I'm going to keep this one short, but all I have to say is that I figured out my plan again for the rest of the story after some time. I'm keeping it how I planned it and going to 21 chapters at most. Other than that, enjoy!

Chapter 17: New Potential

Mystic Ruins

It was the longest three minutes of Sonic's life. Restrained against the rough oak bark by Silver II's unwavering power. The Silver he knew would lose energy relatively fast if he kept a single object or person in place for too long, but Silver II wasn't even breaking a sweat, and he still held most of the heroes out of place and out of his way. Those who weren't suspended in place were smart enough not to interfere or not in the best position to do so, notably, Rouge and Tower. But that didn't mean that they didn't want to do anything about it, especially Rouge. She felt betrayed by Silver II and Shadow, that they would talk behind her back and not discuss it as a team like they have and done before. She wondered why that was. Maybe Silver II knew that Rouge would not accept Tails as collateral, so he purposefully pulled Shadow aside to convince him instead. Out of everyone, he would be the only one willing to go through with the idea. If she could just get inside the bunker and talk to him, she might be able to talk him down from killing Tails. She just had to sneak past Silver II, which wasn't impossible but considering that there is only one entrance to the bunker, that would be the place where he would watch the most. There had to be some distraction she could use. "Tails would never hurt anybody!" Sonic yelled to Silver II. "What makes you think he'll destroy the planet?"

"Did you not see his condition? It's only a matter of time before he loses his mind and submits to the creature. Stopping the process now will ensure peace." Silver II rebuttal. That sentence, that line of thought, it made Silver's blood boil. How could he have ever gotten to this point in his life where he disregarded the rules he set for himself?

"This is for peace?" Silver barked. "Did you forget? If you take one life in the name of peace, you've already failed." Silver II groans and facepalms. It was almost amazing that even though they were the same person, their acting like two separate people. The hardened cycle of going back to the past countless times changed him forever, and Silver feared it might happen to him one day too.

"I can't believe I was as naive as you are now. We have one job: Saving the future." Silver II sighed. "You don't understand, not yet at least." Suddenly, both Silver's heads cramped and pounded on the inside, forming that unpleasant ache again. Despite the disruption, Silver II still keeps the suspended heroes in place. Once again, it was like memories forcing their way into Silver's head. They were his memories but he couldn't recall any of them. It had to have been Silver II's. It was like they were merging. Perhaps the two of them being in one place meant a paradox was created and only one could remain. Regardless, it was just speculation. The distraction was what Rouge needed to sneak past them. She made her way to the entrance to the bunker and called the elevator. Everyone else saw her, but at this point, they were on her side. The elevator reaches her level and the doors open, however, she freezes as Shadow emerges behind the doors.

"Shadow, where is Tai-" She was too late. An explosion from the elevator shaft erupted and sent a shockwave through the field. Everyone except for Shadow is blown a few feet away. The hopelessness in Sonic's eyes grew, as he feared the worst.

"No…" He gasped. "Tails…" Sonic grinds his teeth. His breathing picks up and he starts to pant. His pupils shrink and show a dead glare. That same dark-purple energy circulates around his hands again. However, it flowed farther up his arms. The quills on his body and head started to fade in color and darken, but no one else noticed.

"What did you do?" Rouge demanded from Shadow.

"I created a bomb using chaos energy. It was the quickest way for the fox to go out." The power around Sonic started forming its own aura around Sonic. Like Super Sonic's aura but more sinister.

"I can't believe you did that!" Rouge yelled. "You took that poor kid's life and left Omega's head in there. We can't repair him now."

"With how much the virus has affected him, and without Tails, I doubt anything else could save him." That was enough for Sonic. He couldn't contain his anger anymore. He shouted a vicious cry, alerting everyone to him. At this point, the aura has fully engulfed him and he has taken up a new form. The darkness turned his whole body into a dark-purple cover. His eyes turned fully white and his mouth was swallowed into the darkness. Silver II put all of his efforts into holding him back, but Sonic easily overpowered the restraints casted on his body. He sprung forward fast, faster than he had been seen going before, and darted towards Shadow. Thankfully for the ebony hedgehog, Silver II caught Sonic again and tried to pull him back. Unfortunately, Sonic decided that Silver II was his target now, and he shifted his trajectory to barrel to him next. Silver II can't stop him and is hammered right in his stomach. The punch sends him flying back but he catches himself in midair and stabilizes. Sonic- no, Dark Sonic wasn't done with him yet, as he flies himself up to Silver II and kicks him back down to the ground below. Luckily for the rest of the group, they moved the fight away from their area, and since Silver II was knocked away, Amy, Knuckles, and the Chaotix were freed.

"What is happening to Sonic?" Amy asked.

"That power…" Knuckles started to contemplate. He's seen that same dark power before. But from where? Then it hit him. It was the same power Eggman used in the Eggwyrm back at the space station, from the unstable core of Planet Hymn. He recalled Sonic getting hit a few times by it, but did it have the capability to corrupt Sonic using his anger? "I've seen it before."

"You have?" Vector said. "Where?"

"It's a long story. But we have to help both of them right now. Stop the fight."

"It'll have to wait." A hardened voice called from the bushes. Everyone turned to face the source of the voice. They were ready to fight as they saw the leaves rustle and push aside for whoever was coming out. To a surprise to everyone, it was none other than the pyro fox, Arsonal. "You guys are in a lot of trouble." Before Arsonal could elaborate, Shadow had instantly teleported behind Arsonal using chaos control. He was getting ready to roundhouse kick Arsonal. He couldn't react fast enough to dodge, and he was slammed in the back of his head by Shadow's powerful kick. Arsonal was sent sliding on the ground, digging into the dirt, and scraping alongside the rest. He looked up and saw the heroes surrounding him. None of them were happy, not in the slightest. "Stop! I'm here to help!" Amy approached him first, her face clouded with rage. She was still mad since their last encounter, where he nearly set her ablaze.

"You got a lot of nerve coming here." Amy raised her piko-hammer above her head, ready to crash it down into his.

"Wait!" Silver stopped Amy before she committed to the act. Everyone looked at Silver, confused at why he was defending the enemy. "He came all this way here to talk, right? Let's at least hear him out." Arsonal nervously gulps. "So… how are we in trouble?"

"The Abyss Voyagers know you're here. They've sent a strike team to take you out. They're about to throw everything they got at you."

"Why should we trust you?" Espio demanded. Arsonal was scared. All ears were on him now. He really had no way to prove to them that he was trustworthy, but he had to say something to appease them. He looked to Silver, who was the only one looking at him with a calmed expression. It gave him some confidence to speak.

"You have all the right not to listen to my words. My whole life I've been too afraid to speak up, even when I knew it was wrong not to. Now my cowardice cost my friend her free will. I have to save her, by any means necessary." The tension dies down, but there was still some heat in the air. Arsonal still had to make his case better. "If I can get your help- no, if you let me help you fend off the Abyss Voyagers for good, then me and my friends will leave all of you alone forever." While not everyone in the crowd was content with his explanation, Silver was more or less warming up to Arsonal. He didn't fully trust him, of course, but if they got information from him about the Abyss Voyager's plans to attack and they line up when the battle commences, then he could be depended on. Shadow sensed that everyone would soon hear out Arsonal's information, but there was still a matter to be handled. Dark Sonic and Silver II were out there fighting. If what Arsonal said was true and the Abyss Voyagers and GUN were on their way, then they need their heavy hitters. He had to find the two and break up the fight, but it wouldn't be a cakewalk, considering the circumstances with Tails… Nevertheless, he had to go.

"You guys get what you can out of him, I'll stop Sonic and Silver from tearing this place apart." His announcement was met with bitter eyes, as he expected. It was a troubled relationship now. Even with what he set out to do enraging their minds about him, they still had to work together to win. But when the battle was over, how long would it take for them to quit talking to him? Shadow, without a second thought, raced away to find Sonic and Silver II.

Speaking of those two, both of them were going all out, especially Sonic, who wasn't holding an ounce of power back. It scared Silver II whenever Dark Sonic charged forward. He had never seen him go that fast before and luckily Silver II was instinctual enough to dodge out of the way or put an object between them. It was almost like Sonic had the intent to kill him. How could he blame him though? It was his idea to kill Tails, and he was about to be handed the consequences. But he couldn't die now, not when there were still the Abyss Voyagers running the world. He stopped the catastrophe of the planet succumbing to darkness, but his job wasn't over yet. "Sonic!" He cried out, but the blur ignored his call. Silver II uses his powers to dig into the ground and lift a chunk of rock and earth up to encase Dark Sonic, thinking it might contain him, but Dark Sonic imploded the confinement in no time. "Save your strength for the real enemy!" He tried again to reason. This time, the putrid hedgehog responded.

"YOU'RE THE ENEMY!" That couldn't have been Sonic. His voice was distorted beyond recognition. All Silver II could sense was rage and anger within his speech. What happened to him that corrupted his very nature? Silver II had no choice now but to fight back with everything he's got. The grass below served as a valuable weapon, as Silver II used his power to cut off the tips of hundreds of the green blades and soar them into the air. Shooting forward like a rain of arrows, the grass blades hail at Sonic. But each one only proved a minor annoyance to Dark Sonic, as he brushed them aside with a forceful shock wave. The shock wave emits a devastating blast of corrupted energy that disintegrates the grass around him. Silver II then rips two trees from the ground and uses them to smash Sonic from both sides, but the logs simply dissolve and crumble to dust on impact, all while Sonic was standing still. Dark Sonic propels forward and tackles Silver II into a boulder, where he uses his fist to punch his face in. Silver II then suspends Dark Sonic in place and lifts him away from himself. Silver II then raises him a bit higher then smashes him into the ground. Lifts him back up and then back into the ground. Again and again, he continues until the hole is too deep to see Sonic anymore. Silver II peeks down to try and spot Sonic, but it was too dark to make out anything. Suddenly, Silver II felt a tap on his shoulder. He froze and widened his eyes, he knew who was behind him. Dark Sonic was there, almost taunting Silver II by looking down on him. Silver II tried to spin around and fight but he was clocked in the head by Dark Sonic's fist. It sent him flying across the ground. "Doesn't feel good, does it?" Dark Sonic continued to taunt as he nonchalantly walked closer to Silver II. Dark Sonic picked up Silver II's limp body from the dirt and brought him up to his level. "To be so helpless while the strong take away your freedom. How did you think Tails felt?" Silver II tried to escape Sonic's grasp but couldn't break free. "Resisting? I have slain gods who have devoured worlds and you are trying to defeat me? You're not worthy of what I've shown to them."

"Enough!" Dark Sonic turns his head to see Shadow standing behind him. "You need to relax. Tails wouldn't want this of you." A vein popped out from Sonic's temple. Shadow had inadvertently ticked him off.

"You dare tell me that!?" Dark Sonic chucks Silver II at Shadow. Shadow catches him and sets him down, but it was a distraction for Dark Sonic to rush both of them. He grabs them by the heads and slams them into the dirt. He then shoots forward, causing both Shadow and Silver II's heads to be dragged through the coarse earth. Shadow breaks out of Sonic's grip with chaos control and tries to strike him in the back of his head, but Dark Sonic catches his leg without even looking. He grabs Silver II by the leg and pulls both of them above his body, making them collide with each other. In another attempt to fight back, Shadow charges his body full of chaos energy, building up a red glow in his quills and eyes. This was a last resort, and it would destroy all of the trees and vegetation around them, but he had to do something against Sonic. He had to use this move.

"Chaos…" Shadow concentrates and allows the chaos energy to flow into his arms, where they vibrate uncontrollably and expand with unstable power. "Blas-" Before Shadow could unleash his blast, he feels a sharp pain stabbing him in his chest. It forces him to fall to his hands and knees, where he coughs out of control. He hacks up blood that stains the grass and wheezes as he gasps for air.

"Maybe I should let you live. Just so you can feel every organ in your body liquefy." Shadow places his arm on his knee and rises as he spits the rest of the blood out of his mouth.

"That's just wrong." Even without a mouth, you could still see Dark Sonic form a cocky smile. "The Sonic I know would never wish any of that on his worst enemies. After everything I did, you still wouldn't be as barbaric as you are now."

"Then consider the old me dead. This power… it's unstoppable."

"If that's what you think…" Silver II recovers and is ready to fight again. "Then neither can you be allowed to live!"

"Silver, you can't-"

"He endangers the world now, Shadow. I must." Silver II grabs Dark Sonic and throws him across the field and away from Shadow. Silver II then flies over to the crash site to face off against Sonic again. Shadow rubs his head and groans before raising his wrist to his mouth. Located there was a hidden radio where he could communicate to secure frequencies.

"I didn't think it would come down to this, but you're up." Back with Silver II and Dark Sonic, Silver II raises his hands and starts collecting the nature around them into one big mass. Trees, dirt, rock- everything nearby was used to create an amalgamation. A giant ball ready to crush Sonic. Silver II uses his mightiest war cry as he exerts all his energy into throwing the mass. The mass requires Dark Sonic to stop it using both of his hands. It was a struggle to keep it in front of him, but he could handle it. Although, Silver II had another plan. Using clay from underneath the ground, he formed spikes that shot from below, hitting Sonic and trapping him in the nature's mass. With him trapped, Silver II uses one final effort to throw the ball down to the ground, where it sends a shockwave and crushes everything within the mass. Silver II floats down and scavenges the wreckage for Sonic's body. Nothing… there was nothing left of him. Silver II sighs and sits down on a stump. He had thrown everything at his friend. It didn't feel right to do so, to go all out. But to him, Sonic was gone, and that thing took over, just like Tails. They both needed to be out of the picture. One day, he hoped that the world would understand what he had to do. However, he was about to find out it was all in vain. Springing his hand through the top of the wreckage was Dark Sonic. He crawled his way out from the debris, not even with a scratch.

"Was that your best shot?" He approached Silver II, who was stumbling away from Sonic. He had used all his energy on that move and it was for nothing. "All these times you saved the future, and you can't even save yourself."

"Sonic!" That voice… Sonic knew it. It was so far away that he couldn't discern it from anyone else's but he had to have known who it was. It was echoing from the cliff facing over them, where the sun was shining. There, he saw a silhouette standing at the edge of the cliff, their figure was blackened, due to them standing in the sun. Dark Sonic wondered if someone else had come to challenge him.

"Don't get yourself mixed up in this." He warned. "It's on your life."

"I know you wouldn't do that." The figure ahead of the sun revealed more of himself with his tail. Well, rather more like his tails. Sonic widened his eyes. There was no way, he thought. Could it be? The figure jumped from the cliffside and floated down using his tails as a propeller. There was no doubt now. It was Tails! The dark aura around Sonic started to dissipate and fade into the sky. His vibrant blue quills breathe the air once more. His eyes were full of tears, which couldn't be stopped.

"You're… alive." He quivered. Tails smiled and opened his arms as if to say with his body, 'Yes I am'. A million questions flooded Sonic's mind, but he was just happy that he got to see his buddy again. However, the sweet reunion was cut short by Silver II, who suspended both of them in stasis and raised both of them next to each other. He slightly closes his hand and the weight from their stasis begins to crush them both.

"I don't know how you survived, or if you were in cahoots with Shadow. But I know that both of you made my job exceptionally easier." Silver tightens his hand again, causing more distress and pain from Sonic and Tails. "I guess it worked out in the end. Tails got you to leave your dark form. Now there will be no further interruptions-" But there was. Nailing him in the back of his hand was a chaos spear that knocks Silver II to the ground. It disables his stasis and Sonic and Tails are free. Silver II looks back and sees Shadow approaching. "I should've known this would happen!" Silver II grunts as he holds his hand in pain. "I thought you were a hero that doesn't listen to anyone. So why are you siding with them now instead of the world?"

"Tails, what did you say to me before I got you out?" Tails pauses but he soon gets the courage to speak up.

"I asked you to make a promise. That no matter what happens to me, do whatever you can to keep our friends safe."

"So what?" Silver II questioned. "You can fulfill that promise when the world isn't consumed."

"You don't get it." Shadow retorted. "I made another promise like that many years ago. A promise I made to Maria. Unfortunately for you, Silver, I would rather risk being alone for years, than betray my vow to Maria." Silver II tilts his head to the ground. Shadow assumed that was a sign of defeat, but it was a sign of disappointment, as he would soon find out.

"We were so close to saving everything. Maybe next time… maybe next time I'll just kill Tails myself." Silver II rises from the ground and collects a few boulders with his psychokinesis, ready to toss them at the three. However, Shadow was ready to end things quickly. He still had the red chaos energy built up in his body and he was ready to release it all. He jumps up next to Silver II and starts to expel some of that energy. Silver II is distraught as he widens his eyes. But most of all, he was disappointed. "You'll really go that far to take me down? You're unbeliv-"

"Chaos BLAST!" An explosion radiates from Shadow's body, sending Silver II flying into the cliffside wall. Sonic and Tails hold on for dear life as the blast wave almost knocks them away as well. Tails loses his grip on the rock he was holding on to, but Sonic reacts fast enough to grab his hand and hold on tight to withstand the rest of the blast. Sonic was thankful to Shadow, not only because he kept Tails alive, but also because he was on their side throughout the years. Having to deal with chaos power to that scale was terrifying to think about, so for that, Sonic was grateful it was directed towards evil. After the shock was over, Silver II was no longer bound by force to the rock wall and tipped over, where he was falling to the ground. He was unconscious, and couldn't save himself, but Sonic's heart of gold came to the rescue and caught him, even after everything he tried to do to hurt them. In the end, he was still a friend. He was just lost and his loneliness must've disconnected him. Sonic could never grasp the concept of what he had to endure, but at least he could try to understand his desperation. However, he was still dangerous, but to Sonic's surprise, Tails chimed in with a solution.

"Follow Shadow and I, Sonic. We know where to put him."

Back with the rest of the group, Arsonal had just finished telling his story. Not everything, but important details like James' plan of attack and his relationship with the Abyss Voyagers, Harrow, and Vulnter, including the robotic fate of her. There was still a sense of distrust with some of the heroes, mainly Espio, Tower, and Knuckles. But Silver was more generous with his sympathy and lent his hand to the poor fox. "Do you really trust him?" Amy was still cautious as well.

"If he was here on behalf of the Abyss Voyagers, then I will never understand why he chose to spare me." Arsonal's face brightened and he nodded sincerely, expressing all his gratitude to Silver. "I'm sorry what has happened to your friends. But we will help you get them back, I promise." Interrupting this sweet moment was Shadow phasing into existence in the middle of the group, appropriately spooking and startling everyone at the same time.

"I hope you got everything sorted out now. Come on, follow me." Shadow walked away without saying another word, leaving everyone confused by his vague directions and commands. They all just hoped that everything was ok and that Sonic and Silver II were safe. Silver was first to follow Shadow, along with Arsonal, but the rest were hesitant. In their eyes, he was the one who killed Tails, none of them knew that he was alive. Why would they still follow someone that rid the world of their friend? "Well? There still is a world to save. I hate admitting it, but I can't do this alone. Please… Tails doesn't want us to fight anymore."

"Doesn't?" Charmey was even more confused now. "Don't you mean 'wouldn't'?" Shadow smiles as he tilts his head to beckon them to follow.

Later: Further in the Woods

Shadow led the group through thick bushes and low-hanging branches. They'd been walking for a long time now, but none of them could keep track of time so the exact amount was a mystery. Although it did feel like around half an hour at least. It made most of them wonder why Shadow didn't just teleport them all to the destination using chao control, but Silver suspected that Shadow didn't want to strain himself any time soon. He could tell that he had used a lot of energy and it made Silver wonder how intense the battle between him, Sonic, and Silver II was. Something odd about Shadow that he noticed was the chaos energy visibly flowing through him. Earlier today, Silver saw Shadow holding a chaos emerald. He figured that the reintegration of stable chaos energy from the emerald gave him a boost, but it might not have gotten rid of his illness. "How much longer?" Charmey groaned. His wings sputtered as they were exhausted from flying around for so long. It wasn't his fault that his short legs wouldn't allow him to keep up with the rest at a steady pace.

"We're just about here." Shadow moves a branch holding hundreds of leaves out of the way which opens the sight of a flat field of grass in an open plain. What was notable was the equipment in the middle of said field. Some of it was old GUN tech, but most of it was resistance. It wasn't long until everyone saw them. Both Sonic and Tails handling the equipment and setting it up.

"Is that-"

"Tails!" Amy interrupted Knuckles, and in an instant, she ran across the field and went straight for Tails, who was panicking at her overly energetic prancing. He was unaware of what to do. She was coming in too fast and he had nowhere to go. She jumped forward and tackled him down to hug him. Tails tried to squirm away but Amy held on tight. "I was so worried! I thought you were gone forever!" She cried.

"Amy… *gasp*... You're going to kill me…" Tails squeezed out those words as he grasped for air. Light chuckles and warm smiles enveloped the rest of the group. They soon huddled around Tails at once and helped him away from Amy. "Thanks, guys… Hey, I'm sorry that I got you all so worried about me, but do me a favor, and don't blame Shadow. It wasn't his plan to fake my death. He just chose to spare my life." Shadow leans against one of the equipment boxes away from the group.

"He's got more of a twisted mind than you give him credit for." He said as he crossed his arms. "Besides, we needed someone to get rid of Omega's virus."

*I HAVE BEEN CURED BY DR. TAILS!* Rouge's ear perked up after hearing that monotone voice. She peered her head around some of the boxes and sure enough Omega's head was there. It was hooked up to wires and conduits that were connected to the computer system of the newly founded base.

"You're back!" Rouge was relieved to see her teammate back to his original self. Furthermore, she was intrigued by how Tails got rid of the virus so fast. "Seems that Shadow was right, you could fix him. But how did you do it all so quickly?" She asked Tails.

"I became familiar with the Abyss Voyager's system when I was in Station Square. I had a lot of time on my hands. Getting rid of the virus' code was light work compared to everything else. Lucky me I guess." Tails laughed to himself while rubbing the back of his head. "I'm working on a new body, but it might take some time."

"Isn't this just a fine reunion…" It was Silver's voice, but he clearly wasn't the one who said it. That must've left one option. Sure enough, while looking past more equipment and storage boxes, was Silver II. He was locked away in a box cell with windows emanating a bright blue color to its glass. The color fades in and out like it was powered. "You better relish these moments, since there will be few of these left." He didn't even bother to look them in the eye, yet all of them were tense at his cold remarks.

"Don't worry, I specifically made his cell to render his telekinesis useless. He can't harm us from there." Silver slightly recoiled in shock. He didn't think Tails could make such a contraption.

"You can do that?" Silver said, probably a little disturbed at the notion.

"What? I never plan to use them unless I have to." As if Silver wasn't alarmed already, he was now. He couldn't believe Tails would ever think to make such an invention, although it could be justified if he was put under mind control. Nevertheless, he was a bit unsettled. Whisper patted his back to calm him down and comfort him, and thankfully Silver was easy to reassure. What everyone else soon noticed was a second box cell next to Silver II's. It was empty and the door was open.

"What's with the other cell, Tails?" Vector asked. Tails looked back and saw what the croc was referring to. He took a deep breath and took a seat on a box.

"I'd be ignorant to not heed the new Silver's words. I am a danger to you all- to everyone. If I lose control… if I become a monster… I'll throw myself in there. Sonic, I trust you more than anyone else. Can you lock me in and keep anyone else from opening it?" Sonic was enthusiastic that this was his responsibility, and he wished that there had been more focus on helping his buddy. But if that is what he wants, then he'll comply no matter what.

"Sure thing." He replied with a murmur.

"Harrow got to you, didn't she?" Arsonal spoke up. He looked concerned for Tails, maybe more frightened if anything. "You've inherited it…"

"I'm sorry if this comes off as rude, but who are you?" Tails inquired.

"My name is Arsonal. I used to be a part of the Abyss Voyagers."

"You are?" Tails piped up. He thought that since he was a part of the organization that was implanting him with all these demons and creatures, maybe he knew how to get them out. "Then do you know how you can help me get rid of whatever I did inherit?"

"It's complicated, but more or less I know how the process goes. See, the God of Abyss can only enter a person's mind if a seal of hex is inscribed on the vessel's body. I'm not certain it can be done, but perhaps it can go both ways and it can be forced out as well. Only problem is that hex magic is only taught to a handful of people. Harrow, which most of you have met, and The Highest."

"The Highest?" Tower stepped to Arsonal with an inquisitive look on his face. "Who's that?"

"The leader of the Abyss Voyagers. He's the one who started it all." Arsonal turns his head to Tower, directing what he said next to him. "He made contact with James and ordered him to infiltrate GUN to convert agents to his cause." He then turns to Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, raising his voice to express his anger trapped inside. "He's the one that wishes to turn your friend into a monster." Finally, he turns to both Silvers. His voice dimmers to reflect his sorrow. "He's the one who will take innocence away, not for peace, but for his own benefit."

"And now they're all coming here to face us?" Espio brought up, going off of how Arsonal previously described James' plan of attack.

"Only a small strike team first, like I said. But if they find the vess- sorry your name is Tails, right?" Tails nods. "If they find Tails here, they'll send everything- and I mean everything they got to finish the job."

"Which includes The Highest and Harrow?" Shadow steps out of his leaning position and comes closer to the rest of the group.

"Right, they would no doubt arrive."

"Then we have to get Tails out of here." Whisper spoke up, still keeping her voice lowered to just a murmur. "There is too much at risk if he stays."

"No." Shadow stepped in.

"No?"

"I think it would be best if we allowed the Abyss Voyager to find Tails. I have a plan, one that will help us win this war once and for all."

GUN HQ: James' Office

James leaned back in his recliner. He was asleep, muttering to himself. Most of what he said was incoherent nonsense, but there were a few phrases that could be made out. 'I'm sorry.' or 'I'll avenge you all.' He never got any rest from having these nightmares that influence his physical body. Never to sleep in peace but in constant reminder of what he must do. Suddenly, he springs forward out of his chair in a cold sweat. He screamed in terror but collects himself as he realizes he's awake. He checked on the side of his desk, looking at the calendar. The date stated that today was November 15th. A date that reminded James of some rotten memories. He recalls it two years ago in Westopolis when the Black Arms invaded. The event which stemmed his anguish and hatred. Just then, his door opens and a GUN soldier barges in. Linked by a handcuff to his wrist was a black leather briefcase. "Sir!" The soldier saluted.

"Report."

"Extraction teams are back. They got six of them, but they couldn't find the last one." James waves his hands on his desk, signaling the soldier to lay the case down and unlock it. Lifting the lid up revealed something quite dazzling and shimmering. In front of him were six of the seven chaos emeralds. His orders to find them before the heroes did was a good call, as the battle ahead could be turned with these gems.

"Good. Send these with Harrow up to High Colossus. The Highest could find some use to them."

To be Continued…

Next up: We All Danced in Fire!