Back with an update. Hope you're all enjoying your Fourth of July weekend. Now, let's get to it.

Chapter Rating: M for strong language and suggestive themes.

Bold- PA Systems/Message Bulletins/Computer Messages

Bold Italic- Radio/TV/Text Messages/Cell Phone Voicemails/Computer Message Responses/Cell Phone Responses

Italic-Thoughts/Letters/Flashbacks/


Alexis and Coronamon stood silently before Kurt's desk. It was the first time that either of them had set foot inside the man's office. Their meetings were usually arranged to be in the briefing room or in an unused hallway if a task or berating was to be given. In this case, it was a private conversation of potentially lethal consequences with what Alexis had to give.

The office was lit with only a single light overlooking Kurt's desk. The smell of tobacco lingered in the air and flooded her nostrils, tickling the back of her throat for a cough. She could see the office was practically spotless. Much like his strict personality, he maintained a level of cleanliness with his personal property.

Alexis' heart thumped hard in her chest as she looked into Kurt's onyx eyes. A chill went down her spine and it didn't help when she saw Dobermon sitting off to the side behind Kurt's desk. But what really surprised her was Valerie's presence. The woman had been in Kurt's office when she arrived and appeared to have permission to sit in on the little meeting. She and the rest of the task force knew that she and Kurt seemed to have a physical relationship as of late, but even that had its limitations for the man. This was an immediate red flag in her eyes, but given her situation, she decided to keep it to herself and figure out the logic behind it later.

"You said you had something important to tell me?" Kurt spoke, breaking her from her thoughts.

She blinked and nodded back. Her arm stretched out and she slid the folded up report from her shift on the man's desk. Her eyes watched as he took the report and unfolded it and began to read. Subconsciously, her hand trailed to her hip and close to her D-Arc in case she had to go on the defensive. A quick glance to Coronamon to see if he was ready to move if Kurt and Dobermon decided to kill them. His eyes were fixed on the duo before them. He was ready.

Her gaze returned to Kurt and she watched his eyes scan the report, going back and forth at a steady pace like a pendulum. When he finished reading and looked up at her, she immediately stiffened and tried to spot any visible signs of irritation. A twitch of the eye. A face red with rage. Something. Instead, she was greeted with a calm, yet piercing stare.

"You mean to tell me that on your shift, three spires in the Desert Zone were destroyed?" Kurt leaned back in his chair, folding his hands in front of him.

"Yes, sir," she answered back simply.

"You noted that the towers were destroyed a few hours apart as well."

Alexis nodded again.

"Why didn't you tell me the second the first one went down?" Kurt's words came out like the crap of a whip.

She flinched a little bit at the tone, but stayed strong. The answer she gave was going to be honest, and it ultimately would play a role in whether or not Kurt killed her then and there. He would find out one way or the other, and she would be damned to have Chris or Strabimon spill it and guarantee her death.

"I got careless on my shift and read a book. So I didn't notice it until it was too late," said Alexis.

This time she saw Kurt's brow furrow into a furious glare and she bit the inner part of her lip to keep calm. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Valerie with a wicked smirk, no doubt intrigued with the upcoming punishment that would befall her.

"I have half a mind to put a bullet in your head, but that would be a waste of resources." Kurt growled out.

"I assure you, it won't happen again," said Alexis. "I'll make sure of it."

Kurt said nothing and pulled out a fresh cigarette and sparked it with his lighter. He took a long drag of it as he glared back at her.

"You're awfully confident that I'm giving you a second chance at a very simple task," Kurt began after blowing some smoke. "So simple I might add, that a nutless monkey could do it."

Alexis felt her pride take a hard hit from the derogatory comment and the back of her ears and neck burned fierce in embarrassment.

"I have a better detail for you to do. One that will require attention, and not reading one of those goddamn books. Unless that's too hard for you?" He continued.

Having been humiliated enough for one day, Alexis stilled herself and glared back at her boss.

"Don't underestimate me!" She sneered. "Give me the job and I'll get it done."

Kurt merely rose his brows in amusement and spared a quick look to Valerie who shrugged back with a roll of her eyes.

"It would be fitting for you since it's being made in place for your little fuck up last night. In light of the towers being destroyed, I want to know your analysis as to how they will continue to be attacked, because they will be," said Kurt.

Alexis and Valerie perked up and looked at him intently as he spoke. The man had been unusually calm during the whole confrontation and it appeared it would stay that way. Whatever plan he was conjuring up would no doubt be carefully crafted to ensure success for them at the end of the day.

"What do you mean?" Alexis asked.

"Use your head. Hypnos has made their next move by going on the offensive in the Digital World. They've never done that. They've tried to confront us in the act and it seems like they've finally wizened up to that factor," he continued.

"You think Hypnos is trying to lure us into a fight on purpose?" Valerie piped in.

Kurt gave her a nod and tapped off the accumulated ash on the tip of his cigarette.

"Think of it like a game of chess. Two players, one move turns that results in fast back and forth competition depending on who is playing. In the end, it comes out to a game of strategy and wits. You start with probing the other's defenses to try and see how they will react and draw out their strategy with each move you make with your pieces. Once you figure out their playing style, you go on the offensive and eliminate them one piece at a time until you eventually corner them," he went on taking a long puff of his cigarette.

His words hovered around the office and Alexis and Valerie replayed them in their minds.

"They're drawing us into a fight to see if we are willing to go for an all-out brawl, and depending on their strength it could be a foolish move," said Valerie garnering a nod from Kurt.

"So, where do I come into all of this?" Alexis asked.

Kurt leaned forward on his desk and extinguished his cigarette in the ash tray. The embers flickered and died and when they did, he met her eyes again.

"It's essentially the same job, except this time, I want you to watch for patterns in their attacks. We already know that they're walking tower to tower if the time between their destruction is anything to go off of, but there's no telling if they will attack the same zone off the bat. Personally, I think whoever led the mission for their group is too smart to fall for a move like that. Their next attack will more than likely take place elsewhere in the Digital World. Once we figure out their tactics, we'll make our move and wipe them out," said Kurt.

Valerie's brow furrowed and she strode over to his desk with her arms crossed. She glared down at Kurt and received a small smirk in return.

"After all of that hassle you put me through to put up those towers, you want to watch them be destroyed before we finish off Hypnos?" She glowered.

"For now." He nodded back. "Sacrifices have to be made, Valerie. If it means we figure out their tactics in order to kill them with one coordinated attack, I say it's worth it."

Valerie pushed up her glasses and sucked her teeth in an annoyed huff.

"Unbelievable."

Kurt shrugged and leveled her with an even stare of his own.

"If you got a better idea then I'm all ears," he answered back.

Valerie's cheeks flushed and she turned away.

"Didn't think so, so shut up," Kurt said with wave of his hand.

Valerie's head snapped back to him. Her face was no longer red with embarrassment, but with anger at being bested this time around.

"Well, if you want to be like that, then put me on that duty as well. If anyone can do pattern analysis with perfect efficiency, it's me. Chances are dear Alexis will struggle without proper guidance. A bit foolish of you to task her with that job when you know something simple like that, don't you think?"

The blonde, spectacled woman did not sugarcoat her words at all and Alexis, although miffed at the poke to her intelligence, found it was a treat to see the corner of Kurt's mouth twitch at the jab she hit him with. It only grew when said individual sent her a sharp look out of the corner of his eye.

"By the way, I'm not available tonight." Valerie lightly patted his cheek with a sickeningly sweet smile. "If that's all you had for us, we'll take our leave."

With that, she got off the side of his desk and motioned for Alexis to follower her. The smell of clean air welcome her with open arms and with it came a sense of relief. She lived to see another day and it came with her being entrusted with possibly the most important job in Seeker, albeit with Valerie's unwanted aid.

The two of them walked down the hall with Coronamon trailing behind them silently. She sent a sideways glance at Valerie and could see the beaming smile on her face. It was triumphant and malicious at the same time. The woman could truly be intimidating when she wanted to, much like Kurt. She was an eerie reminded of those two faced villains she read about in her endless tales of fantasy.

She quickly turned her eyes to the front when Valerie's blue eyes flicked over to her.

"Was that true what you said back there?" Alexis asked her. "About pattern analysis, I mean?"

"Of course it was," she responded with a click of her tongue. "If you spent half as much time paying attention to others around you and not buried in your books, you'd know I'm not shy about voicing my brilliance."

"Clearly. You're like Cersei Lannister."

"Don't insult me by comparing me to that incestuous cow."

Valerie pushed her glasses up again and Alexis felt a chill go down her spine when the woman put a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Since you'll be working with me, I expect perfection. You're clearly not a halfwit if you're with us, so don't disappoint me."

Alexis nodded silently.

"In return, I can teach you some things. For example, if you ever tear yourself away from your books and get into a physical relationship, how to hold all the power."

Alexis felt her neck and ears burn red again at the woman's words. She had never interacted much with anyone inside Seeker unless it was necessary. Namely, it was because she just took solace in reading books. They offered her views into different worlds that she found more intriguing than the bleak reality that she lived in.

Because of that, books warped her view of a lot of things and she found herself affixing them to people and the world.

Now that she would be working with Valerie, it would force her to break away what she was used to, and she did not like it. Not one bit. However, if what the woman said was true, she could learn a thing or two that could benefit her down the road.

It may have been an even trade, but right now, she was working with the devil. A blonde devil complete with spectacles, curves to make a man drool, and cruel intelligence. All she was missing were horns, wings and a tail.

Meanwhile back in the office they just left, Kurt and Dobermon sat in silence.

Neither of them said a word and just opted to stare at the spot Alexis had been standing a minute prior before she left with Valerie. In a rare moment in the tense air, Dobermon spoke up.

"Kurt, you know I'm rarely one for humor and that you are my partner and friend."

A low grunt came back from the man. Dobermon let out a long sigh and his teeth poked out in a feral grin.

"I'm going to relish in this moment, even though you'll be pissed," continued Dobermon.

Before his partner could open his mouth, he took a deep breath and began to serenade him with a tune that would forever be engrained in his head to remind him of Valerie's one up. His voice was smooth baritone and each word served as fire to the man's building rage.

"Blue balls! You got blue, blue balls!"

The streak of profanities that left Kurt's mouth and breached the walls of his office made passersby do a double take. Even sailors would have been embarrassed.


Bobby rubbed his tired eyes. He had long since taken off his hat to let his air breathe having been trapped under it in the hot desert all day. It rested on the large oak table of the conference room where he agreed to debrief Director Mraz, their handler Ethan McDowell, Yamaki and the rest of the Japanese Tamers.

He dismissed his team to go get cleaned up and go to bed after their long day. It was one of the things a leader was supposed to do. Take care of the team before they took care of themselves, and until he got Kyle back into the saddle, he would have to do the part. It sucked, but it was a necessity. He truly lost track of the time that had passed since he came back.

What was it now? An hour? Two? He only shook his head as he leaned back in his chair and propped his feet on the table. Terriermon was lounging on the table looking up at the ceiling with boredom. Perhaps even trying to count the little dots in each tile.

Paper shifted when Director Mraz finished scanning the rest of the report. The man looked up at Bobby and folded his hands.

"And you're positive this is everything you noted on the mission?" Mraz asked.

Bobby rubbed his eyes again and stifled a groan.

"Yes, sir. Everything from our insertion into the Desert Zone, to each tower's destruction, Mike and Kazuki's new power up. Everything," he said.

Mraz nodded and leaned back in his chair. The man's eyes bore into him for a long moment before they shifted to Yamaki to see if the man had any questions of his own that he wanted to ask.

"Your report mentions that the first tower you attacked released those rings that in turn corrupt any roaming Digimon in the area. That destroying the towers seem to neutralize any of the rings that originate from that, and they can also be destroyed by physical attacks?" Yamaki said.

"That's right." Bobby nodded back. "Don't go asking me to give you my thoughts on why or how the towers did what they did, okay? I ain't an analyst, that's the job for you braniacs here."

"Regardless, if what you said is true, then this is a key piece of the puzzle that we're getting closer to solving. We know they are disposable and in turn serve as a means of corruption to the Digimon around them. What we don't know is why Seeker placed them there for in the first place."

Bobby gave a flick of his wrist to dismiss Yamaki's statement. He already knew that, but the man made a point. He himself had been pondering the reason Seeker would be invested setting up the spires across the Digital World. Logic in his mind pointed towards the fact that it may have been possible Seeker was trying to gain strength via corruption of Digimon to unleash on the world, but that would make no sense. Why unleash hell on a world if you killed everyone that you wanted to subject to your ideals?

The answer was not easy to pinpoint, but it was more than likely sitting in front of them and mocking them by the day.

"That's why I said we needed to try and capture one of those cockbags for interrogation," said Bobby. "Only they would know the reason why those towers were put in place, and until we find out the answer, our best bet is to continue destroying them until we can lure them out and subdue one of them."

"Which brings us to my next question for you, Agent Thornburg. Your plan that was voiced by some of your teammates has more or less gained mixed views," said Mraz.

"No leader will have people agree with all of their decisions, but I stand by mine. We need all of the help we can get, and the way I see it, this is necessary. We don't have the power to take Seeker head on, so the more bodies we have, the better we'll be."

"But recruiting Digimon from the Digital World to help take down these towers? It's risky to base a good amount of your plan's success on that factor alone. Your team and the Japanese Tamers are the only ones that can truly combat Seeker."

"I know that. I don't want the Digimon to battle Seeker. I just want them to help us destroy the towers because it will make it a lot harder for them to track our movements with pattern analysis. Our group's size is not big and if we tried to do all of this on our own, it'd be way too easy to spot and be hit with a coordinated strike when they figure it out. We can only cover so much ground in so much time. We'd only be able to keep them guessing for a while with our movements and times to go in for an attack."

Takato perked up just a little bit with his words. A knowing look formed on his face.

"I get it. The more Digimon you have destroying the towers in each zone, it not only gives you time to rest, but it forces Seeker into the field to investigate faster because there would be too much damage occurring in a short amount of time for a group our size. It'd be impossible from that point of view," said Takato.

Bobby pointed at Takato with a snap of his fingers to show he hit the nail on the head with the plan. His plan to have his group handle the Digital World while Takato's handled any additional incidents in the real world was still the same and the most logical. They were more capable with the power they had and had more experience. It only made sense for that plan to be the way it was.

"But Yamaki still brings up a point. A lot of your plan relies on whether or not Digimon will be willing to help you. They may want no part in it," said Takato.

"True, but like all plans, I don't expect it to go swimmingly. Murphy has a good way to say "fuck you" for every plan you make. I expect a lot of support, but not the support of every Digimon from every zone we enter to spread the message to," said Bobby. "Jesus, since we're still talking someone might as well get me a Monster."

It was a quick note, but within the minute he had a full can of Monster energy sitting beside him on the table. He opened it with a quick snap and a satisfying hiss left it as the carbonated air escaped. He brought it to his mouth and tilted his head back, taking a long drink from it. Everyone waited for him to set down the can and smack his lips before continuing again.

"Assuming that you would be able to pull this off, how quick can we expect a reaction from Seeker? You say this is to prevent a coordinated attack and to keep them from recognizing your movements early," said Ethan.

Bobby nodded back at him and rubbed his tired eyes again.

"Right, well, if what he said is true," Bobby began by pointing to Henry. "Kurt isn't the hasty kind of guy. He's too smart for that. His methods would be calm, practiced and deliberate. He'll let us conduct a couple of attacks before making his move, and the problem with that is we don't have an idea of how soon he'll attack or where he'll attack. That's why I split our teams up to handle both this world and the Digital World. We'll hopefully be ready to engage him with any move he makes in either world and that will give us a clear picture on what to expect for future encounters."

Ethan smirked and leaned back in his chair, his eyes shifted between him, Mraz and Yamaki.

"Damn, kid. It's a shame you wouldn't consider being a soldier. Sure got the brain of a field commander," said Ethan.

"Dad was in Delta Force. I did promise him and Mom that if I didn't get that baseball scholarship to Virginia that I'd join," said Bobby. "Heck, they named me after one of the best generals. I'm Robert E. Lee, but I won't have a Gettysburg moment as long as I'm acting as the leader of our crew here."

"Pump the breaks, Thornburg. It's cockiness that gets the best of men in this profession," Mraz butted in with a firm tone.

Bobby, in a rare moment, raised both of his hands in defeat and acceptance of his boss' words. He downed the rest of the energy drink in his hand and set the empty can on the table with an audible tap. His eyes cast over to the clock and he let out another sigh.

"I think we can wrap this up," said Mraz. "Good job with your first mission. Be ready to go again soon. I want you to come up with your plan of attack for the rest of the week and want it on my desk no later than 1800 tomorrow."

"Got it." Bobby turned his thumb up in acknowledgement.


He got to his feet with a long stretch and felt Terriermon take his perch on his head. His hand picked up the empty can and hat and he departed the room. The door closed behind him softly and he started down the hall towards the detention block.

"How did it go?" A soft voice came from his side.

He perked up at the surprise guest to his left and noticed Mikayla with her arms behind her back. He smiled at her and gave a small shrug.

"It was alright. We got our work cut out for us, I'll tell you that much," he answered back.

Mikayla nodded with a smile and kept stride with him as they walked through the empty labyrinth of halls. For Bobby, this was a welcome atmosphere. Any time he could spend with the girl he had his sights on since middle school he would take in a heartbeat. She was smart, sweet, caring and exactly what he looked for in a potential girlfriend. Sure, he often said and did stupid things in her presence, namely flirting with other girls to try and pick up on any jealousy to see if he had a shot with her, and sometimes just outright making over the top comments that ended with a slap.

His heart beat just a little faster when he stole another look at the long haired brunette. He eyed her hand as it swung freely by her side as they walked, just begging to be taken. Without realizing it, his hand had inched closer, but he caught himself and quickly brought it back to his side in a closed fist. He shook his head violently.

"No. Don't ruin it! She's your friend, and even if she agreed to be with you, you'd only hold her back!"

That thought had often reared its ugly head and dealt a nasty blow to his confidence. One of the few girl friends that he had, and the mere thought of knowing it would never grow beyond that hurt more than anything.

"She deserves better than you." A long breath escaped his nose.

He was only brought back to reality courtesy of a gentle touch to his shoulder from said girl.

"Bobby?" She asked.

"Sorry, did you say something?" He asked back.

"I asked if you were okay. You look upset about something."

He grimaced and cast his eyes to the floor. There was no way he was going to come clean about what he was actually thinking. Instead, he opted to go to the default option that had been floating around his head for a long time.

"Well, you know that deal I had with my parents about the whole after high school talk?" He replied.

She nodded and frowned a little when he brought it up. He recalled the sympathetic look she had given him when he told her and Kyle about it a month before their graduation ceremony.

"Did you finally hear back from the University of Virginia?" She folded her arms.

"I checked my phone when we got back. There was a voicemail from the school, but I haven't listened to it yet," he answered back.

"You're not going to know their decision unless you listen to it, Bobby."

"I know. It's just, what if they decided not to go with me?"

Mikayla sighed and gave him a firm look.

"Then you can at least say you tried. Personally, I think they'd be making a mistake if they didn't consider you one of the top prospects for the scholarship," she said.

"Really?" Bobby asked her, somewhat surprised.

"You broke two school records since you became a starting pitcher and led the state in strikeouts. So, you tell me."

He shifted in his shoes and felt the back of his neck burn in embarrassment at the praise. Mikayla was right with what she said, but the suspense of the message that awaited him had his stomach doing flips.

"I'll tell you what. I'll listen to the message after we check on Kyle and Andrew, then I'll let you know," he offered.

Mikayla's lips curved up in a wry smile.

"You could, or you could man up and find out now," she answered.

He sucked his teeth and shot Terriermon a quick glare when he giggled in his ear. Mikayla was not one for poking fun at him at times when his ego or his confidence took a hit, namely settling for words of encouragement. This time, he was actually glade for the taunt.

His hand reached into his pocket and he pulled out his cell phone. His stomach flipped again, momentarily making his throat seize in anticipation. He calmed his nerves and entered the voicemail. After typing in the code, the message began to play.

"Good afternoon, Mister Thornburg. This is Nolan Fischer, Director of Athletics of the University of Virginia. I'm calling in regards to the baseball scholarship you applied for. I apologize for taking this long to get back to you, but as you know it takes time to come to a decision. We have narrowed down the candidates for it to three people, and you are our third choice. We are in need of a good starting pitcher and we've decided to award the scholarship to the prospect who pitches the best game our coaches will observe during the summer."

The butterflies in Bobby's stomach swarmed and a tingle went down his spine. So far the news had been good.

"We have seen the first two, and you are the last one we need to observe. You have your work cut out for you and must prove yourself to be better than your competition. Your game has to be better than a complete game and a shutout to stand a chance. Give me a call once you get this message and we can arrange for our scouts to come to the next game you play. I look forward to what you may potentially bring to the table."

Bobby blinked after the message ended and remained silent. His mind replayed it over and over again in his head. His dream of a future in baseball was in sight, and it flooded his being with excitement. Although he was only subconsciously aware of it, he could feel the corners of his mouth turned up in a grin. That scholarship could potentially be his, and all he had to do was outplay the two pitchers in front of him with a shutout and complete game. It would be no easy task that much he knew, but with the way he and his team played, he had no doubt in his mind that he could show the scouts he deserved it the most.

He tucked his phone back in his pocket, his hands shaking from the revelation he received and he turned his gaze back to Mikayla who had a beaming smile on her face, too.

"I've got a chance," he said to her, the smile growing by the second.

"I told you that you were going to be considered!" Mikayla jumped into him and wrapped him in a tight hug.

The shaking he had been experiencing earlier was now replaced with a bubbling warmth that developed in the pit of his stomach. It rose up until it burned in his face and his neck. His heart thumped harder in his chest and his mouth went dry as he stood dumbly.

The girl he was in love with was hugging him, and he could only stand as lifeless as a dead fish. Acting on instinct, he raised his arms and wrapped them around Mikayla's back and held her tight. He was not sure how long he held her, and as much as he did not want to, he released his hold on her and looked down into her brown eyes. He was met with a bright smile that could give light to the darkest sky.

"Thanks," he said low enough so only she could hear.

It may have been his imagination, but he thought he saw Mikayla's cheeks flush a light red. She nodded back and let her arms retake their place behind her back.

A small and pleasant silence fell between the two of them that was only broken by distant footsteps near the corners of the hall and the humming overhead lights.

"Maybe we should see if Kyle and Andrew got the sand out of their cooters?" Terriermon broke the silence.

This garnered a hard glare from Mikayla at the language he used while Bobby had to muffle a snigger.

"Yeah, we should make sure Kyle hasn't knocked him out yet," said Bobby as he began to walk again.

"Let's hope neither of them did anything stupid. I'm getting sick of their fighting." Mikayla hurried to catch them.


We'll call it there. I know it's been ages since the last update and some of you have probably been wondering what the hell's going on. In short, life, and refinement for the story. I've been going back to the notebook of my notes for the story here and trying to determine what I wanted with my story and what happens to who and the plot and whatnot. Bottom line, I more or less ironed out a lot of what I had and cut out a lot of crap that just felt like unnecessary filler. So, I will be trying to get this story back on track with an average update pace since I would like to finish it soon.

Anyway, thank you for your patience and I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. See you in the next update. -CaptainPrice

Story Shout Outs:

"A Boy and His Gaomon" by Kiwami no Sengoku (Updated 11/10/15)(Acting as a side story to mine here featuring Seishiro Tokugawa and his partner Gaomon as the main characters)

OCs Featured in the Chapter:

Mikayla Dunn: (CaptainPrice) Partner: Veemon

Valerie Haines: (An Anon Fellow) Partner: Elecmon

Alexis Locke: (Solomon07) Partner: Coronamon

Kurt Reynolds: (CaptainPrice) Partner: Gabumon

Bobby Thornburg: (CaptainPrice) Partner: Terriermon