Disclaimer: We all know that I don't own them right

Disclaimer: We all know that I don't own them right? Right. Peter Lee is mine.

A/N: I'm taking extreme liberties with dates and the history of the Mayan culture, so please don't take what I'm about to put down as fact. I am also pretending that the site of Calakmul doesn't have a paved road leading to it or a Ramada Inn just across the road (as it does in real life). *looks around the room* What? I need a totally isolated environment instead of a tourist attraction. The large block of text in italics is a dream sequence.

Return of the Dragon

6

"Okay let me just get this straight one more time."

Jubilee sighed as she slashed away at the thick greenery in front of her. It had been several hours since she had been able to use a real toilet, had access to an air conditioner, and hear something besides the incessant questioning of a certain young man who apparently had issues with Jubilee being in danger.

"You got captured by some goons of a Russian mob boss who you ended up knowing and he took you to Cancun."

"Yep."

"That you called Nana when you were younger."

"Yep."

"Nana? As in Grandma Nana?"

Another plant bit the dust as the machete cleanly sliced through the leaves. "Nana as in Va-nya. I was just a baby and couldn't pronounce his name." Jubilee paused and stooped down to remove bug that was caught in her sock. She was dressed like the rest of the team in hiking boots, khaki pants or shorts, and a loose t-shirt, and had been liberally sprayed with bug repellent (provided by the ever handy Paige). The team had been forced to land the plane in a semi-clear spot about 30 miles away from the Calakmul site. Since then Jubilee had lead the way, her gut moving her in a direction that she couldn't ignore, the rest of the team had followed behind her. They were oddly silent as they trekked through the jungle with often the buzz of insects and the chatter of small animals the only noise for hours.

Each member was coping with the heat and strain in their own way. Angelo had minutely questioned Jubilee on every segment of her journey while Paige had bemusedly walked through the undergrowth as she fiddled around with her PDA trying to get a reading for the past four hours. Her blond hair had been tucked into a floppy cloth hat, and she occasionally waved a bug away as she passed almost unknowing through the hot, humid area. On the other hand, Monet was determinedly walking forward with a tenacity that was unnerving Jonothon who was in front of her. Every time he would walk too slowly for Monet's needs, he would be sharply prodded in the back of his head.

The almost thick air that sweltered around them seemed to sap their energies and even Angelo had lost all of his unease at traveling so deep into the jungle.

Eight hours later the group finally made it into a valley, where the air seemed a little cooler. They all paused, and everyone collapsed on the ground in a heap of bags, smelly feet and tired bodies. The unexpected hike had begun fairly early that morning, and after several hours of walking nobody was in the best of moods. Which was probably not the best time for Paige to have spoken up.

"Hey! I just got the PDA back online." Paige smiled to herself happily as she quickly sifted through various sites until she came up on a map of the area. "Um…" she chewed her lip indecisively as she looked at the others.

"Spit it out hayseed."

"Did anyone know that there's a paved road going up to the site?"

Moving as one, everyone turned to look at Jubilee who blushed slightly. "What? I didn't see anything from the plane, did you?"

Monet sighed witheringly. "You wouldn't have from the plane remember? There would have been too many trees and foliage covering the road." She turned to Paige. "Can you access some satellite photos of the area? Maybe we aren't too far from the road."

*I'm not meaning to complain gel…*

"But." Jubilee supplied.

*Aren't you taking this thing with your great uncle just a little too far? He could be anywhere in the world right now and we're busy pulling a Blair Witch Project in the middle of nowhere.*

Angelo moaned from his position on the ground. "Shit! I hadn't even thought about that movie."

"Angelo?" Monet smiled at him sweetly. "There's a lizard on your leg."

While Ange proceeded to crush all surrounding plant life, Paige had finally accessed her the photos. "I pulled up the most recent files and the road should be right under us. M why don't you go take a look around? Maybe we're off by a few meters."

Rising delicately in the air, they soon lost sight of Monet as she hovered around the area for several minutes, when she landed a frown was on her face. "I can't see anything or anyone. There's no sign of a road, just a couple of temples about a hundred feet ahead."

"Crap." Jubilee stood up and looked around her, her eyes resting on a hill to the right of them. She peered at it for a few moments before she realized that it was a building, and without making a sound, started climbing the steep side. The earth crumbled under her boots, as she pulled herself up using the ancient stones as handholds. Once she had reached the top she could see the outline of Calakmul, but it was far different from anything she had seen on the internet. The jungle had seemed to resist growing there and only a tree or two marred the wide, earthen plaza in the middle of the city. Huge, white temples rose in the distance looking for all the world like they had never been through the ravages of time. In fact, instead of the decayed buildings with broken walls, the city looked fairly new. A sinking feeling churned in Jubilee's stomach as she slid down the side of the hill, and she grinned nervously at them.

*What is it?* Jono asked suspiciously.

"I'm not sure but it doesn't look good guys."

-in-

Emma was not happy. Her face was expressionless as she looked at the younger woman who had been put in charge of Jubilee's care. The woman once known as the White Queen of the Hellfire Club was far from impressed and it was showing. She had spent the last three days utterly furious at the children and after she had broken several vases, dishes and bought out a company, she had managed to get her temper under control. That didn't mean, however, that she was any less angry with the woman in front of her.

"You were trying to protect her?"

Jessica stood and paced the room, tying and retying her hair into a ponytail. "Peter trusted me with her care and I couldn't let her go after him. I know that's what she was trying to do, heck any child of his blood line would do that."

"So that's why you wouldn't let her out of the house, monitored her communications and eavesdropped on everything that she did?"

"I know what Jubilee is capable off, any student who's had your tutelage is more than able to go off and attempt a rescue."

"Excuse me?" Emma's eyes flashed, the one movement betraying her emotions.

"You aren't the only one who did some research. Peter needed to know what kind of environment that Jubilee had been living in since her parents' death. You're fairly well known in some circles Ms. Frost."

Sean stepped forward to stop the obvious flow of animosity between the two women. "Alright, calm down both yeh! We'll never get anywhere if yeh keep this up." He turned to Jessica who had sat down. "Jessica, ya say ya know about Emma. Well then let her scan yer mind and it'll be the end of it. Are yeh willing?"

After a few moments Jessica assented. "If it'll help the child."

Emma closed her eyes, slipping into Jessica's thoughts and feelings brutally searching every crevice of her mind of some hint of treachery. The dark woman cringed, as painful memories were brought back to light with turbulent emotions, but remained still until Emma finally withdrew. "She's clean."

Sean let out a gust of air that he had been holding. "Good, now we need to decided what to do."

The three adults were sitting in the study where large bay windows looked out onto the ocean. As they sat silently, the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks did nothing to soothe them, as each pondered the whereabouts of the children. Finally Jessica got up from her seat and walked over to the bookshelf on the far wall. A dark leather book was picked unerringly from the others, and she handed to Emma.

"If your students and Jubilee have already gotten to Calakmul there's nothing we can do. It's up to them now if they survive or not."

-in-

Deep in the heart of the Mayan heartland, the five teenagers were safely tucked away in their respective tents, the boys in one and the girls in the other. The team had finally decided to spend the night in the outskirts of the city while they made up their minds on what to do and after carefully inspecting the area for wildlife, had camped down. One body however, was stirring restlessly as the heavy ring lying on her chest began to grow hotter and hotter.

Jubilee awoke with a start, the hot ring searing her chest and her hand, unbidden, grabbed it only to have it cool to her touch. Crouching low, Jubilee ducked out of the tent and into the brilliant moonlight shining through the trees. Her bare feet padded softly on the earth as she walked past the towering timbers, her fingers brushing against the rough bark. The small Chinese teenager smiled, and lifted her hands into the air letting the moonlight caress her body. Within moments, Jubilee stepped into a clearing that led to a heavy stone entranceway. Two huge stone statues guarded either side of the entrance, both creatures horribly fanged and clawed, and as Jubilee stepped up to the entrance they stirred.

Not moving Jubilee merely smiled as the immense beasts shuddered to life, shaking off years of debris to reveal magnificent jaguars that bared their teeth as the began to circle her. The animals were nothing like Jubilee had ever seen, they were almost as tall as she was, and their eyes glowed a deep green as they assessed the newcomer to their territory. They were almost identical except for a gold ring in one of the beast's ear.

*Why are you here?*

Jubilee clutched the ring around her neck. "I was led here."

*This is sacred land, why are you here?*

"To save my great-uncle."

The jaguar cocked its head towards her, the ring trembling slightly as it breathed. *That is not why you are here.* It raised a thick paw and cuffed her on the head, much like it was reprimanding a cub. *Why do you persist in these falsehoods?* It turned to look at it's mate who was delicately licking her fur. *Can you help?*

The female sniffed Jubilee, her wet nose brushing the small hand before settling back down on her haunches. *Why are you here?*

Jubilee sighed, beginning to feel like she was in a major test and failing. "I told you! I'm here trying to find my great uncle. He's lost and needs me to help him."

*Child!* The jaguar leapt forward and landed in front of Jubilee sending up a puff of dirt in the girl's face. "Why are you here? Surely once place is as good as another to seek a lost one?*

"Oh. His last letter came from Mexico, I thought it was the best place to look. And…" Jubilee rubbed her neck thoughtfully.

*And what?*

"Something pulled me here. I don't know what it is but it feel right ya know?"

The she-jaguar licked Jubilee's face affectionately. *Good child, and how do you know it's not evil?*

"Because it doesn't feel evil, it needs me somehow."

*Yes, Xibalba is in need of help. Do you accept his plea?*

Jubilee stared into the dark green eyes of the jaguar and then slowly nodded. "I will help him."

The two jaguars exchanged a look and then male trotted off the side of the entrance to retrieve a spear engraved with various hieroglyphs. Handing the weapon to Jubilee, they waited while she hefted the six-foot long pole in her hand.

"What is this for?"

*In your journey to help Xibalba you will need a weapon to defend yourself. This is what he has given you for the rite of acceptance.*

Jubilee stepped back nervously. "What rite of acceptance?"

*All of his chosen must endure a test that will prove their battle skills, honor and ability.*

"And it starts when?"

*Now child.*

With teeth bared the huge animal lunged at Jubilee, his lethal claws grazing the teenager's shoulder as she rolled out of the way. Gripping the spear in her hand, she circled the beast warily, never moving her eyes from his. The jaguar seriously outweighed the girl, and could overpower her easily, there would be no way for her to win if it came to a pure one on one fight. It would be have to be won through a weapon or her powers and Jubilee didn't want to hurt the cat, her conversation with it before was enough to soften her to the animal.

For several moments Jubilee was forced to duck and dodge the animal's fierce attacks, each time getting more and more tired. Sweat blurred her vision and she irritatedly shook her head sending beads of liquid into the air. Throwing the spear half-heartedly at the jaguar, Jubilee bit her lip as she carefully constructed a plasma ball in her hand. Once it was big enough she threw it at the cat, stopping it only centimeters from it's face.

"Move," Jubilee gasped for air as she kept her hand outstretched. "And it will explode your head into so many pieces it'll take your mate there months to find it all."

It's whiskers quivered as it stared at the glowing globule that shimmered a rainbow of colors. *You haven't won till you have killed me child. Do it.*

"No, no matter what happens I don't kill."

*Foolish child.*

"Not really." With a slight flick of her wrist, the ball exploded throwing the animal into the wall. Jubilee looked at the female with trepidation, holding her hand out. "I only put him unconscious. I didn't want to hurt him."

A deep growl rumbled from the jaguar as it padded towards Jubilee, and then licked her hand. *He will live and so will you. Go, Xibalba awaits you.*

Jubilee frowned. "I don't get it, I thought I had to kill him."

*A true warrior knows his own strength and that the battle isn't always won by the amount of blood shed. Go.*

Picking the spear back up Jubilee walked to the stone entrance and peered into the darkness, unable to make out anything beyond the arch. Taking a deep breath, she strode in with the ring around her neck being to glow again.

-in-