A/N - Thanks so much for all reads, reviews, faves and follows!

I've been working on a contest entry for a Pokemon community I'm in, so I've not made any headway with Book 3 this past week. I believe I said in the last chapter there will be a hiatus, so that's definitely going ahead after the final chapters of Judge are posted. I really want Book 3 to be the best it can be, and I can't do that with huge pressure on me to fire out as many chapters as I can a week. Please bare with me. Book 3 is, as best as I can say, going ahead. I've had writer's block with it, but I broke through and so far I've got four complete chapters (I think?) I like to have a nice buffer for my projects that I can fall back on when writer's block hits, or I'm otherwise occupied and can't write.

I hope you continue to enjoy Judge, and please look forward to Book 3!

Chapter Twenty One

Infinite muttered to himself as he marched down the street. The evening's events played over and over in his mind like a stuck record. No where was safe. Shadow had proved that. There was no reason the hedgehog should know where he was hiding, so to just show up in Amy's apartment like that… was he actually drawn to the Phantom Ruby?

If that was the case, then he wasn't a safe person for her to be around. So why was he dragging her across the Beatdrop Capital?

He glanced back at the pink hedgehog as she trotted reluctantly behind him, her small hand clasped in his. Unwillingly. He'd considered using a chain, but he'd said he wouldn't do that again. She wasn't a prisoner. He was getting her to safety, while Sonic and Tails dealt with her friends. Splitting them up was probably a mistake, but together they had proved to be a stubborn force. Once Amy was out of the Beatdrop Capital then she would be safe. There were no trains running back to the station, so returning would be nigh impossible until the evacuation was lifted.

She pouted out her bottom lip as she struggled to keep up with his long stride. She'd put up a fight, but had been silent for the past five minutes realizing arguing was getting her nowhere. Her silence was beginning to upset Infinite greatly, but if he started her off talking again he'd only have to listen to her protests a second time. He didn't enjoy this. He was much happier believing she'd left the city, but no. She had to stick around because of him.

Because of him…

He closed his eyes briefly and looked back towards the street. She wasn't safe. With the way he was, his ability to keep her safe was very unreliable.

His boot struck metal, causing a clang to ring out in the empty streets. He froze, fur on end, as he strained to hear beyond the echo. The remains of a Strider Drone lay across the street, its long legs splayed out at an uncomfortable angle. Its head lay in the mouth of an alley amid a spill of trash from an upturned skip. Bullet shells lay scattered around it along with shattered blue glass from its probing eye.

"Is that-"

Infinite shushed Amy, cutting her off. He turned his head slowly towards the alley, straining his ears beneath his mask.

A shadow bobbed along the wall as metal scraped against stone. Banging. The whir of a machine gun. Then the red glowing eyes of the Judge penetrated through the stormy mist.

Infinite's heart leapt in his chest. He shoved Amy ahead of him towards the other side of the street and between the buildings. Then he fired a glance behind him. The Judge had seen them. It lumbered through the narrow alley, crushing trash and the remains of the Strider beneath its heavy feet.

"Targets recognized," it said. "Both targets are a threat to the mission and must be eliminated."

Amy broke into a sprint, and Infinite raced to keep up with her. The whir of the Judge's machine gun sliced through the air, followed by a spray of bullets. Infinite threw up a barrier. A fraction later and the bullets would have torn through him and his friend. Instead, they bounced off the crimson shield to lie harmlessly on the damp ground. The barrier faded and he followed Amy around the sharp bend.

The pink hedgehog stood with her back to him and her fingers wound in the wire of a fence. A dead end. She turned her head back towards him, staring wide-eyed over his shoulder. The Judge's footsteps echoed through the silence as it marched towards them.

"Calculating targets' ability to escape at one percent." Its gun whirred to life again.

Infinite stared up at the fence. Too high to climb. They'd be shot down like ducks. But beyond it was a wide industrial park, filled with office blocks and storehouses. Enough space to hide and hopefully lose the Judge.

He pulled Amy into him and rose into the air. The Phantom Ruby hummed away in his ears and echoed throughout the buildings. Each rhythmic pulse sapping away what was left of his strength. He landed on the other side, forming a bubble shield around the both of them as the Judge rounded the corner.

Another round of bullets. They clattered off the fence and bounced harmlessly off his bubble. Once the machine gun had whirred to silence, he dropped it and took in a few deep breaths. He nudged Amy ahead of him and raced after her, bracing himself to throw up another shield.

Amy glanced back at him to make sure he was following, then turned sharply towards the office blocks. A small gap offered shelter between them and a warehouse. Deep gashes covered the walls where Project Wreckingball had run rampant. Unsettling, despite it no longer being a threat.

The iron fence rattled and clattered in the distance. Was the Judge climbing it, or dismantling it?

He stopped and turned back towards the opening between the buildings. His shoulders heaved as he tried to catch his breath. A faint hum rang in his ears as he tried to tap into what little was left of the Phantom Ruby's powers.

"Infinite," Amy said quietly. "We have to keep going."

He snapped his head back towards her and bared his canines. "Then go!"

Her emerald eyes shone with tears. "Not without you."

He opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off as the clattering grew more frantic. He glanced back towards the fence, but he could no longer see it through all the buildings.

"You can't fight it like this," she said. "Infinite, please-"

"I'm fine!" he snapped. "Now go!"

"You're not fine! If you were fine, you'd just warp me out of this city! But you can't, can you? So how can you expect to fight this thing?!" Amy reached behind her for her hammer.

Infinite's lip twitched and he let out a low growl. "Don't you dare!"

A loud clang tore through the air, followed by an unsettling clatter as the fence fell away. He took a step back, ushering Amy behind him.

"Go!"

She grabbed his hand and his spine stiffened, pushing his fur on end.

He snapped his head back towards her. "You are seriously starting to-"

Something shone on the edge of his vision and he lifted his head to look over her shoulder. His heart picked up as he spotted a manhole cover, a small speck of light reflecting off its rim.

Again?

The high-pitched whir of the Judge's machine gun reached his ears, driving a sense of urgency. He shoved Amy towards the manhole and pointed. She didn't need instructing. She hoisted the heavy cover away and began the descent, her muzzle creased with disgust.

Infinite threw up another barrier, blocking a barrage of bullets. They bounced off it, and cracks spread across its glassy surface. It was enough to allow Infinite to drop down into the sewer after Amy. The manhole cover blocked out the light and with it the sound of the Judge reloading its weapon.

Infinite landed beside Amy on the metal grate and hugged his arms around himself, panting. That last barrier had done a number on him.

"I was right, wasn't I?" Amy's small voice drew his eye. "You're not fine at all."

She leant back against the wall, hugging her arms as she tried to read his expression in the dark.

"We should have just gone with Sonic and the others," she went on. "It would be a lot safer than trying to escape through this city."

Infinite flinched and turned away. The Judge's footsteps echoed above them, and its metal feet scraped across the manhole cover.

"What if it comes down here?" Amy whispered.

"It won't fit," he replied flatly.

It paced back and forth for a moment, before abandoning the manhole and marching away across the industrial estate. Infinite let out a held breath and ran his hand over his muzzle.

"I think the station is this way." He moved on ahead of her, against the flow of filthy water.

"You're still insisting on that? Doesn't Shadow hide in these sewers?"

Infinite froze and balled his hands into fists. Of course. Shadow. From the frying pan right into the fire…

He took in a steadying breath. "That's all the more reason to make haste, now, isn't it?"

"And what if we run into him?" She pushed herself back from the wall, and he noticed her mallet had found itself in her hands. "You can't fight him off with the way you are now. You're exhausted."

Well… she was right about that.

"Get some rest," she said. "At least here we're right by an escape hatch."

"I'll rest when you're safe." He turned his back on her again. "Now come on."

"Infinite, please! You're actually making things more dangerous by pushing yourself like this!"

He froze, bristling.

"If we run into Shadow or that Judge again, you won't be able to fight them off!" she went on. "You're driving yourself to exhaustion, and if you really believe that I can't fight them then why-"

He spun towards her, baring his canines. "Because I need you safe!"

Her green eyes widened, reflecting the dim light.

He placed his hand against the wall to steady himself. "I can't… bare… knowing that you're still in this city while those two are running rampant. Something in that hedgehog wants to kill me! You saw it! If he got to you…" Infinite paused and ran a hand down his face, letting himself flop against the wall. "You're a weakness."

"Infinite…"

He screwed his eyes shut and jerked his head away.

Amy lowered her mallet and took a step towards him. "If you're that worried, there's safety in numbers… we can go back and join the others."

"Forget it. Shadow's powerful." Infinite dropped his hand but kept his eyes closed. "He can kill five people in one fight without breaking a sweat."

Amy was silent for a moment, but he could feel her eyes on him. "Why do I feel like you're speaking from experience?"

Infinite kicked himself back from the wall. "Come on. We're moving.

Amy trotted to keep up with him and placed a hand on his elbow. He jerked his arm back from her, taking her by surprise.

"Listen to me," she said. "You're exhausted. If you're going to drag me to the train station, then at least get some rest first so you're in fighting form!"

He blinked at her, bewildered. Had she actually just had the audacity to suggest that, after he'd made it very clear the city wasn't safe?!

As if she'd read his mind, she waved a hand towards the manhole cover. "You said it yourself the Judge can't get down here. If we find somewhere quiet and dark to hide, somewhere out of the way, then you can get rested up and I'll keep watch in case Shadow shows up."

His lip twitched back and he trailed his eyes over her. She clutched her mallet before her in both hands, stoic, unmoving, and not a hint of fear in her eyes.

"It's clear to anyone how worn out you are," she went on. "You're practically doubled over. I hate to say this, Infinite, but with you like this, dragging me through the city, I was actually safer in my apartment with my friends!"

Each word was like a hot dagger stabbing him in the gut. His fur stood on end down his neck as fury flared inside him, and he slammed his fist into the wall. A flash of crimson lit up the corridor, and small cracks shot out across the wet stone.

"I'm not weak!" he snapped.

Amy did flinch back then, and her eyes widened. "I never said you were!" She took in a breath and moved closer to him. "Infinite, you're the strongest person I've ever met. But you know yourself something is wrong with your powers. If we were to run into Shadow right now, he'd kill us both!"

He narrowed his eyes at her. "I won't let him touch you."

Amy blinked back tears from her eyes and shook her head. "Please… You're scaring me."

Infinite sighed and flopped back against the wall. He dragged his hand over his mask and let out a small groan.

"Fine," he said. "Find somewhere quiet and hidden away, and I'll get that rest you so desperately want me to have."

Amy shook her head and marched past him, carrying her mallet in her right hand as if it were nothing but a feather. Infinite fell into step behind her, hugging his arms around himself. The fact he was becoming used to the stench of the sewer worried him. He'd only just washed the horrid smell off, and the longer he spent down there made him fear it might be forever ingrained in his fur.

Amy was about to turn off the grate into a dark tunnel. He leapt forward and grabbed her shoulder, freezing her to the spot. He ushered her behind him and took the lead, squinting into the darkness. A faint light leaked in from the other side, and the gurgle of water suggested the tunnel lead into another part of the sewer.

A few small squeaks reached his ears, and a rat scurried away along the wall away from them to vanish into a narrow pipe. Nothing flowed from it, but the green residue crusting over it suggested it was used periodically. For what, Infinite didn't want to know.

Amy stopped beside the wall and nodded to a small alcove. "How about here?"

Infinite frowned at her and glanced towards where the rat had vanished.

"We're not too far from the manhole," she said. "And we're not trapped in a dead end either."

Before he could reply, she settled down on the floor and propped her mallet against the wall. He rolled his eyes and flopped down beside her.

"Ten minutes," he said. "That's all."

"If you only need ten minutes, then that's what we'll take," she said.

He glanced up at her from behind his loose mane then brushed it back from his mask. Then he shuffled sideways until he was almost lying down. Amy let out a squeal when she realized he was planning to use her lap as a pillow.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

"Making sure you wake me up," he said, making himself comfortable. "If Shadow does show up and you plan to fight him, you'll have no choice but to wake me."

"Oh, you're impossible…"

He grunted a noncommittal reply and curled his tail around himself. Amy took in a sharp breath and shifted beneath him. He cracked his eye back open then let out a frustrated sigh.

His mask.

He unclipped it and slipped it over his ears. His entire body was trembling, and he wasn't sure if it was just down to exhaustion.

"Don't look at me," he muttered as he set his mask on the grate beside her.

"I wasn't planning on it." She sighed and placed her hand on his shoulder. "You know… I do appreciate you wanting to look out for me. But you have to look out for yourself sometimes, too."

"I am doing."

"Really? Because it doesn't seem like it."

"Amy… when I watched you walk out of that hotel room, thinking I'd lost you, it really hurt."

"Ouch." She flinched and retracted her hand from his shoulder. "Why are you digging that up all of a sudden?"

"Because if Shadow or Gadget got to you, I could lose you for good. And that would hurt a lot more." He sighed and brushed his mane over his face. "I'm trying to avoid that."

Amy relaxed again and let her hand rest back on his shoulder.

"I already know what it feels like," he went on. "It hurts. One blow after the next. And no matter how many times you experience it, it never gets easier. In fact… it just gets harder." He took in a trembling breath. "That's why I need you safe."

She brushed her fingers over the back of his ear a few times, tickling his fur with her claws. He let out a small sigh, and she took hold of it gently, letting her thumb trace circles over the back. His eyes closed and he relaxed into her lap. No longer trembling.

"I need you safe, too," she said quietly.

Those words stirred something inside him, and he wasn't sure he liked it. It wasn't just a sentiment. Instead it was something that told him she was definitely not going to go willingly.

"I told myself I'd never let myself care for anyone ever again," he said. "Then you burst into my life."

"I believe you burst into mine," she said with some amusement. "Through the window, actually."

He chuckled. "If someone as pink as you can weasel your way in, then I must have been doing something wrong."

"I guess I'm stronger than I look?"

He grunted at that, and she moved her thumb down to the base of his ear. An involuntary purr left his throat.

"It must be pretty lonely," she went on, "I don't imagine it's that easy to shut your heart off to everyone."

He opened his eyes and stared across at the dark wall. "It's impossible."

They sat in silence for a while, and his eyes kept drifting shut as her gentle hand lulled him to sleep. His mind wandered back to those awful days locked away from civilization. Tormented by scientists. Even that hadn't been enough to turn him off from needing contact with others. Even there, he needed it.

"When I was locked in that cell," he found himself saying, "sometimes some of the Phantom Ruby leaked from that detainment collar… Not a lot, but it was enough to make something small. So I'd make myself a little chao to talk to."

Amy shifted and tried to brush his mane back from his face. He jerked his head, letting it flop back over his eyes.

He took in a trembling breath and his voice wavered. "No one wants to be alone forever. Not even a monster like me."

"You're not a monster."

He let out a lone laugh. "I could have been, the way my mind was warping… Those few minutes that chao lasted kept me grounded in reality."

She returned to his ear and settled back against the wall. "Why are you telling me all this?"

"So you know how much it means to me to keep you safe. You're not an imaginary chao. I can't just bring you back." He hugged his arms around himself as his body started shaking again. "You're the first person who's ever got through to me since…" He took in a trembling breath.

"Since…?"

Words wouldn't form. He shook his head, curling up tight until his tail covered his nose. It was as if a dark black cloud had descended on him, suffocating him. His entire body shook uncontrollably as he stared, wide-eyed at the far wall.

Distant screaming echoed in his mind. Frantic and hysterical. Laughing. Mocking. Rage burned through his body, scorching away the panic that had taken over him. Hot tears stung his eyes and a low growl rose in his throat.

'Infinite…'

Those terrible screams faded. His ears twitched, trying to pinpoint the whisper. His entire body heaved as he tried to catch his breath and reel himself back in.

Amy brushed her fingers through his mane, repeating his name until it finally registered. He blinked and took in another trembling breath. He licked his lips, tasting blood where his teeth had dug in.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

He gave another glance around the tunnel until he was satisfied no one else was there, then nodded. It wasn't honest, but it saved worrying her further and digging all those memories back up again, triggering another attack. That hadn't happened in many, many years. He flopped onto her lap and closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"What for?" he mumbled.

She shook her head and leant back against the wall. "For worrying you like this. I didn't realize-"

"Drop it."

She traced her fingers over his ear again. "Infinite… Why don't you come with me? Let the Judge deal with Shadow."

"Because the Judge is tearing up the Beatdrop Capital and killing citizens," he growled. "It's a malfunctioning robot, and it's not doing its job. Besides… I need to deal with Shadow myself." He rubbed his fingers over his muzzle and grimaced. That black cloud was still hovering over him, threatening to descend again. "You're right. I need some rest. I'm exhausted. We'll talk about this later."

...

Each step was becoming wearisome, and each use of the Chaos Network was severely sapping Shadow's strength. He'd returned to the Casino roof, but Rouge hadn't been there.

Shadow's heart galloped. Where on earth was she?

The mental image of the Judge firing its machine gun at her emerged in his mind, blinding him. He shook his head to dispel it and continued running, searching each and every shadow he passed. Every building appeared empty. The windows untouched, the doors locked shut and needing a card key to enter. Sure, Rouge could hack her way in. She could be in any of them. But why would she hide and not tell him?

Shadow's foot faltered and he stumbled to a halt. He'd scared her, hadn't he? She'd fled.

A deep, repetitive thrum reached his hears and he pawed at them, trying to stop it. As it grew louder and more persistent, he realized it wasn't all in his head. The familiar noise froze his heart in his chest, and he jerked his head towards the rooftops.

Helicopters. Three of them.

He instinctively ducked into the nearest doorway, but their lamps weren't on him. They cleaved through the darkness towards the streets beyond the skyscrapers.

"Lower your weapons!" A loud voice echoed over a speaker. "You are to be apprehended and returned to Eggman."

Bullets tore through the air, causing the helicopters to swerve dangerously to avoid them. A few clipped the rotors of one, disfiguring it. The chopper struggled to stay airborne, and the tiny form of its pilot leapt from the door. Within seconds he was reduced to a bloody smear in the air as he fell to yet another cruel wave of bullets.

Shadow grimaced. He wouldn't be taking that road.

The pilot's pleas and demands to the Judge fell on deaf ears. Shadow turned and bolted, leaving the helicopters to the mercy of the Judge.

No…

He skidded to a halt and looked back at the helicopters. One of them was torn to shreds as the Judge's machine gun sliced through it like cheese.

If he helped… he could redeem himself. Show them he's no heartless killer.

The lone remaining helicopter fired its rockets. But a larger one was fired in return. The helicopter exploded into shrapnel.

Shadow screwed his eyes shut. Such a waste of life. That Judge had to be stopped.

He turned and shot down the street towards it, vaulting over the remains of the fallen helicopters. The judge's eyes trailed a crimson haze in the stormy air as they locked onto him, and he came to a stop before it.

"Target spotted." It leveled its machine gun at him. "You shall be destroyed."

"I'd like to see you try."

Shadow curled and leapt into the air, narrowly avoiding a spray of hot bullets. He brought his blazing foot down towards its head, bouncing off it harmlessly.

The robot turned on the spot, bringing up its gun as a bludgeon. "You are to be judged for murder."

"Me?!" Shadow leapt off the Judge, landing in a crouch in the road. "I think you've taken more lives than I have."

The Judge said nothing. Just the deep whir of its machine gun flaring to life.

And the clatter of metal.

Both Shadow and the Judge turned their heads towards it. A lime green squirrel struggled out from beneath a sheet of metal, pinned in place by the warped rotor of one of the helicopters.

Shadow's heart skipped a beat. "No…"

"Nuisance has not been neutralized." The Judge aimed its gun at the pilot.

Fear flashed in the squirrel's blue eyes. Shadow leapt before them and effortlessly kicked the shrapnel from their body. He snatched them up and dived, wincing as bullets peppered his body. The squirrel shrieked and kicked out. Shadow ignored him, and curled into a protective ball as best he could, keeping the small pilot close to his chest. Then he tapped into the Chaos Network.

His mind was a blank…

He looked up, finding himself no further than the other side of the street. A rocket whistled, lunging straight at them.

Shadow leapt, propelled by the explosion. Rubble rained down around them, pelting his body. A grunt came from the injured pilot, drawing Shadow's eye. Still conscious, but clearly in pain.

The Chaos Network… why hadn't it worked?

Shadow gave one last glance back towards the Judge. Its red eyes cleaved through the swirling dust, and small shards of brick and mortar clinked off its metal hide. A circle of red dots lit up, and another deep whir sliced the air.

"Nowhere to hide," it said.

Shadow turned and bolted, his skate shoes burning the dust beneath his feet. The small squirrel clung to his chest, his screams deafening.

Bullets rained down around them, tearing up the tarmac. Shadow picked up speed and screwed his eyes shut, desperately reaching out to the Chaos Network.

Warped code fluttered through his mind, coiling and curling. But it wouldn't take hold. Panic flooded his body, and his breath came in heavy bursts.

No looking back. Looking back would only slow him down. Only blind him to what lay ahead.

He tried once more, focusing on that code. Nothing. Instead, crimson energy lit up around his body. The machine gun fired again.

Shadow's feet left the floor as he leapt to safety. The world vanished around him. He landed with one toe on the edge of a precarious wall. He teetered forwards, almost dropping the squirrel pilot. His charge screamed, stunning Shadow's ears.

Below them, the empty road snaked and twisted between the buildings. Street lamps lit up the dingy streets, blurred by the stormy mist.

Shadow kicked himself backwards, landing flat on his back on the rooftop of the skyscraper. He released the squirrel, letting him scramble to safety. Warm blood coated Shadow's chest and dyed his white ruff an unsettling red. Memories of the school room haunted him, and he desperately rubbed at his chest with his hands.

Small whimpers came from beneath a picnic table. The blue eyes of the lime green pilot stared back at him, wet with tears. His GUN uniform was tattered and marred with blood, which puddled around him at an unsettling rate.

Shadow crept towards him, but the squirrel ducked further under the table.

"Get away from me!" he squeaked.

Shadow ignored him, reaching beneath the table for the back of his jacket.

The squirrel screamed again. "What do you want from me?!"

"I'm trying to help you!" Shadow snapped. "Now stay still!"

He scanned his eyes over the frantic pilot. The squirrel wasn't going anywhere fast. Shadow couldn't even pinpoint the wound through the mess of his uniform. Shadow stared down at his hands. That strange crimson power could kill. But how? Infinite was believed to be able to warp reality. Did that mean Shadow could use those powers to heal, too?

He focused, trying to bring up that crimson energy.

Nothing.

"What…" the squirrel gasped. "What are you doing?"

"I don't know!" Shadow groaned, turning to look down at him. "I don't know how these powers work! Just… just stop bleeding!"

The squirrel either grimaced, or laughed. Shadow didn't know which.

"Can you call for help?" Shadow asked.

The squirrel shifted, reaching into his coat pocket. A small computer fell out, its screen shattered. Ruined.

Shadow flinched and looked out at the skyscrapers. No more helicopters. No sign of any soldiers. If he left this soldier as he was, he'd surely die. Another life on his hands. All because that Judge wanted him. How was he meant to help this pilot?

He stared down at him, trailing his eyes over his small body. What would Rouge do? She'd dealt with her own wounds many times. Shadow's eyes fell on the squirrel's ruined jacket.

"Remove it," he said.

"What?"

Shadow let out a sigh and reached for the squirrel's uniform. Somehow he managed to remove it, or what was left of it. Although not without some discontent from his 'patient'. It revealed a nasty wound across the squirrel's side, where he'd met with the wreckage from the helicopter. Either the explosion, or how he'd landed.

Shadow yanked the sleeve from the jacket and began wrapping it around the pilot's waist. It wasn't easy. Especially given the length of the sleeve. But he managed to secure it tightly in place. It was soiled immediately.

No use. What else could he do? Shadow sighed as he realized he was this squirrel's only source of contact with GUN. That is, if he could actually access the Chaos Network.

Shadow sat back, trying to let his mind relax. This time, he actually managed to find a way in. One name stood out to him in his mind. One person he could potentially trust. Although the message would have to remain anonymous. Otherwise he might find himself targeted by yet another hunter.

Once the message was out, he shook off the Chaos Network.

"Someone will be here." He pushed himself to his feet.

"Wait." The squirrel's voice was faint. "Where are you going?"

"Away. I'm not waiting around here for GUN to show up."

"… You saved me?"

Shadow narrowed his crimson eyes at him. "You're questioning why?"

The squirrel grimaced, curling into a ball. "You're not really a murderer, are you?"

Shadow stared at him blankly as the squirrel struggled to maintain eye contact.

"They've got it wrong," the soldier said.

Shadow couldn't answer that. Instead, he turned away and leapt over the side of the skyscraper, vanishing into a swirl of warped and corrupted code.

...

"Huh." Sonic blinked at his visor.

The message was as clear as day. 'Wounded soldier on the roof of Maxx Finance.' No sender. And as for the email address, it was just a random string of digits.

It had to be from Shadow.

He called back his visor. "Sorry, Tails. I need to head off and help someone. Can you take these girls out of the city?"

Tails looked back at him from between Tangle and Whisper. "Of course."

Tangle's eyes widened and a huge grin spread across her muzzle. "You're rescuin' someone?!"

"Yes," said Sonic. "So you two-"

"Please let me come with you?!" Tangle grabbed his arm, halting him in his tracks. "Please please please?!"

Sonic let out a nervous laugh. "I'm supposed to be getting you two out of this city, not leading you straight into danger."

"But it might be too much for one person!"

"She's right there," said Tails. "GUN always send paramedics in pairs, and given I need to get them to the station, that leaves you on your own."

Sonic rolled his eyes. "All right, fine."

Tangle clenched her fists. "Yes!"

"But only because your tail could be handy." Sonic wagged at finger at her.

Tangle formed her tail into a 'thumb's up'. "Roger! But I have you know, I also know first-aid."

Before she could blink, Sonic grabbed her in his arms bridal-style and took off along the winding roads. It wasn't too far to the finance tower, not for him anyway. He was there in a matter of seconds. And he didn't stop.

Tangle let out a squeal of delight as he ran straight up the skyscraper's wall. He kicked off the wall surrounding the roof, and landed in a squat.

Tangle leapt out of his arms and bounced around on her tail, whooping.

Sonic stood and the sound of whimpering reached his ears. Huddled beneath a table was a lime green squirrel. The remains of his jacket lay beside him, while a sleeve served as a make-shift bandage.

Tangle stopped beside him, and a small grimace twisted her features.

"Oh boy." Sonic rubbed his hand over his quills. "I was not prepared for this."

...

Thanks for reading! Please R&R! =D