A/N: Just in case you fast-forwarded to this chapter, this is a story inspired by too much Tom Clancy stuff. The plot so far is that Dr. Robotnik has emerged, and an elite squad of his E-Series bots has captured both the Russian FSB (Federal Security Bureau) Head, and the U.S. Secretary of Defense. Now, in Miami, Sonic with Amy, Tails, and Knuckles, after hearing the latest news, are sick of being on the sideline, and decide to go to D.C. and meet up with Rouge to get more information on the situation.
Disclaimer: I don't own shit. Ludacris owns "Cold Outside"
Washington D.C., U.S.A. Rouge's apartment. January 25, 2003. 7:52 A.M. EDT.
As per her daily routine, Rouge checked her e-mail before she went to work. Seeing a message from one commanche_156 didn't really surprise her. It was the message in the body that shocked her. "What the hell?! They're coming here?!" They were probably already airborne, and somewhere over North Carolina by now. Damn! How was she going to explain being late for work? "The agency will understand, right? I mean, I did help save the world, right?" After some more mental deliberation, she summed up her choice in two words. "Fuck it."
Washington D.C., U.S.A. 15,000 feet up. Delta Airlines Flight 102, on approach. January 25, 2003. 9:08 A.M. EDT.
"Great, snow." Tails mumbled from his window seat. Sonic said it would be cold in D.C., but he didn't expect this.
The intercom clicked on. "This is your captain speaking. We are now on approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The temperature on the ground is a very brisk 12 degrees. I hope you all packed warm." That got some collective moans and some "Goddamn"s from the cabin. "As we are on approach, I would ask everyone to please put their seats upright and their tray tables to their upright and locked position. Thank you for flying with Delta Airlines."
"My butt hurts." Sonic complained from his aisle seat, trying to lift his butt out of his seat to alleviate the discomfort. It had been a long three-hour flight in coach. Amy, who sat between Tails and Sonic, was the only one who got some sleep. Knuckles, who sat on the other side of the aisle, was on alert for the worst-case scenario, which didn't help Sonic keep his nerves. Tails just looked out the window the entire flight.
Suddenly, the plane seemed to hit a bump. That startled Amy out of her sleep. "What was that?" She asked, a little weary.
"Relax, that was just the airbrakes." Tails explained. "We're on approach by the way, so stay up."
Washington D.C., U.S.A. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Gate C. January 25, 2003. 9:12 A.M. EDT.
"It's about time we're on the ground." Knuckles muttered, stretching. He hated flying on planes; too many variables.
"There's no use being afraid. When your number's up, it's up." Sonic said.
Knuckles glared. "Who said anything about being afraid?! I was just saying—"
"Forget it. Let's go find Rouge."
They had changed into their winter gear in Miami. Sonic wearing black jeans, and a FUBU sweater under a black leather overcoat. Tails wearing blue breakaways, and a gray sweater under a Miami Dolphins coat. Knuckles wore blue jeans, and a Puma sweatshirt over a trench coat. And Amy wearing jeans, and a turtleneck over a fur-lined coat. Since they all came from sunny Miami, they felt very weird in these heavy clothes.
Knuckles got one good look out the window. Damn, it's looks cold outside. He started to break into song. "There ain't no one to trust but me, I gotta make sure that I take care of my family, and there ain't no choices 'cause it's cold outside. It's cold outside! And to…"
Sonic clucked his tongue. "He would start singing 'Cold Outside.'"
"Hey guys!"
The four froze. Knuckles stopped singing. That sounded like…
"Over here!" The gang looked over some decorative plants to see Rouge, with a denim coat over her regular gear, waving at them. Sonic and company strode over to her.
"I didn't think you'd get our e-mail." Sonic commented.
Rouge chuckled. "Have you no faith in your own government?" She then got a good look at all of them, and frowned. "What happened to you guys? None of you got any sleep last night?" All four had bloodshot eyes, bags under them, and whatnot. "What were you doing?"
"Doing your job!" Knuckles growled. "Gathering intelligence."
Sonic nodded. "From our last chat, to the wee hours of the morning, through sun-up, we've been watching nothing but CNN!"
"Do you know how sleep-depraved that would make anyone?" Knuckles rubbed his eyes.
Rouge giggled, and reached to ruffle Knuckles dreadlocks playfully. "Aww, poor baby." Knuckles blushed, and pulled away. "Well, since I'm feeling sorry for you all, how about I treat you to Starbucks?"
Everyone brightened up at the first thought of Starbucks. "Bet!" Sonic answered.
They sat at a quiet corner table, for security reasons, eating bagels, and drinking Starbucks. "So, Sonic," Rouge said. "What is so important, you all had to catch a redeye flight to D.C.?"
Sonic spread some cream cheese on his cinnamon raisin bagel. "Since you're in the Agency, you should know about the failed Spetsnaz rescue attempt, right?"
She nodded. "Yep. It was on the radio on my way here."
"Now, if I'm right, since one of our people is being held captive, our government had to O.K. the attempt by the Russians, right?"
"Yeah. That makes sense." Rouge commented, taking a sip of coffee.
"Which means the U.S. has already responded." Knuckles finished. "Although indirectly."
"Maybe Eggman's forces were still in Russia?" Amy queried. "Maybe that's why we couldn't send our forces."
"But there's one thing that's got me worried," Sonic paused to chew the rest of his bagel and swallow. "Spetsnaz troops are supposed to be one of the most feared in the world. How could they fail?"
Rouge shrugged. "More like they were ordered to abort for some reason, and they said the mission failed to cover up."
"But, that's not the reason we're here." Sonic said, steering the conversation back on his plotted course. "I need you to do us a favor." When Rouge nodded, Sonic continued. "Arrange us a meeting with the President."
Rouge nearly abandoned their hushed speaking. "The President?!" She hissed, incredulous, then calmed down. "I don't think I can promise that."
"What the hell?!" Knuckles cut in. "You're the one who told me you had a direct line of communication with the President while we were being chased through San Francisco!"
"That was just one mission!" Rouge countered. "Coming back to your question, Sonic, I can't guarantee a meeting, but I can tell you where he is."
"Where?"
"The Pentagon. Keep in mind that the guards won't let just anyone in, but they should make an exception with you guys."
"Then, let's get on our way, then."
Washington D.C., U.S.A. Pentagon. January 25, 2003. 10:22 A.M. EDT.
After passing through a military checkpoint and a metal detector, Rouge led Sonic and Gang inside the Pentagon. They were now talking with the receptionist. "Listen, it's kinda important that we speak with the President, now!" Rouge demanded.
The receptionist, who was a female squirrel military MP, insisted. "I understand, Agent Rouge. But, the President is in a very important meeting."
"With who?"
The receptionist looked at the schedule on her desk. "Vice Admiral—"
"Is there something wrong, Agent Rouge?"
Rouge turned to the left, and gasped. Surrounded by four black suit clad Secret Service Agents, was the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Armed Forces; the President. "Mr. President. I thought you were in a—"
"Yes, I was in a meeting. It was quicker than I expected."
"Well, since you have a little free time, I'd like a word with you, sir." Sonic requested. "Alone." He turned to the rest of his comrades and gave them a reassuring nod.
"Okay. Very well, then."
Washington D.C., U.S.A. Pentagon, Conference Room J. January 25, 2003. 10:31 A.M. EDT.
"Okay, Mr. President." Sonic sighed, pacing back and forth the room, as if interrogating a prisoner. "Aside from the stuff I heard off of CNN, what's the situation?"
"As in…" The President led.
"As in why haven't we gone in to get our people back?"
"For intelligence reasons, Mr. Hedgehog. We want to see what Dr. Robotnik wants to accomplish."
Bullshit, Sonic thought. "Intelligence? Well, maybe Eggman's aim in capturing the two defense heads was to torture information out of them, like defense spendings, troop and fleet movements, and…"
"And, if we act too fast, Robotnik might panic, and decide to retaliate. His egg carriers are nuke-capable."
Sonic discovered that in a recon mission for the CIA a few months ago. He didn't even think the President himself knew about the mission. "Well, he may just fire a nuke anyway. Why not do preemptive strikes? And what happened to all that bullshit you were spouting about preemptive strikes a few months ago?!"
The Secret Service Agents, who were in the room, made a move towards the hedgehog, but the President waved them back. "Yes, I haven't forgotten that. But, you have to realize that Robotnik's forces are not like any of the other regimes that are hostile to us. He is far stronger than any of them, and fighting his forces will take most, if not all of our military assets, and years to win, not just months. The American people probably will not support that broad of a war, not unless provoked. We should be able to work this out diplomatically."
"You're using containment policies against Eggman?!" Sonic erupted angrily, using a chair as a stepping stool. "We did the same goddamn thing to Saddam for twelve years, and look where we are now! Back to the brink of another Gulf War! And you forgot that Russia has a stake in this too, didn't you?"
"We have to use a policy of containment!" The President snapped. "Do you know what could have happened if the Cold War had erupted? Nuclear proliferation on a very large scale. It could have destroyed this very planet!" The President took some deep breaths to calm down. "Look. I don't like it any more than you, but we have to err on the side of caution. This isn't like fighting a ragtag band of terrorists. Dr. Robotnik is a well-armed enemy. We cannot act yet. Any who do will be insubordinate, and will be dealt with as such."
"Goddamn." Sonic breathed. After he too calmed down, he spoke again. "And what of Russia?" Sonic asked.
"No word on a second strike."
"Eggman hasn't made any demands yet?"
"None." The President answered.
Sonic sighed in defeat. "Okay. That's all. We'll take our leave."
"That sounded serious." Amy murmured. "What could they be talking about?"
Sonic emerged from the room, looking dejected, slamming the door behind him. "Goddamn!" He cursed under his breath.
"Whoa, Sonic. What's wrong?" Amy asked, coming up to him, only to get gently, but firmly pushed away as he walked past.
"Hey, Sonic?" Rouge called.
"What happened?" Tails asked. Sonic just kept walking. It wasn't until Knuckles got in his way when Sonic finally addressed the group.
"We're on our own." He said simply.
"What? What do you mean?" Amy asked.
"It means we don't have government backing. Let's go back to 'The Strip.' We'll figure something out there."
"Okay, I'm going with you guys." Rouge said.
As soon as they exited the Pentagon, six men, three anthropod dogs, and three humans, clad in black suits, approached them. Then another, a bloodhound in an identical suit stepped through.
"B-boss?!" Rouge gasped.
"Sonic the Hedgehog?" 'Boss' queried.
Sonic stepped forward, tentatively. "That'll be me."
'Boss' presented a badge. "Staff Operations Officer Scott Dowell, CIA. Come with us."
Whoa! Why was the CIA doing trailing the group? And what do they want with them? To find out, keep a look out for the next chapter, coming out in a day or two. Peace!