Chapter Fifty-Three

Terror

The night past and Gabriel's body lay in the hotel room, his blood had pooled around him, from his crushed head, from the stab wounds all over his body. Throughout the night the other guests in the hotel had been completely oblivious to the murder that had taken place.

As usual, the chambermaid had come to clean the home, she silently knocked on the door, "Housekeeping" she called, there was no reply, so she used her key to open the door, "Hello?" she called again softly, "Housekeeping" as she walked in she had no idea that Gabriel's dead body lay on the other side of the room hidden by the bed.

The Chambermaid began humming a little as she pulled a trolley of cleaning materials into the room, she turned around and looked around the room, the bed looked rather untidy and on the dressing table were about three empty bottles of champagne. She pulled the trolley further in and as she did so, she then saw something dark red on the bed sheets.

"What's that?" she thought letting go of her trolley so she could walk over and have a better look. As she did so, she saw Gabriel's managed body laying on the floor, in a pool of blood, his face broken and crushed and his eyes still open and staring up at her. The maid's eyes widened then she screamed in horror and shock.

Her screams alerted some other maids who also came into the room and also saw the horrific sight of Gabriel laying there dead and bleeding. One maid went to fetch the owner who also was shocked to see the dead body, so shocked he had to run to the bathroom to throw up. Once he recovered he instantly told a couple of the maids to alert King Sonic, the police and the army.

Meanwhile, Sonic was sitting in the bedroom with Sally curled up in his arms crying into his chest, he had been so worried about his wife for she had done nothing but cry, he tried to be strong for her, he had lead the armies everywhere the day before but he had not found Alyssa and Sally was heartbroken.

Looking down at his wife, she looked so run down, her eyes were so red from crying, and there were dirty tear marks around her eyes and on her cheeks. Sonic held her tighter, as she cried more into his chest, as he continued to comfort her, his ears pricked up when he heard a frantic knocking on the door.

"Enter!" he called, Rotor then came in, his face pale and in shock, "King Sonic!" he cried breathlessly, "oh heavy day! The Rebels have struck again!" Sonic sat bolt upright and Sally looked up from his chest whipping her eyes. "What!" cried Sonic "What's happened?"

Rotor looked really pale and shocked he didn't know what to say, "Bunnie and Antoine have been informed! Oh Heavy day!" Sonic's eyes widened, "Gabriel!" he cried. Rotor nodded, "yes sire" he said, "He was found dead in the Hotel Suite!" Sonic stood up and clenched his fists.

Sally stood in horror, "Oh God….no!" she whispered, Sonic then left the room with Rotor, Sally followed, "Oh Bunnie, Antonie" she thought in horror and sadness. Rotor lead Sonic and Sally down to the main hall where Knuckles and Tails were waiting. "Where's Bunnie and Antoine?" demanded Sally, "They've gone to the scene of the crime" said Knuckles, "I sent some of the guards to escort them there" Sonic nodded, "ok" he said, "come on, we got to get to that hotel" The others nodded and they followed Sonic out of the palace.

Meanwhile, in their Tree House in the Great Forest, Angel and Alyssa were sitting by their personal lake on a log, Angel had his arm around Alyssa and one hand on her stomach.

"I'm hoping to set up the baby's room soon" said Alyssa, "Our child will have a happy and peaceful life here, here in the forest" "have you thought of names?" asked Angel, "I don't know" said Alyssa, "I was thinking of Sonia or Angelina for a girl" Angel smiled, knowing she wanted to choose those names because they were close to her and her father's.

"For a boy…" said Alyssa thinking, "I wasn't sure…" Angel hugged her again, "I'm sure we'll think of something" he smiled, Alyssa hugged him back and placed her hand on her stomach on top of Angel's. It was still flat and toned. Angel kissed her forehead and nuzzled her.

As Alyssa sat with her arms around her love, she began to wonder, what was happening in Mobotropolis now, she wondered whether the hotel staff had discovered Gabriel's body and were now on the hunt for his killer, (or Killers) she had not told Angel but she felt worried about how he and her and faked the kidnapping and the pain her family and kingdom were going through.

Angel was also worried about his family too, he wondered whether his father would lose patience and go looking for him due to the fact that he never came home or whether he had sent out messengers and spies to look for him. He looked down at Alyssa and hugged her close.

"All that matters" he thought "is that Alyssa and I are together, I know I'm a traitor to my people, but I would rather give up my duties to be with Alyssa and our unborn child" he held Alyssa closer and kissed her. Alyssa looked up at Angel and smiled.

"I know I've turned my back on my Kingdom, but what did I have there? A life I didn't want, if only things were easier, if only I hadn't got engaged to Gabriel and lied to my parents how everything was fine, if only I could have introduced them to Angel, if he wasn't the son of Lord Shadow, but I can't think of the past anymore, all that matters is, I'm with the man I love and about to have his baby"

Back in Mobotropolis, Sonic and Sally had arrived at the hotel where a crime scene was being prepared, Sally saw Bunnie who was on her knees crying hysterically over her son's murder and Antonie was kneeling next to her stroking her back and hair to comfort her, his own tears falling from his eyes every minute or two.

Sally instantly rushed over and began to comfort her friend, causing herself to start crying. Knuckles stood behind Sonic trying to look serious but his mind was wondering back to Julie-Su back at the palace. Looking at Sally and Bunnie who were crying together, he thought of how Julie-Su had been coping.

Since Lara-Su's murder and Funeral, Julie-Su had never come out of their chambers, she would often be found sitting in a rocking chair in their chambers, cradling a teddy-bear that Lara had been given as a baby or some clothes of Lara's. Every so often she would just sit there and hug the teddy or hold the clothes close to her, as if trying to feel her daughter again, it broke Knuckle's heart. But he was determined to stay strong and track down Angel and bring him to justice, then maybe he and Julie would find peace, even if it would never bring Lara back, he knew it would give him the satisfaction.

He followed Sonic into the room where some forensics were looking at Gabriel's body and taking pictures. Sonic nearly threw up at what he saw, Knuckles also felt a little ill, but they both stayed calm and began asking questions to the hotel owner and the chambermaid who discovered the body.

As he was interviewing the witnesses, one of the forensics held up the bloody knife that had been found in Gabriel's body, Sonic read the message on the knife and his blood boiled. "Do you believe it is the same assassin?" asked Knuckles. Sonic turned to the echidna, "I have a gut feeling it is" he said, "the same one who took Alyssa….and killed Lara"

Knuckles gritted his teeth, "It's not just the assassin I want dead Sonic" he growled "I want them all dead! After what they've done to me and Julie-Su…and to you and Sally, and our dear friends…every single rebel…they will all die…especially Shadow and Rouge…I want their heads on plates!" he clenched his fists making his knuckles crack.

Poor Bunnie and Antonie, but if only they knew what their son was really doing to Alyssa. And poor Julie-Su too.

Hi people, yes I know it's been a while, but I have been busy, I went to Download Festival with Shadowmjl, then I went to Rhodes for a week's holiday (came back with a lovely tan!) then I went away to London with Shadowmjl to the 2011 Summer of Sonic Convention. Happy (Late) 20th Birthday Sonic! And Boy am I tired!

But Anyway, here's another update! Enjoy!