Chapter 9 is up!
And all three plotlines take a nasty turn. Read on to find out.
She wasn't sure how long she had sat there in the silence and darkness, her shoulder throbbing in pain. Rouge had been tied tightly to a small metallic chair and left in an empty room with nothing but four walls and a door. There was a small dangling light hanging from the ceiling but at the moment it was pitch black. Her eyes couldn't adjust to this extreme lack of light so she resorted to the only other way she could figure out her surroundings.
Opening her mouth she let loose a high-pitched scream, listening as the sound waves bounced back at her. There was nothing hiding in the darkness, no robots, no camera, just her and the chair she was tied up in.
She struggled at her bonds but couldn't find any movement, the thick rope cutting into her wrists during her struggle. Hissing through her teeth, she ignored the stinging sensation of her wrists and continued to struggle.
Her large and sensitive ears twitched at the steady thump of approaching heavy footsteps. She ceased her struggle and waited in the darkness.
With a loud scraping of metal, part of the metal wall slid open. Light poured into the small chamber causing Rouge to look away and snap her eyelids shut.
"It is such a pleasure to see you again." The drawling voice sent her heart racing, anxiety coursing through her veins, the voice of Robotnik.
With her eyes still closed against the light, Rouge listened as the demented scientist walked silently around her, his footsteps creating enough sound waves to allow her to 'see' just as well with her ears.
There was someone or something just outside her small prison, but the reverberations couldn't quite let her get a full image in her minds eye.
"I was wondering how long it would take for those fools at G.U.N to send someone here. I'm quite surprised that they didn't descend like vultures on a corpse after that wretched hedgehog sent my glorious creation crashing from the skies." Robotnik suddenly grabbed one of her ears and pulled her head harshly to one side so he could whisper in her other ear.
"So it begs the question, what should I do with you?" Rouge cringed in pain but refused to allow any sound to escape her lips.
"I'm certain G.U.N will send someone after you, it's just a matter of time." The overweight human continued. "And of course they know about me now, which means I must bring my plans forward."
"What are you up to Eggman?" She finally snapped, her eyes focusing on the bald-headed madman.
"Oh-ho! She speaks!" He exclaimed, a flash of light glinting off his glasses as he turned back to his captive. "Wouldn't you like to know? But it wouldn't be proper to spoil the surprise now would it?"
Rouge snarled at the doctor, showing her sharp fangs and pulling at her bindings in an effort to reach him, to which Robotnik only laughed.
"I'm sure my associate will make you as comfortable as possible during your stay." Eggman turned and walked out of the small metallic chamber, pausing for a moment to speak with the silhouetted figure silently watching. "Have fun Seniva, but keep her alive."
Rouge's eyes turned at last to the figure as it took a couple of paces into the room. All she saw before the wall closed and plunged them into darkness once more, was a pair of sinister yellow eyes.
Shadow glared at the metallic monstrosity of the Death Egg. Somewhere inside was his friend and the one who held her captive.
He was stood on a rocky outcropping near the edge of the impact crater. His keen eyes watching as Eggman robots patrolled the area near the crash zone.
The sudden kick-up of dust heralded the arrival of Sonic the hedgehog, self proclaimed 'fastest thing alive'.
"hey Shadoz, whats up?" Internally the ebony hedgehog bristled at the use of his unwanted nickname, but on the outside he remained straight faced and stoic.
"Robotnik's alive and Rouge has been captured. We're going to get her out."
"So what are we waiting for?"
Quick as a flash, Shadow grabbed the cobalt hero's wrist before he could run off.
"Not so fast Faker!" Sonic glared back, his usual carefree grin gone. "This is a G.U.N operation, you answer to me!"
The two hedgehogs glared at each other for a moment, before Sonic relented with a disgruntled grunt.
"Fine Shadow we'll do it your way, how d'ya wanna play this?" Shadow released his grip and stepped forward to stand next to his rival.
"We've managed to pinpoint Rouge's last know location before she fell off the grid. We'll start there." His eyes swept over the acrid, debris strewn landscape before them. "Quick and quiet, we don't want to set off any alarms."
"This is me you're talkin' to Shadow! When it comes to quick, I'm already there!" Sonic boasted with a chuckle.
"Just follow my lead and don't get spotted!" Snapped Shadow as they both darted down the hillside.
"If Eggman's still using those security swat bots he usually does, we've got nothing to worry about!" The cobalt teenager was running with his arms folded behind his head, a carefree smile plastered on his face. Shadow's face was set with grim determination as they dashed from cover to cover.
Shadow raised his hand and they both slowed to a stop. His blood red eyes scanned the area for any signs of movement. Confident they had yet to be detected he joined Sonic who was staring at what looked like the remains of one of Robotnik's Egg Mobiles.
"You know, I still have no idea how this thing got Eggman's fat butt in the air!" Said the free-spirited hero semi-wistfully, before shrugging in a nonchalant manner. "Who'd want give up running anyway?"
"In a world of so called progress, running is the least used method of transportation." Sonic snorted.
"You'd never catch me in a car." The disgruntled hedgehog walked away. A soft click underfoot caused him to stop. Looking down Sonic saw the crumpled remains of a small compact handgun. "Hey Shadow, over here!"
Sonic picked up the destroyed weapon and handed it to Shadow who looked it over with a critical eye.
"Standard issue compact, easy to conceal. Not as much stopping power as the standard hand cannon but..." He trailed off when he saw the small engraving of an emerald on the barrel of the pistol. As he focussed on the etching he saw a dark patch on the ground. Kneeling down he brushed his hand over the area, the tips of his white gloves coming away a dark crimson.
"Hey Shadz, i-is that blood?" Asked Sonic timidly. Shadow began scanning the ground around them, soon finding a trail of blood to follow.
"She's still alive!" He exclaimed, tossing the crumpled pistol to Sonic, who fumbled the catch before stowing it away in his quills.
"How can you be so sure?"
"There's not enough blood spill to warrant a fatal shot, and look, no drag marks. She was escorted away at gun point. We follow this trail, we'll find her." Shadow stood, his eyes ablaze as he pulled his own gun from his quills and cocked it.
"Whoa! Shadow, what are you doing?"
"Our mission is to find Rouge and get her out, before signalling the boys to do a much needed clean up."
"Yeah, but what's the gun for?" Shadow glared at the crashed Death Egg in the distance, his finger hovering close to the trigger.
"If we run into Robotnik, I'm going to make certain that he will never hurt anyone ever again!"
"I can't believe the original investigators couldn't put two and two together! With the clear footage of the possible suspect you've found, we can catalogue what we know and create a timeline of events, utilising footage from street cameras following the suspect too and from the scene! Admittedly it won't be easy to sort out and it'll take ages before we can get anything useful out of it, but with those other town locked up from the body snatching, I think we're well on the way to cracking this case!"
Knuckles could only sit in wide-eyed wonder as Cassie simultaneously weaved Shadow's big black Landrover through lunchtime traffic and babble excitedly about their progress, hardly pausing for breath.
"I only hope those bodies in the chiller can give us something new to go on. That and whether we can get the guys in the clanger to scream eh?" She laughed lightly, Knuckles smiled nervously. "God I wish Shadow were here, he'd love this!"
"You look up to Shadow don't you?" Asked Knuckles, cringing as Cassie sped them past an oncoming vehicle at alarming speed.
"Well, yeah I do. I was nobody, a mere grunt when that Black Doom thing tried to take over the world." Her face became serious as she remembered the invasion.
"I was part of the platoon trying to hold the highway. We were getting slaughtered. Most of our vehicles were out of commission and it didn't look like we'd make it! But then Shadow turned up. With his help we pushed back the Black Arms and secured the highway, giving a chance for several platoons from the city to break through and secure a new front." Tears gleamed in the corners of her eyes.
"We lost a lot of men that day. But Shadow, he's something else. He saved a lot of lives, including mine! I owe him everything. And now I'm here. Partnered with the man who saved my life, who inspired me to become who I am today! It's like a dream come true."
They remained in silent contemplation for the remainder of the journey. Pulling into the multi-storeyed car park, Cassie flashed her identification to the guard and parked in Shadow's space.
"Come on, we'd better drop this stuff off in Shadow's office before heading down to the morgue." She said, pointing to the small box of security footage tapes. She picked up a folder of photographs and files, leaving the box for Knuckles, and led the way to the office of the top Agent.
"Hey Cassie, don't you have an office?" Enquired Knuckles as they walked down the corridor towards Shadow's door.
"Not really, I have a desk. And a chair, um... I'm not a top ranking Agent; I'm just, well... I'm just me." She replied slightly downhearted.
"You're not just you. You're one of the few people I've ever met who Shadow likes! Heck, Sonic can barely get the time of day from him!" Cassie smiled at the echidna.
"Thanks Knuckles. Now let's show the others what we can do before we- Sally!"
The lavender hedgehog opened the door to find a light brown squirrel with shoulder length dark auburn hair, wearing a light blue open sleeveless jacket over her dark blue G.U.N uniform, sitting behind Shadow's desk and reading through the files Cassie had left behind the previous evening.
"What are you doing here?" The squirrel looked up from her reading and smiled coyly.
"It's nice to see you to Cassie. I'm just reading what information we have for my investigation." Cassie bristled at the false sincerity in her voice.
"You're investigation? Shadow left me in charge!" Sally shook her head, her smile broadening.
"The Commander himself has placed me in charge Agent Rahna, if you have any complaints please direct them to him. Now, what have you got their?" Scowling, Cassie handed over the folder to Sally's outstretched hand.
"New information regarding the scene of the crime, as well as footage of a possible suspect ma'am." She waved Knuckles forward, who put the box on the desk in front of the squirrel.
"Knuckles? Why are you here, shouldn't you be getting back to the Master Emerald?"
"I-I-I came t-to visit Cassie. Sh-she's a go-good friend a-and I-" Sweat began to glisten on his forehead as Sally's eyes bored into his.
"You don't have to cover for us Knuckles." Sally turned her attention to the hedgehog. "Agent Shadow requested Knuckles' aid in this investigation, and he has proven to be a valued member of the team. It is therefore that I request-"
"Denied." Cassie was taken aback by the interruption.
"But ma'am, his has more than proven himself; it is only right that he-"
"Need I repeat myself Agent Rahna?" The silence that followed was the most uncomfortable silence Knuckles had ever endured. He knew Sally, or at least thought he did. Cassie was fighting for her investigation, and yet was being stone-walled by the one person he believed knew how to be a good leader.
"I understand Knuckles' interest in aiding this investigation, but this is a G.U.N matter, and his place is with the Master Emerald on Angel Island, not here!" Cassie gulped, her throat dry.
"Understood ma'am. I hereby withdraw myself from this investigation." Knuckles stared at Cassie in surprise. Surprise which was reflected in the eyes of Sally Acorn.
"Think about this Rahna! This is your one chance to make something of yourself! If you drop this case, you can forget about becoming an investigative Agent, you'll be back to pushing papers around your desk!"
"No ma'am I understand. But Knuckles is my friend and I'm not about to see him brush aside without a second thought!" She saluted and turned on her heel, marching out of the office and back down the corridor.
"It was nice to see you again Sally." Said Knuckles quickly before giving chase.
Sally leaned back in her chair and stared at the evidence set before her. Running her hand through her hair she realised that she had just gotten rid of the two most experienced people for the job.
She swore under her breath as the door finally clicked closed.
Now that's done time for a bit of random trivia.
Most of FntS is written while Corrupt TE is bored at banging his head off hard surfaces at work.
Anyway, hope you've enjoyed the tale so far.
Any ideas or suggestions are grateful. So are reviews...
What? Can't a guy shamelessly ask for a pat on the back?
Alright I'll get on with the next chapter.
Till next time!
Corrupt TE