FicWad

-Chapter 5: REDRUM

-Station Square: Central City

Over cars, through and up buildings, jumping off trees and telephone polls, Sonic the Hedgehog ran. “It’s been a while since I ran in the city,” he thought, “I’ve forgotten how many obstacles there are around here.” He dodged through the street, up and over building, but he never went near the sidewalks, less he hit some random pedestrian.

As usual, the mornings of Station Square were a buzzing hive of activity. Cars raced to work, trying to get the best position on the road to make their deadline, people walked the sidewalks toward their favorite shops and restaurants, and a traffic copter hovered over all their heads, reporting the conditions of the road to the people who were already on it.

Sonic laughed at the city. How he loved it. He ran up the side of an office building, then jumped onto the roof of a small restaurant below it. Murray’s Pizza Cave. Sonic shook his head at the oddity of the name, but then considered getting a bite to eat here, once he met up with Tails.

Odd flashbacks to his preteen years suddenly filled Sonic’s mind. Wow. It has been a long time. He remembered when Tails never left his side, how he followed him like a sad puppy, always hanging around behind him as he went. Now, Tails had started his own repair shop right here in the city, and he was doing great business from what Sonic had heard.

“It’s not that great really,” said Tails to him during Sonic’s last visit. “It’s just that I can do the same job faster than a bunch of mechanics. Still, I wish I had some help with it.”

Sonic knew that Tails didn’t mean him. Sonic wasn’t exactly a wiz at machines, except when it came to dismantling them.

This train of thought led to Robotnik. Or The Eggman, as he had started to call himself. He had taken it up as a sort of title, like King of his own little Eggman Empire.

Sonic wondered if he still called himself that, being in prison and all. It was all over the news. Ivo E. Robotnik had been taken into custody very early that morning, and word had spread so fast it had become the talk of the town. A big boon to GUN’s public view, no doubt.

Sonic debated going to visit Eggman in jail, but decided against it. The last thing the overweight scientist would want to see would be his most hated enemy.

Sonic suddenly remembered his meeting with Tails. He looked up with a start at the Station Square Clock Tower. He’d been thinking for almost ten minutes, and it was now ten till ten. Sonic left the roof of the restaurant in a flash, and was on the move at a far faster velocity by the time five seconds had passed. Being late was not something he was use to.

-A little later.

Tails was beginning to worry. Yes, it was still five till ten, the scheduled meeting time, but it was common style for Sonic to be there a lot earlier than he was supposed to be. His fears were quelled though when he saw a blue flash move along the side of a building toward him. Tails stood on the street corner, and watched as the blur moved down the side of the building, zoomed past the few people who were on the street, and stopped with impeccable accuracy right in front of Tails.

“How’s it going, buddy?” asked the hedgehog, a huge grin on his face, as usual.

Tails frowned. “I’d say you’re late, but that wouldn’t be true now, would it?” he said, before grinning a bit himself. The two laughed a moment at each other for a moment, and then met each other’s gaze.

“You’ve heard about Eggman, I’m sure,” said Tails.

“Yup,” Sonic said with a nod, “Looks like the good doctor can finally get some R&R. I think this whole ‘Take over the world’ thing is just anxiety due to over exhaustion.”

Tails raised an eyebrow at Sonic’s use of such large words. It was quite unusual of him.

“In other words,” Sonic laughed, “He’s been working too hard. Maybe he’ll be more friendly after a few years in prison.”

“He got life, Sonic,” Tails said. Sonic looked a little sad at that remark.

“Well, whatever,” Sonic said, the grin returning, “Least we know he’ll be able to take care of himself. Anyone tries to mess with him, he’ll turn his lunch into a laser cannon.” Sonic laughed at his own joke.

“Actually, that’s quite possible,” said Tails, “Especially if they were serving potatoes. All he’d have to do is...”

Tails was cut off by sirens. Police sirens. Tails and Sonic both turned to see a few police cars speeding right though traffic. Both Sonic and Tails looked at each other for only a moment before they took off after them. Sonic, as usual, stuck to the rooftops and building sides, wishing the car would move faster. Tails took to the air, spinning his tails fast and furious as he followed Sonic and the police cars.

-Station Square: South Docks. Five minutes later.

Finally, Sonic thought as he spotted a large group of police cars parked around a rather large area in the center of the street. They seemed to have just finished setting up the yellow tape, and already there was a flood of people gathering around like gnats. Sonic signaled to Tails. The fox descended before grabbing Sonic by the wrist, and the blue hedgehog was up and over the crowd of people. He heard people gasp in awe of the two heroes as they moved overhead. Even the police officers took a look at the pair as they landed past the yellow tape.

Inside the line, policemen and their cars were crowded around a huge white tent in the middle of the street. Sonic noticed other cars parked inside as well that were definitely not police issue. A crew of what looked like mechanics suddenly appeared from inside the tent. They walked up to a group of guards and shook their heads negatively.

Sonic and Tails suddenly found themselves in a very large shadow. The quickly turned to see a huge female Mobian Bear staring down at them. She wore a police officers uniform, made specially for her, and her badge was shining in the brilliance of the sun. Her face was one of strict seriousness.

“Sonic the Hedgehog and Miles Prower?” asked the huge woman. Sonic and Tails were taken aback by her sheer size, let alone the huge claws.

Sonic got his nerve up first. “That’s us,” he said, “And you are?”

“My name is Jessica of the Brandclaw clan,” she said. Sonic had heard that bears were grouped up into clans instead of families, and refereed to themselves as such. “I’m head officer of this investigation. I’m glad to see you two here. We’re going to need your expertise, both of you.”

“Our expertise?” asked Tails, who was surprised and pleased that she was equally glad to see both of them there, not just Sonic.

“What’s to be investigated?” Sonic asked.

“Homicide, mister Hedgehog. Murder,” said Jessica.

Both Sonic and Tails looked at each other with looks of shock and horror. Who was murdered, and by whom? Why were they experts on this type of situation? Did they know the victim, or maybe the killer? Sonic’s thoughts sprang to the location of all his friends. Probably wasn’t Knuckles, he was usually stuck on that island of his. Amy, Cream, and Big were all on vacation together in the Western Islands, so it wasn’t them.

“Come,” said Jessica, “We need to hurry before GUN gets wind and starts busting in on our affairs.”

“GUN?” asked Tails. Now that was interesting. Why would GUN take interest of this? And why would they need mechanics here?

Sonic has similar thoughts, but his were still focused on the killer and the victim. It couldn’t have been Metal Sonic, Shadow said he and Omega were going to “take care” of him, whatever that meant. The thought of Shadow came to his mind, but he dismissed it so fast that it seemed only an afterthought. Shadow may be messed up in the head, but he was no murderer, and the thought of anything being able to kill Shadow didn’t even pass through his mind at all.

Jessica could see the confusion on their faces. “Follow me,” she finally said. The three then walked toward the large white tent. It seemed to be far too big for the alley, but somehow they had managed it. Jessica nodded to the guards and the three stepped in. Sonic was to curious to make to much not of it, but as he passed, the guards all gasped with recognition and awe. Tails also heard reports on the radio about a break in at the Station Square Museum of Nature and Art, but decided more important things were at hand.

Inside the tent, a huge group of police officers and other associates were gathered around a large gurney that sat in the middle of the tent. When Jessica entered, followed by two legendary heros, they quickly moved out of the way for them.

Sonic and Tails gasped as they saw who lay on the bed. On the bed lay pieces of what may have once been E-123 Omega, but now was nothing but a pile of scrap and debris. His arms and legs had been ripped off of his torso, his head and part of his right shoulder plate had also been forcefully removed and crushed in a variety of places. Claw marks with only three fingers were spread all over his body. His parts had been placed down very ceremonially. The arms were where they should be, though not attached. However, there were loose parts that it was obvious that noone was able to identify, and had been set near Omega’s sides till their mystery could be figured out.

“Someone did a number on him,” said another cop who passed by, carrying a bunch of tools in a large box. Before he got far though, Tails’ hand shot out and grabbed his pant leg.

“Give me those,” said Tails, not taking his eyes off Omega’s body. The officer looked to Jessica. The bear nodded, and he handed the small mobian the box. Tails quickly jumped up on the bed and started shuffling around.

Sonic turned to the officer, a thought crossing his mind. “Wait,” he said, “Why do you guys care? Omega’s a rogue robot, so isn’t this out of your jurisdiction?”

Jessica nodded, “Normally yes. However, about a week or two ago, the President anointed E-123 Omega complete citizenship. So he is, by all means, a citizen of this city. So in this case, no, it’s not. Or wouldn’t be, if for one thing.”

It must have been Rouge, Sonic thought. He nodded, “What’s the problem then?”

Tails, meanwhile, had taken an extreme interest in the head area of Omega’s body. “Can someone give me a light?!” he yelled. The same officer who had given him the box of tools came over with a flashlight and held it over where Tails told him to.

Jessica sighed a bit, “The problem, Mr. Hedgehog, is that this citizenship only applies to Omega whilst he is alive. Once he’s been...permanently shutdown, he’s nothing but unowned scrap. GUN will probably get clearance and take his remains for themselves, for study in their labs.”

Sonic noted the level of disgust in her voice. The police force and GUN usually didn’t get along very well.

Tails, still barking at the cop impatiently, finally used a pair of pliers to pull a small round object out of the back of Omega’s head. “I don’t think that’ll be a problem,” he said, taking the thing in his hand and jumping down to the ground again. He gave the cop a nod of thanks and the officer quickly departed.

Tails handed the object to Jessica, who took it in her huge paw. “What is this?” she asked.

“It’s Omega’s memory storage chip,” Tails said, beaming with pride, “As long as that exists, Omega can be repaired, fixed, and get back on his feet. Technically, he’s not dead. He’s just severely injured and unconscious at the moment.”

Jessica smiled, “So it’s only attempted murder then. I thank you both for your trouble.”

“Now,” said Sonic, “There’s the problem of repairing him. Could you do it Tails?”

Tails shook his head. “While I was looking through him, I was also trying to figure out a lot of his mechanics. He’s too complex, even for me, Sonic.”

Jessica frowned, thinking the same thing that all three must have been thinking. “So, there’s only one individual that can repair him then,” she said, almost as if defeated.

“Eggman,” said Sonic, “Maybe I’ll pay him that visit after all.”

“You won’t get in,” said Jessica, “He’s not allowed visitors....unless....”

Tails and Sonic exchanged glances. “Unless what?” asked Tails.

“Well...,” Jessica said, “If, when you go to the prison, the visitation officer is a rather lanky gazelle with big thick glasses, tell him ‘Jessica wants some casserole”, ok? He should let you in, no problem.”

Sonic and Tails grinned, “Thank you, Jessica,” said Sonic.

“Not a problem,” she said, “Just paying you back for helping us save this guy from GUN. No one should fall into their grubby hands. You two get going,” she said, putting the round chip inside her uniform pocket, “Don’t worry, noone will dare try and get this chip from me.” As she said this, she flexed her massive paws.

Sonic and Tails suddenly felt nervous, “Well, we’ll head out now,” said Sonic, “Come on Tails.”

A run, a short propeller flight, and a burst of speed later, and Sonic and Tails were moving like bullets aimed at the heart of Station Square prison.