Hello all, I'm here with another action-packed chapter for your explicit enjoyment. Well… actually there's not much action in this particular chapter… and, now that I think of it, I don't really think that I used the word "explicit" correctly. But who cares?

Now then, I know that this will a little inconvenient for you all, but this chapter ended up being pretty long so just grin and bear it.

Lan and Lee followed behind Chaud, who was calling for his car. Lan watched the subdued expression on Lee's face. He knew how he was feeling right now. There had been lots of times when Megaman was badly injured, but it always turned out alright in the end.

Lee remained silent the whole ride, staring at his glove. Cypher had gone into Stand-by for the time being, so the screen remained blank.

"We're here, Mr. Blaze," Chaud's driver reported, causing Lee to glance up.

He was amazed at where they were. "No way! Scilab?" He turned to Lan and Chaud. "But how?"

"My dad works here." Lan said, grinning. "C'mon."

"Chaud would've probably been able to get us in even he didn't." Lee observed, causing Lan's grin to disappear.

"He's got you there." Megaman chuckled.

"You stay out of this." Lan grumbled, leading the way inside.

Lan led the way throughout the facility, proudly pointing out each nuance. Lee took it all in, awestruck. Scilab was the most high-tech place he had ever seen. He was sure that if this place couldn't fix Cypher, no place could.

Finally, they arrived at Dr. Hikari's lab. Lan's dad was going over some data on a terminal, but he stopped when the three of them walked. "Why hello Lan! And Chaud too! But who's this?"

Lan introduced Lee to him. "Nice to meet you, Dr. Hikari." Lee said, shaking his hand.

Lan explained the situation. "Lee's navi took some hard hits, and we were wondering…"

Dr. Hikari stopped him right there. "Alright Lan, I get it. I'll help."

Chaud excused himself. "While you're doing that, I have some things I need to take care of."

"Of course." Dr. Hikari nodded, and turned back to Lee as Chaud walked out. "Why don't you bring your PET over here," he said, gesturing to the console he had been working at.

"Um, Dad…"

"Yes, Lan…"

"Lee's PET isn't your typical PET."

"How so?" Lee showed him. Dr. Hikari gave him an odd look for a second, and then began inspecting the device. "Well, this certainly isn't like anything I've seen before, but don't worry," he said to Lee, who had a disappointed look on his face, "we'll find a way to make it work."

Lee brightened up. "Thanks a lot," he said appreciatively.

"It's what we're here for." Dr. Hikari continued to look over the device while mumbling to himself about different steps he would need to take to accomplish this task.

Lan tapped Lee on the shoulder. "We should probably leave him alone so he can work." Lee nodded and looked back on last time before allowing Lan to lead him out of the room.

"I wonder what that look was about," Megaman wondered out loud.

"I just think it was about your PET type thing, Lee. But anyway, c'mon, there's more stuff to see around Scilab."

"Lan, you haven't showed him the you-know-what," Megaman remarked.

"The what? Oh, right! But can we, I mean…"

"Well, Chaud did say that…"

"Oh well, I guess it's all right then," Lan decided.

"Will you guys stop being so vague and take me to… whatever it is, please!" Lee burst out.

"Oh, sorry."

Lan took Lee down to the dimensional area generator and explained about the whole cross-fusion thing. "Oh, that's what Chaud was talking about," Lee remembered. "I wish I could do it."

Lan shrugged. "Maybe someday, though not very likely."

"Well anyway," Lee changed the subject, "how long do you think this is gonna take?"

Lan shrugged again. "Never can tell really."

Lee sat down. "Oh."

Lan spent the next couple hours giving demonstrations on cross-fusion to Lee, though, as Megaman observed, it was really just showing off. But that's like Lan, isn't it? Lee watched a little, but wasn't really paying attention. He spent most of the time thinking about how Cypher was doing.

After a while, Chaud walked into the room. "I thought I'd find you here."

Lee leapt up. "Is…"

"No, I didn't come here about that."

Lee sat back down again. "Oh."

"But I did come to talk to you."

"Really? 'Bout what?"

"If you'll come over here, I'll tell you."

Lee followed Chaud out into the hallway. "Well, Lee, as you know I was at the tournament today."

"Yea, I wonder how that went after Flashman left?"

"I'm sure they got it under control, but that's not important right now. I noticed that you have some exceptional talent."

"Well, I just enjoy Netbattling."

"Have you ever considered using that talent to help protect the Net?"

Lee gave him a look. "What are you getting at?"

"I feel, and Police Chief Keifer agrees, that you have what it takes to become a Net Saver."

Lan dashed up. "What'd I miss?"

"Chief Keifer said that Lee could be a Net Saver."

"But…"

Chaud shut him down immediately. "Lan, we've been over the reasons so I'm not going to discuss this again."

Megaman put in his opinion. "It'll be nice to have a new face on the team."

"But why me?" Lee asked. "I've never handled Net Crime before."

"But you're technique in handling your opponents, and also Flashman, who I'd say provided a convenient test…"

A little too convenient, Lee thought.

"…shows that you have the capability. Well, what do you say?"

Lan butted in again. "But he doesn't have a Synchro-chip!"

Chaud gave him a blank stare. "I'm sure that your father could easily remedy that." He turned back to Lee. "Well?"

Lee thought a moment. "Can I have more time to decide?"

"Of course."

"Thanks. And if you don't mind, I'd really like to go see how they're doing."

Chaud nodded and led the way back to Dr. Hikari's lab.

When they got there, Dr. Hikari was discussing something with Famous and another assistant. He noticed them come in. "Lee! You're just in time!"

"Really? Are you finished?"

Dr. Hikari nodded. "The recovery went well, thanks to Mr. Famous here."

Lee was sure that he heard Famous mutter under his breath: "Like father, like son."

"Well, can I see Cypher?"

"Um, well, no."

"Why not?"

Dr. Hikari shifted nervously. "Well, while we were working on him, I took the liberty of making a few modifications to your PET. I hope you don't mind but the type of device you had was perfect for a project we've been working on. My associates are finishing up installing it now. Really, it saved us the trouble of designing a device to install the program in and, well, considering what Chaud has told me, I thought it would be appropriate."

Lee was suddenly curious. "What kind of a project?"

Dr. Hikari was visibly excited as he related about his latest under-taking. "I'm sure that Lan has informed about cross-fusion by now. The device involves a smaller version of that. I call it the 'Cyber Glove'."

Lee began to share Dr. Hikari's excitement. "What does it do?"

"Well, you can load battlechips into the device and then use them yourself against viruses. Of course, it only works in a dimensional area. The advantage is that you can change chips during battle, enabling you to adapt more to the situation, whereas in complete cross-fusion you can only use chips that are preloaded. But the disadvantage is that, since you're aren't completely cross-fused, you can't take as much damage since you don't have any armor, and also, it only works with chips that are hand based, such as Swords, Cannons, Boomerangs, etc. Also, with the installation of this device, your PET got a makeover, so to speak."

Lee raised an eyebrow. "What kind of a makeover?"

Dr. Hikari turned to a scientist who had just walked in. "Why don't I just show you?" He held Lee's PET device, which was virtually unrecognizable. Over the normal black cloth, there was a large silver metal band, which covered from the edge of the arm all the way up to the wrist. Silver lining covered the topside of the fingers, forming an almost skeletal-like pattern around Cypher's symbol in the center of the hand.

Dr. Hikari showed Lee the new features. "First off, the laser light for jacking in has been moved from on the knuckles down to onto the center of the palm. Other than that, everything is virtually in the same place as it was before. This," he said pointing out a small tray to the right of the screen, "is where you place your battlechips. Simply lay the chip in the tray and it will automatically draw it in to download it."

"Cool!" Lee exclaimed. He was liking this makeover so far. "What's this button do?" he asked, pointing to a blue button centered directly under the screen. "I don't remember that being there before."

"Go ahead, press it." Dr. Hikari prompted. Lee did so causing several small compartments around the bottom edge to fold out. "Those are for storing battlechips." Dr. Hikari explained.

"Awesome, it's all-purpose! How do I get that Cyber Glove thing you talked about?"

"You just tell Cypher to activate Cyber Glove mode."

"Speaking of which…"

"Oh, sorry." Dr. Hikari hooked a cable to the device from the nearby console. "I just have to load Cypher's data back into the PET."

After a few moments and a few keys being tapped, the screen lit up and Cypher appeared. "Hey, you're OK!" Lee exclaimed.

"What'd you think I'd be?" Cypher said. "Nice place you got here, Doc."

Lee slipped the device onto his arm. "Thanks a lot, Dr. Hikari."

"No problem. I think we'll be seeing a lot more of each other as Chaud told me you were going to be a Net Saver."

"Wait a second!" Cypher said. "I'm out for a few hours and suddenly my Op gets a promotion? Why wasn't I asked? You know, I'd be the one doing the fighting and stuff."

Lee looked at him seriously. "You think I should turn it down?"

Cypher grinned. "Heck no, go for it man!"

"Well, Chaud, it looks like I'm in."

"Then welcome to the team, Agent Lee."

Everyone in the room turned, startled, to where Chief Keifer had walked in the door accompanied, as usual, by Manuela. Chaud moved over to him. "Sir, this is…"

Keifer waved a hand. "I know, Chaud."

He turned to face Lee, who was trying his best to look like an official Net Saver in front of the Police Chief. Cypher stifled a laugh at the sight of his partner standing up straight and stiff.

"Chief Keifer, sir, it is an honor to meet you."

Keifer raised an eyebrow. "That's not typical of you from what I've heard from Chaud."

Lee instantly loosened up. Cypher could no longer contain his laughter. "You've only just met the guy and already he's got you jumpin'!"

Chief Keifer winked at Lee before making what seemed a general statement but everyone knew it was directed toward Cypher. "We at the Net Police Department have special treatments for certain operatives who do not treat superior officers with the proper respect, such as referring to them as a 'guy'."

Cypher went into the stiff as starch routine. "Yes sir, Chief Keifer, sir!"

Lee smirked. "I'm the one jumping?"

Keifer smiled. "That's much better. Now, down to business, Chaud has already informed you of the offer, you have already accepted, and Dr. Hikari has already outfitted your PET with the Cyber Glove device, which just leaves three things."

"Which would be?" Lee just had to say it.

"One, your formal acceptance in front of me. Do you wish to become a Net Saver and defend the Net from evil doers and the like?"

"I do, sir."

"Excellent. Which brings me to number two: this." He handed Lee a data disk. "This is your Net Saver badge program."

Lee took it and loaded it into his PET through the newly installed tray. He watched as it slid in automatically as he laid the disk in it. "I just love that feature! What's number three?"

"Report to the dimensional area generator facility to began your training on the Cyber Glove. That's your first official order as a Net Saver."

Lee grinned. "With pleasure, sir."

Lee semi-remembered the way back to the dimensional area generator but he was sure that it would soon be a very familiar path. Everyone following him made him excited, but also very nervous, a rare feeling for him. Cypher sensed this. "Just relax. It's just like any tournament you've ever been to, 'cept you're the one doing the battling. I get to sit back and relax for once."

"Thanks a lot." Lee said sarcastically, but he knew Cypher was right. With the Cyber Glove, the pressure was all on him.

How was that? You all know that I really appreciate your reviews, but now I appreciate them more than ever 'cause next chapter is the last! Last chance to get those survey answers in. Remember, post your favorite Style Change and/or Double Soul and I'll post the results next time… So what are you all just sitting there for! Review already!