Manabe motioned to the back of the cliffs. Netto and Enzan both followed her motions and went over to where the grassy edge dropped over the edge of the island. They walked down the craggy interface and looked for the cave that was supposed to be there.

"Have you boys found anything?" Manabe asked over a walkie talkie that the boys had carried down.

"Not yet," Enzan whispered.

"Okay, Laika and I are going on the other side, if we find anything we'll send you a silent message over your PET's," she said.

"All right," Enzan replied.

The walkie talkie went dead and Enzan motioned Netto over away from the edge of the winding path. "Get away from there, you're going to hurt yourself."

Netto stuck his tongue out at him and grudgingly followed the command. "Worried?" he jeered.

"No," Enzan said quickly. "I just want this mission to run without any complications."

Netto snorted and started to walk down the path and Enzan quickly increased his pace to catch up. "You should be quieter," he murmured. "That man could have traps or spy equipment anywhere."

Netto rolled his eyes. "I highly doubt that he has that kind of stuff out here. I mean this is a public trail is it not?" he asked.

"Netto," Enzan sighed. "You're not thinking like a Net Savior. This guy does not want to be caught, so play it safe."

"He's got a point, Netto-kun," Rockman said.

"I don't know what you guys are so worried aboAHHHH!" he yelled as he was caught in a net that was slung over a rock on the trail.

Enzan looked at his friend who was now cursing everything under the sun. "I told you," he said.

"Shut the hell up and get me down!" he yelled.

"Netto-kun, hush!" Rockman hissed.

"I will hush when I damn well feel like it," Netto said.

/Netto, do you want to ruin the only chance we might get at catching this guy/ Rockman said loudly in Netto's thoughts.

Netto quickly quieted down and sat quietly until Enzan cut the trigger rope and Netto came plummeting back to earth. In his credit he didn't yell and Enzan caught him safely before he hit the ground.

"Did Rockman yell at you?" he asked.

Netto looked at Enzan with wide eyes and nodded while blushing.

Enzan sighed, "Well, the cave is around here somewhere but something tells me we won't find him."

Netto looked down and blushed. "Sorry."

Enzan shook his head, "No it's okay, it's not your fault."

"Ummm, Enzan?" Netto asked.

"What?"

"Can you put me down?" Netto said.

Enzan looked and realized to his horror that he was still cradling Netto in the position he had caught him in. "O-of course," he said and set Netto on his feet. Both boys looked away blushing and were only brought back to reality when Rockman and Blues coughed simultaneously.

"Maybe we should try and at lease find some clues," Blues said.

"R-right," Enzan and Netto said quickly and searched the area for where the hidden cave presumably was.

"Where the hell is it?" Netto hissed.

"Well, it is a hidden cave," Enzan replied with a touch of humor.

He was greeted with a withering look from Netto and he suspected two from Rockman and Blues even though he couldn't see the navis.

Ten minutes later Enzan slipped his hand into a crevice that could easily fit an adult. He squeezed inside and looked around the room.

"Enzan?" Netto called out.

"In here," he called and soon Netto was in the cave as well.

"Wow, so this is where he was," Netto looked around the cave that was no bigger then his room. "It's small," he said.

"And it's been abandoned for two days. We didn't scare him off, he knew we were coming," Enzan said dryly.

"Two days?" Netto asked.

Enzan pointed at the computer screen that was glowing softly. Netto vaguely realized that was the reason they could see in the dark cave. On the screen it said in red letters, "Last Shut Down, June 6th."

"Okay, why leave the computer?" Netto asked.

"He was in a hurry?" Enzan guessed. "I honestly have no idea. But we need to call Manabe-san and get the equipment out of here first before we ask any questions."

"Good idea," Netto nodded. "Oh Enzan?"

"Yes?"

"I was never caught in that stupid net," he said.

"Right," Enzan said and called Manabe over the walkie talkie.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Two hours later the computer was safely in their hotel room along with a few other pieces of equipment to tell the weather.

"We didn't chase him off," Manabe said looking at the computer. "The weather did. The most recent readings on this software say that the air pressure dropped drastically right before it was turned off."

Yui walked in with a weather report. "There was a huge thunderstorm the day before we got here. It's on the weather website."

Netto silently cursed every weather god he knew, which wasn't many but he did it anyway.

"Well, it seems we ran into some pretty bad luck boys. So, where to next?" Manabe asked.

Laika was silently tapping on the computer and overlooking all of the e-mail's that had been sent to or written by the machine. "Well Laika?" Netto asked expectantly.

"I think I know where he is," his mouth twisted in a half smile, half grimace.

"Yes?" Rockman asked a tad impatiently, which was pretty good considered the circumstances.

"Sharro," Laika said.

"You've got to be kidding me," Netto groaned.

"I'm not sure how to take that," Laika said jokingly.

Netto's eyes widened as he realized what he just said. "Oh no! I don't mean it like that. I'm sorry Laika, I just don't want to fly halfway across the world in pursuit of this guy."

Laika nodded, "Entirely understandable Netto-kun. But according to his last e-mail he sent to a 'P. Harrison' he was coming up to Sharro to continue his research."

"Did it say what the research was on?" Manabe asked.

"Unfortunately not, he was very discreet even in the e-mails he sent to his friend."

"So, where to?" Enzan asked.

"Sharro apparently. Laika, it's a big country, can you tell us where in Sharro?" Manabe asked.

Laika nodded, "Yes, he is describing where his Lab is going to be and from what land marks he's using it's somewhere in the North Mountain Range."

"Cold?" Netto asked apprehensively.

:Laika nodded, "Very."

Netto's face was anything but happy as he heard this news but he didn't say anything.

/What do you have against the cold/ Rockman asked.

/I don't but you do/ he said.

/I don't get it/ Rockman said.

/Rockman, do you know what it's like to be really cold? Not Net cold but wind biting your face, bone chilling cold/

Rockman thought/No, when Densan froze over we didn't have the link yet. Why the concern though/

/Because, it's going to be a different experience. For both of us/ Netto said.

/I think I get what you're saying but hey, at least you don't have to wear a bathing suit/ Rockman joked.

Netto laughed out loud, startling everyone in the room except Rockman. /No, that's true./

Yui gave him a strange look and everyone else went back to the computer. Netto seemed fine with the idea at that point and no one was complaining.

"Next stop, Sharro," Laika said.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Sharro was not easy to get to from Jawaii. It was on the other side of the world, literally, and this made for a very long plane ride. Netto of course worried everyone after he started to get antsy but he didn't do anything but sit there looking grumpy. He was concerned about something and no one could figure out what, except Rockman that is.

/Netto-kun, you don't have to worry about me, seriously. I can handle cold, I've been frozen solid before, remember/ he attempted a weak joke.

/I know, but still I mean…/ Netto trailed off.

/You're not to fond of the cold either, I might recall/ Rockman said.

/Th-that's not true. I've been to Sharro and Densan isn't exactly tropical in the winter/ Netto retorted.

/True, Netto-kun, why are you so upset about going to Sharro/ Rockman asked.

Netto paused. /I…/ He winced and growled making everyone else in the plane stare at him. /I don't know/ he wailed to Rockman. /I have no idea, I just have a really, really bad feeling about it./

Rockman blinked/Woman's intuition…/ he said slowly.

/What/ Netto yelled, actually managing to keep his face straight.

/Nothing/ Rockman said quickly and dropped the subject. Maybe Netto was just being paranoid, although he certainly had never been paranoid before. Then again, given the circumstances, he figured Netto was allowed to act a little out of character, as long as he didn't get down right annoying about it.

Yui came over and sat next to Netto. "Are you all right, Netto-kun?" she asked.

Netto blinked and was brought out of his thought process by the sound of another voice. He looked up at Yui with a brief puzzled expression but then he gave her a wide grin that seemed to put everyone on the plane at ease. "Yeup! We're going to get that scientist in Sharro!" Netto said while comically pumping his fist into the air.

Yui sweatdropped and laughed. "Well, glad to see you're in better spirits today."

"Hm?" Netto asked.

"You didn't seem too happy when we left Jawaii," she pointed out. "You looked very," Yui paused, "Uncomfortable."

Netto smiled, "Nope! I'm perfectly fine. By the way, did you find anything else on that computer?" Netto asked Laika.

Laika shook his head. "Searchman is running it through an encryption program as we speak. I can't say what else might be on that computer that is of use to us. From what Searchman is telling me, the programs are built like mazes and some of them don't even lead to anything."

Netto blinked, "I never want to be as paranoid as that man," he said slowly.

Rockman laughed out loud. "That's good to know, because I don't think I could take it."

Netto stuck his tongue out at the monitor that Rockman was on. Rockman smiled back and was relieved that Netto seemed to be returning to his normal, happy-go-lucky self.

Yui giggled at the interaction between Netto and Rockman. "Well, Sharro may be cold but at least there aren't many places he can hide, not without putting his life in danger anyway."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Laika said dryly.

"Meaning?" Netto asked when he stopped talking.

"Meaning, if you know how to make a decent snow home and you know how to survive in the cold, he can be hiding anywhere," he said.

"B-but, Sharro's huge!" Netto said.

"Don't worry, the equipment should give off some kind of signal," Enzan said in an effort to calm Netto down again.

Laika nodded, "That's true. But that can't be what we rely on."

"What do we rely on?" Rockman asked.

Laika sighed, "Well, luck and Searchman's ability to pinpoint radio waves, which I hope he uses."

"Luck?" Enzan asked incredulously.

"It won't be easy," Laika said. "Sharro isn't exactly one of the nicest countries in the world, environment wise."

"No, really?" Netto asked in a sarcastic drawl. This earned him glares on all sides, not that he cared.

"Laika-san, I think I found something," Searchman said from Laika's PET.

Laika brought the PET up to his face and opened the screen so that everyone could see him. "Yes?" Laika asked.

Searchman cleared his throat, "I found a document that might have been written before Dr. Cunningham wrote the TG program. It was preliminary analysis of what he would put in it."

"And?" Netto asked impatiently.

/Netto-kun, shhh/ Rockman said.

Netto wished he could mentally stick his tongue out at Rockman.

Searchman sighed and cleared his throat uncomfortably, a very un-Searchman thing to do.

/Oh, that can't be good/ Netto said. He could almost sense the impending doom.

Rockman on his part could also sense it and he shifted nervously in the monitor but didn't reply to his twin.

"Well, it seems that the virus might have been designed to be…" Searchman paused uncomfortably, "Permanent."

"You're kidding, right?" Netto asked.

Searchman shook his head. "Not that it matters since it mutated into a virus," he added quickly.

Netto, Blues and Rockman all let out quiet sighs of relief.

"But," Searchman said.

"Always an exception," Netto growled.

Yui smiled and patted Netto on the shoulder.

"If the certain part of the program did exist, the longer we're like this the harder it is to turn back," Searchman finished.

Netto sighed, "Of course."

Rockman didn't bother to hide his disappointment either although Blues' expression never changed.

"So, that's it then?" Enzan said.

"What do you mean, that's it?" Netto asked.

"No, I mean is that all he has on his computer. Look, that man never threw anything away, you can tell because he had a document from five years ago on there about a brainstorm for a program. Not many people keep that stuff lying around."

Laika nodded, "Enzan is right. I'm sure there is something else, but you can have a break if you want, Searchman."

"No thank you, Laika-san," Searchman said and disappeared.

"I don't think I want to know what else in on that computer," Netto growled.

Manabe gave him a weak smile, "Don't worry Netto-kun; at least the program did change. And this will be all over soon; we'll start searching as soon as we get to Sharro."

Netto made a face but didn't reply. Rockman didn't even need to talk to Netto to know what his thoughts were.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

They arrived in Sharro rather late and everyone was tired and cramped from the long plane ride. Netto yawned and stretched as he got off the plane and looked around. It wasn't much different from the last time he came. There was snow, and some more snow, and some buildings that could have very well been snow if you didn't see the lights coming through the windows. He looked at the ground and bent down to pick up a handful of the freezing matter.

/What are you doing Netto-kun/ Rockman asked.

Netto didn't answer but started to inspect it. He found to his delight that the snow was in perfect packing shape.

/Netto-kun/ Rockman said in a warning tone.

Netto ignored him and saw that Enzan was coming off the plane trying unsuccessfully to suppress a yawn. He grinned and looked at the small snow ball nestled in his hands, then he looked back at Enzan.

Enzan heard a, "Netto-kun don't!" right before half his head was encased in a slushy tomb. Then he heard Netto laughing and then he looked at his PET. "Blues, what just happened?"

"I think Netto-san threw a snowball at you, Enzan-sama."

Enzan sighed, "Glad to know nothing can keep him down for too long," he said and went down the rest of the terminal stairs. Then he scooped up his own snow and threw it at Netto. It missed but a second, more carefully aimed snowball caught Netto in the face.

Netto growled and threw another one at Enzan, who dodged with ridiculous ease and let the snowball continue on its merry path until it ran into Laika. Laika stood there looking at the snowball that was now decorating his winter jacket, then he looked up at Netto. Netto laughed and managed to dodge another snowball thrown his way by Enzan.

Laika looked at the snow and blinked. "Searchman?" he asked.

"Yes, Laika-san?"

"Should I?" he asked in an almost puzzled tone.

"I don't see why not, Laika-san."

Laika, for once in his life gave a small smile and picked up a handful of snow. He used to be one of the best snowball players in his home town before he became a solider. Old habits do die hard, as the saying went.

He threw it with pin point accuracy at Netto and it caught him on the arm making him yelp and drop the snowball he was currently aiming at Enzan.

Netto glared at him and picked up another snowball. He'd be darned if he let Laika beat him. Netto threw the snowball and Laika dodged it with ease. Then another one came up and hit him on the side of the head. He looked to see Enzan with a grin on his face that he had never seen before. It was almost creepy in a way.

Netto howled with laughter until two snowballs came his way and actually managed to knock him over.

Yui looked out of the airplane window. "Manabe-san?" she asked.

"There's a small blizzard outside, I guess we'll have to stay in for the time being," Manabe said while making a conscious effort not to laugh.

Yui wasn't so good at holding it in. She laughed and nodded, "Yes, Manabe-san."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Okies, next chapter is done! Sorry it took so long, finals got in the way :3