Ok, first sorry about not updating last weekend but my internet decided to die.
Only got it back on Thursday and even then it was slower than a snail...
Anyway, newest chapter to FntS.
Usual rules apply, read, enjoy and any suggestions or comments, let me know.
Shadow yawned and stretched. He rolled onto his side his arm falling flat onto his bed. Something didn't feel right and he pushed himself upright, clenching his eyes tightly shut as everything began spinning rapidly. He looked around through one squinting eye.
He was in his room. The same walls, the same bed, the same curtains hanging over the same window, the same everything, the same bloody shaft of light that always comes through a gap in his curtains. But everything felt different somehow. He looked down at the other side of his bed.
Usually he'd be sprawled across the entirety of his comfortable king size, but this morning he was occupying the right side. A small change true, but to a hedgehog who'd been sleeping alone for years it was just the change to cause some confusion.
The faint sound of voices filtered to his ears and Shadow levered himself to his feet and walked to his door which was open by a slight crack, allowing the light of the morning to eek through. He pushed through and into his living room, finding it already occupied. Cassie was sitting in his favourite armchair watching a news report on the television.
At the moment it was showing a clip from outside the Station Square hospital. The unmistakable sight of GUN vehicles and soldiers guarding the entrance immediately caught his interest.
"What's going on?" Even though his footsteps had been silent, Cassie didn't even flinch at his words.
"I'm not sure. Reporters say that it was a GUN mission gone bad."
"I don't remember anything about a mission last night…" Shadow said curiously.
"Neither do I." Shadow leaned on the back of her armchair as the reporter said something about finding out more later that day and the image returned to the studio. Cassie stretched her arms above her head and wrapped them around his neck, pulling him down onto her shoulder. The ebony hedgehog grinned and wound his own arms around her shoulders.
"But unlike most people, we can find out." Shadow said with just a small amount of smugness in his voice. Cassie smiled and turned her face upwards towards his, placing a kiss on his cheek.
"Tell you what mister curious, how about you go check out the hospital, and I'll head into the office and pick up the case. Still got a couple of reports to get through anyway." The weather had started on the television and for a couple of minutes they both watched, Cassie muttered something under her breath when the forecaster said that there'd be light showers throughout the day. She stretched again as Shadow stepped round and slumped onto the sofa.
"I'd better get washed." As she stood, Shadow noticed that she wasn't wearing anything under his dressing gown sending a flush of blood rushing to his cheeks.
"Hey Cassie, about last night…" Her smile faltered at the utterance of those words.
"What about it Shadow?" She asked trying to sound more confident than she was feeling.
"Well… where do we go from here?" Their eyes met and Cassie exploded into a smile.
"We go wherever you want Shadow." She turned away and walked a few steps towards the bathroom. "Do you want to join me? I'll let you wash my back."
Shadow chuckled and stood to follow. Today wasn't turning out too bad so far.
-0-
After dropping Cassie off at headquarters, Shadow turned his Landrover around and headed in the direction of the nearby Station Square hospital. He wanted to find out what was going on and check-up on how Sonic and Rouge were healing up.
As he pulled made the turning he saw no less than five broadcasting vans from different television companies camping in the visitors' car park with the reporters and cameramen standing in a mass near the door, where they were being kept at bay by two armed GUN soldiers. He parked nearby and stepped out of his car.
Upon his approach the soldiers perked up to attention and the reporters descended like vultures hounding him with questions. As was his usual practice when it came to the media, Shadow remained silent and fixed a threatening scowl to his face. As soon as he stepped through the doors the GUN guards crossed their weapons and demanded the reporters to step back.
Shadow sighed with exasperation and looked around the reception. It was surprisingly clear, with only a few waiting patients, two nurses and the receptionist, and several GUN soldiers standing around chatting. One noticed Shadow and they all straightened from their slouched positions.
"Agent Shadow sir." The ebony hedgehog nodded in return, his eyes swiftly looking over the soldier, picking out his rank.
"Corporal. Who's in charge here?" The soldiers looked at each other before the Gecko answered.
"That'd be the Captain Sir. He's probably talking with that Doctor who patched up Smitty." The others nodded or mumbled agreement, but Shadow frowned.
"And where could I find him?" The gecko scratched his chin.
"Up in one of the wards I think." Shadow's scowl deepened and the gecko gulped. "B-but finding that Doctor won't be hard. She's a ginger cat with red hair a-and a very bossy personality."
With a simple nod of thanks Shadow marched away in the direction of the stairs, confident that finding Sheba would be relatively simple. She had a habit of making her presence known wherever she went. The soldiers looked at each other as Shadow disappeared around a corner.
"Man that was intense." The gecko said with a sigh of relief, to which the others aptly agreed.
Shadow took the stairs two at a time, stopping at each floor and questioning a passing nurse or GUN soldier on the whereabouts of the feline doctor. Upon reaching the forth floor he heard the unmistakable voice of someone he was looking forward to seeing, but at the same time was rather hesitant.
"Check to see that her wounds are healing up and replace her dressing. Give him another saline, don't risk solids yet. How's bed six doing?" Shadow looked along the bustling ward at the figure very much at the centre of all the commotion, Rouge, wearing a white coat and clearly the one in charge.
"He's no longer complaining about abdominal pains and is taking fluids."
"Good, inform me of any changes." The gaggle of nurses and interns dispersed to their various jobs and the white furred bat turned towards Shadow, finally seeing him at the other end of the ward.
Her face drew into a tired smile and she began making her way towards him. Every now and again she stopped to speak with a pink, red, blue or green scrub clad worker about patient progress. Shadow walked towards her in order to meet her halfway. His pace was slowed however by the sights of GUN soldiers and more surprisingly, echidnas.
"I know." Rouge was suddenly by his side looking over the same echidna lying sleeping in the bed. "I haven't had time to get it through my head. Echidnas…"
"What did I miss?" The hedgehog asked looking around at the other echidnas and GUN personnel.
"I'm not sure." Rouge answered honestly. "First I knew of this was early this morning when Sheba and I came down to see what was going on and if we could help."
"So how did you end up wearing the white coat?" Rouge smiled again.
"You can blame Sheba for that. I started out as a helping hand and now…" She gestured around the ward. "Now I'm in charge of keeping this ward running."
"Bit of a change from being an agent don't you think?"
"Maybe, but I was here to help and, well…" They stood in silence for a moment. "So, what's been keeping you busy?"
Shadow cleared his throat nervously. "You know, this assassination case has kept me going for a while, and Cassie's been showing me ways to relax…"
Rouge raised a questioning eyebrow. "First name basis already Shadow?"
"Yes. She's proven herself a strong willed and dedicated partner and we work extremely well together." The ebony hedgehog said quickly, unaware of the smile that creased onto her face.
"Do you now. Well, sounds like I need to meet Cassie for myself."
"I believe you would like her." Another slight silence fell as Shadow was unnerved by Rouge's smile. "Where would I find Sheba?"
"Probably arguing with the Chief of Staff or trying to get rid of that Captain who's been following her ever since this morning, check on the sixth floor."
Shadow thanked his long-term friend and headed back for the stairs, but not before saying that he'd be back to check on her later. Rouge shook her head and turned back to the bustle around her.
-0-
Shadow's search found him outside the office of the hospitals Chief of Staff to the sound of raised voices.
"Just because they're prisoners of war does not mean they shouldn't be given our utmost care!" Shadow chuckled quietly as he recognised Sheba's threatening tone. "And I will not let this buffoon take any of my patients for questioning until they are fit and healthy in both body and mind!"
"Miss Ramsie, I understand your concern, but this is my hospital and it's my decision whether patients are given over to the authorities and when such a handover takes place." Said a voice unknown to the ebony hedgehog.
"Don't give me that! You're just afraid that you'll lose your cushy job and shiny clean office!"
"How dare you!"
"Then why don't you put your patients first for once!" Shadow decided it was time to enter, mainly on the basis that Sheba was quick to utilise violence when logic and humanitarian options were spent.
There were three anthro in the small office who all looked at the new comer, an iguana in a white coat stood behind his desk, hands shaking in anger. Sheba was standing before him, her face crimson with rage and her ears flattened to her scalp. While leaning somewhat casually on the right hand wall was a broadly built buffalo wearing the uniform of a GUN Captain. He nodded courteously to Shadow, which the hedgehog returned.
"Who are you?" Snapped the iguana. Sheba took a step back and folded her arms. It was hard to tell whether she was happy or annoyed at Shadow's arrival.
"Agent Shadow, GUN operative. I need to speak with the Captain and Miss Ramsie." The iguana waved his hand irritably.
"Take them! I've got more important things to attend too!" Shadow nodded his thanks and held the door open for Sheba, who reluctantly stomped out of the office following the buffalo. As soon as the door closed behind him, she turned on Shadow with a murderous glare, but the ebony hedgehog simply held up a hand to stall her.
"Somewhere a little more private." Sheba snarled and bared her teeth but nether-the-less led the way to a disused private room. As soon as they had filed in and closed the door, Sheba let loose her anger.
"What the HELL Shadow!" The buffalo flinched and was silently glad that it wasn't him on the receiving end of the felines rage. "I was about the deliver a good old fashioned ARSE-KICKING to that cold-blooded bastard!"
"And if you did, Captain Grant would've been forced to arrest you, and where would your patients be then?" Sheba growled at his logical counterargument. "Besides, GUN are not taking anyone until their release forms have been signed by you. Right Captain?"
Shadow turned his gaze on the hulking mass of muscle. "Wouldn't dream of it Sir."
Captain Grant was a surprisingly soft spoken individual, both calm and gentle despite his intimidating presence. Shadow nodded and looked back at his friend who still had her arms crossed.
"Alright, I guess…" She said finally.
"Good. Now, would one of you like to tell me what the hell has happened here?"
-0-
Cassie dodged past frantic Agents in an attempt to reach Shadow's office without receiving a concussion on the way. She wanted to reread the reports of the case so far in case something cropped up that they'd missed first time around. That and she wanted to avoid getting swept up in the commotion around her.
Finally she managed to reach the door to Shadow's office and practically fell through it in an attempt to escape the bustling corridor. Slamming the door closed she rested her back against it for a moment as she regained her breath. During this moment she noticed a number of new reports lying on the desk. She walked round and sat on the high-backed and comfortable leather chair and picked up a small scrap of paper that lay atop the reports.
Three autopsy reports that may be of interest.
Dr. Gracian.
Frowning she picked up the first and began reading, stopping once she read: Claw like tattoo, sliced through three times. Done after subject's death.
"Claw like tattoo?" She mumbled to herself as she picked up the second report. She skimmed through it, her lips moving as her eyes flashed over the written words, stopping once more.
"Claw like tattoo." She picked up the last one and began reading.
"Subject one lime green rabbit, female, aged mid-to-early thirties, believed to be one Andria Metha'as." The name rang alarm bells in her mind as she connected the surname to one of the now deceased suspects. Swiftly she sped through the rest of the report, her eyes falling on the words she both wanted and dreaded to read. "Claw like tattoo."
She slumped back in the chair and rubbed her face as this new information rushed through her mind. After a moment she leaned back forward and began reading through each report again, this time with less urgency.
She found out that all three of these murders had the same cause of death; a stab wound to the heart. Two, including Andria Metha'as bore defensive wounds suggesting that they'd fought back, and they all had a knife found next to them with their own fingerprints the only evidence upon them.
She scrambled all the reports together and raced back out into the corridor, which had quietened down somewhat since she had arrived. She raced towards the elevator and hammered the button for the morgue. Hopping from one foot to the other she willed the metallic box to descend faster and sprinted out as soon as the doors opened. She sprinted past the glass walled offices where other investigative and forensic Agents plied their work, scribbled in thick pen covered some glass walls while photographs were hung by pieces of bluetac on others.
Cassie ignored these as she barrelled through the plastic sheeting that hung around the morgue, startling the aging goat of a pathologist and the Agent he had been speaking with.
"Sorry to interrupt doctor Gracian, but we need to talk. Urgently." The goat, the memory of his last encounter with the lavender hedgehog gulped and nodded, apologising to the Agent who swiftly went on his way.
"How may I be of assistance this time Agent Rahna?" He asked, a slight tremble in his voice.
"These three reports, you say that they were all killed in the same way yes?" She asked feverously, holding out the reports.
"Yes, I-"
"And all three subjects have the same claw like tattoo on their wrists?"
"Well, yes. Bu-"
"Could that tattoo be the same as the one on these three subjects?" Cassie thrust out three more reports which she had grabbed on her swift exodus from the office.
Doctor Gracian gingerly accepted them and began looking through them. The first being that of the stolen black crow which had started this whole mess, and the others being that of the mongoose and the supposed Paul Metha'as. After skimming over them he nodded his head.
"The photographs match. I'd be confident to say that all six of these subjects bore the same tattoo on the same wrist. Nothing like this has been seen since the-"
"The Assassins Dance." Cassie finished. She chuckled before running a hand through her hair. "Another Assassins Dance."
"Possibly, but according to the reports, if I remember correctly, the John and Jane Doe's found bore either the claw tattoo on their wrist or the crescent moon upon their collarbone." Cassie hissed.
"That would've been painful to get done."
"Indeed." Gracian agreed.
"But if this is another Assassins Dance, than why haven't there been any of these crescent moon people been on the slab? Why just these claws?"
"I'm not an investigative agent miss Rahna." The goat in the white coat said rather sarcastically.
"Just thinking out aloud. Thank you for your time Dr. Gracian." Cassie gathered back together the reports and left, and idea coming to mind.
-0-
Shadow looked down at his friend with a pained smile. Despite Knuckles stubborn will that he was fine and able to help, he was strapped up tightly and Sheba had ordered him not to leave his bed.
"Best not leave it too chance Knuckles. Rest up and you can come back when you're ready." Knuckles looked at Shadow sceptically but finally agreed with a shrug.
"Besides, I think there's someone who wants to see you." Sheba said nodding towards the door. Standing there was a black armoured echidna female with a concerned look on her face.
"Well I'd best be off anyway, got a crime to solve." Shadow said quickly, all too aware of the awkward silence that was growing around him.
"Yeah, and I've got other patients to see too." Sheba swiftly turned on her heel and walked out. Shadow however turned back to his friend.
"I uh, I picked this up last time I was at work." He fished through his quills, pulled out a sealed envelope and handed it over to the red echidna. It had the GUN symbol printed on the front and was addressed to Knuckles. "It's got your badge. When you're ready let me know and you're on the team."
With that said, Shadow strode out of the room leaving a rather nervous Shade to step gingerly through the doorway, the door swinging closed behind her.
-0-
"Hey Shadow!" The ebony hedgehog spun around at the sound of his name and saw his cobalt counterpart limping proudly towards him, one hand holding a crutch and the other holding Amy's hand, who was acting as Sonic's support.
"Sonic." His face exploded into a smile. "It's good to see you. Up and moving already, eh?"
"Even though I keep telling him to slow down." Said Amy giving the hedgehogs hand a squeeze.
"Come on Ames, you know I can't keep still for too long." Sonic's trademark grin shone from his face. "So what's new with you Shadz?"
For once, Shadow wasn't annoyed at Sonic's use of his unwanted nickname. Indeed, since Cassie had started using it he was actually beginning to like it.
"Things have changed Sonic. I'm no longer living in the past; I'm taking each day as it comes." He said simply and with a smile.
"Shadow's smiling Amy. It's surely a sign of the Apocalypse! Flee for you lives!" Cried the cobalt hedgehog, throwing his arms in the air for added effect before breaking down into laughter, which was echoed by Amy and even drew a grin from Shadow. "Another smile! You feeling alright Shadz?"
"Better Sonic. My friends are alive, I've discovered what living is like and I've gone a step further than you." Sonic frowned, unsure what the ebony hedgehog meant by that comment. Instead of alleviating Sonic of this unspoken question, Shadow said his goodbyes and left in the direction of the exit.
"What'd he mean by that?" Amy simply answered with a smile.
-0-
Shadow barged his was back through the crowd of reporters and made it to his intimidating vehicle when his mobile began ringing. With keys in on hand he fished out the small device and answered it.
"Shadow, you won't believe what I've found!" Cassie's excited voice made its way to his ears. "Get back to the office as quickly as you can."
"Why, what've you found?" He asked, climbing into his car and sliding the keys into the ignition.
"Three more bodies have come in overnight, and they all share the same thing that links to our case! They all have a talon tattoo!" Shadow was silent as this information bored its way into his mind.
"I'm on my way."
With any luck my internet will stay alive long enough to update next week.
But regardless, hope you enjoyed this latest chapter and I'll see you again next week.
-Corrupt TE-