Hooligan's Hideout, Geno City
Afternoon
Akira made it to the hideout dressed as Grady and met up with Monica as he reached a certain floor level.
"Hey." Monica quickly approaches Akira and motioning for him to follow her to a private spot for a moment. She had chosen a supply closet and flipped on the light switch inside it. "So, um... ...I... I think Anton is aiming to sell me off to a pimp..."
"What gave you that idea?" Akira asks, already knowing the truth from Anton's mind but pretends to act like he doesn't. Explaining it right now would only raise more questions.
"Well, I overheard him talking to someone on the phone earlier today... And it sounded very much like he was discussing a deal to sell me off, even going as far as to discuss prices."
'Looks like stealing his Treasure today is a top priority now...' Akira realises he'll have to get the card delivered sooner than later in light of Monica's situation. "He had no intention of giving you that protection and he's probably been thinking of it for some time."
"Seems that way... Listen, I really don't feel safe here lately... Some of the guys here have been eyeing me up today... I... I feel like one of them might try to... W-Well, try to..." She trembled a bit, not wanting to finish her thought. Akira gently grabs the hands to help her keep calm.
"After yesterday, I know why they're doing that for..." Akira murmurs darkly. "What about Patty?"
"Strangely, she's not gotten as many looks as I have. It just seems like they're singling me out for some reason."
"Whatever's going on, you should get Patty and whoever else on out of here with you. I know for a fact those guys would kill Johnny if he came in today." Akira then thought of something; "Does Anton have the stolen evidence or not?"
"I think he does, yeah. I think when she was cleaning Anton's office earlier, she saw a set of folders just laying there on his desk. I don't know why he had them out like that. I mean, he has a safe in his office with a key lock and everything. Maybe he's got something else in the safe... Come to think of it, I think I once saw the key to it hanging on the key rack in that office room."
"They're all to do with him and his gang's activities. I've seen them unless there's also other blackmail files that we never saw before. Anything else?"
"If you're gonna retrieve them, be careful." Monica replied, choosing to save Anton's conversation with Krouch for later where they're less likely be overheard by the other thugs in the building. "Last I saw Anton, he was in his office."
"I'm here to leave him a greetings card and I want to be there to see it firsthand." Akira shows Monica an envelop before hiding it away again on his person. "But I'll be needing your help. Think you can do that?"
"I think so, yeah..." She replied, agreeing to help him out. "But after that, I'm gonna grab Patty and run. Is there... Is there somewhere safe the two of us can hide out at?"
"Head to Rockwell's for the time being and wait there. Tell Jeck Manic sent you." Akira told her before pulling out a gun and handing it to her. "Take this. Grady won't be needing it and I doubt Mad will be backing off this time."
"Okay..." Monica replied, pocketing the gun. "Tell me what to do for you and I'll go."
Akira nodded. "Listen closely..."
The wolf made his way over to the pool room with Monica following him in, keeping her distance from him. The other members were present and minding their own business. Two of them were in the middle of playing pool with Hud as one of them.
Akira glances over to Monica whom stood near Patty. The wolf walking past one side of the pool table.
Monica nodded back, ready to act on her part. The Grady imposter nodded to her to give the girl the signal, she then moved into place as discussed.
"Hud, sir?" Monica said to Hud. "Grady found something Anton should see..."
"Yeah? What about it?" Hud scoffs as he held his pool cue.
"Someone left Anton a letter..." Monica answered, gesturing to Akira.
"Is that a fact?" Hud looks over to Akira.
"Yeah. It's right here in my hand." Akira holds up the letter. "Some secret admirer must have dropped it off or something. His name's on it."
"I suppose whoever left it must really want Don Anton to see it." Monica replied, begrudgingly using Anton's new title. Tasting like poison on her tongue.
"You can take it to him if you want. I'm going up to see him anyways." Akira said to Hud, handing the envelope in his cotton gloves which doesn't leave any fingerprints behind nor did the latter take much notice of them. The lizard snatches it off his hand and pockets it.
"I'll do that when I finish this game." Hud said to the wolf he thought was Grady. "You missed out on what happened yesterday."
"Care to tell me?" Akira crosses his arms and taking note of the uncomfortable expressions on a few of the Hooligans' faces including Haley; knowing not all of approved of what happened. The rest however only smirked at the thought.
"If you wanna know the short version of it, we found the green street trash's hideout and trashed it. His friend Fatso was there and so was that ex-officer Jean but he was nowhere to be seen at it." Hud told Akira in a boastful voice. "The arrogant lot were trying to assemble evidence against my brother but we've seized it now and let him a parting gift. Well, a parting gift for him and his co-conspirators including that buck-tooth asshat Johnny. To think Haley was actually swooning over that guy..."
Akira could hear the hint of jealously in his tone, making him conclude that in spite of constantly ignoring of her affections and putting her down as much as he does for Patty; he hates it when Haley is fawning over somebody else other than him. Making the wolf add narcissist to the long list of things he dislikes about Hud Veruca after the word insufferable.
Monica was silent and keeping up her facade of indifference. Internally, she is utterly disgusted by the way Hud is talking about not only Manic but also Manic's friends. Even more disgusted to know a few former members from their gang took part without hesitation.
"All the guys who were there had a go at Jean. Mouth, pussy or asshole; any hole's a goal as Mad would say." Francis interjected with a grin. "While she was getting smashed from every possible angle in every pose we could think of as though she was in a Princess Venus porno with the amount of penetration going on, we were teaching that fat fuck a lesson in screwing with us. Gave him a good right hook or two."
"We even forced him to watch us give the ex-cop a sausage party that she'll never forget. Mad was one real horndog with her that day and got a little physical with her too; likely fantasising her as Mona while he was doing her. Probably rearranged her insides with that hard dick of his' by now." Grant added with a laugh as he gestures to all of the guys involved in the raid. "Too bad Ryder and D. F weren't able to get themselves a nice piece of that bacon, considering one of them got his manhood boiled in hot water. Porking her is like porking an angel~"
'Thanks for pointing out which of you did it to her you bunch of inhuman scumbags...' Akira noted darkly in his thoughts as he follows Hud to go meet with Anton. 'It'll be all the more sweeter when I see you lot scuttle like rats and squealing loud like pigs as soon as your 'Don' goes down.'
Once Monica was sure she had done her half of the job, she quickly left to go grab Patty on the way out so the two of them could flee from the turf while carrying a loaded piece for protection.
Akira would enter Anton's office, resisting the urge to make a face at the gang leader in light of what he's done as well as other deeds he's not aware of; the sight of the smirking Anton Veruca alone makes him want to beat the living daylights out of him. Kill him even.
"Hmm? Ah Grady, you missed out on fun of yesterday." Anton greeted Akira unknowingly. "It's to do with an ex-cop and Green Trash's fatty friend being paid a visit by us. Unfortunately, the unwanted bastard child himself wasn't there."
"I heard what happened. Apparently there was a fire too." Akira replied as Grady. "Was that you guys?"
"Guilty as charged." Hud said with a snicker. "You should have seen the state of that tramp after we made a complete slut out of her. We even got videos for it too as mementos."
"Huh..." Akira nodded, keeping his own emotions to himself and seeing an opportunity in the Hooligans' sheer stupidity as he took out his phone. "Think you can forward them to me?"
"You kidding?" Anton chortles. "Of course, he'll send you the videos. I mean, it'll be weird if the guy who once did a one night stand with a girl half his age doesn't get to see new erotic masterpiece with Jean. Too bad I couldn't be there for it myself or I'd be clapping those fine skunk cheeks myself. Apparently feels as good as that other ex-cop down at that Red Velvet place."
'Yeah, too bad for you asshole... Funtime will be over for you soon...' Akira fought to keep the bile that threatens to rise up in his throat. "Well, I'll appreciate it if you can. So, I hear Johnny's not welcomed on our turfs anymore."
"Guy turned out to be associated with the green rat the whole time. A look through Fatso's contacts told me as such." Anton nodded, puffing on his cigar as he shows Akira the stolen phone of Little John. "The next time he drops by, I'll send him the welcoming committee with baseball bats and chains."
"I'll be sure to greet the limey prick personally." Hud added sneeringly. "It'll serve him right for being a buck-toothed sneak."
Akira glances over at a distraught-looking Tatiana Tiger, standing by Anton's side. She glances back to give him an acknowledging nod before looking away from him.
"You'll get your chance." Anton assures Hud. "Without a hideout now, it's only a matter of time before we get his friends. Especially the four-eyed scrub from Golden Bay City. Did you know he's spend over nearly three years in therapy before coming here? Guess he must have been seeking a death wish when he met me."
'And it's not your damn business to know...' Akira thought angrily, wanting to know where Anton got his information from and who. "Yeah..."
Tatiana starts heading for the door as Hud calls out to her. "Where do you think you're going?"
"I'm going to the Ladies'. Where else asshole?" Tatiana responded before Hud smacks her across the face.
"Show some fucking respect you stupid cunt!" Hud yells at her, getting short with her. "If it were up to me, I'd have you sold off to a pimp years ago!"
"Well, you ain't the boss here. You're just a bitter snivelling little sneak of a child trying to play big boy." The tigress retorted boldly, seemingly having regained the courage to talkback at the smarmy twit. "Ain't that right?"
Hud gnashes his teeth, ready to throw a right hook at her face. "Why I oughta—"
"HUD! You as much as damage her face in any way even a little, I'll damage yours' with a golf club and you'll be needing heavy reconstructive surgery when I'm finished..." Anton warns his brother with a sharp, piercing glare. "Got it?"
"Y-Yes big brother!" Hud squeaked weakly and pathetically, shrinking in his older brother's presence like the coward he is. Akira secretly enjoying seeing him really squirm like that and getting to see the eldest brother putting the asshat in his place for what its' worth.
"Tatiana. Go do your thing and get your ass back here as soon as you're done." Anton tells the tigress before she leaves the office, turning his gaze back to the disguised Akira. "I told the broad I wouldn't do anything to her ex-boyfriend but with how things are shaping up for me lately, I think I'll start doing away with the last remnants of her gang one by one. No doubt he'll be wallowing in his misery whenever it's his turn to go."
"Anton. Someone left a letter for you." Akira tells the lizard as Hud opens up the envelope to pull out a red card with the back of it having hiragana writing under a drawing of a black domino mask. The wokf having done the hiragana writing himself.
"Secret admirer or something? This will be good." Anton chuckles to his guys including the bespectacled advisor. "Alright Hud. Read me the message."
Hud scans through the card and nervously glances up to Anton. Much to his irritation.
"Read the damn message or did you go stupid all of a sudden?" Anton said impatiently. "Come on, what's the hold up?!"
"A-Anton, I-I don't thi—" Hud stutters but the elder brother interrupts him.
"Read the fucking message you gooner!" Anton roars at him. "Or else you'll be joining Tod in the ER too!"
Monica and Patty had quickly packed up and were hurrying their way out of the hideout, aiming to get out before any of the other gang members could make moves on either of them. When they made their way out and heading through an alleyway, they were intercepted by the sudden appearance of Mad Veruca. Grabbing the arm of Monica and pinning her back against a wall.
"Heeey, what's the rush for sweetie? Today's a beautiful day..." The crazed-eyed lizard greeted her in a low and slow drawl. "Looks like you're going out with Patty too. Clothes shopping?"
"Y-Yes!" Monica quickly replied, scared out of her mind. "W-we're just going clothes shopping... Please let go of me..."
"Want me to come along? I could help out with the shopping..."
"N-No..." Monica squirms a bit and wishing she could reach for the nickel-plated HKP7 compact handgun resting inside the inner pocket of her jacket.
"...Dear Don Chairman Anton Veruca, the rotten bastard of Geno City. You have build up your ill-gotten wealth off the back of others, hurting many people with your selfish actions including your own and you corrode everything you touch by your toxicity. You even began your empire with your hands stained in blood and thought your secret could be kept silent forever but we will make you confess to your crimes with your own mouth." Hud read the card to Anton in his office with other people listening to it as well, Akira seeing Anton paling at the blood stained comment. "From, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts."
"The Phantom Thieves of Hearts?" Weldon asked, him and a few other main members of the gang having listened to the letter reading. "Who the hell do these guys think they are? Threatenin' boss man Anton like tha—"
"S-Shut the fuck up Weldon!" Anton yelled at him; the smirking expression he had from earlier all but replaced with the refreshing sight of a panicking, fearful one in it's stead. "Grady, where did you find it?"
Akira pretends to act startled, secretly taking delight in witnessing Anton looking scared for once. "I-I must have found it in that m-mailbox on the way i—"
"Did you see anyone drop it off!?"
"No, I did—"
"The nerve of them to threaten you with that." Craig would then ask a question and failing to read the room; "Though, what did the card mean by blood-stained—"
He never got to finish his sentence as Anton pulls out a pistol from the bodyguard to his left and shoots him pointblank in the skull much to everyone's shock, even Hud with Craig's body dropping to the floor. Blood pouring out of the wound in his skull.
"Does anyone else wanna speak for him, huh!?" Anton eyes everyone in the room that isn't Hud while holding his smoking gun. "Do any of you spineless asskissing fucks here in this shithole wanna take a chance with that!?"
Weldon and the others quickly shook their heads, not wanting to tempt fate and piss off Anton even more than he already was. All feeling very afraid for their lives right now.
"All of you go and search the streets. Get to it!" Anton roars at all of his goons as they quickly hurried out. When Akira was heading for the door, he looked back at Anton and the lizard suddenly shifts to his Shadow counterpart while the room became a dark void.
"You want my Treasure thieves?" Shadow Anton said to the wolf, glaring sharply at him with his golden eyes from behind the desk. "Come and get it!"
The lizard then shifts back his normal appearance as did his office and none of the others seemed to have noticed anything out of the ordinary, not even him. The wolf knew better than to ask him on what had just happened and he thought he smelled something burning in the air.
"Come on, l insist. My treat..." Mad says to Monica before Patty pulls him away from her, only to then be met with an aggressive response when he shoves her back into a wall and proceeds tears off a piece of Monica's clothing followed by an aroused hum from him while getting right up into her personal space.
Having an unwanted lecherous hand up on one of her thighs, the cold-blooded gangster gave a lecherous smile to her. "I must confess though, I've always had a thing for you as long as I can remember and always wanting to get to know you better... personally... And intimately..."
Patty looked up to see what was going on. Seeing the utter creep Mad Veruca is towards her friend.
"I think I'm in love with you because I think of you all the time..." He then leans in uncomfortably close to Monica's ear. "Even in my dreams~"
"No! Stop, please!" Monica exclaimed, squirming about in Mad's grip. Patty seethed with disgust and rage, slowly reaching into her pocket... Then suddenly punched Mad in the back of the head hard with a pair of studded brass knuckles.
"Agh! You wanna play rough you little bastard!?" Mad cried as he staggers away from Monica to feel the warm blood running from the fresh head wound. He whips around to Patty with a livid expression on his face bordering on psychotic rage; grabbing the vixen by the wrist and pinning her back into a wall before pulling back a fist ready to be buried in her face. "Then let's play rou—"
Monica quickly pulled the HKP7 pistol from under her jacket and aimed it against the back of Mad's head. "Let. Her. Go…"
With some hesitation, Mad releases Patty's wrists. Monica kept the pistol trained on Mad.
"Up against the wall." She ordered as he did as instructed. The crazed-eye lizard giving her a real ugly dirty look that normally his victims would see before he gets very violent with them.
"Put this around your wrists." Monica commanded firmly, tossing a zip tie at Mad's feet with him begrudgingly tying his wrists together followed by Monica yanking on the strip tightly to secure both wrists together. Then gets his mouth stuffed with a piece of torn fabric from her clothes before receiving a pointblank bullet to his crotch from her pistol for his troubles, blood splattering the alleyway while his cries of pain is muffled by the fabric in his mouth.
"That's for Jean and for all your other victims you lecherous piece of shit!" Yelled Monica with fury in her emotions. Then she firmly kicks Mad in his wounded crotch to hurt him further for good measure before escaping with Patty while leaving the lizard to wither and meekly wailing on the ground in his agony. Karma coming in swift and brutal.
With Rockwell's being the destination to go to and feeling a great catharsis in making her creepy harasser look pathetic instead of being intimidating, Monica felt like a free woman. If a pimp tries to approach her, she knows where exactly to aim the barrel at.
Just as Akira was about to head out, Johnson Jerboa ran into the office. "Boss! We got a problem!"
"What problem?!" Anton shot up in his chair.
"The storage room for the drugs, contrabands and counterfeit bills? They're on fire!" Johnson told him. "We don't know what happened but we're trying to put them out now!"
He then notices the dead body of Craig on the floor. "Holy shit!"
"NO! NOT MY PRODUCTS!" Anton shrieked as he got up from his desk, then points at his bespectacled advisor. "ALL HANDS ON DECK EVERYONE, YOU TOO!"
The bespectacled advisor stammers. "B-But I'm not qualified—"
Anton interrupted him by kicking him in the rear as he ushers everyone out of his office, himself included. "Shut up and help me save my business, I can't afford any losses now!"
Akira follows Anton out last, being at the back of the crowd before getting pulled aside into a nearby room by Tatiana while they were too busy rushing off to attend to urgent matters. The tigress then looks to him.
"I was stupid to ever think he'd keep his word about not harming my loved ones. He only gives a damn about himself." She said as she hurriedly led him back into Anton's office by the hand and over to the safe where she fetches the key to unlock it. "Hurry, fetch all his files while they're busy with the fires!"
Akira nodded and goes to pack his bag with the files from the safe as well as the ones off his desk while she stood guard at the entrance. "What changed for you?"
"After what he and his gang had done yesterday, I can't standby anymore." Tatiana replied with a firm conviction. "Anton must be stopped. No matter the danger."
"That's what we're doing." Akira replied as he got the last file into the duffel-bag and closes up the safe. "Come with me and I'll get you to safety."
"No. I have to stay behind and keep an eye on Anton." Tatiana shook her head. "Get out of here."
"Are you sure?" Akira rushes to the door, looking back to her.
"Whatever it is you're trying to do, good luck and tell Manic I am sorry for everything. He's right all along." The tigress tells him but before he went any further, he heard the rushing footsteps of Hud. Catching them both in the act.
"You thieving little tramp!" Hud yells as he rushes into the office and tackling Tatiana to the floor. "You're a dead bitch when he finds out what you've do—"
He was stopped when Akira came to Tatiana's rescue and tears him off her. The two struggled on the floor with Hud getting out his switchblade, frantically trying to stab him in the struggle. The conflict would end swiftly when Akira shoves Hud off him with his feet and Tatiana then connecting her foot with his family jewels that made him release the knife.
All that pent-up anger of having to listen to him belittle her, bully her, taunt her, make snide remarks at her whenever she's away from Anton's watch and being a turd of a person period being put into that one kick; having to take all of that abuse from him until today. She's done with that nonsense.
The reptile would cry out in pain but she'd quickly knocks him out with one punch to the jaw and he went down easily onto the floor just like that. For all his talks of being a tough guy, he couldn't even land a single bodyblow on the wolf even at close-range and a girl knocked him cold with one punch to the jaw. Akira thinks that's another reason why he doesn't ever attack alone without backup.
"You can say sorry to him in person yourself. Come on!" The wolf takes Tatiana by the hand once he got back up and hurriedly led her on over a fire exit, taking the tigress with him. Finding one moments later.
Knowing that he'll never forgive himself if he left behind someone close to Manic at the clutches of a now-severely paranoid Anton Veruca, seeing he's rattled enough to shoot one of his own dead. They rushed down the stairs outside til they made it to the bottom and with the other Hooligans rushing to stop the fire from spreading inside, the two took advantage of the situation to hurry away from the scene while everyone else is distracted. Smoke leaking through some parts of the building where the fires are.
Rushing through an alleyway past a wounded Mad Veruca groaning in pain, Tatiana stepped over his form with the lizard crying out in pain before the pair disappears from the chaotic scene.
Cyber City Medical Ward, Cyber City
Afternoon
Following yesterday's fire, both Little John and Jean were taken to the hospital under the protective custody of Detective Keilee as he considers both key witnesses to the crime. Because of that, getting to both would be difficult for either Anton's gang or Captain Krouch to reach them with the detective seeing to it that a police officer he trusts are assigned to guarding duty instead of the former's cronies.
He knew of the two's ties to Manic and so he told his officers that the green hedgehog is permitted visiting rights to them with restrictions involved including how long he can see them for.
Manic went to the hospital to check up on the two today before pulling off the big job in Anton's Palace. Having entered the medical ward wearing a hoody with the hood over his head and a pair of sunglasses just to ensure no one connected to Anton or Krouch would recognize him.
Once he was sure he's in the clear, he lowered the hood and took off the sunglasses when he went into the hospital room Little John is in as the first person he goes to see.
The brown hedgehog looked a little better compared to yesterday but far from looking ideal in his condition and he's very lucky that his childhood friend wasn't rendered a vegetable or worse from his beatings at the hands of the Hooligans. The durable heavy-set build being a blessing in disguise for the stout hedgehog. In spite of being physically alright for a victim of a gang beating, Little John wasn't so alright emotionally. Being very distraught when Manic came in to see him before putting on a smile for his friend.
"Heya pal..." Manic greeted her. "You look a little better... Though I haven't even taken a look at her yet though..."
"Between me and her, I got the brunt of it from Anton's pals like an out of season bash at the beach." Little John said to him, looking up to the green hedgehog from his bed. "How's Akira and them doing?"
"They're doing good. We're uh... We're about to pull the trigger and steal Anton's Treasure."
"You actually made it to the Treasure Room?"
Manic nodded. "We're gonna do it today. Anton's reign of terror is about to come to an end. Justice will finally be done for my father, for us, for Jean and for everyone else wronged by him."
"Wait a minute. You mention your father in that sentence." Little John stops him for a moment. "No... Don't tell me it's what I think it is..."
"Yes..." Manic reveals to him. "Anton is my father's killer. I saw his own memory of what happened."
"I-I can't believe it..." Little John murmurs with wide-eyes. "We both know him to be a royal asshole but being the guy responsible for his murder? That means all those torments from him over the years... He's been laughing in our faces as a murderer the whole time in plain sight and we didn't realise it..."
The brown hedgehog regains his distraught expression from before Manic's arrival. "A-And I c-couldn't even save Jean from him. His guys swarmed the hideout and I fought them off to give her a chance to escape but he's never one for mercy, he saw to it that even she gets subjected to his cruelty through his men... All while I was made to watch as they... As they..."
Little John closes his eyes. "Paulie. What his guys did to her on his orders in the hideout showed me the depths of evil one can sink to and they wouldn't let me look away or shut my eyes from what they put her through. All those bastards who did her in only laughed and jeered in their deeds while they assaulted her..."
Manic wordlessly grabs Little John's hand when he recounted the harrowing scene. He knew how scarring it is for him to see her violated without remorse more than his own beatings. They've both learned how far the Hooligans will stoop to.
"There's times I wish this city could just burn so that people like BB and Grady can be purged in the flames so that they'll never harm another innocent life ever again because mercy be damned when they never showed any themselves!" Then the stout hedgehog said angrily before adding sombrely; "I failed her... I failed your father... And I failed you. I sacrificed myself to save her but failed regardless... I couldn't stand up to the task when the time called for it and I failed..."
Manic shook his head and lightly squeezes Little John's hand, assuring him. "You did what you could. That's all that matters and as long as you've tried, that's good enough for me. Now, it's my turn to try. You just rest up buddy. I'll handle the rest."
"Alright. Just don't forget your life matters too..." Little John reminded him. "Jean's in the next room. She'll recover from her bruises but I think she will never be able to forget what they did to her, knowing she would have made them eat dirt when she was still on the force... Go see her Manić. While you can't erase yesterday from her memory, you could at least comfort her by being there for her. Neither of us will ever forget that nightmare..."
Narrowing his eyes as he looks into Manic's. "Make that bastard Anton pay for everything he and his gang has done. If you choose to kill him today, I'm with you all the way. Finish this once and for all."
Manic nodded as he then went into the next room to see Jean and the guard assigned to watch over the ex-cop allowed Manic to come see her once after a quick identification process. The green hedgehog entering the room.
There, he would see Jean in her medical bed and looked very worse for wear. Having all kinds of bruises and abrasions on her body as physical evidence of a heinous crime; especially around her more sensitive areas. She stared blankly ahead with a traumatized expression on her face as if she had gained the same thousand-yard stare that some war veterans would have. It breaks his heart knowing that she had already suffered enough as is.
"…Heya Miss Jean…" Manic greeted, approaching her bedside. "…So um… You… I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you… But look, I'm going to make everything better. Alright?"
The laughs of Mad Veruca, BB, Hud and the other thugs of Anton that treated themselves to her blemishing continues to be heard deep in the recesses of the skunk's mind. Even in faint, quiet and distant whispers.
Tears stung Jean's cheeks as she's trying to process it all which didn't go unnoticed by Manic. The green hedgehog was silent but then picked up a tissue from a nearby tissue box and gently wiped the tears from her eyes.
"It's okay. I promise you Jean… I'll take care of all of this…" Manic told her, trying to not break into tears himself around her. Jean's life have been ruined twice by Anton. Par for the course as far as the gang leader sees it.
First. Her job when she was doing her job as a police officer in investigating the truth behind the murder of Farrell; someone who earned a real level of respect from other people because of his kind nature unlike Anton who could never garner even close a fraction of his' and one whose death shook Geno City. Assuming what Jean uncovered three years ago on Anton relates to Farrell's death, she essentially got screwed over for poking her nose into something neither he nor Krouch wanted her to know about.
And second, her dignity. He may not have been physically involved with yesterday's traumatic experience but that doesn't exclude him from being complicit in the whole thing. To think Manic used to associate himself with such unsavoury characters that now makes up Anton's crew and had tolerated some of their less pleasant traits while they were still with him, turning a blind eye to it all.
Manic gently held Jean's hand which she recoiled at first, soon accepting it as Manic rubbed her palm with his thumb. The teen hedgehog fighting off his internal emotions over the ruination of Jean at the feet of his former pals that never had any values to begin with. The kinds of people Farrell would oppose out of sheer principles and a bunch he should have brought to justice long ago.
"Right…" Manic said, closing his eyes. "I gotta go but I'll be back, I promise. Just rest for now."
Jean silently nodded as Manic held her hand a little longer for comfort sake til she finally lets go. The green hedgehog soon took his leave and sparing one last glance at her before he left the room. Off to go meet up with his friends over in Gazebo Street.
Before his awakening, the tragedy of Little John and Jean would have broken him completely. The greatest act of cruelty by letting them live with their traumas.
Now? It only emboldens the fire in Manic's heart to see Anton go down. The lizard's greatest mistake was not knowing when enough is enough and one the hedgehog will pay him with. He will see to it that Geno City is free from his tyranny.
Gazebo Street, Geno City
Afternoon
"...I know things are looking tense right now but you and Monica should stay with Jeck for the time being til things cool down." Johnny was on the phone to Patty while waiting in the alleyway with Cortez. "I promise I'll come see you whenever me and the boys are done. Okay?"
"Yeah... We'll do that. Thanks." Patty replied over the phone. "Make that bastard pay, will ya?"
"We will for all of us. Stay safe."
"You as well. Good luck." Patty then hung up. Akira would arrive soon after the call's end and having discarded the Grady disguise on the way over, seeing as he can't use it to infiltrate the gang anymore.
"Just have to wait on Manic now." The wolf said to the two. "You two got everything you need?"
Johnny and Cortez nodded, the latter then asks in return; "What about you?"
"We got the files back and more. They're with Tatiana at the moment."
"Tatiana? What happened?" Johnny asks. "More importantly, did he read the calling card?"
"He did." Akira told them. "However, something strange happened."
It was then that Manic arrives. "Hey. I finished everything on my end. We doing this?"
"We are but just a moment." Johnny said before looking back to Akira. "What do you mean by that?"
"After Anton read the card, I saw his Shadow appear in his office for a moments before disappearing and I'm the only one who seem to have seem it be a none of the others there reacted to it." Akira told Johnny. "Then a few moments later, the storage rooms for their drugs, guns and counterfeit bills ends up on fire at the hideout."
"What about Anton himself? How did he take it?" Cortez asks.
"He's full-blown paranoid now that someone knows his secret and even killed Craig with a headshot when he asked about it." Akira told him. "Probably very hysterical with the fires going on and the files Tatiana helped me to st—"
"Wait, Tatiana did what now?" Manic asked, looking surprised by what he's hearing.
"Tatiana's helped me retake the files and she's heading over to Rockwell's with them as we speak. I'll explain the rest later." Akira told Manic. "Right now, we need to get his Treasure now. Seeing as his Shadow knows we're coming for it."
"Good. The Treasure should appear if you're able to see his Shadow appear in the real world for a few moments." O.V.I told the four of them. "However, you only have one shot at this. It is unlikely that it can be done again."
"We're ending this once and for all." Manic said determinately. "He's enjoyed his luxury long enough. Time for the false king to be dethroned for good. I'm done playing around."
"It's now or never boys." Akira said as he gets out his phone. "Let's do this."
"Beginning Navigation..."
To Be Continued...