You can't just leave me here like this," a distressed and panicking Monkey Fist exclaims.

Monkey Fist awakes to find himself confined in the same stone holding device he applied to Kim earlier. Metal cuffs wrap tightly around his wrists and ankles while a leather strap, secured behind the stone back, wraps around his forehead constricting his head movements to almost nothing.

"I don't see why we can't," says Kim as she crosses her arms. "Do you Ron?"

"Not me. What about you, Rufus?"

Rufus pops his head out of Ron's pant pocket. "Nope."

"Then it's settled," says Kim, "you stay."

Monkey Fist asks, "For how long?"

Kim reaches into her pant pocket, pulls out her kimmunicator, and presses a button. "Wade?"

"Authorities should arrive in three hours."

Kim shoots a smug look toward Monkey Fist. "Question answered?"

"Sufficiently," a deadpan Monkey Fist responds.

"Spanking. Come on, Ron. Let's help the people Monkey Fist exploited get out of here and back to civilization."

"I hear that."

Kim, carrying the mask in her hand, and Ron exit the alcove leaving Monkey Fist to wallow uncomfortable in his latest defeat at their hands. Kim walks along side Ron, who limps at every other step, down the torch lit tunnel.

Kim notices and a tinge of guilt begins to develop within her. "Ron?"

They stop and face each other.

"Yeah, KP?"

"I'm sorry about what I did to you earlier."

"It wasn't you, Kim," Ron states with a smile. "You were under the control of a freaky evil mind controlling mask. These things happen… you know to us."

He places his hand on her shoulder, giving a reassuring squeeze while still flashing an ever growing smile that combats the guilt ridden load developing on her shoulders. She returns the smile.

They continue walking while Kim looks at the now powerless mask that compelled her to hurt someone she loves so dearly. "I'll be so glad when we bring this back to Mr. Emerald. I hope he won't mind if the mask isn't exactly brought back in its original condition."

Ron takes the mask and looks at it. "It's still creepybut without the red stuff, it's far less evil."

"Definitely far less," Kim states nonchalantly.

Ron brings the mask right up to his face. "And it becomes more practical since you can see what you're looking at now that the eyeholes are empty." He turns to look at Kim walking beside him. "And I like what I see."

Kim, flashing a playful smile, snatches the mask away from Ron. "Come on, let's get out of here."

"Gladly," responds Ron.

Rufus excitedly agrees, "Ah-huh!"

The End