The mayor of Westown glared lazily through the blinds, his eyes scanning the desert landscape. Like a vulture watching for a weak animal to stumble. He breathed through his large nose, inhaling copious amounts of dust and dying cigar-smoke. Then he peeled his jacket open and retrieved a fresh cigarette from his pocket.

The flickering glow of amber flame illuminated the darkness for only a second, and one could see several things before the light was extinguished. Sweat-slicked mountains of flesh. Greasy, bushy ends of a mustache. Foggy, glossy lenses of blue-tinted goggles.

Doctor Ivo Robotnik took a long, relaxed drag of his cigar, blowing hazy plumes of almost black smoke out his mouth and into the dark room. He reached for his hat, pulling the brim down over his eyes. The warm, sour taste of the drug lulled his body into immobility, and the heat of the noontime sun forced his eyelids closed. Just as a snore escaped his lips, there was a knock at his door.

Damned mongrels.

"Enter," he spat, sitting erect in his chair now, turning around to greet whoever was there.

The door swung open to reveal two silhouettes, casting bleeding shadows across the floorboards in the glow of the high sun. By the gunmetal sheen that half-blinded him, Robotnik could make a good guess that one of them was the sheriff. The other shape, however, was more difficult to identify. Slouching, groaning, limp.

"Sir," Metal Sonic acknowledged politely as he dragged the body into the room, scraping the oak ground with the man's steel-toed boots.

Now, in the dimmer, more comfortable lighting provided by the window, Robotnik could see the green hedgehog in the sheriff's arms. He was wearing a black leather jacket, dark glasses, and two empty holsters.

"Who the hell is this?" the mayor demanded, waving a pudgy hand at the stranger.

"Scourge the hedgehog," the android answered, pausing to show Robotnik the criminal in his arms. "Under arrest for burglary, murd-..."

The large man stopped him mid-sentence. Just another wild dog to slaughter. "Fine, fine. Put him in the cell."

Metal Sonic did so, locking the cage as he threw the weak hedgehog to the floor.

"You bastards..." the bandit slurred, limping towards the bars. "You can't do this to me, I've got freakin' rights..."

"Shut up," Robotnik ordered from behind his desk, ignoring the one called Scourge and returning his attention to Metal Sonic. He bit the end of his cigar as he spoke, dropping bits of ash and paper onto the table below.

The officer saluted his master and stood at attention. "Sir. Would you like me to give you a summary of today's events as of this hour?"

Robotnik rolled his squinting eyes. Same question. Every damn day. "Yes, I would very much like that."

Metal Sonic nodded. "Nine o'clock; five minutes, thirty-two seconds. Citizen Kennedy's execution was successful. Patrol resumed regularly until twelve o'clock; twenty-two minutes, seventeen seconds. Encountered and confronted known criminal Scourge the hedgehog..."

The mayor leaned back into his seat and listened with closed eyes. How much he just wanted to drift off and fall asleep...

"New arrivals to Westown include one black and red hedgehog. Identity unknown. Lethality unknown. Reasons for arrival are unclear..."

Robotnik's eyes shot open. Black and red hedgehog. "Shadow?" he rumbled through his fading cig. Fragmented images of blood and gore and fire flashed through his mind. "Shadow is here?"

Metal Sonic paused. His scarlet eyes flickered with uncertainty. "I am unsure of who you are referring to..."

The fat doctor bolted from his chair and practically ran towards the robot. He placed his pair of meaty hands on the sheriff's shoulders. "Search your criminal records for a Shadow the hedgehog. Relations to arson and murder. Quickly, you useless machine, quickly!"

Metal Sonic stood perfectly still for three seconds as he looked through his database. Then his face glowed with understanding. "Shadow the hedgehog. Wanted for arson and murder. Bounty is five-hundred rings dead, one-thousand rings alive."

"The red and black hedgehog, you imbecile!" Robotnik sputtered. "And you let him into town?"

...

Scourge's ears were ringing. The pain in his arm was unbearable, but it had become numb over the past few minutes. The darkness was rimmed with red, and his head was pounding like his brain would burst from his skull.

"Apologies, sir."

"You fool! He can't be here; he might remember. God help us if that monster figures out who he is."

"I can assure you, sir, I will take care of the hedgehog."

"No, damn it, no! You were there. He'll recognize you for certain."

"H-..." Scourge tried to speak, tried to tell the duo of voices to shut the hell up, but his throat was too dry. He swallowed hard and made another attempt. "Hey, dumbasses."

Robotnik's wide neck snapped in the direction of the prisoner, and Metal Sonic's gaze followed.

"What the hell are you talking about?" the thief asked, leaning on the cell-bars for support.

"Nothing of your concern, trash," the mayor retorted sharply. "You won't be remembering any of this by tomorrow, anyway."

"Nine o'clock tomorrow, to be exact," Metal Sonic added precisely.

Scourge gulped down the lump in his throat when he realized what was in store for him. What in the hell kind of town was this? He'd only stolen, what, once or twice here and there. And the murders weren't even murders, really. They were more... manslaughter than anything...

But then an idea struck the devious green hedgehog. "W-wait a minute! You said you need somebody... 'taken care of,' am I right?"

Robotnik paused. He gave Scourge a good, hard look as he pulled another cigar from his pocket. After lighting and biting the roll of paper, he replied warily, "Yes, yes we do."

Scourge grinned fiendishly. Hook. "I happen to be quite... adept, in disposing of unwanted persons, Mister...?"

"Robotnik," the man told him.

The hedgehog's smile widened. Line. "Robotnik. Listen, I could take care of this... Shadow, for you."

Robotnik snorted in disgust and rounded his desk. He flopped into the chair with a loud creaking noise. "And I suppose you'll be wanting some sort of... reward for your efforts?"

Sinker. "Just let me go," Scourge offered, extending his good arm through the door. With a flick of his wrist, the hidden knife he kept in his sleeve shot from its place and slid smoothly into his palm. The silver blade glinted in the smokey darkness as he twirled the dagger with his fingers. "I'll kill whoever you damn-well please... Mister Robotnik."

The mayor cast him a skeptical stare. Chewed deeper into his cigar. Ashes spewed and flitted like microscopic butterflies of orange and gray. The man's twin blue orbs of glass nodded after what felt like hours. "Deal. Your freedom for the death of Shadow the hedgehog."

Metal Sonic was quick to protest. It was his job to kill. "But, sir-!"

Robotnik shot him a cold glare that the android immediately understood.

The sheriff sighed mechanically and unlocked the cage. Unleashed a third demon into the plane of hell called Westown.

...

Scourge smiled wildly when he felt the sun on his skin again. Five minutes in that office had felt like five years. He glanced over at Metal Sonic, who had escorted him outside. The metal hedgehog glared back at him with crimson orbs full of contempt.

"You have twenty-four hours to complete your task."

Before Scourge could respond, Metal Sonic grabbed hold of his limp, dislocated arm. He shoved inward and pressed the bandit's shoulder down. There was a gross pop as the limb crackled back into place. The socket flared and burned like it was on fire, and Scourge could only scream in reply as the police officer tossed him out into the dirty roadway.

There, the robot thought with an invisible smile. All better.