Chapter 9 - A First's Mission
"..." the warriors of both villages reacted. Slowing down to a stop, the killer and the child were long gone within a couple of seconds. Turning around and looking at the village chiefs, both of them looked sternly in the direction the stranger escaped.
"Fall back and continued with recovery," Zorn declared with a loud enough voice for all to hear. Seeing a couple of patrollers move without question, others stared for a few moments before moving. Turning around and about to address the remaining villagers, Oberi was being confronted by two individuals. One was his trader and the other was the orphanage caretaker of his village.
"What do you want Onel?" Oberi questioned with a tight face.
"..." the merchant spoke with a frown and stared back.
"If you have nothing to say, then go aid in the recovery."
"Hope ya can protect us...chief," he stated with a slight sneer. "Since ya ran our savior out of our village and violated a trade deal."
"That mutilated person is a killer," the chief clarified and narrowed his eyes at him.
"Based on who's accusin'?" Onel countered while crossing his arms over his chest. "Ya don't know jack shit about the man."
"I know that what my scouts reported about him are enough...more than your trade encounters with that murder."
"At least I communicated and didn't point a blade at his face," the supplier began then leaned forward a little. "Oh wait...ya soldiers did so...as well as try and shoot the kid."
"That was a mis-"
"Bullshit Oberi!" the older man shouted angrily at him and spread out his arms. "Y'all acted stupidly and put one of our youngins in danger of gettin' killed!"
"You are out of line Onel," the chief stated then crossed his arms. "If you aren't going to help, I'll have our warriors put you in a hold area for insubordination."
"Ya piece of shit," the trader said then spat at the ground in front of the wolf man. Without saying anything else, he turned around and walked toward the destruction area of the village.
"..." Oberi reacted with a frown watching the person leave. Hearing movement to his left, he turned to see the orphanage staffer. Not approaching him, she held a neutral expression on her face. Behind her, the children were slowly walking to be next to her.
"Is there something you need sister?" he asked trying to make his voice sound less irritated.
"..." the woman responded with clasping her hands together in front of her stomach. "Was that the right action to take?"
"Meaning?" Zorn asked getting beside his peer.
"If the...killer was only after Sonic to begin with...he wouldn't have came here to save us...Sonic convinced him to come here and aid us."
"You can't trust predators miss," the ape man stated. "If they find an opportunity to find resources and food, they will convince and persuade to get within our defenses."
"...but...the man was mute," she countered seeing orphans around her. "How could he convince and persuade if he can not speak?"
"Onel and the boy stated that...however...he could be faking that as well," Zorn remarked and crossed his arms over his chest. "We can't trust outsiders even if they are aiding us. We don't know their true intentions."
'Is that true or is that paranoia and fear talking?' the staffer wondered keeping her mouth closed.
"Ma'am...where's Sonic?" one of the younger orphans asked pulling on her long skirt. Seeing her look down, she smiled and patted the boy's head.
"He was given a field trip assignment by our chief...he will be away for a bit before coming back."
"..." the older kids stared at her with stoic faces. Not saying anything, the ones able to help the recovery walked toward their stations.
"Come on children. Let's let the villagers get their work done and stay out of their way. How about we all go see the cooks if we can help rebuild our village?" the staffer asked in a pleasant tone. A majority of the orphans nodded their heads. Seeing her depart away from the village leaders, the kids followed her to where the chefs were.
"..." both chiefs spoke watching them go away.
"...so..." Zorn began to speak when he saw a hand.
"Not...one word...from you," Oberi remarked. "You've already given me enough morality from your talk earlier."
"...is that so...?" the ape man commented then began to walk away. "Then I will leave you...to dwell in your thoughts again."
"..." the wolf man spoke watching the village leader go away. Left alone, he turned to the direction of where the stranger took the child. Figuring the best lead of where the person would be housed at, the south cave came to mind.
In the data library that he holed himself in, Dr. Robotnik searched through the archives. Examining any known documentation of superspeed from the human laboratory network, he turned up little to none. Doing a general search for any tests done during the Great War, there were several documents listed. However, almost all of the entries came up with testing machinery, equipment, or developing weapons and exo-skeletons. After 20 minutes of searching, Ivo still came up with little evidence.
'How frustrating,' he thought leaning back in his seat. Crossing his arms and looking at the ceiling, his mind was running.
'Why is there no known documentation about war bio-weapons? There surely were laboratories made for that...even I build a couple.'
'Then why doesn't it occur under the war category?' he said in his mind. Closing his eyes, he began strumming his fingers. In the midst of thinking, he heard the archive doors open. Ignoring it and the heavy footsteps that came towards him, he tried focusing on his research.
[Doctor...] the S.W.A.T. android spoke.
"I am in the middle of researching, unit, and cannot be disturbed. Dismissed," the scientist spoke and strummed his fingers again.
[Doctor...I have been ordered by-]
"Did you not hear me clearly android?" Robotnik questioned sternly. "I said leave."
[...Doctor...under the command you-]
"You are testing my patience metal bucket," he stated sternly and gave an irritated face.
[...I am here to report-] the machine began to say. Swiftly, Ivo got out a matchlock size laser pistol from his inside coat. Pointing the muzzle in front of the robot's head, he fired it. The inorganic being's head blew up as its body collapsed to the ground like a rag doll.
"I will not be disturbed, interrupted, or questioned until I am finished with my research...unit," Robotnik spoke with an agitated tone.
Holstering his weapon, he crossed his arms over his chest again. Closing his eyes, he strummed his fingers again while thinking. Hearing the mech give an electrical discharge, Ivo opened his eyes and looked down at it. Observing the energy arcing and sparking out of its exposed opening, something from viewing it triggered something. Blinking and turning back to the monitor in front of him, he backed out of the war files.
"...hmm...despite this occurring during the Great War, the war council with the other world leaders never approved any bio-weapon projects," he muttered to himself. Backing out to the main menu of the data archive, he went under research and development section.
"The moral and ethics those fools had towards their Frankenstein pest creations," the man continued frowning. "Were misguided."
Seeing a number of files greater than the ones under the Great War, he saw one file that was massive. Gritting his teeth at it, his fingers curled to make fists. Clicking on it, the documents that populated was numerous. Hundreds and hundreds of files were shown dating back a few centuries. Scrolling down to the latest ones, he saw the dates of ones that were within the war period.
"There you are...bio-enhancement projects," Robotnik smirked and clicked the file open. "Disguising the experiments as a new research for the animals...the funding was approved since it did not evolve the intent to be used for war."
"How gullible those imbeciles were," he remarked and began reading.
Reaching a destination, the adult hedgehog began to slow down. Still feeling that the boy was hanging on, he changed toward a sprint from the fast speed he was going at. Continuing toward a running pace, the stranger felt the kid moved his legs to run as well. Going to a jog, he let go of the child's hand. Ending up at a walking tempo, he stopped. Turning around and watching, the younger hedgehog slow down to a stop.
"..." the stranger spoke looking at the peculiarity.
With an expression of enthusiasm of going on a joy ride, it contrasted with how roughed up and dirty the boy looked. Sonic blinked a couple of times and looked to be processing the entire experiences in his head. Looking up and staring at the cloaked individual, a small pause occurred before the child moved. Standing up and heading toward the cloaked being, there was a partial glazed look on his face. Seeing him about to open his mouth, the kid tripped on a small rock formation on the ground.
"..." the adult anthropomorphic being said.
Watching the kid fall down on his face, he didn't move or expressed a verbal response. Walking to him, the person kneeled down. Seeing the child still not move, he narrowed his eyes and turned him over. Passed out, the man figured that the exhaustion from being hunted earlier and all the adrenaline being gone were the main factors. Surveying the surroundings, he stared at a structure that was in the distance to the north east.
"..." the adult hedgehog spoke. Looking back down at the orphan, he narrowed his organic eye only. Picking up the child and putting him over his shoulder, he stood up. Turning to the massive building, he began trekking to it.
"...mnnn...ow..." Sonic muttered stirring awake. Cringing his face, it seemed to hurt as if he got hit by something. Moving his hands and rubbing his eyes, he slowly started to become wary of his surroundings. Noticing that the air did not smell like the forest, it seemed to be absent of smell. Stopping in place and moving his hands little, his eyes began surveying around.
'...where...am I...?' the boy wondered.
Seemingly inside a narrow room of some kind, there was a theme of metal. Seeing that everything was a bit gray in color, there were a small variety of lights. Giving a robotic appearance, there was nothing else seen on the floor, walls, or ceiling. Slowly getting up to stand, the hedgehog began to slowly rotated around himself. Getting a full look of his bearings, the room seemed more of a passageway to something.
'How did I actually get here-?' Sonic thought. Moving forward a little, his foot nudged against something that scrapped against the ground a little. Stopping and looking down, there seemed to be a black rectangular object. Blinking, he moved his foot and stared at it initially. Closing and opening his eyes again, he slowly bent down and grabbed it. Pulling it up to his face, something began to appear on it.
[...you...are...awake...yes?] red text appeared on the black screen box.
"...?" the boy responded with more blinks. Looking around himself again and seeing no one around him, he stared back at the object. More red letters began appearing.
[...if...you...understand...question...nod...or...turn...head...in...disagreement...]
"..." the child reacted with feeling his eyes widen a little. Blinking again, he gave a slow nod to the dark rectangle he was holding.
[...very...well...we...are...in...factory] it began as more words came. [...factory...prohibited...to...venture...by...villages...you...do...not...belong...here]
"Is that the structure in the forest that the village chiefs talk about?" Sonic whispered more to himself than at the object. Oddly, text came in.
[...yes...]
"...!?" the orphan veered back a little in surprise. Doing a quick 360, there was still no one around him. Moving closer to the object, he whispered more.
"Why does the chiefs tell everyone to stay away? Is this where the metal heads are? Is it their base?"
[...S.W.A.T...robots...stationed...here...also...where...captives...are...held...]
"No way," the child responded quietly with ambivalence. Excited from being in the mysterious place, there was much apprehension being here as well. Recalling the dreams he had, goosebumps railed along his arm. It made his fur begin to stand on end. Shaking his head and about to ask another question, the object interjected first.
[...you...ready...for...task...?]
"...?" Sonic reacted with a blink. "Task?"
[...yes...]
"...what...task?" he asked cautiously.
[...to...retrieve...an...object...in...this...facility...]
"..." the boy said then paused in mid-thought. "...who...who are you?"
[...] the screen showed. Seeing something in his peripheral ahead of him, the hedgehog looked up quickly. Veering back hard and hitting the passageway wall, a crimson ring was boring at him. Breathing harder and feeling his pulse rate accelerate, an uncomfortable silence took place. After a few moments, the orphan began to calm down then took tentative steps forward.
"It's you," he stated. Seeing the eye not blink while engulfed in shadows made the stare unpleasant.
"Were you the one that brought me here?"
[...who...is...there...?]
"...?" Sonic reacted with confusion while reading the text.
Looking back and forth between the object he was holding and the red ring, his mind was beginning to grind. Looking at the illuminated eye ahead of him, he clenched his teeth. Walking forward slowly to get in front of it, he tentatively reached out with his hand. Touching nothing until a wall was felt, the boy's eyes widen with surprise. Moving his hand up and closing to the crimson illumination, it was just a light on the metal wall.
'It's...just a light on the wall?!' he thought startled. Still holding onto the black screen, he looked at it to see if it communicated.
[...is...there...something...on...the...wall...?]
"...I...um...thought it was someone else...but there is no one here...are...you here?"
[...in...facility...yes...]
"Where are you?"
[...where...does...not...matter...at...the...moment...] the screen showed text then continued. [...go...down...hallway...only...go...straight...do...not...run...]
"...uh...okay," the boy said.
Holding onto the device, he began walking quickly down the passageway. Seeing it stretch out with much distance, he passed many intersections. If there was a sighting of robots down the different routes, the hedgehog quickly got out of sight and continued forward. There was a right turn up ahead to which Sonic got to the corner and stopped. Peering around it, he thought he saw something and looked down.
[...do...not...proceed...hidden...cameras...] the screen showed. [...go...into...vent...to...your...left...]
"..." the child responded with a blink. Turning his head left and looking up a little, there was a vent on the side wall. It was big enough for him to kneel in, but it would be too small for an adult to move around in without being flat on their stomach or back.
"...how do you know where I am...and the things in this place?" the orphan whispered while tiptoeing to the vent. Gauging that he could jump that high and grab the grate; however, it would be too much noise trying to get the grate off.
[...previous...attempts...familiar...with...place...device...is...also...a...tracker...] it answered.
About to speak regarding about the obstacle, there were distant sounds coming from the hallways. Taking a quick glance down the one he traveled and the one to his right, heavy metallic footsteps seemed to be heading his way. Looking back and opening his mouth, Sonic froze and stared. The cover for the wall air duct was prompt up like a garage door. Blinking and looking down at the small handheld monitor, there were no words on it.
'...how did...it was closed a second ago,' the boy thought feeling apprehensive.
[...you...need...to...hurry...machines...are...converging...to...your...location...]
"R-Right!" the child whispered.
Shaking his head, he got close to the wall. Jumping up and carefully putting the device inside first, he landed back on the ground. Jumping up again, he curled his legs in. Clearing the bottom of the opening, he controlled his landing and used his hands to hold onto the walls. Inside the framing, the orphan leaned forward to be on his hands and knees.
Grabbing the black screen, Sonic began crawling forward. Hearing something mildly squeak behind him, he froze and felt his eyes widen. Darting his head back, the vent grate closed to where it was before. Opening and closing his mouth a couple of times, the heavy footsteps were louder. Snapping out the daze, the hedgehog turned his head and crawled straight.
[...vent...pathway...will...lead...to...supply...storage...] the red text came. [...speak...when...you...are...there...]
Complying without a verbal response, the blue boy continued his pathway. After a couple of minutes of doing a couple of turns, he eventually reached another covering. Moving the device to his face, he was about to talk when red letters began appearing on it.
[...machine...nearby...wait...]
'...this freedom fighting...is not easy at all...' the hedgehog thought pressing his lips together.
Inching closing to the grate, he tried to see what was in the room. Suppressing himself from being startled verbally, a large S.W.A.T. bot took a step in front of the vent. Putting one hand quickly over his mouth and holding his breath, the child stared with anxiety. The mechanical being's red eye lens scanned around looking towards the center of the big chamber. Seeing nothing of interest or alarm, it continued with its endless patrolling.
"..." the orphan spoke waiting until the machine was several feet away from the vent. Breathing and removing his hand from his mouth, he looked back at the device.
"How did you know it was there? Do you have trackers on them too?" Sonic whispered.
[...their...pattern...of...patrolling...do...not...deviate...]
[...I...do...not...have...tracers...on...them...] the black screen stated with red words.
[...push...vent...cover...climb...out...drop...not...high...to...floor...]
"Okay."
Doing as he was instructed, he pushed the grate. Seeing it swing upward, the boy slowly climbed out of the vent. Putting the device in his mouth to use both hands on the edge, the hedgehog hanged. Glancing at the ground, he let go and dropped down. Landing and crouching, the drop did not make too much sound. Getting the small monitor out of his mouth, it started to give him the next thing to do.
[...you...will...need...a...key...card...]
[...to...access...the...next...room...search...room...]
"The next room?" Sonic repeated. Looking around himself and examining the space, the only room he saw was this one. There were two passageways that lead to the supply chamber, but there was not a door seen.
[...not...everything...is...seen...in...plain...sight...]
"...?" the boy questioned with tilting his head at the device.
[...patroller...will...return...in...minutes...hide...in...metal...containers...]
Nodding his head, the hedgehog quickly searched the space. Almost covering everything, metal footsteps were heard coming from the other passageway. Going to the closest metal box, the child struggled to open it. Getting enough of it open to climb through, he strained himself to prevent the door from slamming shut. While hearing the loud thuds enter the supply chamber, a pecuiliar scent was picked up.
'...is...something in here!?' Sonic panicked in his mind and remained still.
Hearing nothing move inside the container he was in, the child recognized the smell to be of certain body odors. Plugging his noise and wanting to get out, he glanced at the screen. Seeing it not show any red, the heavy machine did its route and pause in the room. Though not smelling the scent, the aspect of breathing the order made the orphan start to feel sick. A small wet movement was heard nearby that made the child's skin crawl and ears perked stiffly.
'...no...no...no-no-no-no-no...' he kept repeating in his mind. Holding his breath, he impatiently wanted the metal head to leave. Hearing the mechanical being walk away, the blue kid hastily opened the door. Running out of it then closing the door, he let go of his noise and breathed.
"...haaaa...hhhaaaaa..." Sonic labored his breath putting his hands and knees on the floor.
Shaking his head hard to rid of the brewing imagery of what could be in the box, his fur stood on end remembering the slick sounds. Looking back at the monitor to see if it said anything, it was still blank. Focusing back on the task at hand, he examined the last places left. Overturning documents that were in a filing cabinet, there was something flat and industrial looking. Picking it up and looking at it, it looked like a rectangular disc with a blue outer cover to hold onto.
"...h-hey...is this blue thing the keycard?" he whispered.
[...it...is...go...to...wall...in...front...of...you...]
[...left...side...there...is...a...slot...to...insert...]
"O-Okay," the boy replied. Walking to the wall and looking around, there was a keypad device with an attachment. Seeing that it had a slot to put something in, he used the blue keycard.
[Access granted] a small robot voiced came from a speaker somewhere. Seeing a door impression on the wall appear, it moved backwards a couple of inches. Sliding quietly to the right, it revealed a narrow hallway. Neon lights emitted from the floor and ceiling looking down it.
[...go...inside...walk...until...you...reach...a...window...]
"..." the hedgehog said giving a small nod.
Going inside, the door behind him closed. The only light now was the bright glow from the floor and ceiling which gave an off putting atmosphere inside the space. Walking down the passageway, there were only a couple of turns. While going through, anxiety began to build inside himself. There were no doors, intersections, windows, or any other decor. It was just a stark hallway that had a mild disinfectant smell.
Going around one corner, there was a window. While traveling to it, there was nothing else in the space to indicate an interface. Looking all along the walls, it was void of any equipment. Stopping at the window and peering through it, there was a large chamber on the other side. Looking to be the size of a warehouse, there was a vast number of structures.
The first aspect was towering pillars that were placed around the room. A couple of them seemed to extend through the ceiling as if they were foundation supports. Arranged around the space were machinery large and small. First thinking that there were patrol robots standing around, they were attached to the manufacturing units. Half of the floor pad had a conveyor line that seemed to snake throughout the room.
Along the back walls, there were auto doors placed on the floor center of each. Also, there seemed to be shoots where the freight line would go through the wall to the next rooms. Higher up and outlining the perimeter was an elevated catwalk. There were only two doors on the pathway from the left side wall to the right side wall. Seeing something evenly spaced a few above the walkway, it made the boy blinked a couple of times and narrowed his eyes.
'...more of those red ring lights...' Sonic thought seeing through all along the catwalk. Stopping his sight at the left side wall, one of them slowly moved to stare at him directly.
"...!?" the hedgehog reacted with tensing up quickly. Curling his lips in and biting down on them, he slowly brought the device up while not taking his eyes of the crimson light.
[...you...made...it...good...]
"...it's you!?" the boy spoke in quiet exasperated voice. He was both in relief and still startled from how spooky the mute hedgehog was.
[...yes...now...that...you...are...there...I...need...your...assistance...] the stranger messaged.
"..." the child replied with blinking with surprise. Clearing out his thoughts of feeling creeped out and scared, the aspect of being needed for a potentially dangerous task made him feel energetic quickly.
"Okay. What do you need?" he answered readily.
[...below...window...panel...open...it...]
"...?" the orphan responded. Stepping back and looking, there was a rectangular protrusion below the sill. Going to it and pulling gently on all sides, it swung open with the hinges on the bottom.
"Got it open."
[...you...will...need...to...sequence...the...buttons...] he texted while still not moving from his location.
[...left...activates...conveyor...middle...activates...machinery...right...activates...doors...]
"...I...think I got it..." the boy whispered then began to scratch his head. "...but...why...se...se-quen-cing...the buttons?"
[...activating...them...will...draw...patrollers...into...room...]
"Isn't that...a bad thing?"
[...no...it...will...be...a...distraction...]
"Distraction? How?"
[...production...offline...based...on...time...schedule...]
[...having...it...override...online...will...prompt...robots...to...turn...it...off...]
[...several...activations...at...random...will...force...diagnostic...procedure...]
[...patrollers...will...stay...in...room...until...diagnostic...is...completed...]
"..." Sonic reacted with blinking. Understanding that this was what will happen based on the stranger's observation, he started to see a pattern. A procedure and following a schedule were a robotic characteristic. Nodding to no one in understanding, he then tried to guess what the plan of action was.
"So when the patrollers are there while it goes into...dia-g-nostic mode...that's where you zip through to the item you need. Right?"
[...no...] the response came on the device.
"No?" the boy reacted with tilting his head and looking more confused.
[...robots...monitor...room...you...continue...random...sequence...]
[...enough...times...triggers...patrollers...to...room...you...are...in...]
"They'll come here!?" he reacted with anxiety. Opening his mouth then closing it, the child looked around the room. Checking for any openings or possible ways to escape, there was a vent above him on the wall to the right of the window.
[...you...are...correct...you...escape...there...]
[...on...other...side...of...vent...shaft...I...will...be...present...]
[...we...continue...afterwards...]
"I think I got," the hedgehog stated to the device and nodded.
[...good...ready...?]
"..." Sonic replied with looking up. Seeing the man's crimson ring eye still stare at him, the creepiness of it was still there. However instead of giving a nod, confidence seemed to be seeping into him. Lifting his right hand, he gave a firm thumbs-up. Seeing the eye bob, it moved back to looking like one of the lights on the wall. Putting the handheld onto the ground, the boy rubbed his hands together quickly.
"Alright...sequencing these buttons...at random...no pattern...I got this," he whispered to himself.
Moving his hands apart, he pressed one of the three to start the distraction plan. Hearing a slowly getting louder wind-up, the machinery came to life. Looking through the window to see, the production line units began to move and do their tasks. Looking back down, he pressed the one that activates the doors. Moving his head again, the doors in the room slide up to open.
Pressing the door switch and holding it, the doors started coming down then stopped halfway. Letting go and turning on the conveyor line, a low rumble was heard causing a small vibration from the start up. Seeing what the whole assembly does, the boy began to mess around with the buttons more frequently. After 30 seconds, red rotating lights came on. Halting the button pushing and looking through the glass, patroller robots came in.
'Whoa,' the child thought watching them come in. 'Those are a lot beefier than the regular ones I have seen...all of them got a cannon for an arm.'
[Investigating activation of production line. Beginning diagnostic scanning in 1 minute] a robotic voice came through the loudspeaker from the control panel. It made the boy flinch and take a step back. Shaking his head a little and getting back into position, he looked down at the small black screen. Only seeing the last text of being ready, the blue kid waited.
[Beginning diagnostic scanning...now]
'Take this metal head,' he thought. Going back to random sequence of button pushing, he got feedback.
[Manual override of conveyor line act-...manual override of doors act-...manual override of con-...manual-...manual-...man-man-man-man...] the computer spoke with having one or two clipping aspects when it talked. [...investigating manual override panel...]
'That did it and-!?' Sonic said in his mind. Upon looking at the window, he froze from seeing all the robots' red orb sights bore in his direction. The situation got to him enough to feel the fur on the back of his small neck stand on end.
[...activating...]
'I have to get...' the boy thought then paused.
Staring at the elevated catwalk, the stranger's ring eye moved. As if remaining motionless while floating, he went from the left side of the pathway to the right at a jogging pace. Each time he passed another red hollow circle light, his crimson eye matched the same height of it. Despite doing that, the illumination from the red highlighted his quills. It gave a sinister look to him as he moved liked a ghost.
"..." the child responded with blinking. Seeing him reach the end of the right side, he turned around and began working on a panel of some kind.
[Unauthorized access to control panel on starboard wall] the computer announced. All the patrollers stopped their advance and pivoted to the left at the same time. Lifting their cannon arms toward the catwalk, aiming lasers came out. Searching the area, the adult hedgehog was nowhere to be seen.
'No way!' the orphan thought surprised and staring. 'It's like he vanished while I was staring at him. His superspeed is rad!'
'Wait a minute,' he continued then rapidly soft slapped himself in the face a few times. 'Focus-focus-focus...got to move!'
Bending down and picking up the black screen, he put it in his mouth. Turning and moving toward the vent, Sonic jumped up to grab it. Getting a hold on it, the cover did not open. Squinting his eyes, he put his feet on the wall and pulled. Hearing the relatively thin metal bend and grind a little, the bottom screws popped out.
'Wait-wait-wait!' the boy thought to himself. Feeling himself lean back while holding on, the grate swung open from the bottom and stopped. Sighing in relief and maneuvering himself, he crawled into the vent. Moving the cover back to being mildly closed, he turned around and began moving deeper into the duct work.
