CHAPTER 8

Shadow quickly told the others what he had seen when they reached the library. Blaze nodded every now and then, but other than that she didn't seem to be paying very much attention. Tails' eyes were as wide as they could go without popping out of his head and Sonic just about fainted.

"So…the G-virus overrode the T-virus." Tails said. "We can stop the T-virus by introducing the G-virus, can't we?"

"Easier and less painfully said than done." Knuckles said. "You saw what happened to Sinister and Mephiles. I'd rather have cannibal zombies than…than werewolf things running around."

"Maybe we can round up all the T-virus victims and give them the G-virus. Then we find a way to return them to normal." Sonic suggested.

"That won't work either. And besides, they'd all be fighting each other."

"Sinister said he was working on the cure to the T-virus, right?" Shadow said. "He said it went wrong and the G-virus was born. But then the second virus completely wiped out the first. Maybe he was half right."

"So you're saying that he found the cure, but something reacted with it, making a genetic mutation …thing?" Silver asked. "And that if you take a chemical out of the G-virus, it'll come up with the cure?"

"Maybe the cure to the T-virus."

"But not the G-virus." Blaze said. "If you ask me, the G-virus is worse. It can change the zombies into bloodthirsty beasts that actually move fast."

"You're right." Amy muttered. "Do…do you think we can make a vaccine?"

"To the G-virus? I doubt it." Tails said. "But if we find my mom she may be able to help us."

"You said she was last seen outside Emerald Town?" Sonic asked.

"Near the border." Silver confirmed. "But if you go I'll be stuck here."

"We'll take you with us." Shadow said. "But first, you'll need a proper cast for your leg."

Silver nearly choked on the canned pear he was eating. "No way! It hurt bad enough when Blaze just bandaged it!"

"It may heal crooked and you will never walk again." Sonic threatened.

"I'll take my chances."

"Too bad." Shadow said. He turned to Blaze. "Blaze, I'm going to need your sword when I get back."

"What are you planning to do to me?" Silver screamed. "You don't know the basics of surgery!"

"It's not for you, it's for the splint thing." Shadow grabbed his gun. "I'll be right back."

"Uh, hey, number one rule around here nowadays…" Blaze hissed. "Never go alone."

So Shadow, accompanied by Amy, walked out of the library.

LATER…

"You got four sticks." Blaze said when they got back. "Four very thick and long sticks. What the hell."

"Just give me the sword."

Blaze gave him the sword and Shadow began to whittle the sticks down until they were about an inch thick and square. Shadow cut it in half so now there were two whittled boards.

"Amy, can you do the other one?" Shadow handed her another stick that was more of a log. "I need to find something to use as a bandage."

"I'll help you." Sonic said. "Do we have to go to the store place?"

"That's be my first stop." Shadow replied. "Come on."

The two of them headed out. Amy sat whittling the stick near the entrance to the library, and Knuckles was at a nearby window with his gun, looking for anything that could pose a threat. Tails was organizing the food into piles and Blaze was reinforcing a small window. Silver, on the other hand, was lying there looking pitiful. "They're gonna kill me." He squeaked.

Shadow and Sonic came back about ten minuets later with a huge thing of gauze and some sterile bandages. "How's the stick coming along, Amy?"

"I broke it, so I used one of the extras." Amy said. She held up two sticks that resembled the one that Shadow had whittled and broke. "Is this good?"

"Yeah. Now comes the hard part." Shadow grabbed the sticks and the First Aid supplies. "We get Silver to hold still."

Unfortunately, Silver was psychic and sensed that everyone was plotting against him. "Don't make me hurt you back!" He warned. "I can…I can take that chair and throw it at you!"

"Silver, you've already tried that and it didn't work." Blaze said. "Just hold still, bite this bullet and don't think about it."

"OH MY GAH THIS IS TORTURE! WHY…Yuck, it tastes like metal."

"You're not suppost to lick it." Blaze said. "Just hold still, ok?"

She cut the bandages she had applied to his leg off. "What now?" She asked.

Shadow put the sticks that he and Amy had whittled around the broken area in Silver's leg. Silver bit down on the bullet so hard that Blaze feared his teeth would break too.

"Wrap it up." Shadow held the boards in place as Blaze wrapped them up tightly.

"AAAAAGH!" Silver shouted. "What are you-AAAGGHHH!!"

"We're just wrapping up your leg again! Relax! We're nearly done!" Amy said gently.

Blaze secured the bandage in place. "Ok, that's it. We're done. Nice job screaming so every zombie in the whole city knew where we were."

Silver just whimpered pitifully. "Am I dead yet?"

"No, but you did swallow the bullet." Sonic said.

"Oh my Gah." Amy sighed. "Did he really?"

"That would explain why my throat hurts." Silver muttered. "Go away now, please. I don't like you anymore."

Everyone left the small room and Blaze shut the door. "Do you have any transportation to get to Emerald Town?" She asked.

"Not yet, but I'm sure if we look around we'd find something." Sonic said. "There's a lot of abandoned cars around."

"So that's next on our to-do list." Knuckles said. "But for the rest of today I think we all should try to get some rest. I'll take the first watch. Watches are two hours long. Now go sleep."

Blaze went back into the room Silver was in and dragged out some of the comfy chairs and blankets. "Here."

Everyone claimed something and were asleep before even two minuets were up.

LATER…

"Shadow. Hey, Shadow."

"What?" Shadow hissed, throwing a pillow over his face. "Go away, I'm not suppost to get up for another half hour."

"It's your watch." Sonic said.

"Oh. Right. I thought I was back at my old job for some reason." Shadow sat up and flinched from the pain in his ribs. "But this proves that I'm not."

Shadow grabbed his shotgun and took up position at the window. The light rays of morning were just beginning to light the city up. Shadow was surprised that no zombies had attacked yet.

"What time is it?" Knuckles mumbled from a couch. "I see light."

"I don't know. Could be about six in the morning." Shadow said.

"Oh. Ok." Knuckles let out a loud snore.

Shadow glanced around the library again. Something seemed out of place, but he didn't quite know how to place it. Then it hit him like a wall of bricks.

"Tails?" Shadow nearly shouted. "Tails, where are you?"

He abandoned his post at the window and raced along a passage of bookshelves. "Tails?"

He found him curled up in a corner with a thick book on scientists through the ages and their breakthroughs in medical history. "What are you doing back here?" Shadow demanded.

"Well, I wanted to read. I hoped I'd find something useful." Tails said. "Sorry. I should have told whoever was on watch."

"You should join the rest of the group. We're safer together." Shadow reminded him.

Tails nodded and brought the book back to where everyone else was too.

Shadow got back on watch, but thankfully nothing had changed. The light was a bit brighter now.

"I don't know about you, but I can't sleep anymore." Blaze stretched and yawned. "Breakfast, anyone?"

"Yeah, sure." Tails said, not even glancing up from the book he was reading. Knuckles was still snoring.

Blaze went and opened the steel door to where Silver and all their food were. "Hey, Silver, do you want breakfast?" Blaze asked.

"Waffles." Silver muttered. He looked like he faceplanted in his pillow and didn't move sense. "Waffles with bacon."

"We have canned peaches and pineapple. How's that?"

"Waffles. I deserve them after what you people did to me yesterday, you quacks."

"Oh, relax. You fell better, right? That's what matters. Now stop being such a drama queen." Blaze grabbed a couple of cans of fruit and spoons. "So are you gonna eat or what?"

"I don't know, that bullet yesterday really was filling." Silver groaned.

"So that's a no?"

Silver just lay there and moaned. "I'm gonna die, Blaze, help me."

Blaze ignored him and brought food back to everyone that was awake. "He's fine, just holding a grudge."

"Ok, then. Give me that. I'm starving!" Knuckles was finally awake and he was hungry.

They sat in a small circle, occasionally glancing out the door and windows just in case. The sunlight was really strong now.

Sonic eventually got up to the sounds of spoons clinking in tin cans. "Feed me." He muttered.

"Here." Blaze tossed him a can and spoon.

"Thank you."

Forty five minuets later they were ready to face the dreaded day.

"I'll go look for a car." Knuckles suggested. "What do we need…a minivan?"

"Something that has more than five seats." Blaze said. "Possibly more. Silver won't be able to sit up very well."

"So…like a bus?"

"How about a car thing with carpet and seven or more seats." Amy suggested.

"…That's not pink." Sonic added.

"Sounds good to me." Shadow said.

"Can I go with you, Knuckles?" Tails asked, looking up from his book. "I won't freak out this time."

"Sure, I guess."

"We'll stay here and hold the fort." Sonic said. "And possibly raid the store one more time."

"You do that then." Knuckles stood up. "Ready, Tails?"

"Oh, right now? Sure, I guess." Tails put the book down and grabbed a shotgun. "Let's go."

The two of them headed out, leaving everyone else to keep watch.

"Amy, do want to come with me to get more supplies?" Shadow asked.

"Sure. When, now?" She asked.

"If you want."

"Sure."

The two of them headed out, leaving Sonic, Blaze and Silver. "Oh, sure, they just go abandon us." Sonic muttered.

"I don't blame them." Blaze snickered. It was the first time she had smiled in days. "Come on. You keep watch and I'll pack everything up."

Sonic grabbed the nearest gun, checked to see that it was loaded, and took up position at the window, watching for any potential threat.

WITH KNUCKLES AND TAILS…

"Do you see anything that resembles a van, has seven or more seats, and isn't pink?" Knuckles asked Tails as they made their way carefully though the abandoned city, glancing at cars as they went.

"Not at all. Man, people don't make cars like they used to." Tails sighed. "What if we get two cars?"

"That won't be good if someone runs out of gas or we get separated." Knuckles said. "And besides, we're doing rather well as a group."

Tails looked in the window of a small van. "This one has seven seats, but it doesn't look like it has much room."

"We'll keep that one in mind, then, in case we can't find another car." Knuckles glanced at a red van nearby. "This one doesn't have any seats in the back, so the back connects with the trunk, so there's a lot more room than a car with all seven seats. Do you think Blaze 'll like it?"

"It'd be better for Silver, so possibly, yeah. Let's go show her." Tails tried the driver's door and it opened. Obviously the driver of the car had left in a hurry, because the keys were on the floor. Tails grabbed them and put them in the ignition and the car roared to life.

"A full tank of gas!" He said happily. "I can't believe our luck! Can I drive back?"

"Can you even drive?" Knuckles asked.

"I'm sixteen, even though I probably don't look it." Tails hissed. "I can drive."

"Ok, if you're sure…" Knuckles got into the passenger seat. "Just don't crash or anything."

"Sure thing." Tails set the car to 'Drive' and they were off.

WITH SHADOW AND AMY…

"What else do you think we'll need?" Amy asked. "We've got food, water, First Aid…the only thing we could use if we find any is something to carry gas in."

"Maybe somewhere we can find a gas station." Shadow suggested. "Do you think we'll need a can opener?"

"Blaze's got a sword, so I don't know." Amy shrugged. "But on the other hand, she uses that thing to skewer zombies with, so I think we shouldn't use it."

Shadow put the can opener in the bag. "I'm bringing it."

"Probably a good idea."

They browsed around for another few seconds. "Ok then. We should head off." Shadow said, heading for the door, his gun at the ready.

Amy followed him out onto the deserted streets. "I really hope we can find Tails' mom." She said. "Because if we can't then I have no idea what we could do."

"Me too." Shadow agreed.

They stopped as something ahead of them toppled over onto the sidewalk. Shadow dropped the bag he was carrying and aimed his gun at whatever it was. "Who's there?"

From behind the thing that toppled over came a dark, tall figure. Amy dropped her bag too and grabbed her gun from her pocket. "Who is that?" She whispered.

The figure continued to walk towards them until Shadow recognized who it was at last.

"Mephiles!" He growled. "How are you still alive? Sinister tore you apart!"

"Yes, he did, but he also transferred the G-virus onto me." Mephiles laughed coldly. "But unlike him, I still can control myself. He lost his mind when he injected himself with the full power of the virus." Even though Mephiles still was as 'sane' as he was before, he looked different. His eyes were bright red, but it looked like frost had accumulated over his spines.

"Will that happen to everyone who gets the G-virus?" Shadow asked. "Will they just change physically?"

"No." Mephiles sneered. "Sinister had a common mind. A self-proclaimed scientist who's assistant helped him with everything he ever accomplished."

"So everyone infected with the G-virus will end up like him?" Amy asked. "Bloodthirsty beasts?"

"Why don't you find out?"

Mephiles lunged at Amy but Shadow shot at him. Mephiles was thrown off balance and fell to the sidewalk. "Amy, run! Go back to everyone else!" Shadow shouted, shooting at Mephiles some more.

"But Shadow…!" Amy gasped. "What about you?"

"Don't worry about me!" Shadow shouted. "Just go back to everyone else! I can take care of this bastard myself!"

Amy turned and ran, not from Mephiles, but because she had never seen Shadow so desperate. She felt tears sting her eyes as she tore into the library. "Mephiles is back!" She screamed. "He's attacking Shadow!"

Mephiles' gunshot wounds healed on the spot. He got up and turned to Shadow with an evil glint in his eye. "You know, I'd rather you end up infected with the T-virus then the G-virus."

"Well, you can't give me the T-virus, so that only leaves one left." Shadow hissed, aiming to shoot again.

"You'd be surprised on what I can do."

Mephiles lunged at Shadow and knocked the gun out of his hands. He pinned him against the brick wall behind them. "On second thought, I'd rather you die." Mephiles hissed. "Very slowly and very painfully."

"Let me go!" Shadow kicked at him but Mephiles didn't even react.

"You can't escape me. Not this time." Mephiles growled. "You've seen me, and I can't let you live."

He twisted Shadow's wrists and sent him crashing to the concrete. Mephiles kicked him and Shadow hit the wall again. He groaned loudly but Mephiles didn't stop his torment. He reached for Shadow's fallen gun.

"Now…" Mephiles hissed. "You die."

Shadow braced himself as the shot rang out. But he felt nothing like the pain he had felt from his long ago wound.

He slowly looked up to see Mephiles stagger from the gunshot wound that blossomed in the middle of his chest. "What…?"

Shadow glanced down the sidewalk to see Knuckles running at them, two guns clenched in his fists. "Shadow, get out of there! Now!"

"No!" Mephiles lunged for Shadow again but the momentum from the bullets from Knuckles' guns kept him from reaching him. Shadow crawled a little ways away from him and stood painfully. "Thank you, Knuckles." He gasped.

"Don't thank me yet." Knuckles hissed. "I've only got about six shots left in all. Have any ideas on how to stop him?"

"None." Shadow said as Mephiles regained his balance again, his eyes burning a deep, angry red. "What if you shot at his neck?"

"Could work." Knuckles took brief aim and shot.

Mephiles staggered backwards, his yell cut short as the bullet tore through his throat.

"Did it work?" Knuckles asked.

Mephiles' wound healed and he charged at them.

"Dammit, see for yourself." Shadow swore. "Why won't this bastard just die?"

Knuckles sacrificed his last five shots, but none of them even slowed Mephiles down. "Now I've got you….I've got you both…" Mephiles growled. "You're not escaping!"

"Knuckles, give me a gun!" Shadow shouted. "NOW!"

Knuckles gave him one of the useless guns…or so he thought. Shadow swung it as hard as he could as Mephiles pounced, catching him in his left temple and sending him sprawling on the sidewalk. He didn't move.

"Damn, it worked!" Shadow muttered. He tossed the gun to the sidewalk. It was now officially useless because it had broken in half with the force from connecting with Mephiles' head.

"Come on, we need to get out of here before he wakes up." Knuckles said. "Can you walk?"

"I'll manage." Shadow's ribs ached terribly but he began to walk after Knuckles.

WITH BLAZE, TAILS, AMY AND SILVER…

"Why did I run? I should have stayed with him…or at least given him my gun!" Amy wailed. "Now he might be dead!"

"I'm sure he'll be fine." Blaze said. "Knuckles went after him, at least."

"But what if they needed more people?" Amy gasped, wiping tears away from her eyes. "What if…they're both dead?"

"They won't be dead." Silver said from the other room. "I would know if they were."

That was when Shadow and Knuckles came tearing into the door, out of breath and looking terrified.

"SHADOW!" Amy screamed. She flung her arms around his neck and nearly sent him falling backwards. "I thought you were dead! Don't ever do that again, please!"

"Amy…I…you're hurting me…!" Shadow gasped.

"Sorry." Amy let him go. "What happened?"

"We'll explain on the way to Emerald Town. Right now we need to get out of here!" Knuckles headed to the red van parked outside the library. "I'll get the food and supplies. You guys get Silver in there."

"I refuse to move." Silver growled. "I don't know if my leg can take it."

"Well, it's gonna have to." Blaze hissed. "Try not to roll off the blanket, because we're now using it as a stretcher."

She and Sonic grabbed opposite ends of the blanket and carried Silver to the van. Tails grabbed a lot of blankets and pillows so the floor of the van would be more comfortable. Within ten minuets, they hit the road and were headed out of Westopolis.

"So…how long is this suppost to take?" Silver asked, trying to get his leg to bend. "It looks like we're in for a five day road trip."

"We've got at least a day's drive ahead of us." Shadow said from the passenger's seat. "But with Knuckles driving, we should be there in about half an hour."

"How's your ribs, by the way?" Knuckles asked, not taking his eyes off the road.

"Might have cracked them again." Shadow groaned. "But I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"Have a pillow." Amy handed him a pillow. "You're gonna need it. If not for your ribs, then your head when Knuckles makes a turn."

"Hey, I'm not that bad." Knuckles protested. Just then he swerved to avoid a few branches in the road. Everyone in the back was squished against the right side of the vehicle and Shadow hit his head against the door.

"AAAGH! MY LEG!" Silver screamed. "Oh my G-OWWWW!"

"Knuckles, what the hell was that?" Shadow yelled. "I almost stuck my head through the damn window!"

"Sorry." Knuckles muttered. "It won't happen again."

"It better not."

Sonic grabbed a gun and took up a watch out the back window. "I don't see anyone or anything tailing us, so we're good. Just keep driving as fast as you're going."

"Sonic, we're hitting about 120 MPH." Blaze said. "I don't think we aught to be going this fast with him driving."

"Right. Calm it down to about 50, ok?" Silver hissed through his clenched teeth. He was gripping his leg so hard it was a wonder how he even felt it in the first place.

Knuckles slowed the car down to about 80. Everyone began to relax.

"So now what?" Tails asked, fingering his flash drive. "We just wait until we get there?"

"That's the idea." Amy said, closing her eyes and leaning back against the car's side. "Might as well sleep. I have no idea when we'll be able to do it again."