Sonic: Deep Cover

Chapter 11: The Break-In

 Tails looked up from his plate of Chicken Parmesan, served with a glass of red wine, out the barn's window. Fields and fields of marajuana were being mowed by a squadron of robots. They would be collected and turned into the barn, where a separate machine would roll them into cigars. The quality was higher than Cuba.

Officially speaking, this farm had burnt down several weeks ago. All robots destroyed, all plant life eliminated, and anything of value totally gone. Atleast, that's what the media reported and what all the official government documents said. Behind the scenes, Tail's and his gang had negotiated with corrupt government officials and "journalists". Everyone bought the baloney, and they were amazed when a small group of high schoolers tried to buy the presumed useless land. Seeking to recuperate as much as possible as soon as possible, no one asked any questions. Just as Tails Planned.

Beneath the barn, in a trap-door that a tracker was parked over when not in use, the gang had built a massive underground lab. There, Tails had created a new strand of Pot using GMOs and biochemical engineering. It was an affront against nature, but that didn't bother Tails anymore. He only felt pride at his creation, which he named Foxweed. It was more addictive than any other strand ever found by human or hedgehog kind, and that was saying a lot. It also grew like, well, a weed. Using this strand, they were making a killing. They had financial and dope independence, and had stopped buying from Scourage.

As he swished his wine around, he thought about the future. It was golden. They were in the black and their profits showed no signs of slowing. Tails was sure they were headed straight to the top. We're set. Tails thought. Nothing can stop us now. We'll have it all.

That's why he was so shocked when his wine glass exploded.

Shards of glass went everywhere. The shrapnel pelted Tail's face and his food. A small cut formed over his left eye, which bled so much he was basically half blind. A hand grabbed his shoulder and whipped him across the room. Through his foggy vision, Tails was able to identify his assailant. Scourge.

"Wha-wha-" Tails began to mumble feebly, only to be prevented by a swift kick in the jaw. He whimpered.

Armed guards tossed the rest of the gang into the room. Wilhelm, Dwight and Anthony were all bound by zip ties. Fiona had her hands free. All of them looked equally beat up. Seeing Fiona like that put a little fire in Tail's heart, but his lips remained sealed tighter than fort Knocks.

Scourage's face was a mask of rage. One of his fists was balled up around a rusty knuckle duster, the other held a Winchester Model 97 Shotgun.

"When you and your pathetic group stopped buying from me," Scourge angrily shouted, "I figured you'd come to your senses after a few days. I figured you be smart."

Scourge slammed the stock of his shotgun onto Tail's chest.

"Then, some of my direct clients stopped buying too. So I did a little investigation." Scourage said. "I didn't even need to crack anyone's bones to find out about this."

Scourge gestured around with his arms. Then he smirked. "I did anyways though."

Scourge began to pace around the room, taking in every inch. Tails could vaguely hear the creak of the wooden boards as he took the steps. He was in another world, one full of pain. Through his red-shaded vision, Vlad spied Scorage stopping by the window, pausing at the expensive coffee maker they had bought.

"Well well well, what do we have here?" Scourge snickered. "A Baun Multiserve? That must have cost a pretty penny. I couldn't afford one until two years after I started my outfit."

Scourge began to make himself a cup of joe. He took out a flask to add something to it. Tails assumed it was alcohol. It wasn't.

"Of course, now I use a Rancilio Silvia. It makes better espresso." Scourge made his way back to the place on the floor where Tails was lying like a bag of trash. "You've really made something for yourself here. It's impressive, Vladimir. We might even do business, if you set this up anywhere else."