Jayde and the Seven Shards [1]

31: Escaping✔️

MUSIC: (Sonic Unleashed) Boss - Egg Dragoon

"Security breach, going into lockdown." A voice screeched from the speakers, making the grey hedgehog's eyes widen. She was invisible! The door began to close behind her, causing her body to move subconsciously, jolting forward to spin dash out. It slammed behind her as she quickly stood to her feet, trying to balance her footing as the base began to shake.

The alarms shouted in her head as she ran the way she thought she came, attacking some guard bots that stood in her way. The hedgehog jumped the steps, toppling to the ground, clutching her throbbing arm. But the pain didn't stop her. Jayde continued to run, ducking under a few blasts from the security cameras that were out of control and firing in random directions.

Shadow grabbed the communicator again and the Chaos Emerald from his quills, shouting his famous, "Chaos control!" A bright light appeared in front of the female, causing her body to freeze as the male appeared in front of her, "What happened?" he asked.

"I don't know! All I did was release the Guardians and his security alarms went off." Jayde explained rushing over to the red and black hedgehog, avoiding part of the ceiling as it fell down to her.

Shadow cussed but wasn't able to say anything as the ceiling collapsed between them, causing both to jump away, "He's set his base to self-destruct," he shouted from the other side, using the earpiece to communicate, "Go around to the right, I'll meet you on the other side!"

Jayde nodded to the blocked pathway before turning and running around. Tails tapped through Eggman's system but couldn't find a way to stop the countdown. Instead he watched the two hedgehogs through the security cameras, analyzing their movements, "Shadow, you have one minute until you're toast." Sonic told his lookalike. Shadow huffed, skating around a longer way to meet the grey female.

"One minute is all I need, Faker."

Jayde ran through the base, taking the first right that came to her. She skidded to a halt as a large robot stood, blocking her way. Its canon arm aimed at the female, her body freezing before it turned invisible. Jayde spin dashed around the robot, catching it off guard and drove an inverted spin dash into the mech's vulnerable hamstrings, something the young fox had taught her once before. She leapt out the way as it fell and continued her journey.

Tails and Sonic watched through the security cameras. The screen was blurring and fading as the countdown entered single digits, "Sh-dow. Jay- b-hin wall." The Ultimate Lifeform could only just pick up on what the twin-tailed fox had said before the cameras blacked out any view for the Sonic Team behind the communicator.

Shadow smashed through two walls directly in front of him, coming to a stop and glanced around for the female. Jayde skidded to a halt as she saw Shadow again, the Chaos Emerald in his palm, "Shadow!" She shouted, running towards him, dodging the ceiling as it broke from above. The Ultimate Lifeform went to grab the female until the floor split between them, Jayde's half flying upwards. She let out a small shriek before taking a breath and leaping down. Multiple bits of ceiling fell down with her, allowing her to jump from piece to piece.

5... 4... Shadow jumped up, his arm stretched out to the female, attempting to grasp her wrist, all his strength going forward to save her, "Renee!"

3... Jayde reached out to him, her heart racing a mile a minute. This wasn't how she planned to die. Shadow glided to a wall, pushing his feet against the metal as he shot towards the female.

2... 1... The Ultimate Lifeform clutched hold of the grey hedgehog's waist, "CHAOS CONTROL!" and they disappeared, just as the base exploded and everything inside turned to ash.

The hedgehogs appeared a mile away, Jayde under the arm of Shadow as he dropped to the ground, breathing heavily. The blast from the explosion suddenly jolted them forward, the male loosing grip on the grey hedgehog and they both tumbled forward. Jayde glanced up at the sky before relaxing against the ground, taking in a huge sigh of relief. Her left arm still pained her but she didn't let it show as she stood, placing a hand on Shadow's shoulder.

"That was so awesome!" she grinned, bouncing in her place. It was the most adrenaline filled, near-death experience the female had ever had - and to her, it had ended too soon. The Ultimate Lifeform chuckled at the energetic female before scooping her into a bridal hold.

"Let's go back to Tails." He muttered before skating off toward the workshop.

Meanwhile with Knuckles and Rouge

"Ugh, well, that takes care of that." Rouge wiped her cheek, standing tall as she watched the red echidna beat down the remaining guard bot. Too say they put up quite a fight was an understatement. The robots were tougher than they expected, Eggman must have upgraded all his machinery along with Metal Sonic.

Knuckles grunted, flying back and landing next to the pale bat who grinned towards the male, "Was he too tough for you, Knuckie?" she asked, watching as he gripped his arm.

His purple orbs glanced at the bat, "Pft, it takes more than that to defeat me." The female placed hands on her hips, rolling her eyes. The bat's communicator suddenly went off, causing her to jump slightly, "Hello?"

"Rouge!" Tails' voice came from the other side, "I'm happy to say that Shadow and Jayde made it out the base before it exploded."

"Oh yeah, we heard that." Knuckles muttered, stretching his aching arm.

The young fox nodded through the screen, "We're currently at Amy's but I think those two have gone back to the workshop."

Rouge looked towards the echidna as he pulled his arm out again, wincing slightly, "We're going to head there too, and I think someone needs painkillers or something." Knuckles glared at the back for thinking so weakly of him but didn't speak.

The fox nodded before ending the call. Knuckles spoke, "We'd better get back. It is getting dark." They both nodded towards each other before starting to walk towards Tails' workshop.