When Marco got down to the briefing room, everyone was there.
"This must be big," Marco thought.
A big screen came to life and there was a map with a red dot.
"Marco, you see the red dot?" Sally asked.
Marco nodded.
"That indicates a powerful weapon that we desperately need," Sally said, "I want you to get it and be careful, Robotnik's Punishers are swarming all over there."
"Where is 'there'?" Marco asked.
"It's at the Infested Mountain."
"Infested Mountain?"
"It's called that because they say deformed mobians live, for whatever reason it's because of that item."
"Sounds like a challenge, I'll get there without any trouble."
"It will be a three day drive if you take the jeep," Sonic said.
"I don't intend to take it, I'm better off flying," Marco said to Sally, if like Sonic wasn't there at all.
Sonic was about to get ticked, but he coped and relaxed. Sally was used to it and continued.
"It would be better off if you take the jeep, just in case the weapon is heavy."
Marco thought for a second, "I'll take the jeep."
Sally was alittle surprised that Marco took her advice.
"Maybe he's feeling better," Sally thought.
Sally wanted to help him even more. She looked at Amy, standing at the corner. Marco was about to walk out the door.
"Marco," Sally said.
"Hmm?" Marco sounded.
Sally took a deep breath and said, "Take Amy with you."
"Huh?" Marco and Amy both said.
"You're kidding right?" Tails asked.
"No, I'm not kidding at all." Sally said.
"No way! No way I'm going to take a weakling with me!" Marco shouted.
"Marco, you will obey my orders!" Sally shouted.
"Why should I? This is the dumbest order you ever gave me!"
"Either you will obey this order or you will be stripped away of your rank!"
Although Marco feared reality, he still loved a thrill of adventure.
He thought for a moment, "Okay, Amy can come with me."
Amy was thrilled for the moment, and then she remembered those three words Marco said, "I hate her!" and she went back to the highly depressed and sad Amy.
"I'll go prep the jeep." Marco said, before he went out the door.
Amy knew her pink dress wasn't going to cut it, so she went to her bedroom to change her clothes.
"Darnit, what is wrong with Marco?" Sonic asked.
"He must still be worked up with those reoccurring nightmares," Tails said.
"He needs to pull himself back together," Knuckles said.
"Maybe he never will," Shadow said.
"Why you say that?" Rouge asked.
"Because when Maria died, I almost destroyed Mobius because I thought Maria wanted revenge, but Marco is taking this way much harder than I did." Shadow replied.
"He'll make it, we can't give up hope on him," Sally said.
"Ah hope, Amy will be okay with him," Bunnie said.
"Sally," Sonic said.
"Yes?" Sally asked.
"Permission to infiltrate one of Robotnik's bases."
"Are you nuts?" Sally asked.
"No I'm not; we need to at least try to take out his bases one by one."
"But...I just don't want to think the worst for you."
"You won't have to, if things get too dicey for me, then I'll haul my butt outta there."
"...Okay, the closest base is at the rebuilt Mobotropolis, which is now called Robotropolis."
"Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, you want to come?" Sonic asked.
They all nodded.
"Okay, let's go!" Sonic shouted.
They all ran out the door.
Marco was fully prepping the jeep. This jeep is different than the jeep Sonic and Rotor used last time. This jeep has a cloaking device that will stay on for thirty minutes, two laser guns at the front, three laser guns at the back and a 50mm chain gun on the back for a gunner. It has titanium armor and a removable hood. The color of it was forest green, so it easily blends with the forest.
Amy walked in the hangar room with her hiking clothes. She wore a white shirt with a green vest and she was wearing kaki shorts and she was also wearing green boots. Marco stared at her look for a moment
"She looks so beautiful," He thought.
He erased that out of his mind and went back to work.
"You need any help?" Amy asked.
Marco didn't say anything. He just kept working. When he put the last bit of supplies in the trunk, he got in the drivers' seat, and Amy got in passenger seat. The hangar door opened and they drove off. The jeep was running smoothly for now. Amy was looking out the window, trying to not lay eyes on Marco. Marco kept his eyes on the road. Amy couldn't help but to look at him.
"Is there anything wrong?" Marco asked.
"Uh...no," Amy replied.
"Then let's keep it that way."
She took a deep breath, "Why do you act so serious?"
"Let's not go there."
"Is there something wrong with me?"
"No there isn't."
"Why are you pushing me away?"
"How did I know you were going to start with that?"
"Why?"
"Shut up! I don't want to talk about it anymore!"
"Please tell my why."
Marco stepped hard on the brake and the jeep came to a halt, "Will you just shut up!" Marco yelled.
Amy grew silent.
"If Sally didn't made me baby-sit you, I would've been there by now."
"But..."
"Not another word!"
Amy tried not to cry. She turned away from Marco and looked out the window again. Marco calmed down and started the jeep again. He checked his watch...it was 10:00 AM.
"We're making good time... I guess." He thought.
He looked at Amy. A tear went down her face and fell to the seat. Amy has been crying everyday now. Marco ignored it and drove ahead.
Sonic and the others were able to get inside Robotropolis with not much trouble. They only had to fight swatbots so far and they haven't met up with any Punishers yet.
"You got the bomb?" Sonic asked.
"Got it right here," Tails said, holding a timed bomb.
The bomb was powerful enough to take out the whole city, but they had to place it in the center of Robotropolis and there, it laid a factory for Punishers. Sonic and the others fought swatbots as they ran to the factory. Shadow could've used Chaos Control, but with no way of telling what was inside, they could wind up dead.
When they got to the factory, they were greeted by ten Punishers. Sonic used his spin dash, but the Punishers easily dodged him. They surrounded Sonic and shot his ankle. Sonic fell to the ground and screamed as his ankle bled, and he couldn't run anymore. Knuckles punched one Punisher on the back and it returned the favor by punching him back. Knuckles was flown to a building. Shadow used his Chaos Spear attack, but the Punishers easily dodged them. The Punishers flew to the air with their jet packs attached to their backs and shot a big beam at Shadow. Shadow couldn't dodge it and he was blown to smithereens. He laid on the ground, out cold. Sonic jumped up and used his homing attack. He continuously used it and finally destroyed two of them. Tails flew to the air with his twin swords out and he sliced one Punisher. That one exploded. The remaining Punishers regrouped and kept shooting blasts from their arm cannons. Tails was hit and he fell to the ground. Knuckles was able to get back up and used his Thunder Blast. The big blue blast destroyed two more Punishers, leaving five more left. Sonic turned into a sphere and charged up. When he was charged, glowed blue. He jumped towards the Punishers.
"Light Attack!" Sonic shouted.
Sonic attack all the Punishers at once. It was like a locked-on spin dash. He was able to take out four Punishers, leaving one more left. Tails, Knuckles and Sonic surrounded it. The Punisher extended its arms, his chest pulled out two more laser guns, same with its back, its sides, its legs, even its head. It spun around, shooting everywhere. It was its berserker attack. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles were easily hit and they fell to the ground. Sonic gotten a scar on his chest. The Punisher was about to finish them off, but Tails connected his swords.
"Mega Rage of Fire!" Tails shouted.
The yellow beam hit the Punisher, exploding on impact.
Knuckles checked Shadow, "He's out cold, but he'll be fine.
"Tails, throw the bomb in the factory," Sonic ordered.
Tails did as told. He picked up Sonic and flew out the city while Knuckles picked up Shadow and ran out the base. They made it out just in time before the bomb exploded, consuming the whole base. Tails landed near Knuckles and Shadow.
"For the first time, mission accomplished," Sonic said.
"One base down...about a hundred more to go," Knuckles said.
Sonic and the others got back to the palace in about two hours and they were up in the healing room. Sonic's damaged ankle was treated and wrapped up, and Shadow was sleeping on a bed. Sally walked up to Sonic.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"I'll be fine, the doctor said I'll be able to run at top speed again by tomorrow," Sonic replied.
He paused for a moment, then added, "You should be worried about Shadow."
Sally looked at Shadow, some of his fur was burned off and he was in real bad shape.
"The doc said he's in a coma and will be out for two weeks."
Rouge was there, sitting right next to him.
"Just like old times, eh Shadow?" Rouge said.
She kept a good grip on Shadow's hand, never leaving his side. Sally wished she could do the same with Sonic, but she had to go back to the radar room and keep a close eye on Marco and Amy, just to make sure Marco didn't try to kill her or something. Sally kissed Sonic and ran to the radar room. Sonic stared at Shadow, seeing a fallen ally, a fallen freedom fighter, a fallen friend.
Sally ran to the radar room and saw Bunnie, Tails, Knuckles, and Rotor.
"How is Sugah'hog and Shirley do'in?" Bunnie asked.
Bunnie calls Shadow, Shirley for some odd reason.
"Sonic will be fine by tomorrow...but Shadow will be out for two weeks," Sally replied.
"That's bad." Knuckles said.
"I know," Sally said, "The only thing we can do now is hope the Marco and Amy can find that weapon...I want everyone to get some sleep and report back here in thirteen hours."
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A/N: Short Chapter, I know, but things will definitly get longer and better down the road. R&R.