Jeremy Belpois awoke with a start. Hearing a whimper in the darkness, he reached for the bedside light.
"No. Please leave it off..." The whimpering voice pleaded.
"What's wrong, Princess?" Jeremy asked.
"The same dream again... about my father." She said.
Jeremy stood up from their bed and walked to her side, reaching out for her hand. It was trembling.
"It's ok, Einstein's here." Jeremy said in a soothing voice as he knelt down and held her. He could barely make out her soft face, her pink hair, and the tears trickling down her cheek. He held her close. "Come back to bed, we have a big day tomorrow, it's our ten year reunion! Everyone's going to be there, even Kiwi!"
"I can't wait to see everyone! It's been so long. I hope Sissi's there" Aelita smiled, and they went back to sleep.
"Bark Bark!", the old dog yipped, trying to wake Odd Della Robbia.
"Five more minutes Kiwi! You can wait to go out until then."
"BARK BARK!" Kiwi sounded as he grabbed the blanket with his mouth and pulled it off his still ¾ sleeping master "BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK HOWWWWWWWWWWWWWLLLLLLL!"
"ALRIGHT! I'm up, I'm up!" Odd said groggily. "What's the hurry old man?" Odd asked while rubbing his eyes. "it's not like we have anything… … to… … do... OH CRAP! WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME EARLIER!" Odd shouted as he realized the reunion was today. "Kiwi! We have to hurry! Or we'll be late!"
Odd heard his cell phone buzzing on the bedside table
"Hello?" Odd answered "Yes Hunny, I'm on my way now! No I didn't sleep in. No… well, kinda, but I'm up now, and that's the important part. I'll be there in ten minutes to get you…" Odd was frantically trying to get dressed while on the phone "I love you too Sissi."
"Ulrich, are you almost ready to go?" Yumi asked. "I want to show off my new husband to everyone! But if you take much longer, we'll never get there!"
"I guess, but I don't know why we're going anyway." Ulrich Stern said. "I mean after everything that happened there, I'm surprised you're as eager as you are to go back."
Yumi looked down at her hands and frowned "A lot of hard times, but also a lot of good memories that I wouldn't trade for anything…" Yumi said. "We have a long drive ahead of us. We should get going"
Odd and Sissi were the first to arrive at Kadic boarding school. There were still several hours before the opening of the 3 day event was to start.
At the door they were greeted by Jim Morales, their old phys-ed teacher, and general chaperone. Jim gave Odd a firm handshake. Odd pulled him into a strong hug.
"Jim, it's good to see you again." Odd said. In the years following the shutdown, he and Jim became close.
"Sissi! Again, I am sorry about your father." Jim said as he gave her a loving, almost parental hug "I lost a good friend when he died. Like I said at the funeral, If you need anything, you call old Jimbo, and I'll come running. Ya know, I use to be a grief councilor years ago… But, I'd rather not talk about it."
"It's good to see you Jim." Sissi said feeling slightly uncomfortable talking about her father the late Principal Delmas. "I'll keep that in mind."
"Oh, I forgot!" Jim added "You are all assigned to your old rooms. And I expect all of the school rules to be followed to the letter."
Both Odd and Sissi half laughed at the statement, and looked at each other. Both thinking, 'As if they ever were followed' They each went to their respective rooms and unpacked for the long weekend.
Jeremy and Aelita, and Ulrich and Yumi both arrived at the same time. The groups exchanged hugs and kisses and walked into the cafeteria, where Jim was already involved in the long winded speech to open the reunion.
Jim spoke at length about how proud he was with each and every one of them, and then called attention of colleagues and friends gone. He spoke of Herb, who had passed on from the very illness he was working to cure. Nicholas, who was killed saving a child from a fire. Principal Delmas, who passed after a battle with Cancer, and finally William Dunbar.
Jim went on about the details of Williams death, how he fought against Terrorism in Iraq and Iran, his involvement in the assault that stopped North Korea from launching its Nuclear Missiles, saving millions of lives. And finally, the attack in India where he saved the life of the President of France by jumping in the way of 3 bullets, ending his life at 25 years old.
This brought tears to Yumi's eyes. William had a crush on her in school, and she never gave him the chance. The day he shipped out for basic, he told her that he had enlisted to become a better man for her. The last thing she had said to him was that she wished he would just go away and leave her alone.
After his death, Yumi received a letter by messenger, from William, to be delivered upon his death. Yumi never told Ulrich what it said, but she kept it close to her at all times from then on.
Ulrich put his arm around his wife, and squeezed her close. She put her head on his shoulder. "I love you Yumi"
"I love you too, Ulrich." She said through the tears.
Yumi felt a hand on her back, gently rubbing up and down. It was Sissi.
Dinner that night was mostly uneventful, the group talked about the past ten years, and everything that had happened. How Odd and Sissi had found each other on facebook, and fell in love.
Jeremy, and Aelita were building a tech company together,
Yumi, and Ulrich were married, and living well. Ulrich opened a very successful Dojo, while Yumi had become a paramedic, as well as an instructor at the Dojo
"Guys…" Jeremy called. He had a look in his eyes. Ulrich's stomach tightened, he knew that look. "We should go. Ya know, for old times' sake."
"Why?" Ulrich asked. "I doubt there's even anything left." Sissi looked confused.
"Just for the memories." Jeremy said with a curt smile "I want to go to where I met the love of my life." He took Aelita's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Come on guys, it'll be fun."
"But, Jim said all the school rules are expected to be followed…" Odd said with a serious demeanor, and then realized what he just said, and laughed, as he was always the rule bender.
"Ok, after lights out, meet in the park." Jeremy said. The group agreed, and went to their rooms.
"Jeremy!" Odd called as they walked down the dorm hallway. "What about Sissi? She doesn't know anything about the factory or anything that happened…"
"You haven't told her?" Jeremy was shocked… Odd Della Robbia kept a secret! Jeremy felt as if he were going to faint. "Well it's about time you filled her in huh?" the hall lights glinting off his glasses. "I'll see you in the park."
Ulrich felt uneasy waiting in the park as they did so many years ago. "Yumi, I don't like this… I don't think this is a good idea…"
"Xana's gone, what harm can there be in looking around." Yumi answered. "I mean, it's not like we're going in, we'll go, look around, pass some jokes, and come back to the school. Then you and I can go to the gym… Alone…" Yumi gave Ulrich a wink that made him blush. She smiled to herself happy that she could still affect him like that after so many years together.
The rest of the group eventually gathered at the manhole in the park. "Ya know, I never thought of it when we were kids, but this is kind of a strange place to have a aqueduct access point huh." Odd stated as he and Ulrich cleared the portal, and removed the heavy manhole cover. Ulrich went first, then Aelita, and Yumi, then Sissi, and finally Odd so he could replace the cover.
On the platform, the group found the skateboards and scooter the kids had used to get to the factory so long ago, still sitting where they were left. Jeremy had wondered if anyone had even been in this duct since then.
"Hey Jeremy!" Odd shouted. "think I can still do it?" Odd grabbed his old board, and started running.
"ODD! NO DON'T!" Jeremy yelled, but it was too late. Odd had run ahead, threw the skateboard, and jumped towards it as they did to get speed when they were young. "Odd! That's a wooden board! It's old and gonna…" KER-SPLASH! Odd landed on the board as perfectly as if he had never stopped riding. But as Jeremy feared, the board was old, and rotted. The board snapped under Odd and he plunged face first into the duct.
The group started laughing at Odd who was now sitting chest deep in the chlorinated drink that watered most of Paris. "You could have warned me a little sooner Einstein!" Odd said in a huff, as Ulrich and Jeremy helped him out of the water
Odd told Sissi about their adventures in Lyoko, and all about Xana and Aelita. About the search for Franz Hopper, Aelita's father. Sissi seemed a bit overwhelmed, but she understood the tale. She never questioned why he never told her any of this before. Deep down, I think she always knew there was something going on. The group decided not to tell her of her involvement and about the "Return to the Pasts" that blanked her memories.
"Here we are!" Jeremy said as they neared the Watergate at the factory "Wow! It took a lot longer when you are walking it haha"
"ut-oh, um, Jeremy…" Yumi said "there's a guy in a uniform on the bridge."
"Yup!" Jeremy said with a smirk. "He's one of my security officers" the group looked at him in confusion. "I bought the factory a few years ago to make sure no one ever went inside." Jeremy reported.
"Halt! Who's there!" the guard hailed.
"Hi Gregg!" Jeremy answered.
"Oh, Mr Belpois, what are you doing here?" The officer asked
"I spent a lot of time here as a kid with this people. We came to look around." The light glinting off his glasses.
"Yes sir, though the place is in a bit of disrepair. Please each of you take a beacon. Just in case. If you need help, just slap it." The officer slapped the module and it let off a not so loud yelp. "it's not overly loud, but it carries far."
"Thanks Gregg, we shouldn't be long." Jeremy said.
The officer was half right. The factory looked to be falling apart, however she was as sturdy as ever. "Ok everyone, just like when we were kids!" Odd said as he ran at the cables they used to slide down to the factory floor on. Followed by Yumi and Ulrich, then Sissy and Aelita, and Jeremy bringing up the rear. They ran laughing to the freight elevator, reminiscing as they went. Yumi slapped the elevator button as she always did and a rush of memories flowed over her. Thoughts of William, and the fight they had in this very spot when he was possessed by Xana. A tear escaped her eye.
The elevator reached the Lab. Jeremy entered the code to open the door, but nothing happened. "I guess the pow…" a loud crack, then a mechanic groan and the door slowly came to life and opened. "Never mind" he touched the panel on the wall turning on the lights in the room he spent so much time in.
Sissi looked amazed and slightly afraid of all the equipment "Wow" she whispered to herself.
"Jeremy, I'm gonna show Sissi the scanners. Can you get the lights down there?" Odd said leading Sissi to the access ladder
"Sure, then I'm gonna go check out the core" Jeremy said throwing a few breakers on the wall panel. "The rest of you, why not go with Odd, I'm sure she'll have questions that he cant answer."
Jeremy took the other access shaft that lead to the computer core. He checked the cooling system, and the reserve power systems, but not really knowing why… He felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, Einstein!" Odd hailed making Jeremy jump about ten feet.
"Odd, don't do that! This place is creepy enough when it's not turned on." Jeremy said trying to lower his heart rate.
"Sorry buddy, but Sissi has a question and none of us know it." Odd said with his normal exaggerated smile.
"Ok, I'm coming" Jeremy said following Odd to the access shaft.
In the chamber above, near the holo-map, Sissi was found looking at a panel with a single blinking green light. "Jeremy, what's this light mean?" Sissi asked.
"I'm not sure, let me look." Jeremy bent down to take a closer look. The group started huddling around him. Only Aelita remained away, she knew he worked best when given space. "I think this is a marker from the backup system. I think this is the memory core for the RTTP. The part that reapplies our memories after a RTTP. But why is it running? I thought the entire system was shut down… Hmmm…"
Sissi pulled Odd close to her and whispered something in his ear
"I dunno Sissi. I don't think that's a good idea." Odd said
"Oh come on! You've all done it!" Sissi retorted in a way reminiscent of her school days. Odd knew she wouldn't let up until he made it happen.
"hey uh Einstein, what do you think we let Sissi go in? I'd go with her naturally so it'll be ok." Odd asked Hoping for a 'no'
"the computer's shut down." Jeremy said coldly
"so turn start it up Jeremy, I want to see it." Sissi put her hands on her hips.
"Sissi, it's too dangerous, We don't know what will happen if we turn the super computer back on" Jeremy said in a final manner.
"FINE!" Sissi yelled and scurried down the core access shaft.
"Think we should go after her?" Yumi asked
"Nah, give her time, she'll get over it" Odd said with a smile "There isn't anything she could do down there is there Jeremy?"
"I doubt it, I mean that is the core, but she wouldn't know how to activate it." Jeremy said with certainty. "I'm more worried about this memory module. It shouldn't be running…" Jeremy said pulling out his Wristbook.
In the computer core Sissi sat crying and angry that she didn't get her way. "All I wanted was to know what he went through." Sissi said to no one. "Is that too much to ask?" Sissi slammed her hand against the wall. *click* "Huh? What was that?"
"Um, Jeremy?" Sissi hailed as she exited the access shaft.
"Hmm?" Jeremy responded still working on finding the reason for the power to the memory block
"I was standing up, and I think I pulled something." Sissi said nervously.
"What like a muscle?" Odd asked, clearly concerned.
"No, a lever." Sissi winced thinking she would be yelled at. "Then there was a bright flash"
"WHAT?" Jeremy said just as a surge of power shot through him from the wires he was holding "WHAGIGAWRRGRR!" the bolt of power threw him against the wall, as the computer came to life
The group ran to Jeremy Yumi began checking him for injury. "Jeremy, can you hear me? How many fingers am I holding up?"
"I had forgotten what that felt like." Jeremy said trying to pick himself up, Yumi wouldn't let him.
All around them the equipment in the lab slowly came to life, as a hum of RAM, SSD's and Holo-Emitters came online. Jeremy seemed to turn white when he heard a sound he had all but forgotten.
The Superscanner found an activated tower