Sonic GeneX: Doomsday
Chapter 12 - Return to Death Row
Stage 7 - Deathbringer Row

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


"I awakened in a dark abyss.
Held captive, can't get outta this.
I long to learn the feeling of true bliss.
I long to hold you, I'm dreamin' of your kiss.
I'll fight each day 'till I can be with you.
Escape my prison, find the path that's true...

I'm the dark angel...
A captive from the light.
The dark angel...
Forced into this evil plight.
I'm flying as a dark angel for eternity!" - Dark Angel, Theme of Copter, by 2BIT


Previously on GeneX…
Copter, his son Chopper, and Gemini accompanied Blaze to the Sol Dimension, which had been overrun by the Lost Ones. While they searched for Blaze's missing Sol Emeralds, Lospecter's forces were looking to capture Gemini...
Fred Leo and Cuthburt joined their party, and eventually they faced Losipher at the portal back to their own world. Cuthburt lost his soul to Losipher during the battle, and after the survivors escaped, Blaze set out with Silver to find the Sol Emeralds they'd lost, leaving Copter, Gemini and their friends wondering what to do next.
Now, our tale continues...


Copter, Gemini and Chopper had gone back to Tails' Workshop to rest, while Timothy was escorting Fred to break the news of what had happened to Cuthburt to their friends. "That Nega guy sure left a mess..." Chopper remarked, looking around at the smashed gadgets in Tails' lab. "At least he didn't burn the place down..." Gemini sighed. Copter had found an old television and was checking to see if it worked. The only signal he was getting was static. "Hey, Gemini... Couldn't we just time travel to save everyone? You know when the Lost Ones came into being." he pointed out. Gemini took a seat by one of Tails' work benches and heaved a heavy sigh. "No, the Zodiac Council may be gone in this time, but they are still active elsewhere in history. If we try to change the past like that, we'll alert Ophiuchus." she pointed out. Copter knew this. "Right, right. Not only will he stop us, but he'll figure out we stopped him." he murmured. Chopper chuckled softly. "What's an Offa-achoo?" he asked. Copter gulped, not wanting to explain his villainous turn as Aries to his son. He didn't have to, though. The TV's static suddenly faded as it picked up a signal. "Huh?" the trio murmured, looking. Katie the coyote appeared onscreen, behind bars and looking scared. "What!? Katie!?" Copter gasped. The dark-furred coyote looked at someone behind the camera nervously before starting to speak. "Th-this is not a report. I'm being held captive by the Lost Ones in what used to be the Hopebringer Center! They have a number of hostages, but they say they'll leave us unharmed... If Gemini the fennec will come here within the hour!" she said, shuddering as she clutched the bars, "Chet, please stay awa-" The camera turned around, and Lospecter's face filled the screen. "Gemmie! Gemmie-poo! You watching? Better hurry! Go ahead and bring the boyfriend, whatever. I'd enjoy a snack while we chat!" The TV returned to static while a ring tone was heard from Chopper. "Ahh! Of all times!" He pulled a ProwerPhone from his pocket, and a brown coyote wearing a red vest and crescent moon pendent necklace appeared on the screen. He was visibly panicked. "Chopper! M-my mom!" he stammered. Chopper nodded. "We just saw. I assume you're coming? Where can I meet you, Casey?" he asked. Copter and Gemini ignored the kids, looking at each other seriously. "Trap." they both said at once. "Good, long as we agree." Copter said. "We can't ignore it, though. Even if they have no intention of actually leaving the hostages unharmed, we have to try to help them." Gemini told him. Copter nodded and crossed his arms. "Never wanted to go back to that island, though..." he murmured. Chopper put away his phone and looked to his father. "I'll catch up with you as soon as I can. Stay safe, dad..." he said, hesitating a moment before suddenly giving Copter a tight hug. Copter was surprised, but hugged back. "You too, kiddo..." he said.


Meanwhile, Katie slumped against the bars of her cell. A certain yellow porcupine stepped up to her and coughed softly, catching her attention. "You okay, Tommy?" she asked. Tommy rubbed his arm and frowned. "I-I'm worried about my brother. He's out there..." he said. "I'm sure he's okay..." came a comforting voice from the next cell over. It was Cream the rabbit, "Our friends will find us. I know it..." she whispered. Amy Rose was sharing a cell with Cream, and tapped her foot impatiently. "Why did they record a message for Gemini and not Sonic?? Don't they realize who they've got here!?" she complained. Cream held Cheese the Chao tightly and looked at Amy with concern. "You don't WANT Sonic to walk into a trap, do you?" she asked. Amy held the bars, looking sad. "I just want to know he's okay..." she stated. Looking around outside the cell, she noticed guards appeared scarce. "Nuts to this! Let's go!" she said, producing a Piko Piko Hammer and swiftly smashing open the bars of her cell! An alarm immediately went off. "Ooops…" she gulped. "Amy, what were you thinking!" Cream gasped. Lospides were starting to charge down the halls. Amy clutched her hammer tightly and made a decision. "Fly, Cream. I won't leave you in a cage again like that time with Eggman… I'll make a diversion, and you can escape!" she declared, charging forward and swatting the first lospide with her hammer! "Amy, no! I-I can't leave you!" Cream gasped. Amy kept fighting. "You have to! Get Sonic and Tails! I'll hang on until then!" she shouted, her hammer knocking spider after spider aside! "What foolhardy farce is this?! Halt thy flight!" the voice of Loskeletor was heard behind them. Realizing she had no choice, Cream flapped her wings, holding Cheese tightly as she hurried past the lospides! Their webs were shooting Amy, tying her up as Cream escaped. "Unngh!! Let go! Sonic will make you sorry!" Amy grunted. Loskeletor stepped to Katie's cell. "Tsk, such foolishness... I suppose you three will suffice for my designs..." he said, reaching into the cell for Katie. "No, what are you doing?! Wait!!" she cried.


The Hurricane and usual Tornado being unavailable, Copter and Gemini borrowed the Tornado-1 from Tails' garage. With the aid of the plane, they were able to arrive at the island that once housed Death Row, then was repurposed to the Hopebringer Center. Now, the building looked like a strange blending of the two concepts, as it appeared that Gunner had been in the process of remodeling the place back into a prison. As they landed the plane near the shore of the island and hopped out, Copter was quick to notice someone creeping at the prison's front gate. It was Chet, the orange cheetah dressed in red who had become Experiment 16 through Bucky resurrecting him. Copter ran to catch up to him. "Yo! How widespread was that broadcast??" he shouted. Chet jumped, spinning around with his claws bared. "Don't sneak up on a guy! And don't try to stop me, Copter! That's Katie in there!" he said frantically. He always did get a bit nuts when Katie was in danger. "Dude, we're all here to rescue her." Copter pointed out. During this exchange, Gemini was using magic to unlock the door. "Hmm, I expected more trouble." she stated. Chet looked at the open door and sighed. "Thank you, guys. And hey, Copter, I'm glad you've moved on from Kate and found someone." the cheetah said, clicking his tongue. Copter blinked to process what he was implying. "Huh? You mean that crack Lospecter made about Gemini having a boyfriend? H-he's just goofing on us like he does!" he babbled, blushing as he followed the others through the door. "Yeah...he's a goof..." Gemini murmured, blushing as well. An alarm blared as they stepped in, and the walls flickered with screens depicting the face of Richard Gunner! "Oh, yuck!" Copter groaned. "You are trespassing on government property! By my authority as your president, I welcome you to your new home; Deathbringer Row!" he announced, "Obviously, robots are on the way!" he added. Copter rolled his eyes. "I broke out of this place once and now I have to break in. What is my luck??" he groaned. "Hey, good point! Lead the way, expert!" Chet said, nudging Copter to the front. He let out a sarcastic laugh. But...at least this was familiar ground for him.

The trio made it to the first spiral staircase quickly. At least they'd fixed the oddly-placed window that Copter had knocked Guard through so long ago, but there was still no visible elevator that they could find. Apparently this was so that robots could swarm anyone making their way upstairs. But these were the same old GUN robots, they didn't even appear to be bolstered by Lost One possession. Chet sped up the stairs, avoiding lasers and getting around the shield of a hunter robot at the top of the steps, slashing his claws at any weak point he could find! Gemini followed along, pointing her wand about. "Blastrotall!" each bolt she fired easily dispatched a beetle, sending chaos drives rolling down the stairs. Copter leapt onto the rail, grinding upward briefly before leaping up, spinning his tails and flying at some bomb-toting hornet robots above. "Chaos Whirlwind!!" he shouted, blowing his chaotic wind upward, knocking the robots into one another, setting off their bombs! Their broken parts fell down toward him and Copter yelped, rapidly flying down the spiral staircase and weaving to avoid the falling debris! Gemini looked down over the railing. "You okay, sweetie?" she called out. "Sweetie??" Copter called up from the stairs below, sounding indignant. Gemini giggled softly. "Guess that's a yes. We'll go on ahead! Catch up when you can!" she called. Down below, Copter was starting back up the steps. "Teasing me when I could be dead, real cute..." he mumbled. He shivered as he felt a drop of water hit his fur. "Shoot..." he growled as he looked up through the indoor rain and spotted the Doomsayer. "Welcome back, dark fox..." the hooded one mused. "What possible use are your annoying speeches now!?" Copter spat. The Doomsayer crossed his arms. "Oh, none. There's no saving you. I was just reminiscing on our first meeting. How little you've grown." he said, a hissing laugh escaping him. Copter took a defensive stance. "I learned how you fight. You won't surprise me this time!" he warned. The Doomsayer stood firm. "Oh, you'll fight. And I'll be there. I witnessed your beginning here, and I will witness your final end." he said darkly, the rain becoming blindingly harsh after that before ceasing entirely, and when Copter wiped the rain from his eyes, the Doomsayer was gone. "We'll see who ends first..." Copter huffed.

Gemini and Chet arrived at the first of two balconies that wrapped around the "Deathbringer Row" facility. There were several doors they could try from here, but it seemed best to wait for Copter before moving on. "I know this is a serious mission and all, but if you want my expert opinion, Gemini; I'm not sure the ghost guy was goofing on you two. I mean, you and Copter, you're like a team these days. Hardly see one without the other." Chet pointed out. Gemini shrugged. "One obvious flaw, I've met Copter's son from the future. He doesn't know me." she pointed out. "Ohhhhh…" Chet murmured, rubbing the back of his head, "Maybe you died?" he said awkwardly, realizing that didn't help as he said it. Suddenly, they heard a scream above them! "Oh, thank Chaos, someone in trouble!" Gemini sighed, relieved to have an out for this conversation. As she was warping to the upper balcony, Copter stepped through the door and looked around. "Hey, where's Gem?" he asked. Chet pointed up. "So, you got a kid?" he smirked. Above them, Cream and Cheese were cornered by a giant pumpkin with writhing vines, otherwise known as Loscream. Not only that, but smaller floating pumpkins known as losolanturns were surrounding her. "Give up, girl. If you continue to struggle, I will simply devour you!" Loscream bellowed. Cream clutched Cheese tightly and covered her eyes with her ears. "T-tails... I'm sorry..." she whimpered. Just then, Gemini appeared between her and Loscream! "Well! Uh, hi!" the fennec squeaked, quickly lifting her wand. "Proplasmar!!" She cast a barrier around herself and Cream, but the pumpkins rammed it repeatedly, quickly putting cracks in it! "Hold on to me, Cream! Galaporta!!" Gemini shouted, warping them back to the balcony below, right between Chet and Copter! Cream looked, seeing a two-tailed fox, and just wrapped her arms around Copter and sobbed. "I'm sorry, I had to leave Amy and the others behind, and I almost got caught by those scary monsters!" she wailed, Cheese crying with her. Copter patted her head, making a face. "H-hey... I think maybe you should talk to Tails. Wanna borrow my ear piece?" he asked. "Good luck getting a signal..." Gemini sighed. Loscream peeked over the side of the upper balcony and laughed. "We've been expecting you! Come up and say hello!" the pumpkin cackled. Chet put a hand on his hip and frowned. "Now we're getting mocked by vegetables. Great." he said.

Copter wasn't sure which door to enter next. He didn't exactly escape from this place last week, and the building had been renovated multiple times since the last time he'd been here. He picked a door he thought was right, but quickly found himself in an unfamiliar area. The hall led them to a laboratory, the place where Dr. Nammad would experiment on the prisoners. "What kind of doctor's office is this?" Cream asked nervously, looking at the frightening equipment in the room. Looking around a bit more, they saw a table where a familiar face was strapped down. "Katie!!" Chet gasped. Copter yanked his arm, pointing at a man in a lab coat standing over her. The man turned, and his form shifted into that of an anthropomorphic snake! Gemini gasped in shock. "O-Ophiuchus!! No, not possible! You're..." she babbled. "Trapped in an empty dimension? Left for dead? Was that what you were going to say?" he asked, turning some gemstones around in his hand. They looked like the stone on the tip of Gemini's wand. Chet growled softly. "Exactly what are you doing to Katie??" he shouted. Ophiuchus hissed softly. "My freedom and continued survival has a price. If I can't offer the Lost Ones something, all I can offer them is my soul. Quite a reversal of fortune... But thanks to you, my power and my wings are gone, so I must provide these creatures with a reason to keep me around..." he said. Without his powers, the Chaos Stones in his hand had to be the way he'd transformed earlier. "You didn't answer the question." Copter growled softly, letting go of Chet's arm. Ophiuchus smirked. "Shouldn't the answer be obvious, Aries? What I can offer the Lost Ones is my knowledge about the workings of magic. After all, I was trained by the great hero, Astra! How is the old girl?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as if knowing the answer and aiming to get a rise out of them. Gemini pointed her wand at him. "You're nothing without your powers! Let Katie go!" she shouted. Cream tugged at her shirt. "S-something's not right... Miss Katie is so quiet..." she murmured. Chet bared his claws. "Enough!!"

Chet was unable to contain himself. He charged forward, kicking Ophiuchus to the side and slashing his claws at the straps holding Katie down! The snake took a couple steps back, acting quite pained, covering his face as if to shield from more blows. However, his eye had a sinister gleam as he watched Chet help Katie to her feet. "You're okay, Kate... I gotcha…" he said with relief. To his surprise, Katie began to laugh, and grabbed hold of him tightly! "H-hey! What gives, babe?" Chet gasped, looking at her in confusion. "Didst thou forget?" That phrasing made Gemini quickly realize what was happening. "Chet, get away from her!!" she cried. Chet looked at Gemini in confusion, and then back to Katie, gasping with alarm as her flesh began to melt away! "With a mere pinch of DNA, I am capable of performing any role on the world's stage to perfection! Fools such as ye cannot possess foresight enough to spot me!" Clutching Chet tightly, the false Katie revealed her true form as Loskeletor to his horror! Copter and Gemini started forward to do something, but Ophiuchus stood in their way. "Oh, you would do well not to be so hasty now that we have another hostage!" he smirked as Loskeletor turned Chet to face him. "Don't listen to him, guys! Tear him apart! Find Katie!" he shouted. Ophiuchus smirked widely. "What was it you said? I'm...nothing? Well, how's this for nothing!" he said, clutching the Chaos Stones in his hand tightly and turning to Chet, pointing that hand in his direction! "Hypnoconquera!!" he shouted, casting the forbidden spell of his own creation on Chet! "No!!" Gemini and Copter gasped. The cheetah's expression went blank as Loskeletor released him from his grip, chuckling in his raspy voice. Ophiuchus turned to Copter and Gemini. "I know Lospecter wants you alive, Gemini, but I have a debt to pay you. Slave, destroy them!" he said, snapping his fingers. Chet moaned softly. "D-destroy... Yes, sir..." Cream clutched cheese tightly, whimpering. "I-I want to go home!" she cried. Copter turned to her. "Kid! Snap out of it! We need you! Help us subdue Chet!" he shouted. Cream looked at him nervously. "Y-you...need us?" she questioned. The sight of Katie melting into Loskeletor was horrifying for the rabbit, but she had to pull herself together. She had to be strong...for her friends!

Ophiuchus moved to the back of the room, content to watch what was about to unfold. "You won't be able to break my spell! He'll kill you or you'll kill him!" he taunted. Loskeletor cracked his neck as he rose to his full height. "T'would be tragic for Lospecter not to get what he desires out of the fennec... And I thrive on tragedy!" he cackled, firing beams from his eyes directly in Gemini's direction! She moved to block it with a spell, but to beam actually knocked the wand from her hand! "Gah!! No!" she gasped, scrambling to grab it as it bounced away, Loskeletor creeping toward her! "Gem, look out!" Copter shouted, only to be swiftly blocked and kneed in the gut by Chet! "I'm sure I...probably...deserve that..." Copter grunted, doubling over. "That's right. First Katie, then Violet, now Gemini! How many girls you gotta drag into your twisted life, anyway?" the cheetah said harshly, lifting Copter up by the chest scruff. "Chao!!" Cheese suddenly whacked him in the back of the head, making him drop Copter and turn to the rabbit. "Oh, and let's not forget her! Haha, Tails locked her up like a prisoner!" he taunted, dashing over to attack her! Cream flapped her ears and flew out of his reach, looking down at him angrily. "He was trying to protect us from Eggman! I didn't like it, but... Don't lie about him like that!" she shouted. "The mind control's making him say these things, Cream!" Copter assured her, yanking the cheetah's tail to draw his attention away from her. Meanwhile, Gemini was frantically evading Loskeletor's lasers, trying to get close to her wand. "Ohhh... Fiddlesticks..." she groaned, grabbing an old doctor's mirror from among the medical equipment in the lab. "Here, you bone head!" she said, using the reflective surface to deflect Loskeletor's laser and create an opening to reach her wand! "What are you fools doing?!" Ophiuchus shouted. "Poriftica!" Gemini shouted, opening a dimensional portal behind Loskeletor! "What foolery is this?!" the skeleton questioned. Copter flew in front of him. "Chaos Whirlwind!!" he cried, blowing Loskeletor into the portal and into pieces with his chaotic wind! "Et tu fox boy!!" he wailed. Gemini sealed the portal. "Where's Chet?" she wondered. Cream and Cheese were sitting on him. "Say you're sorry!" she insisted.

Ophiuchus groaned softly. "You can have his mind back..." he said, waving his Chaos Stones before rushing out of the room. Chet groaned with Cream sitting on him. "What happened? What's that weird taste in my mouth? And why are you squashing me?" he babbled. "You said Tails and Copter were bad. Apologize right now!" Cream said sternly. Chet whimpered softly. "Uhh… Sorry..." he babbled, "I don't know what came over me." he said. Copter helped him up once Cream was off him. "I know I've made mistakes. I'm going to do my best to be better. That's all one can do, isn't it?" he said. Chet clasped his hand tightly. "I know you'll be a good dad, Copter." he smiled. The moment was brought to a sudden end as metal doors slammed closed over the exits, sealing them it! "So touching, so sweet! The friendships between all of you! Ohh… If only I had a soul to care!" laughed Lospecter as he passed through the wall, "Be a dear and tell me where you banished William just now, wouldja? It's gonna be such a pain searching every dimension." he said to Gemini. "William's dead, and so is Spiro!" Gemini spat. This got a chuckle out of the ghost. "Well, that's what we've been saying! Let's get down to brass tacks then. All I want is you, Gems. Give your magical self up, and I'll let the others go, bunny, coyote and all. I'll even let your noble boyfriend who bravely faced down his own dark side walk away, despite how much he makes me sick!" he said, pretending to lean his ghostly body against the wall. Gemini looked at the others and then back at Lospecter. "Why me?" she asked as though considering his offer. "You're special. Even compared to the Gemini that we defeated in that other dimension. You've got something she hasn't got. But to find out, you have to come with me..." he said. Copter stepped between them. "That's never gonna happen!" he shouted. "That's right! We won't let you take her!" Cream chimed in. Lospecter pouted. "You know, bunny, we really wanted you to lure the other fox boy in. His death will so break everyone's spirits! Ah, well. You kids chill here and think over my proposal. See you soooon!" the spirit said, slipping through the wall and leaving them trapped. Gemini twirled her wand. "Chill here, yeah right..." she smirked.


Amy was locked in another cell with increased guard now. She stood close to the bars with her arms folded and an anxious expression on her face, hoping Cream was okay. As she worried about her, footsteps approached her cell. She saw a silhouette in the darkness. "Sonic?" she questioned. But stepping into the light, she screamed softly to see Apocalos, the leader of the Lost Ones, part hedgehog, part dinosaur, all monster. He looked at her with a wide, fang-filled smile. "I've a question for you..." he said, wrapping his clawed fingers around the bars, his piercing eyes glowing golden as they stared into her soul, "Would you prefer a short, finite, essentially meaningless life spent with that emotion you call 'love...' Or would you choose to be eternal, everlasting, one that truly matters in this existence, though unchaining yourself from such deep emotion as 'love' in order to accomplish this." he asked. Amy looked at him nervously. She'd never seen a creature so frightening as him before. Still, she answered. "I would choose love... Always. The fact that you clearly wouldn't, just shows that you've never felt love!" she said shakily, but with conviction. Apocalos reached a clawed hand through the bars toward her, making her yelp and recoil as he grinned widely. "Oh, Rex did feel love. He felt great love for his friends. And where did that get him?" he asked, pulling his arm back and stepping backward into the shadows again, his eyes glowing in the darkness. "He was a fool. As are you. Choose love, my dear. Wallow in it. But know this... He will die." he said, starting to laugh softly as Amy shuddered, watching him. "Sonic the hedgehog will die!" Apocalos declared, walking away and leaving a frightened Amy to wipe a tear from her eye. "Sonic... I won't let them hurt you... Somehow... I'll find you!" she sniffled.

To be continued...