Destruction of the Innocent 

Chapter 6:

      Rotor's eyes popped open.  He heard an engine running outside.  He
  glanced over at the clock beside his bed.

      "Two A.M.?" he asked himself, wearily.

      He raced outside, just in time to see the Freedom Fighters' biplane
  take off, with Sally in the cockpit.  He watched her fly off,
  disbelieving.

      Sonic blazed out of his hut and ran to the launch site at incredible
  speed.  He skidded to a stop next to Rotor.  "Who... " he began.

      "Sally!" Rotor answered, still amazed.  "But... she can't fly a
  plane!" "Where could Sal be goin'?" Sonic asked.

      "After the chaos emeralds," said a voice from behind them.  They both
  whirled around to see Tails.  "Tails, what are you talking about?" Sonic
  said skeptically.  "Go back to bed."

      "The ring is gone.  See for yourselves." Tails added.  Sonic looked at
  Tails incredulously, as though seeing him for the first time.  "The ring
  is gone?" he asked, disbelieving.  Then, in an accusatory tone, he said,
  "What do YOU know about the ring?"

      Tails just looked at him, his expression distant, empty.

      "I gotta check this out, back in a flash," Sonic said as he sped off
  to Sally's hut.  When he got there, he saw that Tails had spoken the
  truth.  The ring was gone.  But Nicole was still here.  Sonic picked up
  the tiny computer.  Sally never went anywhwhere without Nicole in her
  vest.  Why did she leave her behind?  "Nicole," Sonic began.  "Do you know
  where Sal's flown off to?"

      "Sorry Sonic," the electronic voice said back, "that data is not in my
  files."

      Sonic looked up.  Whatever Sal was doing, wherever she had gone, she
  must've been in one serious rush if she left Nicole behind.  But why?