Chapter 2: The Interview, part 1

X.x.x 5:30 pm, Robotnik's Island Base Meeting Board x.x.X

As the orange bleeds into the tropical light blue sky, the meeting room lights begin to slowly illuminate massive, dark room. Ivo Robotnik sits at the end of a long black table with Snivley uneasily sitting in the seat to his side closest to the massive landscape window, at his dear uncle's request. Eggman has prepared the best he has to offer to be on display for today. He reactivated and rearmed old SWAT-bots to bolster his egg pawns and badniks forces. Eggman also started mass producing his latest invention that morning, the Eggman Extreme Ordinance troops. These EXO troopers were robots upgraded with enhanced hand to hand combat skills and the ability to be refitted for any task from increased speed output, to power augmentation, to even flight. Finally, he sent Lein-Da and the Dark Legion away for the night. These provisions were all to prove that his true power came from the iron fist of his robot army, and not his subordinates. Now with fifteen minutes away from the meeting, Eggman begins to finally relax at seeing the base at its prime. He feels a warm glow of nostalgia at the sight of his mechanical forces guarding the base that reminds him of the early days of his conquest and the feeling of invincibility he once had. Finally after many moments of silence, Robotnik speaks.

"Looks like we'll see if this meeting was worth my time."

"It will be." Snivley quickly retorts with a tone that desperately tries to balance respectful bravado while not showing the fear he has. "I made sure of it."

"Precisely." Eggman began grinning to himself "Just remember, that's why I chose that seat for you." Snivley knew all too well what that meant, especially if the meeting failed. Finally, a robotic voice on the intercom broke the tension.

"Doctor, there is a person here who claims to have a meeting with you."

"Let him in, he's just in time." As the clock is a minute from six, a human male enters the room. He is aged but far from old, his form shows not even the slightest of age. The only indicator of his age is his white-frosted grey slicked back hair and goatee. His black business suit is modern in look but has a royal appeal with golden trim and golden chimera cufflinks all while casually wielding a black cane with gold chimera trim on itself. The man calmly sits in the seat directly facing Dr. Robotnik just as the clock turns six.

Robotnik stands "Welcome to my island, I am ..." the gentleman calmly holds a finger up, silencing the good doctor.

"With all due respect," his voice is proper but firm. "The world and I already know well enough who you are, Dr. Ivo Robotnik." Eggman is at first angered but then intrigued, he slowly begins to grin.

"Well it's good to know my reputation precedes me to even the most solitarily of people." He grin becomes a slightly wicked smile. "Sadly however, I have never even heard record of you or you're so called "Elite" mercenaries my assistant claims your company has Sir." This only brings a stifled fit of light laughter from the man. He quickly regains control of himself.

"First off, my apologies Dr. Robotnik for not giving you a name, I sometimes forget that I am not as well renowned as yourself, please simply call me Doctore." He gives a slight nod of his head "Also, sorry for the laugh my good man, but your statement just made your assistant's case on why you need me." Eggman's smile was immediately gone. His anger grew and the sky turned red, and so did he.

"Please do explain, how have I made his case." pointing to Snivley, who was sweating bullets. He secretly hoped that if his plan went wrong, that Eggman would give him time to run by throwing Doctore out of the window first.

Doctore pulls a flash drive out of his suit pocket and slides it across the table to Eggman, "To put it bluntly, if you only knew half the things my people have done to your forces alone, you would have me here to be put in front of a firing squad instead of helping you." Eggman slides the flash drive into a port on the side of the table. As a monitor lights up and files fill the screen Eggman is at a loss for words. Eggman sees things he once took as bad luck or fate like missing or stolen weapons, floods that blocked him from crippled strongholds long enough to lose them and times when small village he once soundly crushed being freed by themselves were actually being done by someone else.

"It was nothing personal my good man; they were able to hire my people and got the results they paid for." Eggman throws the drive back at him and Doctore catches it "Maybe we can do the same for you."

This sends Robotnik over the edge. "THAT'S IT YOU'VE INSULTED ME FOR THE LAST TIME. IF YOUR MERCEN...

Doctore's calm tone now darkens "If you plan on insulting my men, at least refer to then by the title they have earned, Slayers."

Robotnik's grin returns. "If your "MERCENARIES" are as good as you claim. Then why don't have at least one of them here to protect you?" Eggman stands and pulls a laser pistol from under the table "Because in five minutes you'll wish you had."

Doctore smiles and pulls a pair of black shades. "Who said I didn't." He slid them on and presses a button on the side. "Now, there is no need for a loss of pleasantries. How about we make this into a contest of sport?"

Eggman slowly lowers his gun. "Go on."

Doctore looks to the slowly setting sun. "As soon as the sun sets, my slayer will have five minutes to enter this room from where ever he may be. If he is successful, I and my company will have proven our point." Eggman sits back down but aims the gun back at Doctore.

"I accept your challenge Doctore, but if you lose, you die."

"So be it, may the better man win."

As the sun's last light finally fade from view, the real interview begins.

Thank you for your patience and I hope you enjoy, please rate and review for more.