January, Friday 15th. 32XX
Akira went to his college and met up with Fiona as usual. Informing the vixen that they can let Grady go now, the Hooligan gang member would later get dropped off in a rival turf that he isn't welcomed in and the family of the jerkass wolf's victim waiting for him with weapons in hands. The red wolf would also tell Fiona that him and his boys has finished the job, albeit keeping the details vague. Thanking her for the help.
Manic, Tatiana, Patty and Monica went go see both Little John and Jean. Letting him know that they've done it.
January, Saturday 16th. 32XX
Johnny and Cortex went to go see Jean. Checking up on how she's doing while meeting Detective Keilee there.
Manic headed down to Rockwell's to see Jeck, the lion letting him that Anton's gangs had ceased their extortions of Soucie Street and pulling out of it recently much to the hedgehog's relief. Sofiya and her father telling him the same thing.
Akira hung out with Fiona at the Dynamo Galleria in the afternoon. Checking out more of the large shopping mall and having Fiona as his tour guide. Able to have a good time without Anton spoiling it this time.
January, Sunday 17th. 32XX
Migu would approach Akira during lunchtime to give him Little John's phone that she retrieved from her older brother. Mentioning that her older brother has been cooped up in his room for about four days now since he came home from the Hooligans' hideout, saying he's fallen ill and overheard him issuing further orders to his gang from his room which has them abandoning a few more areas.
This came around the same time that Hooligans were finding themselves facing major pushbacks from rival gangs who fought to retake their turf in light of the storage fire and their leader seemingly incapacitated. Not helped by the fact that a number of their guys had decided to jump ship and the shops they were extorting money from started protecting themselves against their goons with firearms. They would eventually be forced out of every shop with tails between their legs.
January, Monday 18th. 32XX
Akira would go visit Little John and Jean alone. The pair being questioned by Detective Keilee for their accounts of the fire on Wednesday 13th, giving him descriptions of the several suspects involved including drug dealer BB whom was recently hospitalised after a rival gang member mugged him before brutally hitting his pelvis with a baseball bat.
Monica, Patty, Tatiana and Manic would still working on assembling their evidence against Anton Veruca to be handed over to Keilee complete with written testimonials from the various victims of Anton's gang willing to come forwards.
Mayor Fumfer would inform the citizens of Cyber City about a scheduled TV interview he'll be doing at the local broadcast station on Wednesday this week like she did last week.
January, Tuesday 19th. 32XX
Johnny and Patty spend some time together on their day out while Little John is discharged from the hospital when the staff deems him fit to leave under advisement. Going with Manic to go start sorting out the matter of Anton's Treasure.
The Hooligans would lose another key territory to their name while Anton Veruca was still unavailable to them with Hud Veruca leading in his stead and there's a persistent rumour going around the streets saying that he had been plotting to seize power from his older brother for a while before his sudden retreat to his room caused major changes to the plan. Supposedly coming from the mouth of Johnson Jerboa that someone else overheard and spread around.
Additionally on a lesser note, there's word going around the street about a letter that Anton received on Thursday 14th which upset him and said to be sent from a group who call themselves the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. Supposedly coming from Johnson as well but no one can verify the source and the subject quietly faded from everyone's thoughts except for the civilians that were victims of the Hooligans' extortions whom believed them as heroes for taking the fight to them.
Akira would check in on the progress of his wristwatch at Mary's Repair Ware on 48th Street and being informed that it's just about ninety percent fixed. Tia telling the wolf to come back in a few days to collect it whenever the repairs are completed.
January, Wednesday 20th. 32XX
Cyber City TV Station, Cyber City
Afternoon
"...Tell us more about your housing scheme Mr. Fumfer for our audience who may have some questions about it?" Said a man dressed in a blue suit seated behind a desk and in front of a painted cityscape backdrop, speaking to one of his three guests while the camera crew were broadcasting his show. The interview being held in front of a live audience.
Originally it was just going to be Mayor Fumfer but the surprise last minute addition of the other two guests caused the production crew to make some on the spot changes and the talkshow host has them both seated off-stage waiting to be called in.
"Well, 'scheme' is kind of a negative word..." Mayor Fumfer replied, smiling his practised smile. "Think of it more as 'another option' for undeserved communities in Geno City."
Mayor Fumfer ia a slightly older human man; likely in his mid-forties with light skin, black hair, black moustache green eyes and wore a sand red suit paired with grey shoes that were likely designer-brand. He also has a distinct Canadian-sounding accent.
"Well, think you can elaborate more on the purpose of the housing plan for Geno City? People has been wondering what exactly it's about and would appreciate some clarifications on it in light of the controversy it's been generating from folks living in Geno City due to the confusion over some of the policies."
"Well, the idea started when I read up about the rather 'lofty' goals of the previous administration as they had wanted to 'reunify' the city through phases of a plan that frankly seemed rather overly ambitious and cost ineffective. He essentially wanted to do things like increase jobs and make welfare easier to apply for and things like that. I know that seems innocuous but trust me; under the climate he was in when he was mayor, it would have been a miracle if he got any of that done. But hey, what do you expect?"
Fiona's Penthouse, Cyber City
Afternoon
"...Under the climate he was in when he was mayor, it would have been a miracle if he got any of that done. But hey, what do you expect?" Fiona and Nic were both watching the live interview. That or they just left the channel on as background noise while they had other things to do.
"Tch. Listen to him talk." Nic scoffs as she's cleaning out a revolver. "No better than him."
"...But wouldn't increasing jobs help contribute towards improving the local economy of that side of the city?" The talkshow host questioned the Mayor. "From what I can understand, it's been going through rough patches in the last few years since the days of the Lorenzos."
"He's pretty much a figurehead being used by his own party to impose their agenda upon the city." Fiona responded, having been fidgeting with a .45 ACP round while cleaning a USP45 pistol. "His existence in the political world is only as a means to an end. Welfare of Geno City be damned."
"Yes but even with jobs, where are these people gonna live?" Mayor Fumfer pointed out. "Workers need homes and a lot of homes over there are run down and decrepit. With this new directive to build more affordable housing, even citizens with the most low-paying jobs could afford to live in them. Not only that but these new homes have far more amenities than the ones they live in now."
"Okay. Next question: What about the people already living in those old homes?" The talkshow host asks. "What'll happen to them if their houses are deemed not up to code or could afford the move to new housing accommodations?"
"I've given that thought actually and I've decided that those people would be temporarily relocated to group homes until such time when they can afford one of the new homes or if they can already afford them; be able to buy one and move in."
"What about those who owns businesses over there and don't want to give up their place?" Nic hears the talkshow host ask Fumfer that important question.
"Well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it." Fumfer replied, not even addressing it. "I will say however that while I've had some big shoes to fill after the departure of the previous administration and I'll tell ya, it hasn't been easy but thankfully, there's one particular person I have to thank for helping me through all this as he is here with me in the studio. That being my personal chef and baker of the best damn apple pie this side of Northamer; Hogi Veruca. He's even brought his eldest son Anton Veruca along. These two used to live in the slums of Geno City before moving to the better living conditions of Cyber City."
He gestured for Anton's father Hogi Veruca and Anton Veruca himself to come on stage while Fiona rolled her eyes while re-assembling her semi-automatic pistol. Figuring the Mayor will sing the gangleader's undeserved praises.
"You mentioned that this family used to live in Geno City, correct?" The host said as Anton and Hogi took their seats next to Mayor Fumfer on camera.
"Correct." Hogi Veruca said to the talkshow host, seated furthest from him while Anton sat between his father and the Mayor. "We came to this city years ago to get away from the discriminatory treatment from our last home but we didn't have much money when we arrived and we took residence in Geno City for a short time. They were the most trying months we ever had with me having to work low-wage jobs at a few restaurants."
"So, what changed?" The host asks.
"To make a long story short; my son had gotten touch with an official within the administration and they hit it off well. Enough to get his foot in the door so to say and it's through him that I ended up getting recommended to the last mayor." Hogi explains. "At first, there were uncertainties about me getting a job of being the mayor's head chef as an unknown..."
"We all know the truth Toothpick." Nic remarked. "We know how your son politicked the last head chef out of the job."
"...But I proved myself to them as a good cook and I ended becoming a key member of the staff. It was quite the honour that Mayor Fumfer chose to keep me on as sort of an unofficial advisory role to my years of experience with his predecessor." Hogi was saying to the host on TV. "Though all credit should go to Anton here whom has really helped eased him into his mayoral role despite never having a degree in politics himself."
"Hey Fio, Anton's looking a bit different there on TV." Nic says to Fiona, fully taking notice of the TV. "Look."
Whenever the interview cuts to where Anton is, they'd see the normally arrogant smirking lizard having a neutral expression on his face and looking uncharacteristically subdued today. Fiona would notice he seems almost anxious with how he's constantly tapping his finger on the right armrest of the chair he's on and slightly fidgeting a bit in his seat. Fiona watched him with a scrutinizing gaze.
"...Huh..." She said, noticing the finger tapping; "...He looks tense. You think he's tweaking or something?"
"What, doing it right before a live interview?" Nic said with a head shake. "He never touches blow and he's more of a heavy drinker. We both know that."
"If that's the case, then that's one hell of a twitchy sitting he's doing." Fiona replied, pointing at Anton's tapping finger.
"For all we know, he might be coming down with a form of N.I.D.S. Considering his lifestyle, I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case." Nic looked to her.
Akira's Apartment, Cyber City
Afternoon
"...Now, I hear there's been word going about what's been happening in Geno City lately. The ma and pa shops being mugged by folks belonging to gangs." The host brings up a question to Mayor Fumfer on the TV. "I've even been told that they're being extorted and threatened by them to not report to the police about their activities. There are people claiming that there's a correlation between that type of gang activity and your housing plan, especially when those shop owners are among the ones who aren't biting the worm bait. What's your official response to this claim?"
"We know it's not a correlation. He's well in on it." Tatiana said with crossed arms. The others murmuring in agreement while Akira sat hunched forwards at the TV with hands clasped together under his chin in silence, focusing intensely on Anton in the picture.
"Two words come to mind." Mayor Fumfer boldly retorts. "Fake news. There is absolutely no correlation between a bunch of bad hombres and my plan to improve the quality of life for the people living in Geno City. Absolutely none. And not only that but our city's police are among the best of the country. We pap them a lot of money to keep the peace and maintain order in the city. I think they can handle a buncha gangbangers and thugs if there truly is extortion going on."
"I dunno…" Fiona said, leaning in closer towards the TV; "Something's fundamentally off with him. He's never behaved like that before..."
"What about you Mister Anton?" The talk host looks over to Anton. "Have any comments on the recent events?"
"I..." Anton closes his eyes with a guilty expression. "I have something to say..."
"Oh?" Nic and Fiona sees the host looking a bit confused by Anton's statement, thinking he's being a reserved person of few words or something of the sorts. "Well, go on right ahead then. Just keep it suitable for television."
"When I first moved to Geno City, I was a nobody. A nobody that got stepped on by the bad dudes on the streets. Even got mugged on my first day." Akira listened closely to Anton's confession. "It was miserable and I hated it."
"...Growing up as a poor child, I was told that I would amount to nothing in life..." Anton said in an honest tone and Mayor Fumfer thought he was giving the public a good sob story for them to eat up, maybe for him to take advantage later on for good PR. "Fade into obscurity. Forgotten by everybody. I tried to pull myself out of it once back on South Island but I got casted back down and be tossed aside like yesterday's newspaper."
Fumfer even told the interviewer earlier that he can let the whole interview run uninterrupted and end it on his terms because of how confidant he felt going into it. This would soon prove to a major mistake on his part. The lizard opens his eyes to face the camera. "But when the opportunity came to get out of that hole again, I didn't hesitate to do so..."
"...In my attempt to avoid becoming a nobody again, I did things. Real bad things." Nic and Fiona looks to each other as they watched Anton acting so unlike himself in front of the camera, being utterly sincere. "Things that can't be excused."
"Anton. W-What are you on about?" They'd hear Hogi's concerned tone, legitimately worried by what's going on with his son.
"...I treated a disabled brother of mine worse than dogshit and me along with Mama took his DLA money for ourselves. I've sexually assaulted a bunch of girls over the years including Caitlin who I pushed her into suicide..." Manic, Tatiana and everyone else in Akira's apartment saw tears starting to come out of Anton's eyes on the TV while they hear the audience gasp at what they're hearing. "I'm actually the leader of a street gang called the Hooligans that's been dealing dope, homicides and causing those extortions in Geno City including the threats against the owners to try to put them out of business when they wouldn't give up their space for the housing scheme..."
Whatever plan with Anton that Mayor Fumfer had in mind crashed and burned right before his very eyes when it quickly became a PR nightmare in the making with the TV studio audience growing more shocked by the revelations while Anton went down to his knees, bawling his eyes out.
"A-Anton!" He said nervously as hd tried to stop him from digging a deeper hole for himself but he kept on going, ignoring him as he was focused on confessing his guilt to the world. Believing the city deserves to know the truth while he's utterly terrified of the potential political scandal storm this will cause for him
"I've snitched on my rivals to the police. I've destroyed so many lives over the years and I have even taken the lives of some to get to where I am now including Farrell. I killed him in cold-blood!" Anton yelled to the shock and panic of everyone around him in the studio, waterworks flowing down his sorrowful face. "I'm just a cog in a much bigger problem that plagues Cyber City and I-I have done other horrendous acts too! Someone call the police! I'm a dange—"
The talkshow pressed his earpiece and got issued an order straight from the station manager. "Cut the feed now!"
Nic and Fiona sees the interview stop at the sight of the crying Anton Veruca before the broadcast is abruptly ceased. The two looked at each other with confused expressions. In all her years of experiencing things, Nic was genuinely left gobsmacked by that interview. Wondering what in Tikal's name did she just witnessed on the TV.
"…What in the name of Alex Kidd was that shit?" Fiona said aloud after seeing that, absolutely baffled by the spectacle.
"You're askin' me mate!" Nic said to the vixen. "I don't know if Anton just had a breakdown or what but never in a million years would I have ever predicted that one and wait, did he say he killed Farrell? The same Farrell that was killed in a house break-in eight years ago?"
"I guess so." Fiona replied, still trying to process what she just saw; "I think I heard about that break-in but I didn't know Anton himself was behind the murder…"
"Nor the fact that he's a squealer." Nic then remembers something. "Say, didn't you tell me your guy Akira is friends with a guy named Manic and they had a friend hospitalised to him?"
"He said he had two friends hospitalised by his gang actually, one of them being a former police officer. The one that got laid off three years ago for supposed corruption charges."
"Huh." Nic taps her chin before going back to her pistol cleaning. "Anyhow. With that on-air confession from him, I expect a whirlwind of media attention to spawn out of it..."
"...Damn. I didn't think he'd confess like that." Little John commented on the strange turn of events, Manic nodding in agreement.
"With him confessing to his crimes and the whole city knowing what he's done, neither Krouch, Fumfer or them can cover that up now." Tatiana added. "People will start speaking up against him and so will the witnesses if he gets taken in."
"For Fumfer, no doubt people in Geno City will start connecting the dots together even if he didn't get named by him and they'll become defiant towards his administration while his people starts doing heavy damage control over that." Johnny noted. "Too bad Krouch wasn't mentioned."
"Anton's admitting to the crimes he did but none of the crimes of others." Akira theorized. "We told his Shadow to confess to all of his crimes an—"
He stops as he got a ring from Fiona and excused himself from the living room to go answer her. "Hi. What's up?"
"You saw that shit on TV just now, right?" Fiona asked on the other end, "That live interview with Anton and the Mayor?"
"I have. Talk about an unexpected derailment." Akira replied. "I didn't even think he'd even do something like that on live TV."
"No kidding…" Fiona replied, then asks him; "You didn't have anything to do with this, did you?"
"If you mean making him break down like that on camera, then no." Akira said, twisting the truth a bit as that was true to an extent based on the timing of the confession. "Besides, guy was cooped up in his room for nearly a week like Migu told us before he suddenly showed up to that interview and we were busy putting together evidence against him til today happened. Heard anything from his gang lately?"
"Only that nearly his entire gang's operation is going up in smoke faster than the Fires of London's spread. Word on the street is that most of the turf he had is being fought over by rival gangs. Think his gangs are getting smoked badly. Probably were planning to do so for a while and now's the time for them to do it."
"Geez, that'll probably only get worse for them after Anton's public confession. Fumfer might even see a blowback from the Geno City community thanks to him being a confessed snitch." Akira runs a hand over his head. "Who knows what that'll entail for his political career. Anton's mother Vera Veruca might have her P.T.A position be put under scrutiny too in light of her eldest child's crimes. Serves her right for letting him get out of control like that."
"Oh, absolutely for sure." Fiona said in agreement, feeling a little satisfaction at the thought of the insufferable Vera Veruca be the subject of controversy in light of her eldest son's confession. "After that major fiasco, he'll be lucky if he ever gets elected again. Hell, he'll be lucky if he's still mayor for much longer after this and not spend time behind bars."
"Like the myth of Bladud, Fumfer's metaphorical constructed wings with his statements may have set him into free fall and he'll hit a wall soon if that interview proves to be it for him." Akira said to Fiona, Doctor telling him of how that briton king thought his wings would work when he jumps off the top of a temple. "With all that going down, hopefully Geno City will be left better off than before and safe for me to roam in without having Anton's goons to worry about."
He glances over towards the living room. "I know I'll sound like a broken record but I do appreciate the help you had gave to me and the others in uncovering his deeds, even in spite of Anton outing himself out for his crimes. We wouldn't have been able to get as far as we did without you."
"Not a problem. But remember, you owe me for this. Whatever I ask of you, ya have to do it no matter what it is."
"I intend to honour the agreement for you helping me out against Anton." Akira said to the vixen. "Let me know whenever it comes up. I'll speak to you later."
After Fiona bid her byes to him and ending the call, he sees Tiara standing by the door to the Velvet Room. He knew his presence is required there.
Velvet Room, ?
Afternoon
"Ah..." Mr. Hedgehog greeted Akira upon arriving to the Velvet Room and meeting up with the hedgehog. "Congratulations are in order young trickster for you have now completed your first step towards rehabilitation. Overcoming the unfortunate odds set against you, helped brought closure to one mystery while another unearths itself in it's place, leaving the decision to your friend and guiding him towards finding proper directions in his life that'll contribute to helping him better understand himself in good time."
He smiled to the red wolf. "You have shown that your days of apathy are well and truly over by choosing to help another soul stuck in similar pit as yourself."
"Yea." Gazebo interjected, hands in his pockets. "But trust me kid, it ain't gonna stop there. Plenty of bad people in this world, so there will be no shortage of work for ya."
"Things have been real bad lately." Tiara added. "Folks are bein' hurt or killed or exploited over nothing while other people and leadership just stand by and watch it happen, only caring about it after the fact. What your group did only exposes that fact."
"So the world needs people who can fight off diseases that goes on before they go terminal." Akira sighs. "I don't know, I didn't go into this gig just to take down criminals and people abusing their power. Circumstances forced me to take those actions."
"In hard times, you must act upon the call of duty even if it doesn't align with what you personal want. You deal with what you've got in your hands wether you want it or not." Mr. Hedgehog tells Akira, giving him a little advice. "The rest you figure out on your own."
The blue hedgehog then taps a finger on the desk as the clock chimes to signify the end of their meeting. "Now, you may return back to your reality when ready. Just thought we'd commend for the successful completion of your first labour as a trickster. I eagerly await on what you'll do next young trickster."
'...I'm beginning the process of trying to better the understanding myself thanks to my recent victory...'
The Fool: Rank 2
Akira's Apartment, Cyber City. Mobius
Afternoon
Akira had bid his byes to the Velvet Room attendants as he returns to reality. The wolf closes his eyes, took a deep breath and leans his head on a hallway wall.
"I did it... I helped make a positive difference for someone else mom and dad..." He quietly says to himself. "I've helped give him closure on his loss..."
He'd head back over to the living room to rejoin the others, chattering and hanging out amongst themselves. The five boys shooting the shit in the kitchen mostly while the girls worked to further reconcile with Tatiana.
Freedom HQ, Knothole Forest
Evening
"...Someone call the police!" In the living room, Rotor and Tails were watching a re-run marathon of a show on the TV together when Mobius TV's News 11 interrupted their program to do a news report concerning an interview originating from Cyber City that quickly went off the rails near towards the end. The rest of the team would join in to watch the report.
"With this unexpected confession, questions has arose regarding the now-detained suspect's involvement in various acts of crime along with word of various victims of his' coming forwards against him along with his 'Hooligans' gang..." The News 11 anchor Collie Chang reported on the very recent case. "And we've contacted his family for any comment on the matter but they have declined to speak with us. As for Mayor Fumfer..."
The broadcast would show footage of Mayor Fumfer giving a brief emergency press conference where he spoke to various members of the press.
"I can assure all of you that I have no intention of intimidating anyone in Geno City out of their homes." He assured the public as best as he could in light of the unexpected incident, mostly to try to douse down the flames before they get any worse for him. "This housing edict is to ensure that all people of Geno City will have a much better quality of life."
"Yet you've had the help of a recently confessed rapist, murderer and gangleader!" One journalists said to him, the fallout of the leaked interview turned confession tape having gotten out of Cyber City much to his dismay. "You said in that interview there were no correlation between the recent extortions in Geno City caused by a street gang and your housing plan but yet he admitted that his gang had tried to put those shop owners out of business!"
To them watching the TV, they're seeing another politician trying to save face in wake of a major scandal going on. Big thought he's trying to act like he had no knowledge of his associate's activities when he more than likely knew what was happening in the Geno side of Cyber City.
"I can assure you, ladies and gentlemen…" Mayor Fumfer replied, trying to hide his anger over the scandal. "There is no correlation between me and this. None. It is simply a big lie spread by my political rivals to discredit me through Anton Veruca. It's possible they even paid him to say all this."
That didn't seem to calm the press on the TV as they kept hounding him more over the now-coined Anton Veruca Scandal as Collie puts it. It's going to be a while til the matter will die down and that's assuming if the Mayor's media team aren't doing serious damage control over it.
"If he was paid to say all that, why are his tears genuine and why's his father so concerned over his son's public breakdown?" Big questioned, unconvinced by the politician's comment based on his reading of the talkshow clip.
"He's probably trying to save face." Tails responded, shaking his head. "It's something some of the more shadier politicians tend to do in the midst of a scandal. If I remember, he was a victim of Eggman's robotic impersonation in Popodopolis years ago."
"He's not doing himself any good by denying it, seeing as how his housing plan for Geno City was already facing controversy from the community living over there." Rotor said turning his head to the other members of the Knothole Freedom Fighters. "I don't think this will be forgotten anytime soon regardless if he's involved in it or not. I wouldn't be surprised if that confession ends up opening a can of worms for him and his associates. Also wouldn't be surprised if that talkshow loses his job over it."
"And this is why I prefer living out in the country than in cities..." Big murmured. "More peaceful too."
"I wonder if Sonic's been seeing this one." Rotor ponders. "Unless he's busy going out for a jog."
Rabbits House, Mobotropolis
Evening
"...We're currently questioning Anton Veruca under custody and we are handling the flood of individuals affected by him coming forwards to us." Detective Keilee said to a News 11 reporter that came to him for comments on the TV in the living room that Vanilla and two of her house guests were watching. "As of now, I cannot legally disclose any further details but rest assured, justice will be carried out if he is indeed proven guilty of the crimes he's confessed to and among others. That is all."
"If he was paid to publicly damage his public reputation, he'd have done a lot more than that by naming him as being involved and no criminal would willingly risk their whole careers by outing themselves in front of a live audience." Said a purple chameleon, sitting cross-legged on the floor. "What do you think of this Vector?"
"I think the confession is genuine." Replied a green crocodile with a gold neck-chain and a set of headphones around his neck, watching the broadcast. "There's too many elements in that clip for it to be staged. Plus he was showing a lot of signs that a person feeling guilt for what they've done would let off."
"Certainly strange indeed…" Vanilla mused, having been readying a plate of iced tea and cookies for her guests. "Not to mention the timing of it too. The Cyber City Council was about to approve the vote to enact the housing plan."
"In light of that interview, I don't think that plan will ever go through in it's current state for fear of causing a riot from that community and the fact that he's already unpopular with said community from your experiences there." The purple chameleon named Espio said with a closed eyed contemplative expression. "I don't usually get involved with political topics such as this but I know that a scandal like this will affect his approval rating from them and they'll likely start being more outwardly defiant towards him out of spite. No doubt that his victory from the mayoral election over their representative will be under more scrutiny than ever before."
"I have no doubt that this scandal is one part of a bigger corruption issue plaguing Cyber City." Vector added. "Whatever made that person crack on camera, no one saw it coming. I'll might start checking out the previous big stories from the city with a new set if eyes whenever I have the time for them."
Sonic soon showed up to the house after knocking on the door, deciding to drop by to visit and was about to greet them when he saw a mugshot of Anton Veruca being shown on TV. "Hey, I know that guy!"
"Hmm?" Espio opened his eyes to look back at Sonic with Vector also looking his way. "You do?"
"Yeah, I encountered him back on South Island early in my career a few years ago. He was a troublemaker for his town then but I soon took care of him and that was before I took on Egghead. Wasn't there when I visited the island recently." The hedgehog replied. "So, what's he done now? Threatened a pizza restaurant owner into giving him free pizza or what?"
"He became a crime boss that hurt and killed a lot of people while selling drugs to them as well." Vanilla answered bluntly, laying down the platter of iced tea and cookies. "And not only that, he enacted an intimidation and extortion scheme to try and drive people in Geno City from their homes in order for Mayor Fumfer to build affordable housing there."
"Even sexually assaulted women and abused his disabled brother in his on-air confession." Vector added. The news coming as a shock to Sonic.
"...Seriously?" Sonic slowly blinked. "He did all that?"
"He went and confessed during the live interview. It's been making the newsround." Espio confirmed. "People's talking about it."
"Geez. Last time I encountered him, he was just a troublemaking hooligan..." Sonic rubs his neck. "I never imagine he'd go down that far to the point of being a murderer."
"Sometimes people spiral down that road when pushed far enough." Vanilla shook her head. "Believe me, it happens."
"...The first time I hear anything from him in years and it's this." Sonic glances at the TV screen. "Maybe I'm the reason he turned out like that..."
"Maybe?" Vector raised a brow.
"On South Island, there's a place called Hedgehog Town. It's largely populated by hedgehogs as the name suggests but there are other species that lives in it too, largely mammals." Sonic looks to Vector. "Anton and his family were the only reptiles living there. At the time, I didn't think much of it. When I came back to it years later though, I realised something was up whenever I asked someone about them and they expressed relief in them being gone... Casually adding in how they're glad and apologies for saying this in 'them no longer having to deal with a pack of cave-dwelling snakes anymore' as he puts it."
"No offence taken Sonic." Espio said to him assuringly. "However, that person's comment does perfectly line up with the statement from Anton's father Hogi in how his family faced discriminatory treatment they received back on South Island."
"I've even been to Hedgehog Town myself once during an investigation and I wasn't given much of a warm reception from most of the folks there either." Vector added to Sonic and Vanilla's surprise. "Much less when they learned that I'm a detective. Not all of them were like that but the majority weren't too accepting of me and I'd never forget the day that I came to my car at the time to find vandalised with 'Leatherface' scraped onto the sides. I have not come back to that town since."
"Truly despicable…" Vanilla said, shaking her head disapprovingly upon hearing Vector's story. "That's not to say what Anton did was any better but it is just as deplorable knowing how he possibly turned out like this…"
"It's easy to blame the apparent cause of someone's decision to commit a crime as it's the most simple to sum up. However, it is never easy as that because it is always only one piece of a bigger whole." Vector pointed out. "What Anton did in Cyber City can't be solely blamed on Hedgehog Town for that reason."
"No matter it was what he faced back then, it is not an excuse for the evil actions he committed with the awareness that they're wrong to do in the first place." Espio interjected with hands clasped together. "He could have chosen to not do them but he did. Tails faced discrimination by other children around his age for his second tail and he's not selling warhead nukes to dictators today."
"Still, I might have only contributed towards his problems..." Sonic sighs. "I humiliated him then and I got praised by the town for it."
"If you spend every day worrying about the good or bad effects you have on everything, you'd never get anything done." Espio tells him. "Good to be thoughtful, needs a good amount of proactiveness to balance it out."
Vector then grabs his phone when it rang and answers it. "Uh-huh. We'll be right there!"
The green crocodile got up. "Espio. Let's go!"
"Something come up?" Sonic asks.
"Another mystery has appeared on the Chaotix's doorstep and we need to go to it before we lose out a paycheque on it." Vector answered as he and Espio quickly left the house.
"Should spend more time taking finance classes if you ask me..." Sonic shook his head before turning his head to Vanilla. "Hope you weren't a victim of his crimes with your job being in Geno City and all."
Vanilla shook her head. "Thankfully, no. But, I've met people there who had been and I believe now that they'll probably feel more liberated than they had been before."
Though she still remembers her encounter with two of his siblings and the threat one of them made about destroying her life in court if she did anything against them. Though with Anton arrested, they might not be able to do that now.
"Hopefully they'll get their justice for what he's done to them." Sonic nodded slowly. "To think I met early in my career could end up like that... I guess that's what the passage of time does to a person. Still, stay safe whenever you're in Geno City."
"...The suspect's mother Vera Veruca has stated he is no longer her son and that his family are to cease contact with him in the upcoming investigation." Collie Chang said on TV. "In her exact words, he is exiled from the home for bringing shame to the family."
"That poor mother..." Vanilla said after seeing that part of the news broadcast. "I can't imagine how I'd feel if that happened to Cream... Sometimes I've often wondered how she'll turn out in later life. I've dreading her teen years personally... I-I remember how I was when I was that age. I remember that and that makes me dread the day she turns seventeen..."
"I think she'll turn out just fine." Sonic assures her with a smile. "After all, she's got such a loving mother that thinks the world of her."
Vanilla nodded, then smiled at his reassurance. "I suppose you're right. Yes, I imagine she'll blossom into a polite, kind and sophisticated lady like myself~"
"Exactly. And that's wh—"
Vanilla's cellphone suddenly began ringing. She quickly pulled it out, then gained a more worried, somber expression when she read the caller ID. "...I need to take this. Please excuse me."
"Right, I'll leave you to it. Just dropped by to come see you while I doing my jog." Sonic heads for the front door. "Anyhow, I'll see you later."
The hedgehog then left, thinking it was Vanilla's personal business that he shouldn't be poking his nose in and left it be out of respect. Easier said for him since he's never been in the mother rabbit's shoes himself or he'd have picked up on the telltale signs of something being up with her.
G.U.N HQ, Westropolis
Night
Just as Shadow and his team had figured out the identity of the gang behind the printing of the counterfeit bills, their leader ends up on the news after a shocking confession that blindsided Topaz and Rouge. The ebony hedgehog was initially a bit surprised by what had transpired but shrugged it off immediately after.
They're currently at Commander Westwood's office to report their ongoing investigations on the mental incidents the same time they are looking into their counterfeit case. The shades wearing official silently reading over the report before turning his up to look at the group of four.
"Everything seems to be going along okay in spite of your co-current focus on the counterfeit case." Commander Westwood said to them. "What's your progress on that case by the way if I may ask?"
"Well..." Topaz reported. "The good news is that we figured out that the Nasty Hyenas and the Vastas were acting as distributors of the counterfeit bills while Anton Veruca's gang, the Hooligans were the ones making them. I suppose it won't be hard to obtain a search and seizure warrant for the Hooligan's main hideout."
"Then I'm sending you and Rouge over to Cyber City to continue your search into the counterfeit case. You'll be briefed on the details later." Westwood told her as he then looks to Shadow and Omega. "You both were meant to come with them as well but Commander Tower has called in minutes before you arrived to request you both back to Central City ASAP."
"Fine. We'll do that." Shadow nodded. Seeing as he doesn't have to deal with the Commander of the Westropolis Branch for a while.
"It's fine, sir to you..." Westwood correctly him curtly before addressing all four. "You're all dismissed."
The four soon left his office with Omega the first to speak up and spoke dryly he did. "He seems very uptight today."
"Gee, ya think?" Topaz replied facetiously.
"Come now, Topaz~" Rouge told her. "There's no need for that. Besides like you said, obtaining a search and seizure warrant will be easy considering the circumstances. Plus again like you said, I don't think they're quite stupid enough to stage an armed standoff. Not when they've been outed by their own leader."
"Alot can change in a matter of hours." Topaz says to her. "Or days depending."
"Regardless, the search for the mastermind behind the Mint Director's assassination still needs to be tracked down and the answers may lie in Cyber City." Shadow interjected as he gets out his Chaos Emerald after him and Omega had stood away from the two girls. "Someone's bound to know something."
The hedgehog then utters Chaos Control and the pair disappears in a flash. Off to go see Commander Tower.
The two girls looked to one another, then Topaz shrugged. "Always on the move… Alright, let's go get our warrant..."
Author's Note: It's finally come. Anton's downfall has arrived but it's not all over yet.
Like Persona 5, our heroes goes about with their lives while waiting for the confession until the day arrives and witnessing the fruits of their efforts firsthand. Justice is served and the victims of corruption knowing who their heroes are.