CHAPTER 12

A loud noise woke Helen. She opened her eyes slowly and looked around. Her heart sank when she saw she was still in the cell but she also felt relieved when she saw Shadow.

The black hedgehog was standing with his face to the bars. For what she could see, his attention was focused on something outside their prison.

Helen made her wheelchair go up to the bars. She stopped it right next to him. She glanced at his face. It looked thoughtful.

I wonder what he's thinking about, she wondered.

Shadow's hand absently reached up and rested on Helen's. She looked down at his gloved hand. 'Shadow..." she began.

He looked down at her but didn't seem to notice where his hand rested.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked.

"Nothing important," he lied.

She glanced down at his hand again. He slowly, hesitantly, did the same. "Nothing important?" she asked.

"Umm... well not important to you," he said. "Umm, sort of important, Maria... I mean Helen. I think Eggman bugged the cell."

She stared at him. "Are you sure?" she asked lowering her voice.

"I found it when I woke up," he told her calmly.

"What did you do with it?'

"I pretended I didn't notice it then I broke it."

"Are you sure he won't notice?'

"If it's a sound bug he won't. If it's a camera he will."

"Let's hope it was a sound bug."

"Let's..."

"For some reason I don't think it was."

"Hmm."

"So," she said eager to change the subject, "what are you staring at?"

"Nothing," he said. "I was just thinking about something."

"What?"

"Maria."

Figures. "What about Maria?"

"I had this strange dream last night. In it Maria was talking to me. She was saying something about someone wanting to hurt her spirit. She made me promise not to let anyone hurt it," he lowered his head. "I am not exacly sure what she ment." He glanced at the blond girl. "Maybe she ment you."

Helen was startled. "Me? Why would she be talking about me?"

"Maybe Eggman was right," he said not directly answering her. "Maybe you are Maria's reencarnation."

"What makes you think I am?" she couldn't help asking.

He looked up at her. "Well for one thing you look almost exactly like her. You have a nice caring personality and you worry about others before you worry about yourself."

The girl didn't say anything.

"Did I upset you?"

She shook her head. "No."

"Then what's wrong?"

"I can't tell you."

"Okay."

Helen stared at him in surprise. He wasn't going to push it? He was definatly not like Sonic in any way.

"So what do you think Dr. Eggman is going to do about it?" she asked carefully changing the subject again.

The black hedgehog shrugged. "I don't know. I don't even think he knows about it yet. When he does we'll have to be ready."

"For what?"

Shadow looked at her face again. "I know where that thing is that you heard him talking about."

"The Egg Destruction Switch?"

He nodded.

"Where is it?"

"In the control room," he told her. "And we have to somehow get there. I have to destroy that thing before he uses it."

"But how are we going to get in that room so you can?"

"I don't know yet."

"Well, I'm sure it will come to you," she said helpfully.

"I hope so too." He took her hand again. "Let's just hope we're ready when it does."

"I agree."

Then she smiled at him. Shadow's heart beat faster. Even her smile was like Maria's. "We are sure to get out of this if we are careful," she said.

He nodded. "I think so too."

He turned back to the bars. "Just let me think for awhile."
She watched his attention change then looked out the bars herself. She saw Eggman's two robots lounging around. I hope Shadow can think of something.

A minute later the two robots walked up to the cell door. Helen made her chair move back. Decoe unlocked the door.

Instantly Shadow was at Helen's side. "What do you want?" he growled at the robots.

"Eggman wants to speak with you and the girl." Decoe answered.

"About what?"

"You'll have to find out."

As the door opened Shadow grabbed the handle bars of Helens wheelchair and began to slowly push it out of the cell, he didn't want them touching her. The black hedgehog had a feeling the reason Eggman wanted them both was so he could kill them. That's not going to happen. I won't let it happen.

As they walked down the corridor to the control room Shadow got an idea. Suddenly before Bocoe and Decoe could react the black hedgehog swung Helen's chair into them. The force of the impact knocked the robots senseless.

"What did you do that for?" Helen asked staring at him in disbelieve.

"Because it's about time we got out of here," he replied.

He knelt down and deactivated the robots. When he was done he stood up and ran down the hall. Without Helen.

"Where are you going?" she called after him.

"Wait here," he yelled back to her. "Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back."

Before she could argue any further he was gone. I hope he'll be alright, she thought, staring in the
direction he'd gone.

Shadow charged toward the control room, moved along by him own determination. He had to get there. He had to find that switch. He had to destroy it.

He slammed his body against the door's crash bar and entered, nearly falling on his face in the process. He looked around the control room. Eggman was nowhere in sight.

If he's not here then I'll just have to do something about that Switch befire he does return. He walked toward it. I'll have to... He reached for it but it was too high. What am I doing? All I have to do is use my power to destroy it. Shadow pulled out his Chaso Emerald. Okay, let's get this done.

The Emerald began to glimmer. Shadow could feel its power coursing through his arm. He backed away from the Switch. "The time has come!" he shouted.

He charged.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said a voice behind him.

Shadow instantly came to a stop and looked over his shoulder. He saw Eggman standing in the doorway. The scientist had his arm aound Helen's neck. "Or do you want to say good bye to your friend?" Eggman asked calmly.

"Let her go!" Shadow commanded.

"I will gladly let her go," the scientist said calmly. "If you give me that Chaos Emerald."

"Don't do it Shadow!" Helen shouted in a choking voice. "You must destroy that thing! I don't care what happens to me! Just do it!"

"Helen...," Shadow said taking a step toward them.

"Stay back!" Helen screamed.

Shadow stopped. A sceen, a memory, flashed through his mind. If he let Eggman hurt Helen he would be losing Maria all over again. I can't let him hurt her. But...

He took another step then stopped again. But I can't let Eggman hurt all those other people either...

"Shadow do it!" Helen ordered, as if reading his mind. "Remember what Maria said!"

Shadow did and wished he hadn't. What am I going to do?

"What will it be?" Eggman asked, pointing a gun at Helen's head. "The Emerald or the girl?"

"Shadow!" Helen screamed struggling a little. "Don't let him get to you!"

Shadow took another step but not anymore. "I'm sorry...," he said under his breath.

He turned around and charged at the switch. "I will not let you harm them!" he shouted, his Chaos Emerald glowing brightly. "Chaos Spear!"

Shadow let loose a shower of Chaos Energy.