Chapter 13: Roll the Bones (Part 1)

Tails expertly flew the Tornado 2 over the dark, moonlit waters below as he used the little light afforded to him to keep a steady altitude. With little wind, and no hazardous weather conditions, though, the flight was a walk in the park for the prodigious fox.

He looked to his left to check on Sonic, who was standing on the biplane's wing, his arms crossed and a smile across his face; his eagerness for adventure was palpable. Tails smiled as he allowed his mind to wonder.

Oh Sonic…you're the best big brother I could've ever asked for.

This wasn't the first time he'd had thoughts like this; ever since he had been taken in by the blue hedgehog so long ago, Tails had thanked him countless times for giving him a chance, for taking in a young, parentless fox as his own sibling, allowing him to be his sidekick.

But this was no ordinary praise.

I know you're being modest, but without your help, who knows when I would've gotten the Chaos Emerald detector fixed, if ever. Without your motivation and encouragement, I don't know where I'd be right now.

Keeping his hands on the flight controls, Miles looked on as he watched Sonic itch the base of his nose with his finger. There was a sparkle of excitement in Sonic's eyes as he could hardly contain his excitement for the road ahead.

"Thank you, Sonic."

The blue hedgehog turned his face to the side to witness his younger brother watching him from the covered cockpit. He smiled and waved at him. Tails released one hand from the flight controls to return the gesture.

With a smirk on his face, Sonic proceeded to twirl himself around, one palm resting against the wing of the biplane as he spun his body in circles like a break-dancer. The blue hedgehog came to a stop with his head held up by the elbow resting against the wing. For comedic effect, he used his other hand to point at the young kitsune, flicking his finger upward as if he were shooting a gun.

Playing along, Tails contorted his face as he placed a hand over his chest and fell to the side. Pulling himself up a few seconds later, the two shared a laugh through the cockpit's glass casing.

"Two minutes until arrival," came a feminine, computerized voice from his control panel.

The orange fox looked down at his GPS navigator showing the closing gap between the plane and his destination.

"All right, Sonic," Tails spoke into a corded speakerphone attached to the console with a black, curly wire, "we're almost there. I'm retracting the cover now." Sonic gave him a thumbs up as the casing opened up, allowing him to jump into the backseat.

"Remind me again why I can't just jump off like usual?" Sonic asked as Tails shut the cover, the whooshing wind growing muffled.

"We gotta be careful, Sonic." Tails looked up at the blue hedgehog through the rearview mirror. "Remember, we haven't been to these zones in a while, so best to have our guards up and stick together. Plus, we wanna go by the book, get checked in by security to prevent any suspicion."

"Sure, sure, the captain's always right 'n all that." Sonic itched the base of his nose once more as he peered over Tails' shoulder, getting a view of the sight ahead.

Bathed in artificial blue light, the brotherly duo looked on as they saw large, golden buildings dotting the shoreline and seeping well into the mainland as far as the eye could see. Searchlight beams pierced the starry sky above as gamblers, vacationers, and general thrill seekers filled the streets.

In the distance, Sonic and Tails read a large, rectangular, lighted sign which read "Welcome to the Casino Night Zone" with a message in smaller text below reading "Play and gamble responsibly!"

Tails maneuvered the aircraft over several buildings until he reached an empty airstrip. Turning a dial on his dashboard communicator, he picked up the speakerphone and cleared his throat.

"Terminal CNZ, this is Miles Prower onboard the Tornado 2. Requesting permission to land." Tails looked down at the speakers built into the dashboard as he waited for a response. Finally, after several seconds of radio static, another voice crackled through.

"This is Terminal CNZ acknowledging your request to land the Tornado 2. Your request has been granted. Safe landing, pilot."

"Roger." Tails set the speakerphone back in its designated slot on the dashboard and carefully leveled off the plane. Unlike his landings at Angel Island, Tails was greeted with a well-lit, clearly defined concrete path, making for a smooth return to the ground.

"You can park in the nearest hangar, Miles. We'll keep it reserved for as long as you need." The flight controller's voice abruptly ceased once more, replaced with radio crackling.

"Thanks!" Tails maneuvered the biplane as it slowly crept down the runway, eventually entering the deserted hangar. Bringing the Tornado 2 to a stop, the orange fox opened the hatch and flew out of his seat, landing next to his aircraft moments before Sonic jumped out and landed next to him.

"Hmmm…" Tails itched his chin as he looked around the hangar. "Seems a bit empty. Almost too empty."

"You think Eggman's up to something?" Sonic asked, looking around the abandoned, spacious building to confirm his young brother's thoughts.

"Can't know for sure." Tails raised his wrist upward and pressed some keys on his communicator, prompting the detector's green display to project above his watch. "Let's just keep our guard up while we retrieve the emerald."

"You bet!" Sonic gave the young fox a thumbs up. Before they left, Tails patted the side of his biplane with an open palm, wishing it goodnight as he locked it with his key fob. Finishing his farewell, the two dashed out of the hangar and toward the center of the Casino Night Zone.

"Should we parkour it like last time?" Sonic looked over at the orange kitsune flying by his side, his namesakes spinning like helicopter wings in order to keep up with the blue hedgehog.

"That'll attract the least amount of attention, as long as we don't fall." The two laughed as they spindashed up the curved side of a building, landing on top of a solid red roof, mirroring all the other structures throughout the Casino Night Zone.

"Boy, one could never get sick of a view like this." Tails watched the dark skyline; few stars twinkled up above as the duo watched the flickering lights along the cityscape. "Too much light pollution to live here, though. I prefer the middle of nowhere."

"Yeah, same." Sonic chuckled as he turned his face to the path ahead. "What's the detector say about the emerald, Tails?"

"Let's see…" he pulled up the coordinates once more on his watch. "The emerald is straight ahead!" Tails pointed forward, a never-ending row of buildings spaced roughly equidistant making up the path ahead. Various slopes, pinball-style bumpers, and floating, novelty slot machines made their path less linear than Tails would have hoped, but the nostalgic memories of zipping through these casino and arcade-themed obstacles filled Sonic with a sense of determination.

The blue hedgehog spindashed onward, with the orange fox following close behind.

"Looks like there're no Badniks about," Sonic said as his little bro caught up, the two running side by side as they maneuvered over the tall buildings, allowing bouncy springs to propel them forward at fast speeds and colliding against spherical, star-encrusted bumpers which dinged as they ricocheted against them.

Dodging some gnarly spikes resting along the top of a few more buildings, the duo approached a large blue box serving as an elevator to a higher level.

"Don't get squished like last time, Tails!" The blue hedgehog gave his orange companion a jovial look.

"That was one time, Sonic!" Tails waved his arms in faux offense as the two shared a laugh. "Besides, it was only my foot that got squished, and my shoe cushioned most of the force."

"Yeah, I suppose…" Sonic skidded to a halt in front of the levitating cube, which had reached its apex and was about to head back down. "Ya ready to jump?"

"Of course!" Tails gave him a thumbs up as they bent their legs. The two shot up, landing feet-first as the box reached the floor of the roof, stopping briefly before floating upward once more. "Easy as the square root of pi!" The two stepped off the cube as they reached the highest level of the Casino Night Zone.

"Oooooooh, I haven't gambled in ages!" Sonic ran forward and looked up at a floating slot machine with three rotating reels below a large hedgehog-sized coin slot. Excitement ran across his face. "Ya think I can win big again, bro?"

"Hehe, maybe?" Tails raised a finger to his chin as he looked up at the contraption above. "People don't come up here to play, you know; these rooftop slots are more marketing ploys for casino-goers, so we don't know if Eggman's traps are still active."

"You're right," Sonic replied, his eagerness quickly evaporating. He recalled jumping into the slots back when Eggman controlled the Casino Night Zone and getting attacked by a swarm of spiked balls, making him lose all of his rings. Trying again, however, he managed to win them back, and then some. "We should probably make sure this little trap has been cleared, right?"

"I dunno." Tails crossed his arms as a look of concern appeared on his face. "Seems rather risky. You promise you'll be okay?"

"Okay is my middle name! Well…it's actually speed, but ya get my point." The two shared a laugh before the blue hedgehog began charging a spindash. Propelling himself forward, Sonic rolled up a ramp, launching with a slight forward trajectory before landing on the base of a downward-slopping pinball table-style bumper. As he was about the roll off, the bumper activated, launching the blue hedgehog up once more, landing inside the floating slot machine.

Sonic spun around as the machine's three-panels rotated rapidly. After a few seconds, each slot stopped on a ring-shaped jackpot symbol. The slot machine churned out 150 rings in succession, each absorbed by the blue hedgehog who remained spinning in-place near the top of the machine before falling to the metallic ground below.

"Wooh! I'm rich! Aha!" The blue hedgehog spun around in circles as he allowed the young fox to catch up to him. "Now we can finally afford that automated chili dog cooker I've been seein' on TV!"

"Good job, Sonic!" Tails reached his hand out for a congratulatory fist bump, which Sonic returned.

"You wanna give it a shot?" Sonic pointed up at the slot machine above.

"I don't know." The orange kitsune scratched the back of his head. "What if Eggman's traps are still active?"

"Pshhh." Sonic waved his arms forward. "Would the casino keep these hazards? After all, the Badniks are gone, so why wouldn't Eggman's traps be too?"

"I suppose you're right." Tails looked up at the slots above as his worried expression was replaced with one of determination. Bending his legs and balling his fists, the young fox began to spin his rotary namesakes as he took flight, levitating above the slot machine above. Rolling into a ball as his tails stopped spinning, he landed squarely into the slot below, activating the spinning panels. After a few seconds, each panel stopped to reveal three Eggman-shaped figures. Instead of being attacked by a swarm of spiked balls, however, the base of the slot opened, allowing Tails to slip out of the machine undamaged, using his namesakes to slow his descent.

"See? I told ya not to worry 'bout it!" Sonic gave his sidekick a thumbs up.

"Kinda bummed I didn't win anything, though…" Tails looked downward as he made a light kicking motion with his leg.

"Cheer up, buddy!" Sonic reached his arm around the fox's shoulder. "I'll split my winnings with ya. Deal?"

"Okay, Sonic. Deal!" The young kitsune gave the blue hedgehog a thumbs up as the two took off once more, traversing through the hazards and obstacles that primarily served as visual attractions for the Mobians below.

"C'mon, Bokkun…get it together!" The small messenger robot walked down the halls of Eggman's fortress, taking a flight of stairs down to the basement as the slick, metallic walls transitioned to hard, pale concrete. Bokkun slowly hovered down the stairs, carrying a note in his hand.

Sighing to himself, he sat on the final step and peered at the door which led to the holding chambers before looking down at the note in his lap. Unfolding it, he read it over for the last time.

Dear Cream,

Sorry for kidnapping you! It was Eggman's idea, not mine!

Anyway, I think you're really cute.

Maybe we can hang out some time?

The small robot's eyes began to moisten as he looked down at the messy note written in green crayon.

"How could she like me?" He stood up and turned around, his eyes following the stairs upward. "How could she like me after what Eggman did?" Putting his head down once more, he crumpled the note with a tight fist as he wiped his eyes with his other arm.

"No…" Bokkun turned around once more, heading to the door leading to the holding chambers. "I'd never forgive myself if I didn't ask." Jumping up and turning the handle, he opened the door and slowly crept in, walking down a narrow hallway with doors running along either side with a small window near the top of each.

"She should be in chamber 5…" Flying up to the window of the fifth door, he pulled open the window's privacy curtain to reveal the young bunny sleeping in a small bed cuddled next to her chao.

Bokkun gulped as he floated down to the floor. Using a key he stole from Eggman, he quietly unlocked the door and cracked it slightly. Hearing no noise, he opened the door further and tiptoed in, standing over the sleeping bunny.

Should I wake her up or put the letter somewhere? Should've thought this through…

His internal debate was cut short, however, as Cheese rustled himself awake, disturbed by the artificial light beaming in through the open doorway. He rubbed his tired eyes with his stubby hands before turning his gaze to the small robot before him.

"Uhhh…" Bokkun put on an awkward smile, rubbing the back of his head with a gloved hand. "Hi." He waved his other hand as sweat formed across his brow.

"Chao! Chao!" Cheese turned to his owner and patted her on the face, trying to wake her up.

"No wait! Don't do that…" Bokkun said in a hushed voice, but it was too late; Cream slowly opened her eyes, greeted by the sight of her pet chao floating above her.

"…Cheese? Is it time to wake up already?" Still dazed, the young bunny looked around before noticing something out of place.

"Is…the door open?" She muffled a yawn with the palm of her hand as her eyes wandered to the side of her bed. "Oh…hi there…" Her monotone, tired voice instantly morphed into a high-pitched squeal as she finally registered the presence of an Eggman minion in her room.

"No, wait! I mean no harm." Bokkun waved his arms as he tried to calm the young bunny down.

"What are you doing in here? Spying on a little girl while she's sleeping…you should be ashamed!" She pulled herself up and allowed her legs to dangle off the side of the bed as she put her hands on her hips, puffing out her cheeks as she gave the messenger robot a sinister glare. Cheese emulated her, putting his stubby hands against his own hips as he tried as hard as he could to look intimidating.

"I…have a message," Bokkun struggled to say as he loosened his hand and extended his shaky arm out to the young rabbit, the note crumpled into a ball. "It's…for you…" Bokkun blushed a deep shade of red as Cream unwrapped the note and read the message.

"Is this…what I think it is?" Cream's own face turned crimson as her eyes made their way back to the small robot, who was smiling nervously.

"Ummm…yeah…" Bokkun cleared his throat as he rubbed the back of his head. "…so what do you say?"

Cream's mind was racing, unsure how to respond to the messenger robot's seemingly sincere request.

Gosh…I've never been asked this by a boy before. But I don't even know him? Why does he like me?

These questions left her mind, though, as she thought of something more pressing.

Her escape.

"Well, you know…" Cream looked away, somewhat embarrassed as Cheese sat along the side of the bed, puzzled as to what was going on. "…we could hang out, but I'm trapped in this cell." The young bunny gestured her arm around the chamber. "This room's a bit too small, don't you think?"

"Well…yeah, I guess…" Bokkun wiped the sweat across his brow.

"Maybe if we leave, we could pick some flowers together?" She stared into the small robot's eyes. His face turned red once more before averting his gaze.

"But…but Eggman said you can't leave," he said in a quiet voice.

"Who cares what Eggman says!" Cream got up from the bed and planted her feet to the ground before approaching the small, dark blue robot. Setting the note aside, the young bunny grabbed his hands and raised them slightly. "We can go off together! Never have to worry about that meanie ever again!" Bokkun's face was as crimson as ever as he stared into Cream's glistening eyes.

"But…that's against my…directives." He stepped back as his eyes wondered to the floor below.

"Do you like his orders?" Bokkun looked back up at the serious-looking bunny, who approached him once more. "Aren't you sick of him pushing you around? Making you film hostage videos and blowing up TVs?"

"Well…" Bokkun backed up to the opposite wall. "Yeah…but…"

"But nothing!" Cream gave the morally confused robot a hug, his arms frozen solid as his internal processors were failing to compute what was going on. "If you don't like Eggman, why don't you quit?"

"But…" Bokkun pulled himself away and began fidgeting with his fingers. "…he's my creator. I can't just defy him!"

Frustration built up inside Cream before she stepped back, took a deep breath, and sat against the side of the bed once more.

"It's either me, or Eggman." She crossed her arms and looked away. Cheese emulated his master with his own stubby arms.

"I…ummm…" Bokkun struggled to reply. "Well…ummm…" Succumbing to the pressure, he ran out of the containment cell, crying as he pushed the door shut and sprinted down the hallway, leaving Cream and Cheese behind.

"Well Cheese…" The young bunny sighed as she rested her head against the pillow, her hands providing extra support. "…that didn't work."

"Chao, chao…" Cheese sounded almost as defeated as his master as he cuddled against her side.

"There, there Cheese, it'll be okay." Cream pet the chao's back as he purred gently. "Sonic and Tails will come save us. I know they will."

Rolling onto her side, she saw the crumpled note lying next to her. Pulling it closer to her, she read the letter once more before flicking it to the floor below.

Bokkun…I hope I didn't hurt your feelings…

"Hey Sonic," Tails began as the two took a breather on top of another blue cube elevator, "it looks like the Chaos Emerald should be just up ahead." The orange fox pointed at a tall building that towered over all the others.

"I don't recognize that one." Sonic covered his brow with a gloved hand to get a better look; the building did look newer, with a brighter tint of gold and less wear and tear from the weather.

"That must be the mayor's new office," Tails replied as they hopped off the cube.

"How d'ya know that?" Sonic rubbed his chin as he looked at his knowledgeable little brother.

"I read about it in the paper." Tails raised a finger to the air while recounting the events proceeding Eggman's reign over the Casino Night Zone. "After we cleared this place out back in the day, Eggman was forced to abandon the casinos. The Mobian Federation of States organized an election to decide a local governing body for the zone, and…" The fox racked his brain for the name of the successful candidate. "…a guy named…Benjamin Rockefeller won, I believe."

"To cut right to the chase," Sonic interjected, "this Rocky Fell-or dude now has the Chaos Emerald?"

"Seems so, yeah." Tails placed both hands on his hips as he continued looking out at the building ahead.

"Still, it looks like they kinda outdid themselves with the size." Sonic chuckled by Tails' side.

"With all the gambling tax dollars pouring into their coffers, I'm not surprised." Tails rubbed the base of his nose as he looked back at the blue hedgehog.

"Well," Sonic cracked a smile before stepping to the edge of the roof. "I'm sure this guy'll be reasonable enough to hand over the gem."

"I wouldn't count on it," Tails replied in a solemn voice. "I've heard the guy is quite greedy. He may not be open to persuasion."

"We'll get it back either way." Sonic slammed his fist against the palm of his other hand. "After all, it's not like it's his emerald to keep anyway. It wouldn't be stealing because he doesn't actually own it."

"Let's be careful, Sonic." The young kitsune turned to him, concern still written on his face. "Rockefeller holds a lot of influence, even with the Federation."

"Right on." Surveying the area, Sonic turned to his younger brother once more. "Say, mind flyin' us over there?"

"Sure thing!" Planting his feet against the roof of the building, Tails clenched his fists as he began spinning his rotary namesakes, slowly lifting himself up into the air. Reaching his arms downward, Sonic grabbed onto both of Tails' hands as the fox propelled them forward, gradually increasing their height.

"Convenient having a flyin' friend around," Sonic said as the two laughed merrily.

"I'm going to take us around the perimeter to get a good feel for the surrounding area, just in case things get hairy." Tails kept his face forward as Sonic nodded from below. A sidewalk surrounded the gates enclosing the artificial turf around the building, with a large, stone water fountain on either side of the wide, golden walkway leading up to the front doors. Guards were posted all around the tower with guns holstered.

"Woah, it looks like they mean business!" Sonic exclaimed. "Wanna take us down a block or two? We should probably not land right on their doorstep."

"My thoughts exactly." Tails took a 180 degree turn and landed nearby. The fox placed his hands against his bent knees as he panted in exhaustion; while he was able to carry Sonic for relatively short distances, the young kitsune almost overexerted himself this time.

"Ya good?" Sonic approached his younger brother, bending his own knees slightly to get at eye level.

"Yeah, just a second." Tails took a few more labored breaths before straightening his legs once more. Wiping his brow, he looked up at Sonic and gave a thumbs up. "Let's just take things a little slow going forward."

"You bet!" The two walked side-by-side as they approached the front gate leading into the fancy office building complex. Blocking the path stood a tall, muscular Mobian bulldog with ripped biceps, nighttime sunglasses, and a stern, unmoving facial expression.

"You have an appointment?"

"Ummm…no, we do—" Sonic replied.

"Then leave! The mayor's not taking any walk-ins." His voice sounded as rough and sinister as his appearance.

"And how can we get a meeting on the books?" Tails asked, looking up at the menacing guard who was about three times his height.

"What do I look like, a secretary?" The guard scoffed at the two below. "Come back when you've been approved, and you'll be let in."

"But sir, this is rather urgent." Tails stepped forward, gesturing with his hands as he made his case to the intimidating dog. "It concerns Dr. Eggman and his latest scheme!"

"Don't matter." The bulldog crossed his arms as he closed his eyes, maintaining his resolve. "If it is important enough, you'll get a spot on the mayor's calendar, although I hear it takes months to get booked."

"Months?!" Sonic stepped toward the guard, approaching him even closer than Tails moments ago. "We don't have that kind of time, bub. Who's in charge here?"

"As far as you're concerned, I am." The guard swatted his arms forward. "Now shoo before I lose my patience."

Sonic tightened his facial muscles as he clenched his fists. Tails noticed his brother's anger growing.

"It's okay, Sonic." Tails approached his blue, triangular ear and lowed his voice to a whisper. "I have a back-up plan." The hedgehog loosened his fists and relaxed his face. Cracking a smile, he nodded before the two took off, walking a few blocks to the west.

"Whatja have in mind, buddy?" Sonic asked once they were out of the guards' earshot.

"It's actually quite simple." Tails was pressing buttons on his wristwatch communicator. An image projected itself from the watch, displaying a building map.

"Based on these schematics, and if my hunch about the mayor is correct, he's likely displaying the emerald in his office on the top floor." The young kitsune looked up at his older brother. "The mayor maintains his residence on the floor below, so we'll need to quietly sneak into his office." Tails reached into his utility belt and plucked out his multi-tool, allowing it to rest in the palm of his hand as he showed it to his older brother. "We can use my miniature laser here to cut a hole through the window."

"Heh, I like how you think, pal!" Rustling the orange fox's hair, Tails blushed slightly in embarrassment as he turned away.

"Ahh, it was nothin' really. It wasn't too complicated."

"Much better than my plan of running through to the top!" The two shared a laugh before looking up at the tall building once more.

"Here, Sonic." Tails put his multitool back into his belt and gave him his hand. Sonic clasped on as the orange kitsune began spinning his namesakes, slowly floating upward to a building a few blocks away from the mayor's office complex. Landing on the roof, the two set their sights on the tall, gold-plated building they were about to infiltrate.

"Here's the plan," Tails said as the two huddled like football players. "I'll get you up to the mayor's office, which faces the north side of the building. I'll keep you afloat while you cut your way through to the office, and I'll hop in after you. Once we grab the emerald, we should leave immediately."

"Right!" Sonic looked Tails in the eyes as he cracked a smile.

Glad to see you back in action, little buddy. How'd I ever pull off a mission like this without your big brain?

"Uhhh, Sonic?" Tails turned to Sonic's side and waved his hand in his field of vision. "Mobius to Sonic?"

"Ohh, ahh, huh?" Sonic shook his head to bring himself back to reality. "Sorry, I guess I was daydreamin' a bit." He shrugged his shoulders. "Kinda reminds me of someone." He cracked a smile as Tails instantly got the comparison.

"I suppose…" Tails smiled back as he rubbed the back of his head.

"In any case," Sonic stretched his arms out across each other and jumped up a few times, "I'm ready to go when you are, capt'n." It was Sonic's turn to reach his arm out to Tails, who had a look of determination as he nodded. The young kitsune began spinning his namesakes once more.

"Ohh, I almost forgot!" Tails grabbed his multitool from his belt in mid-flight and threw it to the blue hedgehog, who caught it with an outstretched hand. "You'll be needing this, obviously." Sonic smiled as he placed the contraption in his quills and reached his arm out once more, allowing the young fox to pull him up as they floated high enough to be eye level with the roof of the mayor's office complex. Approaching within yards of the building, they observed the opposite side of the roof to find a guard surveying the cityscape.

"Hey Tails, how's—" Sonic was interrupted with a gentle "shhh" from the young fox, who pressed a single finger against his lips. Tails proceeded to drop himself a few meters lower. He was hoping to get a brief rest break before Sonic broke into the office, but he'd have to tough it out.

Pulling out the multitool with his free hand while the other remained in Tails' grip, the blue hedgehog examined it a bit, fumbling it between his fingers before aiming it toward the window.

"Here goes nothin'," Sonic said in a whispered voice. He pressed a button, but instead of a laser, flames shot out of the tip.

"Woahh!" The blue hedgehog nearly dropped the tool before shutting it off, leaving the window covered in black.

"Huh? Who goes there?" The brotherly duo heard the sound of footsteps approaching from the opposite side of the roof.

"Quick, get us out of here," Sonic said in a rushed, whispered voice. Tails didn't need to be told twice; he flew them both around to the east side of the building, keeping them a few meters below the roof. They waited until they heard the guard return back to his normal post on the south side of the building before flying to the charred window once more.

"Hurry, Sonic…" Tails' grip on his older brother's hand began to slip as his facial muscles tightened and sweat rolled down his brow. Pulling out the multitool once more, Sonic pointed it away from the window and toggled through the settings, testing out each one before attempting to break through the window. After finding functions for an ice beam, various screwdriver sizes, and a novelty confetti mode, the blue hedgehog finally reached the laser. Spinning himself back to the window, he began making his incision, starting at the apex of the circle and making it just large enough to fit through.

"I can't…hold you…any…longer…" Tails was panting up above as his arm began to tremble, his grip on his older brother becoming dangerously loose.

"Almost there, buddy." Sonic caught the circular piece of glass as it fell out of the window. He lifted it up to Tails, who grabbed it from him just as Sonic let go of his other hand and dove into the dark executive suite.

"Whew…" The blue hedgehog wiped his brow as he rested a single knee against the carpeted floor. "That was a close one." Just as he finished collecting himself, Tails dove through the window as well.

"What took ya, buddy?" Sonic asked.

"Well…" Tails breathed heavily as he rested his hands against his knees. "I needed…to drop off…the window piece…somewhere." He pointed upward, signaling that he must've found a good spot on the roof to place it outside the notice of the posted guard.

"Good thinkin'." Sonic walked over to the orange fox and extended a hand. The young kitsune allowed himself to be pulled up. Dusting off his legs, Tails looked around the dark, spacious office room, noticing the mahogany desk to their right and the various plaques, awards, and expensive pieces of art scattered along the walls.

"Huh?" Tails noticed a glow emanating from his utility belt. Looking inside one of its pockets, he grabbed the green Chaos Emerald from Knuckles' cabin and held it in the palm of his hand as it glowed various shades of green. Out of the corner of his eye, Tails noticed another glow coming several feet away. The duo approached to find the blue Chaos Emerald sitting on a pedestal, protected by a glass casing.

"Told ya, Sonic." Tails cracked a smile as he playfully elbowed his older brother.

"Hey, nobody ever doubted ya, bro." Sonic returned his smile before approaching it. The blue hedgehog was about to knock his knuckles against the glass when Tails stopped him, grabbing hold of his arm.

"Wait, Sonic. There's probably an invisible alarm mechanism attached to the case." Sonic pulled his arm back before running his hand through his quills.

"Heh, almost got carried away there." Turning his attention back to the emerald, he eyed the gem intently. "How do you suppose we get it out, then?"

"Still running ideas through my head." Tails rubbed his furry chin with a gloved finger. "One option is to simply cut through the glass like we did the window and make a swift escape. Before we try that, though…" The orange kitsune got down to his knees and examined the pedestal. Aiming his wristwatch communicator in the direction of the column-looking stand, he pressed a button to perform a scan. Pressing a few more buttons, a display of the inside of the hollow pedestal appeared above his watch.

"Hmmm…" Tails analyzed the wiring and computer components embedded throughout the interior, as well as the small tracks on the bottom. "I think any attempt we make at taking the gem would retract it into the wall."

"Huh?" Sonic was dumbfounded. "How'd that even work?"

"Like this."

A deep, sinister voice came out of nowhere as the pedestal did exactly as Tails described; a small humming noise emanated from the column as it began pushing itself into the wall. A disguised door opened for the emerald to slip through.

"No!" Before Sonic could reach for the mystical gem, it was gone, now within the wall and outside of their immediate reach. "Okay then, I'll just have to blast my way through." The blue hedgehog allowed his fingers to rest on the floor as he pulled his legs back, preparing to charge a spindash that would propel him through the sheetrock.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," came the same voice. Sonic and Tails looked toward the fancy desk to discover the swivel chair spun in the opposite direction, toward the windows.

"It would be the last mistake you'd ever make."

I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! Chapter 14 will be released on Wednesday, October 7, 2020.

Meanwhile, the second chapter of Tails and the Abandoned Fox Cubs will finally be released next week on September 30. My plan is to upload one new chapter every-other Wednesday, rotating between these two stories. I have my upload schedule on my profile.