Chapter 68

Phase One

The light in the war room was an irritating shade of red. It blurred Alexander's vision and made it difficult to focus. He rubbed his temple to try and relieve the ache in his head. He could not remember ever feeling so tired. It was the kind of fatigue that was not alleviated by rest. Bags hung under his eyes and his muscles felt weak and stiff. He could have laid in bed for another nine hours and it wouldn't have made any difference. Monsters don't get to sleep peacefully.

So why did Commander Smith seem so refreshed? The head of G.U.N looked the same as he always did, severe, indefatigable, and utterly implacable. He did not seem to have lost even a wink of sleep, whereas the president wasn't sure if he had known even a moment of true rest over the course of the previous week. Argus sat on the far side of the table. He rubbed the stubble on his chin and stared at the massive digital map on the wall. Five red dots blinked softly on different continents.

Alexander did his best to ignore them. Even when his eyes were closed and he was in bed he could see the lights blinking in his mind. Five lights, to represent five targets. Even that simple thought was enough to send bile racing up his throat. Alexander forced it down and shifted in his seat. That caught Argus's attention. His dark eyes narrowed on him. Alexander tried to meet his gaze, but it was difficult. What was Argus thinking? Did he assume that the president did not have the stomach for these plots after all?

Anger swelled inside the president. What did he care what Argus thought? Argus was a brutal man with no family or loved ones. Why should Alexander need his approval? He tried to catch Argus's eyes again but they had already drifted back towards the map. How can he keep looking at it? Before Alexander could follow that train of thought the war room's door opened.

Sally Acorn entered, her high heels tapping loudly against the stone floor. The vice-president took the empty seat beside Argus and adjusted her skirt and glasses. It was subtle, but there was something in her movements that made Alexander wonder if she had been crying.

It was rare for Alexander and the VP to share a briefing together. They were usually kept apart as a fail safe, but today it was essential that they shared the same information. Sally had been chosen as his running mate for his second term when his planners felt Alexander needed a softer side to help balance his image. Sally was a woman in her early forties with curly brown hair and soft blue eyes. Her expertise was in environmental studies and was meant to help bring youth voters to Alexander's camp.

She had not been included in the initial round of planning. She had only heard of the Sol Gems, the Eclipse Cannon and Metal Overlord in the wake of the attacks. Her response had been a dignified heartbreak.

"Let's get on with it then," Argus growled. He pushed his chair back and rose to his feet. "Most of our primary objectives have been met and we are well on our way to the opening stages of phase two." He stood beside the digital map and pointed to the blinking dots. "Our tests proved a complete success. Major military bases in Chun-nan, Shamar, and Spagonia have been destroyed. At home, we rid ourselves of Angel Island and one of Eggman's bases."

"A complete success?" Alexander breathed, his teeth clenched. "Argus, aren't you forgetting that your weapon hit cities?'

Argus waved aside the complaint. "We underestimated the blast yield. There was a larger radius than we anticipated but our targets were destroyed as expected."

A man on Alexander's right leaned over. "We understand your concern Mr. President. Civilian casualties were meant to be kept to a minimum. However, these kinds of oversights are expected when you're dealing with new weapons."

The president had to restrain himself from shouting. "Is that so, Takata? And why couldn't we have done just the one test on the island instead of firing five times?"

Argus answered. "Because we don't know how many chances we will get. Every time we use the cannon we risk revealing its location. By firing all at once we've ensured that the necessities of the plan are already taken care of. If things progress as we have planned then we never need to use it again."

Alexander leaned back in his chair and motioned for Argus to continue. "As I said, phase one was nearly a complete success. Angel Island was destroyed and there have been no signs of its sole resident; Knuckles the Echidna. However, there has been one major oversight." Argus touched the screen and the map transformed into a picture of a pink hedgehog. "Our agents failed to secure Amy Rose. Somehow she has gone completely off the grid. As it stands, we have no way of pacifying Sonic, however I have a few suggestions." Argus clicked the screen and it changed to a picture of a small island. "This is South Island, Sonic spends a good deal of his time here and has protected it from Dr. Eggman on multiple occasions. I believe that if we are able to impress on him the notion that we have it in our power to destroy it at any time he will stay out of our way."

The president could not help but laugh. "So we go from threatening his girlfriend to threatening to blow up his home?"

Argus remained as stoic as ever. "Sonic could unravel everything we've worked so hard for. We must neutralize him. Though I will add, it has been some time since we've even had a confirmed sighting of him. But we must not be tricked into thinking he's gone or dead." Argus glared at the president before going on with his presentation. He tapped the screen again, changing the picture to one of Shadow. "We've also had no reported sightings of Shadow in a while. Perhaps he and Sonic are together somewhere. Either way, he will not be so easy to defeat, but I have my best specialists working on a way." Argus changed the image a final time, this time it was a picture of Rouge the Bat. "Lastly, my awol agent is still at large. She knows the truth, but she may have gone to ground. We need not worry about her too much but if she emerges she has to be put down quickly."

Commander Smith paused to scratch his chin. His eyes moved from person to person as if evaluating them. "We are in the early stages of phase two. Our objectives here are quite simply, offer the hand of friendship and aid to all those affected by the attacks. Get them to rely on us, trust us. When the moment is right we will turn Metal Sonic over to a governing tribunal and have him punished. But we can't do that until our position at home is ensured."

Takata rose slowly to his feet. "We are making headway on that front. The senate is already considering adding an addendum to the emergency powers clause that would allow the President and his cabinet to skip an election cycle."

"Ensure that they do. We need time if we are going to ensure a successful transition."

Sally suddenly raised her hand. "And what is that transition?"

Argus pressed his hands into the table. "A New World Order." He changed the screen back to a digital map. "No more countries, no more magic islands, no more mad scientists. One world, one nation, one people, safe and secure forever."

"A lot of people have talked that way," Sally countered. "Most only succeeded in causing war and more division. What's different now?"

Argus reached into his pocket and drew out a Sol Gem. Its pink glow clashed with the red light in the room. "We have this and we have the Eclipse Canon."

"I didn't sign on to be a conqueror." Sally maintained.

"You already are." Argus switched the screen again. News footage passed rapidly on the screen. All the headlines were of ecological disasters. "Humanity is destroying this planet. This plan, the New World Order is not about domination, it is about a new age of collaboration. As one species as one country, united, we can use the Sol Gems to start putting this planet back together and ensure a better future. As long as we ensure that we hold all the power, there won't be any need for war."

Sally frowned. Alexander could almost see her mind wrestling with itself. Silently he hoped that she would say something, that she would have a counter argument. However, she simply nodded her head and fell silent.

"Very well," Argus changed the screen back to the map. "Our agents have already made contact with the princes of Shamar. We have offered Sol Gems to help rebuild their fallen city and we've even offered to build several desalination plants along their coast to help mitigate their water supply issues. Sol Gems will power the plants, ensuring that the Shamarese government will always need to play by our terms…"

President Alexander lost track of the rest of the meeting. Time passed in a red hazed blur. Plans were made and contingencies were added to the plans. Sol Gems would change hands, deals would be struck and lies would be told. Words lost meaning and passed through one ear and out the other without leaving the faintest trace. All Alexander could see were the blinking dots on the map. Somehow they expanded from five and covered the entire world.

The president pulled himself out of his stupor and realized he was alone in the war room. He shook his head and started to rise. Something moved in the corner and he noticed that Commander Smith was still there. "You look terrible." Smith said.

Alexander could barely see him because the light was so faint. "I haven't slept much."

"We sleep plenty when we're dead," Smith observed. "For now we have jobs to do."

"Right…we'll I'd better get to it. I'm meeting with the press later, I'd better prepare." Alexander made for the door.

"You do understand, don't you?" Argus had risen to his feet. "You understand why this is necessary?"

"I…I think we can afford to be more careful. Cities weren't supposed to be hit."

"But it is better that they were." Argus took a step closer to the president. Alexander could not help but notice that the commander smelled heavily of mildew. He wondered if the general had washed or changed in a week. "The other countries need to be scared. They need to feel that Metal Overlord is a threat they can't defeat. One that can strike at any time, one without limit."

Before Alexander could respond there was a flash of white light. Mesto the Sly appeared wrapped in his gray cloak. The fox waved his hand and the gun Argus had drawn was pulled magically to him. Mesto tossed it across the war room. "I see you humans are as easily spooked as ever."

"Wait Argus!" Alexander took Argus by the shoulder. "This is the one that has been bringing us the Sol Gems."

Mesto bowed. "I am here at my emperor's request. He wishes to know how things are progressing."

"Phase One is complete, and we are moving into phase two." Argus answered.

"All of phase one?" Mesto rephrased.

"Angel Island is destroyed, and Amy Rose has been taken into custody." Argus told the lie without flinching."

"You can follow directions." Mesto flashed a set of razor sharp white teeth as he smiled. "My emperor will be most pleased. He is most jealous over his home world and wishes only for its flourishing."

"Is that all you've come for?" Argus demanded.

Mesto shook his head. He reached into his cloak and pulled out three Sol Gems. "Another bounty." He placed them on the table. "But these come at a price. Nothing major, just information."

"What?" Alexander asked.

"The whereabouts of Sonic the Hedgehog."

Alexander opened his mouth, but Argus cut him off. "Our last sighting of him was near Angel Island. No doubt he went by to inspect the damage. We have Amy, so he won't be able to move against us, we are just monitoring him."

Mesto's amber eyes narrowed, flattening the scar that ran down his face. "Indeed."

"Why do you ask?" Alexander asked.

Mesto shrugged. "My emperor wanted to know. I suppose he is just curious about the condition of his old rival. Farewell for now. I will visit again with more stones. Continue to follow the plan outlined by the emperor and you will succeed." Mesto vanished in another blitz of white light.

Alexander exhaled slowly. "Why did you lie to him?"

Argus strode over to the desk and collected the Sol Gems. "Robotnik fears Sonic. He may fear returning to earth and facing him."

"And Amy?"

"It is better if Eggman believes we are the only ones capable of subduing Sonic." Argus turned back to the president and put his hand on his shoulder. "We are caught in the middle of a war between freaks of nature. It is our mission to ensure that the victor is the human race. Nothing is more important than that."

Alexander closed his eyes. The five flashing dots on the map screen flooded into his mind. Perhaps this is the cost…