Phelan could hardly believe his eyes as he saw the young chipmunk Simon had healed was actually waking up. He was taken aback by the situation completely.

"Simon," Phelan said, "you just healed her."

There was another agonizing silence before Simon spoke. "I did?" he asked, confused.

Phelan only nodded in reply.

"So, you mean all of those things that you had been through could be happening to me?"

"Possibly, but I'm pretty sure these powers are completely different than mine."

Ally had finally fully woken up, and she sat herself up while glancing at each of the boys. "What am I doing here?" she asked. "And why do I suddenly feel like I was dead for a few seconds?"

Simon and Phelan gave each other astonished glances as Ally sat on the bed in confusion.

"You can bring the dead back to life!" Phelan yelled out. "Whoops, I hate when my thoughts just get blurted out like that." He reached for Ally's hand and kissed it gently. "Pardon us for putting you in so much confusion, my dear. Allow us to introduce ourselves. My name is Phelan, and this is my good friend Simon Seville. What's your name?"

"I'm Ally," she replied, shyly blushing a little. "I never knew any one man could be such a gentleman."

Phelan smiled, but in the back of his mind, he felt something was wrong. "Simon, would you be so kind as to get her anything she might need?" he asked, trying not to abandon Ally. "I have to get insight on something very important."

"Of course," Simon replied. "Go ahead."

After leaving the room, Phelan rushed down the stairs into the living room, the television still on. He sat down on the couch, preparing for the worst.

Just then, the entire house went dark, and Phelan heard screaming from the upstairs. He rushed over to the bottom of the stairs. "Simon, is Ally alright?" he inquired in a worried tone of speech.

"She's okay," Simon replied. "She just got a little startled, that's all.

Phelan heard another voice, this one coming from the television.

"Hello, imbeciles," the familiar voice said.

There was a dead silence in the entire house, and Simon immediately made his way down the stairs and growled in disbelief, still holding Ally's hand.

"What the hell is he doing out of prison?" he yelled. "I thought he got a life sentence for animal cruelty and harassment!" He made his way to the couch and sat himself down as he heard the voice – a certain Ian Hawke – continue his speech:

"Now, I bet you're all wondering what I'm doing out of prison… Well, that information is classified. Only those that work for me will know. So, as for my first order of business, this document specifies that no talking chipmunks are allowed in the United States or Puerto Rico. Any chipmunk found in the area will be prosecuted and sentenced to death."

Those words were all it took to make Simon throw the remote at the television. "That bastard!" he yelled out. "How could he do this to us?"

Dave had heard some rain splashing violently against the kitchen window above the sink. He knew it only meant one thing: a category five hurricane.

"Everyone, grab your stuff and go down to the basement," Dave ordered. "It's for your own good." As the eight chipmunks made their way downstairs to the basement, he noticed eight bottles of a mysterious liquid on the kitchen table, a note alongside the tray the bottles were standing on. It read:

"David,

"I believe it is that time. I know the boys have become something like your own children, but I think they need to come to Chipmunk Academy. Give each of them a bottle and have them drink the entire amount of liquid all at once. It will be hard, but I will have one of the boys call you as soon as I can. Hope this all blows over soon.

"Sincerely,

"V"

Dave just glanced back up at the bottles, grabbed a candle and made his way to the basement.

Theodore and Eleanor were the first to see Dave – and each grab a bottle and drink its entire contents. Alvin and Brittany did the same. Soon enough, the four of them collapsed to the floor, fading away before anyone could keep them in the room.

Simon turned to Dave in disbelief. "How could you?" he managed to say before his throat tightened on him.

"I had to, Simon," Dave insisted. "They're not going to get hurt. I promise."

Dave placed the candle in the middle of the four remaining chipmunks and backed away, leaving blankets next to them.

"Once we do this," Phelan warned, "we're not coming back at least for a week or so. We all know how Ian can get. The four of us need to stick together if we're going to get through this mess." He held his hand above the flame of the candle in between the four of them. "Are you guys with me?"

"I'm in," Ally answered, firmly grabbing the top of Phelan's hand.

"Me, too," Jeanette added.

"So am I," Simon replied.

"Then the four of us are a team, no matter what."

Just then, Simon noticed a white sheet of paper sticking out of Dave's new slacks. "What's that note in your pocket?" he asked out of pure curiosity. However, as the two of them turned away, three more chipmunks had taken the opportunity to escape the situation, and they disappeared. "I know I'm going to regret this, but did-"

"Yes," Dave replied. "They all drank it."

Simon sat back down and held his hands over the candle again. "So much for being a team," he muttered to himself.

Dave sat down next to Simon. "You do realize you have to join them, right?" he asked.

"I know… but I'm just not sure if I want to be there if I don't get to see you anymore."

There was a sense of pain in his eyes, something Dave had never seen in him before.

"Listen, Simon... I know how you feel, but you have to go. I don't want you to risk your life when you know Ian's going to find. Plus, I want you to be there for Theodore because I'm sure he'd be pretty bummed without you there to be with him."

Simon let out a sigh. "You're right…" He hugged Dave tightly, afraid to let go. "I promise to call as soon as I can…" There was a short pause. "I love you, Dave."

"I love you, too, Simon…"

As soon as Simon let go of Dave, he drank the entire bottle of liquid and collapsed into Dave's arms. Dave could only watch in agony as he watched Simon fade away right before his eyes.