Jayde the Hedgehog • By Your Side [3]

16: A Visit✔️

Music: Level Up - Doctor Vox

The wind flew through her quills, wiping away the water that streamed down her face from her muzzle that she furiously wiped away. She couldn't get close to him. She could put Shadow in serious danger with Torrent watching her every move. It was like a double spy mission with two sides. One side was the good side; the side that fought against the enemy and always prevailed. The other side was the bad side – or in this case, the betrayal. Jayde knew that the chances of forgiveness after this were slimming down into single digits. The only one that would truly know the reasoning would be Tails; but would they believe him?

For all they know, Tails is still away for the week. He was supposed to be going to Mystic Ruins to search for materials for his inventions, but clearly he didn't get that far. The only one that knew where Tails was and could save him was Jayde – his fate was resting on her. A swoop caught her off guard, making her tilt her board to a standstill in mid air, "What do you want, Torrent?" she growled.

The green male hovered beside her, a hummed laugh leaving his lips. "My, that was quite a performance at Club Rouge, darling." Jayde clenched her fists and gritted her teeth as he continued, "Where's the device?"

"I don't have it yet." She snapped.

Torrent tutted at her, floating around the female, "Time is running out, darling. Not long now until Fox Boy perishes."

Jayde's spines sharpened in defence, growling loudly towards the Dark Creature in front of her, "If you hurt one hair on his head-!"

"Oh, don't worry. I figured he's very useful to me. With that intelligence and my power to control a Phantom Cube, I'll have him talking in no time." Torrent growled.

"Why are you doing this? You were never truly evil, you chose to be!" Jayde asked, her fists still by her sides in case of an attack, "And why did you bring the Babylons into your fight? I thought you worked alone."

Torrent grinned, "You are still naive, I see. Do you not understand the word phantom? It's all an illusion." Jayde frowned at this but didn't respond, "If you want to see your fox friend safe and unharmed, I want you to bring me that device."

"You know I can't do that with GUN's security and Shadow near me." Jayde sighed, looking away from the male as he flew closer. A finger lifted up her chin, making the hedgehog freeze in his hold.

"I've been through files; I know GUN's next mission for you." Torrent spoke, "Once you hear it tomorrow from the commander," he leaned closer and whispered into a twitching grey ear, "You'll know what to do."

Jayde pulled a disgusted face and pushed him away, "Whatever. Leave me and my friends alone in the meantime." The female turned on her board before clenching her fists, "And if you hurt Tails, I swear to Chaos I will kill you."

Torrent smirked, "I'd like to see you try." Jayde clenched her orbs shut and flew away without another sound. The male chuckled darkly, "Oh, Jayde, you are still as naive as ever."

01:12: Tails' workshop

Sonic was wondering around his proclaimed brother's workshop in search for anything that would prove him being taken. If what Jayde implied was true, it means Tails could be in serious danger. He opened the laptop on the side, digging through some of his files until he came across 'Phantom Cube – GUN'.

Emerald orbs furrowed in confusion – Phantom Cube? Where had he heard that from? The azure hero continued to search through the files, not noticing the ebony hedgehog walking through the plane doors, "You called, Faker?" he muttered, looking at the hedgehog in front of him with an unimpressed look.

Sonic hummed, searching through Tails' laptop, but not finding anything he was able to understand, "What's a Phantom Cube?" he asked.

Shadow walked over to his blue rival curiously, "The Phantom Cubes are what's left of the Phantom Ruby. After Infinite was defeated, they began to disappear and evaporate into thin air. Unfortunately for us, Torrent has managed to grab hold of and preserve one for longer than it should."

The ebony hedgehog watched as the blue blur pulled up an image of the Phantom Cube. It was exactly like the commander showed which made suspicion grow in the Ultimate Lifeform, "Why does Tails have this? This is private information to GUN."

Sonic rolled his emerald orbs, "He's an ally to GUN now, remember?" Shadow paused slightly and remembered the commander giving him a slip for the young fox, "But it still doesn't make any sense."

"What are you talking about, hedgehog? If you're here to waste my time then I'm leaving." Shadow began to walk away until Sonic stopped him.

"Okay. I don't know why but earlier today Jayde hinted that Tails may be kidnapped by that Torrent guy."

"She did?"

Sonic shrugged, "Well, she didn't say it directly, almost as if it was a curse if she told someone straight out. She kept talking about bad things happening if she told someone and that everyone would hate her afterwards."

Shadow frowned at this new information. It would definitely answer the reason of why she had been acting so distant lately. And why she was keeping secrets from him... what happened when he left that room? "But it doesn't make any sense why she would suggest Tails was kidnapped." Shadow spoke, "He's in Mystic Ruins at the moment doing some research for GUN and himself."

"And you're certain he's there?" Sonic asked, almost pleading the Ultimate Lifeform that Tails was actually okay and nothing bad would happen to him. Shadow tapped on his communicator and brought up a pixelated map, showing a blinking light, "So, if he's there... and everyone else is safe here in Mobius... why would Jayde...?"

Shadow frowned. There would be no reason for Jayde to just lie like that; it wasn't in her nature to lie either. The only reason why she would say something like that is if she was manipulated or... Shadow's orbs widened, "The Phantom Cube!"