Chapter 12: The Presidential Suite
"My, my…" Rouge placed her hands on his hips as she observed the armed soldiers surrounding her near the exit of the Eisenhower military research facility's parking garage. "Looks like I was a bit too careless, huh?" Her commentary elicited no feedback from the soldiers, however; their guns were still trained on the jewel thief as their leader slowly approached her.
"All right, don't try anything funny," she said as she kept one hand holstering her pistol as she gripped a set of handcuffs with the other.
"You caught me fair n' square," Rouge replied with a sly grin as she raised her hands in the air.
"You know, that costume is pretty elaborate," the agent said as she loosened her grip on her gun and opened both cuffs, "it almost looks like you're a real bat."
"And it almost looks like you're young and attractive," Rouge replied, "but now that you're closer, I can clearly see you're just an old hag."
"Ex-cuse me?" The human replied, taking a step back as a blush grew across her face.
"You heard me," Rouge replied as she stepped closer to the embarrassed agent, her arms still raised and her palms open, "now how about you handcuff me, or is your arthritis acting up again?"
The woman was clearly angry, her face red and steam fuming from her ears as she ground her teeth.
"You won't be so chatty when we take you into custody," the human replied as she aggressively grabbed Rouge's wrists and pulled her arms down.
"My, my, I see someone likes to play rough."
The men surrounding the two broke down in laughter.
"Hey guys, will you quit acting like morons and get a hold of yourselves!?" she yelled. Peering back down at her prisoner, she had a mere split second to react to the roundhouse kick delivered by the thief, dodging just in time. She wasn't, however, prepared for the counter swipe kick to her knees, sending her falling to her side. Her pistol slid across the floor.
If the commanders' orders weren't clear enough, the fugitive's attack was enough to break the soldiers away from their laughter and focus their attention back on her, aiming their guns steadily at the Mobian. An entire line of them, however, quickly fell as the acrobatic bat sent them flying with her screw kick, stray bullets caking the room as machine guns fell from the soldiers' hands and dotted the ground.
Twisting herself around to face another pack of soldiers, Rouge took to the air, performing a loop before swooping down and landing a blow to the stomach of another soldier, sending the ones behind him falling like dominoes. Landing on her feet, she quickly dove to the side to avoid an oncoming punch from another soldier.
"Looks like I've got more than I bargained for," Rouge noted as she wiped the sweat from her brow before raising her fists in a fighting stance.
It only took a few seconds for the jewel thief to take down the next group of men; she started out with a quadruple punch combo to the belly of the first soldier followed by a roundhouse kick to the one who tried creeping up behind her. Launching herself up, she punched the next soldier in the jaw before swiftly throwing a set of ninja stars at the remaining men, managing to bind them to the wall without causing any injuries.
Peering around, she was surrounded by the bodies of unconscious or otherwise tired soldiers.
"Well," Rouge began as she clapped the dust from her gloved hands, "looks like my work here is d—" She was interrupted by a blow to her back, sending her careening to the wall.
"Owww…" She rubbed her head as she pulled herself from the ground. "Okay, who did that?" Shaking the dizziness from her vision, she found the captain peering down at her.
"Well, looks like you're tougher than you look," Rouge placed her hands on her hips once more, "especially for an old lady."
"I'll have you know," she replied as she bent her knees and raised her fists, "I'm only 36, not even close to being old.
"Hah, you're twice as old as me," Rouge replied, raising her fists as well. "What's your name, by the way? I respect a woman who's got some fight in her."
"Topaz," the human replied tersely, "however, I don't have respect for those who steal government secrets."
"Topaz, huh?" Rouge replied with a smirk. "Isn't that the name of a jewel?"
"What of it?" Topaz asked as she tightened her fists.
"As I'm sure you already know," Rouge pulled out the green Chaos Emerald from her wing, glowing in the moonlight pouring into the parking garage from the nearby entrance, "I'm rather fond of expensive jewelry, especially ones as rare as the Chaos Emeralds."
"You can tell us all about it when we interrogate you," Topaz replied before spitting to her side. "Now, are you going to come willingly, or will you make me do this the hard way?" The secret agent cracked her knuckles.
"Like I said," Rouge replied with a smirk, "you like it rough, right?"
"All right, you've asked for it, punk!" Topaz lunged forward, swinging her arm for a devastating blow that failed to land, the jewel thief sliding away just in time. She swung back around, however, with a roundhouse kick the secret agent had come to anticipate, swiftly dodging and jumping just as Rouge performed a swipe counter with her feet. Instead of landing her blow, however, the Mobian was met with a knee to the face, sending her to the ground. Quickly pulling herself up, she pulled the mask from her face and wiped the blood from her nose.
"You know how long it's going to take to clean my outfit!?" Rouge yelled as she angrily eyed the human approaching her. "Look at this! You're luck this didn't get in my fur."
"Your fur?" Topaz asked, stopping in her tracks to analyze the bat, who was now removing her espionage attire to reveal her regular outfit underneath: a purple chest plate and a skintight unitard. She appeared even more batlike than ever, complete with fur covering her head and wings which were more than just for show. "Wait…are you…wearing a disguise under your disguise?"
"What? That sounds a bit ridiculous, don't you think?" Rouge folded her arms.
"Well, yeah," Topaz replied as she placed her hands on her hips, "just as much as the existence of a bat thing talking to me and stealing government secrets."
"I hate to break it to you, sweetie," Rouge jumped up and performed some loops around the parking garage with the aid of her wings, "but I'm about as real as you can get."
"B-b-but, where? How?" Topaz stammered, attempting to find the right words as she struggled to comprehend the sight before her; while at first she thought she was dealing with a rather short espionage expert, perhaps a spy from a foreign country sent to find U.S. government secrets, it turned out the one before her was actually some sort of alien.
"The answer," Rouge removed the Chaos Emerald from between her wings once more and spun it on the base of her finger, "starts with this."
"W-wha?" Before Topaz could articulate further, Rouge took her leave, heading for the parking garage exit. Now completely outdoors, the human commander stopped her, grabbing her wrist and peering down at her with stern resolve.
"I don't quite frankly care if you're an alien," Topaz kept Rouge's wrists restrained with one hand as she readied her handcuffs with the other, "the fact of the matter is that you broke into a government research facility and stole our property. This is a very serious charge." Rouge pulled her wrist away, but before she could escape Topaz's grip, bright headlights flashed from all corners; several Humvees surrounded the women, as did multiple helicopters from above.
"The jig's up," Topaz gloated, "best not to resist any longer."
That's it…if I just play along, spill the beans about Mobius, and tell them what I know about Sonic, Eggman, and the rest of them, they'll grant me a full pardon for sure, or maybe even diplomatic immunity.
"All right, sugar," Rouge relaxed her arms, allowing Topaz to easily secure her handcuffs around her wrists, "take me to your leader."
"Oh, you did not just say that." Topaz scoffed as she escorted the prisoner away, eyeing her closely as they entered the back of a parked helicopter. The two sat in silence as the pilot took them to a prison not far from the research facility.
Poke…
Poke poke…
"C'mon, lil' buddy! Rise n' shine!"
Tails slowly opened his eyes, but quickly shut them again as he swatted away Sonic's prodding fingers, sending the blue hedgehog tumbling to the end of the bed.
"W-what time is it?" Tails asked as he rolled to his side. "And why are you up here on the top bunk?"
"Time?" Sonic blink a few times in confusion. "Oh, the time! Yeah, it's about…5:30, and I climbed up here to wake you up, silly!"
"5:30 AM!?"
Tails threw his pillow at Sonic's face and wrapped himself in his twin namesakes.
"Oh, come on, Tails! Is that how you're gonna treat your big brother?" Sonic playfully asked as he placed the discarded pillow on his lap, observing the irritated kitsune from the opposite side of the bed.
"Gimme n' hour," Tails grumbled from within his makeshift, furry cocoon.
"Nuh ah ahhhh," Sonic waved his finger before crawling over to his younger brother and poking his head through his namesakes. "C'mon, Tails! It's a gorgeous day! Just think of all the places to explore." The blue hedgehog pulled apart the fox's protective, furry blanket and gestured his arm toward the open window. "Seriously! Today's perfect for a lil' jog. What do you say, jus' the two of us, before the girls wake up?"
Tails eyed his older brother's puppy dog eyes, and while he was still annoyed, he couldn't help but crack a smile.
We haven't had any real fun, just the two of us, in what's felt like a long time. After all Sonic's been through…he really needs this…and so do I.
"Okay, fiiiiine," Tails yawned into his open palm as Sonic jumped off the top bunk, bending his knees to absorb the fall. The fox proceeded to climb down the ladder before the duo crept through the house, hoping not to wake anyone else.
"Where are you two off to?"
Sonic and Tails spun around to find Alicia and Doug tiredly stepping out of their bedroom.
"Oh, us?" Sonic asked as he placed a finger on his chest.
"No, the door," Doug replied with a grin. "Nah, it's cool. You two can come and go as you please."
"Always be sure to lock up when you leave, though," Alicia advised as she handed Tails, arguably the more responsible of the two, a key for the front door. "I'm also giving a spare to Amy to share with Cream."
Tails placed the key snuggly in his namesakes and waved the adults goodbye before setting off on their trip.
"Let's see…" Tails pulled up his map on his wristwatch communicator. "This area has many winding paths and several trails to choose from. Where would you like to go, Sonic?"
"You know me," Sonic replied as he scratched the back of his head, "just pick a path, and I'll be happy!" The blue hedgehog punched the air in a fighting stance, as if he were preparing to box with Knuckles.
"Sounds good!" Tails rubbed the base of his chin as he studied his watch more intently. "Let's gooooo…this way!" Tails pointed north, his finger tracing a road which led to a cul-de-sac connected to a walking trail.
"Wanna make it a race?" Sonic asked with a smirk as he scratched the base of his nose.
"I dunno," Tails replied as he raised a gloved finger to his chin in thought. "With your recovery, I don't know if it'd be a fair competition."
"You know saying it like that's only gonna make me wanna race ya even more, right?" Sonic asked as he placed his hands on his hips.
"Good point," Tails stretched his arms and legs. "All right, then, if it'll get it out of your system, let's race!"
"Ah yeah!" Sonic replied as he gave his little brother a thumbs up. "Now this is happenin'!"
Using the edge of the sidewalk as the starting line, Sonic charged a spindash as Tails spun his rotary namesakes, the two keeping themselves stationary for the countdown.
"Three…two…one…aaaaand gooooo!"
The two heroes were off, adjacent blue and orange streaks to any potential passersby, but at this time of day, most residents were either sleeping or getting ready for work.
About a mile from the starting line, Sonic was a half block ahead of his younger bro, but a pain started to form in his lower abdomen. Gritting his teeth, he slowed his speed a few notches as he clutched his lower belly. This allowed the orange kitsune to catch up relatively easily.
"What's wrong, Sonic?" Tails asked as he tilted his head in concern, noticing the blue hedgehog wincing in pain.
"Ah, it's my dang wound," Sonic removed his palm from his belly to reveal his stitches.
"The doctor did say you should take it easy after the surgery," Tails noted as the two rounded a corner, making their way to the walking trail. "Getting shot is no picnic, you know."
"Nah, nothin' can keep this hedgehog down!" Sonic replied with a laugh as he suppressed the pain.
"True, but doctors know more about surgeries and recoveries than even me! You know how long it takes them to get a medical degree?"
"It can't be that long, right?"
"Ummm, no, Sonic, it takes years to become a doctor, both on Mobius and Earth. I checked!"
"Always one step ahead of me, huh?" Sonic and Tails laughed as they jumped over a puddle covering the width of the trail, a nice breeze cooling them off as the morning sun rose above the horizon.
"You got your speed, and I have my internet habits," Tails replied with a bit of self-deprecating humor. "By the way, human internet is even more addictive than Mobian internet. Whatever you do, don't go to Reddit, it'll suck you in for hours."
"Heh, I'll take your word for it," Sonic groaned once more. "So…you thinkin' a doc with hedgehog experience should've treated me instead?"
"The doctors specializing in human anatomy were the better option, actually," Tails explained. "You see, unlike Mobian hedgehogs and Mobian foxes, who share many characteristics with humans, Earth has their own, lesser evolved versions of hedgehogs, foxes, and many other species. A hedgehog doctor on Earth is called a veterinarian, but they wouldn't have done much better than a doctor here, given the anatomical differences between our species. Plus, while veterinarians require many years of education, human doctors need even more to practice medicine."
"Wow, Tails, it sounds like you've really done your homework!" Sonic said, giving him a thumbs up. Tails giggled in response, blushing through his muzzle as he scratched the back of his head. His laughter was cut off, however, as Sonic groaned once more, slowing his speed to a light jog.
"All right, Sonic…" Tails patted Sonic on the shoulder. "I think we should slow things down a bit."
"You know," Sonic replied with a small smile, "I hate to say it, but maybe I was goin' a bit too fast. Maybe the doctor had a point."
"You don't say!" The two chuckled as they slowed their jog to a walk, traveling a few dozen yards until they found a nearby bench where they recuperated as the rising sun warmed their fur.
Rouge stared at the ceiling of the small, white jail cell she had occupied since the night before.
So this is solitary confinement, huh? It's enough to drive me batty!
The jewel thief grumbled under her breath as she rolled out of bed and stretched her legs and wings before splashing sink water in her face. Looking at her face in the mirror, she frowned upon noticing the smeared mascara over her eyelids and her faded lipstick.
"I suppose they don't have a beauty salon here?" The bat leaned against the wall, folded her arms, and sighed to herself. "Let's just hope this plan works."
At least it had been working so far; upon her apprehension, it was apparent to the soldiers she wasn't human at all, and some of them speculated correctly she was, in some way, related to the aliens who were all over the news as of late. They determined, therefore, she couldn't stay in any ordinary prison, as the other inmates wouldn't necessarily take kindly to an alien joining their ranks in the cafeteria. It was for these reasons she was isolated from the rest, at least for the time being, and she knew these accommodations would only be temporary until the government starts negotiating with her.
She peered down at her attire; an orange jumpsuit which was a bit too baggy; it's not every day they had adult inmates arriving who were less than four feet tall, especially those requiring holes be ripped through the back to accommodate wings, but the prison uniform they found for the jewel thief was sufficient.
"Okay, so orange definitely doesn't suit me…" Sighing to herself once more, she paced around the room for a few minutes, stopping as she heard the door creak open to reveal three women, one with handcuffs and the two others eyeing the bat carefully in case she tried to escape.
"Am I finally getting out of here?" Rouge asked with a smirk. "I could go for a nice bath right about now." The three remained silent as they handcuffed the Mobian bat and escorted her out of the cell. Rouge peered around the dull hallways, noticing the security cameras training their lenses on the group as they made their way through the complex. Stopping at the washroom, they were met by another staff member holding Rouge's normal attire, completely washed and neatly folded, as well as bottles of shampoo and body wash.
"You have 15 minutes to clean up," said the prison guard as the one behind the bat removed her handcuffs. "You have an important meeting to prepare for."
"A meeting?" Rouge asked, smirking as she realized her scheme was unfolding exactly as she anticipated. "With whom?"
"You'll find out in due time," she replied as she handed the bundle of clothing and soap bottles to the bat. "Hurry up, the clock's already ticking."
"Fine by me," Rouge replied with a shrug as she walked into the bathing room. It was an open shower with several nozzles, clearly intended for multiple prisoners to use at once, but nobody else was around.
"It's no soothing bath, but it'll have to do…"
Nearly thirty minutes later, the bat was escorted to a small, black car with tinted windows. After a short drive, she was led into what appeared to be an old, but well-maintained government building with an immaculate lawn and security personnel scattered every several yards. Finally, she and her escorts arrived at an oval-shaped room, American flags adorning either side of the window behind a large, mahogany desk where a stoic man was waiting. Sitting on the opposite side of the desk was the secret agent Rouge exchanged blows with the prior evening.
"Hey, Topaz!" Rouge called with a wave. "I see your old body didn't give out after our tussle." The bat focused her attention from the irate woman to the man behind the desk. "And who are you? I take it someone important?"
"Important!?" Topaz asked angrily. "You are staring at President Michael Reuben Kennedy! Don't you have any awareness of current events?"
"Why would I?" Rouge shrugged as she made her way to an open chair next to the secret agent. "I haven't been here for very long, so it's not like I've had time to open a newspaper."
"Enough, ladies," Michael replied sternly, raising a single hand. The two complied, with the human sitting straight in her chair while the Mobian bat leaned back and crossed one leg over the other. Topaz grumbled at the alien's casual demeanor. "Anyway, I called you here, Rouge, to discuss a matter of national security, and your involvement in it."
"Oooh, exciting," she smirked as she raised a finger to her chin.
"It's clear to us you're no human, and it can't be a coincidence you arrived at about the same time as Sonic, his friends, and that Dr. Eggman fellow…so I must ask…" The President leaned forward to get a good look at the jewel thief. "Just…who are you people?"
"What ever do you mean?" Rouge replied as she turned away with her arms folded. "I'm just a humble woman making her way in this world."
"Now, now…Rouge, was it?"
"That's me," she replied with a shrug.
"I have a proposition for you." The President coupled his hands and placed them on his desk as he sternly stared at the batlike Mobian.
"Oh?" Rouge's eyes fluttered as she returned his gaze with her own. "And what might that be?"
"Regardless of where you come from," he replied, "you are highly skilled in the arts of espionage and combat, and I'm sure you hold valuable information regarding our new threat and possible allies." The President rose from his seat, walked around his desk, and extended his arm out the jewel thief. "If you cooperate with us, tell us everything we need to know, and help us undermine Dr. Eggman's schemes, we will grant you a full pardon for your attempt at stealing government secrets. We are even prepared to grant you full citizenship. Do we have a deal?"
Hook, line, and sinker.
"Well…I don't know," Rouge replied with a shrug.
"What do you mean 'I don't know'"? Topaz replied angrily once more. "The President is offering you a chance at forgiveness, absolutely no consequences for your treasonous acts! What else is there to think about?"
"Details, honey," Rouge replied as she looked back at the bewildered agent before peering up at the commander-in-chief. "Will the accommodations fit my high standards?" Rouge asked with a brow raised. "I didn't appreciate being stuck in a prison cell, you know. My back's gonna be hurting for weeks!" She rubbed her back to demonstrate her apparent soreness.
"You will be issued a government-issued debit card allowing you to stay at whichever hotel you'd like in Station Square," Kennedy. replied. "You will also be able to use this card to purchase food, clothing, and anything you desire within reason."
"So no more stealing," Topaz replied with a scoff.
"You will also be given an American identification card, a Social Security card, and various visas, allowing you to stay or travel wherever you'd like."
"One last question," Rouge smirked once more, "will I be able to keep that emerald?"
"You mean the one you tried to steal!?" Topaz rose from her seat and balled her fists. "I have never, in all my years of service, met anyone as selfish as you!"
"That's enough, Agent Topaz!" The President commanded. She blushed in embarrassment as she sat back down, looking away with a humph as she folded her arms. "Well Rouge, that depends," Michael sat back down at his desk, "if you can explain why this gem glows and reacts to things around it, we can determine if it's safe enough in your hands." It took every ounce of resolve to keep Topaz from blowing a gasket.
"So, if I agree to this arrangement, I will be given a full pardon, nice accommodations, free money to use as I please, and potentially the emerald, too?"
"That about sums it up, miss," The President replied with a nod. "So…do we have a deal?"
The bat jumped on the desk, causing a surprise shriek from the secret agent to her side and the other soldiers at the door to draw their weapons.
"Oh, calm down you guys," Rouge replied as she looked back at them with a wagging finger, "don't be so trigger happy." The bat peered down at the bewildered commander-in-chief. "I was just gonna give your dear leader here a handshake." With that, Rouge knelt and extended her arm out. Michael quickly shook her hand, solidifying an arrangement which would be sure to provide enormous benefits to both parties.
The president nodded to the personnel by the door, signaling them to leave. Only Rouge and Topaz remained.
"Okay then, Rouge," the president leaned back in his chair and placed his hands in his lap, "tell me what I need to know. Start from the beginning."
The bat chuckled. "I hope you have some coffee handy, because oh boy, this will take a while."
"Agent Topaz," Michael turned her attention to the human by Rouge's side.
"Yes sir!" Topaz stood up and gave him a salute.
"Would you mind…fixing us up a fresh pot of coffee?"
Topaz nearly fell over.
"Ummm…y-yes, sir…" Topaz collected herself and stepped over to the sink near the back of the Oval Office and activated the coffee machine. She grumbled, lamenting the years of academy training wasted as she prepared hot beverages for the commander-in-chief and a lowly thief.
"So, Rouge…" The President lit a cigar and took a big puff, exhaling away from the bat. "Start from the top."
"I want to know everything."