Clank paced back and forth through Al's workshop. He hadn't heard anything from Ratchet since his 'fight' with Ace, and he was worried sick. After the whole ordeal, Vox had whisked Ratchet away to his office. Clank was livid with Vox, with the late Ace, and with the whole Vox network in general. How was Ratchet going to deal with this? After what Ace did to him, and showing that revolting footage for everyone to see. It made the little robot sick. But Ace was dead now, killed by Vox himself and that made little sense to Clank as well. If Ace was Vox's top exterminator, why did he kill him? And what would become of Ratchet? That thought scared him the most. If Vox was so quick to dispose of Ace, then what's stopping him from doing the same to his friend? Ratchet had been gone for a long while now, and Clank couldn't get the image of Ace's headless corpse out of his head.

"Can you please stop pacing, you're making me nervous." Ace poked his head up from a modification he was working on for the combat bots.

"What do you think Vox wants with Ratchet?" Clank asked for the fifteenth time.

"I don't know." Al sighed rubbing his head. He too was worried about Ratchet, but was trying to keep himself busy to keep his mind off of it. But it didn't seem to be working. He had made little to no progress on his work. With an exasperated sigh Al moved around from behind his desk to stand next to Clank.

"Do you think he is okay?" Clank asked the same question he always followed up with.

"I don't know." Al said.

Just than the two of them spotted a ship docking outside and the two ran to meet the person exiting.

"Ratchet!" Clank exclaimed as he approached his friend.

"Are you okay? What happened with Vox?"

Ratchet glanced over at him. A frown set on his face and his shoulders sagging greatly, before recognizing the two and smiling like his normal self.

"I'm fine, pal." Ratchet said happily.

Clank and Al looked to each other, the two of them catching something amiss in Ratchet's facade. They both immediately got a flashback to the night in the bathroom with Ace.

"A-Are you sure?" Al asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Ratchet said a little more forcefully.

"What happened with Vox?" Clank repeated.

"Oh, nothing important. How's cracking the Deadlock collars coming, Al?" Ratchet asked.

"Oh, uh, i-it's getting there," Al stammered. "I think I'll have it in just about a week…"

"Not good enough!" Ratchet interrupted, his voice coming out sharp.

Al and Clank jumped at the suddenness of it. Ratchet cleared his throat before continuing.

"I mean, I think we better go with plan b." Ratchet said firmly.

"You mean deactivating the containment field? I don't know… it'll be risky. Once I reprogram the arena transport pod, you won't be able to come back." Al said.

"I'm willing to take that risk. How soon can you get it done?" Ratchet demanded.

"Uh, I think it will take me just about an hour."

"Good, get Green and Merc ready to go by then."

"So soon?" Clank asked "Are you sure about this Ratchet? Maybe you should rest for the night."

Ratchet took a knee so he was at eye level with Clank.

"I don't know how much longer I can keep fighting for, pal. I think we should do this sooner rather than later."

Clank looked into Ratchet's eyes. They sparkled a bright green with the smile he wore, but he could see something else. Something reminiscent of the same expression he had worn after that night with Ace, but more intense. Like the threat he would be hurt the same way again was very, very real. Ratchet was pleading for him to trust him and to help him get out of here before he could be hurt again. Silently, Clank agreed to help, gently taking Ratchet's hand in his own, noticing the way he flinched slightly when he took it.

'Just tell me what happened when we get out of here.' Clank wordlessly conveyed.

Ratchet nodded 'I will. I promise.'

After a moment Ratchet stood back up and stretched, before clapping his hands together. Just like he would do before starting a project back home.

"Right, let's get to work!"