Null and Void

by GuardianEnzo

In the sequel to "Abort, Retry, Fail", past, present and future come together as Enzo and Matrix share a frightening vision.

2. Chapter II

NULL AND VOID

PART II

It was totally basic. I hated it, and it was happening more and more. I didn't really understand all of it, but I knew a lot of it was about me, and that made me feel even worse.

"Just stop it, you two." I heard Dot say. The door to the kitchen didn't do much to block out the sounds inside, but somehow Bob and Dot never seemed to figure that out. I was glad of that - I'd never have found anything out otherwise. But there was some stuff I guess I'd have been happier not knowing...

Matrix was talking. "Bob, I know you mean well. But surely you realize that even you can't protect him completely? Look at what happened last time!"

"Enzo-" It was Dot. Sounding angry.

"Matrix, if you think that I'd ever allow anything to happen to Enzo-"

"Of course I don't, Bob! But you can't control everything that happens - I found that out the hard way."

"Enzo! Stop it! Stop it now!"

"It's all right, Dot-"

"Look, I'm sorry. I don't like to keep bringing this up. But you can't change what happened, either of you. Events control sprites, not the other way around. I can't be a party to anything that risks a repeat of what happened before."

"Enzo, I understand how you feel. Believe me I do. But this is something we can discuss, something we can deal with. I still don't see how it justifies-"

"It's more than that, Bob." Matrix sounded different than I'd ever heard him before. "You know it. You can't change the past, and you can't return to it either. I understand how Mouse felt, believe me. I'm not needed here and you know it."

"Enzo, that's not true!" Dot was crying. I'd never heard her cry as much as she had lately. "How can you possibly-"

"I'm sorry, Sis. I really am."

"Enzo, you know how dangerous a position we're in. We've had a few false alarms, but the next one might not be. We don't even know that they _were_ false alarms!"

"Maybe so. But I can be more useful to you out there. Sooner or later we've got to take the fight to Daemon. All I'm doing now is leading her to you. There's no one else out there to take her on, Bob. We don't know where Mouse is - if she's even alive."

"She's alive!" Dot said, her voice full of anger. It almost sounded like hate. I was scared, all of a sudden.

"Matrix, think clearly about this. What about-"

"I have, Bob - believe me. We're playing into her hands by waiting for her to come at us at her own pace. Someone has to take the fight out there, and who else is there? You can't go - you're needed here. You know it. That leaves me. And AndrAIa."

"Have you discussed this with AndrAIa?"

"Of course."

"And how does she feel about it?"

"She hates it. But she understands. We've been through everything together, Bob. She'll go if I ask her to."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this!" Dot sobbed. "After all of the hard work, all you've suffered - all we _all_ suffered! I can't believe I'm hearing this!"

"Nothing's definite." Matrix said in a low voice - I could barely hear him. "We're all emotional. There's nothing to be gained by talking about this any more right now..."

Footsteps. I backspaced away from the door and jumped over the bar, my heart pounding. I landed on a stool and watched the door open. Matrix came out and saw me right away. I was pretending to watch a vidscreen, but I don't think I fooled him - my hands were shaking.

He stared at me for a nano and I thought he was gonna say something, but he didn't. He sighed real deep and walked out of the diner. I watched him go, trying to calm myself down, trying to remember the exercises Bob was teaching me. They didn't work.

When I looked back, Bob and Dot were standing in the doorway. Bob had his arm around her shoulder, and Dot was trying not to look like she'd been crying. It made me sad and angry all at once. Bob winked at me and slumped down in a booth.

Dot took a couple of deep breaths and sat down next to me at the counter. "How are you, Sweetie? Did you get your homework finished?"

I was almost too shocked to reply. I think we were both pretending, but I couldn't be sure just what. "Yeah... yeah, thanks." I said softly. "Uh - is everything OK?"

"It's just fine. Just fine..." She squeezed my shoulder and kissed me on the cheek. "I'm a little tired. I think I'm going to head downstairs, all right? Don't stay up too late, Young Man!"

"I... I won't." I whispered, thinking how strange this all was. Like if she pretended nothing was wrong I'd never have known.

"I'll make sure he gets to bed. We'll be down soon." Bob called wearily. "Just get some downtime, Dot. Don't worry."

Don't worry... It was totally basic. Everything felt wrong, like it felt right after the reboot, only worse. I felt bad, like my life was changing. It was spinning out of my control.

Two figures hovered on a longboard, far above the city spread out below them. Even the Principal Office - and the purple cube that enveloped it - were mere dots below them. "Another game cube. You ever been in one o' those, Love?"

"A game?" Mouse grinned. "Oh, I dunno, Sugar. Maybe one or two here and there. Nothin' to copy and paste about."

"Why do I get the feeling that you're never quite telling me everything?" Ray challenged, bemused.

"Don't ask me, Surfr. I'm a paragon of trust and openness. You're just overly cynical, that's all."

"Yeah, that's the problem." Ray chuckled. "I'm gonna have to try me one o' those games sometime. Seems interesting."

"One's as much as the next, pretty much." Mouse sighed. "I kinda thought my code might be processin' in that direction, for a while. I got sick of it. Way too predictable for my tastes."

"Sure you're all right, Love?" Ray asked her over his shoulder. "You still seem kinda low-res to me. Anything I-"

"I'm fine, Handsome. Don't worry your pretty l'il head about it."

"If ya say so. Wanna head down to the diner - access a shake?"

"Lead the way, Sugar." she answered, grabbing his waist.

"Hang on!" he cautioned, out of habit. With a puzzled frown, he banked the longboard down and towards the city.

"This is basic! Who in the net would play a game like this by choice? I mean - look at me! What exactly am I supposed to be?"

"I dunno, Lover." AndrAIa giggled. "I'm guessing not a professional athlete, judging by your physique."

"And these clothes... And you! What's up with that hair?"

"What about my hair?" AndrAIa said defensively, throwing her hands up and feeling the top of her head. "What the-"

"It's blue! And it's half as tall as your whole body. I mean - what kind of mind comes up with this stuff?"

"I think it's kinda cool!" Enzo grinned. The boy had spiky blond hair and was dressed in an orange shirt and blue shorts. "These clothes are kinda weird, though. And what does this thing do?" The youngster held up a narrow, flat board with an array of wheels on its base.

"I'm not sure." Matrix mused. "Some kind of zip board, maybe?"

"Lemme try it." Enzo dropped the board, but it fell to the ground with a crash. "It's broken!"

"I don't think so." AndrAIa smiled, kneeling down and picking up the object. "Here, look - I think those wheels go on the ground, and you roll it. See?"

"Why?" the boy asked, puzzled.

"Some kind of primitive transport, I guess. I think you're supposed to stand on it, just like a zip board. Give it a try."

"OK." Enzo said hesitantly. He stepped gingerly on the board, but it stubbornly refused to budge. "It doesn't go anywhere! What good is it?"

"Push off - with your foot!" the game sprite encouraged. Frowning, the boy kicked out his right foot and rolled a short distance. "There you go!"

"Alphanumeric!" Enzo laughed. His inborn dexterity served him well - the strange movement actually felt quite natural. He kicked off again and started rolling down the gray surface.

"Be careful!" AndrAIa cautioned. "You're still new at this!"

"Don't have a cow, Man!" Enzo laughed, circling them. "This is pixelacious!" Approaching a lip in the surface, he leapt into the air, pulling the board after him with his feet.

"Stop that!" Matrix shouted. "We've got work to do!"

"Eat my shorts!"

"Enzo! You stop that language right now or I'll send you to your room!" AndrAIa barked.

Enzo screeched to a halt, admonished. "What did you say?"

"I'm not sure..." AndrAIa sighed, head in hands. "This is totally bizarre..."

"Look - as much fun as this is, shouldn't we figure out the object of this thing and get it over with?" Matrix interrupted. "No Glitch, no game stats. Anyone have any ideas?"

"That seems to be the biggest building around." AndrAIa said, pointing to a complex of towers and pipes looming over the town. "Maybe we ought to head there - could it be like their Principal Office?"

"Possibly... I haven't got any better ideas. Let's do it."

"Call off your nulls, Hex. I'm not going anywhere now - you've already made me miss the game."

"Poor, poor Bob - how ever will you manage? We'll just have to think of something." The nulls began, slowly, to disperse.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself." the Guardian sighed, falling back into his chair. "Well, I'm here. The least you can do is answer my question."

"And what question was that, Darling?"

"Will you help us or not?" The Guardian fought hard to control his temper. ~Order over Chaos!~ he told himself. "Well?"

"That depends, Bob. I'd love to help you - nothing would bring more joy to my weary soul." she replied sweetly. "But I must feel as though I'm getting something in return - a point of pride, you understand. It's not good for a girl to give away her services too cheaply, is it?"

Bob felt as though he'd walked the length of Mainframe to move a single step. "About time. What's your price, Hex? If you don't want the power, I don't know what else Mainframe has to offer-"

"Mainframe has nothing I want, Guardian." the virus answered in a low voice. "You, on the other hand..."

"What's that?" Enzo asked, pointing to an oblong building with large windows along it's front face. "Some kind of store, or something?"

"I dunno." Matrix answered. "I guess we could check it out..."

"Cool!" Enzo neatly kicked his new board up into his hands and approached the building. AndrAIa shrugged, winked at Matrix and followed him. The twin glass doors opened, revealing a cluttered interior of strange packaged items on shelves and in glass display cases. A sour, stale smell pervaded the place.

"Oh, Mister Homer!" a brown-skinned game sprite called upon their entrance. "If you are here to be doing the looting, you may do it somewhere else!" The sprite pointed an ominous-looking object at the trio.

"I think he's talking to you!" AndrAIa whispered.

"Me? Maybe... And that looks a rifle." Matrix offered a strained smile. "Excuse me - maybe you could tell us just what's going on around here? Has there been some sort of trouble?"

"As if you are not knowing!" the game sprite barked. "Please to be going away now, or I will fill you full of lead!"

"Friendly chap." AndrAIa sighed.

"What's a squishy?" Enzo asked, wide-eyed.

"We'd better get out of here." Matrix frowned, leading the other two out of the building. "That's basic - that was obviously some sort of business. But why would someone point a weapon at their customers? I'd love to hear Dot's opinion on that!"

"Some kind of trouble, I'd assume." AndrAIa mused, as Enzo gleefully looped between them on his board. "He said 'looting' - didn't we run into that in one of those police games once?"

"Yeah - we did! After a disaster, or a fire, or something... It might have something to do with the point of this game."

"Let's try this place!" Enzo called, steering his board towards a grimy storefront with a sign atop the door that said "Moe's".

"Enzo, wait!" Matrix shouted, but too late. The boy disappeared through the door. "I'm gonna have to talk with that kid about running off in the middle of games! He shouldn't be doing this, Andri - he's not old enough to handle it!"

"Chill, Sparky. Let him have a little fun - it'll get serious soon enough. C'mon, let's catch up to him."

"Dude - what is this place?" Enzo asked, wrinkling his nose. It was like Dot's - but not like it at all, at the same time. There was a bar, tables - but a foul stench filled the air. A rotund figure - even more rotund than Matrix' form - was slouched on a bar stool, and a slimy looking sprite with curly hair stood behind the bar, polishing a glass.

"Hey, Kid. Wanna beer?" the slimy sprite asked.

"What's 'beer'?" Enzo asked suspiciously.

"Heh heh! Good kid, that's right. Of course you ain't gonna have a beer!" Matrix and AndrAIa appeared in the doorway, their facial expressions a fair imitation of Enzo's a nano earlier. "Heya Homer! Brought the whole family, huh? That's great, just great. Nuthin' better fer business than kids and dames..."

"There's that name again! Must be you!" AndrAIa whispered. "Talk to him - find out what's going on!"

"Uh, Hi..." Matrix began awkwardly. "Hi... Moe?"

"Whassa matter with you, Homer? You ain't gettin' drunk soemwheres else, are ya?"

Enzo bounced onto a bar stool next to the fat sprite, but drew back almost at once. "Dude! You stink worse than Old Man Pearson's Data Dump!"

The somnolent figure raised its head and looked at the youngster with a somber expression. "Judge not, lest ye be judged." With that, he let out a tremendous belch and collapsed onto the bar.

"Heh heh! Cute kid, Homer. Ain't that right Barty? So what'll it be, Homer?"

"Uh - I/O shot please." Matrix replied, sliding onto a stool next to Enzo.

"Real funny, Homer. Yer a reg'lar Shecky Greene." the bartender said sarcastically. "Here ya go." he slid a mug of frothing golden brown liquid in front of Matrix.

"Er - thanks..." Matrix said dubiously, staring down at the glass.

Enzo cautiously sniffed the contents. "Major disgusting, Dude!"

Matrix brought the beverage to his lips and took a sip. "Hmmm. Not bad..." he mused. He took a large swallow. "Mmmm. Brown liquid...."

"Matrix!" AndrAIa hissed, poking him in the ribs. "Get to the point! He's your friend, obviously. Find out what's going on!"

"D'oh! You're right!" Matrix replied. "Say Moe - what's everybody all upset about? The guy in that weird little store just pointed a weapon at me for no reason."

"Must be that business at the power plant. Surprised ya didn't hear about it, seein' as ya work there an' everything."

"The - plant?" Matrix asked dubiously. "Of course, the plant... So what's going on over there?"

"Something about an atomic blast, fallout, total devastation of the city." the bartender replied casually.

Matrix and Enzo shared a frown. "So what're you still doing here?"

"Well, I can't close while Barney's here, can I Homer? Besides, this stuff seems to happen just about every week."

"Thanks, Moe." Matrix sighed. "Come on, you two - I'm willing to bet that whatever an 'atomic blast' is, we're supposed to stop it." He turned and looked longingly at the glass on the bar. "That sure was good....

"Just come on!" AndrAIa hissed, pulling at his elbow. "We've got work to do." Enzo giggled and followed them out to the street. He jumped onto his board and weaved his way towards the complex of buildings at the edge of the city, as AndrAIa and Matrix took a more direct route on foot.

"What's a nuclear power plant?" Enzo frowned, looking at the sign on the wire fence that guarded the complex of buildings.

"Some kind of generator." Matrix answered. "I was in a nuclear submarine in a game once. They make weapons out of this nuclear stuff, I know that."

"I don't like this place." AndrAIa hissed, looking up at the two massive circular towers that loomed over the complex.

"Yeah - me either." Matrix echoed. "It gives me the jaggies. But I think we have to get in there, somehow."

"Let's climb the fence!" Enzo grinned, kicking his board under his arm and striding towards the barrier.

"Enzo - no!" AndrAIa grabbed him. "It could be electrified!"

"Sorry." the youngster said softly, bowing his head. "I Guess I wasn't thinking..."

"That's OK." the game sprite grinned, lifting his chin up. "Just be careful, OK? We don't want to lose you!"

Matrix shook his head disgustedly. "We've got to find another way in there. There must be a gate around here somewhere..."

"There!" Enzo pointed to where a small guardhouse stood along the fence.

"Good eye, Enzo!" AndrAIa grinned. Enzo beamed up at her. "But it appears to be locked..."

"There's someone coming!" Matrix hissed.

A small figure was shuffling it's way towards them from the other side of the fence. It appeared to be an old sprite, dressed in strange, uncomfortable looking black clothes. "Ahoy-hoy!" the figure called, in a oddly familiar voice.

"Phong?!" Enzo squeaked.

Dot was crying again - it seemed like she was always crying lately. Only now I understood exactly why. She wasn't even bothering to try to hide it from me anymore...

I was sitting at the counter, trying to pretend nothing was happening, but it wasn't working. Bob was over by the door, talking to Matrix and AndrAIa and trying to comfort Dot at the same time. Nobody was paying much attention to me, but that was fine - I wanted no part of any of it. I could hear little bits of their conversation that kept breaking through my attempts to block them out.

"We'll keep our eyes open for Mouse..."

"I wish you'd reconsider all this. Think of everything you sacrificed to get here!"

"Remember - they've got a lock on your icon, you'll have to stay in game sprite mode..."

"Don't take any stupid chances..."

"Don't forget what I told you about games in the supercomputer - and that goes for

everything else there, too..."

"Don't worry - we'll make sure Daemon has plenty to think about..."

"I love you..."

"I love you too..."

"Stay frosty..."

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see them all starting to stand around and shuffle their feet. They'd run out of things to say to waste time. They started to mill around each other, hug each other. I heard Frisket whining, and AndrAIa knelt down and hugged him. I hid my face in my hands, hoping nobody would notice me, but I could feel someone staring at me.

I looked over, and it was Dot. I locked eyes with her for a nano, then I looked away. Nobody said anything for a long while, but I knew they were all looking at me now. "Enzo, do you want to say goodbye?" Dot asked me. Her voice was almost gone.

I didn't say anything - I just sat there and started straight ahead. I couldn't think of anything I really wanted to say. I knew if I said what I was thinking, I'd only make it worse, and I was trying to act like a grown-up. "Enzo?" Dot croaked again.

It was basic - I could feel everybody staring at me, but I just couldn't bring myself to move. I had a million files buzzing around in my processor, and I couldn't file and sort any of them. The only thing I knew for sure is that it didn't seem real, somehow. I couldn't really believe that it was happening.

I heard footsteps approaching me, heavy footsteps. It had to be Matrix. Big, clumsy Matrix. Just like I'd be big and clumsy some minute too. He clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Enzo... Do me a favor and look after everyone, all right?"

Somehow, it was exactly the wrong thing to say. Just what I'd expect Matrix to say when he was humoring a basic little kid. Here he was, telling me to take care of everyone - and he didn't even think I could take care of myself! "Yeah - sure, no problem." I said softly. "Good luck."

"Enzo-"

"Good luck!" I said again, louder. Like it was the last thing I was gonna say. He took the hint. I heard him sigh, and he lumbered away.

"Bye, Enzo." I heard AndrAIa say. As soon as she said it, my gut started rolling like I'd been circuit racing upside down. I felt like someone had stuck a knife in my stomach and left it there. Before I knew it, I was on my feet and over at the door, staring up at her. Not sure why I was there, but knowing I had to be.

She smiled at me, that little sly smile she had like she always knew what you were thinking, and grabbed my hand. "I love you!" I blurted out, and I was shocked to hear myself say it. I could feel my eyes starting to tear up. ~Don't do this! You're one-one! Be a man!~ I heard myself saying, in my head. But it didn't matter. All I could see was AndrAIa.

I blinked a few times, trying to clear my vision. She looked all watery, which I guess was kinda ironic since she's a sea sprite. Suddenly, everything made sense - I knew why I was standing there. "I couldn't let you go and never tell you!" I sighed, and I felt relieved that I'd finally gotten it out. "I love you. I'll always love you..."

"I know. I love you too." she smiled again, this time kind of sad. She kissed me on the cheek and hugged me, and I hugged her back as hard as I could. I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to let her go, but I did, after a nano. "We'll be back. I'll see you soon, OK?"

I nodded, but I didn't trust myself to try to talk. I wasn't sure if I could. AndrAIa kissed Dot and she and Bob kinda moved off and stood in the door. Matrix grabbed Dot's hand, and they whispered something to each other. Then he started to walk off, too.

I stood there for a few nanos with my eyes closed, just listening. Then I heard Matrix walking back towards me. "Hey." he said. "Whatever happens, just be careful. Always listen to Bob, and do everything he tells you. Dot too. Or I'll have to kick your bitmap next time I see you."

"OK." I said, opening my eyes. He was staring back at me, and he had a look on his face that I'd never seen before. He looked, I dunno... _Old_. I remember thinking that I was gonna look that old someday. Suddenly, I felt sorry for him and for myself at the same time. If there was a difference. "Why are you leaving? You don't have to! Why don't you just stay and-"

"Enzo, we've talked about this. I can't do anyone any good here. You and Bob have things well under control. I have to go and find out what's happening, stir things up a little. So we'll be ready when Daemon comes. I'll be back..."

"You said I'd never be alone. You said you'd always be around when I was lonely, that you'd understand! What happened to that?"

He looked like I'd punched him. It was weird, how I could always be mad at Matrix and feel sorry for him at the same time. I guess he was kinda the same with me. "I meant it, Enzo. I will be. Just not for a little while."

"If you say so..."

"Just be yourself, Enzo. That's what I'm trying to do." he sighed. He cuffed me on the cheek. "Take care of Dot and Frisket for me. And don't let Bob make any more deals with viruses..."

"Take care of AndrAIa. Promise!"

"Promise!" he said, trying to smile. He stuck out his hand, and I shook it, feeling numb. He hugged Dot, and he hugged Frisket too. Frisket was whining like crazy, so I knelt down next to him and scratched his ears. I closed my eyes again and just concentrated on Frisket and how soft and warm he felt. Just like always.

"C'mon, there's a few more things I want to go over." I heard Bob say. "And we'll need to talk with Phong before you go. I'll open the portal there..."

And that was all. His voice faded, and they were gone. Frisket was still whining, and he was straining to get away. "Stay, Boy." I whispered. "Don't go anywhere now..."

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked up. It was Dot, and she was staring out the door. I looked out too, but I couldn't see them anymore. "Shouldn't you go with them to the P.O.?"

I whispered.

She smiled kinda crookedly at me. "This is where I need to be right now." That's when it all kinda fell apart, and I lost it. I stood up and hugged Dot, and just started crying. I could hear her crying too. I don't know what I'd have done without her - ever. No matter what happened, Dot was always there for me. Always...

"Me?" Bob asked, bemused. "And what exactly do you want from me, Hexadecimal?"

"Use your imagination, Dear Boy!" the virus giggled. "I'm sure you can think of something!"

"I'm not here to play games, Hex! If-"

"Games again! It's always games with you Guardians, isn't it?" Hex grinned toothily. "It's really quite simple, Bob - I'm a new virus. I've turned over a new file. And I'm just ever so lonely here all by myself..."

"You've got Scuzzy." Bob smiled thinly.

"Indeed." she answered evenly. "But Scuzzy is just my familiar, Bob - my pet if you will. There are certain...needs that he can't provide for. Certain stimulations..."

"Intellectual of course."

"Oh, but of course!"

"Did you want Mike back? I think I could arrange that-"

"Do not toy with me, Guardian!" the virus howled. "This is not one of you pathetic little games!"

"A new virus, huh?" Bob replied calmly. "If you're lonely, Hexadecimal, you can always come and join us in the city. I'm sure we could arrange some very comfortable quarters for you in Baudway somewhere-"

"No, Guardian! I can see we're having a little difficulty communicating." the virus hissed. "I am rather attached to my little lair, Bob - I hardly think that's the answer."

"Well, than we appear to be at an impasse." Bob sighed. "So if there's nothing further-"

"We don't have to be stalemated, Bob. All I'm asking for is a little companionship - a little quality time together. You could still visit your little friends sometimes..."

"No, Hex." Bob frowned. "That isn't going to happen. My life is out there - with those sprites. Not here."

"It's because of her, isn't it?" Hexadecimal snarled, baring her teeth. "That tiresome sow and her sniveling brother too! What do you see in her, Guardian? Doesn't her incessant mewling and complaining overload your circuitry?"

"Leave Dot out of this." Bob said softly. "It's not about her, Hex. I-"

"I think it is about her." Hex pouted, turning away. "I wonder what would happen if-"

"That's enough!" Bob interrupted, struggling to keep his voice calm. "I came here as a friend, Hexadecimal. I can leave here as an enemy. The choice is up to you. Well?"

"Oh, what a wonderful performance!" the virus giggled. "So dramatic... so intense... you truly are an artist, My Sweet!"

"I'll be going then." The Guardian stood. "I'm sorry I wasted your time, Hex - and mine. My offer still stands - if you want to be hooked up to the power grid, just ask. That'll be the end of it."

"Giving up so easily, Bob? Surely you're not going to leave yet! You've hardly begun to entertain me!"

"I've entertained you more than enough." The Guardian turned away, hands on his hips. "The door, Hexadecimal?"

"Bob-"

"The door! If you please."

"Wait, Bob! I've been thinking - perhaps I could perform this service for you and your little playmates. We could just say you owe me a favor..."

Bob turned and raised an eyebrow. "I don't think so, Hex. I think the spreadsheet is tilted a little in the other direction, don't you? Or perhaps you'd have been happier with your old mask?"

"Do not try me, Guardian. You are dancing very close to the edge..."

"The door?" he asked impatiently. "Or should I just use a window?"

"I'll do it."

"What?"

"You heard me, Sweet - I'll do it." the virus smiled. "Perhaps it shall be fun - I'm sure old Phong will be quite consternated..."

"Just like that? No data strings attached? No hidden files?"

"Of course not, Darling. Let's just say that the next time, you can do me a favor, shall we? Just so I can salvage my dignity, you understand!"

"No , Hex!" Bob said firmly. "No favors!"

"Oh, but Bob - surely for something as critical to the defense of the system as this you won't let your _pride_ get in the way, will you? And you, the Guardian of the System! 'To mend and defend'! - isn't that what you say? All I'm asking is to, heh heh! Save face!" The virus screeched at her own joke.

Bob stared at her for a nano. "If you say so, Hex. When-"

"When I am ready, Guardian, you will know. You may run along now. Thank you so much for coming - you've just made my cycle!"

"Thanks a lot!" Bob sighed. "Uh, Hex?"

"Yes, Sweet Boy?"

"The door?"

"Of course - how foolish of me! I'd forgotten all about it. No where did I put it? A-ha!" The virus snapped her fingers, and the door appeared, in a completely different part of the lair than he had entered thorough. "I'm always opening doors for you, Bob..."

"Hex?"'

"Yes, yes, what now? Hmmm? Oh yes, of course." The virus waved her hands, and Hack and Slash fell through the ceiling and landed in a heap at the Guardian's feet.

"Bob!" Slash cried.

"It was terrible!" Hack added. "There weren't even any magazines!"

"And Hack was touching me."

"I was not touching you! Why must you always bring this up in front of Bob?"

"I think I broke a wheel."

"There's a lot of pain..."

"Come on, you two." Bob sighed, walking towards the door. Hack and Slash hovered behind him, casting nervous glances back at the virus. "Hexadecimal, as always it's been a blast."

"The pleasure was mine, Sweet Boy." she cooed, watching the trio depart. She snapped her fingers again, and Scuzzy flew through a window and landed at the foot of her chair. "There you are, My Pet! You've gone and missed all the fun! Just when things seem so tedious, Bob comes along to brighten my cycle! And I shan't forget, shall I? I'll be sure to make things most interesting for him..."

"It is about time you arrived, My Children." the black-clad figure tittered. "I was beginning to worry that I was alone in this game..."

"Phong?" Matrix gasped, his expression mirroring that of his diminutive twin. AndrAIa suppressed a giggle. "What - what are you doing here?"

"I was in the read-only room when the game cube fell, Young Guardian. I was unable to escape from under it's path. This is not my first time in a game, as you well know."

"Yeah - I remember! You saved my bitmap, too..."

"When was that?" Enzo challenged.

"Before your time - or should I say after?" Matrix chuckled. "So what are you supposed to be exactly?"

"I might ask you the same, Child!" the old sprite replied, a little huffily. "I - oh, dear!"

"What is it?"

"That!" Phong sighed, gesturing towards a bespectaled sprite that was hurrying across the compound towards them. "I thought I had lost him..."

"Sir!" the sprite called out. "There you are, Sir. You've been acting awfully strange all day, Sir. Is it because you missed your four o'clock skin scraping?"

"A revolting sycophant!" Phong whispered. "He appears to be attached to me like glue..."

The curly-haired sprite reached their position along the fence. "Who are these people, Sir? Shall I set the robotic Richard Simmons on them?"

"Excuse me." Phong sighed, turning to face the newcomer. "I thought I told you to grease all of my calfskin wallets!"

"Er - yes, Sir." the puzzled game sprite stammered. "It's just - what with the impending nuclear holocaust, and all-"

"Great MacGuffin's ghost, Smithers - when I give an order I expect it to be carried out!" Phong snarled. "Now are you going to attend to those wallets or shall I begin interviewing for a new toady?"

"Of _course, Mr. Burns, Sir!" the sprite quaked. "I'll get right on it, Sir!" The bespectacled figure hurriedly backspaced towards the complex of buildings.

"That should keep him out of our gears for a little while."

"Phong!" Enzo gasped. "You were totally alphanumeric! You even had me scared!"

"Where did that come from?" AndrAIa laughed.

"It has already been a long cycle!" Phong frowned. "Now - are you going to stand out there gawking all day, or come in here and help me win this game?"

"How do we get in?" Matrix asked. "The gates are locked!"

"Follow me! I appear to be in charge of this entire establishment..." The old sprite shuffled his feet awkwardly towards the guardhouse. "I do not understand how you are able to _walk_ on these things!"

"Dude - this is twisted!" Enzo laughed. "I wish Bob were here to see this!"

"And me as well, Child... You! In there!"

A head popped out of the guardhouse. "Yes, Sir?"

"Open the gate at once, you nattering ninny!" Phong snapped.

"Yes Sir!" The metal gates swung open, and the trio of sprites, followed by Frisket, entered the nuclear complex. The dog was still walking awkwardly, trying to adjust to his spindly form.

"What can you tell us about the game, Phong?" Matrix asked as they followed the old sprite towards the main building. "What exactly are we supposed to be doing - and just what is a 'nuclear holocaust'?"

"Be thankful that you do not know the answer to that, My Son." Phong sighed. "Apparently there is some sort of crazed psychopath in this power plant, and he is threatening to set off an explosion which will crash their entire system - destroy the city, if you will. It is my guess that he is the User."

"The User is trying to destroy the city? Why?" AndrAIa asked.

"I do not know, Young One. It seems that it is our responsibility to stop him. Although at times it has been my impression that our biggest obstacle may be those who would claim to offer assistance..."

"All right, everyone stand clear! There's nothing to see here!" a blue-clad figure was shouting. He - like most of the figures in this strange environment seemed to be - was morbidly obese. "Everything's under control - I've seen 'The China Syndrome'!"

"_Now_ what?" AndrAIa moaned.

"Their chief of security." Phong replied. "He appears to be as dangerously incompetent as the rest of these people..."

Two more blue-clad figures approached the fat game sprite. "We found these inside, Chief." One of them said, holding up a rectangular box containing several sweet-smelling discs with holes in the center.

"Better confiscate those as evidence!" the Chief ordered, swallowing one of the discs in two bites. "Take 'em back to my car!"

"Come on - we have wasted enough time." Phong said crisply. "Come to my office and we will decide our strategy."

The old sprite shuffled off, Enzo and AndrAIa at his heels. After a moment, the game sprite turned and looked behind them, where Matrix was staring at the trio of security officers. "Matrix! What's the matter?"

"Mmmm.... Donuts..." Matrix whispered, drool dripping from his mouth as he stared at the box.

"Matrix! Snap out of it!" AndrAIa grabbed the bald sprite by the elbow. "We don't have time for this! And what are 'donuts'?

"I don't know. That's what it says on the box!" Matrix sighed. "What in the net is _wrong_ with me?"

"You mean besides being fat and bald?" Enzo laughed.

"Watch yourself, Sprout!" Matrix snarled.

"Don't have a cow-"

"That's enough, you two!" AndrAIa admonished. "Phong, this is totally basic! Some crazy User is trying to blow up this place and destroy the city? Why? What's the point?"

"Apparently, it is all part of some strange grudge." Phong sighed, opening the door to a large office. "Against young Enzo here, as a matter of fact."

"Me?" the boy squeaked. "I just got here!"

"Back story, My Child. These game environments do not simply begin when we enter them, as I am certain AndrAIa could confirm for you."

"He's right, Enzo. The fundamental purpose of game sprites is to create a realistic game environment for the User. That means that all of their characters are fleshed out before you - er, we - ever arrive."

"Coolness..." the youngster whispered. "I never thought of it like that before! So -what did I do to get this guy all mad, anyways?"

"I am not certain, Child." Phong said absently, rolling out a blueprint on the massive desk in the center of the office. "The salient fact is that we must stop the User from detonating his explosive before he destroys this place - and the entire city."

"Any ideas on just how to do that?" Matrix asked, peering over the old sprite's shoulder.

"He has barricaded himself in the outer reactor core, Child. The nattering nabobs who present themselves as the local security forces seem unable to do anything about it. I suppose we shall have to find a way to get inside ourselves and disarm him."

"Sounds easy enough. You've got the plans for the entire plant right there. But I still don't understand what the User hopes to accomplish. What's his objective?" AndrAIa frowned.

"It has something to do with young Enzo - or shall I say Bart?" Phong mused. "That and someone named 'Krusty'. I do not know who that is. Apparently this psychopath - he calls himself 'Sideshow Bob' - has a particular grudge against both of them. He is demanding that they be given unto his custody - presumably for nefarious purposes - and he will disarm the bomb. Or so he claims."

"Sounds pretty pointless." Matrix sighed. "Well, there's some sort of a shaft, or a tunnel or something. Right there! Couldn't we just follow it right inside and surprise this Sideshow Bob?"

"Yeah - looks pretty basic." AndrAIa agreed. "Let's get busy!"

"It is not that simple, young AndrAIa. There is a problem with that particular avenue of ingress."

"And that is?"

"This air shaft that you refer to - it is indeed the only other entry into the core control room. Alas, it is very narrow - there is no way that AndrAIa or yourself could possibly squeeze through."

"Cursors!' Matrix spat. "Well - we'll just have to find another way."

"There is no other way, Child. Only the front door. And any attempt to force our way through could convince the User to destroy the system."

"How narrow is it?" Enzo asked softly.

"Enzo - no!" AndrAIa barked. "You can't -"

"But I could - couldn't I, Phong?" Enzo asked excitedly. "I could squeeze through and get into the core control-"

"No way, Enzo! Not on your bitmap!" Matrix interrupted. "It's too dangerous!"

"But-"

"The child is right, My Boy." Phong sighed. "He could fit inside the air shaft and gain entry. It may be the only way-"

"But that would be giving the User exactly what he wants! You said yourself that he's demanding that we turn over Enzo and this other guy - and you want to deliver Enzo right to him?"

"I do not want to, Children. It is simply that there may be little or no choice. If we do not attempt this, we may be stalemated. It is only my reluctance that has prevented my suggesting it before now."

"Frisket could fit, too!" Enzo grinned. "He could protect me! We've _got_ to do it - there's no other way!"

"Wait just a nano!" AndrAIa threw up her hands in protest. "Even if we decide to do this - and I'm not saying we have - there's still the problem of radiation. Matrix and I have been in a few games with this nuclear stuff - it can mess you up pretty badly if you get too close! How can we send Enzo into a reactor core full of this stuff?"

"I have considered that, Child. The area where the User has barricaded himself is shielded - otherwise, he himself would have been overcome as you describe. If he has planted explosives in the core chamber, as he claims, perhaps he donned some sort of protective suit in order to access it, then retreated to a safe area, with a detonator."

"See? No problem!" Enzo grinned. Matrix glowered at the boy.

"So you're saying that Enzo could safely get inside? There's no radiation?"

"Not exactly, young AndrAIa. There levels are higher than I would like, even in the outer chamber, where the User is - but it should be safe providing there is no prolonged exposure."

"Well, that makes me feel better!" Matrix scowled. "Phong, think about what you're saying - you're proposing we send Enzo through an air shaft into a radioactive chamber to deal with a psychopathic User. Just what is a zero-one sprite to do then precisely?"

"Hey! I've been in the games with Bob, Nullbutt! I can handle any User! You just-"

"Please - let's not start this again!" AndrAIa snapped, silencing both Enzos. The game sprite turned to Phong. "Sorry, Enzo - but it's a good question. What will Enzo do if he gets inside with the User?"

"Do not forget that Frisket will be with him, Child - and we have all seen what he can do to even the most fearsome User." The old sprite nodded appreciatively at the dog, who yelped his approval.

"And what the User can do to him. He was shot once, you know!" Matrix protested. "Almost deleted!"

"What? You never told me that!"

"There's a lot I didn't tell you, Enzo." the bearded sprite said softly, eyes downcast. "There's a lot you don't need to know. But you need to know that games are dangerous - for Frisket just like everybody else."

"You got my dog shot?"

"Please, Young Ones - this is achieving nothing." Phong sighed. He bridged his fingers and surveyed the group around him. "It is my opinion that this is our only recourse - our only avenue to win the game. It does not please me, and I will not force anyone to do anything they do not wish to do. It seems pointless to continue this debate - time is not on our side."

"I'll do it." Enzo said grimly. "I'll take care o' Frisket, and he can take care of me. Don't worry."

"That isn't likely!" AndrAIa frowned. The girl wrapped an arm around Enzo's shoulder and ruffled his spiky hair. "I don't like this either, but it does seem to make sense. Sometimes you just have to do what the game wants you to do - and this might be one of those times."

"What?! AndrAIa-"

"I know, Sparky." the game sprite smiled at Matrix. "Phong, if you think this is best, I believe it's best. But something is still bothering me."

"What is that, Child?"

"This game - there's something about it. It's not quite right..."

"Of course it's not right - it's totally basic!" Matrix fumed. "These bodies, these clothes, this place - who would dream up such a pointless environment?"

"It's more than that, Enzo. Think about all the games we've been in. There should at least be some point to it - some objective. What does this User have to do to win the game, exactly? Blow up the city? If he wanted to do that he could have done it already! What's stopping him?"

"I dunno - maybe he needs us to be inside, or something..." Enzo offered.

"Maybe." she grinned at him. "But I've never seen a game set up that way - for the User to just be sitting around, waiting for something to happen. This whole scenario just feels wrong. I have an instinct for games, Enzo - I come from a game, don't forget."

"What are you saying, young AndrAIa?"

"I'm not sure, Phong. I just know that this is wrong. If anything, the User should have been you!" she pointed at Enzo. "Or you, Sparky. The whole thing is backwards, twisted..."

"It may be so, Child - in this arena your experience far outweighs mine." Phong frowned. "But it seems that we must attempt to win the game as it has been laid out, must we not? Else we would all face nullification. That is the only certifiable reality."

"You're right, Phong." AndrAIa said. The girl knelt next to Enzo and grabbed his shoulders. "Enzo - you be careful. Even more than normal, all right? Keep your eyes open for anything unusual."

"I promise!" the youngster grinned.

"What's the matter with Bob?"

"I do not know. Perhaps you should ask him."

"Why should I ask him? You ask him!"

"He is very quiet."

"I think he's going to say something."

"Maybe he is going to sing. Do you think he is going to sing?"

"I don't think he's gonna sing."

"I would enjoy a song right about now. Perhaps a show tune..."

"He's a Guardian! Guardians don't sing show tunes."

"I like music. A song would bring some levity to an otherwise tense moment."

"All right, Guys!" Bob snapped. "I don't want to hear any more of this nonsense - we're almost there."

"Now you made him mad!"

"Perhaps if he sang a song-"

"Enough!" The Guardian banked his zip board and flew towards the purple cube that dominated their field of vision. "Right over the Principal Office... Not good. I hope Matrix and AndrAIa made it inside. And everyone else made it out..."

"Bob!" Dot called out from below them. The Guardian, Hack and Slash in tow, coasted to a stop in front of the Command.com. She was flanked by Gavin Capacitor and his second in command, as well as Mouse and Ray. "Thank the User you're back - that's one less thing to worry about!"

Bob took the woman in his arms and kissed her, surprising her with his intensity. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you..."

"You - you're all right?"

"I'm fine." he answered with a forced smile. "Just a little ticked off - she wouldn't let me out of the Lair in time to catch the game cube. Are-"

"What did she say?" Dot interrupted. "Is she going to help us, or not?"

"Yeah." Bob sighed. "It's a long story. We'll talk more about that later. Are Matrix and AndrAIa in the game?"

"Yes. They-"

"Enzo?"

"What do you think?" she answered wearily. "That's not all. Phong is in there too."

"Phong? That's a twist. Games aren't exactly his forte. I hope it's something he can handle - like Cyberchess."

"How come ya didn't tell me you were goin' to Lost Angles, Sugar?" Mouse interrupted.

Bob turned to her, surprised. "I - I guess I didn't really think about it, Mouse. You weren't around when we decided. Why - does it matter?"

"You tell me, Honey." she said evenly.

"I don't think you would have approved, would you?"

"You goin' to see Hexadecimal with nothin' but Flap and Jack for backup? Whadda you think, Bob?"

"Point taken." he smiled ruefully. "I'm sorry, Mouse - but it was important to the system that I go. Hex is in a unique position to help us."

"I've never seen this Hex person, Mate - exceptin' right after the reboot. Is she as crazy as Mouse says she is?"

"Well..." Dot scowled expectantly at the Guardian. "Mouse didn't exaggerate, Ray - Hex is a - strange - virus. Unpredictable..."

"Seems ta me both of us should learned somethin' about cozyin' up to viruses, Honey." Mouse scowled. "Fool me once, shame on me..."

"I know, Mouse. But I think things are different now. She's not the same Hex, you know."

"You hope." Dot sighed. "In the meantime, my brothers are stuck in a game without you, because of her. Let's hope it's something easy..."

"Don't worry - I can handle it!" Enzo said confidently, squeezing his way into the ventilator shaft. "Ow! Don't push so hard!"

"Sorry!" Matrix offered. "Remember - as soon as you're inside, your only goal is to get that door open, however you can. Don't try to take on the User yourself Enzo - let Frisket distract him if you have to. Just go for that door! Understand me?"

"Yeah, yeah. Understand!" the youngster's voice, muffled, came back from the passageway.

"Go on Frisket - follow Enzo!" AndrAIa encouraged. The canine looked at her quizzically. "Stay with him - make sure he doesn't get hurt!"

The dog nodded and leapt into the shaft in a single bound. "Good thing he rebooted thinner - he might not have fit in his real form!" AndrAIa chuckled. "You be careful in there!"

"We will!" Enzo called back, joined by a woof from Frisket. They could be heard crawling through the shaft for a few nanos, then there was silence. Matrix stood a few spans apart from the others, slowly clenching and unclenching his fist.

"Come, My Children - we must be prepared when Enzo achieves his goal." Phong called over his shoulder as he shuffled down the hallway. "There is little time to waste!"

"You back there, Boy?" Enzo whispered. Upon receiving an affirmative whine, the youngster continued his slow progress through the narrow shaft. "I guess the is the one time it's OK to be little, huh Frisket? Hate to get stuck in here!" Frisket snuffled quizzically.

"Never mind, Boy. Just keep following me." Enzo sighed. The boy had never liked confined spaces - that and the darkness of the ventilation shaft made it seem a little spooky. Talking took a little of the edge off of his fear. His progress was infuriatingly slow - he was forced to worm himself forward with his elbows, as the shaft was too narrow even for him even to extend his arms.

Still, it was a game, and the others were counting on him to win it. That was totally alphanumeric. "Well show 'em, Frisket!" he said aloud. "We can stand up to any User. Maybe we'll even get a chance to do a little damage before we get to opening that door..." The boy felt Frisket bite his foot lightly. "Ow! What was that for?"

Unsurprisingly, the dog didn't respond - the only sound was a low growl. "Take it easy, Frisket. We're almost there. This it ! The T-junction. Phong said turn left, then it's the eighth grate on the right hand side..." Turning his body in the confined space was an extreme effort, but with the flexibility of youth the boy managed to squirrel himself into the side shaft. Frisket had no such difficulties.

"We'd better we quiet now, Boy." Enzo whispered. As if understanding, the dog didn't reply with so much as a whine - the only sound the youngster heard was Frisket's gentle panting. He wormed his way slowly along the passageway, counting off the grates as they appeared on his right. Every span seemed to take an eternity, and the dark closeness of the shaft seemed to be closing in tighter by the nano.

Enzo paused, feeling his breath start to come in ragged gasps. "It's fine - there's plenty of air! Don't be a null!" he hissed. This was harder than any of the other games - and there were no swordsmen, no tanks, not even an enemy team of athletes to threaten him. Only a dank passageway that seemed as if it could have been far, far beneath the ground...

Enzo felt a wet coldness on his hand, and his processor snapped backed to his reality. Frisket whined softly. "Sorry Boy!" the youngster whispered. "I'm fine... Thanks Frisket." With one more deep breath, the boy pushed himself forward again, slowly, steadily. Finally, he had reached the eighth grate.

"OK, OK, we made it." he mouthed silently, eyes closed. The boy pressed his face up against the hard, cold surface of the grate, trying to pick up any sight or sound that he could from the far side. There was only a low, mechanical rumbling echoing through the walls, however - nothing else. "This is it... Ready, Frisket?"

Quietly as he could, the boy braced his hands against the grate, securing a tenuous fingerhold along it's slatted surface. He tensed his shoulders, wished for the millionth time that he had even a fraction of the strength that Matrix seemed to take for granted, and pushed.

"With a crisp 'Clink!' the grate detached from it's moorings. For a nano, Enzo was certain it would slip from his grasp and tumble (noisily, no doubt) to the floor, but he managed to hang on by a fingernail. He gingerly shifted it into his left hand, firmed his grasp and poked his head out through the opening.

The floor was a distance perhaps equal to half again the boy's own height beneath him. A large, brightly lit room spread out before, him, a bank of machines and monitors along one wall and another tall stand of equipment in the center of the room. There were doors on opposite sides of the room - a formidable looking barrier with an instrument panel adjacent on one wall, and a tremendous metallic stronghold with an army of equipment surrounding it on the opposite. A pair of bulky red protective suits hung on the wall adjacent to the larger door. There was no sign of anyone in the room.

Enzo made a mental map of the room, storing it in his processor. The smaller door was the one he'd need to get open, somehow. The other one must lead to the core itself. ~Wouldn't want to go in there!~ he told himself. With a start, the boy realized that he was head-first in the shaft, with no way to turn around. "Hey! How am I gonna get down?" he whispered. "I can't just fall down there on my head!"

The youngster felt strong jaws clamp down gently on his foot. "Good idea, Frisket!" he whispered. The boy inched himself out of the opening and towards the floor, extending his arms as far as he could. When his hands reached the ground, he turned his head. "OK, Frisket!" The dog released his foot, and the boy ducked and rolled, neatly winding up on his feet.

"Coolness!" he mouthed silently. Frisket slipped through the vent and sprung down to the floor. Boy and dog looked around warily, but there was no sign of any other inhabitant in the room. Enzo knelt down. "I don't see anything, Boy!" he whispered. "Keep your eyes open - I'm gonna head for the door!"

Frisket growled softly, deep in his throat, and fell in a step behind the boy. They tiptoed towards the entry door, eyes darting around the room. "This is too easy!" Enzo whispered. "It's-"

"Hello, Bart." a deep, sonorous voice called. Enzo spun and looked around, desperately. Frisket growled. There was no sign of the source of the voice. The boy backspaced a step towards the door.

Finally, a tall, reedy form stepped out from behind one of the massive computer towers in the center of the room. Enzo scowled - the figure was bizarre, even by the standards of this game. A shock of red hair sprung wildly from the top of his head in all directions. He wore a blue uniform with a serial number on the chest. Strangest of all, though, were his feet. Enzo had never seen anything like them - they seemed to be half as long as his entire body!

"Well, Bart? Aren't you going to regale me with a chorus of 'Eat my shorts' this and 'Cowabunga' that?"

"Who - who are you?"

"Why Bart - I'm hurt! Surely you remember your old friend Sideshow Bob!" the man chuckled, slowly advancing on Enzo. "Bwa-ha ha ha ha !" The bizarre figure laughed uproariously for several nanos.

"What's your problem, Man?" Enzo sneered.

"Why, I couldn't be better, Bart! Although you have kept me waiting here for a very long time. It's been most tedious - I think I ran through every aria from the Romantic period in my head..."

Enzo backspaced, slowly, towards the door. This figure was strange - there was a smell, a feel to him that was wrong. More than just the villain he represented in the game. "What in the net are you talking about?"

"Never mind. I weary of this body. Enough. Hmmm. You seem most interested in that door over there - I wonder why?" With a maniacal laugh, the man tensed his knees and sprung into the air, head over heels, impossibly high and far. He landed neatly between Enzo and the door.

"B-but - that's impossible! You can't do that! It's out of character!" Enzo sputtered. "How in the net-"

"I changed the rules." Sideshow Bob smiled evilly. "I think we'll end this now..."

"You can't win, User!" Enzo spat defiantly. "You never win!"

"Oh, but I don't _want_ to win, My Dear Bart!" Bob replied amiably, striding towards him. "I want you to win! But first, let me give you a little hug..."

"Sic 'im, Boy!" Enzo shouted. Frisket growled menacingly and reared back to spring. Bob turned his head to stare bemusedly at the canine. "Frisket! Wait!" Enzo cried. The dog, virtually in mid-leap, crashed to the ground and whined quizzically.

Enzo squinted, staring at the strange figure. To his horror, the youngster saw a pulsing green vein throbbing on the User's neck. "Frisket - no! Stay away from him, Boy!"

"Yes, call off your dog, Boy! It will only drag this out longer than it already has. Now - come to Bob, let us end this nonsense!"

"No!" Enzo spat, scrambling away from the man and looking around the room desperately for a means of escape. His path to the door and the others was blocked by the User, and Enzo knew he couldn't allow any contact with him. Or Frisket.

"Why do you flee, Bart? There is no escape. Let me touch you, share my gift with you. Then you can win your game, and go home. Now doesn't that sound nice?"

Frisket took a menacing step towards Bob. "No, Frisket!" Enzo shouted. The dog growled in frustration. "No! Stay away from him..." The boy's hand fell to his side, searching for his yo-yo. It wasn't there - the only object in his possession a strange little sling in his back pocket. He flung it desperately towards the panel next to the door, where it tapped several buttons before clattering to the floor. The door didn't budge. "Cursors!"

"Really, Bart - do you think so little of me? Of course I've locked out the controls. Those pesky game sprites can't be allowed inside until after we've shared my gift." Sideshow Bob snickered. He strode more purposefully towards Enzo now, trying to wedge him into a corner.

Enzo backspaced away, eyes darting. Bob lunged at him, but the boy rolled out of the way, head over heels. "Frisket - the door!" he screamed. The dog leapt over to the door, looking around confusedly. He barked several times and stared back at Enzo. Finally, he plowed into the door, head first. The door didn't budge, and the dog shook its noggin, dazed.

"As much as this entertains me, I am weary of waiting." Bob sneered. "Enough!" Frisket turned away from the door, growling, and advanced on the User.

"No, Frisket! No!" Enzo panted. "The panel, boy! The panel!" Frisket whined quizzically. He reluctantly turned away from Enzo and eyed the instrument panel. With a shrug, he stood up on his hind legs, grabbed it in his jaws and ripped it away from the wall in a shower of sparks.

Enzo was backed into a corner, staring up at the bizarre figure that loomed over him, grinning. Over Bob's shoulder he saw the door slide open, and Matrix and AndrAIa dart into the room. "Enzo! Hang on!"

"Matrix - no!" Enzo cried as Sideshow Bob turned to face his new opponents. "Stay away from him! His neck!" Taking advantage of the User's inattention, he slipped out of the corner and dove behind Matrix and AndrAIa. Frisket spat out the remains of the control panel and joined the trio, facing down Sideshow Bob.

"His neck? What?" Matrix frowned. "Enzo - what do you mean?"

"What is this?" Sideshow Bob said softly. "Multiple Guardians, eh? Even better." His eyes locked on Matrix, and his jaw dropped. "You!"

Phong shuffled into the room, staring up at the figure facing them. "This is most strange, Children. It does not make any sense..."

AndrAIa gasped. "Matrix - look! Look at his neck!"

Matrix squinted, then his jaw dropped. "Impossible!"

"Not at all, Homer." Bob laughed. "This is a most interesting development. Come, let us all join hands in brotherhood-"

"Eat my shorts!' Enzo growled.

"Ever the contentious one, aren't you Bart? It ends now..."

"This is bizarre! It isn't possible!" Matrix snarled, herding the others behind him and backing towards the door.

"We must end the game, Young Ones - now!" Phong hissed.

"How?" AndrAIa said. The quintet of sprites had backed out into a massive pumping room, Bob still stalking them. "How can we end it - we can't allow him to touch any of us! Is this even a game? How do we win it?"

"The game sprites!" Enzo whispered. "He said he didn't want the game sprites to get inside until after he - I dunno, did something to me... Shared his gift! That's what he said!"

"Chief! He's over here!" Phong shouted. "Arrest him at once!" Bob lunged at them, and they scattered, AndrAIa grabbing Phong and pulling him behind her.

"R-right away, Mr. Burns!" the security chief stammered. A cluster of blue uniforms descended upon Sideshow Bob. "Bake him away, Toys!"

"No - you can't!" Sideshow Bob snarled, as the officers surrounded him. "I haven't finished yet!"

"Watch out! He can jump totally high!" Enzo cried. Even as he said it, Sideshow Bob coiled and sprung into the air, over the heads of the advancing officers.

"Hey! No fair!" Chief Wiggum cried.

"All's fair in love... and war_!" Bob didn't see Matrix slip behind him, a metal chair in his hand. With a terrific impact, he brought it crashing down on Bob's head.

"Dude!" Enzo gasped. The policeman advanced on the User, now lying prone on the ground.

"Sorry you had to see that." Matrix sighed. "But we had no choice... Hey! What about the bomb? The nuclear holocaust?"

"I don't think there ever was a bomb, My Child." Phong said softly. The officers slipped a pair of handcuffs on the crumpled figure. "If my suspicions are correct-"

GAME OVER

There was no feeling like what I felt after Bob and I had won a game - nothing. It was totally alphanumeric. No matter what else was gong on, when Bob and I finished a game, and that voice said 'Game Over', everything was right. Bob and I were the whole universe. We were a team. We were unbeatable. I couldn't think of anything else I could ever want.

Of course, when we got back to the real world I wanted all kinds of other stuff. I thought about AndrAIa and Matrix about a billion times a cycle, and every time I did I felt like I had a giant empty place right in the middle of my gut. And I thought about other stuff, too. I thought a lot about being a Guardian, and what it meant. And about how I was only kinda pretending to be one now. But none of that stuff really mattered, right after the game. Then it was just me and Bob.

"Good job today, Cadet!" he grinned at me. "You handled yourself very well when that band of brigands attacked us. You're learning how to handle your emotions better every game."

"Thanks, Bob!" No matter how old I got, whenever Bob said something nice about my game playing it made me feel as big as Nullzilla. "You were pretty alphanumeric too - especially when you jumped out of the tree and knocked the knight off his horse! I thought I was gonna nullify laughing!"

"Hey - I know a few tricks, maybe..." I laughed, and he put on a hurt look. "I'm glad my heroic feats are so useful in providing amusement for you! After all, that _is_ my primary function..."

"Sorry!" I giggled. We were weaving our way through the city, back towards the Principal Office. It felt like time to open myself up to him. "Bob?"

"Yeah, Champ?"

"Um... You really think I'm doing okay in the games, right?"

"Sure - better every time!"

"Thanks! Uh - d'you think maybe sometime you're gonna make me a real cadet? Y'know - like Matrix was?"

He smiled at me, but I could tell he'd rather I hadn't brought it up. "There's no Academy, you know. Not until we settle things with Daemon."

"I know. But do you think maybe you will, sometime? I've been workin' really hard-"

"I know." He paused and hovered on his zip board, and I did the same. He put his arm around my shoulder. "You're doing great, Enzo. And you're getting bigger every cycle, you're hardly a kid anymore! But what you're asking - it's complicated..."

"I know. Matrix didn't want you to do it, did he?"

"No... Not really. But it's not because he didn't - doesn't believe in you. He-"

"That's one of the reasons he left, isn't it?" I said softly. I knew the answer, but I just felt like saying it out loud.

"Maybe. That's complicated too. Enzo - Why don't we just keep going the way we're going, for a while? I'm teaching you lots of things, aren't I?"

"Sure." I tried to smile, but he could tell I was disappointed. I dunno why this was always so important to me, but it was. "I'm sorry to-"

"Shhh!" he interrupted me, cocking his head.

"Whassa matter?" I whispered, looking around. We'd stopped somewhere near Level 31, where there were a lot of little alleys and old buildings and stuff. I'd always found it kinda spooky. Bob and Dot had only been letting me come here for a few seconds, and never by myself.

"Come out!" Bob growled, using a voice he never used with me. "I heard you - I know you're there! Come out!"

"What?" I hissed. Bob stepped in front of me and held up his hand for silence. After a few nanos, someone stepped - no, I guess limped would be a better word - out from one of the dark alleys and into the street where we were standing.

"Stay behind me!" Bob ordered, in a way that I knew he really meant it. I was shocked - whoever this was, he looked really terrible. He looked like he'd been a huge, strong sprite - once. But he was wasted, his eyes were all hollow, and he could barely walk. What I really noticed, though, was that he had some kinda weird, green glow about him. It made me feel all shivery, just to look at him. He was infected - just like I'd heard about!

"452 - It _is_ you! I had to be sure. Hadda be sure..." His voice was even worse than his looks - it was scratchy, and almost had an echo to it, like he was empty inside. Then I noticed something else - he had a keytool on his arm! A keytool!

"Turbo?" Bob gasped. Turbo! Of course! I'd heard the grown-ups talking about him when they thought I was asleep.

"Yup - it's me, Bob." the ghastly figure croaked. He shuffled a couple of steps closer, and I could feel Bob tense up. I'd wrapped my arms around him without even realizing it.

"I don't think you'd better come any closer, Turbo." Bob said softly.

"Is that young Enzo Matrix?" Turbo said, trying to work his face into a smile. It was a horrible sight. "Enzo - how is it possible? I saw you, you were almost Bob's age..."

"What - why are you here, Turbo?" Bob snapped. "I don't want to delete you, but I will if you force me."

"You'd be doin' me a favor, 452. Believe me. But not before I give you a few things."

"What are you talking about, Turbo? Come with me to the Principal Office, maybe Phong can help you-"

"No one can help me, Son. But mebbe I kin help you." he rasped. "I can't fight it any longer, Bob. I did the best I could - and I'm one o' the last ones. But it's close - I can feel it. It's close."

"Turbo-"

"Just shut up and listen, Bob. I ain't got a lotta time." Turbo croaked. Every word he said made me shiver all over. "What happened to the Matrix boy - the other one? This fella's a backup?"

"He's not here, Turbo. He's gone. He's somewhere in the net-"

"Damn! Damn fool! Doesn't he know they've got a lock on his icon?" There was a little more force in his voice now. "Listen, Bob - you and the Matrix boy - you might be the last clean ones left. _If_ he's still clean. And it's not gonna be long before she finds you."

"How did _you_ find me?" Bob asked suspiciously.

"I've known where ya were for milliseconds. I've kept it hidden fer as long as I could. But this damn virus is eatin' me alive. It's only a matter time before I'm totally gone, 452. I'd be surprised if I got seconds. And I ain't fixin' to be in the Collective when it happens."

"What are you saying, Turbo?" Bob sounded totally sad, now.

"I can't do anybody any more good, Bob. I gotta go where she can't find me, ar leastwise where I can't do nobody no harm. But I'm tellin' ya - your Mainframe is hid pretty good, but she'll find ya. If I hadn't been inside, throwing 'em off the scent ever' chance I got, they'da been here already. You better be ready for 'em. You understand me?"

"How do I know this isn't a trick?" Bob said, taking the words right out of my mind.

"Ya don't. But I'm gonna be gone in a nano, and you'll hafta decide. There's one more thing, 452. You'll need every advantage ya kin get. Copeland ain't gonna do me any good - not where I'm goin'. Take him."

"Copeland? But - I can't!" Bob protested. Somehow, I got a weird picture in my head that Bob was me, and Turbo was him. "I'm not the Prime Guardian! My codes won't allow me to carry your keytool!"

"Listen, Bob - you and the Matrix boy are prob'ly the _only_ ones left who aren't infected yet. That makes ya Prime in my book. If we have any chance, you're it. Take him."

Bob studied Turbo real closely for a few nanos, not saying anything. I had some idea that what Turbo was doing - offering Bob his keytool - was almost unthinkable. It was like the ultimate honor, kinda. "I'll take him, Turbo. Thank you."

"Good." Turbo sighed. He grabbed his head and fell down to his knees. Bob gasped and took a couple steps towards him. "No - that's close enough. Don't take no chances. I don't always know what I'm doin' anymore..."

"What _are_ you going to do, Turbo?"

Turbo smiled a grisly smile and looked down at Copeland. His mouth moved, a little, and I heard the keytool making little beeps and noises, like Glitch used to. I knew they were talking, weird as it was. I knew that what Turbo was doing was incredibly painful for him, and I think for Copeland too.

Then, just like that, Copeland detached itself from Turbo's wrist and flew over to Bob. I flinched - just a reaction, I guess. Bob squeezed my hand and held out his arm. "Bob! What if it's infected too?"

"It's not." he smiled at me. "Keytools can't be infected by viruses, Enzo. I'll explain it sometime. Maybe after you're a cadet..." The keytool landed gently on his arm and secured itself. "Hello, Old Friend." Bob said softly. Copeland responded with a bunch of whirrs and clicks.

We both looked over at Turbo, and at that moment I felt incredibly sorry for him. It tore my heart out - I knew what he'd just done, and what was in store for him. And I knew how brave he was. I hoped I'd be that brave, if I ever had to be. "Take good care of each other, Boys." Turbo rasped. "You listen to what 452 tells ya, Lad. He's a credit to the Collective - always has been."

"I will. I promise." I whispered, staring and unable to help myself.

"Good boy. I'm glad it was you, Bob. I'm... I'm glad it was you..."

"Thanks. What'll you do now? Where are you going?"

"Away. And when I can't fight it any more, I'll do what I have to. But I can't trust myself on the inside any more. I can't go back. Now listen, Bob - be ready, ya hear me? She'll be here soon enough. And she'll do it the sneaky way, that's her style - doesn't have the stomach for a direct attack until she's sure everything's locked down. Keep yer wits about you, Boy! Understand?"

"Yes, Sir!" Bob said crisply.

"Good... Yaknow Copeland can do things - stuff Glitch couldn't? Ya know that?"

"Yeah, I remember." Bob smiled sadly. "I remember..."

"Sorry." Turbo coughed. "Lotta my memory's corrupted, never sure just what's really happened any more." He turned his haunted gaze on me. "I remember askin' yer older self this, Young Fella, a few seconds ago. How about a tear? I think it's best I move on."

"A - tear?" I gasped. "Bob - how-"

"Copeland." Bob smiled down at me. "He's quite a keytool, Enzo." Bob sighed and turned back to Turbo. "Thanks, Turbo - thanks for the warning. And for Copeland. I won't let you down - I promise."

"See that ya don't!" Turbo snapped, mustering some actual strength in his voice. "I won't see ya again, 452. Take care o' yerself. And be ready!"

"I will." Bob looked down at his wrist. "Copeland - portal!"

I was stunned - a portal opened up right there, right in front of my eyes! Like it was nothing! It was totally alphanumeric. "Dude! That's - that's..."

Turbo painfully shuffled over to the shimmering sphere. "Take care o' yerself, Boy. Do Bob proud, like he did me." Without another word, he stepped through the sphere and was gone. Just like that.

Bob wrapped an arm around me and kinda hugged my head to his chest. I knew he was feeling pretty emotional, which was weird for him. But I think what he just saw was real hard on him. "Bob - I'm sorry. Are they all - like that?"

"Some of them are worse, Enzo. Totally gone, now." he said softly. Suddenly, being a Guardian felt like a totally different thing. I knew I still wanted to do it, but it felt a lot scarier. We were all there was, now. And if Bob downloaded the protocols to me...

The group of seven sprites gathered in the Principal Office clustered around Phong attentively, each with a look of weary determination on their faces. "It has been a most eventful day, Children." the old sprite said, bridging his fingers thoughtfully and surveying the group. "It gives me joy to see all of gathered together in this way. I know that weariness is upon all of you, but we must discuss the events of the cycle, while they are fresh on our minds. They could be crucial to the future of Mainframe - of all of us."

Phong turned his attention to Enzo. "My child - it was you who first discovered the User - if indeed that is what he was. Tell us everything you remember - about his behavior, his words. It could be very critical."

Enzo looked around, a little nervous to be the center of everyone's attention. "Well - it was just a totally basic game, I guess. But this guy was weird - he kept talking about sharing his gift, and about how he wanted me to win the game."

"He said that?' Bob frowned. "He said he wanted you to win the game?"

"Yeah... It was weird. I was gonna sic Frisket on him, but then I noticed his neck. He had this weird green stuff on it, and it was kinda pulsing in and out. I thought maybe he was - you know - infected..."

"How did you know about that, Enzo?" Dot demanded.

The youngster looked down at his feet sheepishly. "I listened... I heard stuff. About Daemon. I wasn't sure, but I figured that's what it was."

"Honey, if what you're suggestin' is true, then Daemon's found a way to infiltrate the games." Mouse said grimly. "Could it have just been part of the game - part of his character or somethin'?"

"It is possible, I suppose..." Phong mused.

Matrix shook his head. "I don't think so, Mouse. There was something weird about this game, right from the beginning. It was AndrAIa who spotted it, and I've learned never to doubt her instincts about games. And there's something else..."

"What's that?" Dot asked.

"I'm pretty sure he recognized me. Or at least my icon."

"He was no ordinary User." Enzo said softly. "He was different than anybody else in the game - he was better. He could jump higher, he was stronger. He was different!"

"This is bad. Very bad." Bob sighed.

"What do you reckon it is, Guardian?" Ray asked. "Has this Daemon character found some way to infiltrate Users or somethin'?"

"I'm not sure. But it seems like too much of a coincidence - what Enzo described, what all of you saw in there. I don't believe this was native to the game. Somehow, some way, Daemon corrupted it."

"That's just terrific!" Dot scowled. "Why? And how?"

"The how, I have no idea. I do have a couple of ideas about the why, though."

"Well, let's hear 'em, Sugar."

Bob surveyed the room. "The way I see it, there are two possibilities. First, that Daemon was using this game specifically to try to infiltrate Mainframe - as a way to get past our defenses, get inside. Somehow, she knew where that game was going - or specifically directed it. For us."

"I don't like that one." AndrAIa frowned.

"Nor me, Child. And the other possibility, Young Guardian?"

"Well - this is the one that seems more plausible to me. If we assume that Daemon has somehow found a way to infect games - let's not worry about how just yet - then it makes sense that she'd see this as a perfect opportunity to spread her disease throughout the net."

"Just what exactly do you mean, Young Guardian?"

"Think about it, Phong. If this game had gone according to the way this 'User' planned it, Enzo - or whoever was in his place - was going to be infected. Then it's a simple matter of allowing the game to be lost, and when the cube lifts Enzo returns to his system - infected. He can then spread the virus through his system, while the infection leaves with the game, waiting to travel with it to another system and repeat the process."

"Dude!" Enzo gasped. "That's too wicked..."

"There's more." Bob sighed. "Not only does this present her with the opportunity to infect systems, but also any uninfected Guardians that still might be lurking out there. They're the ones most likely to be playing games - them or others who've taken it upon themselves to protect their systems. And they're the ones most likely to provide resistance to Daemon in the future."

"I don't much like the sound o' that, Guardian - but it's better than the other alternative you mentioned." Mouse sighed.

"Agreed, Mouse - if Daemon knows where we are, it's only a matter of time until she finds us. At least this way the infected game would've been random. Still - it's bad enough. But this is all speculation anyway - just an educated guess."

"If you're right Bob - there's still the matter of how Daemon has infected these games!" Dot protested.

"You're right. And I don't know how. It doesn't seem possible by any means I've encountered - but then I've never seen a virus like Daemon before either. The only thing I can speculate is that she's found a way to infect the game codes themselves - some kind of bug that lies dormant until the User downloads, then infects him. Once someone is infected, they're completely in her command. They're linked."

"Do you think Daemon could have discovered our location from this game?" Dot asked worriedly.

"I doubt it." Bob smiled. "But there's no way to be certain."

"Then it would seem our best course is vigilance." Phong nodded. "Especially amongst our Guardians. In the meanwhile, there is another matter to discuss - Bob's mission to Lost Angles."

"It's past your downtime, Enzo - and you haven't even accessed dinner yet. Time to go."

"Aww, Dot - I wanna stay for this!" Enzo scowled. "You can't just kick me outta the room every time somethin' important happens!"

"No, Enzo. I want you to eat something and get to bed. You've had enough adventure for one day."

"Dot-"

"I'll take him." AndrAIa smiled. "C'mon, Guardian - let's go back to the diner and I'll fix you something."

"Thanks, AndrAIa." Dot sighed wearily. "I'll be back in a little while to tuck you in, Enzo-"

"Dot!"

"Never mind." AndrAIa giggled. "Come on, I'll tell you about some of the games Matrix and I survived while we were in the net. You're always asking me..." The game sprite led the still grumbling Enzo out of the Command room.

"Now, Guardian - perhaps you would care to fill us in on the results of your... diplomatic mission?"

"That's a good way to describe it." Bob chuckled. "The main thing is - she said she'd help us. Upgrade our defenses. But it wasn't easy..."

"How so? What did you have to promise her?" Dot scowled.

"Nothing, really... In the end she just agreed to do it. Because it would be 'fun', she said. I think she just wanted to see me try to convince her, just because she wanted to be entertained."

"I'll bet!" Dot scowled.

"There's the matter of self-interest, too - she may not want to see Mainframe destroyed by a supervirus any more than we do. I can only guess what the food chain is like for them..."

"I don't like this." Mouse scowled. "Viruses make strange bedfellows." Seeing Dot's sneer, the hacker chuckled ruefully. "Sorry Sugar - bad choice o' words. But you get my point, Bob. We tried this approach once before, if ya recall?"

"I know, Mouse. But I'm the defender of this system, and I made a decision. I think the benefits outweigh the risks. I'm willing to accept the consequences if I'm wrong."

"We'll _all_ hafta accept 'em, Sweetie - just remember that."

"Mouse-"

"Bob is right, Children." Phong interrupted. "We must accept the risks in order to achieve the reward." The old sprite looked over his glasses at Bob. "Guardian, were you able to determine anything about the - status- of our neighbor?"

"Is she still nuts, you mean!" Dot muttered.

Bob frowned. "I'm not really certain, Phong. She's different, that's for sure. More controlled. It could be a function of the mask, or her PID. But it would be a mistake to call her behavior predictable."

"That's a surprise!" Mouse chuckled. "Bob, if Hex is doin' this - 'helpin' us - you can bet she's doin' it fer her own reasons - and nobody else's. She's as slippery as a greased null."

"I agree Mouse - but there's more to it than that. In her own way, I think she has a kind of code - she owes me. She owes all of us."

"I never thought I'd say this, Sugar - but yer a damn sight too trusting fer my book. Makin' an error in judgment is one thing, but puttin' the welfare o' the whole system on the line on a judgment call - that's something else altogether..."

"Mouse-" Dot began.

"What are you saying, Mouse - that I can't make a sound judgment about the defense of the system?"

"She ain't sayin' that, Mate. She-"

"I can speak for myself, Honey." Mouse said evenly, interrupting her partner.

"So go ahead." Bob smiled.

"I think I said my piece, Sugar. But you're the Guardian - I know ya wouldn't do anything ya didn't think was in the best interests of the system. That's why you're the Guardian, ain't it?"

"You tell me."

There were several nanos of silence in the Command center, as each of the six remaining sprites waited for the others to shoulder the burden. Finally Phong drummed his fingers on the console thoughtfully and spoke. "As much as I share Mouse's concerns about the trustworthiness of our new ally, a decision has been made. Guardian, were you able to glean any insight as to the status of Hexadecimal's powers? Is she still, indeed, a virus?"

"I tried, Phong. She knew damn well I was doing it, too. All I can tell you for certain is that she still has at least some of her powers - she manipulated objects in a way you or I never could. Either that or she's a master illusionist."

"That is unfortunate. It was my hope that when her PID was scanned for the Reboot, her viral abilities would have vanished along with the old Mainframe."

"They may have, Old Friend. I don't know. She was cagy - and why be cagy if you have nothing to hide? She might have just showed me a bunch of parlor tricks..."

"She's cagy 'cause she wants to keep us all guessin', Guardian." Mouse grinned with a shake of the head. "All part o' her little game!"

"We'll find out when she's ready for us to find out." Dot sighed. "Not before."

"In the meantime, we shall prepare - prepare to upgrade her defenses, when she chooses to help us." Phong said, with a note of finality. "And Guardian, I trust that you will exercise extreme caution when you and Enzo enter the games, given what has come to light today?"

"Of course, Phong."

"You're still going to let Enzo go into the games with you - after today?" Matrix said softly, not looking up.

Bob glanced over at him in surprise. The big sprite had been silent so long, Bob had forgotten he was there. "I don't see why not - I'll be with him. There's no evidence yet that this viral phenomenon is widespread. Besides, he's a real help to me now."

Matrix gritted his teeth and looked up. "Bob, I really think-"

"That's enough, Enzo." Dot interrupted firmly. "We made a decision - and I don't see any reason to change it now."

"But-"

"No, Enzo. It's not a topic for debate - not right now, anyway. All right?"

Matrix threw up his hands. "If you say so, Dot. He's your brother!"

Bob gently placed a hand on the bearded sprite's shoulder, and was surprised by Matrix' reflexive flinch. "Enzo, you know you're always welcome as part of the team - you're still a Guardian. We can always use your help in there."

"Thanks..."

"And thanks for taking care of things, today. With Enzo."

"What else would I do?" the big sprite grinned ruefully. "Let a little sprite go into a game by himself?"

An awkward silence hung in the room for a nano. Dot finally spoke out. "It seems like we've more or less dealt with official business - Phong?"

"Of course, My Child."

The Command.Com smiled wearily. "Since we're all here, I wanted to let you know that we're going to have a little party, for Enzo. At the diner, in three cycles, at fourteen hundred. I trust you'll all be there?"

"Wouldn't miss it, Sugar!" Mouse grinned. "Is the little tyke compilin' up already?"

"One- zero. Again!" Dot smiled. "Remember the last one, Matrix?"

"I'll never forget it. It was alphanumeric, Dot. The best."

"Yes, well - I'm not going to be doing' anything that fancy again..."

"So you will not be needing me to sing, Child?" Phong asked, sounding disappointed.

"No - well, we'll see!" Dot laughed. "I was just planning a little get-together, all of us and some food, games. I just want him to enjoy it. All of that ceremony seems kind of arrogant to me, now...."

"And don't tell him!" Bob grinned. "It's a surprise."

I had no idea it was coming - honest, I didn't. Bob and Dot didn't let on, at all. I was lying in my room downstairs, watching Mike the TV. I hate to admit it, but I actually found him funny, sometimes. And he tried so hard - I guess you had to respect that. I knew it made him feel good if I paid attention to him for a while, and it helped pass the time. He was basically like a kid, really - I think he felt left out a lot. I kinda knew what that was like.

Besides, I'd found myself thinking a lot about how there were no girl sprites in school, in all of Mainframe - a fact that I'd become more acutely aware of lately. That had pretty much always been true, and I always felt kinda gypped that there were no other sprites my age to play with. But all of a sudden - especially with Andri gone - it seemed a lot more important than it had when I was a little sprite. It was even starting to effect my concentration in the games...

So anyways, I was watching Mike. He was showing something weird, I remember, about a bunch of binomes who lived in an apartment somewhere...

"Oh, Hi Russ!"

"Hi, Rochelle. How's it going?"

"Look it's 'Ronica! She's almost as gorgeous as me!"

"And there's Jody and Sandler! They're gorgeous too!"

It seemed to go on for seconds. I kinda blanked it out after a while, and I might've even been asleep - I'm not sure. But every nano after that is saved, backed-up. Fully archived, every detail. As long as I'm processing.

Like I said, I might've been asleep, I dunno. But I remember looking up, and Bob and Dot were in my room. "Hey!" I said. "What's processing?"

"Hi, Enzo." Dot said, with kind of a funny, sad smile on her face. She sat down next to me on the bed, and I sat up. "Can we talk for a nano?"

"Can we talk?" Mike blurted out. "Take my husband - please! Oy! If I have any more plastic surgery, I'm gonna plotz! One more facelift and -"

"Mike!" Dot and Bob shouted. I giggled. "We'd like to have a little private talk with Enzo, if you don't mind. Go upstairs and entertain Cecil for a while."

"It's twelve hundred - do you know where your children are? Folks today don't take the nanos to talk to their kids - sometimes with disastrous results. That's today on Okra-"

"Mike!" Bob smiled evilly down at him. "Copeland - screwdriver!" That was always the magic word with Mike - he took off screaming upstairs.

Meanwhile, I was getting a little nervous. Bob and Dot seemed pretty serious, and I was wondering if I'd done something wrong. I was used to getting into trouble, but I usually at least knew what I did. "What's wrong, you guys?"

"Nothing, Kiddo." Bob grinned. He sat down next to me on the bed, on the other side from Dot. "Dot and I have been talking - about the future. About you."

"M-me?" I was really freaked out now. "What about me?"

"Enzo, Sweetie..." Dot never called me sweetie unless something really important was going on. She didn't seem to be in as good a mood as Bob. "I won't tell you it was easy - an easy decision. But we think you're ready to receive the Guardian protocols."

"What? Really?!" I could hardly believe it - I'd thought this cycle would never come! "Alphanumeric! Coolness!" I hugged Dot, and she laughed and hugged me back.

"So I take it you're in favor of the idea?" Bob chuckled.

"Oh, Bob - I... Of course! I can't believe it! Thanks so much! Bob..."

"You're welcome." he grinned. "I'm proud of you, Enzo."

"We both are." Dot said, and she gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks! Thanks..." I whispered. I almost felt like I couldn't breathe. It was what I'd dreamed about, ever since Bob came to Mainframe. I wished I hadn't - I didn't wanna sound ungrateful - but I blurted out what was nagging at my processor a little. "Why - why now?"

Bob and Dot kinda looked across me, at each other. "I won't lie to you, Enzo - it's not an easy decision." Bob said. "But with what Turbo said, I want you to have every advantage you possibly can. We don't know what's going to happen - none of us do. But you're a big boy, now - I think you can handle it. And we need all the help we can get."

"Really? You mean - fight Daemon, and everything?"

"Enzo, it's going to happen sooner or later. Maybe sooner... As much as Dot and I would like to protect you, when that day comes you'll have to be as ready as the rest of us. And as for downloading you to the Academy, well - there's not much point in waiting. There is no Academy, and maybe there never will be. Not unless we fight Daemon, and win. I'm going to have to complete as much of your training as I can myself."

"I won't let you down!" I said, kinda dimly aware that I sounded totally dorky, but I didn't care. "I promise, Bob - I'll work really hard!"

"I know you will. You already have. You deserve this. But I want you to understand, Enzo - this is not something you can take lightly. You're accepting a very serious responsibility - 'To Mend and Defend'. Those aren't just words, Enzo. Do you understand?"

"I understand." I whispered. And you know what? I really did. If Bob ever taught me anything, that was it.

"Good. And understand this, too. What I'm asking you to do is very dangerous, especially now. There are very few of us left, Enzo - and we're not going to go unnoticed forever. By accepting the protocols, you put yourself at risk. Do you understand that?"

"I understand. I'm ready. I promise!"

"If you're sure, Enzo. If you're sure."

"I'm sure!" I whispered. I thought about Dot, all of a sudden. She hadn't said anything for seconds. All at once, I could see how this all looked to her - and she was still willing to let me do it. "Dot - I'll be OK, I promise. I promise."

"I know..." she smiled, but she was trying not to cry. "Don't you go getting yourself deleted now - you hear me? And don't think this exempts you from doing your homework!"

I laughed. "OK - Promise!"

"I guess there's not much point in waiting any longer, then." Bob smiled. "Enzo, are you prepared to accept the responsibilities that go along with the Guardian protocols? Are you certain that you're prepared to uphold the by-laws of the Collective?"

"I'm ready." I whispered.

"Good boy." he grinned. "Your icon." I reached up and took my icon off my cap, and handed it to him. Everything seemed to slow down, a thousand times slower than normal. Every nano is clear as if it just happened.

Bob held up my icon, near his wrist. "Copelend - download Guardian Protocols, version one-zero." My jaw dropped. Copeland sent a data stream to the PID. _My_ PID. My PID, which was going to be a Guardian icon in a nano. I couldn't believe it was happening. Right here in my bedroom.

Copeland finished downloading the data, and Bob held up my icon. It was now an exact replica of his - golden and black instead of white. He handed it to me, and I saw his arm moving in slow-motion. I reached out my hand, and he slipped it into my palm, smiling. I think he was proud - that's what I was hoping anyway.

I sat there, staring at my hand, I dunno for how long. Probably only a nano. Dot squeezed my shoulder. "Don't just sit there, silly - put it on!" I heard her say in a husky voice. My hand was shaking, but I managed to put the icon on my chest, right over my heart. I looked up at Bob, and he winked. And it was weird, but I never felt closer to Matrix than that nano, even thought he was long gone.

I gave the icon a turn, and I felt a rush of energy wash over me. No, not over - _through_ me. Like a reboot, only different. I looked down, and my old clothes were gone - I was wearing a blue and gold uniform - a cadet uniform. Just like Matrix had worn - just like I'd seen in that musical right after the reboot, on that basic binome that was supposed to be Matrix. Me. Whichever...

"Congratulations, Cadet!" Bob smiled. He saluted, and I saluted him back. He stuck out his hand, and I shook it, feeling numb. He laughed a little, and cuffed me on the neck. "Looks pretty good in that uniform, doesn't he Dot?"

"Oh, Enzo!" Dot whispered. She was crying now, and even though she was smiling, I knew they weren't all joy tears. I remember thinking how basic it was, that everything that made someone happy seemed to make someone else sad. I knew she could've stopped Bob from doing this - but she hadn't. And I was more grateful than I'd ever been, to both of them.

"Don't cry!" I begged, and I hugged her, harder than I had for minutes. I never wanted to let her go. "Thanks! Thanks Dot. Thanks so much..."

"For what, Enzo?"

"For everything." It's funny, Dot was always the one I took for granted - she was always around. It was only in little flashes that I realized that I loved her more than anything, but when those flashes came I almost couldn't handle them, I loved her so much. I wish I'd told her. "Thanks for everything."

"Congratulations, Guardian." she whispered, and she kissed me on the cheek again and hugged me some more. Maybe I had.

It was a gorgeous cycle, even by Mainframe's standards. The sky above Floating Point park was a brilliant azure blue, pockmarked by puffy white energy clouds. The daisy wheels and directory trees far below were a symphony of yellow and green. The finest view of the finest view in Mainframe was had by two sprites, soaring through the perfect sky on a longboard in a lazy arc around the Point.

"Try leaning a little, when ya turn." the tall, thin sprite said to his companion. "Don't think about it so much - she knows where you want to go, just let her take you there."

"Like this?" Enzo asked tentatively, flexing his legs and tilting far to his left.

"Sorta! But not quite so much, Lad!" Ray laughed, grabbing Enzo by the waist and gently steering him upright. "When it comes to surfin', less is more, Enzo. A little pressure from the foot, a little lean - that's all it takes. She's a very sensitive instrument."

"Coolness!" Enzo grinned. He pushed down with his right foot and sent the longboard gently curving to starboard.

"That's it, Lad! Now you're gettin' it!"

"It's almost like a zip board, kinda! Only it can turn twice as fast. It's totally awesome!"

"And she can take ya places no zip board can, Son. Places you can't even begin to imagine..."

"I can imagine a lot!" Enzo said earnestly. He steered the board in silence for a few nanos, circling and looping over the park. "Ray - what's it like out there? You know - on the web. Is it totally cool?"

"Parts of it are, Lad. Parts of it'll delete ya as soon as look at ya. There's no more dangerous place, if you don't know what you're doin'. But parts of it are so beautiful they'll make you cry..."

"Wow!" the youngster whispered. "Will you show me, Ray? Take me web surfing - c'mon! It'll be totally alphanumeric! We-"

"Whoa - whoa Lad!" Ray laughed. "It ain't that simple - we're in an encrypted system here. We can't just go poppin' in and out o' the web on joyrides. There's a war on!"

"Yeah, I know... But it sounds totally cool! Maybe some cycle you can take me, huh?"

A shadow crossed the surfr's face, unseen by the boy in front of him. "Sure, Enzo. Some day. But web surfin's pretty dangerous - even in the best o' times. Better you learn how to ride a little better first, I think."

"I'm trying!" Enzo protested. "I'm not doin' too bad, am I?"

"Yer doin' great, Lad!" Ray laughed. The search engine surreptitiously checked at his internal clock. "Why don't we head on back to your sister's place - access some energy shakes? Teachin' you to surf is wearin' me out!"

"Cool!" Enzo grinned. He banked the longboard to the left and headed for Baudway.

"Now remember, everybody - as soon as they get here, hide wherever you can - under a table, behind the bar. And when you yell surprise, let Enzo really hear it! I want this place to sound like all the festival halls in the Supercomputer put together!"

"She's really in her element, isn't she?" AndrAIa said softly, grinning.

"I don't even know why Dot needs an organizer - she is an organizer!" Bob sighed. "You should have seen her last party, AndrAIa..."

"Did you know the password on her organizer is 'Guardian', Bob?" Matrix smiled, scratching Frisket's ears.

"Yeah - Enzo told me." Bob replied absently. Matrix frowned, prompting a fit of giggling from the game sprite next to him.

"They're coming! They're coming!" Mike bellowed, bursting through the doors." Oh, the humanity! Oh, the spectacle! Oh, my head!"

"Mike!" Several sprites screamed.

"Hide - everybody hide!" Dot hissed, diving behind the bar.

"And where am I supposed to hide, Madam?" Cecil huffed.

"Oh dear, oh dear!" Phong fretted, twirling his fingers and rolling in a circle. "Where shall I go? Where would be a good place-"

"Over here!" Bob hissed, crouched under a booth with AndrAIa. The old sprite hurriedly whirred over next to him.

"This is silly!" Matrix muttered from behind the soda fountain.

"Party-pooper!" AndrAIa taunted.

"Remember, My Child - if the party begins to slow, later - I brought my lyrics with me this time. Now let me see, where did I put them? Oh, dear..."

"Shhh!" Dot hissed. "Here they come!"

"Thanks for the surfing lesson, Ray - it was totally cool, awesome, high-res, double-sided!" Enzo beamed. "I liked it!"

"No worries, Kid." Ray grinned. "Glad to share the art with such an eager student." He reached over the boy and pushed open the door to the diner. "Huh - whaddaya make o' that?"

"Hey!" Enzo frowned. "Where is every-"

"SURPRISE!" a chorus of voices called out.

Enzo's jaw dropped. "Coolness! What's going on?"

"It's your birthday, silly!" Dot laughed, bouncing out from behind the bar. "Many happy return keys!"

"My birthday?" Enzo gasped. "No way!"

"Way!" AndrAIa grinned.

"You mean - upgrade city? Mega-new? Awesome! Alphanumeric! Double-density! But - it's not my birthday - is it?"

"It is indeed, young one." Phong said, looking resplendent in his conical party hat. "When you were restored, your upgrade history was re-set. In a few microseconds, you will be one-zero."

"No way! But why didn't you tell me, you guys?"

"Well - it wouldn't have been a surprise then, would it?" Bob teased. "Happy Birthday, Cadet."

"Thanks, Bob!" Enzo beamed. "This is awesome! Totally cool! So - where are my presents?"

"That's my brother!" Dot laughed. "Don't worry, we didn't forget-"

"Me first!" Mike bellowed. He skidded to a stop in front of the boy. "It's your birthday, Enzo - your very special day. And what better way to celebrate than with a heartwarming look back on how you got here? Yes, that's right - this is your life, Enzo Matrix! Do you remember this voice... 'So Enzo - I understand you have a new delivery service-'"

"Mike!" Dot sighed. "Maybe later, OK? Does anyone else have a present for Enzo?"

"I do, Child." Phong said. "Here you are, Grasshopper. May it bring you many long milliseconds of enjoyment."

"Uh - thanks Phong..." Enzo said hesitantly. "Um - what is it?"

"A very rare treasure, Child - a statuette of the Golden Dragon of Sinclair. It is said to bring great wisdom to all those who possess it."

"Gee - thanks!" Enzo grinned. "I could always use some wisdom, I guess..."

"We got somethin' for ya too, Angel." Mouse smiled, handing the boy a huge loosely wrapped object. "Ray an' me."

"Thanks, Mouse!" The youngster frantically ripped the wrapping off the package. "Coolness! A surfboard! Awesome!"

"I tinkered around with Ray's surfboard in the lab, Sugar - figured out how she ticked. Threw that together for ya."

"Now, that won't get ya to the web, Lad - but it'll sure do ya fine for learnin' around Mainframe." Ray chuckled. "More your size, too. Just promise to take it slow - surfin's an art, not a skill..."

"Man - this is amazing! Thanks you guys!" Enzo beamed. "Isn't it awesome, Dot?"

"It sure is!" Dot grinned toothily, in Mouse's general direction. "I couldn't be happier..."

"Happy birthday, Enzo!" AndrAIa knelt next to the youngster and gave him a hug. She handed him a small, cream colored trinket. "This is a shell, from my game. I wore it in my hair when I was a little girl. It's the last thing I still have from back then. I want you to have it - so you'll always know I'm with you, wherever either of us goes."

"AndrAIa!" Enzo whispered, blushing. "Thanks!"

"You're welcome, Sparky. Luv ya!"

"You too..." the boy shuffled his feet nervously. "Thanks AndrAIa..."

"Uh - I got you something too..." Matrix said softly. "It's so weird - seeing you compiling up like this! I remember when I turned one-zero, like it was last cycle..."

"Dude - it's totally weird, we don't even have the same birthday now..."

"Yeah. It sure is..."

"So what'd you get me?"

Matrix barked out a laugh. "Got your files in order, don't you, Sprout? Yeah, well - I'm not very good at this gift stuff, don't have much of a clue about it at all, actually. So I'm sorry if-"

"Matrix!" AndrAIa sighed, poking him sharply in the ribs. "Just give him the present!"

"Ow! OK... Well - y'know - you're always saying how you're gonna turn out just like me, and I say you're not, right? Plus, I always call you 'Sprout', and everything. So anyways - I got you this." He handed the boy a small object.

"What is it?" Enzo frowned, studying the little green shrub his older self had given him. "A plant?"

"It's a directory tree, Enzo. Just like in Floating Point Park. A sprout - a sapling. It can take almost any form when it grows up - it's entirely up to you. Where you plant, it, how often you feed it, how well you take care of it. Plus, I always thought you'd be good at taking care of something, so..."

Enzo smiled cautiously, a little bewildered by the gift. "Thanks, Enzo - oops, Matrix! Thanks. It's cool."

"You're welcome." Matrix mumbled, taking an awkward step towards the youngster. He tentatively reach out his arms, then pulled them back, and finally stuck out a hand. "Happy birthday!"

"Thanks!" Enzo answered, shaking the big sprite's hand.

Matrix finally reached out his other arm and patted the boy on the shoulder. "You're welcome... Little Brother. You - you're welcome. Try not to let Frisket eat it, OK?"

"Well, Enzo - you didn't think I'd forgotten about you, did you?" Bob grinned expectantly.

"Gee - thanks Bob!" Enzo beamed, dropping the tree to the floor. "You didn't really hafta, you know. You're takin' me into the games, and everything..."

"No, I didn't have to - but I wanted to." Bob answered, crouching in front of Enzo. "I didn't want to let this cycle pass without showing you how I felt, Enzo. So I thought about what could do that. And I thought - what better way to show Enzo how I felt that these?" The Guardian whipped a hand out from behind his back.

"What are they?" Enzo gasped.

Bob slowly opened his hand, grinning. It held a pair of gleaming silver pins - a representation of a Guardian Icon and a Keytool. "These are the Order of Excellence, Enzo - from the Guardian Collective. I got them for capturing Mouse when she tried to break into the supercomputer, actually..." He cast a sheepish look in her direction.

"They give these for conduct that brings credit to the ideals of the Collective, Enzo - To Mend and Defend. I dunno if I deserved them, but I want you to have them. You're a credit to those ideals. I don't know if you'll ever have the chance to attend the Academy, but you've learned a lot already. Happy Birthday, Cadet."

"Dude!" the youngster whispered. "Thanks!" He wrapped his arms around the Guardian's neck. "Thanks, Bob! D'you mean it?"

"Sure, Tiger." Bob smiled, returning the boy's embrace. "Don't put them on, now - wait till you upgrade! And always remember what they stand for, all right?"

"I promise!" the boy beamed, staring at the glittering objects reverently. "I promise."

"Well - I dunno how I can possibly top that!" Dot said ruefully. "But if you're still online for a couple more presents, Enzo-"

"Sure!" Enzo beamed, taking a last look at Bob's gift and reverently setting it on the bar. "Alphanumeric party, Dot! You're the best!"

"Funny - I was gonna say that!" Dot chuckled. She hoisted her brother up and set him down on the counter, eye level with her. "My little brother..." she said softly, brushing the ever present hair out of his eyes.

"Aw, Dot!"

"Sorry!" The Command.com shared a bemused grin with Bob. "First of all, since it seems like you've got so much going on in your life all the time, now - I got you this. A new organizer."

"Cool!"

"It's the same model as mine, Enzo - the TRS-80. Top of the line - only the best for my brother."

"Awesome! Does it play any games?" Enzo grinned, tapping keys frantically.

"Yes - after it's done playing homework. And just so you don't accuse me of not being any fun - I got you a new jetball cone too." She reached behind the bar and retrieved her gift. "Just make sure you beat Bob, sometimes - if he wins, he brags for a minute!"

"Hey!" Bob scowled. "I resemble that remark..."

"This is totally alphanumeric, Dot - thanks! You're the best!"

"You're welcome." she whispered, squeezing him tightly. "Happy birthday, Little Brother. I promise to be there for every one."

"Whaddaya mean, Dot?"

"Nothing, nothing." she grinned, straightening his cap. She checked her internal clock quickly. "You ready to upgrade, Mister? It's about that time!"

"Alphanumeric!" the youngster grinned, standing on the counter. "But - what's gonna happen? I don't-"

"Don't worry, Enzo - just wait and see. OK, everybody - let's have a countdown, nice and loud! Ready? Six!"

"Five!"

"Four!"

"Three!"

"Two"!

"One!"

Enzo could feel the eyes of everyone in the room on him as they counted down, and he was a little embarrassed. But felt himself swept away in a wave of excitement. He was upgrading, at last! One-zero, no longer a little sprite. Even Matrix would have to respect him now. And maybe Bob would even - dare he hope?

As the chanting sprites reached zero, silence fell over the diner. The youngster felt a tingle of energy around him, which settled at his feet. A small thrill of fear mingled with the bubbling adrenaline coursing through him, and he closed his eyes, held his breath.

It felt like a thousand pixels dancing all over him, from the ground up. The boy felt his hair stand on end, and a strange looseness in his muscles. The dancing energy lightly kissed his face, and then was gone. A cheer rose from the room, and he finally ventured to open his eyes.

"No way - cool!" he gasped. His old '01' jersey had been replaced by a sleeker model, bearing his name and '10' over his heart. Even more, he _felt_ different - his perspective had changed. He was taller! His voice sounded different too - everything was different. He felt more spring in his muscles, more tension in his legs.

"It never gets any easier, does it?" Bob sighed, wrapping an arm around Dot's shoulder as the parytgoers crowded around Enzo, congratulating him. Matrix hoisted the boy onto his shoulders and carried him triumphantly around the room.

"I wish I could save and quit, right here." Dot whispered, brushing away a tear. "I wish things never had to change, Bob. Why do they have to change?"

"Because that's the way life is, My Love. There's nothing you can do to stop it, so try and enjoy every nano that you can."

"Who are you - Phong?" Dot sniffled. "Since when are you such a philosopher?"

"Nothing like losing everything you'd ever think you could to make you appreciate what you had." Bob said softly, watching the merry parade. He wrapped an arm around the Command.Com's waist and pulled her to him.

Dot stared at him in silence for a nano, struck by the change in the sprite she'd known for all those long minutes. Maybe the web could do that do a man...

"Bob!" Enzo called, jerking their attention over to the counter, where Matrix had deposited the birthday boy. "Hey, Bob!"

"Yeah?" Bob laughed.

The youngster beamed and slowly, carefully, affixed the two silver pins to his collar. "Whaddaya think?"

"Lookin' good, Cadet!" Bob grinned.

"That gift of yours certainly touched him, Bob. I've never seen his face light up like that...

"It wasn't much." Bob sighed. "It doesn't take much to make him happy, you know? So little time. And I don't always take the trouble..."

"Well, what's this?" AndrAIa called out, standing over the big booth in the corner. "Looks like a nasty big birthday cake to me. Anybody wanna come over here and serve it up - Birthday Boy?"

"Cool!" Enzo bounced off the bar and made a beeline for the sweets.

"You coming, Bob?"

"Yeah - I'll catch up in a nano, Dot." Bob smiled. He leaned back against the counter languidly, watching Dot walk over to the corner to join her brother. Matrix watched the same scene from across the diner, then drifted over to join Bob.

"Hey."

"Hey! AndrAIa's really great with Enzo, isn't she?"

"Yeah... She has the patience of a saint. She'd have to, I guess, spending all those cycles with me..."

"He really loves her, too."

"He has good taste." The bearded sprite folded his arms and watched the festivities at the refreshment table for a moment. "Bob, why - why do you call him that?"

"What?" Bob frowned.

"'Cadet'. Why do you call Enzo 'Cadet'? Don't you think it's a little - I dunno - cruel - to lead him on like that?"

"What do you mean - lead him on?" Bob asked in puzzlement. "I'm just trying to encourage him, reward him when he works hard-"

"Encourage him? Encourage him to what?" Matrix interrupted.

Bob stared at him for a moment. "To work harder. To learn. To grow up. What did you think?"

"But he's not a cadet - is he, Bob? And he isn't going to be one either. There isn't even an Academy anymore. So why get his hopes up?"

"Enzo may not be a cadet, Matrix, but he's still working hard in the games. It gives him something to shoot for-"

"But he's not going to be a cadet, Bob! I think we all saw how well that worked out, didn't we? We're not gonna make the same mistake again!"

"Mistake?" Bob said thinly. "I guess that's a matter of opinion, Enzo. I know 'we' made some errors in judgment, but making you a cadet wasn't one of them. We-"

"Come on, Bob - let's not kid ourselves, all right? We all know what happened. Do you really want to see Enzo... turn out like I did? Is that what you want?"

"He could do worse..." Bob sighed. "Don't you want him to have any dreams?"

"Dreams are dangerous, Bob. You can have them when you're a little boy, but a man can't hang on to the dreams of a child. He'll find that out soon enough."

"I'm not forcing Enzo into anything - I'm just helping him find out who he wants to be!"

"He wants to be you Bob! How could he not? Look at you! How could any lonely little kid not wanna be you? How could he ever want anyone else for a hero? I sure never did!"

"Enzo, I - I don't understand. What're you saying?"

The big sprite sighed deeply and turned away. "Hey!" Enzo shouted, running up to the pair. "C'mon, you guys - you're gonna miss the cake! And we're gonna play some games in a nano. C'mon!"

"In a nano'-" Matrix began.

"Aw, just come on!" Enzo ordered. He grabbed Bob and Matrix by the hand and led them over to where Dot and the others were waiting. Bob favored Matrix with a weak smile, and they stumbled off, in tow.