Chapter Nine:

The Future

LATER THAT NIGHT

While Police start to clear out of the neighbourhood, Vector holds Starr, Duncan and AJ in custody, seated inside a SWAT Truck with heavily armed officers pointing their modified weapons at them at all times.

The crocodile approaches the back door, slides open a small window and looks inside at the Enhanced teenagers responsible for all the damage.

"You know, you kids are in for at least 15 years behind bars, right?" Vector asks in a dull manor

AJ remains calm, but Starr and Duncan shows signs of concern

"...but it don't have to be that way"

"You're giving us a way out?" Duncan asks

"Got your attention, now, huh"

Starr stands up but the SWAT cops order her to sit back down

"Tell us what we gotta do!" She pleads

Vector opens a file folder and presses a photo of a criminal against the caged window

"This is Sleuth Dogg. Gun for hire with absolutely no restrictions. Plenty of men and their families, have felt his wrath... I wouldn't ever offer ordinary teenagers this chance, but you three aren't ordinary. And we're gonna need your kind of help. So we'll cut you a deal if you help us catch this son of a bitch"

Starr and Duncan nod their heads in approval, but the massive teenage echidna AJ crosses his arms and exhales in disgust

"You don't look as confident as your friends here do. What's on your mind?"

"I don't help cops. These sell outs might do it, but I ain't no informant" AJ states "So you can go fuck yourself and take me to jail"

Vector ponders this for a moment, then he turns his back to grab a second file folder

"I had a feelin' you would say that. That's why I showed you Dogg's picture first"

"What, he's not the only guy we gotta track down?" Duncan asks

"Nope. You two might not know who this guy is, but your friend AJ most definitely knows him.."

The echidna leans over to see what picture Vector shows next.

"This is Angel. Leader of some Devil worshipping goth outfit he calls Angel's Flock. They're the ones responsible for AJ's abduction and subsequent torture, until Knuckles stepped in and saved his ass-"

AJ bangs against the caged window "He led those freaks to me! I owe him NOTHING!"

"Relax, I never said you did. Just lettin' you know that we found out where Angel's been hiding. And if you want your jail sentences to be cut in half, you gotta help us catch him. Both of 'em"

Starr tugs at AJ's sleeve "C'mon, we gotta do this. 15 years is a long time to spend in jail!..."

AJ caves in

"Alright. I'll do it"

Vector smiles "Smart choice, kids. You get us Dogg and Angel, and we'll play real nice with the board of Justice. Might even have you out of jail in 5 years or less, depending on how well this goes"

"So, you expect us to track down BOTH of these pieces of shit?" Duncan asks "We're just teenagers, man! None of these strong, manly SWAT cops can help us out there?"

Vector steps away from the caged window

"I don't expect you drop outs to do this alone, you crazy? No... I expect HIM to lead you dipshits in the chase"

Before the Enhanced trio can ask, Knuckles the Echidna appears at the window with a smirk on his face

"Looks like you idiots are working for me, now" He chuckles

"Are you kidding?"

"That's just great!"

"Ah, fuck..."

"See you punks out there!" Knuckles calls out as he shuts the sliding window

"And uh - where exactly are we going?" Duncan asks, voice muffled behind the steel door

"Vace Beach, Silver Valley. We'll pack you some sun screen"

Knuckles bangs against the SWAT truck twice and it takes off to the precinct downtown. He joins Vector at his car and both lean against the side door

"You know it's gonna be hell catching this son of bitch, again. And Dogg told me he wants to put a slug in you, personally" Vector warns

"I'm not finished with Angel, plus now, you're telling me Dogg is alive and he wants me dead. Boy, I'd be a coward if I didn't come along with you guys" Knuckles replies, while looking around "Where's Espio?"

Vector points over across the street "Rouge wanted to say goodbye to him"

He and Knuckles watch as Espio talks to the Bat, but can't quite hear what he's saying. Rouge puts her finger over his lips to stop the conversation, then quickly kisses him and leaves the group with a friendly wave. Vector and Knuckles wave back, while Espio smiles and walks back to his friends.

"Well, well, check that shit out. Espio, my man" Vector says

"Yeah, yeah" He laughs

"Bro, you should check yourself for any cold sores, tonight. Word is, she's been around with a lot of dudes, so..." Knuckles says as he shrugs his shoulders

Espio stops "I - I wanna believe that you're joking, but-"

Knuckles shakes his head, then Espio looks to Vector, who also does the same

"Don't worry pal. Just buy yourself some lip balm"

"That ain't funny, man"

Knuckles lightly slaps Espio's shoulder and Vector joins him in laughter as the Chameleon jumps in the back seat.

"So, Knux...what about your girl?" Vector asks

"Ah, me and Julie broke up last week. She decided to stay at the house on Angel Island, so I don't gotta worry about her"

"Well, actually I was talking about your other girl. Sonia"

Knuckles looks over as The Pink Hedgrhog motions for him to come over. He approaches her and scratches the back of his head

"Hey, uh-"

"I know things didn't end well between us last time, Knuckles.. I just wanted to say thanks for being a friend to me, Manic and Sonic. You're a really great guy" Sonia says

"Yeah, no problem"

Sonia hugs the muscular echidna tightly and he hugs back with his good arm.

Just then, Manic and Tails finally get back to the neighbourhood and join them

"Hey, Where's Amy?" Manic asks

"Inside. I was just about to say goodbye to her. You guys coming in?"

Manic and Knuckles lead the way, while Tails awkwardly looks at Sonia

"...so, uh- sorry about fighting with Manic and all. We had a bit of a disagreement"

Sonia smiles and jumps in the back seat of her limousine

"It's all worked out now, Mr. Prower. No need to worry. And I'm glad I didn't have to kick your ass for getting my little brother kidnaped. You're alright, kid" Sonia says with a smile

Tails opens his mouth to say something, but he just waves back as he walks inside Amy's house.

The inside is almost completely destroyed from the battle against Miles, so Amy sits on a wooden chair in her kitchen and stares at a photo of her with Sonic on her phone

"..He was right here. I held him close and wouldn't let go, but he disappeared, anyway..."

Knuckles, Manic and Tails join her in the kitchen and listen to her

"...He was in pain. He didn't know what was wrong. He was scared...and I couldn't do a damn thing for him"

Manic lightly grasps her hands and sits next to her.

"You know, this means he's still out there. He's alive. We just gotta go find him, Ames. And we will. In time"

Knuckles looks out across the street and sees Vector pointing at his watch

"I wish I could stay to help, but I have some important obligations to take care of. I'll catch up, though. Need me, just give me a call"

Knuckles and Amy embrace for the last time, then Manic wraps his arms around both to make it a group hug until Knuckles shoves him off and onto the ground

"The fuck away me with that shit" Knuckles says

"Ah, you know you love me, big guy!... you'll come to, eventually" Manic grins

"I'm pretty sure I won't, punk ass"

Knuckles fist bumps Tails on the way out and closes what's left of the front door behind him.

"Hey, soldier boy" Sonia calls out

Knuckles looks over to her limousine

"Where ya heading? I can give you a ride"

"I'm going out to Vace Beach" He says

"What a coincidence, I was actually thinking of going to my apartment down there! Hop in"

"You live down there? That IS a hell of a coincidence-"

"Well, no, I don't live in Vace Beach.. I have 2 apartments there, another in Metropolis, a couple on the east coast-"

Knuckles opens the back door "Okay, I get it, you're a lot richer than me"

He looks at Vector across the street "I'm catching a ride with Sonia, I'll meet you guys down there!"

The Crocodile gives a thumbs up and jumps inside his car.

Back inside, Manic's cellphone starts ringing so he goes upstairs to answer it. Tails sits next to Amy and gives her a set of keys

"Those are for the old three storey house me, Sonic and Knuckles built. Everything is stocked up and still in perfect condition. You can stay there while we send a crew to rebuild this place, Amy"

She smiles "Thank you Tails"

Manic comes downstairs and grabs his leather jacket from the closet

"I gotta jet, a business partner of mine just told me one of those Medallions I lost has just been spotted in Casino Night Zone" He says while putting his jacket on "..and some asshole is using it's abilities on the town folk"

"Mind if I tag along?" Tails asks

"Uhh... it's gonna be crazy out there, bro. Like, superhero and super villain type shit. I don't think you should, man-"

"Dude, I ran a street gang for like, a week! I can handle it" Tails says

Amy turns to him "You what?"

"Uh, I mean I played Grand Theft Auto enough times to know how to handle stuff like this! Yeah, that's it"

"Alright, if you wanna come along, be my guest"

"I think I will. It was great seeing you Amy, give me a call if you need anything-"

Tails quickly hugs the pink hedgehog and heads towards the door

"Bye, guys"

Manic closes the door and looks at the fox

"Hey, you still have that SAGE program?"

Tails pulls it out "Yeah, I do, wait- how'd you know I have this?!"

"How many times do I have to tell ya, I was there when you got that!... man, this whole 'deletion' thing is gettin' real old"

"You gotta get me caught up on the ride there, Manic. I'm so confused"

"Well, it's a good thing we're in for a long ride because this is a two-part story, bro"

10 minutes after everyone is gone, Amy packs her bags and locks the front door. As she puts the key in, a bright flash of Blue shines behind her, illuminating the entire neighbourhood.

Thinking it may be Sonic, Amy drops everything and turns around to find

Silver The Hedgehog standing before her

"Hello, there Amy Rose. I got the distress call. Where is he?"

Amy, slightly disappointed, sighs and picks up her bags once more

"Sonic is already gone. Maybe even dead. Who knows..."

Silver raises an eye brow

"He's not dead. He's stuck in The Nexus"

The pink hedgehog looks up "The What?!"

"The Nexus. It's the wasteland in between realms, I thought you knew this?"

"You know how to get there?!"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"Then take me! I need to save Sonic!"

"Wait just a second! Where are your friends?"

Amy unlocks the front door and puts her bags back inside

"They're off on important missions, or something. It's just me, Silver"

"Well, I gotta tell ya, if you're planning on going there, you're gonna need help"

Amy picks up her War Hammer and locks her front door

"I only need this. Now please, take me to this place!"

Silver looks around for anyone else but sees nobody in sight

"You know, I came here looking for Shadow, but this seems a million times more interesting. Sure. I'll take you there"

"...wait, you knew where Sonic was this entire time and haven't said anything or tried to rescue him?!" Amy growls

"The Nexus is a place I can't just enter and exit at will! If you go in there, there's a big chance you're not getting out... and I haven't been able to tell you about it because I've been very busy. You have no idea the places I travel to every day"

"...one year, Silver. Sonic's been gone for an entire YEAR, and you couldn't take 5 minutes to stop by and at least tell us he's alive?!"

"Yeah, when you say it like that, it sounds bad!... Okay, I admit, I could've come by, but I honestly thought you guys knew where he was!"

Amy shakes away all negative thoughts and readies herself for the journey. She knows there's a chance she won't be back from this trip for a long time, but to her, Sonic is worth it.

"Lead the way"

THE END

HEY EVERYONE! THANKS FOR READING UP TIL THE END! THIS WAS A FUN STORY TO WRITE, I WANTED TO INCLUDE MORE CHARACTERS THIS TIME AND HAVE THEM EACH HAVE AN ARC IN THE STORY.

SHOUTOUT TO EVERYONE WHO READS, REVIEWS AND ENJOYS MY STORIES! THANKS!

PLEASE BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY UPCOMING STORIES "Mad Dog Act II" & "Tricked"