Shadow was used to this kind of missions, most of the time he did actually work alone. So he didn't mind that Cream left his side. Now he could use his speed, this way avoiding the undead and with them unnecessary battles. The only problem will be that he will have to take her later on another mission that could be more dangerous than this one.
He had to get to the waterfalls, where was a secret pass which leaded to the person with who he had a meeting. It was a very important meeting, the one that could change the entire situation with the cursed disease.
He run straight through the falling water and into the tunnel, his run ended in a hall of a hidden laboratory, filled with robots, ready to kill whoever approach. Anyway, Shadow didn't have to worry about them, that they would shoot him or rather he would have to destroy them, because there was this one simple trick. The robots were the first line of defense for the slowest undead, those who couldn't do much more than bite or run a little. So you needed only to jump above the guarding machines, before they would find their target and you were out of their sign. They couldn't turn around after you.
Then in front of the hedgehog showed up a hologram of the one and only person who was in the past the main threat to the world. Doctor Ivo Robotnik. Who was known as 'Eggman'.

- Doctor...
- It took you long! Hurry up to the room S-56! I have a busy schedule! – The hologram vanished.

Shadow went to the room that he knew all too well by now. There he was immediately placed on the table and Eggman took his blood samples… like always... All this time from the beginning of the catastrophe, the Doctor was working on a cure for the disease, which was the reason that ruined his plans of taking the world over. And to find it he was using Shadow's blood; especially that the hedgehog was already incapable of becoming a zombie.
Shadow was the Ultimate Life Form after all, he could be bitten many times while fighting and it didn't bother him, but he still could die from blood lose or if they managed to take hold of him and eat his body's significant parts.
The problem with making the cure from Shadow's blood was that it was full of chaos energy; it worked quite well as a vaccine on those who had some of chaos in them, but a normal person could die.

- So how is it going? Doctor?
- And what do you thing you pesky blue hedgehog!

The hedgehog didn't correct the scientist, it was pointless… The Doctor was now quite often mistaking Shadow with the blue hedgehog Sonic, who vanished together with his best friend Tails a year after the first appearance of the undead. Eggman wasn't young anymore, and had some problems with remembering people; it was also the reason why it was taking him so long to make the cure. But at least as much as he was never giving up in his attempts of taking the world, while being beaten by Sonic, he also wasn't stopping now in his researches.

While lying there Shadow's thoughts went to the blue blur. Nobody never ever again seen Sonic or have heard about him. Some people believed that he had just run away, others that he had became a zombie at the begging of this mess. It could be true. After all the cobalt hero wasn't using guns, his weapon was his body...
The black and red hedgehog didn't know what to think about it. He always believed that he would see Sonic and his friends ageing, getting their families and so on, while he would be always the same, reminding in the shadows, that he would have to look after their graves in the end, when they would die. Instead only Cream, Rouge, Knuckles and Silver were still alive, while the others mysteriously vanished, or were dead.
He was regretting that he didn't consider the possibility of spending his time with them while they were still alive. He was doing something different, he was avoiding... And now he would probably have to destroy their dead moving bodies when they get in his sight.
The ebony one was actually afraid that one day he will have to face his blue rival's body… And end its misery.

Why didn't he trust his heart and follow its quiet pleads?! Was he, the Ultimate Life Form afraid of his own feelings?!

Then he was interrupted from his thoughts by a loud beeping sound.

- Doctor? What is this? An alarm?
- It's nothing! I told you that I'm a busy man! Didn't I?! – the round human shouted.

Eggman seemed to be angry and nervous, something wasn't right in his behavior, but Shadow wasn't the one who could judge him.
Nobody was the same after the arising of the undead, everybody and everything changed…
The government doesn't exist anymore especially after the incident in Soleanna in which many lives were lost in the attempts of stopping the march of the zombies… After their disastrous decision, the cities became graves, families were torn apart and the planets population decreased. Now there weren't more than 5% of living beings.

- Shadow! Take this vaccine and go! You're disturbing me and my work!
- Is it going to work? Doctor?
- I don't know! I don't have any rodents to test it on them! Do I?! Now leave!

The doctor gave him a tube with a light blue liquid. Eggman hardy ever was giving any of his samples, so it meant that this one could actually work. And with that the survivors would be able to resist the dead ones without the fear of becoming a zombie. It would be really helpful. Their enemies were hard to 'kill'. You could cut and shoot them and they still were after you. The only way to fight them was by burning their bodies, but the climate of the planet changed as well and it was always raining, was cold and damp, flames couldn't fully take the rotting corpses.

When Shadow left Eggman's base, the elderly man went in hurry to the room, where his guest was already awaiting him. He had hopes with this person. Big hopes! When he for the first time had found out about this person, he couldn't believe it!
A real vampire! And more! The Vampire King!
Eggman managed to make a contract with this mysterious being, that if he would help the vampire he would gain as his reward immortality by becoming a vampire as well. Who would not take this opportunity? After all dying from elderly age wasn't something that the mad scientist dreamt about. He still didn't fulfill his dreams!

The doctor entered the room… and had to experience shock...
There on his favorite armchair was sitting the one who he believed that was supposed to be a meal for the underground creatures. Instead was sitting comfortably and drinking vine. There were also some zombies gathered around, sitting like guarding dogs near their master.

- You! It can't be! You're the Vampire King?!

The round man asked with his trembling voice, while rubbing his eyes in disbelieve. The Vampire King was no other that the blue hedgehog, the missing hero of this world Sonic!

- Hey Eggman! Long time no see! – he said in his cocky voice.
- You are a vampire?!
- Yup! I'm a vampire!
- But it's impossible! It must be a lie!

The elderly man was by now running all over the room, holding his head with both hands and shouting 'lie' here and there. That is… to the moment when he was roughly punched in the face and knocked off his feet. When Eggman managed to look back at his attacker he saw a furious being with bloody red eyes and its vampire fangs fully apparent.

The hedgehog then noticed the frightened stare of the human, and got back to his previous cheerful posture. His eyes also changed back to their well known green color. Seeing that his claws were in Eggman's blood, he licked them.

- Mmm, your blood isn't too tasty… – the hedgehog turned to the doctor. – So, can we discuss your reward? Or you prefer to make some more laps?
- You really are a vampire!
- Don't start it again. Did you make the vaccine that I told you to do?
- Yes, two tubes, like we agreed.
- Good where is it?
- In my black suitcase. So you'll change me into a vampire?

Silent almost fell in the room if not the sounds made by Sonic's zombies, that all this time were waiting for something… And then a dark chuckle made its place…

- Eggman. I know you for quite a long time. You're always changing sides and also you're always being tricked…
- What do you mean by that?!

Then dead hands took hold over the old human's body. It happened so fast that he didn't have even the time to blink. Those zombies weren't the normal ones… They were called as runners, fast and deadly creatures, still having the flexibility like while being alive. And now the doctor was trapped by them.

- What!? What are you doing?!
- Calm down, will ya. I promised you a bite, didn't I?
- But why are they holding me like this?!
- Eggman… Eggman… Eggman… I didn't say that it will be my bite…
Now the doctor's face went pale and he started to sweat and panic.
- But! You can't! You promised me! You're a hero! You can't kill me!
- But Eggman, I'm not a hero anymore… I'm a vampire! I've changed…

With that the hedgehog left the room to look after the vaccine. While passing the corridors he could hear screams of horror and agony mixed together with the sound of chewing…
Sonic the hedgehog took care of Eggman once and for all…