Jack put his hands on his knees and let his breath catch back up to him as his teammates ran to his side. Hannibal was still big, but not as towering as he had been. Rai was being helped up by Clay, shaken up and sporting Jack's boot print, but otherwise alright.

"Don't think we have any other reason to stay," Stryker said, putting a hand on Jack's shoulder as he glared at Hannibal. "We should leave before he tries something else."

Jack nodded, then straightened and started to follow his friends to the jet.

"Oh Jack," Hannibal called, waving his vines to and fro.

Stryker and Entropy tried to keep Jack going, but he froze. There was something dangling from one of Hannibal's vines, something that glistened in the bright light. The giant bean brought it lower so he could see that it was a pendant, a topaz gem in the middle of the silver rim. His head tilted on its own as he took a step closer. Cinder grabbed his arm to keep him from getting closer.

"Don't you want to know what it is?" Hannibal asked as Stryker and Zephyr stepped in between him and their friends. "Don't you want to know who used to have it? I'll give ya a hint...he loved to swim."

Jack's eyes shot open as Bean's laugh echoed across the field. That...was his father's amulet. He knew it, even before Hannibal's twisted joke. Something started vibrating inside him the moment he caught a glimpse, something persistent and certain and urging. He needed that amulet, no matter the cost.

"Give that to me," he ordered, gently pushing Zephyr and Stryker out of his way.

Hannibal grinned.

"Only if you come and get it," he said.

He lowered his vine almost to the ground, even shrunk to make it easier for him.

"Jack," Stryker warned, grabbing his arm as he started towards him. "Jack."

Jack's mouth moved but no sound came out. He shook Stryker's grip off him, pushed Zephyr away. Rai looked between him and Hannibal, then bolted forward and grabbed Jack from behind, dragging him away from the Bean.

"Let go of me!" Jack shrieked as the other monks rushed to him and his friends helped Rai haul him away. "Let go!"

"You're only delaying the inevitable, kids," Hannibal laughed. "I will fulfill this prophecy, and you won't be able to stop me."

His vine shot out and wrapped around Jack's ankle. He was whisked out of his friend's grasp and hung upside down in front of Hannibal's face.

"Put him down!" Stryker roared, lunging to get him. Rai and Zephyr held him back. "You *&#%, let him go!"

Hannibal laughed again, amused by the Young's fiery temper.

"Your friends got a foul mouth, Spica," he joked, tossing Jack into the air and catching him around the waste. "And such a temper! I better do what he wants!"

He lifted the amulet over Jack and dropped it. It landed around his neck as Hannibal let him slip from his grasp and plummet for the ground. Entropy and Cinder screamed as Kimiko activated her fire powers and shot forward, leaving a trail of flames behind her. She leapt up and caught Jack before he landed, zipping back to the others before Hannibal could swipe at her. She set Jack in the middle of everyone, forcing his friends to stand back as she turned Jack's pale face her way.

"Are you okay?" she asked, keeping Cinder at an arm's distance. "How do you feel?"

Jack's eyelids flickered up and down and he bobbed his head, unable to focus on anything. The gem in the middle of the amulet was glowing light blue. Kimiko stepped back, allowing Cinder to wrap her arms around Jack's neck and glare at her. Rai met her eyes. It was going to happen soon.

"Zeph, you have to come with me," Rai whispered as he grabbed his brother's arm. Stryker and Entropy were too focused on Jack to hear him.

"What?" Zephyr snapped.

Raimundo shot a glance at Hannibal and tightened his grip.

"Trust me. Something's going to happen and you can't be here-"

"Why?"

"Because you can't! Please, you have to believe me-"

"I do!" Zephyr assured him, wrenching his arm from his grasp. "But I'm not leaving if my friends aren't."

"We'll get them out of here, I promise. But right now I want you to follow me-"

"No, Rai, I'm staying here-"

Hannibal saw that Raimundo was trying to lead Zephyr away, probably to safety. He grinned and swung a vine over his head, then brought it down. Zephyr saw it first and shoved Raimundo across the field, barely missing being hit himself. The others screamed as a shock wave shot out and sent them flying in all directions. Hannibal raised his arm again, slightly disappointed that no one was under it, then moved it over Raimundo. The Shoku Warrior got to his feet just as Hannibal swept towards the others, sending him back to them. He landed on top of Stryker with a yelp. Hannibal retracted as the teens scrambled to their feet. Cinder tried to pull Jack up with her, but he shook his head and tried to pull out of her grasp.

"None of y'all are leavin' till I say you are," Hannibal called down to them. His eyes were glowing brightly, dangerously. "Or, until one of ya is smashed beneath my roots!"

His hideous laugh rang in their ears, shook their spines. Above him, too small for anyone to notice, were the Sapphire Dragon and the Denshi Bunny. There eyes were no longer blue, they were white, lightning white, and ready at command. Jack's head slowly moved upwards, and he noticed someone standing on a boulder, out of Hannibal's sight. He tried to reach over and tap Stryker, or anyone really. How come they weren't looking?

It wasn't like Chase was hiding.