Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. Characters; Asuka (Qinlongfei), Zoe (Thisistherealdeal), Jay (sonofthetrigod), Hannah (RazenX), Lexy, Benji and Tilly (KumoFuzei), Amelia (Somethingdictionaryrelated), John (tobiisagoodboy94), Kara (FallenAngel01) and Rocky (me)

A/N – Well I had this chapter brewing when I wrote the previous chapter

A/N 2 – Check out the thread for the Tangled Web on the Digital Connections forum! You're still able to submit characters to me for the world tour, just drop me a PM or post it on the "Calling all budding fanfictioners" topic in the same forum

Let's hear those reviews!

Story recap: In the last chapter, Kara took charge of the situation and found that Benji had helped Lyra escape from the DEPT headquarters. With the help of Jay, who had escaped from Pandemicamon's grip, they planned on infiltrating DEPT using a maze of tunnels that ran underneath the building. The only problem was, that General Collins had Lexy and Douglas as his prisoners and was well aware that the group of Digidestined teens would try and rescue them. It got a little bit worse when Kara was taken by some DEPT soldiers, and even more so when she discover the true meaning of DEPT, the Digimon Extinction Programme Team...

Chapter 36 – Alexis Jackson

I sat in a small room, unaware of what was going on, but feeling the dire situation drag me down into the depths of despair.

It felt like nothing was going right for us. Iontramon was infected by a digital virus which was heart breaking not to be able to hold him and tell him it would be alright.

I hugged my knees tightly, crouched down in the corner. My blonde straggly hair hung down past my shoulders and draped itself over my arms.

Stuck inside the DEPT headquarters, I worried what Douglas must be thinking and what General Collins had in store for us because he was planning something.

A high pitched giggle caught my attention and I stood up to try and look out of the window.

"Calumon?" I gasped, seeing the White Digimon skipping up the corridor and climbing up into an air vent. "Come back!"

At least that answered the question about where that particular Digimon had disappeared to since we returned home from the Digital World.

I glanced over the door, looking for a way I could break the lock on the door. There was no chance of that happening. With no furniture in the room, it was up to fate to let me out.

Then I heard Kara calling out. "You can't do this! We need the Digimon- it's a mutual relationship. Our world needs theirs!" Her voice cracked with an overwhelming sense of passion and urgency.

The door opened as DEPT soldiers carried her past. Two more soldiers strode into the room in silence - their faces partially shielded by the thick black helmet they were wearing. It reminded me of John's Digimon called Commandramon.

I jerked away quickly. "Don't touch me, I can walk by myself."

Holding my head up high, I walked out of the holding room and down the corridor behind Kara and the other soldiers.

We were taken into a big laboratory, identical to the room where the splicing machine was that took Hope's Digimon away and nearly separated me and Iontramon.

Rocky was there, on his knees with two large soldiers either side of him. When he saw me, he went to move, by they grabbed him and forced him down.

"I'm okay, Rocky..." I said quietly. "Douglas!"

My brother was right there, lying unconscious on an operating table. Scientists and lab technicians darted back and forth between him and their computers. They were doing some sort of experiment on him.

General Collins greeted me with an exaggerated gesture. "So glad we could have a proper gathering- I believe that there is a lot that needs to be discussed." He paced slowly to where Kara and I were. "You see... you don't know this, but you are on the losing team. Oh don't look so upset and shocked. Let me see... One of your Digimon has been infected by a digital virus- which is most unfortunate for you, Alexis. Not to mention Miss Noah's Angemon is still petrified in the graveyard. Then there is Tillith and Benjamin moving to the other side of the work to the good old down under! Pretty soon Rocky and Kara will be useless once in adulthood... just like Johnathan..."

Kara wrestled against one of the DEPT soldiers, "you're lying!"

"Oh I only wish I was Kara. I guess the fire in your actions is because of that looming birthday of yours?" He paused, nodding to the scientists. "You see, Pandemicamon wants something from me and I want something in return."

"Just let my brother go, he's done nothing wrong!" I cried out loudly. "You know he doesn't have the D-Gene."

"That doesn't matter, because between the samples we have for you and Rocky, it'll be easy to manipulate Douglas' DNA to get us to the Digital World. He's going to be our guinea pig."

"What about the three agents?" I snapped before biting my tongue sharply in regret.

"Well seeing as your dear cousin didn't return my property to me in time, I've had to make alternative arrangements. Restrain them!"

A thick set of hands grabbed my arms, stopping me from moving. I screamed out for Rocky to do something but we were all restrained and it was hopeless.

Until we heard a familiar voice.

"Terriermon digivolve to Gargomon!"

The vent above us broke apart and a large warrior rabbit dropped from the ceiling with a giant thud.

Benji was holding onto the side of his partner's head. "No one move," he stammered. It was obvious that he had never been in a situation of power quite like this.

"Oh little Benjamin got his partner back. How sweet but you're too late to help..." General Collins sighed before chuckling to himself.

Gargomon squinted at the general and his soldiers. He readied his arms to fire at them, almost like he was obediently waiting for Benji's order.

Benji's head darted from left to right as he tried to work out what to do.

General Collins was far more receptive, calling out, "Weapons on the Digimon now."

The rippling sound of the DEPT weapons locking onto Gargomon, ready to fire made both me and Kara jump.

"C'mon Benji..." I whispered, pleading the youngster to do something. The best thing he could do would be destroy the computers and monitors that were at the other side of the lab in the hope that that would free Douglas.

"Do it," Benji mumbled, whispering in Gargomon's ear.

"Gargo Pellets!" Gargomon shouted, shaking as he fired a barrage of small rounds around the laboratory.

The scientists ran as their computers and equipment were blown up and caught on fire from the attack. Even the soldiers were a little uncertain about approaching the Digimon in its current state.

Rocky was first to react and threw his weight back into one of the soldiers, pushing the other one away.

I went immediately limp on purpose, catching the guard's off guard and allowing me to crawl away.

In the rush of the attack, I scurried away towards the metal table where Douglas was. There was a small controller like device near him that I grabbed, figuring that it must be important somehow.

I jumped up onto the table, standing by Douglas' feet and holding up the controller. "This ends now!"

General Collins lurched towards the table. "Give me that back. Alexis, you don't understand what that is."

"I will return it on the basis that my conditions are met."

Collins still tried to edge closer as if I hadn't noticed. "Well then- looks like you better name you price, Alexis. Gargomon here looks tired, he can't hold that form for too long now."

My eyes met a panicked Benji and I nodded slowly to comfort him. "Okay- one. I want you to release us all immediately. Me, Rocky, Kara and Benji-"

"And Lyra too," Benji piped up.

"Yes fine. Her too. Demand number two, I want you to bring Douglas out of whatever trance he is currently in. Then, I want you to fix Iontramon like you promised you would and then you can go on to release Angemon from the petrified stone. Lastly, I want you to destroy all of the information you have on the children with the D-Gene by cutting the ties with the hospitals. Oh and then you could-"

General Collins clapped his hands sarcastically. "Oh come on Lexy... there's demands, and then there's obscenities. Did you really think you would get away with all of those?"

My confidence was crumbling underneath me as the intimidation was getting to me. "Well let's negotiate." I clamped my hands around the device, raising it up above my head as if I was going to break it on the floor.

"Don't do that!" bellowed Collins before growling through his teeth. "You're right though, we should negotiate... I'll go first, but I'll make it harder for you now. Give me your three demands. Only three. No more. It's your decision to make Alexis. No conferring with your friends. Oh- and if you want to take Benji's new friend, that'll be a separate demand."

Benji was taken aback by the obvious manipulation. "That's not fair, you can't do that."

"Just be grateful that I'm not doing a demand per person." General Collins made an amused sound. "I tell you what, that is exactly what we are going to do. I'll let you go for free because you got guts kids. One demand counts for the release of one other individual."

I went over the demands in my head.

To let us go. That would force me to choose between my cousin, his girlfriend, my friend and this Lyra girl who was clearly important for Benji and the others to risk their necks for.

The next demand to consider was about releasing Douglas. Douglas was my brother and looking down at his pale, lifeless body, I felt my heart get pulled in opposite directions.

I couldn't think about Douglas' condition any more and moved onto the next demand I had made. Healing Iontramon. My Digimon partner's life hanging in the balance was gut wrenchingly painful to think about. On the one hand, I couldn't wait to have my little blue otter back so that I could hold him close, but on he other, I had no idea whether DEPT even had the ability to save him.

As for saving Hannah's Angemon, I thought about how down she was about her Digimon's current condition at the hands of Pandemicamon. By fixing him, it would bring her so much joy and happiness.

It brought me to the last of my demands. Deleting the D-Gene data

save Iontramon, save Angemon, delete the D-Gene data. That could save so many children's lives. We had no idea what DEPT were capable of and what they would do if they found all the children. They had been able to find me and the Digidestined nearby, but when did it stop?

General Collins was showing his impatience at the situation. "Come on. We need an answer."

Rocky fought against the soldiers that had him pinned to the ground. "Forget about me Lexy. You have to get-" He screamed out in agony as the soldiers put more weight and pressure onto his shoulder blade.

"Stop it!" Kara screeched. "Lalamon, do something..." but Lalamon wasn't there. None of our Digimon were.

I had completely overlooked Lalamon and Candlemon - I didn't even know where they were.

"You need to fix Douglas and bring him out of this coma," I snapped angrily.

"Finally. A decision. Okay, we'll bring Douglas out of his current condition." Collins gestured to one of the scientists to intervene.

The scientist sheepishly went over to the table I was stood on, fiddling with the tubes and wires that's were poking out of my brother.

"I want you to- I want you to release Lyra. Let her go. And then, you need to fix Iontramon."

Collins chuckled to himself. "Your wish is my command. We'll get your brother out of this state, let you and little Lyra go and try to fix Iontramon. That's it, your demands will be met. Now hand over the device."

Rocky raised his head. "Don't give it to him Lexy- he can't win."

"Oh dear Rocky. I already have." Collins started to laugh. "Now hand over the device, I will not ask you again."

Parenting was so not his strong point.

My hands trembled. "Not until me, Douglas, Lyra and Iontramon are safely outside of the DEPT walls."

"Oh how naive... who said anything about letting you leave this building?"

The scientist swept his hands at my legs, causing me to fall to the ground with a loud thump. My left side ached as I tried to roll onto my feet. Looking up, I noticed Collins was advancing on me.

That's when a loud bang and I saw Douglas was now sat up right, but when he heard me gasp, his head snapped round to me. It looked like he had stepped out of an exorcism film from the angle his head was turned at. His eyes- they were like an empty black abyss.

"Douglas?" I said slowly. "What did you do to him?"

Collins smiled in a lip sided manner, "I brought him out of this condition. As promised."

"That's not fair!" I squealed.

Benji cried out. "Terriermon!" He grabbed the heavily panting Digimon and held him close as the soldiers started to advance on him.

"Lexy!" Rocky shouted as he was being hauled off out the room with Kara. "Benji, open one now!"

Benji's eyes widened and he pressed the four buttons on his Digivice simultaneously before slamming down the centre panel. "Lexy- come on!"

He disappeared through the portal and out of nowhere, a girl in a pristine white outfit jumped down from the hole in the ventilation above and rolled through the portal. Without giving Collins enough time to react, I scrambled towards the portal with the device still in my hands.

Something short circuited in the portal and I was thrown back across the laboratory, shattering the glass of a tiny incubator that I hadn't even noticed. The device lay crushed beside me.

"Iontramon!" I squealed, fishing his limp body out of the chamber and cradling him close. "We're going to come back!" I charged away from a possessed Douglas and Collins, tearing through the portal.

On the other side of the portal, I landed into a large body of water. Gripping Iontramon tightly, pressing him to my body, I fished myself out of the water on a helpfully placed wooden jetty.

"Benji!" I screamed, hearing my voice crack before I flopped down onto the wood panels. "I don't feel so good..." My insides were somersaulting and I couldn't control the spinning sensation. "Ben-jeee."

"Lexy!"

"Is she okay?" a timid girl's voice asked. "Benji?"

"I don't know Lyra..." Benji patted my shoulders to get a response but I was just so weak.

Even lifting my eyelids felt like I was a part of some heavy weight championship. I saw Benji kneeling beside me and the girl I assumed was Lyra. She was wearing the white outfit and grey boots.

"Lexy?" Benji said in a worried tone. "You don't look so good."

"Iontramon..." I panted with laboured breath. "Find help. Quick."

"We'll go and get help- stay right here, okay?"

My hand flopped up to give a split second of a thumbs up.

-o-

I can't remember what happened next apart from that I fell asleep. It gave me a little bit of time to recover and think about what went wrong. Then the realisation hit me. I had picked up and infected Iontramon without even thinking. Before, when we first discovered his illness, we would put him in bags and jumpers to reduce the risk of transferring it. But back in the laboratory, I hadn't even thought about it.

When I eventually came to, I was lying on the sand. I could feel a soft trembling of the sand on my hand.

"Terriermon - will you vouch for these humans?" I could hear a feminine voice ask Benji's partner. "And Briarmon?"

"If Lyra wants to help, I'll vouch for them too."

Something happened, I felt a wave of energy pulse it's way through my body, giving me such a boost. My eyes opened wide and I found myself face to face with a woman - no, it was a Digimon. A Digimon that had a band of white cloth over her eyes and long curly creamy blonde hair.

"Lexy- you're okay!" Benji exclaimed, throwing his arms around me. "We were really scared when you came through the portal and we thought that you might have brought Rocky, Kara or Jay, but no one came through the gate, and then we found Venusmon. This is Venusmon, she's a mega level Digimon who's been hiding from Pandemicamon. It was pure luck that we found her and then when we told her what happened, she said-"

"Woah- calm down Benji. I'm proud of you and can't thank you enough for your sacrifice and quick thinking..."

I could hear a low grunting noise next to me. To my left, I could see Iontramon stretching his body in Venusmon's hands.

"Iontramon..."

Venusmon smiled, holding out the blue Digimon to me. "He'll be more than okay now."

I hugged Iontramon close and started to sniff.

"Lexy, don't cry, I'm okay now..." Iontramon said, raising a small claw to my face.

"Oh Iontramon!" I pressed him closely to me, squeezing gently. "I was scared that you would stay like that forever but I waited."

"Thank you for not giving up on me. But what about the others back at the DEPT headquarters?"

I inhaled slowly, breathing out low. "I don't know, I made the decision that I thought was for the best. I'm so sorry I didn't choose you to leave Benji."

Benji shrugged before admitting in a defeated tone. "But it worked out okay in the end, didn't it?"

"I still feel bad about it," I replied. "How are the others going to forgive me? I mean, I basically chose some girl I'd never met over my own cousin. And then there's Hannah, I could have had the chance to bring Angemon back, but I didn't." I stood up quickly. "Where do Venusmon go?"

A little pale yellow harp seal bounced over to me. "Venusmon has to go back into hiding before Pandemicamon cottoned onto her location."

"Spies!" a hoarse voice spat from behind up.

"What the heck is that?" I stammered, before ushering the younger pair behind me. "Get back guys..."

The Digimon in front of us has six spidery legs that expanded out from a red and silver pod. The legs looked as though they were wires packed tightly together and seemed to create strange sand ripples as it scuttled along the surface.

"I shall tell Pandemicamon of you spies!"

"Iontramon, are you ready to digivolve?"

"Ready Lexy." He leapt from my arms and into the air. "Iontramon digivolve to, IceAngemon!"

I felt so much joy and power at the sight of my champion level Digimon. "Go IceAngemon!" I punched the air.

"Angel Ice!" My partner swung his staff around his body as if he were a samurai warrior, but the strike missed the Digimon.

"It's an Infermon..." Benji murmured, holding up his wrist to show me and Lyra his Digivice screen.

"Infermon. Well he's no match for IceAngemon.

Lyra pressed a button of the Digivice. "I wouldn't be so sure- that's an ultimate level Digimon. IceAngemon is a champion at best."

"Spider Shooter!" The mouth of Infermon opened up and small shells shot out of a gun muzzle.

Ice Angemon flew in front of us and rotated his staff to dispel some of the attack. "Get back Lexy!"

Benji looked at Terriermon. "You should digivolve too Terriermon."

The little rabbit Digimon nodded bravely, still seeming weak from his first champion level digivolution not hours before. "Terriermon digivolve to, Gargomon!"

The ice angel and rabbit warrior threw themselves at Infermon, attacks crashing into one another.

I squeezed my fists and then took a deep breath. To my side, Benji was grabbing clumps of his brown hair in frustration, calling out to Gargomon. "It's alright Benji, we just have to wait a little while long - Infermon will get tired."

"Hand of Emotion!" IceAngemon lunges forwards with a blue glowing fist.

I closed my eyes and waited, listening to the fight.

"Woah..." Benji and Lyra gasped making me open my eyes.

A tower of light blue light was shining down onto IceAngemon. A light that I had seen when Rocky's Wizardmon digivolved to the ultimate form of Mistymon.

"IceAngemon, you're about to digivolve!" I exclaimed.

The three of us watched as IceAngemon lost his human shape and morphed into what looked like a seahorse. A seahorse with wings. Bronzed armour plated wings.

"IceAngemon digivolve to Marinehorsemon!"

Thoughts from AspiringWriterGirl = so glad I found some inspiration for my stories again- even if it has probably been another year since the last upload! (Oh well, sorry about that!) don't forget to review :)