Chapter 5:
Avery, a light blue hedgehog, turned on his microphone, "Avery the Hedgehog requesting landing." "Plane number." "Oh come on Harry, you know it's me!" "Plane number." Said the deep voice stubbornly. Avery sighed, "Sheesh, it's 208c, happy now?" "Yes, permission granted." Avery brought his jet down and as soon as the engine was off hopped out. He saluted the bulldog named Harry, "How are you? I came to see Harley." "Fine, Harely's in his boss's office, probably moping because no one is there to order him around or kick him into action." "Now now Harry that isn't too nice." Chided Avery as he went by Harry who shrugged. Avery burst into the room, "Hi Harley!" Harley looked up from the computer screen everyone was clustered around, "Hi Avery! This is a pleasant surprise." "You bet it is, who are you're friends? Hi everyone, I'm Avery." He held out his hand, smiling at all of them. They introduced themselves. "Where did you meet this guy Harley?" Espio asked, Avery answered, "Well, Harley was on a mission and he got wounded and fell, there was lots of gunfire, my jet was outside and I had to get to it quick, but the people who noticed him, the ones who were on his team, just left him there, so I ran back and got him and then I took him to the hospital using my jet." Avery beamed at them all, "Isn't that spectacular?" Harley looked embarrassed, "Avery likes adventure." He mumbled. Terra smiled at Avery as he turned to Harley, "Harley, Harley, Harley, tsk tsk, adventure is great and you don't like it! Can you believe it? You only do what Shadow tells you to do, speaking of Shadow, were is the silent lump?" He looked around as if he pleasantly expected Shadow to jump out of a cupboard. "He's missing." "Really? Well we'll just have to find him, got any clues?" He looked at the computer, "I don't think you're going to get very far with that, you have to ask people who understand the crime world and things like that. I have a friend who has a sweetie in a gang who's got that, he can probably get us in touch with them." "Really?" Amikus smiled, "I guess we hit the jack pot coming here." They all agreed.
Dexter was painting a picture of his friend Avery, himself, and Avery's plane from memory which was pretty hard when someone knocked loudly, it was a good thing Dexter had had the brush off the canvas when the person knocked, he'd jumped so badly he would have ruined the picture, he quickly took it into his bedroom then opened the door. "Hello? Oh no, hi Avery." "Hi Dexter how you doin'?!" Avery hugged Dexter who had flecks of paint on both his white fur and his black shirt, Dexter was a cat. "Okay." He mumbled. "Oh speak up man, you aren't in danger or anything like that!" "Actually I think I am." But Avery didn't hear him, "So were have you hidden what you were working on, come on I heard you scramble." Dexter reluctantly took them to his room and brought the unfinished painting out, "Us? Oh Dexter you're a great chap!" Avery hugged him again, nearly knocking his hand against the wet paint. Dexter almost fainted, "Don't do that! You almost ruined it!" He quickly put it back in his room and locked the door. "What do you want?" "To meet your sweetheart's boss." Dexter paled, "I can't, not now, not ever!" "Why not my good man?" "Because Devil said I die if I even go close to them." He said, not looking at Avery, "Oh tosh, if he kills you I'll kill him, see? Then you won't be the only one to die!" Said Avery spreading his arms grandly. Dexter felt despair.
"Okay, just wait a second while I clean myself up." "But you're braid is perfectly done already." "No not my braid! I have to get the paint off."
"So we split up for awhile." Said Devil then a grey wolf came over, "Boss, that painter is coming this way with a few others." Devil didn't even turn, "Kill him, I warned the poor fellow." "Yes boss."
Dexter heard a footfall, "Hide me!" He squeaked, ducking behind Avery. "It's only a cow Dexter." But as they rounded a corner they were met with four white and black dogs, "Devil warned you about coming near us again painter." "It wasn't my choice! Avery made me, I'll leave now!" Dexter tried to run but Avery caught the back of his shirt, "That's not very nice of you Dexter, to leave us before introducing us to your friend, tut tut." "What business do you have here hedgehog?" "We are looking for someone and we hope your boss can help us get some info to find him." Said Avery, then he gestured, "Lead us to him my fine friend." The dog whispered to a female white one, she disappeared, then she came back. "Follow me." They entered a building and went into a room were a trapdoor that was well hidden was opened, it led into the sewers. Terra wrinkled her nose. To everyone's surprise, Jan-la lowered herself in first. "Come on or we'll never get there." They all came down with small splashes. Charmy wasn't because of course he could fly. Suddenly there was a door. "In here." Said the white dog curtly. "Thank you my kind lady." Said Avery grinning at her before entering. Once they were in a whispery, deep voice, "What do you want of me?" A black chameleon emerged from the shadows. "We'd like to know if you can figure out this clue a chappie named Shadow left for Harley here, Shadow's disappeared you see, and they think a guy named Darlaska kidnapped him." Devil raised an eyebrow, "Darlaska? That filth?" He suddenly spat. "That sewers child has been stealing from all crime circles and destroying us, he wants to take over and use us as assassins. Hmph! He won't find us so easy to intimidate, he's already got fourty major circles." "Then I see we both have a common enemy." Said Avery cheerfully. Then he snapped his fingers, "How about we free them, you help us free our captured friends and we'll help you destroy Darlaska so you can go back to your crime! And you can wipe the location of your hideout from our minds." Added Avery as an afterthought. Amikus gave the Jan a look as they looked like they were going to protest. Devil considered for a moment. "Alright. Rose, come in here for a moment." "What is it father?" "Take them to our headquarters and stay away from the painter! I'll come in a minute, I'm sending Jack with you." Rose was a black chameleon. As they walked along Avery cheerfully explained that Rose was Dexter's sweetheart and that Jack the Weasel was the one that he wanted her to marry, not some nervous painter.
Devil dialed a number, a gold face appeared. "Well well well well, if it isn't Devil, what do you want?" "Meet me at my headquarters, you just might have a job." The hedgehog smirked, "Sure, I'll be there."
Dexter was get even more nervous as they went up to the top of the building, "Why do we have to go to the top?" His voice was slightly high pitched, "Because you get the best view of the city from the top grape brain." Sneered Jack. "Leave him alone!" "Defending you're boyfriend? You know your Dad wants me to be your husband." He smirked nastily at her. She held her head high, turned, and slapped him, he reeled backwards, "What was that for?" "For being a git. That's what." She looked at the Jan who were eyeing her with interest now, "Follow me and no funny business or you get the same." After they were all sitting she went to the kitchen to see if Devil was on his way yet. Jack started grinning nastily at Dexter who started trembling, "She loves you you know painter, too bad she'll never get you." But Rose had heard, she called, "If I get you I'll tell Slit I'm not happy." Jack paled. Avery smiled, "Who's Slit?" "One of the best assassins there is, he might belong to another ring, but he and I are friends. He's pretty concerned about my happiness, so I know I'm not going to get Jack." Devil was suddenly standing behind Rose, "How did you do that?" Asked Ricky. "Do what?" "You weren't..." "Don't be a fool, it's not as if I can disappear and reappear. Platinum is on his way with his group, if we hire them they will be a very good advantage for us." "Platinum? I've heard of that guy! He's something of a legend were I come from." "Why?" Asked Larry. "Haven't you heard? He's the best hacker of future city! And he's great on extreme gear, not better than the Air Masters, but close." "Oh." A knock. Rose opened the door. "Hello Ms. Rose." Platinum, a golden hedgehog swept of an imaginary hat and bowed. Rose giggled as he raised her hand and kissed it. "Oh for shame, what has happened? You look troubled, who is the villain who's made you feel bad?" He drew an imaginary sword. Rose laughed, "Thank you Platinum, nothing is wrong. How are you Slit?" Slit, a blue echidna, smiled, "Very well, and you?" "Good." Slit wore no shoes, he was blue, had purple eyes, a skull tattoo one his right shoulder, black spiked wristlets, and a brown belt with a golden buckle. He sat down beside Platinum, Lou, and Tor. Lou was a tan colored hawk, and Tor was a white fox. Then another knock, a quiet one came. Platinum looked terrified. "Ohnoohnoohno." He dove behind the couch as the door opened. A black...thing, stood in the doorway, he bowed slightly, "Hello Darien." Said Devil in a tight voice. Platinum's voice sounded almost as if he was about to scream, "You invited him Devil?!" "Yes." "He's mute! He won't be of any use!" "Oh yes he is, you know he can create programing very fast, he has already created a virus that will wipe everything in Darlaska's computers blank." "Why? Wouldn't you want to keep it?" Asked Vector. "No, because if some hacker like the government might get in, then they'll know who the crime lords are, and were every single crime ring is, who the members are, and were to find their headquarters, and that is not a good thing." Darien sat down near Horace, who felt a chill go up his spine as a voice in his head said, "I see you do not like to talk much, I think we should get along very well." Despite the chill, Horace found himself smiling at Darien, "I believe we will be." "Will be what?" Asked Wizard, then his eyes widened in surprise, Horace assumed that Darien had just spoken to Wizard. Platinum seemed to take a hold of himself, "So, what's the job."
Shadow was suspiciously glancing up at everyone every few seconds, as they were trying not to laugh or smile. Finally he slammed his journal shut, "Okay what is so funny?" They burst out laughing, Shadow's pupils suddenly became tiny, "YOU READ MY JOURNAL!!" "Hee hee hee, now I know who's the faker." Giggled Sonic. Shadow trembled with anger, everyone tensed, then Shadow slumped. "I guess if it gives us something to do I should read it to you." He sounded resigned. Rouge blinked, "Shadow?" "What?" "Are you feeling okay?" Shadow glared at her suspiciously, "If you don't want me to read it to you I won't." "Oh no no, nothing like that, please read." Said Rouge hastily. Shadow gave her one last glare then opened the journal.
August 15, 3020
Today was just weird, someone just walked up to me in the street and asked me why the hell I isolate myself from the general public. Well I'd think that was obvious, to avoid stupid questions like that, hate filled looks, and people muttering things about me. I have thought of another song, I'd found out some things from that hedgehog Silver and I've created a song about him. I also turned around a corner and bumped into someone, a black hedgehog-fox hybrid I was surprised to find, he had hedgehog ears, a hedgehog tail, white hair with a short ponytail, white gloves, a grey metal belt, grey glasses, red eyes like myself, grey knee-length socks, and grey, white, and black knee-length boots, but most interestingly, he spoke into my mind, he told me that he was mute and that his name was Darien. He said he was in a hurry and wanted to know were I lived so he could perhaps meet me later. We did, and he had some most interesting things to talk about, for a start, he knows all the locations of all the crime rings but won't tell as he is friends with a few, and also because he thinks that would be a bit like betrayal when he'd promised not to tell. But he told me other things too, like how he was born in the past, very far in the past, and because he was able to speak into minds, the people in the village he lived in were scared and were going to burn him alive, but in a hut waiting for the morning to come and his death, a strange creamy white portal appeared and a kind face (I'm only writing what he said) appeared in the portal and held out a hand and said, "Come Darien, your destiny is not to die, come to a time were it might be strange, but will be accepted without danger to yourself." He took the hand, and went into the portal, he appeared in Future City, rather ironic is it not? But then he had to go as he told me he had an appointment with someone named Slit. Apparently Slit is in one of the crime rings and is an echidna, I find myself smirking slightly when I imagine what Knuckles reaction would be to that news, he'd race around trying to meet Slit and talk to him.
"Slit? That's a strange name, and why did you bump into this Darien? You don't usually bump into things Shad." "Shut up, I only did because I was thinking." "You mean moping about Maria?" That was the final straw, Shadow was about to leap forward when the cell door opened and a robot walked in, "You are all to come to the fun-time chamber." They all paled, the fun time chamber was the worst. They followed the robot through many twisting corridors before arriving in front of a door painted bright yellow. A raspy, high pitched and deep at the same time, voice called, "Come in. Hurry up! I want to get started!" Lots of restraints made of a special metal Darlaska had created were on the walls. More robots came and each took one of the prisoners and put them into the restraints, one was around the neck, two on the ankles, two for wrists. "This is lovely isn't it?" Darlaska giggled like a child with a dream toy. "Which button I wonder? Oops." They all screamed as thirty volts raced around the inside of their bodies, of course it had been no accident. As they tried to bear with the pain Darlaska started talking, "That was a mistake but remember you won't always get such a treat, now, the real fun begins!" He pressed a button, each were injected, now they really screamed, it felt as if they were being torn apart very slowly...eventually, their bodies shut themselves down. Darlaska laughed, a cruel laugh, "Take them back to their cells." He watched the limp figures being carried by the robots disappear from sight, then he turned to a screen, "Nack, strike now."
Author note: Ooh! Suspense! Reviews, at least one, if you want this to continue, and tell me what you think!