Act I: AWARE
Chapter III: The Grudge
Eggbase Strip Club: Wednesday, 12:35 AM
Eggman was shaking in fear.
He was always so snide and egotistical. He felt untouchable. It had always come so easy for him, and who could surpass his vast intellect.
But of course, it would be Shadow the Hedgehog.
"Alright you two, we need an escape plan. I already hear that pest in here." Eggman muttered, pacing around his office-space, as Infinite and Metal stood close-by.
Infinite stepped up, eyeing Metal as his weapons activated towards the door. "Bean and Nack will be back shortly. They began their transport with the getaway van as soon as they heard."
Eggman buried his face in his hands. He glanced down to the file that held Shadow's plans. He had spent a good while reading up on what the Godfather had planned to do, and with such wonderfully-thought out plans, surely he would rather his name be plastered all over them?
But – one oversight of course…
Shadow the Hedgehog would be here with a vengeance if he ever found out.
Metal whirred, as guard bots standed post on the other side of that door. Anyone that came inside this room would have their blood staining the carpet in a nanosecond. Metal's only wish for anyone and everyone is for their death to be satisfying for the android's sadistic urges.
"Then we must make a break for it, Jackal. Metal – you understand your assignment, of course. If those good-for-nothing guard bots are disabled, make them bleed."
Metal only whirred in response.
Shadow and his crew began prancing their way down the hallway, only for Bark to utter his first word all night.
"Fall back!"
Bullets began piercing above them, the guard bots instant fire locking to their targets. The four ducked behind walls, as the bullets rampaged. Shadow grumbled, tapping into his earpiece.
"Wave – come in. There are two bots infront of Eggman's door. I need you to shut them down."
Wave, posted in a back room, popped a bubble of her gum as she began typing commands into her laptop. "You got it."
Eggman and Infinite's glee was short-lived, as they heard two separate explosions outside their door. Infinite hovered to the peephole, as he noticed the guard-bots were disabled. He growled, turning his masked face back to Eggman.
"They're destroyed."
Eggman felt his face sink, his balled fists shaking at his sides. His anger rose, practically tasting the moment where Metal and Infinite tore them all to shreds.
"Then we must make a break for it now." Eggman muttered, only to be interrupted by the door blasting off its hinges.
Eggman's eyes peeled back, his gaze meeting that of the Godfather of the Central City Mafia.
C.C.P.D.: Below En l'absence, Tuesday 12:01 PM
"Shadow…"
Sonic was in disbelief. He had heard rumblings that Shadow had been making some moves in the crime-world. But – even the mention of his name sent him into perpetual grief.
After everything the two had gone through together – for him to become the leader of the Mafia? Sonic barely even thought there was a Mafia, I mean, there was no solid evidence it existed.
But, Scourge had connections in the crime-world, and after everything, he was keen on believing it was true, even if he really didn't want too.
Tails noticed Sonic staring off into space, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You okay, Sonic?"
Sonic was snapped out of his thought, mustering up a pained smile. "Y-yeah, course buddy!" He turned to Scourge, eyeing him.
"So, what do you know about Shadow? You think he's involved with this?"
"No man. But, from what I've heard, he's on the lookout for anyone who was affiliated with the law enforcement. So, maybe that's why he went after the girl. You said you worked with her, right?" Scourge asked, tapping his foot against the street.
"We did. Her name was Tikal. She was a good fighter. Strong spirit." Sonic responded, casting a look to Tails, sharing weak smiles between them.
"Well, if it is Shadow, how are we supposed to find him now? After all this time?" Tails asked.
Sonic paused for a moment, before looking back up at the two.
"I know someone who can tell us everything."
Eggbase Strip Club: Wednesday, 1:00 AM
Metal revved up, ready to tear these invaders to shreds, only to be smashed into the back wall by Bark.
Shadow looked to the Polar Bear, still marvelling at all that strength inside that fighter. Turning to Eggman, he began marching forward.
"Well, hey there Shad-OW!"
Eggman flew from his chair, as Shadow held him by the collar over his desk. Wave had begun setting defense outside the office, as Jet and Storm apprehended Infinite. Infinite cursed to himself, looking down at the Ruby that had been broken for some time now.
If Eggman would ever mind to fix this, that would be fantastic.
"Where are my plans, Ivo?" Shadow spat, his eyes bearing down into Eggman's.
Shadow had no more patience for any of this. He had major things up his sleeve, and no fat-strip club owner was going to keep slowing him down. Enough was enough.
Eggman spat back, a small smile on his face.
"Like I'll tell you, Shadow. They belong to me now! Fair and square!"
"Do I need to get the information out of you the hard way?" Shadow asked. Bark and Wave began tearing through the office, looking for anything as Metal was nearly-deactivated from the slam, and Infinite was still apprehended.
"What might be the hard way, Shadow?" Eggman asked, mocking him with every word. Shadow chuckled a bit, a tiny grin on his muzzle.
"Would you like to find out?"
Shadow tore Eggman's face to the defense systems Wave had put up, locking onto him. Shadow pressed the barrel of his pistol into the back of Eggman's head, his body sprawled on the top of his desk.
"If you don't answer me when I ask, then we can only expect your death to be painful." Shadow remarked, grimacing as he saw the crime-boss's face start going cold with panic.
"Now – Shadow. We can talk about this, yes? There's no need for all this viol-"
Eggman was cut off as the barrel pressed harder into his skull. Alright, Shadow wasn't keen on talking. Fine.
"Alright! Alright – they – they're in the safe in the back."
Shadow dropped him, his face slamming into the hard-wood of the desk. Shadow marched to the safe, shooting the lock off with his pistol. Swining the safe door open, his expression turned puzzled as he stared at tinfoil-wrapping.
Shadow eyed the crime-boss, a small growl under his breath. "What is this?"
Before Eggman could respond, Wave's voice cut through the room.
"Bomb! Get down, everyone!"
The Rogues lept under the desk, as Bark grabbed Shadow, only for the bomb to send them flying back. As the room grew tarnished, papers flying scattered through the air, the ringing in Shadow's ears grew louder as he gained his senses. Opening his bleary eyes, he saw Eggman grab Metal, as him and Infinite had already begun making their way out of the office.
Jet rolled out from under the desk. "They're breakin' for it!"
Shadow stumbled up, followed by Storm and Bark. They split up, only for Rouge to cut through their comms.
"They're going through the back! Sensors are picking up movement!"
As Shadow and the Rogues broke through the backdoor, the van had already begun peeling out from behind the back-alley. Shadow raised his gun, firing his bullets at the tires.
It was in vain – and of course it was. Nothing could fall easy for Shadow these days. He watched the van peel out, as he grumbled.
The four made their way back into the main room, Rouge flying down in front of them.
"They escaped, didn't they?" Rouge asked, a hand on her hip. Shadow sighed, stepping over to the group of mobsters that were brandishing their weapons.
They all looked at Shadow, who was looking around at all of them, an expression of annoyance and slight-defeat painted on his face.
"This is not over. Next time we are face-to-face with him, Eggman will not be shown mercy."
C.C.P.D.: Main Station, Tuesday 1:25 PM
Sonic noticed the pink hedgehog with a bandage wrapped on her arm as he walked in, Tails and Scourge in lieu.
Scourge felt his heart sinking. This was so out of his element. Being in here, but not on the other side of a cell.
Sonic tilted his head, as Amy sat with Bunnie and Antoine, two long-time cops, recently married.
"Well well! What happened to you, Ames?" Sonic winked to her, met with a scoff and eye-roll from Amy.
"Drug deal gone wrong. We apprehended most of them, so I'll count it a success, save the cuts and nicks I got." Amy responded.
"Oh – it was more then successful, sugar-plum! Most of 'em are in the slammer as we speak!" Bunnie piped up, as Antoine rubbed her back.
"Ah – you should've seen zis one out there! Some of your best work, my love!" Antoine said, met with a peck on his cheek from his wife.
Amy sighed, looking back to the detectives, before she tilted her head to the third addition to their trio.
"And – who is this?" Amy asked, her gaze pointed.
Scourge mumbled a quick "nope", his head peeling to the floor. Sonic chuckled, patting his back.
"This is Scourge! He's been in here before, but this time he's in no trouble. Helped us a good bit out there today." Sonic said, grin as wide as a Cheshire cat.
Bunnie chuckled, as Antoine rolled his eyes. "Well well, sugar! Hope you're glad you're helpin' us instead of gettin' put in handcuffs, aren't ya?!"
Scourge rubbed his neck, staring at the ground. "Y- yeah. Guess so."
Tails stepped up, clearing his throat a bit. "We're gonna talk to Knuckles about what we found out, if you wanna come with."
Amy sighed, as Bunnie and Antoine nodded along. Their expressions of sorrow said all it needed to say – everyone had been reeling with the news of Tikal's death.
No one was a stranger to her – a good friend gone way too soon.
The group walked into Knuckles's office, the Echidna clearly up to his neck in everything at once.
Did this guy even get enough time to properly mourn the loss of his cousin?
"So, was everything successful?" Knuckles asked, Sonic and Tails exchanging a glance.
"Somewhat." Tails responded.
Knuckles was about to ask what they found out, until his purple eyes caught sight of a gentleman he wasn't too familiar with.
But – even then, he still looked vaguely familiar.
"Who's this with you?" Knuckles asked.
Scourge felt like he was shitting bricks.
Great, what's this Sheriff gonna say?
"This is Scourge." Sonic responded, his dumb smile the only safety-net for Scourge.
"You know what – yeah, now I remember. We got you on a breaking-and-entering charge, didn't we?" Knuckles said.
Scourge swallowed a lump, pushing his sunglasses down over his eyes.
"I'm not sayin' anything without a lawyer present." Scourge muttered, really wishing he had just made a break for it when he could.
"Well, he's the one who helped us the most." Tails responded.
"I'm listening." Knuckles said.
Sonic stepped forward, placing a red vial on Knuckle's desk. Knuckles examined it, eyes peeling back with realiziation.
Shadow the Hedgehog.
"Gaia…" Knuckles said, a small gasp exiting his mouth.
Sonic and Scourge gave Knuckles the rundown of everything they had talked about, and anything that they found in correlation with Shadow being a suspect.
"So Scourge found this rolled off into the shadows, and we know from prior investigations that Shadow has used vials like this before…"
Knuckles trailed off, remembering when Shadow was – well…
Not a hardened criminal.
It confirmed what everyone was now thinking in the room though –
That even if Shadow didn't push her, or hell, even if he did push her –
Somehow, he was involved in all of this.
"Must of. He did a sloppy job. But we don't know where he is or where his hideout is." Sonic replied. "Scourge saw everything."
"Well, thank you Scourge for coming forward and helping us. But we don't have any trails to where he went or where his hideout is?" Knuckles asked.
"No sir." Tails replied.
Amy sat cross armed, as Bunnie and Antoine jotted down a few notes in their notebooks.
Amy's mouth had gone dry. Shadow the Hedgehog and everyone who had followed his lead used to be some of their closest friends. I mean, hell, Shadow was always a mysterious figure.
She just couldn't wrap her head around why he'd go to this length.
"I know someone who knows the city like the back of his hand. He can help, but I'm gonna need your permission." Sonic said, leaning on the desk, a sly grin shot to Knuckles.
Knuckles cocked an eyebrow. He already wasn't a fan of the look on Sonic's face.
"Who…?" Knuckles asked.
Sonic looked back to the rest in the room, their curious eyes trained on his.
Turning back to Knuckles, he clicked his tounge.
"Nazo. The information broker."
Amy sucked in a sharp gasp, as Tails's eyes peeled back on his head.
Knuckles scoffed, shaking his head. "Absolutely not."
Sonic hopped up, ready to plead his case.
"Sir, Nazo knows this city inside and out. We can get everything from him. He's even sold to us before – well, you know, BUT, even if he's a super-dangerous criminal or whatnot - he's the only available route to Shadow."
Knuckles sighed, shooting to his feet. "Sonic, are you insane? There is a reason he is kept in the kind of cell he is. Don't you remember what happened to Silv-"
Knuckles stopped, tucking his tounge in his cheek.
Sonic could only sigh. Right – Silver and Blaze. Hadn't seen them in forever, and honestly? They're absence is most certainly the reason criminals are so fearless these days.
When THEY were on the streets? Criminals were pissing their pants in corners.
And for damn good reason.
"Look, I get it, boss, but he cannot possibly be fool enough to try something slick when we're in his cell with him." Sonic said, leaning his arms onto the desk, that dumb cocky smile sliding right back across his face.
"Sonic, Nazo has broken out numerous times. He's broken out of every pair of handcuffs that were placed on his wrists. I mean hell, they put him in a straight jacket, and he got out of THAT."
Sonic tilted his head, eyes pleading with Knuckles to allow it.
Knuckles only grumbled, staring at the blue detective.
This investigator was going to be the death of him one day.
"Sonic, If you are serious about this, you need all the protection you can get. The crime force will be joining us, you'll all be bringing your weapons, and I'll call Vector and the SWAT to set up posts around the prison." Knuckles said, looking around to the agents in the room.
Amy shot a look to Tails, pursing her lips. Sonic sighed, crossing his arms with his trademark smile.
"Aye, aye Captain." Sonic said, a mock salute on his forehead.
"You have my permission to talk to him, but please be careful. Dismissed." Knuckles said, shooing everyone out of his office.
Sonic spun on his heel, whistling with his hands tucked in his coat pocket. Everyone shuffled out after him, crazy eyes peering into the back of Sonic's skull.
Amy was the first to berate him, pulling his arm back.
"Sonic, I seriously hope you haven't lost your mind. You really think we can trust him? After all the stuff we have dealt with because of him, he is seriously your ONLY option? You heard what he said – especially about Silver and Blaze." Amy said, concerned eyes bearing into Sonic.
Sonic managed a sigh, tilting his head to the side.
"I know Ames – and believe me, I'd do anything to get Silver and Blaze to return to the fight. But – at this point? With no other leads, I think it's worth an option."
The group sighed collectively, as Scourge stepped up.
"I – I've dealt with Nazo before. He's given me some information before. But – hell, man. Even I'll tell you there's always something else going through that guy's head."
Sonic looked to the group, shrugging his shoulders a bit.
"Guess you'll be comin' with, Scourge!" Sonic said, patting Scourge on his shoulders, as Scourge felt his mouth dry up immediately.
Tails grinned, patting Sonic on the shoulder. "Whatever we need to do to bring justice to Tikal."
Bunnie and Antoine smiled, memories of Tikal rushing through their minds. Amy nodded, ruffling Sonic's quills.
"Just don't do anything stupid – alright, Detective?"
Sonic grinned, rubbing his neck with a trademark wink.
"Of course not – Ames. Let's do whatever we can to bring our friend justice."