Jayde the Hedgehog • Rising Adversity [2]

1: A Quick Visit ✔️

MUSIC: Pyramids - DVBBS

Space Colony ARK

"Boss, what are we doing here again?"

Eggman glanced at his red henchman as he strolled through the old hallways, determination in his eyes. No one had been up here for years. Ever since that last battle, not even the Ultimate Lifeform returned. The whole place seemed rundown and neglected.

"We are here for research." The doctor finally responded, his arms swinging by his sides, "This was the birthplace of that traitor. There may be information up here about him that would prove useful to me."

"You mean find a weakness? Good idea boss!" Cubot praised his creator.

"Hush, you dimwit." Eggman grumbled, "This place may be a lost cause but that doesn't mean GUN hasn't got any surveillance. We don't want to blow our cover."

The doctor continued through the hallways of Space Colony ARK, trying to keep his steps as quiet as possible. The place hadn't been cleaned well. There was thick dust coating every nook and cranny, chairs that had been tipped up and left. The doctor shuddered slightly. Normally this wouldn't creep him out, but having been in the place where his grandfather worked and created the Ultimate Lifeform gave him a slight anxious feel.

The three eventually reached the lab room, a large window overlooking the planet below them as it turned. Eggman enjoyed the view a few seconds more before going to the computer. The old chair creaked as the doctor sat amongst the dust before loading up the old tech. The password was easy to guess; nowadays it all seemed the same.

The two henchmen floated back and watched as their creator pulled up a bunch of files, mainly related to the Ultimate Lifeform. Various amounts of information came up, but nothing that the doctor didn't know already.

"Why is there never anything when you need it?" Eggman huffed.

Orbot glanced at the screen, noticing an unopened document. He tugged at the doctor's jacket, pointing, "Boss, there is an unopened recording there."

Eggman nodded approvingly towards Orbot before clicking. A dark screen came up before a security camera recording came up. Although this was not what Eggman was looking for, he decided to leave it on in the background as he set about looking through the hand-written files.

"You two make yourself useful and look through another pile of information! I want to know how to get Shadow onto my side!" The two henchmen saluted towards their creator before zipping to the other side of the room.

Eggman grumbled some more, reading through a file before something on the security recording caught his attention.

A large figure walked into view, one Eggman could only decipher as Black Doom, the only blood relative Shadow truly had. He noticed some corresponding between him and his grandfather before a bottle of red liquid was handed to the previous doctor.

Gerald looked carefully at the liquid before Eggman heard his grandfather speak after a long time, "Don't you think this is a bit much? I was only going to make one."

"Yes. But there is extra in case you fail. An invention this colossal cannot be done in one try." Black Doom responded, a hint of smugness behind his voice as if he didn't believe a human could succeed in this.

Gerald glanced up, a hand on his hip, "I assure you, it will be done the first try."

Eggman frowned. He couldn't have possibly used that much blood in the Ultimate Lifeform - it would have turned him purely evil. The doctor fast forwarded the recording until he saw his grandfather with a small drop of the red liquid in a smaller jar.

The evil genius cried out, "No! What did he do with the rest of it?"

Orbot and Cubot rushed over at the commotion, watching their creator fish about on the security system before rubbing his moustache between his fingers. Eggman looked around the room before his eyes landed on the same container his grandfather had hidden the remainder of the red liquid.

He ran over to the unopened box, all hope in his mind. Dr Eggman prayed no one else had stolen it. "Boss, what is it?" Cubot asked, watching as the doctor struggled to open the metal container.

"Only the greatest thing ever!" Eggman grumbled as he eventually pushed open the lid a large grin implanted on his face as new ideas flooded into his mind. Oh, this was so much better than finding out information.

GUN HQ

An ivory bat sat cross legged on a chair, staring at the Commander of GUN as he flicked through a few files, "Jayde the Hedgehog is able to start at the earliest possible stage. These are some documents I'd like you to give her and Miles Prower. There are strict rules and regulations of becoming an agent."

Rouge nodded, reaching to grab them. She chuckled slightly to herself; Jayde will hate all this paperwork. The two jumped as the door abruptly opened, slamming against the wall behind. A flustered looking male appeared, as if he had just ran. His clothes where messy and untucked as he struggled to breath.

"I'm terribly sorry for interrupting, but Sir, you must see what's happening on Space Colony ARK!" he gasped, leaning against the door frame. The mention of Shadow's former home grabbed the two's attention, both quickly standing up.

"The ARK?" Rouge asked, following behind as they rushed to the large security room. The male shot to his desk, bringing up the security cameras in the ARK.

"After we received a sound transmission from the ARK, we checked out the cameras we planted onboard. Look." The screen above them turned black before a view of the lab appeared, a large bald man, with a moustache and red jacket appeared, carrying a cylinder of red liquid.

Rouge gasped slightly, "That's Dr Eggman!"

"What is he doing aboard the Space Colony?" The Commander asked.

The young security man shrugged unprofessionally, "We've no idea but we believe that that red liquid is the exact same substance used to create the Ultimate Lifeform." The sapphire orbs of the ivory bat widened, was he making another one?

The Commander stood straight and began giving out orders, "I want troops sent out immediately. I want Eggman captured and returned before-"

"No." Rouge interrupted, "Shadow wouldn't want anyone to go up there. Not even Eggman. Let him go up and sort the doctor out."

The Commander looked at the fellow agent - she did have a point. The Ultimate Lifeform flipped last time the GUN agents went up to set up the security cameras. He sighed before nodding, "Okay, this is in your hands. If Eggman isn't gone from Space Colony ARK in forty-eight hours, we move. Got it?"

The female nodded before grabbing the files from the side she placed them on and flew out the door. Rouge needed to get to Shadow quickly before Eggman did anything too drastic. Maybe he was with Jayde? He's been around that hedgehog since the day she arrived. Rouge grinned - she was glad he had someone else he could trust. The Ultimate Lifeform would always protect Jayde no matter what and wouldn't ever hurt her.