Chapter 9: Game Set
...they pulled me outta the water just in time to revive my down 'n out ass, I only hope it was a set of female lips giving me mouth to mouth on that beach.
Everything's a little blurry, but I knew it was Vace Beach Police who made the save.
Unfortunately, they never found Sonia.
She's the second girl in my life I've let down, now.
The fuzz took me to a secluded part of town and I already knew why we weren't going to the precinct.
These were what you call bent cops.
Two tough guys tied me to a chair and began to lay into me, while a third Joe counted all the money he just pocketed from my wallet.
Don't ask me why I still have a picture of Sonia and Julie next to the cover of Sonic Heroes.
Only thing I can say is I need a reminder that I once had friends. Good ones.
The beating went on for roughly 10 minutes before they got tired. I rubbed my mouth on my shirt to wipe away the fresh blood. By this point, the pain had just stopped, and a numbness took it's place.
Then everyone's favorite Armadillo finally made his entrance.
"..how did I fuckin' know" Knuckles says to his former friend
M looks at the three other cops "Come on guys, really? You had to beat the shit outta him?"
"He had it coming"
The Armadillo pulls another chair in front of Knuckles and sits down
"You didn't have to smash my phone, Knux"
"...would you rather it have been your nuts"
"That thing cost me $1000, Fucktard!"
"Well, you have me in custody, I'm sure your bosses will give you a big raise for doing ONE thing right.."
"Look, this wasn't my idea. I wanted to get you on record to testify against Angel but you brought him to Dogg, instead. He's dead and Dogg is long gone. The Top Brass has no choice"
Knuckles raises an eyebrow "Whaddya mean no choice? For what?"
M opens a briefcase and pulls out a stack of papers with the VBPD logo at the top
"...they want you to sign this waiver that relieves them of any and all wrong doing during the investigation on Angel and the crooked cops he paid"
"So, instead of thanking me for doing their job, the police department is shifting the blame on my team? Am I getting that right?"
M sighs "They're offering you immunity in exchange for the locations of AJ, Duncan, Starr and officers Simmons and Gaspard. Think of it as a get-out-of-jail-free card. Come on, this is a fair deal, Knux"
Knuckles sarcastically laughs in M's face "You're telling me to rat on my friends AND have them take responsibility for the shitty police work during my whole stay here, is that right? ...buddy, we used to be running mates out there. Now you're making me sell out the only friends who still give a shit about me? Fuck you, M! What're you gonna do, kill me?!"
The Armadillo looks back at his fellow officers quickly "..come on, just sign it! It's the best thing you can do!"
"Go. Fuck. Yourself"
M stands up and radio's the precinct
"Yeah, we're taking him in. Be advised"
Knuckles smirks as M's backup untie him from the chair and 'offically' place him under arrest.
"I tried to help you, Jonathan... your life is now in the hands of the court. Have fun with the next 25 years behind bars"
"You better hope we never see each other again, M! You snitch piece of shit!"
I didn't know it at the time, but that would be the last time I ever saw him again. That's one for the good guys.
They held me for 12 days until my trial, which, of course, pointed out the dogshit police work I had to deal with.
I was released later that afternoon, not a dollar left in my wallet.
Luckily, I always keep my bank account in the green, so I stopped by an ATM, followed by the nearest liquor store.
The job was done, but this wasn't over, not even close.
I walked around town aimlessly, hoping to find somebody. Anybody.
But it looks like I'm the last one standing.
It wouldn't be until I started getting a buzz-on when I finally found something important.
The Neon Purple trail left by Starr's elemental abilities.
I could tell she was shooting someone with her energy shit, like a laser. The glow was starting to fade, so I had to hurry up and follow the trail before it was gone. I ran all over the backwoods and the energy trail was getting brighter, which told me she wasn't far.
I jumped down a cliff side and landed in a small beach area, but this wasn't a place you'd wanna come for a swim. Polluted water, dead grass, chunks of broken glass in the sand. I was lucky I wore my steel toed boots tonight.
Then I found her. She was laid out just feet from AJ's body. Duncan was lying 15 feet away, and Clove was dead as well.
I missed the showdown.
Knuckles knelt down next to the 15 year old hedgehog and let out a disappointed sigh, fully aware of his failure.
Sleuth Dogg sat on a log a few feet behind Knuckles, his face and body covered with dried blood.
"...They didn't suffer, man. I made it quick"
The echidna's body begins to shake uncontrollably as he hears these words.
Dogg had killed the teenagers.
Dogg stands up and coughs as fresh blood spills out of his waist and stains the sand.
"I don't know if you care to listen, but this is how it went down: Clove found your pals and told 'em to give AJ up, and they could go. They didn't wanna do that. Hell broke loose, the girl shot Clove right when she shot Duncan. Me and AJ went at it, and I beat him til the lights went out. The girl tried to protect him, but uh... yeah. Anyway, here we are.."
Knuckles stands up and turns around to face the hitman. The rage boils over him as he walks towards Dogg, who seems to not care about the situation.
Suddenly, Starr coughs up some blood as she wakes up.
Knuckles looks back at the teenager "Kid?! Hey, you're gonna be alright, just hang in there!"
Dogg scoffs "...I guess she's tougher than I thought. Tougher than her boyfriend.."
"Fuck you, murderer!" Starr shouts, more blood spills out
The echidna kneels down next to her "Save your strength, kid. You're gonna be alright"
Dogg extends both his arms "..so, I guess you've got a choice. Fight me and let her bleed out, or take her to the hospital. Your call"
Knuckles doesn't hesitate to cradle Starr in his arms and pick her up. He walks past Dogg and heads back into town, while his nemesis laughs to himself.
"That's why you'll never beat me, Jon. You give a shit too much. I don't"
"...if you're a man, you'll stay in town so we can find out who beats who. I'm willing to bet it's me"
Dogg turns to him "How do I find you?"
Knuckles drops his cellphone into the sand
"Wait for my call"
The large hitman watches Knuckles and Starr disappear into the foggy woods, then he picks up the phone. He tries to unlock it but doesn't know the password.
All he can do is answer the call, whenever that comes.
Starr coughs and glances at Knuckles "...where were you?!..."
"Locked up, they got me before I could find you guys"
"They killed AJ and Duncan! (coughs)... He tried to kill me"
"I know, I'm sorry, kid. I shoulda been there for you guys and I wasn't. But I'm gettin' you to the hospital, they'll fix you up"
They reach the hospital 15 minutes later and Knuckles shouts for help. Paramedics scramble with a gurney and IV tubes.
He gently puts Starr down and looks at the first doctor
"You take care of this girl, understand? She's just a kid and she's been through hell. You make sure she lives, doc. And don't call the fuckin' cops, alright? The assholes who did this to her might get tipped off"
The doctor nods and the medical team wheels Starr back to the ER. Knuckles leans against the wall as he finally gets a moment of rest.
A nurse approaches him with a cup of water "Hey, you're Knuckles, right? Your girlfriend is up on the 3rd floor"
Knuckles looks at her, takes the water and heads to the elevator
"Thanks"
He rides up and searches the floor until he sees Julie's face
She smiles "Hey"
He grasps her hands "I never meant for you to get hurt, Okay? I'm so sorry about that"
"Well, I'm the one who came looking for you, so..."
She notices the blood stains on his spiked gloves, and the fresh black eyes he received while he was in jail.
"Knux, we're having a child. You can't keep doing this forever, okay? You have to stop doing this shit!"
"I know. I do... but this ain't over just yet. Dogg is the only one left, and he has to die. It's the only way he'll stop"
"If you kill him, they'll lock you up for the rest of your life!"
"No, they won't. I'll be doing them a favor. Fuck, I'll be doing their JOB!.. Jules, I have to do this. Not Vector or Espio. It's gotta be me"
The pink echidna looks away and Knuckles sighs
"...I would've came right back if I knew you were pregnant. I swear. But I didn't. And now I got myself into this mess. But please believe me, this don't end with the cops.. I have to finish this"
She turns around "...our child is going to need you, Knuckles. And I understand you need to do this... So you need to come back as soon as you're done, alright? Come right back here"
"You have my word, babe. I won't leave you, again"
Julie leans in and kisses Knuckles, while running her hands down his shoulders and arms.
She stops abruptly "...you never mentioned this Sonia girl"
"Come on, not now"
Julie drops the subject and says goodbye as Knuckles jumps to his feet and rides the elevator down to street level. He reaches a payphone and dials his own cellphone number.
Dogg picks up "Yeah?"
"Terrence Building rooftop. 1 hour"
"Now we're talkin', pal"
Knuckles hangs up and buys a Soda from a nearby soda machine. He takes 10 minutes to rest, and then makes his way outside.
Only Sleuth Dogg stands in his way, now. And it's time to end him.
I rode the buildings' elevator up to the 37th floor then walked up the rest of the way to the roof, in the off-chance he'll just put a bullet in my skull instead of fighting fair.
My faith's been shaken enough times during my entire visit here.
The Gold wallpaper mixes well with the Black baseboards in this hallway, and the Silver trim completes the artistic feel of the top floor.
I chose this place because I know it's been vacated for at least a month. No need to drag any more innocent families into this mess.
I'm not one for interior decor or that bullshit, but I take a few moments to admire the colourful environment as I walk past each apartment unit.
Who knows, these could be my final moments alive. Might as well appreciate something.
After all the bad shit I've done or allowed to happen, I am not afraid to die for that.
But I'd much rather it be him who dies.
Sleuth Dogg leans against the concrete half-wall that divides the roof from the ledge, looking out at the neon drenched town of Vace Beach. The cold air hardly affects him, it's what he thinks about that bothers the hitman. His facial expressions convey a more serious, almost disappointed set of emotions.
He is as tired of this fight as Knuckles is.
While he waits, Dogg thinks about the only girl whose been even slightly truthful to him. That being Sonia.
He too blames Knuckles for her death, and that's another reason to kill the echidna.
But yet, he respects him enough to fight him hand-to-hand, as opposed to just shooting him down.
Dogg's thoughts shift from Sonia to Clove, the thug Maggie Bloodmoon sent to capture him.
He knew she was slowly falling for him, so he used that to manipulate her into helping him with his plans.
She died for that.
But unlike his advisory, Sleuth Dogg doesn't feel guilt for his actions, not matter how vile they were.
That's probably why he's questioning himself at this moment.
But the time for second guessing is over.
Knuckles walks up the staircase that leads to the rooftop, kicks the final door open and makes eye contact with Sleuth Dogg. The hitman's train of thought shifts to the enraged, yet silent echidna with the spiked gloves.
Knuckles slams the door shut and walks to the centre of the roof, waiting for Dogg to face him.
"I never meant to kill that kid, Knux" Dogg says as he steps forward "I only came here clip you and AJ. Nobody else needed to die, but plenty of 'em did-"
"And you don't even have a SHRED of remorse for any of them. That's why no ones gonna give a shit when you die up here. You pushed it too far, and I'm gonna show you what happens to pieces of shit like you"
Dogg laughs "Yeah, I'm so sure you'll rub the carpets with my face, right. I'm just another chump gettin' served up to you? ...you weren't ever shit to me and you will die by my hands, you're lucky I grant you that much... You are going to die and I need ya to understand. Know that-"
Knuckles shoves Dogg back "Raising your voice might scare everyone else, but you're just another demented fuck to me. One who needs to be silenced for good"
The hitman puts his fists up "Come silence me"
Knuckles lunges forward with the hardest punches he can throw, each one bouncing off Dogg's face faster than he can put his arms up to block. He thrusts his knee up so Knuckles side-steps right and quickly counters with an uppercut that barely gets through Dogg's guard and strikes him directly on the chin.
Dogg staggers backward, drawing Knuckles in with all the confidence in the world
Until the hitman front kicks him under the jaw and instantly drops the echidna.
"Betcha didn't see that shit coming, huh" Dogg gloats
Knuckles doesn't say anything, just stands up, resets position and remains calm. He doesn't want to lose concentration with such a skilled opponent.
"Not so chirpy, now? No?"
Knuckles throws a light jab out which Dogg slaps away, counter punches and uses footwork to evade the rest of his attacks.
"Go on Knux. Keep it up, I think you're gettin' somewhere with that. Come on"
Dogg slips through Knux' guard and punches him square in the mouth twice, then pivots out of reach just as the echidna tries to counter. Knuckles signals for him to come again, so Dogg mockingly puts his fist out to touch gloves, but Knuckles doesn't fall for it.
"What's the matter, Knux? You don't look as confident as you were a minute ago-"
Dogg blocks a jab but takes a powerful right hook to the liver, angering him. Knuckles tries to find a weak point but his bigger opponent knocks him back each time he gets in close. Dogg picks Knuckles up and slams him as hard as he can on to the rooftops' metal grates.
He kneels on Knuckles right arm to trap it, and grasps his left wrist to stop him from punching up at the hitman.
"You're not as good a fighter I keep hearing about. Better than the average joe, but not by much-"
He smashes Knuckles with a left power punch, causing his head to bounce off the grate.
"...this wasn't ever gonna go your way, Knux-"
Another shot causes blood to flow from the echidna's nose.
"...you wanted to save everyone, and look how many of them lived-"
The third punch connects and Knuckles growls angrily
"...those kids needed you, Sonia needed you, and look where they ended up... same place you'll be in a second-"
Knuckles headbutts Dogg's fist before he can strike him, causing the hitman to wince in pain, and this gives Knuckles the opening he needed. He uses all his strength to push Dogg off of him and jump to his feet. He hits Dogg with a punch that could stop someone's heart, knocking the 250 pound hitman backwards.
Dogg smashes against the half-wall so hard, the concrete cracks under his weight, but somehow remains intact,
until Knuckles races towards him and shoulder blocks the hitman right through.
"The FUUUUCK!" Dogg screams out as he falls
Plummeting toward another rooftop, Knuckles grabs ahold of Dogg's black uniform and uses him to break the fall. They bounce off the second roof and groan in agony, but only Knuckles is able to get up.
"Uugggghhh... wait-"
Knuckles mounts his opponent and rains down anger filled hammerfists, now causing Dogg's head to bounce off the floor, then switches to forearm and elbow strikes. Dogg's face is cut open by the sharp points on Knuckles' elbows, causing Dogg to bleed and frantically scramble to get away. He tries to escape but the echidna has a tight grasp, so whatever Dogg moves, Knuckles is dragged along.
A few neighbours inside the apartment building next door hear both fighters growling and cursing, and they are recognized immediately.
"Ay, ain't that the mass shooter Sleuth Dogg?!" A father yells
A stranger on his balcony nods "It is!"
"And that's Knuckles the Echidna, he's the main reason for all the violence, you know!" a woman adds
A young man pulls out a pistol and leans out his window to get a good shot
"The cops aren't gonna do anything about these assholes, man, so I'mma put them in the ground, myself!"
A roar of approval is heard from the neighbours, as well as by standers on the streets below. Knuckles realizes he's going to be shot at so he gets off of Dogg and dives down.
"Where are ya going?! This shit ain't over-"
Dogg is interrupted as suddenly 4 bullets enter his torso, causing him to howl in pain. He too hits the deck to avoid being shot.
He might have a high tolerance for life threatening injuries, but that doesn't mean he's invincible.
The opponents have to stay low to strike each other, and quickly dive down to avoid being shot. Knuckles connects with a left hook and barrel rolls out of the path of an incoming bullet. Dogg takes a round to the thigh but keeps swinging wildly, not having much suscess. The echidna dodges all 5 punches, counters with an uppercut and jumps up for a short spinning wheel kick that knocks the hitman on his back.
Dogg spits out blood before speaking "Argghh! Can you shitheads just gimme a second to kill this bitch!"
Knuckles sees a thick metal chain he can use as a weapon, but he's grabbed around the waist before he reaches it. Dogg easily picks him up, grabs both his wrists and traps his arms as he begins walking toward the ledge.
"You wanna throw me off buildings? Alright then, let's go for another trip. (cough) ...I know I'll be fine, but I don't like your odds on this fall, though"
Knuckles kicks and strains to get free but Dogg's grip is too strong, so they continue. On top of this, more neighbours with guns aim at the duo and fire a hailstorm of bullets down at them. Dogg grunts as he's shot, but keeps moving, slightly faster now.
"...I told you, it wasn't ever gonna go the way you wanted. Don't fight it. Just - die"
They reach the ledge and Dogg jumps off, pulling Knuckles with him. However, instead of trying to get loose, Knuckles uses the momentum to spin them both in mid air. He reaches out to grab the fire escape railing and hangs on to it with all his strength. Dogg's claws dig into Knuckles' leg, but he's able to kick him off and hang on to the metal railing.
He, and the entire neighbourhood, watch as Dogg falls 11 storeys down towards the street. He bounces off the fire escape and this causes him to backflip in the air, until the inevitable THUD sounds out.
The familiar smell of blood quickly fills the cold air, indicating Dogg is down for good,
at least, upon first inspection.
Knuckles climbs down the fire escape ladders and finally reaches the sidewalk. He stands over Dogg's battered body, expecting to find him dead, but the icy breaths coming from his mouth say otherwise.
"yoooouuuu sonofabittcch... huuggghh... shit.. alright, ya got me (cough)... finish it then, big man... come on, bad ass, kill me in front of your crowd here!... do it!"
Knuckles looks around as the crowd of onlookers wait for his response. The young men and women with guns quickly get down to street level and stare into the eyes of the echidna. Remembering that he let Dogg take his cellphone, Knuckles reaches into the hitman's pockets and takes the fairly exspensive phone back. As the group raise their weapons, Knuckles puts one hand up to ask for one more moment, which he is granted.
"No. I won't kill you, Dogg. I'm a screw up, a failure, whatever these people wanna call me... but I'm not a killer"
The sirens blare out around town, indicating Knuckles needs to leave.
"Where are ya going?! FINISH THIS KNUCKLES! You coward piece of shit! COME ON!"
Knuckles looks up at the group with guns "...he's all yours"
"Yeah, get these thugs to do it, you fuckin' bitch! I WON! I BEAT YOU, KNUCKLES!" Dogg screams out
Knuckles limps out of the area moments before the first shots sound out, followed by the police shouting orders at the crowd. The time for war is over, now it's time to move on, and live.
I knew If I went to talk more shit to Dogg, the cops would've caught me, so I kept my mouth shut and took off to the back streets
AJ, Duncan, Angel, Shadow, Clove and Sonia were all dead.
And the two assholes responsible get to live.
I get to live with that.
And to think all this started with a call for help. Yeah, right.
It's funny how you don't get a chance to mourn, or rest while shits' errupting. But now I can. And I think I will.