Note from Bloorayne666: Heya all! I know it's been like forever since Rirureddo and I updated this fic, we both have been busy with our own fics, and also a lot has happened with me since the last update. I had been having relationship problems with my partner Shadowmjl, it went on for a few months and in the end I decided I'd had enough and moved out. It was an ugly break up, but honestly I couldn't be happier and I'm now in a new home and in a job I enjoy. Needless to say the single life is great! Anyway, we're sorry we kept you waiting so long and we hope you enjoy this latest chapter!

Note from Rirureddo: It's been a while since Bloodrayne666 and I have updated this story. So sorry for the long wait everyone! So many different things came up in our personal lives, as well as focusing some on our separate stories, but we finally found the time to work more on our collaborations! Here's hoping we can crank out more chapters on a quicker basis! With that being said, we hope you enjoy the latest chapter! Later and happy reading everyone!

Chapter Eleven

Preparations and Arrival

After receiving their orders from their superiors, Team Dark and Topaz were in their locker room preparing themselves for the journey ahead. Rouge had just finished putting on her official GUN outfit and was looking herself over in a mirror.

A smirk appeared on the bat's face as she saw her outfit hug against her body in all the right places and couldn't help but strike a pose with her hand on her hip, wink, and blow a kiss to herself. Next to her, Topaz rolled her eyes and chuckled at her antics.

Adjusting her outfit so that her cleavage was showing slightly, Rouge spoke out loud to her friends.

"Okay. Is everyone ready?"
"Yep," Topaz answered as she herself looked herself over. "I am."
Rouge nodded to her and whistled a bit as she admired how great her friend looked and Topaz shook her head at her, although there was a smile present on her face.

On the other side of the locker room, Shadow was also looking standing before a mirror adjusting his GUN outfit as well, which didn't go unnoticed by the other three present.
"Shadow, if memory serves me correctly," said Omega as it walked over next to Shadow, its heavy footsteps clanking on the floor with every step it took. "This is the first time you've worn your GUN outfit."
"Indeed it is Omega," Shadow responded. "Only time I've worn it was when I was made an agent. And for today, I figured 'Why not?'"
Rouge and Topaz walked over to join them and the bat's eyes wondered as she looked Shadow up and down. She had to admit, he was looking very attractive.

"And I have to say, you're looking real good in it, heh."
Topaz smirked to herself as Shadow did the same and looked himself over.

"I'll have to agree with you Rouge."
Omega turned its head to look at the hedgehog.

"It's apparent your modesty is still intact Shadow."
A chuckle escaped Shadow's lips as he looked over to his robotic companion.

"Is my hearing becoming impaired or was that sarcasm I just heard?"

Ignoring Shadow's question, Omega walked over to inspect nearby the nearby weaponry, earning giggles of amusement from both Rouge and Topaz.
Rouge gave herself one last check over before looking at her friends.

"Okay, I'm ready if you three are."
Shadow nodded his head before his eyes lowered slightly.

"Just one more thing." Walking over to his locker, Shadow opened it and took out not just his Shadow Rifle, but a photograph as well.

Curiosity getting the better of them, Rouge and Topaz walked over to him to see the picture, seeing that it was an old photograph of Professor Gerald Robotnik and his granddaughter Maria, the two people who Shadow held dear to his heart.
Rouge looked over to Topaz and saw that she was biting her lip slightly in a nervous fashion. The both of them knew fully well how much Gerald and Maria both meant to Shadow and they had no idea what was going through his head as he stood in silence and gazed at the photo.

After a few seconds, Rouge decided to break the silence.

"Shad?"
Shadow looked at the picture a bit longer before he turned his attention to Rouge.
"You feeling okay?" she asked, placing her hand on his shoulder.
The bat got no response from the hedgehog as he simply looked back down at the picture. Rouge did the same and she couldn't help but smile as she saw the warm smiles present on both Gerald and Maria's faces.

"They'd be proud of you, you know that?"
"I know," Shadow finally responded. "It's just something I do before heading out on a mission – just look at them and hope they both know I'm doing all in my power to make them proud."
Omega walked back to the group, hearing the last of Shadow's words.

"They do know Shadow."
Rouge nodded, her smile still on her face as she rubbed Shadow's shoulder comfortingly. "Omega's right Shad."
"Yeah," Topaz added. "I know how much they meant to you Shadow and believe me when I tell you, they couldn't be any more proud of you. You've done so much to help make Mobius a safer place for everyone and they know that."

As she spoke. Topaz looked down at her watch, taking note of the time.

"Sorry guys, but time's really of the essence. We'd better get going."
"Okay Topaz," Rouge said before giving Shadow's shoulder one more rub before taking her hand back.
"There's no need to apologize Topaz," said Shadow. "It was my fault." Taking one more look at the photo, Shadow placed it back in his locker and closed it. "Sorry to have kept you all waiting."
Topaz smiled and Shadow.

"No worries Shadow."
"It's all good," Rouge added, rubbing his arm.
Omega moved its head in a nodding motion.

"It's fine Shadow. We understand."
Shadow looked at the three of them and nodded his head gratefully.

"Thanks, all of you. Now then…" he looked over his rifle before placing it on a holster on his back. "Shall we get going?"
"Let's indeed!" said Rouge. "The sooner this mission is over, the sooner we can get back to our vacation!"
Topaz chuckled at the bat before leading Team Dark out of the locker room and towards the GUN airfield.

Once there, the four agents boarded into one of the helicopters and Topaz had a seat at the controls.

"Okay all, ready for takeoff?"
"Affirmative," Omega responded as it took its place on the end of the helicopter.
Shadow and Rouge both took a seat next to each other and strapped in.

"Yeah, we're all set," said Shadow.
Topaz nodded to them and placed the headphones on her head and over her ears before activating the helicopter.

"Okay, let's fly!"
A few moments later, Topaz lifted the helicopter off the ground and the agents took to the air, heading for their destination.

After a little bit over an hour, the GUN agents arrived on the outskirts of their itinerary.
"There it is!" Rouge said as she looked ahead out the wind-shield. "Blade City!"
Shadow nodded his head with a determined look on his face as he saw the rundown city in the distance.
"Activating scanners now," Omega said as its eyes began to glow and it focused all its attention on the city ahead.
Topaz decided to land the helicopter a safe distance away from the city. "We'd better be careful," she said as the helicopter landed on the ground and she took off her seatbelt. "Any dangerous criminal could be hiding anywhere in there."
"All ready to pounce…" Rouge added as she and Shadow removed their seatbelts as well.
Shadow's usual smirk appeared on his face as he stood up.

"They'd be wise to rethink things if that's what they're planning." He looked over to Omega. "How's the scanning coming along?"
"Analysis twenty-five percent complete," Omega answered.

Narrowing his eyes, Shadow crossed his arms over his chest and had a seat back down, an irritated look on his face. "Only twenty-five percent, huh?"
"Scanning takes time," said Omega, still focused on the city but also showing some annoyance in its voice at Shadow's impatience. "I'm not a miracle worker. We must know the entire layout of the city not only for us, but to also relay back to HQ."
"Yeah yeah," Shadow coyly responded, looking out the nearby window.
Rouge watched as Omega scanned the city.

"I can barely remember when Blade City used to be like Mobotropolis, Diamond, or Emerald far as I can remember, it's always been a rundown city, a criminal hotspot."
"Yeah," said Topaz as she joined her friend in looking at Blade City. "I doubt it was ever a clean city…"
"The perfect place for every kind of criminal you can think of to hide out," said Shadow. "And if the ones responsible for the taunts and threats against GUN are in there, make no mistake about it – we'll find them and make them regret it."
Rouge smirked at Shadow, showing her fangs a bit.

"You got that right!" Then she looked over at Omega. "How're you doing?"
"Analysis seventy-five percent complete," said Omega.
Shadow groaned to himself before he stood up and began to pace up and down the helicopter.

It was clear that he was getting agitated and wanted nothing more than to get to Blade City and find the ones responsible for the threats against GUN.
"Don't worry Shad," Rouge said, trying to calm Shadow down. "We'll leave as soon as Omega's done."

Shadow kept the same look on his face, but Rouge's words did their job and helped settle him down a bit.

"It's just as you told me many times in the past Rouge – keep calm. Well, I'm doing my best to do just that."
Rouge nodded her head. "I know."

A few moments passed by and as Topaz was looking over her weaponry, she looked to the robot. "You almost done Omega?"
Omega's eyes blinked a few times.

"Analysis complete." A few seconds later, Omega presented a miniature hologram of Blade City before itself.
Shadow looked at the hologram, taking note of how precise it was. Every nook and cranny of the city was visible to them.

"Good job Omega."
"Yeah, really good job!" said Rouge as she looked at the hologram as well.

Topaz placed a hand on her hip.

"So, what do we have here?"
"According to the data I collected," Omega began. "Blade City is roughly 599.2 square miles in size, or 1,552.9 kilometers squared."
"Hmm," Shadow said as he observed the hologram closer. "So in other words, it's huge."
"Mhm, quite the big city to scout," said Rouge. "But we didn't come here for the view."
"Yeah," said Topaz as she opened the door of the helicopter. "Come on, we've got a job to do!"
Shadow nodded.

"That we do." He looked to Omega. "You ready?"
Omega's eyes reverted back to normal and the hologram disappeared.

"Affirmative," it answered in a determined voice.
Rouge cracked her knuckles and neck, getting herself pumped up.

"Okay then, let's go."

Topaz and Rouge climbed out of the helicopter, followed behind by Shadow and Omega. Once outside, the four agents stood beside each other and looked at Blade City, all of them ready for whatever would come at them.
"Alright people," said Rouge, her eyes narrowing and her confident smirk coming to her face. "Let's do this."
Nodding in unison, the agents began to make their way towards the criminal infested cesspool known as Blade City, a flash of lightning going off across the sky behind them from the raging storm back in Station Square.

So Topaz and Team Dark have made it to Blade City, what will happen when they venture into the run down forbidden City?

Find out in the next chapter!