Night-time arrived eventually, and with the exception of a few misadventures on Jeve's side nothing out of the ordinary happened… No, scratch that; nothing out of the ordinary happened at all.

"I'm not sure why you decided to be a thief. You could've made a successful stand-up comedian, no joke" Tails commented Jeve as they headed back for the Red Street.

"Heh, if folks are lookin' fer laughs 'round 'ere they'll go pubbin'. There's no shortage o' drunken sods, 'spite the shortage o' coin… And either they'll make ya laugh, or they'll let ya get yer anger out in the usual way. Trust me, been there done that."

Tails tilted his smile a little and shrugged. "Well, there'll be new possibilities once we're out of here."

"If we make it out, y'mean… And who said I'd come along anyway? Cascade's a dump fer sure, but 'tis still me 'ome. I don't know if I'd wanna leave 'er fer anythin'…"

"Now don't go and get any ideas Jeve" Alice interrupted. "You're in on the action now. We don't need anyone who'd jump ship before we'd set out of port. And besides, I'd rather not see you revert to your old ways, even if it means I'll have to keep an eye on you for a couple of years ahead. You can do better than remaining a thief for the rest of your days. And I think I can ignite that potential if you'll give me a chance."

Jeve chuckled a little at Alice. "Ain't that some… You almost sound trustin', Lady Alice."

"Oh not yet, but we're getting there."

"Speaking of which…" Shadow pointed ahead of the group. "There's the Red Street… Keep your wits about you."

"How much time will three magazines of .40 get me in there?" Alice asked Jeve, adjusting her holster which was now equipped on the outside of her cloak. The large handgun she wore seemed like it could punch a hole through a lot of body armour.

"That's 'bout forty rounds innit? If ye're a fine reloader n' a be'er shot, I'd say a couple minutes at most. We run into trouble with the big crowd and we're screwed, 'specially if David's got friends in there. We'll wanna get in n' get out, quick as we can."

"And if we can't…?" Tails asked.

"In that case we've gotta shoot a lotta bullets, and avoid a couple thousands of 'em. E'en if he's the loner in there, the crowd won't like an outside threat."

"As for an inside threat though…" Tails mumbled, rubbing his chin in thought.

Jeve smirked at Tails. "I know that look… Y'got a plan, ain't ya?"

"A couple of assassins having a dispute can't be an uncommon sight in there, can it?" Tails asked deviously, winking at the group.

"I getcha, but what's gonna convince 'em ye're dangerous? Ya don't exactly look it."

"Don't I now?" Tails asked menacingly, grabbing Jeve by the collar and pulling him close to his face. "Don't test me! Just because I'm a "cuddly little mobian" doesn't mean I can't hand you a rock-sucker!"

"Tails!" Alice exclaimed, stepping forward to stop Tails, only to be halted by Shadow, who gave her a serious yet calm look.

Jeve's smirk disappeared for a few seconds, replaced by a shocked expression, before returning as per usual. "…I ne'er thought y'all an actor like that."

"It takes one to know it" Tails said, just before letting go of Jeve. "I decided I'd do something with my time after the metarex had been defeated, and brooding isn't an everyday business. I realized I could spend a little time improving my communication skills. Some things just aren't scribbled down in books after all. But just because I better knew how to talk with creatures didn't mean my attitude changed; I simply get my point across a little better now. I even managed to make Sonic listen to me for a few seconds, outside combat! Now that is a feat."

Jeve shrugged his shoulders. "Ye'd know be'er than me."

"And so would I…" Shadow remarked, letting out a slightly mocking smile. "Still, I think me and Alice should stand for any "vital communication" in there. We've got a better disposition for such things, don't you agree?"

"Well I didn't want to put it like that, but yes. That's probably for the best" Tails said, shrugging his shoulders dismissively.

Shadow nodded. "Then we have a plan. Let's go team…"

As Tails and Shadow walked in front, Alice looked at Jeve as they walked a bit behind. "Do I really seem that intimidating?"

Jeve chuckled at Alice's question. "I'll be 'onest milady: It's not just the cloak that makes ya …or that eerie red glow comin' from yer right eye …or yer fascination fer combat… or yer-"

"That's enough" Alice interrupted, letting out a bothered sigh.

"I could go on if ya wanted."

Alice looked dangerously at Jeve. "And that's slightly concerning, for your health that is…"

Jeve grinned in fear. "Err… Did I mention ya sound really refined when y'all speak like that? Uh, like a noble, a leader…"

Alice sighed again. "Just say it…"

Jeve gulped. "…or like an assassin, speaking the last words ye'll e'er 'ear."

"You're out of leash for the moment Jeve, for more than one reason…"

"Yes milady… Phew!"

The team entered calmly through the first doors they came across on the Red Street. A small bar called Röd Rom, complete with dim lights and a mist of cigarettes smoked long ago. The gathering of anthromorphs took a collective look at the newcomers before returning to their drinks and conversations.

Jeve bit his lower lip, looking around nervously. "I came 'ere once… Back then the folks wouldn't stop lookin' at me 'til I left two minutes later."

"They've been expecting us…" Shadow muttered. "Keep your guard up team… I don't like this."

Alice fidgeted with her pistol, still fastened securely to her waist, as she looked about the place… There must've been about twenty creatures in there, and as little attention as they paid at the moment, they still looked like they could handle a scrapping.

"I'll speak with the barkeep and see if he knows our query. You guys take a seat…" Alice told the group before heading towards the bar.

"Go with her Jeve" Shadow instructed.

"What? But-"

"Go…"

Jeve still gritted his teeth nervously, but he complied nevertheless. Meanwhile, Shadow and Tails took a seat.

The two mobians sat in silence for a while, watching Alice and Jeve, before Tails spoke up.

"I feel envious of those two right now…"

Shadow looked at Tails with some curiosity. "And why is that?"

"At least they're aware of the progress. Meanwhile we just sit here, hoping nobody gets it into their head to shoot us. Should we really be splitting up in here anyway?"

"Maybe, maybe not… You're the expert in communications. Why don't you tell me what we're doing instead?"

"I never said…" Tails interrupted himself when Shadow looked at him composedly. He quickly understood that he'd not been asking Shadow any questions, but rather himself… "…It's a show of confidence. By splitting up in here we signal our independence from each other; we can all fight for ourselves. It's also a way of "covering both fronts", if you will…"

"So instead of bouncing your thoughts off of me, let's keep a lookout for Alice… We might still salvage some of our plan."

Tails felt a little confused… He'd always thought Shadow a simple loner with a straight for the jugular-approach to things. It seemed however that Shadow was equally capable in playing mind-games with Tails. But Tails put aside his confusion quickly after that. This was Shadow after all; mystery solidified. But for all the twists and turns he'd take, Shadow was dependable enough…

"As long as he doesn't think of his allies as liabilities of course…" Tails reminded himself, thinking back to the time when Shadow tried to kill Cosmo on the Blue Typhoon, shortly before their final battle with the metarex… How ironic that he'd almost gotten himself killed to save Cosmo, mere moments before he'd be forced to kill her by his own hands…

A clicking sound snapped Tails out of his thoughts. He looked up and saw Shadow having just clicked his fingers right in front of his face.

"Keep sharp Tails" was all he said, before turning back to watching Alice again…

It was only a few moments later that Alice signalled for them to follow her as she and Jeve walked to the back of the pub. Shadow and Tails followed close behind, keeping their eyes peeled for anything suspicious… or perhaps the proper term is "excessively suspicious".

"There y'are… I've been waitin'."

As the team entered the back area, a storage room from the looks of it, the freshly familiar face of Bloody David appeared at a concealed table. He smiled at the team disarmingly, drinking from a cup between phrases.

"Please, let's talk a lil'… I'm very curious as t'yer business with me."

The quadroon looked at each other uncertainly, but decided to see what was in store for them. The table only had two chairs, one of them occupied by David, so there was a clear sense that the seated would be acting speaker for the group… An unspoken contract was agreed to at that very moment.

"I'd rather keep this civil if I can" Tails stated as he sat down at the table. "…although I have a feeling it might not be as easy as keeping swearing out of context."

"Is that so? Then this is some'in' personal… Intriguin'…"

"Let's not pace around like a fox stalks his prey… You clearly know a lot already. So what is it you don't know?"

"Y'all wish t'find a 'uman girl I allegedly kidnapped 'bout seven years ago… I believe her name was Maria?"

"As far as you are concerned she's Maria, yes…"

David shook his head slowly, chuckling at Tails. "I know everythin' y'all said in that cellar, at the Red Day… Mousy n' I have a lil' business agreement, y'see. She listens, I hear, she gets a penny or two. 'Tis pretty simple…"

"So then you know about her…"

"I do… I sympathise with you. It must be hard, looking for a corpse about seven years old."

Tails stood over the table at this remark. "She's not dead! She's alive, and you know where we can find her! Now either you're going to tell us where she is, or we're going to tell you how to find Gaia's Garden!"

David seemed unaffected by Tails' outburst, breaking out a mild cackle at his adversary. "Poor Tails… Ye're haunted by ghosts. Yer sense o' reality's shifted so wildly that ye'll take anythin' on its word. D'ya really think chaos n' visions will undo history? I might've done some bad things in me time, sure… But at least I did it 'cause there's profit n' survival at stake. You on the other hand are led by madness… the same sorta madness which drove Oak n' his metarex… I oughta do the Universe a favour and rid ya from it before you get outta control."

Alice pulled her gun and pointed it to David's head, still standing a short distance away. "Don't try to threaten us again you filth! You might've gotten away with murder, but you won't get away with getting on our bad side!"

"Mind yer locale, Alice…" David retorted as he stood up from his seat, revealing a cocked revolver in his hand. "If they 'ear gunshots from in 'ere they'll come for ya in a blink. Maybe ye'll get me in a rush, but ya won't live t'tell 'bout it. Besides… killin' me won't get ya anythin' but dead memories."

The tension in the air as the two creatures stared at each other, pointing guns at their respective, was chilling. Finally, Shadow put his arm out and forced down Alice's hands, slowly but firmly. As the opposing barrel disappeared from his sight, David too let his arms relax somewhat, though he still kept his gun cocked and ready. David was in charge and he knew it…

"What was it ya said, Tails? "Keep it civil" I believe t'was… It ain't goin' that well so far, is it?"

"Spare me the insults! I've come here to gather information, not to tickle your arrogance. I need to know where Maria is, and you're going to tell us in one way or another…"

David gasped exaggeratedly. "Am I now? My, I didn't know that… And 'ere I thought I was forbidden by me boss t'speak of his personal treasures, kept neatly in his menagerie on De'Warrace."

"De'Warrace?"

David's exclamation of shock was even worse than his gasping before. "Oops! Did I spill the beans? Did I just tell ya 'bout Christian Neverland n' his fascination fer "exotic pets"? Oh dear… I should learn t'keep quiet. Folks might live longer that way…" His expression of shock slowly broke into a menacing smile as he lifted his gun again. "Mad or in the sane, y'all are in the way o' business… Personally I think it'd be quicker t'just snuff ya out in the beat, but me boss' heard stuff 'bout ya… He wants me t'give ya an offer ya can't refuse, capiche?"

"Do you really expect us to treat with you?" Tails asked angrily.

"Of course I don't, idiot! I expect ya t'comply or die! Y'ain't in a position t'tell us what t'do! So instead of flappin' yer gums, how's about ya listen instead?"

Tails glared at David, baring his fangs ever so slightly in a fruitless attempt to dampen his anger towards the cascadian… Closing his lips for a second, Tails simply made a grunt in reply.

"Better… Christian and the Tam Kong are offerin' y'all the chance t'walk away from 'ere with everythin' ya want in tow. Maria goes with ya, along with some compensation for earlier misunderstandings, if y'all do us a couple' favours… First: A replacement fer Maria; a young human girl in good health and with good genes. For nothing but a good breed will do as a substitution for her… Secondly: Alice will be joinin' our ranks as a guard. She'll enjoy the privileges and compensation for the time of course; it's not an absurd demand! And finally: Everything said and done which includes ourselves must, of course, remain discreet. Any detail of our dealings reach outside this circle, the deal's off, just like yer heads…"

Shadow and Alice both clenched their fists in answer to these demands… They both knew they would never do what David was asking of them, and not merely because they didn't trust David or his gang… Jeve stared quietly at the gathering, waiting for something to pop. He knew this would go to the gutter no matter what, and only hoped his death would be swift…

Tails remained quiet for a full thirty-two seconds… His deep breathing was all anyone could hear, save the distant ticking of an old clock, reminding the team that time didn't stand still just because they did…

But finally he did speak…

"Fine…"

The others stared at Tails in shock at hearing him say that one word. Even David seemed to be in disbelief.

"Say what now?" David asked in genuine surprise. "You agree?"

Tails stared down into the old wooden table, studying the flow of the graining as he strained his entire body in preparation of what he was about to do. "Cosmo is everything to me… and to hell with the universe! I won't let her come to harm, no matter what form she's taken. I saw her die seven years and a day ago, killed by my own hands! I failed her… I can't do that again."

"This isn't just about you Tails!" Alice exclaimed at Tails, grabbing the fox by his shoulders and pulling him up from his seat, forcing him to look her in the eyes. "I won't allow myself to be a puppet to these fiends, to anyone! And not to you either Tails!"

Tails pushed Alice away from himself, his face twisted with frustration. "This isn't about me, nor is it about you! This is about Cosmo! I'd give my life to save her, my soul! And you are supposed to keep her safe, which means you must be prepared to make some sacrifices! Or did you lie to me back then, in the hills? Is your dedication to Cosmo not what I thought it was? Are you merely a witless fool who's bitten off more than she can chew?"

Alice walked back up to Tails, getting into his face. "Do not question my sincerity Tails…! I've sworn myself to keep the seedarian race safe, and I will do whatever it takes to do so!"

"Then you'd better man up to this! They're holding Cosmo's life in their hands! If we do anything the wrong way, she dies… again…" Tails turned back in David's direction, but gave Alice a few parting words as he sat back down. "You are only a puppet to yourself Alice; not to them, not to me… not even to Cosmo… You will do what you know is the right thing."

A single tear fell from Tails' eyes… Alice understood now how hard this must be for Tails: He was abandoning everything he believed in, everything he stood for, to save his loved one… The ultimate sacrifice… She was unsure whether she should be shocked or humbled in face of such true love, such strength of conviction.

…but now there was another tear.

"So, done with yer emotional ravings now?" David asked with an obvious lack of tact. "Y'know what we want. Once ya got the "goods" ye'll come to De'Warrace. We'll meet ya there, and the exchange'll be made… At the same time we'll 'ave ya sign yer contract with us, Alice. 'Til we meet again, cuddles."