Jayde the Hedgehog • By Your Side [3]

31: I Told You✔️

Music: Alienz - Malik Bash

18:35: Tails' Workshop

The azure fox stumbled towards the twin tailed male, wrapping her arms around him, "I-I couldn't save h-her!" she hiccupped, tear stains dribbling down her white muzzle and onto Tails shoulder. The young inventor hugged Cleobella back, trying to calm her down, "I-I'm sorry."

Shadow burst through the door, heading straight for Cleobella, only to be stopped by the ivory bat. The Ultimate Lifeform growled at her warningly but Rouge didn't seem fazed. The ebony hedgehog had made a promise to Jayde's parents that he would protect her, and she's already been kidnapped from right under his nose, "Shadow, calm down!" Rouge hissed, keeping a firm grip on his arm, "Cleobella looks like she's been through a traumatic time, don't make it worse!"

"I need to find Jayde!" He snapped back, causing Knuckles to side beside the ivory female for support.

The bat gave him a stern look, "If you want to find out where Jayde is, you can't demand it. Not everything is solved that way!"

Ruby orbs looked towards the azure female, listening to her sobbing before sighing. He knew that Rouge was right. If he wanted information out of the Ocheanian, he needed to calm her and be composed himself. Emerald orbs looked at the Ultimate Lifeform, her ears folding back, "I'm sorry, Shadow." She sniffed, grabbing hold of Jayde's board before walking up to him. She shakily handed him the board, closing her eyes and turning away, "I-I couldn't bring her home with me."

Shadow held the board in his hands, looking at the fox, she looked truly defeated. He hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder, "You did everything you could, I wouldn't expect any less from you. But I need to know where Torrent was."

Cleobella tensed, "I-I don't know. He moves all the time and he's probably already moved again. Torrent could be anywhere." The ebony hedgehog stifled a growl and bit his cheek.

"Guys!" the blue hedgehog sprinted into the room, barely missing the Ultimate Lifeform. Sonic held a small micro chip in his hands, "I just found this outside." Tails walked over and analysed it. It wasn't a usual microchip you'd buy at a store this one looked like it had been specifically designed by someone. On closer inspection, a small red dot flashed continuously. Tails frowned before plugging the small device into his computer, "Tails, what is it?"

The young inventor shrugged slightly, "I'm not sure. The device has been personally designed by someone so we can't track them. It either contains information or-"

"Why, hello there!" Tails was interrupted by a familiar voice that caused the hedgehog's spines to sharpen.

Crimson orbs glared at the screen as it was projected in front of them and a well-known face appeared. His glasses had been cracked straight from the corner to the centre and a noticeable purple bruise was forming on his muzzle, but that didn't stop the sickening smirk creeping onto his face.

"Torrent." Sonic growled, clenching his fists. Shadow continued to glare. That bat had stolen his mate. He was the one who had taken such an innocent hedgehog and used them in a dangerous game.

Amy walked up to the front, pointing towards the enemy, "What have you done with Jayde!" she snapped. Sonic noticed Tails removing himself from the view of the camera with an angry and desperate look on his face, heading towards the corner of the room with anther device in his hands. The blue blur nudged Shadow slightly and nodded towards his proclaimed brother.

"Oh, you mean the little ray of light?" Torrent chuckled, "She's right here!" The camera turned and it showed Jayde. Her quills hung over her face as she sat on a chair, her hands knitted behind her. Closed azure eyes supported a dark purple bruise and her arm had a long cut along it from the previous fight with Torrent.

"Jayde, my darling..." he mumbled, twirling her side quill around his fingers.

Shadow growled, "Don't touch her."

Torrent grinned, "What, you mean like this?" he grabbed her chair and jolted it sideways, leaving Jayde to wake up startled. It was then the gang saw her muzzle covered with a rag, leaving the pink hedgehog to stumble back at the sight of her hurt friend.

"Jayde..." Rouge mumbled, helping Knuckles struggling to hold back Shadow from breaking the screen and not giving Tails enough time to try track the signal from the secretive device.

As soon as Jayde's orbs landed on everyone, she started to thrash around in her chair, "Mmf-dow!" her muffled voice was yelling out to Shadow - they all could hear that much. Never had they seen her look so physically, and probably mentally pained, apart from that fight against the ebony one himself.

"What did you do to her?" Knuckled growled. Jayde was like his little sister. They would talk on Angel Island for ages, and then fight a few Eggman robots for fun. She was the one he had told his deepest secret to... without her, nothing would work.

Jayde yelled out again, her chair shifting forwards but the camera moved to Torrent again. He hummed a laugh, "I told you," his piercing blue eyes looked at each one of them, "I will always find your weakness."

And the screen went black.

"No!" Tails yelled out. Crimson orbs looked at Tails and the bleeping on his screen confirmed Shadow's fear - he couldn't find her. The ebony hedgehog growled, his anger finally breaking through and he crashed through the computers on Tails' desk.

The gang ducked out the way as Shadow began to break apart almost everything in the young inventor's workshop. Knuckles knew that if they didn't do something, Shadow would eventually hurt one of them. He turned to the ivory bat, "Rouge, give me the Chaos Emerald." The female was going to argue and say she didn't have one, but she wouldn't dare in this kind of situation. She gave the Chaos Emerald to the echidna and Knuckles ran towards the Ultimate Lifeform and grabbed his arm. Crimson eyes pierced into the Mobian's soul but Knuckles didn't back down. He spoke those infamous words and the two disappeared.