Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ Alliance for Ages ❯ Retaliation ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter 7

Retaliation

The three heavy tanks positioned themselves to start the hit-and-run diversion. Sonic and Megaman X looked on as the first few blasts erupted from the tanks' cannons.

"There's our diversion," X said. "Let's get in there before they realize it."

Sonic nodded. "OK. I'll use my speed to slip in. You just cover me and wait for me to give the all clear. Now stand back and let me work a little magic."

And he did.

Sonic sped on toward the open vehicle gate at a speed too fast for X to follow. X took a pair of level 2 charged blasts at a defending tank-bot before Zero ran up beside him. "Where've you been? With the diversion, I suppose?" X asked.

"No, actually I was working out one of those blow-open-a-hole-in-the-base-to-get-in approaches. Unfortunately, I couldn't even get near the place because of all the defensive fire. How's Sonic making out?"

X looked out at the battlefield. "Good. He's only about a hundred meters out now. The vehicle doors are closing, though. He's gotta step on it."

Sonic stared ahead at the now-closing hangar bay doors. I've got to make it, he thought. They're depending on me! Pushing himself to the limit of his ability, Sonic made one last boost and he was inside. Stopping abruptly, Sonic looked around for any sign of enemies. To his great surprise, there was not a robot in sight. They must all be out fighting, he guessed. Finding no reason to wait, Sonic began to search for some way to open the doors again. It took him only a matter of minutes. A large switch off to on side was labeled Bay Doors, which he threw. He gave the all-clear comm signal and waited as the doors groaned open.

He waited around ten minutes and the others filed in one by one. First came X and Zero, both firing rapidly behind them, then Tails in his Cyclone assault walker, also blasting away. To Sonic's great surprise, Knuckles also showed, sporting a hover bike he must have borrowed from Zero. As they regrouped and formed their next plan of action, Tails, always vigilant, noticed something move at the back of the room.

After that, they never even suspected that the enemy was closing the trap right on top of them.

"Is the ambush ready, Eggman?" Sigma asked, staring down at the doctor.

"You bet, Sig. We've got an entire brigade devoted to trapping them. Their pathetic diversion never had a chance. I mean, THREE TANKS! Come on, what did they expect us to think they could do to this base with three tanks?"

Sigma glared at him. "You know, I would really prefer it if you only answer yes or no. Your voice is incredibly annoying."

"Yes sir."

"Well, this just sucks." Knuckles said, staring down the barrel of a tank-bot cannon. "Any bright ideas, Sonic? Some kind of kick-ass plan of action? Flawless escape route? Something???"

"I'm working on it, Knucks. I'm weighing our options right now. Oh… no, wait, we have none. What do you expect me to do, make them disappear? I may be the fearless leader, but I'm not imnipotent over here." It seemed totally hopeless. Sonic might have been able to defeat a few tank bots, but this was a whole brigade and they were surrounded. The enemy would certainly destroy them all if Sonic tried anything.

But then again, who said it would be him?

Sonic couldn't explain it, but it was like the whole world around him had stopped moving all at once. He looked around, and saw hundreds of weapons turned their way. He noticed a cocky-looking human leutenant sneering near the back of the circle, frozen in time. Then came the voice.

"Sonic… Oh, Sonic… Remember me?" It was a familiar voice, but Sonic couldn't quite place it. "Quite a little mess you've gotten yourself into, huh? Well, there was no way you could have known that Sigma would anticipate the attack." Just then, Sonic realized the voices owner.

It was Shadow. Shadow the Hedgehog. He seemed to come down through the ceiling inside of a black aura shaped like a dragon that kept him aloft. "I guess it's my turn to save you guys," he said.

"Shadow! You're alive! But, how? The fall through the atmosphere should have destroyed you. How did you survive?"

"It's a long story so I'll tell you later. Anyway, back to saving you." Shadow quickly flew in a circle over the enemy troops, the aura about him dropping a black shadow over all but Sonic's group. He then went outside, apparently dropping it on more troops on their way. He returned quickly. "There, done. Now to explain this whole thing to you…"