Chapter 50 - Home Coming
Moving towards the alleyway that the 5 defectors traveled down, Chiara stopped at the corner. Peering in and seeing the trailing images of them, she rushed into the passageway. Small quick flashbacks came to her from the past of her traveling this way. The old version of this place was of homeless and drug addicts. Now, it had become a cleaner environment with less depravity. There were people but they did not look like they lived in the shadows with no roof over their heads. It seemed that they were on a smoke break of some sort.
'...how radically different...' she thought jogging through.
Trying to not make too much noise, she had to be light on her feet. If any of the defectors looked back and saw a pursuer, then things would get more difficult to track them. Shaking her head and scanning the buildings, there was one that had enough protrusions to get top side. Looking ahead, the alleyway had a T-intersection. Seeing the group of stoats spilt into a group of three and two, she swore under her breath.
"Shit...there's an intersection up ahead. The group split. Three went left heading north. Two went right heading south," the woman reported in after touching her earpiece.
[I'm nearby] one of her teammates responded. [...I have eyes on the three]
[Pursue the remaining two Chiara] the leader ordered.
"Got it," she affirmed.
Rushing faster, the stoat made it to the end of the intersection. Choosing to not slow down or halt to turn, she wall ran up the left building before the intersection. Getting a couple of feet off the ground by the corner, she power jumped into the pathway to her right. Landing on the left wall and running to the ground, she sprinted forward. Covering much ground, she could see the tails of the defectors at the end of the passage. It opened up into a street to which the two stoats went opposite directions.
'Freakin' smells like a setup,' Chiara thought with a frown. Looking up and seeing the building walls were a little narrow than the previous alleyway, she acted.
To get top side, she power jumped onto the left wall. Clinching onto the wall hard and springing herself off, she repeated to the right wall. After a couple of times doing the movement, she cleared the roof on the right building. Breathing harder and feeling her legs and arms burning, she quickly got to the edge and scanned below. Finding one, she glanced back to the other direction. She couldn't make out where the remaining defector got to and immediately touched her earpiece.
"I have one of the two in sights. Lost track of the other one heading East from my position."
[I see the one moving away from you] the 3rd member of her squad stated. [I can watch him]
[Go after the remaining one Chiara. I am nearing towards the trio] the squad leader mentioned.
"..."
'Freakin' chumps. If they weren't so god damn slow, we'd not being doing all this shit!' Chiara's second ego ringed in her head.
'...shuddap...' she thought to herself and narrowed her eyes.
Turning around and sprinting, she leaped off the roof towards the other building. Clearing the gap and rolling after landing, she jogged again. After hopping onto and off 3 more roofs, she found the remaining defector. About to call it in, she noticed that this one seemed to be moving quicker than the others. At the same time, he kept looking over his shoulder. As if something or someone was stalking him.
Feeling a current spike up her spine, she took her eyes off the defector. Looking around, there was no ghost that was nearby. However, she did notice a police sniper several roof tops in the direction of where the traitor stoat was going. Seeing the glint of the end of the gun barrel, it was pointing in the general direction of where the guy was moving. Blinking and looking back at the street below, there was one law enforcer that was tracing the pathway of the defector. He was communicating with a walkie that was on their shoulder.
"Shit," Chiara swore under her breath. Tapping and holding her finger, she spoke into her comms device.
"The remaining defector has a city enforcer on his tail. Sniper on one of the roof tops is tracing his movements."
[Damn...disengage from pursuing that last one] the leader stated with mild irritation. [What's the status on the others?]
[Closing in on the one heading west] one called in with the sounds of running footsteps in the background.
[The three reached the vehicle they came in. Looks like they are loading supplies in it] another announced. About to proceed, he sudden breathed quieter and talked in whispers.
[Two patrol cars showed up and stopped where the defectors were...they are pointing weapons at them and telling them to surrender]
[...] the noise from the comms came from all recipients. Until one spoke again.
[They got the guy going west...since when did OHP act this quick?] he asked very surprised.
"..." Chiara frowned and stared straight ahead of her.
Feeling her ears flinch a little, she narrowed her eyes. Sighing out of her nose, she turned around and looked down at the street. There was a heavy duty vehicle that had just parked itself alongside the sidewalk on the next building over. Seeing the driver side door open, the person that stepped out was recognizable. Keeping the same expression, the female officer looked up at her with a stoic expression.
"Tch," the female stoat clicked her tongue against her teeth. While walking to the roof edge, she heard the speakers on the vehicle kick on.
[You up there. This is the police] Darcia called watching the person walk to the edge. Seeing her stop and looking down to the alleyway on the ground, there was not a safe way of getting down.
[Remain where you are. We'll...] she began.
Trailing off, the female person began scaling, jumping, and sliding between the walls of the buildings. Almost seemingly doing the feat effortlessly, the female stoat landed on the ground with both feet. Thinking the person would dash away into the alley, the officer reached for her gun. However, the person lifted her head and began walking towards her. The cat woman felt her eyes widen from knowing the person.
"...you!?" Darcia said with surprise. Seeing the woman approach her, she stopped a few feet away. Shifting her weight to her left foot, Chiara placed her left hand on her left hip.
"Hey," she spoke giving a neutral expression.
"..." the officer blinked a couple of times confused. Taking her hand off her gun, she gave a blank face back though trended towards frowning a little.
"Didn't expect to see you here again," Darcia stated and crossed her arms over her chest. "What are you doing here?"
"Chasing after defectors from the village I am with. Saw that your boys got to them before the squad I was with did."
"..." the high rank official blinked and kept staring. Hearing something in her headset, she listened then put a hand on her right earmuff.
"Copy that. Gather them and bring them in for questioning," she stated then watched the female stoat raise her hand. Thinking she would pull out a weapon, she just touched an earpiece that she had.
"The enforcers are collecting and bringing the defectors into their HQ...I'm talking with the captain now...alright."
"So you aren't with the group of stoats that were trading materials for weapons," Darcia reasoned while moving her hand away.
"No. The squad I am with are retrievals of traitors," Chiara corrected without a change of tone. "We don't kill unless told to from our superiors."
"Huh," the cat woman expressed with a faint smirk. "Hearing this from you of all people is rich."
"..." the female stoat frowned and narrowed her eyes.
"I am assuming your squad and leader are heading here."
"They are."
"What for? To interview me? I'm not giving you or your squad those men," Darcia stated clearly. Moving her arms and hands, she put both hands on her hips.
"The squad leader will try to reason with you otherwise...given that this is a matter that doesn't concern you."
"Oh really? It doesn't concern me?" the officer repeated then smirked larger. "If you think this is the same Oastial Harbor and OHP, you are in for a rude awakening."
"Snipers on roof tops now, hmm?" Chiara spoke and moved a little. Her arms crossed her chest and continued to frown at the other woman.
"Keeps the town's people safe to always have a long smoking barrel pointing over their heads."
"Mock all you want Chiara...since that destruction day a couple of months ago, this town has turned around. Each decision made has further pushed this place to have a better quality of life," the captain informed then gave a dismissive wave at the female stoat. "The population has increased. Crime has decreased. And businesses has been growing here."
"Anything you say doesn't mean squat anyways...since you always seemed eager to mess with the law and cater towards the lawless scum."
"..." Chiara clenched her teeth but didn't move. Angry from hearing those words, she wasn't able to contain her alter ego from slipping out.
"Yea...all this changed because some psycho killer did all the dirty work," she stated then gave a mocking grin. "The one that caused the implosion of that shit hole bar."
"..." Darcia felt her eye twitch a little. Finding this conversation not going anywhere, the mention of the person gave her a reason to stay.
"I saw him here earlier with the blue hedgehog kid. They with you?"
"..." the female stoat calmed herself down a little and became less tense. "...no...they came separately."
"You spoke with them?"
"What if I did? What's it matter to you?"
"That psycho killer assaulted one of the border guards," the cat woman answered with a frown.
"No doubt he would. Not so much the kid," Chiara responded with a half smile.
"They say...they are visiting. Then heading to one of the villages south east here. That true?"
"That's the short of what they told me. The kid's home village is over there...somewhere," the female scout gestured with her thumb that pointed in the general direction.
"Is he holding the kid hostage?" Darcia asked after blinking.
"Hostage? Pfft," the stoat questioned with a short laugh. "That's a riot."
"...what?"
"That speedy kiddo is OBSESSED with going fast. You can draw the dots of who sticks around who."
"Why would a child want to be near a monster that kills?"
"..." Chiara reacted with a blank stare. The aspect that there was no change in the enforcer's expression or demeanor seemed unreal. The remembrance of Speed telling her with the look of disappointment came to her. It seemed to rock her brain a little that she felt herself veering back a little.
"...freakin' shit...you don't know?" she asked with a tone of mild disbelief.
"..." Darcia narrowed her eyes. "Don't know what?"
"He said you and this town never dug up after the implosion. I thought he was full of shit...you guys honestly did not search through the rubble? You did not go find what caused that death fog that blanketed over the freakin' town for almost a day?" the stoat questioned bringing her arms down to her sides. They felt like weights all the sudden from the mental gravity that took hold.
"We didn't have the equipment nor the hands available to do so. The decision to not extract what was there was more economical than political."
"More economical than political!?" Chiara repeated with shock. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
"If you ever cared about running an organization and think about the wellbeing of the people in a city, then you'd understand," Darcia shot back with a frown. "That watering hole was a leech on this city and its people. From it and the criminals inside destroyed, this town recovered."
'...in the end result...it doesn't matter' Vermilion's voice echoed in her mind. '...it was...THEIR choice.'
'...one can't claim atrocities...if it is no longer there...'
'...burying the truth...shields the innocent from...horror...'
'...then...ask...her...y...o...u...r...s...e...l...f...' his raspy voice whispered in her left ear then shifted over to her right.
"...!?" the female stoat stared with wide eyes and a partially open mouth.
Her ears flickered from the mental hearing of the amputee's voice. Goosebumps flared on her back and arms as her tail stiffened a little. Feeling the shocked look on her face made her look down at the ground. Hearing the words coming out of the police leader seemed untrue and surreal. However from what the ash-colored hedgehog said being true, her perspective felt twisted a little.
"I don't believe this...he was telling the truth," she muttered to herself. Instead of saying something of a jeering comeback, her mind suddenly became amused. Shaking her head, her alter ego was also amused. With both herself and the other persona in sync, she felt amplified. Almost a sensation of feeling whole that she hadn't felt in a long while.
"...heh heh heh..." she giggled with her shoulders lifting and sinking.
"What's so funny?"
"..." Chiara covered her mouth with her hand. Trying to contain herself, her snickering pierced through.
"I asked you a question Chiara."
"Ha ha ha," the stoat chuckled holding her stomach. Calming down a little and wiping her eyes a little, she looked at the high rank officer and gave a fake smile. At the same time, an older male stoat was making his way to where the two females were.
"You're a fuckin' idiot," the woman scout stated then glared at her. Turning to her left, she put both of her hands on her head and gripped it.
"I can't believe that psycho asshole proved me wrong! GOD DAMN IT!"
"H-Hey!" the old gentleman spoke coming to a stop. Being in the middle between both woman, he glanced at his subordinate. Internally grimacing from wonder what damaged she did, he turned to the law enforcer.
"Afternoon officer. I am Bernard of the Stoalis Village far south from here. I am the leader of the squad of scouts sent by our chief to capture the defectors from our village."
"..." Darcia stared at him, but kept glancing at Chiara. Seeing her out of sorts, her small outburst was not the type she remembered her doing. Contemplating that for her to be part of her village again, they changed the wild stoat for something a bit better.
"Greetings. I am Captain Darcia. Commander of the OHP here...your...scout told me that you are seeking those defectors to bring back to your village."
"That is correct. Given we originally have means to apprehend them and bring them back for punishment, I was hoping that we would be able to take them off your hands. Stoalis Village naturally assumes all responsibility of any harm the defectors have done along the way and in Oastial Harbor."
"While I commend the act of carrying out your orders and taking responsibility of the defectors, they have also committed a wave of criminal activities. Will your village leader pay for the damages the defectors have caused here?" she asked lowering her arms to her sides.
"That would be a question for my village chief to answer."
She received intel that two other stoat individuals were heading to her location. As if on cue, she saw one appear on a rooftop a block away. Seeing the individual begin its descent down the building stares, her ears perked up. Hearing sounds of footsteps coming from behind, she immediately looked over her shoulder. The male stoat that approached wore similar clothing to the others and rose his hands. He walked around to near his commanding officer.
"You have comms devices," the female pointed to her ears. "Your fellow scouts used it to notify you and your squad of whereabouts and locations. You can hail your village chief."
"Yes...we do have comms, but they are short ranged," the squad leader informed with open gestures of his hands. "Unless we have an extender, I'm afraid that we won't be able to reach our village to call them."
"I see...looks like you have a problem them," Darcia reasoned and turned slightly to the right while still facing the retrieval squad. "I am returning back to HQ to give my report to my superiors. If you wish to talk about the turnover of your village's defectors...then visit HQ for a video call or have your village leader visit."
"That...doesn't leave us with much options," the older male stoat responded with a tense face. "Our chief will not take your holding of our traitors kindly."
"I am just following my role and duties. There is nothing personal," the woman officer reiterated. "Just to let you know, you and your squad may roam Oastial Harbor freely. However if I find or hear anything remotely suspicious of you four, you will be asked to leave."
"..." the stoat squad reacted with becoming stiff. The tension was broke from hearing a female laugh behind them. It wasn't a normal one.
"This," Chiara began walking past her squad members.
"...is..." she continued heading towards the officer. Stopping in front of her, she was in Darcia's personal space.
"...rich," the furry woman said with mocking smile on her face. "Is this the true face of...law and order?"
"..." Darcia responded with frowning more at her. "I'm going to ask you once...get out of my face."
"Or what?" Chiara replied with a retaliating voice. "You're going to throw the book at me? Maybe train a sniper at my head until I quiver from your justice?"
"Get lost Chiara before I trespass you and your fellow members. That be something to chew on while explaining to your village chief how you and your team FAILED to complete your mission," the cat woman threatened.
Having enough of standing around, she turned around. Blinking and taking one step forward, the cyber-eyed hedgehog appeared in her personal space. Caught off guard and instantly feeling her fur stand on end, her normal instinct to get distance and draw her gun went through her head. Instead, she froze in place with fear. His materialization with immediate predator-like stare and aura caught everyone else by surprise.
"...where the hell did that guy come from..." one of the male stoats whispered tensely from the side of his mouth.
"There's no way he's a friend of Chiara's...I can feel his presence from over here," another spoke quietly back.
"Shut it and be ready for something," the leader muttered hesitantly and stared cautiously.
'GOD DAMN IT! I HATE IT WHEN HE DOES THAT!' Chiara's alter ego shouted in her head. It seemed to neutralize the instant apprehension that generated from Speed's sudden appearance. The aspect that she couldn't detect him at all even with being more in tuned with her "gifted" abilities was daunting. It gave her a perspective that the power gap between them was still too vast.
"Well...well...well," Vermilion spoke with slight pauses. His tone was not the clearer and calmer one as before. It was the one back from the implosion event. The one that seemed crazy. Deranged. Primal.
"Tell me Commander...or is it...Oppressor?"
"...w-why..." Darcia stuttered a little. Able to move, she slid her stepped out foot back to her other one. Clearing her throat while in defensive mode, her left hand twitched.
"What do you-"
"..." Speed tilted his head to the right. Continuing to bore at her, his black-red inorganic eye's color intensified. The slight alteration made the cat woman stop talking and swallow.
[Commander. We have six snipers trained on the hedgehog. Give us the word and we will put him down] one of the officer's radioed in. Thinking that would comfort her a little, she saw Speed raise his left arm. Offering her an open hand, it changed to form a claw.
"Go on Darcia," he continued then gave a small smile. "Tell your angels in the sky...to rain down judgment...because it is better...to bury the past."
"..." the police leader felt her eyes widening. Slowly taking a short step back with one leg, her headset buzzed.
[Commander? Your orders?]
"Commander?...Your orders?" Vermilion mocked with a toothy evil grin. "Go on Oppressor...continue your role and...responsibilities to your...masses."
"What the hell do you want from me!?" Darcia snapped.
Pushing off her back foot, she drew her gun. At the same time, she heard six sniper shots in her ears. Feeling herself momentary wanting him to be put down, his figure vibrated violently. Six heavy plinks hit the ground with sparks reaching to the air. Seeing that all of them hit different areas on the ground that would have gone through him, he was still standing. Still tilting his head. Still maliciously bearing his teeth at her.
[H-He dodged those bullets!?] one of the officers spoke with shock. [Even from this range!?]
"Still hiding behind the veil of OHP...hmmmmmmmm?" Speed sneered.
Tilting his head back straight, he slowly walked forward. The expression on his face never faltered that seemed to set the cat woman on edge. Without a buildup or a shout, she unloaded her handgun. Each shot, the hedgehog would dodge each bullet. Seemingly sliding on the ground like a ghost with rapid speed, he would move left or right. However after each firing, he would move a bit closer.
Since the police leader did quick consecutive shots, the amputee unnervingly shorten the gap between them. To everyone watching, it seemed something out of horror. A monster in tattered sheep's clothing with what seemed demonic and unnatural abilities. Chiara felt her heart rate increasing as turmoil was boiling inside of her. Flashbacks of the dungeon and the prison cells came to her invoking the nightmares again. At the same time, the alter ego expressed anger and sadistic joy seeing the old OHP chief get his treatment. By the last firing of the handgun, Vermilion was in front of her face.
"..." Darcia breathed heavy while trying to contain her trembling. Her smoking gun was pointing passed the hedgehog's head on his right side. Still wearing the same expression, the thought of him killing her seemed feasible. Staring at his normal eye, it was boring through her eyes like a laser. The robotic one looked even more piercing and dreadful.
"...tell me..." he began. Lifting his left arm again, he reached for her neck.
[MOVE COMMANDER!] the snipers radioed in. They all sounded concerned and stuck in a difficult situation.
"...show me..." he continued. Gently grasping her neck, her fur was standing on end. Seeing the look on her face, his face shifted to his normal stoic one. Despite the malicious vibe fading, there was no aura of comfort from him. It was only icy, dreadful, and the feeling of powerlessness.
"...why this metropolis's...cancer...still breathes..." Speed sternly told her. Squeezing her neck, his image suddenly vibrated. At the same time, Darcia blinked scared from feeling a current flow through her body. Her sight began to seem hazy before everything seemed to glitch a little.
"C-Chiara!? What the hell are you-!?" the squad leader shouted seeing the female stoat sudden mad pounce at the two. Never seeing her move that fast before, she got a hand on the hedgehog's arm within a second.
At the same time, something of a blue blur bolted down from around a street corner. Moving too fast to make out who it was, it rushed directly behind the disfigured male hedgehog and grabbed him. As if time slowed down for everyone, the four figures' body glitched once before disappearing. Rapid sniper shots were fired hitting the ground at the spots of where they stood. Not wanting to be in any crossfire or entrapments, the male stoats sprinted quickly away and rushed down alleyways in different directions.
[Comman#$in!#$ ander!]
[Chi #$% do you $% #py!?]
"...!?" Darcia breathed faster after coming out of the bending light tunnel.
The visual of her surroundings started to stabilize and began to show shapes and forms. The outer body experience was off putting enough that it made her queasy. Feeling something that felt like fingers and a hand let go, she blinked. Seeing Speed standing in front of her, he retracted his arm a little. Seeing it stop, it was being held on by another person. Blinking and veering back a little, it was Chiara who looked to have a craze expression on her face.
"W-Whoa!" a small boy spoke from below.
Making the two women flinch and dart their heads in the direction of the voice, it was Sonic. He had seemed to have latched onto the older hedgehog's waist from behind him. The fact that they never saw him or heard him elevated the suspicion that he had powers similar to the amputee. Watching the child, he let go of holding onto the disfigured man and was turning around. Seeing that his face looked less excited, he moved closer to stand next to Vermilion.
"...wha...?" Chiara spoke softly. Darcia turned her head and ignored the stoic stare of Speed. The female stoat had let go of his arm and was observing the surroundings. Her face seemed lost and confused. It was different to see for the officer as well as strange.
"This...is this...no...it can't be," the woman muttered to herself sounding bewildered. Turning back to face the group, Chiara immediately turned to him.
"Hey...is this...that place?"
"What place are you...thinking?" Speed asked in a calm, mild tone. Instead of turning towards her, only his left crimson ring eye turned toward her. His right eye continued staring at the policewoman.
"..." Darcia pressed her lips together from the uncanny ability. Him continuing to gaze at her was more off putting than she remembered. It almost seemed like he was agitated.
"Don't play dumb. You know what I mean," the stoat answered in a hushed, agitated low voice.
"I've never seen a prison this large Speed," Sonic commented quietly. Flinching hard from the sudden bang on a door, someone shouted from a cell near them.
"Well if it ain't the OHP chief of shit-ville," a large humanoid rhino voiced aggressively. "To what pleasure have you graced us with your presence MA'AM!"
"Shut it criminal!" Darcia retorted harshly. Turning only a little to glance at the hairless man, he sneered at her while pacing in his barred chamber.
"Who's the new blood you bring this time bitch?"
"Watch your mouth low life! You want the patroller to visit you again?" she threatened narrowing her eyes at him.
"That SOB doesn't mean shit to me. Threaten me all you want pussy, you ain't breakin' me. Especially with your freak show losers."
"C-Commander!?" someone called from the other end of the hallway. Hearing quick feet of boots, everyone except Speed turned toward the loud sounds. Hearing them stop and click their boots to be at attention, the figure stood.
"This truly is a pleasure. I don't often get to be graced by your presence ma'am," the unknown man continued after doing a small head bow.
Lifting his head up and looking down at the smaller height individuals, the three new people did not look like they were a part of the law enforcement. Oddly, the disfigured amputee had yet turn around. Staring at the back of the hedgehog, something about him seemed different. Blinking from being distracted by movement, the female stoat to his left stared at him wild eye. Surprised from her reaction, the patroller kept his mouth closed.
"W-W-W-WHA-WH-WH-WHA-W-W-W-W!?," Chiara stammered loudly. Immediately taking a step back and getting in front of Vermilion, she grasped his shoulders quickly.
"...!?" Darcia veered back in surprise from the woman's action. Moving a little to see her face, the look of terror was on her face. It was as if she recognized the officer for some odd reason. Seeing her shake in place, it made the cat woman uneasy from never seeing her like this.
"A child? What is a child doing here in a den of criminals?" the tall figure spoke calmly and looking at the smallest person.
"..." Sonic kept his mouth closed. Stepping closer to the other hedgehog and seeing Chiara's behavior, the boy felt the fur on him begin to stand.
'I don't have time to babysit,' Darcia thought to herself. Shaking her head, she turned to the guard of the facility.
"Warden Ciloba. Put this criminal in the isolation chamber," she ordered and pointed at the rhino breed.
"Of course Commander Darcia. It be my pleasure," the tall man responded with a head bow.
Turning to the cell-dweller indicated, the prisoner began to talk smack at him. The closer he got, the criminal began shouting. Seeing the warden reach the doors and open them, the inmate tried to make a break for it by slamming into the patroller. Instead of colliding with a body, he was tripped by powerful long arms. Falling to the floor, the warden quickly tied up his hands and feet together.
"All better now...let's go to a quiet place...and talk about your sins," Ciloba stated with a chuckle. Grabbing and dragging the prisoner on the ground, the inmate began screaming and trying to break free. Seeing them both go into a hallway further down, they turned left before losing sight of them.
"That...That can't be...THAT FUCKIN' CAN'T BE HIM!" Chiara shouted. Turning her head and boring at Speed, he began to shake vigorously.
"HOW CAN HE BE ALIVE!? JUST FREAKIN' HOW!? I SAW YOU MAULED THAT FUCKIN' MONSTER TO DEATH! YOU TORE OUT HIS THRO-!?"
"Wha-?" Darcia blinked confused. Flinching hard from seeing the amputee suddenly materialize in front of her, he snatched her face. Gripping it hard, the cat woman felt fear climb her spine. Unable to remove his hand, she froze from the glare he gave her. It was the look of disdain.
"...explain...why that cancer...is breathing?"