the descent

Chapter 12

"ah subject 4, enjoy your night of freedom" Eggman asked as the chameleon was brought into the same room as him

a meeting/study room of sorts where the man was enjoying a plate of deviled eggs

the ninja forced to sit in the chair in front of him

"Care for some, Cubot makes them fairly decent" Eggman offered as he slobbered on his food

yet the espio merely stared sourly towards him

"not talking hmmm, and after a lovely night under the moonlight, many would be grateful for that," Eggman said disappointed

"you expect gratefulness to be directed to the man who killed my family and placed me in my own hell?" Espio glowered with a scowl

"would you like me to place you in there early?" Eggman forewarned the reptile

once more causing the chameleon's lips to seal

"That's what I thought" the man laughed as he forked another egg

"Now again, would you care for some?"

espio simply shook his head

"you know, other than the rare outbursts you are much easier to deal with compared to the other subjects, perhaps not as good as prowler but still much less taxing" Eggman said out loud

(prowler) espio thought with confusion

when did Eggman refer to tails as his last name?

"by how you're talking about them, they have also..." espio began to speculate before getting interrupted

"cracked, indeed" Eggman stated with proud glee

"Shadow mentality was already a fragile thing, he was the second" Eggman began to recalculate

"the poor fox has so many past demons and insecurities, of course, he was the first to go" Eggman sighed as he sat back

"seeing the echidna being so devastated by his own powerlessness, 3rd was a good spot, continuing to add extra power to this base is just a bonus" the man finished with a good hearty laugh

"And Sonic? Or is his torture the fact he doesn't get the chance to crack" espio growled as he clenched his fists, having such vague ideas of what he was doing to torture his friend was revolting and petty

"figured that out fast" Eggman gleamed

"I'm a detective, it's natural" espio seethed

"a keen skill to asset the empire, something that saved you from the same demise as your commands" the man applauded

"in fact, you're the reason why a certain bat is not here joining us" Eggman stated as he took a sip of his tea

was, he actually being serious

saying he was a reason why one of his friends fell to his demise?!

"but enough of that, you made it, and after I'm done, you'll see it will all be worth it" Eggman stated in a congratulated tone

"If I haven't stated it before, I will say it now, that will never happen, do not take my vulnerability for weakness" Espio warned

yet this act of defiance seemed to simply entertain the man further

"your ego is still something to work on I see, but you'll see I am a patient man" Eggman said deviously

"but for now I think you've had enough time to calm down after your little tantrum yesterday" Eggman sighed as two robotic arms grabbed the chameleons, dragging him back up from the chair

"take him back to his cell" Eggman ordered non shelauntly

espio having to hide his shiver from the pure memory

...

thrown in once more he was uneased to see that it was still the same as the first day he entered his new "living quarters"

but this time at least I had something

a rock from the garden

staying under the camera he quietly and slowly took it out of his sock to examine

it was real which gave him some comfort

and although blunt he could use it as a weapon if he needed

and then

a plan entered his mind