AN: Parts of the exposition are in 'flashbacks' set ten years in the past of this story, in these Tails will be called 'Tails'. In the story's main timeline he will be referred to as 'Miles'

Chapter 3 'Tally-ho'

Who was 'Sonja'? The fox wondered. This single thought had bothered him the entire day. He'd checked all his usual sources, questioned his informants, even asked the people he usually avoided, those who occasionally did business in Knothole but nobody was aware of her, not even aware that she'd entered the city.

Granted, Miles had avoided Knothole for years and shunned the company of anyone who regularly travelled there so it would have been unlikely that he'd get much information about her background. But not getting a single piece of Intel even about her arrival. That was odd!

There was one person who might know something about her, the canine pondered, but she knew far too much about the fox's own past and she'd place a very high price on any assistance and Miles had very little desire to get into indebted to her just for this job.

As a result he had given up trying to find out anything about her, cut his losses and taken up a watch on the bar which his target was supposed to have a meeting in. The place was a dive. The bar was dark and cigarette smoke hung heavy in the air, the paint of wall was peeling and the carpet was that right kind of grey-brown that could either be stained from much use or have been put in hide them. The Clientele didn't look particularly friendly either.

He sat himself in a dark corner of the bar, out of the way but with a clear view of the door and busied himself so that no one would give him a second glance.

Miles was concerned; it wasn't just this disturbing lack of intel on the target, he'd had that before. No it was the fact that the target was from Knothole. He'd kept himself aloof from his homeland for ten years, kept out of its politics and avoided anyone who knew about it. Now this target was bringing Knothole right to the front of his mind and bringing back disturbing memories regarding his exile.

10 Years ago, a few months after the attack on the Death egg.

The fox could remember nothing. He was aware he was alive but conscious was probably not the correct term. His head felt like it was at sea, occasionally it would lift above the water and he would hear scraps of the world around him, as though he was tuning through the stations on an analogue radio. He'd hear the odd sound, sometimes a voice he could recognise, sometimes little more than that beeping noise.

But just as suddenly it would cease as though the radio station was slightly out range and he would return to the world of darkness. He was unaware how long he was like this for he had no track of time as his mind swam.

"She can't do it!" He heard a familiar male voice shouting angrily, "My son's neither a murderer nor a traitor."

"The girl's grieving Amadeus, she's angry, bitter but I agree with you," a female's voice answered in reply. "But prosecuting high treason is a royal prerogative and if she wants to make a fool of herself with a trial she can if she so wishes. Nothing can happen until he wakes up."

The male voice grunted, "I don't like it, especially that sneaky royal chamberlain, he seems to want to exploit this situation wholeheartedly."

"I understand, I'm angry too but please don't do anything rash,' the female replied. 'Besides if she overreaches I'll make sure the council..."

Again it went away and Tails' head returned to swimming through the darkness, sparing not a conscious thought to the world around him until eventually another female voice became recognisable.

It wasn't just the voice however; he could clearly make out other noises about him, the constant beeping, the sound of movement close by and the soft humming of a fluorescent light. The fox also realised it was no longer dark, he could distinctly make out a light and he also had feeling throughout his body. He did not have the energy to move any of it but he could feel things for the first time. The vulpine had returned to the land of the living.

The women's voice continued to speak and Tail's began to recognise what she was saying, after all he'd read the words regularly. She was reading the pilots notes of the fox's very own Stearman biplane; the Tornado.

Eventually the fox gained the strength to open his eyes, revealing to him a white soulless room.

It's a hospital, he thought as he glanced round the room looking at the white walls, bluey-green floor and detected a distinct smell of disinfectant. Using more strength then he'd anticipated he'd need, he moved his eyes to focus on the source of the voice.

In a chair next to him, aside a heart monitor which Tails immediately deduced to be the source of the constant electronic beeping sat a young, pink hedgehog.

The girl was focused on the book and seemed oblivious to the newly conscious fox's slight movements. Tails studied her face, he recognised it instantaneously but it seemed to have changed. Her green eyes were bloodshot, marked with deep bags. Her face was thin and pale, her brow was furrowed with worry. The poor girl looked worn out as though the troubles of the world were pushing down upon her.

"A..Amy?" Tails tried to speak aloud only for it to come out as a whisper due to his weakness which prevented him from continuing.

The pink hedgehog flinched on hearing her name and turned her head in surprise to look at the fox. On sight of his open eyes her face lit up into a beaming smile.

"Oh thank the walkers, Tails, you're awake!" she said embracing the newly conscious fox in a great big hug, "we were all so worried about you."

Tails was barely able to react as she gripped him firmly, "ouch, Amy please you're hurting me…" he whispered after he'd been locked into the hug for much longer then he was comfortable with.

"Sorry" the hedgehog apologised as she released him and pulled away from him to look at his face, "as I said we've all been very worried about you, me, your parents, Bunnie, Rotor and even Antoine have all been taking shifts to sit at your side, I'm so happy you're finally awake."

Tails smiled the best smile he thought he could manage, "I assume I'm in a hospital, but if you don't mind me asking what actually happened?"

Amy was taken aback by this, she gestured at his left arm which was in a cast in a cast, "you don't remember?" Tails inadvertently flinched before he shrugged to suggest he didn't so Amy continued, "don't worry too much Doctors said you suffer some memory loss."

"Oh, then how is everyone? Are Sonic and Sally ok?"

The hedgehog's face suddenly went very pale again and she did not respond for a while before slowly starting again, "Tails, Sonic is…" but before she could finish they were interrupted by the arrival of an albino ferret nurse.

The nurse walked into the room announcing that visiting hours were now over and that Amy would have to leave. The hedgehog looked momentarily relived at the interruption and turned to leave, 'I'll tell you tomorrow, it's a very long story.' Amy smiled, 'No matter what happens remember we're all genuinely glad you're awake.'

Tails had a bad night; he was plagued by a constant dream in which he was falling. The next morning Dr Quack visited. The green duck proceeded to do some memory tests; Tails knew the correct year, but thought it was March instead of November, he knew his home address, where he was, what the name of the kingdom was but he said King Maximillian still ruled rather than Sally, generally it was positive. Understandably the fox seemed to have no knowledge of the period around the event itself but the doctor concluded that this would return with time, he did however flag up serious misgivings over the fox's mental wellbeing as Tails constantly changed the subject whenever the actual reason for him being in hospital was brought up.

This wellbeing was pushed to breaking point just after lunchtime, when suddenly there was a commotion outside the fox's room.

"No Antoine, please don't, he's not well enough yet," Amy's voice shrieked.

"Amy se il vous plaît, ah mean him none of ze arm," a strongly accented voice answered.

"For the walker's sake, he hasn't even seen his parents yet! I won't let you take him."

"ah ave zee orders from Ma Reine, ze fox is to come with us," came the reply, "stands aside se il vous plaît."

For a brief second it was quiet but then there the sound of a crash followed of Amy's cursing, the accented voice spoke again, "Mon Dieu! Ah did not order yous to push her, imbéciles! Apologies mademoiselle."

There was the sound of footsteps continued and the fox watched as Antoine walked over the threshold into the room. The coyote was unchanged apart for his royal blue uniform which seemed to have gained excessive amounts of gold braid on the epaulettes and a few more decorations then Tails remembered it possessing. He was flanked by two large foxhounds wearing matching purple vests. The pair eyed the vulpine menacingly whilst simultaneously blocking Amy's access into the room.

On sight of the awake fox, Antoine smiled and addressed him warmly. "Bonjour mon ami, ah am appy to see zat you are awake," whilst shaking Tail's hand. "ah only wish ah was ere under better circumstances," he added with a touch of regret in his voice.

Before he could continue however he was interrupted by the arrival of agitated Dr Quick, he forced his way into the room past the two foxhounds shouting, "just what is the meaning of you barging in here Major? This is my hospital and I was not informed you were visiting my patient."

Amy took advantage of the confusion to scuttle in after the agitated doctor.

Antoine remained calm, "apologies docteur but ah am under orders," he pulled out a slip of paper his uniform pocket and handed it to the doctor. "ere is ze warrant, ze Fox is to come with us for ze questionings, Ma Reine wants to know all zat 'appended to Sonic."

The duck skimmed the Gallic coyote's orders with a deep sense of foreboding, whatever he did next he was going to regret. They were all present and correct marked with the Queen's seal so he should really let him be taken. However, the fox was not well; less than 24 hours out of a coma, no clear memory of the event, if he was taken he'd be traumatised and no matter what actually happened would probably be coerced under questioning. "May I talk to you outside Major?" he asked, gesturing towards the door.

Antoine nodded and followed him out.

The still groggy Tails was confused; he looked at Amy who had made her way to his bedside, "what's going on? What's Antoine talking about? What's happened Sonic?"

Amy looked very sheepish for a moment, "well, umm, it's hard to explain, but Tails I'm Sorry…" she hesitated a minute thinking how best to word the bad news. "Tails, Sonic's dead," she finally stated rather bluntly.

"What? This is some kind of twisted joke" Tails replied in shock. However, upon seeing Amy's sad face he began to stammer, "h…h…how?" tears formed in his eyes and the young fox began to weep.

Amy bit here lip and replied softly, "we don't know, you were the last person to see him alive. He fell when your plane crashed."

Tails was shell-shocked, the dream made sense; the falling, the shouting. It's my fault, he thought, Why was I so weak? He lamented as he quietly began to sob to himself.

Amy gently took hold of his hand, "I'm sorry you had to find out like this," she said but Tails was hardly paying attention, he was mentally beating himself up.,

Amy hugged the distraught fox and tried to be reassuring, "nobody blames you Tails." Amy said calmly. "Sally's tearing herself up about it and become rather…" She hesitated again, "obsessive. She desperately wants you to know what happened at any cost. That's why Antoine has come, to force you to tell her."

Reality dawned on the fox; Sally was so desperate to know what had happened that she'd ordered his arrest. He looked at Amy for a second; she tried to smile her most reassuring smile. "You'll be fine as long as you just explain everything you know."

Tails tried to smile back but couldn't manage it, he wanted to be calmer but he couldn't, all he could do was think was the same, I am weak, I let Sonic plummet to his death while I survived, he wanted to scream his guilt but couldn't bring himself to do so while she sat there trying to comfort him, I am a murder, I deserve everything I get, he rued.

Just then Antoine returned to the room escorted by the two foxhounds, his face looked troubled. Noticing the looks on the anguished look on the fox's face he asked Amy, "you've told him why ah am ere ah take eet?"

The hedgehog nodded.

"d'accord" he nodded and walked over to Tails' bedside. "After conversing with your docteur Tails, ah believe you are not well enough to be taken away right now…"

"Wait, coyote," one of the foxhounds interrupted, "We have orders to take this pipsqueak away with us today and you're not going to stop us because you've got cold feet."

"Non cheins! Ah am ze officer zat has been ordered to take him; you follow my orders, if not vous retourner to the palace immédiatement." An irritated Antoine replied gesturing wildly with his finger for them to get out of the room.

"Listen carrion eater," the foxhound replied, slowly advancing on the major, "We don't take orders from the queen's guard, our master wants him so we take whether you agree or not."

Antoine didn't reply, he was visibly shacking but stood his ground and placed his hand on the hilt of the sword resting in it scabbard and waited for the foxhounds to make their next move.

Before anything could escalate the second of the two fox hounds grabbed the shoulder of his more aggressive partner and shook his head, the pair whispered for a couple of seconds before the more cautious partner walked out the room. The confrontational foxhound gave Antoine and Tails a sharp glare and then turned to follow his partner out.

The coyote sighed, "what was all that about?" Amy asked.

The visibly relieved Antoine shrugged his shoulders, "palace politics". He turned back to Tails bed side, "je suis desole" he said as he pulled out a pair of handcuffs.

Tails made no attempt to resist but Amy gasped and rose from her chair to try and stop him.

Antoine held out his hand to stop her and continued to talk, "as ah was saying, ah ave spoken to Dr Quack and he has convinced me zat he is not well but ah still ave my orders to arrest ze fox. Ah will make sure he is not taken away until he is better but if ah do not take him somebody else will."

Amy did not look convinced but she was stopped by Tails, "Amy, just let him do his job," as he raised his wrist so that the coyote could easily attach the cuff to the bed.

Present day, Gladiopolis

"What can I get you mac?" a voice asked, shaking the embittered fox out of his daydream.

"What did you say?"

"I said, what can I get you to drink?" the heavily east coast accented waitress answered with a scowl.

"Sorry I was miles away, scotch neat please." The fox replied.

The fox knew he shouldn't drink before a job such as this but he needed to relieve his sense of uneasiness.

"Cheers," he said as the waitress brought him his drink, "how much do I owe you?"

"Credits or something worth the paper it's printed on?"

"Credits."

"You could pay in something actually of some use," the waitress sneered, "six hundred and seventy please."

The vulpine handed her a handful of ugly white bills which made up the city's worthless paper currency, "keep the change" the canine said as the waitress sighed and walked away.

The bar was getting busier but the vulpine made sure he could kept a close eye on the entrance. Eventually the door opening and a new figure walking in. It was the female purple hedgehog he was watching for. She wore a very simple attire of factory workers overalls obviously trying her hardest to look inconspicuous as a worker who had just come off shift in this huge industrial city. As he watched her he was once again got a sense that he recognised her green eyes.

She glanced around the room looking for her contact, as her eyes swept over him the fox he was gripped by sudden anxiety, what if she recognises me. However he quickly put this thought out of his mind, he'd dyed his fur and few from Knothole could recognise a fully grown brown fox as the exiled Miles Prower. Whatever the case unable to find who she was looking for she sat down on an out of the way table and began to wait, unaware she was being watched.

As the clock reached nine Miles noticed 'Sonja' becoming increasingly agitated and restless as she realised that her contact was a no-show. Eventually after ten minutes she rose and walked out of the bar.

This was the Zone-runners best chance, she was agitated and might not be thinking clearly, but he had to make the removal clean and quiet, away from any witnesses. He quickly got up and followed her making sure to remain at safe distance to avoid suspicion. His target walked briskly through a number of back streets until she came to a deserted alleyway.

The fox crept into the shadows and watched as she looked around to assess the scene. He watched as the purple hedgehog pulled out from her overall pocket some form of communication device and place it in her ear.

From his hiding place the fox heard 'Sonja's' part of the conversation.

"He was a no show, someone might have intercepted him." She said a distinct note of worry in her voice.

The vulpine saw his chance, he began to creep forwards whilst at the same time using his wrist computer to create a jammer for her transmitter.

As he intended the hedgehog's communicator went dead, for a brief few seconds the hedgehog seemed to panic as she tried to reset the device and re-establish her communication link.

With her distracted the fox took the opportunity to close the gap, removing the large pistol from the holster as he moved forwards to within touching distance of his target.

This one was easier than I anticipated, he thought as gently pushed the gun into her back. The hedgehog stiffened and let her arms fall to her sides as she felt the pressure of the barrel between her shoulder blades.

"Sonja Hedgehog, if that is your real name," the canine announced in as stiff a voice as he could muster, "you have been found guilty on the charge of espionage by the Zone Runners council, your sentence is death. Have you any final words to say in your defence?"

There was a pause and for a brief moment Miles was lulled into a false sense of security that the girl had surrendered.

After a pause she responded, "sorry buddy, I'm a very busy girl."

Quick as a flash, faster than the fox was anticipating she drove her elbow into Miles' stomach forcing the air out of him.

"What the-" the vulpine wheezed as he tried to resist, however the liquor had dulled his reactions and before he could act the girl had seized and twisted his wrist forcing him to drop the pistol to the ground without even turning her body to face him.

She then stamped her foot down hard onto his own causing the fox to yell out in pain and bend forwards slightly. As he bent forward she quickly spun herself around and gave the dazed fox a haymaker to the right temple sending him tumbling to the pavement.

"If you have any sense you'll stay down," the girl muttered as to run deeper into the alleyways.

For a couple Miles was to dazed to do anything but as he heard his target break into a run he slowly crawled towards the gun on the floor, picked it up and took aim at the female hedgehog now at the end of the alley.

"Halt!" he shouted about as authoritatively as someone who'd just taken a surprise beating can manage, "I will shoot!" he added as struggled to take aim in his woozy state.

To his surprise the hedgehog stopped, she pulled some form of miniature crossbow out from underneath her overalls. She glanced backwards for a split second and took aim, firing a small bolt that knocked the gun clean out of the fox's hand. Without a second glance at her stricken foe the hedgehog and ran on into the maze of alleyways.

"Walker's be damned," the fox said as he stared aghast at gun lying on the ground, "she's one hell of a shot."

Whoever this 'Sonja' was he going to need to be more prepared next time.

A/N: Sorry about the delay on this, I've had a hellishly busy 6 weeks which culminated in me losing my original plan for this but I refuse to give up and I've had free time of late so hopefully can write more regularly.

Please R&R and don't hesitate to contact me as any pointers would much be appreciated.