Chapter 5: Another Go

September 2nd, 2316 – 5:00 PM – Nedlo, Tneicna

A crowd of athletes dashed down the foot track in the Grakoran Stadium as fast as they could. The thing was, they weren't going very fast. This was because the runners were competing in the Pakanoka event. It was basically like the hundred meter dash, with one difference: they sprinted down the track wearing full Tneicnan war armor. Not to mention, each of the runners had a rope wrapped around their waist, which was in turn attached to a large boulder. It took endurance and raw strength to win this event, in addition to speed.

However, Sonic thought all these running events were really boring. If he were in the tournament, he could get down the track four times before these guys even made it to the halfway point. However, Sonic had been outvoted two to one by Tails and Knuckles on going to them. So, here he was, sitting here bored out of his mind. Meanwhile, Tails and Knuckles were excitedly chatting next to him.

"That woman in front is tearing it up," Tails said, pointing down at the runners below. "She must be really strong."

The runner that Tails was pointing at was a rhino at the front of the pack. She was leading by about thirty feet.

"I bet you I could beat her in a fight," Knuckles said, folding his arms. "Her strength wouldn't mean anything. I'd take her down just as easy as that Nack guy who attacked us the other night."

Sonic shot a glance at Knuckles. Him mentioning Nack reminded him of Carrie. She was still asleep from Nack's sleeping gas, and they'd left her in bed for today. Mr. Olandra said he'd call a doctor to look over her. Apparently it was a very strong gas, and it also helped that Carrie had been stuck in the middle of it. Sonic hoped she'd be okay, and he hoped her attacker would get caught soon.

"Yeah...well I hope Nack gets arrested fast," Sonic said. "I don't want him wrecking our vacation anymore."

"Oh! That reminds me!" Tails said.

The fox reached inside a bag next to his seat, and pulled out a laptop computer. After booting it up, he went through his files until he opened up a document with Nack's picture on it. He started talking as Sonic and Knuckles leaned over to look at the screen.

"After he told us his name, I logged onto the government's intelligence network today and got whatever info I could find on him there," Tails explained. "Anyway, according to the network, Nack the Weasel has been a bounty hunter and a treasure hunter for a while now, and he's got a bad reputation."

"What kind of reputation?" Sonic asked.

"He'll change his alliance at the drop of a demen," Tails answered. "He's only interested in working for whoever will give him the most money, or doing whatever work is the most profitable at the time. Even if you were his best friend, he'd backstab you without a second thought if he could find a way to get cash out of it."

"I hate this guy already," Knuckles said. "But anyway, if he only does what gets him the most money, Carrie or us must be worth a big bounty."

"Yeah," Tails said. "He will be coming back I bet, with what this profile says."

"Anything else in there?" Sonic asked.

"Well, we already saw his hover bike and his weapon of choice," Tails said. "His favorite way of capturing bounties is using ambushes, tricks, and traps."

"I wouldn't worry about him," Knuckles said. "We kicked his ass last night easy."

"But he's gonna be coming back," Tails warned. "And I think he's going to be more careful the second time, now that he knows how dangerous we are."

"Heh, everything will be fine little bro," Sonic said as he gave Tails a hearty slap on the back. "We can take him if he ever gets to us, and now he's gonna have to deal with the new security too."

After last night, security had been doubled in the Grakoran Stadium, and they'd even posted four strong guards in front of the door to their private box. Also, part of a regiment of soldiers has been concentrated around the Brenbar Inn, as Captain Relis had promised.

"I dunno guys," Tails said. "I've got a feeling it's not going to be enough to keep him away..."

The rest of the Pakanoka event passed without incident. It was the last one of the day, so after it ended an hour later the trio walked back towards the hotel.

"I'm glad that's over," Sonic said. "I really hope the rest of the tournament's not as boring as those running events..."

"Oh Sonic," Knuckles said with a sigh. "Are you ever gonna stop complaining about those slow runners?"

"Nope. They were so slow they were almost going backwards," Sonic said, as he began to walk backwards in front of the other two.

"Believe it or not, everybody's isn't lucky enough to have your gift of super speed," Knuckles said, folding his arms.

"Sometimes I wish everyone else did," Sonic fumed, turning around again to face forward. "Then I wouldn't have to spend so much time waiting for people to catch up with me."

"You sure about that?" Tails asked. "Then your super speed wouldn't be so special anymore."

"I guess you have a point," Sonic replied.

"Yeah…can you imagine how boring super speed would be then?" Knuckles said. "I wouldn't like seeing everyone have my strength, or everyone being able to fly like Tails. Worse, what if someone had our speed, strength, and flight? Yeesh...makes my head spin."

"Especially if he had no personality, was perfect in every way, and had chi abilities," Tails added.

"Oh boy!" Sonic said with a laugh. "I'm glad Planet Freedom's not overrun with people like that. I guess I should be happy I'm the only one who can run so fast."

"Yep," Knuckles agreed. He then stopped and said, "Hey look...we made it back to the hotel!"

Sonic looked himself, and he saw that they were indeed only a little ways away from the Brenbar Inn. It looked about the same as when they'd come here yesterday, only now guards were posted around the building and there were four of them flanking the door. The metal plating of their chest armor shone in the setting sun, and their leather shoulder pads made them look very broad shouldered and intimidating. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles didn't pay them much attention. However, some of the soldiers looked at them and whispered as they walked past.

They stepped into the lobby, which was now lit by torches hanging from the walls and candelabras due to the incoming darkness. They headed back up the dimly lit stairs to Carrie's room. Even in the darkness, they could see her eyes still lay shut. Grabbing a candle from a table in the hallway, Knuckles set it down on the nightstand next to her bed.

"Damn... I was expecting she'd be awake when we got back," Sonic said. "I can't believe she's still sleeping."

"What kind of gas could have done this?" Tails asked.

"Who knows?" Knuckles said. "I just hope that stuff didn't put her into a coma or anything."

"Speaking of Nack, do you think he really wanted to capture us instead of her?" Tails said. "It doesn't make a whole lot of sense for Blackie Sten's men to just suddenly switch from wanting her alive instead of dead."

"It could be anything Tails," Sonic interrupted. "We just won't know until we can capture this Nack guy and get some real answers from him."

"How do we find him?" Tails asked.

"Simple," Knuckles said. "We just wait for him to come to us. If he wants us that badly, he will be back like he promised. Nack will be along any time now, I bet."

There was a knock on the door. Knuckles whirled around into a fighting stance, facing the door. Sonic did the same. Tails moved to stand between Carrie's bed and the door. There was a second knocking.

"Who is it?" Sonic said.

"It's just me Sonic, Mr. Olandra," a familiar voice said, coming from the other side.

Knuckles let out a sigh as he straightened back up again. Sonic started walking over to the door, and opened it up. Standing there was a short, plump robin in a blue robe. He also had a small blue hat. This was Mr. Olandra, the owner of the hotel.

"Sorry to interrupt you," the robin said. "But Sonic, you have a phone call."

"You have a phone here?" Tails said. "But this is Tneicna..."

"I know," Mr. Olandra said with a grin. "I figured I could draw in more customers who aren't Tneicnan by getting a phone, and it's worked great. I've got the only phone for blocks around. Anyway, like I said Sonic, someone's calling for you."

"Well, okay then," Sonic said. "Excuse me guys."

"Sure," Knuckles said.

Sonic walked past the robin and headed for the stairs. Meanwhile, Mr. Olandra came into the room and stood next to Carrie.

"Did you get a doctor to look over her, like you said you would?" Tails asked.

"Yes, I did," he replied, pulling over a stool to sit on with his feathered arms. He sat down on it. "He said she'd be fine. She's the victim of a rare, expensive type of sleeping gas called Sconocea. It can put people to sleep for nearly a day or more"

Knuckles let out a whistle.

"That's a really long time!" he said.

"Yes, I know," the robin replied. "He said it's often used by bounty hunters who need to deliver their targets alive. It makes it a lot easier to transport the bounties this way. By the time the unlucky victim has woken up, his capturers have already gotten him to his destination."

"It's been almost a day since she got hit by that stuff, hasn't it?" Tails said. "That means she should be waking up soon."

"Yeah, you're right Tails," Knuckles added. "It's about 7 pm now, and it was like 7:30 last night when she got gassed."

"Marvelous then," Mr. Olandra said with a smile. "Maybe by the time Sonic gets back she'll be wide awake."

"I hope so..." Tails said. "I'm worried about her."

Suddenly, some mumbling escaped from Carrie's mouth. She was moaning a bit.

"Hey, it looks like she's waking up now," Knuckles said.

The three of them gathered around her bed. She rolled around a bit in her bed, and murmured something. However, none of them could tell what she was saying.

"Looks like she's having a nightmare," Mr. Olandra noticed.

"Nightmare?" Tails repeated. "Maybe she's dreaming about Nack."

The wolf's speech was starting to become more coherent, and they could pick out some words.

"Here...he's... Aaah... Help..."

"Got no idea what that means," Knuckles said, folding his arms.

"Sssh, quiet," Tails said, moving an ear closer to her mouth.

"Help him... Help Sonic... He's here... Downstairs... Hurry..."

Tails' eyes widened in fright.

"What's she saying?" Mr. Olandra said.

"'Help Sonic. He's here, downstairs. Hurry.'" Tails repeated. "That's all I could catch."

"She's having a dream about what's happening right now?" Mr. Olandra said. "That's just strange."

"No wait, it makes sense," Knuckles interrupted. "She has the ability to see when someone is about to commit a crime, so..."

It finally hit Tails and Knuckles. They stared at each other in shock, realizing what was going on. Before they could make their move though, a metal canister flew into the room through the windows. It clattered across the wooden floor, as purple gas started to fill the room.

One minute earlier…

Sonic opened a door in the lobby, and the small phone room greeted him on the other side. A desk sat off to the left, with a large phone box on it. A cable ran out of it and through the nearby window, to a satellite dish for communications and a solar panel to provide power. On the right side of the room was another door. Sonic guessed it was a broom closet.

He paid none of that any mind though, as he picked up the phone and held it to his ear.

"Hello?" he said into the mouthpiece.

There was no reply.

"Hello?" Sonic said again, a little more worry in his voice.

"Hello there Sonic!" a familiar voice on the phone said. Sonic recognized it as Nack.

"You?" Sonic said, surprised. His voice hardened. "What're you scheming now?"

"Never mind about me Sonic. I'd like you to answer a riddle first. What is small, dark, and hides skeletons?"

"Huh?" Sonic said. "What the hell does any of this have to do with anything?"

"Just answer the damn question."

"A coffin?"

"Nope. But you're getting there. The word's got the same amount of letters as 'coffin', and it starts with the same letter too."

Sighing, Sonic thought about it for a moment. However, he really didn't know what Nack was talking about.

"No idea," Sonic said.

He felt someone press a gun barrel against his back. He turned his head, and saw that Nack was standing right behind him, a cell phone in one hand and a tranquilizer gun in the other one. The closet door behind him was open, so Nack had been hiding in there.

"It was a closet, idiot," Nack said. He started to squeeze the trigger on his gun.

However, Sonic didn't give him the chance to fire a shot. He dropped to the floor and did a sweep kick, which successfully knocked Nack's feet out from under him. With a howl, the weasel crashed to the floor, lying in a prone position. Sonic then jumped on top of Nack's back and pinned him to the floor.

Before Sonic could knock him out though, Nack's tail curled up and then the tip of it pressed against Sonic's chest. The hedgehog was sent flying up into the ceiling with a loud crash, and then he fell back to the floor again with a thud. Sonic shook his head, and then looked up to see Nack pointing his tranquilizer gun at him. A wicked grin crossed his face as he put his finger around the trigger. Before he could fire though, the entrance door into the phone room crashed open. Sonic looked over to see four guards standing at the door with their swords drawn.

"Damn!" Nack screamed.

He pulled a small blue canister out of his pocket and threw it at the three of them. It exploded with a bang, and a bright flash filled the room. Sonic rubbed his eyes, but he couldn't see a thing. The whiteness of the light in his eyes just wouldn't go away. About five seconds later when the light finally faded, Nack was long gone. The window in the room was open, and a breeze outside was causing the shutters to swing back and forth.

"Argh, he got away!" one of the guards shouted. "We nearly had him!"

Sonic stood up and looked out the window. Guards ran about outside looking for Nack, but he appeared to be long gone. The guards inside the room stepped forward to Sonic.

"Sorry we were too late to help," one of them, a koala said.

"That's all right," Sonic said. "At least you scared him away before he could shoot me."

"Don't worry, we'll hunt him down soon enough," he replied. He then turned to face the other guards. "We'd better make sure that Tails and Knuckles are all right too."

With that, the guards all hurried for the stairs. Sonic moved to follow them, but one of the guards grabbed him by the arm, and Sonic turned to look at him. He had the face of a gray-colored fox.

"What are you doing?" Sonic said.

"I'm going to take you to the barracks," he replied. "It'll be safer there."

"I don't need that," Sonic said.

"I'm sorry, but it's orders," he retorted. "By the way, I'm sure the guys upstairs are doing the same thing with Tails and Knuckles. We should get you to our barracks, where it's safer."

"Well...if it's your orders, all right then," Sonic said, giving in.

The guard nodded in reply.

"Good, now follow me," he said.

The fox ran out the front door of the building. While he was clearly running as fast as he could, Sonic could easily keep up with him while jogging. After they'd run a couple of blocks, he turned into an alleyway. Bags of trash littered the area, and the whole place smelled awful.

"Are you sure this is the way there?" Sonic asked.

"Yeah, it's a shortcut," the guard replied. "Don't worry, because we're almost there. It's just around this turn here."

He turned around the next corner out of sight. Sonic stepped around to follow him, and found a silenced tranquilizer gun pointed right at his face. The guard was holding it. Before Sonic could react, he fired. The dart hit him right between the eyes, and quickly injected the tranquilizer solution into his head. He went unconscious before his body even hit the ground.