Chaud Blaze kicked out with his foot and knocked a door open. Running inside he found himself in another hallway.

"What is with all this damn hallways!" Chaud cried as he ran down the hall toward another door.

Protoman sighed from his PET. "Master Chaud…it might be better if we find out where Lan and Dr. Hikari are before we going running about…"

Chaud sighed. "Fine, you try and send him a message. I'm gonna try and get away from these idiots with guns." Just as Chaud said that another bullet was fired. The guards had found him!

Protoman sent out a short message to Megaman, with the hopes that it would arrive quickly.

"Megaman…

Where are you and Lan? Master Chaud is….lost…

Hurry."

Lan slammed his fist down on the door.

"DAMN! They locked us out!" Lan yelled as his fist came down on the door again.

Megaman sighed from his PET. "Lan…"

Maylu and Lucia both turned and walked to the edge of the balcony and looked over the floor of the factory. The factory was the southernmost area of the entire complex. Only two halls connected it to the rest of the complex.

"Lan…we can still get to them…we just need to take the hall we came here in." Maylu said.

"I know…it's just….we were so close…" Lan said moving away from the door.

Zack smiled. "Don't worry. They won't kill you dad, it seems that they need him alive."

Lan smiled slightly, Zack was right. So far they hadn't harmed the doctor, which meant they must be needing him. Maybe there was some hope still!

The group ran to the elevator, took it down to the factory floor, and ran through the south door. Just as the group had moved through the door Lan's PET lit up.

"Lan! We got a message from Chaud!"

Lan screeched to a halt. "Open it!"

Megaman opened the message and read it to Lan.

"Megaman…can you find out where they are by the message?"

Megaman frowned. "I think I can trace it… why?"

"…I've got a bad feeling…"

Megaman spent a few moments in silence scanning for Protoman's signal. Lan was getting more and more nervous as the time passed by. There was still at least 24 hours of time left before the laser would fire, but the more time he waited the closer that time came.

"….Right! Got it! He's in the Research Building D#, it's just up this hall!" Megaman said.

"Right, let's go! We have to help Chaud!"

The team burst through a door, into another hallway. They ran forward yet again, trying to find a way into the hall Chaud was in. All the halls looked alike, and Lan nearly cried out in disgust as he opened the door at the end of the hall to find himself in another hallway!

Again the team ran through another hall, and another, and another. Seconds…minutes…hours… Time continued to pass as the group tried to find the end of the halls.

"How many halls are in this place!" Lan yelled when they came to the end of another hall.

Lucia and Mei smiled, and at the same time spoke: "A lot!"

Maylu giggled and ran forward to another door, just as she was about to open it she screamed.

The sound of a gunshot rang out!

Lan and Zack ran forward toward Maylu and Lucia and Mei, grapping them and pushing them to the floor. They stay on the floor until a short gun battle died away. The team they burst through the door and was horrified by what they saw.

Tyrell was standing at the center of the room, a gun in his hand. A group of guards lie on the floor, blood pooling from their bodies. Chaud was on his knees behind Tyrell, panting and holding his right arm.

Lan, Zack, and Maylu burst forward, running to Chaud's side. Mei and Lucia ran over to Tyrell.

"Chaud…are you alright?" Maylu asked.

"Yeah…fine…the guards got my arm, but it's not too bad…" Chaud said with a groan as the group helped him to his feet.

Lan smiled.

"What happened?"

Chaud sighed. "The guards locked me in a cell. I broke out by the air vent and made my way to the Security Room to get my PET. Kane and the guards were waiting for me, and they've been chasing me since then."

"You're lucky you're still alive." Megaman said.

Chaud smiled. "Yeah…"

Then the group turned to Tyrell. "He saved me…" Chaud said.

Mei tugged on Tyrell's sleeve with a smile. "Big brother? Are you ok?" she asked in a quiet voice.

Tyrell's face was contorted in disgust, fear, and hate. The gun was still pointed toward the dead guards. Lucia took Tyrell's arm and eased it down to his side, she then pressed on his hand so he would release the gun.

"…….Mei…..I-I'm fine…" Tyrell said, his face returning to its normal look as he turned to the girl, and away from the guards.

Mei hugged to her brother. Tyrell smiled and held to her. Lucia and Maylu sighed happily, it was kinda sweet seeing the family get together again. Maylu could only imagine how scared Mei must have been, knowing how evil Abbadon was, and still wanting to work against him.

Chaud stepped toward Tyrell, Tyrell broke his hug and smiled at Chaud.

"So…why did you help me?"

"Because…I've followed Abbadon for years…but…he's not been acting himself lately. All he cares about is the stupid Crystals, and firing that dumb laser. He actually showed no remorse when Kane wanted the guards to shoot you! Your just a kid! I can't let myself work with someone like him…someone who would kill mere children…I mean, I have to help look after Mei!"

Mei smiled and held onto her brother. Tyrell smiled and looked down at her.

Lan stepped forward. "So…does that mean you'll help us?"

Tyrell nodded.

"Count me in! Dark Aero WAS a good company, but…I can't allow them to kill millions of people."

So the team had grown.

Megaman, Crain, Roll, Suki, Demonman, Desira, and Protoman. Seven navis…

Lan, Zack, Maylu, Lucia, Tyrell, Mei, Chaud. Seven operators.

Ruby, Sapphire, Topaz, Amethyst, Diamond, Emerald, and Obsidian. Seven Crystals.

Seven heroes…seven Crystals…

The final battle was ahead.

Iblis…Kane…Abbadon…Ambika…Mallory…they await.

The end of the world would come soon; a mere 24 hours remained…