G.U.N Headquarters
Location Classified
Briefing Room
10:00 AM

Lieutenant Herez paced back and forth across the Briefing Room. He sighed to himself. Fifteen years working here and he was still briefing field agents. He felt like he was stuck in this job. His coworkers continued to get promoted before him and he was always left behind. If only he had listened to his mother and been a pharmacist…

He had gotten word minutes ago of a definite code 004 and a code 087 as well as a possible code 265. Herez had to laugh at himself. He didn't even think in words anymore. Just codes. Fifteen years in the same old job will do that to you. He didn't like that about himself. He was too good at his job. Probably why his commanding officers hadn't promoted him. He repeated his thought to himself in layman's terms. There had been an attack on a G.U.N facility and two or more dangerous criminals had escaped. And it was possible that secure information had been taken by a potentially dangerous threat. And this all happened while he had been out at breakfast.

There was one thing he liked about being a briefing officer. He got as much information on all missions as all the agents. And so, while he didn't know everything, he knew quite a bit. He had been given information that stated, and gave exact reasons why there was a critical need for all the Chaos Emeralds to be secured. And since G.U.N researchers still had not been able to find out enough information about the Chaos Emeralds to build a database, mostly due to the fact that the researchers had not been able to get their hands on a Chaos emerald for long enough to do so, no G.U.N agent was truly suitable for the job. And so he had called in an expert on jewels and, more specifically, the Chaos Emeralds.

Herez looked up as the door slid open and his expert came inside. He had only worked with Unofficial agent 307 on three occaisons. And he regretted each. "Hello, Rouge… please sit down…" He said as he motioned for the bat to sit. When she had seated, Herez began. "This morning, one of our facilities was attacked by a certain doctor, I think you are familiar with him…"

"Eggman, yeah I know him…" She replied with her usual air of apathy.

Herez ignored the interruption "During the attack on the facility, three of our most dangerous prisoners escaped. Also, we fear some important information may have been lost. We don't know if it was taken by Doctor Eggman, by the fugitives, or destroyed."

"And you want me to get back your lost documents. Got ya…" The batgirl replied, standing up to leave.

Herez stopped her "No, actually, we have reason to believe that in this situation, the best course of action is to retrieve and secure the Chaos Emeralds. That's where you come in."

Rouge smiled to herself "The Chaos Emeralds, eh? Alright… I'll take the job."

Herez stood and began ushering her out. "We'll keep in touch. And, time is of the essence, so get them back to us, by any means necessary."

Rouge waved the comment away as she walked out of sight, leaving Herez with a feeling that he would come to regret this arrangement as well.

Angel Island
10:58 AM

Rouge was glad she had gotten picked for this job. Even though she didn't like the bad pay. She was glad for the fact that they had not picked some agent who would undoubtedly fail. They had called in an expert, and that's what they got. She had an extensive knowledge on the Chaos Emeralds and she knew, from experience, that if they were all gathered together, there was a good chance of something bad happening. And if that did come to pass, she would need a way out. And the only thing she could think of that could stop the Chaos Emeralds was, of course, the Master Emerald. She needed to borrow it, but she would have a hard time of doing so.

She had just stepped foot on angel island, which, as she knew, wasn't much more than the altar that stood upon it. That, along with the Master Emerald and its guardian. She walked up the steps to the Master Emerald and greeted the guardian "Still busy guarding that thing? Why don't you give it a rest?"

The red echidna looked up "If I did that, you would've taken it just now… what do you want? Because if it's the Master Emerald, you can just turn around."

Rouge pouted. This is exactly what she expected from him… "No, actually, I just came to ask for some help, if you don't mind."

Knuckles stood and asked cautiously "What is it?"

"If you must know, Doctor Eggman is after the Chaos Emeralds again… I just thought you should know, seeing as how you and your friends are always trying to stop him. And I was sort of wondering if you knew how I might find the Emeralds…" Rouge lied. She didn't know who was after the Chaos Emeralds, and she already had a good idea where most of them were.

Knuckles stood more alert. "Fine. I'll try and help you find the Chaos Emeralds."

Rouge smiled. He was playing right into her hands. He was so gullible. It's what she liked about him. "Thanks, and you can bring those friends of yours along if you must..." She said as she walked to the edge of the island and flew off. She turned to her left and picked up speed. She could get to the Master Emerald after she got a few of the Chaos Emeralds in her hands. She had thought about it and decided that she would hold onto the Emeralds until she found out what they were going to be used for. She had a funny feeling that this was going to turn ugly, and fast. And she felt it best that she had some collateral with her when it did...

END OF PROLOGUE