It was a little after midnight. Henry couldn't sleep. Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw Rika, shaking, terrified, and heard that bone-chilling laugh. He lay in bed with his eyes open. Suddenly he heard something at his window. It was Renamon. He opened the window and looked out.
"What's wrong, Renamon? Why aren't you with Rika? She's not safe…"
"That's why I need your help. Rika's gone."
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Rika was cold. That's the only way she knew that she wasn't dead. Slowly she opened her eyes. As she adjusted to the dim light, memory came flooding back. She didn't know exactly where she was, but she knew why she was here.
"Icedevimon," she hissed, "Let me go!"
"Ah," an evil voice murmured, "Did you think that I was gone, that you were safe? Foolish girl, I am not so weak as that, to be so easily destroyed! You have no idea the enemy you've made!"
Rika responded by spitting at him.
"Freak."
"I see you haven't changed you mind about being my tamer. Well, maybe I can…convince you."
His frozen laugh echoing all around her, Rika's mind let out a last silent plea for help.
'Renamon! Henry!'
◄♦►
"Takato! Takato, wake up!" Henry hissed. "Geez, would you wake up already, we have an emergency! Rika's been kidnapped! Icedevimon has her!"
Takato started up as Henry grabbed his Digivice and flew to the window. They went to the balcony and climbed over. Renamon took them down to the street. Luckily, she had brought Guilmon, and Terriermon was hanging from Henry's shoulder.
They didn't know which way to go. They were trying to get the signal from her Digivice, when Renamon suddenly froze.
"She's calling. I know where she is. Follow me."
The ran along the street, following Renamon as she led them further away from their warm beds.
Takato was almost sleeping as he ran, and Guilmon and Terriermon kept awake by sheer will. Only Henry and Renamon were completely awake and alert.
Renamon led them to the park. They stayed off the path, avoiding the couples that constantly populated the area at night. Soon they were in front of a giant tunnel that ran under the streets.
"She's not in there is she?" Henry looked at Renamon, who did nothing.
"She can't be in there," he thought out loud, "He would've hidden her better. She's right…"
"…Under our noses? Yes, I know, right were we would never look for her."
"The perfect hiding place," Henry said, shaking his head slowly. Reaching for the door handle, he said, "What are we waiting for?"
He held the door for the others. As Takato passed, he noticed an odd gleam in Henry's eyes, and heard him murmuring under his breath, "A good hiding place, but not good enough. We'll never let you have her, Icedevimon." His teeth were clenched and his grey eyes harder than steel.
Takato passed through the entrance, thinking that he almost pitied Icedevimon…almost.
◄♦►
"There!" Renamon whispered. She pointed to a grey cloud ahead. A digital field. Pausing only the put their glasses over their eyes, the boys and the Digimon plunged into the mist.
◄♦►
"Wakey, wakey, my partner."
"Huh, what?"
Rika's eyes opened, then turned cold.
"I am not your partner. I already have a partner, and I want nothing to do with you!"
She struggled against the ropes binding her.
"I'm sure I can change your mind," he said in an evil hiss. Rika shrunk back as he advanced.
"Get away from her."
A cold voice cut through the mist. Icedevimon turned, only to be hit by a flying kick to the middle. Caught off guard, he sailed away and crashed into the tunnel wall.
A tall figure loomed up following Icedevimon, when Rika gasped weakly, "Who and what are you?"
The figure stopped. It was as if the mists parted, for instead of a shadowy figure, there stood Henry. He leaned down the cut the ropes and tried to help her up, but she couldn't stand. The Digimon had been keeping Icedevimon busy, but he was beginning to rise. Quickly, Henry put his glasses back on.
"Close your eyes," he ordered. Rika complied, wondering what he was going to do. She gasped as Henry lifted her up and carried her, but she was still a little weak from being bound so tightly, so she couldn't really protest. The cloudy digital field stung her eyes, even though they were closed. Icedevimon caught sight of them leaving.
"Come back here!" he cried, aiming a bolt of ice at them just as they disappeared through the digital field wall.
◄♦►
"Rika. Rika, open your eyes, we're out."
Slowly, tentatively, Rika opened her eyes. Henry smiled down at her. She let out the breath that she had been holding and loosed her arms from around his neck. Carefully, Henry laid her on the tunnel floor, then stood again.
"Stay out here and rest for a while. We'll keep him busy inside till you come back to kick his butt."
He grinned at her, and before she could yell at him to wait up, he had disappeared through the cloud. She lay on the cold metal floor, breathing slowly. It only took a moment for her to relax, and she started to rub the feeling back into her sore arms and legs.
'I'm gonna kill that creep for tying me up so tight!'
She stood, checked to see that her Digivice and cards were secure at her waist, put her glasses on and plunged back into the fray.