Sonic was terrified of Scout.
It wasn't the way that he was afraid of other enemies. Not like Selina and Linus, or Starline, or even Robotnik.
Scout wasn't anything like them. He had no direction- no goal or even a vengeful motive. Nothing that Sonic could understand about him. He knew that even that bionic eye that glowed menacingly on the Lynx's face wasn't a reason he did what he did.
He wasn't mad at the world, or seeking to right a wrong done to him. He wasn't even looking for world domination.
Scout just took joy in making all he laid eyes on suffer.
The Hedgehog couldn't believe a person like him even existed. It mortified him, making bubbles of terror rise in his stomach. The glitter of excitement when he saw someone- anyone in pain made Sonic nauseous. It made him angry.
It horrified him to the point his entire body seemed like it could fall apart.
And what was worse about merely being in Scout's presence?
Being trapped in his maze of a warehouse, filled with eerie security rooms, dusty storage closets, and labs that broke too many ethical codes to count. Every time Sonic and the others (his brother Tails and his girlfriend Amy) saw the orange glow of Scout's robotic eye, he could hear Amy's voice hitch in a gasp and he could see Tails' namesakes spike up.
Sonic could tell the two felt the same as he did.
Every turn they took - every path they thought would get them out - only seemed to throw them further into the darkness of the warehouse. This place was a labyrinth, and Scout was the Minotaur.
And the trio were trying desperately to escape.
Sonic looked down at his hands, observing the scratches and scrapes all over his palms. He remembered how he'd slipped on some dark red liquid he didn't look at twice and caught himself with his palms in an attempt to not make too much noise. They'd learned that Scout's hearing was very sharp - and he was almost as quick as Sonic - after any significant noise seemed to alert him instantly.
He tried remembering how they'd even gotten into this mess. Everything still seemed fuzzy and blurred. He couldn't recall how he'd woken up in a dark cell with his two closest companions. All he knew was that Tails had been desperately shaking him to wake up, and Amy was inspecting every inch of the cell to find a way out.
Scout disturbed him to moment he stepped into the room. The way he referred to him and the other two as "patients" and laughed excitedly as he mulled over "treatments" sent shivers down his spine. He promised to come back soon when he left the room, giving the trio limited time to find a way out.
Sonic didn't know that Amy could pick locks so easily, but he was grateful when she took out hairpins and wires from her pockets. She always seemed to be prepared, one of many reasons Sonic adored her. Once the door was open, it seemed to really sink into Sonic how bad this situation was. They had no idea how far away they were from home and they didn't know the layout of this place.
They had no idea how to get out.
Now, he couldn't even tell how long they'd been in this place. There were no windows, so they couldn't keep track of the days. Sonic's head was pounding, and his motions felt heavy. Tails said that it must've been from the depressants Scout had given them before. None of them seemed to know why Sonic felt so feverish from them, but they assumed Sonic had been getting sick- somehow. The Fox seemed to remember the most of what had happening, though he was a bit hesitant to talk about it.
Sonic hoped that in time, hopefully very soon, his brother would be able to explain all that he remembered. Until then, he was focused on getting out.
For a moment, a wave of nauseous exhaustion went over him. He exhaled sharply, leaning on a nearby wall for support. Amy and Tails looked at him in concern, but the blue-clad Hedgehog waved lazily to them. "Just a minute..." He mumbled, hardly audible. Amy stood next to him, ready to catch or hold him if needed. Tails walked off further down the hallway, trying to see anything that could help. The Fox seemed to noticed something and rushed over to it. He came back a few seconds later with some water bottles. They looked clean and fresh, which told Sonic something.
Scout wanted them to survive. To find these little things to help him. It was like a morbid survival video game, but real life.
That was all everything was to Scout. A game.
Tails silently pointed out how the bottles were sealed, so they were unopened and untampered with. Sonic gratefully took one and practically ripped the cap off. He drank some of the water, feeling it give him a new burst of strength. Tails quickly drank some of his own, and Amy held onto hers, wanting to save it.
"We'll be okay." Amy whispered, breaking what seemed to be a layer of constant silence within the group. Sonic desperately wanted to believe that, though clouds of doubt were digging into his mind. Tails hummed in agreement, resting his head in his hands. They all looked defeated and tired, but knew they had to carry on. This place would kill them if they didn't fight their way out.
Sonic looked at Amy and nodded in response to what she said. "We will." The fellow Hedgehog smiled at the, gratitude in her eyes. Tails watched the two, smiling faintly at them. Sonic pulled away from the wall, stretching his arms a bit. "Alright, let's keep going." He stepped forward...
Only to trip over a box of test tubes.
The shatter-like clang the glass made against each other made everything else seem silent. Tails spun around to face his brother, fear in his sickly pale blue eyes. Amy froze for a moment, her ears spiking up in alertness.
Slow footsteps could be heard not too far away.
He was coming.