"Where are they?" Destiny growled as she paced around the table. "They should've been back by now!" She wasn't really angry as much as she was concerned. Nicky and Rico were strong, granted, but they couldn't do everything on their own. What if something bad happened to them? Then again what if they were just playing games and deciding not to come back to the zoo? What if they lost track of time? But what would cause them to do that? Unless… No they weren't that irresponsible. She looked up at the clock. Eleven thirty. Where were they?

"They'll come home De," Kiki said calmly as she cleaned her glasses. She knew Destiny was worried. Nicky did have a habit of being fashionably late anyway. The two were probably on their way back now. Hopefully. She placed her glasses back on her head. "They always do."

"Rico has a nasty habit of being late," Skipper added. He was sitting at the table watching the clock. But not this late. He thought. He was starting to get worried. Rico was never this late. An hour, hour and a half maybe but not this late. He was staring to think that something happened. He had a feeling too. A feeling that something went wrong.

"Yeah and Nicky isn't always on time either," Cassy said.

"Put the two together and you get the perfect mix of tardiness," Kowalski stated. He wasn't very worried. Nicky and Rico were completely capable of taking care of themselves.

Destiny continued pacing. "I have a feeling they're not late," She explained. "Yes I know Nicky isn't exactly known for being on time, but she's never been this late." Destiny knew that Nicky never came home this late. When she was given a time she usually obeyed it. No she wasn't ever on time but she was never so far off. Something had to have happened to her. Something bad.

"You think something happened to them?" Cassy asked. She was becoming very worried. What Destiny said wasn't good. Nicky and Rico were in trouble if Destiny was right. But the only question was… Was Destiny right? Or was she over reacting?

~~~~~The lair of Jinkz~~~~~

Nicky woke up in a daze. After her eye sight cleared she looked around. She could only see that she was in a cage, the rest of the room was pitch black. She couldn't see anything else. She sat back and thought. Who was that kid? And why was he after them? Did he set up the cave? How did he know she had a curiosity for hidden caves anyway? No one knew that. Only Destiny and the girls knew that. How did this kid find out? Who was he? She couldn't figure out who the kid could've gone or why he was after them.

She switched her mind to the girls. Where they looking for her yet. She didn't know what time it was but she knew that she was really late getting back by now. Destiny was definitely not happy. She was probably worried though. Destiny is only angered for the first hour of her being late, and then it changes to worry. Nicky had to give Destiny credit, for all the shit that she's been through in her life, heart is never something she lacked. Understanding was something she always needed. Well until a few months ago that is. And that was all thanks to the guys. They were probably worried about Rico.

Rico. Nicky looked around her frantically. Where's Rico? She couldn't see anything outside of her cage. Her mind flashed back to the kid. What did he do with Rico? Where was Rico? Her heart started racing. What could've happened to him? Did they kill him? Or torture him? Was he still ok in a cage just like she was?

She grabbed the bars of the cage. "Rico!" She cried out into the darkness. She listened for a reply to come. Tears came to her eyes. Where was he? Was he still ok?

"Don't vorry your little head off," a voice rang out behind her.

Nicky would know that German voice anywhere. She spun around. "Jinkz," she snarled. "What did you do with Rico?"

"Like I said before, don't vorry about him," Jinkz replied calmly. The weasel trotted out of the darkness and encircled the cage of his prisoner. "He is very comfortable in a little cage of his own."

Nicky watched Jinkz closely. The weasel's fur was jagged and missing hairs here and there. He had an eye patch over one of his eyes and out of each end going diagonally down his face the three uneven scars of a cat or something of the sort. A piece from one of his ears was bitten off. The claws on his feet clicked against the floor.

He steeped his two front paws up on the cage. "Your friends don't care much for you," He taunted. "Zey haven't even gone looking for you and zat little friend of your Yah." He jumped of and walked on his two back paws around the cage.

"No," Nicky replied. They were looking for her. They had to be. She had to have been gone long enough now right? "No, you're lying," she said forcefully.

"Oh you poor fool. If zat is what you chooze to zink," he sighed. He started to walk away. "Very vell zen. Zere are otere vays to make you talk." He walked off into the darkness.

"Zere are otere ways to make you talk," Nicky mimicked. She slumped against the side of the cage. "This isn't good. De where are you?" she said to herself. They were in a lot of trouble. Whoever that kid was he worked for Jinkz. And Jinkz wasn't someone she could face on her own. The little freak was two smart. De was always able to handle him. But she knows him. And she's better at… everything. After all, that's why she's the teacher. And right now Nicky needed her. If she didn't get here soon something bad was going to happen. Worse than being locked in a cage.

~~~~~Back at the Zoo~~~~~

"Ok," Kiki said calmly trying to get her thoughts together. "Suppose they are in trouble, and suppose they were trapped somewhere. Where would they be?" She asked.

"Well they can't be in the cave," Skipper explained. "Rico has the walkie-talkies and we have one here, he would've contacted us by now."

"And Blowhole doesn't have them he would've announced it already," Private added.

"Wahntoo would've rubbed in our faces as so as he got them," Cassy pointed out.

"What about Hanz?" Private asked Skipper.

"Nah, Hanz only goes after me. He would've left Nicky," Skipper replied.

"And Nicky would've been back by now," Kiki added.

"What about Kile?" Cassy asked. "Kile could have them."

"Yeah but Kile is more personal than that. He would've taken the strongest link out. And he leaves bread crumbs," Destiny explained.

"True," Kiki agreed. "Kile always leaves bread crumbs."

Destiny shot up straight. That only left one other person. Kiki and Cassy figured out the same thing. They all shared startled looks. "Jinkz," they said in unison.

"Jinkz?" Private asked confused. "Who's Jinkz?"

"Jinkz is Jinkz!" Kiki exclaimed.

"Kiki, Jinkz is Jinkz really doesn't explain anything," Kowalski said calmly.

"Jinkz, you know, weasel, German accent, eye patch over his left eye!" Kiki put her flipper over her left eye. "Jinkz!" She was close to freaking out. Jinkz was the smartest of their enemies. He was smarterthan she was. If he had Nick who knows what he's doing to her.

"If Jinkz has her then... then…" Cassy stuttered nfearfully. Jinkz could be doing things to her right now! She was shaking with fear.

"Jinkz doesn't leave any sign does he?" Skipper asked.

"No he doesn't," Destiny replied. She was the only one who was able to remain calm when talking or dealing with Jinkz.

"Do you know where he is?" Kowalski asked. He wanted to find Rico and Nicky and by the fear radiating from Cassy and Kiki, the sooner the better.

"No," Destiny sighed. "Not exactly. He relocated the last time we destroyed his lair. All we know is that he's somewhere in Japan."

"Japan?" Private asked. Why Japan?

"Yes he's somewhere in Japan," Destiny replied. She took a deep breath. They had to get to Nicky before Jinkz did anything to her. If Nicky was harmed when they got to her then Jinkz would pay.

"Then it looks like we're taking a trip to Asia," Skipper stated calmly.