Chapter 6
The Commander kept smirking as Shadow continued to glare. Minutes passed like hours as both refused to let each other know of any sort of weakness.
Laura was the one to finally break the silence with a fake cough. This caught both Shadow's and the Commander's attention.
The Commander cleared his throat slightly as he spoke. "Well 003, shall we get started?"
"Fine with me, there's nothing that you've humans got that can stop up to me." Shadow ruffed.
The Commander smiled. "Well, we'll just have to see about that, won't we?"
Shadow smirked confidently as Laura released him. The dark hedgehog stood to his full height as Laura went into the protective fiber glass ball, shutting the door behind her and taking her place on the computer.
Shadow looked around slightly in the empty room. He arched a brow as the Commander spoke again. "Now Shadow, prepare yourself!"
Shadow nodded as the Commander pressed a red button on the computer. The room rumbled as Shadow steadied himself slightly.
Suddenly, multiple doors that had brutally been unseen hissed open as huge and slime white robots stomped out. The chest was very powerful looking with a chrome plate protecting it. Its arms and legs had some armor on them but some of the black interior was shown.
The head of the robots seemed very slick and were angled in a kind of polygon shape. (A/N: Just imagine the robots from the Sonic Next generation Trailer). Bright blue eyes gazed at the dark hedgehog through the head armor.
The clawed hands of the robots were curled into fists and they hovered slightly above the ground, with a light blue light blazing from their backs. There were only three of them.
Shadow's eyes widened slightly at the new robots. The Commander smirked when he saw Shadow's reaction. "These are the G.U.N.'s latest assault mechs, the S.D. assault mechs, codenamed the Search-and-Destroy Assault Mechs. They are out latest and by far greatest designs, able to run without charging up for up to twenty-eight days. Its armor is made to be almost unbreakable and they have proved their worth, being successful on all missions they have been sent on!"
Shadow smirked as he looked at the Commander. "You're pretty confident in your tin can rejects."
The Commander smirked. "Believe me 003, these tin cans are more than worthy to take you on."
Shadow looked back at the robots. "Fine, let's see about that!"
In the blink of an eye, Shadow kicked off the ground and shot at one of the S.D. assault mechs. The dark hedgehog reeled back his fist and struck at the robot. Faster than the dark hedgehog could catch though, the S.D. mech raised its mechanical hand and caught the fist.
Shadow's eyes widened as the robot used its free hand and delivered a devastating punch to Shadow's gut. Shadow's eyes widened in pain as he shot back, hitting the bright white wall and falling to the ground.
Blood seeped from Shadow's mouth as he weakly pushed his already damaged body off the floor. A sharp pain shot through his body as he looked down upon the wound on his left arm, which was completely bloody, with the life giving liquid running down his arm and to the floor, turning his black fur to a dark brown on his arm.
The robots did not give him a spare breath however, two of the S.D. mechs charged for Shadow. The dark hedgehog dodged the first blow just in time by jumping over the attacker's fist. He was too slow to dodge the second however, and was hit by a cold metal fist, sending the hedgehog crashing back into the wall.
Before sliding down, the first mech grabbed Shadow by the throat and threw him back to the third S.D. mech, which was staying behind. The mech caught the hedgehog and choke slammed him onto the cold steel floor, making a giant dent into it.
Shadow spat up blood again, completely drenching the white fur on his chest, turning it orange. The S.D. mech towering over him picked the dark hedgehog up by the throat again and slammed him into the exact same spot. Shadow's eyes widened out of pain as more blood oozed from his mouth.
Inside Observation Tube
The Commander smirked triumphantly as he watched the brutal beating that was taking place before him.
"It's amazing really," He said catching Laura's attention. "What this creature will do to protect that girl."
Laura sighed slightly as she looked at Shadow, being once again slammed to the ground. "Yes, it's very obvious that he loves this girl."
The Commander closed his eyes and smirked. "Of course, that's why he was foolish enough to believe my little lie."
Laura's eyes widened. "Lie?"
The Commander opened his eyes and looked at her. "Well of course, ever since the Black Arms invasion, Agent Rouge has resigned from G.U.N. and we have absolutely no idea where she currently resides…but of course 003 doesn't know that."
Little did he know that statement would be his undoing.
Outside Observation Tube
Shadow grimaced in pain again as the monstrous robot delivered another slam by the throat. Through the pain however, the hedgehog heard the little conversation between his observers through the supposed sound proof glass.
Shadow's rage heightened uncontrollably. Just as the robot had the hedgehog hoisted in the air for another choke slam, the dark hedgehog released a massive black Chaos Spear from his free hand.
The S.D. mech blew up in a white inferno, with the pieces clattering to the ground.
Inside Observation Tube
The Commander's eyes widened when he saw Shadow's attack. He looked at the female at the computer. "Laura, what's happening?"
Laura faced him wide-eyed. "His chaotic readings are off the charts! Sir, we have to call for backup!"
The Commander shook his head. "No, the S.D. mechs will handle 003."
"But sir, he just took that one out with one attack. Now that his energy is back, he's considerably more dangerous and powerful!" Laura responded.
The Commander stubbornly shook his head. "No, post guards at the entrance but leave 003 to fight the two S.D. mechs!"
Laura reluctantly nodded and did as she was told. Sirens flared as twenty armed Special Forces G.U.N. soldiers stationed themselves right outside of the door.
Outside Observation Tube
Shadow couldn't believe it. He had been fooled so easily by the mere possibility that Rouge could be in danger. The fact that this human outwitted him, the ultimate life form, the title he had worked so hard to earn, has been reduced to a simple minded imbecile.
That drove his rage past its limits as a dark aura surrounded Shadow's body. The other two S.D. mechs wasted no time and charged for Shadow. Reeling back their metallic fists, both mechs attempted to strike Shadow down, only to come into contact with air.
The mechs looked around slightly before spotting the hedgehog behind them. The mech on the right retracted his right hand as a large automatic silver gun took its place. The other mech retracted its left hand to be replaced with a large black cannon.
Both mechs aimed their weapons at the motionless Shadow and fired. With dozens of bullets and large blue cannon fire coming at him, Shadow lifted his head to reveal his ruby red, black dotted eyes were now completely ebony.
Raising his hand, a dark shield formed before Shadow. The bullets and cannon fire simply seemed to fuse with the shield and disappear. The mechs stopped firing and retracted their weapons, replacing them with their hands.
Shadow lowered his hand as well as the dark shield disappeared. Both mechs charged for Shadow. Their light blue jet packs blazing behind them. The first tried a straight punch, one which Shadow easily dodged.
With a simple snap of his arm, Shadow chopped the mechs head clear off, with the now decapitated robot falling to the ground, the head rolling up beside it. Shadow raised his left foot and stomped on the head, completely crushing it. The dark hedgehog faced the last remaining mech, his ebony eyes tainted with lust for the kill.
Inside Observation tube
"Sir," Laura called. "His chaos energies are off the charts. He's too powerful for the mechs!"
"But how?" The Commander asked. "Those mechs' armor is eighty percent diamonds!"
"Sir," Laura called again. "We have to stop this!"
The Commander nodded. "Yes, activate the holographic projector!"
Laura nodded and punched in a few buttons on the computer.
Outside Observation Tube
Shadow began charging up a dark energy blast when a soft voice stopped him.
"Shadow…"
The dark hedgehog turned around. When he laid eyes upon the person that had spoken, the dark energy in his hand withered away as he stared at the person wide-eyed.
"Maria?" Shadow asked, totally shocked to see his long lost adopted mother here, with him.
The young girl nodded happily, shaking her golden hair slightly. "Yes Shadow' it's me!"
The dark hedgehog continued to stare. "But how? I…saw you die."
Maria shook her head again and stepped closer to the hedgehog. "Shadow, we need not worry about that, all that matters is that we are together again."
Shadow's ebony eyes disappeared and were replaced by his normal ruby and black ones. He started walking towards the girl that he had wanted to see again for over fifty years.
Before he could take another step however, the dark hedgehog felt a sharp pain in the back of his head. Shadow's eyes rolled back slightly as they completely shut. With a thump, the night hedgehog fell to the ground, motionless.
Above him stood the last S.D. mech, its arm still raised after the powerful hit that it just delivered.
The last thing the dark hedgehog saw was Maria, flickering away in what looked like static, and then completely disappearing.
Shadow lost consciousness.
Meanwhile
The Commander smirked at the fallen hedgehog. "Just look at him, dropping his guard for the illusion of a girl that's been dead for over fifty years. He doesn't deserve the power he holds within himself."
The commander motioned with his hand as two guards picked up the hedgehog and dragged him out of the room by the armpits, his hover shoes scratching the floor and wearing away the paint on the shoes a little.
The Commander and Laura followed the guards back to the lab, where Laura put in the access code, opening the door. The guards dragged the ultimate life form inside and were met by a furious Professor Austin.
"Where the hell have you been with him, he was supposed to be resting?" He asked furiously.
The Commander stepped forth. "That would be my fault Steve; I had him do a little training before hid break."
The Professor's eyes widened. "Training? In his condition? Are you mad?"
The Commander snickered. "Now, now, Steve, he is the ultimate life form after all."
"That may be sir," The Professor said raising his temper even more. "But he's in my care and I will not let anything happen to mankind's greatest creation just for a little training."
The Commander snorted. "You're being too sensitive Steve; it's just a weapon after all."
"A weapon?" The Professor asked in disbelief. "You think that this creature is just a weapon? He is more than that! He is a living, breathing life form and you will not handle him like some sort of weapon!"
The Commander stepped closer to the Professor. "Are you challenging my authority, Steve?"
The Professor smirked. "Sorry David, but…" He cut himself off as he pulled a golden badge from his lab coat. "I still have say over what happens to 003 and what doesn't, seeing as I outrank you. You're out of your jurisdiction, so follow my orders or I'll Court Marshall you!"
The Commander did not say a word, but only stepped back and left the room, with the guards following. This only left the unconscious shadow, Laura and Professor Austin.
"I was hoping it wouldn't have to come to that." He said while tucking away the badge."
Laura nodded. "Yes, but you had to do something, David was torturing him."
"I know," he said sadly. "But we can't worry about that now! Put him in the containment tube and we'll pick up with the research once he recovered."
Laura nodded and picked up the unconscious hedgehog, placing him in the stasis tube. Reaching to the sides, the female attached all the neurotransmitters back to their appropriate spots as Shadow leaned against the wall, totally oblivious to what was going on.
Finally, Laura pulled the nourishment tube from the side of the tube and stuck it in the dark hedgehog's slightly open mouth, making him gag a little.
Stepping back, the tube hissed shut as Laura walked over to the small computer at the side of the tube and by pressing a few buttons, the strange green liquid began to fill the tube again, making the unconscious hedgehog inside float a little, with his quills slowly wavering.
She sighed as she sat down next to her colleague. "I really hope he survives this."
"Yes," Professor Austin agreed. "I do too."
Commander's Office
The Commander's blue eyes were light with rage as he paced back and forth in the room. Finally stopping, the Commander sighed angrily and sat back down in his leather chair, making it rock back a little from the extra weight.
Putting a hand to his chin, the Commander spoke to himself, or maybe to an unseen force, making a vow. "I swear, I will have control of 003, I will control the greatest power on Earth, and I WILL break the Ultimate Life Form!"
But maybe, some powers should remain hidden, for the sake of the one searching…
Author's Note- recently, I have been searching for an author that vanished without a trace in April. There are no more updates, reviews, or forum posts from this author and I am really curious what happened to him. He has not responded to any of my PM's either.
So, if you have any information on the author J.A. Phillips, I would really appriciate it if you filled me in.
