I began to wonder what Kari could have emailed me. All of us Digidestined kept in touch. Kari, who was having trouble with her Biology class, was often emailing me questions. I hoped the email had something to do with frog disections and nothing to do with a frogmon. Actually, I hoped if it delt with any "mon" it would deal with Gomamon, whom I hadn't seen in several years. I often wondered if grown-ups could go back to the Digiworld. I'd never really tried, but I doubted it was possible.
"You have been really spacey today, Joe," Mimi said to me.
"I'm sorry. I guess things have caught me off guard." "I think you have a fair excuse. One of the nurses told me I'll be able to go home tomorrow, so I think you'll have to set up the crib tonight." I laughed. I'd set up the crib as soon as we'd found out Mimi was pregnant. I'd set up a second one when we'd found out they were twins. Always be prepared has been my motto ever since I was a kid.
"I'm glad you think ahead, but sometimes you're just too much."
"You did once say I was the only guy you ever dated who didn't forget your birthday."
"You've got that going for you, but buying a ring six months before you plan to pop the question shows someone who thinks more about the future than the present."
"I planned to ask you that night, but then you left on that trip. It took me six months to work up the nerve again."
"No confidence..."
"Well...um...I make a lot of money...and I'm good looking..."
"I'm going to stop fighting with you. I don't think you've slept enough lately. Go home and get some rest before the babies come home. I'll call you when I need you to pick me up." I laughed again. She knew I'd be over as soon as I woke up.
"I know I'm funny, now scoot!"
"Yes ma'am!" I saluted , kissed her and walked out the door.
As soon as I reached home I checked the phone messages. Sure enough, Jim had called and said he was home. He was going to be out tonight, but he'd call in the morning. There were a few others from our friends wishing us luck, and Mimi's parents asked what kind of a baby gift to send. My dad hadn't called, but I didn't think he knew Lilly and Gabriel had come into the world yet. I made a mental note to call him later and went to check my email.
My inbox was practically full. On a normal schedule I check my email twice a day, but it had now been three days since I'd been able to check it. I had a couple greeting cards which I saved for Mimi, and some friendly mails. I'd be sending out birth announcements via the internet tomorrow, but news travels fast in our social circles. I scanned through things from my collogues and the inevitable junk mail until I found Kari's email. She had a student address as one of the local colleges. I knew she'd been in a hurry when she'd typed it because she'd forgotten to type in a subject. Usually, in an email from Kari, she typed a famous quote or a clever saying into the subject line, but there was nothing in this one. I began to worry.
Joe,
We have an emergency. Please come to Izzy's house tonight. (or as soon as you can) I don't have time to explain. I will stop the hospital to see if you are there. Bring your digivice, and a sandwich. This is going to be a long night.
-Kari
I began to panic.
Not good at all. The digivice part didn't scare me, but bring a sandwich meant something major was going on. As soon as I'd made a plate of sandwiches, I headed out the door. I left a message on the machine for Mimi telling her where I was if I didn't get back in time, and I left her a note too.
Twenty minutes later I found myself in front of Izzy's apartment building. He had a penthouse that took up the whole top floor. He lived there with his fiance. I liked her. She was headstrong yet gentle which contrasted with her size. She was a tiny little thing with blond hair. I had the valet park my car and went to argue with the doorman about why I was here. I think he'd seen me before so he let me in, and after a long elevator ride I was at the door, and the second I knocked someone grabbed me by the collar and dragged me inside.
"Is it that urgent?" I asked, rubbing my neck.
"You're late," Matt said.
"I just checked my email! I wouldn't have thought of it if Mimi hadn't told me to."
"The reliable one..."
"I'll take that as a complement. Can I put these down?" I indicated the plate of sandwiches I was holding.
"I TOLD you he would bring them!" TK crowed to Kari.
"I didn't mean it literally, Joe, but it's appreicated all the same." Kari put the sandwitches on the table.
"That's done. What's the problem?"
"The Digital World is in danger," Izzy said.
"And that's why they have new Digidestined. I met a couple of them. They seemed like capable kids."
"But they've been captured by this new enemy, Sauronmon."
(a/n: All us Tolkien geeks cheer in unison! Bring back Tom Bombadil!!!)
"Well what can we do?" I asked.
"That's what we're trying to figure out."
"Can we go to the Digital World? I mean, we're grownups."
"We don't know."
"Then why am I here? This is my last night as a man without kids."
"I need your digivice."
"Why?"
"Your digivice and my digivice are linked with Cody's D3 right?"
"I suppose..by the crests right?"
"Exactly, and if the three of us try to open a digiport at the same time, it might take us to the kids who inherited the crests of Knowledge and Reliability."
"You've never stopped theorizing."
"Never! And if this works we can get Matt and Tai in here with Davis, and Mimi and Sora with Yolei. I don't know how it will work with Kari and TK, and especially Ken."
"That's if this works. So where's Cody? I haven't seen him in a while."
"I'm here."
I jumped. The kid had snuck up on me just like that.
"Whoa! I'm getting slow in my old age. Good to see you, Cody. How have you been?" I held out my hand.
"Good! Congratulations. I heard about the twins. I wanted to come and see you guys, but I had this big test."
"You could have had someone come by and say your dad was in the hospital."
Cody laughed.
"I'm just glad I can look you in the eye now."
"You have grown. Wow, are you playing basketball or something?"
"No, just Kendo."
"He's so modest!" Kari chirped. "Cody's going on to the national championships."
"Well...um...I am..." He looked down, blushing.
"That's great, Cody! Now I can say congratulations."
"Will you two cut the chit-chat?" Izzy snapped. "I've got the computer up."
I shruged and walked over with Cody to the computer.
"
On three," Izzy said, standing to Cody's right and holding up his digivice. I held up mine and Cody did the same.
"Digiport open!" We called in unison.
"Gomamon!"