"...Did you hear that?"

Entropy nodded numbly, her eye wide as yet another crash sounded, followed by screams. A little smirk crept onto her face.

"Took him long enough," she whispered.

"What?" Cinder asked as Entropy started walking towards the sound. "Enny, wait, we can't-"

"What was that Dr. Hernandez?"

Cinder whipped around to see a small group of children grouped around one of the lab rats. She glared at the woman for a moment, glanced back at Entropy, then stormed over.

"I hope you're happy now that they're in danger!" she hissed at the woman.

"Please, I was only doing what was asked," the woman squeaked, drawing some of the children closer. "I really am a nurse, but they forced me..."

Cinder glanced down at the worried faces looking up at her, then hissed and ran a hand through her hair.

"Okay, listen to me," she told the woman quietly. "You need to take them outside and get them as far away from the building as possible. Grab any kids you pass and make sure to stay together-"

"And don't look back," Entropy said, coming up beside Cinder. "This thing won't know who's good and who's bad, so your best bet is to run, run, run."

She knelt down to the kids and grinned.

"Your doc's gonna take you to get some ice cream kiddies!" she told them, raising a finger. "But you gotta be good and do exactly what she says, okay?"

"Okay!" the children chorused.

"Okay, go grab your friends, everyone gets to go!"

They rushed off and started telling the other kids of the treat they were receiving. Entropy nodded to Cinder and started off again.

"Bless you!" the doctor sobbed, wrapping her arms around Cinder, who stiffened. "I wish you both luck."

Cinder watched her go with surprise, witnessing how much she actually cared when she picked up not one but two children and started coaxing the rest out to the door. Guess there really were good people in bad places.

"...Cinder?"

"Ye..."

She froze, half turned, when she caught a glimpse of something large stop behind her. Her body shook as a blast of air shoved her hair around her face, but she forced her eyes to look up at the thing snarling at her.

The snake's head slowly descended towards her, it's eyes blazing madly as it's scaled lips parted to reveal porcelain fangs. It was massive, with a gold frill atop its head and silver skin that shimmered in the harsh light. Cinder gasped quietly when her brain connected the pieces, because even though they weren't green, those eyes were unmistakable.

"...Stryker?" she breathed, her voice quivering.

Stryker snarled again; his eyes were glazed, unconscious eyes. There was no way the real him was aware of what was going on. Still, she prayed he was awake, prayed that he would change back into her friend before something bad happened.

"Stryyyyyyyykiiiiiiiiieee!"

The serpent bolted up, smacking its head on the ceiling before whipping around to Entropy. She beamed up at him as he slithered closer, growling from deep within his throat.

"You look good, cuz!" she told him, flashing him a thumbs up. "It's been, what, four years since you've shown this form? I told you it'd still be awesome!"

The snake's eyes narrowed threateningly as Cinder stared at Entropy in shock. Was she crazy? Stryker in this form was anything but awesome if it meant they were going to die!

She missed whatever else Entropy was saying to him, because she caught the hand at the other girl's side swiftly and subtly motion for her to beat it. Oh good, she was distracting him! That was a better explanation!

"Well, I mean, I hope you haven't hurt anyone," Entropy continued; the serpent now was giving her what appeared to be an exasperated look, as if it wanted her to get to the point. Cinder slowly crept around its tale, freezing for a moment when it twitched before continuing. "'Cause hurting people isn't as awesome as being a giant snake is-"

The serpent suddenly pulsated and hissed at Cinder, having sensed her try to escape. Both girls felt their stomachs lurch in fear as it reared its head back to strike.

"No Stryker cuz wait Cinder run run now!"

******JP******

Zephyr screeched to a halt when he saw the disaster that appeared to have been the boiler. Two of the guards were sprawled on the concrete, unmoving and covered in steel debris. He felt both their pulse and sighed when he found they were both alive. Someone familiar groaned nearby, and he rushed over when he saw Jack sitting up and clutching his head.

"Hey!" Zephyr cried, bolting over a large beam and kneeling next to his friend. "Graças a Deus, you're okay!"

"We must be in deep if you're speaking in Portuguese again," Jack mumbled. He cringed when Zephyr grabbed his arm. "Don't! Don't. I passed out on the floor and got burned."

"Oh, yeah, I see it now," Zephyr said, wincing when he saw the blisters on his friend's back.

"Is it bad?" Jack asked. His face fell when he saw the havoc that had been wrecked around him. "Never mind, what happened here?"

"Oh, this?" Zeph croaked, looking around again as he carefully helped Jack up. "I don't know how to explain...but I think once we find Stryke...you'll understand..."

Jack cried out and Zephyr had to grab him around the waste to keep him from falling again.

"Oh man..." Jack moaned. He knew what had happened. "Where is he?"

"I don't know, but I hope he didn't hurt anyone else. These guards are pretty beat up-"

Two feminine screams, shrill and terrified, echoed off the walls and shook the boys to the core.

"...Oh no..."

Jack swore under his breath and forced himself to stand on his own.

"Go get the girls," he ordered, using the bar in front of him to keep himself up. "I'll catch up if I can."

"Jack-" Zephyr started.

"Go now!"

Zephyr cringed and shifted into his Shadow Form faster than he ever had, blasting down the halls to find the girls. Jack huffed and forced himself over the beam, taking a moment and growl and kick one of the guards, before limping as quick as he could to find his friends.