Return of Gerlad's Legacy

Chapter 1: Th- That Call

Prolouge

RING

RING

"Dang it!" whispered an ebony and red hedgehog. 'Why can't it ring before we go to bed?' he thought as he got out of bed trying not to wake his wife.

Wife . . . that concept was still new to his mind. Him . . . the loner . . . the dark one . . . the faker as his rival called him had a wife. And not just a wife, but to him the most wonderful wife in the world: Mrs. Sonia Hedgehog. She was his rival's sister so that made him and the other faker brothers-in-law. That was a sight Mr. Shadow Hedgehog remembered fondly; when he had proposed to Sonia at the gang's Christmas party. Sonic had had been filling his mouth full with chili dogs when Sonia had said 'yes'. He swallowed every single one at the exact same time. After a brief bit of indigestion, he fainted. After he had awoken he started berating them about when they had ever dated even they had been doing such for four years. Shadow chuckled at the thought. He and Sonia got married at Station Square. The list of people was too long for anyone but Omega to list. Even the President had come to honor the newlyweds. Shadow's best-man had been Sonic and the head usher had been Omega. Shadow had done this partly out of spite. He knew Omega wouldn't mind showing people their seats and wouldn't been able to understand the 'fanin' up' as Bunni called it, and Sonic couldn't stand having to stand still for so long. He couldn't stand having to do it at his own wedding which had been a few weeks ago. It was a good thing Tails had been the best man and not Shadow or everyone would have seen him slap his hand over his eyes so not to see Sonic as he waited for Amy to come down the aisle.

Shadow walked the floor of his apartment G.U.N. had gotten him for his excellent service in the Black Ops. He and Rouge and the rest of Team ARK had a success rating of 100 and usually got the more juicy assignments. Like blowing up a S.A.F., or Shadow Android Factory that Eggman and set up to combat G.U.N. or journeying to some country that had gotten its grubby hands on Black Arms technology. But now that he was married he didn't go on as many missions. Probably fate, in its cruelty would kill him now that he was married and was ready to start a family.

He picked up the phone and listened for the ominous voice to come over the receiver. "Agent Dusk," the voice said completely monotone.

"No light shines," Shadow confirmed his identity.

"We have a mission for you." Those words sent a shiver up Shadow's spine. He was happy here. But it was his duty.

"Where do we conduct briefing?"

"Where the eyes are never blind," the voice said in code. Shadow knew what this meant; the old flat on the 23rd floor of the Statler Apartments in the small town of Woldorf, Indiana. He would have to run to get there in time the new commander, Sharon Loveless, wanted him to.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" said a voice behind Shadow that made his stomach turn into a pretzel.

Shadow slowly turned around to see his wife in a pink bath robe with a worried look in her emerald green eyes. He looked directly into her eyes. Trying not to show that he was afraid this might be the last time he would see her. "It can't be helped," he said his voice preparing to crack. "They need me to lead the team on this mission."

"Why can't they send someone else to do it?" she said as small tears began to form in her beautiful eyes. "Why not Rouge, or Jet, anyone but not you!" she ran towards him into his arms.

He put his arms around her. Truly, he wished that they would get someone else to do this, but he was the best and they knew it. He would never forgive himself for this. "Honey," he said tears forming in his own eyes, "I will return I promise. I'll fight the Devil himself if I have to but I will come home. Trust me." He pulled her closer and kissed her. He let go and grabbed his gun out of its case and went over to the coffee table and placed his hand on the underside of it. A computer scan beeped to life and confirmed. A small drawer slid open to revel the red Chaos Emerald. He took the Emerald off the stand, grabbed his trench coat off the coat hanger, put the coat on, and put the emerald in one of the pockets. He went back over to his wife and kissed her again. He pulled back and said with one of his rare smiles, "I love you." He was then gone in the blink of an eye.

Sonia went back to their bed and tried to fall asleep. But she couldn't stop thinking about her husband. "Th-That call . . . why did they have to call?" she whimpered. She didn't sleep the entire night. She couldn't as worry and fear of what the next few days would bring.