Jake chewed slowly on a cherry Twizzler rope. Occasionally, he'd alternate between that and a handful of popcorn. Lib's eyes were on the screen. He knew because he kept glancing at her. They were watching Something Wicked This Way Comes, the second film in their marathon. The first had been The Three Lives of Thomasina. Next would be Lib's bootleg copy of Song of the South.

She casually put her head on his shoulder, making his heart go into overdrive.

He liked Liberty. His feelings for her had gone past "Just a friend" a long time ago. She was funny, caring, and smart, and she beat his record for fastest time in eating a Dole Whip without getting brain freeze. For nearly a month he'd been in constant debate with himself, demanding to know why he didn't just ask her out. Well, there were a few reasons. He didn't know if she planned on staying in Florida after her semester was over. For her, he was willing to go into a long distance, romantic relationship. But if she didn't want to ever come back to Florida and he couldn't make it up to Pennsylvania somehow, it would be too painful. Then there was the whole "dating a fellow employee" thing, which was usually frowned upon because if you broke up, it could make work really awkward.

But he could get through those things. They could, he knew, if she felt as strongly for him as he did for her. The real problem was that he was afraid that she wanted to just stay friends. He didn't even want to think about how awkward their friendship would be if that were the case. It was always crushing, hearing a girl say, "Oh, I love you too…just like a brother" after pouring his heart out. He couldn't fault her for feeling that way, though, since he thought he was such a dork.

But this time was different. She had to feel the same way he did! He just knew it! And tonight was the night to find out. He was going to put his arm around her shoulder and snuggle close. Then they'd look into each other's eyes and blurt, "I love you!" at the same time. Then they'd hug and kiss. Maybe she'd cry tears of joy. On reflection, he'd probably be the one bawling. If things went well, he'd soon be proposing to her, probably on Big Thunder Mountain. He could see it now! As the little train click-clacked up the lift hill through the cavern, he'd pull out a ring and ask, "Won't you be mine?" And they would all live happily ever after.

"Jake?"

"Yes?" He gazed into those gorgeous green eyes.

"Could you hand me the box of Milk Duds?"

"Oh," he had to mask his disappointment. "Sure." He held out the box.

"Thanks."

Was it just him, or did their fingers linger for a bit?

"Jake," Lib said thoughtfully, letting a ball of caramel melt under her tongue instead of chewing it. "I've been thinking…Yes, dangerous I know," she added in answer to his smirk, giving him a little shove. "Maybe we should do something to save the Carousel of Progress." She sighed. "But I don't know what. We've seen what protests and Internet petitions do: Not much. Well, they were able to bring Figment back. But I don't think they'll save CoP."

He looked at her worried face and felt a tug on his heartstrings. Suddenly an idea hit him. "Hey, why don't we go for one last ride?"

"What?" she asked incredulously.

The more he thought about it, the more enthusiastic he got. "Yeah! Let's go to the park and see the show one last time. Can't be too hard to sneak in." He grinned, his hazel eyes sparkling.

She couldn't resist that grin. He looked like a big puppy. She wouldn't admit it, but she had been thinking along similar lines. "Let's do it!"

Lib and Jake looked up at the peak of Splash Mountain. He had parked behind a warehouse just on the outside of Frontierland. All that separated them from the Magic Kingdom was a chain link fence. Or a few doors if they opted to enter from the warehouse and then go down into the Utilidors, but it was locked.

"Is it just me," she asked, "or did it look like someone just peeked out of the log on Chick-A-Pin Hill?"

"Br'er Fox is working maintenance?" the skipper joked.

A bright light flicked on, blinding the cast members. Hand up in front of her face, Liberty groaned, "Oh great, we're busted! Look, we're not trying to steal company secrets or blow the place up. We'll just leave."

The beam lowered and a high, yet soft, voice called out, "Libby? Jake?" As their eyes adjusted they could make out the form of Francine, wearing a purple hooded jacket and matching flared sweat pants. She put a hand over the end of her flashlight to dull it. "What're you guys doing out here?"

Liberty cast a glance at Jake and he shrugged. "Um, we came by to go on Carousel of Progress one last time before they start taking it apart tomorrow." She felt silly for admitting it. Being so upset about this whole thing was ridiculous! It was just an attraction! "What're you doing out here, Frankie?"

"Oh." Francine stared at the gravel, shuffling a sneaker. "My step-dad and I got in another fight when he got home. So I left to clear my head." Turning to look at the park, she whispered, "Isn't it beautiful at night?" She sighed. "Seems like no matter how upset I am, Disney always makes me feel better."

From behind them, a voice quickly cracked, "Yeah, I know what you mean."

As Jake and Liberty spun on their heels to face the stranger, Frankie whipped up her flashlight.

"Ow! Ow! Hey! Blind me, why don't ya?"

"Sorry…" Frankie had to think for a moment.

"Isaac," the Space Mountain cast member prompted. "What's the wattage of that bulb? Five hundred?! Oy." He rubbed his brow.

"What are you doing out here?" asked Jake. "Watching for UFOs?"

"Trust the skipper to have the razor wit! No, I'm just out taking a walk. I couldn't sleep. Can't imagine why." He pulled a bottle of Mountain Dew out of a backpack he was wearing and took a swig. "But now that you mention it, there has been some weird stuff going on in the park after dark." Pointing at Splash Mountain with two fingers, he continued, "I take a walk past here a few times a week, and I always hear loud noises, like a party."

Liberty smirked. "You don't think this is some kind of conspiracy, do you? Probably just the night crews cutting up, or a special deal for people staying in the Disney hotels."

Isaac shook his head. "Ha! No, there's something going on." He lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, his glasses glinting in the dark night. "Something bizarre. Think about it. What else could have drawn the four of us together, here, at this time? There's something bigger afoot, my fellow cast members. Something has drawn us all here." He grinned, thrilled at his idea, practically trembling with excitement.

Lib put a hand on his shoulder. "Uh, Isaac, I think you need to lay off the caffeine and comic books."

Picking up her hand like she was toxic waste and dropping it, he scoffed, "Say what you want, but you can't deny what a weird coincidence this is. It's just like...like…" He brightened. "We're just like the Animorphs! Brought together by usual circumstances, but we're really here to save the world. See, we've got Jake, our fearless leader!"

The skipper smiled and stroked his chin. "I can deal with that."

"Our kick butt chick character. Only she's a redhead, not a blond." He dodged Lib as she took a mock swing at him. "And, oh!" Clasping his hands on Frankie's shoulders from behind, he playfully swayed her from side to side. "Our obligatory minority character."

The princess giggled. "All right, you've made your point, Tobias, but so what? What do you expect us to do? Hop the fence and storm the park?"

"Ha! We're not barbarians! No, I've got something better in mind." Isaac slung off his backpack and took out a laptop. "We'll go in through the Utilidors." Plopping down on the ground, he placed the computer on his lap and turned it on. "I just gotta work my magic and turn off the cameras and unlock the door. Everything's hooked up into one security system." He cackled evilly, his fingers flying over the keys. "Really, they couldn't have made it any easier."

"I thought you got booted out," said Lib, looking over his shoulder.

He snorted. "Not permanently. And…open sez-me!" With one last tap on a key, they heard a click as the door to the warehouse unlocked. Coolly he flicked off the computer and pushed down the monitor. "Hocus pocus, baby."

Frankie shot an anxious look at the other three. "We're not…we're not really going in, right?"

"I'm going!" Isaac put the laptop back into his backpack and flung it over his shoulder. "I've wanted to sneak in for years."

"Ah," said Lib, who found herself following him into the warehouse. "So that's why you had the computer with you." Jake shook away any objections he had and trailed Liberty, with a very reluctant Francine behind him.

"Nah, I bring it everywhere with me I can."

Frankie shut the door behind the group, feeling trapped within the dark halls. "Are you—are you sure all the cameras are off?" she quavered, whipping her flashlight beam around.

"Ha!" Isaac barked cockily. "Trust me! Now…uh…where are we going?"

"This one comes up right in Adventureland, by the Jungle Cruise," explained Jake, slowly opening the door. "Its how I get to work every day." Casting his eyes around, all he saw was the Cruise's queue and the jungle foliage. All he heard was the cawing of birds and the radio that played in the line. Everything seemed normal, from the faded posters, to the chalkboard jokes, to the broken cages.

"It's quiet over here," Lib observed. "Dark too. Frankie, could you turn on your flashlight?"

"It—it was on, just a second ago." She grunted, smacking it on her palm. The light flickered for only a moment and then died. "Isaac, do you have any double-As with you?"

"I might be a pasty geek, but that doesn't mean I…Oh wait. Yeah, I've got a couple." He began to rummage through his book bag, mumbling as he sifted through homework and half-written Star Wars fanfictions.

A low rumble made Frankie, Lib, and Jake look up. Shivers ran up their spines as the guttural growl continued, moving closer. From the darkness of the dock, two bright points of yellow-green light followed them as they moved back to the door.

Lib hissed, "Forget about the batteries, Isaac!"

"Hold your horses! I've got 'em!" With a pop and a click, he put in the fresh pair and flicked on the torch. "See, good as ne—AHH!" He screamed.

A tiger, now clearly illuminated, snarled, its fangs glistening. Flicking its striped tail back and forth in agitation, it crouched low, preparing to pounce.

"Oh sweet Lincoln's beard!" Liberty yelled. Thinking quickly, she and Frankie grabbed Isaac under his arms while he scrambled to his feet.

Jake pushed them all behind him, shouting, "Just get to the door!"

No sooner than the words left his mouth, the great cat leapt. It pounced on the skipper, knocking him down. "Good kitty," he squeaked.

"Jake!" Lib screamed.

"Just run!" he shouted back. A snarl jerked his gaze to face the beast. There was something so familiar about it. Really, it was a pathetic tiger, looking moth eaten with bits of orange fur missing.

"Get off him, you Animal Kingdom reject!" Lib pulled back the flashlight to fling it.

"No, don't!" Jake's heart pounded, but he swallowed back his fear. He had an idea. A horrible, hare-brained idea, but it was his only chance. "Tony, don't you know me?" A flicker of recognition flashed across the tiger's face. "It's your old pal, Skipper Jake! 'See Tony on your left? He may be old, but as far as Disney World's tigers go, he's grrrrreat!'" Panic gripping him, he smiled as hopefully as possible.

The huge cat sniffed him for several tense seconds. Then, a low rumbling started in its throat. Purring, it nuzzled him and licked his cheek.

"Okay, okay, Tony! Get off, you balding, Sher Khan wannabe." Chuckling, he shoved off the playful tiger.

"But how?" asked Lib, watching Jake scratch behind Tony's ears.

"Magic," Frankie whispered, unable to contain her smile.

"Nah," Isaac scoffed. "I bet they've been testing some new prototype audio animatronic."

Tony's whiskers perked up as he sniffed the air. Once again, his green eyes glowed and he lowered his head, growling. They others followed his stare. From out of the trees, chattering monkeys swung. Two cobras hissed in a docked boat, upper bodies raised and hoods flattened. A python slithered across the roof of the queue. Swooping down like birds of prey, huge butterflies dive-bombed the quartet.

Isaac yelped, smacking away the giant insects. "What are they?!"

"Humongous plasticous, the Amazon butterfly," Jake quipped. "They grow from twelve inches to a whopping foot!"

"Let's get out of here!" Frankie yelled. With her flashlight leading they way, they ran up the steps onto the main pathway for Adventureland. Ducking a purple flying carpet, they dashed into Pirates of the Caribbean's outside queue building.

The group hardly had time to catch its breath before a rough voice asked, "How would ye lovely wenches like to be auctioned off, eh?" They turned to see the auctioneer. Cackling, the bearded pirate raised his whip and pushed up Frankie's chin. "Shift yer cargo dearie. Show 'em your starboard side!"

"We wants the redhead!" rowdy pirates cheered in the street. Liberty shuddered.

"Quiet you!"

As the auctioneer fired at the drunken louts, the cast members bolted again. It was like a dream, running through the park with all of those recognizable faces. Characters they had known from their childhood went by in a blur as they raced on. Some waved or shouted 'hi!' while others took no notice at all.

They had to catch their breath by the Partners statue of Mickey and Walt in front of Cinderella's castle.

"What on Earth's going on?" cried Liberty. "And don't say a word about animatronics!"

Isaac hazarded helpfully, "Aliens?"

Stitch ran past them, chasing a bunch of the Toy Story's little green, three eyed men with a can of silly string.

"No, not aliens," a soft voice chuckled behind them.

Too used to things mysteriously popping out at this point, the four turned to face this new stranger. John, in his humble slacks and sweater, stepped out from behind the statue. "I think aliens would be a much easier explanation. Hi, I'm John. From the Carousel of Progress. You probably don't realize it, but you're my last hope."