Hexadecimal walked freely down the streets of Mainframe, prepared to show anyone her PID should they question her presence there. However, no one seemed to question her. In fact… they all seemed to walk as far away from her as possible. She smiled.
Suddenly, Hexadecimal got a chill. A silver-skinned sprite with flowing purple hair walked past her. Both stopped in mid-stride, and turned to face each other.
When Hexadecimal saw the sprite, a look of recognition, and FEAR, crossed Hexadecimal's face.
The silver sprite smiled, "Do not worry, Hexadecimal. It is not you I am after… it is your mother…"
Hexadecimal let a small smile play at her lips, "Oooh.. goodie!!" she said, "If you need any help, just ask…" and laughed.
The silver sprite nodded, and headed on her way.
Hexadecimal continued her walk, and ended up at Dot's diner.
*** Dot's Diner
Cannon, Dot, and Bob were chatting when Hexadecimal came through the doors. Every binome in the diner quickly stood up, and ran out.
"Zis is crazzzy!!" Cecil shouted, "Ze virus is scaring away all my customerz!!"
"VIRUS?!" Cannon said as he stood up. He turned to see Hexadecimal.
"Well… hello there…" Hexadecimal said when she noticed Cannon, "You're new…"
Cannon looked back at Bob, "You have a virus living freely here?!!"
Bob shrugged, "Well.. she's not all that bad… it was her BROTHER that caused the real problems…"
Cannon furrowed his brow, "But.. she's a virus…" then shook his head. Of course he knew of Hexadecimal. But it was better for Bob and company to think he didn't.
Hexadecimal came to the booth, and made herself comfortable beside Bob, "So… what are we talking about today??"
*** Turbo's Apartment
"Why did you send him here?!!" Turbo shouted to Paige through his communicator.
"Because… you were taking to long.." Paige explained.
"The guardian was in the WEB for the last minute!! There was NOTHING I could do!!" Turbo replied.
"Yes.. but you didn't provide us with any useful information in his absence.."
"Useful information?!! Ah DID tell you SHE was here…! Isn't that useful?! Ah've seen her.. ah've TALKED to her for User's sake!!"
"Hmm.. perhaps we should get HIM to investigate your little…. Sighting.." Paige said.
"Sighting?!!" Turbo replied angrily, "Ah'm telling you it wasn't a SIGHTING!! She's awaken!! WHY won't you believe me?!"
"Because… legends are just that. Legends! Nonetheless, I shall get him to check out your claims!" and Paige cut the connection.
*** Dot's Apartment
"Bob… is it just me… or was there something strange going on with Turbo and Cannon..?" Dot asked.
Bob nodded, "You noticed that to, huh?" he shrugged, "I don't know… perhaps they've had run-ins before? The web riders aren't exactly well liked by a lot of the Guardian collective. They're sort've considered… lone riders. They patrol the web and make up the rules they think would benefit it. A lot of the times, they attack first, ask questions later…" he remembered the little incident with the first Saucy Mare. What a fight that was!
One thing he would have disagreements with Cannon about was the attack first rule. Of course, the web riders lived by that rule. Any dangerous looking vessels would be attacked, whether or not they attacked first. Bob tried to change that rule when he became temporary leader of the web riders.. but they refused to adhere to it.
Dot shrugged. Then remembered something, "OH! We had an interesting visitor come to Mainframe a few seconds ago…"
Bob looked at her, "Really? Who?"
Dot shrugged, "I don't know… she told us to call her Mickey… and said something about a mission and being awoken.." Dot sighed, "I think she may be a little random.."
Bob thought for a moment. He had been feeling a strange presence in Mainframe since he had returned from his trip. But… could it be her?! "Um.. could I make an internet call…?" he asked Dot.
"Uh.. sure.. just pay me back when the bill comes in.." she smiled.
***
Bob headed into his room, and opened a Vid Window.
"Hello.. oh.. BOB! Son.. how are you?" the older sprite asked.
"Fine, dad. How are you?"
"I'm good, son. It seems I'm getting together a small army here! A lot of volunteers, friends, and sprites just generally looking for a good fight!"
Bob smiled, "Thanks!" He took a deep breath, "I think we have… a visitor to Mainframe.."
Bob's father furrowed his brow, "Visitor?"
Bob nodded, "She's awoken, Dad… and she's here…"
He smiled, "REALLY?!" he seemed to be excited, "I would love to meet her! I've been hearing about her since I was a young sprite!! AMAZING!"
A voice from outside interrupted the conversation, "Bob… don't stay on the phone too long.. the rates have been going up lately…"
Bob's father looked at Bob, "Hmm… was that a FEMALE voice I heard, son?!"
"Uh … yeah.. it was Dot…"
"You're living with DOT?!" his father gasped.
"NO!!" Bob said quickly, "No… Dad.. it's not like that!"
His father simply smiled, "Sure, son.. whatever you say…"
"What..?!! No.. I mean. .she and I.. we.. we're not.."
"Well.. you better do as the girl says. I learned long ago to listen to your Mother!"
Bob heard a voice behind his father, "Come now, Ram.. I'm not that demanding…!"
"Of course not, BJ…" Ram replied, then turned back to Bob.
Bob snickered, "Sounds like good advice…"
"Well, son… find out more about your visitor, then report back to me.."
Bob nodded, "Ok.. bye dad.." and closed the vid window.
***
"Dot.." Bob began as he came out of his room, "Could I possible meet Mickey…?"
"Oh.. sure.. .why??" Dot asked.
"Because, I think I have an idea who she is.."
*** Mainframe Hospital
"What do you mean she checked out?!" Dot asked the receptionist.
The receptionist shrugged, "Mickey checked out last second… The diagnostic program said she was free to go.."
"Did she say where she was going?!" Dot asked. The receptionist shook her head. Dot groaned, "Thanks…" and left the hospital with Bob.
*** Dot's Apartment
When Dot arrived back at her apartment, she saw Mickey waiting for her. "Hello, Commander Matrix. Were you looking for me?"
Dot's eyes went, "How.. how did you know?"
Mickey smiled, "I know many things…" then turned to Bob, "Guardian 452… it is nice to meet you."
Bob looked at the beautiful silver-skinned sprite before him, "McAfee!!" He gasped.
Dot looked at Bob, "McAfee?!!" she said. "You don't mean.. that she….?"
McAfee nodded, "But you may still call me Mickey if you chose.." she said with a smile.
No wonder Dot had felt so strange when she was around this sprite. It was HER!! "I'm sorry… I… I didn't know who you were…"
"No need to apologize. I did not wish you to know at the time..." McAfee answered.
"Are you here to help us?" Bob asked.
McAfee nodded, "I would not be awake if I was not here to help,"
Bob nodded. He was silent in her presence. Then a thought came to him. "Oh.. um.. I should introduce you to Cannon. He's leader of the web riders. They're going to be helping us in this war.."
McAfee nodded.
*** Principle Office
McAfee, Bob, Dot, and Turbo waited for Cannon in the control room. Phong was busying himself with a console. "This is where we're going to plan the attack," Dot explained to McAfee.
McAfee nodded, "You said there were 40 web riders?"
"Yeah.. some of them are in other parts of the Principle Office right now. Sort've a temporary home for them. Cannon should be here soon." Bob replied.
As he said this, Cannon came into the control room. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw McAfee, "You!!" He gasped. "You… EXIST?!!"
McAfee nodded, "Yes… I do.."
He relaxed slightly, and smiled. "My name is Cannon…" he said, and held out a hand.
McAfee looked at him, keeping her hand to her side. "Why are you lying to these people?" she asked.
Cannon took his hand back, "I… I don't understand what you mean.." he asked.
Bob looked at Cannon. And again took note of the lack of web degradation.
Turbo looked at the head web rider, and smiled slightly, "You can't hide much from her, can you?" he said.
Cannon glared at Turbo, then looked back at McAfee, "I'm sorry, ma'am… I don't know what you're talking about…"
McAfee sighed, "Now you are lying to my face??" She said. "At least your friend Turbo had the decency NOT to lie,"
"Wait a nano… what's going on here?" Bob asked.
She turned to Bob, "I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news. But your mentor, Turbo, is here on behalf of Daemon."
"What?!!!" Bob gasped, eyes filled with surprise, and sadness as he looked at Turbo.
McAfee nodded, "But… at least Turbo did not try to deny it when I confronted him about it…" She turned to Cannon, "I am afraid Cannon, however, is not who he claims to be…"
Cannon was looking increasingly distressed, "Interface… do you know what she's talking about?!" Bob furrowed his brow, and looked at Cannon with curiosity. Cannon then looked back at McAfee, "I'm afraid a thousand hours of life has caused you to go slightly random…"
"CANNON!!" Bob gasped, "How DARE you speak to her like that?!!"
McAfee put a hand up to Bob, still staring at Cannon, "No, 452… do not worry about his words… MOST viruses do not know any better."
"VIRUSES?!!" Bob said, surprise and shock clear in his voice.
"Come now, TOWER… why will you not be honest with these people?? They have been very kind to you during your stay…" McAfee said.
The web rider looked to Turbo, but Turbo was not providing him with any help. Instead, he smiled. "Tower… ah asked Paige why she sent you… she thought ah was taking too long.." then he laughed, "She thought you could do a better job. But ah suppose she could not account for your stupidity.."
"Shut up!" The fake web rider snapped.
"Someone you trust will betray you," Dot gasped as she remembered McAfee's earlier words. "It was YOU she was talking about!" Dot glared accusingly at Cannon… no… TOWER. "What were you planning to DO?!"
Tower narrowed his eyes, and quickly leapt at Dot, grabbing her roughly, "THIS!" he shouted. He pulled out a hidden weapon, and held it to her head. He glared at the crowd, "Stay back… or I'll DELETE her!!"
Bob held himself back, shaking with anger, "YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS!!!"
Tower laughed, "Are YOU going to stop me, 452?? While I hold her life in my hands, you would do well to stand there… and keep quiet!"
Bob narrowed his eyes angrily, "Where is the REAL Cannon! The one I befriended in the web?!!"
Tower smiled slightly, "I deleted him! My plan wouldn't have worked if he was still processing!"
Bob's eyes went wide, "No!!" He gasped.
"TOWER!!" Turbo shouted, "Leave the command.com!! We'll grab the GUARDIAN! It's BOB that Daemon wants, not Dot!"
McAfee looked at Turbo, and smiled. Yes. The Guardian format still lived somewhere inside him.
"Have you gone RANDOM, Turbo?!" Tower shouted, "Thanks to 452's merging, there's no way we can HOLD him!!" Tower explained. "But if we have HER…" he tightened his grip on Dot. She let out a small gasp of pain, "Then HE will come with us!"
Dot looked at the console beside her, and tried to shuffle closer. Tower didn't seem to notice.
"Is this what Daemon commanded?!" Turbo asked.
"YES!" Tower replied. "She was originally going to leave the task of taking Bob up to her daughter… but apparently her daughter wasn't much use to her…" he began, "And when you informed us he had merged with his keytool, she knew we wouldn't be able to hold him. We'd have to attack at his weak spot. The command.com!"
"I really hate being the damsel in distress…" Dot muttered, and quickly hit a button the console. Suddenly, sirens wailed and warning lights flashed.
"What in the 'net…?!?!!?" Tower gasped.
Dot used this moment to elbow him in the ribs. He doubled over and she quickly pulled away from him. She grabbed the small gun out of her *leg holster, and aimed it at him. "Now.. if you'll just stay put…"
Tower raised his own weapon, and fired. Dot barely managed to duck. The binomes in the control room scattered quickly as the fight began. A console beside Dot sparked violently as Tower missed her again.
Bob shot a beam of golden energy at Tower, catching him off guard. Tower fell to the ground, but still continued to fire sporadically.
McAfee watched the scene before her. Her eyes began to glow brightly. And suddenly, the whole group found themselves on Floating Point.. which was currently deserted.
The fighting stopped. Everyone looked around, disoriented. Bob remembered being here a little over an hour ago, fighting ANOTHER virus.
"How did we…?" Tower began, but one look at McAfee answered his question.
She looked at all of them with her golden eyes. "Now.." she began, "You may continue…"
* Check all the Season 3 pix. Dot DOES have a gun attached to her leg. Just like Matrix. ^_^
Disclaimer: All ReBoot (tm) characters are property of Mainframe Entertainment.
The character of Paige is property of Joey Cruz
All other new characters are property of ME.. ^_^
The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.