Jeremie eyed the code up and down. He must have been studying the code for hours now. He was hardly half-way done reading. He must have read parts of the code a hundred times. It helped that Aelita was there. She was the only other member of the team that could understand computer jargon like he could. Yumi might have some understanding, but wouldn't be enough. And forget about Ulrich.
Odd had been successfully restrained. He was still out cold, but he stirred a few times. They thought he would wake up soon. They had him tied up with ropes so he couldn't attempt to attack them again. Even if he were completely normal when he woke up, Jeremie said it was too much of a risk to let him free until they figure out how to cure him.
The deranged boy had been put up against the wall. Ulrich stood by him, leaning back. He occasionally looked down at Odd, looking for any sign of movement. As soon as Odd started to struggle, Ulrich was assigned to hold onto him and restrain him. They didn't want Odd to hurt them again, and they did not want him hurting himself. Yumi stood close by as well to offer help in case Ulrich needed it.
Jeremie thought he figured out how to help Odd. The code in the data indicated that the code could be 'sucked' out of him through his model's skin via a special ability. He couldn't figure out what this ability was. He would have to be in Lyoko for that, but with the upgraded monsters, that was becoming a risk. He didn't want Odd to be devirtualized during the curing process, or he could be lost forever in Lyoko's vast virtual database.
Jeremie sighed in frustration. It would take him longer to figure this all out. He needed more time. Yet they did not have that kind of time. With Odd going nuts like this, the sooner he figured it out, the better. He was getting a headache already looking through the code. If only he could figure out what could absorb the black stuff from Odd's body...
He widened his eyes in comprehension. Earlier, he and Aelita discovered the black material was related to Therizino. They couldn't be sure if this black stuff came directly from her or not, but it was a component of her. He thought back to how Therizino behaved and what her powers were. She had electrical powers, and if he recalled right, Odd did say something about how the black stuff kept those powers in check.
According to Odd, Therizino drank the material. He thought it might have given her more than what she said it did. It was just a hunch on his part, and Jeremie initially disregarded it. After all, as the joker of the group, not all of Odd's comments were taken seriously. But now Jeremie wondered if Odd was really onto something.
Maybe there was a special relationship between the mysterious black goop and electricity. Perhaps they went hand in hand, with the black goop being attracted to it and binding with it, providing insulation and concealment for whoever had these powers.
Thinking about it, Jeremie realized it made sense. On the cliff side in their final battle against Therizino, he recalled her suddenly screaming after he knew her spheres had broken. The black goop had escaped her body, causing the electricity to go out of control. It started hurting Therizino when it did not before. The black goop must have been protecting her somehow, containing it and letting her wield it like a weapon.
The black goop had fallen with Therizino. It may have been because of gravity, or maybe because the electricity was concentrated largely on her. Some black goop leaked out of Odd's eye, as Yumi described. The black stuff may have been what Therizino used to help link herself to Odd to torture him. She must have been able to send electrical signals because of the black goop's relationship with electricity.
Jeremie stared over at Odd's prone form. Was that why Aelita's idea to electrocute him when he was choking to death worked? Did the sudden electrical discharge displace the black stuff, causing Odd to escape the horrible psychosis that Therizino locked his mind into? As bizarre as it sounded, Jeremie didn't think it could be anything else.
He knew what he had to do. There was only one thing he could do to help Odd. He hoped he could work fast enough.
But he wouldn't be able to do it without first taking care of some precautions. He looked over at Aelita.
"I think I know how to help Odd." He said in a low voice. He didn't want the others to hear. Not yet.
Aelita leaned in closer. "What did you figure out?"
"The black goo, whatever it's called, it's attracted to electricity. It almost binds with it. It allows someone to use electrical powers without hurting themselves." Jeremie explained. "That was why Therizino was suddenly in pain in our last fight with her. The black goo that protected her had escaped, leaving her vulnerable to her own internal power."
Aelita nodded in understanding. Jeremie turned back to the computer screen.
"I need time to create a program to absorb the stuff out of him. But it may take me all night." Jeremie said. "I need Odd to stay here."
Aelita interrupted him. "But wouldn't that cause problems? If this takes too long, someone is bound to find out Odd isn't at the school."
"Which is why I am counting on you and the others to keep suspicions as low as possible." Jeremie explained, pushing his glasses up. "You guys will have to cover for me and Odd. Say we're sick in bed or something."
"I don't think that's a good idea." Aelita narrowed her eyes.
"Hm? Why not? It's worked before." Jeremie asked her.
"Yeah but one problem." Aelita shook her head slowly. "The other times, there wasn't a dorm inspection." Jeremie's eyes widened at this. "Didn't you know? Jim mentioned it the last time we were at phys ed. He's checking the dorms tomorrow." She paused, realizing the time. "Well today actually. Around noon, early afternoon."
"I don't believe it." Jeremie held his head in his hands. "And knowing him, being sick won't be an excuse."
Aelita shook her head. "No. He'll just use the key to come in anyway."
Jeremie groaned in frustration. "What am I going to do now?"
"I'm sure you'll think of something, Jeremie." Aelita tried to comfort him. "You always do."
"Odd's waking up!"
Ulrich's voice snapped the pair's attention over to them. On the ground, they could see Odd starting to move. His eyes were fluttering open. A few moans escaped his mouth. Aelita and Jeremie walked over cautiously, staring at Odd. Ulrich and Yumi looked just as concerned. And for good reason. No one knew how Odd would react.
Odd groaned again, turning onto his side. His eyes slowly opened. He turned his head to look upwards, at no one in particular. His blue eye and brown eye scanned the area briefly. At first, he was out of it, not reacting to anything. He looked completely out of it, like he wanted to go back to bed.
Then he started to become more aware. He looked around the room, left and right. He looked lost, and didn't seem to know where he was. He looked scared, and trembled for a few seconds. He opened his mouth to speak, but only whimpers escaped.
He started thrashing violently, screaming. The group took a step back in shock. Odd struggled on the ground, crashing against the wall and floor. His pupils grew tiny and his eyes were practically bulging. He looked around the room wildly, and when he saw the others, he suddenly took on a more hostile stance.
"Ulrich! Yumi! Grab him!" Jeremie ordered.
The pair nodded to each other and went to grab Odd. Yumi grabbed his legs while Ulrich grabbed his upper body. They pushed him onto the ground and held him there. Odd thrashed against their hold for what seemed like half an hour.
Aelita and Jeremie stared in horror as Yumi and Ulrich barely managed to hold Odd still. The boy was still totally out of it. He had, twice, tried to bite Ulrich's hand in self defense. Watching this scene play out before them was depressing. It was always hard to fight against one of their own. This was no special case.
Finally, Odd's struggles started to weaken. He tugged with less and less vigor as the seconds passed. Soon he stopped struggling altogether. He lay limp on the ground, still being held by Ulrich and Yumi. He panted heavily, his face red from his fruitless efforts to escape. Slowly, he looked around, his pupils returning to their original shape.
He managed to speak, his throat scratchy, almost unrecognizable. "What is...wrong with me...?"