keeping the calm, I'm gonna change that. Consider me Mastermind 2.0. But just Mastermind will suffice. Stings, doesn't it, to read that name. But know this. I will not make any mistakes and if you want to catch me? Be willing to pay the price. I know the old Mastermind would look down and smile upon me. For I shall carry on his legacy, and believe me. I will finish what he started. I am raising the stakes. If you won't come to Brigham's Toyshop at exactly 19 hours, I will travel to bunny burrow and make sure you have a few less siblings than before. But it's up to you. I mean what is a few little bunnies compared to a big world like this. Plus your mother can always have more right? Well, I best be on my way. Wouldn't want to be late for our date tonight.

Love,

The mastermind."

Judy felt sick to her stomach. The feeling that she was going to throw up came instantly and she threw the letter on the desk and sprinted out of the room, letting Bogo's office door slam behind her. When she made it to the bathroom, she barely had time to get over the toilet before she lost everything that she had eaten for the last few days. Along with that, she could feel the tears starting to form in her eyes, her eyes that were filled with disbelief and disgust.

Back in Bogo's office, Nick was sitting rigidly in his seat. His emerald eyes were stuck fast on the letter on Bogo's desk. He hadn't even noticed Judy sprint from the room. He felt like he was going to pass out. Nick had ended the Masterminds life, to what? Provoke a copycat? Now he felt sick. But not the kind of sick where he thought he was going to throw up. The kind of sick that you get when your gut is telling you something.

Bogo couldn't seem to say anything either. He figured that there was a chance that that was what the letter was about but he had no idea that it would be this bad. He had watched as Judy got up and sprinted from the room and now sat staring at Nick wondering how to provoke conversation. However, there was no need.

After a few moments, Nick finally came too and looked over at the empty red chair that sits beside him before swiftly grasping the letter in his paw, crushing it in the process, and sprinting out of the room as Judy had.

With the bang of his office door, Bogo was left in silence, wondering if he should have read the letter first and went about this another way. He decided that despite their reaction it was only right to let them read it. But he prayed that his best officers would be able to handle another blow like this.

Glancing behind him he looked at the paperwork that he was about to hand the duo. Two applications for a promotion to detective, first grade. Slipping them into his desk, he decided to leave the two alone for a little while and pray that they can make it out of this one alive.

(A/N: Well, I'm back! And man does it feel good. I told you guys to expect the sequel around December so I only thought it fitting to post it the day before as a little surprise. As some of you may have noticed, my other story, the 17 days you were gone, is currently on hold due to my desire to deliver this sequel to you on a shiny platter. As I said in the opener, this one is going to be a lot more action-packed, emotional, and suspenseful than the first one. But don't worry, I promise that there is another happy ending just around the corner ;) Anyways, I hoped that you enjoyed the first chapter of this new story. (How did you feel about the beginning?) Don't forget to leave a comment sharing your thoughts and excitement! Love you guys and don't forget… keep on reading!)