Tails - Mad Scientist

Brief Interrogation

Shadow stood in a small cavern on a hill, where he'd set up for the night. Passing the time alone, as usual. His messaging device rested on the ground.

Their plan had gone quite well. The first cross of their double-cross.

Rouge had been snooping to find out how to steal Dr. Eggman's valuable power source aboard his ship. While snooping, she found out he had built a new robot to do some experimenting on hedgehogs. He was looking for ways to make them more passive. She told Shadow, who went to Eggman and told him he would help trap Sonic and Amy in exchange for being left out of the experiments. Eggman agreed. Perhaps he thought Shadow was being foolish – Eggman probably would love to neutralize Shadow as a threat, too. Once he got the results he needed with Sonic and Amy, he would turn his attention to Shadow.

But Eggman didn't know of Rouge's involvement. Rouge had connected to his new robot, the one that he specifically designed to run the experiment. Reading out the code and gaining its administrative powers, they now knew every step of what he was planning to do, and when he was planning to do it. While he has occupied, Rouge would have the perfect opportunity to steal his power supply. With control of the robot, they could sabotage his anti-hedgehog plans at the same time.

As for Sonic and Amy, though they would be held prisoner, they would be relatively safe. At least, safer than they typically would be when held by Eggman. Having rewritten the robot's code, Shadow and Rouge would make sure the experiments were not carried out as Eggman envisioned. After all, Shadow didn't want him to discover any useful information. Any data would be fake, and the more painful experiments would discreetly fail to work.

So long as Eggman remained in the dark and continued going along with the itinerary in the robot, everything would be fine. Rouge, who was far away to avoid the suspicion of being seen with Shadow, would sneakily board the ship and steal the power source while all attention was on the experiments. Once the ship's power source was gone, Sonic and Amy could easily escape. At that point, Rouge could even help them.

Secrecy was of the utmost importance. Sonic and Amy's capture had to be genuine to convince Eggman. Also, if Eggman started improvising due to a noisy rescue party before Rouge stole his power, things would get unpredictable and messy. With Sonic and Amy already helpless, everybody would be at risk.

But that wouldn't happen. Only Rouge and Shadow knew of the plan. Rouge was preparing to board Eggman's ship, and Shadow was making sure everything was under control back in the town. It was his job to handle any loose ends. But something was in the back of his mind. He couldn't place what...

The messaging device blinked. Shadow noticed it, and picked it up. He wasn't expecting any communication, but maybe something had come up. The input for the passcode appeared onscreen. He typed it in.

Rouge's voice came out. "Eggman's ship is stalled about 200 miles from me. The readings I can get indicate they need to regenerate some power. I don't expect them to change course, but our timeline just got longer. You keep laying low. I'll let you know when I make my move."

Shadow put the device down. More waiting.

To initiate the plan, he had set up a meeting with Sonic and Amy earlier that day. He had struggled to come up with a plausible reason for them to come meet him, so Rouge told him that he should ask them a "hedgehog-related question" to get them to show up. It was rather ridiculous, but he told the two of them he had a hedgehog-related question and they came, maybe a little suspicious, but interested. They met him on the outskirts of town. It had gone almost too perfectly.

Earlier...

Sonic and Amy walk up to Shadow, who is sipping a drink. They are perplexed and maybe a bit amused to see him doing this.