"…that's a good idea, but we'll have to make some modifications on the factory. Hide everything we don't want X.A.N.A. to see. He'll have access to Jordan's memory, so be careful what you say and do." Jeremy finished. The others nodded in agreement, that was exactly what needed to be done. Verdana and Yumi offered to clean up in the factory, while Jeremy and Aelita set about programming a virtual self for Jordan, one that would look better than the X.A.N.A. version. Ulrich and Odd went about they tasks they said they would.
At Kadic
"Sissy, your hair is totally messed up!" Odd called from behind a tree. Sissy turned, glanced around, and pulled out a pocket mirror. She gave a little scream and raced off to her room, closely followed by her cronies. Odd gave a little laugh, all this was courtesy of him. Jordan had remained where he was, and Ulrich walked over. Jordan nodded and they left.
Back at the factory
"I wonder what is taking them so long. We've cleaned the whole place and they still haven't come back. What did they do, stop for ice cream?" Yumi asked the others. "I agree. It definitely does not take this long to get here. I wonder if they were caught by Jim or something like that?" Verdana added. "They may have run into trouble at the school, I'll check for activated towers." Jeremy said trying to allay their fears. "I'll help, I need something to do." Aelita said. The two of them wandered over to the computer. Verdana shrugged. "I don't think that there will be an activated tower, but it could be something else. Like, maybe Sissy saw them and followed. It's possible you know. Anything can happen-dumb people can get smarter. Besides, I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation, there's no reason to assume a tower is activated." she said, trying to break the awkward silence. It seems that there was no reason to worry because at that moment, the others walked in. "Sorry, we're late. Sissy got a little worried when Jordan didn't follow her. We tried everything we could to shake her, but it didn't do anything. She followed us up until we went to the park. Then she got bored and left." Ulrich explained. The four that had been there looked over to Verdana who gave a small shrug. "Honestly, the way Sissy hangs onto you is amazing. I mean, she went totally crazy when she couldn't find you." Odd laughed as he told Jordan. Jordan smiled and said, "That is so true. I wish she would leave me alone sometimes, but she hangs on me every second. I don't want to stay with her, but X.A.N.A. thinks she is a good source of information. He makes me stay and smile. I have to admit, this is so strange. I thought you didn't trust me?" He posed the question to the whole group. "We figured you could help us and X.A.N.A would have less control over you. If you helped us, we could find a way to set you free. Also, if we know X.A.N.A.'s plan, we can stop it and prevent whatever it is. This way, you're free of Sissy, too." Verdana replied smoothly. "Do you want to go visit Lyoko without being possessed by X.A.N.A.?" Aelita asked in a sweet voice. Jordan looked so like a little kid when his eyes lit up. "Really, do you mean it?" He asked excitedly. "Do you want to see your virtual form?" Yumi asked. He nodded and followed her over to the computer. "I hate how I look when X.A.N.A. takes me over. It's like something from ancient times. He has no sense of taste at all." Verdana laughed, "X.A.N.A. is color blind. He loves the color red, but to him it looks like black. As for his fashion sense, I have no idea where he got that idea from. He really isn't that old. In your years, he's about 10." All of the gang turned and looked at her. "I'm only about 8 in your years, so it really isn't that big of a deal. Jordan, you ready?" Jordan nodded and followed her to the scanners.
In Lyoko
"This is so awesome! I can finally see Lyoko with my own eyes. And I can see what I want to without having to look where he wanted me to." Jordan looked like a little kid on Christmas morning. His face had a smile too big for it and he was jumping up and down. "Look at me, free as can be!" he shouted as he jumped around her. Verdana watched him with a small smile on her face. "Do you want to be free forever?" she whispered to herself. "Of course you do, who wouldn't?" she answered her own question in the same low voice. As she watched him, it was hard to hold back the tears. The lump in her throat would not go away, even as she gave him an encouraging smile and turned away. Verdana gave a small sigh and turned back to him. Jordan was still bouncing around, but he wasn't going as high as before. It was obvious that he was getting tired, so she suggested that they find a place to try out his new weapons. "I have weapons! Totally awesome! The only thing I had before was a sword, and that wasn't even mine." They set off for the forest sector. On the way, Verdana explained what each of his new weapons did. "…and this one fires bits of flame when you want it to. This staff is much more than it seems. It is actually an indestructible metalloid that will slice through anything it touches. Here's your sling shot that can fire an energy ball."
She set up a few targets for each type of weapon. The easiest to make were the staff ones, so she started with those. While he was busy slicing them into ten pieces with one move, like she showed him how, she was busy with the slingshot targets. Once she finished those, she began on the disk ones. And finally, she made the rod targets. The rod was a short, tapered stick that fired flames and other things out the pointy end. Jordan had finally finished the disk targets, and approached the rod ones. He pulled out the rod and looked at it uncertainly. "What does this do again?" Jordan asked. Verdana smiled and took it from him. "You aim with the pointy end facing outward. Then you push this button and it fires flame or other projectiles. I can't show you because it only works with your genetic code. That means that X.A.N.A., in possession of you, can't use it either." She handed him back the rod. He aimed for the first target. He pushed the button and the flame went over it. Verdana smiled again and showed him the best way to aim. He hit the next target straight on. Verdana stepped off to the side and watched his progress. "Maybe I can help you guys next time there is an attack. That is if I'm not possessed by X.A.N.A." He added noticing the look in her face. "I understand that you don't trust me, but I want to help. I wish there was some way to be free of his control." --I want to tell him, but I don't know if it will work and I don't want to get his hopes up-- Verdana thought as she put a comforting arm around him. "Jeremy, I think its time to go back to the real world." She said in a motherly way.
In the Factory
"Wow! It's late. We've got to get back to Kadic. Yumi already went home and I bet Jim is looking for us." Jeremy said as he looked at his watch. The others nodded in agreement. "One thing puzzles me, why didn't X.A.N.A. take the opportunity to attack us?" Jordan raised an important question that Verdana had the answer to. "He didn't want to injure his body. He wouldn't risk that even if it meant getting me." "Well, why didn't he posses me then?" Jordan was still curious. Verdana sighed and answered him, "He can only posses you in the real world. When he possesses you in Lyoko, he had to have possessed you when you entered the scanner. He didn't do it this time because he still believes that we have information that we might disclose to you." She answered the next question before it had left Jordan's mouth. He thought for a second, but was unable to come up with another question. He sighed and followed the rest of the group back to school.