One By One

7 October, 2987

Sonic's father, Jules, had been abroad for a full week; he was discussing his newest novel with a group of honors students at Spagonia University, thousands of miles away from the UFM. He was all set to return on a Thursday, courtesy of Zephyr Airways. When he had last called home, he had told his wife, Bernie that his boarding call would come any minute. He was expecting to reach Central City, his transfer point, within a few hours. That was the last call Sonic ever remembered hearing from him.

-----

Bernie sat in the recliner, watching television with her son to pass the time until Jules called her from Central City, like he promised he would. Minutes became hours, and after she sent Sonic to bed, she looked at the clock. It was clear that Jules's time of transfer had come and gone; and yet still there was no call. Perhaps he had just forgotten; Jules was a pretty absent-minded person.

No, she didn't trust that feeling. Deeply concerned, she decided to call Central City International Airport and ask if Jules's flight had come in yet.

-----

Sonic was still awake when he heard the phone leave the hook. Curiosity got the better of him and he rolled out of bed. He stood in the doorway so that he could remain out of sight and still hear news of his father.

"Yes, I'd like to know if a certain flight has arrived yet," Bernie spoke into the phone.

There was a pause as the other end answered her query.

"Okay, can you switch me over to Arrivals and Departures, please? Thank you."

Bernie waited as the airport directed her call to another department. After a moment, she lowered the phone. She must have been put on hold.

"Sonic, school starts early. I know you're out there," she challenged.

Sonic stepped out of the hallway and approached the kitchen.

"Man, tomorrow's Friday, Mom. Nobody cares on Friday."

"Come on, kiddo, I want you to do well," she replied. "You gotta have a future."

"It's only sixth grade!" Sonic chuckled. "Even the teachers don't care right now."

Bernie sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Hey, Mom, that's my job now. I'm getting into my teens pretty soon. But look, that's not why I'm out here right now."

"You want to hear if Dad's alright, don't you?" Bernie asked.

"Yeah. Mind if I stay up?"

"Well, I guess so, but I'm on hold right now. We'll stay up for the news, but after that, straight to bed. Capisce?"

"Got it."

Bernie smiled at him. "Hey, you want it on speaker phone, so we can both hear it?"

"Sure," Sonic replied, his voice cracking as he said so.

"Your voice is changing," Bernie commented, amused.

A beep sounded over the speaker and a voice greeted them.

"Arrivals and Departures, KCTR. How can I help you?"

"Yes, I would like to know if Zephyr 402 has arrived yet," Bernie asked.

Silence settled once more as the person on the other end checked the flight database. A few seconds later, an answer sounded over the phone.

"Zephyr 402 faced a two hour traffic delay on the tarmac. They're in the air right now. They should arrive here at about four in the morning, central time. Unfortunately, rainy weather is forecast to hit us at about four thirty, so it is likely that Zephyr might make some flight cancellations. I apologize for the inconvenience."

"Oh, it's not a problem," Bernie answered, relieved. "Thank you for responding."

"No problem, ma'am. Family coming home?"

"My husband."

"Ah. He'll be fine, ma'am. You should rest now. Good night."

Bernie put the phone back on the hook and looked over at Sonic.

"Well, okay, then. It looks like he's just going to get back a little late," she said. "Alright, you remember the deal. Off to bed now."

-----

8 October, 2987

As soon as the bell rang, Sonic was on his feet and out the door of the school building, as he always was at the end of the day. He breathed in the lazy, Friday afternoon air, and then took off at an incredible speed.

Sonic overtook all of the school buses that branched away from the school as they embarked on their daily trek through Mobotropolis's urban jungle. What suckers, he thought. Those kids relied so heavily upon such clunky, sickly yellow sardine cans to transport them to school every day. He felt much freer on his feet. He abandoned the sidewalk for the road and sped out of the city to his home in the Green Hills.

-----

Jules still was not home when Sonic arrived. He asked Bernie about it, and she told him that Jules was still waiting in Central City for the rain to clear.

"Well, at least he'll be home soon," Sonic replied, turning on the television.

Sonic was about to change the channel from the news to one of his favorites, but he stopped in his tracks when he read the story caption:

Breaking News: Central City Airport Bomb Scare

The news woman began to speak.

"… and the threat has passed, according to security officials at Central City International Airport. An arrest has been made, and although the airport has temporarily frozen its operations, flights are expected to resume very soon. With us now is Mr. Joseph Terry, head of security for the airport. Mr. Terry, is there anything you would care to tell us about the arrest?"

Terry sat in a windowless concrete room as he spoke to the news crew.

"Well, we found our suspect thanks to his credit card. He called in the threat on a credit-only pay phone, which is a very new investment here at Central International. We traced the credit card number, and pulled him aside for questioning. When we searched his baggage, we found a very suspicious contraption in it, which our bomb disposal unit neutralized right away. That's pretty much how we got him."

"Thank you, Mr. Terry," the woman replied. "You're watching MNN on Channel 54. This is Scarlet Garcia, reporting out."

Sonic and Bernie stared at each other in disbelief. Was Jules going to be okay?

Bernie picked up the kitchen phone and dialed the number of the airport.

"Hello, I called last night. Did Zephyr 402 come in on time?"

Sonic stared as Bernie received her answer.

"Thank goodness. Can you check the passenger manifest for Zephyr 67? That's the connecting flight for my–"

Unintelligible dialogue sounded from the other end.

"Well, I understand that you're very busy, but I'm worried here."

Bernie became increasingly exasperated. Sonic could tell that she was receiving no help.

"I'm aware of the flap going on, yes. I saw it in the news."

Desperation crossed Bernie's face.

"Does it take that much time to look somebody up? Surely, you can tell me if my husband is–"

She pulled the phone away from her face.

"They hung up on me," she muttered.

"Mom, don't be afraid, okay?" Sonic responded. "Dad will be fine. You know how our family is; we get shit done!"

"Sonic! Language!" Bernie chided him. Sonic shrank back for a moment, but then he saw Bernie smile at him.

"Aww, come here, kiddo," she pulled him into a hug. "Thanks for reassuring me, honey."

-----

Shortly after dinner, a knock sounded at the door. Sonic opened it up and found himself facing the police. Two Swatbots stood imposingly on the front porch. The one in front addressed Sonic.

"Greetings, young hedgehog. Is your mother currently home?"

"Um, yes sir, she is," Sonic replied, wondering why the police were interested in his house.

Bernie appeared in the doorway and nodded at them.

"Evening, officers, come on in. Is there a problem?"

"That remains to be seen," the Swatbot replied as it led its comrade into the living room. "And that is the purpose of our presence. To find out if there is indeed a problem. We would like to ask some questions of you. If you do not wish to answer, silence is optional, and will not be used against you. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Bernie answered.

"Then we shall begin. Your name is Bernadette, correct?"

"Yes."

"Do you have a husband whose name is Jules?"

"Yes."

"Did Jules recently fly into Central City on a Zephyr flight?"

"Zephyr 402, officers," Bernie replied. "But why? Why is this important?"

The Swatbots did not answer. They merely looked at each other. Sonic guessed that they were comparing notes via radio. After a full minute, they nodded, and the chief Swatbot turned back to face them.

"It seems we have a problem."

"What do you mean? Why are you here right now?"

"All in good time, madam. All in good time. We ask that you remain calm. Unfortunately, given your answers, we need you to accompany us to an undisclosed location for further discussion."

Bernie looked at them warily.

"Sonic gets to come too. I don't want to leave him all by himself."

"Not permissible. The remainder of our questioning demands the disclosure of classified information. You are the only one in your family who is allowed to know. Also, he is a minor. Our planned meeting place is not for children."

"Well, what am I supposed to do then?"

"If you have no alternative, my partner can provide adequate supervision for your son."

"Hold that thought," Bernie replied. "I'll call up Uncle Chuck."

Bernie picked up the phone and dialed the number of Sonic's uncle. She explained the situation to him, and listened patiently to Chuck's answer. Her face was full of relief when she hung up.

"Okay, Uncle Chuck should be here in about thirty minutes. Can you wait that long, Sonic?"

"Yeah, Mom. I'll be okay."

"Okay. Good boy," Bernie responded. "This is all a mistake, honey. I'll talk to these guys and sort it all out. And Central City should be resuming flights now, so Dad might be home really soon."

"Okay, Mom."

"Okay. I love you," Bernie kissed Sonic's cheek and rose to follow the Swatbots out to their police car. As they pulled away, Sonic assured himself that nothing was wrong, and that he would see his parents again very soon.

-----

20 June, 2990

Sonic's performance in school had declined sharply. Neither Jules nor Bernie had returned yet, and he began to wonder if they were still alive. Every call to the police department or to the airport yielded the same outcome: the person on the other end would refuse to release any information and deny that such a name had ever come up in their institution. His parents were so distant to him now that Sonic suffered in school, prompting his uncle to pull him out and teach him at home. Because Sonic was so far behind, Chuck was still teaching him even in June.

"Sonic. Buddy. You still awake?" Chuck asked him for the fifth time that evening.

Sonic looked at Uncle Chuck with a blank expression.

"Come on, Sonic," Chuck pleaded. "It's late, and I know this is hard, but you've got to concentrate."

"Heh. Easier said than done, Chuck," Sonic answered, annoyed.

"Sonic," Chuck answered. "I want you to do well. No matter how long we want to wait for them to come back, time isn't gonna slow down for us. You're almost fifteen! Be strong, man!"

"You don't get it, do you?" Sonic challenged. "It's been almost three years since I last heard from Mom or Dad. Nobody will tell us how they're doing."

"Okay, that's a hard weight to carry," Chuck conceded. "But when you finish school (and maybe college) and get a job, your boss isn't going to care about our family's problems."

"And what the hell does that matter to me??" Sonic snapped. "Is having a job more important than having a family? Mom and Dad have been gone for three years! They could be dead for all we know. Screw my career options, I want to see my fucking parents!"

Sonic glared at Chuck for a few silent, uneasy seconds. Finally, Chuck looked down.

"I'm sorry, Sonic. I didn't mean to make light of what happened," he apologized. "I miss 'em, too. But they must be alive, I'm sure of it. You know what I've said before."

Sonic looked up and met Chuck's eyes.

"You know how our family is," Sonic began.

"We get shit done!" Chuck answered.

With tearful smiles, uncle and nephew pulled each other into a hug.

"Hey, Sonic, what say I teach you to drive tomorrow?" Chuck asked.

"But I'm not fifteen yet," Sonic answered.

"You will be in three days. Think about it. Tearing up that road, winning races, picking up girls…"

"Yep. With our amazing seventy-horsepower minivan," Sonic jested with a grin.

"That's the spirit," Chuck responded. "Hell, a charming guy like you could get chicks with just a go kart!"

Sonic chuckled at that.

"Okay, I am going to run to the store now. I should be back in about half an hour. Goodnight, Sonic!"

"Goodnight, Uncle Chuck."

-----

21 June, 2990

Sonic woke up the next morning to find that he had overslept. Uncle Chuck hadn't come in to wake him up. Maybe he was still asleep.

A horrible sinking feeling set in when Sonic found Chuck's bed empty. He stepped outside of the house and looked around. The minivan was there, but the old pickup that Chuck had taken was still gone. Had Chuck come back at all?

Nervous, Sonic searched the yellow pages until he found the Grocery Mart that his family usually visited. He dialed the number and waited for them to pick up.

"You've reached Grocery Mart. How can I help you?"

"Hey, it's Sonic. I think you know my family, we used to come to you all the time."

"Hey there, Sonic! What's up?"

"Did my uncle come to your store last night to buy groceries?"

"Chuck? Sure did. He picked up some groceries, and went to the pharmacy to refill his prescription."

"And then he left?"

"Yep. Why do you ask?"

Sonic paled as he answered.

"He's not here. He didn't get back yet."

"Hmm. That's not good. Maybe he had a wreck?"

"Oh god, I hope not!"

"I can notify the police that he's missing if you want."

"Thanks! I would love that!" Sonic answered.

"Okay, they'll show up soon to talk to you. It'll be okay."

Sonic hung up and breathed a sigh of relief.

-----

When the police arrived, Sonic told them everything he knew: Chuck's transactions at the Grocery Mart, the time of departure, and the make and model of the truck. The Swatbots recorded the data and promised Sonic that they would contact him very soon with more updates about his uncle.

"Wait!" Sonic said. "Don't go, yet!"

The police turned back to him.

"Can we be of further assistance?"

"Where is my mom?" Sonic asked. "You led her out of the house two and a half years ago. Where is she now? Why haven't I heard from her? Is she alright?"

The Swatbots paused for a moment.

"Identification, please. We require at least her first name."

"Bernadette," Sonic answered. "Her name is Bernadette. But she always goes by 'Bernie'. She left with you guys on October 8th, 2987. Remember her?"

The robots stood inert for a moment, scanning silently through their databanks.

"404 Error. Record not found."

"WHAT???" Sonic burst out. "But how?? She left because the police told her to!"

"The Mobotropolis Police Department contains no record of such an event. There never was a hedgehog named Bernadette that was led away on October 8, 2987."

"Yes there was!" Sonic shouted. "She's my mother! My family members have been disappearing, one by one! Where the hell are they??"

The Swatbots drew back slightly. The right palm of each one opened up to reveal tasers beneath.

"Maintain control, young hedgehog. We are aware of your frustration, but we are doing our best. My partner and I searched and cross-referenced the databanks of all precincts on South Island. We turned up no results. Please do not allow your emotions to escalate into violence. No good can come of it. Remain calm and allow us to locate your uncle."

"One more thing," Sonic insisted. "What about my dad?"

"Your father?"

"His name is Jules," Sonic explained. "He was scheduled to arrive back home the night before Mom left. But as far as I know, he never got past Central City International Airport. Can you tell me why?"

"Central City is far from the jurisdiction of the MPD. We have no authority there. Your query is a matter for the airport to handle. We apologize for your losses. We must go now."

"Alright, thanks…"

Sonic waited until the Swatbots were disappearing down the road.

"… for nothing."

-----

23 June, 2990

The ringing of the kitchen telephone jarred Sonic awake. His worry returned to him and he leapt out of the bed to answer it.

"Hello?" he asked apprehensively.

"Good morning. This is the office of the Mobotropolis Police Department, calling regarding news of your uncle, Charles."

"News of Chuck?" Sonic asked, daring to get his hopes up. "My god! Did you find him??"

"We found his truck."

Sonic's face fell.

"… And??"

"It was off the road, and very badly damaged."

"Oh, no…" Sonic breathed. "No, he can't be…"

"We are very certain that he is still alive. Inspection of the vehicle revealed no trace of blood or a body. We may simply have yet to find a body, but there is a possibility that Charles is still alive and just missing."

"But if he's alive, then why would he bother trying to hide? Wouldn't he want to be found and helped?"

"Our team is pondering that question as well. Regretfully, no additional details are available. Apologies for any inconvenience this has caused you. Good day."

Sonic hung up the phone, not feeling much better than he did before.

"Happy birthday to me…" Sonic trailed off.

-----

Sonic stood on top of a hill near to his house. A stiff wind rolled in from the west, making him shiver violently. A storm cloud loomed in the distance, out over the sea.

So this was it, he thought. All of his guardians had fallen off the face of Mobius, and nobody seemed to know what had happened to them. Why had this happened? What had he done to deserve such isolation?

"Well??" he asked aggressively, challenging the emptiness around him. "Wanna tell me what I did??"

His breath shortened as his frustration and anger welled up from the bowels of his heart. As he hunched over, his shoulders began to shake and his fists clenched and unclenched. He felt the fur on his spines standing on end. Was he doing that, or was it the electricity in the air? Maybe it was both.

"Come on! I asked you a question!" Sonic pressed, not addressing anybody in particular. "So answer me, dammit!"

It seemed as though the planets had aligned to torment Sonic by cutting him off from his loved ones. The unfairness of it all filled him with rage. Running away would not ease his pain this time; escape would offer him no peace. He felt an irrepressible urge to kill something, to choke the life out of it, utterly destroy it, and toss its lifeless shell callously away, in the same manner that fate had conspired to rob him of life and throw him away. Unable to contain himself, he threw his hands up into the air.

"WHYYYYYYYYYY???" he roared with all of the breath in his lungs. Taking in another big breath, he abandoned his efforts to form actual words and simply yelled as loud as he possibly could. Then, he collapsed to his hands and knees, as though the shout alone had been so powerful that it spent his energy.

A repulsive feeling grew in the depths of Sonic's stomach. Knowing what was about to happen, Sonic simply allowed the material to travel back up his esophagus. He retched, and vomit splattered the grass in front of him.

Hot, salty, tears filled his eyes as the sour taste of bile festered in his mouth. He shuddered as a cold wind gusted around him. His family was gone. He would have done anything to get them back, but he felt that they were well and truly gone.

Sonic continued sobbing as he realized that they might not even be dead. Even if they were alive, nothing he had done had worked. All he knew for sure was that he missed them all so much.

As the sky darkened, Sonic calmed down and lifted his head. His feeling was disappearing. He felt almost numb, as though he had just discharged his anger and rage like a bolt of lightning. As his breath steadied, he shuffled away from the pool of vomit and lay on his back, facing the gray, billowing clouds above him.

Chuck was right, Sonic thought to himself. There was nobody left to take care of him now. That only meant that the task now fell to him to take care of himself. His needs wouldn't wait until his parents returned. His only option was to not give up and carry on living.

Feeling better now, Sonic relaxed and looked up at the clouds, waiting for the rain to wash his face.

Drip.

Sonic twitched as a drop of cold water splashed onto his right cheek. It would start pouring very soon.

Drip.

Another drop fell on the exact same spot on Sonic's cheek. Any minute now, he thought.

Drip.

What was going on? Why hadn't the rain started yet? Why was it falling only on his cheek, one drop at a time?

-----

Sonic opened his eyes to find himself in a dark, rocky tunnel. A stalactite was dripping water on his cheek. He had just relived some memories that he hadn't bothered to touch for a long time.

He was surprised to find that he felt nothing but refreshment. Perhaps the dream had served to remind him that those hardships were in the past, and that the only thing that mattered now was the present. He sure didn't feel like dwelling on his missing family again anytime soon.

Sonic picked himself off of the cave floor and decided to follow the draft that was blowing from down the tunnel. A draft had to mean there was a way out of the cave.