Author's Note: Hello! I usually try to get some writing done around Christmas time when I can. Thank you for your patience. Let's get going.

"Owwww..." Libby rubbed her backside and forced herself to sit back up again. The ship's auto pilot had been set for Primus so that Cindy and April could practice some grappling in case those skills were needed when getting the guys out. Libby hadn't anticipated the other two insisting that she join them. So far each move the other girls had tried to teach her had just ended with Libby on the ground, unsure of what had just happened.

"Come now, Libby," April assisted Libby to her feet. "Our youngest can handle the Riebesch Maneuver before they are even allowed to leave the nursery. How do you intend to find a mate if you cannot defeat him in battle?"

"One, our ways of finding a mate are a little different on Earth," Libby crossed her arms, "And two, I don't usually do the fighting. Cindy does. I'm more of a ...background music kinda gal. Like, do you want me to pick out some kick butt jams for you to train to? I'm all over that."

"This is what you do?"

"I can also sing." Libby offered.

April turned her attention back to Cindy. "So of all of you, you are the only one with fighting skills? And yet Jimmy Neutron told me of his numerous defeats of several villains."

"Jimmy fights with his brain," Cindy shrugged. "I tend to like the more violent answers, but he usually does okay," she decided, for once, not to mention that Jimmy often caused the problems in the first place. "But Libby is our common sense person. But to be fair, Libs, you did defeat Sheen in that Ultra Lord ritual he made you do that one Valentine's Day."

"Yeah, but that was Sheen," Libby pointed out. "And it did not make him my 'mate'" She used air quotes for the last word.

"Right now we need to get back to planning, anyway. I'm sure we'll get a lot of practice in for fighting before this is all through," Cindy went back to the ship's controls and pressed a button. A holographic projection of a map popped up from the center of the console. "Okay, so Goddard's there," she pointed to where a shiny red star kept blinking, "But we don't know if the guys are with him. April cross referenced this map with her network's data base and we know that it's not a prison, but it is someone's home."

"Which actually makes it more suspicious for us to be rushing in there," Libby added.

"How do you figure?" April asked.

"Think about it – a prison's going to have different people in and out. Security guards and things, maybe even medical runs done by aliens from different planets. But if you stop by a house? The neighbors probably know if you have any Earthling or Gorlock friends. Going to be a lot harder to slip by unnoticed in a residential area."

Cindy seemed to deflate. "You're right. I have no idea how we're even going to get in there. Once we have Goddard, he has enough gizmos that we can probably get out with less problems. But how do we get in?"

April and Cindy both looked pensive, but Libby got a sudden spark in her eyes. "Hey, April...tell me more about that network you run."

Jimmy picked up the nutrient cube – the lights were still on for once, and he was able to examine it. It was smaller than yesterday's. He was sure of it. And yesterday's had been smaller than the day before. Were they trying to starve him? He was certain they were, and the lights still being on so he could examine the cube meant that they wanted him to know that he was being starved.

He knew he was feeling weak now, but whether that was starvation, dehydration or any number of things, he couldn't figure it out. He sighed and forced himself to swallow the cube, knowing it would do little to sate him now. He kept exhausting himself in trying to find a way out. Most days after the cube arrived, he searched through his prison for something he was missing until he finally passed out. Then he would continue the search the next day from where he had been when he'd lost consciousness.

He still wasn't any closer to finding a way out or figuring out who had done this to him. Jimmy knew only one thing right now:

He could only keep this up for a little longer before it would kill him.

"You shrank the nutrient cubes?" It was a question, but Goobot asked it in such a delighted manner it sounded more like praise.

"Sooner or later that jellybag usually finds a way out of things," Melbar explained. "And Earthlings don't think so well when their food supply is dwindling. We'll shrink it down until he finally stops exploring his surroundings, then hold him at that nutrition level until we decide how to kill him."

"You know, Old Bean," Eustace interrupted, "Humans can't go like that for very long. Lack of nutrition could kill him before we ever get the chance."

"Then I suggest we all form a consensus soon," Melbar narrowed his eyes in Eustace's direction, "Or else I get to pick out his ending and that means Earth goes with him. As well as your stuff. And if you'll excuse me, I have some other matters to get to." Melbar exited with Goobot trailing right behind him.

"Sheesh, who died and put that guy in charge?" Baby Eddie complained.

"Quite my sentiments as well," Eustace agreed, putting his right hand in his pocket and his left to his chin. As he seemed to ponder, his right hand pressed a button on a machine concealed in the pocket. He smirked slightly, but hoped the others didn't see it.

"Suck in!" Sheen insisted, trying to push Carl through the opening. It was not going to happen. Even both Sheen and Carl realized that the hole in the wall was too small for Carl's frame.

"Sheen, I can't fit!"Carl backed up suddenly, accidentally knocking Sheen over in the process. "It's no use. We're stuck here."

"Yeah," Sheen nodded.

Except he wasn't. He could fit through the hole himself, even if it would be a tight squeeze. Maybe he could even get them help.

"Please come back for me as soon as you can," Carl said in a small voice, staring pointedly at the ground.

"What?"

"You can fit and I can't," Carl sighed before adopting a more dramatic air. "You have to go on without me! Just forget about me and go!"

"I'm not going to forget about you, you still owe me six bucks," Sheen snorted. "But I can go get us help if you're okay with me going."

Carl nodded, hoping he looked braver than he felt. "Yeah. Just …just hurry, please? And find Jimmy."

"I swear on my UltraLord first edition comic book collection."

Carl nodded again, feeling only slightly comforted.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Sheen promised, ducking into the wall. It was dark, but he could feel that the hollowed area actually extended further than their cell. How much further, he couldn't be certain. Taking a deep breath, he headed into the unknown. I hope I'll be back, anyway.