Chapter 25: Meetings

Early the next morning, Sonny decided to take a run around South Island in his Sonic Phase. He passed through familiar places such as the lake with the loop-the-loop structure, the G. U. N. base which was still occupied, and the volcano. However, one new feature was that the hidden elevator to Dr. Eggman's underground base was exposed revealing the hidden passageway beneath. Cautiously, Sonny jumped down and walked down the hallway expecting robots to attack him from all sides.

But when none came, he was puzzled. Then he ran through every part of the base until Sonny heard voices coming from one particular room located underneath the control room where he met Dr. Eggman for the first time. It was a laboratory with metal parts scattered all over the floor and wires coming from the ceiling into a glass tube that had been broken open. At a computer near the tube stood three familiar figures that Sonny recognized.

"Hey, Chaotix Detectives," Sonny shouted. "What brings you down here?"

"Sonny!" The three exclaimed as they turned away from the computer towards Sonny.

"We missed you," Charles said running over to Sonny and giving him a big hug. He was a little taller than before, but otherwise he looked the same as when Sonny first met him.

"Chuck told us you would be coming here for the holidays, but I never expected we'd meet again in a place like this," Victor said with a shorter haircut but wearing the same clothes as before.

"That doesn't answer his question, Victor," Espen responded while he was seated at the computer. Like Victor, he also wore the same clothes but he had grown a few inches taller.

"Oh, sorry," Victor replied rubbing the back of his neck. "You just caught us in the middle of a private investigation."

"What kind?" Sonny asked.

"G. U. N. hired us to figure out what happened here regarding a massacre that occurred right before Angel Island floated away," Charles answered.

"Charles, we're not supposed to tell anyone that," Espen scolded.

"But Sonny's our friend," Charles complained. "Shouldn't he have the right to know?"

Espen sighed. "I suppose, considering this is about Metal Sonic."

"Metal Sonic?" Sonny exclaimed. "You mean that metal lookalike of me that knocked out Chuck when Dr. Eggman kidnapped him and took him to Angel Island?"

"The same," Espen replied. "According to the encrypted files on this computer, Dr. Eggman had been collecting data on Sonic's fighting moves and abilities from the images his robots recorded before they were destroyed by Sonic. Then he constructed Metal Sonic in this laboratory and placed him inside the glass tube to not only give the robot energy but also Sonic's data. Originally, Dr. Eggman was going to activate Metal Sonic after you brought Chaos Emeralds to him, but you defeated him before he could."

"So how did Metal Sonic get out of the tube?" Sonny asked, looking at the broken glass door.

"Our theory is that Dr. Eggman must have hidden some kind of device on him when G. U. N. took him to their prison that activated Metal Sonic from a distance," Vector said. "Then from there, Metal Sonic broke out of the tube and killed all the G. U. N. soldiers that were stationed here to investigate Dr. Eggman's base before busting Dr. Eggman out of prison."

"Oh, man," Sonny said looking at the traces of dried blood near the door to the laboratory. "If I'd have known Dr. Eggman had something that dangerous locked in here, I would've destroyed his entire base before turning him in."

"That would've been a foolish decision," Espen responded. "The destruction of this base could've triggered the volcano to erupt and bury South Island completely in lava, which would've killed everyone in the process."

"But that didn't happen, and that's what matters, right?" Charles said abruptly.

Before Sonny answered, his cellphone suddenly started to ring and so he picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hey, Sonny."

"Rouge!" Sonny exclaimed, getting the Chaotix Detectives' attention. "How did you get my number?"

"From Amelia, of course," Rouge replied."She's really sweet once you get to know her."

Sonny paused. "What do you want?"

"I was just about to go down to the beach to catch some rays and wondered if you would like to come."

"Is anyone else coming?"

"Oh, sure. Amelia and Miles will be there, and I think that Chuck fellow will be coming too."

"All right, I'll be there."

"See you later, Big Blue."

Then Sonny hung up. "Big Blue?"

"Who was that?" Espen asked. "Your girlfriend?"

"Um, no," Sonny said hesitantly. "Rouge is just a friend from the high school I attend on the mainland who's spending the holidays with us."

"I see," Victor grinned. "What did she say?"

"She wants to meet me at the beach, and I guess the others are coming as well."

Charles' face lit up. "Can we go too?"

"Uh, sure," Sonny replied. "I'll see you later, then."

After Sonny left, the Chaotix Detectives pondered while they continued working.

"Hey, Espen," Victor said getting Espen's attention. "Did you notice how embarrassed Sonny got when you assumed Rouge was his girlfriend? I think he likes her."

"Or he could be telling the truth and she really is just a friend," Espen replied.

"Then why would she ask Sonny to meet her at the beach?" Charles asked.

"Weren't you listening?" Espen frowned. "Sonny said 'the others' were going there too, and by that he was obviously referring to Amelia, Miles, and Chuck. So it's going to be nothing more than a beach party of sorts."

"Or that's what Sonny wants us to think to cover up that he's really meeting Rouge to spend time with her alone," Victor said. "But let's go anyway just to be sure I'm right."

While Espen groaned in response, Charles just giggled. "This should be fun."

###

At the same beach where Sonic and Tails received the walkie-talkie from Dr. Eggman, Sonny arrived promptly wearing his blue swim-trunks and sandals though he wasn't planning on swimming due to Sonic's fear of water which he felt very strongly within him. He found Rouge lying underneath a pink and white beach umbrella wearing a white two-piece bathing suit that made her cleavage stand out. She opened one eye when Sonny approached her.

"Where are the others?" Sonny asked, looking around.

"They'll be here," Rouge replied casually. "Care to sit next to me?"

"Sure," Sonny said, and laid out his towel next to Rouge's. "So, um, why did you call me 'Big Blue'?"

Rouge shrugged. "I don't know. Must've been a slip of the tongue."

"I can relate," Sonny said as he sat down. "Do you like South Island so far?"

"It's nice, but not somewhere I'd want to stay at for too long. I imagine it must've been pretty boring here until Dr. Robotnik showed up."

"Well, I had only just arrived at the time, so it's hard to say."

Rouge's eyes widened. "Oh, my, that must've been shocking for you. Did your parents know?"

Sonny shook his head. "I didn't want to worry them, so I said nothing about it. Besides, if Dr. Robotnik shows up again The Blue Blur will be there to stop him."

"Ah, yes, The Blue Blur," Rouge smirked as she got up onto her knees and looked directly at Sonny. "Though G. U. N. still hasn't figured out what it is, he's become quite a hero ever since he saved Station Square from total destruction. Did you know that there's a Blue Blur Fan Club at our school?"

Sonny shied away from Rouge's gaze and looked out towards the ocean. "Yeah, but I haven't bothered to check it out."

"You should when the new semester starts. I've heard most of the members are cute girls with rich parents."

"Oh, well in that case, maybe I shouldn't join."

"You think Amelia would get jealous if you did?"

"Probably, but I just think it would be awkward being one of few guys in a room full of girls."

"So what do you think of The Blue Blur?" Rouge asked as she put her hands gently on Sonny's shoulders. "Do you think he's a person, or a freak of nature?"

"I…" Sonny tensed up when Rouge touched him, but he didn't move. "…don't have much of an opinion on him."

Rouge chuckled. "But you just said that The Blue Blur will show up if Dr. Robotnik does, which means that either you have a lot of faith in the guy or you know him."

"K-Know him? That's a pretty ridiculous assumption, Rouge," Sonny said as he tried to get out of Rouge's grasp, but she held him tightly and leaned her head against his neck.

"Is it? Where were you when Station Square was flooding?"

Before Sonny could answer, a distant voice shouted, "Sonny!"

In response, Sonny got up and saw Amelia, Miles, and Chuck running down the beach towards them followed by Victor, Charles, and Espen who were all wearing swim clothes. They were also carrying towels, beach umbrellas, and coolers. Because of Sonny's sudden action, Rouge fell forward but managed to catch herself before landing on the line of sand that lay between her towel and Sonny's. Then she got up as well and stood next to Sonny with one hand on her hip.

"Sonny, we were looking all over for you and then…" Amelia noticed Rouge and frowned. "Was I interrupting something?"

"Nothing, darling, just a friendly little chat to pass the time," Rouge said walking away from Sonny. Then she noticed Victor, Charles, and Espen. "Are they friends of yours?"

"We're known around these parts as the Chaotix Detectives, Miss Rouge," Victor said confidently. "I'm Victor Croc and my two associates are Charles Bee and Espen Camellia."

In response, Rouge smiled. "Well I guess you must be a detective if you were able to figure out my name even though we've just met."

"It wasn't that hard," Victor responded. "Amelia was telling us about you on the way here and so I guessed based on the descriptions she gave me."

"Oh, I see," Rouge mused as she picked up a pink and white volleyball that was next to her beach umbrella. "Now that we're all here, who's up for a game of beach volleyball?"

To be continued…