Grand Metropolis was enormous. Extending to the outskirts of the coasts, it's a wonder how everything could fit on a single island.
The tall skyscrapers decorated with brightly colored advertisements loomed over the sprawling city's countless inhabitants. Hover vehicles zoomed throughout the skies with such precision; the team had no fear of collisions with other grounded vehicles on the raised neon blue highways.
Team Rose slowly pushed their way forward through the crowd. Still getting used to flying vehicles peppering the sky, Amy grinned breathlessly as Cream led the group to a hover bus.
"You sure know your way around here," Big said warmly, which earned him a bright smile from the youngest member.
"It should be an old building with a lizard eyeball painted on it," the voice said confidently on the other line.
Amy pressed her nose against the window as if physical contact would better assist her scan the various shop fronts. "The one with the bees and ninja stars around it?"
"That's the one!"
The trio scrambled to the front of the bus and frantically apologized to the confused driver before hopping out in a rush.
"And are you sure these guys are good, Sally?" Amy asked skeptically as Big opened the front door.
The building had been standing long before its shiny neighbors. Still solid brick and vaguely weed killer scented—a feeble attempt to dispose of the vines creeping defiantly across the concrete steps. Empty coffee cups and crumpled fast food bags surrounded the front desk floor, and in the oversized computer chair laid a heap of hexagon-patterned fabric wrapped around a boy no older than Cream.
"You're doubting the World's Greatest Mechanic?" Sally replied, her tone cheekily distraught. "Listen, these guys helped track down my idiot brother after he was gone for who knows how long."
"World's Greatest Car Mechanic, you mean," Amy corrected under her breath. The pink-haired heroine could sense her friend sticking her tongue out at the phone despite it not being over video.
Old and recent newspaper clippings decorated the interior brick walls—anything mentioning the fabled Team Chaotix. A lovingly used futon sat behind the front desk beside colossal filing cabinets. From the looks of the CRT television buzzing quietly in the opposite corner, the sticker-covered laptop was the newest thing in the entire building.
"You know what? Just for that, I'm giving Nicole those tires you needed next race," Sally sniped back with a chuckle.
"Totally not cool, princess," Amy dramatically rolled her eyes. "I can't believe you'd choose your girlfriend over me, her best friend and rival."
Sally's easygoing tone suddenly turned serious, "hey, for real though, Rose, please take care of yourself."
Cream and Big shot Amy a nervous glance, both uncomfortable with the task of waking up the boy. Amy took a large breath before finally crossing the room to ring the service bell.
"Of course. Tell Nicole I said 'hi,' okay?"
The cursor blinked derisively at Vector.
"Your face'll stick that way if you keep it like that any longer," murmured the man sitting cross-legged opposite the large desk, eyes still closed.
"Hah, yeah," Vector pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh and shifted his weight in the beat-up chair. He really needed to buy a new one if they had any money left after rent. "I dunno why I even agreed to this case."
The email was sent from an encrypted site—Charmy had explained to him—and Vector couldn't make heads or tails of it. According to the anonymous client, Doctor Robotnik, resident evil genius, had been missing for the last three days.
This would be big news. But why hasn't this been reported yet, and who would want to find Doctor Robotnik? The list of people who wished the man would just disappear alone was longer than his rap sheet. Vector finally sent his reply to their client with a frustrated groan.
"'We never turn down work that pays,'" Espio recounted the team's motto with a ghost of a smile.
"You ain't wrong," the detective sighed as he pulled out his phone. "Somethin' about this don't feel right, though."
Vector's fingers tapped the cracked screen carefully. They needed all hands on deck for this one.
Espio finally stood up to inspect the photos littered across the boss's desk, "do we have any leads?"
"Just the one. Last recorded sighting of the good Doctor was on the outside of Hexaco Tower," Vector tapped at the photo of a mustachioed brunet in a sleek black suit. "An' I have it on good authority they've been recievin' some suspicious deliveries that same week he disappeared."
"What sort of shipments?" The Doctor stood just behind a semi-truck marked with the company's neon blue logo. On closer inspection, Espio made out the man's worried expression.
"Robot parts," Vector explained as he picked open a pack of nicotine gum. "Kinda like the type GUN had Robotnik make under the table."
"You think Hexaco's a front?"
"Maybe," he chewed thoughtfully. "But my gut says GUN's none the wiser. Especially considerin' that fiasco with Gerald Robotnik. GUN's been on the straight an' narrow since then."
"You don't talk to a valued member of Team Chaotix like that, lady!" shouted Charmy through the thin office walls.
"Me?! What about you?!" the girl's voice was absolutely affronted. "No wonder you guys can't afford a decent decorator for this place!"
"I'm guessing that's our cue," Espio jabbed a thumb towards the door with a grin, and Vector groaned again.
"I don't th—think you should shout, Amy," the shorter girl pleaded as she anxiously tugged at her angry friend's golden bracelet.
"Please excuse Charmy here," the detective placated the newcomers smoothly and patted at the boy's baseball cap. "We're still tryin' to teach him some manners."
"Ye-ouch!" Charmy squeaked under the man's tight grip and mumbled a short apology.
Vector flashed the trio a smile, "now, to what do we owe the pleasure?"
The pink-haired girl, the leader of the group, cleared her throat, "we need leads on our missing friends, and I've been told you guys are the best in the business."
Vector felt something nudge at his wrist, and a blurry newspaper photo found its way into the palms of his hands.
"Froggy and Chocola are missing," said the girls' fisherman friend. After carefully scanning their clue, Vector finally looked up to see the little blonde girl sulking from behind her other teammates.
"And you didn't think the best thing would've been to ask the person in this photo?" Espio offered, and Pinkie—Amy—narrowed her eyes.
"He'd never steal something from our friends," she scoffed at the idea. "Besides, this wouldn't be the first time someone's been mistaken for Sonic."
The detective's eyes widened at the new information.
"'Sonic'?" Vector repeated slowly. "Doctor Robotnik's enemy. The Blue Blur. That Sonic?"
"Yeah?"
He threw open his office door in a frantic, almost knocking it off its hinges as he rifled through the photos on his desk.
"He—hey!"
"You got something, Vector?"
"More of the Doc's robots've been showin' up in Grand Metropolis, but the Doc's gone AWOL, and worst of all..." he sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth. He handed Amy the photo of Doctor Robotnik. "I think they got your pals too."
"Cream, Big, look at this," Amy tapped at the edge of one of the shipping containers. "Don't you think this looks like the tips of Froggy and Chocola's heads?"
Their taller friend quietly nodded with a frown, but the little girl looked closer to tears. Vector swallowed the lump in his throat.
"We're coming with you," declared Amy with a determined glare.
"What?! No way! This is official Team Chaotix business!" shouted Charmy as he glanced at Espio and Vector for support. "We still have the Robotnik case to solve too!"
"We can help with that!" Cream blurted out suddenly, and everyone's eyes landed on her. "I—I mean! We won't get in your—your way, Mr. Vector..."
The detective pursed his lips for a moment.
"Oh, come on! You're not seriously considering this are you?"
"What are you thinking, boss?"
"No need to worry!" Amy exclaimed brightly, gesturing towards the other two, who gave their best team poses. "Between the three of us, Team Rose has already saved the world twice!"
Vector snorted and shook his head with another sigh, "wow, I can't believe I'm doin' this."
Cream beamed at him, and Charmy whined in a huff between high-fives.