GeneX - A New Beginning
Chapter 3 - Android Assignment

Note: Sonic the Hedgehog and related characters are (c) SEGA and 
Sonic Team. You knew that, right?
GeneX and related fanchars are (c) 2BIT, the author. (also known as TheGreatGator)

Experiment 6, Guard the Gargoyle, looked over the city of Station Square from his vantage point atop the tallest building in the city. It was a clear night, one of those rare sorts where every star in the sky was visible. The beauty of it went unnoticed, however, as the sound of every police car siren in the city kept most indoors, unable to stand the noise. Guard, however, had too much to do to go indoors. "They're here... I can sense them..." he thought as his internal scanners searched the city. It wasn't the scanners that informed him of this, though. It was something more. Something he himself didn't understand. "I have a feeling about this..." he muttered to himself as he leapt from his high perch, stretching out his wings so that he could glide down to his destination. "What's bugging me is... How can an android, an artifical being... have feelings at all?"

Guard landed in near the Station Square police station. A police car was waiting for him just outside. As the android approached, a green porcupine in a police uniforn stepped out of the car to greet him. "You must be the guy from GUN." he said, extending his hand in greeting. Guard ignored the gesture and headed inside the station. "Oh, I can see it'll be a blast working with you!" the porcupine said sarcastically, following Guard. It was rather busy in the station, with people rushing to and fro all over the place, with the exception of a young yellow porcupine sitting behind the front desk. "Grrrr... You can't be authorized to be there." Guard growled. The green porcupine stepped between them, sitting on the counter. "Leave him alone, it's just my little brother, Tommy." he explained. Guard glared at the youngster, who looked a bit frightened, then turned away and looked around the area. "Who's in charge here?" he asked. The green porcupine stepped in front of Guard again. "I'm the highest ranked officer here, sir! The chief and the other head blowhards are busy and I've been instructed to bring you up to speed. I am officer Razor the Porcupine, and if I'm not mistaken, you're here for the GeneX case, right?" Guard nodded. "I have been instructed to bring fugitives such as Kosmo the Morph and the other four experiments to justice. Grrrr... If you have any information I don't already know, please share it!" Razor gave him a sly smile. "All business, aren't you? Follow me then, I have some informants waiting." he said, leading Guard away. Tommy stood up from behind the counter and watched them leave. "Now I get what Razor's always talking about. There's some scary dudes out there..."

Razor led Guard to an interrogation room where two brown hedgehogs were seated, one with darker fur than the other. The light furred one stood up. "Hey, Raze, what's with the accommodations? We're not under arrest, are we?" he said in a gruff tone. Razor shrugged. "Standing room only around here tonight, Bill. The head honchos have every cop in the city hunting experiments. Experiments that you two claim to have spotted, am I right?" Bill looked over to the other hedgehog. "You tell 'em what you told me, Bob." he instructed. "I done spotted that there black chameleon in the poster." Bob said, holding up the poster with Vortex on it. Guard stepped past Razor and glared at Bob. "Where! Grrrr... Where was he?" he growled. Bill held up his hand between them. "Easy, fella! We're here voluntarily, an' if you threaten us, we'll take our info elsewhere!" he warned. Guard backed off slightly, growling softly. "Go ahead, Bob." Bill said. Bob cleared his throat and continued. "I followed 'em. Very careful-like. But I had to stop, 'cuz I didn't have no cash to get in. See, he went into Twinkle Park." Guard immediately began to exit the room. "Hey, hold up!" Razor said. Guard stopped and looked back. "Anything else to report?" he growled. Bob shook his head. "Don't think so, sir." Guard let out an irritated growl. "Then don't detain me any longer!" Razor hurriedly followed Guard out, with Bill and Bob following. "There a reward?" Bill shouted as Razor and Guard left the station. "Put it on my tab!" Razor shouted back. Bill scoffed at him. "Fine thing. You'd think we was runnin' a charity, eh, Bob?" Bob looked at his watch. "I think it's 'bout time we got back to the bar, dontcha think, Bill?" Bill nodded. "Gotta call in some tabs if we wanna pay the rent! Let's go!"

"Wait a second, Agent Guard! I'm to accompany you on the mission!" Razor shouted as he followed Guard to his squad car. Guard jumped over the car and took to the air, flying in the direction of Twinkle Park. "Dang GUN! No respect for police authority!" Razor groaned, hopping into the driver's seat of his car. "I had a feeling this'd be a bad day. Better break out the siren..." In a few moments, he was off, following Guard as best he could. He also had to get the other officers off the wild goose chase they were on. "Attention all units! Suspects have been spotted in Twinkle Park! Repeat, suspects spotted at Twinkle Park!"


Vortex the Chameleon had indeed gone to Twinkle Park, and he wasn't alone. "Find any ringssss yet, Zipp?" he asked his companion once he caught up to him. "A few, but my luck isn't all that great. Guess I better not go to Vegas." the hornet said. "What's the grand total?" came a nearby voice, which belonged to none other than Bucky the Rat. Zipp held up one of his shimmering prizes proudly. "Fifty so far! How many are we shooting for?" Vortex looked around the park. "A lot more. Ssssshadow Arcangel won't fly much longer on the power we've been usssing. I only hope that thesssse ringssss will do the job." he said. "I don't know, but we'd better hurry up and finish gathering as many as we can! Four, Five, move out!" Bucky instructed. Zipp hesitated. "Say, master, why did we come here looking for rings, instead of at the casino?" Vortex looked back as he was leaving, curious to know as well. "An enclosed area like the casino could make for dicey situations if the military came looking for us." Bucky explained. "So? They're no match for us! We could crush the fools easily!" Zipp said. Bucky let a few warning sparks fly from his fingers. "Innocents could be hurt if we were to battle inside such a place! There's more room out here! I did not create life with the intent of taking lives, though I did plot revenge when I realized GUN was after me..." he fell silent, lost in memories. "I lost sight of my true purpose when I planned vengeance against GUN. I won't let it happen again." Vortex and Zipp left after a moment, unquestioningly carrying out their orders. Still, Zipp wasn't quite satisfied with Bucky's attitude. "Why do we have all this destructive power if we are not to use it? I say he's going soft! Well, maybe it's just something to do with how Kosmo almost killed us all, but I still want my revenge on GUN!"


It wasn't long before Guard reached Twinkle Park. His android components sent a signal that enabled him to activate the entrance elevator without a pass. "Grrr... Now, finally commencing the mission." he said, feeling that he'd been slowed down by visiting the police station. As he entered the park, his sensors began to detect the presence of the experiments. Their unique genetic signature was unmistakable, and it would not take too long for Guard to find them. Before his exploration of the park could really begin, though, Razor caught up to him. "Yo, sunshine! While you're in this city, I'm your partner! You don't leave without me!" he shouted as he ran toward Guard. "Grrrr.... Tell your superiors.... I work alone!" he grumbled, flying away. Razor slowly began to follow him, loading his gun with some odd looking darts as he did. "Maybe he don't need me, who knows? But what kind of cop would I be if I didn't follow him anyway?"


"Cursed vermin! I'd almost swear he was hiding from me!" Conan the Raccoon was still attempting a vain attempt at searching for Copter in the city. Little did he realize that Copter had already moved on, continuing his journey from town to town. At any rate, he'd grown tired of searching for the black fox, so he'd decided to try his original plan again. "If I can't find him, I'll make him find me! After all, if he came for that girl once, he'd surely do so again!" To that end, Conan searched a while for his old hostage, Katie, and found her at Twinkle Park, along with her friend, Mia. However, Conan did not make his move right away. The park was crowded that night, as they were once again having their popular "cute couple special." Conan wasn't interested in creating a big ruckus, and instead chose to bide his time for a while, hoping the crowds would dissipate at some point.

At the same time, Zipp had found the perfect way to win rings for himself: a shooting gallery! In no time at all, he'd won hundreds of rings with his incredible shooting skill. Still, the game was a bit too simple for him, and he grew bored quickly. "C'mon! Where's the challenge! I could make these shots from the other side of the park!" he bragged as he packed his winnings into a bag. At that moment, Vortex and Bucky arrived. "Hey, Zipp! Massster sssaysss that Guardssss around!" Vortex said. He was carrying four ring bags that seemed to be filled as much as Zipp's single bag. "Impossible! How'd you win all that!?" Zipp said with surprise. "Enough! I'm thinking it's time for us to leave!" Bucky said. He couldn't be more right, too.

Just then, an announcement was heard throughout the park. "Attention, patrons! We ask that everyone calmly vacate the park in an orderly fashion, through the main exit.The Station Square police force is on its way, as some terrorists have been sighted in the area!" The rest of the announcement could not be heard, for at the very mention of the word "terrorist," everyone in the park was sent into a panicked frenzy! Chaos and confusion broke out through the entire park as the patrons rushed to reach the exit. Zipp began to follow them when Vortex grabbed him by the wings. "Hey, lemme go! I hate when you do that!" he shouted in a panic. "Zipp, what are you sssso worked up about?" he asked him. "Didn't you hear?! Terrorists!" Zipp shouted. Bucky shook his head in annoyance. "Idiot! We ARE the terrorists! Apparently, my fears have already been realized. Sargent Gunner has Guard and the police force on our trail! These rings will have to do. Let's get out of here!"

Katie and Mia were among those that were alarmed by the thought of terrorists in the area, but it was a story that Katie just couldn't pass up. "It's too dangerous, Kate! Let's just get out of here!" Mia insisted. "No way! Not this news hound! You can go, Mia, but I've gotta get as much info as I can!" Katie said, pulling out the digital camera she had started carrying around for just such an occasion. Mia thought for a moment, then followed Katie as she ran against the crowd. "Least I can do is keep you from facing all this danger by yourself! Gimmie that camera!"


All the exitement soon came together in the large pool area near the entrance to the park. As Bucky, Vortex, and Zipp ran to find an exit, Guard arrived and stood in their way. Seeing this event unfolding, Katie and Mia ran to get a closer look. However, Mia insisted they keep their distance, so as not to get dragged into the possible fight that may have been coming. Unaware of the audience, Guard pointed his scythe at Vortex. "I've been searching for you. Grrrr... The boss wants you and Zipp in custody." he growled. Zipp aimed a pistol at Guard. "Yeah, well I'm thinking he'll be disappointed, as always!" he said. Vortex held out his arm in front of Zipp, as a sign for him to stand down. "What about the massster? Would you sssstand againsssst him, too?" he hissed. Guard remained unfazed. "Boss said to arrest the experiments. Grrrr... He said nothing about master! Besides, I would never harm my master! Grrrrr... But you aren't him!" Bucky pushed past his two experiments. "Experiment 6, I order you to stand down!"

"Are you getting all this, Mia?" Katie asked her reluctant camera-girl from their vantage point atop the steps near the pool. "Yes, but I don't think we're getting any hearable dialog..." Mia replied. Suddenly, a Chaos Spear struck the camera from her hand! "Sorry, love, your show's cancelled!" Conan declared, jumping down from the roof of the hall of mirrors building. Katie and Mia watched in horror as the villain they now believed was the terrorist approached. "I'd considered using you to lure Experiment 2 back to me, but I just remembered that I tried to kill you before, and I really think I should finish the job. You'll be my hostage this time, feline. Now, as for you, canine, die!" Conan aimed his Chaos Sword at Katie, firing a spear straight towards her! However, at the last moment, someone rushed up the steps with incredible speed and intercepted the attack before it could hit Katie! It was certainly a fast customer, but it wasn't Sonic! It was a light orange cheetah wearing a red jacket and red pants, someone Katie apparently knew quite well. "Chet! Oh, my god, are you okay!?" she gasped, helping him to his feet. "I'm a bit banged up, but I'll live, Kate..." he said with difficulty. Conan laughed at this event. "Oh, this is too amusing! How many boyfriends have you got, you dog! One less once I'm through with you!"

Guard heard the noise nearby, and found himself struggling to decide what to do next. "There are innocents in danger. An immediate threat, that for some reason I feel I should put a stop to. Then there's my mission, everything in my android programming says to carry out the mission... Yet..." his thoughts distracted him, and Bucky sensed the internal struggle. "So, what's it gonna be, six? You can try to capture us, and please your unpleasant commander, or you could rescue the innocents and be a hero. Clock's ticking, better choose!" Bucky declared, pointing to the hall of mirrors to inform Vortex and Zipp of where to go. Guard looked from Bucky to Conan, back to Bucky, then to the helpless citizens Conan was threatening. Suddenly, as a higher intelligence than his programming took over, Guard flew off toward the objective he chose...

Conan approached his victims. He grabbed Mia by the arm and restrained her with some ropes he'd brought with him. "Not enough to tie you all up, so I have no further use for you lovebirds! Now, die!" He began to swing his sword at them, but before it could hit its mark, the blade of Guard's scythe blocked it! "What's this!? Who dares stand in my way!" Conan growled as he pulled back his sword and looked around, seeing no one other than his hostages. Suddenly, Guard dropped down from the sky between Conan and Katie. "Get out of here! Grrrr... Get that cheetah medical attention!" he instructed. Katie began to lead Chet away, but Chet hesitated. "What about Mia?" he asked. Guard turned around and pointed away past the two of them. "Go! I'll take care of this!" Katie helped Chet limp away from the dangerous area, while Guard turned to face Conan. "Who do you think you are? Sonic the Hedgehog? Not that that bonehead could hope to challenge me, either! I am Conan, master of chaos!" He held his sword above his head before pointing it at Guard. "Blade, grant me power! Chaos Spear!" As Conan sent his attack at Guard, the gargoyle retaliated by firing an energy blast from his scythe! The energy blast flew straight into the spear, causing an explosion at the point where the attacks made contact! Conan stood still a moment in disbelief. "Another weapon like my own!? Impossible! There is no Chaos Scythe! Where did you get that!?" he demanded to know. Guard flew a distance away in order to draw the battle away from Mia. "The good scientists at GUN upgraded the scythe that my master gave to me upon my birth! Grrrr! And in the name of GUN, I place you under arrest, raccoon!" As Guard said this, Conan made his way down the steps toward him, sword in hand. "Ah, I get it! You must be GeneX Experiment 6! The so-called only gargoyle in existance! What would you say if I told you there were more gargoyles out there?" he said. "I would not care, for I am merely an android! Grrr... They are not my kin!" Guard replied. Conan chuckled softly and somewhat angrily. He was a bit annoyed at this turn of events. "What, may I ask, could possibly be your motive for challenging me?" he asked, just out of curiosity. "Grrr... When I fully understand myself, I'll let you know!" he said. "Oh, you won't get the chance! Those who stand in my way all share the same fate! En garde!"

Thus, Conan and Guard became locked in combat. Each were highly skilled with their respective weapons, but Conan lost interest in the fair fight quickly. He backed up and fired a Chaos Spear at Guard, which he flew out of the way to dodge and fired an energy blast from his scythe in response. Though the attack hit, it did little to slow Conan down. "Indeed, that is simply a machine! Your scythe's blasts are nowhere near as powerful as Chaos Spear!" With those words, Conan began firing shot after shot at Guard, who was being kept too busy dodging to fire his own energy blasts in retaliation. Since he couldn't shoot back, Guard chose to fly around behind Conan and try to get close enough to attack. However, Conan was too fast with his sword, and Guard couldn't get behind him. That was okay, though. Guard had a new trick to try. He flew straight toward Conan, which left him wide open for attack, but before a spear could hit him, he activated a new function that had been built into him. The spear bounced off of the new force field that he had just activated! Using the surprise caused by this, Guard managed to hit Conan, though only the side of the scythe hit him. While the raccoon was stunned, Guard spun in the air and kicked him aside! Following that hit, though, Conan was back to his senses. He realized that since Guard was able to hit him through the force field, the shield probably only blocked energy attacks, such as Chaos Spear. However, it had no such effect when Conan fought back with his fist! He gave Guard a nasty uppercut, then kicked him with all his might! Guard was knocked high into the air, then crashed into the nearby pool!

Conan walked toward the pool, laughing in triumph. "You fool! I'll grant that you're an expert scythe wielder, but you're a poor fighter all 'round!" Guard burst out of the water, gasping for breath. Though he was an android, it seemed he required oxygen to survive as well. "Grrrr... You haven't won... yet..." he said between gasps. Conan pointed his sword at Guard's head. "Perhaps not, but in a moment it will all be over! You saved two lives, but sacrificed your own! How sickeningly noble! Now..." Before Conan could finish his gloating, he was struck from behind by a small dart. "Ow... What in the..." In a moment, the dart shot bolts of electricity through Conan's body, rendering him helpless. As quickly as the shock started, it soon ceased. "Impossible!!!" Conan shouted as he fell to the floor, making it possible for Guard to see officer Razor standing a few meters behind the villainous raccoon. "Nighty night, sucker! THAT is what I call good backup!" he said, blowing smoke away from the barrel of his gun. Mia, whom Razor had untied, ran to the edge of the pool to offer Guard a hand. "Are you all right, sir? Thank you so much for saving me, by the way!" she said as she pulled him out of the pool. Guard climbed to his feet and saluted Razor. "Grrr... I had it under control... But thanks just the same." he said. Razor smiled and nodded, then saw to it that Conan was handcuffed. "All in a day's work, Agent Guard. By the way, any sign of the experiments?" he asked. Guard hung his head in shame. "I am sorry. Grrrr.... I let them escape in order to rescue these civilians. I will accept the responsibility for my failure..." he said in the saddest tone he seemed capable of. (which was still pretty gruff) Razor laughed at his seriousness. "What do you mean? I think you did the right thing. Protecting the innocent should always come first, for an agent as well as an officer!" he said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get a stretcher for this one. He shouldn't have suffered any permanent damage, but we better have him examined just in case. Think they'll mind if I skip reading him his rights while he's out? Heheheh..." 

While Razor was busy, Mia took the opportunity to speak to Guard. "So... You're an agent? Like a secret agent?" she asked. "I don't know if I'd say 'secret'..." Guard replied. Mia saluted him in a playful manner. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me, sir! And if you ever need a ride anywhere, call me! It'll be the least I can do!" she said. "Grrrr... Thank you. I think you can leave now, we have this under control." Guard said. Razor interrupted them, "No, I think she'd better stick around. The officers may have a few questions for her." with that, he resumed his work, as some other officers arrived with a stretcher. Mia gave Guard a quick kiss on the cheek before heading off to see if there were any questions for her. "Thanks again, agent..." As she hesitated to finish her sentence, Guard realized he hadn't introduced himself. "Guard. I'm Guard the Gargoyle." Mia winked playfully at him as she walked away. "Don't be a stranger!" she said. Once she was busy talking to the officers, Guard gazed up at the stars once more, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of the past night. "It would seem that I am more than just a mere android... The master gave me something other androids are without... And as a result..." His thoughts fell silent for a moment as he watched a shooting star fly accross the sky. Afterward, he continued uninterrupted. "I can be more than just a program... I can be.......alive..."

To be continued...