I'm really happy with this chapter, so much so, I was half tempted to end the story right at the sentence "Marbles obliged.", but I wanted to do the bit with the Encryptor chip not working like expected, but working none the less, and plus, if this was the last chapter, nobody would find out what happened to Future Matt, so expect at least one more chapter disucussing the time traveler's fate.
But yeah, enjoy the chapt. :)
11.
Aftermath
"You mean I was that close to death and I didn't even know it?" Inez asked amazed, wobbling on her feet. "I think I need to sit down..."
And she did.
The Cybersquad was just arriving back at Control Central again with the Encryptor chip and the access key. Both Matts had decided to take the time during the trip back to tell the other three what had happened in Future Matt's time.
"Why didn't you tell us this earlier?" Jackie asked, bewildered, "Didn't you think we could handle it?"
"Yeah!" Digit agreed from the pilot's seat.
"I knew you'd all panic!" the time traveler exclaimed. "Just like you are now! I thought that wouldn't cause anything but trouble!"
"Maybe," Jackie admitted sternly, "But it would have let us know what Hacker's trap was, and make us look out for it! Had we known that, we could have avoided a whole lot of the danger!"
"I told you we should have told them beforehand." Matt said to his double.
"It doesn't matter now!" the time traveler exclaimed. "It worked, we're all safe, we got what we wanted, it's in the past now!"
"A funny thing for a time traveler to say." Inez noted wearily.
The Cybersquad looked at one another for a few moments, then laughed, their joy at having succeeded in getting the Encryptor chip at last refusing to be held down.
The rest of the trip was done in peace. Upon arriving back at Control Central, they discovered Motherboard, and Dr. Marbles, who had been elsewhere during all of this, waiting for them.
"Oh, Dr. Marbles." Inez said, having recovered from her shock earlier, held her hands out to point at Future Matt "This is..."
"I already know Inez." Dr. Marbles interrupted, "Motherboard has already told me the story." he began walking around Future Matt, examining him over. "Although, seeing it is quite different from being told it." he admitted.
"Dr. Marbles," Digit said, stepping in front of Dr. Marbles, "The Encryptor chip!"
He held it out for Dr. Marbles to take. Marbles looked it over. "I'll say, it is the real thing. I can hardly believe it."
"Just to be safe though, has any tampering been done to it?" Matt asked cautiously.
"Good call, Matt." Motherboard said, "I have scanned it, and it is intact and unaltered."
"Well, I suppose it's time I installed the chip now," Dr. Marbles announced, waking over the Mother B's control panel. "Putting it where it belongs at long last."
He opened the slot where the chip belonged, and was ready to insert the chip.
"I guess this is it, then." Digit said. "The end of the mission."
"The end of Hacker's reign of chaos." Inez said.
"Or just about." Future Matt added. "He's just not going to fade out into the night."
"Still, this is pretty much it for him." Jackie said. "Mother B's virus was the only thing keeping him as a threat."
"Insert the chip, Dr. Marbles." Matt said.
Marbles obliged.
At first nothing seemed to happen, but the low wine from Motherboard's systems straining to remain active, suddenly faded out and Motherboard's expression brightened greatly.
"I'm already feeling better." she said happily.
The others grinned happily. Then Marbles noted something.
"The chip didn't get rid of the virus, however." he said, reading a display. "It's slowly working at getting rid of it, but it's going to take awhile before the virus is fully eliminated."
"How long, Dr. Marbles?" Inez asked.
"It's definitely not something that's going to happen overnight." Marbles answered. "But in time, it will work fully."
"Was that supposed to happen, Doc?" Digit asked.
"No, it wasn't," Marbles answered thoughtfully, "But considering all that the chip's been through, we really shouldn't be surprised."
"Still, it's a time to celebrate." Matt said.
"That gives me an idea." Motherboard suddenly said. "Dr. Marbles, how about we make today a cyberwide holiday to celebrate this momentous occasion?"
Again, Dr. Marbles obliged.