Chapter 16: What exactly is going on?

Jeremy was able to get the phone out of his pocket and has it in front of him.

Good, I'm getting service in here, now I just hope that my friends have there phones on.

The team is walking down the halls of the Stadium. "That was one close match, who knew that you knew how to use that thing," Odd said.

"Good thing too, or we would of lost that match," he replied.

"I just wish Jeremy could have been here, oh I wonder where he is," Aelita said in a sad tone.

"Yeah, I thought we would of heard from him by now," Yumi added as they can hear Aelita's phone ringing.

She looked at the Caller ID and instantly hit the send key. "Jeremy, where are you? Are you alright?"

But all she could hear for a reply was muffled. "Jeremy, I can't understand you, can you speak up?"

As the group was trying to listen to the call, Odd leaned his back to the door of the janitor's closet. He could hear faint mumbling from inside then opened the door to see Jeremy all tied up with the phone by his head. "Jeremy!"

The rest of the group hears that and rush over to help untie him. "Jeremy! Who did this to you?" Aelita asked as they removed the tape that was over his mouth.

"I will tell you, but first we need to get to my room. I will be able to explain it better there."

Now in Jeremy's room, his team and even Team Project is there. "Now, what is so important that we had to be dragged in here?" Fredi asked as he leaned against the wall.

"Because, there is something rotten in Lyoko," Jeremy replied as he connected the wires from his computer to the television.

"Remember the Virus that infected the scanners a while ago, well I have been doing some research into it and found out something, it is activated when a Tower is activated."

The two groups are shocked except for Fredi who doesn't seem to even be awake. "But how is that even possible, the firewall on Lyoko is invincible," Michael asked.

"Because, one of the creators of Lyoko is the one who made the Virus," Jeremy replied.

"How can you be so sure, because you know which Scientist did it, don't you?" Fredi asked.

"Yes, but right now that isn't important. There isn't nearly enough evidence to get him and it would be our word against the word of someone highly respected. But we need to focus on the virus."

He then turned on the TV to show many scenes of different disasters. "Now, these might all seem to have no connection whatsoever, but two things are in common, all of them were caused by a computer malfunction and they all started and stopped by the same time as the Tournament times of each day."

"So the virus is able to infect computers and causes mass destruction until a Tower is deactivated, is that what you are trying to say?" Fredi asked again.

"Correct, and because tomorrow's match will be the last one, I am guessing something big is going to happen as soon as the Towers are activated because as you see from the disasters, they have gotten stronger and more destructive every time."

"So I'm guessing you want us to work together?" Jack asked.

"Yes, even though the Championship Trophy is on the line. We should try to help each other as much as possible to end this as quickly as possible. I am suggesting a Ceasefire within the game."

"Just to be sure, how are we sure this isn't just a trick so you can win the Tournament?" Fredi asked coldly.

Everyone on Team Project awaited for an answer as Jeremy brought up the Virus program. "This is the proof; this is the program of the Virus."

"Holy shoot this kid ain't kidding," Michael replied. "That is one nasty bug, this is proof enough,"

"Good thing one of us understands that mess," Mary replied as she is resting her head on Jaime's shoulder and her arms wrapped around his. "So what is my Jamie and the rest of you going to do to stop it?"

"Like I said before, the virus is deactivated when the tower is. So I bet that virus will send an army after us to prevent the towers from being deactivated. So we need to work together to make sure that the Tower is deactivated."

"Wait a second, if the virus destroys one of our Deactivators the Tower is automatically deactivated," Ulrich commented.

"Knowing this virus, it has already thought of that as well. So we should expect anything from it."

"Also, we are going to a level never before seen. How are we going to strategies without knowing what we are getting into?" Aelita asked.

"Well I'm not sure of that either, but if we work together we should be able to get through it."

"Why don't you just say what you really mean," Fredi said coldly as they all looked at him. "You have no plan, no way around it, and maybe if we all help each other we can defeat this thing."

"Well in lemans terms yes, but..." Jeremy replied, but just then Fredi headed to the door.

"Then I'm going to train, till tomorrow, just leave me alone," he then left the room as Yumi followed him out.

"What is your problem?" she yelled at him in the hall, causing him to stop.

"You are really starting to get on my nerves and making me regret being nice," he replied.

"Well what you said really helped me through what happened to me, but it seems like you should take your own advice."

"Michael just had to tell you, going to have to talk to him about that."

"Wait, I never said it was him," she replied in shock.

"I know everything that goes on around me. Also tell Mary I know about that talk with her and Sissy."

"Anyway, you should still take your own advice. Move forward and forget the past."

"That only works on certain things Yumi, unless you know exactly what I have been through. Then you can start preaching that to me if you still can."

"You can't know everything that is going on around you, so just take your own advice."

"Ask Jeremy if Anax made the virus," Fredi said as Yumi is in a state of shock while he walked off. "And Kristen, stop listing on my conversations."

Then Yumi noticed the door to Jeremy's slowly open to show Kristen. "Darn, he is really getting better at that."

She then walked up to the girl in black. "But Michael is right, you do look a lot like Jasmine."

"So that's her name, Michael kept referring to her as."

"Cutie, yeah he calls all the girls he meets that. Just ignore him, can't believe he has a girlfriend."

"You've got to be kidding, I would have never guessed."

"Yeah, it was a shock to us as well. It was a girl from Team Mew of Japan from last year's tournament, she has short blue hair and was a bit stuck up but he seemed to bypass that wall of hers. But anyway my name is Kristen Judo. Do you want to get a drink with me at the food court?"

"Sure, I could use a soda."

Back in the room. "Well, that is all I have to show, so remember the plan for tomorrow," Jeremy said.

"Sure, no problem there, but now time to check out the cuties at the arcade," Michael replied as he got up.

"Hey count me in," Odd added as they both left.

The two left as the rest of the members left as well, except for Aelita and Jeremy.

"Um, Jeremy?" she said quietly.

"Aelita, I'm sorry for what I did, I was only..."

She cut him off by pressing her index finger to his lips. "I know you would never do anything to hurt me Jeremy, but still, you should have known that was wrong from the beginning."

"I admit I did Aelita, I was just going to use it to surprise you for a few things, but I still know that was wrong. I'm sorry."

She looked away from him. I'm sorry as well."

He looked befuddled. "What do you mean Aelita?"

She turned her back to him. "I kind of knew that Anax made that virus."

He's stunned. "Wha-what do you mean?"

"As soon as you told me the name of it, I knew it was his, but I was just hoping it wasn't so I didn't tell you."

He put his hand on her shoulder. "How about from now on. No more secrets between us."

She looked back at her boyfriend with a smile on her face and small streams of tears as well. "Deal."

With Yumi and Kristen as they are at the food court, they are laughing as Kristen said. "Yeah, and it took a few weeks for his jaw to heal; now Michael knows not to call me cutie."

"Good to know, I will mention that to him if he calls me that again," Yumi replied, taking a sip of her soda, and then setting it back down. "If you don't mind me asking, what was Fredi like before... what happened to his sister?"

Kristen looked away. "You won't believe it, he was a very kind and happy, but after seeing his sister die right in front of him he has never been the same."

A flashback happens at Ad Tech High as we see Fredi walking outside and we can see Kristen trying to sneak up behind him. "Nice try Kristen, you will have to do better?"

He turned around to see her slump. "You're no fun, and why is it you're the only one I can't sneak up on?"

"I have my ways, now why did you want to talk to me?"

She griped. "Well since you spoiled my fun, I don't feel like talking."

"Suit yourself, I need to get to 5th period," he grinned as he turn away.

"Oh all right, I just wanted to say it was nice of you to suggest for Jamie to be our standby in our Lyoko team."

"The principle said he needed to join something and I just offered it. Could tell he didn't like the idea, he has never liked the idea of our Team. Strange how his daughter was so helpful on the idea," he replied with a grin appearing on his face.

"You always know what is going on around you, are you ever going to teach me how you do that?"

"Nah, that is my own way. Well I got to go, see you at the Lyoko Training Room after school."

He was about to walk off. "Well, there is something else I wanted to ask you," she said coyly, looking down at her feet then looking back up. If you're not doing anything this Saturday, do you w..."

But before she could finish, Fredi had a horrible look on his face and turned around just as he saw his sister hit the ground. "JASMINE! Someone call for an ambulance!"

The people around him are shocked as a few run off to the nurse's station. "Oh my gosh, what happen Jasmine?" Kristen called out as Jasmine still had some consciousness.

She coughed up some blood. "Frediano, please... water... my plants for..."

Her body went limp. "Jasmine! Wake up Jasmine!" Fredi called out as he shook her and tried to give her CPR but it was no use.

"Fredi, I'm so sorry," Kristen said as she saw a look in his eyes that startled her and he dashed into the building.

After a few seconds, Kristen followed Fredi to see him on the staircase holding up William Dunbar to the wall. "I know it was you, you are going to pay for killing my sister!"

But William just chuckled. "Prove it!"

Fredi was about to punch him in the face but Kristen grabbed is arm to stop it. "Don't Fredi, he isn't worth it!"

The flashback ended as Kristen was wiping her eyes and Yumi was shocked. "Why wasn't he put in jail?"

"His lawyer was able to get him acquitted, saying there wasn't any real proof to connect him to the crime. But the Principle still had him expelled."

"So I went to a school out of the states so that my past wouldn't follow me," a dark voice said behind Yumi which made her entire body shiver.

To Be Continue

I bet you can't guess who I brought back, read and review.