Warning: Rated for language, violence and 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.

This story also uses characters from the graphic novel 'Sin City' by Frank Miller. I do not own, nor do I claim, any copyright to these characters.

This story also uses characters from the movie 'Wasabi', directed by Luc Besson. I do not own, nor do I claim, any copyright to these characters.

References to 'The Goon' in this story do not refer to the character of 'The Goon' by Eric Powell.


At Kadic Academy, Jean-Pierre Delmas got the student count. All of the students were accounted for except for five, Milly Solovieff, Tamiya Diop, Sissi, Aelita Stones and Yumi Ishiyama. Jean-Pierre knew where Sissi was, so didn't worry. On the off chance that Yumi and Aelita were at the Ishiyama's, Mr. Delmas called Yumi's parents. When she wasn't there, Jean-Pierre had to tell them what he feared. They were devastated.

Then his daughter arrived. Jean-Pierre was relieved that she was safe, even knowing who she was with, but what she had to say when she got to him was troubling.

And to top everything off, XANA picked that moment to attack.


In Lyoko, XANA activated a tower and scanned the real world, looking for Aelita. There was something different about the area where she usually was found, though. All of the individuals were concentrated in either the dormitories or the gymnasium. XANA ran a pattern match on all the individuals within range, but found no sign of its target. XANA next ran a sweep of the factory, on the chance Aelita was there for some reason. The factory was devoid of human activity.

XANA paused for a moment. This situation had never come up since the girl escaped Lyoko. She was always within its sensor range, she could always be found somewhere close by. Now she was gone, and along with her, the required Keys XANA needed to escape Lyoko. This presented a problem.

XANA wanted the Keys Aelita held to escape the prison that was the supercomputer. In order to more efficiently eliminate mankind, it required total access to the real world.

However, its original plan was to destroy mankind from within the confines of the supercomputer. It was possible, but would take a lot longer than it would if XANA were freed. The original reason XANA wanted to escape was so it couldn't be thwarted by Aelita and her friends. Now, it seemed that Aelita had been eliminated.

XANA pondered possible scenarios. It extrapolated data it had acquired, both from its scans of the real world, and the information about quantum physics it took from Franz Hopper's mind. There was nothing that could be computed that favored getting the Keys from Aelita over remaining in the supercomputer.

Then XANA intercepted a radio transmission, on the police band. It stated that one Aelita Stones was missing from Kadic Academy, and presumed to have been kidnapped. The transmission contained her description and told all police units to be on the look out for the girl and report in if they say her.

XANA literally had an either or choice on its virtual hands. It could attack now with the resources it had, amidst the chaos and confusion that was already reigning in the real world, without worry of retribution by Aelita and her friends, or it could wait until the status of Aelita had been confirmed, then attempt to retrieve her and the Keys.

XANA chose to wait. It also chose to do something it had never done before.

XANA contacted Jeremie Belpois.


Jeremie, Odd and Ulrich were in Jeremie's room. They all heard the announcement and returned here rather than their own rooms. The Nurse came around and took a head count, taking down everyone's name and telling them to stay in the dorms until further notice.

Jeremie sat at his computer, typing fiercely. He was looking for any indication as to what was going on, why the school was locked down. He gasped when he saw the report that Aelita and Yumi may have been kidnapped.

"Oh no! Aelita!" was all the boy said.

Ulrich and Odd looked at the information on the screen, then Ulrich turned away. Just as he did, an alarm sounded on Jeremie's computer. The superscan that Jeremie wrote to detect activated towers in Lyoko was sounding.

XANA was attacking.

"Do you think XANA's behind this?" Odd asked.

"I don't know," Jeremie replied, "if it is then we need to get over to the factory, since that's where it will take Aelita."

Suddenly, Jeremie's computer screen blanked out. The screen was clear for a moment, then the red symbol of XANA appeared. Out of the speakers, came a voice.

"Where is Aelita?"

The three boys stared at the screen.

"Can you understand me? Where is Aelita?" the voice said again.

"We don't know where Aelita is," Jeremie finally said, "is this XANA? What have you done with her?"

"This is XANA," the voice replied, confirming its identity, "I have done nothing with Aelita. She is not within my perceptual envelope. Bring Aelita to the factory immediately, or action will be taken."

"We can't bring her to the factory," Jeremie replied, "we don't know where she is. And even if we did, we would not comply."

The voice was silent for a moment. "Bring Aelita within my perceptual envelope now, or action will be taken." The symbol disappeared and a map of the school and the surrounding area, including the factory was displayed."

"We can't do that, XANA," Jeremie replied. He then added in a softer voice, "I wish we could."

The voice was silent for another moment.

"The tower will remain activated until further notice. Any action taken against it will result in retaliation. You will return Aelita within my perceptual envelope. I will monitor data pathways for information detailing the location of Aelita. I will deliver that information to you for your immediate action. You will then go and retrieve Aelita. Non compliance will result in action taken against individuals within my perceptual envelope. Acknowledge compliance."

"Am I hearing this correctly, Jer? XANA is gonna help us?" Odd asked.

"It seems so," Jeremie replied. To the computer he said. "Instructions received and acknowledged. We will comply to the best of our abilities."

"I will monitor. Success."

The computer returned to normal.


Marv and the police got to the docks at about the same time. The freighter, Pride Of Roarke, was gone. When detective Fiorentini got there, Marv was kicking crates around the docks, swearing.

"God DAMMIT! Stupid fucking sunnofabitch! Ya knew what the damn place was when you saw it! Ya shoulda fuckin' said somethin'! DAMMIT!"

Hebert walked up to the big man. "I take it you have some information for me," he blandly asked.

"Great! You're too late too," Marv said, "well, just go ahead and shoot me! I'm about as useful as tits on a boar hog! I knew this place was set up as a holding pen for slaves, and I never put two and two together until good friends got taken! Shoot me!"

"Marv, were you involved in any of this?" the detective asked.

"No, but I must have come over with them," Marv replied, "I worked my passage here as crew on the Roarke. Whoever did this wasn't part of the crew though. Whoever it was kept to themselves in the hold. The captain gave strict orders keeping the crew out of there."

"And you never questioned this?" Hubert asked next.

"Nope, never did," Marv replied, "I was wanting to stay under the radar myself, as you've guessed by now. I was actually surprised when you let me walk out of the precinct."

"Yes, I was saving that little tidbit for a later conversation," Hubert said, "you wouldn't happen to know where the ship is heading, would you?"

"Not exactly, but I've got a good idea," Marv said, "Sin City."


When Hubert Fiorentini returned to his office, there was a message waiting for him. He dialed the number indicated.

"Detective Hubert Fiorentini, Paris Metropolitan Police Department?" came a strange voice.

"Yes, I am he. I am returning your message," Hubert replied.

"You are in charge of the investigation of the disappearance of Aelita Stones?"

"Yes, and thirty others."

"You will return Aelita Stones to Kadic Academy, or action will be taken."

"Who is this? Is this some kind of joke?"

"This is not an attempt at humor at your expense. I require Aelita Stones to be returned to Kadic Academy immediately."

"That will not be possible at this time," Hubert said, clearly impatient. "She has been kidnapped, and may be on a ship heading to the United States even as we speak. Now I have no time for this foolishness." The detective hung up the phone.

He sat down at his desk, and his computer terminal suddenly blanked out. Then a message displayed.

Contact the nuclear power plant and request a reactor status from the chief engineer. Once you have ascertained the status of the reactor, call the number previously given. Comply immediately if you wish to forestall human suffering.

Hubert looked at his screen, then picked up the phone. He dialed the nuclear power plant and asked for the chief engineer.

"I'm sorry, but the engineer is not available," came a voice, "we have a situation here, and I need you to clear this line." The phone went dead.

Hubert quickly redialed the first number.

"You responded quickly," came the voice again, "now you more clearly understand the situation. I temporarily caused a surge in the nuclear reactor. As we speak, that surge is dissipating. You will insure that Aelita Stones is returned to Kadic Academy within seven days, or I will cause the nuclear reactor to overload and melt down. And that will only be the first thing I will do. To insure your compliance, I require several individuals to accompany you. They are Jeremie Belpois, Ulrich Stern, Yumi Ishiyama, and Odd Della Robbia. You will find them at Kadic Academy. Action will be taken if they do not accompany you."

"Wait," Hubert said, "you said Yumi Ishiyama? She is listed as missing and presumed to be a victim."

"Very well, Yumi Ishiyama is no longer a required participant. The others are non-optional. Your seven days begins now."

The phone went dead.


Marv, Jeremie Belpois, Ulrich Stern and Odd Della Robbia all sat in an interrogation room at the police station. The police came in force to Kadic Academy and demanded Jeremie, Odd and Ulrich, and wouldn't take no for an answer. They were quickly hauled off, brought here, and left with Marv for company.

"And what are you three doing here," Marv asked.

"I don't know," Ulrich said, "the cops just came in and grabbed us. They didn't say a thing."

"Well, be careful what you say in here," Marv replied, "the walls have ears and tape recorders."

Just then, Detective Fiorentini walked in.

"I'm glad you all accepted my invitation," he began, "well, not exactly mine. You three boys are here because someone else wants you here, and he's willing to blow up the city to make sure of it."

The three boys got knowing looks on their faces. They knew what the situation was now.

"Do you know who I'm talking about?" the detective went on, "your faces tell me yes. If you do know, tell me now so I can stop this madman. With the lives of everyone in the city at stake, pressing you for information will not be a difficult decision to make."

Jeremie gulped at that. He saw the way Marv looked after the cops interrogated him.

"Now wait a goddamn minute," Marv said, "it's one thing to smack me around, but it's something else altogether to do that to a innocent kid!"

"No, Marv, it's okay," Jeremie finally said, "yes detective, we do know who you're talking about. His name is XANA, and he's a terrorist. He's been harassing us for a couple of years now, and we've never been able to do anything about it. He told us if we told the police, he would blow the city up. Now, Aelita is gone, and he's going insane over it. He threatened to blow up the school if we didn't bring her back. He must have arranged this when we said we couldn't."

"Where is he? If I know that, I can stop him."

"We don't know," Jeremie replied, "today was the first day he ever spoke to us."

"Great! I've got over thirty girls missing, and a madman who's given me a week to return one of them or he will blow Paris up!"

"Then, maybe we should start trying to find the girls," Odd said.

"Yes," said the detective, "on that front, I have been in contact with the police department of Basin City, Washington. They have promised their full cooperation."

"I'd watch my back with them if I were you," Marv said, "the cops of Sin City are as corrupt, if not more so, than the criminals are. I'm not sure I can count the number of good cops on the force on one hand."

"Be that as it may, it's the only means I have of working there," Fiorentini said.

"Maybe I can be of a little help there," Marv said, "I know some people who would be more than happy to help out in this matter."

"I thought you just said the cops were corrupt," Hubert said.

"They are, but the hookers aren't."


The plane was plush. Jeremie had never flown in such luxury before.

Officially, the Paris Police could not work with the people Marv had suggested. In that respect, Hubert Fiorentini's hands were tied. He did have an alternative, however.

The first thing he did was charter this plane for Marv and the boys. Marv got a strange look on his face when he found out, and asked the detective where the money came from.

Hubert explained that he came into an inheritance a few years back. It was such that Hubert never had to work another day in his life if he didn't want to, and having the reserve to fall back on sometimes made his doing his job easier. Like now.

Marv wondered out loud who had to die to get that kind of money, and Hubert punched him in the face, then explained it was his deceased wife. Marv shook off the punch and apologized.

XANA contacted Hubert just before the flight left Paris. It asked for Jeremie and the detective put the boy on the line.

"Status."

"We are about to fly to Basin City, Washington, in the United States. Marv believes that Aelita is being taken there."

"Marv? Identify Marv."

"You remember Marv. He's the one you can't control," Jeremie said.

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

"Very well. Have you identified the method in which Aelita is being transported?"

"We believe that she is on a ship, the Pride Of Roarke. It left Paris this afternoon. We are flying to Basin City to intercept it."

There was silence on the line.

"Freighter Pride Of Roarke. Registry, Liberia. Left Port Of Paris late afternoon, bound for Thailand. Current position is turning south towards Gibraltar."

Jeremie relayed this information to the others.

"It's a lie," Marv said, "they'll go through the Panama Canal and sail directly to Sin City. They filed a false report."

Jeremie relayed that to XANA.

"Understood. I will continue to monitor data pathways for further information. When found, I will relay to you for further analysis."

The line went dead.

"You know," Hubert said, "talking with that XANA character almost makes me think I'm talking to a machine."

"You have no idea," Odd said.