Chapter 10
Even after being taken in an unhoped flight from the own army of the islands, Crash was still assured himself that this whole event could be only one big true mistake. If someone could really fool two lunatics who apparently believed that he was a 'serial killer' out there, then the aussie bandicoot already had prepared for the theory that this wasn't going to end well. Transferred until the main interrogation room somewhere in the Air Force in Cortex Island, Crash stood expressionless since he thought it would be sort of futile to keep fighting back to return for a good night sleep and simply folded his arms, sitting on the chair awaiting for the so-called pilot who seemed to be a kind of freshman due to his attitude.
Eventually, Rick finished talking to a soldier who was specifically on guard next to the interrogation room's door and came in, still not surprising Crash with his angry face. In fact, he even was yawning at ease without putting his hand on his mouth in politeness since he was handcuffed, and half closed his eyes while he wished he could scratch his nape out of itch. Obviously, it wasn't because he had fleas.
"Well, well, well..." The brown blonde-haired bandicoot began his speech as he stepped towards him, his hands behind his back. "Isn't our most looking-for criminal? Or, may I say, killer?"
"You've only met me for five minutes." Crash merely answered.
"Silence!" Rick ordered. "I don't trust you nor I never will; my word. Just to glance into those devil eyes of yours makes me feel awful of what my sister might've been passing through."
"Wow, who knew a pilot could be fond of poetry." The orange bandicoot couldn't help but sneer and roll his eyes.
"Who do you think you are to joke around with me like that?" He huffed. "I'm not going to release you without telling me what you have done to Amelia."
Meanwhile, Rock arrived into the room after opening and closing the door, stepping towards his twin brother's side to listen what the marsupial hero had to say.
"You know, I find it funny to see Amelia perfectly fine without a single or a tiny scratch on her body, and you guys still judging me as a serial killer." Crash confessed. "It's really ironical, isn't it?"
"But she was with you, and that's a relevant evidence to me." Rick folded his arms, still not wanting to believe him.
"Of course, so that means if she was with somebody else instead of me, you'd still call that person a serial killer and arrest him no more or less." He exchanged a 'blank stare' moment. "Oh come on! What kind of servicemen are you, a bunch of clowns? You don't even know who I am!"
"Umm... he's in fact right." Rock agreed as he looked at the blonde bandicoot.
"For your information," He began scoffing. "It wasn't even our idea, it was from an old man who told us that she has been kidnapped."
"Old man?" The black-haired bandicoot scowled.
"What man?" Crash also scowled. "What did he look like?"
"Well, he was short-structured with yellow skin and dressed in a white lab coat with an huge N on his forehead... not to mention that he actually had a pretty bad hairstyle." Rock briefed.
"It wasn't his hair, it was his face which looked like to an australopithecus." Rick corrected.
"Whatever."
"...Cortex." Crash avowed after sighing in agony. "Could that rotten brain ever leave me alone for a freaking second in my life? I should've known already why you guys were so serious about it."
"Wait. How so?" Rock demanded.
"Because, that 'old man' who you guys spoke to and somehow believed in the most stupid lie I've ever heard in my life, is actually an evil scientist who only wants to take over the world and more stereotypic blah blah you guys know." He explained.
"Really?"
"Nah, it was Santa Claus, wanna bet?"
"Enough!" Rick protested. "Why should we believe a liar like you? We already know you're telling us that only to try to escape from being in jail."
"Seriously?" Crash rose his eyebrows simultaneously, teasing. "Well I'm so sorry if I'm too honest for your own taste, Mr. Pilot."
"My name's Rick." He furrowed his brow.
"Oops, sorry - didn't I mean, Mr. Ricky-pants?"
"Don't you dare call me by my full name!"
"Then use your donkey brain for once and think!" He shouted back. In the meantime they started arguing with each other endlessly and leaving poor Rock without the alternative of being a witness himself, Amelia walked towards the door of the interrogation room after being able to get away from the private room she got forced to be locked in and promptly pushed away the guard who was there on supervise, allowing her to open the door in such way that everyone startled and turned their heads at her.
"What the..." Rick stood puzzled. "Amelia, how did you-"
"Firstly, I'm now a spy." She placed her hands on her hips. "And secondly, what's all of this fuss I've been hearing throughout the hallway?"
"Let's say your beloved brother just simply... doesn't like me." Crash remarked.
"And I really don't." He turned his back.
"Well too bad," Amelia talked. "Because whether you guys like him or not, it's Dr. Neo Cortex who is in reality behind this."
"What?" The twin bandicoots uttered in surprise.
"I don't get it..." Rick frowned. "I-I thought that man was saying the truth!"
"I'm surrounded by idiots..." The aussie bandicoot shook his head in disappointment.
"Remarkably, I'm not surprised of how you guys still act like children until today." The black bandicootess put the palm of her hand on her forehead in disbelief. "Since when father taught you to believe in everything - or entrusting for that matter - a stranger? Did you at least search for Crash's files to know if he had criminal record in the first place?"
"Ame, they didn't even know my name." He added without being impressed.
"Wait a second..." Rick turned to Rock. "You told me that wasn't required!"
"No I didn't." He urged. "It was you who told me that you knew the rules."
"Then why didn't you remind me back then?"
He scoffed. "Hey, do I had a face of a priest to repeat that Bible all over again?"
"Here they go..." Crash rolled his eyes as he was becoming bored.
"They haven't changed, at all." Amelia remarked as she decided that it was already time to stop needless arguments. "Boys, calm down!" She moved both away from each other's noses. "We have a far important situation to settle than hearing your... girly talk." Crash couldn't resist to snicker since he always pictured them as little girls - or even chickens.
"What's the situation?" Rick asked, curious.
"Well, since Crash is still Cortex's main target, I was thinking about a plan-attack to reward our revenge." She suggested.
"You mean, to defeat him for once and for all?" Crash implied. "Hmm, seems legit."
"I'm with you." Rick nodded. "That little man has apparently lied to the wrong guy, and now he's gonna pay the price for fooling us."
"I'm with you bro." Rock agreed.
"That's what I wanted to hear." Amelia said proudly. "Despite I'm still mad at you both for calling almost the whole army to bring us until here unnecessarily... anyway." She sighed.
"At least you're with them again." The orange bandicoot stated after recalling what she has admitted hours earlier.
"Yeah sis, we're actually glad to have you back." The blonde-haired bandicoot exchanged a warm smile.
"Same here." She also smiled. "Now, would any of you mind to eventually unlock his handcuffs?"
"Yeah dudes, it's sort of uncomfortable after talking to the puppet all of this time trying to convince you two about my story, and yet watching me still sitting on this chair waiting peacefully to punch your faces." Crash sneered. Rock understood his 'friendly' threat and went to him to open the handcuffs, seeing him to stretch his arms and hands upwards in absolute relief. "Oh, finally."
"My name's Roderick, by the way." He presented. "But just call me Rock. And he's my younger brother Rick, as you already know. You're..." He paused to remember. "Crash, right?"
"Yes, Crash Bandicoot. Nice to meet you too." He replied with a hasty tone once he still wasn't happy for what they've done to him by mistake.
"So... what's your next plan in mind, sis?" Rick spoke right after a good interval of silence within the room. However, Amelia just had a bright idea.
"Come near, I already know what we'll do..." She smirked maliciously.
"Coco, what are you doing?" The musclebound burgundy bandicoot inquired, astounded. The blonde female bandicoot just arrived outside until the front door after preparing herself with aerial equipment, even amazing the own Aku Aku's wooden face after perceiving that she was so determinated.
"We're going to rescue Crash, and this time don't even dare to open your mouths if you guys intend to keep me off the subject." She started as she pointed them with her finger. "Those military guys just hadn't the notion to what the hell they were doin' while they arrested Crash and Amelia, and I'm certainly not going to stay at home with my butt pasted on the couch pretending that everything's okay."
"Woah, woah, calm down tigress." Crunch showed his hands in innocence. "Don't you think you're overreacting for a bit?"
"She's in fact right, Crunch." Aku Aku said. "I sense that he has been arrested by the army from one of Cortex's underhand schemes, unsurprisingly."
"This time it's us who's going to give Cortex a really good damn lesson." Coco added as soon as the burgundy bandicoot and the voodoo mask followed her until the garage, coming over to her biplane which was saved for her particular missions. "C'mon boys, we don't have much time to waste. There's still a seat for two." She offered.
"Aww, you have no idea how I feel excited to be into the air again." He joked as he didn't hesitate to jump and sit.
"I really hope that's a consequence from your steroids..." She scowled at him.
"Where Crash may be at the moment, Coco?" Aku Aku asked her.
"Don't worry Aku, I have everything under control." She winked. "Destination; Air Force!" And then she turned on the engine and took off.