I don't own Sonic or Sega.
25. Running for Miles
A/N: The following chapter is loosely based on the song "Barton Hollow" by the Civil Wars. If you haven't heard it, then you can listen to it on YouTube or just read the chapter.
"So this guy… he killed one of our members for 100,000 dollars?"
"Yes. He lives in the Mobian Backcountry. Go find him, kill him, and come back to get your bonus. He's a dead man walking. Is that clear enough?"
"Yes, it is."
"Good. Be careful."
"Will do."
Target's house, 5:30 PM
Ryko stood outside the house, a straight face. It was a very large wooden house, with many windows and what appeared to be three stories. He shrugged and walked in the house. Unbeknownst to him, a girl was watching him through the window.
The Living Room, 5:31 PM
The last thing Ryko expected was to get jumped by a girl his age in the living room. He dodged a kick and got a punch straight in the stomach, followed up by a strong kick to his jaw. When he finally managed to get up, he tasted blood in his mouth and realized it was trickling. The girl threw a punch, which he caught in his hand, much to the girl's amazement.
"Okay, do you want to kick my ass or say something? Because I can do this all night, but it wouldn't get anywhere for either of us."
"My daddy was framed! He didn't kill anybody." He dropped the fist and got another punch in the mouth.
"Woah, woah, woah! You say he was framed. You sure?"
She nodded, determination in her eyes.
"They killed that man, put weights on him and sunk him in the water! They knocked my daddy out and put backcountry clay on his hands to make it look like it was blood! Then they put him right next to the spot and put 100,000 unmarked dollars in his backpack! It was a complete set up! And who are you, some underground assassin working for his family or something?"
"I work for G.U.N"
"Really? I got a friend who works down there… what do they want with Daddy?"
"That man that he may-or-may-not have killed worked for us. We don't take murders lightly. I deal with problems like that. G.U.N is the trainer, I'm the dog. They let me off my leash… you know."
"I see. Well, I guess you believe me."
"I do. And now we change plan. Where is your dad?"
"Hiding."
"Well, that won't be a problem… if he doesn't come out… for eternity… but we need to find the person who did this to him. THAT is my new target. Speaking of which, what's your name?"
"AJ"
"Well, AJ… We need to assassinate somebody. Don't worry, it will be fun!"
The Hollow, 6:00 PM
"Someone's coming, boss."
"Who?"
"We got a purple hedgehog, he's a male, and we have a female light blue hedgehog.
"The girl is his daughter…anything else you can tell me?"
"Well, let me see…he's got a G.U.N patch on his weapon belt."
"Dammit…well, we better send out the guards. They should be able to kill those two easily."
"I don't know…he is a G.U.N agent, after all."
"If there's one thing I learned about G.U.N, it's that they have the baddest bark on the planet, but they NEVER deliver. Trust me, they won't present us with a problem."
"Alright…what if they do?"
"Then go and kill them yourself! God, do you have to make such a huge deal out of things?"
"Well-"
"Send the guards."
"It's just-"
"SEND THE FLIPPIN' GUARDS BEFORE I DECIDE TO-"
"Alright! Guards, we have intruders on the left wall, go ahead and take care of them."
"Yes sir."
Outside the Hollow, 6:03 PM
"We got company."
"Where?"
"Right there." About 10 guards with batons were rushing towards them.
"Do you know how to fight against a baton?" asked Ryko.
"How hard can it be?" he pointed to one of his many scars, this one on his shoulder.
"Trust me. Don't try to grab the baton, and don't try to disarm either. Dodge it and take them out as quickly as you can, you get hit with that thing, your done."
"Alright…and you've done this before."
"More times than you, sweetheart. Get ready."
They all raised their batons. Ryko dodged one and launched his foot upward, hitting them in the chin and sending them down like a sack of potatoes. When one went for AJ's heart and then temple, realization dawned on her.
"They're aiming to kill!" she shouted.
"I kinda noticed that!" he snapped, sweeping one's legs from underneath him and steeping on his face as hard as he could, jarring the chameleon's skull and knocking him out.
"Should we?"
"No! Knock em' out!"
When they were done, an orange Echidna walked up to them.
"I knew boss was wrong. G.U.N can really get it done if they want to. Unfortunately, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to kill you. Prepare to-"
A gunshot went off and he fell to the floor. Ryko had taken out a revolver and shot him as he was talking.
"I thought you said to knock him out!"
"He was gonna be trouble. Let's go kill the guy already."
"Okay. Where is he?"
"Right here." said a voice. A gun barrel pressed up against AJ's head.
"Dammit." said Ryko, not in anger, but in annoyance.
"That's right! What are you gonna do when your little girl is-"
Another gunshot went off, but it didn't come from Ryko. It came from a white hedgehog behind them his eyes still aiming behind his sights.
"Daddy!" screamed AJ, going up to hug him.
"Oh god…" muttered Ryko as her father walked up to him.
"Why?"
"…You aren't going to kill me?"
"Why did you spare her?"
"It was obvious she was telling the truth. I don't kill innocents."
"Well, thank you. We better go."
"Bye, Ryko. Nice meeting you." Said AJ.
"See ya."
Sadie's house, 3:00 PM
"So that's what happened?" asked Sadie, intrigued.
"Yes, that's what happened. Now, what about those plans?"
"Oh yea! Well, there right here." She opened them and the whole entire paper was in code.
"What does it say?" asked Ryko.
"He has a massive plan, but he found a defect. He took it out and hid it deep within an ancient ruin.
"Which one?" he asked, hoping he would get the answer he expected.
"Runkensa. The valley of death."