AN: Sorry I'm a few days late with the update! Thank you to those of you who left a comment on my last chapter. I need to give a shout out to BlissofanAngel, RisingZero1984, Colabat, Yurika, CrimsonLove16, 4lyssa4dsmol, Pirilaxa, and IvyRonin for the reviews and comments you left. I put a lot of work into that chapter to make it as spicy as possible. Things are definitely starting to escalate in the story, and I hope you'll all enjoy the ride. ;)
The next morning, Amy woke up naked in Shadow's bed. Groggily, she sat on the edge of the bed, feeling sore between her legs. Carefully and quietly, Amy scrounged for her clothing scattered throughout the room and went into the bathroom to shower. After their romp in the bathroom upstairs, the two enjoyed the rest of the party with their guests. However, Shadow and Amy performed several more times to end the night and made love in countless positions. It was exhilarating, to say the least, and she was sure Shadow had thoroughly enjoyed himself last night, but exhaustion was now catching up with her. Once she returned to the room, she looked at him, passed out naked on his stomach, and decided to let him sleep in.
Once she was thoroughly dressed in her scrubs, she came downstairs. Rouge cleaned up from last night's birthday party in the living room while Locke sat in the dining room next door. Rouge had a garbage bag and placed empty bottles into the bag. Her large bat ears twitched when she heard footsteps approaching. She smiled when she realized it was Amy. "Hey, you. Where'd you go off to after your big clash with Lien-Da?" Rouge inquired.
"Oh well, Shadow and I were uh…making up," she worded carefully with a faint blush.
Rouge smirked knowingly. "Good for you, girl," she winked.
Amy walked around the living room and began picking up trash. "I'll help you some before I go to work." She picked up a few paper plates and helped toss them into a garbage bag.
Locke sat in the dining room and poured himself a shot of whiskey. "Locke, it's nine o'clock in the morning." Rouge shook her head at the sight and lack of support.
Locke glanced at his daughter-in-law with a neutral expression as he held the shot glass. "You're right. It is."
Amy walked over to see what Rouge was fussing at him about. When she saw him throw the shot back, she frowned. "Locke, you know you shouldn't be drinking. Doctor's orders remember?" she reminded in disappointment.
"I'm here for a good time, not a long time, lass," he shrugged before pouring himself another shot.
Amy sighed solemnly, realizing he wouldn't be taking his health seriously.
"Well, if you're not going to be around for long, then you think you can pick your ass up and help us clean for the time being?" Rouge questioned the red echidna.
Locke dragged a hand down his tired face. "I'm exhausted, Rouge. I'm going to nap and then head back to my cabin," he shrugged.
Just as Rouge was about to lay into him, they heard a pair of heels clunking down the stairs. Everyone looked toward the staircase, where a couple of toned red legs in black knee-high stilettos came walking down, only to reveal Lien-Da. She had a bruise on one of her cheeks but still looked pretty good. "Morning," she said in a fake pleasant tone.
Amy narrowed her eyes in disgust at the stripper's sight. "What are you still doing here?"
Lien-Da finished descending the stairs and placed one hand on her left hip. "I was a guest here," she stated as if it were obvious.
Rouge crossed her arms over her busty chest and quirked a brow. "Whose?" she challenged.
Lien-Da scoffed and rolled her eyes at the bat. "Is that truly any of your business, Rouge?"
Rouge marched over to Lien-Da with clenched fists and an intimidating stance. "You should make it our business, sweetie."
"Look, I was invited to spend the night by one of your boys," she shrugged, acting like it wasn't a big deal. In the background, Locke watched silently at the girls bickering with Lien-Da. He knew to keep out of it, or he'd get an earful from Amy and Rouge for trying to intervene.
"Well, the invitation's over now. Please leave." Amy walked over and stood beside the white bat, making it clear that she was no longer welcome in their home.
"Oh please," Lien scoffed.
Rouge leaned forward, getting in the echidna's face. "Now would be a good time to get your shit and get out," she warned.
Lien-Da couldn't help but smirk, seeing she was winding up both females. It gave her delight that her mere presence threatened them. She glanced at Amy, who still held a stoic but intense "don't fuck with me" expression. Rouge turned to face Lien-Da once more. "Bitch, she will pop those tacky implants of yours if you don't leave right now," she threatened.
Just then, someone else came downstairs. Mephiles strolled down the steps and stretched his arms over his head with a yawn. He glanced at the three females in a standoff and could feel the palpable tension. "Ladies, is that any way to speak to a guest?" he spoke before walking up beside Lien-Da and wrapping one arm around her waist. "She is my lovely guest, after all," he purred while giving her bedroom eyes.
Lien-Da giggled playfully back at his comment. "Aw, Mephiles."
"She's your guest?" Rouge gawked. "Why am I not surprised…."
The president ignored Rouge's comment and instead focused on Lien. "I don't know about you, but I had fun last night," he whispered while running his muzzle against her shoulder.
Lien-Da grinned and gasped as Mephiles' hand groped one of her ass cheeks. "Mmm, I did too, baby. It was my pleasure," she purred.
"You're always invited to visit again," he smirked.
Lien fluttered her eyelashes at him. "Sounds like a plan." Suddenly the two engaged in a heated kiss before the two girls. Mephiles cupped her ass cheek in his hand, soliciting an erotic moan from Lien as they shared saliva.
"Ah…"
Amy and Rouge were taken aback by Mephiles' bold PDA displayed before him. Rouge wanted to throw up in disgust. Rouge shuddered at the sight. "Suddenly, I'm transported to a bad porno." Amy, in the meantime, could only grimace.
Mephiles and Lien broke apart from their heated kiss. He eyed the two girls. "Why are you girls being so rude to my lovely guest?"
"We aren't. We're just making truthful observations. However, she was leaving. Weren't you?"
Lien-Da rolled her eyes again and scoffed. "Yes, I was." Once again, another person walked downstairs, but this time it was Shadow. Lien-Da looked over her shoulder and gave him a wink and a flirty smile, seeing the next person. "Morning, handsome. I hope you had a good birthday last night." Amy frowned in annoyance at her flirty nature, and Mephiles couldn't help but enjoy seeing Amy irritated by Lien's antics.
"Lien, you're still here?" Shadow stopped at the bottom of the staircase, surprised to see her still there. He wondered if a confrontation would occur again based on everyone hanging by the stairs.
Mephiles sighed in frustration. "As I said, she was my guest, and I'm walking her out now." Everyone watched as Mephiles kept an arm around her waist and walked her out the front door.
"Toodles," Lien waved while blowing a kiss to Shadow.
Amy huffed and stormed off into the other room to recompose herself. She hated getting so flustered by her, but she couldn't help it. Lien-Da just rubbed her the wrong way, and it made her angry. Shadow sighed, followed Amy, and found her brooding in the kitchen with her arms crossed and glaring down at the floor. "Why are you mad now? She wasn't my guest," he argued.
Amy closed her eyes shut while she kept her back to him. "That's not the point, Shadow. She shouldn't be hanging around here."
Shadow slowly walked up behind her and placed one hand on her shoulder. "I thought I made it very clear last night that you have nothing to be worried about."
Amy spun around to face him finally. "I know, but I still don't want her hanging around and flaunting her body like it's for sale. It's disrespectful to me."
"Amy," he stated sternly. She looked up at him, hearing his serious tone. "If you can't trust me even when I've been assuring you repeatedly, then this relationship won't last long," he warned.
Amy felt her heart sink at the idea of them breaking up. "…No, please."
"I promise you," he stated sternly. "I will never hurt you in that way."
Amy lowered her head and felt incredibly immature—almost like she was back in middle school getting jealous of other girls looking at her guy. "I-I'm sorry."
He softened his serious expression, seeing her so upset again. "I'm sorry that I make you feel like you can't trust me around an ex," he apologized. "Whatever you need me to do to help assure you I won't make you feel that way, I'll work on it, too," he pledged. "But you also need to work on this jealousy issue you've got going on."
Amy nodded, understanding. "I guess we're not the perfect couple I thought we were…"
"Yeah, but there's no such thing as a perfect couple," he noted. "We've just had our first couple of disagreements or arguments—as all couples do. Look at Rouge and Knuckles, for instance. They bicker and have fights, but they communicate and solve their problems. That's why they've been together for so long," he explained.
"You're right, you know," she concurred. "I'm glad we had this talk, even if it was uncomfortable. I guess I'm so jealous because you're the best guy I've ever been with. I don't want to lose you—and lose this relationship."
His hand caressed her face as he looked down at her lovingly. "You made me realize that I could find love again. You're the best thing that's happened to me in a long time. You make me a better person, Amy."
She blushed at his comment feeling the sincerity in his words. "Aww, Shadow."
He leaned down and pecked her lips. "I love you."
"I love you too," she replied softly.
"And about last night," he segued. "I don't know about you, but I had a wonderful night with you," he smirked. His arms wrapped around her waist, and his eyelids lowered sensually as he looked down at her in his arms. "Thank you for the birthday sex. You were incredibly sexy and giving last night, Rose."
"I'm glad to hear that." Amy blushed even more. "It was amazing, exhilarating, and you were just as accommodating."
He stroked her cheek. "I loved seeing that whole other side of you."
"Same goes for you," she giggled.
Shadow quickly looked over his shoulder to see if any spectators were nearby as a thought crossed his mind. He leaned down towards her ear. "I know you have to go to work, but is there any chance I could make an appointment to meet with the doctor?" he whispered.
She smiled sheepishly up at him as he rested his muzzle in the crook of her neck and nuzzled it. "Shadow, I'd love to, but I'll have to take a rain check. I'm already late for work.
Shadow nodded, understanding as he pulled back from her. He respected her decision. "That's a shame, but I understand." He leaned down and pecked her on the lips. "Let's get you to work then, okay? The rest of us are going to be busy as usual. I'll pick you up later today." Amy and Shadow left the kitchen together and headed for the front door.
Meanwhile, outside near the cracked kitchen window, Mephiles stood with his back firmly pressed up against that side of the house. He had heard Amy and Shadow's conversation about trust in their relationship. He was excited, realizing he had caused a few cracks to form. Introducing Lien-Da had done it. Now that he knew Amy had some insecurities around it, he'd drive the wedge further between them with some other tactics.
•~•
Later that morning, Shadow and the others visited their storage unit to secure the drugs Enerjak had supplied. Deep in a secluded part of the woods away from the mainland neighborhoods, Shadow, Gadget, Mighty, Manic, Ray, and Knuckles finished unloading all the drugs and stored them safely in the storage unit. The sizeable barn-like cabin is where they kept all their arsenal and was where they'd build and reconstruct S-Rank weaponry. However, it was now used to hold drugs until smuggling and distribution.
Knuckles dusted off his hands after unloading the final crate from the back of the truck. He had worked up a bit of sweat from all the weightlifting. "Well, that's the last one."
Shadow stared at the seven wooden crates they had unpacked. "Great, now we'll need to have at least two of us guard until the distributors arrive. Enerjak made it clear to ensure that none of this goes missing in the meantime."
"I can take the first shift," Mighty offered, raising his hand voluntarily.
Manic glanced over to his best friend and raised his hand as well. "In that case, I'll pair up with Might and keep him company!"
Shadow eyed the two of them. "Sounds good. We'll rotate in pairs until further notice. Mighty and Manic, you've got the overnight shift tonight as well. " Two others will come and take over in the morning," he instructed.
"Would you guys want me to swing by and grab you something to eat for lunch and dinner?" Gadget offered.
"That'd be great," Mighty smiled. "I'll text you closer to lunchtime when we decide."
•~•
Back at the house, only Mephiles, Rouge, and Gadget remained. After helping Rouge clean up the house, Amy went to work. This left the perfect opportunity for Mephiles to snoop around her bedroom. After his conversation with Amy the other day, he grew suspicious that Amy may be involved with Locke's grand plan to blackmail him into stepping down as club president and pulling out of the cartel business. Mephiles opened Amy's bedroom door, walked inside, and shut the door behind him. He was thrilled that Amy was away at work, allowing him to carefully go through her belongings in search of those journal entries and police files regarding his father's death.
Mephiles searched throughout her room, meticulously making sure anything he moved in the search was placed back in its place. After all, he did not want to alert Amy that he had gone through her room. He searched under her bed, in her closet, and looked for any secret stash locations in the floorboards or walls of her room that she may have utilized to hide private belongings. As he went through her dresser, he went through the many drawers and stumbled across her bra and panty drawer. He had to humor himself and see what type of lingerie she wore so he could fantasize about how she looked nearly naked. He held up a pair of red bikini underwear and was surprised not to see any thongs. Perhaps she wasn't the thong-wearing type of girl. Growling in frustration at the lack of evidence, he returned the underwear and closed the drawer.
He glanced at her dirty laundry hamper near her bedroom door and walked over. He rummaged through the soiled clothing, looking for any sign she may have hidden the documents and contents, but once again came up short. However, he stumbled across a pair of her used panties and grabbed them. Closing his eyes, he lifted them to his nose and inhaled deeply, gathering her natural scent. He gave out a primal growl, excited and aroused by her natural pheromones left on the fabric. It was a shame that there was a possibility that she may be involved in Locke's plan. Despite everything between them, he still wanted to bed her. He knew deep down he could easily please her better than Shadow ever could and make her cum countless times before wearing her out. He tossed her dirty panties back in the hamper and sighed. He considered keeping it for a keepsake, but he was sure she'd notice the missing item, and he couldn't risk her knowing he was onto her.
Realizing he may have been in her room too long, he opened her door a jar. He saw no sign of Rouge or Ray, who may be lurking around the house. He couldn't allow them to see him leaving her bedroom, which would only raise questions. He looked both ways and didn't see or hear either of them. Mephiles slithered out discreetly before closing the door behind him.
•~•
Later, Mephiles went by the police station to visit Detective Espio and Vector. The two were busy doing paperwork at their desks when they saw the dark president saunter into the station. Mephiles strolled around the main lobby looking around inconspicuously. The crocodile glanced over to his partner and nodded to signal him. Vector ended the call he was in the middle of, figuring his sudden appearance may be important.
Espio nodded, and the two got up and made their way over to Mephiles. In his office, Silver watched from the large window into the main lobby, where he spotted the three converging at the main entrance. He shook his head, watching his corrupt detectives walk off with the seedy M.C. president.
Outside, Espio, Vector, and Mephiles grabbed some coffee at a food truck parked in the parking lot. They then convened at some set-up chairs and tables while drinking coffee. "What's new then?" Vector asked before taking a sip.
Mephiles kept his hands cupped around his Styrofoam cup. "I've been desperately looking for Locke's whistleblower, and I believe I may have found the culprit."
Espio looked intrigued to know whom he had pinned. "Who do you suspect?"
"I believe it's Ms. Rose," Mephiles answered calmly.
Vector looked surprised by the idea and in disbelief at the thought. "Whoa, Shadow's old lady? Why do you think she's involved?"
"Well, she's quite close with Locke. They've only grown closer over the past couple of weeks. When she's not hanging all over my brother's cock, she's usually seen with the old buzzard," he noted. "She would be someone Locke would least expect me to pinpoint."
Espio leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "Say you're right with your speculation. Do you have any proof to suggest for sure she is?"
Mephiles shook his head. "Unfortunately, no," he sighed in frustration. "I already scoured every inch of her room and couldn't find evidence of the entries or police reports. If she does have it, she hid it somewhere else…clever girl."
Vector looked at Mephiles with seriousness. "How much longer before Locke pulls the plug on you?"
"Tomorrow," he announced. "And you know if he rats me out, you two are coming down with me," he warned.
"If you have no proof that Amy is involved, we can't do much about it. We'll have to do something about Locke, however. Perhaps we could persuade him to stay silent," Vector suggested. "We sort of have a relationship with the guy, don't we, Esp?"
Espio mulled over it with his eyes closed for a moment. "Yes, we may be able to convince him otherwise."
Mephiles rose from his seat with his coffee cup in hand. "Regardless, we must stop him before it's too late."
"We understand," Vector concurred. "Just don't do anything rash. We'll deal with him before tomorrow, all right? Remember, we've got your back."
"Very well…" Mephiles merely glanced over his shoulder at the two detectives as he disposed of his empty coffee cup into the trash.
•~•
Back at the compound, Shadow, Gadget, Knuckles, and Ray worked in the mechanic shop on vehicle repairs. While Locke and Rouge remained in the house, continuing to clean up from last night's party. Mephiles returned to the compound on his bike and parked it just in front of their home. When Mephiles took his helmet off, he saw his brother waiting for him in the shop. Shadow stuck his head out of the garage door, spotting his brother. He sighed, figuring he was about to be grilled on his whereabouts.
At that same time, Rouge walked out with two large trash bags and headed for the dumpster near the entrance to dispose of them.
Mephiles placed his helmet on one of his bike handles and walked toward the garage. "How's it going so far?"
"Good for now. Mighty and Manic are stationed at the warehouse, and the rest of us are finishing up a few jobs," he gestured with a thumb over his shoulder. "Where have you been all morning?"
"About that," Mephiles began as he quickly tried to think of a lie on the spot. However, he'd be able to stall a bit longer when screeching wheels careening towards their compound drew their attention elsewhere. A giant monster truck sped into the compound, and two-armed Suppression Squad members, Drago Wolf and Flying Frog, sat in the truck's bed armed with AR-15s and shot into the mechanic shop and the house.
Bullets whizzed in all directions, shattering the glass windows of their house and hitting the sides of vehicles in the shop. An oil tank was shot and blown up, causing a substantial fire. "Shit, take cover!" Mephiles yelled. Shadow and Mephiles quickly took cover behind some cars that helped block the bullets from hitting them. Rouge screamed and promptly hid behind the dumpster as bullets hit close to her feet. She was the closest to the opposing M.C. club as they purposefully targeted her out of thrill.
Drago grinned manically as he continued to shoot rounds near Rouge as she desperately tried to keep cover. "Not smart to be outdoors right now," he cackled.
Rouge moved further back, trying to avoid being shot. "Stop it!" she shouted out of desperation.
Seeing his old lady in danger, Knuckles came out of the garage holding an AK-47 and began to shoot back at their assailants. Locke also heard all the commotion from inside the house, came out with an MP5 in hand, and shot back in defense.
Shadow wished he had been armed that day but could do nothing but stay hidden behind the vehicle. He glanced over his shoulder back inside the shop, where his gun lay on one of the workstations. However, he'd be in the range of being shot. Mephiles, on the other hand, drew out his Beretta .40 from the back of his pants, popped over the hood, and shot at the two males.
The driver did a donut in their driveway, leaving a large burnout streak. "Stay out of the drug business if you know what's good for ya," Flying Frog hollered while his long tongue draped out his mouth. "This was a warning from the Suppression Squad!" he shot a few more rounds into the air like a maniac.
The monster truck raced out of the compound and sped down the street. Ray hid inside the garage and covered his ears as the truck whizzed past the open garage. Once they were gone, everyone came out of their hiding positions.
Knuckles rushed over to his wife and helped her up. He did a quick examination of her, looking for any injuries. "Rouge, are you okay?"
Rouge trembled slightly as she was encapsulated in his arms. "I-I'm fine."
He held her in his arms, hugging her. "Shit, that scared the fuck out of me. You're okay, though, baby. I've got you."
Shadow and the other boys convened in the middle of their driveway. "Those assholes probably woke up the whole damn neighborhood," the vice president scoffed. "We'll need a cover story once Officer Friendly shows up," he said, annoyed.
"I've got one covered," Mephiles assured.
Locke walked away from the conversation with a shake of his head. "Pathetic…"
Mephiles grimaced in disgust at the older red echidna's retreating figure. He was starting to get on his nerves.
•~•
A few minutes later, Deputy Silver, Detective Vector, Espio, and several other officers rolled up to the premise after getting calls from nearby neighbors. There were at least four different police cars parked just outside the broken gate.
The dark hedgehog vice president watched Deputy Silver and a few officers behind him walk into their mechanic shop.
"Let me guess. You smell smoke?" Shadow surmised, nodding to the charred remains still puffing billows of smoke in the background.
Silver slowly took off his black aviators and rested them on the collar of his shirt. "No, bullets, actually," he corrected. "And based on all the calls and the damage to your house and mechanic shop, I'm guessing it was of the automatic variety, am I right, Shadow?" he assumed arrogantly.
Shadow nodded. "Yes, we noticed that as well. I'm thrilled you're here, in any case. We feel safer already," he said with facetiousness.
"Do you have any idea who it was?" Silver questioned as he pulled out a pad of paper and pen.
Mephiles ambled out of his office and walked up alongside his brother. "I don't like to snitch, but the other General Motors Mechanic Shop on 7th street has been pretty suspicious since we opened our custom bike business," Mephiles interjected.
Silver quirked a brow. "So, you're suggesting the people who did this is your competition? Other mechanics?" he questioned seriously.
"They're very jealous of all the business we've pulled from them," Mephiles added. "It's a possibility, officer."
It was evident they were going to be of no help. Silver glared at the two brothers at the apparent sarcasm they were playing right now. "Right, well, I truly appreciate your cooperation," Silver stated sarcastically. "However, we'll still have to investigate your property fully."
Shadow shrugged indifferently. "Knock yourself out, Deputy."
Silver placed his aviators back over his eyes and turned around, barking orders to the other officers on duty. Shadow and Mephiles walked off together back towards the inside of the mechanic shop. "Now what?" Shadow whispered to his brother.
"If we were attacked here, there's a possibility our unit holding the drugs could be attacked," Mephiles whispered back. "We'll need reinforcements to back Mighty and Manic."
"Do you think the Suppression knows where our new unit is?" Shadow questioned.
"We can't risk it. It's not like we heavily advertised our alignment with our new business partner," he justified.
Shadow sighed as the thought crossed his mind. "Who can we send over there without making it obvious?"
Mephiles stroked his chin in thought before his eyes lit up. "I have an idea."
In the background, Detective Espio and Vector spotted Locke loading up his old pickup truck. The two detectives walked over to join him. "Hey, old timer, it's been a while," Vector announced.
Locke glanced over his shoulder at the two. "Not long enough," he mumbled irritably.
"Hey, now. Is that any way to talk to an old friend?" Vector tsked, noting his grumpiness.
"You consider us friends?" Locke scoffed in amusement.
"It appears you don't seem thrilled to see us," Espio observed.
"I don't associate myself with people who kiss Mephiles' ass," Locke pointed as he threw another suitcase into the back of his truck bed.
"Kiss ass?" Vector repeated, feeling offended. "Ain't no way we kiss anyone's ass around here!"
"Sure, especially regarding a paycheck," he cracked back.
"Look, we're not here to fight with you, Locke," Espio said, trying to remain civil. "You may disagree with our decisions, but we still consider you a dear friend. We used to be close back in the day. We only want to have a word with you."
"Let me guess, does it involve Mr. tall, dark, and creepy?" Locke surmised as he walked over to the driver's side of his car.
"If that means Mephiles, then yeah!" Vector confirmed. "Please, it'll just take a few minutes," he pleaded.
"Tell you what," Locke started as he climbed into the driver's seat. "I'll hear you out on whatever you want to discuss tomorrow morning. Swing by my cabin, and I'll listen as long as you hear my side of the picture," he bartered.
Espio and Vector looked at each other uncertainly as they mulled over the idea. Vector rubbed the back of his neck uneasily. "Well, it can't wait exactly…"
"Come to my place early tomorrow morning. 6 AM," he ordered. "I can't sleep much anyway."
"Fine, we'll be there bright and early," Espio confirmed.
Locke closed the door to his car. "Good, that's what I like to hear. If you excuse me, boys, I have places to be. I'm clear to leave, right?"
Vector nodded. "Yeah, you've got the go-ahead." The two detectives watched as Locke started his car's engine and drove out of the compound.
•~•
Meanwhile, back at the storage unit, Mighty finished a phone call with Shadow to get updated on what had happened at the compound. He hung up the phone and looked concerned. "Shit…"
Manic came back around the side of the building after taking a piss. He finished zipping up his pants while he approached the armadillo. "Yo, what happened?"
"The Suppression Squad hit the compound in a drive-by," Mighty explained. "Thankfully, no one got hurt, but they fucked up the place pretty bad. The cops are swarming all over the place to do an investigation."
"Fuck, man," Manic breathed. "But doesn't that mean we could potentially be sitting ducks right now?"
Mighty nodded gravely. "Shadow and Mephiles want us to have a backup since they're locked down back home. Shadow said he's called in reinforcements."
Manic scratched the side of his head. "Uh, okay, so who's coming then?" They heard motorcycle engines coming up in the distance as if on cue. Both Mighty and Manic drew out their weapons in case it happened to be a couple of Suppression Squad members coming their way. The motorcyclists came into view, and it was none other than Khan and Bark. Mighty and Manic lowered their weapons in relief, seeing it was safe.
The two Southside Charter members parked their bikes and dismounted while removing their helmets. Bark placed his helmet on the back of his motorcycle. "Heard you guys needed backup," he grinned.
•~•
Later that evening, Amy returned home via taxi when she was notified that Shadow could not pick her up from work. She walked into the compound after being authorized by a couple of officers at the front gate. She walked in and stared at all the police, detectives, and crime scene investigators collecting samples and taking pictures. There were some sectioned-off areas with caution tape, most notably the mechanic shop. She noticed some shattered windows and spotted bullet holes in the sides of the buildings and cars. She even saw a sizeable charred-off section of the driveway where a notable fire may have occurred.
As she approached the house, she spotted Officer Silver still on site, talking to another officer. She approached the grey hedgehog, who looked in her direction when she walked over. "Officer…what happened here?"
"Ms. Rose," Silver addressed, walking toward her. "I'm surprised the others hadn't filled you in yet."
Amy shook her head and continued looking at the crime scene with concern. "No, Shadow just sent a text that he wouldn't be able to pick me up, so I took a cab home. Did anyone get hurt? This looks bad."
"Thankfully, no. No one was injured," he answered. "However, this place was targeted in an attack. Shadow and the others won't comply or give me any leads on who may be responsible, but I'm positive they know who did this."
She figured as much. "…Oh, I see," Amy replied.
He tilted his head to the side in curiosity. "You wouldn't happen to know who might have done this, would you? Shadow hasn't spoken to you about beefing with other biker gangs?"
Amy shook her head adamantly. "I'm sorry, deputy, I wouldn't know either. He purposely doesn't talk much about business around me."
Silver sighed, seeing another dead end. "Damn it," he placed his hands on his hips. "I wish the club would let me help them so I could put at least another crime organization to rest. I know why they won't tell me, in any case. It's because they want to retaliate and take care of it themselves," he scoffed in annoyance.
Amy wasn't sure exactly how to respond to that statement. She wasn't supposed to know what was happening in the club but had her theories. She shifted uncomfortably on her feet. "Sorry I couldn't be of more help, officer."
"So, are you with this group for good then? It doesn't seem like you're going anywhere anytime soon," he noted.
"Well, as you know, I'm working at the hospital in town," she informed. "And I'm dating Shadow now. Like it or not, this is my home now."
Silver frowned at her response. She had no clue what she was getting herself involved in. "As I told you earlier when we first met, this is not where you want to be. Being connected to Shadow only leads to danger," he advised gravely. Suddenly, in his peripheral vision, Silver noticed Shadow walking over in their direction. He could only fathom that he was coming over to break up any more conversation happening between them.
The dark hedgehog finally reached the other two and stood behind Amy protectively as he eyed the officer. "You're about done here, right, deputy?" he asked passively. The police had been at the compound for over six hours now. They had overstayed their time.
Silver glanced at a few guys in the background packing up their belongings. "Seems like it. We'll be out of your hair shortly." He looked at Amy one last time. "See you around, Ms. Rose. It was nice to chat again. Take care." With that, Silver walked off, leaving the two of them alone.
Amy felt Shadow place a hand on the small of her back as he guided her towards the house by his side. "He wasn't bugging you about us, was he?" he asked quietly while they walked together.
"No," she lied, not wanting to worry him. "But are you guys, okay? You didn't tell me you were put in danger today..."
They finally reached the front steps to the porch. "It was the Suppression Squad again," he replied. "They're pissed since we got involved in a new business venture."
The two walked up the steps and lingered on the porch together. They watched as most of the police entered their vehicles and headed out. "And what exactly is this new business involvement?" Amy inquired cautiously.
Shadow leaned his arms across the railing. "You know that's classified, Rose."
"Of course, as always…" Amy crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. She was getting sick of being kept in the dark.
Seeing her annoyed expression by their secrets, he walked closer and touched her shoulders. "Look, all that matters is that nobody got hurt, right?"
Amy stared up at Shadow skeptically. "Should we be worried about this other M.C. returning in the middle of the night to do more damage?"
Shadow shook his head adamantly. "No, we'll have more protection tonight from our new employer. He'll have his guys stationed outside our compound just in case," he assured.
"Protection?" she repeated in alarm. "Whatever you're involved in is getting pretty serious," she observed. "You never had this type of protection with your original line of business…"
Even Shadow could tell she was picking up on much more than he'd let on. It was evident she knew that whatever they were involved in was a lot more dangerous than just selling illegal arms to gangs and other crime organizations. He kept his face neutral to avoid letting her read into the situation. One of his hands stroked her cheek as he studied her inquisitive expression. "I won't let anything happen to you, princess. I promise."
She gave him a weak smile, only confirming her fears and assumptions. She hugged him and felt him return the embrace. "I know you won't," she replied but was glad Shadow couldn't see her concerned expression as she said that.
Suddenly Knuckles and Mephiles popped onto the front porch, where they spotted Amy and Shadow retracting their embrace. "Hey, have either of you seen my dad?" he asked.
"Locke went back to his cabin several hours ago," Shadow answered. "He said he would spend a few days relaxing at the cabin."
"Oh, okay," Knuckles nodded. "I hadn't seen him and was just wondering. I'll check in on him in a few days, then. I don't want to bother him."
"He was here this morning," Amy chimed in. "Rouge and I were getting on him for drinking again."
Knuckles shook his head with a smile. "Yeah, that sounds about right. I'll get on him too about taking his health more seriously."
"Dinner is ready," Mephiles addressed the group. "Rouge said to get inside before it gets cold."
"Yeah, we should probably do that A-SAP. She made her famous chicken noodle casserole, and I know she worked hard on it," Knuckles added with a grin.
The group chuckled as they walked inside together. Mephiles was the last to step inside as he mulled over a drastic decision. He couldn't help but think about the fact that Locke was all alone in his cabin, where he may be able to take care of some loose ends.
•~•
At the storage unit, Mighty, Manic, Bark, and Khan hung out outside the unit, chowing down on some Chinese takeaway. "Boy, do I love me some chow mien," Manic stated giddily while shoving another spoonful of noodles in his mouth. The boys had been on patrol all day, guarding the storage facility, and had no issues with the Suppression Squad coming into sight.
"I enjoy Chinese food from time to time, but it always makes me so gassy," Bark noted as he finished his container.
Suddenly, two black SUVs appeared and pulled up to their headquarters. Everyone quickly stood from their sitting positions and drew their weapons.
The doors to the cars opened, and Enerjak and four of his most trusted bodyguards stepped out. The four M.C. members lowered their weapons when they realized they were not facing a threat. "Oh, Mr. Enerjak, it's just you," Mighty sighed in relief. "Sorry about drawing our guns on you. We can never be too sure."
Enerjak approached them as he walked with his elite-looking cane in hand. "Nonsense," he assured. "You can never be too safe. I was checking in to ensure everything was going well here."
Mighty shook his head. "No sir, everything has been good here. You're the first people we've seen today besides Shadow and the others."
Enerjak nodded. "I see. Well, my guys have done some intel, and it appears you may have a mole in your club," he addressed. "The Suppression Squad was notified of your involvement with me because the information was leaked from one of your two charters," he explained.
Manic looked stunned by the news. "Whoa, we've got a rat?"
"Unfortunately, so," he concurred. "I've already passed this message along to your VP and president. You must remain vigilant and open your eyes and ears to any red flags. If they leaked that we're working together, then I wouldn't be surprised if they leaked the information about where you're holding our merchandise," he noted.
Mighty nodded adamantly in agreement. "You're right. We'll do our best around here to gather any other information and pass it along to you," he assured.
"That's what I like to hear," Enerjak replied. "My boys and I will be back here tomorrow for distribution. Make sure all 90 bricks are intact."
"Of course, sir," Khan nodded.
With that, Enerjak and his boys loaded into the SUV and drove off. Mighty placed his container of food down and stood up. "Where are you going?" Manic questioned as he eyed his friend.
Mighty stretched his arms over his head. "I'm going to take a piss. I'll be back in five," he gestured.
Manic watched as the armadillo walked into the woods to look for a secluded area to pee. "Oh, okay…I'll watch your food."
Mighty glanced over his shoulder at the green hedgehog. "My eggroll better still be there when I get back," he warned.
Bark and Khan stifled a few chuckles at Mighty's comment while Manic huffed. "Okay, okay!" he whined in annoyance.
Once he was gone, Manic glanced at the warehouse's back door as a thought crossed his mind. He closed his container of takeaway and stood to his feet. Khan and Bark watched as he dusted off his pants and walked around the side of the warehouse with his food in hand. "I'm going to throw my stuff away and take a shit myself. Be right back," he mentioned to the other too.
Bark nodded. "Sure thing."
Manic walked over to the trashcan outside the warehouse's bark entrance. He tossed his garbage away and looked over his shoulder hesitantly to ensure Mighty was nowhere in sight. When he saw he was nowhere in sight, he quickly peeked his head around the side of the building to make sure Khan and Bark were still in the same spot where they had been prior. The two Southside charter members sat in the dirt before their campfire, eating dinner. It was now or never. Manic exhaled a sigh and reached for the door handle of the warehouse.
•~•
Later that night, Mephiles took one of the white vans to Locke's cabin. Despite what Espio and Vector had told him, he had managed to sneak out in the dead of night and drive over and deal with Locke. Once he arrived, he exited the van and placed on a pair of black leather gloves. He turned and looked at the Glock-17 lying on the passenger seat. He reached for it and checked to ensure it was loaded with bullets. Looking at his surroundings, he cautiously tucked it in the back of his pants before heading toward the cabin. He was thrilled that Locke's place was hidden away in the forest. No neighbors meant no witnesses. The less that people knew, the better.
At the same time, Locke lounged in his retractable chair inside the cabin while having a beer and listening to the radio. However, when he heard two loud knocks on his door, he became alert to the unexpected guest.
Locke quickly sat upright, lowered the leg part to his lounge chair, and reached for his shotgun next to his chair. He stood upright and cocked his shotgun as he made his way to the front door. Locke cautiously unlocked his front door with one hand and held his gun in the other. When the door swung open, Locke looked startled to see Mephiles standing on the other side of the door. Mephiles had one of his arms pressed against the wall, holding him upright and looking indifferent. His reptilian eyes glanced at the gun barrel casually pointed toward his face before looking back at the old echidna without fear. He sighed in pity. "Either pull the trigger or let me in, you old fool."
Locke reluctantly lowered his weapon while looking behind Mephiles in the distance as he tried to gauge if he had come alone or with backup. He decided that Mephiles must have shown up by himself. "Fine," he sighed. "But give me the gun," he demanded.
Rolling his eyes, Mephiles begrudgingly pulled out the Glock he had tucked in the back of his pants and handed it over to Locke. "Are we good now?"
Locke accepted the weapon and placed it in the back of his pants. "And the one in your boot," he reminded with a point downward.
Mephiles growled in annoyance, bent over, lifted his pants legs, and handed him a 22 Magnum. With what he believed to be all of Mephiles' hidden weapons, Locke moved to the side and allowed the president inside his abode. Mephiles sauntered inside the cabin and closed the door behind him. All the while, Locke continued to hold his shotgun, ready for anything. He knew Mephiles wasn't here for a friendly visit. The feuding members kept a few feet apart as they eyed one another for any sudden movements.
"Is there something you want to tell me since you came out all this way?" Locke questioned as he eyed the president cautiously. "I'm sure a phone call could have sufficed."
"Well…" Mephiles leaned his back against the wall next to the front door. "I was hoping you'd be able to give me more time before I pull the club out of this cartel business. The shit that went down today complicated things," Mephiles explained.
"More time only means more death," Locke countered.
Mephiles scoffed at his comment. "Look, I'm trying to do the right thing here. Give me a break."
"The only right thing you've ever done is what's best for you. You lead by greed," Locke stated, clutching his shotgun.
Mephiles crossed his arms over his chest and glared in his direction. "If you hate me so much, why did you patch me back in the day?" he challenged.
Locke smirked. "Because back then, when you had no power, you could be trusted."
The dark president tilted his head to the side with skepticism. "Oh, and so now I'm supposed to trust you? These journal entries you have…what's to stop you from showing them even when I cut ties with Enerjak?"
"That's a risk you'll have to take," he shrugged.
Mephiles sighed in frustration and pushed himself away from the wall in defeat. "Very well, I'll call Enerjak, but if there's retaliation, that blood is on your hands," he warned.
Locke nodded, continuing to eye him carefully. "So be it then. I'll take on that burden."
Mephiles opened the door and let himself out. Locke watched as the dark president closed the door behind him. The echidna ambled towards the front door to lock it when suddenly it burst open again by Mephiles from the other side.
Startled, Locke fell backward, landed on his back, and dropped his gun. Still slightly winded from the fall, Mephiles took this opportunity to kick his shotgun further out of his reach. Locke groaned and grumbled as he tried to roll over on his side to get up, but Mephiles leaned down and slugged him across the face several times with his gloved fists.
Locke remained on his side and spat up some blood as he panted. The president kicked him harder in his side, making him gasp for air. While he was down and out, Mephiles took the time to collect all the weapons that Locke had taken. He retrieved his 22. Magnum strapped it back on his ankle, along with recovering his Glock-17.
Mephiles walked around the living room of his house and flipped things on their sides, like trunks, tables, and chairs. He scattered papers around in desperation in his search. He tore open drawers and dropped the contents inside on the floor. "Where are they? Where are my father's journal entries?" he barked.
"They're not here," Locke gasped as he lifted himself upright as remained on his hands and knees.
Growling, Mephiles grabbed a lamp and threw it against a wall until it shattered. "Where the fuck are they then!" he shouted.
At this point, Locke had managed to crawl towards his shotgun in the corner of the room. Mephiles spotted what he was going for and quickly headed toward it. Both their hands reached for the weapon, but Mephiles was victorious in the end, grabbing the barrel of the shotgun just out of his reach.
Locke stood up and wobbled on his feet and kept his hands up in surrender. Mephiles studied his features as he aimed the gun at him. "I read the copies that Espio stole from your cabin. I know the originals are somewhere, along with the police files. Where are they?" he demanded sternly.
Locke kept his hands up. "I don't know," he lied.
Mephiles narrowed his eyes as he cocked the shotgun. "You're lying. I know you know where they are."
"No, I-I-" Locke stammered.
"—Shut up!" he snapped venomously. "They're with Ms. Rose, aren't they?"
Locke shot him an incredulous look trying to play off the correct suggestion. "What are you talking about? Why would the lass be involved in this?"
"Because she's the one that helped clean out your storage unit when you found them," he reminded. "You don't think I put those pieces together, you old fool? I've seen how close you two have gotten."
Locke continued to back up with his hands held up until his back hit a wall in his living room. There was no denying it at that point. Mephiles had figured it out. Now, what could he do to prevent her from facing his wrath? He knew Mephiles would do everything he could to take out anyone or anything threatening his reign. "Please, just leave her out of this," he pleaded. "I'm the one who got her involved in this, not her."
Mephiles pressed the gun barrel against Locke's chest, making him grunt. His frustrated expression turned into a malignant grin. "You shouldn't have involved her then." He pulled the trigger blasting Locke in the chest with no remorse.
Locke gasped and made guttural noises as smoke came out of his open mouth and blood splattered in all directions from his chest and back. Mephiles watched as the echidna's body slowly slid down the wooden walls of the cabin, leaving a smear of crimson blood with it. Blood oozed out of Locke's open mouth and even more secreted from the large wound in his chest. Eventually, Locke's body fell on its side, dead.
Mephiles crouched to his level and took his index and middle-gloved fingers to scoop up some fresh blood from a puddle near his body. Mephiles walked over to a wall of family photos of Locke and his family members and found a photo of Locke with the OG Brothers of Chaos posing in a picture. He took his bloodied fingers and wrote S.S. on the image. If he wanted to get away with this murder, he'd have to blame someone else, and the Suppression Squad was the best scapegoat at this time. He took the shotgun and made random shots at different parts of the house. He wanted to make it appear that there was some shoot-out between Locke and an enemy.
He glanced at a newer photo of the bikers with Amy posing in the shot. He shook his head and tsked it. "Ms. Rose, you have no idea what you've gotten yourself into." He quickly scrolled around the room to ensure there was nothing to indicate his presence before leaving Locke's body behind. His next target was clear—Amy Rose.
AN: Please remember to drop a review or comment. I truly appreciate hearing your feedback! 3