Work Text:
Robotnik hates on-site missions. Be careful, he loves what they bring. New creations, discoveries and drama. But he hates having to go there. Because going somewhere outside his laboratory means having to meet other people who are neither him nor Stone. And Robotnik hates anyone who isn't his-even…or Stone.
In short, for some time, that is to say exactly 4 months and 2 weeks, complaints and rumors have been circulating about machine theft and intrusion.
Many commanders report disappearances of weapons from their stock. Obviously deadly weapons, not built by Robotnik, which have a possibility of immense damage.
The numerous useless and profoundly stupid agents of the G.U.N have reported a high number of intrusions into the rooms of the building. Intrusion which, in the best case scenario, was managed by the agents. That is to say, murder.
But given their mediocre competence, we note a number of injured agents, and therefore, only 60% of intrusions are positively managed. Stupid raccoon. Stone would have succeeded in stopping 100% of intrusions.
The situation therefore became critical. When the government loses weapons and a secret organization recovers them, it's never a good sign. We can expect many things, a war or an uprising of power.
In short, the situation is critical so the government decides to bet everything on the mission: find out who the criminals are, dismantle the possible organization and recover as much as possible of what was stolen from them.
The highest heads of government were therefore brought together to implement this mission.
In a windowless room, in a government building, underground, Robotnik accompanied by Stone therefore finds himself surrounded by deep gray-haired idiots who are desperately trying to agree on the steps to follow for the execution of the mission that they had, brilliantly, named: A.B.H (All Back Home). Ridiculous. It sounds like a game invented by children in daycare.
So far, Stone had managed to keep the doctor in place. Who, by the way, was not the only scientist in the room. But, of course, the most intelligent of course.
For the moment the first idea was to locate where all the material could be found. Several ideas were shared but nothing very concrete and reliable.
“Doctor,” Stone called out in a whisper while Commander Walters tried to figure out what Commander Dwayne told him before he lost his dentures, "all weapons made for the G.U.N emit waves, why can't we just capture them to find its source?"
Robotnik turned back to Stone, his mouth wide open, his eyes wide and his brows furrowed.
“Stone ?”
“Yes doctor?”
“Stop talking. You came up with an intelligent idea and it terrifies me. Never again. and I already had the idea before, I just let this so-called civilized woodlice try to share their semblance of intelligence. And waste my time at the same time”
The truth is that Robotnik was completely unaware of this feature. What's the point? He creates his own robots which also serve as weapons, he does not use the government's.
“Stone”
“Yes doctor?”
"Start researching your watch. I don't care much about their supposedly effective weapons so you know them better than me. But don't take that as a compliment or another way of feeling superior to me. Because you are not."
“Of course sir, right away”
Thanks to the watch that Robotnik had made for him, Stone was able to use many things. Even if he didn't know all the features.
But he was so happy that the doctor made him something. The doctor had taken the time to imagine and make something for him.
His wrist hidden under the table, he began the search. His watch being able to capture many different types of waves, the task looked complicated. But Stone is smarter than he seems. Even if Robotnik wants you to believe the opposite.
He knew the range of the waves that the weapons emitted as well as certain model names. The perimeter was therefore mapped out, all you have to do is clean up between everything it captures.
“Doctor, I captured a large quantity of waves corresponding to the G.U.N rifle in Alabama. I do not have the precise location but I managed to determine a small perimeter”
“It’s better than nothing Stone. But I still would have done better”
Robotnik puts his jacket back on and suddenly stands up. The movement, very inconspicuous and very theatrical, attracted the attention of the other men in the room.
"Gentlemen! I suggest you stop polluting my brilliant brain with your empty sentences from now on. I must remind you...or teach you that your junk weapons emit radio waves. This one was, while you are bickering like children who have taken their little butter biscuit, located thanks to my ingenious watch here", he took Stone's wrist or the watch he found to raise his agent's arm and expose the watch to the eyes of all.
“So I can say that your…weapons, as uninteresting and functional as they are compared to my babies, are within a radius of approximately 93.205492406546 in Alabama." Robotnik's pride could be seen on his face and how much Stone loved seeing that expression on his doctor.
Conversely, the commanders' faces were covered in anger and annoyance. Being interrupted by this man who insults you and throws his intelligence in your face hurts their egos as men.
“Alright! So let’s put Robotnik-”
“DOCTOR Robotnik” Ivo cut in. The commander cleared his throat before continuing. “So I was saying, let's put Doctor Robotnik in charge of his mission and give him a team of around…100 agents, the best I suggest”.
Ivo Robotnik, in such a theatrical manner as usual, placed a hand on his chest and was offended, “I don't need your agents to carry out this mission! On the contrary! They'll be a problem for me, sitting around!”
"No discussion Robotnik, you will be accompanied by other agents and that's all. You will need extra arms anyway, you need people to recover the weapons"
The doctor growled in annoyance, unfortunately this time he could only grumble. And he had already wasted too much time during this meeting to fight with an almost senile old man.
“Stone, come on. There’s work waiting for us!”
—----------
Doctor Ivo Robotnik's truck arrived within the perimeter. During their drive to Alabama, Stone had identified an abandoned building within the search area. The destination was therefore chosen: direction the abandoned building.
The ride was not silent but not noisy either. Unlike his usual, Robotnik initiated small talk with Stone. Unusual practice coming from him.
“Stone ?”
The agent who was facing a screen at the back of the truck to monitor the road turned around to face the doctor who had just joined him. “Yes doctor?”
“I wonder, would you have hidden an intrusion into my dear laboratory from me?”
“The accident” happened about 4 months ago when the reports began.
The doctor had begun to suspect that the body he had seen Stone move, and destroy his own bathtub, was an intruder of the same type as those who stole the G.U.N. weapons. But in his case, the agent would have handled the situation perfectly.
“Doctor…nothing escapes you!” he said with a smile as bright as the moon. How could this man confess to a murder and smile like it was the happiest day of his life?
“So you're telling me you didn't report an intrusion into my lab?!”
“I didn't want to bother you and then that was the only intrusion, they won't try again”, if one of their men is dead, it’s not surprising they won't try again.
“But I reassure you”, how can you be reassured when it’s the man with blood on his hands who tells you that? “There was no theft or damage.”
Except Robotnik's bathtub.
“Hmm…next time something like this happens, report it to me. It’s my lab, my house, so I want to know everything that happens.”
Not waiting for Stone's response, Robotnik returned to his place. He needed to think about the revelation he just had. The mystery of the first corpse was solved and Stone was indeed the executioner…
“Doctor?”
Robotnik let out a loud cry, surprised by Stone's arrival when he was deep in thought.
“We arrived doctor”
“Very good! Let’s finish this quickly, I have other things to do than take care of the government’s losses”
The two men dressed in black got out of the truck. Except this time several agents dressed in protective clothing carrying weapons in their hands were at their side.
"Very good! If you're not too stupid, you've normally read the plan you received at the beginning of the week so you know the steps to follow and I don't plan to repeat myself. Come on, everyone, get going!" After listening to the doctor, the agents quickly took up positions around the abandoned building.
“Stone, you know your role”
“Yes doctor, I will take care of guiding them there”
"Hmm, take what suits you the most from the truck, don't just leave with your little revolver hidden under your jacket. You have to think bigger sometimes, agent! And protect yourself a little more...I don't want to train a new agent. I'm going back to my chair."
Stone was so happy at the moment, besides the fact that the doctor knew he was constantly armed and what type he was using, the doctor allowed him to use one of his inventions. “Thank you very much doctor!”
—----------
Behind a trash can with a strong odor, Stone was hiding with another soldier at his side. He took a small white ball out of his pocket and put in an earpiece. This ball was actually a mini drone of the doctor which automatically came to life. On the doctor's screen, sound and images of what the drone was seeing were broadcast live.
“Stone! When I said protect yourself I was talking about at least a helmet!”
“Excuse me doctor, I really don’t like being loaded, it slows down my movements”
The agent had opted from the doctor's creations for a slightly larger revolver with more cartridge storage capacity. Guns were the most practical for him. And among the bad habits, Stone always hated the uniform that was imposed on him, certainly it protects but it always ended up preventing him from moving as he did in training. And the helmets blur his vision, much too important in a fight. So he remained in his usual suit with the only exception that he unbuttoned his jacket.
“Okay, start the operation,” the doctor ordered.
Stone raised a hand in the air, made a movement, and led the way. Among the debris, Stone and a few half-agents lowered and moved forward slowly. The drone remains behind Stone's back.
“Nothing in this doctor’s floor”
“You’re getting closer to the airwaves, isn’t that fun Stone? It’s like we’re playing a playtime game like Hot or Cold!”
“So am i hot doctor?”
“Hmm no, you’re lukewarm. Face south and go down, there must be a basement or something.”
Agent Stone runs accompanied by his team. He found a door at the back of a room to the south. It was old and rusty. Opening it, they could see a wooden ladder but nothing else, it was too dark to see where it led.
“Let another agent come in in your place Stone, if the ceiling collapses it will at least fall on his head to protect him”
So an agent walks past Stone, like sending him to the slaughterhouse. No ceiling fell on his head and Stone was last through the door, bringing up the rear.
The door, heavy and old, closed directly after the agent's landscape. The wooden staircase was short, so all the agents including Stone had already arrived at the bottom.
An agent tapped the wall for a switch. He found one and switched it on. There was electricity in this building. The single light bulb on the ceiling came on.
Then everything gets noisy.
Gunshots, officers collapsing. What little Stone could see in the heat of the moment was a large room poorly lit by this single bulb. Shelves covered with what are probably stolen weapons and a few men, around twenty, also armed.
The kidnappers had seen the threat coming, everything they had managed to steal was stored in this room and they had time to prepare. Especially to surprise the group of agents.
On Robotnik’s screen, the action was also complicated to capture. He saw men in the corners of the room shooting at the officers closest to them. Some of the men were already on the ground, dead.
“Stone ?!”
Agent Stone, lucky to have brought up the rear and therefore to be hidden behind the other agents, had the reflex to hide under the wooden staircase between some crates that were placed there. The little light and the action allowed him to remain discreet. The doctor's drone, fortunately also somewhat discreet, even if the sound of the gunshots exchanged between the agents and the kidnappers covers it quite well, quickly finds Stone to join him.
On the doctor's screen, only Stone appeared. He wasn't entirely visible in the dim light, but the doctor could see his agent frowning despite his attempt to remain neutral, even at a time like this. The situation must not have pleased him. Understandable.
“Doctor,” he whispered to get the doctor’s attention. Stone could hear Robotnik in his ear just fine, but he wanted to make sure the opposite was still possible.
“Stop worrying Stone, I hear you. I estimate the presence of the adversaries at around…21 men. On our side there are 6 dead so far, I have lost their vital signals. Hurry up and finish Stone, I am sorely lacking a coffee”
The vital signs that Stone's watch transmitted were also displayed on its screen, more visible than the others.
“Notify the agents positioned outside to join me for reinforcement”
“What?! Oh please, Stone! You don’t need those useless arms! I even think they might shoot you by mistake!”
“Doctor, there are people across the way and the other agents are gradually collapsing, I don’t think I will be able to handle this situation”
“Stone? Look at the camera and listen to me carefully”
Agent Stone turned and stared at the little red dot that represented the camera.
Robotnik could see Stone very well, but Stone couldn't see anyone.
“Agent Aban Lee Stone, I order you immediately to execute yourself the people present in this room who are the authors of the recent infiltration within the Government”
At the order, Stone's eyes took on an icy coldness, even through the camera. For Robotnik it was now certain, if he was not the doctor that Stone loves so much, he would have died at the hands of this man hidden under the stairs. And insanely cruel.
“I don’t see why you doubt yourself Stone, you are perfectly capable of it, you are… you are a killing machine Stone. So do what you are programmed to do”
“I wish I never had to do that in front of you sir.”
The man got out of the crates. Stone pointed his guns in front of him and in such a fluid manner, like a dance he had learned since he was a child at school, he planted a bullet in the forehead of each man who was not wearing a uniform. He moves forward, little step by little step. One foot in front of him. A hand on the shoulder of another agent to ask him to bend down and a bullet between the two eyes of the one who appears in front of him.
A pirouette to turn around, a bare-handed enemy trying to hit him in the face. Stone dodges to the left and sharply hits the man in the back of the head with his gun. He falls to the ground, but instead of leaving him there, Stone takes the time to plant a bullet in the back of his head.
Lots of little seeds planted in the heads of these men, and yet no plant will flower.
In a fraction of time, the room was empty of enemies but yet filled with inanimate bodies. Robotnik felt like he had watched a James Bond type action movie in his truck. But without any censorship. He navigated the room using his drone, the conclusion was clear: they were all dead and the weapons were indeed here. The other government agents still able to move had fled.
The drone turned, in the middle of the room, Stone was standing straight with his gun lowered. Due to the proximity of his victims, blood covered his cheek and hair. His black suit, despite the dark color, showed moisture, blood too.
Agent Stone had executed his mission to perfection.
“Stone?” called the doctor. But he didn't answer him. Agent Stone, without reaction, left the room. The drone doesn't let go, like programming to always follow it. He walked through a few rooms, left, and headed behind the building. On his screen, the doctor saw very clearly Stone no longer reacting, he placed his back against a wall, sighed, slid down to sit on the ground and curled up into a ball.
“The hell is he…”
Outside the truck, Ivo Robotnik could clearly hear the other men recovering what had been stolen from them. Several of them recovered little by little to load into the vehicles that had taken them here. No one followed or cared about Robotnik and Stone anymore.
The sky was gray.
Robotnik retrieved a towel that was luckily in his truck. He got out of it and walked towards Stone, still hidden behind the building. The youngest doesn't even notice his arrival.
“Agent Stone”
Stone raised his head to face the doctor in front of him. "Doctor…"
The towel was placed on his head which was hidden underneath, “Sir, it will be stained with blood and it is not washable…”
“I don’t care, remove as much as possible then burn it afterwards”
So the agent did his best to remove as much of the blood that had taken place on him. It wasn't really conclusive, he would mainly need a shower and lots of soap, but he felt a little lighter.
The towel slipped off his shoulders, he discovered the doctor crouching in front of him. The older man's eyes weren't cruel, not this time. He was calculating and Stone was the formula.
“Doctor, I didn’t want you to see all this”
"Who do you take me for, Stone? I'm not made of sugar, I'm not going to vomit for a little blood. I'm totally insensitive. Are you...ashamed of your executions? Regret perhaps? What very human and useless feelings I find"
Stone stood up and the doctor did the same.
"None of that, no. But I feel guilty, yes, I feel guilty for feeling satisfaction in the face of murder. I know very well that morally and for the whole world, it's not good, it's not normal. But for me, it's the most basic thing. So I don't want others to know and see, I don't want you to be afraid of me"
Stone had never spoken for so long. It’s usually the doctor who does the talking.
But Robotnik was now convinced of a second thing. Stone could kill anyone on earth for Ivo Robotnik, including himself. And this was confirmed when their eyes met.
The crime bathes in the eyes of Agent Stone, mischief bathes in the eyes of Robotnik.
And they both love it.