Author's Note: Alright! Whatever was wrong is fixed now. So, here's chapter 13! (Sorry it's so short.)
They emerged a few minutes later on the beach, almost completely dry from their ocean experience.
"Quick, hide in the jungle," Jack said. "They'll be on high alert looking for us."
"Do we have a plan?" Elsa asked as they ducked into the trees.
"Jack's right," Frozone said. "They'll be on high alert. If we can get them to panic and look one way, know of a secret passage to get in. I suggest sending Jack in, since not everyone will be able to see him, if anyone, to set off the fire alarm. Sound good?"
"You got it," Jack said. "Where do I meet you when I'm through?"
"I don't know the layout too well. If you can't find us, then fly out and back up the tunnel."
"What tunnel?"
Frozone sighed and tried to be patient. "If you'll follow me, I'll show you."
"Or, he can just enter through the tunnel anyway, set off the…whatever it is, and then backtrack to meet us," Elsa pointed out.
"That too." Frozone took out his cell phone and looked through his email. "Ha! Got it. Ok, I feel much better about this plan, now."
"Why, what's that?" Elsa asked.
"Bob just texted me a map of the island and layout of the building! It includes fire alarms and exits."
"What if the tunnel is a fire exit?" Jack asked. "We don't want to run into fleeing people."
"No, it's not an exit. It would be too hard to get out that way." He swatted away a bee irritably. "Hurry, I want to get out of this sun."
They reached the tunnel a few minutes later, and carefully crept through it. For a good 500 feet it was ordinary cave rock, then it fused into cement. Frozone and Elsa's feet echoed through the chamber loudly.
"Will they be able to hear us?" Elsa whispered.
"Unless they're either building another rocket, or they've turned the room into something else, I don't think they should."
"A rocket? Cool!" Jack said excitedly.
"What's a rocket?" Elsa asked as she lay a carpet of snow to muffle their footsteps.
"It's like a plane, but it's bigger, faster, and it flies higher," he explained.
Frozone took out his scanner and scanned the area ahead. "So far there's no giant machinery, or people where we're headed. Both of which mean good news."
Finally, they reached a large grate in the ceiling above them. Frozone and Elsa stayed in the shadows while Jack tried to fly through the metal. It took him a couple of tries, but he got it eventually.
"Catch ya later!" he whispered.
"Be careful!" Frozone hissed. "If people know who Pitch is, then they might be able to see you!"
Jack gave them a thumbs up and a wink before disappearing. Frozone groaned and sank back against the wall.
"We need Peri back," Elsa whispered.
"Agreed," he said.
He tried to take out his scanner to scan again, only to realize he'd dropped it. Silently cursing, he quickly ran back down the tunnel to find it before Jack returned.
"Wait," Elsa called quietly.
Frozone turned and put a finger to his lips. "I have to find it. Go without me if you need to."
Then he turned and kept running. It hadn't fallen very far away, but it had fallen on Elsa's snow, which had muffled the snow. As he bent down to pick it up, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. There was a hidden door against the cement, another secret exit. Experimentally, he pushed on it, and it swung open with ease. Another cave tunnel ran deeper into the island, and upon scanning it, Frozone found hundreds of life signs.
"The kids," he said.
At that moment, the fire alarm went off, sounding through the whole building. Turning, Frozone raced to catch up with Jack and Elsa, but when he returned to the large cavern, they had already gone up. For a second, he stood there, contemplating what course to take.
On one hand, he could catch up with Jack and Elsa and continue with the original plan. On the other, the tunnel could lead him straight to the kids and provide him with vital information. He could go get his two teammates and bring them to the tunnels, but that could waste time and they might learn more split apart.
He never really knew what made up his mind, only that he abruptly turned and started running back to the new tunnel. This one didn't run as far, and it was all natural, save the metal door at the end. This, too, opened with no complications.
Syndrome's got to work on his security, he thought as he ventured into the dark room.
At first glance, hundreds, even thousands of children were being suspended in the air against the walls of the room. Then, once Frozone's eyes adjusted to the dim light, he could see that each individual was held in a blue, transparent box that seemed to be made out of energy. Inside the box, metal chains secured them to the wall. There was absolute silence in the room, although most of the children were clearly crying and screaming.
Quickly, Frozone ran around, looking for Jamie, Sophie, or Margo. As he did, he discovered the that the blue boxes blocked out vision as well as sound. He could see in, but they couldn't see out. Each one thought he or she was completely alone in the dark world, with no hope of rescue.
As he didn't see any children he knew, Frozone ran into the next room. This one was fashioned in the same way, only smaller. And in these boxes there were adults. These boxes seemed to let them see outside, for they all turned and looked at him, shouting for help. Again, no noise. Then, much to his alarm, he spotted Jamie being interrogated by Syndrome at the far end of the room.
"You were their friend," Syndrome was saying. "They must have told you where their base was."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Jamie yelled defiantly. "Or who you're talking about!'
"I am talking about the so called "Just-ice League," which consists of your friend Jack, my enemy Frozone, Elsa, and Peri. Now tell me where they are!"
Frozone had seen enough. In a rage, he ran out and charged, aiming his ice at Syndrome. With a sigh, Syndrome turned and caught Frozone in suspended animation.
"Really? That's sooo predictable! I'm a little disappointed in you. You fell right into my trap." He smirked.
No, he thought. Jack and Elsa! I left them alone…they don't even know where I am.
"I knew you would come to save me!" Jamie said, grinning.
And a fine job we did of that.
"Oh yeah, this is going really well," Syndrome said sarcastically. "Hmm, what shall the great and mighty Syndrome do now? Ooh! I know!"
He flung Frozone against the wall, where the ray broke and released the ice. Now that it was free, the ice shot towards Jamie, and there was nothing Frozone could do to stop it. Jamie cried out in pain as he collapsed to the ground
"Don't you dare!" Frozone yelled as he charged again.
This time, Syndrome watched him running towards him in amusement, and didn't even lift a finger. Before Frozone took more than two steps, he was enveloped in black nightmare sand.
"So predictable…" came Pitch's voice as Frozone drifted to sleep.
When he came around, he found himself in the same situation as the rest of the adults: chained to the wall and contained in a blue box. Syndrome and Pitch stood over him mockingly, their lips moving in silent insults. Frozone tried to look around for the other adults, but he couldn't see them.
Must be some kind of magic, he thought blearily. Wait…where's Jamie?
Jamie was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, he remembered the ice hitting him, and the boy collapsing.
"Jamie!" he yelled, though he knew it was no use. God, I hope that kid is must be what Elsa feels like 24/7, he realized. Jack is going to kill me… "I gotta get out of here."
He looked down at his shackled hands and tried to use his ice to break them. But something in the energy field prevented it. Angry, he looked back at the two villains standing above him triumphantly.
"Alright, Syndrome! You asked for it!"
Planting his feet against the wall, he leaned towards the barrier, straining against the chains. Frozone may not have possessed Mr. Incredible's power, but he was still extremely strong. Syndrome and Pitch's expressions went from amusement to shock as the chains broke apart from the wall. Then, mustering all the energy in his body, Frozone threw himself against the barrier. A sharp, electric pulse flowed through his body, but he pressed on until he was nearly unconscious. Finally, Pitch snapped, and the barrier broke completely. The world immediately brightened, and he could see the other adults. But by this time, all of Lucius' energy was drained, and he was unable to fight.
"This one is stronger than he looks," Pitch remarked. "Perhaps you should take him to a containment chamber."
"No," Frozone whispered weakly as he was dragged away.