AN: Once again, I have the pleasure to give to you another chapter. I wasn't quite sure where I was going with this one admittedly at first. But after prayer and actively seeking out a song to fit what I felt conveyed what needed to be conveyed, I am very pleased how this turned out. As always, thank you so much for all of you who have read and continue to read and review my work; it means so very much to me. Thank you and as always, read, review, and enjoy.
Pagliacci-11
Chapter 20
It was silent in the van progressing along the black asphalt road. Thank goodness traffic wasn't that bad tonight. Inside, Johnathan Barrow lay on a small stretcher while Yolanda was watching over him, keeping constant watch over his vitals. Maria was in front driving while Enrique was alongside her. The raid on the station was a whole lot more effective than John's preferred method. They were in and out in no time at all and without a single casualty or even shred of resistance. That was good. Now the only problem was that they would be looking for John now. It was okay as they were looking for him anyhow. All of them knew; however, the best thing to do would be to get John back to base and keep him there at least until things had died down sufficiently.
"How is he?" Maria asked.
"He's stabilizing," Yolanda replied. "The medicine he took before this all went down helped him to negate a lot of the effects. But his pulse is steady and normal. I just have to keep an eye on his blood-pressure until we get back to base."
"Man, that was some powerful shit we pumped into those fuckers, huh?" Enrique asked.
"Well, what can I say," Yolanda replied, "Amy doesn't play around, she never has. Maria, keep the van steady and smooth as possible need to inject Johnny with some of the serum."
"Got it," Maria replied.
After a moment, Yolanda replied, "Good, he's stable for now." She sat on the bench nearby, and she said, "Admittedly, that gas is a lot more preferable to an all-out slaughter."
"No shit," Maria replied. "John, while he's a great strategist, he doesn't always exactly consider the covert aspect of covert-operations."
"Has he ever thought before leaping?" Yolanda asked.
"Fair point."
"Ah, you ladies are too rough on old Johnny. He's done a heck of a lot to get what we need to be done. Of course, you have your place too, Londie, I don't disregard that."
"Thank you, Ricky." Yolanda replied, "Still, the issue remains if we went through with his method, this mission would be stopped long before it got to self-sustainment."
"What happened to those people who were interrogating him? The doctor and the pink-haired chick?" Enrique asked.
"Emilio is slated to take care of them," Maria replied. "We did this as a two-prong attack we get John, Emilio gets them with Vector Squadron."
"Ah, the Frankenbabies." Enrique said with a smile, "Decimating mankind since 1952."
The ladies laughed at this a bit, and soon, John began to stir. Yolanda knelt beside him and gently raised his head so he could drink from a canteen. He got a bit of water over him as he was recovering from all that had happened.
"It's alright; it's alright," Yolanda said softly.
"Oh, fuck." John said after a bit of a gasp, "What happened?"
"You mean you don't remember anything?" Yolanda replied.
"Parts of it. I remember leaving the school grounds, and after that, nothing. Oh, my head! My fucking head!"
"What's the matter, John?" Yolanda asked.
"I'm really thirsty." He replied.
Yolanda gave him the rest of the canteen, and John drank greedily, downing the cold water.
"So, she did a full command control, huh?" Enrique asked.
"Yep. I had that coffee this morning, and it a cappuccino on roids. Amy said it would negate a lot of the adverse effects such as numbness and lightheadedness. And after I left the Kadic grounds, it was weird. I blacked out but at the same time, was awake. Imagine hearing all around you and even listening to yourself speak but not in control of anything. It's like being in a black room but feeling the full effects of what I can only call bodily auto-pilot."
"Shit, that's some freaky stuff, man," Enrique replied.
"Tell me about it, I was the one in it, and it was so strange," John replied as he drank more from the canteen.
"Are you feeling better?" Yolanda asked.
John sighed, "Bit by bit, yeah. Where are we right now?"
"We're fifteen minutes from base," Maria replied, "We're going to have you stay there for at least a couple of days until things die down."
"Great." John replied, "I'm starving. What's to eat at the base?"
"Frankie's cooking his famous rotisseries tonight." Enrique replied, "Don't worry, man you got a bird to yourself. Ha-ha, I know that ravenous wolf look in your eyes all too well."
As the team headed back to base, the Lyoko team was in Jeremy's room. They were amazed at what they had just seen during the day, and now as they were together, they were deeply reflecting on what had transpired. All of them were in a degree of small shock. The promises of North-Gate had come to fruition. However, they were still awaiting the answer to their original question, was it Anthea who arrested John Barrow or was he given up? However, not to be bogged down by this, the team was discussing what to do next.
"Personally, I think we should have a bit of celebration." Odd said, "We're out of the aspect of this whole monitoring thing, and we're going back to what we had before."
"I hear that," Ulrich replied, "It's pretty awesome that they're analyzing the system as a whole and are even thinking of gutting it from the school."
Jeremy was quiet as he listened to the two. He had his own thoughts on this aspect. Yes, the system may be gutted but, that was pending an evaluation by an oversight committee on the Kadic board. Knowing how close John and Jean-Pierre were becoming, he thought that the system might not be as easily or readily gutted as the others thought. Jeremy knew the program promised them the freedom they desired but what if that was the point, it would be just them?
Aelita, seeing that Jeremy was in the form of a mental quandary, said, "We'll see in the coming days what happens. Something tells me that this whole mess is not quite over yet. Besides, I had to think about it. Why did John Barrow show up of all days, today at Kadic? I'm thinking it feels like what you call, how do you say, a handoff?"
"So, you think that John Barrow was another small concession the same as lowering the barrier that hemmed us in?" Jeremy asked, his eyes closed.
"As one of you said, it is a small concession if one were to step three steps over a proverbial line to take one step back," Aelita replied.
Jeremy's fingers pinched the skin between his eyes, a habit of frustration, and then he spoke, "Let's test this. If this North-Gate is to be trusted, let's test her word. Let's make a plan to go somewhere, anywhere outside the perimeter and see what her rebuttal is."
"How do you propose we do this?" Ulrich asked.
"We leave in an hour when Jim is on the west end of the grounds. If what North-Gate says is correct, we should be able to walk out just like that." Jeremy replied.
"I'm sure there's a caveat somewhere in this plan." Odd replied, "How will the system be shut off for just us? How can you be sure?"
"Odd's right, Jeremy," Aelita said, "Better to wait until the system is at least shut off during the investigation to make the best use of it."
"But then would not North-Gate's word be flawed? It would mean she couldn't deliver on her own promises. She said we would have our freedom as we requested."
"Yes, but she didn't say when you'd have the freedom, Jeremy." Odd replied, "She said you'd have it, not when you'd have it. Be patient."
"Don't you see? This is another test to see if we trust her word or not. We could spend the better part of a month in the school, and all the while, never know the door's been wide open. I'm going for it. I'm going to head to Yumi's tonight and when I'm there, I'll call you."
Aelita put her hand on his shoulder, "Jeremy, please, wait. What will it take a day to get this all undone? Wait a day."
Jeremy shook his head, "I'm sorry, Aelita, but I'm going to try. Nothing ventured, nothing gained in this aspect. Besides, think about it, if I can get out you three can follow right on my heels to Yumi's and then we can go check out what changes were made to the super-computer."
Ulrich nodded, "Okay," he got up, "Call Aelita and Aelita, you message Odd and I. I have some work to do. We have the end of the year assignments to complete and just two weeks left to do them. As powerful a program as this North-Gate is, I don't think it would save me academically. Change the world, sure, maybe—but I think the program would suck at micromanaging where it counted."
Odd looked at him, "You, seriously studious? Have I hit my head, or is this reality?"
Ulrich looked at him, "Tch, look who's talking. Come on, Odd, you have to affirm or deny your stance on the French Revolution being the first communist experiment. Or did you forget your great expositional truth bomb a while ago?"
"Ah, that. I'm not too worried about it. It's an argument that is very self-explanatory. While it may have had its first breath in the American Revolution, the French Revolution is what embraced a lot of communist ideals first and foremost."
"That's great, Odd. Now you just must prove it in written format. I'll see you back at our dorm." Ulrich closed the door.
Jeremy looked surprised, "What's eating him?"
"Oh, nothing. He just hates it when I'm proven right is all." Odd replied as he relaxed, "But, it'll be interesting to see just what comes of my argument across the class."
"Why?" Aelita asked.
"Half the class doesn't care for me, and the other half is eager to prove me wrong. Many of them will support my proposition, however, because the logic within it is hard to debunk. Harder, then they would care to admit. So, despite how I know the class may very well be set against me, it's going to be interesting to see just how many turn to my side of the argument out of the sheer ease of the argument I have proposed."
"Interesting logical question you pose. Just because the proof is given in the opening question, does it mean it's easy to disprove?" Aelita said, "Very good, Odd."
"Eh, what can I say, I'm an interesting guy." Odd replied and looked at Jeremy, "Good luck on getting out of Kadic without the sirens going off. If anything, it'll be a very interesting experiment."
Jeremy nodded, and Odd soon left. As he wiped his glasses, he asked, "Aelita, you believe this can happen, don't you?"
"Like it or not, as I said, you would be better to wait. During the systematic investigation that is surely going to happen in the wake of what just happened today, I'd say you'd have a far greater chance given time when the system is inevitably shut down. While Delmas does like John Barrow, he doesn't like him enough to put the safety of us students at risk. It just isn't his nature."
Jeremy sighed, looked at the ceiling a moment, and then said, "I'm still going to give it a shot. If I'm caught, I'll use the rationale that you just instated. I know they won't come down hard on me especially with what's going on. There's just too big a fish to fry at present. I'll go as I said in an hour and see what happens. But hopefully, it shouldn't be too bad."
Aelita nodded, "Alright. And if it does work out for you, you will call me, and I'll alert Ulrich and Odd."
"Correct."
"Good. If it works, that'll be something. And when we're out, I can catch up with Yumi on a few things. Alright, you can go in an hour and I'll even help you by checking in on where Jim is. But I do believe there's a catch. You might want to wear your bracelet to follow through with your theory. Something tells me that you can't just get up and walk out of here; it sounds too simple. Use the bracelet just as a backup and see if you notice any differences if you can cross over."
"Great. Will do." Jeremy replied and opened the bottom drawers underneath his bed and took out a pair of sweatpants and a black T-Shirt and laid them out on his bed next to Aelita.
Aelita got up, "I'll see you in an hour then. I'll call ahead to Yumi to make sure she's ready to receive you should you get out."
"Alrighty then. See you in an hour."
After an hour had passed, Jeremy was ready for his test. He had sneaked out of his room as luck would have it what appeared to be while one of the guards was on a break to the restroom. He moved quickly as Aelita had sent him the text that Jim was still on the west side of the campus. Jeremy moved as silently but also as quickly as he could. Making it down to the first floor via the stairwell, Jeremy looked around. One guard was on duty at this side of the hall, but he hadn't detected Jeremy yet. Jeremy moved swiftly and silently, gently pressing in a heel-toe format on the ground so as to make minimal noise. As he made it towards his destination, he saw there were three guards, one for each major element of the hallway.
Rats, he thought as he was hoping he could time this before shift change. But he remembered when the guard had radioed for a replacement when he went to the track a while ago. He just waited until his replacement arrived. He saw the camera on the far wall turn in his direction. As he hid behind the corner of the wall, he thought how best to get out of this. Then he heard a garbled speech on the guards' walkie-talkies, and he turned back and saw all three of them depart and head up the stairwell.
Jeremy felt his phone gently hum, he saw a text from Ulrich, "You're good. Move, Einstein."
Jeremy moved silently and as swiftly as he could. He looked down the hallway and saw no guard at the wall. He moved towards the infirmary and saw it was slightly ajar. He peeked in and didn't find Yolanda there at present and so moved quickly through the infirmary towards a window and he opened it. Using his lithe frame, he was more than able to get out. He was now in the courtyard. Now, all that was left was to get over the wall. Checking his bracelet, Jeremy saw it was in a dim glow of yellow just over his wrist. Jeremy thought that it was too late to turn back now; he was just a hurdle from testing his theory. However, what if the theory was for naught? What if he should have trusted Aelita? Should he just swallow his pride and head back in, or does he dare brave it?
At that moment, he heard footfall approaching so he hid in a nearby bush. Jeremy waited a time that seemed an age as he saw a powerful beam of light pass in front of him, followed by heavy footfall. As he peered out of the bush, he saw Jim patrolling the ground. Just at that moment, Jim stopped in front of Jeremy's bush and scanned along the passage of ground with his flashlight.
All the while, Jeremy thought, "Move, Jim. Fucking move." At that moment, he felt the warming sensation in his leg, "No, oh no." he thought as he felt the powerful feeling of a cramp coming on and rapidly taking control. Jeremy gritted his teeth as the pain was soon becoming unmanageable. Jeremy looked through pained and angered eyes at Jim who steadily as if taunting him stood there, patiently shining the flashlight as if to be double sure of what he saw. The pain was now drastically escalating to where Jeremy's tongue involuntarily went out as Jeremy did his best to control his breathing through his mouth, so intense was the pain.
Jim still wasn't moving, "Come on, fucking move, please!" Jeremy screamed internally as he shifted his leg. It was a move he instantly regretted as the cramp seemed to radiate out even more. Jeremy couldn't take much more of this at all. The pain radiated, pulsing as if his heart were having an attack in his leg. To make matters worse, Jim apparently had noticed something; perhaps it was his leg's shift, for now, the light was beginning to shine right at him. Jeremy thought quick and took off his glasses being sure to not make a sound as best he could. the pain pulsed and throbbed as his sight now blurry as all could be, was blinded by the light with the shade of the bush barely helping him. Jeremy knew better than to move; he felt the intensity of the beam of light burning through him.
Suddenly a blood-curdling shriek came from what sounded like the girl's dorm and the light instantly moved and Jim headed off in that direction. Jeremy was able to refocus just at that second as best he could. he put his glasses back on. He was confused but due to light more than dazed. His phone vibrated and it was Ulrich.
"Run, Einstein, Run! Get the fuck out of here!"
Jeremy leaped the wall and bolted for Yumi's house. It wasn't that far, but the aspect of the sirens that had just begun to sound from within the academy gave wings to his feet. He ran faster than he had ever run before. Jeremy avoided the main roads as best he could, he cut through yards, over more fences, and was making a diagonal line right for Yumi's house. The dogs of some of the neighbors were barking like crazy due to this new nightly disturbance and as they barked ferociously, it only served to spur Jeremy onward.
"If only I can make it to Yumi before I break down, I can't stand this much longer." Jeremy thought as his heart beat faster and faster.
Soon, Jeremy came in sight of the Ishiyama house, and he leaned all his effort into it and kept moving. As soon as he reached Yumi's yard, Jeremy collapsed next to the wall trellis. He gasped, barely able to contain himself and he saw Yumi's bedroom light on. Not wanting to make too big a noise, he backed up and climbed a nearby tree. Seeing she was alone, he took a pebble from the street and threw it. Yumi came out and saw Jeremy and motioned for him to go around to the back and wait a second. In time, Yumi came down to the back door and she let him in.
"You're going to have to be quiet." Yumi whispered, "My mom's out, but dad's still here but he's asleep in his chair. Be very quiet. Hiroki is in his room and he's asleep."
She sniffed the air, "Did you step in dog shit or something you wreak!"
Jeremy sighed, "It wouldn't surprise me. I cut through god knows how many yards just to get here unseen."
Yumi nodded and left coming back with a trash bag, "Take them off and gently put them into the bag. You'll have to come in, in just your socks. I'll loan you a pair of Ulrich's shoes that he left here."
Jeremy nodded, and once his shoes were in the trash bin, he went inside. After Yumi had eased the door opened, Jeremy gently made his way up the stairs into Yumi's room.
"What's going on," Yumi asked in a low voice, "Aelita said you were coming, but you look all out of breath."
"Yumi," Jeremy replied, "there is an AI that put up the system at Kadic and your school, it's a sister program to XANA, and it's been testing us for the week or so."
Yumi put her hand on his shoulder, "Calm down, take a breath, and tell me everything."
Jeremy began all that had happened, and as he in time wrapped up to testing the AI's word, Yumi nodded.
"So that's what's going on," She said.
"Yes. I wanted to see if this program was truly a keeper of its word, and it seemingly was, but as soon as I had crossed the street from Kadic, the sirens and alarms went off. But as I said, I heard a scream just beforehand coming from the girl's dorm, so I don't know what happened."
Yumi nodded, "In all fairness, I think I would have stayed at Kadic. Doubtless, by now, they've done a bed-check and you very likely would have turned up missing. That's what they're doing where I'm going to those who aren't close enough to home. There's a routine bed-check prompt at nine o'clock every night."
Jeremy nodded, and he texted Ulrich, "Is everything alright?"
There was a brief wait before the response came through, "Einstein, we're dealing with fucking Wolverines all over campus. One of the guards busted Sissi and me, and I threw a desk lamp of hers at the woman and it broke shredding the woman's face and I swear, the woman's face reformed right before our eyes. Where are you?"
Jeremy replied, "At Yumi's, I'll be back in thirty minutes."
"Jeremy, I'm sorry, fuck that. Get back here ASAP. Since the alarm was raised, a bed check will happen in ten minutes."
Jeremy closed his phone, "I'm sorry Yumi, I really got to go. You were right, and there's going to be a bed-check in ten minutes. I have to get out of here."
Yumi nodded, and she gave him a pair of Ulrich's sneakers. They were a size too large but they'd have to do. Yumi opened her window and Jeremy went down the trellis. He then took off for the more direct route to Kadic. This running shit was really getting old is what Jeremy thought as he made his way as fast as he could to Kadic. He had set a timer on his phone and it was counting down. Jeremy went along the sidewalks because he didn't care if he was seen at this point. The pace he had had to move at was insane. But as he ran, Jeremy was kicking himself as he couldn't tell if the alarm was sparked because of Sissi or his own breach of the wall. Either way, he was more or less back to where he was before.
He saw the lights of Kadic now large and fully lit. It would be hard as fuck to get in now. As he approached his phone vibrated, it was Aelita.
"See you. Stick to the East Wall and in through the window as a few nights ago. Ulrich is inside ready to cover you."
Jeremy nodded and nearly out of breath, he headed up the fire-escape. He came to the boy's shower room and saw the window was open. He looked in and saw Ulrich in a bathrobe with a robe for Jeremy motioning for him to hurry up. Jeremy hustled through the window and dropped into the shower room and collapsed against the wall.
Ulrich went to him, "Sorry for the rush, but I wanted to get you back before getting busted."
Jeremy waved his hand, "It's alright, fuck it's a hell of a run." He said in-between breaths.
"Hey, are those my sneakers?" Ulrich asked.
"Long story. So what did you say about Wolverine?"
Ulrich helped him to his feet, "The screws busted me and Sissi fucking, and I threw a lamp at the one who busted in and it shattered all over her face, we're talking shards out the ass in her face. But before our eyes, her face healed like no body's business and then she closed the door and went back to her post as if nothing had happened. Sissi screamed because of what she saw and well, the rest is history."
Jeremy's eyes went wide, "You're kidding me, they have healing factors?" He paused, "How?"
"No clue. Just that they have them. Come on, let's get you back to your room."
Jeremy and Ulrich got to Jeremy's room, and when Jeremy was inside, he said, "Thanks. Thanks for getting me back in."
Ulrich shrugged, "Hey, what are friends for, right?"
Jeremy smiled, "Yeah. Goodnight, Ulrich."
Ulrich headed down back to his room, and Jeremy closed the door.
As he lay on his bed, he took off his glasses and rested, "Oh, what a night." He said to himself as he lay in bed. He turned on the playlist on his bracelet and put it on low. Gently the song began to play. As he slept, he was back in the starlit mountain valley. The girl was before him, the avatar of North-Gate.
Jeremy didn't realize she'd appear so soon, but he approached her and he asked, "Look, I don't have time for this. Do I have freedom or not?"
She looked at him, her face calm and tranquil, "Freedom of what, Jeremy?"
"Do I have the freedom to leave?"
"Of course, you do. That was demonstrated when you went to Yumi's tonight, was it not?"
"But all the alarms and lights went on. Explain that, if you can."
"The girl screamed like bloody murder. Something had to be done. A girl screaming in the night and nothing done, that sounds like the height of negligence, no? Besides, you benefitted, did you not? Jim moved on, and you got out. It's a win-win situation. The only sacrifice you made was a nice pair of sneakers."
"So, the barrier is, in fact, down? There was no laser to trip me up or anything?"
The girl chuckled, "Lasers, such a fascinating mind you have. No, Jeremy, there were no lasers. Just a scream that alerted the campus. But you're here now, you're soon be rested, and you will not be in trouble. The barrier is down. I have kept my word as I promised you. Now, rest. You have a big class tomorrow, and you have an assignment to catch up on. So long have you been pursuing me, you're forgetting your reasons for being at Kadic. Sleep now, Jeremy. It will be needed."
The girl snapped her fingers, and the mountains vanished as did the stars. It melted away into a beautiful all-encompassing horizon of a glorious sunrise on a piece of beach. The air was fresh and so wonderfully sweet it was indescribable. As if the very molecules were bathed and saturated in the scent of the ocean, the sand, and fragrant fruit trees. It reminded Jeremy of a wonderful time with his family as a child. Jeremy let himself fall back onto the sand and the gentle roar of the surf soothe him. As he listened to the surf, a melancholic tune came hauntingly over the air. Jeremy turned his head to behold the girl, the specter of North-Gate sitting at a piano just out of arm's reach as she sang a song.
Look at me and tell me who I am,
Why I am, what I am.
Call me a fool, and it's true I am,
I don't know who I am.
It's such a shame,
I'm such a sham.
No one knows who I am.
Once there were sweet possibilities,
I could see, just for me.
Now all my dreams are just memories,
Fated never to be.
Time's not a friend, hurrying by.
I wonder who am I?
Am I the face of the future?
Am I the face of the past?
Am I the one who must finish last?
Look at me and tell me who I am,
Why I am, what I am.
Will I survive?
Who will give a damn,
If no one knows who I am?
Nobody knows,
Not even you,
No one knows who I am.
The rich melody of the girl soothed Jeremy and almost seemed to caress him as if he were enveloped in a hot cotton towel after a refreshing shower. He fell in love; it was the only way he could describe it. In love with the beautiful voice which serenaded him, the gift of the piano's music was all the more wonderful due to how the keys lightly danced within the melody, so sweet and so tragic. Finally, as the last note sounded, Jeremy fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, Jeremy was awoken to rapid knocking on the door. Groggy, he took off his headphones, stretched, and yawned, before opening. It was Ulrich, Odd, and Aelita.
"Hey, Einstein," Odd replied, "How'd the venture o'er the wall go?" he said with a smile.
"You should know provided Ulrich told you." He replied
"How would he know? He went to sleep before I got back from the shower last night. By the way, Ulrich, I don't know what it is, but you're beginning to snore something fierce."
"What are you talking about? There was a scream from the dorms, and that's what allowed me to get over the wall. Ulrich then helped me get back in." Jeremy said as he sat in his desk chair.
"Jeremy," Ulrich replied, "What are you talking about? I never helped you into Kadic. I studied and wrote my report last night until seven-thirty then went to bed. I haven't been up since they did the bed check, and that was a short time after the security alarm sounded. "
Jeremy shook his head, "Very funny, you guys. I have texts from you and Aelita, both to help me get back into the building. Now, come on, you are seriously telling me you didn't do that? Ulrich, are you telling me that you didn't help me in through the shower-room to get back into my dorm? Honestly now. I wasn't born yesterday you guys, nor do I have amnesia."
Aelita was silent for a moment, "Jeremy, I went to bed after Yumi texted me you arrived."
Jeremy sighed, "Okay, let's settle this. Pull out your phones and let me see you out boxes."
Aelita and Ulrich gave him their phones, and Jeremy looked at them. Pulling up his own phone, he read his inbox and what he saw made his blood run cold.
"Guys, look at this." The group gathered around him.
On Ulrich's phone, the last outgoing text was a text to Yumi at six-thirty a full hour and a half before he had received any text from Ulrich. Aelita's last text was to Yumi at eight-fifteen. However, when Jeremy checked his text from Ulrich getting him clearance from the guards at exactly five-past eight and there was a consistent communication from Ulrich's number and even his phone's ID between him and Jeremy. Aelita's text to Jeremy was time-stamped at half-past eight.
"What does this mean?" Aelita asked.
Jeremy replied, "I don't know. I just—don't know."
At that moment, the girl's song came back to him, "Nobody knows—not even you. No one knows who I am."
AN: The song Nobody Knows Who I Am is taken from the musical Jekyll and Hyde Resurrection, as performed by Kate Shindle. I own nothing of the song and am simply using it for thematic purposes.