CHAPTER 11

A plan was slowly formulating in Shadow's mind as Decoe led him back to his cell. Since it would take awhile for him to completely figure it out, he decided not to tell Helen until he thought it all the way through.

When he came into the cell the Helen looked up. The girl noticed he had a strange look on his face. Since he seemed not to want to tell her what was bothering him she didn't ask.

Shadow walked up to her wheelchair and sat down beside it.

"Something on your mind?" she asked, looking down at him.

He shrugged and didn't reply.

"What did Eggman say when you gave him the Chaos Emerald?" she prompted.

"He said, 'Thank you'," Shadow replied.

"Did he say anything else?" she wanted to know.

Shadow shrugged. "I don't think so," he told her. "I only remember him saying thank you."

Helen stopped asking questions. She watched the black hedgehog. He was thoughtful, as if he were trying to figure out something. I wonder if he's trying to figure out a way for us to get out of here, she thought. I'd better not bother him. I might ruin his train of thought.

She decided she might as well get some sleep. She rested her head on the back of her chair and closed her eyes. A few minutes later Shadow heard her slow rhythmatic breathing as she slept.

Shadow didn't bother waking her up. He stood up and began pacing the twelve foot cell nervously. How am I going to get us out of here? he thought. There has to be a way. There just has to. There is no way I'm going to let Eggman hurt Helen or use that stupid switch to destroy Station Square.

He stopped and rested his head on the bars. "I just have to figure out how to do it," he whispered, grasping the cold iron bars in his gloved hands.

He looked up when he heard snickering. He saw the two robots Decoe and Bocoe looking at him with amusement.

"What's wrong, Shadow?" Decoe taunted. "Did your girlfriend dump you?"

"Is your favorite stuffed animal missing?" Bocoe joined in. "Was it your Sonic plushy?"

Shadow turned his back to the two robots, trying to ignore their nasty remarks. The words they were saying didn't really bother him but still... It was like a kick in the stomach.

It also ment his face could be read like a billboard. Now the two robots knew something was bothering him. At least they don't know what.

That thought brought some relief. Since they didn't know what, their words didn't bother him anymore.

Go ahead and insult me, he thought. But be warned: If and when I get out of here you're going to be wishing you hadn't said any of that. I'll silence you both. You can be sure of that.

The black hedgehog walked away from the bars. Something wacked him in the head. He fell on his hands and knees gritting his teeth in pain.

He looked over his shoulder toward the door. He saw the two robots pointing and laughing at him. He picked up the object, a large piece of metal, and got up.

He advanced slowly toward the bars, tossing the object up and down in his hand. "That is something they should not have done," he said softly. "I may be Eggman's prisoner but I'm not going to take any crap from you creeps."

Shadow pulled his arm back. With a sudden powerful force, like a baseball pitcher, he cucked the rock at the arrogent robots. "Here's you metal brick back, you morons!"

The piece of metal made contact with Decoe's head. The force caused the robots head to bounce crazily around.

"AHHHHHHH!" the tall robot exclaimed.

Bocoe reached up to stop hir friend's head from bouncing. He put his hands on it. His whole body began to vibrate too.

"Makkkkkkkkkkeeeee iiiiittttttttttttt stooooooppppppppppp!" Bocoe said.

"IIIIIIIIIII caaaaaaaannnnnnnnn'ttttttt!" Decoe replied.

Shadow held back a laugh. That actually looked funny.

He put his hand over his mouth and turned away. He chuckled softly in his silent smug laugh. He wasn't about to let them see him doing something so out of character for him.

When he calmed down he walked over to Helen's wheelchair and took his usual spot beside it. As he looked up at the girl's sleeping face he once again thought about how much she looked like Maria. Almost like a re-encarnation, he figured. That is if I believed that sort of thing.

He looked away. Which I don't. There is no such thing. Is there? He tapped his fingers on the wheel. But if there was... He looked up at the girl again. What are the chances?

The black hedgehog stood up. He rested his hand on her face and turned it toward him. He blinked his scarlet eyes. What are the chances? I wonder...

He moved his face closer to hers. And if she is...

Shadow smiled. Maybe I didn't lose anything after all.

He kissed her gently on the cheek.

Helen sighed in her sleep and smiled faintly as her face relaxed.

If I didn't...

He leaned against the chair being careful not to cause it to roll away. He crossed his arms and lowered his head, closing his eyes.

He felt the soreness of his arm again and glanced down at it. The bandage was still there but he could see the bright green cloth turning black with dried blood. So it still hasn't healed enough to stop bleeding yet.

He started to untie it. Maybe I should look at it just to be sure.

When he did he wished he hadn't. The whole part of his arm that had been covered by the ribbon was covered in dried blood. It looked like raw meat. I wonder what it would look like clean? he thought re-tying the ribbon before he vomited. I sure did a number on my arm. I wonder how long it will be before it's completely healed. I hope it's soon. I need my arm.

When he finished re-tying the bandage he sighed and leaned again the chair again. He closed his eyes. I sure am tired all of a sudden, he thought. Well, I have a reason to be. After getting into that fight with Sonic and using Chaos Control all evening...

Sonic... I wonder what he'd think if he saw me like this? He stopped at that thought then made a decision. Well, it doesn't matter anyway. What do I care what he thinks? We aren't even friends. He can think whatever he wants. It won't bother me.

Shadow let himself relax. If I don't think about it I'll feel a whole lot better.

It only took a few minutes for him to doze off.

"Shadow..." a voice in his head whispered.

"Maria?"

"Shadow..."

"Maria, what is it?"

"Shadow... please... protect me... please... protect... my ... spirit..."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Promise.. me."
"Promise what?"

"Promise me..."

"I...I... Promise. What do you want me to do?"

"Don't let anyone hurt my spirit. Shadow... I'm always with you.. As long as my spirit is here... I will always be with you..."

"What? What are you talking about? What spirit? Your spirit? Who has your spirit?"

"I have to go. Sayonara... Shadow the hedgehog."

The voice in his mind faded away.

Shadow opened his eyes with a start. He was still for a moment trying to figure out what Maria ment.

"What could she mean?" he asked himself. "Protect her spirit? Does that mean it's here somewhere?"

His eyes landed on Helen who was still sleeping soundly. Could Maria have ment her? Does Helen have Maria's spirit? Is she really Maria's re-encarnation?