-Chapter 263-

Donars by the Dozen


Thunder Plains - 3 Days After Initial Attack

As the sun peeked over the horizon, a group of Egg Soldiers had set up a stakeout. Many of them were sitting around, not really paying attention. One of them outright yawned.

"Ugh... I'm so bored!"

"Tell me about it," replied one of his squadmates. "I've been watching Jerry pick stuff from his ear for the last two hours." He pointed to another Egg Soldier, a fennec fox with a particularly large nose, casually fingering through his ear, pulling out a mouse.

"And the worst part is, I can't stop watching." The soldier shuddered.

"Did he find my keys?"

"Check the pile," the soldier replied, pointing to a large pile of junk next to Jerry.

The lead soldier grimaced. "Dammit, something should have happened by now. I thought the boss said they'd be headed in this direction."

"Maybe they got wise and gave us a bogey?" Jerry suggested as he removed a series of national flags tied to a string from his ear. "Try to throw us off?"

The second soldier recoiled, staring at the growing pile. "Just go pick your ear, Jerry. I mean come on, it's the Freedom Fighters. They're way too dumb to pull one on the boss."

Before the argument could continue, the lead soldier looked through his binoculars, and perked.

"Someone's coming!" he called out.

"Ooh! Lemme see!" His partner grabbed the binoculars, accidentally strangling his partner in the process. Through them, he saw an armored transport driving down the road, an acorn-shaped symbol with the number 4 emblazoned on the side. The soldier who had been watching Jerry smirked, chuckling to himself.

"See, what'd I tell you?"

"Yeah... good... can't... breathe…" his partner gasped, clawing at the straps of the binoculars.

After throwing the binoculars -and the other soldier- aside, he pulled out a comm and made a call.

"This is Level 1. We've located the Freedom Fighter transport en route to Boltscar Rock. Preparing to intercept."

"Copy Level 1. Sending word to other units."

The comm disconnected as the soldier drew his weapons.

"Alright boys and girls...let's give these losers a proper Stormrunner welcome."


Flashback…

Castle Acorn Grand Hall - The day after the attack

The following morning, the Freedom Fighters and the delegates had joined Elias in the Grand Hall to resume their meeting.

"Alright," the prince declared. "After running additional checks on the guards and the castle grounds, we've determined that there are no more Auto Automata plants in the castle. That being said, there's still the matter of what allowed them to get here in the first place."

"The imposter," Rob surmised.

"Correct." Sally laced her fingers together, resting them on the meeting table. "Even though the attack was prevented, the imposter ultimately succeeded in their mission. They were able to inform Eggman of the Summit and, more importantly, sow discord and distrust amongst our ranks."

"So how do we go about fixing this?" Sab asked.

Elias grinned. "To start, we'll be transporting to a new venue, one our imposter won't have the chance to sabotage." he turned to the Wolf Pack. "Chief Lupe, the floor is open to you."

"Thank you, Prince Elias." Lupe rose to her feet. "After careful consideration, I propose we relocate the Summit to Boltscar Rock."

The members of the Wolf Pack were all surprised.

"Boltscar Rock? Chief, are you serious!?"

"Deadly serious, Lyco."

"Excuse me," Cosmo interjected, holding up a hand, "but what is Boltscar Rock?"

"It's an important holy site among the people of the Thunder Plains, especially among the Wolf Pack," Lupe explained. "It's a place where spirits gather, protecting the land and all good things that dwell in it."

"That being said, not just anyone can set foot there," Leeta continued. "Anyone who does so without the spirits' blessing will suffer a terrible fate. Are you certain this is a good idea, Chief?"

"The Plains tribes have used it as a meeting place in the past, Leeta. This should not be any different."

"But we've never brought in outsiders before."

"Maybe so, but this is the best option we have. it's in the heart of the Thunder Plains, meaning that aircraft cannot fly there. Not safely at any rate. And any forces that may come after us will be grounded and have to contend with the rocky terrain of the canyons."

"There's just one problem," Drago interjected, drawing everyone's attention to him. "Those grounded troops are Stormrunners, and they know the area like the backs of their hands."

Cassia raised an eyebrow. "Stormrunners?"

"I don't like the sound of that name," Sonic said with a grimace.

"Nor should you." Drago's expression turned grave. "They're the Egg Army that's been plaguing the Greyplains."

Everyone was shocked at that.

" Another Egg Army branch!?" Knuckles exclaimed, groaning before leaning back in his chair. "When the heck did this happen!?"

"Not long after the attack on Twinkle Park with that nutty chinchilla," Drago replied. "But these guys aren't just run of the mill soldiers. They're ruthless, cunning, and almost all of them are predators. Wolves, hunter cats, species made for running and hunting."

"They specialize in fast, coordinated, and brutal assaults," Lyco continued. "Like a raging storm over the plains. Hence, Stormrunners

Drago leaned forward. "And after this, they're likely already getting prepped and primed to take us down as we speak. The second we cross over, we're dead ducks."

"Luckily, I've already accounted for that," Geoffrey said, a smug grin spreading over his face.

Flashback Over


[Donar-4]

As the transport made its way across the plains, one of the soldiers raised up a mechanical hand and, with a flick of the wrist, summoned a pair of wicked-looking claws. He chuckled maliciously, then aimed his hand at the vehicle, firing his claws at the tires, flattening them immediately.

"Alright, let's go!" the soldiers surrounded the transport, with the leader waiting at the back door.

"Come out, come out little heroes. We just wanna play."

"Step out of the car and put your hands behind your heads, and we might just go easy on you!" Another soldier shouted, banging his fist on the side of the transport.

After a brief pause, the door to the transport slowly opened.

"That's it."

"Wow! That was easy!" Jerry exclaimed.

"Correction, I do not have hands."

The soldiers froze as the sound of a gun powering up reached their ears, and a rapidly brightening light filled the crack in the door.

"What the...?"

"Hit the deck!"

The Egg Soldiers dove and ducked for cover as Omega launche a blast from his hand cannons at them, blowing the doors open and leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.

"Hey, leave some for us, Omega!" Rouge snapped.

"Yeah!" Cassia added, drawing her tonfa. "Quit hoggin' all the XP!"

"This isn't a video game, Cass!" Shadow scolded, making the younger Pronghorn wince.

"Right! Sorry."

"Argue later!" Rouge ordered. "Here they come!"

The Stormrunners rushed them.

"Right." Shadow readied himself for a fight. "Omega and I will act as the vanguard. Rouge, Cassia, cover us and take out any stragglers."

"Affirmative."

"Can do."

"DPS-crowd control. Roger."

Cass spun her tonfa around before stopping, pointing them at the soldiers like they were guns.

"What are you doing, little girl?" one of the soldiers mocked. "That's not how you–"

"Moulinet!"

"Moley-what?"

Cass fired energy blasts from her tonfa at the soldier, who let out a loud, comedic scream before falling over. The dumbstruck Stormrunners turned to the Freedom Fighters, still processing what had just happened.

"So…" Shadow tossed a green Chaos Emerald in the air, "Who's next?"

"Get them!" the leader shouted, and all the Stormrunners charged.

"Chaos...CONTROL!"

"Unleashing Machine Guns!"

Shadow released a blast of Chaos Energy while Omega and Cass started firing.

-X-

From across the plains, on a hill overlooking everything, the firefight was plainly visible to another team of Egg Soldiers who were overseeing everything.

" Sir, it was a trap! Team Dark and a Pronghorn were in the transport! "

"What!?" the commander shouted. "Damn...Contact the other teams, see if you can–"

Before he could give the order, the comm went off again.

"Hold on." The soldier pressed a button. "Level 1. What's your stat-"

" This is Level 1-2! " another soldier interrupted. " We've spotted the Freedom Fighters in Sector 2! We're preparing to intercept now! "

The comm soldier paused. "Wait, what!?" Only to receive yet another call.

" This is Level 1-3! " the new soldier cried out over the radio. " We're currently engaging the Freedom Fighters! They...managed to get the drop on us while we were attacking their transport. And they got this crazy rabbit and bird lady with them! "

" Woohoo! Demolition derby! " Bumper shouted before the comm soldier's headsets became filled with crashing, explosions, and screaming.

" They're ripping us apart! Requesting back-up! "

"Wait, slow down. what are you-?" But then, the soldier got another call.

"Hello?"

The soldier on the other end panted heavily. " This...This is level 2 ." He took a breath. " The Freedom Fighters have managed to bypass the checkpoint in Sector 4! They're halfway to Boltscar Rock! "

"What!?" the comm soldier exclaimed. "That's crazy! We're fighting the Freedom Fighters right here! How are–!?" he paused. "Unless…" His eyes widened in realization as he fumbled the comm, opening up all communication channels.

"Everyone! We've been duped!" he shouted. "The Freedom Fighters sent in decoys! They-"

But a kick in the head from Rouge knocked him out cold, Shadow warping over to her.

"Boy, aren't you fast?" she quipped as she tapped one boot against her other boot.

"Still, we bought enough time," the black hedgehog added.

"Yeah." Rouge took a moment to crush the comm. "Gotta hand it to Geoffrey, this is a good plan."


Flashback

Geoffrey held out a data card. "Princess, would you have Nicole project this?"

Nicole inserted the data card into her handheld, causing it to project a holo-screen showing an image of an armored transport for all to see.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the AM-65 Donar (1). The Acorn military's latest model of armored transport vehicle. Specially developed using cutting edge technology from our very own labs and the Knothole Brain Trust."

The Brain Trust all bowed slightly or tipped their hats.

"The Donar is equipped with Megatal plating and runs on a custom-made ring-powered engine developed by HEXAeco. Making it impervious to all but the strongest attacks and able to run up to a week at once before needing to cool down."

"Thank you, Mom," Keith declared.

The Engine Corps went wide-eyed.

"That. Is the coolest thing. I have ever seen." Axel said.

Bumper was less impressed. "Eh, it's alright. Needs a cannon."

Chris and Keith both grinned.

"Each transport can hold up to eight people," Geoffrey chimed in. "Not including the driver."

Torque nodded. "I see…Each group gets their own Donar, and we all drive out to Boltscar Rock in style!"

"Not quite," Hershey interjected. "The Donar may be sturdy, but they aren't invincible. Plus, they're built for mass transport and protection, not speed. And if these Stormrunners are as quick as the Wolf Pack say they are, they could prove to be trouble."

"I'm starting to understand why we were brought here," said Shadow.

"Yeah," Vector added. "You need some decoys."

Hershey nodded. "Exactly." She motioned for Nicole to continue, prompting her to pull up another screen, this one showing multiple Donars, numbered 1-12.

"Altogether, we have twelve Donars. Some will be used to transport the delegates and their guardians, while the rest will serve as a diversion to keep the Egg Army busy." The image shifted again, this time to a map of Acorn and the Greyplains. "Our fellow Secret Service Agents have also planned out different routes to take." a dozen arrows spread across the map, all converging on a dot marked 'Boltscar Rock'. "This way, we're not all grouped together and we can spread our enemies thin."

"So different routes, decoys, and pretty sturdy transports," Dirk mused, crossing his arms. "Still, there is the mole.

"Agreed," Rob concurred. "And our imposter could easily hide their suspicious actions whilst amongst their comrades."

"That's where we come in," Sally replied.

Flashback Over


With the battle underway, Cassia proceeded to go to town on the Egg Soldiers with her tonfa.

"Front Jab! Back Jab!"

She managed to KO one goon, but failed to notice another one about to get the jump on her. Fortunately, he gave away his position with a battle cry, allowing her to roll out of the way…

"Laser Blast!" …and proceeded to punish the hapless mook with an energy beam.

"Kid, cut that out!" Rouge snapped. "Does this look like an anime? Stop calling out your attacks!"

"Hey, it's not like I'm calling them before I do them!" Cass defended as a mook rushed her. "Laser Blast! "I'm calling them while I do them."

"That-!"

"Laser Blast!"

Rouge stiffened as Cassia shot a Stormrunner attempting to sneak up on her.

"...You win this round."

Realizing the bat wasn't convinced, Cass sighed.

"Rouge, I'm sick, not stupid. I might not be the most professional or serious bounty hunter, but I didn't get my license for nothing."

Suddenly, Cass raised a tonfa gun over her head, pointing it right in the face of an Egg Soldier who was about to club her from behind. The mook froze, a few beads of sweat trickling down his face.

"And…Laser Blast."

Cass attempted to fire, but was met with a click. She tried again, only to be met with more clicks.

"Uhoh." the young pronghorn winced. "Out of charge."

Thinking himself victorious, the soldier grinned and prepared to strike…

"Looks like you get the nasty bullets," Cassia said ominously, a mischievous grin on her face.

"Nasty bullets?"

"Cinnamon-Stun."

Cass pulled a hidden, secondary trigger on her tonfa gun, causing a cloud of reddish-brown powder to erupt from the barrel and right in the goon's face.

"My eyes! My nose! It burns!" The goon fell to the ground, flailing and screaming as his nose and eyes ran like crazy.

"You were saying?" Cass asked smugly.

"My apologies…" Rouge uttered, unable to believe what she just witnessed.

Cassia's attack didn't go unnoticed, as Shadow and Omega came to see what the fuss was about. The two took one look at the goon, his eyes red and watering, nose dripping with mucus, and drool pouring out his mouth.

"By Aurora," Shadow gasped. "What the hell was that stuff?"

"Scanning..." Omega's eyes blinked for a few seconds as he analyzed the air. "Scanning complete. It would appear to be highly concentrated cinnamon extract."

"My own special blend," Cass declared with pride. "Clove and I usually use this to make snickerdoodles, gingerbread, and spice up our hot cocoa, but I...added a few things. Now, it's my own personal pepper spray! (2)"

"Impressive," Shadow mused.

"Like I said, I'm not stupid." Cass coughed, taking a puff off of her inhaler. "Just sick."

"You good?" Rouge asked.

Cass took a breath. "Hoo...yeah. These guys are just mooks." She shook her head, regaining her bearings. "C'mon, let's just get the tires fixed so we can back up the others."

Shadow turned to Omega. "Omega."

"Preparing tire replacement."


[Donar-11]

Meanwhile, Antoine was clashing blades with an Egg Soldier, who had managed to block.

"Give it up, dog-boy! You ain't gonna do squat with that little butter knife!"

Antoine scowled. "Let me show you what this butter knife can do!"

With a shove, Antoine forced the soldier back, then dashed forward and cut him down with one slice.

"And I'm a coyote." He shook the blood off his sword. "If you're going to insult me, do it correctly."

Antoine's ears perked, his hair blowing in the wind as he felt something rush behind him. He had barely enough time to see a particularly savage looking cougar about to tear his face right off his skull…

"Fooooooooore!" …and to see the cougar's face contort in pain as Bumper clobber him with a hammer, launching him into a rock.

"Nice one!" Bunnie called out as she flew over.

" Merci beaucoup (3), Bumper," Antoine replied, giving the hare a thumb's up. "I must say, that Holo-Hammer of yours packs quite a wallop."

"Thanks." Bumper grinned as he eyed his hammer with pride. "That pink Sonic's hammer may be a 'royal heirloom' or whatever, but nothing beats a hammer made of solid light."

Unfortunately for Bumper, his gloating was cut short by a laser blast that just managed to nick his cheek, making him let out a yelp.

"Except ray guns," he corrected. "Any chance that sword of yours can block blaster fire, Anton?"

"Sadly not," Antoine replied, backing away nervously.

"But I can!"

As the Stormrunners opened fire, Rotor suddenly flew between them, Revy holding onto him. The walrus summoned a Force Shield that blocked every shot.

"Woo! Nice one, big guy!" the magpie cheered as she hopped off and pulled a pair of high-tech brass knuckles from her pockets. "Now, it's my turn."

Revy slipped on the knuckles and pressed some buttons on the sides, causing them to sprout yellow energy blades. With her weapons active, Revy charged at the soldiers.

"Have a taste of my Holo-Claws, ya–!"

Only to gasp as she tripped over a rock and trip, stumbling a few feet before falling on her face.

"Ow…"

The Egg Soldiers stared at Revy, processing what just happened for a few seconds. Once they did, they immediately aimed their weapons at her.

Bumper gasped. "Shit! Revy!"

Revy winced as she got up, and found herself staring down the barrel of a blaster.

"Oh, fugg me."

"Bye-bye, birdie," a soldier taunted, only for the gun to click when he pulled the trigger.

"The hell!?" he pulled the trigger again, getting the same result. "My gun's jammed!"

Another soldier tried to shoot, and found he couldn't either. "Mine too!"

Revy laughed, grinning from ear to ear. "Jinx!"

With grace completely opposite of her earlier clumsiness, she got to her feet and began slicing through the goons.

"Bunnie!" she called out. "I got these guys! Get the other goons!"

"On it!"

Bunnie jetted off towards another group of soldiers. The group took aim, only for her to shoot their weapons out of their hands before they could fire.

"Ya can't outshoot a crack shot!"

She perked, turning around and shooting out her Extendo-Arm and grabbing a goon about to jump her from the side.

"Nice try sugar." She reeled him in before performing using her thrusters to perform somersault axe kick, slamming him into the dirt.

"And down he goes," she said as she landed.

"Woot! Girl power!" Revy ran over to high-five Bunnie, only to end up tripping again.

"I'm okay!" she called, giving a thumb's up to show it.

"Wow," Rotor said. "No offense, but Revy's kinda...clumsy."

Bumper shrugged. "Eh, it ain't her fault. She's a magpie."

Antoine raised an eyebrow. "What does her being a magpie have to do with anything?"

"Didn't you know?" Bumper asked. "Magpie's are unlucky. Y'know, 'One for sorrow, two for joy' and all that jazz?"

"Basically, she's a jinx," Torque explained. "It's her Mo-Bility. She can channel her luck, or lack-thereof, onto another and make bad things happen to them. Unfortunately, it affects her too."

Bumper grinned. "Makes for awesome crashes and explosions, though!"

"Amen, brother," Torque concurred.

"Awwww, you guys…" Revy said, blushing as she brushed herself off.

Before they continued, Torque looked over his shoulder.

"Speaking of..." The crocodile pointed to some more soldiers heading toward them.

" Zut alors… " Antoine sighed, more annoyed than anything. "This is getting ridiculous."

"Speak for yourself," Torque said as he drew his own Holo-Weapons. "Rotor, cover me."

"On it."

Torque grinned. "Alright, you fur-bearing varmints…" he flipped the switches, causing them to form a pair of green, curved Holo-Blades. "Time to get torqued!"

With that, Torque and Rotor charged into the fray. The Stormrunners attempted to strike them, but Torque managed to dodge every blow and slice them up.

"Ha! Is that the best you got!?" his answer came in the form of a larger soldier armed with a massive cleaver.

"Apparently not."

The giant raised his weapon and swung it, forcing Torque to limbo under it. As the blade passed, Torque combined his own blades together, forming a device that resembled a pair of scissors crossed with pliers, which he used to grab the blade.

"What the–!?" the giant uttered.

"AAAAAnd twist!" Torque twisted the handles of his weapon, causing them to twist and bend the blade, snapping it in two, to the goon's shock.

"My sword!" the soldier cried.

"But wait, there's more!" Torque declared. He grabbed the soldier by the ankles.

"AAAAAnd liftoff!" with one, swift motion, he flung him into the air, right where Rotor was waiting to grab him in a half-nelson.

"And prepare for landing!" Rotor spun in the air for a bit before diving into the ground, piledriving the helpless Stormrunner into the dirt.

"AAAAAnd it's over!" Rotor shouted.

"Impressive work, Rotor," Antoine praised, applauding.

"Yeah, way ta go, big guy," Bunnie added.

"Thanks." Rotor grinned sheepishly before turning to the Crash n' Burners. "And you three did good yourselves. Those Holo-Weapons are..." Rotor paused, seeing Bumper, Torque, and Revy staring at him in awe. "Uhhhh… You guys okay?"

"Holy..." Bumper let out, eyes wide. "That...That was a textbook perfect Glacial Bomber!"

Rotor immediately paled, cursing under his breath as Bunnie tilted her head in confusion.

"Is that important?"

"Is that import… It's the signature move of Sherman 'Tank' Walrus!" Bumper was gesticulating wildly in Rotor's direction. "One of the old heroes of Mobius and three time world super heavyweight wrestling champ! One of the coolest, manliest men to have ever lived!"

Rotor was starting to sweat.

"Seriously, how do you not know this?" Torque questioned, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"He was a living legend!" Revy added.

"Hold up," Bunnie said. "Sherman Walrus?

Antoine perked. "Rotor, isn't that your father?"

Rotor paled even more as Bumper, Torque, and Revy's jaws dropped.

"No..."

"Freaking..."

"Way..."

"You're Sherman Walrus' son!?" the trio shouted.

"Shit..." Rotor cursed.

"Holy crap!" Bumper screamed, getting right in Rotor's face. "You're Sherman Walrus' kid!? That is so flippin' cool!"

"Was he really as strong as everyone says he is?" Revy asked excitedly. "Could he really bench press an iceberg!?"

"I can't believe you're really Tank's son!" Torque gushed as he looked over Rotor excitedly. "You must be super-popular back in Artika!"

"Enough!" Rotor shouted, causing the trio to back off. He took a moment to catch his breath, then looked them in the eyes.

"Look," he explained, his voice deathly serious. "I'm just Rotor. Plain, ol' Rotor Walrus. Alright? Now drop it."

Bumper gaped in shock. "Drop it...what!?"

"Rotor, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Bunnie," he said as he walked off. "Let's just get going."

Bumper and his team winced, realizing they messed up. Bunnie and Antoine, on the other hand, could tell that something was up.

"Hmmm...somethin' ain't right here," Bunnie said. "When this is over, we oughta investigate."

"Ma cher, it's only Rotor," Antoine soothed. "What could he possibly be hiding?"


[Donar-8]

"Fire!"

Elsewhere, a squad of Egg Soldiers begin shooting at the team for Donar-8, led by Julie-Su and Mighty, who were currently under siege. Mighty lobbed an energy grenade at them, blowing several away.

"Just took out the guys on the right!" he reported.

"Roger," Julie responded. "Hitting the left!"

She began shooting at the goons with her Proton Gun, nailing a few. However, a pair of soldiers managed to spot her and grab some energy grenades of their own.

"Just stay right there, pinky," one of them said as they primed their explosives.

"Alright, on three," he said. "1…2…"

But as he prepared to throw, he felt a sudden, sharp ,stabbing pain in his arm.

"Yeowch! My arm!" he shouted as he dropped his grenade.

His partner followed suit. "Yeowch! My arm!"

"Hey!" Charmy shouted. "Didn't anyone tell you you're not s'posed to play with high-powered explosives?"

"You could really hurt someone with those!" Saffron concurred.

"What the…who the hell said that?" the soldiers looked around, only to freeze as the sound of beeping reached their ears. Beeping from the grenades they had dropped at their feet.

"Uh-oh…"

The grenades blew up, and when the light and dust settled, the two were left burnt and crispy, but miraculously alive. They coughed, expelling smoke from their lungs as Charmy and Saffron appeared before them in their smaller Flight Mode forms.

"I warned ya!" Charmy said matter-of-factly. "I warned ya, but ya didn't listen."

Saffron merely shook her head in disappointment. The two bees watched as the soldiers fell over, then flew off to join the others.

Meanwhile, Julie-Su was caught in a firefight with the other soldiers, narrowly avoiding being shot at.

"Shit!" she cursed as she ducked for cover.

"Man, these guys aren't letting up," Mighty breathed.

"Tell me about it," Julie replied as she activated her comm. "Ray, how's it look up there?"

"Not good, Julie-Su!" the flying squirrel replied from high above the battle. "I just got a call saying Donar-1's under attack! And these guys got some reinforcements coming in from the northwest! If we don't do something quick, we're-"

Suddenly, Ray was hit by an energy beam, sending him plummeting to the ground.

"Ray!" Mighty cried.

Without a moment of hesitation, Mighty leapt out, using his shell to protect against the blasts, and grabbed Ray, taking him back to safety.

"Is he alright?" Julie asked.

"Hang on…" Mighty examined Ray. Fortunately, he was still breathing, his only wound being a scorch mark on his side. "Yeah, he's fine. just a little singed."

Julie narrows her eyes. "Alright, you bootleg Legionnaires wanna play rough..." She pulled out a clip-like device and stuck it into her Proton Gun. "Let's play rough."

Julie peeked over the rock she'd taken cover behind and fired several pinkish-purple blasts. As she did, Mighty realized that she was aiming at the rocks rather than the soldiers.

"What the...!? Julie, what are you doing!? You weren't even trying to hit them!"

"Wait for it…" Julie said.

"HA!" one the soldiers laughed. "That was pathetic! This bitch couldn't hit the broad side of a-!"

Only to gape in shock as the blasts phased through the rocks, hitting the soldiers dead on.

"...baaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrn?"

Julie grinned as she popped the clip out. "Electromagnetic Wave Phaser Cartridge. Never leave home without it." She turned to her partner. "Mighty, rock their world."

Mighty grinned in response as he cracked his knuckles. "Happily."

The armadillo bent over, digging his hands into the ground, gritting his teeth and grunting as he lifted.

"Sir," one of the soldiers cried. "Incoming projectile!"

"Shit! They got more grenades!?"

"Uhhhh...not exactly."

"What are you...?"

The soldier looked on in shock as Mighty lifted a huge piece of earth. After a few seconds, he threw the massive dirt clod into the air, sending it flying at the enemy army.

"Retreat! Retreeeeat!" the lead soldier cried out as he and his soldiers panicked. "All personnel, fall–!"

Only to be buried before he could finish.

"Ha! And the Chaotix win by a landslide!" Ray declared, flashing double peace signs.

"Boo!" Charmy jeered. "That joke stank!"

"I'm sorry, Ray," Saffron apologized. "But even I thought that was dreadful."

"Everyone's a critic," Ray scoffed. "You guys liked it, didn't you?"

Collective groans issued from the soldiers.

"Are they going to be okay?" Saffron asked. "I know they're our enemies, but–"

"They'll be fine, Saffron," Julie explained. "The first part of the Legionization - or Cyberization process, I guess - is infusing the victim's body with nanomachines, giving them a huge boost to strength and durability. A little earth isn't gonna kill them."

"Hey, you ever wonder where the word 'earth' came from?" Charmy asked. "I mean, why such a weird word for dirt and grass and stuff?

Ray shrugged.

"Well," Saffron began. "The word earth is descended from an Old Common word for ground and soil, and over time-"

"Rhetorical question, Saff," Mighty cut in. "'sides, we need to go, everyone else should've passed the checkpoint by now."

"Indeed," Julie explained as she holstered her gun. "Now all that remains is keeping the delegates safe."


Flashback

Geoffrey and Hershey went over their plan with everyone in the Grand Hall.

"The decoys will draw out at least a good number of the forces, allowing for the main transports to reach the designated checkpoint, where we'll camp out for the night." Geoffrey pointed to an area about halfway to Boltscar Rock. "Any decoys that get caught in a skirmish are to remain until all the enemy forces are dealt with to ensure we don't have to deal with any attacks from the rear. Afterwards, they are to do their best to catch up with the others and regroup with them, as there will certainly be stronger enemies further inward."

"Also, try to trail a little bit behind," Hershey insisted. "That way, they don't see you. We do that, we can jump them."

"I hate to admit it, but this is a pretty solid plan," Sonic remarked.

"Glad to hear you approve," Geoffrey said smugly.

"Wish I could say the same about the one who made it."

Geoffrey glowered as Hershey cleared her throat.

"Anyway..." she held out twelve sticks. "Each of these sticks is marked with a number from one to twelve. Leaders, please draw one. This will be the Donar which you and your guardians will be assigned to."

Polo raised his hand, making Hershey nod to acknowledge him. Immediately, he began signing.

Our faction has multiple leaders. I feel putting us all together at once would leave us vulnerable.

"Yeah!" Storm agreed. "And the Engine dudes have more guys."

"I have to agree with Polo and Storm on this one," Sally spoke up. "Splitting up the delegates makes the most sense.

"Good point…" Hershey allowed.

"In that case, Polo will ride with me and Lani," Sab decided. "He doesn't have a guardian of his own, and Kordon can go with Jet and his gang."

"As for us, I think we'd better send Bumper and his gang as a diversion," Axel suggested. "That way they can do more damage to Eggman's goons."

"You got it, boss!" Bumper declared.

"They won't know what hit'em!" Torque promised.

The trio high-fived each other, but ended up bonking each other in the head. Axel just shook his head at that.

"Any other last minute volunteers?" Hershey called out.

"I go with Rob!" Amy called out, waving a hand in the air.

"And I'm going with Sally," Sonic declared. "That's not up for debate."

"That won't be necessary," Geoffrey shot down, shaking his head. "I'll handle Princess Sally's escort personally."

"Yeah, no. I'm going with her. What part of 'Not up for debate' didn't you hear?"

"The part where it came out of your mouth. My sources tell me that you and the Princess are...involved."

"Yeah, we're dating. What's it to ya?"

"You and the princess are very close, and that has the potential for things to go horribly wrong. Especially given your…" He cleared his throat, "Volatile emotional state."

Sonic leveled a glare with the skunk, taking a deep breath to force himself to remain calm. "Geoff, let me make things clear for you. I can either A, be part of Sally's guard, be at my best knowing she's fighting beside me and knowing she's okay, or B, I can be with another contingent, distracted because I'm concerned about her, meaning I slip up and someone gets hurt because of said 'volatile emotional state'."

"And C. You're the last person to be pulling the 'no working with your significant other', Agent St. John," Hershey pointed out.

Geoffrey opened his mouth, but realized he had no leg to stand on. With a sigh, he relented. "Well played, Hedgehog. Well-played."

"Very well." Hershey held out the sticks again. "Leaders, draw your sticks."

Sally stepped forward and drew a stick. "Number 3."

One by one, each of the leaders stepped forward and drew a stick. Rob drew number 7. Sab and Polo drew 12. Kordon, 6. Axel and Dirk, 5. And finally, Lupe drew 9.

"Alright, from here we divide up the guards." Geoffrey let out a whistle. "Blackjack!"

The rest of Blackjack stepped forward.

"Division of duties is as follows: Valdez, you'll be going with Sab and Polo."

"Understood, Captain."

"If I may, I would like to accompany my Senpai," Espio spoke up, giving a small bow.

"We would welcome your company," Sab replied as Polo nodded.

"If Espio's going, so am I," Vector declared, jamming a thumb into his chest. "Your team looks like it could use more muscle."

"Very well..." Geoffrey turned to Heavy and Bomb. "Heavy and Bomb, you will accompany the Engine Corps."

"Yes! I was just about to call dibs!" Piper cheered.

"Well, if that's the case, how about we take the shiny Sonic too?" Dirk pointed to Shard with a small smile.

"M-Me?" Shard questioned, his optics making as if he were blinking.

"Yeah. Would love to talk shop with you."

"That a problem?" Axel asked.

"N-Not at all… I'm just…" he began toying with the carpet with his foot, "Not used to being wanted is all."

"Ahem!" Geoffrey regained everyone's attention. "Anyway... And Hershey, you'll..."

"The Wolf Pack."

Geoffrey stumbled slightly, turning to his partner. "Eh? Hershey, what are you-?"

"I'm going with the Wolf Pack, Geoffrey."

"Hershey, are you sure that's wise?"

"I'm sure." She glared daggers at Drago, who just shrank into his seat. "I'm very sure."

Flashback Over


[Donar-9]

Hershey was sitting in the transport with Lupe, Lyco, Leeta, and Drago. The tension in the air was so thick, you could cut it with a knife.

"Awkward…" Lyco muttered.

"You said it," Leeta agreed.

Drago looked at Hershey, then cleared his throat.

"So, Hershey… I uhhh...heard you got a new boyfriend. That St. John fella?"

Hershey said nothing, which made the wolf look around nervously.

"You...You two living together?"

"That's none of your business," she replied coldly.

"R-Right… Right..." Drago took a deep breath. "He been treating you right?"

"Stop acting like you give a fugging shit about how I'm treated."

Drago raised his hands defensively. "E-Easy, I was just asking!"

"Drago, do us all a favor and shut your lying mouth before I staple it shut."

Drago flinched, biting down on his lip.

"Honestly... I kinda hope we get attacked," Lyco remarked.

"At least it would break the tension," Leeta groaned.

"At ease, you two," Lupe ordered before turning to Drago. "And Drago, I think it would be wise if you refrain from speaking to Hershey. I understand you wish to make amends, but..."

"Yes, Chief. I understand."

Hershey crossed her arms, nodding in satisfaction

"And Hershey, while your anger towards Drago is justified, that does not give you the right to needlessly antagonize and belittle him. You're stronger than that."

Her satisfied air drooped. Then all of a sudden, the Donar began to shake.

"What in Luna's name?!" Lyco exclaimed as the shaking stopped.

"Is everyone alright?" Drago asked.

"We're okay…" Leeta groaned, rubbing her head.

"What was that?" Lupe questioned.

"Nothing good." Hershey drew her hand-crossbow. "Everyone, get back. I'm going to check it out."

She made her way to the doors, slowly opening one and making sure to keep her body out of the doorway. She carefully peeked out from behind the door, but found that nobody was there.

"Hmmm… Something's wrong here."

As Hershey looked around, the wolves' ears perked.

"Hershey! Get down!" Drago tackled Hershey to the floor just in time for something to slice open the wall of the Donar, barely missing her head.

"What in the world?!" Hershey shouted

A screech of metal echoed through the area as something tore open the wall of the Donar. Upon closer inspection, it was revealed to be a pair of large metal claws.

"Well, well, well. What have we here? Some mongrels and a lost kitten. I was hoping to find an Echidna here...but you'll do."

The figure stepped into the light, revealing it to be Razorclaw, the Felidae warrior Locke had defeated in single combat during Perfect Chaos' attack. However, he had undergone several changes. He had swapped his tribal clothing for a black Robotnik Empire jumpsuit and boots, the toes modified to accommodate his toe-claws, an ill-fitting, gray "Eggman-style" vest with gold buttons, and a pair of bulky, cybernetic arms with bladed claws worthy of his name, which he flexed menacingly at the Freedom Fighters.

"A Felidae?!" Hershey exclaimed.

"What in Mobius is he doing here!?" Lyco shouted.

"I believe the answer is obvious," Lupe replied with narrowed eyes. "He's with the Empire."

"You would be correct." The cyberized tiger gave a mocking bow. "I am Stormmaster Razorklaw of the Greyplains Egg Army. And as of this moment...your executioner."

Lupe growled and lunged at him, fangs bared. Razorklaw grinned, watching as she pounced on him, the two rolling into the grass as they clawed and grappled.

"Warriors!" he called out. "Take care of the others! I have the bitch!"

At that, several more Egg Soldiers rushed in.

"Shit!" Hershey cursed. "There's dozens of them!"

"Wolf Pack!" Lupe declared. "No survivors!"

Lyco and Leeta both howled in unison, getting on all fours as Drago followed suit.

"Hershey, I know you don't like me, but..."

"Shut up and fight!" Hershey yowled, jumping into the fray.

"Yes, ma'am!"

Drago charged in as Lyco and Leeta drew the spears off their backs and proceeded to go to town on several Stormrunners. One of the feline soldiers swung at Lyco, who blocked it with her spear before knocking them aside. Two more tried to rush her, but she used her spear to vault into the air, causing them to ram into each other instead.

"Can't touch this!"

As Lyco landed, she brought her spear down on top of them, taking them out. She raised her spear in the air with a triumphant grin.

"And that takes care of that."

At that moment, her sister's voice echoed in her mind. "Lyco, look out!"

Lyco quickly countered another attacker without even looking, much to the attacker's confusion.

"What the...? How did you?"

"I have someone looking out for me."

The soldier got whacked by Leeta's spear as Lyco smiled at her, the girls sharing an identical, cheeky grin.

"What just happened?" Hershey questioned.

"Twin telepathy." Drago smashed up another Egg Soldier. "Lyco and Leeta have this mental link that lets them send messages and see through eachothers' eyes."

"I thought that was just a myth."

"Not for them. Call it their Mo-bility."

A goon managed to jump Drago, clawing onto his back. The wolf screamed in pain, flailing around and trying to get him off. Hershey grabbed the goon, yanking him off Drago and then throwing the unfortunate man into a rock. With a groan, Drago straightened.

"Thanks for that."

"Can't afford to lose anyone," Hershey insisted.

A pained yelp from Lupe drew everyone's attention.

"Chief Lupe!" Drago shouted as he ran off.

Meanwhile, Lupe and Razorklaw were still fighting. Both had considerable injuries, but neither was going down. Razorklaw swiped at Lupe, but the she-wolf evaded and lunged at him. She bit into his neck and shoulder, making him let out a pained yowl.

"You bitch!"

Razorklaw dug his claws into Lupe's back, making her yelp before throwing her off. She landed hard, some sizable lacerations on her back. He flicked the blood and scraps of fabric off his claws, snarling at the downed wolf.

"Damn… I thought you were supposed to be more noble and dignified. But you fight like a wild animal."

"Never again..." Lupe growled. Razorklaw raised an eyebrow, watching her slowly rise. "Your leader… Robotnik… he attacked my homeland… harmed my people… took me from my family… and I could do nothing about it." She glared and snarled viciously. "Not again… never again."

Razorklaw grinned. "Very well..."

The two charged again just as the others arrived to see the fight.

"By Luna..." Lyco gasped.

"Damn…" Drago let out as Lupe caught Razorklaw's claws. "I forgot how scary she can be."

"Just give up, Lupe! You can't keep this up forever!"

"I can keep this up long enough to defeat you! And that's all I-!" Her eyes widened, her vision going blurry. "What..the...?"

Lupe began to falter as Razorklaw grinned.

"Gotcha!"

Razorklaw slashed Lupe across her chest with both claws, leaving a set of severe gashes in an X-shape.

"Chief!" Lyco shrieked.

"No!" Leeta cried as Lupe hit the ground.

"Lady Lupe!" Hershey screamed.

Razorklaw flicked the blood off his claws. "Not bad. For a mere wolf, you fought admirably. The Stormrunners could use a warrior like you."

"I would...rather...die." Lupe growled weakly.

"Foolish canine..." Razorklaw prepared to grab Lupe. "Whoever said you had a choice?"

"Bastaaaaaaaaaaaard!" Drago barged into Razorklaw, sending him a good distance away. "Lyco! Leeta! Get Chief Lupe away from here! NOW!"

The twins rushed over to Lupe, grabbing her and getting her off the ground. Quickly, they hustled to safety as Drago turned to Hershey.

"Hershey! Go with the others and get to Boltscar Rock! This Fenris-damned cat is mine."

Hershey looked stunned at that. She looked back at Lupe, and reluctantly turned to help her. "Drago, be careful."

"Just go!"

She ran off as Drago turned to Razorklaw.

"Well now..." the cat slowly rose. "Facing me alone so your comrades can escape? How noble. Foolish, but noble."

"Noble? Don't make me laugh," Drago scoffed, assuming a fighting stance."There ain't nothing noble about me, and you know it."

Razorklaw grinned, also assuming a combat stance. "That I do."

The two warriors stared at each other, each waiting for the other to make their move. The wind howled, a single leaf blowing between them Then, a bolt of lightning flashed, followed by a crash of thunder.

"DRAGO!"

"RAZORKLAW!"

They charged, preparing to fight to the death…


Meanwhile…

Hershey and the twins fled to the forest with Lupe.

"Hurry!" Hershey urged. "Just a little further! We're almost there!"

"Lyco...Leeta..." Lupe managed weakly.

"Stay with us!" Leeta pleaded.

"Don't die on us!" Lyco cried.

"You need...to keep going… I'm not going to make it."

"Don't say that, Chief!" Lyco insisted. "You're gonna be fine!"

"Think of the rest of the Pack!" Leeta added. "Your children!"

"You aren't going to die here!" Hershey shouted. "Just hold on!"

Around the same time, at a makeshift campsite, the other Donars had arrived. Sally got out first.

"Alright… We made it."

"Finally!" Sonic explained, darting out to stretch his legs. "That was even worse than that plane ride."

"Indeed." Geoffrey sighed. "I don't know what was worse, keeping my eyes peeled for enemies, or your constant whining."

"Hey, you try going fifty-five when you can hit the speed of sound! Everything feels like it goes at a snail's pace!"

"GEOFFREEEEY!"

At the sound of Hershey's scream, everyone turned to the forest to see Hershey and the wolf twins running out.

"Hershey?" Geoffrey let out.

"Geoffrey! Get a medic! Get a Power Ring! Get something ! Hurry!"

It was at that moment they noticed the bloodied Lupe being carried by Lyco and Leeta. "Chief Lupe!" Sally cried.

"By Aurora!" Geoffrey exclaimed.

"What happened?!" Knuckles demanded. "I thought the decoys were supposed to divert attention from the delegates!"

"Looks like one of them got lucky," Sonic mused.

"Tails! We need your Medi-bot!" Sally shouted, Tails already rushing to fetch it.

"Quickly! Get her to the medical tent!" Kordon ordered, the others rushing to prepare Lupe for treatment.

Hershey hung her head in shame. "Dammit...this is all my fault..."

"Don't say that," Geoffrey insisted. "I know you did the best you could. And you were able to get everyone to safety."

Sonic perked. "Hold up… Where's Drago?"

At that moment, they heard heavy breathing, turning to see Drago emerge from the woods.

"Present..."

Drago hobbled over to the checkpoint. He was covered from head to toe in severe cuts and bruises, one of his eyes had swollen shut, and he was clutching a broken arm. His shirt had been ripped to shreds and he had prominent slash marks on his chest and back. He was also missing a boot and half a pant leg.

"Drago!" Hershey cried.

The wolf took a few more steps, but his wounds were too great and he started to collapse. Hershey rushed to his side, catching him before he hit the ground.

"Drago, are you alright? What happened!?"

Drago breathed heavily before letting out a cough. "I...I won…" he said. "Isn't it… obvious?"

Drago wavered a little, before finally passing out.

"I've got you," Hershey said. "Come on, let's get you to the healer's tent."


Later that night…

The others had gathered around the campfire they set up, Lyco, Leeta, and Hershey explaining what had happened.

"And that's the whole story." Lyco concluded.

Vector perked. "Hold up, Razorklaw?"

"That Felidae guy old man Locke beat up while we were dealing with Chaos?" Sonic asked.

"Did he have orange and white fur with black accents?" Espio asked.

Leeta nodded. "Yes. As well as piercing, golden eyes. And his arms were completely made of metal."

"That's him, alright," Espio confirmed.

"But what was he doing there?" Sally asked.

"The Felidae Queen gave him this really dirty look after my dad kicked his butt," Knuckles said. "And if my knowledge of their culture is right, they had him exiled."

"He did say he was hoping to find echidna," Hershey recalled.

"So he shacked up with Eggman to get revenge." Knuckles sighed. "Just what we need, another Kage."

"But the Felidae are from Soumerca," Sally pointed out. "What's he doing all the way in Northamer?"

"They probably transferred him here," Nicole surmised. "This Egg Army chapter is relatively new. More than that, this place is better suited for Razorklaw. It fits his hunting style."

"And it shows," Leeta muttered. "He ripped Chief Lupe to shreds."

"The Felidae are not to be messed with," Knuckles insisted. "Born and bred warriors. Extremely dangerous."

"Sounds like we know who the new Egg Boss in town is," Heavy mused. "All the other decoys took down their opponents easily."

"Well, at least we know who we're dealing with now," Sonic noted.

"Question remains on who the mole is," Knuckles reminded him.

"And so far, we've had no luck," Geoffrey lamented.

"Guys!"

The group turned to see Tails and Keith heading over.

"Tails, Keith, how's Lupe?"

"Is the Chief alright!?" Lyco asked.

"What about Drago?" Leeta added.

Tails smiled. "Well, it was a close call, but they're both fine."

Keith nodded. "They're tired, but they've regained consciousness."

Lyco let out a sigh of relief. "Thank Luna."

"Let's go check on them," Leeta suggested.

"Just keep calm," Tails told them. "They're still recovering."

With that, the twins headed out, Hershey following after them.

Geoffrey perked. "Hershey?"

"Sorry, Geoff," the cat said. "There's...something I need to take care of."

Geoffrey attempted to say something, but realizing what she was planning, stopped. He simply nodded, allowing Hershey to leave.

-X-

In the medical tent, Lupe was lying on a bedsheet, covered by a blanket, the twins watching over her.

"Chief Lupe?" Lyco nudged her, taking extra care not to aggravate her wounds.

"Chief? Are you alright?" Leeta asked worriedly.

Lupe let out a moan, her eyes slowly opening. "Lyco...Leeta...?"

The twins were practically beaming.

"Chief Lupe! Oh, thank Luna!"

"Are you alright?"

"Well, I'm alive…" Lupe slowly sat up, causing the blanket to slide off. Her breasts and a good chunk of her torso wrapped in bandages, her bloodied and torn clothing having been removed. She promptly winced in pain, lying back down.

"Don't get up, Chief," Lyco insisted. "You're still recovering."

"Yeah, don't push yourself." Leeta covered her back up.

"Right… Lobo is going to have a fit when I get home." Lupe smiled weakly. "Well, at least I'll have some new scars to show the other Chiefs."

The twins laughed, relieved their leader was safe.

"Rest up, Chief," Lyco said.

"We'll keep watch," Leeta added.

"Thank you, girls."

-X-

Meanwhile...Hershey made her way to another tent, where she found Drago resting. She peeked inside, seeing the wolf lying down, talking in his sleep.

"Nnnngh…Godsdamned pussycat," he groaned. "I'll…show you…"

"Drago?"

Drago woke up with a snort. "Ugh… Who's there?"

"It's me…"

Drago turns to see Hershey standing in the doorway.

"Hershey," he rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things. "What are...what are you doing here?"

"I... wanted to talk to you." Hershey fidgeted awkwardly. "If...you're feeling well enough."

Drago yawned, but nodded. "Yeah… Come on in…" he grinned mischievously. "Just don't move my blanket. I'm not wearin' anything underneath."

He chuckled for a bit, only to wince and clutch his stomach. "Ow ow ow...hurts to laugh!

"Easy," Hershey soothed. "You've been through hell."

"What else is new?" Drago scoffed. He sighed in resignation. "Guess it must make ya happy, seeing me like this. Not that I blame ya."

He perked. "Hold on… Chief Lupe… Is she...?"

"She's okay," Hershey reassured him. "She's alive, thanks to you."

"Yeah right…" Drago shook his head. "I got my ass handed to me. You're the one who got her and the girls out of there."

"Only 'cause you kept Razorklaw at bay. If it weren't for you, we'd all be dead or worse." Hershey smiled. "The old Drago never would've done that."

"I told you… The old Drago is dead."

Hershey nodded. "Yes…" her expression became remorseful. "And I'm sorry it took you almost dying for me to see that."

Drago perked, unable to believe what he'd just heard. "Does...Does this mean...?"

"No," Hershey cut in, not unkindly. "I'm sorry, but...no." she gripped her arm nervously. "What you did to me… I…" she took a deep breath. "I don't think I can ever truly forgive you for it."

Drago hung his head, lowering his ears in sorrow. "Oh..."

Hershey put a hand on his, prompting him to look up at her smiling face. "But I don't hate you anymore. And honestly, when all this is over, I think I'd like to get to know the new Drago a little better."

Drago smirked. "Y'sure ol' Stripeybutt's gonna be okay with that?"

"Watch it, Drago. You're starting to push it."

"Alright, alright… No more jokes." Drago yawned. "I'm startin' to nod off anyway."

"Sleep well, Drago. You earned it."

"You too, Hershey. G'night"

Hershey took one last look as Drago lay down. The second he closed his eyes, he started snoring. With that, she walked off to find Geoffrey waiting.

"Well, what do you think?"

"It's not him, Geoff," Hershey replied as she walked toward the skunk.

"You sure?"

"Razorklaw carved him up like a honey-baked ham, after he threw himself at him to let us escape. It just doesn't make sense for Drago to be the mole."

"If you say so. I'll still keep an eye on him just in case," he smiled. "But I'm glad you managed to overcome your trauma."

"I had a good partner," Hershey smiled at him. "In more ways than one…"

Hershey and Geoffrey stared at each other for a moment, the two leaning in close for a kiss…

"Sir!"

They froze, backing away quickly as Heavy, Bomb, and Valdez ran over to them. "Sir! We have a situation!" Heavy exclaimed.

"Beep!" Bomb added.

"What's the situation?" Geoffrey demanded.

"We just received a transmission from Donar-10!" Valdez explained "They've been completely wiped out!"

"What!?" the skunk exclaimed.

"Valdez," Hershey began. "What do you mean 'completely wiped out'?"

"Exactly what it sounds like! The entire squad was completely eradicated! To the man!" he turned to Heavy. "Play the recording!"

Heavy produced a radio from his chest, which played back a recording of the transmission.

" This is Donar-10!" a soldier's voice said. "We're currently engaging the enemy! " an explosion went off in the background. " And… And we're being overwhelmed! "

Lightning crackled in the background, along with someone yelling in a foreign language.

"I don't think we're going to make it! These guys… They're grinding my men into paste! And there's only four of–" the soldier was cut off the sound of metal hitting flesh, followed by an agonized scream and a chorus of maniacal laughter.

" Oopsie! " a new voice shouted. " I missed. I was aiming for the other guy. "

The voice let out a curious hum. " Ooh! What's this thing-a-ma-doodle? " there was a jostling noise, suggesting he picked the radio up. "Hello? Is anybody home? 1, 2, 3! HOOM-BOOM-BOOM! Heeeeere's Dickey! Hiyo !"

"Hey!" another new voice shouted. "Put that down, you idiot! "

"No! "

A fight broke out between the two voices, with the foreign voice joining in a little later.

"Hey! "

"Dammit! Stop squirming, boke! "

"Help! It's the thought police! They're violating my constipational rights! "

A screech of static echoed from the radio, signaling the end of the message.

"Who did this?" Geoffrey demanded. "Are they part of Eggman's army?"

"The accent on one of them is Ryuese," Hershey mused. "I didn't even know he branched that far."

"There have been disappearances in Yurashia, but little in the way of Egg Soldier sightings," Valdez said. "As for who these people are… I'm afraid we don't have enough information to go on."

"Damn it…" Geoffrey cursed. "We need a recovery team to aid Donar 10. Which of the decoy teams is closest?"

Heavy quickly ran a scan. "Donar-11. Team Acorn and the Crash N Burners."

Geoffrey nodded. "Redirect them immediately. We need to know who or what we're up against."

"Right away, sir!"

"Beep."

Heavy and Bomb headed off.

"Geoffrey, just what the hell is going on here?"

"I don't know, Valdez." Geoffrey narrowed his eyes. "I just don't know…"


Meanwhile...

Razorklaw limped his way through the forest, blood dripping from various wounds. He was panting as he stumbled on, growling under his breath.

"Damn that flea-bitten mutt… I swear… when I get my claws on him… I'll..."

His legs gave out beneath him and he fell to his knees. He landed with a grunt, moving to a sitting position with a groan. As he leaned against a tree, his comm beeped, Robotnik's voice coming through it.

"Razorklaw. Razorklaw, report. Are you there?"

"Yes, I am here," Razorklaw answered, bringing the comm closer to his face.

"What the devil is going on!? The Freedom Fighters are halfway to Boltscar Rock!"

"That damned wolf, Drago… He… He put up.. .a bigger fight than I...expected."

"You lost to that overgrown fleabag!? No wonder Hathor threw you out!" Razorklaw growled as the doctor scoffed. "No matter. Is everything proceeding as planned?"

"Yes. The fools don't suspect a thing."

"Good... This is our chance to erase the Freedom Fighters. By this time tomorrow, Boltscar Rock will be their grave!"

Robotnik's evil laughter rang through the night as Razorklaw got back to his feet, resuming his journey.


Author's Note:

(1): Donar is an alternate name of Thor. The name is a reference to a Norse myth of how Thor took shelter from a horrible lightning storm by hiding at the foot of an oak tree.

(2): Based on a scrapped idea for an attack for Cassia from the Archie comics.

Well, things are heating up, aren't they? Who knows what will happen next? Stay tuned…

Please R&R. Until next time!