Shadow ignored Eggman's ranting, turning again to stare out the main window of the control room. Where could they be? I have watched over this planet all my life. I've seen every continent and every body of water, but somehow you have managed to hide them from me. His ears perked as the Silver Sonic's footsteps began to become noticeably closer.

"My Silver Sonic will kill you, Shadow," Eggman hissed. "This is your last chance to surrender."

"I can't die, Doctor," Shadow murmured darkly, watching Eggman in the reflection of the window. "I'm an Ultimate Lifeform. If you believe your pesky machines threaten my being you obviously have paid no attention to the notes Gerald Robotnik left behind."

The Silver Sonic appeared in the threshold of the cockpit. "Priority one! Destroy Shadow the Hedgehog!" The massive machine leaped across the room with ease and cast its large shadow over the black hedgehog.

Eggman took the opportunity to throw himself at his controls. Silver Sonic may not be able to exterminate Shadow, but it made a good distraction. Eggman was puzzled by Shadow's sudden hostile attack. He was suspicious that something else must be happening. Shadow was not like, Sonic, who would attack for the joy competition and love of making the doctor appear weak. Shadow would only attack if he had reason to. Eggman knew better than to believe the dark hedgehog was only striking for the vengeance of Omega. He pushed the intercom button again. "ATTENTION ALL BADNIKS, WE HAVE BEEN BREACHED! SEARCH THE SHIP FOR SIGNS OF SONIC, THE FREEDOM FIGHTERS, AND THAT THEIF BAT! KILL ON SIGHT! . . . METAL SONIC, SEARCH THE SHIP AS WELL! BRING ME SONIC'S HEAD!"

So the Doctor's caught on to me. Shadow gritted his teeth as he turned to face the machine before him. We've run out of time. I must get back to the loading dock. "CHAOS CONTROL!" Shadow tapped into the Chaos Force and threw a concentrated green spear of energy toward the Silver Sonic. But first I must destroy this machine so I can teleport to the loading dock without the threat of it following me by the energy signature of my Chaos Emerald.

Silver Sonic was thrown backwards on impact, crashing only a few feet from Eggman. Sparks flew from the broken monitors and touch screen control panels as the massive machine released itself from their hold. "Priority one! Kill Shadow the Ultimate Lifeform!" It threw itself to the floor, rolling speedily in a spin dash. It cut across the ground, making an ear-splitting sound as metal and metal scraped against each other.

Eggman shouted a curse as Shadow jumped gracefully into the air, flying above the machine to land where it once had stood. Shadow smirked triumphantly as the Silver Sonic's high speed made it unable to stop from hurtling through the main window. Glass sprinkled the room while the Silver Sonic disappeared into the forest below.

Shadow turned on his heel. "I believe that creation will not manage to survive such a height," he sneered loudly over the roaring wind.

Eggman ignored the dark hedgehog's comment, too busy holding onto his control panel for dear life. The broken window was like a vacuum, sucking all of his plans and newer blueprints out of the room. "METAL SONIC, REPORT TO THE COCKPIT! AND SNIVLEY GET YOUR ASS TO THE LOADING DOCK AND GRAB A COUPLE OF BADNIKS TO FIX THE FUCKING BROKEN WINDOW IN HERE," Eggman screamed into the intercom microphone.

. . .

Tails wiped the sweat from his brow as he followed Rouge down another corridor.

They both flew up high, their backs almost sliding against the ceiling. So far they had avoided trouble, but after Eggman's order, his badniks were everywhere. It was making Tails nervous. They were so close to reaching the prison cells, but the farer they went the thicker the mob of badniks got.

"Rouge," Tails panted from behind her. "We have to get back to the loading dock. Eggman's on to us."
"Hell no, I'm not leaving until I either find them or know they're not here." Rouge smashed a MotoBug under her heeled boot.

"We'll be no use to them with we get captured too," Tails reasoned.

"Fox boy," Rouge growled, turning to him sharply. "If you want to go then do it, but I'm not going back until I see those prison cells."

Tails expression softened, he understood how she was feeling. "

"I'm not going anywhere." He straightened and stood beside Rouge with new determination.

Rouge smirked. "That's better. Now keep up we're about to do something stupid." Before Tail ask she took off with a powerful flap of her wings.

Tails rushed after her, spinning his tails again in a helicopter motion.

They flew lowly this time, brushing the badniks off like flies. Rouge in the lead, they took a sharp turn into the stair well. They gained speed as they flew to the bottom floor. Once reached, Rouge swiftly slammed into the stairwell door, breaking it off its hinges.

The corridor containing the holding cells was dark and smelled of chemicals. Tails felt the walls until he found a light. The hallway filled with blinding white light. Without hesitation, Rouge and Tails ran to each and every room, checking each one closely, but to their own frustration and disappointment they didn't find their friends. Instead they found only empty rooms with no sign that their friends had ever even been present.

Rouge signed in defeat. "Let's get off this shit stain sky station."

Tails bit his quivering bottom lip as he nodded in agreement. I just want everything to be like it was. I wanna go home. Tears escaped his eyes and into his fur. Thoughts of the old days in Knothole filled his mind. I want my family back.

. . .

Rotor and Sonic had made wreck to Eggman's Death Egg file room. Yet, they had found nothing hinting the where abouts of Sally, Amy or Omega.

Sonic threw a chair across the room in anger and frustration. "Fuck it all," his voice cracked. This is so fucking hopeless.

Rotor was holding back tears, but refused to give into defeat. "Sonic, we can't give up. M-maybe Nicole can find something in Eggman's computer system?"

"I could look," Nicole said softly from her hand held self in Rotor's trembling paw. "But to do so we'd have to go to the cockpit. I fear that may be impossible with every robot on the ship looking for us." Nicole silently wished their friends had already found Sally, Amy, and Omega in the holding cells, but knew better than to put all her hope in it.

"Let's do it anyway," Sonic said hoarsely. I can't take this. I have to punch something. I'm going to lose it. "Even if we don't find anything in the system we can beat answers out of Eggman."

"I can guide you guys there," Nicole offered. "But there's one problem. The original plan was for us to find Eggman's report room then get back to the loading dock. If we go to the cockpit we may miss our ride back to the forest and we'll be stuck up here. Shadow will leave without us."

Sonic pushed his bitter depression away and faked a grin. "Come on, Nicole, have a little faith in, Shadz. Besides I got an idea."

Rotor, thankful that the blue hedgehog had broken the tension, smiled, "Oh Chaos, this can't be good."

"Hey," Sonic laughed good-naturally. His normal self was returning again. "Why don't you go back and I'll go to cockpit with Nicole? We'll be faster without you dude and you'll be safe."

"But, Sonic, we can't just leave you guys for dead."

"Boomer, I'm the fastest thing alive," Sonic reminded him. "We'll meet you and the others in the loading dock in a flash. It'll only take a sonic second."

"Sonic's right," Nicole confirmed. "It will only take me a minute or two to go through Eggman's computer system. We shouldn't be too long."

"Sonic may be the fastest thing alive, but he has the nasty habit of being late," Rotor commented, crossing his arms. "You guys can't go! The cockpit's at the very top of the Death Egg and we're on the second to bottom floor. We need to group up with the others and get out of here before we're captured."

"Sorry, Rote," Sonic said, shaking his head. "But, we're going. Get to the loading dock." He snatched Nicole out of Rotor's hand. "See ya later." He jetted out of the room, sending papers flying.

Rotor ran his hand down his face and groaned in frustration at the blue hedgehog. Sonic had never been good at surrendering or retreating when people (other than Sally) were bossing him around. Rotor sighed as he reached into his green tool belt to retrieve a lighter. He stood in the door frame, lighting a piece of paper on fire then he threw it in with the rest. The least I can do is provide them with a distraction. Most of the badniks will instantly come to put the fire out before it catches to more of the ship instead of chasing Sonic. This thing may be mostly made of metal, but there's nowhere for the smoke to go. Rotor smirked to himself. The smoke will go into the air vents and go up to the other floors. This should distract the badniks perfectly. They'll be too busy trying to figure out where the smokes coming from. He pushed a button on his communication watch, "Gang, I lit a fire in the file room so get ready for some smoke. It should distract the badniks. We need to get back to the loading dock before this ship's air is completely poisoned."

"Great idea, Sugar," Bunnie's voice called cheerily from his device. "We're on our way."

"Great idea," Antione repeated nervously. "Zat's going to get us all suffocated!"

"Not if we get out of here fast," Tails claimed.

. . .

Sonic speed dashed through a small army of badniks only to find Metal Sonic guarding the door to the stairwell. Sonic gritted his teeth. "I don't have time for playdate, pal." He high jumped over the robot that resembled him and darted through the door.

Metal Sonic was right on his heels as they zoomed up the steps. "Priority one! Kill Sonic the Hedgehog!"

"Sonic, turn right," Nicole shouted from his clenched hand.

Sonic bolted right through another stairwell door. "Nicole, we're supposed to be going up to the cockpit!" He ran down the hallway the door had brought him to, stomping on badniks as he did so.

"We are! I know a better way to get there and it will get Metal Sonic off you! Now turn right again!"

Sonic zipped to the right leading him down another corridor, but this one had a dead end. "Nicole!" He couldn't stop. The rubber bottom of his shoes made an ear-tickling sound as they grinded against the metal floor, but he couldn't stop.

"I know! But Sonic trust me! Speed dash through the wall! It's not made of metal! Eggman's hiding a secret doorway to his weaponry behind it!"

Sonic quit his attempt to stop and instead put all his power into his legs. His legs blurred as he gained speed. "Ok! But this isn't going to be pretty!"

"Sonic, when you go through the wall put your feet up to stop yourself from colliding with the secret door behind it!"

"Great! That means that one's made of metal, doesn't it!" He rolled into a ball as his speed only increased. He hopped off the ground with a grunt and flew through the air.

Sonic crashed through the wall easily as if it were made of paper. He spun uncontrollably through the air, during it he somehow managed to stick his feet out. His ankles popped when his feet hit the metal door, causing him to hold back a whimper of pain. As if that weren't enough, gravity wanted a turn to bully him. He fell down a couple feet and grunted throatily when his back met the cold solid floor. All the air had been pushed out of his lungs and his head clapped against the floor; making black spots cloud his vision . . . I'm so off my game today.

Metal Sonic's luck was worse however. He had never stopped chasing his opponent and had no knowledge that there was another door behind the wall. It couldn't shut it's back engine off fast enough when realizing the danger, although, it didn't do him any good. Having no way to stop in time he flew head-first into the thick metal door. The robot's head cracked on impact and it's limbs smacked on the door in following. Metal Sonic made an eerie droning sound while it fell harshly upon the floor in a crumbled mess.

Sonic sat up and rubbed his sore ankles "It sucks to be you." He grinned while the robot remained unresponsive. "Nicole, that was brilliant!" He staggered to his feet.

"Thank you. I over looked this earlier, believing it was unimportant for our mission, but I realized it could be used as a weapon when Metal Sonic appeared."

"Nice, but now what?" Sonic inspected the gigantic door, finding nothing, but a strange screen pad next to it.

"Simple, really. What password do you think Eggman would use?"

Sonic smirked at the guessing game. "Probably, something like 'Sonic will die, I'll be king of Mobius, and I'll spent the rest of eternity masking my insecurities and loneness with food."

Nicole laughed. "No, actually I was thinking more like 'I hate the anthropomorphic animals that disease this planet."

"Password accepted," the screen pad attached to the wall spoke.

The door slide open, revealing Eggman's weaponry that was fully stocked with all of Eggman's favorite weapons and vehicles. The weaponry even had a testing area.

"That's two for two, Nicole. You're on a roll today." Sonic walked into the massive room; his footsteps echoing. "Where's the other door?"

Nicole laughed again. "Who said anything about using the door?"

. . .

"That's it! I can't take this wandering around anymore," Amy said, voicing her frustrations yet again.

"Do you have any better suggestions," Sally questioned, lifting an eyebrow.

"I'm going to climb one of these stupid walls and see what's what," Amy answered, stopping as they came to another dead end. "There's gotta be a way to get out of here." There better be. I can't stand the thought of dying without at least one successful date with my Sonic.

"Amy, these walls are too smooth to climb," Sally warned as she came to stand beside her. "You're going to hurt yourself."And then we'll have to carry you and get to listen to your "delightful" complaining.

"I concur," Omega said, joining the conversation after what felt like hours of him remaining mute.

"Whatever," Amy grumbled under her breath. I either die the slow painful death of dehydration or I die quickly by falling of this damn wall. Yup! Either way it's a loose loose situation. Lucky me! She ignored Sally's worrying voice in the background as she climbed the wall. She cleverly used the itchy vines that clung to it to fight her way to the top. Soon Amy was lost in the task of hiking that she was surprised when she stood at the top. The view made her nauseous.

. . .

Sonic quirked an eyebrow, although, he knew Nicole could not see him. "Not following, but I have a feeling this going to be thrilling."

"If you look to the front of the room there should be some flying vehicles. Do see them?"

"Yeah," Sonic said, strutting towards the other side of the room. His breath caught in his throat as he ventured closer. Oh, Chaos.

Leaning against the wall was Sally's hover board. It looked like it had gone to hell and back, but Sally's initials still shown craved into the blue paint job.

"Sonic?"

Sonic shook his head. "Yeah, I got a hover board. Where to now, Nicole?" He gulped noticeably as he stared at the air vent below him that had begun to puff black smoke out in cool rolling waves. I guess Rotor's fire hasn't been put out yet. "We need to move faster."

"I know which is why you're going to break a window, sail up to the cockpit, I'll get the information we need, and then we'll leave. And the others don't have to worry about waiting for us because you can use the hover board to get back to the forest."

"Gotcha," Sonic said as he quickly backed away from the air vent. Turning to the task at hand, Sonic jetted toward the large widow that provided the spacious room with natural light. "Um, Nicole, this window kinda looks bullet-proof."

Nicole made a sound that resembled a sigh. "Break it regardless. I know you can do it."

Sonic smirked at the challenge, confidence boiling shamelessly in his veins. He sprang into the air and home attacked the tinted glass. It cracked and became brittle. After retreating backwards in a summer salt he skid across the floor. He gritted his teeth at the stubborn glass and glanced at the smoke collecting at the ceiling. He stuffed Nicole in his sock then took Sally's board in both hands, Sonic darted forward. He jumped, spun in midair and slammed the board against the glass, forcing it to break.

"Whooooo," Sonic screamed in joy as fresh air blew into his fur and quills. He free fell for a millisecond before slamming his feet onto the Sally's board. He controlled it easily, gliding smoothly up the top of the Death Egg. "Here we go." He chuckled at the sight of enormous hole that Shadow had created in the cockpit. He zoomed inside to find a bunch of badniks urgently watching Eggman and Snivley argue.

Sonic walked past them with a grin. He searched the main controls for a moment before finding a connecting slot. He plugged Nicole into it. "Ok, do your stuff."

"Alright, give me a moment," Nicole said. "Now try not to gain their attention before I'm finished."

Sonic pouted as he crossed his arms defiantly.

. . .

"Where's the Faker," Shadow questioned as he appeared from the fading green chaos light.

Rotor rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Uh, Sonic and Nicole have this new plan to gain some information because we couldn't find anything useful in the Eggman's file room."

"Yez," Antione agreed, shuffling his weight from one leg to the other. "Zey are going to hack into ze doctor's computer system from ze cockpit."

Shadow cursed under his breath. "If he was going to do something stupid anyway I don't understand why we bothered with a plan." He turned to Rouge. "I assume you and the fox didn't find anything in the cells."

"Yeah," Rouge grumbled. "Not a fucking thing."

"It smelled like bleach in there," Tails added. "Which means they may have been there once and Eggman got rid of the evidence?"

"Sugar, are ya suggesting that Eggman killed them in there," Bunnie asked with a horrified expression, taking off her cowboy hat and looking away. "And he cleaned up their blood?"

"Maybe," Tails whispered sorrowfully.

"No," Rouge said, shaking her head. The thought hadn't even crossed her mind. She hugged herself.

"B-but," Antione said in a cracking voice. "Zey can't be gone."

Rotor sniffed and stared at the floor. "Guys, I mean, it is possible that they-

"Enough," Shadow growled angrily. "They will be named alive until I see the bodies. As for Omega, Eggman could have easily deconstructed him for spare parts, but I will not believe such until a see it with my own eyes. So enough. They are alive."

Everyone looked unconvinced and miserable, but Shadow didn't care. He couldn't imagine the squirrel princess, or the bad-tempered hammer-wielding hedgehog, or his metal-heavy teammate dead. They cannot be dead. "Now let's get off this piece of shit. After all you idiots left a six year old alone in a forest."

"Hey wait," Tails protested. "We have to wait for Sonic and-

"No," Shadow snarled. "I said I'd leave whoever was too slow or stupid to get back to the loading dock in time and I meant it! Now shut your face and let's get out of here."

They all bitterly joined hands at Shadow's order.

"CHAOS CONTROL!" Instantly, they disappeared within flashing green light.

Sorry, I take forever to update. Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.