"There isn't any time left to think about this, Sonic," said the deep and commanding voice, "we have to act now."
Sonic sat on the edge of his bed, staring down at the ground and listening intently to the continued thunder and pattering of rain. He looked anxiously at the digital clock. 2:45 AM.
"I know, knucklehead," he replied, trying to keep up his spirits, "we need a plan."
"Holy crap, that's all you came up with?" Knuckles interrogated harshly, " 'We need a plan' ?"
Sonic smiled enigmatically. He put a finger to his lips and pointed to the bed next to his, where Tails moaned slightly and shifted over underneath the covers. Knuckles cooled off immediately and crossed his arms.
"Quiet, knucklehead. We don't want to wake up the kiddo," remarked Sonic quietly.
Boooom.
"Really, Sonic, we're all sick and tired of your excuses! Did you see that helicopter? Do they ever fly so low at night? Why do you think that is?"
Sonic didn't want to answer; not anymore. A sudden dizziness overcame the blue hedgehog as he could make out a flash of lightning and immediate thunderclap directly afterward. He became overwhelmed by the same emotions as the night of the Master's Emerald's transformation: fear and concern for his friends. His head swam with visions of each one of his friends, humans and Mobians alike, being carried away and shoved into the helicopter like cargo. Rain pounded on Sonic's head, falling in giant drops. The government agents in his mind harshly pushed the younger kids into the chopper and tied up their hands with rope. Mrs. Charis was in the doorway of her house, holding the twin babies, begging to let the Mobians and her children free as the government agents pulled her from the house. Even Shadow rested in a glass container, like when he had been first found. The black hedgehog's face was completely and eerily emotionless. Sonic saw a figure towering over him. It was a tall figure, with skinny features. Illuminated in the lightning, the figure's mouth was open with shrill laughter. Sonic wanted to run, but for the first time, he couldn't. His feet were bricks as he tried to move. The Mobians and the Charis family sat in the helicopter, all with emotionless expressions on their faces. The tall figure struck Sonic in the head numerous times, each time creating a loud sound and flash of light.
Crack.
Boooom.
Crack. Crack.
Boom.
Tails and Knuckles watched as Sonic woke up with a start. His eyes snapped open, and he sat upright immediately. Confused, the hedgehog twisted his head around to rid himself of the horrible visions he had seen in his head.
"Sonic, are you okay?" asked Tails gently and innocently, as any child would. Sonic shakily got to his feet and began rapidly pacing in front of the sunny windows.
"This is serious . . ." he mumbled urgently, "they're going to come soon."
Tails and Knuckles exchanged glances.
"Look, Sonic, I'm sorry that I was so hard on you last night. You didn't deserve to have that crammed down your throat any more," Knuckles apologized sincerely. "I probably caused you to pass out."
Sonic broke from his short daze and blinked quickly.
"I passed out?" he asked, not quite remembering every detail of the previous night. Knuckles and Tails nodded in unison.
"Yeah, you did."
After a small silence, Sonic started nervously pacing again. He put his hand under his chin and thought. Back and forth he went, mumbling gibberish . . . or so it seemed. Knuckles shook his head apologetically.
"This is bad," he stated, "we gotta start helping him think. I feel kinda bad for not doing anything before."
"Me too," Tails agreed, "Sonic, you should come downstairs and have breakfast with us. Maybe that'll get your mind off of things for a bit."
Sonic halted and winked at Tails. As if his problems had suddenly run away, the hedgehog went up to Tails and put his arm around the little fox's shoulder.
"You're right, buddy. A quick meal should help me think better. Thanks, kiddo!"
Tails nodded, surprised by Sonic's pleasant reaction to his suggestion. Although he liked Tails' idea, Sonic hurried out of the room and headed to the kitchen with a certain spring in his step. Knuckles gave Tails a look of absolute and utter confusion.
"What the heck was that all about?"
Tails shrugged and couldn't help but leave a trace of slight concern in his eyes.
Breakfast came and went as usual. The only chatter that came up was between Mrs. Charis and her twin babies. She cooed at them playfully, attempting to make them smile. Everyone else, Mobians and humans alike, stayed completely silent. The sun teased the tense house with playful sunlight dancing through the windows of the house.
Most of the Mobians and the kids spent the morning pacing, or sitting on the couches and chairs, all deep in thought. Knuckles used his nervous energy to anxiously gobble down whatever food he could find. As he sat down with a full plate of leftover pasta in his hands, the echidna started to shovel the spoonfuls of cheesy noodles into his mouth.
"Slow down, hon!"
Knuckles jumped upon hearing the sudden voice. He scowled at the figure in the doorway.
"Rouge, I'm trying to eat. Don't scare me like that or I might choke on my food!"
Rouge chuckled and pulled a chair out with her foot gracefully.
"If you slow down, there will be less of a chance of that," she insisted, setting her knees up against the table and reclining in that position. Knuckles said nothing in response as his mouth was full of food. Rouge stared out the window and heard the revving of a car engine in the driveway. "Hear that, knucklehead?"
Knuckles looked up with an irritated look on his face. It was clear that he couldn't respond with full cheeks like a hamster. Rouge rolled her eyes.
"Someone just pulled in. I wonder who it is?"
About the same time that Rouge headed to the front door, Gabriel called to his mother.
"Mom, dad's home already!"
Rouge observed as the color drained from Mrs. Charis' face. Dread completely took over the woman's previously happy expression. Without responding, Mrs. Charis ran to the window and opened her mouth as though she was going to say something, gaping at the car.
Rouge turned to Knuckles.
"These people are so . . . unnerving," she concluded as the housewife ran to the front door, "they don't know the half of what real problems are."
Peter Charis stepped out of his car normally and pulled out his briefcase. His faithful wife rushed out the door to greet him.
Rouge watched as Mrs. Charis gave her husband a long hug. From the window, the mouths both moved after the other, each in nervous conversation. Mrs. Charis stopped suddenly, as though her husband had said something horrible, and became teary-eyed. They walked through the door and shut it behind them. Peter placed his briefcase on the floor next to the door, while Mrs. Charis called for her children in broken tones.
"Agatha! Gabriel! Come here, please!"
Agatha obeyed instantly, while Gabriel dragged himself off the couch. Once he managed to reach his parents, a trail of Mobians followed him quietly, each hiding by the door to catch a bit of the announcement. Mrs. Charis seemed too pained to deliver the news.
"Peter, could you please . . ?" she asked shakily.
The Mobians, specifically Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Rouge, Amy, and Cream, stood in suspense outside of the doorway, listening for the news.
"Kids," started Peter, "When I got to work, I saw that the inside of my store was completely trashed. The glass in front was shattered and all over, and all of the bookshelves were tipped over. Papers and books were all over the floor."
Sonic looked at Knuckles with a questioning look. In response, the echidna simply shrugged.
"My first reaction was to immediately start cleaning up, until I saw a notice on my door, which I hadn't seen there before. Here it is . . ."
Peter dug the paper out of his pocket with trembling hands and loud crinkling sounds. "Don't read this out loud, but skim it."
Sonic pursed his lips in disappointment. The news would have to wait for them.
Agatha let out a stifled cry very suddenly, and Mrs. Charis hugged her as an immediate response.
"Honey, it's okay . . . shh . . . everything's going to be fine . . ."
"Mom, they're taking over everyone's lives just so they can find the Mobians! Why can't everyone just get along?"
"Shh, I'm sorry, dear, but not everything works like that. Your father has a plan, don't worry."
The Mobians outside of the door started to leave their places one by one. Sonic silently protested by gesturing for them to come back to listen, but no one did. Frustrated, Sonic continued to listen.
"Agatha, sweetheart, the Mobians will be hanging out in the basement until this whole thing blows over. We won't let them find our friends."
Agatha sniffed and exchanged glances with her brother.
". . . We have a basement?"
"Yes, honey. The bookshelf that's built into the staircase in the living room leads to the basement. The Mobians will stay in there in case any government officials search the premises."
Agatha's expression changed to sheer panic.
"They're going to come to the house?"
"Agatha, stop. They'll probably be searching our house for the Mobians."
That was enough for the hedgehog to hear before he stepped into the mud room, surprising the Charises.
"I won't be hiding. I'm going to fight them off. All of us guys can take them, believe me."
Peter and Mrs. Charis both responded at the same time, both in protest. They spoke so rapidly that Sonic backed away in some sort of bewilderment.
"Easy!" he exclaimed, holding up his hands, "One at a time!"
"Sonic, you can't go gallivanting around like that; you don't know what these people are capable of!" Mrs. Charis protested.
"It's much too dangerous, Sonic. As man of the house, I forbid you to go anywhere."
Sonic opened his mouth to complain, but Agatha covered it, giving the hedgehog a look of warning. Sonic hung his head in defeat.
"Well, then, I guess we'll stay," he sighed as Agatha removed her hand.
The Charises disbanded from the room, each going to tell the other Mobians, or perhaps go back to bed. Sonic stayed in the mudroom. He chuckled darkly.
"Well, if I can't leave, then I suppose I have no choice but to protect these guys."
A booming sound assaulted the hedgehog's small ears. Loud whirring filled the air.
Mrs. Charis yelled frantically.
"Close the curtains! Lock the doors! Turn off every light!" Sonic shut his eyes and pictured his dream again. The blank, emotionless faces all stared at him again.
He couldn't let that happen.
Not for real.