"The lost souls have returned home!" called a baritone voice just before hundreds more erupted into cheering. It was daytime, but little sunlight filtered down into the underground cavern Team Monster and General Monger now found themselves in. Werewolves, bigfeet, a few aliens, two giant birds, water creatures, and many others all greeted each other with smiles and tears and laughter. Eagleton stood with Team Monster and the general, smiling and looking relaxed. A female bigfoot walked over, carrying a small child in her arms.

"Here ya go, fellas," she grinned, handing the boy to Eagleton. The soldier's smile grew as he drew his son to his chest.

"Hey Ty, ya miss me?" he murmured, rubbing his face against the tiny face mirroring his. The boy grinned, grabbing his father's nose in a tight grip. "This is my son Tyrique, he's two years old," Eagleton introduced the child to his new friends in a nasally voice.

"He's so cute!" gushed Susan, stroking Ty's face with her pointer finger. The toddler burbled, letting go of his father's nose to grab the stranger's hand.

Luna, the old werewolf Walker, and the lizard-like creature they had met at the mouth of the cave walked over to the general. "This is Bear, one of the Bear Lake Monsters. He's our religious leader, sorta like a Baptist preacher," Luna introduced the gray lizard. Monger saluted.

"We are all very grateful to you, suh, for bringing home our missing brothers and sisters," Bear bowed low, his snout almost touching the floor.

"Who is in charge, then, if Mr. Bear is just the religious leader?" the general asked after the "preacher" had been pulled away by a group of whining werewolf cubs, still in their wolf-state.

"Walker here and Stella are joint leaders, since they're the oldest," answered Luna, a pretty African-American woman with light skin and thick, tangled hair. Walker, who resembled a Native American chieftain, nodded, arms folded across his chest.

"Mr. Walker, we'd be very pleased if you and your monsters were to join our team at Area Fifty-Something!" grinned the general, "Although there may be some that might not make the cut. We just want to be sure we have the best of fighters and thinkers on our team." The Native shook his head, a very displeased look on his face. The werewolf had had the same look since escaping Cutter's hideout, however, so maybe that was how he always looked. "Why are you shaking your head no?"

"I do not trust white man!" the werewolf declared, unashamed and indignant. "I was a boy when Columbus men attack the island natives. I remember when Smith, Pilgrims, and others land on my people's shores. It was white men take our land and hunt our game and push us away, killing long after their stomachs were full. Stella was a young girl when we first meet, part of the colony at Roanoke. My son Manteo, a good chief, went to England with the governor. While they were gone, white vampire attack colony. Stella only one to escape his hold, all others become evil. Roanoke tribe stop vampires, Stella hide in my house. When Manteo and governor return, they think Roanoke tribe murdered colony and attack, but they attack my Croatan too. They kill Manteo and his mother, so I take Stella and few children and run west." The chieftain's face twitched at the painful memories.

Monger felt conflicted. He could not deny any of the horrible things Walker had witnessed, but how could he explain that people were changing, that they were sorry for the faults of their ancestors? "What is your real name?" he managed to get out in a humbled voice that surprised the monsters.

"Iagoo, am called Walker short for Skin-Walker, English translation of my first tribe's word for werewolf."

"Iagoo, I am very sorry for what my people have done to yours, but we are changing. We are more accepting of people different than us," the general said quietly. The werewolf seemed not to believe him; he stalked off on stiff legs, the first displeased look back on his face.

Luna stepped closer to the disheartened general, "He won't believe it until he witnesses it on a large scale. I'm sure a few monsters would like to join your team."

Bear's baritone voice called out over the noise the invitation to join Team Monster at just that moment, Walker standing with folded arms beside him. Several monsters hovered over to the general asking if they really could try out for the team.