Activation!
By StarWulf.EXE
Chapter 7: Mad Dash
"Ugh…My head."
Chris sat up in the Medical Bay bed.
"Be careful. You got drained pretty badly."
Dr. Hakari was sitting in a chair next to the bed. Chris rubbed his eyes.
"Uncle Yuichiro, how long have I been out?"
"About five days. Using that SyncroChip really took a lot out of you." Dr. Hakari said, standing up.
Chris looked confused.
"What SyncroChip? I just put that BattleChip in my PET and…"
Chris jumped out of bed and franticly looked around the room.
"Wulf! What happened to Wulf?" Chris shouted.
"Don't worry. He's in the lab right now being repaired along with your PET." Dr. Hakari reassured.
Chris sat down on the end of the mattress and took a deep breath. He looked back up at his uncle.
"So what happened back there?"
Dr. Hakari sat back down in his chair.
"After the medics took you and others to the SciLab Medical Bay, Famous and I checked the security cameras. A Darkloid by the name of ShadeMan broke into SciLab using a dimensional area. A dimensional area is a place where the cyberworld and the real world fuse. In an attempt to stop him, Lan and the others used a special kind of BattleChip, called a SyncroChip, which lets them fuse with their Navis. Only a select few are allowed to use SyncroChips. The SyncroChips contain power that we only begun to explore. Your father has been creating a new type of SyncroChip, codenamed 'Spirit Harmony', that lets a NetOp and Navi completely merge to become a whole new being. That box you brought over from Star City contained the experimental SyncroChips. When you used one of those chips, you merged with Wulf. Being experimental, the chips weren't ready to be used by humans. It completely drained your energy as well as Wulf's. The next attack you launched would have killed you."
Chris started in disbelief. Had he really fused with Wulf? Just then, Famous walked into the room.
"Looks like our guest is awake." he said, pulling up a chair to the bed. "I'm Famous, the new chief of the Net Savers. The old chief, Kifune, retired last month."
Famous reached into his lab coat, pulling out Chris's PET.
"The identity of the Dentech Net Savers needs to remain a secret. You have two options here. You can go back to Star City and pretend like this never happen or you can join the Net Saver team. You've already proven to be a powerful Net Battler plus you and Wulf where able to Cross Fuse."
Chris smiled. "I'll join the team!"
"All right then." said Famous as he handed over Chris's PET. He got up and left the room. Dr. Hakari turned back to Chris.
"There's a cab waiting outside. Why don't you go home a get some rest?"
"Good idea." Chris said, gathering up stuff. He attached his PET case back to his belt and slid his BattleChips into their pouch. "See you at dinner." He said, grabbed his PET and walked out the door.
- - -
As Chris got into the car, he flipped open his PErsonal Terminal. He pressed the power switch. The PET beeped twice, signaling it was turning on. Instead of the usual 'startup' mode, the display was black. The words 'Restoring Net Navi Data' flashed repeatedly on the screen. Chris decided to check up on Wulf's revival status. He scrolled through the system information till he came upon the restoration program.
"Doesn't look like we'll be on the Net anytime soon." Chris said to his PET.
The restoration completion time was eight hours away. He strapped the PET back in its case and looked out the window. The setting sun turned the sky a fiery red, a few clouds floating overhead. It was hard to imagine that there was a terrible plot being committed in such a quiet little town.
- - -
"Chris, Famous just called! You need to get moving!"
Chris climbed down from the bunk bed and hastily put on his clothes. He ran over to check his PET. He turned it on, eager to see the face of his friend. The main screen popped up and the outline of a Navi materialized on display.
Navi Restoration Complete. Launching Main Page.
Wulf finally came into view, his eyes slightly squinting before he opened them.
"Welcome back!" Chris cried, snatching his PET off the docking station. He put on his backpack and dashed downstairs.
"Hi Chris, what's the rush?" Wulf asked, totally confused.
Chris told him about ShadeMan, the SyncroChip, and about them joining the Net Savers. As they rushed outside, they saw Lan snapping on his skates.
"I see you made it to the team, good job. Famous called and we need to get to SciLab right away." he said, putting on his headband. Chris grabbed his bike
The two cousins sped off towards Metroline station, dodging the early morning traffic.
"Damn rush-hour!" Chris shouted as he swerved to avoid being hit by a truck.
"I got an idea!" Lan called out, nearly hitting another skater. "Do you have your laptop in your backpack?"
"Yea, why?"
"Take it out!"
Easier said than done. Chris had to steer his bike while rummaging through his backpack.
"Found it!"
Lan pulled out his PET and took aim.
"Jack in, MegaMan! Power up!"
The familiar infrared light shot out of the PET and hit the laptop's sensor.
Deep within the computer's hard drive, a beam of light dropped MegaMan off.
Lan's voice echoed in the deserted system. "MegaMan, find an Internet link and use it to find the traffic light mainframe."
"Will do!" MegaMan shouted back.
The blue Navi headed towards the glowing floor portal ahead of him.
"MegaMan, watch out!" Lan called out from the real world.
Four Swordy viruses had come out of the portal, ready to cause havoc.
MegaMan's hand transformed into a gun. "I got um'!"
The Blue Bomber raised his weapon, ready to perform his signature attack.
"Mega Buster!"
Four energy balls rocketed out of the gun, soaring through the air before crashing down on the viruses. They fell over in agony before exploding in a cloud of computer code. Ignoring the BattleChip data the Swordies left behind, MegaMan ran up to the portal. He brought up the hyperlink window, replacing it with the address of the traffic light mainframe. The window closed and MegaMan stepped into the portal, disappearing in a column of light.
A few moments later, MegaMan arrived at mainframe. He quickly walked over to one of the programs who were controlling the traffic lights.
"I need you to change all of the lights to red." MegaMan ordered.
The program frowned. "But that would cause mass confusion! I can't just change the lights every time a Navi comes and asks."
"This is important Net Saver business!" yelled the blue Navi, bringing up his badge.
The program nodded slightly as he stopped the traffic.
"Good work Mega!" Lan shouted, pressing his icon on the PET.
MegaMan returned to Lan's PET while Chris slid his laptop back in his backpack. All traffic lights around them had turned red, giving them a chance to reach the Metroline without having to dodge cars.
"I can't believe you wanted me to stop traffic just because you two are late. Next time, wake up earlier!" MegaMan scolded.
- - -
A few minutes later, Chris and Lan arrived at the Metroline. Chris jacked Wulf into the cashier to pay for their tickets while Lan checked when the next train would leave.
"If we get on the next train, we can get to SciLab in two minutes." said Lan, turning around from the information booth.
"Gotta love these slow trains." Chris said, sitting down on a bench.
"At least they aren't like those old ones at the museum. They barely went 100 mph."
The intercom system in the underground building sprung to life. "Train 348, Dentech to SciLab, now boarding."
The two teens squeezed past the metallic train doors as they closed behind them. Within seconds, the train was traveling down the tracks at unbelievable speeds. Lan and Chris each sat down, relieved that they would arrive on time. They passed the time by Net Battling on the train's navigational computer. Surprisingly, Chris won.
"Train 348 has reached its destination. Please remain seated till the doors open."
That didn't stop the duo from scrambling to the exit to make sure they got off first. Soon enough, the doors opened. Lan and Chris bolted for the stairs leading up to the front of SciLab, knocking over a trashcan.
"Sorry!" they both called back to the security guard.
Cursing under his breath and clenching his fist, the guard radioed the janitors.
- - -
The receptionist working at the information booth smiled as two teenagers ran inside
"Welcome to Sc-"
The woman didn't have time to finish her sentence; the boys had taken off up the stairs.
- - -
"Sorry we're late." Lan and Chris said in unison as they entered the now-repaired Mission Control room.
Instead of the disapproving glares that they both expected, the room was completely empty.
"Where is everyone?" Chris asked, walking into the center.
Lan shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe they're in another room."
The doors behind them creaked as they slid open. Famous, sipping a cup a coffee, walked into the room.
"Lan? Chris? What are you doing here? The briefing isn't for another hour." he said, sitting down in an overstuffed office chair.
"But you called and said that we needed to meet you here now!" Chris exclaimed.
"Oh, I gave the wrong meeting time. I emailed everyone, telling them not to come until later. Didn't you get it?"
At that exact moment, Chris's and Lan's PETs started to rapidly beep. The mail had finally arrived.
- - -
"Has our little project finished downloading?"
"Yes, my master. The Fragment program has already been installed on over a thousand PETs and computers."
"Prefect. Soon, the humans shall bring upon their own demise!"