Chapter 3

The next morning, Shadow felt that all too familiar swimming sensation in his head and decided to get a second opinion from the G.U.N. medical scientists. He left Hope's apartment well before she awakened, which would surely worry her, but he wanted to get to the bottom of his condition. The ultimate lifeform shouldn't have to deal with petty migraines and hallucinations.

He entered Commander Tower's office and found the stoic old man seated behind his desk of black steel, his hands steady and his posture erect. Like its keeper, the room was the epitome of military discipline. It contained no furniture save for the chair and desk and was lit by two rows of symmetric lights that brightened the room to an irritating degree. The walls and floor were whitewashed with a cold, sterile sheen. Despite its less than inspiring design, Shadow found it quite charming. If he were ever given an office, he was certain it would look similar.

"Lieutenant, I'm glad you're here." said the commander, rising from his desk. "There is a small matter I wished to discuss."

Though Shadow was anxious to ask his own questions, he remained silent and awaited his instructions.

"We've lost contact with Omega."

Shadow shrugged. "So? It's only been a day. There was a massive ion storm approaching when I left Xeros, so he probably spent the night underground."

"It is more likely he was caught in the storm. We confirmed his sensor array was destroyed earlier this morning."

Shadow faltered and glanced down at his communicator. He was correct. Omega's name was eerily absent from the list of contacts. He stared at the floor in shame, for he felt partially responsible for the plight of his friend.

"I'll retrieve him. I never should have let him stay in the first place."

Tower adjusted some papers and shook his head. "I'm afraid that's not possible at the moment."

"What do you mean?"

"That artifact you found on Xeros has been wreaking havoc on our machinery. If you use the teleporter now, there's a chance it could launch you out into space or drop you in the molten core of a planet."

"Then get rid of the orb. It's been causing me a lot of problems, too."

The commander's brow elevated into his wrinkled forehead. "Really? How so?"

Shadow turned away. "I've experienced some . . . glitches in my brain."

He pounded his fist against his desk. "What? Where is Corporal Kintobor? Why didn't she run a diagnostic on you? I'm sending you to the lab immediately."

He understood the commander's outrage. Anything that could access Shadow's mind could easily steal classified intel from G.U.N.

"Hope ran a scan but couldn't find anything."

"That proves nothing. She should have used the equipment in the lab."

Shadow crossed his arms. "She was busy with an important presentation. This isn't her fault."

Tower scoffed at him. "Her foremost duty is to uphold the security of the Federation. Now report to lab nine immediately."

Shadow did as he was ordered and allowed the scientists to run whatever tests they needed. As he sat on the operating table, bathed in that sterile light, he could not help but wonder if this was how he had spent his early days on the Ark. Around noon, the tests were complete, and Commander Tower called Shadow back to his office. This didn't bode well. The results must have been serious for him to explain them in person.

"You're not going to like this, Lieutenant."

"I rarely like anything you have to say."

The commander smirked and glanced down at the documents in his hand. "If you recall, Professor Gerald created an access port for your brain so he could alter your memories. It seems that orb or something is using it to alter your synaptic functions. Fortunately, the professor also installed numerous checkpoints that an external user would have to pass to receive unlimited access to your brain. In addition, he put in a safety that will delete any foreign body that fails to pass the checkpoints. In short, your brain's more secure than this fortress. I'm a bit jealous, but I guess that's what makes you the ultimate lifeform."

"Alright. What's the catch?"

"Hm? Oh, yes. We also found a small area of damaged tissue in your brain. We can't be certain, but it seems that when a checkpoint deletes a virus, it causes irreparable damage."

"Which means?"

"It's similar to experiencing a stroke. Each one will be more severe than the last until your brain must reset itself. You'll forget everything and start over with an essentially new brain. It's fascinating, really."

Shadow stared at the floor in defeat. All his life he thought himself to be invincible, but now something as tiny as a virus was about to destroy him.

How will I tell Hope about this? It'll devastate her.

"Can't we just relocate the orb to a different base?" he asked, trying to hide his desperation.

The commander shook his head sternly. "I'm afraid that's out of the question. The artifact is much too dangerous to transport through populated regions. It'd cause a mess of paperwork."

"Then what do you expect me to do, lay down and die?"

The commander stood up and sighed. "To be frank, I don't know what you should do. For now, I suggest taking a paid leave of absence until we can neutralize the effects of the orb."

"Impossible. That could take months, and I'm not leaving Hope. The orb could affect her too."

"Yes, that's true. In that case, I'm afraid our only option is to disable the safety in your brain."

Shadow was speechless. He didn't want to imagine what that orb could do to him if left unchecked. What if it made him do something horrible to Hope? Death seemed to be a more pleasant alternative.

"Is there no other way?" he asked pitifully.

Shadow nearly laughed when the commander placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a sympathetic smile. He looked ridiculous.

"I understand I'm asking a lot of you, lieutenant, but the safety of the Federation is my top priority. Disabling the safety would keep your brain intact, but it would place G.U.N. at risk. . . . Still, it seems the viruses are randomly generated, so it would be nearly impossible for one to pass through all the checkpoints."

Shadow sighed and stared down at the pristine metal floor. He was willing to die if it meant protecting Hope but abandoning her—a sort of living death—was unacceptable. He was not afraid of physically losing Hope but of losing his relationship with her. If he left Four Crosses, he knew she would drop out of school and follow him. He couldn't force her to sacrifice so much, but was it right for him to risk losing his memories—losing himself—just so he could stay by her side a few more days?

The commander released him, gathered his papers, and headed for the door. "I want an answer tomorrow. Either leave the northern continent or let us disable the professor's safety device."

"Either leave or let this orb have its way with me." Shadow threw his hands up. "How fun. I'm glad God, Chaos, the universe, or whatever can have a good laugh at me."

"I told you that it was affecting all our machinery, didn't I? Face it, lieutenant. You're no different. If Omega were here, it would cripple him as well."

"And I suppose you won't transfer the orb for his sake either?"

"Indeed. He knew the consequences of remaining on Xeros."

With those cold words, the commander retired from his office, leaving Shadow to contemplate his decision. The answer was obvious. Leaving was safer than staying. He had to protect Hope at all costs. It gave him some peace of mind just to know what was wrong with him, but nothing from his medical analysis could explain why he had been unable to leave Hope's apartment yesterday. Perhaps it was just a hallucination caused by the virus. Whatever the case, he was now prepared to resist such attacks whenever they returned. All that remained was to inform Hope of his dire situation without ruining their date—a task that was beyond even his expertise.

Shadow decided that it would be best to return to the apartment, for Hope was undoubtedly worried about him. He knocked on the door and it flew open. There stood Hope, her face contorted with grief and anger.

"What were you thinking, running out on me like that? I was worried sick! You made me have a nervous breakdown in front of my advisor."

"I'm sorry, Hope. I just had to figure out what's been going on with my head."

"So, you didn't trust the results of my scan?" There was a hint of betrayal in her voice.

"No, I just wanted a second opinion."

"Then that means you didn't trust me." She sighed. "Well, what did they say?"

Shadow thought for a moment. He didn't expect to have to give her the bad news so soon.

"Some virus—probably from that orb—is trying to infect my brain. Thankfully, the Doctor installed a sort of security system to protect it from external hackers, but my brain might reset itself for its own protection. I'd forget everything."

Hope put her finger to her chin. "I suppose he installed a series of checkpoints only he could bypass. How thorough."

That wasn't quite the reaction he had expected.

"I'll have to leave." Shadow said, staring at the floor. "Either that or disable the doctor's security system in my brain."

"Can't they just take the orb somewhere else?" She said with a shrug.

"Tower won't do anything that could compromise G.U.N.'s safety."

Hope crossed her arms. "That idiot. . . . Well, what are you going to do?"

"I think I should get as far away from that orb as possible, but what do you think? I want to do what's best for you."

She embraced him tenderly. "I'll support you no matter what you decide. I'd follow you to the edge of the galaxy."

He gave her a strange look and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I was afraid you'd say that. What about your doctorate?"

"Please, there's nothing those fools can teach me. I could accomplish much more on my own."

"You sound like Dr. Robotnik." he said with a frown.

She released him and walked into the kitchen. "Why don't you lie down, and I'll fix you some tea?"

It was more of a command than a suggestion, so he sat on the loveseat and waited patiently for that sacred cup of chai. He couldn't believe how well she was taking the bad news. Even as a child, she had such a strong spirit. In the past, her kindness felt so commonplace, but now he realized how much trouble she put herself through for his sake.

Hope brought him his tea and sat down next to him with a cup of her own. "Maybe this'll make you feel better."

Shadow took a few sips and set it aside. He couldn't relax. There were too many important matters to attend to, like their impending double date which filled him with existential dread.

Hope, sipped her tea and sighed. "It's okay, Shadow. I'll never leave you, and if that virus tries to hurt you, I'll do everything I can to stop it."

"Thanks." he said, somewhat embarrassed to.

She hugged him tightly against her stomach. "You'll always be welcome in my home, and I will always love you—yesterday, today, and tomorrow."

"You're crazy." He looked up at her. "You've been waiting a long time to say that, haven't you?"

Hope smiled and wiped a tear from her eye. "Only about ten years. Do you want to lay down? I'll get you a blanket."

"No, I'm fine, but those lab tests were exhausting. . . . Maybe I'll rest a little before I have to deal with Sonic."

He crossed his arms and reclined against the couch, falling asleep with an unfinished cup of tea at his side.

When he awoke, he glanced out the window to see a sky painted a bold vermillion. It was almost time for their date with Sonic and Amy. Feeling rejuvenated, he jumped to his feet, ready to face whatever trappings his rival had in store.

Then, Hope stepped awkwardly out of her bedroom. She was wearing a black dress of satin—quite a rare material in the northern regions of Mobius. Her hair was beautifully straight, so much so that it reminded him of stalks of wheat during harvest. Her face was also powdered with elaborate makeup, which was not at all her style. Shadow was thankful that she had at least neglected to wear heels, for she was already taller than him by about three feet. All in all, she appeared to be a completely different person.

"So, Shadow, how do I look?" she asked, placing a hand on her hip.

"You look nice, I'll admit." He smiled. "I almost forgot you were a greasy mechanic."

"Thanks. . . . Now put this on."

She tossed him a black suit coat that was obviously meant for a child Overlander.

"Must I wear this?"

"Yes, you have to, or else no one will be able to tell you and Sonic apart."

Shadow grunted and struggled into the coat. "You're probably right."

Hope wrapped her arms around his head and hugged him against her waist. "Oh, Shadow, you're so cute! I just know this night is going to be perfect."

Shadow smiled painfully as he took a long whiff of her perfume. It filled him with a strange energy that made his heart pound against his ribs. He felt he would pass out if he couldn't escape. He pushed her back and gasped for air.

"What the hell is in that perfume?" he shouted.

"It just a little something I mixed up last night." she said with a playful smile. "You don't like it?"

"Don't you think it's rather strong?" he said, rubbing his nose. "Forget it. Let's go. If I'm late, Sonic will never let me hear the end of it."

Now it is time to acquaint the reader with a certain relic Hope had purchased from a retired professor: a truck powered by gasoline. During the past ten years, fossil fuels had mostly fallen out of favor thanks to the discovery of latent Chaos energies beneath the planet's surface. This resource, though far more lethal to handle, produced a yield that rivaled even the nuclear facilities of the presumably deceased Dr. Eggman. The Mobians were ecstatic to find a clean source of energy that could halt the planet's gradual deforestation, and of course the Overlanders exploited it with gusto. This rendered almost all other sources of energy useless, making gasoline powered automobiles advantageous to any impoverished student such as Hope.

As promised, Hope allowed Shadow to ride in the back of the truck which brought him more joy than he was willing to admit. For many years, he had tried to convince Hope that hedgehogs were meant to ride on the exterior parts of vehicles, but she just laughed him off.

Fortunately, Sonic and Amy had agreed to meet them in Avondell, a Mobian city only an hour out from Four Crosses. It was around six o'clock when they arrived at the Starry Pine—an upscale restaurant whose patrons were predominantly high class Mobians. Immediately, Shadow sensed that it was not going to be a pleasant evening for either of them. He could already hear the insults Hope would receive from these anthropomorphic elitists.

They entered the refined establishment and Shadow immediately revealed his identification as a government agent so would not be mistaken for Sonic. Hope received a few contemptuous glares, but otherwise, her arrival was mostly unnoticed.

Surprisingly enough, the manager himself came directly to meet them. "Ah, Shadow the Hedgehog, what a pleasure it is to finally meet you, and might I say your partner is absolutely sublime."

Hope blushed and even Shadow was taken aback. For him to be recognized by sight was a rare luxury, but for Hope to receive a compliment from a Mobian was so absurd it caused her a deal of discomfort.

"Come with me." he said, gesturing down the hall. "Sir Sonic will be delighted to see you both."

After the demise of Eggman, Sonic had been knighted by the Mobian Monarchy—an event Shadow tried to forget. Eggman's ultimate defeat had been a consolidated effort of several parties, including G.U.N., but of course Sonic took all the credit. The doctor's body had never been found, however, so it was possible he was biding his time, waiting for Sonic to grow apathetic in his service to the people of Mobius.

When they arrived at their table, Shadow was surprised to find their hosts already seated. He had expected Sonic to arrive precisely at six o'clock, but perhaps Amy had forced him to swallow his pride and make an earlier appearance.

"Long time no see, Shadow!" Sonic shouted, despite being only a few feet away. "What took you so long?"

Oh, dear Chaos, have mercy on me.

"Good evening, Sonic." Shadow growled as he took a seat across from him. "Amy—a pleasure as always."

"Thank you, Shadow." she said with a cheerful smile. "Who's your date? I thought you were bringing Hope."

Shadow cringed as he gave a sideways glance to his visibly deflated partner. The evening was slowly corroding into the hellish nightmare he had imagined.

"I am Hope, Amy." She said, somewhat perturbed.

Shadow nudged her in the side. "Now you know how it feels to be mistaken for someone else."

She rolled her eyes and slumped down in her chair, trying to hide from the other clientele. The furniture was all much too small for her, causing her to appear freakishly large by comparison. This afforded her more than a few jeering laughs from the surrounding patrons.

"Hope?" Amy exclaimed. "But you're so tall!"

She laughed uncomfortably. "Well, that's what happens when your growth plates atrophy during two years of cryogenic sleep."

Sonic laughed and slowly reached his arm around Amy's shoulders. "Yeah, don't worry, kid. Amy here was a late bloomer too, but boy did she—"

Sonic's face contorted in pain due to a swift punch to the gut from his date. It seemed he was the one who had truly failed to mature over the past decade.

"So, what have you two been doing? How are things at the agency?" Amy faltered. "Oh, am I not supposed to ask that?"

"No, you're fine." Hope stammered. "Things have been pretty hectic this week, but that's nothing unusual. Shadow and I are also living together while I'm studying for my PhD in robotics."

Shadow nearly fell out of his chair. He now realized how foolish they were to go into this warzone completely blind. All around them, Mobians whispered with an insidious energy.

"A Mobian and an Overlander living together?" A spectacled fox said from across the room. "Is that even legal?"

"Isn't she related to Eggman?" said his vulpine partner. "Why are they letting her go to school?"

"She's probably spying on Sonic so she can kill him and avenge his death."

Hope tried her best to ignore these slanders, but it was obvious her feelings were hurt, which consequently offended Shadow.

"Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me." Amy whispered, taking her hand. "So, do you two share a room?"

Hope reeled and looked to Shadow for support. "We, um, uh—"

"We do nothing of the sort." He interjected. "I am only looking after her. I come and go as I please."

Sonic laughed and reclined in his chair. "Still got that Maria complex, huh? I guess you'll never change."

Shadow scoffed at him. "And neither will you."

He glanced at Hope who had fallen eerily silent. For some reason, she refused to meet his gaze.

"Please excuse me." she murmured and headed off toward the bathroom. She likely had no idea where she was going.

Amy rose in a rush. "Oh, dear. I'll see what's bothering her, and try to get along, you two."

"Right." they said in unison.

As fate would have it, the waiter arrived shortly after Amy departed.

"Sir Sonic, might I say that it is a pleasure—by the Seven, there are two Sonics!"

The heroic hedgehogs slammed their heads against the table.

"I'm Shadow the Hedgehog."

"Yeah, he's a fake."

The waiter bowed deeply. "My sincerest apologies. If you wish, Sir Sonic, I will openly flog myself amidst the clientele."

"What? Oh, that's alright. A private flogging will do just fine."

"Thank you, Sir Sonic!" He turned to Shadow. "It is an honor to finally meet you, Shadow. If I may ask, was that Overlander you were accompanying Maria Robotnik by any chance? Has she come back to life? Tell me, has my greatest fan fiction finally been realized? Perhaps I'll even get to be an OC!"

"Be quiet, you nameless entity and get our drinks!" Shadow yelled.

The waiter mustered up what little dignity he could and departed in shame. Sonic then cackled like a high-pitched, sputtering jet turbine.

"See? You aren't fooling anyone, Shadow. Even the fans know why you're so attached to Hope."

"I don't have any fans!" he shouted. "They all think I'm you."

He shrugged. "Could you ask for a better compliment? I'm the one who should be mad over that."

"Yeah, whatever." He pretended to read his menu. "What made you want to date Amy anyway? I thought you couldn't stand her."

"Get real, Shadow. That was ten years ago. With Eggman out of the picture, I decided I could use a change of pace. Now all I care about is making the world a better place for my kids."

For a moment, Shadow was stunned. This was the last thing he expected to hear from Sonic. The idea that he wanted to slow down was almost laughable.

"I admit that is a noble aspiration, but surely there must be something more."

Sonic shrugged and gave him a cocky smile. "Well, I'm not gonna lie. Amy's grown into a fine woman. She's turned more than a few heads tonight."

"Are you joking, Sonic? If I were narrating this scene right now, I would neglect to even describe her appearance."

"Of course you would. That's because you're obsessed with meek Overlander girls."

Shadow grit his teeth. "You've got a lot of nerve, hedgehog."

"How long have you and Hope been dating anyway?" Sonic asked, not losing a beat.

Shadow fell silent. The question was so ridiculous, it hardly deserved an answer.

"Are you out of your mind? No Mobian has ever had an intimate relationship with an Overlander. They would be ostracized from society forever."

"Well, that's a shame. Amy said that you two were dating, but I guess she just jumped to conclusions. She does that a lot—starts filling in the blanks and writing her own story."

Shadow's eyes widened. "You don't think Hope told Amy that we were dating, do you?"

Sonic shrugged. "How should I know? We were going to invite you and Rouge, but she never answered our calls, so Amy invited Hope."

Shadow stared at the table. "Yeah, she hasn't been answering my calls either. . . ."

Sonic put his hands behind his quills and sighed. "It's too bad, though. I think you and Hope would make a good couple. I mean, not as good as Amy and me, but you know."

"Are you out of your mind? We're not even the same species, and more importantly, she's twice my height."

"You're pretty sensitive about that, huh?" Sonic leaned over the table and lowered his voice to a harsh whisper. "Get with the times, man. Mobius is as prosperous as it's ever been. Everyone's too caught up with their own lives to care about some stupid love affair between a Mobian and an Overlander. Besides, what difference does a few mismatched chromosomes make? It's obvious that she's obsessed with you, and I know you could love her too if you'd just loosen up a bit."

"I don't even know how to respond to that. . . . Hey, Sonic, do you think Hope smells a bit weird tonight."

"Weird?" He crossed his arms. "No, just kinda flowery like any cheap perfume."

Shadow pondered his words as Hope and Amy returned to the table. To his dismay, Hope's spirits did not seem any higher. Her bright red eyes betrayed her tears. After she sat down, Shadow reached over and took her hand. She smiled weakly and whispered, "Thanks."

"Alright then!" Amy said, clenching her fists. "We actually invited you two out for a very special reason. Sonic and I are getting married and we'd like for you both to be in our wedding!"

There was a roar of applause from the surrounding patrons, but neither Shadow nor Hope were especially excited. What little joy Shadow's warmth had brought her quickly dwindled, and of course Shadow had no desire to partake in a wedding where all the guests would mistake him for the groom.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Hope said, swallowing her tears.

"Yeah, that's great, but why us?"

Amy scowled at him. "You're our friend, Shadow, and we wanted you to be a part of this special moment in our lives. You should be honored."

"We are, Amy," said Hope with some degree of difficulty, "but it's just so sudden."

Sonic stood up and grabbed Amy's hand. "Well, you know me. I don't like to wait around, unlike a certain other hedgehog."

Amy then leapt into his arms in one fluid motion, as though she had done so countless times. "Well, we should really get going. We've got so many more guests to invite. Good luck, Hope."

Sonic rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and it'll take forever to find Mighty."

With that, he darted out of the restaurant, accompanied by a roar of applause. It was then that the shameful waiter arrived with their drinks.

"Oh no, I forgot which Sonic ordered what!"

Unable to withstand the humiliation any longer, Shadow left a handful of rings on the table and stomped out of the sorry establishment with Hope hot on his heels. Once they reached the truck, Shadow opened the door for Hope to climb in. She petted the top of his head, as she always did, and lifted him up into the cabin. The act made him look ridiculously small, but he hardly cared. He just wanted to leave before he lost any more of his dignity.

Silently, she started the engine and they began their long, quiet return to Four Crosses. Her shoulders were slumped terribly so that her chin nearly touched the wheel.

"Thanks for sitting up front with me, Shadow. You know you didn't have to."

"Did you expect me to leave you alone for an hour after you went through hell back there? Hmph, what a bunch of cowards. . . . Are you holding up?"

She smiled slightly. "Thanks, Shadow, but it wasn't that bad. I expected as much, especially what they said about my uncle, but then Sonic—" she faltered. "Shadow, it's always been in the back of my mind, but I have to know. Are you only spending time with me because I remind you of Maria?"

"That's what got you so upset?" He thought for a moment. "I would be lying if I said that wasn't a factor, but it's more than that. You were a beacon of light guiding me through the darkest part of my life."

"But I thought the darkest part of your life was sixty years ago on the Ark?"

He shook his head sternly. "No, you're wrong. It was after I realized my promise to Maria and managed to save the world from certain doom. I should have died that day. Indeed, I wanted to die. I thought death was the only path to redemption, yet I was spared. I could hardly live with myself. I almost destroyed everything and broke my promise. It would have been easier to die than live with that guilt. I was alone. I had nothing but a vague promise from a memory that might not even be mine. Then you, Rouge, and Omega came and gave me a purpose. You taught me how to love and how to live. All along, I thought I was nothing more than a weapon, but you treated me like a living being—one with thoughts and emotions . . . and even a few weaknesses."

"You have no idea how much that means to me." A broken laugh escaped from her lips. "I can't believe how stupid I was to doubt you like that, but even if you had said yes, I wouldn't have been upset. I'd be happy if I could just fill Maria's place for you. What am I talking about? No one could do that."

He stared at her for a moment. There was something odd about the way she was talking. "I appreciate your concern, but I'm content with this life, thanks to you and Team Dark."

They continued down the snowy road in silence for some time. Hope was certainly in better spirits, but there was still an air of anxiety about her. He could not imagine why, unless she was concerned about the road conditions. He decided that talking to her might ease her mind.

"You mentioned you had a pleasant dream last night. What did it entail?"

She smiled awkwardly. "It's a little embarrassing. . . . Come here."

Pulling him across the bench seat, she pressed him into the side of her body. He gagged on her intoxicating perfume.

"Let's keep each other warm. Isn't this such a cozy ride home?"

He looked up and could see her face illuminated by the electric glow of the cab lights.

She met his gaze with a mischievous smile. "Go ahead, Shadow. No one's watching."

It felt like his brain had shut off. All he could think about was Hope's euphoric scent and her beautiful, alien body from which it emanated. Her strange behavior did not even register. He clung to her arm and kissed it. Most Mobians regarded the furless skin of Overlanders as brutish and disgusting, but Shadow was thrilled by its exotic touch.

"You're a lot stronger than I thought." she whispered into his ear. "Be gentle or I'll have to pull over."

He couldn't imagine how Hope could be so calm. He was caressing her like a lover, and she acted as though it were the most natural thing to do—driving with one hand and holding him with the other.

"Shadow, dear, my legs are getting cold. Warm them up for me."

He held her right leg and rubbed his face against her taut thigh. "I can tell you run a lot."

"I know. I love my body." She sighed as Shadow removed his glove and ran his hand down her leg. "That's why I want to share it with you. It would be a waste if I kept it all to myself."

She looked down at him with a blissful smile and petted his quills. "I love you, Shadow, every part of you—your power, your mysteries, your ideals, your body . . . your immortality. Even if you were just a legend, I think I would be obsessed with you. I know it's hard to understand, but if you'd just let me hold you for one night, you'd feel the same way."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, struggling to find his words.

"But not now." She returned her attention to the road. "I'm sorry, but this is just a cheap imitation. I want our first night to be perfect. I want you to give yourself to me freely, so I won't feel ashamed."

"Ashamed? Why?"

Hope laughed quietly to herself. "Because I'm a selfish egomaniac who's betraying the only friend she's ever had, but I want more. I deserve more—love, intimacy, companionship. I want you all to myself, Shadow. I want to be like a heroine out of some epic poem who seduces an immortal being. That's the kind of monster I am."

Shadow sat up and leaned his head against her arm. "You're no monster. You're beautiful."

"Yes, tell me how beautiful I am." she said with a crazed smile. "But for all my beauty, I'm not perfect like you. You're a miracle of science—a god. It's hard to believe I'm even touching you."

Shadow pulled back the strap of her dress and kissed her neck. "On the contrary, I think you're the goddess. After all, the blood of my creator flows inside you."

"Oh, Shadow, thank you for indulging me." She pulled off onto the shoulder and parked her truck. "Here, let me give you a kiss."

As she pressed her lips against Shadow's, he felt something click inside his brain and he pushed himself away from her.

"What the hell was that?" he asked, breathing rapidly.

Hope hugged herself and leaned over the steering wheel. She started sobbing and let her tears fall and vanish into the darkness of the cab.

"Is there any point in apologizing?" she said with a weak smile. "Nothing I could say would justify what I've done."

Shadow shook his head. "No, it was that orb. It got inside my head and made me act so unnatural. I betrayed you. I dishonored you. I did something . . . irredeemable."

Hope slammed her fists on the dashboard. "It wasn't that stupid orb. It was me!"

Shadow felt the weight of a mountain fall upon his chest. "What?"

"I was the one messing with your brain, trying to access your memories." She grabbed his hand. "That's how much I love you. I want to know everything about you, even the things you don't know—your subconscious."

Shadow stared into her unwavering eyes. "But how?"

She laughed. "Do you want me to explain all the boring details? I put some nanobots in your tea. They attached to your neurons and sent signals through your body while giving me data on your cerebral processes. That's how I was able to seduce you with my silly perfume. Every time you smelled this compound, my nanobots sent signals through your nervous system to simulate arousal. Do you understand what a bad girl I am now?"

Shadow threw his head back and laughed. "Sonic was wrong to call you meek."

"What?" Hope asked, somewhat frustrated by his response.

"I think you're a sad, eccentric woman, but you're related to Robotnik, so that's to be expected." He paused and stared out the window. "I guess you're going to find some way to disable the professor's checkpoint system in my brain. Then you could do whatever you want to me."

"No, I'm not going to coerce you into loving me." She rubbed her shoulder. "It makes me feel terrible."

Shadow recalled how she had invited him to touch her. "Then you really meant everything you said. You weren't under the influence of anything?"

"No, do you think I'm an addict?" she said with performative rage. "I'm sober. I care about my health because I want to live forever like you."

He furrowed his brow. "Then what were you thinking? Don't you realize we would break every taboo, every social norm by becoming lovers? We would be outcasts. G.U.N. would fire us. You'd be expelled and never get any of your research published. We're talking about social suicide."

Hope nodded. "I know. It sounds like a fantasy to me. I'd give up everything to be your lover."

"This is crazy." Shadow said, opening the passenger-side door. "You're out of your mind."

"Wait, where are you going?" she demanded, leaning out of the door.

"I'm walking back to town from here. Go home and cool off. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Hope shrugged and put her key in the ignition. "Fine, but if you run away, I'll find you. My nanobots can send data across lightyears."

"Interesting. I wonder if they can survive a Chaos blast."

Shadow gave her a quick wave and flew off down the street, causing Hope's truck to rock back and forth.

"It'll be a long trip home." she said, slouching over the steering wheel.