A/N: Just thought I'd point out, more fighting will be coming, so those of you who requested it in a matter of speaking…well, your wish will be granted next chapter. (ie. I haven't seen much action around the servers, or I haven't done anything awesome worth recalling)

Shadow Rider Ch 9.

I hadn't even made it out of the French Quarter when I saw the shear volume of GUN soldiers assaulting the Café. I just kept low and out of sight until I was making my way up the on ramp onto I-10. Once there I pushed off of my left foot and filtered a minimal bit of Chaos energy to my skates shooting me forward. I was getting looks from drivers as I went, mostly shrugs but there was the occasional what-the-hell-is-that look. I kept going, keeping speed with even the cars that were doing easily 100 mph. When the opportunity arose, I'd even free-ran a little bit; mostly just throwing in the occasional kick off of the off-ramp wall and leaping over the overhanging bridge to the street below. When I finally entered Mobile only one thing could be said about my free-running; concrete jungle. I was grinding rails left and right, front-flipping over small buildings and wall-running like there was no tomorrow. That lasted until I was seen by a few agents in a pick-up truck. I was no longer screwing around with my free-running; I was actually using what it was intended for, evasion. For those who don't know what Parkour is, what I was doing with that pick-up following me was a pretty good insight. I finally lost them by running up the side of a building and stopping on the roof. I got some view out of it, I couldn't see much but I did see my new route; straight ahead and then a left turn to the Mobile tunnel. I leapt to the street, rolling when I landed, and skating that way. The tunnel was huge compared to four-foot-tall me. I decided to have some Sonic style fun and skated along the side walk then eventually along the curves on the wall. This was probably the most fun I'd had all year; I know pathetic. There was always a small bit of enjoyment I'd gotten out of free-running, but I didn't like spending the energy when I could go just as fast on my bike. When I crossed one of the bridges leading towards Milton I skid to a very loud and very foggy halt, before jumping off onto the shoulder. GUN had a blockade. They stopped cars and checked the driver's ID as well as registration and insurance papers before sending them on their way.

"Damn it," I swore under my breath.

I couldn't risk exposure; that would just cause problems further down the road. I'd half expected this when I was to reach the Garson Point Bridge but not all the way out here, before I even get into Milton.

That's when a very familiar blue Challenger pulled off near by and an even more familiar hedgehog got out.

"You didn't think you were going to leave without Silver and I, did you?" he said.

"Alright…just get me passed that check point and I'll be good to go,"

I heard two more motors heading towards me, one high pitched, Silver's Suzuki, the other deep and roaring…only one engine made that sound.

I turned and there was Silver and Amy heading my way, Amy driving my bike.

She pulled up next to me, a smile on her face, "Robotnik thought you might want this,"

"You'll have to drive it, if the soldiers see me on it, I'll be arrested on the spot, plus it's not insured,"

"Is it?"

In her hands were insurance papers, ironically from Nationwide, which is where I'd had my Mustang insured before they repossessed it. I smirked and motioned Sonic to pop the trunk, and after he did, I climbed inside and shut it.

The next thing I remember was opening the forward facing wall and letting some air in through the back hatch. The hatch was used for a cooler during long road trips. Trust me when I say this, you do not, repeat DO NOT, want to go on a road trip with Sonic. The only things that made the trip bearable were Sally and Amy. Sally kept the Faker focused and Amy kept me occupied. I shook my head, this was no time to linger in the past, and there was no way in hell this was some stupid road trip, this was a mission of grave importance, one that would probably cost me my life in the end, but if that was the price to set Sally and Blaze free I was willing to pay it.

I was jarred out of thought when the car started to decelerate. I shut the hatch from my side and remained quiet.

What couldn't have been longer that thirty seconds passed, it felt like thirty minutes. I then felt the car shift forward and once we reached a cruising speed I opened the hatch again and poked my head out. I felt the cold air of the air conditioning on my face, which was dripping with beads of sweat. I smiled, the cold air felt good.

"Enjoying yourself?" Sonic asked barely glancing over his shoulder.

I wiggled my way out of the trunk and sat in the back seat, "A word of advise, Sonic, don't sit in the trunk of a car…ever,"

"Gee I can't imagine why,"

I wiped the sweat off of my forehead, soaking the backs of my gloves in the process and sitting back. Sonic pulled onto the shoulder and I hopped out. Amy and Silver weren't far behind us, Amy and I were basically trading spots, she was riding with Sonic and I was driving my bike. After the switch I looked at the other three and nodded before pulling onto the road and gassing it up to 120 mph. Down the road, I'd managed to fly right passed the toll booth and along Garson Point to the four-way intersection in Gulf Breeze. I turned right onto Highway 98 and followed the road for almost half an hour before I pulled off of the highway and into a gas station. Silver, Sonic, and Amy were right behind me. I then spotted a character near the pump, he was putting gas into to a 2110 Dodge Challenger; the only difference was his was blaze orange with a black racing strip rather than Navy blue. I looked over at the store and motioned to cashier that it was me. I had plenty of connections in Santa Rosa, Escambia, Okaloosa Counties and this guy, as well as the owner of the Golden Coral near Hulbert Air Field, was one of them. It was the other customer here that had me worried. He motioned to someone in the car, almost as if he was telling him to lay low, now exactly why I don't really know. A topped off and set the pump back when the guy approached. He was six-foot-four and fairly muscular, he looked military but if he was, was another question entirely. He was wearing all black; jeans, a zip-up hoodie combat boots and even a black fedora with a blue jay feather in it.

"Well if anything, the last person I expected to see around here was the famous Shadow Rider," he said a slight smirk on his face.

"So what? You want an autograph or something?" I asked

"No, just curious as why you're running,"

I shook my head and didn't say anything about it, so instead of him hearing the sob story of my screwed up life this past three years, he got nothing but a simple lie.

"I'm not running form anything,"

"Yeah and I'm not suffering from a strange genetic mutation but I'm not lying about it,"

My ridge rose, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing…look it'd be easier if you've been with my friend and I through it all,"

I smirked, "Well good luck to you,"

"Same to you Rider,"

He went back to his car and I went back to my bike. The others were ready to go. This was it; my mission was officially a-go. Andy was to be stopped at all cost. I revved my engine and pulled onto the road and down the highway with the others on my six.