Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!
Also i always 4get to do this!

COPYRIGHT
Sonic and related characters are copyrighted by SEGA. Ray and Sally and other related characters are copyrighted by me.

Chapter 8

Past the abandoned city was the Supreme Ruler's mansion. In that mansion there was a dark prison. It had many cages and it proved to be very good as nobody could escape through bars created by an electric current. Anyone who dared to try would be toasted for sure.

The cells were empty save for one, the cell furthest to the end of the prison. It had the least light. In that cell was a hedgehog, sitting against the wall with his arms dropped at his sides. It was clear that this hedgehog was tired and he had many cuts and bruises on his body. His head was moved inward, looking as if he were asleep or dead. Yet he was alert. The prisoner also wore some kind of large collar around his neck.

In the corner of the wall he was leaning on, there were many cobwebs. There were also words, which had been scraped into the wall. They were words like "Fading" "Hopeless" and "Forgive me"

On the end wall was a small barred window, through which a dim red light shone through, from the main building. The light lit up the hedgehog's face a little but not fully.

The prisoner was in fact, Sonic. He hadn't changed that much. The only major difference was that his spikes had grown longer.

Sonic sighed and closed his eyes. A horrible echo of memories waved in his mind, playing again and again and again. It was the sound of people screaming, evil laughter and explosions.

He shuddered.

Just then he heard the sound of the entrance door to the prison open with a hiss. Two humans wearing grey uniforms walked in. They stopped at Sonic's cage. Sonic looked up slightly, a rather blank expression on his face.

"It is time hedgehog." Said one of the humans.
"The Supreme Ruler orders you to-" began the other.
"Go to Room C. I know…I know" Sonic interrupted sighing.

Sonic painfully pushed himself upward and watched as the electric bars switched off. Just then Sonic made a run for it. He dashed past the expressionless humans, who blinked as he ran past. One of the humans quickly pulled out what appeared to be a remote from his pocket. He pressed a large red button and pointed the remote to where Sonic had just ran.

Sonic's collar began to buzz and an agonising surge of pain suddenly swept through his body. He screamed in pain and jumped from the unexpectance of it all. He fell to the floor and clenched his body as it went through the electric shock.

A horrible laugh came through large loudspeakers on the walls.

"Now now, my friend. We musn't try that again, must we? We know what happens to you if you try running away!" said the voice.

The shocking stopped and Sonic lay half unconscious on the prison floor. He rolled onto his side, moaning in pain.

"Take him to Room C!" came the booming voice of the loudspeaker. "He'll have double of his beatings as punishment for his actions."

The voice laughed loudly as the two mindless humans walked up to Sonic, grabbed his arms and dragged him across the floor and out of the prison.

Back in the forest, Shadow was talking things over with Tails and Ray. They were sitting in the shelter in Ray and Amy's house. It was now late evening, coming up to 11o'clock, the day after he and the guys had agreed on their mission.

"So are you two confident about the plan?" Shadow asked.

Ray nodded.

"Yep. You and me head toward Eggman's base." He said. "Then we sneak in, rescue Sonic, beat Eggman, free the humans and destroy his base!"

"You make it sound so simple, Ray" Tails said. "But you'll need a strategy to beat Eggman. He's a lot stronger now that he has the chaos emeralds. Luckily, I've designed these gadgets for you to use on your mission!"

He brought out a large box and opened it. Inside was an array of small electronic devices and gizmos. Tails picked up two watches.

"These are satellite/ communication devices. They can keep you in contact with me, so I can help you out on the way. Also, it can produce a map of whatever surrounding it is in. So you'll be able to navigate yourself around Eggman's lair and find Sonic easier."

"Cool!" Ray said and took one and put it on his wrist.

Tails then picked up two guns.

"These are special disarmament guns, designed to tangle up any computer system. You can sue them on Eggman's robots. Their circuits will fry!"

He gave Shadow the guns and his wrist communicator.
He then picked up two pairs of spy glasses. (A/N like Rouge's in SA2B)

"These can help you see and security wires or lasers Eggman may have set up around his facility. Try not to trip any alarms while you're there, for your sake."

Shadow nodded and took the glasses, giving one to Ray, along with the gun.
"And finally, belts to carry your guns." Said Tails and gave Shadow and Ray each a brown belt.

"Wow! Thanks Tails!" Ray said.
"Yes, these will surely be useful. Thanks." Shadow said.
"No problems!" Tails said.

He looked at the clock.

"Wow. It sure is getting late! Let's get some sleep. You'll both need your energy for tomorrow." He said, yawing.

Ray nodded sleepily and climbed up the ladder and through the manhole cover. Shortly after Shadow and Tails followed.

Shadow thanked Tails, once again and let him out through the front door. Shadow turned around yawing and saw Ray get into bed. He yawned.

"Shadow?" Ray said.
"Yes?"
"I have to ask you…where have you been all this time? Why didn't you come and stop Eggman earlier?"

Shadow walked over to Ray's bed and sat on the end of it.

"To be honest with you Ray, I don't know where I've been. I mean, I don't feel like I've been anywhere…"

Shadow shrugged.

"I guess I was trapped in space, slowly being dragged through time."

"What was it like before then?" Ray asked.
"It happened the day after you were born…" Shadow began.
"Yeah, it was my 15th yesterday." Ray said.

Shadow smiled.

"Happy Birthday." He said.
"Thanks." Ray replied.

A short pause followed. Ray broke it.

"I always had a feeling you were alive though. I mean everyone was trying to convince me you were dead. Even my mum was beginning to loose hope. But…I dunno. Something inside me just told me that you were still out there somewhere, even though I didn't really know you…"

Shadow looked down.

"I know what happened wasn't your fault. I just wish that…maybe it didn't happen at all…" Ray said sleepily.

"Me too Ray." said Shadow.

He sighed.

"You'd best be getting to sleep, son. We've got a big day ahead of us."

Ray snuggled up in his bedcovers and closed his eyes. Shadow stood up, as Ray fell asleep, and went to sit down in Amy's big armchair across the room.

He lay in the chair and eventually drifted off into a deep sleep.