Sonic and Knuckles where in the city of Titanium well that was the name that was given to the place almost 47 years ago when it was founded over a huge titanium mine. There was nothing but bullet holes and scattered cars in the city centre, and the shops had been robed by thieves trying to get by with out a hitch like everyone els the the world which was once perfect. Sonic stood with his back to a tower which wasn't much of one, and Knuckles had his head in a dumpster.

"What in chaos name are you doing?" Sonic said

"Looking for the Doc, why?" He answered

"Knuckles we've been over this a hundred times, the further you go in life the further you have to come back. Tails was the only one out of all of us who took the leap in to the unknown. He moved out of the village and into this place and got a job before I did. And I'm five years older than he was!"

Knuckles still looked confused which wasn't uncommon, so Sonic continued.

"Look I don't want to talk about it now the last thing I want to be doing is rummaging round this place."

"But we are rummaging round this place." Knuckles said

"He's got a point you know." Came a soft silky voice. It was Rouge.

"Oh him yeah he doesn't speak sarcasm." Sonic groaned

"I'm not all for eaves dropping but I couldn't help but chip into your banter about that two tailed fox boy of yours, he was quite bang with that lab coat of his." Rouge winked at them both to hint that she knew something the other two didn't.

"What do you mean I don't remember Tails having a lab coat." Knuckles said Sonic couldn't believe that his faithful Conrad had forgot on something so obvious. So he smacked his hand on his forehead.

"Knuckles I'm guessing you didn't go and visit Tails after he moved out did you." Sonic said

"Nope," said Knuckles "I thought he moved out of the village cuz he didn't want to know us any more, but I now know he just didn't want to know me any more." He frowned and Sonic sighed

"No Knuckles Tails moved out of the village because he grew up and wanted a life of his own, and he'd been offered a job here as well." Knuckles was silenced with confusion when all of a sudden a loud bang went of in the distance followed by shouting and lots of gun fire. Rouge was all ready in the air and flying towards the situation, Sonic ran at full speed and Knuckles tried to keep up.

Meanwhile on bored the Rashcan Star Destroyer, Dark Blood was sitting in his throne waiting impatiently when an officer poked his head round the huge doors of the room and murmured timidly,

"The plan on attacking Titanium City has been executed, sir."

"Excellent, as soon as we've forced the last of those pathetic Mobians out of there shoddy city the real work on the labs can begin. " Dark Blood cackled at his own insults.

"Erm, permission to speak freely, sir." The officer stuttered

"Yes yes, granted." Dark Blood said boringly

"We've sent at least 50 drones to investigate the labs sir but yet we've found nothing."

"I don't want to find anything, I want to see Dr Prower's work with my own two eyes!"