Day Two: Fusion

Kaz belongs to a friend of my twin brother.

Chapter One: The Interview

The next day after the incident in the opera house, at SSPD HQ, Sonika was at her desk reading a book. She was wearing navy pants; a pink blouse and; a black jacket given by Sonic the Hedgehog. Jerick suddenly saw her then approached her. "Hey you OK?" He asked, "You oughta be resting." "Wish I could," She answered, "but I'm the one who knows what happened last night besides my husband." "I've been gathering info about Alisiya." He said to skip the subject, "She had no relatives…and no close friends. She was sick often-always on some kind of medication. The people at the opera said they were amazed she could even stand on stage. Her apartment burned down right after the incident, so we have no info on her medication." "So what's this spontaneous combustion stuff all about?" Asked Richard, a regular human with brown hair. "It wasn't exactly spontaneous. People we're actually set on fire." Sonika answered. "Oh come on!" Said Nick, another regular human with black hair, as he turned around to know what's going on, "What like one of those ESP things?" "That's the best way to describe it for now." She answered. "ESP huh," Said Nick, "Well, I'm not buying it. But if you're right, how are WE supposed to deal with something like that?" "I believe her." Jerick answered, "After all, Sonika's the only witness so far besides Shadow. But if you're gonna take on a suspect like that, you'd better asked Vincent for a better sidearm."

At Vincent's office, she entered then saw him reading her report. She went close to him then placed down the report. "I read your report…" He said as he looked at her, "Still hard to believe, but can't deny all those deaths." Vincent was a normal human with brown hair. He placed her report on the drawer then looked at her once more. "We're going to go all out to solve this case." He announced, "Make sure you're well equipped." He got a permit from his left drawer desk then gave it to Sonika. "Go down to the weapons department and give this permit to Gerald. He'll help you out." "Thank you sir." She said as she got the permit. She left his office then went to the corridors then headed downstairs.

At the weapons department, she saw Zeke, a brown porcupine and Gerald's assistant. "Hey there good lookin'," He said to charm her. "Cut it Zeke. Where's Gerald?" She said then asked. "That crazy spikes?" He answered, "Who knows." "So what will it be…Shotgun?...Rocket Launcher?" He asked. "ZEKE!!!" Boomed a voice. "Y…yes sir." Said Zeke with a nervous face. "Idiots like you are reasons why guns won't disappear in this damn country." Said Gerald, a yellow hedgehog wearing a police uniform, "Get your fucking ass back to the weapon storage! You're far from ready to be handling guns in here!" "Yes sir…" He sighed. He got out from his post then went to the boxes at the entrance. Gerald went to his post then looked at Sonika. "Gerald," She said, "I need some equipment." "For last night's case?" He asked, "Heard it was quite a mess there. But as long cops rely on guns, criminals will too. It's a various cycle. I hate to hand it to a young rookie like you…but I hear this isn't your ordinary criminal. Guess I can't send you off empty-handed." He went to the shelves where guns are there then looked for a perfect gun. He found it then gave it to her. "Here," He said, "this is the most powerful gun I can allow you to have." He handed the M16A1 to her.

"Captain Vincent already notified me. Show me your modification permit."

"Here you go Gerald-san."

"Thank you. Come back if you need to buy a gun."

"Alright, thanks."

As she was about to leave, Zeke waved his arms to call her. She caught his arms then went near. "Don't tell Gerald," He whispered, "but you can use your 'tool' to tune up your guns. You can rearrange equipment parameters and added effects to tweak your equipment." "Thanks for the tip Zeke." She whispered. "No problem Sonika." He whispered, "You can never have too much firepower. The more, the better." She went outside of the weapons department then headed upstairs.

From afar, she saw two hedgehogs. One is a boy and the other is a girl. She went near to them slowly. "Hey there," She greeted, "are you two lost?" "AHH!!" Shouted the two. "Danny?!" Said a voice. "Daddy!!" Shouted the boy. Jerick approached the three. "So this is Danny?" She asked. "Yup." He answered. He looked at his son. "Danny, this is Sonika, my partner." He said, "Now what are you doing here?" "Here…" He said. He got the tickets from his pocket. "Tickets…?" Said Jerick. Then he suddenly remembered the concert. "Oh…shit! The concert!" He said, "Sorry son, daddy's really busy with work. I promise I'll…" "FINE!!" Shouted Danny, "If ya don't wanna come, it is fine by me!!" "Danny!" Shouted Jerick. He marched out of the corridors then headed to the doors. "Guess every kid needs a mother…" He muttered to himself, "even though she's still alive." He walked slowly to HQ.

The black hedgehog went near to Sonika. "HI!!" She said. "Hi," Said Sonika, "who are you?" "My name's Kaz," She introduced, "I'm Shadow's friend." "My name's Sonika," She introduced back, "I'm Shadow's beloved wife."

"So you must be; he told me all about you by cell phone."

"Really huh?"

"Yeah, really."

"So what are you doing here?"

"I was just looking to how you look like, so I went to here to find you 'cause you work here until I saw a light green hedgehog. I followed him then I was here."

"Oh okay." She said with a smile.

She looked at Jerick slowly opened the door. "What's the matter?" Kaz asked. "Huh, oh it's nothing." She answered. Then she suddenly remembered something. "I'd better go to Vincent," She said, "he's waiting for me?" "Can I come also?" She asked. "Ok," She answered, "besides, you are his friend." The two went to HQ then went to Vincent's office.

At the office, he saw Kaz. "What is that hedgehog doing here?" He asked. "She's a friend of my husband." She answered, "She's just here to see me." "Well tell her to get out," He said, "it's only for cops." She turned to her. When she's about to say, she placed her two fingers on her lip. "It's okay," She said, "I'll wait." She stepped outside of the office. She slowly went near to him. "I'm already done getting firearms." She said. "Good." He said. He looked at her like he was in a trance. "We're now having a press conference, and I want you to be there Officer Hedgehog."

"Me sir? Why?" She asked.

"You'll be on national television as the sole survivor of the incident last night."

"I see…"

"But you only answer when I ask you. The media is just looking for anything to grill us about. They may even turn you into a suspect Officer Hedgehog. So you let me do the talking. Understood?"

"I understood sir…" She answered.

"Alright then, let's go meet the press."

At Thorndyke Estate, everyone is watching the press conference. "Hey Shadow!" Shouted Sonic, "Sonika's there! Wanna watch with me, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Rouge, Cream and with the kids?" "Sure, I'm coming." Shadow answered. He approached to the sofa then sat down. All Sonic Characters are on the sofa while the kids are on the floor. He was rubbing his neck. "Shadow," Sonic said, "you always keep on rubbing that neck of yours. You okay?" "Yeah, I'm okay." He answered. Chris was worried about him. "Hmm…maybe I need to work on something." He suggested to himself, "Something tells me it's gonna be serious." He went to the lab by elevator then started to work on the project.

At SSPD, inside the meeting room, all reporters, photographers and camera men are rolling. Vincent started answering the questions by reporters while Sonika didn't say anything until Vincent says so.

"So are you saying this could be a work of a terrorist?" Asked a reporter.

"This is what we currently calculate." Answered Vincent.

"How about accounts of officers and firemen at the scene bursting into flames?" Asked another.

"That was…" Sonika said.

"That was due to a rare highly flammable chemical which was used to start the fire." Vincent interrupted.

"Then how did Officer Hedgehog survive without any slight burn damage?" Asked another.

"That is a result of her quick thinking and training as an officer…"

"I'm asking HER that question!" Announced the reporter.

"She…"

"She said that my mitochondria were a mutation." She answered.

"Sonika!" Said Vincent.

"Your mitochondria Officer Hedgehog?" Asked the reporter, "Who said this?"

"Alisiya…no…May…May was the one who said this."

"But according to a report, Alisiya Grace was killed in the fire!"

"Alisiya did die…but her body is taken over by this…May."

"What's this May?! Is she some kind of alien?"

"Please, please!" Vincent interrupted, "She is very tired and we are still investigating. That will be all for today."

After the conference, at Vincent's office, he was pacing back and forth. She, Jerick and Richard are at his office. "Sonika," He said, "I thought I told you to not to say anything until I say so." "I'm telling the truth sir…" She said. He banged his hand on his desk. "That is NOT the point!" He boomed, "Who's gonna believe you?! You'll only stir up the media and cause people to panic like crazy!" "Sir, she was only…" Jerick said until the phone started to ring. He picked up the phone. "Vincent here…" He said, "Who…? What does he want? Well, put him through then." The line put him through the caller. "This is Captain Vincent…" He said, "What? Meet? You'll have to speak up! Yes…what? Yes…alright." He placed the phone down then looked at the three. "Some Japanese scientist, I think. Couldn't understand, his English isn't too well." "I can speak Japanese!" She announced. He looked at her narrowly. She suddenly went silent. "Anyway," He said to skip Sonika's words, "he was raving about some Mito-something…says he's coming over here." " Mito…" Jerick said, trying to know the word until she said it, "Is it…Mitochondria sir?" "You mean that thing in the cell that makes energy from oxygen?" Richard asked. "I might have heard it in school few years ago…" Jerick answered. "That's what May said." She recalled, "That is the time for the mitochondria to be set free…"

"Hey," Richard said as he turned to Jerick and Sonika, "I just read on the newspaper that a researcher at the museum wrote a new theory on them." Jerick went near to Vincent's desk. "Sir," He said, "I'm taking Sonika to go talk to this researcher." "Go," Said Vincent, "You'd better be there before the media. It may explain from the phone call." He went to his partner. She turned around. "C'mon Sonika," He said, "Let's go." They went out of his office.

At the corridor, they saw Kaz. "Kaz!" She shouted. Kaz went near her. "Is she your friend?" Jerick asked. "She's a friend of Shadow." She answered. "Oh…" He said. He looked at her. She suddenly looked at him. "Hi, my name's Jerick, I'm Sonika's partner." He introduced. "My name's Kaz. It's very nice to meet you." She said. "Hey Kaz, would you like to come with us?" She asked. "Sure Sonika." She answered. "Well she is your husband's friend, so it's okay with me." He said. "Thank you Jerick." She said. "Let's go to my car. It's outside." He said. The two followed him.

At the car, Kaz was seating at the back while the two sat in front. As he was driving, he looked at the road then looked at Sonika and Kaz at the mirror. "We're going to the Museum of Natural History. Dr. Mitchell Zander will be there." He announced. "The Museum of Natural History?" Kaz repeated, "I really wanted to go there." "Dr. Zander…?" Sonika repeated, "What's his area of research?" "Well," He said, "according to the papers given by Richard, he's working on a new theory…mitochondria something, but it seems to cover the whole genetic spectrum…" "That's really odd though…" Kaz said, "Why would he be there anyway?" "I bet he's pretty anti-social and doesn't like to waste time outside research." He answered. "Well, we're gonna have a grand time with this interest." Sonika acted. "You're now acting a bit like Shadow now." He announced, "I know where you're going with this. Just be careful this time huh?" "…Are you referring to the press conference few hours ago…?" She complained. "Yup." He answered. Kaz started to giggle a little. "Why do you have to be so weird Jerick?" She complained. "It's just a hunch Sonika." He answered, "It's just hunch."