Fates

Chapter 2: Trapped

(Null Space)

 The Null Space, a dimension created by the Phantom Ruby, there, if you go to the right place, you can watch the infinite realities, talking about infinite, the jackal was there, stuck, defeated, his Phantom Crystal has been destroyed after the final battle against Sonic and Gadget. There was no exit for him.

Infinite: This place... it's my prison now, here is where I belong... all because of that Crystal, I killed so many, made kids orphans, I soiled the name of my squad... and the worst of all... I never got the chance to apologize to him...

 Infinite was in a depression. He wanted to see his friend one last time. He cursed himself about how he could let that happen with him. Let someone take his mind away. He was bleeding. His mask was partially broken. His vision was starting to blur.

Infinite: So this is the end... Uno... Duex... Trois... Quatre... Cinq and Sei... Gadget... I've failed you... I'm sorry...

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(Imperial Tower)

 The scenario was a mix of happiness and disappointment. The Iron Fortress was partially destroyed. If Gadget wanted to see what happened with Infinite, then he needed to be quick before someone saw him. He returns to the last place Infinite was, he remember everything like it was yesterday. Good news, Gadget knows where Infinite has gone, bad news, and he needs to head to the Imperial Tower.
He jumps to the abyss of debris and uses his grappling hook to get to the top of the building. What he saw was a surprise, a piece of Infinite's mask laying on the floor and... blood?! A trail of blood leading inside of the building.

Gadget: ...please be ok.

 He followed the trail to a corridor. There were some eggbots destroyed. Someone was there? Or it was Infinite who did it? The trail ends in a door. It was locked. There was a panel asking for code or "Phantom signature," showing that only Infinite and Eggman could enter the room. He still had the Phantom Protype from the war on his backpack. The panel started to scan the ruby, and for Gadget's surprise, the door started to open, revealing a laboratory with a lot o machines, documents in a desk and another Phantom Crystal inside of what was like an containment chamber with a puddle of blood in the corner of the room. 

 Getting closer to the chamber, the crystal started to glow. It was reacting to Gadget's presence. Suddenly, a portal was opened, sucking everything around, including Gadget. He manages to use his grappling hook in a wall next to him. In that moment, his thoughts were filled with "If Zero is not here, so he might be out there!". So he made his choice, he changed the grappling hook mode so he could start to be dragged inside of the portal, to the Null Space.

Everything seems the same from the last time Gadget was there, he looked around, nothing, one more time, still nothing. The portal started to close, so Gadget needed to be quick, until he saw someone from the distance, floating and glitching, he uses a chair that was sucked into the Null Space to reach to the person, until he saw who indeed was.

Gadget: ZERO!

 Infinite wasn't responding, Gadget had to grabs Infinite and reach the portal before it closes, he switch again the grappling hook mode and started to get closer to the portal, which started to close. Will Gadget and Infinite get out of Null Space in time? Find out in a next book that will take years to come out... kidding! In the last second, the mobians made their way out of the Null Space in time.

Gadget: WE DID IT! I saved you in time! ... Zero?

 He saw that his friend was bleeding, the Phantom Crystal has leaved an mark on his chest, when exploded, shrapnel remained there, making his chest bleed. Gadget always carries his medkit around, it's something common for soldiers, to save Infinite from blood loss, first, he needed to pass a healing ointment where he wanted, second, he needs to remove the shrapnel on Infinite's chest.

Gadget: Hold on, Zero.

Infinite: You... why?

Gadget: Don't you remember? I'm your frien-

Infinite: YOUR PEST! I ALREADY TOLD YOU! WE ARE NOT FRIENDS!

 Infinite hits on Gadget's face. The wolf was hurt, his efforts to recover his friend was in vain? "Why he's still like this? Will I lose him forever? ...No, I came all the way down here, I can't simply lose you, not now when I'm so close! He started to carry Infinite on his shoulders to a desk next to them.

Infinite: What are you doing?!?

Gadget: Saving you!

Infinite: No... NO! LET ME GO NOW!

Gadget: I WON'T LET YOU DIE HERE!

 Infinite struggles to free himself from the arms of Gadget. Seeing that there was no other form to prevent his friend to hurt himself, Gadget knock him out hitting Infinite on the head. Now he could proceed with the surgery. After 2 minutes passing the healing ointment, Gadget noticed a big shard on Infinite's chest, he tries to remove it but it was stuck inside, if he tries to do it, Infinite will start to bleed once again. After removing the tiny shards, Gadget had to find a way to bring him to his house, the problem was: how he could carry Infinite on his shoulders without anyone noticing him? Until he saw a Phantom Crystal in one of the chambers. "You better not do bad things to me!" he though, instead of stick the crystal on his chest, he grabs a little rope that he had with him on one of his pockets, roll up on the Phantom Crystal.

Gadget: Ok, I don't know how you work, hum... please, help me to get to my house?

 The wolf though "Nothing happened, of course nothing would happen, how you can ask to a gem if it could do something for you?". Suddenly, the Phantom Crystal started to glow more brighter, Gadget's body was covered with an strange glitches similar to Infinite's. 

 Gadget grabs Infinite's body and put on his shoulder, and in a blink, he's already outside of the tower. "So this is what is look like to have super speed, huh? What if I can fly like him?", he thought, unfortunately, the Phantom Crystal couldn't make his host to fly, so Gadget was on foot, but at least, he could meet with Barry on his house in time.

 Gadget was so fast, he could feel the sensation, nothing could stop him from being the free bird. He passed by the destroyed camp of the Egg Fortress, the forest next to that camp, the camp next to that forest until he reached the a place called Barricade Village. "I need to bypass this town... or I could destroy them... WHAT?" Gadget now as sure that the Phantom Crystal was messing with his head, "If that was the case, then Zero is innocent!" he thought. 

 After a long run, he reached his house, it have 2 floors with a underground entrance, probably hiding some important stuff, who knows besides Gadget? Gadget notices that Barry was already in the house, his van was stationed and most of the boxes wasn't on the vehicle. After knocking on the door, Gadget was preparing for a good excuse for bringing the most wanted on Mobius to his house.