Disclaimer: I do not own Code Lyoko. Code Lyoko is the property of Moonscoop/Antefilms. Please do not sue me.

I would like to thank Trillinka for looking over this chapter (as well as the first two) and helping with all the technicalities I would otherwise have missed. Trillinka is an awesome author, and her story Behind Closed Hearts is a real masterpiece. I owe her my utmost gratitude.

"INTO THE EYE OF THE STORM"
Chapter 3: Unusual Developments
Point of View: Ulrich

I stare out of the car window, stubbornly ignoring my boss. He just heaves a sigh and pulls away from the hotel.

"We need to get back to the office. Information Services will probably have some leads for us to check out soon. You had better drop that attitude of yours, especially when the big boss gets back from Beirut tonight."

Oh brother, the big boss, Dietrich. He might be Helmuth's older brother, and even though I get along well with Helmuth, his brother frightens me like nobody else. I have heard from my colleagues that he specializes in dealing with the 'enemies of the Federal Republic of Germany.' And, from what I have seen on the news channels, these 'enemies' never seem to stay around too long - they always turn up dead in some obscure country in Eastern Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East. For me, that is sufficient justification to find him intimidating.

The piece of paper Aelita gave me is by now crumpled up in my hand. I put it in my coat pocket and take a deep breath, trying to relax.

As I shut my eyes and try to let go of everything, I can hear Helmuth talking on his cell phone.

"Werner, what are you doing right now? ... All right, listen, I need you to take your car to the Hilton in the city. You need to keep an eye out for two people: Jeremie and Aelita Belpois. Get their profiles quick from Information Services. Also, get Technical Surveillance find out which room they are staying in and have all incoming and outgoing calls tracked. They might use their cell phones so have those tracked too. Keep them shadowed until I say otherwise. Do not let anyone see you. All right? ... No, they are not hostiles, but keep your head down. That is all." He hangs up.

"Helmuth, what the hell do you think you're doing?" I ask.

"Don't you find it just a little suspicious that we come across two known French intelligence operatives in a dark alley who look like they were about to be either kidnapped or interrogated by a three thugs who make a run for it as soon as we show up? What are they doing on vacation in Munich, anyway? Remember, the BND is trying to track down some missing hardware that was originally stolen from the French. If the French sent some people over here to recover this computer themselves, or even to look over our shoulders, there is gonna be hell. Do not let your friendship with them cloud your judgment, Ulrich."

"Hey, my friendships are none of your concern! Mind your own business!"

"All right, all right. I was just trying to explain the situation to you. There is no reason to hate me for it. Just please focus on the task at hand."

I do not respond to his attempt at reconciliation. I just want to be alone. As I close my eyes, trying to let off some steam, my cell phone suddenly rings.

"Hello? ... Who is this? ... Jeremie? What is going on? ... That is really strange, is anyone following you? ... All right, I will ask Helmuth to send someone over there now. You guys can stay at my place ... No problem, I will look into what happened. Um, are Yumi and Hiroki with you now? ... Uh, th-thanks. Um, I will talk to her later. Bye."

Helmuth glances over at me with eyebrows raised. I decide to clarify the situation for him.

"Something really strange just happened at the hotel. Jeremie said he and Aelita walked into the lobby, and Yumi and Hiroki were there, fuming about how they could not get into their room. Jeremie and Aelita tried too, but none of their keys worked. And then the hotel front desk said that they had no record of them staying there, or even having a reservation or anything. Uh, I was wondering if it would be okay for Werner to pick them up and bring them to my place. They do not really have anywhere to stay for now, and all their luggage is gone too."

Helmuth's brow furrows in confusion. "That is really, really strange. I am telling you, they are in Munich for something, and they are not telling us the whole story, and now someone is onto them. And you want them to stay at your place?" He looks at me suspiciously.

"Well, uh, we can keep an eye on them better if they are at my apartment," I sputter in an attempt to justify my actions.

"Hmm, that is true. All right, I will call Werner and let him know of the change in plans. I am gonna go back to headquarters and get this operation underway, and you are gonna go back to your apartment and baby-sit your friends. It is not hard to tell that your mind is not exactly on the job right now. When you get there, send Werner back to headquarters. Got it?"

"Yeah."

Helmuth nods in acknowledgment, and he accelerates, the M5 speeding off into the night...

---one hour later---

I swing my Audi into the parking lot of the apartment complex and pull into my spot, right next to another A6 with its driver-side window rolled down. I can see Werner smoking a cigarette in the driver's seat. Stepping out of my car, my breath becomes steam, and a chilly breeze ruffles my hair. The thin layer of snow crunching under my feet, I walk over to Werner's car. His stocky complexion is alert, his short blonde hair shines with hair gel, and he's sporting a slick business suit.

"Hey Ulrich, they are waiting inside. Did the boss have any other instructions for me, or am I free for the rest of the night?"

"You ain't done yet; he wants you back at headquarters," I answer.

He scoffs. "Since when did we become a taxi service?"

"Got a date, Werner? The big boss is coming back tonight from Beirut. Sucks for you."

"Ugh... Dietrich, the one and only? I guess I better call my friend and let her know tonight won't work."

"Haha, I think Dietrich will appreciate your attention to appearance, though."

"Shut up, Ulrich. At least you get babysitting duty. One of them is this Japanese chick. She is really cute, but she seems kinda shy. You should have fun keeping her entertained, getting to know her..."

I can feel my cheeks starting to burn up. I start wringing my hands, and I blink my eyes several times.

"I know who you are talking about. She is my girlfriend, Werner."

His facial expression changes quickly, first to one of utter surprise, then to one of utter glee. He starts smirking uncontrollably.

"So that is why you get babysitting duty. Bye, Ulrich." He says the last sentence with a cheesy seductive tone. Rolling up his window, he starts his car and pulls away. If he had stuck around, I probably would have given him a good beating.

Standing out there in the snow, I try to pull myself together. After a few minutes, I walk through the entrance of the apartment building. Looking over to the lounge area, my heart almost stops.

Sitting on one of the sofas is the one person who means the world to me; sitting there, right before my eyes, is Yumi. Aelita sits by her side, holding her hand and talking to her in earnest. Yumi turns in my direction, and her eyes widen. Aelita, as well as Jeremie and Hiroki, who are sitting nearby, take notice and look in my direction too. I am frozen to the spot, as all four of them stare at me. Aelita whispers something to Yumi, and gives her a slight push. Yumi gets up, still staring at me. Slowly, she walks toward me. I stand absolutely still, watching her. She has not changed much - she still has short hair, and the same all-black attire. Just as she enters the main lobby area, she breaks into a run, the sound of her heels reverberating through the lofty atrium. At the last possible moment, I brace myself and catch her in my arms.

Her momentum almost throws me to the ground, but I manage to stay standing. She has me trapped in an iron grip, her hands wrinkling up the back of my coat. Pulling back, she looks into my eyes.

"I am so sorry Ulrich, I had no idea! Aelita told me everything. Why didn't you just call me? You know I do not mind getting a call from you, no matter how late it is! And both your cell and work phone numbers do not work! You have no idea how frustrated I was!"

I take a deep breath before responding. "I was so depressed, not hearing from you in such a long time. I thought you just did not want to be with me any more, and I was afraid that you had stopped keeping in touch to just be nice about it and not tell it to me personally. So...are we okay now?"

She smiles and catches me in a kiss - short and sweet. After that, we just stand there in each other's arms and stare at each other smiling. For me, things could not have been better. (Aelita must have really said something right, for Yumi to go back to her old self again!) After what seems like hours of just standing there, Hiroki pipes up.

"Hey, Yumi, tell your boyfriend we certainly have all day to sit around the lobby!"

At this point, Yumi lets go of me and turns around. "Hiroki, be quiet! If you are not happy then go outside or something!"

I snicker at Yumi's display of her more hot-headed side before returning to the matters at hand. "Uh, why don't we all go up to my apartment? It is getting kind of late."

"Very good plan there, Ulrich." Jeremie's voice carries a slight tint of sarcasm.

Looking around, I can see that the lobby is empty except for us. I just grin sheepishly and look at the four people now standing before me.

With a nod of my head, I lead my four friends to my apartment.

I hope everybody enjoyed this chapter. If I'm lucky, I'll have the next chapter finished by the end of this month, but that might be a little optimistic.

Please leave a review and tell me what you think of it so far!