Chapter 4: Rough going
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Talon's old room was the same as he had left it--dark, dingy, with climbing vines covering the
window. The walls were painted blue, and as Talon stepped in he felt the old melancholy return. He
set his suitcase on the bed and gazed at his shoes--the one link he had with his parents, and his link
with the Floating Island. The shoes belonged with a set of emerald armor, and the soles were made
of red and green super emerald vein. Talon knew the password to activate the shoes and let him fly,
for his father had taught him to use the shoes when he was little. Back during acting school.
He looked up and saw his uncle in the doorway. "Welcome home, Konya," said Mori with an
insincere smile.
"Thanks, Uncle Pendel," said Talon. "And my name is Talon."
"I see you've retained that ridiculous nickname," said Mori, his smile vanishing. "No doubt
encouraged by those ignorant echidnas. Don't worry, I won't let them take you away."
"You're not going to let them adopt me?" cried Talon, jumping to his feet. "Why not?"
"Because echidnas are violent by nature," said Mori. "I see their impulsiveness has rubbed off on
you." Talon opened his mouth to retort, but Mori held up a hand. "Quiet. I do not allow backtalk.
You know the rules to living here. In your room by eight o'clock, up by six. You will be resuming
school at Happy Mobian Academy. The barn out back is off-limits at all times, and so is the
basement."
Talon nodded. "Yes, Uncle Pendel."
Mori nodded and left, closing the door behind him.
Talon stood in the middle of the room as his world collapsed. He might never see Knuckles or
Zephyer or the Floating Island again. He was doomed to live with his uncle until ... until he was
eighteen and could live wherever he wanted. It was only five more years and ...
Talon sat down in the darkest corner, drew his knees to his chest and stared into the gloom, too
empty to cry.
He sat there a long time, listening to the creak of the house, the sound of a dog barking, a distant
lawnmower. Sounds he had not heard while on the Floating Island. He knew everyone there and was
accepted. Here he was an outcast. He burrowed deep into the shell that Knuckles had worked for
three years to break.
He remembered Knuckles's hand on his shoulder, reluctant to let go, and Zephyer's voice in his ear.
"I put something in your bag."
How had he forgotten that? He jumped to his feet, ran to his suitcase and opened it. On top of his
belongings were a communicator and an envelope. Talon picked up the com and recognized it as
one of Knuckles's modified long-range units. He opened the envelope next, and a silver tube slid out.
He looked at it for a second before he recognized it as a whistle with a long, odd cut in the top.
There was a letter with it, which he pulled out and opened.
"Talon,
Slasher made this whistle for Zephyer and I as a wedding present. I want you to have it. If you need
anything, blow it and Slasher will come. If you need her fast, blow it 3 times. If you're desperate,
blow it 5 times. Take care of it, because I'm going to want it back when we bring you home. The
communicator is one of mine. Call home once or twice a day to let us know how you're doing. If
your uncle is mean to you, make a note of it and I'll smack him around to teach him a lesson.
Love you,
Knux."
The tears came easily after that.
* * *
Knuckles asked a few people who they considered the toughest, meanest lawyers in town, and
everyone recommended the firm Dewey, Cheetum and Howe. Knuckles located the firm, had the
Chaotix and Zephyer wait in the reception area, and approached the secretary.
"I want to talk to the nastiest of your lawyers," he said, glaring.
The secretary took one look at him and pressed a button on her intercom. "Ms. Howe, there's a client
here for you." She pointed to a hallway. "Third door on the right."
Knuckles nodded and strode off.
He entered a large office with dozens of framed awards on the walls, and a wide window with a view
of the ocean. Sitting behind the desk was a sleek red ferret with shrewd, beady eyes. She sized up
Knuckles, then motioned to a chair. "Sit down, mister ...?"
"Echidna, Knuckles Echidna," said Knuckles, taking a seat. "You don't look like a nasty lawyer."
"Some would disagree," said Howe. "Your case had better be interesting."
"Sticky adoption case," said Knuckles, and explained about Talon coming to the Floating Island to
hide from his awful relatives. At first Howe looked disinterested, but as Knuckles mentioned Pendel
Mori, her ears pricked up. Knuckles concluded with a terse account of what had happened when
they had relinquished Talon, then looked at the ferret. "Well? Interesting enough?"
"We'll see," said Howe. "How much can you pay?"
"Five power crystals, fifty carat, at current market value," said Knuckles. "You could get a better
price for them if you sold to collectors, or maybe the human military."
"Will you make a down payment?"
"Will you take my case?"
The ferret and echidna regarded each other.
"Yes," said Howe. "Between you and me, I'd love to put Pendel Mori in prison. Of course, losing
this case means YOU might be the one in prison."
"If there's a chance of getting Talon back, I'll risk it," said Knuckles.
Howe pulled a sheaf of papers out of her briefcase. "I need to get these customized. Who will I be
representing, besides you and the boy?"
"Oh, my wife," said Knuckles, remembering with a shock that he was married now.
"She'll need to co-sign," said the lawyer. "Fetch her in while I create a profile." She left the office in
a gliding, snaky motion.
Knuckles walked out to the waiting area and beckoned to Zephyer. As she rose, he said to the
Chaotix, "This might take a while. You guys might as well go do something."
"It's a hundred and ten degrees out there," said Espio. "What do you expect us to do besides melt?"
"That's your problem," said Knuckles, in no mood to be crossed. "We'll meet back home this
evening." He led Zephyer to Howe's office.
The office was empty, so the two sat down to wait in opposite chairs. Zephyer looked around the
office, reading the award plaques and examining the photos of little ferrets on the desk. "Is she
nasty?"
"I think so," Knuckles muttered. "She didn't mess around much. She's also expensive."
"Can we afford it?"
"That's why I pay these people in jewels. The price is indefinite and large."
The pair lapsed into silence, intimidated by their own voices in the unfamiliar room.
When Howe didn't come back for another ten minutes, Zephyer fell to brooding. "This is your fault,"
she hissed at Knuckles. "We didn't have to mess with any of this legal junk--Talon was fine living
with us illegally."
"Oh, so it's my fault now," snarled Knuckles. "You agreed to this, remember?"
"Yes, and it doesn't make it any better," retorted Zephyer. "I read that stuff Sally emailed you--it can
take up to a year for an adoption to go through, and that's one without legal entanglements. Who
knows what could happen to Talon in a year?"
"You don't suppose I read that too?" snapped Knuckles, leaning forward. "I know! It makes me sick!
What do you want me to do, kidnap him for real?"
"Yes, if that's what it takes!" Zephyer was ready to take the argument to blows, but they were
interrupted as Howe slipped in the door.
The ferret snaked behind the desk and sat down, ignoring the flushed faces of her clients. "I'm ready
to open this case, Mr. and Mrs. Echidna. I'm going to ask you some questions and I need your
identification."
Knuckles gave Zephyer a look that said their fight was not over, and directed his attention to the
papers on the desk.
It took an hour to read and sign all the papers, and Howe explained everything as they went along.
She asked questions carefully calculated to learn about her clients. How long had they been
married? Had Talon ever told them about his prior home? Had they interacted with Talon's relatives
before?
When they told her about meeting Kit and Kardot, Howe made a triumphant bark in her throat.
"Why, do you know them?" Knuckles asked.
Howe got up and closed the door, then beckoned for the echidnas to move close. They did until her
whiskers brushed their faces, and she said in a low voice, "Pendel Mori has had multiple charges of
illegal experimentation brought against him, but there was never enough evidence to convict. There
was nothing wrong with Kit and Kardot. At first."
"Kardot was an android," said Zephyer. "Why should they care how he treated her?"
"Kardot wasn't always an android," whispered Howe. "She was the second-oldest of Mori's five
children. Three of them died of natural causes, or so we think. Kardot started life as a flesh and
blood anteater. How he made her into an android we'll never know. He somehow had her birth
records erased, so it would appear she had always been that way, but me and my firm know better. I
saw the certificate before it vanished."
"What about Kit?" said Knuckles, eyes wide.
"I don't know," said Howe. "He's not right in the head, but whether that's due to experimentation or
seeing his father's cruelty, who can say?"
Zephyer and Knuckles looked at each other in horror. "We have to get Talon out of there," said
Zephyer.
"Yes," said Howe, eyes gleaming. "And put Mori behind bars for good. If I can use this case to do
that, I will." She stepped back and returned her voice to normal. "Thank you for your business. I'll
give you a call in a day or two." She escorted them out of the office with a smile, revealing her long
white fangs. As soon as they were gone, Howe whisked down the hall to Cheetum's office.
Cheetum was a black rat. He was filling out a form with one pink hand and eating a cheese
sandwich with the other, and glanced up when Howe slithered in.
"Sup, Ann?"
"Call in Dewey."
Cheetum picked up his phone and pressed a button. "Dewey, Howe's got something to talk to us
about." The rat hung up the phone, and a moment later a weasel entered the office. He was even
snakier than Howe, and was smaller with a shorter muzzle.
"What's the trouble?" he asked.
"I may have found a way to convict Pendel Mori," said Howe.
Cheetum and Dewey straightened.
"Seems that since his kids are gone, he's starting on his nephew," said Howe. "But his nephew's been
living with these echidnas who want to adopt him. If we can prove that these echidnas will provide a
better home environment, we might have a case."
"How will that convict Mori?" asked Dewey.
"That's the good part," said Howe. "I'm going to request studies by social services, and have them
comb his little lab from top to bottom. I'm sure he's got something illegal we can nail him with. But
I'm going to need your help."
"You got it," said Cheetum. "My other clients can wait another few days."
"I'll get the research team on it," said Dewey. "Better hire a detective to watch the kid, too. Never
know what Mori will do to him."
"Good idea."
And the lawyers parted ways.
* * *
The next morning before school, Talon stole around the house, trying to see if Kit was living there.
Kit's room was clean and vacant, but Talon checked the other four bedrooms, just in case. None of
them looked inhabited, and there was only enough food for one person in the refrigerator.
He saw no sign of his uncle from the time he got up to when the school bus came. This didn't worry
Talon much, for the less he saw of his uncle, the better. But there was no sign of him on the first or
second floors, and the basement was locked. Talon remembered it was off-limits, but thought it
unusual ... the basement had been Kit and Kardot's hangout. Mori must have turned it into
something else.
Talon had no books to take to school with him, but it didn't matter. As soon as he climbed on the
bus, the racket of unruly youngsters smote his ears, and a few yelled, "Check it out, Konya finally
came back! Where you been, Konya? Juvenile hall?" There was a roar of laughter. Talon slipped to
a vacant seat, trying to ignore the shouts.
Happy Mobian Academy was on the other side of the island, in a lush, green park-like area. To the
casual observer it was the perfect school: the grounds were beautiful, the buildings were
ultra-modern, clean and newly painted. But the students knew otherwise. This was a private school
with an unusual charter, and Talon's parents had talked about it with horror and started a petition to
close it down. Perhaps that was one reason they had been killed in the fire. Talon's uncle, upon
receiving custody, had enrolled Talon there at once.
Talon went to the office first, his stomach cold and hard under his ribs. The assistant principal was a
female dachshund, and she gave Talon a long look when he entered. "Well well. Konya Mori. I
never expected to see you again."
"Yes ma'am." Talon stared at the floor. He heard her rustling papers, and for a wild second thought
about blowing the whistle for Slasher. But no, he had survived this place before. He could do it
again.
"You were in Rabbit group, weren't you?" said the assistant principal. "You're too old now ..
thirteen, aren't you?"
Talon nodded.
"We'll put you in Antelope, then," she said. She handed him a maroon armband. "Your group is in
Jungle environment this week. The Jungle instructor will show you where to go."
Talon nodded as he put on the armband and left the office.
The school grounds covered twenty acres of uninhabited island, backing up to the ocean on the
south. There were large clumps of jungle, piles of rocks, ponds, and a wide grassy meadow. No
desert, though, thought Talon with a touch of smugness. The Floating Island's environments are
better.
He followed on of the trails marked 'Jungle', trying to remain unnoticed by the other students around
him. Everyone wore maroon or yellow armbands, and Talon guessed that Leopard was having their
classes with Antelope today. His stomach knotted even tighter. The predator groups were the worst.
At the edge of the trees, Talon found a group of kids with maroon and blended with them, hoping no
one would recognize him. Nearby was a wiry civet cat in a maroon vest, signifying that he was their
instructor. A few stragglers trotted up, and the teacher faced the group.
"All right, animals, listen up! Today we're pitted against Leopard! You will have to exhibit all the
qualities of the antelope to pass this lesson--speed, endurance, and sharp senses. Stay in small
groups--there is safety in numbers. Leopards hunt alone, and a lone Antelope is a dead Antelope.
Class ends at noon. Go!"
The kids turned and ran into the woods.
Talon had grown since the last time he was here. Not only were his legs longer and his endurance
greater, he had learned a few things. Now, as he ran with the chattering, laughing group, he
understood these idiotic lessons. The school was making young Mobians into animals. He thought of
the TV show he had watched with Tails about Mobian regression. This school encouraged it! But
Talon was too meek to rebel against the system. He simply told himself that he would not go feral,
and concentrated on surviving.
What had developed out in the jungles was a kind of gang warfare. Each team attacked the other,
and if some kids reached the end of the day with bloody noses or broken bones, it meant they were
learning. A pecking order was established within each team, and meek ones like Talon were at the
bottom.
All day long he ran, hid, watched his back, and jumped at shadows. His reflexes were slower
because of living civilized, and twice he was jumped and beaten up. By the end of the day he was
bruised, dirty, and curled up inside into a tight knot.
When he arrived home at three o'clock, he again found the house deserted. Talon tried to like it, but
he was lonesome and homesick, and couldn't help thinking of what Knuckles would have done if let
inside that school. He went to his room, barricaded the door, and pulled the communicator out from
under his pillow.
He clicked it on and waited for the responding click. After a moment it came, and Knuckles's voice
said, "Hey."
"Hello sir."
"Talon! Hey! How're you doing?"
"Okay," said Talon, feeling safe now that Knuckles was on the line. "I just got home from school."
"School?" Knuckles sounded astonished. "He made you go to school your first day back?"
"Yes sir." Talon didn't want to think about it. "Any chance of my coming home soon?"
"We've hired a lawyer to work this out," said Knuckles. "She has a grudge against your uncle and
was delighted to take the case."
"Oh good." Talon didn't know what else to say. "Thanks for giving me this com."
"You're welcome. You get the whistle?"
"Yes sir."
"Have you used it?"
"No sir."
"Huh." Knuckles sounded puzzled. "We haven't seen Slasher since we got here. I thought you
whistled for her."
"No sir." Talon looked at the window, his old fear returning.
"Strange. Well, has your uncle been treating you all right?"
"Yes sir." If not seeing him all day was right treatment.
"Hey Tal, listen," said Knuckles, lowering his voice. "If you find out your uncle's doing ... well,
anything illegal, call me right away."
"Illegal?" Talon perked up, thinking of the locked basement. "Like what, sir?"
"I don't know. But if you see something weird, let me know. And be careful."
"Yes sir!"
There was a long pause, Talon knew he should hang up, but he couldn't bear to turn off the comfort
of Knuckles's voice.
"Well, if you need anything, call," said Knuckles. "And don't be afraid to use the whistle. Slasher
likes you, you know."
"Oh." Talon could only think of the way she had eaten the steaks. "Thanks."
"Bye Tal."
"Bye sir." Talon turned off the com and sat looking at it. He wished he dared strap it to his wrist, but
his uncle might take it away, and at school it would get broken. He shoved it back under his pillow,
glanced at his window again, and met Espio's eyes.
A second later the window was open and Talon was leaning out. Espio was colored the same as the
vines that covered the window, and Talon kept losing the chameleon among the leaves. "Espio, what
are you doing here?"
"Checking on you, kid," said Espio. "Us Chaotix have been watching the house. Is your uncle here?
Can I come in?"
"I haven't seen him today," said Talon, glad of Espio's presence. "Come on in, but be quiet. He might
be in the basement."
Espio climbed through the window, his skin changing colors to blend with the walls and floor. Talon
led him through the house, conducting a tour in a whisper. Espio grunted now and then, memorizing
the layout. When they came to the basement door, Talon said, "I'm not allowed to go down there. It's
always kept locked. I can't go in the barn, either. Want to see that?"
"You bet!"
Talon took Espio into the backyard, led him across the lawn and into the forest, where the barn was
located. As they walked up to it, they became aware of an unpleasant odor, like rotting meat. The
barn's door was chained shut, and there were bars in the windows.
Espio climbed up to look in the windows, but it was so dark that all he could see were vague,
indistinct shapes like machinery under tarps.
Espio climbed back down, looking curious. "A locked barn and a locked basement. Did we tell you
about what we heard?"
"No."
Espio related the story of ringing the doorbell and hearing a wild beast growl before Mori answered
the door. Talon blanched. "What could it have been?"
"No idea," said Espio. "Maybe he has a really big dog or something. Be careful."
Be careful. Everyone kept telling him to be careful. Careful of what?
They snuck back through the house, and Espio left through Talon's window. "Thanks for the tour,
kid," he said. "If you need anything, sneak out front and wave at the bushes. We're taking turns
watching you."
"Okay," Talon grinned as Espio slunk away. If the Chaotix were close by, then he didn't mind being
alone.
* * *
Knuckles had received Talon's call as he was getting ready to meet with the lawyer again. He and
Zephyer dropped what they were doing and huddled around the communicator. When Knuckles
hung up, he looked at Zephyer. "How did he sound to you?"
"Depressed," said Zephyer, looking at the com as if she could see Talon thought it.
"At least he's all right," said Knuckles, strapping the com to his wrist. "And the Chaotix are keeping
an eye on him."
"I wish he was home again," said Zephyer, looking downcast. "I know he doesn't make much noise,
but it's been too quiet without him."
Knuckles grunted and walked out the door, Zephyer following.
They took a portable teleporter with them as they warped back to the mainland. Zephyer hated to
leave the Floating Island so much; she understood the part of the Guardian's oath about being bound
to the island. Leaving it seemed a form of betrayal, and she wondered how Knuckles had managed
to do it so often. She did not know that Knuckles's loneliness had become so intense that even the
island's call could not keep him there, and it was not until the Chaotix came that Knuckles was able
to stay at home. Her own presence was also a comfort to him, although he would never tell her such
a thing. All Zephyer knew was that they were still mad at each other, although they had a temporary
truce while dealing with Talon and Howe.
They walked through Marshill to the big white building where Dewey, Cheetum and Howe was
located, and found Howe in her office with five stacks of paper on her desk. She greeted them, and
as soon as they sat down, she got down to business.
"According to Blackguard law, a child may be removed from his home when it is proved that his
current environment is unsafe, or his parents or guardians are unsuitable. He will be placed in foster
care until suitable guardians are found for him. You two will need to go through the adoption
approval process immediately so that will be out of the way. That way when we have the child
removed from his current home, we can place him with you at once."
Knuckles nodded. "What agency would you recommend?"
Howe handed him one of the stacks of paper. "This is the Orphan Aid foundation. They're small but
very efficient. I've worked with them before."
Knuckles side-eyed Zephyer as they both wondered if this agency was somehow dishonest.
Electricity darted between them. Knuckles's eyes widened, then he bent over the papers. Zephyer
looked at them with him, wondering why the electricity had surprised him.
"This case cannot proceed until you are approved for adoption," said Howe. "I'd advise you to go to
the Orphan Aid office immediately. My hands are tied until then."
"Okay, we'll do that," said Knuckles, glancing at Zephyer. "Call us if anything happens."
"And keep me informed on the approval process," said Howe.
As they left the office, Zephyer said, "Well, that was a short visit."
"She knows what she's doing," said Knuckles. "We have to be approved so she can go in and shred
Pendel Mori. I could see the bloodlust in her eyes."
"Carnivores," said Zephyer. "Oh yeah, the electric thing happened again."
"It happened right as she gave us the adoption papers." He looked at Zephyer. "What were you
thinking?"
"I wondered if they were dishonest," said Zephyer, and gasped as the electricity zinged between
them.
Knuckles grinned. "That's it. When we think the same thing, there's an electric arc. Or is it chaos
energy?"
"I don't like it," said Zephyer."
"Maybe we can control it," said Knuckles. "Try it. Think about Talon."
Zephyer did and looked Knuckles in the eye, and the power struck like lightning. They both
flinched. "This is stupid," said Zephyer. "It hurts us to think alike! Is it a Master Emerald thing?"
"No idea," said Knuckles, walking on. "Is this my fault, too?"
"No," said Zephyer, reddening. She knew she ought to apologize, but pride was a hard thing to
swallow. It took her until the end of the block to spit it out. "I'm sorry, none of this is your fault. I
shouldn't have said that."
He looked at her fiercely for a second, then his expression softened. "I shouldn't have got so mad. I
miss Talon, too." He squeezed her hand as they walked along.
* * *
Vector lay in the shrubbery, polishing his binoculars. Mighty sat nearby, slurping a milkshake.
Espio and Charmy were hidden across the yard somewhere, watching Talon's house from every
angle. The house appeared deserted, and it was boring, hot work, for the afternoon was stifling.
"What time does Talon get home from school?" asked Mighty.
"Three o'clock," said Vector, checking his watch. "Ten minutes."
"We ought to stake out his school, too," said the armadillo.
"Naw," said Vector. "It's just school. He'd be indoors all day except recess, and we'd miss anything
his uncle did."
"Is Mori even there?" said Mighty, peering out of the bushes at the house. "We haven't seen him
since he insulted us the night he took Talon."
"Apparently Talon hasn't seen him, either," said Vector. "Talk about a deadbeat parent."
"I hope that lawyer eats him alive," said Mighty, stirring his milkshake. "Hey, I think the school bus
is coming." He dropped on his stomach beside Vector as the bus rumbled to a halt at the foot of the
driveway. Talon stepped off, looking dusty and tired. He walked up the driveway with his head
down and entered the house as the bus drove away.
"Poor kid," muttered Vector, watching the windows with binoculars. "Espio's moving up to spy on
him. Maybe Talon'll catch Espio again."
"If I was him, I'd try to," said Mighty. "He's got to be lonely." The armadillo froze and grabbed
Vector's arm. "Hey, who's that?"
Vector followed his gaze and saw a mouse standing at the driveway entrance, looking up at the
house. He set off around the perimeter of the property, withdrawing a tiny camera from his pants
pocket. Vector trained the binoculars on him, frowning. "That isn't one of Knuckles's lawyers, is it?"
"No, his lawyer is a ferret," said Mighty. "Shh, he's coming this way."
The two flattened themselves as the mouse walked by, snapping pictures of the yard and house.
Vector watched the mouse with a dark glare. "What's that guy think he's doing? We were here first!"
"Maybe Mori hired him," whispered Mighty. "Maybe Mori's noticed us watching the house, and this
mouse is trying to figure out our positions."
"If he wanted to do that, he could just beat the bushes and yell," replied Vector, worming his way
forward to see into the yard. "No, he's up to something. Maybe he's a burglar."
"Then we ought to stop him, shouldn't we?"
Vector had been sitting in the bushes all day, and any excuse to get out and move around was
welcome. "All right, let's jump him!"
The mouse was near the house, counting windows, when he noticed something that didn't look right.
There was a shadow against the wall that was cast by nothing. He moved closer and snapped a
picture. The shadow moved, and a pair of reptilian eyes met his.
The mouse was tackled from behind and crushed to the ground by Vector, who was three times his
size. "Got 'im!" exclaimed Vector. "Let's get him out of sight, quick!" The crocodile got up, holding
the mouse in a headlock, and Mighty caught the mouse's flailing arms. They hustled him into the
shelter of three potted palms that formed a screen, Espio following them.
"Okay," said Vector, "talk fast. What are you doing here?"
"Who are you people?" exclaimed the house, panting. "Mori has bodyguards now?"
"No, but Talon does," said Espio. "Who are you working for, huh?"
The mouse looked at them incredulously, then began to laugh.
"What's so funny?" growled Mighty. "You're awful small to pound, but I could talk myself into it."
"Back pocket," gasped the mouse. "My wallet. Look at my ID."
Espio retrieved the wallet and opened it. Inside was a business card that read, "Ralph Martain,
private detective." Espio read it aloud. "Private detective, eh? We're doing a bit of that, ourselves."
"Ann Howe hired me to keep an eye on this kid and his uncle," said Ralph. "Will you let me go,
please?"
Vector released him from the headlock and the mouse straightened, rubbing his neck. "Thanks. You
wouldn't happen to be friends of Knuckles Echidna, would you?"
Vector nodded.
"Thought so," said Ralph, dusting himself off and checking his camera for damage. "You boys could
do with a bit of training. First though, have you seen anything noteworthy since you staked out this
place?"
Vector side-eyed his companions. "Maybe. What's the camera for?"
"Reference," said Ralph. "Now will you--"
He was interrupted as Charmy exploded into their hiding place, quivering with fury. "What are you
guys doing?" he screamed in a whisper. "Mori just came out, injected Talon with something and left
again!"
"What?" everyone yelped. They started to run for the house, but Espio stopped them. "Wait! Let me
go! Mori might come back!" The chameleon slipped out of hiding, his scales mimicking his
surroundings, and raced to Talon's window. The others sneaked through the shrubbery, casting dark
looks at each other.
Espio reached the window, inched his fingers under the sill and opened it. Talon was standing in the
middle of the room, staring at the closed door. He turned as Espio opened the window. "Hello
Espio." He looked dazed.
"Are you okay?" asked Espio, slipping inside. "What did he do? Charmy said he injected you?"
"No," said Talon, holding out one arm where a few drops of blood stained the fur. "He took a blood
sample." He sucked the place until it stopped bleeding, and Espio cursed himself for abandoning his
post.
"The five minutes we weren't watching you ... Where'd he go?"
"Out," said Talon, pointing at the door.
Espio whisked to the door and out in the hall, determined to find Mori and see what he was doing.
The chameleon's memorization skills served him well, and he went straight to the basement stairs.
The door at the bottom was closed. Espio descended the stairs and tried the knob. It was unlocked!
He turned it and opened the door a crack.
Beyond it was a whitewashed room with several tables. Espio glimpsed a few glass tubes and
bottles, and guessed it was laboratory equipment. He eased the door open another fraction, and
spotted Pendel Mori. He had a small vial of Talon's blood and was pouring a few drops of something
into it.
Espio took mental snapshots of what he saw, to memorize it. Back behind the tables was a wooden
partition, and a stout chain ran behind it. As Espio watched, something reached up and grabbed the
top of the partition.
Espio shut the door and ran for his life, forgetting about camouflage and even where he was. He
took a wrong turn and wound up in the living room, doubled back and found Talon's room by sheer
luck. Talon was sitting on the bed, waiting for him. "Espio?" he said, straightening. "You're white!
What happened?"
The chameleon grabbed the anteater by the shoulders. "Don't you ever go down in that basement,
you hear me? If he tries to take you down there, fight and scream, we'll come. But don't even go
down there!"
Talon's eyes were wide with unasked questions, but all he said was, "Okay, Espio."
Espio vaulted out the window and dove into the bushes where the rest of the Chaotix and Ralph
awaited him. He was starting to shake.
"Espio!" said Vector. "What happened to you?"
"I saw Mori in the basement," whispered the chameleon. "He didn't inject Talon, he took a blood
sample. I looked in and there was something chained up, it was trying to get out." He trailed off,
seeing again that thing reaching up and grabbing the top of the partition. It was smooth and brown,
like a tail--no, not a tail. He struggled to identify it. Like a giant spider's leg. But that wasn't it, not a
spider. More like a feeler. The most horrible thing was that he knew only two things about it: that
leg or whatever, and the thickness of the chain holding it.
"What was it?" asked Ralph, staring at Espio with the rest.
The chameleon was turning from white to sickly green, and he was staring straight ahead. "I don't
know," said Espio. "Some kind of bug." Then he curled up the fetal position, coiling his tail around
his head.
The Chaotix looked at each other. They had never seen Espio act like this before.
"Is Talon all right?" asked Charmy.
"Yes," whispered Espio. "Call Knuckles. Tell him we have to get out of here."
"And leave Talon?" said Vector.
Espio rocked back and forth and didn't answer.
Vector looked at Mighty. "Take Espio back to the island. Tell Knuckles what happened. Charmy
and I will stay with Ralph."
"You got it," said the armadillo. He pulled Espio to his feet and led him out of the yard, toward
where they had left the portable teleporter.
Vector gazed toward the house, brow furrowed. Ralph watched him. "Care to work with me now?
Whatever your friend saw, we can use it to build a case against Pendel Mori."
"You can?" said Charmy. "What kind of case?"
"Illegal experimentation," said Ralph. "We could put him behind bars for a very long time."
Vector looked at Charmy, then Ralph. "What do you need to know?"
