Chapter 3 – Misplaced Trust

Tails couldn't sleep. He lay awake in bed staring at the ceiling. Amy was lying next to him with an arm around his middle. He kept mulling the thought around his head. He shook his head and sighed.

"It's no good." he said to himself.

He glanced over at Amy and blinked. He slowly removed her arm from his middle and slipped slowly out of the bed. He put his gillet and hat back on and slipped his shoes on. Tails walked over to the door and left the room quietly. He walked along the darkened palace corridors. He didn't know where he was going. He just needed a walk. He closed his eyes and continued to think. He opened them again to find himself standing at the entrance to the medical ward.

"Of all the places my feet could bring me." sighed Tails as he walked in.

Tails walked into the ward and stood for a minute looking at his counterpart. Slowly he walked over and sat down next to him.

"I really wish I knew what was going on?" he said to himself, "Where did you come from?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." said the fox suddenly springing up and pinning Tails to the floor.

Tails was so surprised by this he wasn't ready for it. He struggled under his counterparts grip.

"No use struggling Tails. I'm stronger than you." said the fox.

"What? Who are you? What are you doing?" said Tails choking slightly.

"I am you. Sonic said so himself didn't he? And what I'm doing is just the beginning!"

The fox suddenly swung Tails' head sideways banging it hard off the corner of a small cabinet. Tails' struggling suddenly stopped. His counterpart got up and laughed quietly.

"That was too easy. Now for the next step."

He removed Tails' shoes, gillet and hat and put them on himself. He picked up Tails' body and dumped it in the bed.

"That will do for now." he said as he walked out of the ward.

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Amy groaned slightly and stretched. She slowly opened her eyes and focuses them. She rolled over and found Tails snoring next to her. She tapped him gently on the shoulder a few times and he eventually woke up.

"Morning honey." she said and kissed him on the cheek.

Tails rolled over and looked at her.

"Morning Amy." he said sleepily.

"Tails? What wrong?"

"Nothing. Why?"

"You normally hate waking up."

"Huh? What ya gonna do?"

Amy smiled at him and rolled over. She pulled herself out of bed and slipped a dressing gown Sally had lent her on. Tails got out of bed and headed for the shower. He turned the water on and stepped in. His eyes narrowed.

"That was close. Never mind though. She still believes and that is good enough."

"Tails? You say something?" came Amy's voice.

"Oh nothing Amy." he said.

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Miles was out of bed and leaping around the room as Alicia finally woke up.

"Must you do that every morning?" she said groggily.

Miles just turned around and smiled broadly at her.

"Sorry sis." he said.

"Go outside." his sister groaned as she collapsed back into the bed.

Miles rolled his eyes and walked out of the room. He didn't have any knowledge of the recent event with Tails as he made his way down the corridor. A door opened in front of him and Tails walked out.

"Hey Tails!" cried Miles.

Tails turned slowly and looked at the hedgehog.

"Hey there Miles. What you up to?" he asked.

"Nothing much. I just woke my sister up again."

"That's not very nice Miles." said Tails with a hint of laughter.

Miles just grinned at him.

"I'm going to grab some breakfast. Wanna come with?" asked Tails.

"Sure." said Miles as he followed Tails down the hall.

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Sonic slipped on his cloak scratched his head.

"Oh boy!" he said, "I wonder if that other Tails has come round yet?"

"If he has maybe he can tell us what going on." said Sally emerging from the bathroom with a large towel wrapped around her head.

Sonic nodded.

"I can't imagine how this is affecting Tails!"

"He'll manage. He's very strong."

"I suppose so Sally."

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Tails sat down next to Miles in the main dining hall. There wasn't anyone else there yet. This is playing right into my hands thought Tails to himself. Why not start small.

"Say Miles." he said, "Do you fancy a trip to the Aquatic Ruins? I've been planning on going for a while now but couldn't find anyone to go with."

Mils looked up from his breakfast beaming.

"Wow you mean it?" he asked.

"Sure do. I've checked it with Sonic and he says it's fine if you want to go."

"Wow thanks Tails!"

No thank you little one thought Tails. Thank you.

"Hey there sugah fox!" came a cheerful cry.

Tails and Miles turned to see Bunnie walking into the room.

"Hi Bunnie. What you up to?" asked Tails.

"Nothing much sugah. And you?"

"Where going to the Aquatic Ruins!" cried Miles excitedly.

"Oh really." said Bunnie looking at Tails with a smile.

"Wanna come with?" said Tails awkwardly.

"Well wha not. I'm not doing anything else." said Bunnie sitting down.

Tails smiled. This was getting better all the time.

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Sonic walked into the medical ward with Sally in tow. Charles was already there checking on things.

"Hi unc. How's he doing?" said Sonic.

"Oh hi Soni-boy. He's doing a bit better this morning. The doctors say they haven't seen such a quick improvement before."

"Wow that good huh?" said Sally.

"So how long until he comes round?" asked Sonic.

"Not too long now. A couple of hours, maybe half a day." replied his uncle.

"That's excellent. I want everyone here when he comes round. Especially Tails." said Sonic.

"That's a point. Has anyone seen Tails this morning?" asked Sally.

"Amy probably has. We should ask her." said Sonic.

Sonic and Sally turned and walked out of the ward. Almost immediately they bumped into Amy who came flying down the stairs on the handrail. Sonic leaped to the side as Amy flew past him and landed a few feet away.

"AMY! Will you stop using the handrails as grinding rails?!" cried Sonic.

"Sorry. I was in a rush. Have any of you seen Tails lately?" said Amy.

"You mean you haven't seen him?" asked Sally.

"Well I did this morning but he's vanished."

"Hmm…wonder where he went?" said Sonic.

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"Yo Tails this is cool!" cried Miles.

"Glad you like it." replied Tails.

"Can't say the same here suagah!" cried Bunnie.

Tails was flying over the Great Forest holding Bunnie and Miles by the arm. Bunnie had never like travelling like this.

After a while longer the forest started to thin out and on the horizon the Aquatic Ruins started to appear. Miles was staring around at the view. Tails slowly landed on the outskirts of the marshland and looked around.

"Well there it is Miles. The Aquatic Ruins."

"Woah. Way past cool!" coined Miles.

"You're sounding more like that sugah hog ever day." said Bunnie.

"Come on lets go have a look round." said Tails.

Tails led Miles and Bunnie into the marsh. Bunnie had a strange feeling Tails was purposely going somewhere but what was out here in a marsh? Suddenly she saw it. A large black object stuck out of the ground. It was half buried in the marsh and looked like it had impacted the surface with quite some force.

"If ah didn't know better. I'd say that was the space station from last year." said Bunnie with a shudder.

"Come on. Let's go see." said Tails curiously.

There was a large open door on one side of the slab and Tails slowly led Bunnie and Miles inside. Miles was a bit nervous but Bunnie was comforting him. As Bunnie cleared the doorway it suddenly slammed shut. She spun letting go of Miles and banging her fists on the door.

"Tails what do we do?" she said turning back.

"You do nothing." came the reply.

"Tails?" said Bunnie, a bit of nerves entering her voice.

"Ha. Wrong person." said the fox.

Miles was backing away towards a corner. Tails saw this and slammed his hand down on a control. A small gun lowered from the ceiling and fired at the hedgehog. Miles screamed and fell to the floor as he was hit.

"Why you!" cried Bunnie and leaped at Tails.

The gun pivoted and fired again. Bunnie slumped to the floor just in front of Tails. Tails laughed.

"All too easy. Now for the rest."

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The light started to brighten and Tails became aware of a hard throbbing in his head. He tried to move but couldn't. The light continued to brighten.

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"Sonic. SONIC!" yelled Sally as she flew into the bedroom.

Sonic was sitting by the window looking out over the garden. He turned as Sally skidded to a halt in the middle of the room.

"Sally. What is it?" he said getting up.

"Sonic. I just got word. That other Tails is waking up."

Sonic was already past her and out the door before she had finished saying "waking up". Sally followed him quickly and almost careered straight into Amy as she darted down the hall.

"Sorry Amy." said Sally as they jogged down the corridor after Sonic.

"Don't worry about it. We're all in a rush."

A few minutes later they entered the medical ward. Sonic and Charles were already there and a few seconds after they arrived Knuckles and Espio flew into the room. Amy looked around but there was no sign of Tails anywhere. A nurse was seeing to the fox as he rolled around moaning slightly. The nurse got up and left. The gathering waited for a few minutes and then slowly the fox's eyes fluttered slightly and one opened halfway.

"Mmmmmmmmm……my head." he manages to say rather groggily.

"So you've decided to come round?" said Sonic.

Slowly the fox looked at Sonic and opened both of his eyes.

"Sonic? What do you mean?" he said slowly.

"So there's more to you than simply looking like Tails. Who are you?!" replied the hedgehog with a stare.

"I'm Tails." said the fox.

The gathering eyed him suspiciously. Suddenly a thought struck him.

"Where is that other Tails?!" he said quickly sitting up slightly.

"None of your business!" cried Amy stepping forwards. She didn't really know herself.

"Amy! Thank god you're safe! I couldn't have barred it if he had done anything to you." said the fox.

"HOW DARE YOU!" cried Amy and launched herself towards the bed bound fox.

Knuckles caught her and pulled her back. Amy was really looking mad. Her quills stood up on end and she was breathing heavily.

"How dare you say that about my Tails! How do you know about us? Where did you come from?!"

Tails suddenly clicked on what was going on.

"He didn't?! No! You're all being deceived! I'm the real Tails. That other fox is the fake. He switched places with me and…."

"I've heard enough. Knuckles grab him." said Sonic.

Knuckles let go of Amy and stepped forwards. He grabbed Tails roughly and pushed him back against the bed.

"You're making a mistake. I'm the real Tails I tell you!" cried the fox.

Just then Charles appeared holding a needle.

"Get that away from me dammit!" cried the fox.

He struggled under Knuckles grip but to no avail. Charles stuck the needle in Tails arm and pressed a button on the end. There was a small hiss as the pressurised canister ejected its contents into the fox. Knuckles let go.

"You're……..making…………a…..mistake……" said the fox as he slipped into a deep sleep.

Sonic shook his head.

"What was all that about?!" he said.

"This is getting even stranger." said Espio.

"Who does he think he is anyway?!" said Amy angrily, "Talking about Tails like that. He hasn't even been down here. He was with me all last night and I haven't seen him this morning."

"I wonder where Tails is." said Knuckles.

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It was later in the day when an orange fox entered the palace again. He walked along the main corridor with a smile on his face. A voice made him turn.

"Tails! Where have you been?" said Amy running up to him.

"Huh? Oh, I just went for a walk. Clearing my head and all that." replied Tails.

"Well you missed a big event. That fake Tails woke up."

"REALLY?! What he say?"

"He acted as if he was you. And he said you were a fake."

"Why that little……..oooooh! If I'd been there….."

"Tails calm down. They sedated him. Maybe next time he wakes up we can get some more solid information out of him."

"Yeah I hope so."

Amy lent over and kissed Tails on the cheek.

"Come on." she said and walked off.

Tails walked on behind her with a smile. Excellent he thought. This will make my job much easier.

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"I wonder where Bunnie and Miles are." said Sally closing the double window doors on the balcony.

"Tails said they went somewhere. Slipped my mind where. Don't worry about them." replied Sonic.

Sally sighed and walked back into the room.

"You're right Sonic. I worry too much."

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Later that night Tails silently got out of bed. He walked over to the far wall and pulled a small case out from behind the wardrobe. He knelt over it and flipped the catches. It sprung over to reveal a series of different mechanical parts. Tails picked up several of them and clipped them together. After a while Tails stood up. He was holding a cylindrical object with a handle attached to one end. He pressed a small control on the side and the strip along the length of the cylinder lit up. Tails smiled.

"Now to finish the job."

He got up leaving the case open and walked out of the room. He made his way down to the medical ward. There was a royal guard on duty now in the room and a nurse was just finishing up for the night. Tails lowered the small object and pressed a control on the side. There was a quiet "thumf" and the guard suddenly dropped to the floor. The nurse spun at the sound and Tails stepped out from his cover.

"Tails?" said the nurse shocked.

"Say good bye deary." said the fox and fired again.

The nurse screamed slightly before she fell to the floor. Tails stepped over her body.

"Hmmf. How weak!"

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Amy suddenly woke from her sleep and shot upright. Sweat was pouring off her face as she looked around nervously. It was then that she noticed Tails was missing.

"Tails? TAILS? Where are you?" she said as she got out of bed and slipped on a dressing gown.

She walked over to the light switch and turned the light on. She saw the case by the wardrobe.

"No Tails! What are you doing?!" she cried as she turned and ran from the room.

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Tails finally found what he was looking for. He turned from the medical cabinet and walked back to the still unconscious fox. He lifted a small needle and plugged it into the drip attached to the fox's arm.

"You know. It's all been so easy." said Tails, "You were easy. Miles and Bunnie were easy. And soon everyone else will be just as easy. Oh well."

Tails started to depress the button on the end of the needle.

"TAILS STOP!" cried Amy as she darted into the room.

Tails spun as she entered. He raised the small gun and fired. The shot grazed her arm and knocked her over. She screamed as she fell.

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Sally shot up in bed. She listened carefully and then shook Sonic awake.

"Sonic I heard a scream from downstairs." she said quickly.

"A scream?!" said Sonic instantly awake.

"Yes." said Sally jumping out of bed, "I'm going to check it out."

"I'll come too." said Sonic slipping on his cape.

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Tails walked over to Amy and looked at her.

"Hmm…..I missed. Never mind. I'll deal with you later. I have to finish with him first."

He walked back to Tails and pressed the button on the needle. There was hiss and the needle fired. He walked back over to Amy. She was holding her arm where the shot had hit her and shivering.

"Why are you doing this Tails?" she said nervously.

"If only you knew." said Tails raising the gun again.

"Sonic in here." came Sally's voice.

Tails looked up as Sally came running into the medical ward. He quickly fired again but Sally was quick and ducked as the shot flew past her and shattered a vase. Sonic charged into the room.

"What the?" TAILS?!" he cried.

"ARGH DAMMIT!" cried the fox as he fired again.

Sonic dodged the shot and pushed a small button on his capes clasp. There was a slight hum and then the entire palace erupted with the sound of the alarm.

"ARGH!" cried Tails again as he spun and fired at the window. It shattered and he leaped out of it. Sonic rushed to the window to see Tails flying off. He spun back to the room. Sally was holding Amy. Sonic looked at the fox on the bed and noticed the needle. He looked at the label. It was marked "Maystol".

"Oh god no!" cried Sonic.

Suddenly Sonic's comm unit beeped. He unclipped it and answered.

"Yeah!" he cried frantically.

"Sonic. What's going on?" came his uncle's reply.

"Chuck get down to the medical ward now. Tails just injected the other Tails with Maystol!"

"Oh god! Be right there!"

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About an hour later Sonic was pacing up and down the main hall of the palace. Sally, Knuckles and Espio stood nearby. Just then Charles came in with Amy. Amy had a large bandage wrapped around her shoulder where Tails has shot her. Sonic stopped pacing.

"How are you feeling Amy?" he asked.

"Like I've been shot. How do you think." she replied.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. I woke up from a dream. It was really clear. It felt like someone important to me was in great danger. I noticed Tails was gone and suddenly felt the same feeling as in the dream. I found him in the medical ward and he shot me. When I asked him why he was doing this he only said "If only you knew.". One thing I do know though is that was NOT Tails!"

"Well if that wasn't Tails then…….oh god!" said Sally.

Sonic blinked.

"How is he Chuck?" he asked.

"You mean the Tails in there? He's ok. Luckily you found the needle. If no-one had found him for a few hours then he would be dead." replied Charles.

"What did he inject him with?" asked Knuckles.

"Maystol." replied Sonic, "It's a very powerful drug. In small quantities it can be used as a painkiller but in the dose Tails was using it was lethal. If we hadn't have had any Lostan in stock he would be dead right about now!"

"So he was telling the truth." said Espio.

"It looks that way." said Sonic shaking his head.

Sally suddenly screamed and everyone spun to look at her. She was shaking and staring at the floor. Sonic ran to her side and grabbed her to prevent her from falling over. She looked up and stared at him.

"Sally. What is it? What's wrong?"

"What happened to Bunnie and Miles?" she said in a whimper.

"Tails said……." began Sonic before he trailed off.

His eyes widened as he realised what Sally was getting at.

"Oh god." said Amy quietly.