Chapter 3
"So let me get this straight," Sally began after hearing Sonic's story. "This black hedgehog named Shadow framed you, helped Robotnik to blow up half the moon and then saved the world. I'm sorry if I sound skeptical, Sonic, but this does sound a little eccentric. You don't have any proof. Besides yours, Tails', Knuckles' and Amy's word. You say that this Rouge person disappeared after you touched down and that Shadow died after the battle with that biolizard, too?"
Sonic was on the other side of the room stuffing things into his backpack for the journey ahead. Occasionally he would nod over his shoulder and say 'yeah' or 'uh huh'. He didn't make any wisecracks or jokes or boast about what he'd done. He was way too concentrated, high strung. Sonic packed up a few socks and closed the bag. He walked across the room and shuffled past Sally on his way out the door with the squirrel trailing him.
"It doesn't make any sense," Sally said. " If this Hazard... 'thing' did come from that space colony wouldn't the G.U.N. army have tried to do something by now?"
Sonic stopped in his tracks and turned to face her, that determined look still on his face.
"Sal, we decimated 3/4ths of what they had in their arsenal when Eggman blew up that island base of theirs," Sonic said. "I'd be surprised if one tank even survived a blast like that let alone one of the space shuttles. Besides, they've disavowed any involvement they had with the ARK incident. So that means the colony is off limits."
"So what's your plan now, Sonic? Where are we going?"
"To Station Square, and hopefully to ARK."
Sonic walked up to the hanger area with Sally close behind. Almost no one was there to monitor the area in case, say one rogue hedgehog decided to go on an unauthorized mission. Sonic strode up to the front door of the complex. Most of it was built right into one of the mountains that hid Knothole from Robotnik's sensors. The only parts that actually showed were a the control tower and the front doors that led to the hanger itself. The moldy rusted doors weren't easy to move, even with Sally's help.
Both of them sneaked past the security cameras and into the storage area. The place was dusty and smelled of mildew and stale air, not many people came down here in the first place. Many machines and objects were stored here for later use or just forgotten. There was no camera in this area since there seemed to be nothing worth stealing, really. Sonic swaggered by the memorabilia of past adventures. His old plane, the Tornado, shot down by Eggman's flying fortress; Rotor's ATV, which they combed the badlands with, until it got blown to pieces by one of Robotnik's early creations; the Suedo Sonic, the first in a long hit parade of Mecha Sonics which never seemed to succeed in their mission; low power or useless power rings, a tool that Sonic employs to this day.
Sonic broke out of his nostalgia and asked," Where'd Bunnie and Tails say they'd meet us?"
"In cell 1965917 S-A," Sally said, looking at the rows of failed or forgotten Freedom Fighter inventions. " I think I know how Robotnik feels after we've destroyed so many of his creations."
"R-X, R-Y, R-Z...Ah-hah, S-A," Sonic exclaimed as he pulled back the tarp on the cell.
Sally peeked from behind Sonic and looked at a true thing of beauty. A sleek streamlined blue jet with high power engines and missile pods on each side. Inside the cockpit Tails and Bunnie were both relaxing. Both had on a pair of earphones, listening to the stereo. Sonic leaped up on one of the wings.
"Tails," Sonic said calmly to the fox in the pilot seat, he didn't respond.
"Tails!" Not listening.
"Tails!!" Bunnie leans forward and cranks the volume louder.
"Arrgghh, MILES, TURN OFF THE FREAKIN' STEREO!!"
Tails flips off his headphones and sheepishly says," Oh, hi Sonic! I didn't see you guys walk up."
"Yeah, whatever. Did you finish refueling and stuff, cause we gotta go ASAP."
"Yeah, a few bullet holes and a few kinks in the weapon system, but aside from that we're set to go," Tails said enthusiastically.
Sally jumped into the back of the cockpit with Bunnie and realized something. "How are we supposed to get out of here?"
Sonic grabbed onto the back of the craft just as his friend showed her how. He hit a special button on the control panel of the ship, almost instantly it rose up into the air and changed shape into that of a walker. Tails put his hands on the steering wheel and took off. The engine in the back roared to life as Tails sped away from the storage area and into the hanger. Tails hit the button again and took off from the hanger doors into the morning sun.
"So let me get this straight," Sally began after hearing Sonic's story. "This black hedgehog named Shadow framed you, helped Robotnik to blow up half the moon and then saved the world. I'm sorry if I sound skeptical, Sonic, but this does sound a little eccentric. You don't have any proof. Besides yours, Tails', Knuckles' and Amy's word. You say that this Rouge person disappeared after you touched down and that Shadow died after the battle with that biolizard, too?"
Sonic was on the other side of the room stuffing things into his backpack for the journey ahead. Occasionally he would nod over his shoulder and say 'yeah' or 'uh huh'. He didn't make any wisecracks or jokes or boast about what he'd done. He was way too concentrated, high strung. Sonic packed up a few socks and closed the bag. He walked across the room and shuffled past Sally on his way out the door with the squirrel trailing him.
"It doesn't make any sense," Sally said. " If this Hazard... 'thing' did come from that space colony wouldn't the G.U.N. army have tried to do something by now?"
Sonic stopped in his tracks and turned to face her, that determined look still on his face.
"Sal, we decimated 3/4ths of what they had in their arsenal when Eggman blew up that island base of theirs," Sonic said. "I'd be surprised if one tank even survived a blast like that let alone one of the space shuttles. Besides, they've disavowed any involvement they had with the ARK incident. So that means the colony is off limits."
"So what's your plan now, Sonic? Where are we going?"
"To Station Square, and hopefully to ARK."
Sonic walked up to the hanger area with Sally close behind. Almost no one was there to monitor the area in case, say one rogue hedgehog decided to go on an unauthorized mission. Sonic strode up to the front door of the complex. Most of it was built right into one of the mountains that hid Knothole from Robotnik's sensors. The only parts that actually showed were a the control tower and the front doors that led to the hanger itself. The moldy rusted doors weren't easy to move, even with Sally's help.
Both of them sneaked past the security cameras and into the storage area. The place was dusty and smelled of mildew and stale air, not many people came down here in the first place. Many machines and objects were stored here for later use or just forgotten. There was no camera in this area since there seemed to be nothing worth stealing, really. Sonic swaggered by the memorabilia of past adventures. His old plane, the Tornado, shot down by Eggman's flying fortress; Rotor's ATV, which they combed the badlands with, until it got blown to pieces by one of Robotnik's early creations; the Suedo Sonic, the first in a long hit parade of Mecha Sonics which never seemed to succeed in their mission; low power or useless power rings, a tool that Sonic employs to this day.
Sonic broke out of his nostalgia and asked," Where'd Bunnie and Tails say they'd meet us?"
"In cell 1965917 S-A," Sally said, looking at the rows of failed or forgotten Freedom Fighter inventions. " I think I know how Robotnik feels after we've destroyed so many of his creations."
"R-X, R-Y, R-Z...Ah-hah, S-A," Sonic exclaimed as he pulled back the tarp on the cell.
Sally peeked from behind Sonic and looked at a true thing of beauty. A sleek streamlined blue jet with high power engines and missile pods on each side. Inside the cockpit Tails and Bunnie were both relaxing. Both had on a pair of earphones, listening to the stereo. Sonic leaped up on one of the wings.
"Tails," Sonic said calmly to the fox in the pilot seat, he didn't respond.
"Tails!" Not listening.
"Tails!!" Bunnie leans forward and cranks the volume louder.
"Arrgghh, MILES, TURN OFF THE FREAKIN' STEREO!!"
Tails flips off his headphones and sheepishly says," Oh, hi Sonic! I didn't see you guys walk up."
"Yeah, whatever. Did you finish refueling and stuff, cause we gotta go ASAP."
"Yeah, a few bullet holes and a few kinks in the weapon system, but aside from that we're set to go," Tails said enthusiastically.
Sally jumped into the back of the cockpit with Bunnie and realized something. "How are we supposed to get out of here?"
Sonic grabbed onto the back of the craft just as his friend showed her how. He hit a special button on the control panel of the ship, almost instantly it rose up into the air and changed shape into that of a walker. Tails put his hands on the steering wheel and took off. The engine in the back roared to life as Tails sped away from the storage area and into the hanger. Tails hit the button again and took off from the hanger doors into the morning sun.