"Calm down, Project." Sonic tried to comfort the frightened hedgehog before him.

"How can I be c-calm!? You're probably going to turn me in, aren't you!?" Project panicked. "I thought I could trust you!"

"I hope you still do because I'm not turning you in." Sonic said calmly. "Rouge may work for them, but she would never do something to hurt someone innocent."

"P-Promise?"

"I promise. I'd never hurt you, Project." Sonic smiled.

"O-Okay..." Project chose to believe him, but he was still on guard as they walked inside.

"Rouge?" Sonic asked, looking around.

"Sonic, hun, is that you?" A feminine voice asked. Soon, a white bat appeared. She had topaz eyes and was wearing a black spy suit with a pink heart on the chest of it. She held a jewel in her gloved hands, but her eyes were on them. "Who's your friend there?"

"This is Project." Sonic introduced.

"Oh, you're the one that G.U.N. was hurting?" Rouge walked over to Project. "Poor thing. I would've gotten you out of there if those jerks would let me see you. They said that they couldn't tell me anything about you either. Such a shame."

"Rouge," Sonic began as Project hid behind Sonic. "he's kind of shy, but we wanted to know if you've seen Knuckles anywhere. He's not on Angel Island."

"Knuckles is gone?" Rouge asked. "I haven't seen him since yesterday."

"It's strange... he must've been kidnapped." Sonic said. He then turned to Project. "She's not going to hurt you, I promise."

"But she's from G.U.N." he whimpered out.

"Not all people are the same. Rouge is really nice, and she would never hurt you." He replied. "Just stand tall and strong; you're never going back there."

Project nodded and straightened himself up. Rouge was struck with familiarity at the stance he took: crossed arms, a serious look, and legs shoulder feet apart. She remembered that stance well from an old partner of hers. Then again, his whole appearance reminded her of him. "Shadow?"

"I must really look like this Shadow guy that people keep talking about..." Project mumbled.

"Well, you do look a lot like him." Sonic said, a sweatdrop visible on his forehead.

"You do." Rouge agreed. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you actually were him. There are differences between you two though. Shadow has red eyes and red stripes."

"Well, I actually do have different colored eyes... They put these clear things in for some reason. I don't have stripes though..." Project said quietly.

"They put contacts in your eyes? I wonder why'd they do that..." Rouge said. "Here, let me help you get those out."

Rouge walked over to Project, who was a little scared but let her. She gently took out each contact, careful not to hurt him. Project stayed perfectly still, knowing that a simple blink could cause a lot of pain. Soon, the contacts were out, revealing dazzling, ruby red eyes.

"Woah," Sonic was amazed. "Those definitely look like Shadow's eyes..."

"You could be a Shadow look a like, just... without the stripes." Rouge commented.

Project stared at the two, whom were staring at him with wide eyes. "I guess... I've never seen this Shadow before, but the way everybody mistakes me for him must mean something."

"Agent Rouge!" A voice barked from a small bracelet like communicator on Rouge's wrist.

"Yes, commander?" Rouge held up the communicator to look at the small screen while Project hid behind Sonic.

"You had a mission briefing that started 5 minutes ago! Get over here now!" The commander yelled.

"Rouge smirked and said, " On my way." She then hung up and turned to the other two in the room. "See you later boys, and good luck finding Knuckles."

Sonic smiled and walked out of the house, Project following. "Later Rouge!"

"Goodbye!" Project called shyly as they left Rouge's house. He then looked to Sonic. "Where are we going now?"

"To bust an egg."