Disclaimer: I do not own Code Lyoko.

Summary: Jeremie's gone missing and no one has any idea why. When XANA launches an attack, who will work the super computer? Will they have to result to someone else? And will they ever find Jeremie again?

Author's Note: The weapon's the gang use are similar to the one's they have on Lyoko. I enhanced them a bit so they'd actually cause pain. Like if Yumi actually had paper fans. I don't think those would hurt her opponent, do you? ;)

Also, XANA and Jeremie is the same person, so try not to get confused. Haha.

Ack, one more thing. I suck at battle scenes. But! I try my best! So try not to, uh, kill me for a stupid battle scene? Heh heh.

Reviewers: Princess Aelita Lyoko, Taliae

Missing

Chapter Eight

Yumi, Odd, and Ulrich were stunned. Odd pointed to the red circle on the screen.

"Right there?" he asked.

"Yup," Rose answered.

"Jeremie?" Odd asked again.

"Yup," Rose replied.

"How in the world did you find him!" Odd exclaimed.

"His mobile number connected to a satellite and used a magnetic field to trace his position," she explained. "Nifty, huh?" Yumi and Ulrich were still speechless. Odd, however, danced around the room.

"I told you! I told you!" he sang.

"Told me what?" Ulrich asked, annoyed by Odd' charade. Odd pointed a finger in Ulrich's face.

"I told you she was smart!" he yelled. "Ha!" Ulrich rolled his eyes and Rose flushed.

"Now all we have to do is find him and fight," she said, frowning. Odd stopped dancing. Yumi and Ulrich looked at the map.

"That's near my house," Yumi realized. "Just a block away. He's in an alley." Rose printed out the map and stood up from her chair with a very serious look on her face. Everyone turned to face her.

"Let's go get our friend back," she commanded.

x0x

Yumi, Ulrich, Odd, and Rose were walking down the sidewalk that led to the alley Jeremie was in. Ulrich had a pole, Yumi had some glass plates in a saddle bag, Odd had a bow and arrows, and Rose had her laptop. Ulrich said to treat Rose like Aelita. He said XANA is after Rose's computer software the most, so no one could let him past.

Ulrich instructed everyone to a stop when they were a few feet from the alley opening. Odd readied an arrow, Yumi had a plate, and Ulrich had his pole set. Rose stood behind them all.

"Alright XANA," Ulrich called out. "We know you're there. Show yourself!" A shadow came on the pavement first, then out stepped Jeremie. Rose gasped at what she saw.

XANA had completely eaten at him. His hair was untidy and falling out, his shirt was more baggy than usual; his legs looked like mere bones with no muscle, and his shoes were torn and dirty. Jeremie looked like he hadn't eaten since he left school two weeks ago. It sickened Rose almost to the point of throwing up. She covered her mouth.

"Oh my gosh," she whispered. Jeremie, or rather XANA, smirked.

"So you were finally able to find me," he said in Jeremie's voice. "And it only took you two weeks." Yumi narrowed her eyes.

"Didn't think we'd find you at all, did you?" she questioned.

"To be truthful, no," XANA answered. "Since I'd taken your brains, I thought my path was clear. But it seems," he shifted his gaze to Rose, whose heart skipped a beat. "That you've found another intelligent being." Odd lowered his arrow.

"You bet we have," he said, glaring.

"And it's my wish to have her eliminated," XANA announced. "First her and then this," he added and pointed to Jeremie's own chest. Rose held back her tears.

"You'll have to go through all of us to get to Rose!" Odd yelled, pulling his arrow back with all of his might. Yumi pulled out two plates and Ulrich held his pole up.

"And we're not moving without a fight," Ulrich said. XANA smirked and walked back into the alley. Yumi and Ulrich walked ahead and Odd stayed next to Rose. She walked slowly with scared, jagged breaths. Odd put his hand on her shoulder.

"We won't let XANA anywhere near you," he assured. "I promise." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and readied his arrow. Rose flushed and walked right behind Odd. They both turned the corner.

Ulrich and Yumi were standing on one side of the alley and Jeremie on the other. There was also a krabe and a roach.

"Thought I'd make the playing field a little more even," Jeremie said with a smirk. Rose stepped back and sat down in the entrance. She placed her backpack in her lap and held it close. Her laptop was what XANA wanted. Her laptop and her life.

The krabe walked over to Yumi and the roach to Odd. Jeremie positioned himself in front of Ulrich with his eyes narrowed and a grin on his face.

"Let us begin now."

Jeremie held his hand out at Ulrich, making it glow purple and produce static charges. He threw his hand in the air and brought it down to scratch his opponent. Ulrich placed his pole in the path of XANA's hand and stopped the attack. Ulrich strained to keep Jeremie's hand from moving any closer, as his strength had clearly doubled having a virtual being controlling him. XANA let go of Ulrich's pole and raised his hand in the air again, preparing another attack.

The roach charged its blast and shot it at Odd. He dodged it and pulled out an arrow. He aimed at the symbol on the roaches back. The roach charged another blast, but didn't have the time to shoot. Odd released his arrow and the roach blew itself up. Odd smirked and placed his bow over his shoulder.

The krabe stood over Yumi, charging its own blast to shoot from underneath. Yumi pulled out a plate and knocked its laser, stopping its blast temporarily. Yumi jumped out from under the krabe and took out another plate. The krabe turned to face its front laser at Yumi. She jumped on a ledge on the krabe's leg and jumped again to the krabe's top. Yumi's opponent spun in a circle while she threw two plates at the XANA symbol. Yumi jumped off and landed on the ground, getting off just in time before the krabe blew itself up.

Odd and Yumi walked over to Ulrich and Jeremie with their weapons at the ready. XANA gave them all a heartless stare.

"It seems I'll have to invent some more powerful monsters," he said. "Apparently the ones I have now are too easy for you." Odd pulled his arrow back and Yumi had two plates in her hands. Ulrich held his pole up that had been shortened, thanks to XANA.

"Let our friend go!" Ulrich yelled, emphasizing each word he said. Jeremie held his arms out like he was expecting a hug and smiled.

"Come and get him," he whispered. Odd lowered his arrow and Yumi looked at Ulrich. Ulrich lowered his pole so the end touched the ground and breathed heavily through his nose. Jeremie smirked.

"That's what I thought!" he laughed. "Then your friend is as good as gone." Ulrich let out a loud cry as he thrashed his pole through the air to hit Jeremie's head. He got full effect of the blast and screamed as he fell over. He hit the pavement with a soft thud as he began to leak of a smoky substance. XANA had retreated from the weakened Jeremie.

The substance that was XANA rose into the air. It flew over and circled Rose, whose eyes widened. Then the smoke faded and was soon gone.