As everyone approaches their objectives Wes beguines his battle against Venus of Cipher. Will his new power be able to match her Shadow Pokemon?


Wes' Mega Tyranitar roared as the Sandstorm intensified. Heatran stood next it as they faced the Shadow Suicune and Shadow Moltres. "Mega…Evolution?" Venus asked.

"This is a temporary form of evolution that can only be used by certain Pokemon. But it tremendously increases all attributes." Wes replied.

"Too bad it's too late for that puny evolution to save you now! Suicune! Wipe it out! Shadow Aqua!" Her Shadow Suicune spewed purple water at Tyranitar but it disappeared in the sandstorm as it intensified. Venus looked around franticly as the sandstorm buffed her Pokemon.

"Rock Slide!" Tyranitar roared as it appeared right in front of Suicune and Moltres and dropped boulders on them. Both took heavy damage. But Moltres was hurt the most.

"Agggh!" Venus backed up to avoid getting squashed.

Wes ran up Mega Tyranitar's head and jumped off it's head and into the air. "Go Snag Ball!" He threw a Ultra Ball at Shadow Moltres that snagged it. After a couple vibrations it clicked. "One down!"

"No…No, I won't lose you again! Suicune!" He last remaining Pokemon tried to charge at Wes, but Heatran rammed into it from the side knocking it over.

"Thunder!" Wes' Mega Tyranitar dropped a bolt of lightning on it while it was down. "And now…!" Another Ultra Ball appeared in the palm of his Snag Machine. "Go! Snag Ball!" He threw it at the Suicune and captured it.

"Aiyeeh! How dare you! How dare you!" Venus yelled. Wes walked over to the wall and hit the hidden switch lowering the screen dividing him form the others.

Rui's Mega Altaria and Metagross were still fighting the Shadow Liepard and Exploud. "Altaria, Moonblast!" Rui's Mega Pokemon blasted the Liepard, knocking it down in one hit. "Metagross, Meteor Mash!" Her other Pokemon knocked out the Exploud. She looked behind her to see Wes holding a Great Ball and nodded before looking at her opponent. "Is that all you got?" Rui grinned. "No wonder Cipher always topples over the moment they try to stand up!" she teased sticking her tongue out slightly.

The commander growled. "You talk too much brat! Liepard! Make sure she never speaks again!"

The Pokemon pounced at Rui who ducked. "Go! Snag Ball!" Wes threw the Great Ball as it flew over Rui and it snatched it up.

"No!" The defeated commanders backed away as Red Eyes' Mega Blaziken got close. "W-we're outmatched! Run for it!" The three Cipher Commanders ran away.

"Hey! You cowards, don't leave me here!" Venus yelled.

Sven walked over to her. "Venus, as a Pokemon Ranger, I hereby am putting you under arrest for Pokemon theft." He forced her to turn around and handcuffed her wrists behind her back.

"No, no, no, this can't be happening! It was my time! I was meant to become the center of attention in all of Orre!"

"All this for a cry for attention?" Date asked. "How sad."


"Attack with Hurricane!" Michael's Mega Pidgeot summoned a tornado that knocked out the Conkeldurr. "Lapras, Ice Beam!" His other Pokemon froze the Shadow Polteageist solid. A Great Ball appeared in Michael's Snag Machine palm. "Go, Snag Ball!" The last Pokemon was caught.

"Impossible!" the grunt fell to his knees. "How-

Takumi rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, "how could I lose?" "This wasn't supposed to happen!" we heard that a million times." Takumi said. "Seraphimon."

"Move aside." His Digimon threw the grunt over his shoulder. "We're in a hurry."

Rand walked up to the door and checked his Styler. "It's coming from in here. This must be it." He saw a panel next to the door. "How do you work this?"

"I'm on it." Keisuke put on his Digivice and started fiddling with the panel. "Let's see...This should- Ah! Got it!" He pressed one more button and the panel glowed green. The door started to open.

"Ben, Summer! Sorry to keep you waiting, we're here to- Nokia stepped into the cell. "Huh?"

"What's wrong?" WarGreymon asked.

"There's nobody in here!"

"How can that be?!" Rand ran in. "I know this is where the beacon is!" He looked around and saw the device stuck to the wall. "See? Here it is, right here!"

"Did they move them somewhere else?!" Keisuke asked.

Takumi heard the guard groan and stormed over to him. "YOU!" The man was shocked as Takumi grabbed him by the scarf. "The Rangers that you were guarding! Where are they now?!"

Everyone looked at Takumi in shock. "W-what's with him?" Michael asked.

"I think that's Edgy Tak talking right now." Rand replied.

The man despite being gigger and bulkier than Takumi shuddered when he looked into his eyes. "A-a team sent by Lady Venus came to pick them up just before you arrived! I think they were taking them to see the Grandmaster!"

"I don't like the sound of that." HerculesKabuterimon murmured. "We better hurry back outside and stop them!"

Takumi shook the man again. "Did they leave yet?!"

"I-I don't think so…they said they were loading up the legendary Pokemon into the transports first…"

"If they were just here, we would've passed them on the way here if there was only one way out! Which way did they go?!"

"They took the secret passageway! It leads to a lift that takes you right outside!"

"And where is this secret passageway?!"

"R-right here, I'll open it for you!" The man reached out to the wall and pressed a hidden button. Part of the wall slide up revealing a corridor.

Takumi kept glaring at him. "THANK YOU!"

"YOU'RE WELCOME!"

Takumi shoved him aside and hurried into the corridor. Everyone else just stared awkwardly. "Huh…Well, that happened." Rand said. "I hope he's not still under Sabios' curse…Has this been happening a lot recently Nokia? Nokia?"

The girl in question stood there with her face turning pink. "My chest is pounding…"

Seraphimon sighed. "I swear, you and Date are starting to be a bad influence on him. Come on! Let's hurry before they escape with our friends!"

"Oh, right!" Nokia snapped out of her trance and she and the others hurried inside.


Outside the lab the Hexagon Brothers were in a circle again. "Eighteen!" Greesix said.

"Nineteen!" Resix announced. "…Wait. Wait! Why aren't the numbers working?" They all looked at each other. "Maybe… maybe there aren't just six of us?"

Not far off three large transports were parked. In front of the lab's second doorway were a bunch of Ciphers guarding the eight captive Rangers who had their hands cuffed behind their backs. Kate squinted at the six practicing their rollcall. "And that is your "most elite unit"."

One of the Ciphers groaned. "They think they're so special just because they have colorful uniforms."

"That's not the only thing on them that's colorful." Keith replied.

One of the Cipher's came out of one of the vehicles as the back hatchets opened. "Alright, the route is mapped out, get them in and let's get going."

The Cipher members started shoving the Rangers towards the transports. They stopped when one of them heard something. "Who called the elevator?"

"Don't look at me." One of them said.

"Someone must be coming here."

Ben turned around. "Takumi?"

"Get them inside now!"

"Move it!" The Cipher's started pushing the Rangers forward but they dragged their feet. "Come on, move it!"

"Here." Four burly Cipher troops stormed over and grabbed the Rangers who started helping as they were lifted off the ground. One had Ben and Summer over each of his shoulders, another lifted Lunick and Solana, one carried Kate and Keith and the last hold held up Kellyn and Wendy. The Rangers shouted, squirmed and flailed their legs as they were roughly carried over to the vehicles. The other Peons hurried inside the drivers' and passenger's' seats. "The trucks can hold three max." One of them said as he sat Solana and Lunick down in the back. He lifted Solana's feet up and slapped cuffs on her ankles before pushing her in. He did the same to Lunick. One of the others handed Wendy to him to load in there with them once her own ankles were cuffed. The other man took Kellyn to join Keith and Kate in another transport.

The lift came to a halt and Takumi, Nokia, Keisuke, Rand, and Michael were inside a warehouse attached to the lab entrance. Looking through the opened door they saw three transports watched by a handful of Cipher goons. One of which was cuffing Summer's ankles together before pushing her into the back of the third transport. "Ben! Summer!" Takumi shouted.

"Pichu!" Pichu was rushing at his side. Staraptor was close behind.

Ben looked past the man cuffing his ankles together and saw the team rushing towards them. "Pichu? Takumi?! Guys, over here!" He was shoved into the truck with Summer, and it slammed shut.

"Let them go right now!" Takumi shouted as Seraphimon flew at his side.

One of the grunts growled. "Go! Go! We'll hold em off!"

"PICHUUUUU!"

"No!" Keisuke shouted as the vehicles started hovering and drove off. "Get back here!"

"MetalGarurumon, stop them!" Nokia ordered.

"Right! Ice Wolf Claw!" One of her Digimon shot missiles at the speeding vehicles. One of them had the hovering pads hit and turn to ice. It dropped to the ground and dragged across the sand before coming to a halt. The other two started getting away.

"Nice!" Nokia said. "Now get the other two, quick!"

"Right! Ice-

"Oh no you don't!" One of the Peons threw two Pokeballs at MetalGarurumon. "Go, Hitmonchan and Granbull!" Two Pokemon appeared and attacked MetalGarurumon making him stop attacking to dodge.

Takumi came to a halt. "Rand go secure that transport! We'll take care of this!"

"Right!" Rand ran towards the stopped vehicle.

"Rand!" Ravemon flew over and grabbed his arm and carried him towards it.

Michael threw two Pokeballs. "Pidgeot! Lapras!"

Another Peon threw two. "Krookodlie! Buizel!"

Another threw two at Seraphimon. "Glalie! Zebrastrike!"

The last one faced Keisuke. "Go, Machamp! Aggron!"

Michael's Aura Reader responded at the Machamp. "Heads up Keisuke, that Machamp's an unmodified Shadow Pokemon!"

"You got problems of your own kid!" His opponent's Pokemon charged.

Michael looked at the Buizel. "Another modified Shadow Pokemon."

"That's Keith's Buizel!" Takumi said. "Michael, you have to get it back!"

"I'm on it! Lapras, Ice Beam!" Michael's Pokemon shot a chilling blast at the Krookodile as Pidgeot flew at Buizel.


Ravemon dropped Rand in front of the downed transport. Two grunts came out of it and were about to get their Pokeballs ready, but Rand punched one of them out cold and Ravemon knocked the other out with the hilt of his sword. Rand then hurried over to the back of the truck and opened it. "Hello?"

Wendy sat up from the inside of the vehicle with Solana and Lunick next to her. "Took you long enough."

Rand helped her out of the truck and set her on the sand before doing the same for Lunick and Solana. "Hold still." Ravemon cut the cuffs on their hands and feet off.

"Thanks." Solana said as they rubbed her wrists and stood up. "What about Ben and the others?"

Rand scowled as he looked up. The other vehicles were long gone. "We'll find them. We have to."


"Okay…Aggron, attack that bug!" Aggron and HerculesKabuterimon rushed at each other and grappled. "And My Machamp will attack…you!"

"Huh?" Keisuke saw Machamp stampede towards him. "Wait, hold on, you can't-

"Says who?! Shadow Pokemon aren't afraid to attack humans!"

"Keisuke!" HerculesKabuterimon tried to intercept but was tackled by Aggron.

The Machamp roared at Keisuke and lifted him up with two of its four arms and prepared to strike with the other two. "Keisuke!" Takumi, Nokia, and Michael shouted.

"Gia Element!" A green flash it Machamp from behind making it drop Keisuke onto the sand.

"Dah!" The teen grunted as he rubbed the back of his head.

The Peon looked around. "Who-

"Listen here you muscle brained buffoon." They all looked at the entrance to the lab to see Arata's team lead by a glaring Hudiemon. "Nobodyhits that dork but me!"

"Just you, huh?" Blue Eyes grinned.

Lovrina giggled. "Aw! You hear that Keisuke? You're her personal love tap toy!"

"Is that what that's called?" Takumi snickered.

Keisuke chuckled from the sand he was lying in. "Lucky me..."

Arata chuckled. "Oh, ho, better keep an eye on Keisuke there eh big bro?"

Ryuji grinned at him. "Are you kidding? If he does try something funny with Erika, she'll make sure there's nothing left the poor sap by the time I get a chance to punish him, Hudiemon or not."

"Shut it "big bro"." Hudiemon glared. "Anyway, I'll deal with this four-armed lunatic Keisuke, you focus on the other one."

"Justimon, you should help her."

"Right."

"No, just stay back, I got this." Hudiemon charged at Machamp. She threw a punch with her right hand, but the Machamp easily caught it in it's upper left hand. She kicked at him with her left leg but it's lower right arm grabbed her shin. Then the upper right arm and lower left arm grabbed her left wrist and right ankle trapping all four of her limbs. Hudiemon looked at her predicament and then at the grinning Machamp. "Oh no…" The Pokemon pulled her four limbs in different directions making her scream as she was stretched out.

"Hudiemon!" Keisuke shouted. "HerculesKabuterimon, finish that thing quick!"

The beetle threw Aggron off it. "I'm on it!"

Seraphimon evaded an Ice Beam from Glalie. "Seven Heavens! He fired at Zebrastrike but it jumped out of the way.

"Seraphimon, let's change our tactics!" Takumi said.

"Seraphimon Slide Evolution! MegaGargomon! Burst Shot!" Takumi's Digimon fired multiple missiles at Glalie and Zebrastrike. They tried to evade but both were bombarded repeatedly and went down.

"Great Tornado!" WarGreymon bashed into Hitmonchan, knocking it out.

"Freezing Breath!" MetalGarurumon froze Granbull solid.

Lapras knocked out the Krookodile with a Hydro Pump. "Pidgeot, Hurricane!" Michael's other Pokemon flung Buizel into the air. As it started coming down Michael threw a Great Ball. "Go! Snag Ball!" It snatched up Buizel, shook three times and clicked. "Got em!"

Meanwhile the Shadow Machamp held Hudiemon sideways in a new hold. One hand over her ankles, pinning them together, one over her knees, one over her lower face and one pinning her wrists together above her head. As it lifted Hudiemon high above its head she screamed into the hand gagging her. "Erika, get out of there!" Ryuji yelled.

Machamp slammed her over its knee. Hudiemon screamed louder in her hand gag as the hands holding her wrists, face knees and ankles pressed down harder making her back arc over the knee uncomfortably. Inside her head Erika and Worrmon were groaning in pain. "What kind of Pokemon move is this?!" Worrmon complied.

"One that's going to make sure our back never feels the same after this…" Erika groaned.

Still gagged Hudiemon with effort managed to tilt her head up and shouted a muffled "Infinity Dream" as her eyes glowed blue, blinding Machamp. The hands over Hudiemon's knees and face let go so it could shield it's eyes and the other hands slightly lifted her hands and feet up allowing her to straighten her back up slightly on its knee. She sighed in relief before slipping a foot out of Machamp's grip and kicking it in the face allowing her to backflip off it's knee and out of it's grip. "Flying Kick!" She charged kicked it in the side of it's head knocking it down. She landed in front of it.

"Giga Blaster!" HerculesKabuterimon finished off Aggron.

"Good! Now let's help Hu- Keisuke turned to Hudiemon who stood triumphantly over the downed Machamp. "Oh, never mind."

"Ha! Told you guys!" Hudiemon grinned. "I can handle myself."

Justimon saw Machamp open it's eyes. "Hudiemon, look out!"

The Shadow Pokemon rose back up as Hudiemon looked behind her. "Wha- Strong hands grabbed her hips and tossed her. She yelped as she was flipped and then caught in a grip. Two hands clamped over her shins pinning her legs while the other two hands were over her wrists, pinning them to her sides and holding her upside down. "What are you-

Justimon's froze widened. "Is it going to-

"Erika!" Keisuke, Ryuji, Justimon and HerculesKabuterimon rushed at the Machamp before it jumped high up into the air. Hudiemon was lifted over its head again. The hands over her wrists spread her arms apart while the other two kept her feet together. It then held her in that position in front of it as they started going down. Hudiemon screamed as they accelerated towards the ground.

Justimon grabbed Ryuji and pulled him away. "Look out! Piledriver!"

"What is this, Digimon/Pokemon World Wrestling?!" Keisuke yelled as HerculesKabuterimon carried him away.

As Hudiemon impacted into the sand, it sprayed everywhere blinding everyone. When it was over Machamp straightened up in front of Hudiemon who was buried in sand from the waist up including her arms. Just her lower torso and legs stuck up out of the ground awkwardly. "Ha, ha!" the peon commanding it gloated as his Pokemon posed. "Now do you understand the strength of my Shadow Champion!"

"Yeah, well…Wrestling's still fake!" Keisuke shouted.

Machamp grabbed Hudiemon's ankle and pulled her out like it was picking a vegetable. The Digimon/Human hybrid spat sand out of her mouth. "I hate you." She grumbled. The Machamp held her ankles together in one hand, her knees together in another, her wrists above her head in another and the last hand covered her eyes instead of her mouth. "Wait no, not again!"She recognized this position as she was lifted over Machamp's head and slammed over it's knee arching her back. "AAAAAAAAAAGH!" She screamed in pain unable to use Infinity Dream with her eyes covered as her back arced uncomfortably again.

"Rune Forrest!" HerculesKabuterimon shot it in the back making it drop Hudiemon to the ground.

"Leave her alone!" Keisuke glared. "Nobody gets to hit her period!"

"And the love tap toy becomes a knight in shining armor." Nokia teased.

"If you piledrive or torture my sister and think you're getting away with it, you're in for a rude awakening!" Ryuji glared.

The Machamp stood up as HerculesKabuterimon and Justimon approached with their Tamers. "Oh? You wanna go next?" it's Trainer asked. "Well bring it on!" he pounded his fists together. Hudiemon in the meantime looked up at Machamp while she was lying in front of. "By the time my champion is done with you you'll be-

Without another thought Hudiemon swung her leg up and hit the Pokemon right in between the legs.


Back in the lab, Sven was pushing the handcuffed Venus forward when he heard a scream and stopped. "Did anyone else hear that?"

Rui was covering her ears. "How could I not? Whatever it was it sounded painful."

"Huh. I'm used to being the one who makes guys scream like that." Date said.

"I'll bet." Fei murmured.

"It came from above." Wes said.

"The others might need us. Come on, let's hurry!" Red Eyes said.


Machamp was on its knees with its hands where it was just kicked squealing faintly. Everyone else besides Hudiemon was either gaping or wincing at the brutality. "Oh…" Naps groaned. "Poor guy will feel that in the morning."

"Yeah. Every morning." Takumi murmured.

Hudiemon pressed her hands against her aching back. "Not that I don't appreciate the concern boys, but like I told you, I can handle myself."

"See, this is what I'm talking about." Ryuji whispered to Arata. "Why should I be giving Keisuke a hard time for getting close to Erika if he's in constant danger of that?"

"Point taken." Arata said squeezing his eyes shut.

"So…Um, Michael?" Lovrina asked. "You gonna…you know."

"Huh? Oh, right." Michael put a Pokeball in his Snag Machine. "Go…Snagball…" He tossed it over to the Mahcamp snagging it. It didn't even vibrate. As soon as it hit the ground it clicked.

"I-I don't want to fight her!" One of the Ciphers gulped.

"Same here! I quit!"

"Wait for me!" All of them ran off.

"Shouldn't we go after them?" Keisuke asked.

"Don't bother." They looked behind them to see Sven and his team with the captured Venus. "We got someone more likely to answer our questions."

"Good work everyone." Rand said as he approached with Wendy, Solana and Lunick. Wendy's Staraptor howled in delight and flew to her partner.

Wendy giggled and stroked it's head. "Aw. Were you worried about me? Thanks, Staraptor."

"Hey guys, good to see ya." Solana waved.

"Solana! Lunick! Are you two okay?" Takumi asked.

"Yeah, more or less." Lunick replied.

"Where are Ben and the others?" Red Eyes asked.

"They took them away." Rand sighed. "We were only able to stop the transport carrying these three."

Wes grabbed Venus by her collar. "Where are they going?"

"The Grandmaster requested all of the Rangers and their Pokemon to be sent to him and Ein."

"So, Ein is back as well…" Rui said.

"And where are they?" Rand asked.

"How should I know? I was just told to send them to the nearest port."

"Port? They're going to be sent by boat?" Takumi asked. "That means they must be heading somewhere far from here…"

"You better not be lying to us Venus." Nokia said. "Seriously, don't make me sic Edgy Takumi on you! You don't want to see him when he's angry!"

"Wait, what?"

"Forget Takumi, Hudiemon here is the one you need to worry about." Blue Eyes said.

"What?" the Digimon asked. "That jerk almost made me swallow a mouthful of sand and my back still hurts!"

"Speaking of Edgy Takumi…" Nokia grinned. "Makiko, how do I tell my boyfriend he sounds cute when he tries to be angry?"

Date smirked. "I don't think I would."

"Yeah, you'll hurt the poor guy's manhood." Fei joked.

Takumi's face was turning pink. "I can hear you just fine you know, I'm standing right here."

"We know." Nokia, Date, and Fei teased.

Solana looked back and forth between Takumi and Nokia. "Did I just hear boyfriend?"

Nokia covered her mouth as she and Takumi turned beet red. "Uh, did I say boyfriend?" Nokia muttered nervously. "I meant a boy! Who's a friend! You know boy/friend!"

"Oh, don't bother Nokia, that cat's already out of the bag." Fei grinned scrolling through her Digivice. "At least in our little social group."

"Huh?"

"Someone sent each of us this." Fei showed a picture of Takumi and Nokia smiling while on a park bench. Nokia was resting her head on Takumi's shoulder.

"Aww, that's adorable!" Rui gushed.

"What?! Who- And then it snapped to Takumi.


Back in the ONBS Building Kyoko put her Digivice away. "Good work Nett, we'll head back to the HQ Lab and show them the recording you recovered."

"Glad I could help. If I find out anything else, I'll let you know."

Yuuko turned to Ami. "We better tell the others to meet us back there."

Ami nodded and put on her goggles. "Hey, Takumi, can you hear me?"

"AMI, I WILL BURRY YOU!" Everyone shuddered as Takumi and Nokia's angry voices echoed through the room.

"Yeash. Nice friends you got there." Bitt murmured.

"Ow... Hello to you too." Ami winced covering her ears.

"Never mind that." Rand said from Ami's Digivice. "We captured Venus and rescued Wendy, Solana and Lunick."

Rythmi joined in. "What about Kellyn, Kate, and Keith?"

"And Ben and Summer?" Yuuko added.

"They slipped past us." Ryuji sighed. "Venus said they were taken to a port to be sent to her boss."

"We were so close…" Keisuke sighed.

"You did everything you could." Kyoko said. "Don't beat yourselves up."

"We need to find them fast." Yuugo said. "Do we have any leads?"

"Maybe if we knew who this boss was…" Sven sighed. "If only there was someone who'd be kind enough to tell us who."

Over the Digivice Ami heard growling and crackling before hearing Venus shout. "EEEK! Get that Luxray away from me!"

"I don't think that will be necessary Sven." Kyoko said. "Before everything was deleted Nett managed to download some interesting footage from a security camera. He gave it to me. We'll show you when Ami, Yuuko and I return."

"Okay. What do we do with Venus then?" Date asked. "You guys got a slammer or something in Orre?"

"Weeeeell, we do…" Secc muttered. "But let's just say it has a history of…jailbreaks."

"Wow. No wonder Orre has been having trouble with these guys for so long." Arata said.

"I got a better idea." Rythmi said. "I already called for a transport from Ranger Union in case you managed to apprehend anyone. The helicopter should be here any minute now."

"Good thinking Rythmi." Rand said. "We'll have Venus shipped off and face justice for her crimes."

"Alright, let's all meet up back at the HQ Lab." Ami said. "See you guys there."


Takumi hung up. "Come on, let's go."

Rand nodded and looked at his group. "Well, everyone, they may have escaped with Ben, Summer, Kellyn, Keith, and Kate, and most of the data was lost, but we still rescued two Rangers, captured Venus, got some intel and took back the last of the Partner Pokemon. Overall, I'd say this was a Mission Clear!" He and the Rangers posed.

"Uh, guys?" Keisuke looked into the distance.

"Yeah?" Red Eyes asked.

"What about them?"

Everyone looked at the circle of Cipher's he was pointing at. "One hundred and three!" Greesix said.

"One hundred and four!" Resix said. "Wait a second, what are we even doing?"

"What about them?" Arata asked. "Oh, by the way, Wendy, I think this is yours." He gave Wendy her Styler back.

"And I think these belong to you two." Blue Eyes added, handing Solana, Lunick's Stylers.

"Thanks." Solana smiled.

Wendy pushed Venus forward. "Start walking!"

"H-hey now, surly we can talk this out? Maybe make a deal? I can perhaps tell you about the Dark Bond if you'll let me go?"

"Thanks, but we got that handled." Arata said holding up his Digivice.

"W-what?! But how?!"

"You underestimated those around you for the last time. Like I said, there's no dodging responsibility for your crimes now." Wes said. "Now let's go. Try anything funny and I'll send Tyranitar after you."

Keisuke gulped. "Wes sure can be brutal sometimes."

"He's a determined man." Rand said. "And we're going to need that determination to find our friends and shut down Cipher."


In the back of their dark transport, Ben and Summer leaned their backs against the wall as they sat down. "Ben…what's going to happen to us?" Summer asked meekly.

"We'll be okay." Ben replied. "Takumi and the others will find us. We just have to hold out until then."

Summer stared at her shoes as she tucked her knees in. "I'm scared…"

"It's okay. I'm right here. I'll protect you." Ben said as he tried his best to give her a reassuring smile. Summer looked at him slightly blushing. She nudged a bit closer and put her head against Ben's shoulder. Ben felt a jolt of surprise as his cheeks grew warm. He smiled slightly and leaned against her.