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.
The Demon regarded his prey.
"You caused me no small amount of trouble, boy," the man said, "here I was hoping to kidnap the Ambassador's little bitch and make the United States tremble as I stripped the dignity and life from her. But your interference has changed that. Now, I can only kill her, as well as you."
"My Master wanted much more," the man continued, "he wanted chaos, he wanted terror. He wanted hatred and distrust to grow, so he could destroy and conquer. But now, he will just have to settle for your deaths."
Then the man did something strange. He shuddered as a dark mass settled over him. He closed his eyes for a moment, then reopened them. Jeremie's eyes went wide with what he saw; the man had been possessed by...
"XANA!"
"Yes, Jeremie Belpois," XANA said through the man's voice, "it has been a short time for you, but an eternity for me. Torturing and killing Jeanie Wilkerson would have given me much pleasurable feedback, and would have progressed my plans, but your deaths are suitable compensation. Greetings to you, Aelita. How is your father doing?"
"Crazy as a bedbug, thanks to you!" Aelita spat back.
"His own hubris was his downfall," XANA replied, "my only regret is that this will be over too quickly. Now that I have you, I want to enjoy you, get pleasurable feedback from your agony and despair, like my Master taught me."
The XANA possessed man cocked his head at the sounds from elsewhere in the Embassy.
"I wanted to take my time with you, but that's not possible now. You have thwarted me for the last time, Jeremie Belpois, and now this is the price you pay for your deeds!"
XANA raised the submachine gun to the man's shoulder and took aim. All they could do is look and say their final prayers.
Suddenly, there was a thunk! and something rolled down the hallway. Then there was a tremendous explosion that knocked the XANA possessed man off his feet. The force of the blast rebounded into the office, knocking everybody down.
Immediately behind the blast was a flurry of movement. A submachine gun fired a few rounds but was met by a hailstorm of return fire. A group of shapes ran by the office, then six shapes entered the room, submachine guns brandished.
"United States Marines! Everybody Down! Don't move!"
The Marines quickly surrounded the group there, pulling Jeanie, Herve, Aelita and Jeremie away from Sanka and Ann, forcing them to the ground.
After a second or two, the men let them up. Jeremie was finally getting a good look at the men, and recognized one as Cpl. Pyle.
One of the other Marines was speaking into a mike, "we've got 'Princess' secured, along with her friends. We need a Corpsman down here ASAP, we've got two wounded!"
When the situation was finally under control, Jeremie, Aelita and the rest of the gang were taken to MGySgt. Thompson's office. Once the danger had past, Jeremie proceeded to vomit everything he ate and drank that evening. He vomited and shook for something like ten minutes before he was reduced to the dry heaves. The Corpsmen wanted to take him to the Infirmary but Jeremie said no. The Corpsman insisted he at least wrap a blanket around him to conserve body heat and counteract the shock that was setting in, and let him go with MGySgt. Thompson's promise to watch over him. Jeremie sat on one of the couches in Taylor's office, still shivering, Aelita sitting close by, holding him.
Also there was Odd and Sissi, Ulrich and Yumi. Jeremie's father was there, along with the Ambassador, Jeanie and Herve.
Master Gunnery Sargent Thompson was there, too, but not sitting at his desk. That place had been taken by General Maxwell.
"God Almighty, Allen! How could this have happened?" Ambassador Michael Willkerson asked his general.
"I have no idea, sir; I've got people looking into it right now," General Maxwell replied.
"Sir, from what GySgt. Grace was able to tell me before they medivaced her, it was young Mr. Belpois over there that tipped her off to the trouble," MGySgt. Thompson said.
"Young man, how did you know what was going down?" General Maxwell asked.
"I... I dreamed about it, sir," was the boy's reply. The General snorted at the response.
"Was anyone able to ID any of the perps?" General Maxwell next asked.
"No sir, not yet," was Thompson's reply, "all these guys passed a routine security check before they were even allowed in. If they are tied to anything unrighteous, it's buried deep. We may never know."
"And just who was this Zanna character you were talking to," Jeanie asked, "the way he was talking, he was the ringleader of this whole thing. And he seemed to know you personally, Jeremie."
"Is that true?" asked MGySgt. Thompson turning to Jeremie, a hard look on his face, "Jeremie, I told you once that if bullets started flying my way because of your 'game,' we would revisit a certain subject, and I would have to insist on some answers. I think you had better answer Jeanie's question right now."
Jeremie was silent for a moment, then said, "Oh, God, I never wanted it to come to this. Okay, I'll tell you everything I know, but you won't believe me. We will need to go somewhere so I can attempt to verify what I say is true. If you would, Master Guns, would you take me there?"
"The old factory, you mean? All right, Jeremie, but we are all going," Taylor told the boy. He went to his desk and picked up the phone and had a truck brought to the front. "General, I think it would be best if the Ambassador and party remained here. I'll have some Marines accompany us, just in case. Mike, you had better come along too; it seems your son has a whale of a sea story to tell."
Jeremie sat in the cab of the truck, called a 'deuce-and-a-half,' wedged between the driver and MGySgt. Thompson. General Maxwell, Jeremie's father, and the rest of the gang were in the back of the truck under the watchful eyes of six armed Marines.
Jeremie tried to make a phone call to Desmond Hopper, Aelita's uncle and the school's attorney, but the General wouldn't allow it.
"You don't need a lawyer yet, son," was his response, "and if things get bad enough, a lawyer won't help."
The truck pulled up to the old factory, and Jeremie, the driver and MGySgt. Thompson got out.
"I couldn't convince you to come in with me alone, could I," Jeremie asked.
"Not a chance in Hell," was the response.
The others got out of the back, and they went inside. They went down a staircase to the main level, and Jeremie called the elevator.
"Grace and Pyle got this far, then ran into your security," Taylor said as the elevator descended.
Jeremie did something to the elevator controls and a keypad appeared. He keyed in a number, then the elevator descended a little farther, to stop in front of a door like a bank vault. The big door then opened, revealing the room behind it.
Jeremie entered the room and went over to the console where he usually sat. He sat, then began typing at the console's keyboard when MGySgt. Thompson drew his sidearm and said, "take your hands off that keyboard right now, Jeremie. Just because you're the son of an old friend doesn't mean I won't blow your damn head off if I think you're doing something funny."
Jeremie pressed one last key, then turned and looked at his friend.
"It's too late. Return To The Past Now."