After finding out that Infinite had the means to subdue chaos energy, Gadget took to sleeping in the barracks during the days, with a confused Corvin and Fuchsia being told to stick around the barracks for cleaning duty. While he hated being out for the count on the field, he was given a new use helping the red-striped hedgehog with night cover investigation, with their main purpose being to seek and destroy undeployed fleets. During his time spent with the biohog, he got to know him a little bit, and realized he had misjudged him. It was clear that he had the wellbeing of mobiankind as his top priority, but had some unresolved psychological issues that sometimes steered him in the wrong direction.
 
Night recon was stressful and laborious work, and Shadow had to make sure they didn’t stay in one location for too long, lest they be found by Gadget’s personal assailant. Fortunately(?), Eggman kept Infinite’s hands tied managing his fleets and armies during the day, meaning Gadget was actually able to get uninterrupted rest. It was noticeable with every passing night that the masked jackal was becoming increasingly infuriated by it - he stopped messing around with the resistance soldiers, instead opting to wipe out whatever weaponry that happened to be in his immediate opposition. The resistance quickly discovered that an Infinite who was all business and no play was an even worse adversary to face. While they were no longer losing soldiers, they were rapidly losing all of their munitions at a pace that could not be equally replaced. They would soon be forced to surrender.
 
Amy and Knuckles called an emergency meeting after a week straight of having their defenses decimated.
 
“We weren’t expecting such an abrupt change in tactic on the enemy side - we need to formulate a better counteractive strategy, or we’ll have no choice but to surrender. Infinite’s motives for world domination are still unclear, but we can now gather that he was not as serious about it until last week. He will have us all on our knees if we don’t step it up!”
 
It pained Amy to know the motivation behind the devastating change in his demeanor, but her morality could not allow her to publicly divulge the information or put Gadget back onto the field during the day again. There was no way to keep the red wolf safe at night, and there was no reason to assume that that would even incite Infinite to ease up on the destruction.
 
“Our night recon team has discovered Eggman’s newest, as well as largest base. If the information is accurate, this base is the source of over half of the fleet production, and the phantom ruby’s true power source. The source appears to be frequently relocated, and we are still unsure of what its actual embodiment is, so we need our strongest soldiers to band together and infiltrate the fortress tomorrow morning. You are all dismissed, and we will contact those who we think meet the requirements at 20:00. Please rest well.”
 
Knuckles watched as everyone quickly filed out, and quietly sighed at the unease painted on all of their faces. He felt like he was failing as a commander more and more every day. In the corner of his eye, he spotted a mobian of his own colouring standing off to the side, twiddling his thumbs awkwardly.
 
“Rookie! Don’t you need to head out with Shadow in a few hours?”
 
The red wolf’s eyes couldn’t meet the echidna’s as he continued fidgeting.
 
“Yeah… but I was just wondering if you were going to choose me for tomorrow morning too?”
 
“No way, dude. You’re doing a good job at night, and you’re safer that way.”
 
“But I feel like this is all my fault!”
 
“Your fault that he attacks you in your sleep? The guy is a loonie, none of this is your fault. He’s just bitter that you got the upper hand on him once - he’ll get over himself.”
 
Knuckles was still not filled in on the whole story, so Amy quickly intervened.
 
“Gadget, you still haven’t tried my bundt cake. It’s a rare commodity in these trying times.”
 
Much to the confusion of both red mobians, Gadget was dragged away by an overly purposeful pink hedgehog, and eventually pulled into the back room of the commanding wing.
 
“Why do you want to go tomorrow morning?”
 
“Because I just know this will be a turning point! I’ll still go with Shadow tonight too!”
 
“That would mean you’d lose out on sleep for… over 36 hours at least, because you’d need to stay up tomorrow night too. You can’t do that to yourself, and you can’t tell me that you would be at your strongest either.”
 
Much to Amy’s dismay, the red wolf’s eyes glistened with the beginning of waterworks.
 
“Okay, well Shadow is fine without me for one night! If the plan is successful, then maybe Eggman will be ordering that cursed jackal around all night and I can sleep!”
 
The pink hedgehog sighed. She felt like she was controlling him, despite having his best interests in mind. But Gadget was an adult capable of making his own decisions, and he was very resourceful on the battlefield.
 
“Fine. I know you won’t drop this one so easily. Gadget, knowing that he could rape you again is terrifying. We just don’t know how to keep him away.”
 
“I’m not thinking about any of that right now, it’s just too insane and there’s too much else at stake. I’ll be more upset if I don’t do my part in this infiltration than if he finds me tomorrow night. Tell the others not to worry either - it’s nowhere near the most pressing thing right now. Corvin and Fuchsia shouldn’t be left behind because of me either - they think you and Knuckles consider them poor soldiers. They’re good fighters.”
 
“You make good points. We’re still gonna subconsciously worry our heads off though.”
 
Gadget smiled and bear hugged her, and she laughed despite herself.
 
“I know. Thank you!”
________________________________
 
At approximately 04:00, Knuckles was displeased to spot Gadget amongst the chosen soldiers, but Amy told him to leave well enough alone. Cloaked by a visual warping device along with the cover of pre-dusk darkness, they headed out in the direction of the fortress. Tails, the ever evolving inventor, had managed to rig up a small amount of short-range devices that could temporarily offset the destructive power of the phantom ruby. They were implanted in the wispons of those who stood the most chance of defending their squad.
 
To their dismay, a fleet discovered them halfway to their destination. It seemed that the resistance hadn’t taken into account that their investigation squads may have been previously spotted, prompting Eggman and Infinite to concentrate more defense in the vicinity. Knuckles deemed the mission a complete failure when the psychotic jackal appeared over the horizon as well.
 
“Hey dickhead! Send your crappy fleets packing, or we’ll send them back ourselves! In PIECES!”
 
Infinite didn’t even budge at the taunt, but they were used to it - he had been eerily silent during his focused avenue of destruction in the last week. Sonic figured he’d try a crack at getting the jackal to lose his focus, as he had been prone to doing when he hadn’t been as bent on winning the war.
 
“You mad that we found your fortress? That mask of yours makes it look like you’re always about to have a temper tantrum!”
 
… He tried, but knew his insults needed refurbishing after a week of being ineffective. Back when Infinite had enjoyed doling out his shoddy monologues, Sonic always wished he’d shut up. If he’d known that not hearing them meant their repeated defeat, he would have encouraged the maniac to improvise entire plays.
 
The jackal completely ignored everyone in favour of zeroing his focus on a minutely trembling Gadget, who was sending him angry glares. Infinite took note that he was wearing new glasses, and recalled seeing them break the last time he had been able to lay claim to the canine . Additionally, he donned a navy button up coat that had obviously been thrown on to conceal all the fang marks on his shoulders. Despite it, he drank in the sight of his lovely wolf.
 
“My, my… don’t you look precious. I prefer you without the coat though… I would like for my marks to be visible~”
 
Gadget, who wasn’t usually one to swear, snarled.
 
“FUCK. YOU.”
 
Time froze as Infinite warped in front of Gadget, making everyone gasp. He crooned seductively at the crimson canine.
 
“Hahahaha… for you, any time~”
 
He gave the red wolf’s bottom a lightning fast squeeze, and displaced back to his original spot hovering in the air above them. Gadget growled, then sprung to action, sending a volley of lighting whips his way. Infinite effortlessly dodged them with laughter. Corvin and Fuchsia puzzled over the scene.
 
“Why does this seem extremely personal?”
 
“How did that guy go from silence to joking so weirdly like that?”
 
Infinite hovered just high enough that the wispon could no longer reach him.
 
“As much as I love playing with you, my fiery little wolf, I have matters to attend to elsewhere. I know of your half-witted plans to infiltrate the fortress, and they have already failed. Hahahaha… I will return shortly to resume our business~”
 
As soon as the jackal flew off, Gadget sunk to his hands and knees as tears dripped off his muzzle.
 
“That fucking bastard!”
 
Knuckles, who had rushed in to back him up, raised an eye ridge.
 
“Sorry rookie. You’ll get a chance to open a can of whoopass on him soon! He can’t disarm everyone this time. What a freak though, why did he grope you?”
 
Fuchsia and Corvin were the first to make it to the hysteric wolf’s side.
 
“Dude. Why are you so worked up? We’ll go back to base and make a better plan that will run him and that Egg-head into the ground!”
 
Gadget misplaced his anger towards his two friends.
 
“It’s not that! Guys, he already knows where the base is and has been there multiple times! He has been showing up and attacking me at night!”
 
They stared, shocked. Corvin balked in realization.
 
“Is that why you switched to night duty? And why we’ve been stuck with cleaning? Everything makes sense now. We were kept around to watch over you right?”
 
To everyone’s surprise, Shadow appeared next to them.
 
“Shouldn’t you stop trickle truthing? I know I would have thought out a better tactic last week if I had known the true nature of the ‘attacks’.”
 
The feline cocked her head.
 
“Huh? Is he like burning you or something? Is that why he was so concerned with what you’re wearing?”
 
“N-no. It’s embarrassing!”
 
Shadow tsked at the flustered wolf’s evasion.
 
“Infinite raped him 4 times last week, and is bent on continuing. We’re pretty sure that’s the true reason why that jackal has become so much more lethal this week.”
 
To Gadget’s chagrin, Shadow warped away, leaving him to deal with two fly-trap mouths that hit the ground in front of him. He stood up hesitantly.
 
“Dude. Holy chaos, that’s so messed up… I’m sorry.”
 
“Oh Gadg! I feel so bad, I wish you could have told us, you know we’re here for you!”
 
“Don’t apologize, I was the one hiding it from you two. I’m wearing a coat because he keeps… biting me. And you noticed it that morning in the kitchens the first time it happened, so…”
 
Fuchsia bit her lip like she was unsure if it was okay to talk, but her mouth ran faster than her brain anyway.
 
“Err… he’s a jackal right? They are weird. Especially the rural ones. I heard they stick to this primal tradition where they bite their mate during sex to claim and mark…”
 
Gadget’s face burned in exasperation.
 
“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me. Well a traditional jackal wouldn’t be after world domination right? The bites are just some act of savagery on his part. All part of his ridiculous ‘make gadget as miserable as possible’ plan! Why me?!”
 
Corvin’s head whipped the other way and he let out a squawk.
 
“He’s already coming back!”
 
Lightning-fast, Infinite was already hovering above them.
 
“I heard that, little wolf. I do not aim to make you miserable, I am simply ensuring no one encroaches on my property…”
 
Sonic blew a raspberry and rolled his eyes.
 
“Infinite, you gonna run away again? Fucking bastard! Gadget’s not your property!”
 
“Laughable. Run? I simply relocated my fortress. I do not care if you intrude on the Doctor’s territory, but mine is off-limits. The wolf belongs to me - I have been kind in letting him stay in your company. But you have all tried my patience enough! I will burn your resistance to the ground, and you along with it!”
 
Again, time was altered, and he was in front of Gadget and scooping him up in his arms. He materialized above them again. Amy shrieked.
 
“Put him down you jerk!”
 
The masked menace stared down at the resistance with distaste.
 
“This one does not belong in the ranks of petty little ants such as yourselves. He will come with me once I’ve destroyed you all.”
 
Gadget squirmed frantically in his iron grip.
 
“If you kill my friends, I’ll make your life a living hell! I’m not going with you, Infinite!”
 
“Hmm… what could you possibly do to inconvenience me, my feisty little fighter?”
 
“You’ve been ruining me from the inside out. You murdered my first squad in front of me, laughed in my face about it, I don’t even know if my family is alive, and you’ve violated and humiliated me in the worst ways possible. If my friends are gone, I’ll kill myself. You’d only have to look away for a second and I’d be meeting them in the afterlife!”
 
The resistance stared up with gaped mouths. Infinite also shared the same expression, hidden behind his mask. It was silent for a few moments, as everyone was too afraid to move and break the strange tension.
 
“If I spare your stupid gaggle of resistance fighters, will you cease this nonsense and come willingly with me?”
 
Sonic immediately cut in.
 
“Don’t do it! We’ve got this, partner! You don’t have to sacrifice yourself, we’ll find another way!”
 
Infinite growled and threw the red wolf over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, causing him to squeak indignantly. He used his newly freed arm to summon a mass of armies and fleets.
 
“Is that what you think? You think you can conquer THIS? Hahahahaha… stupid blue rat. How about if I add even more heat into the mix?!”
 
Infinite summoned a large mass of power from the phantom ruby and launched it into the sky. A sun rapidly took form much too close for comfort, and suddenly the temperature was scorching.
 
“This is all real for you… hahahahaha!”
 
Gadget squirmed in the jackal’s grasp, causing the arm to constrict around his waist. He grunted in defeat.
 
“I’ll go with you if you stop all this now, and promise to stop killing!”
 
Infinite tilted his head for a moment, and expelled the illusionary sun. He put a hand on the mask’s chin in thought.
 
“Is this your compromise? Hmm… that would entail thwarting the doctor as well. Not that he has been of any use lately, but that is a heavy demand. I suppose I can reinvent my plans. You must pledge your place by my side for me to consider this.”
 
The resistance was shocked at how easily the villainous jackal acquiesced to their rookie’s demands.
 
“It’s my deal! No more bloodshed! I promise to stay with you willingly, if you keep your end of the deal.”
 
Many of his friends below had scrunched their faces up like they were about to protest.
 
“Very well - consider it official. That stupid doctor would not have conquered any part of the world longer than a couple of days without my insight. I will banish him to his beloved null space to keep him out of my way for now; I will return for you at your derelict little base later today. Keep in mind that this world is still mine unless I say otherwise.”
 
He lowered to the ground and put the unnerved wolf down gingerly, much to his surprise, and flew off once again. The resistance was flanking him a second later. Silver was panicking.
 
“Oh dude you really don’t have to do this.”
 
“He does have that jackal wrapped around his finger though… it’s impressive.”
 
Sonic gave the biohog a swat to the back of his head.
 
“We can’t let him take you buddy. What kind of friends would we be? You’ve been through enough as is!”
 
Gadget smiled ruefully at the blue blur.
 
“I’m not even upset about it if it means nobody has to die for this war anymore. It’s okay guys.”
 
Knuckles spat in anger.
 
“It’s not okay, rookie! We could just hide you away somewhere right now! Shadow could teleport you to the ARK or something!”
 
“No offense, commander, but that’s an awful idea. He always knows where I am. Once he came back to see me gone, think of how many more people could die - it’s not worth it. I’ll be fine! I’m so happy you all care so much, but I’m making this decision final. If we had a foolproof way to stop this war without any more death, I’d be on board. But this week we were on a quick path to defeat. Think of all the people who hopefully won’t have to keep living in fear anymore.”
 
Amy started crying and squashed him in a hug.
 
“Will we ever see you again?”
 
“I don’t know. I’m going to stay hopeful though, so you better too!”
 
Sonic grimaced as he pondered the situation.
 
“It’s crazy that he’s willing to drop an entire war for you to be his prisoner. There’s something about you that’s got him hooked.”
 
Gadget’s mouth flatlined in brief thought.
 
“Well I’m just gonna be focused on not pissing him off to start with.”
 
_______________________________________________
 
The resistance returned to base without the battle they had prepared for that morning, confused with how everything played out. At least there had been no death, thanks to their rookie…
 
Gadget quickly ransacked his own room for his belongings, and pawned stuff like his tablet off onto Corvin and his clothes onto Fuchsia. It was doubtful that Infinite would let him have any technology, and he couldn’t see any reason why he’d need his extended wardrobe. He didn’t have much else of value, as he had run straight to the resistance with nothing but the clothes on his back and a burst wispon after Infinite had obliterated his squad and hometown. He went down to the common room where all his friends were anxiously waiting for him. Tails approached him with sad eyes and flicky tails.
 
“We’re not gonna let you rot in a fortress with that monster, buddy! We’ll figure something out. I made a micro radio for you to clip inside your ear. If you press on it, it will send out a unique signal that should be outside the range of canid hearing, and I can locate you with specialized frequency radars!”
 
“You guys can’t come for me or he’ll just continue the war!”
 
“Okay, but keep it as an emergency if Infinite decides on maiming or killing you. Please.”
 
Gadget felt a pang of sadness as he acquiesced to the usually chipper fox. Tails planted the device inside the shell of his ear.
 
“Uhm… I can sorta hear a pitched noise coming from it…”
 
“Only because it’s right in your ear. I can’t even hear it and my hearing should be better than a wolf or jackal’s.”
 
Fuchsia and Corvin squashed Gadget in a hug.
 
“You gotta whip that guy!”
 
Gadget spluttered.
 
“What?!”
 
“Gadg, he totally likes you! Wrap him around your pretty little finger and become a master puppeteer.”
 
Gadget bonked her on the head.
 
“You’re reading into this the wrong way! He even said I’m just his property. I’m a plaything! I’ll be a dime a dozen in his fortress, I bet he’s got a whole dungeon of other mobians there for the same purpose already. At least I’ll get a break.”
 
Knuckles bonked him on the head.
 
“Don’t talk so defeatedly! We’ll get you outta there. You told us to have hope, so take your own advice! It’s also not too late to back out either! We ride and die together, pal.”
 
“No, I’m going through with this. Hopefully he keeps his end of the bargain.”
 
The signature distorting noise and red cubes materializing marked the masked monster’s arrival.
 
“Are you prepared, little one? You will not be returning here should any of your belongings be forgotten.”
 
Infinite approached him and stuck his fingers into a shocked Gadget’s ears, immediately picked the small chip off the inside of one, and flicked it away like a bug.
 
“Hn… I could hear the unusual frequency as soon as I arrived. Your inventions are not as sound as you think, fox boy. My red beauty will not be bringing anything that could compromise our time together.”
 
Shadow quietly scoffed.
 
“Damn… even I couldn’t hear it.”
 
“You fall in line with the common rabble as well, rat.”
 
Infinite grasped Gadget by the waist.
 
“Come now, sweet one. The doctor has been sent to a subset within null space - a last minute addition that should take him years to escape. None of your friends have any reason to meddle in my affairs now - I have been too lenient letting them off with their lives as is.”
 
They were gone before anyone else could get a word in.