Meanwhile, on the surface, a rescue team searched the whole museum to find a way to get to Leon and rescue him but the search went on and on, and still no luck.
Nicole was pacing back and forth in the hotel where all the students were told to stay as the search for Leon goes on. Barbara, on the other hand, sat in a chair with her hands rubbed against each other as she was getting anxious.
Barbara then looks at Nicole and said, "Anything?"
Nicole stopped in her tracks as she checked through the window. she shook her head and replied, "Nothing." she continued walking back and forth down the hall.
She then stops for a moment to look at Barbara who was looking down on the floor as she fidgetted her fingers. Nicole approached Barbara and sat beside her saying, "You feeling alright?"
Barbara looked at Nicole with a raised eyebrow and shook her head. "My tour partner risked his life just to get me out before I was trapped with him. So, no. I'm not okay." she said,
Nicole raised her hands innocently, "Alright alright. I was just askin--Wait a minute." her eyes narrowed as she placed her hands down and lean forward, "You're Leon's tour partner?"
Barbara knitted her eyebrows as she looks at Nicole, "Yes." she replied, "Wait, he never told you?"
Nicole shrugged her shoulders, "Not until you mentioned it just now." she said, "And sorry. I guess I should've asked your name." she extended her hand out to Barbara, "I'm Nicole by the way. Nicole Zaragoza."
Barbara shook her hand, "I'm Barbara. Barbara Gonzales."
Nicole's eyes widen, "Did you, by any chance, go to an elementary school called, "Velvet Flores Academy"?"
Barbara nodded, "Yes. I did. Why?"
"I used to go there." Nicole said, "I don't know if you can recall but I was once your seatmate."
Barbara looked at Nicole carefully then she said, "Nikki??"
Nicole smiled, "Took you long enough, Barbs!"
"I didn't realize that it was you!" Barbara laughed, "It's been so long and you've changed since we last talked. How are you?"
Nicole scoffed, "Gurl, speak for yourself! I mean, look at you! You look like a fashion model," she said then playfully nudged Barbara, "Whoever broke up with you must've regretted that coz look at you now! Your glow up hit like a truck!"
"OMG, really??? " Barbara gasped as she laughed and blushed a bit and pushed Nicole's shoulder lightly, "Thank you!"
They laughed and chatted for a bit but fell silent as the situation outside wasn't any better.
Nicole looked at Barbara and said, "So, how was it with you and Leon back in that hunt?"
Barbara raised her head as she looked at Nicole and shrugged her shoulders, "Uh, I'm not sure. He seems like a nice guy." she said, "But I am not sure..." she remembered the moment that Leon saved her, getting her out of the exhibit before it caved in. "Now all I feel like it was my fault for having him trapped there,"
Nicole widened her eyes as she placed her hand on Barbara's shoulder, "No, no! Don't say that. We didn't know what happened back there so don't be so hard on yourself for something you had no control over." she said trying to comfort her friend, "I've known Leon for a long time. He's smarter than he looks. I'm pretty sure that he's trying to find another way out from wherever he may be."
Barbara looked at Nicole for a moment and just nodded, "I hope so..." she replied,
Suddenly, the ground started to rumble. It was short for the first one but the second rumble was too great. Immediately, all of the professors and students who were inside the hotel went out through the nearest emergency exits and went out of the hotel. They wondered what was going on.
Helena and her assistant met up along with the professors and students. "What's going on, Ms. Helena?" one of the students asked to which Helena said, "I-i don't even know what's happening!"
Barbara looked at the museum and noticed a part of the building is starting to crumble, "Over there!" she said as she pointed to the museum,
As they all looked at the museum crumbling to the ground, out came a gigantic armored lizard being blasted from the ground out of nowhere and landed right inside the giant globe. CRASH!! BOOM!!
The armored lizard managed to get out of the giant globe and cracked its neck as it then noticed the large crowd in the distance. The creature smacks its tongue around its lips as it looks at them as if they are its next meal.
However, just before the giant lizard was about to make a move, someone, glowing in bright green, tackled the giant lizard causing the beast to crash to the other side of the museum. CRASH!! THUD!!
The one with the green glow stopped glowing revealing it to be Leon in the green and black armor with the cloak covering him. No one else knew that it was him but Leon looked back at the standing crowd and yelled out, "Don't just stand there! Get out of here!"
One of the jockeys got in front and said, "Nah bro. I'm coming with you,--"
The giant lizard took this moment to tackle Leon causing him to crash through debris and land on the ground, leaving a mark on it.
The jockey saw this and then looks at the giant lizard before saying, "Y'know what, never mind. I'm outta here!" he then ran away as well as the other students, professors as well as Helena and her staff members.
Leon quickly got up and after seeing that they were evacuating the area, he looked back at the armored lizard and lifted his two swords before charging straight at it.
He was about to swing his sword when the creature blocked the attack with the armor plate on its arms---CLANG!!---However, this was but a ruse. Leon then used this moment to spin around from his position until he quickly got to the lizard's back and sliced it with the other sword. SLASH!!
"AAAGRRHHH!!" the giant lizard yelled in pain then turned around to face Leon, "Why, you little--!" the beast was about to grab Leon but he immediately did a couple of backflips and landed just a couple of meters away giving him enough distance away from the beast.
The giant lizard growled under its throat, "Enough running away!" it yelled, "COME FORTH AND FACE ME!!"
Leon narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He then shrugs as he placed both of his swords behind him and as he charged straight at the beast, the force he exerts on the ground that he was stepping on was so great, it cracked and created small debris. BOOM!!
But just before he was about to strike the giant lizard, the beast smirked as it knew he was gonna do that. The giant lizard grabbed Leon by the legs and slammed him onto the ground hard. THUD!!
Leon groaned in pain, however, the beast wasn't done. It then continues slamming Leon onto the ground several times. THUD!! SMASH!! THUD!! SMASH!! THUD!! SMASH!!
The giant lizard smirks as it lifts Leon up with its tail, "You threw me around like a pebble down there," it taunted, "Now let's see how you like it when I do the same to you!!"
The beast then jumped and did a spin before landing on the ground and threw Leon so hard that he was like a rock skipping in a lake. THUD!! THUD!! THUD!! THUD!! THUD!! THUD!!
Meanwhile, Helena, along with her staff members, sees the vehicles in the parking lot. She turned to the students and professors to hurry up and get inside the vehicles. But they noticed something flying above and across them. It was Leon and he was flung towards the buses and crashed into them which caused the other buses to topple over each other and then crush the van that was meant for Helena and her crew. CRASH!!
Leon dropped to the ground. His vision blurred a bit as he crashed on the bus. He slowly gets up and looks up. He managed to see things clearly. "Everyone! Get as far away from here as possible, quick!" he said. Luckily, no one can tell if it is really him behind the mask.
But just when he thought things couldn't get much worse than that, the giant armored lizard appeared and towered above all of them. Leon sees this and tackles the beast. He turns his head to the others and yelled, "Go! GO! I'll handle this!--" but he was pulled on his leg by the lizard's scaly hand and tossed him aside like a rag doll. THUD!!
Leon was sprawled onto the ground and he lay face down on the concrete. He heard muffled sounds until he heard a familiar sound, "HELP!!"
He quickly got up and sees that the giant lizard was holding both Nicole and Barbara in both its scaly hands. Leon tried to walk but he was down to his knee. He did manage to get his sword and yelled, "LET THEM GO!!"
The giant lizard looked behind and sees Leon and smirks, "Still having the urge to fight, human?" it taunted, "Well don't mind me. I'm just taking a bit of a snack break,"
Leon was furious. "I said, Let them go you freak!" he demanded as he used one sword like a cane to lift himself up from the ground.
The giant lizard smirked as it took a step back, holding the two girls firmly in its grasp. "Ah. Ah. Ahhh... Drop the blades and maybe I'll consider letting them go." the beast offered, "Otherwise..." it then starts to slowly squeeze the two girls. Nicole and Barbara were wincing in pain as they tried to break free but to no avail.
Leon sees this and dropped his swords and threw them to the side out of desperation. "There! Now let them go!" he demanded,
The armored lizard sees this and dropped the two girls. But just before Leon had any time to react, the giant lizard took this moment to grab Leon with both its scaly hands and starts to squeeze him tighter.
The beast could hear Leon screaming as he tries to break free but the beast laughed maniacally, "I wonder how would it taste when I squeeze you to a pulp like an orange juice" the beast said as it taunted Leon.
Barbara managed to get some air and sees the beast squeezing Leon, not realizing that it was him. She managed to get up and upon seeing the two swords, she grabbed one of them and started hitting the beast with it, yelling, "Let him go!"
The armored lizard sees this which causes it to stop squeezing Leon, giving him enough time to breathe. The beast sees this and looks at Leon and stabbed him from behind then dropped him to the ground.
Leon winced in pain but realized that he couldn't move. He was paralyzed! He looks ahead and sees the beast approaching Barbara.
The beast turned its head towards Leon "If you think you had a chance of taking the likes of me on in a battle, then you are a fool. " it taunted Leon as it starts towering over Barbara, "You will die knowing that you failed to save this pathetic little girl, human"
Leon sees this and was shocked to the core, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" he yells furiously.