After a few minutes, Aelita regained consciousness and looked up to see Yumi, Ulrich and her mother staring at her.
"Are you alright?" Yumi asked.
"Is it really you?" Aelita asked getting back up. She then reached over and ran her fingers down her mother's face, still in disbelief.
"You're not dreaming, Aelita. Nor is this an illusion." Antea said. "I'm really here in front of you. Alive and well."
"You're really here." Aelita said with tears running down her face.
"You've gotten so big." Antea said also in tears of joy. "I'm so proud of you."
"I missed you so much." Aelita said hugging her mother and crying softly. Antea just hugged her back.
"It's okay, Dear." Antea said. "I'm here now and that's all that matters."
"So…um, Grandma." The younger Antea said. "Where have you been all these years?"
"After I was captured by Anthony Schaeffer's men, there was a change of power." The older Antea said. "A terrorist group known as the Green Phoenix seized power of Anthony's group."
"Where have I heard that name before?" Ulrich asked himself.
"During the infighting, I managed to escape from confinement and spent the remainder of my life on the lam in Paris. There, I used what I knew about the Scipio project to build my own temporary supercomputer so that I may hide whenever I may need to. Thanks to this, I was able to keep myself from aging and even observe and help you, Aelita, and your friends during your battle with XANA."
"How did you help?" Yumi asked.
"That I'll explain later." Antea said. "I must be going now."
"You're welcome to spend the night at our place." Aelita said.
"Why not?" Antea said. "It'll give me a chance to get to know my granddaughter."
"Of course!" The younger Antea said. "I would love to get to know you."
"Then it's settled." Aelita said. "We'll be going now."
"Okay, see you soon." Yumi said as the three walked out the door.
"Girls, why don't you get ready for bed while I bring your brother up." Ulrich said.
"Okay." Ami and Rumiko said as they walked upstairs. Ulrich then went over to the couch and picked Calvin up and carried him up to his room. Ulrich then placed him on his bed and made sure he was comfortable.
"Glad to have you back, Kiddo." Ulrich whispered as he turned off the light and closed the door.
The next morning, Rumiko and Ami made their way into Calvin's room and went to talk to him.
"Hey, buddy." Rumiko said. "How're you feeling?"
"Better…than yes…terday." Calvin said.
"Good to hear." Ami said. "You know, Mom and Dad missed you a lot. They felt just as bad for your disappearance as we did."
"Come on, girls." Yumi said. "Your brother's been through a lot and needs his rest. Besides, you need to get ready for school."
"Okay." Rumiko said as she and her sister left the room. Afterwards, Yumi and Ulrich came inside and greeted him.
"Hey, Calvin." Yumi said.
"Calvin, we want to apologize for what happened before." Ulrich said. "We should've known better than to suspect you."
Calvin just turned to face them.
"It…took you…that…long to figure…that…out?" Calvin asked angrily. "Just…what makes…you…think you…are forgiv…en?"
Yumi just cried when she heard this.
"There there, Yumi." Ulrich said. He then turned to Calvin. "We're not asking you to forgive us, Calvin, but we heard about what had happened. About how you were close to dying and how you were just barely saved. And if you think about it, maybe we're to blame for what happened as well."
"Oh?" Calvin said.
"You're our son, Calvin; our pride and joy." Ulrich said. "If you say you didn't burn down Antea's room, then you didn't."
"Is there any way you can forgive us?" Yumi asked.
"I…don't know." Calvin said.
"I know." Ulrich said. "To make it up to you, we'll take you out to lunch this afternoon, just the three of us. How does that sound?"
"That…sounds nice." Calvin said. "Only…what if I…get…noticed?"
"I guess you'll have to change your appearance." Ulrich said. "We saved your glasses, all you have to do is wash that tacky, black hair dye off of you."
"Thanks." Calvin said. "My vision…was get…ting worse…since…the Carnot game…anyway."
After a few hours had passed, Calvin was able to get himself up and get his clothing for the day. He then went into the bathroom and got into the shower. As he cleaned himself up, he looked at himself and examined the bandages on his hands and body. He stroked his fingers against his back and grunted in pain as the wounds stung his backside.
When he finished, he got out, dried himself off and put his clothes on. Calvin then put his glasses on and looked at himself in the mirror. He looked and saw that he had managed to get all the dye off of him. He then looked at his face and noticed the scars on him. They weren't too noticeable, but they weren't completely gone.
"Calvin, are you about ready?" Yumi shouted from downstairs.
"Just about." Calvin said as he grabbed his coat and slowly headed down the stairs. He then put his shoes on and walked out to the car with his parents.
After a short drive, they reached a small restaurant on the other side of town. They went inside and took their seats in one of the booths. In a few minutes, Calvin and his parents decided what they wanted and ordered their food.
"Calvin, you should wash your hands before your food gets here." Yumi said.
"I just…took…a shower." Calvin said.
"Yeah, but you don't know who's been sitting here last and touching the door and table."
"Alright." Calvin said as he slowly got up and made his way down and to the men's room. Calvin then went up to the sink and washed his hands. When Calvin finished and dried himself off, he turned around and was startled to see the familiar face of his adversary standing by him.
"Hello again." William Jr. said.
"What…brings you…here?" Calvin asked.
"I'm impressed by your tenacity; I didn't think you'd be able to survive being on the lam."
"It wouldn't…have happ…ened….if you….had…n't set…me up." Calvin said. "I already…know…you broke…out of jail…just a day af…ter I ran…away."
"I didn't burn down Antea's room." Wiliam Jr. said.
"Nice…try." Calvin said with a smirk. "I never…ment…ioned...Antea."
"I know about it." William Jr. said. "That doesn't necessarily mean I instigated it."
"What…are you…talk…ing about?" Calvin asked.
"You figure it out." William Jr. said with an evil grin. Calvin's eyes just widened.
"No…" Calvin said. William Jr. just nodded.
"You…lie." Calvin said. "I'll…kill you!"
"Go ahead. But first…" William Jr. said as a red spectre shot out of his hand and made its way inside Calvin. "Alright, go ahead."
Calvin then ran up and landed a punch to William Jr.'s face. Calvin then felt a blast of pain spread through his body and he fell to the ground.
"Impressive, isn't it?" William Jr. said walking to him.
"What…have you...done…to me?" Calvin asked.
"The virus in your body that's been amplifying your negative emotions and feeding off of them? I made a new strain of it." William Jr. said. "The one I just placed inside of you absorbs energy off of you and gives it to me whenever the first strain gains power. In other words, you attack me and you get weaker while I get stronger."
"How…is this…pos…sible?" Calvin said.
"The virus may not have been able to kill you, but it had already weakened you to the point where I can torture you even further." William Jr. said. "Listen to yourself, you can barely speak a full two words. This new virus will weaken you faster than the antibodies can heal you. Your end is inevitable, Calvin; I already won."
William Jr. then disappeared and Calvin got up and made his way back to the table.
"Are you alright, Calvin?" Ulrich asked.
"Yeah, I'm just fine." Calvin said.
But Calvin was far from fine. Even if he got better, he could no longer fight. William Jr. had taken advantage of all his weaknesses and instabilities and now he could benefit from them and turn them into pure strength for himself. The war was ending, but not in his favor.
He was in a race for control, and already he had lost.
Well, I managed to get two chapters done in one sitting (just like the old times). Therefore, if you're reading this chapter and it doesn't make a lot of sense, just remember there's another one before it.
Please Review.
