Friday was business as usual across the tidy expanse of Nickelodeon Studios. Stars of the network's multiple animated series relaxed in the cafeteria, their week of shooting done. Each was looking forward to their well-deserved weekend, especially the young heroes; robot XJ9, half-ghost Danny Fenton, and mystical warrior Aang. By established custom, they were gathered at a corner table, swapping stories and planning for the two days of recreation.
Aang had just started his explanation of the concept of inner harmony when the intercom buzzed. A tinny, disjointed voice issued forth.
"Helllllloooo, everybody! This is..." A long pause followed, the occupants of the cafeteria waiting in confused silence.
"Oh yeah, this is Nick Nicholsen! I am President-Man of Nickelodeon. I looooves all the Nick. Loves! We…I…they have a special announcement! I!"
The characters looked at each other. They had never heard of Nick Nicholsen, nor had they been under the impression that their studio was run by a total moron.
"Special news…Here it is! Jenny Wakeman! Danny Fenton! Aang...guh! You're canceled! Bye-bye!"
The cafeteria remained in silence for a full minute.
"What?" all three heroes exclaimed as one.
"That doesn't make any sense!" Jenny pleaded at the ceiling.
"That's total crap!" Danny yelled, shaking his fist.
It was Aang who made the most powerful reply. He simply sighed, got up from the table, and walked out the door before anyone else could react. The room fell into silence once more.
Once outside, Aang looked up and down the sidewalk, which stretched off to the horizons, devoid of people. The Avatar sat down on the curb, resting his arms across his knees, and his head on his arms. His eyes, usually wide and bright, were drooped close to being shut, but he held no expression on his face. Overhead, the Central Broadcasting dish loomed like a mammoth cloud. It was from there that all of Nickelodeon's shows were beamed to satellites and televisions around the world; it might as well have been the heart and brain of the network itself. But Aang wasn't paying any attention to it. So, this was where being a hero had led him; into oblivion, syndication. A burning death at the hands of Admiral Zhao might have been a less painful experience.
When Danny and Jenny walked into the early evening air, he barely noticed them.
"Aang?" Jenny began. Aang didn't stir, and Danny seemed to be just as speechless.
"Aang, I'm sure this is all a mistake. The network wouldn't just cancel without letting us know ahead of time." The android girl's words sounded sensible, even logical. "We just need to go and talk with Mister…Nicholsen. By morning, this'll all be smoothed out."
"Don't lie."
Aang hadn't even turned around, hadn't raised his voice, but the accusation split the air like a whip.
"You know it's not a mistake. They can throw us out whenever they want to."
"Well, I know, but that doesn't mean-"
Aang jumped to his feet, fists clenched. His face was pinched down, just on the verge of crying.
"I know what it means, Jenny! It means we're done! Over!" Whirling down the sidewalk, he took off running. The two made no move to follow him.
Jenny set her hands on her hips, a disapproving frown on her face.
"I don't know how a baby like him is supposed to be a hero. This is just some cheap prank, and I'm going to find out who's behind it.
"I dunno, Jenny."
"What?" the robot girl asked, her voice deadly quiet.
Danny shrugged.
"I think Aang's right. The network can throw us pretty much when they don't feel like putting up with us anymore." The half-ghost sighed. "I'll see you later, Jenny. I'm gonna be late."
"Fine!" Jenny said angrily. "Go cry! I'm going to find out what's going on!"
Igniting the rocket boosters secreted in her twin ponytails, the android shot into the air, pulled into a tidy Immelman turn, and took off for Central Broadcasting.
The building was dark and deserted, except for a few dim fluorescents that were lit twenty-four hours. At night, the whole network was run automatically, directed by banks of computers. Of course, except for Sanitary Detail.
Jenny let herself in through the service entrance, using a janitor's pass code. It came in handy from time to time, having a genuine photographic/phonographic memory. Not feeling the need for secrecy, the android made no attempt to hide her movements from the scattered security cameras, which undoubtedly not register her as a real intruder in the first place.
She checked a wall-mounted map; the manager's office was located just over the building's main workstation. She could cut through there to lessen the inconvenience of being late for dinner.
Jenny opened the double doors into the workstation, and froze. The room looked nothing like what it should. Massive cables ran through it like veins, all hanging from what used to be ceiling, now a yawning black hole. The vile network ran to the center of the distorted room, connected to what looked like a crescent-shaped throne. Surrounded by glowing holographic displays, the chair pulsed with sickly green illumination. It was like some horrible parasite, eating its host alive.
Jenny had no time to react as the throne swiveled towards her. Through the static-charged gloom, all she could discern were a pair of eyes. Switching to infrared vision, the robot girl clapped her hands to her mouth at who she saw in the chair.
"You!"
It was all she had time to say before dozens of the reddish cables seized her, pulling her into the mechanical abyss.
The seated figure grinned, reclining its control throne.
"Woo! Got one!" the voice of "Nick Nicholsen" cried.
"Gir! Don't spoil the moment! Phase One has gone off without error. Prepare for Phase Two!"
The figure's three-fingered danced jabbed at the holo-panels floating in midair around it. Two surveillance images popped into view:
Aang, walking through a dark forest, calling for his friends.
Danny, entering his front door.
End of Chapter 1