INSIDE BUILDING

Kragok and the other DL echidnas walked into a room.  Kragok stopped and sat down at a table.

Kragok: (sigh) I want 'em dead.  I want those Mobian soldiers dead!

Sojourner: Don't worry.  No elite fighting force has stopped us.  They wont get our prisoners.

Enerjak walked inside angrily while holding onto a half of a burnt up patch.

Enerjak: We better hope not!

Kragok: (stands up) What?  Why?

Enerjak held the patch to Kragok.  Kragok looked at it.  It's a piece of Knuckles' patch from his uniform where he was shot.  On the remains of the patch show blue and white stripes.  Kragok went wide-eyed seeing it.

Sojourner: What is it?

Kragok: It's the 3rd Infantry Division!  Those guys are elite!

Enerjak: Our situation is worse!  I intercepted a radio connection between the troops in the area. (holds out tape recorder) Listen to this! (hits play button)

The recorder plays the message:

Bunnie: (from tape recorder) Major, this is Eagle One. Do you copy?

Sonic: (from tape recorder) What's your location Eagle One?

Bunnie: (from tape recorder) Neckronopolice jungle. Some Dark Legion Echidnas just passed us along the way.

Sonic: (from tape recorder) (paused) (soft mumbles to self) Lieutenant Commander, there are hostages along your way. See if you can get to them before they do. Kill if necessary. We'll report there as soon as we can.

Bunnie: (from tape recorder) Roger that, Ranger-hog. Eagle One out.

Enerjak stopped the tape recorder.

Enerjak: Did you hear all of that!  The Lieutenant Commander rank is in the Navy.  They said they were troops!  The only troops the Navy has are Navy SEALS!  Sea, air, and Land!  AND that southern girl called the guy "Ranger-hog"!  There are RANGERS here!!!

Sojourner: Jesus Christ... 3rd Infantry Division, Navy SEALS, and Rangers! (pause) What the hell have we gotten ourselves into?

Kragok: I dunno.  I highly suggest we call for more Dark Legionnaires.  Plus, get some more Kalashnikov's!

Enerjak: Roger that, boss. (leaves)

SOMEWHERE ELSE

Cyrus, Mina, Bean, Nack, and Nic are traveling through a forest.

NOT TOO FAR AWAY

About ten DL echidnas are walking through the forest.  Nic saw them through the 4x night-scope of her M-4.

Nic: Shit.  Dells ahead.  Cover down.

The five Rangers hid in the bushes and trees.  Slowly, each DL echidna began passing them.  The furries kept their fingers on the triggers in case they are compromised.

Mina was unaware that a small garter snake is slithering toward her.

Finally, the echidnas passed them.  But when they were just out of range, the garter snake bit Mina's tail!

Mina: (softly) Ah!

The DL echidnas stopped in their tracks!  They slowly turned around and looked in the direction of where the Rangers are hiding.  The echidnas walked closer to the furries hiding places, even though they can't see 'em.

The Rangers began to breathe fearfully as the echidnas walked closer and closer to them!

One echidna looked over to where Nack was hiding.  Nack's heart was racing!  Finally, just before the echidna could notice Nack, all the echidnas turned around and began walking away.  Nic watched carefully as all the echidnas left.  Once they were all finally gone, the five Rangers gave a big sigh of relief.  They all got up.  Nic looked out again and noticed that only nine echidnas were walking away.

Nic: (whispering) Hey, there's still one echidna left!

All of a sudden, that echidna jumped out from behind a tree with his AK-47 pointed at the Ranger.  But before he could fire it, Elias jumped in from behind the echidna and slid his knife across the echidna's front neck!  It killed him.

Cyrus: Sergeant Acorn, where are the rest of the squadron.

Elias: We're close.  Follow me.

Elias led the way and the Rangers followed.

IN A GRASSY OPEN FIELD

Sally's squadron is all alone in the open field.  Fiona is still giving Knuckles some medication.  There is one whole cloth bandage around Knuckles shoulder.

Knuckles: Okay.  I'm fine, Corporal.  No more, thanks.

Fiona: Good. (puts stuff back in medic kit) Because I'm done.  You're up and fine.

Elias came running out into the field.

Elias: Hold your fire.  It's me with five Rangers.

Sally: Good.

The Rangers met up with Sally and the rest.

Bean: We're the relief team that Major Sonic sent us for.  What's the status?

Sally: Two wounded and one dead.

Cyrus: Which ones?

Sally: Sergeant Knuckles and a civilian named Jenna are wounded.  An unidentified civilian is dead.  Corporal Fiona has been healing Knuckles for a while.  So far, he's alright, he can walk.  Jenna can't.

Cyrus: (to Rangers) Mina, carry Jenna.  Nack, carry the dead civilian and get them both out of here. (to Sally, pulling out a map of Neckronopolice and shining a flashlight on it) Okay, we are here. (points on map) Major Sonic's Rangers are heading to Bunnie's SEALs here. (points on map) Sadly to say, we still have no confirmation of the refugee site or any other Dell resistance.

Sally: (points on map) I suggest that we must go northeast, over this swamp, and head inside to the northern part of the city.  Once there, two-furry sections will strafe each outer building for any sign of refugees.  I do know there is an underground tunnel system below the city all over the place.  I don't know the paths down there.  They must probably use them for weapons supply.

Cyrus: All right. (folds up map) (chocks up M-4) Let's go!

They all get up and begin heading northeast.

IN THE UNDERGROUND TUNNEL SYSTEM

Kragok walks through a bright tunnel under Neckronopolice.  He passes two DL echidnas with AK-47's.  He walks to a metal door, dials a number in the keypad, then the door opens.  He walks inside in a huge prison complex under the ground.  Inside separate cells is a hostage.  He smiles at all of them.  He walks past the halls and to a metal door.  He uses a key to unlock the door, and then opens it.  He walks inside and turns on the light.  Inside are a bunch of racks in this whole humongous room!  He walks to a rack and pulls out a few AK-47 magazines and one AK-47.  He turns around and walks out of the room.

Shadow: (voice-over) How were they taken hostage anyway?

OUTSIDE ON A GRASSY HILL – CLOSE TO NECKRONOPOLICE

Bunnie: (to Shadow) They were the passengers and crew of ah hijacked plane ah few months ago.  They forced the pilots to fly to Neckronopolice.  Once there, they took all the passengers and crew hostage and blew up the plane.  It has been nearly two months since they were captured.

Shadow: Any ransom demands or executions?

Bunnie: Nah executions, they need the hostages alive.  They want a whole supply of armored weaponry, aircraft, subs, battleships, and force drafts to the DL.

Shadow: That's bullshit.  All that for over 160 hostages?

Bunnie: Sure is, sugah-hog.  What they're gonna get is ah good dose of sweet revenge.

Manic: (from intercom) Eagle One, come in.  Over.

Bunnie: (in intercom) This is Eagle One.  Go ahead.  Over.

SOMEWHERE ELSE ON GRASSY HILL

Manic: (in intercom) I see Sonic and his Rangers heading over here as planned.  One problem, there are echidnas about to intercept them!  I can't count how many.  Somewhere between 20-30.  Over.

ON BUNNIE AND SHADOW

Bunnie: (in intercom) Shit.  Ah'll notify Sonic. (switches dial in the intercom radio) Major, this is Eagle One.

ON SONIC

Sonic, Remington, Antoine, Ray, Breezie, and Chaos 0 are slowly walking to the grassy hill as they are walking out of the forest.  Sonic is speaking in his radio as he walks.

Sonic: (in intercom) Go ahead, Eagle One.

Bunnie: (from intercom) There are a bunch of Dark Legionnaires moving toward yer position.  Stay the he-uh there!  We're all coming to ya, suga!  Eagle One out!

Sonic holds up his right arm in an L shape with a fist, giving the signal for everyone to stop.  He them moved his palm downward, telling everyone to get down.

Remington: (whispers) What's going on?

Sonic: (to Remington) We're about to be fucked up the ass.

ON BUNNIE AND SEALS

Bunnie: Let's get the he-uh outta here!

She chocked up her M-4 and they all began slowly walking, while hunched over, to Sonic's troops.

SOMEWHERE ELSE

The 30 DL echidnas are slowly moving their way to Sonic's troops.  Each one is ready with their weapons as the echidnas move forward and getting ready to take out Sonic's troops.

One Echidna: I saw them over there. (points in the direction of where Sonic and the rest are)

ON MANIC

Manic is wearing a net camouflage set.  He has a while set of grass covering while whole back so he looks like just a bump of grass when he's lying prone.  He has his M249 SAW ready with bipod down, pointing down toward the echidnas.  The SEALs run right by Manic.

Bunnie: (to Manic, while running) Stay here and cover us.

The SEALs slowly move toward the echidnas.  The echidnas slowly move toward Sonic's troops.  Sonic's troops are hiding in the grass.