Chapter 9:

Night's End

Zephyra sat next to Klaira and the small mutant, his ice barrier covering them from whatever happened just after Demeortris' retreat. His ice barrier gave no view of what had happened, Klaira's shield only lasting for a few seconds, as her mind was put at rest from the loss of blood. The small hybrid mutant walked beside Zephyra, keeping its small eyes forward as it tried to stare throw the icy barrier.

The demon-hog stared downward, "Is it safe?"

The little mutant stared up at Zephyra, giving nothing but a worried expression he didn't catch.

"Eh, we've sat here for about a half an hour, it should be."

He raised his hand towards the barrier, watching as it slowly melted into nothing, revealing the room, and stood up to see it better. Mince's body lay lifeless on the carpet, thankfully his back to him, just by the great amount of blood on the carpet, Zephyra didn't need to know what was on the other side of him. The mutant behind him then started whimpering, walking backwards back to Klaira's body, and curled up with fear as it stared in front of Zephyra with its ears lowered.

Zephyra spun his head to the small creature, "What is it?"

The mutant whimpered more, yipping as it stared in front of Zephyra. The demon-hog spun his head around, his eyes immediately drawn to a black creature in front of him. He stared at it, seeing it was purely a chameleon creature, it's whole body shadowed with black, eyes glowing red, and claws that had already scraped the floor. They both stared at one another, the creature able to smell Zephyra's fright as it was just feet away, partly behind a counter, and waiting for Zephyra to break from his stance.

Zephyra flinched as he saw a black tail whip behind the mutant, triggering the creature, and it bolted from its place at him. Zephyra leaped backwards, pushing his hand in front of him and created his ice barrier again, just before the mutant leaped at him. He collapsed to the ground beside Klaira, hearing the ice barrier crack as the mutant smacked itself against it. The smaller hybrid crept up to Zephyra, keeping its belly on the floor and laid beside Zephyra, hearing the black mutant on the other side of the barrier growl lowly, then run off through the front door.

Zephyra turned his head towards the hybrid and glared, "You know you can understand me, you could've told me."

The mutant stared blankly at him, trying to look innocent.

Klaira moaned faintly, the wounds that were struck across her face nearly gone with only light drops of blood still left on her cheeks. Their heads spun to her to see her move slowly. Zephyra kneeled beside her, and helped her up, grabbing her waist and arm as she tried lifting herself up.

"Klaira?" Zephyra asked, setting her up against the wall behind her, "You okay?"

Klaira glared up at Zephyra, seeing his slash marks still on his face, not as healed as her wounds were, "Like hell I'm okay."

Zephyra turned his head towards the cracked barrier, then spun his head back to her, "I don't blame ya."

"Where's Mince?" She questioned.

"Dead." Zephyra stated.

Klaira's glare grew darker, "You do realize he can't die right?"

Zephyra stared blankly, "Huh?"

Klaira snapped her fingers, the ice barrier quickly disappeared in front of them, and revealed the blood-filled room again.

Klaira got up and glared at Zephyra still solidly, "If he died from that, then he should've been dead before he was shot a second time."

Zephyra nodded, "Okay, um, I guess…"

The mutant trotted over to Mince's body, going around by his head and stopped in front of his stomach, from the other two's point of view, the hybrid sat in front and stared up at them, ears lowered and tail curled around her legs. The two slowly walked over to Mince's body, stepping in the blood that tracked all over the carpet. They stepped in front of Mince's body, and stared down at him, an opening from his pelvis to his chest was torn, Klaira put her hands over her mouth as she saw just how amazing the wound was.

Zephyra's mouth dropped down in shock, "Holy shit!"

Klaira's eyes stared at the chameleon wide open, "Oh my fucking god."

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"Damn." Sonic said, gasping for air, "Next time, tell us when they start jumping off buildings will ya Mist?"

"Sorry." Misty said shifting to normal, "I had no idea either until we were at least five feet from them."

Anna glared at Misty, "Aren't you telepathic though?"

Misty stared at the echidna, "I was a bit busy looking for anything that'd jump out from the side, not from the top of buildings."

"So," Shadow spoke, "What are we doing here?"

"Well," Sonic stated, "We were here for cover from the horny raping mutant chameleon, until we found out that there was supposable a cure around. So when we go down, we find Mince around again, then we all of a sudden get the IMA in this…" Sonic took a breath in irritation, "and now we're running for our lives from impregnating mutants that have escaped from underground!"

"So really right now," Rouge stared at Sonic, "We could've escaped with the helicopters and-"

"Rouge." Misty interrupted, "We can't leave here, not until we figure out what's exactly chasing us and how we narrow down the population of these creatures."

"But," Sonic raised a finger, "Since there are citizens ranging from damn humans to guinea pigs, I'm sure narrowing down the population's gonna be real easy."

"Wait." Espio spoke up faintly, "The IMA? What are they looking for?"

"Me." Misty stated, "They think I'm something of importance."

Sonic laughed, "HA! They should be after Mince! He's something special."

Anna blinked, "But what are they known for?"

"Experimentation beyond belief." Rouge answered, "From some of the things I've heard from the FBI, they made weapons that were impossible to destroy, and have been bought up so much, that they made about three trillion just off of one kind of weapon."

"What kind?" Misty asked the bat.

Rouge glanced up to see if she could dig out the name for the weapon, "I don't remember the name, but all I know was that this weapon was so stealthy, the moment you met eye to eye with this, you were dead."

Shadow then perked up his head, "Acidic Logers."

They turned their heads to him.

"What?" Anna asked.

"Acidic Logers." He repeated, "They were the trillion-making weapons. They were creatures with an acidic tongue with an acid much more powerful than stomach acid. The acid's so strong, the tongue would cut you in half like butter."

"That's right." Rouge nodded, "They're also very quick on their feet."

"Probably not as quick as those other mutants." Sonic mentioned, staring out towards a large steel bridge.

"How long are their tongues?" Espio dared himself to ask.

"At least fifty feet." Misty stated, "Hundred if taken care of well enough."

"Fuck." Shadow cursed, "we might as well be standing on this building when they snap at us."

"How do we kill them?" Anna asked.

"I have no clue." Rouge stated, "All I know is when we see one, we turn and run."

"As fast as they can go?" Sonic snorted, "Just stand there and die."

"We're still talking about the acidic ones." Espio spoke.

Misty rolled her eyes, "I'll be damned if we see them in packs."

"Why?" Shadow asked.

"Cause they can do that." Rouge reminded, "If they have no purpose, they'll run around in packs of five."

"So what are we to do?" Sonic reminded, "Why are we here?"

Misty smiled slightly, "How about to stop the IMA?"

Espio glared at her, "How? What do we have that can stop them?"

Sonic raised his head, "Their information. The plans."

"Plans for what?" Shadow growled.

"Maybe just to see if we can scam them into bankruptcy." Rouge stated.

"It wouldn't happen overnight." Misty stated, "We don't have overnight to find a way to slice the mutant population at least by half."

"How about we just start with hacking into the IMA's computers, huh?" Anna suggested.

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Zephyra gritted his teeth as Klaira set a hot rag on his wounds, the heat stinging his face with steam and a burning sensation. The rag at first hurt, but as it cooled a little, the heat felt good against his skin, opening his pores and damping his skin.

"So what do we do until Mince's stomach closes up?" Zephyra asked.

"Nothing." She stated, "We do nothing until he heals up."

He nodded, and stared at Mince's body, his stomach already half ways healed, "He's healing a lot faster than I thought."

"Yeah," Klaira agreed.

She stopped dabbing Zephyra's slash marks, and turned to the sink, rinsing it out.

Zephyra wiping his face and stared at her, "Why do you love him?"

Klaira stopped, and sighed, not really wanting to answer his question, "It was the innocence."

"Was?" Zephyra emphasized.

"Yes, was." Klaira agreed, "Since our separation, I've always thought of the innocence he carried with him, through the good and bad times we were together."

"So why are you two together now?" Zephyra questioned her.

Klaira turned to Zephyra while tossing the rag into a laundry basket, "I don't think we're together, I'll know tonight."

Zephyra rolled his eyes, "It is night you know."

"I know." Klaira nodded, "So you know, you're face is healed."

Zephyra nodded, glancing behind him towards the window, seeing his face no longer carrying the slash marks, "Thanks."

"Can you do me a favor?" Klaira asked.

"Yeah, anything." Zephyra nodded, slipping from the counter and stood up.

She grabbed her keys and gave them to Zephyra, "Take my Nissan, and run to the mall, there should be a gun shop there. Grab five dart guns."

Zephyra nodded, and took the keys, and without word, he went out the front door, locking it as he closed it. Klaira stared at the door tiredly, sighing as she heard the hybrid mutant leap onto the counter and coked her head at the female hedgehog. Klaira turned to the hybrid, and smiled a little as the eyes stared innocently at her.

"What am I to say." She asked the hybrid, "Things definitely got screwed up now."

"It's not your fault." A faint voice spoke.

Klaira flinched and spun her head towards Mince, who struggled to get up as his stomach finally closed up. She rushed around the counter towards him, and tried helping the chameleon get up off from the bloody carpet.

Mince grasped his chest as he gasped for air, "I'm…fine."

"No you're not." Klaira snapped, "You maybe healing, but you're weak as hell."

Mince pushed himself from the floor and stood on his feet, still kneeling, "Just let go of me."

Klaira glared, "Why?"

"Because," Mince spoke with a stronger voice, "I'm healing a lot faster than you think. Just let go."

Klaira growled, and released him, watching as he grabbed the couch and pushed himself up, he then turned his body, and collapsed into the couch, and sighed with slight relief.

Klaira took a deeper sigh, "Are you sure you'll be alright?"

Mince nodded, "Yes."

She stared down at the carpet, then back at him, slowly walking to him and sat beside him on the couch, her hand over her mouth with a little worry, "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be." Mince growled, "It's not your fault. It's mine."

Klaira didn't seem to like his comment, and laid back, "Since we're banned from the Turret, what do we do?"

Mince shook his head, "I don't know, you tell me."

She glanced over to him, and laid her head on his shoulder, "I'm staying here until further case."

Mince nodded, and grabbed her hand, "I'll stay with you."

She smiled lightly and stared up at him, "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Trust me," He said smiling slightly, "If taken a natural course, it hurts, but not as bad."

Klaira's smile grew slightly bigger, and kissed his cheek, "Can you though promise me something?"

Mince turned his head to her, "What?"

"Can you stop messing with Espio and the others?" She asked, "Maybe let nature take its course?"

He smiled, his red eyes strangely softening with a tint of blue added, "Yeah, I guess."

She smiled, and kissed his cheek again, "Thanks."

Mince grasped her cheek and pressed his lips against hers, Klaira in reply wrapped her arms around him and kissed back. The hybrid mutant whimpered loudly, getting their attention to take their love elsewhere.

Klaira grinned at Mince, "Miss the old days?"

Mince also grinned back, "Give me all you got."

She smiled and leaped from the couch, Mince following her into the room they were in with the black-light. Quickly he shut the door, and the two quickly embraced one another, both slipping their tongues into one another's mouth . Mince's hands soon started to crawl from her waist to the front of her vest, unzipping it desperately as he began to suck her neck.

"So you know," Klaira said while moving her head to the side for him, "Zephyra won't be gone long."

Mince pulled away from her neck and slipped off his vest, "He'll have to live with it. A little heat won't hurt him."

Klaira laughed a little as she slipped her vest off, the chameleon then pressed his lips on hers again, and started undoing her bra, which slipped from her arms and down onto the floor. The two then embraced one another again, and collapsed onto the bed, Mince on top and both started undoing their buckles.

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Sonic yelped out as he fell off from the bench onto the cement, smacking his head on the rail behind it and dropped his gun. They spun their heads to the hedgehog to see his legs up, and fell to the side as he struggled to get up.

"I'm scarred for life!" He cried out, "The visions! They won't leave me!"

"What visions?" Shadow growled.

"From that Klaira!" Sonic replied, "I'm seeing everything she's seeing."

"And what did you see this time may I ask." Rouge said in a slight sassy way.

Sonic stared at Rouge, "Would you believe me if I said she and Mince were in bed right now."

They all stared at him as if he was crazy, their heads turning to one another to see each other's reaction's towards his comment. Espio seemed to be the only one to believe him.

"Can you seriously?" Espio questioned, "Can you actually see the Dark?"

"Through Klaira's eyes." Sonic stated, "I've noticed that since back near Inchigo Base."

"They're resting for the night." Anna stated, "Maybe we should get some rest ourselves?"

Shadow spun to the echidna, "You do realize what we are currently in?"

"Not unless we head to the Hiliac Inn." Misty stated, "It's expensive, but the mutants will have absolutely no way to get in."

"How so?" Espio asked.

"Their massive security." Rouge implied, "They've got cameras in every hallway, every elevator, lasers all over in the heating and air conditioning systems. The place is filled with security guards, they'll never get inside without tripping the security bells."

"What about from underground?" Sonic stated.

"There is none." She stated.

"And above?" Shadow asked lastly.

"They'll have a hell of a time just getting up to the top." Misty reminded, "The building itself is made of mostly glass, they'll just slide off."

"This place better be good if it's expensive." Sonic growled a little.

"In fact it's right there." Rouge pointed out.

They all faced to where Rouge was pointing, between two smaller buildings, a glass covered building stood in front tall and shiny. The building itself looked heavily guarded, just with spotlights on the top and a helicopter flying by.

"On our way there," Sonic reminded, "Let's keep our eyes open for those, things shall we?"

"Yes we will Sonic." Misty growled, "You'll hear them coming, trust me."

They started walking down the alley towards the building, their guns gripped tightly in their hands. Keeping their eyes moving, they scanned ahead, above, behind, and below, behind the objects in the alley and watching the back, knowing they could be watched.

Espio's mouth started to grow dry, the small wind chill sliding against his back as he pressed on forward, and the infant in him twitching from the cold. Able to spot a coat near a garbage can, he quickly grabbed it and slipped it on, the coat going down past his knees, but was much colder than the small wind itself. The infant squirmed lightly, the coldness starting to irritate it even though it sat deep in his belly, he slipped his gun in one of the coat pockets and grasped his stomach, the thing poking his stomach hard enough to strike some pain.

Sonic spun his head around back to Espio, seeing the chameleon bent over slightly and both arms around his stomach, the coat covering him, but making him colder. Sonic stopped and waited for the chameleon to catch up, watching his head stay low and stare down at the ground with pain. Espio spotted Sonic as he raised his head, and stopped just inches away from him with a small agonizing stare.

"Take that god damn coat off." Sonic glared, "You look like a flipping homeless whore."

Espio growled lowly, "The infant, it's bugging me because of the wind."

Sonic's ears lowered, "We're about three months away from winter, and the thing gets bugged by the cold? Man you'll die soon enough."

Espio sighed with a little irritation, "Oh now that helps a lot Sonic."

"Hey!" Rouge snapped, "Get your fat asses over here! Hurry up!"

Sonic spun his head back to Espio, "If it makes you feel any better, Mince has the same curse."

Espio stopped from just starting to walk, and flung his head back to Sonic with anxiety, "Come again?"

"Through Klaira's eyes," Sonic explained while starting to walk, "I remember putting an injection filled with a red solution, and when she drew it close to Mince, he admitted to saying her had a pregnancy curse."

Espio stared at Sonic with a bit of shock, "How's that possible though?"

"I don't know." Sonic said shaking his head, "But all I know is every eight days another rips out of his stomach."

Espio slapped his face, "Shit."

Sonic turned to Espio, 'Well, at least he suffers more than you do. Since he can't die."

"Yeah but my case, I don't live to tell the tale." Espio growled, "Along with not being able to help."

A clicking sound started coming from behind them, both quickly spun around down the alleyway, seeing a black mutant standing in the middle of it, the size of a panther, staring at them hungrily.

"Oh fuck!" Sonic cried out, drawing out his gun.

Espio also reached for his gun, both aiming at the black mutant as it charged at them, firing their shots as best as they could as it ran. The others in front heard the shots and spun on their heels to them, seeing them both firing at the massive mutant charging at them.

Misty bolted down the alley, drawing out another gun, and fired just past the two guy's heads towards the mutant, striking it in the head about three times from the two guns she held. The mutant screeched loudly, stunning the guys in their places as it cried in pain, but barely slowed Misty from running to them.

"I got an idea! Come on!" Misty cried to them grabbing them both by the shoulders.

They all spun around and bolted towards the end of the alley, where Shadow, Rouge, and Anna waited. Misty then shifted into her fox form, releasing the two guys, and bolted into the heavy traffic. Sonic and Espio didn't question, and also bolted into the traffic, following her as fast as they could as they weaved through traffic. Shadow then ran after them, following them and leaving Rouge and Anna behind.

"Hold on." Rouge said, grasping Anna and started flying up.

The four weaved through traffic like bees, with the horns from the cars around honking at them as they sped by them as fast as they could. Luckily, the mutant hadn't caught up with them yet, and they were headed straight for the hotel they wanted to get to.

Sonic's mind eased up slightly, his vision flashing strangely, his surroundings strangely slowing down, the world suddenly slowing up in time and space. His vision kept flashing, but started showing images, Klaira, moaning as Mince sucked on her neck, both under the covers as the heat between them grew hotter and hotter. Sonic's body started to heat up, able to feel the slight orgasm that Klaira was getting, but why, he didn't need it at this point. His vision kept flashing, every vision of Klaira and Mince different, the hedgehog slowed down his running, and started to drift into another lane, and started falling, and his sight then drew black, remembering nothing.

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Zephyra just walked into the apartment, hearing beating music in Klaira's room. His immediate thought when hearing it and seeing Mince missing, was they were making love. He twitched slightly as the thought crossed his mind, through the music he could hear Klaira cry out, his spine shook with a chill, just the thought itself started to scare him.

The hybrid mutant quickly ran to Zephyra, staring up at him as it smelled the scent of metal and cleaner in the bag. She then leaped onto the counter and nuzzled through the bag.

"Hey!" Zephyra growled, "Out out out! Not for you!"

The mutant yelped and got off the counter as Zephyra pushed her head away from the bag, and spun back around, sitting and watched as he drew out five dart guns and four different cleaners from the bag, and a scrub brush.

"The damn carpet cleaner's will think we killed someone if they see this."

Zephyra said as he stared at the carpet with a bit of disgust, "And I don't think wine'll settle them down."

The hybrid cocked her head as he made the comment.

He glanced down, "You know what's happening in Klaira's room?"

She shook her head, actually understanding his words.

Zephyra rolled his eyes, listening to the music as it appealed to him, and started bobbing his head, "Someone's got good taste."

The mutant growled a little, poking at his feet with the scrub brush.

Zephyra glared down at the hybrid, "Alright! We'll get started."

She snorted and dropped the scrub brush, and trotted to his room.

Zephyra rolled his eyes, "Sheesh, even the mutant has to hassle me."

The mutant then came back with another scrub brush in her mouth, and sat down in front of the damp blood spot where Mince was laying at, and waited for Zephyra anxiously.

Zephyra sighed, "This'll take all night, especially since the blood's everywhere."

He then heard the music stop, he spun his head towards Klaira's door, and froze.

Mince rolled off of Klaira, both gasping for air as the pressure slowly faded away between them. Klaira rolled to her side and se the remote on her desk, the heat making her sweat heavily, she then glanced at the clock, seeing it was about one in the morning.

"Crap…" Klaira said faintly, "Two hours."

"Damn," Mince spoke lightly, "The record was thirteen."

Klaira laughed, "If only I had the energy."

"If only we done this sooner." Mince said smiling softly.

Klaira rolled back over and curled up beside Mince, "I haven't felt so pleased for a long time."

"Neither have I." Mince replied, putting and arm around her.

"Zephyra should've been here by now though." She remembered, "Or at least an hour ago."

Mince rolled his eyes, "Probably collapsed on his bed and fell asleep without us knowing it."

"How would he stand us though?" Klaira said grinning.

Mince chuckled with amusement, "With the stereo going, good point."

Klaira smiled, and laid her head on his chest, "So how soon do you want to catch the others?"

"Not for a while." Mince said closing his eyes, "Since you have your own place, why the fuck even turn and go back to the Turret?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if Demy knew about this." Klaira replied with a low growl, "He has his eyes on me almost twenty-four seven."

Zephyra could barely hear the two talking as he scrubbed the floor harshly, the blood starting to come off, but tainted the scrub almost red. The hybrid on the other side of the blood stain also tried her hardest to scrub hard, whimpering as the blood stain was difficult to get out. Zephyra wiped the sweat off of his face, still going back and forth as best as he could, and was also seeing if he could hear the conversation through the walls, to see if they were coming out. The hybrid glanced up and growled lowly, knowing what Zephyra was doing, and stopped with the scrub brush in her fang filled mouth.

"Oh quit it." Zephyra growled at her, "They're probably gonna fall asleep in her bed anyways."

The mutant didn't seem to like Zephyra's comment, but continued to help the demon-hog anyways with the scrubbing.