~They Fly~
Eggman heard someone bypass his security and enter his laboratory but he ignored this to continue working on his latest invention. As Tails gripped his blaster, he took notice of the advanced machinery the doctor had set up throughout the lab.
"What is all of this?"
"I haven't the time nor the patience to explain, boy."
"Then tell me what you did to Knuckles and Angel Island!"
Eggman exhaled passively, annoyed at the notion that Tails would actually open fire with his back turned.
"I sent him on a simple errand, what you kids call a fetch quest. He decides to go AWOL and now I have to clean up the mess he's made."
The fox watched the doctor nearly keel over during his coughing fit. "You're in such great shape for a rescue mission. Look, just tell me where he is and I won't call Sonic to help me trash this place."
As Eggman clutched his inhaler, a warp ring materialized a few feet away which cast blinding light into the lab. He and Tails covered their eyes, then Patch stepped through.
"Antoine?"
The coyote ignored Tails and made eye contact with Eggman. "...Emperor Nega summons you to the imperial palace for congregation."
He pointed his broadsword outward and a scroll hung off the tip. Eggman cautiously took it and read it over while Patch sheathed his weapon. "Is that real enough authority for you?"
"I see you're not joking anymore," Eggman said as he put the scroll down. "It's been a long time since I've seen the boss man. Take me to him."
"Wait, you sent Knuckles to the Sol dimension?!" Tails shouted.
Patch's guards jumped in the way but the doctor stopped them. "He's not worth the hassle, gentlemen. I'm the brains here."
"Get moving, already. The Emperor is expecting you."
Tails needed answers but he wouldn't get any, although Eggman would bring his attention to the machine he was working on. The doctor pocketed a small device then walked inside the warp ring. The light disappeared once it closed, and Tails ran over to this invention to see what was so special about it.
"...he's trying to become immortal!'
After explaining the situation and clearing the air, Ledian agreed to bring Knuckles to O'nux bunker. They chatted while walking past each nightclub and outdoor patio where locals roared and drank. It was well passed midnight and it seemed like the live music was only getting started.
The echidna patted shoulders on his way through the crowd to clear space. "The party never stops out here, everybody's been at it since lunch."
"This is nothing compared to the Golden Circle District, the rich kids put the suburbs to shame." Said the Labrador.
"Ya think that's where O'nux ran off to?"
"I have no clue what his whereabouts are nor do I care. He left me, left everyone here high and dry! We were in the middle of an operation and poof, he dips. So if he wants to kiss their ass then screw him."
"I'm sorry he let you down the way he did."
Ledian waved him off, clearly wanting to drop the subject. Knuckles easily picked up on the peering eyes following them so he took Ledian's arm and whisked her toward another crowd. After using them as cover for a few blocks, they split off and finally arrived.
"The bunker is in here?"
"In the basement, which I haven't been to since he left. Don't mind the mess."
"Better than the street or in a cage."
The Dream Nights Condominium building was known as a luxury destination in Central, but still had criminal activity present. Unruly guests, pushers and conmen looking to scam the wealthy tenants always loitered around each entrance trying to get back inside.
One glare from the burly echidna stopped any lowlife from approaching. Ledian cracked up while pressing her key card to the machine. She stepped through the front door but Knuckles felt footsteps coming up the stairs, racing to gain entry behind them.
"Who's it gonna be, then?" He graveled while turning around.
"No time to bullshit. Get inside before they catch up."
O'nux, looking clean shaven and sharply dressed, met eyes with his doppelganger. Knuckles let him walk past, quickly shut the door then pressed his middle finger against the glass. Ten men wearing identical suits stopped halfway up the stairs and acted as though they were lost.
Knuckles knew these men would've abducted him and Ledian had they been a second faster.
("The Weight of Dreams" by Greta Van Fleet played through the lobby's speaker)
"I need to grab a few things from my penthouse, first." The Labrador pressed the elevator button and turned around, then her eyes widened when she spotted her ex-fiance.
"Holy shit-"
O'nux opened his jacket to reveal a wire that'd been sewn in. "I'll lose connection inside the elevator."
Ledian caught on and remained silent, then Knuckles joined them. Two metallic doors opened and the trio stepped inside the massive lift. The cylindrical elevator had glass panels and a view of the street while tinted windows hid them inside. After pushing the penthouse suite button, O'nux and Ledian held the chrome railing tight. The lift began rotating clockwise as it ascended, and the spinning sensation nearly dizzied Knuckles.
"Whoa, this is some fancy crap, now." He said while grabbing for the railing.
"You'll get used to it," O'nux replied. He checked the signal on his phone before speaking. "...connection lost. We can talk now."
"We're good? Okay."
Ledian slapped him across the face and struck his chest a few times angrily. "Where THE HELL have you been?! Why didn't you call me? I embarrassed myself at Midwest 'cause I thought he was you!"
"Ledi, I'm so sorry - ouch! Please let me explain!"
"Talk!"
"Nega's men caught me. Patch has a mole, I don't know who. But there are eyes and ears EVERYWHERE! I tried-"
O'nux saw the tears forming in Ledian's eyes, but she pushed him away when he tried to embrace her. A loud THUMP sounded when Knuckles fell to one knee while trying to walk.
"How the hell do you stay balanced? I'll get it, just gimme a sec."
O'nux faced his ex again. "There's nothing more I want than to make this up to you but they've got their hooks in me."
"Yeah? Did they make you this fancy suit, too? Looks tailored and expensive. Patch really takes care of his men, doesn't he?"
"Ledi, you know I'm not with them-"
Knuckles stood up and raised a hand. "If I could interject with an unbiased opinion-"
"You don't get a say in this one, big guy."
"No, I wanna hear what he's got to say. Go on."
"...judging by the fact you didn't approach us outside leads me to believe you wanted to isolate us, probably to say something important."
O'nux scoffed quietly. "You knew I was tailing you outside the club?"
"I suspected it. I've got a nose for these things."
Ledian crossed her arms. "Is he right? You got something on your mind?"
"...Patch will cut me loose if I bring Knuckles to him."
"And you believed him? Don't tell me you're that dumb!"
"Hey, screw you, man!" O'nux said while facing off with Knuckles. "Patch could've killed me anytime, alright? Nega could've made me into a battery for his engines but he didn't! His real beef is with Blaze, we're just ants to him."
"Okay, so take those hooks outta your ass, punch Patch's ticket and throw the hot potato to someone else. I don't need to be involved in all of this."
"I just said he has people all over Music City! They will hurt everyone I care about!"
Growing frustrated and tired from all of the traveling, Knuckles exhaled angrily. "Look, I get it, you're in a tough spot, but I'm just trying to get home, okay? I'd love to bust some heads but that won't happen if you serve me up. So give me a night to get my shit together and we can find a way to fix this."
"Right now, there is no other way."
"You really wanna do this?"
"I don't have a choice here. It's between you and my people."
"And I'm not being marched into my death. There's your choice."
O'nux widened his stance. Knuckles removed his damaged gloves. Ledian couldn't think of anything to say. She wasn't even sure whose side to take. Apart from the music, the elevator remained silent until the bell rang. They'd reached the top floor but no one moved.
"Ledi, go to your penthouse and lock the door." Knuckles said. "I'm gonna beat your ex's ass, give ya a ring when I'm done."
The Labrador glanced at O'nux but he wouldn't meet her gaze. He stayed focused on Knuckles. Ledian stepped off the elevator and watched the doors shut. She brought up security camera footage on her phone so she could watch the fight.
Knuckles threw two dozen punches within five seconds, and O'nux dodged the heaviest blows. He was much faster than his counterpart, but he couldn't avoid every shot. Out of every ten punches thrown, two would find their target.
After ducking another flurry, the black suited echidna kicked his opponent back to create space, and pressed the lobby button. This put the elevator back in motion, now rotating counter clockwise while descending.
"Ah, you sneaky little runt!" Knuckles shouted while reaching for the railing. "I'm gonna figure this out eventually! Come within bitch slap range!"
"I don't want this fight, please just come back with me."
"And I told you that's not happening!"
O'nux ducked the haymaker, saw the hook kick coming and used Knuckles' momentum to swing him around twice before tossing him away. The larger echidna bounced off of a glass panel and slid down to the floor.
Damn!
He grabbed the railing and pulled himself back to his feet. As he tried to balance himself, he threw sloppy hooks and overhand bombs, none of which were close to landing, then tripped over his feet. He noticed O'nux wouldn't throw counter shots, even when he could have landed critical blows.
He's letting you gas out, idiot. Make him come to you.
They faced off once again and this next encounter went differently. With one feint to the right, Knuckles caught O'nux with a devastating left hook that staggered his doppelganger.
Now you've got him.
The larger echidna went in for some punishing body blows, but O'nux suddenly disappeared. Knuckles was so dizzy that he had tunnel vision and didn't see his opponent slide across the floor.
"Where are you?!"
Like a monkey, O'nux climbed onto his back and quickly wrapped his legs around him in a body triangle. He locked in a sleeper hold and was latched on tightly, but Knuckles knew how to defend this submission. His left hand pushed the choking forearm up, right hand painfully twisted an ankle to loosen the triangle, then he ran backward. They bounced off another panel with such force that the lights flickered, but O'nux didn't lose his grip.
"I watch that cage fightin' shit, too, check this out!"
Knuckles jumped high, front flipped and crushed O'nux with his entire weight, but this still didn't break the hold.
You're kidding me!
The larger echidna powered back to his feet, got a running start and performed the maneuver again. Glass panels cracked, he saw O'nux cough up blood and felt his grip loosen, so he stood back up. Knuckles ran forward and dove at a titanium beam, so O'nux released the submission and slipped off of his back.
Oh NO-
Knuckles smashed head first into the beam and was instantly knocked unconscious. The skull on titanium impact made a nasty CLANG sound, and Ledian gasped at the suddenness.
O'nux sat in immense pain, his chest was nearly caved in and swore he felt a rib break. He let out a pained roar and spit more blood out. He barely had the strength to stand up, so dragging his muscular adversary would be a challenge.
Just as he grabbed Knuckles' wrist, the elevator slowed down as it reached the final floors before the lobby. O'nux saw Ray, Charmy and Juliette waiting at the bottom, so he hit the emergency stop button.
"What's he doing?" Ledian asked while she looked on. The elevator was now stopped between the third and second floors.
O'nux shook his head and sighed. "..fine. You win, Knuckles. I can't face them like this. Just tell 'em I tried."
The suited echidna pried the doors open and dropped down to the second floor, then escaped the building through a side stairwell.
"Leaving yet again. Figures."
The Labrador used a service elevator to get back down to the lobby. The group was going to need the fire department to climb in and pull Knuckles from the main elevator, so she showed them the security footage while they waited.
While he slept, Knuckles heard the drowning elevator music and faint shouts telling him to wake up, but he would be out for awhile.