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Chapter Text

The day had started out like any other. Sky had gotten up, gone about his morning routine, did some training, and then lounged around for a bit. The rest of the team had come in and out of where he was at at varying points of the day. Everything had been usual.

And then as the later afternoon rolled in, things suddenly started to shift. Sky was walking down the hall when he noticed the way some of the others around were looking at him.

Warriness. Confusion. Disgust. Even maybe some hatred. Whispering among themselves in voices too low for him to understand.

Sky tried to ignore the looks, but it was hard. His stomach churned at the unknown. Why was he being looked at like that? What had he done to them to get such a reaction so suddenly? As far as he could recall, little had happened that could even warrant anyone feeling such ways toward him.

Something was wrong.

And that was only amplified as he was called to the command center. Sky hurried his pace along, trying to keep his head low as he went. The looks didn't stop the entire way to the room. It was as if everyone knew something that he didn't – and he really didn't like that.

Sky stepped into the command center, on high alert. He looked around, his eyes darting over the room. Cruger stood just in front of the center consol, his gaze hard to read as it landed on Sky. His arms crossed behind his back.

Jack and Z stood to the left, emotions clearly running their course but in a way Sky wasn't able to figure out what they truly were. Neither met his gaze as he looked at them. And the same could be said for when he glanced over at Bridge and Syndey on the opposite side.

The whole situation was just making him more tense. Something had happened and it seemed he was the last one to find out what it was.

Sky stepped forward, leaving only a bit of space between him and Cruger before he spoke, "Sir? What's going on?"

Cruger fixed his posture into one of even more authority. He met Sky's confused gaze with one that was turning cold.

"Cadet Tate, you're under arrest for the murder of two innocent civilians."

The words sent a shiver down Sky's spine. Murder? Him? What was going on?

"S-sir? What are you talking about? I didn't kill anyone." Sky immediately defended, anxiety coursing through him and making his voice tremble. "I don't understand."

"Don't lie to me, cadet. The crime scene was riddled with evidence." Cruger spoke coldly, even moreso than his initial accusation.

"I-I didn't-" Sky was cut off in surprise as Jack and Bridge moved to grab his arms and restrain him. Neither would meet his gaze as he frantically looked between them.

Cruger took anything that was on him, whether it could pose a threat or not to anyone.

Sky didn't struggle. Didn't make scene. Didn't try to fight out of their grip. Sky knew resisting was only going to make him seem more guilty. He had to keep a level head. He could figure this out and get this situation handled.

"Take him to the jail." Cruger ordered the two young men.

"Yes, sir." Jack and Bridge nodded, their voices tense as they replied.

Sky took one last desperate look around the room, hoping for some sort of intervention, but none came. No one dared to say anything as he was tugged out of the room.

"Guys... come on. You know I wouldn't kill someone." Sky pleaded with Jack and Bridge as they walked. "I know you're just following orders but you don't actually... believe him, right?"

Neither said a word. Sky frowned and lowered his gaze. They were probably told to keep conversations to a minimum with him. He was stuck for now.

Sky didn't argue as they lead him to the jail. He didn't resist any movement they made him do. As the cell door closed on him, he just stared at the two, sorrowful.

Jack left the room quickly. Bridge lingered, seeming torn more than Jack had been.

"Bridge..." Sky spoke quietly. "You know I'm not like that. You can tell, can't you? Just take off your glove and read into me. It'll prove I'm not the one who did it."

Bridge met his gaze, a clear battle on his face. His hand shakily moved toward removing his glove.

"Bridge! Come on, we have things to do!" Jack's voice interrupted. "Cruger will get mad if you stay near him!"

Bridge jumped at the call, before quickly averting his gaze from Sky and walking away. Sky swore he saw Bridge mouth 'I'm sorry' before leaving him.

Sky banged his fists onto the cell door before sliding down to his knees. A few tears fell from his face.

He was being accused of murder. Someone had framed him. And did a damn good job from the sound of it.

Sky didn't know what to do. He couldn't think of any motive behind why someone would frame him. It had to be part of something bigger. This wasn't just someone being mad at him for some reason. There was more to it.

And he was stuck in here while the killer was still out there. By the time anyone realized they had it all wrong... how many more victims would there be?

Sky forced himself to his feet. He had to do something. He couldn't just sit here and wait for someone else to end up dead. If no one was going to believe him, then he'd give them evidence that couldn't be argued.

But first thing... he wasn't getting far stuck in this cell.

But Cruger had taken everything. He had no weapon, couldn't morph, had just the clothes on him. The cell was baren as expected, nothing but basic amenities.

Sky furrowed his brow as he thought. He looked out. The keypad was a distance away. Would he be able to get to it and insert the code? What if the code was changed because it was him in here?

Sky paced the room, trying to come up with an idea that would work. Then he spotted something. A piece of the ground had gotten worn down and was cracking.

He dropped to the floor and pulled. A piece of concrete came up. Sky smiled for a brief moment. That might help him out.

He walked back to the cell door and scanned the area. No one was around. At least there was no one set as a guard for him yet. Gave him enough time to get this done.

Sky leaned his arm out as far as he could and then slammed the concrete onto the panel. Sparks flew and then the door opened. Sky barely pulled his arm back in time before it opened on him.

He didn't hesitate, he booked it. He had no idea how secure the watch on his cell could be. Didn't know how long until someone might know he had just done that. He needed to move fast.

Sky booked it from the jail as fast as he could. He knew there was a backdoor not far from here. An emergency exit in case it was ever needed.

An alarm began to blare in his ears, red lights flashing. His escape had definitely been noticed by now. He had to get out before it was too late.

Sky reached the door and shoved it open. It set off another alarm but he didn't care. He ran out, heading for the town as fast as his legs could carry him. He didn't stop until he was certain he was hidden.

And that was when he found himself in an old part of the town. The houses around him were in varying states of disrepair, but it seemed they were still inhabited by life. Sky stayed to the shadows as he wandered the streets, searching for somewhere to rest.

His lungs were burning. That was a longer run that he normally did. But he didn't want to stop until he was sure no one could follow him.

His escape was only going to make them even more sure that he was responsible. What innocent person ran away instead of stayed calm and maintained they were innocent? He was digging a bigger grave for himself. But he had to.

Sky finally found a spot near an old playground. He sunk to the ground, panting for breath. His body shook for a moment. The adrenaline might be wearing off.

He stayed there for a while, gathering himself. He knew he had to keep moving. He needed an actual place to stay for the time being.

That wasn't going to be easy considering he had nothing on him. But, Sky wasn't going to be deterred that easily. He had to prove himself innocent no matter what it took. And at this point, the only way to do that was to find who had framed him and bring them to justice.

Sky got back to his feet and began walking. He stayed to the side, keeping his head down and moving quickly. The less heads that turned his way, the better. He needed to blend in right now. That was the only way he was getting out of this.

He passed by a cafe and stopped in his tracks as he heard the radio broadcast.

"Warning. All citizens be advised a wanted criminal is on the run. Sky Tate, former B-Squad ranger, is wanted for murder. Please be advised he is most likely armed and dangerous. Do not engage and contact authorities immediately if you see him."

Sky moved quickly as the announcement began to repeat. He was a fugitive now. Everyone was looking for him. All eyes were trying to be on him. And if they made their mark, he was not going to get out of this easily. He was a threat until proven otherwise.

He stayed to the shadows as he moved through the town. Eventually, he came across a house that was marked for demolition. Sky let out a sigh of relief and snuck in. It was better than nothing for the time being.

He sat down on the floor, finding little furniture left in the place. Sky's thoughts began to race wildly as he attempted to process everything that had just happened over this short period of time.

Someone killed two civilians and had managed to frame him for the crime. Mind everyone, Sky had no idea who the victims even were still. No one had said their names or how they had been killed. He was probably the one who knew the least about these murders than everyone. Not that anyone would believe him.

Cruger had to arrest him for murder. The evidence was too much to brush off. Sky didn't fault him for having to do so as bitter as he was. He was doing what he had to given what evidence was there.

Sky wasn't sure how anyone actually felt. Did anyone believe he was innocent or was the evidence too damning on him? They should all know he would never kill someone. That was not how he did things. He brought criminals to justice, not killed innocent civilians.

He hoped dearly that everyone was trying to find a way to prove his innocence. He knew running away wasn't aiding his case but he couldn't stay there when no one would listen to him. Not when the real killer was at large somewhere out there.

As Sky thought about it, he became even more certain whoever was responsible wouldn't even have been caught by their next kill had he stayed in jail. If they could frame him, why wouldn't they just frame another to keep themselves hidden.

Which meant... he had just opened himself up to being the culprit of another murder...

Chapter Text

As dawn broke the next day, Sky was already on the move. He hated what he was about to do, but knew he was left with little choice.

He stopped before a small clothing shop. It wasn't open yet and there was no one around. He scanned the area, finding there didn't seem to be an alarm system. Sky took a deep breath and broke down the door.

He slid in and quickly grabbed a few pieces of clothing, hoping it would be his size without looking too hard. And just like that, he was out and back to his temporary hideout.

Sky changed into the new clothes. If he wanted to wander around, he couldn't be in his uniform. That would get him caught in no time. He would need to disguise himself as just an average civilian.

Sky's stomach growled, reminding him it had been quite a while since his last meal. He sighed and tried to ignore it. He had no money on him and he already felt guilty enough as it was about stealing these clothes.

He could go without food for a bit. He just needed to find this murderer and clear his name and all could go back to normal.

But, first things first, he needed to actually know about the murders he was being accused of. That lead Sky to the library. He went to as desolate a place as he could and started up the computer. He kept warily looking around as he searched up the case.

Two young adults, one man, one woman. They had been killed while coming home to their college dorms. The names weren't released to the public yet, so Sky had little more to go on for the time being.

But, it was a start. He had a place to look at. Better than nothing.

Sky made sure to clear any evidence of his search and then left. He made his way to the college the two victims had been going to. He didn't know exactly where the murders had taken place, but he figured he could probably get some gossip out of the resident students without too much effort.

And he was proven right even more than he had been expecting. Sky had been walking onto the campus, looking for anyone who might be approachable about such a topic when he overheard the very conversation he had been hoping to have.

"It's a shame. You think someone was jealous or what? Neither of them had partners so it doesn't feel like it should be some weird jealousy issue."

"Yeah, seems like maybe a spur of the moment? That sicko probably just wanted to kill."

"But why do you think he chose to jump them in the center of campus? Seems like a bad idea. You know how many insomniacs there are here? It's amazing he wasn't spotted."

"But he left enough evidence to get caught anyway."

"You think it was video footage?"

"Might be."

Sky kept moving after that. He had another lead. This was done at night in the middle of this campus. And apparently there might be camera footage. If he could somehow get access to that, he might be able to see just how he had been framed for a crime he didn't do.

But that was asking a lot. He had no credentials to be let in such a secure place. Had no badge to scan in. He would have to find a less legal way in.

Sky really didn't like becoming a criminal like this, but he could deal with these lesser charges if it meant getting cleared from the murder mess. Breaking and entering was probably a lot less of a charge than murder.

He found the security office. As expected, there was a clearance to get in. He would need a badge to swipe.

How did he get a badge without resorting to harm? He wasn't about to jump someone for it. He just needed a way to borrow one temporarily.

Sky froze as he heard voices coming down the hall. He ducked into an empty classroom and hid from any windows. His heart pointed in his chest as he realized who the voices belonged to.

"I just don't get what a motive could even be." Sydney's voice echoed.

"Yeah. If we look at this with no killer in mind, it seems so out of the blue for an attack." Bridge's voice soon followed. "Even more if you do put Sky in that place."

"He couldn't have... right?"

"You saw the evidence. No one can deny what we saw. And he doesn't have an alibi."

Sky's breath caught in his throat. Whatever this evidence was... it was very incriminating. That was really bad.

"It doesn't help that he ran on us." Sydney continued. "Makes him seem more guilty."

"I wish we knew what was going on in his head." Bridge agreed.

"Couldn't you have?"

"I... I didn't do it. I was scared of what I might see. What if he did kill them? I... I don't want to see that in someone I called my friend."

"Come on. Let's see what they have on these cameras for us."

Sky heard the door open to the security room. He cautiously peered out. The door closed in front of his eyes as the two entered. Their voices became too muffle to hear.

Sky sunk to the floor and waited. Maybe they'd talk as they left and he could get the info of what they saw? That might be his best bet at this point. Otherwise he was going to need to find a way in and hope no one else was in there when he did.

That might mean a night mission. And that wasn't exactly enticing either.

It felt like years before Sky heard the door open again. He held his breath, praying they would say something.

"Syd...?" Bridge spoke.

"I can't believe he would do this..." Sydney whispered.

Sky's heart sunk in his chest. They saw him on video? That meant whoever had done in had disgused themselves as him. But... who could do such a thing?

He needed to see this video for himself. They had to be mistaken. There was no way he was caught on camera doing such a thing. He didn't do it, so how could he be on camera doing it? Unless he had somehow forgotten that he had gone out on a murder spree, there was no way it was him on camera.

"We need to report back to everyone." Sydney said. "This isn't good. We have video evidence of him killing them. And he's out there somewhere."

"Let's hope Jack and Z got a lead on where he might've gone. We need to find him before something else happens." Bridge replied.

Sky waited until he heard their footsteps vanish before he came out of hiding. He felt sick. Just what was going on?

...

Sky stalked one of the security guards. Waited until he had lowered his guard and snatched his badge.

Okay, so he had caught someone napping and unclipped the badge off their lanyard. It hadn't been that hard. He had expected a lot worse.

But, he had access now. The only issue was finding a way in with no one around to notice him. He doubted entering and saying he was a new guy would work. Especially when the badge he had was definitely not his.

Sky waited in the classroom, calculating the rotation. There was little time when no one was there. They made sure to keep watch at all times. This was going to be complicated.

At least, he had assumed until he heard the security leave, mumbling under his breath about going to the bathroom and how it would be fine for a few minutes. Sky acted fast, sneaking in and getting onto the system with little hesitation. He was working on a very limited time frame. Every second mattered right now.

Thankfully, the video footage was still up. He just scrolled back a bit and watched. The two students were walking through the grass when...

He came up behind them and stabbed them to death.

Sky blinked, rubbing his eyes and watching it again. It was him. Or at least looked like him. Sky was pretty certain he hadn't gone and killed anyone. So whoever had done it had a very good disguise on. Or had somehow modified the video footage to show a different view than what was truly captured.

Sky left the room quickly. He made it back to hiding just in time as the security guard came back. He waited for a few more minutes, worried his meddling may have been noticeable. Nothing else happened, so he got up and left, heading back to his hideout, leaving his borrow badge on the floor by the door.

It was dark out. The street lights gave only a little help. The moon was new, making sight worse in the darkness of the night.

On any other day, this would be nice, but with everything going on, Sky didn't even like being outside this late. Who knew what could happen?

He bit his words that moment he saw lights flashing. Something had happened. Did he want to know? Probably not, but if this was connected to whoever was framing him, he might want to at least take a look.

Sky warily approached the area, trying to keep to the darkness. The last thing he needed was to be seen lurking around, whether he was recognized or not. Any mysterious figure lurking a crime scene was cause for concern, after all. Sky was kind of grateful he knew all this stuff about how the police worked. Made hiding a bit easier. As much as that was a skill he didn't think he would ever need to use.

It was hard to make out much with the volume of bodies moving around the scene. Sky noticed all four of his friends were there, as was Cruger. That made dread start creeping in more. If they were all here... this might be because of his framer.

"This victim was killed in the exact same manner as the two Tate killed. It's safe to say this may be connected. He may have taken another life." One of the investigators who Sky didn't know the name of began speaking to Cruger.

Each word made him even more sick to his stomach. Another life was lost and it was going to be pinned on him. And there was nothing he could do about it right now. As far as everyone could see, he was responsible. Even if he knew he definitely hadn't killed this victim.

"Such a shame he would do such a thing." Cruger replied. "Gather as much evidence as you can. We still don't have a motive or any idea where he got to. We need to find him now more than ever."

Sky backed up. This was bad...

And then he stepped on a twig and it made a loud crack. He froze as heads turned toward him. Lights shown in his face, temporarily blinding him.

"Don't just stand there! Get him!" Sky heard Cruger yell and immediately he knew his identity was exposed.

He bolted away, unsure where he was going but just running. He could hear footfall behind him. He didn't dare look back to see who was there. He didn't want to see his friends chasing him like he was a madman.

Sky made his way into the woods nearby, using the terrain to try and lose the others. He kept moving, barely able to see a thing in front of him. He could still hear them coming after him. He didn't dare stop running.

But, running in the dark was a bad idea and it eventually caught up to him. Sky's foot caught on a tree root and he went down, ending up rolling down a small incline. He groaned in pain as he tried to orient himself. His ankle hurt, but it didn't seem broken. That was a start.

But the noise of his fall caught the attention of someone. Sky could see the light of a flashlight searching around. Sky struggled to get back to his feet, but ended up just falling back down and making more noise in the process.

The light encased him and Sky held his breath. He was caught. It was over. He was going to be charged for murder and who knows what would be his punishment. The true killer would go free and take more lives.

It was over...

"Sky?" He heard Z speak and her approach.

"I didn't do it! I'm not a murderer! Someone's framing me!" Sky yelled in desperation.

"Then why did you run away? Why did you break out of your cell?" Z questioned, clearly wary of him but not completely shutting him down yet.

"Because no one believed me and the real killer is still out here. I though I could find them before they could strike again and prove I'm innocent." Sky managed to sit up, wincing as the light hit his face. "Please. You know me. I'd never kill an innocent civilian like that. Besides, I'm unarmed. You can check. I have nothing on me."

Z lowered the light from his face. She crouched in front of him, studying his face for a moment.

"And if I find something on you that does point you to being the culprit?" She asked.

"Then I think we need to get me checked out for memory loss." Sky replied, trying to keep his voice steady.

Z seemed to relax slightly at his words. She started patting him down, searching every pocket he had and anywhere else that could conceal a weapon.

"Nothing. You are unarmed." Z pulled back.

"See? I'm not the culprit. They're framing me. I don't know how they're doing it but they are and... I don't know how to process it."

Z stood. "I saw nothing. Now go. Before I change my mind."

Sky scrambled to his feet. "Thank you. I swear I'll prove my innocence without a doubt."

"I hope so. I don't know how to deal with you being a cold-hearted killer." Z walked away without another word.

Sky breathed a sigh of relief as he took off toward his hideout. He had a chance. Z had believed him. That meant no one was dead set on him being the killer. He might be able to use that to his advantage to get more out of this.

If he could get them to help him, albeit under Cruger's nose, then maybe they could find who was actually responsible for all of this.

He couldn't let them claim another victim. This had to stop.

...

Z returned to the others. "No luck for any of us, huh?"

"No. He was fast." Sydney replied.

"Feels like he knew where to go." Jack nodded.

"I wonder why he was hanging around." Bridge said.

"Admiring the view?" Sydney rolled her eyes. "Don't killers stick around and act all innocent so no one thinks they did it?"

"But we are under the assumption he did already so why would he risk such a thing?" Z challenged. "It feels weird that he would hang around when he knows he's wanted."

"It is weird... his behavior pattern doesn't match what you would expect but at the same time..." Bridge trailed off.

"We do have physical evidence of him being at the scene of the crime." Jack finished. "As much as none of want to believe he could do such a thing, you have to admit it isn't a very good look for him."

"Maybe he's been framed?" Z hesitantly introduced the idea. "With all the high-tech stuff out there, who knows what it could be made to do in the wrong hands."

"So you're saying someone was able to not only replicate his DNA but also modify video footage to look exactly like him?" Sydney raised an eyebrow.

"I'm just saying maybe we should consider some other options since clearly we're all rooting for him to be innocent. Maybe we could help him out by looking for flaws in this evidence." Z responded.

"It wouldn't hurt to try." Bridge said. "If it can give us a better understanding either way, it's worth it. Even if it does end up proving... he did it."

Chapter Text

Sky spent the night in a restless slumber. His mind was replaying everything from the day, but with him truly being the one responsible. It ended with him waking up in a cold sweat.

Sky shivered as he tried to shake off the nightmare. He needed to find answers soon. Before he started getting worse. He knew this whole thing was starting to take a toll on his mental health. There was little he could do to stop that. This entire situation was stressful beyond belief.

It was a bit better now knowing all hope wasn't lost on his friends. Z had spared him. Had believed him. They doubted he was the killer. They could help him if he played his cards right.

Sky got up early. He had to change his disguise. They knew what he looked like in this outfit. His cover was blown.

His stomach rumbled, reminding him with pain that he still had yet to eat. Sky winced for a moment, but forced himself to move. He wasn't stealing food. Clothes, sure. He kind of had to if he didn't want to get clocked immediately. But, he wasn't stealing if he didn't have to and he was willing to push on without food for now.

So, unfortunately, Sky went and robbed another place of some clothing, trying to pick a style outside his comfort zone. He just hoped no one would realize he was the thief and know what he was wearing still. That was the only risk.

He got moving again, finding a newspaper and taking it to read what was said about the murder last night. No name was released yet, but the victim also went to that college.

Sky knew he needed to search there more. Clearly someone was targeting students and using him as the scapegoat. He just didn't know why. What was being gained? They were clearly capable of evading detection, so why go through the trouble of framing someone? Did they have it out for him or something? Was this something Gruumm set up?

Sky walked around the campus, keeping to himself and trying to act as casual as he could. He scanned the area, looking to see if there was anything that could point him closer to who the killer might be. There had to be something, right?

The search went on with little to show for it. As hard as he looked, nothing caught his eye. Everyone around seemed normal, albeit clearly unnerved by the string of killings. He was no closer to piecing anything together and it was frustrating. He just wanted to clear his name and have things go back to normal. Was that so much to ask for?

There had to be something for him to work with. There had to be. He just had to be missing the key to this puzzle. The killer had to have a motive. Had to be picking civilians for a reason. He just needed to look harder to find what that reason could be.

It would definitely help if he had access to the SPD database right about now. Actually see all the notes about the investigations and what had been found. It might give him much better of a lead. But alas, he was a fugitive in their eyes right now. He had to just work with what the public had available.

Sky paused as he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He looked, but saw nothing. But he couldn't shake off the feeling something was weird about it. Maybe he was just paranoid now?

Still... he decided to go see if he could locate what he had spotted. Hopefully it was just a student wandering. He was probably just overreacting a bit. His mind was a bit jumbled with all the stuff going on. That was all it was. Right?

He followed the way he assumed the shape had moved. It wasn't long before he found some flattened grass, showing someone had gone that way very shortly ago. But, it was leading toward the outskirts of the college. There was an old field, if Sky remembered correctly. Perhaps sports?

He followed the trail, not fast enough to catch up. He didn't exactly want to be caught following, after all. He'd just slowly get closer and then leave once he eased his worries about what he was seeing. That was simple enough.

Or so he thought.

He heard a scream get cut short and booked it. That wasn't good.

And it certainly wasn't. There was someone, who Sky assumed was a student, collapsed on the ground, blood pouring out of a wound on their back. And before them, a monster, holding the bloody knife that had caused the wound.

"You..." Sky swallowed hard. He was unarmed. He couldn't morph and fight. If he had to take on this killer, he was going in with just his hands against a knife.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't my little scapegoat. How nice to actually meet you." The monster spoke. "You may call me Kalmir if you would like. That's the closest your tongue can get to pronouncing my real name."

Sky's eyes went wide. "You're the one framing me!"

"Indeed, little ranger." Kalmir chuckled. "I have a knack for mimicking others. And Gruumm said he'd pay me handsomely to get a ranger locked away and out of commission."

"So you are doing this for Gruumm." Sky growled. "Well, this ends now. I'm not letting you take another life!"

"We'll see about that." Kalmir scoffed.

Sky ran at the monster. He might be with just his physical strength, but he wasn't just sitting back and letting this go on. He had to this monster down or else he wasn't going to be proven innocent.

Kalmir dodged his attempted punch, kicking him in the side. Sky grunted in pain but remained standing. He ran back at Kalmir, trying to grab the knife from the monster. Kalmir overpowered his grab and threw him into a tree.

Sky landed on the ground with a thud and groaned in pain. The world was spinning.

"Looks like this is all still your fault." Kalmir taunted.

"Get away from him!" A new voice rose up.

Jack. Sky's vision settled just in time to see Jack transform and start attacking Kalmir.

Where had he come from? Had he been following Sky? He heard the conversation though, right? That meant Jack knew without a doubt that he was innocent.

Jack and Kalmir fought, neither giving much way for the other. Sky stayed out of it, knowing he would just get in the way in his state. If only he could transform too...

Jack cried out in pain as Kalmir got the upper hand and slammed him into a thick tree. The monster wasted little time and tossed him back with a good kick in the chest. Jack rolled across the ground, his transformation shattering from the impact.

He grunted in pain as he forced himself up and ran back at Kalmir. Kalmir let out a laugh.

Sky's eyes widened. Kalmir embedded the knife into Jack's chest. Jack staggered back, coughing up blood on the impact.

"Well, killing a ranger and locking one up will please Gruumm even more." Kalmir chuckled as Jack fell to the ground, knife still embedded in his chest. The monster vanished before Sky could even think of doing anything.

"Jack!" Sky called out in worry as he scrambled to the others side.

Jack was breathing erratically, dozing in and out of consciousness. He didn't seem to register Sky's call.

"Jack... just... hang on." Sky pleaded. He grabbed at Jack's morpher, seeing he had sent out a call for help already. Most likely before he had engaged.

Sky set it back in place and focused on trying to keep Jack conscious. He grabbed the knife for a moment, before realizing that was not the thing to do. Pulling it out meant more blood.

The sound of footsteps hit the air.

"Stop right there! Get your hands up!"

Sky tensed as Bridge, Sydney, Z, and Cruger all appeared, each holding a gun out at him. Sky quickly raised his hands, not wanting to make this worse for himself.

"Don't you dare move." Cruger was firm as he kept his gun trained on Sky.

"I won't but please, he needs help now or he's going to die." Sky pleaded, his gaze falling back on Jack, who had slipped out of consciousness now.

"You three, get him medical attention ASAP. I'll handle our suspect." Cruger ordered.

Bridge, Sydney, and Z didn't hesitate before jumping in and starting to tend to Jack. Cruger forced Sky up and drug him off before he could see much more of the action.

"Sir... will I get a chance to explain?" Sky asked quietly as he was handcuffed and forced in the back of one of the police crusers.

"We'll see." Was all Cruger said before the door shut on him.

Sky settled down in the seat, keeping his head low as the car sped off. He had a feeling this was not going to end in a good way for him.

...

Sky was tied to a chair in one of the interrogation rooms. Cruger sat opposite of him, looking at him with a hard expression.

"Go on. Tell me what you claim happened." Cruger prompted, crossing his arms.

Sky took a deep breath. "I'm being framed. The one responsible told me his name is Kalmir, or at least the best pronunciation we can make of his name. I was searching for evidence of who was framing me when I heard a scream. By the time I got there, he had already killed that student. I tried to fight him but without anything to help he got the best of me and then Jack came in and fought and he... Kalmir stabbed him."

The silence after his story droned on. Cruger wasn't giving away anything with his facial expressions. Sky had no idea how much or if any of that had been believed. Cruger didn't actually think he was capable of murder like that, right? He too was just following protocol.

"Sky, the only forensic evidence at the crime was of you. There is no evidence to suggest there was anyone else there." Cruger spoke calmly. "How do you explain that?"

"Search up Kalmir. He said he's good at impersonating. Maybe he can mimic that stuff, I don't know. I didn't do it, sir! Why would I ever hurt one of my friends?"

"That's what I want to know, Tate."

Sky's face fell. "You don't... believe me? Sir... you don't actually think I'm a murderer, right? You know that's not how I do things."

"And yet all evidence points to otherwise." Cruger replied. "Your story doesn't add up to what we know as fact."

"Because I'm being framed and he's doing a damn good job at it!"

"You can explain that to a jury. You're going on trial for three first-degree murder charges, four if Landors doesn't make it. Otherwise that's a debatable charge on which way they spin it." Cruger stood.

"Sir..." A few tears fell from Sky's eyes.

"There's nothing I can do. Your fate is mostly sealed."

Cruger took Sky to a new jail cell, keeping his hands cuffed in front of him. Sky stood at the door as Cruger turned away.

"Sir... please. Isn't there anything I can do to prove I'm innocent?" Sky asked quietly.

"The evidence is stacked too far against you." Cruger replied before walking away.

Sky sat down, leaning against the wall. He didn't even bother with the seat in the room, he just sat on the floor. Tears flowed down his face.

Was this really it? He was going to be arrested for a crime he never committed. And the only one who could vouch for his innocence was fighting for his life.

...

Sky wasn't sure how long he had sat there for before he heard footsteps approaching his cell. He didn't bother looking up. Didn't care to see anyone right now.

"Hey, Sky." Bridge's voice called.

"Go away." Sky responded, his voice sounding defeated more than anything else.

"I brought food."

Sky's stomach immediately rumbled at the thought. When was the last time he ate? Maybe that was why he was feeling a bit worse for wear?

"You haven't eaten since you left, have you?" Bridge questioned.

"No. I haven't." Sky replied, his voice low. "I don't want to steal to survive. I already feel like shit for stealing these clothes..."

"So those break-ins were you?" Bridge asked as he opened the cell door and walked in. He didn't sound as judgemental as Sky had been expecting.

"Yeah..."

"Don't worry. I won't tell them."

Sky blinked up at Bridge as he set a tray down in front of him. Bridge offered a smile as he reached over and unlocked the handcuffs.

"Are you allowed to do that?" Sky asked.

"Probably not, but no one needs to know. Besides, I don't think you'll run away." Bridge sat down beside him.

Sky let out a bitter laugh as he eyed the food. "Yeah. In my pathetic state I'd probably end up collapsing before I get out of the building."

Bridge nudged him. "Come on. Eat. You need it."

Sky picked up the tray and slowly began nibbling away at the food. He felt ashamed this was something he even had to do.

"How is he?" Sky asked quietly. "Is he going to make it?"

"Last we were told he was stabilizing so I think he'll be okay." Bridge replied. "What happened out there? Cruger wouldn't explain anything about your side of the story."

Sky sighed. "I'm being framed by someone who told me his name is Kalmir. He's the one who did that to Jack."

"Kalmir..." Bridge repeated. "I'll have to look up that name and see what comes up. It doesn't sound familiar."

"You... believe me?"

"Of course. You'd never hurt one of us like that. I know that."

"But yet... Cruger says the evidence is too far against me."

"It is, but if it is true this Kalmir can impersonate that well, then it would discredit everything."

"But how would we do that? I'm stuck in here. And he probably won't go and kill under my name again to make sure I get locked away. If he wants to kill, he'll use another identity or just be himself for once."

Bridge was silent for a while. "I don't know right now, but we'll figure it out. I promise you, me, Syd, and Z are going to help you."

"You all... believe in me?"

"Yeah. We were talking and it's clear none of us can think you did this now. Not now that Jack was a target. You'd never do that and we all know that."

"But you thought I could kill an innocent person?"

Bridge offered a nervous smile. "I don't know. I think we all were just kind of in shock and confused. I don't think any of us knew what we truly believed at that time."

Sky shifted over, resting his head on Bridge's shoulder. "You promise you're on my side? If this is to try and make me confess..."

"It isn't. I want to help you. I want to clear your name."

"Then... I'm holding you to it."

Chapter Text

Sky woke the next morning to the sound of footsteps echoing on the concrete. He groggily opened his eyes to see Sydney standing outside the cell.

"Morning. Breakfast?" Sydney said as she let herself into the cell.

Sky sat up, wincing at the stiffness in his limbs. "What time is it...?"

"About eight." Sydney held out a tray of food. "Hungry?"

"I guess." Sky took the tray.

He didn't feel hungry despite knowing he definitely needed to eat. He just felt sick. Not himself. Everything felt wrong. Was it just his anxiety acting up?

Sydney took a seat beside him. "Wanna talk about what's bothering you?"

"What isn't bothering me?" Sky retorted bitterly as he forced himself to take a bite of a pancake.

"Guess that's true. Well, Bridge was looking up that guy you mentioned and he thinks he may have found some info." Sydney said. "Seems he's known for framing others. Some weird genetics make him able to duplicate the DNA and stuff of someone else as long as he has that sequence to use. So, he somehow got a hold of that data for you and that's how he's made it seem like you."

"And the video evidence?"

"Still looking into that one. Z made him take a break before he went mad looking for stuff."

Sky nodded along, continuing to force himself to eat. "And Jack?"

"Stable but out cold for the foreseeable future."

"The one person who can fully vouch my innocence isn't able to..." Sky sighed.

"Yeah. And your trial is today."

Sky went still. His trial was today? He was done for. Who knew what far reaches of the universe he could be sent to for imprisonment.

"You weren't aware? Sorry..." Sydney said. "I don't know if there's much we can do to hold it off. The HQ is kind of pressuring us to take action on you as fast as possible in case you try to escape again."

"It's over for me..." Sky whispered. "I'm out of the game. You'll have to prove my innocence without me... and hope it's not too late by that time."

Sydney frowned. "Hey. We'll figure something out. Just give us a bit, okay? You got a few hours. We'll do something."

...

Sky was doubting there was going to be anything that could be done. He had no reference of time in this cell. No idea how long it had been since Sydney had dropped by.

He spent the time lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling. A thousand what-ifs ran through his head. Was there a way to have had a better outcome than this? Was there anything he could still do to save himself from getting locked up and charged?

His thoughts haunted him for the time he spent here.

"Sky. Hey." A voice finally broke him out of his mind.

Sky blinked and looked over at the door. Z stood there this time. She smiled at him and motioned him over.

"Come here." She said.

Sky stood and slowly made his way to the door. He wasn't sure what the motive of this was. Was this his time? Was he being escorted to the court? Z wouldn't be smiling if she was doing that, right?

"What is it?" Sky asked as he stopped at the door.

"Got a plan." Was all Z offered. "Just follow my lead, okay?"

Sky raised an eyebrow. "Okay?"

Z opened the door and grabbed Sky by the wrist. "Run."

Sky let out a startled cry as Z took off, dragging him behind her. He had little time to think as they burst out of the jail and outside, through the same door he had escaped through last time. The alarm sounded as the emergency exit was opened, but that was it.

"You okay?" Z called back, not stopping her movements.

"I guess." Sky replied, utterly confused by what was happening right now.

Z had just broken him out of jail and he had no clue why. This was the plan? Just what was going on here?

They came to a stop at a desolate area just outside the town. Sky staggered at the sudden momentum shift and nearly went down. He quickly grabbed the nearest support – which was only Z, the rest of the land was flat and empty.

"You okay?" Z asked, giving him a look over.

"Really dizzy right now." Sky retorted. "Not in good shape. Clearly."

"Right, you're a bit malnourished and dehydrated still. Sit down before you pass out then." Z guided him to the ground.

"Thanks for the reminder." Sky retorted. "So why the hell are you breaking me out?"

"Because, you can't go on trial. We need you to solve this case. So, one of us took the fall for aiding a criminal. That bastard almost killed Jack so... I have some payback to give him." Z replied as she then reached into a pocket and pulled out Sky's morpher. "Here. Stole this for you."

Sky grabbed it and held it close. "Thanks. Now I can actually fight."

"Bridge and Syd will keep us updated on anything internal. Our focus is locating Kalmir and setting up a trap to get him to confess on tape first and foremost before we beat him up and take him in."

"Easy enough. I just gotta talk about it and he should blab away."

"Easy indeed then. Hardest part will be taking him in for sure, but hopefully we can get backup to do that."

"I hope so."

Z held out a hand. "You okay to keep moving? We should find cover and start making a plan. And maybe some water."

Sky took her hand and got pulled to his feet. "Just don't start running on me again."

"I'll try not to. We should be safe now. I doubt they're following us this far."

"But we have trackers." Sky pointed out.

"Bridge disabled them temporarily. They can't see anything but we can still contact them and vice versa." Z explained. "Trust me, we made sure this plan was going to work."

"I hope so..."

...

The two found an abandoned hut to take cover in for the time being. Z went out and returned with some food and water for them to eat.

"So... any ideas on how to find Kalmir?" Z asked.

"Once he knows I'm a fugitive again, he might strike once more under my guise." Sky replied. "He's been targeting that college, so I'd say we want to go and watch out for him there."

"Right. He seems to have a thing for students in this particular tech class." Z nodded.

"Huh? That's the connection?"

"You didn't know?"

"I don't even know anyones' names. I probably know the least out of all of us and I'm the one being accused of these crimes."

"Right. So what we found out is these victims have all been part of a new technology class that focuses on robotics. We aren't sure if it is just a lucky coincidence or if he has something against these victims." Z explained.

"And you have a list of all the students for that class?" Sky questioned.

"Yep. With pictures and everything." Z nodded before pulling out a small datapad and showing him.

"So... try to keep an eye on these ones and see what happens."

"Best bet we have given what we know."

Sky took in a deep breath. "How chaotic do you think the base is right now?"

Z chuckled. "Oh, I'm sure it's mayhem right now. I told Bridge and Syd to establish contact first. We'll see when they call."

"I hope it doesn't take too long."

...

It was an hour or so later when they finally got a call.

"Go ahead." Z answered.

"How are you guys doing?" Bridge's voice came through.

"Alright. We got a place to hide at until we're ready to strike. How are things there?"

"Mayhem. As you can imagine everyone is freaking out over what you did. So far the working theory seems to be that he convinced you he was innocent and you went with it. Which, pretty on the nose."

"Cruger pissed?" Sky asked.

"I'm not sure what to call it. He's been hard to read since this whole thing started. Kat's been handling a lot of his work for the time being." Bridge answered. "I think he would rather you follow protocol even if innocent than keep making it harder on him."

"Well, if it wasn't for the whole murderer is still on the loose and no one was looking, maybe I would have cooperated for longer."

"Right..."

"Anyway, our plan is to go to that college and see if we can spot our culprit in action again. Get him to confess on tape. Is there an alert out for Sky again?" Z asked, steering the conversation slightly.

"Yes. Everyone in the town should be well aware he is back out on the run. Cruger didn't include you in the message though. Not even as a hostage or anything." Bridge replied.

"Guess he doesn't want to put any light on me."

"Syd says she thinks he knows more than he's letting on about what we're doing. I think he may be aware of our setup."

"And he's just letting you do it?" Sky asked in surprise.

"He can get away with pushing this a bit." Bridge said. "The other stuff was a lot harder to not act on. All the pressure is on him to fix this, after all. He can't be too lenient or his loyalty might get called into question."

"Guess you have a point with all that." Sky agreed. "The spotlight is on him as much as it is on me."

"Hopefully soon the spotlight can be on Kalmir instead."

"If all goes to plan... then hopefully indeed."

Chapter Text

Sky and Z took the long way to the campus. The shorter route was too risky to take. They couldn't put it past Cruger to have had to send out searches for them. The less they went in the main areas, the better.

"Here we are." Z said as they reached their destination at last. "Any idea on what to do exactly?"

"It was just luck I happened to run into him last time. I don't really know if there's a way to draw him out." Sky replied. "We don't have a motive still."

"That would really help us." Z agreed. "Well, shall we just walk around and see what happens?"

Sky looked Z over and then himself. "But... we're going to be identified immediately if we do that. My face is probably plastered all over the town at this point."

Z blinked at him for a moment. "Oh. Guess that is a problem. Then let's just stick to the outskirts and observe. Hopefully he shows up soon."

"There's a lot of hoping with this plan."

"Nothing else we can do but hope things turn in our favor."

The two took a walk around the edge of the campus, keeping an eye out for anything that seemed out of the ordinary. They didn't see much, just students going on their way.

"Everyone is pretty on edge." Z commented.

"Three of their own are dead now and as far as they know, I'm the killer and I'm on the loose again." Sky replied. "I'd be terrified too."

Z glanced at him. "This might work in our favor. If we see someone too calm, we may have a suspect."

Sky tilted his head.

"If this Kalmir guys can impersonate you even on camera, there is probably a high chance he has a way to disguise himself as a human." Z explained. "So, if we see a human looking far too at ease, maybe that is Kalmir in disguise."

"Oh. That does make sense." Sky nodded. "Though he didn't seem too concerned about looking like me when he killed that last victim."

"They were killed in isolation. The other three had you on camera. This one had no cameras and I think he knew that so he got careless."

Sky paused in his step, lost in thought. He had an idea, but it was certainly a little risky to implement.

"Can we head back to base? I have a different plan we might be able to use." Sky said.

Z took another looked around and then nodded. "All seems calm for now and he tends to strike toward the evening and night. That last one was an oddball for every part of the case."

The two made their way back to the makeshift base they had set up. Sky sat silently, still planning out the exact details of what he was thinking they could do.

"Should I see if I can establish contact with Syd and Bridge?" Z asked.

Sky nodded. "They are a part of this."

Z nodded and got to work seeing if either was available for a talk. They did have to be careful, after all. They couldn't let the wrong person back at SPD hear their conversations and report it to someone who had to take action.

After a few minutes, Z was able to get both Sydney and Bridge on the line.

"What's up, guys? No luck yet?" Sydney spoke first.

"We didn't see anything when we went to the campus and we don't have a good plan for how to draw him out yet." Z replied. "Though, that's what this is about. Sky has an idea for a better way to do this than pray Kalmir shows his face."

"Let's hear it then, Sky." Sydney said. "I am so ready to clear your name and get back to normal."

"Yeah. It's weird with how tense everyone is." Bridge agreed.

"First, um, any updates on Jack?" Sky asked.

"He woke up but is way too drugged out on pain meds to make a reliable testimony." Sydney answered. "So, no luck on that end yet."

"Right. So, my plan." Sky took a deep breath. "Kalmir obviously can disguise himself as me. So, I was thinking, if we set a trap for him to come attack another one of us, we could suddenly have two of me on video and it would discredit all evidence against me."

"So, I stand somewhere and try to have him attack me and then you come in?" Z said.

"He's working for Gruumm, remember."

"Right... The more of us he takes down, the better he would be rewarded by Gruumm."

"And since he probably knows I'm out here again, he'll use me as his scapegoat to dig a grave for me further. He just won't expect me to show up and stop him."

"But now that you know who he is, why wouldn't he assume that?" Bridge questioned.

Sky paused. "Oh..."

"Wait. We can put a false tip in where Sky was last seen and make it in the opposite direction of the college. That would embolden Kalmir to attack as Sky since he knows Sky wouldn't be coming that way but could still easily spin the story that he backtracked secretly to the college to throw everyone off his tracks." Sydney said.

"That... might work." Z said. "If we can set a way for Kalmir to still use Sky's identity but not risk Sky being nearby, we can get him out."

"Then Bridge, can you send a fake tip in from a number near where we decide?"

"Gladly."

"Alright. Plan is in action. Let's do this."

...

As evening fell, the plan was in full swing. Bridge had sent a fake tip showing Sky a few miles away but giving more than enough of a time frame for him to be able to backtrack to the campus to give Kalmir the cover he would need to be able to attack as Sky.

Z went out on her own, Sky lingering in the shadows nearby to watch. Z wandered near the campus, seeming like she was searching for something. She kept away from any crowds she saw, knowing she needed to be alone for any attack to occur.

Sydney and Bridge were on high alert, waiting for a call from Sky signaling distress. Once Kalmir attacked, he would send them an alert for them to rush to the location and help. They weren't taking risks this time when Kalmir almost had killed Jack.

Sky kept a close eye out for Kalmir. He would buzz Z's morpher at the sight so she wasn't caught off guard.

It took a while, but he finally spotted movement. It was terrifying seeing his own face lurking in the shadows and eyeing up Z. Sky quickly sent the silent buzz to Z.

As Kalmir, disguised as Sky, attacked, Z was ready. She dodged the attack, spinning on her heels.

"How nice of you to drop by." Z narrowed her eyes.

Kalmir laughed and spoke, his voice exactly like Sky's. "Just coming to take out another. Jack was only the first."

"SPD Emergency!" Z transformed quickly, facing down Kalmir.

Sky sent the alert as he watched the two circle each other. He glanced at the camera nearby, it watching the whole ordeal. Time for the next part of the plan.

Z and Kalmir fought for a bit, before Kalmir struck Z and knocked her back. As Z scrambled to her feet, Sky ran out, tackling his imposter to the ground.

"Not so fast, Kalmir!" He yelled as he held the writhing imposter underneath him. "This ends now."

"How are you here?!" Kalmir panicked at the sight.

"We tricked you." Sky responded. "And you fell for it."

Kalmir yelled in anger as he kicked Sky off of him and got to his feet. He shed his disguise, revealing his true monster form for everyone to see.

"Then I'll just have to kill you both and destroy the evidence of this mishap." Kalmir growled as Sky and Z faced him.

"Fat chance. You're going down for what you've done to Sky!" Z retorted. "And for almost killing Jack!"

Sky pointed a finger a Kalmir. "I'm clearing my name once and for all."

Kalmir let out a growl and charged.

"SPD Emergency!" Sky quickly transformed.

Z and Sky faced off against Kalmir together. Kalmir was enraged by the turn of events. The two were having a hard time keeping up.

But thankfully, help arrived. Shots were fired at Kalmir, making him jump back. Bridge and Sydney rushed into battle, already transformed.

"You guys okay?" Bridge asked as he took a swing at Kalmir.

"Not dead yet." Z replied.

"Let's take him in once and for all." Sydney called.

"More than ready for that." Sky stated.

The four of them rushed Kalmir together. With the added manpower, they were finally starting to knock Kalmir down a notch. Kalmir was swinging wildly, trying to catch someone. He was being circled and it was clear that was getting to him.

"Enough of this." Kalmir managed to knock past Bridge and take off running.

He didn't get far before he was shot at. Kalmir stumbled to the ground as he lost his footing. "What?"

Cruger stood nearby, his gun aimed at Kalmir. "Not so fast. You're not going anywhere."

"Another one." Kalmir spat.

Cruger looked over at Sky. "Go on. Let's see how guilty he is."

Sky nodded and stepped forward. "Judgement mode."

Kalmir staggered to his feet as the judgement began. He looked around, getting more nervous by the second.

"Guilty." Sky stated as the judgement landed. "You're coming with us."

"No! You aren't taking me!" Kalmir yelled, trying to flee, but it was far too late.

In a moment, he was hit and captured. He yelled from his captivity, but no one paid him much mind as they all untransformed and gathered together. Cruger picked up Kalmir and tucked him into his pocket for the time being.

"We did it." Z smiled. "We caught him and cleared your name, Sky."

Sky managed a smile. "Yeah..."

Cruger took in a deep breath. "I'm glad to see the truth was not as it seemed. However, next time, can you all please not go off on your own to prove innocence? You caused me such a headache."

"Sorry, sir." Everyone smiled sheepishly at him.

"Come on. Let's get this criminal where he belongs and clear the air."

...

Sky knocked on the door to Jack's room. He adjusted his jacket, feeling a bit strange to finally be back in uniform again.

"Come in." Jack's voice called from inside.

Sky entered the room. "Hey. How are you doing?"

"Better. On light duty for a few days." Jack replied as he leaned back in his bed. "So, everything fixed with you now?"

Sky nodded. "Yes. We got all charges cleared from my name and given to Kalmir. I'm free. And he's going to be put far away and never see freedom again. Though, I am being charged for robbery for the two stores I broke into. Night watch for a month was the deal they gave me."

"Good to hear about Kalmir. I knew there was no way this had been you."

Sky took a seat on the edge of the bed. "Glad to know that was a shared sentiment despite the actions you all took."

"Only so much you can do with the HQ breathing down your neck. Next thing you knew, they could've been accusing us of being accomplices."

"Yeah..." Sky paused for a bit. "Anyway I wanted to ask you something."

"What is it?" Jack questioned.

"How did you even get into that situation? Why were you nearby to come fight?" Sky asked. "I still haven't figured out that yet."

"Oh. I was maybe stalking you." Jack laughed nervously. "I happened to see you and decided to follow you and see what you were doing. No intention to like confront you or anything but just wanted to know what you were doing and then... got a bit more than I had expected."

Sky laughed a bit. "Almost dying is just a bit more than expected?"

"You know what I meant!"

"Do I?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Anyway, kind of feel bad I wasn't able to help out proving your innocence."

"Would've made it easier if you hadn't been on death's door." Sky shrugged. "But we got there in the end anyway. And no saying your word alone would've been enough to get everything dropped."

"Yeah, the HQ probably would've chalked it up to me being delirious from pain still. You don't want to know the things I was rambling about while I was high as a kite on those meds. Kat will not let me forget."

"Now I'm curious."

"Too bad."