(In honour of Ben hurst. Thank you for the amazing show) heavily reworked from my previous attempt.
Dark clouds hung over Station square. Factories littered the large city spewing pollution into the air. Some factories produced war machines while others made the parts for said war machines. Swat-bots were the prime example. Especially in one factory named 1138-EB.
"I should be done in a minute" A young boy said.
The older man nodded. "Don't go too fast. You'll blow us sky high high" he advised.
The boy brown haired nodded. "Thanks, I think" he dryly added.
They were positioned by a group of machinery. The sounds of activity dominated the factory. Automated machines built humanoid looking robots that were designed for battle. The older man peeked out. Largo felt his heart pounding in his chest. Once this place blew it would signify a change. Of course there would be other factories in other cities but this would put a dent in Robotnik's efforts. Largo looked to Brian who just finished programming the bomb. He opened the engine compartment to the machine. Flipping the switch for the timer the two minute countdown began to the dwindle. Sliding the bottom into the engine compartment he closed the engine hatch and locked it.
"In two minutes this place will be fireworks factory on steroids" Brian stood and joined Largo.
Brian was much younger than Largo. Largo was 28 years old while Brian was only 16. Largo smiled at him.
"Good job. Come let's get outta here before the fireworks begin"
"No need to tell me twice"
The two ran across the factory floor. ducking under machinery and conveyor belts. Soon they reached an access door. Largo pulled out his blaster and handed it to Brian.
"Hold this while I get the door open. If we're spotted don't be afraid to shoot" Largo told him.
Brian nodded. Largo had taught him how to shoot. Largo then pulled out a slim device which had gotten them into many high security areas. Plugging it into the door Largo clicked a button and it began to crack the code. Brian looked around searching for trouble. Suddenly a low hovering sound sounded from above. Slowly looking up he saw a security drone moving into the factory through a window. Brian gripped his blaster tightly.
"We've got company" he whispered to Largo.
Largo nodded. "I can see it" he muttered.
It had no weapons and was used mainly for surveillance. It was almost egg shake with a camera built into the front of it. Brian aimed at it, tracking its movements as it continued. Suddenly the door beeped and opened. The little drone suddenly pivoted facing them. Brian squeezed the trigger. The shot just grazed the side of it. Suddenly the alarms began to wail. Adjusting his shot he fired again. The laser-beam struck right through the camera and the drone exploded into fragments.
"Run for it!" Largo told him.
Both ran out the door into the night. Two laser blasts streaked overhead. Brian returned fire as they ran down in alleyway. One of his shots nailed a Swat-bot in the arm sending it spinning to the ground. Continuing to run the two were suddenly throwing to the ground by a thunderous explosion.
"F-fuck!" Brian cursed in pain.
Largo looked back seeing the building they had run out was now in flames. He grinned and helped Brian to his feet. His joy was short-lived. Suddenly the sounds of approaching Swat-bots and other war machines began growing louder and louder.
"Brian at the first opportunity get underground. I'm gonna lead these things off" he told the boy.
"You'll be killed!"
Largo looked sympathetically at Brian. Brian had made it no secret that he held Largo up in the same vein as a father. Something which he had never had.
"As long as you survive, I will be with you. I love you as a son. Please just go" He pleaded.
Brian reluctantly nodded. He began down another alleyway. "I love you" he said taking one last look at his mentor.
Then Brian broke into a run. Blaster in hand. Largo felt a sense of pride. Just as Brian rounded the corner another drone spotted Largo.
"Come on I'm right here!" He called out before running down a different alleyway.
The drone followed him as the overlander let out a fierce warcry.
It was the early hours of the morning. A thick fog flooded the streets of the coastal city. Building stood tall and proud over everything. No lights shined from the buildings. The only building with the lights on was positioned in the centre of the city. A tall almost egg shaped building with hovering droids moving in and out of access ports. Near the entrance was a group of humanoid looking robots with flat dish-like heads. Each of them held a blaster rifles and stood at the ready. A hovering car moved close to the entrance before stopping. One of the Swat-bots moved to the passenger window. This one had a red stripe on its head signifying its rank. It had slightly more independence than the run-of-the-mill robots. The window lowered revealing a small scraggly man with A few hairs on his head. He wore a robust green jacket and dark grey pants. The small man's eyes moved up making eye contact with the robot. The robot pulled out a small device with a camera on it. Turning it on he scanned the eyes of the man.
Snively hated this procedure. It left him exposed and vulnerable. Just why did the landing port have to be 2 km away?. it was probably his uncles doing. Hoping some aspirational freedom fighter would be bold enough to take him out. Snively shuddered the idea. Robotnik was as cruel as he was large.
"Vocal identification" The commander said.
Typical of his uncle to make the Swat-bots The most cold and unfeeling things this side of Mobius. No expense was spared on artificial personality or improved speech synthesis chips. The bear essentials were all his uncle needed.
"Snively Kintobor," He hated that name. "Hurry it up or I'll have the lot of you used for spare parts!"
His threat however fell on deaf audio receptors. The commanding droid stepped back. The doors to the building opened and his hover car gently guided. The entire thing was automated. A program he developed himself. It was capable of doing tight manoeuvres and calculating 10 steps in advance. If those steps were unusable it would incidentally come up with a new plan. I'd like to see my uncle try to out do this. Snively smiled smugly. The doors closing behind him. The hover car then stopped next to an elevator. He grabbed the files Resting in the glove compartment. Opening the door he moved to it. Entering the open elevator he clicked for the detention centre. Opening the file he began to refresh himself on the details.
Captured an overlander in the factory are. Attempted to blow a Swat-bot plant sky high. Snively recalled. It was he here was sent here. To interrogate the individual and squash another rebel cell. Digging out a photo he saw two individuals. The photo was collected a surveillance bot. One was a man in his late 20s. Identified as Jack Largo. A tall dark blonde haired man standing at 6 foot and 4 inches. The other was a boy who was 16. Unidentified but escaped while while the older man led the Swat-bots away. the elevator came to a stop. Putting the photo back into the file he stepped though the open doors. Reaching halfway down the hall he stopped in front of a cell. Two guards stood on either side. Behind the bars was Largo laying on the metal bed. He barely acknowledged Snively with a glance.
Snively cleared his throat. "You can make this so much easier on yourself. If you tell me exactly where are your rebel allies are. You could live comfortably and never fear my uncle" he started with an offer.
The taller gentleman scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Your tin cans already wiped us out. All the remains of the rebellion is myself"
Snively chuckled. So he's willing to protect them no mater what. He mused. Pulling the old photo from the file he tossed it to Largo.
"If you won't do it for yourself and think of the boy. Because when I get my hands on him, I will not be as generous as I am now"
Largo looked at the photograph. His stomach twisted into a knot. Brian. He saw the boys face clear as day. For the past seven years he had did his best to raise him. Keeping him safe and trying to keep a low profile. Brian had begun operations with Largo only 2 years ago. God knows where the boy was now. He had told him to prepare for this moment. To get the hell out of the city at the first opportunity. Please don't wait up for me Brian. He pleaded. He lowered the photo and tossed it back. He then glanced back over to Snively.
"Good luck trying to capture him. I can't even keep up with him half the time" Largo chuckled.
Snively grimaced as he placed the photo in the folder. "I'll give you one last chance. Tell me where the resistance is and the both of you can live in peace. I give you my word" he told him.
"You're more like your uncle then you realise. How about you go screw yourself!" Largo replied, looking back up towards the ceiling.
Snively gritted his teeth. Rage boiled from within. "I want him under interrogation immediately!," he blurted out. Touching the wrist comm he held it up to his mouth. "I want all available Swat-bots to lock down the city!. Your target is a 16-year-old boy. I want him found and eliminated!" He ordered.
Largo took a shaky breath. His hopes and wishes going to the closest thing he ever had to a son. The Swat-bots moved closer and the cell door opened. Largo surrendered himself to fate. Snively walked off back towards the elevator. Now he had to report to his uncle. Damn rebels. Robotnik wasn't gonna like this.
Underneath the ground what is an interconnected network of tunnels. They were within close proximity of the sewers but were closer to the surface. These old tunnels were used in the Great War. A war before Robotnik's rise to power. The tunnels gained a new purpose. Being used by the rebellion to strike back. Unfortunately there was only one member left. Brian ran down one of the tunnel's. His heart pounding in his chest as he continued. Last night he had gotten so turned around he'd gotten lost. He reached an intersection and came to a stop. Slowly began to catch his breath.
"God damn it where is it?" He rapidly said.
Looking around in a panic he strained his eyes to see. Taking another breath he forced himself to calm down.
"I just gotta get out of the city. I just gotta find that damn motorcycle" he muttered.
Looking down the east corridor he could see a faint light. His heart filled with hope. Breaking into a run he ran down the corridor towards the light. It wasn't the light of the sun but the light of the encampment he and largo had made two nights ago. Reaching a small outcrop he saw the electric lamp glowing brightly. Across from it was the motorcycle.
"Hello you wonderful piece of junk!" He stepped over to it.
Looking over the small encampment he felt his moment of joy fade. Lowering his head he wiped the tears forming in his eyes. If only that drone hadn't spotted us. He thought. Raising his head he saw his bag. The bear essentials, a change of clothes and nonperishable foods. Grabbing it he slid it onto his back. He couldn't take the other bag. He opened it. A change of clothes, nonperishable foods. Identical to his. Taking the food out he stuffed it into his own bag. Sliding the bag onto his back he then mounted the bike. Turning the key the engine started. Grabbing a small map from under the fuel tank he laid it out. none of the tunnel scratched out of the city. He was going to have to raise his way out once he was outside. Picking the tunnel that got the closest he folded the map and shoved it into his pocket. Brian then gunned the throttle and shot down the corridor.
Snively stood within the control room as he was connected to Robotropolis. The fog around the streets was beginning to dissipate. The sun was continuing to rise as he waited. If the resistance really was those two then I came for nothing. But of course his uncle shipped them out here to deal with the prisoner. Snively decided execution would be best once all the information was wrung out of him. Suddenly the computer beeped and the image of Robotnik filled the screen. His uncle definitely exceeded 275 pounds. A lot of it was machine parts replacing various body parts. Even his eyes have been switched out with more effective red optics.
"What is your progress Snively" He said with a deep voice.
Snively gulped. "The captured rebel is being tortured as we speak. The other is still in the wind. I've got the entire city hunting for him" he replied.
"And what about the rest of the resistance?"
"I've got over the records. The rest have been wiped out overtime. The only two remaining members are the boy and the older man" Snivley explained.
Robotnik sickly smiled. "Oh that's very good. How much was lost?" his uncle asked.
"An entire Swat-bot factory was completely destroyed. The equipment inside is completely useless now"
Robotnik frowned. "Find the boy. I want him here before me. I've got some experiments in which I need test subjects for" he coldly replied.
Snively nodded. "It shall be done. Over and out"
Brian raced past the bridge at blistering speeds. Checking his mirrors he saw he'd lost his tail. Looking back forward he increased speed and continue down the road. The city began to shrink in the distance as he shot down the highway. After a few half an hour it was nothing but a speck in the distance. Slowing down Brian felt the tension boiling off. That was easy. He'd expected to deal with a lot more trouble than what he got. The fact that a hadn't scrambled the aircraft stuck out like a sore thumb. Maybe I just got lucky. He doubted it but he had no other answer. All he could do was keep driving. Hopefully finding someone down the road who could help him. Glancing down he saw he was just above half a tank of gas.
"Let's make the most out of it," he softly said. "The last thing I wanna do is go back"
Brushing the hair out of his face he checked the mirrors once again. Nothing pursued him. A sinking feeling formed in his gut. I've got a bad feeling about this. Shaking his head he sighed. At least he got away. Largo could at least rest in peace knowing that. I'm gonna miss you Largo. Continuing down the highway he saw an off ramp. Slowing down he looked up at the sign as he stopped. If he took the offramp he would only have 200 miles till he reached Mobotropolis. The capital of the kingdom of acorn. If it hadn't fallen he could get to the border and seek asylum. If he went straight he would probably end up being captured by whoever ran station square. Taking a breath he sighed and looked back to the distant city. The sun now over what used to be his home. Giving a little salute he then turn his attention forwards.
"So I can either keep on going straight to uncertainty or deal with the Mobian's if they're still around" he mused aloud.
There wasn't much of a choice. Either way could lead to his doom. He had never seen a Mobian however. Using the throttle he moved onto the on-ramp. Picking up speed he began merged onto the main road and raced off towards the border.
End chapter.