CHAPTER 2

A NEW MYSTERY

That next day at the Chaotix Shadow was leaning against the wall holding his girlfriend, Rouge around her waist kissing her.

Espio walked over to them disturbing their romantic moment.

Shadow took his attention away from Rouge and looked at Espio with annoyance, "Do you mind?"

"Just asking, since you guys are really close and all. I guess you two already did it."

Rouge slapped Espio hard in the face, "That's none of your business, Espio!"

Espio fell to the floor with a red mark across his face. He stood up holding his red cheek, "All I wanted to say is aren't you two planning to have a kid or something?"

Shadow had his arms crossed, "Yeah right. Kids are nothing but trouble. I'm never having kids."

Rouge thought differently, "Well...a child would be nice."

"What! No way, a kid is nothing but a nightmare. If you want one you can happily dream about one."

"You never had a child before. You know nothing about them."

"I know that they're annoying and nothing but snot-nosed brats."

Rouge put her hands on her hips and began to walk away, "If that's what you think about children, then I'm disgusted with you." She walked away.

Espio felt kinda bad for even starting the argument, "I'm sorry, Shadow. I didn't mean to..."

"It's okay, Es. It's not your fault. You should know by now that Rouge and I get into fights almost everyday." He shrugged, "She'll get over it. That's how she is."

"If you say so."

"Shadow, Espio come here", Vector called.

Shadow and Espio ran over to him.

"What is it?" Espio asked.

"We got another case", Vector said.

Later the Chaotix got to an abandoned facility where the Street Punks invaded and killed everyone. They checked around the bloody room and looked for clues.

Shadow looked around on the floor and found a piece of grey fur laying on the floor. He picked it up and examined it. He frowned, "This is Lance's fur."

Rouge looked over to one of the desks. She spotted a piece of paper with a drawing on it. She picked it up and looked at it. It looked like a little kid drew the picture. It didn't give her much information. She ran over to Vector and showed him the picture, "Do you think a kid was here?"

Vector studied the picture, "Seems like it."

"Did she become a victim as well?" Charmy said.

Shadow began to leave the room.

Rouge was concerned, "Where are you going?"

He turned to face the group, "To find Lance. He's behind this, I know it."

"Let me come with you!" Rouge and Espio said together.

"Fine, just don't get in the way", he walked out of the room with Rouge and Espio behind him.

"I wonder if Captain Shadow is mad again?" Charmy said a little worried.

"He always gets a little uptight when it comes to dealing with the Street Punks", Tonya said.

Vector nodded, "You're right about that."

Later when Shadow, Espio, and Rouge crossed into the Street Punks hideout, Shadow kicked the door down and walked into the room with a serious look. He looked around the room for a short time.

"Well, well if it isn't Detective Hedgehog", a red porcupine said as he approached from a corner.

Shadow gritted his teeth, "Appex..." He ran towards him and grabbed him by the neck, "Where's Lance?"

The porcupine tried to talk clearly, "Out."

"Why?"

"None of your business."

Shadow's grip around his neck got tighter.

"Shadow, no you'll kill him", Espio was going to stop him, but Rouge held him back.

Rouge shook her head, "He said don't interfere."

Espio then remembered. He sighed and stepped back.

Appex tried to speak, "Now matter what you do to me, I'll tell you nothing."

Shadow wanted to kill him, but he decided to let him live. His grip around Appex's neck slipped away.

Appex fell to the floor holding his neck.

Shadow left the room without saying a word with Espio and Rouge following behind.

Outside of the Street Punks hideout, Shadow leaned against the wall thinking about what he would do next.

"What are gonna do next, Shad?" Espio asked.

Shadow got away from the wall and faced Espio, "We gotta find Lance and fast. We don't know what he's planning."

Rouge had her arms crossed, "That's true."

Their conversation was interrupted when they heard a crashing noise deep in the alley they were in.

They ran into the trashy area and saw someone hiding behind a trash can.

Shadow took out his gun from his holster. He pointed it at the person, "Come out now."

The person peeked from the trash can. She was nothing, but a scared little girl.

Shadow put his gun back in the holster, "It's a kid."

"She looks so scared", Rouge noticed.

Shadow noticed the side of her head was severely bruised. He started to reached out for her, "What happened to you?"

When his hand got closer to her, she had gotten scared and quickly bit him on his finger.

Shadow yelled and held his finger, "Son of a bitch! That bitch bit me!" He grabbed her arm.

The girl started to struggle in his grip.

"Stop moving. I'm trying to help you."

The girl struggled even more, "Get off me! Leave me alone!" She shouted with tears emerging from her eyes.

Shadow held her down to the ground. He faced Rouge and Espio, "Don't just stand there, hold her down."

Rouge held her by her wrists and Espio held her by her legs.

While they were doing that, Shadow took out a needle filled with some type of drug and inserted the liquid in her neck.

Afterwards the girl peacefully went to sleep.