SPEED: Speed, Psychic, Espionage, Engineering Division. It's a special division of GUN, the global defense agency, a division taken up completely by orphaned teenagers with unusual skills trained to carry out the most dangerous missions there are.
Shadow is a dark, moody boy created completely by science. He is fast, strong, smart and has the ability to control chaos, a current of energy that runs through the entire universe. Given his own way he'd probably do every mission on his own. He is however loyal and protective of his friends.
Sonic is an anomaly of nature. He can run fast enough to break the sound barrier, and does so without thinking. Besides this he's cocky, loud, and pisses off just about anyone he talks to. But, he is kind hearted and has a clear sense of justice.
Knuckles is gullible, not particularly smart, rough, hot tempered, argumentive, excreta. He flawed. But most of these come from him being able to see the good in people, even if it's not there. He's also able to punch through half a meter thick concrete, track with a 96.8 accuracy rate and live off next to nothing.
His younger brother Tails, so named because he has accidentally given himself two tails, is the opposite. He has a degree in engineering, genetics, physics, psychology and chemistry. He's made just about everything that SPEED uses. At 14, he can be quiet and kind, or cynical and sarcastic, basically like a normal teenager. With tails.
Amy Rose is the daughter of Mr. Rose, the man in charge of GUN. She's fashionable, undependable and unfocused. Not exactly the makings of an agent. So it's a good thing she's strong, determined and an expert medic. She also is completely in love with Sonic.
Espio is a master. There's no other way to describe him. He's a master Ninja, a master of Espionage, a master martial artist, a master hacker, a master detective, a master at just about anything he tries. He's always calm and the one people turn to when something goes wrong.
No one really knows anything about Silver or Blaze before they came to SPEED, they were just found somewhere and their powers credited them a place. The only thing anyone does know is the two of them are inseparable. Silver's a psychokinetic, he can control other items with his mind. He can also be the biggest smartass in history. He prefers to work out his own way than to take orders from someone else, even when the commander's probably right. Blaze, on the other hand, is level headed and realistic. She has an air of authority that you can only be born with and dresses like royalty. She's also a pyrokinetic, meaning she can create and control fire. With most people she's cold and withdrawn, but there are a few exceptions.
The most elite of the elite, the best of the best. SPEED is the prototype for a new era of soldiers, soldiers skilled enough to outsmart and outmaneuver the more advanced technology of tomorrow's criminals. But magic and luck can screw with even the best.
Tails keyed the line to the Whirlwind. "Shadow, we may be away from Eggman, but if the Tornado crashes, he can just pick us up again."
"Get Silver to search for any GUN points in range," Shadow replied.
"What the hell do you think I'm doing?" Silver called to him from the co-pilot seat. There was the clicking of keys as Silver searched. "The nearest bay's in Italy, which is way beyond what we're capable of. What your next bright idea 'Captain?'"
Shadow made a sound similar to a snake hissing. "Try for just friendly ports, not government. There has to be something." Silver kept typing. Then the computer gave an encouraging beep.
"Hey, we're near Babylon Gardens!" There was a groan from somewhere in the Whirlwind.
"Do we have to go there?" wined Sonic. Amy giggled.
"Sonic afraid someone's faster than him." Silver could picture Sonic blushing and smiled.
"I am not! I just owe Jet money!" was his pathetic, though probably true, excuse.
Babylon Garden. An ancient and beautiful artificial floating mountain, once home to the ancient thieves, the Babylon Rogues. For centuries it was presumed lost, but was recently discovered again. It floats using an antigravity generator that has other-worldly jumps in technology, raising many questions about its origins. It is also capable of warping around the world using another alien system, the control box. It has three parts: the central mountain, the sky road which is a kind of primitive highway and the engine systems. Main roads link these parts, but it is not uncommon for rooms to have more than three hidden doors for emergencies. Thieves always leave themselves an extra exit.
The current inhabitants of the Garden are the last three descendants of the Babylon Rogues: Jet, Wave and Storm. The three are master robbers, though Jet prefers to describe himself as 'a Robin Hood with sticky fingers'. Their success is much due to their use of Babylon Gardens powers, anti gravity boards called extreme gears, and their own acrobatic skills.
Jet is the leader, born to it by right. He's the holder of the control box, the device that controlled the garden's power, and therefore commander of Babylon. He acts rather like Sonic: cocky and confident, which means they have a little rivalry going. He's a skilled acrobat and as fast as Sonic on his board. He is also a mass collector of other people's valuables.
Wave is a mechanic, specializing in Gears. She's the one who evens out Jet's ego, making the team a success. She makes the team's mechanics. She is greedy like Jet, but is more realistic and careful in her goals.
Storm is Jet's personal attack dog. He's big, dim, but skilled at what he does, breaking stuff. He follows Jet like a puppy and follows his every word. His straightforward, blunt attitude grates on nearly everyone after a while, but blood is blood so Jet keeps him around.
Previous meeting left SPEED and the Rogues on good terms, so they had no hesitation heading there for repairs. Soon they came into sight of Babylon. It was even more majestic in realism. Man made waterfalls made the mountain gleam and the ancient roads gave the place the ancient, mysterious look that tourists travel miles to see in the pyramids and the coliseum. The hanger door was closed. Tails made the regular air to control report.
"Babylon Garden, this is the Tornado. Requesting permission to land for repairs." He waited. No reply. He tried again. "Babylon Gardens, this is the Tornado, respond. We're requesting permission to land." Still nothing.
"Maybe they're out," mused Blaze. Silver pointed to an airship, the Rogues secondary form of transport.
"Not unless they went out on foot." Blaze took out her mobile. "Now isn't the time for chatter!"
"I'm calling Jet's mobile," she told him matter-of-factly. She hit the 7 speed dial number.
Deep inside the engine rooms, a sudden high pitched cackling sounded for a few seconds. Then again.
After a few seconds of ringing the phone answered. A female voice sounded, but it was muffled like someone was covering the receiver. "Your ring tone is you laughing?"
"Shut up!" There was a crackling as the hand was removed. "Who is this?"
"Jet, this is Blaze. What's happening?" she said. "We're waiting outside and we need to get into the hanger and…"
"You're here?!" There was something curious in Jet's voice. Almost like relief. "Thank God! Something gone seriously wrong and we're trapped in here and… Oh shit, they're back. Bar the door, Storm!" Blaze and Silver stared at the phone like it was possessed. Gunfire sounded, a steady unnerving rattle. There was a haaak sound that definitely wasn't human. Then Jet sounded again. "Fall back, Fall Back! Get into the boiler room, now! Get….." there was a crack and the line went dead.
Blaze and Silver looked at each other, then at the phone again. Silver gave a weak laugh. "Well, either this is a very good joke, or we're in deep." The joke was poor and he was obviously troubled. He turned to Tails. "You get all that?"
"Yeah, sounds like we're not getting in easily."
"So what are we going to do?"
"I'm sure if they're in trouble they won't mind."
"Mind what?" Tails was thinking out loud again.
"This," he flicked a switch and pulled the Tornado's firing trigger. A highly explosive nitrogen missile flew from the plane into the hanger door, blowing a gaping hole in it. Silver, Blaze and Knuckles stared at the newly made hole, while Tails waited for the inevitable call. He didn't have to wait long.
"Tails, what are you thinking?! Why'd you just fire?!" Tails wasn't sure if Shadow was more angry or stunned.
"I'll explain when we get in, just calm down."
The two ships entered the hanger. The place was massive, built in the times when there were thousands of Babylonians, with enough room for one of Dr Eggman's flagships. Now it was empty and dark, leaving just memories of a once great civilization. After they landed, Tails and Blaze explained about the phone call. Amy was spooked. "This is just like one of those horror movies," she whispered. "A group of teens enter some spooky old place and get a freaky message. Then the monster comes and picks them off, one by one, until the cute girls left all alone at the mercy of the beast. I don't want to die!" Her voice had grown progressively louder as she spoke, until she was nearly screaming. Sonic clapped his hand over her mouth.
"Sssh! The monster might hear you!" Amy's eyes grew wide with fear.
"Amy," said Shadow. "There is no monster. It's most likely Jet having a joke."
"I'm not so sure," Espio countered. Everyone turned.
"Why do you say that Espio?" Blaze said.
"Well, Jet's up for a laugh. But if it was a joke, than Wave would have killed us for blowing up her hanger." Everyone nodded. Wave's pretty highly strung, so shooting the hanger would snap her temper.
"So what's the plan Shad?" was the obvious question by Sonic.
"We're still here to fix the ship, so half of us go find Jet and his crew, the other half stay here with Tails to repair the ship and…."
"Nooooo!" Amy cut him off. "We don't split up! That just makes it easier for the monster to get us!"
"Amy, there is no monster!" Knuckles said exasperatedly. Tails laughed.
"Careful brother!" he wagged his finger. "The disbeliever always goes first." Knuckles snorted disbelieving.