Chapter 15
Day Three came and the six of them were all looking at the computer in the lab. They had the security feed up and were watched as the rocket pulled into the transfer bay. Three soldiers jumped out and two went straight to the back for unloading items. The third was a tall thin man who look like a simple gust of wind could break him in two.
"Brendon," Maria said in disbelief looking over to Rouge, "She sent Brendon Haggerman up here."
"Yeah," Rouge snorted, "Alright guys, Operation: Take the Ship is a go!"
And with that, they all left the lab for a final time.
-XXX-
Stage One of Operation: Take the Ship was to knock out and secure the bigger two at the unloading satiation, which Knuckles did with ease. They were tied together with rope. Maria was rummaging through one's pockets.
"Got it!" She said, her voice lowered so not to wake up the soldiers but still ever excited. She pulled out the keys to the space craft and tossed them to Tails.
"Do you really think I can do this? he nervously asked, "I've only ever piloted one space craft and that really didn't end well."
"That's because Knucklehead took over the controls," Sonic said trying to boost up the young fox's confidence. He grabbed Tails by the shoulders.
"You've got this buddy."
And that was all the assurance that Tails needed .
-XXX-
They down the hallways towards the docking bay. All they would need to do is just get across the entrance way and they'd be home free.
"Brendon's still there," Maria squeaked. They all stopped in their tracks and darted around a corner, peaking to watch with caution.
"Come on Rouge," Maria thought desperately. They were so close to going back.
"Brendon! Hey!"
Maria breathed a sigh of relief out and Rouge came up to him.
"Oh! Agent Rouge! How are things going up here," Brendon asked, his back now toward the entrance way. Step Two was under way of distracting Brendon. The five of them snuck quietly passed as Rouge continued her conversation with him.
"Oh not so great," she lied, "You see, the girl has gone somewhere and I'm not able to find her anywhere. You think you can help me?"
"Oh, um Lt. Saunders said I shouldn't move from my post until I get the all clear from the others," he said. Rouge looked at him and pouted.
"...But if you stay here I can do a quick scan, if you would like."
"Oh of course I'll stay right put here for you sweetheart," Rouge said causing the young man to blush.
"Thanks Rouge. I'll be back in twenty," he said as he darted away. Rouge watched him until he was out of sight.
"That kid is more easy to fool than Knuckles," Rouge stated. She turned and headed toward the others.
-XXX-
"I wasn't able to see her Rouge," Brendon panted, running back to his post. He looked around to see that no one was there.
"Uh...Rouge? Hey where are you?"
"Haggerman!"
Brendon turned around to see the two bigger men running over to him.
"Uh sirs! What seems to be the problem?"
"What seems to be-"the one answered angrily, "The SHIP is gone!"
-XXX-
"Oh glorious planet Earth, I missed you," stated Maria, as she laid down on the grass as soon as she got off the space ship. She looked up at the deep oranges and reds as the sun started to set.
"Told you that you could do it," Sonic said patting Tails on the back. Tails smiled back.
"The Tornado is close by too! Can we go get it?" he asked.
"Sure thing buddy!"
-XXX-
It had gotten dark by the time they reached the plane.
"So what do we do now," Amy asked.
"We'll keep Maria at our place," Sonic said.
"You and Tails are going to be prime targets! They'll look there first," Rouge argued back.
"So what? You want us to leave her with Knuckles?" Sonic retorted back.
Maria was leaning up on the plane listening to them fight back and forth on what to do, but there was something else distracting her.
"Something's in the city," she thought. The strong presence of energy. Twice as strong as Sonic's energy.
"He's in the city."
She crept up the plane and pressed the button that released the red Chaos Emerald. She looked over at the five, thinking that they had heard the noise the plane made. They hadn't. She grabbed the Emerald and disappeared in the dark with not a notice from anyone.
"AND that's why she needs to be with us!" Sonic yelled, trying to prove that him and Tails were the right choice.
"Uh...where's Maria?" Amy asked. Everyone stopped and looked around. Tails ran over his plane, looking it over like crazy.
"What's up?" Sonic asked. Tails looked over at him in disbelief.
"The Emerald's gone."
-XXX-
Station Square looked like was under siege. GUN Soldiers in every which way. Maria held her breath as she darted into another alley way and crouched behind a garbage bin. She felt like was it was miracle that she hadn't been spotted yet. Flashlight shone into the alley way, searching for something that would move.
"All clear," She heard the one shout out. The flashlights dissipated, their footsteps furthering away. She darted down another alley way, not getting to far when a twig snapped underneath her. She scrambled behind another garbage bin and held her breath.
"Who's there?"
"That voice."
She knew that voice. She could tell exactly who that voice belonged to. She came out from behind the bin.
Time felt like it stopped. They had both seen each other but it didn't seem to register into their brains. If the other one was real or not.
Maria felled down to her knees. He came over to her, still looking at her like was a dream and he needed to wake up. She brought her hand up to his face, grazing her fingers above his right eye, feeling for something and finding it. A small scar, right above his eye.
"The scar," Maria finally said, her mouth dry. She looked at him.
"You got the scar from..."
"...saving you from the Bio-Lizard," he finished.
It was that moment when they realized this was no dream. They were both real, and the hugged each other as tight as they could. Maria sobbed into his shoulder, his black fur feeling like it was absorbing it in.
"You've gotten...taller," Shadow finally spoke. Maria looked at him and laughed.
"Well yeah. I'm fifteen now."
"You're fifteen?!"
They both wanted to say so much more but the little reunion was cut short. Soldiers were back at it again, searching for anyone or anything.
"We need to get out of the city," they both said in unison .
-XXX-
AN: We are at the home stretch!
Darko out!~