-
Part 1
-
The lab buzzed with noise as Dr. Robotnick worked on repairing Metal Sonic. Chief Oran had made Metal Sonic's repair his top priority with specimen 343 out and about. An assistant with red hair and freckles handed him a microchip and he inserted it into the robot's chest cavity. He covered up the chip and kept moving along the body to fix any other major malfunctions. Then he booted up Metal Sonic for a self diagnostic.
System online. Current status shows no damage to core processor or internal battery. Camera function is not operant in one eye. Piston system in need of chamber replacement. Estimated time for repairs needed to provide full function, 1 week.
Robotnick sighed. "This is a problem. If we don't have a way to combat specimen 343, I don't know how effective our damage control can be." He looked at the assistant. "Any ideas James?"
"Perhaps we could attempt use of specimen 344?" James said.
Dr. Robotnik shook his head. "No. That's way too dangerous. We don't even know if its internal battery is stable yet. What if it explodes? Or even worse, what if it works and they turn out like specimen 343?"
James nodded. "Well, what about altering specimen 343's microchip. Could that work?"
"His microchip? James, I would love to be able to do that. But someone getting close enough to do that would be suicide. I can't risk any more lives like that."
"Well, what about the fail safe? That operates at a 10 meter range."
"The fail safe?" Robotnick thought for a few moments. "Wait a minute." He rummaged through his lab coat until he pulled out a controller. "James. You designed the fail safe system, how far can you make the range with this remote?"
"Well, the signal's based on radio waves. But it really depends on the power source. The more power available the stronger the signal. The remote can handle about 150 volts without damage. That would give it a range of about 500 meters, but only for one signal. How much energy could you store in a 45cm3 area?"
"Hang on let me check." Dr. Robotnick walked over to a computer and brought up a list of materials. "Let's see...iron, steel, silver, lithium...there! 150 volts. Lancert's new lithium compound should do the trick. Didn't realize she's already finished testing." He looked up from the screen. "James, would you get Dr. Lancert?"
"You got it Doc."
-
Part 2
-
Fire lit up a cave as Sonic lay in a bed made of hay. Bandages stained red covered his stomach, and he winced from the pain as he sat up.
He saw Knuckles mixing a black liquid in a wooden bowl. "What is that stuff?"
"Special recipe. Should get you back on your feet." Knuckles dropped some green leaves in and grinded them with a wooden spoon.
"Huh, never took you for a medic." Sonic shook his head laughing.
Knuckles finished grinding the leaves in and brought the bowl to Sonic. "Here."
"Thanks." Sonic took the bowl and drank it. Then his vision started to fog, and everything started spinning. He fell back on the bed, eyes closed.
Knuckles walked through a hole in the rock wall, out into the sunlight. A meadow filled with wild grass and flowers of all colors stretched out toward a dense forest of oak and maple. Tail was walking back with a bucket full of sap. His face was stained red and blue.
"Hey Knuckles. I found a place nearby full of berry bushes. You want to check it out?"
Knuckles sighed. "Maybe later kid. Right now I don't want to let Sonic out of my sight for too long."
Tails looked at the cave entrance. "You think he'll tell someone where we are?"
"Yes, no. Maybe." Knuckles looked out at the forest. Then at the dark clouds. "I don't know. Why'd he have to go and save me? Would've been so much simpler if I knew for certain where he stands." He sat down on a rock.
"You really could've changed?" Tails sat down next to him, handing over the bucket of sap.
"I don't know." Knuckles took a sip from the bucket. "What does he have to gain from tricking us?"
"Do we have any info he wouldn't know?"
Knuckles shook his head. "I doubt it." Then he thought about it. "Wait. Did he mention anything about the chaos emeralds?"
"No." Tails raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Just a theory, but I have to wonder." Knuckles looked back at the cave.
-
Part 3
-
Lights flashed on a podium as Chief Oran stepped behind a plastic podium. He pointed at a woman in a green suit with a microphone.
"Chief Oran. What's the status on Sonic the Hedgehog?"
He sighed. "We're still investigating what happened. We don't have any conclusive evidence yet." He pointed to a man in a blue suit.
"Chief Oran. Is there any news on Dr. Robotnick? Will he be releasing any statements in the near future?"
"Dr. Robotnick is working on the situation. You'll hear as soon as we learn anything. For the time being we're still working on finding Sonic and filling the gap in the police force for the time being." Chief Oran pointed to a woman in black suit and sunglasses.
The woman seemed to have a metallic scraping to her voice. Several reporters looked at her raising their eyebrows. "What do you have to say about reports of a robotic machine similar in look to Sonic going about the streets?" Several people murmured before Oran started speaking again.
"That would be Metal Sonic, a prototype police unit robot that's been deemed safe for public use. We've been looking at using Metal Sonic to help with any holes in the police force until Sonic is found. However, it's still questionable how effective it will be in the field." Chief Oran sighed then pointed to a man with a gray trench coat and a fedora.
"And what about the recent break out and explosion at Argon prison?"
"There was only one escapee. A yellow fox with two tails. Luckily the individual in question has only been shown to be a level 1 threat."
The man in the fedora raised an eyebrow. "But footage showed two individuals leaving. And why was a level 1 threat in Argon prison?"
"Someone broke in. And mutant creatures generally are put in Argon until they are shown to be a low level threat. We were actually about to move the prisoner to Mercury." Oran pointed at a woman in a gray skirt.
"What about the footage of the Argon prison escape showing a blue hedgehog?"