A/N: Chapter 10! If you were one of the ones who was reading this before it went on hiatus, make sure you read chapter 8 because I'm getting more hits for chapter 9 than chapter 8. And don't email me please Please review!

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Hands of Wrath: Chapter 10

Sally woke from a beautiful dream. As she stretched she found herself invigorated, she didn't know why. As she got out of bed, she just happened to look at Sonics picture on her bedside table. She sighed as she looked at it. She pulled on her boots and headed for the on-suite bathroom. When she came out, she felt as though she was in a dream. Picking up her waistcoat and sliding it on, she left for the planning room. When she entered Sally espied a note on the table. It was written in a hurry and read thusly;

Hey Sal, by the time you read this I may be gone. I've just popped out to Rotor's workshop. I'm hoping to find a duplicator there that will help us copy this key card. I've left some breakfast for you in the oven. Hope to see you when I get back

Love, Sonic.

Sally made her way to the kitchen and sure enough in the oven was a plate of food. It looked as if Sonic had cooked it for her. Sitting down in the mess hall, Sally started to eat her meal. She had just finished when Sonic stuck his head through the door.

"There you are." He said. Sally smiled and the happiness she experienced when she got up came flooding back. She slowly got up from the table. "Did you find the duplicator?" She asked.

"Yeah sure did. I tell you though. Rotor really needs to clean up that workshop of his. It's almost impossible to find anything."

As Sonic was speaking he turned to lean on the door frame. He didn't notice Sally slowly walk up to him. "I was lucky that I knew where he kept that thing or else I..." Sonic trailed off as he turned to face Sally and found her standing in front of him. "Sal?" Sonic asked. Without a word, sally put her arms around him and hugged Sonic close. She didn't know why, all she wanted was to hug him. "What's all this?" questioned a very confused Sonic. Sally said nothing as she snuggled up next to him. "I love you too." Sonic told her. Those words were magic to her. She parted from Sonic and looked him in the eyes. "I don't know why, but I just had to hug you." Sally told him. Sonic raised a hand and placed it on one side of her face.

"C'mon, let's get that emerald and these documents copied." Sonic said. He led the way to the planning room, with Sally under his left arm.

Papers were spread out on the desk along with a machine. Sally noted Rotors duplicator. "Right, now to start with. The files can easily copy but for that I need you. I can operate the duplicator. Now we also need to make backup copies just in case of…." Sonic looked at Sally who was gazing back at him. Sonic smiled back and gave her a quick kiss. Sally felt overcome and drifted backwards. If Sonic had not grabbed her then she would've fallen to the floor. "Are you alright?" Sonic asked. Sally opened her eyes and gazed back. "Now you're here with me." Sally said and raised her arms around him. Sonic realized that Sally was enamored with him. He knew it would pass. She went like this before the incident a year ago.

Sally Stood up and walked to the computer. "You want a copy of the files and backups as well?" She asked. "Got it in one Sal." Sonic replied walking over to the duplicator. Setting the key card in the appropriate slot and placing a blank under it, Sonic started the duplication.

"How's it going with you Sal?" Sonic asked walking over to her. "This should be ready soon Blue." Sally answered. She pressed a few buttons and the computer whirred to life.

"O.k. It's copying the files." Sally said. "The duplication will take a bit of time so I thought we could search for another emerald while it makes the key card. Is there any way to tell the computer to make backups while were gone?"

"Leave it to me Blue." Sally swiveled back round in the chair and entered the relevant command. "Now we can find the emerald." Sally said getting out of her chair.

Holding the emerald out Sonic slowly rotated trying to find the glow. Sally had a map and was ready to give a direction. Then the emerald glowed a light, pulsing red light. "Where's that?" Sonic asked. Sally consulted the map. "Somewhere in the hills in the north west." She reported. Sonic tucked the emerald into his backpack and scooped up Sally and headed toward the hills that were located just north west of the base. It was a quick trip. The hills towered above them and somewhere up there lay an emerald. Sonic espied an old worn path as he approached the hills. Once, long before Robotnik came, these hills were used to ply trade from the Knothole kingdom to the city of Rubals. Robotnik had destroyed the city and robotized its citizens long ago as his first act of overlord.

As they ascended the path Sally looked out over the land and was amazed at what she saw. The whole land lay before them. She could see Mt Mobius, the ruined city of Robotropilis as well as the Aquatic ruins of the Overlanders. Soon they reached the top. Sonic placed Sally on the ground and plucked the emerald out of his backpack. Its glow had intensified now.

"O.k. Now to find that emerald." Sonic spoke under his breath. As he slowly rotated, Sally noticed that its glow intensified near an old cave.

"That cave must be where the emerald is hidden." Sally pointed out. The cave turned out to be quite shallow, but the emerald lit up the cave like the sun. Pointing it to a pile of rocks near the back the emerald radiated a soft red light while the rocks glowed an unearthly green color. Putting the emerald to one side, both Sonic and Sally started to dig. Soon they unearthed the green emerald. Picking it up, Sonic secreted it in his backpack with the other emerald. "Three down, four to go." Sonic said turning to Sally.

"Let's check the location when we get back to base." Sally nodded in reply.

"We can also see if the duplicator is finished." Sally finished. "Let's jet, Sal." Scooping Sally up in his arms, Sonic took off out of the cave.

"That was easy." Sonic commented as he went down the path away from the Hilltop's. "Don't celebrate just because that one was easy. It'll get harder later on." Warned Sally. As they raced down the path, neither of them noticed the flying machine that was speeding toward the cave.

Once they got back to base, Sonic once again put the emerald into safe storage. Sally retreated to her room for a lie down. Once she felt better, Sally went to the planning room, where she found Sonic reading a book entitled 'The Attack of the Mutant Zombie Killer Penguins'. Sonic looked up from his trashy horror novel and noticed Sally standing in the doorway. "Sally, glad to see you. The computer just finished making the backup files and is copying the disk." Sonic reported laying his book to one side.

"How about the duplicator?" Sally asked.

"Just finished. Seems the security desk will take a while though."

"Well, it seems that everything is almost ready." Sally said.

"Yup, well we might as well get some sleep. It says on the computer it will need the next forty eight hours to make the back up file and a duplicate disk."

Sally was ready to agree. Sonic stood up yawning. Taking Sally by the arm he led her to her bedroom. "Well, here we are. Sleep tight Sal." Sonic said. "You too, Sonic." Sally replied.

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