1.1.1 Chapter 2

Bob entered the P.O. as Matrix, AndrAIa, and Enzo arrived. Bob sighed. At least Enzo was responding to Enzo again.

" Sorry we had to cut the story short, but Dot needs all of us in the meeting," Matrix said. Matrix seemed to have gained a parental nature. Maybe it was because AndrAIa was seven minutes pregnant. Bob knew how against Matrix was on AndrAIa going into games because the doctors all agreed that the baby might come sooner than expected. Bob sighed, and wondered about how Dot was going to handle the news Bob was bringing. All four of them entered the war room. Hex, Mouse, and Ray were already there.

" Wellman. I didn't know you'd be here," Bob said.

" Dot told me to come," Wellman explained.

" Hey, Dad!" Enzo cried, ramming into Wellman's arms.

" Hey there, kiddo!" Wellman smiled to his son. Dot smiled, then turned serious.

" People, Specky, Phong and I have checked for signs of what Daemon left. It's worse than we feared. Daemon left an imprint on at least one building in each system she infected when AndrAIa got infected," Dot said.

" Dot-" AndrAIa began.

" Sorry, AndrAIa. I can't help that they happened at the same time, but look, we've got something worse to deal with. I spoke with the Command.com of one of those systems. Matrix, AndrAIa, they seem to hail the two of you as system heroes. You two seemed to come at the right time for them," Dot smiled.

" That would narrow down the system list. We were only considered heroes in three different systems, one of which was spared from Daemon's infection," Matrix said.

" Good. Then I'll send both of you to one of the different systems. Before their Command.com could tell me his system's location, the system lost out-of-system communication," Dot said.

" Sis, I don't think-"

" Matrix, this baby isn't coming for at least another few cycles. I think I can handle an investigation," AndrAIa said.

" I'm sorry AndrAIa, but I think I'm going to agree with Matrix now that I think about it. Bob. You go to the other system," Dot said.

" Dot, you forget, Bob is the only one who can open and keep open a portal to the net. If we send him, and Matrix is attacked, we won't be able to save him," Phong said.

" I'll go," Wellman said.

" No, Dad. I just got you back. I'm not letting you go. Mouse. You and Ray can go," Dot ordered.

" Yes, ma'am," Mouse said.

" Remember, these markings are not normal. The Command.com gave me information on what has happened when the people of his system touched the marking. They have disappeared," Dot reported.

" Disappeared? As in, not deleted?" Surfr asked.

" That's right. Hex, I'm gonna need any and all information you can give me on virals. Does this normally happen, how this happens, why this happens, that sort of thing. Bob, if you know anyone in the Super Computer who can help, that would greatly be appreciated. AndrAIa, since you are going to be here, I need to know about any allies you have who can help us. If my theory on what has happened to those sprites and binomes is correct, we're going to need all the help possible to defeat this menace, or else we're deleted nulls," Dot stated.

" I understand, Dot," Hex said with a smile.

" I see if I still have any contacts in the Super Computer and the Guardian Collective," Bob nodded.

" I'll do it, Dot," AndrAIa said.

" Good. And remember, Daemon left more than ghosts. Daemon also left several imprints of herself, and they are some of the worse pieces of the Second Viral War that the net has yet to clean up. Bob, I also want all the information you can give me on Daecon. He was Daemon's right-hand for quite a while during her Net control," Dot said.

" Daecon was definitely one of my toughest teachers at the Academy. He seemed worse than Vixen," Bob said.

" Vixen?" Dot asked, sounding a little jealous.

" My partner at the Academy. Daecon was the only Guardian I knew who didn't have a keytool at all. Daecon was bitter to the rest of full Guardians out there, and he would always try to break our spirits so we'd return home," Bob replied, " Vixen was strict, but she lived on the edge as well. On my last mission in the Super Computer, we were going to send a virus into a viral deletion chamber and Vixen and I began to talk about all of my theories. The virus broke out, and Vixen tried using Glitch to stop Kilobyte. Kilobyte deleted Vixen. She fragmented in my arms. I still have nightmares about that second," Bob sighed.

" Bob, I need you to contact Turbo. See if he can give you any new information on Daemon's obsession with timers. If we can figure out any information on this mark we can-" A vid-window opened behind Dot- and it had Pixel's face on it.

" Pixel!" Matrix and AndrAIa cried.

" Matrix, AndrAIa. I am glad to see you have made it back to your home of Mainframe. I must speak to your Command.com," Pixel stated. Dot stood.

" You've found her. So, you know my brother and sister-in-law. I'm Dot Matrix. What is it?" Dot asked.

" Straight to the point. I like that in a sprite. I heard that sprites in your system were able to defeat Daemon. I wanted you to know that we have found strange markings bearing Daemon's sign. I thought you would be interested in this information," Pixel stated.

" You're not the only system. All right. Tell everyone in your system to stay away from it. That sign has taken several sprites and binomes in other systems and we're afraid of what might happen. Ma'am, I'll send a representative from Mainframe soon," Dot said.

" Thank you for your help," Pixel said, and the vid-window closed.

" Matrix, Mouse, I want you two to go there ASAP. If we can get there before it takes anyone, we might be able to find out some information about it," Dot said. The two sprites nodded. " All right everyone, meeting adjourned. Remember you three, if you need help, Mainframe is only a vid- window away."

Matrix emerged in the system. He noticed the changes that had been made since he, AndrAIa, and Frisket had left. He opened a vid-window to Dot.

" Sis, I made it. You can close the portal now."

" All right, little brother. Remember, you've got a schedule to follow. The Command.com wants you to report there ASAP," Dot replied.

" I understand, sis," Matrix stated, then closed up the vid-window. He noticed a game cube in the system. He sighed, thinking he could've arrived a few nanos ago and helped fight the game. Matrix rode his bike up to the P.O. The square floating above the P.O. looked better than it had before. Matrix looked down. He noticed two binomes who seemed familiar. Matrix headed on to the P.O. He parked his bike outside of the P.O. " That is a nice bike," he chuckled, using AndrAIa's famous line. Matrix walked into the P.O. When he reached the large doors to this system's war room, he knocked instead of bursting right in. After knocking, he entered. Wise One was still in the giant chair.

" Hey, hey, hey! Who said you could just waltz in here like that?" Wise One said, bringing his chair over to Matrix, then getting a good look at Matrix. " Matrix? Hey, hey! Are you back to protect the system?" Wise One stated, " Not that we need you anymore. The team you trained to protect us from the games are great! In fact, that reminds me." Wise One whistled and a binome entered. " You there! Have Backup, Tac Tic, Tweek, Hardboot, and Overdrive come straight to my office!"

" Wise One, I was sent by the Command.com of Mainframe to see about a mysterious symbol that had appeared in several systems Daemon infected. Has this symbol appeared here?" Matrix asked, opening a vid-window with Daemon's egg-timer symbol on it.

" Why, yes! Thank goodness someone is here to help with the disappearances! The binomes who disappeared left during our rebuilding time. That was not a good thing!" Wise One crowed.

" I can see," Matrix said, weighing the option to help rebuild now that he could go home at anytime. The binome that Wise One had ordered to get the Game Team returned.

" Sir, uhhh, we can't seem to find Tweek or Backup, and Tac Tic, Hardboot, and Overdrive are in the game right now," the binome stated.

" Game Over. User Wins," the G.O. voice called. Matrix burst out of the P.O. and hopped on his bike, hoping that there would be something other than three nulls leaving the nullified sector. Matrix pulled up to the sector. He looked down.

" Oh, my, User," Matrix said. There, in the pit, were four icons, three reboot ready, the other was that of a game sprite's. Matrix hopped into the pit. He hoped that the team had done the same as AndrAIa, downloading a copy of herself into the icon, but what was with the game sprite's icon? Matrix pressed each icon, and flashes of light enveloped the whole sector. Matrix had to shield his eyes from it. When it died down, Hardboot, Tac Tic, Overdrive, and a sprite appeared.

" Wha-what happened?" Tac Tic asked.

" You lost a game, that's what!" Matrix cried, then tried the system Dad had been teaching him recently. He counted to ten, and cooled down his anger.

" Hey! It's Matrix!" Overdrive cried. Matrix turned to look at the game sprite, but they were gone. Matrix noticed Bob had yet to close the portal. Matrix turned and saw that a winged sprite was flying for the portal.

" Quiet! Where's Backup and Tweek?" Matrix asked.

" Matrix, Tweek and Backup were scanning an odd reading in Level 78," Hardboot said. Matrix hopped out of the hole and ran towards Level 78, being careful to avoid the nulls all over the system. He made a personal note to stop depending on his bike to get around Mainframe. He was getting out of shape, and he needed to visit the Mainframe Gym. Matrix quickly made it to Level 78, and looked at the sky. The portal was gone- for now. Matrix sighed. If any game sprites or viruses wanted to leave this system, at least they weren't going to Mainframe. Matrix looked over all of the buildings.

" No," he gasped, looking at a whole block. Daemon's symbol was all over the buildings. Matrix turned his head, and began to search the block. He heard a whispering coming from an alley. Matrix ran over to see where it came from. When he turned the corner, he saw the largest symbol of all, and unlike the other symbols, which were glowing green, this one was glowing red. Gun popped into Matrix's hand.

" Gun, command line. Tracking," Matrix ordered, his mechanical eye switching over to the M side and began to glow. A tentacle flew out of the symbol. Matrix fired, but the tentacle moved to fast for Gun, and knocked Gun out of his hand, then wrapped around Matrix. Matrix cried out, then the tentacles pulled him through to the other side of the symbol.