FicWad

None of the jet plane passengers were in a good mood. All of them were broken up over losing Nosey so they could escape. Even Emmet and Ursula were beginning to miss his happy-go-lucky personality.

Julius was amusing himself by twisting a green pipe cleaner into circles. When he was done, he slipped it onto his finger, turning it into a fuzzy ring.

Delilah noticed him and smiled. "What are you doing?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Just having fun,"

Julius tossed Delilah a pipe cleaner. She made herself a ring. "Hey, we should make rings for everyone."

"Why?" Ursula asked. "It's stupid."

"Yeah, but if we all have one ..." Delilah paused. "If most of us have one, if any more of us get arrested, it'll just remind us ... we can't stop until we prove the Academy's innocent."

The words hit home. It was true, really. With the pipe cleaners on their fingers, it would be impossible to forget.

Julius broke the silence. "I'm gonna put us down in this clearing. It's a couple hours away from Calgary, but walking isn't a problem."

Dr Vicarton disagreed. "No, I'll take over. There's some parachutes in the back. I've got a feeling when I land, I'll be arrested, and I can't put your freedom in jeopardy."

Delilah hugged the doctor. "You've done so much for us, Dr Vicarton. How can we ever thank you?"

"By proving the Academy's innocence. I did some digging and found that ACE's headquarters was in Vancouver. The police tore it apart, but you might be able to find something. Good luck."

The four fugitives smiled, then jumped out of the plane. Just beneathe them was a forest. They could see the outskirts of Calgary, a few miles west of them.

When they had landed - most of them lost their parachutes to the trees - they began trekking through the forest. It was hard going, but what was more hard was the fact that they knew ... they knew Nosey was sitting in some prison cell right now.

What awaited Nosey? They were accused of treason, they had evaded police custody ... everyone kind of already knew what their sentence was ... capital punishment. The Death Penalty.

Hours later, the oh so familiar sounds of dogs barking reached their ears.

"What?" Julius gasped. "Oh no, some farmer must have seen us!"

"Run!" Delilah shouted.

No one needed a second bidding. Unfortunately, the four criminals ran right into a stone cliff. There was no where to go. This was it. It was over. They were going to jail. They had let the Academy, the agents, Al, Scarlett, Nosey, they had let them all down.

"You guys, run!" Ursula ordered.

"There's no where to go, except back towards ... /them/!" Julius pointed out.

"Me and Emmet will stay here. You guys hide in the trees and take off." Ursula explained.

Delilah gave her a blank look. "But ..."

"Look, I don't want to say this, but you're making me!" Ursula ranted. "You two ... you're better ... I just think that the Academy stands a better chance if it's you out there ... just go!"

Delilah and Julius began scampering up the trees. Ursula waggled her index finger with the green pipe cleaner wrapped around it at them. Her eyes seemed to say don't forget us ...

Neither of the remaining two agents could watch as Ursula and Emmet were handcuffed and shoved back in the direction they'd come from.

It wasn't until after dark had fallen that the pair decided to press on. Just before they continued, Delilah held Julius back.

"Jules ..." she whispered. "Will you promise me something?"

"Of course, D," Julius replied. "What?"

"Please ... don't leave me. Don't make me do this alone,"

He looked into her sad, pleading eyes. What if they had to split? He couldn't break his promise ... but she looked so sad ... so scared ...

Julius pulled her into a hug. "I promise,"