CHAPTER 5: BREAKING DOWN
A plan…
Our heroes tried everything.
Breaking the bars: too hard to do so, even Bunnie's fists couldn't break them;
Deceive the robots: Robotnik made them far too smart to do so;
give Robotnik a false location in order to get off his attention: no. he would immediately robotosize Sonic and was too risky
After hours of thinking, they were all drained of their energy.
Even if they didn't fight Robotnik's army, the great amount of concentration for that mission left them mentally drained.
The group was brought back to life by a sigh and the sound of stirring
"Sonic!" Sally and Tails were the first ones to call out to him.
The noises ceased as if the other was trying to figure out the voices
"Sally? Tails? Is that you guys?" Sonic asked making Antoine, Bunnie and Rotor reach for the bars as well
"Yeah, it's us Sonic! Are you alright?" Sally asked
Sonic decided not to talk about the fever-liquid-thing and so he relieved them
"I'm fine Sal. Just a little tired" he lied "any idea what Robuttnik wants as alive for?" he asked, silently twitching afterwards as the headache of before returned, reminding him of the situation.
"He wants to know Knothole's position" Rotor said "and he's using you as an hostage" Bunnie finished for him.
"As usual…" Sonic said back with a grin, his usual self back in place
"Sonic, did he do something to you?" Sal asked that question making Sonic return serious
"Why?" Typical of Sonic…answering with a question. That angered Sally so much, but right now, she decided to play along
"Because, he said he's going to use a second shot" she said making him grimace silently
"Don't worry about me" Sonic said back, footsteps approaching his door "just promise me one thing. You won't ever say the location of Knothole, even if I'm on the verge of death" Sonic said, his voice loud.
"…..right" Sally replied back, unable to make a promise like that
"Sal-" Sonic was interrupted
"I promise" Sally said, her tone was relaxed, in complete friction compared to the chaos inside her body and mind, screaming for her to rephrase that sentence.
"Good" Sonic finished as the door opened revealing, once again, Robotnik with that freaking needle in hand
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Sally shouted, punching the bars in frustration
"Oh, a little sentimental are we princess?" Robotnik said again "I gave you a choice and you choose" he said, a little liquid dripping from the syringe as he said that
A scream broke through Sonic's throat as the needle was pushed in his arm again.
It was short but it was full of pain.
He had tried his best to stop it but no avail.
The pain was simply too much to endure.
Antoine covered his hears while Sally cried again.
Never in their life, had they experienced a situation like this.
Sonic would always save everyone, no matter how dire the situation.
Even without hope, Sonic would always win.
They never imagined seeing their friend like this and being completely helpless.
Sally was just about to scream something when a hand stopped her
"Sally-girl, it's what he wants…don't give him the satisfaction" Bunnie said
Sally raised her stare to meet Bunnie's but she didn't find a hard gaze.
Instead, she found watering eyes in a plead for her to stop.
Sally understood her friend was on the edge and decided to nod, smiling weakly at her.
Robotnik finally put the needle aside while Sonic's breath once again was very fast and harsh.
The mad tyrant turned around to face the freedom fighters that looked back at him with eyes full of hate and anger.
"Do you know what I injected him?" Robotnik asked getting hissed at, as an answer
"It's a serum, Snively and I made. It will raise his temperature of 4/5 degrees each time. This is the second time, so you know…" Robotnik smiled even wider at their reaction.
He could see Bunnie literally trembling in anger and Sally fighting against herself not to cry.
He didn't even have to look in Tails' direction for he knew the fox was surely crying.
"You're horrible"
That was Antoine.
Bunnie was slightly shocked at his behaviour.
Usually Antoine would speak funny and act like a scared brat but now, he was the calmest of all, and that made her smile for some reason.
"IF you ever change your mind" Robotnik said while grasping another syringe filled with yellow liquid "only this antidote can erase the serum's effects" he said back
During the last part of his speech, his words didn't reach the freedom fighter's ears
'We must get that antidote!' was all they could think of
Another moan of pain escaped Sonic's lips as the serum was taking effect.
He could barely move, his legs occasionally twitching.
"It seems someone's in pain" Robotnik sarcastically said while looking back at his most hated enemy.
If Sonic could still be cocky before, now it was clear he was in pain.
His eyes were shut; sweat evident on his forehead and body, his body trembled sending multiple warning-signs to his brain while reaching a dangerous temperature.
Robotnik placed a thermometer in Sonic's ear for some minutes before smiling at the display
"It's on 105 degrees, so you know…" Robotnik said, turning to Sonic's friends "I'll be back tomorrow morning" Robotnik said again, leaving.
"SONIC! How are you feeling?" Sally asked, not sure she used the right words.
"I-I'm fine Sal. Just a little overheated. That's-that's all…" he tried to relieve her somehow but he knew she wasn't.
"I'll-I'll try to sleep a bit" Sonic said
"Sure, you need it" Rotor said back while Bunnie tried to get Sally to sleep as well.
"We have to sleep too" Bunnie said but Sally shook her head
"Just…..give me 5 minutes" Sally said as Bunnie nodded and went to Tails and Antoine.
Please…please someone help me to get us out of here…
Sally had made that wish to the only star she saw from the small window of her cell.
And so, she approached Tails and sat down trying to sleep a bit as well.
If she wanted to make a plan, she had to be alert and ready, not tired and weak.
Sleep didn't come easy but she welcomed it with opened arms, letting herself fall asleep embraced to her friends.