Screaming. Crying. The smoke. That acrid smoke. It was all over—even in his lungs. Inhaling sharply, Len opened his eyes and saw the wheel in his face. "Guys?" he called, afraid to move. No response. He tried to move his toes and felt the inside of his shoes. So he could walk, at least. Sitting back slowly, he tried to move his arms and then turned his neck slowly to look for the others but was shocked to see nothing. There was no back compartment. It had been torn off entirely. Instead, he was looking up at the sky. That meant that the driver's compartment was facing the ground. Looking at the broken glass all around his face, he noted that whatever had done this had really hit the car hard.

Touching his forehead, Len felt warm sticky liquid. He lifted his fingertips away and saw the blood. It almost made him feel woozy. He was always fine when he was training in the junior paramedics, but this was something different. It was his blood. "What… what's going on?" Looking down at his leg, he noticed a large shard of glass sticking out and then a wave of pain flew up from his leg, making him almost delirious. Screaming in agony, he breathed through gritted teeth as he reached for the passenger's compartment.

Len flicked it open and pulled the driver's manual out, dropping it onto the tarmac below, and grabbed the small first aid kit underneath. It was pure luck he had put it in there after Zalyea had dropped it all over the place, but he was glad he did. Shakily, Len took out a bandage and undid it slightly. Holding the bandage in his teeth, he pulled his sleeves down and gripped onto the shard of glass. Len breathed in and out rapidly, terrified. Better now than never. He bit his teeth hard together and clamped his eyes shut and then tugged. Blood gushed from the wound and he began to feel a little dizzy but managed to wrap the bandage around his leg quickly enough to stem the flow of red liquid.

Leaning his head back in mild relief, he tightened the bandage with a grimace and placed the rest of it back into the kit. It wasn't a permanent solution but it would hold until they got to a hospital. Len peered back over his shoulder and then slowly climbed around the seat, undoing his seatbelt as he went. He reached back and grabbed the first aid kit—it would probably be useful—and then clambered on top of the back of his seat. Looking around for anyone, anything, he could see nothing but smoke. That dark grey smog clouded his vision in every direction, threatening to suffocate him if he gave it half a chance. He was going to have to get lower.

Carefully, Len leapt from the compartment and onto the fire-covered road. His lungs were burning but he could hear screaming everywhere and he knew it was more important to go and find his friends.

"Tyler?" Len coughed and gazed around. He spotted Alex on the ground and ran over, limping slightly, to feel his pulse. "Zalyea? Corinne?" he yelled, looking around. Through all the stress, he couldn't feel a radial pulse and immediately placed his head onto Alex's chest.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

A heartbeat. He breathed a sigh of relief and looked around. Alex was obviously knocked out and it was unknown if there was any trauma that wasn't so visible. "Alex, wake up!" he slapped the injured brunet gently with the back of his hand but he didn't respond. "Dammit." Len looked around for help and then spotted something strange. It was a large black object amongst the smoke. A rock? That would explain the damage if it was that big but how had it appeared so suddenly? A landslide? Unlikely.

"I was sent here to deliver a warning." The voice was powerful and ominous, sending shivers down his spine.

Len looked around rapidly, trying to find out where the voice had come from.

Len abruptly realised the source. It was that black thing. "I apologise for the boisterous nature of my arrival." The sound resonated in Len's chest, like a deep bass from powerful speakers.

"What are you?" Len yelled, dropping the first aid box and withdrawing his Digivice as the being advanced through the smoke. The Digivice flashed up.

[C]Dobermon, Champion level, Vaccine/Virus, Nightmare Soldiers, Nature Spirits

Its Grey Noise attack will drown out your chances of escaping with your life.

"Dobermon aren't usually that big…" Len looked around again for his friends and then back at the Dobermon as it became visible. "What are you?"

"I was sent here to deliver a warning. The path you are on is a perilous one."

That C meant this was a reprieve Digimon but who around here could it be connected to? "Who by?" Len almost forgot for a second that this evil Digimon caused his crash. "Wait, why did you do that to us?"

"The Digital World is facing an old enemy reborn. A cursed beast that takes any that face it to the grave with it. The firewall is failing." What was it on about? A wall of fire falling from the sky? Maybe a Birdramon? Dobermon stopped in front of Len, towering over him and looking down. It was a little terrifying to say the least but he did everything he could to stop himself from wavering in his pursuit for answers. The adrenaline pounding through his blood just about helped him to keep moving forwards.

Then Len noticed something strange. Up on its back was a figure. Was that a human? Wait, was it the one who had reprieved him? How hadn't they woken up? "What's that up there?"

"It is my partner. We are assimilated."

"Assimilated?" What on earth was it on about? "Is that even possible?"

"My partner fell into a coma from which they will never awake. But when we are one, we can feel each other. The link is not perfect, but it will suffice. Whilst we—and their reprieved Digimon I absorbed—are together, I gained special abilities, including my different size."

"Different is an understatement…" Len muttered. "So, you did all this just to warn us?" Len felt himself becoming a little bit angry. "That's not okay! These are my friends!"

"You are on a path from which you must not continue on, my speaking to you was crucial in preventing baseless loss of life. However, Gennai insisted that I relayed this message to you forthwith: You must not intervene in the problems of the Digital World." Dobermon lifted its head, looking around and then back at Len. "I will repair the damage which I have done. I just ask that you heed my warning and leave only the destined one to engage the beast."

"Destined… Like Digidestined?" Len asked.

Dobermon fell silent and lowered its head towards Len. Was it going to eat him? Cocking its head to the side, Dobermon said, "I suppose so."

As they had been told frequently, that was them. "We, me and my friends, are all Digidestined."

Turning away and beginning to walk back through the flames, it spoke loudly, "Then may it have mercy on you whenst you fall. I will alert Gennai of this but my advice still stands: only certain death awaits ahead."

"Wait! What about my friends?" Len yelled. "You can't just leave us!" There was no way he could live with being behind the wheel when this happened to them.

"I have no intention of leaving you anywhere." The smoke was pushed away abruptly by an invisible force, forming a thick ring around the area. A blue sparkling mist swirled outwards from Dobermon's body. Slowly, the mist put out the flames from the destroyed vehicle, and the injured bodies of everyone were revealed and then when it passed over each of them, they began to stir. This was almost a work of magic. As it touched him, Len felt the pain from his leg fade away. Len had never seen a Digimon do anything even remotely like this. Was this the maximum power of a Reprieved Digimon? The Valiant War must have been terrifying.

Len turned back to Alex and saw his eyelids flutter. He was glad that his stubborn friend was okay. "Can I ask a favour?" Len yelled.

"If you are destined to die, it would be foolish not to grant you a favour. A dead man is a dangerous man." Dobermon turned its head back. "What will it be?"
Len thought about it. Was this just a crazy thing to ask?

"I do not have time to waste. The thirteen are awakening."

It was worth a shot. Dobermon had already performed miracles. "Can you take us somewhere? You destroyed our only method of transportation."

Dobermon shook its head, making a low spine shaking sound—akin to laughter—rattling the metal collar against its spiny body, and then smirked. "Close your eyes and when you open them. You'll be there. Your friends too." Dobermon flickered and then disappeared.

Nodding, Len resolved to do as he was told and closed his eyes. Wind blew past his face and his stomach felt like it was tied in knots and then when he opened them, he was in a strange bright place. It looked like it was much later in the evening, instead of the afternoon, and there was lush green grass everywhere. He felt completely disorientated after the previous scenery.

And then Alex fell on top of him while a loud scream pierced the air. Len threw up and the sick splashed back onto his face.

Alex laughed. "Now we can tell funny stories about you instead!"

"Who are you? I'm calling the police!" A woman wearing a pink shirt with rolled up sleeves waved a trowel about and stamped in the grass in her muddy brown wellington boots. Where on earth were they? It wasn't even the same time of day or weather.

"We're here with Taran Adené!" Len protested, hoping that Dobermon had taken them to the right place. This certainly wasn't the drop off place he was expecting in the neighbouring town of Wellingborough. His head was throbbing. It felt like he had been on a rollercoaster.

The woman shook her head, pointing the trowel at them. "That's impossible. No one named Taran lives here."

"That'll be all, Celia." It was a male voice, one with proper enunciation and clear vowels. A man in a black suit walked across the grass with his arms clasped behind his back. There wasn't a single speck of dirt on him and his brown hair was neatly combed into a side parting.

He stopped in front of them, his unblemished face looking down at them with slight disdain. "You're covered in..." Turning up his nose, he scowled. "Bodily fluids." He looked around. "Where is my son? And, why, exactly, did you elect not to use the transportation I so graciously provided for you people at my own expense?"
Footsteps. Len got up to see Tyler and the others walking from elsewhere in the garden towards them.

"Your son is present, Mr Adene." Tyler placed a hand on Taran's back, pushing him forwards a little before holding out a hand to Len.

Alex rolled off and got to his feet. "Got anything to eat?"

"Thank you," Len said as Tyler helped him up, careful to avoid opening his mouth too wide. The bitter taste hanging in his mouth was revolting and the smell wasn't much better.

The man rolled his eyes at Alex's request and then glanced at Taran before looking back at Alex. "There will be food provided." The red pocket square added a splash of colour to his outfit but something was off about this man.

Corinne politely asked, "May we rest briefly inside, please?"

"I'll be in my quarters. Assure that my son is presented promptly. I have no time for trivialities." And with that, he left quickly back to the huge mansion up ahead. Why did he seem so short when he had come to them with this request and they had now fulfilled it? Was he just rude or was there something more?

"This doesn't look like Taran's home," Aleena said while repeatedly clenching and unclenching her fist. "My hand's better, now, I guess."

"I'm scared," Taran muttered, he gripped onto Aleena's hand, squeezing it hard.
"You're home now, it's okay," Rori chirped, bouncing off towards the house. "I hope they have dragon fruit."

"Wait up, cutie!" Alex yelled, running off after her. Had Alex already forgotten his spat with Tyler and wanting to go the Digital World?

"What happened?" Tyler stood in front of Len and folded his arms.
Len looked into Tyler's blue eyes as the quickly darkening sun shone into them, lighting up the various shades of blue in his iris. It was best to tell them when they were all sat down. "I'll explain inside."

"Yo, you're a mess," Zalyea said, laughing with Gaimon.

"Cleaning yourself up wouldn't be a bad idea, Len," Corinne said, smiling. "Let's head inside."

~.~.~

The last thing Aleena could remember was Cory and now she was somewhere entirely else. While the others had been briefly helpful in filling in the blanks, she still felt really uneasy. It was like she was missing something important. Dismissing it, she began to walk after the others, along the white bricked path.

"Aleena?"

Aleena turned and looked back at Taran's bright brown eyes. "What?"

Taran whispered, his head low and his brown eyes sullen, "I don't want to be here." Taran looked around, tears forming in his eyes. "This isn't my home. I want to go home now, please."

Tyler called, from the doors, "Is everything okay?" He began to walk towards them.

Taran grabbed her hand. "Don't tell him," he pleaded.

Aleena watched him. That fear in his eyes was so very real and vulnerable. Winking, she looked back at Tyler. "It's okay, he just has a stomach ache."

"Perhaps he consumed too much earlier," Tyler said, stopping next to them. "Shall we?"

They followed the others, being led by a stoic red-haired man in a butler's suit, into one of the ground floor rooms. A long mahogany table adorned with two large candles and a long white strip of fabric down the middle sat central in the small room while ornaments surrounded them on every side. The butler walked over to the window at the bottom end of the table and drew the blinds as the sun began to set. The iron chandelier—electric powered, of course—quickly replaced the light lost, filling the room with a warm yellow glow. The butler nodded, bowing slightly and then left, closing the doors behind him and leaving them all alone.

"I'm going to ask if I can clean myself up, somewhere," Len said, leaving quickly. He could be heard calling after the butler politely in the reverberant grand entrance hall and then everyone was stood in silence.

Alex was looking at Tyler, fury in his eyes and his eyebrow furrowed while, unbeknownst to him, Corinne looked at him with a softer, more caring expression.

"So, should we eat?" Rori said, walking over slowly and sitting down.

Aleena knew it. Something had happened while she had been out of action. Sitting down at the bottom of the table, she allowed Taran and Talmon to sit either side of her. Slowly, Tyler sat down at the head of the table and then Alex and Corinne sat either side of him. Zalyea slumped down across from Rori, next to Taran, and picked up a sandwich. She gagged and placed it down, plucking its contents apart. "Yo, why do they put this green stuff in here?"
"Lettuce." Rori took the vegetable and ate it, grinning happily.

"You actually like those?" Zalyea shook her head. "They taste like toe jam." She curled up her lips as she watched Rori eat. "Blergh!"

All of them were truly ordinary children. She had no part in all of this and, if she left now, then perhaps she could just go and live in the Digital World with Tal. It would also mean she didn't have to find a way to take Taran home, this was the easiest solution. Standing up, she prepared to leave.

"Ty, after this we need to help them." Alex's words intrigued her as he looked at Tyler, having not touched any food. He was acting strange indeed.

Aleena sat back down, looking at Talmon, who smiled back.

"Are you alright?" He wrapped an ear around her.

"Yeah, you don't need to touch me too much," Aleena hissed, relaxing when the ear slipped away from her. Right now, she just wanted to be alone but her current situation wouldn't allow this.

"Alex, we don't even know if that was really who it is you're stipulating it is." Tyler rubbed his head. Tiredly, he asked, "Can we please just have a break first?"

Len walked in, rubbing his dark wet hair with a white towel, monogrammed with golden letters. "You're still on about that Alex?" He walked over and took the remaining seat at the table.

"Of course I am!" Alex snapped, thumping the table with both hands.

Len sighed. "That same Gennai guy who is supposed to help us sent a message warning us not to get involved." He rubbed his ears fervently, trying to get the water out of one and then the other.

"Wait… what?" Alex asked, his fists slowly unclenching as he turned to look at Len. They snapped back tight. "Prove it!"

Len hung the soggy towel over the chair he was sat on. "That crash we were involved in. A huge Dobermon caused it. He basically told me that some crazy beast that kills everyone it meets is going to be released and that we should stay away."

"Yo, I don't wanna die." Zalyea flicked another piece of lettuce out of a sandwich and screwed up her face in disgust. "Although if I find anymore nasty stuff, I may die anyway."

"I don't believe you." Alex's brown eyes were darker than normal and his eyebrows were narrowed. "You're lying." The second word carried so much venom that Aleena was almost impressed.

Len looked at Alex, his face gentle and unreadable as always. That was the strangest part about him. Aleena could not work him out, even with all of her training in that area. "Alex, when have I ever lied to you?" Len's voice was soft and approachable and he smiled all the while.
Alex opened his mouth and then paused, slumping back into his chair silently and folding his arms. Chuntering under his breath, Alex didn't look up.

"Alex?" Len continued to look at him, his tone kind and patient. "Or even been cruel to you?"

Alex looked away, scowling, and grumbled, "Never."

"So, why would I start now?" Len stood up, walking over to him, kneeling down and facing him. When Alex tried to look away, Len grabbed his hands, looking still at his face. "Look at me, Alex."

Alex turned to face him but continued to look down at the wooden, self-cleaning floor, which had already sucked up the cucumbers Zalyea had dropped onto it a second ago. "I don't wanna."

A little more aggressively, Len asked, "Well?"

Alex grumbled under his breath and pulled his arms free. "Whatever."

Len sighed and got up, walking back to his seat. "They have this amazing machine that washed and dried my clothes in like a minute. It was insane!" And back to the banalities of life. For a brief moment, she had been interested in this crazy beast.

And then Alex's Digivice began to beep incessantly, flashing.

Aleena felt her vision swap to that of a blood-spattered body and then her hands were bloody, dripping with the gooey warm liquid as she looked them over. Then it was gone and she felt her heart racing. The beeping pounded into her head like a drill, threatening to drag her further into the pit of insanity these flashbacks were taking her to. "Is anyone going to get that?" she snapped.

Tyler grabbed the Digivice, looking at it.

Facial Recognition.

A blue light erupted from the screen, going slowly across Tyler's facial features and then it projected a grid onto his face.

Loading… Tyler Remmie. Activate Video Link.

A brighter pale blue light projected on Tyler's face, blinding him. Tyler squinted, placing it flat on the table and blinking rapidly to presumably rid his eyes of the spots that light had caused. A figure stood in the blue cone of light. A hologram. "Corinne, get the lights."

Corinne nodded at Tyler's request, getting up and flicking off the lights. As she walked past Alex, and saw him still scowling, she shot him a stern look. She was like a mother hen to these children.

"Hogwash and Pimpernels. I reached you!" The little blue Gimi laughed and rocked back and forth on his heels.

"Gimi? I presume there is something wrong." Tyler leaned closer, his eyes trained on the little blue figure.

"Leomon." Gimi nodded as he saw their faces at the mention. Aleena had no idea what was happening but she realised that a Leomon had arrived after she passed out. Gimi hung his head. Had he killed one of their Digimon?

"Yo, out with it!" Zalyea snapped.

"He was smash-diddly-ashed by RODAF, and he has been taken." Gimi produced a tissue, wiping his eyes and then tossed it into the air out of sight of the hologram.

Aleena knew what this meant. He was being experimented on. So when Alphamon had said her people had been infecting his… that meant RODAF was undergoing a secret war with the Digital World. She felt so stupid for not realising sooner.

"They're doing experiments on Digimon!" Rori exclaimed in shock. "Does that mean?" She looked to Aleena and then Gimi. Rori shook her head and looked down. "I can't believe I helped them." Tears formed in her eyes; she was ever quick to be emotional about everything but the question remained: how did she know about this too?
"Subterfuge. I can only theorise their intent but I presume it's malicious," Tyler announced.

"Maybe it's to do with that beast!" Alex exclaimed.

Everyone looked at him. "Well, it could be!" Alex said, his eyes wide and a grin on his face. "So, I was right!" He thumped his chest. "Yet again!"

"Yo, you still banging on about that?" Zalyea rolled her eyes. "Get over it."

Alex growled, leaping across the table at Zalyea and sending food and drinks skirting outwards. In an instant, he had snapped. "I hate you!" he yelled.

Everyone leapt up, avoiding the mess as the floor scurried to clean it up via powerful focussed suction.

Corinne stood in front of Zalyea, holding her arms out as Alex got ready to jump off the table at her. "Alex, stop this." The floor fell silent again and Alex scowled back at her, both of them not willing to look away.

Zalyea stuck out her tongue, winking.

"She started it!" Alex shouted angrily, gritting his teeth. His face was red with anger.

Now, this was interesting. So Alex was that easily emotionally manipulated. Aleena smirked. If he ever became a problem, he would be easy to deal with.

"Confusion is like the tides of the ocean, it comes in waves." Gimi laughed. "And I just got hit by a Tsunami."

Alex slowly clambered off the table, brushing himself down. "Whatever! I don't care anyway!"

"Well, the thing is…" Tyler began slowly.

Alex blurted loudly, "Yolei and Aquilamon said we have to stop an evil beast from attacking. They said to ask Gennai for help and we want to help!"

Taran gripped onto her arm. He was afraid of so much that leaving him at all seemed unfeasible for his survival. Still, he was no harm if she didn't leave him. Maybe she could just take him with her to the Digital World.

Gimi said nothing for the longest time. "Flowers and reeds are the seeds of yesterday."

"Don't speak in riddles. We need answers, Gimi," Corinne said sternly. "Do you know anything about this?" She had gripped onto the edge of the table and was leaning in towards Gimi.
"To say no would be a lie." Gimi twirled around on the spot.

"So, you do," Tyler interjected. He had been observing quietly from a distance. He stepped forwards. "Perhaps you should enlighten us all."

Gimi sighed. "Six hundred years ago—"

"Yo, we don't need no history lesson!" Zalyea yelled. "We need answers!" She rolled her eyes.

"You definitely do," Alex said, locking eyes with her and scowling.

Zalyea stuck her tongue out. "Not more than you though!"

Gimi continued, "There were twelve Digidestined. And before them came just five. Those five dealt with a calamity, ensuring future safety."

"What's a calarmitee?" Taran asked, looking up at Aleena.

Tyler looked quickly at them before returning his focussed gaze to Gimi. "An event capable of causing significant damage." He narrowed his eyes. "A calamity of a magnitude significant enough ot threaten the safety of not one, but both worlds… Prodigious."

Taran gulped and gripped Aleena's arm tighter.
"Wait, there were more than the twelve traitors?" Corinne asked. "That wasn't in the books." She slumped down into her seat tiredly. "I don't understand, Gimi. Are you telling us that everything is a lie?"
Gimi chuckled. "History is written by the victors."
"That's like what you said, Ty," Len said, laughing.

Tyler didn't respond, instead he didn't take his eyes off Gimi.

Gimi looked around at them all. "Of the twelve Digidestined only one was to be there."
"To be where?" Tyler asked, scribbling all of this down on a napkin.

"The Digital World."

"So one of them is alive…" Len's face screwed up and then he looked at Alex. "Is it Yolei, perhaps?"

"Sadly, that one did not make it. And now fire will rain down."

"Didn't make it?" Tyler scrunched up his face. He was clearly in deep thought. He gripped his hair, staring at the napkin.

"Fire better not rain soon. I've got tickets to a basketball game in February." Zalyea tutted. "Don't be making prophecies like they real. I couldn't buy tickets if it was Armageddon."

Gimi's hologram shuddered. "Gennai is not all that he seems. Nod, I, and the others who help those with Digimon are transient beings."

"None of this links together! Just answer properly!" Tyler yelled. His napkin was covered in scribbles, lines and incomprehensible language. He waved it at Gimi. "Just fill in the dots!"

"Further information can be requested after Leomon has been saved." Gimi nodded and fell silent again.

So that was his agenda all along. Reel them in with curious information and then try to get them to bite and attack RODAF. Flashes of Ben and Nyx invaded her brain and when she was able to see again, she felt dizzy. This was becoming impossible. "So, we go get him?" She looked at the others.

"Aleena, are you sure you want to go back there?" Talmon asked, he reached out with his paw tentatively.

Aleena pushed the paw away. "I'll do what I want." If this would make all those visions go away and help people too, then refusing was against everything she stood for.

"There's no way we can do that," Len said, shaking his head. "We're just kids, we can't just break into a government agency." He sat back down, putting his head into his hands. "Maybe we should just hand in our Digivices and—"

"I wanna know more. So I'm up for it. Plus, cutie is going," Alex said, winking at Aleena.

Corinne sighed exasperatedly and looked up at Gimi. "We're just horny kids. We're in too deep."

"Is he okay?" Taran asked, still gripping Aleena's arm like a leech.

"Digimon are revolting. Unease against humans is at an all-time high. It's very wibbly wobbly," Gimi replied softly, "Leomon may not expire later."

"So, you're saying that he'll be killed soon," Len muttered, looking down at the ground. Slowly, he looked up at Tyler. "Way to make us feel crappy."

"Ty, yo? What you think?" Zalyea looked down at her Digivice. "Me and Gaimon are ready if you need us to be." She gripped the Digivice tightly and nodded.

"Gimi, I appreciate the faith you possess for us. However, I don't think it's feasible." Ty shook his head. "We're going to leave Taran with his family and return home." He slipped the napkin into his pocket and stepped back, leaning against the wall.

"A hop, skip and a jump through the Digital World will spit you out at RODAF." Gimi slipped his arms into the long baggy sleeves of his karategi. "Shall we play hopscotch?"

"Gimi, we need to leave Taran and all of this behind, I'm afraid," Tyler said tiredly, shaking his head. "I think we've all had enough of playing hero."

"Aleena, it's too dangerous to go back," Talmon hissed as Tyler argued with Gimi.

Aleena looked back at him. "Tal, just do as you're told and come with me."

Talmon seemed taken aback but snapped, "I won't let you go and kill yourself."

"Try and stop me." Aleena glared at him. While she felt a tiny bit bad for treating him like this, usually he was there for her no matter what. What was with him?

"Aleena, please," Talmon begged, his mouth open and trembling.

"You'll die?" Taran asked, his lip trembling. "I don't want that to happen, missus Aleena."

"Now look what you've done," she hissed at Talmon. Glancing down at Taran, she saw he was now teary eyed. Did this kid ever stop crying? "I'll go take him," she said, grabbing his hand and leading him out of the room.

They were just a few steps away before Taran blurted out, "I don't want to go! This isn't fair! You can't make me!" He stamped his feet.

She knelt down and saw the sadness in his face. His lip was trembling and his eyes were sunken at the sides. "Taran."

"I want to stay with you." His eyebrows wriggled and the tears began to roll down his soft cherubic cheeks. He gripped onto her and tried to embrace her in a hug but she resisted.

She didn't care for tears. They were a sign of weakness. However, he had gotten used to Conan. If he had stuck around her, she would have knocked this habit out of him by now the same way it was knocked out of her. Sadly, it wasn't much use to start now. "Taran, this next bit might be too dangerous. You'll be safer here." Taking him into a warzone would just be cruel and complicate things. This was easier.

"I won't get hurt, I have you." Taran grabbed her sleeve tightly, his little brown orbs quivering as he looked at her.

Aleena smiled. For some bizarre reason, he had faith in her. She lifted his hand, albeit with some resistance, from her sleeve. "Taran, I'm not your mum. I can't promise I'll be there to jump in front of the bullet every time. Your parents can, and will."

Taran vehemently shook his head. As he bit the middle of his bottom lip, either side retracted back, and he began to whimper. "Don't leave me here." Looking around and then back at her, he pleaded, "Please." His lip fell forwards and he began to sob, throwing his arms out to the side.

He just wasn't getting it. "Taran, look—"

"Ally, please don't go! I need you!"

Aleena froze. The name was a bad reminder of the past; seeing a flash of Bertha, she found it hard to focus.

She looked at Taran, ignoring the blood that she could see on the fringes of her vision. "You're strong, Taran. Remember what Conan gave to you?"

Taran slowly withdrew the little white button and nodded, sniffling. "Yeah."

Aleena grabbed her PDA and flicked a catch on the back to eject the button embedded in it. "I have one too." She rubbed her thumb over it and then held it out to Taran. "If you need me, then press this and I'll get a little beep on my wrist, see." Pressing the button, she showed him her wrist as a little red dot began to flash underneath the skin. "Press it again if you're actually okay." She pressed the button again and the light vanished. "I'll be back soon." Standing up, she ruffled his hair. "You'll be fine, I promise. Just be brave."

She walked back in but stopped at the door as she heard them arguing.

"Why should we risk our lives?" Tyler exclaimed angrily, throwing his arms into the air. "Stop being so recalcitrant!"

"Because it's to do something good!" Alex yelled back, flinging a plate across the room.

Rori touched her hand gingerly.

Aleena flinched. Curtly, she said, "Yes?"

"Is he alright?" Rori asked, her eyes flicking to the door and then back to Aleena. "And are you alright?"
Aleena nodded and walked over to Talmon. "You still stopping me from doing anything?" she grumbled.

Talmon glanced at her with indifference. "The only thing I want to stop you doing is dying." He was definitely pouting about how mean she had been to him.

"I've had enough. Send us," Corinne demanded, looking at Tyler. "Now."

"Wait, no!" Tyler exclaimed.

Gimi grinned. "Bippity, boppity boo!" His hologram flashed off.

Alex snatched his Digivice as they all began to blare brightly.

Corinne looked at Tyler. "I'm sorry, Ty."

A flurry of blue and yellow rushed past Aleena's eyes and her whole body felt like it had been through a meat grinder and then wind touched her neck. She snapped her eyes open and saw where they were. Home Base. Cracking her neck, she realised that the choice had been made for them. Now she was going to make them pay. Turning to Talmon, who was holding her bag in his ears, she said, "Hand me my gun."

What did Dobermon mean? So, is Gen'nai friend or foe? How does Gimi know Gen'nai and why is he being so cryptic? More battles next chapter? Maybe...

I don't own Digimon.