At night, the two agents were driving taking Knuckles and Gwen to a place to hold them hostage around the mountains and forests to a place called IceCap Ski Resort. After they had arrived, they came up to the back of the car.

"IceCap Ski Resort. This is where the Buyer wants to do the exchange?" Agent Mason asked.

"He makes the rules, not us. Right, help me unload the echidna and the hedgehog." Agent Willloughby said.

Agent Mason open the back doors to reveal the unconsciousness Knuckles and Gwen. After the while, Wade drives his police car to a iceCap ski Resort to see the two agents taking knuckles and Gwen inside.

"Alright, little buddies. I'm coming for ya. Come on, Wade. You can do this. You might not be a warrior yet, but you are a deputy. In fact, you're one of the greatest deputies in the history of law enforcement. And normally, in a situation like this, you'd call for backup. But this is Montana, so... you are the backup. Rely on your instincts. Think back to your police training. You are prepared for this. Don't ever say I wasn't there for you. Cool line." Wade talked to himself as he trying to gain confidence to rescue them.

He flashes back to when himself watching the 1995 movie "Bad Boys" as Will Smith saves Martin Lawrence from getting run over by a car. Will Smith shoots his gun at the getaway car before facing his partner.

"Don't ever say I wasn't there for you!" he said to him.

Flashback ends as he realizes he didn't know police training much before.

"I am extremely unprepared for this."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Knuckles and Gwen are waking up from their unconsciousness but still in their cages as they look around.

"Knuckles? Where are we?" Gwen asked.

"I have no idea. Where have you taken us? A dungeon? A torture chamber? A pit so deep that no one will ever hear my screams?" Knuckles demanded.

The lights turn on to reveal a nice cozy resort with Agent Mason sitting on a couch in front of them.

"Oh." Knuckles said.

"That's quite nice, actually." Gwen said, liking the place.

"Damn right. Always pictured myself living in a place like this one day. Now, I don't know how to ski, but with a house like this, you bet I could learn." Agent Mason explained with a smirk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back with Wade who still talks himself about how to rescue them

"All you have to do is sneak into the bad guy's lair, try not to get yourself killed by their superpowered weapons, and then save your cool new best friends. What could possibly go wrong?" he sighed. "Come on, Wade. What would Knuckles and Gwen do? They'd come up with an awesome rescue plan."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back to knuckles, Gwen, and Agent Mason, Knuckles had his eyes closed as he was already thinking of a plan and hummed before opening them.

"Ah ... I am visualizing my inevitable escape and your brutal destruction at my hands." Knuckles started laughing maniacally while Gwen looked at him weirdly. "Yes! Your arms have just snapped off with the most satisfying crunch."

"Sorry about my boyfriend, he can be a little weird when it comes to plans and stuff." Gwen said to Agent Mason.

"Well, it's a good thing you're both trapped inside that case then, buds." he said before chuckling.

"Stop talking to them!" Agent Willloughby snapped him, walking in.

"They were talkin' to me." Agent Mason defended.

"Just stop talking." she told him firmly.

"Fine with me. I'm gonna go relax. Job's done, and we about to get paid!" Agent Mason clapped before laughing and walking away.

"Americans." Agent Willoughby scoffed, facing Knuckles and Gwen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wade walked to the store to grab something to set a plan to rescue Knuckles and Gwen while background music played "Holding Out for a Hero" by Bonnie Tyler.

"Alright. Wade's awesome rescue plan starts now. Step one, project confidence. Step two, become one with the shadows. Step three... lock and load. Step four, the grand finale."

He grab a pair of sunglasses to look confident as his fantasy begins with him making the resort have a blackout and fighting off Agent Mason. He then face off Agent Willoughby and blast her with fire using a lighter and hairspray and then him running out of the resort carrying Knuckles and Gwen as he take them outside as fireworks light up to celebrate.

"You are truly an amazing warrior, Wade Whipple." Gwen said proudly.

"Now, as a tradition, let us celebrate our victory with a warm hug." Knuckles added.

"I thought you'd never ask." Wade said and the trio hugged.

As they hug, the fantasy ends with the register snapping him out of his daydream as he ask him a question.

"Anything else?"

Wade put the items down he needs on the counter.

"Gimme a blue raspberry Icee." he said with a dramatic cool tone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh, how your screams are a symphony to my ears as I crush your skulls into a fine powder, and--" Knuckles ranted on about his vision just as Agent Willloughby interrupted him.

"Sorry. Don't mean to interrupt, but, uh... you almost finished here?" she asked.

"No!" Knuckles said as he punches ground of his cage.

"Knucks, seriously, are you done yet? We're kinda bored here." Gwen deadpanned.

"Okay. Now, I am finished." Knuckles declared.

"Thank you." Gwen sighed in relief. "Finally."

"Do you know, I'm sorry, we haven't gotten a chance to get to know each other yet. I'm actually quite an admirer of your work and your power of your necklace, Gwen." Agent Willoughby said.

"What could you possibly know about my life of battles and quests?" Knuckles questioned.

"And what do you want about my powers?" Gwen added as she grab a hold of her necklace tightly.

"Oh... I know all about you, Knuckles. And does your little girlfriend. Studying creatures like you two, your abilities, your powers, where you're from. That was my job for a long time." Agent Willoughby explained.

"I see. Then, you know about my tribe's victory over the vile Dr. Robotnik!" Knuckles said.

"And I know you agents must have something connected to Robotnik as well to know our knowledge and the past." Gwen added, glaring at her.

"Of course." Agent Willloughby agreed.

"So, if you know how we destroyed someone as dangerous as him, then you know how easily I can destroy someone like you." Knuckles said.

"Is that what you think? That I'm nothing? That I'm no one compared to the great Ivo Robotnik? Well, let me assure you, you're both wrong. 'Cause while I know everything about you two, I promise, you two know nothing about me. But when this is all over... you will." she declared with a threatening smile.

Knuckles and Gwen glared at her while Gwen looked down at her ruby necklace, knowing something is up and has a bad feeling about it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wade drives back to IceCap Ski Resort with items he bought from the store and the gauntlet Agent Mason dropped earlier to set a recuse plan.

"Alright. Geared up. Here we go. Hang tight, guys. I'm comin' to get ya." Wade said as he placed the items down to the ground and put on his gauntlets.

"All I need is the perfect rescue soundtrack. Let's do this, Spotify. Time to rock out!"

Wade tapped the screen from his phone with his gauntlet to set the heroic music with the gauntlet, but it didn't work as he tried to tap it again and again. He then decided to use his tongue to press play, only to play the wrong music called "I Don't Want To Wait" by Paula Cole.

"That's not gonna... Oh, no, not that song! Oh, forget it. Warrior mode activated."

As he clenches them into fists with the gauntlets and punches them together, he blows off the ground and flys backwards. The motor oil spills all over the fireworks, the spray hit the lighter to make fire to explode the fireworks and destroyed the sheriff car as his plan gets blown up, literally.

"The fireworks were supposed to be the grand finale!" Wade said as the fireworks were so loud, the agents can hear it from inside, including Knuckles and Gwen.

"What the hell/What was that?" the agents said unison.

"Sounds like someone just set off..." Agent Mason started as they went off to check it out.

Knuckles and Gwen look at each other knowing it was Wade, who had come to the rescue and probably knew his plan backfired. When the agents ran outside on the balcony, they see Wade again as well as the fireworks.

"Is that the round little man again?" Agent Willloughby asked.

"Oh! At least she's still drivable." Wade said in shame for his plan being backfired as the car was on fire.

"You again!" Agent Willloughby yelled.

"That's right! I'm here for the echidna and the girl hedgehog!" Wade said courageously until the gauntlets start beeping. "What's that beeping? That can't be good. Wonder what that--"

He was cut off by the gauntlets suddenly blasting and lifting him up into the air.

:Oh, no! Yah! Ay-ay-ay! Oh, no! Oh, my God! Wee-hee-hee-hee! I will be right with you guys! Oh, God!"

Wade went flying for a moment and then crashing inside the resort.

"You guard the echidna and the female hedgehog. I'm gonna go and handle this." Agent Mason said, heading after Wade.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a short and unexpected fight between Wade and Agent Mason, Agent willloughby is guarding knuckles and Gwen, weilding a gun.

"Who are you working with?" she asked them.

"He is our protege and our apprentice." Knuckles said proudly.

"And our loyalty trusted friend." Gwen added.

"A force so strong of body, mind, and heart that your last words will be a plea for a merciful death from the warrior known only as... Wade." Knuckles introduced.

Wade showed up from the door, panting after an unexpected win from defeated Agent Mason.

"Sorry. Sorry. Say, quite a tussle back there. You should see the other guy. Oh. Here he is." Wade breathed, pointing at unconscious Agent Mason on the ground.

"Seriously? This is your great warrior? Thought he'd be dead by now." Agent Willoughby asked doubtfully.

"It's his first day." Knuckles and Gwen answered in unison.

"I know I may not look like much of a warrior, but... o offense, you guys don't, either. I mean, he looks like a sexy menswear model, and you look like some kind of psychotic Uma Thurman lookalike." Wade said, making Gwen snicker at the names he called them.

"Thank you. Now, before you die, tell me one thing. What does a moron like you want with the echidna and the female hedgehog?" Agent Willloughby asked, pointing her gun at him.

"We're gonna win a bowling tournament." Wade declared and then launched the gauntlet at Knuckles and Gwen's cages.

Time slowed as the gauntlet comes close to their cages, but Knuckled and Gwen appeared worried.

"Oh no!" Knuckled said in slow motion before everything exploded and knocking Agent Willoughby out.

After the explosion, Wade is hugging Knuckles and Gwen, but they don't seem happy and it's not a right time for hugging.

"What are you doing?" Knuckles asked.

"He's hugging us."Gwen answered.

"Yeah, as in your celebratory tradition, is it not? Come on, we gotta get outta here before they wake up." Wade said as the agents groan in pain.

They went to the hole of the wall from explosion to escape but Wade realize that it's way high and got scared. Knuckles and Gwen got an idea.

"What happens, hold on." Knuckles said, walking back.

"What? What do you mean?" Wade asked

"You'll see." Gwen added, knowing where this is going.

Knuckles runs back and makes Wade go on his back before jumping off, making Wade scream. Gwen, whose telekinesis is fueled by her ruby necklace, soars beside him. Before they could hit the trees, Knuckles skillfully glides up as they soar through the night sky with Wade now laughing and cheering at the flight. Knuckles, Wade, and Gwen fly past the moon.

"We're alive! Knuckles! We're alive!" Wade laughed, relieved that he's still okay. "Knuckles! You didn't tell me you could fly!"

"No. I can glide." Knuckles corrected him.

"Huh?" Wade questioned.

"For very short distances." Knuckles added

Wade yelped as Knuckles flipped down from gliding. Wade then lands in the dumpster while Knuckles and Gwen lands and floats down safely to the ground. Wade groans and gets out of the dumpster and falls down on his back on the ground. Knuckles and Gwen looks down at him.

"Get up! Now is no time to rest, Wade Whipple." Knuckles said.

"We must go now!" Gwen added.

They spotted a truck and immediately went inside.

"Drive us." Knuckles ordered.

"How? I can't just drive us. There's no keys." Wade asked, looking around.

Knuckles then use his fist to turn on the engine.

"Okay, I can just drive us." Wade nodded before driving away as they drive down the road. "I don't know about you two, but I am star-- Hey, look, a Burger Shack! Let's go eat!"

"Sure. I'm up for an appetite." Gwen accepted.

lnuckles and Gwen wait at the table while Wade order the food to feast on before coming back with trays.

"Alright. I think after all that running, we deserve... a little snack. What do you say, buds?" Wade said, placing them on the table.

"Yeah, I could use a bite to eat, what about you Knuckles?" Gwen asked, grabbing her food.

"I only eat grapes. And Cool Ranch Doritos." Knuckles explained the food he normally eat.

"Okay, well, that explains your insane and erratic behavior." Wade stated.

"Don't worry about that, he's always like that." Gwen said, looking at her boyfriend.

"Now, come on. Let's eat, bubba. So, I was thinking about how I rescued you two before. Um, on a scale of one to warrior, where does Wade fall?" Wade asked.

Knuckles growls while Gwen eats her food, thinking about that rescue.

"No biggie. You can tell me after we eat. Let's have a little victory feast for the warriors, huh?" Wade laughed.

"What victory? We won nothing tonight." Knuckles said in disappointment.

"Mm, correct." Wade said.

"We were taken prisoners because of your failure in battle." Knuckles continued.

"♪ Mm, that's also true ♪" Wade agreed in a singing tone.

"We were nearly killed several times."

"And once again, correct."

"And the only reason we survived at all was pure luck. None of these words would be used to describe a victory. Or a warrior." Knuckles finished.

"Alright, some of the things you just said might have happened, but you're looking at it the wrong way, Knuckles." Gwen said, seeing the point.

"It's true, my dad taught me to take any win you can and enjoy it. Nine outta 10 warriors would call that a victory. It might not have been pretty." Wade added.

"But that doesn't mean it wasn't a..." Gwen started.

"Glorious victory!" Knuckles finished the sentence.

"Now, you're gettin' it! Let's dig in! This is gonna flop your little red braids up and down." Wade smiled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at resort, the agents woke up to find out Wade, Knuckles, and Gwen had escaped. They walked out of the resort while Agent Willloughby growls in anger.

"We are so screwed!"

"Yeah, I'm pissed, too." Agent Mason agreed. "But what are we gonna do? I guess the deal's off."

Agent Willoughby stopped and faced him.

"No. No, you don't understand. The deal's not off. There's no backing out with him. We've been selling weapons to one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the world, run by an absolute sociopath! Now, we're screwing him over on a deal!" she said, mocking before speaking normally. "We don't just get to take our ball and go home. We show up empty-handed, he's gonna straight-up kill us. Most likely in a pretty horrible way."

"Well, that doesn't sound great." he said, not liking it.

"No! Not great! Not great at all. We need to get them, fast, before he gets us." Agent Willloughby said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wade Whipple, you wish to be a warrior. Yet you hail from Green Hills, a place where there are no warring clans. So, why do you remain there?" Knuckles asked while Gwen look saddened.

"I guess... Green Hills has always just been home. I mean, there must be some place in the universe that's like that for you, right?" Wade answered.

"Since the loss of my tribe, I have journeyed across every corner of the galaxy. Seen planets and stars you could only dream of." he said sadly, sighing. "Hm. But nowhere I have called home."

"And since I lost Longclaw, me and Sonic traveled each planet and galaxy to stay safe and hidden, nowhere to call home or feel belonged anywhere or even felt alone." Gwen said in sadness as well.

"That must be tough for you two." Wade felt bad for them.

"Yes. I made a promise to my fellow warriors to find the Master Emerald and protect it. That shall be my goal until the moment I join my people in the great battleground in the sky. One thing I have learned in pledging my life to this quest is that I have been betrayed again and again. And again. And again." Knuckles explained.

"Wow. Sorry that happened to you." Wade frowned with sympathy.

"I know exactly how you feel, You know how that feels, don't you? To be betrayed?" Gwen asked, comforting Knuckles by patting his arm.

"Yeah. Yeah, I know how that feels." Wade said, looking down.

"By your father, who abandoned you like common gutter trash!" Knuckles said.

"No, I get what you were saying. Thank you very much, though. Warrior or not, I'm strong enough or brave enough to know that I would never betray a friend." Wade said with pledge.

"You are stronger than you think, Wade Whipple." Gwen said, smiling.

"I don't know about that." Wade scoffed.

"On a scale of one to warrior, you are a three." Knuckles said honestly, holding up his fist.

"Really? I'm gonna put that on my dating profile! Wade Whipple. Solid three. Now, come on. Let's hit the road, huh?" Wade said happily.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While back to the road trip, they put a song called "Rock You Like a Hurricane" by Scorpions playing on radio. Wade and Knuckles laugh and scream excitedly, while Gwen is rocking out by singing along as Wade turn it up the radio. Until The Rock Zone Special Report interrupt this song.

"Alright, this just in, guys. Authorities have a manhunt out for a guy named Wade Whipple. You remember this guy? He was the sheriff's deputy who won the Hot Pocket-eating contest at last year's Spring Fest." the radio host said, laughing a bit. "That guy. There is a bounty out for the guy now. I mean, he is royally screwed (Screwed!). I would not want to be that guy today. Alright, let's get back to the music."

The song went back to playing but neither of them are in the mood to listen as they were taking in such horrid news.

"Ah.../Oh, my God..." Knuckles and Gwen said in unison, not liking on what's happening.

"I'm a fugitive!" Wade said in horror, freaking out. "There's a bounty on my head! And I'm Munsoned out here in the middle of nowhere? What are we gonna do?"

Knuckles punched the radio, shutting it down. This made Gwen sigh at that.

"You just love smashing radios, don't ya?" Wade questioned.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning while driving past the sign that says "Reno 700", Wade was half asleep along the way until Knuckles and Gwen woke him up.

"Whipple!/Wade!"

Wade immediately opened his eyes and straightened up.

"Y-Yes."

"First light has broken. We need safe harbor. Somewhere we can stay hidden and secure." Knuckles said, looking through the window.

"Wade, is there any place we can stay hidden and safe?" Gwen asked.

"I know a place we could lay low, but it's gonna mean going somewhere I haven't been in a really long time." Wade said seriously.

Before they knew it, Wade is in front of the house and the doorbell rings. The door opened to reveal an older woman, who gasps to see Wade.

"Hi, Mom. I'm home." Wade greeted her.

"Oh..."

Wade's mother's eyes rolls back and faints.