Jason had a sour expression on his face. "I don't like this, splitting up the team, it not right!" After the incident with Kimberly the team had been much closer, and any disturbance to this new harmony was threatening.

"This is what it has been building up to" Skye interjected with sudden intensity "All the half-warnings, the dreams, and the events of the past few months were about what is coming. Can't you feel it?"Arms crossed, Dragon Borg was the soul of immovability as he stared down Roland and Jo. Since the Astral Borg had no eyelids, it was inevitable that he would win any staring contest.
          "This is my best friend!" Roland protested. "If you think you are leaving me behind-"
          "I'm absolutely right," Dragon Borg cut in. "You will both listen to me. We have to take a SMALL group to get in, get Fortunes, and get out. I am not risking Shadowborg or Nukus being able to bait either of you into a fight. Besides, we are already down one Beetleborg. I will NOT lose two more. I've lost enough as it is." The grief in his voice was raw enough to make the two Beetleborgs wince. Nodding resignedly, they backed away. "Well, excuse me for trying to top you," Zhane's voice shot back. "You sent a freakin' servant of darkness in your place! What was I supposed to do, sit there and laugh? Which I did, by the way. They probably think I'm insane."

"First impressions are the most accurate," Andros' double answered dryly. "I've always known you're certifiable."

A flashlight came on, illuminating more than half the room with a light strong enough to read by. Andros heard someone--he couldn't tell whether it was Justin or Jay--say that the generator was down, and he met Ashley's worried gaze with his own. What did that mean for the travelers' return trip? It might be easy enough to backtrack, but what if the memory of the transfer one was backtracking had been erased?

          "Dex, I would like you to come with me, please. And you as well, JB. Finally, I think Tasha, to round out the team. Any objections?" Hearing none, the Astral Borg moved over to Art Fortunes to go over the layout of the crypt one more time. Lita, watching, grinned slightly. Dragon Borg was obviously choosing the more stable heroes for his strike force. She had yet to see anything ruffle the Masked Rider's calm, and JB Reese was certainly less likely to explode than his leader. But it was the selection of the Yellow Turbo Ranger that truly amused her. Despite her smaller size, Tasha had quickly earned the reputation of being an enforcer.

To him, the feeling was so real, so clear it was like a living thing with a existence of it's own, tugging and pulling at them all. His question hung in the air and Kimberly met his gaze. She felt it, through the strange resonance of energies between the two of them that had existed since her healing. It was hard to put into words, but it was like all that had gone before had been preparation for a trip or a journey and now the order had finally come that it was time to set out.