Darkness filled the cavern as everyone was still asleep as Cookie's snoring was the only sound breaking the silence.
But then, 3 strange figures with and large masks spears emerge from a ridge by the digger. And then they silently approached the camp like a leopard stalking prey at night.
One of them ventures further out as the other 2 waited near the digger, and the figure nears a tent and quickly grabs a bag. It then looked to it's left to be sure no one was awake. It then went through the bag tossing a measuring tool out, and then a hat, but then the third object it brought out got it's interest strangely as it was a photo of Milo as a boy with Thaddeus.
Close by in the darkness, Milo emerges out of his tent yawning as he held something.
The figure saw him as another was close by, and then they silently rushed off.
Milo turns a torch on still half-asleep as he held a small shovel with a roll of toilet paper in his left hand.
He then quietly tip-toes through the camp passing by Cookie as he was muttering in his sleep.
"The redhead's got a gun." Cookie said and snored.
Milo soon got to some rocks not far from the camp, and he placed the shovel down and held the torch under her chin as he begins to work at his belt as the light shining from the torch casted over the cavern roof and shines over the strange rock formation.
Then strangely the green glow from it suddenly grew as then several fireflies of some kind flew out from it.
Milo got his belt loose as he then noticed then flying around him, and lowered his pants down as he swatted the fireflies to get them to buzz off.
"Ahh, ooh." Milo swatted at the fireflies more getting annoyed. "Ah! Aah!"
He soon drops the torch and grabs the shovel and started swinging the shovel. It soon hits ones, when then suddenly it caught fire.
"Holy... whoa!" Milo exclaimed dropping the shovel.
He then turns to a few tents on the camp's outside as the fireflies suddenly lit them on fire. And then he turns to the rock formation as he saw dozens of fireflies emerging from it.
"Fire." Milo stared.
Then like a swarm of angry African Honey Bees, the fireflies flew towards Milo by the hundreds as he quickly grabbed his pants pulling them up as he ran.
"Fire!" Milo yelled as he ran through the camp. "Fire! Fire!" He yelled as more tents caught fire.
Nearby, Jimmy who was grabbing a midnight snack of a hidden stash of pepperoni pizza turns to the other tents close by and frowned of what Milo was doing. But he soon saw the firefly swarm as tents were catching fire.
The sight alone made his eyes widen.
He then suddenly rushed back into the tent where Chris, Martin, Aviva and Koki were still sleeping as he shouted and stuttered as he grabbed his things.
"Why is Rourke always buzzin' us?" Chris tiredly said.
Jimmy stammered like crazy as he tries to warn them.
"Shut up, Jimmy!" Koki said trying to sleep.
Jimmy continued stammering and pointed outside as they tiredly turn to him.
"Oh, come on, man." Chris said as Jimmy took a few deep breathes.
"Come on." Aviva said.
"Jimmy, it's too early." Martin said.
"THE CAMP'S ON FIRE!" Jimmy yelled.
Suddenly the tent sheet caught fire as Jimmy cringed as they all ducked as it burns.
"What the heck?!" Chris yelled as they quickly climbed out of the beds.
"Let's go! Let's go!" Martin yelled.
They all shouted as they quickly grabbed their things.
"Fire!" Milo's voice yelled.
Rourke was in his tent still unaware what was going on as he looked at his alarm clock.
"I'm gonna kill him." Rourke muttered.
He then came out of his tent.
"Thatch, go back to bed." Rourke said.
His eyes then widen as he saw the entire camp in flames as members rushed around with buckets of water trying to put it out as Rourke's clock slipped out of his hand.
"Get some water on that fire!" Helga yelled.
"No time!" Rourke yelled. "Get us into those caves! Move it! Move it! Move it!"
Quickly climbing into the trucks, they quickly drove off as Mole in the digger nears the bridge.
"Ya-ha!" Cookie yelled whipping a motorized mini tank pulling his wagon. "Gertie, pull!"
The trucks and digger quickly drove over the bridge.
"Milo, get in here!" Martin yelled.
"Milo, jump!" Audrey yelled as Milo ran to the truck that she and the Wild Kratts were in as Chris drove it and a flaming truck was behind him. "Jump, now!"
Milo quickly made a jump for it as the truck exploded as Audrey pulls him in.
The fireflies continue swarming as the trucks hurried over the bridge and the tires of the oiler tanker caught fire.
"Aah! Aah!" The driver screamed as the flames grew.
The flames grew more as then it hits one of the oil tanks as it exploded. And soon the whole truck violently exploded the commander car quickly turns as the tires squealed avoiding the debris from the truck.
Then the rock formation fell after getting loose somehow likely from the explosion hitting it.
And then it hits the bridge in front of the car as it quickly turns avoiding it as part of the bridge ahead of the digger suddenly cracked. Then the bridge started coming loose as the digger started to slide back just as it was about to cross the crack.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" Mole said desperately working on the controls.
He desperately tried to get the digger forward as it continues sliding back, and soon hits 2 trucks. And then it slid more as the whole bridge came lose and fell as the broken end hits the ground hard. And every truck slid down a slope.
In one of them, Sweet tries to regain the truck's control as Vinny held on as every truck bumped into one another.
"Aah!" Audrey yelled.
And every truck slid further down the slope.
"Aah!" Rourke quickly turned the steering wheel.
Then everything went black and a massive crashed occurred.
And everything was silent for what seem like hours.
Then a match lit as Rourke held it. "All right, who's not dead? Sound off." he said.
Then groaning and muttering was heard.
"My head." Aviva groaned.
"Danged lightnin' bugs done bit me on my sit-upon." Cookie said as the match went out. "Somebody's gonna have to suck out that poison. Now don't everybody jump up at once."
"Fireflies aren't poisonous, Cookie." Martin said.
"OW! That was my foot!" Koki yelled.
"Sorry." Jimmy apologized.
"Mole, are you okay?" Aviva asked. "You okay?"
"Yes." Mole answered.
"Good." Aviva said. "Because I'm gonna beat you soft, Mole!"
"So it was my fault?!" Mole said.
"First rule of quick escapes you never have the biggest truck up front!" Aviva said.
Then sigh was heard and a light was turned on as Rourke turns a car light as they were in some kind of cavern.
"Audrey, give me a damage report." Rourke said.
"Not as bad as it could have been." Audrey reported. "We totaled rigs 2 and 7, but the digger looks like it'll still run." She then rubs a sore sport. "Lucky for us we landed in something soft."
"And I'm afraid our last supply of oil was burnt out when the truck blow off." Aviva said. "We may only have days before every truck goes on fumes."
"Where are we, anyway?" Martin wondered looking at the cavern.
"Pumice ash." Mole said examining the ground as Helga brushed some gravel off her arms. "We are standing at the base of a dormant volcano."
Helga brought out a flare-gun and pushed Mole aside and fires upward as the flare flew up through a shaft.
"It just keeps going." Helga said.
"Maybe that's our ticket outta here." Vinny said.
Then the flare exploded hitting a rock ceiling.
"Maybe not." Helga said.
"The magma has solidified in the bowels of the volcano, effectively blocking the exit." Mole said as the light fades.
"I get the same problem with sauerkraut." Helga said.
"Hmm. This ash is very well undisturbed." Chris said examining the ash. "It seems like this volcano's last eruption could've been between 10 to 15,000 years ago."
"Hold on. Back up." Sweet said. "Are you sayin' this whole volcano can blow at any time?" He got concern of the thought of being on top of a seismic time-bomb.
"No, no, no, no." Mole said reassuring. "That would take an explosive force of great magnitude."
Then a sproing was heard as they all turned to Vinny who was working on a time-bomb out of a clock.
And he uneasily turns to them.
"Maybe I should do this later, huh?" Vinny said.
"If we could blow the top off of that thing, we'd have a straight shot to the surface." Rourke said.
"Well, we don't know for sure, but it's theoretically possible." Aviva said.
"Mr. Thatch, what do you think?" Rourke asked Milo but he and Helga suddenly noticed he wasn't around.
"Wait, where's Milo?" Koki wondered.
"Mr. Thatch?" Rourke said. "Thatch?"
Some distance away, Milo was unconscious breathing heavily against a rock and had a gash near his shoulder.
Suddenly a voice was heard in some kind of language as a spear tip nudges his glasses. Then Milo woke up and then his eyes widen as his vision cleared and saw 3 figures with large masks and held spears as Milo was cornered against a rock.
Then one of them nears him as Milo then placed his left hand over the gash in pain. Then the figure lifted it's mask revealing to be actually a woman with light blue eyes, white hair, 3 small blue colored tattoos of some kind under her left eye, a gold earring on her right ear, a light blue strapless bandeau top, a light blue sarong-like skirt and an anklet on her right ankle.
The woman stared at Milo with a concern look as she saw his wound, Milo soon turns to her and looked a bit surprise.
The woman then moves a bit closer and nears her right hand over his wound as if she was examining it. Then, she held up a crystal from her necklace and held it over the wound for a moment. And then she placed her hand over the wound as Milo grunted a bit in pain, and the woman removes her hand leaving a hand-shaped glow over the wound. And Milo saw the glow faded as the wound was gone, and there wasn't even a scar. Amazed of what he saw, he then sighed and turns back to her as she lightly smiled and placed her mask on.
Suddenly a loud rumbling started as the the trio of figures fled as Milo saw them leave.
"Hey, wait!" Milo quickly said.
Somewhere behind him, the digger plows itself through the rocks.
The 3 figures soon caught up with 2 others as they leaped across the rocks with the agility of leopards or other cats as Milo tries to follow them.
"Who... who are you?" Milo asked as he followed them. "Where are you going? Come back!"
Milo hurries through the rocks and grunted and climbed up one as the group vanished through a crevice as some light was ahead. And soon Milo climbed through the gap.
"Hey, wait a minute!" Milo yelled as his voice echoed. "Who are you?"
He stopped at the ledge's edge seeing something as then the digger plows through the wall of rock as everyone soon appeared. But then they all saw what Milo and were shocked of what it was.
Not far was a large waterfall as a city was seen over a circular formation of rock.
"Sweet mother of Jefferson Davis!" Cookie said in amazement.
"Martin, are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Chris asked unsure if it was a dream.
"It's beautiful." Audrey said.
"Incredible." Aviva said.
"Milo, I gotta hand it to you." Sweet said. "You really came through."
Then screeching was heard as the group Milo was chasing suddenly appeared as they turn to them.
"Uh, I take that back." Sweet nervously said.
"Holy cats!" Rourke said placing his hand over his gun. "Who are these guys?"
"They gotta be Atlanteans." Milo said.
"What? That's impossible!" Helga said.
"I seen this back in the Dakota." Cookie said. "They can smell fear just by looking at ya." He said as if he was talking to an unseen 4th wall audience. "So keep quiet."
Then the woman that healed Milo spoke Atlantean and it sounds like a demanding tone.
"What'd it said?" Jimmy asked.
"I don't know." Martin said.
"I believe it's some kind of ancient language." Aviva said.
"I think it's talking to you." Mole said pulling on Milo's arm.
The woman spoke again and seems to be repeating what she said before as Milo then took a step forward. He then haltingly spoke Atlantean and sound he said the same thing she said as the woman removed her mask and spoke Atlantean and it sounded more of a questionable matter as if his speak is rather strange.
Milo then spoke again in Atlantean as if he was saying 'I travel friend'. The woman spoke again in a questionable and impatient tone.
"Ita, sum amice viator." Milo said in Roman.
"Dices linguam Romae." The woman surprising said in Roman.
"Parlez-vous francais?" Milo asked in French.
"Oui, monsieur!" The woman said French.
"They speak my language!" Mole said rushing pass Milo and Helga. "Pardon, mademoiselle?" She kneels down to his level. "Ah, voulez-vous..." He whispered to her ear.
Then the woman's eyes widen and then suddenly punched Mole.
"Ooh, nice swing." Koki said.
"Ooh, I like her." Sweet said.
"Hmm! 'Bout time someone hit him." Audrey said. "I'm just sorry it wasn't me."
The other Atlanteans then removed their masks and spoke in different languages. "Buenos dias. Guten tag!" They greeted them in a various of languages.
"How do they know all these languages?" Audrey wondered.
"Yeah, how could they possibly know French, Roman and other languages if they been cut off from the surface for so long?" Chris wondered.
"Their language must be based on a root dialect." Milo theorized. "It's just like the Towel of Babel."
"Well, maybe English is in there somewhere." Rourke said joining beside them. "We are explorers from the surface world. We come in peace."
"Welcome to the city of Atlantis." The woman said in English. "Come. You must speak with my father now." She grabbed Milo's hand and heads off with him.
"Squad "B", head back to the shaft and salvage what you can." Rourke ordered.
"Yes, sir!" An officer said.
"We'll rendezvous in 24 hours." Rourke said.
"Let's move it." An officer said. "You heard him."
They soon follow the woman and the Atlanteans in 2 of their trucks over a wooden bridge over a river of lava.
One of them, Mole happily sighed as Vinny drive the truck.
"I'm so excited!" Mole said acting like an excited kid.
Vinny scooted a bit away from Mole a bit creeped out.
They followed the Atlanteans over the bridge, and near the city as nearby from them, a group of strange pterosaur-like reptiles screeched as some flew off.
"Now, what's really amazing is that if you deconstructed Latin, you overlaid it with a little Sumerian, throw a little dash of Thessalonian, you'd be getting close to their basic grammatical structure." Milo said in the truck with Rourke and Helga. "Or at least you'd be in the same ballpark..."
"Someone's having a good time." Helga said.
"Like a kid at Christmas." Rourke said.
"Commander, there were not supposed to be people down here." Helga said. "This changes everything."
"This changes nothing." Rourke said.
"Take that, Mr. Harcourt!" Milo said.
He then leads out of the truck as ahead of them was a temple at the top of the city.
2 large stoned doors opened leading to a throne room with a pond of water as 4 Parrot Lizards flew by.
And Milo, Rourke, Helga, Chris, Martin and Aviva followed the woman to her father, Kashekim.
"Greetings your Highness." She said in Atlantean and bowed. "I have brought the visitors."
"You know the law Kida." Kashekim said in Atlantean as Milo bowed as Chris, Martin and Aviva followed. "No outsiders may see the city and live."
"Father... these people may be able to help us." Kida said trying to reason with her father as Milo got a notebook out and wrote some notes.
"We do not need their help." Kashekim firmly said.
"But father..." Kida said.
"That's enough." Kashekim firmly said. "We will discuss this later."
Milo closed his notebook and can tell the king doesn't sound too please, and Chris, Martin and Aviva knew that as well though they didn't understood what he said.
"Your Majesty?" Rourke said. "On behalf on my crew, may I say it is an honor to be welcomed to your city."
"Ahem. Uh, excuse me?" Milo said. "Commander?"
"Uh, Rourke, I don't think he's too pleased with us." Chris said.
"You presume much to think you are welcome here." Kashekim said in English.
"Oh, sir, we have come a long way looking for..." Rourke said.
"I know what you seek, and you will not find it here." Kashekim said. "Your journey has been in vain."
"But we are peaceful explorers, men of science." Rourke said.
Kashekim then chuckled. "And yet you bring weapons." He said though being blind.
"Our weapons allow us to remove obstacles we may encounter." Rourke explained as simply as he could.
"Some obstacles cannot be removed with a mere show of force." Kashekim said and stood up. "Return to your people. You must leave Atlantis at once."
"Oh, Your Majesty, be reasonable." Rourke said.
"Sir..." Milo said.
"Not now, son." Rourke said.
"Trust me on this." Milo said. "We better do what he says."
"May I respectfully request that we stay 1 night, sir?" Rourke asked. "That would give us time to rest, resupply, and be ready to travel by morning."
"Hmm. Very well." Kashekim declared. "One night. That is well."
"Well, thank you, Your Majesty." Rourke said as they turn and leave.
They walk off as Milo turns to Kida as she sighed.
And soon, the 2 guards closed the stoned doors.
"Hmm. Your heart has softened, Kida." Kashekim said sitting down on his throne. "A thousand years ago you would have slain them on sight." He then lays down.
"A thousand years ago, the streets were lit... and our people did not have to scavenge for food at the edge of a crumbling city!" Kida said turning to her father and lit a lantern with her crystal.
"The people at content." Kashekim said.
"They do not know any better!" Kida said. "We were once a great people. Now we live in ruins." She then grabbed a piece of wet clothe and dabs it on her father's head. "The kings of our past would weep if they could see how far we have fallen."
"Kida." Kashekim said.
"If these people can unlock the secrets of our past, perhaps we can save our future." Kida said.
"What they have to teach us, we have already learned." Kashekim said.
"Our way of life is dying." Kida said.
"Our way of life is preserved." Kashekim said and held his daughter's hand. "Mmm. Kida, when you take the throne, you will understand."
Kida remained silent.
Meanwhile, Rourke, Helga, Milo, Chris, Martin and Aviva joined back with the others.
"So, how'd it go?" Sweet asked.
"We were given one night to stay here." Chris said.
"Well, the king and his daughter don't exactly see eye to eye." Milo said.
"Maybe partly because he's blind." Martin said.
Aviva then elbowed him hard.
"She seems to like us OK, but the king, I don't know, I think he's hiding somethin'." Milo said.
"Well, if he's hiding something, I want to know what it is." Rourke said.
"Someone needs to talk to that girl." Helga said.
"I will go!" Mole volunteered.
"Someone with good people skills." Vinny said.
"I will do it!" Mole said.
"Someone who won't scare her away." Sweet suggested.
"I volunteer!" Mole said.
"Someone who can speak the language." Packard said.
"For the good of the mission, I will go!" Mole said.
"Good man, Thatch." Rourke said patting Milo's shoulder as he looked through a notebook. "Thanks for volunteering."
Mole then tears up and then sobs like mad.
"Go get 'em, tiger." Audrey said nudging Milo.
"Oi, Mole." Aviva said shaking her head. "Give him a hug."
Author's Note:
You may notice a Pearl Harbor and Kangaroo Jack reference.
And I slightly wonder if whatever Mole was whispering to Kida is part of the reason why we shouldn't know about Mole's backstory.