Atomic Outpost: Gone Crazy

The chopper flew high into the sky, with nothing but red lighter towers guiding the way. Sonic made his way into the passenger seat along with Sally as Tails piloted the ship.

Sonic sensed that they were lost so he cleared his throat and prepared to speak up. But Tails beat him to the punch, never taking his eyes off the sky, "We're NOT lost…We're just in a bit of a detour, that's all." Tails pressed a few buttons near a green screen and it brought up the entire map of Knothole. They were in a large vast area that only showed a few readings of wildlife and plantation. Wherever they were, it seemed that it majored in industry.

Sally confirmed this, "According to N.I.C.O.L.E., We are right above what is called an Air-Lab: a large floating ship stationed high in the sky. Not only is it used to protect lab-based goods, but it's also a place of refuge in case of a difficulty with ground bases.

"In English please nurdette!" Sonic said as his eyes gleamed red, then back to green, "I mean…I'm not as smart as you two, so I'm not sure what that means…" As Sally was about to say something, a large laser shot inches away from the chopper's right wing.

"Christ! What the hell was that!? It almost shot us straight out the sky!"

Sally sighed as she powered up her TechLift. The mechanism glowed a bright green on her arm, "Sometimes I hate being right all the time."

A second laser shot toward them, this time hitting Tails in the arm. A searchlight beamed toward the helicopter as Tails lost control of his left arm. He screamed in pain, "I've lost control!"

Sonic's eyes gleamed red as he took the controls from Tails. The young fox almost fell out of the seat as he climbed atop the roof of the vehicle. He moved over to where Sally sat as she studied Sonic's initiatives, "Sonic…what are you planning to do…?"

Sonic stared at the fog as a wide open landing port started becoming visible, "They want us…they can have us!"

"Are you crazy? Ah!" Tails sighed as he sat his head up from Sally's lap and looked towards him.

"For you little buddy…" Sonic stated as they became inches from the port. Sonic spotted West G.U.N. soldiers firing rifles toward them. Some invisible red energy covered the copter from the attacks. Sonic began pushing his two friends toward the edge of the passenger seat, "…I just might be!"

Sonic flew out the side along with Sally and Tails. They landed in an open area of the port as the copter itself flew towards the West G.U.N. soldiers; crushing many of them as it flew. It soon erupted into a large fire. All of the soldiers who were still alive retreated further into the base area of the port.

"Oh no!" Tails yelled as he ran over to the copter, still bandaged; "The copters totaled! Now how are we supposed to get out of here?"

"Maybe if you actually used your brain for once, we wouldn't even be on this damn dock in the first place!" Sonic's gleam came back as he said this, then it quickly disappeared. Whoa, Sonic thought, why am I being so harsh today?"

Tails looked over to Sonic in shock, "Well…sorry…"

Sally smacked Sonic in the back of the head, "What is with you? You've been acting like a bastard ever since we got you off that island!" Sally held Sonic's hands, "Look, I have no idea what those crazy Knotholeans did to you while you were down there…But that's no reason to take it out on us, ok?"

Sonic was about to object, but for some reason; his next words seem altered, "You're right Sal. I'm sorry." He turned over towards Tails and started walking in his direction, "Sorry for the harsh words, big guy. I've going through a lot of stress lately. Could you forgive me?"

"If you can find some type of power source for my Mech, I'll think about it." Tails said pulling out a suitcase that was stuck in the chopper.

"Mech? What Mech?" Sonic asked as Tails opened the suitcase. The container revealed a large, yellow, rectangular pad with the words MTP2 on it in red. The fox pulled it out onto the metal floor and pulled two slots on both sides of it.

"This Mech…" Tails and Sonic watched in awe as the rectangle got larger and larger until it grew into a full-sized cockpit with a turret in the back of it, large legs and two handles on both sides of it. It had rocket boosters too, but they were empty; which caused Tails' proposition.

"If I'm correct, that base it filled with metallic energy. That should be enough to power my Mech long enough for us to get to the nearest town and head back to the Central. Since you work for G.U.N., the guys in there shouldn't have a problem with you heading it there, will they?"

Sonic pondered for a moment as he looks out towards the sky. There were many more floating docks and base areas nearby. All connected by rails, platforms and other means of transportation, "I don't know about that Miles—I mean Tails!" Sonic looked around towards Sally and Tails, hoping they didn't hear what he said.

"Miles? Who's Miles?" Sally asked. Tails sighed as he raised his hand.

"That's my real name, Sal." Tails confessed looking at Sonic in annoyance, "For your information, I was planning on talking to her about it while YOU were gone so I didn't feel silly."

Sally grinned, "What's to feel silly about, Tails. I like your real name. But Miles could be an okay name as well."

Sonic rolled his eyes, "Well you two can talk about names all you want while I find us a way of this mechanical deathtrap." Sonic raced to the door and looked through the VisionLock, which is a pass mechanism that only takes the eyes of their soldiers as entry into secret areas like the Air Labs.

He looked through the VisionLock once and stood back.

"Access Denied" the voice said as a gleam in Sonic's eye disappeared.

"Huh?" Sonic said. He looked into the lock a second time, without the mysterious split-sense he'd been feeling all day.

"Access Approved. Organism File: Hedgehog, Sonic. East Division. Enter."

"That's more like it!" Sonic stated going through the narrow hall way. It was clear and was built over an area with nothing but the sky below it. He dashed toward the long elevator and pressed the 'MF' button, which meant 'Main Floor'.

As Sonic watched the deserted area where his two friends stood disappear slowly, he wondered to himself…just what was Project Gadden's real objective…? And what would it lead to…?