Katherine had managed to make her way down the mountain. When she jumped down, she found Evelyn waiting behind her.
"Well, well. It seems you've been on quite an adventure. The compass, please." Evelyn reached out her hand.
"Yes, that. Well..." Katherine turned around to face her. "Matters got complicated. It's eluded me for a moment. The details of the affair are a bit of a bore."
"Really? Stealing my technology and climbing the mountain without me might seem like a bore to you, but to me, it's a betrayal."
"I was going to bring it to you. Our agreement remains. We're going to Pixfare together. I'll get it back."
Evelyn shook her head. "I don't have time for your games. I've crossed through too many worlds to be brought short on the brink of success. Who was it who bested you?"
"The Swan boy. Jack. Rest assured, it won't happen again."
Evelyn chuckled. "No, it won't. You chose him and the consequences of that decision."
"Oh. You gonna kill me now?" Katherine said sarcastically. "Go ahead. Try."
"So brave. No, I'm not going to kill you. I have something far more satisfying in mind. I'm going to leave you here with your thirst for revenge unquenched, while I complete our journey without you."
"There's no need to be rash. We can discuss this." Katherine stepped closer to Evelyn.
"Your pretty face buys you a lot, but not my time. It's too valuable."
"I can do this. I can get it back. You need me."
Evelyn laughed. "No, I don't." She started walking away. "You've had your chance. Now it's my turn to do this-" Evelyn turned around to face Katherine. "The right way." Katherine lunged towards Evelyn, but she used a gadget and teleported away.
Evelyn reappeared in her lab and approached a large control panel and several monitors. She flipped several switches, turning on the screens. "It's go time." She spoke into the microphone.
An army of hypnotized superheroes started to march into the woods.
Jack showed a picture of Hilary to Holley. "The girl you saw in your dream- is that her?"
"Yes. That's Hilary."
"That's impossible. It was a dream. How could you dream of my daughter?"
"I have no idea."
"Maybe it wasn't a dream." Laura Reed realized.
"What?" Jack turned to his mother.
"That room- I've been there."
"When I told you about it, you didn't say anything." Holley said.
"You were terrified. I didn't want to make things worse by telling you I thought it might be real."
"A room in a dream is real?" Finn asked, confused.
"The Sleeping Curse." Laura Reed explained. "It has to be. Holley went through it."
"Hilary's been through it because I wouldn't believe her." Jack added.
"Jack-Jack." Laura Reed tried to calm him.
"What else did you lie about?" Holley asked.
"I was- I wasn't lying. I was protecting you."
Jack turned to Holley. "What did she say- Hilary- in the- in the dream?"
"She just said her name. And then I woke up, and it was over."
"Jack-Jack. It's going to be okay." Laura Reed tried to assure him.
"We are so far from okay."
"No. We have a way home now."
"We have a compass, and the door ashes are still with Evelyn."
"Any attempt to steal from her would be just suicide." Finn chimed in.
"Not anymore. We can stop her." Laura Reed
"How?" Finn asked.
"I don't know, but I know someone who does- the Witch. She'll know a way."
Jack had an idea. "Hilary. We can talk to her." Laura Reed nodded. "Now we can communicate."
"Wait. Wait." Holley interrupted.
Jack faced Holley again. "Oh, yeah, Miss Car, You're going back to sleep."
Holley appeared in the flaming room in the Netherworld. "Hilary! Hilary! Hilary!" She called.
"Hello? Hello!" She answered.
"Hilary! Hilary, it is you!"
"Yeah! Who are you?"
"My name is Holley Shiftwell. I'm with your dad and your grandmother."
"Are they okay?"
"Yes, they're fine. They just want to come home, and they need your help."
Hilary nodded. "Okay, so what do I need to do?"
Hilary jolted awake from her dream, panting. "T-They're alive. They're alive!"
Derek and Clark, who had fallen asleep near Hilary's bed, were awakened by her yelling.
"Who? Who's alive?" Clark sat beside her.
"My dad and Helen."
"I told ya, kid. I told ya!"
"Was it the woman you saw? Did she tell you this?" Derek asked.
"Her name's Holley." Hilary explained. "She said they have a way home, but there's someone in the way- Someone they need us to help them stop, someone only Ms. Wood knows how to defeat."
"Who?" Derek asked.
"Your mother."
Héctor and Ms. Cordwain were seated in the Diner. Ellen served them two plates of burgers and fries.
"They smell delicious, Ellen."
"They are delicious. Don't taste like old shoes, either." She glared at Ms. Cordwain. "Oh, and, uh, I charge extra for the pickles."
"Mmhmm." Ellen headed back up to the front. "I have a complicated relationship with her… As I do with most people."
"Well, it, uh… it did take me a little time to get to know you. They will."
"You know, you should try it with ketchup."
Derek entered the diner and walked towards the next table, where Ms. Wood sat. "Wood. We need to talk."
"Do we?"
Ellen saw the incoming fight and intervened. "Folks, I think I may need to close early. Uh, everybody out."
"No. It's okay. We're civil." Derek assured.
"Yeah, for now." Ms. Wood added.
"I'm actually coming about the one thing that might unite us."
"And what on earth can that be?"
"Evelyn. She's coming from our land. I need your help to stop her."
"But she was dead. You told me you saw the body."
"Apparently, you taught her well. She's not, and she's on her way. And I don't think I need to remind you, how most unpleasant that would be for both of us."
"For you. I can handle Evelyn."
"That's not how she tells the story."
"I won in the end."
"Maybe."
"So you say she's coming. Where is she now?"
"With them."
The group was traveling through the woods.
"How close are we?" Jack asked. "Hilary could already be waiting in that Netherworld."
"No, we planned to meet back there in two hours." Holley replied.
"You're not going to leave her waiting." Laura Reed said.
"Yeah, but what if she's..." Jack tried to ask.
"No, she was fine," Holley assured.
"There. That looks like relatively safe high ground." Laura Reed pointed to a clearing. They began heading towards it. "We'll make our camp there. Holley, you'll settle in and find Hilary, get the information we need from the Witch. We do this fast, in and out. It's still dangerous out here."
Holley got one of her tires caught on a branch and stopped.
"Is something wrong?" Finn asked.
"No, I just caught on something."
"That doesn't explain your tire."
"What about my tire?"
"The burns you're hiding. They're not from the sun."
Holley looked down and shrugged. "I brushed against some poisoned leaves." She drove on.
Finn stopped her. "You said that this Netherworld was full of smoke and flames. Shiftwell, if that's where you were burned, you shouldn't return."
"I don't have much of a choice, do I?"
"You're choosing to go in deeper and stay under longer to find this girl. I've vowed to protect you. Not to help some strangers find a portal to another land."
"You know, I was cursed to spend eternity in that horrible sleep. And the only reason I'm here is that you and Phillip risked your lives to save me. Every day since my waking has been a gift. So let me do something with it. It's my turn to help someone else. I'm going to go back in and find that girl."
In the backroom of Ms. Wood's shop, Hilary laid down on a bed.
Derek came over to her, holding a blanket. "I brought your blanket. From your bedroom back home." He laid it on top of her.
"Thanks. So, Evelyn- she's pretty powerful?"
"Yes, but not as powerful as I am." Ms. Wood replied.
"Debatable." Derek scoffed.
"Actually, no, it's not."
Clark sat beside Hilary on the bed. "You sure you're okay to do this, kid?" He asked, unsure."
"I was born to do this. I'm done reading about heroes. I wanna be one."
"Well, sometimes being one is knowing when not to run into the fire."
"I have powers. I'll be okay." Hilary assured.
"Look, whatever she faces in there will be far less dangerous than what she'll face if we fail." Ms. Wood spoke up.
"I can do this."
Clark sighed and stood up. "Get on with it. Fast."
Ms. Wood walked over and sat down next to Hilary's bed. "All right Hilary. Just relax. And soon, you're gonna drift off."
"What do I tell them?"
"Just listen to my bedtime story, and all will be clear." She rested a hand on Hilary's forehead. "Once upon a time, Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl needed to stun a very powerful sorceress long enough to lock her up in a dark dungeon."
"That was you." Hilary figured out. "They used Merida to trap you with a magic quill."
"Yes, indeed, a quill." She moved her hand over Hilary's face, putting her to sleep by using magic. Hilary closed her eyes. "And yet, it wasn't the quill itself, but the ink that captured the Witch," Derek and Clark exchanged a look. "Harvested from the rarest species of squid from the bottom of a bottomless ocean - impossible to find unless you're a mermaid... or me. I happen to have a private supply." She moved her hand again from Hilary's chest up to her face. "In my jail cell - that is where they will find it."
The group has set up camp, and Holley was asleep with Finn watching over her. Jack and Laura Reed were standing off to the side, also watching her. Jack began walking away. Laura Reed followed behind him.
"Hey." She whispered, holding his hand. "It'll be okay. You'll see Hilary again. This will work." In the distance, they heard some branches rustling.
"What was that?" Jack wondered.
They looked at Holley, who started to twitch.
Holley coughed as she found herself back in the Netherworld. "Hilary!" She spotted the girl. "Can you help us?"
"Yes! I know what you have to do to stop Evelyn! You have to go to..." The flames flared out, muffling Hilary's voice. "the Witch's cell!"
"Where? We have to go where? Wait. Where do we have to go?!"
"The Witch's jail cell!" Again Hilary's reply was muffled by the flames.
"Hilary! Hilary, I-"
"Holley!" A distorted voice called.
"Who is that?"
"Did you hear me?!" Hilary asked.
"No! Hilary, say it again! I-"
"Holley." The voice called again
"Did you hear that?"
"No! Holley, what's going on?!" Hilary asked.
"Holley!"
"Do you hear that?" Suddenly, Holley was sucked into a vortex and was lifted out of the room.
"Holley! Wake up!" Finn shouted, shaking her awake. "Holley, wake up! Wake up!
"No. Hilary wasn't finished!"
"The time for that is over."
Evelyn's hypnotized supers had invaded the camp. Finn drew his weapons and fended them off. Elsewhere, Jack and Laura Reed were also fighting off the horde.
"Jack-Jack, watch out!" Laura Reed cried.
A super tackled Jack to the ground, causing him to lose the compass. It rolled a few feet away. Another super came along and picked it up.
"The compass! The compass!" Jack shouted.
Laura Reed stretched her arm and punched the super, causing the compass to fall back to the ground. Jack scrambled to grab it.
"Finn!" Laura Reed called for him. "Finn?"
The two of them looked around, but the two cars were nowhere in sight.
"Where is he?" Jack wondered.
"Jack-Jack, we've got to run for it!"
Jack and Laura Reed ran away from the campsite. Meanwhile, Finn helped Holley navigate through the forest.
"Come on, hurry. Shiftwell, go."
The supers caught up to them. One grabbed Finn and dragged him to the ground, while the others swarmed Holley.
Finn fought off the super but when he got up, he realized Holley was gone. "Shiftwell!" He drove off into the woods.
Jack and Laura Reed had successfully escaped the supers.
"You still in one piece?" Jack asked.
"Yeah, pretty much."
They heard a rustling in the bushes. They both prepared to fight but stopped when Finn emerged.
"They took her. Holley's gone." He informed them.
Hilary gasped as she awoke from her dream.
Clark rushed to her side. "Hilary. Are you alright?"
"Did you see her? Did you tell her?" Ms. Wood asked.
"No. I-I didn't get the chance. Something- Something happened. She-She got sucked out of there." Hilary explained.
They all noticed that Hilary appeared to be in pain as she touched her arm.
"Hilary." Derek said, concerned.
"Some-Something's wrong." Hilary groaned.
Derek pulled back Hilary's sleeve, revealing a burn. "Hilary." He gasped in shock.
Holley had been taken to 'the pit' at the Haven. She had a boot on one of her back tires.
Evelyn entered with a can. "I thought you might be hungry. I hope you enjoy motor oil." She placed the can in front of Holley.
"I enjoy anything that masks the bitter aftertaste of poison."
"Oh, plucky. I like that." Evelyn smiled.
"You might as well go. I'm not going to tell you anything."
"Oh, I know. That's alright. You've nothing to tell. You weren't my target."
"The compass – sad you lost it?"
"I suppose, but now I have something to trade for it."
"They'll never trade me for that."
"You might be more valuable than you know." Evelyn began walking away.
"To who? They just met me, and they're trying to get back to their families. Do you really think they'll sacrifice that for a stranger?"
Evelyn stopped and came back over to Holley. "Your newfound companions? You may not know them, but I do. Elastigirl and her son just can't help themselves. No matter the personal stakes, they won't let an innocent die."
"We shall see."
"And what stakes do you have in their cause, Car? It's not as though you'd travel back with them. Oh. What a sweet, misguided notion." Evelyn scoffed. "Did you really think you could have a life there? Find another car? You've forgotten the tow truck already."
"Mater is in my heart every moment of every day." Holley argued. "If there was anything I could do to bring him back, I would."
"Is that so? What if I told you that when a wraith consumes a soul, it merely travels to another realm, but that soul could be brought back to this world? Show me a little courtesy, and I may explain how."
Holley angrily kicked the oil can at Evelyn, causing it to spill on the ground.
"Oh! You stupid, ungrateful girl!"
"I'm not as stupid as you think, nor my loyalty so easily bought! You can bring me a hundred meals, and make me a hundred promises, but I will never help you!"
Evelyn zapped Holley with a taser, knocking her out. "Plucky." Evelyn approached a drone that sat in a corner in the pit. She turned it on. "Tell them." The drone flew out of the dungeon.
—–
The drone reached the group in the forest and hovered over Laura Reed's shoulder. Finn drew his weapons.
"Wait." She stopped him. The drone buzzed, seemingly 'talking' to Laura Reed. The drone then flew off.
"What was that?" Jack asked.
"Evelyn. We have until sundown to bring her the compass. If we don't, she'll kill Holley."
Jack took the compass from his coat pocket.
"Give it to me." Finn requested.
"Hold on, Finn. Just give us a minute to consider."
"There's nothing to consider. A compass is not worth Holley's life."
"We need a plan to get back Holley and keep the compass." Laura Reed said.
Finn tried to grab the compass out of Jack's hand.
"Hey. Hey! I climbed a mountain for this. You go get your own." Jack argued.
Laura Reed stepped in between and broke up their fight. "Finn. Finn. Give us a few hours, please. If we haven't defeated Evelyn by then, you can have the compass."
"You can't hope to defeat her. We no longer have access to the Witch's assistance."
Jack and Laura Reed glanced at each other.
"Yes, we do."
"How? Holley's gone."
"Holley isn't the only one who's been under a sleeping curse. I can go back to that Netherworld."
"The door to that place is closed. You said it yourself."
"There may be a way- A way for me to go back into a deep sleep. One that can let me access it again."
"Another sleeping curse?" Jack asked.
Laura Reed turned to Jack. "No, not another curse. I don't need one. I've been under already. I need to go into a sleep where my natural defenses slip away – where my mind stops protecting me."
"How?"
She turned back to Finn. "Your sleeping gas- If I inhale it, I will fall into a deep enough sleep that I should be able to do this."
"I used the last of it on the dinosaur."
"Then make some more."
"I know of a place that may have some more. It's a bit of a journey from here."
"Can we make it by sundown?"
Finn nodded. "We have to hurry."
Derek was tending to Hilary's burn with an ice pack.
"Here. Let me take care of this." Ms. Wood magically healed the injury.
"What caused this?" Derek asked.
"When you venture deeper into the Netherworld instead of away, there are risks." Ms. Wood explained. "Someone woke Holley before her soul was ready to return. The violence of that act tore her away and injured Hilary. We're lucky it wasn't worse. She's going to need some time to recover before she can be sent back."
"Out of the question." "Not a chance." Derek and Clark said at the same time.
"We'd be monsters to even consider risking her life again." Clark stood up from his chair.
"Careful with your tone, Incredible." Ms. Wood advised. "I understand your concern for the girl, but I know Evelyn. Without our help, Jack and Elastigirl will soon be dead. And then… a true monster will be on her way to Pixfare."
Derek stood up, angry. "Holley is gone. Why do we need to send Hilary back to that fiery inferno with no one there to receive our message?"
Clark began to think and then got an idea. "Because someone will be there."
"Who?"
"Helen."
"Well, that's an awfully big assumption."
"No. No, it's not. She was there once before. She can go back. She can find a way. She will. I know it. And I'll be waiting."
"You're going to this Netherworld?" Derek asked, doubtful.
"I faced you. How bad could it be?"
"It's not as simple as that." Ms. Wood cautioned. "You can't get there. You haven't been under a sleeping curse."
"Well, then put me under one." Clark demanded.
"If we do that, there's a chance you might never wake up."
"Sure I will. When I see her, she'll kiss me, and I'll be fine. Now, put me under. I've spent far too much time looking for my wife. It is time to bring her home."
In the pit, Charles and Katherine tried to awaken an unconscious Holley. "Wake up. Wake up. Come on, sweetheart. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. On your feet. Hurry."
Holley gradually came to and realized who it was. "No! No! Are you going to kill me?"
"If we were here for that, then waking you first might not be the best course of action." He broke the boot on her tire.
'So what? Did Evelyn send you?"
"Evelyn has no idea we're here."
"I don't- I don't understand."
'Look, I know you're sleepy, but isn't it obvious? We're setting you free." Katherine explained.
"What is this? Some sort of ruse?"
"Evelyn's denied us passage to Pixfare and my vengeance. And now, we're going to deny her her wishes, starting with the compass. In explorer terms, you might say we're firing a shot across our enemy's bow."
"You'd risk your lives to break in here, all so you could thwart Evelyn?"
"We don't like being double-crossed. Now, go."
"Thank you." Holley started to leave, but Katherine stopped her.
"You can thank me by doing me one favor."
"What?"
"Give Jack a message. Tell him, that the deal still stands. If he provides me passage back to his realm, I swear I will help him find that dust that opens the portal."
"You really want to assist us?"
"It hurts Evelyn and helps us. Of course, I do. Now, go."
Holley turned and drove off.
—–
The group traveled through the city to find the laboratory.
"Once we cross this road, we'll be near the science lab." Finn instructed. "The chemicals are made there."
Jack noticed that Laura Reed looked worried. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Hey. Wait. Wait. No, no, no. You look nervous. This Netherworld- How bad is it? What's it like?" Jack asked, concerned.
They both stopped to privately talk.
"It's like you're, um… lost, drifting in the dark," Laura Reed explained. "No one to talk to, nothing to do except think of all the people that you love and how you'll never see them again."
"Hilary was lost in that dark too, because of me." Jack realized.
"What are you talking about?"
"She tried so hard to convince me I was the savior."
"Stop it. Nobody would've believed Hilary's stories."
"But her father should have."
"Okay. You want to play the blame game? If we hadn't defeated Evelyn, Syndrome wouldn't want revenge, the curse never would have happened. We could spend all day trying to figure out why each of us should feel guilty, but it will not help us get home.
"You really think we're going to make it back?"
"If there's one thing your father's taught me, it's not to give up. Now it's time for me to go back to sleep."
"It's Derek."
"What?"
"Derek. That's who we should blame."
–-
Derek was preparing the potion for the sleeping curse, using supplies from Ms. Wood's shop.
Hilary entered and watched him work. "It smells funny."
"I know, sweetheart. It's a curse. It's not meant to be pleasant."
"So the potion's finished? Ms. Wood had everything you needed in her shop?"
"Yes. We're almost ready."
"So this is how you do it? Weapons?"
"There are many ways. It's never easy."
"And… Have you been using weapons?"
"Hilary, I told you I wouldn't, and I haven't, except for… with Maggie… and now. I've really been trying."
"It's okay. At least you're using them to help people now."
Derek held Hilary's hand. "I'm trying. And after this, I won't."
"I know. Will Clark be okay?"
"He'll be… asleep. And in there, he won't die. Wood's explaining everything to him right now."
"It should be me. I can go in there without a curse and still come back."
"Hilary, Clark and I have many differences, but on this, we agree. We won't let you risk your safety. It's just not worth it."
"It is for me. He won't wake up."
"Unless he succeeds. And if there's one thing I know about your grandparents... they always find each other."
–-–
Ms. Wood discussed the process with Clark. She brought him a spell cake.
"Good luck." Hilary hugged Clark.
"It's going to be alright." He assured, hugging her back.
"How do you know?"
"Well… How did you know Jack-Jack would save you after you ate the cake?"
"I believed in him."
"The way Helen and I believed he'd come back to break the curse. That's the kind of faith that runs in our family."
Hilary took the pendant from around her neck and gave it to Clark. "This helps control the flames in the room. It'll keep you safe."
"I will guard it with my life."
–-–
Finn was preparing the sleeping gas. "It's nearly ready."
"How long will the effects last?" Laura Reed asked, sitting against the wall.
"It's hard to say. Maybe an hour, or much less."
"Well, I shouldn't need much time. As long as Hilary's in there when I am."
"I'll be right here." Jack sat down beside her. Laura Reed held his hand. "Say hi to my daughter for me."
They nodded to each other, then Laura Reed nodded to Finn that she was ready. Finn held the sleeping gas towards Laura Reed. She inhaled it, knocking her out.
–-–
Clark stared at the cake as Ms. Wood handed it to him. Derek and Hilary watched from the side. "When I awake, I'll be in that fiery room?"
"Not exactly. That room is where those who've already awoken from the curse return. You, however, are being put under for the first time." Ms. Wood explained.
"Then how will I know where to go? How am I supposed to find a room with no door?"
"And that, dearie, is the conundrum we're all depending on you solving. Now, I say this with the utmost sincerity- Good luck."
She again handed him the cake. This time, Clark took a bite and quickly went under the curse, collapsing onto the bed.
–-–
When Clark arrived in the Netherworld, he found himself in a dark room, lit only by a single torch. He picked up the torch and began to wander. All of the walls around him were mirrored.
"Helen!" He called.
Meanwhile, Laura Reed arrived in the flaming room.
"Hilary? Hilary? Hilary? Hilary! Where are you?" She called.
Clark still wandered through the mirrored part of the Netherworld. In the mirror, he noticed that Hilary's necklace was glowing blue. He held it in his hand and saw that it glowed brighter the closer he got to his destination. It continued to glow brighter until it burned his hand. He dropped the pendant on the ground. He bent over to pick it up but instead touched the floor. He drew back his hand when the floor burned him.
"The room." He realized. Using his fist, Clark broke through the floor, which appeared to be made of glass. It shattered, and he fell into the flaming room with Laura Reed.
"Bob? Bob?"
"Helen!" They ran towards each other, but the flames blocked them.
"I don't understand. I ha- Hilary should be here."
"I wouldn't let her come back. This is… This is too dangerous."
"You found me." She smiled.
"You found me. I knew you'd be here."
"I don't know how much time we have."
"Wood- She says there's a way to stop Evelyn. We have to stun her like we did with her."
"The quill."
"It wasn't the quill, it was the ink. There's a jar of it in her cell, where we kept her. Get it. Get it, stop her, and come home."
The flames between them flared out.
"Bob, how are you here? There's no way for you to be here, unless…"
He nodded. "I had to see you."
"You're in a sleeping curse."
The flames between them flared up again.
"It was worth it."
"Now you're cursed."
"A curse you're going to break with true love's kiss." Clark leaped over the flames towards Laura Reed. "Now…"
They leaned in to kiss, but the two of them went straight through each other.
"No!" Laura Reed looked horrified.
"It's a Netherworld. We're not really here."
Laura Reed then began to fade. "I'm waking up."
"It's okay. You'll get back, and then you'll wake me, as I woke you. You will always find me, and I will always find you."
"Yes. Will we always lose each other, too? Is that our fate?"
"No. I refuse to believe that." He shook his head. "You need to have faith… In us."
"I'm waking up." Laura Reed started to cry.
"It's okay. You can do this."
"Bob."
"I love you."
"I love y-" Laura Reed disappeared completely, leaving Clark alone.
–-–
Derek, Ms. Wood, and Hilary were waiting for Clark to wake up.
"Come on. Come back." Hilary pleaded. "Should he be in there so long?"
"I'm sure it's fine. I imagine they're just catching up." Derek looked at Ms. Wood, who shook her head.
–-–
Jack, who was sleeping across from Laura Reed, woke up as she came out of the dream.
"Hey. Hey, you okay?" Jack asked. Laura Reed suddenly stood up and jerked away from Jack. "What-what happened? What are you doing?"
"I'm looking for more gas."
"Well, I'm pretty sure we're out of that. What happened?"
"No. I have to go back in."
"Hilary? What? Is she okay?"
"No. Clark. He went under a sleeping spell so he could see me. He thought that my kiss would wake him, but it didn't. And now he's trapped." She explained frantically.
"Okay, slow down. Clark's trapped in there?"
"I have to get back. There's only one way to help him."
"True love's kiss."
"Yes, but it won't work there. We have to get back. If we don't-" She got frantic again.
"We will. We will." Jack tried to calm her down.
'Now you're so sure?"
"Yes. You told me to have faith, and now I'm telling you. We will make it back. Okay? Did you get the information?'
"It's the Witch. He said the key to stopping her is in her jail cell."
'Okay. Then let's go get it. Come on. Get your stuff. Come on."
Jack helped Laura Reed up, who went to retrieve her things. He checked his pockets, then looked around, frantic. "No."
"What?"
"The compass is gone... and so is Finn."
—–
Finn quickly drove through the city, with the compass in his trunk.
—–
Evelyn entered the pit and found Holley was missing.
"Looking for someone?" A voice asked.
She turned to see Charles and Katherine were waiting for her.
"Oh, don't tell me you two were dumb enough to let her go." Evelyn scoffed.
"She was never going to give you what you wanted anyway."
"So you freed her and stuck around for the petty satisfaction of seeing me suffer?"
"Oh, watching you suffer is a tempting motivation, but it wasn't that."
"Well, then you must have a death wish." Evelyn took out a taser. She pointed it at them. "You know I have to kill you."
"You should try thanking us."
"Oh, really? Why's that?"
"Because we brought you a gift. It's in the satchel."
"What is it?"
"Customarily, surprise is part of the fun of gift-giving. Open it."
Evelyn removed the satchel from Charles' belt and looked into the bag. "Is that…"
"Indeed, it is, and with it, you'll get everything you want."
—–
Finn was still driving through the city, when a fist zoomed past his head, hitting a lamppost. Laura Reed and Jack soon appeared.
"That was a warning shot. Try to run, and I promise the next one won't be." Laura Reed warned.
'How did you find me?"
"I know a thing or two about tracking."
"All we want is the compass." Jack added.
"Very well." Finn drew his weapons, but Laura Reed tackled him to the ground before he got a chance.
"Give me the compass." Laura Reed demanded, furious.
"And seal Holley's fate?"
"We learned how to overpower Evelyn. Once we get what we need, we will defeat her, and Holley will be free."
"Another journey – just as I predicted there would be. Our best chance to save Holley is to make that trade now."
"Not going to happen. Without that compass, we can't get home."
"Then I hope you're prepared to use that fist."
Laura Reed drew her fist again, but a voice stopped her. "No!" They looked up to see Holley appear.
"Okay, don't take this the wrong way, but how did you get here?" Jack asked, freaked out.
"Let Finn go. I said, let him go!"
Laura Reed got off of Finn, and Holley helped him up.
"Were you followed?" Finn asked.
"I-I don't think so. Evelyn may know I'm gone, but she didn't see me escape."
"How did you escape?" Jack asked.
"It was Muntz. He and his daughter let me go."
"Why?"
"Because of you." She said to Jack. "Katherine said she wanted to prove to you that you should've trusted her, that if you had trusted her…"
Little did they know that Evelyn was talking into a microphone, looking at a screen. Whatever Evelyn said, Holley mimicked. The Muntzes were watching the display.
"You could've defeated Evelyn together. That the two of you could've gotten the remains of the door. Without Katherine, you'll have to go up against her all by yourself. She only wants to help. I… I think she may care for you."
"Nice touch, that." Katherine scoffed.
"But you know he won't trust you." Evelyn turned to her.
"Ah, he doesn't have to." Katherine shrugged. "All I need is for him to believe that I was genuine in letting the car go, which I wager he does now. You're welcome."
"Impressive. You used my technology."
"Now you've got a car."
"Indeed, I do."
"Now, can we get on with the business of going to Pixfare, together?"
"Why not? I hate to travel alone. All we need is the compass."
"Which will soon be delivered." Katherine and Charles began walking away.
—
"Did you find a way to stop Evelyn?" Holley asked.
"Yes." Jack said, holding the compass.
"Where are we going?"
"The Witch's cell."
"Great. Then lead the way."
The group set off as Evelyn continued to manipulate Holley's actions.