A winged Digimon landed at the door. It was the Cyberdramon, and Flame shrank back a little as the Digimon looked up and down the alley. Then it leaned closer to the door. Flame couldn't see his face, but he was sure that the Cyberdramon's eyes were closed, and that he was trying to hear inside.

After about fifteen seconds, the Cyberdramon took a step back, satisfied that there was no noise coming from behind the door. He lifted his claw to the lock, and pressed hard.

The door swung open silently, and he stepped inside. Flame could see him pause just inside the doorway, his back turned to the alley.

Gennai brought his hand up. He was holding a small silver tube, with a red button on the end. Nonchalantly, he pressed the switch.

A powerful, blue-tinged EMP wave erupted from the small garage, stunning the Cyberdramon, and causing the lights in the alley - and several in the buildings above - to blow. Gennai stood up, did something to the tube, and hurled it away.

"Come," he said to the still-crouched Flame. "We have to get to the secondary exit."

Flame stood, frowning. "Secondary exit? I thought there was only one?"

Gennai smiled at Flame. "Don't think. Let's go."

The secondary exit happened to be located within a locket convenience store. Gennai stood outside, holding his chin in thought. It was a 24-hour store, and there was no reason for it to be closed. Eventually he turned to Flame.

"Would you happen to have a cellphone on you?"

Flame shook his head. "No, why?"

"Well, the proprietor of this store will not be too impressed when he comes back."

Flame looked at Gennai. "What do you me..."

Gennai swung his fist at the locked door. Right before it made contact, he stopped, snapping his fist into a palm.

The door was ripped off its hinges and flung into the store. Flame could hear breaking glass as the door smashed into something. But all he could do was stare at Gennai's outstretched arm.

"Wh..."

"Let's go," Gennai said, walking into the store as the alarms began to sound.

The familar rush of transcending the divides rushed over Flame, and he opened his eyes. He was standing on a cracked runway, in the middle of a plateau. Clear blue skies stretched out above him, and there wasn't a cloud in sight. A gentle breeze brought with it the scent of the ocean.

He smiled. He was home.

With a ripple of light, he discarded his human form. When he re-emerged as the Flamedramon he was, he stretched. Nothing felt as good as being back to his native form.

"Wow," Gennai said, looking around. "I like what you've done with the place."

Flame chuckled. "You didn't necessarily leave us with much."

Gennai returned the smile. Now that Flame was out of a high-pressure situation, he was able to get a clearer look at him. Gennai had reverted to a thirtyish-year old adult form, with slightly curly dark brown hair, and playful brown eyes. As was his nature, but Flame was beginning to suspect that there was even more that Gennai was hiding.

Gennai had been Flame's mentor ever since he was rescued from ... Flame caught himself at the memory, and brought himself back to the present.

"Unfortunately, a decoration appraisal is the last thing on the agenda," Flame said.

Gennai nodded. "Yes. I know of your troubles with the Northern Kingdom. I would have come myself, had the need arisen. So obviously, you've discovered something I'm unaware of."

Flame shook his head. "Nothing groundbreaking. But I thought it would be better that you were here. Something about all of this doesn't feel right."

"Ah," Gennai said, nodding. "Intuition. Useful, but can be easily confused."

Flame shrugged. "Well, you're here now."

"Indeed I am. Where is the rest of the team?"

"Two are scouting, Jet's defending Chelone, and Edan's resting."

"So I'm assuming that Jorcy and Kaida are still out?"

Flame wasn't surprised at Gennai's deductive speed. He wasn't human, after all.

"No. But they should be on their way back."

"Good," Gennai said, looking into the sky, where a dark form was rapidly approaching. Flame noticed that he was looking into the sky, and turned to look just as Jet slammed into the ground. It was a controlled landing, though, and Jet stood up quickly.

"Gennai," he said in what could have passed for a greeting.

"Hello, my dear Jet. Glad to see you haven't changed at all."

Jet grunted. "Wish I could say the same about you,"

Gennai laughed. "Times, Jet. Well, let's get inside."

Flame nodded, but didn't move. Gennai caught that before he started moving himself. Flame looked at Jet, who shrugged, sighed, and hit a switch on an arm-mounted computer.

The ground under them shook, as a massive circle carved itself out of nowhere. With a mechanical hiss and whine, it started sinking into the ground. Soft sirens were sounding from below - where the primary preparation bay was.

Gennai looked at Flame, speaking over the servos and alarms. "I'mreally liking what you did with the place, Flame."

"Before I begin - it's really good to see you all again. Though I wish the circumstances were different."

They were all seated in the briefing room again. Even though eight hours had passed, they were still as alert and ready as ever. Edan was awake. His shoulder had healed, and he was back to normal.

Gennai waved at a map behind him. "I've been keeping track of the movements of the Northern and Southern kingdoms, and I'm well aware of the war. What else have you learned?"

"We found a remote observation post in a nearby volcano," Kaida said. "That post still has an active hardline data trunk, and we should be able to trace it's origin."

Gennai nodded. "I'll give you the tools you need. Anything else?"

"The soldiers," Jorcy said, looking up. "They weren't military by a long shot - looked more like mercenaries to me."

"What, in the whole half-second you saw them?" Jet asked. Jorcy nodded.

"I searched their bodies for ID afterwards, you know. Take that time up to ten minutes."

Jet shrugged and sat back. "Whatever."

"Any ideas on where they're from?" Gennai asked. Jorcy shook his head.

"Whoever trains Digimon for at least fifteen years, and equips them with the latest in military technology. Just about any army force in both worlds."

"Okay. Well, now I'll tell you why it was a good idea to call me. And then we will move as quickly as possible to secure our bases. There's plenty of things you don't know about the Chelone plane, and it's about time you learned."

"Like the rune gates?" Flame asked. He had no way of knowing whether or not Gennai knew.

"Ah, so you found them. Yes - I built the 'rune displacement network', as I call it. The hub for the network sits under this base. It might be a good idea to give you the keys, so to speak."

Flame stared at him, as did Edan and Kaida. "You built the things?!"

Gennai nodded with a smile. "I told you there was plenty you didn't know about this plane," he said with a wink. Flame sat back, processing what he had just learned.

"You guys had better get to bed quickly," Gennai said, getting fresh stares from everyone. "You'll need the rest," he explained. "And while this plane is still secure, it's your current best option."

Silence all around. They had just summoned the mastermind of this entire plane, to learn that they had to go to bed.

"Flame, you're coming with me for now. There's something I have to show you."

Flame nodded and stood, and the rest quickly followed. Jorcy and Edan immediately shuffled out, and Kaida stuck around for a few more seconds before she left herself. Jet looked from Flame to Gennai, and back again. Neither were speaking. He shrugged and left the room.

Flame looked up at Gennai, who had his eyes closed, lost in deep thought. Eventually he opened them, and looked at Flame.

"Let's go."