Mukuro: I'm evil. I know. You're probably wondering why I'm writing right now. I am currently at the LA airport, and due to plane delay I have decided to upload a story before I head for Sacramento. So, on with the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own digimon, and that goes for the action figures, videogames, cards, and everything else.

Digimon: Dawn of the Shadow

Chapter 19: Those Left Behind Part 1

It was pouring rain. Yet, during all this, a lone man walked up to a house and rang the doorbell as the rain fell on his head.

"Ah, you're the man who called to tell us the whereabouts of our Li, aren't you?" Mrs. Zhao said, opening the door to Jarrod.

"Yes, Mrs. Zhao. I would also like to speak to your husband. Is he at home?" Jarrod asked, setting down his coat.

"Yes, he is. Dear, can you come down for a second? The man with whereabouts of our little Li is here!" Mrs. Zhao shouted up the staircase.

"I'll be right down!" A voice shouted.

"Mr. Kimmomiya, would you like a cup of tea?" Mrs. Zhao asked.

"No, thank you." He said, sitting down on one of the chairs in the living room.

"So, Mr. Kimmomiya, what do you have on the whereabouts of our Li?" Mr. Zhao asked, walking down the stairs.

"So, that's the situation, Mr. Zhao, Mrs. Zhao. Your son has been taken to the digital world." Jarrod said, grimly.

"I see… so it seems that our son has had his share of bad luck." Mrs. Zhao said, looking down, starting to cry.

"Dear… he's 12 years old. And he's got Kai and Riyo with him. He'll be fine."

"Maybe… but he's not the strongest boy around…" Mrs. Zhao said, rubbing her eyes.

"But according to my information network, he's very intelligent." Jarrod said.

"True, but intelligence won't help him right now…" Mr. Zhao said.

"Either way, we're currently working on a way to draw them out of there, but we'll need your full cooperation." Jarrod said.

"How long will it take?" Mr. Zhao asked.

"Two or three weeks, I'd presume."

"Is there any danger to Li or his friends?!" Mrs. Zhao almost shouted.

"Ma'am, there's always danger. But this has a 95% success rate."

After pausing for what seemed like an eternity, Mr. Zhao finally spoke up.

"Fine then. You have our full cooperation."

"Thank you, sir."

After leaving the Zhao's, Jarrod headed for the Kyoya residence. But before he got there, his phone rang.

"Hello, this is Jarrod Kimmomiya. Please, make this quick. I've got urgent business to attend to."

"Hello, Jarrod." A cold voice said.

"That voice-! You're-!"

"That's right, Jarrod. You thought I was gone, didn't you? That I was finally out of your hair?" The voice said.

"What do you want with me?!" Jarrod shouted.

"I came to tell you that what you're doing is pointless. Just like before. Only last time, it wasn't your fault. You didn't like the digimon project, so you quit. But, your wife stayed on it, and when the incident 9 years ago occurred, you realized what had happened. When your wife died, your genius mind couldn't stand stagnation. It needed a challenge. So once more, you decided to play god. And so, more children have been involved then last time."

"Shut up you-"

"I can help you, Jarrod. I can provide you with names and addresses of the parents of the kids who live in the digital world. All you need to do is open me one last time, Jarrod, and you'll be able to atone for your sins. But can you risk it?"

"What?!"

"I have to take my leave now, Jarrod. The voice recording is almost out… but remember… I'm always watching… always watching… always… watching…" And the phone went dead.

"Hello, Mr. Kyoya?" Jarrod asked, arriving at the Kyoya household.

"Yes, that's me." The large man said, smiling a wide grin.

"I'm here on behalf of your son."

"What about him? Did something happen to him while he was missing?" Mr. Kyoya asked.

"Well, you could say that."

"I see, so my son is in some artificial world, huh?"

"Yes, sir."

"Ha! That's the funniest thing I've heard in a long, long time!" He said, bursting out into laughter.

"Mr. Kyoya, I'm not laughing."

"No, you're not, are you…"

"Mr. Kyoya, I also need to speak with your wife. Is she home?"

"No, sorry. She got lost. It happens all the time. I'm just glad my son has a good sense of direction, or I'd die."

"Mr. Kyoya, I need your approval in order to attempt to bring your son back in a few weeks." Jarrod said.

"Bring him back?! If you do that' I'd be eternally grateful!" Mr. Kyoya said.

"It's alright. I just need yours and your wife's approval."

"Well, we both want the same thing. Bring him back."

"Yes, sir." Jarrod said, leaving.

"One more house on the list…" Jarrod muttered, walking towards the two story building ahead of him.

"Hello?" The woman asked, looking out the door.

"Hello, Mrs. Takenori?"

"Yes."

"I need to speak to you about your son."

"What about him?" She asked, rubbing her eye a little.

"It's about where he went."

"You don't have to tell me, Mr. Kimmomiya. I know all about it.

"You do?" He asked, looking shocked.

"Yes… It's the same as what happened 9 years ago, right?" Mrs. Takenori said, looking up.

"But how did you-"

"My husband… had realized what was going on. He was one of the people who worked on the digimon project. For the safety of our child we had Riyo's memories wiped, but not mine. And then… that day… it swallowed him."

"By 'it' you mean the digital world?"

"Yes. He was dragged into that world 9 years ago. I tried to keep Riyo away from it… but he's just like his father… and now… he's been sucked in to…" She said, starting to cry.

"I see…" And he really could. He had experienced the same thing this woman had, and now due to his stupidity he had hurt her even more.

He left without a word. He knew he had her approval.

"As much as I hate to say it…" He muttered, walking into the building that was the remains of Hypnos.

"…We need his help."

He walked into the control room.

"Listen. It goes against my better judgement to say this, but…" He said, walking up next to his partner.

"Open up file 'Yamaki'"

Mukuro: So, what does all this mean? With plot twists left dangling in a cliffhanger like fashion, we complete the first half of the story about the families. And, as most of you have probably realized, this is a sequel of sorts to digimon season three.