Gadget POV 3rd person 

Option 2 Complete 

“What?!” Gadget questioned hastily, “Wait! Is it over? Please! Don’t let it end yet!”

All that surrounded him was a dark abyss he floated through as he heard the feminine voice speak once more.

At the end of the summer trip, you will be given a choice. To stay with Zero permanently, or go back to your normal life and stay in touch with Zero.

If you choose your normal life of going to college and advancing your life and career, there is a 76% chance of success.

If you choose to throw that life away and completely stay with Zero, there is a 42% success rate.

76% and 42%? Those numbers are a lot lower than the first option.

“What do you mean by success rate?”

There was no answer given.

The darkness vanished.

Eyes flashed open to see his room at the Resistance Base. How long had he been asleep? These dreams were seriously starting to mess with him. Though sleeping a lot more lately, he felt exhausted, as if not sleeping at all.

A quiet sigh escaped him. These dreams, they were driving him crazy. They were so wonderful and felt so real, but they just, weren’t real. Tears dripped down his cheeks. 

Why? Why?! Why were things this way!? His heart longed, earned, for Zero, but he was his enemy! He’s the reason his adoptive parents died, and his siblings almost died too. He killed so many of his friends, and he wants to kill the rest of them, and the Resistance, which was like a family to him.

And then there was Sonic. Guilt pulled at his heartstrings. There was definitely an attraction between them, and Sonic seemed to genuinely care for him. Why did he have to fall in love with a murder? Why couldn’t he have fallen in love with someone like the hero he admires so much?

Shaking his head, he got out of bed and put his glasses on. There’s nothing he can do right now. But eventually, the truth has to come out, and he has to figure out how to tell them, or at least Sonic.

Leaving his bedroom, shoes clicked on the concrete floor as he made his way to the Main Room of Operations. Almost walking in, he paused at the entryway before hiding to the side as he listened in. Something was going on, and he didn’t have the courage to interrupt; feeling terrible for being unable to help or tell the truth, and just feeling plain useless.

“What’s going on Knuckles?” Sonic asked as him, the echidna, and Gadget’s siblings, Kytra and Brian, walked out of the small office and headed towards the main monitor. 

The other generation Sonic stood by the large computer screen; him handing the Commander a flash drive once the four arrived. Huffing a sigh, Knuckles answered his friend.

“You’re not gonna like this.”

Sonic and the siblings who had no clue what was going on looked quizzically at him, but stood silently as Knuckles plugged the flash drive in and typed a few keys before a recorded video appeared on the screen; making Gadget’s heart stop at the site.

The video feed became clear and on it was none other than Infinite. Mask on, it was hard to tell what he was feeling or thinking, but his tone was serious as he began to speak.

“Hello Resistance.”

“Infinite…” 

Sonic growled lowly while everyone else glared at the screen as they waited for the recording to continue. Gadget watched stealthily as he felt his pulse rise.

“I believe I have something that belongs to you.”

The camera was then turned towards a building. Tied and hanging high up was an unconscious yellow fox. The group gasped.

“Tails!” 

The camera focused on the jackal once more.

“I am willing to make, a trade of sorts. After all, you took something from me. So now I have done the same. If you want your ‘little friend’ here, I suggest you return what was taken.”

“Something taken from him?” Brian questioned.

Looking over, he saw Kytra, the shorter Sonic, and Knuckles all look confused, but this generation Sonic, had fury shining in those emerald orbs.

“Meet me at the place made just for two. Away from prying eyes, and find the lone abandoned building. You have until tomorrow by sunset to make the exchange.”

Static was all that followed as the video ended. An eerie silence filled the room. While the group stood there in their thoughts, Gadget covered his mouth with one hand as he used all of his strength to keep standing, unable to comprehend what just happened, yet knowing too well what did. 

Infinite kidnapped Tails. And while that message might seem like it was for Sonic or maybe even the Commander, in actuality, it was actually meant for Gadget.  He knew the context of that message; what he wanted, and even the meeting place.

Sneakily, the wolf tiptoed away, and when knowing he was far enough from the room, he bolted down the hall until making it to his bedroom. The door was softly, but hastily, shut. Back leaned against the door as pants left him.

Infinite made it very clear he wasn’t going to give up easy. Gadget just hadn’t expected, and secretly hoped, no one else would get involved. But, the moment Infinite found out who he really was, and vice versa, there was no going back.

Fear crept into the very core of his being, knowing if nothing was done, that little fox by the name of Tails, would die. Gadget wasn’t going to just leave him there. He refused. 

However, by the context of the message, the ‘away from prying eyes’ part, could have a double meaning. While it could have partly meant the meeting place, as Zero referred to the tree by the lake near the town they met in as private and no one ever bothered them in that spot, it could also mean come alone; no prying eyes from the Resistance.

Though, Infinite didn’t mean to meet him at the tree, but actually at the lone abandoned warehouse in the town that had been there when they were younger. He gave the tree as a reference that only Gadget would be able to decipher. And, knowing his luck, if he tried to tell anyone the location, he’d probably get a lovely visit from the infinity mark on his neck.

Sighing out, he pushed himself off the door he’d been leaning against as he walked to the center of his room. Gadget knew what he had to do. A bitter smile sketched itself on his muzzle. He wouldn’t even get to say goodbye to anyone…. Not his friends, his siblings, or… Sonic.

Pain weighed on his heart, but determination settled in his gaze. It was time to stop running. The next few minutes flew by as he put on clothes, the ones he had on when leaving Nullspace, his side bag with the necessities he’d need for the trip over, and his Wispon was tied to the belt that also held his side bag. Shoes were put on and so were new gloves. The only items he didn’t grab was his communicator and his tracker watch. If he hoped to stand a chance at rescuing Tails, he’d have to play by Infinite’s rules, just as last time.

Checking the pockets of the cargo shorts he wore, he found a folded up piece of paper. 

“Huh?”

Unfolding the abused paper, he instantly recognized the writing and its contents.

“Zero’s letter to me the last day I was in Nullspace…”

Again, his mood dampen as it was a blatant reminder of what was and what would never be. Holding the letter in his hand, he felt insecure, unsure of himself, but…

“Don’t be scared! This is your moment to shine!” 

Those words. Those were Sonic’s words. Before fighting Infinite in Metropolis, they had appeared in his mind from when Sonic first encouraged the nervous wolf. This time, they felt deeper.

Gadget smiled.

“Everything will be okay now that Sonic’s here.”

Amy’s words. They rang true for him too. He believed everything would be alright. No matter what happens.  

An idea flashed in his mind and he quickly got his journal from the drawer and ripped a piece of paper out. He didn’t bother to leave the journal out as it wouldn’t be of any use because it mainly only talked about public information about the war. However, the letter from Zero was folded up, and placed inside the larger folded sheet of paper torn out from his journal. He wrote on top of the large sheet.

Sonic,

I’m sorry I left without saying goodbye.

I wish I could have been able to help you more, because trust me, I wanted to tell you the truth. I wanted to tell you everything.

There’s a letter inside here…. sorry, it’s getting a l-lit...tle hard to wr-ite. 

I hope thi-s… gives a……..clue.

Maybe, when this is all over, we can see each other again. I hope so.

As you said about wanting to get to know me more, I feel the same about you. While I admire your positivity, radiance, and strong will, I want to learn more than just what you choose to show the world. The real you.

Be safe, and don’t give up, ever. I believe if anyone can succeed, it’s you Sonic.

Best, Gadget 