Chapter 20 - Tip of Connections

'Heh heh heh,' Chiara chuckled to herself and gave a nervous grin. 'The fright expression on her face was excellent.'

"Alright everybody. Break it up and go back to your business," Darcia spoke to address everyone. Willing herself to turn her head away from the amputee, she continued.

"Get the two in separate vehicles. Make sure they don't have anything to get out of their chains first. After that, round up the minions."

"On it chief," one of the three officers stated.

Seeing them searching both gangster leads, both concealed lockpicking tools. Confiscating them and taking the bickering men away, the crowd was muttering mixed emotions. Some liked the aspect that the two leads were caught and being sent to jail. Others were not satisfied. Wanting them dead for all the crime and suffering they have caused, a few gave a dirty look to the adult hedgehog. As if on que, only his cybernetic eye moved to look at them. It immediately made them shutter and back down a little.

"Well well...finally got big fish in the books huh?" the stoat asked looking at the female cat with a smirk. "Wonder how long it took OHP to do their job?"

"You got something to say Chiara?" she replied back with a not amused face. "Because last time I checked, you never have gotten full occupancy at your place once."

"Trying to pick a fight?" the other female asked and cracked her knuckles. "I got no problem with battling a copper."

"You can join the other mobsters in the truck for assaulting an OHP officer...since I know you don't know the laws here," Darica countered with holstering her weapon.

Seeing an individual turn around, the one armed man was heading for the vacant tent. Hearing softer footsteps move toward him, the blue boy hurried to his side. As much as she did not want to cause more tension with the man, she clenched her teeth with her mouth close. Ignoring the stoat in her mocking posture, she followed the two hedgehogs. Seeing Speed grab the end of the table, he lifted and pivoted it to gain access to the interior.

"Excuse me," the feline rozzer spoke from outside. Seeing only the child stop and look back, the other ventured into the tent. Seeing him stop, he was looking around at what was inside. Hearing footsteps behind her and feeling it was the apartment complex manager, she waited by the desk.

"This is under OHP jurisdiction until further notice," Darcia informed.

"Jur-isdic-tion?" Sonic pronounced with an unsure face. The cat woman looked down with a softer expression.

"It means that the city's security force partially owns this until we have completed our search and investigation."

"Search and investigation of what?" he asked curious.

"...crime...drug dealing...illegal trafficking...destruction of property...murder..." Speed stated kneeling in front of a suitcase. Though he didn't turn, the three at the entrance of the shop turned to him. Two were surprised while the child looked intrigued and went to him.

"So what the armored people do is detective work?" the orphan wondered. Watching the amputee open up the container, it revealed a mix of items inside.

"...how do you know about the two gang's activities?" the officer asked with a neutral expression. Hearing someone snicker near her, she turned her head to frown at the stoat.

"That's because he has been through these parts more than once. He used to wear a tattered cloak to blend in," Chiara informed then crossed her arms over her chest. "He probably knows more dirt than your intel folks."

"I highly doubt that," Darcia responded then turned back to the two hedgehogs. Seeing that the suitcase was opened, she stepped into the tent and approached behind them.

"Just to inform you again, you can't take anything or touch..." she began.

The adult quilled anthropomorphic male grabbed an object and lifted it up. Stating what it was to the boy, he handed it to him. Sonic grabbed it tentatively and examined it. Clenching her teeth together from being ignored, she could feel the mocking smirk from the other female. Hearing footsteps and glancing to her right, the smug look on the other's face made her irritated.

"Awww...angry from getting snubbed?"

"...I'm giving you three...to the count of 5...to get out of this tent..." the cat officer threatened. "Or I will arrest you three for tampering with evidence and contempt."

"Heh heh...how cute you sound when trying to be threatening," Chiara remarked not moving.

Seeing the feline bare her teeth at her, the two heard someone stand up. Seeing that it was the boy, he put the object he was holding back in the luggage. Watching the gray ash male get up, he had something in his hand. Without turning to them, he walked to the right and exited through the pre-cut line. Seeing the young hedgehog follow, the two were out of sight. Not letting something be taken away, Darcia walked quickly and spread open the side entry of the shop.

"HOLD IT YOU...!?" she began to speak loudly. Blinking and flinching, both of them were nowhere in sight. Looking around and at the dispersed crowd, none were looking in a direction of someone that ran past them. Not wanting to hear any sort of amusement, she turned around and opened her mouth.

"Alright. Where did they..." the officer spoke. Trailing off from seeing no one else in the tent, she exited the shop. Outside and looking around, the three individuals she was with were not there. Seeing her team walk back and collecting more of the downed gang members, they didn't seem to notice anyone passing them or not.

'...damn them...' Darcia thought agitated. Shaking her head, she headed back to the large dune buggies to make her report and call in.


Back on the the robot manufacturing base, a small timer was going off. After the 5th beeping, a hand slapped it.

[Good morning doctor] a mechanical voice announced after the dismiss button was pressed. [You have a flight schedule to travel to the Collective Republic in Urapine. Automated preparation for your craft has commenced. Completion in 1 hour doctor]

"..." Ivo spoke opening his eyes. Rubbing his jaw and sitting up, he stared at the wall across the room.

'The reoccurring vision of the Great War,' he thought and turned. 'Same sporadic images with no end of warfare in sight...they were barbaric creatures then and still are now.'

[Will you need automated services to prepare yourself doctor?] the robot asked from a loudspeaker on the ceiling.

"No. I will prepare myself," he informed then stood up. "Have my uniforms steamed and pressed. I must look...better than my colleague when I show up."

[Compiling with orders doctor]

'I think I will pick my war-field outfit that I had when serving the war council,' he said in his mind and smirked. 'It will bring memories for both of us.'


Slowing down after dashing away from the mock trader shop, Speed slowed down. Feeling smaller feet run on the ground, Sonic began to slow down. Stopping at the end of the alleyway, they have traveled a few blocks from where they were standing. Looking in front of them at the street, it was where the main trading and shopping district was for the coastal city. Staying in the pathway and looking around the corner of the left building, the traders had begun to set up their shop.

"This is the shopping district that my village trader comes to," Sonic mentioned looking down the street.

"...majority will trade...when money is shown..." the one arm hedgehog informed. About to walk out of the alleyway, he stopped and moved his ears. The boy blinked and looked up. Seeing his face and the sounds of faint movement, he turned his head to look back.

'...I don't see anyone...but...I hear movement. But where?' the boy wondered and concentrated harder. Seeing Speed blink with his normal eye and keep a stoic face, he walked onto the sidewalk. Not a moment later, a hand reached out to his quills from the shadows above.

The boy jumped from fright and got into a defensive stance. Not reacting the same, the amputee quickly dropped the object. Flanking hard to the left and leaning right, he dodged the invading arm. Getting inside and strongarming the silhouette that came down from above, he rammed the individual to the building wall. Seeing the person in the light, the stoat had slammed her feet on the wall to not get heavily impacted. Still being pushed toward the structure behind her, she snatched the gray ash hedgehog's neck with one hand. The other hand was used to push against the wall for leverage.

"I see ya never let your guard down," Chiara remarked with a small smirk. She was being held against the wall and could feel his left arm muscles become very firm. The veins on the back side of his palm were surfacing which was more from the brawl earlier than him hold her up.

"..." Speed responded with giving a small glare at her.

"...why are you sneaking up on us Miss Chiara?" Sonic asked feeling ambivalent from what was occurring.

"Well..." she began and tried to adjust herself. Feeling that the strongarm was not waning or moving, she decided to stay put.

"I don't want to hitch a ride with the coppers and be in their house under their terms. Also didn't want to have to see and be lectured by that pussy either."

"...!?" the boy reacted with a start from hearing profanity. It was more surprising that it came from a woman.

"...what...do you want?" the other hedgehog asked evenly while staring at her.

"Put me down and I'll tell you."

"...no..."

"...no?" she asked blinking. Faint splash of nervousness invaded her mind.

"...state purpose...of following..."

"Like I said...you put me down...and I will tell you."

"..." Speed answered with narrowing his normal eye. Gripping her jacket collar between the neck and shoulder, he took a fast sidestep to the left. Swing his arm outward hard, the stoat gripped on his arm instead of the wall. Getting pulled in the direction of where his arm was going, she remained lifted above the ground.

At the 90 degree mark from where he was standing, he let go of her jacket. Viciously yanking his arm and neck out of her grip, he moved back a couple of steps to not fall backwards. Both hedgehogs saw the female get thrown to the opposite wall in the passageway. Though she reoriented herself to land perpendicular to the building structure, it was not a soft impact. Kicking off of it and doing a jump as if she gwas oing over a tall hurdle, she landed on the ground.

'She seems more of a fighter than someone that works behind a desk,' Sonic observed. He found that her physical abilities to be different than what he initially thought of her, but in a positive way.

"Freaking hell man," she remarked with what looked like an admired expression. She was not looking at the two as she stood up straight from the landing.

"You got the three Ss despite lookin' like a..." Chiara stated then looked up. About to continue, the amputee had turned around and picked up his dropped item. Walking back to the sidewalk, he made a left and continued towards the large shopping district. The boy looked back and forth between the two. Not wanting to be left behind, the child walked quickly to follow him.

"..." she reacted with agitation. Getting out of the alleyway, she ran after the two. Passing both and turning around, she stared down at the adult male.

"Hey...I'm talkin' to you."

"..." Speed responded with keeping the same expression. Not stopping and continuing forward, he moved a little to not collide with her. Seeing her move to be in his line of sight and path, he moved again. Seeing her repeat her actions in being in his way, his grip on the object he took became firmer.

"If ya think sellin' that will be smooth, it ain't happening with how ya look," the stoat informed. Seeing the one arm hedgehog stop in her personal space, his face was not readable.

"...appearance is secondary...when valuable is presented..." his raspy voice spoke clearly with indifference.

"There are only a couple of traders like that amongst the hundred here," she countered putting her hands on her hips.

"...Randal from North side...Cyin from Coast Rail district...Donimin from Central..." he said with a blank face.

"..." the woman reacted with just staring at him. Thinking quickly about the ones he mentioned, she gave a small confident smirk back at him.

"Those traders are the pickiest ones. They don't do business for anybody unless they approve of them first."

"...along with showing...a visible trait...for them to remember..." he began and gave a lethargic blink. Walking forward, he sidestepped to pass her before continuing.

"...your face..."

"Grrr," Chiara said irritable and turned around. Snatching at his wrist, he moved his hand out of the way. Not contemplating on how he could see when looking the other way, she tried to grab him. Each time she got close, he would evade her attempts. At the same time, he never looked back or stopped walking forward.

'How...is he doing that?' Sonic said in his mind.

Captivated by the abilities and strength of the gray ash hedgehog, he followed the two at a relative distance. Though the expressions on both of the adults' faces were not that of having fun, it was as if they were playing chase or tag. To his surprise, the stoat was getting faster and faster with her attempts to grab him. So much so, Speed stopped walking forward and faced her. After what seemed like a minute or two of her trying to get him, someone had enough.

"..." Speed spoke with a small frown.

Dodging another quick claw from the stoat, he tripped her. Staggering backwards to regain balanced, he rushed and pushed her down. Kneeling with his right leg over her waist, he held her left arm down with his left foot. Seeing her swing her right arm, he snatched her wrist with his left hand. Leaning forward and putting her arm down to hold, he got in her face.

"...are you done...?"

"Listen here hot shit," Chiara stated looking both entertained and breathing harder. "I'm not letting you out of my sight."

"..." he responded with just staring down at her and continuing to hold her down. Hearing movement to his right, he only moved his right ear to hear better.

"Why were you following us after we left the officer lady?" Sonic asked feeling a little more at ease seeing her pinned down.

"Tell me kid," she asked. Letting go of resisting and just laying on the street, she glanced over at the child.

"Did ya get a thrill from the brawl?"

"..." the boy reacted with a couple of blinks. Looking at the amputee, he had not moved and continued to hold her down.

"Yeah...seeing Speed move that fast without using his powers was fun," he began moving back to gaze at the stoat. "Why?"

"Why...heh heh heh," Chiara chuckled a little. Moving her head to look at the other hedgehog, she saw that he hadn't moved and still bored at her with the same predator aura. The sight made her smile a little.

"I love fighting...it is something that makes gets me pumped up when I see it. I don't hire a security for my place cuz' I personally beat the shit out of anybody that tries to mess with it."

"..." the gray ash man spoke. Loosening his grip, he lifted his left foot off her arm. Getting off her by moving backwards two steps, both he and the child were standing next to the woman on the ground. Without expressing anything, Sonic offered his hands to her. Seeing her blink and look at him, she saw movement to her right. Blinking again, Speed had offer her his left hand though his face was neutral. Smirking to herself, she grabbed their hands and began to get up.

"Then when you guys dashed off, I knew ya be in the spotty district alleyways. And when the gang showed up to mug ya, you freaking fought all of them off and then some," she stated letting go of their hands. Turning towards the amputee, she gave an enthused expression that was a little fanatical.

"I never seen anybody move like that. You didn't even use your super powers for almost all of the fight. Ya got to show me how ya did all that."

"...quite the change...of behavior you have..." Speed commented. Turning toward the street, he began walking to the entrance of the shopping district. Hearing quick footsteps to his left side, an arm wrapped around his shoulders.

"Come on man. Don't be so stiff," Chiara reacted with a smile and leaned closer to him. "I know deep down that you enjoyed beating those shitheads up."

"Is that true Speed?" Sonic asked quickly getting to his right side and looking up at him. The sight of them being closer together seemed to make him feel better. Seeing her smile and be friendly dampened the tension he had earlier based on her actions. Observing the other hedgehog's face, there was a slight half frown on the right side of his face.

"...they threatened...I defended...fulfilled a trade request...nothing more," he explained. As the three continued, a few people were staring at them. A majority glanced at them then continued with what they were doing. Others glanced at the oddity and stared. Especially with the infamously known apartment complex manager and the disfigured adult hedgehog.

"See this face sport?" the female remarked. Leaning forward to see the orphan, she had an amused expression on her face. Seeing the child look at her and glance at the other, her other hand poked his cheek.

"Battle hardened from numerous battles and brawls, stone cold face, never showing emotions, and not afraid of showing his scars...that is how a man is shaped up to be in this tough life."

"...how a man...should be?" he repeated and looked a little concerned.

"...don't listen to her..." Speed spoke and glanced at him. "...she's drunk on...being naturally high..."

"...?" the boy reacted with confusion. He flinched from hearing her laugh out loud a little then hammered her left fist on his chest casually.

"I seem to have broken through ya marble shell."

"...you aren't...being cute..."

"Aww. Ya so sweet," she reacted with a grin and got cheek to cheek with him. "This mean ya need some sugar to get me on your good side?"

"..." the amputee reacted with an annoyed grunt.

"..." the child spoke perplexed on what the two were talking about. Deciding he wanted to be a part of the conversation, he tried remembering adults who were talking in similar lines. Only grabbing at scraps of remembrances, he took a guess that all seemed to gravitate towards a single subject. Though his stomach felt itself tightening from worrying it would sound stupid, the want to be included was a little stronger.

"Are you two...talking about...romance stuff?" the blue boy asked and looked at them. His eyebrows raised a little seeing the woman's smile get bigger.

"Maybe...ya interested kid?" she asked. Taken aback from the question, Sonic glanced Speed and saw him look not amused.

"N-no! That's gross."

"Ha ha ha ha!" Chiara laughed and leaned backwards to be straight again.

Continuing through the district, her laughter died down as the volume of traders talking began to grow. Reaching the beginning of all the shops and tents, the trio walked through them. Getting more stares than when they were further down the street, they continued passing through. The volume of people sounded like a crowd buzzing of all sorts of conversations. Being in just the start of the area, the child was amazed how loud everything was as his ears were picking up an avalanche of voices.

"So which one are ya heading to trade what you took?" Chiara asked out loud to be heard. Seeing him not lift his arm to show what was in his hand, he motioned with his head. It was towards the sea that was several blocks north from their position.

"Isn't he the craziest of them?"

"...possibly..." Speed answered louder than normal. Weaving a little through a small cluster of people, he continued to lead through the shopping strip.

"Word on the street says that he did several manhunts for people that crossed him."

"...rumors...not wrong..."

"..." the stoat said doing a blink and staring at him. "How do ya know?"

"...he hired me..." the amputee said without a change of tone or hint of amusement. His statement garnered both her and the boy's attention more. Still haven't let go of his arm, she just firmed up her hold on it.

"...so...you were the hired hitman then."

"...he offered trade...for the capture of...the ones he wanted..." he explained. Navigating through the district crowd, it started to thin a little. It was short lived.

"Captured alive...or dead?" Sonic piped in getting interested in the conversation.

"...I brought them alive...he decided punishment...don't know if they...were killed or not...never stayed long enough...to see."

"One rumor stated he blew someone's head off even though that person never did him wrong," she added.

"...that...I don't know..."

As the three passed the bulk of the tents that were set up, life in the shopping district was becoming more and more alive. The child saw all sorts of items being placed on tables for sale. Food, jewelry, crafts, tools, weapons, and other sorts of odds and ends. There was one tent that he saw that was closer to an alleyway. It had a couple of women standing around in which they wore loose clothing. Not sure why they were dressed like that, he turned back and followed where Speed was going.

After going through a good portion of the shops without conducting any business, it felt like the number of tents began to lessen. Several yards in front of them, a sense of reaching the end of the shopping district came. They could finally see the cracked concrete street from the clearing up ahead. Passing the last joints showed the rest of the city continuing onward to the harbor areas. Getting into the opening and moving towards the right of the side of the road, the three continued straight.

"..." Speed spoke and glanced to his left. Feeling his arm being let go, Chiara seemed more relaxed. Not going to ask about it and continued forward, someone to his right did not let that go unnoticed.

"...did...something happen in the shopping district Miss Chiara?" the boy asked.

"Huh?" she reacted with turning her head. "Why you ask?"

"...no need...for feeling secured?" the one arm man questioned without turning to her.

"Ain't none of your business to know," the stoat stated firmly.

"..." both hedgehogs said and didn't stop to look at her. Continuing forward, an awkward silence commenced until they reach the end of the block.

"When was the last time ya saw him?" she asked out loud.

"...does it...matter?" the amputee answered with indifference. He didn't turn to see the frown on her face.

"Hey. I'm just trying to convo is all."

"...I don't care..."

"What crawled up your ass and died?" Chiara asked frowning more. Looking at the gray ash hedgehog, his expression was stoic and had remained so since they walked.

"...none of your...business..." Speed replied.

"..." she reacted with getting irritated.

Getting in front of them and stopping, she turned around to confront the two. Both hedgehogs stopped and wore different expressions. Sonic thought they were going to have another back and forth when the amputee raised his left arm. Pointing at her, his face became annoyed.

"...you can be...a bitch to me..." he began then pointed at the orphan. "...do not...do that to him..."

"..." the stoat responded with blinking and looking at the boy. Looking back at the one armer and smirking, she put her hands on her hips and shift her weight to be on her right leg.

"Well now...finally takin' responsibility. And I stroke a nerve from ya. Heh, so you are normal after all."

"..." the child reacted with surprise. Feeling a sense of worth from the older hedgehog treating him like a younger sibling instead of extra weight, he saw that Speed's face did not change from her statement.

"...don't you have...a job to go...back to and attend?" he continued and let his arm go back to his side.

"Ya telling me to get lost?" she asked only giving a tight smile. It did not look friendly to the youngster.

"...based on how...you act...wouldn't matter if...I said that."

"Damn right it wouldn't. So I suggest you just be a good boy and just deal with it."

"...very well..." he said. Doing a 180 degree turn to the right, he faced the orphan. Placing his left hand on top of the boy's left shoulder, he gripped it. Before either Sonic or Chiara could react, both hedgehog's images vibrated.

"Oh hell no!" the stoat reacted with irritation. Attempting to snatch the gray ash fur individual, her hand went through his fading image. Seeing him and the boy disappear, she clenched her teeth together in irritation.

"God damnit!" she swore out loud. Turning around, she immediately sprinted forward. Going double the speed of an average human, people watched her bolt past them. Heading to the trader's location they talked about, her face slowly changed to anger in wanting to catch them before they disappeared again.


Outside of a building door, Speed and Sonic materialized by their images fading in and vibrating hard. Once solid and letting go of the child's shoulder, a sudden rush of wind blew passed them. It was followed by a wall of sound that flowed through them and continued. The boy looked all around him while trying to figure out the new sensations he experienced. Seeing that they were someplace else, he looked back at the amputee with amazement.

"...w-what was t-that!?" he asked feeling energized and adrenaline.

"...it is a...technique using...superspeed," the adult male explained then went to the door. Not knocking on it, he opened the door and began walking in. The child immediately was at his side and walking in stride with him.

"Would I be able to learn that too!?" Sonic asked still engrossed from the experience.

"...you might...or learn something different...to be an alternative."

"Really!? Awesome," the boy stated doing fist pumps with a look of excitement.

"..." Speed reacted with glancing at the boy. Blinking, a mild smirk appeared and went away.

Walking to the end of the small hallway, there was a door frame. Stepping through it revealed a relatively living room size space. With the immediate center space being the lobby/waiting area, the rest was covered with furniture. Items of all types were on the shelves that outlined the inner perimeter of the room. On the opposite wall, there was the desk counter. Behind that was a dwarf size chipmunk sitting on a stool. He seemed to be examining something in his hands.

"How many times do I have to say that you people can't just..." the higher pitched trader began to say then looked up. The agitated expression he had immediately shifted to a salesman smile.

"Ah! My ami!" he stated putting the object under his counter. Hopping over the desk, he stood in front of gray ash fur individual. Standing at the same height as Sonic, he put his hands on his hips.

"I can't thank you enough for your last service. Business has been steadier when smugglers are given justice."

"...hopefully...no more reoccur..." the amputee agreed with a head nod. The massive size chipmunk recoiled in surprise and stared in silence for a couple of seconds. Without warning, he began giggling uncontrollably.

'Is he a real nut case?' the orphan thought side stepping to be a little closer to Speed.

"When did you get the tongue ami?" he asked calming down quickly.

"...recent..." the one arm hedgehog answered not disturbed by the trader's behavior.

"How recent? Tell me-Tell me," the short male asked moving closer.

"...yesterday..."

"Uuggghhh," the drawf size fine fur ball stated and shook his head. He crossed his small arms over his chest and began tapping his right foot impatiently very quickly.

"Don't make me ask a million questions Red Eye."

'...Red Eye?' Sonic thought then glanced at the amputee. He internally nodded to another cool nickname for the adult hedgehog.

'...snuck into machine base...stole the organ...process an operating machine...with this boy's assistance...had operation done...without anesthesia and while awake...escaped," the handicapped person explained keeping his stoic expression. The trader closed his eyes and stopped tapping his foot rapidly. Without responding, he just took a deep intake of air.

"Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho! I knew that human had treasures in that fortress," he began then clapped his hands together. "And there were a lot of treasures there...yes?"

"...a warehouse full...yes..."

"This is great news my ami!" the chipmunk stated then turned to the child. "And you! Are you his sidekick? Son? Partner? Slave? Lover?"

"...!?" Sonic reacted shocked to some of the things the short man asked.

"Come-come-come-come child. Speak. Speak!"

"I-I'm his," he began then glanced at Speed. He glanced back with a neutral expression. Deciding to go with the first thing that came to mind, he spoke.

"S-Student."

"Ahhh! How grande!" the man stated and grabbed both shoulders of the younger hedgehog. "You are in good hands my child. Red Eye is one of the best clients I have ever had doing business with! In fact without his services, I would be struggling to compete amongst those peasant sellers in the streets!"

"I-I see."

"Now then," the trader said letting go of the young lad. He turned around and walked back to the counter. In one jump, he landed on top of the counter and continued walking. Doing a small hop to his stool, it slowly rotated around 180 degrees. When it stopped he was facing them with the same salesman smile.

"What can I, the great Cyin of the coast, offer you fine gentlemen today."