This chapter is extra long, but considering that the enitre story has been building up to this point, it's understandable.
I had considered cut this chapter in half right at the most intense moment and make you guys wait until I posted the rest in the next chapter, but didn't. I was feeling generous. :)
10.
The Black Hole
"Remember, we can't trust Hacker to play fair." Future Matt said to the others as the Cybercoop, fully repaired, zoomed towards Hacker's designated meeting place. "With or without the Encryptor chip and the access key to Cyberspace, we're still in Hacker's way, and he's going to be looking for a way to get rid of us."
"So in short, be on our best guard." Inez guessed.
"Pretty much." Future Matt agreed. "I have ideas what Hacker might attempt to do, but I can't be for sure."
The others nodded, and returned to what they were doing. Matt pulled his double aside.
"Why don't you tell them what you told me?" he asked quietly, so the others wouldn't hear.
"I...just can't. Not now." Future Matt pointed out. "Besides, who's to say things will play out exactly as they did before? My presence might change all that."
"Then again, it might not." Matt pointed out. "Don't you think it wise that telling them the whole story would only give them that much more heads up?"
"Oh sure, I'll just be the bringing of doom." the time traveler said sarcastically. "Think about it. 'Hey Inez, guess what? If you aren't careful, you're going to die today!' Is that something you'd want to hear, especially only moments before it could happen?"
"Well, technically, it's not death per say." Matt pointed out. "She'd just be falling down a black vortex forever with no hope of escape."
"The end result is the same!" Future Matt retorted. "C'mon Matt, you know these guys just as well as I do. If we tell them, Jackie and Digit would probably only panic, and Inez would not only panic, but probably faint at the same time!"
Matt thought that through for a moment. "I guess you're right." he admitted reluctantly. "But if all of us do come out of this alive, they need to know then. If you won't tell them, I will."
"Agreed." the time traveler stated. "And here's hoping."
They arrived at the Black Hole in question. Hacker waited with Buzz and Delete on the platform sitting directly in front of the swirling mass of energy, and the Grim Wreaker hovered over it all, casting a shadow. Digit, who was piloting, brought the Cybercoop to land at the opposite end of the platform from Hacker.
"We're here, Hacker." Matt announced as he and the Cybersquad exited the Cybercoop.
"Welcome kiddies." Hacker said in a taunting voice. "Don't come to close now. You wouldn't want the big bad Black Hole to suck up your precious Encryptor chip, do you?"
Future Matt made a discreet gulp as Hacker snapped his fingers. Already this incident was too similar for his liking. When Hacker snapped, Buzz and Delete handed Hacker a box. The villain opened it, and pulled the object within out. The Cybersquad already knew what it would be. Hacker dangled the Encryptor chip dangerously close to the threshold of the swirling mass of dark energy.
"Don't do it, Hacker!" Jackie shouted. "We've got what you want."
Hacker turned to her and grinned. "The access card to all of Cyberspace?" he asked, devilishly.
The Cybersquad and Future Matt all nodded, ready to act if something should go wrong.
Hacker eyed them for several moments. "Show me." he ordered.
Digit walked forward, stopping in the middle of the platform. In his wings he carried wooden box, polished so it shone brightly and prettily.
The beauty was wasted on Hacker, he quickly motioned Buzz and Delete to go over to take the box. He was obviously expecting a trap, and wasn't going to risk getting caught in it. Digit hesitantly handed the box to Hacker's robotic henchmen. Delete held the box while Buzz opened it and peered inside.
"Is it real?" Hacker demanded, striding over.
Without waiting for an answer, he reached into the box, and pulled out the access key, small enough to fit in Hacker's palm, and yet opened up one of the biggest window of opportunities that Hacker had ever come across. He studied the circuitry embedded in the key, gleaming in the dim light.
"Everything seems to be in order." he said, happily. "No flaws in this key, and it's definitely real."
"We've held up our end of the bargain, Hacker," Inez said, as she and the others marched up to join Digit, "Now hold up your end. Give us the Encryptor chip."
Future Matt could see that she was eyeing Buzz out of the corner of her eye and he was too. Buzz was slipping away from the group and was heading back towards to the Black Hole.
Just like last time.
Hacker grinned at them wickedly for a few moments. "I don't think so." he said, turning around, taking both the key and the Encryptor chip with him, "Now Buzz."
"Look out!" Inez and Future Matt suddenly shouted, as Buzz pulled a concealed lever.
The floor immediately under the Cybersquad opened up leading nowhere expect out into the depths of Cyberspace. Inez and the time traveler jointly leap to one side, shoving Matt out of the way at the same time. They both skidded onto solid ground, skidding towards the Black Hole where Hacker and his gang stood. Jackie twisted around as the floor vanished from under her and managed to grab a portion of solid floor behind her, stopping her fall. Digit threw the box that had held the access key to one side and took to the air, twirling his tail feathers like a helicopter.
Hacker ran for the Black Hole, ready to throw the Encryptor chip into it. Digit gave a mad yell while Future Matt watched with dread and zoomed forward, grabbing the edge of Hacker's cape and tugging. The cybervillan's feet slipped out from under him and toppled over backwards, the Encryptor chip flying out of his hands. Buzz and Delete both ran to grab it.
"One, two, three." Future Matt muttered under his breath, and at three, the two bots slammed into each other and missed the chip. It toppled to the ground.
Future Matt made an attempt to grab it, but Hacker yanked Digit off his cape and shoved the time traveler to one side. Grabbing the chip, he leaned back and threw it towards the Black Hole.
"NO!" Both Matts yelled, reacting quickly, all to aware what was happening.
In slow motion, the chip zoomed over Inez's head. She turned and began running after it, unaware what was happening. The two Matts followed Inez, running as fast as they could. The Encryptor chip continued sailing, tumbling into the Black Hole. Inez, just like last time, did not hesitate to dive after it.
Future Matt gave a yell and leapt the remaining distance between him and Inez to grab Inez's feet...
...and succeeded.
Both toppling to the floor, Matt jumped over the pair, and while using Inez's arm as a handle, leapt into the Black Hole after the chip. He and the chip tumbled forward for a tense moment, but then Matt was jerked to a halt as his grasp on Inez's arm held true. The chip continued to sail onward, and for one dreadful moment, the time traveler thought it was gone, but Matt's momentum swung him around back towards solid in the ground, and in the process, he grabbed the chip, pulling it to safety as well.
Hacker came running towards the two Matts and Inez, with the idea of pushing all three into the Black Hole, but when Matt's feet hit solid ground again, he stumbled forward and rammed into Hacker, who, likewise, threw the access key in his hand upward and stumbled backwards and slipped off the edge of the platform, grabbing the lip of the edge. Buzz and Delete ran forward to pull their boss back onto the platform.
Jackie, trapped on the other side of the gap in the floor, away from the action, saw that the key was sailing in her direction. She began running to stay underneath it, but instantly saw that the key was tumbling over the edge of the platform. Stretching her hand out over the railing guarding the platform edge, Jackie caught the key just before it tumbled out into Cyberspace.
"Digit!" Future Matt yelled, escorting his double and Inez to the gap's edge, "Time to go!"
Digit, who had been sitting near the edge of the gap, trying to straighten his bent beak, forgot his beak and took to the air. He sailed towards the Black Hole at first, then turned back around to sail over the trio's heads.
As he flew over, the time traveler reached out and grabbed hold of Digit's feet. Inez and the other Matt grabbed hold of Future Matt's legs. With Digit straining to remain airborne, all four cruised over the gap to Jackie's side. Then Inez let go and ran aboard the Cybercoop, Matt let go and ran aboard their ship, Future Matt let go and ran aboard the ship, Digit remained in the air and flew aboard, and Jackie brought up the rear, closing the Cybercoop's hatch on her way.
The Cybercoop gave a lurch and zoomed away, carrying a celebrating Cybersquad and leaving a very dismayed Hacker and gang behind...