CHAPTER 18
END AND MEANS
Megabyte.
In all his processing, Matrix didn't expect to see the
loathsome virus again. Had he survived
the web creature that had claimed him? How was it possible?
The blood rage of the crowd increased a hundred times. Curses and obscene gestures were thrown out at them. Units and credits were being waved wildly in the air and the shouts of the bet takers rose above all else.
But it didn't matter to Matrix. All his rage was focused on his hated enemy.
"How did you escape Megabyte?" Matrix circled the virus
who imitated his actions, "How did you get back?" And how was it that the virus looked exactly as he did when
Matrix was a child? There was no sign
of the injuries he received during their last confrontation.
Megabyte didn't reply, which struck Matrix as odd. The virus had always delighted in taunting
him and this would be an opportunity Megabyte normally wouldn't have passed up.
With a cry of rage, Megabyte lunged at him and caught
Matrix off guard, he rammed violently into the former renegade. Matrix went sailing backward and smashed
into the arena wall. He slid down into
a heap and for a moment, everything spun crazily and Matrix shook his head to
clear it.
Then Megabyte was over him, raising both his fisted
hands. Matrix rammed his fist into the
viral's groin, Megabyte threw his head back and cried out – his voice different
somehow – and Matrix regained his feet and slammed his fist into Megabyte's
mouth. The virus toppled over onto his
back.
Now Matrix knew something wasn't right. First off, his hadn't expected the groin
punch to work, considering Megabyte's body makeup not to mention the fact that
Megabyte hadn't used his claws or tried to infect him.
The virus was climbing ponderously to his feet. He wiped the blood from his mouth and
grinned with shattered teeth. They
circled again.
Megabyte charged and swung, which Matrix ducked and the
brawny sprite landed three more devastating blows, then smashed a foot into
Megabyte's chest with a lethal martial arts move. Now it was Megabyte who went careening back.
Again Megabyte came to his feet and Matrix could feel his
opponent's rage as a tangible presence. The muscular sprite wiped the sweat from his brow.
"You're dead data, do you hear me?" Megabyte spoke at last and Matrix knew
without a doubt that this was not his old enemy.
Matrix trained his infrared on his opponent's form. Whoever it was apparently had the ability to
mask his true form and worse yet, to make himself appear to his opponent as
someone he knew. If he spoke, the
person would know he wasn't the genuine article. Megabyte – or this imposter – had taunted Matrix in his rage and
thereby spoiled the effect. Matrix
could now see Megabyte as merely a transparent aura, surrounding the true
appearance of an ordinary sprite, not quite as tall and muscular as he and
certainly not as good a fighter. It had
all been his power that had helped him be undefeated.
Matrix grinned confidently, "Well what are you waiting
for?"
The imposter rushed him again, Matrix dodged, stomach
punched him then twisted around and slammed his cupped hands on the back of his
opponents skull and even before he went down, Matrix took hold of his arm,
twisted it behind his back and drove him forward with his own weight and
slammed him three times against the arena wall.
Matrix stepped back and his enemy fell like a lead weight
flat on his back. There was a
shimmering effect, like heat rising from asphalt and the form of Megabyte
vanished completely to reveal the sprite within.
The crowd went into a hysterical frenzy as a voice
announced above it all, "The winner! The Cyclops!"
Matrix ignored it all and started for the exit. Both gates were opening as he reached the
one from which he had entered, several other fighters spilled out, each held a
look of murderous rage. Matrix turned
to find himself facing several more coming from the second gate and the
muscular sprite realized that it must have not been appreciated that a stranger
had defeated one of their own. He could
take on a few of them but at least a dozen?
Matrix thought of his daughter and of AndrAIa and the
child in her womb. The child he'd never
live to see. A moment of regret before
he went into his fighting stance, all his concentration on the battle to
come. The group converged on him.
Then there was an explosion above him and Matrix leapt
our of the way as timber and stone rained down and his assailants also ran for
cover. A figure, bathed in light came
down from above on a zip-board, clad to head to toe in familiar armor, a helmet
obscuring his face.
People were screaming and falling over each other in
their attempt to escape. The combatants
in the arena were shoving to get out of the gates and only succeeded in
congesting the area.
The armor clad figured tossed him a zip board just as
someone started shooting which sent the crowd into a panic. Matrix wasted no time decompressing the
board and following his rescuer out the hole in the ceiling.
As the two rose above the building Matrix saw CPU's
converging on the area. His rescuer was
flying ahead of him. Matrix searched
the ground below him until he saw his quarry. They were escaping down an alley. Matrix couldn't lose them now.
"Wait! We have to
stop Flame!" Matrix pointed. Then descended quickly on the zip
board. A few blocks over a limousine
was waiting and Flame and Cracker were heading right for it. Matrix dropped down right in their
path.
"Stop!"
"Well look who it is," Flame smiled then looked up, "And
you brought a friend."
Cracker drew his war hammer.
"We had a deal!" Matrix growled.
"So we did," Flame said. "And I never renege on a deal. Bad for business you know. I
must say I'm impressed. You discovered
Shankar's little secret. I'm curious as
to who you saw, but we'll save that for another time."
Flame reached into her belt and drew out a computer card,
"Program these coordinates into your ship," she handed it to Matrix. "Raven could be in one of these three
places. He has hideaways in each of
them."
Matrix nodded grimly.
"You made me quite a lot of money today. More than I've ever dreamed of," Flame
said. "You sure you and your friend
don't want to stick around and help me spend it?"
Matrix turned away without another word.
"Your loss," Flame said.
Matrix heard the door to the limousine open and
close. It started up and drove away.
"I guess we should stop them," Matrix said, "But they're
unimportant."
There was a low hiss as the helmet clamps of his web
armor unlocked and Bob pulled his mask off, "Are you all right?"
"Yeah, sure," Matrix smiled at him, "What are you doing
here? I thought you were on the other
system?"
"I was," Bob said. "I arrived at the system and the Command.com just happened to be
monitoring the illegal pit fight. He
said it was for a undercover operation he had going."
"Yeah, right," Matrix said. "You portalled here?"
"He let me use his portal generator and just happened to
have the coordinates programmed in, now isn't that something?"
"Thank you Bob," Matrix said, "You saved my life –
again."
"No problem," Bob said. "We'd better get moving. Even
thought we're innocent, I don't want the CPU's to catch us. It would just take way too long to explain."
They hopped on their zip boards again and made their way
to where Matrix had his ship, "She gave me the coordinates of three possible
places where Raven may have taken Enzo."
"The Command.com said System 998," Bob said. "It has ports to the net."
"Good," Matrix said. "We have to find Enzo quick Bob. I have a feeling we're running out of time."
***
The limo moved slowly past the scene of the raid. CPU's dragged out spectators and combatants
alike.
Flame watched through the tinted windows with a slight
smile. It would take some time but the
proprietors of the pit-fighting tournament would have things up and running
again in a few cycles so Flame wasn't overly concerned.
She had been telling the truth when she said the green
hunk had made her more money than she had ever seen in her lifetime. Lucky for her, it had been deposited
immediately into her account upon the winning announcement. She leaned back against the butter-soft
leather seat and smiled contentedly. A
plan had formed in her processor and she thought she knew exactly how to
implement it.
"What are you thinking of?" Cracker asked her.
"Ah Cracker, you know me so well," Flame smiled. "I am thinking of a way to possibly make us
more money."
"With that bet you placed I thought you'd have enough."
"You can never have enough money," Flame licked her
lips. "You have no idea who that green
guy was do you?"
"Somebody important?"
"Oh yes," she said, "You see the word is, Raven recently
made as a guest of his, the younger brother of the Command.com of System
Mainframe, who also happens to be the brother-in-law of the Prime Guardian of
the New Collective."
"Whoa, wait a nano," Cracker said, "Where did you hear
that?"
"Really Cracker, if you'd keep your ears open more,"
Flame said with a hint of exasperation. "That man was his older brother, known as Matrix. I don't know who is friend was. I'm guessing the Prime Guardian himself,
although I could be wrong."
"Okay," Cracker said, "So Raven stupidly took a VIP's
little brother and now probably has every law enforcement agent and their
mother after him."
"Yes, not like Raven at all," Flame said, "unless that was the job, to kidnap the
brother. I think I know how we can find
out though."
"Okay, so what if we do? Then what? Do you even know
where Raven is?"
"Well – I know where he isn't," Flame said. "He isn't in any of the places I gave
Matrix. I do know where his other
hideaways are and by process of elimination we should be able to find him."
"Why do I have a feeling you've got one hell of a devious
plan up your sleeve?"
"Well, Cracker, think of what we could get if we had the
Command.com's baby brother?" Flame
said, "We could collect whatever fee Raven is getting. We could ransom him off to the Command.com
or the Collective get the money then dump him somewhere or maybe send him back
home – piece by piece."
"Nasty," Cracker said.
Flame smiled, "Wouldn't that just burn Raven's
ASCII?" She had a score to settle with
that pretty boy mercenary. And Enzo
Matrix may be the key to her getting back at Raven once and for all.
***
Seven hours into the past.
AndrAIa entered the smoke-filled bar and wondered why couldn't these bozos ever hole up some place nice? All eyes turned to her immediately and she received more than one leer, catcall and whistle. AndrAIa ignored them all.
She instead checked the locator given to her by Katiyana,
programmed to home in on Cooper's protocol. It was a device similar to the ones the infected Guardians had used to
track Bob.
Bob. She worried
and hoped he was all right. She wanted
to get back as soon as possible. It was
late and she had been tracking Cooper all second.
AndrAIa moved through the room, past tables and rank
bodies until she came to the bar. The
signal was coming from a closed door behind and at the other end of the
counter.
"What can I get for you, sexy?" The bartender approached and AndrAIa smiled sweetly at him.
"How about a look at what's behind the door?" AndrAIa purred.
"Now you don't want to know that," the bartender said
nervously, "Unless you're Sasha?"
"I might be," AndrAIa said. "If I say I am, will that get me into that room?"
"You have to be her," the bartender smiled, "You're just
like they described you. A smart mouth
and a body to delete for."
"That's me," AndrAIa gave him a dazzling smile.
The bartender moved his bulk down the length of the bar
and knocked softly five times on the door before opening it and slipping
through. AndrAIa leaned against the bar
and waited.
"Hey gorgeous," a rank and stumbling drunk binome
approached her, "How about a little tumble?"
AndrAIa smashed his face in.
The patrons stepped over the binome as though he didn't
exist and the stares and leers abruptly ceased. A few nanos later, the bartender peeked his head out the door and
motioned AndrAIa over.
"Now your party is in the back room," the bartender said,
"Don't worry, no one else will bother you. Just tell the man at the door who you are."
AndrAIa stepped past him and nearly gagged on the air
that was thick with narcotic smoke. She
barely had room to move through the press of sweaty bodies but amazingly, no
one made an attempt to touch her. Several pool tables were within the room, along with various other
tables with games of chance and cards. AndrAIa continued on, ignoring the muted conversations and the click of
pool cues.
At the rear of the room was another door and an armed
sprite stood guard. "I'm Sasha," she
told him. The guard nodded and opened
the door. AndrAIa stepped through into
a dark foyer. She could hear several
voices and she stepped forward to peek around the corner.
Cooper Black sat at the table in the midst of the room
with four other sprites. The Guardian
was highly agitated and drummed his fingers nervously on the tabletop. One of the other sprites, a weasely
crimson-faced man pushed a box towards him.
Cooper opened it, his eyes widened. "That's it?"
"The cost just went up," the sprite said. "How bad do you want it?"
"This is – you can't --!"
"I can do whatever I like, Guardian," the sprite
sneered. "Since you can't live without
this."
Cooper sighed and laid a handful of units on the
table. From the box he lifted a small
vial with a dark liquid. Cooper tipped
the bottle up and drained its contents. Almost immediately, his face relaxed and he clutched the vial in a pale
hand.
"As good as usual?" The weasel-sprite smiled maliciously.
Cooper wiped his mouth, "When can I get more?"
"Anytime, if you have the units," the weasel said.
AndrAIa stepped forward. Cooper looked up and caught sight of her.
"No!" the Guardian cried out and all the occupants of the
table turned towards her.
"Who the hell are you? How did you get in here?" The
weasel demanded.
"Your bartender let me in," AndrAIa said, "He thought I
was Sasha. Your security needs a lot of
work."
The four sprites rose from the table, "I asked you a
question," the weasel sneered.
"Her name's AndrAIa," Cooper stood on trembling legs,
"She's a friend of the Prime Guardian's."
"What?" The
weasel drew a laser and his companions at the table followed suit.
"No! Don't shoot
are you insane? Do you want the whole
Collective down on you? Not to mention
her boyfriend!"
"Relax everyone," the weasel gave her a thin-lipped
smile. "You're here by yourself aren't you
cutie?"
"Cooper," AndrAIa ignored the weasel, "I have orders to
bring you back to Council Hall immediately."
All eyes were on Cooper now.
"Looks like you're busted, Cooper," the weasel said.
"I'm not going anywhere with you, AndrAIa," Cooper said.
"Look at yourself Cooper," AndrAIa looked at him
piteously, "You need help. I can get it
for you. You know Bob will see that you
get the best care available. You're a
fellow Guardian."
"I haven't been a Guardian since I was taken by Daemon,"
Cooper said, "Do you think I'm basic? Do you think Bob really wanted me on the Council? I know it was a token gesture. I bet it shocked the chips out of him when I
took it."
AndrAIa shook her head, disgust replacing pity, "You
really hate Bob don't you?"
"Yes, I do," Cooper said.
"Enough to try and kill him?"
"What?" Cooper
said, "What are you saying?"
"Now isn't this interesting?" The weasel spoke again,
"I'm glad I'm here to see this little drama unfold."
Again, AndrAIa ignored him, "You're coming back with me."
Cooper laughed bitterly, "Leave AndrAIa. I'm not going anywhere with you."
"Cooper, if I have to drag you out of here unconscious, I
will."
"Smiley," Cooper addressed the weasely sprite, "If she
leaves here, the Guardians will be busting up this place by morning."
"Now we can't have that can we?" Smiley leered at her. "Cooper I didn't know you were associated
with such a babe."
"I'm not, I told you she's a friend of the Prime
Guardian," Cooper said.
Smiley motioned with his hand and the three other sprites
moved away from the table, "Still, I would have tried to get a piece of that."
"You haven't seen her boyfriend," Cooper muttered.
"Gentleman," AndrAIa said, "As much as I'm enjoying your
repulsive company, I've got better things to do. Cooper, you can come with now, or Matrix and I hunt you down later
and you know how much that will annoy him."
"Now there's no need to threaten," Smiley stepped forward
and his three companions made to surround her. "We can have a good old time – before we send you back to your boyfriend
in pieces."
AndrAIa extended her trident. "Now boys you're going to be pretty embarrassed when I send you
running home crying to your mothers."
"Bring her here," Smiley ordered.
AndrAIa swung her trident at the first man who came near
and cracked him across the skull; he fell back without a sound. The other two
rush, her, she blasted the second, but the third barreled into her and they
both went down, his hands closed around her trident and he jerked it from her
grasp, tossing it across the room. He
raised his fist to strike her and AndrAIa drove her claws deep into the side of
his throat.
He gave a strangled gasp of surprise and pitched on his
side. AndrAIa was up and barely had
time to dodge Smiley's assault. He came
at her brandishing a knife. Smiley
lashed out and AndrAIa turned and leapt backward but the blade cut across her
side above her hip.
AndrAIa cried out in pain as Smiley lunged for her
again. AndrAIa twisted around, raised
both hands and sent all ten claw tips into Smiley's chest. A look of horrified shock crossed Smiley's
face. He looked down at the claws
protruding from his chest, looked back up at AndrAIa, then pitched forward on
his face.
Breathing heavily, AndrAIa leaned against the
wall and pressed her hand to the wound on her side. He looked worse than it was. That didn't
mean it hadn't hurt like hell.
The sound of applauding drew her attention back to the
only conscious occupant of the room.
"Very good AndrAIa," Cooper said. He held one of the vials between his thumb
and forefinger. "Guess I'll have to
find another supplier."
AndrAIa shook her head, "Have you truly sunk so low?"
Cooper looked at her for a time with a myriad of emotions
playing across his face, "I believe even lower than you could imagine."
"Someone made an attempt on Bob's life," AndrAIa said.
Cooper laughed bitterly, "Look at me, AndrAIa. Do you really think I'm capable of doing
that?"
AndrAIa crossed the room and retrieved her trident. "I'm assuming you're not the informant
either."
"No," Cooper said, "I may hate Bob but I despise Lynx
even more. I wouldn't give him the
clock speed if he asked me for it."
Cooper opened the vial and drank the liquid, "Now that
you know my dirty little secret, I supposed there's only one thing to do."
AndrAIa tensed. Surely he wasn't going to try an attack her? When Cooper reached for his keytool, AndrAIa went into a fighting
stance.
"Meta release," Cooper said. The Guardian laid his keytool down on the table. "Do me favor will you? See that the Prime Guardian gets this."
Cooper slipped the box inside his jacket and without
another word left the room. AndrAIa
made no move to stop him. She never saw
him again.
***
Mouse dashed down the alley, her footsteps echoing through
the darkness. She turned sharply and
came to an abrupt halt.
Her quarry was just attempting to clamber over a fence.
"Halt!" Mouse
cried dashing forward
The aging binome gave a start of surprise and fell
heavily from the fence. As Mouse
reached him he turned and drew a laser pistol.
"Whoa!" Mouse
dove behind some garbage cans as Lynx fired. She heard him begin to climb again and she was up and running.
"Didn't you hear me? I said halt!" Mouse screamed, "Damn it, why don't one of these pixel
brains listen to me for once?"
Mouse literally vaulted over the fence and continued her
pursuit. The alley opened up into a
wide avenue that was thankfully almost free of traffic at this late an hour.
Lynx dodged the oncoming traffic, then was nearly run
down by a transport. Across the avenue
was a park and Mouse sprinted after him not wanting him to get to the cover of
the trees.
She could sure use Ray's help right about now.
She hoped her love was all right. They hadn't expected Lynx to have bodyguards
but she trusted Ray would handle the situation. Lynx had been their one objective.
The captain stumbled and was up again but it gave Mouse
the opportunity she needed to close the distance between them. Lynx hit the tree line but the park was
brightly lit with decorative lamps and Mouse still had a clear view of
him. The captain made no use of the
cover the park afforded and continued to crash trough the bushes making him an
easy target.
They hit pavement and Lynx turned down the path and Mouse
figured he was either the most basic sprite imaginable or was just too
terrified to be thinking clearly.
And why would he be terrified if he were innocent?
The path led to a bridge where couples stood enjoying the
warm summer night. Lynx dashed across,
pushed past a young couple, but his effort slowed him.
Mouse glanced at the couple as she ran by to make certain
they were safe. She crested the bridge
and stopped abruptly when she saw Lynx standing still at the other end and
Mouse saw why.
Ray was standing there smiling confidently, Baud propped
up at his side.
"No!" Lynx cried
as he raised his weapon, Mouse tackled him from behind.
Ray strode forward and helped Mouse haul the struggling
binome to his feet.
"How dare you!" Lynx cried, "How dare you treat me --,"
"Shut your hole!" Mouse screamed. "I've had just
about enough of you!"
"First you hunt down the members of Web Alliance and
detain them," Lynx said, "Now you accost me! I will not stand for this --,"
"Sugah, if you don't shut up right now you're going to be
spitting out teeth, got it?"
Lynx shut up.
"You okay, sugah?" Mouse asked Ray.
"As okay I can be after taking on two binomes," Ray moved
his arm back and forth.
Mouse used her ring to seal Lynx in a containment
field. She reached out and gently
touched his shoulder, "You're hurt."
He smiled cockily at her, "Just a little injury,
love. Let's get this ruddy wanker back
to Council Hall."
***
Lynx sat on the bench inside the detention center
cell. The captain sulked like a five-hour-old
child.
"Why did you run from us?" Mouse calmly sharpened her katana.
"Why have I've been brought here?" Lynx asked.
"I believe the lady asked you a question," Ray said.
"Of course I ran! You were rounding us all up and I didn't know what for," Lynx said, "And
what have you done with Desdemona?"
"What do you mean what have we done?" Mouse said.
"She's gone from the hospital," Lynx said, "No one has
seen her since."
"Well we don't know anything about that," Mouse said,
"but we'll check into it."
"Liar! Where is
she?" Lynx cried, "Did you delete her
like you're going to do me?"
"You can't possibly be that basic," Mouse said.
"You see, captain," Ray said, "We figure you ran for a
reason. Maybe something you've done
that you know you'd be in serious trouble for?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Tell us something, Lynx," Mouse said, "Ever dabble in
poisons?"
"You're not making any sense."
"Then let me spell it out for you, sugah," Mouse
hissed. "An attempt was made on the
Prime Guardian's life."
Lynx's single eye went wide, "Someone tried to delete the
Prime Guardian?"
"And right now you ruddy null-face," Ray said coldly,
"you're our prime suspect."
"What? Are you
random?" Lynx screamed, "You think I
tried to assassinate the Prime Guardian?"
"You or someone you hired," Mouse said. "You didn't exactly make yourself look
innocent by running from us."
"I told you why I ran!"
"A lame excuse if we've ever heard one," Ray said. "Do you know what the penalty is for an
assassination attempt?"
"But I didn't do it!" Lynx said, "Please you have to believe me!"
"We don't 'have to' do anything but let you rot in this
cell," Mouse said. "You confess and
maybe we'll go easy on you."
"So I'm to be coerced into confessing to something I'm not
guilty of?" Lynx demanded, "The
Collective goes too far!"
"This has nothing to do with the Collective," Mouse said,
her voice was deadly, "It's us you gotta deal with, sugah." Mouse glanced to the left when she saw
someone approaching the cell. Bob's
young assistant stood waiting. "You
consider what we've said and when you feel like talking, give us a call."
Mouse and Ray left the cell, all the while Lynx screamed
threats after them. The mercenary and
the search engine approached the young cadet.
"What's up, Rule?"
"I have a message from your friend, AndrAIa," Rule said,
"She's at the medical center right now. She wants you to meet her there. Apparently, she was in some kind of skirmish. She called for backup and I took the liberty of sending some
CPU's to assist her."
"Good work Rule, signal her we're on our way," Mouse
said.
"Yes ma'am and thank you."
"What do you think happened?" Ray asked.
"Guess we'll find out soon enough."
***
AndrAIa touched the bandage that covered the wound on her
side.
"Stop it," Rose said for the third time.
"Sorry," AndrAIa smiled. "Now you're saying Desdemona left on her own?"
"That's what I was told," Rose said.
The A.V. had come up into the emergency room when she had
heard AndrAIa was there. Just how she
had heard was a mystery to AndrAIa and quite frankly, the game sprite was too
tired and sore to care. The two women
were in the small room where AndrAIa had been treated. AndrAIa was just finishing getting dressed,
"How are things going?"
"They're not," Rose rubbed her eyes tiredly, "Damn it
AndrAIa, the answer is there, I know it! But I've looked at those test results so much my head hurts."
"You'll find the answer though," AndrAIa said.
"I have to," Rose said, "Would you like to visit with SiRCe
while you're here? Dom hasn't left her
side for more than a millisecond and I'm worried about him to."
"What about the tests on SiRCe?"
"Now her case is a simple viral infection," Rose said,
"I'm a lot closer to finding a cure for her than – I'm just waiting for the
results of my most recent testing."
"I'm going back to the Hall to report to Bob," AndrAIa
said. "Did you need him to contact
you?"
"Not yet," Rose said. "There's really no need."
AndrAIa could see the pain on Rose's face. She squeezed her friend's shoulder, "It's
going to be all right." AndrAIa looked
up as Mouse appeared outside the window she waved to someone outside; Ray
AndrAIa guessed, before they entered the room.
After the greetings were exchanged, Rose excused herself
and returned to her work.
Mouse said, "Sugah, we had a time finding you. What happened?"
"Well I found Cooper," AndrAIa said. She related her story.
Mouse shook her head when AndrAIa finished, "Pity. I mean, what else can you do about something
like that but offer to help? You can't
force people to take it."
"Mouse see that Mistress Katiyana gets this keytool?"
"Aren't you coming back to the Hall with us?"
"I'll be along, I'm going to visit SiRCe."
"Um – what should we tell Matrix?" Ray asked.
"Tell him I'm fine," AndrAIa said, "Don't worry Ray,
it'll be all right."
Ray snorted, "Just don't want him miffed at me that's
all."
Mouse smiled, "I protect you honey."
"Then I've got nothing to worry about," Ray smiled.
The friends parted company and AndrAIa made her way to
SiRCe's room.
She knocked softly before entering. SiRCe was lying deathly still in the bed,
the amber glow of the containment field washed over her skin. Dom was sitting in a chair beside her,
apparently dozing.
"Dom?"
He came awake abruptly. The former rebel leader didn't seem to recognize her at first, "An –
AndrAIa?"
"Dom when was the last time you got a good night's
downtime?" AndrAIa pulled up another
chair, "Or a good meal?"
"I'm not hungry," he muttered and his gaze went back to
SiRCe, "She sleeps most of the time, but sometimes when she's awake --,"
"Does she say anything?"
"Just incoherent babbling," Dom said, "She's made no
indication that she recognizes me."
"I know she does Dom," AndrAIa said, "I know she sees you."
"I hope so."
AndrAIa got up without a word and left the room. She headed for the cafeteria and bought a
meal that she carried upstairs. Dom
seemed to be dozing again or it could have been the lack of food. He came awake when she set the tray down on
the table.
"Eat," she said.
"I can't," Dom said, "I haven't been able to keep
anything down."
"Try and nibble on something," AndrAIa said, "You won't
do yourself any good if you starve yourself. Who will take care of SiRCe?"
After a moment, Dom reached for a spoon and tasted some
soup AndrAIa had bought. She took her
place again at SiRCe's bedside. Unexpectedly, her friend's eyes came open. AndrAIa started slightly, alerting Dom who leaned as close to the
containment field as he dared.
"SiRCe?"
She looked at him, "Dom?"
Dom broke into a grin, "Yes! Thank the User!"
"Release me," SiRCe said hoarsely.
"Oh --," Dom looked at AndrAIa.
"We can't just yet, SiRCe," AndrAIa said. "When Rose finds a cure --,"
"Let me out of this thing you game sprite wench!" SiRCe cried.
Dom reeled back with an astonished cry. AndrAIa managed to mask hers with an air of
calm. "I know you're ill SiRCe. Don't worry, we're getting you help."
"I will delete you for this!" SiRCe screamed, "And that traitor Valadare! You will all suffer such torments --,"
"SiRCe, please stop!" Dom said.
SiRCe smirked at him, "As for you – did you think I'd
ever be remotely attracted to you? A
wretched man-child sprite?"
"Dom --," AndrAIa said, "She's not well."
"I know," Dom whispered. But AndrAIa could see the pain in his eyes.
"I know my master has struck the fatal blow against the
Prime Guardian," SiRCe said, "What would happen if people found out the
truth? That the Prime Guardian is a
dead sprite?"
"Where is your master, SiRCe?" AndrAIa said, "Lead us to him."
SiRCe laughed bitterly, "You would like that wouldn't
you? It won't be that easy."
AndrAIa knew that Bob had wanted to question SiRCe when
she came to, "I'll be back later SiRCe. Dom, stay with her. She's going
to need your strength."
Dom nodded, "I will. Thank you Dre."
"Yes AndrAIa run in fear from me," SiRCe said, "Deleting
you will give me great pleasure."
AndrAIa ignored her. Stay strong Dom. We'll all
have to lend SiRCe our strength.
***
By early morning, the first signs of Bob's illness made itself known.
After sitting all night with Little Enzo, Bob awoke,
lying on the floor next to the couch, a blanket over him and a pillow under his
head.
"Dot," he said aloud and smiled.
Then he saw his hands.
Bob breathed in sharply. His skin was covered with patches of rust discolorations. They itched terribly and Bob knew they would
only get worse. He'd have to call Rose
for the medicine she had mentioned. The
Prime Guardian stood and stretched his aching muscles.
"Bob?"
Bob turned to find Enzo staring at him, his eyes wide.
"Enzo --,"
"It's okay Bob," Enzo smiled slightly. "Really."
Bob knelt in front of him and the little sprite hugged
him around the neck, "It's going to be okay."
They heard the door open behind them and Bob stood
abruptly. Dot walked in briskly,
carrying several bags from which the scents of breakfast permeated.
"Good --," then she halted and like Bob gave a sharp
intake of breath.
Bob turned away, feeling the flush on his face, "Dot."
"Bob it's okay," Enzo spoke into the ensuing silence,
"Dot doesn't care how you look. Do you
Dot?"
"No I don't," Dot said softly. "I knew you two would be hungry so I brought breakfast."
"All right, thanks Dot," Enzo hopped off the couch, then
stopped to stretch before approaching Dot's desk where she had set the bags.
"Bob?"
He still couldn't look at her, despite her
assurances. She moved to stand before
him and held up a cup of java, "Just like you like it."
He smiled nervously at her, "Thanks."
"Matrix is at the CPU headquarters," Dot volunteered,
"He's going to come right here after he finishes the questioning."
"Good," Bob sipped the java, then sighed as it started
his stomach roiling, "How goes that?"
"You know the old saying, about rats deserting a sinking
ship? Many of them are keeping quiet
but quite a few are giving up their comrades. It's slow going but at least we have a few of those loonies off the
street."
"Hey Dot there's a message coming in," Enzo said around a
mouthful of breakfast sandwich.
Dot came around the desk and activated the console, "It's
Mouse and Ray."
The vid-window opened to reveal his two friends in Bob's
office. Mouse was in his chair again.
"We were getting worried about you two. Get out of my chair Mouse."
Mouse hesitated before obeying. She glanced at Ray with consternation before she spoke, "We
expected you to be here, sugah. What
happened?"
Bob was grateful they hadn't mentioned the
discolorations, "Um – extenuating circumstances. Where's AndrAIa?"
"We left her at the medical center," Mouse said, "She
wanted to check on SiRCe."
"Why were you at the medical center?"
Matrix took that opportunity to walk in just as Mouse
said, "She was in a minor scuffle dealing with Cooper Black."
"What?" Matrix
demanded, "Where is she? Is she all
right?"
Ray cleared his throat but Mouse said, "She's fine,
sugah, just some cuts and bruises. She's at the medical center right now checking on SiRCe. She asked us to tell you she was fine."
"I'm sure she's all right, Matrix," Bob said, "Did she
find Cooper?"
"Afraid so," Mouse relayed the story AndrAIa had told
them about her encounter with Cooper. When she was finished, Mouse laid an object down on Bob's desk. "Cooper gave this to AndrAIa. He wanted to return it."
Bob looked at the object on his desk. It was Meta.
"She said Cooper used a release command."
Bob didn't reply. He stared at the keytool for a few nanos, a myriad of thoughts darting
around in his processor about Cooper. What could he say at this point? To release a keytool was akin to cutting off your arm. Bob knew what it was like to suffer but his
releasing Glitch was never an option. He didn't know what he would do if he couldn't be a Guardian.
Finally Bob expelled a belabored breath, "He was once a
good Guardian. I wish he had come to me
for help. I feel as though I've failed
him."
"You haven't, sugah," Mouse said gently.
"She's right, Bob," Dot placed a hand on his
shoulder. "There was nothing you could
have done."
"Would you see Mistress Katiyana gets Meta?"
"Of course, sugah," Mouse smiled softly.
Through the vid-window, the door to Bob's office opened
and AndrAIa walked in.
"AndrAIa, are you all right?" Matrix demanded.
"Of course I am," AndrAIa said. She turned to Mouse and Ray. "Didn't you tell him?"
"Yeah but well you know how he can be," Mouse smirked.
Matrix grunted.
AndrAIa noticed Bob for the first time, "Bob is
everything all right? So how goes it
there?"
"We're rounding up the members of Daemon's Chosen here,"
Dot said.
"I'll be there soon. Is SiRCe well enough to talk?" Bob asked.
AndrAIa's sigh could be heard through the vid-window,
"Yes, but – well you'll have to see her."
"All right," Bob said, "Have them get the portal room --,"
Suddenly Bob wasn't in Dot's office anymore.
The telltale shower of silver light engulfed him and in
an eye blink as before, he was standing in the midst of Hex's Lair, the single
beam from the fire hydrant cast his shadow before him.
"Well don't just stand there Prime Guardian, join me,"
Hex's voice came out of the darkness. A
second light appeared to illuminate the Chaos Virus as she sat in the
comfortable chair facing the java table.
"Well this has a familiar ring," Bob said.
Melissa moved out of the shadows carrying a tea
service. She set it on the table and
began to serve. Bob moved to the second
chair, facing Hex. The virus crossed
her shapely legs and titled her head to the side.
"Cream and sugar?" Melissa asked.
"Sugar please," Bob said.
"Melissa wants to apologize for what happened with Enzo,"
Hex said.
The girl-child virus looked at him earnestly, "I am sorry
Bob. I hope you're not mad at me."
"I'm not Melissa," Bob said, "You have to learn to
consider other people's feelings though. You'll remember that next time, won't you?"
"Yes Bob," Melissa said. "Biscuit?"
"No thank you," Bob said.
"Melissa, would you excuse us?" Hex said.
Melissa turned and seemed to Bob to fade back into the
shadows.
"Why do I have a feeling you brought me here for a reason
other than Melissa's apology?" Bob said
when he was sure they were alone.
"Now Prime Guardian, would I toy with you on such a
serious subject?"
You're toying with me now, Bob thought, "And that
subject is?"
"Why your illness silly boy," Hex said, "I assume you're
having that antivirologist woman looking into this?"
"She is," Bob said.
"You're running out of time you know," Hex squinted at
him.
"I know, look Hex what's this about?"
"I'll excuse your rudeness Prime Guardian," Hex said
mildly. "Question. How much do you want to live?"
Bob gripped the chair arms fiercely and his face twisted
in a sneer, "What do you think?"
Hex leaned back, "I asked the question because I'm
curious to know what lengths you'll go through to live. What are you willing to sacrifice?"
She was starting to sound way too much like Daemon at
that point and Bob repressed a shudder of revulsion, "Hex what are you saying?"
"I'm saying," Hex leaned towards him, her mask intrigued,
"That I may have the means for you to survive."
"What?" Despite
himself, a glimmer of hope came to life in his core-com. "Are you saying you know how to cure me?"
"I'm saying I know what may cure you," Hex said, "But, my
dear Bob, you must be willing to make an ultimate sacrifice. What I am purposing could quite possibly
save your life – but doom you as well. I need to know if you're willing to take that chance."
"Depends on what you want to do," Bob said.
"No, it depends on what you want to do," Hex said, "Very
well, Bob dear. Listen carefully. I will tell you my idea and you can decide
between processing and deletion."
***
Twenty CPU cars surrounded Hex's Lair.
Dot paced back and forth in her office. Five vid-windows were open, each awarding a
different view of the virus tower.
Matrix was there now, commanding the CPU's and AndrAIa,
Mouse and Ray were on their way from the Super Computer. Little Enzo was sitting on the couch,
watching her worriedly.
The rest of her friends entered her office along with
Phong and Dot apprised them of the situation.
"Any word from the Lair?" AndrAIa asked.
"None yet," Dot turned one of the windows to reveal
Matrix's face, "Anything happening?"
"Nothing yet, sis," Matrix said. "We haven't been able to locate any
entrances or exits."
"Why did she do it this time? Why did she take him? Didn't she know we'd know it was her?"
"Don't worry Dot," AndrAIa placed a hand on her shoulder,
"Bob will be all right. He can handle
Hex."
"I know but --," Dot said, "Matrix, I'm going to arrange
for some equipment to --,"
"Dot!" Enzo's
surprised cry wretched her attention away from the window.
A curtain of silver sparks had just coalesced into Bob.
"Bob!" Dot ran to
him and threw her arms around him, "I was so worried! What happened? Why did
Hex take you?"
"I thought you'd know it was her," Bob said quietly.
Something in his voice disturbed Dot, "What's wrong?"
Behind them, AndrAIa was appraising Matrix of the
situation.
"Let's wait until Matrix gets here," Bob said. "I have something I need to tell you all."
***
Bob couldn't, not even for a nano, envision doing what
Hex suggested. Her idea was so
unbelievably -- reckless? No, there had to be a stronger word for
it. Dangerous? Horrifying? Bob wasn't sure.
And yet here was actually considering it. He had to be going random already.
And then there was Dot, standing before him, her face
full of concern. How would this affect
her and all his loved ones? If he took
the slim chance Hex had given him, he might very well be sacrificing all.
Bob waited until his friends were all gathered. He wanted them to hear this. He needed to see what they thought. This monumental decision wasn't something he
wanted to make alone.
He wanted to sit next to Dot, have her hold his hands and
reassure him but instead he chose to stand facing the wall. With his back to
them, his arms crossed in a defensive gesture.
"So what happened?" Mouse asked when Bob didn't speak immediately.
"Hex had a – proposition for me," Bob said, "It concerns
my illness."
He heard what he knew to be Dot rise and approach
him. She laid a hand on his shoulder
and made him turn.
"What did she say Bob?"
No need to draw it out, "She said she had the means to
cure me."
"What?"
"Are you certain, my son?"
"Bob!"
"You serious, mate?"
"What cure?"
"Please everyone," Bob interrupted their questioning,
"What she proposes isn't exactly safe."
"Maybe you'd better sit down and tell us everything," Dot
led him over to the couch and sat next to him. Little Enzo was on his other side.
"Hex told me that it's quite possible another type of
viral energy could slow or even destroy the progress of Hybrid-X," Bob
said. "I thought she was suggesting at
first that she infect me but she said that probably wouldn't work. She told me, in her own unique way, that the
viral energy has to be inherent in me."
"But you're not a virus, Bob," Enzo said.
"Enzo --," Bob began but Matrix interrupted.
"No," the renegade whispered, "You're not saying what I
think your saying."
"I was a virus once," Bob couldn't seem to speak above a
whisper.
No one said anything and when Bob couldn't stand the
silence any longer he said, "Hex says she has to the power to cause my viral
side to --,"
"You don't have a 'viral side'," Dot cut him off. "You're a sprite. Robert Lan. That's it."
"Dot," Bob said.
"No, I don't want to hear the rest," Dot's voice broke.
"Dot you know what I'm going to say."
"Bob you can't be serious!" Matrix stood.
"Now wait a nano, sugah," Mouse said, "So we can all be in
this conversation to? What exactly did
Hex want to try and do?"
Bob stood and turned away again. He couldn't bear to see
the look of distress on Dot's face, "Hex says that if I were a virus, I'd have
an excellent chance of beating the infection. To put it bluntly, she wants to use her power to reawaken my virus
side."
Bob turned to face his friends, "She wants to bring back
Dariem."
