Sonic GeneX - The Series
Episode 10 - Quadruple Trouble

Note: Sonic the Hedgehog and related characters are (c) SEGA and 
Sonic Team. You knew that, right?
GeneX and related fanchars are (c) 2BIT (TheGreatGator), the author.
"Free" is (c) Jun Senoue(composer), Johnny Gioeli(writer) & Chris Madin(singer) (for once I found detailed info, so I'm giving full credit)


Previously on Sonic GeneX...
Col. Gunner placed a bounty on Sonic's head, but after several months, Sonic still hasn't been captured.
Dr. Eggman moved back into Darkegg Fortress after Copter, Punchy, Rainbow and Gemini had taken up residence there. He spent a brief dimension-hopping adventure learning tricks from Eggmen of other realities.
Now, let us begin today's story...


Col. Gunner was furious and frustrated. The most recent failure by GUN's own forces to catch Sonic was the last straw. Now, Gunner waited impatiently in his office for visitors who would solve the problem once and for all. Spy peered through the door after a while. "Sir... They're here... And a bit annoyed with all the security." he said. "Send them in, then... I'd hate for them to get cranky!" Gunner said sarcastically. Spy opened the door and led in four animals. One was a purple weasel wearing a brown Australian hat: Nack. One looked like Sonic with a red bandana and black boots: Spiny. There was also a large polar bear and a green duck: Bark and Bean respectively. "G'day, mate... Why the summons?" Nack asked. "And how stupid do you have to be to take 20 minutes figuring out that I'm not Sonic!?" Spiny growled. Bean giggled at his frustration, but Gunner glared at them, demanding silence. "You bounty hunters come highly recommended... I don't know if you watch the news, but I'm trying to capture Sonic! I will pay you handsomely for doing this for me... And the one who brings him in will also get his speed, if they want it." he stated. Nack nodded. "Just been waitin' for you to engage my services properly... Takin' down Sonic'll be sweet enough, but the payday will make it sweeter!" he smirked. "Do we get any cool GUN gear for this job?" Bean grinned playfully. Bark shrugged and grunted. He rarely spoke, but Bean understood him. "What?? No, YOU shut up!!" he snapped. The bounty hunters were soon on their way, and Gunner pressed a button on his desk to activate a call box. "Send in Guard..." he said. The gargoyle arrived promptly, saluting the colonel. "I trust you saw the freaks that just left my office? ...Follow them. They are on my payroll, but... I don't trust them..." Gunner stated. Guard rolled his eyes as he turned to leave. "Grrr... Surprise, surprise..." he grumbled. "And actually do as you’re told this time! I don't need another repair bill like we got from that tavern!!" Gunner shouted angrily before Guard shut the door behind him. "...I miss wartime..." Gunner sighed.


Today, Tails and Knuckles were following Sonic from the air in the Tornado while he was out on a run through a calm, grassy zone. They weren't looking to catch him, just to keep him company and test some adjustments to the Tornado's engines at the same time. "She's keeping up with Sonic nicely... Maybe we should race him!" Tails grinned. Knuckles looked a bit nervous. "Uhhh... No thanks. I had lunch before coming aboard..." he groaned. None of them noticed a vehicle closing in on them from the side. It was Nack's blue hover bike, the Marvelous Queen, with Spiny in one sidecar and Bark and Bean squeezed into another. Bark grunted while Bean balanced on his head, aiming a bazooka. "Heheheh... Steady... Hang on... Got 'em in my sights... KABANG-BOOM-BLAM!!" Bean laughed, firing an explosive blast at the Tornado, which sent the plane spinning out of control! "Waaaaaugh!! What happened???" Tails cried, pulling at the controls and trying to steer the damaged plane! "We're smoking!! We're gonna crash!!" Knuckles yelled. Tails nodded and flipped a switch. "SPOT, emergency landing!" he said. A hatch opened under the plane, and the robo-puppy emerged, firing up thrusters in its paws to fly along under the Tornado. The hatch on SPOT's back opened, and a robotic arm extended, latching onto the bottom of the plane so SPOT could help steer it and ease their landing. While the plane was working its way to the ground, the Marvelous Queen sped towards them. "Sonic ought to be meeting us any moment... You all better be ready." Nack said. The Tornado was carried gently to the ground by SPOT, and Tails sighed with relief once they'd stopped. Knuckles was quick to jump out of the plane. "Goodbye, lunch... Ugh... I'll be over at those bushes, Tails..." he groaned, holding his stomach. Tails chuckled awkwardly and climbed down from the cockpit as well. "I'd better go see what went wrong..." he muttered, quickly noticing the smoking hole in the side of the plane. "...We were shot! Who...?" he muttered, gasping as a shadow was cast over him. "US, freaky-fox! Heeheehee!! Long time no see!" said Bean, still perched on Bark's head, much to the polar bear's annoyance.

Of course, Sonic heard the explosion, and was quick to stop running and look back to assess the situation. When he spotted the Marvelous Queen, he rushed over to give Nack a piece of his mind, finding Spiny there as well. "What are you supposed to be, the 'dynamic dweeb duo?'" Sonic said mockingly. Nack kept his pistol trained on Sonic, while Spiny glared at him with contempt. "I hate you so much, Sonic... You even out-outlaw me! So when GUN hired us to bring you in... I didn't even listen to what they were promising in return." the porcupine growled. Sonic clenched his fists and glared back at them. "Well, I got news... Shooting down Tails's plane won't help you catch me... It just makes me mad!" he said before charging straight at them! Nack quickly pulled up his bike so that Sonic passed under it, and piloted his way toward the wreck of the Tornado. "I beg to differ, speedy. Ya see, we already get that catchin' you is an idiot's game..." Nack smirked, landing the Marvelous Queen next to Bean and Bark, who had Tails tied up and held in Bark's powerful arms! "Hehehehe!! Hey, Mr. Needlemouse! Long time no see!" Bean giggled. Sonic gasped and tried to speed after them, but stopped as Bean pointed the bazooka at Tails, making Bark whimper in nervousness. "I KNOW it'd blow you up, too! I don't think Sonic cares, Bark!" Bean snickered. Sonic growled softly. "Let him go, you clowns!" he shouted. "Whatever you do, don't fire that bazooka!!" Tails stammered. Nack wore a toothy grin as he watched them squirm. "It's very simple, Sonic. Either you meet us at Central City near Radical Highway to turn yourself in, or we'll just have to see if GUN accepts the little fox boy instead..." he stated as Bean and Bark carried Tails into the Marvelous Queen's sidecar, a very cramped fit for the three of them. Spiny chuckled. "Of course, if GUN doesn't want him, I'm sure Bean can think of something to do with your pathetic friend..." he said darkly. As Sonic helplessly watched the bounty hunters fly off with Tails, Knuckles walked around the Tornado and glanced up where he was looking. "Hey, Sonic... What'd I miss?" he asked.


Meanwhile at Darkegg Fortress, Punchy and Rainbow were busy searching for the new TV remote. Copter had used the money he earned working at the burger shop to buy an actual TV, so they didn't have to use the monitors in Eggman's control room anymore. That new TV's remote had already gotten lost, so they ventured into Eggman's lab, wondering if one of the doctor's robots had confiscated it. They passed by Hoover, who was busy repairing some joint damage Cubot had sustained during his excursion to Troblusk City. "Ow! Careful, Nurse Ratchet!" Cubot complained. "This weren't in my job description... So shut yer yap or I'll take the arm off!" Hoover warned. Rainbow stopped to greet them. "Hey, Scooter. Cubert. You boys seen the remote?" she asked. "Which remote?? The Egg Carrier jacuzzi remote? The remote to the popcorn machine? The remote to the space shuttle's windshield wipers??" Cubot asked. "Rainbow, what'd I tell you about giving them attention?" Punchy grumbled, leading her further into the lab. Something was sparking inside, apparently something Dr. Eggman was working on. As they approached, Eggman hastily covered his project with a tarp and turned to them with a look of exasperation. "I-I was just building a... uh... An innocent coffee maker! Yes... Now what do you want?!" he said with annoyance. Punchy pointed at the odd shape under the tarp. "...That don't look like a coffee maker..." he said. Rainbow shrugged. "You seen the remote, Tubby?" she asked. Eggman groaned at being called that name yet again. "Alpha's probably playing with it. He's in Egg Maze..." the doctor sighed. Punchy frowned and headed for the exit to the lab. "Not the maze..." he whined. Rainbow looked around curiously as she left with Punchy. "...Have you noticed that all the mice that were in here seem to be gone, One?" she muttered. "Eggman probably set up traps... Let's go." he grumbled. Once they were gone, Eggman snickered and removed the tarp, revealing a metallic mouse inside a glass tube. "You won't call me Tubby anymore... Once I've perfected this... The robotisizor... Thanks for the idea, Julien!" he muttered with a sinister chuckle...


After some discussion, Sonic was on his way to Radical Highway, a police car following behind him. Razor was driving, with Knuckles and Amy in the back seat, and Ridley relaxing in the passenger seat. "Why does he get the front seat?? Why is he even here??" Amy complained. "I'm getting a crash course in policing from Razor... Might just become a cop." Ridley smirked. "Today, you're just observing. With Sonic and his posse joining me, I feel enough like I've joined some goofy rock band." Razor sighed. Knuckles scratched his head. "Rock band? I don't want you in our band. A cop makes us too Villagepeople." he said, making Amy groan. Razor stopped the car as Sonic stopped running. The Marvelous Queen was parked in front of a warehouse. Bean and Bark were standing guard outside. Sonic sped past the guards and into the building; Bean was distracted by some shiny litter and didn't notice, while Bark was barely awake. Razor, Knuckles and Amy slowly crept toward the sleeping guards until Sonic poked his head out the window. "Nack and Spine-puss aren't here! I'll be out with Tails in a minute!" he shouted, startling Bean and Bark into action! "Huh? HEY!! You sneaky-sneak!! I'm gonna blast ya for that!!" Bean shouted, producing a bomb out of nowhere! "Disarm that weapon and put it on the ground!" Razor warned, pointing his gun at the duck. Bark blocked the shot and came charging at the cop, startling him! "H-hey... Don't make me shoot!!" he yelped, backing away. However, Knuckles stepped in and started grappling with Bark. "Hey, tough guy! If bullets don't scare you, how about me??" he growled, shoving the polar bear backward! Bean was busy chucking bombs at the warehouse, when Amy stepped in front of him with her hammer. "Leave my Sonic alone!!" she shouted, smacking some of the bombs back at him with her hammer as though they were baseballs! Bean yelped, scrambling to avoid the explosives. "Arrrgh!! Wait, stop!! Can't we talk this over, Rosie Rascal??" he stammered. Amy snarled angrily. "I HATE that name!!" she yelled, charging at Bean with her hammer! By the time Sonic got outside with Tails, Bean and Bark were lying on the floor in a dazed heap. Suddenly, the Marvelous Queen started to move on its own, zipping over to Nack and Spiny as they arrived! They hopped in, and Nack pointed his gun at Sonic and Tails. "I bet Gunner will still reward us for yer carcass! Eat lead!!" he shouted, firing! Sonic grabbed Tails and sped him out of the way. "Sonic! What about the others??" Tails yelped. He nodded, and noticed a crowded mall entrance not too far away. "This way!!" he shouted, leading the group into the crowds! "We don't need the heat of killin' humans..." Spiny muttered. "I won't miss..." Nack grunted, driving after them.

Nack tried to aim at the fleeing group, but the crowd blocked his shots too much. "Rrrrr!! Spiny, move those idiots!" he grunted. Spiny smirked and raised his hand. "Chaos Spear!!" he shouted, firing multiple spears into the crowd and starting to knock people aside! "We've gotta get these people outta here!" Amy said with concern. Sonic was looking around the mall and spotted a music supply store. "Hmmm... Or maybe we need to draw MORE people here..." he mused. "Uh, are you okay, Sonic??" Tails wondered. "C'mon, let's see if we can form our own Sonic Underground!" Sonic said. Knuckles groaned. "Can that not be our band name?" he grumbled. Razor kept his focus on Nack. "Do what you're gonna do fast... I'll ground those guys!" he said, firing his gun up at the Marvelous Queen, taking a couple shots before apparently piercing the gas tank! "My baby!!" Nack yelped as it leaked fuel quickly, forcing him to the ground! "Whatever, let's push down anyone in our way and take a new hostage! Sonic can't run everyone to safety!" Spiny growled. As the weasel and porcupine climbed out of the hoverbike, a spotlight shone on the entrance to the music store, where Sonic was set up with a guitar, Amy with a keyboard, Knuckles with a drum set, and Tails playing bass. "Hello, Central City! Let's rock this joint!!" Sonic shouted over a microphone. "You can call us... Duditude!!" Knuckles announced with a smirk. "I wish we had time to put that to a vote..." Amy sighed. Nack and Spiny stopped to stare at them in confusion, but Nack snapped out of it quickly. "Whatever. Public execution, then. Gunner will know it was us!" he growled, heading toward the band. However, Duditude then started playing, and singing:

"I’m falling free in the wind, in the wind!
Free to be me in the wind, in the wind!

What would it feel like to be speed of light, 
And rule the night and day? 
Watch as it passes by, the masses try you
But they just can’t keep up.
Into the free, into the me
Into the ever knowin'.
Felt so refrained,
Felt so constrained,
But now I’m breaking out and
I’m falling free in the wind, in the wind, 
Free to be me in the wind, in the wind!

I’m falling free in the wind, in the wind, 
Free to be me in the wind, in the wiiiiiind!"

As "Duditude" sang, more people gathered to listen, some even recording the performance on their phones. Nack and Spiny tried to push past the crowds, but the mall became so jam-packed that they could scarcely move! "They think these people can stop us!? Spiny, scatter 'em with a Spear Storm!!" Nack ordered. "Don't boss me! I might just whack you, too!" Spiny growled. Just then, a gun was held to Spiny's head, held by Razor. "You guys are under arrest!" he said. Nack smirked and pointed his gun at Razor. "We got ya outnumbered, chump!" he smirked. Suddenly, he heard someone drop down behind him, growling. "Grrrr... You weren't hired to threaten police officers..." said Guard, who had been watching from afar the entire time. Nack lifted his weapon and whimpered. "Well... You got us... But Bean & Bark'll spring us!" he smirked. "Not likely!" came yet another voice. Ridley squeezed through the crowd to meet them. "I got their accomplices cuffed and waiting back at the car! Uh... Hey, Guard..." he said awkwardly. Guard growled at him, but focused on restraining Nack. Meanwhile, Sonic and friends wrapped up their concert, exchanging hi-fives upon seeing that Nack and Spiny had been captured!


Nack, Spiny, Bean and Bark were each locked in nearby cells in the Hopebringer Center for the criminally insane. Col. Gunner was there to scowl at them as they examined their new living arrangements. "You're all incompetent! I should have known better than to rely on the likes of you... ANIMALS!!" he shouted. Bark growled softly, and Bean nodded. "Yeah, I wanna ask, too. When do they serve dinner in here?" he asked cheerfully. Gunner growled and turned away, unable to look at them anymore. "Get comfortable, you freaks... You won't be getting out as long as I have anything to say about it..." he sneered, walking away. "...Don't we get a phone call? Or a TRIAL??" Nack groaned. "Aw, shut up..." Spiny snapped, prompting the four of them to start growling and shouting amongst themselves, blaming each other for their predicament.


Sonic joined Tails, Knuckles and Amy in bringing the Tornado back to Tails's Central City workshop. He noticed during the trip that people weren't trying to chase him anymore. Resting in the workshop, Tails and Amy quickly discovered why with a quick search on the internet. "Sonic... people posted our performance online! Look!" Tails showed him. Amy gasped at the view totals. "We've gone viral!" she remarked. Sonic let out an impressed whistle. "I did not expect this... Hey, do you think this made people forget the bounty GUN put on my head?" he wondered. Knuckles scratched his head. "Huh?? Oh... Yeah, that... THAT was why Nack was after you! I thought he was still holding a grudge for the last time we beat him to the Chaos Emeralds..." he babbled. Tails chuckled. "I guess you're more or less free now, Sonic!" he smiled. Amy jumped at this news. "All right!! Now we can finally go on that date that we missed out on back at the Festival of Romance!!" she cheered, "C'mon, Sonic! ...Sonic??" Looking around, she saw that Sonic was long gone. "SONIC!!! WAIT FOR ME TO FINISH TALKING BEFORE YOU RUN OFF!!!" she shouted, to which Tails and Knuckles laughed a little. Sonic was free from persecution now, so he had gone out to make the most of it, running through the city streets at a slower speed than normal, taking the time to wave to the people he passed by. Finally, after months of hiding, he was free once again.

Episode End!