Bob sat in the dark. His eyes should have been looking at the screen, but they were glued to her. He watched every intricate movement of her face; the way her nose crinkled when she laughed, the twinkle in her eye, everything. It had been so long since he'd spent real time with her, he had somehow forgotten it all. Dixon glanced over and smiled. She blushed, looking back up at the screen. It was late, really late, and the movie was almost over. Within seconds the credits began to roll, and the lights faded on. In all honesty, Bob didn't even know what the movie had been about. She picked it and he was distracted the whole time.

Dixon had gotten cleared to leave the hospital that morning and they had spent the entire day together. He had taken her on a tour downtown, showing her all of their favourite places. It was his hope that it would help to jog her memory. His plan was working somewhat. Throughout the day she would bring up small details from her life that were coming back.

Sprites one by one got up and began to file out of the theatre, but they stayed behind.

"So, what did you think?" He asked once everyone was gone.

"I guess it was pretty to look at, the story was a little bland though. But I'm probably just being overly critical. This is my first movie in a long time, my expectations were too high."

"That's a shame."

"Not really. I got to see it with my favourite sprite."

Bob felt the pain of his heart skipping a beat. Suddenly he was hit with an intense feeling of euphoria. Hearing her say those words filled him with pure joy. Their eyes locked and the moment just felt right. Dixon looked exactly as she had when they were together. The first thing she did after leaving the hospital was get a haircut. It was back to its usual bob, framing her face perfectly.

Bob slowly leaned in and she did the same. Their lips seemed to call out to one another. He placed a hand on her cheek and shut his eyes. He wanted to savor the kiss, but the moment never came.

"Excuse me!"

They quickly retracted. Bob looked over at the sprite who had entered. He had a broom in hand and wore a staff t-shirt.

"It's closing time, I gotta clean the theatre… Wait. Are you guardian 452?"

"I am." Bob smiled. Clearly the gossip around his marital issues hadn't reached the Supercomputer.

"Wow, it's an honour to meet you." He reached for Bob's hand and they shook.

"Likewise. Do you mind giving us a minute? I know it's late, but-"

"Of course. I can get the other rows done and do this one last."

"Thank you, I really appreciate it."

"Don't mention it." He smiled before going to the back of the theatre to start his task.

"Look at you throwing your weight around." Dixon laughed.

"I just want to spend as much time with you as possible."

They were both having too much fun. It was a shame that the day had to end; it was a reality that neither of them wanted to face.

"So get me caught up. What have I missed?"

"What do you want to know?"

"Just everything. What has your life been like since… Well, you know."

"Every doctor in the Supercomputer said you'd never wake up. I kept getting different opinions, but they were all the same. After a while I didn't find joy in anything. Turbo was the one who suggested that I go somewhere else to start fresh."

"And what was that like?"

"Well, I actually chose Mainframe because of that case you were working on."

"Case?"

"Yeah," He studied her face. She must not have remembered. Bob elaborated, "well it wasn't official or anything. You were always going through old archives, finding cold cases. Most of them stayed unsolved, but every now and then you figured one out. The last case you were working on happened in Mainframe."

"What was the case?"

"I don't know what it was about. I'm a little ashamed to admit that I never asked. I was so preoccupied with my own work… I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. Neither of us could have predicted any of this happening."

"I know, I just feel like I took you for granted. If it wasn't for you I probably wouldn't have even graduated from the academy."

"That's not true."

"I barely put in any effort. Natural ability can only take you so far. You really kept me motivated."

"Verbal abuse counts as motivation?"

They laughed. She had been very harsh on him during their earlier days, but he needed it.

"So what's it like in Mainframe? It must be nice being a big war hero in a small system."

"It was, at first. Don't get me wrong, the slower pace was nice. But now things have slowed down too much. There's nothing for me to do. Most days I'm bored out of my mind."

"Isn't that a good thing though; a system with low crime, and few tears?"

"It is, but I just feel useless, like no one really needs me."

Dixon paused, choosing her next words wisely.

"Your wife must need you."

"Dot doesn't need me."

"That can't be true."

There was a twinge of hurt in her voice, just subtle enough for Bob not to notice. Even though his life wasn't perfect, at least he had one. Dixon was fighting off feelings of heartbreak all day. Bob had been stolen from her, but not by Dot, by bad fortune. She hated his wife unjustly and felt guilty about it. The look in his eyes said it all; Dot must not have been appreciating Bob, not the way Dixon would have. She had conflicting feelings about her and Bob's relationship. Dixon wasn't exactly sure what they were to each other anymore.

"It is. She's a Matrix. I married into the most stubborn family on the net."

"Matrix…" Dixon said aloud, more to herself. The name rang a bell, but she couldn't figure out why.

"She's the daughter of Welman Matrix."

"... The inventor of net travel?" She knew who Welman Matrix was, every sprite did, but that name meant something else to her. Dixon brushed it off. The doctor said it could take weeks or cycles to get all her memories back. There was no point in stressing or pushing herself too hard. She just had to be patient.

"The one and only."

"Wow, so while I was offline you married into royalty." She joked. "You clearly have done pretty good for yourself."

"I wouldn't say that. Things between Dot and I are… complicated right now."

"How so?"

"When we first met, things were perfect. We talked all the time, looked after each other- things were great. Her career was taking off, I still had lots to do."

"So, what changed?"

"She did. Dot just kept getting busier and busier. Eventually there was no time for me in her schedule. All she cares about is work and making connections. Then she started drinking… But you don't want to hear about all this." Bob smiled awkwardly. He was being a downer.

"I do, Bobby." She placed a hand on his, "Talk to me."

"I've just been trying really hard to help her through a tough time. Since day one she's been fighting me. I feel like everything I try is a misstep… She's doing a bit better now, but things aren't really the same between us. I feel like she's holding something back."

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"What can I do?"

Dixon mulled the question over, but couldn't come up with anything. She was the kind of sprite who was always upfront about her feelings. If she ever had an issue with someone they would know about it right away and with plenty of detail. It was part of the reason she didn't have many friends. Most sprites found her too abrasive.

"Have you talked about it?"

"I've tried, and we do. It just feels like we could talk for hours and still have so much unresolved."

Dixon nodded, understanding exactly what he meant.

"Do you love her?" She asked hesitantly.

Bob was not prepared for the question at all. Of course he loved his wife, but his time with Dixon brought back a lot of memories and strong feelings. He didn't want to let either of them down. Dixon waited patiently as he thought. In her mind, if he was in a loveless marriage then she still had a chance.

"I don't know if I want to answer that."

Dixon's heart sank. She knew exactly what that meant.

"It's getting late. We should get out of here before they shut the lights off on us." She forced a smile.

"You're right. Let's get going."

They stood and Bob took her hand, leading her out of the theatre.

# #

Dot sat by herself at the bar. She had been trying to vidwindow Bob all day, but there was no response. She couldn't help but wonder what he was doing. It must have been important if communications were turned off. Dot looked down at the whisky sitting in the shot glass in front of her, deep in thought. She found it strange that she didn't know where he was or what he was doing. Guardian work was confidential, but that had never stopped Bob before. He usually told her everything, at least he used to. She hated to admit it, but since her drinking had gotten out of control they had grown distant.

She tried calling Matrix. He didn't pick up. She sighed and looked around the bar. Last call must have been a while ago; she was the only one there. The bartender came around, wiping down a table behind her.

"You still working on that, hun?" She spoke without looking up.

"I've changed my mind."

"Really?" She stood up, placing a hand on her hip, "You haven't had a drop all night."

"I know."

Dot slid off of the bar stool. She took a generous amount of money out, enough to cover the shot three times over, placing it on the counter by her full glass.

"Done?"

"Yeah, have a good night."

Dot just made it to the front door where the barmaid spoke again.

"Morning."

"Excuse me?" Dot stopped and looked back.

"It's 300."

Dot stared at her. Bob said he would have been home hours ago. If anything he should have realized she wasn't there and tried to call her. What was keeping him so late?

"Ah, sorry for keeping you."

"No worries, you looked like you had a lot on your mind."

"Thank you." Dot said solemnly before walking out the door.

# #

Mouse opened her eyes. She sat up quickly, and instantly regretted it. Her head spun and waves of pain pulsed through her ribs and back. As her eyes slowly came to focus she looked around. Two strangers sat at the other side of the room on wooden chairs, looking back at her with judgmental eyes.

"W- where am I?" Mouse asked, looking around. Seconds after asking she figured it out on her own. They were still on level 31, in the motel she had met Ray at. Her face automatically hardened as his name came to mind. Despite her line of work, Mouse rarely acted on personal grudges. Everything she did was to benefit her boss in some way. Mouse knew that nothing would bring her more pleasure than beating Ray to a pulp.

"Relax, we aren't going to hurt you." Maxine reassured her.

"Speak for yourself!" Matrix huffed, "AndrAIa is somewhere on the net right now because of her."

"Matrix, calm down."

He sat quietly and crossed his arms, watching Mouse. She reached for her katana, but it wasn't in its usual place. They had stripped her of all weapons. That didn't scare Mouse at all. It wasn't like she was completely defenseless; her hand to hand combat was usually enough to get her out of tricky situations. Even Matrix, who was twice her size, could be taken out easily.

"What do you want?" She hissed.

"AndrAIa," Maxine said, "the sprite you kidnapped."

Maxine dared to stand and take a step closer to the bed. Mouse jumped up in response, but before she could strike she noticed the gun pointed directly at her. Matrix had it aimed with laser focus. He didn't look like someone who would hesitate to pull the trigger either. Mouse froze in place and lowered her arms to a less threatening position.

"I didn't kidnap anybody. That was all Ray's bright idea. I was just his ride."

"Where was he going?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

In a fit of rage Matrix stood, pointing the weapon directly at her head. Mouse looked at him and started laughing.

"What's so funny?" He demanded.

"Go ahead, shoot me. If I talk I'm as good as deleted anyway."

Maxine stepped between them, prompting him to put the gun down. Matrix returned to his seat, eyes still focused on Mouse.

"We don't want to start any trouble, we just want AndrAIa back." Maxine explained, "Why did he take her in the first place?"

"... I don't know." Mouse answered honestly, she could sense the sincerity in Maxine's voice. Before continuing she glanced at Matrix, who was visibly upset; more with sadness than anger. Neither of them looked like criminal masterminds. They would be no threat to Daemon. "He's a fool who thinks that girl's worth millions, I guess."

"What do you mean?"

"He owes my boss a lot of money, too much money. I think he plans on trading her for his freedom."

"How much money?" Maxine pried.

"5 million, at least. Who knows how much they'll charge for interest."

Maxine looked over at her friend. She could tell Matrix was trying hard to process what Mouse was saying.

"Listen… If that's Ray's plan, it wont work." Mouse assured them, "that spite's pretty and all, but he's gonna need a lot more than that. It won't completely clear his debt."

"Then what will your boss do to AndrAIa?"

"I honestly don't know." Mouse said. No one had ever tried something so ridiculous before. There was almost no logic to what Ray was doing. Daemon's reaction wasn't something she could predict in this situation.

Matrix looked at the light streaming in between the blinds. Sun striped the room. It was already morning.

"I know what I have to do." Matrix said, placing his head in his hands. Even though he knew it was a long shot, he was desperate. Matrix would worry about the future after he got AndrAIa back.

After a moment Maxine spoke again.

"So will you help us?"

"What's in it for me?"

"We watched you fall from the sky." Maxine said assertively, "The moment we realized you weren't AndrAIa we could have left you, but we didn't. Someone clearly betrayed you."

Mouse grit her teeth. She didn't even want to think about Ray.

"So?" Mouse spat.

"You take us to AndrAIa, we help you get your revenge."

There was a heavy silence that followed. Matrix was shocked by the proposition, he didn't think Maxine had it in her. He looked over at Mouse, wondering if she would call her bluff.

Mouse considered the offer.

"Don't you worry about that scumbag, I'll deal with Ray on my own… I am out of a ride though."

"So we'll take you." Maxine confirmed.

"Sounds like a plan."

Matrix sighed, relieved. They had already wasted enough time, and he had a stop to make before they left.

# #

"No more funny business, you hear?" Ray warned.

AndrAIa lay on his surfboard, legs and arms bound. Embarrassingly it had taken Ray too long to get the handcuffs off. Mouse had the key on her, so he had to resort to other means to get them off safely. After hours of fighting he finally succeeded, swapping them out for zip ties. When AndrAIa didn't say anything back he smiled. She lay on her side in what looked like a deep sleep.

"Mouse must have really packed a punch." He jested.

He wasn't the least bit remorseful, by that point he had had enough of all of them. If he could take Daemon out too he would, but attempting that would have been suicide.

Each of Ray's footsteps echoed on marble floors. The building they had entered was like a maze. Cool mint and cream tones painted the high ceiling and walls. Every embellishment was a shimmering gold. The aura of every inch of the place was calm and serene. It wasn't exactly what he expected from the most feared virus on the net.

He had no idea where he was going, but kept moving. Ray wasn't exactly the planning type, and figured they were bound to run into someone eventually. What was even more surprising was the fact that there was no security, anywhere. Any sprite could just walk right in. He had followed the coordinates programmed in the ship, but was beginning to wonder if he was in the right place.

Unknown to him, Hex floated behind. She watched him from the end of the hall with a face full of delight. He walked through a set of doors, disappearing from her sight. She broke into laughter the moment she knew he was out of earshot.

"Perfect!" She cackled.

In a nano she vanished and reappeared right in front of Daemon. Daemon sat behind a solid oak desk. She smiled back at Hexadecimal.

"Good morning, Hexadecimal." She greeted.

Hex gave a sigh, Daemon didn't seem surprised at all. Almost like she knew Hex was coming.

The office was large, surrounded by curved walls to form a perfect circle. They were lined with several tall filing cabinets. Aside from records a lavender rug and a desk sat in the center of the room. The only window was the one directly behind Daemon's chair. The light came in, creating almost a halo around the purple virus. Her hair swayed to its own rhythm, casting shadows across the room.

"You're little messenger told me you're interested in being partners." Hex got straight to the point.

"Yes, I see great potential."

"Really?"

"Yes, my function is to bring unity to the net. You can help me achieve this…But Megabyte? I can't see this succeeding if he is involved."

For the first time Hexadecimal was stumped. Daemon didn't want to work with Megabyte? Hex couldn't care less about the net or its unity, her sole motive was gaining her brother's respect. She couldn't do that if she cut him out. He had picked up a reputation for being a money hungry cutthroat. Most were hesitant to get involved with him. He did have a talent for acquiring riches legally, however, which at that point was his only appeal. He would have an endless amount of resources they could tap into.

"Megabyte is in charge of the prototype. He has access to the best scientists on this side of the net. We don't want to do the grunt work ourselves, do we?" She smiled.

"I see your point."

"He has his purpose, and we have ours. Us ladies are the true visionaries."

"And his involvement ends there?"

"Of course." Hex promised.

"Very well."

There was a knock at the door, which instantly had Hex grinning from ear to ear. She bowed theatrically.

"This is my cue to leave," she said, "enjoy the show. Oh, and don't let the surfer escape. We need a guinea pig."

"I had no intention of letting him leave."

"Glad we are on the same page."

With that said Hex vanished.

"Come in." Daemon said.

The door opened and Ray entered. She looked up at him and watched as his surfboard floated in behind with AndrAIa.

"Hi," He said nervously. Ray stood in front of her desk, at the mercy of her scrutiny. The way she stared at him with no expression sent a chill down his spine. Everything about her was just cold. She wore a stark white suit. Every crease was perfectly folded, and not a single stain. She was pristine.

Ray squinted. The light behind her made it hard to see.

"Ray, you're late."

"I know."

"Who is your friend?"

Suddenly a green haze hung over AndrAIa. It enveloped her, taking control of her limbs. She was gently lifted over to Daemon so she could take a look at her. The first thing she noticed were the bruises, they were dark and numerous in number. Her face and arms bore blotches.

"I know I owe a lot, and I'm gonna be honest with you. I can't get that money- yet."

"And?"

"And my friend here is the payment. She can make you money."

She gently set AndrAIa down on the ground next to her desk.

"You think she can make me millions?" She asked, humouring him.

"I do."

"Explain."

# #

In the darkness of the web a portal emerged. A silver car drove through. It was small and battered, with no protection from the atmosphere. The windshield was completely gone, but that didn't stop them. Matrix looked around in wonder from the passenger seat. Never in a million cycles did he think he would be out there. Pools of reds and blues swirled around, mixing into each other like paint, creating new shades. Somehow the web was the darkest and brightest place he had ever seen.

Maxine was less impressed. On rare occasions connections broke down, leaving ships stranded in the web. Her along with every other search engine was trained on surviving and re-establishing those connections while out there. The web was something she had seen many times.

Mouse also wasn't phased by the beauty of the web. She had a talent for all things illegal. The web was the best place to hide from the law. Even most guardians were too scared to go out there.

Mouse played with the device in her hand before placing it in the drink holder next to her. It didn't take her long to reconfigure an old organizer into something that could stabilize portals. That was a task only guardian keytools could do. Stealing a keytool was too much work and too much heat; it wasn't the first time she needed to make her own.

"All right, we have to be quick. You have no protection out here. The longer we stay the more your code will degrade." Maxine said as she activated her skin. It became harder in an instant, with a matte finish. Search engines were lucky enough to have their own protection since their function often brought them to the web.

"She's right. Park there." Mouse instructed from the back, pointing to a massive asteroid which was chained to one of the walls. It wasn't hard finding Daemon's fortress once they were out there. It floated amongst the stars, an ivory castle glistening against nothingness. Behind it was a large data storm, emitting light and heat. Next to the east wall was a series of large floating platforms made from asteroids, one of which carried Mouse's ship. It was powered down and parked on the giant rock, meaning Ray was still there.

Maxine did as she was told, parking on the asteroid. Once they were out Mouse jumped from the platform to a ledge leading to a concrete staircase. She stopped and waited for them to follow. The two were still next to the car talking.

"Wait." Maxine said and Matrix turned to face her.

He had a bag slung over his shoulder, which she couldn't take her eyes off of.

"We have to go, before-"

"I know, but… Are you really prepared to do this?" She asked, still focusing on the bag.

"I have to."

"That's everything you have. What are you going to do after all of this?" She whispered, concerned.

Before finding the tear that got them there Matrix stopped at the bank. Maxine had watched in a stunned silence as he completely drained his account. Every cent he had worked for, and everything his father had gifted him over the years. Every penny to his name was in that bag, and to her it felt wrong to just give it all away.

"I don't leave here without AndrAIa." He spoke bluntly, saying the words like it was fact.

He jumped, floating over to Mouse on the platform. Maxine did the same.

"Matrix, how do you know they won't just take the money and delete us?" Maxine persisted.

"Then what do you suggest I do? Go in guns blazing against a supervirus?" He yelled, frustrated. Matrix always punched first, asked questions later, but this was serious. This situation wasn't trivial like a game, where if he acted recklessly only he would bear the consequences. AndrAIa's life was on the line.

"All right, all right. Quit your squallering." Mouse stepped between them, "My boss isn't like that. Despite what you may think, not all viruses are dishonest."

He was out of ideas and it was their only chance of getting AndrAIa back. As he turned back to Maxine his anger slowly faded. Fear looked back at him. She was scared.

"Listen Maxine, I think you should stay here." He said finally.

"What?"

"It makes sense for someone to stay by the car. I'll go in, okay?"

"I can't let you go in there alone."

"Mouse will be with me."

"But-"

"Don't worry," Mouse reassured her, "this is going to work, and the big guy's right; always have a getaway driver. You seem to be the best sprite for the job."

Reluctantly, Maxine nodded.

"So stay here and watch for any signs of trouble, got it?"

"Right."

Mouse punched Maxine playfully in the arm and they both smiled. With that settled Matrix and Mouse started up the steps. He let her take the lead since she knew the layout of the place. They walked through a side door that stood flush against the wall at the top of the stairs. It almost seamlessly blended into the background. If you didn't know it was there, it would be easy to miss.

Once inside, Matrix looked around. He couldn't help but be impressed by the interior. There was an elegance to the décor. Clearly Daemon had expensive taste. Mouse was unphased, used to it. They walked side by side down a passageway. Large windows made of frosted glass stretched up to just barely touch a high ceiling. Mouse knew Daemon's schedule down to the nanosecond. She would be in her office, which was in the furthest wing of the fortress.

"How did you get into this line of work?" Matrix asked to break the silence. If he wasn't focused on something he'd just worry. He didn't need to be any more anxious then he already was. Mouse took a moment, deciding what to say. She had never been asked that before.

"In this world there are winners and losers." She spoke candidly, "I was born a loser. I've had to make due with the hand I was dealt."

"So you chose this?"

"I think this life chose me to be honest… I know things are emotional now, but if you want AndrAIa back, do exactly as I say, understand?"

Matrix nodded.

"You worry about getting AndrAIa, and leave Ray to me. No yelling, no fighting- and do be respectful. I'm serious. Daemon is logical and will listen to reason, but she has a temper if pushed far enough."

Matrix felt uneasy hearing Daemon's name. She had ascended to almost an urban legend sort of status. Most never said her name out loud, and now he was going to meet with her face to face. Daemon was a force far more terrifying than any User.

Mouse watched him from the corner of her eye. To her surprise he didn't look nervous, just determined. This made her feel a bit better about her decision to help them. She usually didn't do favours for anyone, but she felt partially responsible. If she hadn't decided to play with her food Ray would have been dealt with weeks ago. It was comforting knowing that Matrix was taking things seriously, and she wasn't just leading him to be slaughtered. If he kept his cool he had a chance.

After turning through a series of corridors they found themselves in front of a set of large double doors. Carved into its surface was what looked like an hourglass. It was embellished with gold paint that seemed to move in the light.

Inside they could hear talking. Mouse's face instantly turned to a scowl the moment she recognized Ray's voice. Despite being enraged she knocked lightly.

"Come in, Mouse." She heard the gentle voice of her boss call.

Mouse grabbed both handles and pulled open the doors, immediately locking eyes with Ray. Ray's face drained of all colour. It was a combination of shock and realizing that he was in major trouble. He had hoped to be far away from Mainframe and Daemon's side of the web by the time she realized what he'd done to Mouse. Daemon could have him deleted without lifting a finger.

Mouse casually walked past, Matrix at her side. He resisted the urge to tear Ray to bits, keeping his head forward, eyes locked on Daemon. From his peripherals he could see AndrAIa laying on the ground beside where the virus sat. She wasn't moving. He struggled to stay calm as a million thoughts raced through his mind.

"Good morning." Mouse got down on one knee, bowing her head in respect.

"Everyone is full of surprises today. You have brought a new friend as well?" Daemon said with a smile.

"Things have gotten… Complicated."

"Come to me."

Mouse stood and did as she was told. Daemon gently brushed a loose strand of hair out of Mouse's face. She looked at the scrapes running up and down her arms, her face turning to concern. Both Ray and Matrix stood impossibly still. Daemon's voice sounded innocent and soft when speaking to Mouse, less cold. This was something that they both noticed right away.

"What happened?" Daemon asked.

Mouse leaned in close and whispered in her ear. The room was plagued by a long stretch of quiet, which was only broken up by the faintest murmurs of her explaining the situation. Daemon's eyes occasionally would go to Ray and then Matrix. She kept a neutral expression. No one knew what she was thinking.

"Mouse, my dear." Daemon turned to face her, "I believe you have your own business to attend to. Do as you see fit, just keep him alive."

Mouse smiled.

As if on cue Ray jumped up, landing on his board. He burst out of the room and flew down the hall. Mouse sprung after him in pursuit, leaving Matrix behind.

Matrix looked back at Daemon. He was on his own.

"I understand you have a proposal for me?" She asked Matrix.

He slowly came forward, placing the bag on her desk.

"It's all yours." He said, "I just want to take AndrAIa home."

"His debt was five million, to start." She clarified, "I've been put out, my enforcer has been injured, and Ray has already offered me this sprite's services." She looked over at AndrAIa.

Matrix felt a lump in his throat. There was no plan B. This had to work, or it was all over.

"There's eight million in there." He stated, "more than enough to cover any… inconveniences, I hope."

He held his hands behind his back in an attempt to stop them from trembling. He did his best to conceal any fear that he had. She thought for a moment. Daemon knew she wasn't running a charity, but he did save Mouse. With his offer she would be gaining three million, but giving AndrAIa away meant losing the potential to make more. She weighed the pros and crons. There was no hope of getting a true payment in full from Ray. She glanced over at AndrAIa. The game sprite looked worn out, there was no guarantee she would even be able to perform. Everything Ray offered her was uncertain, but Matrix was more upfront. Still, there was a question burning in the back of her mind.

"I do not see the value in her, yet Ray thought she was acceptable payment; and now you are offering me eight million." Daemon looked at Matrix, genuinely confused, "What is so special about this sprite?"

He looked over at AndrAIa, not sure where to even begin. For the sake of time he kept his answer short.

"I love her."

Daemon watched for any signs of deception, but found none. She could detect a lie in seconds, but everything about Matrix had been genuine from the start. Even though she didn't understand his answer, she knew it was the truth.

"I accept your terms. You may take her."

Matrix didn't need to be told twice. He immediately went over to AndrAIa, gently picking her up and carrying her out in his arms.

# #

Ray zoomed out and around the fortress exterior to where he had Mouse's ship parked. Maxine saw him fly by, crouching low to not be seen. She stood beside what was left of her car and watched him jump off his board once he was beside the ship. A flash of movement caught her eye. Maxine looked up to see Mouse standing on a platform at least ten feet above the ship.

"No." Maxine whispered, but all she could do was watch.

Mouse flung herself from the ledge, silently floating down, landing directly on top of Ray. She brought her elbow down with pure violence, slamming it into the back of his head. He fell to the ground and spun around. Mouse pinned him with a boot firmly planted against his chest. She already had her sword drawn, ready and waiting.

"Please, Mouse I know you're angry but-"

"But what?" She pointed the end of her weapon at his throat.

"You don't have to do this." He pleaded, "We could be partners."

He tried to back away, but was still disoriented from the blow to the head. Regardless he still tried, pulling himself closer to the ship. Mouse allowed it, slowly following him.

"Partners?"

"Yes. You help me get more girls and we can split the earnings fifty- fifty."

"Come on now, you really think you can talk your way out of this?"

"I'm begging you." He looked up at her desperately, "Please don't delete me. I'll do anything."

Mouse looked down at him with a wicked smile.

"Who said anything about deletion?"

She raised her sword and he attempted to shield himself with his arms. Instead of striking him she pivoted and swung at his board. She made a long, deep slice right down the center. Ray screamed and Maxine turned away, unable to watch any longer. Despite covering her ears, she couldn't block out the sounds of his agonizing cries. She heard banging and crashing, like metal being hit repeatedly, wires ripped. Eventually Ray's shouting turned to sobs, and then silence.

After a second she dared to glance over. They were gone. Maxine looked around, wondering if they were inside the ship. There was no sign of Ray, Mouse or his board. It was like they all just vanished into thin air.

Suddenly she saw another bout of movement and flinched, crouching down behind the car again. After stealing another glance she realized it was Matrix. He ran down the side steps, carrying AndrAIa in his arms. He actually found her. Hastily Maxine opened the back door before returning to her seat behind the wheel. She picked up the device Mouse had made, turning it on. Not only did it stabilize tears into portals, but it could actually detect tears to begin with. It beeped, locking onto the coordinates of the nearest one.

Matrix carefully got AndrAIa inside before climbing in the back with her. Maxine started the engine before asking any questions and started driving. The more distance she put between them and Daemon the better they would all feel. She glanced down at the map on the device and adjusted her course accordingly.

In the back Matrix pulled out a knife and cut the zip ties restraining AndrAIa. Her wrists were heavily bruised from them being too tight. As he moved down to her ankles he saw the bottom of her feet, which had a thick layer of scabs. Matrix cut the zip tie regardless, maintaining his composure. He cradled her in his arms, gently moving the hair out from in front of her face. It was a matted mess.

"AndrAIa," He gently nudged her, hoping to get a response. She said nothing.

He leaned in close. She was breathing, which was a relief.

"Is she okay?" Maxine finally asked. Daemon's fortress was a spec off in the distance by this point and her fears had all but vanished. She looked into the rear view mirror seeing the state of AndrAIa. It didn't look good.

Matrix sighed, exhaustion finally starting to catch up to him.

"I don't know."

End Log