Chapter 2: The Freedom Fighters
Deep within the Great Forest, well beyond the Mobotropolis city limits, was the Freedom Fighters' headquarters, located in the secret village of Knothole. Outside the large main hut, we see three younger Mobians and junior members of the Freedom Fighters; Miles "Tails" Prower, Amy Rose, and Cream the Rabbit. Amy turned and looked at the returning senior Freedom Fighters.
"They're back!" said Amy.
"Hey, Sonic!" said Tails.
Tails ran up to his idol, hi-fiving him.
"Hey Tails. I got good news and bad news."
"What news, Mr. Sonic?" said Cream.
"Chao?" said Cheese, Cream's Chao friend.
"Well, the good news is that the mission's a success. The bad news is that we had to leave early. Was having too much fun trashin' bots back there," said Sonic.
"That's my Sonic!" said Amy.
"Uh, Amy, that's close enough," said Sonic.
"Why?" said Amy.
"How intense was it, Sonic?" said Tails.
"It was SEISMIC! Ambushed the convoy and took down an ol' tower to hold 'em off! Managed to get a sample of something but I was far from done! Needed to meet my quota for today." said Sonic.
"That's amazing, Mr. Sonic!" said Cream.
"Amazing? How about 'radical' or 'incredible'!" said Sonic.
"Yes, yes, it was most incredible, I am especially doing the most grand, ze buzzing bombers were no match for-"
"Antoine, everyone could see how bad you were with your aim for miles away!"
"Excuse moi! I am most capable of dealing with-"
"Antoine, Sonic, do y'all always need to debate over the mission?" said Bunnie.
"Begging your pardon, Bunnie, but Sonic has no respect for my ability to thrash ze enemy," said Antoine.
"Again, it's 'trash', Antoine. And Sonic was distracting the SWAT Bots the entire time," said Bunnie.
"Yep, and managed to trash about 1,138 SWAT Bots in the process. And my quota is 1,991! All by myself too!" said Sonic.
"Wow, Sonic, I didn't know you kept count!" said Tails.
"You must have a very good memory, Mr. Sonic," said Cream.
"Well, it's an old habit I pictured up since I trashed so many bots over the years," said Sonic.
"That's why you're so amazing, Sonic!" said Amy.
"Uh, thanks, Amy," said Sonic.
"Everyone! Come quick!" said Sally.
"What is it, my princess?" said Antoine.
"What gives?" said Sonic.
"Did ya find anythin', Sally-girl?" said Bunnie.
"Rotor and I did...this is not good," said Sally.
They followed Sally inside Rotor's workshop, Rotor was preparing something on the table.
"What's up, Rote? You look like you've seen a ghost," said Sonic.
"A ghost can't do what this stuff can do, Sonic," said Rotor.
"Rotor and I have been running tests on the chemical we recovered. It's an extremely acidic compound, nothing like anything I've ever seen before. When we tested it, we discovered that it's acidic enough to dissolve anything that's organic. Plants, animals, bacteria, you name it," said Sally.
"That's impossible. Is it?" said Tails.
"Show them, Rotor," said Sally.
Rotor reached for a flower pot, and then placed it in a sealed chamber. He then grabbed a dropper, and then reached in, using it to pick up some of the chemical. He then slowly opened the chamber, and put a few drops on the flower. He closed the chamber again, jus as the flower began to hiss and smoke from the chemical reaction.
"No way!" said Sonic.
Bunnie, Amy, and even Cream gasped and put their hands over their mouths and backed away a bit. Antoine coughed in disgust. The flower slowly dissolved, right down to the soil. By the time the haze cleared, the flower was gone, and the soil was dry and solid.
"Robotnik can't be for real! I mean, if he's planning to spread this stuff all over the planet, there'll be nothing left to rule over," said Amy.
"Amy's right, sounds like a no-win situation to me," said Sonic.
"Not quite," said Sally.
"I ran a chemical analysis of this stuff, it looks like there's minute traces of a base chemical that prevents it from reacting to any kind of inorganic material. Watch." said Rotor.
Rotor picked up some more chemicals with the dropper, and then dropped one drop on the metal table.
"It is doing nothing to zat table." said Antoine.
"I don't get it either, Antoine." said Sonic.
"What I'm saying is, it looks like this chemical is a weapon. It dissolves anything organic, anything non-organic would be unaffected. In theory, it sounds like Robotnik is planning to use this stuff to clear us out and leave the resources behind to claim." said Rotor.
Sally pulled out a small handheld device, her A.I. unit, NICOLE.
"NICOLE, can this chemical be delivered in a gaseous form?" said Sally.
"Negative, Sally. The chemical appears to only be potent enough in liquid form. When the chemical evaporates into the air, it appears to quickly dissipate. But in large quanities, with proper weaponization, could yield great damage," said NICOLE.
"Lethal, weaponized or not. Just a small drop could disentigrate your hand or part of your arm, but in large quantities...NICOLE, damage estimate if delivered via bomb?" said Rotor.
"Calculating. Estimate complete. Anywhere from 25% to 100% of planet's organic population could be wiped out in less than five minutes," said NICOLE.
"And we'd have little defense or warning, Robotnik could kill millions if he can weaponize this chemical." said Sally.
"Assuming he 'is' developing such a weapon, he'd make the planet uninhabitable." said Sonic.
"Further calculations indicate one bomb would destroy approximately an entire city sector. Approximately one hundred bombs on a planetary scale would cause total ecosystem collapse," said NICOLE.
"Which means we gotta try and stop Robotnik from mass-producin' any kind of weaponized chemical first chance he gets, otherwise he'll wipe out all organic life on the planet, includin' us, right?" said Bunnie.
"Yeah, but you know we don't have reliable Intel on whether or not he's developing a secret weapon, Bunnie. Robotnik has been too quiet recently, if he was building a weapon, we'd know. NICOLE, identify the facility with the means to mass produce the chemical for any kind of weapons stockpile," said Sally.
"Scanning. The Central Chemical Plant on the Silvanus River, scans of blueprints on file indicate a production capability capable of producing anywhere from one thousand to five thousand gallons of the chemical a day, before and after variables," said NICOLE.
"The central chemical plant on the Silvanus. I always hated that eyesore," said Rotor.
"Oui, it is an offense to the good visibility of ze sun rising," said Antoine.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's trash it right now! Tails and I went on a run through that ol' chem plant," said Sonic.
"Not so fast, Sonic. We can't just destroy it. There's risk. If we destroy it the wrong way, the chemicals will spill all over the place. It could risk lighting the river up, or the chemicals will spill into the slums, potentially killing people," said Sally.
"Aw come on, Sal. Waiting and planning is boring. Where's the fun in figuring it out as we go, facing danger head-on?" said Sonic.
"Just let NICOLE and I work on a plan. We'll have something for you guys later," said Sally.
The Freedom Fighters went about their business in Knothole for much of the day. They were gathered outside the command hut later that evening.
"That chemical was scary, Miss Amy. Is Robotnik gonna make us melt like that flower?" said Cream.
"Chao, Chao?" said Cheese.
"I hope not, Cream. Hopefully we'll find a way to stop Robotnik from distributing it or making it before he has a chance to do so. But you're right about one thing; that chemical is scary. Right, Cheese?" said Amy.
"Chao..." said Cheese.
Amy shuddered with fear at the prospect, and Antoine was even more freaked out, Bunnie noticed this and tried to calm him down.
"Antoine, relax, will ya? Robotnik ain't done nothin' yet, we still got time to stop it," she said.
"I know, I know, but I am, how do you say it...afearing?" said Antoine.
"You mean 'afraid', Antoine. Ah know you're afraid, but we ain't got time to be intimidated now. We either stop him while we still can or we end up dust. And if we fail, no one is comin' to save us," said Bunnie.
"Yeah, I only hope we're not too late to stop Robotnik or what he's up to," said Rotor.
"We'll stop him! We always do! Right, Sonic?" said Tails.
"Right, Tails! We've seen him try similar sinister stunts before, but we still won! I doubt we won't win this time!" said Sonic.
"Your confidence is as big as your ego," said Antoine.
Sally then came out of the command hut.
"Okay, everyone! We're ready!" she said.
"Finally! Took you long enough, Sal!" said Sonic.
The Freedom Fighters all gathered in the command hut, around the holoprojector, as Sally plugged NICOLE into the projector.
"I couldn't get any reliable intel from our informants and allies, so I had to go with my gut," said Sally.
"Wait, did I hear that right? Someone decided to do things my way? C'mon Sal, say it," said Sonic.
"Yes, Sonic, we'll try it your way, simply because we got nothing better right now, nothing more," said Sally.
"Nuh uh uh. Say 'it,'" said Sonic.
"Oh brothairs..." said Antoine.
"Ah think he wants you to admit he's right, Sally-girl," said Bunnie.
"Yeah, what she said. Say it, Sal! Say it! Come on," said Sonic.
Sally groaned at Sonic's teasing.
"Yes, Sonic. You're right. Your way actually works this time. There, I said it. Happy?"
"Yup!" said Sonic.
Sally then turned to the Holoprojector, as NICOLE's holographic body appeared on the projector to point out the information.
"So anyway, Sonic, you're gonna take point on this mission. We'll follow you in a speeder along the main road. Your job is to clear the way for us. We'll go at night so that way, we can avoid most of the heavy patrols, most of them we'll be changing for routine maintenance. Hopefully, the Egg Shredder won't be around," said Sally.
"Really? They allowed bird legs to be patrolling somewhere else? That's gonna be no fun," said Sonic.
"No, that's good for us, Sonic. Once we get in, we need to destroy the chemical plant at its weak spot in a way to reduce collateral damage. NICOLE?" said Sally.
"Scans indicate that if we head for the main control valve, open the valve, and place remote incendiary bombs inside the main pipes leading to the main tanks, the blast will incinerate any hazardous chemicals inside and cause a chain reaction, which should disable the facility's production capabilities," said NICOLE.
"If we can disable this plant, hopefully, it should give us time to gather more intel." said Sally.
"I want to go too, Aunt Sally. I know that place's systems well. They're easy," said Tails.
"No, Tails. It's too dangerous," said Sally.
"Aw, come on, Aunt Sally!" said Tails.
"C'mon, Sal, he's been eager to help us for years! Give him a chance, will ya? He's also built a new device to mask us from SWAT Bot sensors with Rotor's help!" said Sonic.
"Yeah! It works!" said Tails.
"He's right, Sal. It really does," said Rotor.
"Sonic, he's ten years old," said Sally.
"Sally, I've been helping with misisons since I was ten years old!" said Sonic.
"Uh huh, right. Without permission," said Sally.
"And we got this far, didn't we? You going to keep him here until he's fifteen? Ever heard the phrase 'learn by doing', Saly? That's what I've been doing my whole life. 'Learn by doing,'" said Sonic.
"Fine! You be responsible for him!" said Sally.
"Alright!" said Tails.
Sonic hi-fived Tails.
"Stick close to me and we'll do fine, little buddy," said Sonic.
"What about me?" said Amy.
"Sorry Amy, you're staying here again. I'm not gonna have two junior members on a mission this risky," said Sally.
Amy simply pouted and crossed her arms.
"Awww, but I wanted to help smash some bots with my Piko Hammer," said Amy.
"I'm sorry, but you'll get your chance soon enough," said Sally.
"Alright, Sal. When do we leave?" said Rotor.
"Late tonight. Get some rest. It's gonna be a long night. In the meantime, I'm gonna contact our allies, let them know of our next move, hopefully, I can get some support," said Sally.
Sonic stood up.
"Alright, I'm gonna make a few chili dogs and I'm gonna-"
"Slow down, sugah hog. Y'all need your rest, right, Sally-girl?" said Bunnie.
"Right, Bunnie. Everyone, be ready by 2000 hours," said Sally.
"I'll help Rotor with the speeder, it's time to help put my invention to the test," said Tails.
"Sure thing, Tails, let's get to it," said Rotor.
As the Freedom Fighters were planning their mission, deep inside the slums of Mobotropolis, in the basement of a flophouse, a male Mobian goat, tied up and with a sack on his head, was in the company of three Mobian Raccoons, two males and a female, and a male Falcon and Skunk.
"Up and at 'em, Chris ol' boy. We have a lot to talk about."
"What? Who are you? You're not gonna kill me, are you? I got money! I'll pay you whatever you want!"
Chris then had his mask taken off, so he could see his captors, the older male raccoon and the male skunk.
"Aw, Chris, how could you forget so quickly? How could you forget me? Me, Jericho Raccoon. How typical of you rich people on Robotnik's blacklist. That may protect you from roboticization..."
"...But it ain't gonna protect you from us, mate, or from anything that results of our meeting."
"Listen, I just did what I had to do to survive! I didn't mean to make you mad, Mr. Raccoon, sir!" said Chris.
"You're a special kind of stupid, ain't you, mate?" said the skunk.
"You know my colleague, Commander Geoffrey St. John. You're also already acquainted with my brother Dayton, and my friend, Derek here. And my dear sister Milena, needs no introduction," said Jericho.
Dayton stood up, cracking his knuckles and neck, like he was ready to pick a fight.
"Not yet, Dayton. We'll start this chat like gentlemen, right, Geoffrey?" said Jericho.
"Right, Jericho. We'll let you experience your ex's wrath later, Chris. There are a few things we want to know about." said Geoffrey.
"I don't know anything! I'm just a guy living off a trust fund! I swear! I really don't know anything!" said Chris.
Jericho stood behind Chris, and unhooked him from the hook, but placed Chris' right hand in his powerful prosthetic right hand.
"Mr. St. John here is gonna ask you some questions about your factories. Excuse me, Robotnik's factories. You know, the ones he asks you to turn a blind eye to the stuff he builds in there. For every wrong answer, my good hand is gonna make your good hand useless, finger, by finger, you understand?" said Jericho.
Chris simply looked towards Milena, the younger female Mobian Raccoon sitting in a chair across the room, holding a datapad.
"Milena, baby, whatever I've done, no hard feelings, right? We can still work this out! I can get you anything you want, even blacklist protection! Right? Right?" said Chris.
Milena coldly looked up at Chris, the icy glare of her brown eyes staring into his.
"I don't normally sit in on interrogations, Chris. My brothers and their friends have a bit of a messy style. But considering this is the second time you've tried to have me captured and thrown to the rancors, I'm making an exception. Make him cry like the baby he is, Jericho. But remember..."
"I know, he won't die," said Jericho.
Geoffrey began walking back and forth as the interrogation began.
"Now, we know your family owns a few of the factories in Mobotropolis. Robotnik manufactures all sorts of things, a few of them are for Robotnik's 'friends.' You're aware of them, yes? Do you know which ones his friends use?" said Geoffrey.
Robotnik doesn't have any friends. He just sits in that Citadel tower and orders us around. As for the factories, he's just building materials needed for-"
"You didn't pay attention to what my friend here said. Any wrong answer..."
Jericho then responded by breaking one of Chris fingers. Chris screamed in pain as his finger was rendered useless by Jericho's powerful prosthetic.
"C'mon, Chris. You're not even trying to lie here," said Milena.
"Gimme a break here!" said Chris.
"I seriously hope you weren't making a pun, Chris. You're rich as is, you can buy yourself a break, or you can fix all those broken fingers, or buy some prosthetic ones, like my big brother has," said Milena.
"Moving on, what materials do your factories produce? Why do Robotnik's friends need them?" said Geoffrey.
"We produce raw materials for farming. As part of the Stell Viridius rehabilitation efforts!" said Chris.
"Wrong again. Stell Viridius has no open farming rehab projects at this time," said Milena.
"And according to intel we have on file, Robotnik has no operations in that sector. That factory you referred to produces SWAT Bots that patrol the streets to look for "insurgents", and the people who aren't Roboticized get little to no pay, no food, no livelihood except for your lot," said Geoffrey.
Jericho this time broke two fingers on Chris' hand.
"I swear! We work to produce rehabilitation materials for farming rehab projects on Stell Viridius!" said Chris.
"Still lying," said Jericho.
"Okay, my turn," said Dayton.
Dayton traded places with Jericho. He crouched down to look Chris in the face.
"Hi, Chris. My name is Dayton Raccoon. I'm Jericho and Milena's less-than-restrained brother."
Dayton then proceeded to give Chris a few punches to the gut.
"That was for betraying my sister."
Dayton then punched him again, this time right in the face.
"That was for harassing her. There, that's all."
"Hey! Watch the nose! I just got the hairs inside trimmed! And you realize how much it'll cost me to fix my teeth? And if you mess up my hair, it's coming out of your pay!" said Chris.
"I'm not getting paid by anybody you control. It's my turn to be the bad cop here." said Dayton.
Dayton then slowly extended a long metal blade mounted on his forearm, freaking Chris out with its sheer size and length. He then spoke again.
"The factory by the chemical plant produces materials to...uh...build light freighters for the Corellian Engineering Corporation!"
"Keep lying, windbag. Those materials don't look like they go on any Corellian ship I've seen." said Derek.
"Let's see...what should I cut up, Geoffrey?" said Dayton.
"He needs a trim, does he? I've seen other sheep like him with better hairstyles," said Geoffrey.
"NO! NOT THE HAIR! IT COST ME A THOUSAND!" said Chris.
But Dayton wasted no time shearing off Chris' hair cut with both his wrist blades like butter.
"NO! MY HAIR! MY BEAUTIFUL HAIR!" said Chris.
"Oh shut up. Buzzcuts are nice, I should know," said Dayton.
Chris responded by spitting in Dayton's face.
"I spit on you and your harlot of a sister!" he said.
"You always did have atrocious haircuts, Chris. Keep up the humiliation, Dayton," said Milena.
"Chris, you're only making this harder on yourself," said Dayton.
Dayton then took off Chris' jacket, examining it.
"This looks expensive," said Dayton.
"No! Very few can get a jacket with that quality!" said Chris.
But his words fell on deaf ears, as Derek stepped up and spit on the jacket with great contempt.
"Not anymore," Derek said.
"It needs a restyling, looks way more atrocious than your damn hair," Dayton said.
Then, extending one of his wrist blades, he began to cut the jacket up like a piece of paper mache.
"You monstrous infidels! You lot are a cancer in this Galaxy! This is why you must be put in your place! This is why our great leader is in the right! You ruin everything we've worked so hard to earn!" Chris said.
By now, Chris' whining had given Derek cause to grab a single container and place it in front of Chris. Chris could see the words "HAZARDOUS" written on it.
"NO! NO, NO, PLEASE!"
"Take a guess what's in the container. Come on!" said Derek.
"You know what? I think he wants to know what's in it, Derek. He really wants us to show him," said Dayton.
"You see, we collect all sorts of things, Chris. Including the stuff your factories dump in our water, making our beloved Silvanus River smell like sludge and make it flow like ooze," said Jericho.
Jericho then opened the container, which was full of a green slimy substance.
"NO! KEEP THAT STUFF AWAY FROM ME! IT'S TOXIC!" said Chris.
"Well, gee, how do you know that? Must've come from your factories!" said Derek.
"Have you seen what that stuff does to people's faces, Chris?" said Milena.
"Shut up, you harlot!" said Chris.
"I can make it stop, if you tell us which factory of yours is operated by Robotnik's friends, then you won't have to find out," said Geoffrey.
Chris struggled as Derek and Dayton began to force his head down, towards the slime.
"NO! NO, PLEASE!" said Chris.
"Five..." said Jericho.
"I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!"
"Four..." said Dayton.
"I just go to parties and pick up women, that's all! I don't have any part in my factories' operations!"
"Three..." said Derek.
"Robotnik has powerful friends! Friends who can make anything happen!"
"Two..." said Geoffrey.
"OH PLEASE, NO! NOT MY FACE! IT'S NOT JUST THAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT!"
"One..." said Milena.
"NO! OKAY! OKAY! THE CENTRAL PART OF TOWN! INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT! THEY MAKE THE STARSHIP HULL PLATING FOR THEM! THAT'S ALL I KNOW!"
But despite this result, Derek began to snarl, his bracelets glowing a blood red, and began grabbing Chris' neck, forcing him into their container, head first.
"Well, let's see how toxic it is, you selfish son of a-!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! What are you doing?!" said Geoffrey.
Chris struggled, but against Derek's strength, his struggles were futile, and he went face first into the slime, scattering it all over the place. But nothing happened. No hissing, no melting, no nothing. Geoffrey picked some off his bandolier with his finger, and placed the stuff in his mouth, and he slowly began to smile and laugh, as did everyone else, save for Chris.
"Gelatin? Wow, you lot almost got me there! Chris, mate, you really couldn't tell the difference between gelatin and toxic waste? Wow, no wonder Milena never came back to you. You're more of a wuss than we thought! Wow!" said Geoffrey.
"MY HAIR, MY BEAUTIFUL HAIR, AND YOU'VE RUINED MY SUIT!" said Chris.
"Oh shut up, you're one mistake I don't have to live with. I wanted to see you scream like the baby you are," said Milena.
"You thought I was literally going to just end your life right there? I wouldn't have done it if they didn't tell me what was inside. You Robuttnik sympathizers make me sick; selling out your loved ones just to save your own skin?" said Derek.
"You'd do the same given the choice! I hope your father chokes to death on this!" said Chris.
Chris had spit on Derek, and without warning, Derek's rage flared up again. and he proceeded to grab Chris' neck, and began to slam him against the wall a few times.
"Never talk about my father like that, you worthless piece of scum!"
"Restrain him!" said Geoffrey.
He and Dayton grabbed Derek, while Jericho, placing a metallic glove on his right hand, proceeded to press his gloved hand against Derek's ear. Derek began to hear a kind of soothing white noise in his ear, and Derek's rage began to cool, eventually, he calmed down and his bracelets returned to their blue azure color.
"Derek, that's enough. Let's not get inhumane here," said Jericho.
"Just keep that monster away from me! I beg of you!" said Chris.
"Now, listen good, Chris. Stay away from my sister. I've only known her for the better part of three years, but I will not have her taken from me now. Call, or send any more people after her again, and next time...Dayton will be the one to come after you, not me," said Jericho.
Dayton simply waved innocently.
"You terrorists are evil! All of you!" said Chris.
"Who said we're terrorists?" said Milena.
"Derek?" said Jericho.
"Yeah?" said Derek.
"Take him home. In one piece," said Jericho.
"It'll cost you double to guarantee his safety," said Derek.
"Derek, safely. No more, no less," said Jericho.
"Fine." said Derek.
Derek began to pick Chris up and carry him over his shoulder.
"Put me down, you bloodthirsty monster!" said Chris.
Derek simply responded by punching him in the face, knocking him out cold.
"I get paid well to do this. And at least I don't have to hear anymore hot air coming out of that gaping hole you call a mouth." said Derek.
Jericho walked over to Milena, who had barely even reacted to seeing Chris be tortured.
"See, sis? I can do a humane torture session. If you weren't in here, he'd be in a lot worse shape than he is," said Jericho.
"Chris deserved plenty worse for what he did to me. But when we torture people, we do it humanely, we're not the Empire, who has no restraint. The last thing we need is to make a habit of being inhumane, Jericho," said Milena.
"The gelatin was a nice touch, Milena," said Jericho.
"I worked hard to make it, just for this purpose," said Milena.
"Yeah. Anyway, can we confirm the intel we got from Heartbreaker with the details we got from Chris?" said Jericho.
"Sure can. And while you were busy making Chris scream, I got an e-mail from Sally Acorn. She and her little band are about to make a big play, something about the Central Chemical Plant," said Milena.
"Lemme see," said Jericho.
Jericho picked up the datapad and began to read and compare notes.
"What is it? You look like Robotnik found and exploited one of our informants again," said Geoffrey.
"Look at this, Geoffrey," said Jericho.
Geoffrey came over to read the datapad.
"Oh, you have to be bloody kidding me," said Geoffrey.
"Milena, get me Knothole, ASAP," said Jericho.
"Sure thing," said Milena.
