Glitch wasn't the only one that was consumed with despair; we, in Sector 7-G, were also feeling the hope drain from our souls as Monty Burns cackled before us.

"We knew that you were coming to the Plant ever since we blew up your home," Monty told us, a devilish smirk on his face. "and we've been waiting for you ever since."

I began to slow-clap sarcastically. "Congratulations, you're a prophet."

"What do you want with us?" JD asked, raising his gun and pointing it at Monty.

"Put the gun down." Waylon Smithers demanded, pulling out his own firearm and pointing it at JD. Techno brought his sword up, glaring at Waylon, prompting Quackity to bring out a gun of his own. I looked around, raising my hands.

"I don't have a weapon," I said, before assuming a fighting pose. Ennard raised his fists, looking around warily at all of us with our weapons raised, pointed at each other. Monty remained serene.

"Everyone, just...calm down," he ordered in a still voice. "Let's start by lowering our weapons, and then I'll tell you all what I want."

A collective sigh arose from the small group of enraged people, and, as one, we lowered our weapons (and in the cases of Ennard and myself, our fists).

"Good, good." Monty nodded, smiling. "Thank you for complying."

"Before anything else happens," I spoke up. "What the hell was that noise from above?"

"Shortly before you arrived, I made copies of all important legal documents in my office." Monty explained. "I then replaced them, and put a little present in one of the drawers, similar to the one I gave to you and Techno."

I gasped. "You mean...?"

"I knew you were going to send some of your friends up to find information regarding The Project," he said, smiling evilly. "Your determination to discover my plans is remarkable, I must admit."

"Why thank you!" I mock-bowed.

"And because of this, I will let you in on a few details regarding The Project."

"Ooh!" I jumped happily. Techno and JD looked over at me, somewhat surprised by my enthusiasm. Monty chuckled at me, before speaking.

"The Project is...well, it's somewhat of a recruitment project, but the members that we are recruiting have already been in our team before. We're just bringing them back."

I stared at Monty, dumbfounded. "All of this...just because you're re-enlisting a few people?!"

"Oh, no, Wonder, it's far more complicated than that," Monty told me. "You wouldn't understand. It took quite a lot to bring them back, especially in their...current conditions, which should be being reversed any minute now. I'd like to be there when it happens, and I'm sure you wouldn't want to find yourself outnumbered."

Monty nodded to Ennard, who moved out of the way of the door.

"I'm offering you a chance to escape unharmed. We will let you walk from this place, in exchange for your absolute silence about this whole ordeal. If information about this gets slipped to the public," Monty narrowed his eyes, glaring at me. "You, and all of your friends, will never see the light of day again."

I raised an eyebrow. "Well that's comforting. I mean, I'd love to take you up on that offer, but-"

Before I could finish, the door burst open, and Thor came running in.

"My friends, I have arrived!" he announced, before he was nearly run into by Glitch.

"Thor, Glitch!" I exclaimed. "It's- wait, Glitch, what's wrong?"

Glitch was crying softly, tears streaming from their eyes. They looked up at me, their lip trembling.

"Nat..." she whispered. "She's gone."

"What?" JD asked. "How? Who killed her?"

"The office..." they sobbed. "there was a bomb...I tried to save her..."

JD stepped away from me and Techno, wrapping his arms around Glitch. They pulled him close, burying their head into his shoulder, his very presence comforting them. Thor looked over at them, a solemn look upon his face. Nat had been a close friend of his. I turned to Monty, who looked surprisingly sober, given the fact that he is a bad guy.

"Leave." he advised. "Look after your friend. Take my offer, before I change my mind."

I looked up at Techno, who nodded.

"He's right." he said. "Violence can wait until later. For now, we should be there for Glitch."

I sighed, knowing he was right. He put an arm around my shoulders, turning me towards the door. The eyes of our enemies followed us as we walked out of Sector 7-G.

"Wonder?"

I turned back to Monty. "Yeah?"

"I'll be seeing you soon."

His words brought an eerie sensation upon my body, causing a chill to run down my spine. I nodded, unsure of what he meant, and closed the door behind me, in pursuit of my friends.

A low chuckle came from Monty's throat a few moments after the door before him shut. It grew in volume as violent and evil thoughts raced through his head, Waylon joining him soon after. Quackity, too, began to laugh, and so did Ennard, the four of them filling the air with their maniacal cackles until the walls seemed to tremble in fear.

"Those FOOLS!" Monty mocked. "I can't believe that they have no idea what we're doing!"

"I can't wait to see the looks on their faces," Ennard chortled. "Especially Wonder's! I know she had a thing for the one girl!"

"Yeah!" Quackity laughed. "I can just imagine the looks of terror on their faces as we kill them...it's beautiful!"

"So, friends," Waylon interjected. "Shall we finish The Project?"

"Of course!" Monty led his friends, still chuckling, out of Sector 7-G, and brought them over to another door, one which led to a much larger room, where The Project was being held. Five large chambers made of reinforced glass were built against one wall, each holding a person inside. All of them were held upright by metal clasps around their wrists, ankles, and waist. Monty stepped up to them, a wide smile upon his face.

"Countless hours perfecting this Project..." he mused. "Weeks turning to months, nights where I wouldn't sleep...all leading to this. If this doesn't work, nothing will. Waylon, if you would."

Waylon stepped over to a small desk, grabbing the handle of a nearby lever and pulling it towards him. A strange, radioactive gas began to fill the chambers, being emitted from holes in the floor. They quickly flooded the small spaces, making their occupants nearly impossible to see. Monty stepped up to the middle chamber, closely observing the person inside. It was a woman, pale and still, with an odd scar on one cheek, just below her eye. As Monty watched, her fuchsia eyes flickered open, and joy coursed through his body.

His plan had worked.

To be continued...