Chapter Eight: Battle For A Soul ACT I

The trial of Angel and the two disgraced policemen, Krause & Flynn, began.

It took the jury 10 minutes to find the crooked cops guilty of curruption, inappropriate misconduct, accessory to murder and extortion. They were sentenced to 10 years in prison, however it was unlikely they would live through the first week.

All charges against Angel, however, were dropped due to Mighty the Armadillo and other key witnesses unable to testify in court and the lack of any solid evidence. The crimson hedgehog left the courthouse and is picked up by a white limousine outside.

Upon hearing Angel walked, Julie went back to Knuckles' apartment and sat down next to him on his bed.

Amy picked up her bags. "I'm sorry this guy keeps winning but, I really have to go, there's something important I have to attend to back home. I really wish I could've done more, guys."

"No, you've helped us do all we can to fight him, Amy. I know a lot of men and women who wouldn't have even dared to take on Angel. Thank you."

The pink hedgehog smiled back. "I hope everything works out for you two. Stay in contact, Julie. It'd be great to do something special after all this is over with."

"I definitely will, Amy. Goodbye."

"Bye Knuckles!"

He waved to Amy on her way out and she closed the door behind her.

Julie laid back on the bed. "…we're never gonna beat Angel now that he has all this power. It's just too much, Knuckles."

"Yeah, well I'm still gonna damn well try. A guy like that will just keep taking and taking from this city until there's nothing left, then he'll move on to the next big town and do it all over again..." Knuckles growled. "I'll just take him out myself."

"Why? It's not your fight, it's mine. He tricked me into getting him all this power, he used mefor this."

Knuckles looked down at her. "... I'm doing it because I still love you. I told you, you're the best thing that's happened to me and I'll be damned if Angel takes that away. That's why I'm doing this."

Julie sat up and met his gaze. "Knuckles, I- I'm sorry but I don't feel the same about you, I just don't."

"I know you don't, and I'm not asking you to be with me. But I want you to understand how special you are to me and Amy, and all our friends back home."

Julie tried to come up with a response but nothing came out. The silence was broken by her cellphone, and she checked the caller ID

"It's Angel."

"Put him on speaker phone."

She answered and pressed a few buttons as the line connected.

"What do you want?" Julie asked.

"I just wanted to tell you that your mission is complete, it's time to come in." Angel replied.

"Fuck you, Angel, you tried to have me killed three times throughout this whole campaign. Serena gave me this mission, not you. And since you killed her, our business relationship is over!"

"Ouch. You're hurting my feelings. Please come in so we can talk this out."

Knuckles took the phone. "Tell me where you are so I can hurt more than just your feelings, you pompous-assed hickory stick looking son of a bitch!"

Angel laughed. "Right, the buffoon. Hey buffoon. Your little plan to have me locked up in prison for life backfired and now all your friends are leaving you one by one. I bet messing with me was worth all this trouble, huh."

"Right, your plan got you rich, hurray pal, you're a real smart guy. Can we just skip to the part where you threaten me or something and I meet you to settle this."

"Sure, we can play that game. Come to my hotel and we'll negotiate, or whatever it is you think you're gonna accomplish. I'll text the address, but don't bitch out."

Knuckles hung up and gave Julie her phone back. "God, I can't wait to shut his mouth."

"Knux, there's a big chance we're not leaving that hotel alive."

"Course not. But I'll take that if it means we stop Angel. Now let's go meet him."

Knuckles unlocked the green SUV Mighty stole last week and he started up the engine. Julie sat in the passenger seat and she read the text Angel sent.

"We're going to the Tainted Inn, a goth hotel for the freaks in his flock."

"Appropriate. He's a cultist and wants to send us to hell. Clever."

It was 45 minute drive from downtown to reach this establishment. The Hotel was a black brick building with red lighting around the windows, and grey wallpaper in the interior. Knuckles locked the SUV and gave the keys to Julie. The guests eye balled them as they walked into the lobby of the Tainted Inn.

Julie walked up to the front desk. "We're here to see Angel."

"Ohh, you're the challengers! Yes, Master Angel is waiting for you in the Arena, that's just two floors down." a british receptionist said.

Knuckles said nothing and headed for the elevator. He shoulder bumped past everyone and pushed the DOWN button while Julie caught up to him.

"This place always creeped me out." She said.

Knuckles kept quiet and entered the elevator first, followed by Julie.

"…any last words before we descend?"

Knuckles watched the digital display show which floor they were on and remained silent. Win or lose, he wanted this to come to an end.

Julie reached for his right hand and rested her head on his shoulder. He didn't react to this, but her warmth calmed him down.

"Thank you for not giving up. I don't remember what we had, but I'll never forget this."

"…I'm holding onto hope that we walk out of this, and if not, then I want you to know I'm glad we had this final week together."

The doors opened and the couple made their way into the underground arena. It was packed in the stands with an audience here to watch the show. Machine Heads' "Locust" rumbled through the arena speakers and overhead lights flashed. Knuckles and Julie were directed to a staircase that led to a pit with fake sand on the ground, and a spot light followed their movement.

Angel stood on top of a podium and took a sip of wine when he spotted both echidnas entering.

"Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen! Our guests have arrived!"

Everyone in the crowd started to boo and throw their drinks down at the pit.

"Now, now folks. I'm sure you all know Knuckles very well. Alternatively, you may also know him as Jonathan."

"What's he talking about?"

"I've got a past life I want to forget, too."

Angel pointed to to Julie. "..and I think you all know his ex fiancé, miss Julie-Su."

The crowd continued to boo and jeer toward both echidnas.

"Can we get this started or what, King Leopold, I don't have all night." Knuckles called out.

Angel smirked. "Very well. As promised, I'll offer you ONE way out. Survive the gauntlet and defeat my Enerjak, and you may leave. The Flock not bother either of you ever again. But lose, and my men will skin you alive. Deal?"

Knuckles stretched out. "What are we going by, street rules, anything goes?"

"Sure. Anything goes. You either win or you die."

"That's all I needed to fuckin' hear."

Knuckles gave Julie a boost and she jumped off his shoulders high into the air. She grabbed onto the railing of Angel's podium and hopped over to his amazement. She grasped the crimson hedgehog by his suit collar and she punched his face multiple times. His body guards rushed to him so Julie reached into his jacket and stole his pistol before the guards threw her off the podium and into the stands.

Meanwhile, an army of gothic Flock members entered the arena pit and surrounded Knuckles.

"Who's first? Is it you pasty boy? Or you, eyeliner?! Somebody step up!"

Two thugs rushed forward so Knuckles ducked their attack and got in between them so he could single out one opponent. He head butted the first thug and threw a painful back-elbow strike to the other, drawing blood instantly. They went down and the rest of the group ran in to jump him.

He dodged most attacks but a few hard punches connected so he went in a boxing stance to block his face. The group knocked him to the ground and begin stomping on him on all sides. Knuckles rolled onto his stomach and absorbed the blows as he got back to his feet and starts swinging wildly.

Soon he was knocking out the members of Angel's Flock with ease. They either went down or ran away from the enraged echidna.

"Yeah?! What else you got?! Is that it?! Come on!" Knuckles shouted.

Angel was helped to his feet and spit out blood. "Bring me that lousy bitch!"

Julie made her way through the crowd and up onto the third floor of the stands. Some audience members tried to stop her but she punched them in the face as she climbed the stairs. Eventually, she got underneath the PA system speakers and she used the wall to help her climb on top of them.

"What is she doing?" Angel asked he watched from the podium.

While Knuckles fought on the ground, Julie climbed high above the pit and pulled out the pistol she stole. She fired at the spot lights, causing sparks to fly out and land on the curtains below. The sparks caused the fabric to catch fire and it spread fast. The crowd started to panic and scream in terror as the fire grew bigger and bigger. Smoke filled the arena and everyone rushed out.

"Wait, don't go! The echidnas' aren't dead yet!" Angel pleaded with his audience.

Guards made their way to Julie's vantage point so she grabbed a rope connected to the lace curtains and she swung off the PA speakers. She shouted excitedly as she swung around the entire arena in circles on her way down to the floor. Knuckles spin kicked the final thug and knocked him out just as Julie landed on the ground beside him.

The fire got bigger behind Angel and all his paying audience members had left the arena.

"Well, I took out your gauntlet, Angie. Where's Enerjak? Lets get this going!" Knuckles demanded.

Angel growled angrily and grabbed his body guards' pistol. He opened fire so Julie dragged Knuckles behind a wall for cover. She gasped aloud when she saw the blood pour from a wound on his neck. Angel emptied the magazine and dropped the pistol while waving his hand.

"No! Angel, you cheating bastard!… come on, you gotta stay awake!"

Angel pulled a chaos emerald out of his jacket pocket and shouted a few words in an unknown language.

Knuckles ripped his long sleeve shirt and used it to stop the bleeding. The first bullet grazed his trachea while the second hit his collarbone.

Julie paused while overlooking the wounded echidna. The memories of their lives suddenly flooded her mind. The first date. Moving in together. Stitching each other up after Eggman's attacks.

"Oh my god, Knuckles! I just saw it!" she said before choking up.

He knew immediately. "You remembered."

She cried while nodding. Julie embraced the love of her life while being carful not to aggravate his wounds. He held her tight and would've surely teared up if he wasn't full of adrenaline at the moment.

The flames were being contained by maintenance workers, and Enerjak burst through a retaining wall underneath Angel's podium.

"Kill this filth, Jak, and I'll get you ALL of the emeralds!"

The beast let out an animalistic roar and started stomping toward the echidnas' position.

"Julie, I've gotta fight AJ and finish this. I don't wanna kill him but, I need your help finding a solution."

"Okay. I'll do my best."

She helped him back to his feet and planted a kiss on his lips before they split up. Knuckles shook off the pain and stepped forward to meet the beast.