Working for Kintobor had been strangely easy. She spent her days in silence with Jake, the two staring at one another in hopes that they might pry into the others mind all while waiting for the president to give them some remedial task that was hardly worth their time or skill. Although that's not to say there wasn't an occasional exciting moment. Foxtrot, even after their previous lunchroom victory, was ostracized among the teams. New and old challengers found every excuse in the book to throw a punch, but none had come up successful.

Looking out the window to the abundantly lit Dominion HQ building across the street, Fiona found herself struggling through a waking nightmare, unable to find the hope she longed for. The jingle of the bell above the door dragged her back to the sad reality she never left. Her partner had finally found her.

"What's with this place, boss?" Jake asked as he took a seat across from her at the small table.

"I thought we could try some place a little more friendly," the fox remarked as a waitress approached them cautiously with two coffees.

The small diner across the street from HQ was beneath most of the other Dominion agents, removing the possibility for another brawl.

"On the house, gentlem… err uhh agents," the small women said as she stared nervously at the fox.

Fiona thanked her with a tip of her head.

"Can I get you anything?" she continued helplessly ogling Jake with an overly familiar smile.

"No, thanks," the stubborn agent replied, oblivious to the girl's subtle advances. "It's a little late for coffee anyways."

"Of course, well, I'll just leave it there in case you change your mind," the girl replied sheepishly.

"A little harsh, don't you think?" Fiona inquired after the waitress retreated.

The look on his face suggested he didn't have the faintest clue.

"She likes you…You don't get out much, do you?" the vixen implied while burying her face in her paws.

"Likes me, she's never met me."

"Don't you even want to talk with… never mind, just forget I said anything."

This is Jake we're talking about. He is practically a robot.

"Done. What does Kintobor have you doing tonight?"

"He never tells me, but he gave you the night off."

"How thoughtful, but to be honest I was looking forward to another evening of rounding up delinquents."

Kintobor had been sending them out after some rather specific targets over the last few months. Although his orders were always the same, "Just bring them in for questioning and don't do anything fancy because I don't want to read about it in the papers." It seemed harmless enough. Every Mobian they handed over was in perfect heath, and hardly had any family to speak of.

"Is that what you're calling Mobians now?" Fiona asked with disdain before taking a sip of her warm drink.

His eyes narrowed, daring her to challenge him more. There was no forgetting what she was.

"If they're delinquents, why are we just questioning them?" the fox continued.

Jake guffawed so loudly that half the diner was looking at him before he stopped, "Fiona, you're smarter than that I hope. You don't think he lets them go do you?

The truth was, she had never thought about it. He said he just wanted to questions them. But she knew better, this was Kintobor after all. How many more lives had she helped condemn. Her brethren were almost eager to speak with her, never suspecting that she was working for the enemy. When she hid her badge beneath her black leather jacket, there was no way to know. The fox's worried smile always lured them in. Starting a conversation was as easy as looking in their direction with bashful eyes and swishing her tail.

"Twenty-two," she whispered to herself knowing full well that a life lead in captivity was as near death as one could come, especially when it was under Julian's care.

"Twenty-two what?"

"Twenty-two hundred hours is when Kintobor is expecting me, I need to get going."

"A date, uh oh. What did you do to butter him up so fast?"

"He owns my life," the vixen remarked harshly, "So there isn't a person in this world he can trust more."

"You have a choice you know,"

A rage so pure blinded her that what happened next was a blur to even her. With paws enriched by caffeine she reached over the table and grabbed the collar of his t-shirt with such ferocity that he didn't have time to fight. Pulling his head in close she touched his forehead to her own.

"I have a bomb strapped to my neck," she growled in a low tone with fangs hanging out of her mouth. "Death is a choice for cowards. Do I look like a coward?"

The agent gulped, doing his best to avoid eye contact and sudden movements. The later was considerably easier than the former considering her tightening grasp and almost intimate proximity.

"When you can think of choice that doesn't end with this thing blowing up, you can have your laughs, but until then I think you might want to keep that thought yourself."

The agent nodded reassuringly as she let him back down into his seat. Her outburst had gathered more onlookers than Jake's robust laughter.

"I'll see you in the morning," the fox said gruffly, excusing herself from the table amidst the trail of eyes.

Kintobor was waiting for her in the garage when she arrived.

"Good, you're early, we can get started right away. I have a lot of things I want to show you tonight."

Show me? She was too afraid to ask. He is trying to see how far he can push before I'll break.

Fiona had been afraid of this. It was only a matter of time before he started asking her to do and condone things which went against everything she stood for.

"You're driving," the fat man said as he scampered into the back seat and buckled himself in.

Another night babysitting, the vixen thought to herself as she reached for the door handle.

Traffic lights paved the way in front of her. All of them were green allowing her to glide along uninterrupted. The fox only wished that her life would work the same. At this time of night, the city was filled with nothing but the warm, summer, muggy air. However, inside Kintobor's SUV she was shielded from a sweat inducing climate. Julian preferred a frigid environment, one that her summer coat was strangely unaccustomed too. Although nothing about that surprised her, because as best she could tell only ice flowed through the man's veins.

"Take a left up here," his voice called out of the darkness behind her.

Fiona could see his menacing red tinged eyes in the rear view mirror. Even when she wasn't looking she could feel him watching, his gaze boring into the back of her seat fixated with untold interest. The man trusted her with his life, but perhaps that's because she had to value it every bit as much as he own. Casually she flicked the blinker to signal her turn as she approached the desolate alley. It was barely big enough for their vehicle, let alone the garbage that lined the walls. The building was a dump, what Kintobor wanted with it was beyond her.

"I can't go any further, sir."

"This is fine, I can walk. Wait here," the man's raspy voice commanded.

Julian exited the car with no hint of haste. His actions, right down to each step he took were deliberate, forceful, and made with what felt like malice. The doctor's blood red jacket flapped in the wind as strode down the small side street, unaware that he was being watched. Fiona had caught a glimpse of a pair of glowing eyes observing him from atop the nearby building. A figure barely perceptible to any of her senses slid down the side of the wall, seemingly defying gravity.

What the hell? She thought as she continued to watch the shadow with amusement.

However, the fox's judgment caught up with her quickly as she spoke into her com, "Sir, someone is following you."

It was too little too late. Kintobor was frozen halfway between the car and his destination, trapped by a very determined individual. Fiona hoped sincerely hope that her eyes were lying to her, because the hooded figure looked similar to someone she once knew. Two tails protruded from the Mobian's jacket flapping in the same breeze that had now reversed Julian's collar.

"Tails," she whispered, "what are you doing here?"

It didn't matter though, and she knew it. What mattered was stopping the kit from what he was about to do, which was kill her. The poor fox had no idea what the consequences of his actions would be if he pulled the trigger on the weapon he now had trained on her boss.

"Jake," Fiona mumbled into her com.

She waited patiently for the man to respond.

"I swear boss, if you woke me up just so we could talk again…"

Fiona had become strangely attached to the earpiece that all but read her mind. Anyone she wanted to speak with was only a thought away… well almost anyone.

"I bet you'll never guess who I am looking at."

"Who?" the agent allowed her in an uninterested albeit groggy voice.

"Miles Prower."

"You're shitting me right?" the reply came with renewed enthusiasm.

The vixen didn't respond, he should have known by now she wouldn't joke about something like this.

"I'll be right there," Jake responded frantically. "And uhh where is there?"

"The warehouse on fourth."

"What are you doing out there?"

"Kintobor asked me to take him."

"And where is he?" her partner asked now more concerned.

"Having a conversation with Miles."

With that she closed the connection and quietly opened the door. The last thing she needed to do was spook the two-tailed fox. Even from a distance she could see the hatred burning in the kit's eyes and the intentions that were bound to result. Cautiously she retrieved her pistol from its holster, aiming it at the Mobian she loved.

"I am sorry, she muttered too softly for him to hear, "but this is for your own good… our own good."

"Put it down sweetie," she asked in an overly kind tone while cocking back the hammer on her Desert Eagle.

Emotions long forgotten swirled around the fox as his body visibly quivered at the sound of her voice. Tails knew it was her, but he didn't want to believe.

"Fiona?" he whimpered in a defeated voice.

"So you remember her," Julian proclaimed in a bout of confidence, "how touching."

Fiona watched as the kit wrestled with right, wrong, love and hatred.

"Damn it," he swore to himself in a whisper that no one was meant to hear.

Don't do it! She wanted to scream, but the vixen knew she had to play it cool. Fiona didn't want to shoot him, but the two-tailed fox was creating a difficult situation. There was no way she could make him understand what would happen if Kintobor died, not without blurting the whole thing out right in front of a man who's secrets she was sworn to protect.

There was a small high pitched whistling noise followed by a grunt as Kintobor visibly jumped into the air. Tails had shot him, but at the very least not fatally. Rather than give him a chance to correct that mistake she lined up a shot that would trim his whiskers and let the kit know she meant business.

Diving out of sight, Tails did his best to find his target again. Whether it was divine intervention or piss poor aiming, not a single bullet found its mark as Julian hobbled down the corridor before finally making it inside. What little light there was reflected softly off the two-tailed fox's tear filled eyes as he peered out from behind the steal dumpster. No wonder why you couldn't hit him. Pulling the trigger again Fiona continued to play the part of the bodyguard, bouncing a round off the metallic surface. Run you fool.

How long had it been since she had seen him, since he had seen her? And all she could think about was how to get rid of him. Confusion was probably an understatement for what he was feeling, unaware that she was even alive, let alone working for the enemy. With one last glance, Tails sprinted into the shadows and over a chain link fence. Chasing him would have been futile given that he could nearly disappear at will. Besides, she had already saved Julian's life and proven that she was willing to kill his enemies, surely that was worth something.

Returning the oversized pistol to her side, Fiona followed a small trail of blood down the alley to where it disappeared inside the dilapidated building. She knocked at the reinforced door softly, waiting and praying for an answer.

"Who is it?" a response came, allowing her to breathe a deep sigh of relief.

"Do you really think Miles Prower would knock, sir?" the vixen inquired implicatively.

Although in reality she knew that is precisely what the two-tailed fox would do. It had been how they managed to corner her parent's killer.

There is nothing more deceiving that a soft knock the middle of the night.

"Is he dead?" the man asked from inside.

"No," she admitted, "but he is hurt."

Fiona had no intention of letting the doctor in on the fact that it was the kit's heart that had been injured in their battle and not by a bullet at that. It was easy to see the tears in fox's eyes, feelings of betrayal floating amongst the drops.

Now we are even, she thought almost proudly, now you know how it feels.

The vixen pressed on the door when she heard the electronic lock disengage. Julian was just inside the entrance, doing his best to remain calm. His face was bright read and his cheeks resembled balloons ready to burst from over inflation. There was a blood streak running down the drywall to where Kintobor now sat slumped over on the floor. His crimson colored suit concealed the wound well. However, a bullet in the fat man's ass was an amusing form of karma that only grazed the surface of what someone was sick and twisted as him deserved. Fiona did her best to hide a guilty smile, briefly lifting her gaze to take in her surroundings and overt his watchful eyes.

The warehouse was lined with test tubes, in each one a shadowy figure suspended in a pale green liquid. Without light there was no way to tell what they were, but what they were not was anything living, human or Mobian alike. Twisted flesh clung loosely to exposed bones and contorted limbs while wires wove in and out organs. The grin on her face was wiped away by an overwhelming feeling of sickness.

The prisoners, she thought as she turned away from their deformed corpses. This is what you wanted to show me. At least I know what you do with them now. Twenty-two, she reminded herself.

Turning back to Kintobor, the vixen could not help but ask herself, Of all Mobians, Miles, how could you miss such a big target.

The doctor's piercing gaze saw through her veil and into the hate she harbored for him, but he was not fazed. Julian feed off the negative feelings of others, smiling as he beheld their fear. Grinning larger he knew he had conquered her. Fiona was his, lest she chose to live no more.

"Do you need me to take you to the hospital, sir?" the red fox asked as she removed her emotions from the equation.

"No," the fat man barked, "They will be looking for me there. Take me back to HQ, we have plenty of quacks on staff who can fix me up."

Extending her paw she reached down and offered her assistance to a creature she loathed more than any other. Grasping his hand, Fiona struggled to pull the rotund man back to his feet.

If only he could see the irony, she pondered while staring at their intertwined hands. I suspect he never pictured himself getting help from a Mobian.

"And call that lazy partner of yours, I want him here now!"

"Better double-time it, Jake," the vixen whispered into her mic.

Before she could even blink, there was a pounding at the door. Kintobor jumped backwards in surprise, visibly grimacing as he placed undue pressure on his fresh injury.

"Boss you in there?" a familiar voice shouted.

"Yes," both Fiona and Julian responded in unison, eyeing each other as they did so.

Opening the door, the fox was surprised to find her partner, who was sleeping only minutes ago, fully suited up in his armor.

"What?" the agent asked deflecting her suggestive looks, "I keep some at home too."

Of course you do. What else would someone who is as madly in love with their job as you are do?

"Where the hell have you been!?" Kintobor screamed as he started in on his prey.

Even through his helmet, Fiona could see Jake's eyes widen in surprise when he saw the president and his blood soaked clothes.

"That slimy runt nearly killed me! I thought you said you were taking care of him."

"You told me I had the night off, sir."

"I don't care what I told you, just get me the hell out of here! Now!"

"Where is the fox?" the broad shouldered agent asked, clearly still more concerned with his own vendettas.

"Gone," Fiona responded as she drew her weapon and walked the president out the door. "Almost hit him, but he is pretty quick."

"I told you that you wouldn't hit shit with that thing."

The vixen rolled her, she couldn't exactly tell them she had missed on purpose.

"Can it, soldier," Julian said gruffly as he limped along. "Fiona actually managed to protect her asset."

"So she gets off, just like that?"

"When you save my life, you get to mess up a couple of times in return."

Jake mumbled a string of complaints under his breath, all too quiet for their faithful leader to hear. The agent was annoyed, and with good reason. So far it seemed as if the fat man had only requested his presence so he could yell at him and remind him of all his failures.

Opening the door to the black Government Issue SUV, Fiona waited patiently for her partner to help a still bleeding Julian into the back. A look of frustration and anger was growing on his flabby face.

"I want you to find them," Kintobor stated firmly before grabbing the handle and slamming the door shut in their faces.

The pair of agents exchanged uneasy glances before finding their own seats.

"The Resistance in not easy to find," Fiona began as she started the car.

"I am not talking about the pesky Freedom Fighters. No, I want all of them! Every single Mobian! No one tries to kill me…"

"But, sir," Jake interjected, "There are tens of thousands of them in this city alone."

"We have names don't we? Addresses?"

"For the ones that have papers and live here legally, yes, we do, but they're not…"

"They're not what, private? Mobians? Start with them. All of these animals are the same and I refuse to let them live in my city any longer, much less breath its air."

Doesn't he know I am sitting right here?

She wanted to be mad at him, but she had her own life to worry about. Throwing the car into gear, she reversed out of the small side street before taking off in the direction of Dominion HQ. It was only a couple of tire squealing turns away. Even in the midst of the financial district, the ominous building loomed above the rest. It's eerie red lighting, guiding them back home.

There was a gurney and medics waiting for them in the garage, ready to whisk their injured leader away to safety. Fiona and Jake walked with them as they wheeled him back into the depths of the building.

"How much did you see?" Julian finally asked aloud of no one in particular.

The question was no doubt for her, "Enough."

"Good. Then you know what you're in for."

I doubt that.

Even with her prolonged stare into the heart of Kintobor's science experiment, the vixen was never able to wrap her mind around what she saw. It wasn't torture, not purely anyway. There was a purpose behind it, one that scared her more than she could express.

"You two better find that fox," the dictator called out as the doctors wield him through another set of double door. "No one tries to kill me and gets away with it."

Having stopped at her side, Jake was quick to inquire, "What did he show you boss? What did you see?"

"Waking nightmares," she replied as the door closed, separating them from the plump president.

"What?"

"Jake, he's insane. Words wouldn't even do it justice."

"He never took me inside before," the soldier admitted. "What was in the tubes? I couldn't see."

"Trust me, it's better that way," Fiona replied as she turned back the other way. "Come on, let's just got find Tails."

"Tails?" he asked. "No one calls him that but his friends," Jake said suggestively.

"I had a life before this," the vixen allowed. "Now are we doing this or not?"

"You say that like it will be easy."

"I know where he is," Fiona sighed reluctantly.

It didn't feel right having to betray him twice in one night, but orders were orders and she at least had to try. Kintobor had given her a get out of jail free card for saving his life and she wanted to save it for as long as possible.

"Bullshit, I hunted that two-tailed fox for months. Unless you know where he is living, I wouldn't count on him even being in the city anymore."

"I just happen to have a pretty good idea of where he might be going."

"I'll believe it when I see it," the agent replied as he hopped back into the passenger seat of their SUV.

Of course there was no way for her to be certain, but Fiona felt as if the week she had spent with the kit was nearly a lifetime. Maybe she couldn't read his mind, but she certainly knew what his heart felt like, and more importantly where it was taking him.

"Do you feel like a drink?" the red fox asked as she started the engine.

"I thought you said we were going to find Miles?"

"Can't we do both?"

Rolling his eyes, her partner leaned his head against the window making an obvious attempt to ignore her.

"I am stuck with you too," she reminded him. "Can't we at least pretend like we can work together."

"I don't need your help," Jake snapped. "All I need is for you to stay out of the way."

"The way of what?" the fox asked, raising an eyebrow. "You getting yourself killed? I don't think so. Miles will rip you to shreds and I don't feel like telling Kintobor that I lost my partner."

His face began to swell with anger, but he knew better than to say anything to her.

"Oh just say it, I can take it." Fiona said unimpressed with his respect for the rules. " I mean do you really think I give a shit about chain of command? Besides, I wouldn't mind knowing what my partner really thinks."

"Do you have any idea what it feels like?!" the agent screamed in her ear. "I have to get up every day knowing I am working for not just a Mobian, but some street urchin bitch Kintobor seems to think can help. Instead of doing what I am good at, I have to sit here and listen to you pretend you know what you're doing while Julian eats right out of your paws. I can only assume he has some sick perverted tastes that you satisfy, because beyond that I don't see how you're relevant."

"Done?" Fiona asked, doing her best to brush off the harsh wave of insults as if it were nothing.

"For now," the agent muttered under his breath.

"Feel better?"

"Not really."

"You sit there acting like I chose this for you," she commented. "But the reality is you did when you agreed to be Julian's lackey. The only reason I am in charge is so he can spite you and put you in your place. I am nothing more than a tool to him, same as you. He owns us, and the sooner you realize that we are equals in that respect, the sooner we might start getting somewhere, which would be nice because there is nothing to be gained here but our continued existence. And as entertaining as the idea might be, I would sooner die than be his whore."

"If you say so boss," Jake replied, acting too tired to argue.

The breaks on the car whined in a high pitch screech as they slowly rolled to a halt in her old stomping ground. Just outside Jake's door lay the Barnyard, Ixis establishment. The tavern had done her no favors, and there were only a rare few memories that were not bitter, but it was those memories that brought her back here. It was nearly dark inside and the reflective windows didn't make matters any easier, but she was still able to make out the silhouette of two-tailed fox sitting at the bar. Fiona could only assume it was the same reminiscence of simpler time that had brought Tails there as well.

"Do me a favor, and stay here, Jake," she commanded. "I'll take care of this."

"Sure thing, boss," the agent said with a yawn as he reclined his seat, still not having seen the Mobian inside. "Go get your drink, I am sure we will find Miles after that."

"When I am right, you're going to feel stupid," the vixen remarked as she slammed the door on her stubborn partner.

It was better this way she decided. At least she might be able to talk with the kit before he ran off. With a lumbering oaf at her side, the fox wouldn't have any choice but to vanish. The familiar jingle at the top of the door announced her entry as she pushed her way in through the egress. Blaze paid her no mind, clearly unable to recognize an old friend. Then again, Fiona barely recognized herself when she looked in the mirror.

"I never took you for the sentimental type," she called out, ditching the sarcasm at the last moment.

The reality was however, she was depending on him to be romantically predictable, but she thought better of letting him know that she could nearly read his mind.

"Fiona?" he called out indo the darkness, too scared to turn around and face her.

"Miles, what are you doing here?" The vixen asked as she looked down at three quarters full bottle of vodka.

As much as she had expected to find him here, she still needed to why he felt the need to put himself in danger. He should have been thousands of miles away by now, but instead he lingered. The look on his face was soaked in as much guilt as it was alcohol. He wanted to forget her, but couldn't find the strength to do so.

Certainly I can't mean that much to him, Fiona pondered, but the thought was futile.

The pity in his eyes infuriated her. This was his fault, and all he could do was sit there and feel sorry for himself. Blind with rage, she brought her paw across his muzzle, "You promised me!" she shouted as her eyes began to fill with water. "But instead you let him take me."

The slap left him surprisingly unfazed, and undeterred. "Fiona," he said again, but with twice as much desire as before. The kit's paw reached out to caress her, but the vixen was quick to push it away. She promised herself she would not be so easily swayed.

"Fiona, I am sorry. I never meant for this to happen."

"It's too late now," she replied reluctantly, "I am not yours anymore."

But I wish I was.

Tails' eyes migrated toward the band around her neck, studying it closely.

"What is that?" he asked, "Some type of collar?"

Fiona nodded before replying, "I am on a leash," whishing that she was only being metaphorical.

"I might be able to…"

The vixen had been expecting this from him. He was tech savvy for sure, but Kintobor had mentioned him practically by name when he slapped this thing on her.

"No! This isn't some toy you can tinker with. One wrong move and I die. Call me selfish, but I don't feel like doing that yet."

Everything the vixen had done up until this point would have been in a waste if she let Julian win. Time is what she needed and Fiona was willing to do whatever it took to get more of it.

Retreating emotionally, the fox turned his eye to the rest of her outfit, "Do you have to dress like that?"

The real answer was no, but without a Dominion uniform she was often mistaken for an ordinary Mobian, and subsequently treated like one. In her Dominion jacket, Fiona received all the respect she ever hoped for, from the humans anyway.

"It's part of the job," she lied. "I – I am a Dominion agent now."

The second part was harder to say despite being the truth.

"Fiona?" another Familiar voice inquired. "Is that really you? Why are you back here?"

"What else does anyone come here to do?" the vixen asked in return.

The purple cat produced another glass and set it down next to Tails', filling them both up.

If the kit was going to drown himself in pity then she didn't see any reason not to join him. Tilting the glass into her mouth, she hid the wincing pain that followed the burn of the cold alcohol.

"What happened to you, Fi?" the feline asked.

What happened to me? The red fox repeated the questions back to herself. I trusted someone.

Perhaps it was too harsh to blame everything on the two-tailed fox. Kintobor had his part in all of this, but it had been Tails who promised her the world only to have it pulled out from under them both. However, pointing a finger now wouldn't help anyone. Swirling the vodka in her glass, Fiona watched as Blaze disappeared into the back. The second swig went down easier than the first, and the burning became a tingle as her senses started to leave her.

There was a calming sensation just as the stillness in the air became alive with music. The tune weighed on her like an anchor. Fiona had heard it played countless times while she was employed here, and Blaze must have caught onto the effect it had on her. The red fox's eyes would glaze over as she got lost in the beat.

"Damn it, Blaze. Not this song."

Fiona didn't need Tails to see her like this. She was supposed to be the tough one, the Dominion agent. But that didn't stop her eyes from betraying her.

**Now Playing**

Clarity by Zedd (Feat. Foxes)

Lyrics used below are not mine.

Turning to Tails, she said the only thing that made sense, "Cause you are the piece of me that I wish I didn't need."

It was hard to depend on somebody, and harder still when you loved them but couldn't have them. Fiona needed him despite knowing it made no sense.

"Chasing relentlessly still fight and I don't know why," she continued along with the song as she stared into his eyes.

Tails had never given up on her, never stopped fighting even after Kintobor had locked her up. Taking hold of the kit's paw, Fiona led him out to the dance floor. In his saddened state, he wobbled, unsure of nearly every step he took, but the two-tailed fox followed willingly. He lacked the same grace that he had the night they met, but a nearly half empty bottle of vodka was likely to blame.

"Our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy?" Fiona asked.

It wasn't just their love that was tragic; it was their lives as well. Both of them thrown into worlds without families, expected to do whatever it took to survive. When they finally found something that made them happy it was taken away, just like everything else.

"Our love is insanity, why are you my clarity? Tails answered back much to her surprise.

His question was perhaps the more important of the two now. They were playing for opposite teams and more than likely expected to kill one another. Being together made no sense, yet it was the one thing Fiona was sure of.

The vixen rested her head on his shoulder as they embraced, but when she looked towards the door, Fiona did not like what she saw. Jake had just walked in and was now just standing there, waiting to see what she did. I told you to stay in the car! There was no time for her to be mad now though, she had to salvage this and make it look like something it wasn't. Tails was too engrossed in her to notice the vixen's paw free the pistol from his holster. Jake however, did notice and moved in quietly be hind the kit.

"I am sorry," she whispered in a sincere tone.

"What is it?" he asked with a look that suggested he already knew. "What are you sorry for?"

"Good job, boss," Jake began somewhat sincerely. "I didn't actually think you would be able to find him, but here he is ripe for the taking."

As he pushed her away, Tails reached for his Berretta, but came up with nothing.

"Fiona, don't do this," the fox pleaded with her.

He asked as if it were up to her, as if she had a choice. The only thing she could do now was rely on him to do what he always did and find a way out.

"We can be together," Fiona said with a fake smile, wishing it were true. "Just like old times."

The look on his face was that of pure horror. Even the mere suggestion that he join forces with Kintobor was met with utter disgust.

"No we can't!" he screamed while holding back tears. "You don't get it, I will never work for him. Not so long as I am still breathing."

That sounded like the Tails she knew. Turning slowly, the two-tailed fox sized up the Dominion agent that was over twice his size, visibly weighing his options.

"Nowhere to run, Miles," Jake proclaimed confidently.

Haven't you learned anything Jake? Don't you remember the last time?

"I don't think I could run if I tried," Tails admitted solemnly as he found his way back to a barstool.

What's you game? The vixen wanted to ask knowing it wasn't like the kit to just give up.

"Care to join me?" the Mobian asked the two Dominion agents as he poured himself yet another drink.

"I don't touch the stuff," the man answered proudly.

Fiona didn't like where this was going. The fact that she couldn't see Tails' next move bothered her. He wouldn't hurt me, right? Although as far as he was concerned she had just sold him out. What am I to him now?

"Your loss then," was all the kit managed before he emptied his glass.

That's it then?

In the blink of an eye, Tails made his move, grabbing the bottle from the counter and breaking it across her partner's armor. The liquid splashed everywhere, leaving the two-tailed fox with nothing but a glass shiv in his hand.

"Really? That was your plan, a glass bottle? That's the best you got?" Jake asked almost confused. "Why have I even been scared of you?"

Because you should be! However, she still didn't know why. Tails was disarmed, drunk and within arms reach of man much larger than him. A smile emerged on the kit's face as he reached into his pocket. It was then that both Dominion agents realized what was about to happen.

With the flick of his lighter, the Freedom fighter spewed a breath of fire on the armored Dominion agent. His armor having already been covered in vodka promptly erupted into a fireball that sent him screaming. Tails had found a way out of the impossible and all she could do was sit there and watch her new partner roll on the floor in agony.

"This is mine now," the kit said as he tugged the silver Berretta back out of her hands.

Fiona was reluctant to say or do anything, still unsure of what he might do to her.

"I know you're sorry," he said with a smile before motioning to the enflamed Dominion agent, "and don't worry he'll be fine."

With that, the fox stumbled out the back door in something that vaguely resembled a sprint. Fiona knew there was no use chasing him. Reaching over the bar, she quickly found the soda fountain gun and aimed it at her partner. With a press of her thumb, the vixen released a torrent of water that doused the fire that had engulfed Jake's armor.

Returning to his feet amidst the hissing sound of cooling steel, the agent tore off his helmet, gasping for air. It had never occurred to her that the flames might have consumed all the oxygen that he needed to breath.

"That little bastard nearly cooked me alive!" Jake squealed between breaths.

"At least you had your armor on," she replied.

"Where did he go?"

Fiona shrugged her shoulders.

"You just let him get away!?"

"You were on fire," she reminded him.

"But…"

"But I told you to stay in the car. I had everything under control."

"Like hell you did. I saw the two of you dancing through the window."

"You saw how drunk he was, a few for drinks and he was mine. Miles trusted me Jake, but he won't ever make that mistake again."

"Bullshit, you just wanted to…"

"Disobey a direct order like you did, no. Kintobor told me to find Miles, I found him and I would have caught him if you hadn't interrupted and scared him away with your tough guy act."

The agent was furious, his face turning red as he sought to defy her more, but the man knew he was out of luck.

"Fine, but I am not telling Julian we lost him."

"Deal," Fiona settled on that.

After all, she had gotten a get out of jail free card earlier that night, and while she had hoped to save it, this seemed like the perfect occasion to cash in.

It wasn't surprising to see Blaze run back into the room to check up on the commotion and the tell tale odor of a fire, "What's going on in here?"

Jake's eyes narrowed on the purple furred Mobian, seeing some form of vindication in her presence.

"You got papers?" the still charred agent asked with obvious intentions.

"Ye-yes, let me get them for you," the cat replied.

"There is no need for that, you will be coming with us either way."

"Jake!" Fiona scolded him. "This won't help."

"Yes it will. You heard Julian. He wants us to bring all of them in, papers or not."

"What?" Blaze said in shock.

"Leave her out of it, Jake. We can find another."

"Why, this one is right here."

"Because she works for Ixis. Do you remember what happened the last time you and your friends pissed off Ixis?"

"But what about Kintobor?"

"I'll deal with him."

"Fiona?" Blaze asked nervously.

"Just get out of here," the vixen growled. "You don't want to be anywhere where we can find you."

The purple cat had been something that resembled a friend, and Fiona felt it was the least she could do for her. Turning towards the back, the feline bolted for the exit, not even so much as glancing over her shoulder to see if they were following.

Old friend or not, Fiona didn't have time to explain things to the slow-witted cat. However, there was hope that Blaze had heard enough to know Kintobor was up to no good, and with any luck she would warn some of the others.

More soon. This chapter was the hold up. I already have the next one done, but I will wait a couple of days before I post it.

Feedback appreciated.

Cheers,

M.D