CONFRONTATION OF THOUGHT - A 'ZONERUNNERS' STORY

By Richard Morgan

A harsh glow radiated from the many monitor screens in the room, picking out the edges of desktop debris - piles of ancient books and crumpled paper containing information long forgotten, a multitude of wires sprawling from the visual units like electronic tentacles, some adorned with rings of insulation tape temporarily extending their rapidly diminishing lifespan, and the occasional heavily stained coffee cup, using the remains of it's content to fix it firmly to the partially rusted metal surface. The flickering of monitors unused, screens lost in static, cast inconsistent long shadows across the dusty floor and the bleak, cold concrete walls.

In the midst of this manufactured room, however, there is an organic presence. He sits in an old wooden chair, almost permanently gazing at the televised scenes that present themselves to him every single uneventful day. His eyes heavy with visual exhaustion, he sits motionless, in a fixed pose, scrutinising these screens of the outside world. His breathing, coupled with the low drone of the monitor's power supply, are all that can be heard. Blinking once or twice, he rests his head in his left paw and rolls his eyes.

"Oh come on," Zonefox said loudly to himself. "What's the point of me looking out for travellers if nobody passes through the Zone?"

He sighed loudly, contemplating life as an active Runner again, playing through the scenario that he had thought of so many times before. If he did, he would be assisting the cause actively, rather than this uneventful spectating of others who fight for their right to be free. He felt that if the dream of freedom was acheived within his lifetime, he should at least be able to say that he contributed to the beginning of a new way of life, a Mobius free from the tyranny of Robotnik, rather than remain in a single zone as others risk everything they have for the Runner movement and it's aims. Even now, and he sat here, he knew that there were others fighting, dying for Mobius and it's troubled people. Somewhere out there no doubt, a battle was being fought, fires raging in the night, another fierce conflict in this huge struggle for Mobius's survival. But not here, not here in the somehow unsettling tranquility of this concrete room.

Looking at the screens of the monitors in front of him, he gazed into the vast negletcted network of concrete and metal that was the Scrap Brain. Everything was still, permanent, inanimate - a huge area of the land, killed by the hand of Robotnik, seemingly devoid of life. Except him.

Something on a monitor caught the tired fox's eye. Something fast, small, purple and white. It flashed past a camera, making a blur of movement on one of the screens. Zonefox sat up and stared at the screen. It couldn't have been a badnik, or anything mechanical for that matter. It's movement was - well, natural.

Zonefox looked hard at the screens beside him. He quickly punched a few keys on a nearby keyboard and a new area of the Scrap Brain flashed up on a monitor. He leaned forward further, eyes wide, looking at the figure on screen. Not only was it a traveller, it was someone he knew a lot about, and mostly for all the wrong reasons...

Meanwhile, the figure darted from shadow to shadow. He knew that there were cameras about - who they were operated by didn't matter, he wanted to make sure that no-one knew where he was, or where he was going. He stealthily made his way along, taking cover behind every corner, in every area of darkness, evading detection with every action.

"You can stop trying. I know you're here." came a voice from out of the shadows opposite.

Quickly he scrambled away, making a break for the passageway ahead, but it was too late. Zonefox launched himself at the escaping individual and knocked him flying to the ground. The visitor retaliated with a quick blow to the young fox's head, knocking him sideways with a yelp. Taking the opportunity, he made a break for the darkness, but his objective was narrowly missed as a paw grabbed his foot, pulling him down. He hit the ground with a thud, a small amount of concrete dust thown up into the air around, causing the creature to cough and splutter uncontrollably for a moment.

Suddenly Zonefox was there again, jumping on top of the now grounded animal and pinning him to the floor, but was not there for more than a few seconds before his captive mustered all of his strength and kicked his legs upward, throwing Zonefox up into the air, sending him crashing face down against a rusty metal ramp a few feet away.

The shadow-lurker struggled to his feet and tried to run again. Zonefox picked himself up off the floor and watched him, smiling to himself. He knew where the small weasel was going. He also knew that the criminal had nowhere to run.

The creature ran in the only direction he could - away from that bothersome fox. He stared ahead, concentrating on putting some distance between them. He turned the corner... and stopped as he looked at the surroundings. It was a dead end, the walls of the passage about ten feet high all around, the passage blocking everything from view apart from the very tallest of buildings nearby and the brown clouds moving steadily above. His narrow eyes darted around, looking for any means of exit. He wasn't beaten yet.

"Hah hah hah." He looked up at where the mocking laughter was coming from. Zonefox stood at the edge of the walls above, looking down on the surprised weasel. "You can't run from me, not in this zone. The Freedom Fighter network will be VERY pleased to see you, Nack - behind bars, that is!"

"Dream on, fox," Shouted the weasel in defiance. "You haven't caught me yet!" Nack quickly started back down the concrete passage that he had just run through. Zonefox grabbed a nearby lever and pulled it. An ageing red light weakly flashed, and a heavy, rusting iron door crashed down in front of Nack with a thunderous bang and a grating, ear piercing screech, sealing him in the small passageway. He moved from side to side, looking all around him, but it was no use. He was trapped.

"I think that you'd better get used to confinement, Nacky boy," taunted Zonefox. "They'll be glad to see an end to you're antics."

"And can I ask why?" Nack refused to be spoken to like a badly behaved child. "What have I done that makes your precious Freedom Fighter network want me locked away so badly?" he demanded.

Zonefox strolled along the top of the walls, looking down at Nack. "Why," he said slowly, "Your crimes against the citizens of Mobius! Who was it you worked for again...? Wasn't it that fat, self centered dictator - oh, what's his name now... ah yes, that Emperor Robotnik?"

"I hate sarcasm." said an annoyed Nack. "Almost as much as I hate smarmy foxes."

"I don't think there'll be many of those in jail, so don't worry yourself."

Nack trotted over to the side of the passage facing Zonefox. He couldn't get out, so he wasn't going to bother wasing any effort trying. He slowly sat down, propping himself against the cold, dusty concrete wall. Sighing loudly, he thought about his predicament. The only way he was going to get out of here was through Zonefox, whatever happened. He decided to change his approach. Making an enemy of the fox wasn't going to help him.

"Hey," he started. "I didn't work for Robotnik, by the way. Who'd you hear that from?"

"You are a known criminal on Mobius, Nack. Besides, you've been involved with plots against Sonic, the Freedom Fighter Network and the Runners Hub. I'd say that it was a safe bet that you were working for Egg-breath."

"Aha. No, I wasn't. You know what I do for a living?"

"Apart from being a slimy, untrustworthy scumbag?"

"Listen, I don't like you." Nack pointed aggressively at the young fox. "Getting back to the point - I'm a bounty hunter. And I work for the highest price. In fact, it's a lot like your beloved Runner movement - with the added bonus that I get paid for my work."

"But you still attacked the freedom fighters, and that makes you a criminal on Mobius- "

"I think you'll find, fox, that it is YOU who is seen as a criminal on this crummy planet. This is pretty much 'that Emperor Robotnik's' world, right?"

Zonefox tried to answer back, but realised that Nack actually had a point. As long as Robotnik was the controlling force of the planet, no major action would be taken - by handing Nack over to the law enforcement of Mobius, he was risking himself being imprisoned too for being a Runner, a freedom fighter opposed to the government in the most extreme sense. He stared at the grinning weasel, and hoped he could find something to prove him wrong, but his mind was blank. With a pause in their petty bickering, Nack decided to try and reason with the fox.

"Listen, fox, let's come to some kinda agreement, hmm? You let me go free, and IF I am one of old Eggman's hapless minions, and i'm not saying I am, i'll forget we ever met, keeping you're identity a secret. Heh, it won't be dificult, I don't even know your name!"

"Keep it that way," Zonefox responded. "I still don't see why I should let you go, though."

"Because, my friend, you can't prove i've done anything wrong. You and your Runner friends stand for freedom and hope in a peaceful world. If you accuse someone of an act, and imprison them without a good reason, aren't you doing what Robotnik is doing, right now as we speak? Are you willing to risk your life to end this oppressive society, only to establish another one?"

Zonefox was astounded by Nack's views. "It's just one person, and there's got to be off-worlders who've seen what you are capable of accomplishing."

"Ah... but it all starts with one person, fox. Then you'll accuse more. Then.. well, you might as well start turning everyone into Badniks." Nack knew he was on a winner. If there was one benefit of his life as a bounty hunter, it was his extensive knowledge of how to deal with people. Zonefox stood there, staring at him again, frowning. He knew Nack was right. The wind whistled through the Zone, as he stood silent. Finally, he gave in.

"Okay, okay. I'll let you go, dammit." Mumbled the fox. He didn't like the circumstances, but this was the only result they were going to get.

"Thank you," Nack tipped his hat and looked at Zonefox. "I hope you've enjoyed out time together." he said smugly. Zonefox sighed to himself and walked slowly to the door lever. He paused once more to consider his options, but could see just one choice. Sighing again, he slowly pulled the stiff lever down, and the door loudly opened in front of Nack.

He turned to the weasel. "You want me to take you through the Zone?"

"Nope. I'll let myself out." and with that, he trotted away, slowly disappearing into the dark maze of brick and metal. Zonefox watched him for as long as he could, before slowly turning away to make his way back to the hideout.

Zonefox climbed down the ageing ladder into the monitor room. The monitors hummed lightly as they showed scenes of the Scrap Brain to an illuminated empty wooden seat. He sat back in the chair, and pressed a few buttons, cycling though the active cameras in the Zone. Eventually he found Nack walking through the Zone, and as he watched the weasel on his journey towards the south gate with frustration, his thoughts took control. In their brief encounter, Nack had questioned not only his morals, but the whole Runner movement.

He wondered, his mind deep in thought, as his eyes blankly followed the purple weasel on the screens. Were they as bad as Robotnik? Was the Runner objective flawed, and would it establish a better way of life after all this mighty effort, if it was? Would it be worth pursuing the dream, if the Runner's dream was somebody else's nightmare? The young fox sat still, wide eyed and concentrating hard as the weasel disappeared from his screens. Nack was not a pushover like he had assumed, like he had been told. There was more to him than he had first thought.

Sitting back in the chair, he thought about Nack as a Runner. Maybe if he could be trusted, perhaps. Maybe the whole situation would be different. Zonefox knew that sleep would be impossible tonight, with so many conflicting thoughts, so many questioned ideals. Who could've known that a no-good bounty hunter could have such an impact on someone? Zonefox turned his head from the screens, finding at a photograph of Dee that was taken before all of this madness began, in the blackness of the small room. He held the picture in his paws and ran his thumb slowly and gently over the precious image. The fox looked into her photo-captured eyes, and spoke quietly to her, wishing that the real Dee could hear him too...

"Are we doing what's best for Mobius...?"

'SONIC THE HEDGEHOG', 'Dr. ROBOTNIK', 'SCRAP BRAIN ZONE', 'MOBIUS', 'NACK' (c) SEGA ENTERPRISES.

'Zonerunners', 'Microputer' (c) Mark Eyles, Egmont Fleetway Editions.

'Zonefox' (c) Richard Morgan.