Just an update. =3 See, technically, this story is done. It's written and finished, and has been for months. I just got an account, so I'm updating slowly and editing as I go. Update speed is all dependent upon when I edit, not when I write. This story's 10 parts long. Now that I've cleared that up, here's part 2.

~Wolf~

After my outbreak, I locked the door and stormed back into my room, slamming and locking that door as well. I then collapsed on my bed, letting the torrent of tears fall into my pillow as I hugged it close. My shattered heart had finally had enough, and I had just blown up at the one I knew meant the most to me. I knew I should've been kinder to him, to have held back some of my insults and accusations, but for once, I really didn't care. He deserved it, didn't he? After all the pain he'd caused me?

Deep down, I knew no one deserved what I had dished out, but I denied it. I made lame excuses for my actions and my words and tried to reason with myself simultaneously. And anyone knows when two emotions and opinions clash within someone, the only result is one massive headache. So, with aspirin on board, I wept my pain away into my poor, undeserving pillow. In the back of my mind, I briefly thought of the mission and how it was probably dangerous for Sonic to go alone, without any kind of backup or a team, but in my heartbreak, I brushed him off, just like he did to me.

"Let him die. See if I care."

***

Needless to say, I was extremely confused, very hurt, and somewhat angry. I stared at the door, wondering if she'd come back. But then I heard the lock snap into place. She really was done. I'd finally waited too long, pushed everything a little too hard, and I'd lost her. I fought the urge to cry, as my pride refused to let me. I shook my head and scratched my ear, then turned around.

My trip down and out of the apartment complex was slow, as I was walking instead of dashing in and out like I usually did. I wondered if there was anything specific I'd said, that maybe I could apologize for and everything could be made right again. I wondered if there was something I could undo, or at least make better, but there was nothing. Everything I could think of was a result of a chain of events that I couldn't undo and time couldn't erase. I'd finally worked myself into a situation that I'd never get out of. I wasn't used to it. I felt trapped.

I shook my head. No. Amy, important as she was, was not my priority right now. Defeating and convicting Aeron was. With a sigh and a reluctant burst of speed, I took off down the street, blowing past different cars, trucks, vendors and shops as I made my way towards the place we thought Aeron was hiding out at. I had no clue who they actually were, how much they knew, and how dangerous this was, but I didn't really care. I was distracted anyway.

I silently cursed this terrible timing. Tails was off repairing some stupid government machine on the other side of the country, and Knuckles was on another mission. Sometimes I think working for the government really isn't worth it. Without them, I'd still have my team. Then again, we wouldn't be where we were today without them. It was so confusing, and whatever I'd done to Amy wasn't helping me any.

With my thoughts being my focus, I nearly raced right by the suspected hideout. I put on the brakes, shredding grass and barely avoiding a couple of shrubs. That should've been a hint, and I should've put off the mission for a few days. Until I recovered emotionally, at least. However, being the stubborn, hungry-for-challenge hedgehog I am, I bolted right in.

The metal fortress was an abandoned warehouse, previously occupied by Eggman. At least it meant I had a general idea of where everything was located, as Eggman's variety was essentially nonexistent. I raced through the corridors, jumping old, fallen equipment and letting my spines cut through the rusty barricades. It was simple at first, but that quickly changed.

Soon after entering the base, I was confronted by a small group of Aeron followers. They were all cats: tall, lithe, and powerfully built. One was female, but the other two were male. The female, who was very different in appearance from the males, stepped forward, her thin form dressed in clothes similar to Amy's, but fortified with a bullet-resistant vest and multiple handguns. The males looked ready for a war. Their armor was their weaponry. Both carried multiple shotguns, two handguns apiece, and at least five knives hung from each of their belts. Let's just say I wanted to avoid a confrontation without backup. I had already screwed up that one.

"You have gone far enough, Sonic the Hedgehog. Your little escapade stops here," stated the female blandly. Her voice was flat and cold: pure business. Just from that, I could tell she was loyal to a fault and a serious rule-stickler. I had no chance of talking my way out of it, at least with her. Maybe one of the lost-looking brutes.

"Oh yeah? And who's gonna stop me?" I snapped. As if I didn't know.

The female smirked and glared at me, her ice blue eyes piercing against her dark, chocolate brown fur. "Who do you think?"

I grinned. At least she had sarcasm. That had to be a positive sign of something. "I dunno. I haven't found anyone skilled enough yet."

I had hit a soft spot. The female snarled and grabbed a knife blade-first from her comrade's belt. The leather, fingerless glove protected her hand, and she flipped it hilt-first into her other hand. "You have now."

I dashed to the side as the blade whisked by my ear, the wind whistling as it barely missed my head. I would have to be insanely careful if I wanted to get anywhere near the main base. Immediately, the two brutes grabbed their shotguns, the crosshairs lining up directly on my chest. I surely wasn't going to stand for that. I curled myself into a spin dash before circling around the group. My speed caused an azure ring to appear around them, and the wind began to pick up. I eventually got it to the point that the cats could not withstand the strength of my whirlwind, and they were forced to floor themselves. It was the opening I was waiting for.

I normally never run from a foe, but instead, I fight them until they surrender. This was different. I had no backup, and I only needed proof to convict Aeron of murder. So I took off down the corridor, leaping around other obstacles and really royally hoping the she-cat didn't follow me. I knew she was a well-trained assassin; her blade throwing skills had showed me that first hand. I figured I could handle the brutes, strong as they were. They relied on pure power. She had skill.

Not too long after I had escaped the three felines, a blaring alarm echoed through the metal hallways. It was so intensely loud that I lost my balance. Running at the speeds that I do, it doesn't take much to send you sprawling. So, yeah, that's exactly what happened. I was pretty much spread-eagle flat on the floor. With a groan, I pushed myself to my feet, barely feeling the numerous bruises I knew would be killing me later. I held a hand to my head and touched the wall to steady myself.

Once I felt as if I could run again, I took a deep breath and began racing forward. Of course, the three minutes I spent trading hellos with the ground was enough to let pretty much every Aeron follower know I was there. It was also enough time to let them make good progress towards me. Cursing the alarm, I began evasive maneuvers as a group of about seven followers appeared. The crack of gunshots rang through the air, followed by the clanging echo of bullet against metal.

Luckily for me, I was moving fast enough and they were shooting recklessly enough that all bullets missed my flesh. All that avoiding-homing-missile stuff with Eggman paid off, I suppose. I ignored them, continuing my frantic forward dash. It was when the groups that came towards me continued to get larger that I reached for my own pistol. I didn't like using it. I never did. It killed far too easily, and shooting a target somewhere that it would take them down without killing them was very hard to accomplish. Still, the situation called for it.

I managed to avoid all flying projectiles, be they knives, bullets, or hand grenades. (Okay, no one threw any hand grenades at me, but there was a lot of stuff going on!) I glanced at the "watch" on my wrist, in reality a communicator and GPS, trying to take in my coordinates and alter course accordingly. Normally, Tails' voice would emerge from the speaker, guiding me so I could focus on enemies instead of the tiny screen. However, as I said before, Tails wasn't available.

As I watched the microscopic red dot blink hypnotically, I tried to glance ahead to make sure no one was coming. Out of the corner of my eye, just as I looked back down at the watch, I caught a glimpse of chocolate brown fur and ice blue eyes. I screeched to a halt, but I wasn't fast enough. (Or, in this case, slow enough.) I slammed right into her, but she wasn't exactly unprepared. Even after being pummeled by a seventy-seven pound blur running at approximately one-hundred miles an hour, she still managed to use the knife she'd stolen from her comrade and plunge it into my side. Luckily for me, the blade was short. Not that it made the experience any more enjoyable.

A bit back a cry of pain as the dagger's sharp edge sliced through my flesh, clenching my fists as I focused my energy on endurance. Just as quickly as she had stabbed, she removed the dagger and prepared for another go. This time, she was pointing the bloodstained blade directly at my chest. With a snarl, I shoved her off and stood up, shakily at first. She did not lose her balance, but instead threw the dagger. I barely managed to avoid it.

I dashed off, slower this time, but nonetheless faster than any pursuers. Running at a measly fifty miles per hour, I simply made a dash for the nearest shelter. I had to get backup, or I was dead. I found an unlocked storage closet and leapt in, shutting the door carefully behind me and locking it. I glanced down at my left side, which was now a dark violet due to the crimson blood staining my azure pelt.

I sighed and painfully leaned against the far wall, ignoring the numerous robot parts stored with me. My eyes were seeing everything as if through water, so I knew they must be dull and glazed. I barely managed to press the buttons on my communicator to call Amy. A racking pain shot through my frame, originating from my left side, of course. I winced and bit back a gasp of pain, hoping with all my might that I could stay competent enough to make the call.

***

I had finally fallen into a deep, dreamless sleep, a relief from the tears and heartbreak. The peace was shattered when the shrill ring of my phone echoed around the room. Groggily, I glanced at the caller ID. Sonic Mobile Communicator. I bit back a cry of rage and threw the phone across the room. The ringing continued a few more times, then it quit. He dared to call? He actually had the nerve to come crawling back mere hours after I had told him off?! I wasn't that stupid. So, with a fresh round of tears, I tried and failed to return to the darkness of sleep. I wouldn't give him another chance. He didn't deserve it.

***

When the phone didn't pick up, I realized she must still have been mad at me. But why couldn't she at least answer it?! Here I was, hiding out in a freakin' storage closet, and she didn't have the mercy to simply pick up a phone. Another sharp, stabbing pain forced me to drop the call, as the hand that bore the communicator immediately shot to cover the wound. I opened one eye and glanced at it. Maybe it was more serious than I thought. Maybe this entire operation was more serious than I had thought. Serious enough to call the government directly so they could get Amy? Yeah, it was. So, wincing and trying to endure the pain, I gingerly picked up the communicator and tried again, hoping with all my might that they would be able to talk sense to Amy.

"G.U.N. Headquarters. State your business."

"It's Sonic," I snapped, not bothering to use my codename. "I'm trapped in the Aeron base and--" I yelped a bit, grinding my teeth and trying to continue. I couldn't do it.

"Are you alright?"

"Do I sound alright?" I hissed, barely managing that.

"What's wrong?"

"Stab wound, uh… to the left side. Call Amy. Agent… um… 12053."

"Why isn't she already with you?"

"Just do it!"

I canceled the call quickly as the door to my hideout slammed open, and the chocolate brown feline from before stood in front of me. "Coward!"

"I'm no coward. Just a guy who's not used to fighting without a team."

The feline smiled. "Oh, yes, your backup… You really didn't think that machine the fox is fixing broke because of a fluke, did you? Or that murder on Whale Island the echidna's investigating was routine?"

"You… You did it!"

"Oh, yes. Because I knew we couldn't fight all of you. But just you, well, that's a different story. Although I expected to have to fend off your girlfriend, I see you dealt with her quite well for us."

I winced out of the truth of her statement.

"Well, that's behind us, isn't it? I've called off my guards. I figured a one on one fight is the easiest for you, and you're still destined to die."

"Your guards?"

"Yes, 'my guards.' I lead this band of assassins, hedgehog. They listen to me, and me alone."

"That's nice, but you still can't win. Backup's coming."

"Sure. That's if your girl overcomes her hatred of you, and I somehow doubt it."

"What about G.U.N?"

"Pfft. G.U.N.'s easy enough to deter. Their agents are cowards, like you. Now, enough talk. I want to get this over with. And stop bleeding on my supplies."