Sonic: REMgaged

Chapter 1

Author's Note:  This is a sequel story. If you haven't already, I would highly advise reading the first book in this series, "Sonic: Earthbound," which you can find via my profile. Thank you and enjoy!
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Sage lay on a cold steel slab of a table, deep in the dark underbelly of Robotnik's fortress. This chamber functioned as both an armory and a supply room. Spare parts lay scattered about the floor. Old, deactivated robots collected dust in the corner. This was the room Robotnik took his androids to when they were in need of repair. Fortunately for Sage, he was rarely in need of repair, but when he was, this room always unsettled him. The robots in the corners and the parts on the floor served as a reminder of what could very well become of him, if he displeased his master too many times.

At the very least, the fact that Robotnik was bothering to fix him at all meant that Sage wasn't yet obsolete. The damage to his arm had been minimal, and yet his master didn't seem particularly pleased to have to fix it. But Sage knew Robotnik was less annoyed by the fact that he had sustained damage when the Scottstown police had fired at him, and more so by the fact that Sage had failed to return with his intended target, Alexandra Parker.

"I am sorry, Master," said Sage, staring up at the bright lights in the ceiling. "I have failed you. It won't happen again."

"You're damn right it won't," growled Robotnik as he donned a pair of goggles and grabbed a welding torch. "I'm taking you off this assignment."

"What?" Sage quickly sat up, gaping at his Master in alarm and confusion. "But why? I am your infiltrator! So long as we are on Earth, I am your greatest weapon!"

"No," said Robotnik, placing a hand on Sage's chest and forcing him to lay back down. "My magnificent brain is my greatest weapon. You are just a product of it. Admittedly an effective one... until now."

"She's learning to how to control her Chaos Energy," said Sage, attempting to make eye contact with his master, though all he could see was the reflection of the flame from the blow torch in his dark goggles. "She Chaos Controlled before I could fully apprehend her. But next time I'll be ready. I'll be better prepared."

"There won't be a next time," Robotnik growled over the hum of the torch. "You, Sage, are right in thinking you're one of my best inventions. You're a top-of-the-line, state-of-the-art, fully functioning cybernetic android. That means you are capable of many things. However, that also means that you can act with a great amount of autonomy and a degree of free will, which opens up the door for possible flaws... like the mistake you made earlier tonight."

"I did not foresee—"

"You let that girl manipulate you! She's gotten into your head. Don't deny it! From the first day we kidnapped her, you were enchanted by her! The way you dove in to rescue her when she fell into the lake without having been instructed to do so—"

"I was merely anticipating your whims, Master. You needed the girl, and if she drowned—"

"Don't give me that," he snapped, waving the blow torch dangerously in his irritation. "You've been acting funny ever since that day! All because she sang that insipid song..." he grumbled, carefully returning to his work.

"The Cars," Sage murmured, staring up at the ceiling once more. "You're Just What I Needed... by The Cars."

"Enough! You'd do well not to speak of that song in my presence! And as for the girl..." Slowly, Robotnik lifted the goggles off his eyes. His wide, toothy grin seemed to flash beneath the shine of the overhead lights. "It's time I took matters with Miss Parker into my own hands."

***

"He did what???"

"Look at the necklace around your neck. It's right there, plain as day."