"Hey, Blaze?" asked Raze.
"Yeah?"
"Where's Jason?"
"I don't know." answered Blaze. "The last time I saw him he was heading to the bank."
A rumble awoke Sonic and the rest of the gang. Just then a wall exploded and debris went everywhere. They all ran into the lobby. They all looked at the big hole in the wall. Just then Lightning flew in.
"Hello, Sonic." Lightning said with a smile.
Jason was getting closer to the building. He turned a corner and stopped. The building was on fire. He only stayed still for a few more seconds and took off.
He entered the building and searched everywhere.
"Blaze!" Jason yelled. "Sonic! Raze! Anybody!"
He went back to the lobby and found a small black dome sitting on the table. He slowly went over to it. He reached out his hand to pick it up but the dome opened up and a holographic figure appeared.
"Lightning!" yelled Jason.
"Jason. If you are seeing this message it means that you were too late to stop me. However, there's still time to save your friends. Meet me at the power plant 5 miles east from this location. You have 5 minutes before I start killing them." He smiled. "See you real soon." And the hologram ended.
"Let us go, Lightning!" Raze yelled.
They were chained up to a wall overlooking a power generator.
"Go? I don't think so. You're lucky I'm letting you live." said Lightning.
"You're not gonna get away with this. Jason will be here soon."
"Oh, my dear Raze." said Lightning. "I'm counting on it."
"I think you're just too scared to fight us in a fair fight." Raze said.
"Raze." Fiona whispered. "Don't intimidate him."
Just then Viper walked in.
"Well, hello Raze."
"Viper? What are you doing?" asked Raze. "I thought you were on our side."
Viper was about to say something when the front door flew off its hinges and Jason ran in.
"LIGHTNING!" yelled Jason.
"Glad you decided to come. You had 1 minute left."
"Jason!" screamed Raze and Blaze with delight.
"Hey, guys." He turned to look back at Lightning. "I'm gonna kill you, Lightning."
"Really?" Lightning asked. "Viper?"
Viper pulled out her gun and fired at Jason. He dodged the bullets and charged at Viper. He threw a punch and so did Viper. Not paying attention to which hand she was using, her hurt hand collided with Jason's fist. She let out a short scream. Viper quickly grabbed her wrist. Jason drop-kicked her and she fell to the ground, making sure not to land on her wrist. Jason turned around and saw Prowler and Myst. Prowler reached in his inside vest pocket and pulled out four throwing knives. He threw them at Jason. Jason pulled out his sword and blocked three of them. The fourth one hit his shoulder. The three throwing knives that he blocked flew back into Prowler's hand. Jason grabbed the knife in his shoulder and threw it at Prowler. The fox slid under it and threw the remaining knives at Jason. Jason jumped over the knives and launched an energy sphere at Prowler, sending him flying into the wall behind him. Jason clutched his shoulder. Myst took a steel pipe that was lying next to her and ran at Jason. Jason saw her coming and held his sword vertically. Myst swung the pipe and Jason stepped to the side. Jason raised his sword and at the same time a sword formed in Myst's hand. Jason swung and Myst blocked. Lightning started walking towards the fight. Myst swung her sword and Jason raised his sword. The force from Myst's swing knocked the sword out of Jason's hands. Myst swung again but this time Jason grabbed the blade with his hand. Myst then quickly pulled the sword back, cutting Jason's hand. Jason let out a cry of pain. Lightning ran at Jason and knocked him into the wall behind him. Jason hit the wall with a thud and slid down the wall into a sitting position. Viper sat up, grabbed her gun, and walked towards Jason. Lightning launched a couple of lightning bolts at Jason to keep him from moving.
"Viper. Finish him." ordered Lightning.
Viper raised her weapon to Jason's head.
"Before I kill you, there's something I want to know." she said. "Why, after I told you that none of it was real, did you let me live?" she asked.
Jason looked at her for a second and then said, "Because it was real to me."
This caught Viper by surprise.
"What are you saying?" asked Viper.
"Well, I care about you, Viper. You're the first person I was able to connect with since Wave."
Viper started to lower her gun but raised it again.
"Viper! KILL HIM, NOW!" yelled Lightning.
"Viper." Jason said softly. "The time has for you to choose a side. Lightning…" Jason said. "…or me?"
Viper looked at Lightning and then back at Jason. After a minute she lowered her gun.
"VIPER!" Lightning yelled. "What are you doing? KILL HIM!"
"I can't." Viper said as she threw her gun away.
Jason and Viper just looked at each other and then Jason saw something.
"Viper! Look out!" yelled Jason.
Viper turned around and Lightning whacked her into a machine. She hit the machine and yelled with pain. Her hurt hand was in between her body and the machine. She fell to the floor, this time being careful not to touch her wrist at all. She just lay on the floor with tears in her eyes, crying softly. Jason crawled over to her.
"Viper? You okay?"
Viper just shook her head.
"Let me see." Jason said as he slowly lifted her wrist, causing her to yelp with pain.
"Sorry." Jason said as slowly lowered her hand. "I think it's broken."
"Jason, I-" Viper started.
"Hey, it's okay." Jason interrupted. "I'm gonna get all of us and leave here, including you. And your friends if they want to come, too."
"JASON!" Lightning yelled.
Jason turned around and Lightning grabbed him and started shocking him with lightning. Viper slowly got up and went over to a control panel near the wall that Jason's friends were chained to. She pushed a button and the chains opened and Sonic and friends fell to the ground. Lightning stopped and threw Jason to the ground. Blaze launched fireballs and Silver threw metal pipes at Lightning. Jason got up, went over to Viper and walked her out of the factory.
"COME ON GUYS! WE'RE LEAVING!" Jason yelled to his friends.
They all turned to look at him. Silver, using psychokenesis, picked up a machine and threw it at Lightning. Then they all ran out of the building. Lightning threw the machine off of him and stood up. He looked over at Prowler and Myst.
"At least I know I can trust you guys."
When Jason, Sonic, and all the others arrived at the abandoned building, there were cops everywhere. Jason looked at Viper.
"There's only one way you can join us, Viper."
Viper looked at him. "What's that?"
"You'll have to turn yourself in."
"What?" Viper asked. "Are you serious? Turn myself in?"
"Yes. If you willingly turn yourself in, there's a chance you'll get out of jail sooner. Right now, you have to gain their trust. As much as I like you, the cops can't see me with you. You understand, right?"
Viper sighed. "Yeah, I guess."
Viper walked towards the police. One of the cops spotted her.
"Are you alright?"
"My wrist is broken, other than that I'm fine."
"What's your name?" the cop asked.
"Viper." She paused and looked at Jason and then turned back around. "But my friends call me V."