Chapter 12
Enter InGen
Rouge raced outside, skipping the stairs and simply leaping out the door. The others were already out there, staring squinting in the hot afternoon sun. "What's going on?"
There were large waves of helicopters approaching the island, some carried vehicles varying from Explorers, larger passengers cars, and motorcycles. Other helicopters carried freights, probably loaded with equipment.
Snively lowered his binoculars, "It's InGen, I thought Hammond was only sending one team."
Rouge snatched a pair of binoculars, and raised them up, her vision blurred momentarily, before settling on a chopper; sure enough the bright white letters of InGen were printed on the side.
"It's got to be Jack Ludlow," Shadow said, "Hammond's nephew owns the company now. He's probably trying to save InGen from bankruptcy."
Rouge looked over at Shadow, "What are we going to do Shadow?"
The black hedgehog looked at her solemnly, "I think the first thing we should do, is figure out what the hell Ludlow wants with the island."
A least a dozen or so Explorers raced across the terrain, breaking free of the jungle's grasp, motorcycles wove in and out of the larger vehicles. The roar of the engine startled the residents of the valley, sending the dinosaurs into an agitated state, swiftly rising in a panic. As the vehicles approached the creatures went into frenzy, a stamped began to commence. The smaller animals dashed, heading for the safety of the larger dinosaur, who stormed away as quickly as possible.
From the back passenger seat of the leading Explorer, Jack Ludlow spoke loudly into his headset, "This is as good a place as any for base camp. That will be first priority after we're finished. I want it up and running in thirty minutes, that's half an hour. Understood? Over."
From the front passenger the curtain mess that divided the car swung open, and his hunt master, Rob O' Tembo glared him down, "Cancel that order!"
Unaccustomed to being challenged Jack frowned, "What? Why?"
The blue hedgehog raised an eyebrow, "We are on the middle of a game trail, and a popular predator eating ground. In case you haven't studied up, carnivore's hunt on game trails. Would you like to set up base camp or a buffet?"
Jack Ludlow stared a moment, before turning away, he clicked on his radio, "Let's find a new spot, shall we? Over and out."
Rob O' continued, "Jack, if I am to run your little camping trip there are two conditions. First thing, I'm in charge, and if I'm not around, Nack Stark is. All you need to do is sign the checks, tell us we're doing a good job, and open your case of scotch when we're having a good day. Second condition, my fee, I could care less about the damn thing. All I want in exchange for my services is the right to hunt one of the tyrannosaurs. A male, a 'buck' only. How and why is my business. Now if you don't like my conditions, you're on your own. So go ahead, set up base camp, right here, in the swamp, or in the middle of the Rex's damn nest for all I care. I've had too many safaris with rich dentists to listen to anymore suicidal ideas. Okay?"
Jack looked at him long and hard, before forcing a smile, "Okay!"
The vehicle hit a hilltop and caught air, momentarily flying before crashing hard down onto the ground, kicking up grass and dust everywhere. Dinosaurs bellowed in alarm, and all around animals large and small fled to the other side of the valley.
Rob O' watched as the animals avoided the tree line, the dense forest was a wall, hiding its dark secrets and dangers. The herbivores knew the predators where in there, waiting. He had studied the booklet from In-Gen. It held a log of all the dinosaurs 'known' in the area. The Tyrannosaurs, Compys, and the damn Velociraptors, all hid there, waiting. He noted a few strays take chance and disappear behind the foliage, no point in following however. Something else would get them first.
Taking his attention away from the stampede, and focusing on the nearest target, Rob O' tapped his microphone, "Cycle, break off a stray from the heard, and flush him to the right. Keep them out of the jungle. They go in there we've lost 'em." He stood on the seat, one arm gripping the roll bar, the other gripping a list of the dinosaur species. "Snaggers be ready, he's bringing them out to you. It will be a-" He flipped the list till he found the appropriate animal, "Uh, a Pachy...Pachya...Oh bloody hell!" Rob O' pointed, "It will the one with the fat head and the bald spot! Friar Tuck!"
Jack Ludlow in the back, flipped up the protective curtain, staring wide eyed at the creatures around them. A cyclist zoomed forward, weaving its way underneath the legs of a massive Apatosaurus. The animal roared in agitation, but continued moving away as fast s it could. Jack Ludlow laughed.
"Woah, woah stop!" Dr. Rotor Burk forced his car to come to a stop. He hopped out of the car, "It's a Pachycephalosaurus!" He pointed excitedly at the dinosaur pushed away from the herd by a motorcyclist.
Chuck Sidhu climbed out from the back, "A carnivore?"
Rotor shook his head, "No, no, herbivore. It's from the late Cretaceous."
The pair approached cautiously. Watching in interest as the snaggers tried to catch the lone dinosaur. The animal roared threateningly, stomping its feet and lowering its massive dome head.
Rotor pointed, "Do you see the distinctive dome skull? Nine inches of solid bone, so be careful." they moved in a little closer, "You see the animal's neck attaches to the bottom of the skull, not at the back of its head. So when it lowers its head, it lines it up with its backbone. Which is perfect for absorbing impact.
At that moment the animal roared, and charged at its nearest target, which happened to be an unfortunate lackey just getting out of a car. The dinosaur slammed hard into the door, slamming it shut, and knocking the human clean through the car and out the other door.
The animal snorted and turned toward the pair, roaring.
"I suggest we get back in the car," Chuck said.
"Right behind you!" Rotor agreed, as they dashed for their car.
Rob O's car came to a halt, as he watched the dome platted dinosaur rush by, he sighed and clicked on his radio, "Snagger, Friar Tuck is on the loose, he's just about to cross your path, don't lose him." He slapped the dash to order the driver to continue on.
Another Explorer barreled by, loaded with a cage in the back, two extending seats on the outside, and a large forked arm planted in the front of the car. As it raced after the dinosaur the two chairs began to extend outward.
One of the snaggers reached out, looping his cable around the dinosaurs head, reeling it in with a motor attached to the cable. Another human, placed on the top of the car, steadied his gun, and loaded it with a tranquilizer. He fired it at the struggling animal, the dart met its mark and the dinosaur slowed as drug took hold.
The Explorer slowed as the dinosaur came to a stop, roaring as cyclist circled it, pushing it back towards the mechanical arms. Till it was positioned in between them, the arms clamped together, trapping the animal for good.
Manic scurried over the rock face, swiftly placing a sound capture down as close as possible to the edge, angling it to view the valley below. He backed up, dropping down low on the rock, and flipped open the camera and aimed it at the stampede, "If we're going to get people to support Hammond, we may as well get footage to piss of the animal lovers back home."
"They're catching them," Vector said, "Why?"
"This can't be good," Malcolm frowned, "Nothing good can amount from this,"
"Let's just see what they do next before we do anything," Manic said.
"Nack!" Rob O' ordered into the radio, "Get into the outrigger, you're closing in on a Carina..."
Nack Stark smirked into his headset, grinning at his driver, "Say that again Tembo, I don't think I hear ya?"
Across the way he saw Rob O' throw the list over his should pointing. The radio clicked, "The one with the big red horn. The pompadour, you know, Elvis!"
Nack laughed, and turned to his driver, "Take me out would you?"
The other grinned and nodded, clicking a button on the dash, and Nack's seat began to slowly extend out from the car. Air gushed in his face, and he lowered his goggles to keep out the dust.
He stared at the large dinosaur before him, fleeing the oncoming vehicle, its large crest tilting back over its head. Nack grinned a lifted his gun, he waited a two full seconds before firing, watching as the animal cried out in pain as the dart hit, and veered off course. "Alright, Carter, reel me in, we got him!"
They pulled to a stop as snaggers closed in the on the panicking animal. They threw their loop cables over the animals head, pulling taunt. "Easy!" Nack shouted, climbing out of the car, "Don't get too close!" He pointed, "Go for the legs, the legs! Oi! Watch out for the tail!"
The dinosaur roared in rage and fright, lifting its head high, it yanked two men off the ground with its sheer strength, sending them flying as they released their cables in panic. Two men snagged the legs, and with a heavy snap the dinosaur went down. It moaned as the drugs began to work, bellowing in distress for help that wouldn't come.
Jack Ludlow walked up to Nack, a devilish grin on his face, "Not bad Stark, not bad."
Shadow watched solemnly as the animal went down, it cried out in pain, kicking and twisting. Dust kicked up everywhere, making the air thick and heavy.
"Oh God..." Rouge whispered.
"Can they do that?" Miles asked.
"They shouldn't" Vector said angrily. "This is inhuman, to take these poor animals down like that."
"What are we going to do?" Snively asked.
"Well," Shadow turned to see Manic reaching over and grabbing his equipment, "We can't do anything just yet," the green hedgehog said, "But let's get back to camp before they spot us, we're going to have to wait see what InGen is really up to. If we're lucky they won't find out we're here yet till later, and till then I think I have something we can do."
Chuck shifted in the mud as he watched Rob O' inspect the mud; the tracks on the trail were large. They had found it on the game trail back in the valley and followed it all the way up, past an old factory complex and back into the jungle again.
"Burke you're sure this is it?" Rob O' asked.
Rotor Burke walked over, kneeling by the large print in the mud, "Yes, I'm sure, Tyrannosaur."
Rob O' hurried back to the Explorer, grabbing his rifle, and ammunition. He just began walking back down the trail when Ludlow rushed up, "Roland! Roland!" the rabbit struggled into step next to him, "Where are you going?"
"To collect my fee Mr. Ludlow, to collect my fee," and with that the blue hedgehog disappeared down the trail
Ludlow stopped as he squished into the, before looking slowly down at the massive footprint.
Nack watched Rob O' go hardly interested. He was more humored by Ludlow's expression; the rabbit gaped at the large print in the mud, easily as long as he was tall.
"Nervous?" Nack called out.
Ludlow looked up sharply at him, glaring, "Hardly," he sneered, before turning as walking back towards his car, gingerly hoping around mud puddles.
Nack laughed, taking a swig of his water, and running the rest down his sweat stained face. God damn it was hot on this bloody island, he thought.
A small squeak stole his attention, and Nack looked down.
There was a small dinosaur at his feel, hardly a foot long, about the size of a domestic chicken. It was mottled brown, with green weaving through it here and there. It had a long narrow neck, a small head, and when Nack looked closer, small jagged teeth dozens of them. It looked familiar to him; it could have been one of the creatures from InGen's register of all the dinosaurs on the island. Something about scavengers and possible venom bites. But like Rob O' had done earlier, Nack took one look at all the complicated names and said 'Screw it' before tossing it over his shoulder.
Nack frowned as the small animal hissed at him, taking nips at the air and hoping around. He slowly pulled out his shock rod.
"Oh my god!" Dr. Burk hurried up, kneeling down close to the animal in awe. "It's a Procompsognathus triassicus, found by Frass in Bavaria in 1913!"
"What the hell is that?" Nack couldn't even begin think out the name much less say it. Paleontologists had too much time on their hands if they could memorize all this shit, he noted.
"Well a compy for short," the walrus explained.
Nack raised an eyebrow, "Is it dangerous?"
Burk shook his head, "I wouldn't think so. Compy's have been presumed to be scavengers, sorta like jackals."
"It gives me the creeps," Nack stated, "It's like it's not even scared."
"Well there haven't been any visitors on this island. I doubt they would be-"
Nack smirked, looking down at the dinosaur sniffing his boot, and ever so gently tapped the dinosaur with his shock rod. The compy screeched, darting off into the underbrush. Rotor watched in go it slight shock, before staring at Nack with a look of disgust.
Nack gave him a wry smile. "Now it does."
They had only gone down the trail for about a mile, when Rob O' stopped Chuck from taking another step.
"Shhh, did you hear that?" Rob O' froze.
Chuck stiffened behind him, "What? Is it a tyrannosaur?"
"Give me a second," Rob O mumbled. It wasn't sure, the pitch seemed to high, after listening to In-Gen's recordings of the Tyrannosaur for hours on end, he was sure he'd know when he heard it.
But this wasn't it.
They both listened; there was a soft purring noise coming from the underbrush. The two hedgehogs moved quietly around, moving amongst old rotting carcasses and broken bones of forgotten prey.
Rob O' wrinkled his nose slightly, out of all the animals he hunted over the years none left so much food lying around, at least not an adult anyway. Most predators would feed off a single carcass for days, making the most of their meal. Whatever is left would be eaten by scavengers.
But there were no scavengers here, not that he could see. Something kept them away.
Pieces began to clink together and Rob O' squinted his nose as he thought all the clues through.
The hunter slowly pushed the ferns aside, revealing the source of the noise and confirming his suspicions.
There was a small animal in the area, feeding off a fly infested chunk of meat. It was only about two feet high, mottled brown with red. It had a large thick head and two very small arms. It tore into the meat, growling and chirping. The animal took unnecessarily large bites, struggling to get its food down in one gulp.
Behind his Chuck gasped, "Is that-"
"A tyrannosaur infant, yes." Rob O' quickly analyzed the area, the clearing was small, not wide at all. There was no packed down earth, no mounds.
This wasn't the nest.
"This little one is only a few weeks old," Rob O' explained,"It's probably never left the nest, it must have wondered off somehow. It's only a matter of time before the parents find out he's missing."
"Where are the parents?"
"They're probably out inspecting the source of the chaos in the valley. Ludlow made a lot of unnecessary noise. They must be protecting their turf."
"What should we do?" Chuck asked, watching in awe as the infant tore at its prey, unaware of their presence.
"Get the Explorer," Rob O' ordered, "Quick we don't have a lot of time! The trick is to get the male to come to us, and the parents are not going to leave this little one alone for long."
Many hours later, the sun had fallen. The island itself had fallen into a shaky and tense form of peace tonight. No frogs chirped, and the birds were silent. The island seemed to echo whenever solitary howl rang out that vibrated off trees and rock faces. It cut through the night like a sharp knife, leaving some of the islands newer visitors shivering and twitching with unease.
"Dammit I told them to be careful with it!" Rob O' cursed.
The blue hedgehog himself sat high in a tree, nestled amongst camouflage curtains and a hunting platform. He was downwind of the infant tyrannosaur they had caught earlier in the day. The animal sat chained to a pin in the ground, wailing in pain as is lay on its side.
The effort to catch the creature had been more than Rob O' wanted it to be. The animal was predator, and therefore aggressive, in the midst of the jostle, the baby's leg had been broken. This agitated him on various levels.
Its howl was indeed that of distress, but also of pain. Which left the possibility of other predators moving in, that was the last this he wanted.
It also bothered him in some way that the infant would probably die. Rob O' had taken great care in his extended hunting career to never kill an infant. So for anyone who asked, killing baby harp seals for woman's coats was never allowed on his list. Even kidnapping the infant was a new low for him, which in his own defense was very low. It left him feeling slightly dirty and disgusted with himself.
It Nack hadn't been so reliable in past hunts he would have shot the bastard for breaking the damn thing's leg.
Another howl pulled his from his thought, and he grimaced.
"Do you think the male will still come?" Chuck asked.
"Something will come," Rob O' sighed, "Something will..."
It just might not be what he wanted.
After they had left the kids with Vector, it didn't take long for Shadow, Rouge, Snively and Manic to find the other camp. The vivid lights left a clear mark in the otherwise dark island.
Ludlow's camp was all a glow and Shadow watched solemnly in the darkness of the ferns. The whole camp was massive; with sentries posted by the all the large perimeter lights, the only spot poorly lit was the area where all the dinosaurs lay trapped in cages and pens. The lights for that part of the camp were still being pieced together.
One tent itself caught his attention, He could see Ludlow inside of it, talking to a camera man, who was setting up and antenna for live feed.
"This is why Hammond wanted us here so fast," Shadow mumbled, looking over at the others. "He knew Ludlow was coming."
Snively let out a low whistle, "Damn they are well organized, those are some serious major league toys."
"Maybe we should use their phone for contact instead," Shadow replied sarcastically, "Their dish is bigger than yours." he eyes the huge dish mounted on the car. It was easily eight to ten feet in diameter. One could almost make a swimming pool out of it.
"Do you think they want to build another park here?" Rouge asked. "After everything that happened on the last island?"
Manic pointed, "No look, those animals' pins are ready for shipment; they are taking the dinosaurs off the island."
"Back to the mainland," Shadow said.
Manic shifted, lifting up a large box he had brought with the group, "Hammond said some people might show up on the island."
Snively gave the green hedgehog a surprised look, "He did?"
"It didn't make sense at the time, but he told me to be wary, since he knew of some of my more...radical...points in my life." Manic admitted, "But I assure you I have a backup plan in case something like this happens." He opened up the box.
"And what would that plan be?" Rouge asked.
Manic lifted up bolt cutter, "Me," He tossed one to Rouge, and another to Shadow before grabbing one for himself.
The green hedgehog pointed and Snively, "Okay here is what we're going to do; we've got to get those animals loose, "Snively, head back and keep an eye on the kids and Vector, signal us on the radio if any of those creeps head towards the trailers. Rouge, Shadow and I will go down and break them loose. Take the bike, leave the car; I don't want to be here when shit hits the fan."
"Sounds like a start, I suppose." Shadow said.
"I didn't say it was the best back up plan in the world," Manic frowned.
The trio broke off from Snively, moving their way cautiously around the camp, dodging around in shadows, and in ferns before they came behind the animal pens. Rouge and Manic immediately made their way to the first set of cages.
Shadow paused as the sound of Ludlow's voice caught his attention, and he ever so cautiously moved to the backside of the tent.
"What are you doing?" Rouge whispered.
Shadow held a finger to his lips, and pointed silently at the tent, before he crouched down and peeked through a hole in the fabric.
Jack Ludlow, was in a well lit tent, various display screens and crates filled the area, on top of two crates were two small pens, each containing a dinosaur. In the center of the room, there was a large table, display what looked like a scale model of an auditorium of some kind.
Ludlow himself, was talking to a camera, which seemed to be live broadcasting elsewhere. "What In-Gen, is looking for, is limited investors to help defray some of our expense costs. The envelope you have been given by the board, should explain the details. Projected hardware, construction expenses, etc, etc." Ludlow moved over to the cages, kneeling next to the Compy, "As you can see, the software for the project is functioning."
The small dinosaur hissed as Ludlow wiggled his finger at it, hunching down and arching it's back in agitation.
Ludlow chuckled, "As you might say, it's up and running. In a moment I'll take you on a stroll through the camp, and let you take a look at the more impressive specimens."
Shadow pulled away from the hole, and Jack turned around walking towards the table, continuing the demonstration. "Manic, Rouge," He whispered, "We better hurry we don't have a lot of time."
"Then let's get going." Rouge whispered.
Manic wove through the shadows with great skill, neon green fur aside. He paused briefly at the animal pens, gesturing for the others to stop, letting the guards pass, before signaling them to move again.
He stopped at one of the pens, staring at the stegosaurus inside, despite already seeing these creatures, it was still a wonder to see them up close, "Wow," he breathed, "You have to admit Shads, these creatures are still amazing."
Shadow sighed as he forced the bolt open on one of the pens. "Yes, they can be...can't they?"
Manic grinned and lifted the latch on the stegosaurus pen, "These idiots didn't even put a lock on this one," he noted. He pushed the door open, "Better hurry guys, hate to be around here when these things realize it's jail break time."
Jack smiled pleasantly at the camera, sure of his victory. He was able to see the investors though the small TV facing him. Even in the fuzzy image the awe and curiosity was clear. Victory was a good as his.
"You don't bring people half way around the world to see a zoo," Jack explained, "You bring the zoo to them." He gestured to the model below him, "San Diego, is the perfect solution. People have already associated our beautiful city with many famous animal attractions. San Diego Zoo, Sea World, San Diego Chargers, to name a few,"
He rubbed his hands together, "Mr. Hammond knew this once, and even began construction, before he even dreamt of an island. He began construction on an amphitheatre. It would be very near to where you are sitting right now at the In-Gen waterfront complex." Jack sighed, "However, he soon abandoned it, in pursuit of a much larger, grander, and sadly an impossible dream."
He turned towards the camera, extending his hand, "And so gentlemen, the complex remains unused, unfinished. But with your help gentlemen, with your investments, and time, the park can be completed, open, and ready for visitors in less than a month." Jack smiled earnestly, as he could for the camera, "So gentlemen, I urge you to become part of a glorious empire, one that will simply blow the world away."
Victory was his.
At least until the back part of the tent exploded into chaos. There was a roar of an thunderous animal, and Jack felt the tent structure bars shoving him aside. He landed on a crate with a heavy gasp, cringing at the pain in his ribs. He turned sharply to see the rear of the triceratops retreating into the darkness, slamming into the nearest vehicle.
Jack growled, face red with rage, "What the hell is going on."
The triceratops had been the first to realize escape was possible, it took only seconds after Shadow had cut the bolt. Shadow had barely gotten out of the way in time. Crashing into the ferns as the rest of the animals began to make their escape.
"Shadow!" Rouge called, her voice barely heard of the rage of the animals and the panic of the camp. "Shadow where are you?"
"Get to the car!" Shadow yelled, "I'll meet you back at camp!"
"But-"
"Go!" He yelped has the infant stegosaurs plowed past him, flowed shortly by one of the adults. Shadow rolled, crashing into a set of crates just to get away from the tale.
The camp was in chaos, supplies tents and vehicles where being destroyed left and right, courteously mostly of the triceratops. Fires started and spread, catching fire to leaking gas tanks. Sparks flew from shattered lights, each going out one by one, soon enveloping the camp in a hellish red glow from the fires.
A strobe light fell next to Shadow and he noticed from the corner of his eye the sparks catch hold of some leaked fuel, quickly traveling to an overturned truck.
Shadow's eyes went wide, "Oh fu-"
An distant explosion overpowered the infant Tyrannosaurs cry and Rob O' let out a heavy sigh. "Chuck do I even want to know?"
"Yes," Chuck replied, he was facing towards the camp.
Rob O' turned, only to see fire coming from the camp ground. The sky above was red hued from smoke and flames.
There was another explosion, so forceful it caused and car to fly up into the air, flying away from the camp.
Towards them.
"Shit!" Rob O' yelled, "Chuck jump!"
The two hedgehogs leapt out of the hunting platform, falling to the ground and rolling away just seconds for the charred remains of the vehicle slammed into the tree. It burned leaves and the camouflage fabric in a matter of seconds, before crashing to the ground.
Rob O's temper flared with the flames, "What the hell happened."
"Hurry we need to get back to camp!" Chuck yelled.
Manic dashed through the dark, fleeing the ruins of the In-Gen camp ground. The noise and chaos made him nervous. It would surely attract the attention of other animals, predators.
He was sure the Explorer was somewhere this way, he and been separated from Rouge amidst the running. But they had a plan, get to the car, and get out.
Every cracking branch and sound made him nervous, so he focused on the plan as he ran.
Get to the car, get away.
Get to the car, get away.
Get to-
Manic tripped crashing into the mud, the dirty liquid staining his close and landing on his face. He coughed and sputtered as it filled his mouth. Panic over rode him as a wail of an animal caught his attention behind him.
Manic scrambled up, whipping around, to see the baby tyrannosaur. He screamed, backing away, stopping only when the infant whimpered slightly.
He scanned it closely, eyes the chain strapping it to the ground, it's leg-
Manic's lip set into a grim line, he looked over his shoulder, into the woods, freedom. Then back at the infant, "God I know I'm gonna regret this," he scrambled forward. Pulling the spike out of the ground, "You better be worth it!"
"You idiot," Rob O' roared, not even giving Nack the time to get off the ground. "That is the last time I leave you in charge! What happened here?"
Nack growled back, "The animals got loose,"
"I can see that you fool," Jack steamed,"What did you do? Forget to close the door!"
"Get off my ass you prick!" Nack snapped, "They were secured when we left them, I still have the fucking keys!" He held the key ring up in anger, "So you tell me what happened?!"
Rob O' stepped away, moving towards the nearest pen. Kneeling in the mud for closer inspection.
"You don't think they could have broken the cages do you?" Chuck wondered.
"No," Rob O' replied," the latches are intact." He picked up a padlock from the mud, trampled and dirty, but a clean cut right on the lock.
Bolt cutter.
"What did you find?" Jack asked.
"Well gentlemen," Rob O' said, "It seems were aren't the only ones on this island."
Rouge sat nervously by the car, occasionally getting up and pacing nervously about, she had lost Manic on her rush to the car. Shadow was already making way back to the trailers, but she hadn't heard from Manic.
The rushing stream next to her did nothing to help her nerves, it blocked out other sounds, vital sounds, it-
A wail cut through the air like a knife, causing the fur on her arms and the back of her neck to lift.
The splashing of water caught her attention and she turned swiftly to the stream. Manic came stumbling around the bend, soaked to the bone and struggling to carry a large wiggling-
"Oh my god!" Rouge gasped. "Manic what are you thinking!"
"She's got a broken leg-"
"Are you out of your freakin mind!" Rouge snapped.
"Look, she's got a broken leg," Manic explained, "Let's just get her in the car before they hear us."
"Manic-"
"Rouge," Manic insisted, "I couldn't, you have to understand..."
Rouge paused, listening to the animal's cries of distress, "Alright," she agreed, rushing to the car to open the door and help Manic.
"Oh Shadow isn't going to like this."
Not he's not!
Alright let's see how many chapters I can fit in before I fall of the grid again shall we?
EDIT: If you got a update, I apologize this is not a new chapter, I was simply fixing an error in the ending paragraph that drove me nuts.