Title: Partial Code

Author: Interface

Rating: K

Summary: With Bob and Glitch mysteriously parted it's time to restore order amongst the chaos. Megabyte isn't the only one causing trouble. Something sinister is growing in the heart of Mainframe.

Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one.

Chapter 4

"Captain look," Matrix sighed impatiently, "The Saucy Mare will be fine in the air space. Megabyte is in the Principle Office. And Hex, well, she's probably not going to be worrying about your ship" He stared past the crimson binome at the wreckage.

---

"Now Bob surely you're not thinking of revenge. That's not what you do is it now?" Megabyte purred smoothly.

"If necessary," Bob replied darkly. The large virus paused a moment, he sensed something in the Guardian, something he'd never seen before.

"Hmm, indeed," in said quietly shooting Herr Docktor a slight glance, "I'm surprised Bob. So tell me, how did you survive the web?"

"Barely, no thanks to you," Bob snapped back with a grimace, the web was a dark place, cold...

"You know. Hexadecimal actually worried about you," the Virus continued.

"Where is Hex?"

"Lost Angles of course, I couldn't have kept her contained forever, even I knew that," Megabyte replied lazily.

"Uh... Lost Angles isn't there anymore"

"Hmm... what?" Megabyte suddenly started paying attention to the Guardian's words.

"It's destroyed. The lair isn't there, it's completely... vanished. You mean you... didn't?"

"Oh come now Guardian. Do you really think I'd actually destroy Lost Angles? My own sister?"

"Megabyte, you two don't exactly have the greatest relationship going. You're always trying to destroy each other!"

"With mere toys!" Megabyte chuckled and paused a moment as if caught up in some fond memory of destruction, "None of that mattered Guardian. Never any hard feelings"

"Well then where is she?"

"I'm not her keeper"

"But you were" Megabyte eyed Bob with suspicion, and a dislike that had grown over the cycles.

"So?" he said finally.

"So you're capable of deletion. Family or no family" The large metallic Virus scowled, he considered the Guardian, and he was definitely changed in some way.

"Bob you're tiring me. You're delaying my escape. Seize him!"

"I don't think so," Bob grinned, "Glitch! Line!" Glitch shot out a grapple line, tying together a handful of viral zeros and ones. Each looked at one another in utter confusion; they hadn't been defeated in so long.

"Bob," Megabyte groaned impatiently, "what do you want exactly?"

"I want my friend back," Bob growled firmly. His eyes narrowed on the large Virus. Bob aimed Glitch at his lifelong enemy and began to approach him, "Now!"

"Just one more digit Guardian and the old sprite is yours... I promise" Bob blinked slowly. In the instant he closed his eyes recalled the familiar richness in the Virus' voice. He recalled the nano he was betrayed by the heavy metal git. Bob frowned as he opened his eyes again,

"Give him back to me!"

To Megabyte's complete shock the irate Guardian charged at him, a golden blade shot from the little Keytool with a bright spark. He instinctively drew his claws in defence. Before he knew it Bob was lashing out at him wildly. The anger and fury in those brown eyes was insane and had never been unleashed before, until now.

They clashed furiously with each other. For the first time Megabyte was actually uncertain of what the Guardian was going to do next. Bob had never believed in deletion, everyone knew that, surely he wouldn't ... he couldn't... it was against his code, it had to be! The Binomes watched on in horror until the nano Megabyte's claws gave way and shattered with a high pitched screech of metal. The whole room froze. The Virus looked down at his damaged hand, green eyes wide with horror. Bob stared, as if some kind of rational thought had washed over him. He was suddenly aware of what he had done. His head shook slowly and silently as he looked at the shattered shards of metal.

"Give me Phong," he spluttered, a cold sweat broke out on him instantly. Bob wiped his top lip as he paced backwards and forwards, "Give him to me!" he yelled hysterically, "Now!"

"Just give him the head" Megabyte said calmly, "We've only one digit remaining. Give it to him!" Herr Docktor sprung into action rushing forward with the jar towards the insane figure in blue. Bob snatched Phong quickly and peered into the glass.

"I'm here Phong," he said his voice shook and broke uncontrollably.

"You are... ill... my son. You need help. Urgently"

"I'm fine Phong," Bob insisted, smiling at the old sprite, "I'm leaving," he added shooting Megabyte a lethal glare. The large Virus shrugged his giant shoulders and stared expressionless at the Guardian. As he exited the room, Bob closed the door carefully behind him. It was rude to slam doors after all.

Megabyte continued to stare for a moment, "Random," he said finally.

---

"You...You did what!?" Dot cried as Mouse set Phong down carefully in the hideout. Bob sat, head in hands on a data box. He ran his fingers through his short sweat drenched hair.

"I walked in... and I got Phong. We've been through this Dot," he shrugged looking up at her.

"Bob, you weren't yourself in there sugah. What's happened to you?" Mouse asked turning around to face him.

"I may be able to find some explanation my child. If you allow me to run some tests on you, I fear the web has damaged and altered your code. Possibly even altered your programming," Phong's voice came from behind the hacker.

"Phong there's nothing wrong," Bob protested once more.

"Bob," Dot cut in, "You will be taking these tests"

"But..."

"There are no buts Bob. You either take these tests or you can leave again"

Bob stared at her, "What..?" he asked in disbelief.

"You heard Bob. You better do as Phong and I tell you if you don't want to lose everything. We need to know what's happened to you" She looked into his suddenly sad brown eyes, they pleaded with her and yet, she still didn't forgive him.

---

"We found it Mr Phong! Yes we did sir. Yes. We found it in the trash"

The two battered, badly repaired robots threw Phong's body clumsily onto the system map Mouse had downloaded.

"Careful!" Phong cried as they unsettled the jar he was still confined to. The Tech Boys rushed in muttering Binary to one another as they rewired Phong's head to the damaged body. As the last screw was put in place Phong let out a relieved sigh.

"Ah thank you boys. I was feeling half the sprite I used to be"

"It's good to have you back Phong," Dot smiled.

"Now my son," Phong turned to the very ruffled looking Guardian, "About those tests..."

"Phong I don't need any tests," Bob protested once again. He stood up quickly and began to make his way to the exit. In an instant he was shoved roughly to the floor.

"Glitch!" he yelled aiming the trusty Keytool at the very angry looking Matrix. Bob looked straight down the barrel of the large sprites gun, suddenly aware of the trademark 'M' on his forehead.

"Don't even think about it," Matrix growled.

"Enzo..!"

"Don't Enzo me. There's no Enzo here. You're not going anywhere until we've tested you"

Bob frowned angrily, but even he, as irate as he was, knew it was futile to argue with such a ruthless renegade. He still couldn't believe what Enzo had become. Bob had probably suffered worse experiences in the Web than Enzo had suffered in the Net, and yet Bob had ever deleted anyone or anything.

"Tests..." he said finally lowering Glitch to his side.

---

Bob lay silently on the makeshift table while Phong tapped happily away on the open keyboard window in front of him. Bob sighed as he examined the ceiling out of boredom. This was pointless, they'd soon find that there was nothing wrong with him and realise what valuable time they had wasted. The system wasn't going to repair itself after all; it was already crumbling in front of their very eyes. And there was still a Virus holed up in the Principle Office. Everyone seemed to find that an okay situation, well he, Bob, system protector, Guardian-452, did not find this okay. He was going to stop Megabyte, like he should have done cycles ago. Why he was going to unleash his raw Guardian fury on that Mega-trash, he was going to stand victorious over Megabyte's deleted bitmap, he was going to ....going to ...

"Bob is there... something funny you wish to share?" Phong asked. Bob was suddenly aware that he'd been chuckling to himself. He looked around, Phong had ceased typing. Dot was stood silent at the control panel staring at him over her glasses, Specky stood beside her mouth hanging open and eye wide.

"Uh... no, nothing funny... just ticklish," Bob smiled showing his teeth nervously.

"Okay well hold still my son. We're nearly finished here," Phong said quietly as he resumed typing. The war damaged scanner passed backwards and forwards over Bob a few times before closing down, "All done," Phong confirmed, "I will review these and meet with you in a few nanos"

"Can I go now?" Bob asked.

"Yes but be careful and remember, control your temper"

"I don't have a temper Phong," Bob sighed sadly before exiting the test room. The door closed with a small click.

"I know my son, I know"

---