Chapter 9: Coming to a Conclusion
Scourge grabs a straw and quickly snorts a line off his desk, just as his female bodyguard Rochelle walks
"Boss, I - is that cocaine?" She asks
Scourge grins "You're damn right. Pure, 100 percent... want some?"
She shakes her head "No, but, I thought you'd like to know Manic and Tails are in the building, it seems they're making their way up here"
"Where exactly are they right now?"
The MMA girl looks at a security monitor "...the dining area"
"Let the prep team handle it. They've got stainless steel down there, I don't see those two wannabes gettin' passed them"
Rochelle looks at her boss as he stumbles over to grab another bag from his closet, noticeably shaggy looking
"Boss, are you alright?"
"Huh? Yeah, never better!" Scourge replies "...what, don't I look like a million bucks or what? Is it my hair?"
"It's... nothing. What do you want me to do with their bodies?"
"Bring 'em to me. I want proof they're dead, and until they're laying at my feet, I ain't believin' shit"
"Understood"
"And can you send someone up with more of that Whiskey? That's the wickedest stuff I've had since I've been here"
"Right away, boss"
Rochelle leaves the office and joins her team downstairs. A second female MMA fighter, Tara, and two other male guards, Darren & Pat, wear matching uniforms to show their rank in Scourge's outlaw gang.
Being the main bodyguards for the boss is like being second in command in this hierarchy.
Each guard knows if something were to happen to the others, it's one less contender for that honour.
Needless to say, all four are very competitive with each other and are waiting for a promotion.
"The boss is losing it" Darren says as he leads the group "The boozing was one thing, but now he's on the rock! Now he's saying 'fuck the police' and ripping off Simian. He's gonna compromise everything!"
Rochelle walks next to him "Scourge isn't stupid, he knows what he's doing. That fat bastard Simian is the one who lost everything. And the police are just gonna have to wait for another payment"
"Hey, I don't like the way he's doing business, Roche'... it's all gonna come back on him, and then US! This isn't a smart move" Tara says
Pat nods his head "Yeah, Scourge is fucking everything up"
Rochelle stops the group "Look, if you guys don't like it, there's the door. Nobody is forcing you to stay... what's it gonna be? Leaving? Or shutting the fuck up?"
Her teammates' attention is brought behind her so she turns around to see what they're looking at
Manic and Tails limp through a red hallway that leads to the ballroom area, arms and legs wrapped up after being sliced and cut by the kitchen prep team.
"What's up ladies" Manic greets "It'd be really cool if you could move outta the way for us..."
Tails nods in agreement "Yeah, the trip up here has been absolute hell so if you wouldn't mind-"
Rochelle and Darren walk over to Manic, while Tara and Pat circle towards Tails
"...of course it can't be easy..."
"Never is for us, little brother... let's go kick some ass"
As they face off, Scourge plugs an AUX cord into his phone to play music over his PA system
"Six" by All That Remains blares throughout the entire high rise building
Manic lunges forward but Darren kicks him in the chest to back him up, and Rochelle hits a spinning wheel kick to his forehead, knocking the hedgehog to the floor. One guard kneels on his arms, while the other punches and elbows his face multiple times
Tails blocks Tara's punches but takes a powerful knee from Pat, making him drop his hands to grasp his stomach. Tara sweep-kicks his legs out from under him and quickly locks in an armbar submission. While Tails tries to escape the submission, he leaves the right side of his body exposed for attack, so Pat soccer-kicks him over and over.
"Yeah, show those dickheads what's good!" Scourge shouts while he watches the fight on a security monitor in his office
A wall-mounted flatscreen TV starts blinking, indicating a private phone number is calling him
"Ah, shit..." Scourge mutters before answering "...you've reached the big boss, unfortunately no one is available to take your call, would you like to leave a message?"
"Knock that shit off, asshole, I'm in jail!" Simian shouts "I thought you were payin' these pigs to piss off, why're they busting my ass?!"
"Oh, Sim, I didn't recognize your voice. You got a cold or something? You sound different"
"I swear to god, you'd better not be screwing me over, I'm not a man to be SCREWED with! Get your desk pansies to release me and my crew!"
The evil hedgehog leans back in his chair "You know I don't like to share my stuff, Sim, and I stand to make millions if there's no competition out here... you being inside is actually a good thing, because Now I get everything, if you know what I mean-"
"You listen to me, you little snake: The Chambers will find you ANYWHERE you hide on this planet and rip your fucking heart out! You don't betray a member and just walk away! We'll get you!" Simian clarifies over the phone
"Hold that thought"
Scourge mutes Simian's end, takes a moment to snort another line and then unmutes the call
"...all I'm hearing are empty threats, big boy, and let me tell ya; as long as I've got these Medallions, NOBODY can touch me! Just ask your butt buddy Ox. Oh wait, there's nothing left of him but ashes!"
Simian smashes his fist against a table "You piece of shit!..."
"Anyway, have fun in prison. Tell the guys I said fuck off and die... oh, and try your best not to drop the soap. I've heard some nasty stories"
"Y - You set me up, didn't you?!"
Scourge laughs "Now, that's wishful thinking, big guy. Cheers, pal"
He ends the call and a male assistant enters his office with a bottle of Whiskey. Scourge pours a drink, sits back and watches Manic and Tails get beaten up by his bodyguards.
It isn't long before his TV starts ringing again, annoying him as he answers the call
"What is it?!"
"Our deal is off, you little shit" A male officer says
"What're you talking about?"
"Moss told us you're serving us up to G.U.N, you snitch. Deals' off"
Scourge lets out an annoyed growl "That wouldn't be very smart of you dumb pigs, seeing as I know who your families are and where they live. So do yourselves a favor and get with the fuckin' program!"
"We're not scared of you, Scourge. We've got allies from the government, now. Guys who can beat you, even with those Gems"
"Ah, Yeah? Let 'em come and try me!"
"Trust me, you won't live through it. Enjoy being on top, your time is nearly up"
The corrupt cop hangs up, then suddenly police sirens blare out from all over town
And Scourge knows exactly where they are headed to
While he jumps out of his seat to pack his belongings up, Manic gets passed 2 bodyguards and races upstairs towards Scourge's office. He kicks the door open but immediately gets thrust-kicked in the chest, knocking him back into the ballroom and he backflips over the metal railing.
He lands hard on the black carpeted floor and grasps his ribs.
"Murder these sons of bitches!" Scourge shouts
Rochelle and Darren circle Manic, so he gets up, dodges their punches and lands his first strike on the male bodyguard. Manic kicks him in the mouth, then lifts his left leg up to kick Rochelle in the body, knocking her down.
Tails can't get loose from the submission, forcing Manic to run over and save his friend.
He jumps up and bicycle-kicks Pat, crushing his windpipe on impact. He then rips Tara off Tails, pulls her jacket over her head to temporarily blind her, and notices Rochelle running towards them.
Manic hip tosses Tara and she collides with her partner in mid-air.
"Come on, pretty boy" Manic jokingly says as he helps Tails to his feet
The Fox spits out blood before speaking "...lets just get this done"
They climb up the golden staircase and quickly make their to Scourge's office.
At the same time, the evil hedgehog has wasted time packing up collectible items from his walk-in closet, things he doesn't need but wants to keep. He's packed boxes into a giant service elevator hidden in his office, while getting drunk off of his Whiskey.
"Okay, that's everything" Scourge says to himself "Time to get the fu-"
Manic tackles him to the floor and he drops all 3 Medallions, still attached to a silver necklace.
Scourge gets loose from Manic so Tails holds him back so he can't grab the Gems.
The Fox is knocked down by an elbow to the face, while Manic throws a left roundhouse kick to Scourge's face, stunning him for a moment.
The evil hedgehog throws sloppy punches that all miss their target, giving Manic a chance to jump up and hit him with a spinning back kick that knocks him off his feet.
By now, Scourge's vision is extremely blurry after putting such strong drugs and alcohol into his system. His head is spinning as Manic continues punching and kicking him violently.
"T, grab the necklace!" Manic shouts as he holds Scourge down
The Fox races over and scoops the Gems up "Got 'em!"
In an instant, Scourge shakes off the pain, gets loose and swipes the chain from Tails while landing a powerful thrust kick that knocks the teenage Fox down. Manic is able to rip the necklace away and toss it aside while he fights the now drug-fueled Scourge.
The evil hedgehog blocks every strike and Judo throws Manic mid-attack, so Tails runs in to fend off Scourge. The Fox performs multiple spinning wheel kicks because his two tails keep him perfectly balanced, but Scourge is slightly faster so he's able to stop the incoming kicks with a leg-check counter, and smash both sides of Tails' face with karate chops. The Fox falls back while Manic rushes in with boxing punches that get Scourge to raise his hands and back-peddle, giving the green hedgehog a chance to knock him to one knee with a legstrike.
"Hit him NOW Tails!" Manic shouts
He and Tails blast Scourge with kicks from both sides,
but the evil hedgehog blocks every single one of them.
Scourge rolls out of range, then springs up for a jumping knee strike on Tails that knocks him across the room. He side steps Manic and slides over to grab the Medallion Necklace.
Manic grabs onto the chain and tries to pull it away but Scourge's grip is too tight.
"Let go, they're MINE!" Scourge screams
"Like hell they are!" Manic responds
The necklace chain is broken by the pressure and all 3 Gems, as well as both hedgehogs, are launched backwards and scattered around the office.
Scourge and Manic crawl towards the closest Gems and fire an energy beam at the exact same time. The beams light up the room with a blinding white light that can be seen from outside the high rise building. They continue blasting at each other as they get to their feet and run towards each other.
Scourge throws a punch but Manic ducks under and counters with a spinning wheel kick that knocks the evil hedgehog out instantly.
Manic falls back and uses the wall to catch his balance, as he is too exhausted to stand on his own
"...god DAMNIT, that was tough!.." He says in between breaths "...I've waited so long to do that"
Tails gets up and kicks the Crystal Medallion over to Manic.
"T, pass me that metal crate. Gonna have to use that to carry these things"
The Fox dumps Scourge's belongings out of the large crate and holds it open as his friend puts all 3 Medallions inside.
Manic closes the lid and engages the combination lock, knowing he can lock-pick it later.
"Let's get the hell outta here"
Just then, Scourge pulls Manic to the ground by his vest, grabs the crate and boots him across the face at the same time.
Tails tries to grab the evil hedgehog but he quickly barrel rolls across the floor, gets into the service elevator and shuts the doors before he's caught.
"FUCK!" Manic shouts angrily "I think he broke my nose!"
"He's got the Medallions, Manic, I think that's more important right now!" Tails points out
"So, fuck my health, right?... (growl)... alright, help me pry open these doors, I'm gonna jump down the elevator shaft"
Tails opens a glass case, grabs a fire axe and swings it in the thin opening between the elevator doors. He pulls the handle back while Manic pushes it as hard as he can, eventually opening the doors wide enough for him to squeeze through.
"Okay, I'm going in"
Manic jumps into the pitch black shaft and disappears into the shadows, while shouting up to the Fox
Meet me in the parking garage!
Tails releases the fire axe and the elevator doors snap shut. He looks into a mirror and sees two big black eyes and dried blood running from his nose.
He grasps his ribs and leaves the office, only to be confronted by Rochelle, Tara, Darren and Pat
"...hey guys, no hard feelings, right?" Tails says with a nervous smile
"Take him out" Rochelle orders
Tails backs up, but is surprised as one by one, each body guard leaves the dining area
Rochelle looks back "What're you doing?!"
Tails sighs in relief "...I think you should find a new line of work, lady. Your boss just left you here and clearly your friends want no part of the mess he made..."
The MMA girl glares at Tails, then stomps off towards the public elevator.
Hearing sirens blare out just outside the building, the teenage fox walks to a window, climbs out to the ledge and spins his tails to slowly float back down to the street.
At the same time, Scourge stands in the service elevator and struggles to unlock the metal crate that holds all 3 Medallions. He curses loudly as he constantly messes up the combination, until finally, he hears the mechanisms CLICK
Just as he opens the lid, Manic crashes through the ceiling of the elevator and knocks the crate away from Scourge.
"Why - WHY can't you just fuck off?!"
"I'm not going anywhere until you're dead and in the ground, asshole"
The evil hedgehog throws an elbow strike, which Manic blocks, so Scourge knees him in the body, while taking a powerful jab to the face.
Both hedgehogs back up, then Scourge runs in with a power punch
Manic ducks it and Scourge's fist makes a CLANG sound as it connects with the metal wall. He growls in pain but keeps fighting.
Manic continues to duck and dodge his opponents' attacks, then counters with technical punches.
Growing desperate, Scourge grabs a hold of Manic's vest and bites down on the side of his neck, instantly drawing blood and a painful scream from his opponent
Manic shoves Scourge off "Argh!... cheap piece of shit..."
The evil hedgehog spits the blood back at him and grins
Manic takes two quick punches to the mouth, but keeps fighting. He notices a pattern: Scourge feints a punch, ducks right and then throws punches.
If he times it right, he can land a power punch
The opening comes and Manic wastes no time throwing his right hand, connecting perfectly across Scourge's jaw.
Manic swarms the evil hedgehog with a dozens and dozens of strikes, drawing even more blood from his opponent.
By now, Scourge is worn out from the battle in his office, and he's just about drained of energy. Manic punches him with a left cross, followed by a right cross, then jumps up for a flying knee that knocks Scourge against the back wall.
He slides down and Manic puts his knee on the evil hedgehog's collarbone, pinning him down
"Give up, you sack of shit!"
Feeling the air being driven out of his lungs, Scourge desperately looks for a way out of the hold.
He sees Manic's left ear piercing shine under the lights, so he reaches for it and pulls on the ring
"OWW! THE F- ARGHHH!" Manic screams out
He holds Scourge's wrist to try and prevent him from completely ripping the piercing out, but Scourge's grip is too strong
The piercing tears through Manic's ear and blood spills onto the floor
Scourge is able to breathe as Manic gets off of him and grasps his left ear, giving the evil hedgehog a chance to crawl to the metal crate and reach in
Until Manic stomps on the lid as hard as he can, breaking Scourge's hand instantly
"AHH! Okay, OKAY! FUCKING STOP!"
He stomps on the lid one last time and punches Scourge across the face before letting him take his hand out of the crate. Blood flows from the wound on his right hand so he grasps it tightly but the pain is unbearable.
Manic reaches in, grabs his Jade Medallion and aims at Scourge's face, ready to blast him with the Neon Energy
Just then, the elevator doors open and both Hedgehog's are greeted by Tails being held at gun point
"That's enough" the gunman says
Manic looks over and sees whose pointing the weapon
Stone, Scourge's friend from the Canyon Crush arena
"You blast him and you're little fox buddy gets a bullet to the face. Don't make any stupid decisions here, Elemental. Hand over the boss and you idiots can walk away, that's all I want"
"Your boss murdered my friends, I'm not letting that go!" Manic shouts
Stone pulls the hammer back and presses the barrel to Tails' forehead
"Manic" the fox says, fear in his voice
The green hedgehog growls and backs away from Scourge, letting him crawl out of the elevator and towards his friend.
Tails is pushed over to Manic and they watch Stone help Scourge into the back of a getaway car.
The evil hedgehog sticks his middle finger out with his good hand as he is driven out of the parking garage and into the backstreets.
Manic drops the Medallion back into the metal crate, then sits on the curb. Tails, equally as tired, sits next to his friend and leans against a metal railing for support.
"You aren't lookin' so good, T"
"Yeah? I think I'm looking better than you right about now, bro"
Manic and Tails laugh and fist bump each other.
They say nothing as SWAT officers enter through every entrance in the garage and circle the duo.
The commanding officer approaches them "Hands up, boys"
"Who the FUCK are you?" Manic asks
"I'm Agent Warwick. I'm the one who put your buddy Knuckles away for 10 years. Let's see if I can beat that for you two retards"
"...whatever, man. Just get me something to eat. I'm starving"
Warwick grins "You heard him. Arrest these two. They're coming with me"