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Chapter 3-The adventure begins
The Grounders were first to attack, they started trying to inflict damage before the others could join although there metallic carcases started to pile up. There was a loud clang as one of the Grounders crashed into a billycan that was boiling over the camp fire.
"You bastard!" shouted Vector as he punched the head off the hapless robot. "It took me an hour to start that fire!"
"Yippee!" hollered Charmy as he grabbed the neck of a Buzz Bomber and started riding it like a bull.
"Charmy!" yelled Vector as he finished ripping the computer core out of an unfortunate Skorp. "Stop messing around and get down here!"
"Fine!" grumbled Charmy as he finished off the Buzz Bomber by skewering its ugly metal face with his stinger.
"Whenever you would like to step in and help it would be appreciated", Espio growled at the still camouflaged Jack.
"Alright", whispered Jack. "Who should I help first?"
"Go help Amy", suggested Espio. "She looks like she's in a tight spot".
"I'm already there", replied Jack with enthusiasm that Espio thought had died a long time ago.
"Get back!" shouted Amy as she swung her hammer in large circle.
"Don't worry miss, I'm here to help", said a seemingly floating katana. Amy just stared at it in bewilderment as it sliced the Skorp to pieces. After Jack had carved through the Skorp that had been harassing Amy he realized that he was still camouflaged. Embarrassment flowed through him as he imagined how he must look. The slight break in concentration caused Jack to de-camouflage for a split second allowing Amy to see him.
"Who are you?" demanded Amy. This just broke Jack's concentration completely and he de-camouflaged fully. He just stood there for a moment before turning around and literally jumping back into the battle.
"Hey, I'm talking to you!" Amy yelled futilely as she tried to follow him.
Eventually the robots were wiped out and the group realized they had one extra.
"Who are you?" asked Tails nervously.
"I'm Jack", he replied. "Espio's brother".
Shock rippled through most of the group.
"Espio, you have some explaining to do", said Vector disapprovingly.
"Alright", sighed Espio as he began to explain that his father had banished Jack because he blamed him for the death of his mother and because Jack had been experimenting with the drawing of Chaos energy out of an Emerald. He also explained that Jack had been living in exile in a cave for a few years.
"Welcome to the gang!" Sonic said happily as he shook hands with Jack.
After Jack had been formally introduced to everyone present he walked over to the headless cadaver of the Grounder that Vector had taken care of earlier. He seemed to be looking at something inside its chassis.
"What are you doing?" asked Charmy curiously as he zoomed around Jack's head.
"I thought I saw something…." Replied Jack vaguely as his eyes scanned the robot's metal innards. "Something about this robot just doesn't seem right". "Aha!" cried Jack triumphantly as he removed a small blue computer chip from under the neck rim.
"What is it?" asked Tails with an eager look on his face.
"It says this thing", said Jack jabbing his thumb in the Grounder's direction, "was made at Zircon Industries, floor 5".
As soon as the words had left his mouth Jack whipped out his katana and sliced it through the air. A split-second later two halves of a dart-like arrow softly hit the ground. A small rustle from a nearby tree caught his attention and he saw a bushy grey and white tipped tail shoot into the leaves of the tree.
"Stay here!" Jack yelled over his shoulder to the gang as he sped off into the jungle.
Because of his speed Jack had almost caught up with his would-be assassin and was already taking in his features. He was a fox that was certain because of his tail. He wore a dark, olive green combat bodysuit with army boots. He seemed to be wearing a red fighting headband over his eyes and its ends fluttered behind him. Strapped to his back were a compound bow and a quiver full of arrows and on his waist he wore a large, sheathed hunting knife. He was leaping from tree branch to tree branch and whenever he was airborne he would spin around to face Jack, fire an arrow or two before landing on another branch. Jack used this pattern to his advantage and threw a Shuriken into his leg. The fox gasped in pain and hit the ground, right were Jack wanted him to be. Before he could get up Jack dived on him and pinned his arms with his knees.
"Why did you try to kill me?" yelled Jack. His only reply was spit to the face. "Who are you working for?" When the fox didn't answer Jack ripped off his blindfold to discover….
"You're blind", said Jack in shock as he looked into the fox's milky white eyes.
This momentary lapse in strength was just what the fox had been waiting for. He kicked Jack in the back and rolled out from underneath him. When Jack got up all he could hear was the limping fox's distant voice grunting "No one escapes from the Hunter, no one!"
When he got back to the camp Knuckles was there. After a short greeting Jack spoke up.
"Guys grab your stuff", he called to all those present. "Were going to Dust Hill, I have an old friend I'd like to meet."
To be continued……
HMM... the plot thickens...
