Activation!
By StarWulf.EXE
Chapter 8: Infection
Chris and Lan had been resting on a bench when the other four Net Savers arrived.
"Whoa! Lan actually got up early!" Pride exclaimed, almost dropping the bagel she was eating.
"It's the end of the world!" Dan exclaimed jokingly.
"Very funny!" Lan said, giving Dan a friendly punch to the stomach.
"What's your cousin doing here?" asked Chaud, pulling out his PET. "This is supposed to be a restricted area." he said, ready to call security.
Before Chaud could alert the guards, Famous intervened.
"Chris is the newest Dentech Net Saver." he announced. "But that's not the reason why I called you all here."
Famous walked over to the main control panel. He pressed a small button and the large display screen in the back of the room sprung to life. It showed pictures of commercial PErsonal Terminals, each with a commercial Navi. However, something was odd about the pictures. In the bottom left corner of the PET screen, there was a small circular icon. It was completely black except for a large red "F" in the middle. The group jacked their Navis into the SciLab display system network so they could see as well.
Famous cleared his throat. "Early this morning at around 4:00 AM, a malicious virus named "Fragment" was released into Cyberworld. It broke past and destroyed all known forms of security. It also infected every PET with a Navi logged into the net. The infections stopped at around 6:00 AM. So far, the virus has done nothing more than sit in the PET. The strange thing is we can't delete it."
The display screen started playing a video clip of seven security Navis attacking one of the strange icons. Their shots just reflected back and flew off into oblivion. The Navis, realizing their weapons had no affect, logged out.
The Net Saver chief turned back to the group. "One of the security systems that were destroyed belonged to the bank."
Famous reached into his pocket and pulled out a CD-ROM. He handed it to Laika.
"I need you all to take this down to the Dentech bank. This recovery disk should fix the system. Now, get moving. There could be a cyber attack any minute."
The group logged their Navis out and exited the room, leaving Famous to finish up his coffee. He walked over to his computer and sat down in a chair. The chief cracked his knuckles and opened up the SciLab Virus Vaccine Database.
"Better get working on that antivirus-"
Famous almost fell out of his chair. A warning window was waiting in the corner of his computer screen. It read: "Fragment virus alert! Second wave detected!"
"Oh shit."
- - -
A half hour later, the Net Savers arrived at the Dentech City bank. The automatic glass doors slid open as they walked inside. Laika walked over to one of the tellers.
"We're here to about the security system." he said, pulling out the disk from his jacket.
The teller got up and shook each of their hands.
"My name is Mrs. Kairi Utada. Thank you for coming on such short notice. We've had to disconnect are bank from the network ever since those viruses came. It's just been awful!"
Mrs. Utada led the teenagers past a set of heavy steel doors, already opened.
"Even the door scanners aren't working." she said.
They where now in the bank's security center. Giant black servers containing precious data loomed over them. Every computer in the room was switched off except for one. It was sitting in middle of the security center, a beacon of light in the sea of black computer screens.
"This is the only computer here that's working." said Mrs. Utada.
The Net Savers walked over to the computer and jacked in their Navis. Kairi left the room, not wanting to get in the way.
"Well, this mission was a rip-off. We didn't even get to battle some evil villain!" Lan exclaimed, crossing his arms.
"You know, being a Net Saver is more than just fighting." said Chaud, secretly wishing that someone would challenge him to a Net Battle.
"It's about preserving the peace in the real world, and Cyberworld." Laika said.
That was the last straw for Lan.
"Jeez! You and Chaud are just lifeless zombies! Laugh! Cry! Do something! Just bend the rules for once!"
- - -
Chris, Dan, and Pride had silently slipped out of the room before the argument started. Wulf, Chaos, and KnightMan returned to their PETs as well.
"Hopefully, they'll settle this before we leave. I don't wanna hear it on the way back to SciLab." Dan said, looking around for a vending machine.
"Don't worry. Knowing Lan, he'll just challenge Chaud and Laika to a Net Battle. The only fighting that will go on will be in the Internet." said Chris.
"Good." Pride said, breathing a sigh of relief.
Alert! Alert! Unauthorized entrance in main vault! Alert! Alert!
The hallway turned a bright red as the emergency security system kicked back in. Klaxons whirred and warning lights flashed.
"Looks like they brought some of the security back online." Pride said, already heading for the vault.
"Wait for us!" Chris and Dan yelled.
- - -
The three Net Savers slowly crept into the vault. Bits and pieces of twisted metal littered the floor.
"Looks like the crook is still here." whispered Dan. "Look."
An oddly-dressed figure was hunched over a small server. Hearing Dan's voice, it quickly turned around. What the group saw shocked them to the core.
Chris rubbed his eyes, making sure he wasn't hallucinating "Is that…?"
Dan gulped. "A Navi…In the real world?"
Pride glanced at her PET. "And there isn't a dimensional area."