"Where is he?"

"Oh, Biffy just left to find his parents - I would guess he's found them by now...", Lee started, but then saw his mother shake her head.

"No, Lee - where is he? Where is..." - here Lee's mother's lip trembled slightly - "your brother?"

Lee wanted to respond, but Jenny interjected: "You were looking for him? You could have asked us - we saw him get zapped by Cassandra, right Lee?"

"Wait, it's not the same room then?", Lee asked, now confused.

"Well, yeah, I guess," Jenny responded, "or else he would be here right now, right?"

"It was the place with the main announcement system...", Lee mused aloud. He then realized he'd seen a sign indicating just that on his way - or perhaps his run - here. "I think I know where that is. Let's go, mom - I'm taking you to see him."

They arrived at the indicated spot. To their surprise, there was no security system protection present - of course, it must have been disabled, they thought. Lee was the one to open the door - and this was indeed the room. The sound system which Cassandra had used to brainwash everyone at Coral Grove with the prank song (with Kimmie's help) was right in front of them - and to its side was the crystallized person they had come for. "It's him...", Lee's mom almost whispered.

"Mom, I'm gonna decrystallize him, but only partially. He's really dangerous now."

"Dangerous?"

"I told you - he was on their side until recently. We need to talk to him first." Lee set the crystallizer he was holding to decrystallize mode and fired.

"So, you have come for me..." Lee's brother wasted no time in assessing the situation. Then he spotted her, and his expression changed.

Lee's mother was sobbing at this point, so Lee comforted her as she said through her tears: "It's you! I almost can't believe it's true... we thought you were... I just can't..." None of them were quite sure what to do at this point.

"You..." - the Serpent's eyes widened - "you're my mother, aren't you? Dad told me you were being held here..."

"Yes," Lee said, "MWF took her just as it took you. This company tore our family apart... but now we're back together, right?" Lee's gaze shifted downward for a moment as he was unsure of his words. "Look, I need to know - are you on our side now or not?"

"Please, bro," the Serpent said, his trademark smoothness having largely returned, albeit mollified, "you and your merry little pranksters already won - didn't you?"

"How did you know?", Lee asked - after all, the Serpent hadn't exactly been kept up-to-date with the latest information while crystallized.

"Oh, please," the Serpent continued, "you're in the middle of one of the most heavily guarded areas here. If you hadn't already won, you'd already be back on the prison floor before you even decrystallized me."

"Well, I suppose...", Lee said, and then turned to the rest of the group: "So, what now?" His attempts to get back to the sub had repeatedly led to him forgetting something - or someone - important, after all, so he decided to consult with the others before planning where to go this time. However, in this case his line of thinking was actually correct.

"Well, I guess we should find Biffy now, right?", Tina said.

"I could help you with that, you know, like that one time," the Serpent said.

Lee looked around their little group. Nobody seemed to raise any objections, so he sighed and said: "Okay, but you better not double-cross us or anything - I'm trusting you like family here." Lee's expression softened slightly. "I mean, you are family, after all..."

"Don't worry, bro, I already told you... besides, my beef is with Cassandra now, as you know."

As Lee aimed the crystallizer again and prepared to fire it to decrystallize the Serpent completely, he remembered something important - to him, at least: "I wanted to ask... well... 'the Serpent' is your nickname, right?" Lee's brother nodded. "Then... is your real name Li?"