Chapter 1 : A Month
Chapter 1 begins in Mrs. Hertz's classroom on a hot Friday. The birds are fluttering in the courtyard while Jeremie, Aelita, Ulrich, Odd and the rest of the class listen to Mrs. Hertz.
"Okay, class," Mrs. Hertz said, finishing the complicated problem on the board. "I'm going to give you a small project before your spring vacation."
The entire class moaned, except for Jeremie and Aelita, who were listening with interest.
"To finish our lesson on visual effects, I want you all to create a type of hologram."
The class moaned louder, wanting to escape the hot, sticky classroom.
"It doesn't have to be fancy, just something to show that you're listening better than Odd."
The entire class turned to look at Odd's table. Odd was fast asleep with his head on the table and his arms hanging off the opposite side. He was drooling on his notebook. Ulrich, who sat at the same table, gave Odd a pinch.
"Ow!" Odd yelled, jerking awake. Everyone laughed as the bell rang and they got up to leave the room.
"Have a good vacation!" Mrs. Hertz called after them.
"Nice going," Ulrich laughed at Odd in the courtyard. They were all sitting in a circle under the tree.
"You could've gone a little easier!" Odd proclaimed, rubbing his sore arm.
"It feels nice to finally have a break," Yumi stated.
"Speak for yourself," Ulrich added. "We have a science project."
"Oh, yeah, what is it?" Yumi asked.
"We have to make a hologram," Aelita told her.
"How exactly are we supposed to do that?" Odd asked, annoyed.
"It's actually quite simple," Jeremie explained. "You could just cut a template for a flashlight and shine it in a dusty area."
"It sounds like fun!" Aelita said excitedly.
"I'd rather fight two Megatank alone then do a science project during a vacation," Ulrich grumbled.
"Xana's been very quiet lately," Aelita observed. "It's been over a month since Xana has been active." They all nodded and sat quietly for a few seconds.
"He's probably up to something," Ulrich said. This was the same saying every time Xana was quiet. Jeremie's computer started bleeping in his bag almost immediately after Ulrich finished. Jeremie quickly pulled it out and started typing vigorously.
"Xana always has good timing," Odd joked. Jeremie was scanning through screens and squinting a little as the numbers and letters quickly flashed by. He seemed a little concerned, more than usual.
"What's wrong?" Aelita asked.
"It's not Xana," Jeremie said slowly.
"Are you sure?" Yumi asked.
"Yes, this isn't the usual code that appears when Xana activates a tower."
"Who is it, then, and what is happening on Lyoko?" Ulrich asked.
"I don't know who it is," Jeremie continued. "But they are seizing the towers, they already have one that they control."
"Is it a friend?" Aelita asked.
"If it's taking over the towers, then it's probably not on our side," Odd stated, becoming a little more serious.
"We'd better get to the factory," Yumi stated. "I think we all have some time before we have to get to bed."
"Any more details?" Ulrich asked Jeremie who was sitting at the main computer for Lyoko. Ulrich, Odd, Yumi, and Aelita stood around him. Jeremie was typing fast as he tried to find any hint of the attacker.
"He's changed the code of the tower," Jeremie told them.
"How can someone do that?" Odd asked.
"It's a person?" Aelita asked.
"It is a person, and I'm not sure how he did it. He seems to be connected to the main structure of Lyoko. He's trying to shut Lyoko down."
"He's shutting it down!" Yumi asked.
"Yes, and that means..."
"I'll disappear if he succeeds," Aelita finished, slowly.
"Are you sure he isn't one of Xana's creations?" Ulrich asked.
"Xana cannot create human life."
"How do you know it's an human person?" Odd asked. Jeremie scrolled through their equipment cards. There was a special one that was shadowed our and wasn't there before. Everyone hunched in to see it.
"Wow," Yumi said.
"He's strong," Ulrich finished her idea.
"Yes, be careful," Jeremie urged.
"Aelita should stay here," Odd said.
"I'll come to Lyoko when we know more about our enemy," Aelita agreed. Yumi, Ulrich, and Odd went down to the virtualization room. They climbed into the scanners and Jeremie started the virtualization process.
"Scanner, Ulrich," Jeremie started. "Scanner, Odd. Scanner, Yumi." Their equipment cards flashed by as Jeremie said their names. "Virtualization!"