Chapter 14: A2

Knuckles rushed inside as soon as the door slid open. His heart was pounding as he saw smoke coming out of the turret gun's barrel. The military used explosive rounds against a rogue agent, the only one he believed was able to fix everything.

"Kya!"

Realisation hit him hard. He didn't dare look out when a sudden weight crashed his head into the floor. Knuckles found himself eating concrete again, and he felt the hurt through a brick-proof skull. The little scorch marks in his quills were nothing compared to the drilling dive he took.

The sudden exclamation rang in his eardrums for a while.

Sonic followed the guardian into the cell. Unlike Knuckles, he was alert enough to dodge a sharp kick that would have easily turned him into another wall tattoo. Tails shined his bright torchlight on the culprit, an agitated bat whose consciousness ripened as painfully as Knuckles' lumps.

"Rouge! What's wrong with you?" Sonic barked, pointing at the grounded echidna.

Her face puffed up with irritation floating above embarrassment. "What's the big idea just walking in? I thought you were sent to put me down!"

The hedgehog snorted. "Exactly what you did to Knucklehead."

Rouge didn't need any cues. She kneeled down in front of the battered echidna in an attempt to pull him out of the freshly dug hole. It took a strong feminine touch to bring his brusque cluelessness above the ground. Knuckles looked worn out, having suffered a beating more intense than she normally engaged him with when fighting over the Master Emerald.

Her choice of resolution didn't change one bit. She hugged the guardian the moment he resumed breathing, unwittingly siphoning the fresh air out of his lungs.

"Knuckles, are you alright? I'm so-so sorry I-" she cooed before catching a dissatisfying glimpse of his muzzle. "Spit it out."

The echidna turned away to poof a cloud of smoke and debris out of his throat. Rocks weren't too bad; it's the cheap cement mix they used for flooring that made his innards churn. While coughing his way into full consciousness, he realised the bat's embrace loosened up enough to let him breathe. At the same time, it never disappeared.

She saw this. Rouge didn't reveal how much the curve of her lips delighted in making him fluster at the first sight of intimacy. His loss helped the bat regain composure too quickly for her own amusement.

"I missed you, Knuckles. I can always count on you to save a lady in distress."

Sonic interrupted the hug by putting his hand on Knuckles' shoulder. "You sure put a number on him while in distress."

It prompted the bat to stand up, a hand extended theatrically for everyone to see her razor-sharp nails. For a GUN operative working in friendly territory, she came with pick accessories a thief would reserve for a heist of her lifetime.

She gleamed victoriously at the hedgehog. He was fast on his feet, but Rouge could run circles around him when it came to eloquence. "That was before they let me loose in the dark. Which one of you do I thank for the atmosphere?"

The torchlight fell to the floor at the question. It rolled for a bit, lighting up a distressed fox boy's shoes.

Rouge swaggered over to him unhindered. The bleak surroundings made it difficult to see outside the contrasting shine below their knees.

"Thank you," she whispered into his fluffy ear.

Tails wanted to giggle, scream and hide at the same time. His tongue wrapped up in five knots and lodged itself somewhere between the throat and his stomach while the rest exhibited flu symptoms. What frightened him the most was that she didn't move away after saying thanks. The little genius would have gladly done that for her, had his feet not cemented into the ground. In all honesty, he wished he knew whether he wanted to be far-far away right now…

His blue friend interrupted the extensive pleasantries by picking up the light. Rouge's pupils shrunk in an instant. The bat was consistently moving towards the cell's exit during her segues, and Sonic didn't want to see her go, disregarding Tails' feelings on the matter.

Sonic wished the stand-off hadn't occurred. Interrogating someone he frequently considered an ally left a foul taste in his mouth. Knuckles had a less negative view on the situation, but he didn't know how much dislike Sonic and Rouge gathered for each other since the early hours.

The fox broke their intensifying stares with a stutter: "S-Sonic… You better check this out."

Tails removed his communicator and enabled loudspeaker mode after putting it on the floor. A heated conversation was taking place elsewhere on the launch site. The transmission was limited to sound, but the actors were easy enough to deduce.

"You've crossed the line," A1's gruff voice came out of the speaker.

Unpleasant whining followed along with a less audible, yet sudden physical sound. Everyone stared at the device wide-eyed before a long thud nearly shattered the transmission. Even though the source seemed to be almost directly above them, Tails' invention consistently picked up muon interference from lower levels.

Coughing rose on the line while a voice much closer to the mic creaked.

"That Guy, we made a deal!"

Rouge gasped when she recognised the annoying tone. "No…" She looked at Sonic, who was waiting for an explanation the entire time. Even in those circumstances, the agent felt reluctant to share her knowledge.

"Aye, a deal. I've found her plane. Did you bring my ID card?"

It sounded like the two operatives were having a prolonged fight somewhere on the military installation.

She lowered her eyelashes at the noise. Rouge had little chance of success without Blue Blur on her side. "You must have met them by now, Sonic. Freak was involved in the Prison Island explosion. They've sent him as a liquidator for the media storm."

"What media storm?" Sonic asked.

"Exactly. If Command parachuted him on-site, there is already something they want to erase from public view. The whole ordeal may go horribly wrong…"

Sonic flicked his nose mockingly. "Kidnapping Shadow is a good start for anything to go horribly wrong."

"You think this is a joke?"

The hedgehog glared at her. In his book, the bat has exhausted her snark credit. "No, Rouge, do you think this is a joke?"

She slapped him faster than he could dodge or regret. "For Chaos' sakes! Do I get off from having turrets stuck to my head? I wanted to save him from ending up in the rocket in the first place."

Rouge's words burned as much as the fiery thwack to his cheek, but it wasn't enough for Sonic to slow down. If anything, the bat rattled up his quills further. Sonic may have been unable to throw a proper argument at Amy. The jewel thief, in contrast, let him feel he had the moral ground not to turn the other cheek.

"Save him by robbing me while I was unconscious."

The remark made her fingers wiggle, eager for another go. Rouge didn't have to listen to his sass. She did, however, want to keep an ear out for anything A1 was up to. Tails' device shook her fertile planning bottom-up by introducing a third voice to the remote conflict.

"Hoo-hoo-hee. Gentlemen, there is no reason to fight. With my help, all your problems will cease to exist."

"Eggman!"

"It can't be," Rouge whispered. She knew loyalty wasn't a common find high in mercenary ranks, but nobody had the suicidal intent to walk hand-in-hand with the maniacal doctor. From the sound of things, it wasn't the first time Eggman spoke with them.

"You've had the time to consider my generous proposition. What do you say?" Eggman asked.

A moment of silence broke out on both levels before Freak made his answer: "Eggzilla, palsy, how can I say no to my favourite brainiac? The smarmy hedgehog, my gift to you."

Rouge fell to her knees, jaw gaping. GUN's top soldiers succumbed to a madman's influence. To make matters worse, Freak was in on it and she had no way to reach Command or stop the evil from happening. Siding with the doctor put everyone's lives in jeopardy. They have all become…the enemy.

"No. Damn it! Not him," she whispered sourly. When Sonic averted his gaze to give the bat some privacy, she checked her cleavage, searching for something. A look of dread fell to surprise and irritation as she rummaged around. In the end, she growled. "My codes! That little bitch swiped my override codes!"

The bat shot up into the air. "We must get to the top ASAP. Those guys can fire the rocket without warning using my overrides. Quick, give me the holo-key."

Sonic tensed up at the message. So did the others.

"About that…we agreed you'd have a spare, being a spy and all," the hedgehog said, looking at his toes.

Had Rouge not been aware of the state of their affairs, her indignant surprise may have hurt somebody. Of course, Sonic would not have gone to rescue her first if he had the choice. His predictability allowed her to land with a feigned frown nobody could see through.

"I should have known you're only chivalrous to hedgehogs. There is no spare. GUN tried to replicate it, but there wasn't enough time to make a fully functional copy."

Tails piped in, ever-so-hopeful amongst his worries. "Does that mean there is a partially functional one?"

The spy might as well have been waiting for such verbal analysis. "It's in the main launch hall, above security."

Sonic nudged Tails playfully and gave everyone in the team a reassuring look. "What are we waiting for?"

His twin-tailed buddy grabbed the gloved hand before Sonic could blast off. They had the speed, determination and an access card to win. Rouge was free, so only one stop separated them from the goal; no time for holdups.

Tails solved the impatience issue by opening a small bag of earplugs. Unlike GUN, the fox always had a proper spare just in case. "Take these, guys. I don't want us to separate again."

While his friends got acquainted with their communicators, Tails reached down to the floor for his own. It was the most advanced version yet and those didn't grow on trees.

"Touching," a feminine voice emerged from the dark background.

Before they knew it, the turret's barrel aimed at Tails. A bright muzzle flash scattered the team. The turret fired an explosive round into the floor, destroying a good chunk of concrete as well as the best earpiece. Tails' EMP had disabled the turret only temporarily.

The flashlight rolled chaotically on the floor among bits of debris while the gun prepared to fire again. It was fond of blowing up Tails first, shooting round after round into the ceiling while the boy performed acrobatics his Tornado planes would have been jealous of.

A stray projectile blew a gap in the wall that separated Rouge's cell from the scrap hold. Lacking support, concrete blocks splintered into both rooms while the shockwave made it impossible for Tails to coordinate himself.

The gun had no difficulty spotting the prodigy in the dark and dusty execution cell. Tails was already hurt from being paddled around the room by explosions, so another shot would have finished the job.

Whoever was operating the turret, be it an AI or a human, did not expect Sonic to homing-attack the gun barrel. The hedgehog raised the turret's nose to the very top when it fired.

Rocks fell from the damaged ceiling, but it was not enough to dissuade the weapon. Its cogs remained attached enough for it to spin back towards the target.

Although Sonic wished it stayed dead the first time, he didn't mind sharing with Knuckles. The echidna had always wanted a punching bag with real kick, so he struck the barrel at the centre when it faced to fire. Fractures inside the hollow set off the explosive prematurely, permanently disabling the threat.

The beheaded turret spun in place while black smoke erupted from the top. It was a bitter reminder the team to keep their guard up at all times. Freeing Rouge meant nothing if they didn't make it out alive.

Sonic looked at the bat, well aware that she would notice even in the smoke. Knuckles and Tails were ready to leave, but Rouge felt another presence she couldn't ignore. The rest had a more important assignment on their hands.

"You guys go. I have some unfinished business."

"Stay safe," Knuckles said as he darted off with the others.

Sticking together may have been a better idea, in theory, and Tails would sometimes ask himself why they left her behind. Rouge wasn't about theory, though. Neither were the other heroes. In practice, certain scores were to be settled up close and personal. That was how Bat Girl loved it.

Content with privacy, the stalker entered the cell. "Agent Rouge."

The bat turned around, facing the source. "A4."

Faint emergency lights were destroyed during the mad turret's shooting spree, rendering the environment pitch black. Both of them grinned at the inevitable. A4 had the luxury of an air filter and assist sensors while all Rouge could rely on were her fragile organs.

"When challenged by a counter-intelligence officer in the field, engage at will," A4 acknowledged.

They could not see each other, a limitation the rivals considered their respective advantage. The two circled in the heavily damaged cell, taking measured breaths in preparation.

Rouge closed her eyes to give her ears the chance to shine in their full glory. "The outcome is added to the agent's quarterly assessment." Assisted by her voice, they had no difficulty drawing a clear image of the surroundings.

"My boost towards A2."

A4 charged at the bat, a move that earned less scorn than the intent behind it.

"I'll give your ass a boost," Rouge hissed.

The bat flapped her wings to repel the offensive on even height. It increased the amount of space open for attack, something A4 was counting on. Rather than strike the agent front and centre, A4 went for the wings.

It didn't make a difference to Rouge, who stopped an imminent punch with her hand. Not even a new-fangled suit could protect a human from the discomfort of having one's wrist bent backwards. If anything, a thief of Rouge's calibre knew all about the way a hand functioned.

She didn't cry out. A4 threw a proper punch in the midsection. Rouge intercepted both and it wouldn't take long till the tension in A4's knuckles forced the soldier's legs to give in. Fidgeting out of the bat's iron grip was a hopeless ordeal. GUN ground troops trained separately from the organisation's furtive spies, and a close-up of the rival's strength brought thoughts of vitriol she didn't want the bat to witness.

Instead, A4 slid underneath, surprising Rouge into releasing her. The bat immediately flapped her wings to distance her back from the enemy, but she wasn't quick enough to dodge an upward kick in the rear.

Rouge grimaced as she rubbed the sore spot. Although A4 didn't have the momentum or angle good enough to cause real discomfort, the idea that she couldn't afford underestimating the enemy left a sour taste in her mouth.

"How's that for a boost?" A4 teased.

A great gust of smoke and debris came as her answer when Rouge readied her wings for a dash. That time, Rouge forced A4 into a defensive stance by needling a flurry of frontal stabs with her formidable pick nails.

The soldier had to avoid the hits by taking small strides. Rouge was fast, too fast for comfort, but the number of attempts reduced their effectiveness. It allowed the soldier to grab the bat's retracting hand to throw her into the floor.

Rouge's wings stopped the fall from happening. She glided above the ground with strength and speed enough to gain an immediate edge in altitude while A4 continued pursuit. Once Rouge spun back to resume the offensive, she greeted the opponent's headgear with her heel.

The hard knock left A4 unfazed as she squeezed the leg to twist the bat face-down. A4 would paint the floor with Rouge's makeup.

At least, that was the plan. The tumble barely disoriented Rouge, so she pressed her wings together for a spin beyond A4's expectations. It quickly turned into a tornado drill that needed the slightest nudge from the flaps to bring the confused foe back to caution.

She sent the woman crackling into the wall with a footprint on the suit as a bonus.

Rouge landed content with herself. Even an idiot would have noticed the toothy smirk flashed in a cocksure display.

A4 coughed. The protective layers worked, but even that would eventually give in to Rouge's exceptional strength. She needed a different tactic to unhinge the bat while discretely loading up a blaster. "Bravo! You went all the way for a snivelling hedgehog. A1 knew you two were a thing. Can't wait to see the Commander's face."

Her audacious mouth incensed Bat Girl. A4 received an uppercut that sent her knocking into the ceiling instead of a chance to recuperate. The descent was interrupted by a swift kick into the destroyed wall.

A loud crash announced that the soldier fell in a pile of scrap in the other room, a fitting spot for a gossiping wench.

Rouge slowly walked up to the trash while A4 attempted to stand up. The bat spoke calmly: "That hedgehog is worth more than everyone else on this base put together."

It didn't faze the rival. A4 laughed while clearing her path from the junk. "You've gotten soft, Bat Girl. Clouds your judgement."

Egg Pawn heads came alongside the riposte. Their discus shape made the parts fit for throwing.

The bat dodged the first few before she identified the projectile with her ears. "A virgin like you should know."

Velocity of the throws increased, but Rouge could bust the whizzing heads away with her knuckles. The last one bounced back to the sender. An irritated noise called for a direct hit. Rouge towered over her opponent in every respect. A4 deserved a good beating for her thoughts and deeds, but she wasn't good enough to spend more time with. Rouge would make sure they removed the woman from the prime roster.

"This is pointless. What did you do with my codes?"

A4 stood up as she finally escaped from the scrap. "Ask the PR freak. He fished them out after I KO'ed you the first time, and now A1 is running the place like a king. Command sent you here to die, anyway."

Rouge quivered. Even though the mention of Freak approaching while she was unconscious was high on her list of vendettas, it was the last sentence that truly worried the bat. "What you say?"

"Surprised? You thought GUN would allow you to rescue him from the rocket with a real enemy spy on the loose? Get real! The fancy convoy switcheroo got us nowhere and that's as far as you're going."

One more pawn head spun towards the bat. She caught it, eager to return the favour, but it wouldn't detach from her hand; the part was covered in glue. While Rouge struggled to remove it, A4 pulled out her glue blaster for a few shots at the bat's wings.

The adhesive foamed up in volume, making it difficult to move. A4 used the window of opportunity to knock the bat down and secure her on the ground. The tables have turned, and now the enemy stood tall above her.

"Looks like you won't be screwing bio-weapons no more."

A4 lifted her boot to stomp the colour off Rouge's face. She deserved it.