Author's note: It's been a while and I'm sorry. I'm going through a lot right now, so bear with me, please!
Chapter Ten: People Make Mistakes
Station Square
Hospital
Wednesday
0300hrs
Team Power
"Would you sit down?" Vector asked. Knuckles, who had been pacing for the past few hours, glared at him.
"How can I sit down when my friend is in surgery because my other friend attacked him?"
Vector shook his head. "This just doesn't sound like Sonic. Why in the world would he attack Tails, huh? Sure, they had a fight, but this is going too far."
Gallop looked up from the ground where he was curled up like a puppy. He flattened his ears at the conversation. He was more confused than any of them because he knew nothing of who he was dealing with. He shook his head. "May I please have my opinion heard?"
"No," Knuckles snapped. "I honestly don't care what you have to say, E-13."
"Stop calling me that!" Gallop growled.
"Can't you two just shut up?" Vector asked. Knuckles glared at him and opened his mouth to retort.
"Excuse, but are you Miles' next of kin?" A doctor said, coming out of the fox's room.
Knuckles stepped forward. "He doesn't have a next of kin. As of right now, I'm the closest thing he has. How is he?"
The doctor sighed. "My name is Dr. Richard and your friend isn't doing too well." Dr. Richard looked at Vector and Gallop. Sonic has been advised to stay away from the hospital for the time being. "May I talk to you in private?" He asked.
Knuckles nodded. "I'll be right back. Watch the robot." Gallop snorted at the comment, but did not say a word. Knuckles narrowed his eyes and followed the doctor into a small office. "Yes Doctor?"
"You're friend was mauled. This is a serious offence."
"I don't want a lecture. How is Tails?"
"Well, the surgery for his knees went well. Luckily he didn't shatter the kneecaps and the bone was pretty much left intact. He'll have to be in a wheelchair for a few days, but there is no reason he won't make a full recovery for his legs. Now, as for the rest of his body, he had many minor injures all over his body. A large wound was one on the back of his shoulders. We'll keep him here for a few days. Now, we have a problem. Who attacked him?"
Knuckles shook his head. He was the one who carried Tails to the hospital and he remembered the fox mumbling about Sonic and Rouge attacking him. He wasn't ready to believe Tails' pain induced mumbling. "Sorry. You'll have to ask him when he wakes up. I just got a phone call to come and get him," Knuckles lied. Dr. Richard sighed.
"This could turn out to be the biggest case in Station Square history," he said. Knuckles gulped and nodded. "You can go see him, if you'd like." The echidna took a deep breath and walked out of the office. Gallop and Vector lifted their heads at him. Knuckles shook his head solemnly. He walked into Tails' room.
Tails opened one eye at the sound of his door opening. He looked at Knuckles and sighed. "Tails, I'm only going to ask you once. Who did this to you?" He asked.
Tails opened his mouth under the oxygen mask. "Sonic did," he gasped. Knuckles turned away from the fox.
"Okay," he said. He took a deep breath and looked over Tails. The fox had a knee brace on both knees and a few dozen bandages all over. He had an I.V drip going into one of his arms and an oxygen mask. The doctor hadn't told Knuckles about the mask. "Are you sure?" He asked grasping for any hope that Sonic hadn't completely lost it. Tails nodded. Knuckles sighed again. "Alright, you rest up, okay. The doctor said you will only have to be here for a few days." Tails nodded and fell back into unconsciousness. Knuckles shook his head. "Night, kid," he whispered and walked back into the hallway.
"How is he?" Vector asked.
"He'll live, for now. But with this and the house, someone's trying to kill him, and how long will it be before they turn on us, huh?"
"Well, who's after him?" Gallop asked. Knuckles, for once, didn't seem to mind the cyborg's interjection.
"He has it in his head that Sonic is after him."
"That doesn't sound right at all, and you know it. I don't know ya'll too well, but I do know that that fox and hedgehog have a great friendship and no stupid argument can break that," Vector said.
"Are you done, detective?" Knuckles asked. Vector shrugged.
"Sure, why not? But I'm just sayin'…"
"What is it with detectives?" Knuckles asked. "Are you suggesting we investigate this?"
"No, but that's a good idea."
Knuckles slapped his forehead in frustration. "Fine, we investigate." Gallop sat up and padded toward them. "But if you haven't noticed, Vector, You are the only detective here." Vector shrugged. "I'm going to get some sleep. Good-night."
Wednesday
0800hrs
Wildheart Cave
Team Speed
"AHH!" Sonic screamed as he slapped his torn fists into the wall. Zeera and Espio had tried to stop him, but ever since Espio had announced the fox's admission into the hospital, they had watched Sonic go from screaming, to punching, to staring, to pacing and back again. Zeera hated to see anyone in so much pain. She had tried to calm Sonic down, but he was too far gone by that point. Espio had just sat back to enjoy the show with a slight frown on his face.
"Sonic!" Zeera yelled, for the first time raising her voice. Sonic stopped with his fist embedded in the stone wall. "You aren't going to solve anything like this!"
"Ah, let the hedgehog have his fun," Espio muttered. This got him a glare from both the hedgehog and panther. "Jeez," he muttered. "If looks could kill…"
Sonic threw another punch at the wall. Espio shook his head and went to get his samisen. Quietly, he began playing the same song that he had played for Zeera. Sonic shook his head and sat against the wall. Both he and Zeera listened to the music the detective was playing. Espio was aware of their watchful eyes as he played the instrument. Espio mouthed the words again, but this time, someone could make out the lyrics. Sonic shook his head and sighed. He didn't know the song Espio was playing, but he did remember the poem the lyrics were set upon. "Give me one more moment in time," he recited quietly. Zeera lifted her ears. "Give me one more tear to cry. Do you believe in second chances? Do you believe in more than one? Please forgive me, oh friend of mine."
Espio sighed and ended the music. "Give me one more moment in time," he finished softly.
Wednesday
1000hrs
Station Square
Cyber Café
Team Power
Knuckles looked at the e-mail with distain. "It looks exactly like him," he muttered. The e-mail was the same one that had been given to Tails only three days earlier. "I just don't see how this isn't Sonic!" Vector shook his head and pushed the echidna out of the chair, knocking him to the café floor. "It's official," he muttered. "It's gang up on Knuckles Week!"
Gallop laughed. He had sucked up his claustrophobia to help the group clear Sonic's name. Vector stared at the picture. "Sorry, Knux, but you're correct. In this light, there's no possible way to tell anything. We need to get into the police records if we are going to clear his name, and yours."
"Police records? Do you even know how to hack, even if we got into the station?"
"No, but you do," Vector said with a sly crocodile smile.
Knuckles glared up from the floor. "I don't know what you are talking about," he said as he stood up.
"Oh, shut up. You get a laptop for Christmas three years ago and you honestly want to act like you have no computer skills to speak of? We aren't all as stupid as you, Knuckles."
"I have half a brain to beat you," Knuckles said.
"Exactly, you only have half a brain!"
"Can't you two get along?" Gallop asked. Knuckles shrugged and ignored the wolf.
"Okay, I'll do it. You two get me into the station, get their attention and I'll hack into the files," Knuckles said.
Vector nodded. "That's my boy. Let's go before you lose your nerve." The trio stood up and paid for their drinks. Knuckles shook his head as they walked out of the café. They walked the few blocks to the station. "Alright, how are we going to get their attention?"
"Well," Knuckles stated, "we do have a criminal right here."
"Knuckles! Why can't you be nice to hi…"
Gallop cut the croc off. "Actually, that's a great idea. You bring me in handcuffs, and I make a riot. That'll give Knuckles time to get into the files and find proof of his innocence, and if all else fails, I'll be the only one in trouble."
Vector sighed. "Okay, it works. Let's do this." Gallop got on his hind legs and allowed Vector to slap the cuffs on his wrists. Gallop gulped and followed Vector into the station. "Officer!" Vector called. An officer walked up to him. "I have a wild one here. Mind helping me out?"
The officer shook his head and grabbed Gallop's arm. The wolf panicked. His eyes went blood red, but he didn't turn on his armor. He lashed out at the cop, ripping through the uniform. Fresh blood stained the wolf's teeth. The officer looked down at his now opened chest. Vector stared, wide-eyed. Gallop wasn't supposed to hurt anyone. "Get some tranquilizers!" The officer screamed. Vector paled slightly.
Knuckles shook his head, took off his boxing gloves, and ran into the mob scene that the station had turned into. He ran quickly to the computer and tried to remember all the hacking techniques he had taught himself. He threw in the user name "Admin" and in the password area he typed in "Password". He sighed with relief as a screen came that said "Permission granted." He looked at the mainframe. "Oh, Vector, please keep it up!" He said softly and typed quickly; scrolling through the numerous files and cases the police were going through that week. He found a case that looked promising and clicked. A horde of photos attacked the screen. He flipped through them until he spotted one that was taking with a flash, revealing a blue hedgehog with a Chaos Emerald in his hands. Knuckles nodded and looked over the picture, but he couldn't find anything to prove that the picture wasn't of Sonic. He pulled out a picture he had of the three of them and scanned it into the computer.
Gallop pulled himself out of Vector's grip and out of the handcuffs. He lunged bitterly at the police officers. Shots rang out from the tranquilizer guns. "Don't shoot!" Vector screamed. He grabbed the wolf. "This is an act, Gallop," he hissed in Gallop's ear. Gallop turned his attacks on Vector. The croc cursed.
Knuckles looked at the two pictures side-by-side. "Come on! Give me the proof I need!" He whispered.
"Hey!" An officer screamed. Knuckles looked up.
"Holy cheese," he growled and typed faster. "Wait a second!" He yelled. He zoomed in on the pictures and cut out a small blue section of each hedgehog. He compared the sections. "Vector! I got it!" He screamed over the yelling. Vector grabbed Gallop, who was weakening, both from actual fatigue and the fact that he had been hit a few times by the darts.
"He's got the proof. Can you run?" Vector asked. Gallop nodded, but took a few steps and the drugs took him. He fell to the ground, moaning softly. His robotic parts would not allow his body to fully succumb to the tranquilizer, but it affected him enough to leave him immobilized. Vector tried to pick up the wolf but was stopped by guns. Knuckles was already apprehended but not before he sent the evidence to Espio's e-mail address. The trio was thrown into a van.
"Where do you think they're taking us?" Knuckles ask.
"New Prison Island," Vector said. "What did you find out?" Knuckles smiled despite the situation. "How can you smile? We're going to prison, Knuckles."
"Yeah, Knuckles answered, "but I found the proof to clear Sonic's name. The guy in the recon pictures is three shades darker blue than Sonic."
Author's note: The Poem recited by Sonic and Espio is an actual song I wrote. See, I'm a bit of a poet myself! The technique Knuckles used to get into the police mainframe is an actualy hacking technique,but I left out some details so no one can copy the technique. Hope you liked this chapter!