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“Where is he?”
Tom was staring at the man who had single handedly managed to sedate his dog, tie up Sonic, bind his partner, and get into his house without making a sound. It was the middle of the night. It was all unnerving and terrifying to see a stranger in his house in a dark suit that almost made Tom think the mad doctor was back for Sonic. The man walked out of the shadows into the moonlight revealing himself. And it was all too quiet except for the sound of muffled screaming.
“Uh. . . That’s a question I don’t think you want answered.”
Tom lowered his bat.
“He may have the highest IQ in the world, but, the doctor isn’t very good with people. Even aliens."
Tom winced.
“What?”
Sonic was mumbling and struggling in the metal binds that Agent Stone had constructed.
“Why are you wearing that look?”
Tom looked down toward Sonic who was struggling to power up but each time, the power was absorbed and he was struck by the release of excessive energy on to him.
“Tell me what happened to my friend.”
“Your friend tried to kill mine.”
“I will make sure that he won’t.”
“Aren’t you. . . uh . . . what are you again?” Tom lifted a brow. “We haven’t exactly met you.”
“His assistant. I am Agent Stone.” Stone said. “I make sure that he is psychologically healthy and that people understand him.”
“Y. . Y. . . You’re a psychologist?"
“Eh, not quite. I am sort of that---well, yes.” Stone admitted. “If you like to think of me that way." Stone shrugged with a smirk in mirth and lowered his shoulders. "I get called his personal psychologist by my co-workers and his punching bag because I like being humiliated.”
Tom’s brows rose in unison.
“You are joking.” Tom said over his partner's muffled screaming.
Stone’s features darkened.
“I am not joking.” Stone said. “Where is he?”
"You don't want---"
"I haven't gotten answers in the last few weeks from his superiors; I would have never came here if I didn't want to know." Stone said.
“I sent him to a mushroom planet.” Tom said.
“Mushroom planet?” Stone’s brows hunched together.
“Has to be easily thousands of light years away.” Tom said.
“He has no supplies, no equipment, just his scanner, his flying suit, and his googles." Stone said. "And he is alone.”
“His problem.” Tom said. "Not mine."
“He won’t admit it; but he’s a people person and when he gets back . . ." Stone said."He won’t be the same man who left this planet.”
Stone looked down toward Sonic and the fallen bag.
“The only thing left will be his intense concentration on studying Sonic,” Stone looked toward him. “. . . When he gets back ---some ungodly way--- the doctor will be insane."
Tom grew horrified at the realization that was just hitting him.
"And I will be there to pick up the pieces and that wouldn't have happened had you and your friend just talked to us and negotiated a deal so this mess wouldn't have been necessary." Stone said. "A deal in which we get all that we want; both parties on Earth, alive, and well. Free. I am not going to run from him. I am going to run right to him and help him."
“So you love him?" Tom asked.
Stone smiled.
“Every day.” Stone said.
“It has been a hundred thirty days.” Tom said.
Stone turned away then began to walk on.
“Are you going after him?”
“No. I am going to wait for him. And I am going to be there when they shoot him down, lock him up, then get me speak in his language.” Stone sighed at the doorway of the house. “To the government; he doesn’t exist and they have no intention on searching for him.“
“And you don’t?”
“His lab is scarily advanced and I am afraid of getting myself lost searching for him.”
“That advanced?”
“I never had to operate a starship." Stone said. "He never takes it out. He just made it to show it off to the government after the President and the head of NASA insulted him."
Stone chuckled in amusement, bitterly, fondly, warmly over Tom's shock.
"How did that happen?"
"Robotnik donated to that fellow making Starships and attended a party about the future of America. He claimed to go there upon the first completion of a colony class."
"How did he get insulted by the president and Bridenstine?"
"It was after the speeches. He was drinking and talking to other space nerds when he was approached by them."
"Oh no,"
"And you can guess where that went. Fortunetly, I changed his attention on to me and got humiliated then got him out of there to get a fresh change of clothes for me. I was drunk---but not drunk drunk."
"Half-drunk?"
"Yep.
He remembered the urgency on Robotnik's face after getting out of the shower and gave him that look.
'Agent Stone, I am going to build a starship and test it with you as my test subject as a passenger. Nothing less, are you interested?'
'I am interested, Doctor.'
'Good. We start in the morning!'
'Why in the morning?'
'Because you're not drunk anymore!'
He could remember being part of the construction process but the doctor was the most focused on the programming, the flight systems, the life support systems, the defense systems, all for a dozen so people to go live in as a crew. He remembered that months later the President being there at the unveiling and Robotnik finishing the unveiling as: 'Oh, and you can never use it. It responds to my unique electromagnetic energy. Sorry, you don't got the vibes for space.' and how he was right.
"I am a agent." Stone finished. "Not a scientist."
Then Stone sighed.
"I have faith in him. He found his way back once to me after having amnesia and being stranded in Russia; surely, he will find his way back.” Stone said then his light headed demeanor turned dark and threatening. "You better prepare yourselves for that."
Stone’s beard was long, pointed, and sorrowful. His hair had grown out longer than it was three months ago and his eyes looked as if he hadn’t rest for the last hundred thirty days. He let out a small smile then turned away and walked out of the house slamming the door shut behind him leaving the family. Even to Tom rushing to free Maddie then going on to free Sonic with every piece of technology on hand and equipment. Stone drove off from the residence leaving it behind as the golden lights flashed on from the windows.
He was going to come back, maybe there was going to be some part of him left to salvage and help grow back. The government had sealed his friend’s doom, the love of his life, the one person that he actually liked in this world and treated him the way that he wanted to be treated. He had little power in the government. Little power to pull strings to get a mission to search and find him with people who knew what they were doing.
But, no one wanted to find him.
In fact, everyone couldn’t stand Robotnik.
The man was on his own and it broke Stone’s heart.
Stone broke down and cried in a parking lot after driving around for awhile.
Stone finished weeping after a few hours then started the car and went into the unknown to start a life after Robotnik while waiting for his friend to return.
The End.