Matri90: Thanks, glad to hear it :)

PyroHedgehog4Ever: One day I'll do two consecutive chapters, just to throw you ;) As to the rest...well, you'll find out in time :P

FriedBrickWall: Ah...but were they? ;) Heh...no, Rescue Complete isn't the sequel to Sins...I do know what that sequel is going to be called now, but I don't want to spoil the surprise. Anyways, Resuce Complete is a standalone short story I wrote a while ago featuring E-102 Gamma...it mentioned Chao in there. Maybe I'll extend it to write more about Chao. And hey, you were the one who said you liked cliffhangers (sighs) Guess there's no pleasing some people, huh? ;)

Kj: You'll find out ;)

Emotion: (smiles) Heh, thanks...as for the rest of it, you'll have to wait and see :P

Matt Lans: (groans at pun) And...well, you'll find out in good time ;)

Asher Tye: (grins broadly) But was it? Gotta wonder what Bait was about to say to Sonic before the explosion hit, huh? ;)

Toboe16: (jaw drops) Wow...that's quite some move :O And maybe Bait is innocent; you'll find out in the next chapter :P

Robotnik was in a foul mood, and didn't care who knew about it.

"I don't recall ever giving you permission to do something that crazy!" he all but shrieked at Raker, who sheered back, startled. He'd never heard of Robotnik losing his temper before, had even supposed that the doctor didn't have a temper to lose.

Then the thought of what he had down in the cargo hold drifted back into his consciousness and he smiled broadly. Oh man, was he going to have fun.

"I don't recall saying anything particularly amusing, either," Robotnik added, his voice now dangerously soft.

Raker sighed, already bored with this. "Look. You wanted the hedgehog, didn't you?"

"Yes, but funnily enough, I don't see him anywhere here."

"I got...impatient."

"You got careless."

Raker laughed boldly. "Hah. Right. Look, even Sonic thinks Bait planted that bomb." He considered. "I hadn't foreseen that, I must admit, but it was a handy development."

Robotnik took a long, deep breath. "Such timing – your brother's remark followed so soon by the explosion – could hardly be coincidence."

"Damn straight," Raker drawled.

"So...I know a good magician never tells his secrets, Raker, but indulge me. What exactly happened?"

Raker smirked. "You really think you're the only one who wants Sonic gone? I met up with a chameleon overseer called Lugnor down in the slave tunnels, just after Sonic assaulted me and broke my hip. I told Lugnor what he needed to know – namely where the hedgehog and his friends would be staying – and the guy took it upon himself to visit. He went invisible and planted several remote-activated bombs all around the building, then reappeared and acted like he'd only just arrived." Raker perched on a metal table, chin resting in his hand. "Turns out he had even more of a personal grudge against the CDA; he's Espio's brother."

Robotnik raised an eyebrow, this information new enough to smooth his hackles. "I didn't realise Espio had a brother."

Raker snorted. "Hell yeah. Got about twenty or thirty from what I hear, and that was just in the first clutch. Anyway, he was more than happy to plant the bombs and trigger it. He was watching Sonic and the bait walk away, invisible of course, and the timing was just too perfect."

Robotnik seized hold of the table in one hand and flipped it over, spilling Raker to the ground. "Yes, perfect, except for the little fact that not only did we miss Sonic but we put him on red alert! I wanted to catch him off guard!"

"You will," Raker said dismissively, getting up and dusting himself off. "Sonic's not going to connect the explosion with you, is he? If anything he thinks I bullied the bait into planting it."

"And did you?"

"You don't listen very well, do you? I already said I didn't. A couple of the CDA kept guarding him so fanatically that I couldn't get near him." Raker smirked. "You know, I'm starting to worry people don't trust me."

Robotnik, who never trusted anyone he hadn't built himself – with the possible exception of Daimeri – snorted.

"Are you planning to say all this to Sonic when he arrives?"

Raker laughed again. "Sonic? Sonic's finished with him! The chances of that hedgehog looking for the bait are minimal."

"You underestimate him," Robotnik said coldly. "I know Sonic. He'll come for Bait if only to get an explanation. And whether he believes the cub or not, he still won't let you play your little games with him. I wouldn't want to be in your shoes when he catches up with you; he has no tolerance for bullies."

"Yeah, I figured." Raker's hand hovered over his injured hip protectively. "Speaking of which, when are you going to fix me up like you promised?"

"Never, if you keep on like this."

The jackal whirled. "Hey, don't take your frustrations out on me, eggbutt! I did my bit! It's your fault you weren't able to capture Sonic."

Robotnik's hand clenched into a fist then, with a great effort, he uncurled it. "No, it's yours. You blew up the CDA headquarters, which will draw the attention of the Chaotix unwaveringly towards you, and what was the result? An injured hedgehog, three insurance agents on the verge of nervous breakdowns and one – count it, one – fatality! I suppose that was something of a plus, but I imagine the Chaotix have already started working on his replacement. You've bought yourself a few days at best before they come looking for you."

The jackal leaned back on one foot, arms folded across his chest and stared at Robotnik arrogantly. "I'm not afraid of a bunch of amateur detectives. I survived everything they had to throw at me."

Robotnik rolled his eyes. Had he ever been this self-assured, so convinced of his own invulnerability? If he had, thank the Emeralds he hadn't known about it.

"They haven't thrown anything at you yet." When Raker continued to look obstinate, Robotnik sighed. "Look. As far as the CDA are concerned, there are three kinds of people in this world; a) those who owe them money, b) those who don't and c) those they want to get rid of as soon as possible. So far, you have fallen into category b) with the distinct possibility of moving into a) if they decided to take your case, and I understand it's extremely rare for them to turn down clients. Now you've revealed yourself as an enemy by blowing up their HQ...they're going to want you eliminated as soon as possible."

"Like I said, I'm not scared of a bunch of amateur detectives. Besides, how are they going to know it was me? Sonic – when he regains consciousness – is very kindly going to point the finger at Bait, and the CDA know him well enough to know he won't make accusations like that without some real proof. His word will be good enough to convince them."

Robotnik rubbed his forehead, wishing like hell that he'd waited before sending Daimeri off on her latest assignment. At least she had a modicum of sense and would have been able to silence this pup, if only by threatening to cut out his tongue.

"The CDA will not take the word of anybody. They'll look for their own proof, and when they find it, they'll come looking for you."

Raker sneered. "And I'll deny everything. Who do you think they'll believe, the seventeen year old orphaned jackal or the fat megalomaniac with his own munitions factory? Your record isn't exactly clean, doc."

"Neither is yours." Although Robotnik's tone wasn't exactly angry, it did carry subtle overtones of menace along with the assurance that certain people were going to regret fat megalomaniac. "And Sonic won't be fooled. He knows I wouldn't do something as crazy as that."

Raker laughed. "No, Sonic suspects Bait, remember?" He shook his head, grinning broadly. "Now that's what you call poetic justice. Funny, if the kid hadn't tried to warn Sonic in his roundabout way, he wouldn't be in this mess, or in such anguish. Personally I doubt that even I can make him feel worse or more miserable than he does right now, but I'll have a damn good try."

"You'll do no such thing, Raker."

"What?" Raker froze on his way out, then whirled. "What do you mean? We had a deal!"

"Yes, we did." Robotnik made an L-shape with his finger and thumb and rested his jaw on it. "I said I'd let you keep your little brother. I never said for how long. I need him."

An ugly light flashed in Raker's eyes. "So do I!"

"Yes, but I had another purpose in mind besides a scratching post," Robotnik informed him pleasantly. "Sonic won't come for a dead jackal."

Raker snorted. "He won't come, period. How many times do I have to tell you; he thinks Bait destroyed the CDA and killed one of his friends."

"And how many times do I have to tell you, Raker, that you don't know Sonic like I do?" Robotnik said in icy tones. "The hedgehog will come, and I intend for my own hands to be clean when he arrives." He settled back, folding his hands comfortably across his ample belly. "I suppose your recklessness served some purpose; now when Sonic asks me what I did, I can honestly say nothing. But he won't turn up if Bait's dead."

Raker's eyes glittered. "Perhaps. Perhaps not. But...how shall I put this? There are several intervening stages between life and death, am I right?"

Robotnik closed his eyes, thinking as he did so that this was precisely why he liked mechanical accomplices so much.

"If Sonic finds Bait dead, he will kill us both. I'm not joking. Not many people ever get to see the hedgehog's temper, but believe me, he has one."

"I'm not afraid of Sonic."

"Then you're either stupid or insane." Robotnik considered. "Or both, I suppose."

"Yeah?" Raker raised his eyebrows. "So which are you?"

"Neither, thankyou. I'm not afraid of Sonic because I know there's very little chance he'll actually kill me. But that doesn't mean I don't have a healthy respect for the rodent."

Raker shook his head, clicking his tongue. "Doc, if I qualify for Sonic's hit list, then you definitely do. What makes you think he'd leave you of all people alive, if he had a chance to finish you once and for all?"

"A number of reasons, Raker, and I doubt you'd understand any of them since they involve concepts you have no idea about. They're also none of your business, so I would advise you to keep your mouth shut." The doctor flipped open a panel and started fiddling with the wiring underneath, more for the effect than any electrical necessity. "Now why don't you go and play with your new toy? And remember; if you want to torture Bait, you can, but I want him left alive and coherent." Robotnik stressed the last word as much as he could. He knew better than anyone what too much torture could do; he liked to indulge in it himself as much as possible.

Several floors below, with a pounding headache and bruises on just about every part of his body – an aftermath of the explosion – Bait opened his eyes the merest slit and froze. He was curled up in a cage, one so small that the bars pressed in on every part of his body. It was an odd shape too, being spherical as opposed to square. It was like being trapped inside a ball, a ball two sizes too small for his body.

Had Sonic done this to him? No, not likely; Sonic wouldn't do anything like that, even if he did think the jackal had blown up the CDA. Bait himself had been knocked out by the explosion, and the last thing he really remembered seeing and hearing was Sonic's accusation. Was Sonic still alive?

Bait covered his face with his hands and whined softly, a sound of pure anguish. He didn't care about being imprisoned – well, he did, but he'd been locked in a cage like this one before and survived – all he cared about was whether Sonic had survived.

He could still see the hedgehog's expression in front of him, could still see the sudden suspicion and anger that had appeared there. Sonic blamed him for the explosion. Bait hadn't been responsible – he didn't even know how Raker had done it – and he'd tried to warn Sonic, but it had been too late.

Sonic thought he'd done it. Bait didn't blame him, but he wished it could have happened thirty seconds earlier, when everything was still good between them.

That was the worst possible thing, in Bait's mind, that the hedgehog thought it was his fault. The jackal had been doing everything in his power to convince Sonic that he'd changed, that Sonic had been right to trust him and then something like that happened.

Bait closed his eyes. He didn't know where he was or how he'd got there, but he knew it was trouble. Whatever was going to happen...well, it wouldn't be good, but if Sonic had survived...

Movement drew his attention to the left and he struggled to see in the gloom.

"Who's there?" he demanded, and was quite proud when his voice didn't tremble.

Soft footsteps, just loud enough to be heard, sounded in the room.

"Hello little brother." Raker stepped into the light, smiling broadly. "Long time no see."

Okay, short but sweet...actually, on second thoughts, it's probably just short ;) Still, I didn't want poor Bait carrying the can for any longer than he had to :P If you read, please review!