Chapter 2—Getting the Ball Rolling
Jim heard Ulrich walking down the hallways after hours and could sense that something wasn't right.
'Hey, kiddo, what's up ?', he inquired, tousling the boy's hair.
'It's this nightmare I had. You're probably going to think I'm cuckoo with what I'm about to say, though.', Ulrich replied. Jim shook his head left to right.
'No way. Go ahead, tell me what your nightmare was about.', Jim stated, patting the youngster on the shoulder.
"Well, I was in a large wheat field. Yumi ran up to me but she disappeared. Then these weird ninja-looking guys came and surrounded me.", Ulrich explained.
"Go on.", Jim said, prodding Ulrich further. This nightmare was extremely intriguing already, Jim mused.
"Anyway, they were unlike any enemy I've ever seen before. They were avatars being controlled by someone else. Not like the mindless goons that XANA usually sends to attack us in Lyoko. It's almost as if they knew my every move though. I couldn't fight back and I was overcome. That's when I woke up, nearly shrieking my head off.', Ulrich said.
'That certainly is terrifying. What you said though is extremely telling. I have a feeling that there might be more to what you saw in that imaginative mind of yours. I think that you were being sent a message, subconciously.', Jim surmised.
'Jeremie would love to hear that theory. I don't think you're far off, but there is an article I read in the latest periodical that might shed light on this. It's about Professor Alistair Rochead and his latest invention.', Ulrich said
'I have seen interviews with Rochead and his slant on 'technology as savior' without humankind's involvement is very disturbian, distopian and downright eerie.', Jim said. There wasn't any concrete evidence as if Tyron wanted to make everyone dependent on his technology, but there was plenty of information available on the supercomputer he had built. It controlled the main powergrid to Europe, giving him the ability to hold most of Europe in his palm if he decided to turn off the power.
'I'll relay this information to Jeramie, Aelita and the others. It'll be useful the next time we're called to Lyoko. I don't know why but I have a bad feeling XANA is up to something fowl with Alistair, or is in the process of it. We don't have a lot of time to waste. By the way, the next time you come across those nasty ninjas, use your senses. Your body will know how to respond.', Jim said, patting the boy on the head before sending him back to sleep.
'Use your senses ? What on earth could he mean by that ?', Ulrich thought, stumped by the poser Jim's advice had created. He shrugged off his confusion, yawned, stretched, and headed back to bed. Maybe Jeramie would have some more ideas about this Tyron fellow with the snippet Jim had laying about, he mused. Only time would tell.