Non-Pokémon The Mainframe Saga (Temporary Hiatus)

[DeliriousAbsol]

Book 0 - Memory Leak

Chapter One​

Deep, pulsing music filled the small ship as the green hedgehog nodded along to his music, tapping one hand on his knee while the other rapped on the dashboard. Fluffy clouds rolled past his ship, tinted with a dramatic spray of red and orange as the sun set ahead of him.

The music cut out abruptly to be replaced with a shrill tinkle, and Manic cast a disgruntled look at the computer's speaker.

"What is it, Navi?" he asked.

'We shall shortly be arriving at Pulse City,' replied a female voice. 'Will you be wanting to make any last minute preparations?'

"Nah, that won't be necessary." He twirled his laser around one finger and leant back in his seat. "I've got everythin' I need."

'Are you sure?' the computer asked. 'It has been exactly two months and fifteen days since you last stepped foot in Pulse City. After what happened-'

"Not necessary," Manic affirmed. "Just get us there safely. I know how to look after myself. Been doin' so for years. You know that."

'As you wish.'

Navi's voice cut out, allowing the music to take over again. A grin spread across Manic's face and he tapped away at his leg again.

"Oh yeah. That's my jam."

Ahead of him, Pulse City's familiar skyscrapers and neon billboards appeared out of the clouds, and deep in the centre stood the city's Chaos Amplifier, its bulb blinking green and blue as it spread the Chaos Network across Pulse City.

Manic leapt from his seat, leaving Navi to guide his ship into Pulse City's docks while he double and triple-checked over his haul. All bagged up and secure. Fantastic. He grabbed his black cape and matching eyemask from the coat peg and was just putting them on as the ship came to a halt.

Navi's voice rang out once more. 'We have now arrived at Pulse City. Please take care, Manic, and have an enjoyable stay.'

"Oh, I shall." Manic winked at the speaker by the hatch. "I'll be back in a few."

Before she could accuse his statement of making 'no sense whatsoever', he dropped onto the docks and closed up the hatch. Curious eyes flashed in his direction, followed by a few sneers from the passing space pirates. He grinned back at them, making sure he knew where his laser was. That way they would also know and keep their distance. They weren't his targets. His target was the Black Market. The first port of call for any self-respecting Phantom Thief.

The Black Market stood at the end of one of Pulse City's busiest roads, a good walk on from the Scarlet Lounge. Its neon sign hung at an awkward angle above the gaping door, its roof resembling that of a black tent. Voices filled the inside as space pirates and mercenaries gathered around the various market stalls. Shouts came from some of the markets as the sellers announced their wares, or announced prices for the most wanted items of that day.

Manic had his sights set on one stall in particular. A stall for fresh robot parts. The seller, K, sold them as upgrades and enhancements for home robots, or even to enhance EggTech. Not that GUN ever visited Pulse City. But they had their contacts.

Manic pushed his way between a sly-looking coyote and a massive rhinoceros and dumped his bag onto the table. K fixed his pale blue eyes on Manic and removed a thin cigarette from between his beak.

"Manic!" Despite his tone, he didn't look remotely impressed. "Not seen you in weeks. Thought you were dead."

"Not today." Manic opened his bag and let the contents roll out onto the crow's table. "I've got some parts I took from a Strider Drone. Took out a couple of fliers, as well." He tossed one of the chopper blades towards K to make his point.

The crow caught it and gave it a quick check-over. "Not bad." He then peered at the hedgehog over his spectacles. "But I thought Phantom Thieves didn't specialize in 'robot hunting', Manic."

The hedgehog shrugged. "Who said I hunted them? I took them off some wealthy mayor who kept them in his garden in Rave City."

The rhinoceros snorted, spraying the hedgehog with spittle. "That were you?!"

Manic grinned up at him and winked. "Of course! He didn't exactly put up much of a fight, either."

Creases appeared along the coyote's muzzle and Manic found himself locked in twin glares from the two space pirates.

"Not exactly somethin' someone should brag about," the coyote said in a nasally voice.

"What?" Manic shrugged again. "Just because space pirates haven't got the gall to rob the rich and famous?"

The rhinoceros tugged at the hems of his gloves then balled his fists together, ready to pummel the smaller hedgehog. Manic raised his hands and laughed, trying to calm the space pirate and failing miserably.

"Just pay the man," the coyote spat at K. "Before Crusher here turns him into a smear on your tablecloth."

The crow tutted and reached into his belt pouch. "I'll give you five thousand credits for the lot."

Manic swiveled towards him, turning his back on the enraged rhinoceros. "Five thousand?! That's worth at least ten!"

"Seven." K met his eyes and popped his cigarette back between his beak. "And that's my final offer."

Manic sighed, casting a wary glance back at the space pirate looming over him. He thought he heard his knuckles crack. "Fine. I'll take it. But you're screwin' me over, K. I'm gonna find me a new buyer."

The crow tapped on his computer and Manic's visor flared to life. Seven thousand credits had been added to his account. K didn't even blink at the hedgehog's security measure.

"Pleasure doin' business with ya." K flashed him a grin and tucked the bag beneath his table.

'Great,' Manic thought as he left the table. Now he'd need a new bag.

He strolled out of the market, glancing back to make sure Crusher and his lackey weren't tailing him. Then he made a beeline for Scarlet Lounge. A nice, cold beer sounded like a treat after a long ride through Mainframe's skies.

The bar was bustling with its patrons, some familiar some not so familiar. The Hooligans, a bunch of unruly space pirates, were sat around their usual table arguing with a pair of skunks. He gave them some wide berth, making his way towards the bar. But a pair of sparkling blue eyes caught his attention at the table beside them.

"Well, well, well," said the white fox. "If it isn't Manic the Hedgehog."

Manic froze, meeting her gaze. She leant on one hand, smirking, while a blue and black nightjar sat beside her, scowling at him. Manic knew both of them. Bitty and Strobe, his two rivals. A smirk tugged at the side of his mouth and he joined their table, leaning his hands on it as he eyed the pair.

"Hey! It's Frosty the Snow Fox." He chuckled at the piercing, icy glare from the white fox. She didn't have to say anything for him to understand how much she hated that name. "You say that as if you never expected me to come back," he crooned.

"One can dream." She leant back in her seat, never breaking eye contact. "It would make competing with you a lot easier, anyway."

Strobe tutted and turned his attention to the Hooligans' table.

Manic chuckled at the nightjar, causing his feathers to stand on end. "Aww, still bitter I beat you on that jewel heist?"

"You got lucky!" Strobe snapped.

"I must get lucky a lot then," Manic mocked.

Strobe raised a finger and opened his beak to speak, then waved off the hedgehog and sank back into his seat.

"Don't worry, handsome," Bitty crooned at the nightjar. "He won't get so lucky next time. How about we all go for the same thing, huh? Make it a contest."

Manic pushed himself back from the table and gave a small laugh. "Hold that thought. I think I'm gonna need a drink in me before I make any deals with you, fox."

Bitty winked one of her blue eyes as Manic turned away towards the bar. So she wanted to play a game now? Well, it would certainly make his next job more entertaining. Not that he had one planned. Robot parts had become harder to come by these days. He'd got lucky with the mayor. Normally his targets put up much more of a fight.

He returned to their table and set his drink down beside him, locked once more in Strobe's piercing glare.

"So." Bitty's voice drew Manic's eye from the nightjar. "How about my little idea, hmm?"

Manic sipped his drink and leant back in his seat. "Can't wait, huh? Well, I'll be honest. Things are getting a bit stale. It might be fun to spice things up a bit."

Strobe huffed and folded his arms. "Well, you can count me out. I'm not competing with either of you."

"Why?" Bitty chuckled and winked at him. "Worried you'll lose?"

"I wouldn't lose at all." Strobe pulled out his pocket computer and distracted himself with it. "I'm just not interested in whatever games you have to offer."

Manic flashed a grin at Strobe. "If bird-brain's out, then that'll just make things easier." He laughed as the nightjar's feather's bristled around his neck. "Have you got your eye on something in particular, Bitz?"

Bitty shrugged her shoulders, still leaning her chin on one hand. "You know me. I like information. But I think a hacking race won't be all that fun. I really want to get my hands dirty."

"So you're bored as well, huh?"

Manic took a swig from his beer, right as his visor flared to life over his left eye. He jerked forward again and placed his glass clumsily on the table, reaching to switch it back off. It didn't usually behave like that. Was it malfunctioning? Or had K pulled a fast one and dumped a virus on his computer?

Just as his finger touched the button below his ear piece, he noticed the 'new message' icon blinking away. Flagged. 'High priority'. He tutted and considered dismissing it. It was probably K or some other parts dealer who wasn't happy with his trade. Something didn't work as intended, or whatever.

Bitty cocked an eyebrow. "What? Has someone dropped you a Calling Card?"

Calling Card? He scoffed and glared at the blinking icon. It was always a possibility. Oh, whatever. There was always that chance. It wasn't unknown for Phantom Thieves to target each other. He opened the message and a thoughtful 'huh' left his mouth.

'Manic the Hedgehog, I have something that might be of interest to you. Of course, it's not something I can hand you easily. It's not in my hands to give it. I know you Phantom Thieves like a challenge, so I can clue you in on a potential new target for you. If you're interested, meet me at six this evening by the little lake just outside Node City. S.'

Ominous. Manic gave it another read over, trying to gauge the legitimacy of it. Why would someone aide a Phantom Thief? It didn't sound like he wanted anything in return. Unless it was to act out a grudge. There was always the chance it was a trap, too. Someone who wanted his head on a platter. It was a little unnerving to say the least. Node was just below Pulse City. A two hour trip at most. Leaving him with a time like that… did this person know where he was? If he'd been all the way over in Rootkit Town, there'd be no way he would have made it in time. Not unless he shot off over there in hyperdrive, and that wasn't something he was willing to risk in the atmosphere. Not to mention Navi wouldn't let him. For a computer, she was rather adept at straying away from moral grey areas.

Bitty was still staring at him. Or more-so at his visor. She raised an eyebrow again and locked her blue eyes on his.

"So are you gonna take it?" she asked.

Strobe glanced up from his computer, frowning.

Manic looked from the nightjar to the fox and blinked out his visor. "So you read it? That's a crime, Bitz." He punctuated that with a grin.

The fox smirked and swished her bushy tail. "One doesn't become a pro in gaining information if they can't read reverse text on someone's visor, hon."

"Eh." Manic leant back and retrieved his glass, swirling the contents around. "I might drop in and see if this guy's for real."

"Make sure you're armed to the teeth," she said. "I know I will be."

Manic looked up at her with a start, and cold beer swilled over his glass to soak into the fur on his stomach. He quickly dabbed it away with a glove and locked eyes with the fox.

"Trying to slime your way into a potential big target for me, hey?" he said.

Bitty chuckled and twirled a lock of hair around her fingers. "It's what I do."

...​

It was five in the evening when Manic arrived at the little lake. He leant back against his ship's hull, sheltered from the rain by its wide wing. It didn't stop the wind whipping up around him though, blowing his black cape about and spraying him with damp air. Ripples stretched out across the lake as the rain drops broke its surface, and on the other side a small wild squirrel huddled beneath the branches of a willow tree, nibbling away on whatever nut it had harvested.

An hour early. He'd beaten Bitty. There was no sign of her ship. The lake was silent, surrounded by manicured bushes. Not a single person occupied the benches surrounding it. No childish voices came from the playground. The clouds lit up above him as lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a deep roar of thunder. The rain came down like a sheet, and he huddled further back against his ship as water splashed up around the hem of his cape, forming muddy puddles as it saturated the earth.

Well, that 'S' guy had picked a grand old day. No ears to listen into whatever he had to tell him. Or no witnesses to the hedgehog's death… one or the other. Manic's hand went to his laser, and he un-holstered it and clicked open the back. The energy core was intact, and the lights lit up around the gun's rim when he activated it. Working. He just hoped he didn't have to use it.

Time ticked by, and there was no sign of the rain easing. The lake darkened as the clouds grew thicker, and lighting strobed through the sky in its own dramatic light-show. Then, on the other side of the lake, a different light flashed. One that stuck around for a while as a hazy yellow halo formed like a doorway. Whatever was beyond it Manic couldn't see, as a shadow blocked it out and strolled from it with all the nonchalance of someone leaving a supermarket. The figure paused to unfold an umbrella, and the halo vanished behind them, hiding away whatever it was that lay behind it. A pair of red eyes locked onto Manic. A platypus? Was this that 'S' who was meant to meet him? They made their way around the edge of the lake, strolling through the puddles with long, confident strides.

Manic kept a tight grip on his laser, but tried to hide it behind his own mock-confidence. As the platypus drew nearer, he fixed Manic in a friendly smile that still managed to come across as chilling.

"Manic the Hedgehog, I presume?" said the gentleman.

"Yeah?" Manic replied.

"I have to admit, I was a little worried you wouldn't show up." The platypus bowed, taking Manic by surprise. "My name is Doctor Starline."

"So that's what the 'S' stands for, eh?" Manic twirled his laser around his index finger and relaxed back against his ship. "What do you want with me then?"

Starline watched the laser with a cautious eye, yet still managed to maintain his smile. "I was hoping you could do something for me."

"Let me give you a little newsflash." Manic tossed his gun from one hand to the other, but the platypus didn't even flinch. "I don't work for no-one. Especially not mysterious monotremes who appear from weird-ass portholes."

Starline's smile fell as he let out a sigh. "Well, that's a pity. I think you'd quite like what I have to tell you. I know the robot trade is becoming more of a competitive route for you Phantom Thieves. This could really establish your position in your chosen field."

Manic raised an eyebrow at that, but the expression of surprise didn't come from his lips.

"Oh really?" Bitty leant over the wing of his ship, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. "Now that is intriguing."

Manic flashed his canines at her. "What are you doing climin' over my ship?!"

"Hiding."

Her icy cape billowed around her as she dropped, landing in a puddle and splashing muddy water over the hedgehog's legs. He grimaced as the cold water bit through his fur and fought the urge to beat himself dry.

Bitty turned to face Starline, now somewhat startled and disgruntled as he wiped mud from the tongue of his shoes. He didn't even seem to notice the fox eyeing the amber gem fastened in the back of his left glove.

"If he won't take the job," she said, "then I will. I could use the boost."

Starline stood up straight and narrowed his crimson eyes at her. "I don't just want to hire any old Phantom Thief."

"Then you won't want Strobe, then." She waved a dismissive hand at the roof of Manic's ship.

At the nightjar's protesting rant that followed, Manic slammed his hand into his muzzle and groaned. Where did they even come from? Did they just hang onto the wings of his ship or something?

Starline closed his eyes and let out a long breath. "I really wanted to avoid prying ears. This is a sensitive subject. Maybe I am better catching you, Manic, at a better time? Or even… finding someone else to acquire this information for me?"

Manic pushed himself back from his ship, his interest officially gained. And not just his. Bitty's tail wagged as she took a step closer to the platypus.

"Information?" she said. "That's kinda my jam, Doctor. You want information, you come to me. Not Mister Robot Parts over there." She waved her hand in Manic's direction.

"Yep, that's what he does." Strobe landed beside Bitty, narrowly avoiding the puddle. "Hunts robots. Now what are we talking here? Are you planning on paying a thief to do your dirty work? Because if someone can offer more for this information than you can, you won't hear lick of it."

Starline looked at each Phantom Thief in turn, his expression turning more and more sour. "I was after the Number One Phantom Thief in Mainframe. I thought I contacted him alone. Where do you two fall into this?"

"We're the top three, Doc," said Bitty. "Ranks change. I think I currently fill the Number One status, while beaky here has been stuck at Number Three for months." She nodded her head towards Strobe.

The nightjar looked away from her and folded his arms.

"Top three?" Starline's face softened and he inclined his head on one side. "How are you at working together?"

Manic raised his hands before Bitty could answer. "We don't work together."

"Really? Because this might actually get a little dangerous. And I'm beginning to think my plan will have a better chance of unfolding if there are more of you involved."

"Phantom Thieves don't work together," Bitty explained. "It's the nature of the game. An ongoing contest. Do you even know how we work?"

"I know you are very good at what you do," said Starline. "And Manic in particular has a promising track record of getting his targets."

Manic flashed a boyish grin at Bitty, causing her muzzle to turn red. "Well, Doc. If you're looking for stealth, you ain't gonna get it from us. We're naturally loud in what we do."

"Loud is fine," said Starline. "My targets will have an eye open for stealth strategies. You're little game might give you an edge. Utilizing the element of surprise. Keeping them on their toes."

Manic nodded and gave a half-shrug. "I guess. I might be interested. What is this target of yours then? And how much are you wantin'?"

"I don't want anything," said Starline. "All I want is that information to get out there. For people to be scared by it, and bring this entire thing to a halt."

"So let me get this straight," said Manic. "You want us to get this information and sell it? That's all you want?"

"I don't just want you to sell it, dear fellow, I want you to spread it," said Starline. "Broadcast it! Blast it out over loudspeakers if you have to. Duplicate it and sell it on the streets! Do whatever it takes to get it out there."

"Hmm…" Strobe scratched the tip of his beak. "Duplicating it will lower its value."

Starline spun towards the nightjar, causing him to squeak with alarm. "There is more value to this information than mere money, sir. Believe me. This information cannot remain secret."

"Let me ask you something," said Bitty. "Given how heated you are about this, do you know exactly what this 'information' is?"

Starline's beak curled up in a smile. "I have a strong inkling."

"Then why can't you just spread it?" she asked.

"Because I need the proof," he explained. "And let's face it, ma'am, how do you think Pulse City would react if someone of my caliber were to show up in its streets?"

"You'd be walking bait," said Strobe. "Especially if you keep that fancy gem on show."

Bitty was still ogling it like a hungry wolf. She flashed Starline a playful grin and folded her arms, shifting her weight to one leg.

"I'm game," she said. "For a price."

Manic face-palmed. "This is meant to be my job, yanno!"

"Well you're slothing." She turned back to the platypus. "I wanna know what fancy doohickey allows you to walk through space like that."

"What? You mean my transport technique?" Starline cast a glance back to the other side of the lake. "My dear, that is rather simple. It's a technology I created. Something I call the Warp Topaz."

The fox's eyes snapped right back onto the jewel in his glove. "Created, eh? A girl like me could sure use somethin' like that. It would make my job a lot easier."

"Can't get the information yet has the ability to create portholes from one place to the next?" Strobe scoffed and leered at the doctor. "Seems legit."

"If you don't trust me, then walk away," said Starline. "No one is asking you to do this. I came here for Manic. You two are the third and forth wheels in this scenario."

Regardless, Strobe didn't budge. He continued leering at the platypus with one hand on his laser.

"Strobe's right," said Manic. "I get the feelin' this information is so highly guarded that you're worried about gettin' killed tryin' to get at it. So you're willin' to send someone else like a pig to slaughter, just on the off-chance they might come out of it alive."

"And given you clearly know about this," Strobe added, "if it got out, then they'd think it was you who leaked it."

"Oh they won't think it was me," said Starline. "I know how you work. Phantom Thieves leave Calling Cards. They'll know exactly who is coming for the info, and when it gets out, I'll be back in my prison cell, kitted out in my usual prison garb, while everything else is neatly stowed away safely where they can never find it. My plan, sir, is flawless."

"Flawless save for the risk of a life, provided it isn't yours?" Manic snickered, and twirled his laser. "All right. Tell me who the target is, and we'll take it from there."

"The target is simple," said Starline. "GUN's high security prison cell, on the remote island just off the coast of Rave City. It's stored on a computer in my old office, which now belongs to another doctor."

"So this is a grudge game?" Strobe scoffed.

"It's not a grudge per-se. The information at hand is far more incriminating now than it ever would have been had I still been in charge of the project. I cannot elaborate. I only know what I've heard… and seen… as I've gone about trying to prove to myself that this is happening right under Eggman's nose. If you can get to that information, and get it out there, then this will all be brought to a halt and any threat over Mainframe will be nullified."

Manic stared aghast at Starline, and he wasn't alone. It sounded more like an elaborate rescue mission where Mainframe was the victim. Taking out the killer before they even had a chance to strike.

"Sounds pretty extreme," said Manic.

"Yeah, how dire is this situation?" asked Strobe.

"It isn't dire right now," said Starline. "But it will be if this project is allowed to continue, believe me."

"Can you at least give us some clue?" asked Manic. "I mean, we can't look for somethin' if we don't know what it is, can we?"

"Fine," said Starline. "I can give you one clue. It concerns that alien jackal that landed here when Eggman did."

"Huh." The three Phantom Thieves exchanged glances.

"And you can't leak it because you're too important?" Manic asked.

"I can't leak it because they'll know it was me," Starline explained. "They already suspect something. When I get back, I have to lay low for a while until their targets are off my back."

"All right, I get it," said Manic. "I'll take the job, Starline."

"Doctor Starline," the platypus emphasized.

"I'll take it, too, handsome." Bitty placed a hand on her hip and fluttered her lashes at Starline. "Provided you pay me."

Starline gave her an amused look and placed a finger to his bill. "How much are you asking?"

She nodded at his glove. "That gem. The ability to go anywhere you want in the blink of an eye? A girl like me could sure use something like that. It would make my job a ton easier."

"Oh, I bet it would." Starline grinned and tugged off his glove. "I can't resist the request of a lovely girl like you. How about I leave it with you as insurance?"

"You're kiddin'?" Bitty's jaw went slack. "How does it work?"

"Place your hand on it like so, then picture where you want to go." A golden halo appeared behind Starline, cutting through reality. On the other side was the sunbaked Rootkit Desert. He let out a dry chuckle and shrugged. "A little ditty I made up for it. It's linked wirelessly to the Chaos Network. So long as you can access it mentally, then it's pretty easy."

"Oh yeah, my visor's all wired up, doc." Bitty took the glove with a squeal, bouncing on her toes.

Starline stepped backwards into the wormhole and immediately lowered his umbrella, shaking the droplets off it onto the baking sand. "I trust I have left this job in good hands?

"The best." Manic flashed him a grin.

Starline bowed and the hazy yellow ring closed up behind him.

Bitty looked from the spot he'd vanished to the glove in her grasp, and her features twisted with suspicion. She placed a hand over it and her tongue poked out between her lips. Then her brow furrowed and she stared at the glove as though it had offended her.

"This is a fake, isn't it?" she said.

"What do you think?" said Strobe. "'Think about where you want to go'? 'Wirelessly linked to the Chaos Network provided you can access it mentally'? Come on, Bitty. He's pulling your leg."

Manic doubled over with laughter. "And you fell for it!"

Bitty's cheeks flushed and she stuffed the glove into her belt pouch. "Oh, I am so gonna get him back for this."

Strobe rolled his eyes. "And you're meant to be the smart one?"

Bitty jabbed a finger into his chest. "Shut up, or you're walking back to Pulse City."

 

[DeliriousAbsol]

Chapter Two​

Gadget had not been having a good day. First, his coffee machine had failed to start, and the hefty kick he'd given it had only sent it tumbling to the floor into a heap of spare parts. Then his interrogation of Prisoner I45724 had taken a very nasty turn. The wretched jackal hadn't taken kindly to being called a number. He'd screamed 'Infinite!' right down Gadget's ear, promptly before fastening his sharp teeth around it, thus sending Gadget to the infirmary to have it re-attached.

The disgruntled wolf had finally returned to his office to get started on his report at ten pm, fresh mug of coffee in hand, when he saw it. Three cards on his desk. One sported a blue heart, another a yellow lightning bolt against a midnight-blue backdrop, and the third a logo of a hedgehog's head with long green quills arcing around it.

Gadget rubbed at the tender scar behind his ear with his coffee-warmed fingers as he took them in, not quite believing they were there. They were just some figment of his addled mind. Too many pain killers, that's all it was. But no, they were very real.

He cautiously picked up the one with the hedgehog logo and flipped it over.

'Tomorrow night, around midnight, I'm gonna take all information on Starline's old project! -Kaitou M'.

Gadget's lip curled, flashing his canines. How brazen! Phantom Thieves didn't often target GUN, especially given all locations were armed to the teeth with EggTech. He flipped the other one with the blue heart. The heart motif was sprayed over the other side in an almost endearing fashion, had it not been from some insidious thief.

'Tomorrow midnight, I'll be taking all information regarding GUN's secret project! - Bitz'.

Gadget's spine bristled as he flipped over the last one, suspecting all too well that it would be a target for the exact same thing.

'Midnight tomorrow, I'll be taking your top-secret information! You know the drill! -Kaitou Nightjar'. It was even punctuated with a winking smiley.

Gadget clutched his mug of coffee tightly, hands trembling so badly the steaming liquid sloshed over his desk and decorated the Calling Cards with creamy brown patches. He let out a mighty roar, sending his mug bouncing off his closed office door. Then he swiped the cards, and all his paperwork, from his desk with one arm.

He slumped into his chair and massaged his temples, taking deep steadying breaths. Three Phantom Thieves. Three. All after the same thing. What had happened? How did they even know about this? Had they hacked into his files? Hacking into GUN files was punishable by death. Surely a thief wouldn't be that desperate to earn a quick credit?

Three…

He slowly retrieved the cards and flipped through them, taking in their aliases. He'd heard of all three of them. Notorious criminals who often competed against each other for the number one slot. He'd seen those underground websites. 'Phantom Thief' wasn't so much a job as it was a sport. A way to compete with each other and with Mainframe's wealthy. Phantom Thieves claimed to get away with their criminal acts by 'giving their target a fighting chance'. They'd leave a card stating what they were after and when, and if their target failed to fend them off, then more fool them. If they did, the Phantom Thief would usually commend them before vanishing off into the night. Often with the police in tow if their target had bothered to contact them. Many just used their EggTech, or awaited the thieves with some level of excitement as they tried to outwit them. Gadget thought the latter were fools.

So what was it then? Had someone leaked his work, or were these three thieves merely challenging themselves with some suicidal competition to see who could raid a high security cell first? He'd have to run a check on all his employees and prisoners. Make sure no one had spilled. Surely none of his employees would be that stupid? They'd be risking not only their own lives, but those of their family too. As for the prisoners… well no one would miss those.

His mind wandered to the jackal and he sat back in his seat, flicking idly through the Calling Cards. Could Infinite have somehow keyed the Phantom Thieves? No… no, that wasn't possible. His powers were suppressed by his detainment collar. Then who was it? One of the cards caught Gadget's eye and he stiffened, eyes narrowing as anger welled up inside him.

'…I'm gonna take all information on Starline's old project!'

"Starline?" Gadget growled as he rose to his feet. "That wretched scientist!"

He stomped from his office, creasing the Calling Cards in his hand. He barely saw the corridor, too focused on winding through it to reach the high security cells. He came to a stop outside one of them and peered through the flickering forcefield. Starline lay on his back on the narrow bed, eyes closed and twitching in his sleep.

"Starline!" Gadget barked.

The platypus's eyes snapped open and he sat upright, rubbing at them with a bare hand. If he had any idea why Gadget was there he didn't show it. Instead he just inclined his head on one one side and gave him a quizzical quirk of the eyebrow.

"Gadget? To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Gadget fanned out the Calling Cards, making sure the text faced his suspect. Starline squinted at them then reached under his bed to retrieve his glasses. Every movement he made was slow, as if he wanted to test the wolf's patience. But Gadget didn't let his agitation show. He took a few quiet, deep breaths while he waited for the platypus to approach the forcefield.

Starline leant as close as he dared, beak moving to the words as he read over the cards. Then he stood back to meet Gadget's glare and shrugged.

"So you have some thieves after my research?" he said.

Gadget lowered the cards to his side and narrowed his eyes. "How do they know about it?"

Starline shrugged again. "How should I know? Maybe you have a mole?"

"'Mole' is a fitting term for someone who moves through holes," Gadget hissed through his teeth. "Like you and your wacky portholes!"

Starline let out a small gasp and he jabbed a thumb into his chest. "You think this is my doing? How? You confiscated my Warp Topaz!"

"Did I? Or have you got it hidden on you somewhere?" Gadget's eyes trailed over Starline's body, then landed back on his face. "I'd believe you if you could tell me how to get it to work!"

"I told you it's genetically coded to my DNA." Starline raised his hands and sighed. "Nothing I can do there unless you let me out to show you. But alas, you don't trust me enough."

"Of course I don't trust you. I've never trusted you! I stand by my belief you are an Egg Elite. All you want to do is drive this project towards serving Eggman and not Mainframe!"

A wide smile spread across Starline's beak and he leant towards him. Small sparks danced across the forcefield as his breath spread over it.

"And what about you?" he crooned. "Are you serving Mainframe, or your own desires?"

Gadget's breathing came out in erratic bursts and he crumpled the cards in his fist. "You've spent so long working with that maniac jackal you're starting to sound like him."

Gadget got nothing more than a smirk in return.

"I was right when I said you weren't fit to continue this project," Gadget went on. "You belong in that cell. I'll have someone over within the hour to check everything. If you're hiding the real Warp Topaz, then we'll find it."

Starline let out an exasperated sigh. "You have it! But if you need to waste your soldiers' time to put your mind at ease, send them my way."

Gadget turned from the cell, marching quickly back towards his office.

"Maybe you can send the same soldiers you always do?" Starline's voice called after him. "Then we can have a happy reunion and discuss the last seven times you've done it this past year alone!"

Gadget clenched his jaw tight and examined the cards, smoothing them out so he could read the text again more clearly. Not that he needed to. They were burnt into his mind like glowing embers.

He'd get to the bottom of this. Whoever leaked it was going to pay dearly.

A light sparked in his mind and he faltered in the doorway to his office. Of course. Family. The Phantom Thieves had to have family. Maybe there was a link…

He rushed to his desk, slamming his door behind him. Then he pulled up the directory of GUN officers under his authority. Each one listed their closest family, so any species from mixed backgrounds wouldn't fall by the wayside. Failing that, he'd trace the Phantom Thieves themselves.

A low laugh left his throat and he leant back in his seat, twirling a pen between his fingers as he sought out each soldier by species. Fox, nightjar, hedgehog… Then he jotted them down on his pad. Even if it would take him all night, he was going to get to the bottom of it.

...​

Sonic smoothed out his jacket as he faced Gadget's door, unsure whether or not to enter. The wolf had sounded strange on the phone, to say the least. He wouldn't feel quite so agitated if he'd also wanted to see Tails, but his request had been for Sonic to come alone.

He swallowed back his anxiety and gave the door a polite knock.

"Enter."

A quick reply. Any other situation, and Sonic would have been impressed.

He stepped into the room, closing the door quietly behind him. Gadget didn't even look up from his computer. He motioned for Sonic to pull up a seat, and the hedgehog complied, taking the lone seat directly opposite him.

A long silence passed between them, broken only by the gentle static buzz of Gadget's fingers tapping at his computer's holographic keyboard. Sonic twitched his knee irritably, forcing himself to not start tapping his foot on the floor. It took every ounce of his willpower to not stand and start pacing.

Finally, Gadget looked up and fixed his amber eyes on Sonic's. The expression on his face sent the hedgehog's heart plummeting into his gut.

"It pains me to have to call you here on such dire terms," said Gadget.

Sonic's muzzle twisted in a grimace and he sank back into his seat. "I worried it might be bad news. What is it?"

"Oh, just a simple Mainframer Resources matter."

Sonic cocked an eyebrow at that, then waved a hand at the door. "Then why aren't I talking to them?"

"Because I'm your boss, and after hearing this, they'd send you my way anyway." Gadget's face hardened and he linked his fingers together. "Why did you fail to mention you were directly related to a criminal in your application?"

Sonic's jaw went slack. "What? I'm not-"

"Manic?"

"Manic?!" Sonic lowered his head to his hand and pinched his muzzle. "Seriously, I've not heard from him in years. We parted ways well back in high school. I didn't know he was a criminal. I wasn't even sure he was still alive!"

"Well he is alive." Gadget nudged a crumpled piece of card across the desk. "And he left me this."

Sonic took it and smoothed it out. A green logo of a hedgehog's head stood out amongst a black background. He flipped it over and his heart froze in his chest. He looked back up at the wolf, speechless.

Gadget shrugged and toyed with his scarred ear. "It looks like your brother has taken on the life of a Phantom Thief."

"I've heard of Kaitou M," said Sonic. "But I had no idea it was Manic."

Gadget raised an eyebrow, almost mockingly. His disbelief was as clear as day.

"I'm telling the truth!" Sonic slammed his hands on the desk and rose from his seat. "Doc, you have to believe me!"

"Sit. Back. Down."

Sonic slumped back into his seat, clenching his teeth together so hard it hurt.

"All it took was a simple search to find Kaitou M's real name," said Gadget. "The other Phantom Thieves don't use his alias."

"I don't delve into that part of the Chaos Network," said Sonic.

"Well I'm afraid the evidence is against you here." Gadget spread all three cards out before Sonic, each one sporting the logo of a different Phantom Thief. "Out of all three of this miscreants, you are the only one in my employ who is related to one. The only one who, as far as I know, has any contact with them. And somehow, they've gotten wind of my project. No one outside of my branch of GUN should know about this. The frostwalls keep out hackers efficiently and are upgraded twice a day to stay on top of them. And as for everyone who works here, well! I think it's safe to say they wouldn't dare breathe a word of this given the consequences?"

Sonic screwed his eyes shut and dug his fingers into his knees. "Please… I can assure you it's not me who's keyed him, or any of them, into this. Besides, can't you just relocate the-"

Gadget struck the desk with a fist, causing the hedgehog to jump. "There's no time! I'm not going to let some little thieves inconvenience me like this! Moving it all to another secure location would only set my project back!"

"Then…" Sonic lifted his hands in defeat. "Then let me stop him. He's arriving tonight, right? Tails and I can wait here and stop him and the others. We'll make sure your plans won't be leaked to Mainframe, okay? Just please… don't hurt my family over this."

"Oh good grief, Sonic, I'm not a monster," said Gadget. "I need solid evidence before I have someone assassinated." He picked up Manic's Calling Card and chuckled. "And this is pretty solid evidence. But… I won't act on anything just yet. So long as you stop my plans getting out there, and turn this vermin into me. Dead or alive, I don't mind which."

"What about the other two?"

Gadget shrugged. "They're nothing to me. You're not related to either of them. I think ending the life of one of their friends will be enough to keep them off my tail. They'll learn their lesson, and so will you."

Sonic's spines bristled and he straightened. "Seriously, I haven't told him anything!"

Gadget waved a hand and turned back to his computer. "Dismissed."

"Doc, please-"

"I said dismissed!"

Sonic let out a small sigh and pushed himself from his seat. He paused by the door, keeping his hand on the handle, and glanced back over his shoulder. Gadget's left ear was trained on him, but he didn't look up from his work. Words rested on the tip of Sonic's tongue. Ones he desperately wished he could say, but every one of them would likely result in a bullet to his head. So he tugged the door open and slipped out into the hallway.

A couple of barks echoed down them and he looked up to see T-Pup bounding towards him with Tails in tow. The robot dog stopped abruptly with one paw in the air, its happy tongue retracting back into its mouth. It inclined its head on one side, taking in Sonic's face with its wide eyes, and its wagging tail came to a halt. It approached him slowly, and Sonic dropped into a squat to greet the friendly robot. Tails looked between the two before noting Gadget's closed door, and adjusted his gun strap over his chest.

"I'm going to guess something has happened?" he said.

"You could say that." Sonic stood again and moved from the door, steering Tails alongside him. "I've been given a pretty tough mission."

Tails eye swiveled towards him, prompting him to elaborate.

"Do you remember Manic?" Sonic asked him.

"Yes, he went AWOL."

"Well, not anymore." Sonic took a deep breath and stopped, glanced up and down the hallway for any sign of prying ears. Empty. "Brace yourself, bud."

T-Pup stood like a sentinel beside them, turning its head left and right while its tongue hung out, panting quietly.

Sonic relayed Gadget's story to Tails, not missing a beat. The fox nodded occasionally, but not a single hint of fear or disgust or surprise crossed his face. He remained as unreadable as ever.

When Sonic finished, he slumped against the wall beside his friend and ran a hand down his muzzle. "What am I gonna do?"

"Do exactly what you have to," said Tails. "Hunt him down and stop him."

"He's my brother, Tails."

T-Pup whimpered at his side and sat down, staring up at him with dim eyes.

"He's not been much of a brother, though, has he?" said Tails. "You've not even heard from him in the past ten years."

"I honestly thought he was dead," said Sonic. "I searched news sites. Put out messages for anyone who might have seen him. I never once thought to check the Phantom Thief network."

"Neither did I," said Tails. "He'd never shown any interest in it."

"You searched too?" Sonic asked.

"Of course." Tails expression remained blank and he shrugged. "I kept searching long after you stopped. I know how it affected you."

T-Pup nudged Sonic's leg with its nose, and Sonic gave it a warm smile.

"So you'll help me?" he asked Tails.

Tails gave a single nod. "We will remain here long after the majority of the soldiers have left, and wait out the Phantom Thieves. Not one of them will leave here alive."

Sonic closed his eyes and shuddered. "Thanks for the support, bud, but that's not exactly what I wanted to hear. I really wanna do this without killing anyone."

Tails turned his head towards him. "You know that's not possible. If you turn Manic over to GUN alive, they'll kill him, and it will be a lot less pleasant than if we did it ourselves."

"I'm hoping it won't come to that. We'll think of something."

"It would have to be a flawless 'something'," said Tails. "Because either way, someone is going to die. And if not Manic, then I think you know full well who GUN will target."

Sonic grimaced and dug his fingers into his arms. He knew it was true, but he couldn't let anyone die.

"Have you any ideas?" he asked. "You're the genius."

"I've run the situation over in my head several times already. The outcome is never desirable. The only option with the least disastrous outcome is to take out Manic ourselves."

"Then keep thinking," said Sonic. "We have until tonight to come up with a solution, and I'm not sure we can just wing it this time."

...​

Midnight.

Manic's ship circled over the remote island as he peered down at it from his bridge's window. The high security cell took up most of the space on the island. The only areas it didn't fill were the cliffs and the beach. Unless it extended into the cliffs themselves, giving prisoners a nice clear view of the ocean they'd never be allowed to step foot in.

They'd agreed on a location to land. A little outside the main courtyard. There'd be less danger that way. Not as close as he'd liked to land. Ordinarily he'd have gone straight for the roof and found a trusty vent to slip into. Somewhere sneaky to launch his trademark Phantom Thief trickery. Oh well.

The green hedgehog grabbed his bag and dashed towards the exit hatch. In a flash, his feet touched soft grass. On either side of him rose the tall, iron fences, topped with deadly skewers.

"Took your time." Bitty stood a few feet away with her arms crossed, giving Manic a playful smile.

"And you're taking a risk idly standing around," said Manic.

"Strobe took out the external cameras," she said. "Besides, we agreed we'd go into this together. Increase our odds. Although I wouldn't be surprised if teamwork was alien to you?"

"Never needed a team my whole life. Now where's Beaky?"

"Scouting the perimeter," said Bitty. "We don't wanna walk into the open arms of a Hunter Scout now, do we?"

"I doubt that'll be a problem. They'll keep them 'bots on reserve to track escapees, not stop Phantom Thieves."

Bitty tutted. "You'll be surprised."

Manic gave her a skeptical look. "You sound like you've raided GUN buildings before."

"Only small ones."

The fox adjusted her bag and gave Manic a nod. "Strobe's given us the all-clear. Follow me." She made to move away, but when Manic didn't follow she fired a frown over her shoulder. "C'mon. It's this way. Yeesh, stop being so stubborn."

Manic rolled his eyes and tucked his hands behind his head before following reluctantly after the fox. He cast a glance up at the dark sky, but all that winked down at him were the stars. No small drones drifting overhead. Unless they were mixed in with the stars in a bid to snipe unsuspecting thieves? Maybe he could shoot one down? Make a quick credit selling its footage and machine parts?

He quickly shrugged that thought off and trotted to catch up with Bitty before she vanished beyond an overgrown geranium.

Strobe stood by one of the gates, fussing with the code panel beside it. He had his computer out, wired up to his visor as he struggled to crack the code.

Manic stood over his shoulder, causing the bird's feathers to bristle. "Coulda flown in closer and saved us the hassle, but no. Someone wanted to play it safe."

Strobe sneered at him, and as if to mock the hedgehog the lock popped. A grin spread across the nightjar's beak and he unhooked his computer to tuck it back into his pouch. He pushed the gate open and stood aside, bowing with a sarcastic flourish.

"After you!" he crooned.

Manic stuck his tongue out at Strobe then strolled through the gate right into the main courtyard. The sky was still clear. Too clear. It made the prison building look much more intimidating than it would have if it were surrounded by EggTech robots and SWAT soldiers.

So just to be safe he pulled out his laser.

His rivals joined his side, both clutching their own weapons - Bitty her own elemental-themed gun and Strobe a rod that Manic knew all too well contained enough voltage to stun a full-grown hedgehog. Manic brought up his visor and peered at the map overlay, conveniently sourced from the Phantom Thief Underground Network.

"It might be best to split up," he said. "Come in at the office from different angles."

"I already suggested that," Strobe scoffed.

"Well, now I am," said Manic. "I'll go in from that vent near the roof. Bitty, you take the east wing-"

"Why do I get the east wing?" Bitty whined.

Manic waved his arm at the courtyard. "Is now the right time to be arguing about this?"

Bitty poked out her bottom lip in a childish pout. "I just want to do things my own way. I'm good at my own way."

"Your feminine wiles won't work on me," Manic hissed.

She tilted her head on one side, causing Strobe to face-palm.

Manic groaned and waved her off. "Fine. But I'm taking that vent."

He left the other two thieves to their own devices, making a bee-line for the wall. He tugged out his grappling hook and fired. It latched on to the window sill right below the air vent. In a few jumps he had the ledge in his grip and stopped to glance in through the window. Dark. But he thought he saw a pair of red eyes glowing in the far corner. Probably a drone stationed to guard that room. Whatever it was, his overlay made it clear it wasn't Starline's old office. The stationed robot was likely a red herring to lure them in.

He kicked off from the ledge and grabbed the vent, tugging the grate clean away. He wriggled inside and set it back in place before rolling along the vent towards his target destination.

The vent forked off ahead of him, and he took the right one, ending at another grate. He peered through, noting the two cameras lurking against the walls. Their little black lenses glinting while a red light flickered above them. Of course. Strobe had only taken out the external cameras. With his chameleon trickery he wouldn't be bothered by them. Manic tugged out his trusty gun and fired twice, covering both cameras with a sticky green goo. They twitched as they tried to rotate towards him, while the substance hardened like clay.

Heavy, mechanical footsteps echoed through the corridor on the other side. Great. He'd caught someone's attention. Manic watched the looming shadow of an Egg Obliterator bouncing up and down the wall. Not a robot he'd had much experience hunting. But 'not much' didn't mean 'none at all'.

Grade 3. Programmed to kill, not detain.

The Obliterator's red eyes scanned left and right while its machine gun rested on its left arm. The right hand held the gun ready to fire if it needed to. Manic was going to make sure it didn't need to.

He toyed with the handle of the steel cleaver in his pouch, waiting for the exact moment to strike. Just a few more steps. Manic grinned and popped the grate free, leaping clean from the vent. The robot's head spun towards it, red eyes casting dancing spots over the clean, tiled walls. Manic dropped before it could get a proper aim, landing on its head. He jammed the steel cleaver's blade into the base of its neck, severing the main wires that ran up to its 'brain'. The robot crumpled, dropping its machine gun and sending a spray of bullets across the corridor. Manic squeaked and ducked behind its prone form as the bullets ricocheted off the tiles.

Then silence.

The hedgehog rose to his feet and dusted down his torso. "I never expect the machine gun."

"Clearly."

Strobe strolled into the corridor, or what Manic could see of him at least. The nightjar was decked out in a ninja-grade cloak that changed colour and pattern to match the wearer's surroundings, or make them look like something - or someone - else entirely. But his green eyes and beak were left exposed where he'd pulled the hood back slightly.

"You're not about to start looting it are you?" Strobe asked. "Because we're on a tight time-frame here."

"Yeah, yeah. You're just jealous because you couldn't take it down if you tried." Manic smirked at the enraged glint under Strobe's hood. "Where's Bitz up to?"

Strobe turned so sharply his cloak billowed behind him. "Probably already there knowing her."

"Oh great. I'm not lettin' her have this win." Manic took off past the nightjar, his boots echoing down the corridor.

"Oi!" Strobe hissed as he rushed to keep up. "We're meant to be working together, right? So calm down and keep the place clear of robots!"

"I don't care! If she beats me she'll hold this over me for years!" He fired a playful jeer at his rival. "And if you beat me, well… I may as well toss myself off the tallest buildin' in Mainframe."

A sharp pain shot through his tail and he let out a shrill 'yeow!' Strobe zipped past him, flashing a grin over his invisible shoulder before his entire form vanished before Manic's eyes. The hedgehog shook his head and pushed himself to catch up.

He skidded to a halt as the corridor forked off in three directions. A quick check of his visor told him he was close to the office. But the telltale marching of feet on his right was a clear giveaway to more EggTech guarding the prison. It almost drowned out the soft snores coming from the darkened cells surrounding him. The dim light of his visor cast a green haze over the forcefield closest to him as he searched for another way past the robots.

There. Another vent. And going off the map, it would cut off the next corridor nicely, landing him right beside Starline's old office.

The hedgehog grinned to himself as adrenaline pumped through his veins. If he was fast enough he'd beat his two rivals to the prize. He fired his grappling hook, tugging the vent free. A grunt came from the cell beside him, but he didn't get a look at the criminal it contained. In a flash he was inside the vent, rolling along its surface. But not for long. The wheels of a cleaning robot squeaked away inside, bringing him to a reluctant halt. Even the cleaning drones were armed with something to strike unsuspecting thieves. Manic crouched low until it revealed itself in the corridor. A small, round machine with a black eye held up on a stalk. It flashed with alarm when it spotted the hedgehog, and a red light blinked away on the front of its body. With nowhere to run but back the way he'd come, Manic wasn't left with much choice but to either be quick, or take a hit head on.

He lashed out with his steel cleaver, slicing through the robot's hide like butter. But it didn't stop the laser. Manic hissed as it seared his left arm, burning away his thin fur and blistering his skin. That would make rolling a lot more difficult.

He tucked his wounded arm in as close to his body as he could and continued rolling his way through the air vent. The robot's small parts crunched beneath his quills, and he heard the laser fire again. He muttered under his breath at his carelessness, and followed the bend around towards Starline's office.

The grate exploded away from him and Manic perched in the opening. A long whistle left his lips.

"Brought me straight into it, eh?" He chuckled. "And would you look at that! I beat both them guys."

A small camera rotated in the far left corner of the room, fixing its black lens on the hedgehog. He whipped out his goo gun and fired a glob straight at it, covering the lens and locking the camera in place.

With that out of the way, he dropped onto the tiled floor between the desk and a severely dented filing cabinet. Either someone had anger issues, or they were just extremely careless.

Manic turned to the holo-computer and flicked it on, bringing up its holoscreen.

"Let's get this show on the road then, eh?"

He fell into the chair and tugged a small black disk from his pouch. His heart sank when the screen brought up the request for a password. He muttered under his breath. He was going to have to do this the hard way. He tugged out a wire from his pouch to hook up his visor to the computer. A spray of text appeared on his overlay, and he sat back to tap at the holographic keyboard. A few minutes later and he was circumventing the password, greeted, as he expected to be, by an army of small-fry frostwalls.

A typical strategy big companies put in place to wear out the hacker before their 'big guns' took over. Fortunately Manic was prepared for the occasion. His handy supply of melters blew back the small frostwalls like flies to a fly swatter. It didn't mean some of them didn't bite, however.

Once the last one had crumbled away, Manic found himself in the computer's system. His eyes widened and he let out a small 'huh!' He'd expected more of a fight than that. Oh well. It would be best to remain wired up anyway, just in case another one leapt out at him.

He popped the disk into the computer and began searching for the prize information. Pleasantly, each folder was organized clearly with a care that could be labeled 'obsessive'. Manic found himself scrolling past folders for soldier profiles and cleaning rotas until he finally landed on one marked 'projects'. He brought that one open, finding nothing set in place to stop him. It made him wonder if he was on the right track.

Detainment; Effects of Solitary Confinement; FBI Reports; Prisoner Rehabilitation Project… Nothing leapt out at him at all. He was really beginning to wish Starline had been more clear about what information he needed. Nothing suggested anything about the jackal. Would Manic really have to read through all this to find whatever projects the crazy platypus had been working on?

His finger faltered as something caught his eye, and he scrolled back up quickly. A folder titled 'Project Wreckingball'? He tugged at his lip with his finger. Could that be it? He tapped on it, and a low groan left his throat.

A massive frostwall army. If it wasn't it, then he was going to end up pretty drained of his hacking resources.

The fleet was nothing more than a horde of small goblins designed to keep him at bay. His melters made short work of them, but more leapt in to replace them, biting away with their icy attacks. A phenomenal noise came from the other side of the door and Manic cursed as he fired a glance towards it. He knew that noise. A pulsing scream that was strong enough to shatter glass and blow a crowd of people back a few feet. It was what Strobe called his 'Scream of the Nightjar'. Manic grimaced as shouts of retaliation came from whoever the bird was fighting. Now was not the time to deal with soldiers or his rivals.

The last of the horde melted away as Strobe's feathery butt reversed into the room, his fighting stick swiping someone back into the corridor in an explosion of sparks. Bitty wasn't far behind him, firing a few stray gas bullets behind her. A smoke screen of noxious perfumes designed to disorientate or intoxicate, depending on what mood she was in.

Manic's head felt like he'd been standing in a freezing shower. He rubbed at his temple and turned his attention back to the file. But it was kept out of view by a huge frostwall barrier. He groaned and slumped further into the seat. He knew that one. GUN loved it. It was named Orion. None of his melters could deal with that. He just had to hope it hadn't been updated beyond the special keys in his arsenal to disable it.

"Oh man." Bitty leant on the back of his seat and trailed her fingers over his quills. Her voice was wavering oddly, but he chose to ignore it. "You look like you've got a blizzard brewing in your head. What's goin' on in there?"

Manic swatted her hand away and leant towards the screen. "Shut up and let me work."

He punched in the first key slowly, making sure each number and letter was accurate. A long, complicated thing he wished he never had to use. Memorizing keys was not his strong suit. With a lot of apprehension, he struck the enter key. Orion recoiled slightly, its surface rippling. A grin spread across Manic's face and a weight lifted off his chest. A hit! It hadn't been upgraded yet.

"Erm, Bitz?" Strobe said from beside the door. "I don't think your gases are gonna hold them soldiers off for long."

"Drat." Bitty pushed herself back from Manic's seat. "I'm running low. How long is this gonna take, Manic?"

Manic said nothing, trying to tune out the fox so he could get the next key right. Another hit. Orion weakened some more, but not before blowing a flurry of disorienting frosty static into his head. He visibly cringed, and Bitty reached for her gun, turning her attention back to the door. Muzzle stiff with worry. Tail bristling. He'd didn't think he'd ever seen her like that.

Manic lowered his hand as he realized he'd been rubbing at his temple. Just one more key. One more and Orion would be melted away, and hopefully he'd be able to get at those files.

Barking echoed down the corridor akin to a small terrier. Strobe looked from the door to the hedgehog.

"Any time now, Manic," he hissed.

"I'm almost in!" Manic snapped. "Just keep them at bay or somethin'!"

The barking grew louder and Strobe rushed towards him, whipping off his cloak. He draped it over Manic, hiding the hedgehog in a warm, dark shroud. The glare from the holoscreen bit at his eyes and he blinked a couple of times to clear away the haze. As much as he appreciated the nightjar's efforts, he hoped the interruption wouldn't cost him.

His hands tapped over the keys, throwing out the final part of the code. Orion blew back from him, but not without leaving behind a freezing aftermath. Wretched coding. Manic took in a sharp breath and screwed his eyes shut. His head throbbed, but the frostwall was gone. And there were no more monsters to greet him.

He let out a sigh and opened the file. There it was. Everything on Project Wreckingball. And lo and behold, it actually was about that jackal. Manic chuckled and transfered it to his memory disk. A direct transfer into a new folder. There would be no trace of it on the little office computer when he was done. His fingers tapped away at the keys with a jaunty beat as he named it 'Top Secret Files', then he tugged the disk free and shut off the computer. He leapt up with a flourish, whipping away Strobe's cloak.

"All right! I've got it. Let's beat-"

The door almost flew off its hinges, and Bitty leapt back with a squeak. Two solders burst into the room, led by a small mechanical dog.

Manic's eyes widened as they met the green gaze of a blue hedgehog.

"Whoa!" said Manic. "Wasn't expectin' to see you!"

He tugged the cloak back over his head and bolted for the door, leaping past his two rivals.

"Hey!" Bitty shouted as she fired her perfume gun. "We're suppose to be working together, you idiot!"

Tails wafted at the gas and squinted after the retreating Phantom Thieves. "I can see him."

The dog rushed from the room, barking wildly. Its tinny footsteps grew closer and closer to Manic. The cloak snagged back from his head and he glanced back to see the dog shaking it like rag-doll. Then it abandoned it to give chase.

Strobe and Bitty rushed behind it, tailed by the two soldiers. The Phantom Thieves weaved back and forth, throwing off their aim. Bullets skimmed them, bouncing off the tiles and leaving ugly cracks.

"Oh man!" Manic squeaked. "He's actually tryin' to shoot me!"

He turned sharply around a bend, running blindly down the corridors. He brought up the map again and flinched when he realized he was heading the wrong way. It was too late to turn back now. Heavy footsteps echoed ahead of him as another Egg Obliterator patrolled the cells.

A grate caught Manic's eye and he fired his grappling hook without a second thought. In a flash he vanished inside, bolting down the narrow tunnel. But not before swatting a cleaning drone clean of the vent to shatter onto the floor.

The cries of his rivals faded into the distance as he rolled away from them, back towards his waiting ship.

 

[DeliriousAbsol]

Chapter Three​

Sonic stared down at the wreckage below the vent. T-Pup sniffed at it curiously, nudging the prone form of a cleaning drone. Its body lay shattered over the bent grate. Tails peered up at the vent and inclined his head on one side. Unfazed in the slightest at Frosty’s sudden appearance. It made Sonic’s heart break. He had no idea where the fox and her accomplice had vanished to. He’d lost track of them the second the nightjar retrieved his cloak. But Gadget didn’t care about them. Sonic’s priority target was Manic.

“The evidence is clear he’s gone that way,” said Tails.

“I know.” Sonic rubbed the back of his quills and sighed. “I could go after him, but I’d need to move fast. The problem is, I might damage the air vent.”

“No need,” said Tails.

“Seriously? We’re gonna lose him!”

“How fast can Manic move?” Tails pulled out his computer and crouched over the remains of the robot.

“He was never all that fast,” said Sonic. “Any hedgehog can curl into a ball, but it took him years of practice to learn to move like that. Unlike me who could do it from the get-go. Unfortunately he wasn’t born with any special skills to speak of. It made him pretty bitter at times.”

“So he can roll? That makes things easier.” Tails rose up, keeping his blank eyes on his pocket computer. “A clumsy hedgehog makes for an easy target.”

Sonic leant over his shoulder. Hundreds of red dots filled what appeared to be a blueprint map of the prison they stood in.

“What are those?” he asked.

“The cleaning drones,” said Tails. “And that one…” he jabbed a finger at a blinking dot well out of the prison’s boundaries, “is your brother.”

Sonic took the device, watching the dot as it moved its way over the edge of the coast. “How on earth…?”

“My guess is that the clumsy hedgehog rolled right over the remains of a cleaning drone, and its tracking chip got stuck in his quills.”

“Along a whole host of other things,” said Sonic. “How long do you reckon we have until he loses it?”

Tails shrugged. “Until his next shower?”

“Then we’ve got time.” Sonic handed the computer back to Tails. “Come on, gang. We’ve gotta tail him before it’s too late!”

“We’ll take the Tornado,” said Tails. “It will be faster than trying to work out a GUN ship.”

“Fantastic idea!”

Sonic zipped down the corridor with Tails in tow, his twin tails twisting like a propeller as he strove to keep up. T-Pup hovered beside him, panting merrily.

“Man, I can’t believe he wasn’t happy to see me,” said Sonic.

“It was hardly the best situation for a reunion,” said Tails. “Would you be happy to see you if you were in his shoes?”

“I wouldn’t fit in his shoes!” Sonic called over his shoulder. “They’re much too small!”

“This is not the time for jokes.”

“I wasn’t joking!”

The group stopped beside the garage, and Sonic tapped his foot as he waited for Tails to open it. The familiar nose of the Tornado greeted them, its pristine hull glinting in the florescent floodlights. T-Pup sat wagging its tail as it stared up at its handler’s much-loved plane.

“We should catch up to him in no time with this,” said Tails. “Hop in.”

Sonic clambered aboard, taking the seat behind Tails. T-Pup sat beside its handler, peering at the walls while its tongue hung out of its mouth. The low rumble of the engine filled the garage and the Tornado’s propeller began to spin. As the small plane edged out of the garage, Sonic thought back over that night’s events. The second they’d spotted the white fox and her accomplice, T-Pup had gone nuts. From scared to angry in the blink of an eye.

“Are you gonna wanna track her down after this?” he asked Tails.

Tails glanced at Sonic’s reflection in his rear view mirror. “Who?”

“Frosty?”

T-Pup’s tongue snapped back into its mouth and its muzzle turned rigid.

“Why would I bother chasing her?” asked Tails. “She’s not my target.”

“You don’t wanna see her locked up after what she’s put you through?” Sonic gasped.

“I couldn’t care less.”

Sonic ran his fingers through his quills and sank down further in his seat. But one of T-Pup’s bulb-like eyes fixed on him over its shoulder. The expression on the robot dog’s face said otherwise.

...​

The cold night air bit through Strobe’s cloak, but it wasn’t the main reason Bitty’s fur was on end. She kept her ears trained on her surroundings while her muzzle was almost hidden in Strobe’s feathery chest. The roar from the Tornado’s engine had long since faded into the distance, but the entire experience had left a cold chill behind that rivaled the early winter air.

“I think they’re gone…”

Strobe’s voice snapped her out of her daze. Her blue eyes widened, fixing on the black and blue plumage in her face. She jolted backwards, shoving Strobe hard against the wall as an irritating heat flushed over her cheeks. He snatched his warm hand from her shoulder, and dodged her livid gaze as he cleared his throat.

Bitty smoothed out her cape and checked over her gas gun if only to occupy her mind.

“We’d better get out of here,” she said. “Catch up with Manic. Urgh, I can’t believe he just bailed on us like that!”

Strobe shushed her and tugged her back into his body, causing her tail to stiffen.

“What are you-?”

He shushed her again, more harshly, and she picked up the tell-tale thud of a robot’s footsteps.

“You’re pulling my cloak back!” he hissed. “You’ll reveal us both!”

“I don’t care!” she hissed back, shoving his cloak from her. “I can handle a couple of robots!”

He tugged the hood back from his head and glanced towards the footsteps, but they were fading away.

“This is about that fox, isn’t it?” He narrowed his eyes at her. “You never said anything about him being a GUN soldier.”

“Yeah, well.” She shrugged and idly flicked over her computer. “I never said anything to him about being a Phantom Thief, either.”

“Really? Weren’t you engaged to the guy?”

“I planned on telling him eventually, but GUN beat me to it.”

“Let me guess. You ran away?” Strobe scoffed and folded his cloak neatly into his bag. “You never did tell anyone. I always wondered if it were something you were ashamed of. Especially since you went so far as to change your name.”

Bitty’s spine bristled and she sank against the wall, lowering her head into her hand. All her will to argue with him faded, instead manifesting as a strangled choke as her eyes filled with tears.

Strobe jerked his head towards her, his emerald eyes widening slowly.

“I had to,” she sobbed. “They sent him after me! If he’d held me at gunpoint I would have let him shoot, okay?! I never meant it to happen. None of it. None of it!”

Strobe stuttered, lifting his hands and hovering beside her like a confused fly. She waved him off and wiped her eyes on the back of her glove.

“He was a target,” she went on. “I knew he was working closely with that alien jackal, and I wanted to find out exactly what his powers were so I could sell the information for a hefty price! Everything that happened was a mistake, and yes, you’re right, I regret it! Because of me, GUN killed his freakin’ sister! And you’re surprised I changed my name?!”

Strobe’s cloak billowed around her as she was whisked back under it. Her eyes widened slightly as she found herself pulled tightly into his body. She opened her mouth to berate him but stopped herself as the hum of a drone passed by overhead. Every muscle in the nightjar’s body was tense as they waited for it to pass. When it finally faded into the distance, he let out the breath he’d been holding and loosened his grip. But she found herself clutching onto his shoulder, unwilling to move. Hanging onto the fleeting comfort of a friend.

“No,” he said. “I’m not surprised. But you never told anyone. How was I to know?”

“I didn’t want to tell anyone,” she said. “I don’t want to keep re-living it. It’s the one thing in my life I am honestly ashamed of.”

“Then why did you let it happen in the first place?”

“Because even a Phantom Thief can fall in love, idiot,” she muttered. “And I was blind to the consequences. That’s why, when it was time to strike, I left my Calling Card with GUN. Not him.”

“Well he didn’t seem unhappy to see you.” Strobe shrugged. “I don’t… think he even recognized you.”

“I didn’t recognize him either.” A lump rose in her throat and her words choked around it. “I think I can safely say that’s not the Tails I know. He was always happy, with these huge, expressive blue eyes a girl could melt under.” She sighed and pushed herself back from Strobe. “To be honest, the robot dog felt more familiar.” She glanced down at her computer, noting the blinking green dot moving away across the ocean. “I’ve found Manic. Let’s go.”

She clambered out of Strobe’s cloak and he whipped it off himself to fix her with a bemused look.

“How?” he asked.

“I nailed his ship before we even took this mission. I wasn’t about to let him have all the fun.”

Strobe scoffed and followed after her towards their ships. “Are you okay to fly?”

“Why? Are you offering?” She cast a glare over her shoulder. “Of course I’m fine. I have autopilot anyway.”

Strobe tutted and kicked out at a small rock. “Can’t blame a guy for being a little worried.”

“I know.” She paused and took in a shuddering breath. “Thank you.”

“Eh.” He joined her side, dragging his feet as they made their way back out of the courtyard. “I’ll stick close by anyway.”

...​

Manic flinched and clutched his dashboard as the ship shook for a third time. Bullets peppered its hull and the lights strobed with an infuriating intensity. That plane had come out of nowhere, and they’d taken out his weapons before he’d even had the chance to fight back.

‘Manic, both engines have now been compromised,’ said Navi. ‘I suggest we land immediately.’

He squinted through the window at Wave City. The small coastal docking city was only a short flight away. His ship could land in the ocean no problem, and he could take an escape shuttle the rest of the way. But that wretched plane tailing him would snipe his shuttle out of the air like a duck during hunting season.

“Not a chance,” he growled. “We’re landin’ in the city. There’s more places to hide-”

‘We cannot land in the city,’ said Navi. ‘There is no room for this ship to land. It will cause a disruption and damage building structures.’

“I don’t care! We’re not landin’ in the ocean!”

Manic’s face almost struck the dash as yet another wave of projectiles wrecked havoc on his precious ship.

‘Engines failing,’ said Navi. ‘We are coming down. Fifteen seconds until impact.’

His heart was racing. The blinking red dot on his navigation screen was growing dangerously closer. He leapt across the dashboard and grabbed the steering controls, shouting out his override code. The ship’s nose leveled out before him, trembling violently as he aimed it towards the docks.

‘Manic, what on earth are you doing?’

“Takin’ over your useless ass!” he barked.

‘You are going to kill someone!’

“Not if I’m careful!”

The docks lit up orange as the ship hurtled towards it, streaking flames behind it like a meteor. Dock workers scattered, dropping their boxes as they fled to avoid the blazing ship. The sickening crack of splintering metal and wood filled the bridge, and Manic abandoned his seat to rush towards the door. His cape billowed behind him as he leapt from the hatch. Heat licked at his fur. He gave one mournful look at his ship’s melting hull, then turned and fled into Wave City.

The disk was still in his pouch. He fumbled for it and stuffed it into his computer. In a worst case scenario, he had to save the information somehow. He was beginning to deeply regret abandoning Strobe and Bitty. Were they even still alive?

They had to be. Sonic and Tails hadn’t left his trail since they’d spotted him. Bitty was a good Phantom Thief. She could handle herself. And Strobe? Well… stealth was his thing.

The little plane’s rumbling engine cut through the sky, and its light beam flooded the narrow street. Manic leapt into an alleyway, knocking over a trash can and sending a stray cat fleeing for its life, screeching as it scampered towards the docks. His cloak snagged, tearing on a protruding nail from a boarded-up storefront.

The plane circled again, searching with its floodlight. Erratic shadows danced over the walls, bouncing and twisting as if they were assisting the soldiers in their search.

Manic clenched his teeth together as he bailed into a wide road, hugging the walls of the skyscrapers like a frightened mouse. The floodlight chased after him, lighting up his cloak. Then Sonic leap from the plane’s wing in a streak of blue, taking off ahead of the green hedgehog.

Oh no. He knew that trick.

Manic turned and leapt into another alleyway, his foot snagging on a torn trash bag. The stench of rotten food filled his nose and he tugged his cloak up over his face as he fled down the narrow alley. Then he skidded to a halt.

A dead end.

He turned back the way he’d come, and light stung his eyes. He pulled up his cloak to shield it, and Sonic’s shadow filled the mouth of the alley. Shrill barking followed as the robot dog leapt beside him, followed by the hedgehog’s twin-tailed friend.

“It’s over, Manic,” said Sonic. “Give back what you stole. That’s all I’m here for.”

“Huh. Really?” Manic reached into his pouch to thumb at his computer. “Then maybe tell your friend to put his gun away?”

The red dot from Tails’ rifle bobbed over Manic’s torso, tracing a trail up to his head. But the fox didn’t pull the trigger. If he planned to, he was taking his time.

Manic glanced to his left and right. Brick walls and pipes. And a window three stories above him. He pulled out his grappling hook and pain exploded through his hand. He yelped, dropping it onto the grimy floor. Blood seeped through his glove and his entire right hand pulsed with a throbbing pain before going completely dead.

Sonic shot to his side and kicked the grappling hook back towards Tails. The robot dog snatched it up and tossed it further back down the alley towards the plane. Then it fixed its glowing eyes on Manic.

Sonic grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and pushed him against the wall, completely blocking out Tails. “Just give back the information, Manic. You have no idea what damage it will cause if you sell it.”

“And you clearly have no idea how much it’s worth.”

“I do, and I don’t think it’s worth dying for.”

Manic snorted and met his brother’s eyes. “What? Are you actually gonna kill me? Flippin’ typical. The ‘better son’ would always one-up me. It were only a matter of time, weren’t it?”

Sonic was silent for a moment, keeping Manic’s eyes on his. The green hedgehog’s breaths came in heavy bursts as he felt himself weaken. Warm blood flowed from his wrist and seeped through the fur of his stomach.

“I’m not going to kill you,” Sonic said quietly. “You return it, and I’ll let you go. Stay off GUN’s radar. Let them think you’re dead.”

“Still trying to be noble.” Manic let out a dry chuckle and closed his eyes. His brother was always too soft. “That’s typical, n’all. All right.”

He reached into his pouch with his left hand. Sonic didn’t take his eyes off it. Cautious. Worried Manic was reaching for a weapon. He pulled out his computer, letting his thumb linger on the screen.

“Take it if you’re so desperate,” he said.

Sonic released his jacket and took the computer. It was already too late. The information had been sent. There would be nothing left on the disk once it was gone. Manic strafed to the side, reaching into his pouch again for something - anything - to disable the two soldiers quickly. Sonic’s entire body tensed and he fixed one emerald eye on the other hedgehog.

But Manic never saw that crimson dot from Tails’ rifle bouncing below his ear. He barely even heard it fire. Blinding pain shot through his head, and he crumpled to the floor at Sonic’s feet. His goo gun clattered to the ground beside him, peppering Sonic’s shoes with green sludge.

...​

Sonic’s heart froze in his chest. It was all he could do to stare down at the prone form of his brother, lying at his feet in a pool of blood. Any second now, he’d wake up. It would all be a bad dream.

T-Pup whimpered from the mouth of the alley, and Tails’ soft footsteps echoed through it as he joined Sonic’s side.

“What did you just do?” Sonic’s words choked out of his throat. He couldn’t look up at the fox. He balled his hands into tight fists.

“I had no choice,” said Tails.

The fox scooped up the computer. Sonic had dropped it at some point, but it didn’t matter if it was cracked or not. Tails slammed it against the wall then removed the data disk.

“I thought we agreed we weren’t going to kill him?!”

“No.” Tails’ voice was as flat as ever. “You said you wanted me to think up another way to deal with this situation. I couldn’t. This was our only option.”

Sonic turned to him then, eyes narrowed. Tails was too preoccupied with the remains of Manic’s computer.

“If we failed to hand him over,” he said, “whether or not you retrieved the information, you would have failed in Gadget’s eyes. Either way, you were going to lose someone. So what would you rather? Lose your wife and kid who you go home to every night, or your brother who you haven’t even spoken to in ten years?”

Sonic slumped against the wall and covered his muzzle with his hand. His eyes stung with tears, but he blinked them back.

“I didn’t want to lose anyone,” he said. “What is the world coming to, Tails…?”

“It’s heading towards being better,” said Tails. “Gadget’s plans carry promise.”

“Do they?”

Tails was silent, turning the cracked computer in his hands.

“Do you honestly think his ideas are what’s best for Mainframe?” Sonic asked.

Tails handed Sonic back the damaged computer. “He was transferring it, but it got disrupted when you dropped it. I doubt two percent would be very incriminating?”

Dodging the question. Sonic shrugged it off as he took the computer.

“Who was he sending it to?” he asked.

Tails shrugged. “Someone called Bitty. I’ve no idea who that is.”

Sonic had a strong suspicion who that was. He rubbed his muzzle and turned his head towards Tails, but he was already making his way out of the alley.

“Bro?”

Tails froze, glancing slightly over his shoulder.

“I know you wouldn’t have killed him if you thought there was another way,” said Sonic. “I know… I know you don’t want me to go through what you went through.”

“You’re right. I don’t.”

Sonic hugged his arms around himself and screwed his eyes shut. “I want you to know I do appreciate that. I’m not happy it resulted in us having to kill Manic. I just wish… it wasn’t us Gadget sent on this murder mission.”

The fox flicked his tails and turned back to the whimpering T-Pup. “I’m going to send for a cleanup crew. Feel free to wait in the Tornado.”

Sonic watched his friend vanish around the bend and let out a pained sigh. “I guess there’s more of you left in that shell than I first thought.”

But he knew the real Tails would never have raised a gun to anyone, let alone his best friend’s family. Tails wasn’t in that body anymore, but he was never far away.

Sonic dropped to his knees and placed a hand on Manic’s shoulder. Still warm. Those tears finally broke free, flowing down his cheeks to the floor. T-Pup slumped down beside him and nuzzled his arm. Sonic placed his other hand on the robot dog’s back and let out a trembling breath.

“Oh, Manic,” he said. “I always meant it when I said I had your back… and I let you down… I’m so, so sorry.”

...​

Bitty trembled from ears to tail, her breath coming in frantic, noisy bursts. She clutched her hands to her chest, her wide eyes fixed on the stained wall.

Blood.

She’d been right. As soon as she heard that gunshot, she knew what had happened. But she’d denied it. Over and over again. To Strobe, to herself. It had been clear as soon as her computer beeped. As soon as she saw the transfer coming in. A last-ditch attempt to finish a mission he knew he was going to otherwise fail.

And it had been cut off no sooner had it started.

The clean up crew were efficient. They’d already taken Manic’s body away, and were occupying themselves by removing the remains of his ship before cleaning up the rest of the mess at the end of the alley. It wouldn’t be long before they returned to finish cleaning up the blood, and she wouldn’t want to be standing around for that perchance they ‘clean’ her up too.

GUN wouldn’t want any witnesses to this. Whatever information they’d landed on, it was big. And they desperately didn’t want it getting out to the general public.

Starline… did he know this would happen? Is that why he wanted to use a Phantom Thief? If things went wrong, he wouldn’t be the one to die. It would be whatever hapless, unsuspecting puppet he decided to use. And if they failed, he’d find someone else.

How many times had it failed? She clenched her teeth together and balled a trembling hand into a fist. That platypus. He would pay.

Strobe placed a heavy hand on her shoulder, jolting her back to reality. “We need to move.”

The clattering footsteps of the cleanup crew echoed along the street. They’d dealt with his ship faster than she’d anticipated. She tore herself away from the awful sight and followed Strobe back out of the alley. They turned away from the footsteps and trotted through Wave City, looping back towards where their ships were waiting.

Neither of them said a word to each other as they boarded their respective ships. The bridge felt cold when Bitty entered it. Lonely. Funny, given she was the only occupant of her clean, white ship.

She punched in the co-ordinates for Pulse City and sat back in her seat, dragging her hand down her face. Then she reached for her computer.

It was an impulse. Something to distract herself. But her heart froze when she saw the folder smack in the middle of her screen. ‘Top Secret Files’. The blatant wording carried more weight of Manic’s eccentric personality than it should have. Her eyes filled with tears again and she swiped her glove across them.

Maybe his death wouldn’t have been in vain after all. They’d expose whatever GUN was doing. Whatever it was that warranted the heartless death of a citizen.

She tapped on it, bringing it up on her computer’s holoscreen. Two files. Both of them bore corrupted titles. Her heart sank as she opened the first one. A small picture filled with black and white static, which she guessed was meant to be the photo of whoever was involved in the plans. The only eligible text was the title. Or what she could read of it. ‘How to Make a Living Wea-’ The rest was corrupted computer language.

She tossed her computer onto her dashboard and groaned, letting her head fall into her hands. All that… for nothing.

Someone moved onto her bridge and she stiffened, spinning in her chair as she aimed her gun. Strobe lifted his hands and took a step back. She lowered her gun to her lap and flashed a canine, letting out a low growl.

“What are you doing on my ship?” she asked.

“I guessed you wouldn’t want to be alone.” He flopped into the seat beside her and crossed his legs. “I know I don’t.”

“And where’s your ship?”

“Locked above yours,” he said. “I set it to follow the same course.”

She spun her chair back around and holstered her weapon.

“Was I right?” Strobe asked.

“Yes,” she said quietly. “Thanks.”

“And we got nothing from that? Nothing at all?”

“I wouldn’t say ‘nothing’.” She scooted her computer towards him, still open on that corrupted file.

His green eyes flew over it and he lowered the computer to his lap. “That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

Strobe leant his head on his hand and ruffled his feathers with his fingers. “It sounds like they’re making a living weapon.”

Bitty leant back in her seat and rolled her head back against the headrest. “We don’t know that for certain.”

“Well what else could the title say?”

She shrugged and let out a slow breath. Her fur was still wet with tears, and she could feel more developing.

“It all feels like such a waste,” she said.

“If you don’t want it to be a waste, I say we leak what we have.”

“What? A rumor? There’s nothing there that makes it clear GUN are developing a secret living weapon. There’s no logo. No mention of the company’s name. Just a few words, one of which isn’t even complete! It could say ‘weakness’ for all we know.”

“’How to Make a Living Weakness’?” Strobe scoffed.

Bitty waved a dismissive hand. “Whatever. I’m tired and stressed, and I don’t want to be dealing with this anymore.”

The bridge fell into silence and she closed her eyes, listening to the dull hum of the engine and the occasional beep from her navigation deck.

“We lost Manic,” she said. “On top of seeing Tails like that… I can’t help but think this is all GUN. We’ve learned more today than I ever cared to learn about them. And to make things worse, they know we assisted Manic in getting this information. Tails and Sonic even saw us, Strobe. What if they come after us next?”

She met his eyes and he sighed and tapped her computer. “All the more reason to let this out, isn’t it?”

She stared at him for a moment, trying to read his oddly unreadable expression. “Are you suggesting we start a rumor?”

He shrugged and scratched at his feathers again. “We don’t have much of an option, really. We were tasked with getting this information and releasing it. I say we release what we’ve got.”

“Do we also tell the world a Phantom Thief died trying to get this?”

Strobe rubbed his beak and closed his eyes briefly. “Yeah.”

Bitty nodded and relaxed back into her seat. “Then do it. You’re better at this ‘social networking’ thing than I am.”

The bridge fell into silence once more, and she sat listening to the reassuring taps coming from her computer as Strobe set about his task. The sun was beginning to rise, painting the clouds in a striking orange. The dawn of a new day, and soon Mainframe would get sniff of a rumor that would hopefully throw a lot of speculation towards GUN and its ruler, Eggman.

“So what do we do now?” she asked. “Do we hide?”

“I say we stay in Pulse City for a while,” said Strobe. “I hardly doubt GUN will send their soldiers up there. A small army would be obliterated by space pirates alone. They can’t stand GUN any more than we can.”

Bitty scratched her ear and gave a half-shrug. “All right. I guess I’m looking for an apartment then. I don’t really wanna live on my ship indefinitely.”

“I was thinking the same thing.”

She looked up at him, trying to catch his eye. “I’m thinking there’s safety in numbers.”

He jerked his head up at her and his emerald eyes turned impossibly wide. Then he relaxed again and returned to his task. “You’re suggesting we look for somewhere together?”

“Sure. Wanna be room-mates?”

He inclined his head on one side but didn’t look up from her computer. “I can think of worse people to share with.”

“Then it’s a deal.” She relaxed back into her seat again and sighed, staring out at the painted clouds. “We’ll find somewhere and wait for all this to blow over.”

...​

Sonic hadn’t had a wink of sleep. When he’d arrived home, he’d opted to sleep on his couch, not wanting to wake Aya, and not only was it an uncomfortable place to sleep, he couldn’t stop thinking about those events in the alleyway. Manic’s lifeless face kept filling his mind, keeping sleep at bay.

Sonic slumped down at Gadget’s desk, rubbing his eyes in a bid to stop them from closing of their own accord. The wolf smirked back at him, clasping his fingers together. Right before him was that small, black disk.

“Well done,” he said. “It’s all on here. He didn’t manage to get away with much at all.”

Sonic jerked his head up at him, feeling the fog vanish from his mind. ‘Well done’? Was he seriously congratulating him for his brother’s death?!

“What do you mean ‘much’?” Sonic asked. “I thought we got it all back. Tails even stopped the transfer.”

“Sadly, a little of it got out.” Gadget motioned for Sonic to join him by his computer.

A social media feed graced the holoscreen. The most popular one - FriendFramers - a play on the term ‘Mainframer’. The entire place was ablaze with the rumor of a ‘living weapon’ being manufactured in GUN. There was even a screenshot of a corrupted mass of text, displaying the fractured title of one of Gadget’s documents.

A news article already had Eggman disputing such a thing. Surely that text was not enough evidence to go by? But the people were more excited about it all being a potential cover-up so they could continue working on this weapon. Although a majority of Mainframers were skeptical of the whole thing, despite Eggman coming forward to dispute the rumor.

Theories were abound among those hyped up about it. What was this ‘living weapon’ being made for? War? Assassinations? Conquest of other planets? Removing Eggman from power? Maybe it was a space pirate plot, masquerading as a GUN faction?

Eggman’s coverage of the situation went on to elaborate on it. He was not planning a war, and if anyone was making such a weapon to remove him, he’d look into the matters personally.

“If that statement carries weight,” said Gadget, “then Eggman’s soldiers will be down here to investigate.”

Sonic felt his blood turn cold. “Then what do you plan to do?”

Gadget shut off the holoscreen and turned his chair so he was facing the hedgehog. “Nothing.”

“N-nothing?” Sonic stuttered.

Gadget spread his hands. “If I do anything, then it will only add fuel to the fire, won’t it? I can’t send anyone out to remove these other two Phantom Thieves. It’s already out there that Manic died trying to get this information.”

Sonic clenched his teeth. He hadn’t read that part.

“The death of two more Phantom Thieves would provide too much kindling for this rumor,” Gadget went on. “I suggest we just continue working quietly, and up the security in this prison. Meanwhile… I’ll deal with the man I think is responsible for all this.”

Sonic’s quills bristled down his spine. “I told you I didn’t-”

Gadget raised a hand. “I’m not talking about you. I have my own suspicions on who’s behind all this.”

Sonic closed his eyes and took in a steadying breath. “Then why did you suspect me? Why threaten me to kill my own brother?!”

Gadget’s eyes narrowed at the hedgehog’s outburst, chilling him further. He hadn’t meant to shout, but he’d been unable to hold it all in. His breath came in heavy bursts as he stared down at the red-furred wolf.

“I suspected you,” Gadget said plainly. “You were one of two main suspects. Killing your brother cleared your name. Unless your little fox friend did the dirty work for you?”

Sonic kept his mouth shut, forcing himself to maintain eye contact with Gadget. The wolf turned away from him and waved a hand.

“I’ll be keeping you close at hand,” he said. “You’re dismissed.”

“What do you mean ‘close at hand’?” Sonic asked.

Gadget fixed one eye on him and one of his canines poked out of his lips. “You really have no respect for authority, do you? I said ‘you’re dismissed’.”

Sonic turned his tail and left the wolf’s room quietly. But his words haunted him, along with Manic’s accusing, lifeless stare.

...​

Starline sat back against the wall of his cell, eyes fixed on the camera across from him. Mere inches from the disruptive electrical forcefield. Gadget chuckled on the other side, hands tucked behind his back.

“This will keep an eye on you,” he said.

Starline sighed and met the wolf’s sneering face. “I thought cameras in cells was a breach of privacy?”

“There are some situations where people aren’t entitled to privacy,” said Gadget. “This is one of them.”

“So I’m the only one with a camera in their cell?” Starline asked.

Gadget nodded, flashing his sharp teeth in a grin. Then it fell away. “No, wait… Infinite has one, too. I often forget that. His antics are so mind-numbingly dull I don’t bother with them. But at least you now have something in common?”

Starline narrowed his eyes at the wolf. “Just how low are you willing to go?”

“Oh, I’m only giving you what you deserve. This way, I’ll find out if you’re the one leaking out information.”

“I told you! You already have my Warp Topaz! Your soldiers have found nothing on me, wolf!”

Gadget shook his head then turned and walked away, leaving Starline alone with the camera.

The platypus gave a small sigh and glanced over at the wall beneath his bed. A small mouse scurried along it, passing beneath a loose tile. No one else had discovered it could be removed. And behind it… a small, uninhabited pocket dimension to hide the real Warp Topaz. They’d never find it even if they removed the brick. Not unless they knew what they were looking for.

“Oh well,” he muttered to himself. “I guess we’re both stuck now. No privacy for us. We’ll just have to hang tight for a little while and see how this all plays out.”

The camera twitched, following the movements of the mouse as it left the confines of Starline’s bed. A smile tugged up the corners of his beak as he watched the camera. Oblivious. If it had recorded his voice, anyone listening to it would think he was only talking to the mouse.

 

[DeliriousAbsol]

Oneshot

In the Shadows​

The small office was somewhat unspectacular. Bronzed filing cabinets almost blended in with the brown, peeling wallpaper. The mahogany desk didn’t add much value to the room, and just made the entire place feel… well… brown. The only hint of colour was the haze coming from the holoscreen, tinting the grey fur of the middle-aged alpaca an oddly pleasant neon-green.

Sonic sat twiddling his thumbs, his knee bouncing rapidly as he waited for the aptly named Grey to say something. The room was awfully quiet, save for the artificial clacking of the holo-keys and the occasional slurp as Grey sipped his piping hot coffee.

Finally, the alpaca looked up from his computer, and a warm smile graced his face. “Everything looks to be in order.”

Sonic let out a long breath and absently tugged at the GUN logo sewn onto his sleeve.

“I have no qualms with your previous work,” Grey went on. “What that Gadget fellow was doing was nothing short of insidious. I’ll have you know we don’t operate in such ways in my branch. Your family is safe with us, Mister Sonic.”

“Please.” Sonic chuckled and raised a hand. “It’s just Sonic.”

Grey nodded and turned back to his computer. “You’ve also requested you partner with your friend Tails?”

Sonic rubbed the back of his neck. “That’s kinda crucial. Not many other people will really ‘get’ Tails.”

“Does he have some kind of mental health issue?”

“You could say that.”

Grey looked up at him again, that smile gone but his expression still warm. “We have a fantastic on-site doctor if he needs any help?”

“I can put it past him, but he’ll refuse,” said Sonic. “It’s a lot more complex than that, I’m afraid.”

“Can you elaborate?”

“Not without breaching Tails’ confidence.”

“I understand.” Grey nodded, turning back to his computer again. “We don’t discriminate here. I understand Tails is a fine, hard worker. I’m happy to take you both on, and you can work together as you’ve requested.”

Sonic flashed him a friendly grin. “That’s great, sir.”

“Please, just call me Grey.” The alpaca returned his smile and folded his hands together. “You can start right away if you wish. Or you can have a little break and spend time with your family? I think you need it.”

“No, but thank you for the offer.” Sonic shrugged and relaxed back into his seat. “My wife works all day, and little Trace is back at school. I’d just be sitting around, and that really isn’t my jam.”

Grey closed his eyes and chuckled. “I see. Well, I can keep you on day shifts for a while then. I… actually think I have the perfect task for you.”

He pushed a file towards Sonic. The hedgehog cocked an eyebrow as he read the title. ‘Project Shadow’. When he flicked it open, the sneering face of a black and red hedgehog greeted him.

“I think I’ve seen this,” he said. “Although I can’t for the life of me think where.”

“Oh, rumors get out, but those fires are swiftly stopped,” Grey explained. “We can’t have citizens being thrown into a panic over a little science experiment.”

“’Wanted for Reasons of Scientific Interest’?” Sonic looked up at him, prompting an explanation.

“That’s what Eggman wants him for,” said Grey. “What ‘scientific interest’ is beyond me. You see, we want to get to this hedgehog first. Throw a spanner in Eggman’s plans. Our goal is to keep this man away from Eggman.”

“I dunno…” Sonic scratched his quills as he scanned over the information on the first page. “I just feel like I’m going from running after one experiment to another. How dangerous is this guy?”

“We don’t know exactly,” said Grey. “Like that folder says, he got away before anyone could even examine him. He’s been eluding GUN and anyone else sent after him for years.”

Sonic’s heart did a flip. Almost sixty years? He read over the information again, and it was as if the small pieces of a jigsaw were falling into place. The hedgehog, named Shadow, originated from a lab in Gamma City. Fifty seven years ago, a small number of scientists set out to create ‘the ultimate life form’. One that would be immune to sickness. They’d found a strain of DNA that had fallen to Mainframe on a meteorite. This had been dubbed Dark Arms. Smaller ‘blob-like’ creatures had been created from it, each one immune to every disease thrown at it - bronchitis, liver disease, degenerative conditions, cancer, the common cold. Nothing would take. Even wounds would zip back up before the scientists’ very eyes.

So with that knowledge under their hats, they decided to create something that would blend in better in Mainframe than a blob kept inside a lab. Keeping specimens locked up was something that didn’t settle well with the scientists. They wanted to create something that could run free. No… someone. A prototype Mainframer who could set the ball in motion. A Mainframe that would never have to worry about disease again. The prototype would become a medical marvel, breaking grounds in science.

So Shadow was born. But they didn’t stop at the Dark Arms. Somehow, they managed to link his entire being up with the Chaos Network using a biological neuro-link. Where this idea had come from, no one knew. A last minute decision? Maybe a means to create an instant, permanent link to the Chaos Network to overrule the need for mechanical taps in the brain? Whatever the case, it was this step that caused the explosion. The entire lab went up in flames, consuming the entire city in a void dubbed ‘Null Space’ and taking out thousands of lives with it. It took a massive ironic twist as the entire of Mainframe fell victim to a deadly, mutating virus. It lasted more than twenty years before Eggman suppressed it all within the confines of the former Gamma City. Suppressing it also provided an instant cure. People recovered at a surprising rate. But the scars were still there, mental and deep. And Mainframe itself bore the biggest scar of all, pulsing with an ultraviolet glow over the remains of Gamma City. It was believed no one survived the explosion. That was, until someone reported seeing a red and black hedgehog vanishing into thin air. His description was remarkably similar to the ones in the science records. So GUN covered it up, and Eggman sent out his own soldiers to try and apprehend Shadow.

“How long exactly have people been after this guy?” Sonic asked.

“I’ve been after him as long as Eggman has, since he was first sighted,” Grey explained. “So I guess twenty… twenty five years? As for anyone else, well… who really knows?”

“Yikes. And he just runs?”

“Pretty much. But sometimes he does put up a fight.”

“Have you, I dunno, ever tried reasoning with him?” Sonic asked. “I mean, if you told him you were offering him sanctuary-”

“We are not offering him sanctuary.” Grey narrowed his eyes. “Survivors have reported him utilizing the very Chaos Network in his attacks. This Shadow is believed to be volatile. My goal is to put him into stasis. If he were to explode, he could bring down the entire Chaos Network and Mainframe would crumble!”

Sonic blinked a few times as he tried to absorb this. “Isn’t that just speculation?”

“Speculation based on evidence.”

“Well, that certainly speaks for itself. It even says here that some soldiers have gone missing, and you said there are survivors… Are you sure you don’t know how dangerous he is?”

“We only know what we know,” Grey said sadly. “It’s possible he’s merely just trying to survive, but there is no getting close to him. Although one has managed it. One of Eggman’s soldiers never came back from her investigation, but she’s definitely alive. She’s… gone rogue.”

Sonic blinked a couple of times as he tried to take this in.

“It’s believed she is helping Shadow,” Grey explained. “But you see, her powers are a lot less impressive than his. He can vanish inside the very Chaos Network and travel from one end of Mainframe to the next in the blink of an eye. She cannot. Yet somehow, she’s eluding us.”

Sonic looked back down at the file. There it was. The soldier, along with her name. Rouge. A bat. And… was that a robot?

Sonic turned the file towards Grey and pointed at the photo. “What about this big guy?”

“Out of the picture.” Grey waved a hand. “Eggman dealt with that. Otherwise we’d have taken him in for questioning. For now, if you manage to capture Rouge, then we can quiz her on everything she knows. But your priority target is Shadow himself. If you’ve dealt with Infinite and survived, I think you have the ability to capture Shadow. You and your friend.”

“Oh yeah. Totally!”

Sonic closed the file and leant back in his seat, trying his best to mask any doubts he had about the matter. It all sounded alarmingly familiar. Like it was Infinite all over again. Wild and frightened, desperately trying to keep scientists off his back. Yet there was one person who saw through all that. Someone who could reel him in.

Sonic gave the alpaca a friendly wink. “You can count on us, Grey.”

“Fantastic!” Grey clapped his hands together. “Maybe you can make a start in the morning? Although he does often travel at night. My past soldiers haven’t had much success tracking him in the dark. He’s slippery, as is his accomplice.”

“Then maybe I should do the same?” Sonic asked. “I mean, I am pretty quick. I can scout out where he’s taking refuge and then catch him during the day.”

“Whichever you think is best. You can start tomorrow night instead if you’d rather? Oh and I must implore you to not breathe a word of this to anyone outside of this GUN branch. If Mainframe found out this hedgehog actually exists…” He shook his head and grimaced. “Oh I dread to think.”

“You’ve got it, boss.” Sonic pushed himself from his seat and stretched. “I think Infinite’s a bigger distraction right now, anyway.”

“Let’s hope it stays that way.”

Sonic scratched his nose as he gave one final glance at the file. An explosion. Dark Arms DNA. An entire city consumed by Null Space. It all sounded frighteningly familiar, and it was setting his alarm bells ringing.

...​

The Beatdrop Capital hummed with commuters heading back home from work. Colourful cars and bikes zipped along the roads, coming to a halt at a crossroads as everyone tried to head in the same direction at once. A little further along, a Traffic Drone tried to deal with the situation, ushering on a selection of cars to thin the congestion.

But no one paid heed to the white bat hopping along the rooftops. Neither did Rouge pay much attention to the commuters. She had her own agenda. The sun was already setting, and she’d been out for too long as it was.

She spread her wings and dropped down into an alleyway. Oddly clean for a city. The little bar tucked inside it was just opening, its pink neon sign lit up above the doorway. She zipped past it and rounded the bend into the small backstreet. Only a handful of people occupied it. Three young men, speaking in hushed tones in the boarded-up entranceway to a former club. Too busy with their own lives to notice Rouge. She kept one ear on them as she scurried along the wall. Not that she was afraid. She could handle herself just fine. She just didn’t want to risk being slowed down.

A good few feet down from the club was another boarded up building. A former apartment block that had been ransacked by a police raid over a year ago. But no one had done anything about it yet. Instead it had been left to rot as it passed hands from buyer to buyer. No one wanted to buy an old apartment in one of the shady back-streets of the Beatdrop Capital.

The entire building smelled of dust, but it was dry. One of the dryer ones they’d found, actually. Even the water still worked, although it only ran cold. The power had been cut off shortly after it had been evacuated. It almost seemed a shame they’d need to move on again in a day or so.

Rouge peered around an open door and flashed a beaming smile. “Hey! I’m back. Miss me?”

Shadow’s ear twitched towards her, but he didn’t look up. He sat huddled against a wardrobe, eyes trained on something she couldn’t see. Before him lay a chess set in the exact same layout she’d left it in.

“Still messing about in the Chaos Network, huh?” She strolled into the room and dropped down before him, depositing her canvas bag. “I sold that vase. It was worth more than I guessed, actually. Although I do kinda wish I could find a jewel or something every now and then.”

Shadow grunted his response.

“It fetched us enough credits to last us a month if we’re careful.” She rummaged through her bag and emptied its contents onto the floor. “You hungry yet?”

He blinked a couple of times as she nudged a plastic container towards him. Chicken pasta. And a can of iced coffee.

“No,” he said.

“Oh come on.” Rouge pouted out her bottom lip. “You haven’t eaten anything since last night. If we’re gonna move again-”

“I’ve told you a billion times. I don’t need to eat as often as you do.” He grabbed the iced coffee and cracked it open, relaxing back against the wardrobe door.

Rouge let out a sigh and tucked the pasta back into her bag. “If we run into any trouble, you’re going to need your strength.”

“I have plenty of it already.”

“If you have as much strength as ego then I guess we’re set for life?” Rouge scoffed.

He rolled his eyes. “Why don’t you eat it instead?”

“I ate while I shopped.”

“You went shopping?” He looked up at that, pausing with the can to his lips. “No one saw you?”

“No one paid attention.”

Shadow snorted and glanced towards the door.

“I wasn’t followed,” Rouge said with exasperation. “Come on, Shadow. GUN didn’t hire me for my looks, you know.”

He trailed his eyes over her almost instinctively then glanced towards the window, silently sipping on his drink. Rouge’s cheeks heated up and she snapped her attention onto the chess set.

“Shall we finish this game then?” she asked. “Although you were probably looking up strategies while I was out. So I guess I’m gonna lose now.”

“It started with strategies,” he said. “Then I got bored and checked what GUN are up to.”

“Oh?”

She looked up at that and he shifted over to the chess set and placed his drink down beside him.

“Yeah,” he said. “Some psycho jackal got loose, so I guess their attention is off me for the time being.”

“Yeah, I heard about that. Eggman said his men are looking into it, so their lasers might be off us for a while.” She tapped her lip and inclined her head on one side. “Does that mean we can stay here a bit longer?”

“Too risky.”

She sighed and slumped into her knees. “That’s a shame.”

He knocked his knight into her queen and swiped it from the board.

She straightened and pouted again. “Hey! I was relying on that.”

He looked up and fixed her with a rare, playful smile, and she returned it and shook her head.

“I’m calling shenanigans,” she said. “You probably moved it while I was out.”

“I don’t cheat. You’re just bad at the game.”

“Oh yeah? And who won last night?” She popped her bishop down to take his king the next turn. “Check.”

“You got lucky.” He moved the same knight across the board with a flourish. “You also don’t pay attention. Check mate.” He sank back against the wardrobe and winked at her.

She frowned at the board and scratched behind her left ear. “Huh. I guess I’m a little rusty?”

“It’s part of being the Ultimate Lifeform.” Shadow waved a hand at the chessboard. “I’m just better.”

“Better because you can access a whole host of guides in your head.” Rouge folded her arms in a mock huff.

“Like I said.” Shadow closed his eyes and tucked his hands behind his head. “I’m just better.”

Rouge scooted across the chessboard to playfully punch him in the shoulder. He cracked an eye open and fixed it on her.

“You just can’t handle the truth,” he said.

She rolled her eyes and sank down beside him. Then she grabbed her bag and pulled out another can of coffee.

“So what time do we have to move?” she asked.

Shadow glanced over at the window. “In a few hours, when it’s dark.”

“Always in the dark,” she said.

“It provides more cover.”

“I didn’t say I minded, handsome. It’s also more romantic.” He cringed at that and she flashed him a grin. “What? You don’t agree?”

“You think running for our lives is romantic?” He tutted and sipped his drink. “You have some warped ideas.”

“Okay? If we weren’t running for our lives?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know any different.”

“Okay. Well, given GUN are hunting someone else now, maybe you can learn a little different?”

He fixed one crimson eye on her, but she stared down into the dark contents of her coffee can.

“There’s a park in the centre of the Beatdrop Capital.” She took a swig of her drink as she glanced up at him and winked. “We can take a stroll through that.”

“What are you getting at?” he asked slowly.

“I’m trying to get you to relax.” She gave him a playful smile. “Given we now might be able to experience some nights that aren’t wrought with danger lurking around every corner.”

He snorted and pushed himself to his feet. “Wouldn’t that be nice.”

He strolled over to the window and leant against it, peering out at the world below. Or what one could see of it. Most of the window was boarded up from the outside. Her heart sank. Just when she thought she might be seeing it, he displayed once again he clearly had no hope.

Of course, it made sense. She’d been assisting him for over a year, and she could count the nights they’d not run into any trouble on one hand. The nights they’d been moving from one location to the next, anyway. The times robots or soldiers had leapt into their hideout she could count on the other hand. Shadow was pretty efficient at keeping them on their toes. They’d hidden in run-down buildings, little nooks and crannies in the sewers, caves along the coast, abandoned warehouses… they’d even set up a tent in the mountains on a couple of occasions.

But the hum of a helicopter or the probing eye of a Strider Drone had become a common threat to run from. The smallest shadows lurking around corners set them fleeing in the opposite direction - often through the Chaos Network. Rouge couldn’t count the times those little shadows had been nothing more than feral cats or a street gang. Shadow was taking no chances, and she didn’t blame him.

She pushed herself up and joined his side to peer through what she could see of the street. Almost silent, save for a couple of otters standing around a street light. Their laughter reached her ears, but she wasn’t sure if Shadow could hear it.

She trailed her fingers through his quills. He relaxed against the window sill, still clutching his coffee can in one hand.

“I promise, we’ll be careful,” she said. “Besides, the park provides a shortcut to Baseline City. Might be a pretty good place to hide.”

“What, an entertainment district?” He snorted and brushed her hand aside, then pushed himself back from the window. “All right, fine. We’ll take the park if you really want to. The only robots left in there after closing will be cleaners anyway.”

...​

Starline stepped out of his wormhole into Eggman’s lair and paused to dust down his suit. Searching through Gadget’s office had been a somewhat grueling endeavor. The prison and its labs lay in ruin and the dust clouds were still yet to settle.

Eggman barely twitched when Starline appeared in his dome-shaped computer lab. Metal Sonic’s claws flexed and he looked up at Starline, his red digital eyes forming deadly slits.

The platypus cleared his throat and tried in vain to ignore the robot. He tugged the recovered file out from under his arm and set it beside the distracted doctor. Eggman gave it one quick glance before returning to his camera feed.

“What exactly is that?” he asked.

Starline rubbed his hands together. It had taken a little while to prise the information out of Eggman concerning his chosen target. But once Starline heard what it was, he itched to uncover everything he possibly could about it.

“Everything I could find on Shadow, sir,” he said.

“I already know everything there is to know about Shadow, Starline.” Eggman fixed him with an irritated glare. “There was one of him in my old world. This one isn’t much different.”

“Really?” Starline gasped. He retrieved the file and flicked through it for the third time that day. “Artificial lifeform? Created in a lab? Dark Arms DNA?”

“Precisely. Striking resemblance, really. All the way down to his manipulation of your world’s version of Chaos energy.”

“Amazing!” Starline looked between the doctor and the open file. “And were you trying to apprehend this Shadow back in your world?”

“There were times I wanted him on my side,” Eggman explained. “I even created an army of Shadow androids to do my bidding. Now that one really messed with his head.”

Starline made a thoughtful noise and lowered the file. “So what do you want with our Shadow? Do you want him to fight for you? Because I might be able to help with that. As you may recall, I was creating a special harness that-”

Eggman cut him off with a wave of the hand. “I don’t want this hedgehog to fight for me. I’m more interested in his biological structure.”

Starline’s jaw dropped and he stuttered as he tried to fathom what the doctor could possibly mean. Eggman swiveled his chair around to face him and spread his arms.

“I had this recurring problem back in Mobius where pesky hedgehogs would trash my wonderful creations,” he said. “Can you believe that, Starline? Such a relentless disregard for genius.”

“That is truly abhorrent, sir.”

“Well, your world has been much more accepting,” Eggman went on. “My technology has seamlessly integrated itself into your very lives! A flawless plan to keep tabs on my citizens. The robots that roam the streets feed back to me what they see. So do the worker androids kept inside peoples’ homes… although some of them have been overwritten. And there are certain androids made by Mainframers that lack the data chips I have created. Particularly those created by space pirates. Pulse City doesn’t even want my Strider Drones to keep their streets safe, and I have had very little success in dropping them there. No sooner do they appear, it becomes a game to see who can slay the thing first!

“That is where Shadow comes in. Technology has become so integral to your lives that some of you even have it added into your own bodies! Like that socket you told me about.”

Starline placed a hand to his chest and absently trailed a finger over the hidden socket. “That was a medical procedure, sir. It can’t be tampered with. I had a complicated heart problem and-

“Irrelevant.” Eggman turned back to his monitors and zoomed in on one of the Striders’ feeds. “I haven’t been all that interested in this Dark Arms DNA. That was until I heard about how it works in your world. That little accident that dragged me into Mainframe did something weird to Infinite. I can assure you Dark Arms was not a part of my design for him. Records state that even the Phantom Ruby prototype I created can heal up scratches! If that DNA can be incorporated into another living body without having to start from scratch, then it could prove to be rather useful. What I want to know is can it regenerate machinery? Can I incorporate this DNA into a being who has technology in their bodies and test this? And if not, can I modify it until it does? Think about it, Starline. A world where robots can regenerate lost and damaged parts! No one would remove my data chips again, not from my robots and not from themselves either! No one would be able to keep themselves off my radar!”

Starline’s heart began to gallop and he tugged at his suit jacket. “And how would you plan on testing this DNA, sir?”

“Oh, I think we could find someone with technology built into their body. Don’t you?”

The doctor didn’t look at him, but Starline shifted uneasily. Metal Sonic kept his crimson eyes on him, claws twitching. If Starline didn’t know any better, he’d think the robot was laughing at him.

“Well, technology is rather rampant in Mainframe,” Starline told Eggman. “I’m sure your genius plan would only offer good to the Mainframers? To someone who has suffered greatly, Dark Arms does offer attractive properties. Immunity to disease, the inability to age, extreme resilience to injury-”

“That would all be nullified,” said Eggman. “I am only interested in the regenerative properties for machinery. If the citizens couldn’t die, then they would be very difficult to control! No, Starline. I will not be offering them a means to survive longer than they already do. This is a control method. And one I shall sugar coat until people are practically begging for this DNA to be added to their bodies.”

“It would need to have a positive impact for them to want it, sir. And you cannot get by on lies alone. They have to see proof.”

“Oh, I’ll think of something.” Eggman leant back in his seat and stroked his mustache. “I have several ideas already.”

“Nothing solid?” Starline gasped. “I thought you’d been after this hedgehog for more than twenty years!”

“I’ve been busy. My soldiers are the ones tracking down Shadow. I’ve been trying to keep Mainframe in order. I don’t begin work on a project until I have it in my hands!” He turned his head to glare at Starline, who cowered back slightly. “Surely any intelligent scientist would understand that?”

“Oh yes, definitely! But I do like to plan things out in advance. Erm… may I ask why you are not also tracking Infinite? I mean, if he has this DNA then it would double your chances at obtaining it.”

“I know what Infinite can do,” said Eggman. “He’s a failed experiment. One that was meant to be brain-washed, and that backfired greatly. Try as I may, I have nothing in place to counter his powers. That jackal would put up a fight and decimate my troops. No, I’ll wait for things to calm down a bit on his end before I decide to add him to my hit list.”

“Isn’t the fact he’s out there at all a threat to you?”

“Oh yes. But my robots are no match for him at present. Ones that can regenerate, however…” A wide grin split Eggman’s face. “If he’s not expecting an attack, he’ll be an easier target. Especially if he can’t handle what he’s fighting.” He twirled his mustache between two fingers, eyes drifting in thought. “Or I could lure him into a trap…”

Starline inclined his head on one side, waiting for Eggman to elaborate. But the doctor turned his chair towards him again and beamed.

“But first - Shadow,” he said. “How are you getting along fixing all my blind spots?”

“Spectacularly, sir. I’ve sent a repair squadron to add better cameras to all of the more inconspicuous robots. Shipment haulers, self-service machines, and even the cleaning drones.”

“Excellent.” Eggman linked his fingers together and chuckled. “You are already proving yourself, Starline.”

Starline gave a nervous laugh and bowed. “Of course, sir!”

Metal Sonic raised his claws and made a strange beeping sound.

Eggman placed a hand on the robot’s head but kept his eyes on Starline. “Just don’t let me down.”

Starline trembled slightly, but Eggman’s attention was drawn by another strange noise coming from the robot hedgehog. They followed Metal Sonic’s gaze to one of the monitors near the door. A park, shrouded in darkness as the sun had long since set. The footage was from a Cleaner Drone, its attention focused on emptying one of the trash cans. But just beyond it, two figures strolled along side by side. A little out of focus, but their shapes were unmistakable. A bat, and a black-furred hedgehog.

“Would you look at that!” Eggman rose from his seat and chuckled. “Well done, Starline. Looks like your tweaking of my Cleaner Drones has brought me fresh footage of my target.”

Before he’d even finished his sentence, Metal Sonic’s rocket flared to life. The blue robot shot from the room, kicking up a hot wind. Starline brought his hands up to shield his face, and once the wind had settled, he smoothed out his coat and stared after the robot.

Eggman pushed a button on his control deck. “Officer Art? Shadow has been spotted in Beatrop Central Park. Organize your soldiers at once and assist Metal!”

‘Roger!’ came the somewhat androgynous voice.

Eggman settled back into his seat and turned it to face the monitor. “Now we just sit back and watch the fun play out.”

“Would you like me to assist?” Starline asked. “I know that park. I could open a porthole and-”

“A cup of tea would be lovely, thank you, Starline.”

...​

Rouge let out a contented sigh and tucked her hands behind her back, basking in the quiet moonlight. A few Cleaner Drones moved through the shadows, collecting stray crisp packets and discarded soda cans. But none of them so much as looked in their direction. One of them began to let out a long hiss as it sprayed the concrete footpath with hot water. Rouge turned her head towards Shadow, who eyed the robots warily. But unlike in the busy streets of the city, he did appear more relaxed.

“I told you it would be a nice walk,” she said.

He grunted and turned away from the robots, keeping his eyes on the shadows ahead of them.

Rouge’s ears drooped slightly and she took a step closer to him. “It’s a rare moment of freedom, Shadow. Enjoy it.”

He closed his eyes and sighed, but said nothing. She could tell he’d bitten back whatever retort he’d had on his tongue. She could almost hear him telling her this wasn’t ‘freedom’. Not the way she’d described it hundreds of times already.

Somewhere above them, hidden in the boughs of the trees, an owl hooted. She turned her ear towards it and scanned the branches, but the bird was well hidden from sight. Beyond the trees, the night sky was clear, dotted with twinkling stars.

An idea sparked in her mind and she tugged on Shadow’s arm. “Come on! I want to show you something.”

Shadow found himself dragged behind her as she rushed towards a clear patch of grass, just off the main footpath. It was clear of Cleaner Drones as they congregated around the benches and footpaths.

Rouge released Shadow and flopped onto her back on the cool grass, keeping her wings spread around her. She stretched and tucked her hands behind her head, flashing Shadow a beaming smile. He stood beside her, watching her with a puzzled look on his face. His hands twitched at his sides and he glanced over a the robots again, then beyond them as if he expected someone to leap from the trees at any second.

“You gonna join me?” she asked.

He jerked his head back around at her again and raised an eyebrow. “You’re kidding, right?”

“No.” She patted the ground beside her. “Come on. You missed this opportunity when we were in the mountains. I’m not gonna let you skip out on it this time.”

“What opportunity?” he scoffed.

“The stars, Shadow.” She waved a hand at the sky. “Have you ever taken the time to actually look at them?”

“I know they’re there,” he said.

“That’s beside the point. Come on, it’s relaxing.”

“I don’t know how you can call standing around in the open ‘relaxing’.”

“I’m not standing.”

He shook his head and clenched his teeth. “Fine. Five minutes.”

He slumped down beside her and fell heavily onto his back, every movement meant to emphasize his displeasure at her offer. She laughed and shook her head before looking back up at the sky.

“So what are we looking at?” he asked.

“Well… they’re not as clear here as they are from the mountains. But I like to try and make pictures out of them.”

“You mean constellations?”

She glanced sideways at him. “You’ve looked for them before?”

“No. But I’ve read about them.” When she didn’t respond he returned her glance. “I got bored a lot before you showed up. I practically lived in the Chaos Network.”

She chuckled and turned back to the sky. “I always thought you were a bit of a Chaos geek.”

He huffed and shuffled back into the grass. “Go on then. Point one out.”

“Oh, I don’t know any,” she said. “Well… I’ve never found any. I just make them up. Like those five there? They could be a dog.”

“You’re wrong.” He pointed at her chosen stars. “Join them with those two and you get the one people call Hope.”

“What? The one that looks like a flower?” She squinted at the sky. “I don’t see it. Why do I never see any of these things?”

“Because you’re not looking for them, I guess.”

“Well it doesn’t look like a flower to me.” She pointed off to their left. “All right. Those ones over there look like a bunny. Is that one?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“But it looks like a bunny right?”

He rolled his eyes. “Sure. It looks like a bunny.”

She laughed and let her hand fall at her side between them. “Okay, then let’s make our own. Given I can never spot any of the real ones.”

“It’s easy!” he said. “Look. Point out those stars in the flower again.”

She sighed and scanned the sky again. “You’re taking the fun out of it, you buzz kill. There.”

“Wrong. They’re there. Three in a row, with the other three around it to form its petals.”

“I stand by my opinion that it looks nothing like a flower.”

“Fine. How about this one?” He scooted closer to her to point over at her right. “Those stars are meant to form a falcon.”

“Nope.” Rouge closed her eyes. “You’re making it boring. Stop.”

“If you don’t want to learn, fine.” Shadow pushed himself up from the floor. “There’s not much sense in staying here, is there?”

“No, wait.” She grabbed his wrist. “You can teach me if you want. I’ll be a good student.”

He shook his head and settled back into the grass. “Okay. We’ll start with the falcon then.”

Rouge barely took anything in as Shadow pointed to various stars, elaborating on how they were meant to form their various constellations. She found herself paying more attention to him than his words, and he didn’t seem to notice when she stopped looking at the stars. She wasn’t sure herself when exactly she did, either. She found herself fascinated by the way the cool wind moved through his quills and fur, and how his large eyes sparkled the more animated he grew in his explanation; the small smile that played on his lips, occasionally flashing his canines. She rarely got to see him like this. He was usually tense and alert, bracing for the next blare of a gunshot, or the roar of chopper blades overhead.

She inched closer to him and her fingers brushed against his hand. His words cut off as he gave a glance in her direction, and he settled back into the grass, tucking his other hand behind his head.

“You’ve not listened to a word I’ve said, have you?” he asked.

Rouge chuckled and mimicked his position. “Not really.”

He shook his head and closed his eyes. “You’re impossible.”

“You flatter me.”

She trailed her fingers over his palm and he moved his hand into hers, linking their fingers together. She stared down at their entwined hands, feeling her heart pick up a little.

“Thank you,” he said.

“What for?”

He turned his head to meet her eye. “Everything.”

She let out a lone laugh and looked back up at the stars. “I should be the one thanking you.”

He said nothing, but she could feel him still watching her. It was becoming a more common occurrence, and one she really didn’t mind.

“You were right,” he said. “This is nice. We should do it more often.”

She turned to smile at him, but the smile was snatched away as something rushed through the bushes on the other side of the path.

“Shadow, I think we need to move.”

She leapt to her feet, fluttering into the air to get a better view. Shadow didn’t need telling twice. He was on his feet and rushing to meet the robot hedgehog before it had even fully emerged from its hiding spot.

...​

The skyscrapers always offered a fantastic vantage point. The cool night air washed through Sonic’s quills as he perched on the edge of one of the Beatdrop Capital’s many business towers. The city stretched out around him, and it was from this height one could truly appreciate how massive the place actually was.

“This is gonna be like searching for a needle in a haystack,” he told Tails.

The fox stood behind him with T-Pup, tweaking his tranquilizer rifle. “A needle isn’t that hard to find if you have the right tools.”

“What? Like a magnet?” Sonic craned his neck back to see his friend.

“Precisely.” Tails looped his rifle strap back around his shoulders and straightened. “Of course, we first need to find out what tools are the best to locate this hedgehog. Camera feeds; recorded sightings by GUN or conspiracy theorists; searching for evidence of where he might have been hiding.”

Sonic rolled his eyes and groaned. “It would take too long!”

“It would take even longer if we just ran circles around the guy.”

“I guess.” Sonic turned to gaze back out at the city. “But where do we even start?”

“I suggest sniffing out alleyways. He has been known to lurk in abandoned warehouses. We might find some clues there.”

“Or him if we’re lucky!”

Something caught Sonic’s eye and he leant forwards to get a better view of it. Blue, and fast. It zipped along the road, winding around a bend and took off towards the centre of the city.

“Whoa.” Sonic straightened and stared after it. “I think that was my name-sake.”

Tails joined his side and narrowed his eyes at the vanishing blue blur. “Metal Sonic?”

“I think so, yeah! I wonder what he’s after?”

Sonic leapt over the edge of the skyscraper and raced down the side of the wall after the robot. Tails strained to keep up, his twin tails beating behind him in overdrive.

“You think he’s after Shadow?” he asked.

“If not, I’ll eat my own quills!”

T-Pup yipped jovially and flared his rocket jets as the trio sped after Metal Sonic. His jet engines were audible over the drone of hover cars, and Sonic picked up speed to catch up with him. The roads ended at a large park, and Sonic spotted the robot vault the fence and vanish into the bushes.

“Oh, you are definitely chasing something,” said Sonic.

He followed after him, landing in a crouch amid the thorny branches of a bramble. Tails and T-Pup landed beside him silently, eyes trained on the dark shadows ahead of them. Voices, but Sonic couldn’t make them out. Metal Sonic moved slowly around the trees and bushes, intensely focused on whatever lay beyond them. If he was aware of anyone else’s presence, he didn’t show it. But Sonic knew full well there was no launching a surprise attack on the robot.

Then Metal lurched forwards, vanishing beyond the bushes. A yell, then the sounds of a struggle.

Sonic leapt from his hiding spot in a blue streak then doubled back with a yell as Metal Sonic skidded backwards, his sharp feet digging up turf. Shadow manifested in the air, striking the back of the robot’s head with a strong crescent kick. The robot landed face first in the grass, beeping and crackling in protest. The bat that accompanied Shadow seemed to appear out of nowhere, spinning from the air to strike the robot like a drill. But all it did was make him beep some more, somewhat irritably.

“Get back, Rouge!”

The black hedgehog vanished again, only to reappear above Metal Sonic to launch another kick. His shoes blazed with flames, but the robot reached out and grabbed his foot, swinging him like a rag doll towards a tree. But Shadow never struck it. He vanished once more, and Metal Sonic rolled aside as the black hedgehog appeared to strike him again. Soil and blazing grass rose into the air, and Sonic ducked further back behind the tree he’d been using as a shield.

He had to do something. Shadow and his friend had their work cut out for them with that robot. He was fast and resilient, much like Shadow himself. And if Metal Sonic apprehended him, then the hedgehog would find himself in Eggman’s clutches. Then what would become of Mainframe?

Sonic leapt from behind the tree in a streak of blue, spinning towards Metal Sonic. He struck him right in the chest, knocking the robot off his feet and sending him hurtling into a tree. Its trunk splintered and cracked and the robot turned his head back towards it. He let out a series of beeps and leapt aside as the tree came crashing down right where he had been standing.

Metal Sonic turned to face the blue hedgehog and his digital eyes narrowed.

“Huh.” Sonic wiped his muzzle on his glove. “I guess you can be taken by surprise.”

Metal Sonic flexed his claws and lowered his posture slightly, all focus now on Sonic. If Sonic didn’t know any better, he’d have thought there was a look of recognition in the robot’s face, as if it had met him before.

“I never understood why my dad wanted to name me after you,” Sonic told him. “I mean sure. I’m blue, and I’m a hedgehog, but we’re nothing alike!”

The robot shook his head slowly. Did… did it actually understand him? Then Metal flexed his claws again and his rocket jet flared to life. Sonic leapt aside with a squeak as the robot lashed out, tearing the air with sharp claws.

Shadow stood a few feet away, shifting uncertainly. Then Rouge grabbed his wrist.

“Come on, while we have the chance,” she hissed.

Sonic cast a glance towards the bushes. Tails was still lurking, rifle raised. There was no way the fox was going to miss out on this opportunity. Sonic would distract the robot, and Tails and T-Pup would focus on detaining Shadow. A flawless plan, surely?

He didn’t have enough time to think over it. Metal Sonic rushed him again, raking Sonic’s arm with his claws. Sonic grimaced and twisted to the side, trying to keep the speedy robot in his sights. Sonic curled into a ball and leapt, striking the robot in his side. Metal Sonic landed in a sprawl in the thorn bushes, his red eyes flickering with the impact. He pushed himself up slowly, the prickly branches tangling around his limbs and quills.

Tails’ rifle fired and Sonic heard a grunt. Metal Sonic lifted his head towards the noise and gave an irritated series of beeps. He tore the branches from his body and leapt past Sonic, swatting him aside with the back of his hand. The robot stopped short of where Shadow had been standing, and his entire body shook.

No sign of Shadow or the bat.

Helicopters flocked in the sky in the distance, homing in on the park. GUN soldiers. Most likely Eggman’s soldiers. If it was, they were too late now.

The robot snapped his head around, locking Sonic in a leer. But the fight was over. He flared up his rocket and took off across the park in pursuit of his prey.

Sonic clutched his arm as he moved over to Tails. The fox stared at T-Pup as it sniffed the grass where Shadow had been standing. The fox’s expression was calculating.

“What happened?” Sonic asked.

“He vanished,” said Tails. “I was expecting him to reappear again, but not this time.”

“Did you manage to hit him?”

“Oh yes. I struck him right in the shoulder with a dart. He was more occupied with protecting his friend.” Tails looked up at Sonic. “I have some bandages. You might want to cover up those scratches. The blood will leave a trail otherwise.”

“Yeah, thanks bud.” Sonic sighed and took the offered bandage, securing it tight around his arm. “Man, that robot is tough! I feel like I’ve made a mortal enemy there.”

“It looked like it recognized you.”

Sonic’s eyes widened with surprise. “You thought that too?”

Tails nodded twice then secured his gun over his back. “Now T-Pup has Shadow’s scent, finding him should be a lot easier.”

The robot dog yipped and wagged its spindly tail.

“Great.” Sonic tied off the bandage and joined his friend’s side. “Let’s just hope we don’t come face to face with that Metal Sonic again. I don’t think I want to fight him a second time.” He sighed and rubbed his shoulder. “Come on. Let’s beat it before those reinforcements get here.”

...​

Shadow reappeared just outside The Beatdrop Capital. He released Rouge and grunted, slumping back against a cold stone wall. He tugged the dart from his shoulder and tossed it into the nearest trash skip.

“Are you okay?” Rouge asked.

She reached out to him but he swatted her hands away. He pinched his muzzle between two fingers and screwed his eyes shut.

“I knew that was a mistake,” he said. “And I let you talk me into it.”

“You’re blaming me for this?” she gasped.

“No. I’m blaming myself for giving into a moment of weakness.” He took a in a breath. “For letting myself think freedom is actually an option for me!”

Rouge closed her eyes and balled her hands into fists. “It is an option. That was just unfortunate. Metal Sonic just happened to be there, so we were in the right place at the wrong time-”

“It isn’t an option for me! It never has been! You should know that! You were after me once!”

Rouge’s mouth opened and closed as she struggled to find words.

“You were the only person who’s even come close to catching me,” he said. “And now three show up at once?” He slumped against the wall, visibly trembling. “That fox has good aim.”

“I clearly see what others can’t,” she said. “You’re not just some science experiment.”

He rubbed at his muzzle and his ears began to droop slightly.

“Maybe one day others will see that too?” she said.

“I just want them all to leave me alone,” he said. “I want… what you keep showing me. Running is all I know…”

She moved closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “One day you’ll have it.”

“You keep saying that.” He shrugged her off and she took a step back.

“That’s because I believe it.”

He scoffed but didn’t open his eyes.

“Unlike you, those chasing you can’t live forever,” she said. “Not even Eggman.”

“If that was the case then why are they still dogging me? Jobs change hands. I’ve had different soldiers after me for years.” He lowered his hand and rolled his head back against the wall. “I just want them to leave me alone.”

Rouge’s braced herself as she watched him slump down against the wall, falling into a squat. His words had started to slur. She’d never seen him like that.

“Is that stuff getting to you?” Her voice wavered slightly.

“What can I do,” he said, “to keep them off my back?”

She stooped to pull him back to his feet, looping his arm over her shoulders. “Come on. You’re not falling asleep here. We’ll find somewhere to stay for a while.”

He said something else, but it came out as incoherent nonsense. She turned her head left and right, searching for anywhere they could hide until the drug wore off. Hopefully soon, given his usually rapid recovery.

There. A manhole cover. Her nose crinkled at the thought, but it would have to do. She pulled him into her side and led him to the sewer, but he was rapidly becoming a dead weight. She left him at the base of the ladder as she tugged the lid back in place. A few feet from the opening was a tunnel. A lot cleaner looking than the rest of the place.

Her feet echoed along the metal grate as she made her way towards it. Then she set the unconscious hedgehog against the wall. He always looked oddly peaceful when he slept. She crouched down before him and trailed her fingers over the side of his face. Warm, just like any other Mainframer. Yet he didn’t know the same life everyone else did. All he knew was danger and fear. It made her heart ache.

“I’m sorry.” A lump rose in her throat as tears ran down her cheeks. She placed her forehead against his and wound her fingers in his quills. “I just wanted you to know a little happiness for once. I guess it really backfired, huh?”

 

[DeliriousAbsol]

Book Two - Sleepless

Part One - Heartbreaker

Chapter One​

Only a small desk lamp lit the dingy office. The blind was drawn, keeping out the neon streetlight. It was exactly how Silver liked it. Well, aside from the damp. The walls soaked up moisture like a sponge from the top down, and an unsightly patch of mildew had made its home in the far corner by the window. The perils of being holed up in the top-most office of a run-down business block. But the rent was cheap, and it was better than trying to find somewhere to sleep on the streets.

The grey hedgehog leant his head on one hand while the other lay open on the table. His eyes were trained on a pen while he muttered irritably to himself. A faint blue glow surrounded his hand, then the pen. It rocked a little off the table. Then again. Then the pain. It shot up his arm into his head and he screwed his eyes shut, clasping his hands over his face. A faint knock came from the door and he slumped back into his seat, rubbing between his eyes as pain pulsed around them. Who on earth was that at this hour?

“It’s open.” The words came out as an embarrassing groan.

The door cracked open, letting in light from the stairwell. He ventured to open his eyes, flinching as the light dazzled him and made that throbbing worse, just like it always did when he practiced. A dainty figure stood shadowed against it, large pointed ears twitching as she looked around the room. Her muzzle creased with what he took to be an unimpressed frown. A cat? A rather pretty-looking cat.

“I think you have the wrong office.” He lowered his hands to his desk and she met his eye. “The studio is on the third floor.”

“I’m not looking for a studio,” she said. “I heard there is a private detective based here? A hedgehog called Silver?”

He sat up straight and raised an eyebrow. “That’s me?”

“I thought so.”

She closed the door behind her and moved into the light, glancing at the peeling walls. Everything about her was purple. Lavender fur, royal purple dress… save for the crimson trim and the odd white parts of her attire. She seemed to give off a regal air. What on earth did someone like her want with him?

“I’m hoping you might be able to help me?” She fixed her yellow eyes on his.

“Sure.” Silver gestured for her to pull up the seat opposite him and she complied. “What’s the problem, Miss…?”

“Blaze.” She scrutinized him for a moment and made a thoughtful noise. “You appear to have a migraine.”

He started slightly and lowered his hand from his head. He’d been absently massaging it. He placed his hands on the desk, hoping they’d stay there this time.

“It’ll pass,” he said.

“I can come back later?”

“No, it’s fine.”

He let out a small sigh and tried to force a smile. She shifted in her seat and glanced at the wall behind him. Great, he’d weirded her out now. He opened his mouth to try and rectify things, but she began speaking over him.

“It’s my brother,” she said.

“Your brother?”

“Yes. He… died two weeks ago. But everyone keeps writing it off as a suicide.”

Silver narrowed his eyes in thought as something sparked in his mind. He snatched the newspapers from beside his desk, rifling through them until he found the right one. The article graced the front page. Ember, a cat, found dead in his bath tub in his studio apartment. No signs of injury, no signs of a struggle. So they’d put it down to suicide. A Snowstorm overdose, apparently. He’d been next in line to become Mayor of the Beatdrop Capital, and the ceremony had been the following week.

Silver looked back up at the cat before him with a start. “You’re the Mayor’s daughter?!”

She shuffled in her seat and wound her hands together, giving a nervous glance to the window. “Shh! No one knows I’m here.”

“Sorry.” He lowered his voice and placed the paper neatly before him. “But what would someone like you want with a run-down detective like me?”

“Lower profile,” she said. “Besides, you get the job done.”

He nodded and absently read the article again.

“I don’t believe it was suicide,” said Blaze. “My brother showed no signs of ever having anything bothering him. He was looking forward to the ceremony.”

“People do tend to keep these things well hidden,” Silver explained. “Unless you have a real reason to suspect otherwise, there’s not much I can do.”

“I just stated my reasons. He was a level-headed man who’d never touched the stuff in his life. This is wildly out of character. I believe the entire thing was staged.”

“So you think he was murdered?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know, Blaze. This really isn’t enough evidence-”

“It’s plenty of evidence!”

Blaze slammed her hands onto the desk and flames erupted around her wrists. Silver shot back into his seat as far as he would go. Sparks flew from her cuffs onto his desk, spreading to the newspaper and his post-it tray. Blaze retreated back to her seat, clasping her hands together as the flames fizzled out.

“I am so sorry,” she stuttered. “I… can’t really control it.”

He swiftly emptied the cold remains of his coffee onto his desk, then beat out the smoldering newspaper with his hands.

“It’s okay,” he said. “I know one or two things about unruly powers.”

She rubbed the fluffy cuffs of her gloves and avoided his gaze. “It’s just… I know my brother wouldn’t have taken that stuff. He was against Snowstorm rabidly. He led protests and fought against it! He wouldn’t… I really do think someone has staged this.”

“Okay. Well that throws some shade onto this situation.” Silver scratched his nose thoughtfully. “Didn’t they find evidence of these drugs in his blood?”

“No, they’re refusing to run an autopsy.” Blaze shrugged. “As far as everyone is concerned, the evidence was there. An empty box of Snowstorm, and a locked bathroom door as if he didn’t want anyone to walk in and see him.”

“And no one else has considered this why?”

“I don’t know.” Blaze shrugged her shoulders. “They just can’t see through the evidence. They assume everything has been an elaborate cover-up because, oh boy, what if the man running for Mayor touched Snowstorm?! It would give him bad press.”

Silver wound his hand in his quills as he looked between the cat and the article. It really did sound like a typical suicide. Or an accidental overdose. But if she really felt she had reason to believe otherwise… It could just be denial. Either way, work was becoming infrequent. He could use the job, and if it helped put her mind at rest, then he’d do it.

“Where is the body?” he asked.

“Waiting to be prepared for the funeral in two days,” she said.

“That’s barely enough time to get an autopsy sorted,” he said. “It would delay things. Would your family be happy about that?”

“Not at all, but I really don’t want to bury him wondering if someone is behind all this.”

“I understand that. But after all this time, it would be unlikely to find any traces of toxins in his body. If it was poison-”

“I just… I just want to know.”

Silver nodded and leant back in his seat. “Then I’ll deal with it. I’ll find someone who can get this done quickly.”

“Without letting my parents know?”

She met his eyes again. Cold, yet worried.

“I’ll do what I can,” he said. “I’ll have to make a few phone calls, but I have an idea of who might be able to help.”

She settled into her seat, watching him as he reached for his phone. He stared back at her, hand hovering over his mobile.

“You really don’t have to stay here,” he said.

“I don’t have anywhere else to go,” she said. “And I’ll just be wondering and worrying if I stay at home.”

“I can call you.”

She wound the hem of her dress in her hands and glanced away from him. “Please… if someone is responsible…”

“What, you think they’re gonna come after you?”

She said nothing, but the glistening in her eyes told him everything.

He nodded and picked up his phone. “Okay. But this might take a little while.”

...​

Infinite gave a loud, wide yawn for what must have been the tenth time that hour. Amy cast an irritated glance towards him as she popped the cereal box back onto the shelf.

“If you’re really this bored, you could have stayed in the hotel,” she said.

“I already told you, I would have been bored in the hotel.” Infinite tucked his arms behind his head and stifled another yawn. “Aren’t you buying that?”

Amy frowned at the box of sugary cereal. She’d picked it up twice already only to put it back. Irritated by her own indecisiveness, she grabbed the box and dropped it into her basket. Money had been hard to come by recently, and her inspiration was drying up. Several designs lay scattered around the hotel dressing table or crumpled into the waste paper bin, and it was really beginning to get on top of her.

She turned from the cereal aisle towards the self service checkout and quickly scanned through her overflowing basket. Most of which consisted of Infinite’s rather odd diet choices. The jackal quietly stuffed everything into bags while Amy gave her debit card a mournful glance before scanning it over the reader. The pair then stepped out of the supermarket into the Beatdrop Capital’s busy streets.

Infinite reached into one of the bags for his box of dog biscuits and Amy swatted his arm.

“Put it back!” she barked.

He stared down at her with an unreadable expression. His familiar default that no longer chilled her like it used to.

“But I’m hungry,” he said.

“It’s not lunch time yet, and we can’t afford to snack. Put it back.”

“I need to eat more than you do. The Phantom Ruby’s powers take up a lot of my strength.”

“Then stop pointlessly using them.” She shook her head and groaned. “Good grief, it’s like having some ungrateful pet alien who just showed up on my doorstep one day and wouldn’t leave.”

“Pet?” he spat.

She pointed at the canvas bag in his hand. “Put. Them. Back.”

He sighed and dropped the box back into his bag before strolling on ahead of her.

The sky was riddled with dark clouds, and a deep roar cut through the air, rumbling over the rooftops. No rain yet, but if it kept up like this she could expect a summer storm to hit. She quickly checked she had her umbrella tucked away in her shopping bag then trotted to keep up with Infinite’s long stride. He hummed to himself, always glancing at the skyscrapers and passers by with some kind of avid fascination. It had originally bugged Amy but she’d grown used to it as days rolled by. Two weeks they’d been stuck in the Beatdrop Captial, and she didn’t miss Central City at all.

The sky lit up with a flash, followed by another crash of thunder. Louder this time. Amy let out a small ‘eep!’ and trotted down the streets as fast as her shopping bags would allow.

Infinite rushed to keep up with her and chuckled. “What’s the problem, Pink Freak? Scared of thunder of all things?”

“Shut up!”

She ducked across the road as the traffic came to a stop, lowering her head as if it would keep the threat of rain off her quills.

When they arrived back at their hotel room, she let out a small sigh and looked over at the window. Rain. They’d just missed it. She dropped the shopping on the worktop beside the small oven hob and started stuffing things into the cupboards. Infinite assisted, and she soon found herself shoved aside as he straightened everything out by size. Label facing forwards. Canned goods, then jars, then plastic containers, then boxes.

Amy shook her head and turned back into their sleeping quarters. Two bedrooms, separated by a wooden fold-away screen. He’d wanted the one at the back. The smaller one, with its own tiny bathroom. The bigger family bathroom was on her side. It cost a pretty credit by the week. More than her monthly rent back in Central City. The hotel was already eating into her savings, but it was more affordable than renting two rooms in a cheaper hotel. She didn’t feel comfortable sharing with him in a small little hole with no self catering.

She placed a hand on the paperwork scattered over the dressing table. Designs for an autumn range she’d been hoping to have sold to someone by now, but it felt wrong. The colours, the patterns. It all just felt wrong. If she didn’t sell something fast, or find a cheap apartment to rent, both her and Infinite would find themselves on the streets in a couple of months.

Infinite…

She leant against the window sill and stared out at the rapidly darkening street.

What was she even meant to do with him? Sonic had told her he was safer with her, but Gadget had gone missing and not been heard from since. Was the wolf even still out there, looking for them? Was GUN? And if not, did she still need to keep Infinite with her? Things would be a lot easier if she could just let him go. Find somewhere to live and forget all about this. But they’d made a deal. If she could get him to care for something, anything, and not destroy Mainframe, then that was more important. But he’d shown no desire to harm Mainframe since their final fight with Gadget.

Infinite’s reflection appeared in the glass and she glanced up at it. He inclined his head on one side then nodded towards her dressing table.

“It needs orange,” he said.

She turned to follow his gaze to one of her pattern designs. A dress with a leaf print against a muddy green backdrop.

“Don’t be silly,” she said. “She’d end up looking like she’s wearing a pumpkin.”

“Fine.” He reached for her sketch book and pencil wrap. “Don’t trust me.”

He turned towards her bed and she half expected him to leap upon it and start doodling away like he often did. As if he had no idea what boundaries were. She’d stopped scolding him for it, since it made no difference.

But instead he froze and narrowed his eye at her reflection. He lowered the book to his side and moved behind her, so close she could feel the warmth from his body through her dress. He reached out his free hand towards her and she flinched away slightly, leering back at him through the glass. Then she sighed and closed her eyes, letting him brush her quills back from her face.

“What do you see when you look at yourself?” he asked.

What did he mean by that? She frowned at his reflection, but her own emerald gaze caught her eye.

“A pink hedgehog?” she said sarcastically.

He grunted. “Look deeper than that.”

Her brow furrowed as she tried to work out what he was getting at. He was still trailing his fingers through her quills, but he met her eyes in the glass. No humor. No sign he was teasing her.

“You see yourself as a disappointment, don’t you?” he said.

She scoffed and swatted his hand away. “What, are you using your Phantom Ruby tricks to try and work me out?”

“I don’t need to.” He let his hand fall to his side and met her scolding glare as she turned around to face him. “It’s obvious. You’ve been slaving away over this for days.” He waved a hand to the dressing table. “I don’t sleep most nights, so I know you’ve been skipping out on your own sleep. Don’t think I can’t hear your little ramblings and tantrums while you’re trying come up with ‘something awesome’ that ‘all the girls will love’. It was amusing at first, but it’s getting tiresome.” He turned his back on her and tapped the drawing he’d picked out earlier. “Orange.”

All anger fizzled out of her as she looked between the drawing and the retreating jackal. Was that some weird, convoluted way of him telling her he was worried about her? He tugged the front door open and stepped outside.

“Where are you going?” Amy asked.

He looked back at her over his shoulder. “For a walk.”

“In the rain?” she asked. “With a sketch book?”

“Sure.” He shrugged and turned away from her. “I’ll be back later. Don’t wait up.”

The door clicked shut behind him and a sense of loneliness and unease washed through the room. It suddenly felt a lot larger than it usually did. It wasn’t the first time he’d gone off on a random walk. The first time she really did think he wasn’t coming back. It had both calmed her and unsettled her, and when he’d come back through the door she’d felt oddly glad. She scolded herself for days after that one. Didn’t she want to get away from the crazy jackal?

She shook her head and flopped down at the dressing-table-turned—studio. “Pull yourself together, Amy.”

Much to her surprise, the dress design found itself in her hands. Orange… She set it back down and let out a sigh, rubbing beneath her eyes. It was worth a shot, right?

She grabbed a sheet of paper and traced the design several times over. Then she grabbed her coloured pencils and started throwing them down one after the other. After she’d filled them all in, each one containing orange in some way, shape or form, she held it in both hands and took it in.

The weirdo was right. Orange was the way to go. She found herself staring at the dress with the orange backdrop, showcasing a pattern of red, brown and yellow leaves. Maybe a little bit of gold to add a sparkle? She noted that down then set the design back on the table.

She couldn’t believe it. After all that time, orange was the right choice? She wasn’t even a fan of orange, yet it worked.

So she sketched out a final design. Carefully. Making sure to use inks for a nice, smooth finish. It took her well into the late hours of the night, but once she was done she found herself smiling. She’d actually accomplished something. The final design looked amazing, with its little flecks of gold over the yellow leaves like little sun-specks on a dewy autumn morning. She set it down and made a mental note to send it off to her client in the morning.

She yawned and stretched, then reached for her phone. It was plugged into the wall socket, fully charged. A few messages graced her from Tangle, wondering what she was up to. She quickly replied, and sent a photo of her design for her friend’s opinion. Then she checked the time. Eleven-thirty. Where had the time gone? It was still raining, and much darker than when she’d sat down to work. She shrugged it off and decided to take a much deserved shower.

After a good, long soak it was already gone midnight. Tangle’s reply greeted her as she grabbed her mobile on the way to her bed.

‘Waaah! It looks fantastic! I can’t wait to see it on the rails. Can I get a free one?’

Amy chuckled to herself and typed out her own reply. ‘Thanks. Believe it or not, it was Infinite’s idea to go with orange. I doubt my client will be giving out dresses for free, but if he sends me one then you can have it by all means.’

Then she muted her phone and set it on her night stand. She pulled back the duvet and looked up at the adjoining room, her ‘goodnight’ perched on the end of her tongue. The screen was open. Bed made and empty.

Infinite wasn’t back yet…

It wasn’t the first time he’d gone out, but he was usually back well before she went to bed. And he didn’t have any means she could contact him. Should she go out and look? What if Gadget… no. They hadn’t heard anything of that wolf since he went AWOL two weeks ago. How could he even know where they’d moved to? Mainframe was massive.

Infinite was probably okay. Besides, he had the Phantom Ruby. He was more than capable of defending himself. If he wasn’t back by morning, then she’d worry.

She decided to try and tune it out for a while and clambered under the sheets, tugging them up to her chin. Despite her restless thoughts, exhaustion took over her, and she soon found herself in a dreamy autumn meadow filled with cute little chao and flickies.

...​

The results were not looking good.

Silver stood beside Blaze as the rabbit scientist worked away at her brother’s body. A screen separated them from the lab, and the hedgehog stood with his hands in his trench coat pockets as he watched through the glass. The lavender cat was looking anywhere else. The wall, the magazines littering the waiting room, the clock, her own phone which Silver had insisted she switch off.

The puzzled look on the scientist’s face was what twigged Silver’s assumptions that things were not going well. Whatever that was, he itched to know. Did it mean there was no evidence as to what had killed him? Or were there complications? He was willing to bet it was the former. Given how long the cat had been dead, there was unlikely to be any traces of the drug left in his body. Or any poisons. They were beating a dead horse, if one would pardon the expression.

Finally, the scientist looked up and wiped her hands on a wet cloth. She motioned for them to join her in the room, but Silver shook his head and nodded towards Blaze. The nervous cat twitched and turned away from the glass, making her discomfort known.

The rabbit nodded and made her way to them, closing the glass door behind her. She wore a strange expression on her face. One of a mixture of confusion and worry. Maybe even nausea.

“So.” Silver turned to her, keeping his hands hidden in his pockets. “What’s the outcome?”

She wound her hands together and met the hedgehog’s golden eyes. “I think it is fairly safe to say it wasn’t the drugs that killed him.”

Silver raised an eyebrow and Blaze turned fully to face the scientist.

“Would there be any traces left?” Silver asked. “I mean-”

“Even if there were, it would be pointless to assume it was the drug,” said the scientist. “I’ve… never seen anything like this in all my days working in autopsy.”

Blaze moved closer to them and clasped her hands at her chest. “What was it?”

“I’m not sure how to describe this.” The rabbit tugged at her left ear and looked back through the window at the autopsy table. “His heart was crushed.”

Blaze went pale from ears to tail and her eyes rolled back into her head. Silver twisted to catch her before she hit the floor, carefully lowering her the rest of the way. He turned his head back to the scientist as she crouched down beside them.

“Crushed?” Silver asked.

“I don’t understand it,” said the rabbit. “There was no sign of any damage to his body. No wounds. No entry points. No blunt trauma. It’s as if someone just opened a door in his chest, crushed his heart, then sealed it up perfectly.”

Silver made a thoughtful noise and turned back to Blaze, placing a hand on her forehead. Cold. Shock. He pulled out his phone and quickly dialed for an ambulance. Not that he felt she needed one, but it was protocol. If he didn’t, the receptionist would be on it like a fly on honey.

“Do you think it could be someone abusing their powers?” he asked the scientist.

“I’ve no idea.” She lifted her hands in a shrug. “I’m not an expert on special powers, but… it could be. Someone could have the means to crush something through sheer will alone. You have psychokinesis-”

Silver waved her off, his jaw tightening. “Then I know where to go from here. Anything else you can tell me? Any other damage I need to be aware of?”

“That’s it,” said the rabbit. “Nothing else. Whether or not the drug killed him, the signs are there that this was a deliberate murder.”

Blaze rubbed her head and tried to push herself up. When Silver wouldn’t let her, she beat his hands away and propped herself weakly on one arm, trembling.

“What happened?” she muttered.

“You fainted,” said Silver.

She shifted towards the chairs and tried to lift herself up. Silver offered her a hand and she settled into one of the cushioned seats, her wide eyes fixed on her fingers as they fiddled with the hem of her dress.

“Someone… someone killed him?” she squeaked.

Silver stared down at her, oblivious to the scientist’s hasty ‘farewell’ as she went back into the autopsy room to finish off her work. The poor cat trembled so violently he thought she might fall off her seat. Her assumption had been right. It was a murder. But it had still come as a shock to her. A murder complicated things. Neither murder nor suicide was easy to deal with, but a murder meant an investigation. The question as to whether or not it was personal. Whether or not Blaze and the rest of her family were safe.

The doors opened and a pair of paramedics rushed into the room, spotting Silver and their patient immediately. Blaze didn’t push them away. She was too stunned for that. Any questions she was asked were answered bluntly and somewhat nervously. It was nothing new for paramedics. People fainted in the autopsy rooms every week. Silver was one such patient the first time he’d visited himself.

Once they’d left, assuring Silver there were no complications to Blaze’s health, he returned to the cat and shifted uneasily.

“I guess you were right,” he said.

“I can’t believe it…” She wound her hands together and avoided his stare. “How?”

“That’s what I’m paid to find out.”

She looked up at him then and sighed. “It’s like a nightmare just unfolded before me.”

“You’d be surprised how often I get told that.” He straightened and looked down at her, meeting her eyes. “I’m going to need access to his room to search it. Can you get me that?”

“Of course.” Blaze’s legs trembled as she stood, and Silver offered an arm to steady her. She didn’t take it. “I can let you in. When do you want to go?”

Silver shrugged. “Now is as good a time as any. I doubt it will be treated as a crime scene? Is it still as it was left?”

“Not quite. The police made a bit of a mess, which my family cleaned up. But they couldn’t bare to stick around, so everything is pretty much as it was. They’re leaving the clear out until after the funeral.”

“It’s not a desirable situation.” Silver sighed and scratched his head. “But it’s as good as any. Let’s go. I’ll see you home after.”

He turned to leave but her voice froze him.

“No.”

He looked back at her over his shoulder. “No?”

“I’m helping you.” She moved over to him, keeping her hands clasped before her. “I want to help you. Someone killed my brother and I want to know why.”

“You’ll find out why. But you’re not a detective-”

“I don’t care. I know more about Ember than anyone. He always confided in me. That’s how I knew this couldn’t possibly be a suicide. But he never gave me any indication he had any enemies. I can help you. Please? Let me?”

Silver closed his eyes and sighed. “Fine. But things might get messy.”

“I can hold my own.”

He smiled at that then turned to leave the laboratory. “Okay. But let’s hope neither of us need to.”

 

[DeliriousAbsol]

Chapter Two​

The apartment was spotless, save for a thin coating of dust that had built up over the past two weeks. Evidence the victim’s family was too upset to keep things in order, and not quite ready to say ‘goodbye’ and empty the place out. The entire room was deathly silent, save for the downpour hammering against the bathroom window. A little bit of powder lay over the windowsill and Silver frowned down at it, spyglass clutched in his right hand. Not a single sign of a fingerprint on the windowsill or the items that adorned it. Bottles lined up neatly together without a single blemish on them. Not even Ember’s own fingerprints were to be found. Whoever it was either hadn’t used the window, or had worn gloves. Or… they’d cleaned up very well. He was beginning to lean towards the latter.

Blaze hadn’t been able to enter the bathroom. She remained in the main part of the apartment, and when Silver left the bathroom he found her scrambling over the carpet in search of any hairs that weren’t royal purple.

“Any joy?” he asked.

“Nope. The only hairs I can find are my own.” She stood up and dusted herself down. “I think it’s the stress.”

Silver raised an eyebrow and she met his gaze, spreading her arms wide.

“I’m shedding,” she said.

Silver shrugged and turned to the bookshelves. “I can’t get over how neat this place is. No sign of a struggle at all.”

Blaze moved over to his side and shook her head. “I’m as surprised as you are.”

He looked up at her then. “What do you mean?”

“I mean he was a slob. Mother was always telling him to tidy his room, and whenever I visited him here there’d be magazines everywhere, things stuffed onto the shelves to make room on the coffee table, movies scattered about the TV-”

“And now it’s tidy?”

Blaze shrugged and turned to look around the room, almost as if she was seeing it for the first time.

“Why didn’t you think to tell me this when we arrived here?”

“I’ve been here already,” she said. “I was expecting it. I… wasn’t sure it was crucial.”

“Of course it’s crucial,” said Silver. “Are you sure no one came in to clear up after they found his body?”

“No one did.” Blaze took in a deep, wavering breath. “Dad told me about it when he found him, and we both just guessed he’d cleaned up in preparation to become Mayor. Photos, you know? But if it wasn’t him, then who? Mother wouldn’t have bothered, believe me. She got tired of cleaning up after him, and she never visited him here on principle. Now she can’t even face this place, and I don’t blame her. It just feels so weird knowing he died here.”

Silver tapped his chin as he looked over the room. Spotless. Ornaments arranged neatly on the shelves. Most of them by size. The bottles in the bathroom… also by size. His eye fell on the book case, crammed with movies and novels. Items he’d often left scattered around the TV, which was now devoid of any sign of clutter.

The hedgehog rushed to the shelves and scanned over the titles. Alphabetical, arranged by genre. And the books… arranged by author. Series set together, in order.

“Did he have any obsessive compulsive tendencies?” Silver asked.

“No. He was pretty relaxed.”

Silver looked over his shoulder at the lavender cat and straightened. “I know you’re not gonna like me saying this, Blaze. I know they couldn’t find any traces of Snowstorm in his blood, but that drug can make you do strange things. He could have-”

“He wouldn’t have taken it.” She folded her arms and frowned at the room. “The drug, the tidiness… it’s all so out of character.”

Silver folded his arms and tapped his fingers along one while he surveyed the room again. “So it’s out of character… then… what if it’s some huge, convoluted clue?”

“What? Like someone who knows him very well wanted to make it obvious it wasn’t suicide?”

“Yes.” He turned to face her again. “If they wanted to make things seem very out of character for him, then what else could be out of character? Perhaps a movie or a book? Some kind of trinket lying around in this manicured apartment? The fact he was in the bath at all?”

“No, he definitely washed.” Blaze scratched between her ears and approached the book case, crouching to get a better view. “And everything on here seems very him. He did like his movies.”

Silver left her to it and made his way back to the bathroom. The doorhandles were also free of fingerprints. Odd for something that would be touched so frequently. Whoever had done this had wanted to make it impossible to find them on fingerprints alone. And not a single hair in sight. So why tidy up? Why not leave the place a dump? Unless they’d wanted to make sure every item in the house had been cleaned?

He rushed back towards the bookcase and faltered. Blaze clutched a book in her hands, frowning at the title.

“New book?” Silver’s voice came out more hopeful than he’d intended.

“Not quite.” She glanced between it and the bookcase. “It was… out of place.”

He reached over her shoulder for the book. “It also has a place marker.”

Blaze stood as he opened it to the page and she visibly paled. What was being used as a bookmark was a neatly cut slip of paper filled with numbers, each one ascending.

“Page numbers?” she suggested.

Silver removed the slip and turned it over, just to be sure there was nothing on the other side. Finding it blank, he took Blaze’s advice, dog-earing the page just in case it was of any relevance. Nothing was on the pages the bookmark may have been referring to, however.

He retired to the sofa and pulled out his pocket computer before giving the numbers a second chance. Blaze perched beside him, watching as he turned to each page and made a note of the first and last words on each one.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“If it is some kind of code,” he said, “then it might be pointing out a certain word or letter. First or last seems to make the most sense.”

Once he’d done, he sat back and read over the chosen words. He’d made a point of separating both first and last into their own columns. Not a single one of them made any level of sense.

Blaze let out a small gasp and shifted closer to him. “’Moon Street’.”

“What?” He glanced at her. “Where did you get that from?”

“The first letters from the top section,” she said. “Not… including the last one. The second set doesn’t form a word, so… I wonder if that…” She scratched behind her ear and gave a flustered sigh. “There is a Moon Street in the Beatdrop Capital.”

“I’m aware.”

Silver turned back to the bookmark. The final page number, 624. A date? He brought up his calender and felt his heart sink. If it was a date, then it was two days ago.

Moon street. Twenty-forth of the sixth.

“Have you heard of any other mysterious suicides?” He brought up the website for Beatdrop News.

Blaze twirled her long hair and her eyes grew distant. “I’ve not been aware of any. Ember was big news, being the Mayor’s son. Unfortunately a lot of suicides just get brushed under the rug.”

But they didn’t go unrecorded. Silver accessed the obituary section and scrolled to the recorded date. Only two deaths. And there was one. Thirty year old woman. Suicide. No details. Silver’s heart froze in his chest and he gave Blaze a sideways glance.

“It looks like you might be onto something.” He pocketed his computer and pushed himself from his seat. “I’ll look into this next suicide and see if there’s any link between the two. If there is, I’ll contact you.”

“No need.” She slipped from the sofa. “I’ll join you.”

Silver’s muzzle crinkled and he met her eyes. “No offense, Blaze, but you’re not a detective.”

“I found that clue, didn’t I?”

“Yes, but you knew your brother. You don’t know this woman. Do you? A shrew named Crystal?”

Blaze pawed behind her ear and shook her head slowly. “It doesn’t ring any bells.”

“Could your brother have had anything to do with her?”

“He might have.” She lowered her hand and gave a curt nod. “I’ll retrieve his phone and find out. Moon Street, right?”

Silver bit his lip and his shoulders sagged. Of course. She knew the street. If she wasn’t going to let this go, then he didn’t have much choice than to let her tag along. If not, she might end up waltzing straight into danger.

“Okay.” He turned towards the front door. “I could probably use an extra pair of keen eyes anyway.”

...​

Amy blinked her eyes open and stretched, letting out a loud yawn. A solid sleep right through. Bliss. She’d not had a night like that in well over a week.

She kicked her legs out of bed and her ear twitched. The shower was running. She cast a glance towards the screen, now tugged across blocking out Infinite’s side of the hotel room. Wet footprints spread across the thin carpet towards it, and the sketchbook he’d borrowed lay on her dressing table, ever so slightly damp.

She leapt to her feet to check over the desk and let out a sigh of relief. Her drawings were okay, neatly set aside to make room for the book. A few water droplets graced the table beside it. He’d not been back long then.

Amy frowned at the closed bathroom door. The only one with a shower was the one on her side, which meant if she needed to use the bathroom while it was occupied then she had to trot through his room to the smaller one. Oh well. Needs must.

A few minutes later, and she was dressed and flicking on the coffee pot. Infinite clambered out of the bathroom, running a towel over his mane. Towels weren’t an anomaly in hotels, especially over summer when people preferred to not blast themselves with heat from the fur driers. But the rest of him was pretty much dry and rather fluffy-looking. She turned her attention back to the brewing coffee, taking in the intoxicating scent which was already beginning to blow the cobwebs of sleep away.

“Were you out all night?” she asked.

He grunted and grabbed the mug as soon as it was filled. Amy sighed and reached for another one, setting it loudly in place.

“I fell asleep on a park bench,” he said. “Woke up soaked to the bone.”

“You could have just come back here,” she said. “It would have been a lot drier.”

“I didn’t have much control over it,” he said. “Besides, it wouldn’t be a problem if someone didn’t keep rationing my meals.”

Amy grabbed her mug from the machine and turned to face him. “What, so your narcoleptic now, too?”

“No.” He sipped his coffee and leant against the worktop. “I wore myself out practicing.”

“I thought you went out to draw?”

“Everyone needs a break.”

Amy shook her head and reached into the cupboard, setting a jar of peanut butter beside the jackal.

“I’ve finished my design,” she said.

“I noticed. You went for orange. Told you it would work.”

“And you were right. Thanks. If my client likes it, I won’t need to ration you for a while.” She then added, “Although a little sleep never hurt anyone.”

“You’ve clearly never experienced night frights.”

“Have you?”

He slowly licked peanut butter off his fingers while his eye sparkled with amusement. Somehow she didn’t think it was a laughing matter. She returned to her bed to tidy it, smoothing out the sheet with all the professional air of a room service maid. Then she spotted her phone on her night stand. Still set to silent, blinking away to display a reply off Tangle.

‘What? Infinite came up with that colour scheme? No way! By the way, when do I get to meet this mysterious jackal?’

So she wanted to meet him now? Amy shook her head and set her phone in her dress pocket. She’d come up with some excuse later. It’s not as if her friends couldn’t travel to the Beatdrop Capital. But she was in no situation to host. She really needed to find a better, more permanent, place to stay.

But first, breakfast was a priority. She grabbed a couple of sweet breads from the cupboard and flopped down at her desk, setting her coffee a good way away from her designs. Then she retrieved her phone and loaded up the news sites. Hopefully somewhere affordable would have popped up overnight.

Infinite leant on the back of her chair and she tried her best to tune him out. It wasn’t easy, given she could also see him in the mirror. Fidgeting and rubbing at his shoulders between consuming globs of peanut butter. Her finger hovered over the tab for apartment listings, but one of the news articles drew her eye.

‘Child, 7, commits suicide.’

“What? A seven year old?” She tapped on it, bringing up the sad article. The poor child had been found in the early hours of the morning in her back garden. “What reason does a child that young have?”

“Bullies?”

Amy fired a glare at the jackal and took a bite out of her breakfast. She moved on from the article, bringing up the apartment listings. One new. Two bedroom. Just outside the Beatdrop Capital. And it cost almost as much as the hotel room.

She sighed and shut off her screen, tucking the device back into her pocket. Infinite still loomed behind her, close enough for his breath to tickle her ears.

“What do you want?” She turned towards him and he held out the makings of his cyberdreads. “Oh…”

Once he was settled down in her chair, she began sectioning off his mane. All while he finished demolishing his jar of peanut butter. She often wondered how he didn’t make himself sick. At least she’d managed to get better food into him when they’d moved into their current hotel room. And he never complained about her cooking.

Her mind often wandered back to the little garden he’d made her before they moved on. A side of him she’d never seen again since. He’d returned to his cold, unreadable, unsympathetic self the second he’d woken up. Cruel. Rude. Offensive. Despite being helpful… at times. She tried not to question it, but she couldn’t help but wonder if he blamed her for his passing out. As if it had been her plan all along to abuse his powers and cause him to faint. He’d never offered her again, not that she wanted to use them. Yet for some reason he never tried to just leave her. Did he even still have that photo?

He shifted in his seat, stretching out his left arm across the desk.

“Sit still,” she said. “You’re making this harder than it needs to be.”

He muttered to himself and relaxed into the seat, before attempting to lick the remains of his breakfast from the jar.

She let his mane flow over her fingers. Three ribbons down. Two to go. After two weeks, she’d become pretty proficient at weaving the ribbons through his mane. But his constant shuffling was becoming a bother.

“Is something wrong?” she finally asked.

He grunted and caught her eye in the mirror. “I told you. I spent the night on a park bench.”

“Yes. In the rain.” She tied off the fifth ribbon and reached for the belts and tubes. “It’s little wonder you’ve not come back with a fever.”

“Being in the rain doesn’t make you sick. That’s a myth.” He paused to clean peanut butter off his fur. “Besides, I don’t get sick.”

“Yet you get a bad back?”

He shrugged and screwed the lid back on the empty jar. “I regenerate well, but I get as overworked or tense as anyone else. I thought the shower might help.”

“I’m beginning to think you were doing more than just sleeping on a bench. What were you doing, exactly? Creating giant robots and trying to trash them?”

“I don’t try, I succeed.”

“Of course you do. What was I thinking?” Amy reached for her coffee then took a step back. “There you go. All done.”

He watched her return to the bed and settle back against a pillow, once again reaching for her phone. He stood then stretched, grimacing slightly. Amy lowered her phone and set her coffee on the nightstand.

“I’m probably going to regret this,” she said. “But if you want, I can try and sort out your back.”

“What? Are you a masseuse now as well as a fashion designer?”

“No. But I can at least try if it’s really bothering you.”

He glanced between her and the bed, confusion spreading across his face. Then he sighed and waved a hand.

“Whatever,” he said. “It’s worth a try.”

He flopped onto his front on the bed, tucking his head into his arms. Amy blinked a couple of times as she tried to process the situation. With a roll of her eyes, she set her coffee back down and shifted across the bed to his side.

“Where does it hurt?” she asked.

“All over.”

“Well, let it be learned not to fall asleep on something so uncomfortable.”

“I’ve slept on harder things.”

“What?” Amy asked. “A cold stone slab?”

“Actually, yes.”

She decided not to question that. She parted his mane and her hands started to tremble slightly. It wasn’t something she’d done before, and she was beginning to wonder why she’d even offered in the first place. To be nice? Or to stop him fussing? He wasn’t really one to complain about anything.

She hadn’t really seen much of his back due to his long mane. His fluffy white ruff blended into a large white patch that striped off to the sides. It all ended in an odd white tuft at the base of his tail that, if she didn’t know any better, looked like one could use it to peel the markings clean off his body.

She rubbed her hands together then slowly rubbed them over his shoulders. He let out a sigh and buried his face further into his arms. Well, at least she was doing something right.

She kept on silently, her mind wandering to various things. Apartment hunting. Sending off her design. Catching up with Tangle and Whisper. But she couldn’t help but marvel at the softness of Infinite’s fur. She’d often thought the black parts would be somewhat short and wiry, but it was long enough to fluff out between her fingers.

His tail flicked behind her, but if he was irritated he didn’t say anything. It was enough evidence he was awake, anyway. As she worked her way back up to his shoulders, her eye fell on his mask. Fastened tightly over his ears. If he’d been complaining his shoulders were stiff, then was that the culprit? She reached into his mane for the clasp and he jerked his head to fix his lone eye on her.

“What are you doing?” His voice was muffled by the bed sheet.

“Removing it,” she said.

“No.”

“I just want to see if it makes a difference. Don’t worry, I’m not going to look at your face.”

He swished his tail again, this time with more ferocity. Then he sighed and buried his head back in his arms.

“Whatever,” he mumbled.

She unclipped the mask and he shifted to remove it himself, setting it down beside him. He flicked his ears a few times then settled back against his arms. Once he’d relaxed again, she set back to work on his shoulders, making her way to the base of his neck. She considered his jaw for a moment, but given he didn’t want her to see his face he probably didn’t want her to touch it either.

So instead, she reached for his ears. He tensed slightly, but when she began to massage the backs of them he slumped further into the duvet with a sound that reminded her of a cat’s purr. A small smile played at Amy’s lips. She shifted closer to him so she wasn’t stretching her arms so much. No more tail-flicking. He’d practically melted into the bed.

After a while, his breathing leveled out, and Amy realised with some surprise he’d fallen asleep. She released his ears and stroked her fingers over his mane. He occasionally gave a sound like a soft purr, but that was more likely down to the fact his face was smooshed up against his arms. She let her hand fall into his ruff and found herself playing with his fur.

“I’ve not been that nice to you, have I?” she asked.

Of course, she got no reply.

“I’m sorry.”

She pushed herself up and made her way to the cupboard. Stocked full of peanut butter. Was there some way she could actually make him something? Or would he be pretty annoyed with her for using it? Some kind of cheese-cake-like thing?

She shrugged it off and closed the doors again. First, she needed to send that design off. Her phone could take a suitable photo. Once the email was sent, she could rest easy knowing she’d completed it. And deeply hope her client would accept the design.

It took her a few tries to get a good enough photo, and she watched the little envelope symbol fly off into the Chaos Network. Her client was usually pretty good at getting back to her the same day.

She returned to the kitchen cupboards, but stopped part way when a strange noise came from the bed. Infinite’s body jerked as a strangled cough rattled in his throat. She twisted back to the bed and rushed to his side, shaking his shoulder. But it wouldn’t rouse him. He was out cold.

Her heart began to race. Was this because of the damage GUN did to his throat? If she didn’t move him, she feared he’d choke to death in his sleep. She slipped her hands beneath his chin and tried to lift him.

His ears snapped back against his skull and he let out a panicked yell. His entire body blurred and pain shot through Amy’s right shoulder. She yelped and leapt back from him, finding herself staring into the frantic eyes of a manic jackal. He sat on his haunches, digging his claws into the duvet. Teeth bared. Blood dotting his lips. Fur bristled down his spine.

Amy lifted her fingers to her shoulder and her heart froze when they came away bloody. She met Infinite’s eyes again, and all mania melted away as his ears drooped to the sides of his head. His jaw fell open slightly as he looked between her shoulder and her shocked face.

“You bit me!” she screamed.

He lifted a hand towards her. “No-”

“You psycho!”

“Amy!”

She rushed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her and turning the lock. She ran the faucet and tugged off a chunk of toilet paper, soaking it then pressing it against her wounded shoulder. Her heart hammered in her chest and she stared back at her pale reflection. Her pupils were like pinpricks.

“Amy, please!” Infinite jiggled the handle then, from the thud, must have leant against the door. “You startled me.”

“I don’t want to hear it!” she snapped.

“Just open the door!”

“Urgh, I should have known you’d hurt me! It’s what you do. You’re just a monster!” She tossed the blood soaked tissue into the toilet. “And to think I was just worrying that I hadn’t been nice to you!”

A weight tugged at her hands and she stared down to find the familiar chain with its crimson infinity symbols trailing from her wrists until it vanished through the door.

A low growl rose in her throat and she found her mallet in her hands. She stormed to the door and unlocked it, throwing it open behind her. Infinite staggered back from it, his mask now back in place. He looked from her mallet to her and for a moment she thought he was going to disarm her with his disgusting cockroach attack again.

“Let me go, Infinite,” she growled.

“Not until you talk to me,” he said.

“I have nothing to say to you! Now let me go!”

He leant back against the bed frame and diverted his gaze to the door. The chain remained. Amy gave it a hefty tug, jerking him from the bed. So it worked both ways?

“Remove! The chain!”

“If I remove it, you’ll go!”

“Of course I will! You hurt me!”

“You startled me!”

“Oh, so suddenly that’s valid?” She stomped her foot. “I thought you were choking to death!”

He rolled his eye and slumped back against the bed frame.

“I told you if you ever hurt me I’d leave,” she said. “I’m staying true to my word. Now let me go before I scream the place down!”

It was her only defense. She knew full well how strong he was. Her mallet was nothing, and he wouldn’t exactly just stand there and let her clobber him. And he knew full well if she started screaming, GUN agents would be on the place like a ton of bricks.

“You wouldn’t exactly miss me,” she went on. “You wander off most nights anyway, and I know you’d rather be anywhere else. I’m just a convenience to you. Aren’t I?”

He glanced up at her briefly then waved his hand. The chain vanished. With a sigh, he sank against the frame and lowered his head into his hand. Amy huffed and marched over to the wardrobe, stuffing every item of clothing she owned into her small shopping bag. No suitcase. Everything else she owned was tucked away in storage after she’d given up her apartment in Central City.

Where exactly was she going to go now?

She faltered as that thought crossed her mind. Then she shook it off and tugged her bag over her shoulder. She quickly gathered up everything on the desk. Everything except the damp sketchbook.

“The room is paid for until the end of the week,” she said. “That should give you enough time to find somewhere else. Or a job or something.”

She placed a hand on the front door handle but his words froze her.

“You really think I’m a monster?”

“Only a monster would want to destroy Mainframe.” She looked back at him over her shoulder, but he was staring blankly ahead of him. “Now you haven’t got an ‘annoying pink hedgehog’ around to stop you. Go ahead. See where it gets you.”

She pulled the door open then let it close behind her on its heavy hinge. Impossible to slam. It would have made a fantastic ‘full stop’ to her statement.

She faltered by the elevator as the unusual urge to go back into the room warred within her. Had it really been just an accident? Was she overreacting? No… it was the final straw on the camel’s back. Everything had piled up on top of her. All she wanted was some peace. To forget the nightmares that had unfolded in Central City. Besides, he could fend for himself. As the elevator’s doors opened with its cheery chime, she gave one glance back to her former room then climbed inside.

Back in the room, Infinite clasped his hands over his masked face and fell backwards onto the mattress.

Alone.

It made him feel hollowed out inside.

Given he’d spent most of his life alone, one would think he’d be used to it. But he’d never liked it. Now the hotel room felt oddly claustrophobic and unwelcoming. It had felt a lot brighter when she’d been in it. Now it was just a room. Just one small room in a huge world he didn’t belong in.

What was he meant to do now?

 

[DeliriousAbsol]

Chapter Three​

It had taken a couple of hours convincing, but Silver had managed to obtain access to the victim’s home. A little terraced house near the outskirts of the Beatdrop Capital. The garden was very manicured. Red and white rose bushes dotted the outsides of the lawn, while the grass was trimmed neatly with the odd daisy patch. Hanging baskets perched beside the front door, dry as they hadn’t been watered that morning.

Just like Ember’s apartment, the place was immaculately tidy. But going off the lawn, one would expect that. If it wasn’t for their previous investigation, Silver wouldn’t have given it a second thought.

Blaze stood beside him, shifting from foot to foot as she took in the immaculate sitting room. In the far corner was the chair she’d been found in. Fortunately the carpet had been scrubbed clean of any evidence as to how she’d ‘claimed her own life’. It had been the only reason no one had run an autopsy.

They were doing now, however. In the meantime, Silver decided to get a head start on the investigation perchance there were any more clues.

But where to start? They didn’t know the shrew. And no details that Ember had anything to do with her had popped up in his phone.

Silver tucked his hands into his pockets and strolled through the living room to poke around the rest of the house. Stairs, vacuumed to within an inch of their lives. Skirting boards thoroughly dusted.

He entered the childrens’ bedroom. Silent. Almost un-lived in. Toys tucked away in their toy boxes, or neatly arranged on the shelves. A colourful audience of stuffed animals stared down at him, each one arranged by size and species. If it was a sign of the killer, it was rapidly becoming a trademark.

The bed was well made, tucked in at the sides like one might find in a hotel. Not even a spider was tucked away in the corners by the windows. He already felt it would be pointless to check for finger prints. He dusted the windowsill anyway. Nothing.

What did they know about the crime scene? Anything that might point to a break in? The house had been locked. The windows shut. Even the living room door had been closed. Everything the family had recorded when they’d found Crystal dead in her arm chair. Her children had gone off to stay with their grandparents in North Cipher. Apparently it had come as a surprise. Crystal had shown no signs she was unhappy. She worked part time so she had time to spend with her children. Where her husband was, that went unrecorded.

Could it be him?

No… why would he have killed the Mayor’s son? Unless there was some link they were missing.

“Silver?”

The hedgehog looked up from the windowsill to the open door. Blaze was still downstairs. He joined her in the living room, but her back was to him. Her attention was trained on the coffee table.

“Have you found something?” he asked.

“This book.”

“Another book?” He joined her side and frowned down at the book open on the table. “I don’t see anything.”

“It was open to this page,” she said.

A children’s book. A young girl falling down a rabbit hole. Nothing about it seemed remotely suspicious.

“Maybe Crystal had been reading it?”

“Possibly.” Blaze scratched her ear and glanced towards the kitchen. “But there’s a set of playing cards laid out on the kitchen worktop. All hearts.”

Silver grimaced and shifted his weight to one leg. “That’s rather morbid given the circumstances.”

“It all fits,” said Blaze. “Think about it. Her garden. Red and white rosebushes. The playing cards in the kitchen. Go and see for yourself if you don’t believe me.”

He didn’t need telling twice. There they were, fanned out neatly on the kitchen worktop. Ordered from Ace to King. And behind them stood a teapot.

“Okay.” He strolled out from the kitchen, hands in his pockets. “Either the victim seriously likes Alice in Wonderland, or it’s a clue. But to what?”

His phone rang, almost causing him to leap out of his skin. He tugged it out of his inside pocket and checked the number. The autopsy lab. Already?

He answered it and gave a quick ‘hello’. Blaze stared back at him as the woman on the other end relayed the results to him, her voice wavering slightly. Silver thanked her and lowered his phone to his side, eyes wandering from the open book to the kitchen and back.

“It’s the same,” he said. “Heart crushed. No sign of any injury whatsoever, besides… well…” He lifted his arms. “The ‘disguise’.”

Blaze took in a shaky breath and turned to face him. “Do you think the card suits are to point out how he’s killing people? Could it be… a target number or something?”

“No, that’s too obvious,” said Silver. “If he left one clue to point to his next target, then he might be leaving something to point to the one that will follow this.”

“But what does Alice in Wonderland have to do with anything?”

“A rabbit?” Silver shrugged. “I’ve no idea. Is there an address like last time?”

“I didn’t see anything.” Blaze returned to the book and flicked through the pages. “No bookmark. Nothing written on the pages.”

“I’ll check the playing cards.”

He flicked over each one, but they were free of any blemish. The teapot didn’t bring up anything suspicious either. Its only contents were a couple of tea stains. For good measure, he checked over all the teacups. Then he returned to the childrens’ room.

A white rabbit. Was there one? He frowned at the colourful stuffed animals. If anything, the only animal they were missing was a rabbit.

A rabbit…

He pulled out his phone and loaded up the Beatdrop news site. It was almost out of habit. He’d already checked it that morning, searching for anything that might have pointed to a killer. But one article stood out to him this time.

‘Child, age 7, commits suicide.’

A white rabbit. A little girl. Cause of death - fell from her bedroom window. He almost dropped his phone as he recalled the page the book had been left open at. Alice, falling down the rabbit hole.

He rushed back down the stairs shouting for Blaze.

...​

Something didn’t smell right. The doorway to the rundown warehouse usually smelled damp, but now there was a hint of oil in the air. Rouge’s large ears twitched and she clutched tightly to her knapsack as she strained to hear beyond the door. It was rapidly becoming darker, and a fine drizzle filled the air, soaking through her fur. Then she heard it. The distant thrumming of chopper blades.

She ducked into the warehouse, ears forward, as she made a beeline for the little room her and Shadow had been holed up in for the past three days. The sharp tang of oil grew stronger and something crunched beneath her boot. She paused to examine it and kicked aside the cracked shell of a Grade Two SWAT ‘bot.

“Shadow?!” The words left her mouth without her permission as her heart lurched into her chest.

Crimson eyes locked on hers from the little room and she let out a small sigh of relief. The room was littered with robot remains and puddles of greasy oil, and cowering against the wall was a small bobcat. Shadow held the GUN soldier’s rifle against the trembling feline’s throat, not a single hint of remorse on the hedgehog’s face.

“What took you so long?” Shadow spat, although his eyes were back on the soldier.

“I’m sorry.” Rouge adjusted her bag and took a few steps towards him, cautiously glancing over the trashed robots. “We should move. Let the cat go.”

“Please.” The bobcat closed his eyes and a lone tear trailed down his cheek. “I’m just doing my job.”

Rouge’s heart went out to the soldier. She knew it all too well. A newbie, sent out because they showed promise. A chance to prove themselves. Allied with a robot or two, who weren’t just allies. They were his friends. But instead of succeeding, he’d found himself in a situation he had no way to prepare for. She gave another glance at the remains. It was impossible to say how many robots were even with him, but there would be no way to repair them now. Maybe he could salvage their personality and memory chips?

She placed her hand on the rifle and lowered it, drawing a furious glare from Shadow.

“Just let him go,” she said. “He won’t be chasing after us.”

“I can’t just let him go, Rouge,” said Shadow. “He’ll just come looking for us.”

“I won’t,” said the soldier. “Please…”

“I’m sick of this!” Shadow jerked the gun back up towards the bobcat’s head, causing him to screw his eyes shut and let out a weak whimper. “I’m sick of you lot chasing me! What did you even bother creating me for?!”

Rouge placed a firm hand on the hedgehog’s shoulder. “Shadow, please!”

With a roar, Shadow tossed the gun aside into a stack of crates. A loud bang left it, stunning Rouge’s ears. A small bullet pinged off the stone and she ducked as it went whizzing over her head. The heat skimmed the tips of her ears and she tugged them flat against her skull. She fixed wide eyes on Shadow who met her gaze briefly. Concerned, then relieved. He stumbled back from the soldier and clasped his hands over his face.

The bobcat sobbed a few times as he sank down against the wall onto his bottom.

Rouge moved towards the hedgehog and took hold of his arm. “Let’s get out of here.” She then turned to the soldier. “You might want to resign.”

The bobcat didn’t reply. He wasn’t looking at either of them anymore. He grabbed a scrap of metal in his trembling hands and pulled it onto his lap, his yellow eyes sparkling with tears.

Shadow pulled Rouge into himself and the room vanished around them to be replaced by the Beatdrop Capital’s main street. A few gasps of alarm came from the late night commuters, and a small mouse quickly sidestepped them. Rouge looked from the rodent’s slack-jawed face to Shadow.

“Why are we here?” she asked.

Shadow looked as stunned as she was. He shook his head and rushed her after him into a narrow side street.

“What happened?” Rouge said as they came to a stop. “There was no computer code this time. Or a tunnel, or…”

She drifted off as a strange red haze caught her eye. Shadow stared down at his hands as the energy faded from them, then turned his attention back to the busy street. Rouge followed his gaze, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. People had returned to their normal day, walking back and forth as they made their way to their various destinations. No concern shown for the fugitives lurking in the doorway to a closed bakery in the narrow street.

Yet there was something in Shadow’s eyes. A longing. Rouge gave herself a mental shake and nudged his shoulder.

“Shadow, what was that? It wasn’t the Chaos Network.”

“I don’t know.” He finally turned back to her, but avoided her stare, instead fixing on the brick wall behind her. “I normally have more accuracy than that, I…” He rubbed his hands over his face and sighed. “I don’t know what’s happening.”

“This hasn’t happened before, has it?”

When he didn’t answer, she folded her arms and moved closer to him.

“Shadow, if something’s happening to you, I want you to tell me. How long has this been going on?”

He looked up then, but his right ear twitched. A grunt came from the end of the street, away from the main road. She turned her head towards it and her heart froze in her chest. Something… or someone… lumbered towards them. She couldn’t see their face. It was entirely encased in what looked like a metal box with blinking lights on the sides. Their right arm ended in a strange contraption with long, blade-like claws that glinted in the neon lights.

The creature froze and their shoulders rose and fell as if they were panting with exhaustion. Then they ran. Straight towards her and Shadow.

Rouge let out a squeal and beat her wings, rising into the air. Shadow had already vanished, the faint halo of light forming a perfect image of him where he’d been standing. It vanished just as quickly as he reappeared behind the creature. He struck them in the back of the head with a crescent kick, sending them sprawling face first onto the concrete. The blade-like claws scraped up sparks, peppering the creature’s creamy fur. But they didn’t care. They scrambled back to their feet and, with a roar, lashed out at Shadow.

He vanished again, narrowly missing the creature’s cleaving blades. Rouge leapt in, landing a spinning kick to the beast’s helmet. She flinched as her feet struck metal, sending a shockwave up her legs. But the creature wasn’t fazed. It turned towards her, grunting, flexing its claws. Both metal and natural. It lifted its metal arm, its long blades glinting in the streetlight.

“Rouge! Move!”

The lights along the creature’s helmet flickered erratically. Then it shook its head from side to side and rushed the wall, smashing into it. Sparks flew out behind it as it scraped the helmet along the bricks, twisting and groaning like something in pain.

Shadow appeared again, landing a hard blazing kick to the creature’s back. It folded like a lawn chair and crumpled to the floor, roaring with frustration.

Shadow took Rouge’s hand and bolted down the street, his feet gliding as his skates picked up momentum. Rouge had to use her wings to keep up, her breath coming in heavy bursts as they desperately tried to put as much space between them and the mutant beast as possible.

Shadow stopped beside a manhole cover and lifted it off, ushering Rouge ahead of him. He dropped down beside her, letting the lid clatter back in place. Their feet echoed over the iron grate as they moved back from the ladder, keeping a watchful eye on the manhole cover.

“What on earth was that?” Rouge gasped. “Do you think it was that jackal that got out?”

“No,” said Shadow. “It was the wrong shape for a jackal. I’d say it was a skunk, or something similar.”

“What was wrong with them? Do you think they need help?”

Shadow rounded on her and pointed towards the ladder. “Neither of us are going back there! That thing wanted blood!”

Rouge clasped her hands at her sides, meeting the hedgehog’s crimson stare. “You’re right. They were psychotic. But I think they’re in pain.”

“I’m not letting you go back there.” He gave one last glance to the metal lid then turned away from it. “Come on. We’ll let GUN deal with it. Maybe it’ll keep them off our backs for a little while.”

“We can’t just leave it like that! What if it kills someone?!”

“Then GUN will have their hands full.”

She sighed and shook her head before trotting along after him. Whatever that beast was, it was too much for them both to handle. If it hadn’t charged the wall she might have found herself skewered like a kebab on its massive blades.

Compared to the streets, the sewers were almost silent. The skittering of tiny rat paws and the soft gurgle of water flowing through the pipes could be heard over the faint voices and rumble of hover-car engines above them. They strolled on in silence, their shoes clattering over the iron grates, as they wound their way through the Beatdrop Capital’s underbelly.

When the path widened enough, Rouge trotted to join Shadows’ side. “So are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“That red glow, Shadow. And the random teleporting?”

“Like I said.” He moved on ahead of her, ducking into another tunnel. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“So you don’t know what’s happening? Fifty years, and this had never happened before?”

He looked back at her then, and she stood up straight as she joined him on the other side of the tunnel. His eyes softened and he let out a small, silent sigh.

“It’s been happening for a few days,” he said. “I’m trying not to worry about it.”

“A few days?! And you never thought to tell me?”

“It’s not a big deal.”

“It is if something about you is changing!” She paused and rubbed a hand over her ears. “You might need help. Are any of your old scientists still alive?”

“They all died in the explosion.” He turned his back on her and marched on ahead. “I’m fine. Now drop it.”

She bit back the urge to tell him he wasn’t fine and shook her head. A few days… that meant it had started shortly after they got ambushed by those GUN soldiers and Metal Sonic in the park. Was there something in that tranquilizer dart? That had long since been disposed of. There’d be no way of her finding out. Unless she could get her hands on that fox and quiz him about it? She wouldn’t put it past GUN to throw a spanner in the works to try and draw their targets to them, or weaken them. If it had caused his teleporting to become inaccurate, there was every chance he’d find himself walking straight into one of GUN’s labs.

She would just have to hope it would never come to that. She trotted to catch up with him again, deciding to change the subject. But it was clear he didn’t want to talk about anything. The entire situation was clearly playing on his mind. Maybe, when he next decided to have a good sleep, she could slip out and find that two-tailed fox and find out what on earth they’d put in that little dart.

...​

The pulsing sub woofers of Baseline City faded rapidly into the distance as Infinite made his way back through the Beatdrop Capital. He dribbled a tin can between his feet, lost in his own thoughts. The vibrant colours and noisy game arcades of Mainframe’s major entertainment district had done little to clear his head.

He didn’t want to go back to the hotel room. It felt cold and unwelcoming. Funny, given how most places had felt cold and unwelcoming his entire life. It had never bothered him before, he’d just rolled with it. So why did it bother him now? Since when had he become so reliant on another being?

He gave the tin can a hefty kick, sending it bounding along the street. Then he ran after it, causing a group of curious teenage punks to veer aside, watching him with avid amusement. He slowed, catching the soda can under his boot to turn a corner onto a side street. Much more silent. Much less populous. He continued his idle dribbling as his thoughts rambled on. Wandering to Amy. Had she gone back to Central City? It seemed an odd choice, given how adamant she’d been to leave the place. But without that chain, he really didn’t know where she was.

Why was he so bothered about what that pink hedgehog was up to anyway? He didn’t need her, and she didn’t need him. Gadget was gone. Project Wreckingball was over. All that was left now was for Infinite to wipe out Eggman, or all of Mainframe if he had to. There was nothing left for him here. He was just an alien in a world that didn’t want him.

He nudged the soda can onto his boot then punted it across the road. It landed with a clatter in a trash can, stirring up a couple of dozy flies. It was a good way of punctuating his point. If he wanted out of Mainframe, he’d need to destroy it first. Then find a way back to his own reality. If that was even possible.

Almost sixty years had passed. Who would even still be alive? They’d likely all be old. Weak. Useless. And no matter where he ended up, he’d still be alone. The only one who’d remain unchanged was Shadow.

His fur bristled down his spine and he realised all too late he’d been growling. He quickly stifled it and gave a nonchalant glance to the couple strolling past him across the road. The male looped his arm around his partner’s shoulders and steered her quickly onto the main street.

Infinite rolled his eyes and continued his walk to nowhere. His strength was waning. How? He’d barely even used his powers that night. He found his mind wandering to the store of peanut butter back at the hotel. Was it really worth going back for that?

Either way, he found himself following the narrow street back towards it. He trailed his fingers along the brick wall, humming softly to himself. Then something caught his eye. Claw marks littering the floor. Deep ones, as if they’d been dug up by a blade. Three blades, neatly in a row.

His tail swished from side to side as he stared at them. Too familiar. No… it was impossible. It was just a robot. Mainframe was filled with robots. But which ones were armed with claws like that? Metal Sonic was much too small, and he would have left more than three deep rivets in the concrete.

And the brickwork.

Infinite took a step back as he scanned over the narrow street. Scuff marks. Deep rivets. Missing chunks of brick and mortar. What on earth had happened here?

A low chuckle left his throat and he lowered his head to scratch beneath his mask. Oh, this was getting interesting.

He followed the trail along the narrow street and into an alleyway. The overflowing skips heaped their burden onto the floor as it flowed free from slashes in the trash bags. Infinite side-stepped the mess, sniffing at the air. But all he could smell was rotting garbage. No… not just garbage. Skunk.

He crept slowly along the road like a lion stalking its prey. He barely even breathed. All focus on the shadows and the run-down buildings and closed stores along the alley.

Grunting. And something akin to a roar.

Infinite froze, turning his head towards the back entrance to a bar. It was closed. Odd, at this hour. Glass littered the concrete beneath a shattered window, and fresh blood and cream fur marred the jagged edges. He kept himself low to the ground as he rushed towards it, then peered into the bar. Tables and chairs lay scattered, and the bar was torn to shreds. No lights were on. If it had been open, then people had fled. But how many would have made it out alive? Maybe the bar was abandoned. One could hope.

Blue lights flickered in the shadows, and a crimson slit of light leered back at him, meeting his lone eye. He bared his canines, letting out a low growl. The beast in the shadows returned it, then leapt towards him in a roaring mass of metal and fur.

Infinite burst through the window, meeting the skunk head on. He channeled the Phantom Ruby into his fists and struck the creature in the gut. It flew back from him, crashing through the remains of a table.

Project Wreckingball pushed itself up, its body trembling with the effort. The blue lights on its helmet flickered erratically, and its eye piece seemed to leer at him side-on.

Infinite balled his hands into fists, his breath coming in heavy bursts. Crimson energy flowed around him, forming little cubes almost of its own accord. All he could see was red. Why was this thing still alive? And what was it doing hanging around the Beatdrop Capital? Hadn’t they left it behind at the isolated prison?!

He launched himself towards it, vanishing in a flurry of computer code. He reappeared above it, and his boot connected with its helmet. It struck the floor face first with a grunt. Then it twisted, cleaving at him with its claws. Its right hand had been completely replaced by a robotic limb.

Infinite vanished as its claws slashed through where he’d been hovering. He appeared again on its chest, digging his own claws into its thick, furry throat.

“Where’s Gadget?” he growled. “Surely you wouldn’t be here alone, would you? Or have you bailed on your master?”

He spat the last word, peppering the skunk’s helmet with spittle. It leant back, kicking out at him with its legs. Infinite went careening back from him and came to an abrupt halt in the air.

A barrage of crimson cubes left him, forming sharp blades. They sliced at the beast, carving up blood and fur. It howled and shook its head, crashing its helmet against the chairs, walls, tables… anything it could get at. What was left of the bar shattered as it crashed through it head first. Sparks flew as it collided with metal, striking the florescent light above it. It exploded into frail pieces of glass with an almighty bang. Then Project Wreckingball rounded on Infinite, flying at him with its claws bared.

Infinite hadn’t been expecting it. Too fixated on the skunk’s sudden confusing outburst. He strafed away but it brought its robotic fist around into his side. Pain exploded through his body as two of its blades sliced right through him. It dragged them back, letting him crash to the floor with a grunt. Blood flowed out from the wounds to form a crimson puddle around him.

His breath rasped as he pushed himself up, clasping his gloved hand to his side. Project Wreckingball let out a howl and rushed him, its bloody claws glinting in the low streetlight.

Pink mist swirled around Infinite and he vanished, leaving the mad skunk to cleave at thin air.

When he manifested again, he was crouching beside a cold, stone wall. Blood still flowed freely from his side, and it was becoming difficult to breathe. But his regeneration had already kicked in, knitting together the most important parts first. He staggered to his feet, propping himself up against the wall. Where was he?

He glanced behind him at the building. A little neon pink sign hung from it. The hotel? He’d not been aiming for it. But it had been on his mind. Maybe he was getting better at this mist-warping?

The pain dulled as the wounds zipped up. The only evidence he’d been injured was the blood marring his fur all down his left side, leg, and the base of his tail. He rolled his head back against the wall, still breathing heavily. That brief fight had done a number on him. Why was he so exhausted? He gave another glance to the neon sign and pushed himself back from the wall.

“Well, well. If it isn’t Infinite.”

A chill ran down Infinite’s spine, causing his entire back to stiffen. He turned his head towards the voice and his lips pulled back of their own accord. A familiar red wolf strolled from the shadows. No longer sporting a lab coat. That had been discarded in favour of a long leather trenchcoat fastened at the waist by a belt.

Infinite pressed his back up against the wall as Gadget approached him. It was near impossible to summon the strength to attack. He scanned his lone eye over the wolf, looking for any sense of fear. He saw none.

“So here you are, lurking around the Beatdrop Capital.” Gadget shrugged his shoulders and tutted. “It’s not been easy to find you. I’ll give it that.” He gave a quick glance up and down the street. “No one to help you this time either? Interesting.”

“Why are you so obsessed with finding me?” Infinite spat. “You already have your pet project. Oh wait…” He chuckled and waved a hand towards the quiet street. “It’s running rampant in some back alley. Lose control of it, did you? And you had such faith in that harness-”

His words cut off as something pressed against his chest. Gadget gave a small smirk as he knocked the safety off his gravity gun, causing Infinite’s fur to prickle down his back. Any other time he’d have reduced it to nothing. Yet for some reason, he couldn’t find the strength to do so.

“The point is, jackal,” Gadget said slowly, “I have found you. And you’d be best off coming with me. I sincerely doubt even you could survive if your heart was reduced to pulp. Do you?”

Infinite bared his canines and clenched his fists at his sides. “Forget it. I’m not about to become your mindless puppet.”

“Really?” Gadget feigned disappointment and nudged the gun against his chest. Infinite didn’t even flinch. “Well, it would be a pity to kill you. You’re much more use to me alive. Maybe you’d be singing a different tune if it was your little girlfriend’s life at stake?”

Infinite’s fist connected with Gadget’s jaw, sending the wolf soaring away from him. He landed in a sprawl on the floor, and his gravity gun skittered away along the gutter. A lone candy wrapper found itself caught in its misfire and fluttered in the air for a while before the beam petered out.

Infinite shook his fist, muttering under his breath. No Phantom Ruby to aide him there. That had been all him, and it had taken him by surprise. He’d been rather out of practice after being locked up for the better part of six decades.

“You really don’t know when to quit, do you?” he growled.

Gadget pushed himself up, wiping blood from his muzzle with the back of his black glove. He reached for his gun, but Infinite brought his boot down on his hand. Gadget stifled a howl, his face creasing with the effort.

“You’re useless without your weapons,” Infinite spat. “But me? Back in my world, long before I got the Phantom Ruby, I learned how to fight without them. You’re nothing but a maggot, wolf. Pathetic. Weak.” He ground his boot into his wrist, causing Gadget to grunt with pain. “You’re nothing.”

Infinite jumped as something pricked his right leg. He stumbled back from Gadget, catching a glance of his smirking face.

“Did you also have both eyes?” the wolf asked.

Infinite turned his head fully to his leg. The pain had gone, but sticking out of it was the red tuft of a tranquilizer dart.

No… He had to get out of there.

His eyes began to fog over and he took a couple of steps backwards, watching as Gadget pushed himself to his feet and retrieved his gun.

Two firm hands grabbed Infinite by the shoulders and he found himself twirled aside.

“Get out of here, Infinite.”

His jaw went slack as a well-dressed platypus strolled past him. Starline? Gadget’s expression turned livid as his full attention went to his former rival. It was contrasted by Starline’s calm demeanor as he stopped a couple of feet from the wolf, standing with his hands clasped behind his back. He turned his head slightly to smile at the jackal.

Infinite didn’t need telling twice. He knew full well the tide of battle had changed against him. He closed his eyes briefly and let his entire body succumb to the pink mist. When it faded, he found himself back in the hotel room with his back to the window.

Weak… why was he so weak? How couldn’t he have seen that sneaky trick coming?

All strength left him and he sank down against the wall into a heap on the floor.

...​

Gadget spat bloody spittle onto the tarmac and cocked his gun towards Starline.

“You let him get away!” Gadget snapped.

“Of course I did.” Starline shrugged.

“You had no right to intervene in this, Starline! He’s my project, not yours!”

“Project indeed,” Starline spat. “I wasn’t about to let you have your way with him, now, was I? I always questioned your warped ideas.”

“As if you didn’t want to use him to get rid of Eggman, either! Or were you always a fan of that deranged doctor?”

“I’d watch what you’re saying around here, Gadget.” A smile spread across Starline’s beak. “The drones might be listening.”

Gadget cast a quick glance around him, then his eyes settled on the blue probing light of a Strider Drone beyond the low buildings ahead of him.

“Why are you really here?” he asked Starline. “It’s clearly not to apprehend Infinite.”

“I noticed some strange… events… unfolding on the drone footage,” Starline explained. “Metal Sonic found himself face to face with a rampaging monster. It leapt out of nowhere, interrupting his mission. The helmet it was wearing looked shockingly familiar. So I thought I’d come and check it out. I had my suspicions it would lead me to you. And lo-and-behold, here you are, interrogating Infinite yet again.”

“Oh come on! You’re just gonna let that mad jackal roam free?”

“Yes. He’s Eggman’s problem now. It’s up to him to decide what becomes of Infinite. Not you. You lost your job when your rogue band of GUN agents were disbanded. Now you’re nothing but a criminal.”

“So what? You’re going to turn me over to Eggman?” Gadget’s eyes narrowed and he lifted his gun slightly. “Because I know where you allegiance really lies.”

“Oh no, Gadget. You only think you know. That’s exactly why you ‘retired’ me.”

Gadget pulled the trigger, sending out a blue beam. Starline stepped aside and waved the hand baring his Warp Topaz. A wormhole opened where he’d been standing, consuming the gravity beam. It re-emerged behind Gadget, trapping him in its field. The wolf yelped as he was suddenly suspended in mid-air.

Starline tutted as he moved towards him and reached out for the gun. He plucked it from Gadget’s hands and the beam cut off, sending the wolf to the floor with a grunt.

The platypus turned the gun in his hands until he spotted the dial on the back. He tutted again and let out a disappointed sigh.

“Typical,” he said. “You’ve gone and turned my creation into a torture device.”

“I improved it,” Gadget spat.

“If you say so.” Starline tossed the gun to land once again in the gutter. He then stooped so he was eye-level with Gadget. “I’ve got my eye on you. And your little skunk pet.”

Gadget’s brow furrowed and he pushed himself back to his feet.

Starline tucked his hands behind his back and took a few steps away from him. “I’ve got eyes all over this city. And soon, all over Mainframe. Nothing you do can escape my sights. The Big Bad Wolf will soon become nothing more than a little pup running from Eggman’s drones. Desperate not to be hunted and mounted on his wall.”

Gadget aimed his gun again and fired, but all it let out was a muffled click. He stared down at it, dumbfounded, then looked back up at the platypus.

Starline grinned from ear to ear and waved his Warp Topaz, creating another wormhole. “I’ll be watching, Gadget. You get to see some interesting things when you have access to so many eyes.”

Gadget let out a chuckle and lowered his weapon. “So you’re just going to let me go? I thought Eggman classified that as ‘treason’. If you can see all of the Beatdrop Capital, surely he can, too?” He waved a hand towards the Strider Drone vanishing beyond the skyscrapers.

“Oh yes. Yes he can. But those eyes aren’t on me. I’ve made sure of that. My reason for leaving you here is simple. Something is happening in this city, and I want to see how it plays out before I turn your pathetic tail over to Eggman. Besides?” Starline raised his hands in a shrug. “Who exactly is going to tattle on me? You?”

He stepped backwards into the wormhole, giving a playful wave. It closed up behind him, leaving Gadget standing in the gutter.

 

[DeliriousAbsol]

Chapter Four​

It had taken a couple of days to convince the child’s parents that her death may actually have been a murder. Apparently a book with a vague allusion to her cause of death wasn’t solid evidence to support Silver’s theory.

Snow had been found face down in their back garden. She had sported broken bones from her injury in her neck and back, and a dislocated left shoulder. Nothing on her legs, suggesting she’d fallen head first. Her bedroom door had been barricaded by her dresser, which had surprised her parents as she was only seven years old. But it wasn’t an unusually heavy item of furniture, and a determined child could certainly have moved it.

Both her parents had been out at the time, leaving her in the care of her grandmother who had fallen asleep on the sofa. She’d heard nothing. Silver had suspected chloroform. The elderly rabbit had fallen asleep, and someone had sprayed the stuff around her or managed to get her to inhale it without suspicion.

It was only after their third conversation when something twigged in the parents’ minds. They’d rang him, that time. Snow’s room was immaculate. Not oddly so, as she was a tidy child. That’s how it had slipped under their radar. The similarities to the previous crime scenes was uncanny. Everything had been tidied up and organized. Stuffed animals and dolls arranged by size. Windows and surfaces scrubbed clean so not a fingerprint remained. Not even from the child herself. If there were no fingerprints on the windowsill, then how had she managed to climb from it? One theory had suggested she’d jumped clean from the window without touching anything. It had been found wide open. But that was just silly. Silver was convinced she’d been thrown from it. Yet her body lacked any sign of DNA that wasn’t her own or her parents’.

Both adult rabbits feared they might be suspected of her death, but Silver assured them that wouldn’t be the case. Not unless the evidence went wildly against them. Blaze had scolded him for that.

The four of them had searched the room for anything that might have been out of the ordinary. Anything that might have pointed them to a clue to the child’s killer, or towards who was being targeted next.

Nothing.

No strange books. No cryptic puzzles. Nothing tucked away in any of the drawers. Nothing written on the windows when Blaze attempted to mist it over.

When asked what the child’s interests were, her parents could have spoken for hours. Dolls and stuffed animals were a big one. Reading. Playing outside and exploring woodlands. She loved animals, and wasn’t much for TV unless it was a nature documentary or a cartoon.

Blaze was rummaging under the bed while Snow’s parents relayed everything they possibly could about their daughter. When Blaze clambered back out with a strange headset clasped in her hands, the bedroom fell into a momentary silence.

A virtual reality machine. One equipped with a computer and a game cart loaded in place. A pretty retro design that dated back thirty or so years. No one had seen a game cart since.

“Is this yours?” Silver had asked her parents.

They shook their heads, baffled as to where it had even come from. Not one of them owned a games machine. Her father didn’t have time, and Snow wasn’t even interested in them. At least, that was what they had always thought. There was every possibility she could have borrowed it.

Silver claimed it as potential evidence, but yet again it bore no fingerprints. Not from Snow, not from her parents, nor anyone else.

The game loaded inside was the first in the Assassin Strike series. An action game where the player character took on the role of an assassin who’s goal was to stop an evil dictator ruling their country. Combined with everything they now knew about the little rabbit’s interests, it was safe to say Snow would have had no interest in it. It was an anomaly in a colourful, girly room filled with dolls and plush animals. So her parents agreed to have an autopsy to see if her death really was related to the previous killings.

Silver wasn’t sure which outcome her parents wanted. Knowing a killer was out there, and had targeted their daughter, was as much a nightmare to them as their original suspicions.

The hedgehog turned the virtual reality device in his hands and leant back in his chair. The only sounds filling his office was the traffic milling back and forth. Blaze hadn’t shown up that morning. She’d decided to look into all suicide cases prior to her brother’s death. Not that they’d be able to run any autopsies. But surely family or friends would be able to key them into what the scene looked like? If there were any similarities to the killer’s trademark tidiness then they could work out how long this had been going on for. Maybe even find some clues that would lead them to the next target, if possible.

Blaze… she’d been nothing short of useful in his investigations. Her keen eye had drawn them to every clue so far. That is, if the virtual reality machine was a clue. But if so, what did it mean? Was the next target the man behind the device? Or the game? Or were they in some way related to the game? An animator? Scene designer? The story writer?

His phone began to ring and he dropped the game so he could answer it. The autopsy lab. The woman on the other end sounded rather distressed. Her voice wavered and it sounded like she hadn’t slept in a while.

Snow’s true cause of death had been confirmed. Another crushed heart. No scars. No evidence as to how the killer had even accomplished it. But it was definitely being done by someone, or something.

Silver’s blood turned cold as he looked back at the virtual reality machine. They really were dealing with a serial killer. A cunning one. And whoever it was had every intention in messing with the investigator’s head.

A game. A sick game. These were peoples’ lives this maniac was messing with. It made Silver’s blood boil.

...​

A long, stripy tail poked out from among a neat pile of boxes. Its contents had spilled over at some point during Amy’s journey from Central City back to the Beatdrop Capital. She stood back and watched helplessly as her friend quickly stuffed the various ribbons and buttons and other embellishments back into the cardboard box. There wasn’t enough room for both her and Tangle in the back of the van. The slightly lop-sided wardrobe had made sure of that.

“There we go!” The eccentric lemur stood up straight, clutching the box in her arms. “Everything’s back in! Although we might find a button or two later, but eh! It doesn’t matter. Moving house is messy, after all.”

“I’m just grateful for your help.” Amy took the box and stood back so Tangle could grab another. “Both you and Whisper.”

As if on cue, the dainty wolf dropped from the driver’s seat and closed the door behind her. She had barely reached the back of the van before she found a box loaded into her arms by Tangle. Whisper’s usually narrowed eyes shot wide open as she almost buckled under its weight.

“Think you can carry that into the kitchen?” Tangle asked as she climbed back into the van. “It’s utensils and pans and all that jazz.”

“You don’t say…” Whisper’s voice was so quiet Amy was convinced Tangle hadn’t heard her.

Nevertheless, the wolf complied, making her way into the apartment block. The door had been held open by a little sand-filled puppy Tangle had found stuffed in the back of Amy’s wardrobe. A forgotten birthday present from long ago, from who, Amy just couldn’t remember.

With her own box clutched in her arms, Tangle joined Amy on the street and flicked the doors shut with her tail.

“I can’t believe you’re moving so far away!” she said as she followed Amy into the apartment block. “I understand it, but still! What’s gonna happen to our weekly girls’ nights?”

“They might not be as frequent,” said Amy. “But you can always take the train. The journey isn’t even an hour.”

“I guess! But you don’t even have any friends in the Beatdrop Capital, do you? Won’t you get lonely?”

They clambered into the elevator and Tangle pushed the button for the fifth floor with her tail.

“We’ve been over this a billion times,” said Amy. “I’ll be fine.”

“Darn straight, you’ll be fine!” said Tangle. “Because I’m staying with you for a few days while you get settled.”

“Do I get a say in the matter?” Amy asked.

“Nope!”

The elevator let them out in a clean, warm corridor. The third door along was already open, and they found Whisper in the kitchenette setting up Amy’s little coffee machine.

“Priorities eh?” Tangle dropped the box of books beside the kitchen bar.

Whisper nodded as she plugged the utensil into a wall socket.

“So are you in?” Tangle asked the wolf. “I’m gonna stay with Amy a while and you’ll be joining us too, right?”

Whisper looked up with a start and let out a long ‘uhm…’

“Really, you don’t have to,” said Amy.

“Oh come on!” Tangle leant on the bar, her long tail swishing behind her, completely ignoring the pink hedgehog. “A journalist isn’t tied down to just one place! You might find somethin’ to report on here, right? It’ll be fun!”

Whisper chuckled and turned back to the coffee machine. “Okay… I’m in.”

A small smile spread across Amy’s muzzle and she set the box of ‘buttons and things’ just inside a small room. One she’d picked out to be her studio.

“Thanks, guys,” she said. “I really do appreciate it. But I don’t want to be a burden. Whisper might be okay, but what about you, Tangle? What about the restaurant?”

Tangle leant with her back against the bar and waved a hand. “Ah! They can do without me for a few days. I’m sure they’ll understand.”

“Unless they fire you,” said Amy.

“Then great! I’ll just move in here with you.”

Amy laughed and shook her head. “I think you just have some long-term plan to glue yourself to my hip.”

“Sisters forever, Amy!” Tangle followed Amy and Whisper back out into the corridor. “So what became of that handsome jackal, then? Any news?”

Amy’s spine stiffened and she slinked slowly into the elevator. “I don’t really want to talk about it.”

“You’ve kept quiet about it for the past three days!” Tangle groaned. “I want news! What happened between you two?”

“We fell out. That’s all you need to know.”

Tangle looked up at Whisper and winked. “Lover’s spat.”

Amy’s cheeks heated up and she rounded on Tangle. “We weren’t an item! Urgh.” She sank back against the mirrored wall of the elevator. “It’s no use convincing you two, is it? You’ll believe what you want.”

“I believe you,” said Whisper.

“So you’re tellin’ me you weren’t happy?” Tangle asked. “Because you seemed happy enough to bring him up here to the Beatdrop Capital.”

“I wanted to get away after everything that went down in Central City,” Amy explained. “I was uncomfortable, and we had a psychotic wolf after us. But that’s all blown over now.”

“And what about Infinite?” Tangle asked. “Is he still here?”

“He’ll move on eventually,” Amy muttered. “I hope. I really don’t want to have to move again.”

“I don’t want you to move again,” said Tangle. “Ooh. Do you think he’s that howling beast people have reported seeing?”

Whisper looked up at that and they climbed out of the elevator.

“Howling beast?” Amy parroted.

“Yeah!” A wide grin appeared on the lemur’s face. “They say it’s been tearin’ up the alleys and jumpin’ people! Some have even been caught in its wicked claws. And they say, at night, you can hear it groaning inside this boarded up club. When some kids went to investigate one morning, the tables were overturned and the bar all slashed up. And right in the middle of the floor was a pool of blood!”

Amy glared at her, and beside her, Whisper was trying her best not to tremble.

“Cut it out, Tangle,” said Amy. “You’re scaring Whisper.”

Whisper looked away from her. “No she’s not…”

“Oh come on!” Tangle waved a hand at the wolf. “She’s a journalist! She lives for this kinda stuff!”

“She reports on video games and city life!” Amy snapped.

“This is city life!” Tangle countered.

“I’m not scared.” Whisper’s quiet voice didn’t waver in the slightest. “Just a rumor, anyway.”

A brief pause passed between them, then Tangle grinned again.

“Fancy goin’ out tonight to see if we can find it?” she asked.

“No!” Amy and Whisper both said.

“Oh, come on!” Tangle whined. “The Guardian Angel might show up, too, and save the day!”

“We said no,” said Amy. “Besides, they’re just a rumor, too.”

Whisper looked between the two then nodded stiffly in agreement.

“Pff, fine!” Tangle turned back to the van to grab another box. “Be boring. We’ll watch girly movies then, and drink wine and talk about boys.”

Amy exchanged a playful smile with Whisper. “Sounds good to me.”

“I was kidding!” Tangle stuffed the box into Whisper’s unsuspecting arms. “After all that fun and danger with the mysterious jackal guy, why wouldn’t you want more adventure?”

“Because I didn’t want it in the first place.” Amy took the box from Whisper. “I just want some peace and quiet, and to go back to selling designs. I should be grateful I sold that autumn one so quickly and could afford this place. It’s already a start.”

“Eh.” Tangle rolled her eyes and grabbed another box to unload onto Whisper. “I suppose I understand. All right. I’ll get the wine. You guys get the movie.”

“Nothing with unnecessary action and guns, either,” said Amy.

Tangle stood up with a heavy box marked ‘yet more books’, and staggered backwards under its weight. “Spoilsport!”

The rest of the trips to and from the van mostly consisted of playful bickering and movie suggestions. It took all three of them to carry in the heavier furniture, such as Amy’s wardrobe, which was fun and games getting into (and back out of) the elevator.

“We really should have taken this apart,” Amy had said.

“That would have required tools and taken forever!” Tangle had countered.

Once the larger of the furniture was in place, they could finally begin to unpack. Amy started with her books, given the boxes took up a fair bit of space in her new, small apartment. And she didn’t mind living out of suitcases for a day or two.

Whisper focused on the kitchen, while Tangle found anything that ‘wasn’t needed immediately’ and began stuffing it into the little storage closet near the front door.

“You have enough books to make your own library!” she said.

“What can I say? I like reading.” Amy cast a glance over her shoulder at the lemur. “And if you find any, don’t go putting them in that closet.”

“Of course!” Tangle stood up from the black bin liner full of winter coats and held up a small sausage-shaped bundle. “Man! Remember these?”

Amy looked back at her again, and Whisper paused her stocking of Amy’s kitchen cupboards to see what had caught Tangle’s attention.

“Sleeping bags?” Amy asked.

“Aye! Three of ‘em.” Tangle tossed one towards Amy, whipping up a musty smell in the air. “Could use a good clean! But remember when we got those?”

Amy’s nose crinkled and she tossed it back towards Tangle. “Oh I remember. It was when you insisted camping outside that store when I wanted to go to that book signing.”

“I weren’t waitin’ around for hours for you to get a book signed!” Tangle wagged a finger at her and set the sleeping bags aside. “Besides, they came in use! Music festivals, gaming conventions… man, what happened to us after college? We’ve become a boring box of old sticks.”

Whisper chuckled and continued unpacking the crockery.

“Kinda wanna give ‘em a wash,” Tangle went on. “Is there a laundry room in this joint?”

“Of course there is,” said Amy. “It’s down in the basement.”

“Then I’ll get on it! These will come in use over the next few days.”

“You guys plan on sleeping in those?” Amy lifted her head and fixed Tangle with a bewildered expression. “I have a pile of blankets, and the sofa pulls out!”

“But that’s no fun! We can all bunk in your room and tell stories and stuff. It’ll be like college again. Or all those nights campin’.”

“Sounds like fun,” said Whisper.

“All right, fine,” said Amy. “But you might need to hang them out on the balcony to dry. And that’s if it doesn’t rain. I think it’s meant to.”

“That summer storm ain’t over yet?” Tangle rolled her eyes and groaned. “I wish it would stop already. It makes my tail all poofy.”

Amy paused and looked up at the window. Summer storm… If she recalled correctly, the payment on that hotel room would end the next day. Would Infinite find somewhere else to stay? She shook her head sharply and rose to her feet, marching towards the kitchen. In one of the boxes marked ‘cleaning’, she found a tub of washing powder. She popped it beside Tangle on a box wrapped in too much packing tape.

“Pop them in the washer,” said Amy. “If they’re not dry by tonight, then you can wrap yourselves up in blankets like a pair of giant burritos.”

Tangle laughed and snatched up the powder and sleeping bags in all three limbs. “Gotcha! I’ll be back licketty-split! I don’t wanna miss out on any unpacking fun!”

Amy watched the lemur go, then leant back against the wall with a sigh.

Whisper looked up from the cupboards and her face fell slightly. “You okay?”

Amy screwed her eyes shut. No. She wasn’t okay. After having a few days to think about it, she was really beginning to think she’d overreacted.

‘I was laughing because I know I’m finally strong enough to destroy those who tormented me, and hurt me, and made my life a misery.’

She sighed and turned to face her reflection in the wardrobe. ‘I want to say that’s better, but it’s really not.’

‘If it means anything, I won’t hurt you.’

But he had, hadn’t he?

…But had he really intended it?

He’d made it clear he cared about her. Even if he seemed to be uncertain of it himself. He’d even risked himself to save her life when Gadget had her at gunpoint. Yet despite their back and forth, she’d been nothing short of awful to him. He didn’t belong in Mainframe, but he was stuck here. Tormented and tortured for years. He didn’t even know how to behave like a normal person. He needed her.

She lowered her head into a hand and sighed. No. He didn’t need her. And she didn’t need to be dragged back into a government conspiracy. He was completely capable of looking after himself. There’d been no sign Mainframe was under any threat. If she’d really got through to him, and he’d found something to care about, surely he’d stay true to his word and not destroy the planet?

“It’s Infinite, isn’t it?”

Amy looked up at Whisper’s quiet voice. The wolf had moved away from the kitchenette to join her side. Her narrowed eyes moved between Amy’s shoulder to her face, and a small frown appeared on the wolf’s muzzle.

“Don’t trust him…” she said.

Amy glanced at her shoulder, noting the small scars forming under her fur. She adjusted the sleeve of her dress over it and pushed herself back from the wall.

“It’s nothing,” she said.

“That’s why you left him, right?”

Amy paused beside her box of books and looked back at Whisper. “There were a lot of reasons. But let’s just say I learned the hard way not to wake someone up from a nightmare.”

“Nightmare…”

“I really don’t want to talk about this, Whisper. I just want to forget about it all and move on with my life.”

The wolf nodded and muttered an apology before returning to the kitchenette.

Amy watched her for a moment, then continued stuffing the bookcase.

A siren blared outside, and flashing blue light filled the small apartment. But it passed as quickly as it started. Her heart pounded as, for a brief moment, she feared they might be chasing down a certain jackal.

Forget about it all…

It sounded a lot easier than it actually was.

...​

It was going to be a lot harder than it actually looked.

Rough read over the news article again. A frantic beast causing chaos in the Beatdrop Capital. The official news sites were dismissing the recordings as rumors. A trend brought back from the dead. Long before technology became mainstream, people entertained themselves with rumors. Legends. Spooky stories about monsters leaping through Mainframe, terrorizing young women and children, only to then vanish into the shadows. The only signs people would ever find would be blood splatters or claw marks, yet these could easily be from feral animals living in the alleyways. Cats or raccoons. Maybe even wolves, although feral wolves hadn’t been spotted outside the mountains in centuries.

The space pirate lowered his computer to peer through the windscreen. The Beatdrop Capital’s neon signs and vibrant billboards spread across the dark city like a confusing constellation. This is where his brother had been spotted.

Rough could shove those legends back in the past where they belonged. The evidence was all there. He’d seen what GUN had turned his brother into. He’d seen the damage the large skunk could cause before he’d even been turned into a mind-controlled weapon. Rough was just glad Tumble was still alive.

Hope welled up in the smaller skunk’s chest and he brought his ship around to hover over one of the quieter residential areas. Tracking Tumble wasn’t going to be easy. He had a modified data chip, making it easy for Rough to find him, and vice-versa. But whatever Gadget had done to him had made his chip void. Rough’s computer brought up nothing, meaning he’d had to track him by evidence alone. That was, if he was even still in the Beatdrop Capital.

Rough dropped from his ship via its neon ladder, releasing it before it broke through the ship’s cloak. The last thing he needed was for the citizens to fly into an uproar over a space pirate appearing in their city. His bounty might not be high enough anymore to tickle the fancy of a mercenary, but an everyday citizen wouldn’t sniff at a few hundred credits.

He kept his back to the brick wall, scanning left and right for any signs of life. It was oddly quiet for a city. Not so much for a residential spot, but he’d still expect to see someone at this hour. Maybe everyone had taken these ‘rumors’ seriously?

He crept along the narrow street, then ducked into an alleyway. No sign of a club, and it didn’t fit any of the photos of questionable scenes he’d examined in detail. This wasn’t one of the locations listed where there’d been wreckage, and there was no sign of any struggle.

Regardless, he made his way along it. Peering through the slats in the window blinds into closed up shops and bars. Empty. Quiet. Undisturbed.

He left the alley onto another street, again quiet save for two teenage boys. The way they were dressed suggested they were both off on their way to a nightclub. The neon green on one boy’s outfit glared in the streetlight almost as much as his raucous laughter. It was enough to attract any angry predator.

Rough paused beside the mouth to another alley, watching the two boys as they rounded the corner onto the main road. Their laughter faded off into the distance. Rough let out a breath and turned into the alley, continuing his search.

It was beginning to look more and more like an elaborate rumor. No scratches or scuffs, no blood, no dents in the overflowing skips. But he wasn’t about to give up and return to his ship. Not when his brother needed him.

The residential area came to an end, opening up into the Beatdrop Capital’s business district. Towering skyscrapers replaced the apartment blocks, and huge department stores and games arcades replaced the bars and clubs. Although not all of them. A deep pulsing noise came from a doorway a few feet away on his right. A group of brightly dressed clubbers stood outside it, clasping glasses that flickered with the colourful lights coming from beyond the open door.

Rough turned the other way, keeping a low profile as he scouted out another promising place to search. He didn’t want to have to stop and ask anyone. He wasn’t sure how many people might recognize him after everything that had gone down with ‘Project Wreckingball’.

Just ahead of him, a group of teenagers scattered, rushing towards his side of the street. He paused and looked up, his heart racing. What had startled them? It sank again when he spotted the glistening blue shell of Eggman’s ace robot. A hedgehog, his rocket jet in full propulsion as he glided along the street. Completely ignoring the group of teens, who had stopped to take photos. Metal Sonic landed beside a manhole cover, his digital eyes forming slits. Then he shook his head and rushed past it to continue his way down the road.

Rough turned his head to watch the robot go. It wasn’t often people got to see Metal Sonic at work. What was he tracking, if anything? It couldn’t be Tumble… could it?

Rough considered following the robot, but at the speed Metal Sonic was going, Rough would soon lose track of him. Regardless, he turned and headed in that direction anyway, making sure to cross the road so as not to look suspicious. But it wasn’t for long. A piercing siren filled the air, followed by the clanking feet of a Strider Drone. The lanky robot turned the bend, its blue light probing the shadows. Rough ducked aside into a narrow street beside a games arcade, almost stumbling over a trash can in the process. He pivoted around it and trotted along, hugging the wall. The Strider soon passed, its siren ringing out as a warning to anyone who might fall under its deadly feet.

Rough took in a trembling breath and smoothed out his chest fur, muttering to himself. Then something caught his eye.

Claw marks. Deep ones. Dragged right along the red brick and advertising billboard for the games arcade it was clinging to. The animation struggled to play out, streaked with an oily splash of colour from the bleeding LCD.

Rough’s heart began to gallop and he warred with the desire to go back the other way. It was becoming more and more apparent something was very wrong with his brother, and seeing the signs with his own eyes was harder than he’d anticipated. No. Tumble needed him. He was going to find him, remove that helmet and bring him back to his senses.

He jogged along the street, following the trail of claw marks. Each one was becoming more glaring, like he’d suddenly found himself in a horror movie following the trail of a merciless killer. Or a monster. Scuff marks peppered the wall where the brick had been chipped away. Not damage done by claws, but by impact. He began to wonder if Tumble had been chasing something.

A figure rounded the corner out of the shadows and Rough let out a shrill ‘eep!’

The figure’s trenchcoat billowed out behind them and faint blue lights penetrated the shadows. Rough spotted the weapon and leapt to action, forcing the twin blades out of the ends of his spike cuffs. He barged into the wolf, pushing him up against the wall. His right blade pressed against the fur of the wolf’s throat, and Rough leered into his amber eyes. The skunk opened his mouth to speak, but his words cut off as something cold pressed into his ribcage.

“I think we’re at an impasse,” said Gadget.

“You pull that trigger, I’ll skewer ya,” Rough growled. “Now what’re you doin’ in this city?”

“What are you doing here?”

Rough bared his canines and pushed the blade into Gadget’s throat, causing him to pull his head back into the brick wall. “I think you know.”

Gadget let out a chuckle. “I guess we’re looking for the same thing.”

“Are you about to tell me you’ve lost my brother?”

“In a sense.” Gadget attempted to shrug without nudging the blade. “I’ve lost control of your brother.”

“So he’s out there, causin’ trouble, because of you?!”

Gadget hushed him through his teeth. “Do you want to lure him here?”

“I want him back. An’ if lurin’ him over here will do that, then I’ll keep yellin’.”

“You’ll get us both killed.”

“Nah. ‘Cos when he shows up, I’m gonna bust off that helmet. Then I’m gonna turn you over to Eggman!”

Gadget laughed again and narrowed his eyes. “You think it’s that easy? You just remove it like that, you’ll sever the wired connections and your precious brother will be reduced to nothing but a vegetable. And as for turning me in…” A sinister smile spread across the wolf’s muzzle. “I’d like to see you try. Everyone knows Eggman can’t stand space pirates. It would be a ‘two-for-one’ deal, as far as he’s concerned.”

Rough’s eyes widened slightly and his ears drooped. Then he shook his head and pushed his blade hard enough against Gadget’s throat to produce a fine line of blood. The gun jabbed against Rough’s chest in retaliation and he heard Gadget knock off the safety.

“I’ll make a deal with ya,” said Rough. “You remove that helmet, I let you go alive.”

“If you even try to kill me, skunk, I’ll pull this trigger.”

“I think my knife can move faster than your little gravity weapon. I’ve seen how slow that thing plays out.”

Gadget sighed and retracted his weapon, but Rough didn’t pull back his blade.

“We have a deal, doc?” he asked.

“Fine. I’ll help you find your brother.”

Rough snorted, unconvinced. “And you’ll remove that helmet?”

A smile formed on Gadget’s face and his eyes flashed dangerously. Then he shrugged one shoulder and relaxed back against the wall.

“Sure,” he said. “I’ll remove the helmet. I can’t control the wretched thing anyway.”

Rough muttered under his breath at Gadget’s comment and retracted his blades back into his wrist cuffs. But he kept a wary eye on the glowing gravity gun. It vanished inside Gadget’s coat and the wolf pushed himself back from the wall, not taking his eyes off Rough.

“He’s back this way.” Gadget nodded further down the alley. “But he moves fast. Time is of the essence.”

He turned away from Rough with a flourish, his coat billowing out behind him. Rough watched him for a moment, fearing he might have made a fatal decision trusting the deranged doctor. But he was the only one who could remove that helmet. So he trotted to catch up with him, preparing to recall his daggers again if it came to it. Hopefully not on his brother.

 

[DeliriousAbsol]

Chapter Five​

Blaze fell into the seat opposite Silver and dropped a small notebook before him.

“That’s everything I could find,” she said.

Silver almost leapt into his psychokinesis, the faint blue light appearing around his body. But he swallowed it back. Now wasn’t the time to go embarrassing himself. So instead he set his coffee aside in favor of picking the notebook up by hand, and flicked on his desk lamp so he could see it better.

Blaze’s neat handwriting graced two pages, detailing all recorded suicides over the past month. Most of them were genuine.

“So you contacted their family or friends?” He looked up briefly from the book.

“Yes,” she said. “I had to explain why I was running this investigation, and once I had, people were more than willing to speak.”

Silver nodded and skimmed the first page. “Well, after little Snow, it’s public news now anyway. And it looks like two of these could have been the work of this killer, if the relatives were honest at least.”

“I think they were honest. I mean, why lie about this?”

“Some people just want their five minutes of fame, Blaze.”

“Try to be a little more optimistic,” she said. “Everything they’ve told me is there. And given his odd trademarks, it checks out.”

She wasn’t wrong. The two victims were found in similar states. An apparent suicide. One more bloody than the other, but both rooms were spotless. One found in a bathroom, on the floor. Locked door. The other in his garden shed. Again, locked.

Immaculately tidy, almost obsessively so. No one had thought to run a crime scene investigation, so there was no record as to whether it had been scrubbed clean. None of the relatives had batted an eyelid at it. The situation with the shed only left the victim’s family wondering if he’d been looking for the tool he’d wanted, and tidied up as he went along. The locked doors had the victims’ families convinced it was suicide.

And it was much too late now to run an autopsy. The funerals had been and gone, and both victims had been cremated.

“Looks like whoever the killer is put a foot wrong when they killed your brother,” he said.

“Hmm?” Blaze looked up from the newspaper she’d discovered on his desk.

“Given they’d left the room in such an ‘out of character’ state. They clearly put a foot wrong.”

“Or right, if they wanted people to realise someone is behind it.” She looked back down at the paper. “I’ve asked all families affected to let us know if they find any clues that could point to other killings.”

“Good idea.” Silver quickly read over her notes again. “It would definitely help.”

She let out a huff and he looked up to see her perusing the paper’s second page.

“The entire city has flown into a riot about it, huh?” she said.

Silver grunted and set the book aside while he loaded up his holoscreen. “’Riot’ is a nice way of wording it. I’d say the more accurate term is ‘excited’. I can’t say I’m impressed with the name they’ve given this killer.”

“What? ‘The Heartbreaker’?”

“Exactly,” Silver spat. “It’s an insensitive way of romanticizing this maniac. He’s out there taking lives, and has become a sensation over it. It makes me sick to my stomach.”

“People react in weird ways.” Blaze tucked the newspaper under the desk and twirled a lock of hair. “I doubt those who are affected are too happy with this name. Have you had any joy with the VR machine?”

“None.” Silver glanced at the headset sitting amid the chaos on his desk. “I’m beginning to wonder if this is really the clue for the next case. Part of me wants to search Snow’s room again in case we’re missing something.”

“I’m not sure her parents will want us to mither them again. They’re still grieving after all.”

“But we could be missing something crucial.”

“I agree with you,” said Blaze. “But at this rate, we might just have to wait for him to strike again, and take it from there.”

“I’d rather catch him in the act and throw him behind bars.” Silver tapped at his keyboard as he transferred Blaze’s notes to his case files. “Besides… how do we even know this killer is a ‘he’?”

“We don’t.”

“They might not even be a Mainframer.”

Blaze looked from her phone with a start. “You have a suspicion who it might be?”

“Think about it. Everywhere is left obsessively clean. There are no wounds to speak of, yet no fingerprints. Not even any indication on the victim’s heart that it has been committed by flesh and blood hands.”

“You think it’s a robot?”

Silver’s quills bristled down his back and he faltered with his fingers over the holokeys. A robot… it had been there, at the back of his mind. The mental image of a small form lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike.

He absently rubbed at the side of his head, feeling the jagged scar behind his ear. There was only one robot who’d want to mess with him. Who’d decide to play mind games to drive him to the brink of insanity.

“I think it's Metal Sonic,” he said.

Blaze almost flew from her seat. Her jaw went slack and she stared back at him, speechless.

“I don’t know how,” he went on. “I’ve no idea how anyone, let alone a robot, could commit these murders and not leave any external trace of injury, but at the moment he’s my prime suspect.”

“So what, you want to apprehend Metal Sonic and quiz him on this?” Blaze gasped. “He can’t even speak!”

“I know morse code. He can answer me in beeps.”

“I think you’re being ridiculous,” she said. “Why would Eggman let one of his robots run rampant killing people?”

“He’d be the perfect assassin. He wouldn’t even leave a trace.”

“We’ve found clues, though!” said Blaze. “Good grief, Silver! If it is Metal Sonic then it will only backfire on Eggman. He’d lose Mainframe’s trust!”

Silver met her eyes. “How much trust does he really have?”

“I don’t know, but I’d be willing to bet more are in favor of him than you realise.”

“Like your father?”

Her mouth snapped shut and her jaw turned rigid.

Silver sighed and leant back in his seat, rubbing the palm of his left hand. “Okay… say it isn’t a robot. Then who? Who else wouldn’t leave a trace of their identity? Someone with a bionic arm, maybe? Someone who can’t shed? Not even throw dander into the air?”

“We don’t know. I guess we’ll have to just keep following their trail.” Blaze’s voice had turned flat and she shifted in her seat. “I think I’m going to go. I need to sleep on this.”

She rose from her seat and Silver leant on his desk, rubbing at his temples.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I lashed out.”

“Okay.” She looked back at him from the door. “But you need to remember not everyone is anti-Eggman. He’s done a lot of good for Mainframe.”

“Has he?”

“Medical science. Security. Technology has come in leaps and bounds.”

“And it’s out there causing trouble.”

“You have no proof that Metal Sonic is behind all this! Why have you leapt to him of all robots? It could easily be a little drone, if it even is one. Think on it, and if you can find solid evidence to back your theory, only then will I give it any thought.”

She pulled the door open, but Silver’s voice froze her.

“Are you anti-Eggman?”

She looked back at him again, her eyes wide. “Does it matter?”

Silver shrugged, and Blaze let out a small sigh.

“I’m undecided,” she said. “I’ve grown up surrounded by conflicting opinions. My father supports Eggman. He always has. But my brother… he was strongly against him.”

“Then there we go.” Silver leant back in his seat and clasped his hands together. “Motive.”

Blaze tutted and stepped from the room, slamming the door behind her.

...​

Tangle stepped back inside Amy’s apartment, beating her gloved hands together.

“That’s all the boxes put out into the recycling!” She flopped right into the middle of the sofa and kicked her feet up onto the glass-topped coffee table. “It feels good to be done! Less than twenty four hours, eh? Must be some kinda record!”

Whisper handed her a steaming mug of coffee and sat down beside her.

Amy joined Tangle’s other side. “Tell me about it. I think I’d be living out of boxes for nearly a week if it weren’t for you two. You’ve been a big help.”

“You’re welcome,” said Whisper.

“Ahh, we’re a great team!” Tangle threw her arms around each of them and pulled them into a squeeze. “I say we celebrate! Stay up late watching movies, or we could go out somewhere? What do you say?”

Whisper cracked one eye open and shrugged the lemur off her. Tangle retracted her arm and laughed, muttering an apology.

“I prefer the first option…” said Whisper.

“I’m with Whisper,” said Amy. “After all that exercise, I don’t really feel up to clubbing.”

“We don’t have to go clubbing,” said Tangle. “We could hit the cinema? I hear they’ve got this new VR movie with giant monsters battling it out. Sounds amazing.”

Amy shuddered as she recalled Infinite’s roller coaster. Then the memory of his mutated appearance followed suit as he tried to maim Gadget.

“I think I’ve had my fair share of giant monsters for a lifetime,” she said.

“Pity,” said Tangle. “Because, like I said, it sounds amazing!”

“There’s nothing stopping you and Whisper going to see it,” said Amy. “I could do with starting on some new designs, anyway.”

Her two friends looked at her, Tangle with her mouth turned down in a frown.

“You’re gonna work right after moving house?” she squeaked.

“Of course!” said Amy. “Someone has to. Besides, think of it this way. You get to see a great movie, and Whisper if she wants to can write up a review for it.”

Tangle turned her head towards the wolf. “She’s makin’ our movie outing into work! The nerve of this girl.”

Whisper glanced away and sipped her coffee. “Wouldn’t mind writing an article, actually.”

“Pff, you workaholics! All right.” Tangle sat back in her seat. “Whisper and I will go watch this movie. You can get some designs done. Then, afterwards, we meet back here and I’ll bring pizza! We’ll have another girly night in.”

Amy gave her two friends a warm smile. “Sounds perfect!”

Tangle scratched her nose as she gazed at the ceiling in thought. “Maybe I can ask the pizza place if they’re hiring.”

“You really are bent on staying in this city, aren’t you?” said Amy.

“Of course! I’m not having another of my closest friends move away! If you’re stayin’, then so am I!”

Amy let out a chuckle and warmed both her hands on her coffee mug. “I really do appreciate it. I don’t think I’ve ever moved so far away from friends and family. I just… I couldn’t stay there after all that.”

“I get it. I do,” said Tangle.

Whisper nodded in agreement.

“Okay!” Tangle whipped out her pocket computer. “I’ll check the show times. You go and do… designer… things.”

Amy pushed herself from the sofa. “Then I’ll go and get ready. I think I actually need to buy some new supplies.”

Tangle looked up from her computer. “You’re going shopping?”

“Stationary shopping.”

“Bleh!” The lemur poked out her tongue and returned to browsing show times. “That’s all you, Amy. See you back here at… I dunno… seven pm?”

Amy quickly checked the time on her phone. It was barely even mid afternoon. “Sounds great. Make sure you take your key.”

Tangle nodded and dangled the spare key card from her thumb and finger, before tucking it away again.

Once she was outside, Amy took in a huge breath of air. So she’d finally found a place. Yet, even with her friends there to support her, it still didn’t feel like home. She sighed and turned from the apartment, making her way towards the high-street. The buildings still towered over her. Apartment blocks built atop little eateries, bars and bakeries. Various cooking smells filled the air, causing her stomach to rumble.

She stopped at a bakery she was becoming very fond of, idly chatting to the middle-aged hamster who owned the place. With a melon bread in one hand, Amy returned to her stroll, munching away as she checked the store windows. Particularly the clothing stores. Research was research, after all.

Her destination was a good way into the Beatdrop Capital. An art shop that spanned three floors. The smell of paint and turpentine filled the place, a strong hint that there’d been a recent spill and it had lingered long after it had been cleared up.

She scooped up two new sketchbooks, and a set of new marker pens. Hers were becoming quite worn after her exhaustive attempts to design a new autumn range, and she’d been waiting for a time she could afford to replace them.

She resisted the urge to scoop up an attractive set of colouring pencils and forced herself towards the cash register. It hadn’t taken her as long as she’d thought it would. It was drawing closer to five pm, and stores were beginning to close up. The art store being one of them.

As she made her way back towards her apartment, a sense of loneliness washed over her. Tangle and Whisper would be enjoying their movie now. All while Amy spent the better part of the next two hours sketching out designs in her new empty apartment.

She hesitated, gazing down the road at the towering blocks. Then she turned a sharp right onto a quiet residential street. After a short stroll, she found herself in the local park.

Heavy grey clouds gathered overhead, making it feel a lot darker than it should have been at that hour. It carried with it the threat of rain.

Despite all that, the park was lively. A small group of children raced across the grass, kicking a ball back and forth. Across the path, a pair of wild squirrels chased each other up a tree. A light breeze washed through the park, rustling the leaves and stirring up some lazy bees from the abundant flowerbeds.

Amy flopped onto a park bench and pulled out one of her sketchbooks. Nature was a good source of inspiration, after all.

Time ticked by as she sketched out some design ideas. A rainy theme carried through most of her sketches, and she even added in an umbrella for good measure. It was only rough work, but inspiration came faster to her than it had back in the hotel. Now the stress was off her, her mind was free to wander.

A small smile played on her muzzle as she checked over them, placing a little tick next to the ones she wanted to build on. A dress, a shirt and trousers combo, the umbrella, and two pairs of boots.

A droplet of water bounced off her page, then another struck her nose. She glanced up at the dark sky and tucked her book back into her bag. The children weren’t disturbed in the slightest. But if the clouds were fit to burst, then she really couldn’t continue working outside. She’d need to head home. Or somewhere dry at least.

She trotted from the pack, pulling out her umbrella. With the push of a button, the telescopic handle fired out and unfolded its bright pink hood. She hugged close to the walls along with other city folk as everyone scurried towards somewhere dry. Umbrellas clashed together and she found herself knocked about, reminding her constantly why she never liked living in a city.

She turned away from the crowds, pushing her way down a pedestrian side street so narrow her umbrella scraped the walls.

Thunder rumbled through the air, causing her to let out a squeal. She ducked into a doorway and braced herself as the sky lit up with a flash and thunder crashed after it. But she couldn’t stay there. She ducked back out of her feeble shelter and bolted down the narrow street, pushing her umbrella ahead of her.

The back streets wound throughout the Beatdrop Capital. She had most of it committed to memory. But running blindly caused her to make a few mistakes and before long, she found herself standing under an awning outside a little bistro.

Well away from her apartment block, and a good way outside of the main shopping district. The thunder seemed to have stopped, instead leaving a massive downpour in its wake. She gave a mournful glance towards the bistro’s window, its neon green ‘open’ sign flickering back at her. The clock at the back told her she had just over an hour to get back home. No time to duck inside and wait out the rain with a coffee and biscotti.

So she turned away from it and tried to navigate herself back towards her apartment. She wasn’t far from the bistro when heavy footsteps echoed from one of the adjoining streets. Raspy breathing and grunting accompanied them, pushing her quills on end. She turned her head towards it, catching the slotted eyepiece of a nightmarishly familiar helmet.

The cream-coloured skunk stared back at her, his shoulders heaving and claws twitching. A set of deadly blades hung down from the mechanical appendage that had replaced his right forearm. He shook his head from side to side, catching the brick wall and sending up a flurry of sparks. Then he charged.

Amy screamed and ran, putting her umbrella down and stuffing it blindly into her shopping bag. Then she dragged out her mallet. She skidded over garbage as she raced down a narrow alley, twisting to face the massive beast. She brought her mallet up in an arc, striking it on its chin. It keeled backwards, flailing its arms and dragging up sparks as metal scraped against brick. But it caught its balance, shaking its head frantically. Then it fixed its slotted eye back on her. Somehow, it looked angrier than it had done previously.

She gulped and took a step back. It took one towards her. Then another.

She turned and fled, keeping her mallet at her side. The beast let out a roar, almost mechanical in sound. Then it galumphed after her, striking the walls with its claws and helmet as it struggled with the tight turns.

Screams rose into the air as it raced after her down the busy road. People dashed to the other side, fleeing the deadly creature. Yet they were nothing to it. It had its eyes set on its prey. Did it recognize her? She shook that thought off and clutched her mallet. With the skunk so close to her, she couldn’t exactly turn and face it. She’d be sliced to ribbons.

She fought the urge to look back and instead turned into another side street. The smattering of people chatting along it turned and ran as she led the creature on its vicious rampage. Just ahead of her was an electricity box. She leapt and kicked off from it, forming an arc over the beast’s head. It lifted its claws, narrowly missing her. She brought her mallet down to meet its head, but instead it bounced off its mechanical hand. It roared with frustration and turned as she landed behind it in a squat.

She panted to catch her breath, but there was little time. It re-oriented itself and lunged after her as she bolted back towards the main road. She dashed across it, causing hovercars to swerve and honk their irritation. It didn’t stop the beast. It clawed up the walls of the wide street she darted into, scattering commuters and those desperate to escape the rain.

Her heart pounded and her lungs began to burn, begging her to stop running. She closed her eyes briefly as her strength began to wane. Then someone grabbed her arm, yanking her into a narrow alley.

Her muzzle met soft fur and she stifled a scream as someone shushed in her ear. White fur. Her hand rested on the hard surface of a red gem. Beyond it, she could feel her rescuer’s heart racing almost as fast as hers.

Her right eye went to the alley mouth, shrouded by a strange wobbly haze one might see around a car on a blisteringly hot day. The beast stared back at her, its head twitching up and down as if it was sniffing for her. Then it jerked its head left and right, claws flexing. With a mighty roar, it turned and bolted down the street, away from them.

Infinite loosened his grip and the haze vanished. He let his hands linger on her arms, and he trailed a thumb over the small scars on her shoulder. His lips parted slightly and he took in a raspy breath before closing his eyes and looking away from her.

“Thank you,” she said.

“It’s fine,” he replied.

“What is he doing here?” she asked, glancing back at where the beast had vanished. “Does it mean Gadget…?”

He hesitated for a moment, then nodded slowly. He finally released her, letting her step back from him.

“I’ll walk you home,” he said.

She wanted to tell him he didn’t need to, out of politeness, but the threat of that creature lurking around the corner, and its resistance to her hammer… She gave a curt nod and muttered her thanks, falling into step at his side.

They walked on in silence, often against the sea of umbrellas and soggy people making their way back home. Amy had opted against her umbrella in case she needed to call on her mallet again. She cast occasional glances at the jackal, who avoided her gaze. The ribbons in his mane had come loose, and water dripped from his fur and mixed with the mud and dust that seemed to cake both him and the belts dragging behind him.

She cleared her throat and ventured to ask, “Did you stay in the hotel?”

“No.”

That was all he said. A simple answer. She decided not to press it, instead continuing silently at his side as they made their way down the various side streets towards Amy’s apartment.

A mix of feelings washed through her. Relief, and a strange familiarity, yet it felt off. His silence was out of character. He wasn’t watching the passers by or taking in the buildings, nor humming to himself like he often had. He didn’t even seem to be on alert, instead watching his feet as he dragged them through puddles.

She wound her hands together and tried to avoid watching him. It just made her feel sad seeing him like that.

He eventually came to a stop. “Amy?”

She turned back to him, catching his eye. She opened her mouth to speak, then noticed the door beside him. They were back at her apartment. She hadn’t even realised they were even on the right street, too lost in her own thoughts.

She trotted back to him, fumbling through her bag for her key card. Then something hit her.

She looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. “How… how did you know where I lived?”

He shrugged and looked away, across the street.

“Have you been following me?” she asked.

“Yes.”

She sighed and toyed with the card key.

“I had to,” he said. “Gadget’s in this city.” He shuffled his foot, oblivious to her stare. His shoulders slumped and that strange rattling sound left his throat as he took in a deep breath. “He threatened you.”

“How do you know? Did you speak to him?”

Infinite didn’t reply, but the look on his face was enough to cement her fears.

Amy closed her eyes as a familiar dread washed over her. “We just can’t escape him, can we?”

She thought Infinite shook his head, but given his shuffling and finger twitching, it was hard to say for certain.

She sighed and moved a little closer to him. “You look tired. Do you… want to come in?”

He turned his head to look at her, his lone eye trailing over her face to land on her scarred shoulder.

“You can get cleaned up,” she said. “And… well, you don’t have anywhere to stay, so… Oh yes!” She tapped her forehead with the key card. “I have friends staying. But I don’t think they’ll mind you joining us for a while.”

She scanned the panel by the door, and it created a click that sounded louder than it should have. She pushed the door open, and stood back for Infinite to enter.

He stared at her for a moment longer, then glanced between her and the open door. He closed his eye and let out a small sigh, before resigning himself to enter the apartment block.

The elevator ride felt painfully long. He leant against the walls, leaving grimy smears on the glass. Amy wanted to ask where he’d been staying, but prying would probably only make things worse.

Once they reached her room, she let him in ahead of her. He stepped inside slowly, sniffing the air as he took in everything. The living room, separated from the kitchenette by its bar and linoleum floor. She let the door click shut behind her, and he jumped slightly, turning his head towards her.

“The shower is just through there.” She pointed to the small corridor leading off at the far end of the living room. “Right at the end. The doors on the left and right lead into the bedroom or my studio.”

He grunted and looked around the room again. “It’s bigger than a hotel room. And not very pink.”

“I haven’t decorated yet.” She added a small laugh, in hopes it would lighten the mood.

His lone eye sparkled but he didn’t smile.

She watched him as he vanished into the corridor, then she moved into her kitchenette, switching on the coffee maker out of habit. While it brewed, she paid a visit to her studio. It hadn’t been touched, which was no surprise since she had only moved in the day before. But it was one of the first rooms she’d unpacked. All her materials had their place, and she found the red ribbon reel tucked away neatly on a shelf. She cut some strips of it to replace Infinite’s soiled ones, and made another set of belts while she was at it. The tubing would, unfortunately, have to wait until it was cleaned given she’d used up all she had making the initial set.

She popped them on the coffee table and while she was pouring out two mugs of coffee, Infinite plodded into the living room. His fur was damp, but all traces of grime had vanished. His mane hung haphazard around his face, which she found to some surprise was missing his mask. It hung at his side, clasped in his hand, along with the rest of his apparel.

She approached him with his coffee, but he dodged her gaze and shuffled his foot on the floor.

“I washed it in the shower,” he said. “But I don’t want to leave it on your carpet while it’s still wet.”

“That’s no problem. We’ll hang it.”

She traded the mug for his apparel and hung the belts, gloves and accessories over the hat stand by her front door. She tucked his boots beneath it then made to join him on the sofa. But he was still standing beside it, looking lost, and making every effort to avoid her seeing his face. Without his mask, though, it was obvious he was exhausted. Faint, dark marks were visible beneath his mismatched eyes, and his ears drooped slightly.

Amy reached into one of her cupboards, and Infinite jolted as a jar of peanut butter appeared in his free hand.

“I bought it out of habit.” She fell onto the sofa and motioned for him to join her. “I made some fresh adornments for your mane, if you want me to sort it.”

He flopped down at her feet and unscrewed the jar, while she began running a brush through his mane. Still slightly damp. It wasn’t all that easy to brush it, as he attacked his meal as though he hadn’t seen one in days. But she didn’t complain, or fight against it.

Her phone chimed beside her with a message from Tangle. Her heart sank a little. She’d almost forgotten her friends were on their way back.

‘At the pizza place! What’s your poison, sister?’

“My friends are on their way back,” she said. “They’re just getting pizza.”

He quirked an ear back towards her and lowered his jar of peanut butter. His nose twitched in thought as he stared at the blank wall.

“Do you want anything?” she asked.

“Yes. A sleep.”

She trailed the brush slowly through his mane, and he set the empty jar down beside him. It wasn’t exactly an easy request given the size of her apartment. But she couldn’t exactly shun her friends either.

She set the brush down while she typed out her reply.

‘Just a margharita for me, please. But… could you please keep it down when you come in? I had an incident I’ll explain more about later. But I ran into Infinite, and he seems out of sorts. I’m going to let him sleep in my room, so he’s out of the way. We’ll just have to bunk together on the pull-out sofa tonight.’

She got a reply before she could even set her phone down.

‘Are you serious?! Oh man, that’s exciting! I wondered what had happened between you guys. Does he want anything?’

She stared at the back of the jackal’s head while she thought over her answer. He nodded a couple of times, and she feared he might fall forward flat on his face.

‘Not unless it has peanuts.’

She set her phone down on the small table beside the sofa in favor of the brush.

“I’m sorry.”

His words took her by surprise and she paused with her fingers hovering over the brush’s handle.

“I never wanted to hurt you,” he said.

“I know.” She continued brushing his mane. “I’m the one who should be sorry. I over-reacted. I was under a lot of stress, and I never should have bailed on you like that.”

“You had every right to.” His voice wavered and he wiped his nose on his hand. “I’m not exactly safe. I think that incident proved that much. And if it wasn’t for me, Gadget wouldn’t be after you.”

“Did he actually say he was after me?”

“Not in as many words.”

“Then… maybe we’ll be okay?”

A pause passed between them, and in that silence Amy found her mood lifting. Having him sat there gave the room a strange feeling of familiarity.

“Your words have haunted me,” he said. “When you said you’d been worrying about how you hadn’t been nice to me. Well, I’ve also not been very nice to you, have I?”

She lowered the brush into her lap and a frown replaced the small smile she’d been giving him. “Not exactly, no.”

His ears drooped and he scratched at his chest.

“But we can start over,” she said. “I mean, you stopped using a chain. That was a start. I’d also appreciate it if you stopped calling me ‘Freak’. And I can be a little more controlled with my temper and have more patience with you.”

“I can do that. But it might take me a little while. I’m not perfect.”

“No one’s perfect.”

“If it means anything,” he went on, “Despite how I’ve treated you… and despite how much it frightens me… I do consider you a friend.”

Tears pricked her eyes and she screwed them shut to stifle them. “Infinite…”

“I never intended it,” he said. “I’ve been trying to cover it up, I guess in some way lying to myself. You see, friends and family are a weakness. That’s why I never wanted to let you in, but I just couldn’t help it.” He took in a breath and flopped backwards against her legs. “So there you go. You’ve won.”

She wiped her eyes on her glove. “Believe me, Infinite. It’s not a weakness.”

He let out a bitter laugh. “If Gadget got hold of you, he could do what he wanted with me. That makes it a weakness.”

“You also saved my life, more than once. I’d call that a strength.”

She brushed his mane back from his face, and he leant his head into her hand so her fingers brushed over his cheek. It made her heart ache and she closed her eyes as a few tears trickled down her muzzle.

“I know what it feels like, though,” she said. “Since I also think of you as a friend.”

He let out a long breath as if he’d been waiting for her to say those words.

“It gives you something to fight for,” she went on. “And I want you to know that I’m never going to give up on you again.”

“Those are some big words. I might keep letting you down.”

“I think I’m up for the challenge.”

“You’re one strange girl,” he said. “But I’ll try my best. I really don’t want to hurt you again.” He paused to take in a trembling breath. “In any way, whatsoever.”

She looped her arms around his neck and he clutched her wrist, sinking back into her. She buried her face in his thick mane which smelled like the soap she had beside the shower. Tears flowed down her cheeks, soaking into his mane, and she let out a few muffled snuffles.

He sighed heavily as he relaxed into her, and he traced little circles over the back of her hand with his thumb. They sat like that for a while as she waited for her tears to finally stop. So he’d been trying to cover up that he cared about her. Had she been trying to do the same? She certainly had the past few days, trying to convince herself and her friends that she couldn’t care less where he was, or how he was doing. Convincing herself that he was capable of looking after himself in this world. Alien to Mainframe, with nowhere to go. No one to turn to.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” she croaked.

“Likewise.” He gave her arm an affectionate squeeze. “Thank you. For giving me a second chance.”

She nuzzled between his ears then slowly released him, letting her fingers linger in his mane. Then she let out a squeak as the door burst open.

Infinite leapt to his feet, crimson energy surrounding his body in a flurry of glitching pixels.

“Who wants pizza?!” Tangle announced as she skipped into the apartment.

The lemur’s expression fell as she stared at the distorted jackal.

Amy rose from the sofa and glared at her. “I thought I asked you to keep it down?”

Tangle leapt backwards into Whisper with an ‘eep!’ as Infinite flashed towards them in the blink of an eye. But it wasn’t the two girls he was after. He snatched his mask from the coat stand and turned his back on them, fixing it over his muzzle. Only then did he let the pixels drop and return to his normal form.

“Sorry about that.” Amy moved towards him and frowned at Tangle. “I told them you might be sleeping.”

The lemur grinned from ear to ear. “But I heard voices outside the door, so I knew you were awake!”

“I won’t be for long.” Infinite bared his canines, letting out a low growl.

Amy placed a hand on his shoulder, silencing him. “Please? These are my friends.”

He sighed and closed his eye, turning away from them. “I’ll be in your studio.”

“There’s not really any space in there.” Amy turned to follow him. “You can use my room.”

“Aww please!” Tangle trotted after them, depositing the pizza boxes on the table. “Join us for pizza! I have like a billion and one questions!”

Infinite glared at her over his shoulder. “I shall limit you to two.”

“Three. And I’ll let you have a slice of mine.” She tapped the pizza box.

“Is there pineapple on it?”

“Only on hers.” Tangle pointed at Whisper.

The wolf gave him a small wave.

Infinite let out a defeated sigh and Amy drew his attention back to her.

“You really don’t need to,” she said. “It’s obvious to anyone here you’re exhausted.”

“It’s fine,” he said. “If I’m going to be staying here, then I guess I need to get used to your friends. Besides…” He clenched his teeth together and said, “I think I can survive one lousy girl’s night.”

Amy dreaded he would soon be eating those words.

...​

Rough poked his head around the corner of the amusement arcade, squinting ahead of him through the rising mist. The rain was still coming down heavily, and a rumble resounded overhead as it was carried away further north.

“Any sign of him?” Gadget asked.

Rough snorted and shook his head. “Completely lost him.”

The skunk stepped out of his hiding spot, sniffing at the air. Only a faint trail remained from Tumble’s stink-bomb attack. His brother had been frantic, claws spread and thrashing, as he bolted down the street. He’d barely given Rough or Gadget a second thought. Whatever he’d been chasing, Rough hadn’t seen it. And the tranquilizer Gadget had fired had missed the large skunk by a mile.

Rough snarled over his shoulder at the wolf. “I can’t believe you missed that last dart.”

Gadget gave him a nonchalant shrug and joined his side. “My aim isn’t perfect, pirate.”

“Well now we ain’t got no way to reel him in, have we?”

Gadget smirked and let his arms hang loose at his sides. Rough caught a glint of blue inside the wolf’s heavy trench-coat and he quirked an eyebrow at him.

“How long can that anti-gravity beam hold him for?” Rough asked.

Gadget looked down at his hidden weapon as though astounded Rough had even noticed it. “Oh, I don’t know… about fifteen minutes if the battery holds out?”

“Fantastic,” said the skunk. “That’ll give me ample time to get him onto my ship and lock him in the storage dock.”

“You think a feeble door can hold him?”

Rough jabbed a claw into Gadget’s chest. “I’m willin’ to risk it so you can remove his helmet.”

Gadget tutted and frowned at him, but he said nothing.

The pair turned into the street, their boots splashing through the shallow puddles. With most of the city’s inhabitants hiding from the storm, it was pretty empty. Almost eerily so.

A second set of footsteps joined theirs. More deliberate and heavy. Rough slowly turned his head back the way they’d come, and his breath froze in his throat.

Tumble leered back at him through the glowing slat in his helmet. His iron claws flexed. Then he lurched towards them.

Rough and Gadget rolled in opposite directions as Tumble barged right through them, kicking up spray. He skidded to a halt, jamming his claws into the floor, and pivoting back to rush them again.

“Fire!” Rough barked.

Tumble froze, jerking his head around towards him. Then he swung the helmet around, roaring with frustration.

Gadget pulled out his weapon and aimed. A click.

Tumble stopped his thrashing, turning all his focus onto the wolf. He lifted his claws, lunging at him. Gadget rolled out of the way, and Tumble crashed head first into the wall of the game’s arcade. He fell flat onto his back, howling and flailing his deadly blades.

Rough joined Gadget’s side, pointing a claw at his brother. “I said fire!”

A smirk split Gadget’s muzzle and he aimed his gun at the larger skunk again. Another click.

Rough’s jaw dropped as he watched the massive skunk right himself, turning the massive helmet to face them. Heavy, panting breaths came from beyond it, distorted by the hollow metal. Rough’s blood turned cold and he grabbed Gadget by the wrist.

Before the wolf could object, Rough dragged him along the street, winding along them as Tumble stomped behind in pursuit.

“What’s wrong with it?!” Rough barked.

Gadget panted as he tried to keep up with him. “My gun? Oh… I guess it’s broken.”

“How long have you known?!”

“A few days.”

“And you never thought to tell me?!” Rough dragged him onto the main road heading back to the residential area. “Lucky for you, there’s tools on my ship!”

“Your ship?”

“Yeah. Know what else?” Rough bared a canine as Tumble rounded the corner. A mighty, metallic roar filled the air. “There’s also no monsters!”

His ship’s neon-green ladder dropped beyond its cloak. He nudged the wolf on ahead of him, then looked back over his shoulder at Tumble.

“Sorry ‘bout this, bro.”

He curled into a ball, letting out a cloud of skunk spray as he rolled past Gadget. Just to stink him, too, out of spite. Tumble howled, falling back with his arms flailing. Gadget caught up with Rough, coughing and spluttering as he joined him on the ladder.

Rough laughed and shook his head, wiping a tear from his eye. Something about the wolf’s livid expression told him he’d be paying for that when they were safely aboard his ship.

 

[DeliriousAbsol]

Chapter Six​

Infinite did not survive girl’s night.

Tangle insisted they sit on the floor, given the sofa could only comfortably accommodate three people. The coffee table was shunted aside closer to the door, while the pizza boxes lay open before them.

Whisper had selected the movie. A typical rom-com that played in the background while the girls talked over it. Chatting among themselves at first while Tangle tucked into her pizza.

Amy cracked open the wine and began pouring it out into glasses. The first one was snatched up by Tangle and offered to Infinite. He lay behind them, sprawled out on the sofa, leaning back against the arm with his hands behind his head.

He cracked his eye open when the wine glass appeared before him and let out a small grunt. “No thanks.”

“Really?” Tangle gasped. “Not a fan of wine?”

“No.” A smile spread across Infinite’s muzzle. “That’s one question down.”

Tangle slumped, and would have spilled the wine all over the carpet if Whisper hadn’t intervened.

“That’s not fair!” Tangle whined. “That shouldn’t count! I was only tryin’ to find out your drink preferences.”

He chuckled and closed his eye again, settling down into the sofa.

“I have like a billion to choose from already, and you’re playin’ games with me!” She rounded on Amy, pouting out her bottom lip. “Amy, tell him.”

“I think I’ll let this one slide.” Amy sipped her drink and leant back against the base of the sofa.

“Urgh, you’re a pair of meanies.” Tangle scooped up her pizza box with her tail and offered it behind her. Her brow creased as she thought over her request, then smirked. “Have some pizza.”

Infinite frowned at her. “I love how you avoided forming that into a question. You learn quick.”

He brushed her offer aside, and the lemur let out a sigh. “Was your message a joke, or does he really just eat peanuts?”

“It was a joke,” Amy answered.

As if to cement her statement, he leant over her head to grab a pizza slice from her box.

“All right. All right.” Tangle raised her hands. “First question-”

“I believe it is your second question,” Infinite said with his mouth full.

“You’re really not gonna let that slide, are you?” Tangle sighed and rolled her eyes. “Fine. What’s your home world like?”

Amy and Whisper both looked up at that, turning expectant eyes onto the jackal. Amy found herself wondering why she’d never asked him about that before. Instead too fixated on the Phantom Ruby and his strange powers.

He licked pizza from between his pads, deliberately dragging out the silence between the question and his answer. Tangle placed her hands on the sofa, pulling herself closer to him while she waited. Somewhat impatiently.

“It’s not that different from yours,” he finally said. “Although I’ve no idea what state it’s in now that Eggman isn’t in it anymore. I guess less robots and invasive technology. But the main difference between our two worlds is that instead of just having cities, towns and villages like you do, we also have zones. And weird, trippy dimensions called ‘special zones’.”

“Zones?” Whisper asked.

“They’re not easy to describe,” he said.

Tangle made a thoughtful noise and glanced at her two friends. Her eyes sparkled and she bounced on her knees as she turned back to the jackal.

“Ooh! Ooh! You did some weird thing when we showed up earlier,” she said. “You went all glitchy and stuff. I’m gonna guess that’s from your world, and not ours. I wanna know how common that is. So does like… everyone have the same powers as you or something?”

Infinite narrowed his eye at the excitable lemur. Clearly irritated she’d managed to weave an abundance of questions into one statement. “No.”

“Really? Interesting! So is it just you, or is it unique to your family?”

All Amy could do was watch as Infinite’s expression turned sour.

“You’ve used up your three questions,” he said plainly.

Tangle’s ears drooped. “Aww man! But I expected more elaboration than that! Did I strike a nerve or somethin’? ‘Cos I didn’t mean to!”

She leant towards him and he leered at her through his mask. “You are going to take a lot of getting used to.”

Tangle sank back to the floor and shuffled around on her bottom to face the TV. She looked between her two friends and took a bite from her pizza.

“I think I struck a nerve,” she said quietly.

Amy sipped her wine and glanced back at the jackal. He wasn’t watching either of them, lying there with his eye closed. Or what she could see anyway.

That was another thing she’d never thought to ask about. His family. It made sense he’d feel a little bitter about it, given he’d been stuck in Mainframe for almost sixty years. If he had a family of his own - a wife, brothers, sisters, even children - he’d never have had the chance to see them grow up.

Unless there was some other reason. Something that had turned him bitter towards the world, and people as a whole. He had admitted to wanting to destroy his own world, after all.

‘…Friends and family are a weakness.’

Amy clutched the stem of her wine glass, trying to keep her focus on the TV. Had something happened to Infinite’s family? Something he didn’t want to talk about?

While the girls chatted amongst themselves, Infinite eventually stopped responding to anything tossed his way. Once the movie’s ending credits rolled, Whisper scooted across the carpet to switch the TV off. As silence replaced the playful ditty, soft snoring rose above it.

Amy turned towards the sofa. Infinite had his back on them, curled up on the sofa cushions as best he could given the space he had.

Tangle stood up and smoothed out her tail. “Party animal.”

“Give him a chance, he’s exhausted,” Amy told her.

“Eh, I like him,” said Tangle. “He keeps me on my toes. Besides… I reckon he’d be pretty handsome without that mask. What do you think, Whisper?”

The wolf raised a hand and looked away from her friend, trying to hide the confused smile that tugged at her muzzle.

“What about you?” Tangle asked Amy.

Amy dodged her gaze as she scooped up the wine glasses. “I’ve not really given it much thought.”

Tangle watched Amy enter the kitchenette. “You’ve seen him without it, though, right?”

“Yes.” Amy kept her back on her friends as she ran the glasses through the sink. “But like I said. I’ve not really thought about it.”

The empty wine bottles appeared beside her, and she looked up to see Tangle leaning against the counter.

“Too hung up on Sonic?” she asked.

“No.” Amy switched off the faucet and dried her hands on a tea towel. “Not any more.”

“Eh. I won’t pry.” The lemur stretched and let out a long, loud yawn. “I’m gonna call it a night. Mind if I use the bathroom first?”

“Go ahead.”

Tangle flashed her a grin and leapt from the kitchenette, racing Whisper down the corridor.

Amy shook her head slowly and made her way back to the living room. The pizza boxes had already been cleared up and set neatly by the door. She turned to Infinite, still curled up with his back to her.

A blanket.

She rummaged through the storage closet until she found one and placed it over him. It took her a moment to realise the snoring had stopped.

“Are you awake?” she asked quietly. Just on the off-chance he was still asleep.

His head twitched back slightly, but he still didn’t say anything.

“I’m sorry about Tangle,” she said. “She can get a bit excitable.”

“You don’t say,” he muttered.

“I can have a word with her if you want me to?”

“That won’t be necessary.” He paused. “To be honest, she reminds me of someone.”

Amy’s eyes widened at that. She wanted to ask who, but given his reaction to Tangle’s probing at his past, she decided against it.

“The sofa pulls out,” she said. “You might find it more comfortable.”

So she left him to it, making her way to the corridor. She paused to flick off the light, giving one last glance at him over her shoulder. He hadn’t moved.

“Good night,” she said.

As the room plunged into darkness, he replied from the sofa, “Thank you, Amy.”

...​

Shadow sat in darkness, his mind trained on the Chaos Network. It was everywhere. News of a serial killer, rampant in Mainframe’s Beatdrop Capital. He and Rouge were only just outside it, hiding in the basement of a gaming arcade. Seemingly unused, with the dusty carcasses of long forgotten consoles stacked up against the walls. Nothing of any value. Rouge had already gone through them like a machine, tucking them all back away again neatly where she’d found them.

Her curiosity exhausted, the bat tossed and turned between a pile of damp cardboard boxes and an Alien Invaders machine wearing a veil of cobwebs. Finally she rolled over to fix Shadow in a teal glare.

“Could you do that a little more quietly?” she asked. “I don’t know how a girl is meant to get any sleep with you muttering away like that.”

Shadow found himself yanked out of the Chaos Network, and he met the bat’s eyes. “I wasn’t muttering.”

“You were so muttering.” Rouge tugged a mound of newspaper back over her, coughing on the musty dust that rose up from it. “Several times you’ve said ‘how is he doing it?’ What are you reading, anyway?”

Shadow’s brow furrowed as he realised the bat was actually right. He gave a defeated sigh and dismissed the Chaos Network, letting himself lean back against the cold stone wall.

“That serial killer,” he explained. “His actions puzzle me.”

“You ever considered they might not actually be a ‘he’?”

“I was using ‘he’ ambiguously.”

“Yeah, well. Some girls might take offense at that.”

“Are you one of them?”

She turned her head to look at him, a playful smirk on her lips. “I might be.”

Shadow snorted and tilted his head back against the wall.

“If you’re gonna keep reading about it,” she went on, “may I suggest you do so quietly? Some of us actually need a daily sleep.”

He ran a hand down his face and let out a long, drawn-out sigh. Rouge shifted under the newspapers and let out a sigh of her own. Then she rolled over to face him, her eyes narrowed.

“All right, I hear ya, handsome,” she said. “You wanna talk about it?”

He rubbed behind his ears and his eyes went distant. “The killer is leaving clues.”

“Yeah? All of Mainframe knows this killer is leaving clues. It’s apparently their thing.”

“I know that,” Shadow spat. “But they’ve not worked out who his next target is yet. The previous one happened four days ago now.”

“And this bothers you why?”

He stared back at her for a moment, trying to work out how to convey his feelings on the matter. But the look in Rouge’s eyes told him she’d read them loud and clear.

“You’re worried he might target us?” She let out a small laugh and pushed herself up, discarding the papers. “Honey, we’re on the move all the time. This killer plans his next target. They’d need to know exactly where and when we’ll be if they plan to off either of us. We don’t work like that. Besides, they couldn’t exactly kill you, could they?” She cracked a playful grin. “Unless it’s not you you’re worried for?”

Shadow huffed and narrowed his crimson eyes at her. “I can’t exactly regrow a heart. You know that.”

Rouge pouted out her bottom lip. “Charming. And here I was thinking you were worried about little me.”

“All they found was some virtual reality device,” he said, blatantly ignoring her comment. “All the developers behind that game have now left the city in a panic, believing one of them or a member of their families might be his next target. But what if that wasn’t the clue? What if one of that kid’s friends just happened to leave it there? What if the clue was something else entirely?”

“If you’re so worried, send an anonymous email to the detective.”

Shadow spat air and rolled his eyes. “I’m not about to waste my time with some incompetent detective. This killer might be some major ploy to wreak havoc on Mainframe. Some government conspiracy-”

“Or some bored teenager with too much time on their hands.” Rouge tugged the newspapers back over herself and huddled back down against the cardboard boxes. “You’re thinking into this too much, Shadow. Look at it this way. With all this going on, GUN’s spotlight is off you. Their focus now is on silencing and calming the masses. Offering potential targets sanctuary by moving them out of the city. As morbid as this might sound, enjoy it while it lasts.”

Shadow’s blood boiled and he leapt to his feet. “How can you say that?!”

Rouge’s eyes snapped back open and she stared up at him with alarm.

“I can’t just sit around when innocent people are being slaughtered!” he snapped. “People are out there being hunted down for no reason whatsoever! Nothing more than… sick entertainment! A game!”

Rouge blinked a few times as she processed this, her eyes trailing over his heaving shoulders and frantic expression.

“You relate,” she said bluntly.

“Eh?”

“You said they’re being ‘hunted down’,” she explained. “You sympathize…”

He looked her up and down as he tried to find the right words to back-pedal over what he’d just said.

Rouge pushed herself up again, lazily, and with a lot of exaggerated effort. She smoothed out the fur between her ears, dislodging a cobweb that had found its way there from the arcade machine.

“Look, I get it,” she said. “Like those victims, you’re innocent, being mobbed by GUN who want nothing more than to turn you into some science experiment. But let me say one thing - I do not believe these murders are some government conspiracy. I do not believe GUN, or Eggman, are behind them. Some people are just sick and twisted. It’s a sad fact of life. But if you think for one minute we’re looking into these crimes, and investigating crime scenes-”

“You don’t have to do anything,” said Shadow.

She blinked up at him, slack-jawed.

“You can stay holed up here for all I care,” he said. “I can be in and out in the blink of an eye.”

“You moron! You’d leave evidence behind. They’d do a DNA check and think it was you!”

“I’ll be careful,” he assured her. “Besides. I don’t shed like you do.”

Her muzzle twisted and he realised, with some regret, that she’d taken that entirely too literally.

He let out a small sigh and turned away from her. “I’ll be back in less than an hour.”

“If anyone sees you…” she growled.

“I’ll Chaos Control right out of there, and they’d think they were simply imagining it.”

“All right.” Rouge dragged the papers over her head. “I’ll keep an eye open for ‘Black Hedgehog Seen at Crime Scene. Has the Killer Returned to the Scene of the Crime?!’ all over the Beatdrop City News.”

“You over-exaggerate,” he spat. “Don’t come looking for me. I need to know you’re safe.”

Before he could be peppered with any reciprocated terms of affection, the basement warped around him and he found himself standing two blocks down from the home Snow the Rabbit had lived in.

Everything was quiet. Not a single person on the street. Not a child in sight. Dark, save for the glow of the street lamps and the distant neon billboards.

Shadow turned his eyes to the top floor of the house the rabbit had called home. No lights in the upstairs window. Downstairs was equally dark. The car in the drive told him her parents were home. Great. If he was going to go snooping, he either had to wait or do it quietly.

He narrowed his eyes at that thought and pushed himself from the lamp he’d been leaning against. He wanted answers, and he wanted them now. Quietly it was.

Computer code flashed around him briefly and the world re-materialized as a colourful bedroom. Tidy. Immaculate. Exactly as the news had described the crime scenes. The detectives had done a good job of making sure things were put back where they’d been found. Maybe on the off-chance they had to re-visit it.

Something about the room sent a chill down his spine. It felt cold. Unwelcoming. And oddly haunting. He could almost imagine the scene unfolding before his eyes. He found them wandering towards the window, almost expecting it to be open. Almost expecting to hear a scream, or a laugh. Yet it was closed. Not even a breeze could worm its way through it.

He shrugged it off, absently running his hand over his left arm in a bid to warm himself back up. He’d seen people die before. He’d had to defend himself against GUN soldiers. So why did a harmless room bother him?

He’d never visited a crime scene before. That’s all it was. The Ultimate Lifeform couldn’t be defeated by a room. No. He was going to get to the bottom of this.

Shadow reached for a drawer and tugged it open, feeling it rattle on its runners. Yet it barely made a sound. The contents were much less tidy. A clear indication someone had been rummaging in them. Well, if that was down to the detectives, they hadn’t tidied that.

“Sloppy,” he muttered as he shoved the drawer closed again.

He turned slowly to take in the room. Where to even start? A fleeting admiration flashed through his mind for detective kind. They’d just waltz into a scene like this and be greeted in the same way Shadow had. Yet they’d start looking. He swatted the thought aside and turned to the shelves stacked with stuffed animals.

Where had that headset been found again? Beneath the bed?

That was beside the window. He dropped onto all-fours and peered into the dark depths beneath the bed. A few storage boxes lay there, stuffed with art equipment. Neatly organized art equipment.

Shadow found himself rifling through it, sitting cross-legged as he set it down around him. Books of varying design. Pencils of various colours. Paints, either partly used or sealed. He flicked through the sketchbooks, briefly glancing over the child’s drawings. A legacy of colourful animals and plants, sketches of things she’d found out in the woods. Each one clearly labeled with the date, species and her neat little signature.

Nothing.

He set them all back in the boxes and nudged them back beneath the bed with his foot. As he turned to take in the room again, he realised one glaring thing.

It wasn’t nothing.

The girl had been obsessed with animals. Not the kind that he was, but the kind that flocked in trees or lived in burrows. The kind that sang in the morning, or nibbled on grass, or curled up purring on an owner’s lap.

The colourful creatures stared back out at him. Dolls and plush toy alike. Articulated dolls that were designed - slightly - to resemble a mainframer, yet were somewhat cuter. A collection, and probably a pricey one. All the same style, made by the same company or artist. They weren’t dressed in clothes. They were animals. Feral.

One of the neon lights flickered outside, creating an erratic pattern over the polished, white shelving unit on his left. His crimson eyes fell on a set of dolls sat on the middle shelf of her toy collection. Wooden dolls that, given how neatly they’d been placed there, would have easily been mistaken for a deliberate placement by the child herself. But they were not like the other toys. They were little wooden Mainframer-style dolls. Not articulated, but almost egg-shaped. All details had been painted on. Three of them. One a male, staring out at him with his arms neatly at his sides. The one beside him was a little girl clutching a basket before her. The final one, a toddler, with a dummy painted on its tiny face.

Shadow frowned at them. Father. Child. Baby. He knew what these were, he’d seen them during his web browsing. They were also a collector’s toy, more popular overseas. They came in a set of five, and each one fit snugly inside the other.

He snatched the male from the shelf and tugged it apart. It opened with a soft, almost inaudible ‘pop’. Just as he’d suspected, inside it sat the woman doll. Along with a piece of paper wrapped around her.

He peeled it away and unfolded it.

‘Dot’

Shadow frowned and set the doll down beside her partner. Then he turned to the little girl. There was a huge size difference between her an the toddler, that became much more glaring with the ‘mother’ now in place.

He tugged the girl doll open just like the last, and there was the next doll. Her ‘brother’. Again with a piece of paper wrapped around him.

‘Matrix’

Shadow stared at the two pieces of paper, his lip curling with confusion. What did it mean?!

A click came from beyond the door and light leaked in from the gap beneath it. Voices.

“… are you talking about?”

“I know what I heard. I think someone’s in there.”

Shadow’s blood turned cold and he clenched his fist, the papers crumpling in his hand. Footsteps marched towards the bedroom, growing louder and heavier. He swiftly set the small doll back on the shelf and tapped back into the Chaos Network.

The door opened, letting light flood into the room. But all that was left of Shadow were the slightly erratic placement of the dolls and an accidental trace of pink mist.

The black hedgehog found himself leaning against a cold tunnel wall, gasping for breath. A faint voice reached his ears, whispering. Incomprehensible. He jerked his head around, searching for the speaker, but no one was there. Silence. Water gurgled before him as the river traveled on its way to the ocean. Maybe that was all it was? Just his mind playing tricks on him.

The River Binary. Right on the other side of the Beatdrop Capital to where he’d wanted to be. It had happened again.

He lowered his hand from his face and rolled his head back against the wall. Whatever had happened, it had done the job. Whoever had entered the room hadn’t seen him, that much he was certain.

He uncurled his other hand and stared down at the small slips of paper. It was a clue. He knew it was a clue. But what? The words ‘dot’ and ‘matrix’. It made no sense. A dot matrix was a series of dots thrown together to make an image.

Pixels? No… no, that was a different thing entirely. Why was he even trying to link it in with that virtual reality game? He’d already come to the conclusion that it wasn’t a clue. If it was, it was as obscure as these slips of paper.

He let himself sink down against the wall as his mind reeled over the possibilities, each one reaching a dead end before it could even get off the ground. He shoved the thoughts aside and reached out to the Chaos Network. The vibrant search screen replaced those thoughts, obscuring reality. A simple search. ‘Dot Matrix’.

It brought up exactly what he had expected it to.

‘A grid of dots arranged to produce an image on a screen or paper’.

A few image examples followed it. Both hand drawn and computer generated. Old fashioned comics from decades past, bright and colourful and loud.

And the image of a black and purple cat wearing a backwards baseball cap.

Shadow leapt back up the images. He recognized that cat. Not from meeting in person, but from social media pages. Not quite over a year ago, he’d been quite the fan. He’d enjoyed watching the cat’s gaming antics play out before him while he’d been hiding from GUN. Then Rouge had come along, and he’d not felt the need to sit back and watch gaming streams.

Renga was the cat’s name. Or ‘RengaCharming’, to use his alias. Why had he, of all Mainframers, appeared in a web search for ‘dot matrix’?

Rather than bringing up the image, Shadow did a search for the particular cat. His profile popped up at the top of the list for the Friends of Mainframe social media website, and when Shadow brought that up, he found his page filled with screenshots for ‘Assassin Strike Five: Gone Are the Days’.

‘Enjoyed streaming this with you last night, gang! See y’all next weekend!’

The hedgehog’s heart clenched in his chest. Renga’s streaming alias. He’d changed it.

‘DotMatrix’.

 

[DeliriousAbsol]

Chapter Seven​

Amy had been out like a light as soon as her head hit the pillow. Refreshed and relaxed, she stretched and yawned, pushing herself up from the mattress. Snoring filled the room, loud and rattly, and she looked down at Tangle lying on her back atop her sleeping bag, limbs splayed across the laminate floor.

Amy chuckled to herself and clambered out of bed, careful to avoid stepping on the sleeping lemur. No sign of Whisper, but the scent of frying oil filled Amy’s nose through her closed bedroom door.

A quick freshen up and something to wear.

Amy frowned into her wardrobe as she shimmied through her outfits. Mostly pink, red or blue. Her eyes fell on a lone dress tucked away at the end of the clothes rail. A black dress, with a green and pink chipboard pattern criss-crossing around the hem. She remembered that. Infinite had picked it out weeks ago, and she’d never even tried it on. Just stuffed it away in her wardrobe, never to see the light of day again.

She didn’t generally like black. It was too dark a colour, and not one she thought she looked good in. Yet Infinite believed it would actually work. At the time, she’d strongly believed he’d just been rushing her, and had bought it to save argument. But after her client’s reaction to her autumn range - orange. A colour she’d never have considered, despite it being a huge autumn theme - maybe the jackal actually had a point.

She tugged the dress off its hanger and stared down at it. Its strappy back, and the extension of the pattern trailing up the front of it to form a chipboard heart. It wasn’t horrible. In fact, she quite liked the neon pink and green. Did Infinite even remember it? If so, he’d hidden any offense at her never so much as taking the labels off. Oh well, she could always try it on.

She tucked it over her arm and marched towards the bathroom, careful to close the bedroom door quietly behind her. She was pleased to find the bathroom vacant, and after a swift shower and freshen-up, she decided to venture the dress.

A quick twirl before the mirror, and she found herself liking it. The pink and green worked to take an edge off the black. Infinite really did have an eye for colour.

As she left the bathroom, she smoothed out the faint creases the dress had collected from being stuffed in a wardrobe for too long. The smell of cooking grew stronger when she entered the living room, and she found Whisper standing over the stove in the kitchenette.

“Good morning!” Amy said cheerfully to the living room.

“Morning,” said Whisper quietly. “Made breakfast.”

The wolf set a plate of pancakes on the breakfast bar.

Infinite was too busy folding the sofa back into place to give either girl much notice. The little blanket lay folded neatly beside him. He looked up as Amy trotted towards him to gather up the blanket. The look on his face caused her to falter, and his jaw went slack as he trailed his eye up and down her outfit.

The hedgehog felt her cheeks heat up and she tore herself away from him to gather up the fluffy bundle in her arms.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I kind of forgot about it.”

Infinite cleared his throat and returned to setting the cushions back in place. “I told you it would suit you.”

“Well you were right.”

Amy hastily put the blanket away in the storage closet, then joined Whisper by the breakfast bar. The quiet wolf set out another plate of pancakes, popping them beside Amy just as Infinite settled on the stool beside her. He reached for a jar of peanut butter that had been set out in preparation, either by himself or Whisper Amy had no idea. He unscrewed the jar and promptly began emptying its contents onto his steaming stack of pancakes.

Amy turned away and reached instead for the maple syrup.

“Good morning!”

Amy promptly dropped the bottle as Tangle’s voice dominated the silence. The lemur appeared beside her and flashed her a toothy grin.

“Wow, Amy! You look smokin’!” Tangle snatched up her pancakes as Whisper slid them along the bar towards her. “You going out somewhere or somethin’?”

“No,” said Amy. “I was actually just going to stay home and work on my designs.”

“That’s fair.” Tangle licked syrup off her knife and tucked into her breakfast. “I’ve got an interview at that pizza place, so I’ll be off out after this.”

“That’s a relief,” muttered Infinite.

Amy’s quills bristled along her spine and she turned to fix the jackal in a glare. But Tangle just burst out laughing and hammered her fist onto the tabletop.

“Argh, you’re a riot!” she said. “Yanno what, Niffy?”

Infinite’s lone visible eye turned a livid shade of orange.

“You and I,” Tangle pointed her fork between them. “We just need a day of fun. Get to know each other. Whaddaya say?”

“Pass.” Infinite slipped from the bar stool, taking his ‘pancakes on peanut butter’ with him to the sofa.

“Huh.” Tangle watched him go then turned to Amy. “Was it something I said?”

“No.” Amy fired a glare at the back of the jackal’s head. “He’s just grumpy.”

“Well, it was how Whisper and I got to know each other,” Tangle said quite loudly. “And now we’re thick as thieves!”

Whisper gave them a shy smile as she joined them with her own plate of pancakes.

“You know what they say,” said Amy. “Opposites attract.”

“And you don’t get much more opposite than us three, eh?” Tangle stuffed a fork-full of pancake into her mouth.

“You’re telling me,” said Infinite. “It’s like an apple, an orange, and a giant, obnoxious megaphone all tried to grow on the same tree.”

Tangle laughed again and shook her head. “Who are you callin’ obnoxious, Grumpy Guts?”

Whisper and Amy both chuckled, but the latter wasn’t with amusement. Infinite muttered to himself as he pretended not to hear the lemur.

“So what’s the plans for this evening?” Tangle asked. “I’m thinkin’ another movie! Maybe one with guns and robots!”

Infinite dramatically flopped onto the arm of the sofa with a loud, drawn-out groan. Amy fired him another glare, then sighed and poked at her breakfast.

“Maybe we could go out this time?” she said. “There’s a little bar not too far away from here. It even has a pool table.”

“Wow! A proper one?” Tangle gasped.

Amy nodded.

“You don’t see many of those anymore.” Tangle’s eyes practically sparkled. “They’re usually just holograms now! Neat! All right. Let’s do that. Niffy! You and me? First game!”

Infinite jerked his head around to sneer at the lemur. He dug his fingers into the back of the sofa cushion, his tail swishing like a flag.

“You call me that one more time…” he growled.

Tangle didn’t remotely care. She merely flashed him a playful grin before stuffing the last of her breakfast into her mouth.

“All right! I gotta fly!” she said. “You’re still meetin’ me after the interview, right Whisper?”

“Of course,” said Whisper.

Tangle licked the remains of syrup off her plate and popped it into the sink before scurrying from the apartment. But not without a big, joyful wave and a cheery ‘see ya!’

“Thank goodness for that!” Infinite leant back against the sofa. “Peace and quiet at last!”

Amy and Whisper gave him a mournful look, and the wolf exchanged glances with her friend. She gathered up her empty plate, and Amy’s, and took them to the sink to wash them.

“You don’t need to do that,” said Amy. “You’ve done enough.”

“It’s fine,” said Whisper.

So Amy waited at the bar, sipping a coffee she’d not previously noticed was beside her plate, while tapping her fingers on the marble. Once Whisper had dried her hands, she gave Amy a fond smile and moved from the kitchenette.

“Quick shower,” she said as she left the living room.

Amy watched her leave then slipped from the bar stool. She rounded on Infinite, drawing his gaze from the remains of his breakfast.

“All right, you,” she almost growled.

“What did I do?” he asked.

“You can’t treat my friends like that!” she said.

“The wolf is fine,” he said. “It’s just that Tangle girl.”

“What’s wrong with her?”

He blinked up at her, as if questioning why on earth she would ask such a ridiculous question. Then he sighed and lifted a hand in a shrug.

“She’s very loud for such a small person,” he said.

“That doesn’t give you reason to be rude to her,” said Amy. “Good grief. Have you never had a girlfriend?”

Infinite turned to kick his feet up onto the sofa and closed his eye. “Not especially, no.”

“Then that explains your attitude. It’s like you haven’t got a clue how to treat a girl. And that’s including the way you’ve treated me before.”

“Hey!” He fixed his golden eye on her. “I have you know I could be the perfect gentleman to the right girl.”

“You’d be a lot more popular if you were a perfect gentleman to every girl.”

Infinite’s eye sparkled and he flashed her a playful grin. “Really? Wanting me to treat you right, are you?”

Amy’s cheeks flushed and she stamped her foot. “That is not what I meant!”

He rolled his head back and laughed. Then regained himself with some abruptness. “I’m not looking right now anyway. But if I found the right girl, I’d treat her like a queen. Us jackals take that thing real seriously. We mate for life.”

“Really?” Amy gasped. “That… sounds sweet, actually.”

“Of course you’d think that. You’ve been fawning over the same guy for how many years?”

“See?! This is exactly what I mean!” Amy hugged her arms around herself and looked away from him. “You just don’t know how to talk to or treat a girl at all. You’d just be pushing them away!”

His expression turned unreadable as he stared at her. “Have you ever thought that might be exactly what I’m trying to do?”

She shook her head, bewildered. “Why? Because what you’re doing is hurtful! You’re hurting my friends, and me!”

His lips turned down in a sad frown. “I don’t intend to hurt you… or your friends.”

“Then why try to push us away?”

He scratched his muzzle beneath his mask and turned away from her. Silence. So he wasn’t going to answer her? Her mind wandered back to the previous night, when she’d been wondering if something had happened to his family. Or if he’d left them behind all those years ago.

She took in a wobbly breath and absently rubbed her arm. “So you haven’t found her? Not even back in your world?”

“Nope.” A blunt answer. No emotion in his voice at all.

“Then that explains why you’re treating us the way you are doing. You clearly don’t know what love feels like.”

He raised an eyebrow and his lip curled with confused amusement. “What does that have to do with the way I treat your friends?”

She shrugged and gave a defeated sigh. “I’m just trying to work you out.”

“No, you’re not.” He pushed himself up off the arm and kicked his legs over the side of the sofa. “You’re prying, like your little lemur friend was trying to do last night.”

She hugged herself again and looked away from him, at a loss for words. She had been prying, and she’d not even realised she was doing it. And his staring was making her feel incredibly uneasy. She backed away slightly from his intense gaze, but he rose from the sofa and approached her slowly, backing her into the wall.

“Okay, I’ll play,” he said with a smirk. “You’re right. I don’t know what romantic love feels like. But I was always told I know when I felt it.”

Amy’s heart pounded frantically, and she placed her hands on the wall behind her, groping for a non-existent door. Something to slip through to separate herself from the jackal towering over her.

“My pulse would race, and I wouldn’t want to leave her side,” he went on. “I’d feel weak yet like I could move a mountain. I’d want to do anything for her, even give my life to save hers if I had to. No words would be able to express my feelings, so voicing them would be pointless. But believe me, she’d know. She’d see it in my eyes. Hear it in my voice. Feel it in my touch.” He was almost nose to nose with her at that point. He lowered his voice to almost a whisper. “Does that sound about right to you?”

Amy’s legs trembled and she stuttered over the first letter of her next words to an embarrassing extent. “Pretty much…”

“Perfect.” He stood back from her and straightened up again. “Then I guess I passed your little test?”

“What test?” Amy’s voice still wavered and she fought desperately to quiet her racing heart. “I wasn’t testing you.”

“You were,” he said. “All this started because you were concerned about the way I treat your friends.”

Yes, it had. How on earth had it escalated into all that? She trailed her fingers through her quills, still leaning back against the wall. Her legs shook so much she feared she was going to slide down it onto her bottom.

“You asked me if I’d ever had a girlfriend,” he went on. “But you never asked me anything about having any friends. I had those in abundance, sugar. Friends joke with each other.” He fixed her in a one-eyed stare. “They don’t dote on each other.”

She finally found the strength to push herself back from the wall and idly smoothed out her dress.

“So that’s what you were doing?” she asked. “You were joking with Tangle when you insulted her?”

“No. Truth is, I can’t stand her.” He raised both hands in a shrug. “But… if it means so much to you, I’ll make the effort to… put up with her.” He said the last words through clenched teeth. As if the sheer thought pained him.

Amy frowned up at him, locking her eyes on his. “I appreciate it.”

Whisper appeared in the doorway to the corridor and looked between the two of them, a look of confusion crossing her dainty face. Then she beamed.

“Coffee?” she asked.

Infinite let out a small grunt and turned to watch the wolf as she busied herself by the coffee machine. Only two mugs. Years back, Amy would have questioned Whisper on that. But she knew her all too well. She’d always be willing to do something for others before rushing out to run her own errands.

Amy said a quick thanks as she pulled out her computer, wanting to do anything to take her mind off the conversation that had just unfolded between herself and the jackal. Her friends had always called her a romantic. Obsessed with shoujo light novels and rom-coms. Always probing to find out which of her friends had a crush on who. And now she could feel the awkwardness descending over them like a blanket. Although Infinite didn’t seem to care. He was occupying himself by assisting Whisper in the kitchenette. Had he actually taken what she’d said to heart?

Amy shook it off and flopped onto the sofa, bringing up the news site out of habit. She was actually wanting the celebrity news, to see what Mainframe’s most famous were wearing. An insight into what styles might suddenly be in demand. But instead, her eye was drawn to the top headline.

‘Inside the Deranged Mind of Mainframe’s Heartbreaker.’

Her brain didn’t process the word ‘deranged’ until she actually brought up the news article. Once again, she’d been more fixated on the word ‘Heartbreaker’. Once again, her obsession with the romantic taking over before she could even realise the article was actually about a serial killer.

Three recent, registered deaths. Along with the suspicion he’d killed at least two others before any victim had actually been discovered. Each one made to look like a suicide. How had all that flown under her radar? Of course… she’d been too fixated and bogged down with her house move to pay much attention to the news headlines. And it had only become public knowledge two days ago, if that.

Amy’s mouth hung open as she read over the news article. Nothing went untouched. The mysterious method the killer used, the locked rooms with no clear indication as to how the killer had come or gone, a spotless crime scene, mind-boggling puzzles that were not easy to discover or decipher. As she drew closer to the end of the article, she became aware of her racing heart.

Then a hot cup of coffee found its way into her hand. She looked up into a lone, orange-tinted eye just as the door opened and Whisper muttered a ‘g’bye!’ before closing it behind her.

Off to meet Tangle. That had been what she’d announced while Amy was deeply, and fearfully, transfixed by the news article.

Infinite stood watching her, cradling his own mug in his hands. “You’ve lost some of your pinkness. Are you feeling okay?”

She rubbed the back of her head and lowered her computer, trying to avoid his probing stare.

“I… erm…” Her voice choked and she paused to clear her throat. “There’s a serial killer lose in this city.”

“Ah, yes. I’ve heard about that.” He sat down beside her, causing her to scoot towards the other end of the sofa. A small frown appeared on his muzzle and his golden eye narrowed. “Why are you moving away from me?”

“They think the first one happened three weeks ago, only a few miles outside Central City. But everyone thought the guy took his own life.” She paused to take in a steadying breath. “Isn’t that when you escaped from GUN?”

Infinite flashed one of his canines, and the fur stood on end along his spine. Amy had to fight the urge to whip out her mallet.

“You think it’s me?” The calmness in his voice didn’t match the rage in his eye at all.

“I don’t know,” she gasped. “But… everything seems to… have you even read this?”

She turned her computer towards him and he immediately abandoned his mug to the coffee table to snatch it from her. He scanned over it, lips moving silently to the words as he scrolled through the article. Then he lowered the computer and stared at the far wall.

“See?” She gave a small shrug and let her hands flop onto her lap. “You can’t really blame-”

“Why do you think it’s me?” he asked.

“You just read it,” she said. “The tidiness… no clear breaking or entering. And as for the cause of death, there are no powers like that recorded anywhere in Mainframe. Can’t you-”

He tossed her computer discourteously onto the table and rose to his feet. For a fleeting moment, Amy thought he was about to leave, but instead he paced back and forth between the kitchenette and the coat stand, muttering to himself.

She pushed herself from the sofa, but didn’t move towards him. Instead, she wound her hands together, once again considering grabbing her hammer just perchance she might need it.

“If it isn’t you, then who?” she asked.

“I don’t know!” He stopped and threw his arms in the air. “Someone trying to frame me? I can’t…” He began pacing again, and actually removed his mask to run his hands down his face. “You actually think it’s me?!”

“Can you blame me?” she gasped. “I’ve only known you for three weeks! And during that time you have killed people! Lots of people!”

“In self defense!”

“That’s beside the point! You also dragged me around on a chain and called me names! For all I knew, you only saw me as some convenient meat shield!”

“And what I said yesterday meant nothing to you?!”

He fell backwards into the breakfast bar and covered his face with his hands. She couldn’t tell if he was crying or not. With the sounds he was making and the way his shoulders were shaking, he could easily have been laughing. Laughing at the absurdity of her assumption.

“Of course it did,” she said.

“I meant every word.”

She hugged her arms around herself. “So did I.”

“Then why? Why are you accusing me of this?”

“I’m not accusing you,” she said softly.

“You are. And it’s pretty clear you’re worried I might make you into a victim.”

She clenched her mouth shut and looked away from him.

“I said I’d never hurt you.” His voice cracked slightly and he cleared his throat to mask it. “I meant that.”

“I know.” She blinked back tears from her eyes. “But for the past two weeks, you went out without me a lot. With all the evidence laid out right there, can you see why I might be concerned?”

“It’s not me, Amy,” he said flatly. “It might look like it, but it’s not.”

He trailed off and replaced his mask, refusing to look at her.

“Then someone really wants it to look like it’s you,” she said. “Unless…”

He tensed, tail bristling. She took it as a sign to choose her words carefully.

She licked her lips and leant back against the arm of the sofa. “You told me the Phantom Ruby has some level of sentience. Could it be… acting out?”

“What? Making me do something with no memory of it?” he spat.

“Is it really such an absurd idea?”

He lifted his hands in a feeble shrug. “No.”

“You said you fell asleep on a park bench,” Amy went on. “And that was the night that little girl died.”

Infinite took in a sharp breath through clenched teeth. Crimson light surrounded his hands and he brought his fist down into the counter top with a mighty smash, sending small cracks exploding across the marble surface. “It isn’t me!”

Amy stifled a squeal as she leapt back from the sofa, staring wide-eyed between the jackal and her cracked breakfast bar. He stared at it with a matching expression of shock and horror, his breath coming in quick bursts. Then he turned from it and made a bee-line for the door.

Amy gave herself a mental shake and took off after him, grabbing him by the wrist. “Wait! Please…”

He faltered in the open doorway, avoiding her emerald gaze.

“I believe you,” she said. “If you don’t remember it, then how can it be you? And if something is controlling you, you’d just be a puppet.”

“Nothing is controlling me,” he spat.

“It doesn’t matter either way. You’re my friend, and I want to help you. Because if someone is trying to frame you, then… then you could end up back with GUN. Or Gadget.”

He closed his eye and let out a weak sigh.

“Please?” She tightened her grip on his wrist and screwed her eyes shut. “I’m sorry I leapt to conclusions like that. Neither of us really know each other, but I shouldn’t…” She trailed off and swiped her hand over her eyes.

He let the door close and turned to face her as much as her death-grip on his wrist would allow. He trailed a hand over her quills and she looked up at him, finding a half-smirk on his muzzle.

“Allow me to put your mind at ease,” he said. “When I had a target, I wanted to make sure my face was the last thing they’d see. And I didn’t care about the mess.”

Her jaw went slack and she felt an odd chill run down her spine.

“This killer’s method?” He gave a small shrug. “It really isn’t my style. Now…” He released her and looked over at the breakfast bar. “Drat, it looks like I broke that during my little tantrum. Do you want me to fix it for you?”

Amy made a thoughtful noise and forced a smile. “It might be a good idea, otherwise I won’t be seeing my security deposit.”

He chuckled and made his way back to the bar. A frown tugged at his muzzle and he placed his hand upon it, tapping into his Phantom Ruby. A flash of red exploded out over the top of it, causing all the cracks to vanish. But once the light subsided, they reappeared in the exact same pattern. He leant forwards on it, taking a few deep breaths.

Amy rushed to his side and placed a hand on his back. “Are you okay?”

He waved a weak hand and pushed himself back up again. Another flash of crimson light. This time, the cracks didn’t return.

Infinite clutched the edge of the bar, panting as he dragged himself onto one of the bar stools.

“Infinite, what’s going on?” Amy asked. “This isn’t-”

“I know,” he growled, leaning his head on one hand and pinching his muzzle. “I’ve been trying to work it out.”

Amy stared at him for a moment and licked her dry lips. “Is it… broken?”

He snorted and shook his head. “It feels more like I’m constantly using it.” He looked up at her then, taking in her stunned expression. His mouth turned down in a sad frown and he dug his fingers into the marble. “That’s why I got so upset when you accused me. I knew about those killings. I spent a lot of time in the Chaos Network over the past few days. And hearing you put it into words… Part of me… is worried you might be right.”

...​

Rough’s ship was still hovering over the Beatdrop Capital, shrouded in its cloak. Tumble had lurked around beneath it for a good few hours before vanishing once again into the shadows.

The space pirate captain had barely slept a wink, fighting to stay awake while Gadget worked meticulously on his gravity weapon. Rough had ran over various fictitious renditions of their conversation in his head. Reasons as to why Gadget hadn’t told him the gun was broken. The wolf would have lead them both to their deaths, unless he’d had some plan to have Rough die at the hands of his brother. A plan that had gone wrong. But then why reveal to him his weapon was broken?

So far, Gadget had shown no desire to take over his ship. He also hadn’t revealed to him why the weapon was broken. Just that it had been dropped recently.

The wolf worked with an intense focus, occasionally muttering to himself - or to the gun - as he fiddled around with its insides. Rough’s entire bridge had been turned into some kind of morbid mechanical butcher’s room. Screws and fine slips of plastic lay strewn around it, amid a tangle of wires some of which had been burned out. Rough knew very little about the makings of technology, but he was fairly certain wires shouldn’t burn like that inside the very machines they are meant to be operating. He was also fairly certain a mere drop wouldn’t cause that. The insulation should have been enough to protect the wires from any overheating. Right?

The skunk scratched his mohawk and leant back against the wall. “You almost done, doc? ‘Cos I wanna fly this ship outta this joint. She could use some fuel.”

“Then fly.” Gadget didn’t look up from his work. Still crouching over it with his tongue poking out between his lips.

“You sure?” Rough grunted. “’Cos last time I tried to get past, you told me if I stood on anythin’ you’d chop off me legs.”

Gadget pushed himself up enough to beam at the skunk. He waved his hand towards the captain’s seat.

“If you can get through here with the grace of a ballet dancer, then be my guest,” he said.

Rough narrowed his eyes at him, trying to work out if he should actually take up the wolf’s challenge. But in contrast he actually had as much grace as a cannonball in a mosh pit that had had a bit too much to drink. So he let out a sigh and waved a dismissive hand.

“Fine, just hurry it up,” he said. “Otherwise we won’t be in the air for much longer.”

Gadget sat back on his haunches and rotated the body of his gun in his hands. “How much longer do you estimate?”

“I dunno.” Rough shrugged and brushed back his mohawk. “Probably have enough fuel to last until tomorrow sundown.”

“Then we aren’t exactly in a rush, are we?”

“Refuelin’ station is at Pulse City, doc. It’ll take us about six hours to fly there!”

“My estimates is that Violet Station is closer.” Gadget looked up from his gun to smirk at him. “Four and a half hours, if you fly at hyperdrive.”

Rough balled his hands into fists. “I ain’t welcome at that space station.”

“Well I’m not welcome anywhere.” Gadget returned to jabbing at the guts of his gun, with a little more violence than Rough deemed necessary. “And I have you and your little friends to thank for that.”

A chill shot down the skunk’s spine, and for a fleeting moment he actually considered grabbing the wolf by the back of his trench coat and tossing him from his ship. Rough rubbed the bridge of his muzzle and stifled a groan. It was beginning to cross his mind, and not for the first time, that there was more to Gadget’s ‘help’ than one could see on the surface. Some kind of elaborate revenge, maybe? Well… Rough needed him. No… Tumble needed him. And if there was any chance he could get that help off Gadget then he was taking it. And so long as the wolf was unarmed, Rough had the upper hand.

He pushed himself back from the wall and strode over the mess on his floor towards his chair. Gadget let out a pained wail as a tangle of wires crunched beneath the skunk’s boot.

“You don’t need the burned ones,” Rough said as he flopped into his seat.

Gadget’s protests were drowned out over the roar of the engine, and the little black ship rose further into the sky. Hyperdrive would take up way too much gas. But the next step down might get them to Pulse City in less time than he’d previously guessed.

The ship lurched forwards, and the roar became a steady hum. Peppered by the clattering of screws and bits of plastic and metal skittering across the floor of his bridge.

“You moron!” Gadget spat as he clambered across the floor to gather them back up. “I had that all organized!”

“Aye, an organized mess,” Rough retorted.

He caught Gadget’s livid eyes in the reflection of his windscreen.

“You try anythin’, doc,” he warned, “then you’ll find out just how high up we are. Eh?”

“Are you threatening me, pirate?”

“Pot, kettle, black.” Rough sat back in his seat and tucked his hands behind his head, keeping one eye on the wolf’s leering reflection. “Besides. You might find one or two things to fix your gun in Pulse City.”

“You really think I’m going to waltz around in a city filled with mercenaries?!”

Rough flashed his canines in a small grin. “How about I trade you some cloaking technology for your obedience?”

Gadget’s features softened and he lowered his gun. “I’m listening.”

Rough chuckled and glanced back at him over his shoulder. “Pulse City’s a hot-spot for cloaking technology. Ships need it. But it’s mighty expensive. You promise me you’ll save my brother and spare both our lives, I’ll scoop up some plans for ya and let you go.” He lifted a finger as Gadget opened his mouth to speak. “And! You never come after either of us ever again. Or my friends.”

Gadget narrowed his eyes. “Which friends?”

“Team Datastream.”

Gadget’s tail swished behind him and his lips turned up in a smile. “All right. You have a deal, pirate.”

“Excellent.” Rough settled back in his seat. “You know what, doc? You’d make a pretty good space pirate.”

Gadget spat, his entire focus on his gravity weapon. “Say that again and I’ll turn you into a throw rug.”

 

[DeliriousAbsol]

Christmas Special

Winter Warmers
​

One of the upsides to Pulse City was its heated dome at winter. That glass barrier provided more than just a means to stop people falling off the floating city, but when they closed the roof during winter and let that low heat radiate through it… bliss.

Mind you, there were some flaws. The docks remained wide open. And given the sheer number of ships the city had to cater for, it was a pretty large space. The cold wind whipped through it, peppering the docks and exposed ships with snow.

Tsunami often wondered how such a huge city remained airborne. It was at least the size of North and East Cipher and the Beatdrop Capital combined. It needed to be. Some of those ships were huge. Most of them were the size of small houses, like hers. Others were huge cargo ships that came, dropped off their shipments, then went again. Most were more like private jets with no sleeping accommodation, and those remained in the docks for days… or even weeks.

Tsunami let out a sigh as she leant against the metal barrier. The only thing between her and the warm glass. The last of the snow melted off her scales, vanishing over the edge into the unseen depths below. The rest of her crew were still aboard the Raptor, making the last of the repairs. It had been her job to touch up the paintwork. Her decision to do it during a blizzard. Well… the blizzard hadn't been a thing until shortly after she started, and she wasn't one to leave a job unfinished. Crash had insisted she go and get a hot chocolate and sit somewhere warm, given the ship's heating hadn't been fixed yet. Decode was on that, flat on his back beneath the control deck while he poked and pulled at various wires. His tail looking a little frazzled from what Tsunami had guessed was from a mistake he would likely never admit to.

Yep. Even geniuses made mistakes.

The pangolin sipped her hot cocoa, letting the warmth of it flow through her from the inside. She let her eyes drift shut and sank further against the barrier. At least from here she couldn't feel so much as a draft from the docks.

"Hey, Nami!"

Her eyes snapped back open and she looked up as a familiar skunk joined her side. He clutched a beer glass in his hands about which Tsunami guessed the bartender would have something to say. She glanced over her shoulder towards the run-down pub behind her. Situated only a block or two from the cafe.

"You're getting a little bit too comfortable around me, pirate," she said.

"Ah come on," said Rough. "You're not exactly pullin' out yer laser on me."

"I will if you give me a reason to." It was meant to be a warning, but the skunk clearly took it as a joke.

Once he'd done laughing, he settled himself on the barrier. "I thought you were away. I weren't expectin' you back just yet. Last I heard, you were on yer way to Server One."

The space station…

Tsunami sipped her drink again as she stared blankly at the frosted glass. "We ran into some trouble."

"Really?" The skunk grinned at that. "What kinda trouble? Space pirates?"

"I can handle space pirates," Tsunami grunted. "No. A flux wave. We got caught in it, and it messed up the electronics. It had also ripped away part of the meteorite belt. We're lucky the Raptor didn't get hammered."

Rough's ears drooped. "Yikes! Didn't anyone like forecast that?"

"You can't forecast flux waves. They can't be detected until they happen. This one just happened to be too close to the meteorite belt. We took out the worst of them, so they shouldn't be a problem to Mainframe. But we won't be fulfilling our request until the flux has faded."

He grunted and sipped his beer. "I've not been to a space station in years. Always were wary of flux waves."

"They're uncommon," said Tsunami. "We were just unlucky."

"I'd say you were pretty lucky to come outta it at all."

"My ship's top grade. If you went through it in a paper plane like yours, you'd be shredded to bits."

Rough flashed a canine at her. "Hey! Don't trash a man's ship, Nami. It ain't cool."

Tsunami chuckled and shook her head. "You space pirates are all the same."

"Yeah, well, I built that ship." He stared at her for a moment then took another swig of his drink. "So what's the damage? Anythin' I can help with?"

"No need. My crew's on it."

"An extra pair of hands don't hurt, Nami. I told ya. I built my own ship. I know what I'm doin'."

Tsunami gave him a sideways glance. "Are you looking for a job?"

He spread a hand in a shrug. "Gotta pay my rent, and I'm still flyin' solo."

Great. Tug the heart strings. She closed her eyes and sighed. "All right. If you know what you're doing. I'll pay by the hour. But I'd wait until the blizzard's over."

"Got caught in it, eh?" He chuckled again, sending some of his drink sloshing over into the dome.

"Well, I'd rather be caught in a blizzard than a flux wave."

"You're still lookin' a bit damp."

"I'll dry."

The pair stood in silence for a moment, gazing out at what little they could see beyond the dome. Snow piled up on it, drifting away as it rapidly melted against the warm glass and trailed off as slush. What was left of the frosty coating blurred the night-cloaked world beyond. Not a single star twinkled, hidden away behind a mass of clouds as the sky dropped its fluffy present onto Mainframe's surface.

"Once we've got your ship repaired," said Rough, "I kinda wanna see what the suburbs around Node City look like. Been a long time since I've romped around in the snow."

"That could be quite nice, actually," said Tsunami. "It'd probably cheer up Crash and Decode, too. That journey back was a rocky one."

Rough glanced up at her. "What damage are we lookin' at exactly?"

She rubbed a hand over her head scales. "One of the engines was ripped right off. All power to the control deck was severed, including the central heating. Decode's working on that, while Crash sources us a new engine. A few scuffs along the sides, which I've painted along the left flank. Some dents still need hammering out on the right side, along with more paintwork."

"Yikes." Rough grimaced. "All your power's out?"

"Fortunately it didn't take out the auto pilot."

"Yeah, otherwise you'd still be hoverin' around up there waitin' for a pick up."

Tsunami bit back the urge to tell him that would have been the best case scenario. Instead she took a good drink of her now luke-warm cocoa.

"We'll get it sorted out," he continued. "You'll be airborne again in no time."

Tsunami nodded once and bit her lip. Why couldn't she actually thank this pirate?

He fixed her with one red eye. "You cold?"

"No."

"Dang it." He sighed into his glass.

Tsunami looked back up at the dome. The snow was beginning to ease. No longer whipped up in a flurry, plastering thick coats of snow onto the heated glass.

"It looks like it's starting to ease off," she said. "I'm gonna head back to my ship and see how my crew's getting on."

"I'll come with ya." Rough pushed himself back from the barrier.

"Return that beer glass first," she said.

"I was gonna."

She watched him swagger back towards the bar. Could she lose him? No… she'd offered him the job, and she did need her ship repairing. But was that the real reason she'd done it? She clenched her jaw and shook her head hard. Of course it was the real reason.

Right?

Before she could continue her mental warfare, the grinning skunk was back at her side.

"All right," he said. "Let's take a look at that damage."

She nodded and turned back towards the docks, striding through the busy street. Space pirates, mercenaries, Phantom Thieves… no one gave either her or Rough the time of day. All too busy with their own lives.

Snow still drifted down over the docks with thick, heavy flakes. What lay on the ground was trodden down into slush, but fluffy piles of it collected by the bollards and against the exposed walls of the storehouses. Mounds of snow lay heavy on the golden wings of the Raptor. Crash perched on its back, frowning at a huge gash on its tail fin where one of the twin engines used to be.

"Any joy?" she called up to the pangolin.

He fixed his blue eyes on her and one of his playful grins graced his muzzle. He nodded and made his way to the ship's hooked nose, sliding down it to land in a crouch on the docks.

"What's he doing here?" He inclined his head at Rough as he rose to his feet.

"I'm paying him to help us," Tsunami explained. Before Crash could protest, she raised a hand. "We need all the help we can get. I'm not going to turn my nose up at his offer if it'll help us get the Raptor back in the sky."

Crash closed his mouth and shrugged. "Fine. Maybe he can start by hammering out the dents?"

He pulled a hammer from his tool belt and offered it to the space pirate. Rough took it and juggled it in one hand.

"Don't make a mess," Crash warned.

"I know what I'm doin'," Rough muttered as he strutted over towards the ship's right flank.

Crash kept one eye on him as he asked, "What are you doing, Nami?"

"I told you." Tsunami turned from her twin to head into her ship. "Keep a watch on him. I'm going to see how Decode is doing."

The lights were back on. That was a start. Decode sat at the control deck, tapping away at the various buttons. The air inside the bridge was still bitter cold, and from the bush baby's mutterings, the heating wasn't co-operating as well as he'd hoped.

Omochao hovered by the primate's head, offering his own expert advise.

"I can see you're making progress," said Tsunami.

"Not fast progress," said Decode. "I think the radiator has well and truly had it."

Great… another setback. Tsunami hugged her arms around herself and grimaced.

"We might have to sleep in a huge cozy pile tonight," said Decode. "Either that, or find a hotel at the last minute."

Tsunami pursed her lips as something Rough said echoed in her mind.

'I kinda wanna see what the suburbs around Node City look like.'

Node City…

Tsunami rushed from the bridge.

Decode raised an eyebrow. "What's the matter? Was it something I said?"

"I wouldn't take it personally," said Omochao. "She probably has a chill."

Tsunami skidded to a halt, clutching a bollard to stop herself. Rough was busy on the hull, hammer clanging away and poking his tongue between his lips in concentration.

"How many people can fit on your ship?" she asked.

He jerked his head around with a start, his eyes wide. "Huh?"

"How many?"

"I dunno." He shrugged. "Three? Any more'n that, it gets pretty cozy."

"Cozy it is." She turned towards the Raptor's nose.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because we're going to Node City," she said. "Put the hammer away and warm your engines up."

"Singular."

"Eh?"

"My ship only has one engine," he said. "It ain't some fancy long-haul like yours, Nami."

She waved him off and clambered up the nose of the Raptor. Crash was once again perched by the damaged tail, tugging off the frayed and ragged ends with a pair of pliers.

"Crash!"

He didn't look up. "Yeah?"

"Come on. We're calling it a night."

He did look up then, his muzzle twisting with confusion. "We've got a lot of work to do, Nami. The engine's arriving tomorrow evening."

"Then that's even more reason," she said. "We're cold, exhausted… So I'm suggesting we take a break. I'm gonna book us a hotel in Node City. Rough will take us."

The pliers clattered to the roof, leaving a scuff. "A space pirate? What's gotten into you, Nami?"

"I'm too tired to think straight. Are you coming?"

He stood up and dusted himself down. "Sure. I'm not complaining about a break. Why Node, exactly?"

A small smile tugged at Tsunami's lips. "I thought it might be fun to see the snow."

Crash laughed at that. "There's plenty of it here."

"There's also a lot of space pirates. The suburbs around Node City are quiet."

"All right." Crash placed a hand on her shoulder and steered her back towards the docks. "But we might need to work together to pull Decode away from the control deck. He's pretty desperate to get the heating working again."

Tsunami chuckled and shook her head. "Then lure him away with games."

...​

It certainly was rather cozy.

Tsunami sat upfront with Rough, which Crash insisted on. The larger pangolin sat behind his twin on the floor, huddled against the wall. Decode was opposite him with his legs crossed, playing some game on his pocket computer. Omochao flitted back and forth watching the bush baby. The chao-droid had wanted to stay behind and watch the ship, but Tsunami had told him that wasn't an option. Sure, the little robot could take care of himself. But he was every bit a part of her crew as her flesh and blood members.

Rough was oddly quiet, his full attention on getting his ship safely through the snow storm. It had started up again shortly after they left Pulse City, and fluffy white flakes whipped up in the wind, hammering the hull with a deceptive amount of force. The ship's lights reflected off the flakes, making it look more like they were traveling through a swirling galaxy.

Node City's lights twinkled through the darkness as it emerged through the blizzard. Tsunami had barely noticed it, too lost in her own thoughts. It was only an hour away from Pulse City… well, an hour below it. But they weren't aiming for the city. The ship leveled out over the southern suburbs, right above the bare canopy of a little almond grove.

Rough pushed himself from his seat and stretched. "All right, we're here. All in one piece, yeah?"

Decode looked up at his friends, blinking his large pink eyes. "What, already? Yikes, I thought I'd make it at least to level ten."

He tucked his computer away in his belt pouch and took Crash's offered hand. The pangolin tugged him to his feet and ushered him off ahead of them.

Omochao flitted before Tsunami's face. "Permission to stay aboard the ship, ma'am? I'm afraid snow does not agree with my circuits."

She looked to Rough and raised an eyebrow. The skunk's muzzle creased and he bared a canine.

"I ain't gonna steal him," he said. "It's technically kidnappin'. I don't deal in that trade."

Tsunami sighed and closed her eyes. "I was actually going to ask if you minded."

"Oh, sorry." Rough chuckled. "Sure I don't mind. Thing is, Nami, you so often think the worst o' me, you can't blame me for leapin' to conclusions."

"You might be a pirate, but I don't exactly take you for an android-napper." Tsunami swung herself onto the ladder and dropped the short distance to the ground.

The thick snow cushioned her fall and she rose to search for her friends. Crash had already situated himself behind one of the trees. He wore a silly grin on his face as he attempted to snipe Decode with snowballs.

The bush baby ducked and ran while grabbing snow in his hands. It went soaring towards Crash, sending him ducking back behind the tree.

Tsunami shook her head and smiled. "Typical boys."

Then her spine stiffened as something cold spread over her head scales. Rough doubled over with raucous laughter, clutching his snowy hands to his stomach. She swiped off the frosty snow and turned her narrowed eyes onto him.

"Seriously?!" She flicked the snow at him, making him flinch slightly.

"Come on," he said. "Lighten up a bit. It's fun."

"I thought you wanted to come here to see the snow, not play in it."

He grinned as he stooped to gather up a massive mound of snow in his hands, not taking his eyes off her. Tsunami backed away from him, lifting her hands before her chest.

"No no no…"

Rough smoothed the snow into a large ball and juggled it. "Better run then, Nami!"

The pangolin didn't need telling twice. She took off through the grove, racing past Crash and Decode. The large snowball soared after her. She swung her tail, cleaving it and sending one half splatting up the side of a tree. The branches swayed, sending down a flurry of flakes and ice.

Rough scooped up another snowball as he raced after her. The grin turned into shock as snow struck his left ear.

"Got your back, sis!"

Crash ducked behind his tree again as Rough changed his target. The snowball missed the pangolin by a mile.

Decode joined Rough's side as the pirate flicked melting snow from his mohawk. Decode nodded towards Crash who was arming himself with a small pile of snowballs.

"I'll take Crash," said the bush baby. "You go after Nami."

"Seriously?" Tsunami rolled her eyes as she resigned herself to grabbing her own frosty weapon. "I guess I don't have much choice, do I?"

"No." Rough sent his newly formed snowball right into her shoulder.

Tsunami leapt aside, curling into a ball as she rolled to safety. She leapt back up just outside the grove. Using her tail, she cleaved away at the snow, creating a little trench for herself. Beyond it, snowballs were flying back and forth. Five limbs against two. Decode was pretty handy with his tail when he needed to be.

Tsunami busied herself by building up a supply of snowballs. Once she was stocked up, she'd be in good form to aid her brother in this silly war.

Outnumbered, Crash curled up and barreled his way towards his sister. He popped back up in her trench and swiped slush from his muzzle.

"Whew!" He gave his sister a playful grin. "Those guys are tough!"

Tsunami grunted and added another ball to her pile. "I might have to have a word with Decode about a little thing called 'mutiny'."

Crash laughed and helped himself to her ammo. He tossed it up and down a couple of times, then punted it towards their two foes. Decode and Rough scattered, letting the snowball soar between them. Right where the little bush baby had been standing.

"Drat." Crash helped himself to another ball.

"He's nimble," Tsunami reminded him. "If we're going to hit Decode at all, we need to be sneaky."

Squeals filled the air, drawing the pangolin twins' attention to the bush Decode had hidden behind. He scurried out of it, arms over his head, as snowballs rained down on him from above. Rough poked his head out from behind a tree and raised an eyebrow at the canopy. Tsunami and Crash followed his gaze, but Decode's assailant was well hidden. The branches bucked and swayed as something invisible scrambled through them.

Crash juggled another snowball, watching the branches with a calculating intensity. Then he tossed it with full force. It exploded against a solid body, gaining a grunt in return. Decode's assailant dropped from the tree, landing spread-eagled in the snow.

The two pangolins climbed from their trench and crouched on either side of the hole - a perfect splayed-out shape in the thick snow. A purple chameleon blinked up at them with a stunned expression on his face.

"Way to go, Espio." Vector stood behind Crash with his arms crossed.

Rough and Decode joined them, the former leering up at the crocodile. Charmy buzzed around Vector's head, clutching a snowball much too large for him.

"What are you guys doin' here?" Rough scoffed.

"We could ask you the same thing," Vector retorted.

"We're playing snowballs!" said Charmy.

The oversized ammo slipped from his hands with a 'whoops!' just as Espio sat up, rubbing his head. The snowball exploded over him, burying the chameleon completely and splattering Tsunami and Crash in the process.

"Now look what you did!" Vector laughed, shaking his head.

He bent over and thrust his large hand into the snow. Espio dangled from it by the tail, his mouth pulled down in a frown.

"I am seriously off my game today," he said.

"Hey, I've got an idea," said Decode. "Now that there's more of us, why don't we do teams?"

"We were already doin' teams!" said Rough. "You were on mine!"

"Calm down, Rough." Crash tucked his arms behind his head and smiled at the skunk. "This could be fun. A little 'Pirates Versus Mercenaries' action."

"Yes," said Espio, still hanging upside down. "Except without the bloodshed."

"Aye!" said Vector. "A little PG action that's perfectly safe, and fun for all the family!"

Espio folded his arms and frowned up at the crocodile. "Stop breaking the fourth wall, Vector!"

"What, so if we're doin' this, I have to be on your side?" Rough pointed a claw at the Chaotix. "Four against three hardly seems fair, does it?"

"At least you'll be on the winnin' side," said Vector.

Rough slumped slightly, bristling, and a low growl rose in his throat.

Crash slapped a huge hand on his back, almost bowling the skunk over. "Come on, Rough! It'll be fun!"

"We'll toss some rules in as well," said Decode. "You get hit three times, you're out. First team down to zero members loses."

Charmy threw his arms in the air. "Yeah!"

"That makes this whole 'four against three' thing even more unfair!" said Rough.

Tsunami met Rough's eyes and stood up straight, tossing a snowball up and down in one hand. "Sounds fun to me. Mercs Versus Pirates? I'm game."

"Then game on!" Vector grinned down at the bristling skunk. "What's it gonna be, Rough? You joinin' us, or sulkin' on the sidelines?"

"Come on, Rough," said Decode. "It was your idea to come here in the first place."

Rough leered at the Chaotix silently. Then he sighed. "Fine." He joined Vector's side and fixed Team Datastream in a grin. "You guys are goin' down."

"That's the spirit!" Vector struck Rough on the back, sending him face-first into the snow. "Oops! My bad!"

Charmy buzzed by the skunk's head, laughing like a lunatic.

Espio quirked an eyebrow at Vector. "You did that on purpose."

Tsunami grimaced and exchanged glances with her allies. "If these guys are our opponents, then I think we're going to win this."

"With bells on." Crash grinned.

...​

The grove was split into two, with Datastream's trench on one side and the space pirates scheming away on the other. Tsunami and Crash piled up snowballs while Decode devised a plan of action. Tsunami and Decode had taken a hit already, while Crash had taken two in quick succession thanks to Espio's sneaky camouflage. Decode had dealt with the chameleon swiftly before Crash was taken out altogether. It hadn't taken the space pirates long to work out Crash's aim was top-notch. As an explosives expert, he needed good aim. Otherwise things could take a rather nasty turn.

Tsunami peered over the edge of the trench towards the space pirates, and her heart sank. Only three. Where had that sneaky chameleon gone?

"Eyes above, guys," she whispered.

"I've already noticed," said Decode. He trailed a twig through the snow, sketching out his plan ideas. He'd scrubbed two already. "If I've worked it out, he's in the low branches of the second tree on our right."

Crash nailed the branch with a snowball, hitting nothing but air. He sighed and sank back in the trench.

"Remember days without snowballs?" he said. "Warm… safe… dry…"

"Hang in there, soldier," said Tsunami. "The war will be over soon."

"I miss my family," said Crash. "I can't even remember what Omochao looks like."

"What are you plans after this?" Decode asked. "Once the war is over?"

Crash blinked his bleary eyes. "I was thinking of hitting Rave City. Catching a concert. Letting myself get lost in the music."

"Sounds like bliss."

"You?"

"I'm gonna eat something other than snow," said Decode. "Maybe a pizza."

"Ahh, pizza." Crash rolled his head back against the ditch. "Oh, I remember pizza. Little Darcy loved pizza."

Tsunami's eyes widened and she ducked behind the trench. "Bee at ten-o-clock!"

Crash rose up and punted a snowball. Charmy spiraled from the sky with a squeal, landing head first in the snow.

The pangolin fist-pumped the air. "That's three, Charmy! You're out!"

The little bee fluttered into the air and hung his head. "Aww, man!"

Crash sank back down in the ditch, and Decode stared at him.

"Who on earth is Darcy?" Decode asked. "Five minutes ago, your daughter was called Glitch."

"Oh yeah." Crash rubbed his head. "I should probably write this stuff down."

"Nah, you'll lose the immersion." Decode jerked his head up and tossed a snowball. It narrowly skimmed Espio's tail before he vanished into thin air. "We've got a chameleon, guys!"

Tsunami spun on the spot, grabbing a snowball in each hand. Crash scrambled from the ditch, twisting to avoid an aerial assault. He fired off his ammo into the trees, aiming for any branch that dipped. But Espio had worked out his strategy. He used his camouflage to his advantage, mixing up his pattern.

Crash tried to follow the invisible reptile with his eyes, but each snowball missed its mark.

The bushes rustled behind them, and Tsunami jerked her head towards it. The snowball took her by surprise, smashing against Crash's scales.

"No!" she yelled.

Crash turned to see the snow coating his back, then he slumped forwards, keeling over.

Decode rushed to his side, but Tsunami's eyes were on the bush. A fluffy tail vanished beyond it. Laughter.

Crash blinked his bleary eyes. "It's over for me, guys."

"Don't be silly!" said Decode. "You'll be fine!"

"No… No… It's over." Crash faked a grimace and dug his fingers into the trampled snow. "Tell Glitch I… I…" Then his eyes closed and his arms went limp.

"Tell her what?" Decode shook him, his voice turning frantic. "Tell her what?!" Then he screwed his eyes shut. "No! Come back to me, Crash!"

Tsunami shook her head and took off after Rough's tail. His fresh footprints blended with the old ones, making tracking him near impossible. Then she spotted it. A trail leading out of the grove.

"Oh no, you're not getting away that easily!"

She picked up pace, racing over the snow. A thick patch of ferns rustled ahead of her. She bounced a snowball in her right hand and sent it flying towards it.

A grunt.

Rough shook the snow off his head then scampered into another bush. Two hits so far. One more and he was out.

She saw him vanish behind a blackberry bush. She curled into a ball to avoid the prickles and barreled through it, uncurling in time to see his startled face. He dodged out of the way, sending her face-first into the snow.

She reached up and grabbed his tail, dragging him flat onto his back. Gathering up her dropped snowball, she scrambled over to the fallen skunk.

"Game over, pirate," she said.

He widened his eyes. "Nami… you wouldn't hit me while I'm down, would ya?"

She laughed. "You don't know me at all."

Rough stared back at her, almost pleading. Then something sparkled in his eyes. He reached out and Tsunami jerked forwards as he tugged her scarf. She threw her hand up before her muzzle, and her nose bounced off her knuckles.

Rough spluttered and released her. She keeled back from him, trying to work out what had just happened. The skunk, still lying on his back, swiped snow from his face.

Tsunami smirked and smoothed out her scarf. "That's three."

"That weren't fair! I weren't prepared!"

"All right." Tsunami grabbed an armful of snow. "How about this?"

She dumped it over Rough's head.

He sat bolt upright, scattering it and wiping it from his eyes. Then he laughed.

"All right, Nami," he said. "I give. You win this one."

...​

Tsunami left the bathroom after drying off her fur and scales, wrapped in her snuggly pyjamas and a blanket warmed from the heated rail. Crash, Decode, Rough and Omochao were all gathered in the hotel's communal lounge watching a colourful movie. No one else was up.

"Vector got you good, there, huh?" Crash grinned at her from the sofa.

Tsunami plopped down beside him, causing Decode to bounce slightly. "At least he didn't turn me into a snowman like Decode."

The bush baby looked up from his phone and smiled. "He caught me off-guard. I'll get him next year."

"I do not believe snow falls are annual," said Omochao. "In theory, you could-"

Decode lifted a hand. "It's okay, Omochao. I just don't think we'll be having another snow ball fight with the Chaotix any time soon. Today was unexpected."

"Ah, I see." The robot rubbed a hand on his metal head. "Please forgive me for not understanding."

"There's nothing to forgive." Decode returned to his computer, completely ignoring the movie playing out on the holoscreen opposite them. "You're fine, Omochao."

A small smile graced Tsunami's muzzle. She sat back in her seat, then, noticing one voice hadn't been joining in, leant forward again to look over Crash. The larger pangolin cocked an eyebrow at her then followed her gaze to the skunk beside him.

Rough lay against the arm of the sofa, sprawled over a small pile of scatter pillows. His ear twitched periodically as if swatting away a fly, but the only sounds coming from him were a few soft snores.

"He conked out shortly after we got down here," said Crash. "Must've worn himself out."

Tsunami let out a chuckle and settled back in her seat. "He's clearly run himself ragged."

"He's not a pet dog," said Decode.

Tsunami gave the bush baby a small smile, but he didn't look up from his game. She leant her head back against the sofa and closed her eyes for a moment.

"I had fun today," she said. "It was a good idea."

"I agree." Crash stretched and yawned. "But man am I ready for bed. The thought of fixing that engine tomorrow seems a lot less daunting now."

"Oh yeah." Tsunami stared across at the wall. "I'd almost forgotten about that."

"Dreading it?" Crash asked.

"No. You're right." She turned her head towards the window. "It does seem a lot less daunting. I mean, sure, the repairs will take a while. But pretty soon, the Raptor will be up to scratch again."

"Hopefully there'll be no scratch on it when we're done," joked Decode.

Tsunami barely heard the bush baby. Something beyond the window caught her eye, glinting in the lights from the hotel windows. Something yellow, poking out from the snow beneath an apple tree. A flower?

She leant forward on her knees and squinted at it, trying to make it out through the frosty window. Surely it was too early for flowers? Was it a daffodil? No, it wasn't possible. They weren't due to emerge for at least another two months.

She pushed herself up and moved over to the window, keeping the flower in her sights. Crash's voice trailed off and she became aware he'd been talking to her.

"Nami?" He leant forward on his knees. "You okay?"

Tsunami stared aghast at the flower beneath the tree. It definitely was a daffodil. What was it doing there?

"I'm fine." She looked over her shoulder at her friends. All three were staring at her, questioning. "It's just… there's a daffodil there."

"At this time of year?" Crash asked.

"Seems implausible," said Omochao. "A quick run-down states there are very few flowers that can grow at this present time. None of which are the daffodil."

"Then come and see for yourself. It's right-" She turned back towards the window, her words trailing off.

Where the daffodil had been sitting was now bare snow. Not so much as a blemish on it that suggested it had been plucked from the ground.

Crash stopped behind her and frowned at the window. "I don't see anything, Nami."

"It was right there," she said. "Unless I'm going mad?"

Decode let out a snort. "That ship sailed a long time ago."

Crash chuckled and steered his sister from the window. "I think you're just tired. Get some rest."

Tsunami gave a lone laugh. "Maybe. I'll make us some cocoa and call it a night."

"I'm on it!" Omochao rose into the air. "It's your vacation, ma'am. Let your trusty Omochao do the work."

...​

The next morning, fresh snow had fallen, hiding all evidence from the previous day's fun and games. Rough's ship was still parked over the almond grove, hidden behind its trusty cloak. It wasn't a long trip back to Pulse City, but the ship felt a lot less tense.

Tsunami relaxed beside the skunk, gazing from the window at the blue sky. The odd fluffy cloud wrapped around them, wisping away into little tufts as the ship cut through it.

"It looks like it's going to be a nice day," she said.

"I'm glad," said Crash. "It'll make repairing our ship a lot easier. Omochao might even be able to give a helping hand."

"I shall do what I can, Master Crash," said Omochao.

Crash grinned at the robot, then turned to Decode. "What about you?"

"I still have to get the heating sorted," said the bush baby. "I dread to think how cold it's gonna be in there right now."

"I can lend a hand," said Rough. "Heatin's failed on my craft several times."

"That doesn't bode well," Tsunami told him. She turned to look over her shoulder at Decode. "Don't let him touch it."

"Wasn't gonna," he replied.

Rough snorted. "Suit yerself. I'll just help Spike with the engine, then."

"You'll hammer out the shell," said Crash. "Don't want the engine falling off during flight."

"It won't," said Rough. "But fine. If you need a hand, ya'll know where I am."

Tsunami gave him a sideways smile and chuckled. The skunk caught her staring and flashed his canines in a grin. But neither said anything.

Pretty soon, the ship was pulling in at the far end of Pulse City's expansive docks.

Crash let out a long whistle. "Busy today!"

"Must be last night's weather." Tsunami pushed herself from her seat. "No one wanted to fly in it."

"Aye." Crash folded his arms behind his head and followed her out onto the docks. "Given how quickly it hid our game, I dread to think what it was like."

"I slept right through it," said Decode.

"Likewise." Rough yawned and hopped out beside them.

The ship locked up tight and the group moved from it onto the busy street.

Omochao flitted before them, flying backwards. "I shall make haste in getting the kettle on. That way, the ship won't feel so cold!"

"Great idea, Omochao!" said Tsunami.

Omochao turned towards Rough. "How do you take your tea, sir?"

"Sweet'n'black," said the skunk.

"Roger!" The little chao-droid saluted then took off over the roofs of the ships.

"Just what we need," said Decode. "I approve."

Crash poked his tongue out in disgust. "I don't. Sweet and black? Seriously?"

"What?" Rough lifted his arms. "I don't want no cow juice in my tea, thank you very much."

"I've seen you drink a milk shake," said Decode.

"Milk shake ain't tea!"

Omochao whizzed back over the ships towards them, almost bumping into Crash's snout. Tsunami did a double-take at the android's sudden presence, blinking her blue eyes.

"Omochao?"

"There appears to be a set back in our plans, ma'am."

"Really?" Tsunami's heart thudded in her chest. "What kind of set back?"

"Well, those repairs you were listing?" Omochao shook his head. "They will no longer be necessary."

Tsunami frowned at him then slipped past him towards the Raptor. Its golden hull emerged from behind the neon green shell of the Chaotix' ship. Pristine. Glistening. Not a scratch in sight. She trailed her eyes over the hull towards the tail fins. There, set neatly in place as if it had always been there, was its second engine.

Crash stood beside her, matching her stunned and gobsmacked expression.

"What in the world?" Rough gasped. "It din't look like that yesterday."

Tsunami turned and dashed towards the door of the Chaotix' ship. She hammered on it with her fist frantically until it finally hissed open. Espio wiped a gloved hand across his bleary eyes.

"Nami?" He yawned, long, dragging out the silence. "What is it?"

"Did you guys do this?" She pointed towards her ship.

"Do what?"

"Fix our ship? The Raptor?"

He blinked, staring down at her. "Fix your ship? Why would we do that?"

Vector poked his head around the door to their bridge. "What's goin' on, Espio?"

"They think we fixed their ship," Espio replied.

Vector shook his head at Team Datastream. "We have boundaries, yanno. Don't go around fixin' up peoples' ships."

"Then if you didn't…" Tsunami turned from the neon green ship and stared back up at the Raptor. A soft, faint glow reflected off the tail fin, spreading out like the petals of a flower. "Then who did?"

The petals span and vanished as the sun ducked behind a cloud. Whoever had fixed it, Tsunami was eternally grateful.

"It sure were nice of 'em," said Rough.

"Definitely," said Crash.

Decode poked his head from the door. "The heating's working, too! This is amazing!"

She smiled and tucked her hands behind her back. "Whoever did this did a fantastic job. I only wish we could thank them personally."

Crash chuckled and placed an arm around his sister's shoulders. "Maybe we'll meet them one day?"

He steered his sister towards the ship, and she joined Decode and Rough on the bridge.

Omochao fluttered in, carrying a tea tray. "Tea is ready! Here you go, sir. Black, sweet, not a drop of milk in sight."

Rough took it, glancing up at Crash's crinkled muzzle. "What?"

"No milk?" Crash asked. "Really?"

"No."

Crash picked up the milk jug and inched it towards Rough. The skunk clutched his teacup protectively and turned it away from the pangolin.

"It's nice!" said Crash.

"I like it as I like it, Spike. Keep that cow juice away."

Tsunami laughed and shook her head, settling back in her seat. As she gazed out at Pulse City's busy docks, she sipped her tea, wondering who it was who'd fixed their ship, and feeling increasingly thankful. With the joyful voices behind her, the whole situation had shed its dark cloak, instead filling her ship and Pulse City with the feeling of peace.

...

A/N - Merry Christmas, everyone!

The next chapter will be posted Saturday as usual. I just wanted to get this special out this week.

Decode and Crash's silliness in the 'snowball war' was inspired by the paintball episodes in Community XD Kudos if anyone spotted that. It's such a great show.

 

[DeliriousAbsol]

Chapter Eight​

It was raining.

Heavy, large drops bouncing off the paving flags, and little mucky streams gurgling their way along the gutter as they made their way to the nearest drain. The sky was black and heavy with clouds, blocking out every single star and the pale face of the moon. Yet the city was still bright. Neon signs, billboards, and the light from the street lamps misting against the rain.

Silver stood beneath one of those lamps, eyes narrowed as he tried to spot the familiar spiky form of Metal Sonic. The hedgehog’s quills lay flat against his skull, and plastered to the shoulders and back of his heavy trench coat. Water dripped from the hem into the puddle forming at his feet, and it dripped down his muzzle onto his collar. But he didn’t care. He’d been following that robot for the past week. Now he’d come this far, why turn back? He clenched his teeth together, searching the doorways for the abhorrent robot. Where had it gone?

There! A flash of red beyond the cracked window opposite him. A rental shop that was still in business, but had received an unfortunate break-in earlier that evening. But Silver’s priorities were elsewhere.

Metal Sonic peered from the cracked window, red pixel eyes narrowed as it scanned the street. Silver ducked closer to the lamp but the robot hadn’t noticed him. Or if it had, its priorities were also elsewhere.

The sound of a small jet engine kicking into gear, then it leapt from the window, turning to glide down the busy main road like a cat after a mouse. Had it seen something? Silver had no time to hang around and spot it. He gave chase after the robot, while firing out an anonymous email to the Beatdrop City’s police force. Just to clear the rental store from his mind.

The rain didn’t bother Metal in the slightest. Just like the other robots that spent their time outdoors. Eggman was good at what he did. Rain or shine, his robots had to function, and that went equally for his ace. The rain sizzled as it struck the robot’s hot jet stream, creating a steam trail behind it.

Silver was quick, but Metal Sonic was quicker. He almost lost track of the robot as it turned a sharp corner and vanished from sight. But the sound of its engine came from a narrow side-street leading into the residential district.

Apartment blocks graced the street, standing tall and proud, their rectangular windows lit up against the black skyline. Metal Sonic stood at the base of one of the apartment blocks, its roof a perfect round hood providing shelter from the rain. The robot’s artificial eyes scanned the empty street. Not a person in sight.

“What are you up to, Metal?” Silver approached the robot, his hands stuffed deep into his pockets.

Metal Sonic turned its head, and its red eyes turned from wide circles into thin lines. It turned its body fully to face him, clawed fingers flexing at its sides.

“Are you behind all this?” Silver asked. “Those murders?”

Metal didn’t so much as flinch.

“Looking for your next target?” Silver asked. “Well I’m not about to let you.”

The robot’s jet engine flared to life and it lurched towards him, claws spread.

Silver leapt to the side, letting the robot glide past him. Then it turned and doubled back. Too quickly. Silver sucked in air as its claws sliced his left ear, and when he opened his eyes again a few spots of crimson rained down among a sprinkling of small, grey quills.

He removed his fingers from his ear and reached into his inside pocket for his laser. He’d never enjoyed using firearms, but if he was going to stand any chance of detaining the robot then he had to disable it in some way.

“I know it’s you,” Silver barked. “The evidence all points to a robot!”

Metal Sonic glared at him, his only retort a few electronic beeps.

Silver laughed. “What? Couldn’t Eggman program you with a language chip?”

The next noise the robot let out was an angered mechanical screech. It lowered its body, flexing its claws as it threatened to launch an attack. Silver wasn’t going to give it that chance.

He fired, bright blue beams that streaked through the air like fireworks. Metal leapt aside, dodging each one, its red eyes trained on Silver. Then it lurched towards him again like a bullet. Silver had no time to dodge. The laser flew from his hand as the robot struck him in the torso, barreling him against a brick wall. All air shot from his lungs and he slipped down against the cold, wet stone.

Silence, save for Silver’s coughing and the cold rain pelting the floor and bouncing off the robot’s metallic hide. Metal stood over him, staring down, almost gloating. No… definitely gloating. Intimidating Silver like a wicked knight standing over a fallen peasant. One that knew for a fact all it had to do was reach down and snap its victim’s neck.

All Silver could do was stare back up at him as he wiped blood from the side of his face. Powerless. Everything hurt from that attack, from his body to his already wounded pride.

He coughed a few times, spraying out bloody spittle onto his glove. But he never took his eyes off the robot.

“Go on then,” he rasped. “Finish the job.”

Metal remained silent. Staring. Not even twitching.

“You started it years ago, so why won’t you finish it?!” Silver snapped.

A mechanical string of beeps and whines. Whether it meant anything, Silver hadn’t a clue. He groped at the floor for his laser, but it lay several feet away in a puddle.

“Why are you doing this?” He rolled his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. “Why are you just messing with me?”

Metal beeped again, and lamplight glinted off its right claws. Then it jerked its head to the side. Searching. Silver followed its gaze, but saw nothing. Yet it lowered its claws anyway, narrowing its eyes into the streets.

Its blue metallic sheen lit up orange, and the most awful sound filled the air. Roaring flames mixed with a metallic screech, interspersed with the odd beep and clang. Metal Sonic leapt from amongst the blaze, landing on the other side of the road. Its hide was warped and bubbled in places, as if it were covered in boils where the flames had touched. Its eyes were livid, flicking between Silver and the lavender cat as she left the shadows. She didn’t even look at Silver, keeping her eyes trained on the robot. Flames licked at her cuffs, reflecting off the rain as it came down like a curtain around her.

Metal Sonic looked between the flames and the two Mainframers, then turned and kicked its jet into gear. It sputtered a few times, causing the robot to stall and flop noisily to the ground. It fired them another glare before the engine finally fired into gear. Then it took off, bolting down the road into the cool rain.

Blaze watched him go, hugging her arms around herself and pulling her ears back as if she’d only just realised it was raining. She shook it off and stooped to offer her hand to Silver. But she refused to look him in the eye. Silver considered ignoring her offer. He still hurt. Sitting in the rain seemed like a much more pleasant experience than having to deal with any painful words from the cat.

“Come on, Silver,” she pressed. “You took a nasty hit. You should get it looked at.”

“I’m fine.”

The pulsing in his ribs was not fine. Nor was the throbbing in his head. Concussion, or the violent reminder that his psychokinetic nerves had been severed.

“You’re definitely not fine,” said Blaze. “What are you even doing facing him alone? Do you want him to kill you?”

Silver looked away from her, and the entire street blurred and spun in a nauseating kaleidescope of rain, concrete and lights.

“It sure looked like it.” Blaze’s voice choked. “Look. I’m sorry. Just… please let me get you back home?”

Silver closed his eyes and nodded. Pulsing pain and nausea flooded him and he found himself sinking towards the floor.

“You might want to hail a cab.” That’s what he’d wanted to say. Instead, it came out as something much more unpleasant he found himself lying face down in.

...​

As far as abandoned stores went, Rouge quite liked the little bakery. Despite smelling of dust, there was still the trace of flour and sugar in the air. There was no water running, and all food had been cleared out long ago (although it would have been moldy by now.) The place was damp on its topmost floor, but the ground floor was still pretty dry. Drafts were little to none, and the little nook she slept in, between the old oven and the wall, was pretty cozy.

The rain hammered the boarded-up window, creating something like white noise that had long since lulled the bat to sleep.

Something warm and wet flopped down beside her and looped itself around her waist, causing her eyes to snap wide open. Shadow lay opposite her, his eyes closed and a somewhat tranquil look on his face. Moisture clung to his fur and quills and it took her a moment to process why. It had been a long while since he’d come back from his watch on that video-game streamer’s house. Perhaps he’d popped out again without her knowing, or merely left to find a restroom.

Regardless, it was unlike him to come back and huddle up beside her. It had only happened two times in the entire time she’d known him, and one of those times was because she’d developed a fever and he’d flown into a panic with no clue how to deal with it. The other time was a freezing winter’s day in a drafty shack.

This was nothing like either of those times.

“Shadow?”

He grunted and pulled her into him, and she lifted a hand to stop her muzzle smooshing against his chest. Her heart raced as she stared at her fingers clasped over the white fur of his collar.

“Shadow!”

His body tensed and he locked wide, crimson eyes on hers. Then he glanced aside and withdrew his arm from her, rolling onto his back. A pink flush spread across his cheeks and he muttered an apology.

Sleepwalking, then? Well that was new.

Rouge sat up and rubbed her eyes as she stretched, yawning widely.

“Don’t worry about it,” she said. “I’ve been woken up by much more unpleasant things. You know… like soldiers barging in?”

He scoffed and fired her a glare. “’Unpleasant’?”

A playful smirk spread across Rouge’s lips, and he returned it, flashing a canine. But it was only brief. His arm flopped over his face and he let out a small sigh.

Rouge didn’t drop her smirk. She watched him for a moment as she rubbed her ear. Sore to touch. She’d slept on it funny.

“So you gonna tell me what all that was about?” she crooned.

“I was asleep and you know it,” he said.

She pouted. “Flattering.”

Shadow let out a gasp as he sat bolt upright, letting his arm flop to his side. Rouge started, fluttering into the air. Her ears trained on the world outside. But there was no helicopter flying around. No footsteps storming the streets.

“He’s dead,” Shadow said quietly.

Rouge dropped back to the floor as realization dawned on her. She scooted towards him, but he barely seemed to notice. His eyes narrowed and he pulled his lip back from his canines.

“I don’t get it!” he snapped. “I was only there a few hours ago! If I’d not come back, I could have caught that murderer!”

Rouge spread her hands then let them fall into her lap. “I don’t know what to say, Shadow. I’m sorry.”

He shrugged. “There’s nothing you can say.”

He didn’t look up, instead pulling his knees into himself and folding his arms across them. She reached up and trailed her fingers through his quills. He lifted an arm to shrug her off, then sighed and changed his mind, relaxing against his knees.

“I can’t believe it,” he muttered. “I don’t sleep as often as the rest of you do, and the one time I do… it’s cost me. No… it’s cost him. I could have saved his life.”

Rouge closed her eyes and grimaced. There was a lot of pain in his voice she’d never heard before.

“Look at it this way,” she said. “You found out who the killer’s next target was before anyone else could even put the pieces together. If you can do that again, then you could let people know-”

“I’m not working with the police or any detectives,” he spat. “They all work for GUN.”

She sighed at that. But it made sense, given their circumstances. “Then… can’t you warn the victim?”

“I’ll figure something out,” he said. “But I’d sooner catch the killer and destroy him.”

He still hadn’t shrugged her off. He huddled forward with his face buried in his arms, much more relaxed than she’d seen him recently. She let the silence wash over them as she continued to stroke his quills. Not as sharp as she’d once believed them to be. She scooted closer to him and leant against his side, looping her arm around his shoulders.

“If you want,” she said, “I can help you? The two of us together would double our chances.”

“No.” He looked up at her, his crimson eyes soft and warm. “I want you safe.”

“And you don’t think we’re safer together?” she said. “I mean, there’s been times in the past I’ve thought you’re practically bullet proof.”

He laughed and leant his head back into his arms. “This is different. GUN are one thing. But we don’t know if this killer is a Mainframer or something else entirely.” He paused to let out a sigh as she wound her fingers back into his quills. “No… leave this one to me.”

She stared at the closed door, mulling over his words. But part of her felt he was covering something up. Possibly the flaw with his teleporting, or that pink mist he’d been giving off. Oh well. If he wanted her to stay behind, then she could take the time to continue her own little investigation. Finding that fox soldier to find out if those flaws had something to do with his tranquilizers. She’d spotted the blue hedgehog on more than one occasion, but so far, the fox had eluded her.

So she nodded and leant her head against Shadow. “Okay. You take this one. I’ll focus on keeping us both safe.”

...​

A large mug of tea appeared before Silver’s bleary eyes. He blinked a few times, brining his bedroom into focus. A thin sheet had been draped over his body, and he propped himself up on one elbow as he rubbed his hand across his face.

“How are you feeling?” Blaze asked.

The lavender cat stood beside his bed, her hands clasped in front of her.

“Like I got hit by a truck,” Silver croaked.

Blaze grunted. “That’s one way to describe that robot.”

Silver glanced up at her and reached for the steaming mug. Metal Sonic… it was all starting to come back to him.

“So you actually think it was him?” Blaze asked.

Silver propped himself back on a pillow that had been conveniently laid out behind his head. Blaze avoided his gaze, but there was something about her expression. Worried. Shaken.

He sipped his tea. “I don’t know.”

“He wasn’t happy to see you.”

“He’s never happy to see me.”

“That fight was brutal,” she said. “I thought he was going to kill you.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time.”

Blaze looked at him then, a small frown appearing on her lips. “You make it sound like he’s tried to kill you before…”

“That’s because he has.” Silver set his mug down and adjusted himself against the pillow. “I had a feud with him once.”

“A feud?”

Silver sighed and rubbed his muzzle. His head was still pounding. Was this really the time to bring this all up now?

“Silver, I’m worried,” said Blaze. “If Metal Sonic is behind all this, then that means Eggman might be… and… I don’t know… It doesn’t make any sense.”

“You’re right. It doesn’t.” Silver shrugged as best he could, as the sheer movement made him realise how bruised his left shoulder was. “But does any murder make much sense?”

Blaze dropped her pocket computer onto his lap. A news site was open, and he tapped the surface of it to bring up its holo-screen. Another murder… on the very street Silver had passed out on. No one knew what time it was, but it was not suspected to be suicide.

A gamer known as DotMatrix had been found face down at his desk. He’d promised a stream of the new Assassin Strike game that night, but it hadn’t gone ahead, prompting concern from his fans. Everything had been set up, as if he’d been preparing for it. But the computer was off, and everything, once again, was neatly organized in his famously chaotic apartment. Given the stream hadn’t gone ahead, that put his time of death somewhere before ten pm.

“It’s him, isn’t it?” asked Blaze. “It’s Metal Sonic.”

Silver blinked at the holo-screen. Ten pm… he’d lost track of time that night, stalking the robot. But he’d seen the thing vanish. Wounded… melted… damaged by Blaze’s flames. In no fit state to fight. It struggled to even get away from them. If it had wanted to get itself repaired, which Silver guessed it had been doing, then it would have needed to get back pretty promptly to commit that murder. Otherwise it would have risked being caught on camera, and that stream hadn’t gone ahead. At all.

Silver shook his head slowly. Bitterly. His lead, or what he’d thought was a lead… had Metal Sonic actually been trying to commit this murder… or was it actually trying to solve it?

“No,” he said. “It’s not possible. The way it fled… it was off to lick its wounds.” He flicked off the holo-screen and sank back against the pillow with a frustrated groan. “I thought I’d cracked it! It was all there!”

Blaze was trembling so much she had to hug her arms around herself. “So you no longer think it’s him?”

“No.”

“Then… then that means the killer was on that street somewhere when we were. We could have run straight into them.” She paused and licked her lips. “We could have ended up the casualties.”

Silver opened his eyes again, staring at his closed bedroom door. Had he seen anyone else on that street? It had been empty. The rain was too heavy for someone to hang around. So that meant whoever it was would have either stood out like a sore thumb, or had been lurking around inside that luxury apartment block.

His eye wandered to the lavender cat shifting uneasily beside him, and his heart sank. She’d been there. And she was top-notch at uncovering the clues before he did. She’d even found the VR machine underneath Snow’s bed. No… no, it couldn’t be her. She wouldn’t have killed her own brother… would she? Anti-Eggman unlike her father. Unlike her… And Silver had passed out. Yet she’d attacked Metal Sonic. He shook his head harshly and reached for his tea again. Then paused, fingers twitching by the handle.

Blaze watched him and inclined her head on one side. “Is everything okay?”

He sighed and retracted his hand. “Blaze… what were you doing on that street?”

She blinked a few times, paling beneath her fur. “What are you getting at?”

“You were the only other person I saw on that street,” he explained. “That unfortunately makes you a suspect.”

“You think it’s me?!” she squeaked.

“I don’t want to, but you were there. I want to believe you’re innocent, but as my job I have to-”

“I wouldn’t kill my own brother!” she snapped. “I was following you! You were after Metal Sonic. You can’t handle that robot! What powers do you have?!”

Silver brought his fist down hard onto the mattress, causing Blaze to leap back into the wall. It wasn’t so much the noise than the livid expression on his face. His head began to pulse and he realised a faint blue light had surrounded his hands. He dropped it and sank back into the pillow, rubbing at his temples.

“You’re right,” he groaned. “I can’t handle that robot. Not anymore. He made sure of that years ago.”

Blaze lowered her hands to her sides and took a step closer to him. “He… he hurt you?”

“It did more than that. It almost killed me.”

The bed sank beside him and he opened his eyes to find Blaze perched on the edge of it, staring at her hands.

She screwed her eyes shut and shook her head. “Why?”

“Because I was sent after it,” he explained. “I used to work for GUN. Or one of its many anti-Eggman branches, anyway. I was supposed to keep an eye on Metal Sonic and report back anything that might pass off as suspicious. Well, one day, it followed me back to the headquarters. Of course, no one was meant to know where we were hiding. Every one of those branches are supposed to be top secret, either masquerading as official GUN branches or hidden underground. This one was underground. So… I had to fend Metal Sonic off. But… it soon turned nasty. He got in some lucky hits, and managed to break out of my psychokinesis. I took a hefty hit to the head. The next thing I know, I’m waking up in a hospital bed after some extreme reconstructive surgery.”

A few tears ran down Blaze’s cheeks. “So he cost you your powers?”

“My powers, my job… And he leaked the location of our GUN base. Hundreds died that weekend.” Silver let out a small sigh. “The doctors couldn’t repair my psychokinesis nerves. They run from my head to my hands. The damage was too extensive. I was told they may self-heal at some point, but the chances were low. But I endeavored to try. When I first got out I couldn’t do anything with them. But then I started to be able to do little things. Each time I get a pounding headache. It’s nothing like I could do before… but it’s something.”

Blaze cracked a small smile. “You’re optimistic.”

He let out a harsh laugh. “Oh believe me, I’m nothing like I used to be. He took that from me as well.”

She reached out to take his hand then paused, changing her mind. Instead, she slipped from the bed and smoothed out her dress.

“I’ll make us both some dinner,” she said.

“I’m not hungry.” Silver slipped back down under his sheet. “But thank you.”

With a nod, Blaze turned to leave his room. Leaving him in a cloud of doubt and worry. Another suspect… and she was in his very apartment. He hoped desperately something would prove his suspicions wrong.

...​

There was a lot of chaos coming from the living room. Grunts and mutterings, clattering, drawers and cupboards opening and closing.

Amy crept from her bedroom, rubbing her hand over her eyes. Her other clutched her mallet tightly. Whatever was going on, it hadn’t woken Tangle. Whisper hadn’t come back to her apartment that night, too busy scoping out her next big scoop. Amy’s first thought was that it would be the wolf, but she was never that noisy. Her second thought was Infinite. He’d refused to go out with them that night, and when she’d arrived home he was gone. Just a note saying he’d gone for a walk, and to not wait up.

A faint light leaked in through the window from the neon green cafe sign across the street. A lanky shadow rushed back and forth between the kitchen and the television, and she caught the odd words from its frantic muttering. ‘Over here.’ ‘No, over here.’ ‘Not that, this!’

Amy reached for the light then changed her mind. The sofa bed was unoccupied. Still tucked away into a sofa, and she caught the shadow’s bushy tail as it vanished back into the kitchen again.

“Infinite?” she asked. “Are you okay?”

Silence, interspersed with muttering.

She flicked the switch, flooding the room with light. It didn’t phase the jackal in the slightest. He dropped down before the television, adding yet another tin can to a rather intricate structure of cans, jars and teacups. Stacked to resemble an uncanny tower that rose up higher than the television and its stand. As Amy drew closer to it, she found herself staring right at the label of a can of pea and ham soup.

She turned towards the jackal as he rushed back towards the kitchen. “What are you doing?”

He returned to add another teacup to the tower.

“Infinite?”

A jar of jam.

“Infinite!”

Tomato soup.

Amy considered giving him a smack with her hammer, but it was becoming more and more obvious that he was locked in some kind of trance. One that broke as he added a dinner plate to the very top of his structure. He crumpled into a heap beside the sofa. No more muttering. Looking every bit like he’d simply fallen asleep there.

Amy dropped down beside him, tucking her hammer away. She gave him a small shake and his blue eye cracked open, heavily ringed with black, staring at her blindly. He rolled his head to the side, nose twitching, as he tried to work out who it was.

He grunted, then said, “You smell different when you’re awake.”

She frowned at that and stood up, deciding to brush off his comment. She didn’t want to know how he knew that.

“What’s this?” She waved a hand at the tower.

Infinite pushed himself up into a crouch and frowned at it. “A mess.”

“You were building it,” she said. “Why?”

“Was I?” He raised an eyebrow at her, then shook his head as he realised he was missing his mask.

Suddenly the structure was forgotten as he groped around the floor until he found it tucked away beneath the coffee table, muttering a ‘who put it there?’ as he set it back on his face.

“I think you might have been sleepwalking,” said Amy. “Can you remember what you were dreaming?”

He shrugged and stood up, placing his hands on his hips as he scrutinized the tower. “I feel like I’ve seen this somewhere before.”

“It looks a bit like a tower block,” said Amy. “There are loads around this city. Maybe you were just building something you’ve seen before? If you can’t remember your dream, then…”

Infinite moved towards the block and began to dismantle it, carefully carrying things back to the kitchen. She couldn’t see his face, but the fur along his spine was bristling slightly. Had this happened before? She didn’t want to press him about it if it was distressing him.

“Do you need a hand?” she offered.

“I’m fine,” he said flatly. “Get some sleep. You need it more than I do.”

Amy wanted to tell him he was very wrong. The rings around his eyes were enough to tell anyone that. But instead she nodded, bidding him goodnight, before returning to her bedroom.

Deep down, she couldn’t help feeling that something was very, very wrong. And he knew it.

 

[DeliriousAbsol]

Chapter Nine​

Amy yawned as she stepped into the living room, still slightly damp from a shower. It had not helped. After encountering Infinite’s odd tower building, she’d been unable to get back to sleep, and had tossed and turned until her digital alarm clock had threatened her, minute by minute, to go off and disrupt any sleep she might actually manage to get.

As she reached the sofa, a coffee appeared in her bare hands. She caught Infinite’s amber-tinted gaze as he flopped onto the sofa, leaving enough room for her to settle down beside him.

“No sign of Whisper?” she asked.

“Not so much as a whisker,” he replied.

“Huh.” Amy sipped her coffee and sank back against the sofa. “I was expecting her back. I hope she’s okay.”

“She’ll be fine!” Tangle exploded into the living room, bounding towards the breakfast bar. “She’ll just have come across something awesome and be writing about it! Or she turned into a hotel instead, or something.”

Infinite lowered his head into his hands with a groan. “It is much too early for you.”

The coffee machine whirred to life and Tangle turned to fire a beaming grin in their direction. “Hey! That serial killer struck again last night! Maybe that’s what she’s lookin’ into?”

“Really?” Amy raised an eyebrow, and Infinite visibly paled.

“Yeah! Check it out!” said Tangle. “It’s all over the news.”

Sure enough, it was. ‘Beatdrop’s Heartbreaker Strikes Again.’ Amy’s coffee cooled as she read over the article. A video game streamer by the name of DotMatrix. Found dead at his computer desk. Locked apartment. Everything tidy, not so much as a fingerprint left anywhere except where his folded hands were touching. They didn’t even wait to run an autopsy. It was done in a matter of hours, and the results were now in. Murdered, just like the rest of the fake suicides.

“It seems a bit further out than the previous ones,” Tangle explained. “One of them posh apartments on the edge of the city.”

“Posh apartments?” Amy asked.

“Yeah, you know them! Tall things with a big round roof that’s meant to provide shelter from the rain. But it’s useless, given how tall the things are. You get soaked anyway.”

Hot coffee sloshed over Infinite’s cup onto his lap, causing Amy to yelp with surprise.

Tangle turned back towards them and laughed. “Whoa! What’s your problem, big guy? Falling asleep on us?”

“I just lost my grip, okay!” he snapped.

He set the mug down on the table and rose to head towards the bathroom. Amy put hers down beside his and followed after him, leaving Tangle to watch after them with an amused air.

Before he could lock himself in the bathroom, Amy squeezed in after him and pressed her back up against the door. The jackal merely stood there, staring at his reflection in the glass of the shower door.

“What’s wrong?” Amy asked.

“That’s what I was building, wasn’t it?” He slumped back against the wall and rubbed his muzzle beneath his mask. “That tower block…”

Amy thought back and nodded. “Now that you mention it…”

Her voice wavered, and he noticed, leaning his head back against the tiles. “It’s me, isn’t it? I’m ‘The Heartbreaker’.”

“We don’t know that.”

“I went out last night for peace and quiet,” Infinite went on. “I don’t even remember coming back! How else do you explain all this?”

Amy closed her eyes and sighed. “I don’t know, but there must be a reason. Maybe whatever is making you tired has something to do with it?”

He lowered his head and his shoulders shook. “I’m finally out of that wretched place. I’m finally free… I don’t want them to lock me up again…”

She moved from the door and placed her hand on his arm. “They won’t. I won’t let them.”

He scoffed, but said nothing, letting his hands rest on her sides. Pulling her into him slightly as if he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted the contact.

“We’ll get to the bottom of this, okay?” she said.

He nodded, his nose brushing her quills. “Thank you.” A small pause passed between them as he trailed a thumb along the fabric of her dress. “I think I need to shower this coffee off me.”

“Then I’ll leave you to it.” She cracked a smile and pushed herself back from him, and he let his hands fall to his sides. “Try not to worry too much. Okay?”

He glanced away from her, lips pulled down in a frown. Of course it was easier said than done. But what else could she do?

As she turned from the room, his voice froze her. “Do you think it’s me, Amy?”

She glanced back at him, her smile melting away. He couldn’t even meet her eye.

“I honestly don’t know,” she said.

He closed his eye and sank back against the wall. Not what he’d wanted to hear.

“But I want to believe it’s not,” she said. “I think… if it is… you’re being controlled in some way.”

He idly scratched his arm, staring at the opposite wall. “Controlled, huh?”

“It makes sense,” she said. “You were definitely not yourself last night. Not until I managed to ‘wake’ you. And you did tell me that if someone were to get hold of a piece of your Phantom Ruby they could abuse your powers. Could it be done in this way?”

“I’ve no idea. The previous Phantom Ruby wasn’t flesh and blood like I am.”

“So we don’t know enough about it, do we?” Amy shrugged. “But from what you told me, and how tired you are, it sounds like that’s what could be happening. I don’t want to believe you’re the killer, Infinite, but if someone is controlling you then we need to find out who it is and stop them.”

He turned to look at her, his lone eye chilling right through her. But she knew the anger wasn’t aimed at her. Instead, at the fictitious puppet master tugging his strings. She hugged her arms around herself, silently imploring him not to go on another rampage. The anger melted away as he pushed himself from the wall and reached for the shower door.

“I’ll leave you to it,” she said, slipping out of the bathroom. “But please… don’t do anything foolish?”

He gave her a sideways glance, reading her. Then he said, softly, “Of course I won’t.”

...​

The crime scene for DotMatrix was an array of baffling potential clues.

Silver stood in the middle of his kitchen, staring at the worktops as his mind worked like a computer to process the scene. All the contents of the victim’s kitchen cupboards had been removed and stacked along the worktops. Small towers almost reminiscent of a city. And around Silver on the kitchen floor, some items lay scattered. So whatever the killer had been doing, it hadn’t lasted and had toppled over at some point in the night. One thing was for certain, though. The killer was no longer trying to mask his murders as mere suicides. Sure, the killing method hadn’t changed. Locked room. Crushed heart. Absolutely no trace on the victim’s body. The entire apartment scrubbed to within an inch of its life to remove any evidence and leave the place in a pristine, almost surgically clean, condition.

But now, with the murders being uncovered and released to the public, the killer had begun to change his tactics. If Silver had encountered such a scene in his first investigation, he’d have put it down to one of two things. A deliberate kill, or insanity. He was beginning to question both, and not at all from the victim.

Blaze coughed a few times as she joined him in the kitchen, wiping her hands on her dress. “The bathroom is also spotless.”

“Any clues?” Silver asked.

She shook her head slowly. “No. But it’s been cleaned so much it’s like walking into a wall of bleach fumes.”

Silver looked up at her and raised an eyebrow. Then turned back to the stack of groceries.

“What do you make of this?” he asked.

She crept over to them, careful not to knock a single one out of place. A thoughtful noise left her throat and she inclined her head on one side.

“If I were to guess,” she said, “it looks a lot like the northern part of the Beatdrop Capital. This tall one here could be the entertainment tower, only without the giant pixel character sticking out of the side of it. And these structures opposite would be the department store.”

Silver’s blood turned cold as his previous worries flared back up. “How did you leap to that conclusion?”

“It’s obvious. The ‘department store’ is even laid out like a donut, just like the real one. Even if this crude representation has been built mainly out of baked bean cans.”

Once again, Blaze had worked out an obscure clue. As Silver eyed the structure, it did begin to look a lot more like a city. The varying heights of the towers, the spaces left open around flat packets meant to resemble parks.

Silver stepped over a fallen can of soup to reach the other side of the kitchen. The other structure placed on the worktop. If Blaze was right and she was standing by a representation of the northern part of the city, then this one opposite should be south. Sure enough, Silver found himself examining a crude re-imagining of Beatdrop’s southern district. Not all of it, however. It would have been a feat to fit it all on a narrow worktop. Just like the north on the other side of the kitchen, the grocery-model had a residential area. But it was also quieter. Quaint. Parks and a little piece of woodland, along with a river carving its way through it before it merged into the suburbs. The killer had even made that river, using a trail of fusilli pasta.

“I don’t know how yet,” said Blaze. “But I’m starting to think he’s left us a bit of a map to point to his next target.”

“I don’t know how this is going to accomplish it,” said Silver. “He can’t even fit the entire districts onto this worktop.”

“Maybe that’s the point?”

“Well… north side. South side. And I’m going to guess that one by the sink is the west?”

A quick search of Blaze confirmed that yes, it was indeed the west. All that was missing from the killer’s little model was the east. They currently occupied that, so it had likely been deliberately omitted.

Silver left the kitchen, stepping over every item left on the floor, to make his way back to the bedroom. DotMatrix was no longer at his desk, but it had been left in the exact state it had been found in. Neatly organized. Dusted and polished. The only traces of DNA from Renga himself. Black and purple hairs, that Silver had collected on the off-chance they might contain some trace of the killer.

“Silver?” Blaze called from the hallway.

He turned back towards the door, spotting the cat crouching as she stared into the kitchen.

“Did you move anything?” she asked.

“Of course not.”

“Not even on the floor? You didn’t catch it with your boot?”

He shook his head as he joined her. “Why do you ask?”

“I think the items on the floor might be a clue.”

“Really?” He stood beside her and gazed at the array of items strewn across the laminate floor. “I thought they’d just fallen off the tower blocks he’d been making.”

“No.” Blaze shook her head and pointed. “Look. They’re laid out like the hands of a clock.”

Silver wanted to ask her what on earth made her think that. But he decided to give it the benefit of the doubt. If Blaze was right, she’d move further up his suspects list. And he deeply didn’t want that. He needed her to be wrong.

But the longer he looked at it, the more it began to look like a clock. The wide, round pie tin in the middle of the kitchen. The various cans lay out around it. Not end to end, but definitely in two straight lines. As if they’d been meticulously put there just for that purpose. One of them longer than the other. Both of them pointing towards two separate districts. North, and west.

Silver felt his heart sink.

“I can see what you mean,” he said. “It’s like he’s trying to point us to which district he’s going to strike next.”

“My guess is on the west one,” said Blaze. “And the hands? Eight o clock.”

“Where have you got ‘eight’ from?”

“The big hand is pointing to the north. That has to be twelve, right?”

“It would make more sense if twelve was the one directly opposite this door.”

Blaze shook her head. “On a clock, if you hold it right to see the time, twelve is at the top. The northern point of the clock.”

Silver sighed deeply and took a step back from the kitchen. “Well, I think I shall also note down quarter-past-eleven, too, just to be on the safe side.”

He removed his phone from his pocket and took some photos of the kitchen, feeling his heart sink even more with each one.

It couldn’t be Blaze. It needed to not be Blaze.

“The question is,” he said, “what is the target? It could be north or west. Big hand, or small hand.”

Blaze stood back up again and smoothed out her dress. “Perhaps there’s another clue in his bedroom? That’s where they found him, and so far every case has had a clue in the room the body was located in.”

Silver tucked his phone away and followed her. Another thing nagging at his mind was how the killer was getting into these homes in the first place. Each case was a locked room. That meant they were either appearing out of thin air, or finding another way in and out. Or… they had some sneaky way of locking the doors.

Some form of energy to manipulate the lock. Psychokinesis… or heat from fire. No… the latter would leave traces. He’d seen for himself the state Metal Sonic had been reduced to after getting caught in Blaze’s attack.

Blaze moved around the bedroom while Silver watched, musing over the locked doors. A hair pin. A piece of string used to flick the lock from the other side of the door. Some kind of electrical interference.

“Something that could point to the west or north districts,” said Blaze.

She had her back to him, eyeing the neatly organized shelves. Various games that DotMatrix was famous for playing. She lifted one of them down.

“This is a life simulation,” she said. “He mainly played action games.”

Silver took a few steps towards her, keeping his eye on the game she’d found. She flipped it over to examine the back.

“Set in a school,” she said. “Teaching Academy. ‘A simulation where you are the teacher. Handle your rambunctious class of students throughout their various years, from kindergarten all the way to their masters degree. Their grades are your score. Aim to be the best teacher the world has ever seen.’ It sounds quite fun, actually.”

Silver was too busy with his computer, searching through the library of every game DotMatrix (or, to use his older alias, RengaCharming) had ever played. No such simulation was listed.

“Is there anything inside the case?” he asked.

Blaze opened it then shook her head. He wasn’t sure if the disappointment on her face was faked. He hoped it wasn’t.

“There is a school in the west district,” he said. “A big one. It handles students of kidergarten age up to college. Not university, but… it’s the only school like it.”

“There isn’t one in the north of the Beatdrop Capital either,” said Blaze. “I think we might have found our next target.”

“I think you might be right.” Silver tucked his computer back into his trench coat pocket. “The question is, ‘who’?”

“And ‘when’,” said Blaze. “All we have right now is a time.”

Silver nodded slowly, keeping his eyes on the cat. “And I hope you don’t take offense to this, Blaze. But I am going to request you never leave my sight.”

She blinked a few times, lowering the game case to her side. “Why?”

He grimaced and hunched his shoulders. “Because… you seem to have a knack for uncovering these clues much faster than I do.”

“You still think it’s me?” she gasped.

“I don’t want to think it’s you,” he said. “And if you are innocent, you will have no problem with proving that to me.”

The cat’s eyes turned livid, but she let her arms relax and folded her hands before her, still clutching the simulation game.

“Okay,” she said. “If it will prove to you my innocence, then fine. I’ll stay with you. I won’t leave your sight.”

“Good.” Silver nodded and turned from the room. “I have a spare room you can use.”

“I thought you didn’t want me to leave your sight?”

He faltered in the doorway and a chill ran down his spine. He could feel her staring at his back, her eyes boring into him like a pair of heat lasers.

“You’re right,” he said. “I guess we’ll have to think of something.”

Of course, that meant he’d never be able to sleep. He was rapidly beginning to question how efficient this would be.

“We can start by hanging around the school,” he said. “Keep a watch on the place throughout the day. Or maybe issue a warning to increase security?”

“That sounds like a very good idea,” said Blaze. “But can we keep tabs on everyone? This killer is clearly professional.”

He shrugged at that and pushed himself from the room. “I guess we head back and start thinking. Bring the game with you. There may be more to it than just a title and a premise. I want to search that disk perchance there is any hidden clue on it that might point us to the exact date and time.”

“And once you’ve proved my innocence?” Blaze’s words froze him.

He shuffled with unease and shrugged. “Then I’ll owe you an extensive apology.”

...​

It was dark, but the main road winding through the Beatdrop Capital was still busy. Although not moving. Groups of Mainframers stood watching the animated billboards as Eggman’s mustached face peered out at them.

‘I know everyone in the Beatdrop Capital is frantic,’ he said, ‘but I can assure you security measures are being put in place to catch this criminal. Drones will be increased in number, Striders and Drifters alike. I shall also increase GUN patrol in the areas. Mark my word, we will stop this Heartbreaker, and put a preemptive stop to any imitation crimes throughout the entirety of Mainframe.’

Shadow stood in a damp doorway near the mouth of an alley, crimson eyes narrowed at the doctor. Rouge shuffled beside him, checking over her belt pouch.

“He’s got them all wrapped around his finger,” she said.

Shadow grunted. “You would know. You used to work for him.”

‘I’ve already begun to increase security,’ Eggman went on. ‘Nothing suspicious has appeared on my cameras yet, but when it does, Mainframe will be the first to know. The more there are searching for this killer, the faster he’ll be apprehended.’

“Or ‘she’,” added Rouge.

Whatever else Eggman had to say was drowned out by the siren of a Strider Drone. The crowds parted on instinct, letting the lanky robot strut its way down the street. Its blue bulb of an eye scanned left and right, lighting up the alley like a streak of lightning. Shadow and Rouge ducked back into the doorway, narrowly avoiding its probing gaze.

Then it was gone, continuing its patrol along the busy road. Its siren fading away into the night.

‘…likely to be someone just looking for attention,’ said Eggman. ‘But we needed the world to know that we won’t stand for it. All eyes on the lookout for anything strange! And if you see anything, report it to your nearest GUN soldier or Egg Pawn.’

Eggman swiftly wrapped up his recording and the screen flickered back to an advert sporting a beaming image of Honey the Cat. The crowds parted, drifting in all directions, and the drone of voices filled the air. Mostly relaying Eggman’s emergency bulletin.

“So he’s increased security?” said Rouge. “I guess I’d better scope out all them hidden cameras?”

“You do that.” Shadow crept out from their hiding place, searching the alley for any sign of Eggman’s drones. “I’ll keep an eye open myself.”

“So what’s the plan, handsome?” Rouge hopped from the step to land behind him. “Are you still off on another crime scene investigation? Or has Eggman put you off?”

“He could never put me off.”

Rouge pouted and leant back against the wall, but it vanished when Shadow narrowed his eye at her.

“He’s increasing security, Shadow. If you keep wandering these streets alone, you might-”

“This is more important. I’ll take the risk. Besides, I can always Chaos Control away.”

She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Fine. But seriously, if anybody sees you-”

“No one will see me.”

“It’s only been a day since that cat’s body was found!”

“Exactly.” Shadow tugged the cuff of his glove to straighten it. “No one will be there.”

“Shadow, please. Give the detectives time to put the clues together before you go snooping around a fresh crime scene. Something might come up that can help you help them!”

“It would take too long. They’ve no time, no date, just some hazy location and about a thousand potential targets!”

Rouge shook her head slowly. “These things take time. This killer is leaving convoluted clues. They’ll get there.”

“They didn’t the last time. I’m the one who uncovered the target.” He jabbed a thumb into his chest. “You pointed out yourself that I managed to find the killer’s next target before that bumbling detective. If I can find the next one, I can stop this murderer!”

“Fine,” said Rouge. “Go and snoop. Just don’t get caught.”

“I won’t get caught. Stop worrying.”

“If you want me to stop worrying then take me with you,” she said. “I can keep a lookout while you…” She waved a hand at him. “Do whatever it is you plan to do.”

“No. It’s too dangerous.”

“I used to be a GUN soldier. I can handle myself.”

He stared at her for a moment, his expression softening. Then he grimaced and shook his head. “I’ll meet you where we agreed.”

“So I’m not coming?” Rouge had barely got the words out when Shadow vanished in a flurry of computer code. She tutted and folded her arms in a huff. “Apparently not.”

Shadow manifested on the opposite side of the road to the upscale apartment block. Its round disk of a roof spread out around it like a parasol, still dripping from the day’s rainfall. Trails of binary drifted from him, vanishing into the air like steam. Usually normal, but something about it seemed off somehow. Something blue reflected off a large puddle pooling at the edge of the road, dragging his mind from that computer code. He looked up to see the blue eye of a Strider Drone probing the street. He ducked back into the adjoining street, pressing his back flat against the wall.

No siren. Not needed if the street isn’t crowded. Had it seen him?

The Strider lingered, scanning the spot Shadow had previously occupied. It crouched on its long legs, turning its slender neck to peer down the street. Shadow’s heart raced as he watched it, the intensity of the bulb changing with its focus.

Whether or not it had seen him, it was definitely looking for something.

It straightened, and red and green lights flickered on the sides of its head. Another blue bulb lit up on Shadow’s right and he spotted the head of a second drone rising above the lower buildings. Great, they were communicating.

Shadow grimaced and tapped into the Chaos Network, riding it over to the other side of the road. The apartment block. The correct floor. When he exited it, he was sprawled on all-fours on a laminated floor cluttered with soup cans.

He pushed himself up, absently wiping his hands on his chest. He could still see the Strider Drones outside, probing the street he’d been lurking in. Two of them, their tiny communication lights flickering as they silently exchanged information.

Yes. One of them had clearly seen him.

He screwed his eyes shut momentarily and turned to take in the kitchen. A convoluted clue. He’d read all about that one. It gave them a location, and a potential time. But that was it.

He left the kitchen and made his way towards the bedrooms. Two of them. Both shut. He tested one and found himself in a tidy room. A small laptop lay folded beside a bed lined with black bedding. It wasn’t Renga’s room at all. He remembered he’d had a room mate. A binturong with long, black fur. Reginald, if Shadow recalled right. Or ‘Reg’ for short. He remembered some of their duet games. ‘Renga and Reg Play…’

Shadow shook his head sharply and turned from the room, but froze when he noticed something sparkling on the chrome of the handle and lock. A little old fashioned, but upscale places often hearkened back to simpler times. The sparkle was almost flower-shaped, cast by some yellow light from the crack in the blinds. It drew his eye right to the thumb lock. Why hadn’t this been looked into before? Each crime had been in a locked room. That meant whoever it was could either come and go without having to physically lock the door, or they had a means to do so without touching it.

Shadow shoved the door closed with his foot and frowned at the lock as if it had just challenged him to a fight. How might one lock it without touching it? It would take a lot of planning and forethought to use a tool. One that could go undetected. Had anyone even examined the locks for signs that they might have been picked?

But indoor locks didn’t need to be picked with a wire. They were either card panels, or thumb locks. With the latter, all you had to do was grab the lock and twist it, then voila! It was locked. The other side would need a screw driver to open, and that would leave traces. Scratches. Ones that could be dated.

He lifted his hand towards the door handle, and a strange red glow surrounded it. The lock jerked to the right, locking him in the room.

His heart leapt and the haze vanished in an instant. He stared at his hand for a moment, then the lock. Then something snapped into place.

“Psychokinesis,” he said. “Whoever is doing this doesn’t need to physically touch anything!”

He reached for the lock to try it again, but that haze failed to appear. So he grabbed it, turning it back to the left.

His ears twitched as he picked up a whispering voice. Urgent, yet too quiet to make out.

Then footsteps.

“Yeah, it’s weird coming back here.” The voice was faint but it was followed by the sound of a door opening. “But I have to. I won’t be a moment, I’ll grab my-”

The bedroom door opened, and Shadow found himself staring into the red eyes of a long-haired binturong. Matching looks of surprise and terror crossed both their faces, and Shadow stumbled back from the larger male.

A fair-haired wallaby stood behind him and before Shadow could stutter any explanation, she let out a shrill scream.

In a panic, Shadow tried to reach out to the Chaos Network. But it wouldn’t hold. Instead, pink mist surrounded his body and whisked him from the room, throwing him onto his back in the thorny bushes of Beatdrop Park.

‘Shadow?’

A whisper. His fur bristled as a chill ran down his spine and he twisted to spot whoever it belonged to. But he was alone. The park was empty. A breeze washed over him, broken by the rustling leaves and thorny branches of the bramble.

Great. Now he was jumping at the wind? It wasn’t as if anyone could have followed him if even he didn’t know where he was going!

He let out a groan and placed his hands over his face. Spotted. By Strider Drones, and now by Renga’s room-mate. How could he have been so careless? He could see it now. Very soon, all of Mainframe would think he was the ‘Heartbreaker’. The Beatdrop Capital’s serial killer. And if people hadn’t already been looking for him before, they certainly would now.

And as for Rouge…

Shadow felt his heart shatter. Everyone would think she was a conspirator. Aiding the killer with her famous stealth skills. He spread his fingers to peer up at the sky. Stars. The clear constellation of the Hope Flower peering down at him. His eyes stung with tears and he screwed them shut as that night in that very park came back to him.

No. He wasn’t going to let this happen. Rouge had helped him, they’d looked out for each other for over a year. Now he’d messed up, and he was going to protect her with every fiber of his being, even if it killed him.

...​

What luck.

Rouge chuckled to herself as she crouched on the roof of a casino. A small robot dog barked and yapped, bouncing on its toes as it eagerly awaited its handler. The twin-tailed fox she’d learned went by ‘Tails’ followed after it, checking over his phone. If she’d not heard the dog, she wouldn’t even had known the soldier had been in the casino.

She spread her wings and glided over to the opposite roof. The fox’s ears didn’t so much as twitch. He pocketed his computer and followed after the dog, silently. Almost as if the robot wasn’t even there.

Rouge frowned at that. She’d seen other pet owners, and they would chatter away to their animals (or robots). But Tails didn’t utter a word.

She followed him along the roof as he rounded a bend in the road. Then he did something she hoped he wouldn’t. He hailed a cab.

Rouge groaned under her breath and fluttered into the air. Now she had to take the risk of following a vehicle?

The small, black hover-car glided along the road away from her, sticking to the busy main streets. Rouge remained above it, keeping her eyes and ears trained on the car. The place was riddled with Strider Drones and Drifters. Rouge swerved to avoid them, trying to remain in their blind spots. It wasn’t easy. One particular Drifter pushed her into an alley and she had to follow the car by sound. When she came out of the other side, the small plane-like drone was still lurking, looking for her, and there was no sign of the cab.

She was about to give up when she spotted it turning into the road beside her, almost as if it were doubling back the way it had come. She twirled to follow after it and almost dropped from the sky with surprise when it pulled into the entrance to an old warehouse.

Tails climbed out, followed by his dog, and the cab drove off. The soldier glanced left and right, the robot copying him. Its huge, bulb-like eyes lit up the street until its handler shushed it. The lights blinked out and he waited a moment before opening the shutter on the warehouse.

Rouge tapped her lip as she searched over the building. She couldn’t very well follow him. She needed to get the sneak on him. A vent or a window she could use… When she came up dry and the shutter started to rattle back into place, she zipped from the sky and landed before it, rolling into the warehouse.

The dog let out a surprised yelp, but Tails didn’t so much as flinch. He stepped back from her, his cold eyes trailing over her body as he tried to assess her threat level.

The robot dog growled, cutting between her and its handler.

“All right,” she said, pushing herself up and keeping her hands raised. “I found you. Now I’ve got a question for you, fox.”

She sucked in a breath as the fox retrieved a gun from somewhere behind him. Then she noticed a weapons rack. She’d been too preoccupied keeping the fox and robot in her sights she’d failed to notice that. He aimed the rifle at her, narrowing his eyes.

“Wait!” she gasped. “I’m not here to fight you. I just have some questions!”

“You’re allied with Shadow,” he said. “I am to apprehend you both.”

He fired, and Rouge leapt aside, leaving the dart to rattle off the stone wall. Another dart skimmed her ear as she ducked with speed that surprised even her. If she was going to get him to co-operate, she seriously needed the upper hand.

She leapt at him, aiming a crescent kick. A flash of light erupted from the gun’s handle, forming a shield around his hands. Her foot bounced off it, sending a shockwave of pain up her ankle. She grunted and keeled back from him, corkscrewing to avoid another dart that skimmed her muzzle with its feathers.

“Wait! Please!” She flipped herself higher into the air, drawing the fox’s aim with her. “It’s your tranquilizer. It’s done something strange to Shadow! His powers are malfunctioning!”

He lowered his weapon then, inclining his head on one side. “Malfunctioning?”

Still no emotion on his face. No sympathy. No worry. No fear. If anything, she’d simply intrigued his inner scientist.

“Explain,” he said.

Rouge looked between him and his weapon. “I will if you’ll stop shooting at me.”

He stood his rifle on the ground beside him, leaning on it like a walking cane. “You have five minutes.”

A loud ticking sound filled the room, and Rouge realized with some alarm that it was coming from the dog. It sat watching her, its tongue lolling from its mouth, clearly impressed with its own little joke.

“Okay.” Rouge landed and smoothed out her jumpsuit. “Shortly after you hit him with your tranquilizer, he’s had this weird pink mist appear around him. I don’t know if that’s what’s directly interfering with him, but it throws off his Chaos Control, making his teleporting completely unpredictable.”

“Is it still ongoing?”

“I believe so. It’s very intermittent.”

“Then it’s not my darts.”

Rouge’s mouth flapped open and closed as she stared at the fox’s cold, emotionless face. “He has… regenerative properties. Maybe that’s interfering with whatever you coated them with?”

“The drug I use to hamper someone’s abilities affects chemicals on the brain and does no harm whatsoever. Therefore his regeneration wouldn’t counter it. And the affects would only be temporary.” Tails paused and shrugged. “Besides. I used no such means to apprehend Shadow. I used a tranquilizer. Not a detaining drug.”

“Then if you knew that all along, why not tell me outright it had nothing to do with this?”

“Curiosity,” said Tails. “A hunter has to understand his prey.”

Rouge let out a nervous laugh and made her way towards the shutter. Tails lifted his weapon again, but Rouge wagged a finger.

“You gave me five minutes,” she said. “I still have three and a half left.”

“I gave you five to explain yourself.”

“Really?” Rouge feigned surprise by covering her mouth. “I thought it was five for you to stop shooting at me. I guess we’ve reached a misunderstanding?”

Tails lifted the sight to his eye and aimed, and a small red dot appeared on her left shoulder.

“Oh dear.” She let out a small sigh. “Surely a gentleman wouldn’t-”

The robot dog let out a series of rapid-fire barks. Its bulb-like eyes lit up, flooding the warehouse. Tails lowered his gun to attend to his dog, dropping to his knees.

Rouge took that opportunity to grab the shutter’s base and pull. A long groan escaped her throat as she heaved it with her hands. But it wouldn’t budge.

Then she became aware of a voice. One that didn’t belong to the fox. She turned her head to look over her shoulder. He was still crouching beside the dog, who’s eyes projected a holographic display. A news broadcasting. One that was filled with Shadow’s face.

“No,” she gasped.

Tails looked up at her, and she found herself becoming increasingly scared by how impossible he was to read.

“It looks like your friend has been listed as the killer,” he said.

“It’s not him,” said Rouge. “He was investigating!”

Tails stood up straight, still clutching his gun, this time at his side. “I believe you.”

Rouge’s jaw dropped. “You do?”

“I don’t believe the criminal returns to the scene of the crime.”

He adjusted his weapon to his shoulder, and that red dot appeared again. Rouge’s blood turned cold and she slowly rose to her feet, lifting her hands. Confined to this small place, with no visible windows to escape through… she’d soon tire of dodging his attacks.

“However,” he said slowly, “I do believe the pair of you would be safer with me than mobbed by Eggman’s troops. Don’t you?”

He fired.

 

[windskull]

I have read like… one sonic fanfic prior to this, and it’s been a long time since I read anything that really fell into the cyberpunk aesthetic, so I have a feeling this will be fun and also a nice palette cleanser.

Before I start diving into the chapters, I just wanted to note that it would probably benefit to have a summary/blurb in the op. Because as it is, I have very limited knowledge of what I’m about to get into; all I know is that it’s similar to your pokemon fic (which I can gather is a sci-fi fic based on context clues, but that’s about all I can gather as someone who hasn’t read it.

Alright, on to the actual content.

1
Oooh, you jump head-first into the action, and an event in particular that firmly establishes this as an AU, what with the Chaotix being space pirates (which I am all here for. It fits the type of story well, but since they trade in information, it keeps them close to their origins as detectives.)

Sounds like Vector finally found the computer room! I’m Sorry.

The action flowed really well here, IMO.

I find it interesting that Eggman is considered an alien in this. Though that does make me wonder… are there any other humans in this universe? Or just him? Is GUN made up of a bunch of furries? I don’t think that was established within the narrative so far, at least as far as I’ve read, so I guess I’ll have to wait and see.

2

The Raptor pulled in at Pulse City’s docks,

Looks like you had some spacing issues starting here. A couple of paragraphs seem to have bled together on the forum.

Is that Rough and Tumble I spy or- yesss! As well as Nack (I think?) and Bark. It’s nice seeing characters that are less commonly used, even if some of them are only in cameo positions - as of right now, at least. Makes me wonder what other characters might show up, or if there’s more that I’ve missed.

Oh Rough. I don’t think that’s happenin’ buddy.

3

No reasons were given for this, but the report had it down to some strange alien DNA they were calling ‘Dark Arms’.

-squints- is this in reference to the black arms (with them obviously not knowing that) or am I going nuts?

I don’t trust GUN ever since they stuck a price on my head.”

This is worded a bit weirdly. But also a pretty neat tidbit. We’ve got a character that’s been on the wrong side of the law before, and is more than willing to go back to the darkside for the greater good. Maybe a better way to word it would have been "I haven't trusted GUN since they stuck a price on my head." Or something along those lines.

Ooof, looks like Gadget isn’t such a friendly face in this universe (for now at least. Who knows if that will change)

Alright, just a couple of critiques before I wrap up.

I wish character ages were a bit more clear from the start, since this is obviously heavily au. I know you said that every character is an adult unless stated otherwise, but I still find myself trying to figure out if the difference in age between each character is relative to the games, or if they’re just aged up to suit the needed role? For example, if Charmy is 12 here, then is Vector 26, since they’re 6 and 20 in canon, respectively?

The only other critique I have is that when you got to the information on Project Wreckingball, it kind of turned into a text dump. I kind of wonder if this information could have been broken up a bit narratively, or at least broken down in easier to read paragraphs. Just to make a point: those paragraphs are so long that no single one fits on my phone screen completely. If they had even been broken up, I don’t think I would have had as much of an issue.

Those aside, I am really enjoying this so far. It’s a fun change of pace from most of what I’ve read recently, and I will definitely be reading more later.

 

[DeliriousAbsol]

Ooh! This was a nice surprise to wake up to =D

Before I start diving into the chapters, I just wanted to note that it would probably benefit to have a summary/blurb in the op.

Great idea, thanks! I don't know why I haven't added one already, tbh... I'll get on that when I next update! (And add one at the start of each story, too, when they come!)

Is that Rough and Tumble I spy or- yesss! As well as Nack (I think?) and Bark. It’s nice seeing characters that are less commonly used, even if some of them are only in cameo positions - as of right now, at least. Makes me wonder what other characters might show up, or if there’s more that I’ve missed.

Oh yes, there are a lot of characters and cameos in this saga. Rough and Tumble just needed to be added, and you can't have the Chaotix without the Hooligans XD

-squints- is this in reference to the black arms (with them obviously not knowing that) or am I going nuts?

That might be a booboo on my part. I was convinced it was called Dark Arms. Oh well... I shall amend my booboo with the 'AU Card'.

Ooof, looks like Gadget isn’t such a friendly face in this universe

I had multiple readers of Mask Behind the Monster asking if Gadget would make an appearance. So I added him in Mainframe. As a bad guy. I thought it would be fun, given Infinite gives canon Gadget/Avatar a lot of gripe in Forces. The turns have tabled.

We’ve got a character that’s been on the wrong side of the law before, and is more than willing to go back to the darkside for the greater good.

Oh yes. Little Decode is a Grey Hat Hatter, after all =3

I wish character ages were a bit more clear from the start, since this is obviously heavily au. I know you said that every character is an adult unless stated otherwise, but I still find myself trying to figure out if the difference in age between each character is relative to the games, or if they’re just aged up to suit the needed role? For example, if Charmy is 12 here, then is Vector 26, since they’re 6 and 20 in canon, respectively?

Ah, sorry about that. I struggle to find a way to add character ages into the narrative, so I just... lumped it together like that. You're almost right. Sometimes, scaling didn't work so well, so unless a character is referred to as a child (Decode, Charmy...) then they're an adult. Sonic and Tails are both adults and roughly the same age, for example. I may add a list of main cast ages if it'll help, in a spoiler tag?

Thanks so much for reading! I'm stoked you're enjoying this =D

 

[DeliriousAbsol]

Chapter Ten​

Rough's ship was parked where he'd left it. Situated between a green caterpillar-shaped ship and an empty space that had previously occupied a massive cargo carrier. A rather rudely parked one that had made getting on and off his own ship nigh impossible.

The stench of oil and sweat stung his nose as he climbed on board. Gadget huddled against the wall where his computer was wired up, muttering to himself as he read over something on his holoscreen that Rough couldn't see. He half expected Gadget to be surrounded by a stink cloud, and he wafted his nose as he strode past the wolf.

"Had a shower lately?" Rough scoffed as he flopped into his chair.

"Rather hypocritical coming from a skunk, wouldn't you say?" said Gadget. "I'll shower once we leave this wretched pirate-infested dump of a sky-city."

"There's a shower right across the docks." Rough pointed a finger towards it, and glanced back to make sure Gadget was looking. He wasn't.

"There are too many pirates. They'd snap up my bounty like candy."

"Just tug your coat over your head. No-one's gonna care!"

Gadget made a spitting noise and leered at the skunk. "Oh they'll care. Besides… You lot are like fleas on a rock, I can't stand it. When are we leaving?"

"In one hour," said Rough.

"You said that two days ago."

"Well it took me a few days to track down someone who's sellin' those cloaking technology plans you want for cheap," Rough explained. "And the last guy stiffed me."

"That's a pirate for you," said Gadget. "Now define 'cheap'?"

"'Not expensive'," Rough joked. "A lot of pirates here crank the price right up. You don't find too many who do things fair."

"'Fair' has 'space pirate' written all over it," Gadget spat.

"Exactly. Need to tease out the ones that are doin' you dirty."

"And what guarantee do I have that it will work?"

"It works on my ship." Rough caught the unimpressed look on Gadget's face and growled. "Look, doc. I know what I'm doin'. I've been doin' this since I were a pre-teen. You want the schematics or not?"

"If it'll work, I'll take it." Gadget returned to his computer. "At least then we can get away from this dump."

"Yeah, and you can stop stinkin' up my bridge." Rough turned back to the controls, half-tempted to drive straight into the washroom and throw the wolf into the nearest sink. "The seller is gonna deliver them here. If you don't want them to see you, I suggest you hide."
Gadget didn't budge, but Rough could feel his eyes on him. Staring. Rough shrugged and tucked his hands behind his head, kicking his feet up on the control deck.

Space pirates moved back and forth across the docks, and the rumble of nearby engines signaled ships leaving, or docking. It had been a long day, and the skunk felt himself drifting off to sleep. But he snapped right out of it as a high pitched whistle reached his ears, followed by a fist thudding at the ship's door.

Rough looked back over his shoulder, mirrored by Gadget still huddled in his corner. It hadn't been an hour yet, surely? The space pirate flipped himself from his seat and went to investigate. As the door hissed open, a tall leopard greeted him with a playful grin. Siesta. So she was early? And behind her stood a sly-looking purple weasel-wolf in a fedora.

"Nack?" Rough scoffed. "What are you doin' here?"

"Oh, I helped score the schematics," said the weasel. "Although I had no idea they were for you."

"Where are the rest of your hooligans?"

Nack grinned, choosing to remain silent.

The leopard girl's smile fell and she frowned down at the skunk. "Is this about to get ugly? Because I don't get involved in others' affairs."

"Nah, I want my share of the cut, sugar." Nack folded his arms and his grin turned sinister. "I'll wail on this idiot later."

Rough chose to ignore the hybrid, instead glaring up at Siesta. If only because she'd chosen to work with one of his biggest rivals.

"How much?" he asked her.

"Two thousand credits, as agreed," she replied.

Rough's fur bristled along his spine, but if it was going to get him his brother back, then it was worth every credit. So he tapped it into his computer and a beep came from the leopard's dress. Her visor snapped into place, typical of those who worked in her chosen trade, and she gave him a satisfied smile.

"Pleasure doing business with you." She held out the computer chip.

"Hang on. We agreed paper," he said.

She shrugged. "I couldn't get paper."

"Well I've been screwed over once already," he growled. "You ain't goin' nowhere until I check this is legit."

Nack tugged a laser from his belt, but Siesta raised a hand, not looking back at him. "Leave it, Nack. Let him check it if he wants."

Rough looked between the pair then popped the disk into the side of his computer. It loaded up on his holoscreen instantly. Schematics for a cloaking device. One that could be adapted to any scale, from a cargo ship to a tiny pistol.

"All right." He tucked his computer away and nodded at the leopard. "You came through, lass. You've got yourself another customer."

Siesta gave a small chuckle. "I don't cheat in my trade, skunk. It's bad for business."

She turned from him, ushering Nack on alongside her. The weasel was frowning at his own visor.

"Oi!" he exclaimed. "We agreed forty-sixty!"

"Exactly," said Siesta. "You get the forty."

"That wasn't the deal!"

They were barely off the docks when Rough closed the door to his ship, shutting their bickering outside. He'd got what he wanted. If things turned nasty, that leopard could handle herself. She looked strong enough to pick Nack up by his neck and toss him into the nearest trash skip.

"All right, I've got 'em." Rough fell back down in his seat.

"Then give them to me," said Gadget.

"Don't be so hasty, doc." Rough bared his canines. "First you're gonna save my brother, then you can have the schematics. We're headin' back to the Beatdrop Capital."

"How can you be so sure your brother is still there?" Gadget asked icily. "It's been nearly a week."

"Really? I hadn't noticed." Rough shot him a glare over his shoulder as he pulled the ship out from the docking bay. "You planted a trackin' chip on him, didn't you?"

"I did."

"Then get trackin'. The sooner we get him, the sooner you can take these plans and do whatever you want with 'em."

The thought left a bad taste in Rough's mouth. But he pushed it aside as he turned his focus back onto saving his brother. And keeping Gadget at arm's length.

...​

Silver had gathered up as much information as he could about the school. It was rather overwhelming. An entire list of teachers and students currently at the school, and all of them were there that day. It was drawing close to the end of the exam season, and a lot of students were engaging in after school study activities, pushing the teachers into working overtime. Where did one even begin? Silver had no idea what time the killer would strike, or who for that matter. Day or night? Would he have one target, or would it be a massacre? The hedgehog pinched his nose and grimaced. The latter really didn't bare thinking about.

His office door opened and Blaze strolled in, her expression unreadable. The cat still wasn't happy with his accusations, but neither was he. He didn't want her to turn out to be the murderer. Part of him hoped the killer would reveal himself soon, preferably while he and Blaze were on watch so they could save any more innocent lives from being lost.

The lavender cat set a steaming mug of coffee down on Silver's desk, then stood back and shifted her weight to one leg.

"I've been thinking," she said slowly. "About your suggestion to watch the school?"

"I'm not alone there then." Silver picked up his coffee and sipped it. It was very welcome.

"It seems too flawed a plan," Blaze went on. "The school is massive, and there's only two of us. That's two detectives watching out for a killer amid thousands of people. And only one of us is capable of fighting right now, especially given you're still recovering from your run-in with Metal Sonic."

Silver groaned at that. He let his head rest in one hand, masking his frustration with tiredness. "The problem is, Blaze, if we go in with an army then the killer might not show himself."

"I'm not suggesting we do." A small smile graced the cat's face, lifting Silver's spirits. "I have a better, much more effective plan."

"Oh?" She had his interest now. He lifted his head and his eyes widened.

"I say we evacuate everyone," she said. "Send them all out of the Beatdrop Capital."

"Isn't that a bit extreme?" said Silver. "I mean, it's the thick of the exam season. Where would they even go?"

"There are schools in other cities. Besides, once news gets out that the school is being targeted, attendance is bound to plummet. We can't keep this secret if we know what his next target is."

"Okay." Silver let out a small sigh. "And how do we go about that? It could take me hours to send out a mass email, and that's if the ones on record are even used regularly."

"Leave it to me."

"Leave it to you?" He raised an eyebrow. "How do you plan to do this?"

"Simple." Blaze sipped at her own coffee. "You appear to be forgetting that I'm the Mayor's daughter. All it takes is one little plea to my father, and he'll deal with the rest."

Silver's jaw dropped, drawing another smile from the cat.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he even finds them all lodgings," she said. "Clear out the school, reduce the threat to its minimum, and swoop in before the killer even knows what's hit him."

Silver shook his head in disbelief and let out a chuckle. "You're amazing, Blaze. I would never have thought of that."

"You're welcome." Blaze returned his smile and turned towards the door. "Let's face it. I need to prove my innocence somehow, don't I?"

Silver flinched and sank down in his seat as he watched her go. Even if she managed to prove her innocence, deep down he felt she'd never let that accusation go.

The cat paused by the door and cast a glance back over her shoulder. "They might have a suspect, now, anyway. Have you seen the news this morning?"

"No?" The joy in his voice even caught him off guard.

"Oh." She scratched behind her ear. "I suggest you have a little look. It's rather surprising."
She closed the door, leaving Silver feeling a lot lighter. He shunted the pile of names aside and quickly brought up the news site on his holoscreen.

...​

Amy had decided against working in her studio. Instead, she sat at the breakfast bar, sketching away while sipping at her third coffee that morning. Her and Tangle sat in peaceful silence, broken only by the occasional grunt from the sleeping jackal.

Infinite took up the entire sofa, his tail curled up around his body and one arm hanging over the edge. Amy questioned why he'd not pulled it out into a bed, instead lounging in an uncomfortable fashion in a way that gravity threatened to soon ruin if he shifted any closer to the edge.

She desperately wanted him to wake up, and not just because she wanted the comfort of the sofa. Tangle was still reading the Beatdrop News site on her pocket computer, but the front page was emblazoned in Amy's mind. The police had a suspect for The Heartbreaker, and it thankfully wasn't Infinite.

Of course, it didn't explain his constant tiredness, or that odd tower he'd built. The latter was likely a coincidence.

Tangle had become excited when she'd read the article, but daren't breathe a word for fear of rousing Infinite. But Amy could tell the lemur had already structured an essay in her mind, and as soon as it was safe to blurt it out, Amy could bank on being on the receiving end of it. And it would likely be strewn with conspiracies backed with 'facts', and theories on how this killer actually worked.

Not that the news article hadn't already brought with it its own speculation.

Amy was just finishing off the final details on a cute star pattern she'd been working into a bobble hat, when a rustle came from the sofa. Followed by a loud yawn. She looked up as Tangle leapt from the bar stool to lean over the back of the sofa.

"You awake now, cutie?" she crooned.

Infinite fixed a crimson-tinted eye on her. "Don't ever call me cute, primate."

"I say what I see," said Tangle.

"Give him some space," said Amy. "Unlike you, he's not a morning person."

"Oh, I'm a morning person." Infinite sat up so quickly Tangle had to dodge a head-butt. "I just don't usually have to sleep this often."

The jackal moved into the kitchen and flicked on the coffee machine. Then, muttering to himself, he opened the various cupboards in search for his breakfast. As Amy expected, a jar of peanut butter and a box of gravy bones appeared on the counter. Then, much to her surprise, a box of frosted flakes. And a bowl. He poured out an even amount of gravy bones and frosted flakes into said bowl, then scooped out a handful of peanut butter to accompany it. He then opened the fridge, reached for the milk, muttered a 'nah' and grabbed an open bottle of apple juice. Amy's muzzle crinkled with disgust as he poured it into the bowl.

He grabbed his coffee from the machine, and plonked down opposite them both at the breakfast bar. A spoon appeared before his muzzle, stopping his hand mid swipe, and he raised an eyebrow at it.

Tangle leant her head on her free hand, bobbing the spoon up and down. "Manners?"

He let out a sigh and snatched the spoon, resigning himself to use it.

"They think they've found the serial killer," Amy said, returning to her sketches.

Infinite froze with the spoon in his mouth, staring at her. Prompting her to elaborate.

"Oh yeah!" Tangle leant towards him with a huge grin. "Some weirdo just showed up at the scene of the crime, then vanished into thin air!"

Infinite grunted and waved his spoon at Amy. "I want to hear it from her."

Amy looked up then, and Tangle's mouth tugged down into a frown.

"Aw, come on!" she whined. "I've been wanting to talk about this all morning, but no. I had to stay quiet for fear of waking the dragon!"

Infinite huffed and returned to his breakfast. But Amy couldn't help thinking that, given the circumstances, he'd taken that as a poor choice of words.

"Tangle has been looking into it quite a lot, actually," said Amy. "I think she knows more than me."

The lemur grinned at her then turned back to Infinite. But he didn't meet her eye. Instead he stared at Amy, eye narrowed, the claws of his free hand digging into the marble.

Amy shook her head, hoping he'd take the message that no, she had absolutely not said anything to Tangle about his concerns.

He gave a weak shrug and nodded at the lemur before returning to his breakfast.

Tangle let out a squeal and shifted so she was kneeling on the bar stool. "Get this! DotMatrix's house mate came home last night to find some weirdo in his bedroom. Just standing there. Then he just vanished! Poof! They think that's how he's been doin' it. Locked rooms and all that? Not a problem when you don't need a key, eh?"

"So who is it?" Infinite asked.

"Some black hedgehog," said Tangle. "They think his name's Shadow, or somethin'."

Infinite spluttered, scattering his breakfast medley over the bar, fortunately not all over Amy's work. He swiped a hand across his muzzle and stared at Tangle, wide-eyed. The lemur flicked crumbs from her face and shook out her ears.

"Thanks for that," she said, rather too chipper.

"Shadow?" Infinite gasped.

Tangle inclined her head on one side. "What? You know the guy?"

Infinite lowered his spoon and his eye flitted around the room. "I suppose it makes sense. You have a Sonic…"

"Huh?" Amy lowered her coffee to look up at him.

"So it makes sense you'd have a Shadow as well."

"What are you talking about?" Amy pressed. "What do you mean we 'have a Sonic'?"

Infinite clenched his fist around his spoon, oblivious to her question. "Unless… no he couldn't have followed me here! Are there photos of this Shadow?"

"Aye, yeah, there are now." Tangle whisked a webpage up onto her computer and flicked it towards Infinite. "People thought this wanted poster was to bait in space pirates, although I was always skeptical. But now-"

Her words were cut off as Infinite snatched it from her. He bared his canines and a growl slipped from the back of his throat.

"It is him!" he roared.

"You recognize him?" Amy asked.

"Of course I recognize him!" Infinite glared at the mugshot leering back at him. "After all he's done… and now he's trying to frame me?!"

"You're jumping to conclusions!" said Amy. "We don't know for a fact he's the killer!"

"He's the killer," Tangle scoffed. "Why else would he show up at a crime scene, pokin' around?"

"Investigating?"

"Mainframe have been dogging that guy for decades, Amy," said Tangle. "Apparently for 'reasons of scientific interest', whatever that means. Why wouldn't he lash out? Get back at the authorities. Throw a spanner in the works. 'Distract the bad guys'."

"You don't think he's a bad guy?" Infinite growled. "This guy murdered my friends!"

He tossed the computer onto the bar top and slid from his stool to march back into the living room.

"Dude, don't take it out on my Pineapple." Tangle grimaced as she retrieved her computer and brushed a hand over its screen.

Amy watched the jackal as he paced towards the sofa and stopped, running a hand over his masked muzzle. A small frown tugged at her lips and she slipped from her own stool to approach him.

"You said something about us having 'a Sonic'," she said. "If there's versions of us in your universe, how can you be sure he's actually your Shadow and not part of Mainframe?"

Infinite shrugged. "He wasn't born, he was made. Why would that happen in two separate universes?"

"Similarities?" suggested Tangle.

Infinite glanced back at her and snorted. "Sounds too easy. No… I think he came through Null Space when I did, and got himself caught up in his own mess. Now GUN want two aliens for their own sick reasons, yet little do they know they can't stand each other! Think about it. I break free, everyone hears about it, then all this starts? It's personal!"

Amy clenched her hands together, fighting the urge to shake her head and put him straight. She didn't know. It was perfectly plausible more than just Eggman and Infinite had come through Null Space. Eggman had even bought his own robot with him. Maybe someone else had survived and zipped away unnoticed, probably assuming Infinite had died during the explosion? He had told her he'd been left for dead.

But part of her couldn't help worrying that it was all wrong. That whatever Infinite's Shadow had done to him was so traumatizing he couldn't let go, and was lashing out at the wrong person. A doppleganger. Someone who just happened to look like him, and have the same name, but had lead a completely different life in a completely different world.

"Isn't it possible," she said quietly, "that you're wrong? You did say something about us having our own Sonic."

"I recognize Shadow," said Infinite. "I didn't recognize Sonic. I just assumed the fact he was a blue hedgehog with the same name was nothing more than a coincidence."

"You mean he looks different?"

"Old. Tired. Run down. Sickly…" Infinite lifted his hands in a shrug. "Sure, I never personally met my world's Sonic, but in the photos and videos I'd seen, he looked younger. Sprightly. Energetic. And very, very annoying."

Amy huffed. "Old? He's not much older than me!" She let out a sigh and ran her hands through her quills. "Although I know what you mean. He did look exhausted. I think he was run off his feet by that Gadget."

"Why am I not surprised?" Infinite flopped onto the sofa and rubbed his hands over his mask. Briefly considering taking it off. "I want to find that Shadow, so I'm going to do a bit of research. Don't interrupt me for a while."

Tangle appeared behind him and offered her computer. "Need this?"

"No. Now be quiet, primate. The Chaos Network gives me a headache, and I don't need you yammering in my ear."

He didn't look up, holding his head in his hands. Amy and Tangle exchanged glances then returned to the breakfast bar, leaving the jackal to his own devices.

...​

Already noon. And there was still no sign of Rouge. Shadow had waited at their freshly-chosen hiding place in Beatdrop's entertainment district. A bar that had recently closed, a 'To Let' sign in its boarded-up window. Still fully furnished, and barely a hint of dust since it had only closed down a few days ago. No draft, no leaks…

The black hedgehog poked his head outside again, checking the rooftops for any sign of the bat. Nothing. Where on earth was she? It wasn't like her to be late, let alone several hours late. He considered contacting her again through the Chaos Network, but his last message hadn't been responded to yet.

His heart began to race, and not for the first time. Had something happened to her? It was beginning to look very likely. He paced back into the empty bar, went to sit back down on the sofa, then changed his mind. Instead, running back to the door to peer out at the street.

Nothing.

He let out a small groan and backed into the bar. Just caught up somewhere. That's all it was. Any minute now, she'd waltz through that door all smiles and sunshine. She'd tell him what she'd found, how much she'd sold it for, then playfully dig at him for being worried about her. Then she'd try to hug him, and he'd let her…

He balled his hands into fists and screwed his eyes shut. Never this late. She was never this late.

Something was wrong.

A soft sound came from the door and he jerked his head up towards it, his heart in his throat. "Rouge?"

The door nudged open wider and the small tin head of a robot dog poked around it. Its tongue lolled out when it saw him, in what was meant to be a friendly dog-smile. One that tried to assure him it meant no threat.

Shadow didn't trust it. He took a step back, leering at the metal canine as it strutted further into the bar, huge eyes on his. Smiling. Almost laughing.

Shadow bared a canine and lifted his hand, crimson energy surrounding it. One chaos spear would be all it would take to reduce the barking tin-can to shrapnel.

The dog's eyes lit up, freezing Shadow mid-strike. He braced himself to leap instead, to dodge whatever laser projectiles the dog had at its disposal. But it never came. Instead, a holographic image appeared at his feet. One Shadow instantly recognized.

Rouge knelt there, smiling up at him. She lifted her hands and the first thing he noticed was that she wasn't bound in any way.

'I'm sorry, Shadow,' she said. 'I'm still getting over a nasty tranq dart. But I want you to know I'm okay. And so are you. The soldiers I'm with don't believe for one second that you are the killer. In fact, they want to offer us somewhere to hide until all this blows over.'

"You're back with them, aren't you?" Shadow spat. "Back with GUN?!"

'I know what you're thinking,' she went on. 'And I've not turned back to GUN. These guys? They don't work for Eggman. They're trying to keep you away from him. If anything, they're the good guys! Please, Shadow. I can explain more when you get here. Just follow the dog. Its name is T-Pup.'

The hologram blinked out and the dog - T-Pup - lifted its head to look at him. Tongue still lolling out, panting like any flesh and blood dog would do. Then it let out a high-pitched yip. Shadow leapt back from it, unsure whether or not to actually follow it or trash it where it stood.

"She's right, you know."

Shadow looked up at the voice. A blue hedgehog stood in the doorway, his rifle strapped over his back. An easy grab if he needed to use it. Shadow recognized him instantly as one of the soldiers who'd ambushed him and Rouge in the park. Although he'd been more pre-occupied with Metal Sonic.

"Shadow, right?" The blue hedgehog leant against the wall and folded his arms. "My name's Sonic."

Shadow took a step forward, chaos energy surrounding both his fists and spreading to the rest of his body.

Sonic lifted a hand, his emerald eyes widening. "Hang on there. I'm not here to fight. I'm here to take you to your friend."

"She told me to follow the dog."

"I'm here in case you destroyed the dog."

Sonic didn't look remotely amused at the idea. Something about the tone in his voice told Shadow if it had come to that, he'd be dealing with that fight Sonic allegedly didn't want.

"Look," Sonic went on. "Tails and I? We don't believe you're the murderer. Neither does Rouge. But Eggman does. It's all over the media, Shadow. You were found at the scene of the crime, with no permit to even be there. And then you vanished without even explaining? It all looks suspicious. If you come with me and T-Pup, we'll take you to Rouge and you can hide out knowing you're safe."

"And then what?" Shadow growled. "You'll turn me over to whatever authorities you work for?!"
Sonic stared at him for a moment. Too long a moment. Shadow's quills bristled and that crimson energy intensified.

"No," Sonic finally said, taking Shadow by surprise. "I'm not about to turn over an innocent man. As far as I'm concerned, when all this blows over, you're free to go. Even if it costs me my job."

"And how do I know this isn't a trap and Rouge is the bait?"

"I guess my word isn't enough?" Sonic shrugged and pushed himself back from the wall. "Look. I'll tell you where she is, and you can use the Chaos Network to take us there. Then you'll see for yourself."

"You could be sending me right into an ambush." Shadow folded his arms and frowned at the other hedgehog. "We walk, and you lead me."

Sonic let out a lone laugh. "If we walk, you might as well have teleported yourself into an ambush. It's a long walk, pal. Right at the other end of the Beatdrop Capital. Everyone out there is gonna be keeping an eye open for you, so I'd say the Chaos Network is your safest bet."

"Then tell me where she is, and I'll go myself."

"Oh, I don't advise that." Sonic shook his head slowly. "You'll need me to get in."

Shadow clenched and unclenched his fists as he looked between the other hedgehog and the door. Rouge was with them. That meant, despite what she'd said, he wasn't entirely sure she was safe. If he wanted to save her, he needed to get to her. And the only way to do that was to go wherever this hedgehog took him. If things turned nasty, he could always fight back, grab Rouge and run.

He turned his crimson eyes back onto Sonic. "Fine. Then let's go."

A beaming smile split Sonic's face and he joined Shadow's side, stooping to pick up the robot dog. "Flux Alley. The old warehouse. Know where that is?"

"Of course I know where it is."

Before Sonic could reply, the Chaos Network appeared around them, forming a tunnel of data code. The trio shot along it, and Sonic let out a surprised yell that Shadow couldn't help smirking at. T-Pup, however, appeared to be having a blast. Its tongue lolling behind it as it watched the code fly by with utter fascination.

But it was only brief. The trio appeared in the specified alley, at the end of it, hidden behind a skip.

Sonic grimaced and shook a banana peel off his boot. "Couldn't land us by the door?"

"There might have been drones, or an ambush," said Shadow. "I wasn't taking that risk."

"Tails disables all spy cameras twice a day," Sonic explained. "It used to be once ever few days, but Eggman keeps cranking up the security recently." He stood beside the skip and waved a gloved hand into the alley. "And what did I tell you? No ambush."

Shadow followed his gesture then turned his eyes to the rooftops. Sonic wasn't lying. Not a soldier in sight. Shadow crept from his hiding place and followed Sonic and T-Pup to the warehouse shutter. A quick flash of his keycard, and the shutter rattled up on its rollers. The blue hedgehog ducked and rolled into the warehouse, with T-Pup skittering along beside him.
Shadow approached the shutter cautiously, ducking to peer inside. A dim light lit up what appeared to be a workshop, scented with grease and oil. Weapons adorned the walls, and several workbenches lay scattered about, strewn with all kinds of equipment. Some of which Shadow expected to find in a torture chamber.

Beyond all that was a small sitting area, where a white bat sat sipping tea and nattering to a fox. The soldier had his back to her, too busy with whatever he was working on to give her any time of day. But when the blue hedgehog greeted her, she responded with a smile. Then she lit up when she spotted Shadow standing in the open doorway.

"Hey there, handsome!" A playful smile appeared on her lips. "Were you worried about me?"
Shadow seethed, clenching his fists so tight his claws dug into his pads. "We're leaving!"

Rouge lowered her teacup, and the two soldiers looked up at him.

"Why?" she asked. "They want to help us."

"It's clearly a trap!" Shadow marched through the warehouse towards her.

"It's not a trap!" Rouge almost spilled her tea as he grabbed her wrist. "Shadow, please! If it was a trap, would I be sat here like this?"

He froze, looking her up and down. His pulse began to race again and he released her, taking a step back. He wanted to tell her she was scaring him, but the words wouldn't form. Instead, he bared his canines and his eyes flashed with chaos energy.

"Were you luring me into this trap the entire time?!" he roared.

Her jaw went slack and she did spill her tea then, sending the cup onto the floor. "What? No, of course not!"

"Well it looks like it!"

"Shadow, I used to work for Eggman!" Rouge protested. "These two don't. Do you honestly think I would have risked Omega's life like that? He died trying to protect you! And I've had a price on my head for the past year! I've not been lying to you!"

"Then what are you doing here with them?!" He pointed blindly into the room.

"I came here trying to find out if Tails' tranquilizer dart was why you're having problems with your powers lately!" Rouge rose to her feet and swiped tea from her body suit. "That pink mist? Your flawed teleporting? I was worried, and I was trying to help you."

Shadow screwed his eyes shut, still clenching his fists at his sides.

"I just happened to be here when I found out that Mainframe now thinks you are the murderer!" Rouge went on. "But all three of us in this room, and T-Pup, don't. And we all want to help clear your name. Okay?"

"She's right." Sonic had at some point drawn his rifle, and he strapped it over his back again. "This is a safe zone, pal."

"We are not pals," Shadow growled. "Besides, what happens once my 'name is cleared'? Are you just going to let us go?"

Sonic exchanged glances with Tails, and the fox shook his head, returning to his work. The gesture turned Shadow's blood to ice and he grabbed Rouge by her wrist.

"We'll give you a chance to flee," said Sonic. "Our job is still to turn you into our boss. But I'm not happy to do that when everyone thinks you're the murderer. They'll kill you if they believe it's you, and that doesn't settle well with me or Tails."

T-Pup barked once, but Tails said nothing.

"So what's it gonna be?" Sonic leant on the back of the sofa and folded his arms. "Are you gonna stay with us, where there's safety in numbers? Or are you going to continue running blindly through busy streets filled with soldiers and robots who won't hesitate to shoot you?"
Shadow blinked at the two soldiers, then turned back to Rouge. Suddenly, he didn't want to run anymore. Yet he wasn't happy staying there with two soldiers who's main job was to turn him over to their own little branch of GUN.

"If they can't find you," said Tails, "it won't be long until they unleash a Judge-grade robot. Then things will get very messy." The fox lifted up a sharp tool to examine it in the light. One that was designed to cleave through metal. "But I know a thing or two about deactivating those."

Sonic turned back to Shadow and grinned. "That's his way of saying he's got your back."

Shadow made a spitting noise through his lips and tugged Rouge closer to him. The Chaos Network was right there. He could get both of them out, and Sonic and Tails wouldn't be able to stop him.

"Please," Rouge whispered. "At least think about it? I know you find it hard to trust others, but you learned to trust me?"

"That was different," Shadow replied. "You weren't about to turn me over to the authorities once your own little plan had fizzled out."

"I never had a 'little plan'."

"Exactly."

Rouge sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder, avoiding his eyes. "Okay. If you really want to run…"

Shadow looked over at the soldiers again. Tails was still occupied with his workbench, but Sonic stared back at him from behind the sofa and shrugged.

"It's up to you," he said. "But once you're out of our hands, our protection ends. You don't want it, then we'll be back to hunting you, alongside whatever else Eggman throws at you."

Shadow grimaced and turned away from him, back to Rouge. The bat met his eyes then, worried, pleading. He sighed and released her, taking a step back.

"Fine," he said. "I'll give you a chance."

"Great!" Sonic pushed himself back from the sofa, and T-Pup joined his side, its spindly tail wagging frantically. "I'll go make us all some tea, then, eh?"

"Decaff," said Tails.

Shadow's entire body tensed, refusing to relax. He watched as Rouge returned to her spot on the sofa, idly wiping at a patch still damp with tea.

He closed his eyes and sighed. "What have I got myself into?"

 

[windskull]

Moving right along to chapter four. Here we go.

Heh, pretty fancy outdoors area for a prison lab. Guess the staff has to have somewhere to go to enjoy things though.

Out of the Chaotix, Espio is definitely the one I could see being good at something like hacking. Of course, “good” is relative.

I’ll send you the map so you can keep track of where you’re up to.

I feel like this is worded a bit oddly. I think “so you can keep track of where you’re at” would have made more sense.

And after a nice and intense break-in scene, looks like the jackal’s out of the box! Of course, things aren’t over yet. Getting in was only half the fight. On we go.

I don’t know if it was meant to be humorous, but the section where Infinite alerts them to the “small army” amused me. Mainly because of Decode telling them almost exactly the same thing. The repetition felt humorous to me, and helped break up the tension of the scene for a moment.

Darnit Rough and Tumble, don’t yall have any sense?

He turned back to the prison and tossed the soldiers back that way. One after the other, with his strange portholes.

I can’t tell if these two sentences are purposefully broken apart as a stylistic choice, if they were supposed to be a single sentence and there was a goof, or if part of the second sentence cut off. Intentional or not, it stood out, so I felt like I should mention it.

And, well, like I said. Infinite is out now. And team Datastream is gonna be in a bad spot with the law after helping out. As for what it will mean for the rest of Mainframe? Well, I’ll have to read the next chapter to find out, but I imagine GUN will be stopping at nothing to get him back. And as a result, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a bit more of that famous blue hedgehog and his two-tailed pal soon enough. Until then, happy writing!

 

[DeliriousAbsol]

Heh, pretty fancy outdoors area for a prison lab. Guess the staff has to have somewhere to go to enjoy things though.

It's inspired by a prison we were invited to for a Church Christmas event one year. I believe the inmates do the gardening, to get them outside, and I liked the idea. It was a stark contrast to the high, daunting fences. So I emulated it here =) (I was in writing mode pretty much the whole time. I've never visited a prison before then.)

I can’t tell if these two sentences are purposefully broken apart as a stylistic choice, if they were supposed to be a single sentence and there was a goof, or if part of the second sentence cut off. Intentional or not, it stood out, so I felt like I should mention it.

Stylistic choice =)

Thanks for reading! =D I'm glad you're still enjoying this.

 

[DeliriousAbsol]

Chapter Eleven​

Infinite had been scouring the Chaos Network most of the day, on and off. It still caused him a headache, and he'd eventually had to cave and ask Amy for some pain killers just so he could keep going. Finally, with a pulsing head, he had some answers about that Shadow, and it was all so very interesting and ominous.

The black hedgehog had indeed shown up about the same time Infinite and Eggman had. But allegedly Shadow's roots went all the way back to a laboratory experiment in the former Gamma City, which was now entirely consumed by Null Space. There had been an explosion in the lab, followed rapidly by the arrival of Null Space. Hardly anyone had survived the explosion, and those who had resided in the city had been obliterated. Either consumed in a fiery blaze or dragged into Null Space never to be seen again.

The lab's explosion was nothing more than 'word of mouth', spread by passers-by and those living outside the city who reported to have seen an explosion. Given the lab had been deep in the heart of the city - a university laboratory dedicated to medical science - there wasn't much evidence to back it. If Shadow had indeed been in that laboratory, he was the lone survivor.

What was interesting was the amount of data that had survived, purged from the computers by GUN. Eggman's branch of GUN. The rogue branches had obtained the information through hiring hackers and mercenaries and, in exceptionally rare circumstances, space pirates and Phantom Thieves. There were discrepancies in the data, but one thing remained the same.

Shadow the Hedgehog had indeed been created in Mainframe. But was it their Shadow that was running free? Or was it Mobius's Shadow that had followed, or been dragged into, Mainframe much like Infinite had? An unexpected twist that had the black hedgehog running for his life, and upon discovering Infinite had not only survived but broken free of Gadget's grasp, Shadow now set out to frame him as a murderer?

There was no evidence to back Infinite's theories. The only thing that pointed towards a deliberate framing was the timing. Shadow had been eluding the authorities for as long as Infinite was locked up, and now he was free the hedgehog had begun killing people. The first one was believed to be merely two days after Team Datastream had bust Infinite from his cell.

Two days.

Why hide for five decades then risk revealing your existence to the world?! It had to be deliberate. It couldn't possibly be a coincidence.

But how could he prove it?

Infinite lowered his hand from his face to stare at the dark ceiling. Silence. It was an odd sensation after being stuck for so long in his own head. Amy and Tangle had long since retired for the night, leaving Infinite deep in the Chaos Network. He couldn't even recall them wishing him goodnight. Although there was the unsettling realisation he may have received a hug at some point off that annoying lemur.

Proving it… Mainframe now believed that Shadow was the killer. So he didn't need to reveal his face to the world, Shadow had done that himself by making a foolish mistake. Returning to the scene of the crime. Many people sympathized with him there, stating he was likely just investigating like any concerned Mainframer would, should they have the gall and power to do so. If he could vanish and reappear at will using the Chaos Network, then why not pop in and see if there was something the detectives had missed?

Infinite scoffed at that. He'd clearly shown up to finish the job by taking out DotMatrix's room-mate, but had been spotted and scared off when two people showed up instead of one.

Whether or not Mainframe knew he was the killer, whether or not he was caught, Infinite wanted to make sure Shadow knew full well he was onto him. That he knew Shadow was trying to frame him, and he wasn't going to stand for it. With the power of the Phantom Ruby at his disposal, Shadow wouldn't stand a chance. He'd be squashed like a fly. Slowly. Painfully. One painful minute after the other for each of his squad mates that wretched hedgehog had heartlessly murdered.

A low growl reached Infinite's ears and he became aware it was coming from himself. He snapped his mouth shut and paused, searching the apartment with his ears. But no one had been disturbed.

He sank back against the arm of the sofa and sighed. It wasn't going to be that easy, was it? If Shadow had been eluding the authorities for fifty years, could Infinite even find him? He looked every bit like any other Mainframer or Mobian. It would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. His only option really was to lurk around the school until he showed up. That was believed to be the next target, or someone who worked there at least. But all the teachers and students had been sent out of the Beatdrop Capital for their own safety while GUN tracked down Shadow. If there was no target, would there even be an attempt at murder? And now they knew who it was, would he even dare try?

The sound of the toilet flushing came from the far end of the corridor, followed by soft footsteps. Infinite couldn't see who it was, but it brought another problem into the mix.

Amy.

He couldn't just leave her to go off on his own little revenge path. It wasn't just the horrific murders gracing the news sites, but the news of slash marks and blood in alleyways and marring the streets. Sightings of a vicious monster with long claws and the reports of grunts and howls in the night. All things the news reporters were lumping in with this Heartbreaker, only adding to the nightmarishness of it all. A killer who not only crushed the hearts of his victims, but also ran rampant down alleyways attacking bystanders and cleaving gashes into brick and stone. Or… an accomplice.

Infinite knew better. He knew full well that monster on the loose was 'Project Wreckingball'. Amy had encountered it herself once already. If he went off looking for Shadow, she and her friends would be vulnerable. And he couldn't stand that. What if they encountered it again and he wasn't there to help?

Or what if Shadow showed up in her apartment when he was out looking for him? Leaving Infinite to come home to find…

His blood turned cold and he let his eyes close. Exhausted. Head pounding. Heart racing. Yet all he wanted was to find that Shadow and do to him what he did to his friends. His family.

But he couldn't. The sheer thought chilled him and turned his stomach. If anything happened to her because of his carelessness, he'd blame himself.

There had to be another way to deal with it. One that didn't put Amy or her friends in danger. His arm flopped across his face and he took a deep breath. He'd have to think about it more later. That wretched exhaustion was setting in again, as if something were draining him. No, he wasn't about to sleep again. Not when he had so much to mull over. So he pushed himself from the sofa to seek out a quick snack.

...​

Shadow's black fur lit up with a faint red glow as he frowned at his open hand. Several crimson cubes floated over it, drifting around idly. They'd come from nowhere, just appeared while he'd been scouring the Chaos Network. But after a while he realised he had some level of control over them, and had blinked them in and out of existence several times before trying something new. It took a lot of concentration just to get them to move, and he was rapidly tiring. It wasn't something that had happened before, but if it was related to that pink mist then he wanted to explore it. Control it somehow, before it cost him dearly.

'Shadow?'

"Hey!"

The cubes vanished and Shadow jerked his head up to meet Sonic's playful emerald eyes.

"What are you doing back here?" Shadow grunted.

"I just wondered what you were up to," Sonic explained.

"Nothing." Shadow idly wiped his hands on his torso. "Now get out."

"It didn't look like nothing," said Sonic.

"It was nothing."

"That actually looked a lot like what Infinite can do."

Shadow's muzzle creased. "Eh?"

"Yeah, although on a much smaller scale." Sonic straightened and scratched his nose. "Given the damage he can cause, I'm kinda relieved, I gotta say."

A soft grunt came from the corner of the room as Rouge flipped herself over to face the wall.

Shadow cast a glance towards the sleeping bat then pushed himself to his feet. "Keep your voice down."

Sonic complied, giving Rouge a sideways glance of his own. "Then I guess we can continue this conversation back out in the workshop?"

"There is no conversation."

"Oh, I think there is." Sonic winked. "Rouge told us you've been showing some unusual talents lately, and I'm concerned. If they're the same thing-"

Concerned?

Shadow placed a hand on Sonic's chest and pushed him backwards towards the door. A look of surprise crossed the blue hedgehog's face before he realised what Shadow was actually doing. The door closed behind them and they stood in the dimly lit workshop. Tails was still working away at some machine Shadow didn't care enough to question.

He fixed his crimson eyes back on Sonic's. "What do you know?"

"Well, I know they've been troubling you for a few days. Or at least that's what you've told Rouge." Sonic smirked as Shadow narrowed his eyes at him. "I'm willing to bet you've been experiencing this strange power for longer than that, and you just don't want to worry her."

Shadow bared a canine and clenched his fist as he fought the urge to grab the annoying soldier by the scruff.

"I meant what do you know about these powers!" he said.

"Not much, actually." Sonic shrugged. "I only know what I've seen, and prior to that I only had access to some limited records. But the crimson cubes are the same. I'm lead to believe that Infinite uses his powers to manipulate reality."

Shadow narrowed his eyes. "How?"

"I don't really know the specifics. Just all the scientists in GUN called it 'virtual reality'. He could create something, and the effects would either stick or fade away."

"I'd say that was more down to his inability to control it," Tails piped up. "He could create something and paste it over our reality. So if he wanted a door, he could create a door. Or blast one into a wall with some virtual explosion. It's more similar to augmented reality than virtual." The twin-tailed fox looked up, expression blank and unnerving. "Have you tried anything like that yet?"

Shadow absently shook his hand as if those crimson cubes were bothering him again. Something about the fox's words had unsettled him.

"A door?" he asked.

"Anything really," said Tails. "It doesn't have to be a door. I'm just curious as to what those powers can do, and if they're going to prove a threat to GUN or anyone here."

Shadow clenched his teeth, stifling a hiss. But Sonic laughed and smacked the black hedgehog on the back.

"Oh, I don't think Shadz is gonna pose any threat to us while we're helping him, Tails."

Shadz?

Shadow fixed Sonic with an expression almost as blank as Tails'.

"Maybe not now," said Tails. "But once we part ways-"

Sonic attempted to shush his friend, but Shadow wasn't listening anymore. A door… if Infinite could create a door, then did that mean he was behind those killings? He could come and go with that pink mist, if he could control it better than Shadow anyway. Or gain access by some virtual door he could create and vanish at will. And as for executing the killings… if he could alter reality then why not cover up his victims without a blemish in sight? Wipe out all finger prints, fur, any traces of DNA.

Shadow's claws dug into his palms as his entire body began to tremble. Sonic and Tails fell silent, and he became increasingly aware of their eyes on him.

"You all right there, Shadz?" Sonic asked.

Shadow jerked his head up towards him. "I'm fine."

"I disagree," said Tails flatly.

"I'm with Tails," said Sonic. "You've gone seriously pale."

Shadow was silent as he stared at the shutter. One of the lights above it flickered, casting an erratic shadow across its corrugated surface.

"I think I know who the real killer is," he said slowly.

Sonic raised an eyebrow while Tails lowered his spanner.

"Oh?" Sonic asked.

"It's that jackal, isn't it?" said Shadow. "The method, the timing…"

Sonic and Tails exchanged glances, and a dull whine came from behind the workstation. It rapidly became a whimper, then T-Pup scurried back and forth out of sight.

Sonic let out a sigh and brushed back his quills. "I dunno…"

Tails turned from the workstation with T-Pup in tow. "I'll go and get my biggest gun."

"No, wait!" Sonic reached out a hand to his friend, freezing Tails on the spot. "We know it can't be Infinite, right? Amy is still with him, and I know she wouldn't stand for something like that. Besides, wouldn't she be at risk?"

"Not unless she was an accomplice," said Tails.

"We know Amy," said Sonic, aghast. "She wouldn't do something like this."

"How much do you ever really know someone?" asked Tails.

The look that crossed Sonic's face suggested to Shadow that that comment had struck a little too close to home.

The dark hedgehog brushed the pair off and marched towards the shutters. "I don't care if you two do something about this or not. I'll deal with this myself."

"You know what will happen once you leave here," Tails warned.

"I'm not leaving," said Shadow. "I'll come back once I've done some investigating."

"It's the same thing," said Tails. "You leave, you and Rouge are free game to turn into our boss."

Rouge…

Shadow snapped his head around towards the fox. "Are you blackmailing me, robot?!"

Tails met Shadow's glare with an empty stare. Chaos energy swirled around Shadow, interspersed with strings of binary.

Corrupted binary.

Shadow glanced down at it and his blood turned cold. The Chaos Network fizzled out, and he let his arms relax at his sides. Something definitely wasn't right.

"I don't understand," he began, slowly, "why I have that jackal's powers. Okay, say he's not behind these murders, I still want answers. Why do I have them? And what are they doing to me?"

"'Why' might not be something you need to track him down to uncover," said Tails. "If they manifested in you in the past few days-"

"It's been more than a few days," said Shadow. "I only told that to Rouge so I didn't worry her."

"See? I knew it." Sonic scratched his chin. "How long then, exactly?"

"I don't know," Shadow scoffed. "A couple of weeks? Small things. I didn't think much of it at all until they started to get worse."

"Then it could have coincided with him removing his detainment collar," said Tails. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case at all."

Shadow's brow furrowed, but Sonic voiced his question perfectly. "What are you getting at, bro?"

"Infinite's powers were suppressed for years," Tails explained. "All experiments only had him without that collar for about five minutes at the most. It's safe to say he was fairly inept with them. If Shadow's powers are linked to Infinite's, then the stronger and more accomplished Infinite becomes, the stronger they will manifest in Shadow."

"That sounds a bit too complicated," said Sonic. "How did Shadz even get these powers in the first place? They're alien to our world. They come from that… ruby thing in his chest, right?"

"That's what was believed," said Tails. "We don't know for certain, and Infinite was very secretive about it. But you read about Shadow's creation yourself, right? Infinite can also regenerate with that 'Dark Arms' DNA, and he's shown he can access the Chaos Network. He can vanish without that pink mist, much like Shadow can. So I wouldn't be surprised if it has something to do with that explosion."

Sonic was silent as he stared at his friend, idly scratching his cheek. Shadow looked between the two, slowly bristling.

He flashed his canines and took a step towards the fox. "So you're telling me that this has been lying in wait for over fifty years like some time bomb waiting to go off?!"

"Hey, hang on a sec!" Sonic leapt between them and placed a hand on Shadow's chest. "Tails isn't the one who created you! Don't lash out at him."

"It's fine, Sonic." Tails didn't look the slightest bit unnerved. "I'm only guessing, anyway. But it makes a lot of sense."

"It makes too much sense." Rouge leaned in the doorway to the little room she'd been sleeping in. "I think you're onto something, hon. It might be a good idea to track down that jackal and see if he can't help us."

"And what if I'm right and he's the murderer?" Shadow scoffed. "I'm not putting you at risk!"

"You're not putting me at risk," Rouge chuckled. "But if it makes you feel any better, then we go after him armed. Okay?"

Sonic lowered his face into his hands and groaned. "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"

...​

Rough's black ship drifted low over the Beatdrop Capital, invisible to the people below. He'd thought tracking Tumble down again was going to be near impossible, but both he and Gadget had heard the skunk's howls and roars no sooner had they reached the heart of the city.

People fled in all directions, scampering into alleys too narrow for Tumble to maneuver easily. But the enraged skunk's full attention was on one citizen, leaving the rest to escape.

Rough dashed around his cockpit, grabbing his own weapons. He didn't usually use firearms but if he needed to keep his distance from his brother, then needs must. He holstered them on his barely used belt and fired a glare at Gadget who waited patiently by the air lock.

"You can put that away," Rough grunted.

The wolf looked up from his gravity gun, a small smirk plastered on his muzzle. "Oh, I don't think so, skunk. Do you really think either of us can detain that monster with physical strength alone?"

"I don't plan to use physical strength," Rough countered. "I plan to use reasonin'."

"Don't be ridiculous," Gadget spat. "You can't reason with that thing!"

"That 'thing'," Rough scoffed, "is my bro! So watch what you say, doc, or I'm tossin' you from the air lock."

Gadget tutted and tucked his gun back inside his trench coat. "As if you think I'd give you that chance?"

Rough grunted and scanned his hand over the panel beside the air lock. The door whizzed open and cool air flooded through it. And with it came the noise. The howls, screams, and zaps from a laser weapon. In the distance rang a siren as a Strider Drone broadcast the situation back to Eggman.

No… Eggman wasn't going to get a hand in this. If he got hold of Tumble, that was it. Rough would lose him forever. The sheer thought created a gnawing sensation in his gut.

Rough screwed his eyes shut and grabbed onto his ship's ladder, dropping down towards the streets below. Gadget wasn't far behind him, and the pair landed in a squat on the concrete. The Strider's camera didn't so much as twitch, but its presence made Rough increasingly aware of the wolf next to him.

But now was not the time to be worrying about treason.

Rubble exploded from beneath Tumble's metal claws, raining down onto the streets and peppering Rough's dark fur with grey. The citizen defending herself leapt back from him, firing her laser. But each shot only bounced off his helmet in a flash of blue. It was difficult to say what species she was, but from the tail alone she was clearly a canine. Her face was almost entirely obscured by some strange mask. The left eyepiece was wide and blue, lit up as whatever technology was behind it allowed her to keep her mark. Either that, or she was just a superb marksman.

Another laser fire and Tumble's deadly claws were deflected and he tottered backwards, a mechanical howl slicing through the main streets of Beatdrop.

Rough could barely take his eyes off the canine. Her black coat, mask, weapon… everything about it reeked of GUN. So now they had got involved? Well he wasn't about to let her take his brother into custody.

He dashed away from Gadget and curled into a ball, letting off his stink bomb as he rolled between Tumble and the soldier. The canine coughed, staggering back from them and waving her hand before her face. Tumble twisted, trying to follow Rough through the smog that filled the air.

Rough pushed himself to his feet and waved to draw the larger skunk's attention. "Here I am, bro. Miss me?"

The blue lights on either side of Tumble's helmet flickered erratically. Then he threw his head back and howled. His metal claws glinted in the dim light as he raised them above his head.

"That's a no then?" said Rough.

He leapt aside as the large skunk flew through the air. But he didn't hit the ground. He thrashed, suspended in the air inside a blue bubble of anti-gravity.

Rough flashed his sharp teeth at Gadget, but the female soldier had her laser trained on the scientist. Her finger fastened over the trigger, but she seemed to be hesitating to pull it, as if she'd realized doing so would release the beast back into the streets and they'd all die at his claws.

Gadget gave her a sly smile. "Wise."

He marched towards them, keeping Tumble trapped and flailing in his bubble. His grunts and howls were muffled, and each movement looked strained as if he were trying to swim through tar.

"I told you no anti-gravity!" Rough snapped.

Gadget ignored him, instead keeping his full attention on the larger skunk. "Now… let's try and figure out where that helmet went wrong, hmm?"

"Hey! You're meant to be removin' it, not fixin' it!"

"I never agreed to remove it, you disgusting space pirate," Gadget snapped. "I needed that cloaking technology and I said what I had to in order to get it. I was never your ally, skunk, I just took advantage of your slow wit."

"I never gave it to ya," Rough growled. "So you've wasted that opportunity, eh?"

Gadget smirked, sending a chill down Rough's spine.

"Why you slimy little…" Rough bristled from ear to tail.

He moved backwards away from Gadget, drawing closer to the GUN soldier. Her weapon was still aimed at Gadget, but she didn't appear afraid. Instead calculating.

"All right, I didn't know none o' that," Rough muttered loud enough for her to hear him. "I thought he were gonna remove that helmet and save my brother. I just wanted you to know that before ya turn us all into GUN."

"Not with GUN." Her voice was oddly quiet, almost drowned out by the muffled grunts from Tumble and the Strider's siren. "Help him. I've got the wolf."

'Help him'? Rough blinked. Of course, she'd been aiming for his helmet!

Before he could reply, she zipped away from him and fired her weapon once. Gadget yelped and the white shell of his gun arced through the air, reflecting the neon lights. Tumble struck the ground before Rough with a grunt. But Tumble staggered to his feet before his brother could finish processing it all.

Tumble brought the huge claws of his right hand around in a swipe, and Rough leapt into the air with a squeal. He tucked in his tail and scurried away from Tumble, drawing the larger skunk after him.

"I know you miss your tail, bro, but that don't mean you have to cut off mine!"

Another swipe of iron claws and the concrete exploded behind him. Rough rolled out of the way as rubble bounced off his body. He skidded to a stop as a misfire from the girl's weapon bounced off the white wall of an office block. Gadget had slapped her arm aside in a bid to disarm her, but she kept spinning, turning it into a crescent kick. Her foot struck the wolf's head and he stumbled back, catching his heel on the curb. Rough didn't see him fall as Tumble's body crashed down on all-fours beside him, all hair and muscle. Rough found himself on the receiving end of a back-hand that sent him careening backwards into a trash can.

He blinked a few times to dismiss the haze that filled his head. He'd been sent into the mouth of an alley.

Tumble's huge form blocked out the light, making the crimson glow of his eye piece and the flickering blue lights all the more terrifying.

Rough struggled to clamber back out of the trash can. He didn't take his eyes off his brother, bracing himself for another lunge. Those flickering lights went into overdrive and Tumble shook his head violently, crashing it against the stone walls of either building like some giant, metal ping-pong ball. Sparks lit up the alley, peppering the wet trash and causing it to smolder slightly before giving up.

Rough saw his chance. He took a step back and gave his brother a sympathetic smile.

"Sorry 'bout this, bro…"

Then he leapt forward, landing a kick to the larger skunk's torso. He flew back from him with a grunt and landed in a sprawl on his back. A loud squeal rent the air and as Rough dashed towards him he spotted Gadget struggling beneath Tumble's bulk. The female canine stooped to help him, reaching for his hand. Tumble jerked his head towards Gadget and leapt to his feet, bringing his claws around towards the wolf. The girl ducked and rolled out of the way, and Gadget howled as the claws ran straight through his right shoulder, pinning him to the ground.

The blue lights on Tumble's helmet flickered and he froze briefly. Enough for Rough to spot something strange on the back of his helmet. A soft tube, sparking where wires had frayed through the surface. A weak spot? There was only one way to find out…

Tumble brought up his other hand, claws glinting in the dim light. Gadget's eyes widened with terror, then fixed on Rough as he leapt through the air towards Tumble.

The smaller skunk brought his foot down towards Tumble's head, aiming for the back of the helmet.

"No!" Gadget wailed.

Sparks flew beneath Rough's boot and Tumble lurched forwards, almost nutting Gadget in the muzzle. The blue lights flickered a few times, then went out altogether. Tumble fell face first towards the ground, motionless.

"Tumble?!" Rough gasped as he rushed to the fallen skunk's side. "Bro? Can you hear me?!"

Silence. An odd silence, despite the shrill alarm from the Strider Drone. Chopper blades sounded in the distance as Eggman's fleets finally leapt into action, heading their way. Rough didn't care. He occupied himself with trying to free Tumble's metal claws from the ground and Gadget's shoulder. Not to help the wolf, but to hurry the fallen skunk onto his ship.

The other canine joined him, fastening her hands around Tumble's arm and yanking the blades free of the concrete.

"Is he okay?" she asked.

Rough honestly couldn't answer that. Tears pricked his eyes as he stared down at his brother. The frayed wires sparked more aggressively, dancing over the wet tarmac. His chest rose and fell with each steady breath, but that didn't mean the helmet hadn't caused some level of damage.

"I dunno," he said flatly.

"You idiot!" Gadget hissed.

The red wolf swayed beside him, clutching his shoulder. A fruitless act. Fresh blood ran down his arm and trench coat to pool at his feet.

"I told you if you tried to remove the helmet yourself you could-" Gadget's words were cut off as he found a pistol in his face.

"Go." The female canine didn't look away from Gadget, but Rough didn't need telling twice.

He summoned his ship, and its ladder dropped from beneath its cloak. He hoisted Tumble onto his back and clambered up the ladder, out of sight.

Once the air lock had closed behind him, he turned towards the back of his ship. No bedrooms. Just a room for storing things. It would have to do.

He set Tumble down on the floor and dropped down beside him. Still silent. Unmoving.

"I'm sorry, bro," he said. "We'll get you help, all right? I promise we'll get that helmet off, but you have to promise me you'll be back to your normal self."

Nothing.

Rough pushed himself up and nodded, turning from the room. He gave one last glance back at his brother before letting the door close behind him. Then, just to be safe, he locked it.

He stared at his hand over the lock panel, snuffling as repressed tears leaked free. Then he rubbed them away with his other hand.

Gadget…

He growled out a mutter and turned from the door, marching back towards his bridge. He yanked open the small drawer beneath his control deck and cursed under his breath.

The cloaking schematics were gone.