Chapter 143 - The Rescue

“So, have you decided to talk with us?” Lien-Da’s voice greeted Ekyt. He looked ruefully at the chains that bound him to the wall. “Let’s make him more comfortable. Have him kneel, on one knee.” Lien-Da ordered the guards. She knelt down to Ekyt’s level. “If it’s an echidna you want, as you can see, I can offer you more than that second-rate deserter can. And my group is dedicated to protection, just as you are. We have a lot to offer each other.” Her hand tickled Ekyt’s chin. He jerked his head away. “I have no interest in dealing with the devil…My loyalty lies with the guardians, and with Linda-Su. They accepted me when no one else would.” Lien-Da sat back. “Hmm, that’s not entirely true, is it?” Seeing the look on Ekyt’s face, she smiled. “I think you’ve said enough about that. You are aware, that if you are not with us, you are against us?” “Yes.” “And you’re willing to risk alienating yourself from the clearly superior race?” Ekyt looked her in the eye, making no mistake about his crisp tone: “You aren’t superior. So, yes, I’ll risk it.” Lien-Da snapped away. “You’ll regret that, you human scum! I personally vow it.” “Yeah, you do that.” Lien-Da thought to herself: It’s time to bring out my secret weapon…

“Stop! Stop!” Rotor, Antoine, and Bunnie forced the brawling four apart. “This is insane! Tails, that girl is EVIL! Sonic, you just attacked your best bud! Sally…actually, yeah, you should be here.” Rotor stated. Sonic and Tails looked at each other. “I want to be an adult! I’m tired of being treated like a child!” Tails yelled. “You know you can trust me Tails! Honest!” Anti-Sally crowed soothingly. “You can’t trust her man! She’s no good!” Sonic exclaimed. “Tails, I’m sorry. You left because of my babying. If you come back, it won’t happen again… I promise.” Sally said, bowing her head. Tails smiled weakly. “Friends?” “Friends big bro.” Sonic said. Anti-Sally had a tear in her eye. “I really liked him…You’ll pay!” She dashed through the Cosmic Interstate to her home world.

The Brotherhood was immediately on guard. Linda landed with a “pop!” “He continues to defy us!” Yelled Thunderhawk. He was an outspoken member, who always had a vendetta against Ekyt. Spectre spoke next. “While he is a rebel, he’s done nothing wrong. Personal feelings aside.” “Chaos control is forbidden to all but Knuckles!” “To all but guardians. He’s done nothing that we can persecute him for.” Locke corrected him. Turning to Linda, he said “The most important thing now is to find him, and make sure he is out of harm.” “He’s been captured by the Dark Legion.” Linda stated grimly. “We can do no more than monitor his progress…Linda, you are free to go.” Linda bowed slightly. “Locke, she could have been useful!” Thunderhawk said in a voice that demanded an explanation. “She will go to him.” Locke said confidently. “How can you be sure.” Spectre asked. “I knew love briefly…” Locke said, smiling ruefully.

Ekyt didn’t bother tugging at the chains. He stayed kneeling, in a meditation-like state. The cell door opened. “So THIS is what they meant. You poor thing.” He looked up to stare at Rouge the bat. He didn’t say anything. “You know, I’ve always found authority figures to be irresistible.” Ekyt laughed, coughing afterwards. “You used the same line on Locke she-devil.” Rouge’s hand hit his face with a stinging SMACK! “You little monster! I hope Lien-Da tears you in half!” “No, that would be too kind of her. She’d rather see me suffer. And- have you gained weight?” Ekyt said inquisitively. Rouge jumped on him, hitting him. Ekyt couldn’t do anything to stop it. When the guards wrestled her off, Ekyt’s forehead was cut, his lip was bleeding, and his eye would be black soon. “How dare you?!” Ekyt was silent again, his face cast in shadows of anger and doubt.

Linda crept up behind the guard. She put a hand over his mouth and dragged him into the bushes, knocking him unconscious. She slipped into his long, hooded robe and marched toward the prison.

“Knux, what are you up to?” “I told you Julie. It’s a trip to Haven. We have to renew your citizenship.” “What for?” “The Dark Legion.” “Okay, okay, don’t remind me. I was young and stupid. So sue me.” She said. “WAS?” Knuckles asked, his eyebrows raised. “What was that?!” “Oh, Nothing.”

“The human prisoner is to be released to lord Kragok.” Linda-Su said in a deep voice. “I have heard no orders…” “Then take it up with Master Kragok! Now give me those keys! I will have you committed!” “Yes sir!” The young guard gave Linda the keys. She strode over to Ekyt’s cell. “If it isn’t the guardian…” she began. Ekyt didn’t make any indication that he had heard her. She got in close as she unlocked his chains. “We’re outta here.” Ekyt closed one eye in a wink. “Hit me.” He muttered. “What. “Hit me. Make it look good. Then drag me out of here.” She swung hard; too hard, in retrospect, as she knocked him for a loop. “Let’s go scumbag!” she dragged him toward the edge of the Dark Legion camp. “And where are you going?” The soldier that had confiscated Ekyt’s ring blocked their path. Coming to “life,” Ekyt’s foot lashed out, catching the soldier in the jaw. He dove on him and covered his mouth. “Be quiet! I’ll make things worse! Now shut up!” Ekyt hissed. The guard responded. “Put the ring on the ground…good. Drop your weapon…Very good.” Ekyt kept his hand over his mouth. He snapped the taser that he had taken and zapped the soldier unconscious. “Let’s go!” “GET HIM!” Kragok’s voice rang out. “Are you alright?” Linda asked. “Yeah. I’m gonna use the ring. I’d better do it now, they haven’t fed me in a full day. Hang on!” Ekyt concentrated on the ring as Linda climbed into his arms. Ekyt used some age-old guardian power to create a chasm between the Dark Legion and them. Then he ran ten times his normal speed.

“Thanks for getting me out.” He murmured shyly. “No problem.” Linda said, also blushing. He kept running. “I think we’re safe.” The familiar paradise of Angel Island was in view. Gently, Ekyt put Linda down. He stumbled. She caught him under the arm. “Sorry. They starved me.” “And you didn’t talk?” “No. I couldn’t. Lien-Da and Rouge both hit on me and I swore loyalty to…” Ekyt’s voice trailed off. “That’s really sweet of you. Any girl would be lucky to have such a loyal boyfriend.” “The fact is, you’re not just any girl. You proved that when you accepted me. That’s something that I’ll never forget.”

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