In a café nearby Shadow wearing glasses and a hat entered and sat next to Bark who was wearing the same thing "She tell you to stay out of it? Might have a point" "She'd do it for me" "1945, maybe. I just want to make sure we consider all our options. The people that shoot at you usually wind-up shooting at me". Shade arrives on the other side of Shadow. The two didn't acknowledge each other as they spoke "Tips have been pouring in since the footage went public. Everybody thinks Omega goes to their gym. Most of its noise. Except this". She pushed a file across the table to Shadow "My boss expects a briefing, pretty much now so that's all the head start you're gonna get" "Thank you" "You're gonna have to hurry. We have orders to shoot on sight" she left.
Vesper was in a hotel room reading the red book which was in Overlander "Vozvrashcheniye domoy. Odin. Gruzovoy vagon". There was a knock at the door, he quickly put the book in a drawer. He cautiously went up to the door when "Ich habe dein Frühstück". Vesper sighed in relief and opened the door with a pleasant smile "Ich konnte es riechen, bevor ich die Tür öffnete". The maid who was a young chipmunk smiled as she held a tray of food "Seite von Speck und schwarzem Kaffee wieder. Ich kann etwas anderes machen, wenn du magst". Vesper shook his head "Das ist wunderbar. Danke". He took the trey from her and closed the door. Nearby in a cupboard was a large metal device.
Maria was at a market in a random city. She had her robotic hand hidden in the pocket of a hoodie. With her other hand she picked up a piece of fruit from a stall. She paid for a few and then walked down the street. She noticed a vendor at a news stand staring at her. The vendor suddenly looks scared and runs away. Maria walks over to the stand and sees a newspaper with her face talking about the bombing. She glances around tensely.
Shadow enters a rundown apartment building that had all the windows blocked with newspapers. He looks around for the Omega suit but is unable to find it. He finds a notebook on the table. He opens it to find pictures of Shadow. He then heard Bark "Heads up, Shads. Echidnaopolis Special Forces, approaching from the south" "Understood". He then hears a noise and turns to see Maria staring at him "Do you know me?". Maria stares for a moment "You're Shadow. I read about you in a museum" "They've set the perimeter". Shadow put the book down and approached her "I know you're nervous, and you have plenty of reason to be. But you're lying" "I wasn't in Spring Valley. I don't do that anymore" "They're entering the building". Shadow started to look anxious "Well, the people who think you did are coming here now. And they're not planning on taking you alive" "That's smart. Good strategy" "They're on the roof. I'm compromised". Shadow could hear them coming up the stairs "Maria, this doesn't have to be a fight" "It always ends in a fight".
Shadow sighed "You pulled me from the river. Why?" "I don't know" "Yes, you do" "Breach!". A grenade comes through the window. Maria kicks it to Shadow who contains it within a shield. They hear something hitting against the door. Maria uses her robotic hand to throw the table at the door blocking it. Cops swing in through the window. Maria and Shadow fight them off. She heads for door but Shadow grabs her shoulder "Maria, stop! You're gonna kill someone!". Maria slams him down and then punches a hole in the floor next to him "I'm not gonna kill anyone". She pulls out four red and yellow discs which she throws out of the window landing on the rooftop nearby. More soldiers enter but Shadow protects Maria from the bullets. Maria however then throws him into one of the soldiers. Maria takes out the other one and then breaks through the front door into the stairwell. She takes on multiple guards and heads downwards. Shadow finds one of the injured guards "Suspect is headed down the-" Shadow grabs his walkie talkie crushing it. He runs after Maria who throws another cop over the railing. Shadow quickly catches him and then glares at Maria "Come on". He throws the cop back up to safety as Maria jumps down. She runs down a corridor and jumps out of a window over a balcony onto the rooftop nearby. She picks up the discs and attaches them to her body where they unfold and form the Omega suit over her. The jets on her back activate and she glides just above the ground at high speed when something suddenly tackles her from behind. She quickly gets back and turns to see a creature in a black ninja outfit covering everything but his eyes
Omega tries to punch the ninja, but he almost inhumanly dodges her attacks with great speed. He throws shuriken stars at her arms damaging them and then he kicks her into a metal box. Shadow sees them form above "Bark, southwest rooftop" "Who the hell's the other guy" "I'm about to find out". Shadow leaps down onto the rooftop as an armed helicopter arrives. The ninja takes out a kunai and tries to stab through the suit, but Omega grabs his hand and throws him back. The helicopter opens fire, the ninja hits his wrist bracers together and they form a shield that blocks the bullets. Shadow stops seeming to recognize the look of the shield. Bark flies in and hits the back of the helicopter knocking it off course. Omega jumps off the building and runs with both the ninja and Shadow giving chase. Omega gets hit by a few bullets from the helicopter and jumps down into an underpass for cover. Shadow jumps down and activates his rockets shoes giving him greater speed but the ninja throws a kunai which wraps a rope around his neck. The ninja pulls him back.
Omega runs into police cars; she jumps over a barrier and uses her jets to go faster. The ninja throws the other side of the rope around a column which stops Shadow. The ninja runs ahead as Shadow breaks the rope and catches up. Bark flies into the tunnel which the ninja spots and he jumps onto the board. Bark tries to throw him off but the ninja manages to damage the board. Omega's left arm reveals a rocket launcher which she fires at the ceiling of the tunnel. It started to collapse but the Ninja jumped through and tackles Omega. Shadow runs through after him and hits the ninja away before he kills her. They all stand as police cars start to surround them. Mighty suddenly flies down in his super form "Stand down, now!". Police all get out of their cars and raise their guns. Mighty glares at Shadow who raises his hands "Congratulations, Shads. You're a criminal". Maria reluctantly deactivates her suit which folds back into four discs. The police advance and force her on the ground and handcuff her. Bark is taken out of the tunnel with his hands on his head. Shadow is restrained as the ninja slowly raises his hands and removes his mask. It's Espio the Chameleon. He looks around fearlessly at the armed police. Mighty stares curiously at him "Your Highness".
Blaze was in the kitchen of Chaotix HQ. She was reading instructions from a piece of paper "A pinch of paprika". She does as the instructions say and places it in a pot. Silver enters looking bored "Hey, what're you making?" "Paprikash. I thought it might lift your spirits" "Do you need help?". Blaze nods, Silver walks over and stirs the pot. He takes a spoonful and tastes it. He smiles impressed and nods "Spirits lifted". Blaze couldn't tell if he was serious or not "In my defence I've never eaten before" "I can help". He starts taking a few ingredients form the cupboard . Blaze nods and steps away pondering "Silver?" "Hmm" "No one dislikes you". Silver looks up at her. He gives a half smile not understanding "Is... that a compliment?" "Just assurance after what's happened. It's an involuntary response in their amygdala. They can't help but being afraid. But it'll pass". Silver nods awkwardly "That's... good to know". He stirred the pot when he noticed Blaze still staring at him "Are you afraid of me?". She smiles and points at her head "I don't have an amygdala". Silver chuckles and continues mixing the ingredients. His face slowly drops "After I got these powers".
He holds up his hand which glows cyan "I tried to reassure myself that I was still me but that's not what everyone else sees". Blaze nods understandingly and then points to the gem in her head "Do you know I don't know what this is? Not really. I know it's not from here, that it was used by Scourge to do harm. It gave you and your sister your abilities, but its true nature is a mystery to me. But it's part of me" "Are you afraid of it?". Blaze pauses before answering "I wish to understand it. The more I do, the less it controls me. One day… who knows? I may even control it". Silver stares at her listening intently but then points at the pot "I don't know what's in this, but it isn't paprika. I'll get some form the store. I'll be back in 20 minutes". He headed for the door when Blaze got in front of him "Alternatively, we could order a pizza?". Silver narrows his eyes "Pizza takes an hour to get here". Blaze doesn't move. Silver stares at her curiously "What's wrong?". Blaze looks down guilty "It's a question of safety". Silver chuckles "I think I'll be fine" he pats her shoulder. He again tried to walk to the door, but Blaze again got in front of him "Not yours. Mr Sonic would like to avoid the possibility of another incident. Until the Accords are on a more secure foundation". Silver looking annoyed crosses his arms "And what do you want?". Blaze raises her head and looks him in the eye "For people to see you as I do".
At Twilight a police convoy drove through the city streets. In one of the trucks Maria was in a glass pod with multiple metal restraints around her. Shadow and Bark were in the back of a van with Espio sitting in a seat in front of them. Bark was staring at him "So you're a ninja?" "Bark" "What? Dude shows up all in black with superhuman reflexes and you don't wanna know more?". Shadow ponders for a moment before also looking at Espio "The shield you made. It's chaos energy, isn't it? You got them in your bracers?". Espio's eyes narrow and he glances back at the two of the "The Guardian of Constant Vigil has been the protector of Masuda for generations. A mantle passed from warrior to warrior. And now, because of your friend murdered my father I also wear the mantle of king. So, I ask you as both warrior and king… How long do you think you can keep your friend safe from me?".