Photographers flashed their cameras in a train station at Calais, France. Police and firefighters stood by at the scene, talking to some of the passengers. One of the windows of the Eurostar train was shattered. A reporter talked into a camera.

“...Thankfully, none of the passengers seem to have been seriously hurt in the fire. Police are still investigating the cause of the incident – they suspect a lit cigarette may have been a factor…”

Over the shoulder of the reporter, a group of five treasure hunters were huddled together, trying to avoid notice. A hand gently stroked a TV screen in a dimly-lit room.

“Well, well, well, mademoiselle. You finally reveal yourself to me…”

= = = = = = = = = =

An above-ground train sailed across the French countryside. Salvador, Dalia, and Frida sat next to each other, with Harry and Georgia sitting across from them. Georgia rubbed her newly repaired arm, and cracked her neck.

“I've already booked us a hotel in Paris,” said Harry. “Once we get settled in, we can start looking for that ‘rodentia’ clue Frida and I found.”

“Is the hotel any good?” said Frida.

“It... has... at least one star?”

“So, where do we think the next hint is?” asked Salvador. “Are we going to have to search all the rats living in France?”

“I don't think so,” said Georgia. “There was a third part of that clue, after all – ‘the molecular structure of water’!”

Shattered Dreams was summoned, and a beam of light projected shapes onto Georgia's vest.

“Water is made up of three atoms – an oxygen atom, bonded to two smaller hydrogen atoms.”

Shattered Dreams drew a large circle with two smaller circles attached.

“Now, can you think of any rodents in France that look like that?”

“Mickey, eh?” said Frida. “I have always wanted to go to Disneyland…”

“So, here's a question,” said Salvador. “The feathers. We can't exactly leave them unattended, because that likely means they'll get stolen again. Should we bring them with us to find the next clue? Or should we split up to keep them safer?”

“I guarantee that as this hunt continues, more and more people will be after these feathers,” said Harry. “If there's anything we can do to avoid drawing attention to ourselves, we should do it. So, I say split up. Let's say... Frida goes to Disneyland on her own, Salvador stays in the hotel with Dalia and one of the feathers, and Georgia and I hit the town with another of the feathers.”

“Sounds like a plan to me!” said Georgia.

Georgia revealed the pair of feathers. The golden ring-shaped symbols were both glowing. She handed one to Salvador. Dalia curled up into a ball.

“Mraow…”

“What's wrong, Dalia?” said Salvador. “Are you worried you'll get attacked again if we stay with one of the feathers?”

Dalia nodded, tears in her eyes. “…Mow…”

“Well then, we'll split up further,” said Georgia. “I'll protect Dalia myself. Harry and Salvador, you each take one feather.”

“No way in hell I'm carrying one of those death magnets around without backup,” scoffed Harry.

“Well, what do you want to do? Leave Dalia by herself?!”

Dalia clutched Frida's arm. She looked up at Frida.

“Mwow?”

Frida stared back at her.

“What if…” sighed Frida, “What if I took Dalia with me?”

Dalia smiled.

“Are... you sure you can handle that while looking for the hint?” said Harry.

“Yeah, yeah. Just... stay out of my way. Got that, Dalia?”

Dalia leapt out of her seat, and struck a cute pose in the middle of the train car.

“Ny~awesome! I won't let you de~own, Frida!”

= = = = = = = = = =

Dalia and Frida strolled down the streets of Paris. The sights, sounds, and smells of the foreign city filled their senses. A motorcyclist drove up onto the sidewalk next to them.

“Bonjour, ladies,” crooned the biker. “Either of you beautiful roses need a ride?”

Dalia clutched Frida's arm nervously. The cyclist reached out to grab Dalia's hand.

“Hey! Don't ignore me-”

Miss Robot leapt out from behind Frida and decked the biker in the face. His bike slowed to a stop as he dropped to the ground. The biker touched his face in a panic.

“Wh-what's going on? Why can't I feel my face?!”

Frida and Dalia walked into a nearby taxi depot as the man tried to comprehend his new metal skin. They passed by a few taxis in a lot, and walked into an office. Dalia immediately dashed into a corner of the room and started playing with a potted plant. A man with an extravagant suit stood behind the desk, turning around when he saw the two women enter.

“Hi, uh... we'd like a taxi to Disneyland?” said Frida.

“Well, would you look at that?” said the man behind the counter. “It seems we’ve met again, eh... ELS_3?”

Frida was taken aback. “E-excuse me? Who are you?!”

“Don't recognize my face? I suppose I do have a new glow about me lately. Tell me, Miss Dynamo... does the name Louis X Villeneos ring any bells?”

“No. Not at all.”

“S-seriously?” stuttered Louis. “But... we've spoken fifteen times before!”

“Oh! You're that guy, from... that place!”

“That COUNTER-HACKER from INTERPOL, you English pig! And now, after years of failure, I finally have you caught in my grasp!”

A humanoid stand with a checkered body ambled up behind Frida with heavy footsteps. The stand had plastic tubes coming out of its back. Its face had a vertical split up the middle, and the stand had a rusty anchor pushed into its left forearm. Dalia stopped playing with the plant and looked around in confusion.

“It's cute and all that you think you've finally beat me,” chuckled Frida. “But trust me – even outside the digital world, you're way out of my league.”

“Out of your league, eh?” retorted Louis. “Well, we'll see about that soon enough…”

The stand pointed its left fist at Frida. The stand clicked as its anchor harpoon armed itself.

“Frida, watch out!” blurted Dalia.

Frida turned around. Miss Robot appeared and knocked away the anchor as it was firing. The anchor dug into the floor, but was still attached to the mystery stand's arm with a thick, rusty chain. Miss Robot's arm was dented from the force.

“After my latest humiliation, I decided to finally do something to get a leg up on you,” said Louis. “I went to an organization called the Speedwagon Foundation, and after a few bribes they agreed to give me this fantastical power! It's true that in our previous conflicts, you had the advantage... but now, I am the magnifique!”

The stand pulled its chain backward, and the anchor was airborne. The stand whipped the anchor around its head. Frida dodged out of the way, and the anchor smashed through the desk. Miss Robot grabbed Dalia around the waist, and the two women bolted out of the office.

Frida ran up to the driver's side of a taxi in the car park, as Miss Robot set Dalia down on the passenger's side. The two opened their doors and clambered inside. Miss Robot stuck its fingers into Frida's arm, and tore out a vein. The vein transformed into a copper wire. Frida stuck the wire into the keyhole, and the car started. Frida grabbed the wheel as Miss Robot put the vein back into her arm. Dalia began to hyperventilate. The taxi sped away. Louis rushed out of the lot behind them, but the duo was already gone.

“A speedy getaway indeed, mademoiselle,” growled Louis. “Very impressive. Unfortunately for you... there's no running from Midnight Runner.”

Louis looked to the street, and saw an idling motorcycle. Midnight Runner appeared, shrunk down, and jumped into the gas tank. The bike's headlight shattered, and Midnight Runner's head grew out of it. Louis hopped onto the bike. He looked at the fuel gauge.

“Hmm. Low on gas. That's annoying…”

“Hey!”

Louis looked up and saw a biker with a metal face.

“That's my bike, you peacocking prick! Get the hell off it!”

The biker ran at Louis, brandishing a knife. Midnight Runner's arms grew out of the sides of the bike. It shot its anchor at the biker. The anchor hooked around the biker, and the assailant was slammed into the ground. A crater formed on the sidewalk as the biker struggled to stand. Louis revved up the bike, and drove forward. Midnight Runner's face split in two, revealing a vertical mouth full of grinding gears. Louis filed his nails as blood spurted around him. The blood stopped spraying, and Midnight Runner's face closed.

“Ah, excellent,” giggled Louis. “All full! Now... Frida Dynamo, your days are numbered!”

The bike rocketed away, as the biker's robotic face clattered to the ground.