Chapter 11

Days started to go by slowly. Sonic had no way of knowing how to find Sonia or Manic so, like before, he was working missions alone. He missed them. And to compound the situation, he was starting to have seriously bad doubts about his father.

"Sis, bro..." He looked at his medallion.

"Yo Sonic, you alright?" Trevor's voice interrupted the hedgehog's thoughts.

Sonic shook his head to clear it. "What's up Trev? You got the next mission?"

Trevor didn't repeat his question. It was a stupid one. Of course his best friend wasn't alright. "I do." He put a map and photos of the scene on the table.

Sonic looked over the location of the new mission. For the first time, he paid attention to the vicinity around the power plant. "Hey, there are houses around here. People could be hurt."

"Rest assured boy," King Jules came into the briefing room. "There are no people in that sector. Those houses are leftovers from before Robotnik ran them out. And even if there were, you need to learn that casualties, even innocent bystanders, are one of the fortunes of war."

"I've never believed that Dad," Sonic said. "I think if we can avoid any losses at all then we should. Now, you're positive there is no one in these houses. If there is, then we need a new target or we need to go make sure."

Trevor felt a little pride in his best friend's declaration. When Manic had told him about the people he found after a previous mission, he'd started to wonder. Then Sonic had seemed to be hanging on his father's every word. Hopefully, this was a turning point. However, he could tell Jules was not pleased with Sonic's defiance.

He could tell instantly that the smile Jules gave was a fake. "I'm so glad to hear you say that my boy. I can tell you will be a splendid king someday. You will never see the people as a mere means to an end. Worry not, I've already inspected that sector. There are no people to be harmed."

Now why wasn't Trevor convinced?

Jules left the briefing with worry in his chest. First Sonia and Manic dare to defy him. They didn't matter, beyond the children Sonia carried. He just needed Sonic to make his plans work. He needed Sonic's speed among other things. But now Sonic was starting to question him. Daring to question his orders. Who cared if citizens were hurt? They clearly supported Robotnik if they weren't Freedom Fighters. They were traitors to the crown.

Sonic zipped through the power plant, dropping small bombs just as he used to do before Sonia and Manic.

"Great work Sonic," Trevor's voice came over his little radio. "Now get out of there!"

"No dip Trevor," Sonic snapped. He raced out, barely focusing on his escape. He got out of the factory just in time to avoid becoming a crispy fried hedgehog. However, unlike usual, something kept him from leaving the area after the explosion. He stayed a safe distance away, until the plant finished falling apart and actually looked around. His father had assured him the homes were abandoned, but something didn't feel right to him.

"Bummer Majores! I have to make sure no one was in those houses!" He beat a fast track back to the site.

He started searching each house one by one. At first he found no one. He prayed the houses were all empty. He hoped they were simply leftovers from before the plant as his father said.

But as he ran into the third house, his hopes fell when he heard crying.

"Mommy? Daddy!" Cried a small voice. "Mommy get up. Please, Daddy!"

Sonic looked on with horror at a small, orange, two-tailed fox. The cub shook the crushed bodies of his parents desperately.

"Bummer Majores! What have I done?!" He whispered.

The little fox heard the whisper and looked up. "Can you help me? My mommy and daddy won't get up…"

Sonic bit his lip and knelt down to the boy's level. "I'm sorry, but it'll be alright. I'm going to take you someplace safe."

The fox looked unsure, "But I want my mommy and daddy."

Sonic nodded. "I know you do. I promise to send someone back for them, but you need to come with me now, okay?"

The fox nodded reluctantly. "Okay."

Sonic picked up the cub and set himself for takeoff. "Hold onto me tight, 'kay sport?"

The kit gripped his neck tightly. "Okay."

"By the way, what's your name?" Sonic finally asked.

"Miles, but everybody calls me Tails," replied the fox, Tails right before Sonic sped away with him.

By the time Sonic reached the Underground Head Quarters, he was downright pissed. He had drawn many conclusions on the way.

"Sonic, you're back." Cyrus stated the obvious then noticed the young fox. "Who is this?"

Shyly, tails hid his face in Sonic's shoulder while Sonic replied. "Cyrus, send a team to the sector surrounding tonight's site. Search every house. I found this kid inside one. I'm sure there are other victims. But first, where's my dad?"

Jules came from a back room. "I'm right here sonny boy." He frowned at little Tails. "What's this?"

"This, dad, is a little boy I found inside one of the houses in the bomb's radius," Sonic answered. "Dad, you told me the area was abandoned! That no one was in any danger!"

Jules barely had the grace to look contrite. "I thought I'd checked the area thoroughly my son." He looked at the boy. "Tell me child, what's your name?"

"Tails… Miles "Tails' Prower," he answered. "My daddy worked at the big smoky building. He and mommy were hurt."

Jules sighed, "Robotnik, this is dirty pool. Clearly he expected the attack. Perhaps we have a spy, and stationed Mr. Prower and the Power Plant."

"Dad, that's the most pathetic excuse I've ever heard!" Sonic shouted. "First you said you checked the place out today. That would mean, unless you lied, that Robotnik moved this family into that place within the last 6 hours. Kid, when did your family move into that house?"

Tails shrugged, "Lived there since I can remember. And I'm 6 years old."

Sonic glared at his father. "You lied to me Dad!"

Trevor ran over. "Hey kiddo, why don't you come with me? I'll get you something to eat."

Tails looked at Sonic who nodded. "Go on kiddo, I need to my dad."

Tails climbed down from Sonic's waist and took Trevor's hand. Once tails was safely out of earshot, Sonic returned to the issue at hand. "You lied to me Dad! Why? Do you really have such disregard for innocent life?" Sonic asked.

Jules scoffed. "Innocent? If they support Robotnik then they're not innocent at all! They're traitors to the crown!"

"You don't know that they did support Robotnik! What if they'd been forced to work for him?" Sonic challenged.

Jules sighed. "They could have joined the Freedom Fighters. If they don't then they support Robotnik and are traitors!"

"What if they just don't want to take sides?" Sonic asked. "Can't someone be neutral?"

Jules growled. "Neutrality is the declaration of a coward. Cowards are weak. The kingdom has no use for weaklings or traitors. They will get their deserved fate once Mobotropolis is ours again."

Sonic gaped. Those phrases again. He didn't like them one bit. "And what is their "deserved fate," Father?"

Jules' espression said it all. "No. No! We will not treat our people that way!"

"Son," Jules attempted to reason.

"No! You've been gone for 18 years! I'm in charge now, not you!" Sonic shouted. "No one deserves to die just because they have a different opinion or different priorities."

Jules stared at his eldest son. "You're right, you're right son. Please forgive an old man for his zealousness." The Hedgehog King smiled an imploring smile.

Sonic sighed. "I'm going to take Tails someplace safe. And no, we won't be training him as a Freedom Fighter. He's just a kid." He went to get Tails from Trevor.

"Damn!" Jules kicked at a nearby wall after he left the Headquarters. If his son lost faith in him, he would have nothing left. His plans were dependent on Sonic. At least Plan A was.

"You seem a little … off Jules, old friend." A voice said in the shadows.

Jules looked to see the left side of the street, down an alley. He saw a tall squirrel dressed in a plain brown robe. "Ah, Maximillian Acorn, good to see you." Jules went into the alley.

"Spare me the pleasantries, Jules," Acorn demanded. "Explain to me the rumors I've heard please. Your daughter's pregnant by a Robotnik flunky. She and your youngest son both defected. And I hear even your oldest, Sonic, is beginning to doubt the fight. I hope, for your sake, these rumors are just that. Ugly, vicious rumors…"

Jules gulped. "Robotnik has managed to brainwash my youngest two children. But Sonic is still on the right track and we can get Sonia and Manic back. And they're not really too important after all…"

Acorn faced the street, away from Jules. "Jules, 18 years ago when you were exiled, I agreed to help you reclaim your kingdom."

Jules replied. "I know, I appreciate your help, I do…"

"And in return, you agreed that our two oldest would wed to join our two kingdoms," Acorn continued. "After the kingdom was liberated from Robotnik."

Jules nodded. "I haven't forgotten my friend. I fully 'intend to make good on my promise.'"

Acorn punched a wall. "No promise can be kept if you blow it! I've invested my own time, money, even my own people in helping you. Even going so far as to smear Robotnik's name through the mud. Now, I hear there's a chance that could all be wasted?!" He whirled on the cowering hedgehog. "Look here Jules. Win or lose, you will pay your debts to me! Am I perfectly clear?"

Jules trembled like the cowardly bully he was. "Crystal…"