Through the darkness Kari heard a voice- a distantly familiar voice. Though the chill had now completely gripped her, she still recognized the digital monster instantaneously. Kari shivered as LadyDevimon's face appeared before her, a presence that still haunted Kari's nightmares. Years ago, Angewomon had fought her and only barely survived with MegaKabuterimon's help.

Lady Devimon laughed a wicked, throaty laugh, and Kari felt binding cords creep around her, constricting her arms and legs. She flinched involuntarily when the touched her, causing LadyDevimon's insane laughter to reach a level of hysteria.

"Not quite as tough without your friends to help you, huh?" she snarled at the girl.

"What do you want with me?" Kari whimpered, trying unsuccessfully to appear stronger than she felt.

LadyDevimon's sense of humor vanished abruptly. "It took me a while, but I'm back, with improvements, and I want my revenge. Starting with you." She hooked one of her talon like fingers underneath Kari's restraints and hoisted the girl into the air.

"This is your revenge?" Kari said as she gathered whatever courage she had left. "Don't you know that hurting me won't prove anything? You're still afraid of our power, so afraid that you have to attack me while I'm defenseless. Angewomon could beat you any day."

Kari could feel her aggravation growing. With a jerk of her hand she flung Kari back onto the ground. "Maybe you don't remember correctly," she growled, "but when I fought Angewomon, I was clearly the victor. If it hadn't been for MegaKabuterimon she would have been destroyed. I think I will have to prove my strength to you now, to help you remember, of course."

She raised her arms to attack, and Kari flinched, curling herself into a ball. LadyDevimon opened her mouth to initiate strike, but another voice rose out of the darkness.

"LadyDevimon, that is enough. Remember your instructions; you are not to touch the girl," the voice said. Still bent in a frail position, Kari struggled to make out the owner of the voice. It was deep, definitely masculine, and completely unfamiliar to her.

Out of the shadows stepped a figure almost identical to LadyDevimon. He stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Kari Kamiya," he said slowly, "it is indeed a pleasure to finally meet you. I doubt your boyfriend has told you much about me, but I'm the one and only Devimon."

Kari's brain was moving sluggishly as she searched through the files of memories for anything to do with Devimon. When he said her boyfriend, Kari assumed that he meant T.K., and then remembered. Devimon was right, T.K. had never talked much about his encounter with Devimon, but Kari knew that it still bothered him. From what the others had mentioned about that day, Kari had learned that Angemon had only defeated Devimon at the cost of his own life. Of course, Angemon had returned as a digiegg, but the incident had been very traumatic for T.K.

"Why did you bring me here?" Kari demanded, her voice cracking slightly.

"Well, the entire truth is a surprise for later," Devimon said mockingly, "we have to wait for your boyfriend to get here first."

"What do you mean? I don't have a boyfriend. No one's coming for me, they probably haven't even realized that I'm gone yet."

"I think the trip must have fried part of her brain," said LadyDevimon to Devimon, "either that or she must just be slow."

"Then I'll try to explain slowly," Devimon said, now looking down at Kari. "When Gatomon discovers that you are missing, who will be the first person that she goes to for help?"

Kari imagined the situation and knew that Gatomon would go to T.K. Devimon saw her realization and continued, "and when the boy, T.K., realized that you are gone he will stop at nothing to find you, will he not?"

Reluctantly, Kari nodded in agreement, remembering the incident from year's back when she had been taken to the Dark Ocean, causing T.K. to completely flip out, holding himself responsible for her safety.

Devimon laughed, "but, of course, as is common in most teenage humans, he most likely will not think before he acts and rush here without the help of his friends, which he will need to survive what we have planned."

"I don't understand," Kari stammered, "why didn't you just pull T.K. here? What do you need me for?"

LadyDevimon rolled her eyes, "because," she said rather snootily, "we couldn't kidnap the boy without making sure that the Patamon came as well. By taking you we knew that both would follow."

No, Kari thought, it can't be, but she knew he was right. She prayed silently that Gatomon had gone to Tai or Yolei instead, knowing that either of them would call the team together to search for her. T.K., however would do exactly as Devimon expected.