Andrew laid an arm around Matty's shoulders. 'I don't. Wouldn't. Ever. I'm impressed, really. Where did you find this, and how did you know it was something I needed to know? Your ancient languishes weren't that good the last time I checked.' Matty smiled. 'You did learn me some words, didn't you? She started to point out words in the text. 'Like Principal Office, Medical Sector, Command.Com, System Crash, reboot, Guardian, User. And when I find enough of those words in the same text, I know it might be something and I copy it.'
Her fingers moved quickly over the vidwindow, and she opened more files, that also popped up on vidwindows. One of the windows showed a couple of intricate drawings. 'And look here. These are the blueprints you wanted. These are the eldest I could find, even before the time the Twincity was supposed to be destroyed.' She clicked several links in the file, and even more vidwindows popped up. They were all photo-like images.
'These are photos linked to the blueprint file. I reckon they're photos of how the Principal Office used to look.'
Andrew looked through the pictures. On most of them wasn't only the Principal Office interior, but also the sprites that happened to have been present the moment the picture was taken. He felt a shock when one of the pictures showed the large light room he'd seen that night, in one of the flashbacks. He shook his head.
'Something wrong, Andrew? These were the things you were searching for, weren't it?' Andrew nodded. 'Yes, they are. You've done a wonderful job, Matty. Thanks a lot!' Matty smiled and kissed him on the cheek. 'Anything for you, lover.' She bend over and picked up a few things she'd laid on the ground.
'I've got to go.' She made a face. 'I hate having so little time, especially now.' Andrew smiled at her. 'Don't worry love. I'll be okay.'
Matty turned and walked out of the RAM-section, leaving Andrew to himself. He looked through the files again, copied what he thought would be useful into his organiser and then left too. He took his time to get home, walking instead of using his zipboard.
When he put his hand on the plate next to the door of his apartment to identify himself, he got a strange feeling in his head. He took in a large gulp of air, and he brought his hand to his forehead when…
…he was suddenly standing in the large white room he'd been in before. Again the sprite's had gathered around the table. He saw the two sprites from the Medical Sector, and next to them sat the large green-skinned sprite with black hair and the golden-skinned sprite with the red hair he'd seen playing with the little girl sprite. All of them were looking seriously towards the two Command.Com's at the table's head. Kyle and Danae seemed to be waiting for something, and the entire group was waiting with them.
Just when Kyle seemed about to say something, the door slammed open. The female sprite that had mentioned they could scan for the infecting "thing" came crashing in the room.
"I, we,…" she took a deep breath. "It's confirmed! The scanners picked up an unknown signal in the Kits-sector. It's most likely to be the cause of the Sprite-infections."
Under the table, James and Ferra got hold of each other's hands. Then James rose. "Requesting permission to leave the meeting and arrange the downfall of the Virus."
Danae gave him a nod, smiling. "Approved." She paused. "Make it a good one, James."
James, who was already at the door, turned around and smiled. Xera jumped from her seat. "I'm coming with you, James." James held the door open until she'd gone through, then followed her and softly closed it behind him.
For a nano, Andrew regained consciousness. He was standing in the kitchen, his head against the wall. Then his awareness in the Mainframe he knew faded to the background again.
Xera was watching James while he tied the zipboards to the bottom of the barrel that contained the chemical that should end the tyranny of the Virus. James checked the binds and then rose. "That should do it. When and where do we meet Ferra and Phong?" Xera pulled out an organiser and tapped a few keys. "In twenty nanoseconds, at the border between Kits and Floating Point Park. Halfway the Gilded Gate Bridge and the Principal Office."
She looked at James, who sat down at a small chair. "I feel something bad is going to happen tonight, James, and I'm worried about it." James squinted at her.
"Something bad? How do you mean?" Xera shrugged, a helpless gesture. "I don't know. I just feel a shadow looming over the evening. And it has to do with the Virus-business."
James wrinkled his forehead. "I believe you." He said. "I don't feel comfortable about it either. I don't feel good about it, but I know we have to do it." Xera nodded. "Same here."
They looked at each other for a moment. Simultaneously, they rose, walked towards each other and hugged. "Whatever happens…" Xera started. "…You will live as a dear memory." James finished the sentence. And as if they were suddenly frightened by what they'd said, they let go of each other. James checked his watch. "Almost time to go." Xera nodded.
"You're one of my best students, James, if not the best. And Ferra comes a close second." She smiled. "Remember that." James turned towards the barrel containing the chemical. He fixed the lid on top, and then pushed a button on a nearby control panel. "Mister Matrix?" a voice came from the speaker in the control panel. "I'd like for you to summon the group of sprites that'll accompany Xera and me to the rendezvous-point, Shane. We'll be downstairs in a nano, and then I'd like them to be ready." "Acknowledged. They'll be ready, James." "Thanks, Shane."
James turned to Xera again. "Let's go."
Again, Andrew found himself back in his apartment for just a nano. This time, he was standing in the room. For the moment he regained his senses, he could feel his heart race, and he felt he was sweating like mad. Then, again, he faded into the awareness in the Mainframe of so long, long ago…
A group of sprites stood on the large causeway that ran between the Mainframe Principal Office and the Gilded Gate Bridge that was the connection to the Twincity. They stood facing the Kits-sector, in which the dreaded cause of the sprite-infections was located.
Xera and Phong stood side by side with James and Ferra, and next to them stood Karina, who had thought of the idea of scanning the system, holding a hand sized scanner. Just aside them all stood the barrel with the chemical, guarded and held in place by several binomes. Phong moved about nervously. "Where are they?" He asked. Xera stepped towards him and rearranged the collar of his coat. "Give them a nano, dear. You know Kyle and Danae like to keep people waiting."
Absentmindedly, Phong removed Xera's hands. "Now is not the time to let us wait. The safety of the system depends upon our success." Ferra nodded. "We know, Phong, and I'm sure they do too, but being late is a habit that's hard to delete." The golden skinned sprite smiled at the Sprite that'd been her teacher for so long. Phong rolled his eyes.
Then another group of sprites approached from the Principal Office. It was the entire Principal Office council, some other data-sprites and binomes and the two Command.Com's. When they'd reached the group already standing on the causeway, Kyle and Danae stepped forward. "Sorry we're late." Danae said with a nervous smile. "Being late is a habit that's hard to delete." Kyle excused them. Ferra and Xera stifled a giggle.
James took a deep breath. "It's time, then." He looked at Karina, who'd kept her eyes on the scanner during the conversation. She looked up and smiled. "I'll keep you posted of the position of the Virus. The last few nano's it's been at the same place, so first head for that place, and when it moves, I'll update." James nodded and turned to Ferra. "Let's go. The assembled sprites split up in several groups, some moving quicker then others, but all on the way to encircle the Virus.
Phong, Xera, James and Ferra all moved in the same direction, accompanied by two binomes who led the barrel with the chemical the right way. Xera sighed, and she extended her hand towards Phong. He looked at her, then took her hand, and squeezed it for a moment. Then he let go again.
James looked at his organiser. He had set up a link to a vidwindow that showed Karina, who was still looking at the scanner. "Has it moved yet, Karina?" The female sprite looked up and gave him a nervous smile. "No, it hasn't. The Virus is still at the same place. Do you need the co-ordinates once more?" James nodded. "Just to be on the safe side."
When he got the co-ordinates, he checked them, and nodded. Then he turned to his companions. "We're now not far from the Virus anymore." He pointed to a house-block that stood not far from them. "At the moment, it's situated at the other size of that block. That size is hard to access because there are a lot of empty crates and more useless things standing there. Also, it's under a sort of scaffolding, so the entire area is in deep shadows." He paused. "The plan is to walk up to the Virus from two different sides, so it will only have one way out. It has to move away from the building, and when it does, we will drop the chemical on it so it will be deleted."
Ferra laid a hand on his wrist. "We know, honey. We've been through it over and over again." James sighed, and then nodded. "Okay then. It's time. Xera, you go with Ferra, that way, around the block. Phong and I will go the other way, and take the chem-boys with us." He shot the binomes in charge of the chemical a smile. "You will get instructions when we're there." Everybody nodded, and they moved off in the directions James had pointed out.
Ferra and Xera walked quietly. Soon they had made it around the block, and looked at the others, standing at the other side of the building. They were separated by an area with deep shadows. The place where the Virus hid.
Ferra watched her husband through those shadows. A sad expression had settled on her face. Xera looked at her for a moment, and then laid her hand on Ferra's.
"You feel it too, don't you?" Ferra nodded. "Something's going terribly wrong today, but I don't know what." Xera nodded one time. "James feels it, you feel it, I feel it, and I'm sure Phong feels it too, although he chooses to ignore it."
Ferra gave her friend a sad smile. "If I won't see you anymore, remember that I care about you a lot." Xera smiled for a nano. "I feel the same way, Ferra. Good luck with Dotty and the little sprite." For a moment, Ferra blushed. Then she smiled, one hand on her belly. "I guess I've could've known you knew." Then she put her arms around her friend and hugged her.
Then Ferra's organiser bleeped softly. She got it and looked at the familiar face of her husband. He smiled at her, a sad little smile. "You can start closing in from that side, Ferra." The red and gold coloured sprite nodded. "Until we meet again, James." With that she killed the connection.
Together with Xera, she started walking towards the other side of the building, towards Phong and James, who had also started out. She heard James' voice over the "organisation" channel they'd set up. "You with that chemical, zip up a little higher. We want you to be a surprise!" She smiled. Leave it to James to get a thing carried out right.
All of a sudden, one of the shadows started moving, dodging towards Xera, who'd walked closest to the building. Ferra froze in horror.
The shadows took shape, looking like a black metal cat-sprite, only much, much larger, and with eyes that glowed a mad red.
It had it's long metal claws extended, and without a sound it jumped at Xera. Ferra could see it's claws glide through her friends body, without much resistance. Xera coughed, and a fine rain of energy sprayed from her mouth.
Ferra then heard several things at the same time.
From the organisation channel came the voice from Karina. "James, it moved!"
From the other side of the building came the horrified scream from Phong. "XERA!! No!!"
From above her came the sound of something metallic, then the rush of some liquid.
A huge gulf of brightly coloured chemical came from some point above her, and rolled over the Virus and it's unlucky victim.
At the sight of that, Phong screamed again. A scream filled with the unbearable sound of loosing the one thing you love most in the entire Net.
Once more, Andrew found himself back in his apartment. He sat on the couch, his breathing heavy and quick, his pulse racing. He felt a pain on his head, and when he touched the spot with his fingertips, he found an already dried wound on his forehead. He let out a shivering sigh. What had become of him?
He was startled by the sound of the doorbell. A Vidwindow popped up in front of him, and on it was Matty. 'Hi Andrew, I thought I'd…' Her voice died as she looked at him, enquiring.
'Is something wrong, Andrew? You don't look good, and you… Dear User! What's that wound on your head?' Andrew sighed. 'Just come in, Matty. Don't stay out in the cold.'
That got him another weird look. 'It's been the warmest day in a long time, Andrew. She gestured to something he couldn't see. 'The cybersparrows are almost falling of the roofs!'
'Don't get smart on me. Just come in.' Matty shrugged and stepped through the door.
When she reached the living-room, she saw Andrew sitting on the couch. His head leaned back, and he had his eyes closed. She walked to the couch and sat down next to him, laying a hand on his knee. He sat up with a jolt, his hand reflexively raised, on the very brink of hitting her.
'USER!' Matty shoved back in terror. 'Andrew, it's me!' Andrew relaxed, recognising his girlfriend. 'Matty… Sorry…'
'My User…' she gasped. 'What is happening with you, Andrew?' She slowly shook her head. Andrew did the same, helplessly shrugging. 'I don't know… I just don't know, Matty. These past day's have been so weird.'
Matty sat back, still trying to catch her breath again. 'You're telling me…' Then she seemed to remember something. 'Does it have anything to do with those things you asked? About the Matrix-Myth and the twin city?'
Andrew shrugged. 'Maybe… I don't know… I really don't understand…' He sighed. 'I think I'm going to sleep for a while. I don't feel very good.' Then he shuffled out of the room, leaving Matty at her own, dumbstruck.
After a few moments, she walked to the door and let herself out, confused…
The next day, Matty walked on her own through Floating Point Park. The slow waving of the trees relaxed her a little, and the distant quacking of the cyberducks in the datalake nearby helped to calm her troubled mind.
She slowly walked through the park, considering and reconsidering what happened the last few days, since Andrew had been admitted in the hospital. What had happened? She recalled their meeting in the RAM-section yesterday. She'd looked up for a moment when she heard someone enter, but it hadn't been until he had said her name she'd recognised Andrew. The person that she'd seen when she looked up had not looked like her friend. And what had happened that same afternoon proofed it. Andrew had changed.
She still felt shivery when she thought back. He almost hit her! Then a great sorrow fell over her when she remembered how he had left her sitting in the room on her own, still trembly at what had happened.
You're not the same, and I'm loosing you… She thought. If something doesn't happen very soon, I'll loose you…
Whereas that thought scared her, she got out the bag of breadcrumbs and started feeding the ducks.
Andrew'd decided to stay at home for another day before going to work again. The wound on his forehead had dried now, and a sizeable scab had formed. Although he still felt tired, he sat on his couch, browsing through the files he'd got from the RAM-section of the Principal Office.
Just then his eye caught a piece of text in one of the documents. "Twincity" it said. It only took him a moment to scroll to the beginning of the text.
"During the night" it said, "the twincity of our precious Mainframe has been destroyed by an explosion in the Science Laboratories…" The words drifted to the edges of his conscious as he…
…found himself in the company of the green-skinned girl sprite he'd seen before, then in the company of Ferra and James. She was quite a bit older now though.
He was sitting with her in an apartment of some sort. In between them lay a boardgame, and when he looked at it he recognised it as Monopoly. His sister's pawn was just at Baudway, one of the streets he owned.
"Haha," he said, "Dot, you're on my Baudway. I've got two living quarters, so that makes three thousand units.' His sister sighed and gave him her last three notes of a thousand units. He'd won the game. While they put away the game, Dot turned to him. "Shall we call Mum and Dad before we go to sleep?" He nodded. "But I get to call. I won the game." His sister smiled, something that filled him with love. "All right then. You do know how to call don't you? I don't want you to mess up my files!"
He gave her an angry look. "Of course I know how to call." After dialling the number of the Lab department, he got his mother's face in focus.
FERRA'S face. He reminded himself, his mind momentarily touching the embers of consciousness. She wasn't his mother! His mother looked completely different!
"Hi Enzo! How nice you call!" He smiled. His mother was such a sweet thing. He loved her more then anything. "Hi Mum. How's the experiment coming along?" His mother made a face. "Well, the preparations are almost finished. Just a few nano's and we'll be able to execute the real thing." "Okay. I love you Mum. Here's Dot."
He handed the organiser to his sister. "Hi Mum. Is everything going according to plan?" His mother again made a face. "Yes, sort of. It's not too bad. Don't worry Dotty. I have to go now. Remember, I love you, and Daddy loves you too. Wherever we are. Bye now!"
Ferra disconnected so soon that they had no time to answer. A little confused, he looked at his sister. After a moment, she shrugged. "Oh well. Come on Enzo, it's time to go to sleep."
He nodded, and followed his sister into the bedroom, unable to shake of the feeling something bad was going to happen.
'Enzo!'
With a shock, he awoke. He blinked and rubbed his eyes. 'What is it, Dot?' His sister was standing in front of the window, her eyes large and unbelieving, in terror. He jumped from his bed and ran to the window. There was a light coming from the Labs, a very bright light, and as they looked, it made a pulse, and then exploded.
Shocked, he felt his sister throw his to the ground, shielding him with her own body, when the sound of the blast reached his ears. Only a nano later, he heard a multitude of small, hard fragments clatter against the window.
For a moment, the room filled with a bright light, then it grew darker then ever.
Dot reluctantly rose, and he followed her lead. She looked out of the window, her face showing fear. He saw her turn her gaze to the Twincity, and as he looked in the same direction, involuntarily his lip began to tremble and tears appeared in his eyes. All the lights were gone.
He extended his hand to Dot, and he felt her take it. Then his sister's legs started to tremble, and she fell on her knees on the floor. With tears streaming from her eyes, she released his hand and screamed.
'No! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'
'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! No!' His cries faded into sobs, as he sank to his knees. 'Mum… Dad…' Tears streamed over his cheeks. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder and he became aware of two pair of strong hands quite firmly holding his arms.
'Calm now. It's all over.' Slowly he got back to the present. He felt the grip on his arms relax. He opened his eyes, and suddenly felt embarrassed. He was sitting in front of the door of the people living a floor beneath his, and was being held by the sprite living there, and his neighbour. The hand now on his shoulder belonged to a police-binome. He'd had another flashback in front of all these people. Apparently, he'd started wandering through the building.
At the very moment, a familiar shape appeared on the corridor. It was Matty. 'Ah, there you are, Miss Matty. We called you ASAP.' Matty nodded. 'Thanks a lot. I came as soon as I heard.' She gave Andrew a worried look. 'Are you alright again?' He nodded. 'Can we go to my place again? Please?' Matty nodded. She turned to the sprites living in the apartment. 'If there's anything really damaged, tell us and we'll replace it.' The male sprite smiled. 'That's okay.' He turned to Andrew. 'Just get better, Andy.' Andrew nodded, still a bit senseless.
Matty guided him up to his own apartment, through the door and onto the couch. She didn't say a word all the way upstairs. Now she gave him a stern look.
'And now I want to know. There's obviously something going on, and I don't think you can hide it from me any longer.' He sighed quietly and bowed his head. 'First tell me what happened?' Matty seemed to soften a little. 'You waltzed out of your apartment, went downstairs, started smashing their door to bits, all while screaming something about your parents.' She paused. 'There's nothing wrong with them, is there?'
He shook his head. 'Not these parents anyway.' He made a gesture with his head to the picture of his parents that stood on a nearby table. Matty sat down next to him, laying a hand on his knee. 'Then tell me what's going on.'
He nodded. 'I've… I've been seeing these weird things lately. Since that day in Floating Point Park actually. First, they only happened when I was asleep. I saw people and things, and they all seemed to be in the past somehow, you know, really long ago, even before the twincity was destroyed.' He shuddered when he thought back to his latest flashback. His parents… Gone…
Matty squeezed his knee, and he continued. 'I think I've been seeing the history of Mainframe. It started even before we were linked to the Net, and slowly but surely, I'm making my way through time to the present.' He stopped to look at Matty.
'You think I've gone crazy, don't you?' Her face expressed worry, concern. 'Not really. Maybe a bit. You've changed, Andy, and I'm worried about you.' 'Even after today?' She smiled a little. "Especially after today.' She paused. 'I think you should look for someone to help you. Mentally, I mean.'
Andrew nodded, thoughtfully. 'I'll think about it.' Matty shook her head, displaying authority once more. 'No. You won't think about it, you'll just do it.'
The following day, Matty and Andrew were sitting in the office of their Command.Com. Andrew had just laid out what had happened, and the Command.Com, an elderly sprite named Zeran, who, Andrew noted now, bore quite some resemblance to Phong, was looking thoughtfully though several files he'd opened on vidwindows. 'Hmmmm…' Andrew and Matty both looked at him intently. 'Hmmm…'
'Do you know something to help him?' Matty evidently couldn't stay silent any more. Zeran looked up, adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. 'Ahum. Well, children, I'll be fair with you. In my entire life as a Command.Com, I've never encountered anything like this. Do not fear however. I will contact a colleague in another system, who may very well know an explanation, and a cure. If you will step outside for a nano, I will call her.'
Matty and Andrew rose, and retreated into the hallway. Andrew sighed. 'I don't know about this, Matty. Are you sure he'll find something?' Matty nodded. 'Believe it or not, our Command.Com is very smart. He may not look like it, but I'm sure he'll find something.'
The Command.Com himself was not so confident, however. He sat thinking for a little while, before he contacted his colleague, a female Comand.Com named Tiarri. They went way back together, and she was the only one he could think of that wouldn't start laughing before he was done telling. Sighing, he dialled Tiarri's number. It took only a nano before a creamish white sprite with silver hair appeared on his screen. 'Principal Office, this is Tiarri. Hey, Zeran! That' been a long time!' Zeran smiled. 'I know. Say, I got a problem, and I figured maybe you could help me.' 'Blurt it out.' 'Well, it concerns a sprite living here in Mainframe…'
Andrew sat down at his dining table and dialled the number Zeran'd giving them. Matty sat down at his side. 'Principal Office, this is Tiarri.' 'Um, Tiarri, I got your number from my Command.Com, Zeran, and…' 'I know. You must be Andrew?' Andrew nodded. Tiarri leaned closer to the vidwindow. 'The truth is, Andrew, that we've never encountered something exactly like your case. The only thing I can think off was the case of some girl sprite, somewhere in my dim past…' Andrew flinched noticeable at those words. Tiarri noticed it and frowned, but kept talking. '…who claimed that she had dreams of a past life.' Tiarri paused. 'In some circles it is believed that sprites have more then one life. Anyway, this girl's life got ruled over by her past life. All she could think of was who she used to be, and what she used to do. On a certain moment, she came to me, and we decided that she'd write everything down that happened in her dreams. At some point, she detached herself from her past life and could get on with the one she had right then.' Andrew looked at the white-and-silver sprite. 'Are you saying you want me to write down what I encounter in those flashbacks?' Tiarri nodded.
'Sort of. I'd like you to write down the story. Zeran told me it's history. The story of Mainframe?' Andrew nodded, and wondered what else the two Command.Com's had discussed about him. 'I'd like you to write down the entire story. Start from the moment you had your first flashback, and work towards the present. Would you do that?' 'Is it certain it will help?' Tiarri shook her head. 'No. But I've good hopes.' Andrew gave her a nod. 'Fine. I'll start now.' 'Good luck.' With that, Tiarri killed the connection.
===== 8-5-2000
Yay! Finally I got the second part finished! We're moving towards the end now, people! I think I've only one part to go now. And I promise this one won't take another five months. :-)
Well, down to business then:
* Andrew's first flashback in part ii. A rather long one, that consists of three parts. In the first, we're once again in the room where the PO-council gathers. They're waiting for Karina, who then rushes in with the news they found the Virus. James and Xera then leave to ready everything for deleting it.
In the second, Xera and James are in the Labs, preparing. They both sense something's going to go wrong, and say an emotional good-bye. Then they leave for the rendezvous point.
In the last part, we see how the Virus is deleted. The cost is high though. Xera is killed by the Virus just before they delete it. Before that, Ferra and she also say goodbye. Xera wishes her luck with Dot and "the little sprite", which points to the then still unborn Enzo.
* Andrew's second flashback. He's seeing through Enzo's eyes, the night the Twincity was destroyed. He's sleeping over at Dot's who lives in Mainframe. Their parents were going to execute an experiment, but it fails horribly. Enzo is awakened in the middle of the night by Dot, who's looking out of the window, and so sees the Twincity explode…
Hey, only two flashbacks in this part! However did I do that? Oh well…
* During part two, Andrew's condition during the flashbacks deteriorates. In the first part, he only has his heartbeat and breathing quickened, but now he starts "waltzing around" (as Matty puts it) and starts hurting himself and breaking down things, like when he goes downstairs and almost breaks down the neighbours door.
* Andrew's still preoccupied with what's happening to him. When Matty come to visit him, he's totally unaware of the weather in Mainframe, and by then time she's inside, he's forgotten she came and nearly hits her. Then he just leaves her, without explaining or even really talking to her.
* Matty has the idea Andrew's changed. She didn't recognise him when he entered the RAM-section in the first part, and it clearly wasn't him when he almost hit her. She's afraid she might lose him if it goes on like that.
* Finally, after the second flashback, Matty demands Andrew goes to see someone. They go to the Command.Com (Who looks like Phong. What a coincidence!) and he referred them to a friend of his, a Command.Com from another system, Tiarri, who suggests Andrew writes down what he's encountered. He promises to do that, and they hope that'll help.
So far for that. Part ii is officially finished! I hope you liked it.
Indy
