Warning: Rated for language, violence and references to adult behavior.
The main characters of this story are based on characters from the cartoon 'Code Lyoko.' I do not own, nor do I claim, any copyright to these characters.
Morning came early. Those that wanted to were invited to attend Chapel services. Mr. Delmas, Sissi, and Odd, to the rest of the gang's surprise, accepted the invitation. Aelita asked Jeremie what all the fuss was about, and Jeremie told her that they'd talk about it later.
After Chapel services were over, MGySgt. Thompson called all of the kids together.
"What we are going to do now is called a debriefing. In military operations, we plan our missions, execute our missions, and debrief after our missions are complete. We do this so we get everyone's perspective about what happened, what went right, and what went wrong."
"Overall, yesterday went very well. When Jeremie first came to me with his problem, I had thought that his situation was a lot worse than what I saw yesterday. Even throwing in a couple of wild cards, meaning Miss Wilkerson and Mr. Pichon, didn't phase you. Except for a minor deviation from orders, yesterday was a first class success."
When the Master Gunnery Sargent said "minor deviation," Ulrich and Yumi sank down in their seats, willing that the floor would open and suck them in.
"Regarding that, I want to make an observation. I've noticed from the very start that the lot of you have paired off. I'm also willing to bet that this happened recently. You've all got a bright, shiny, new toy, and you want to play with it."
The group tittered nervously.
"It is not my place to lecture you on the right or wrong of what you may or may not be doing. I will tell you this, you are playing with one of the most powerful drives in human experience. There are times when it can overpower even the will to live."
"Like I said, you have this new toy and you want to spend all of you time playing with it. One of the possibilities, one that Jeremie may have unconsciously seen, is a tendency to concentrate on your new partner, to the detriment of the others. Under most circumstances, that would be okay, until you came to your senses, but in your case, it might not be so okay."
"Jeremie has hinted at what you do together. He hasn't come out and said it, but whatever it is has a large element of danger in it. If that's the case, you don't have the luxury of ignoring your friends for sake of your love, and you especially can't be pursuing that love in the heat of the 'game.' I can't comment any more than what I have. You have to decide among yourselves how bad the problem really is and what you're going to do about it. On that note, Miss Wilkerson, Mr. Pichon, you're dismissed. I'll leave the rest of you to discuss this weekend and what I just said. The bus will be heading back to school at sixteen-thirty hours, just so you know."
With that MGySgt. Thompson left. Jeremie, Aelita, Odd, Sissi, Ulrich and Yumi were now alone.
The first thing Jeremie said when they were alone was, "Aelita, Sissi, Odd, could you please go on? I want to talk with Ulrich and Yumi for a bit."
When they were alone, Jeremie asked, "what about it, guys? Was the Master Gunnery Sargent right? Do we have a problem?"
"What brought this up in the first place, Jeremie," Yumi asked.
"I don't know, but it's been bothering me for a while now," Jeremie said, "ever since the summer, after we fought that demon, I've had a bad feeling about you two. Like you're in some kind of danger."
"Are you jealous?" Ulrich said with a small smirk.
"No," Jeremie replied, "I'm glad you two are together; you were meant to be together. It's just that... sometimes, when I look at you, I think, 'too much, too soon.' I'm really afraid that something like yesterday will happen again, and the next time you'll be really hurt by it."
"Jeremie, yesterday was my fault," Yumi said, "things were going so great that I got carried away. I talked Ulrich into sneaking off for a little private time and we got caught."
"I know what happened, and in some ways I envy you. I wish I could do the same with Aelita," Jeremie said, "I don't want anything bad to happen to either of you, or you as a couple. But I'm afraid that something's going to come up that could very well destroy you. Just promise me that you'll be careful, that you won't get carried away at the wrong time again."
The rest of the day was quiet. The kids talked and laughed with one another, and the adults talked amongst themselves. Yumi's mother was going around to all of the adults, talking with them for a while, then writing things down. When Jeremie later asked his parents what she wanted, they just smiled and said nothing.
Ulrich and Yumi also spent a good deal of time together, talking, probably about their conversation earlier. Jeremie almost wished he had gone to Chapel services that morning. Something deep inside of him wanted to pray for his friends, that they could withstand whatever was coming their way.
Back in Paris that morning, two men met at a café near the embassy.
"I have found the perfect time," said the first man.
"When?" asked the second.
"The embassy will be hosting a formal ball for the Ambassador. All of the other embassies will be there. It will be the perfect time to strike," replied the first man.
"What can I do?"
"Find out who will be supplying the food for the dinner. We will use that avenue to gain entry."
"I am not in a position to get that information," said the second man.
"We have a new friend, a Mr. Stern. I will put you in contact with him. He may be of some assistance in finding the information I need."
"Can he be trusted?"
"No, not completely, he has not yet met the Master. But the Master specifically wanted him with us. This will be a good chance to test him. The Master will be interested in how he performs."
"I will obey."
"XANA be with you."
To Be Continued...