A/N - Thanks so much for all reads, reviews, faves and follows! =D
Chapter Fifteen
The sky was rapidly darkening. Heavy black clouds spread across it, bringing with them the threat of rain. The air was heavy and humid, enough so to cause Sonic to stop by a vending machine for a quick drink.
The blue hedgehog downed an iced tea with one thirsty gulp after the other, then swiped his glove across his muzzle as he turned towards his twin-tailed friend.
"Want some?" he offered.
Tails glanced back at him over his shoulder then checked over his weapons. "I think we need a higher vantage point."
"That's a 'no'," Sonic muttered as he sipped more of his drink. He joined Tails' side and scanned the busy street. "I think you're right. A better view of the city might give us a good starting point."
"And we might see Shadow among the crowd," said Tails. "Although I doubt he'd remain in such plain sight. It would be suicide. I think we should aim for the evacuated areas."
"Agreed."
Sonic didn't need telling twice. He tossed the empty bottle into the nearest trash can, eliciting a small beep from it. It opened up and swallowed the bottle as Sonic zipped past it. He raced up the side of a skyscraper and came to an abrupt stop on its garden rooftop. From his new perch on the top of the safety rail surrounding it he could see across most of the business district.
The familiar thrum of a propeller reached his ears as Tails descended beside him with T-Pup in tow. The fox perched beside Sonic and peered out at the city.
"A little higher than I'd been thinking," said Tails.
"Yeah, but look at that view."
Sonic waved across the city. Rising up from the midst of all the towering buildings was the blinking antenna of the Beatdrop Capital's Chaos Node. Well below them, cars raced back and forth like little beetles along narrow tracks, ignoring the hundreds of colourful Mainframers as they went about their day.
"You're right though," said Sonic. "It would be impossible to see Shadow from way up here. But over there looks pretty evacuated."
Tails followed his eye towards the Western district. It was the first area to be evacuated. Few people wanted to stick around after the murderer had been sighted in that very area, lurking around the school almost every child in the Beatdrop Capital attended.
The fox made a thoughtful noise. "It's entirely possible he's still there. If he's wanting to hide out of sight, then return to the scene of the crime. What better place to hide than in plain view, when everyone else would assume you'd have fled elsewhere?"
"You're almost echoing my thoughts there, bud." Sonic gave his friend a playful grin. "Race ya!"
With that, Sonic kicked off from the edge of the skyscraper and rushed down the vertical drop. A few squeals of surprise rose up from the street as the blue blur took off at the speed of sound down the busy main street.
Within seconds he was by the school, casting his eye up and down the empty street as he tapped his foot impatiently. Before too long, Tails descended beside him, his weapon ready.
"See anything from up there?" Sonic asked.
Tails gave a curt nod. "I spied a suspicious individual two streets from here."
Sonic raised an eyebrow. "Shadow?"
"No. Infinite."
"Really?" Sonic didn't mask his surprise. "Which way?"
Tails pointed his gun towards the small street leading off beside a bistro, its neon 'open' light as dull as its empty windows.
Sonic dashed away from Tails, leaving the fox coughing in his dust cloud.
...
The quiet street lay cast in murky light from the street lamps as they cut through the stormy air. Infinite's footsteps echoed in an eerie way, sounding oddly loud in the ghost town of a city. At least, that's how it seemed. Not a Mainframer in sight. All the windows of the houses and tower blocks were dark, not so much as a flutter of a curtain to signal any life. On his right, the digital face of the school's clock rose over the low rooftops of the terraced houses. Bright and clean, ringing out the hour for five in the afternoon. Its chime, clearly meant to be jovial, was haunting. It sent a chill down the jackal's spine and he fought the urge to hug his arms around himself. After the fifth and final bong, the street was plunged back into silence.
Infinite turned away from the clock and scanned the street. A lone crisp packet fluttered along the gutter, whipped up by the gentle breeze.
He tutted. "It's going to take me a long time to check all these empty buildings."
"Looking for something?"
Infinite almost leapt out of his skin. Canines bared, he spun around to face the speaker. A blue hedgehog leant against the wall of a news shop, dusting down his GUN jacket. Infinite let out a low growl. He recognized that hedgehog.
"I mean, you must be, right?" Sonic went on. "Either that or you're lost. This is a pretty strange place to go for a walk."
The jackal's fur bristled down his spine and he balled his hands into fists. Sonic didn't seem to care. He pushed himself back from the wall and took a couple of steps towards Infinite.
"How's Amy?" he asked. "I haven't seen her since I left you in her care. Kinda expected you two to stick together."
Infinite met his eyes, his lip twitching as he braced himself for the hedgehog to reach for the weapon strapped to his back. The air filled with a dull, repetitive thrum and Sonic's fox companion slowly descended beside him. Unlike Sonic, however, Tails had his weapon at the ready. Grenades adorned the strap crossing the fox's body. The weapon in his hands was one Infinite was unfamiliar with. Electricity hummed between two round shafts of metal, and he held it level with his eye. The tin dog accompanying him yapped away, stopping only when Sonic shushed it.
"So where is she?" he asked Infinite.
"Safe." It was all Infinite had to say. Sonic didn't need to know any more details.
He didn't. No one did.
"Well, so long as she's safe." Sonic took a step towards him and raised his hands. "Look, I know we've not got off on the right foot-"
A deep hum filled Infinite's ears as the Phantom Ruby flared to life, surrounding his body in a red haze.
Sonic's eyes widened and he froze, lifting his hands higher. "Whoa, whoa! I'm not here to start a fight!"
Infinite nodded towards the fox soldier. "Tell that to your friend."
Sonic looked over his shoulder and sighed. "Tails, put the railgun away."
"That would be unwise," said Tails. "We know he's volatile."
Infinite growled as the Phantom Ruby intensified. He'd show that fox the true meaning of 'volatile'. Glitched pixels flickered across Infinite's body, and he raised his hand, creating a deep thrumming noise in the air. The railgun sparked with electricity as its own hum joined that of the Phantom Ruby. A buzzing, static, whirring noise that grew with intensity as the weapon charged.
Sonic's entire body tensed as he braced himself to lunge at Infinite. The jackal looked between the soldiers and their pet. The concern and determination in Sonic's green eyes. The concentration on the fox's face. The whine from the robot dog as it paced back and forth along the wall.
Amy's friends. All three of them.
"Look, Infinite! We're not here to fight!" shouted Sonic.
It wasn't the hedgehog's words that did it. Infinite sighed and lowered his hand, letting the Phantom Ruby fizzle out. The electrical hum died out with it and Tails lowered the railgun slightly.
Sonic let out his own sigh and visibly relaxed. "Thank goodness for that. I thought this city was about to witness yet another bloodbath."
"What do you two want?" Infinite growled.
"We came here looking for Shadow," Sonic explained. "My guess is that's why you're here, too?"
"You could say that…"
Tails propped his weapon on his shoulder so it was still pointed in the jackal's direction. "Vague answers are not going to help your case right now."
"What case?" Infinite spat.
"It'll take a long time to explain," said Sonic. "But let me make one thing clear - no one here is accusing you of these murders, but you're not exactly off the hook just yet."
Infinite's eye flashed with Phantom Ruby energy. "Shadow is the murderer!"
"Let me explain!" Sonic raised his hands again and let out a flustered sigh. "Shadow was with us for a while before we discovered he killed that retired teacher. Prior to that he was demonstrating powers very similar to yours. It won't be long now before people realise that and link the two of you together." Sonic paused as Infinite's muzzle twisted in a sneer. "So let me guess. You've already realised this, and you're out looking for him?"
Infinite snorted. "You're a smart hedgehog for a mindless GUN drone."
"I'll take that as a back-handed compliment." Sonic flashed him a boyish grin. "Now the awkward ice is broken, what do you say we pool our skills and look for Shadow together? More ground covered."
Infinite opened his mouth to explain to Sonic how that would not be happening even if he begged, but was cut off as a helicopter's chopper blades reached his ears. A primal response deeply trained into him from his escape from GUN took over as he visibly tensed and jerked his head towards it. But the helicopter wasn't interested in him. It hovered several streets away, stationary as it dropped a hulking robot on a long chain. It swung back and forth like a pendulum, risking clipping the billboards off the rooftops surrounding it.
"What in the world is that?" Infinite gasped, moreso to himself.
Tails lowered his railgun and moved over to Sonic. "If it's what I think it is, I'd say it's a massive overreaction."
Sonic gave his friend a sideways glance. "And what exactly do you think it is?"
"A Judge."
The fox's lack of emotion in his reply carried enough sinister air to chill the entire street. Infinite and Sonic stared down at him for a moment before turning back towards the dangling robot.
Tails holstered his weapon over his back. "If it is, then it looks like this city is going to see a bloodbath like never before."
"What exactly is a Judge?" Infinite asked.
"The last straw," said Sonic. "Killing machines. Eggman keeps them handy for when he needs to apprehend a wildly dangerous criminal."
"Plural," added Tails. "They're used to deal with gangs or terrorist groups. Not lone serial killers."
"Eh." Sonic shrugged at Infinite. "He might have sent one after you if you'd caused much more damage."
Infinite tutted at that, keeping his lone eye on the hedgehog.
"But I don't get it!" Sonic waved at the helicopter. "Why not wait until the entire city is evacuated first before dropping a merciless machine right into the thick of it?"
"Like I said. Massive overreaction," said Tails. "Let's just hope they can evacuate it in time."
Infinite watched as the robot was lowered into the streets, eventually vanishing behind the towering skyscrapers. So it had been unleashed to search for Shadow? Then he and that robot had something in common. However, if it got to Shadow first, and it was as deadly as Tails said it was, then it would inevitably kill the black hedgehog. Then Infinite would never get his answers - how he was using his power, why he was trying to frame him… Infinite balled his hands tightly into fists. Then he tapped into the Chaos Network, keeping his sights on where the helicopter was still lowering its murderous cargo. Strings of binary swirled around him and in a flash he was standing atop one of the skyscrapers.
Wind from the helicopter's blades whipped up his fur, sending loose strands from his dreadlocks into his face. He swiped them aside, frowning down at the massive robot. It clutched onto the chain with one set of massive metal claws, each one glinting in the streetlight. The other was clutching a machine gun. Its glowing eyes were on the street below, masked behind a yellow head that looked almost out of place on its red and black body. Infinite could just make out the 'omega' symbol on its left shoulder, slightly obscured by what he hoped wasn't a rocket launcher.
Everything about the robot felt familiar. Like he'd seen it before. His lips pulled back from his canines, and he felt an odd tremble deep inside his body. He had seen it before. It was, yet again, another similarity to Mobius. Yet it was hunting Shadow… so it couldn't be his ally, could it?
"Whew!" Sonic appeared behind him, coming to an abrupt halt on the lip of the building, and almost eliciting a yelp of surprise from the jackal. "I never thought I'd say this to anyone, but wow, you're fast!"
Infinite let out a low growl and turned his sights back on the Judge. "You just can't leave me alone, can you?"
"Well, the tables have turned a little." Sonic folded his arms and shifted his weight to one leg as he watched the robot swinging mere feet above the road's surface. "If that robot is hunting Shadow, then I'd personally like to get to him before it does."
"Likewise."
"So it makes sense to team up, eh?" Sonic flashed him a grin. "It'll take at least three of us to stop that thing. I mean, I'm fast, sure, but I don't really want to take my chances fighting that guy solo."
"Well I could handle that guy solo just fine," Infinite growled. "I have no intention of teaming up with you or your barking tin can."
As if on cue, the fox and his robot dog descended behind them. Infinite fired them a glare over his shoulder then turned back to the events below.
The robot released the chain and dropped onto the tarmac with a mighty clang. Small cracks shot across the surface of the street, but it didn't care in the slightest. It turned its head left and right a couple of times, then, holding its machine gun high, it marched away. One clanging footstep after the other, along the wide road towards the heart of the city.
Infinite watched it go, then lifted his head towards the direction it was headed. If it weren't for his mask, his ears would have drooped to the sides of his head.
"Oh man," said Sonic. "It's heading into residential territory. Tails, is that area evacuated?"
"Negative," said Tails.
Infinite's fur bristled and it took all his willpower not to leap off the skyscraper after the robot. Amy was fine. He'd packed her suitcase himself, much to her arguments. Then he'd seen her out of the door. She was clear of that area of the city. Wasn't she?
He flicked his tail and, without so much as a glance back at the two GUN soldiers, he leapt from the building. Crimson energy flared around him and he leveled out, soaring after the Judge. He swerved to the side as a Strider Drone emerged from a narrow side street, its blue eye taking in the Judge and Infinite before turning towards the residential district.
The jackal swooped down after it, and landed on all-fours between the Judge and the Strider. The Judge's red eyes fixed on Infinite, emotionless.
"Citizens must clear a path," it said.
"Oh, I'll clear a path, all right," Infinite scoffed. "You'll wait until everyone has left this city, or I'll remove you from it!"
Sonic, Tails and T-Pup landed behind the Judge, but its attention remained on Infinite. Its eyes narrowed and it adjusted its grip on its weapon.
"A barrier of soft warm lifeforms cannot stop me," it said. "If you will not move, then I shall have to move you."
It lifted its machine gun and it whirred to life, spraying out a flurry of bullets. Infinite zipped to the side, flinching as several of the bullets struck his left arm and tail. He shook it off as his regeneration kicked in, and he leapt at the Judge, claws raised. Crimson energy surrounded his hands and he lashed at the robot. It stepped aside, swinging its arm in a wide arc towards his jaw. Infinite grunted as his head snapped back from the force and he careened backwards into a concrete wall. The bullets left his body, bouncing off the sidewalk and into the gutter.
The Judge leveled its weapon at the dazed jackal and its ominous whirring cut through the air. It let fire, arcing away from Infinite and into the air as a blue swirling blur bounced off the underside of the robot's arm. It swung it back down, keeping the gun firing. Concrete and tarmac exploded as it was torn up by the machine gun, and several feet away the Strider Drone crumpled to the floor. Its bulb shattered with the sound of a thunderclap, drawing the Judge's eye.
"Other robots are judged inferior," it said as it turned back to its assailants. "As are soft, squishy lifeforms."
The Judge aimed its machine gun back at Infinite, but jerked its head to the side as an electrical hum filled the air. Tails stood in the middle of the road, aiming his railgun at the robot.
"Lifeform judged as hostile. Calculating appropriate detainment methods."
It strafed to the side as Tails' weapon fired. A huge beam of electricity propelling a small projectile. Glass shattered around them as it cut through the ground floor window of a lawyer's office. The Judge doubled back, swinging its arm around towards Tails. He wasn't fast enough to dodge it. Blood and spittle flew from his mouth as he was sent soaring into a brick wall.
"Tails!" Sonic screeched.
T-Pup bounded away from him, barking and whimpering, to join its handler's side.
"You shall not keep me from my mission." The robot straightened and turned towards the two still standing. "The Judge reigns superior."
Infinite threw up a shield as more bullets rained across the street. They bounced back, pelting the Judge's shiny metal hide. There seemed to be no end to its bullets. Surely the ammunition belt would run out soon enough?
Glitched pixels fluttered around Infinite's body and across the shield, causing it to falter. A few stray bullets got through, hitting the wall and clipping his whiskers. He let out a hiss and keeled over slightly, straining to keep the barrier up. The blue hedgehog wasn't faring much better. Sonic struggled to find a way in as the robot fired its weapon left and right, keeping him at bay.
Infinite narrowed his eyes at the robot as he tried to work out some means to disable it. Unable to get in close, he wasn't left with very many options. The bullets were firing out at such a speed he wouldn't even have time to slip into the Chaos Network to warp himself into striking range. The belt whizzed across the robot's torso, feeding each bullet into the machine in a blur that rivaled Sonic's spin dash attacks.
Infinite started slightly as an idea struck him. Of course. The ammunition belt. With a flick of his hand, the belt began to warp, turning each bullet into a fat slug. The machine sputtered as the slimy creatures jammed up the gears and clogged the feed holes. The robot glared down at its weapon and the slugs trailing slime over its metallic coat, then tossed the weapon aside.
It was all the opening Infinite needed. A smirk spread across his muzzle and he flashed towards the Judge in a spray of binary. He raised his hand, forming a crimson scimitar.
"I used to make a fine living selling robot scraps!" He raised the blade and brought it down towards the Judge's yellow head.
It raised its right hand, catching Infinite's wrist. The jackal cursed loudly and tugged his arm back, but it was held firmly in the Judge's metal claws. As he tried to boost his physical strength with the Phantom Ruby, the scimitar vanished in a pink haze. Infinite found himself beginning to pant, but not just out of exhaustion. His heart pounded like a jackhammer. His strength was failing, and there was nothing he could do. Without it, he was just a weak, pathetic jackal hanging from a killer robot's fist like a fish out of water.
He met the Judge's narrowed eyes. Unyielding. Fearless. It had its prey. It didn't care about anything else. The barking tin can. The hedgehog it swatted away like a pesky fly. Then that same arm came around and struck Infinite so hard in his chest he flew from its grasp with an agonized yowl. Pain exploded along his arm and through his ribcage. His entire body seemed to shatter like glass as he struck the concrete wall. The last thing he saw was the enraged eyes of the Judge and its gigantic fist as it smashed into the side of his head.
...
The Judge took a step back, its heavy boots splashing in the puddle of blood forming on the sidewalk. It turned its head from side to side, looking over the three fallen lifeforms. All motionless, save for the small robot dog.
It leapt before the Judge, barking in an enraged frenzy, its lamp-like eyes cutting through the stormy haze forming on the air. Harmless.
The Judge stooped to retrieve its weapon. Bullets lay scattered across the street where the slugs had fallen. It collected each and every one, fastening them back to the ammunition belt. Then it gave the machine gun a once-over. Unharmed. Not a gastropod in sight.
The large robot turned its sights back onto its target destination. Another skulking robot crept across its path in the distance on lanky legs, claws tucked beneath it like a primitive reptile. The Judge narrowed its eyes.
Yap yap yap!
The dog was at its feet. The Judge glared down at it, watching the pathetic thing as it hopped back and forth, barking as if it were desperately trying to convey something. Mainframe had no space for such a feeble creation. The Judge aimed its machine gun and fired, silencing the robotic canine permanently. Then it turned and marched towards the residential district.
...
"I can't believe he's making you leave!" Tangle leant over the suitcase she'd taken charge of, her violet eyes wide. "I mean, why?! The serial killer's been found! You don't need to leave!"
Amy looked between her two friends and shrugged. "What else am I meant to do?"
"Stay! We've already helped you move once!" Tangle turned to the wolf beside her. "Say something, Whisper!"
Whisper leant against the wall beside the train station door, her mouth turned down in a frown. She opened one eye to fix on her friends, but said nothing.
Tangle let out an exasperated roar and threw her hands in the air. "I'd just gotten used to this city!"
"You don't need to come with me," said Amy. "Besides, it's not permanent. We'll come back once the Heartbreaker is caught."
"Yeah, but-"
"They're also evacuating the city." Whisper's voice was barely audible, but Tangle and Amy just made it out.
"I guess," said Tangle.
"Think of it as a vacation." Amy looked over her shoulder, back towards the street leading up to her apartment. "Although… I can't say I'm looking forward to it."
"I still don't understand why he won't just let us help," said Tangle. "It's way more exciting being in the thick of it all. I hate waiting on the sidelines!"
Amy frowned down at her feet for a moment. Tangle wasn't the only one who couldn't stand being on the sidelines. Helpless. But none of them would be watching it. They'd be left in the dark, not knowing what was going on. Not knowing which team was winning. She pulled her phone from her pocket. Her train ticket was still on the screen, booked only an hour before. Right before she'd asked her friends to meet her at the station. Destination - North Cipher. Another city. Miles away from the Beatdrop Capital. Miles outside where Infinite would be searching for a hedgehog that probably wanted to kill him. Ordinarily she wouldn't be worried, but in the state he was in, could he actually fight Shadow, someone who had demonstrated similar powers to him?
"I mean, you're great with a mallet!" Tangle waved a hand towards Amy, dragging her back into the conversation she'd accidentally tuned out. "And I can fight! I'm agile! I can get a few punches and kicks in, maybe even bounce you guys off my tail like a slingshot! I dunno what Whisper will do, though, I've never seen her fight." The lemur nudged Whisper, causing her to crack a blue eye open again. "Maybe you could document it all, eh? A fight for the ages! I bet that would sell to a few mainstream papers! It'd even get you on the news!"
Whisper tugged the collar of her coat up, hiding a smile. "I guess…"
"See?! She's up for it!" Tangle waved an arm at her friend as she turned back to Amy. "I say we ditch this suitcase back at your apartment and go find our jackal friend! I'm sure he'd appreciate-"
"Tangle…" Amy wound her hands together and forced herself to look the lemur in the eye.
Tangle blinked back at her and inclined her head on one side. Then she deflated and let out a sigh.
"You're gonna say 'no', aren't ya?" she said.
Amy stared back at her, biting her lip. Tangle opened her mouth to speak again, but was cut off as Amy finally gave her answer.
"Tangle, I'm worried sick!"
Tangle blinked a few times. "Eh?"
"That killer is still out there," Amy went on, "and here I am, running away, while Infinite tries to find him. Infinite isn't even at his full strength right now!"
Whisper shifted against the wall to look at her friend, both eyes partially open while her mouth formed an 'o'.
"I want to help him," said Amy. "But I'm worried I'll just get in the way… and I can't put you two in danger either. I'm stuck! What do I do? Let you two go to North Cipher without me so I can try and help him… or just get on that train and leave him to it?"
Tangle leant on the suitcase again and spread her hands. "Well, that train leaves in, like, five minutes. So you don't have very long to decide."
"Urgh!" Amy stamped her foot so hard it sent shockwaves up her leg. She shook it out and joined Whisper leaning against the wall. "I just wish this would all blow over…"
"It will," said Whisper softly.
Tangle flopped back against the wall beside them. "Easy for you to say, you live for stuff like this."
Whisper shrugged her shoulders and lowered her muzzle behind her collar.
Amy rubbed a hand down her face, letting out a groan. "What do I do?"
"Put it this way," said Tangle. "If you don't grab that suitcase and run for the train in the next thirty seconds, you're gonna miss it. And sure, you can catch another one. But that's another twenty-five credit ticket one way to North Cipher, and you'll probably be late to check in at your hotel."
"And you'll lose your deposit," Whisper added.
Tangle nodded at that. "So that kinda decides for you."
"Urgh, you're right." Amy grabbed her suitcase and moved it onto its wheels.
"So we're getting the train?" Tangle's voice was thick with disappointment.
"Nope." Amy turned from the station and began to wheel her suitcase towards the crossing.
"What? Are you serious?"
Whisper trotted to her side. "Amy, think about this."
"I am." Amy smiled up at her, but it failed to mask her nerves. "I'm going back to my apartment, and then I'm going to try and track down Infinite. You two are going to catch that train. I know you can make it."
Tangle's jaw dropped and she shook her head. "Na-ah! If you're puttin' your life at risk, then so are we!" She gestured between herself and Whisper.
Amy opened her mouth to retort then stopped herself. "You're just going to come along anyway, regardless of what I say, aren't you?"
"You can hammer me with your mallet, I'll still fight." Tangle folded her arms. "I'll be concussed, but I'll fight."
Amy shook her head and sighed, but a smile still spread across her muzzle. At the end of the day, wasn't that exactly what she was doing? Showing up at a fight after being told to flee?
"All right." She stood up straight and beamed. "Do what you do best then, Tangle. Search for all reports of Shadow's last known sightings. We'll track him down that way. You too, Whisper."
The lemur lifted her hand in a salute, while Whisper merely nodded.
Amy turned and headed back to her apartment, wheeling her suitcase behind her, while Tangle rambled on about a 'plan of action'. Amy didn't even look back towards the station. She felt a lot lighter, but a sense of dread welled up in her stomach. Sooner or later, if things went as she hoped, they'd be facing off against another version of the Phantom Ruby, and she'd already seen what it was capable of…
...
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