It's been a while!

School, writer's block, no time, homework...

Thanks for sticking with me.

Last time was a bit boring but I thought it was kind of neccessary to include Nora's reaction.

Let's pick things back up in...\

All's Fair:

Before the Storm

Nora's POV

The whole day just went by in a kind of silence. Not much talking could be done with the hazmat guard in the room. There was plenty to do, but I was still getting sick and coming out of it was slow. It seemed that my stomach was my only ailment though. Finnwich occupied his time at his desk and organ; I completely gave up asking him about his work with the new guard watching both of us. I knew Cassandra was doing this on purpose. Like always she wanted to intimidate us and prevent any activity against her. After all, two considerably dangerous enemies were in the same room and they had a legitimate reason for working together because of her.

Truth was, I sort of felt like I was taking a break. The Beast, the constant Dream-Walking; my body was being pushed so hard it practically told me itself that I needed a rest. I didn't even try to meditate. I found that occasionally my hand would go down to my waist, like it was looking for my long staff. I really wanted to do some training. It felt like my body was slowing down. But any kind of exercise might set the robot on alarm and give us more trouble, so I just sat around when I could. Thinking about all I've done, all the people I've met, and all the new things I've discovered about even myself.

Finnwich keeps talking like there's going to be one final confrontation. Last time I felt backed into a corner the Beast came out. I'm still recovering from that, so using it again is a no-go. I still don't fully know what happened; Finnwich is a bit harder to pump for information than Dad. I don't think he'll even remember everything until just before it happens. I also have other things to think about besides that. The Serpent was acting… odd. Is he pulling another act? Is he going to do something even worse to Lee and his family? But he didn't do anything to that one guy. Is this another game for him? At this rate, I'll never be too sure of anything to do with that guy…

All that time I was casually walking around trying not to give anything away to the guard, trying not to get in the way of Finnwich, and… taking care of my illness. The time was relatively peaceful and last for almost a whole day. Maybe I had a few moments where I felt that something was wrong. Can I trust my instincts right now? It's hard to trust my gut when my gut is working against me. So I made rest my first priority.

What I took as a break was really the calm before the storm.

I woke up the next morning in the reclining chair. It felt like forever since I had a dreamless sleep. Kind of nice.

"Good morning!" Finnwich greeted me when he noticed I was up. Does he sleep?

"Morning!" If it weren't for the clock there would be no indication it was morning at all. The hazmat was gone to get breakfast, so the two of us were alone. "So, how's it coming?"

"How is what?" Finnwich asked.

Guess I should be clearer. "What you're working on. Think you've almost got what you're trying for?"

"Oh, I am so close I can almost taste it!" said Finnwich running his eyes across the ripped out page. "It's dreadfully smudged, but the song is nearing completion."

"Finnwich," I figured now was as good a time to ask him. "What's this song going to do?"

He looked up at me. "Oh, yes. I can tell you are quite curious. This page depicts the notes to replicate the Pyramid's sleeping spell. I just need to find the last notes and I will be able to do the phenomenon myself!"

"Who are going to try to put to sleep?" Aside from me and him, the other two people in this room were already under the spell. "Cassandra? All of Coral Grove?" That would make escaping a cinch! We could just walk right out.

Finnwich chuckled as my excitement changed to confusion. "Ho ho! No, nothing quite that magnanimous. I will be using these notes to wake someone up."

I scratched my head. "But you just said the song puts people to sleep. As in: a 'forever' way." Did he get mixed up?

A confident grin formed underneath Finnwich's moustache. Not a superior-to-you kind a confidence, more like a you-will-be-impressed kind. "Indeed. But I will not use this song until it is time."

"Mind telling me when this time 'starts'?" He did that before, and it had caught everyone off-guard and we were completely unprepared for the results. "The last time it was 'time', no one knew what you were doing, Grandpa. You had us thinking you were the bad guy."

"Did I?" he asked, "Well…" Wait… I know that look. He's not telling me something. "I assure you that everything I have planned so far is to the greater good, my dear. In the end, it all will finally be set right."

I smiled and patted him on his shoulder. "I know that." I assured him. "And I hope you'll tell me what's really going to happen." I felt my stomach acting up again and went to the washroom.

I was all finished, but I still sat on the floor for a while. Finnwich might not want to tell me because of how sick I am. But I honestly feel that I'm getting better! Less and less my stomach acts up, and more and more I feel like I have more energy. I rub the space on my arm where the mark is so cleverly hidden. All my life… I've had a connection to a plot to destroy the world. How the Council plans to do that, I'm not sure. I just feel like I've been on vacation for too long.

Finnwich knows I'm not feeling well. He won't mind if I sit in here. It's true that I haven't been to any dreams lately. With my own energy restoring however, I feel that there's just enough left in me for another trip. I wonder if the reason I'm much more powerful than Sensei, is that I get a power boost from my mark. I can ask Finnwich about that, he's never specifically said what the mark can do. "Hmm. Something's not right…"

Something tells me that it's been quiet for too long. It's either intuition… or past experience. I don't know how long I can wait; just that if I go again it will be the last one for a while. I'll wait until after breakfast and then come back here for some Dream- walking meditation. Last time I left off, things were not looking good. I can only hope they've improved.

Reality Border…

"Or they could be a hundred times worse."

Lee was in the library, and so was a tall, blue, scarier hazmat holding the Book. Looks like I've come in pretty late. "They come in blue? Really? And fly?" I watched along with Lee as the hazmat entered the Genius clubroom and electronically opened the secret passage to the Tunnels. Lee tried to follow it in, but the door closed. Should I tell him I'm here?

Before I could decide the doors opened again. Lee gasped and ducked behind the corner of a nearby desk. "I could probably scream and wave my arms around and no one would know." I did, just for the heck of it. Nothing. Not surprised. Out from the secret passage came two more blue, super- hazmats. Lee peered out from the desk as they left.

"One goes down and two come up?" said Lee, "The fancy-bots must be having a party. That I'm about to crash!"

Fancy-bots? For real, Lee? Heh… Real-Lee. Too many jokes available, and not the right time.

Lee was able to get past the door before it slid shut this time. I flew through the wall after him. "Well, his spirits are still up. Lee can take a lot." Just yesterday his world seemed to be coming apart and here he is once again running right back into another situation. "Jeez, bro." Can I even call Lee that anymore? He has a sibling…a murderous, untrustworthy and unstable sibling. "I would have taken a sick day after all that reveal. Kudos to the boy who never quits!"

I followed Lee down into the Tunnel, a little uneasy about being down here after so long. I knew where Lee was going too. If there's any activity down here, the Pyramid is usually the main event. But it was destroyed. The Council is still up to something, if they have the Book what can they do without the Pyramid? Sure enough, we reached the room and Lee still had the severed arm to get in unnoticed. Inside were two of the Wurst clones arguing over the pile of rubble. There's one at this school that had the gall to come to my house and say it knew Mom. One of them is getting hurt for that.

I floated closer to the Wursts to hear what they were saying. They were trying to force some of the stones back together, but the rocks were repelling each other like same-side magnets. "Why. Won't. You. Stick?" one Wurst cried out in frustration, and then asked the other clone. "Are they sticking for you?"

The other Wurst's pieces repelled and he tossed them away, "No. But I must say it's getting highly and most confoundingly annoying!" I looked back over to where Lee was. I had told him that Wurst was one of many clones, but judging by the look on his face this was his first time seeing them.

"Will you two keep it down!?" Our attention turned to a third Wurst. And he was talking to… Barrage? I knew it! Barrage has been going along with them the whole time. Do I really want to come back and work here? "So you were saying?" Wurst #3 casually asked Barrage. Guess we know who's higher on the ladder here. Barrage is such a pawn!

"I was tryin' to say, that your phony-cloney-baloneys have gone all skippidey-dippedy!" What scares me is that I actually understood that. "And it's a bigger disgrace than Prowler goin' AWOL in the middle of battle!" Should I feel little touched that he remembers me? "Fix it! Cassandra's orders!" Sell out.

"Fine." Wurst #3 nodded in consent. "On one condition." He held up a brown bag of candy. "Will you for once try some candy?"

Barrage holds up his non-robot hand and declines it. "Negative."

Wurst #2 comes up behind his duplicate. "I don't get this guy. Who turns down free candy? It's delicious!" He took the bag. Wurst #1 came and stood beside his other selves.

"Eh, maybe he doesn't like candy. Ever thought of that? How about a fresh toothbrush?"

I roll my eyes. I guess over time the cloning process becomes a little inconsistent. Barrage sighed in frustration but took the toothbrush as he left. "Ya, real sweet, Benedict Barrage!" I called after him sarcastically. "You can place a prejudice on children, sell out to the old dragon lady and her minions; but at least you brush your teeth!" Some General. He's not even a good Principal.

I went back to Lee. He was trying to call Cam and Holger, but their answering machines only picked up. Guess Lee's gonna go solo on this one. I'll help if he needs me, until then I'll stay just to see what's going on. Just as I was thinking this, the Tazelwurm popped up right next to Lee. He greeted the creature like the loyal friend it has always been to him. "Het buddy! It's been a long time. I need to know something: Did you burn my Mom's file because you knew she was a clone?"

"What?!" Oh no. And I thought I was being lied to…

"I just need to know who's side you're on." In response the tazelwurm pointed with its tail to the opposite side of the room. I gasped when I saw the unconscious bodies of Cam and Holger being lifted by some kind of levitation ray by a blue hazmat. "My bros!" Lee gasped as well. "Do you think we can take them?"

"I can." But I had to remind myself that wasn't really here again. The tazelwurm shook his head at Lee. "So we do nothing? Ugh. We really need Nora back!" Thinking along the same lines again.

Taz hissed in response and quickly and quietly crawled across the floor to where the hazmats could see it. Once they did one of them fired and blasted the tazelwurm all the way back to the chrome crates. The creature winked at Lee before hissing and going back in to attack the robots. I grinned, "I think I have a new favorite animal."

With the tazelwurm distracting both the hazmats and the Wursts, Lee and I both seemed to agree that he was on our side. Lee ran to the hover-vehicle and tried to wake Cam and Holger. But the robots came back and began driving down the tunnel. "Okay," I said, "It's time to go on the offensive." I went into Cam's dream first.

Cam's Dream

Cam was standing behind a podium on a big stage facing a whole crowd of people cheering his name and holding up banners with his picture on them. Behind him, sitting, was Brandy smiling adoringly at him.

"Yo, yo yo!" Cam addressed the crowd. "El Presidente is in the house!" The crowd roared. Cam really loved being the president, or at least the attention it got him. But how do I get close? I dreamed up a notepad and pen and pushed my way to the front. I ended up right in front of the stage, next to a dream- Tina who was also reporting the event.

"President Cam!" I tried to yell over the crowd. "Cam!" The crowd was too loud for him to hear me. Cam was giving the double-peace sign and just soaking in the crowd's praise. "President Martinez! A word for the Universe Times?"

At the name of what I hoped sounded like an impressive read, Cam gestured for the entire crowd to quiet down. "Sure thing senorita-Ahhh! Nora?" He finally saw me! Thank goodness. "What the what? I thought- and The Serpent dude- and you…Where have you been?" Cam still doesn't know that I'm alive. Geez… I'll just have to keep up the act.

"Mr. President," I talked to him like I was a real reporter. "What are you going to do about you and your friend being taken to Coral Grove at this very moment?" When Cassandra captures you, there's only one place you go.

He looked at me confused. "Que? What kind of magazine are you from?"

I asked another question, "Also, do you know that right now you are in a lot of danger and currently need to wake up?"

"Danger?" Cam leaned over the podium. "Wake up?"

"Yes, Cam." I said with a bit of urgency. "You need to wake up right now."

I was taken by the pull out of Cam's dream.

Reality Border…

I stood beside Cam as the vehicle moved on. I stared down at Cam, who was not waking up. Then I went over to Holger. Let's see what's in his head.

Holger's dream…

"I… wow…"

I was standing on top of a rainbow. Up ahead was Holger riding bareback on a white horse with a lay of pink, yellow and white flowers. He was singing happily the usual language that I could not understand. "Well… his dream." I shrugged. I let out a loud whistle, and Holger's horse stopped. "Holger!" I waved, "Back this way!"

Holger saw me and let out a giddy shriek. "Nora or Prowlers be visiting Holger in his happy place of happiness!" Holger steered the horse right back to me and gave me a hug when he jumped off. "Is Nora using the Dream-stroller powers she be telling friends about in fishy-box?"

"Actually I am Holger." I didn't try to escape the hug. Holger let me go after a minute anyway. "And I was that presence you felt on the day The Serpent broke into your school, and with Dr. Ping in the hospital."

"Holger be knowing it!" He cheered happily. "And where is you be living now? With other ghosties?"

I chuckled a little. "No, Holger. I'm alive, and I'm with a family member who can keep me safe for now. You on the other hand are in danger now."

Holger gasped in fear. "Danger!? Oh NOOOO!"

Just as he said that, the rainbow disappeared. Holger, then horse and I all started screaming as we fell down. As Holger and the white horse continued falling, I was pulled out and brought back to the Reality Border.

Reality Border…

"Well that could have gone better." I looked around myself and groaned. This is the last place I saw before I was knocked out and taken to the infamous prison. "Great…" Fun-filled memories of He-Who-Is-The-Bane-Of –My-Existence flew across my mind. I can't really worry about him right now, I need to find out if there's any way to stop these hacks from sending my kids to Never-Be-Seen-Again Island. And if that not the icing on the cake, Cassandra's own arrival to the underground base surely is.

"Why is she here?" And Kimmie? An underground base filled with hazmat robots levitating people isn't enough to make her look up from her phone? I face-palm at her. Cassandra must be keeping her daughter blissfully ignorant and spoiled to cover up her operations. Either that or Kimmie just plain doesn't care.

The mother and daughter walk away and Lee comes out from behind the crates. He looks on as his friends are taken away. "Where are they taking them?" I know he's still unaware that I'm close by, but I answer.

"Only one place to go from here."

We both hear a click from the car that brought in Dragon Lady and her hatchling. A white hazmat in a driver's hat opens the trunk and reveals Biffy.

"Biffy too?!" I growl. "Oh, now she's gonna get it double-time!" I'm not quite sure what 'it' would be at the moment, but I know it will have a good amount of pain.

"Oh, hey!" Biffy greeted the white hazmat who let him out. He looked past it to where Lee was visible from the hover-vehicle. "Lee?" He saw him. And then he saw the blue hazmat floating between them. "I mean… uh! Wait! Don't knock me out! I think you might be giving me brain damage. I mean, is twice in one day safe?"

What's Biffy trying to do? The two robots say something to each other and the blue one starts levitating Biffy up in the air with a purple beam. "I'm flying!" Biffy laughs joyfully. "Okay, this is kind of cool! Ya know, if it weren't for the being taken against my will thing!"

"Welcome to my world, Biffy."

Lee starts to follow them, trying to keep out of sight from all the hazmats at the same time. Usually by now I would have already touched his shoulder and told him I'm here. But the timing just doesn't feel quite right yet. So I stay up ahead and keep track of Biffy in case Lee falls behind and has trouble finding him. I shake my head. "You take a day off, Nora, and the whole team just gets caught. But I guess that's my fault." Truth is: so many things were going on lately, and they were about to collide pretty soon.

The robot brought Biffy to what looked like a rental or storage shed. It punched in a code, and released Biffy inside. Somewhat to my relief, Holger and Cam were in the same room, but they were both still asleep. "I got a bit more energy from them, so I think I can stay longer than I planned." I feel less worried with all of them together, and I go outside to wait for Lee. When he comes I can tell him I'm here and what the combination is. The only other problem? The blue hazmat is standing outside the door, guarding it.

Lee catches up pretty fast. I go over to where he's hiding close by behind some large rocks. "Ergh! Guarded door!" In a familiar habit like mine, Lee begins talking to himself. Planning. "They've got to be in there. But even if I can pull off a distraction, how am I going to open that door?" Hopeless Lee (that's not on purpose), face-palms himself. I smile and reach over to alert him of my presence. Someone else beats me to it.

"Got a plan?" Aw, man! Him? Now? Really!? "Cause I have one." The Serpent's down here too, and he brought Priscilla along with him.

"Run Lee!" I yell. Never has this guy's arrival meant anything good!

At the sight of Lee, his pet snake his and bares her jaws out at him. Lee yelps and tries to move back. Afraid of what she'll do I look away in that instant. I hear the sound of a small gag, and I look to see that The Serpent has stopped his pet from attacking. "Huh…?" Again?

He wags his finger at her face. "Hey, don't be trying to eat family." Then turned back to Lee with a sick, twisted smile.

"What the heck would you know about family?!" I vented out my anger at him yet again threatening Lee's life. After all he's done he thinks that he gets automatic trust just for being Lee's brother? Nuh-uh, that's not how it works. Not with him. Not after all he's done. How real is all this anyway? And where's Lee's dad? Lee's almost as unhappy to see him as I am.

"Okay, you caught me. Now what?" Lee demanded.

"Please." Serpent just waved him off. "I've got bigger fish to fry today. And you should know, Nora is still alive, bro."

"I know!" Lee shot back. "I've talked to her."

The Serpent's face was one of clear confusion. He'll never find out about this secret. Then he shrugged and walked right past Lee. "That it?!" I yelled his way. Lee's the top five on his hit-list, why is he just dropping it now? "What kind of sick game are you playing, Serpent?"

The Serpent walked right up to the blue hazmat. Figures it wouldn't attack him, he's the Council's hit man. "Hello~! Did you know your fly is down?"

"Ulk…" Is he that much of a freak to-?

The second the hazmat looked down, The Serpent kicked it in the gut, punched it upside the head and sweep-kicked it to the floor. Then he slammed its head onto the ground which shorted it out. My eyes bulged in shock. "It doesn't even wear pants." Was all that came out of my mouth. I probably should have been more concerned that he was attacking a minion of his own team.

Lee was equally in shock. "What did ya-? How did ya-? Never mind."

The Serpent pressed a button on the defeated hazmat's gauntlet. The exact doors to the boys' holding cell opened! What with The Serpent's generosity streak lately? The boys all gasped when they saw him standing there.

"Consider this an early birthday present." He said facing the guys, but looking over at Lee. He then addressed everyone else. "If I were you, I'd get going." And he ran off, snake curled around his shoulders.

I ran over with Lee, both of us relieved to see all three of them perfectly conscious and unharmed. "Guys!" Lee greeted them.

"Dude!" Cam looked surprised by what just happened. "What the what?"

Holger threw his arms around Lee in a grateful hug. "Lee of Pings always saving us!"

"So Stink-Ninja's on our side now?" Biffy asked stepping out of the holding cell with Cam. "After all he's done to us?"

"Uh… I'm not too sure about that." Lee said.

"Man, why does there have to be one creep in every family?" Cam asked.

I was peeved that The Serpent had not only just gone through another character shift and could be tricking my kids this time. But he has also just taken my part in busting the guys out! I watched the code and was going to give it to Lee, and then he just shows up? Grr! He's tricked me and Jenny, I am NOT letting him trick Lee like this. Brother or not! FYI Professional Stalker: Lee already had a birthday! I mentally sighed. All that is beside the point. Right now is when I should star working.

I finally put my hand on Lee's shoulder.

"Nora!" Lee looked over his shoulder, seeing nothing, but feeling the cold chill. He smiled nonetheless. "Thank goodness you're here."

"Again?" Biffy asked, agitated. "Look Ping, that's really old by now. Just drop it."

Holger jumped into the conversation too. "Oh! Being the sorry Ghost-Dream-Nora, Holger did not say hello."

Cam held up his arms, signaling everyone to stop. "Wait! Dream? I just had a dream about Nora."

"Holger be having dream too! Nora say Holger need to be waking up because of danger times. And Holger is!"

"That's what she said to me, dude!"

"Okay, stop!" Biffy broke them apart. "You were both kidnapped and taken hostage. You had dreams about her because she protects us when there's trouble, and she couldn't be here this time. And need I remind you all that we still are and should really get going?"

Taking Biffy's hint, all four of them headed for the closest way out they knew: the Hydra casino. I look back over my shoulder before following them. "What's The Serpent after this time?" So many acts of, dare I call it 'kindness' in less than two days? Just what is going on?

The elevator carried us up and out of the Tunnels and into the hideout of The Serpent. Gee, what a lucky day we're having… While in the elevator, everyone had time to talk.

"So… You've had dreams with Nora in them before?" Cam asked.

"Yeah." Said Lee.

"This being Holger's firsest time." Said Holger.

"No." Biffy said, flatly. "But good news for all you dream-reading wackos: There's a chance Nora might still be alive if she was taken to Coral Grove!"

"Really?" Cam asked hopefully. "Sweet!"

"Coral Grove?" asked Holger. "Then Nora not of Ghosties?"

"Nope." Lee said. "I know she's safe, but she doesn't want us coming to get her yet."

"Why?" Biffy asked. "She's been there for weeks, isn't she worried about her dad or us?" I lightly squeezed Lee's shoulder.

"She is." He told Biffy. "But she doesn't want us going straight into the lion's den. Coral Grove is Council territory; I think she wants us to wait before going there."

"Good boy." I patted Lee on the head to show him I approved. If I need to I can just do this Dream-Walking thing for a while and help them from here. I don't mind it so much anymore. I'll figure out how to escape on my own if I need to. I almost did it before! The elevator dinged and brought us into a room I haven't seen since my birthday: The Serpent's office. Honestly, without the demented maniac and snake here, it still is a very nice room. Behind the big desk, multiple monitors were on showing what was happening down in the Submarine dock. "Was that there the whole time?"

Cam strode into the room, his eyes immediately going to the giant display. "Dudes! Battle Royale is on! Serpent is kicking hardcore."

Hazmats had surrounded The Serpent and Priscilla. He was taking them on as they came one at a time. Just like I saw him in our own fights, he simultaneously used his own body and long staff on his opponents. Usually when I saw The Serpent, I was watching out for potential strikes and opening to make my own attacks and dodge. This time I could see as an observer just how dangerous he is even against an army… Even Priscilla was able to coil and crush the heads of the hazmats, while Serpent kicked, punched, and even crystalized the continuous coming enemies. I'll admit it: I was impressed.

The boys were expressing their own thoughts as they watched.

"Ha! Even the snake is awesome!" What? Lee!

Thankfully, Biffy still remembered that they had to go. "Guys, I highly suggest we- oh ho ho! Man! Did you see what he did to that guy? Sweet!"

"Traitors." I mumbled. I sharply slapped Lee upside the back of his head.

"Ow!" he yelped and rubbed the place I had hit. To him it must have been a sharp cold.

"Uh-oh." Holger said looking in Lee's direction. "Nora being in the jello-sea. No be mad, friend! Nora is still our favorite ninja-warrior person."

"Sorry, Nora." Said Lee.

I chuckled to myself. I guess I did let myself get a little jealous right there. Serpent was impressing my friends with his own fighting prowess which until now he has used against them, while I've bee using it for them this entire time. I turned my attention back to the activities in the Tunnels as The Serpent punched a whole straight through a white hazmat, and Priscilla choke the last one until it fell on the floor.

"Cassandra~!" The Serpent called out, his arms open for a challenge. "Is that all you got? Ha ha ha~! Cassandra?!" He threw his arms up and reflexed his muscles. I rolled my eye sat his arrogance.

Something bluish- grey zipped past the camera. "Guys?" Biffy asked, terrified. "What. Is. That?!"

The figure moved to a more visible angle to the camera, revealing to be a womanly-shaped battle-suit with Cassandra inside! From her wrists she fired two purple beams at the assassin ( can I still call him that?). He was able to dodge them, but the kick square to his chest. Cassandra flew above him using two mini-rockets in the suit's legs. "Did you really think it was going to be that easy?" she arrogantly asked him.

In the most earnest expression I had only seen him fake, The Serpent replied. "Um… yes. But that was before now." I had a quick sense of déjà vu. Back to the day Serpent took me to the woods. Was he being sincere that time? Cassandra launched what looked like a small missile from her arm aimed at The Serpent. He was able to avoid it and escape the explosion. The guys all gazed in awe, Biffy seeming more impressed by the suit. I folded my arms and glared at them, felling a little betrayed at the moment even though I was sort of silently cheering for him too.

Cassandra noticed that Priscilla had managed to coil around one of her legs and was hissing angrily. With a wicked smile Cassandra pressed a button on her suits arm that sent an electric shock through the suit. As the animal shook with electric energy, for some reason I inwardly flinched as if I could feel her very pain.

"Priscilla!" I heard The Serpent cry out. "No!" He gently picked up Priscilla's limp form and placed her far off from Cassandra. Serpent's voice took on a tone of harshness and emotional pain, "You can mess with me all you want! But no one messes with Priscilla!"

I'll be… The Serpent does have someone he genuinely cares about. Guess that love-thing was for Priscilla after all.

The Serpent leapt high in the air, aiming a punch at Cassandra. She was ready for it. And the second one. And the spinning kick. Her own suit-powered punch landing right on the mark and sending Serpent skidding on his back to the floor. I gasped before I realized I did. She… hurt him. That shouldn't concern me but… uh, she's got an unfair advantage in that suit!

Cassandra glared across at him. "I saw your private meeting with His Eminence." I notice she rolled her eyes at his name. "How long have you been working behind my back?"

Serpent met her with a gaze ten times as angry as her own. "Since he told me I have a real family and you took me from them!"

"And you believe him?" That was a real question, not a demand. "He ordered the whole thing! I just took care of you. I raised you, I trained you, I taught you."

So Cassandra really is his adoptive mother and teacher. And if Serpent's dream was an actual representation, her 'care' is nothing short of cruelty. I felt a pang in my chest about the memory. Not again... Don't make me feel sorry for him.

Serpent finally stood back up and prepared to strike at Cassandra again. "All you did is teach me to hate! And train me to be your spooky little assassin." Now I feel bad. I'm the one who called him 'spooky'. Well, Lee did before too. Wait! This is the guy that beat me up and threw me into Coral Grove! Nora, you are not going soft! Not now.

"Maybe if you paid better attention, you would have actually learned to defend against this." Cassandra flipped over Serpent as he got close to her. And in one fast motion she grabbed by the back of his jacket, and as she finished her flip, she threw him against the stone wall upside down! "Okay," I said, pointing at the screen, "That was impressive."

"Ooo!" Biffy flinched. "That's gotta hurt!"

Lee, ever the compassionate, was looking pleadingly (again not on purpose!) at the screens. "Get up! Get up!" he whispered, wishing for his brother to do so.

"Wait." Cam said to Lee. "Are we sure we want him to win?"

"Good question." I said. However, Lee glared at his friend. I guess after learning a little about his brother's past like that, Lee can't completely hate him.

"What? I'm just sayin'. Show a little loyalty to our ninja-senorita, bro." I'll have to thank Cam later for that.

Back in the Tunnels, Serpent was still on the floor coming out of the daze from his collision. "Enough!" Cassandra declared. "You're making me break a sweat." She hit Serpent, too weak now to defend himself, with a purple beam. I covered my eyes, only to peek and see that it was only the same kind of ray that the blue hazmats used to hold Biffy earlier. She held him there until the white hazmats came with some high-tech cuffs.

Serpent mildly glared at her as the cuffs were put on. "So, I'm to be taken away, just like the others."

"Do you mean your brother, Ping, and his meddling little friends? Yes, they'll be following you shortly. Or do you mean your old girlfriend, Nora? You may be on the same island, but you won't be seeing each other."

A kind of growl came from The Serpent's throat. At the same time my eyes widened. Serpent had let the boys out of their holding cell and Cassandra was right now expecting them to be there, unless she already knew they escaped!

"Uh guys?" Biffy got the group's attention. "That would be our cue to get out of here as humanly possible."

"And go where?" Lee asked. "Cassandra's whole army is coming for us!"

I started thinking. That means they might have to disappear from at least the city for a few years. No matter where they hid around town Cassandra would surely find them! Lee's the only hope to beat the Council, if his family can disappear once they can do it again. It'll be hard for everyone, but Cam Holger and Biffy might stay with him, and I'll figure a way to get Tina and Jenny out of Coral Grove after a while. Maybe we can all meet up someday; I'll stay in communication with Lee via dream until then. That's the best way to keep everyone safe.

But Serpent and Cassandra weren't done talking. In fact, Serpent made point to almost talk to the hidden camera at the same time. "And the other girls? Tina and-?"

"Oh, Jenny?" Cassandra finished for him. "Your new girlfriend?"

"Whatever." He replied, dismissively. "Are they on the sub?"

Cassandra laughed evilly. "No, no, no. They're already in Coral Grove."

I heard Lee loudly gasp and shout, "WHAT?"

"Now Cassandra has Nora, Tina and Jenny." Said Biffy.

"Nora! Nora!" Lee called out frantically. "Is this true?" I flew over to him. On his back I drew the letters to spell 'yes'. "Oh no… We have to save them!"

In my past with Lee I've constantly told him not to jump to conclusions or rush in without a plan. This time however, I knew even if I was there, I wouldn't be able to fight him on this. A breakout will be putting everyone in danger, but I guess… they're already in danger either way. Cassandra will have an entire army looking for the boys once she realizes they are gone. "They might as well hide in the last place she would expect them to run to." I'll try to get whatever I can ready for them to come. I gave Lee a good-bye hug so he could feel me leaving, and I returned to my body.

Coral Grove…

"Finnwich!" I threw open the bathroom door screaming and ran over.

"M-my, good heavens!" he fumbled with his microscope and nearly dropped it. "Nora, what has-"

"It's time!"

"Time?" He asked.

I tried to quickly explained. "Time! Tina and Jenny are captured, Cassandra's sent her army after everyone, and Lee's coming here right now!" Finnwich had said he wouldn't act until it was the right time. "Everyone's coming to Coral Grove! What do we-?" Oh, my stomach! I'm never using that Beast again! I run off to the bathroom. When I come back I say, "Sorry. It sounds like they're coming today and the girls are already here. Rgh! Cassandra. I need a way to find out where they are and what's being done to them!"

Finnwich simply smiled, and looked back at his work. "Well then, we must prepare for our guests, my dear."

I put my hands on my hips and stared at Finnwich disapprovingly. "You're really concerned about all this, aren't you?"

"Not particularly. Manifestum was destined to come here sooner or later. I'm surprised he did not come when he first heard you were here."

"Because I told him not too. Finnwich, this place is dangerous! I'd rather not have them right in Cassandra's backyard, but with Tina and Jenny here too, and the dogs practically sicked on them, there isn't much more of a choice!" I wanted to go out of here and go find the girls myself. I really don't like the idea of them in a cell. And I'll be seeing Wurst about that… "Finnwich, do you have a layout of the building? I need to figure out where they are."

"Oh no, no, no Nora!" Finnwich wagged his finger at me. "You are in no condition to be running about a high security military base. "

"What?!" I shouted. "I can fight tazelwurms, robots of all colors, and evil ex's without breaking a sweat! I know I'm not fully back yet, but I have to take care of Tina and Jenny! I can't just leave them in a prison cell!"

"You're concern and devotion are credited, my dear. But nonetheless you should remain here with me until it is time."

"It's already 'time'! The kids are on their way, and if I know any of them they will make it to Coral Grove before sunset."

"You also have good faith I see." Finnwich said. "But why are you still upset?"

"Because there's no way they could know what's inside! Getting here is one thing, getting out is another." I can't stop them this time. Just me being here is one thing. And it's not just that Tina and Jenny are just defenseless on their own, Lee is obviously in love with Tina so nothing will stop him from comming here. "I've tried to keep them from coming here until I can figure out an escape, but I don't have one! Finnwich, please help me!"

Finnwich smiled at me in a grandfatherly way. "Then it's a good thing I do."

A/N: It's been too long! Hope this was worth the wait.

I was going to post it this weekend, but I went to a concert and had fun instead. Sorry!

Leave a review of what you thought.

I'll be back eith the final installments in a few weeks.