centerbfont size=6The Daemon Conflict:p
Prologue 5

Melissa was tired but content. She slept soundly that night. She had gotten one over on Nemesis. The viral fighter Trouble, rushed to its destination, piloted by Nemesis with skill. Melissa remained most times in her bunk in the small compartment, unless Nemesis needed her for something. There she studied intelligence reports on Hexadecimal and Dot Matrix.

With her unlimited power, her sister would be a formidable opponent. Perhaps she could lure her into a trap and let her destroy herself. If Hexadecimal was anything like their mother, Melissa knew that their vanity and greed could be used as weapons against them.

So Melissa plotted and planned and laughed at Nemesis behind her back.

Melissa had come forward to the cockpit just before they had received the urgent encrypted message.

"Decipher the incoming message," Nemesis ordered. Turbo was sitting next to her and Melissa had to fight not to look at him.

"Captain Atan informs us that they have captured two rebel spies and requests orders. He wants to know if you would like him to interrogate the prisoners."

"Absolutely not. He is to wait for my arrival."

Melissa replied to the message, then took a seat at the communications console.

"I take it with all the intelligence reports you've been reading, you have a plan to carry out your mission?"

The fact that Nemesis was talking to her was surprising enough. That fact that she spoke in an almost amiable voice was totally unnerving. To make matters worse, Melissa wasn't certain how to reply. "Yes."

"Umm hmm," Nemesis said. "You've played a fine game, haven't you?"

"What?"

"I think you've been pretending all these hours. Making us all think you're weak and stupid, but I know better. You are Daemon's daughter. You have power. What are you going to do? Wait until you're grown and usurp your mother's power?"

"I have no desire for my mother's power." That wasn't exactly a lie.

"Yeah, right," Nemesis said. "I see the way you skulk around watching and listening when you think nobody sees you but I do."

"Believe what you want, Nemesis."

Nemesis snorted, "Just don't try anything with me little whelp. You'll get the beating of your life."

"You wish," Melissa muttered.

When they arrived at System 998, Nemesis ordered Melissa to stay in the ship. She obeyed, only because she had no desire to leave or watch an interrogation. So she returned to the cockpit and opened a vid-window. She didn't hear Turbo come up behind her a first. Not until she heard his voice exclaim, "Mouse!"

Melissa whirled and leapt from her chair and in the same instant, bared claws and fangs.

"Whoa, little lady! I'm not going to hurt you."

Melissa hissed, "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Sorry," Turbo smiled at her. "Hello Melissa."

What an odd thing to say. "Hello," Melissa for some strange reason, felt rather shy before the large Guardian. No one in all her processing had spoken to her in such a soft voice.

"They don't treat you well, do they?"

"No." Melissa couldn't resist any longer. "How is it that you can fight my mother's infection?"

"Guess I'm just fortunate," he smiled at her. "You won't tell, will you?"

"Of course not! But you knew that already, otherwise you wouldn't have told me. You did wink at me, right?"

"True. You're a very bright young lady, Melissa, and they don't give you half the credit you deserve."

The praise was unexpected and lifted her spirits immensely, "Thank you."

"Melissa," Turbo nodded at the vid-window. "That lady out there is an acquaintance of mine. We have to help her."

"I don't see how without giving ourselves away," Melissa said. She looked at the window again. The read-haired woman, Mouse, had lunged for Nemesis. A sword fight commenced. Melissa watched in fascination as Mouse held her own.

"Impressive," was all the young viral could say. "She won't hold out forever though."

"We have to do something!" Turbo said, urgently.

Nemesis was backing Mouse up against the platform. There was another ship sitting there, not one of there's. Perhaps it belonged to the prisoners. It was then that an idea came to her.

"Stay here, Turbo," Melissa said. "I have an idea."

"What is it? How can I help?"

"Just watch out the vid-window."

Melissa rushed from the cockpit and paused by the exit ramp, just inside of the door. A binome stood guard at the bottom of the ramp. Melissa pressed herself against the wall. She closed her eyes and let her breathing slow. Was she near enough to do it? She would find out.

Melissa had a few talents that she was certain her mother didn't possess and quite possibly didn't know about. Melissa peeked out the door to make certain no one was watching, then she levitated and floated down the ramp. The nearer she came to the binome the more insubstantial her body became, until she was just a translucent being of ruddy light. She settled over the binome and integrated herself into his code. Completely invisible and undetectable, no one would ever see her unless she revealed herself or the host performed a specific function. She could ride piggyback, infect, change codes, mutate, or destroy whatever file she happened to be attached to. Infecting the binome easily, she controlled him and had him step from the ramp and approach the platform.

She detached herself and floated up onto the platform, reattaching herself to the ship, which was, she found out, named Ship. Now there was originality for you. The knowledge for the use of the controls was extracted from the computer and Melissa integrated her code into that of Ship's.

The guns powered up and Melissa absorbed some of the energy and giggled at the heady feeling it gave her. She fired a warning shot. Now she had everybody's attention. Careful not to hit the mercenary, or the other prisoner, Melissa began firing a barrage of random shots until the air was thick with smoke and total chaos reigned. It was rather exhilarating, actually, watching the randomness and feeding off its power. Something awakened in Melissa then, a realization that chaos wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Realizing it would mean deletion if she were caught, Melissa detached herself and hopped from being to being until she was close enough to the fighter to enter herself.

"Incredible," was the first thing Turbo said when she entered the control room. "How did you do it?"

Melissa put her finger to her lips. Ship had taken off and now Nemesis was striding towards Trouble.

"Get the ship ready for takeoff!" Nemesis hissed. She didn't even ask what Melissa and Turbo were doing. "We're continuing on to Mainframe."

"We're not going after them?"

"They are of no consequence. We have a mission to perform."

Nemesis muttered to herself for the remainder of the journey. Melissa was enjoying it immensely.

She was sleeping when they arrived at Mainframe's web address. Turbo came to wake her.

"She sent me for you." Turbo said. "Have you figured out what you're going to do?"

She didn't understand, "About what?"

"Hexadecimal. You really aren't going to delete her are you? Or let Nemesis delete Dot Matrix?"

"What am I supposed to do? If I don't my mother will delete me! Unless I delete Nemesis and even if I did I'd have to leave my mother's service and go into hiding forever."

Turbo closed his eyes for a moment, "Find help in Mainframe." Then his eyes went glassy again. "Follow me."

Upon entering the control room, Nemesis said to her, "Program the ship for silent running. Our contact has already sent the landing coordinates."

"Any new information on our marks?" Melissa knew Hexadecimal lived on an island called Lost Angles and Dot Matrix spent most of her time either in the Principal Office or some eating establishment that she owned.

"None. But their assistance has arrived in the system. A pitiful two hundred fighters and two war ships. Even if we didn't have this assignment, Mainframe is already in Daemon's hands."

Melissa could feel Turbo's eyes on her. "Entering System Mainframe."

The portal opened far out over the Data Sea and Trouble skimmed low over the water.

So this was Mainframe. How peaceful it looks. Soon to be destroyed and subjugated.

"We'll ride the cycles in the rest of the way," Nemesis said. "Turbo, stay here and have the ship web ready. We will leave in two seconds from this time, circumstances dictate otherwise. So do your job and do it quickly."

"You do yours and I'll do mine."

Nemesis ignored her words and opened a vid-window to a map of Mainframe. "We'll set up a rendezvous point here." She pointed to a sector. "Sector 1001. A place called Pearson's Data Dump. Our contact states only one binome is there and he should be easily dealt with."

Turbo helped her get ready and prepared the cycle. Every so often the glassy look would change and Melissa would silently tell him with her eyes she had no choice. Then Melissa was following Nemesis over the glittering water.

The streets of Mainframe were silent at that time of night. The two viral's came upon the Data Dump. Melissa was intrigued by the place. Even in the darkness she could tell there were hundreds of places to explore and things to do. Too bad she couldn't take the time.

"Find this Pearson and deal with him. I'll set up the command center."

Melissa was just about tired of Nemesis ordering her about, but in order to get away from her, she obeyed. Melissa floated high above the piles of refuse and recycled data. She saw a light and discovered a shack. Something was lying in front of the door and on closer inspection, found it was a dog. The animal lifted its head and sniffed the air. Melissa froze. "Good dog, I don't want to hurt you."

The dog growled, then whined, as though it couldn't decide if Melissa was friend or foe.

"Sorry boy, this is necessary." Melissa jumped forward and pricked the dog on the neck with one of her claws. It gave a high-pitched whine and crumpled at her feet. Small impulses of red-gold coursed along its skin. The infection would only keep him out but not delete him.

"What's going on out there?"

The door came open and Melissa was bathed in yellow light. She was not night-blinded as she should have been, for her vision excelled above any sprites. The old binome stood framed within the light.

"What in the net – Frisket?"

Melissa lunged and knocked the binome backwards. A hiss escaped from her throat and she sank her teeth into the binome's shoulder. His scream was abruptly cut off.

"Well done," came Nemesis voice from behind her.

Melissa didn't turn. "Didn't think I would do it?"

"No."

"Stand aside," Melissa floated the binome, whom she assumed was Pearson, over to a ragged bed. She did the same to the dog. "Hopefully, no one will find them soon."

"If they do," Nemesis smiled with her fangs. "Perhaps I underestimated you."

"Perhaps you did."

***

CHAPTER 5

FIRST STRIKE

With a cry of rage from their leader, the rebels charged Guardian Hall.

Bob watched; his face set in a grim mask. The rebel leader was a tall imposing sprite, dressed in battle fatigues and wielding a bowie knife in one hand and a laser in the other.

A barrage of cannon fire cut him down almost immediately.

The battle as it were, lasted for only a few more nanos. Seeing their leader fallen, the majority of the group broke ranks and ran, only to be deleted or seriously injured by the myriad of shots and explosions. Those who survived were rounded up by a group of infected Guardians and herded like cattle into the Hall.

"Turn it off," Bob turned away from the sight within the vid window. He could feel the eyes of the others on him, as they stood gathered at the command center.

He was angry – no infuriated. It seemed to be the only emotion he knew as of late.

All was quiet in the rebel headquarters, save the workings of the machinery around them. It was early morning, and the only people awake besides the command staff were a few sleepy-eyed sentries, who stayed in the background but listened in on everything.

"Who were they?" Matrix finally asked. "They weren't a part of this group?"

"No," Desdemona said. "We are not the only rebel faction within the Super Computer."

"Then why not team up?" Bob turned to face them. "Why not recruit the other factions to --,"

"For User's sake, don't you think we've tried?" Desdemona said, "The reason's are obvious. Mistrust, the fear of betrayal, dissention among leadership --,"

"All right," Bob had to work to modify the hint of annoyance in his voice. "So you still plan a frontal assault as a distraction?"

"It is the only way," Desdemona turned to Dom. "Have you and AndrAIa completed the jamming device?"

"Yes, although it's untested," Dom said. "If my – I mean our – calculations are correct, the device will disable their guns and communications for thirty nanos."

"That's cutting it a bit close don't you think?" Matrix asked.

"What are you worried about?" Desdemona smiled bitterly, "You won't even be there."

"No, we'll just be facing Daemon."

"And you think that makes our sacrifices unimportant?"

"Stop it, both of you!" Katiyana spoke up. "If we are to succeed this bickering amongst ourselves must cease."

Matrix grunted, turned and left the area. Desdemona muttered something that no one heard. AndrAIa sneered at her and followed after Matrix.

"Bob," Katiyana addressed him, "Perhaps you should leave Matrix behind."

"What?"

"He cannot control his anger or follow orders," Katiyana said. "If he goes his own way or charges forward without considering the consequences --,"

"Matrix will be fine, Mistress," Again, Bob caught himself using a less than respectful tone. What was wrong with him?

Katiyana regarded him silently until Bob found himself shifting uncomfortably. How was it after all these hours that she could still do that? The others remained silent, suddenly finding other things to do nearby.

"Why did you make him a cadet?"

"Because he had all the qualities of a Guardian. Honesty, decency, loyalty, enthusiasm --,"

"That was before his early compiling?"

"Well yes."

"He no longer possesses those qualities. He has changed far beyond what he was. A keytool would never have chosen him."

"Glitch chose him," Bob said before he could stop himself. Contradicting the Keytool Mistress was the worst thing a Guardian could possibly do. He waited for a showing of Katiyana's anger, but surprisingly, she revealed very little.

"Glitch," she said coldly, "latched on to the most familiar being in the vicinity that just happened to have your protocol. Glitch was injured and in pain. At the time he bonded with the boy he was still the Enzo you once knew. When he complied, Glitch had no choice but to remain."

No, that's not true! Bob wanted to protest, but he knew it was. She was the Keytool Mistress and was connected with the core-com of every keytool. She had known when Megabyte had broken Glitch and had felt his pain. She had known when Bob and Glitch merged.

"So Matrix will never be a Guardian?"

"I didn't say that," Katiyana said. "If he someday finds the self he lost, then there will be a place for him. As long as he remains as he is --,"

She rose, "I shall retire now. Get some downtime, all of you. Tomorrow will decide our fates."

They said their goodnights. Bob didn't leave immediately. He sat down and buried his face in his hands.

Matrix would never be a Guardian. He no longer possessed the qualities needed.

Tomorrow they would go after Daemon. He needed companions that would help not hinder.

Bob didn't realize it, but he started to doze and he slept, and dreamt.

He was in Mainframe, in the Read-Only Room. Phong was there, happily pecking away at a vid-keyboard. He looked up and adjusted his glasses and smiled, "Come closer, my son."

Bob stepped forward.

"How is your president? I have a letter for her."

"What? Phong are you all right?"

"He'll need your understanding, not your doubts," Phong stared gravely at him.

"He's a loose cannon," Bob heard himself say and couldn't believe he had voiced the dark thought that he had hidden filed into the back of his mind. "He'll get us all deleted if he doesn't follow orders. Maybe we should leave him behind."

"You are angry with Matrix?"

"Yes."

"Because he is no longer Little Enzo? Because of what he said about Little Enzo?"

"Yes."

"You said you understood aboard the Mare."

"I did understand, but --,"

"There are no doubts here. No denials. You either trust Matrix or you don't."

"What's wrong with me, Phong? Why do I feel this way?"

Phong smiled, serenely, "Nothing is wrong with you. You are a Guardian, but you are only sprite."

"No," Bob felt the unfamiliar anger rise again, "There's something else Phong, something more. I don't know what it is."

Phong tapped the vidwindow and it shifted its position until it was facing Bob. It had a clock-face on it with numbers counting down. When it reached zero, the window shattered hurling Bob into wakefulness.

There was a commotion all around him. Sprites and binomes running madly about, but they all seemed to be heading in the same general direction. Bob bolted from the chair and followed the crowd. After a few nanos, he heard voices raised in heated argument.

A familiar voice suddenly shouted over the din, "Murderer!"

Bob pushed his way forward and stumbled into the open space to see Matrix standing there, Gun still in his hand, the barrel still smoking. AndrAIa had him by the arm and was trying to force Matrix to lower his weapon.

Desdemona and Dom were kneeling by the fallen body of Neuron Cyber. As Bob stepped forward, Cyber's body fragmented with a shower of silver sparks.

"No!" Desdemona ran her hands through the empty space where Cyber's body had lain. "You – you – you'll pay for this, do you hear me?"

"What has happened?" Katiyana stepped through the crowd and into the open.

"He deleted him," Dom nodded to Matrix. "Matrix deleted Neuron."

All eyes turned to Matrix. The rage was a tangible force in the room.

This is bad, Bob thought, very bad.

***

Matrix was tired of it all.

After the milliseconds of training, in his opinion, the "troops" as they were, were nowhere near ready, but they would have to do. He could be leading them all to their deletion. But still he would go. He had marched, yelled, cajoled and threatened, all the while, sparring with Cyber, whose idea (in Matrix's well informed opinion) of military training seemed to consist of inviting the enemy to tea and biscuits. If Cyber was such a weapons expert, why did he balk at whatever Matrix tried to do? Cyber thought Matrix was a hotheaded glory-hound. Matrix thought Cyber was a senile old coot. Between him and Desdemona, Matrix was at the end of his coil.

After the TIFF with Desdemona, Matrix decided a walk was in order. No one was allowed outside the warehouse, but Matrix had found himself a nice little spot with a grime-caked window were he could look out and muse. He couldn't believe he was in the Super Computer at last and for some reason, he felt strangely empty. Then again, he had only seen the space outside his window so far and there wasn't anything the least bit impressive about the view.

He had almost reached his spot when footsteps behind him had him in one nano reaching for Gun and in the next relaxed and smiling. He knew that soft, confident tread. He stopped to wait for her.

"Matrix."

Startled, Matrix turned abruptly and had to catch himself from drawing Gun. Neuron Cyber came from behind a stack of crates. It angered Matrix that he had been so caught unawares.

Behind him the footsteps halted.

"Startled you didn't I?" Cyber said. "Didn't think I was capable of it?"

"You were lucky," Matrix grunted. His instincts were screaming that something was up. Cyber wore a laser pistol, but made no move for it. "What can I do for you, Cyber?"

"You can stop playing this game for one."

"What?"

"Didn't you think you'd be found out?"

"What in the net are you talking about?"

"You are in no position to continue with your mission. Daemon won't tolerate what she'll perceive to be failure from you. Why don't you confess now and perhaps the Guardian will forgive you?"

The footsteps started up again.

"I don't know what you're talking about old man," Matrix growled, his mechanical eye glowed, "And I don't have the patience for riddles."

"Spy, assassin! We know it was you!" Neuron drew the pistol.

To Matrix the clock speed slowed, as it always seems to when one is faced with deletion. As the pistol in Cyber's grasp rose to point at Matrix, Gun was suddenly in the renegade's grasp.

Somewhere from far away there were running footsteps.

Cyber fired first and red-hot pain tore through his shoulder. With a scream more of rage than pain, Matrix fired.

Then things were moving too fast. AndrAIa was there. Cyber was on the floor. People were coming from all directions. There was shouting and confusion.

All through it, Matrix stood there, Gun still raised. Nothing seemed real. The world around him was a blurred scene of 8-bit characters.

"Matrix!" AndrAIa was calling his name from far away.

Matrix finally became aware of the pain and the commotion. "An—drAIa?"

Someone was screaming all above the rest. Screaming the word, "Murderer!"

His senses returned, but still he held Gun, in case someone decided to retaliate.

"Sparky, what happened? Talk to me!"

Then Bob arrived and for a moment, Matrix thought everything would be all right.

But Bob didn't look happy. In fact, in all the hours of knowing the Guardian, Matrix had never seen such a look of sheer fury. Katiyana came next and asked what happened. After Desdemona's outburst, the Keytool Mistress turned fiercely to Matrix.

"Is that true?"

Matrix finally lowered Gun and holstered it, "He tried to delete me first, I was only protecting myself."

"Liar!" Desdemona screamed. "We are witnesses, Mistress. Dom and I came upon him as he had Neuron backed against the wall. We saw him fire!"

"Des --," Dom began.

"That just isn't true," AndrAIa cut in, "I saw the whole thing. Can't you see Matrix is hurt? We have to take care of this wound."

"She'll lie for him, Mistress. She'll say anything to protect him."

"I don't lie," AndrAIa hissed.

"Silence! Go back to your quarters, all of you," Katiyana ordered. "Didn't you hear me? I said go! You all follow me."

Nobody moved.

"What's this?" Katiyana asked.

"Mistress, one of our own has been murdered by an outsider," Dom said. "This must be dealt with now."

"I told you I didn't --,"

"Did I not demand silence?" Katiyana turned and walked through the crowd, "This will be dealt with now. Follow me. The rest of you leave."

Matrix stared down the dozens of eyes that shot silent accusation at him until they turned away. He wasn't a murderer. It was self defense and he certainly wasn't going to answer to these people.

Katiyana turned on him the moment they reached the command center, "You had better explain yourself, renegade."

AndrAIa frowned, "May I attend to his wound, please?"

"Dom, would you give her some supplies?"

Dom looked at though he would refuse at first, then obeyed.

"Well Matrix?"

"I told you, he attacked me for no reason," Matrix said, "But I will say this, he mentioned Daemon."

"What do you mean?"

Matrix told her of the conversation, and at the same time, kept his mechanical eye on his surroundings. He clearly saw the people listening from various vantage points despite Katiyana's orders. He was exposed out in the open and all it would take is one shot to finish him off.

"I see," Katiyana turned to AndrAIa, "And you witnessed all of this?"

"Yes."

"She couldn't have," Desdemona broke in, "She wasn't even there."

"I was only a few feet away, you just didn't see me," AndrAIa glared at her, "It was just like Matrix said."

"Dom?"

Dom looked up from where he had been storing the medical supplies, "We didn't see anything." His voice was a whisper. "By the time we arrived on the scene, it was over. Neuron was falling and Matrix was pointing his gun at him."

"Matrix, you say Neuron fired first, but where is that gun?"

For the second time, Matrix was caught off guard, "I-I don't know."

"He doesn't know because there wasn't a gun," Desdemona muttered, "I don't know what Dom saw but I know what I saw. They were standing there talking and this renegade drew his weapon and fired."

"Dom, go search the area for the gun."

"Yes, Mistress."

"This couldn't have happened at a worse time," Katiyana said. "We must go on with our plans. Desdemona, you will lead the diversion force."

"Mistress, you can't possibly still trust them?"

"Bob, I trust you'll be able to keep Matrix in line?"

"Oh I will," Bob said coldly.

Matrix couldn't understand or believe it. Bob had spoken of him in such a disbelieving tone. Didn't his friend, his hero, believe him?

***

"What were you thinking?" Bob turned on him the moment they were alone. "AndrAIa, would you excuse us, please?"

"No."

"No?"

"What's going on Bob? Why are you acting this way?" AndrAIa said.

"What way?"

"Like you don't believe me," Matrix clenched his fists.

"What am I supposed to do?" Bob said, "How do I know you won't just go off, half cocked as usual? You know what's at stake!"

"Bob," AndrAIa spoke.

Bob ignored her, "Not only would you endanger the lives of all of us, but everyone we care about in Mainframe!"

"Do you think I'd do anything to hurt Dot?" Matrix placed himself before Bob, "What's going on here, Bob?"

"Back off," Bob faced him, which was difficult since Matrix towered over him. "Don't you know you have to take responsibility for your actions? It's time you complied up!"

"That's it, I am so outta here!" Matrix turned sharply and walked away.

"Matrix," Bob started forward, but AndrAIa stepped in his way.

"Don't," her eyes narrowed, "Something's happening to you Bob. You've never talked to any of us this way."

"Nothing's happening to me!"

"Yes," Katiyana's voice came from the shadows, "there is."

Both sprites turned as Katiyana stepped into the light, "AndrAIa, please fetch Matrix while I speak with Bob."

"Of course."

Bob watched her AndrAIa's retreating form, anything to keep from facing Katiyana.

"Something is happening to you Bob, and I believe I may know what," The Keytool Mistress sat on the nearest crate. "This anger you're feeling began a few milliseconds after you arrived here, did it not?"

Bob expelled a breath, "Yes."

Katiyana paused when Matrix and AndrAIa returned, "The Guardian Collective is more than just a group of sprites mending and defending. With our keytools we are joined as a single core-com. You are the only Guardian not infected by Daemon, but I believe, since you are now joined with Glitch and Daemon had infected the remaining Guardians, you feel the influence of her power. And most of that power is based on hatred."

Bob didn't speak. Humiliation made his face burn, "I'm sorry Matrix."

"It's okay Bob," Matrix walked forward and placed his hand on Bob's shoulder, "I just thought you didn't believe me about Neuron."

"Of course, I believe you," Bob sighed, "So I'm the real danger here? I could ruin the plan."

"Only if you can't control yourself," Katiyana said, "You were always my favorite student, Bob, so I'm sure you can. And if you ever tell anybody I said that, I'll vehemently deny it."

"Thank you, Mistress," Bob said. "So what do you two say?" Bob smiled at Matrix and AndrAIa; "You'll keep me in line, right?"

Matrix slapped him on the shoulder and Bob grimaced in pain. "Now Mistress, what about Neuron?"

"Was he possibly a spy for Daemon?" AndrAIa asked.

"I would hate to believe so," Katiyana said. "He was with us a long time. He had any number of opportunities to betray us and didn't. What puzzles me is the way he called Matrix a spy and said, about Matrix continuing with his mission and so on. Why would he say that in particular if he were a spy?"

"Mistress?" Dom approached, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but – I couldn't find another weapon."

"What?" Matrix said, "There has to be!"

"There isn't," Dom said quietly. "Now what, Mistress?"

"Start asking around, see if anyone may have removed it."

Again, Dom hesitated, as though to refuse, "Yes Mistress."

"You all must be careful now," Katiyana warned, "My people didn't trust you before, and now --,"

"This is my fault," Matrix said, "I wish I could have done something else --,"

"There's no helping it," Katiyana said, "Defend yourself if you need to. But you all need to watch yourselves." She frowned. "No one is going to get any sleep now. We might as well prepare ourselves."

***

"Where is the gun, Desdemona?"

"What? What are you talking about?" Desdemona looked up from the console where she was studying the map of the water treatment plant.

"I know you took it. What are you trying to do? The Mistress already said Matrix was going anyway."

"Dom, I have preparations to make. Matrix is no concern of mine. I suggest you get your people ready. We're due to leave for the Capitol in a few milliseconds."

"It won't work. Whatever you're doing."

"Dom, if you're going to tell Mistress I did anything do it, as long as I finish this. I care about my people and don't want this plan to fail."

"All right, Des," Dom said. "I won't say a word. But like you said to Matrix, if you do anything that gets any of our people hurt you'll answer to me."

"Do you see what they're doing? They're breaking us up already. Neuron is dead and now we're quarreling. How can you not believe they're going to betray us?"

"We'll soon see, won't we?" Dom walked away.

***

Anger intermingled with anxiousness as Bob prepared with the others. It was difficult. Every so often the anger would swell and he had to stop himself and concentrate. Then Matrix would be beside him, or AndrAIa, smiling and giving him encouragement. And when they weren't around, he filled his thoughts with Dot and that sent the anger back to the farthest reaches of his processor.

Matrix gave the last of the troops their training, which proved difficult at first, until Katiyana spoke to them. Still, Bob could see the looks of mistrust and open defiance, though none were random enough to go against Matrix.

Dom and AndrAIa worked on the device that would jam the weaponry and the communications of the Hall but only for a few nanos. It would be enough to mask their entrance, since the water treatment plant was on the opposite side.

They would take a small group for the frontal assault. The group would be split in two, with one watching the backs of the frontal assault group, while the rest remained to finish the preparations to move to the emergency base.

It was, in Matrix's words, a plan worthy of Dot.

Bob stepped outside, the first person to do so and looked up at the two moons in their silent journeys. Luckily, only the small blue was full, so they would have plenty of camouflage. The cycles were ready to fly and the pilots prepared them in silence.

"Bob?"

He turned at Matrix's voice. "Hey Enzo," it was first time in cycles he had called Matrix by his first name. He saw Matrix flinch and it reminded Bob that the two of them needed to have a talk, but not now.

"I guess this is it," Matrix said, "Katiyana sent me after you. She says it's time to go."

"Mm," was all Bob said, "We'll succeed. We have to, not just for Mainframe but for everyone in the web." He turned around. "Let's go then."

***

Two hundred armored transports and air cycles skimmed over the rooftops of Outlook Sector. Bob, Matrix, AndrAIa and Katiyana were in the lead ship.

"Bob – I know I shouldn't ask but – what's this idea you have and why can't you tell me?"

"I want to Matrix, but it's a bit complicated," Bob said, "Actually, it's a simple plan really."

"Hey, Dot says they're the best ones."

"Dot," Bob sighed. "The armada. I shouldn't have left her."

"She'll be fine," Matrix placed a hand on his shoulder. "Like you said before, she's a Matrix."

"When this is over Matrix, I have something important to ask you, but for now…"

Katiyana was approaching, "We'll arrive in the Capitol within two milliseconds. We're on silent running now. Our transport will break off from the rest of the group and make the approach. Our group will signal when they're ready."

It was increasingly difficult for Bob to concentrate the closer they came to the Capitol. Daemon's influence was like a knife cutting into his core-com. He was on the transport bridge next to Katiyana when the vid-window opened. Desdemona appeared.

"This will be the final transmission," she announced. "Radio silence must be maintained once we're in scanner range. You'll change course now and we'll proceed on. You'll know the signal. Good luck, and may the User protect us all."

"Get ready," Katiyana turned to him.

Special armor had been provided for each of them. Bob's silver armor would give them away, but with a little help from Glitch, he muted the color to a charcoal gray. Matrix, AndrAIa and Katiyana all had specially prepared lightweight armor, which would protect them and give ease of movement.

A vidwindow was open when Bob returned to the bridge and he was given his first look at the Academy since graduation.

"That's it?" Matrix gaped. "Look the size of that place!"

Lights pierced the darkness for miles around as the Academy and its never-ending grounds appeared within the vid-window. A central building almost as large as Lost Angles was flanked on each corner by a massive circular tower. A smooth polished dome, at least ten times larger than the dome of the Principal Office, appeared to be the core-com of the structure. Spread out in all directions was a small city within a city, surrounded by lighted poles, similar to the ones that had formed the famous firewall. These poles formed an electronic frontier, which would normally be down, but were blazing with power considering the circumstances.

"This is where I would have gone?" Matrix whispered, more to himself, but Bob heard his every word. "I would have gotten lost there."

"It would have felt that way at first," Bob wasn't certain if Matrix had actually been speaking to him but he replied anyway. "I felt that way, but soon, you learn your way around. Strange, it doesn't seem so bad from the outside."

But the menace was there. They saw it in the regular patrols of armored transports and tanks. They saw it in the heavily armed guards and the globular spy drones that circled the area, almost lazily, but the single red eyes that pulsed with life would fire a shot that would cut down any intruder that came within its range.

"What's in the four towers, Bob?" Matrix asked.

"Keytools."

"All four of those towers are filled with keytools?"

"So I'm told. I've only been in one," Reverently, he touched his icon and felt Glitch hum in response.

"How do you get a Keytool?"

Bob smiled, remembering, "You go through a traditional ceremony, sort of like a graduation when you reach the middle of your fourth year, or second if you're an Advance Student. There's a lot of – mysticism about it, but like Turbo told you, in the end, a Keytool chooses you."

"Has a Keytool – I mean has there ever been a student that hasn't been chosen?"

"Not to my knowledge. Katiyana?"

"No," the Keytool Mistress answered. "At least not since I have been Mistress."

Katiyana closed the window abruptly, "It's time to go."

The transport had changed course and broke off from the rest of the group. They were on their own now.

"Approaching drop-off point," their binome pilot announced quietly. "Good luck. User protect you."

Last minute preparations were made. Weapons were checked, armor adjusted, supplies and ammunition was stored. Bob had to halt at several instances to calm himself. The transport landed in the middle of an overgrown park, long disused and unkempt. Silently they made their way forward. Katiyana led the way and Matrix brought up the rear.

I can do this, Bob thought. I am Guardian 452. To mend and defend.

**To divide and render**

No! I am a Guardian!

**You are a helpless pawn! **

"Bob?"

To his consternation, the others had surrounded him. He had dropped to his knees; the voices assailed his mind. Katiyana knelt beside him. "Bob, can you hear me?"

"No," Bob said. "I think I'm going random."

**You are**

"No!"

"Bob, maybe you should --,"

"No, I'm fine!" Bob stood. "We're wasting time here. Let's go."

"No! Tell me what's happening."

"You'll think I'm totally basic," Bob said. "I'm hearing – voices."

Matrix and AndrAIa exchanged a glance.

"Daemon's influence," Katiyana said. "Steel yourself against them. You must if we are to succeed."

Bob nodded and they continued on. Despite the darkness, Bob could see how much things had changed. Even in the dead of night, the Capitol was always alive with voices and music; the air was rich with a myriad of scents; and the streets teeming with life. Now, there was barely a whisper, except for an occasional cry in the distance. The scents were foul and they were the only things besides vermin and strays that moved. Katiyana explained there was now a curfew within the Capitol and only the most foolhardy broke it.

Several times, they had to quickly hide. Some of the places were chosen at random. Others were designated hiding places, chosen by the Resistance. Taking the most round about route possible, they skirted the frontier and reached their destination within a few milliseconds.

The plant was the first place they had been in that showed some semblance of life. The machinery ran as it should and continued to service Guardian Hall. They moved from building to building, timing the movement of three floating security drones before running for their next point of cover.

"When we get the signal, I'm going to make a small opening in the frontier. You're going to have to crawl under it. If I make it any larger it'll be noticed," Katiyana took a small square device from her pack and made a few adjustments. "This is where I leave you. Do what you must and if I am able I will come to you to assist you. The reservoir is beyond those buildings. Remember, once I close the hole, you won't be able to portal out beyond the frontier. The only way to escape will come with Daemon's deletion. May the User protect you. "

"Thank you Katiyana, and be careful," Bob said.

"You to, Guardian."

They waited. The signal came in the form of a deafening explosion. The sky lit up for an instant, bathing the entire area in mock daylight before plunging it into blackness when all the lights went out and the drones went immobile in midair.

"There's the signal," Bob commented.

"Couldn't miss it," Matrix replied.

"Now," Katiyana pointed the device at the frontier. It seemed nothing happened at first, then a small space of air began to shimmer with red-gold light. Sparks danced on the outer fringes of the tiny area marking the open square's boundaries. "Go!"

The three dashed for the frontier, while casting worried glances skyward at the still globes, a low hum was the only indication that the drones still functioned. The square was just large enough to admit Matrix, and it was a tight squeeze.

"What is that User-awful smell?" AndrAIa hissed.

"The water," Bob nodded to the inky blackness of the reservoir, "Are you ready, Dre?"

"No, but I'll do it anyway." Dre knelt at the reservoir's edge. "I can see the pipe on the other side." She rose and prepared to dive, "Stay Frosty --,"

The lights blazed on suddenly and unexpectedly, startling them all into immobility. Above them, the drone came to life, it turned around and it's trained eye fell on them. A high pitched whine was the only warning it gave before a blast of red-hot energy shot from its single eye. It cut across AndrAIa's torso, slicing into her skin and causing a scream to burst forth from the game-sprite's throat.

"AndrAIa!" Matrix lunged for her, but too late. His big fingers brushed her slim ones as AndrAIa plunged backward into the foul water and disappeared from sight.

"No, no, NO!" Matrix screamed.

The drone's eye was now trained on Matrix, but before it could fire, Bob obliterated it with an energy burst. Several more drones were coming for them and the air was seared by the blasts.

"Move!" Bob shoved Matrix ahead of him.

"But AndrAIa –!"

"We can't help her if we're deleted, go!"

An alarm siren started as Matrix and Bob dashed for cover.

"What in the net happened!" Matrix cursed, "We were supposed to have thirty nanos!"

Bob was too busy concentrating on running to reply. Drones came to block their path and Bob gathered his energy. They took refuge behind a utility shed. The drones closed in, meaning to surround them.

"Gun, multiple target acquisition!" Matrix yelled out. The shimmering red M-shaped "bull's-eyes" attached to several of the drones. Matrix blasted them from the sky, the shots easily finding their targets. Yet more came. Blinding searchlights cut through the night and the sounds of urgent voices and running feet added to the din.

Bob destroyed every drone that came near, yet for every two, there seemed to be four. They surrounded them now and even if they did escape there was no way to get past the frontier. Pinned by the laser blasts and the searchlight, their options were few.

"We need a tear, now!" Bob hissed.

Matrix nodded, when a drone came near, Matrix blasted it and the resulting explosion created the tear they needed. "But where would we go? We can't portal outside --,"

"Keytool Hall," Bob said, "If I could just remember --,"

The scream tore through Bob's skull and shattered his concentration. The Guardian cried out as a thousand voices lamenting and cursing in agony, flooded his flooding his senses and sending him to his knees. Somewhere within the clamor in his mind was a familiar voice calling to him but it was drowned out by the screaming.

Then it was over, with only an uncomfortable echo in his processor. Slowly colors and shapes took form again. Bright lights and voices became clear. He was stretched out on the ground and someone was standing over him, someone who wasn't Matrix.

"I don't believe it," a familiar voice said. "You actually came here. I didn't think you would but you did."

Bob squinted, trying to get his eyes to focus on the face.

"Sorry about all the dramatics, Bob." The voice continued, "But it's an effective way for Daemon to control errant Guardian's don't you think?"

Daemon! His mission! They were betrayed! The unthinkable had happened. Could it have been a mistake? No, thirty nanos was what they had been given.

"And this must be Matrix," why was the voice so familiar. "Not as impressive as all that."

Bob struggled to sit up, "Cooper? Cooper Black?"

The orange-skinned Guardian smiled down at him, "Good to see you Bob."

"I can't say the same for you," Bob muttered. Two sprite soldiers hauled Bob to his feet. Two others had Matrix on his knees and trapped in a containment field. Several more had them surrounded. All infected Guardians.

"I take it, it isn't necessary to contain you?" Cooper said, "You'll come along peacefully?"

"Guess I don't have much of a choice."

"Why Bob? What did you hope to accomplish by coming here? Destroying Daemon? Surely you jest."

Bob didn't say anything.

"She is all powerful," Cooper went on, "And now that she has you, she will rule all the net and the web and beyond."

"Listen to yourself, Cooper," Bob stalled, but to what end, he had no idea. "This is not you. You have to fight the Infection!"

"It – she is a part of me now," Cooper seemed uncertain for a nano, then his resolve strengthened. "Soon, you'll understand. Soon you will be part of the true Collective."

"Never," Bob hissed.

"You don't have a choice," Cooper smiled. "You will obey, or --,"

"Or what? You'll delete me? Daemon wants me too badly."

Cooper didn't reply, but instead turned and nodded to one of the Guardians. The female sprite drew a stun gun from her jacket and touched it to the containment field. Matrix screamed.

"All right! Cooper, don't!" Bob had lunged forward, only to be grabbed and forced to his knees as well.

Matrix grunted once and fell face first.

"Matrix," Bob could only watch as two of the Guardian's turned his unconscious friend over. He found an infinitesimal measure of triumph that it took four of them to carry the muscular sprite away.

"Huh, some renegade," Cooper turned back to Bob. "You'll be taken to a holding cell until Daemon is ready to receive you."

"Cooper," Bob said, "We have to find AndrAIa. She was shot. She fell into the reservoir."

"Then she's a deleted sprite, better for her, actually." Cooper said. "Daemon would have fed her to the worms. Or the bugs. She can be quite jealous of other females."

"Cooper, please!"

"Enough," Cooper waved dismissively. "Bring him."

The two shoved Bob forward and the Guardian stumbled after Cooper. They were led across a narrow span of concrete and as they were led inside Bob dared to look back at the murky waters and suppressed a cry a grief for AndrAIa.

***

"What in the net happened?" Dom screamed. "The mechanism was working perfectly! Who tampered with it?"

No one spoke. Most averted their eyes. Others conveniently removed themselves from the control room.

"It was for the best, Dom," Desdemona said.

"No," Dom whispered, "Des, what did you do?"

"What I had to," Des said. "We will find another way."

"Don't you realize what you've done? You've not only doomed Bob and the others, but Mistress Katiyana as well! And perhaps the whole of the web!"

"Mistress Katiyana would understand," Des said, "We told her not to go, but she insisted. Now, the traitors have been dealt with."

"You're a spy for Daemon, aren't you?"

"Of course not," Des was indignant. "They were the spies. Neuron told me a few milliseconds before Matrix to deleted him. He said he was going to confront Matrix. I warned him not to. He said that if he failed he was depending on me to deal with them and I have. He said Daemon would consider their being unable to stop us as failure and delete them."

"But that doesn't make any sense!" Dom yelled, "If they were spies, they had ample opportunity to betray us, why didn't they? If they knew they would be punished, why try to steal into the Hall?"

"Of course it makes sense. They planned on betraying us as we caused the diversion. We've escaped, so we are safe, and they have failed."

"And what of Katiyana? Was she a traitor too?"

"No, just misguided," Des approached him and Dom involuntarily stepped back. Suddenly he didn't want her near him.

"You must understand Dom that nothing is more important than our cause. Sprites and binomes are expendable in a war of this magnitude. Traitors must be dealt with swiftly to preserve our safety. You saw what Matrix did to Neuron. It was unforgivable and now Neuron's been avenged."

Dom could only gape at the woman he thought he knew. The woman who he had called compatriot only a few nanos ago. Now she seemed like some fanatical stranger.

And it had been so easy for her, using his trust. He had been monitoring the jamming device when someone had called to him. He had turned away for only a nano and the next thing he knew all net was breaking loose and the ships were fleeing the scene.

When he couldn't stand to be in the room with her any longer, Dom turned and walked out.

Now what? There was little he could do. Once they got to the emergency base he might be able to do something, but what? Contact Mainframe? Let them know Bob and the others were taken? And what could they do? Des wouldn't trust anyone from Mainframe, and if Dom assisted them, he would be labeled a traitor. Besides, the Command.com of Mainframe would have her hands full with the armada.

So he only had one choice, and that was to wait. And hope by the grace of the User that the Mistress and Bob survived.

***

All around her was a choking darkness.

AndrAIa struggled in the icy waters, half pulling herself, and half swimming the length of the pipe, thankful that she was a game sprite who could breathe under water, or she'd be deleted by now.

Her side was on fire and the scalding sensation was rapidly spreading through her body. Despite the cold of the water, she knew she was feverish. Whatever was in the water was slowly poisoning her.

Still she kept going. She brought an image of Matrix to her mind. His voice and his smile (when he did smile) and the way he kissed her. She used the images as a beacon to keep her going forward. For a moment, the image of him reaching for her, of his fingers brushing hers as she fell intruded, but she pushed them to the back of her mind.

She was almost there. She couldn't see it but she sensed it. And when she felt the opening of the pipe she thanked the User and pulled herself through. Using the last of her strength, AndrAIa propelled herself upwards and broke the surface, coughing and spitting out the foul tasting water.

She had to blink several times before her vision cleared. An endless array of pipes and machinery surrounded her. She was in a rectangular pool. The edges all seemed far away, but AndrAIa forced herself to swim. Finally her hand rested on the wonderful concrete, but she didn't have the strength to pull herself out of the water. A painful throbbing began in her head that steadily increased in volume. Slowly, she began sliding back down into the murky depths.

A hand closed painfully around her wrist. She managed to look up to see someone standing over her. She realized the pounding had been footsteps. So I've been caught, the thought came to her, but for some reason, she wasn't overly concerned. Her captor, with much grunting and heaving, finally got her out of the water.

Blue eyes, filled with concern, stared down at her. Unexpectedly, her stomach heaved and it emptied its contents right into her rescuer's lap. The concern turned to consternation.

"Sorry," AndrAIa muttered and promptly fainted.

***

Bob recognized the area they were being led through. The storage areas of the Hall had been converted into holding cells. What Bob saw there almost shattered his hope.

It had been difficult enough seeing the condition of the Hall. Everywhere there was filth and vermin and a smell of things decomposing. Viral bugs scuttled in groups to hide cracks in the walls; the ones that were too large to hide, clung to walls or snapped at their heels with razor-sharp mandibles. Worms writhed in masses in damp corners. The walls were coated with a viscous black fluid that burned to the touch. Bob didn't want to know what it was.

Some of the holding cells were occupied by terrified sprites and binomes. Their eyes were dead, their faces thin and hollow. Some had been treated violently and at one point; when they passed a cell; one binome watched a single bug make its way across his cell floor. Suddenly the binome pounced on the creature and stuffed it into his mouth. Bob had to fight not to gag.

"This is evil," Bob, muttered, "This is decay."

They stopped before one cell and the Guardians carried Matrix inside. Clusters of bugs scattered and their entrance. Matrix was laid on the floor.

"At least put him on the cot," Bob said. He was ignored.

"Inside," Cooper motioned to a holding cell next to Matrix's.

When Bob made to hesitate the same female sprite produced the stun gun again. As Bob stepped inside he tensed, waiting for what he knew was to come. Still it took him by surprise when he felt the gun being pressed to his back and the energy coursed along every nerve. Then like Matrix, he pitched forward and the darkness swallowed him.

He didn't know how long he was unconscious. When he woke up he was covered with bugs trying to steal his energy. But he realized a few nanos later that he had bigger problems.

His icon was gone.