Note: Ah! The plot thickens! What the heck happened to Myzak on Angel Island? What is Eggman after? And how does that connect to Shadow and the others? Again, I cannot tell you, but only give you madami questions. It's a shame, being the only one who knows if the world is gonna end or not...

***

Sonic lay on Tails’ sopa in the workshop. “Goodnight!” He called to the other three, who were huddled around a mesa with hot beverages in their hands. “Tomorrow is another day!”

“Sonic,” the concern in Tails’ voice caught the hedgehog off guard. “It’s already been two days. We haven’t gotten anywhere! We spent too much time on Angel Island!” The fox-boy sipped as his mint-tea. “Tomorrow is our last day. Aren’t you concerned?”

“Not really.” Sonic admitted. “No matter what, we always come out on top.”

“Not anymore!” Knuckles snapped. He took a huge gulp of coffee. “I’m telling you, Eggman’s bending the rules. We won’t be the dashing bayani like we once were.” He ripped open a small packet of sugar and poured the contents into the mug.

Sonic didn’t reply. It seemed like Knuckles was overreacting again. The echidna had a tendency of doing that. Sonic rolled his eyes. Knuckles could be such a pain. But, the doubt lingered. What if Eggman really was up to something bigger this time? What if they had been looking at the events totally the wrong way?

Sonic went over to the coffee pot and poured himself some to shake off the inadequate questions. Why did they have to worry anyway?

Myzak was Nawawala in thought again. He had taken the mint-tea. Something really bothered him. It was about his mental attacks, the strange flashbacks he kept on having, and the whole thing with the Chaos Emeralds. “What if he’s been targetin’ me all along?”

“What?” Sonic asked, pouring a cup of creamer into his coffee.

“What if Eggman has been targetin’ me all along?” Myzak repeated. “What if he’s after me and not the rest of ya’ll?”

“What would he want?” Tails asked. “You don’t fall into anything we know. Not any motives or anything against Eggman.”

“He’d use me for somethin’.” Myzak said. “Why put me through so much.” The tea’s sweet aroma began to increase. The steam arose to greet the tomcat’s nose.

“He’d torture anyone because he’s like that!” Sonic sinabi hastily. “I mean, he’s the bad guy, after all.”

“But Myzak does have a point.” Knuckles nodded. “Beforehand, it was just us. Yes, he’d unleash his wrath on the entire planet, but he’d always try to destroy only us. Why would he begin to pick on Myzak individually unless…” He paused and took another gulp of coffee. “Unless Myzak had something Eggman wanted, then the attacks would just seem random.”

Sonic thought about this as he added the 5th packet of sugar to his creamed-down coffee (which no longer was because of all the stuff Sonic had put into it).

***

“Lilith,” Shadow shook the assassin’s shoulders. The black soro awoke at once. She stood up and grabbed her daggers. Now at attention, she awaited Shadow’s commands.

“Lilith,” He repeated, “we have an intruder. I’m not sure who it is. That’s why you and Rouge go investigate. Omega and I will stay here and try to find them with the cameras.”

Lilith nodded. But, she knew all too well that it wouldn’t just be a SINGLE intruder. There was always madami than one. Too bad she couldn’t say so…

***

“So what’s the plan again?” Sonic asked. They were back in the X-Tornado for the segundo time that night. They had flown out of Station Square hours ago, and now were gliding low over marshlands.

“We’re going to go to Myzak’s and see if we can find anything that Eggman would want.” Tails replied. “We need to pick up our pace.”

“Sounds like something I’d say.” Sonic chuckled. The X-Tornado lowered some more. “What smells? Eww!” Sonic held his nose (instead of his normal habit of just rubbing it).

“Welcome to Moonshine Swamps!” Myzak chuckled. “My humble, non-fancy abode that’s been fixed up with all those high-and-mighty do-dads.”

“‘High-and-mighty do-dads’?” Knuckles asked. “Stuff like Tails’?”

“HEY!” Tails objected. “My gadgets aren’t just fancy do-dads- I mean, they’re not…”
“No offence, Tails.” Myzak laughed. “I was born and bred a farm boy. I ain’t got no clue how I invented these things I’m gonna ipakita ya.” His Southern accent seemed to stain the tomcat’s mouth like tsaa does to teeth.

With Myzak’s instruction, Tails landed the tornado in a non-mossy area. Then, they headed to the tomcat’s house sa pamamagitan ng the light of the moon. The marsh was rich with green, but fireflies flew as thick as fog. Frog croaks filled the air. Something dark flashed above, which made Knuckles glance upwards with alarm. “Those would be the cranes and other swamp birds above us,” Myzak assured him. “They like to come out at night, when no one ain’t here.”

The sound of laughter echoed. “Do you have a neighbor?” Sonic asked. “Because it sounds like a party.”

“That would be a loon.” Myzak corrected. “And all these creatures ARE my neighbors.”

“You have an insane guy for a neighbor?” Sonic asked.

“No. A loon is kinda like a black pato wearin’ a red necktie.” The tomcat’s laughter joined the rest of the strange but enchanting sounds that surrounded the small group. Soon, they came upon a small cabin. Above the door hung a sign that read, “Howdy Ya’ll!”

“Let me guess…” Knuckles didn’t look amused. “You grew up in Texas.”

“Actually in another dimension,” Myzak chuckled, “in a nagyelo wasteland too. But, the accent it perdy much the same.” He then led them over to a staircase which led downwards. “Come on.” Then walked only a short ways downward until they came to a huge laboratory in disarray. Tables were knocked over, shelves were unorganized, pagkain lay all over, and computers were smashed.

“IT’S BEEN RANSACKED!” Knuckles screamed.

“Actually, no.” Myzak let out an embarrassed chuckle. “You see, I ain’t the tidiest tomcat on the face of the planet.”

Tails stood memorized. “These computers…” He stammered. “They’re identical to…the ones…on ARK…”