CHAPTER ONE
WEB WORLD WARS
MAINFRAME
Mainframe had never seen frenzy like this. Transports sped through the air, trying to stop drones from returning to the Web through the portal that had been opened. Already Megabyte's ABCs had been required to aid Mainframe's CPUs, and even then the job was hard.
Guardian Bob flew through the onrushing stream of citizens. He had just passed on Guardian cadet protocol to Enzo Matrix, warning him, "If anything happens to me, you'll need to protect Mainframe." His words had been said only to humor the boy; he had no idea how much pressure they would place on Enzo.
As Bob stepped onto the platform where the viruses' software was located, Megabyte turned. The virus was growing tired of the charade. He would never in his right code team up with the sprites, and now that his plan could begin, this would soon be over.
"All right, people — let's close that portal!" Bob shouted.
Megabyte spoke up. "Not quite yet, Guardian."
He took that opportunity to leap forward to where Dot Matrix stood. In one quick motion, he slashed the cannon from her grip, causing her to stagger. Just as quickly, Megabyte turned back around.
Bob's eyes widened in surprise as the virus came towards him. "Glitch —" he started to call, when Megabyte clapped a hand over his mouth. He grabbed Glitch off the Guardian's arm; he crushed the keytool with his hand and let it drop to the ground. With one hand, he flung Bob into a pod that had just popped up; then he pressed the button.
Megabyte's eyes narrowed to eerie green slits; Bob's own eyes widened seeing the pure malice there. Megabyte slammed his fist on the button again, satisfied.
Bob's scream of "NOOOO!" mingled with Dot's of "BOB!" as the pod ejected into the Web.
Dot stood, frozen, until Mouse came and said quietly, "Let's go, Sugah. Ah don't think we're welcome here." The two of them jumped off the platform and into the waiting Ship.
Dot looked up to see Hexadecimal aim the powerful hardware at the Web portal. "Mouse, we have to stop them!" she cried.
"Ah've got it covered," the hacker replied. She piloted Ship to the platform at full speed.
Hex had only a nano for her mask to register surprise before she was sent flying.
With a fierce whoop, Mouse knocked again into the platform. The hardware shook; after the next hit, it broke into two pieces.
The two women grinned triumphantly at one another. Then Mouse turned Ship towards the Principle Office.
Megabyte clenched his fist. Never mind the mishap, he thought, his plan was only beginning.
"NO!" Enzo screamed after hearing of the fate that had befallen Bob. The boy shut his eyes in anguish.
Suddenly, several VidWindows opened up in front of them.
"Citizens of Mainframe, you have lost," Megabyte announced. "Give up and take your place at my feet."
"I love it when he talks like that," Hex said, her mask showing a jeering face.
"We will fight you to the last, virus," Phong declared.
"You fools!" Megabyte shouted. "Your Guardian is lost, and the city lies unprotected."
"You're wrong!" AndrAIa argued to Megabyte. "We do have a Guardian!" She turned to Enzo and said, "Guardian — your keytool."
Enzo seemed to be encouraged by her support. Placing the broken Glitch on his arm, he assumed a fighting stance. Looking the viruses in the eyes, he proclaimed, "I am Guardian Matrix, charged with defending this system. Two viruses take over my home? I don't think so!"
He, AndrAIa, and Dot faced Megabyte and Hexadecimal with great bravery — bravery that they would need for the next several minutes of battle to come.