Chapter One: White Gloves

Note: I'd like to thank anyone who has stuck by me thus far…and it's only the 2nd chapter. Thank you for putting up with me, I really do appreciate it. I'll try to get the next chapter up by the end of this month, but we all know the likelihood of that... ^_^; Anywho, please enjoy this chapter.

Sonic couldn't recall a time when his head had hurt more. He tried to focus his pounding skull into recalling what went on last night. As his blurry, migraine-inducing vision attempted to focus, his mind was plunged into an even deeper confusion as he saw his surroundings resembled an…office?

The hungover hero tried to keep his eyes open long enough for them to focus, but to no avail. Even though the room was dim, the small bit of light that leaked through the blinds sent a heavy wave of pain and nausea through his already weakened body.

The hedgehog tried once more to peek open his right eye, and this time he was rewarded with a small victory: a quick glimpse of the room. Hard wood floors, teak furniture, it looked expensive. The floor to ceiling windows were covered with silky curtains that swayed gently in the air conditioner's breeze (it was a record-breakingly hot summer, after all). The room smelled faintly of cigars. Bookshelves lined the walls and there was an official-looking display case on the desk, not inches from his nose, that housed the purple chaos emerald.

Sonic's first reaction was to open his bright green eyes in shock and confusion at the emerald, but he immediately regretted this as the room began to spin. The hedgehog struggled to swallow down the bile gathering in his throat. He tried to grasp at his neck only to discover that his sore arms were restrained to the chair in metal cuffs. He would have gritted his teeth in annoyance, but every ounce of his willpower was currently dedicated to preventing himself from throwing up. Just the thought of the word made his stomach churn.

At last, save for the terrible pounding of his head, Sonic regained enough of his composure to open his eyes and cough a few words to his kidnapper.

"Eggman," he choked out, panting heavily. "What do you want this time? What happened last night?"

The large, cliché swivel chair on the other side of the desk turned one hundred and eighty degrees. Sonic closed his eyes before he could see who was sitting there, but he was already confident enough in his guess.

"You certainly know how to make a headline." Sonic's ears shot up and he opened his eyes in surprise. That voice…it was not Eggman's. "Were you expecting someone else?" the voice rasped. "That old fool quit the business a year ago! I hear he's holed up in some University teaching kids how to make useless robots," he continued.

Sonic's pounding brain went into overdrive. A party. That's why he was hung over. He was at Rouge's club…Sonic squinted and urged himself to remember more. They were celebrating Eggman's premature retirement…that's right! But, how did he end up in this office? Sonic shook his head clear and opened his eyes. He was taken aback by who he saw sitting across from him.

This cat didn't fit in with the luxurious surroundings, although he made an obvious effort. A large number of scars littered the feline's face; a set of claw marks went through his left eye, but his pupil still glinted darkly.

"I got that one from my ex-girlfriend after she found out I had a wife," the cat snickered after noticing Sonic's look of horror. "She had an unfortunate accident the next day. An interesting choice of footwear that one had…cement is neither functional nor fashionable when one goes for a swim. Clara, would you be a dear and bring me the paper please," he ordered in a voice that bore the brunt of many years of cigarettes and cigars. Sonic saw a lithe, black cat bringing the paper and unceremoniously dropping it on the desk before his nose. He slammed his eyelids shut.

"Can't you open your eyes?" the raspy voice inquired.

"I don't think after a night like that he'll be opening them anytime soon," the cat secretary purred while gesturing towards the first page. "You seem to have a knack for getting yourself into trouble, hero."

Sonic squinted his eyes open and waited for his them to focus. "Although," the boss continued, "I'm quite curious as to why such a celebrity would borrow money from someone like me."

The hedgehog's stomach lurched as he glanced towards the front page of the paper. He realized there was more to this than just getting drunk at a party; how much money could he possibly have borrowed? His mouth suddenly opened. Cement shoes. That scar. The rich surroundings. The chaos emerald in front of him. Loaned money. Sonic's heart began to beat wildly in his chest. It wasn't a bank he had borrowed the money from, it was the mafia.

"Please," he panted, trying to ignore his pounding head. "I'll pay you back. With interest, even. I promise, please."

"Like I haven't heard that one before," the boss chuckled. "You're funny, kid. You don't even have the slightest inkling of what dangers lie beneath the waters you're treading in." He paused to gesture at the front page of the paper.

"Role model no more?" screamed the headline. A picture of Sonic drunkenly tossing dice with Amy draped around his neck spanned the front page. "Sonic the Hedgehog loses millions and some of his fans with his newfound partying nature," read the caption. Suddenly the night came rushing back to him. He'd needed money, and Amy had talked him into it…

Sonic's eyes widened.

Amy.

"Where is she," the hedgehog growled.

"You'll find that she and that little fox of yours are the least of your problems right now," the mob boss chuckled. "I've got them locked up safe and sound, and they won't be freed until you pay off your debt."

"But…I don't have any money," the hedgehog whispered. A grim smile spread across the old cat's face.

"No worries, my boy. After all, there is more than one way for you to pay off your debt," he cackled. "However, you may need to dirty those white gloves of yours."

Before their conversation could continue, Sonic's stomach had had enough, and the hedgehog unleashed a torrent of vomit right at his new boss's face before promptly fainting.

Well, at least his gloves weren't white anymore.