Heya readers!

Hope you all had a great Halloween a week ago! I sure did! And I'm sorry I didn't post a chapter in October, mainly because of work, and because I was working on my TMNT Halloween Special 'October Surprises' but now that's completed I can focus on this fic here! lol!

Last place we left off, after Rouge the Bat had planted her explosives, she went in search of prisoners, was spotted by slaves and was forced to flee, yet she ended up in a place where she was shocked to see something, yet what was it she saw?

Well read below to find out!

Chapter Eleven

Rouge stared ahead and slowly stood up.

When she had fled the Robotized slaves, she had not paid attention to where she had run to hide and had found herself in what looked like a large Laboratory.

Looking in front of her she saw large liquid filled capsules attached to machines and computers, large enough to hold a Mobian.

Many were empty yet there were some filled with some strange looking creatures, yet she was unsure of what they were since they looked like foetus's or a mixed breed.

"What in the name of...?" she whispered to herself as she walked over and studied the capsules.

As the white bat looked upon them, she tried not to feel queasy, but it was difficult, and she wondered what Sonic and Sally would think of this.

"My God…Robotnik…not only are you robotizing Mobians, and slaughtering them, but you're using them in experiments? You're fucking sick!"

She took out a small camera and began taking pictures as evidence hoping to show Sonic and Sally as well as the other Freedom Fighters when they returned to Knothole.

Before long, she soon came to the central capsule, and she gasped in shock when she saw what was inside.

Walking up to it, Rouge put her hand on the thick glass and studied the specimen inside.

Inside was a male hedgehog, his eyes were closed, and his fur was coloured black with red detail on his quills and a tuft of white fur on his chest under his tan coloured chin.

At first Rouge almost thought it was a clone of Sonic, yet the colours were different, and this hedgehog's quills were curved upwards, unlike Sonic's that hung downwards.

Studying the hedgehog, Rouge wondered why Robotnik would have such a creature in the tube, what was he planning and what was he doing to him?

But more importantly, Rouge wondered where this hedgehog had come from. Was he an innocent Mobian, captured and tortured and put through horrific experiments?

"I don't know who you are, or where you came from." Rouge whispered, "But mark my words, I'll get you out of here!"

She began to search the equipment, wondering if there was a way of opening the tube without hurting the hedgehog, or without setting off any alarms.

"I'll get you out!" she whispered as she looked around "I will! I will get you out!"

As she continued to search, her sensitive ears picked up a noise and she saw the metal door to the side start to open!

Rouge yelped and looked up to the pipes above and used her wings to fly up and hide!

As she did, she sliced her arm on a sharp piece of metal in the ceiling.

Gritting her teeth against the pain, she hid herself in the celling within the pipes and watched as she saw Snively walk in with a couple of swatbots on either side of him like bodyguards.

Rouge's eyes narrowed in anger as she looked upon him.

The very same overlander who had ordered the slaughter and enslavement of her clan.

"Bastard!" she snarled, she looked at her leg where she had a knife strapped to it and she thought of dropping from the ceiling and executing him right there and now.

She slowly lowered her hand to the knife, yet as she watched Snively, she noticed him go over to the tubes and look at the hedgehog within.

"Ah, good evening my little project." Snively said gleefully "Sleeping peacefully? Very good, well the longer you sleep, the more you grow!"

Rouge froze and she took her hand away from her weapon and watched the midget as he smirked at the hedgehog within the tube.

She decided to wait and find out what information she could about the hedgehog within the tube if Snively would reveal anything, yet she knew this was a huge risk as she knew that if she made a sound then she was doomed, either to be shot to death by the Swatbots, taken away and tortured, or worse, forced into robotic slavery.

Snively stroked the glass and licked his lips.

"Ah yes," he spoke aloud "My little project I've been working on under Robotnik's nose! And without his knowledge, he never gave me enough credit, but he will soon realise, once I've gotten you perfected!"

He chuckled and started to look at a computer attached to the tube.

"I remember the day I first started working on you, so many experiments of mine failed, but this! Oh yes, I knew with the right formulas and ingredients I could create something Robotnik would never think of! One more powerful and superior to any of his machines, or his robotic slaves!"

Rouge swallowed hard as she listened.

"Oh my god." She thought "He created this hedgehog from scratch?"

She watched Snively type into the computer some more.

"Yes indeed." Snively smirked "Robotnik will have no choice but to listen to me after I have presented my greatest triumph! He will have no choice but to respect me! And my little pet! Project Shadow!"

Rouge let out a small gasp, but she quickly shut her mouth and swallowed as she realised her little gasp might alert Snively and the Swatbots to her hiding place.

She looked back down, and she saw Snively stiffen up a little.

"Shit!" she thought and kept as still as possible, yet she felt nervous sweat forming on her body and she looked over to her arm where she had cut herself and saw it was starting to bleed and drip!

"No…" she thought desperately but she could only hang there and watch as a small drop of blood fell from her wound and she observed helplessly as the red drop fell to the ground and landed just behind Snively!

Rouge held her breath and she wondered if Snively noticed anything.

She then saw him look behind his shoulder and his eyes glazed around the room, then he looked down and saw the blood!

Rouge felt her stomach sink as that happened and she started to panic, wondering how she was going to get out of this.

She knew the Swatbots would fire on order and faster than she could move, but she had to take her chances, even if she got injured, if she escaped that was the main thing!

Just as Rouge thought she was done for, a vibration was felt and some loud bangs were heard above her!

Snivley stumbled slightly and looked at the swatbots.

"Investigate that!" he shouted and the Swatbots quickly left the room!

It was then Rouge realised that the bombs she, Sonic, Sally, and the others had planted had gone off and she knew she had to get out of there!

As Snivley turned away, Rouge quickly flew from her hiding place and landed behind a pile of machinery before the overlander noticed her.

She then looked at her watch and she realised that it was the time the bombs had been set to go off!

"Damn!" she thought "Sonic, Sally and the others must be at the meeting place and wondering where I am!" she thought "I have to get out of here!"

Snivley tried to steady himself as the lab shook and he looked towards the tubes where to his relief they were not affected.

"What the hell made that explosion?" he asked, yet he already knew the answer, more than likely the Freedom Fighters had attacked again, and he knew Robotnik would be furious.

Then as if on cue, the speakers were heard and Snivley went pale as he heard his Master's voice.

"SNIVELY!" he heard Robotnik's furious shout over the speakers "Get here now!"

"Coming sir!" Snively shouted and quickly fled the room but not before looking behind him and Rouge instantly ducked down behind the machines.

Rouge waited for a few seconds just to be sure Snivley had left, and she placed her hand on the knife on her leg.

"Looks like our confrontation will have to wait another day, you murderous poisoned dwarf!" she growled.

She then stood up and looked over to the tubes and quickly went to see if the hedgehog had been affected.

As she approached the occupied tube, she saw the Hedgehog was still floating within and hadn't been affected by the vibrations above.

"Project Shadow?" she whispered as she stroked the glass "Is that what Snivley called you?"

"You're a project for that man? Seen as nothing but an experiment? What he's planning for you?"

She clawed her fingers on the glass.

"I promise you, on my life, I will come back for you, and I will set you free!" she looked at the hedgehog's face and leaned close, and by doing so she wondered if he might hear her promise to him.

"I will return! I don't know who you are or where you come from, but I will find out! And I will free you!"

She stroked the glass then turned away to flee the lab before anyone was to return and so she could find the other Freedom Fighters.

Meanwhile, as the last five minutes had remained the other Freedom Fighters had returned to the meeting spot.

Rotor, Bunnie and Antoine had arrived first, followed by Julie-Su and Knuckles, and soon afterwards Sonic and Sally had returned, Sonic had managed to run from the city just as the explosions had gone off and was carrying Sally bridal style.

"Thank ze Gods, you 'ave come back!" Antoine said relieved.

"Thanks Antoine!" Sally cried "That was a close call!" she looked back at the city as she saw the explosions going off and the fires starting.

"That'll piss Robotnik off for sure!" Julie-Su smirked.

"Good riddance!" Knuckles spat.

Sonic folded his arms and smirked.

"Try bouncing back from that Ro-butt-nik!" he jeered.

Sally chuckled but as she looked at the group, she counted seven including her, and it was then she realised Rouge wasn't there.

"Guys…" she said going pale.

"What's up Sally-Girl?" Bunnie asked as she saw Sally's pale expression.

"What's the big…?" Rotor started but he too then saw that there was someone missing from the group.

"Rouge!" Sally cried then looked back at the city.

"Wait!" Sonic asked, "You saying Rouge didn't make it out?"

Bunnie looked terrified.

Julie-Su also looked shocked, and Knuckles looked to the city unsure of what to feel.

Like many of his people, he had never trusted Rouge, especially because of her connection with the Bat Thieves and how they had heckled and stolen from his people, but he never wished her any harm.

Sonic frowned.

"I'll go back and get her!" he said.

"Sonic?!" Sally exclaimed.

"Sugar-hog?" Bunnie gasped.

"You can't!" Rotor cried.

"Look! Rouge is one of us!" Sonic said, "I'll speed in there and look for her…!"

"No need hedgehog!"

Everyone jumped out of their skins as they saw Rouge appear before them, her fur in a mess and her clothes dirty as well as her wounded arm bloody.

"Rouge!" Sally cried "Oh thank goodness! We thought the worst! What happened?!"

Rouge was breathless and she cradled her arm.

"I…I was almost caught…" she gasped "But…. But I got away."

"Thank goodness you did honey!" Bunnie said, "But by stars, your arm!"

"I'm okay…" Rouge gasped.

"Nonsense!" Sally scolded as she wrapped an arm around Rouge "We'll get you to Dr Quack!"

Rouge nodded in agreement as Sally began to lead everyone back to Knothole as the Metal City started to burn and smoke and Swatbots rushed around to put out the fires and survey the damage.

As that happened, Rouge looked over her shoulder and thought about the hedgehog she found and how the next time she was in Robotropolis that she would free him from Snivley.

So that's what Rouge found! Snivley's secret project, Project Shadow! Yes my dear readers, Shadow the Hedgehog has made his debut in this fic!

Mortal Kombat fans might recognise the scene in Mortal Kombat 2011 where Rouge finds Shadow almost mirrors the scene where Kitana sneaks into the Flesh Pits and discovers Mileena!

Also, if anyone's seen the first Spiderman movie starring Toby Maguire and William Dafoe, you'll recognise the reference with the blood dripping behind Snivley and him almost discovering Rouge! lol!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! See you again soon!