Crocodile Tears

By: Phoenix Ride

Ch.1: The Past Calls

It was just another typical day at the Chaotix Detective Agency. A new case hadn't come in for weeks, and the whole team was growing restless and bored. Especially Charmy, and it was dangerous to have him trapped in that mood, because he always resorted to doing something crazy in order to lighten up his day. And as usual, that something crazy brought about the wrath of Vector.

"Charmy!" yelled out the giant croc, as he chased after the little bee speeding through the air. " Give me back my headphones you little pest!"

Espio sighed as the pair dashed past him, disturbing his meditation. It was always hard to find a small moment of peace in the Chaotix house. Sometimes the purple chameleon wondered why he even tried.

Vector and Charmy spats were common, and Espio couldn't block out every single insentience from his mind.

Slightly though, he was impressed, and Espio smiled at Charmy's latest trick. The young bee had made a very brave and foolish move, swiping away the headphones from Vector's head. If there was one thing their boss liked more than money, it was his music, and anyone who dared messed with that was going down.

Crash!...Bang!...went the sounds as something valuable in the kitchen just broke. Espio sighed, wishing a case would come to help calm this chaos down.

Moments later, a knock sounded on the door, and the chameleon perked up his eyes. It seemed as if the universe had just answered his prayer.

Meanwhile, minutes before the knock on the Chaotix door came, a green platypus looked frustrated as he glanced down at the article he held in his hands. Why couldn't they handle this problem on their own? They didn't need any outside help!

But the situation was terrible and rising fast. If these detectives couldn't help, there was nowhere else to turn.

Finally, he found the house he was looking for, and looked up at the building unimpressed. This was where a trio of detectives stayed? The place looked shabby and run-down. Guess they don't get enough clients to make rent during the year.

"Well Bill" the platypus said to himself " one way or another, this is who you came for so let's do it,"

With that reassurance in mind, Bill stepped up to the door and brought up his hand to knock, but paused when he heard the sounds of crashes and bangs coming from the other side of the door. What was going on in there? Should he even interrupt?

Acting on the idea before he could doubt it, Bill finished his knock on the door, and a few seconds later a chameleon answered, cringing as another crash happened behind him.

"Hello" said the chameleon " is there anything I can help you with?"

"Yeah" said the platypus " My name's Bill. I'm looking for the Chaotix Detective Agency. I've got an important case for them."

"That's us," said the chameleon " I'm Espio. Pardon me while I inform my associates. Hey Charmy, Vector, enough! We've got a client!"

"A client?" called out Vector's voice from the kitchen " Why didn't you say so? We'll be right there!"

"That voice" thought Bill, as he walked inside the room " it couldn't be."

He recognized that tone, but there no way it could possibly be him!

A moment later, Charmy and Vector entered the room to see the new client Espio had brought in, and when Vector and Bill saw each other, there was silence and glares.

"Vector,"

"Bill,"

Both the platypus and crocodile growled, making Espio and Charmy confused to what was going on. Finally, Vector shifted his eyes to glare at Espio.

"This is the guy who has the case?"

"Yes," Espio nodded.

"No," Vector said, turning away.

"No?" asked Espio surprised.

"No!" said Vector " Kick him out! Send him somewhere else! He has no business here,"

With that said, Vector disappeared.

Espio was stunned, glancing worriedly at Charmy once Vector had left the room. It wasn't like the croc to turn down a case. The client seemed just as upset now, turning to walk out and exit through the door.

"Wait a second" said Espio, putting a hand on his shoulder to stop him. " What is going on here? You know Vector?"

"I guess you could say that" said Bill " Look, I'll just have to go look somewhere else for someone more suitable to help with my problem."

"Hey, we're suitable" said Charmy " what's wrong with us?"

"You're working with a traitor" said Bill " that's really all that you need to know."

"Nevertheless" said Espio " maybe you should go ahead and tell us about your case. Regardless of our teammate, I'm sure that you can't waste any more time searching for another group of detectives to help."

"Very well" Bill sighed " I'll tell you what's going on."

Vector growled in his office, faintly overhearing Espio convincing Bill to stay as he concealed his rage tightly behind the door. Out of all the possible clients, why did it have to be him?

Vector had gone through great lengths to cut all ties with his past, and now one of them just had to show at his company door! Fate laughed as two opposing forces were forced to reunite. They didn't want him in Downunda, so why should he help anyway?

Sighing in frustration, Vector plopped into the seat at his desk, and switched on his headphones to tune into the bug planted in the living room walls. Might as well listen to the case. Maybe the words of a mystery would slowly calm him down.

Secretly, Vector thanked Tails for adding this addition to his little headset. After a difficult credit fraud case, Vector determined the most valuable way to confirm the sincerity of a client was to listen in on what they mumbled when left in a room alone.

It helped point out some major, back-stabbing cheapskates, but Vector never told Espio and Charmy about the little bug in the wall. Clients just felt more comfortable in the living room, Vector confirmed. Espio and Charmy just chose to roll with it, and Vector breathed out a sigh to his success.

A 'clink' hit the coffee table, as Espio put down a cup of tea before he sat down, joining Charmy on the couch as they looked across towards Bill in the opposite chair. Bill eyed the green liquid in the cup for a moment, but decided not to take a sip.

"Thank you, but no" said Bill "I'll just get right to explaining the case,"

"First" said Espio "I would like to know why you referred to Vector as a 'traitor'. If we accept this case, I want to make sure that no bad blood comes between him and our clients."

"To late for that" said Bill " The bad blood is still there. But, I promise, if you somehow convince him to accept this case, I'll make sure my allies treat him with a minor legion of respect. As for why he's a traitor, that's a long story…To long to get in now."

"Fine" said Espio " You were saying?"

"My name is Bill" said the platypus " I come from Downunda. Your boss, Vector, was born and raised there as well. Recently, there's been some trouble however, my friends being attacked, innocents wounded. Poor Barby suffered a few injuries just a few days ago."

At that last sentence, Vector cringed, hoping the koala was alright as he listened in more.

"We tried hard to handle this alone" Bill continued " but the beast is elusive, and it is a mystery to where and when it is going to strike. All we got for clues so far are strange footprint, growls, and scratches in the trees. After Barby got hurt, that was the last straw. I volunteered to go over to Mobotropolis to seek help."

"So you found us huh?" said Charmy.

"Looking past appearances" said Bill " your company seemed to have a very good rep for getting things done. I question your flaws, but like you said earlier, I don't really have time to find another team."

"We'll accept the case" said Espio " but with how upset Vector is now, he probably won't agree to cooperate without some kind of reward."

"Of course he wouldn't" said Bill, pulling something out of his jacket pocket "I was planning to offer this up as payment anyway."

"Ooo!" cooed Charmy " Shiny! What is it?"

"The Jewel of the Outback" said Bill " Downunda's most treasured prize,"

At that last sentence, Vector sat up in shock and turned off his phones, surprise set in his jaw as he thought about how crazy Bill was to give up the old man's coin. It was taboo to part with that thing! Forbidden! Disrespectful to the man his in grave, that Vector reignited his rage and stormed out the office door.

Espio and Charmy flinched as they heard the slam, gasping in surprise as Vector entered the living room, red eyes set ablaze.

He glared down at the jeweled coin in Bill's hand, gave a brief glance towards Charmy and Espio, and then finally settled back down on the platypus with his gaze.

"Fine" Vector growled out "I'll agree to help, but this is for the old man Bill, not for you."