Nick's drowsy eyes comes to. A blurriness covers his vision as the last bits of the sedatives clears his system. He can't see much from inside the van. Judy is right beside him. She's still out, but otherwise okay. Beside him is a polar bear. He has a ski mask on to hide his identity. Other than that he is simply there, staring. Any move and he'll drop all his weight down on them, alerting everyone outside in the process. Nick quickly surmised that its best to not antagonize him enough for him to do it, not yet anyway. Checking his wrist he can see the cuffs placed to strangle his mobility. There's no way he'll be able to squirm out of them, and he's pretty damn good at that too. Even with experience in situations like this, Nick, knows when he's cornered.

The van has a dividing wall keeping the drivers seat away from him so he can't just make a break for it with Judy. The polar bear has the double doors blocked, and the sliding door is tied shut from the inside. There is no way they'll be able to chew their way through in time. All he can do is wait. Perhaps with Judy awake they can find an opportunity. That will take time however.

Its only been minutes, but it already feels like hours, and all he can hear is the noise of digging. But finally Judy stirs awake. The first thing she sees is Nick and his looks say it all "Keep calm and wait for my signal." Judy gives him a subtle nod and waits.

Nick keeps his eyes on the polar bear. He needs to drop his gaze for just one second. That's all he needs to lure him, Judy should be able to scramble from there. If she doesn't get him, he'll at least cause enough of a stir to give her a chance to escape. These animals are not fast enough to catch a rabbit. He has no doubt in her ability to flee. His doubts are purely in his own ability to create such an opening, polar bears are large predatory mammals after all.

The van is humid, too humid for a polar bear, and he lets out his tongue to sweat out some of the heat. This could be it, thought Nick. His entire focus is on the bear now. In a matter of moments he'll show that drop in focus, and he'll make his move. All he can hear is the noise of digging as the bear pants at the heat inside the van. Nick feels it too, his own nerves working up his body temperature. He too feels like panting, but he keeps his cool and does a better job at retaining focus over the bear.

A warding glance at Judy gives her a reaffirming stare "get ready." The digging stops, but it pays no mind to Nick. The bears going to give him an opening, and its going to happen in a matter of seconds.

The bear lets out a huge huff. The heat is too much for him, he needs to let some air in. He turns his head and reaches for the door. Just a little breeze for a few seconds before he shuts the door again. His paw gets even closer to the handle, Nick readies his legs to spring after him, this is it.

But the door opens. Not by the paws of a bear, but by the hooves of a rhino instead. From the outside.

Nick feels the cool air rush in, but its no respite to his opportunity lost. He slumps his legs, and looks at Judy. He won't say what he feels, but Judy can read him fine without it. "I'm sorry" is all that is felt from the look on Nicks face.

The bear grabs Nick and the rhino grabs Judy, and carries them to Tuck who waits by a large pit. Nick can see the rest of Professors Rodham's plan play out before him. Side by side are the two caskets nailed together by the head. He knows where they're going.

Tuck raises his arms, "Welcome to your funeral."

Nick was going to stand proud, and play whatever hand fate seemed so cruel in dealing him, but this, this is too much, "Please Tuck. This isn't right."

Yea. You're right. Its pretty awful isn't it? But the Professor gave me specific instructions, and I'm not as dumb as you to cross him." Tuck looks down at the two coffins and shakes his head at the cruel fate that is to befall on Nick and Judy, "There is a steady flow of air being pumped into the coffin from these oxygen tanks up here. There is an hour of air for you. That is how much time you have to escape."

Nick furrows his brow at the opportunity, "Escape?"

"He didn't make it easy, and to be honest, I have never seen anyone ever escape his various... challenges. I think the game is rigged, but still, its something for you to do besides waiting for the air to run out." Tuck nods and the large paws holding Nick and Judy dump them into their respective coffin, and they're sealed inside. The noise of nails being driven down the coffin makes Judy scream and Nick panic.

Nick recognizes the muffled voice beyond the coffin as Tuck's, "One hour. That's all you get. Good luck." His laughs grow faint as dirt is dumped atop of their coffin.

Judy yells, "Nick can you hear me?"

"Yea."

"We can do this."

Even in dire straits like this Judy finds a way to rally him. Still though, Nick can't help, but feel like he was lied to, "I don't feel any air coming in. I'm losing breath"

"Me too."

They start to gag loud enough for the both of them to hear each other gasping for air while the chorus of earth falling on their grave sounds their last symphony.

Finally though, the music stops, the dirt ceases to be heard, and a current of fresh air flows through the coffins. The trap is finally set. The rabbit and the fox has one hour to win Professor Rodham's game.