Chapter 9: The Atomic Project
"Good morning gentleman," an American voice said from the green glow said.
"Who the fuck are you?!" Sonic yelled.
"Weston McAlpine," he answered. "But I prefer to be known as Atomic."
"Okay, SHOT!!!" Brazil ordered and all four started to shoot with their MK-20.
Weston just stood there and laughed. None of the bullets had any affect on him.
"See, this is pure energy that comes out of my body," Weston said, "Your bullets have no affect on me. But I have a major affect on you!" he said and pointed his arm at Grey. He shot a green beam out of his arm and hit Grey on his arm.
"AH SHIT!!!!" Grey shouted and grabbed his left arm. He looked at the wound. There was a large cut, burned skin and fur and it wasn't healing quickly.
Weston started to shot at all five men (including Thomas). They had to split up and ran for their lives.
Sonic had the White Emerald with him, on chain around his neck. It was miracle that it Robotnik's men didn't take it.
He had to concentrate for moment to get them to work.
He blinded everyone with a bright yellow flash. He spikes on his back grew and fur colour changed. He could feel power flowing through his veins. The energy coming off him melted the cuffs around his wrists. He knew this was the only way he could face Weston on a level playing field.
"You three search for an exit," Sonic ordered. "I'll handle on greeny."
Claws, Brazil and Grey went to the door. Thomas went to the side next to a wall.
"So how do plan to 'handle' me?" Weston asked.
"Well I though this would be a good start," Sonic said and pointed his fists at the beams supporting the sniper point and shot two yellow energy beams. The sniper point fell and Weston had to jump off.
Weston pointed his arm at Sonic whiles he was in mid-air. He hit Sonic with his green energy beam in his shoulder. Sonic saw a small wound where Weston hit him; that never happened before when his was Super Sonic. But the wound quickly healed.
Weston landed on his feet. He shot two beams at Sonic. Sonic used his speed to easily dodge them.
"Is that the best you got?" Sonic asked.
Weston fired more beams that bright yellow hedgehog. Sonic dodge all of them with ease.
Sonic decided to go on the attack; he moved his right arm over his face and chanced towards him.
Sonic bashed into Weston, forcing him onto the ground. Sonic bend down to Weston and grabbed his shirt and looked him in the eye.
"You're not so hot now pretty boy," Sonic said.
Weston headbutted Sonic and shot him in the lung. Sonic stood and grabbed a hold of his chest. He wondered whether he had a collapsed lung. Weston shot Sonic three more times.
Amy was the only thought in his head. Memories rushed in his head; he knew he shouldn't let Weston kill him. He couldn't let Amy live a life of loneliness.
Someone threw a pole at Weston and hit him in his side.
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!" a voice shouted. It was Claws; he had always been a protective brother figure to Sonic. "FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN!! NO RADATION SHIT!!!!!"
"I wish I could," Weston said coldly. "The problem with my abilities is I can't turn off."
Sonic was able to recover and shoot Weston again and again and again. Sonic move closer and punched him in the face. He knocked him onto the floor and moved on top of him. He punched him repeatedly in the face.
"YOU BASTARD!!!" Sonic swore. "DIE!!!" he shouted another two punch before lifting his left arm and his fist started to glow. He wanted to kill and was about to. Rage was visible in his face.
But he did a back take. He couldn't kill an unconscious man.
He stood up and removed the emerald away from his chest. His blue colour returned to his body and his spike shrunk.
"Why didn't you kill him?" Grey asked.
"I'm not a murderer," Sonic answered simply.
Sonic kept an eye on Weston whiles Grey and Claws help Brazil with the door. It took three minutes below they could leave the room.
St. Stephen's Hospital, Diamond, Freemantle. 12th September 1998. 14:08 GMT.
Natalie was asleep on a bed in the respiratory unit of the hospital. She had a breathing mask over her mouth and nostrils. Doctors already gave her an injection and knew she had to rest.
Outside the room was Stars and a 34-year-old female deer sister (a senior nurse). He was trying to convict her to let him in.
"I'm sorry sir but only family is aloud in," the sister said.
"I understand that," Stars said. "But I'm her roommate, we are friend and well … I just realized something."
"And what's that?" the sister asked.
Stars moved his head close to her ear and whispered: "I love her."
"That is all very well and good sir," the sister said. "But that's not a valid reason to her."
"But I can't wait."
"Sir," the sister said calmly, "even if I could let you in there would be not point because she is resting and possibly won't be up for a few hours."
"Then I wait."
"And I'll call security to remove you."
Whiles the two were arguing a 61-year-old male Bengal tiger went into the room.
The doctor was checking all the machines to make sure that her breathing rate was normal. He knew her ever seen she was five and when she was rushed to hospital from primacy school and has been her doctor when she had a major attack.
She started to move and her eyes opened. She removed the mask and said "hi" in a weak voice.
"You should be resting," the doctor said.
"I just got up," Natalie answered.
"Since you're up; are you should you don't want me to call your parents or Jack."
"No," Natalie said. "I'm 18 and I can take care of myself. Anyway, there isn't any point worrying them."
"I have to ask."
"Are you getting me a new inhaler?"
"The pharmacy is making one right now."
"How long will I stay here?" Natalie asked.
"I'm going to keep watch on you until seven and make a decision then."
"Thank you."
"Also there is a young man outside arguing with the sister," the doctor said.
"Really?"
"Yeah. A green star cat with blue hair."
"Could you let him in?"
"Are you sure you're up to having visitors?" the doctor asked.
"I need to see him," Natalie answered. "Please, just let me see him."
Outside Stars and the sister were still arguing. Two large security guards were coming up to Stars to remove him from the building.
Natalie's doctor came out her room and walked to Stars and the sister.
"It's okay Susan," the doctor said. "Natalie wants to see him."
"So I can go in?" Stars asked.
"Yeah," the doctor said. "But don't overexcite her."
"I know," Stars said. "Thanks."
Stars walked into the room. Natalie was lying down on the bed, with her face turned towards the door.
"Hi Stars," she said.
"Are you okay?" Stars asked.
"I'm fine," Natalie answered. "It's not like this never happened before."
"I was worried," Stars said, "I was arguing with the sister outside."
"I thought you wanted to become a doctor."
"Yeah."
"So you shouldn't argue with nurses."
"I know; but I wanted to see you," Stars said.
Natalie decided to sit up.
"Why did you want to see me?" Natalie asked.
"Well, you are going to think that I'm silly but…" Stars said as he was drawing nearer. He saw that two strains of Natalie's hair were infront of her face. He put his figures next to the hair and moved it to the side of her face. Both were drawing closer to each other until their lips met. Both wrapped their arms around each other.
Both move away from each other slowly.
"I take that as your answer," Natalie said.
"You don't know how much I've wanted this," Stars said. "I haven't been able to get you off my mind."
"That's how I felt."
"How have we not said or done something sooner."
Alcomo Flats, Divan, Premier. Same Day. 8:38 GMT-6.
"I don't feel so good," Sonic said. The group were running in a corridor to get to the exit. Sonic was holding onto his stomach. His stomach was in pain and his body just felt weird.
"I'm going to be sick," Sonic said, crooking at the end and vomited. He hadn't been vomited from illness since he was 11.
"Oh my God," Claws said, he knew that there was something wrong. "It must've been caused by that fight with the green bloke."
Sonic was on the floor with the upper part of his back against the wall.
"DO YOU THINK I DON'T FUCKING KNOW THAT!!!" Sonic shouted with vomit on the sides on his lip. He turned his head and vomited again; get some on his right shoulder.
"Role up your shelve," Claws said.
Sonic obeyed. Claws grabbed Sonic's backpack and took out one of the lead filled needles.
Claws got a piece of cord and wrapped it around his left arm. He put the needle into a vein and pushed the lead into his blood.
"Can you get up?" Claws asked.
"Too weak," Sonic answered, on the edge of going to sleep.
"Oh not you're not," Claws said. He bent down to Sonic's side and picked him up. He got Sonic to stand on his own two feet. He let go and Sonic fell back down to the floor.
"One of us is going to have to carry him," Brazil said.
"I'll do it," Claws said and picked Sonic again, but did the fireman's lift.
8:56 GMT-6
The small group were at meeting place, near the helicopter hanger. All around were sounds of gunfire, burning petrel and vehicles. The teams caused a lot of damage and they just had to wait a few minutes to be free from the mission.
Claws dropped Sonic onto the group. He was holding onto his stomach.
"My God you are heavy," Claws said.
"Sorry for saving your ass," Sonic said.
"We are even," Claws answered, "I was the one that gave you the lead injection."
After three minutes of waiting team Gold were coming up over a sand dune. Leading them was Verity and behind her were Norris, Wells and Lewis.
Verity was shocked to see Thomas bounded.
"What happened here?!" she screamed.
"He is the traitor," Claws answered.
"What?" Verity said. "He is a decorated MI6 officer! He has done countless missions for our country!"
"Doesn't mean his is traitorous scum!" Claws snapped. "There were double agents in MI5, 6 and GCHQ during the cold war, there were defectors on all sides …"
"YOU DON'T KNOW SHIT!!!" Verity shouted. "HE'LL NEVER BETRAYAL US!!!!"
"HE DID!!!" Claws answered. "HE POINTED A GUN AT THE BACK OF MY FUCKING NECK!!!"
Verity and Claws both reached and pointed there pistols at each other.
"CALM DOWN!!!" Brazil and Norris shouted.
"I have had a bitch of a day today!" Claws shouted. "I have been shot at repeatedly! Someone that I was working with and I actually liked pointed a gun at my neck and throat! A friend died! My uncle that's lying on the floor had to fight a bloke that was radioactive and now is very sick and could possible have cancer or some shit like that! SO I'M NOT IN A GOOD MOOD TO BE HAVING AN ARGUMENT WITH!!!"
Lewis and Grey snuck behind the two agents. Lewis took out Claws and Wells handled Verity. Both were disarmed.
"I DON'T BELIEVE YOU TWO!!" Norris yelled. "YOU TWO ARE AGENTS THAT'S MEANT TO KEEP OUR COUNTRY SECURE!!! NONE OF YOU ARE FIT TO LEAD!!!"
"YOU KNOW THE HEIRACHRY!" Brazil continued. "It's Thomas, then Campbell, then Verity, then Claws and finally Sonic. I would give the leadership to Sonic now except that the fact he is very ill!"
"Now we are going to wait here until the other two teams arrive," Norris ordered.
Brazil picked up his radio and contacted Dalo: "Sport, this is Copter."
"What is it?" Dalo asked.
"We are just requesting how long it would take the teams to arrive at the meeting place?" Brazil asked.
"Ten minutes."
9:07 GMT-6.
All the teams have now arrived at the meeting place. Dalo was considering his position. He was now effectively in total control.
"Okay," Dalo said, thinking out load. "Paul, Verity, you two get helicopters out that hanger."
Brazil and Verity followed his orders. It would normally take ten minutes for them to get a helicopter out.
"What happened with him?" Dalo asking about Sonic.
"He got into a fight with a bloke that was radioactive," Claws said. "He has radiation poisoning."
"What was his name?" Dalo asked.
"Weston McAlpine," Grey said. "But he said he liked to be called Atomic. I'm pretty should info would be on the disks."
"Thank you," Dalo said and grabbed his radio. "Devil."
"What news do you bring me?" William asked.
"We have a die member of our team and one that's ill. He needs medical attention as soon as poss."
"There will be a medical team awaiting you at the meeting site I have now arranged."
"Where is the site?" Dalo asked.
"I have sent the details to Wings' map."
O'Day looked at his map and it showed a cross at a disused airfield on the edge of Texco.
"Can you also do a background check on a Weston McAlpine?" Dalo asked William.
"I'll see what I can do," William answered.
"Can you stand up?" Claws asked Sonic.
"I think so if you support me," Sonic said and put an arm around his half-nephew.
Claws stood up and Sonic stood up with him.
"I'm scary," Sonic whispered in him ear.
"It's almost over," Claws said.
"I just want to go home," Sonic said, tears in him eyes. "I just want to see Amy and Jess and Stars and Dazz and Plant and Diamond. I don't want to die."
"Who does?"
"Sonic," Dalo said looking in his eyes, "we'll be out of this hellhole in a few minutes, we see this place get blown up and you'll see a doctor and live a long life. You have been incredibly brave today and I couldn't ask for more out of my own men that had to make the grade in SAS training."
"Thank you," Sonic said.
9:25 GMT-6
The troops split in two groups and were 18 miles away from the base. In 30 seconds the base would blow up and the mission would be complete.
2nd Lt. Brazil was piloting the helicopter and his passengers were looking out the window to see the 'fireworks'.
As both helicopters were 20 miles away from the base the bombs that lay round went off. Everyone expected Thomas cheered and now knew that they just had to get to the meeting place which was 45 minutes away from them.
A KGB satellite would be over the base in three hours and both the KGB and MI6 could see if the mission was successful.
Former USPAF Desorat, Divan, Premier. Same day. 10:13 GMT-6.
Both helicopters landed on the airfield. The area was flat and an easterly wing was about. Waiting for the troops and agents were a team of diplomats and two doctors from a hospital.
The engines of the copters died down and everyone in them jumped out.
Claws was aiding Sonic down to the ground. He was feeling better then he was; the lead was starting to work.
"I am Lieutenant Colonel Leon Dalo," Dalo said to a 29-year-old male hamster. "SAS."
"Jamie Curtis," the hamster said shaking his hand, "Secret Intelligence Service."
"Should we exchange the info at the consulate?"
"It will be easily," Jamie answered. "Where's the sick man?"
"It's the blue hedgehog," Dalo said, pointing to Sonic.
"Go and see to him," Jamie said to the doctors (a female bee and a male robin).
The bee and the robin went towards Sonic.
"What symptoms are you showing?" the bee asked.
"Pain in my stomach," Sonic started saying, "vomiting and general aching all over and losing fur."
"Get the drip," the bee said to the robin. She rolled up his sheave and the robin got a drip out his suitcase. He put it around Sonic's arm and held it up in the air.
"He'll need to go the hospital," the robin said.
"NO!" Dalo shouted.
"There is a medical centre at the consulate," Jamie said.
Heyso Avenue, Texco, Divan, Premier. Same Day. 12:17 GMT-6
Texco was a city based on oil wealth. It was a rich city and there was little poverty. Most foreign visitors came for business.
Sonic was seen by the doctors and was given the all clear for now. He was having blood tests done to see if there were any long lasting effects.
All the troops and the agents were in a briefing room with Jamie Curtis. It was going to be as brief as possible.
"I'll try not to keep you here for long," Jamie said. "We are waiting for the KGB's satellite to get over the site, so we'll have to wait for a few hours to see the damage. The disks and photos you got are going to MI6 officers as we speak and they are researching them for any information. We got info on Weston McAlpine; the files we have show he was an officer in Robotnik's forces, he was in Premier Army Intelligence unit and could have been a high flyer until Robotnik hided him.
"Basically your part in the mission is over," Jamie continued. "We have arranged a flight for you to go home. You'll be going on the 6pm flights to Emerald and Diamond. You know you cannot tell anyone else about the mission! You have all signed the National Secrets Acts."
"What about Thomas?" Verity asked.
"He will be questioned and be on trail in a couple of months," Jamie answered. "He has already been sacked from 6 and if he is convicted on tension at a trial he could go to Libos or ever face the death penalty."
"Would it be at Crown Court with a jury?" Claws asked.
"No," Jamie answered. "He'll have a special trail involving three Crown Court Judges. He can have a barrister and can appeal if he was. He will get a fair trial without the media knowing."
"Would we be called to give evidence?" Sonic asked.
"You will," Jamie said. "You'll receive a letter when you'll have to appear at court."
An hour later Sonic was back at the medical centre. The doctor wanted to see him again about the blood tests.
"Sit down please," the bee said to Sonic.
Sonic did what she requested.
"Your blood tests have come back," she said to him.
"Is it bad news?" Sonic asked.
"Yes and no. They have come back negative but you'll have to have you blood tested every three months for at least two years to make sure you haven't devolved anything."
"Basically, not out of the woods," Sonic said.
"Pretty much."
"Will I be able to travel home today?"
"I wouldn't have let you if you couldn't" the bee said.
Sonic was drifting into though. He was thinking of Amy and how much he loved her and how much she meant to him. He knew what he had to do when he got back to Diamond.
Outside the medical centre Dalo was waiting for Sonic.
"What did the doctor say?" Dalo asked.
"I'm clear for now but I'll have to have more blood tests when I get home," Sonic answered.
"Go to hear that you are not in any immediate danger," Dalo said. "I wanted to give you something."
"What's that?"
"I thought everyone preformed brilliantly today and I just wanted to give you this." Dalo had in his hand a black badge. On the badge was a dagger with wings and writing below saying 'Who Dares Wins'. "Consider yourself as a reward from the SAS."
Sonic took it from Dalo. "Thank you," he said. Sonic knew that SAS troops train for years to be at a high level. It took two years of training for a solider to train as an SAS soldier and only a small percentage of people from the training course ever get into the toughest group of soldiers in the world.
"You're welcome," Dalo answered. "I know men that wouldn't have been able to stand half of the shit you took today."
"Is it okay to ask you something?" Sonic asked when a thought clicked in his hand.
"Shoot."
"Are you married?"
"Yeah," Dalo answered. "Two kids as well."
"And are you worried that you never see them again?"
"Of course I'm worried; but they give me the strength to fight in missions."
"Thanks again," Sonic said. "That was what I wanted to hear."
