"Target should be entering the building any moment now. Stay alert."
"Copy," Sonic said as he adjusted his earpiece.
A diamond ruby necklace. Worth a million rings. It was supposedly located in a hidden room of the private nightclub he was in and his objective was to retrieve it before it got caught in the wrong hands.
And the 'wrong hands' was going to someone he was determined to stop.
The blue hedgehog stood in the corner, his tinted shades on and with a wine glass in hand. He scanned the area, slowly and discreetly so he wouldn't raise further suspicion among the other partygoers. He'd already received a few questioning looks, but most of them seemed to have been from a couple of women who looked a little too interested in him, though he paid them no mind.
He took a sip from the wine glass, using the motion to cover another sweep of the room. He noticed the entrance door opening and frequently closing as guests arrived, each one potentially the person he was looking for.
Even though his mission was simple in theory, the execution was proving to be far more complicated. Everyone dressed the same, in dark and muted colours. If he was going to spot the anomaly, then he had to be smart about it.
Who looked suspicious, who looked like they were going to pounce first, who looked like they were on a mission to deceive him…
It was all part of the plan.
And Sonic's success rate has always been a clean streak.
As more people started coming in and moving around, he was about to take another sip of his drink until his eyes caught something.
A flicker of pink.
He squinted his eyes.
A pink hedgehog.
With caution, his eyes looked at the woman against the rim of his wine glass. She was wearing an elegant red gown with matching heels and a clutch purse being held with one hand.
Sonic watched her carefully, his eyes focusing on her as she walked across the room. Her graceful movements were captivating, yet there was a hint of urgency in her step. She paused briefly, scanning the room with sharp, discerning eyes.
She sat down on a stool and ordered a drink from the bar, her movements smooth and deliberate as her leg crossed over the other. Sonic couldn't help but admire her poise, though he reminded himself to stay focused on the mission. The pink hedgehog was an unfamiliar face, which in itself was suspicious in a place where everyone seemed to know each other.
He swirled the wine in his glass idly, not taking his gaze off her as he considered his options. Approaching her directly might tip her off, but ignoring her presence could be a mistake. If she was going to be involved, then he had to maintain caution.
When he looked at the time on his wristwatch and then back up at her, she was staring right at him.
Their eyes locked.
Sonic maintained his composure, yet his mind was racing through possible scenarios. Was she onto him? Or was she just another guest enjoying the evening?
The latter seemed impossible. Given the way she was purposefully dressed.
He didn't break their eye contact, but she did. He spotted the smile that etched her lips as she took another sip of her drink, seemingly unconcerned.
He frowned when he saw her standing up and disappearing into the crowds of people.
Making a move, Sonic set his glass down and began to follow her. She wasn't hard to spot, since her gown was so vividly red and noticeable amongst the sea of darker clothing. And she was pink. A colour he didn't usually see when it came to his targets.
She wasn't walking fast, nor was she walking slow. She was walking at a considerable, normal pace, and it threw him off a little.
He kept his distance to avoid getting caught, but deep down, he felt she already knew that she was being followed.
A lady grabbed and tugged his arm. "Hey, blue. Wanna dance?"
Sonic offered her a charming but apologetic smile. "Sorry, maybe later," he said, gently extracting himself from her grasp. He didn't get a chance to hear what she had to say as he continued moving, the small delay costing him when he saw the pink hedgehog being mingled into the crowds again.
However, she stopped walking and turned to glance over her shoulder, her eyes locking with Sonic's once more. This time, there was no mistaking the challenge in her gaze. She was aware of him.
And she wanted him to know it.
She was onto him.
And for whatever reason, Sonic couldn't fight the smirk on his face.
This was going to be interesting.
"Agent, do you have a visual on the target?" The voice in his earpiece inquired.
"Not yet," Sonic lied and he couldn't take his eyes off the woman as she manoeuvred past the crowd and into another area of the club.
The nightclub's pulsating lights and thumping bass made it difficult to stay focused, but Sonic kept his eyes trained on her and only her when he noticed they were walking further and further away from the people and music, and instead into a dimly lit corridor.
She spoke with the bouncer and he let her in without question. Sonic knew he wasn't going to get through as easily. He needed a plan.
Sonic took a deep breath and adjusted his suit jacket.
Approaching the bouncer, Sonic adopted an air of confidence. "I'm with her," he said, nodding toward the direction the pink hedgehog had disappeared.
The bouncer eyed him sceptically. "Yeah? You got proof?"
Thinking quickly, Sonic feigned a casual laugh. "You must be new. She and I go way back." He leaned in, lowering his voice. "She hates it when I'm late. Trust me, you don't want to be on her bad side."
The bouncer seemed to hesitate, then grumbled. "Alright, but if she complains, it's on you."
"Noted," Sonic replied, walking past him and entering the corridor.
He took his shades off and slipped them into his pocket, allowing his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. The corridor seemed deserted, the only sound being the distant thumping of the nightclub's music. With his senses on high alert, Sonic walked carefully. There were doors on either side of him, some closed, some slightly ajar. He listened intently for any signs of movement or conversation, his footsteps silent as he sauntered forward.
He reached the end of the walkway and stopped in front of the last door in the centre, his ears twitching when he heard a ruckus on the other side. Slowly, Sonic got into position, leaning one ear against the door. He heard the faint clicking of heels moving about, and for a moment, he contemplated whether or not he should barge in or knock.
The latter seemed out of the question when there was a loud crash in the room. Sonic kicked down the door and rushed in. His eyes quickly settled on the glass case that was shattered on the floor, and as he stepped closer to it, he noticed a gold box that was inside of it had been ripped open.
The necklace was gone.
"Shit!" Sonic swore. He darted his eyes around the room, taking in the scene of disarray. Books were thrown off their shelves and a table was knocked over. There was a small spiral staircase in the corner and he dashed upstairs just in time to see her standing on the window ledge.
Her red gown billowed in the breeze as she balanced precariously on the ledge, the diamond ruby necklace glinting in her hand. Sonic froze for a split second, taking in the daring sight before him.
"Hey!" He shouted, but the pink hedgehog merely turned her head, giving him a smile.
He didn't want to admit it…
But he was mesmerised.
And before he could kick himself for getting distracted, she had leapt from the window.
Sonic's heart pounded as he watched her disappear from sight. He snapped back to reality and without hesitation, he bolted to the window. He didn't even see her land on the pavement as she ran and got inside her car, driving off.
Acting fast, he jumped off the ledge and ran for his own car, which he was luckily in front of and got inside, starting up the engine before he sped off down the road.
Her car wasn't too hard to find, and there was barely any traffic due to it being past midnight.
His hands tightened on the steering wheel as he floored the gas pedal, the engine growling in response. The gap between their vehicles began to close, but the pink hedgehog was skilled, expertly weaving through the sparse traffic and taking sharp turns that tested Sonic's reflexes.
He gritted his teeth, feeling frustrated when he was starting to get impatient, and from a distance between his windshield and her car, he could see her looking at him through her rearview mirror, almost mockingly with that sweet smile of hers, he could only assume.
And he was distracted by it, again.
He wasn't watching his speed when suddenly, her car veered sharply to the left, disappearing down an alleyway. Sonic cursed under his breath, narrowly missing the turn. He slammed on the brakes, tyres screeching as he reversed and followed her into the narrow passage.
The alley was dark and cramped. His car barely fit through, the side mirrors brushing against brick and concrete. He pushed forward, eyes fixed on the tail lights of her car as it sped ahead.
"Come on, come on…" He muttered to himself.
Emerging from the alley, they found themselves on a wide, open road. The cityscape sprawled out before them, neon lights reflecting off the wet pavement. Her car had gained a dangerous amount of speed and before Sonic could even speed up, she stopped abruptly causing him to lose control of his car as it spun around. He slammed on the brakes, his car finally coming to a halt.
He quickly got out and ran towards the other car, but was surprised to see that the driver's side was empty, and he looked around.
She was gone.
He tapped his earpiece to contact HQ. "Target has escaped. She's got the necklace."
"Understood. We'll-"
Sonic took his earpiece off and threw it onto the ground. He ran his hand down his face with a frustrated sigh.
What the hell just happened?
He noticed a note hanging against the windscreen.
Better luck next time ❤ - Amy
And there was a lipstick-stained kiss next to it, with a date and coordinates of a location attached.
Despite the situation, Sonic couldn't help but let out a small laugh before pocketing it.
"She's good."
Sonic parked his car a few blocks away from the coordinates Amy had provided. It'd been a week since the whole ordeal and he wasn't sure why he left it for so long. He could've easily told HQ to track her down that night, but he was admittedly so intrigued by the hedgehog that he wanted to be the one to pursue her.
After sitting and contemplating whether or not this was a mistake in his car for a while, he eventually got out and made the walk towards the back of the abandoned building. The summer night air was crisp and humid, which made him feel the slight adrenaline kicking in his body.
The building's side entrance was left ajar. Sonic pushed the door open gently, the creaking hinges echoing loudly. Inside, the air was thick with dust, and the faint smell of mildew lingered.
"Man," Sonic complained as he shook his head and walked further in, heading up the stairs, "This place is beat."
He made his way to the back, where the door was open to head outside into a wide balcony. Squinting at it, he carefully made his way over there and stood for a moment.
"Hey there, handsome."
Sonic looked over to find Amy sitting on the balcony ledge. She was wearing a simple black dress and matching stilettos, her legs on full display with one crossed over the other.
He must've been eyeing them for a second too long because she chuckled softly, bringing his attention back to her face. "Persistent, aren't you?" Amy said, her voice a blend of amusement and challenge.
He walked over to her but maintained a safe distance and pocketed his hands, a light smirk coming onto his face when he saw that she was wearing the necklace around her neck. "You make it hard to give up."
She smiled at him, and it threw him off because the smile seemed genuine. Or were his eyes playing tricks with him?
"Really?" Amy questioned him and tilted her head, "You could've fooled me, considering you let me slip away so easily."
She let out a giggle behind her hand, and Sonic found that he liked the sound of it.
"Wanted to see what you'd do next," He replied, his tone light. "And here we are."
"Why didn't you bring your backup? You could've had this place swarming with agents."
He shrugged nonchalantly, stepping closer until he was almost within arm's reach. "I prefer to handle things personally when they get interesting."
"Oh?" Amy raised an eye, "Are you talking about the necklace, or am I really just that interesting?"
"Maybe a bit of both."
"Seems like I put a mild dent in your success rate then," She remarked casually, "Because you definitely wanted to see me again."
"You could say that."
Amy stared at him for a moment until she laughed softly, gracefully jumping off the ledge as she began walking.
Her back was towards him. Sonic could easily just snatch the necklace away and leave, but for some reason he found himself following her, unable to.
He even took a moment to trail his eyes down her backside, appreciating the way her dress hugged her curves. Clearing his throat, he focused on the task at hand.
"So," Sonic began, following closely behind her but still maintaining a respectable distance, "What's the story behind the necklace?"
She turned around to face and walked backwards, her hands behind her back. "Oh, just a little something I needed to borrow. Nothing too scandalous."
"Borrow? Don't think the owner would see it that way."
"Trust me, they won't even notice it's gone."
Sonic couldn't help but grin at her. "You seem pretty confident about that."
"Confidence is key," Amy replied with a wink, "You, of all people, should know that."
Their banter was light, almost flirtatious, and Sonic found himself enjoying the exchange more than he should have. But beneath the playful facade, there was an underlying tension, a sense of two adversaries circling each other, each waiting for the other to make a move.
He'd been doing this for years, and this was the first time Sonic felt like he was mentally being challenged.
And it didn't help that his supposed opponent was a beautiful, distracting pink hedgehog, who had a smile that could kill millions.
Mission. Focus on the mission.
Once they stopped at another end of the balcony, he stopped and locked his eyes on the necklace. "You should think about handing that over."
Amy turned to face him and leaned against the balcony railway, her fingers fiddling with the necklace. "Are you going to arrest me?"
He hesitated for a moment, considering his options. The logical part of his brain screamed at him to do his duty, to apprehend her and retrieve the necklace.
But he was drawn to her.
Instead of reaching for his cuffs, Sonic crossed his arms as a playful smirk bounced on his lips. "Depends. You gonna make it easy?"
Amy laughed again. "Where's the fun in that?"
Before he could even blink, she came onto him and pressed a quick kiss on his cheek, leaving him momentarily stunned. Then, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, she darted past him.
Sonic shook his head, snapping out of his momentary daze, and dashed after her.
She really got him again, huh?
Yet despite it all, Sonic wasn't the one to deny another good chase.
They raced through the building, weaving through corridors and staircases, the echo of their footsteps reverberating off the walls. Each time he thought he had lost her, her giggles would give way to her location, and he found himself laughing at some point at how stupid this was getting.
Nobody ever outran him on foot. And he definitely wasn't going to make her an exception.
He skidded to a stop once he was downstairs at the centre of the building, looking around. Thinking that she had run outside, Sonic readied himself to leave the building until he caught a flicker of pink at the corner of his eye.
She jumped at him, throwing a roundhouse kick but Sonic was quick to react, catching her ankle, but she had other plans and used the rest of her body to push him down the ground.
Sonic hit the ground with a thud, the impact momentarily knocking the wind out of him. Amy was on him in an instant, but Sonic grabbed her wrists and turned them over, pinning her arms above her head and tangled their legs together.
Amy struggled beneath him for a moment, her breath quickening as she realized she was pinned. Her eyes met Sonic's, and for a heartbeat, the world seemed to pause.
They were so close.
He tightened his grip slightly, making sure she couldn't break free. "Gotcha," he said, his voice low and edged with triumph.
Her eyes narrowed, but there was a playful glint in them. "Seems like it," she replied, her tone breathy yet defiant.
For a moment, between their ragged breathing, Sonic was lost in her gaze, forgetting why he had chased her in the first place. The mission, the necklace, the stakes—everything seemed to fade into the background as he stared into her emerald eyes.
But he couldn't afford to lose focus again. Shaking his head slightly, he forced himself to concentrate. "The necklace, Amy. Hand it over."
He could literally quite snatch it from her neck. But he didn't.
"What's it worth to you?"
Sonic frowned. "What do you mean?"
She leaned up, bringing her lips closer to his ear. "Let's make a deal. One kiss and I'll give you the necklace."
Sonic's eyes widened in surprise. Of all the things he expected her to say, that was not one of them. He hesitated.
"What's the matter, Sonic?" She teased, her voice a seductive whisper. "Afraid you'll enjoy it?"
Sonic's mind raced. A kiss to retrieve the necklace and complete his mission. It seemed simple enough, but he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to it than just the kiss. Was she trying to manipulate him, or was this her way of testing him?
He took a deep breath. "Fine," He said finally, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "One kiss."
Amy's eyes sparkled. "Deal."
Slowly, Sonic leaned down, closing the distance between them. Their breaths mingled for a moment, and then his lips brushed against hers. The kiss was brief but electrifying, sending a For a moment, he forgot everything—the mission, the stakes, the world around them.
There was only her.
And when he heard her let out a quiet moan, he was honestly ready to risk it all.
Focus.
When he pulled back, Amy was smiling, her eyes half-lidded with satisfaction. "See? That wasn't so bad, was it?"
Sonic swallowed hard, trying to regain his composure. "The necklace," He reminded her, his voice a little shaky.
With a playful sigh, Amy reached up and unclasped the necklace, handing it to him. "As promised."
He took the necklace but didn't feel any sense of victory. He stood up, offering her a hand to help her up. She took it, and he pulled her to her feet.
"Thanks," He said, slipping the necklace into his pocket. "Now, why'd you really take it?"
Amy dusted herself off, her playful demeanour shifting slightly. "It's a long story," She said, her voice softer. "Maybe one day I'll tell you."
Her eyes wavered at him, and it was the first time he'd seen her so vulnerable. "What-"
She smiled up at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down for one more kiss, lingering there for a moment longer before she pulled away.
Giving him a wink, she ran off out of the building.
He stood there, stunned. He could still feel the lingering sensation of her lips on his, and it took him a moment to snap back to reality. The necklace was safely in his pocket, but he felt something else in there.
He pulled out a piece of paper that had her number written on it.
Sonic didn't stop the grin on his face. "Yeah," He murmured to himself with a chuckle, "She's good."