*Hey guys! How are you all doing?! Good? Bored? Well, if you're bored, then I have just the episode for you all. It's not fully done but so far, you got a good chunk of it. This chapter will gear more towards Michael, Goat, Jean, and E.B--along with surprised guests. This is published on June 11, 2020. Hopefully, the next part will come out either today or tomorrow. If you guys are enjoying this part(s), please give it a vote and/or comment. That would be really appreciative. Thank you guys so much for taking the time to read this and have a blessed day! Enjoy!*

Goat and Michael roamed through the hallways of the strange place while E.B was waddling behind them. Her feet began to grow tired from walking aimlessly around the building for too long while she fixed her gaze down on the ground. Michael checked on her by looking over his shoulder and realized that she's dragging her feet.

"Getting tired of walking?" Michael asked gently with an arched brow.

E.B nodded her head slightly. "Yeah, a little."

Michael pondered for a moment. Then he knelt down on the cold ground with his arms behind his back for her to climb on. "Here, climb on."

"Wha-What?" E.B stuttered, her eyes widening.

"What? You never heard of a piggyback ride?"

"Yeah...but--won't I be too heavy?"

"Nah, it's fine. I carried heavier loads before," Michael explained with a small reassuring smile.

E.B smiled delightfully as she climbed onto Michael's back and had her legs rested on his shoulders. Michael held her ankles gently while standing back up. She held onto his head and rested her head on his.

Meanwhile, Goat noticed a room where those maniacs had their stuff and hid beside the doorway. He gave a quick peek to observe the room and saw that their weapons were looted from them.

He groaned irritably. "Darn you, people. Okay, Michael, we're gonna--"

Goat turned around to notice Michael giving E.B a piggyback ride. E.B waved her hand slightly to him while the fox had his brow raised.

"What? The child's feet are getting tired," Michael explained the situation defensively.

"I ain't judging," Goat responded with a small smirk cornered in his mouth. But the smirk faded away as he glanced back into the room. "They had our weapons. Since you got the kid on your back, you stay here and keep a close watch to make sure no one is roaming through the halls. I'll get the weapons."

"Okay...is there anyone guarding the room?" Michael whispered his question to Goat.

Goat took a peek again and then shifted his gaze back at Michael. "No, there's no one in there. It should be easy."

"They have cameras for each room," E.B informed softly. "So...please be careful."

"Got it, niña. I'll be right back," Goat responded with determination in his voice.

Goat immediately entered the room with a stride while Michael and E.B were looking around the hallway. When E.B glanced down the hallway behind them, she noticed someone with three green scopes. The light shined on the short person, who had a bloody lab coat and a huge gray mask that looked like the face of a monster.

E.B widened her eyes in pure horror. "Uh, Michael--"

Michael whipped his head down the hallway to the person, who had a saw blade on one hand and a claw on the other. He began to sweat from staring at the person standing idly in the hall. He slowly picked E.B off of his shoulders and placed her on the ground.

"E.B, run as fast as you can...don't even stop," Michael whispered his instructions to E.B.

"What about you and Goat?" E.B uttered, beginning to be scared of what's about to happen.

Michael noticed a pipe and picked it up as a weapon. "I can defend myself. Make a run for it." As he glanced over at the figure ahead of him, the figure began bolting for him. "Run!"

E.B immediately sprinted away from Michael while Michael held out his pipe to defend himself from the person attacking him. The person in the huge mask tackled the fox onto the ground and that's where the fox recognized the suspect.

"Oh boy," Michael muttered to himself as the suspect, known as the Biologist, raised his saw blade and turned it on so that it could cut into the fox's head. Before the Biologist could cut through Michael's skull, Goat tackled him away from the fox with aggression.

"Get off of him!" Goat yelled at the Biologist.

The Biologist glared at Goat with a growl and charged at him with his saw. Goat dodged the saw and then used his horns to shove him away from both him and Michael.

Goat glanced over his shoulder to notice Michael watching the fight intensely. "Go, zorro! Go find E.B before she gets abducted again! I'll fight him off!"

"Are you sure you can handle this--?"

"Yes, I'm sure! Now, go!" Goat shouted urgently.

Michael watched intensely, unsure of what to do.

~.~

E.B sprinted down the hallway, away from Michael and Goat. Her feet were sore from running too fast but she couldn't slow down for that maniac. That crazy maniac with a bloody lab coat and a freaky mask appeared to be a monster. A monster with a saw blade and a claw for his hands. As she ran through the hallway, she noticed a couple of robots floating out of the room on the right. She let out a quiet gasp as someone grabbed her by the arm and yanked her into the dark hiding spot and away from the sight before the robots glanced down at the hall. A hand covered her mouth, causing the little girl to mumble something incoherently and struggle in someone's grasp.

"Shh," She heard someone shushing her.

E.B glanced up quickly and briefly and saw a vixen holding her closely for protection purposes. The vixen peeked around the corner to see that the robots roamed in the other direction of the hallway. The vixen sighed in relief while hearing another commotion happening on the other side of the hallway.

"Michael! What are you doing?! I told you to run!" She heard someone shouting as both E.B and the vixen glanced over at the other direction to see Goat and Michael fighting the Biologist. E.B's eyes became enlarged the more she glanced at that monster-fighting both Goat and Michael, that's what the vixen noticed.

"I ain't leaving without you!" Michael protested to Goat as he tried to get the Biologist away from Goat. The Biologist kicked Michael into the room behind the fox. The Biologist growled and shut the door quickly before Michael could get back up.

"StAy iN tHeRe," The Biologist growled lowly, his voice glitchy behind the mask. Goat jumped on the Biologist's back and wrapped his front leg around his neck.

"Get back here!" Goat barked while holding his front leg with his other arm to tightened his grip around the Biologist's neck.

The Biologist groaned loudly and slammed his head into Goat's but Goat didn't let go. He turned back against the wall and slammed Goat against it. The wall cracked slightly while Goat tried to gain consciousness. The Biologist slammed his body against the wall some more to get Goat off of him but Goat wouldn't let go. Unknowingly, the crack on the wall got bigger and bigger.

The Biologist lifted his claw and attempted to grab Goat's eye but Goat dodged it and clenched his teeth onto one of the tips of the claw so that the Biologist couldn't use it again. The claw pinched his nose to the point where it was barely bleeding.

Goat groaned in pain as the Biologist took out his saw blade and jabbed it against Goat's foreleg wrapped around his throat, splashing blood everywhere. Goat screamed out in pain as he loosened his grip. The Biologist took this opportunity to elbow him in the gut and shoved him against the wall away from the crack on the wall behind him. He slowly turned around to face Goat, whose front leg was bleeding from the saw blade cutting deep into his skin.

Goat's eyes were beginning to be droopy from bleeding out too much. "Come on, give me your best shot."

The Biologist growled while raising his sawblade to end Goat's life. However, out of the corner of Goat's eyes, he saw a familiar vixen running up to the Biologist and tackled him against the crack on the wall. The Biologist kicked her away from him and swiped his sawblade at her. She stumbled back, causing him to miss her. She kicked him in the chest, letting him stagger back against the cracked wall.

She flipped her bangs out of her face so that she could see who she's fighting against. The vixen charged at the Biologist again and shoved him against the cracked wall. He pushed her away from him and swiped his sawblade at her, which only cut her white jacket and barely scratched her stomach. She hardened her glare at the Biologist and threw out her small round devices that stunned him. However, it didn't seem to be in effect for too long since he got back up on his feet.

As the vixen and the Biologist were fighting against each other, Goat had his eyes enlarged while his left one twitched. The way she fought the Biologist with her moves and the way she was able to dodge all attacks from the maniac made his heart green with envy.

Just to prove that he's better than her, Goat grunted while circling his injured front leg and placed it behind his back. He stood up in his hind legs and glared at the Biologist and the vixen. Before any of them could make a move, something broke through the cracked wall, with debris falling on top of the Biologist. The vixen staggered back away from whatever broke through the wall.

E.B finally skulked out of her hiding spot and approached Goat, noticing his injury.

"Are you okay, Goat?" E.B asked Goat, who just glanced over at his injured arm and then shifted his focus back on her with a warm smile.

"I'm fine, niña," Goat replied. When he turned his head to face the vixen, his warm smile faded.

The vixen dusted herself off and stared at the creature extending its neck in front of her. She pulled out a pistol with a worried gaze that whatever the creature was, it's going to attack her. However, Goat strode towards her and lowered her arm to lower the weapon pointed at the creature, recognizing it with a stern glare at it. She flicked a gaze at him with widened eyes in shock.

"Lower the gun, zorra," Goat warned the vixen.

The vixen nodded her head slowly in understanding and lowered the gun. The creature craned its head and looked around the area, appearing to be a chickeraffe.

E.B recognized the chickeraffe with a big childish smile on her face. "MR. JENKINS!"

The chickeraffe, Mr. Jenkins, turned his head to notice E.B and warbled happily to see her. She ran up to the chickeraffe and hugged him around his long yellow thin neck. Mr. Jenkins nuzzled his beak on her back to show affection and care. As she rubbed her hand on his beak, the chickeraffe licked her excitedly, causing her to giggle at her once 'temporary pet'.

Jean climbed up to one of the chickeraffe's big fur ball antennas.

Goat noticed Jean up on the chickeraffe's head. "What are you doing up there, amigo?!"

"Trying to figure out how to bust us out of this building!" Jean shouted his question back.

Mr. Jenkins, the chickeraffe, suddenly noticed Goat with a furious glare. He growled at the goat, recognizing him from somewhere before all of this.

Flashback:

"So, you're here to rescue your poor animal, am I right?!" Goat yelled his question while standing on all fours in the snow, upon the highest mountain with Mr. Jenkins caught in the net behind him. He glared at Sam and Guy, who had their stomachs laid on the cold snow.

Guy clenched his teeth and stood up on his feet with a glare back at the Goat. "That's our friend! Hand him over!"

"No can do, compadre!" Goat growled back. "You both are quite smart, I'll give ya that! But you should've thought twice before you decided to trick me! You know, on second thought!"

Before Guy and Sam got up to fight Goat, Goat stood on his hind legs and took out his net guns from his ankles. He shot the nets at both Guy and Sam, getting them tangled up in them.

"The boss man can wait! I'm going to have so much fun dealing with both of you!" Goat replied with a smirk on his face, walking towards both Sam and Guy. He grabbed their nets while they began to scream in panic.

"Before I die, tell Mom that I'm sorry for the juice I spilled!" Sam babbled out loud as Goat lifted him up first since he's small.

"How am I going to tell her if I'm going to die too?!" Guy screamed his question with full panic.

"Tell our moms for us!!"

The memory of his own mother flashed in Mr. Jenkins's mind when Sam screamed his words. He remembered being entangled in the net, being dragged away from his mother while his mother chased after him. His mother was unable to protect him...now, he's entangled in the net, watching his new family being endangered by that goat. Then, his protective instincts finally activated. He roared loudly that echoed in the mountain, causing shock to Guy and Goat, and used his sharp purple feathers to cut out of the net. When Goat thrusted Sam off the cliff, Mr. Jenkins extended his legs to grab Sam and pulled him back on the ledge. He placed Sam behind him while moving Guy behind him as well with his leg before Goat got a chance to grab Guy.

And that's when both he and Goat fought the most intense battle on the mountain.

Present:

Mr. Jenkins drew his brows together and warbled aggressively at Goat. Goat stood back, remembering their encounter. However, E.B stepped between Mr. Jenkins and Goat.

"Whoa, Mr. Jenkins, it's okay," E.B soothed the chickeraffe. Mr. Jenkins squawked innocently with his brow raised but then tried to step over the child to get to Goat, However, she kept getting in between him and Goat, understanding the situation. "Whoa, wait, Mr. Jenkins, it's okay. He's our friend now. He's our friend."

"Oui," Jean responded while sliding down between the chickeraffe's eyes to have him look at the mouse. "Goat is our friend, mon ami."

"He's done some horrible stuff to you, huh?" E.B guessed while scratching underneath Mr. Jenkins's chin. Mr. Jenkins nodded his head sadly in response.

"Excuse me, it's called doing my job," Goat added with his arms crossed against his chest, causing Mr. Jenkins to growl and shoot a deadly glare at him, which didn't phase Goat for one bit.

"You mean, your criminal job?" E.B implied while turning her head to look up at Goat with a smirk.

The vixen had her eyes bulged out in sudden recognition and smiled brightly. "Hey, that's where I heard about you. Weren't you the famous animal poacher known as the Goat?"

"Weren't you that damsel in distress that Michael had to save the other day known as Vicky?" Goat replied back with a sneer.

The vixen, Vicky, had her fists on her hips with a small glare. "I ain't no damsel in distress."

"You seemed a damsel in Michael's eyes," Goat teased, smirking at the fact that he's got her a tiny bit mad at him. Then, an immediate reminder went through his head. "Wait, Michael!"

Goat turned to the door where the Biologist kicked Michael in and pounded on the door. "Michael! Are you in there?!"

Vicky noticed the Biologist moving his limbs around the debris. "Guys, I think it's time to go."

Mr. Jenkins glanced down at the Biologist, becoming fearful of the maniac. Before any movement was made, he picked E.B up from the ground with his beak and tossed her on his back. He sprinted down the hallway, leaving both Vicky and Goat behind while Jean was holding onto Mr. Jenkins's beak.

"Mr. Jenkins, wait--!" E.B shouted but Mr. Jenkins wouldn't listen.

Vicky immediately chased after Mr. Jenkins and E.B as Goat busted down the door and noticed Michael not there. However, there's a dark hallway that Michael might've explored. Goat did not hesitate to pursue into the dark hallway and blockade the door behind as the Biologist got up. The Biologist charged after the door and used his sawblade to cut through the door. As the door cut down along with its blockade, the Biologist strode into the dark hallway, seeing that Goat disappeared into the darkness.

~.~

Michael, the fox, roamed around the dark hallway, more curious about where he was. The more he explored down the hallway, the more his heart raced for whatever the reason was. Although, the stench of blood tickled his nose and made him turn his head at the door. As he's approaching the door, he noticed a small flashlight on the floor that was covered in blood. Michael picked it up and used his cloth that he normally kept in his pocket to clean the blood off. Surprisingly, it still worked while the light beamed down the hallway. He walked towards the door, his curiosity getting the best of him.

Michael pushed the door open to the blackened room, looking for a clue for the identity of the Biologist. The stench of blood made him feel sick to his stomach but he took his mind off of the disgusting smell. He shined his flashlight into the room and only revealed dozens of mangled bodies shown in the light. Both Knox and animals alike were slaughtered mercilessly. The fox stepped into the room nervously. His heart was beating faster than he could ever imagine. He was about to vomit from all the bloodstains he's seeing but he swallowed it, not savoring the taste. He breathed heavily in and out while his eyes trembled at the horrific slaughters. By the end of the room, he stopped and stared at the magic box and a fox was laying in it. Michael began to shake, knowing there's another fox...maybe the fox was just passed out. He investigated to see if they're any locks on it, noticing that there weren't any. He twitched his ears in disturbance while noticing that the box could pull apart easily. However, when it pulled apart, Michael screamed in horror while witnessing this unholy sight of the poor stranger's insides falling onto the floor.

Michael slipped on the floor and backed away from the box, covering his agape mouth. Tears suddenly edged out of his eyes and streamed down his cheeks, staring into the gory sight longer than expected. His paws trembled while he could just imagine himself being in that box, being cut in half slowly. That fox...that poor fox stranger had to endure that suffering. And it's too late for either him or Goat or anyone to save him. In fact, it's too late for the B.A.D.G.U.Y.S force to save all those people from the Biologist.

"Michael!" Michael heard Goat calling for him. However, he didn't acknowledge the voice.

Goat strode through the hallways and into the room where he found Michael staring at the bloody display. He sighed in relief to find his fox friend while lifting off his dark sunglasses so that he wouldn't have to see more darkness than there already was in that room. "Hey, zorro. I heard you screaming. Is everything--?"

Goat paused himself when he saw his friend beginning to sob. He turned his head to look at what Michael was looking at. His eyes widened in shock when he saw another fox's insides. He softly gazed at his friend, realizing why Michael was scared. Goat took his shades off of his head and gently offered it to Michael. Michael couldn't focus off of that display, so Goat put the shades onto the fox so that the fox could see darkness and he wouldn't have to keep staring at the dead fox's bloody body.

"G-Goat--"

"Shh, come on, let's get out of here. You don't need to see any more of this," Goat whispered while helping his friend up on his feet and guiding his friend out of the room. At that moment, he didn't care if Michael found any clues...his health was more important than finding the identity of the Biologist.

Goat guided Michael out of the room and glanced around the dark hallway they were roaming around, trying to figure out where to go next. Michael snuggled up to Goat closely, not willing to leave by his side for another moment. Goat's ears flicked when he heard a heavy breathing noise coming up behind them. Goat turned his head quickly to notice the shadow of the Biologist on the corner of the hallway way behind them. Luckily, he noticed the lockers and gently shoved both of him and Michael into one of the open lockers. He closed the door, which automatically locked them in. Michael sat down, his eyes still trembling from the horrific site he saw earlier.

Goat stood on his hind legs and peeked through the lens of the small window of the locker to notice the Biologist striding through the hallway, passing by them without giving a second look. By the time his footsteps faded away, Goat sighed deeply in relief. Then, he heard Michael sniffling behind him. He turned his head and got back on all fours, with his forearm still bleeding.

"Michael," Goat called out softly, catching Michael's attention.

"It-It was horrible, Goat," Michael babbled, tears streaming down on his cheeks.

"I know, I know, I saw it," Goat responded calmly as he scooched closer to the fox.

"Those people died in there, Goat...They-They didn't deserve this."

"I know...I know."

"We're too late to save them, Goat...We're--"

"Don't beat yourself up for this," Goat advised a bit sternly but gently. He immediately held the fox's paws to comfort him. "You're not the blame for those people's death. He's a mass murderer and we didn't get this case until after all those people died. It's not your fault."

"Goat...this is my kind. The foxes that were slaughtered in there--"

"I know, I know, Michael. Believe me, I know how scared you are. Trust me."

"It's not just me, man. Do you ever look at a dead body and felt and imagined what they felt when they're dying?"

Goat frowned a bit and gazed down at the fox's feet and the ground. "All they feel is pain when they're dying, Michael." He slowly lifted his gaze to look into the fox's eyes. "Some are quicker than others...and some are slower...much slower. And usually, the slower deaths are the most painful to go through. There's nothing we could have done to save those people from dying. But, if we capture the Biologist somehow and make our arrest, he won't hurt people and animals like that ever again."

Michael's lip quivered while noticing Goat's bleeding wound. "Goat, you're bleeding!"

"Huh?" Goat glanced down at his wound and shook it off as if it's nothing. "It's just a scratch."

"No, it's not. Let me look at it."

"No, it's not necessary--."

Michael instantly grabbed Goat's injured forearm a little too fast. Goat clenched his teeth with a grunt from pain.

"Sorry," Michael immediately apologized to Goat from grabbing his injured forearm too fast. The fox examined the wound carefully this time, not noticing that Goat was gazing at him softly.

"What happened?" Michael asked while moving his eyes to meet Goat's soft gaze.

Goat sighed a bit. "The Biologist could've cut my forearm off if I hadn't let go...I was trying to strangle him to knock him out so that I can arrest him...but, he got me."

Michael frowned at this and his ears drooped down. "I-I'm so sorry. I-I shouldn't have said that we have to continue this investigation...I just want to understand why...why me? Why am I the monster? What caused me to be the monster?" There's a brief pause while Michael began to whimper. "I-I'm so sorry, Goat."

Goat pondered for a moment to what he had to say next to comfort Michael but...he couldn't think of anything. However, there's something deep within him that he had to tell Michael. Something that he had to say before they go any further into this journey.

Goat exhaled slowly. "Atticus."

Michael perked his ears and head up while wiping the tears away. "W-What?"

Goat smiled softly at Michael. "My full name is Atticus Goat. Someone has to know eventually."

Michael broadened his eyes. "Wait, is that why there's an A in front of Goat in your driver's license?"

Goat nodded his head. "However, the records didn't know the full name. I like to keep it that way."

"Why? I think it's a cool name."

"Well, my parents called me by that name before they--" Goat cleared his throat, trying to hold in the urge to cry.

Michael finally realized what Goat was saying. "Oh...right. I-I still think it's a cool name."

"My mom picked out that name for me, actually. She said I reminded her a lot of that character from a book she once read...someone who was a lawyer who fought for honor and justice among all people...someone who showed compassion and love towards others and...well, have some self-respect."

"Then, why did you go by Goat?"

Goat frowned at the question. "After...After my parents were dead...I've joined gangs and followed their horrible examples. They kill...I kill. They steal...I steal. Throughout the years of crime, I-I completely ditched the name because...I'm not who my mom named me after. I don't deserve that name...so...I completely abandoned it. Of course, I kept the initial A. because it's A Goat...but...I never let anybody called me by that name."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"As I said, someone's got to know eventually," Goat responded with a small soft smile. "I feel like I can tell you anything so...that's my secret."

"Ooh, okay...do you not want me to tell anyone?"

"That would be nice if you're the only person that knew my full name."

"Oh. Okay." Michael thought about their conversation for a moment. "Is it okay if...I call you Atticus?"

Goat arched his brow. "Why?"

"I thought it was cool...and I do think you do live up to that name."

"Really? How so?"

"Well, for one, you do show compassion and love to others--even if it's not most of the time. You have a lot of self-respect and you do fight for honor and justice. So, in a way, you are who your mother named after--and maybe more than that character. Besides, I like the name Atticus much better than Goat."

Goat blushed lightly. "That surprisingly made me feel better."

"Really? I-I didn't want to mean about it. I just like the name."

"You're not mean...it's a good compliment. Thank you."

Michael smiled nervously. "Uh. No problem, man."

Goat thought about what Michael asked for a moment. And then sighed a bit. "Alright, you can call me Atticus."

"Really?" Michael squeaked, a bit surprised by Goat's answer.

"I didn't let people say that name often. The only people who ever said my name are my parents and now...you."

"Aww, thanks, man. What about the others?"

"Um, it's going to take some time for me to let others call me by that name. I mean, it's not something I'm going to get used to right away. Let's just take baby steps on that one."

"Okay, Atticus."

Goat chuckled at Michael. "You're already using it."

Both Michael and Goat took a moment to gently laugh at each other until someone peeked into the locker.

"Are you guys okay?" Vicky's voice peered into the locker. Michael stood up on his feet while Goat stood on his hind legs with his brows furrowing.

"Hi, Vicky!" Michael responded with a friendly wave.

"Hey, Michael, I heard a lot about you and want to say thank you for saving me the other day," Vicky gratified while taking out a hairpin to lockpick the locker.

"Aww, you're welcome," Michael uttered with a bright smile.

"I do have a question, Michael," Vicky stated while turning the pin to lockpick the lock. "Do you think I'm a damsel in distress when you're trying to save me?"

Michael arched a brow, not getting why she would ask the question which Goat perfectly understood the reason why. "Uh...no."

The door prompted open, revealing to be Vicky, with a teasing smirk on her face but it's mostly at Goat.

"That's good. Your friend, Goat, certainly seemed to think so," Vicky responded with a discreet wink at Goat.

Goat twitched his brow with absolute anger that was just boiling inside of him.

Michael glanced at him with a bit of a shocked look on his face. "You literally thought that, man?"

"Until she decided to kick some butt in front of me," Goat commented with a groan.

"Oh yeah, that's right before you about to get sliced in half by the Biologist. I think we already know who the helpless one is." Vicky smiled and walked away from Goat and Michael.

Goat held in every urge to strangle her at that moment but he knew he couldn't...not in front of Michael, E.B, Jean, and Mr. Jenkins. He had to do it in secret when it's just the two of them.

As they walked out of the locker, they noticed E.B calming down Mr. Jenkins while Jean took out a scoreboard between Goat and Vicky that read: "Awesome Roasts".

"You guys have an equal point so far," Jean informed while marking up a point on Vicky's side.

"Shut it, Jean," Goat growled lowly.

"Come on, guys, we got to find a way out," E.B urged her group.

"She's right. I think I know a way out," Vicky stated as she was about to take off in the hallway. "Follow me!"

"Heck yeah! She knew a way out!" Michael celebrated as he and Mr. Jenkins followed Vicky while carrying E.B and Jean with them. Goat sighed irritably and followed them into the hallway.

To Be Continued...