Elsewhere, even deeper inside the vast expanses of the base, TK, Kari, Patamon, Gatomon, and their new friend the digignome all made their way forward without delay. They were aware that they had been separated from their friends, but the digignome was unwilling to stop for anything. Rather than lose track of it and stay back to try and get through several feet of solid steel, they two humans and their digimon partners quickly decided it would be best to continue on. The mood was very intense, and the digignome's increasingly urgent attitude told the DigiDestined that they were either very close or their time was running out quickly. Either way, the DigiDestined still had to struggle to keep up with their odd new companion.

After a time, the five adventurers reached the end of the long hallway. It opened into another room that was fairly large, but hardly an arena. It would be possible to fight there without being too cramped, and everyone could tell that that would probably be helpful. The far wall was made up of three reinforced steel doors. The lights overhead flickered to life when the group walked in, and provided more lighting than they had become accustomed to in the facility.

"Doesn't look like anyone's home," said TK, quickly scanning over the room.

"I don't like it," said Gatomon suspiciously. "Something in here doesn't seem quite right."

"Right or not, we have to hurry," said Patamon. "I doubt this room is going to stay empty much longer."

"You're right," TK said. "We can expect more troops to be heading this way very soon. Let's find what the digignome wants to show us and get out of here."

"There," said Kari, pointing to a small keypad immediately to the right of the triple doors. "That must open up those doors."

"Sounds about right," said TK. "Let's move."

The five of them quickly made their way across the room to where the keypad was. Upon examining the device and trying to punch in a few numbers at random, TK was stumped.

"We're gonna' need a code," announced TK. "Without one we're sunk."

"So let's go find a guard," said Gatomon. "I'll bet any one of 'em would have the code."

"And how do you suggest we get it out of them?" asked TK.

"Oh come on," said Gatomon. "These guys are pushovers. We'll have that vault open in five minutes."

"Oh, I don't know about that," said a sinister voice behind them.

Nervously, the small group turned their attention back to the hallway from whence they came. Standing at the entrance as confident as ever was the Emperor. He had that vile little grin on his face once again.

"It's been a long time," said TK.

"That it has," said the Emperor, brandishing his whip.

"And to think," started TK. "I was worried I'd never get another chance to kick the snot out of you."

TK punched the palm of his hand and began to advance on the Emperor very slowly.

"Ah, yes," said the Emperor. "An unfortunate incident. I assure you that today we will not see a repeat of that."

"Says who?" asked TK, still advancing.

"Says my backup," said Ken.

The Emperor quickly cracked his whip, and a looming shadow immediately emerged from the dark hallway behind him. As light poured down over the monster, he was immediately recognized as Metaldracomon. His eyes were cold, his face was hard, and his claws were twitching with excitement. TK immediately halted his advance upon seeing the powerful digimon.

"Miss me?" asked Metaldracomon.

"Can't really say we have," said Patamon.

"You're gonna' pay," said Gatomon. "That's a promise."

"We shall see…" said Metaldracomon.

"I think we've wasted enough time," said the Emperor. "Metaldracomon! Exterminate these… pests. I don't want them disrupting the beauty of what we're making here for a second longer!"

"It'll be a pleasure…" Metaldracomon said with a cruel smile.

The beastly digimon powered up his engine and spread his wings, bolting forward with frightening speed. He was instantly right on top of the DigiDestined and digimon. He thrust his right claw down at the center of the group, but all he struck was the floor. TK, Kari, Patamon, and Gatomon had all spread out in different directions. As for the digignome, it had taken flight and currently had an excellent vantage point from which it could view the impending battle.

"Kari!" TK called out as he got back on his feet.

"I'm fine!" said Kari.

"NOT FOR LONG!" yelled the nearly berserk Metaldracomon.

The mechanical monster lashed his tail out like a whip at Kari. Luckily for her, Gatomon threw her to the ground just in time, allowing the deadly weapon to pass right over them. Metaldracomon wasn't done yet, though. He lifted his tail up high and prepared to bring it slamming down on Kari and Gatomon. The two of them managed to once again roll out of the way, but in just the nick of time. It seemed that Metaldracomon had stopped his assault for the moment, so the beleaguered warriors took the chance to regroup as far from the beast as possible.

"What now?!" shouted TK.

"I should think that would be obvious," said Patamon.

"It's time to do some digivolving!" said Gatomon.

"Uh-huh," said Kari. "That might get a little tricky without digivices."

"And don't forget about the little emperor over there," said TK. "With his dark digivice, you two would only be able to armor digivolve. That probably won't help us against an Ultimate like Metaldracomon."

"I'm glad you finally see things as they are," said Metaldracomon. "And now, I just have one request of you."

"We're not gonna' surrender," said Patamon.

"Oh, I don't want you to surrender," said Metaldracomon. "I want you to DIE!"

Metaldracomon swiftly raised his right claw and aimed at the DigiDestined. With a vicious yell, he fired his Mecha Claw at them. Time almost seemed to come to a stop as the deadly weapon sailed through the air. With every instant it drew closer to its target, Metaldracomon's deadly aim guiding to straight and true. Unable to escape in time, TK and Kari shielded themselves with their arms. The blades drew closer, and closer, and closer, until…

*Thunk*

The claw came to a sudden stop in mid-air, sending out a sound like that of metal striking against metal. Everyone there was dumbfounded but what they saw. The claw just floated there harmlessly, hovering less than two feet from the DigiDestined.

"Sorry I'm late," said a familiar voice. "The traffic in these parts is no walk in the sunshine."

Slowly, the easily recognizable form of Piximon materialized where the claw had stopped. Apparently he had blocked the attack with his own spear, which still supported the weapon.

"YOU!" shouted Metaldracomon. "But how--?!"

"Surely you haven't forgotten that too," said Piximon. "I can create barriers to make pretty much anything invisible, including myself."

"Wow, Piximon!" said TK. "You're timing rocks!"

"I never thought I'd see you again!" said Kari.

"So, is this guy giving you two a little trouble?" asked Piximon.

"You've stood in my way for the last time, fuzz-ball," said Metaldracomon. "Now you're going to pay for insulting me. Now you will pay for insulting the glory of the virus!"

"So I take it the next round is about to begin," said Piximon. "I'm good to go when you are."

"I'm through toying with you, Piximon," said Metaldracomon. "This time, you WILL die."

Metaldracomon quickly retracted his claw and got into a fighting stance. Piximon gripped his spear in both hands, ready to launch into battle.

Elsewhere, Tai, Matt, Agumon, and Gabumon had made their way through one hallway after another without running into a single evil digimon. They found it odd that in a base swarming with enemies they hadn't even spotted one, but it wasn't an unwelcome surprise.

"C'mon, tough guy…" whispered Matt. "Where are you hiding?"

"Hold on a second," Gabumon said as he signaled the others to stop.

"What's up?" asked Agumon.

Gabumon responded by sniffing the air, and then the floor.

"He's nearby," said Gabumon. "Very near…"

"Who is it?" asked Tai.

"It's Geno," said Gabumon. "It's him without a doubt."

"Oh great," said Tai nervously. "We're in big trouble here."

"Wrong," said Matt. "It's Geno that's in big trouble. As soon as I find him, I'm gonna' introduce his face to my fist."

"He's this way," said Gabumon, quickly running ahead.

The others all followed him, although Tai was a bit reluctant about it. Eventually, Gabumon's nose led the four of them right up to another door just like all the others in the facility. Written on the door was the phrase: "BIO STORAGE".

"Should we go in?" asked Agumon.

"I don't see much choice," said Gabumon.

"Outta' my way," said Matt, shoving the two digimon aside.

Matt pressed the button right next to the door and the thing slid open smoothly. Matt walked in, followed by Gabumon, Agumon, and finally Tai. Once they were all inside, the door closed. The room itself was about thirty feet high, fifty feet wide and about two hundred feet long. There were large, clear, glass tanks filled with a phosphorescent green fluid that stood roughly ten feet tall and were positioned closely together along the walls on the right and left. Some of them contained a variety of digimon, but most were empty. Blue tinted lights spaced at regular intervals that ran along the base of all four walls provided the lighting in the room. On the far wall were two tubes just like the others in the room, both containing digimon. There was a large computer console positioned in front of them, and before that stood the unmistakable figure of Geno.

"What took you so long?" asked Geno.

"Buddy, you're about to get what's coming to you," said Matt, walking confidently forward, followed by the more reluctant Tai, Agumon, and Gabumon.

"Bring it on, child," said Geno.

"No one calls me that," said Matt. "Especially not some tricked-out computer bug with a deadly case of egomania."

"I'll call you whatever I want, junior," said Geno. "Being nearly two thousand years older than you gives me that right."

"Alright, 'gramps'," said Matt. "Now you're cruisin' for a bruisin'."

"Oh please," said Geno. "I have no interest in engaging in such an infantile test of my strength with one such as you."

"Matt," pleaded Gabumon. "I'd hold back if I were you."

"Yeah," said Agumon. "Let us handle him."

"Stay out of this," commanded Matt. "I DON'T need any help."

Geno just chuckled to himself.

"What's so funny?!" Matt demanded.

"Oh I was just thinking," said Geno. "It's quite remarkable how easily I drained you of your strongest trait, the trait that made you a threat. Now you are weak, pathetic. You are as much my servant as this body, or Metaldracomon, or the little emperor."

"I've heard enough!" said Matt. "Either start fighting or get ready for a world of hurt!"

"If you insist," said Geno, turning to the large tanks just behind him. "Aren't they beautiful?"

Floating within the tanks was a Tsunomon and a Koromon. Both seemed like they were unconscious and quite calm.

"These two are among the oldest species of digimon to exist," said Geno. "And yet, they have managed to survive and retain their incredible potential down through the ages. Remarkable."

"What does this have to do with anything?!" shouted Matt.

"Listen and learn," said Geno. "I acquired these digimon from beyond the desert. I took the Koromon from a small village that now exists only as a smoking crater. The Tsunomon I took from another city, directly to the south. That city now is just a ruin. Fatality among the populace wasn't quite 100%, but we all make mistakes."

"The point?!" asked Matt.

Geno just smiled as he removed the two corrupted crests from the slots in front of the digimon. He casually returned them to their tags and hung them around his neck. A moment later, the Koromon and Tsunomon woke suddenly, a maddened look in their eyes. They began to squirm about in the gelatinous fluid.

"Awaken, my children," said Geno.

Suddenly, both tanks cracked severely and the goo began to ooze from the containers. Within a few seconds, both tanks had completely shattered, sending waves of gel washing out onto the floor. An eerie green light radiated from the spilled ooze. Some kind of steam rose from the ground where the stuff had spilled, and it was soaking Geno's feet. Two figures could be see moving within the fluid, struggling to escape. Finally, they both rose from it, but they were not Koromon and Tsunomon. Instead, the two creatures were Black Agumon and Black Gabumon. Green ooze dripped from Black Agumon's snout and body, as Black Gabumon shook his fur clean of the liquid. Both of the digimon had their eyes firmly fixed on their counterparts.

"What the hell is going on?!" asked Tai.

"Aren't they magnificent?" asked Geno. "I've infused them with the very essence of my being. They're strong, ferocious, loyal, and best of all, stupid."

Black Agumon snorted as Geno scratched him under the chin.

"They're the ideal servants," said Geno. "No questions, no talking back, no disobeying orders. It's just 'Yes sir! What do you want me to kill, sir?' whenever I approach. Very soon, these two will replace all of my other forces. And guess what? You two will be their first real taste of blood."

Black Gabumon panted contentedly as Geno scratched him behind the ear.

"You wanted a fight?" asked Geno. "Well now you got one. Black Agumon! Black Gabumon! KILL!"