2-4: An Attempt

What would you do if someone you trusted ended up doing this?

(((-4-)))

Jeremy turned to her. "Are you saying that X.A.N.A.'s new tricks came from your computer?"

She swallowed and bit her lip before nodding. "Yes."

He snapped the laptop closed and shoved it at her, glaring. "Thanks a lot, Janika."

"Look, I didn't know he could do that!"

"You know, it really is ironic. You stole from me and X.A.N.A. stole from you." He turned on his phone. "X.A.N.A. doesn't forget, Janika. Once he learns something, he can't unlearn it without someone actively deleting those files. We try, but all we can do is erase what he's done."

"I understand," she said weakly.

Jeremy shook his head and started dialing a number.

"Look, I know what you're thinking, but it's not like that! I feel so stupid. If there's anything I can do to help I'll do it in a heartbeat."

"You've helped quite enough."

"Please let me! I can make a virus to destroy them."

The blonde boy snapped the cell phone closed and faced her. "Don't you think I've thought of that before to deal with X.A.N.A.? Lyoko breaks all the rules, Janika. Why do you think we need Aelita to deactivate the Towers? I could try from my console, but I would probably mess it up worse and I'm not willing to take that risk."

She looked at him helplessly. "What can I do?"

"Just go back to your room. We'll contact you."

Janika did as she was told. She felt so guilty. It was all her fault and she didn't know how to stop it! Staring desolately at her computer, she remembered the strange look in the Ratt's eyes as she had raced toward it. Jeremy had made it perfectly clear that a virus downloaded into Lyoko might have disastrous effects. There had to be a way around it.

An idea occurred to her. She thought for a few minutes before deciding it might work. The teenager began typing busily away, hoping X.A.N.A. didn't strike before she finished. But then why would he show off the Ratts if he wasn't ready to attack?

She had to hurry. She would only get one shot at this, and if she was wrong...

(V)

The gaseous substance wafted out of a short-circuited socket and swept toward a telephone on the wall. The silky smooth specter caressed the handle before absorbing itself into the device, ready to wreak havoc in a new way. The wires came to life under its touch, writhing this way and that as it prompted them to. This would be its moment of triumph and nothing would ever stand in its way again!

(V)

The next morning she was too hungry to continue working on the program anymore, so she took a break. One problem was fixed, but the other was confusing. Something just wasn't right with it. She needed a virus she could use from inside Lyoko, but what sort of virus would affect only the Ratts without backfiring on her?

Unfortunately, Jeremy had told the others about the Ratts. She had hoped he would keep it between them. Yumi glared as she approached them in the cafeteria. "Well, look who it is. What's wrong, Janika? Don't have any other friends to betray?"

Ulrich elbowed her. "Cut it out, Yumi. She didn't do it on purpose."

"No, I guess she didn't. She just stole from Jeremy by accident, then someone forced her to take a joyride in Lyoko, and finally she gave everything on her laptop to our worst enemy during a completely random attack that just happened to come at the same time that she was gallivanting about where she didn't belong!"

With downcast eyes, she left. She had to keep working on that thing anyway. It wasn't like she was starving. Janika saw a payphone just outside the lunchroom and took out a coin. She should probably call her mom.

The teenager picked up the receiver and put her change in the slot. The dial tone buzzed strangely, but she ignored it and pressed in the number for her mother's cell.

The phone dialed, then kept on dialing. The beeping got louder and louder until Janika had to hold it away from her ear. What was going on? Abruptly sparks started flying from the handle! She tried to let it go, but her hand seemed to stick like glue to the metal. Electricity coursed through her limbs, making them twitch sporadically.

How could so much pain be contained within one body?! Janika wished she could scream, but her voice was locked in her throat and she felt as though something had taken control of her.

Help! she screamed silently. Help me!

Well, the truth has come out. It's all her fault and now everybody hates my lovely alter-ego. She doesn't know what to do and she feels so guilty. And now she's about to die a horrible death.