Hey guys, thanks for sticking around for this fic. It's been fun writing this one, even during school I worked on this. I'd like to thank everyone for the reviews, this was a different kind of story that I'm used to writing. Last chapter of the story here, enjoy and let me know what you thought of it!
Chapter 10: SKYLINE
Tails freezes where he stands as the towering bulldozer rips into the concrete and powers its way over to the fox. Cream grabs a hold of his black hoodie to pull him away and they jump inside the open doors of the shipping container, a second before the dozer smashes into the front doors.
The container shakes furiously and a door breaks off, but Harvey continues to drive the machine forward. It makes a fast sharp turn left, just as fast as a muscle car straight off the showroom floor.
Espio and the large wolf Kilo trade punches in the room Tails was held in, while the mysterious raccoon making his way toward them with the shiny metal pipe in his hands. Kilo punches the chameleon, forcing him into a wall. Just before his next punch, the raccoon swings the pipe and strikes Kilo in the face. The wolf flies backwards, shattering an old glass window as his head makes contact.
The raccoon helps Espio up and the two face off with Kilo.
"I don't think we've met before, buddy.." The chameleon tells the raccoon while staring at Kilo
"We have, you probably don't remember me though"
"Probably not… I'm guessing you know these guys"
"You can say we have history"
"We'll save that for later, steroids coming right at us.."
Espio and the raccoon split up as Kilo races for them but is too slow. The Raccoon swings his pipe but Kilo catches it and snaps it in half, but this gives Espio the chance to strike. He leaps up and kicks the wolf in the muzzle and knocks him backwards.
The bulldozer speeds at them so Espio pushes the raccoon back and they avoid getting hit. Kilo takes the full impact of the dozer and flies backwards, breaking through the brick wall and landing outside on the grass.
Tails looks out of the container doors to see Espio and the raccoon facing the bulldozer, so he stands up to help his friend.
Cream grabs him by the arm and stops him, making the fox look at her.
"Tails, you're hurt. Be smart about this"
"I'm fine. They need my help.. don't worry about me. Stay in here, I'll be back in a minute, alright?"
Espio's face lights up as the headlights of the bulldozer shine on him, then the raccoon walks beside him, and finally Tails comes.
"So.. got a name, buddy?" Tails asks the raccoon
"Marcus"
The bulldozer revs its powerful engine, making grey clouds of smoke rise from its exhaust and fills the whole building. Espio looks up at Harvey in the driver's seat and notices four chaos emeralds floating beside him. He then notices red lines coming from the emeralds and into the front grill of the bulldozer.
"He's got the emeralds powering the whole machine…" Espio tells the fox "That explains the speed and handling he can get out of that dozer"
"So if someone grabs the emeralds, it won't be as efficient.." Tails looks closely at the bulldozer "If someone can cause a distraction, I can fly up there and take them back, then we can get him out without getting run down"
"I'll make him come at me, then you guys act fast, I don't wanna get flattened" Espio orders
"Right. On the count of three we do this.."
Tails and Marcus run to the opposite side of the dozer while the Chameleon gets in place
"Alright, now!
Espio picks up a brick and throws it at the bulldozer's windshield, getting Harvey's attention. Just before the dozer moves, Espio gets pulled away from his spot and is attacked by Kilo again.
Tails and Marcus look out for the dozer but then see their friend in trouble.
"Shit.. can you distract him? I think Espio is busy" Tails asks
"Yeah, just be fast"
The raccoon takes off and Tails moves out of sight of the dozer, which is tearing the building apart, smashing into the walls and bringing them down. Kilo and Espio bring the fight into the main room where the dozer is, making Marcus look toward them. This distracts him long enough for the dozer to smash him and send him flying outside the wrecked building.
Tails notices the metal cover for the grill start to come off, revealing the red hot motor inside, which gives him an idea.
He runs over to Marcus and helps him up, and the two carefully enter the building again.
"You wouldn't happen to have a lighter on you, do you?" The fox looks at Marcus
Tails takes the raccoon's lighter and rips off a piece of his clothing, then sees Espio's back pack he dropped at the entrance. He looks inside for the bottle of liquor but can't find it, then he looks over at the chameleon.
Espio dodges punches and strikes back with one hand while holding his bottle and taking drinks in the other.
"Espio!" The fox yells to his friend "I need your bottle!"
The chameleon takes one last drink then tosses it 10 feet across the room into Tails' hands. The fox ties the ripped clothing to the neck of the bottle and looks at Marcus.
"I need you to rip that piece of metal covering the grill, Marcus. Then take cover fast" Tails orders
"Tails!" The fox looks back at Cream "Grab Cheese! He's in a cage!"
The fox runs over to a computer desk and grabs the cage, waking the small chao and he runs to Cream. He hands her the cage and she opens it then holds Cheese in her hands. Tails runs back into the center of the action and goes back to work.
The raccoon runs up in front of the dozer as it's destroying the building, knocking over walls all around. Just as he jumps on the side of the dozer, a big chunk of the building right above him falls down. He quickly jumps off and avoids the debris, then gets back on the side.
Without Harvey seeing, Marcus pry's the metal sheet and reveals the grill, now smoking for how much fuel it's burning and all the damage it's taken. Marcus jumps off and runs to take cover.
The smoke rises up and Harvey notices it, but when he sees Tails light the bottle and fly up, it's too late to react.
The fox lands on the roof of the bulldozer with his homemade Molotov cocktail in his hand ready to go. Tails quickly grabs the chaos emeralds and looks Harvey in the eyes for the final time.
"Fire in the hole, you son of a bitch!"
The fox flies in front of the bulldozer and throws the flaming bottle at the exposed grill, making the massive machine explode at the same time the Molotov cocktail does.
The force of the explosion knocks everyone standing 30 feet by backward and takes out what's left of the building. The only thing still intact is the now charred metal shipping container. Cream looks out and sees the destruction from the explosion.
10 minutes go by and the only sound that can be heard is the blaring police and fire truck sirens in the distance.
Cream gets out of the shipping container and avoids stepping in the fire that surrounds the debris.
"Tails! TAILS!" She desperately calls out
Marcus pushes large pieces of metal and bricks off him and he gets to his feet. He joins Cream in the search for Tails near the center of the explosion, but can't find him.
They stand back as they hear rumbling left from where they are, but are relieved when Espio's head comes up.
Marcus spots two burned orange tails sticking out from under a piece of the roof.
"There!"
He and Cream move everything out of the way and pull the fox out
But he doesn't move.
His eyes are shut and most of his clothes are burned to a crisp. Cream can't believe the sight of her friend and drops down beside him.
"No, no - God, please don't do this!... not him..."
Espio walks next to Marcus and looks at the fox, then looks away.
Marcus looks at the still burning bulldozer for any sign of life from Harvey, but can't find any. He spits on the blackened machine and walks back to the group.
The tears stream down Cream's face as she grasps Tails' hand and head, then she rests hers on his chest.
Espio starts to move more pieces of debris off of his friend and out of the corner of his eye, he sees the fox's other hand holding a chaos emerald that is still glowing. He uncovers the rest of the emeralds and they are all glowing.
Marcus and Cream look at them, then they hear faint, weak coughing.
Tails opens his eyes and sits up, then he feels Cream wrap her arms around him for a hug. They embrace, while Marcus grins and Espio nods at his friend with a rare smile on his face.
Remembering the cops are on their way, Team Skyline have to get going and out of sight from anyone.
Cream and Espio hold Tails' arms over their shoulders, and he looks in the rabbit's eyes
"Are… are you crying?"
"Shut up" Cream laughs
The four make their way through city parks and back streets, walking to the only place they can stay. Ron runs away as Espio walks into the motel lobby and everyone goes to the still torn up motel suite. Tails sits in a chair while Cream looks at the damage to the place. Espio and Marcus look around as well, then they grab chairs and sit down in Cream's room. Cream sits down on her bed and Tails shuts the front door.
"Well, that was a fun night.." Tails starts yawning.
"Yeah, right! I gave up my last bottle for the night!" Espio says
"Well, it didn't go to waste.. so, Marcus.." Tails looks at the raccoon "I.. I think I know.. you're the guy from the night that street gang tried to rob Cream."
"Yeah, that's me.. I was also the guy you two saved from the same gang. So I figured I'd return the favor tonight" Marcus coughs
"Thank you, Marcus.. we'd all probably be dead if you didn't show up.. how did you know Harvey stayed in that building?" Cream asks
"The gang I used to run with was working directly with Phoenix and Kilo. We had to work in that facility for hours sometimes. I hated it, but my step brother wanted me to be part of the gang with him.. then that juiced up steroid wolf killed him. After that my relationship with the gang wasn't good, then when I saw what they were going to do to you that night, I knew I had to quit. I think my brother would've been right with me if he was still around, he hated Harvey more than me"
"So what are you gonna do now?" Tails asks
"I don't know.. I want to help out kids like me and keep them away from the gang life"
Tails looks at Espio, and then back at Marcus "Well, dude.. there's a spot open on the team if you want. We could use a guy like you out there"
Marcus thinks about it for a few seconds, then gives his answer
"I'd do anything to help out the kids around here and kick some ass in the process"
"Alright then, Marcus.. welcome to team Skyline" Tails says
"You drink?" Espio asks the raccoon as they exit the room, leaving Tails and Cream alone.
Tails stands up from his chair and pulls off his burnt shirt, then tosses it away. Cream stands up and kisses the fox. They go to sit on the bed, still locked in the kiss and Tails lays down on the bed. Cream lets go and smiles at him, but their attention turns to the door as Marcus enters again.
"We're not actually staying in this shit hole, are we?"
After a few hours of sleep, the team gets up and start to make their way through town, to a place Marcus knows they can stay that is better than a destroyed motel suite.
They walk all day, making the trip longer because of Espio's stops at local beer stores. The sun starts to go down on the horizon as the four members of Skyline walk across a grassy area. Marcus leads the way, holding a bottle of liquor and Espio talks to him while Tails and Cream are close behind holding each others hand.
"Dude, are you sure you know where you're going?" Tails asks
"Of course I do. I used to live around here" Marcus answers
"Well, how long ago did you live here?"
"..not too long, I'd say.. 10 years ago."
"10 years? You know, a lot could've changed in that 10 years.. trees grow, annexations-"
"Tails, shut up" Espio says, cutting off the fox
"Fine, fine. But if we don't find this place.."
Marcus pushes past one last branch and he gets to the edge of a hill. At the bottom is a sandy beach at the ocean and the waves crash on the sand. He looks to the right and spots his home.
"We're here guys" Marcus announces as he makes his way down the hill
"This place is beautiful, Marcus!" Cream says, looking on at the beach
"Wow.. I have to say, I wasn't expecting a place like this" Tails says
Marcus and Espio get to a 3 story high cottage with a garage in the back that leads to a dirt road. The cottage is on the city limits of Two gates and right by the highway back to Station Square. Marcus tries to open the front doors but they're locked, so he looks in the mailbox. He finds a letter and a house key, so he opens the door and lets everyone inside the huge cottage.
He sits on a black leather sofa and opens the envelope the letter is in.
Espio, Cream and Tails sit on the other sofas in the big living room and admire the interior of the cottage.
On the front of the letter, Marcus' name and his brother's are written on it, so Marcus starts to read.
Dear Boys,
I've watched this house for your parents for 9 years now, waiting for one of you guys to come home. I understand you two have lives in the city now, but just in case anything happens, your parents wanted to give you this house. I don't have much time left here, so I wrote this letter-
Marcus starts to tear up, but continues reading out loud
To you guys if you ever come back. I love you boys like you were my own sons and always will. Enclosed in the book cabinets are every photo album of our family.
...By the time you read this, I will not be here. Stay strong and make us proud.
Uncle Roger
Marcus puts his head down while Tails, Cream and Espio look on, feeling sorry for their new friend. A tear drops from Marcus' eye and onto the floor, then he wipes it away. He folds the letter and puts it in his pocket. Espio stands up and looks at him.
"I'm sorry about your uncle, Marcus"
"He was a good man.." Marcus stands up and walks to a table in the dining room "He was my favorite uncle. And he was waiting for me and my brother to show up.. I don't deserve any of this.."
"We all make mistakes. We just have to live with them and like he said, stay strong" Tails says "Make him proud, Marcus"
The raccoon nods "You're right. I'm gonna make him happy as he looks down on me…"
Marcus goes to the bookcase in another room and grabs a photo album. He opens it to find a picture of him and his brother as kids. He unfolds the letter and sticks inside a flap, then closes the book. He walks back into the living room and looks at his friends.
"Enough of this sad stuff, make yourselves at home guys and pick your rooms" Marcus tells the group
"I call the master bedroom!" Tails calls out
"First one there gets it, Prower!" Espio says
The two take off, leaving Cream with Marcus "Boys.." Cream says, laughing with Marcus.
"Sorry guys, that ones mine!" Marcus yells upstairs
"Than I call the second biggest room!" Tails muffled voice calls back, followed by a loud crash and a yelp.
"Not if I can get there first" Espio runs off to find the room, leaving Tails on the floor upstairs.
"Thank you, Marcus, for letting us stay here" Cream says, holding Cheese in her hands
"You guys saved my life, and you let me into your family so, Thank you, Cream"
She smiles at him
"Just make sure they don't bring this place down" Marcus jokes
Tails makes it to the other room and rests on the floor exhausted, so Espio leaves and looks around the house. Cream comes into Tails' room and closes the door behind her.
Espio stops when he sees a large cabinet with glass doors, and liquor bottles inside. He jumps on the bed and lies down. Marcus puts the photo album up in his room and sits in his bed admiring the large photo of his whole family on the wall.
Espio opens the liquor cabinet, takes the first bottle he sees and goes to the radio. He turns it on and goes to the rock station.
"All Summer Long" by kid Rock plays and Espio looks out his window to the view of the sunset over the ocean.
Well, there it is, readers. Thank you for reading it all the way through, I gotta say I almost didn't finish it because of the stuff going on in school and what not.. anyway let me know what you thought of this story! And if you haven't heard All summer long, go search it up, it's a good tune.. until next time, Readers. Later..
-Menace3117