EPILOGUE
8 DAYS AGO
Local authorities arrive to a crater site in the desert outside of Metropolis. They heard there was a shootout here not long ago so they're here to investigate the scene. They walk down the sand dunes and stumble upon 1 dead body.
The leading officer grabs his walkie talkie "Yeah, this is X 13, be advised; 1 body on scene. Male, k-9, late 20's to early 30's. Victim's arms and legs are bound, face covered with a cloth bag. Fatally shot in the right-side temple"
The second officer walks over to the body and checks his tags
"Sleuth Dogg. 27, expired drivers license. Lived in Vace Beach but our records show he rented an apartment in Westvalley"
"I know this guy. Convicted killer for hire. Used to run with Scourge, Simian and Lynx. Looks like business finally caught up to him"
"Damn. Took him out here and executed him. Hey, I heard Dogg couldn't die or something"
"Well, these guys must've used one hell of a cannon to do the job. C'mon, lets go survey the boarder, let those Sanitary guys clean this up and tag him at the Morgue"
FEATHERLYNN MORGUE
1 HOUR LATER
The body is placed on a metal gurney and a sanitary worker cleans the dried blood off of Dogg's face.
Another worker sits at a computer typing in Dogg's information into a death certificate template.
The worker behind the computer pulls out his phone and turns on a Radio App
"..HERE WHERE WE PLAY THE NEWEST ROCK MUSIC-"
"Hey, ain't playing music in here against the rules?" The cleaner asks
"Ah, screw the rules, it's boring in here"
"Yeah, I guess so. Man, this guy's huge. $50 bucks says he was on steroids, Pat"
"They said this guy was a hitman or something, I doubt he took steroids, Barry"
"Then this guy was a fitness nut or something 'cause he's jacked, or at least, he was"
"Look at this, his file doesn't list any family whatsoever. No emergency contacts, work info - nothing. He must've been one lonely sucker"
The worker finishes typing up a death certificate and enters it into the database. Sleuth Dogg is officially declared dead.
The cleaner zips up the body bag and moves the gurney towards the next room. A finger from inside the bag pulls the zipper open, freaking out the cleaner
Dogg sits up and takes deep breaths as he looks around. The worker falls to the floor petrified
"You... what is this, where am I?"
"Uh- Featherlynn Morgue"
"Holy fuck..."
Dogg gets out of the body bag and stands on the floor. His legs are weak from losing so much blood so he takes his time walking.
The worker on the computer enters the hallway "Hey Barry, I'm heading out for lunch-"
"Don't you say a word!" Dogg orders
The worker complies and both watch as Dogg walks to the door
"You already type up my death certificate?"
"Y-yes but I can-"
"Good. Don't take it down from the database. You tell your superiors someone came here to pick up my body"
Both workers nod and Dogg makes his way through the rest of the building. He picks up a white sheet from a laundry basket and covers his head with it as he walks out into the streets.
It's around 8:45 PM when he reaches his apartment building.
Dogg knocks on the building managers' door
"Mr. Dogg? I heard you were uh-"
"Dead, yeah, everyone did. Listen, I lost my apartment key, could you let me in?"
The manager walks with Dogg to his door and he uses a master key to open the door. Dogg tells him to wait and he grabs a big stack of cash
"Here, Joey. Please, I don't want any cops coming to my door, man. I've had a pretty shitty week. I just wanna rest" Dogg says
Joey takes the money "You got it, Mr. Dogg. Nobody's gonna come knockin"
The Hitman rests for the first day, orders a ton of healthy food the second, and finally gets back on his feet the third. He clears a spot in the living room so he can practise his fighting techniques. He trains for hours and hours on end, growing angrier as he pieces together the events of the past week.
Dogg looks at himself in the mirror and glances at the giant gash on his temple, a scar from being shot in the head. He smashes the window and starts packing some luggage for the road.
The assassin hops on a plane, heads back to his home town Vace Beach and rents an entire warehouse near the industrial area.
It takes him 30 minutes to find Vector driving around town in an unmarked police car.
A sports car slams into the side of Vector's car and it flips onto it's roof. The Crocodile groans in pain as he unclips his seat belt and falls onto the ground.
Dogg grabs him by the collar and looks him in the eyes
"You tell Knuckles and AJ to get down here. You tell 'em it's time to finish what they started. I'm gonna end those Echidna sacks of shit for good, so they don't ruin anyone else's lives ever again"
Dogg releases Vector and he disappears into a crowd of onlookers.
Vector opens his phone and dials a number "...Knux?.. Sleuth Dogg wants a word with you. He says he's gonna end you.."
TO BE CONTINUED