Chapter Text
It's a beautiful morning, and the Chaotix are driving down a dirt road, coming to a stop in front of a small building. The KTBR radio station. A rooster is leaned up against the wall.
"Morning boys. Bout time you two showed up. I swear the kid has more energy every time he's here."
Vector chuckles a bit as he steps out of the car, "Sorry Don. Thanks for watching him on such short notice." Don pushes forward off the wall, "What was the emergency this time?"
"Someone stepped on his drum and we had to replace it before he found out." Espio gives Vector a pointed look. Vector guiltily rubs the back of his head, "Heheh…"
Don shakes his head with a smile, "Well come on in." Opening the door to let the two in.
Inside is Nite, the owl radio host, and the little ball of energy Charmy Bee. Who is currently trying to chat away on the radio after Nite has already signed off. Don clears his throat and Nite turns, "Ah! Charmy look who it is!" Charmy looks over and zips forward, "GUYS! Didja hear me on the radio?? I answered the calls and helped people with their problems! I'm so good at it, I bet I could replace Nite-"
Charmy zips straight towards Espio. And crashes into him. "WAGH-" They both topple to the floor; Charmy starts snoring, too tired to stay awake after staying up all night. Vector moves to help Espio up, laughing all the while, "Nice ninja reflexes." Espio shifts Charmy into his arms, "Hmph. I could have dodged. I just didn't want to."
"Vector," Nite is holding out a piece of paper, "we got some calls about some shady figures snooping around. Humans. They've got people frightened. The reports all seem to come from near the port." Vector takes the paper, letting go of Espio, "Oof-" who topples to the floor again. "Ah!-" Vector scrambles to lift him back up to his feet.
He takes another look at the paper, "…Don't worry. Team Chaotix is on the case."
…
The Seaside City port. The leads Nite gave them all lead to here, a case in their own backyard. The place is full of shipping containers and old warehouses, and looked a lot less welcoming in the dark of night. At least most of the lamps are working.
"Alright boys," Vector addresses Espio and Charmy, "if the info's right those humans should be around here somewhere."
Charmy zips forward into Vector's face, "Do you really think there are HUMANS on the island??" The island doesn't see many, so he's pretty excited about the idea. They're tall. It's cool.
Espio chimes in, "It's not impossible. We'll see."
Vector moves Charmy back and out of his space, "I don't know. But keep your eyes peeled. And be careful! It could be dangerous." Espio nods seriously, and Charmy gives a big thumbs up, "Okay!" and starts flying off.
Vector grabs him, "We're sticking together on this search, Charmy."
And with that they get started, sneaking around containers and peeking into warehouses. Everything seems business as usual. That is, until Espio pauses, "Wait a second, I hear something…"
"What is it?" Vector asks. Espio's quiet for a moment, listening. "… Voices. This way." He heads off, and the other two follow. He approaches an old warehouse, "In here."
They peek inside… There's definitely people talking in there.
Vector speaks with a low voice, "Alright boys, keep quiet and stay low." They nod.
Creeping inside the warehouse, it's cluttered and dark, but there's a light further in. Moving closer, they hide behind some boxes and peek over them…
There's two humans. A big burly man, and someone wearing a gas mask.
Charmy whispers, rather loudly, "It is humans!" Vector hushes him, "Quiet, Charmy!"
There's a click behind them. They all turn.
That's a gun.
A man in a suit and ski mask is pointing a gun at Vector.
"Move."
The Chaotix back up, around the boxes and into open. Freezing when they collide with something. The burly man is looming over them. The man with the gun speaks again, "Now, what are you doing here?"
Vector eyes him, "I could ask you the same thing." The man narrows his eyes, "I don't have time for games." The gun is pressed closer to Vector, "I would take this seriously if I were you."
Vector glares for a moment before speaking, "We got some reports of you guys causing trouble. We're investigating." The man raises an eyebrow, "Detectives?" Vector nods, "…Now. Why are you here?"
The man looks at him for a moment, then lowers the gun, "Something was stolen from our employer. We're looking for it." The burly man gives him a concerned look, he gives him a sure look back.
It's now quiet for a moment. Both the man and Vector giving each other suspicious looks.
Eventually Vector speaks, "…Let's go, boys." He grabs their hands and pulls them along, headed out of the warehouse. He keeps an eye on the humans as they leave.
Once they're out, Espio speaks up, "Something isn't right…" Vector nods, "Something absolutely ain't right." He thinks for a moment, looking back at the warehouse, "…Clutch has done a lot of work in this area. I bet he's their employer."
Inside the warehouse, the masked man turns to his companions, "Pyro, take care of our mess would you?"
The person in the gas mask claps giddily and laughs, grabbing a flamethrower off a nearby crate and bounding off further into the warehouse.
They've got bodies to burn.
…
Late that night, after the Espio and Charmy have gone to bed, Vector is sitting at their ancient computer in the dark office, trying to dig up any info he can on these humans.
He's been at it for hours with no luck. It's like these guys don't even exist! He's tried every search he can think of, every website and archive he knows, and turned up empty handed.
Maybe he should call it a night-
Wait.
What's this?
It's a really oddly done scan of a newspaper. From Teufort, New Mexico. Teufort? Vector's never heard of it.
Vector leans closer to the screen, trying to get a better look at the picture on the page.
It's them!
Well, one of them.
"You're wasting your time, Detective."
Vector jumps to his feet and whips around to his right. It's the man in the ski mask. "What are you doing here?!"
The man steps forward, no gun in sight this time, and turns off the computer, keeping his eyes on Vector, "I'm here to make you an offer."
"I know that you're the Chaotix, a group of detectives." The man has started walking, "You've been tracking down a criminal known as Clutch."
He moves past Vector, "The same man who's stolen from my employer."
He begins to walk around the desk, "My offer is simple: we work together. You're the leading experts on this man, and with my group at your side, taking him down should be quick. We get our employer's property back, and you get rid of Clutch."
The man stands across the desk from him now, Vector stares him down, "You're not the only one with information. I know what you guys are."
The man has pulled out a little case from the inside of his suit. He takes a cigarette from it and begins to light it, "And what are we, detective?" His tone is patronizing.
Vector's glare deepens, "You're killers. Why should we work with a bunch of hired thugs?"
The man scowls, and exhales sharply through his nose. Vector's struck a nerve. "We are not thugs. We are professionals with standards."
His scowl lightens, only slightly, "And we can pay you."
The promise of pay intrigues Vector. They stare each other down for a moment. "How much?"
"Ten thousand."
Vector's eyes widen. That's a lot of money. They could live off that for a while.
He sighs after a moment, "Fine. On one condition."
The man nods his head and gestures for Vector to continue.
"No killing anyone."
The idea seems to deeply annoy the man, and he takes a long drag from his cigarette before speaking, "Very well. You have my word."
The man holds his hand out, "Do we have a deal?" Vector shakes his hand, "We got a deal."
"And stop smoking in my agency!"
But the man is already gone. Vanishing without a trace.