CHAPTER 3

Vector was roaming through the busy streets of Tech City. He was on his way to meet Mayor Sarah Wish at her office. He had wondered what made her suddenly want to see him. When he walked pass a narrow alley while he was deep in thought, he was suddenly pulled into the dark narrow alley. He felt multiple hands grab around his arms and wrists to restrain him. When he tried to figure out what was going on, he saw a mysterious figure standing in front of him. "Wha-what the hell is going on?"

The mysterious figure spoke in a menacing tone. "Long time no see, Vector."

When Vector focused more clearly on the mysterious figure, he soon realized who he truly was. "…Kiba?" He then saw him raise a handgun in the air and hit him hard in the head with the end of it, knocking him out cold.

Much later at the Chaotix, all of the detectives were still working out in the lobby until they saw a black and red hedgehog come into the room.

Espio made a sly smirk towards the hedgehog, "Well, well look who finally came out their cave."

Shadow had gave the purple chameleon an annoyed look as a reply back to him. He then saw a white bat woman approach him and embrace him lovingly.

She nuzzled against his chest, "Hey baby, I barely saw you all morning."

He softly kissed her forehead and caressed the side of her waist, "Yeah sorry I've been MIA. I just finished catching Vector up with his paperwork."

"I swear, Shadow. When you're not trying to snap someone in half, you're a hardcore paper pusher", Appex had teased.

Shadow made a small shrug, "It's not the greatest thing to do in the world but it has to be done."

Everyone suddenly heard Charmy's excited voice fill the room.

"Finally! I sent it!"

Ker who stood beside the desk Charmy was sitting on top of, glanced over the bee's shoulder and peeked at the screen of the tablet he was holding in his hands. "What's going on, Charmy?"

Charmy took his eyes away from his tablet and looked back at everyone's curious faces. "I just sent in my application to a special school for gifted mechanics."

"College?" Midnight had spoke.

Charmy made a nod, "I've been wanting to go there for the longest time. It's in Industrial City."

"Industrial City?" Espio repeated, "That's on like the other side of the world isn't it?"

Charmy had laughed, "Yeah I know. It's pretty far from here, but it's my dream school. I'm just so excited! I hope they accept me!"

"Well of course they'll accept you, Charmy", Tonya spoke in an assuring voice.

"You're a freakin' genius after all", Espio added.

The bee smiled as in happiness knowing that everyone had believed in him.

Rouge couldn't help but to be proud of Charmy. She turned to Shadow, "Well what do you know? Charmy going to college?"

"Yeah", Shadow spoke. "He's growing up. I bet Vector's really proud of him."

Just bringing up Vector's name reminded Rouge how long Vector was gone. "Speaking of which, do you know when Vector is coming back? He's been gone almost all morning."

When Shadow looked at the clock on the wall, he realized that she was right. Vector had been gone for about four hours. "I don't know when he's coming back. It shouldn't take him this long to get back." He took his cell phone out of his pants pocket and started to press multiple buttons. "I'm gonna text him to see if everything is all right. If he doesn't reply back soon, I'm going down there."

"Maybe he left on purpose so he'd make you do all of his work", Midnight had joked.

After Shadow finished texting, he placed his phone back in his pocket. "The hell he will. He's a lazy croc but not that lazy."

Tikal smiled at the group of detectives as they joked around and teased each other. Even though she wasn't officially a member of the Chaotix, she was still close friends with all of them. They made her feel like apart of their family. She was startled when a strange and powerful vibration shook the entire building with a loud booming noise following after.

It had made some pieces of the ceiling come down on the floor and objects were being knocked off of the desk, tables, and walls. It was even strong enough to make them fall to the floor.

Afterwards, they all stood from the floor in alarm.

"Wha-what the hell was that?" Tonya asked in a panicked voice.

Without waiting for anyone else to comment, Shadow quickly ran outside of the building.

When they all saw him run out the building, they all did the same and followed behind him. When they got outside, they saw Shadow standing in front of the building staring in disbelief at the sight of a huge black tank that had a crowd of familiar faces standing in front of it at the gates of their agency.

As Shadow studied the group of familiar figures, he soon realized that the group was the Silver Fang detectives. His eyes widened in shock when his eyes fell upon a white male wolf holding the barrel of a handgun at a green crocodile's head.

Everyone gasped in horror when they saw the sight of the crocodile kneeling to the ground with his hands tied behind his back and blood dripping from the side of his head.

Tears of worry swelled in Tonya's eyes, "Oh my God! Vector!"

Charmy couldn't take his watery eyes away from the sight of Vector who looked barely conscious because he had gotten beaten so badly.

Rouge's heart dropped as her eyes fell upon the white male bat who stood beside Kiba while holding a scythe in his hands. "…Sky?"

Shadow was practically lost for words. Why was the Silver Fangs there? Why did they have Vector with them? His heart raced in both anger and confusion. "…Kiba?"

With a twisted smile on his face, Kiba finally spoke out. "Shadow, it's been awhile. I was wondering if you had a moment out of your busy schedule to chat for a bit?"

Shadow glanced back at the roof of the building and saw black smoke coming from where the tank had blasted at it. He then looked back at the worried group of detectives standing behind him. He knew that Kiba wanted something and he wasn't going to get it without a fight. But what could he possibly want? He slowly turned away from them and looked back at Kiba who had threatened Vector's life right before his very eyes. He gave the wolf a strong hateful glare as the sky seemed to turn dark red and a strong wind had blown. He spoke in an angered tone, "…I don't have a choice…do I?"

When Kiba saw the hateful look Shadow had gave him, he gave the same look back except the same insane smile still remained on his face.

In The Next Chapter...

Shadow: What are you doing? He's playing with your mind!

Kiba: I just can't believe I didn't realize this sooner...

Tikal: It can't end like this.

Shadow: How could you do this to us?

Kiba: I'm not the monster here, Shadow...you are.