The Mobian Agenda
A VALVe/Archie Crossover
By TrueVulcanRaven
Rated: T for Language, Violence
Legal Notice: I do not own these characters. They are copyright Sega, Archie, or VALVe.
"Distorted Memories"
After a few skirmishes and close calls, they found themselves outside a repair station. Once they had destroyed any of its previous occupants Rotor went inside to search for any weapons or supplies. Bunnie and Gordon stood guard, both keeping sharp watch for any more trouble. Just as he was about to try and ease the tension with an attempt at small talk, his suit's auditory sensors picked up a faint but steady metal clanking. At almost the same time, Rotor jogged out from inside the station, his hands full.
"Just in time," Freeman spoke as he relieved the walrus of most of the load of ammunition and explosives. "We're about the have company."
After handing Bunnie a small satchel to carry her share of the spoils, he gave Freeman and the rabbit a small circular piece of metal. "Secure transmission communicators. For now, Gordon, just slip it in your helmet. I can modify your suit later on when we're not so pressed for time."
The scientist quickly unfastened and removed his headgear. He was about the do as Rotor requested when he noticed that Bunnie was staring at him in a mixture of confusion and apprehension.
He looked behind him, expecting to see a hallway full of SWAT Units. "What? What's wrong?"
"Uh…" Bunnie stammered.
Rotor nudged her with his elbow. "Nothing. Let's just keep moving."
Perplexed, Gordon inserted the comms device in his ear and reconnected his helmet, just in time to overhear the whispered conversation between the two Freedom Fighters.
"What was that all about?" Rotor asked as he checked the clip on his pulse rifle.
"He's an Overlander."
"He put his life on the line twice for us thus far, Bunnie," the walrus hissed. "What the hell does he have to do to earn your trust?"
"Xenophobic tendencies aside," Gordon interrupted, "whatever it is that's heading this way is getting closer."
After exchanging uncomfortable glances, Rotor took the point and Bunnie followed him close behind. Gordon covered the rear.
What the hell is an "overlander"?
Though it would take him a while to derive its definition, he knew from her tone that it carried some sort of negative connotation. The volume of the footsteps Gordon had picked up earlier grew steadily louder, bringing his mind back into focus. The corridor they were traveling through was rather wide, around forty feet. At regular intervals, three holding cells about ten feet by ten feet—lying directly next to each other—divided the hallway.
"Hold up," Gordon whispered. "If we sit tight here, it's going to pass right by."
"Ya sure?"
"Positive."
The trio jogged to the outside wall of the closest detention cell and waited. Rotor peered slightly around the corner.
"Two SWATs…and a roboticized giant…?" he spoke in a hushed tone.
Bunnie tiptoed to look over the walrus's shoulder. She gasped, her free hand going to her chest. "It's Ian…Ian Blackclaw. Oh ma stars…the last time Ah saw him was right before the coup at jiu-jitsu practice."
The rabbit turned around, putting her back against the wall and sliding to the floor dejectedly. The potential threat finally breached the same set of holding cells that they were hiding behind. Gordon was looking around the edge, trying to judge when to make the "all clear" call, when Bunnie suddenly jumped from her sitting position and broke into an all-out sprint to catch up with her old friend.
"Bunnie, no!" Rotor tried to grab her, but he was too late.
She ran to the opposite side of the corridor, a pained, wild-eyed look on her face as she yelled, "Ian!"
Gordon and Rotor rounded the corner just in time to see the SWAT Units and a giant, robotic Kodiak bear on its hind legs turn to face them.
"B…Bee-bee?" he spoke, his voice sounding like a synthesized growl.
"Targets spotted! Commencing termination!" the two SWAT 'Bots droned, raising their weapons.
The mechanized behemoth abruptly let out a low moan, and his front paws flew to his head. The robotic minions turned to see what was causing him to malfunction, and with speed that belied his size the bear swung one of his front limbs around, sending a SWAT Unit tumbling through the air like a broken toy. The other droid stepped back, its fairly primitive A.I. uncertain as to how to respond to an attack from an ally. Ian took the opportunity to seize it by the head in one paw and drive it into a wall. He let out another anguished cry and sank to his knees. Bunnie immediately ran to his side, rubbing his back and taking his left paw into her roboticized hand. Rotor followed suit, putting one hand on Ian's shoulder to try and reassure the lad.
"It hurts…Bee-bee, my head…it hurts so bad!" Blackclaw rocked back and forth. "Make it stop!"
Tears welled up in her eyes. "I wish I could, Baby Bear," she managed to choke out.
"That's probably the first time he's ever overridden his programming," Rotor whispered to Gordon. "Very few are ever able to, even with the aid of the radiation from a Power Ring. From what I hear it's like having a hangover and a migraine at the same time."
Gordon dropped to one knee in front of the roboticized Mobian. "Don't worry, kid. We're gonna take care of you."
"Bee-bee…I can't…I can't…Nnngaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" He let out a feral roar, and his eyes flickered from a neutral white to its previous red.
"Rotor, Bunnie, get a-! Uuunfh!" Gordon flew back after receiving a backfist that would have broken his neck had he not been wearing his suit. The landing didn't feel much better. He strained to push himself past the pain.
"No, don't-!" Rotor yelled.
The bear lifted one giant paw and slammed it into the ground in the exact spot where Rotor had been lying only a split second before. The walrus rolled on his side and hurriedly stumbled back to put some distance between himself and the troubled lad.
"Bunnie, get away from him! He's out of control!"
She begged, her voice catching in her throat. "Ian, p-please…come back to us!"
His response was to throw a haymaker blow that she barely dodged. The quick maneuver, however, left her off-balance, and the lad lunged forward with a deafening bellow. He scooped her up in his arms, and judging from her resulting scream she probably felt like she was caught in a trash compactor the size of a small van. By this time Gordon was back on his feet, his rifle trained on the roboticized Kodiak. Rotor's gun lay on the floor near Ian's feet.
"No, don't shoot him! They'll scrap him!" Bunnie cried out.
Then what the hell do you want me to do!
Bunnie gritted her teeth and groaned in agony as she weathered Ian's vice-like grip. Her roboticized arm finally reared back and launched a powerful left hook into Ian's visage. Blackclaw dropped her and fell to the ground, stunned. Gordon sprang into action as soon as the bear hit the floor. He rushed over to Bunnie and cradled her in his arms, praying she hadn't sustained any permanent injuries. He then set into a dead run in the direction that they had been traveling before.
"Go, go, damn it!" Gordon barked at Rotor
"Don't have to tell me twice!"
Bunnie sobbed weakly, shaking her head slowly from side to side.
Whoever's responsible for this mess, congratulations. You've just made your biggest mistake: getting my full attention.