14/02/2009 08:50:00

(Kyle's Inner Monologue) "As I realized that I was in Amanda's mind there was relief that one danger had past. As long as I was in Amanda's mind I had enough control to keep her unconscious. However as quickly as one danger had passed another had come to take its place." (End of Monologue)

That voice he had heard it before, it was a sound he had come to despise. As Kyle was turning the voice continued. "You know ya had me worried there for a bit, thought possibly you weren't going to make it this time", the voice said calmly relaxed like this was no unordinary event taking place.

Kyle looked at his surroundings, he was in an almost completely empty black space. There would of have been only him and Cassidy there but there was a large barrier behind him. The wall looked like it expanded forever in all directions, like it was there to keep him from something. If the situation weren't bad enough the wall looked to be some sort of metal with a blue stone in the middle, and the lines around the stone came together to form the Latnock symbol.

Kyle finally saw the face of the man, the person who was responsible for everything he had been through recently. "Cassidy?" Kyle was not surprised to see him standing there but his voice was more to indicate a how. Cassidy just continued to look at Kyle, his mannerisms unchanging "Well yes and no" Cassidy said amused at the conversation.

"While I may look like Michael Cassidy, handsome bloke if I do so say myself, I am not him. I am more of what you would call a representation, put here to meet with you" his voice still coolly explaining.

"What do you mean, how and why is this even possible?" Kyle wanted answers, he needed to know exactly what was going on. If Kyle was going to fix anything he needed to know what Latnock had done.

A smile slowly spread across Cassidy's face "You know Kyle that is what I like about you, you're a man of action but every move is calculated. The how is the easy part my friend. I am merely a software program, a highly advanced program, loaded into a computer. Put here to wait for you to show up, to greet you" With those words Cassidy was casually walked up and extended his hand to shake Kyle's. Kyle pushed Cassidy's hand away, he was not in the mood for either Cassidys games. "Fine be that way" Cassidy said slightly offended.

Kyle continued on, "So if you are a program placed in Amanda's brain are you the one controlling her?" Kyle had to know what was actually taking place. Another one Cassidy's smiles shown across his face, "You really are quite extraordinary Kyle. Very observant and able to put the pieces together quickly, but you grant me too much credit. No I am merely an extra program, merely here to watch the show" Cassidy voice was cold like this was nothing.

"So if you are not in control of Amanda what did you do to her?" some desperation had begun to show through Kyle's facial expression.

Cassidy just looked at Kyle amused, "Now what would be fun in that. I can't make this too easy for you" there was no sound of remorse to be found in his tone. As these words hit Kyle he had of enough of this inaction, realizing that nothing Cassidy was going to tell him was going to help. Cassidy saw the look in Kyle's face change and his body retracting before Kyle even moved, "I wouldn't do that if I were you, you'll kill her" Cassidy said knowing what Kyle was planning, no sympathy in his voice.

Cassidy got the reaction he wanted out of Kyle, there was apprehension and confusion all over Kyle.

"You asked why we changed your girlfriend earlier, the reason is right on your face", Cassidy could see Kyle hanging on his every word. "The night we kidnapped Amanda after your prom we got so good of results out of you we realized something. That trial you were so perfect in the way you handled the challenge, literally nothing was going to stop you that night. We had expected you to rise to the occasion but we never expected anything like you showed us. All our calculations and theories couldn't explain how you did all those things that night. Then Latnock realized something about you" Cassidy paused admiring his handiwork and watching the wonder and horror show on Kyle's face. "We realized it was not the situation that drove you to new heights, but it was the stimuli that had the affect on you. Yes we understood perfectly, emotion is what causes you to act and Amanda is the best way to cause it."

Kyle stomach lurched at Cassidy's explanation. A question loomed in his mind would Amanda always be in constant peril if he was around. Kyle knew this limited version of Cassidy probably wouldn't have that answer. Cassidy had explained why they used Amanda but he didn't explain why this way.

"Cassidy if Latnock already tested me by putting Amanda in danger and I did so well why test me again? What would you possibly gain to know?" Kyle knew the answer already but wanted to hear it in Cassidy's own words.

Cassidy shook his head, was Kyle simply not getting it? "Kyle you know the answer to that, Latnock are scientists. Latnock had to test their hypothesis and theories about you. They had learned physically you were more than ready to handle anything but they needed to test you mentally, your fortitude. We needed to see how you reacted to stress and how well you can handle it. Our surveillance showed us how panicked you became when you met with that psychic. Those few words she uttered about Amanda being in danger caused you to lose yourself and make uncalculated rash decisions. You showed us your Achilles' heel that night… Amanda."

Kyle thought to himself, but he was starting to get impatient with the conversation "How do you know about the psychic?" Kyle's voice was hot and angry. He had been so upset over that day, now he wondered if they were behind that too.

Cassidy one again smugly smiled, "Kyle we are always watching you. But were getting off point. This whole ordeal has shown us just how weak you get when your loved ones are in danger, most of all Amanda. We have watched you grow weak, doubting your own abilities, and becoming unable to cope with the situation. That is why you are in no condition to take me out" Cassidy's voice clear and distinct.

"Your wrong" Kyle said forcefully and with conviction "I am more in control of my abilities than I have ever been."

Cassidy didn't even twitch at Kyle's statement, "Granted you look stronger and you have increased your mental abilities but you emotions are still out of tune. Of course you may try to call my bluff and come at me anyways. I am supposed to warn you though if you terminate my program I will trigger a self-destruct mode and I will take what is left of Amanda with me. Your choice though Kyle" Cassidy turned around to lean against the Latnock firewall.

Kyle had heard enough, he knew what he needed to know. This mere program was not going to intimidate him. This Cassidy was right he had more self-doubt in the last week than in the rest of his life, but not anymore!

As Cassidy neared the wall Kyle grabbed him, turned him around swiftly, and with one arm pinned him against the wall. Kyle was not going to roll over and die, not anymore.

Cassidy didn't even move or speak.

(Kyle's Inner Monologue) "My mind and body acted instinctively as if knowing exactly what to do, the training I had endured allowed my abilities to progress way beyond than what I need to complete this task. With my hand pushing against Cassidy's forehead I encountered a language I had always understood. This representation of Cassidy was merely computer data written in strands of code. Through the touch of my hand I could suddenly read it all, knowing exactly what it meant and the information it held. The program was not bluffing about self-destructing but just as easily as my mind could read it I could also rewrite the code. My mind took over and effortlessly rearranged the code to terminate the fake Cassidy without causing any harm to Amanda." (End of Monologue)

The figure of Cassidy faded away and Kyle looked up at the Latnok firewall that was in front of him. The data he absorbed from Cassidy told him that this wall was their way to keep him out of the rest of Amanda's mind. On his own he would not have been able to get past it but with the information from the Cassidy program told him how. Kyle did find it strange that he absorbed information about how to get past the wall but it contained no information about what was behind it, as if disarming Cassidy was just another part of the test.

Kyle had no time to question Latnock's motives he had to move on. Kyle moved to the part of the wall where the stone was embedded and placed both hands on it. Once again he could easily read the data behind it but he could not rearrange, to get past this barrier he would of have to decipher the highly advanced encryption. Kyle inputted the data he had obtained and the stone vanished followed by the rest of the wall, if not been for the information held in Cassidy's program it would've even taken him 15 years to get past it.

Kyle looked forward at the now completely empty space and walked forward ready to face what lie ahead.