CHAPTER 8

NEVER LEAVE

It was the next day at Rouge's house and Rouge wasn't getting any better with Shadow gone. She was laying on the sofa bored and sad.

Her doorbell rang releasing her boredom. She answered it and saw Appex at the door. "It's you."

"Commander Appex, I came over to check on you."

"...I'm okay...would you like to come in?"

"No thanks, I was wondering if you weren't doing anything, I thought you might wanna visit 301."

Rouge's eyes widened, "Really?"

Appex nodded slightly with a faint smile.

Once Rouge and Appex got at the facility it seemed that it took an hour when they were reaching Shadow's cell. Rouge never knew the facility was this big the last time she came here when she was little. Somehow it improved over the past years.

When they finally reached the cell Shadow looked terrible, he looked worse than yesterday. He was once again nude and he was lying on the floor not moving. He had on a new shock collar that had the words 'Experiment 301' written on it. He seemed dead, but he was still breathing. He looked up at Rouge and smiled glad to see her in his presence.

Rouge put her hands on the invisible glass on the cell door. "Shadow, what did they do to you?"

Shadow just laid there wishing he could respond.

"He is too weak to talk nor move. He's so weak he can barely do anything." Appex said.

Rouge looked over to him shocked, "What! What did my father do to him?"

"I'm afraid he ordered to get rid of Shadow's powerful blood...every last drop."

"What? Then how is he still alive?" She looked back at the weakened Shadow.

"Simple he was created as the ultimate weapon, he will not die if something as powerful as a tank shot blasts at him, but looking at it now if even a simple bullet harm him, there's a strong possibility that he will meet his fate."

"No..."

"Don't worry it will never happen, he'll remain here for the rest of his life."

She turned to Appex, "What are you going to do with him now?"

"I really don't know, it's up to your father."

Shadow slowly put his hand on the glass were Rouge's hand was set.

Rouge's throat was starting to hurt, her eyes were watering. She almost cried, but never did.

She slowly removed her hand form the glass and began to leave the facility.

Appex even wondered what General Bat wanted to do with Shadow.

Later that evening General Bat approached Appex with a shotgun in his hand. He threw it towards him.

Appex caught it and wondered why he gave him the gun.

"Since there is no more use of 301, I want you to get rid of him."

"What? But sir there is no reason to get rid of him."

"What do you want me to do? Leave him to rot here forever? He's a failed experiment."

"...What about Rouge?"

"She'll understand. We can't just let that poor thing suffer in that cell...I can't bare to live with myself. Ever since the accident and all 301 deserves to be set free. Don't do it for me, do it for him." General Bat walked away leaving Appex to do his duty.

Later Appex took an old truck and set Shadow in it. He took him into the woods, so he could kill Shadow without distractions.

Once they got to the right spot Appex set Shadow underneath a tree with not many leaves on it. When Appex pointed the shotgun at Shadow, Shadow knew his life was going to come to an end.

Appex was hesitating heavily, he has never killed anyone before and this would be his first. He had his finger on the trigger ready to fire, until he saw the most unusual thing. He saw him crying. Appex lowered his gun confused. 'Impossible, how can he cry? He's not suppose to have feelings. He's an experiment created without feelings.' "Why are you crying?"

Shadow opened his mouth trying to speak. His voice was so hoarse Appex couldn't hear the words that he was saying. Appex walked towards Shadow and kneeled down at him. "What is it? What are you trying to say?"

"...I...ha...ve...a...hea...rt..."

It was so unclear to him, but he thought he could make it out, "I have a heart? Is that what you said?"

Shadow nodded slightly with tears still flowing down his cheeks.

"You're crying because you know you have a heart when we created you and you finally unlocked your secret when you met Rouge. That's what happened didn't it?"

Shadow once again nodded slowly.

Appex looked at his gun then walked across from Shadow. He once again pointed the gun at Shadow, he closed his eyes then he fired two rounds.

At the facility General Bat heard the fires, "Well that's a bunch of research down the drain. Oh well at least he's now free from his misery."

Back in the woods Appex dropped the unloaded gun and walked to Shadow. He took off his collar and put it in his belt. He helped Shadow off the ground.

Shadow maintained his balance by gripping onto the tree he was underneath.

"You do have feelings like no other. Everyone at the facility was wrong about you. You love Rouge and she loves you. Go to her."

Shadow was amazed that Appex was letting him go. He slowly walked down the hill. He took a couple of steps then he turned back at Appex and then once again walked on.

Appex had his arms crossed watching him walk down the hill as weak as he was until he couldn't see him anymore. 'Don't give up.'

Later that next day Rouge was in her flowerbed picking flowers to take inside and to put into a vase. She found some beautiful roses and thought that they'd be perfect. "They're beautiful." She was going to pick them, until she saw someone approach from the corner of her house. She gasped as she saw the familiar face. "...Sh-Shadow!"

The black hedgehog looked into her eyes menacingly, but he never wanted her to be afraid. He slowly walked to her. Once he was close to her, he fainted. He almost fell to the ground, but Rouge caught him. "Shadow!"

Later she kept him company and allowed him to rest in her bed. She put her hand on his head, he didn't feel sick to her, but he wasn't doing well that's for sure. 'How did he escape the military so easy? Did he just walk out or did he get his powers back somehow and killed them all?' So many questions yet so many possible solutions. She then heard her doorbell ring. She hoped it wasn't the military. They would want to take back Shadow and he'd have to leave her again.

She came downstairs and opened the door. As she thought a military officer showed at the door.

The officer was Appex he seemed as though he wanted to take Shadow, but in his eyes a different perspective. "Do not be alarmed. Do you have 301?"

"What if I do?"

"Don't worry I'm on your side. I'm the one who let 301 go."

"What? Why?"

"I had no idea he had feelings, but he truly does. When I tried to kill him, I saw him crying and...I just couldn't. I couldn't kill that poor creature."

"You were going to kill him?" Rouge said angry.

"I was, but General Bat ordered it. I didn't kill him as you can see. Even General Bat doesn't know that I released him."

"If you're on our side what are you doing here?"

"May I come in and explain?"

Rouge had to think for a moment. She then considered him to come in. She nodded to him.

Appex and Rouge were in her bedroom where Shadow was.

Appex was explaining why he was there in the first place, "I have realized that Shadow is becoming weaker and weaker each day, so I bought something for him." He reached into his belt pocket and took out a small vile that looked like it contained blood. The blood was glowing from the vile.

Rouge's eyes widened, "Appex...is that Shadow's blood?"

"Yes, but not all. This is some of the blood that the general took out of him. I could not sneak all of his blood out of the experimenting room because I have conducted some research on the experiment."

"What kind of research?"

"Well the files said with all of 301's blood. He will regain all of his uncontrolled powers. He would be unstoppable, so I only gathered up little of his blood. He won't be as strong as he was, but enough so he can walk and talk if you know if I mean."

Rouge nodded, She took the vile and found a needle lying around in her bathroom. She filled the needle up with the blood. She walked to Shadow who was still asleep in her bed. She kneeled down towards him and whispered in his ear, "Shadow, Shadow wake up."

All Shadow had done was move around a little then fell back to sleep.

Rouge began to shake him a bit, that finally woke him up.

Shadow opened his eyes slowly and eyed Rouge with something sharp in her hand.

She lured the needle at his arm, "Don't worry, Shadow. This will help you." She carefully injected the blood into his arm.

Once she was finished she set the empty needle on her table beside her bed. 'I hope this works.'

Shadow slowly sat up from the bed and looked at Rouge, "...I'm okay." He said with a smile.

"You can talk! You are okay!" Rouge was so happy that he was okay. She hugged him enough to choke him.

Shadow pulled her away and kissed her instead. When they broke apart Shadow noticed Appex in the room just staring at them. Shadow got from the bed and confronted Appex. "Thank you." He said in a serious tone.

"You're very welcome."

"What are you gonna do about General Bat?"

"Don't worry he'll never know this happened as long as you stay clear from the police force and shit."

"You heard that Shadow? Try to stay out of trouble." Rouge repeated.

Shadow nodded, "I'll try."

"I'll leave. General Bat will get suspicious if I stay any longer."

Shadow and Rouge understood his reasons.

After when he left Shadow and Rouge gazed at the sunset in her front yard.

"Well at least we won't have to deal with my father for the time being." Rouge said hugging Shadow.

"What do you mean time being?"

"It's obvious that you'll break your promise. You're gonna get in trouble with the military sooner or later."

"Yeah, that's me."

They chuckled for a few seconds then they stopped.

"Looks like more adventures for us just up ahead...and we'll be ready." Rouge was indeed ready.

Shadow nodded, "That is so, but I still haven't uncovered the reason they captured me in the first place."

"Don't worry you'll find out one of these days."