CHAPTER XV – REBUILDING BRIDGES
There wasn't enough black coffee in the world to being her back to reality. All the tears, all the pain that clawed at her heart…. Sally and Khan were the only ones that knew. Sally was of the most help by being the one person that Amy could go to for advice on the subject. She tried to be strong like Miss Acorn was when she (of all people) had been stood-up at her senior prom, but this… this was worse than anything.
She tried it all. Making excel spreadsheets that had nothing to do with anything. Read fan wikis on everything from Lilo & Stitch to Death Note. Even checking in with CREAM or Tails if only to have someone to talk to. Amy had the hardest time trying to keep busy, to get her mind off him. Hell, she even wanted a disaster so she could go out in the field and report on anything.
But perhaps the thing she pined for the most was a chance to talk to Sonic. He said he needed time to himself. Had enough time passed? Surely there must have been enough. It was only… a few hours ago. How much time does a man like him need? No, he was different for too many reasons. She wished he would come through those doors with a bouquet of roses and express his sorrow, his faults so they could make up and finally clash lips for the first time. Chaos, what did they taste like? Protein bars? Orange juice?
She let out a pained sigh as her head began to make her brain cry out again. Sadly, Sonic was not going to come bursting in and take her breath away or do any of those other things for reasons of deus ex machina. After all, this was no anime.
The double knocking of the nearest door made her jump a little. She quickly grabbed a tissue to extinguish the tears that had been falling for hours. Y'know, to make herself look presentable or at least professional. Quelle surprise, it was the Sal-Gal that opened the door and let herself in. Okay, not "in" in, but rather her standing at the doorway with a concerned look.
"What did you need, Sal?"
The blue-eyed lass shook her head. "Nothing yet?"
"Please tell me you have something for me to do," Amy pleaded.
"I'll take that as a 'no.' You aren't going to like this, but Sonic's in the news again."
Amy didn't have much of a reaction. She'd gotten so used to those words these days. "He alright?"
"Just off the phone with Rouge. Sonic and a G.U.N. agent stopped a robbery at North Towne Mall."
"A G.U.N. agent? Robbery?" Amy said as she got up and began to pack her things.
"Jewelry. Rouge said Sonic busted through his stitches. Reckless bastard."
"I doubt Sonic was looking for trouble," she said lowly. "I thought this was his 'I need some time to think' day."
Sally whistled. "Hey, we don't need that attitude reaching into the newscast, okay?" The chipmunk then entered and stood in front of her stressed friend. "Do what needs to be done, okay? You can worry about Sonic after the fact."
It took a second for the words to sink in before Amy nodded. "I'm sorry."
"I know you are, but this whole thing with Fiona, you, and you not filling him in? This is squarely on you and Tails," Sally said sternly as she made her way to the door before stopping again. "The guys are pluggin' away on a script right now. Should be ready by the time you get there."
"It's almost done," he kept telling himself. Chaos, what he'd give to have a chunk of leather to bite down on. As the needle and thread weaved its way across his stomach, he couldn't help but plead to a higher power to end his acute pain as soon as possible.
"Stop squirming, Sonic," Rouge berated. "You're almost done."
"Kind of a big baby, isn't he?" Knuckles joked earning a smile from Rouge.
"'Kind of a big baby, isn't he?'" Sonic mocked in a childish way.
The echidna chortled. "I rest my case." He then walked up to the resting Sonic and handed him a tube of something. Looked like he wanted to be as discreet as possible in case the doctor working on him saw. Sonic quickly opened up his palm to find—. Oh. Well… Knuckles said it was one way to make sure a wound would stay closed.
"You didn't?" Rouge asked knowing damn well what Sonic was given.
"I plead the fifth." That jab resulted in Knuckles getting a hard punch on the arm only to laugh it off.
Sonic rolled his eyes as the emergency responder clipped the last thread. "You're all set, Sonic."
"Thanks." With that, the medical practitioner took his leave as Sonic gingerly hopped off the back of the ambulance and walked back to Rouge and Knuckles. "All fixed."
"So I see," Rouge said. "I was just about to call you when I found out you and Knuckles had found each other."
Knuckles groaned. "You make it sound like we're gay," the echidna said in an overly honest voice. "You know damn well I don't swing that way."
"Now, now, 'Chuckles.' Prejudicing isn't attractive." The red animal was looking redder by the second, and it wasn't because he was embarrassed. "Aw, cute. Someone's gonna blow their tea spout! I need a refill on chamomile anyway."
Knuckles shook his head and let out a loud sigh (to go along with the steam coming out his ears). "Can't say I've missed your teasing," he spat.
"Love you too, Big Red," she said as she patted his strong chest.
Sonic groaned. "The next person to say a pet name's gonna get their face covered in my vomit," he spat.
"You feeling nauseous, Sonic?" the same doctor from before asked.
"No," he replied as Sonic shooed him away.
"As I was saying, Sonic, I was about to call you before I had to come out," Rouge said.
"For reasons of…?" asked the blue blur as he took his glove off to start applying the super glue Knuckles gave him.
"Our mutual vixen friend dropped off a movie."
Sonic shot her a dirty look. "Please tell me it isn't those dirty movies Tails watches?"
"If only." Now both the men in on the conversation groaned. "Sonic, I need you to come with me to my office."
"Gee, commish, you sure know how to make a date sound romantic," Sonic sarcastically shot back.
"You'll get that with her," Knuckles said before giving a serious look to Rouge. "But before any of that, we have to talk. I'm afraid that isn't a request either." Rouge raised an eyebrow at him. His tone wasn't sociable. It sounded stuffier and more business-y than anything.
"I am in the middle of an ongoing investigation, and you will not get in the way of how I do things. I do not care if you are a colleague or not."
"Rouge, come on—."
"Knuckles, I did not say that we will not talk about whatever it is you want to talk about. I am telling you that we will talk today after I debrief and plan with Sonic and everyone else about Fiona's video. Do you understand?" The echidna huffed but judging from his face, he was willing to compromise. He always hated it when she ordered him around like this, but when her mind was made up, changing it was nigh impossible. "The 1st Precinct on Angel Island," she informed him "I'll have you wait there in the meantime. Do we have an understanding?"
There was a sigh of hot steam coming out of his nostrils, but he said, "Yes. I will see you then." On that, he left with a salute as he journeyed into the parking lot.
"The things you could probably tell me," Sonic said getting the bat's attention. "The missions, all the countries you overthrew—."
"I'm gonna tell you to shut your trap, blue butt," Rouge stated in a drop-it sort of tone.
"I saw you talking when I was getting knitted up."
"None of your business, Sonic. It's between me and him."
Sonic was cut off from replying by the loud slamming of doors to his left. The hero quickly turned around to find a familiar acorn logo on the side of a white van. Coming out the side was an equally familiar pink woman with a microphone in her hand. Sonic then pulled out a small box from behind his quills. Navy, velvet exterior with silver lines where the box would open up. With it was a small card that had something scribbled on it. Rouge couldn't make it out, but that was kind of the point since it wasn't for her. Then the commissioner had a thought run across her mind.
"Are you prop—?"
"No," Sonic shot down immediately. "This is my way of saying 'I'm sorry.'"
Rouge crossed her arms and shot him an incredulous look, but his eyes blew away any thoughts of him pulling her leg. "Make it quick. We don't have much time."
Sonic nodded and zipped to the van's driver. She couldn't hear the conversation the two had, but Sonic gave the box to him. With a nod, Sonic rushed back to the bat before Amy could notice.
"At least you're trying to make good with her," Rouge began as they strolled back to her Mustang.
Sonic peered over his shoulder to find the lady hard at work setting everything up. "She deserves an apology."
"Jewelry's a good way to do it. Take it from somebody who knows."
"But you're not Amy. Now what's this you have on Fiona?"
"An armed robbery at Douillard Jewelers had the shoppers and workers at North Towne Mall in a frenzied panic this afternoon. Reports of shots fired prompted the Mobotropolis PD to rush over to stop the thieves. The robbers' goal? To steal over $3 million in diamonds, gold, and other exquisite jewels. As the workers at Douillard prayed, their pleas were answered. Sonic the Hedgehog had shown up seemingly out of nowhere to save the day once again, but he had help.
"Behind me is North Towne Mall where the would-be robbers were defeated by Sonic less than 15 hours removed from being beaten by his brother Green, better known as Scourge. Our hero may have broken a rib in the scuffle, but Sonic was still up to the task and saved everyone inside with allowing any casualties.
"However, an off-the-clock G.U.N. agent also happened to be at North Towne when hell broke loose and helped Sonic to defeat the gunmen." Oh, she couldn't take it anymore. "Ugh, cut!" The pink lady sighed as her arm holding the AMG mic went limp. In a fit of carelessness, she nearly dropped the mic.
"You okay?" her cameraman asked.
"No," Amy replied flatly. "Is this seriously the stuff we were given?"
"What do you mean?"
"This script is so lifeless!" She sighed. "Let's take a quick five." Her crew didn't argue and set their equipment back in the truck for the time being. She set her AMG microphone down for a moment and took a few steps away from the scene all while her folded hands wrapped themselves around the back of her head tightly. She had to admit she still wasn't 100% in the moment. All this Sonic business was wearing her down mentally. No matter what she did, he just kept showing up. Why couldn't she just have a minute to not think about him and his heroics and stubbornness? Why did he have to take such a toll on her heart?
Seeing her frustrated, her driver saw this as a perfect time. The gecko put his warm hat on and grabbed Sonic's box on his way out of the truck. Walking around the front bumper and toward her, he tapped Amy on the shoulder. The reporter turned around to see the cold-blooded lizard shoot her a warm smile.
"I'm sorry," she confessed. "It's just all of this—."
"Hey, it's alright. We understand this is tough for you."
"More like 'impossible.' Why does he have to make it so difficult?"
"Guys can make relationships hard too. It ain't just a woman thing."
She turned to him. "Meaning?"
"I think you know what I mean. I know what he means to you. We all do."
Amy starred at him for a moment. "Sally's got some loose lips," she said.
"At least the ones on her face." Amy shot him a dirty, judging look. "Look, I'm sure Sonic's just trying to do what's best for him." He then reached into his pocket and showed her the box. Amy's eyes went bug-eyed. "And for him, it means trying to apologize."
"What in the heck?!" Amy's shriek caught her crew's attention.
"Sonic came to me before he left. He said that I should give this to you."
When he nodded, it signaled her to take the box. Amy took her time opening the tiny container, but when she saw how the gold shined and how the diamonds sparkled, she was at a loss for words. Tiny rose earrings that had been crafted by Chaos himself was all she could see. And the fact that the box read "Douillard Jewelers" struck a chord within her, and it wasn't just because of recent events either. She remembered the times her daddy told her about how she married her mom. He went to the same jeweler.
Amy looked up unable to speak. A tear was on the verge of falling and tarnishing her bronzer and blush, but she caught it in the nick of time. She went back to how the subtle rainbows sprang from the diamond, playing with her eyes and filling them with blissful wonder and passion.
"Sonic knows how to say he's sorry," the driver said.
"He's not out of the woods yet," finally, a smile appeared on her face as radiant as the gold and diamonds in her hand, "but it's a start." Snapping the box shut, she hugged the lizard as she fought off the sobs.
Her colleague patted her on the back and said, "Are you ready to get back to work?"
She broke from him with a fire that he or her crew hadn't seen in a while. She nodded and went back to the van finding the nearest mirror around. With a majestic, stupid smirk, she slipped on her gift and swooned at how beautiful they looked on her ears. Wow… they really made her crimson coat pop. They'd look great on the camera. They'd look wonderful with a matching white gown and—.
She shook herself straight having been caught daydreaming. A church with ringing bells could wait. There were things to hash out, but the earrings were undoubtedly a sign that he still deeply cared about her. That was all the motivation she needed to set herself straight and try again.
As her crew set up the cameras again, she gripped that microphone of hers tightly with unparalleled zeal as she couldn't shake that grin if her life depended on it.
"Amy? You're reporting on a robbery, not a wedding. The smile's great, but it doesn't fit the scene."
And her buzz was gone instantly, or rather they'd ripped out the rug from underneath her feet.
"Good point," she admitted.
The office on his left was packing some serious heat; more than he'd ever seen in his entire life. The worst situation he had been in couldn't compare. He had his skull ripped down to the artificial turf at Central High School by an adrenaline-high linebacker more times than could count. He had been up shit creek without a paddle on advanced algebra tests that meant the difference between a possible scholarship or two years at a community college. He had even seen his deplorable mother nearly beat his father to death over a broken plate at dinner time.
This was worse. He'd seen the AMG news reports. He'd paid enough attention to what's been happening on social media. He knew who she was working with.
How did it all come to this? He was just working his usual after-school job now that his high school football season ended the previous Friday at Mobotropolis West High School by a score of 28-20. All he was supposed to do was deliver two large pepperoni pies and a deluxe pizza with extra cheese and garlic parmesan wings on the side.
He had been kidnapped, carjacked, and held hostage for close to two hours now. The sight of his captors eating his pizzas in the room over made him fear for his life. Scourge in particular was taking a bite out of the deluxe pie and didn't seem too enthralled with it. At any moment, he figured they would turn on him and put a bullet between his eyes all because the meal wasn't up to snuff, or worse, Scourge would break his neck just for kicks. No one could blame him for jumping to conclusions since he was under the brutes' supervision until their boss came back. And judging by the mechanical sounds in another room, the hostess was here.
The young chimpanzee's heart rate began to spike as the blood pumped through his veins and brain. He nearly went into shock when he saw Fiona Fox walking back in. Her boys and Scourge looked her way as she made her way to them. As she looked to the high schooler, he swore his pants had been filled. His pupils shrank, his breaths becoming more erratic with each passing millisecond.
"Everything's ready," Fiona said as she turned back to her men. "Mordred's waiting for me. Do you understand your instructions?"
"Yes," the majority of them said, though it hard to figure out who had abstained from answering.
She shot Scourge an undignified eye as he returned the favor. "And you?"
"Absolutely," he said with noted snark.
"No more lip from you, got it?" She then turned to the young man starring at them fearfully in the other room. She softly walked up to him, taking great pleasure in how his blood pressure skyrocketed with each step she took. Shutting his eyes and wincing, he was stunned by how she affectionately petted his head, but he wasn't going to be feeling comfortable anytime soon.
"Jonah?" she asked to no response. "Jonah, I need you to look at me. If you don't, one of my guys'll scoop out your right eye with a baby spoon." Feeling his heart stop, he instinctively opened up his peepers and gazed in terror at the vixen. The way his mouth quivered and trembled made her feel genuinely sorry. "I need you to come with me now." She didn't think it was such a hard request, but he damn sure made it one he'd oblige as the chimp finally couldn't take it anymore and fainted, flopping onto the floor as the men across the way laughed. She sighed and shook her head. "Unbelievable." Fiona then turned back to her boys who immediately shut their mouths when they saw her eyes. "Scourge, be a dear and load this young man into my car."
He gave her a mocked salute and sped to him. He picked up the former high school running back and sneered. "All that muscle and strength, and he faints at the first sign of danger. Pussy."
"Scourge, commentary is for sports announcers. Please put him in my car and buckle him up."
He starred at her for a second but did as commanded. As he walked toward the secret garage, no one else could see his face grow a touch more sinister.
The loud sound of clapping car doors echoed throughout the parking lot as the bat and hedgehog briskly walked back toward the precinct. They weren't in the mood for more words after Rouge had spilled the beans on the disc. She took a slight lead on Sonic and was the first one in where the officer at the front desk got her attention promptly.
"Boss, I have a report on an abduction. His name's—."
"Jonah Dupree," Rouge answered.
"You already know?" Rouge then quickly blazed back to her office with Sonic hot on her tail. "That's what Sonic's here for!"
"So Fiona abducted a kid on his pizza route? Just so she can get a chance to see me?"
"Yup."
"You probably think that's there's more to it."
"I don't 'think.' I know." The duo made their way up the stairwell to her office where she burst through the doors and quickly sent a chat request to CREAM and Tails. After a second, it was CREAM that answered.
"Good afternoon, R," CREAM greeted.
"C, let's skip the formalities," Rouge responded as she linked the video to her email. "I'm sending you and T a video I got from Fiona Fox earlier today."
"Anything I should know about it?"
"Fiona's taken a young man hostage. His name's Jonah Dupree. He attends Mobotropolis Central HS and was abducted while on his pizza route for Domino's."
CREAM was silent for a second. "I don't know what T ever saw in Fiona."
"Puberty's a bitch," Rouge answered then noticed there a lack of defense from Tails. Actually, he hadn't said anything. "Is he down there with you?"
"Yes, but he's crashed on his chair. He's been up since Sonic left and finally passed out after that G.U.N. agent dropped off the final part for my body. The poor boy pulled an all-nighter."
Sonic felt a twinge of regret. "I didn't mean to exhaust him," he said sorrowfully.
"He doesn't blame you leaving, S," CREAM comforted.
"C, did that email come yet?" Rouge asked wanting to get a move on.
DING!
"It did now," CREAM answered as she analyzed its contents. "Oh my," was all she could muster.
"Fiona said that she wants a trade: Sonic for Jonah. Six o'clock at the old Mobotropolis Union Times Building."
"Where's that?" Sonic asked.
"Triangulating now," CREAM said. As she crunched the info, the results came on Rouge's screen. "Southeast section of Angel Island. 1982 Tar Heel Drive. Three blocks off Interstate 395 at Exit 13 A. The pics taken of the place aren't exactly flattering. The place was remodeled to house and run their printing presses until 2014. The company and building used to be owned by Dr. Robotnik even after they were both shut down a few years ago. However, the fallout from Robotnik's exposure as Eggman meant the Union Times and its assets were bought by one Sadie Volpe who got her money through her father, Dominic."
"Dominic and Sadie are aliases for Fiona and her late father," Rouge added. "Fox said that she won't hurt Dupree and will give him his freedom if S comes alone at six."
"Are you still gonna have backup within earshot?" Sonic asked.
"A few blocks back like the other night," Rouge answered. "Like always."
"But I don't understand why she'd willingly want to see Sonic so soon after last night," CREAM stated. "I smell a setup."
"That's what we we're counting on. But the video didn't even mention Scourge. There are too many details missing, so when you head out there, S, you'll have to be on your toes."
"Kind of hard when I'm still fighting off lingering pain," he said dryly. "I'll also need to make a trip home to get all my equipment."
"Then head out now. I've got to get my SWAT team set up. We'll establish a checkpoint post by 5:30 at the base of Third Ward Point where the Emerald Coast Lighthouse is. That's about a quarter-mile from the Union Times."
Sonic said, "Got it. C, I'll be over momentarily."
Rouge then cut off the feed and whistled at Sonic as he started heading out. The hero stopped and looked back having had his attention taken away. "Get some rest if you can, blue. You have an hour. Use it."
He nodded. "Will do." As he left the office, he could hear Rouge pick up her phone.
"Sonic and I are done for now. Tell Knuckles he can come up."
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
So who wants to be a fly on the wall for Rouge's and Knuckles's talk? I sure know I would.
Actually, we'll get into that in due time since we have to talk about Sonic first. Give the guy credit, he knows how make an apology. Sadly, that way of apologizing doesn't really work with guys, does it? Or least you don't often hear about it (in stereotypes or in real life). What would you give a guy in that situation? Dry-aged steak? Tickets to a football game? A brand-new Corvette? I know I'm taking the Corvette if that were the case. Also, don't you think it's weird that Sonic was able to buy those earrings right after they were almost stolen? In the real world, those recovered jewels would at least be coming into custody as evidence much less being sold right after the attempted heist. So did Sonic technically steal from a crime scene?
Now let's get to Amy. Much like with Sonic, leave it to an Acorn to give some needed tough love. Sally is very much her parents' daughter by how she handled Amy, almost note-for-note for what Alicia and Max did for Sonic. Don't worry, Amy. You'll get your man eventually. Also, for those of you suffering from SonAmy withdrawal, consider this me throwing you guys a bone. I know, "It's about time," is probably what you're thinking.
Anyway, onto other business. Thank goodness this update didn't happen on Saturday since I'll headed to my cousin's wedding. Imagine if you will working until noon, hauling ass to your house to shower off, and drive over an hour to get to a wedding on time. My mother means well, but I should've gone against her advice and pulled a vacation day just to cover my bases. Oh, and I have to cover sporting events on behalf of my alma mater's school district all week sans Thursday. WHO THE FUCK NEEDS SLEEP, RIGHT?!
As for the next round of updates, 6/26 will be Chapter 16, Chapter 17 will be on 7/6. Just a heads-up, there are things I am still tweaking for the chapters after chapter 17, so I will let you know if there are going to be any delays in uploads after that time. It's all because I want to make sure things stay as cohesive and compressible as possible. Stay tuned in the meantime. Speaking of always staying tuned, thanks again to jurassicdinodrew and 000Marie198 for the reviews last time out. Thanks again!
As always, the characters used in this story are the property of SEGA, Sonic Team, and Archie Comics. Everything in the story is being used strictly for entertainment purposes. And as always, I will talk to y'all later.