To Lyger 0: That was rather easy, wasn't it? Unfortunately (for him), Abdi just doesn't have the experience fighting miraculous users, while King Monkey has been fighting miraculous users and super-villains for a year and a half.

To Butterfly: Don't worry; it gets more intense!

To yellow 14: There's still more showdown coming…

To armadas: That's a really in-depth analysis for the main characters! Fear absolutely plays a role in how they are acting and reacting here, and especially for Abdi. It's rather ironic that the holder of the Miraculous of Fear is probably the most fearful character here.

"I'm telling you, bro, you gotta at least listen to the kid."

Maroodiga Cawlan's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he looked down at the young man in front of him, surrounded by the other heroes in the center of the now-deserted village. Dressed in the same mottled fatigues favored by all the militants, the boy stood with his shoulders hunched forward, a defeated and beaten down attitude evident in his features. The young man's fists trembled where he held them in front of his chest. This was the boy who had driven him and Ngarayap to flee yesterday, who had paved the way for this militant band to abduct and murder his friends and family members. This was the boy who had whipped Ali when he tried to fight back. This boy was the reason so many people that he knew had been in danger and fearful for their lives, the reason so many of his friends' sisters and daughters were being held as hostages. And now the boy was also the reason he and his team hadn't already left to rescue those hostages. "And why do I need to listen to this enemy soldier when he just got done terrorizing this village?" he demanded, not taking his eyes off the militant.

"Because," Kim explained in annoyance, holding up a banana for Xuppu to eat, "it sounds a whole lot like there's more to the kid's story than we thought."

"And meanwhile, as we wait and question prisoners, those three are returning to their master and all of his prisoners," Maroodiga Cawlan pointed out. "What will Popo do to the girls of this village when he finds out his men failed?"

"And that's exactly why we need to hear him out."

Sent-Bee hummed contemplatively. "Weren't you saying this morning that we need information? That we can't afford to go in blind if we're going to save your friends and family?"

Maroodiga Cawlan gave Sent-Bee a dark look. "I had hoped not to reveal that connection to these enemies," he grumbled.

The boy's jaw dropped. "'Your–your friends and family'?" he repeated. "So then this is… And I…" He turned around slowly to take in the damage to the village. A couple of the nearby houses had collapsed when Roqonsa Saada threw militants through their walls. Several stands in the marketplace still smoked from energy blasts which had set the old wood on fire. He looked down at the ground. "I did this…" He swallowed. "What of the people? How many?"

"None today," Nawal piped up. "There were a few cuts and bruises – a couple of energy burns. But everyone escaped into the forest, and our friends are watching them to keep them safe."

The boy looked down. "And the man?" he mumbled. "The one I hurt yesterday?"

Maroodiga Cawlan pursed his lips. The damage was already done – he couldn't exactly put Aziza in more danger now. "You mean my sister's husband?" he asked. The boy's eyes shot up to meet his, surprised. "He is going to survive – no thanks to you."

The boy nodded, swallowing hard. "I know." He hesitated. "I'm… glad to hear that. That he will live, I mean."

Maroodiga Cawlan sighed in frustration and clenched his fist around the clawed ring that King Monkey had handed him before dropping this prisoner's dilemma into his lap. The claw dug into his palm. "Very well, then," he finally agreed reluctantly. He placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. "What is your story? Where did you get the miraculous?"

The boy looked up at Maroodiga Cawlan, fear evident in his eyes. "My name is Abdi," he began, "and I have been serving Lord Popo for almost a year. He is the one who gave me the ring. I didn't want to," he insisted, his lip trembling. "I would have thrown it back in his face, but…"

"But what?" demanded Maroodiga Cawlan, eyes narrowed. "What could possibly lead you to work for this warlord?" Apart from a desire for power, why would anyone work for a man like this?

Abdi's shoulders sagged. "He took my twin sister as his wife."

Maroodiga Cawlan stared at him dumbfounded. "You are saying you are the warlord's brother-in-law?"

Abdi's lips trembled. "Not by choice! He forced her!"

"All the same–"

Roqonsa Saada smacked Maroodiga Cawlan in the back of his head with her fly whisk, and he turned away from the boy to fix her with a withering glare. "Are you dense, Hogaamiye?" ["leader"] she demanded, giving him a disbelieving look and pointing at Abdi. "Do you see how old he is? Do you think his sister had a choice in the matter? This Popo bastard is raping her!"

Abdi flinched and fell to his knees, eyes clenched tightly shut. Nawal let out an involuntary gasp, her hand flying up to cover her mouth, staring at Abdi with wide eyes. On Nawal's shoulder, Minii froze with a sugar cube halfway to her mouth. Sent-Bee's face took on a blank look. Kim's jaw set in a hard line. Maroodiga Cawlan frowned. "Then you are serving your sister's rapist as an enforcer?"

Abdi nodded sullenly, his fists opening and closing helplessly. "I have to, if I want to keep her safe. If I don't do what he wants, he will hurt her worse than he already is. And as it is she already begs for death every day." He looked around him at the unmoving militants scattered around the village square. His eyes stopped on one, a boy no older than himself, crumpled and broken against a wall. "But after this…" He clasped his hands in the dirt. "You have to help her!" he pleaded, staring up at Maroodiga Cawlan with tears in his eyes.

Maroodiga Cawlan furrowed his brows. He had to admit, the boy's story had a ring of truth to it; he had been confronting warlords and their bands all up and down the Horn of Africa for long enough to acknowledge that they often resorted to such tactics. At the same time, the boy could also be a plant, coached to lead him and his team into a trap if he were ever captured. And if that were the case, listening to him was as likely to end in disaster. What could he do? Finally he sighed, fingering the miraculous in his hands. "We need another witness." The miraculous activated, and a small black dog Kwami with long ears outlined in red appeared in a flash of red light.

The Kwami blinked and twisted around in midair out of confusion before catching sight of Abdi and flying over to him. The boy cupped his hand around the Kwami, whose tail wagged, and hugged the Kwami to his chest. "What–what's going on?" the Kwami asked.

Abdi opened his mouth to answer, but Maroodiga Cawlan cut him off. "What is your name, Kwami?"

"I am Growll, the Dhole Kwami," he squeaked automatically, before turning around. He stared at Maroodiga Cawlan in surprise, his jaw dropping open, eyes wide. "I–I don't believe it! An Elephant! I haven't seen another miraculous or Kwami in so long!" His eyes drifted around the rest of the circle in shock before landing on Kim. "And Xuppu! You're here, too! When was the last time… But where is Barkk? How is she?"

Xuppu nodded in greeting. "Barkk is fine, dude. She's… that way," he replied, gesturing vaguely toward the north with his banana. "She'll be relieved I found you."

"You?" Kim asked Xuppu in disbelief, raising an eyebrow. "I did all the hard work!"

"Are you telling me you could have taken out Dholey here without me?" Xuppu scoffed. "Because I would love to see you try!"

"Maybe next time I will!"

"Girls, girls, you're both pretty," Sent-Bee retorted, rolling her eyes. Kim flexed his arm and kissed his bicep.

Maroodiga Cawlan rubbed his forehead in annoyance and cleared his throat, drawing Growll's attention back to him. "What can you tell me of yourself and your history, Growll?" he asked.

"Very little, Holder," Growll answered, hanging his head. "My last Atlantean holder was on a mission in Kalahari when we received word of Atlantis' destruction. On hearing the news, our host poisoned my holder and claimed me for himself. Since then, my miraculous has been passed all around the continent, always in the hands of increasingly worse people. Last year Popo gave my ring to Abdi because he couldn't use it himself and he thought Abdi would be easy to control." Abdi's breathing hitched, and Growll nuzzled up against his chest. "I didn't know where the other miraculous could be, or if there were even any Guardians still in existence until yesterday."

Maroodiga Cawlan nodded pensively. "And your previous holder – he said his sister is in danger?"

"I don't know about previous," Growll argued, frowning. A low growl emanated from his throat. "But yes, Cadaabta Ey's sister is being held as a hostage to guarantee his cooperation. That is the only reason he has ever used my miraculous to harm innocent people."

Maroodiga Cawlan frowned and turned back to examine Abdi. "Very well," he finally decided. "I believe you. We will rescue your sister from this Popo. But by now your former companions have a significant lead. So in exchange, you must show us how to get into your camp without being seen. And where the prisoners are."

Abdi nodded curtly. "I will."