A/N: Hey everybody, so sorry for the long, long wait on this story but I haven't forgotten about it. As an apology, this is the longest chapter so far. Although each chapter keeps getting longer and longer, don't they? Anyway, you've waited long enough so please enjoy.

Chapter 4

Knuckles stalled the car as Sonic threw open the passenger door and stepped into the pelting rain drowning the earth below. He yelled his thanks before slamming the door shut. Knuckles nodded as the car roared off into the distance, growing smaller until there was nothing but the faint glow of headlights in the distance. Sonic inhaled deep through his nose before he sprinted down Amy's garden path, taking a similar route he did not an hour prior.

Sonic slammed his fist against the door, calling her name frantically. He dreaded each waking moment and he needed to see if she had any information. He was close to finding Tails, he just knew it. All Sonic needed was the last piece to the puzzle. The answer was tantalizingly close, on the tip of his tongue. He groaned as he heard some more panicked scrambling before the door creaked open and Amy poked her head out.

"Hey Sonic, did you find Tails?" She asked with concern. She panted, completely exhausted and her face was flushed.

"What happened to you?" Sonic asked before quickly shaking his head and pushing open the door, letting himself enter her home despite Amy's protests. "Never mind that, did you find out anything?"

"Sonic I-" Amy began but was cut off when Sonic turned around and clamped his hands around her shoulders, digging his nails into her flesh. She winced in pain but Sonic did nothing to stop, his gaze piercing deep into her skull as worry flooded his head.

"Ames, please," he begged. "I need you. You had to have found something… anything…" Amy frowned, seeing nothing but pain and misery in his eyes, mentally scolding herself for not feeling the same level of dread. She couldn't help but let her thoughts wonder to the what if's.

'What if it was me who was missing? Would he care this much?'

"Ames!" Sonic shook her back to reality, her eyes blinking before she realized where she was and the severity of the situation dawned on her again.

"Sorry, sorry, I did do some research but…" she trailed off, her gaze cast down to the floor.

"But what?" He urged, his eyes wide and scared. "Did you find anything?"

"That's the problem," Amy admitted, mumbling. "I used all the techniques I know to look but I couldn't find anything. There was no news, no past events and not even similar myths or ghost stories. This is completely new. Which means this could just be a new psycho and Tails was just unlucky enough to be their first victim for their sick game or…"

"Or what?" Sonic asked after Amy shuddered, her voice changing dark and grave.

"Or whoever is doing this has a personal vendetta on Tails!" Sonic's eyes grew wide, the thought never crossing his mind.

"Who would wanna hurt him? He wouldn't hurt a fly," Sonic thought aloud, running his hands through his quills, mumbling indistinctly to himself.

"Sonic, Sonic you have to calm down," Amy urged, placing her hands gently on his shoulders. His eyes met hers, searching deep in emerald iris' for answers to his problems and relief from his stress. She slid her hands down his arms, soothing his skin, ripe with goosebumps until she let her fingers wrap around his clammy hands, still drenched from the rain. She closed her eyes, tilted her head and closed the gap between their faces.

"What was that for?" Sonic asked.

"You need to calm down. You're running yourself ramped all over the city. If you want any hope of saving him, we need to think clearly. Have you found any clues?" Amy asked calmly.

"Well, Knux and I check the phone we found and saw a series of texts. They were between Tails and Cream," Sonic explained. "But it was like the psycho wanted me to find them."

"Cream? What does she have to do with anything?"

"I don't know. I came here to see if you found out anything."

"If this is a personal attack, perhaps the conversation that they purposely left on that phone for you to find wasn't just an accident. Maybe it's a clue."

"So, your saying I should go talk to Cream?" Sonic asked, trying to comprehend everything in his spinning head.

"Yeah, and let me come with you. I want to find Tails just as much as you do," Amy begged, her bottom lip pouting pleadingly.

"Ames, I'd love your help but I was told if I bring anybody than Tails would be killed…" Sonic trailed off, his memory sparking. "Shit, Knuckles! He said he was going to see Cream. If she is involved in all this and this psycho sees him he might kill Tails!" Sonic slurred his words as he hurried to get to the door. In his haste, Sonic tripped over the carpet sprawled out on the ground, slamming into the floor and knocking the door closed with a bang.

"Are you okay?" Amy's motherly instincts took over as she rushed to his aid. Sonic moaned, rubbing his red elbow as he sat up, the room spinning slightly. He could have sworn he was imagining something as the door to the cupboard under the stairs creaked open and a shirtless hedgehog stepped out.

"Thank god he is gon-" he sang out before stopping in his tracks, frozen.

"Sh-Shadow?" Sonic asked, perplexed and wondering if he was just imagining it. "What are you doing here? Shirtless…" Everything stopped spinning as Sonic stood, shaking his head. He took in his surroundings. The guilty look on Amy, his fiancé's face, and his shirtless friend standing by the secure cupboard he emerged from.

"Sonic, please, this isn't what it looks like," Amy began but Sonic quickly rose a hand, rubbing his eyes.

"I… I… I…" Sonic babbled, struggling to find the words to express his anger. A fire kindled in the pit of his stomach, the angered flames fueled by the pleading words spewing out of Amy's mouth. He blocked her out, staring daggers at Shadow.

"You, um, weren't supposed to be here. I thought you left," Shadow said stoically, his emotionless face unchanging.

"I can't believe this."

"Sonic, please, you have to listen to me," Amy tried again, gripping his shoulder. Sonic took a step back, wrenching himself out of her grasp.

"My best friend has been kidnapped by some freak and you… you cheat on me with this… this thing!" Sonic bellowed, finally finding his voice and volume.

"I had no choice! You kept ignoring me. I… I needed somebody and he was just there."

"Gimme a break. Of course you did, Ames!" Sonic hissed.

"Don't yell at her," Shadow growled, stepping between the two.

"Don't tell me how to talk to my fiancé."

"Sonic, please, can we just talk about this. I can explain-" Amy tried to reason with him but he interjected.

"I'm done listening. I need to find Tails," Sonic whispered bluntly, his voice dark and distant. He turned and threw open the door, speeding out into the night. Ignoring Amy's calls. Ignoring the hurt in her voice, her pained calls. Tails needed him. That's all that mattered.

A darkened silhouette, all features obscured by shadows watched from its hiding spot behind a tree in the yard as Amy called out. She fell to the floor, her legs crossed as the severity of her mistake finally washed over her.

…

Amy sat on the red and white kaleidoscopic blanket neatly unfolded on the top of the grassy knoll, her legs crossed as she waited. Exquisite home cooked meals were placed precisely in her basket, along with paper plates and napkins. Plastic wine glasses with an expensive pinot noir were lain out on the blanket. The sun streaked low on the horizon, setting off magnificent salmon hues across the deep sky. Everything was beautiful. Perfect.

Amy's phone vibrated softly in her pocket. She noticed Sonic's contact and immediately answered the phone, beaming with anticipation.

"Hey, where are you? I told you to meet me at the park for a special engagement surprise," she enquired eagerly.

"Uhh, yeah Ames, about that…" a hesitant and guilt ridden voice responded from the speaker. Amy froze, her heart beating as her mouth dried. She wet her lips and swallowed before replying in fear.

"What happened?"

"Nothing, nothing I just… Tails kinda invited me to his beach house this weekend for a special best friend getaway trip and so I'm not really in the city."

"Are you kidding me?" Amy was visibly shaking, trying to control herself. "You promised me you would be free tonight. I went to so much trouble and you're ditching me for him, again? Over a phone call, too?"

"Ames, listen, I'm sorry but he seemed really down. He says he has something super important that he needed to tell me. It seems serious," Sonic explained.

"Fine, have a nice little romantic getaway," Amy flared her nostrils as she hung up the phone vehemently.

"Ames, c'mon don't do thi-" Silence. Nothing but a dial tone. Amy flung her phone across the blanket, watching it skid to a stop, knocking over one of the glasses. A black shoe stopped the phone's course as a hedgehog bent over to pick it up and hand it to her.

"Wouldn't wanna lose this, would we?" he shot her a smile with an outstretched hand.

"Oh, hey Shadow," Amy sighed, retrieving the phone and tossing it back into her purse without a glance.

"Now why would you throw that away?" Shadow enquired, his shadowed head silhouetted in the glare of the sun behind him.

"Nothing really. Just Sonic drama, I wouldn't want to bore you with the details," she dismissed him.

"Try me," Shadow smiled, taking a seat beside her.

"Honestly, it's not a big deal. He's just not going to show up today," she frowned.

"Well we wouldn't want all this hard work go to waste, would we? Mind if I?"

"Please, be my guest," a small smile crept its way onto her face as she filled up the two plastic glasses with the crimson liquid.

"To good friends."

"Cheers," Amy clinked her drink against his, small droplets of wine springing from the glass and dribbling down the sides as she took a large swig.

…

Sonic puffed, his pulse racing as the sight of the cookie-cutter neighborhood came into view. He wiped the beading sweat off his brow, passing by the identical eggshell houses until he came to the white picket fence with the three golden numbers plated onto one of the posts. Sonic jumped the fence, racing towards the door. However, as he bounded the steps up the front porch he noticed something off. The door was slightly ajar.

Without time for hesitation or caution, Sonic threw open the door, its hinges creaking as he stood in the living room. His head darted left to right, trying to find any sort of clue. Everything seemed normal despite the open door. Spotless counters, newly vacuumed floors and nothing out of the ordinary. Sonic made his way to the staircase, planning to check the bedrooms when he noticed a black suitcase stashed on one of Cream's fuchsia couches. He immediately recognized it. The cerulean ribbon wrapped around the handle indicating his fears. It was Tails'.

Sonic fell to his knees and unzipped the case. He rummaged around inside, throwing out clothes, toiletries and everything in between. Time ticked by as he exhausted the entire contents but his search proved fruitless. Sonic groaned in frustration, hurling the emptied case across the room and watching it collide against the wall. As he watched the trajectory, his eyes were cast upon the rectangular glass coffee table situated in the middle of the room. A miniscule object he overlooked before suddenly the center of attention.

Sonic rose, curiosity taking control as he bent over to inspect the object. An envelope with a name scrawled onto it in permanent marker. Sonic.

Without hesitation Sonic ripped open the envelope and extracted the letter inside. As he unfolded it and began to read, his eyes grew wide. Thunder roared overhead, lighting cracking through the sky. Sonic couldn't believe what he was reading. It couldn't be true. Inside was a letter addressed to Cream. From Tails.

Sonic's world froze, the piercing sounds of the unbridled storm outside muted. Only the rhythmic beating of his heart sounded as he stared blankly at the letter. Before he had time to fully let it sink in, a thud emanated from inside the house. Sonic snapped back to his senses, his gaze darting towards the floorboards. He paused, ears straining but the sound never repeated. He shrugged, assuming it was just the storm outside but before he could turn his attention back to the letter it sounded again. It was indistinguishable, but it was clearly not the storm. It was something, or someone, hitting something. Right underneath him.

Sonic recalled Cream's house. All those game nights he spent over there with Tails, Shadow, Amy and Knuckles. All those times Cream would complain about her basement flooding. Her basement…

Sonic rushed over to a locked door. He brought up his leg and kicked as hard as he could. It didn't budge. He tried again, over and over, harder and harder. The wood strained slightly, small splinters stripping off the wooden door but still it didn't budge. Sonic took a few steps back before sprinting at it, colliding shoulder first. The lock gave way, cracking under the immense weight and the door flung open. Sonic fell down the small staircase, his skin bruised and bloodied after the fall.

Sonic sat up, clutching his head as the room span around him. He felt a stinging pain from his ribs but had no time to inspect or treat it. He was too busy scanning the small room, expecting to find his trapped friend. But nothing. Four cement walls, a washer and drier in the corner and a closet. However, there was something strange. In the middle of the room were two screens and a wooden box with two buttons on them. One yellow and one pink.

Ring, Ring

Sonic jumped with a start. He fished the phone out of his pocket. Tails' phone was ringing, the same number as before. Sonic didn't hesitate as he answered it, barking into the speaker.

"Enough games. Where the hell is he?!" Sonic screamed, the futileness of his situation finally getting to him, manifesting itself into anger that gripped Sonic's entire being.

"Now where would be the sport in that if I just told you?" The taunting voice mocked. The same voice as before.

"Just tell me now!" Sonic commanded, ignoring the voice.

"I can do you one better," they responded cryptically. "I can show you exactly where he is." Just as they spoke, the two television screens in front of Sonic buzzed to life. The grainy static illuminated the room in artificial light, slowly fading to reveal a gruesome sight. On the left, an image of Tails, tied up to a chair. The same as the image he saw before. Fresh bruises, dried blood and cuts all over him. However, on the right, the same horrific sight but instead, Amy sat tied to the chair. There were no visible bruises, but fresh blood oozed from a cut on her forehead. Both of them had a gun trained to their heads.

"Tails! Amy!" Sonic shouted at the television, but the only response he got was maniacal laughter from the speaker.

"Please, they can't hear you. Save your breath. However, you can hear them. Let's see just what they have to say, shall we?"

Sonic swiveled his head to the left, staring at the image of his best friend, Tails, pleading for his life.

"Sonic, Sonic please," Tails begged, his eyes red rimmed with black bags sagging underneath. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you but please… please save me," Tails continued, trying to squirm free of his roped shackles. The figure took the butt of the gun and whacked him over the back of the head. Tails blacked out, his head falling limp as the volume cut off.

Before Sonic could even gasp, sound from the television to his right began to sound and he whipped his head to look into the scared and tortured eyes of his fiancé, Amy, pleading for her life.

"Sonic, Sonic please," Amy begged. "I'm sorry I slept with Shadow. You were just never there. You ignored me, I felt unloved. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was weak. Vulnerable. It was a mistake, I promise I'll never do it again. I love you. Please… please save me," Amy continued, tugging against the tightly knotted ropes but escape seemed impossible. Before she could say anymore, the figure repeated the same action, knocking her out as her head, too, fell limp and the sound cut out.

"Why are you doing this? What did either of them ever do to you? What did I do to you?" Sonic cried, tears cascading down the contours of his face and dripping off his chin. His eyes were full of shock and fear. His chest felt tight and he had a shortness of breath. He didn't know what to do. He felt so hopeless, watching the two people he cared about most in this world being tortured by this shadowed figure for unknown reasons.

"Two buttons," the voice replied finally. "One yellow, the other pink. One will save a life, but condemn another to death."

"No. No please," Sonic begged but was interrupted by the voice again.

"Whichever one you save, the other will be shot. So, press one of the buttons," the voice instructed. "The boy who was going to run away forever without a word and leave you or the girl who was cheating on you after you just got engaged with your greatest rival? Tails, or Amy. Your best friend or your fiancé?"

"Please, please don't make me do this," Sonic begged, his voice shaky and raspy. He couldn't contain the gurgled sobs as he tried to pull himself together, to keep his composure. "I'll do anything you want. Take me instead, kill me but free them." There were a few moments of silence before the voice warned again.

"You have two minutes to press a button, or I'll kill them both."

A/N: 4 chapters down, 1 to go (And a short epilogue). So, what did you think about that? Do you think you know who the psycho is? Is it somebody we have me like Shadow, Cream or Knuckles or are Amy or Tails faking all this? Or is it somebody completely new who hasn't been seen but somehow fits into this whole story. Somebody who has an integral role and whose presence is in all the flashbacks, just out of the lime light... or maybe not, who knows? But who do you want Sonic to save. Amy or Tails. Both of them have wronged him, both holding secrets that, as promised, were revealed that night. If you enjoyed, don't forget to leave a review to let me know and I'll see you all in the conclusion of missing.