Chapter 8
Jack and Shadow turned as they heard the remaining Shadow androids get deployed through the way they just came. "Oh, did I just send those after your friends? Oops!" The yellow Shadow android before them said, mockingly. "Go! I've got this!" Shadow said to Jack, who nodded and swung back that way on one of his wrist lines, leaving Shadow and his bio-mechanical doppelganger alone. "Tsk. Another one who had to fight because of YOUR mistakes during that war. Did you EVER make the right decision during that conflict?"
"Shut up." Shadow said, assuming a defensive stance as the laser Wisp stuck close to him. The android seemed unfazed by his remark. "So many dreams and wishes shattered because you weren't there to fight for them. I thought you were the Ultimate Lifeform, Shadow!" The android drew closer. "Whatever would Maria think of you now?"
That sent Shadow into a frenzy, tackling the android and slamming it against a wall, before using Chaos control to teleport both of them into the air, where Shadow proceeded to kick it into the assembly line's controls, starting it up again. The android quickly recovered from this, however, and blocked Shadow's incoming homing attack with its own, before unleashing into a frenzy of punches before Shadow could recover, each blow having the pinpoint accuracy only a machine could hope to have. Eventually, however, Shadow managed to use his air shoes to blast himself far enough away to throw a small Chaos spear, which missed the android. but managed to blow a small generator behind it, the explosion sending the android reeling right into Shadow's waiting fist. The blow sent the android hurtling back, and as it got up, Shadow could see that his punch had exposed some of the mechanical components under its skin. The laser Wisp visibly winced at the sight. "Hmph. Guess that cloned flesh isn't as durable as Eggman would have you believe." Shadow observed, curtly.
"All flesh is weak. The true strength lies within the machines." The android said, as the liquid metal covering his left arm formed into some kind of blaster over his hand, which soon began emitting high frequency sonic waves. Shadow and the laser Wisp could only attempt to cover their ears as the sound waves hit them dead-on. "Give in, Shadow! And don't worry. I'll be more than happy to take your place as the Ultimate Lifeform!"
Meanwhile, Jack had managed to get close enough to the Shadow androids that he could easily fire his Wispon at them, sucking them into the Void almost instantly. But he knew a longstanding operation like this meant that wasn't the last of them. He needed to get back to Cyber and Raccoon. He could only pray he wasn't too late to save them...
But what about Shadow? Could he defeat something like that android he had seen above? Would he even survive the attempt? Jack had been in this spot many times when he lead Wolf 6 during the war...And the decision to leave a teammate behind had never sat right with him, no matter how necessary it was. He didn't need another face haunting his darkest nights...But what could he do to help?
Just then, he noticed where he was. The area where he and Shadow had freed the Wisps earlier. Many of them were hiding behind various pieces of machinery, clearly frightened by what was going on. Jack stared at the Wisps for only a moment, remembering something he had once read while Cyber was in one of her lore binges... Something about Sonic and the Wisps...
Jack gently tapped the side of his Wispon, prompting the Void Wisp inside of it to come out. "I've got an idea, but I'm going to need your help to do it."