Menori, acting as spokesperson, tells the escapees to put down their weapons and move away from them, and Brindo plays along. They start the hostage exchange, but Brindo catches Kaoru heading towards the discarded weapons, and Zilba pulls out a needle gun and shoots at him. In the resulting confrontation, Howard gets hit by a needle. The children cross the river to escape, but find themselves still in range of Brindo's laser gun. Things look dire until Adam arrives, followed by the giant crustacean from the ruins, acting under Adam's unconscious control, which distracts the escapees long enough for the children to escape. They head for the ruins, relying on the illusory forest to slow the escapees down, leaving Kaoru behind to watch them.