Fred gave a sigh of relief when he saw the others arrive, he had been worried sick since Sycorax was on lockdown. "Even I don't have the authority to override the lock down protocol." He remembered Liv telling him, so he had told the others and got into his superhero suit.

"What's the situation?" Gogo asked him.

"Long story, Knox got out of his cell and the building is like a cool super villain style death trap, I thought I told you guys this info." Fred replied.

She flashed him a look. "Can we get in?"
"No." Fred turned to the wall, he tapped it with a claw. "Chem Girl, can you dissolve the wall?"

"Sorry, Flame Jumper." Honey Lemon replied. "Titanium is pretty unreactive, so it's hard to melt."

"Okay. Then let's blast through!" He tried burning the wall but it had no effect. "I'll kick through-"

"Yeah, not so much." Gogo blocked him with an arm before he tried breaking his kneecaps kicking the wall down. "We can't beat the tensile strength of this alloy."

"Well, not with that attitude we can't."

"I could try cutting it." Wasabi suggested. "But… is it okay if we just break in?"

"If you can, please do!" Chris told him, leaning over his shoulder.

Wasabi turned into a blushing mess. "H-hey, Chri- uhhhh… I mean guy I've never met before."

The assistant shot him a wink. "May your blade be as true as your heart." He flirted, then walked away from the group.

Fred whistled. "Man. That guy is good looking."

"His face is very symmetrical." Honey Lemon hummed.

"So symmetrical." Wasabi had a goofy grin. "And those eyes…"

"Meh." They shot Gogo weird looks. "Can we please focus?"

Ferns and Nerds group chat:

Sara Ferns: Finally got to the sixth gym.

Sara Ferns: I'm gonna murder Team Magma, almost killed my Trapinch!

Sienna Kline: Still on that nuzlocke?

Sara Ferns: Yes. I am somehow still kicking

TheLittleMermaid: Hey Sara are you with Hiro? He hasn't returned my calls : (

Mikan Ferns: Um…

David Ferns: Mika what did you do

Mikan Ferns: So Sycorax is kind of on lockdown

Sara Ferns: Why

Mikan Ferns: Knox broke out of his cell.

Sienna Kline: Knox?! The guy that went monster at the gala?!

TheLittleMermaid: Is Karmi okay?!

Mikan Ferns: Here is the bad news…

David Ferns: Oh no

Mikan Ferns: Some people are stuck inside the building, that includes Karmi and your brother. Don't worry Big Hero 6 have showed up so they'll be rescued soon.

Sara Ferns: I am afraid

Sara Ferns: Ari you gonna be okay?

Mikan Ferns: Ari?

Sienna Kline: Ariel?

TheLittleMermaid: Hi, this is Cass, why did my niece pass out?

Sara Ferns: omg don't scroll up

Mikan Ferns: just some stuff going on at my job it's no problem Ms. Cass just have Ari lie down

TheLittleMermaid: Okay, hope things cool down at work Mikan!

Sienna Kline: Well that could've ended in disaster

Mikan Ferns: I know, right?

David Ferns:
Sienna Kline:

Sara Ferns:

David Ferns: Why did you tell Ari

Mikan Ferns: I pAnIcKed Okay?!

Sienna Kline: If Hiro survives, he's gonna kill you.

"You can do it Was- Chop Chop!" Fred cheered as his friend was using all of his strength to cut through the wall.

"Almost there." Wasabi gritted his teeth, feeling sweat drip down his chin, as he finished cutting the uneven door, he sat down, exhausted.

"Good job." Honey Lemon flashed a thumbs up.

Before Wasabi could try pushing the door open, a loud monstrous scream roared, then a creature bursted out of the building.

Wasabi screamed as it was Knox, the others shared a similar shocked look, then then saw what was in Knox's grip.

Hiro was giving them a shocked look back. Then, Knox fled. "Ahhh!" Hiro was screaming in his grip as the monster took him away.

And then the door Wasabi struggled to make had fallen open.

"Well…" Gogo stated. "That happened."

They watched as Sycorax's lockdown was released since Knox had escaped. Scientists and employees walked back inside to try and get back to work.

"Mr. Knox could seriously injure bystanders." Liv walked up to them. "It's time to make some hard decisions."

Wasabi's eyes widened. "Is she saying what I think she's saying?"

"But, Knox is human." Honey Lemon protested. "On the inside."

"Yeah. He's one of my- the Frederickson family's friends." Fred added. Wow, that's not easy to say, huh.

Liv frowned at them. "We tried to cure him."

"But I haven't." The group saw Karmi, carrying a bunch of supplies walking up to them, Rachel and a glitchy Baymax were behind her. "If I modify the viral proteins from my work at SFIT and run some tests…"

"She could cure him!" Rachel exclaimed. "And no one has to be put down!"

"Karmi, we're out of time." Liv placed a hand on Karmi's shoulder, the biotech genius looked down.

The CEO turned back to the superheroes. "Big Hero 6. Please do whatever it takes to save the boy."

They all were silent, would they really have to… to a person who technically had no control over their actions?

"We're gonna need the ultra armor." Gogo told the group. They still looked hesitant, glancing at each other.

Chris winced. "Tough choices." He told the group. "Iced tea?"

Wasabi hesitantly took one. Just to calm his nerves.

Big Hero 6 shortly left, Baymax had also wandered off somewhere, Rachel just didn't care. She kept giving Karmi a concerned look.

"I should've been quicker… I should've told Hiro to stay put." Karmi was telling herself. "Then this mess wouldn't have happened."

Don't blame yourself. Rachel wanted to tell her, she shot at glare at Liv's direction, she was talking to her assistant. "We're out of time..." who tells that to a child?!

Rustling in the bushes caught her attention, Rachel investigated. A pair of blue ears popped out. "Katie?" She frowned.

"That's me, Katie cat." Katie replied. "I decided to wait for you." The blue leapt out of the bushes and hopped onto her shoulder. "Knox didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No, no he didn't." Rachel replied. "It was weird, but then he kidnapped Hiro for some reason." She had seen the remains of the Yaki Taco bag, and the bits of sloppy food that Hiro probably used to lure Knox back into his cell.

"Perhaps, Knox wanted to take Hiro away from Sycorax." Katie suggested. "Tell me the details."

She gave a quick summary of what happened in sub-level nine, and focused on the parts where she felt angry at how Liv treated Karmi.

"You got that on film, right?" The blue curled her lip in disgust. Rachel nodded, adjusting her spectacles. "Great! We can show Elio then."

"I guess." She shrugged. "There were some things in the sub-level that- ack!" They yelped as something bumped into Rachel and she felt the spectacles fall off her face.

Crunch!

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry!" Chris grinned. "Let me pick up your glasses- oh dear, I must've stepped on them. My mistake!" He picked up the broken remains of the spectacles, and handed them to Rachel.

She suppressed a growl. "That's okay."

"Great, no hard feelings, how about I bring you some tea!" Chris sauntered off, and she stared at her destroyed frames.

"Man, he's good." Katie twitched her ears. "But there goes our evidence."

"Yeah." Rachel gritted her teeth. "Guess you have some points Katie."

"That Sycorax is the source to all of our recent problems?"

"No!" She gave her a push. "That they're acting weird."

"I hope Big Hero 6 doesn't have to kill Knox."

"Me too Katie… me too…"

Baymax flew and landed on one of the rooftops, they were in the same ultra armor they wore during the gala, but they repainted them to match their team colors.

"Baymax, do you see anything?" Gogo asked the robot.

"My scanning capabilities are damaged." Baymax replied, his left eye still buggy. "However, I am able to detect a sizable heat signature in the tunnels."

"Knox?" Honey Lemon questioned.

"That is most probable."

Gogo skated to the edge. "Then I guess we're going underground."

"I don't know if I'm mentally prepared for that." Wasabi raised a hand.

"Get there."
"Heroes save Hiro is a go!" Fred exclaimed. "Hmm. Does that sound confusing?"

Gogo flashed him a look. "Yeah you're right, that's confusing."

They quickly got the sewers, Fred began sniffing for a trail. His nose was rooted in the rusted tracks.

Wasabi held a flashlight. "Guys, in a horror movie, this is when the bad things happen." He whimpered.

"We'll be fine." Gogo placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, don't worry Wasabi." Honey Lemon added.

"I know, but I'm also scared about Hiro." He shivered, they all nodded in agreement.

Fred pointed to the wall. "Ooh guys, check it out!" There were deep claw marks in the brick. "Either Knox or a dinosaur, but if we're gonna be realistic, probably Knox."

A loud roar caused Fred to back away. Wasabi screamed and dropped his flashlight.

"Okay, definitely Knox." He shivered.

"Baymax, can you still fight like that?" Gogo asked the robot.

"I will do my best. For Hiro." His eye twitched.

"This way." Honey Lemon gestured, and they walked down the tunnel.

They got to an old station, Baymax was using his hand as a flashlight since Wasabi broke his. They took stances as Baymax flashed the light over a pile of rocks and A pair of cold-blue eyes and a growling mouth was hiding inside.

"There!" Fred leapt and roared fire, Knox dodged the flames as he ran to the tracks. Fred kept jumping and firing at him, Knox roared.

"Hiro's not here!" Honey Lemon gasped.

Gogo equipped her disks and skated at the monster. "What did you do with Hiro?!" She demanded as she hit him in the head and stomach.

Knox was barely able to dodge the third disk being thrown at him as he hit a pillar.

"You're going down!" Fred leapt at him when Knox crawled up to the roof, he swung his tail, hitting him down. "Okay. I'm going down."

"Freddie!" Honey Lemon gasped as he landed on poor Wasabi. She glared at Knox and hit him with a chem ball, the ice froze his limbs and he fell, the crash breaking the ice. He tried to run but a disk to his left and a chem thrown at his right knocked him over. He jumped back on the roof and climbed the support beams.

"Honey Lemon!" Gogo turned to her friend, she nodded and created a slide up to the beams, Gogo slid on top and kicked Knox off.

"Baymax! Rocket fist."

The rocket fist hit Knox mid-air, he was knocked to the wall, hitting the wooden beams as he collapsed. Knox gave a weak roar and tried leaping at them, but Fred roared a fire blast that knocked him back.

They all circled him, preparing one final strike.

"Stop!"

Hiro climbed through the rubble, he held up his hands. "Everyone, just stop."

"You're okay!" Fred exclaimed with joy. "I thought you were… not okay."

"Everyone needs to calm down." He walked up to the group, and to their horror he started walking to Knox, his hands in a calming gesture. "It's all right. Everything's… all right."

"Hiro. Your position is un-advisable." Baymax warned.

"Don't worry Baymax." Hiro reassured him. "Knox wasn't trying to hurt me. He wasn't trying to hurt anyone." He took another step towards the monster. "He was just hungry."

"But didn't he take you prisoner?" Fred questioned.

"I think he just wanted to get out."

"Oh. Was this not a horror movie? Was this a buddy movie instead?"

Knox growled at him. "Horror-buddy movie?" He squeaked.

"Just try not to make any sudden movements, or loud noises." Hiro told them. Knox slowly got up, he gave Hiro a look and snorted. He tried getting up but he hit the wall, dust fell from the roof.

Wasabi whimpered, the dust tickling his nose. "Oh, no. So much dust!" He then let out a loud sneeze. Knox roared from the noise and slammed his paws into the ground, stone groaned and a chunk of the roof fell, with Hiro under it. He screamed in terror as he shut his eyes, preparing for the pain of the roof hitting him.

"Hiro!" His friends gasped, but there was no pain, even when he heard the crashing of stone.

His eyes shot open and he saw Knox, his arms keeping the stone from crushing him. It broke and Knox collapsed, falling to the ground unconscious. "He saved you." Gogo realized.

Hiro nodded. "Now it's our turn to save him."

Big Hero 6 had arrived back at Sycorax, bringing an unconscious Knox. A team muzzled and sedated the monster while Karmi stared, a syringe with chemicals in her hand. She gave a sigh of relief, not wanting to feel responsible if the superheroes really did go through with eliminating him.

She then noticed the purple superhero to her left, wearing purple and black ultra armor. "Captain Cutie!" She squealed, giggling with glee seeing her favorite superhero.

"Yep, that's me." He replied in a deep voice. "Captain Cutie."

"I promise you, we'll cure Mr. Knox." She placed a hand on his arm.

"Karmi, I know you will." She felt her heart pump as his other hand held her hand. They broke contact and he turned to his fellow superheroes.

She froze. What about… "Wait." Karmi spoke up. "What about Hiro?" It was her fault he got kidnapped, she should've told him to stay put. "Was he... hurt?"
"Ah… uh…" Captain Cutie stuttered, which did not help with her fear. But then Speed Queen skidded up and wrapped an arm around his shoulder.
"Your friend Hiro is fine." She told her.

"Oh thank god." Karmi gave a sigh of relief, then flashed a small, sad smile. "I'm so glad, if anything happened to him I'd…" Was it her imagination or did she see a small smile? "Thank you for telling me he's okay."

Captain Cutie then awkwardly tiptoed away. "Right. Let's go." She and the rest of Big Hero 6 stared at him.

I don't blame him, considering the ultimatum they were under. But she was glad they didn't have to resort to put down Knox to save Hiro and others, so with a deep breath, Karmi turned back to the Sycorax team, they had work to do.

Ferns and Nerds group chat:

Hiro Hamada: I live

Sara Ferns: HE LIVES

Mikan Ferns: I just texted that

TheLittleMermaid: Bro you gave me a heart attack I'm gonna kill you

Fredzilla: Sibling love!

TheLittleMermaid: Shut up Fred WHERE WERE YOU?!

Honey Lemon: Freaking out

Mikan Ferns: Give them a break Ari

TheLittleMermaid: Fiiine

David Ferns: Yeah it's all good no need to freak out

Wasabi: You freak out whenever Sara or Mikan get a papercut

David Ferns: Suddenly I am Jarad 19 I forgot how to read

Mikan Ferns changed David Ferns to David 19

David 19: Why do you do this to me Mika

Sienna Kline: You use voice-to-text I don't get the joke

TheLittleMermaid: Debunked!

"So, Karmi, did your serum work?" The next at school, Karmi saw Hiro slide up to her as she was getting her lunch.

She placed ketchup on her burger. "Yes, but it's not my serum." She fiddled with her straw. "At Sycorax, we don't like words like 'my' or 'me.'"

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow.

"The breakthrough was a team effort, based almost completely on my work." Karmi then took a sip of her drink.

"Well, I guess Mr. Knox really owes one to the Sycorax team." He gave her a look, grabbing his own drink.

They both smiled at each other. "Ari wanted me to ask if you were okay." Hiro spoke up.

"Well you can tell her I'm doing fine." Karmi smiled. "Did she kill you for scaring her like that? I would've."

"Wow. I feel so safe right now." He sarcastically mumbled. "I had to bring you up so she didn't murder me, I really worried her sick."

"I was worried too." Hiro looked at her. "When I first saw Baymax lying on the ground broken and Knox was nowhere to be found, I thought he… I thought he…" Karmi took a deep breath. "And it would've been my fault, because I wasn't quick with the cure and I let you go into danger like that."

"Hey." Hiro placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault, I'm honestly very reckless so it's my fault, stop beating yourself up."

But I ran out of time… She wanted to say, but those comforting brown eyes stopped her. "Okay."

"So." He hummed. "Are you free on Thursday evening?"

Karmi blinked in confusion. "What?"

"Well, I'm asking because my aunt and Ari are going to see a movie that I don't like." Hiro explained. "If you wanted to you could y'know… come and hang over?" He then braced himself for her to punch him or something.

"Y'know Genius Boy." She took a sip of her drink. "That doesn't sound bad, I'll clear my calendar."

"Then it's a friendly hangout!" Hiro chuckled.

"I guess." Karmi chuckled back. "What do friends usually do at hangouts? I'm not really versed in those."

"I might have to check, it's probably not like what happens in the movies."

"Probably."

Honey Lemon gasped. "Gogo, did you see that?"

"See what?" Gogo was too busy focused on her food.

"Hiro just asked Karmi to come over to his house." Honey Lemon told her. "And they were getting along!"

"Oh, good for them." Wasabi shrugged.

"Guys, you don't get it!" Fred pointed out. "It's character development! They're having a bonding moment."

"Yeah! They're so cute!" Honey Lemon squealed.

Gogo rolled her eyes. "Honey, I'm pretty sure they're both tired of Ari shipping them together, please don't add onto that."

"I wasn't thinking of that but I like where you're going Gogo!"

She groaned, then her phone chimed. "Hey, it's a news report about Sycorax curing Knox."

"Turn up the volume?" Wasabi requested, she held out her phone for them to see.

On the video, Liv was tapping a mic. "Mr. Knox has generously agreed to invest in Sycorax's future." She gestured to the now cured man. "Generously."

"Thank you. Uh…" Knox stammered. "The work Liv and Sycorax are doing is truly… life changing." He chuckled. "They cured me, after all." The audience applauded, Liv walked next to Knox as photographers started snapping photos. Knox mumbled something the cameras couldn't catch.

"Aww, what a happy ending!" Honey Lemon beamed. The rest of the gang were relieved it all worked out in the end, and that Knox was cured without any blood on their hands.

Fred noted that the man was acting a little weird in the video, but he suspected that Knox was still processing the shock of being turned back, so he just brushed off the doubt.

That was a huge mistake, this was not a happy ending, nor a good ending.

Because Liv got what she wanted. "You did so well, Orso." She was sitting with the socialite in her dark office, sipping a cup of tea. "Honestly, I have zero complaints."

"Look, can I go?" Knox demanded. "I've paid you, haven't I?"

"Not paid. Invested." Liv corrected him, she finished her tea and placed the empty cup in one of her drones. "In me, yes. But also in you. And your own future."
Knox shivered as she got closer to him and lifted up his right sleeve. "Remember, I can turn you back…"

The chip in his arm beeped, the veins in his skin glowing orange, threatening to go back to that horrible beast. He was in the cage again, and this time he couldn't even scream.
"Anytime I want."

AN: And that's Prey Date! Poor Knox.

Anyways Ari's reaction was off-screen, but yeah she chewed out Hiro for scaring her. She was worried about him. On the side note, Rach and Katie are real sus about Sycorax right now.

But that's for another topic!

QOTW: Thought's about the upcoming Karmi and Hiro hang-out? Do you guys feel the ship vibes, or just think it's neat, spill.