Hmm, I'm a little concerned that almost no one's responding, I hope you people like the story. Oh well, my brother says the chapter's a bit rushed, but I can't seem to fit it without doing another completely useless chapter with almost nothing in it. This ends Arc One. Enjoy!

Cipher's Code Ch7

There's a certain thrill that can only be achieved in the silence of night, when no one's around to watch you. Cipher stopped for a brief time to enjoy his short freedom. He had spent most of the night building Harley's contraptions. Now Cipher prowled the building for one thing- answers. Sometimes I envy Specter. Cipher dodged yet another person, a simple shadow to any hostile eyes. Soon, he reached the door where he first met Harley, where his file was kept. As he walked forward, however, a voice caught his attention and he shrunk away to listen and avoid it.

"Are you aware of our little problem, sir?"

"Do not underestimate me, Kero. I am fully aware of it; preparations are being taken as we speak." It's Umera!

"The child does not yet realize his power; that shall be his downfall, along with his faith in friends. Besides, the boy is too soft. I suggest you don't bother me with any further unnecessary issues, Kero."

"Yes, sir." Kero walked outside the door along with Umera, completely unaware of Cipher's presence.

Cipher watched them trail away before striding over to the door, checking the lock as he went. Perfect. They forgot to lock the door. Cipher opened the drawer containing the files on the various people, but stopped to pick up an opened file. With shock, Cipher registered the name. Saire Asuriza. Cipher flipped through the pages to find that he was being tagged, having previously escaped.

He's alive! The others are probably with him as well! Cipher couldn't stop himself from uttering a small laugh of victory. Much to his dismay, however, that was all that was needed to set off a small alarm, along with a security reploid entering the room to check for intruders. But by the time it got there, the culprit was already gone.

Where were you, man? We were thinking of starting without you!" Harley stood across the room with a handful of the devices known to the team as dezombifiers.

"Sorry about that, couldn't be helped. Where's Specter and Venti?"

"They've already left for the vents. Venti has an odd way with making the wind stop, and Specter doesn't mind the constricted space. Remember you're job?"

Cipher nodded slowly in anticipation of the plan. "As if I could forget."

Harley laid out the plans before them. "I'll be at the clinic, to make sure they know of your absence. We'll need all the time we get to make this work."

Cipher accepted the grey communicator the team used to keep in touch from Harley, punching in the code. "Specter, Venti! Come in!" The communicator simply buzzed, but made no further sounds.

"Technical failure?" Harley was at a loss at why they weren't responding.

"No time to figure out. I'll go work on that control panel, you go with the cover story; it had better be good." Cipher walked purposefully out with his backpack strung over his shoulder, ready for the mission to begin.

"Looks like everyone's out with their classes, there's no-one in sight." Harley's voice appeared from nowhere, giving Cipher Intel on where to go. "Looks like you'll have to take a left at the nearest passage to get to the panel."

"Roger." Cipher took a turn into a narrow passageway, taking notice of any exits in case anything went wrong. When he finally reached it, he felt rather disappointed; the control panel was a rather small item for the importance it held for the mission. Just before the security droid took notice of him, it fizzled as the droid was split in two, its unintelligent eyes whirring as it hit the ground.

"What's going on?"

"Just a minor run-in, nothing to worry about. Now don't say anything; I'm trying to concentrate. Just as Cipher approached the box, though, a small spark erupted from it. Electric guard, clever. But not clever enough. Cipher pulled out an extendable mesh plating that he placed over the panel. With satisfaction, he noted the sparks being focused on the grid, unable to hit Cipher. Thanks, Saire. Cipher then focused his attention on the security code as the Hacker's electric absorber took off the edge to the electricity.

Okay, if I were an insanely evil leader of an illegal organization, what would be my password? Cipher slumped against the wall as thousands of possibilities whirred through his head.

"Cipher?"

Cipher jerked his head in irritation. "What is it, Harley? I thought I told you not to disrupt me. "

"Yeah, well, I think you'll want to hear this. Three people are heading your way to see what happened. Get out of there, now."

"Sorry, no can do." Cipher gritted his teeth as his fingers hovered above the board. Suddenly, something came up in one of his conversations with Umera.

Absolute power.

Biting his lip, Cipher typed in the two words, praying that it would work. Cipher's heart leaped as the alarm went from green to red. With a crack of his knuckles, Cipher began to work. Alarms, firewalls, cloaking, who needs them? With a wicked grin, Cipher accomplished his task.

"Just a few more minutes," Harley urged.

"Got it!" Cipher unlocked the doors to the docks, directing the vents towards that one room. "Attention Advents!" In the grim tones of Umera, Cipher gave the message to every Advent in Aranea. "There has been a slight interference with the oxygen tanks system. Proceed to the docks immediately. Cipher paused to listen to the chorus of chaos as one thousand Advents were migrating towards that one room, despite their teacher's direction. That should buy me some time. Just before he left, however, Cipher planted the biggest virus he could find in the main frame, ultimately disabling anyone else from using it.

"Status report, Specter. Venti, what's going on at your end?" Cipher spoke into his communicator quietly as he slipped into the crowd.

At first he heard nothing but silence, but then Harley's unmistakable voice rang out in terror. "Oh crap." There was a dull thud as he dropped his communicator.

Generally 'Oh crap' are two words you do not want to hear during a mission where a lot of things can go wrong. Cipher stared uselessly as he followed the crowd, unable to do anything else. When he arrived, he noticed with dread as Umera stood above them, atop a black submarine.

"You've lost, Cipher." Umera's black eyes glittered as he sought out Cipher's own electric blue ones.

"That's what you think." Cipher did the one thing he could in the situation he was in. He raised a small, circular switch, pressing the button as he raised it into the air. Expecting a great rush of air along with a putrid smell, Cipher's stomach lurched as nothing happened.

"I have known about your little plan for quite a while, Cipher." Umera celebrated a silent victory as Cipher noticed Umera's two chosen guards.

"Specter! Venti! What are you doing!" They said nothing as they leapt down, weapons raised. The crowd murmured in confusion as Cipher, Venti, and Specter faced each other as a battle became unavoidable.

"Snap out of it, guys!" Cipher refused to accept the fact that there was no way he could save himself along with the others without sacrificing his friends. Just as swerved to avoid Venti's twin blades, a shuriken grazed his right arm, clanging as the red armor saved him from injury. Hang on, Specter never misses. Looking up to expect dull, unfocused eyes, he met Specter's usual determined gaze. In an instant, Cipher recognized the unspoken message within them. He's got Harley. Just as he led Specter and Venti below a vent, he shouted, "Now!"

With fluid grace, Specter threw a shuriken where Cipher directed it. With a soft blast, it collided with the detonator to set off the dezombifiers. As Venti clashed blades with Cipher, she whispered quietly, out of Umera's wicked sight.

"He thinks we're under his control. If we stop acting, he'll probably do something to Harley. Just pretend to knock us unconscious and head towards Umera. Hurry!"

Cipher willingly obliged, bringing his fist down on her head. A blow like that would have incapacitated any normal person, but to an Advent, it was nothing but a mere tap. Specter soon followed, with a grave nod of his head.

Now it's time to get Harley back. Cipher raced towards Umera with inhuman speed and agility, faster than even Venti dared to go. As he reached the platform, he raised his saber at Umera. "Where is he?"

Umera shrunk back into the shadows, displaying an inhuman ability to walk the shadows. Cipher chased after him, feeling two more presences trailing him as well, each with a murderous intent.

Desaro and Kero lashed out at Cipher as he dodged their attacks just in time. Cipher felt his blood rise, and with it, uncontrollable rage. "I don't have time for this! Move it already!"

Kero smirked at his attempts to harm him, simply sending another volley of blasts towards him. "You'll have to do better than that, you know."

Desaro lashed out now, with his blood red whip. Cipher made an effort to catch it, but the weapon seemed to have a mind of its own as it curled around his feet, sending him to the floor. "You'll have to try to kill us if you want to reach your friend." At those words, a jolt of electricity coursed through Cipher, leaving his bones aching.

"You've gained some new powers," Cipher commented slowly. With an involuntary jerk as another volt hit him, he barely avoided Kero's missiles. Just as he bared together to launch a counterattack, he experienced a shock as the missiles he avoided earlier slammed into him with bone jarring force. This can't go on much longer. Cipher's eyes blinked once, and he faded into unconsciousness.

Don't give up, no matter what. A soothing voice at the back of Cipher's head echoed. A warm feeling embraced his entire being as he stood, with new determination. Memories of a better place swarmed his head for one second, but that was all he needed to stand and face his two tormentors.

For the first time in their lives, Desaro and Kero, Umera's assassins, fear crept into their hearts. Slowly, They recognized the spirit possessing Cipher as he raised his blade.

"No…"

"It's over." With centuries of experience at his command, Cipher cut though their defenses, guided by an unseen force. With a slash, Kero hit the ground, unable to comprehend what had happened. Soon, Desaro's hand fell in a sizzling heap of metal and spikes as his weapon circled it.

"So, you have defeated us. What will you do now?"

Cipher simply walked away from the reploid, making no move to end them.

"Fool." Desaro sneered at him as he reached the door they guarded. "You think you can live your life without the guts to kill? You really have much to learn."

Cipher stopped to acknowledge the words. "True. I am a fool, but a fool with the resolve not to kill." Cipher opened the door, ready to face Umera.

In the center of the room, Umera stood to face Cipher, Harley nowhere in sight. "So. You have slain my guards. It is just as well. If they fail to defeat one boy, they are useless to me."

Cipher ignored him. "I said it once, now I'll say it again- where is he?" Umera simply laughed, a harsh guttural sound that coupled with a sinister edge.

"Your friend is safe with me, Advent 001. Goodbye." With a flicker, he disappeared just before Cipher made contact with his blade.

No… This can't be happening. Cipher slumped to the floor in defeat. Again, why does this keep happening to me! Why? Why am I so weak? Cipher barely registered when Venti touched his shoulder.

"It's over; we've won."

Cipher looked up slowly. "What about the guards?"

"They disappeared when Umera left. The Advents are back to normal; Specter's taking care of them."

Cipher raised his head despairingly. "It doesn't matter; Harley's gone."

Venti nodded. "I guessed as much. He may be gone, but we're still here. We need you, Cipher."

Cipher followed Venti inside the sub chamber, where one thousand Advents were cheering.

"Way to go!"

"You freed us! You're a hero, Cipher!"

"Awesome job, man!"

Thousands of voices echoed throughout the chamber. Cipher stood on the platform to look them in the eye. "We made it- this time. Everyone find their own sub, eleven to each one. It took each one of us to get here, along with the sacrifice of one brave Advent." Cipher swallowed the lump in his throat.
"We alone survived Aranea. Now it's time for us to find our families once again. Team Advent, move out!"