With Renee close behind him, Tommy darts throughout the streets of Titanio City to try and find the ArcResistance team in front of ArcTV Studios where he had found them the previous day. Renee kept calling to him to slow down, but Tommy couldn't do that, not when having them help his friends might be the only chance he has to make a difference in this scariest moment of his life.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of searching, Tommy found the three ArcResistance members, Dylan, Amber and Corey still trying to inform people of the lies that Walter O'Hara and the entirety of ArcTV were spreading. But it seemed as though even less people were listening to them than they had noticed previously.

"Walter O'Hara is O'Liar!" Dylan shouted.

"ArcTV is ArcLies" Amber protested.

"Spread the Truth, Stop the Lies" Corey called out to every person who passed, but the people who did either ignored them or gave the trio dirty looks. One old gentleman, who had heard Dylan make his claim about Walter O'Hara, came up to the boy and poked at him with his cane.

"Listen here, you whelp" he grumbled. "You had better learn to respect your elders. Mr. O'Hara is the most honest voice in news we have!"

"He tells lies, sir" Amber explained, trying to push the cane off of her friend's stomach. "Think about all he said when the Champion died."

"The Champion was corrupt" the old man insisted. "And Walter has never lied on air once. You little urchins ought to clear out before I call the police!" He made his way back down the road towards Renee and Tommy, but turned back towards the ArcResistance team one last time. "If I catch you kids here again, I'll cane you all!" With that, he limped down the road.

"We ought to call the police on him" Corey said.

"The last think I want to be doing is spending a night in a holding cell, Dylan" Amber told her friend.

Dylan sighed. "I guess we'll just have to close up shop for the day." He began to pick up some of their signs when he noticed Tommy. "Hey, look at that. It's the little kid from yesterday."

Renee grabbed Tommy's arm. "These guys seem like real loonies. Do you really trust them?"

"What other choice do we have?" Tommy insisted.

"Fair enough" she said, before allowing him to run and greet the ArcResistance team.

Amber and Corey recognized him and waved cheerfully. "Hello there, Tommy. Did you see yourself on our web series, yesterday?"

Tommy paused. "The Web series?"

"Weren't you really excited to be on the news?" Amber giggled.

Tommy waved her off. "I don't have time for that. I need your help!"

Amber paused. "Um, sure thing kid."

Dylan came to Amber's side. "Come on, Tommy. Tell us what you need."

Tommy then went into detail about all that had happened to them this day, including the abduction of Holly and Ryan and how they were in serious need of rescue. But before he could even get to the point where he would want their help, Dylan waved his arms.

"Hold on there, Tommy" he said nervously. "Don't you think that's something you ought to tell the police?"

"No one's going to believe me" Tommy said. "Only the Kingstons seem opposed to them."

Amber put her hand on Dylan's arm. "Come on, Dylan. We could at least try to help the kid out."

"But what can we do?" Dylan asked. "We don't know the first thing about fighting the Syndicate or anything like that."

"We can run it as a story" Corey suggested.

"But we don't have any proof of it, outside of Tommy's word" Dylan countered. "What to do."

Amber leaned down towards Tommy. "Where did you say your friend was taken?"

"The guys took him in a boat and were sailing all the way across the water towards those cliffs over there" Tommy recalled precisely, pointing out to the cliffs near where the back of the ArcTV Studios backlot was. "Please. I need to help my sister and my friends."

Dylan paused. "Wait a minute. Those rocks have some kind of base inside there."

"How do you know?" Amber asked suspiciously.

"Corey and I went to try and dig up some dirt on ArcTV the day you went to go see your Grandpa at the hospital" Dylan said sheepishly. "But before you yell at us, we were found by some girl in dark clothing and she told us to get out before we got in real trouble."

Amber smacked him in the head. "I TOLD YOU IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS!"

"Ow!" Dylan cried. "What did you do that for?"

Amber looked towards Corey, her eyes burning with anger. Not wanting to get the brunt of her wrath, Corey panicked and hid behind Dylan. "It was his idea."

"Way to save your own skin, Corey" Dylan grumbled.

"Hold on a second" Renee said, interrupting the argument between the group. "You think that ArcTV is in league with The Syndicate?"

"Well" Amber explained, "ArcTV hasn't really been covering much about these Snatchings that have taken place. And one is going on right now, like you guys said. But, their biggest story is about a Chatot that can speak French. There's definitely something fishy going on in ArcTV, more so now than we thought."

"It might be worth our while to run this story, after all" Corey told Dylan.

Dylan was silent for a moment. He looked at himself and then to the rest of his friends and finally towards little Tommy. Finally, he had an answer for them. "We're going to help Tommy."

Renee nodded. "Alright, you'll run his story then?"

"I was thinking more of the heroic kind of help" Dylan told the Gym Leader.

"Huh?" Amber asked.

Dylan turned towards Amber. "Come on, Amber. How many times have we broken into the ArcTV Studios to get dirt on them? This could be the scoop we need to completely derail ArcTV and show them for the frauds they are." He then turned to Corey. "And how easy was it for us to sneak in there and get those pictures of Walter O'Hara's toupee?"

Corey shrugged. "Getting in is easy enough. Getting out is the problem. Or did you forget the last time security threw us out onto the streets?"

"I still have the bruise on my butt" Amber said, rubbing her rear end gently.

"No way" Renee argued. "An interview is one thing. But this is something different altogether. Even if your little theory proves right, this isn't some bumbling security guard or secretary you'd be messing with. This is the Syndicate. It's too dangerous."

"So is doing nothing" Tommy insisted to his guardian. "Renee, if we don't find a way to save my Sister and Ryan, who knows what will happen to them?"

"Tommy, be serious" Renee said. "I'm not about to send you kids into the Pyroar's Den."

"You wouldn't have to" Amber said. "Just leave it to us and keep Tommy with you."

"No way!" Tommy said defiantly. "I'm going with you guys!"

Renee seemed like she was going to stress out. "Okay, fine. Do what you will, Tommy." She looked towards the ArcResistance Team. "I'm placing Tommy in your care. If anything happens to him, it's on you guys."

Dylan, Amber and Corey all nodded. "Of course, Renee."

Renee sighed and folded her arms. "What's the plan, then?"

Dylan thought for a moment. "We've got to go and pick up some supplies back at our base. Meet back here at 6PM tonight!" With that, the ArcResistance Team picked up their equipment and ran off towards their base.

Tommy looked back at Renee, who was shaking her head in worry. "I don't like this."

"Would you prefer Ryan and Holly to be hurt?" Tommy asked. When the Gym Leader didn't answer, Tommy knew he had his answer.

{Meanwhile}

Still desperately fighting to free any part of himself in his holding cell, Ryan is just about at the end of his strength. With one last push of his own strength, Ryan finally fell to his knees, the rattling of the chains around his ankles irritating him. He moaned in frustration, defeat and pain as he slumped back onto his rear end. At this point, they might as well just do whatever it is they want to do to me. I don't care anymore. There isn't a single way this day could possibly get worse. Addison was a prisoner of the Syndicate and so were he and Holly now. His family's entire plan to deal with the Syndicate had likely been quashed and there just wasn't any more time. At this point, something else would probably make him snap at this rate.

The door to his cell bursts open and a blinding light shines into Ryan's face, obstructing his view. But it doesn't take long for Ryan to realize who it is. "Why is it I always seem to be the one bailing you out, Ryan?"

Ryan would have cheered if his mouth wasn't covered in tape. "Mmmph!"

Matthew entered the room and shushed him. "Do you want the whole Compound to know?" Matthew walked slowly up to him and ripped the tape off of his brother's mouth. "You okay?"

Ryan was almost in tears at the sight of his twin brother. "Boy, am I glad to see you, Matt."

"Trust me, you won't be in here for long" Matthew assured him. "Is Holly here, too?"

"That mullet guy said she was taken earlier" Ryan answered happily. "Come on, get me out of here."

"Where's Tommy?"

"He must still be with-" Ryan paused. There was something very wrong here. Matthew wasn't trying to free him from his restraints. But why come down to him at all if he wasn't there to rescue him. "Come on, Matt. Get me out of here."

"Like I said" Matt said suspiciously, "you won't be in here for long."

"Matt" Ryan called, his heart sinking into the pit of his stomach. "This isn't funny, dude. Get me out of here!"

"That's gonna be a no from me, Ry" Matthew replied coldly.

"Why not?" Ryan cried out, before it dawned on him. "No. They got to you. Even my own brother has been branded."

Matthew was silent for a moment. And then he chuckled to himself. "You're wrong again, Ryan."

Ryan looked at his brother in fear. "What do you mean? You're not branded?"

Matthew walked over to the wall and flicked on the light in the holding cell, revealing his new wardrobe: a black tunic with red armor plating on it. The same as Nadine, Victor and Archer. The same as those worn by the Syndicate. "Do these clothes look like I was branded, you idiot?"

Ryan froze in place. The complete and utter terror of his situation suddenly dawned on him. His brother had thrown away their family in pursuit of the Syndicate. But why? When? How? He needed to know. "You're one of them."

"The last Ponyta finally crossed the finish line" Matthew grinned wickedly. "I was beginning to think you were never going to notice."

"How?" Ryan pleaded. "How could you do this?"

"Simple" Matt answered, before slamming his brother in the gut with a ferocious punch. As Ryan crumpled to the floor, Matthew loomed over him. "I have no one greater to thank in my quest, than you. Congratulations, Ryan."

Ryan grunted in pain. "Me? Why me?"

"I have lived my entire life in your shadow" Matthew growled. "You were Mom and Dad's favorite kid. The one they always worried about. The one they always did the best by. Never even looking back at the brother that came out alongside you, the golden boy!"

"Mom and Dad loves us both, Matt" Ryan said weakly. "You're stupid if you think otherwise."

"It wasn't just Mom and Dad" Matthew continued bitterly. "You were also Mike's favorite. Every time you so much as blinked your eyelashes, Michael was there to shower you with praise. I couldn't even get a sideways glance from the guy. All I could get from him was criticism! And why? I was the one who got more Gym Badges! I was the one who got stronger faster! Mike was my hero! My idol! You only latched on because I did."

"I loved Mike" Ryan countered, struggling to get back to his feet. "And he loved you, too." Ryan's eyes suddenly widened. "You-you didn't-you didn't take part in the-"

"While I'm angry that Mike never saw my true potential" Matthew scowled, "no, I didn't play a part in Mike's death. It hurt me just as much as it hurt you."

"And yet here you are" Ryan spat, "shining the boots of the people who killed him and the Elite Four!"

"I knew Elezar long before Mike died" Matthew recalled. "Remember in Daniel's Gym, when I told you about that guy who trained me to get stronger? Guess who that was? I can assure you it wasn't Mike!"

"Elezar. Why look to him?"

Matthew turned and punched his brother, this time in the face. Ryan fell over, but looked back up defiantly at him. He could feel the blood beginning to drip from his nose.

"That's another one I owe to you" Matthew laughed bullishly. "All I knew from my defeat at Tori's hands at the Craft Terrace was that if I kept going the same way you were, I'd be lagging behind you. You and your stupid dumb luck would always be ahead of me. I went to become stronger. I thought that when I bailed you out of trouble in the Ruined Tunnels, that you might have noticed it. But you went on being the same arrogant snot of a brother I've always known." He shrugged. "But I guess I can't blame you. It's a fault in our genepool. Elezar said so himself. Even Mike had those flaws."

"Mike was ten times the man Elezar or you could ever hope to be" Ryan said in a clogged voice as the blood dripped from his nose.

"All Mike was or is is DEAD" Matthew snarled, but he paused and took a second to regain his composure. "It doesn't matter. Once Mike died and I learned that Dad and the others had turned their backs on him again, it became an easy choice for me. Stay with my spineless family or join a cause that really mattered."

Ryan laughed feebly. "And Addy saw right through you."

Matthew clenched his fist at that, but once again took a deep breath to keep himself calm. "I was the strongest. I was the smartest. I was the most fearless. I was practically born to be the perfect guy for Addison. And yet, no matter what I did, she always preferred you! When she turned me down and refused to drop you losers and travel with me, I knew where my loyalties had to lie." Matthew turned his back towards his brother. "Of course, there had to be some sort of hiccup in my plans, when Dad had to show up in Charizark Town."

Ryan gasped and glared at his brother. "You were the one who attacked him."

"Not quite" his brother said heartlessly, "though I did let Victor keep beating him long enough to know all of Dad's senses would shut down."

"Our own father?"

"A guy who represents all that is wrong with Arcana" Matthew replied bluntly. "The only reason I told Victor to let him live was because of Mom."

Ryan thought for a moment. If Matthew has been a Syndicate Agent since after the Taghwan Hall burned down, then that means he was when we were at the Faire. Which means...which means...He turned as white as a ghost when the realization hit him. "It was you. You were the one who got Addy kidnapped!"

Matthew nodded. "Yup, that was me too. That wasn't supposed to be the plan, though." Matthew turned back towards his brother, a twisted smile growing on his face. "I used that witless piece of eye candy Jasmine Augustine to try and throw Addison off balance in the contests. But there were two things I didn't count on happening. Archer showing up in the Lists and Addison basically falling right into your lap, just like everything seems to."

"Addison isn't an object, Matt" Ryan hissed angrily. "You can't just force her to like someone."

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong, Ry" Matt grinned. "And Elezar gave me the way to do it. I was never angrier in my life than when I saw Addison kiss you in the infirmary. I wanted to punch your lights right then and there. But I knew it wouldn't matter. Once I brought Addison in for a few alterations, I knew she would never even glance at you the other way again."

Ryan was in utter shock. How far had his brother truly fallen? "You-You're a Monster" Ryan remarked.

"Call me whatever you want" Matthew replied as cold as ice. "It won't matter by the end of tonight."

"Where is she?" Ryan demanded. "If you hurt her-"

"Relax, Romeo" Matthew responded. "She's getting better acquainted with her new life at our new home, as my girlfriend."

"Addison will never love you" Ryan said, hatred dripping from his lips along with the blood.

"I don't need her love anymore" Matthew grinned. "Her obedience and affection will do just fine. Besides, it won't matter to you by the end of today. Because you're about to be introduced to the glories of the Syndicate firsthand."

"And how do you propose to do that?"

"I should think it's obvious, Mr. Kingston" a voice said from the doorway. Elezar loomed in the doorway, eyeing Ryan with a cold and calculating glance. He walked into the room and looked his prisoner over, before turning to Matthew. "Was roughing the boy up necessary, Matthew?"

"I needed to get some aggression out, Elezar" Matthew said, almost bowing to the Syndicate Admin.

Elezar shook his head. "Your aggression is misplaced, as usual. I should have known it was too risky to bring you here."

"I was the one who tipped off the Snatchers to Holly-"

"No, that was one of our spies throughout the city" Elezar said coldly. "I'll handle things from here, Matthew."

Seeing his brother shrink at the sight of Elezar was momentarily alleviating to the sick feeling in his heart, but it all died when the Syndicate Leader turned his attention towards him. "I couldn't be happier to know that Michael chose to impart his lessons onto you and your friends, Ryan. It makes my job significantly easier."

"You should probably just kill me, then" Ryan declared. "Do it! Kill me like you did my cousin."

"Where is there a burning hall when you need it?" Elezar mocked. Ryan was about to rush up to him, but his chains held firm. Elezar shook his head. "My dear Ryan. I have absolutely no intention of killing you, my boy. But I can see your devotion to Michael is clear. Admirable. Michael was truly a worthy opponent, but he let his heroic instincts get the better of him in the end. I don't intend on letting you make those same mistakes, Ryan."

"Then what are you planning on doing to me?"

"You idolized Michael so much" Elezar grinned, "why not share his fate? Pre-death, of course." Elezar pointed to his heart. "No, we're going to give you the same treatment that we've given your friend Addison Tenton and the one we're administering to Holly Queensbury as we speak."

Ryan's eyes widened. "Branding!"

Elezar nodded. "That's right." He looked back towards Matthew. "When did Cassius say he would brand Ryan?"

"At some point tonight" Matthew said sheepishly.

"I was going to have him moved up" Elezar glared, "but seeing as how you felt the need to let your anger guide your actions, it seems we must keep him on for his regular time." He opened the door. "Let's go, Matthew. And try not to be such a waste of oxygen, next time." Matthew looked back at Ryan and walked off. Elezar allowed the boy to pass him and made his way for the door. "I think, Ryan, when we meet again, I'll have you call me Master." With that, the Syndicate Leader slammed the door and locked it behind him.

{Meanwhile}

As the sun set near the entrance to the ArcTV Studios, Renee and Tommy waited patiently for their partners in this plan to come. Despite agreeing to the plan, Renee clearly had her reservations with the plan. She, on a few occasions, tried to convince Tommy that it was not worth the danger it could pose to him, but the young Queensbury boy remained fixed on finding and rescuing his friends. And nothing was going to stop them.

Finally, Tommy noticed Dylan, Amber and Corey coming their way in more street appropriate clothing and looked quite inconspicuous. While Dylan and Amber appeared to only have their lightest amount of equipment on them, Corey was the one who seemed like he was lugging the most things in a backpack. The five all huddled together by the wall of the ArcTV Studios, out of sight of the Guards at the Entrance.

"So, what is the plan on how to get in there?" Renee asked the group.

"Like I said" Dylan insisted, "getting into the studios is the easy part. Everything after that is going to be the trickiest." He turned towards Corey. "Corey, if you would please,"

The boy reached into the pocket of his hoodie and pulled out a weird hexagon-shaped electronic device. "This is something I invented. I call it the Electromagnetic Shocker. It automatically shorts out any devices that use electricity if placed on them."

"Does it work?" Tommy asked.

"You'll see soon enough, kid" Corey said, putting it back into his pocket.

Amber looked towards Renee. "We thought it over, Renee, and we think it would probably be best if you were waiting outside of the Studios to help dispense information to us or to serve as backup in case we need you." She put her hand on Tommy's head. "Trust me, we'll keep a good eye on Tommy."

Renee was skeptical of this, but accepted. "Very well. I'll be waiting nearby, But I want to know if anything goes wrong, okay?" She drops down to Tommy's side. "You be on your best behavior. If you need me, I'll be in Piper's Penthouse, listening in to see if anything pops up news wise." She then left the four to their plan and made her way up the street back towards the Titanio Hotel.

When Renee disappeared from their sight, a bell went off nearby to signal that it was officially 6:00 PM. Dylan ushered the group together. "Okay. The grounds of the ArcTV Studios are now closed to all visitors. But this is also how we're going to get in."

"How?" Tommy asked.

"Leave that to us" Dylan said to the green kid. He looked to Amber. "Keep an eye on him."

"I can take care of myself" Tommy insisted.

"I bet you can" Dylan laughed. "But this is more of a teamwork thing. I want you to look after her just like she will look after you." He put's his arm around Corey's neck and pulls him into a quasi-hug. This is my teamwork buddy."

Corey pulled himself out of the grip and rolled his eyes. "Just let me handle this."

Amber bent down to Tommy. "We're gonna look out for each other, okay?"

Tommy gave the girl a thumbs up. "You can count on me!"

"Shhh" Dylan snapped. "Get ready, The four moved quietly on the wall as they approached the Main Entrance. He signaled for Corey to move in front of him and trigger his first ES device. Corey slid past him and put the button on a small box that would trigger an alarm if someone put their hands on the gates. Corey then slid behind Dylan and pulled out a small radio device from his pocket. "Now!"

Corey pressed the button. In a rush of a powerful electrical current, the alarm on the wall shorted out and fell off the wall. Tommy was about to celebrate, but Amber held him back.

"Not yet, Tommy" she said. "That was only half the magic trick."

Tommy watched as the metal gates finally began to pull away from one another and open the entire Lot up to the quartet. Dylan looked at the Security Window and saw no one there. He ushered the others forward and they slipped into the lot, quickly hiding behind a dumpster before they could be spotted. With all four of them in position, he peered at the way into the Parking Garage, which was wide open.

"This is perfect" Dylan grinned. "You'd think they would have beefed up security for a day like this."

"They aren't the smartest people in the world" Amber giggled.

Dylan then looked to the others. "Alright, we need to follow this plan to the letter."

Tommy nodded eagerly. "I'm all ears."

"Okay" Dylan began, "the best chance we have to find your sister, Tommy, is if we split up once we get into the Parking Garage. Corey and I are going to find the Circuit Breaker for the main building and cut the power with the ES Devices. But we're not going to do it until we know for a fact that you two have found out where this secret compound is."

Amber nodded. "The best chance of finding the Compound is for Tommy and I to find the Ventilation Repair Room. That should allow us to go to any part of the complex without getting caught."

"I only have four more ES Devices though" Corey warned the team. "And they aren't powerful enough to short the entire grid for too long. Only about two minutes at a time."

"What about that Maximum Setting?" Dylan asked.

"If you want the thing to turn into a bomb, sure" Corey cautioned.

"We don't want to attract attention to ourselves" Amber agreed with Corey.

"Then we're agreed?" Dylan asked.

"Yup" Amber answered.

"You know it" Corey replied.

"Yes" Tommy confirmed.

"Good" Dylan said. "We meet back here if all works to plan. If not, well, it's been nice knowing you three." He gestured for Corey to come with him and the two sprinted across the lot and into the Parking Garage. After waiting a minute after they went, Tommy and Amber did the same, making it into the garage without any of the guards seeing them. Dylan and Corey made for the hallway that said 'Custodial Department'. Meanwhile, Tommy and Amber managed to make their way towards a large ventilation system. All four knew that the others needed to succeed in their part, otherwise it will all be for nothing.

{Meanwhile}

Expecting that most of the Janitorial Staff was out cleaning the sets and suites of those who worked at the ArcTV Studios, Dylan and Corey made their way through the halls of the Custodial Department without much of a hassle. The two were on the right track to ensuring that their part in the plan went off without a hitch. This changed when they made it to the room they expected the Circuit Breaker for the entire building to be in, when they noticed two men's shadows inside.

"I guess they're off to a slow start?" Dylan asked.

"What the heck are we supposed to do?" Corey asked. "Amber and Tommy are counting on us."

Dylan thought for a moment and realized he had an idea. "This could work." He reached into his pocket and pulled out two clear packets containing Ear Plugs. He tossed one to Corey. Corey looked at it and realized all too well what Dylan's plan was.

"You are one sick person" Corey snickered.

"Hey, when you have one, you may as well use one" he grinned. He reached onto his belt and pulled out a Poké Ball. He called out his Jigglypuff. "Hey Iggy" he whispered. "Would you be able to sing a song for these guys in this room?" The Jigglypuff nodded happily and was about to sing, but Dylan stopped her. "Hold it, Iggy. Wait for them to open the door."

Corey knocked on the door and the two quickly ran into a vacant room. They peered around the doorway and saw the doors open. Two of the janitors looked at the Jigglypuff in confusion. "Is that a Jigglypuff?"

"Where did you come from, little lady?" the other Janitor asked.

Dylan and Corey quickly put the Ear Plugs in their ears and waited for the moment they would go. They watched as the Jigglypuff serenaded the two janitors, who quickly fell asleep on top of one another in the doorway. Once her song was finished, Iggy looked around for her trainer. Dylan and Corey returned to her side.

"Nice job, Iggy" Dylan said happily. "Maybe next time, I'll actually listen."

The Jigglypuff nodded happily and was prepared to sing again, but Corey stopped her. "Not yet, Iggy." Dylan recalled his Pokémon and the two made their way past the sleeping janitors. The two then dragged the sleeping men inside and laid them out in the middle of their room, before quickly looking for the Circuit Breaker.

"Where is it?" Dylan asked.

"It's got to be in here somewhere" Corey remarked. He paused when he found a large gray box on the wall. "Got it!"

Dylan looked beside it and found two large power generators in the room. "Hello. What have we here?"

"Power Generators" Corey acknowledged. "Big ones too."

"But only recently installed" Dylan pointed out, with the machines looking to be in pristine condition, while the Circuit Breaker was installed when the building was built more than 30 years earlier. "I'm starting to think our hunch isn't just a hunch."

"That will use three of my ES Devices" Corey cautioned. "I'll only have one left."

"That's no big deal" Dylan said. "How long will they cut the power?"

"Until it's noticed, I think."

"You think, or you know?"

"I think, Dylan. I've never used these on anything greater than the Gates before today."

Dylan sighed. "Well, we're going to test it out today." He took one of the ES Devices from his friend and placed it on the first generator and another on the second. He then ushered them out of the room and they waited to hear from Tommy and Amber. As they waited, Dylan turned behind them in the courtyard and saw a staircase that led to the most elite Dressing Rooms of all of ArcTV's hosts. "Say, Corey-"

"No!" Corey snapped.

"Just hear me out-"

"NO!" Corey nearly shouted, but stopped himself when he saw that he might waken the two sleeping Janitors. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Walter O'Hara's dressing room is probably up in that building somewhere" Dylan grinned. "And I just happened to bring one of our cameras inside."

"We can't risk this" Corey insisted.

"I am NOT passing up a moment like this" Dylan argued.

Corey rolled his eyes and detonated the first device, which shocked out the first generator and caused a massive power surge throughout the building. He then looked back to his partner. "Alright, Dylan. Go if you have to. Just don't do anything stupid."

"I won't be long" Dylan assured his friend. With that, Dylan hurried down the path and up the stairs towards the Dressing Rooms.

{Meanwhile}

Renee paced throughout Piper's apartment endlessly, waiting for some kind of answer from someone. She had heard nothing but the same messages from Julia and Tori repeated ad nauseum on the KERN and even less from Tommy and the ArcResistance Team since she let them slip into the ArcTV Studios. She didn't want to believe their theory that ArcTV was involved with the Syndicate, but stranger things have happened before. After all, no one thought Giselle would be a Syndicate Agent when she was ruling over Arcana. She just didn't want the conspiracy to balloon out of control. And while the ArcResistance Team did have heart and courage, they didn't seem like the most mentally stable kids.

On the KERN Channel that blared on her Poké Gear, Renee heard a cycle through for everyone being in their assigned positions. "This is Piper Pines, requesting report ins from all stations here on the KERN. Standing by."

She picked up the Poké Gear and answered. "Renee in Titanio, Standing By."

"Jon at Kingston Castle, Standing By."

"Jon, you don't have to report in, I know you're here." Piper insisted over the air.

"Oh, sorry."

"Tori in Craft Terrace, Standing By and laughing at Jon."

"Madeline in Magenta Grove, Standing By and also laughing at Jon."

"I hate you guys."

"Shannon and Jeice in Trickton, Standing By."

"Erin and Anthony Standing By in Alchemiburg."

"Greg in Terra Town, Standing By."

"Doug, Ginny and Daniel Standing by in Taghwan."

"Byron Standing By in Magic Junction."

"Jenna and Billy Standing By at Iron Village."

"Junior Standing By in Pocus Town."

"Annie Standing By in Cauldro City."

"Katrina and Carson Standing By in Charizark Town."

After a moment of silence, Piper called out those who had not reported. "Report in, Alison and Robert. Report in, Jocelyn. Report in, Big Mike. Report in, Matthew."

"Has anyone heard any news about Ryan?" Robert's voice cracked in, his voice in genuine fright over his son's situation.

"Uncle Robert?" Tori asked.

"We're waiting to hear from Jocelyn and Big Mike, Robert" Piper replied. "Please Report in, Jocelyn, Big Mike and Matthew."

Renee sat and waited as she heard the faintest of gargled radio noises coming in. She looked towards the Poké Gear. "Please Repeat?" she asked.

"Please Report in, Jocelyn, Big Mike and Matthew" Piper repeated.

"Sorry, Piper" Renee said. "I meant the gargled noise one."

"Yeah, where is that coming from?" Greg asked.

"I hear it too" Jenna called in.

"This is odd" Piper said. "It's coming from an unknown source. Please identify yourself."

The radio emitted more static and garble from wherever the source was, but no one could decipher a name.

"Please identify yourself" Piper called again. When only more static came in, Piper grunted. "It's probably a prank."

"But no one else knows the KERN Access Codes" Byron asked. "Piper, see if you can widen the signal."

"I'll see what I can do" Piper said. "In the meantime, please report in, Jocelyn, Big Mike and Matthew."

Renee sat back, her nerves tingling as she awaited news from anyone about what was unfolding inside the ArcTV Studios.