1-2: Thievery

Guess what'll happen next!

(((-2-)))

Janika slipped inside and rushed to his computer. The screensaver was strange. She'd never seen one of a digital character's face before. Maybe he had a crush on her and couldn't get a decent picture of the real girl.

She moved the mouse and stared at the program that popped up. Her jaw dropped in astonishment. Janika had never seen anything like this before! She opened and closed different links, eyes scanning for anything useful. There was one link labeled "Lyoko" she couldn't open because it required a password, but down in the corner of one program she noticed something else by the name of "Foundation."

She double-clicked on the icon and gasped. She read through the first few pages before cramming a green disk into the drive. The file was too big to save on just one, so she divided it into sections. Jeremy's computer worked fast and she had just finished saving to the second blue disk when her eye caught the time. Janika had been there for nearly an hour.

But she wasn't done! Reluctantly, she grabbed her books and shut down all the programs she had opened. The drive was in the middle of saving to the third disk and she angrily stopped it. Everything was thrown back into her bag and she rushed out of the dorm. She was almost to the stairs when the door opened outward and she crashed into three boys, two of whom were familiar. Her books went flying (again!) and she found herself in a tangled mess of arms and legs.

She moaned and rubbed her sore head. One of the boys offered his hand in extricating herself and she took it gratefully. He had light brown hair and was extremely cute. Unconsciously she started blushing. "Er...sorry."

"That's okay. Why don't you try walking instead of barreling down the stairs?"

"Sure...um..." She dropped to her knees to pick up the papers. He joined her. Jeremy and the other boy in purple did too, again. "Thanks. Again."

"No problem," the weird kid said.

The cute boy handed her the papers. "I'm Ulrich."

"That's a great name," she said lamely. Her face heated. "I'm...in a hurry. Bye!"

She barreled down the stairs before he could say anything else. How embarrassing! Could she have possibly been more dim-witted? He must think she was an idiot!

Janika ran to her room and locked the door, breathing hard. Maybe it wasn't so bad. At least he didn't know her name. Maybe he wouldn't remember her if he didn't know her name and next time she saw him she could start over.

Calming down, she sat before her laptop and took out a blue disk. Uh oh. The girl patted her pockets and then searched her bookbag, but all she could find was the blue one! Where could it—no!

(V)

"Is she new around here?" Ulrich wondered.

"I think so, but I didn't catch her name," Jeremy said as he took out his key.

"Probably because she didn't give it," his friend laughed. Odd didn't say anything.

The computer nut shook his head. "We met her earlier. She was in the hall waiting for someone. I guess he never showed up." He inserted the key in his door and was surprised when it opened. "Huh? I thought I locked my door." He stepped inside and saw the computer. "My screensaver isn't on. That's weird." Jeremy stepped over to the computer. "And my chair isn't pushed in. What's going on? I know I did that before I left."

Odd stepped up behind him. "Maybe this will give us some answers," he said setting a green disk down.

Ulrich looked at his friend. "Where did you get that?"

"I was suspicious of that girl. She was running when we slammed into her. Why would she do that unless she had something to run from and I remembered seeing her waiting in the hall before we left. She didn't slip. She dropped her books on purpose to keep you from locking your door, Jeremy. When she dropped the disk out there I just picked it up."

Ulrich and Jeremy just stared at him. "So, what do you deduce from that, Sherlock?" the dark-haired boy wondered.

"Check the disk and I'll tell you."

Jeremy placed it in the hard drive and opened it. A map of the factory appeared followed by explanatory terms and other things besides. "Oh no! This was my backup copy of everything at the factory in case something went wrong."

"Well, I would say something has gone wrong, Jeremy," Ulrich growled. "Who knows what she could do with this information. It might even be one of X.A.N.A.'s tricks."

"We have to find her. She must go to school here."

Odd thought about it. "She might be in some of our classes. We'll ask around for the new student, okay?"

"Great, but in the meantime, Jeremy, lock your door."