Before they'd even stepped onto solid ground, the Chaotix found themselves being blindfolded by an unknown G.U.N soldier. It seemed the organization were taking extra precautions to ensure the safety of their prison, especially since Robotnik had completely decimated their last base. As a result, security was heightened, and all prisoners were denied any information as to the whereabouts of said establishment. It had become classified information.

Shadow led the way, assuming his tough, stoic persona that he wore so well. Omega was at the back, once again ready to shoot anyone he caught breaking the strict guidelines enforced upon convicts. He was frightfully animate when it came to violence, aware of every stray pebble skittering along the ground.

It was difficult to move with the cuffs restraining their movement, reducing the team to a slow shuffle that served to prolong their pain and suffering. It was the military's preferred method of breaking their inmates. The psychological trauma left them paranoid and influential, allowing the soldiers to have better control. They couldn't fight back if they were so terribly broken, and as they reached the entrance, Vector was beginning to think he should have let the robot put him out of his misery.

Once inside, the black rag obscuring their vision was removed, replaced by an unusual neck brace that fit snuggly round their throats. Shadow further explained it's purpose; an unpleasant close proximity detonation device, rigged to explode in the unlikely event that a prisoner should escape, essentially making it impossible to flee beyond a certain distance. The entire building, including the sea and the sky, was surrounded by sensors that triggered the brace should anybody stray too far.

None of them took the news particularly well, and as they were escorted down the sterilized corridor leading to their cell, Vector began to question whether they'd be spending the rest of their days locked away under false pretense, forever being remembered as violent criminals. It broke his heart to think of what his friends would say.

The room itself was specially catered to their individual abilities and skills, specifically prepared to prevent them from escaping. Large spotlights were directed at the cramped cell, acting as a counter to Espio's stealth ability. The chameleon let a gutteral snarl form in the back of his throat. He was powerless. They had stripped him of the last remaining ace hidden up his sleeve.

Thick bars sat close together, killing any hope Charmy had of slipping through the gap. An electric current ran up and down the cold metal, deterring anyone from making physical contact with them. Both the floor and walls were constructed from strong alloy steel, rendering it impossible to burrow out of the prison, something which caused distress to the echidna, who glanced hopelessly at his fists.

A retinal scanner sat beside the cell, designated to the hedgehog's DNA. After unlocking the bars, he removed the cuffs from around his captive's wrists, ensuring they were safely inside the room before letting the bars click back into place. Without a word, he walked away, leaving them trapped inside their eternal coffin, abandoned, with nothing but the echo of footsteps and their dying hope to keep them company.

Settling down on the icy floor, Vector rubbed his swollen flesh, tracing the painful blisters that had risen on his skin. It felt nice to have his hands back, but the liberation was a small victory in comparison to the freedom he had lost. He examined his surroundings, envisioning the bleak future that lay ahead.

An open toilet sat against the far wall, ugly and uninviting. The cell's only bed was a small block of wood hanging off two rusty chains. It was too small for Vector to fit on. What little he could see of the corridor was blocked by the many G.U.N Hunters patrolling the area. The croc counted five, but there may have been more. Two security cameras sat adjacent to one another in the corner, protected by a shock field.

Charmy sat before the bars, gazing forlornly beyond the cage. His wings were no longer clamped, yet they remained still. The bee was too depressed to fly. Espio leaned against the wall, ankles crossed, arms folded. His eyes were shut, but he wasn't meditating. Knuckles paced back and forth, punching the air every once in a while. He'd been labeled an accomplice to the Chaotix.

'Is this really the end?' Espio asked solemnly.

'No, I refuse to believe it!' The echidna looked at Vector expectantly. 'There's got to be a way out of here, right?'

The croc shrugged. He wasn't quite ready to give up, but he was in no state of mind to plan an escape. If he was being honest, he wasn't sure he could. The military had dedicated their time to finding each member's weakness, making it impossible to break out. And even if they did manage it, the neck brace was nothing but a hinderance to their plan. Without knowledge of the technology, they'd never be able to remove it. Was there a chance it would explode? Vector simply didn't know.

Crawling atop the tiny bed, he rolled onto his side, resting his head in the nook of his arm. Perhaps he'd feel better after a long nap. It would certainly clear his mind, which was currently swarming with a jigsaw of shattered puzzles that he was unable to piece back together. Everything was a mess of mental debris that blocked the passage to rational thought. He had to dispose of it before he could plot their subsequent bid for freedom.

Shutting his eyes, Vector waited for sleep to consume him, but just as he was beginning to drift off, a large hand grabbed his ankle, yanking him onto the floor with a dull thud. Bashing his head against the solid earth, Vector sat up with a yelp, rubbing vigorously at the back of his scalp. Knuckles stood before him, looking displeased.

'What did ya do that for?' The croc yelled, feeling a small lump begin to surface.

'Quit hogging the bed! You're not the only one who's tired.'

Vector cringed at the small bump protruding from his skull, 'If ya wanted to lie down ya should have just said so!'

The echidna trudged over to the make-shift bed, testing the strength by pushing both of his fists into the wood. It seemed sturdy enough, after all, it had supported the much heavier Vector. Sitting atop the uncomfortable block, Knuckles crossed his arms and stared displeased at the opposite wall. His constant squirming seemed to indicate that he wasn't satisfied.

'Are we really expected to share one bed, or is this a temporary cell?' He asked inquisitively.

Vector got to his feet, stretching his arms behind his neck. He'd found himself inclined to believe this was little more than a holding cell. Somewhere along the line he'd figured out that G.U.N would most likely prepare a solitary confinement chamber unique to each member of the team. Dividing the group would be another step in the organizations goal of psychologically breaking them. Nobody, not even Espio, was able to survive weeks of lonesome seclusion.

Another tremor of rumbling nerves ran through his gut. Or perhaps it was hunger? He could no longer tell. They hadn't eaten a thing since the greasy hot dogs not twelve hours before. Or perhaps it was thirteen? Vector discovered that time no longer existed within the unforgiving walls of the prison. Everything he held dear had been taken away. His cell phone. His Walkman. His pride. Would things ever return to normal?

'Do you think they'll feed us?' Charmy asked, slumped on the floor beside Espio.

'They'd better,' Knuckles warned, kicking up his legs until he was sprawled along the bed. 'Just as long as it's not beans.'

The door at the bottom of the hall opened, drawing everyone's attention to the approaching black hedgehog. His head was bowed, and his mien wore the usual poker face they'd come to know so well. It was obvious he hadn't come to bring them food, and the young bee gripped his stomach mournfully. The hedgehog used the scanning device to release the lock, revealing a dozen or so Hunter robots. There were more than Vector had originally thought.

The agent's eyes settled on the echidna, who had pulled himself into a seated position. 'You have a call waiting.'

Knuckles seemed puzzled by this, 'A call? From who?'

Shadow shrugged, 'I'm just the messenger.'

Curious, the guardian hopped off the bed and stepped out of the cell. Shadow sealed the bars before leaving, ensuring the remaining prisoners were properly secured. As he was escorted down the corridor, Knuckles glanced at them over his shoulder, giving them a quick wave to ensure he was alright.

They passed through the large door, revealing a maze of forks diverging from the center of the room. There were halls running diagonally, vertically and horizontally, and if not for Shadow's guidance, the echidna would have gotten lost along the many branching pathways. They were taking a meandering course through the building, and Knuckles tried to memorize the route. If by some miracle they did manage to escape, he'd at least know his way around.

Turning the corner, they arrived at a small, square booth just big enough to fit one person inside. It created a false sense of privacy, and the echidna knew that G.U.N personnel would be able to hear everything he said. Shadow urged him to enter the claustrophobic space, informing him that it may be the last chance he got to communicate with the outside world.

The interior walls were made of a dark material, not quite metal and not quite wood. Knuckles wasn't sure what it was, but something about the texture reminded him of the Black Arms ships that attacked the city not long ago. Had G.U.N been harvesting their scrap metal for use in construction?

A red bulb flashed erratically above the phone, and Knuckles glanced through a small glass panel in the door. Shadow had his back to the booth. Something about the hedgehog's stance made him look visibly on edge. The echidna didn't want to keep him waiting. Reaching for the receiver, he lifted the phone off the hook and placed it to his ear, eager to find out who was on the other end.

'Uh, hello?'

'You took your sweet time! Don't you know it's rude to keep a woman waiting?'

Knuckles felt his brow crease at the sound of Rouge's voice. Of all the people that could have called him, why did it have to be her? With a grimace, the echidna shifted slightly, afraid to let Shadow catch him shouting into the phone. She always knew how to push his buttons, and Knuckles had a sneaking suspicion that she was about to do just that.

'What do you want?' He snapped.

'That's no way to talk to a lady.'

'Well when I see one, I'll remember to be polite.'

The bat made a small sound of irritation, 'If that's how you're going to be, then perhaps I should just hang up and leave you to rot?'

'Be my guest.'

Knuckles could hear nails tapping impatiently against a hard surface, 'Fine. And while I'm at it, I think I'll pop by that shrine of yours. The Master Emerald must be feeling lonely.'

'Hey, you leave my Emerald alone!'

She started to laugh, and the echidna felt his temper begin to rise. Was this all just a game to her? Was she so devious as to take advantage of his incarceration? He felt like an idiot for having put any faith into the woman at all. And he had put faith into her. The two had worked together in the past, and he often found that beneath her coquettish nature, there was a soft and caring heart.

'Do you think this is funny!?'

'Not at all,' She replied, catching her breath. 'I'm disappointed actually. My shoulders are ever so sore. I was hoping you'd come and massage them for me.'

'What!?'

The guardian's cheeks flared up, and his fists started to shake. She was unforgivably flirtatious, even over the phone. Rouge had him under her thumb, twirling him round her little finger like ringlets of hair. The sound of a rattling receiver could be heard down the phone, and she knew he was struggling to keep his composure.

'You've been a naughty boy haven't you Knuckie?'

The echidna's face was completely enveloped in a fiery heat, 'I thought I told you not to call me that!'

'They're naming you as an accomplice in the attacks.'

'Tell me something I don't know!?' He growled, fighting a growing urge to slam the phone down. 'Why are you calling me?'

She heaved a sigh, 'I just wanted to see how you were, is that so wrong?'

He placed a fist on his hip, biting the inside of his cheek. Since when did she care about his well being? It seemed she was acting like her usual immature self. He still hadn't forgiven her for tricking him into visiting Eggman's amusement park. Though he should have known that Eggman would never leave a love heart at the end of a letter.

'Are they feeding you?' She asked.

'No.'

'Pity, I'll send some grapes.'

'Is that a joke?'

'I just thought you might be peckish.'

He grumbled, leaning against the wall of the booth. 'If you've got nothing useful to say, then I'm going back to my cell.'

The bat huffed into the mouthpiece, and Knuckles had visions of her pouting at him from wherever she was stationed, 'Is that the thanks I get for showing my concern?'

'Goodbye Rouge,' He replied firmly.

'Are you always so serious? You're as bad as Shadow. Very well, I guess this is farewell.'

'I guess so.'

'Just remember, Carnis el nada.'

'What?'

'It's an old Latin saying. It means, truth lies before you. Chow.'

She hung up before Knuckles had the chance to question her further. He wondered where she'd learned Latin, having considered her too lazy to look beyond anything of a purely aesthetic quality. Regardless, it was nice to be out of that oppressive cell, and even though the conversation had left him with nothing more than a headache, he was thankful that he'd been able to forget reality for a few minutes.

Returning the phone to it's hook, he gave himself a moment to let the bubbling fury in his gut subside, hoping the blush on his cheeks had vanished before the hedgehog could see. Sucking in his breath, the echidna left the booth, feeling the rush of cool air wash over his features. It had been close and sticky in the small booth, and Knuckles allowed the chilly breeze to dry his damp skin.

'Finished?' The agent asked, peering over his shoulder.

Knuckles nodded, 'Don't you want to know who it was?'

The hedgehog shook his head, 'It's none of my business.'

Upon returning to the cell, Knuckles was greeted by his vigilant friends, keeping a close eye on him as the bars sealed themselves into an unseen latch. Charmy and Espio were sitting on the bed, and Vector, having grown tired of sitting on the floor, was now perched atop the toilet, one leg crossed over his knee.

'Who was it?' The croc asked, kicking his suspended foot in the air.

'That annoying bat girl.'

Vector's eyes narrowed, 'What did she want?'

'Nothing, as usual. She was just being Rouge.'

The echidna walked towards the wall and slammed his fist into it. He'd expected to find a dint in the metal, but instead he made a dint in his hand. Cupping his glove, he stomped angrily on the spot, feeling a shooting sensation ripple up his arm. The military had made sure he couldn't smash his way out, and he wildly flailed his hand in the air. It stung.

'Do you think she's in on this?' Espio inquired, resting his hand over his knee.

'No,' The guardian replied earnestly. 'It's not her style.'

Despite all the trouble Rouge had caused them, Knuckles still refused to hold her accountable for their trouble. She was sly, sneaky and often cold, but that didn't prevent her from knowing when she had strayed too far. The echidna felt that such a well planned scheme was above the bat's time and effort. She was brilliant but lazy. There was no way she'd put so much work into getting her hands on his Emerald.

'What did she say?' The chameleon sat upright, folding both legs beneath him.

Placing his back to the spot he'd previously punched, Knuckles tugged at the hem of his gloves, 'She made some sort of strange remark. Carnis el nada. Claims it's Latin.'

'Carnis el nada?' The ninja repeated.

'Truth lies before you.'

Vector got to his feet and restlessly hopped from foot to foot. He'd never imagined that someone like Rouge had any such knowledge of ancient language, but he'd also proven ignorant to her intelligence before. She'd cheated Fang out of his dirty earnings, coaxed the Chaotix into her little plan, and single-handedly made off with all the profit. He wanted to believe his friend, but the croc knew that Knuckles wasn't a very good judge of character. The thief excelled at manipulating him.

His train of thought was abruptly cut short by a clatter of commotion, and Vector stopped to peer through what little he could see beyond the bars. Flying back in surprise, he ducked to avoid the remnants of a Hunter robot hurling towards him. Cogs and wires littered the cell floor, accompanied by the dying sounds of an engine breaking down. Kncukles, Espio and Charmy lurched forward to examine the mangled machine, when another explosion sent them diving along the ground, barely scraping by the sharp chunks of metal paneling that smashed into the area where they had previously been standing.

Jumping up, they all scrambled towards one another, taking up a fighting stance to defend themselves from whatever was vastly approaching. A high-pitched creak invaded their hearing, and they edged back, giving themselves enough room to react should another robot come hurtling through. They were at a disadvantage, but they were Chaotix, and they weren't about to accept defeat so easily.

But to their amazement, the creaking sound was not that of an enemy, but the result of the cell bars being bent out-of-place, creating a hole wide enough for them to safely pass through. The soft patter of feet replaced the sound of battle, and the team immediately relaxed when they saw Silver waiting for them in the hall, the remains of every single guard robot lying fragmented at his feet.

'Hey guys.' He smiled. 'Sorry I'm late.'