Disclaimer: Same ones as before.

A/N: That's more like it! More reviews! Woo Hoo! You people Rock! Mmmm... maybe its time for the secret... nah, ill tell you it in the last chapter. I do try to update as often as i can, because there's nothing worse than waiting for updates. Well Review please but now i'm much happier, well here it is...

Tears Of Blood: Chapter Eight

Sally continued to struggle along the path, the constant fear that Robotnik's Swat bots will find her loomed over her like a dark shadow. That hovercraft she spotted a little while ago could not have failed to see her. No doubt it had alerted the whole of Robotropilis to her location. She had tried to speed up with no success, thanks to her bruised shin. She had slowed back to her original speed. The information that was collected from the robot was very informative. But as it had been a new model Rotor was not accustomed to it and it had taken him a few days to solve it's many riddles, plus Sonic ripping it apart had only made things harder. The operation had gone ahead as…Hold on. Something else had happened. Sally thought of what had happened during the four days Rotor had taken to piece the bot together and extract it's memory. It then came to her. The scouting mission that her and Sonic had undertaken. It wasn't a mission of sorts, just a chance to do something together. A tear slowly trickled from her eye as she remembered with great fondness of that day. She had forgotten all about it. A small smile spread across her lips. The day of their first time alone on a mission together, and it all started a few hours after Sonic beat the new bot.

Sally was busy reviewing the status of the bot that had been brought to Rotors workshop. It had been slow. Sonic had torn the bot up pretty good. All the Freedom Fighters were doing their own thing. Sonic was in the showers, washing off the coolant fluid he was covered in, Tails was busy sketching something in a pad, Bunnie was in her own room and Antoine had disappeared again. As Sally was checking out all the various reports, she turned to Nicole on the desk beside her.

"What's the time?" She asked.

"It's 10.36pm, Sal." Sally frowned then turned to the door to see Sonic leaning in the door frame. Nicole stayed silent.

"Thanks." Sally said with a smile. "So, how's the bot? Not too smashed up I hope?" Sonic asked as he came to her side and slide an arm around her waist.

"It's salvageable. You really messed up it's memory units." Sally told him. Sonic smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry."
"It's not your fault. It was after me and you protected me." Sally said in reply.
"Well, I would've hated to see you kidnapped. You mean everything to me."
"And you mean everything to me, but I don't like it when you charge into battle like that. I thought you might've been…." Sally broke off.
"I made sure it wasn't doing to me , what it had done to the southern FF's." Sonic said.
"But all the same, I was so scared."
"I'm sorry if I made you worry. All I had on my mind was making sure you were safe."
"I appreciate the concern, but please be more careful in the future."
"I will." Sonic said.

As Sally turned back to the papers on the table, Sonic gave her a light kiss on the cheek. She looked up at him, blushing. Their eyes met. Sally stroked the side of his face.

"I didn't say thanks for the rescue." Sally responded.

"Anything for you Sal, Anything for you." Sonic said. Sally stretched and yawned. "It's late. I'll walk you to your room." Sonic offered. Sally accepted the invitation.

Once they got to Sally's bedroom door, Sonic bade her good night and hugged each other. Sally climbed into bed absolutely exhausted. She glanced at Sonics picture on her bedside table and smiled to herself as a small tear left her eye to gather on the pillow.

The next morning, Sally got ready as she had always done but in putting Nicole into her pocket, she felt something like a piece of paper. Taking it out Sally found it had her name on it. Opening it up she found a quick note that read like so;

Hey Sal, I've got something that I want to talk to you about. Come to Lookout point. I'll be waiting for you.

It was signed by Sonic. Sally wondered what Sonic wanted to speak to her about. So getting ready, she left for Lookout point. She quickly hurried past the planning room. Taking a quick look in, she saw Tails was reading a comic on the old sofa that they had. No-one else was visible. Sally managed to leave the base without anyone spotting her. She quickly made her way to the hilltop clearing of Lookout Point. There sat Sonic, his back to her. As she approached he turned round.

"I knew you'd come."
"What did you want to talk to me about?" Sally asked, sitting next to him.
"This." Sonic said, pulling a piece of paper out of the top of one of his sneakers. Unfolding it he past it to Sally. She took it.
"This is from the communications room." She had noticed the 'For Communications Only' heading at the bottom of the page. It detailed some supplies being put in storage.
"I know. I took it before we attacked that bot. Now before you say anything, I'm sorry that I took it, but those supplies are the same ones that got the southern Freedom Fighters killed. And they have been moved to one of the least secure warehouses in Robotropilis."
Sally scanned the page. Everything that Sonic had said was correct.
"So what has this got to do with us?" Sally questioned.
"Well, I thought it would be nice to go on a mission, just us two."
"It's too dangerous. We need to tell the others about this."
"Ah c'mon Sal. It's in the least guarded warehouse on the outskirts of Robotropilis. No guards go there. We could be quickly in and out and blubber butt would never notice."
"Still it's too dangerous." Sally said.
"Well, you said yourself that we don't know what's in those crates. We really need to know." Sonic pleaded. "It would give us an edge. Also I'm still curious as to why so many bots where needed to guard a few lousy boxes."
Sally began to think.

"We could use the intelligence. And if we do get into any trouble, I'll protect you."

Sonic was right, they could use the intelligence. Also this was the farthest warehouse from Robotnik's tower and she liked the idea of being with Sonic on this mission. Finally she gave in.

"O.K. Lets do it." Sonic said, standing. Scooping Sally in his arms, they headed for Robotropilis.

The warehouse was not too far into Robotropilis. Sonic was right about there being no guards. They moved quickly and silently through the shadows until they reached the warehouse. The door was only sealed with a keypad that Nicole quickly hacked. Inside, all was dark. Sonic pulled two troches out of his backpack and passed one to Sally. Switching them on, they found themselves on a cat walk looking down on the warehouse floor.

"It's huge." Sally gasped.

"Look's like Ronutnik did some decorating last time I was here." Sonic whispered.

"Where are the crates?" Sally asked. In response, Sonic shone his torch on a small pile of boxes. They slowly made their way down to the pile of boxes near the warehouse centre. Checking the first crate, Sally was shocked by what she found.

" Robotizer pieces." She reported to Sonic.

"That's nothing, check this out. Power cells, missiles and spare armour for those bots." Sonic said.

"Robotnik's up to something big." Sally said.

"Very big." Sonic added.

"Yes, big indeed." Came a gravely voice from the dark. Suddenly. All the lights went up, and both of them were surrounded by swat bots, riot bots, The new bots and Robotnik's elite guard.

"I knew you would come so I prepared this little welcome for you two." Robotnik crooned.

Sally shied away from the man that had at one time condemned her father. Sonic stood in the way, holding one arm behind him.

"What do you mean you metal manic?" Sonic growled. Robotnik just smiled.

"Seize them."

The bots slowly closed in on them. It was hopeless to fight as they were easily outnumbered. Bound with binder cuffs, they were lead away to the cells deep in Robotropilis. Once there, Sonic had his backpack taken. Luckily the bots didn't search Sally. They were then thrown into one of the deepest cells in Robotropilis.

"I'm sorry Sal. This is all my fault." Sonic said.

"No, it wasn't your fault. Robotnik knew we were coming. The question is how did he know?" Sally replied.

From somewhere deep in the prison they heard the clanging of metal. Sally sat in the dark. She didn't want to show Sonic that she was afraid. But while she sat there, Sonic had sidled up to where she sat.

"You alright Sally?" Sonic asked.

Sally looked up and found him looking at her. She wiped a tear from her eye, but she couldn't stop shaking. Sitting next to her, Sonic put his arms around her to stop her from shaking.

"It's o.k. I'm scared to." Sonic said soothingly.

Slowly, sally raised a shaky arm and put it around Sonic. They had only been hugging for a small while when their cell door was opened and two riot bots entered. They said nothing as one reached out for Sonic. While Sonic was busy focusing on the one riot outreaching out for him, the other riot bot got behind Sonic and struck him with a stun rod.

"Sonic!" Sally yelled as Sonic went limp. The riot bot snatched him from Sally's arms. She held out her arms outstretched as he was taken away.

It seemed like an eternity had passed before Sonic was brought back to the cell. He was dumped back in by the two riot bots. Sally crawled over to his prone form. Sonic moaned. He had been tortured. There were a few fresh cuts and bruises on his body. Sally wrapped him in her arms.

"I..told them…nothing." Sonic managed to gasp.

"Quiet, save your strength." She whispered to him.

It pained her to see him like this. She couldn't control her tears. The moon had risen high in the sky.

"Try to get some sleep." Sally said as she slipped off her waist coat and draped over Sonics battered form. She lay down next to him and tried to get some sleep.

Sally woke up next morning, hoping that she was back at the Knothole base but instead she found herself in the cell. Sonic was still asleep, her coat draped over him. Then Sally noticed that Nicole had slipped out of her pocket. An idea came to Sally's head. She could use Nicole's laser to cut through the door hinges and allow for escape. She woke Sonic up gently and explained her plan. Nicole could help over ride the various locks to help escape. If they could find the power rings, They might give Sonic enough strength to get them away. It was a long shot but worth a try. Sally got to work on the door while Sonic sat with Sally's coat around him. After Nicole's laser had cut through the last piece of metal, the door fell to the floor with a resonating clang. Putting one arm around Sonic to help him up, Sally helped Sonic over to one of the computer terminals. Setting Sonic down for one minute, sally got Nicole to hack the terminal and get a floor plan of where they were, as well as where Sonics stuff was and, where possible, Re-direct the guards. Nicole managed to get a floor plan and locate Sonics stuff, but bigger central computer was needed to redirect the guards. There was one in the main security office just outside the cell block. Nicole had managed to get the guard out so that should buy them enough time. The door to the cell block hissed open as they approached. Entering the security office just down the corridor, Nicole got access to the entire cell block. Blocking off doorways and redirecting guards, the way was clear to the seized custody room not too far from where they were. So they set off. Sonic was in bad shape, he still hadn't recovered from the torture the previous night. Luckily the room they wanted was not too far. Sonics back pack lay on the table and inside, a power ring. Grasping it, Sonic suddenly got new strength. Sally only hoped it was enough to get them back to Knothole.

"Will it be enough." Sally asked Sonic.

"Enough to get us back to Knothole." Sonic gasped.

They made their way to the exit of the cell block. Grasping the power ring, Sonic plucked Sally up and zoomed away just as the prison alert went off. It lasted as long as Lookout Point before It's power faded. Shouldering Sonic again, Sally helped him find his feet.

"Thanks Sal." Sonic gasped.

"No problem." Sally replied and helped walk the injured sonic back to base.

"Your coat." Sonic said looking down.

"Don't worry about it. Use it for the time being. Right now, we need to get you to the infirmary." Sally replied.

As they walked back to the base, Sonic looked over into Sally's eyes.

"Thanks for the rescue Sal." He said, the beginnings of tears in his eyes.

"Just repaying the favour." Sally smiled back, feeling tears in her eyes. They both then turned front as the base came into sight.