In Lyoko
Aelita was in the tower trying to shut it down. The rest of them were busy fighting the other creatures. Verdana and X.A.N.A./Jordan were locked in a life or death struggle. This time there was no escape. Aelita subconsciously chewed on her bottom lip as she debated what to do. All at once, she laughed. It was so simple. She wiped her hand and replaced it. Verdana, however, was getting no bright ideas. She was nearing the edge with every step and she knew that she would get no reprieve from this encounter. "Tower deactivated" Aelita said with relief. "Return to the past, now!" Jeremy replied. Verdana was slipping off the edge, when the tower was deactivated and they returned to the past.
At Kadic
"Thanks guys, I thought I was a goner. I was almost dead." Verdana was thanking her friends for the stunning rescue they had pulled off. She gave an involuntary shudder as she thought about how close she had been to the void. But while it answered many of her questions, it opened up so many more. For instance, what was X.A.N.A.'s big plan. She hadn't gotten that out of him although that was what she tried to do. As she laughed with her friends over the course of several uneventful days, part of her mind was elsewhere. She was thinking about the first time she laid eyes on another world, and the destruction wrought everywhere within her sight. -- I really let myself go. I hope that doesn't happen again. I made a vow never to lose control again, and I meant it.-- she thought as the memory consumed her.
Flash back
I was in the first stages of my search. I remember clearly the moment I stepped out of the portal. It was pouring and there was fire everywhere. I saw people screaming as the destructive force over took their world. I could sympathize with them, but I could do nothing to help them at the moment. I was only searching for my virus. One part of me said that I should leave and continue my search, but the other said that I should help the poor people. I was literally ripped in half. All at once there were two of me. The copy was the restraints of my programming, but she had no soul and was dead. Me, I was free to do as I pleased. I tried to help the people, but all I did was to destroy their world even more. I sought out the destructive force with every intent to destroy it. When I found it, I was amazed. It was the antivirus they had used to protect their world from viruses. It was ironic that their protector became their destroyer. They had expected a threat from without, but the true threat came from within. I stood staring for quite a while. It was a weak antivirus, much less of a protector than me, but I could not bring myself to destroy it. When it noticed me, it tried to destroy me. I remember the look on its face, it didn't want to, but it was forced to. I raised my hands in defense, but instead fired an energy ball at it. I watched it shrivel up and something cracked inside me. I raised my hands once more, this time in desperation of the horrible act I had done. An energy ball flew once more from it. In my anguish I had created a sort of energy wave that surrounded, but did not harm, me. It flew outward, destroying the very people I had tried to protect. I went back to the portal, careful not to use my hands for anything. Being stripped of my programming gave me new and very strong powers. I did not like the feeling they gave me though. I tried to pull my other half back into me, but I couldn't. We had separated and there was no hope of fitting back together. I cried to myself, there was no one left to hear my sobs. I had become what the other antivirus had been, a program with no rules that couldn't help itself. I decided to find X.A.N.A. and take out my anger on him. After all, he was the reason I had come here. But, now that I think back on it, it might have been the system I had been in. There might have been something else there that destroys anti-viruses. I'll never know, though. The moment I went through the portal again, I could never go back.
End Flashback
The memory was with her always and at times threatened to consume her. Her friends noticed that her laughter became empty and she was wasting away. There wasn't much they could do for her, except leave her in peace. Day after day, she worked single-mindedly on her laptop. Nobody knew what she was writing, but they understood that it was important. She walked from class to class in a daze. Nights with no sleep had taken their toll. She became a walking dead person. In a desperate attempt to cheer her up, the gang recommended that they make a fun visit to Lyoko. She looked surprised, but agreed to meet them there.
In the factory
"Sorry I'm late, got held up by Jim." Verdana said as she walked in. She was looking better now and was returning to her old self. They decided that Verdana, Yumi, and Aelita would go. There was no sign of X.A.N.A. or Jordan.
In Lyoko
The three of them were running an obstacle course created by Aelita. When they reached the end, they were wiped out. They sat resting. "Does Jeremy have any idea about X.A.N.A.'s plan?" asked Verdana. Aelita and Yumi shook their heads. "I had an idea while we were running. Why don't we bring Jordan into the gang with us." There was a shocked silence. "Haven't you ever heard that one saying: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer? By doing that, Jordan can tell us what he knows about the plan. And if he gets possessed by X.A.N.A., we can subdue him." "That's a great idea" Aelita said, "but we'll have to clear it with the rest of the team." With that, they set of back across the obstacle course.
Back in the real world
"…and we had a great idea. If we bring Jordan into the group, it will be easier to monitor him." The boys stared at each other. Ulrich began slowly, "Well, I could probably get him to meet us here." "And I could get Sissy away from him long enough for you to get away!" Odd shouted getting into the spirit. They all looked expectantly at Jeremy, as he would have the final say. "I don't know. I think…"