Retribution flinched as the light jet soared in front of the recognizer and toward it. It derezzed into an activation rod as Tron and Hazel tumbled into the main cabin of the recognizer, both landing easily on their feet.

Retribution whipped her disk off her back, turning toward Hazel, but Tron grabbed her wrist, stopping her. "Lora's alive, Retri!"

She gaped at him in shock. "That's not possible. I saw her derezz." Retri pointed at Hazel. "She killed her!"

"She didn't. Lora's alive and on Landfall. She's alive, Retri. What we saw was Hazel sending her out!"

Retribution slowly lowered her disk. Hazel had moved to Wulff's cell, kneeling and reaching between the laser bars to check his status. With a small surge of her user power, the bars vanished.

Retri watched her, waving Tron's hand off. "You didn't kill her?"

Hazel looked over her shoulder. "No. I sent her out. I'm sorfry we had to meet that way, but we don't have time to explain everything. We have to stop the Rovers."

"Do you trust her?" Retri asked Tron.

"Yes. I've spoken with my user…she brought him here. Retri, she's on our side."

Relief flooded over Retribution, her grief subsiding. "Lora's alive."

"Wulf," Hazel put her hands on the unconscious program's shoulders. "Wulf, wake up." She sent some of her energy into him. His eyes suddenly opened and he leapt to standing, taking in the room in alarm.

"It's okay!" Hazel stood, holding her hands forward to calm him.

But Wulf shoved her behind him, his disk out and in his hand, his eyes on Retribution and Tron. "I know what she did. But I can't let you harm her."

Hazel slipped past him. "We don't have time for this! Wulf, I didn't kill Lora. She's alive on Landfall. I sent the others out, too! Flynn, Tracer, Toby-they're all safe. And they've rezzed the Lead back down to us. We have to stop her before she takes the cruiser to the Core." She faced the others. "Everybody get that?"

There was a pause, then Wulf slapped her wholeheartedly on the back, sending her stumbling forward. "I like it! I'm not even going to ask why you didn't tell me. Let's go kick some Rover a…" he stared out ahead of them. "What in the grid?"

The other three turned to look. Blue power was lighting up the edges of Deloria City. The outskirts were changing.

Hazel's face lit up with a grin. "It's Lora and O'Bryan! They're rebuilding the network!"

Tron's eyes were wide. "They're trying to rebuild the city around the core."

"It's not happening fast enough," Retri said, moving to the recognizer controls. "The cruiser will still make it."

"Then we'll have to slow them down," Tron said. "Hazel and I will take the light jet-"

"The MCP doesn't go anywhere without me," Wulf said. "Not happening."

"Wulf," Hazel put her hand on his arm, "if we don't stop the Rovers, I'm dead. This whole network will be razed. It will be the first thing the Lead does when she gets back to Landfall. The only way to protect me now is stop her."

He thought about this for a moment, then grinned. "You're good. My priorities have just been rearranged. Okay. What's the plan?"

Hazel glanced at Tron. "Get between the cruiser and the core? Not very fancy, I know."

He nodded. "Or damage the cruiser."

"And try not to get killed by our helpful users," Retri added, watching the buildings of Deloria City rise up at random speeds and heights.

"And then we'll play it by ear," Hazel finished.

Wulf rolled his eyes. "Users."

Hazel poured energy into the recognizer to add to its speed. Then she activated the light jet and took off, Tron leaping onto the top of the jet and holding on.

"I gotta ask you one thing," he shouted as they raced forward, the recognizer close behind. "Did Flynn know you were sending him out?"

"No," Hazel called back.

"You let him think he was being derezzed?"

"I'm still the MCP. I had to get the upper hand with that guy at least once!"

"I would've loved to have seen the look on his face."

Hazel's mischievous grin returned. "It was a thing of beauty."

The Lead strode onto the control deck of the cruiser. She had been surprised to not run into any Rovers on her way through the ship and was even more shocked now as she realized how few of them were left. Only about twenty. Still, it would be enough on Landfall. It would be more than enough. She noticed Cipher, who was being held by two Rovers. Her eyes ranged over his blue circuitry. He didn't flinch from her gaze.

Several of the others were staring fearfully out the front viewing windows at Deloria City as it fitfully strained to rebuild itself.

"Don't be afraid." The Lead's words radiated out to the Rovers, striking their minds, eradicating their apprehension.

"Rhender," she commanded the pilot, "get us to the Core. Now." She stretched out her hands and sent user power flooding into the cruiser. The cruiser moved forward, Rhender maneuvering over the rising buildings.

Anthro checked a warning signal on one of the control panels. "We've got a light jet and a recognizer behind us. Gaining on us…how is that possible?"

"Because the MCP is with them. Don't worry, Anthro. I've got just the distraction for them." The Lead walked over and stood in front of Cipher. He tried to pull away, but the others held him fast. "You want to be a slave to the users? Very well then. Be mine." She focused her mind on him and spoke clearly. "Those who are following us are your enemies. They are bent on killing you, Cipher. You must kill them first." Her words sliced across his eyes and into his mind.

"Let him go," the Lead commanded.

The Rovers tentatively released him. Cipher stood for a moment, unmoving. Then his expression changed to one of certainty. "I'll get rid of them or die trying."

A small smile curved the Lead's mouth. "That works for me."

Cipher raced from the control room. The Lead turned around to see the Rovers staring at her with fearful respect.

"Everyone to your positions," she said, coolly. "We're getting out of here."

The Rover cruiser soared over the rapidly growing city. Hazel pushed the light jet beyond its top speed as she moved up beside the cruiser. The recognizer was close on its tail and beginning to rise above it.

Below them, the foundations of Deloria City radiated blue light and gained depth. Suddenly, a tower built up in front of them, causing the cruiser to veer hard right, the reco with it. Hazel and Tron swerved left, barely missing becoming part of the building as it formed itself and grew higher.

"This isn't going to get any easier!" Tron yelled.

Hazel veered the light jet back over toward the cruiser, racing in and out of the rapidly rising bridges, towers and structures. They came up beside it just in time to see the recognizer slam into the side of the cruiser, pull away and slam into it again.

"They're trying to breach the hull," Hazel cried.

"Look out!" Tron screamed.

Two buildings rose at angles to each other, forming a giant "X" in front of them. The cruiser pulled up, the recognizer swerving toward Hazel and Tron. It clipped their wing, sending them spinning away. Hazel barely regained control in time to avoid another rising skyscraper that sheared past them, the heat of its construction washing over them like a wave.

"Tron!" she cried. "Are you still there?"

"Barely!" he called back.

Hazel pressed the light jet forward again, tearing back toward the cruiser. From her controls, she could see that the recognizer was falling back, flying erratically.

"Tron! Retri and Wulf!"

"We can't stop now!" he shouted. "They'll have to take care of themselves!"

Ahead of them was the cruiser and ahead of the cruiser was the foundation and growing structure of Blue Fleet headquarters. The huge pinnacle was rising protectively toward the Central Core, building inexorably but not as fast as everything else, dependent as it was on the rest of the city to support and power its regeneration.

"It won't rebuild in time," Hazel called. "We have to breach its hull somehow!"

"If the recognizer couldn't do it, we won't be able to. The Lead's strengthened it."

Hazel extended the Pull, sending it reaching toward the cruiser. The hungry code touched the hull, but then slid off and around it, unable to gain a hold." She closed it off, conserving her energy. "You're not kidding."

"Get us closer!" Tron commanded. "I have an idea!"

Retri's arm was seeping energy where the disk had sliced her. She had barely brought the recognizer under control. Behind her, Wulf fought with Cipher. Retri couldn't help-she had to keep piloting the recognizer through the ever-changing maze of Deloria City. If she stopped, they could be destroyed by a rising structure or, worse, entombed in a solid wall.

Wulf kicked Cipher toward the rear of the control deck, placing himself between his attacker and Retribution so she could keep them flying. He brandished his disk threateningly. Cipher had attacked them without warning from the roof, probably having leapt from the cruiser.

"You got some corrupted data in your head, Cipher? What's the matter with you?"

He didn't answer but threw his disk. Wulf deflected it. It slashed off the ceiling and returned to Cipher's hand.

"Give it up," Wulf growled. "You can't beat me."

"You're right," Cipher's eyes roved over the cabin. "But I can take us down."

He threw his disk in a wide curving arc to the right and toward the front of the reco. Barely having time to realize what Cipher had done, Wulf turned and grabbed Retri. He threw her and himself to the floor just as Cipher's disk curved fully around, blasting through the recognizer controls from the front, destroying the helm.

The recognizer began to list to the right and angle forward, dropping toward the ground far below. Wulf grabbed onto what was left of the controls as he and Retri almost slid right out off the deck. Cipher slid down toward them, kicking at Wulf's hand. With a roar, Wulf swung Retri up toward Cipher. Both her feet came up, cracking the program under the chin, snapping his head back, knocking him out. She wedged herself behind the damaged controls, catching Cipher as he slumped forward. Wulf hung on with both hands.

The recognizer swerved, now falling backwards and sending the three programs crashing against the back wall of the control cabin. Wulf and Retri righted themselves, gripping the aft railing, both holding onto the unconscious Cipher. They caught each other's eye as they sensed the ground rushing up at them.

Wulf gave her a grim nod, respect in his eyes. Retri did the same. They braced themselves.

The left side of the recognizer was suddenly gone, a giant wall in its place, rushing upward past them. Wulf and Retri stared, wide-eyed as they fell away from the building that had just regenerated and taken a chunk of their recognizer with it. Completely off-balance, the reco began to spin, the ground and the sky flashing across their vision. They were thrust suddenly to the right as the reco pinged off the side of a newly remade bridge, knocking the right leg off, leaving only the cabin. Both Retri and Wulf screamed as the cabin slashed sideways into the ground below, skimming and skipping down a high, suspended thoroughfare that was rebuilding itself just forward of their chaotic slide.

"We're going to make it!" Retri cried, shocked to be alive.

Wulf laughed as their speed began to decrease. "I can't believe…"

Ahead of them, the thoroughfare suddenly split, regenerating apart into two divergent paths. The reco cabin slid toward the "V" of their parting.

"Oh, shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-"

Wulf's voice was cut off as the cabin smashed into the thoroughfare sidewall throwing the three programs forward toward the empty air beneath the raised highway. Wulf grabbed onto the highway railing with one hand, seizing Retri's ankle with the other as she flew past him. She still had a grip on Cipher's wrist, and Wulf cried out in pain as the full weight of the two programs wrenched him. But he held on.

He gripped the railing with all his strength, his hand and arm in agony. "Retri," he hissed through gritted teeth, "can you climb up?"

Her voice was strained. "Not without letting go of Cipher."

They were both silent for a moment, their breathing the only sound. Wulf glanced down. The ground was far below. None of them would survive this fall.

Retri spoke again, softly. "He's still alive."

Wulf nodded, pressing his head against his aching arm. He knew his grip on the railing wouldn't hold out for much longer.

"I'm sorry, Retri. I can't pull us up."

"You've done more than anyone could ask, Wulf."

"I wish…" He stopped speaking. "Retri, do you hear that?"

"I…I…yes!"

The hum of a lightcycle grew louder, coming to a stop nearby. The sound was replaced by that of several running feet. Three faces looked eagerly over the railing at them.

"Tracer!" rasped Wulf. He was stunned to see his friend flanked by two Rover programs.

"Hold on!" Tracer put his hand on Wulf's sending energy into his friend. Wulf gripped the railing harder, the pain in his arm easing a little. Tracer turned to the Rover beside him. "Swash, hold onto him!" The man obeyed, reaching down with both hands and grasping Wulf's arm.

"Who in the grid are you?" Wulf grit his teeth.

The Rover held his arm tight. "A lost soul."

Tracer and the other program leapt over the side of the thoroughfare, lines harnessed around them and more in their hands. The Rover female tied a line around Cipher as Tracer did the same for Retri. Retri scrambled to the top along with the other woman, and helped her to pull Cipher up. Tracer and Swash pulled Wulf to safety.

"Thank you," Retri put her hand on the woman's shoulder. "We owe you all our lives."

"No question. Thank you." Wulf breathed heavily, flexing his weary arm. "But there's no time to talk. We've got to get to Tron and Hazel."

"The users are rebuilding HQ," Retri pointed to the great tower rising in the distance. "But I don't know if it will protect the core in time."

"Spark," said Swash, "give them the lightcycles. These programs can do more damage than we can."

"Aww…" said the young female. "But they're the coolest cycles ever." Spark begrudgingly handed her activation rod over to Retribution.

"The shadowcycles!" Retri looked at the two Rovers. "Who are you?"

"We're the redeemed of the MCP," Swash answered. "Anthro threw us to her like a couple of energy snacks. She nearly consumed us, but instead at the last moment, she let us go."

Spark nodded. "You've got to help her."

Tracer knelt and placed his hand on Ciper's forehead. "I ran into them on my way into the city after rezzing back down. They were tracing the shadowcycles' coding back to you, Retri. Without them, I'd never have found you." He focused on Cipher and sent some energy into him. "Something's been done to his mind. He's fighting it, though."

"You go." Swash said. "We'll stay with Cipher. He's one of ours and we look after our own." He held out his shadowcycle activation rod to Wulf.

"We'll be back," Wulf said, taking it. "We take care of our own, too."

Retri, Wulf and Tracer rezzed into their cycles, the shadowcycles nearly invisible on either side of Tracer's red one. They raced away, leaving the two Rovers with Cipher to wait and hope.

"I'm not sure this is such a good idea!"

Hazel had given the light jet a burst of user power and had circled around to fly directly toward the front of the cruiser.

"Keep steady," Tron said.

"This is not how I want to die!" Hazel yelled, her knuckles white on the steering control as the cruiser bore toward them. "Their hull is strengthened! We'll be squashed like a bug on the viewing windows!"

"Keep steady!"

The cruiser filled her vision, her instinct to survive screaming at her to turn away. But she didn't. She didn't even close her eyes.

The cruiser veered.

"I knew it!" cried Tron. "The Lead won't take the chance!"

Hazel didn't have to be told again. She raced the light jet upwards and after the cruiser, again placing themselves in their path. A quick glance below told her that the Blue Fleet HQ was constructing upwards quicker now. The city below them was filled with light and life. If they could just keep the cruiser away from the core long enough…

Two light jets appeared from bays on the cruiser, curving wide and then heading straight for them. Hazel was forced to flee-the pilots were on a suicide mission, attempting to smash her light jet with their own.

"No!" Tron cried as he watched the cruiser race toward the Central Core.

From his vantage point, Alan could see the battle and knew instinctively that the cruiser was going to reach its goal. Lora, Hazel, everyone was doing everything they could to stop them, but it wasn't enough.

He was one of the original creators of this system. It felt as familiar to him as his own name. He stretched out his hands, calling to his mind all his knowledge and expertise, his complete understanding of the basic elements of the Encom network, and sent his own user power out. His commands rocketed through the system at the speed of thought, striking Blue Fleet HQ.

Hazel was barely keeping control of her jet as she wove in and out of the soaring attacks of the Rover light jets. She raced up over the rising tower, the Central Core high above her when suddenly, there was a huge fluxation in the air. A massive heat wave washed over her as the tower shot up around them in a flash, destroying the pursuing light jets that hadn't seen the walls coming.

Hazel avoided crashing into the opposite wall, but pinged the left wing off the ceiling that had constructed over them. The light jet derezzed into its activation rod, Tron and Hazel sent tumbling across the huge chamber.

A massive explosion was heard, muffled, and the tower shook.

At the base of Blue Fleet HQ, Tracer, Wulf and Retri stood staring upward in shock. They had barely stopped their bikes when the half-built tower had flared with light and, almost too quickly to see, had rebuilt itself all the way to the top, surrounding the Central Core. High above, the Rover cruiser was literally sheared in two as the walls of the tower built up and sliced right through it. The bulk of the cruiser was now falling, flaming and smoking as it crashed toward the ground, Rovers falling with it, derezzing in the flames.

"MOVE!" yelled Wulf.

The three rezzed their cycles and tore out of the way as the wreckage hurtled toward where they had just been standing, crashing in a massive hulk, the shockwave blowing them back out of their cycles.

They picked themselves up. Before them, the wreckage of the cruiser was slowly derezzing along with the few Rover bodies that had actually made it to the ground.

Retri eyed the wreckage. "The front section of the command deck's not here." She looked up. "It's inside the tower. The Lead may have survived."

Wulf nodded. "And she'll be wanting to kill something."

"That could be all of us," Tracer said, grimly. "If she survived and is up there, she has access to the core."

The three shared a knowing glance. Then they activated their cycles and raced into the giant entryway of Blue Fleet HQ.