Chapter 5 – Scoping Out a Job

Knuckles should've listened to his instincts. He'd heard Jewel was exceedingly persuasive, but no one mentioned how deceitful she was as well. It started innocently enough, simply asking for his help identifying the authenticity of jewelry going up for sale at the auction. After all his adventures recovering the Master Emerald from some villain or other, he'd developed a keen nose for priceless gems and become something of an unofficial treasure hunter. So he'd researched such treasures and gems on his own time, cultivating knowledge about different types.

Therefore, when Jewel called him for help with the latest auction, he wasn't suspicious of it. Not even when she dropped hints such as, "You're so knowledgeable about this. I bet someone would love to hear you talk about these all day long," or "You've been working out lately. I can tell. Maybe you could put those muscles to use too and help draw in a crowd?"

When those went over his oblivious head, she came right out and said it, "So, we don't have a star attraction for the auction. Would you consider being part of it?"

"No," he said flatly, walking away.

Before he even reached the door, she barraged him nonstop with an avalanche of different pleas that assaulted him in different ways. From building up his confidence. "But you're quite a catch! I'm sure a lot of people would bid on you!"

To appealing to his sense of right. "Think of how much you'll be helping the people. The Restoration was planning to use this money to help restore some needed roads and bridges!"

To guilting him. "It'd certainly make up for you abandoning all of us and leaving Amy and me to clean up your mess."

To great big teary eyes that pierced his heart. "Or are you saying you don't care for the people around here?"

And when he finally reached the door, his shaky glove on the handle, about to be free of the roller coaster of emotions she sent him on, the kill shot came. "Fine. I guess I can call Sonic back. Goodness knows, the people like him a lot. I'm sure you wouldn't be able to handle it anyway."

Knuckles rounded on her, stomped one foot forward, and thumbed himself. "Anything Sonic can do, I can do better! I'll draw a bigger crowd than him any day!"

The silence that followed gave him plenty of time to berate himself and he kept his mouth shut as Jewel readied him for the auction lest he say anything else that landed him in an embarrassing situation. Half an hour later, he stood on stage, shooting Jewel daggers as she opened the bidding on him.

"Do I hear fifteen?" she called to the crowd and a few hands went up. "Excellent. How about twenty?"

Sneaky, he thought bitterly, mentally throwing every insult he could at her. Underhanded. Two-faced. The more words he conjured up, the more they slowly solidified into another certain duplicitous individual he knew. Just the thought of that thief out there and him stuck here, away from the Master Emerald, sent panic streaming down his spine.

As Jewel called for another price, the curtain behind Knuckles billowed slightly. He raised an eyebrow and looked around. The air conditioning wasn't blowing that hard. He shuffled backwards and cocked an ear. He heard a distinct noise, a whooshing in the wind. Someone was back there, walking around lightly, yet he felt their movement in his feet, much like he sensed when some of the predators on Angel Island when stalked in the underbrush and long grass.

Edging to the side of the stage, he reached for the ropes to the curtain. Jewel gave him a strange look and he motioned with his hand to continue as normal. "So I see twenty-five," she said, still watching him. "How about thirty? Anyone for thirty?"

Knuckles grabbed the ropes and yanked hard, lifting the curtain up rapidly. Immediately, the lights shone on all the previous bidding items from that day, already attached with tags listing their item numbers, winning bids, and expected owners. A figure stood frozen at one pedestal among several others, each with an expensive piece of jewelry. She held up an exquisitely crafted teardrop diamond necklace high in the air, squinting at it through a handheld loupe.

"Rouge," he said, a growl in his throat. He should've known a collection such as this would attract her like a moth to the flame.

She set the necklace down carefully and patted the display cushion. "Hey," she said with a nervous chuckle, "just making sure that it's the real deal. After all, as an auction attendee myself, I want to make sure we're all getting our money's worth."

"They're all real," Jewel said, as unimpressed with her as Knuckles was. She beckoned Rouge out further. The thief considered the nearby exits, but between Knuckles and the security guards moving into position to block her, she decided against it and joined them on stage. "Funny, I didn't see you in the crowd as a bidder earlier."

"Oh, I was getting some air," she said, still keeping a watchful eye on the exits. Knuckles came closer, ready to pounce if she tried to leave.

"Didn't see anything you liked?"

"Oh, a few items. But enough of that. I'm back and ready to bid. I love auctions and…charity." A shiver coursed along her spine at that odious word.

From behind Rouge, Knuckles caught Jewel glancing at him for a brief second. That was enough for him to see the inner workings of a plan in her mind and the last time she had one, he wound up in this infernal auction.

"Lucky for you, we saved our best prize for last." She pointed at Knuckles and Rouge's eyes widened. She couldn't have wanted this anymore than he did, but the only other option for her was trying to escape through the collection of security guards already planted in front of the exits.

"I believe the latest bid was about, oh," Jewel pretended to check nonexistent notes on the podium, "about seventy rings?"

It wasn't, but Knuckles didn't correct her. He enjoyed the vein throbbing in Rouge's temple.

"Then I guess I'll go seventy-one," she said through gritted teeth. "Will that be enough?"

"Maybe. Any other bidders? Seventy-two? Or maybe seventy-five?" She looked out over the crowd and pointed to a random corner that Knuckles was pretty sure was empty. "Yes, seventy-five! Well, do you want to try higher, lover of auctions?"

It was obvious that Jewel wouldn't let Rouge out without trying to bid on something. So either Rouge took her chances with security and earned a just punishment. Or she lost some rings and left. It wasn't like Rouge would go through with the "prize" and spend the day with him. So what did he care? He won either way.

"Fine, eighty. Now end it," she said, snatching the gavel from Jewel and hammering it on the podium, making the poor auctioneer squeak and fall off her stool. Rouge flung a handful of ring notes her way, then grabbed Knuckles' hand and dragged him to the lobby doors. She shared a stare down with the security guard in front of the door for a few moments, before he stepped aside, opened the door for them, and nodded.

Once in the lobby and away from prying eyes, Rouge dropped Knuckles' hand and kicked over a nearby potted plant. He only ever saw her flying off after her attempts to steal his emerald. So he enjoyed the show, basking in the afterglow of her failure. "Serves you right."

That set her off further and he immediately found her snarl inches from his own face. As well as her fist. "I had it in my hands. I almost had it."

"Well now it'll serve a better purpose," he said. "The Restoration needs all the funding they can get."

She snorted and waved him off, the back of her hand smacking his cheek accidentally. Or maybe not, he thought.

She walked around him. "The Restoration has plenty of funding. What they need now are more hands. I'm surprised you weren't lending them yours, Knucklehead, since that's about all you're good for."

He growled at her. "I was. Then Jewel said she needed my help with the auction and to be one of the prizes."

"Let me guess. She pointed out that Sonic did it and so you had to prove you could do it better, huh?" His face heated up and he went over to the potted plant, standing it upright. Rouge laughed and shook her head. "You're too easy."

"Still, at least I wasn't keeping them from repairing the roads." He scooped the clumps of dirt and dumped them back into the pot, patting down the soil.

"You mean the same roads I used to get here?" she asked, bending over to look at his work. "They're not wrecked, you know. They just need basic maintenance, which the cities usually take out of their budget to do. If I took a little ol' gem or two, the most they'd have to wait is a couple of extra months to patch a few rough areas. The Restoration is trying to help them out sooner." He glanced up at her and she nodded at the soil in his hands. "That's all fake by the way."

He lifted the dirt closer, then checked the plant, and realized she was right. He dumped the fake dirt back on the carpet and she laughed, flicking his nose with the tip of her finger. "Like I said, too easy."

"Get away," he grumbled and stood up, dusting off his gloves. "If you're done being a nuisance, I'm heading back to the island. I've been gone for too long as it is."

As he walked by her, she grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. "Oh, no you don't. You cost me a lot of rings today, so you're going to make it up to me. After all," she grinned, "I believe I won you for the day?"

"Like I'd let myself be humiliated further." He shrugged her off.

"But didn't you want to do good? Shouldn't a noble guardian like you honor his promise? Or should I call Jewel and the guards in here and demand a refund?"

Knuckles crossed his arms, thoroughly sick of the whole auction. "Call them for all I care."

"Fine." He knew that tone. That tone that claimed she knew exactly how to get what she wanted from him. "I just thought you'd be able to go all the way. After all, I heard Sonic put up with Amy not just once, but twice." His eye twitched and he tried to restrain himself. Yet he couldn't as she went on, pushing all the right buttons with practice. "But if you're not able to even do the same, well I guess—"

"Shut up and let's get going," he said, hating her and himself.

"Wonderful." Again, she snatched his hand and pulled him to the exit. "Don't worry. You won't be humiliated any further. I simply need an extra set of eyes."

The last place Knuckles expected Rouge to take him to was the city's local museum. Large and expansive, it took up half a city block and welcomed everyone up a long set of stairs outside.

Then he spotted the banners near the front doors, furling in the wind. NEW HISTORICAL GEMS AND STONES EXHIBIT! He threw a glare at Rouge and shook his head. "You just never give up, do you? I'm not going to be your lookout while you steal."

"Who said anything about stealing?" she asked innocently, wrapping her arm around his and leaning on his shoulder. "I simply want to soak in the culture, spend the day at the museum, learn a thing or two about these priceless artifacts with a friend of mine."

"You mean scoping the place out and using me for cover."

She only gave him a wink in response. He thought about flagging down one of the employees as they entered, but knowing Rouge, she'd charm them out of their suspicions to the point that they might very well unlock the cases and show her the jewels. No, he'd simply have to keep a watchful eye on her and make sure she didn't do anything illegal while they were at the museum.

"It doesn't do you to look so grumpy," she said, poking his cheek up into a forced smirk. He jerked his chin away and grumbled under his breath.

Rouge guided him around the museum, pretending to appreciate the various art pieces and other exhibits on show as they slowly made their way to the gem exhibit on the opposite end. For his part, Knuckles tried to relax and save his energy for when they reached the actual exhibit, admiring the displays in the meantime. Some were actually pretty interesting after all. There were plenty of fossils of extinct creatures and unearthed finds from ancient civilizations.

Rouge approached one display case that contained some spears and pieces of pottery. He immediately tensed up, expecting the worst. She sensed it and frowned at him. "Easy, boy. I was just going to show you that." She pointed at the plaque with information on the pieces beside it. "Thought you might be interested."

Stepping closer, he skimmed it and stopped when he saw the words 'Angel Island.' He re-read the plaque in full and how the items were from a tribe that traded and interacted with the ancient echidnas of Angel Island. Looking up at the display case, he examined a couple of pieces and realized they did seem similar to some of the pieces he had found when investigating tribal ruins on his own. Perhaps they came from his own tribe if these people did trade with them?

Gently tugging on his arm, Rouge guided him away. "Maybe they have some more around here."

"Yeah." Then he remembered why they were here and he narrowed his eyes. "Why do you care?"

"I figured since I dragged you here, I'd do something nice." She sounded genuinely upset, which took him aback. "But if you're going to be like that, then we can just head straight to my favorite exhibit."

"No, no, it's," he sighed. "Nevermind. Thanks, I guess."

"You're welcome. Was that so hard?"

Yes, he thought. She seemed better and nestled her head against his arm again. It actually felt quite nice and he only now noticed her perfume. An attractive scent that matched her demeanor: bold, confident, all eyes on her and all hearts in the palm of her hand. Had she always worn that and they were too busy fighting for him to notice?

He needed to watch himself as much as her. Rouge played with people's emotions the way a predator played with its food. Still, as they went from area to area throughout the museum, he had trouble keeping his eyes off her, sneaking peeks when he thought she was distracted.

Eventually, they headed up the stairs to the historical gems and stones exhibit. Rouge's eyes flashed with greed, every jewel she looked at sparkling in her eyes. She dragged him over to one, a large crystal-clear diamond resting in a two-inch thick case. "Hello, beautiful," she said, her nose nearly pressed to the glass.

Knuckles rolled his eyes. "Don't give me that look," she said with a pout.

"I didn't say anything." Knuckles gave up understanding her obsession a long time ago. After all, everyone had their own object of desire. Tails and his machines, Amy and Sonic, Rouge and jewels. Even her tail jittered behind her, as though it would start wagging happily any moment.

It was honestly kind of cute in his opinion. She rarely displayed more than a calculated composure, perfect for seducing a target. To see her face light up, her eyes widen, and an actual smile was a rare treat.

"I wonder how much you'll fetch," she murmured, examining the case, reminding him once again of her intent.

"You won't get through it that easy," he said.

She chuckled. "Darling, I've gotten into tougher cases than this."

He didn't doubt it. "It'd be a waste of time anyway. It's not a true diamond."

"Nice try, Knuckie," she said, checking the square pillar the case sat on for any weaknesses. "But you're not going to dissuade me from my prize."

"I'm not. I'm just pointing out that you'll be wasting your time. If you want to risk it for a fake though, be my guest." After all, getting caught in the act of stealing a fake diamond would be hilarious in his opinion.

She stood up and folded her arms on top of the case, resting her chin on top of them. "Alright then. Enlighten me. How can you tell it's a fake just from looking at it in the case?"

"The lights." He walked around beside her and pulled her back from the case. Then he pointed at the overhead white lights shining down. "See the sparkles on it and how the light bounces off the diamond?"

She stared at it and he watched the realization set in. "It's not sparkling near enough."

"Exactly. A real diamond would reflect the light much better. There's barely a shine to this one."

She had all the disappointment of a child finding out Santa Claus wasn't real. "But when I checked the museum's website, they said they had the actual gems." She glanced around the rest of the exhibit doubtfully.

"My guess is either they wanted to prevent theft and so sent replicas," he looked pointedly at her, "or whoever is supposed to verify this stuff isn't good at their job."

Rouge pursed her lips and pushed him along to the next case. "C'mon, Mr. Expert. Let's check the next ones."

Much to her chagrin, the next few cases were a mixed bag. A ruby embedded in a past celebrity's ring, a dozen sapphires inlaid in a royal's necklace, and an amethyst geode. Rouge examined the ruby first, positioning Knuckles in front of her. "Keep an eye on that guard." Across from the entrance, a tall security guard raised a suspicious eyebrow at them. Knuckles did his best to act casual, looking at nothing in particular until the guard turned elsewhere.

"Color's correct," Rouge said, eyeing the ruby. She pulled out the loupe, squinting at the jewel. "Perfectly cut, looks right." She passed Knuckles the loupe. "What do you think?"

He held up the device and checked himself. She was right. It did appear to be real from the outset. Then he saw an odd, circular shape near the bottom. "I think there's a bubble in it."

"No," Rouge swiped the loupe back and looked where he pointed. Thankfully, the guard was reprimanding some rowdy kids in another section. "C'mon, let's move on."

"What kind of cheap person donates a fake ring?"

"Someone who wants to keep the real thing maybe?"

They had better luck with the crown. Despite claiming to be sapphires, they each spotted differently colored blue gem stones. "I see a few aquamarines," she said.

"And that one there. Isn't that a tourmaline?"

"Oh, very good eye. Hm, I'll keep this one in mind still."

The geode didn't really hold her attention. "How exactly am I supposed to carry out a five-foot hunk of rock?" she asked and read the simple plaque that simply listed the height, weight, and where it was discovered. "One that's nearly a ton?"

For Knuckles though, it fascinated him. "Yeah, you couldn't. But look at it. This is one of the tallest geodes ever discovered." He traced the edges of the geode and tapping the glass at certain spots. "There're a few cracks here where it started to come apart. They had to work carefully for a few months to excavate it. That's why there's such a thick layer of rock on the outside. It was constantly at risk of breaking apart" When he glanced at her, she wore an amused grin. "What?"

"No, nothing."

His cheeks warmed and he suddenly remembered where he was, what he was doing. "You look like you're about to laugh."

"No, I swear I'm not. I'm enjoying your little lecture." Everything from his neck up was scalding and he turned back to the geode. "Go on. Please?"

His tongue sat very fat and heavy in his mouth, especially when she moved closer to study the display with him. He pointed to the amethyst lining inside, sparkling like a purple sea at dawn. "They polished the edge for a few weeks to full reveal the opening and removed a few crystals. The rest they managed to keep intact. You can see a large one there." He pointed at a far corner, then one closer to them, where a smaller collection poked out.

"I should bring you scouting with me more often. Where'd you learn all this?"

Not going to help you on your thefts. "I read about some things. Picked up others here and there. Not as much as you know about jewelry, I'm sure."

"True. But you're not bad. In fact, you're adorable when you're passionate about something."

He snorted. She was making fun of him, of course.

She grabbed his chin and turned him back to her. "Hey, I'm being serious. You're so uptight and grumpy all the time. It's nice to see you happy for a change."

He started to make a snide comment about how if everyone, including her, wasn't always trying to steal the Master Emerald, he wouldn't need to be so uptight. But he stopped. Something in her smile was real and honest. Not like when she put up a front to accomplish a mission or theft.

"Well," he cleared his dry throat, "it's nice seeing you talk about jewelry. Sometimes. I guess."

Her toothy grin widened. "Aw, look at you trying to be nice and a gentleman." However, her eyes glittered much like the geode and the atmosphere between them was nice. Almost…

Rouge broke away from him and circled the display, glancing disapprovingly at the exhibit. "Guess this whole thing hasn't panned out like I wanted. Hardly anything worth swiping."

"Y-Yeah." He rubbed his arm, which suddenly felt cold and wanting. "No point staying any longer."

She agreed and returned to him, thumbing over her shoulder. "Walk me out?"

As they headed to the entrance, Knuckles' head lingered behind at the gem exhibit. He might not have been the most socially intelligent person around, but even he could tell something had been about to happen. Right? Or was I misreading things?

Once outside, Rouge stretched her back and spread her wings. The sun had set and the lights shown bright in the city with all sorts of colors advertising restaurants, shops, and late-night entertainment.

"Not the worst eighty rings I've ever spent," she said.

Knuckles clucked his tongue. "Gee, thanks."

"In all seriousness, I did have a good time." He was suddenly aware how close they were and again, his head was on fire, seared by her own body heat that seemed far too intense for such a cool evening. "What say we do it again?"

"What? Help you plan your next theft?"

She chuckled. "No, Knucklehead. I mean go out somewhere. Maybe come back here and you can tell me all about the other ancient rocks and jewels they have."

She really meant it. Slowly, he said, "Okay."

"Good." She kissed his cheek and he was sure his head would explode from the overwhelming heat, despite such soft lips. He wanted to turn, to see those lips himself. To meet them with his own.

Before he could, the kiss ended and she waved to him. "See you later, Knuckles." Blowing him one last kiss, she took to the air and flew off to the city, presumably to find another target.

Knuckles stood there for a minute, touching his cheek, savoring the sensation. Then, on shaky legs, he too leapt into the air and headed to Angel Island, his thoughts a pile of mush except for one. He was looking forward to their next outing.