A/N: Okay. So I'm sure someone noticed my major screw up with the last post. And if you didn't, all the better! Anyway, it's fixed now, so if you happen to be reading this, reviews and criticism are appreciated.

Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog and all related characters/locations belong to SEGA. I simply wrote the story.

Project Maverick

Chapter1

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"What was that?" a young man asked his officer.

"It sounded like a sonic boom..." the Captain replied, raising an eyebrow.

"But sir, there are no scheduled flights for this time slot." He said, staring at the computer screen at the desk in front of him.

"Well, that's stra... Argh!" the Captain was cut off.

""Captain?" the young man turned in his chair to see his captain laid out on the floor, unconscious. "What the hell is going on here?" He stood, and quickly made his way out the door. He pulled out a communication device and pressed the button. "This is Private Renning, we have an emergency!" As the doors shut behind him, a pair of red eyes peered angrily through the darkness. There was a flash, and Renning felt something smash into the back of his neck, but he was unconscious before he hit the ground. Standing over him was a black hedgehog, snarling with rage. In his right hand, he tightly clutched a gleaming green gem. He flicked it into the air, and snatched it shouting, "Chaos Control!" In the blink of an eye, he was gone again.

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Meanwhile, deeper in the G.U.N. military base...

"Draining stasis fluid." A man in a white lab coat announced. He pressed a few buttons on the control panel before him, and glanced at a monitor displaying DNA strands. The large tank in the center of the room began to drain, and the figure inside became visible. "Initiating adrenaline injection." The scientist flipped a switch, and there was a gushing sound. The figure in the tank began to quiver and buck, just before releasing a long, dragged out breath. It raised its head, and its yellow eyes flew open. It raised an arm to try and break the glass tube that surrounded it, but its swing was cut short by a glowing blue chain. It growled angrily and stared at the figure approaching.

"It looks just like him, except for the coloration." The man said, narrowing his eyes. The creature in the tube noticed how one eye was amber, while the other was an icy blue. The G.U.N. Commander leaned in closer. It's amazing the information you can get from a person's eyes. He stared intently at the yellow orbs glaring at him through the glass. Unlike the pain and hatred found in the black hedgehog's eyes, he saw nothing. There was no emotion, no feeling. He felt like he was going to be sucked in as if they were a vortex.

"Hello." The man said. The white hedgehog inside the pod simply stared at him. He grinned victoriously. "Welcome to Project Maverick."

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A blue hedgehog sped through the streets of Central City, putting even the fastest cars on the road to shame.

"Aw, man! Amy's gonna kill me if I'm late!" Sonic muttered as he picked up speed. He came upon the highway, and could see the beginnings of the peaceful wooded area he and his friends called home. Amy had finally convinced Sonic to go on a date with her. He wasn't quite sure how, probably because saying yes was the quickest way out. Either way, he was running late, and decided he wasn't in the mood to be chased down by an angry pink hedgehog with a humongous hammer. He saw the bright pink of Amy's house and skidded to a stop inches from her front door. He raised his arm to knock, but before his knuckles contacted the wood, a gloved hand shot out and grabbed him by the ear.

"Sooooniiic! You're late, again!" Amy dragged him in, much to Sonic's dismay.

"Ow, ow, Ames! Let go of my ear!" Sonic yelled. "I can explain! I was at Emerald Beach with Tails and then we..." She cut him off.

"There's no time for your lame excuses. If we hurry we can still make the restaurant before they give our table away." She huffed and grabbed Sonic's hand, pulling him out the door. As they began to walk down the path, Sonic felt something strange stirring in the air. The fur on his neck stood on end, and He quickly glanced around. Amy turned around to see him staring off into space, his eyes detached from reality. She rolled her eyes. "Sonic come on, what's wrong?" Before he could answer, there was a blinding flash and Amy was knocked down.

"Amy!" Sonic was at her side in the twinkling of an eye, and wrapped his arms around her, keeping her safe from whatever had just appeared in front of them. Sonic squinted at the light, trying to pick out the figure kneeling on the ground. He saw the outline of quills, and a faint green glow in its hand. Then he saw the blood- red eyes shoot open. "Is that... Shadow?" He picked Amy up and brushed the dust off of her. He crept slowly toward his old rival, extending a helping hand. "Long time no see, Shadow." Sonic gave a trademark smirk, but his hand was batted away. Shadow picked himself up and stared at the blue hedgehog.

"Where am I?" He said, blinking furiously.

"Just outside Central City. What happened? It had to something big, for the Ultimate Lifeform to have to resort to using Chaos Control." Sonic smirked, trying to get the angry scowl off the black hedgehog's face, but to no avail.

"I... I was captured by G.U.N." Shadow said, looking into the distance as if trying to remember. "They kept me in a cell for a long time, and they kept taking blood tests. I have no idea why, but they kept talking about 'Project Maverick'. I spent weeks waiting for the right moment to escape, and... hnn!" Shadow winced and dropped to one knee. That's when the three hedgehogs noticed the pool of red at Shadow's feet.

"Oh my gosh, Shadow!" Amy ran over to him and tried to help him to his feet, but when he cried out she realized she had stuck her hand on a bullet wound in his side. "Shadow! I'm so sorry..." Amy said, tears forming in her eyes. She hated seeing anyone in this much pain.

"No, I'm fine." Shadow growled, fighting the pain ad pushing himself to his feet.

"C'mon Shadow," Sonic said, wrapping an arm over Shadow's back. "Let's get you inside." He supported most of the black hedgehog's weight as they stumbled into Amy's living room. She quickly took off to the bathroom and returned with bandages to wrap up his side.

"Well, at least there's an exit wound, which means we don't have to go fishing the bullet out of your ribs." Amy said as she began to wrap the bandages. "Now, you just lie there until we can get hold of a doctor."

"I appreciate your concern, but there's somewhere I need to go." He said, straining himself to stand.

"But Shadow, you're not well enough," Amy said, with deep concern in her voice. "You can't..." She trailed off as he raised a finger.

"I'm fine. I assure you." He replied as he started to walk to the door.

"Shadow..." Sonic spoke up. "Be careful." He gave a half- hearted thumbs- up and a weak looking smile.

"Caution is for the weak." Shadow smirked. He grabbed his Chaos Emerald off the table, turned the doorknob, and stepped outside.

"Where do you have to be that's so important you're still going with a bullet hole in your side?" Sonic smiled and raised an eyebrow.

"As close of friends as we are," Shadow began sarcastically, "I've got other friends that are probably wondering where I've been for the last six weeks."

"Shadow? Friends? Hah, never thought I'd see the day." Sonic grinned. Shadow merely chuckled to himself and closed the door behind him. He took off into a run/skate, feeling the throbbing in his ribs with every movement of his legs.

"You better appreciate this," Shadow muttered to himself as he shot down the street. "I'm coming Rouge."

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