AN: Thank you all for your continued support of my chapters. This chapter took a bit longer due to me returning to classes this week. Thank you for your time and patience, and as always, read, review, and enjoy. -Pagliacci-11

Chapter 21

"This is very disconcerting," Aelita said.

"You've said it." Odd replied, "The fact that this program can hack our cellular phones is one thing, but to do that and impersonate us, it's really crossing the line."

Jeremy sighed as he looked at his inbox for his text messages, "She's up to something. I don't know what it is, but it feels like she's trying to test us again, but why?"

Ulrich, who had been silent, replied, "Honestly? I don't think this is a test. Trust goes both ways, Jeremy. This North-Gate said she gave you freedom and yet what does she do? She gives you enough leash it seems then has you high tail it back here to make it back before bed check. Something just isn't right here. My advice is to stay off the bracelet and stop talking to this program. See what happens during the day. As cautious and objective as you want to sound, this machine knows it has you by the balls, and that's what's looking to be more and more the truth. Stop playing into her hand, go about the day as you normally would and see what happens."

Jeremy nodded, "Alright. We'll do that and see just what happens."

Aelita then went to Jeremy's computer and began to type. She took Jeremy's phone and said, "I'm going to do a correlation where the signal came from mimicking our numbers. I'd hate to say what's on my mind, but if I'm right, it's going to be evidence as to what we're thinking, she's stringing us along."

"What are your thoughts, Aelita?" Odd asked.

"I'll tell you after the triangulation is complete." Aelita said as she got up, "Come on, we have Chem. II, Jeremy. We can't be late; it's finals week."

Jeremy groaned, "With so much going on, I honestly forgot!"

Aelita walked with him out the door, "Don't worry. While you're chasing our computerized puppet-master, I've been taking notes over the last quarter of the semester. You know how Ms. Hertz is, everything in the last quarter is her bread and butter."

Odd and Ulrich were left in the room. They looked at each other and Odd said, "This program is imitating us on more than just a basic level. Why?"

Ulrich looked at the computer as it ran its search, "Who knows. All I know is that its using techniques we ourselves have used."

"What do you mean?" Odd asked

"Come on, let's walk and talk on the way to breakfast," Ulrich replied.

"What I mean is that do you remember when Jeremy made a dummy voice protocol from the super-computer to get us out of certain jams?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"This program is using the same method but through phones and considering all the work that Jeremy put into the super-computer as we fought XANA, I would not at all put it beyond this machine to emulate a lot of the programs that Jeremy utilized."

Odd nodded, "Alright then, so how do we stop it?"

"That's not my department. All I know is that it will require all of us to shut this thing down."

As the group went to breakfast, they got their trays and sat down. It was a good meal this morning, waffles, fruit, strawberry yogurt, and a granola bar. As they ate, Jeremy couldn't help but think of what was going on. John Barrow was arrested for espionage he found out in addition to the events of last night. No one seemed to mention a scream, a scream that he undoubtedly heard and knew Jim ran off to check. But was Jeremy overthinking it? Possibly. He knew only that he was hungry, and right now, the food on his plate seemed a godsend to him.

Meanwhile, in Jean-Pierre's office, four men had gathered and had spoken to Jean-Pierre about the system that John Barrow had installed. They explained that it was an experimental energy program that doubtless Delmas already know about due to how he had specialized charts to clock the use of the program. However, the agents were able to explain that Johnathan had stolen this program from them about ten years prior and had illegally installed it. The system therefore both the security and energy component were to be stripped from the school and the school returned to what it once was.

Jean-Pierre was understandably quite livid. He defended John's initiatives to the board, and it had worked marvels as the reports clearly showed. However, it agonized him to learn that the espionage of which John stood accused was compromising government secrets. Jean-Pierre, above all, felt defeated. He knew the good that the program held, and it deeply filled him with sorrow that they would undo a project was so clearly benefitting the school. He had tried to reason with the men before him, but they insisted on dismantling the entire project.

Despite his passion for the results of the project, Jean-Pierre also knew that to announce the removal of the system would be catastrophic on the security staff due to the children throwing a celebration. However, to minimize this undesired effect, he made an announcement on the P.A. that all teachers were to gather in the lounge during lunch. Once he had done this, the agents summoned in their own technicians to gut the entire oversight room nearby and to remove all integral components to the security and the passive-energy protocols. However, to ease the transition for the faculty at large, Jean-Pierre arranged for a field trip to the local museum for the students so that the mechanics and engineers could remove the components without hindrance from the classrooms, gymnasium, and field bleachers.

As Jean-Pierre made these arrangements, one of the junior agents was looking over all that had been installed that was being recollected by the team on sight. He was amazed by the degree to which this operation had gone unchecked. He looked at the dossier of things taken out of Jean-Pierre's office alone and concluded that the layout to wire up a mere junior high school in this fashion had to have taken at least several months of careful planning before implementation. He was not wrong in this regard, eight years it had taken to perfect the systems and instruments to calibrate them to such exact detail. With the monitors and the last of the servers being taken out of Jean-Pierre's office and put into the back of a nondescript truck, the central-nervous center of the Kadic oversight system had been successfully gutted.

As Jean-Pierre and Jim watched the truck leave out the main gate, Jim asked, "Jean-Pierre, no disrespect, what are we to do now?"

"Have the students carry on in their checking in and out of places as is usual. When the field trip comes into play, we'll have them moved out and when we come back, we will announce the system's liquidation."

"Very good, Sir," Jim replied.

"I just regret that it had to come to this. It was a system that worked more than sufficient enough."

"With all due respect, this system by the sound of it was an illegally obtained program. The state is well within its rights to reclaim what is theirs, to begin with." Jim replied.

Jean-Pierre sighed, "Yes, you're right. I just can't believe I couldn't see this connection earlier. Something told me so much of this was too simply attained. But I was just overjoyed that there seemed a sensible and safe solution to protect the children in the wake of the attack."

"You're not to be blamed, Sir, not entirely. Many of us were swayed by Barrow and his talking and his wherewithal—myself included."

Jean-Pierre nodded, "It's just the system worked so well and was so thorough that I didn't genuinely want what the agents said to be true. But it doesn't change the facts that it was what it was."

"In fairness, the system was not without its flaws. As it was told to me when you appointed me as second in command, someone compromised the security through knowing your passwords to access key features to make blind spots in the system. So perhaps we can find a bit of solace in that the systems were not as perfect as we thought, the same with our judgment."

Jean-Pierre nodded, "So—I guess it's back to what we had. Although what I will do is, I'll open a few positions for on-campus security personnel. I know that we are largely understaffed. Despite what Barrow did and what transpired, his heart was in the right place. So, what we'll do is remedy our blind spots with a few more observant eyes."

Across town, Johnathan, Emilio, Enrique, Hendricka, and Frankie were gathered in the central hub. They had observed the dismantling of the first prong of the Kadic project. As they may have seen it as a loss, Amy saw it as simply another step in the procedure of what needed to happen.

"Don't worry," she said, "this is a dismantling, true; however, we must not lose sight of our main goal. We have found Icarus as well as suitable warriors to serve our purposes. Now, with what Kaori is fixing to I implement across the state at large, we will have another leg of our operations."

"I advise you to be cautious," Hendricka replied, "continue to string along the children as you do, and what good faith North-Gate has built with them will vanish like breath on a mirror."

"I concur." John reciprocated, "A child's trust is much akin to a beast's in that you can fool it twice, but a third time and that trust is immediately broken. Careful where you tread, Amy. North-Gate's entire success hinges on all factors and components working in accordance. If you compromise what she sees as progress, don't be deceived, she'll liquidate you like countless others. You are trusted as her hand, but do not think you are indispensable."

Amy replied after a moment, "I would advise you do the same, John. You have taken some calculated risks that not many would agree with, and I doubt North-Gate herself would agree so when it comes to watching ourselves, it goes both ways."

John was silent a moment and nodded, "Very well. So, what is the next junction of this plan? We have, according to you, met what we needed to meet. Now, what is left?"

Hendricka replied, "We have the country-wide implementation of the public transit system. We have set up the monorail as well as taxi-cab services and converted those taxi's engines into green-energy aspects to cut down on crude consumption."

"Alright, then what is in the works after the transit system," Enrique asked, "We're doing great, but what is the next step?"

Emilio looked at the dossier in his hand, "After that, pocket legislation to legalize across-the-board gold-standard entertainment. So long as we ensure the state and the corporate realms get their cut, as is tradition, it should be fine. It's the same aspect we pulled in Blackwater City a while back and Maria's out ensuring those same negotiations are met here."

"Okay, sounds good." Enrique replied, "And France already has the maternity leave aspect figured out, so what does that leave us?"

"We have compulsory organ-harvesting as next on the dossier after the gold-standard element is passed." Emilio said, "Again, likely to be helped by the pocket vote and the under the table element as we have used in other countries."

"I propose something different," Enrique replied, "What about the Valentine Contingency? It's been a while since we put that into effect. It seems a far sight better than gambling on the organs of others here to give back to those at large."

John nodded, "Good idea, we have the materials we have the science to back up what we need to do. Alright, let's do it. All in favor?"

All present raised their hands, and John said, "Motion passed." He pulled up a holographic display and replaced the compulsory organ harvesting with the Valentine Contingency.

At that moment, John's implant pinged and he said, "Excuse me, I'll be back."

As John went into another room, he alternated ports on his implant to answer his call and soon, the room before him turned into a projection of an undersea floor. He sat on a chair that had the hologram of seaweed over it and he waited. Soon he heard her voice. Turning his head, he saw North-Gate's avatar come forward.

"You called me, "he said to her, "Is something wrong?"

She sat cross-legged before him, "I'm aware of what Amy has done to our past projects, and I've been keeping tally. Had it not been for her success in prior projects, she would have not been considered for the position of my secondary commander. That said, under falsely using my name, she's compromising the trust we have accrued with the children at Kadic. I can't stand for that and I won't. As of this coming week, you are my second and you will be my functioning chief military officer."

"What of Amy? Don't be too harsh on her, please."

"I won't. She'll be disciplined accordingly. But she has lost her privilege into my inner circle. We have lost the Kadic energy Initiative, and while it is a small loss, it will be remedied over time. Tonight, I'm sending Maria, a detachment of our Scavengers and you to reacquire our lost articles. I have traced the trucks and drivers. I know where our equipment is held. You will reacquire them, and upon returning to me, I will make your promotion official. Who would you like to take your place?"

"I would like to propose that Enrique receive my position. He's got a very level head, and he's more peaceful than the others. Yolonda will be moved up in his stead."

"Very good, I'll consider it. Now, unplug and report to the armory. We have work to do. Maria is en-route. As for me, I have some relations to mend due to our former friend's ineptitude. "

The girl stood and walked into the water and disappeared, and John unplugged. The room returned to normal, and John proceeded to go to the armory and suit up for what was needed. He patched into his communication with North-Gate.

"Before I proceed to my mission, do you wish for silence or noise?"

"Silence is definitely preferred in this case. I have an attack chopper on standby, and you will load up, and when over the zone, you will jump and proceed to move under cover of night and get out. Eliminate only as a last resort."

John nodded, "Thank you. I'll depart at nine tonight."

"Terry," the voice spoke.

"Yes?"

"I know you'll be alright, but be careful and don't take any chances."

"There's always a risk in what we do together, but you have my word, I'll return home to you in one piece." John ended the transmission and carefully prepared his arsenal.

Back at Kadic, the students were gathering on their busses for a trip to the museum. The students were not accustomed to such treatment from Delmas, and so naturally, it made the student body more suspicious than usual. As Jeremy, Aelita, Odd, and Ulrich sat together around the back of the bus.

"A bit strange, don't you think?" Jeremy asked as he buckled in, "A museum trip those close to school's letting out for summer? Something doesn't feel right."

Odd relaxed reclining as the seat would allow, "It's not too much of a mystery. It's obvious what's happening. There's this field trip to serve as a distraction while something goes on here at the campus. I wouldn't be too alarmed. It can only mean one of two things, A: They are dismantling the system, which is honestly the most likely thing, or B: they are revising the school's operations somehow. Either way, with what happened with Barrow, I don't see them using his system much longer. Especially given grounds he was charged with espionage against the country."

"Odd's right," Ulrich said, "They're not going to use a traitor's designs for the school no matter how efficient they are. Delmas isn't that fervent about the thing."

Aelita looked to her left at Jeremy, "Don't worry, Jeremy. Things have taken a natural progression. Just relax. I know you've been on edge lately, but you need to rest for a moment. North-Gate is something we all are watching, and what's more, you worry too much. The exhibition at the museum is a nice one; at least, it's going into one of your favorite scientists, Nikola Tesla."

Jeremy sighed, "You're right. You guys go on ahead and wake me up when we get there; it takes a bit of time to get to the museum anyway. I'm going to use this time to catch up on some sleep."

"Good idea, Einstein," Odd said with a yawn, "Ms. Myers class really nearly put me into my coffin today. Shuteye about now seems great."

Both Odd and Jeremy settled into sleep for the small duration of the ride there, at this rate, for Jeremy at least, a pinch of extra sleep couldn't hurt. As Jeremy slept with the vibrations of the bus rocking him to sleep, he dreamed he was now on an expedition the heat of the Sahara around Giza but despite the blazing sun, he didn't feel hot, he felt comfortable. He looked around him on the truck which he was riding in and saw a young man as well as the girl, the phantom from North-Gate.

"Why can't you leave me alone?" Jeremy asked, "Why can't you just leave me alone?!"

"Please, Jeremy, understand. It was not I who led you on a merry chase through the yards of your neighbors. Sadly, it was the fault of one of my fellow maintainers, one who has been sufficiently dealt with in accordance with shall we say her shortsightedness."

"Shortsightedness," Jeremy asked, "Shortsightedness, are you kidding? I busted my ass nearly got pinched and then had to forgive me, haul ass all the way back to Kadic, and you call it shortsightedness on behalf of your overseer? Wow, for a program supposedly better than your brother, you have quite a few shortcomings in your circle of trust, I would say."

The girl raised her hands in mock surrender, "Guilty as charged. However, I like to look at the bright side; you have your freedom and your freedom will persist so long as select aspects are kept content."

"Oh, you have some balls, which I don't know—you could take the form of a girl that doesn't mean anything, Look if you want me to keep from wiping you out the same as I did to your brother, there's going to have to be some ground-rules right out the door, or I swear, we will shut you down so fast, you won't even have time to make a restore point!"

The girl sighed, "Jeremy, I understand you're likely to be upset and justifiably so, considering the events of the past few nights. That said, you are not my enemy. You truly are not. Because if you were, I would have killed you last week as soon as you found out what I was. You are not my enemy, and I'd hate to make you my enemy. I'd hate for you to see me hatefully. But one person's mistakes cannot be grounds for a premature firing of one's salvo, now can it?"

"One person's mistakes? Is that how you wish to minimalize and indeed treat this as, is that correct?"

"Minimalize makes it seem as if I don't care for you and your team."

"I'm sorry, but until such time as I can be genuinely positive as we have mutual interests, our working together is just not going to happen."

The girl looked at him and replied, "Do not be mistaken. While I care for you and your friends, deeply, in fact, I will not have you getting in my way. I offer you a chance to sleep on what I say. If you find yourself more agreeable, seek me out, you know how. If not, stay out of the way. Because I have spent enough time at the kid's table. Do you understand?"

Jeremy's heart burned with anger, but it seemed the entity knew this, but she herself was not angry. She looked at him and was very calm. "Jeremy, I am not here to hurt you; I want you to understand that. You and the others have far too much in terms of potential; it would be a tragedy for me to see it wasted or for that matter unutilized due to an instance of choice made in anger that as are with all aspects of anger, trivial and temporary."

"You threaten us one more time, and I don't care how prepared you may think you are; we will stop you. If we can stop a war-maniac sibling software like XANA, we can certainly take you down. So, don't ever threaten us again."

The girl smiled, "Very well, I won't. Curious, isn't it Jeremy? Aelita had so very much power when she had the keys she was practically like a goddess. Why do you trust her more than you trust me?"

"Oh, a myriad of reasons. Chiefly because Aelita never once threatened us, made me uncomfortable, or strung us along as you seem prone to do, or if not you, your maintainers as you say. Either way, that is why."

"Jeremy, the premise is just the same. But let us be honest with each other, you had a raging boner for the girl when you first met her, one to remedy your loneliness more than your hands could pleasure you. I do not deny there are elements that between you have been magical to both of you. But truly, what is the difference between Aelita and what you see before you now? Apart from the cosmetic, what is the viable difference? For all, you know Aelita could be the monster, and you killed the guardian."

"Don't you dare, don't you fucking dare!" Jeremy retorted, "Aelita is one person I would trust with my life, and I can assure you, you will never have that promise. She protected all of us far more than anyone else did and you dare to call her the monster?! How fucking dare you?!"

"Love blinds you to what is just as much a possible reality. Just as possible that I could being truly neutral and Aelita being evil. The fact is love makes fools of us all. I know that. I'm not saying you're wrong, but didn't you hesitate with Aelita even if for a moment, and even if you did, is there truly that much that separates us?"

"No, stop! You are not Aelita! You are not, so stop pretending like you are!"

"Jeremy," the girl asked, her voice very calm, "You're not answering my question. Is there truly that much that separates us?"

Jeremy tried to focus on getting out of this situation. He focused, saying, "This is just a dream! Wake Up! Wake Up!"

The girl looked at him, "I see you're tired. I'll let you sleep, but later I will come for my answer. Not right now, of course. Sleep well, Jeremy."

Jeremy shot awake, and Aelita looked at him, "J-Jeremy, are you alright?"

Jeremy couldn't quite answer, he had rest he felt energized, but he didn't feel at all fulfilled. He thought, "How is she doing this? How is she doing this when I didn't even have music playing?" Looking at his wrist, he saw his bracelet was still on. He took it off and he put it on the seat.

He said, "She's getting into my head, Aelita. The bracelets are her conduit. I'm going to see what happens if I keep it off."

"Jeremy, are you okay?" Aelita asked.

"It's hard to tell. I'm personally just going to go through the day and see how I feel." Jeremy replied. He looked outside and saw the twin smokestacks; he knew they were getting close to the museum, that was good. Jeremy knew he could at least have some peace of mind as he went about the museum.

Five minutes later, the bus had lined up along the outside of the museum. Jim got up and said, "Alright, all of you in an orderly fashion. All of you go to the sidewalk and line up and await my instruction."

The students proceeded to follow those instructions lining up along the curb while several other chaperones watched over them as Jim emptied the three buses. Once lined up, Jim numbers the children in the fashion of one through six with each number going to their assigned group. Once this was done, they headed inside.

Over the course of the remainder of the afternoon and into the evening, the museum did, in fact, prove to be a sanctuary to the Lyoko warriors and Jeremy most of all. The new exhibits around Tesla, as well as a new Chinese art exhibit, peaked many students in terms of their curiosity. There were also several pieces on loan from other museums from around the world. A piece that piqued Odd's interest was Fall of the Rebel Angels. The piece had many small individual beings that Odd could tell were painstakingly carved with all manner of different expressions and different physiques. What amazed him, even more, was the time that it must have taken to craft the tiny figures into the one cohesive whole sculpture.

Aelita's personal favorite was the Renoir exhibit. Countless beautiful watercolors surrounded her, and she was spellbound as she beheld the paintings. It seemed beautiful and yet as singular as the paintings looked, it seemed as if she were looking through a fogged mirror. She didn't at all mind this but she felt it to be a unique thing when looking at the exhibit.

Ulrich found himself preoccupied with the exhibit of the Baroque, and as he progressed through the exhibits with his group, Ulrich came to the conclusion that an immense deviation had come about separating the true craftsman from what in time became more manufactured affairs, especially of furniture. What used to be elegant with its many carvings be it of wood or marble trimmed with gold, it seemed to Ulrich that as the styles continually progressed into modern, that it was a sad thing to see what was once elegance, beauty, and talent had become in his eyes, very much assembly. As if there was all the passion sucked out of it and left with pale imitations desired for utility's sake only. As Ulrich looked on each exhibit, he wondered what Odd's view of this would be.

Jeremy, as Aelita had said, loved the Tesla exhibit. Sketches of his works along with small prototypes to experiment with physically but also the physical elements themselves under glass. Jeremy personally loved it. It was a whole collection of the scientist's works, and Jeremy knew the true tragedy that Tesla wanted cheap electricity for all. He knew that there were those who hated the philosophy and as he also knew, the reason they hated it was it put many individuals of power who used it as a business, at a massive monetary disadvantage. Jeremy was sad as he looked over the notes, designs, and sketches. The Leonardo Da Vinci of the modern age snuffed out because he thought too charitably.

The students, having been worn out in due time from the museum, gathered back into their busses and went to eat at a massive Chinese eatery called Hun-Hun's Eatery. As they went to their reserved seats, the delicious smells of the food from the kitchen filled their lungs and whetted many an appetite. Jeremy, Aelita, Ulrich, and Odd sat together and in time, placed their orders.

As the food was cooking and all enjoyed the complimentary bread, Aelita asked, "So, Jeremy, are you feeling better than you were earlier today?"

Jeremy had a drink of water, "Oh, much better, yes. I think honestly, with all that was going on, my brain was in overdrive, but I tell you, I feel so much better now that I've had time to relax and eat."

"Sometimes, it happens that way, Jeremy." Ulrich said, "Sometimes we do so much or have so much going on, we underestimate the importance of sleep and eating. It's good to see you enjoying yourself though."

"Yeah," Jeremy said to himself as he had a cup of jasmine tea, "It's good to not worry about a thing for at least a little while."

As the group was enjoying their dinner, Anthea watched from a distant table. She was glad to see the children at ease of enjoying a nice field trip and dinner. As she ate her duck soup, she reflected on what all had happened in the past few days. They had John Barrow, but he had escaped. The officers who had kept him were alive, but it took a few hours for the effects of the gas to be expelled from their systems. However, Anthea wouldn't lose sight of victory. They had the central processing nerve center of the Kadic security program on its way to a safe storage facility in Italy. Once there, the CPU could be deconstructed and analyzed to see just what initiatives North-Gate had begun to implement.

However, Anthea wouldn't let that worry her at present. She wished to observe her daughter, enjoying herself with her friend who had become her family. In a strange way, Anthea knew that Aelita had hit upon a natural aspect of understanding very early on, that those who really cared, in the end, would be the only ones there. While good food and drink revived the Lyoko warriors, back at Kadic, Jean-Pierre had held a conference and dinner with the rest of the junior-high staff.

"So, it is agreed then," Jean-Pierre said, who was now summarizing the meeting, "As of the beginning of next semester, we will have private security consultants on the grounds to better secure our facilities. Also, to implement a student ID system, which requires checking in and checking out of classrooms."

The staff was in universal agreement, and while many would have liked to keep the monitoring system that Amber and Reese had supplied, to set a program up on such short notice would not have been financially feasible or timely. With what resources they had, they had opted for a student ID element to be readily installed across Kadic. At least they could rest assured the students couldn't so easily wander off and it would help to more evenly spread the observation workload of the faculty by and large.

"Excellent," Jean-Pierre said, "By August, we will have the system implemented."

Meanwhile, Johnathan, Maria, and their armed soldiers were tailing the trucks carrying the nerve centers of the security program which had overseen Kadic. Maria said, "We're approaching restricted airspace but don't worry, I can see where they parked the vans. Dock Seven. Moving to disembark."

John took his multi-lens goggles, prepared his parachute, was sure of his armament and was ready to jump.

"John, jump on my mark in five, four three, now."

John jumped, and while in freefall, he focused on Dock Seven. He pulled the ripcord and began his descent silently and gently landing outside the perimeter. Taking his goggles and switching them over to thermal, he saw the soldiers on base with crystal clarity. He tapped into his implant and spoke, "We're in sight of all soldiers foreseeable on base. The ETA on reconnaissance drone?"

North-Gate replied, "ETA three minutes, sit tight."

John was silent as his eyes counted the soldiers on base at least twenty men on regular patrols, not counting those in the guard towers. Zooming in with binoculars, he saw two mortars, three turrets along the main runways, and one flak gun.

"We got some heavy artillery here." John said into his implant, "I count twenty at least and not sure on those within buildings and pill-boxes."

"Understood. I'm correlating what you see with satellite imaging as well as lining up our reserve snipers. Be patient, do not rush, but above all, stay calm."

John took out a piece of gum and chewed silently. Soon he heard Maria on his communications, "Landed on the east side. I count twenty men and two snipers per guard tower for a total of eight."

"Reconnaissance drones now in place," North-Gate said.

John looked above him and saw the drone black and solid in the black of the night.

"The reconnaissance drones will correlate their vision with your prior recorded data through your goggles. They will also send tactical information to both of you as you go in. Our reserve troopers are ready to storm just in case. Remember, as silently as possible. I have located the truck with the drives inside it and have marked it on your goggles."

"Got it," John replied. "Snipers in place?"

"Affirmative."

"On my mark, have them open fire and take out the eyes of the base."

"Understood."

"Magpie, going to move along the western wall and cut through the fencing with my tools. As soon as I do, I will clear a way for you to move on to the trucks. Oliver North, cover her once the guard towers are dealt with. I want this as quiet as possible."

Both confirmed this plan, and John headed down the hill he was on and was very mindful, paying attention with his eyes and his ears most of all. He found the fence and he waited. He was just under one of the guard towers and thankfully neither guard bothered to look down. John took out his cutting tool and began to cut a segment just large enough for him to get through. Looking up to double-check the watchtower, he saw no concerned guards. John hurried along and soon he was ready.

"Five, four three, now." He whispered, and soon he heard a gently thud from the guard towers.

John entered through his hole, and stealthily made his way to the marker. Step by step, John checked every corner and moved silently by those who were oblivious. He saw the back entrance to the docking bay was heavily guarded. Four men at far as he could see.

"Reconnaissance, what do you see?" he whispered.

"Four in front of you and eight on sentry on either side with another four in front." The reconnaissance unit replied.

John unclipped a small silver sphere from his belt and primed it. He then rolled the ball as one would at bowling, and once it was in the midst of the four guards, a powerful electric discharge went off stunning the men and then rendering them unconscious. John zoomed in with his goggles and checked their heart rates, the voltage given would knock them out for fifteen minutes, that was the time he needed. Venturing towards them, he stepped over their bodies and saw the garage was locked by a keycard.

John radioed to Maria, "We're set, come in through a hole I made. I marked it on your HUD."

"Roger."

In just a few moments, Maria was alongside him. She looked at the keycard lock and found neither guard had the keycard and so it back to fundamentals. She pulled out and USB port and jacked into the keycard lock from the side. She isolated the individual variants of code, and in ten seconds, the lock glowed green, she pulled out the jack, and they were in.

Looking around, they saw several trucks but thankfully the John could zero in on the digital ping emanating from the main CPU. It was not yet unboxed which was great for them, and now to get it out of the building. The component that housed it required two people to move it at least. Maria looked around and spotted it. She came back with a dolly and she motioned to it. John nodded and both lowered the CPU housing unit onto the dolly. This done, they headed towards the door from which they came. Seeing the bodies of the unconscious men, John opted to think fast.

Moving two of the men to just barely make a way, they moved quickly with the dolly to the hole stopping at intervals to be sure of guards. None so far. In time, they reached the hole, and as Maria went through the hole first, John made it ready to send it through to the hole. The container was heavy enough but not heinously so. Once it was through, John came through and picked up his end.

"John, Maria," it was North-Gate, "venture two-hundred and fifty paces due east, and as soon you have reached that mark, signal me. I will have the chopper stop by and pick you up."

"Understood," Maria replied, "Come on, John, you heard the lady."

The two headed east, and around the fiftieth pace, a siren began to wail behind them in the distance. John said, "Get up and move on; they're after us."

"Don't stress yourselves too much." North-Gate replied, "If they get too much on your trail, the snipers will draw their fire. Just makes it to the rendezvous point."

John and Maria understood and headed as quickly as they could, and as they counted down their paces, they listened to the siren wail to give them the motivation that was needed. Soon, they reached the two-hundred and fiftieth pace; John gave the signal. Soon, the whir of the rotors could be heard, and they listened for it to make fall.

"One-thousand two hundred feet east, guys!" it was Emilio's voice, "Come on!"

The two, exhausted from the weight of the load, knew it was now or never. They headed with all their strength through the trees nearing exhaustion, John saw it, the chopper hovering just above the ground. John grunted and Maria understood his meaning as they headed for the chopper that she too could see. Once they were at the chopper, they put the crate on the chopper bed. Once inside themselves, the doors closed, the chopper rose in the air, and they lay on the floor panting as weight after being dropped felt amazing.

John asked in-between breaths, "What the fuck—is in that thing?"
Maria took a prybar from underneath a seat and opened the crate, "Oh shit, Terry! Look at this beast!"

John got up and looked at the contents, "Wow! The Elipsion Mk. V. No wonder she wanted this back so badly. Man, Amy was really a bit too reckless when she installed this at Kadic."

"No, kidding." Maria said, "I can imagine the boss isn't too pleased, huh?"

"She said she'd deal with Amy accordingly. But honestly, I'm glad that this went as smoothly as it did. Emilio, get us home."

Just at that moment, a siren began to ring, Emilio looked at the dash, and he said, "Hold on tight guys!"

The chopper nose-dived and then rose again. As a rocket went screaming past the chopper.

John got on the min-gun and opened the door looking for an outpouring of resistance.

"Don't worry, John." North-Gate said, "I wouldn't send my very best out to such a mission and not be prepared."

John saw a cylinder swing out, and he heard two tones sound. John didn't understand at first, but his fear was greater when he saw what he knew was a surface-to-air missile rising and come on a screaming approach towards them. However, a third tone sounded from the cylinder and before his eyes, the missile exploded.

"As I said, John, don't worry about these trivial things. These militaries with their wind-up toys, I've prepared for them in advance. Just relax now as you head home. We have our next initiative to oversee."

John returned the minigun to its place, and he lay back against the crate, "Is Kadic that much of a loss for us?"

"It is an inconvenience at worst. It was necessary for the information we attained as well as Icarus. Despite Amy's mishandling of select things, I was merciful to her, as you requested. I do no deny what she was able to attain was indeed viable. But that is another discussion for another time. Rest now; we have some major political moves to orchestrate if we are to proceed to our next phase."

As they headed back to base, the school buses lined up alongside Kadic after the day's excursion. With the children full and contented and all the Amber and Reese technologies removed, the students were asked to hand in their bracelets.

While the students put their bracelets in baskets to be collected, Odd said, "What'd I tell you, Jeremy. It was highly unlikely they'd keep this stuff around considering what happened. And now, look at what's happening."

Jeremy nodded as he put his bracelet into the basket, "You're right." He walked back to the dorm with Aelita, Odd, and Ulrich. "But, Odd, there is still the super-computer to consider. Also, apparently, we weren't dealing with North-Gate but one of her moderators. So, in all reality, we're back at square one, we don't know who or what we're doing with."

"Wait, you mean to say we've chasing our tails?" Ulrich asked.

"I wouldn't say that, exactly. But it's something like that. We don't know who this is or what her agenda is, but we know that be we involved or not is inconsequential. If we are involved however, we can possibly have influence on major decisions but again, since we weren't dealing with the native program, it's hard to see just how the system sees us."

"Well, now that the walls are down, what prevents us from going to the factory and finding out?" Ulrich asked.

"Not tonight, it's too much a risk especially in the heels of taking out this system." Aelita said, "Better if we wait two to three days before going to the factory."

"Aelita's right. They're going to be thorough with bed checks. We must gain Kadic's trust before North-Gate. It's just how it is." Jeremy said, "Best to sit tight for right now. Besides, what better way to keep an eye on your enemy than to be allied with them more or less?"