Tails sat down next to Tanya. "I'm pretty sure Miles will come back for more of that mineral, he didn't finish extracting it, so when he comes back, we will ambush him and stop him."

"How?" Tanya asked.

Tails lifted his arm to show her his invention. "I made a weapon that I hope will be useful."

Tanya looked a little surprised. "And how will I help?"

"You will distract him, but don't worry, I will shoot him with this before he wants to hurt you." Tails answered.

"It may not work." Tanya said.

Tails sighed. "I know, but it's the best we can do, and if indeed doesn't work and we can't talk to each other again, I know this is absolutely not the best moment for me to say this but I must do it before it's too late."

Tanya stood up "Tails…"

"Wait." Tails did the same. "Thank you."

"For what?" Tanya said.

"For making me to feel alive once again, I just want you to know that." Tails walked towards the stairway, Tanya remained silent, then she followed him.

While walking upstairs, Tanya was wondering about Tails' words, then she spoke. "Thank you too."

"What have I done for you?" Tails asked intrigued.

"The same thing you say I did for you." Tanya said.

Tails sighed. "Don't worry Tanya, you don't have to say that stuff only because I did, it's fine if you hate me."

They had reached the entrance and went outside, where it was still raining by the storm then Tanya put her hand on Tails' shoulder to stop him. "Tails." He stopped walking. "I don't hate you."

After a few seconds, Tails turned around to look at her. "So…how are we? I am afraid of how things would turn between us." Tails asked.

"Time will tell." Tanya said before continuing walking. "Uhm, where are we going?"

"To my cabin, I assume that Miles is now charging himself with the rays." Tails said.

"Why do you think that?" Tanya asked.

"He looked weak after he used his…powers or whatever." Tails answered.

After a few minutes walking in the jungle, they arrived to Tails' cabin, then Tails opened the door of the garage. "We probably have a few more minutes before he comes back for the rest of the mineral."

Tanya was glancing all of the stuff Tails had on his garage. "You must have a better plan than just ambushing him."

"Of course, just think about this, if he gets weak after an attack…" Tails said.

"Then…we must force him to drain all of his energy first." Tanya concluded the phrase.

Tails nodded. "And that's why you are the distraction."

"Okay…wait? What do you mean?" Tanya got a little bit worried.

"You will make him to get weak after each attack he throws at you, then I will shot my red ray at him, then this will be over." Tails readjusted his weapon to his right arm.

"And why should I be the distraction?" Tanya asked.

Tails looked at her. "Because you are more agile than me, I would have no chance against him."

Tanya hesitated for a second, then she just nodded. "Fine."

"Okay, let's go." Tails exited from the garage, followed by Tanya. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I must do it." Tanya said

They arrived to the place where Miles was extracting the mineral before he disappeared, Tails was practicing his aim by moving his arm. "Tanya." She looked at him. "Ready?" Tanya nodded, then Tails hid behind the foliage.

A blue light appeared suddenly, surrounded by lightning, then Miles appeared from it. "Tails?"

Tails remained silent. "Don't answer Tails, stick to the plan." He thought.

"Show yourself! I fooled you, you lost." Miles was floating with lightning below him. "It's pathetic how you fell in my lies, did you really think I came from the future? I thought you were smarter!" Miles threw a ray to a palm tree, destroying it. "And obviously, I'm not you, I am so much better." He was looking for Tails between the vegetation.

Tanya was approaching Miles slowly, careful in every step she was taking, trying to not even breathe at all, and Tails was already aiming at Miles from under the foliage.

"That mineral, is called effektium, is the most powerful item in the planet, coveted by those whose power is greater than we could imagine, and whose names are still unknown, or at least that's what I learned from G.U.N.'s archives." Miles threw another ray and destroyed a palm tree that was exactly next to the one Tanya was hiding behind.

Tanya took a deep breath and exhaled to calm down, she did so repeatedly.

Tails was trying to remain silent, until he couldn't help it. "How did you knew about my friends?!"

Tanya sighed. "No, Tails…" She whispered to herself.

Miles laughed. "I infiltrated G.U.N.'s servers, and you and your friends were their targets, I guess all of you were an obstacle for them to obtain the effektium, they are different now, greed has corrupted them." Miles got surrounded by lots of lightning. "And…I saw everything."

"What do you mean?!" Tails asked with anger.

"I got here by hiding in G.U.N.'s robots, you know, I can travel through electricity, I had been here for more than ten years, yes Tails, I've been watching you since I got here, since your friends died, I heard their screams and saw their bodies fall to the ground, then I spent a whole decade getting wiser and stronger, waiting for the perfect moment." Miles answered.

"But…why me? Why disguising as me?" Tails stood up.

Miles moved forward. "Because, who could be more reliable than yourself? It was the only way you could help me, or would you trust a stranger who wants to extract some weird rock from your island?"

Tails didn't say nothing. He aimed at Miles with his fist and yelled. "Now!"

Tanya got out from where she was hiding and threw a big rock at Miles' neck. "You like that? Miles?"

"I...am…Lightmask!" Miles' face disappeared suddenly, he had revealed his real name. "I am not like you, I was made to destroy and be the most powerful being on the planet!" Lightmask tried to throw a ray to Tanya, but she dodged it by jumping and climbing to a palm tree.

"With that aim?" Tanya said jokingly.

"A shapeshifter." Tails thought.

Miles screamed. "That effektium is mine!" He threw another ray, he destroyed the palm tree, but Tanya landed next to Tails.

"It's your end, Tails!" Lightmask tried to throw another ray, but his energy was gone.

"No, it's yours." Tails aimed to the head and began to shot the red ray from his weapon, which was more powerful than Lightmask's.

Lightmask began to scream horribly while the ray was burning him. "You won't stop this! There are more like me!" He kept screaming until the light around him got much brighter.

"It will explode!" Tanya yelled.

"I know!, and again, thank you!" Tails kept destroying Lightmask with his ray.

Tanya took a few steps backwards, and spoke. "Thank you too.

Tails screamed before Lightmask exploded, Tanya covered her face with her arm to avoid the great amount of light to damage her eyes.

Darkness returned, Tanya could only see smoke, she walked through it, until she found Tails laying on the ground. She kneeled down and took Tails' hand. "Tails!" She screamed. "Tails!" Tanya began to cry while still holding his hand, until she felt a squeeze on her hand.

"Is…he gone?" Tails said.

Tanya smiled and chuckled by discovering that Tails was alive. "Yes."

Tails smiled back. "Good job, we are a good…" Tails complained of the pain he was feeling.

"Team." Tanya said.

Tails stroked her face with his other hand "See? What would I do without you?" He closed his eyes and lowered his arm.

Tanya carried Tails on her back, then she left the place.