Chapter 7
"It's a trap," Tails thought as he stared at the scene below. He was flying over a massive park that sat outside the old court building in the town center. A large crowd filled the entire park masking the dead grass from his view. Six soldiers stood on each side of the multitude except the rear of the crowed where only two guards marched back and forth.
The entire crowd faced the court building where a small, rugged stage had been slapped together. On the stage seven people stood tied to poles jetting out of the stage. In front of them, there stood a green bird wearing a red scarf and aviator goggles.
"Speedy."
Only about five minutes had passed since the broadcast so Tails was in no rush to make his move. He observed every detail and had found the set up to be suspicious. Why would they leave Speedy alone onstage, or only station two guards behind the crowd where he could easily slip in and hide?
The answer could only mean one thing. Tails glanced at one of the nearby buildings and smiled.
"They got a sniper watching their backs."
Tails quickly flew over and landed on top of the building he had spotted the sniper in.
It was an old brick hotel that must date back at least fifty years. It probably was once one of the largest hotels in Metropolis but now it was a rundown building that hadn't been used in years. The bricks had faded to a light pinkish color and where beginning to crack. Windows were smashed out and graffiti covered the sides of the building.
Tails didn't have to even look for a way inside as an enormous hole in the roof allowed for easy entry. The fox landed in a cobweb covered hall with peeling wallpaper and a torn up rug lying on the floor. The only light came from the opening in the roof and the broken windows. He began to search for some stairs knowing that the sniper was two floors down.
When he found the stairs he caught a glimpse of a thin string about three inches off the ground that stretched from one wall to the other. A tripwire.
"They sure aren't taking any risks," he thought' "I better hurry up and rescue Sara and the others before time runs out."
He twirled his Tails and lifted off a few inches off the ground. He flew down the stairs to the floor he had identified the sniper on and landed just outside the room his target was in.
He snuck in as quietly as possible and stood only a foot away from a cerulean bird staring though a rifle scope at the rabble below.
Tails rammed a fist into the side of the sniper's head knocking him to the side and causing him to drop his rifle. The bird recovered from the blow and swung his fists at the fox. Tails promptly took flight to dodge the attacks.
Tails stopped spinning his namesake and dropped with his foot extended and aimed at the snipers face.
Wham!
The kick found its mark laving an unconscious bird lying helplessly on the floor next to the rotting walls.
Tails picked up the sniper rifle the bird dropped and for a second considered using it.
"It would be an easy way to eliminate Speedy." He thought.
But in the end Tails decided not to use the rifle. The bolt action would prevent him from killing the guards who would undoubtedly and without hesitation fire both on the hostages and the audience if Speedy where attacked.
"The old fashioned way it is." He said, tossing the rifle away.
Tails existed the building though the window and landed just out of view of the patrolling guards behind the crowd. When nether of the guards where looking he ran into the horde of animals that were too busy watching the scene before them to notice the Two-tailed fox join their ranks.
He then waited for the two guards to meet in the center of their patrol when he leaped out and shoved their heads together. The guards fell to the ground and Tails drug their limp bodies into the mass of people.
He began to navigate the mob as he made his way to each of the guards as he knocked each one unconscious, pulled them into the crowed, and he made his way towards the stage.
Only a few people noticed him but they never spent more than a few seconds starring before their attention promptly returned to the hostages. If the guards knew their target was hiding in the crowd they wouldn't hesitate to kill everyone between them and the fox.
Eventually all the guards were out of the picture as they lay unnoticed by the feet of the helpless onlookers.
With Five minutes left before the execution Tails felt confident. He decided that he should have some fun with Speedy since his trap was now eliminated. Tails removed the uniform of one of the soldiers and put it on. The large two-tone camouflage shirt was too big for him and the jet black helmet nearly obscured his vision completely. Only a fool would mistake him for one of the Kukkus. But it sure would make a sight to see.
"Probably be the talk of the island long after this is all said and done." He chuckled completely forgetting the direness of the situation.
He exited the crowed and marched up onto stage where Speedy had spent the entire time ranting about how great he and his father's army was. Speedy was too distracted by his speech to notice the poorly dressed, mutant fox walking towards him. But the entire crowd saw and instantly they forgot the dangerous situation they were in and began to snicker.
Tails was a few feet from the still oblivious Speedy when he remembered the trip wire by the stairwell. They had even taken precautions to protect the sniper, and this was the son of Fifteen himself.
"Maybe this isn't such a good idea" he thought as a rope that had been laying in wait on the stage floor wrapped around his foot. The rope lifted Tails off his feet and hung him upside down in front of everyone.
The Hemet fell off and his tails hanged down by his face.
"Now you've done it" he mumbled realizing how stupid he must look.
The snickering stopped as Speedy turned to Tails with an unsurprised look on his face as he addressed his visitor.
"I was wondering when you were going to stop by freak."
Tails remained silent as he wondered how he was going to get out of this one.
"You should see the look on your face" The Green bird lifted a revolver from a holster on his belt and aimed it between Tails eyes. "And to think you could have killed me when you took out my sniper. I guess you where just too much of a pansy to actually kill someone."
"What and miss out on beating the snot out of you again?" Tails retaliated trying to hide the fear behind his eyes.
"Well I'm sorry to disappoint but we need you dead so you won't get a chance to fight back this time."
"Why do I have a feeling that we means more than you and your feathery friends."
"You think we would go through all this trouble to kill you out of revenge. No our clients want you dead, what we want….what's the point in telling you your about to die.
Speedy pulled back on the firing pin, as the crowed held their breath waiting to see what would happen next.
BANG
The rope tied Tails' leg snapped causing him to fall through the stage onto the grass below. Above him a hole in the sheet metal let the light in.
Outside he could hear the3 roar of the crowed and Speedy yelling at the top of his lungs.
"Shot the floor! Shoot the floor!"
Other soldiers must have come onstage after he fell.
Bullets began to rain down. Realizing how easy it was to fall through the floor Tails decided to fly back up threw it. He positioned himself below where he thought the hostages where. Then he spun his tails and leapt up smashing a new hole in the stage. In the confusion his attackers where too caught up with shooting to realize their target was now behind them.
Taking his chance he untied the hostages who except for Sara ran into the crowed that quickly swallowed them up. Tails then took Sara by the arm and ran off stage as Speedy caught sight of him and began to shout new orders.
Tails ran into the city with Sara as more birds began to pursue them.
"Are you Crazy what were you thinking back there?" Sara yelled as they ran.
"Nice to see you're ok!" Tails laughed sarcastically.
They ran out of the city, bullet whizzing by their heads the whole time, and found themselves in the Green hill zone with half the BKA hot on their heels.
They changed direction often hoping to avoid revealing their destination but their pursuers only seemed to get closer as the crimson sun began to fall from the sky.
"Man they sure don't give up easy." Sara panted as the exhausted Foxes continued running.
"I don't think we can stay ahead much longer."
Tails needed to think of something quick of they would wind up Swiss cheese. He couldn't run away much longer and a fight would be suicidal.
"Think… Think… Think!"
Every step he could take in the next five minutes played threw his head. Everything he knew about his environment, his enemies, and even himself gave him only one solution.
He would have to sacrifice Sara to get away.
"No! I've already almost gotten her killed once today." He shook the previous thought from his head.
Suddenly he heard a familiar voice in his head. "Jump in the rose bush to your left."
Having no other ideas to go on he grabbed the horrified Sara and leaped into the bush.
"Where did he go" Asked one of the Soldiers.
"He's in that bush you dimwit." Speedy yelled
Hearing that Tails prepared to jump out and continue running when the same voice spoke again saying, "Don't move."
Tired, Tails looked into Sara's eyes. They were filled with terror as she realized they were done running away. Thorns from the blood red roses jabbed into their sides as they sat uncomfortably awaiting their doom.
Footsteps approached them as sweat dripped down their faces. Their hearts beat so hard that Speedy must be able to hear it as he neared. Finally the steps stopped in front of the bush and Tails clenched his fists.
"So this is it." He thought making the decision to go down fighting.
The leaves rustled as they were pulled back revealing the feathery, olive green face of Speedy.
Tails was about to thrust his fist into the bird when he noticed Speedy's confused look.
"I swore they were in here." He muttered before letting go of the braches he held, letting the leaves return to their place. "Fan out they couldn't have gotten too far."
The footsteps of the soldiers soon became faint as they began their search.
Tails looked at Sara to see the same confused look on her face as was his. He wondered how Speedy could have missed them. And whose voice had told him to hide there. It wasn't Cocoa's and in fact it sounded feminine.
Then it hit him.
"C-c-cos-mo" he stuttered.
Man I got this one finished quick. But when you're too sick to go to school and have nothing better to do what would you expect. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope to update soon.:)
