Chapter 108: Secret Service - Part 2

Last time on Sonic the Hedgehog, Eggman's base had been found and plans to infiltrate it were underway. Max enlists the help of the Secret Service, the Queens of Silence, in order to help take down the base. The Queens are ready, but are they ready for what waits beyond the walls of the Eggman Base...?

Starring:

Nicole the Lynx - Queen of Heart
Thread the Arachne - Queen of Diamond
Cassia and Clove the Pronghorns - Queens of Spade
Alicia Acorn - Queen of Club
Metal Sonic - Sonic Robot Copy

Eggman Base; Outer Walls

*Outside the walls of the base, the nighttime shadows washed over the facility, with not even the moon in sight. Perfect for the Queens to use stealth to their advantage. An Egg Pawn is on patrol with a flashlight, keeping an eye out for any intruders that may breach the wall. A stab from above put a quick and silent end to the robot as Clove jumped into hiding, taking the downed robot with her. Nicole landed in the same spot and was quick to join Clove. Through silent instruction, the duo raced over to the main gates, guarded by two golden Egg Knights. Nicole's eyes glowed before using a form of techno-telepathy to hack into the two Knights. Their eyes changed from red to blue to indicate the hacking was successful and opened the gates for the remainder of the Queens. An Egg Hammer approached the two Egg Knights, noticing the gate wide open; the duo of Knights just shrugged. The group head into a break room while it is vacant.*

Nicole: "We're in, Rotor. So far so good."

Rotor: "Good work, girls! Though don't get too comfy. The hard part is yet to come..."

Thread: "It's never easy. Something I do prefer."

Rotor: "Everyone know what to do, right?"

Alicia: "Phase 1: Enter the Base proper, preferably without drawing attention. Phase 2: Place the explosives on the core of the base and set the timer. Phase 3: Get out before the timer goes off."

Rotor: "Right. I'll be monitoring everything from here, but be careful. Last thing we need is Eggman knowing we were here..."

Cassia: "Then let's go!"

*The other Queens grab and force Cassia down quickly as a patrolling Egg Pawn turns to the scream, only a bit confused before continuing on. Once the coast was clear, the group stood back up.*

Cassia: "S-Sorry..."

Thread: "Alright. Heart and I will cover the south side of the base and head to the core. Spades and Club? You'll be covering the north and heading to the mech storage facility?"

Cassia: "Huh? But why?"

Clove: "Obviously its to weaken Eggman further by taking away his toys. He'll be delayed, allowing the Kingdom of Acorn to storm in and attack unopposed."

Thread: "Exactly. Heart will be able to hack into the mainframe and shut down security. The only real threat... Is Eggman's personal pet..."

Eggman Base; Interior Halls

*Metal Sonic was walking down the hall, keeping vigil for any sign of intruders. All the while, he begins to ponder a few things. Namely, his limits; he saw the battle between Sonic and Mogul and came to realize... That power is far more than any calculations could see coming. During breaks, he has tried to break past his own limits...but so far, he has not succeeded in that. Stopping, he begins to feel infuriated by that limitation, even intimidated a bit by Sonic's power before just clenching a claw.*

Metal Sonic: "I am the one true Sonic the Hedgehog. I will prove that one day. I will destroy him... Regardless of his power. Dr. Eggman and the entire world will know me...as the one true Sonic."

*With this declaration, Metal continues his patrol, heading to the north section of the facility to check on Egg mech development.*

Eggman Base; South Side

*Within a weapon's manufacturing facility, a vent is kicked down. Thread and Nicole descend down and look around. Nicole shakes her head, allowing them to move into the halls.*

Nicole: "So Diamond... Why separate our forces? Would it not be strategically sound to keep ourselves together?"

Thread: "It would, Heart. But we've got to destroy Eggman's mechs too. If those mechs are allowed to stay intact, then Eggman would still have a lot of power to use for any defensive measure. Our purpose is to make sure even those weakling soldiers Max has can actually fight and not twiddle their thumbs expecting the Freedom Fighters to save their butts."

Nicole: "That's...a very harsh way of looking at it... But not untrue..."

Thread: "Sorry if you think that way. But considering how much work the Freedom Fighters do on a day to day basis fighting Eggman, and especially with what happened to Albion..."

*Nicole stops, prompting Thread to stop as well.*

Nicole: "...Thread. May I ask a question..."

Thread: "Make it quick."

Nicole: "Why didn't you...go help Albion too? You were aware of what was going on...weren't you?"

Thread: "...Nicole. Consider this... Would I have been welcomed there if I did go? Would they have listened? I am a wanted criminal over there. I attacked their home and threatened them with the idea of roboticizing them. Even if I did join Manik in his mad dash there, the result would not have changed."

Nicole: "...Thread..."

Thread: "I do not seek redemption for my actions. Nor forgiveness... I am well aware of what I did. I walk my path without regrets. I just hope you and the others do not get on my bad side..."

Nicole: "...I won't. We're all in this together..."

*The two look on before getting back at the task at hand, walking along the halls towards the core.*

Eggman Base; North Side

*In the north side of the base, Cassia, Clove, and Alicia snuck through the vents towards the mech storage facility. The trio reach a dead end in the vents, forcing them to kick off the exit vent and come out into the halls.*

Alicia: "Keep close, you two. We're spread thin so if we get spotted..."

Clove: "We get it. Cassia?"

*The two hear chewing, causing them to turn to see Cassia eating a sweet bun.*

Cassia: "...What? I was hungry."

Clove: "You really could not wait until after we were gone to eat?"

Cassia: "No... ...Maybe..."

*Alicia spots Metal Sonic, forcing her to move the girls out of sight.*

Cassia: "Uh oh..."

Alicia: "What?"

Cassia: "I...dropped my wrapper..."

*It was too late. Metal Sonic walked into view and predictably saw the wrapper.*

Metal Sonic: "Foreign object found. Scanning it. Traces of Mobian Pronghorn prints on it. Sounding alarms."

*Alarms began to blar out as a facility lockdown was initiated. Doors slam shut as the rooms become tinted a deep shade of red. Metal turns toward the trio, blasting their hiding spot with a chest blast.*

Metal Sonic: "You cannot run. And you cannot hide. Your only option... is termination."

Cassia: "...I don't like that option... Can we get an Option D?"

Metal Sonic: "Affirmative. Accepting Option D... for Die!"

*Metal Sonic rushes at the trio as Clove and Alicia get their weapons out.*

Eggman Base; South Side

*Nicole and Thread are running through the halls, tearing down incoming robots that try to block them as they ran.*

Thread: "We've been compromised, Rotor! Where is Team B!?"

Rotor: "Better question is... Why did you separate!? That was not part of the plan!"

Thread: "Well excuse me if I was trying to be efficient!"

Nicole: "Guys! Stop arguing!"

*Nicole blocks gun fire from an Egg Pawn as an Egg Knight rushes in with a lance.*

Nicole: "We need to leave!"

Thread: "But the mission...!"

Rotor: "Forget the mission! You five need to regroup and get out of there!"

Thread: "Tch..."

*Nicole looks over to Thread before seeing an Egg Hammer approach. She begins to think before attempting to hack the Hammer.*

Thread: "Nicole! What are you-!?"

Nicole: "Cover me!"

*Thread looks at the lynx before creating string traps to keep the robots at bay, the robots running at the strings getting sliced up and littering the halls. The Egg Hammer then approaches her, startling the spider...before smashing its hammer onto the wall, breaking it open.*

Nicole: "If our cover is blown... Then we'll just have to do things the old fashioned way."

*Thread looks at Nicole before nodding. The two then jump through the hole and make their way towards the core.*

Eggman Base; Core

*Once at the base's core, the two could feel the immense heat radiating from the machine. Though both being mostly robotic, they weren't as affected by it as actual Mobians.*

Nicole: "This level of heat would be harmful to normal Mobians. I measure it to be...around 120 degrees at least."

Thread: "Then good thing we're not normal."

*Thread pulls out a few bombs and gets ready to toss them before she's kicked in the face by a red, white, and black shoe. Looking up from what hit her, she and Nicole see... Many Shadows confront them.*

Thread: "...Oh no... Shadow Androids..."

Nicole: "...A lot of them too..."

*Thread stands up as Nicole gets into a fighting stance.*

Thread: "...So how long till the heat becomes unbearable for all of us?"

Nicole: "Estimating...twenty minutes..."

Thread: "...Great..."

Eggman Base; North Side

*Back with Team B, Cassia is tossed to the side by Metal Sonic as he had Alicia's axe in his other hand, stopping it dead in its tracks from slicing through him before he jumped back from a slice from Clove. He charges up a Lightspeed Attack before launching at the Pronghorn, slamming her into the wall.*

Clove: "Gak!"

*She starts to cough out before Metal grabs her by the throat.*

Cassia: "Leave my sister alone!"

*Cassia runs in and slams her tonfas on Metal's head, sending immense pressure onto it. Clove is freed and Metal is left with a dent on his head. The angered robot launches at Cassia, but is stopped by Alicia.*

Alicia: "Get going you two!"

Cassia: "What!? But you can't fight that monster alone!"

Alicia: "That's a direct order from the Queen! Get. Going!"

Clove: "...You heard her, Cassia!"

*Clove runs up to the blockade and cuts it wide open for the duo to leave.*

Cassia: "But... We're supposed to do this together..."

*Cassia is dragged out by Clove, leaving Alicia to fight Metal alone as she tries to slam her axe on him.*

Metal Sonic: "Trying to destroy someone like me while using a heavy weapon like that is a poor choice. I emulate Sonic's speed perfectly, meaning I can just side step your blade."

*Alicia continues swinging her blade, but then Metal smashes the energy blade projectors to pieces then slamming her with a Homing Attack.*

Metal Sonic: "And your attempt to just distract me has failed."

Alicia: "Maybe... But I don't come unprepared..."

*She pulls out a set bomb and it clocking down from 5 seconds. Metal is shocked by this and as he was readying himself to destroy it and kill Alicia, Cassia came back and tackled Alicia out of harm's way. The bomb blew up, pushing both Alicia and Cassia to the wall, heavily injured, all while Metal takes the full brunt of the blast.*

Alicia: "...Ugh... C-Cassia?"

Cassia: "Ow...my everything..."

*Alicia looked at Cassia, seeing they both are injured.*

Alicia: "...You disobeyed a direct order..."

Cassia: "I came back to help you..."

Alicia: "...Heh... You remind me of Sally... Always a brash type when she was younger... But look at her now... A proud leader and a savior to Mobius..."

*Cassia turns to Alicia, who is seen smiling. Cassia smiles too before a noise startles them both. Crawling out of the smoke, a heavily damaged Metal Sonic crawls toward them, his legs and left arm blown completely off.*

Metal Sonic: "Destroy... Maim... Kill... Destroy... Maim... Kill... De...st...roy... Ma...im... Ki..."

*Metal Sonic shuts down, unable to truly carry out his priority. The duo just sigh in exhaustion.*

Alicia: "...Maybe I should have stayed home..."

Eggman Base; Core

*Back in the core, Thread and Nicole were holding off the Shadow Androids, avoiding missile fire from some of the droids while Nicole generated a barrier for the bullet carrying androids.*

Nicole: "Thread! Can you limit their movement with your webs!?"

Thread: "I would...if I could make webs in a fiery burning hell like this!"

*Thread's left second arm is grabbed by one of the Androids and ripped right off, causing immense pain to the Arachne. Thread is quick to retaliate by slashing at the robot and sending his pieces flying to one of the rocket wielders.*

Nicole: "Thread!?"

Thread: "I'm fine! I can fight through the pain!"

Nicole: "We need a plan, quick!"

Thread: "Now you tell m-"

*Thread is hit by a rocket, causing her to fly at the core. She is then slammed into it by another Android, causing her to scream in pain as she back is melted onto the hot core.*

Nicole: "THREAD!"

*The distracted lynx is pinned down by a Shadow Android from above, breaking her barrier and slamming her face to the floor. A laser is brought to her head, charging up to execute her. She watches as Thread struggles against the Android pinning her to the core.*

Nicole: 'Thread... No... I said... We were in this together... I can't fail... I won't fail! Please... Please... PLEASE!'

*Nicole's body began to glow brightly, blinding the Shadow Androids, and especially the one pinning her down, forcing him back. Within a split second, that android is split into two, with the one pinning Thread joining him. Thread is caught by a glowing Nicole, the robo-lynx having accessed her Overclocked form.*

Nicole: "Playtime is OVER! Now I'm really angry!"

*Nicole laid Thread down before charging at the Shadow Androids. A few rockets were launched at her but she is quick to catch them and send them back to their senders, destroying them. A few Androids tried to punch and kick her, but her faster movements made her dodge with ease. She quickly blasted the androids through their chests before firing off a laser beam to slice at the rest of them, clearing the area. Her Overclock form disappears, rendering her heavily weakened and tired. Before she could fall down though, she is caught by Thread.*

Thread: "...You did good..."

*Thread wasn't feeling much better, but she did at least toss the bombs at the core before setting a timer of one to twenty minutes.*

Thread: "This is...Thread... Me and Heart have sustained heavy damage... Requesting...assistance..."

Alicia: "How unfortunate... Spade B and I didn't fair much better..."

Clove: "Spade A here. The bombs on the mechs have been placed... Rotor? Do you read? ...Rotor?"

Thread: "...Huh... I feel a little sad... Our first real mission together and we all might die together... Pathetic, isn't it?"

Alicia: "Accepting defeat already, Thread?"

Cassia: "How uncharacteristic of you!"

Thread: "I'm just being a realist... I've been betrayed by so many... My family... A dictator... Even minor groups I've worked for money... Betrayal has greeted me with a...bitter life... One where I can never trust anyone..."

Clove: "...I feel the same... Me and Cassia lost our homes... And I was desperate enough to join Eggman to help my sister... I'd die a thousand deaths to save her... A million more to see her live on..."

Cassia: "But I'm too stubborn to let her do that. If she dies, I die too... I've accepted that... Way long ago..."

Nicole: "...I...didn't fully grasp...what it meant...to be a Mobian... I had friends... I had S...ally... This...is the f...irst I ha...ve truly...grasped that...know...ledge..."

Alicia: "...I hold no regrets. I raised my daughter well... I fought for my kingdom and led the people in my husband's absence... All and all... I say I lived a pretty fulfilling life..."

Thread: "...Tch... Maybe... Ah, nevermind... Five more minutes...and it all won't matter..."

*An explosion in the ceiling catches Thread's attention as a robot arm extends and pulls her and Nicole out of the core. Carrying them was none other than...Bunnie Rabbot.*

Bunnie: "Howdy, pardners! Hopa ya don' mind me yankin' outta there."

Thread: "You...?"

Nicole: "...Bun...nie..."

Bunnie: "Ah jeez, Nicole! You're lookin' worse than mah uncle before his cup o' Joe. Rotor! Ya hear!?"

Rotor: "I hear you! You got 'em!?"

Bunnie: "Yup! And my hubby and his squad's got Team B handled!"

Eggman Base; North Side

*Alicia, Cassia, and Clove all get greeted by a bunch of explosions outside of the hall they were trapped in as the exit is blown wide open. Antoine, leading a large squad of the Acorn Military, ran in.*

Antoine: "Diz iz a direct ordar! Get zee queen and her comrades out 'ere immediately! Do not delay!"

*The soldiers immediately charge in and pick up Alicia and the Pronghorns, leaving the site as soon as they could.*

Alicia: "C-Commander D'Coolette?"

Antoine: "Rotor had called for zee reinforcementz. Me and Bunnie answered readily. Now let us retreat before we are caught in zee fireworks!"

Eggman Base; Outer Walls

*Due to the lockdown from earlier, the reinforcements were able to blindside the Eggman forces and blast their way inside without too much issue. As they were leaving, however, the Egg robots were on full alert, leading to a war zone as they tried to open fire onto the intruders. Thanks to Antoine's quick thinking though, they sustained minor injuries at best as the critically injured were escorted off the premises. And just in time before the bombs exploded, taking a great chunk of the Eggman Base with them.*

A Few Miles Away From The Eggman Base

*Rotor watching from his binoculars, King Max sitting on a log seat nearby, hoping his wife and his Secret Service were okay.*

Rotor: "...Ah! Here they come! They're all okay!"

*Max looks over, letting out a gentle smile before rubbing away tear falling down his cheek. Antoine and Bunnie reconvene with the two, carrying their appropriate members of the Secret Service with them.*

Max: "Alicia... Everyone... You're all okay..."

Alicia: "Ehehe... Hi, Maxie..."

Rotor: "If I may speak out of line for a moment... You all were so stupid! I told you to pull out but you decided to pull a stunt like that and nearly killed yourselves!"

*The group just looked away, a bit guilty over their decision.*

Rotor: "But... It did work out though. I'm mad... But I'm also happy to see everyone okay..."

Max: "Ahem... Yes. Well... With Eggman's base severely crippled, he won't be able to recover as quickly. Meaning, we have time to plan our next move. Secret Service... You are given the chance to rest. Leave everything to my army until you are needed. Rotor?"

Rotor: "Repairs to Nicole and Thread'll be carried out immediately. And...um... Bunnie? Antoine?"

Bunnie: "Howdy, Rotor. Been a while, uh?"

*The trio look at each other, a bit of an awkward air about them. Something that prompted Max and the guards to just carry the injured out of the scene and back to the kingdom.*

Rotor: "...Look... Sorry I contacted you right out of the blue like that... And for leaving the Freedom Fighters... I just...couldn't stay..."

Antoine: "Eet iz fine, Rotor. You found a better calling and zat iz no crime."

Bunnie: "What he said. Ya did what ya had to. Just... Try an' stay in contact wit' us, will ya? Yer still a Freedom Fighter to us..."

*Rotor looks at both Bunnie and Antoine before smiling and hugging the two. After a heartfelt though brief reunion, they parted ways again, Rotor returning to the Secret Services' side to help get them back on their feet. Bunnie and Antoine return back to Knothole, eager to get back to bed.*

Destroyed Eggman Base

*Once the fires and destruction had died down, a pair of Eggman-like shoes walked onto the scene. But rather than belong to someone of an egg-like shape, these shoes belonged to someone more...feminine. A feminine tone soon spoke after gloved hands lifted up what was left of Metal Sonic.*

Female Voice: "...This is was really your best, Ivo? Hmph. Talk about embarrassing..."

Eggman: "Metal Sonic! Do you read me!? What is going on over there!? Why did I lose contact with my base!? And on my vacation!?"

*The gloved hands drop Metal Sonic's remains before the figure moved to the still intact monitor room, now running on generator power. The figure walks to the front of the monitor, shocking Eggman on-screen.*

Eggman: "Wait. You're not Metal Sonic... Who are you!? What are you doing in my base!?"

Female Voice: "Your base is gone, Ivo. Destroyed due to the incompetence of your flawed designs. An embarrassment to the name of Robotnik."

*The gloved hand moves to readjust the glasses on her face, a glare hiding her eyes.*

Female Voice: "And... I'm a little hurt, Ivo. You truly don't recognize...your older sister?"

Eggman: "...Nooo... Not you... Anyone but you! ...Jenni Robotnik..."

To be continued...

Author notes:

For those asking... Jenni Robotnik is based on the 'Eggma'am' meme, or the 'What if Eggman was a chick' meme. I didn't want to necessarily use Egglette/Omelette since they way she would have been implemented would have been too similar to Sonic Legacy's version of the character. So I went with this. Hope this clears up any confusion. More to come from this surprise new character in future chapters.