Ron was telling Su a story "And I go 'So yeah, I mean, where were you? I can't help if I don't know where you were'. And he goes…". Su was laughing when she glanced behind Ron and saw the back door open. Knuckles was standing at the door staring at her for a moment. Julie-Su froze as Knuckles disappeared back through the door. Su slowly got up and walked towards the door as Scott and Ron watched her confused. She ran out the back door into an ally but there was no one there. She looked around desperately "Knuckles" she whispered. Ron came out "Su? Su, you alright? What is it?" he asked concerned. Su kept looking around before slowly going back inside with Ron. Neither of them noticed Knuckles hiding behind a dumpster. Su went back inside and straight to Scott who tried to think of something "Su…" "Just tell me if I saw what I think I saw" she looked close to crying. Scott stared at her struggling to speak "I don't know what to say" "Please, just tell me the truth".


Knuckles was walking down a long stretch of road in the rain, a car passed which he signalled to give lift, but it ignored him. He heard another one coming and was about to do the same, but he could tell from the lights on the ground that the car was already stopping behind him. Knuckles froze, his first instinct was to run, maybe it was one of Luger's men. He looked around trying to find the best place to run to when he heard a door open and then "Knuckles". He recognised the voice immediately and hesitantly turned around, in front of him was Su standing at the door of her car. The two ran to each other and embraced "Don't go. Don't go" she begged. Knuckles didn't know what to say so she made him face her "I want you to come with me now. Please. Come with me" they held each other tight.


Ron was in the kitchen of his house speaking on the phone "Tilda, you should have told me about this in session" he then heard the door open "Hold a second". Julie-Su walked in soaked confusing Ron when Knuckles entered after her. Ron stared at him in disbelief "Tilda, I'm gonna have to call you back. We'll take care of this on Monday". He hung up and walked towards Knuckles as Su spoke "Ron, this is Knuckles". Ron shook his hand "Hi" "Hi". Ron then looked at both of them and surprisingly smiled "You should both go dry up. I'm cooking, you're talking" he told Knuckles. The two of them left the kitchen and dried themselves upstairs in different rooms before meeting back up in the living room. Su was covering the windows before sitting in front of Knuckles and he explained everything. "First view months were kind of a blur. I tried to keep moving. I eventually stayed at a monastery and had some time to figure out what happened" "They let you stay at a monastery" "I'm good at fixing things. Even monks like their toilets to work". Su was happy he still had his sense of humour. Knuckles smiled "I tried to resist but I eventually found a connection to Station Square which is where I found Mr Blue" "Charlie?" "Yeah. I was amazed by the work he was doing. I have to see him". Knuckles took a frustrated breath "I mean, I know it's a long shot without the data, but I don't have much of a choice" "What data?" "Ours. That's why I came. I tried to get into the lab but there wasn't anything. It was all gone". Su surprisingly smiled at this and went over to the other room and came back with a small metal container "I got in there as fast as I could before they took it all away". Knuckles opened the box and there was a USB inside. Knuckles was struggling to hold back a laugh but then he realised "Does the General know that you have this?" "No, I don't think so. I haven't spoken to him in a couple of years" "You have to be sure". Su's face dropped "Knuckles, I don't understand why we can't just go in there together and talk to him. I mean it's just pride-" "No. No, it's not. He wants to make it a weapon. When you were in the hospital, he told me what he wanted to do. He wants it out of me. He wants to dissect me to find out how it works and then he wants to replicate it. He was in Emerald Town". The memory made Knuckles flinch. Su was shocked to hear all this "How?" "He found me. He's getting better. That's why I have to see Charlie". They heard a noise and they saw Ron enter the room "Dinner's ready" he said before heading back to the kitchen.


The three of them were now sitting around a table, Ron was telling them a story "So, this woman on the very last day of my practice session, right before I came out here. She spent the whole time on her phone. And by the end of the session, I finally lost my patience and went 'Excuse me, I mean I don't want to interrupt Miss…'". Ron thought for a moment "I can't remember her name. But anyway, I was like 'I've been analysing your condition for nearly three months now and can say conclusively that your issues are less manic depression than they are caffeinated or uncaffeinated'". They all laughed "I still don't know who she was talking to on the phone" "Maybe she wanted a second opinion" Knuckles said which made Ron laugh "Yeah, that did cross my mind". They laughed when Knuckles suddenly realized that this was the first time in a while where he's just had a meal and laughed with his friends. He stopped and covered his face with his hands and gave a slight sob. Su put her hand on his arm "It's okay. You're safe here. You're with friends", Ron nodded although he looked slightly less comfortable.


Luger entered a large, refrigerated room full of metal tanks. He went past most of them until stopping at the one on the end. He unsealed the lid and opened the top. He took out a glass cylinder full of a red liquid.


Knuckles was setting up a bed on the couch, Su arrived with more blankets. Knuckles took them "Thank you". There was an awkward silence which Knuckles tried to break "Listen, I should leave early, as early as I can" "Really? You can't stay at all?" "I want to but it's just not safe for me to be here. If… If could borrow some cash". Su nodded "Of course" "I need to take a bus" "Well, at least let me walk you to the station". Knuckles hesitantly nodded "Okay" "You have everything you need?" "Yeah… I, uh…". Knuckles sighed "Good night" "Good night. I hope you get some rest".


Zavok entered an operating room with a bed in the middle of the room. Luger was waiting there with two surgeons "We're giving you a very low dose only. I need you sharp out there and disciplined. First sign of any side effect, we stop and you're off team until you straighten out. Agreed?". Zavok nodded "Agreed". The surgeon stepped forward "You'll get two separate infusions. One into the deep muscle, one into the bone marrow centres. The bone ones are going to hurt". The first infusion was easy enough, they injected the blue liquid into his neck. The second infusion Zavok was lying strapped to the bed and rotated so he was facing the floor. He then felt the syringe going into his back and into his bones. He grunted and it took all his strength to keep his mouth from opening and letting out a scream.