CHAPTER 6
Aleena and Q-Course II
1
FOUR YEARS AGO
Several weeks have passed while in the individual phase of his Special Forces training. Ryan has pretty much mastered the fighting using his hands, knifes, batons, and even unloaded guns.
Ryan is completely alone within the pine-tree forest of Fort Bragg. On him are his gears, a knife, and his face painted olive drab. He stopped and sat down on a rock, took out his water canteen, and took a few sips before capping it and setting it back. He then pulled put out a map of the forest he is in and a compass.
Carefully, Ryan marked his current position on the map and calculated distance and direction to his objective. First, he aligned his maps compass rose to his true compass and designated his direction. This was mostly like his final test in Selection, but the land navigation skills were getting harder and trickier.
Eventually, Ryan navigated himself back on the path and slowly made his way to the barracks he was supposed to be at. Already, three of the recruits and the entire instructor staff were there. Just three recruits? This was amazing; he was not expecting to be one of the top to find his way back quickly. It was amazing for Ryan because, during Basic Training, land navigation was one of his weak points.
"Outstanding, Perreault," one of the instructors said to him.
2
PRESENT DAY
Ryan, Sonic, Sonia, and Manic walked down the Robotropolis streets to get back to the base as the sun was slowly rising. This was one of the first times Ryan actually saw daylight in Robotropolis, since it is always seen at night.
"Dude, you just blew the place wide open!" Manic said amazed.
"It wasn't all that impressive. It completely synched my skirt!" Sonia yelled as she brushed off the ashes from her dress. Sonia is notorious for hating to be dirty.
"It was either your skirt or your tail," Ryan said.
"It was almost my tail," Sonia said.
"It's okay. Relax. I've done this kind of stuff many times. I'm used to it. Maybe I'm not used to enjoying being shot at, but I'm used to blowing up stuff and all," Ryan said. Even though Ryan was actually a Weapons Sergeant, he has had his share of using explosives. A Weapons Sergeant's job is usually maintaining the squad's firearm weapons, training on firearm usage and safety, and moving ahead of friendly forces to clear mine fields. Explosives are usually the Engineering Sergeant's job.
The four continued to walk. All four of them were unaware that they were being watched. A shadowy figure slowly followed them along the roofs of the buildings. That figure was none other than the mother of Sonic, Sonia, and Manic. Her name was Queen Aleena. According to the show, after Queen Aleena gave birth to her children, the Oracle of Delphius revealed a prophecy that Robotnik will be taken down by the council of four, but in order for that to happen, Aleena had to separate her three children. After the separation, Aleena went into hiding and was never found, which also gave her very little screen time on the show. Fifteen years later, the three triplets found each other. It was a shame because Aleena was one of Ryan's favorite characters and she got little, if any, screen time.
As the four walked, they walked passed a hover truck with side-view mirrors. Ryan's eye caught a glimpse in the mirror and saw Aleena's silhouette in the roofs behind him. Because of the prophecy, Ryan did not tell the three hedgehogs that Aleena was close-by. Doing so might ruin the prophecy.
"You okay, Ryan?" Sonic asked.
"Uh, yeah, I'm fine," Ryan quickly said.
3
The four turned a corner and Aleena jumped to another flat roof and followed them. A few streets away, three SWAT Bots were heading to the building that Aleena is on top of.
Ryan looked at another side-view mirror to a vehicle and he saw the bots heading in the building. He then noticed Aleena was on that building.
"Uh, guys, how about you three go without me. I'll wonder around a bit," Ryan said.
"Are you sure?" Sonic asked.
"Yeah, I know my way around. I'll see you later," Ryan said.
"Well, okay. See you later," Manic said as the three walked on. Ryan walked behind the hover vehicle he saw the bots in with the mirror.
Aleena looked down and noticed her three children, but no signs of Ryan.
"Where did he go?" Aleena asked.
The three bots burst into the building and ran up the stairs. Aleena did not hear them coming.
Ryan got up from behind the vehicle and stayed low. Aleena still could not see him. Slowly, Ryan crept to the building.
The three bots made it to the roof and slowly began sneaking toward Aleena.
Ryan entered through the busted open door and crept up the stairs with his Heckler and Koch USP sidearm pointed out aiming it up the stairs.
As Aleena looked over the roof, she heard three laser weapons' charged up behind her. She quickly turned around and saw she was cornered by three SWAT Bots.
"Freeze, prisoner!" the bot shouted in its computer-like voice.
Aleena was cornered from the edge of the roof and the bots; there was nothing she could do.
"Freeze! United States Army!" a voice yelled from behind. The bots turned around and there was Ryan behind them with his gun pointed at them.
"You!" Aleena said pointing at Ryan. "I was wondering where you went."
"Hi there, your majesty," Ryan said. Ryan then focused his attention to the bots, whose weapons are aimed at Aleena and not him. "Lower your laser guns, detach them, and get on the ground."
"Fuck you," one bot said. For the first time ever, he heard such a word in this specific cartoon world. So, they do know profanity, it seems like the television network keeps them censored. Ryan acted casual as if it is a common word. He sees no harm in profanity, mainly because they are just words. Words cannot hurt anybody, but nine bi nineteen millimeter bullets from a Heckler and Koch pistol can.
"Fuck me? Fuck me?" Ryan asked. He turned to Aleena and said, "Did he say 'Fuck me'?"
"I think he fucked you," Aleena said. Again, Ryan was amazed that even official characters are familiar with and use such words. It must be the networks that censor them out.
"What I thought," Ryan said, "I don't understand. I got the uniform, I got the gun. You three have laser weapons. It's not going to work out."
Suddenly, seven SWAT Bots appeared on the roof behind Ryan.
"Ryan!" Aleena yelled pointing at the bots behind him. Ryan spun on his heel and noticed them. He swung around, aiming his gun at them. "How did you know my name, your majesty?" Ryan asked Aleena while still looking at the bots.
"Make a long story short, I've been watching you since you escaped from the prison," Aleena said.
"Drop your gun," one bot said.
"By order of the Department of the United States Army, you must surrender yourselves now," Ryan said.
"Drop your gun," the bot repeated.
Ryan had no choice; he was surrounded on all sides by ten SWAT Bots. He bent over and put his gun on the ground. "I guess I'm going to have to do this the hard way."
Aleena was forced to walk and stand next to Ryan by the other three bots. Aleena was not that short. From the top of her hair, she came up to Ryan's neck.
"I can't fight, Ryan," Aleena said.
"What do you mean you can't fight? Fine time to tell me now," Ryan said rudely.
"What do you want?" Aleena asked.
"You, dead. Ryan, robotosized," the bot said.
"Damnit," Ryan said.
Instantly, Ryan was hit in the face with a laser gun. Ryan fell backwards with his nose bleeding. The bot did not hit Ryan hard enough to put him on conscience, but it did give him pain. Ryan had felt a huge amount of pain in his career, but he certainly does not enjoy it.
"That must hurt, Ryan," Aleena said. She turned to the bots surrounding her. For being surrounded by SWAT bots and unarmed, Aleena certainly has a cocky attitude. It is almost as if she is unafraid to die, as if she wants to get the last word in before being killed.
"Your friend has balls," the bot said to Aleena.
"My friend is a bit of country, I'm a little bit rock and roll," Aleena said.
"What does that mean?" the bot asked.
"Oh, just a little phrase I use to break the ice. I know you probably don't want me dead, you want mobiums, eh?" Aleena asked.
"Mobiums?" the bot asked.
"Yeah, to pay for your SWAT Bot factory. Since I went into hiding, I barely have any with me, but I still have some," Aleena said. She turned around. "I'm going to slowly reach in my back pocket and pull out my wallet, see?" She did so and pulled out her wallet. "I have a lot of mobiums in here that you would like." She reached in her wallet and pulled out her credit card. "Will plastic do well?"
Aleena pressed her thumb on a certain area on the credit card and a small blade stuck out if the top! That was not a credit card!
Next thing that happened, Aleena slashed the credit card with the blade across the bot's necks! The bots fell down sparking as the oil and fuel lines in their necks have been cut. It was the same kind of lines that Ryan cut with his knife twice. One bot ran to Aleena. Instantly, Aleena did a martial arts spin kick, standing still, knocking the bot over flipping it over and on its back. Ryan got up wide-eyed seeing Aleena doing this. A bot grabbed Ryan from behind, but Ryan grabbed the bot and flipped it over his shoulders smashing it. A bot tried to grab Aleena's neck, but Aleena grabbed the bots arm and broke the elbow joint! Then she kicked its legs causing it to fall on its back breaking. A bot tried to punch Ryan but Ryan ducked it and he kicked his leg under the bots legs causing it to fall.
One bot left, it ran to Aleena doing Kung-fu chops. Aleena instantly blocked all the blows with her own blocking moves. This amazed both Ryan and the bots. Where did she learn all this? Aleena was better than the bot and she kicked it over the edge of the roof obviously crushing it to pieces.
All the bots were down. Aleena walked to Ryan and looked at his nose.
"You okay?" Aleena asked.
"I'm fine. You know, for a second there, I thought you said you can't fight, your majesty," Ryan said. There were no records on the show of Aleena trained in various forms of martial arts. She looked like she took up Aikido, whereas Ryan was an expert in Krav Maga.
"It's not that I can't fight, it's against my duties as a queen. And please, just call me Aleena," Aleena said.
Ryan and Aleena bent down to a bot on the ground which was still active.
"Still on," Aleena said. Aleena grabbed the bots neck and held him to the wall of the roof entrance.
"How did you know that we were going to be here?" Aleena asked the bot angrily. There is another side of Aleena Ryan never saw, her angry side. She looked a bit scary looking showing her teeth and her blood vein.
"Let me handle him," Ryan said after a pause where the bot did not say anything.
"You speak bot?" Aleena asked.
"A little," Ryan replied. Aleena stepped aside and Ryan got in front of the bot. Instead of speaking, Ryan grabbed the bot's head and banded it constantly in the wall, shouting, "Answer the goddamn question before I beat the shit out of your dumbass!"
Ryan dropped the bot, and it landed with a loud clank.
"You speak good bot," Aleena smiled.
"Army bot," Ryan said.
"Read him his rights even though he's a little unconscious," Aleena said walking away.
Ryan stared down at the bot. "He knows them," Ryan said as he followed Aleena.
4
FOUR YEARS AGO
All fourteen Special Forces recruits took a knee in front of an instructor. In the instructors hand is a rifle. Ryan, as well as every one else, listened carefully to the lecture.
"This is the Colt M4A1 Carbine Assault Rifle. It is a lot lighter and more accurate than the aging M-16. It has a collapsible stock, good for long ranges or close quarters. It also has five picatinny rails for attachments, one over the sights, and four around the grip. It has a maximum effective range for an area target of 600 meters, and for a point target of 350 meters. It is capable of both semi and full automatic," the instructor announced. "Now, one by one, you fourteen will be going on the rifle range."
5
It was Ryan's turn. Ryan, along with everyone else, wore their combat gear, boonie hats, and extra magazine pouches. In Ryan's hands is an M4 rifle. An instructor followed him to the starting line with a stopwatch around his neck. As soon as Ryan approached the line and stared off at all the targets at various ranges, he flipped his thumb on the safety, switching it to semi automatic.
"Whenever you are ready, Perreault," the instructor said to him.
In response, Ryan kept standing and aimed his weapon down the grassy range. He stared through the iron sight, keeping his focus on the front sight and aligning it with the target 50 meters away.
Ryan squeezed the trigger and a bullet burst. It shot the cardboard target, shaped like a human, square in the chest. A patch of dirt kicked up from behind it.
"Hit," the instructor said as he looked at his stopwatch.
At each point, the recruits are given two shots on a target. Ryan kept his aim and squeezed the trigger again. Again, the bullet impacted the cardboard target, emitting a loud bang sound echoing the valley.
"Hit, move on!" the instructor told him.
Ryan flipped the safety on his rifle and ran down to the next station with the instructor following close behind. Ryan ran to a set of metal barrels and got down on one knee behind them. He flipped the safety off and stared down the sights at the target over 75 meters away.
Ryan took in a few breaths and held in the last one. He squeezed the trigger and he saw the head of the cardboard cutout human get blown off.
"Hit," the instructor said.
Ryan controlled his breathing and kept his aim. He pulled the trigger again. This time, one of the arms were blown off. The cardboard cutout itself fell backwards after being knocked off its stand.
"Hit, continue!"
Ryan flipped the safety on again and ran to the next station. At this station, there was a short two-foot tall rock. Ryan skidded to a halt and laid prone front down behind the rock. He flipped the safety back to semi again and looked down the iron sight. This time, the target was at leased 100 meters down range. Ryan could barely see it. Slowly so he does not lose focus, he adjusted the longitudinal aim on his sights. He estimated the distance the amount of wind in the valley.
Ryan took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled it out. He then inhaled very slowly and held his breath. In three seconds, he squeezed the trigger, and another round burst down range. After several milliseconds, he barely saw a piece of the cardboard cutout get ripped off and flung backward in the air.
"Hit."
Ryan adjusted his aim again. Slowly, he repositioned and controlled his breathing. He inhaled and held his breath again. Finally, he squeezed the trigger and another loud bang sound emitted. Again, Ryan saw a piece of the cardboard cutout get shot off.
"Hit, outstanding job, Perreault," the instructor told him. "Put it on safe and return to the group."
Ryan did as he was told. He grinned to himself happily. Although it was common for most Special Forces recruits to hit all targets, he was just proud to have been one of them.
6
PRESENT DAY
The sun was fully up. In the Mobius Park, Aleena and Ryan walked down a small path. The park looked a lot like Central Park in New York City. Ryan only been there once, but enjoyed it.
"I know a lot about you, Ryan. I know that we are on a TV show, I heard you. If you're a big fan of the show, how come you hardly know about me?" Aleena asked.
"You're hardly used. Just for a small line for a prologue and an epilogue of each episode. And maybe a few on-screen appearances here or there," Ryan said.
"No wonder you didn't know I know Aikido," Aleena said.
"I do know about the prophecy and the child separation. Don't worry, I understand the prophecy and I won't turn you in to your children," Ryan said.
"Thank," Aleena said. The two sat down at a coffee stand.
"Two coffee's, cream and sugar," Aleena ordered.
"No coffee for me," Ryan said. He did not like coffee. Aleena stared at him oddly.
"They're both for me," Aleena said. Two coffee cups were served to Aleena. "So, what do you think of my children?"
"I love 'em. Not in a romantic family way! Sonic's pretty fast and all, Sonia is great at martial arts, and Manic is a kleptomaniac," Ryan said.
"I know. I saw his basket being taken away. I know who Farrell was, the guy that raised Manic. I didn't want him to be a thief. A lot of people want him imprisoned," Aleena said.
"I feel his pain. Back on my planet, a lot of people want me dead," Ryan said.
"Why?" Aleena asked.
"Oh, just that I helped kill half of the Middle Eastern military strongholds, and blew up half of a country, and destroyed almost every military building in Northern Africa. Basically, most of the world wants me dead, some just because I'm an American," Ryan explained.
"Don't worry. I know about nine-eleven on your planet. You had a good reason," Aleena said.
"Gee, thanks," Ryan said.
Aleena took both of her Styrofoam cups of coffee with the lids on and got up. "I better leave now before my kids find me and ruin everything. It was nice talking to you," Aleena said.
"Nice knowing you too, Aleena," Ryan said.
Aleena turned and jogged the opposite way with her coffee. Ryan sat at the coffee stand and sighed.
"I got to get to a place where Robotnik won't find me. And I want to go home, too," he said to himself.
7
FOUR YEARS AGO
This was not the first time Ryan was on an obstacle course, but this was the first time he will do one of this magnitude carrying all of his gear and a real loaded M4 rifle. Ryan volunteered to be the first one to go through it.
"This obstacle course is very self-explanatory, so I do not need to remind you about it," the instructor told Ryan. "Whenever you're ready, Perreault."
Ryan did a small warm-up jump and rotated his head. As soon as he stopped, the instructor knew Ryan was ready.
"Go!"
Ryan dashed down the dirt path toward his first obstacle, a low hurdle, which was a telephone pole suspended a few feet above the ground. Ryan held on the butt of his M4 with his right hand, grabbed the hurdle with his left and jumped his legs over it. Up and over, not so bad. Then again, it is early.
Ryan then ran up to the next obstacle which was a single high bar. The bar was like a high bar in a gymnastics stadium. Ryan let his M4 hang off of him as he performed the chicken wing method to get over it. He jumped up to grab the bar underneath, and then he threw his legs up, and rolled himself on top of and over the bar. He hit the ground boots first in a small pile of sawdust. He grabbed on his rifle and continued running.
The next obstacle was a combination of a slanted bar and a balance log. Again, he needed both hands for this obstacle so he tightened the straps on his M4 to hold onto it while still running. Ryan jumped up and grabbed the bar. He swung his legs up to grab a bar perpendicular to the one he grabbed with his hands. Quickly, he shimmied down the bar hand under hand handing upside down. Then he traversed a balance log that angled downward, much like a balance beam. Ryan flung himself onto the balance log and ran down it quickly. His instructors always told him he would hand more control proceeding down a narrow beam path if he were to run down it quickly. Ryan ran into another log, which he used to flip himself over it and dropped seven feet and landed in a pile of sawdust.
Ryan quickly got himself up and continued running down the course. Up next was a wall. He hit the wall running, swung himself over the six foot wall, and used his legs to fling himself over on the other side.
As soon as he landed on the other side, he came across another telephone pole hurdle. Just like the first one, easy, but what was lying ahead was not easy. Next up, he came across four chest-high hurdles. He had a technique to get over each one. First, he ran his chest into it and practically laid on the pole. Ryan then swung his legs over, and used one of his boots to push off to get on the other side. After catching his breath after the fourth chest-high hurdle, Ryan continued running.
The next obstacle was the double high bar. The goal is to go over the top bar, which by itself is too high to negotiate. Luckily, there is a lower bar to make it easier. Ryan used the chicken wing method again to get over the high bar. First, he climbed up onto the lower bar, used one leg to grab the lower bar and the other over the top bar while grabbing the top bar as well. He crawled on the top bar, pushing himself away from it as he jumped down. He kept his knees bent as he landed in another pile of sawdust.
Ryan quickly got back on his feet and ran to the last obstacle, nearly out of breath. The last one was the rope climb. A huge scaffold stood with a series of ropes hanging down from them. Ryan swung his M4 rifle on his back as he ran and grabbed into a rope. His arms were exhausted, so he used the brake-and-squat method to climb the rope. First, he wrapped the rope around his right leg once and let the end of the rope hand between his boots. He used his left boot to pin the rope over his right boot. Slowly, he made his way up, using his legs to push upward and his hands as a guide.
Within a minute, Ryan made it to the top and held himself there. He caught his breath and slowly slid his way back down. On the ground he met up with his instructor who stopped his stopwatch.
"Outstand work, Perreault," the instructor said to him. "Great way to show an example to your fellow recruits. Now, who's next?"
TO BE CONTINUED...