(AN: I do not own Sonic but I do owe my own characters. I would like to give a special thanks for those who gave me imput on my story. Thanks a bunch, guys/girls!)
Chapter 13 – Broken Down
Chris sat in his bed and stared blankly out the window that was yet again being ambushed by raindrops. He hasn't spoken since he witnessed his older sister's kidnapping… again. All morning, Chris's head was dizzy from the physical pain and being emotionally numb.
It was just like last time…
FLASHBACK
"King me," Carrie chirped. She was still losing the checkers game but she was happy that she got across the board. As Chris was about to do what was he told, he saw a green mist seeping under the door.
"Carrie?" Chris choked out.
"What?" Carrie turned to see what he was looking at. Her face paled as she saw the familiar gas swarming into the room. She felt her heartbeat quicken and pump hard through her veins as she was beginning to panic. "No…"
"We gotta get out of here!" Chris exclaimed as he sat up and dragged Carrie to the window. Knowing the windows don't open, he picked up a chair and was about to throw it through the glass. But he was interrupted as he started to cough violently from the gas. This gas was stronger than before, his eyes burned harshly as the mist stung his throat. Carrie was coughing to the point of gagging from the bitter, sour taste.
The door burst open to reveal a man in black and in a gas mask. He held a gun in one hand and rope in the other.
"Carrie!" he barked through his protective mask. Carrie couldn't tell who he was with his muffled voice. "You will come with me!"
"She's not going anywhere!" Chris coughed out bravely as he stood in front of his sister protectively. Chris could've sworn his heart was going to pop out of his chest as he stood up to the dangerous intruder.
"Chris, no," Carrie whispered as she froze in fear.
"They're not going to take you again!"
"Wanna bet?" The man corked as he aimed his gun at Chris's chest.
"NO!" Carrie screamed as she pulled Chris to the side when the man fired his gun. Instead of the bullet hitting Chris's chest, it went into his left arm. He wailed in pain as he collapsed on the floor. Blood pulsed out as throbbing pain shot through his weakened limb. His body felt weak and useless because of the instant blood loss. Carrie went to kneel next to him but the man grabbed her hair and threw her across the room. After she hit the wall, Carrie cried in hideous pain as the man shot her thighs with his gun.
"Please," Chris begged. "Don't take her!"
"Sorry, kid," the man shrugged as he heaved Carrie over his shoulder. She kicked her knees against his chest but her efforts were useless because of her weakened legs.
"I won't let you take her! Not again!" Chris got up, despite of the throbbing pain, and lunged at the intruder but was only greeted with a backhand.
"CHRIS!" was all he heard when he flew to the wall like a rag doll. Chris was instantly knocked out from the impact as he continued to hear his sister's pleas.
END FLASHBACK
"Mr. Chris?" Cream called as she entered Chris's room. She carried a tray full of small sandwiches and milk. Chris turned around to face her but said nothing. "You should eat, Mr. Chris. Mom always told me to remember to eat when I'm not feeling good. I know you're not feeling good and you haven't eaten in two days. You should eat."
Chris shook his head and hoarsely whispered. "I'm not hungry, Cream. But thank you anyway."
"But-"
"Please go away." Chris turned back to his window to watch the raindrops wisp against the glass.
"Ok," Cream nodded with a small tear. She felt as if her friendship has been rejected and that hurt her deeply.
"Poor, Mr. Chris," Cream sat glumly in the command center while Tails piloted quietly. "I hope I didn't upset him."
"I'm sure you didn't," Tails smiled weakly as he attempted to cheer up the worried rabbit. "He's just sad because Carrie was kidnapped again."
"I know but I want to help."
"You are helping, Cream. Just be patient, he'll come around."
"I guess you're right, Tails," she smiled softly. "I wonder how Shadow and Knuckles are doing…."
Shadow coughed as he awoke from his uncomfortable slumber. His vision was blurred and his head spun as he slowly opened his eyes. He moaned as he sat up but was only greeted with a headache and nausea. He felt a pair of soft hands gently push him back down.
"You shouldn't move too much, Shadow," Amy's voice said caringly.
"Amy?" Shadow's vision cleared up as the pink hedgehog came into his view. He lay back down and checked his surroundings weakly. "What, what happened? Why do I feel like shit?"
"You were poisoned," she replied as she walked across the room to retrieve a glass of water for the sick hedgehog. "The monster that you, Sonic and Tails were fighting had venom in his claws and the thing scratched you. Luckily, there wasn't enough to make it fatal… but there was enough to make you sick."
"How long was I out?" he asked as Amy came back with the water. He took her offer and sipped the cool liquid.
"Two days… since Carrie's kidnap."
Shadow choked on his water with her last words. Shadow looked at her with shock and Amy continued the story.
"Rouge found Knuckles outside knocked out… from what we understand, Eggman-"
"Eggman?" Shadow questioned as Amy nodded.
"Yes, Eggman was fighting Knuckles outside and he hit Knuckles' head pretty hard. Before Rouge could do anything, tear-gas filled the entire ship and she couldn't see or do anything. None of us could do anything. The next we know, Carrie was being carried away by a man in black to Eggman's ship and they took off. The gas cleared up before you guys got here."
"Hmmm," Shadow took in her story as he stared at his blanket. Shadow didn't care much for Carrie but wouldn't want her to get hurt. And knowing she could taint the world made him nervous. Shadow was tainted as it is because Maria, he didn't need anymore haunting visions. He looked back up at Amy and raised his eyebrow. "What are you doing here, anyway?"
"Someone had to take care of you," Amy got defensive as she crossed her arms. "I had to clean and change your bandages on that nasty wound. That thing was gross."
Shadow looked at his arm and peeked through the side of the bandage. It was no longer bubbling; it looked like it was healing like a normal cut. It was a little sore, but it was nothing compared to the pain he had experienced before. "Looks fine to me."
"That's because I took care of it," Amy smirked with cockiness.
"Thank you."
Amy did a double-take at what he just said. She felt like she just had a ton of bricks thrown at her. She looked at him with shock and stuttered, "W-what?"
"I said thank you… ever heard of thanking before?" Shadow raised his eyebrow.
"Uh, yeah! Of course!" Amy scratched the back of her head. "I just didn't expect you saying it…."
"Well, I did." He looked away and sipped his water.
"You're welcome, Shadow," she said soft and sweetly. She leaned forward and put her hand on his forehead. Shadow blushed from the contact as butterflies swarmed in his empty stomach. He could smell her strawberry perfume as her green eyes examined him. He attempted to back away but Amy just moved closer. "Stop moving, Shadow… I'm just checking your temp." She touched his forehead, ears and cheek gingerly and finally smiled meekly. Shadow had a dazed look on his face as she pulled away. "You have a fever again… I'm going to get some meds."
"Hold still, you lug," Rouge growled as she tried to put an ice-pack on Knuckles' head. For the past hour, she had been trying to care of the stubborn echidna but he was being, well… stubborn.
"I don't need your hel-ugh," Knuckles stopped as he felt his stomach turn. Rouge, out of instinct, place a bucket in front of him before he threw up. As he tossed his cookies, Rouge decided to scold him.
"Listen, knuckle-head," Rouge started as Knuckles continued to throw up. "You have a concussion and I was ordered to help you out. So, stop being a pussy and just take it like a bitch."
"Why," Knuckles coughed out and he kept his face buried in the bucket. The smell of his bile made him even sick to his stomach. He was breathing heavily as he tried to calm down his nausea. "Why are you helping me? Don't you hate me?"
"Keep your friends close but your enemies closer," she said with a toothy smile.
"But you never let me get close so I guess you're a friend in a fucked up way." He looked up and saw Rouge offering a small, wet hand towel to clean his face. He smirked as he took it and rubbed his face down. "Am I right?"
"I don't know anymore," Rouge said out loud. She blushed deeply at her mistake and turned around to avoid his surprised expression.
Sonic was sitting in Carrie's desk looking at her drawings. Guilt surged through his veins as he continued to sit in her chair. The raindrops outside tattered against the window as he flipped the lose papers carefully. For some reason, some of Carrie's drawings were taken out of her sketchbook.
"I should've stayed… I should've got back sooner… I should've done something!" Sonic growled to himself as he set down a drawing of a young Carrie in a sundress. "And now Eggman's involved!" He put his head on the desk in defeat. His heart ached as well as his tired eyes. Insomnia seems to be favoring him lately due to its nightly visits. "I don't know what to do."
"I'll tell you what to do!" a girl's voice boomed out of nowhere. Sonic sat up and looked around but only saw an empty room.
That voice kind of sounded like Carrie's…
"That's because I am Carrie, you idiot!" the voice boomed again but this time, it was in front of him. But the only thing that was in front of him was the drawing of Carrie as a girl.
"Wait a minute," Sonic's eyes widened at the realization. "It's you!"
The Carrie-drawing moved on the ivory paper as if she was alive and there. Her sketchy appearance gave her a unique animation look. She crossed her arms and scowled in annoyance. "Yeah, it's me. Now, listen up! Obviously, my older-self has been kidnapped yet again… and she's breaking down."
"What do you mean?" Sonic sat closer as he watched the girl pace back and forth across the page.
"I mean, she's starting to give up! We have to give her some kind of hope." She threw her hands up in the air and she continued to pace back and forth. She stopped as if a plan popped up in her head. She quickly looked up at him with hope burning through her dark, sketch eyes. "Do you want to see her?"
"I'll do anything to see her," Sonic exclaimed softly as he leaned in. The thought of seeing Carrie made his heart ache for reassurance.
"Grab a blank piece of paper and black pencil."
Sonic obeyed without question. He looked at the small girl with determination in his vibrant, green eyes.
"Put the color pencil up to the paper as if you're going to draw something. Close your eyes and I'll do the rest."
Sonic did what he was told. As he closed his eyes, he felt his hand rapidly move across the paper. He had to admit, it felt weird not having control over his own hand. All of a sudden his hand stopped and began to tingle from being used.
"Open your eyes," she said softly.
He did and was surprised to see the color pencil red instead of black. He looked down at the page and his heart broke. There was Carrie, tied up and naked on the ground. She was moving just like the young Carrie but couldn't do much due to her restraints. Her body was sketched in black and blood was sketched in red… and there was a lot of red marked. She was sobbing uncontrollably as blood dripped down her face and all over her body. You could see her new wounds as they leaked with crimson tears. Her hands were tied in front of her so she was covering her bruised chest. Her feet weren't tied but she couldn't walk due the massive wounds on her thighs. He tenderly touched her hair through the paper with his index finger and gently stroked her long locks. It was strange, he felt paper but he also felt strands of hair. He was surprised when she reacted to the touch. She stopped sobbing and looked around with confusion etched into her face.
"Carrie," he called softly. "Carrie, can you hear me?"
He assumed she heard him because she froze for a second and nodded. His hand tightened into a fist and anger boiled in his veins. How could they do this to her? She looks so miserable. He calmed his breathing down and focused again on Carrie.
"I'm coming for you, Carrie," Sonic stated confidently but yet it was full of grief. "I'm coming for you… do you know where you are?"
She looked down sadly and shook her head.
"Do you know where you're headed?"
She paused and thought for a moment. She dabbed her wounds with two fingers and used her blood as ink. She winced from her own stinging contact but she had to communicate with him somehow. She wrote on the ground with difficulty because her hands trembled with both pain and fear.
Warehouse. That's what she wrote on the ground. It took a moment for Sonic to read it because it was upside down and backwards.
"Warehouse? Which warehouse?" Sonic asked in desperation. He would meet up with these bastards anywhere and give them a piece of his mind. He had a hard time controlling his anger when Carrie stopped moving. He pounded his fist against the desk as she became a drawing again.
"Calm down there, cowboy," the girl waved her hands to get his attention. He faced her with a icy stare. "Hey, don't look at me in that tone of voice."
Sonic didn't even crack a smile at what she said. Frustration, anger and grief pounded through his head and he wasn't a happy camper. But then he realized he got to see Carrie… he reasoned with himself that the battered beauty was indeed alive and has a chance to be saved.
"What can I do?" Sonic asked himself. His beating heart slowed as he continued to calm himself and come up with a plan.
"You already did something," the young Carrie smiled softly.
"Oh?" Sonic snapped. "What did I do? I just found out she's heading to a warehouse but I don't know which one."
"You gave her hope, Sonic," she ignored his harsh tone and looked up at him. "She was about to give up, but her hearing your voice gave her hope."
"Saving her will give her more hope!"
"You will save her… she told you where she was heading."
"A warehouse. That narrows it down." He stated sarcastically.
"Damn, you're denser than the echidna!" she rolled her eyes. "In her world, there is only one warehouse."
Sonic stared blankly at her but then a wave of realization hit him.
"The warehouse… the one she was in for five years!" Sonic snapped his fingers. He turned back to the young Carrie but only to see her erased off the paper. Sonic knew she was ok and smiled gratefully at the now blank paper. "Thank you."
"So, what's the plan?" Tails asked as the entire crew sat in the command center.
"We have to save Carrie," Sonic answered with determination.
"Yes, we do," Shadow leaned against the wall, hoping to hide his weakened state. "But we also need those Chaos Emeralds before Eggman gets them."
"What do we do?" Amy asked out loud. Her eyes glossed with despair from the current dilemma. "We really have to get those Chaos Emeralds before something bad really happens… but we can't just leave Carrie hanging."
"There's only one thing we can do," Rouge stepped forward while swaying her curvy hips. She smiled cockily as everyone turned to her. "We split up."
"That could work," Tails nodded in agreement. Poor Tails, he's been piloting for hours on end and is worried sick about all of his friends. You could see dark rings peek out from under his golden fur as he still contemplated the plan.
"Sounds good," Sonic's lips were in a straight line as he stayed dead serious. "You guys look for the emeralds… I'm going to get Carrie."
"I want to come with you, Sonic," Chris's raspy voice spoke up after being so quiet. Chris looked extremely exhausted… his hair was more of a mess than usual, his eyes were dark and empty, and his skin was pale from the lack of nutrition.
"I usually would let you, buddy, but you need to eat and rest." Sonic braced himself as he knew Chris would get defensive.
"I don't need it… I want to help Carrie!" Chris's eyes darkened as he glared at Sonic.
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you," Sonic breathed slowly as he tried to calm the young teen.
"What the Hell, Sonic!"
"He's right, Chris," Shadow stood up warily and walked over to the troubled teen. He put his hand on the boy's shoulder and looked at him with tough-love. "You're not healthy right now… and in order to save your sister, we need someone with energy. Besides, Sonic can get to her quicker if he didn't have anyone tagging along."
Chris kept his glare on Shadow and huffed before he stomped out of the room.
It's been five long, agonizing minutes since Sonic's voice disappeared. A void filled Carrie's chest knowing she was alone once again but yet, she had hope. She had more hope now regardless of the past hours.
All she remembers is being taken away from a wounded Chris and carried aboard a strange ship. There, she met Eggman; this pundy but yet tall man with an insane mustache. She didn't know what to think of him… he was involved with her kidnapping but he defended her against that crooked cop.
FLASHBACK
Carrie landed on the floor with a deep thump. She couldn't move much because of the pain wracking her frail body. Her head spun from the blood loss leaving her feeling slightly nauseas. But she was also nauseas from the leftover taste of that sour tear gas; her throat felt like there was a spiky ball stuck in it. But all that vanished when the man in black pulled off his mask and revealed his identity.
The cop. The cop that was working for Justin.
Ignoring the sharp pains through her bullet wounds, she scooted back as much as she could. Her chest felt as if it was going to cave in when she felt a wall cramping against her back with its cold steel. Her breathing became hasty when the cop stomped toward her, picked her up with a harsh grip and pinned her against the wall. He pressed his muscled body against her weak one. But since he was taller than her, her feet dangled above the floor as she felt him harden against her pelvic area. Brown strands of hair fell across his lust filled, brown eyes. He licked his lips as he caressed her side with his calloused hand. His other hand cupped her tear-stained face as he leaned in and licked her lips like a stray cat would with milk.
'No' was said when she bit his lower lip hard. He pulled his face away with an agitated growl. Carrie could taste copper in her mouth, she didn't realize she bit him that hard. The cop glared dangerously at the ballsy girl. There was no way in Hell he was going to let her get away with that. With the hand that cupped her face, he wrapped his fingers tightly around her neck.
Carrie started to panic when she felt the oxygen flow leave her lungs. She attempted to wiggle her way out but her body was too much in shock to do anything useful. Then she remembered Sonic's words… stay calm.
With the trustworthy hedgehog's voice running through her mind… she completely relaxed her body and thought about the situation. Sharp, painful tingles began course through her limps as she tried to come up with a solution. The cop noticed her relaxed, limp form and glared cautiously at her. He was expecting something but he wasn't expecting her kicking her knee against his hardened friend. He roared from the numbing pain as he dropped the girl. When she hit the ground, she instantly coughed uncontrollably. The man quickly got over his pain and towered over the coughing girl.
"You little bitch," was all he said when he again picked her up and threw her across the opposite wall. The cold steel thwacked against her skull and her body went temporarily paralyzed. She slid down and she felt blood leak down her face. Her vision doubled as she faintly saw the man stomp toward her. He knelt in front of her and gripped her bloody thighs harshly. With one pull, he dragged her under him and straddled the poor girl. He leaned his face into her dazed one and snarled, "For that, I'm going to make it more painful for you."
With that, he ripped off her clothes. She couldn't do anything because her body shut down from the constant abuse. She had no emotion on her face, just a sheer, blank daze…as if she had given up on saving herself. When she felt the steel room's breeze against her sore skin, another man barged into the room.
"What in the names of Mobius are you doing, Tim?" he questioned incredulously.
"What does it look like, Eggman?" Tim cocked his eyebrow at the round man that stood in the doorway. "And what the Hell is Mobius?"
"That is not important," Eggman glared as he crossed his arms. "Listen, I'm all about torture and beating up the victim. But I will not agree with this classless act."
"Then don't do it," Tim shrugged as he was about to unzip himself. Carrie just held still (like she had a choice) and listened to Eggman's feet tap across the floor.
"Meaning," Eggman's voice grunted as he peeled Tim off of Carrie and threw him against the wall. "Meaning as long you are on my ship and around my presence, you will not rape her. Beat her up beyond recognition is ok but I will not allow rape. Have more class, man." He paused as he led Tim out of steel room. "I will get my bots to tie Carrie up on the way to the warehouse… but in the mean time, we have things to discuss."
Carrie's senses shut down when she heard the door close and lock. With that, everything went black.
END FLASHBACK
Carrie ran her fingers through her hair, remembering Sonic's mysterious touch. It felt like wind brushing through her hair but she knew it wasn't the wind. She closed her eyes as she quietly begged for him to come back. A small, cool tear tickled down her cheek as she lay down on her side. She curled up in attempts to get warm but there was no luck. Goosebumps danced across her flesh as she shivered against the metal floor.
Before she past out again, she couldn't help but worry about her younger brother.
"Please, Sonic," she whispered into the metallic room. "Please keep Chris safe."
"… please keep Chris safe." A hushed whisper filled his blue ears.
"I will, Carrie," Sonic said as he stood before his window. "I promise."