--------------------------------CHAPTER 4-----------------------------------
Authors note: Ford has the anti-tank rifle from Tremors 2 that Burt Gummer used with a few modifications. If you know what I'm talking about COOL!, if not then I can't help you. He also wears the same type of sunglasses LARA CROFT wears except a guy's pair.
An hour before they had to get together Ford demonstrated a part of what the watch could do by holding Sally's hand and jumping back five minutes. Before he did that though Sonic and a few other Freedom Fighters were asking a few things about it in the War Room. Ford told them that he would show them a sample as soon as Sally got there. Five minutes later she showed up. Then he grabbed her hand and did the jump. Ford was standing there being asked again, from his point of view, about how it works when he said that Sally would be walking in, in five minutes or less depending on if she was shocked or not and that she would be able to tell you something about it. Sally did show up a few seconds earlier than when Ford thought she would show up saying that that was a weird experience. She said she was walking along coming to get him when she remembered just walking into the War Room when Ford grabbed her hand and jumped them back five minutes. Ford told them he'd explain it better when they all got together later.
Two hours later the core Freedom Fighters, the King and Queen and Ford where in a secret location in the new Castle Acorn. Everyone but the King and Queen had to be blindfolded to be taken to the secret location and where all taken there individually through different routes. Ford hit to low hanging objects twice on his way.
"Now Ford this is the most secure room in the Castle. I had it lined with a few different metals to make sure it was undetectable. There are still some rooms in what's left of the old castle Robotnick is in that he hasn't found yet."
"Anything important that we could get you might want retrieved?"
"No." The King said with a tone that said more don't ask, don't tell.
"Alright then. This is the basics of what I have for a plan. Now my watch is capable of time travel up to 24 hours into the past and I can do that several times over, but only up to a certain time in the past."
"How far into the past?" Sonic said.
"In this case I can right now go back 12 hours. Example: Lets say that I got here at midday, you know 12:00. Now my watch resets everyday at a certain time making it so I can only go back so far. Now lets say it was 3:15 and Robotnick and an army showed up at 3:00 and we were unprepared and still fighting after he showed up in those 15 minutes that the fighting was going on. Now what I could do is go back to 12:00 and tell everyone to start getting ready for Robotnicks attack but that's as far back as I could go. Now I know with that look Rotors giving me he's probably wondering how I don't mess with the time continuum. What really happens is that when I go back what really is happening is I remember the things that happened in whatever time there was between here and when I went back. Got it." Seeing everyone shake their heads he continued.
"Okay now the other thing I can do which I can only do once a day which makes it so I can't travel back in time that day if I use it is the ability to stop time for one hour. What my plan is..or was if you want to change it, is for me, Dulcy and Sonic to go to Robotropolis. I will stop time for them to go out and cause as much destruction to his factories and so forth for that hour before leaving."
"Why can't we just take Ro-butt-nick out? Go in, get him, war over." Sonic said with a sarcastic remark.
"Wish we could but there's a problem with that. Any organic object is taken out of time if I or anyone under the effect of the time dilation that's with me touch's it, so Ro-butt-nick would be awake and able to cause some trouble. Also when the bombs are placed they won't go off until the time dilation effect is finished. Now you can buzz or cut your way through things Sonic to get wherever you want but it may not be as fast as you normally would go through it. Now that I think about it Bunnie would work out coming better since Sonic can get pretty much anywhere quick and can place the bombs in one section while Dulcy and Bunnie take another section. Sally should come to, thinking more, and can stay with me coordinating everything."
"What do you mean coordinating everything? Wouldn't you be in Robotropolis?" Sally asked giving him a look everyone was now giving him. It was the look of someone trying to draw them into a trap and being found out.
"I could go down into Robotropolis and wait till the time runs out and hope that me and everyone else doesn't get captured or caught up in the explosions or stay on the outer edge before entering Robotropolis, watch, listen, and relay information. AND I can see that look your all giving me like I'm trying to deceive you or something but that's not the case. Now I've told you my idea so lets talk it out."
"Why so few people for this operation. Does to many outside the time stream effect how it works?" Rotor asked.
"Actually it does in a way. Lets say I'm walking thru that cess pool O'l Julian has made it out to be now and I fall on the watch. Well if it were to break then I would return to normal time along with everything around me but those who are with me in this adventure would be stuck seeing all of us move very slowly until the effects wear off if at all or you die from age or something else because you were stuck in that time dilation still. The less we take the best the odds of all getting out of the time dilation without any troubles. That's why I want to stay outside the city and in a safe place so nothing happens to me to cause trouble for you."
"You should have said that earlier when explaining what it could do." Sally said rubbing between her eyes. "But I now see why you don't want to go in."
"The plan sounds to good to be true. There must be a catch." Max said leaning forward on the table. Interlacing his fingers, he thought a moment before speaking. "Now I understand why you want to help from what you mentioned to Sally and the others while eating, but I can't help feeling like you want something in return."
"Other than having Rotor fix my car there's nothing I'm looking at getting. Sure I'd love to be the person who personally puts a bullet in Robotnicks head but I wouldn't think of taking that glory from Sonic."
"Thanks, I think." Sonic said looking confused.
"Rotor already showed me your car and I see no problem with getting it repaired." Max said sitting back.
"I would like to have my guns back though. If this fails for some reason or the time effect goes up and were waiting for someone I'd like to be able to defend myself and whoever's with me."
Ford watched everyone as they talked it over and about the hit they were preparing on Robotropolis. Rotor came over and asked Ford about a large case he had in his trunk that he couldn't remove. They talked in whispered tones.
"About how large?"
"About five feet long, two feet deep, and 3 feet wide. I had Nichole scan it but she couldn't penetrate it, much less tell me what would be inside. Now I haven't told Sally or anyone else what it was since I figured it must have something to do with engine parts. All Nichole could tell me is that it has a faint energy signature coming from it. It was so heavy that not even Bunnie could lift it."
"That's because it has a electromagnet holding it down from underneath the car in a special place. As for what's inside I can show you later. Oh and Rotor, I know you have the expertise to make a computer like Nichole."
"Yeah, so?"
"Do you think that with me help that we could make it possible for something like Nichole to be placed in my car?"
"Hmmmm." Rotor said scratching his chin. "Now that sound like a fun project. I'd have to okay it with Sally and the King first."
"Cool."
"If you two are finished." King Max said speaking up.
"Sorry sir," they both said sitting back down.
"You want to tell us what you were discussing?"
"Electronic stuff." they both said.
"Never mind. Sally if you would." Max said shaking his head.
"Nichole display a topographic view of Robotropolis please."
"Processing Sally....here it is." Nichole said showing a holographic picture of the city.
"Okay the team we'll take in will consist of me, Bunnie, Sonic, and Dulcy. With the explosive's we have and the ones we found in Ford's car we will place them on these buildings. Sonic will take this area here." she said circles an area of the map with her finger. "Bunnie and Dulcy will take this area here." she said circling another area. Me and Ford will stay here to relay information and whatever else needs to be done. If things work out to plan we should have a few minutes to spare to get back together and away to safety. Now since we will have to make sure that we get anyone that been robotized out of the way and save any prisoners this will cut down on our time on what we can blow up."
"I'm surprised that no one suggested that we take out the command center. A slightly good idea but I wouldn't go for." Ford said looking at the map.
"Actually Sonic did suggest it, but thought better after he said it. The roboticizer is in there and we may need it later." Sally said closing Nichole. "Now unless there's any questions lets get going."
"What about my weapons?"
"You'll be able to take them but I'll keep the ammo with me for now." Sally said. Ford nodded saying it was fine with him.
When no one said anything they were all blindfolded again and lead out. Ford hit one object only this time.
While Sally and the others were getting the explosives, Rotor and Ford where at the Shelby Cobra.
"Now there's a switch here that I push and viola!" he said pushing a switch and hearing a click.
Rotor was watch the large metal case as he heard the click. Seeing it move slightly he reached in and tried to pull it out.
"I'm almost surprised you found this Rotor, but you are thorough with your work." Seeing Rotor trying to pull it out he took it and laid it on the ground. Closing the now empty trunk he walked over to where the rest of his boxes were setting. Sally and the others came around to see what was holding up Ford. Bunnie was carrying his suitcase. Thanking Bunnie he opened it and took the guns out. Twirling them a few times he placed them in his holsters.
"What are you doing?" Sonic asked tapping his foot. "We should have left by now."
"Sally wants to keep the ammo with her so I'm trying to get it for her." he said taking several types of ammo and placing them in a ammo holding pouch. Closing the case he set it on top of the other boxes. After giving the ammo to Sally who placed it in her shoulder pouch he picked up the large case.
"What is that?"
"A surprise in case Robotnick tries anything stupid if things go wrong."
"It stays." Sally said with a unrelenting pose.
"Then I stay and the plans off." Ford said with the same posture. "And you can't take the watch with because if it's taken off me it ceases to work ever again. Once you take the job that uses these watches they are bonded to you for life. When I die it dies with me."
Sally went from shocked to furious in seconds. Bunnie laid an arm on her trying to calm her down.
"Now what happened to that respect for authority you had earlier! Is my dad you have respect for and not me...."
"No I'd say the same thing to him." cutting her off in mid sentence.
"Sally-girl hold a moment. You get any redder your hair might catch fire. Now sug what's in that lil ol case."
"This is something I picked up a long time ago. It is a item of mine that has never let me down unlike a number of things that has. Your lucky my car it's working or it would be coming along to Princess. Now are we going. Besides, with this I can travel faster by having Sonic pull me."
Sally looked ready to spit fire as she shook slightly in anger. She was about to abort the mission when Ford turned on something in the case.
Ford pushed a button on the backside of the case. It emitted a low hum as he let go of it. Instead of hitting the ground, it hovered about two feet above it. Ford sat down on it and cracked his neck. Other than shaking a bit the case continued to stay a two feet above the ground.
"Now I can go extremely fast on this except I can't steer. If Sonic were to stay right in front of it I could ride this easily behind him. Dulcy could carry me but this probably weighs more than she can take."
"It can't weigh that much sug." Bunnie said pressing on it.
"Here I'll show you." he said turning it off. It landed on the ground with a loud thump sinking two inches in. "Now I can lift it out but it takes quite a bit of strength. It's about 100 pounds."
Bunnie reached down and pulled it up with her robotic arm. She could tell there was resistance and that he was joking about the weight. "Wow. This is heavy. But nothing I couldn't carry."
Ford reached back over and turned it back on. Bunnie was surprised at how much it felt like a feather so quickly. "I was able to place a hover unit in it. Took quite a bit of money. Planned on doing it to my car, but was always strapped for cash."
"Let's go already. Sonic you'll pull him behind you. Just watch out for trees." Sally said still angry but giving up on fighting Ford.
"Sal I'm hurt. I've never hit anything when someone was with me." he said with a hurt expression.
Ford looked like he was going to say something and probably was a smart remark too from the expression on his face, but instead shook his head, Bunnie noticed.
"Bunnie you and me will take Dulcy. Let's get this over with. Ford were going to have a long talk when we get back." she said heading over to Dulcy.
"Yes ma'am." Watching her walk away Ford said to Sonic, "She's cute when she angry." They watched them take off before Sonic commented on what he said.
"Yeah, I've had that look on me more times than, wait a minute you.."
"Don't worry Sonic. I'm not interested in her. She's not my type, besides that she's yours." Ford sat down again on the case and waited for Sonic to get some rope. After Sonic had tied it to himself and Ford's case, they took off.
Dulcy, Sally and Bunnie made it to the meeting place with no trouble. They figured that they would have got there with the Sonic and Ford waiting for them not the other way around. Sonic showed up a few minutes later with Ford in tow.
"What kept you two?" Sally said looking in a better mood.
"Ford sneezed himself off the case." Sonic said looking like he had been dragged through the dirt.
"I said I was sorry. Some bug flew up there and then I couldn't help it." Ford was saying as he got off the case. He looked worse than Sonic since he had dirt and other things hanging from his clothes.
Sally figured he'd ask Rosie to sew them back up later. Seeing the sunglasses on his face helped lighten her mood. They were dirty from bugs hitting them along with whatever he landed in from falling. Her and Bunnie laughed a bit seeing them so dirty.
"What?" Sonic said looking around.
"You both look like you've been wrestling in the forest." Sally said with a chuckle.
"Can we get this over with please. I have dirt in places I don't want it." he said trying to get some out of his ear.
Bunnie snickered apparently thinking about what he said way too much since her face was turning a pinkish color. Sonic got his part of the explosives as Sally handed them to Sonic and Bunnie. They went over the plan once more as Sally handed out the headsets.
"Okay Ford were ready." Sally said adjusting he headset.
"Good cause I think Robotnick spotted us or a group of those Swat- bots are just coming for nothing. Now just be touching me when I activate this."
They all placed their hands on Ford as he pressed a button on his watch. They all saw a large wave like a water wave pass out before them until it went out of site.
"Now we have 59 minutes till the effect wears off so quit gawking at everything and go!"
Sonic shook his head a moment then revved up and left, but not before giving Sally a quick kiss. The dust could left behind by Sonic was staying in place. Bunnie and Dulcy headed off seconds after. Sally pulled out a pair of binoculars and looked around. Sally was having trouble believing that this was actually working. Smoke from the factories was standing completely still. The Swat-bot patrol was stopped in mid step. Birds and other creatures around them were stopped in mid air.
"I've always wanted to see a bird up close in flight, but I was never allowed to do it back home." he said looking at a bird up close that was a few feet away from them and only three feet above the ground.
"How far does this time field extend?"
"Just as far as about a mile above the planet's atmosphere." he said still looking at the bird. "Cool. I wish I could fly."
Sally sat down on the floating case. Thinking about what happened earlier with her and Ford's case she apologized. "Had you shown me that this was all it was I wouldn't have got mad about the situation."
Walking over he said he was sorry to but that the case was more than just a floating device. He was about to open it when he glanced back at the Swat-bots. A sly grin spread across his face as he approached them.
"What are you doing? If you touched them they'll be brought out of the field!"
"Only if they were organic remember." he said shoving one. It moved falling back a bit then stopped in mid air. "I'm going to have some fun. Want to help?" he said with a chuckle.
"Fun? What do you mean?" Sally asked putting the binoculars down.
"Watch?" Ford said picking up a large metal bar from the ground. He twirled it a bit then swung hard taking a Swat-bot head off. It started to fly away but stopped a few feet in mid air.
"As Sonic would say, Cool." Sally said walking over to the one Ford had pushed earlier. She pushed on it noticing it had no weight to it. Ford was still smashing the others as Sally pushed the same one as before over to were she was standing before.
"Nichole can you interface with this bot?"
"Accessing Sally.........its system is slowly moving. What did you want me to do?"
"How slow is it moving?" she said as she watched Ford strike the last one down by shoving the bar through it through the top of the head.
"0.0000001 times a second."
"At that rate it would take a million years before it even made a step forward." Ford said walking back up and opening his case.
"Nichole can you access the system rewrite it's programming so it becomes a spy for us?"
".......................With the time dilation factor I would need three hours to do it. If there was no time effect on it would take less than a minute."
"Okay Nichole. Thanks for trying." She said closing her and placing her back in her boot. Grabbing her binoculars she scanned the area while talking to Bunnie and Sonic.
Ford was placing his long range multi scanning scope on his Grizzly anti-tank and anti-aircraft rifle as Sally was talking to the others. Loading a surveillance bullet into the chamber in the back he looked through the scope at the command center of Robotnick's. Zooming in he located a hole in the framed work where something must have exploded once. "Perfect." Ford said with a smile.
Sally turned to him to see what he was talking about. She dropped the binoculars as she yelled. The casing cracked on the binoculars as they hit the ground.
"WHAT IN THE HELL IS THAT?!"
Sonic was yelling through the com line what's wrong as Sally waited for Ford to answer.
"This is my baby. Now tell the others to cover there ears or else they might go deaf." he said lining his shot back up. "5."
"That should have been taken to lock up once Rotor found out what it was. How did you get it past him and Nichole?"
"The case couldn't be scanned through by Nichole and Rotor never knew what it was to begin with. Had I told you what this was you probably would have had it dismantled. 4."
"Sally what's going on?! Are you under attack?!" Sonic was yelling over the com unit. "I'm coming back!"
"No Sonic were just fine. Ford just surprised me with something." she said with an angry tone.
"Three seconds Sally."
"Sonic stop were you are and cover your ears." Sally said. She then told Bunnie and Dulcy to so the same.
"Now you might want to put these in your ears." he said tossing her some ear plugs. After she put them in and covered her ears he lined the shot back up. "2 and 1!"
BOOOOOM!
A large flash came from the barrel of the large rifle. Smoke was trailing from the end of the rifle and stopping in the air as Ford was knocked onto his butt from the kick. The sunglasses in his pocket shattered from the sound. Sally's binoculars shattered as well. Several windows on the command center cracked. The Swat-bots heads that weren't damaged, visors cracked. Taking his earmuffs off Ford got up blowing off the barrel. Sally took the ear plugs out and told the others to go back to work. She said she'd tell them what the loud noise was later.
"What were you doing?!"
"Here put this on Nichole and she'll be able to monitor whatever Robotnick and Snively say." he said giving her a small chip. "I just bugged the command center." After emptying the chamber he placed the gun and spent cartridge back in the case. Glancing at his watch he told her they had 45 minutes left. "You might even be able to get a remote uplink to his computer."
"Your treading on ice so thin..."
"I know! I lied about what was in this case. I ruined what trust you had in me. I'm sorry, but I know that you would have had it scrapped in seconds. If you want to shoot me or throw me in jail when we get back fine. But for right now, I'm trying to help. As for my gun you can't have it. It's registered to my DNA only. Anyone else touches it gets fried body." he said closing the case and locking it. "It also takes my DNA print to open it."
"Dulcy can throw it into the deepest part of the lava pits she travels to." Sally said with a "so there" look.
"Wouldn't matter. The casing is made of a material that needs at least twice the temperature of lava coming from inside the volcano to even start to scratch it." he said with the same attitude.
Sonic had finished placing all his explosives and had managed to get all the worker-bots out of the blast radius along with placing swat-bots along his routes in the factories by using three power rings. He was running over to see how Sally and Ford were doing when he heard them arguing. Slowing down he walked up to hear what they were saying.
"You my get away with what you did when my father hears about this but if I was in charge you'd be in so much trouble!" Sally was yelling with her face three feet from his.
"Well I'll ask him to forget about what I just DID FOR YOU AND HAVE HIM LET YOU DO WHATEVER YOU FEEL SHOULD BE DONE TO ME!" Ford yelled as he got closer.
"YOU WON'T GET OFF THAT EASILY! GEOFFREY HAS A REAL PROBLEM WITH OVERLANDERS SO MAYBE I SHOULD JUST FORGET TAKING YOU BACK TO FATHER AND JUST HAND YOU OVER TO HIM!" Sally roared back.
"That be a great idea PRINCESS EXCEPT I'D KILL HIM FIRST!"
"WHOA! Hold it! Time out! What the heck is going on?!" Sonic said coming between them. "What did you do Ford?"
"Tried to help and succeeded! I placed a surveillance device on the command center to listen in and possible hack into O'l fat boy's computers here. Sally just has a problem with how I did it and what I did it with."
"You were suppose to tell us what all you had in the blue junk heap..."
"JUNK HEAP!" Ford said getting in her face causing her to fall on her butt. "THAT CAR IS SO FAR BEYOND JUNK HEAP! IF ANYTHING ITS MORE RELIABLE THAN NICHOLE!" Looking at Nichole, "No offense Nichole."
A short buzz sound came from Nichole.
Before Sally could respond Sonic broke in. "You really got to chill man, and the next time you advance on Sally like that, you'll answer to me." Sonic said getting between her and Ford. Still looking at Ford he helped Sally up.
"Sorry. I kinda lose it a bit when someone disses Shelby." Looking at his watch he announced to them they had 30 minutes left. "I'd say go help Bunnie and Dulcy but the Princess would probably kill me once you left."
"When we get back that car is going to be stripped along with everything else you have. And that gun may not get destroyed by the volcano but at least you won't have it and no one else will be able to either." Sally said poking him in the chest.
Ford didn't even flinch when she spoke.
"Sally, maybe your overreacting a bit. Look at what he's done so far. This plan is the best I've seen in awhile. Ro-butt-nick will never see it coming. We'll have some peace for awhile, while he's trying to rebuild what were doing." Sonic said with an air of trying not to take sides but defending Ford.
"So you're taking his side! We still don't know if this is going to work. Thinking back I should have waited a few days to find out everything I could about you Ford....."
"Sally wait."
"What?" Sally and Sonic said in unison.
"I never wanted to get on your bad side Sally, or your Sonic. When I told your father that I had an idea about planting a surveillance device on the command center he okayed it and then ordered me not to tell you or anyone else about it. He wanted me to give him the chip and then he was going to ask you for Nichole later. I know this is not the first time that your father has kept information from you."
"He would never have had authorized the use of that weapon for."
"I told him that I had a plan to get a device on the command center but not how I was getting it there. He doesn't know about the rifle. Sorry I yelled at you and didn't tell you before. Ever since your father's return he seems to think that he knows more about the war between the Freedom Fighters and Robotnick as though he's been there the entire time." When they didn't say anything he continued, "Your father is a great man and excellent king, but he knows nothing about fighting a war. In my opinion he never should have took your position. Military tactics is not his field."
"Hey! Looks like yer all ready to go." Bunnie said from above as Dulcy came flying in with Bunnie on her back.
"Will continue this later." Sally said walking over to Dulcy. "How did it go?"
"Everything was easy Sally-girl. Placing those bombs was so easy I could have done it in my sleep." Bunnie said coming down. "Dulcy here got the worker bots out and managed to place a few surprises while she was at it."
"Surprises?" Sonic asked.
"The bombs sug. For Ro-butt-nick it will be a surprise."
"Right, I forgot why we where here for a moment." Sonic said nodding.
Bunnie glanced around at them all noticing something was up. "What the hey-haw has been going on while we were out there. And don't tell me that it's nothing Sally-girl I can see something's going on."
"It's my fault Bunnie. I did something that I was ordered to keep from her by her father."
"Which was?" Bunnie asked.
"Sally can tell you later or whenever but not right now. We have 10 minutes left till time restarts for the rest of the world. We don't need Ro-butt-nick knowing we've been here."
"Let's juice then!" Sonic said grabbing the rope. "Ford be careful this time."
Sally and Bunnie got on Dulcy and headed out. Sally told Bunnie everything that had happened when they spilt up till when Bunnie had came back as they flew home. Sonic, pulling Ford on his hovering case, was doing better on his run through the woods back to Knothole. Five seconds after time had restarted several large explosions went off in Robotropolis.
Authors note: Ford has the anti-tank rifle from Tremors 2 that Burt Gummer used with a few modifications. If you know what I'm talking about COOL!, if not then I can't help you. He also wears the same type of sunglasses LARA CROFT wears except a guy's pair.
An hour before they had to get together Ford demonstrated a part of what the watch could do by holding Sally's hand and jumping back five minutes. Before he did that though Sonic and a few other Freedom Fighters were asking a few things about it in the War Room. Ford told them that he would show them a sample as soon as Sally got there. Five minutes later she showed up. Then he grabbed her hand and did the jump. Ford was standing there being asked again, from his point of view, about how it works when he said that Sally would be walking in, in five minutes or less depending on if she was shocked or not and that she would be able to tell you something about it. Sally did show up a few seconds earlier than when Ford thought she would show up saying that that was a weird experience. She said she was walking along coming to get him when she remembered just walking into the War Room when Ford grabbed her hand and jumped them back five minutes. Ford told them he'd explain it better when they all got together later.
Two hours later the core Freedom Fighters, the King and Queen and Ford where in a secret location in the new Castle Acorn. Everyone but the King and Queen had to be blindfolded to be taken to the secret location and where all taken there individually through different routes. Ford hit to low hanging objects twice on his way.
"Now Ford this is the most secure room in the Castle. I had it lined with a few different metals to make sure it was undetectable. There are still some rooms in what's left of the old castle Robotnick is in that he hasn't found yet."
"Anything important that we could get you might want retrieved?"
"No." The King said with a tone that said more don't ask, don't tell.
"Alright then. This is the basics of what I have for a plan. Now my watch is capable of time travel up to 24 hours into the past and I can do that several times over, but only up to a certain time in the past."
"How far into the past?" Sonic said.
"In this case I can right now go back 12 hours. Example: Lets say that I got here at midday, you know 12:00. Now my watch resets everyday at a certain time making it so I can only go back so far. Now lets say it was 3:15 and Robotnick and an army showed up at 3:00 and we were unprepared and still fighting after he showed up in those 15 minutes that the fighting was going on. Now what I could do is go back to 12:00 and tell everyone to start getting ready for Robotnicks attack but that's as far back as I could go. Now I know with that look Rotors giving me he's probably wondering how I don't mess with the time continuum. What really happens is that when I go back what really is happening is I remember the things that happened in whatever time there was between here and when I went back. Got it." Seeing everyone shake their heads he continued.
"Okay now the other thing I can do which I can only do once a day which makes it so I can't travel back in time that day if I use it is the ability to stop time for one hour. What my plan is..or was if you want to change it, is for me, Dulcy and Sonic to go to Robotropolis. I will stop time for them to go out and cause as much destruction to his factories and so forth for that hour before leaving."
"Why can't we just take Ro-butt-nick out? Go in, get him, war over." Sonic said with a sarcastic remark.
"Wish we could but there's a problem with that. Any organic object is taken out of time if I or anyone under the effect of the time dilation that's with me touch's it, so Ro-butt-nick would be awake and able to cause some trouble. Also when the bombs are placed they won't go off until the time dilation effect is finished. Now you can buzz or cut your way through things Sonic to get wherever you want but it may not be as fast as you normally would go through it. Now that I think about it Bunnie would work out coming better since Sonic can get pretty much anywhere quick and can place the bombs in one section while Dulcy and Bunnie take another section. Sally should come to, thinking more, and can stay with me coordinating everything."
"What do you mean coordinating everything? Wouldn't you be in Robotropolis?" Sally asked giving him a look everyone was now giving him. It was the look of someone trying to draw them into a trap and being found out.
"I could go down into Robotropolis and wait till the time runs out and hope that me and everyone else doesn't get captured or caught up in the explosions or stay on the outer edge before entering Robotropolis, watch, listen, and relay information. AND I can see that look your all giving me like I'm trying to deceive you or something but that's not the case. Now I've told you my idea so lets talk it out."
"Why so few people for this operation. Does to many outside the time stream effect how it works?" Rotor asked.
"Actually it does in a way. Lets say I'm walking thru that cess pool O'l Julian has made it out to be now and I fall on the watch. Well if it were to break then I would return to normal time along with everything around me but those who are with me in this adventure would be stuck seeing all of us move very slowly until the effects wear off if at all or you die from age or something else because you were stuck in that time dilation still. The less we take the best the odds of all getting out of the time dilation without any troubles. That's why I want to stay outside the city and in a safe place so nothing happens to me to cause trouble for you."
"You should have said that earlier when explaining what it could do." Sally said rubbing between her eyes. "But I now see why you don't want to go in."
"The plan sounds to good to be true. There must be a catch." Max said leaning forward on the table. Interlacing his fingers, he thought a moment before speaking. "Now I understand why you want to help from what you mentioned to Sally and the others while eating, but I can't help feeling like you want something in return."
"Other than having Rotor fix my car there's nothing I'm looking at getting. Sure I'd love to be the person who personally puts a bullet in Robotnicks head but I wouldn't think of taking that glory from Sonic."
"Thanks, I think." Sonic said looking confused.
"Rotor already showed me your car and I see no problem with getting it repaired." Max said sitting back.
"I would like to have my guns back though. If this fails for some reason or the time effect goes up and were waiting for someone I'd like to be able to defend myself and whoever's with me."
Ford watched everyone as they talked it over and about the hit they were preparing on Robotropolis. Rotor came over and asked Ford about a large case he had in his trunk that he couldn't remove. They talked in whispered tones.
"About how large?"
"About five feet long, two feet deep, and 3 feet wide. I had Nichole scan it but she couldn't penetrate it, much less tell me what would be inside. Now I haven't told Sally or anyone else what it was since I figured it must have something to do with engine parts. All Nichole could tell me is that it has a faint energy signature coming from it. It was so heavy that not even Bunnie could lift it."
"That's because it has a electromagnet holding it down from underneath the car in a special place. As for what's inside I can show you later. Oh and Rotor, I know you have the expertise to make a computer like Nichole."
"Yeah, so?"
"Do you think that with me help that we could make it possible for something like Nichole to be placed in my car?"
"Hmmmm." Rotor said scratching his chin. "Now that sound like a fun project. I'd have to okay it with Sally and the King first."
"Cool."
"If you two are finished." King Max said speaking up.
"Sorry sir," they both said sitting back down.
"You want to tell us what you were discussing?"
"Electronic stuff." they both said.
"Never mind. Sally if you would." Max said shaking his head.
"Nichole display a topographic view of Robotropolis please."
"Processing Sally....here it is." Nichole said showing a holographic picture of the city.
"Okay the team we'll take in will consist of me, Bunnie, Sonic, and Dulcy. With the explosive's we have and the ones we found in Ford's car we will place them on these buildings. Sonic will take this area here." she said circles an area of the map with her finger. "Bunnie and Dulcy will take this area here." she said circling another area. Me and Ford will stay here to relay information and whatever else needs to be done. If things work out to plan we should have a few minutes to spare to get back together and away to safety. Now since we will have to make sure that we get anyone that been robotized out of the way and save any prisoners this will cut down on our time on what we can blow up."
"I'm surprised that no one suggested that we take out the command center. A slightly good idea but I wouldn't go for." Ford said looking at the map.
"Actually Sonic did suggest it, but thought better after he said it. The roboticizer is in there and we may need it later." Sally said closing Nichole. "Now unless there's any questions lets get going."
"What about my weapons?"
"You'll be able to take them but I'll keep the ammo with me for now." Sally said. Ford nodded saying it was fine with him.
When no one said anything they were all blindfolded again and lead out. Ford hit one object only this time.
While Sally and the others were getting the explosives, Rotor and Ford where at the Shelby Cobra.
"Now there's a switch here that I push and viola!" he said pushing a switch and hearing a click.
Rotor was watch the large metal case as he heard the click. Seeing it move slightly he reached in and tried to pull it out.
"I'm almost surprised you found this Rotor, but you are thorough with your work." Seeing Rotor trying to pull it out he took it and laid it on the ground. Closing the now empty trunk he walked over to where the rest of his boxes were setting. Sally and the others came around to see what was holding up Ford. Bunnie was carrying his suitcase. Thanking Bunnie he opened it and took the guns out. Twirling them a few times he placed them in his holsters.
"What are you doing?" Sonic asked tapping his foot. "We should have left by now."
"Sally wants to keep the ammo with her so I'm trying to get it for her." he said taking several types of ammo and placing them in a ammo holding pouch. Closing the case he set it on top of the other boxes. After giving the ammo to Sally who placed it in her shoulder pouch he picked up the large case.
"What is that?"
"A surprise in case Robotnick tries anything stupid if things go wrong."
"It stays." Sally said with a unrelenting pose.
"Then I stay and the plans off." Ford said with the same posture. "And you can't take the watch with because if it's taken off me it ceases to work ever again. Once you take the job that uses these watches they are bonded to you for life. When I die it dies with me."
Sally went from shocked to furious in seconds. Bunnie laid an arm on her trying to calm her down.
"Now what happened to that respect for authority you had earlier! Is my dad you have respect for and not me...."
"No I'd say the same thing to him." cutting her off in mid sentence.
"Sally-girl hold a moment. You get any redder your hair might catch fire. Now sug what's in that lil ol case."
"This is something I picked up a long time ago. It is a item of mine that has never let me down unlike a number of things that has. Your lucky my car it's working or it would be coming along to Princess. Now are we going. Besides, with this I can travel faster by having Sonic pull me."
Sally looked ready to spit fire as she shook slightly in anger. She was about to abort the mission when Ford turned on something in the case.
Ford pushed a button on the backside of the case. It emitted a low hum as he let go of it. Instead of hitting the ground, it hovered about two feet above it. Ford sat down on it and cracked his neck. Other than shaking a bit the case continued to stay a two feet above the ground.
"Now I can go extremely fast on this except I can't steer. If Sonic were to stay right in front of it I could ride this easily behind him. Dulcy could carry me but this probably weighs more than she can take."
"It can't weigh that much sug." Bunnie said pressing on it.
"Here I'll show you." he said turning it off. It landed on the ground with a loud thump sinking two inches in. "Now I can lift it out but it takes quite a bit of strength. It's about 100 pounds."
Bunnie reached down and pulled it up with her robotic arm. She could tell there was resistance and that he was joking about the weight. "Wow. This is heavy. But nothing I couldn't carry."
Ford reached back over and turned it back on. Bunnie was surprised at how much it felt like a feather so quickly. "I was able to place a hover unit in it. Took quite a bit of money. Planned on doing it to my car, but was always strapped for cash."
"Let's go already. Sonic you'll pull him behind you. Just watch out for trees." Sally said still angry but giving up on fighting Ford.
"Sal I'm hurt. I've never hit anything when someone was with me." he said with a hurt expression.
Ford looked like he was going to say something and probably was a smart remark too from the expression on his face, but instead shook his head, Bunnie noticed.
"Bunnie you and me will take Dulcy. Let's get this over with. Ford were going to have a long talk when we get back." she said heading over to Dulcy.
"Yes ma'am." Watching her walk away Ford said to Sonic, "She's cute when she angry." They watched them take off before Sonic commented on what he said.
"Yeah, I've had that look on me more times than, wait a minute you.."
"Don't worry Sonic. I'm not interested in her. She's not my type, besides that she's yours." Ford sat down again on the case and waited for Sonic to get some rope. After Sonic had tied it to himself and Ford's case, they took off.
Dulcy, Sally and Bunnie made it to the meeting place with no trouble. They figured that they would have got there with the Sonic and Ford waiting for them not the other way around. Sonic showed up a few minutes later with Ford in tow.
"What kept you two?" Sally said looking in a better mood.
"Ford sneezed himself off the case." Sonic said looking like he had been dragged through the dirt.
"I said I was sorry. Some bug flew up there and then I couldn't help it." Ford was saying as he got off the case. He looked worse than Sonic since he had dirt and other things hanging from his clothes.
Sally figured he'd ask Rosie to sew them back up later. Seeing the sunglasses on his face helped lighten her mood. They were dirty from bugs hitting them along with whatever he landed in from falling. Her and Bunnie laughed a bit seeing them so dirty.
"What?" Sonic said looking around.
"You both look like you've been wrestling in the forest." Sally said with a chuckle.
"Can we get this over with please. I have dirt in places I don't want it." he said trying to get some out of his ear.
Bunnie snickered apparently thinking about what he said way too much since her face was turning a pinkish color. Sonic got his part of the explosives as Sally handed them to Sonic and Bunnie. They went over the plan once more as Sally handed out the headsets.
"Okay Ford were ready." Sally said adjusting he headset.
"Good cause I think Robotnick spotted us or a group of those Swat- bots are just coming for nothing. Now just be touching me when I activate this."
They all placed their hands on Ford as he pressed a button on his watch. They all saw a large wave like a water wave pass out before them until it went out of site.
"Now we have 59 minutes till the effect wears off so quit gawking at everything and go!"
Sonic shook his head a moment then revved up and left, but not before giving Sally a quick kiss. The dust could left behind by Sonic was staying in place. Bunnie and Dulcy headed off seconds after. Sally pulled out a pair of binoculars and looked around. Sally was having trouble believing that this was actually working. Smoke from the factories was standing completely still. The Swat-bot patrol was stopped in mid step. Birds and other creatures around them were stopped in mid air.
"I've always wanted to see a bird up close in flight, but I was never allowed to do it back home." he said looking at a bird up close that was a few feet away from them and only three feet above the ground.
"How far does this time field extend?"
"Just as far as about a mile above the planet's atmosphere." he said still looking at the bird. "Cool. I wish I could fly."
Sally sat down on the floating case. Thinking about what happened earlier with her and Ford's case she apologized. "Had you shown me that this was all it was I wouldn't have got mad about the situation."
Walking over he said he was sorry to but that the case was more than just a floating device. He was about to open it when he glanced back at the Swat-bots. A sly grin spread across his face as he approached them.
"What are you doing? If you touched them they'll be brought out of the field!"
"Only if they were organic remember." he said shoving one. It moved falling back a bit then stopped in mid air. "I'm going to have some fun. Want to help?" he said with a chuckle.
"Fun? What do you mean?" Sally asked putting the binoculars down.
"Watch?" Ford said picking up a large metal bar from the ground. He twirled it a bit then swung hard taking a Swat-bot head off. It started to fly away but stopped a few feet in mid air.
"As Sonic would say, Cool." Sally said walking over to the one Ford had pushed earlier. She pushed on it noticing it had no weight to it. Ford was still smashing the others as Sally pushed the same one as before over to were she was standing before.
"Nichole can you interface with this bot?"
"Accessing Sally.........its system is slowly moving. What did you want me to do?"
"How slow is it moving?" she said as she watched Ford strike the last one down by shoving the bar through it through the top of the head.
"0.0000001 times a second."
"At that rate it would take a million years before it even made a step forward." Ford said walking back up and opening his case.
"Nichole can you access the system rewrite it's programming so it becomes a spy for us?"
".......................With the time dilation factor I would need three hours to do it. If there was no time effect on it would take less than a minute."
"Okay Nichole. Thanks for trying." She said closing her and placing her back in her boot. Grabbing her binoculars she scanned the area while talking to Bunnie and Sonic.
Ford was placing his long range multi scanning scope on his Grizzly anti-tank and anti-aircraft rifle as Sally was talking to the others. Loading a surveillance bullet into the chamber in the back he looked through the scope at the command center of Robotnick's. Zooming in he located a hole in the framed work where something must have exploded once. "Perfect." Ford said with a smile.
Sally turned to him to see what he was talking about. She dropped the binoculars as she yelled. The casing cracked on the binoculars as they hit the ground.
"WHAT IN THE HELL IS THAT?!"
Sonic was yelling through the com line what's wrong as Sally waited for Ford to answer.
"This is my baby. Now tell the others to cover there ears or else they might go deaf." he said lining his shot back up. "5."
"That should have been taken to lock up once Rotor found out what it was. How did you get it past him and Nichole?"
"The case couldn't be scanned through by Nichole and Rotor never knew what it was to begin with. Had I told you what this was you probably would have had it dismantled. 4."
"Sally what's going on?! Are you under attack?!" Sonic was yelling over the com unit. "I'm coming back!"
"No Sonic were just fine. Ford just surprised me with something." she said with an angry tone.
"Three seconds Sally."
"Sonic stop were you are and cover your ears." Sally said. She then told Bunnie and Dulcy to so the same.
"Now you might want to put these in your ears." he said tossing her some ear plugs. After she put them in and covered her ears he lined the shot back up. "2 and 1!"
BOOOOOM!
A large flash came from the barrel of the large rifle. Smoke was trailing from the end of the rifle and stopping in the air as Ford was knocked onto his butt from the kick. The sunglasses in his pocket shattered from the sound. Sally's binoculars shattered as well. Several windows on the command center cracked. The Swat-bots heads that weren't damaged, visors cracked. Taking his earmuffs off Ford got up blowing off the barrel. Sally took the ear plugs out and told the others to go back to work. She said she'd tell them what the loud noise was later.
"What were you doing?!"
"Here put this on Nichole and she'll be able to monitor whatever Robotnick and Snively say." he said giving her a small chip. "I just bugged the command center." After emptying the chamber he placed the gun and spent cartridge back in the case. Glancing at his watch he told her they had 45 minutes left. "You might even be able to get a remote uplink to his computer."
"Your treading on ice so thin..."
"I know! I lied about what was in this case. I ruined what trust you had in me. I'm sorry, but I know that you would have had it scrapped in seconds. If you want to shoot me or throw me in jail when we get back fine. But for right now, I'm trying to help. As for my gun you can't have it. It's registered to my DNA only. Anyone else touches it gets fried body." he said closing the case and locking it. "It also takes my DNA print to open it."
"Dulcy can throw it into the deepest part of the lava pits she travels to." Sally said with a "so there" look.
"Wouldn't matter. The casing is made of a material that needs at least twice the temperature of lava coming from inside the volcano to even start to scratch it." he said with the same attitude.
Sonic had finished placing all his explosives and had managed to get all the worker-bots out of the blast radius along with placing swat-bots along his routes in the factories by using three power rings. He was running over to see how Sally and Ford were doing when he heard them arguing. Slowing down he walked up to hear what they were saying.
"You my get away with what you did when my father hears about this but if I was in charge you'd be in so much trouble!" Sally was yelling with her face three feet from his.
"Well I'll ask him to forget about what I just DID FOR YOU AND HAVE HIM LET YOU DO WHATEVER YOU FEEL SHOULD BE DONE TO ME!" Ford yelled as he got closer.
"YOU WON'T GET OFF THAT EASILY! GEOFFREY HAS A REAL PROBLEM WITH OVERLANDERS SO MAYBE I SHOULD JUST FORGET TAKING YOU BACK TO FATHER AND JUST HAND YOU OVER TO HIM!" Sally roared back.
"That be a great idea PRINCESS EXCEPT I'D KILL HIM FIRST!"
"WHOA! Hold it! Time out! What the heck is going on?!" Sonic said coming between them. "What did you do Ford?"
"Tried to help and succeeded! I placed a surveillance device on the command center to listen in and possible hack into O'l fat boy's computers here. Sally just has a problem with how I did it and what I did it with."
"You were suppose to tell us what all you had in the blue junk heap..."
"JUNK HEAP!" Ford said getting in her face causing her to fall on her butt. "THAT CAR IS SO FAR BEYOND JUNK HEAP! IF ANYTHING ITS MORE RELIABLE THAN NICHOLE!" Looking at Nichole, "No offense Nichole."
A short buzz sound came from Nichole.
Before Sally could respond Sonic broke in. "You really got to chill man, and the next time you advance on Sally like that, you'll answer to me." Sonic said getting between her and Ford. Still looking at Ford he helped Sally up.
"Sorry. I kinda lose it a bit when someone disses Shelby." Looking at his watch he announced to them they had 30 minutes left. "I'd say go help Bunnie and Dulcy but the Princess would probably kill me once you left."
"When we get back that car is going to be stripped along with everything else you have. And that gun may not get destroyed by the volcano but at least you won't have it and no one else will be able to either." Sally said poking him in the chest.
Ford didn't even flinch when she spoke.
"Sally, maybe your overreacting a bit. Look at what he's done so far. This plan is the best I've seen in awhile. Ro-butt-nick will never see it coming. We'll have some peace for awhile, while he's trying to rebuild what were doing." Sonic said with an air of trying not to take sides but defending Ford.
"So you're taking his side! We still don't know if this is going to work. Thinking back I should have waited a few days to find out everything I could about you Ford....."
"Sally wait."
"What?" Sally and Sonic said in unison.
"I never wanted to get on your bad side Sally, or your Sonic. When I told your father that I had an idea about planting a surveillance device on the command center he okayed it and then ordered me not to tell you or anyone else about it. He wanted me to give him the chip and then he was going to ask you for Nichole later. I know this is not the first time that your father has kept information from you."
"He would never have had authorized the use of that weapon for."
"I told him that I had a plan to get a device on the command center but not how I was getting it there. He doesn't know about the rifle. Sorry I yelled at you and didn't tell you before. Ever since your father's return he seems to think that he knows more about the war between the Freedom Fighters and Robotnick as though he's been there the entire time." When they didn't say anything he continued, "Your father is a great man and excellent king, but he knows nothing about fighting a war. In my opinion he never should have took your position. Military tactics is not his field."
"Hey! Looks like yer all ready to go." Bunnie said from above as Dulcy came flying in with Bunnie on her back.
"Will continue this later." Sally said walking over to Dulcy. "How did it go?"
"Everything was easy Sally-girl. Placing those bombs was so easy I could have done it in my sleep." Bunnie said coming down. "Dulcy here got the worker bots out and managed to place a few surprises while she was at it."
"Surprises?" Sonic asked.
"The bombs sug. For Ro-butt-nick it will be a surprise."
"Right, I forgot why we where here for a moment." Sonic said nodding.
Bunnie glanced around at them all noticing something was up. "What the hey-haw has been going on while we were out there. And don't tell me that it's nothing Sally-girl I can see something's going on."
"It's my fault Bunnie. I did something that I was ordered to keep from her by her father."
"Which was?" Bunnie asked.
"Sally can tell you later or whenever but not right now. We have 10 minutes left till time restarts for the rest of the world. We don't need Ro-butt-nick knowing we've been here."
"Let's juice then!" Sonic said grabbing the rope. "Ford be careful this time."
Sally and Bunnie got on Dulcy and headed out. Sally told Bunnie everything that had happened when they spilt up till when Bunnie had came back as they flew home. Sonic, pulling Ford on his hovering case, was doing better on his run through the woods back to Knothole. Five seconds after time had restarted several large explosions went off in Robotropolis.
