Chapter 19

Shadow paced back and forth in Commander Tower's office while Rouge sat on his desk, filing her nails. It was rare for Tower to stay in the labs for more than a few minutes.

She sighed. "What's taking him so long?"

Shadow stopped and stared at the door. "Omega's condition must be serious, but we need to get to Xeros before Hope acquires a new body."

"Don't worry." Rouge waved him away. "I'm sure he's fine."

Tower burst through the door and slammed a stack of papers on his desk, causing Rouge to jump up and drop her file.

"It's not looking good for Omega." Tower said, sitting down behind his mahogany desk. "His central processor's been fried, and his memory banks were corrupted. We're lucky he shut down when he did, or we would have lost him."

Shadow leaned over the desk. "Can he be restored?"

Tower rubbed his chin. "We'll have to alter his programming to make it compatible with his new processor. He'll be operational, but he won't be the same."

Shadow stared at the floor and then looked up at Rouge. "Let's go. We have a job to finish."

She jumped off the desk. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"What are you two talking about?" Tower demanded. "Special agent Rouge is seriously injured. She's not going anywhere."

Shadow glared at the commander. "We're going to Xeros. Give us authorization to use the teleporter."

Tower's face twitched. "You're . . . you're serious. You're going to shut down the mainframe, aren't you?"

He nodded. "It'll be a quick operation."

"And if our data is correct—one that will result in Ms. Kintobor's death."

Shadow looked away. "She's already dead to me. Let's go."

They left the office and Rouge patted him on the back. "Are you sure you don't want to take a day off. You've been pushing yourself pretty hard."

He glanced at her over his shoulder. "We're ending this now. My only hesitation is whether or not you should go with me. You still can't fly, right?"

She crossed her arms. "No, I can't. Thanks for reminding me."

"Ah, well, you can hold on to my rings."

They went through the teleporter and Shadow found himself once again on the desolate wastes of Xeros.

"This is where it all began." He whispered. "If we hadn't come here. . . . Let's get moving. I'll carry you."

He picked up Rouge and dashed across the barren earth toward an eerie, decrepit fortress on the horizon. Thankfully, Omega had found the mainframe during his brief stay on Xeros and had uploaded its coordinates to the G.U.N. database. Still, Shadow wondered why they would keep it in such an unstable building. According to Omega, massive ion storms were so common on this planet that the Alodiads hardly bothered to repair their structures, choosing instead to dwell in vast tunnel networks below the surface.

Rouge hugged his neck. "It's so cold. I don't know how you two could stand it."

"We're on the night side. The planet averages one rotation every 100 Mobian years."

"And Hope wants to live here forever inside some computer? Poor girl."

As they approached the fortress, Shadow noticed an unsettling lack of defenses. He began doubting Omega's claims when the black clouds overhead exploded, wracking the ground with lightning.

He removed his rings and handed them to Rouge. "We have to get inside now."

Grabbing her around the waist, he charged through the great door and shielded her from the rubble. They peered into the darkness of the main corridor, illuminated by the incessant lightning strikes.

"Stay here until I return." He went deeper into the dark. "According to Omega's map, the mainframe is on the bottom level. Give me a half hour. If I'm not back by then, report back to HQ."

"No way." She grabbed his arm. "I know you can't see a thing in here. I'll guide you."

He stared at her and sighed. "Fine. I'll upload the map to your communicator."

"This place is crazy." Rouge said, looking down at her wrist. "I could hide so much treasure in here."

Shadow picked her up again. "I'll get us there. Just tell me when to turn."

"Alright. I'll try not to get distracted."

Shadow smiled and charged down the corridor. Without his rings, his Chaos energy exerted a shield around them that brushed aside any robots that stood in their way. When they entered the central lift, Rouge handed Shadow his rings.

"Here, take a break and put these back on. You're wearing yourself down."

He pushed the rings away. "Removing my rings is similar to a drug overdose. If I put them on now, I'll crash and become a liability."

She frowned. "But you'll pass out if you keep going like this."

"Then we just need to shut down the mainframe before that happens."

When they reached the bottom of the lift, the door opened, and Shadow ran ahead, intercepting a barrage of laser fire. He pushed Rouge back into the lift and shut the door behind him. He then unleashed a Chaos blast, reducing the robots to slag. The corridor was silent, and a wave of nausea overtook him. He leaned against the wall and felt Rouge grab him from behind.

"Sorry." he muttered. "That was reckless."

Rouge shoved the rings into his face. "Put these on, Shadow. You're scaring me."

"Not yet." He waved them away. "We're so close, but . . . I don't know if I can do it."

Supported by Rouge, he walked forward and saw a series of flickering red lights in the distance.

"Is that the mainframe?" he asked under his breath. "Wait here. It could be a trap."

He entered the massive vault and stared up at the towering servers that sang a chorus of strange, alien sounds. It was bitterly cold—probably to keep the servers from overheating—so Rouge was more than happy to stay outside.

"Should I . . . destroy it all?" his voice trembled as he walked about the room.

He noticed a massive lever on one of the server towers and decided to flip it. The lights went out and the room darkened.

"Shadow, what are you doing?" he heard a voice that seemed to be coming from everywhere at once.

"Hope?" he whispered. "No, I'm just hallucinating. Rouge was right. . . . Should've put on my rings."

He limped over to the next tower and felt around for the lever. He flipped it and clutched his chest.

"I don't want to die, Shadow. I'm afraid."

He staggered across the room and grabbed the third lever. "I'm sorry. . . ."

He collapsed to the ground, flipping the switch. "One more."

Shadow started crawling to the last tower, but it seemed he was going nowhere.

"Please don't kill me, Shadow." The voice was getting louder. "I love you."

"Yeah, I love you too." he grunted.

"You shouldn't kill your loved ones. It isn't right."

"It isn't my choice." He gasped for air. "You're a threat to this world."

"I don't care about this world!" The voice sounded desperate. "I just want you. Let me stay by your side forever. Let me support you."

"I know that's all you ever wanted." His eyes grew hot. "But it's over. You lived and you died. Now, I'll never forget you. I'll carry this guilt until the end of time—wondering why I failed to protect you . . . wondering why I let it happen again." He cursed and wiped his eyes. "Wondering why I must keep living while my friends die all around me. Damn it all!"

He slammed his fist on the metal floor and leaned against the tower. "What's the point? Everything's going to end and then I'll be alone, like a stone sinking to the bottom of an endless sea." He laughed sharply. "What a cruel existence."

"You're upset, Shadow." Hope's voice was low, almost a whisper. "Let me sing a song for you."

"No, I don't need a song." He closed his eyes and sat up against the tower. "We can just sit here forever and wait for the world to end. . . . I'll call in an emergency evac for Rouge."

He reached for his communicator when a shimmering white light crept into his vision. It was the pale form of a woman with a bullet wound in her stomach. Her hair fell over her face, obstructing his view.

"No, Hope, stop." He muttered, closing his eyes. "No songs and no ghosts. I just want to sleep. I'm so tired of it all."

The ghost hugged his neck, and he felt an ethereal warmth. He opened his eyes and gasped.

"Maria?"

She nodded. "You thought I was someone else, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but I know those soft eyes." Now he was really crying. "I wish you didn't have to see me like this. . . . Must be the lowest point in my life."

"Of course I had to see you." She laughed playfully. "I've been watching you this whole time."

He smiled and wiped his eyes. "I knew you were. Thanks for supporting me."

She rubbed his head. "You've struggled so much without me. I know you're tired, but you can do this."

"No, I can't." He looked away. "I loved her, even after she wronged me."

"But she's suffering too. She's tired and wants to rest, just like you." Maria took his hand. "We can do it together."

She reached up to the final lever and Shadow felt his fingers wrap around it. "I'm sorry, Hope. If you resent me, I understand."

He flipped the switch and lost consciousness.

Rouge stared at Shadow's unconscious form on a G.U.N. hospital bed. She had stood in the infirmary at headquarters all day, waiting for him to wake up. After a while, Omega entered the room and stood behind her.

She leaned against him and sighed. "You think he's gonna be okay?"

"If by 'okay' you mean he will survive, then yes, that is almost assured. If you mean he will soon awaken from his comatose state, then no, that cannot be concluded. His body will do whatever is necessary to preserve itself, even if it must remain in a coma for decades. I think we should appreciate this much-needed reprieve from his melancholic aggression."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm glad you're so concerned. . . . You know, he was really worried about you."

"His concern was unwarranted." Omega's eyes flashed. "Still, I must commend his acumen. Even when we were both injured, he prioritized the mission. He has several redeeming qualities of an effective leader."

"Did someone mention an effective leader?" Commander Tower said as he entered Shadow's private hospital ward. "How's our ultimate headache holding up?"

"Hey, don't talk about Shadow like that!" Rouge snapped. "He just saved the world and he's in a coma. Have some class."

Tower shrugged. "Eh, he'll wake up and we'll all have a good laugh over some martinis like always. . . . You know, Rouge, I like your spirit. How would you like a promotion?"

Rouge furrowed her brow. "Uh, Commander, I don't really want to talk about work right now."

He squatted down and looked into her eyes. "How would you like to have my job? These alien invasions have pushed me to my limits, and I'm thinking about retiring to my condo in Wave Ocean."

She blinked at him. "Commander, I don't think—"

"Nope, It's not Commander." He threw on a pair of sunglasses. "It's Abraham Tower—deep sea fishing extraordinaire and purveyor of exotic fruits. Welcome to the other half, Commander Rouge the Bat."

He left the room and slammed the door with a joyful flick of the wrist. Rouge sighed and looked at Shadow's peaceful face.

"I really didn't need all these new responsibilities right now."

"Indeed. I cannot believe Tower promoted you despite Shadow's higher ranking. Now Team Dark will be dissolved."

"Oh, come on." Rouge said with a grin. "Tower knows I'm the only thing keeping this team together, and nothing's gonna change, except I'll be bossing you two around from behind a desk. . . . And Shadow and I can have some alone time in my office."

She sat down on the bed and massaged his legs. "I wonder what he's dreaming about. . . . Probably Maria, but I hope it's me."

Omega fell silent and stared at her. "Rouge, I would like to share a research-informed opinion."

She glared at him. "Yeah, I know you don't approve of our relationship, but can you just leave us alone for a while?"

His eyes flickered. "Actually, that is the opposite of the truth. After my processor was replaced, I recalibrated my programming and discovered, against all odds, that it would benefit Team Dark if you both pursued this relationship to copulative ends . . . though I advise you to wait until he is conscious."

She blinked at him. "Oh, Thanks, Omega. I never thought you'd give us your blessing."

"Neither did I, but a powerful electric discharge to the cranial shell would produce abnormal behaviors in any E-series model. Be well."

Omega turned about-face and left the ward. Rouge laughed at his uncharacteristic words and stared at Shadow's sleeping face.

"I can't believe you look so good in a coma." She massaged his arm. "If I was lying there, I'd look like a starved vampire."

She adjusted his pillow and sighed. "Why can't you just wake up so we can get married?" She kissed his hand and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I guess you deserve to rest, but don't keep me waiting. I've only got so many years I can give."

Shadow opened his eyes to meet Rouge's as she looked down at him. She was stroking his quills while his head rested in her lap.

He smiled and rubbed her back. "Rouge, you saved me . . . and your wing's healed. How long was I out?"

"About a week. You're lucky to be alive. That ion storm screwed up your rings." She pointed to the inhibitor ring on her wrist. "Lucky for you, my old one stabilized you until we got back to headquarters."

"Then I'm in your debt. . . ." He felt his eyes moisten and pressed his face against her stomach.

Her ears drooped. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

"Sorry." he whispered. "It's shameful to cry in your presence, but I killed someone I loved dearly."

"It's okay. You did the right thing."

He sat up and laughed. "You say that, but you weren't there. You didn't see me fold like a coward. If not for Maria, I would have given up everything."

She held out her arms. "Come here, baby. Come here."

He embraced her and wept bitterly. "I killed her, and it was my fault she got shot. It's like I killed her twice. I couldn't save her, just like Maria, and I can't save you either. I can't save anyone."

Rouge kissed his forehead and cradled him like a child. "You're pretty incredible, Shadow. I'd say you're the only person in the world who loved Hope. Even after she lost her marbles and tried to manipulate you, you kept loving her. That takes a lot of strength. You don't have to save anyone. Just keep loving people like that. . . . Promise me you will."

He stared into her eyes, and she faltered. "I promise. I'll love you and our children and all the generations thereafter until the end of time."

She smiled and wiped her eyes. "Thanks. That's all I want. . . . And don't be ashamed to cry in front of me. You've been through a lot, and you deserve to let it out every now and then."

He took her hand and their rings chimed against each other. "Thank you, but I'm not thinking about the past right now."

Shadow kissed Rouge and she wrapped her wings around him. "Hey, ultimate kisser, remember me when you're floating through space, living forever."

He smiled and kissed her again. "I will. We will live forever."