Notice: All students will no doubt be aware of the changes in the timetable. Due to events beyond control, the GCSEs WILL continue as normal, but all Year 11 students will be subject to changes in study periods. We expect everyone to attend study leave at least once and to have finished all coursework. Computers will be made available for you.
Also could Mr Malcolm please report immediately to the Head to arrange a meeting with a 'special' visitor.

Time slowed to a crawl as Adri turned round. It was like a dream, a nightmare of no real escape. I was shocked, afraid, despairing. I was rooted to the spot, just standing there as Adri raised her scythe and charged towards me, but her scream was almost...drowned out. It was only as she swung it to me that I thought of dodging it. I ducked and heard it skim over my head like a stray bullet. I needed to face her, but I was still trying to recover from my marathon running and my earlier fight. My chest was now burning and it was like a dagger was stabbed in my chest when I breathed. My head was swimming and my legs threatened to buckle.
And all this, facing Adri now, was not helpful.

She was still coming for me, her death scythe swinging back and forth, in an attempt to wound me. So far it missed to hit the wall or a nearby object I kept ducking and dodging desperately, scanning for a weapon, anything to use against her. But I felt ragged, tired and it showed since my dodges were slower each time and the scythe was dangerously close to cutting me down.
Then Adri took a large swing at me. I moved, but not fast enough. The blade went straight into my side and swept right out. The pain was quite unlike anything I had felt. I fell heavily on the floor, clutching my side tight. I brought a hand up to see it covered in blood. I tried to crawl away when a shadow fell over me. I looked up.

Adri raised the scythe up to deal the death blow. My vision went in and out of focus. Why wasn't she striking me down? Darkness took hold and everything went black.

Spared at the last minute...lucky to survive...just a small scratch...

My first sense was the sound of someone breathing. My eyes opened a little to show a pair of stern, grey eyes looking into my eyes. I tried to get up...and a fresh wave of pain made me cry out a little and fall back on the pillow. The white coated cat nodded slowly and made a note on her notepad. She was very proper and correct and her manner was abrupt yet consoling.

"I'm afraid you took a bad injury there, sir. You were losing blood, but we patched it up and it should be okay now. Try not to strain yourself again, sir"
Her little speech over, she turned then seemed to remember something. She pulled a file from her notepad and placed in front of me. She said something about "found near your body." Then she was gone.

I sat there for a moment, gathering my thoughts. The file lay there like some magic treasure chest waiting to be opened. But I was thinking about Adri. She had gone mad. Her eyes had held anger, the same anger that had been in Amy's eyes when I had seen her. But Adri seemed to have been targeted. She was, after all, a suspect.
Forget it, I told myself, joining dots where none exist. Or was I? She wasn't officially a suspect, but still if someone knew..

I reached for the file marked Confidential and opened it. The first page seemed to be a conversation of sorts, but there was no title. It was more like a scene from play.

M: "Yes, sir. Yes I'm afraid it's true, Eggman was defeated. We haven't found him yet, but...
A: "You don't need to worry, I'll handle that. But we know who defeated him?
M: "Yes sir, three boys and we're sure one of them is looking into it."
A: "I see. I'll have to deal with them as well. Knowing our luck, they'll all be looking it to it
M: "Meanwhile, we need that contact...the one from several months ago, he came here yesterday."
A: "He came? What did he say?"
M: "The shipment will be here in two days."
A: "Good. Your man seemed ready to do his job so do it."
M: "Yes, sir"
A: "I won't forget this, my friend. See to it."
M: "...very good, sir".

I didn't read any more. A quick flick showed that there were several other pages like the first with a few letters scattered here and there, but it was this one that struck me. I checked the date. By the look of it, this was done the day before Amy went berserk, which meant the shipment had been done around the day after Amy's 'arrest'.
But who was M? Or A? Arthur Mills, the criminal in...but that couldn't be. Could it?

The door suddenly burst open and a small, furry figure flung itself at me to give me a hug. Cream. I smiled, despite the pain in my side and she loosened herself from me to give a chocolate bar."For you" she proclaimed triumphantly. Behind her, Tails entered with a wide smile and a basket of flowers. A card showed them to be 'from the remaining gang.'

'The remaining gang' part made me think again, and despite the happiness around me, I felt my conscience gnawing at me. Adri was down and anyone could be next, anyone. I had tried to solve the case and all I got were more questions. I smiled back at my two friends, despite my overwhelming guilt and sadness.

Where were Davink and Daniel? And where was Sonic?
Where was my help and support?