Somewhere, far from the desert, Snively speaks with his commander, his uncle, Commander Ivo Robotnik.
"Snively, update on the plans."
"Yes Commander, the plans are running smoothly. The enemy is in the desert. We are going to strike when the time is right."
"And how exactly did you find this out?"
"We have planted a mole on the team. They are still unaware."
"Good, good." said Commander Ivo "And what about the... experiment?"
"The transfusions have been completed, but the specimen is still in stasis. All we need now is to wait."
A day later, in the desert, the team prepares to move on. Cosmo on the other hand is hesitant, fearing that someone may find out about Shade.
"Cosmo?" said Tails, walking through the door "We're about to head out. Are you coming?"
"Yes." Cosmo murmured "Tails?"
"Yes Cosmo?"
"What will happen to Shade?"
"Is she getting any better?"
"No. I don't know what to do."
"I'm afraid we may have to tell the others." said Tails, seeing that Shade needs more medical help.
"I guess so..." said Cosmo "I just hope they understand."
"Just tell them everything you can. I'm sure they will."
After everyone got everything packed Cosmo and Tails came out with Shade.
"Tails? Cosmo? Who is this?" asked Knuckles.
"She's one of the Rogues... or at least she was. She was left behind to die." explained Cosmo.
"Espio, Rouge, help her into your jeep." ordered Knuckles "We'll get her some help and hopefully a few more answers."
"Alright." nodded Espio, helping Shade get to the jeep.
"Knuckles." said Rouge "Be careful."
"I will." said Knuckles, hopping into the jeep with Bark, Ray, Mighty, Charmy, Vector and finally Tails.
Before going their separate ways Tails waved goodbye to Cosmo as she sat in the back of the jeep, taking care of Shade.
After hours of driving through the desert the team finally made it to the old hideout. The team piled out of the jeep, debris laying everywhere in the sand.
"Looks like a mess." said Mighty, kicking a bit of the debris "How are we supposed to find what we need here?"
Before Knuckles could say a word the sound of a chopper could be heard coming from the distance. The chopper landed on the ground, and before the doors could open Knuckles realized what was going on.
"Everybody take cover!" Knuckles commanded.
The entire team ducked behind debris as Rogues piled out of the helicopter guns blazing.
"Crap!" yelled Mighty "How'd they know we were here?!?"
"Just keep shooting and ask questions later." said Vector taking out one of the Rogues.
After a couple of minutes of fighting, another helicopter flew in, landing on top of one of the dunes behind the team.
"They're behind us!" shouted Charmy.
Vector and Mighty turned around to shoot at the Rogues coming from the back as the others shot at the ones in the front, which were now scattering to the sides. The whole team was surrounded and there was no way out but to fight.
"They're surrounded." smiled Dr. Finitevus, stepping out from the chopper in the back "Fiona, prepare the attack bots."
"Yes sir." said a lady fox, clad in black and hiding behind one of the dunes.
Fiona opened up the computer she had on her back and pressed a red button which made drones fly up from out of the sand. The drones surrounded the soldiers and rained bullets from above.
"Get down! Now!" shouted Knuckles, taking cover under a big metal piece.
"God, there's too many of them!" shouted Mighty just before being shot right in his heart.
"MIGHTY!!!" screamed Ray, kneeling down to see if his best friend was still alive "Mighty, come on!"
Ray began to cry as his best friend took one final breath.
"You... BASTARDS!!!" cried Ray, picking up Mighty's gun and pointing both guns at the enemy army "I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU YOU SON OF A BITCHES!!!"
One by one the Rogues and the drones fell on the sands. Ray's rage grew stronger and stronger. He was unaware of anything else going on around him. His best friend is dead. He was blinded by revenge. Nothing but revenge. Until...
"RAY LOOK OUT!!!" shouted Vector.
Ray turned around. From above a female fox came down, slashing Ray's left eye. Ray fell to the ground, holding to his bloody eye, wincing in pain. Before the fox could finish him off, her eyes grew wide. A lone bullet flew through one side of her head and through the other. The fox looked to her left and saw Tails with a gun pointing at her. The fox fell to ground and rushed over to aid Ray.
"Tails!" cried Ray "He's dead! Mighty's dead!"
"It's okay Ray." said Tails, wrapping a cloth around Ray's head, over his bleeding eye "It'll be okay. You took down a lot."
Watching the scene through the corner of his eye, Bark grabbed a loaded machine gun off the ground and ran out shooting at the Rogues with fury in his eyes.
"What's Bark doing?!?" asked Charmy.
"He's fighting harder!" answered Vector "Which what we should be doing! Death or not!"
Vector ran out from the rubble, guns blazing. Charmy followed after, and soon Knuckles, who still couldn't believe such an attack happened.
"Take my gun." said Ray.
"What?" asked Tails.
"Take my gun Tails. Lay those bastards out. Give them all hell."
"Ray... I..."
Looking around the area, Tails knew he needed to help. Taking Ray's gun, he stood up and went out with his friends, blasting every Rogue he could see.
"Give them hell!!! GIVE THEM HELL!!!" shouted Ray.
Little by little the Rogues died. Almost every Rogue, shot down. What seemed like a hundred soldiers now shrank to fifty, forty, twenty, and finally to five. Seeing the last few Rogues going down Finitevus jumped back into the chopper with Scourge and began to fly away.
"Those two are getting away!" shouted Vector.
"No they're not." said Tails, aiming a gun at the chopper.
Tails pulled back on the trigger. The bullet flew through the sky and hit the glass, killing Scourge. The chopper started twirling out of control and crashed onto the dune. The team raced to the wrecked chopper, where Finitevus lay, bleeding, and laughing.
"You fools..." coughed Finitevus "You don't even know..."
"Know what?" snarled Vector.
"The only reason this attack ever happened... was because of your own... sergeant."
"What?" gasped Ray "What is he talking about?"
The whole team turned their attention to Knuckles, who was looking at the ground.
"Ha... he knew we... were coming... and lead right into... a trap..."
"Enough!" shouted Knuckles.
"So... defensive..." chuckled Finitevus "Remember... if one of you die... you know one to blame... but your own... leader..."
With that Finitevus died. The team still staring at Knuckles, hoping he could give some clarification that what he was saying wasn't true.
"It's true." said Knuckles "I made plans with him to meet him here in hopes that he would give us the equipment we need."
"So you trusted him?" asked Vector, crossing his arms.
"I did. I shouldn't have." said Knuckles, on the verge of tears "I made plans to get that equipment, I had no idea this was going to happen."
"You had no idea?" said Ray, fuming "YOU HAD NO IDEA?!? BECAUSE OF YOUR STUPID PLAN MIGHTY LOST HIS LIFE!!!!"
"I'm sorry about that!" cried Knuckles "I'm sorry... I'm..."
"Sorry! SORRY ISN'T GOING TO BRING MY BEST FRIEND BACK!!!"
"Ray..."
Ray, with tears in his eyes turned his head, Tails stood behind him, his hand on his shoulder.
"At least let us give him a proper burial." sniffed Ray.
"I'm sorry..." sighed Knuckles "We don't have time."
"SCREW YOU!!!" shouted Ray "You..."
Before Ray could say anything else he walked off, angry. The rest of the team followed behind. After loading up the debris into the jeep and driving away Ray took one final look at the body of the one he once considered his closest friend. And hoped that this kind of tragedy would never happen again.