Whats this, an update?! No, your eyes are not decieving you, I've finally broken through and finished the next link in the chain. Now then, let us continue...
Part Twenty-Seven: Absolute Truth
A few doorways and a hallway over, the two hunters and their twin-tailed partner had indeed found a receptacle of sweet snacks and had ordered their favorites, swapping as much small talk as possible with such a vast difference in age and occupation between them. Most of Knuckles stories involved beating the living tar out of anything that moved, half of Rouge's exploits were still classified above her company's ears and Tails' theories on electromagnetic compression were well above his older guest's attention span. Still, with the uneasy current gone from the air, it was actually relaxing to have such conversation at all.
That all came to a screeching halt the moment the sirens filled the air. Such a high-pitched scream dropped the bat to her knees and drove the males to their feet.
"What's that noise?! Whats going on?!" Tails pleaded.
"I dunno kid, but it's trying to deafen us!" added Knuckles, violet eyes darting high to find the source of the sound and smash it. Instead, he caught the sight of a blue blur scorching past, followed by the tails of laboratory coat, the latter whipping back around to check on them. "Are you three all right?" Caimen asked, voice only a hair above the siren.
"Oh yea, we're just fine and peachy doc. Now what the hell is going on?" inquired the ruby guardian.
Shaking his head, Cale gave them the shortest version they would understand "There has been some sort of emergency on one of the lower levels. Could you three please go to Miss Rose's room? Just in case we need to evacuate, I want to make sure you all are safe."
"You got it. Just turn these damm things off willya!" Knuckles responded, rushing over to his huntress to try and ease her agony somehow.
Nodding, the wolf pointed to one of the ceiling tiles "Mr Prower. Just above that tile should be a thick bundle of wiring. Do you think you can get to it?"
With one had covering his ears, the flying fox hovered over to where the doctor pointed and threw the tile off. Just as Cale said, there was a massive bundle of wires of all colors and sizes "Got it, but which one is the siren?"
"It should be one of the red ones. Just cut all of them!"
Pulling a spare Leatherman from his glove, Tails did just that, and finally the excruciating wail fell silent. Breathing a sigh of relief, the quartet shook what ringing they could from their ears. "Whew… glad that's over."
"You and me both hun. All that rackets gonna give me a headache for weeks!" Rouge added, only sparing the doctor a glance. Caimen returned the look with the smallest of nods, since both had a fairly good idea what it was that set off those sirens.
"No kidding. Now, let's get back to Amy. She's probably panicking by now!" the echidna added.
"You two go on ahead. I'll be right behind you as soon as I can stand up." replied the jewel thief, her super-sensitive ears still resonating the full effect of the damage. In a flash of ruby and sunset, the other two males were gone.
"How bad is it?" Rouge asked.
"Bad" Cale answered grimly "Something broke through the isolation level and sent out a sector wide alert. Troops have already entered the hospital to try and secure it, and I imagine the heavier guns will be in place soon. Shadow never was one for subtlety."
"Heavy guns? What are they going to do, wipe out the hospital in full view of the public?"
"Not if we can stop them." Caimen said, pointing skyward out the window. "You have a higher clearance than I do. You have to get the word out to the Commander. There's no way he would approve this operation. I'll try and hold them up here."
She wanted to question his sanity with this plan, but before she could utter a word from her full lips, the tell-tale sound of a rifle's three round burst echoed from down the corridor. "Go, NOW!" Dr. Caimen barked as he took off back towards his patient, leaving her to kick through the window and fly into the night.
Against the cold tile floor, his feet made not a sound as the midnight blur raced down the floor towards an elevator or stairwell, any path that led off the floor and towards some kind of haven. Deep down, Shadow had suspected that is former employers were reluctant to relinquish such a powerful commodity that was the ultimate life-form, but these events did nothing but raise his suspicions. Twice he had been a guest in the confines of this hospital, and it was only on the midnight hedgehog's second appearance that they came with binds and leashes. So why now? What's so different this time? he growled to himself, almost too lost in thought to notice the approach of an exit doorway.
Shadow veered toward the gateway, only to find it as secured as his own former cell and sealed shut by a well insulated metal door. Fueled in a wash of frustration, he slammed his injured fists and forearms into the door, a move the hedgehog instantly wished he hadn't done, for the still-healing blisters and wounds on his arms split open once again without even a dent to show in return. "Dammit! I won't let you stand in my way!" he cursed at the barrier between his battered body and freedom.
Bootsteps. His well tuned ears picked them up over the alarms. They were heavy, yet organized and storming towards him with intentions nowhere near cheerful. Taking off back into a dean run, the hedgehog was not quite the master of speed he normally was without his airshoes. Like his Restrictors, they were energized by the very power within him. Without them, his velocity was limited closer to mortal norms unless he released the unstable powers at his core that would surely kill him in such a crippled condition. Granted, there was no loss in response or flexibility at the moment, but this was yet another handicap that Shadow had become burdened with.
And one more that was about to be tested by fire, for no sooner had the midnight warrior rounded the final turn between his former quarters and a stairwell to freedom did a prospect present itself, an opportunity that blended luck with sick irony. Blockading his path to freedom stood a quartet of heavy rifles and transparent riot shields protecting four troops and another agent behind them. Though it wasn't the firepower that made Shadow's jaw almost unhinge in anger and unconsciously clench his own defense, it was the one face his crimson eyes could make out behind the ranks of faceless grunts. With short, shining blonde hair and an arrogantly strong jaw, it was a man that the hedgehog had not seen since he was forced to partner with it on the rare occasion that Rouge was otherwise occupied, one of the many reasons he had parted ways with the same agency that now stood against him.
"Somehow, I always knew we would meet like this Shadow. I just never thought it would be here" the G.U.N representative said first in that patented smoothed voice that hid emotion like a cloak.
Grinding his teeth, the hedgehog replied "And I knew that if I ever saw you again Treize, I'd repay an old debt and smear your blood all over the city. Now why the hell are you here?"
Treize brushed a few stray sunshine locks from his own eyes and brandished his own pistol "Simple. We were sent to exterminate a plague upon the world, the cause of which is halfway your fault, hedgehog."
"And that's how you justify killing everyone and anyone here?! You always had a bad flair for overdramatics, Treize." Shadow interrupted as his mind blazed through what few options were left, largely ignoring whatever drabble his opponent was offering. To dash headlong into such a piercing maelstrom was suicidal, yet the more time was wasted here, the more of them would come. Indeed, the midnight loner now fought the battle once reserved for his cobalt counterpart. Shadow now battled for the freedom and well-being of himself, his most treasured flower, and all his non-human comrades in the premises.
His greatest ally lay motionless, just out of the corner of his eye and behind a sheet of glass, the one item he had been stripped of during his little internment here; his now-pristine airshoes. They would boost his speed back up to his accustomed levels and add the push he needed to ensure his freedom. But this wasn't just about him anymore.
"Perhaps, Shadow. And for what it's worth, I never imagined we would have to stop you from enjoying one of life's most simple pleasures. But this something you brought upon yourself" the human continued, clicking the safety off of his own firearm and taking aim right between shaking crimson orbs.
Part of the ebony hedgehog could not believe he was hearing. Such unparalled cold-heartedness was a vile tasting echo of what kind of creature Shadow had been. But to hear the man before him actually express sympathy at his mission, Shadow knew that there was more beyond what had been said.
Still, the approaching clamor of more heavy boots and sliding hammers snapped him back into the moment as another four shock troops boxed the hedgehog in from astern. With no retreat left and only depressed frustration building up in his core, Shadow could feel the electricity arc through his quills. His blood-red striped began to shine their own hue as his eyes focused on his objective, ignoring the warm feeling of blood dripping into his fur. "Wrong again Treize. My fate doesn't end here. I still have too much to do to let you stand in my way!"
In that instant, Shadow launched himself at the four in his path, crashing against their protection with an explosive spinball. The mortals didn't stand a chance as they were knocked backwards into the floor, the midnight missile bouncing off their chests, onto the ceiling, then through the adjacent glass barricade where his shoes lay in wait. All around him, Shadow could feel the bullets racing past his spines and chest rather than feel them tunnel inside. Still, his aim was true and his opponents had failed, as no round touched him. Snatching his attire off the table and corkscrewing through the hail of metallic death, he easily slid back into his comfort zone. Now, Shadow the Hedgehog was back to his fullest potential, and was not to be denied his own absolution.
The alarms seemed to be growing stronger and stronger as the blue blur raced down the emergency stairs towards whatever disaster had befallen the level. In his mind, Sonic expected most anything from a lost, frightened child to a patient panicking in the corner. It wasn't until the gunshots resonated their way through his ears did he add apprehension to anxiety, though that little cocktail was noting compared to the scene that greeted him once he reached the isolation level. No sooner had he set foot through the door than an all-too-familiar black streak thundered past his muzzle and into a cluster of armed sentries. Their howls of surprise and agony seemed only to fuel his rival's power as Shadow tore through the formation like a boulder through paper, casting shattered armor and broken bodies into the ceiling, walls and all directions inbetween.
Holy crap! Shad's gonna bring down the whole building at this rate! Racing into battle as was his trademark, Sonic sped off after his darker counterpart and caught the rampaging hedgehog in a full tackle. Shadow grunted from the impact as the pair smashed through an opposing wall before he could reverse the hold and break free, both speedsters coming to rest on their feet and eye to eye. Needless to say, the ultimate life-form was quite surprised at who it was that just interrupted his blitz.
"YOU!" the midnight fury growled, chaotic energies still sparking about his form. The one being he had never expected to see may have just saved his life, or sold me out to be imprisoned again!
"The one and only, Shads. I just can't seem to leave you alone without you breaking something, can I?" Sonic's comment came just as sarcastic as always.
Shadow's reply came as his own grapple attempt, only this time, the cobalt cruiser sidestepped the lunge and watched as his rival flew through open air "Whoa, whoa, calm down Shadow. I'm not here for a brawl. Amy wouldn't like it if I roughed you up too much. All that stress isn't good for a new mother, ya know."
Words the ultimate life-form never expected to hear. And the moment his finely tuned ears picked up on them, all the chaotic energies blanketing his form evaporated as his mid went into absolute overdrive. "What the hell are you talking about, faker?"
Sonic shot his darker doppelganger a confused look "What? You didn't know? Amy's pregnant bro. Or should I say, congratulations."
Shaking his head, the midnight warrior's eyes were lost inside himself; the spent pistol clattering to the tile floor It's not possible. I've seen the reports about my creation, none of them mention that! But… that night, that feeling…such power. Could it really be true?! What was it Eggman said? 'Endanger the family line?'
"Yo, Shadow! You still in there?" another voice echoed from what felt like miles away. Sadly, that was not the case as a white-gloved palm waved inches from his muzzle. It did its job and snapped the charcoal hedgehog back into reality.
"Well, welcome back buddy. I thought you got lost in there." Sonic jested, earning a growl from his non-humored rival. "Not amusing, faker."
"Hey, it ain't my fault you're a spoilsport. Now, whats say we get outta here so you can pay Amy a visit."
Responding with a patented 'humph', Shadow flashed a smirk at the idea "That might just be the best idea you've ever had."
"Oh my, such high praise! I might just faint" Sonic answered mockingly, before something smooth inside his glove stirred his own memory "Oh yea! Before you dart off again, I need to give you these back."
Turning to face his former opponent once more, his crimson orbs were greeted by a quartet of shiny objects. Four little bracelets that he hadn't seen since the start of this whole odyssey, and that may have very well been the cause of all the chaos until now. Carefully, Shadow took his Restrictors back into his hands and snapped them back into place. It felt like splashing a tub of ice upon a raging fire, the way his very core was strangled back into its normal submission, but he knew this was necessary now. Too much had come to be at stake to allow such overwhelming energy to run rampant. Still, it felt somewhat comforting to be complete again as the wail of the alarms suddenly died away. "Alright, faker. Lets go."
Sonic grinned at his apparent nickname "Sure thing Shads."
Finally, after all the loops he's run and obstacles he's broken, Shadow knows the real truth of the matter. Now, will he be able to save it?
Stay tuned!
Reviews always welcome!