"Agent Shadow…" started the GUN Commander.
"Tails, did you find anything at Angel Island?" asked the hedgehog.
"No, Shadow, we didn't. The robots weren't after Knuckles, rather they were in the ice caves," said Tails.
"What is in those caves?" asked Shadow.
"Spikes, boulders, a snowboard track, nothing interesting," said Tails.
"There must be something in those caves," said Shadow.
"What would it be? It's not chaos emeralds or one of our friends," said Amy Rose.
"It probably wouldn't do us much good to search the caves, they would have large numbers in a confined space," noted the GUN commander.
"Then where do we go next? We have to find Sonic!" said Tails.
"What about Big in the Mystic Ruins?" asked Amy.
"They are not after him, we need to go to a place that isn't associated with one of Sonic's friends," said the black hedgehog.
"Then there's the Frog Forest near Metropolis. It's close to Eggman and a place that robots were sent to. Maybe we could find something there?" suggested Tails.
"Agreed. I will head out to Frog Forest," said Shadow.
"What about your health?" asked Amy, noting the IV line that Shadow was still wearing.
"I just needed sleep, I feel fine," he answered. "Tails, if you could help get the GUN computer back to normal function so I can call for backup."
"I'm coming too," said Amy.
"Little lady, I'm not sure that's a good idea," said the GUN Commander.
"Look, he's not 100%. I can't stand this waiting around while my Sonic could be in danger. Besides you just let me go to Angel Island with Tails," said Amy.
"That was because you were likely to run into the Echidna for help," said the GUN Commander.
"Well, now I am going to help Shadow," said Amy. "Are you ready, Shadow?"
"As soon as I get this IV out," said Shadow. "But the Commander is right, you would be safer here."
"So would you," said Amy, gripping her hammer as if she was ready for action.
"Frog Forest is not too far away. Take one of the motorcycles, one of the special ones," noted the GUN Commander.
So Shadow found himself on the open road heading to Frog Forest. He was on a GUN motorcycle with Amy clinging to his waist. She was wearing a gray GUN motorcycle helmet that did not particularly go with her normal color palette.
The Forest was on the road to Metropolis, it was located near an advanced train station base that Eggman had abandoned when Metal Sonic had turned on him that time. No one had much occasion to go there. It was inhabited by giant frogs with strange powers. The forest only existed at all because some frogs summoned rain. The other frogs summoned poison rain. Without the frogs, the area would be as dry and dusty as Eggman's old train base.
Shadow slowed the motorcycle as the forest came into view. No signs of Badniks, but it was a big forest. He stopped the motorcycle and Amy got off. Shadow then hid the cycle in a pile of ferns and then tapped his bracelet. It was time to see if his faith in Tails was justified.
"GUN base, come in," said Shadow.
Static. More Static. Then finally, "This is Tails, what is it, Shadow?"
"Arrived at Frog Forest, no sign of hostiles. Do you have a radar picture of where they are. One could easily get lost in this forest," said Shadow.
"Sure thing. Looks like the robots are massed at the east exit of the Forest, closest to Eggman's castle base," said Tails.
"Will investigate, Shadow out," said Shadow.
"Would that be the same castle that Cream and I explored twice?" asked Amy.
"Yes," said Shadow.
The black hedgehog began making his way through the forest. It was a mess of clearings and canopies. What could be in here, he wondered. Not a chaos emerald, he knew that much. Surely a bunch of frogs. Shadow could hear their croaks in the distance. The rustling of leaves also suggested the frogs were moving around the underbrush.
Then Amy squealed.
Shadow turned to find that she was looking at something to his right in a clearing. He approached and discovered the remains of a Golden Egg Pawn. Shadow bent over to examine the damage. It was shattered by a hail of gatling gun bullets. No GUN units would be in the forest, this could only be the work of one person: E-123 Omega. Shadow released a bit of a smile, he would not mind finding Omega in this forest.
"There's another one, Shadow!" said Amy. She pointed to a trail of Egg Pawn and Egg Hammer remains. This made sense. There had been troops throughout the forest. Before the radar was functional, Omega must have found them.
"It's okay, it's only Omega," said Shadow to Amy.
"He really did a number on them," said Amy. "Are you sure he won't do something similar to us?"
"He only hates the Doctor. He is a friend," said Shadow.
The terrain started to lose elevation and Shadow assumed they must be getting close to the swamp that bordered the eastern exit. The last time he had been here, there had been that huge crocodile that had pursued them out of the forest. They would have to be careful crossing the swamp. Shadow identified the huge lily flowers as big enough to get across.
"We'll have to jump across," said Shadow.
"Okay," said Amy.
The two landed on a big lily flower. Shadow broke off a stick and used it to steer the flower like a boat. For the first time he noted how well he had recovered. He was not 100%, but he was close. The flower boat made good progress, better progress than Shadow expected. It was nearing the far shore of the swamp when it was flipped into the air. Amy fell out first and the crocodile head surfaced. She would land right in inside the gaping jaws. She pawed the air for some kind of escape.
Shadow braced himself against the flower in midair and then fired over to where was Amy was falling. He caught her and then chaos controlled them both over to the shore. He deposited her on the ground and then returned to the edge of the swamp. He knew the crocodile would not be stopped by the water's edge.
This was not the time to be caught without a chaos emerald, Shadow mused. He thought over his options. His chaos powers were not much without an emerald. He could keep it distracted for a time. Amy could get away, at least.
"Run for it," said Shadow as he braced himself for his next jump. The crocodile was under the water, but he would not stay there forever. It surfaced like a massive whale breaching out of the brackish water.
Amy grabbed her hammer. She shook her head. She would not leave him.
Shadow had no time to argue with her. The crocodile was coming and she had no way to really hurt the beast. He had to meet it in the water to keep her from harm. He warped onto the croc's back. It became to flop around to get him off, despite Shadow being like a flea. Shadow summoned his strength, he had to get to the creature's head and put out its eye. That would cause the reptile to be blinded and buy some time to get out of there.
Then Shadow paused as the crocodile's head jerked as if something had hit him in the eye. Shadow did not question it but warped up to the crocodile's face and kicked his other eye. The crocodile roared its displeasure and began flopping around to deal with the pain. It looked like it was about to submerge. Shadow jumped off the croc and landed on the beach. He saw Amy's face. She was genuinely shocked. The croc could have exploded and she would have made the same face.
"How did you do that?" asked Amy.
"Not alone, I assure you," said Shadow. He stuck his leg out as if to trip somebody, and out of the nothingness fell a purple form who been invisible just a moment ago. It caught itself on the ground before standing up.
"Espio? What are you doing here?" asked Amy.
"And why have you been following us?" asked Shadow.
"Nice to see you too. Seems you needed my help," said the Chaotix member as he brushed himself.
"That doesn't explain why you are here," said Shadow.
"Espio, there have been many strange things going on. We are trying to find Sonic, and you might know something," said Amy.
"Oh don't worry, we're not working for Eggman again. We got a contract from the GUN Headquarters to report any movements of frogs out of this forest. Vector assumed that poachers must have been selling the rain frogs or something. Anyway when all these robots showed up, Vector and Charmy went to ask GUN what to do about it, but I doubt they got in contact or else they would be back by now," said Espio.
"When did GUN give you this contract?" asked Shadow.
"About a day ago, why?" asked Espio.
"The GUN supercomputer was hacked about a day ago. Whoever gave you that contract was not GUN. They are also likely the people controlling Eggman's robots. They may also have Sonic and Rouge," said Shadow.
"Guess they won't pay then. Vector won't like that. Good thing I decided to follow you then. You might need a ninja," said Espio.
"Agreed," said Shadow. "Give me a moment."
Espio looked at Amy, "He brought you along?"
Amy nodded.
"Unusual, Charmy would have killed for that chance," said Espio.
"Tails, this is Shadow," said the hedgehog into his bracelet.
"Hey Shadow, what's up?" asked Tails over the communications network.
"Have you been able to find all the orders that the GUN computer sent out?" asked Shadow.
"Yes, it was mainly to Eggman's robots, but there were some mercenary hires," said Tails.
"Including the Chaotix?" asked Shadow.
"Yes, actually. It looks like they were sent to Frog Forest. Do you see them?" asked Tails.
"We have Espio right here, he claims to be looking for frogs by order of GUN," said Shadow.
"Yes, his contract has him on the alert for frogs, however it wasn't a GUN contract," said Tails.
"I know that. That seem odd to you?" asked Shadow.
"It's possible that the villain in question merely wants to capture the frogs to use their rain powers. Everything else would be a distraction, even their strike here," said the voice of the GUN Commander.
"Tails, did you isolate the virus?" asked Shadow.
"Yes," said the voice of Tails.
"Where was it made?" asked Shadow.
"It's an Eggman virus from his lab in Metropolis," said Tails.
"Commander, permission to take down Metropolis," said Shadow.
"I thought you said it wasn't Eggman?" asked the Commander.
"I still don't think it is. But whomever it is set up shop in Metropolis," said Shadow.
"I can't risk the army on such a gamble. I'll clear you to infiltrate Metropolis, but if you go in you go in alone," said the Commander.
"He's not going alone," said Amy. She and Espio had snuck up to eavesdrop on the radio conversation between Shadow and Tails.
"It's best. I am not a team player," said Shadow. He turned to look at Espio and Amy with a smug look.
"You got that right," said the GUN Commander.
"Maybe, but you would not have defeated the crocodile without me," said Espio.
"Or gotten better from your wounds without me," said Amy Rose.
"Or gotten this computer working without me," came Tails' voice from the receiver in the bracelet.
"If you are willing to throw away your lives, I can't stop you. My only aim in life was to bring hope to humanity. If you choose to be there with me on that final field, then I welcome you. Just know that I was the ultimate life form, Shadow the Hedgehog," said Shadow.