Madness (Suicidal Book 3)

Chapter Six: Breaking Up

"What do you make of this, Madoa?" asked Baliyo as he walked into the conference room, holding a cup of coffee, careful not to spill any on his police officer uniform. Madoa glanced at him and shrugged. 

"It seems like a pretty cryptic death note, so it's obviously not a suicide. It's a murder of some sort, but why would the killer leave us a message?" She mused, biting her bottom lip a small bit. Baliyo made a low humming noise as he thought. Then his eyes lit up, and Madoa could almost see the lightbulb go off inside his head, like in those cartoons she watched as a kid. 

"It's a riddle. Not just a question. A riddle." He leans forward and quickly takes the paper out of the confused Madoa's hands and reads it out loud. "'What does a liar do when he's dead?' He lies still. The body lies still, lies limp. And if a liar's dead, then he's still lying." He looked up from the note grinning at Madoa. 

"That doesn't help us figure out who the killer is or what they want," said a voice. Baliyo and Madoa jumped in surprise. The voice chuckled. "Sorry about that, guys." The figure walked into the dim lighting from the street lights above. It was Detective Fuli. A legend in the Pride Rock Police Department (PRPD). Started out her career by going undercover and arresting the dangerous killer Kion. Worked her way up by collaborating with Officers Fangmyer and Delgado to arrest the Zootopia-Green Hills serial killer, the Fox. Revealed to be private investigator and former hacker Miles "Tails" Prower, Fuli managed to give the police officers in that precinct the information they needed to stop the Fox and get him sent to the asylum. 

"Detective Fuli," Madoa grinned. "How are you, ma'am?" Fuli grinned and shook her head. "Don't call me 'ma'am,' I'm used to enough formality by citizens already. I don't need more by my fellow officers." Madoa blushed. "Sorry about that," she muttered. "It's alright," said Fuli, clapping her gently on the shoulder. "I'm just glad to be working with two good officers such as yourselves and Detectives Fangmyer and Silvereyes from the Zootopia Police Department." 

Baliyo and Madoa smiled at her, then each other. This was probably the first time that a higher ranking officer had complimented their skills of deduction prowess. Fuli held out her hand. "May I see the note?" she asked politely. Baliyo nodded and handed her the piece of paper. She looked it over, her eyes squinting in concentration. Then she gasped. Baliyo and Madoa leaned over and looked at her. "What is it?" Baliyo asked.

Fuli slolwy looked up at them, her eyes full of horror. "I recognize this handwriting. It's Kovu." Baliyo gulped and his face went pale. Madoa whimpered and hung her head before crossing herself. "Oh God," she murmured softly. "Oh God." Fuli shook her head, her hands shaking in fear, the tremors rattling the paper. Baliyo reached over and slowly took it from her hands, looking at her with kindness in his eyes, masking his worry and fear. "Go rest, Detective," he said. Fuli took a deep shuddering breath and nodded. She slowly walked out of the room. She looked over at Madoa. "Keep praying, Officer." She shook her hand again. "If he exists, we're gonna need all the help we can get. And a little prayer can't hurt." She walked out as Baliyo muttered. "May God in Heaven help us all."

****

The house was dark as the group loaded all their supplies into the two vehicles. Kion and Sonic slowly climbed into the rickety old truck they had found in the backyard  at the skinned lion's house, next to the barn. Sonic climbed up into the driver's seat and looked out at Knuckles as the echidna walked towards them and their faded red pickup truck. Kion sat in the front passenger seat, and looked over at Knuckles as the red echidna reached their old rusting vehicle. He knocked on the side of the door and Sonic looked down at him. Knuckles took a deep breath and spoke. 

"Hey, Sonic," he said, worry lacing his voice. "You be careful, right? I mean, you are gonna go back to the city and Troy and stop Kovu, while also evading the police department, the damned  cops." 

Sonic looked at Knuckles and chuckled. "Knuckles, you are the one breaking into the most secure prison in the Great Lands to bust out two murderers, with other charges of arson and vandalism tacked on as well. You're gonna be in deep shit for most of the operation. You gotta take care, you hear me, man?" Knuckles nodded and grinned at Sonic. "Yeah, I hear you, buddy, just....stay safe, okay? And, please, please, please, try not to get yourself killed." 

Sonic laughed at that. "Buddy, I think you have a higher chance of getting killed than me, but I do appreciate the sentiment, man." Knuckles nodded, held up his fist for a power bump, which Sonic gladly returned, and then he turned and walked back to the white van that him and Tails would be riding in to go break out Vitani and Nuka, the rest of their old friends from the extremely secure prison, Blackgate Maximum Security Prison. 

Tails walked over to Sonic, biting his lip carefully and worriedly. Sonic looked at Tails with concern and worry about him as well. Tails blinked up at him for a second, then he jumped up and grabbed Sonic's face with his hands or paws, as Kion mused, and kissed him deeply. Sonic made a little moan in the back of his throat and returned it gladly. 

They stayed like that for a while, Kion and Knuckles trading awkward and uncomfortable glances before Knuckles finally cleared his throat and the two of they jumped back apart, Tails landing on his ass on the pavement below. Sonic grinned down at him. 

"You are going to be careful, you hear me Tails?" Tails slolwy nodded and licked his lips before turning and sauntering away to the van, where Knuckles was now sitting in the driver seat. Sonic stared at Tails as he left then sighed and fire up the ignition, turning the key to start the engine. The truck roared to life. "Let's go get your boyfriend," Sonic said, grinning at Kion. They waited as the van drove off to the west, and then they took off to the east.