Good Morning!
Hope you are all having a good day and I wish you well. Let me know how you are doing and what you think of this story of mine. Cheers!
Sincerely,
Gate Keeper
Chapter 15: Of Backstories, Betrayals and Books
Where we last ended...
"We'd like to ask you to come with us."
"Oh."
Eggman was, in a word, frightened.
He had been on his way to visit Snively's statue (had actually made it there, without incident even!) when he had been confronted by two Mobians who stood before him.
The red-quilled hedgehog, Agent Ridge, had just "asked" him to come with them.
Eggman sweated nervously, since being "asked" by a government agent rarely turned out to be so simple.
Especially when you know you're on their hitlist.
The other Mobian looked on, an eagle with white and brown feathers, before he shook his head softly at the other and motioned with his hand downward in a calming motion.
Agent Ridge huffed. The other gave a look and nodded towards Eggman as if motioning for Agent Ridge to say something.
Eyes rolling, she relented and spoke again, motioning to the eagle as she went.
"Apologies, Mr. Kintobor. My name is Agent Ridge. This is my partner Agent Bluff. We've been asked to escort you to a meeting at the Royal Palace."
Eggman heaved a sigh of relief "oh thank goodness its just a meeting at the Royal Palace. I wonder who could...
Wait.
Royal Palace!?"
Okay, calm down. You've got this. They aren't trying to arrest you. Yet. Breathe.
"...And what would the Royal Palace want with a simple business man like myself? I haven't ever set up a meeting with Her Highness Princess Acorn to my knowledge."
The eagle stepped forward, signalling the other to step away and back to give some breathing room.
"Be that as it may sir, your presence is requested. I would not be able to inform you of Her Highness's intentions but I suspect it has to do with recent criminal activity reports."
...Ah. So she knows. It's unfortunate that I didn't pack more of my gear today. Trying to back out now would send repercussions back to anyone who had been near me, including Vanilla and Cream.
Well, let's at least see how far she has gone down the path I walked before escaping. Or ending it.
He reached out a hand to Eggman, wanting to help him up. Eggman grabbed his hand with a sigh and stood straight, while Agents Ridge and Bluff stood on either side of him.
He rolled his shoulders and looked at the two agents. "Well then, shall we?" He said as they walked off.
At the Royal Palace
6 figures gathered in a darkened room
The tallest spoke "Today marks a new beginning for all of Mobius, and we are the makers of it. Do not feel guilt over what happened to Gunther, he made his choice and payed the price. Remember the plan, and tomorrow will be the start of something great. Our enemies are gathering here as we speak, and we will make them pay for their betrayal and weakness! For the Greater Good!"
The other five shifted and placed their right arm over their chest. "For the Greater Good!" they chanted.
four of the figures left the through a door, two of them taking positions outside it while the others continued down the hallway to a intersection. The other posted himself inside the room at behind a stuffed chair while the tallest figure flicked on the lights. A red-furred ferret stood at the switch, wearing a well-kept black suit. He tidied up the room before he heard a knock on the door.
The ferret and the two guards dipped into a quick bow as Sally Acorn walked in.
She smiled and she held out a hand to the ferret, giving a him a good handshake. "Hello Jacob, am I too early? I am interested to talk about your proposals on new security measures for the city before I meet with Mr. Kintobor."
He smiled back and waved a hand towards one of the stuffed chairs in the middle of the room. "It's no problem at all, I've just been informed that Mr. Kintobor is on his way. I'm very glad to see you so enthusiastic about addressing the recent upsurge in violence.'
Sally's smile turned to a frown, and she had a clear look of pain. "Yes, but I wish I didn't need to. I, and I'm sure so many others, never want to go back to those dark times when Eggman took over. We all need to pitch in and sacrifice some things to keep evil at bay."
The guard behind her moved up, Sally was too preoccupied with her thoughts to notice.
Jacob nodded, and the guard raised a small wooden club. "Yes." he said "We all need to give something for the greater good."
The guard swung down.
Sally didn't have time to even register the pain before she blacked out.
On the way to the Royal Palace
"So you're sure this guy isn't on a hitlist?" whispered Agent Ridge to Agent Bluff as they walked slightly behind Eggman.
Agent Bluff resisted his urge to roll his eyes "newbies" he thought. "No, and for the last time don't whisper while on duty." he whispered "It's unprofessional."
"Says the one currently doing it! I know what you are but what am I?" Ridge whispered smugly.
"You know I can hear you two, right?" said Eggman, trying to not smile at the situation. "I'm an engineer over here, you know. I'm really good at discerning very quiet sounds, especially when they're not supposed to be there." he said with a pointed look over his shoulder.
Agent Ridge had the decency to look ashamed, but Agent Bluff just straightened up with a carefully stoic expression.
"That is an impressive ability, Mr. Kintobor. I find it interesting that a engineer could also stomach the paperwork necessary to run a business, how did that come to be?" Agent Bluff asked curiously.
"Well, it's not all that impressive. I had the ideas, and the know-how on how to make them, but as a simple engineer I couldn't just build anything I wanted, there wasn't enought money or metal in the world to do that, ha!. So I gathered some help, got some credit and started making simple products to build a financial base to repay my debts. At first I had most of the help deal with the paperwork but as we expanded I needed to let others handle most of the engineering while I put myself towards experimental designs and patent research. That included making sure I was filled in with the latest laws and rulings and I shortly became adept at doing the business side." Eggman shrugged. "It was a process, really. I didn't plan on having Eggscellent Electronics grow this big but I guess it was in the cards for me."
Also a true statement, as his original design for the company was to simply provide a way to discreetly gather supplies and funds to support the ever recycling ranks of the Egg Armies he had to build. Eggman didn't dwell on the irony that his war-machines functioned better in peace-time than in combat.
"Still." Agent Bluff continued "It's an impressive achievement here on Mobius. I don't know that much of the human world, but it seems that there are a very small amount of people who could do that sort of thing."
As they talked they started to approach the Palace. It was built early in the history of Mobius, with many of the original foundations and parts still functional and used. However, recent expansion in the Mobian government (including the formation of G.U.N.) melded the ancient design with modern aesthetics in some areas. White sandstone was the main building material for the original keep and walls, with newer wings done in an open window and steel design, with architects melding sandstone pillars and arches into the higher doorways and walkways around the building. They passed two officers at the gatehouse, who let them pass when Agent Bluff and Ridge showed their badges on the way in. They stayed mostly silent when they entered the building, Eggman becoming nostalgic of the time he had spent here previously as the past Minister of War under King Acorn.
They turned at the main audience chamber, where Princess Acorn held daily court and met with most of her advisers, and headed towards the west wing. They approached a four-way intersection where two guards stood waiting for them.
"Agent Bluff. We'll be taking over security from here, as per Minister Xain's protocols." Said one of the guards gruffly, stepping towards them.
"No problem at all. Would you mind telling me the time? I can't seem to remember it." said Agent Bluff casually
Both of the guards and Agent Ridge looked at him quizzically. One of the guards pulled out a phone and then responded "...It's 1:30, Agent Bluff. Now if you don't mind, We'll need to get going. Come along, Mr. Kintobor. Princess Sally is waiting."
Eggman nodded and stood between the two guards, and followed them down one of the branching hallways. Agent Bluff and Ridge stood there for a while, as Bluff's face grew harder with each step Eggman took away from him.
He jerked his head and said "Follow me, Ridge." and walked briskly down the hallway.
Agent Ridge was confused but followed him.
"Bluff, what was all that about? That was a perfectly done exchange! Why are you worried?" She asked, jogging a little to catch up with her partner.
"It was a perfectly done guard exchange, Ridge, that's the problem. Tell me, what unit are we part of?" Bluff asked, as he headed towards the main audience chamber.
"The Mobius City Intelli-" She started
"Wrong." cut off Agent Bluff as he shook his head. "You wonder why you're always in training? Because you haven't figure it out that there is no 'City Intelligence'. We are part of Mobius Counter-Intelligence Agency, and right there at the exchange was a huge breach in protocol. Something is wrong."
"How? That was by-the-book!" She protested
"Yes, by guard standards. What you didn't know is that any exchange directly involving the Princess, from outside the castle to in, has one CI agent that speaks a code-phrase to insure that each pair of guards isn't compromised." He turned and Ridge almost lost him as he sped up.
"Each CI agent makes their own phrase and goes incognito when in the palace. Agent Gunther, who was assigned today, didn't give his signal. You know what that means?" Bluff looked back at her as he power-walked out of the gate.
"...it means he got replaced. There's a hostile near the Princess! We need to alert the guards!" Ridge started to rush forward, but was held back by Bluff
"Hold it! Yes, normally we would alert the guards. But if they replaced one, we don't know how many more are in the guard itself, not to mention they might make it a hostage situation. We could get killed! We need to get an outside source, someone with enough power and pull to get in there without alerting the enemy until it's too late" Bluff explained.
"But the Princess is in danger! You'd have to get someone here now! The only person who could do that would be Sonic the Hedgehog!" Agent Ridge was starting to panic
Agent Bluff pulled out his phone calmly and Agent Ridge almost batted it out of his hands "And what are you doing now, getting lunch!?" She yelled
Agent Bluff held up a finger, asking her for a moment.
A voice came over the line.
Agent Bluff "Hello is this Sonic?, I'd like to get two chili dogs without the chili"
A muffled reply that sounded vaguely sarcastic
"Yes but can you do it?"
A short affirmative sound came from the phone.
Agent Bluff visibly relaxed. "Sonic. We have a problem. Security's breached and Sally might be in danger. Meet me by security, I don't think they'll let you pass."
A moment of silence came from the phone before a curt response was heard.
"No, there's no time. Send a message if you wish but you need to be here now."
"Ok." Agent Bluff ended the call and looked back at Agent Ridge.
She looked at him with wide eyes before whispering
"Y-you just... And that was..."
"Yep." Agent Bluff smiled. "Perks of being a co-worker."
Agent Ridge's eyes rolled a little as she swooned and fainted.
Agent Bluff picked up his young partner, throwing her over his shoulder, and shook his head as he walked back inside the castle.
"Rookies. Happens every time."