Sorry, I wanted post this Wednesday, but Fanfiction didn't want t upload the file, plus I've been out of town on an Orchestra trip since Thursday.

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"Wizardmon? Is it really you?"

"In the flesh, no nightmares or Bakemon illusions involved." Gatomon smiled and rushed up to greet him, but in her weakened state, she stumbled over. Wizardmon leaned forward and caught her and Gatomon wrapped her arms around him.

"Only the real Wizardmon wold dare read my mind," she whispered in his ear, tears of joy running down her furry cheeks.

Wizardmon stood, the cat still held gently in his arms "How many guards come down here?"

"None, actually. Originally it was just that dumb Bakemon with the scar, but Tapirmon came and took over guard duty. No one else will come around, I think I still scare them, plus I wasn't being all too pleasant earlier. Why?"

"I'm going to get you out of here."

---

Tapirmon stood, as the door slammed behind him, in Myotismon's study. The virus was still sitting with the back of the chair facing the rookie.

"Tapirmon, would you happen to have any explanation to this?"

"To what, Master?"

"To the fact that twelve blips suddenly disappeared from my map in the middle of the forest?"Tapirmon gulped but replied in a tone that made him seem completely oblivious. "Is that even possible?" Myotismon rocked the chair slightly to the left, but didn't turn around. He tried to think of a good reason to how they could've escaped and all that came to mind was one word: illusion.

"Could it be that a certain rookie-level vaccine under my employment could used an illusion to sneak past my defenses and bring the enemy here, all to get rid of me?"

"No, Master, I-I would never!" Tapirmon gasped sweat trickling down his face rapidly. "I couldn't do such such a thing, never to you."

"Hmm," Myotismon replied, considering his words. "You're right, a weak, simple-minded fool like yourself could never come up with a strategy as smart as this one, or have enough power or guts to pull it off." He paused and Tapirmon let out a huge breath he'd been holding. "I want to you go and find out where they're hiding, and report back to me the moment you do."

"Yes, Master," he replied, saluting the ultimate and scurried out the door before he could say anything else.

Myotismon turned his chair in a ninety degree angle and stared into a corner where no light reached. "I want you to follow him," he spoke and a voice from the shadows answered.

"I understand, my lord."

---

Gatomon had dozed off again, still lightheaded, but wasn't too keen on waking up this time.

What if it had been a dream? The first pleasant dream she'd had since this ordeal started, but a dream none the less. For all she knew, Gatomon could still be sitting in that cell.

But then she felt two arms holding her close, keeping her safe, protecting her from harm. It was no dream, he was really back. She opened her eyes and looked up at Wizardmon, giving him a slight smile. He looked down at her, and even though his mouth was covered, she knew he returned it.

"I see you're awake."

"Yeah," she answered sleepily, "where are we?"

"We're almost where your friends are hiding. The illusion's back up so everyone will think I'm just a Bakemon holding some books."

"Isn't that a bit suspicious? I mean, Bakemon don't read."

"You don't have to be intelligent to hold a book. If we're confronted, I'll just say somebody asked me to fetch them for them, but hopefully it won't come to that," Wizardmon replied, stopping. Gatomon shrugged and shifted her gaze to where they had paused. "I wish Tapirmon had shown me how to open the passage," he mumbled, staring at a brick wall. Picking out a brick that slightly stood out from the others, he tapped it and the whole wall swung around. Wizardmon dropped the illusion once more as it turned.

"You found her!" Kari cried out, giving both digimon a huge hug.

"Watch it Kari! I'm still sore!" Gatomon protested. Wizardmon set her down and everyone gasped at all her injuries. "It's nothing," Gatomon assured them.

"Nothing? Gatomon, you're covered in bruises ad bloody bandages!"

"Forget it Kari, she always denies her injuries," Wizardmon answered.

"Hey, where's Tapirmon? Didn't he come back with you guys?" Cody asked. As if on cue, the wall swung around and Tapirmon rushed in, frantic.

"We need to get out now!" he yelled, arms waving about in a mad flurry.

"What are you blabbering about?" Hawkmon asked.

"Myotismon suspects that you digidestined are in the castle, I never told him about Wizardmon, but you all are in danger! He sent me to find you and report back to him when I did, so I have to get you guys out," he explained, brushing past them. "This way, hurry." Gatomon stumbled a bit and Kari picked up her hurt partner, despite the feline's quiet protests that she was fine.

The twelve followed down the corridor, but then they reached the steps, which lead right up to the forest, and back under his radar.

"Now what? If we go back up, he'll know our location." Armadillomon asked, staring up at the steps, but tapirmon provided a quick answer as he pulled down one of the torches. The stairs lifted and flattened themselves along the ceiling.

"Quickly," Tapirmon order, ushering the kids and digimon past him into the new tunnel.

"Ah, so here you are."

Tapirmon spun around, his face drained of all color. "Ph-Phantomon?"

"It seems the master was right to suspect you of treachery. Looks like he'll have two traitors to dispose of," the scythe toting specter commented, not quite noticing Wizardmon.

"I though I destroyed him," Patamon muttered, confused.

"Tapirmon!" T.K. called out. The boar-like digimon turned to the digidestined.

"Don't worry, you kids and your partners are next on the list," Phantomon told them.

"Get out of here!" Tapirmon yelled at the kids.

"But he'll kill you," Kari replied, worry in her voice. He stared at her, surprised that she even cared about her safety. After all, he worked for the very digimon who wanted to kill her years ago and her partner just recently. "Don't worry about me! Just get out. My life isn't important, but yours' are!" he yelled, launching himself at the upside-down torch, turning it upwards again. Instantly, the stairs began to descend again, separating the digidestined from tapirmon and Phantomon.

"Tapirmon!" Kari cried out again as the gap between then was nearly filled.

"Goodbye, Digidestined," he said before they were completely cut off.