Earth: Joes In n' Out Pizzaria

Picking up the broom, Mike began to sweep out the floor. He sighed. Day in, day out…he dealt with people, dealt with management, then went home, and played around on the computer. Nothing lost, nothing gained. He was just taking up space. He longed for a meaning to his life. Proof that there WAS something more out there. "Mike, when you finish, take out the trash cans"

He looked up, nodding. "Gotcha." He said, smiling with no meaning behind it. God, he had to get out of this dump…

As he ran the broom over the floor, a bobbing red light watched him from the shadows.

Mobius: Chaser HQ

"Hey, Tason, check this out." Leon beckoned Tason over. Brushing that irritating, single hair out of his eyes, Tason leaned over the console.

"Odd." He said, surprised. The readings the computer reported were immense. Tason stood, looking out the window. Officially, the Chasers were a civilian group, studying the unusual life on Mobius, with a focus on the energy generated by Chaos Control. Under the radar, though, they served as a defense force, for those things GUN didn't happen to mention to anyone else. And this seemed to fit the bill.
"It looks like someone used Chaos Control about forty clicks south of…anywhere. But how? The emeralds…"

Leon looked up at his comrade in arms. With his ruffled hair and soft eyes, plus a tendency to speak softly, Tason wasn't an imposing figure. But he knew behind the façade was a true fighter. And the gears in his mind were certainly turning. "We both know that's not the only way to generate that kind of power. Nonetheless, it may be wise to consult Sonic and his friends. They are the experts on the Emeralds."

Tason nodded, headed towards the door. Another trait of his; he thought quick and stuck it out with his gut. "Jer, Leon, you're with me." He called out over his shoulder. As Leon stood, he saw Jerry leap up after Tason, and smiled. The two of them had a working relationship closer then any of the team. Headed out the door, Tason nodded at John, who slid into the chair behind the screen to keep monitoring the energy flow.

Sliding into the backseat of the Dragonsflight, Leon booted up the systems. The Flight was a battered van outside, but inside it was one of the most complex vehicles on the planet. Tason had been trying to get it to break Mach 1, with little luck. Guess the old shell wasn't up to it. They headed towards the beach where Sonic was said to be visiting. As they cruised, Leon ran the data through the computers. It didn't add up. He shook his head, befuddled, as he scanned the databanks for anything else that could generate the kind of power they witnessed. Before he got far, though, the van lurched. Peering over the divider to the driver's seat, he asked "Why have you stopped?"



Tason merely pointed out the window. Sonic was laying on a nearby beach, sunbathing. The trio hopped out of the car. Leon watched as a smile crossed Tasons face when he spotted Tails nearby; Tails had long been a hero and inspiration to him. As they stopped in front of the pair, Tason bowed. "Mister Sonic." He said, causing Sonic to open a single eye and look at him. "If I may, I have a question to ask you."

"Alright, but make it fast, I'm trying to relax here."

Tason nodded, then replied "Do you know the location of all the Chaos Emeralds?" the reaction to this was immediate and predicatble. Sonic opened his other eye and sat up, surprised, and Tails darted over. "Why would you want to know a thing like that?" Sonic asked.

"Because a little while ago, we detected a large energy source, much like Chaos Control." Leon explained, adding "We thought you might know something of it."

Sonic rubbed his chin. "Well, as far as I know, Doc Eggman has one of them, GUN has one, and we have four. That leaves two unaccounted for, and that's not enough to do anything, is it Tails?" he asked, looking at his fox buddy.

Tails shook his head. "Not enough to make the kind of energy you're talking about."

"Then perhaps we should pay GUN a visit first, make sure their emerald wasn't stolen." Tason said.

"Sounds like a plan." Sonic said, then flashed a grin. "Race ya!" he said, running towards the road. Tason laughed, then followed behind him, climbing into the battered van. Leon and Jerry followed behind him, buckling in.

"Tason, are you sure about this? The new engine hasn't been tested." As Jerry said this, the Tornado flew over them; Tails must have brought it and planned to follow the race.

"Of course I am." Tason turned to her, smiling. "Hold on tight." He leaned out the window. "Ready?" he called out. Sonic gave him the thumbs up, then called back "Go!"

As the hedgehog became a blue blur, Tason gunned the engine, the van lurching up to high speed. They soon caught up with Sonic, who grinned and kicked it into high notch. "Want to play that game, eh?" Tason muttered, and flipped the experimental engine into gear. As the road flew by, energy gathered around them.

"Tason, I'm reading high levels of radiation. It would be wise to slow down." Leon called over the din of the engines and the wind. Tason ignored him, he could see Sonic running just ahead. Then it happened. With a loud crack, light filled the van, then the world flipped around.

Moments later, the van, Sonic, and the Tornado had all vanished, the air shimmering where they had been.