Chapter Text
The sun outside has long descended with the decent lights of the agency illuminating the main office, Surprisingly an active day at the agency with a recent case solved and shut! It was going good for the team, Especially with two new cases waiting in queue to be taken.
Vector was just sitting at his desk managing some paperwork and some emails on his computer,
(Half of them were bills) and preparing for the next case, Already writing up an email for whoever their next client was, Secret draft of a dinner invite to Vanil- Oh Hey, look at that! Some spam!—Good days can still be tiring though, with the crocodile pausing for a minute to rest his temple on his hand, Once you're done with this, You earned yourself a break He thought to himself.
The busy line of thought was interrupted by the door creaking open, Espio walked in with his hands uncharacteristically clutched behind his back as he leaned forward and peeked curiously to Vector's desk, Head tilting slightly to the side. The lead detective raised up a hand to wave "Oh, Hey Espio! Pretty good week of cases Ehh? Whatcha doing up here?" He greeted,
Espio smiled softly at the welcome then looked around the room like he was examining it, "It's a bit cold in here, It's a bit chilly all day. How 'bout turning off the fan?", The ninja suggested.
Vector raised a brow from how casual he sounded, Espio felt off but he just shrugs it off his mind, "Uhh.. Alright! It isn't really cold to me but go right ahead.", He gestured his hand over to the fan standing near the corner. With that, Espio went over to the electric fan and switched it off before immediately walking out the room—Closing the door behind him. How weird, The chameleon really acted weird, Like a whole different person, It's only a few changes though but alright then.
It felt like Ten minutes passed in a blip as Vector was ready to shut off the computer, That's a wrap for today before Espio walked in again— This time more "normal", More real. "Vector, Were you really working in such a warm condition? Maybe you could turn on the fan?" He asked while glancing around the room more naturally this time. Vector looked at him now with a more weirded out expression, He shook confusion out of his head before responding, "Uhhh.. What? You just came in ten minutes ago to turn off the fan cuz it was 'chilly'".
Espio's brow furrowed as he crossed his arms, "What are you talking about? I never came here, I was meditating in my room for the past hour. More so, It's extremely hot outside, Why would I say it's cold?" He replied.
Now Vector was even more confused, His gaze moved back and forth to the door and Espio
"Hold on man, Waddaya mean you were upstairs meditating? The fan being off's gotta be proof you were here, Right?"
"Is this some sort of joke? As I said, I told you earlier I'd be unavailable because I'd be meditating!" Espio replied more bluntly
The gumshoe paused thinking back to that reminder an hour ago:
"I will be up in my room meditating, So I would ask to not let anybody disturb me."
Why would he even take a break? Slightly Unsettled, Vector glanced at Espio one more time when he asked him "If ya didn't go here cuz you were all the way back there meditating, Then.. who was that then?"
Espio's crossed arms faltered as he felt a chill down his spine, He paused for a moment and even took a look behind him at the open door, peering out into the dim halls of the agency before He looked back up at Vector and muttered,
"That-.. That wasn't me."
"Maaan, Es! You're really getting trash at this game!" Charmy jeered from across the hall.
Espio turned back to the hall knowing this thing, this pretender is now with Charmy and of course, he acted fast, sprinting down to their room—with Vector following behind.
Safe to say, Team Chaotix hasn't gone in the main lobby for almost a week. Especially Espio knowing that something or someone broke in and became an impersonation of him.