Metropolis Downfall (Pt. 3: The Lab and the Capture)
"Out of all the places to put a top-secret underground laboratory, you put it underneath a hospital." Rouge asked in disbelief as the soldiers lead them to a overpopulated hospital where many people were rushing friends and loved ones inside in an attempt to escape the destructive invasion of the Sharpscales, and now knowing that Sonic, their once beloved hero of Mobius, was assisting the alien reptiles by his own free will was not helping them at all. The group looked around as the followed the soldiers inside the building, the scent of blood and dead body nearly overwhelm their higher sense of smell as a few of them let silent gasps out at the scene before them.
Many of the inhabitants were standing holding onto dying or dead bodies, crying and/or praying that some miracle would save them and rid the world of the aliens, but seem as though that Chaos himself was enjoying their suffering and turmoil. A loud screech echoed throughout the building as many turned to one of the doors leading to the eastern section of the ground floor hallway, the place where the scream seemed to be coming from. Seconds later, a nurse came through the door followed by two doctors which were struggling to keep grasp of an enraged woman who was fighting in their strong grips. The source of the her sudden tantrum was a small boy placed on a medical bed, several scratch marks on his chest and arms with one of them seemed to be barely usable, that is if the boy's pale brown eyes didn't indicate that he was dead.
"These poor people, we got to help them." Amy stated in horror as she watch the woman be dragged to a different area of the hospital to avoid further commotion.
"Many more will have the same fate if we don't stop these Sharpscales." Shadow stated as they continued toward the door that leads to the west side of the place. Entering this section of the hallway, they notice several rooms filled with patients, sometime overcrowding them to be able to keep up with the number of causalities done. A room was not vacant for more than a few minutes before another group of people appeared with another victim of the invasion.
"How many people are here?" Tails asked, slightly terrified by the scenes performed before the young kit's eyes.
"I don't know kid," the leading G.U.N. soldier replied, "More than we would like however. The entrance to the lab is this way." They continued before coming to a short, room-less hall near the end of the corridor, only occupied by a plant and thermostat that possibly controlled this part of the hospital's temperature. The soldier to the right of the leader walked up to the thermostat, sliding it to the side which revealed a scanner. The soldier first showed his badge, which the machine scanned and accepted before doing the same with his eye. A hidden door slid open underneath the potted plant, a passage way large enough for two people to walked down side by side appeared underneath.
"Alright, here it is, the Global Weather Lab." the soldier stated as he slid the thermostat back into place before the group departed down the stairs. Small LED lights placed along the side lit up once the floor above slid back into place, just enough for them to tell what was in front of them as they continued down the stairway.
"Something's not right." The leader of the soldiers stated as they arrived at the bottom of the stairs, looking around the dark and quiet lab, "We sent the message for the scientists to begin deleting unnecessary data and moving Project Climate Control to a safer storage file. They could not have finished doing so this quickly. Where are they?"
"Good observations for a mammal." The group looked around the room, the soldiers holding up their guns while the mobians prepared themselves for battle. They all recognized the voice as Racko, as the Sharpscale was becoming nearly more well known the leader of the alien race himself.
"Show yourself coward." Knuckles shouted angrily, purple eyes scanning the room as his short temper was getting close to snapping from the waiting.
"If you so wish." the first row of lights flicked on as the group spotted the red Sharpscale sitting on its haunches on all four like a dog, his long tail swishing behind him elegantly. The soldiers quickly re-aimed their guns so that they were targeting the alien.
"Where's Sonic or the rest of your Sharpscale buddies, you must be stupid if you think you can take us on by yourself." Knuckles taunted slightly as he noticed the lack of company on the alien's side, though, he and the other mobians swore they heard the small snickers from behind Racko.
"You should be worry for your own welfare echidna." Racko replied as a sly smirk appeared on his scaly muzzle.
"Oh yeah, you and what army?"
"How about this one?" another voice echoed through the lab as the rest of the lights flicked on one by one, revealing a large crowd of Sharpscales behind the red alien. The first two of the four rows consisted of three dozen weapon-equipped and winged Sharpscales. The rest of the aliens were at least twice the size of the first two row, with several in the back could easily touch the tall ceiling and easily break it if it rose its hand up to do so.
The group spotted the blue hedgehog stand on top of the largest Sharpscale in the room, a frill lizard-like alien with four arms and a pair of dragon-like wings. It pink forked tongue flicked out several times as Pale green eyes stared down at the group, puny to him for his immense height. Sonic smirked at their expressions as he leaned against one of the white horns that made up the crown that wrapped around the front part of the creature's head.
"Does this answer your question?" the hedgehog stated as he enjoyed the shock expression on Knuckles's face as the echidna unconsciously let his jaw hung open, "So are you going to keep gawking or what?"
"But how did you get here without the citizens spotting you?" the third soldier, younger than the other two by the sound of his voice, questioned as he was surprised that they could get these many and so big Sharpscales into the not-so-hidden lab without alarming the doctors and citizens in the building above.
"We used the underground passage." he pointed to a gigantic hole in the side of the lab, indicating where the group was able to get the small militia into the room without setting off any sort of warning that would give away their position.
"But how did you get here, I'm sure the soldiers wouldn't spill it out willingly even if you threatened their lives." the second soldier stated in confidence, but attempted to make sure that he did not rile up the large group of aliens into a fight around a delicate place with civilians above their presence. Sonic chuckled at the statement as he remembered how they got the location of the lab.
(Earlier with Sonic)
"I'm going to ask again; where is the lab?" Racko growled out in irritation as he smacked the four humans once more with his tail, causing a few whines and painful yelps to escape. They laid leaning against one of the ruined building's wall, panting heavily in an attempt to endure the pain. Their uniforms were becoming tattered as bruises and scratch marks were seen underneath the ragged clothing.
"N-never." One of the soldier grunted, holding his soldier as a large slice appeared from his elbow to his shoulder, blood pouring out with no sign of stopping. A mocking yawning sound caused the Sharpscale's right eyes to twitch aggressively as he spun around, yellow eyes glaring at the blue hedgehog that leaned against a cracked telephone pole. Although he wasn't the only one bored. Most of the others were nodding off, the adrenaline that sustained them several minutes ago had vanished. Hozorok had even knocked down several more buildings behind the group in order to lay down, quiet snores coming from the giant creature as he fell asleep.
"This is going no where." he stated in pure observation, emerald eyes narrowed at the alien as he snarled in response.
"Oh yeah, you come up with something then." the mobian chuckled as he shook his head in disbelief, walking toward the four humans.
"Watch and learn, Racko." he stated as he passed the fuming being. An evil grin crossed his peach muzzle as he watch the G.U.N. soldiers flinch as he got closer.
"We already told you freaks we ain't saying..." the soldier gasped as his body was lifted up from the ground, dangling nearly lifelessly as he felt the gloved hand wrapped around his neck. He looked down at his captive, the malicious smirk easily seen, causing him to gulp in fear, or at least try to.
"Listen," the experimented being stated in a too calm voice and nice voice, "we only need one of you to tell us where the lab is, and there are four of y'all. So we can kill three of you guys and still not jeopardize the mission. So you can either start talking or I start killing."
"Don't listen to him Rich..." one of the other soldiers tried to say, but a blue air ball the size of his hand collided with his chest, forcing an 'oof' sound erupted from him. A human size hole appeared in his place as his legs dangled over the edge lifelessly. The other men eyes widened in shock before returning their gaze to the smiling hedgehog.
"Anyone else?" None of the agents made a comment; Sonic's grin lessened to a frown, "Good, now tell me where the lab is."
"It's underneath the hospital in Downtown Metropolis." The soldier farthest to the right exclaimed in fear. The frown morphed once more into a devious smirk.
"That's all I need to know." He roughly tossed the soldier to his surviving comrades, "However, you will be punished for wasting my time."
"Boys," the Sharpscale behind him stirred to life once more, paying attention to what was occurring, "Kill these pests."
(Present)
"Fear can make a lot of people crack, especially you humans." Sonic said as he patted the head of the giant Sharpscale, giving a small scratch. The lizard-like alien slightly growled in pleasure as he lifted up his tail, which was wrapped around three unmoving G.U.N. soldiers. The alien then tossed the three toward the group, their bodies making thumping sounds as they struck the metal floor in front of them and remained limp. The three soldiers ran up to their still comrades, the others keeping an eye on small alien army to warn them if they made any move that would enact a battle, but Racko and Sonic both looked at them with mischievous grins on their faces as they watched the humans check for any sign of life in their fellow agents.
"Dead." the leader stated as he looked back at them, lifting himself off the kneeling position he presumed as he check the last sprawled body for a pulse, none was found against his cold skin, "They're all dead."
"Of course, that is what happen when you attempt to deny the Sharpscales' authority." Racko laughed as the group looked at him. The third soldier trembled in a mix of fear and anger and in reaction aimed his pistol and, before any one could stop him, fired at the red Sharpscale.
The bullet went flying toward the alien, his head an intended target, but was stopped as the air around it forcefully made it come to a halt. It hovered a few inches from Racko's head as the blue air twirled around it. The mobians didn't need to look up to realize that the action was the work of the blue hedgehog, his hand glowing the same color as the blue air.
The soldier slowly lowered his gun in shock, staring in disbelief at the floating object as he glanced between it and the smirking hedgehog. The blue hedgehog let the smirk widen into a small grin as he twirled his index finger, making the bullet turn around and point toward the surprised human.
"Stupid human." Sonic said, and with a wave of his hand sent the bullet rushing toward the soldier with enough force to penetrate his chest plate, break through skin, puncture his beating heart, and push its way to the other side before stopping as it collided with the wall behind him, dropping to the floor as it was covered in blood. The struck soldier gasped in more shock than pain, a large gaping hole in his chest as he fell to his knees, taking one last breath as the rest of his body hit the floor with a small thud.
"Anyone else wish to join him?" Receiving nothing but horrid looks, stoic expressions, and hateful glares, he continued, "Good; Racko, you may continue."
"Anyway, drop your weapons and hold your hands in the air and we might consider letting you live." Racko ordered as the whirring sound was heard in several of the weapon-held aliens. The group, although reluctant, did as told, the G.U.N. agents lowering their guns slowly to the ground before following the actions of the mobians.
"Tie them up. I want them to see the beginning of a new era of this planet when we activate the machine." A few Sharpscales chuckled as they carried bounds of rope toward the group, tying their arms behind their backs tightly, "Have them toss in with the scientists, we'll retrieve them when the machine is built."
"Racko," the Sharpscale looked back to find Sonic using one of the smaller flying aliens as transportation and landing a few feet away from him, "is that really..."
"I'm in charge of this operation Sonic, remember that." the blue hedgehog growled in slight anger as the Sharpscale began walking past him, "Guide these pest to the storage than come back to me, that's an order."
"Fine." he sneered as he watch the large army separate into four groups. The first one, containing most of the aliens, exited through the large hole, returning to the upper level of the city to most likely cause more havoc. The second group proceeded up the stairway where the mobains and humans appeared from, planning to cause trouble for the hospital's inhabitants. The third group, smaller than the first two, followed the red alien to another section of the lab.
The fourth group consisted of three of the gun wielding Sharpscales, four small winged Sharpscales, two of the special ability Sharpscales, and the large black one that the blue hedgehog stood on top; their job: guarding the captured prisoners.
Sonic led the group, two winged Sharpscales to his side, the rest of the aliens at the end. The captured heroes were placed in the middle to avoid any escaping or attempting to fight against them.
"Alright, I entrust you in guarding the captives." the blue hedgehog turned his attention to the reptilian creatures, gaining a short nod from all but the tallest one, who was nodding in over-excitement. Emerald eyes than looked to a purple scaled Sharpscale, quite similar to crocodile.
"Addanc, you're in charge. Whatever happens, I want you to make sure Grendor is ok, or I'll make the rest of your life a personal hell." The Sharpscale nodded, orange eyes filled with worry in dread as the hedgehog left.
Taking a deep breath to regain his lost composure, he turned to the group as another one of the aliens opened the door.
"Alright, get in and behave yourself; I won't hesitate to shoot one of you if you cause problems." the group reluctantly entered the small room, the door quickly locked behind them as their legs were later bind in precaution of them thinking up of something.
"Man, this Sharpscales are rude." Amy complained as she twisted her wrists around, the rope digging slightly into her skin.
"I have to agree, Pinky; this is no way to treat a lady. Why didn't you do something back there Shadow." Rouge asked as she looked at the black and red hedgehog.
"We would've been dead if we fought against that many, but their forces are smaller now, giving us a fighting chance."
"But how are you going to do that locked up inside here?" One of the scientists asked, his glasses slightly sliding of his face from its incorrect positioning, "There's nothing here that could cut the rope, the made sure to clear the room of any possible objects."
"How about one of my quills." Tails nodded in agreement.
"That could work. If we gather enough of your quills, we'll be able to cut the ropes."
"Knuckles, you're the closes; you pull them out." The two mammals shuffled around, turning until they were back to back with each other.
"Ah, watch it echidna." Shadow growled as he felt a couple of his quills be roughly yank from his head.
"Oops, sorry." the red Guardian mockingly stated, "Let's just say that's a bit of payback for sending me to that cursed mutant filled island."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah less talking and more pulling boys, these ropes are stating to irritate my wrists."