Chapter 7: The bad kind of Attention
Espio faced off with the giant polar bear, looking meaner with every step he took, and he dropped his bag on the floor. Espio started the fight with a few head butts to the snout. The bear coiled back, then rushed forward but missed his first two punches and had his big tree trunk-like legs swept out from underneath him. His face smacked off the concrete with a thunderous SPLAT.
Espio stepped back to let him up and as soon as the bear returned to his feet, he ran up and lifted his knee to the muzzle of his opponent and the moment of impact made the bear's eyes roll to the back of his head. The polar bear was out cold before Espio landed on the ground. The chameleon picked up his backpack and took a long drink of his liquor.
"Good fight, y'all..get homie cleaned up and outta the fight pen." The DJ for the club said over the PA system.
Espio watched as three club assistants dragged his defeated foe by the arms and out of the pen. Before he had a chance to leave, the chameleon was stopped by seven more fighters as they entered the cage and surrounded him, then the Scout spoke to Espio.
"We have a rule for all new comers. To be members of this club, you have to stay in the pen and fight for 10 minutes straight." The scout announced with a wide, toothy grin.
Espio reached for his bag. "Just when I was gettin' ready to make a booze run."
"You're not afraid of tough guys, are ya?" One fighter asked sarcastically.
The chameleon put the bottle away and touched his two Chaos emeralds to absorb their energy. "Ask me that when some real tough guys are around."
"Let's stomp this cocky lizard!"
The audience roared in excitement as Espio jumped around the cage and kicked in every direction at super sonic speed. He occasionally checked the clock for the time while one-by-one he dropped each attacker to the floor. The odd punch slipped through his guard and connected but he shook off the pain and continued. After making these trained street fighters look amateur for 9 minutes, they were scrambling to climb out of the locked cage and get away from the unstoppable chameleon. The audience boo'd the fighters and a couple guys started a "PUSSY!" chant from the back. The fight scout nodded as the clock hit 10 minutes and the buzzer sounded.
"Aw, come on guys, don't run! I'll go easy on ya this time!" Espio called out as he went to his bag and scooped up his bottle of liquor.
"Now THAT is how you kick some ass! A round of applause for Sky the Chameleon!" The scout shouted to the audience.
The crowd cheered for him as he made his way out of the club and back the way he came in. The fight scout caught up to him and handed him a wad of cash.
"You did good out there, Sky. Come back every Saturday night at 8 and make sure you're ready to fight."
"Yeah, I'll be back. You make sure to get some real tough guys next time."
Espio made his way out of the abandoned building and back onto the street only to find it was raining heavily. He manoeuvred through the streets and back to his motel suite, hoping he didn't walk in on Cream and Tails again. As soon as he walked into the motel lobby, the large hedgehog, Ron, got in his way and demanded money.
"Look, consider this rent for the month, and just to be nice, here's 50 dollars to fuck off, Ron. Go get a beer or something, just leave me alone from now on." Espio shoved dollar bills in Ron's face and walked away. He unlocked the door for his suite and entered into his room, then went to see if anyone was around. He looked into Cream's room and spotted Tails doing girl pushups on the floor and Espio laughed as he walked in. The Fox jumped to his feet and Espio sat Cream's bed.
"Got a good pump going?" Espio asked while removing the cap to his next beverage.
"Piss off, ninja gaiden. Pass my jacket."
Espio picked up the jacket and threw it to him. "Old knucklehead show you that variation?"
"Yeah. He said they're perfect for a guy like me."
"...he tell ya those are girl pushups?" Espio asked in between drinks.
Tails said nothing and only clenched his teeth as he looked out the window.
"Where's 'The Princess'?"
"Ah, she's out tagging up a few buildings. It's her turn tonight. Hey, you get into a fight out there? You're not looking to good." Tails pointed to a few bruises on Espio's face.
"I'm feeling no pain, buddy."
Police sirens went off in different sides of town while Espio and Tails watched the tv news awaiting the broadcast tonight.
"Guess that's how we know our girls' doing a good job out there. Lets just hope she don't get busted." Espio said.
"If we keep putting our name out there, we'll make the front page by the end of the week!"
Espio chuckled as he walked toward his room, just as Cream got back in the motel. He greeted her in the hallway and closed his door. The loud classic rock station came on and the cycle started once again.
For months, Espio went out to the fight club, beat every challenger and collected his pay, stacking a good portion inside his mattress and sharing the rest with his teammates. Cream and Tails took turns marking SKYLINE all over gang ridden parts of town and clashing with them. Just as Tails said, team Skyline made the front page of the news paper and were described as "a band of hoodlums taking out other street trash" and are currently wanted by police.
Espio entered the fight club tonight to take down everyone established with it and watch. The chameleon pulled out Tails' cell phone and made an anonymous call to the police about a suspicious activity going on. Within minutes, police raced to the local entrance for the audience and raid the old parking garage. Espio, Cream and Tails watched from a rooftop as everyone inside was taken to the street and arrested. A few thugs from a street gang showed up to cause trouble for the cops, giving skyline their first taste of action all night.
"I'll take on the three street dummies on the left, Prower you get center and Cream you take the last two guys." Espio ordered.
The chameleon climbed down the side of the building while Cream flew down and Tails joined her. They beat down the first few thugs in seconds, but then Tails was surround, until Espio showed up to help take down the rest.
"I've got visual on Skyline!" A cop shouted.
The trio managed to evade the first responders and get out of sight just before backup could apprehend them. One thug who'd gotten away from the brawl hid in a dark alley and pulled out his phone.
"Kilo, it's Smith! Yeah, I got away...those Skyline dipshits were here and cops were soon to follow, not sure if they called 'em or what...I'll ask around, they've gotta be lurking 'round here someplace."
Back at the motel, Espio threw another wad of bills at Ron and the group kept walking. Cream opened her door and the three sat down in her room.
"Well, I'd say tonight was a huge success, guys." She said. "That oughta set them back BIG time!"
"A lot of their money and soldiers were picked up by police out there, these street guys will definitely be feeling this one." Tails added.
"Ya know, I got you two a celebratory gift while I was out. I've been waiting for the right time to give them to you, figure tonight's as good a time as any." Espio said while reaching into his bag.
The chameleon pulled out two champagne bottles and handed one each to Cream and Tails.
"I don't condone this stuff but I think it's well deserved."
"Well, would you look at that." Tails said while eyeballing his bottle. "My first one. Thanks, man."
Cream smiled as she put her bottle on a nightstand, then looked over at Espio and he immediately got the hint.
"I'll leave you to it. Here's some cash in case you wanted to go out later on." Espio left the money on a table and stepped out, smirking as he closed the door.
"Cream, there's something I gotta tell you that I've been keeping to myself for awhile now."
"I know, I feel the same about you. I gave you a second chance and you really impressed me."
I didn't wanna rush things but I uh-I think-"
She took the bottle from Tails and put it on the side table. "I'm ready to move on with you, I just wanted to wait until the right time and I guess it's now."
She sat beside him and didn't lose eye contact, grabbing both Tails' hands while they both leaned in. Neither of them had kissed anyone before, they'd waited for each other to be their first. Cream leaned over slowly and her lips touched the excited fox's lips, making his tails move back and forth. They opened their eyes for a moment, then went back for an even more passionate kiss than the first.
Espio made his way down the motel halls and noticed other residents leaving all at once. He wondered what was going on, watching as even Ron took off. He tried to ask him what was up but the large hedgehog ran out the door too fast.
By the time he'd realized something bad was about to happen, 20 gang members ran to cover the exits leading to his suite.
"Shit!"
Espio flew down the hall back to his suite and burst through the door, couching as clouds of smoke filled the room.
"CREAM! HOLD ON!"
It was Tails, but Espio can't see where he is.
The chameleon heard the terrified screams of Cream and Tails grunting in pain so he tried his best to brush through the smoke cloud. He could hardly make out Tails holding onto Cream's hand through the smokescreen, then he was hit from behind with a metal crowbar. Espio raced over but he, too, was struck with weapon.
"HOLD ON!" Tails kept shouting.
Espio crawled to Tails but he was too late as the fox's grip was broken and Cream had been taken into the darkness.
"NO! LET HER GO, GOD DAMNIT!"
Tails was knocked out by a final swing of iron across his head, while Espio blocked blows coming at him from everywhere. He tried to run after Cream but the gang pulled her into a truck and sped off.
Espio ran full speed after them and reached for Cream's hand in the back of the truck. He was just inches from her when a gang member pulled out a pistol and shot him in the shoulder. The chameleon fell on his face in the middle of the street and groaned in pain. He could only watch as Cream was abducted in the dark blue truck.
Espio pushed back up to his feet and limped toward the motel. He took a seat next to Tails and closes his eyes to rest.