~Remnants of a Squad~

Mystic Jungle wasn't too far, but even so, Ridge felt the need to start a conversation on the way, which really did annoy Infinite.

"Y'know, you should've put that mask of yours on for this," the older jackal said.

"Why, in the name of Chaos, would I do that?" Infinite responded while running.

"Scar would run a mile if he thought Infinite was gonna kill him," Ridge pointed out.

"He'll run a mile when I'm done with him," Infinite shot back. "Then again, I don't think I'm going to let him keep the ability to run."

"Aw, you sound so protective," Ridge chuckled, earning a glare from the scar-faced jackal.

"You know that I'm only helping her because you're threatening to tell my secret," Infinite reminded him.

"Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that," Ridge chuckled, then grabbing Infinite's wrist. "Here we go!" Not even alerting Infinite as to what he was doing, Ridge used his grappling hook to fling himself up into a tree, seeing that the pair had now reached Mystic Jungle. "So, where do you think we should look first?"

Infinite looked around, still not enjoying the fact that Ridge was practically carrying him, but he still gave a sensible answer. "They'll be trying to hide," he guessed. "That means he is likely trying to avoid the areas with bright lights."

"This place has caves, right?" Ridge queried.

"It does," Infinite nodded. "They're usually blocked off with barricades because they are dangerous. We'll be able to find them easier if we go on the ground." That was also Infinite's way of telling Ridge to just let him go, which thankfully the older jackal did.

The pair, now on the floor, walked together and kept their eyes peeled for any potential cave sites. Infinite was able to spot one, even seeing that the barricades had been damaged to allow someone to enter the cave. "Over there," the scar-faced jackal pointed. Ridge nodded and ran with him, and the duo headed into the dark cavern where they hoped to find and rescue Tawny before anything bad happened to her.

Infinite pushed himself to run faster than Ridge, only struggling due to his torso wound which was still healing, but he suddenly skidded to a halt and gestured for Ridge to do the same. He could hear Scar's voice further ahead.

"I can think of quite a few people who would be interested in your fur, Tawny. The market for hybrids is surprisingly successful. Coyote hybrids are usually pretty common, but with stripes like yours? Nah. We usually see things like coyote-wolf hybrids, and they're pretty boring – can't even tell that they're hybrids, to be honest. But you have white stripes. That must mean you're half jackal."

Ridge turned to face Infinite, and Infinite nodded to the older jackal. They then both sprinted further into the cave, seeing that the darkness became illuminated by the light of a campfire.

"Your threats don't bother me, Scar," Tawny grumbled. "Trust me. I've dealt with your whole squad before, so why wouldn't I be able to deal with you alone?"

"I don't think you can speak so confidently when you're tied up," Scar pointed out.

"Scar!" Infinite yelled as he ran into view, leaping up and tackling the wolf to the ground. While he wrestled with the wolf, Ridge worked on untying Tawny's wrists and ankles to free her.

"Come on, kiddo, let's get you outta here," the older jackal whispered, grabbing her by the hand and running. Tawny pulled away.

"Wait, but what about Zero?!" she reacted, looking back at the canine brawl. She knew he was still wounded.

"He'll be fine," Ridge assured her. "Now, let's get going!"

Tawny pulled her hand from Ridge's grasp, shocking the older jackal slightly, but not enough to make him show it.

"I'm not ditching him," she declared, turning and marching back towards Scar and Infinite. Ridge could only watch her in surprise; she rarely showed care for other people.

"Today we finish this, Zero!" Scar grinned, holding Infinite down on his back. He used one fist to thump his bandaged body, striking him in his still-healing wound. Infinite grimaced and growled but was unable to contain his yell of pain, especially when Scar punched him again. If it weren't for this wound, he would be winning this fight for sure, considering that Scar had struggled to pin him in the first place.

"Hands off the mercenary-dise!" Tawny exclaimed, leaping forward and grabbing Scar, rolling onto the ground with him. Infinite immediately pushed himself up but found that the blows to his pre-existing wound had made things mildly worse, setting his healing back by maybe a few hours… or a day or two. Those punches had definitely split the stitches beneath his bandage and caused some bleeding.

Tawny was just punching Scar as hard as she could, but Scar didn't seem too phased by her attacks. He was able to fight back, and the fight seemed even for a moment, until Ridge stepped in to help. Ridge wrestled Scar, pulling him back by his arms as Tawny continued to punch him, but Scar shoved Ridge into her.

Infinite used this time window to drag himself to Scar's position, delivering a powerful kick to his back using both feet. The force sent Scar flying, and the partially-blind wolf struck a wall, falling to the ground. Infinite stared at his unconscious form to make sure he was out for now, all the while panting heavily from the struggle he had put himself through, until suddenly he felt something jump onto him.

Tawny.

Tawny was hugging him close, with her face buried in his shoulder happily. "Didn't think you'd discharge yourself from that hospital place just to come and rescue me," she admitted, though her tone was, as always, playful.

Infinite remained frozen for a few more seconds, still processing what was happening, before he frowned and let his ears droop, ready to push her away so that he could tell her that Ridge forced him to come along.

But he didn't push her away.

His mismatched eyes found Ridge while he stood there, in Tawny's arms, and he could see a somewhat cautious yet relieved look on the older jackal's face. How could he blame Ridge for looking a little wary, though? Ridge knew that Zero and Infinite were the same person, so seeing his daughter holding onto a murderous terror must be truly worrying for a father.

Almost as if a little intimidated by Ridge, Infinite returned his focus to Tawny and decided to rub her back, then patting it. "Scar deserves no success," was all he responded with. "He's weak."

Tawny lifted her head to look up at him with a happy smile. "You can say that again," she chuckled. Infinite just silently stared back at her, unsure of what else to say.

Maybe there wasn't anything else to be said.

Infinite tilted his head to the side a little, still staring down at Tawny oddly.

And then he smiled, but only slightly.

"Hey, don't I get a thanks?" came Ridge's voice. Tawny finally let go of Infinite and turned to face the old thief.

"Sorry," she apologized. "Thanks, dude. I was really in a bit of a pickle there."

Infinite's ear twitched as Tawny and Ridge interacted. He had heard something. It sounded like… a booster. An engine which belonged to a robot or something.

Then, at light speed, Infinite had something – someone – fly into him, grabbing him by his arms and leaving the cave just as quickly.

Infinite wriggled and growled, looking up at whoever had just snatched him from the cave. He found himself facing a silver fox with a streak of white hair upon his head, but there was something… disturbing about him.

He was partly robotic.

Before Infinite could ask any questions, the fox threw him down from the air, forcing the jackal to hit a tree. Infinite flopped to the ground and snarled, tightly closing his eyes. His wound had definitely been damaged by the impact.

The silver fox hovered to the ground – able to fly with the boosters in his robotic legs – and he started stepping towards his prey. Infinite re-opened his eyes but his vision had blurred, although he could see that the fox's right eye was black with a red iris – robotic – and it had also been scarred.

No…

"You monster… Why are you doing this to us?"

"Because we're getting paid."

Infinite tried to clear up his vision, but the time he had done so, the fox was holding him up by his throat. His chest sported some kind of metallic chest-plate with a glowing blue core in the centre, along with shoulder pads with wires coming out of them which ran down his arms, most likely enhancing his strength. His right ear was also completely robotic. All of his robotic parts and enhancements were a dim metallic green colour.

"Finally, we come face-to-face," the fox murmured. "I've been waiting so long to find you… Zero."

His suspicions were true. This was someone from his past.

A member of Fox Squad, one of the many canine squads he knew.

Fox Squad was the one group which rivalled Jackal Squad to the point where they were often evenly matched, and they could even work well together if necessary. They respected one another, but at the end of the day, a high-paying job would win the hearts of either side.

"I bet you don't even remember me," the fox continued. "You won't remember any of us, but that's fine. I've forgotten them, too." He frowned hatefully. "I just hate you for turning me into this."

The fox punched Infinite hard, causing him to bounce and slide along the forest floor. Infinite winced, but wasn't going to let the wound get to him. "You…" he growled, locking eyes with the fox. "I remember you… You're from Fox Squad… You were their final member…"

"Oh, I'm not Mercury anymore," the fox corrected before Infinite could continue. "Mercury died when you and your squad mates sliced him with your bladed weapons. No… I've been reborn into someone else. To you, and to everyone else on this ruined planet, my name is Remnant."

Of course, it would be something dramatic like that.

Remnant began making his way closer to Infinite, with the jackal now on his feet, prepared to defend himself. He knew he probably couldn't do much against Remnant, given the fact that he was enhanced by robotic parts, but he would never surrender to anybody.

"Remnant…" Infinite repeated to himself, taking a few steps back to keep the fox at a distance. "Care to explain how you're alive?"

"I'm surprised you were never told of my own survival," Remnant commented, creepily tilting his head to the side. "The doctor, the man you worked for back then, found me alive. I simply told him that I wanted to get revenge on the last two members of Fox Squad who had lived, so he gave me these enhancements." A smirk spread across his face. "Now he wants me to finish off one of his other mercenary experiments: Infinite."

Did he… know that Infinite and Zero were the same person?

Remnant let out a chuckle. "I never thought you'd gain such a reputation, but now you've fallen from power, Zero."

He knew.

Remnant flew towards him, ready to bring his fist into his face, but Infinite was quick to duck, causing the fox to punch a tree. There was no way Infinite could fight him and live, so he had to make a tactical retreat. He began running, but Remnant caught up with him easily, making the chase even more painful by flying beside Infinite as he ran.

"How does it feel to be weak?!" the silver fox snapped, then barging into Infinite so he fell to the ground. Next, he landed on him, standing upon the jackal with his pair of robotic legs. "How does it feel to be beaten down until you are nothing?"

"I don't regret what I did to you," Infinite spat fiercely, his limbs tensing up and stretching from the pain he was currently in. "We followed our orders and we were paid for our services."

"You're about to meet the same fate as those other foxes," Remnant announced, pressing his feet harder into Infinite, coming close to breaking some bones. But, suddenly, he stepped back and away from the jackal. "You know, Zero, when the doctor told me to dispose of Infinite, I thought I would be given a challenge, but here you are, weaker than ever. I think I'll let you live to see the start of the second war."

"The doctor's in jail…" Infinite snarled, twisting over onto his front and pushing his weight up with his arms.

"Not anymore," Remnant chuckled darkly.

Remnant had freed him.

"You…" Infinite rasped. "I'll crush you, you vermin… No amount of enhancements will be able to restore you when I'm done with you…"

Remnant could only laugh.

Infinite really had to remember that he just wasn't as threatening as he used to be, especially when he was still wounded.

"I'm going to enjoy staring down at you as the world burns, Zero," the fox stated. "I'll make you beg for death before I finish you."

"Zero!" yelled Tawny. "Dude! Yell for us, will ya?!"

Infinite's ears perked and he froze. He wasn't going to let Tawny know he was here.

But Remnant had other plans.

Remnant grabbed Infinite by his arms and held him in place, leaning over his shoulder. "Go on," he whispered with a maniacal grin. "Call for her."

"No," Infinite hissed through his teeth. Clearly this answer didn't please Remnant, so the fox instead put most of his enhancement power into his arm, swiftly and heavily bringing it into Infinite's bandaged wound, even dragging his fox claws down to open it even more. Infinite could not contain his yell of pain, which echoed through the forest and bounced off the tree trunks.

"That's better," Remnant reacted quietly. "And now we wait."

Infinite stood shaking, still in Remnant's arms, taking in rapid and shaky breaths. He was bleeding badly again. If Tawny showed up, he was in no fit state to even slow Remnant down to get him away from her. He was close to succumbing to his wound so that he would fall unconscious.

"This way!" Tawny's voice exclaimed, most likely to Ridge, as she grew closer and closer, pushing her way through bushes and leaves before freezing on the spot. Both her and Remnant stared at each other, and even as Ridge made his appearance, Remnant's eyes remained on Tawny.

"Mercury…" the coyote-hybrid wavered. She recognised him, even in his cybernetic state.

"Tawny, stand back…" Ridge whispered to her, putting his arm in front of her like any protective father would.

"Well, isn't this interesting?" Remnant grinned. "I didn't know you made friends with her, Zero."

"How do you… know him…?" Tawny asked slowly. "How are you… Why are you…?"

"You have no idea, do you, my precious little jewel?" Remnant snickered. "This jackal is a monster. You couldn't begin to imagine what guilt he carries."

"What the hell are you up to, Mercury?" Ridge spoke up, narrowing his eyes at the fox.

"Nothing… yet," Remnant smirked, throwing Infinite to the ground. Infinite coughed heavily while feeling a burning sensation in his throat, with Remnant's focus still being on Tawny. "Sorry, my love, but you remind me too much of my past-self. The one who cared for you. The one who was weak. You have to go."

Remnant started walking closer, easily batting Ridge away with his arm as Infinite could only watch. Tawny was clearly still in too much shock to even try fighting back. Mercury was her lover, and here he was as a monster trying to kill her.

Kali had been knocked back, and then Shadow kicked her hard to knock her off the edge – just where Striker had fallen.

Zero wasn't going to let that happen.

Kali was clinging to the edge for dear life, staring up with wide eyes at Shadow as he approached her.

Zero ran as fast as he could, raising his sword to strike Shadow in the back with it, but the black hedgehog knew he was coming. Without even taking his eyes off Kali, Shadow held out his fist and let it collide with Zero's face.

Darkness.

Without even realising it, Infinite had let out a primal scream of rage and had jumped on Remnant's back despite his own health status. He used every last drop of his strength to wrestle Remnant to the ground and was successfully able to pin him, but not for long enough. Remnant had flipped them over and was now holding Infinite against the ground, and all he could do was laugh at the jackal's savage expression.

"Oh, I get it," he mused. "You're a little ticked off about what happened to your girlfriend, aren't you? I heard all about that from the doctor." His words weren't making Infinite act any more civilised. "Would I be right in assuming that you feel the same way about Tawny? Hm? Do you care about her like you did Kali?"

Infinite slashed his clawed hand down Remnant's face, but it barely even made him flinch. Remnant snarled but maintained a sadistic grin, then suddenly sinking his canine teeth into Infinite's shoulder. The jackal yelled again, thrashing to get away from his brutal attacker.

"Leave him alone!" Tawny hollered, pulling her former partner back, but Remnant only struck her across the face. Tawny fell to the ground, holding her cheek, and Remnant stared down at her before frowning.

"You're all so weak," he growled. "I think I'll save your deaths for when the doctor devastates the world again. You'll all watch each other die soon enough."

And with that, the fox disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Ridge was now up and he ran immediately to Tawny rather than Infinite, who was clearly more wounded. "Are you okay?" he asked his daughter who he had still not confessed his relation to.

"I'm f-fine," Tawny stuttered, keeping her eyes locked onto Infinite, who was still lying on his back. Both she and Ridge made their way over to him, helping him sit up.

"Any idea what just happened, Zero?" Ridge questioned as Infinite panted in an attempt to catch his breath.

"Don't force him to talk, look at the state he's in," Tawny shot to him immediately, but her expression seemed to shift slightly. "But… how did he know who you were?"

"Long… story…" Infinite exhaled between desperate gasps for air.

"He needs help," Ridge noticed. "Let's get him back to the hospital." Infinite actually let out a groan to show his dislike for the place as Ridge lifted him up with Tawny's help, both individuals supporting the jackal so that he could stand. "No need to whine about it, kiddo…"

"This is all Scar's fault…" Tawny spat in the most hateful tone of voice Infinite had heard her use. "He brought me out here. He forced Zero to come here when he was still recovering. If it weren't for him, Zero would still be recovering and we'd all be fine."

"Somehow I doubt that," Ridge admitted. "Mercury… he seems like someone prepared to cause a lotta trouble."

"That's not the Mercury I once knew…" Tawny sighed. "It's… not even the moron I thought he turned into after we went our separate ways. He's… a brutal monster. He's… like Infinite…"

Like Infinite?

…She had a point.

Infinite became a monster. He had to admit that to himself now. He wasn't just some super strong jackal, but a merciless killer who enjoyed hurting people.

Remnant was exactly the same.

Both canines had come from destroyed squads, and as a result of being survivors, they had been turned into weapons by the doctor. They were reborn as new individuals.

Infinite had bad feelings about what the future now had in store for him…

~End of Chapter~