The Underground Facility, Resort Island

Afternoon

It turns that the hidden door at Regal Ruins leads to a secret tunnel that descends down into an underground laboratory facility below where Reactive Factory stands and the route to Reactive Factory turns out to be much quicker than the one up on the surface since there's no terrain or twisting pathways to deal with. Perfect for taking in a stolen project and hiding out of sight, out of mind.

Miraju assumes the lab is a good few feet under the factory and with the machinery up top, no one would be able to hear any sliver of sounds from down here unless you're a telepath. He can only assume since there's no indicator to tell him how far down he is relative to the factory but he's sure this is the best route to get inside it without being spotted.

Thanks to his cloaking ability, he followed Tarek into the facility undetected and got a look at the pretty sophisticated interiors while assessing the security of it. Feeling certain that he's located his real place of work away from prying eyes. A place where he and likely other members of the R.I.D.I that are aware of this facility can perform their experiments in peace. Free to do as they please without fear of someone uninvolved walking in on them.

However, the place seems rather… Sparse as if he caught them in the midst of moving out. Where to though, that's what he needs to know.

He'd imagine Tails, Rotor and Tekno would be very interested in this place but he has his mission to do. Gather whatever intelligence he can grab while he's here and that includes where they are taking the project to if they can't get to them in time before they leave. Have something to blow the lid of this conspiracy wide open for all of the world to see.

The jackal led him down a level to Level Two with the suitcase in hand. A human male with a vertical scar would approach his guy, coming out of a room with a window view next to the door. The cloaked raccoon kept his distance as he listened in on the two.

"Come on man, how much longer before we leave? Those stupid brats are probably looking for us right now." Jason moaned to Tarek. The scientist barely spared a glance at him.

"Unless they know where to look and even if they do learn of this place, they'll be too late by then. Have some faith in Wormtongue. That's what you humans seem to enjoy doing lots of."

"That's swell for you to say considering you're not the one that killed Kirk."

"Wormtongue deemed his death a necessary one and I concur on the basis that his survival would complicate matters. The only step that went wrong is where you took his body to for someone else to come across it not long after and blew your covers before you even got clear. If you left him somewhere less conspicuous..." Tarek said calmly and patiently while not hesitating to remind the upstart on who's at fault for the blunder. "They would just be here to attend the ceremony. I may be more patient with your mistake but I doubt my associates would be as forgiving as I am."

"Associates?"

But Jason's question goes unanswered as Tarek walks on, having the briefcase to drop off before he goes off to attend the opening ceremony where he'll hand in his resignation. Bid a farewell that'll be emotional for Boris Speechley. Finish up his existing commitment before he leaves.

Unlike the human and unbeknownst to the trailing raccoon, he didn't care if those brats were sniffing around because his exit was already planned out. And they're going to help him out.

Reactive Factory, Resort Island

Evening

A few feet from the factory site, there stood a space at the front gates where a bustling crowd of people gathered to be witnesses to an historical event for their island. The opening of a new step towards the future.

For Sally, the new Reactive Factory is a monument to corruption and lack of ethical decision-making disguised as progress. If she hadn't known beforehand, the sight of the place wouldn't have disgust her as much and just be caught up in the hype around it.

She looked over at the civilians present, seeing them all unaware of the dark secrets going on and happy looking. The same people who were more than happy to see her and Team Sonic be there with them for the opening. A few of them are even looking to get their autographs.

How would that look on them to go and burst their bubbles? Telling them that the folks who made their whole island thrive after everything had hit rock bottom and giving them hope again turns out to not be very good people? Who are they to do that when they weren't around during their time of poverty?

"Food for your thoughts?"

Sally was a little startled when she heard his voice and turned to see Tarek in a good suit offering her a tray of party treats. How he managed to sneak up on her like that is something she'll never understand.

"No. I'm good." Sally politely declines the offer with a practiced smile. "Surprised to see you here since I was under the assumption that you were a reclusive camera shy type."

Tarek nodded lightly. "I usually don't attend these events but with this being an important one, I made an exception."

"Even willing to take a picture?"

"Not going that far. I still do not care for the limelight."

"Sounds like another point that differentiates you from Sonic."

"Speaking of, I see that he is enjoying the attention over there." Tarek turns and points over at Sonic who had a small group of admirers surrounding him and the hedgehog chatting it up with them. "His confidence must be on another level."

"He is Sonic the Hedgehog. Confidence is his game."

"And overconfidence is a leading cause of many deaths. Particularly in young adults."

"Personal experience?"

"More like speaking from personal observation. When one's around long enough, one tends to get an understanding of the way other people generally behave and their patterns."

"I haven't seen as much as you have but I can say that no two life experiences are the same."

"That much is true. However, we have a few traits in common with a fear of death being one example of that shared commonality."

"That's a matter of perspective."

Tarek would spot Tails coming over to Sally with a Chao Cola in hand and the jackal greeted him politely. "Ah, you must be Miles Prower."

"Well, I prefer the name Tails…" The twin-tailed kit replied with a nervous laugh while looking up to Tarek, not expecting to find him that tall from Sally and Sonic's description. "Doctor Mengele, I presume?"

Tarek shook Tails' hand. "You presume correctly. Compared to you, my brilliance might pale next to yours' and at a young age no less. My staff at the R.I.D.I are quite the fans of yours' based on what you've accomplished for yourself. Particularly the time you saved Station Square from that rocket."

"Heh, I did what I had to do to stop it from going off when Sonic wasn't around."

"Until that fateful day, people had just thought of you as Sonic's young sidekick but after defusing the rocket? They looked past that and saw someone who could succeed him as the world's next greatest hero."

"Just doing my best to help the world."

"And that's why we love you." Sally affectionately ruffles Tails' hair.

The fox giggled from the affection before clearing his throat. "It's amazing the work your people have done for this island."

Tails acted cordially with a fellow genius and secretly helping out Sally in getting Tarek to reveal something incriminating about himself to them. Catch him out in the conversation.

Tarek smiled sheepishly. "Admittedly, it was a rather grueling process but that's besides the point. To be honest; you are the one in Team Sonic that I was most looking forward to meeting in person based both on your reputation as a bright mind plus being the famous son of Amadeus and Rosemary Prower."

"You know my parents?"

"I'm familiar with them and your uncle Merlin. I've paid attention to their respective careers as someone who prides himself on being up to date regarding important figures. There aren't many foxes around quite like yourself." The scientist's response made Tails grimace a bit. Assuming he's referring to his namesakes.

"...Oh, how so?"

"Why, how many foxes in the world you know of that share the color of the Prowers' natural golden-orange shade? Almost next to none I'll tell you. Your family is unique in that regard." Tarek answered matter-of-factly to his question, surprising the young fox with it. "But I won't bore you with details of hair color genetics."

"I can infer bioscience is one of your fields?" Sally asked. One arm crossed over her ribs and resting an elbow over it, holding her chin in a thoughtful posture.

"Quite. It's a subject I find rather fascinating. A study of living organisms and how they function…"

His eyes gained a knowing look when he caught onto what Sally and Tails were trying to do with him. "Why, you wouldn't be trying to profile me are you?"

"We're just curious about you given your reclusiveness and being a scientist from the Great War."

"There's not much to say about myself. I'm not in the business of gaining recognition and success. Not that it has stopped people from seeking me out." Tarek chuckled to himself before adding; "Do you know that it's illegal on Resort Island to record a phone call without the other caller's consent and not admissible as evidence in court because of it? It would be a bad look for esteemed guests like yourself to be caught for that and might even cause a diplomatic incident."

"I… Wasn't aware of that and I agree it would be a very bad look for us."

Sally acted calm in spite of her seeking feeling that he somehow suspects about the recorded call. The way he phrased his sentence makes her think he knows or aware that she knows. Could also be him bluffing which is what Tails thinks he's doing. Trying to catch them out.

Regal Ruins, Resort Island

Evening

"...How much longer until we can go in and kick some arse?" Shortfuse's impatience starts to form the longer they wait at the abandoned marketplace.

"When he gives us y'all clear." Bunnie replied patiently, fixing up her hat. The squirrel scoffs.

"If I was doing what he's doing, you'd tell me to get a move on."

"Shorty. This is a delicate operation and you know it."

"Hey, glad you could make it Doctor."

Boris in his good cream-coloured suit with a pink tie came over to greet Tarek, Sally and Tails. Walking into their conversation like he's inserting himself into it uninvited and unaware of what had been exchanged between the three.

"I did say I was going to attend with how significant this is." Tarek did a little bow to the Mayor of Resort Island and gestured to the two mobians. "Plus I wanted to meet a fellow genius."

"Must be talking about some scientician stuff there, huh? More sociable than that Knickers feller."

"A bit, yes and scentician is not a real word by the way. And his name is Knuckles."

"Right. I mean I'm not a scientist, so I wouldn't know what you fellas do outside of making the end results." The Mayor shrugs his shoulders and sips his champagne. "It certainly wasn't my strongest subject in high school."

"I doubt our guests here would know what that's like except for Tails here." Doctor Mengele commented. "Seeing as they grew up under Robotnik's occupation."

Sally shook her head. "Yes and no. We did have a program a few years back where those of us who were uprooted as children attended school and got our grades even though we already learned the essentials without it."

"What? Were parents worried you fellas were encouraging kids to miss school because you didn't attend school growing up?" Boris quipped. Sally responded with a subdued giggle.

"It was more for formalities than anything serious."

"Must be beyond torture for Sonic. Having to sit through it like some ADHD spaz—"

"I don't appreciate you talking about him like that!" Tails got a little ticked off by Boris's comment which earned a hearty laugh from Tarek. The politician was taken aback by the young fox's sudden sharpness before the kit returned to his meeker state.

"Sorry, sorry! I've heard things about him and assumed they were true." Boris apologised very quickly and glaring at the laughing Tarek. "And what's so funny about it!?"

"Nothing but the fact you said earlier that Tails would be the quiet one. Looks like you're proven wrong twice." Tarek calmed down from his laughter, more than satisfied to see him get made to eat dirt by a child for running his moronic mouth. "Apologies, Mister Prower. Speechley means well but does put his foot in his mouth at times."

"And contrary to what you think, Sonic didn't mind it too much actually. In fact, he even once led a whole class himself once and pretty well I might add." Sally informed the Mayor with a semi-cheeky grin. "That may sound crazy to you but it is true."

Sonic came over to the group, having caught the mention of his brief stint as a substitute teacher. "Seeing as I was in when their teacher took ill that day and the lessons happened to be related to my strongest subjects. So, I thought I'd share my own knowledge with those kids. Make their day worth it and learning useful information about the world."

"You must be quite good with kids." Boris remarked to the hedgehog with an inquisitive curiosity. Sonic ruffles Tails' bang with a smile and the fox beams.

"Well, I was their age once and had to learn how to be a big brother to those younger than myself."

Tarek would make his comment. "If Prower here is any indication, then you're quite good for a self-taught one and another that dispels some misconceptions about your character."

"Like?"

"That you're an arrogant narcissist who needs cheerleaders around that worships you to validate yourself, treats everything like a joke, doesn't understand the concept of responsibility, not being particularly bright, can't read the room and has an ego the size of Jupiter." Tarek would list off to Sonic who got a good chuckle at some of the examples. "Not my words just to clarify here but you no doubt have heard some of these accusations against you. I.G.N included."

Sonic grabs a piece of food from Tarek's tray and chews on it while subtly putting himself in front of Tails almost protectively. "If that's what they think of me, then that's their opinion and it doesn't matter to me. I'm not gonna be everyone's cup of tea and that's alright with me."

"A good quality to have. Not caring what others think."

"Our time in this world is finite and you gotta live life to its fullest before the time comes to check out."

"You speak like a fairy of a hedgehog but you make a sound point there. Life is short and we are all bound to the mortal clock as we slowly wither with time. However, I must make a counterargument to your statement."

Tarek's red eyes matched Sonic's green eyes. "Life is too short to properly take full advantage of it to learn everything there is to know and for some, they never get the chance to truly enjoy it. No doubt you've thought of a few souls who never got the chance to live before their time was cut prematurely."

"...I won't lie in saying that it sucks whenever the young go too soon but that is part of life. There's nothing any of us can do when the moment does come. All things must end eventually."

"Rather interesting words coming from someone who by all accounts should be stubborn against the idea of death. After all, is it not considered a form of oppression when our very lives are dictated by Father Time?"

"I see it more of a way to make people appreciate what time they do have than without."

"Death is a burden that robs us of all of the time we could have to uncover the secrets of our universe, discover new knowledge and perhaps reach true clarity. If we could cure death, we would do so without hesitation. If it is possible to bring the dead back to the living, I doubt any would refuse the opportunity to right their wrongs."

Sonic's cheerful face shifts to a thoughtful one. "By that point, we lose our reason to actually live and all we'd be doing is bastardizing the very concept of life as all we're doing is refusing to accept when it's time to go. Afraid to die."

"Then you're a naive one. People throughout recorded history have shown far they'll go when it's their own life on the line and there will be many more after you go that shall attempt to conquer death itself, tame it to make it yield to their control. When it's the life of a loved one in danger of going, oh… They will set aside any and all hesitations even if it's against better judgment to save them."

Tarek asked in an innocuous tone to his blue philosophical opposite, casually gesturing to the present Sally and Tails. "Would you not go that far for them? Would you have to abide by your own bushidō code or go against it for their sake?"

Sonic paused at that. Tarek got him cornered where he wanted him again with a tough question he wasn't sure how to answer.

"Well… That's quite a heavy chat." Boris whistled and unintentionally bailing Sonic from his spot to Tarek's silent discontentment, looking at his guests. "Apologies for that. My friend here is usually not that chatty and inquisitive."

"A good host always engages with their guests." Sally wore her smile. Side-glancing at Sonic who nodded back to assure her and Tails. Seeing him crossing his arms in a similar manner to Shadow.

Boris chortled lightheartedly, glancing at a stoic-faced Tarek and back to the three. "Heh, I suppose that's true. So, what are you gonna do for the holidays after this? It's that glorious time of year afterall~"

"Is he like that often?" Gadget whispered to Manic. Inspecting his equipment in their corner of the chamber.

"Only when he knows the action ain't too far from him and thinks there's a bias against him when Monty's involved. If there's any way for him to complain, he would take it. There's a good reason why he's called Shortfuse."

"Monty?"

"Miraju's real name is Montague Ligier." Manic explained to him. "Him and Shorty aren't exactly each other's best friends."

"You and him don't seem to be best friends either from what I saw."

"It's…" The hedgehog sighed, wondering to answer that question in the fewest words possible. "Complicated. We'll leave it at that."

Gadget didn't press any further for details nor too interested to know. They're not here to trade histories with each other right now.

"What were you talking about?" Shortfuse looked over at the pair.

"Making small talk. That's what." Manic replied, doing up his own shoes.

"Or gossiping more like."

"Whatever you want to look at it as."

"Probably telling Green there some of your own tall tales." The squirrel snarkily says.

"It beats you regaling him with your lone wolf backstory and what's your problem with him anyways?"

"Problem with him? I have no problems with him personally."

"Why are you so cold with him then? Dude never did anything to warrant it from you."

"I don't buy into the hype surrounding him while the rest of you act like he's the next best thing since sliced bread. You're all shilling hard for a guy personally endorsed by Sonic and not seeing him for what he is."

"And what would that be?"

"A civilian who's got no powers, a soldier who never saw too much of the frontlines and was only spared once by Infinite was feeling sadistic that day. A guy who gets inducted in ahead of all the other candidates just because Sonic happens to like him which could easily be taken as nepotism."

"Cronyism you mean?" Gadget quietly spoke up to voice his correction. "Nepotism is when it involves real—"

"I didn't ask you for a definition." Shortfuse cuts him off a little rudely, narrowing his gaze at the wolf. "Amy Rose had to fight to earn her spot to be with this team while you got handed an easy golden ticket into Sally's ranks because of Son—"

"That's enough Shorty." Bunnie raised her voice at the squirrel, getting irritated with him. "He's as much a teammate of yours as the rest of us and maybe you should try actually gettin' to know him instead of lettin' your own jealousy talk,"

Shortfuse tutted. "It ain't my jealousy talking here Buns. It's me voicing out the quiet part that no one else is willing to say out loud."

Gadget's ears dipped at those words and shrinking on himself. Feeling they're a confirmation of what he's been thinking about his own place with the team. To the others, they interpret that as a sign of their new friend being hurt by the squirrel's words.

"Or maybe you're just a jerk who just can't learn how to properly socialize with people." Manic was less than pleased with Shortfuse's comment and letting him know about it verbally. "Just a thought."

"I-It's okay Manic. H-He's entitled to his own opinions and he makes a good point there..." Gadget says in a small voice and gaze averted from everyone else. Not wanting to be the cause of a conflict between two teammates.

Manic assured his friend while throwing a glare at Shortfuse. "Bro. Don't take anything he says to heart… Shortfuse there is not exactly known for articulating himself well and not the best team player around either. We like you and enjoy your company."

Gadget just nodded wordlessly. Eyes focused on his watch while his thoughts simmered.

"...For all we know, they've probably captured him and we don't know it" Shortfuse says to Bunnie and quickly moves away from the other topic, feeling some guilt over it but knowing he'll only dig himself a further hole if he stays on it.

He really doesn't have problems with Akira personally. Just can't voice his thoughts properly and his voicing about the seeming golden child treatment of the wolf got taken the wrong way because of it.

The rabbit exhaled through her nose. Both at the squirrel and him making a good point. "Alright. I'll contact him and see how he's doing."

Miraju had gotten a short tour of the facility from Tarek who would leave Kirk's suitcase inside a locked cabinet inside his office. One that uses a lock system he doesn't recognise, one he can't crack into with his tools due to its' design and probably requires Manic's skills. Instead, he settles on trying to crack into his terminal and access his files for intel.

'What would his password be for this terminal?' The raccoon thought to himself while attempting to figure out the correct password with two wrong guesses made already and going in for a third try. Using his own knowledge on the scientist to discern the correct one.

What would be something he'd used as a password?

He checked the drawers in hopes of finding an answer and quickly searched through them for clues. Anything that can tell him some insight into Tarek's thought process.

"Hmm?"

In his office, Wormtongue was in the middle of emptying his desk of research papers when he checked his terminal and saw a notification on the screen. Someone is trying to access the terminal in Tarek's office.

"Now, whatever are you snooping in his office for? How very naughty of you..." He murmurs to no one in wry amusement with a wicked slimy grin. Almost considered ringing the alarms but had second thoughts about it; seeing that'll only warn the intruder. One they were expecting a visit since they found that tracker on Mecha Sonic.

The aristocrat was pulled out of his thoughts when he got a hail from Bunnie and went to answer her.

"What is it? I'm rather busy right now." He replied in a low voice. Glancing at the door and checking if anyone's walking past the office outside.

"How's your infiltration goin'?"

"Based on my observation; the security of this underground facility appears light but so are the science staff and equipment which makes me think we've caught them in the middle of packing up shop. There are four levels leading down with the entrance to the fourth level being under heavy guard which suggests its importance and likely where one of their secret exits lies deep inside. This place would be right under the new factory. Plus, Jason's here."

Miraju reported while working on hacking the terminal. "The suitcase is secured in a hi-tech cabinet I can't break into and I am trying to hack into Tarek's terminal. Both inside his office on Level Two."

"Any luck with the terminal?"

"No luck in cracking the password on my end. I think I'll be needing Manic's hacking skills for this one to have a look at those files and see what the doctor's hiding here."

"I'll let him know. Shall we head on in or stay put?"

"For now, I'd sugg—AGH!"

Miraju felt himself getting zapped after the door to the office suddenly opened up and the raccoon collapsing onto the floor, feeling paralyzed from whatever hit him. Catching the brief sight of a smirking Jason Stanley wielding a sky-blue blaster before losing consciousness when he got hit by his weapon a second time.

"Miraju?" Bunnie called out in concern into comms after hearing the interruption from her end. "Miraju!"

Sensing things were getting serious, she quickly messaged Sally to notify her of the situation and looked to her team. "Come on!"

Gadget can hear the urgency in her voice and the moment the secret door in the chamber opens up, the four hurriedly head into the tunnel to the Underground Facility. Off to get his first real taste of action as a Freedom Fighter.

Author's Notes: Things are getting serious now. This and the following chapter were written as one chapter but for reading levity, I split them in two.

Not much else to say other than that we get another philosophical exchange between Sonic and Tarek. Leave a review and I'll see you all another time.