CHAPTER 7
After when they all had discovered where the Silver Fangs' new hideout was located, they all left Nails' magic shop and headed straight to the Chaotix headquarters to start preparing to rescue Tikal. They were all in the conference room sitting at the large table having their attention on Shadow who was standing at the end of the table going over their plan for the mission.
He looked down at a diagram that resembled the mansion the Silver Fangs were hiding out in.
The diagram had showed different areas and rooms within the mansion.
Shadow pointed down at the diagram as he was going over their strategy. "Okay listen up. This diagram shows every area of the mansion. Since the mansion is so huge, we can all be easily discrete about where to break in." He looked away from the diagram and turned to the group who was sitting in front of him. "This mission will be dangerous. That's why I selected who will stay and who will go."
Everyone gave each other uneasy looks as they all wandered who would be staying behind during the mission.
He started to name those who would be going on the mission. His eyes shifted over to the red porcupine, "Appex." He then turned to the human like demon who sat next to Appex, "Ker." He then looked in Nails' direction. "Nails? We could use you and some of your magic if we get into any trouble. Are you willing to come along?"
The black bat woman made a nod. "I'll do anything to get Tikal back."
Shadow then turned to Espio. "Espio, I know you've been through a lot but..." He was then cut off when Espio spoke up.
"I'm fine and I'd be more than honored to go." He gently placed his finger on the black eyepatch over his eye. "I'll make those bastards pay for what they've done."
Shadow had then turned to Rouge. "Rouge?"
The white bat woman's ears perked up as she had her attention directed to him.
Nails had looked over to Shadow and then Rouge with a confused expression. She had wondered why he would want Rouge to come along on the mission. Especially if she was pregnant. She had then assumed that perhaps Rouge didn't tell him that she was pregnant yet.
He slightly shook his head and sighed. "I really don't want to put you in this because you're my wife and all but even I have to admit that you're not only a weapon expert, but you're one of the strongest fighters I know. I would like for you to come along."
She paused as she tried to take in all the incredible things he had said about her.
"...That is if you're up for it."
She had began to worry for the baby. Even Shadow had said the mission would be dangerous, but she tried to convince herself that she would be careful. She turned to him and made a nod. "I'm with you."
He made a small smile along with a nod.
She was slightly startled when Nails had suddenly hit her in her arm. She turned to her and saw that she had a worried look on her face.
"You idiot!" She whispered in a rough tone. "You can't go! What about the baby?"
"I won't bail on Shadow. He needs me", she whispered back. "Besides Sky will be there..."
She arched an eyebrow. "So what?"
"...I need to talk to him."
Without finding the exact way to respond to her, she turned away from her and focused her attention back to Shadow like everyone else had.
Shadow had continued to go over the plan. "I've narrowed it down to three ways we can infiltrate the mansion. So I've divided us into three groups." He pointed to Espio. "Espio, you and Nails will enter through the water passage." He turned to Appex and Ker, "You and Ker will enter into the generator room." He then turned to Rouge. "And Rouge, you and I will enter through the ventilation shafts."
Rouge made a small nod, "Got it."
Midnight looked around and noticed that he was the only one left out of the mission. "Um, Shadow? What about me?"
"You'll stay here and keep an eye on things. You'll be here in case something happens", Shadow had replied back.
Midnight's eyes looked down onto the surface of the table in disappointment. He couldn't help but to feel inferior to the rest of the detectives. He had began to think that Shadow thought he was weak compared to everyone else. "Okay..."
Shadow continued to discuss the plan with everyone. "Remember guys, even though we have an idea what we're up against, this mansion is gigantic and we can still easily get into trouble. Especially if we separate. So try to stay with one another."
Rouge slightly bit her lip. She knew it would be difficult to stray away from Shadow during the mission because he could be overprotective of her. But now he had made it an order that everyone had to stay together. She had to find someway to talk to Sky without Shadow being there.
"Okay Shadow, we got it", Appex spoke impatiently. "Let's just do this already."
"Yeah", Ker added. "I'm ready for some payback."
Shadow turned to the eager group of detectives. "Then it's settled. Let's go save Tikal."
Later on, Tikal had found herself in a very dim room. She looked around the dark and dreary like room. She found herself in a small cell within the room. She studied the room more closely and there were shackles hanging from the walls and a few more empty cells within the room. The room had to have been some kind of dungeon or a prison.
She was laying on the cold, hard, and dirty floor. She winced slightly from the throbbing pain on the side of her head. When she had the strength to slowly stand from the floor, she placed her hand gently on the part of her head that was aching. When she felt something wet, she took her hand away from her head and saw some blood on her fingers. It was all slowly starting to come back to her. It was a small blur but she could clearly remember two strange yet familiar figures busting the door open to Nails' apartment and them both brutally attacking her. Afterwards, it seemed that everything began to get extremely blurry again. She leaned against the metal bars of the cell she was in and began to look around the dark prison. She was startled when she had heard a sudden male voice.
"Finally awake, girl?"
Her head quickly turned in the direction from where the voice had came from. She looked into the darkness, until she saw a white male wolf approaching her cell slowly. She gasped as she stared at the familiar wolf.
His short and gelled back hair was as white as his fur. He was wearing a black blazer, a white collared shirt underneath it, a black tie, black dress pants, and black dress shoes.
Her face was full of shock as her eyes laid upon his. She seemed like she couldn't look away from the side of his face that looked like it had gotten severely burned. "...Kiba..." she spoke in a frightened tone. She stepped away from the front of the cell as Kiba stepped closer to the cell she was locked in.
A twisted and mad look had appeared on his face. "Long time no see, Tikal."
She continued to step back until her back met the cold hard brick wall. She gave him a terrified expression. "Wha-what do you want? Why are you doing this?"
A wide but evil smirk had appeared on his lips as he leaned his body against the bars of the cells. "It's been awhile since the last time we saw each other hasn't it?" He slightly shrugged his shoulders. "How long has it been since me and my team attacked the Chaotix detectives? Months? Going on a year now right? My does time fly..."
She remained silent and gave him a hateful glare.
"We disappeared for awhile, but all for good reasons of course." A small yet menacing chuckle escaped him. "After the attack and all, the Detective Council and the entire government were on our asses. We had to regroup and plot for our next move." His hands clenched the metal bars of the cell tighter. "To finish what we started with Shadow and the rest of the Chaotix."
Her heart raced as she saw him open the cell allowing himself to step inside and slowly started to approach her. She flinched and turned her head away from him when he had reached out to her. She took deep yet terrified breaths when she felt his fingers stroke through her dreadlocks.
"And what better way to lure them all here than to kidnap their close precious and defenseless friend."
"You can't do this", she whimpered. She let out a yelp when he had suddenly grabbed both of her wrists roughly and pinned her against the wall.
"What? What do you think this whole thing is about? This is all about vengeance!" He leaned in so close to her, he had his forehead pressed against hers. "Shadow deserves to suffer! Just as he did to me!"
Tears swelled in her eyes as she looked into his angry ones. "You attacked us! You killed Vector!"
"Look at me!" He yelled violently, "Just look what that sorry excuse for a demon did to my face!" He grabbed her wrists tighter and tighter.
She let out a terrified scream as she felt him pressing his body against hers.
"I should fucking beat and rape you", he whispered harshly into her ear. "I bet that'll really make his blood boil."
Terrified, tears streamed from her eyes while she tried to push his body away from hers. "No! Please!"
Before he could make his next move, he heard a woman's voice call out to him.
"Kiba!"
He paused and slowly spun around to a red fox woman who's attire consisted of a goth look.
She had black wavy hair that came a little passed her shoulders. She wore a black crop jacket, a white tube top, black skinny jeans, black ankle boots with silver studs on them. She also had on black finger less gloves. She crossed her arms and gave him a disgusted look. "We have the girl okay? There's no need to torture her...not like this."
With an aggravated look, Kiba turned back to Tikal and angry slapped her hard in the face. "I'll deal with you later, girl."
She fell to the floor with tears still running down her face.
The red fox watched as he approached her with an irritated look. "Jessica", he growled. "Don't tell me you've gone...soft?"
She bit her lip and looked away from him nervously, "...No never."
"Then make sure that you don't", he spoke in an angered tone before he stormed out of the room.
After when he left, Tikal slowly picked her head off of the floor and looked up at the fox woman who had approached the front of the cell. "...Jess?", she sniffled softly.
She slowly kneeled down to the front of the cell and gave the frightened echidna a sympathetic look. "...I'm sorry...for all of this..."
In The Next Chapter...
Nails: You didn't tell him you were pregnant yet?
Rouge: There's so much going on. How can I exactly tell him?
Nails: I don't like this...
Kiba: Jess...I have a bad feeling about her...
Tikal: How can we put a stop to all of this?
Jess: I...I don't know...
