Hello, hello! Sorry I haven't updated in a loooooooong time. I broke my arm, had physical therapy, my Grandpa passed on and then one of my closest friends followed two months later. I also started college, so the story has been on the back burner for over a year. But since people have been so persistent, here's another chapter. ;) I'll probably revise it later on, but it'll give you all enough to wet your cud. Thanks for reviewing!
BTW: I shudder at the thought of writing a Jackie/Matt Romance Fic. shudders
In a myriad of colors, shapes and numbers, Jackie found herself found standing in the kitchen of Cyber Central. She could hear the music resonating through the halls from the main room. Here goes nothing, she thought. Taking a deep breath, she made her way towards the party.
Random bodies wondered to and fro, bumping into each other as they tried to awkwardly dance along with the strange Earth music. Some stood chatting with old friends that they haven't seen for years. Two of these bodies stood off to the side, talking amongst themselves next to the snack table.
"Man, these little cracker things are AWESOME!" declared one of the bodies as he brushed back his shaggy red locks. He reached out to grab another cracker, ignoring the fact that his dark green, baggy pants were falling low enough that his white tee-shirt couldn't cover his boxers completely. "Don't you agree, Nezzy?"
The second body, Inez, shook her head, "They're not 'cracker things,' Matt. They're called hors d'oeuvres; a light, tasty appetizer served on a cracker or piece of bread." She looked down through her small rectangular glasses at her light blue fitted shirt and sparkly blue pants, frowning. "And don't call me Nezzy! And pull up your pants."
"Okay, okay, Inez," waving one hand in what he hoped was a peaceful gesture and using the other to haul his trousers up, Matt grinned sheepishly, "Whatever the name is, they sure taste great!"
Looking around the room, Inez frowned a bit, "I wonder where Jackie is, we can't have the party without her."
"I was wondering that myself," a raspy voice cried out from behind, causing Matt and Inez to jump at the sound.
"Digit," They yelped as they spotted the blue cybird from the other side of the table.
"We haven't seen you in ages!" Matt shouted, giving Digit a high five.
"Actually, it's been about four years and sixty-two days," corrected Inez.
"Yea, yea, that's still a long time!" Matt grumbled, pushing his hands deep into his pockets.
Digit nodded, "Boi, it sure has! Things been slow since you Earthlies put Hacker out of business." He proceeded to open his chest pouch, whipping out a fresh tray of hors d'oeuvres. "These sure are going fast."
Inez felt a chill creep up her spine at the mention of Hacker; the most notorious villain Cyberspace has ever known. Even after so many years, she still had nightmares about the virus that infected Mother Board and almost destroyed her.
Shaking off the feeling, Inez heard Matt say with a chuckle, "You know what Hacker would say if he had heard us?"
"That's THE Hacker to you!"
Matt and Digit lunged under the table at the sound of the booming voice, leaving Inez standing by herself to face whatever it was. She remained stock still, looking straight ahead as the cold sweat beaded her brow. Images flashed through her mind, most from the last confrontation with Hacker. Hacker with Mother Board's Manual... Hacker with a new virus... Him infecting Mother Board with it through a phishing program... The countdown on her face, ticking off the minutes before she would permanently shut down and infecting countless other sites in her wake... Hacker standing tauntingly over them... Hacker…
The memories came to an abrupt halt when she heard a familiar cackle.
"Jackie!" she barked with her hands planted firmly on her hips, "That was not funny!"
Jackie was bent over, holding her sides as she tried to retain the giggles that threatened to erupt.
"I'm… Sorry," she gasped, "but it was the perfect moment to say it. How was I to know that the boys were going to freak?" Once she composed herself, Jackie walked over to Inez and draped an arm around the younger girl's shoulders. Matt and Digit chose that time to peek out from under the table cloth.
"Oh, come on now! Are you men? Or are you mice?" Jackie said in a fake, macho voice.
The only answer she got was a pitiful 'squeak' from Digit, but Matt managed to pull himself up from the safety of the table.
"Jacks, don't do that to us. Especially to poor Inez." Matt huffed with his arms crossed while Inez rolled her eyes.
"I'm not made of melted glass, guys," Inez grinned weakly at her friends, "besides; it was funny… if it happened to someone else."
Flying out from under the table, Digit slapped his head, "Oi! I dunno about you, Earthlies, but I had enough of Hacker to last me a lifetime!" To that they all agreed.
Now that the whole group was together, they were able to carry on without abandon.
"Hey, look! It's the Three Little Pigs!"
"What's up, Mother B?" questioned Jackie hours later. Matt and Inez had just seen the last of the guests off and Digit was doing a speedy clean up after Widget turned in for the night, so Jackie decided to do some catching up with her favorite ruler of Cyberspace.
With a motherly smile, Mother Board replied, "Things have been... Swell, I suppose."
Tilting her head to the side, Jackie looked up to her longtime friend and mentor. "Suppose? Is there something wrong?
At that time, Matt and Inez wondered over to hear the conversation.
"What's the quandary? Is there something we could do?" inquired Inez, her brow furrowing in worry.
Mother Board sighed, "Maybe Doctor Marbles will be able to explain what has been happening." After calling for him, Marbles appeared out of the backroom carrying an armload of papers.
"For months we've been analyzing unusual anomalies coming from The Cobwebs of Space. And you know who is out there."
Smashing his fist into the palm of his left hand, Matt hissed, "Hacker!"
Grimly, Doctor Marbles nodded.
"Why didn't you tell us before?" probed Inez, "we could have investigated."
Marbles shook his head, "We weren't for certain. Hacker, as you know, was sent to The Cobwebs after his final defeat years ago. Unlike the Northern Frontier, The Cobwebs are completely dead sites that haven't been active for years. Or so we thought."
Pondering, Jackie started to pace, "The C.W.s are dead. This means Hacker has no ability recharge and without Buzz and Delete," her voice and step faltered, "he would have fallen into stasis lock. That's the whole reason we sent him out there, to send him into a coma so his reign of terror would be over." Coming to a complete stop in front of the Cyber squad, Jackie whispered, "Someone must have activated him…"
"But who," Inez wondered as she flipped onto her head, "who would help a tyrant? There's hardly a person in Cyberspace who haven't suffered because of Hacker." Waving her legs to keep upright… or upside down as the case maybe, Inez felt the blood rushing to her face, but she didn't stop. "Hacker usually tricks people into helping him. Wait! Didn't Wicked have a crush on Hacker?"
Matt walked over to Inez, flipping her back to her feet. "That's right. I guess weirdoes go together. Hey, Didge, any news on the Wicked Witch?"
Rubbing his wing across his beak, Digit nodded slightly, "Ya, a few months ago Wicked had a complaint about her wand being missing. We found it, but most of the power was drained."
"Hmmm, she must have used the wand to activate Hacker. That would explain why there's strange reading around the same time the wand went missing." Observed Inez, Matt agreed whole heartedly with her.
"Or maybe she didn't," suggested Jackie, "We shouldn't assume anything right now. You know how the old adage goes, assuming only makes an…"
"Jackie's right," droned Mother Board. "Until we have all the facts, we can only investigate and observe."
Displeasure was clearly written on Matt's face as he stared at Mother Board's screen, "But it's Wicked, guys! She's the only one with the means and reason to do it. Who else would?"
For a second the group stared at each other, their own thoughts swirling in the brains. Its true that Wicked is the only person in Cyberspace who would activate Hacker, Jackie thought, pacing the floor again, Except for… No, Buzz is gone and Delete... Exhaling slowing, Jackie looked back at Matt.
"Okay, she's the only one I can think of, but let's not haul her in right now. Let's consider her a suspect." Matt opened his mouth to protest but Inez quickly elbowed him in the stomach.
Rubbing her hands together, Jackie started to feel like she did back in the olden days. "Okay gang, let's get to work!"