Inside G.U.N. Medical Facility.
Having reported her superiors about mission's situation Rouge checks on her teammates: Sonic and Knuckles.
They layed on the medical bed for recuperation, bruied and burned.
Rouge plants an acua Chaos Emerald into a medical machine. She first looked at Knuckles - "You should be safe to absorb the Chaos energy due to your natural bond to Master Emerald" - and turns her look at Sonic - "And your constant exposure to the Emeralds had conditioned your body, so you both should be healed up sooner rather than later."
Sonic exhales - "You're a miracle, Rouge. Thanks." - being familliar with Knuckles good enough he'd interpret his grunt as gratitude.
The agent looked around to ensure no one overhears this conversation and sits on the chair near the beds - "Remember. Whatever went down at the Canyon, we are not to discuss it within HQ's hearing range!"
Understanding her whispering manner Heroes' team duo respond in kind.
- Knuckles: I know he used to be your partner, Rouge. But are you seriously willing to gamble the Earth's fate, while Shadow does the aliens bidding?
- Sonic: I liked it more when he was on our side. But if it comes down to it... I'll do what needs to be done.
- Rouge: I'm aware of perils should my own search fail, but I'll take my chances.
- Knuckles: What is it you're up to this time?
- Rouge: After we dealt with Metal Sonic, I've come across the data concerning project S.H.A.D.O.W. classified by previous GUN Commander, who... went quiet.
- Sonic: And it can't be that simple, since you're telling us.
- Rouge: Indeed. GUN had orchestrated this charade of framing you for Shadow's crimes, when he escaped from their custody 4 years ago. But with certain things now cleared up, the previous Commander signed his resignation notice and that's the last anyone heard of him.
The room lit red as the alarm went off.
A shared question went through the trio's heads - "What's happening?"
GUN Briefing Room.
Black Doom's face appears on the wall monitor screens as he speaks to the public - "We are the Black Arms. We are here to take rule of this planet. Any attempts to resist are futile and will result in death."
Computer observer calls out - "Commander! Scouts report unidentified objects approaching the Central City!"
The Leader orders - "Pull it up to the monitor!" - the subordinate quickly clicks on the keyboard amd the screen reveals Ancient Temples from Glyphic Canion dropping orbs into Central City. Commander hits his armchair - "Damn You."
President's Mansion.
The nighttime has reached the United Nation's region as President had a whole lot of work to do past his sleep as another call from his intercom wakes him up.
- Secretary: Mr. President... There's an emergency!
- President: What now?!
- Secretary: It seems as if our ground forces have been able to contain the Black Arms, but apparently enemy reinforcements have arrived and Central City is being invaded!
- President: How... how can this be?!
The UN leader gets up from his desk and runs towards balcony to look at the current problem.
Stage 13: Central City
Player: Rouge
Goal: Dispose of the 20 small bombs before they blow up.
The sounds of warfare have consumed the area, as Rouge and Sonic enter the city to do their assignment issued by GUN Commander. Knuckles remained at the base, still recovering.
The Albino agent pulls out her new weapon, resembling a bird's beak.
- Rouge: The research team determined this gun containing 2 modes of usage: absorb or magnetize any objects within reasonable size. It should come in handy.
A pair of Black Hawks fly towards the heroes for the kill. Sonic destroys one, while Rouge aims the Vacuum Pod at the other. As the alien flew close to his opponent, he got curled into a orb attached to the Vaccum.
The bat lets go of the trigger, launching the enemy away.
- Sonic: (Whistes) Looks like it doesn't differentiate between an object or living being. Be careful not to aim at our forces.
Sonic sped away to the battlefield, leaving Rouge flying in opposite direction - "Noted."
After throwing grenade to the debris's other side, G.U.N. soldier pressed his palms to the ears.
Joining the scene from above, Rouge saw aliens had magnetised the grenade and launched it back to the human.
No sooner she had yelled a warning, when explosion knocked the soldier away. Rouge aim her gun vacuum at the alien and the weapon disintegrates the alien inside.
The bat lifts soldier's arm up only to confirm her suspicions. She leaves the dead body laying on the ground and slowly goes towards 2 mini bombs emitting evil alien energy.
As she absorbed them, Rouge picks another one of alien's vacuum gun - "Researchers warned me about the weapon containing a battery with the limit of 20 either absorbtions or magnetisations. Spare guns will sure come in handy."
Downtown roads of central city are drown in green toxic waste. - "Without companions weighting me down my energy depletes a little slower, giving me more time for flying."
To conserve her strenght Rouge went by the bulding's rooftops where she finds 2 more bombs (Total 4).
GUN helicopter activates its minigun to shoot down the aliens on the ground. That made Rouge's work easier to retrieve another couple of her goals (6).
The building's middle storey appeared to be like a tank went through it. Alien soundwave from below made Rouge fly down for investigation.
At the crossroads lay more bombs now vacuumed (8). Though Rouge didn't reach one bomb before the explosion at least it opened another path through underpass - "If it weren't for invasion, hunting would be a lot of fun."
With the 9th bomb taken care of Rouge finds another flow of toxic river. Robots didn't seem to be affected by it and neither were soldiers driving their military jeeps, while companions were firing back at alien pursuers.
While flying Rouge found 3 small bombs on the toxic river. Very carefully she flew closer and got rid of them with her special weapon (12).
After multiple emcounters with enemies the vacuum battery was used up and Rouge reloaded it with one of the spares as familliar blue blur ran past the bat.
Sonic approached the giant bomb, aimed the dlare gun into the sky and fired. - "Boy, this invasion better be the only time I use these things." - GUN helicopter flies above the bomb and drops the steel box of matching size. While soldiers were going down by the rope, Rouge absorbed another bomb (13).
- Rouge: Any updates, Sonic?
- Sonic: Scouts report 5 giant bombs with timer. About 6 minutes remain to find out their exact position and lead the boomers for containment.
- Rouge: Anything else?
- Sonic: Withing the same time you need to deactivate at least 20 small bombs to save the city. Be careful though, sudden movements at close range trigger the explosion.
- Rouge: Ressuming the mission then.
Flying to city upper level Rouge finds herself within another crossfire between G.U.N. and Black Arms. She aids her fellows and finds a bomb on the buildings balcony (14).
Black Oak swings his sword at Rouge, fortunately she was fast enough to evade, counter attack, eventually kill the enemy and absorb the bomb on the road before it explodes (15).
The streets above contained another green waste river flow, blocked by a truck wagon. The hazard's length was way too long to cross by flying, making Rouge go by another rooftop gauntlet.
From above the albino bat sees a cage containing the another giant bomb - "It looks like Sonic had time visiting this place." - Rouge flies towards more secure crossroads where she sees the trail of the remaining bombs. She got rid of more aliens on the way and deactivated all 5 bombs (20) - "Well, my part of mission is done."
AN: Boy, I had a very busy month. I'm not sure how soon I'll update the next chapter, but I'll be using whatever free time I have to get it done.