The cavernous glass and steel structure that was Savanna Central Station was full of idling trains of many different configurations and sizes, all joining the chorus of rumbling engines and squeaking brakes. The Chordata Express slowly slid onto its platform, with its macho-sounding horn echoing through the entire space like the rumbles of a waking monster.

Once Nick realized they were entering Zootopia's city limits, he immediately dug out his phone and placed a call to Chief Bogo. Once Nick had summed up the majority of the problems on the train, the Chief was more than eager to personally take care of Fangzahn.

As soon as the Chordata Express pulled up to the platform, Bogo, Clawhauser, and about two dozen other officers were waiting for the train. With a curious Goldie Gnu, reporter for the Zootopia Times, lagging just behind, firing off questions, Bogo and his officers came aboard to arrest Fangzahn.

Ten minutes later, the fully conscious snake, still wrapped in the stun net, was carried out of the train, held in the hooves of a stern Chief Bogo, and near-blinded by the flashes of Goldie's camera.

Nick stood off to one side, explaining to Officer Felicity Pryde's everything that happened, from the initial murder of Ms. Frost (they were careful not to let her real name be released) to Nick's triumph over the murderous python. As the two were speaking to her, her pen flew over her note pad as though it was controlled by magic.

"That seems like quite a mystery," Felicity commented. "When did you figure out that Fangzahn was the murderer, sir?"

Nick responded to his top officer's question with genuine honesty.

"If it wasn't for Sticky here," he said, waving to the small reptile standing on his shoulder, "I don't think I would have. It turns out that there are good reptiles and bad reptiles."

"Well," Felicity said as she switched off the microphone, "that bad reptile will be enjoying his stay in Iron Depths. Not."

"What will happen to Fangzahn's computer manufacturing plants?" Nick asked, unsure of what came next.

"It turns out," Felicity explained, "that VenomWare has been approached several times by government agents regarding legalities in his business practices, such as charging animals for computers at double or triple their actual value. His company will stick around, but they'll be closely monitored by the Business Bureau to make sure they're following regulations."

"Thank God," Sticky said. "No one needs those hunks of junk that he touted as 'professional grade computers.'"

"Rhinowitz! Johnson! I need a bit of help here!" Bogo barked, and, right on cue, the rhino and lion officers dashed up and gripped the wriggling python like a trio of shop vices. The python glared and hissed at the four other animals, causing Felicity to lean back a bit. It took her a second for her to realize that Fangzahn was not trying to get to her, nor Nick, but rather the little yellow gecko.

Suddenly, Fangzahn's voice came up from behind the four animals, strained a bit through the net. Chief Bogo did not look very happy with him as he held down the struggling snake.

"Sticky!" Fangzahn hissed. "You may have won now, but you cannot betray a betrayer for long. The Black Flames will be avenged, and soon! There will be no place to hide from the Elite's wrath!"

Sticky, although unnerved, maintained his steeled countenance as Chief Bogo gripped the python by the scruff of the neck and held him inches from his own scowling face. Although the snake was full of venom, it appeared he was no brave animal.

"Listen, fang-face," Bogo growled, "you'll have to hide from my wrath before we're through with you."

He then turned to his fellow officers.

"Let's get this guy out of here," he ordered, and, as one, Rhinowitz, Bogo and Higgins carried the struggling snake back to a waiting van, in which he would be shipped off to the near-inescapable penitentiary of Iron Depths State Prison.

"Adios, Fangzahn!" Nick called out as the python was stuffed into the van. "See ya, wouldn't want to be ya!"

On Nick's shoulder, Sticky let out a sigh.

"It's true, though," he said, as though he had just been talking about something with Nick.

"What's true, Sticky?" Nick asked, eyeing the little reptile with concern. He noticed that his eyes were wide and full of fear and seriousness.

"The Black Flames are the group Fangzahn and I formerly belonged to," Sticky explained.

"What do you know about them?" Nick asked, his eyes widening. So he had noticed something important when he was pinning the blame on Fangzahn's associates. "I can't even imagine black fire," he added, "it sounds like some kind of creepy Grazer's Apprentice thing."

"I don't know a whole lot," Sticky explained, getting rather serious, "but this I do know: they are a true gang, with militant responses aimed at all of their enemies. I was one of their spies," he whispered, "and there are dozens more assassins like Fangzahn out there. And they don't ever stop watching. They've got eyes everywhere. Sooner or later, the word will get out that Fangzahn's been betrayed by me and..."

He looked straight into Nick's eye and dropped his voice low.

"And they'll end me faster than a platter of bugmeal at a hungry warthog convention," he said. He then muttered an oath in Arabic, the fear of what might happen weighing down on him.

"What are you going to do?" Nick asked.

"I think it's best for me to go into hiding," the little gecko said. "It's best for my own safety, and for yours. I'm going to conduct my own investigation into the Black Flames."

"You mean you don't know a lot about them?" Nick asked.

"I already told you I don't; I was too low of an operative to be privy to the majority of my cousin's plan. I'm going to figure out on my own just how far the Black Flames extend."

Sticky then leapt off of Nick's shoulder and landed on the floor on all fours. Standing up, he whispered one last message to his foxy partner.

"I'll keep in touch," he said quickly, stopping Nick from saying anything. "Don't go looking for me."

Nick, although he was annoyed at not finding out more about this mysterious gang, nodded in confirmation that he would agree to Sticky's requests.

With that, the little gecko ducked into the shadows, stuck himself to the bottom of a huge elephant's briefcase, and then he was gone.

Nick suddenly remembered another pressing matter, one more important than speculating about a shady gang.

"Hey, Gerard!" Nick called out to the conductor across the platform. "You think I could borrow your keys?"

* * *

Nick, once he'd secured the keys from Gerard, quickly dashed through the spacious dining car, through the kitchen, past Tommy and Ray, and into the doorway of the luggage car. Quick as a flash, Nick slid the keys into the lock and swung open the door.

Judy stepped out, gasping for air.

"You have no idea," she said, sucking in fresh air, "how bad Chief Bogo's luggage smells of mothballs!"

"Well, why didn't you say anything?" Nick asked. "I would have gotten you out sooner."

Judy didn't seem annoyed.

"It's OK, Nick," she said, putting her paw on his forearm. "I don't blame you."

"Good to know, Carrots," Nick said, smiling down at the love of his life.

Judy then seemed to get a bit bouncy, like she was excited about something. There was a spring in her step, an electrified twitch in her ears, and the little bundle of energy she really was began to shine out. Nick always got a thrill down his spine when he saw Judy behaving like this. It was like she was given all the livelihood in the world, and, Nick had to admit, it made her all the more beautiful.

"Come on, Nick," she said, slipping her paw off of Nick's forearm, "I've got a little something for you."

"Like what, Carrots?" Nick asked. "Did you find me an I-heart-blueberries mug? You know I've been wanting one of those forever."

Judy chuckled and waved him away.

"No, silly," she said, "it's something better."

"Is it a mug of blueberries?" Nick asked.

"Wait and see!" Judy cried.

"No, no, no--it's a genuine Transfurmers Reptroplex figure, isn't it?"

"Just wait!"

"Maybe not something that big--it does cost about three hundred dollars."

"You'd pay three hundred dollars for a giant plastic robot, Nick?"

"It comes with some of the rarest robots in Transfurmers history!"

"Well, I can give you one other hint: it's free."

"A free Transfurmer? Even better!"

"It's not a Transfurmer, Nick. Just be patient and wait and see."

Nick threw his paws up in frustration.

"Carrots," he commented, "I love you, but you drive me off-the-rails insane sometimes!"

Judy led Nick from one end of the train to the last car, the one with the observation deck, and then paused right outside of the car.

"OK, wait here," she said.

"Yes, ma'am!" Nick replied, saluting.

Judy smiled and kind of shuddered in anticipation as she popped through the door and walked to the other end of the car.

As she was busy getting ready for whatever surprise it was she was planning to spring on Nick, he quietly waited back by the door.

Nick wasn't sure what to make of this particular case. Sure, he stopped a murderer from getting any more kills under his scaly belt, and he proved unequivocally that Judy was not the murderer. He'd secured the help of a source that was practically a Godsend just to do those two things.

But Sticky's words about the Black Flames were... troubling to Nick. The gang sounded dangerous to say the least, especially if they had militant intentions toward those they considered enemies. And Sticky had made it sound like they were dealing with Big Brother as he had said "they have eyes everywhere..."

Wait a second. Black Flames.

That name suddenly felt very familiar to him. Where had he heard it before?

Yes, that was it. Maui Korora had said something about "black fire, burning invisibly in the dark," inside his shop, shortly before he was arrested. He had identified it as a quote from an ancient Reptilican poem about the fall of something great, but she might have also meant this group of gangsters.

But did that mean she was in on this plot with Fangzahn and Sticky?

Was she part of these mysterious "Black Flames?"

This was the kind of stuff that Nick was convinced usually only happened in movies. Shady gangs, spies, murders, assassins... it was almost too much to believe. But to think that it all might really be true...

It sent shivers down Nick's spine.

Nick decided to bring up these thoughts of huge gangs and spies and assassins up with Judy. Maybe she'd have some thoughts as to how to go about looking into this.

"OK, Nick," Judy called out from down the car, "your surprise is ready."

Stepping out from where he stood in the doorway, Nick made his way down the hall of the car, passing the now-vacant cabins.

"Hey, Carrots," he said, right as he stepped out of the door, "do you think, at some point, we might be able to talk--"

Judy had kissed Nick before he could finish the sentence. Nick had totally not expected it. It was like a primal predator leaping on an unsuspecting snack with stealth unprecedented. His spirit felt like it was slipping from his body, and his heart beat like a tiny machine gun. It was true; he hadn't expected to be kissed, and he still wanted to know what warranted it.

Once their lips had parted, Nick choked out, red as a beet, "Wha-- what was that all about?"

"Ever since we were On Dimm Avenue," Judy explained, "I've had a hard time coming to grips with the fact that I can't be in control of it all. Now I know what having a partner--both in terms of business and in terms of romance--means: someone who is willing to go miles for his girlfriend. It means he is committed enough to be with her and provide for her and protect her and nurture her. It means he is her best friend, and the one she can turn to. But most of all, he will defend her when she cannot defend herself."

She smiled, eyes full of love.

"Thank you, Nick," she said, "for being my partner."

Nick blinked.

"Wow," he said, shaking his head. "I love you too, Carrots."

In that second, all thoughts of the Black Flames and spies and murder mysteries died away from inside Nick's head.

Ever since they had kissed for the first time after the Blackout at Steel Mountain Manor, Nick had been a bit nervous about public displays of affection.

But Judy's comment had emboldened his spirit. He knew that, so help him God, he would fulfill every last one of those requirements she had listed. The list was busy bouncing around inside his head and repeating itself, saying, I will be committed enough to be with Judy and provide for her and protect her and nurture her. I will be her best friend and one she can turn to in need. And, most of all, I will defend her when she cannot defend herself.

All of this was said with a single kiss. This time, the tables were turned; Judy hadn't expected it at all.

Nick then hugged Judy tightly, rocking her back and forth like a child, leaning his chin on her shoulder and humming a soft song.

"I will never let you go," he said, patting Judy on the back.

"I will never let you down," she replied quietly.

Nick's chest was practically overflowing with joy. He was more than impressed with Judy's bravery in letting him defend her. It meant, to him, that she trusted him.

Nick was, for the longest time, not really trusted by the citizens of Zootopia, by his teachers in college, by some of his friends, and even by some of his family. When Judy came into his life, everything changed. For the first time ever, someone trusted him with her life.

After a lifetime of not being trusted by the rest of the world, being the one Judy trusted was like finding an island in a sea of emptiness.

And he couldn't love her more because of it.

As Nick was hugging Judy, he became vaguely aware of the fact that the Chordata Express was moving again. He could feel the vibrations through the bottoms of his feet, reminding him of one of those shake tables they had at ASU when he was in college.

"Where are we going?" Nick asked suddenly.

Judy's eyes fluttered open, and her rabbit-y ears twitched as she listened to the rattlings and rumblings of the massive, shiny train.

Her eyes widened.

"Train wash!" she yelped, and, at those words, Nick noticed the sound of spraying water. It sounded like the noise generated by the spraying jets and flappy dark green brushes used in a car wash, only much, much larger.

Dashing to the edge of the observation deck, Nick's eyes grew as wide as Judy's had as he noticed what she had heard: a massive arch that stretched up over the tracks, spraying voluminous jets of water onto the train and sending spray up into the cool night air. A thick, pinkish loam of soap was sprayed from the arch as well, cleansing deep onto the glossy red surface of the train, only to be rinsed away by another bank of water jets.

It was, indeed, a train wash.

The observation deck had completely-open sides, and if the train wash got close enough to them...

"Carrots, get down!" Nick cried, just as the jets of water came spraying onto both of their backs. The freezing cold, icy, chill-your-fur-roots kind of water.

Nick had thought the snow on top of the Chordata Express, back in the mountains, was cold. This water made that stuff feel like warm coffee by comparison. It instantly made him start shivering as it worked its way through the back of his uniform, and down into the follicles of his red fox fur. All. Over. His. Back.

"YAAAAH!" Nick shrieked as the frigid cold started to make his muscles taught again. His arms suddenly gripped Judy like a stuffed animal, trembling like a leaf in the wind. The next sensation he felt all over him was a sticky, vaguely-violet-smelling foam--the soap--which, in truth, felt kind of like a flower had just vomited all over him. Once he'd gotten over that unpleasant feeling, Nick yelped once more as the freezing cold water of the rinse jets squirted most of the remaining soap off of his body, making him colder and wetter.

But at last, the jets of soap and water shut off, and all returned to quiet aboard the Chordata Express, which was now being driven to a shed for the night.

Nick and Judy slowly got up from the metal floor of the observation deck, both shivering from the cold and wet. Their fur was matted down, and their clothes were sopping wet. Nick's tail twitched like it was undergoing muscle spasms, and Judy's ears vibrated like reeds in a whirlpool.

Judy started laughing as soon as she stood up.

"W-what's so f-funny?" Nick shivered out.

"Y-you're still c-c-covered in s-soap!" Judy answered, pointing to several patches of soap on Nick's sleeves and the sides of his uniform.

Nick looked at them and twisted his face up in revulsion.

"E-ew!" he exclaimed, flicking his sleeve in an attempt to clean it. He removed the soapy foam, all right, but Judy got caught in the crossfire, flecks lodging of soap in her fur. She chuckled, although Nick could tell she wasn't happy about getting all soapy.

"D-don't do that ag-ain!" she said, still laughing. "You c-can have it b-back!"

Judy grabbed more of the soap from in her fur and hurled it at Nick.

"I don't want it!" Nick exclaimed, flicking his sleeve on her again.

The two continued back and forth for a few seconds, sloshing soap back-and-forth at each other like twin mudslingers. Before long, they were laughing so hard, the sense of absolutely freezing left their bodies like a passing cloud.

"You've got soap all over your face," Judy giggled.

"And you've got soap all over your face," Nick commented. "You look a little bit like a foam-covered marshmallow sculpture."

"Oh!" Judy replied with mock indignation. "You insult me, good sir!"

"I thought you'd be able to handle it," Nick said, smiling, "you dumb bunny that I love."

And, indeed, he did. Even though she was drenched she was still the rabbit Nick couldn't live without. He felt honored to be called her friend and boyfriend, and, a lot of the time, Nick had to admit, he didn't deserve her. He'd been too messed-up in his life to warrant a girl like Judy.

But Nick was blown away by the way Someone bigger than him had shaped his life.

Judy smiled and embraced Nick, both of them feeling loved and extremely wet. She buried her face in his chest and rubbed it like a cat marking her territory. She was also still shivering just a bit, and, ever wanting to protect her, Nick hugged her tighter to keep her warm.

His heart burned with absolute joy as he held the little bunny he loved so much; the one he would stick with for the rest of his life, for better or for worse, for rich or for poor.

My gosh, Nick said, those sound a bit too much like wedding vows. And we're not quite at that stage yet.

But they still sound good.

"Thank you for being there for me," she said into Nick's chest, "partner."

"You're welcome," Nick replied as he rubbed Judy's fuzzy ears, "partner."

And the two were partners indeed.