Shade walked through the halls of the base, a scowl on his face. He hated being stuck in here. Dad was still furious and when actually he scheduled to train them Umbra started his attack on the Ukraine and on China. This had caused Shadow to have split his forces, Sonia taking a full battalion to the Ukraine, and Shadow to go fight in China. He went to China because he knew all their customs, languages, and tactics. This is insane. I want to help but the moment I get close to getting something done

That idiot brother of mine gets in the way and my plans are ruined! Umbra flew over the Ukraine; his forces in China would prepare everything for his arrival. Right now, he could have some fun as he brooded. How could the missile have failed to disperse that little annoying pest? Everything had been thought of! The trajectory, the radar systems, the calling-card, EVERYTHING! Not even that little whelp of a fox could have . . .! That's it! Tails must have had some form of escape route in case my forces located Prower Command. How could I've been so

Stupid! I walked into Umbra's trap and I lead everyone with me. Shade picked at his peas at the dinner table. Each of the men was wearing their commanding jackets albeit loose and not buttoned up. How he evened each one of them for those jackets. They meant they held power. All Shade was the little trouble maker. Yes that what they think of you. Why should they get all the glory? You did take down a Black Arms Soldier at 13. You should get one. They are just

Stupid! How could I've v not known? I'll just have to rethink certain things. He sent a lightning struck at an elm tree. It burst in to flames for five seconds became ash. All this was just a way to vent his anger. He screamed into the night in his native tongue, "Pacris Sxatrim! That roughly translates as Chaos Cleaver. He brought his hand down and a curved blade of purple energy and it sliced through a Ukrainian tank right down the middle. Although, he thought with a smile as a bead of sweat rolled down his brow from heat of the attack, I think my adventures in St. Petersburg were worth the humiliation. The Emerald in now in my grasp and Shade's blood was rather tasty. I believe everything is going according to

Plan? There was a plan to all this madness?

"Of course, Shade," Tails said it as if was the most obvious thing in the world. "Umbra wants the Chaos Emeralds. I think I believe I know why." To Tails left, Lucas made a coughing noise to get the attention of his father. Tails chuckled a bit, "Ok, we have found out what he wants them for." Tails went over to the front of the table where a 3D projector was.

"Wait," interjected the President, "should we discuss this with the children here?" He had already contacted his generals about him and Commander Loveless being in good hands but they just couldn't reveal themselves yet to the rest of the world.

Tails looked to each of the adults. Many of the mothers (excluding Sonia because she was in the Ukraine) gave reluctant nods, albeit after a moment's hesitation. All the fathers nodded, even Espio, who wasn't even a father, nodded. "If half of the body is shrouded in darkness, then it must drag one way or another," he said using one of his ninja proverbs.

Tails flipped on the projector to reveal an artillery gun-like device. It was black, red and gold. It had a rounded section where it apparently it pivoted to move up and down. The center of the plate on the section had a dark purple and red core and had red levels surrounding it. But it was the actually barrel, if you want to call it that, of the weapon that intrigued everyone at the table. It had multiple spouts each one's ends slanted a different way. In all, there looked to some odd 25 of them. Each barrel had symbol that seemed to be painted on them. Most of them looked unearthly, but two on the top barrel were familiar. The top one was that of the symbol on the back of Umbra's calling-card, the other was the exact same one that Shadow used as his own insignia.

"This," Tails said pointing to the hologram, "is Umbra's ultimate weapon. This is the Eclipse Ray. The beacon for the Black Arms Fleet."

This is what Umbra wants! He's wanted this for the entire time. That's what he wanted the Chaos Emerald for. That's why he held my friends hostage. That's why he held

Emily? I believe that is her name. Yes. She could extremely useful. The boy's feelings for her are immense. He showed that in St. Petersburg. Umbra flew into the sky. On the burning terrain he saw a pink with black stripes motorcycle. Its rider was a pink hedgehog wearing some shining steel armor. It made her and easier target. Umbra stretched his mind to his artillery. Open fire on the pink

Hedgehog? Now where did that come from? Shade was looking at the Eclipse ray. It must be dad's symbol on it. Or is something more, my boy?

What? Shade responded to the cold voice inside his head. Who are you because you can't be me?

Are you sure? I all you want to be. That's all you need to know.

Wait! What do you know? Tell me or else!

That response has told you all you need to know. Other than your mother is about to face your uncle on the battle field of the Ukraine.

"Umbra!" yelled Sonia at the vile monster who smiled at her. "You tried to kill me, and then you tried to kill my children! You may think LOVE IS WEAK TRY FIGHTING A MOTHER PROTETING HER CHILD!"

Umbra laughed. "Oh, I relish the challenge. But do you actually believe you can kill me? I've conquered armies with more powerful grunts than you single handed. I think you ready yourself with that pretty little gun of yours."

She pulled a gun out of her holster and let the charm on her neck transform. It became the blaster she had been familiar with since she was a teen. "I hope you don't mind if I send you to Sweden," Sonia said sadistically, "cause once I'm done with you, everyone will think your Swiss cheese!"

MOM! DON'T!

Umbra smirked as he held the lightning in his hand. He could feel the boys worry, his hate for him, his . . . fear. He could work on that. It would become an invaluable asset.

But now he had to focus on the angry mother before him. He knew his most basic attacks would be no match for this being. He had seen what the Kaninic mothers of the Orion Galaxy do when their kits are threatened. Not a pretty site for an observer even on of Pure Black Arms Blood. A mother of one with Black Arms blood would be even more difficult to defeat. Her increased strength and knowledge of the way I fight will hamper my strategy. I'll just have to improvise. "You know that if you oppose me, I can't let you live."

A shot went right at his head. He just simply stood there. The laser shot burned straight to his head. If it wasn't for the years of training and fighting, Sonia might have tossed her German Chocolate cookies lunch at the sight. She had shot straight through his head. To see small tentacles and thousands upon thousands of eyes that blinked and stared at each other.

Shade yelled in pain at that very moment. He felt like his head had just been shot. There was fire. It was like his head was on fire. Burning. Yet it wasn't hot nor was it cold. It was just pain. Unbearable pain. He couldn't even feel the warm hands of Emily around him or hear her voice trying to ask him what was wrong. And the others were crowding around him. All he could feel was the pain. The horrible pain. He tried to open his eyes but found the light blinding and even more painful.

Then, it was like the blinds were opened inside his mind.

He saw burning fields with Black Arms Soldiers charging across it, weapons blazing. Before him stood his mother with such a rage on her face that he had never and had never wanted to see in his entire life. She looked him with rage, fury, disgust, hate. He didn't understand. His mouth moved. He didn't know what he said. Apparently it greatly insulted her. She fired one of the guns she was holding . . . straight at his head!

He knew he would feel the same pain from before. But nothing came. He knew that the blaster bolt had gone straight through his head. But there was no pain. Nothing.

"I told you that were weaker than me," said Shade in a voice in tone not his own: cold, snake-like, arrogant.

He felt the flesh that his mother had shot out of him return. Not from the ground where it had fallen. It just reappeared. He looked down to see the fallen gore rot at a very accelerated rate until there was nothing left but ash and dust. He picked it up and blew it away. Now, said the voice that Shade had spoken with, but the mouth wasn't moving this time, believe it is time for you to return to your party whilst I deal with your mother.

Shade felt like been punched in the stomach and he fell . . . . and fell . . . and fell into darkness.