Ah jeez. Schedule slip. Sorry about that.

CHAPTER 17

Infinite was still unconscious, so Avery had taken the time to leave the base and walk around town. She thought that it would be a good idea to try to make friends outside of her allies. She met one woman that she liked at the bus station. She was a worn and tired-looking white cat. The lady seemed very friendly and polite. She had lost most of her family in the war. She was on her way to see a loved one on the other side of town. The cat was very anxious to see him again. They had been separated for so long. Avery could sympathize with her loss.

It was when a young coywolf teen walked past them that the mood soured. The previously friendly cat's face turned into a disgusted grimace the moment she saw the teenage boy. Then she leaned over to whisper to Avery. The cat made a comment that unnerved Avery greatly.

"I know they changed some laws after the war, but why couldn't they have made more laws regarding those unnatural half-breeds!" The cat hissed. "I don't want this city turning into some circus freak show! At this rate, they'll be outbreeding all of us!"

Avery's heart sunk. This seemingly friendly lady turned out to be extremely prejudiced towards half-breeds. She wanted to speak up and let her know that she was pregnant with a jackal-dog child, but she knew that the cat would only pester her about her "mutant baby" if she did. Avery had no choice but to sit there with a blank expression on her face while trying to think of a way to get out of this conversation. She tried the one of the oldest ones in the book. Maybe it would work.

"Sorry. I have to go now. I think I see a friend of mine" Avery said politely. The cat let out a smile and waved goodbye. Disheartened by the turn of events, Avery decided to go back to the base to see if Infinite had woken up yet. Her allies had pumped him full of sedatives in case he woke up while he was being transported to the base.

I see the war hasn't changed anyone's attitudes towards differences after all. Avery thought to herself as she walked back towards the base. How naive of her to think that a war would cause everybody to band together, regardless of species. Hate seems to be permanently ingrained in this world. Avery knew she couldn't change something like that, but she could at least make Forest's childhood as happy as possible. And she would start doing that today by making sure Forest's biological father has no further contact with him.

As soon as Avery entered the base, she noticed Amy running up to her.

"He's just started to wake up." Amy said. She then led Avery to the room where Infinite was being kept. He was tied securely to a chair. Knuckles, Sonic and Shadow were standing by him. Sonic looked a little surprised to see Avery and Amy walking in.

"I didn't think you'd want to see...him ever again." Sonic asked.

"I think I'd like to get some of the answers from him that you're getting." Avery replied. The jackal soon began to stir and moan in his chair. His eyes soon fluttered open.

"Have a nice nap?" Knuckles asked teasingly. Infinite only growled and turned his head towards Avery.

"Release me this instant." He asked the dog.

"No." Avery barked.

"You are my mate, you don't really have a choice." Infinite snarled. "Release me n-" Infinite didn't have time to finish his sentence. Shadow had roughly grabbed the jackal's hair and yanked it roughly, making Infinite yelp in pain.

"She is NOT your mate, you sick degenerate!" Shadow growled. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you ri-"

"Shadow!" Sonic yelled and grabbed the black hedgehog's shoulder. He pulled him off to the side.

"We're not killing him." Sonic continued.

"Why the hell not?" Shadow responded.

"1. We need to ask him about Eggman's whereabouts. He probably knows. 2. He's...clearly not well, mentally. It just doesn't seem right to kill someone who might not even know what they're doing."

Avery glanced back at Infinite. He was a mess. His fur and hair were matted together by dried blood. His eyes were bloodshot. His fangs were blood-stained. He also seemed somewhat emaciated. And then there were those bizarre scars that Infinite carved into his body. Sonic had a point. Infinite wasn't just a mess physically, but mentally as well. He was sick. There was no way he would be capable of standing trial. The best course of action would be to keep him away from other people. Was Infinite always mentally ill? Did the Phantom Ruby being removed from his body cause it? Or was it a little bit of both? Avery wondered.

Sonic walked back over to Infinite. The jackal only grumbled and looked over to Sonic.

"Tell us where Eggman is." Sonic asked point blank.

"I don't know." Infinite stated.

"He's lying!" Amy interjected. "Tell us the truth!"

"I am. I don't know where he is. I left him as soon as the void spat the Death Egg out on some beach. I haven't seen him since." Infinite replied.

"I-I think he's telling the truth." Avery said. "He doesn't know where Eggman is. We're not gonna get any information from him." Infinite began to grin.

"So. You're the first to stand by me?" Infinite said with a slight chuckle. "Not surprised...You still love me." Fury began to grow inside Avery. Before she could take her anger out on Infinite, Shadow did it for her. Shadow dashed over and punched him hard in the face.

"YOU FREAK!" Shadow shouted as Sonic tried to hold him back. Amidst the struggle between the two hedgehogs, Infinite turned his focus back to Avery, not caring about his bleeding nose.

"You can never escape me. I know that you will eventually come back to me because you are my mate." Infinite sneered. "You are also carrying MY child. If you think you can keep our son away from his heritage, you're wrong".

"Okay. We're done with him now." Knuckles interjected, trying to defuse the situation.

Infinite was taken away to the best mental health facility around: Elm Grove. Special arrangements were made for the jackal. He was to be kept in solitary confinement. Furthermore, he was to be pumped full of sedatives and kept in this state for 22 hours of the day. The remaining two hours were for eating and using the restroom. He was too dangerous to be allowed near the other residents of the facility.

The internment of Infinite was to be kept very low profile. The former members of the Resistance decided that letting the citizens know that Infinite was being kept at Elm Grove could possibly cause riots from an outraged populace. Avery was rather satisfied with the arrangements for her tormentor. He'd be in a drugged state for a large portion of the rest of his life. No way he could harm anyone ever again. However there was one individual that she had suspicions about. Infinite's primary caretaker, a human male named Dr. Smith.

Dr. Smith seemed very interested in having Infinite as a resident at the facility. When Avery questioned about what he wanted to do with the jackal, she was simply told that it was little more than physical and mental examinations, nothing more. Nevertheless, Avery thought that there might be more to it than that and Dr. Smith could possibly have ulterior motives. Despite her nagging suspicions, Avery was still very happy that she could finally move on with her life. No more Infinite. Only her, her son and her allies.

Infinite is now in the loony bin and out of the picture. For the next chapter, I want to focus more on Shadow and Amy. Again, sorry about the schedule slip.