They had left, he was told. But his heart still thundered and his hands still shook. One interview down (and the job vacancy now occupied) and Abraham Towers couldn't believe what he was getting himself into. This man probably wouldn't even attend. But he was distrusting, selfish, arrogant and manipulative all the same.

Doubt be damned- he needed to do whatever it took to keep Mobius safe. Sonic The Hedgehog couldn't be trusted as far as he could roll the speedster. Recklessness aside, his lack of communication proved hazardous and gave the Commander all the more reason to take this on himself. He wouldn't sit around and wait for someone else to save the world.

So, when his office door was knocked upon, he stood proud with hands hidden behind and adorned a formal smile. It faltered when a spherical man stepped cautiously into the room, glaring back at the agents stood beyond.

"I'm surprised you came." The Commander greeted, gulping down his nerves.

Blue glasses bore almost entirely through him, evident disgust across his thin, dangerously pale lips. "I didn't really have a choice."

"You speak as if you're under arrest."

"Aren't I? So, after this, you'll let me freely walk out? Those agents of yours won't imprison me where I stand?"

Towers sat on his cushiony chair, gesturing for the man to do the same. "Well, let's see how this goes. And for the record, without my agents almost demanding they weren't there to arrest you, you never would have agreed."

"They wouldn't have survived, you mean."

He pulled on his collar, clearing his throat. "Yes."

"I'm surprised you found me so soon, I'll admit. Even more so when I found a vehicle just for me waiting outside my base."

"We couldn't have your journey here blasted on the news."

"Endangering your image, are you?"

"It wouldn't bode well, no. And by the by, it's not everyday you come across an obviously evil lair atop a mountain."

"Why, thank you."

"That wasn't a-."

"But it has been an entire year, no?"

Abraham shifted in his chair. He didn't know how, but somehow, that man gathered all the power in the building for himself. A place stuffed with his enemies, weapons made for hunting him down, and yet he spoke as if he were as free as the hedgehog chasing him.

"Mobius is a big place." He tried.

The man laughed. "You have the Ultimate Lifeform working for you. No, I don't think that's it. I think you all became so used to the luscious freedom before you, you didn't even want to think of the possibility of my return. But then Badniks started showing up again, but he was always there before you could do anything about it. Why bother looking into it when the Fastest Thing Alive can handle it for you?"

"That's not-. He's shown me I need to handle this myself."

"Ah." The mans chair groaned as he leaned back, hand brushing through a grey tipped, orange moustache. "So here we are."

"Yes. Here we are."

"Why did your agents grace my home with their presence? Why have you asked for me?"

"I don't plan on arresting you- today. But I have some questions."

"I see. My freedom for answers."

"More or less."

"Amuse me, then. But I don't think there's anything I can give you."

Abraham cleared his throat and straightened some papers atop his desk. "Well, there's some events I'm a bit foggy on, Doctor. For starters, why set up at Christmas Island again?"

"I felt nostalgic."

"I-? Years ago-."

"That's a risky direction." The man leaned forward. "Opening up past doors made to be concealed is never a good idea."

"I'm not the one with the responsibility and guilt of putting Mobius through hell for decades. I have nothing to run from."

He looked amused. "Everyone does, Abraham. Even the very best of us."

"You're referring to Sonic, is that it?"

"Perhaps."

The Commander shifted, sweat forming atop his forehead. "Well, I'm willing to look back and learn, I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice, Doctor Eggman."

The robust scientist peaked over his shoulder, reminding himself of the hundreds of agents cautiously at the ready to pounce.

"I suppose not. I warn you, though, some things really are better to lay at rest. You won't like what you find."

"Enough of the forewarning."

Eggman grinned, golden tooth glistening. "Very well. What is it you want to learn?"

"That factory of yours. The one where the-."

"If you're going to ask me how Sonic made it out from the ruckus alive, I can't tell you. Admittedly, I've always wondered the same thing."

Such venom with a simple name. Towers hummed.

"You had prisoners there-."

"They were meant to be temporary. I should've moved them faster. I built them in the factories and transferred them across the world."

"But-."

Eggman's eye twitched. "The place was destroyed, yes yes. We all remember it."

"But you did manage to move some, didn't you?"

There came a nasty grin and Abraham's spine shivered.

"What gave you that idea?"

"Many were saved, but a list of names suggested to us that more were still missing."

Eggman's eyes went wide and he straightened. Curiosity grew in Towers at the doctors surprise.

"List? How did-?"

"We received a copy after the events in Robotropolis. What happened to the missing mobians, Doctor?"

"You wouldn't want to know."

"You've committed horrific acts. I know them all. You can't-."

"People always say that but are surprised anyway." Eggman gave a resigned sigh.

"I destroyed them. I'm not an imbecile- far from it. Underestimate my intelligence all you wish, but I knew they were coming. My creation of the Robians didn't begin without it's...failures. They were the missing names, at least the ones related to that factory. Mangled, mismatched and broken. I destroyed them. Only two saw them."

Abraham thickly swallowed. "Who?"

Eggman grinned once more. "One's obvious, but the other? That name will die with me. He's much closer to someone we both know, though."

"I doubt you'll give me that name either."

"You're finally catching on."

"One more thing before we discuss what comes next. Why have you returned now? What's aligned in your world that you thought you could disrupt Mobius again?"

"HO HO HO-!" With his voice thinning out, the doctor profoundly cleared his throat, twisting into dry coughs.

Abraham straightened. "Eggma-?"

"I knew that would come up." The scientist practically gasped for air.

"Are you-?"

"Chalk it up to being isolated for a year. Now, you are correct. Something recently has shown me I need to stop wasting time. But when I attacked Spagonia, I returned home only to find your agents at my door. I do hope you'll understand that I need to wait now for the news to ease. Besides, I could use some...assistance."

Towers dabbed at his rather sweaty forehead with a hand towel and dry throat. "I have a feeling I'm going to hate this more than anything else you've said today."

Eggman stood, turned and hid his hands behind his back. "It's difficult to get much of anything done when the military's on your back. But I think you're looking in the wrong place."

"What do you mean?"

"My retreat from Spagonia was no accident, Commander. Nor was it luck. I was allowed. Badnik sightings, you've came to learn, have been far more common than you were informed of. You've been kept in the dark and now betrayed."

"So why tell me this, if this person is 'on your side'?"

The Doctor nastily craned his head over his shoulder. "Because I'm not on theirs."

Abraham stood and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Enough of this. Out with it. Who am I to look out for?"

"Isn't it obvious? The one who failed to warn you of my Badniks. The one who opposed me in Spagonia but failed to capture me. The one and only, Sonic The damn Hedgehog."

The Commander froze, mused and chuckled. "I know he's reckless, but-. Don't you think you're biased?"

"Of course I am. But you don't have to believe me, Mobius does."

"I- what?"

"Set him up. They brought into the idea he helped me years ago. So did you. No matter what, that will stick in peoples minds."

"Sonic's a hero to Mobius."

"He's a temporary shield before I inevitably rid of him too. You're not seriously as naive as that moronic pest to believe this planet actually cares, are you?"

"You just hate the fact-."

"Like I said, you don't have to buy into this."

"Then, Sweet Gaia, why would I help you?"

Eggman stroked his moustache. "Does Shadow know?"

"Know? Know what?"

"How his creation was discovered to begin with. G.U.N knew my grandfather was set to make immortality a reality, but the details were left vague. Yet, when word spread to Gun of a 'dangerous hedgehog with unknowing loyalties', the entire project was mysteriously shut down. Too dangerous they said. Too risky." He turned with a hidden gleam in his red and black eyes.

"It would be disastrous if that information got out, no? Shadow wouldn't be the only one owed an explanation, but Mobius too."

"Are you threat-?"

"HO HO HO! Of course not." With a slimy grin, Eggman held out his hand. "Just a...precaution to ensure our deal goes through."

"And don't worry, bringing Sonic to me comes with tremendous rewards."

With dizziness creeping in, Towers slowly took a firm grip of the doctors hand. "Like?"

"You won't have to worry about man power or weapons, I can assure you that. Or a disastrous explosion of information seeping out to the world on just how corrupt Gun really is."

"I...don't really have a choice, do I?"

"You never did, Abraham. As far as Mobius is concerned, you're simply taking down another 'bad guy'. With all said and shook on, I welcome you to the Eggman Empire!"