Last time found Kairi forced to crush her hand in order to save Joshua, all the while DiDe taunted her with even more suffering. Kirito and Leafa managed to leave the dungeon temporarily, with Kazuto waking up to call Samantha Armitage for help. Back in the game, our heroes were forced to defend Kirito's avatar against an onslaught of Heartless. 'Nuff said, on with the show!

Chapter 7: A Shocking Rescue

…Kiriyaga Residence…

"And that's everything, Samantha," said Kazuto, whom had just finished telling Dr. Armitage all that had happened, from the moment he, Asuna and Yui first encountered Kairi at The Town of Beginnings, their teaming up with Xenophon and the others, their investigation of Hell House, the initial sighting of Chrissie, the arrival of DiDe and her penalty games, up to Kazuto logging out to make the phone call.

"This is all incredible, Kazuto!" said Samantha, "almost unbelievable."

"You do believe me, right?" Kazuto asked.

"I'd be a poor scientist if I didn't," said Samantha, "Kazuto, what I'm about to tell you could not only cost me my job at the university but could also put you and your friends in even more danger than you already are. I believe that the ones responsible for digitizing Kairi against her will are rogue scientists under the employment of Foundation X."

"Foundation X?" Kazuto asked, "who are they?"

"The worst of humanity," said Samantha, "men of the mind from other worlds who sold their souls in the pursuit of unethical scientific progress. They develope weapons and high-profit technology that's harmful to a world. In short, they're death merchants."

"And Kairi and her friends are in the hands of these scientific butchers?!" exclaimed Kazuto, "we've got to stop them!"

"You've already started by thwarting part of their hacked dungeon," said Samantha, "and by telling me that the enemy hadn't completed their twisted A.I. fiend."

"What now?" Kazuto asked.

"There's not much I can do until my people get a lead on where Foundation X has their lab set up," said Samantha, "but the fact that they hacked ALO may be their undoing, for even the best hack can be traced. As for you and your friends, Kazuto, you keep going. Help Kairi find her friends and stay alive until we find the enemy base and shut it down."

"Do you think we can return Kairi to the real world?" Kazuto asked.

"It seems logically possible," said Samantha, "Foundation X has the technology to digitize her, so the process could work in reverse. We won't know for sure until we secure their technology, but that's my responsibility. You just focus on keeping you and yours alive, we'll take care of everything else."

"I will, Samantha," said Kazuto, "and thank you."

"Don't thank me, I should be the one thanking you," said Samantha, "who knows how long Foundation X has been operating on our world? Or how long they would have gone before someone else discovered their activities? I owe you one, Kazuto."

"Oh, that's not necessary," said Kazuto in a modest and slightly embarrassed tone.

"Well, consider yourself having me in your debut," said Samantha, "you, Asuna and the others, especially you and Asuna. You talk to me when this is over and I'll see about arranging full scholarship at Miskatonic U."

"Now that definitely isn't necessary," said Kazuto.

"Well, we'll work out something," said Samantha, "now I've kept you from your friends long enough. Get back online and delete that digital demon before it decides to arbitrarily murder one of Kairi's friends."

"Right, and thanks again," said Kazuto. He then hung up, dropped his phone on his desk, got on the bed, put back on his Nerve Gear, laid back and prepared himself for another Full Dive into cyberspace.

"Link Start!"

…Hell House…

Kirito opened his eyes to the sight and sound of his friends and loved ones fighting against throngs of enhanced Pureblood Heartless. He then noticed two Nova Shadows get past Kairi and Asuna and rush at him.

He got back up, drew both swords and easily sliced both Nova Shadows in half, then destroyed an Invisible.

"Mama!" shouted Yui, whom was safely out of harms way astride Pina, whom was hovering above the fight, "Mama! Papa's awake!"

"Kirito-kun!" shouted Asuna as she stabbed a Neo Shadow, then blocked a slicing attack from an Invisible.

"About time you woke up, man!" said Klien, "enjoy your dream? I want to know if there was any naughty bits."

"Oh shut up!" said Kirito as he destroyed more and more of the enhanced Heartless with greater and greater speed. By now he was destroying more than the others were put together.

"Is he alright fighting like that?" Kairi asked as Kirito took up so much of the fighting that she, Asuna and the others were able to catch their breath.

"He's more than alright," said Asuna as she looked at Kirito with adoring, admiring eyes, "he's in his element."

"He's like a god of the blade," said Felix, "worthy of being written by Virgil, Homer and Ovid."

"I think he's the type that'll be happy just to be blogged about," said Mercedes.

By now the numbers of incoming Heartless had stopped and Kirito had finished them off. He let out a sigh of satisfied relief before sheathing his two swords.

"Not bad, Black Swordsman Kirito," said DiDe grudgingly, "not bad at all."

"If you're so impressed, come fight me yourself," said Kirito as he placed his hand on Elucidator.

"Thank you, no," said DiDe, "my creators are still working on finishing my combat software."

"Oh yeah, your creators," said Kirito, "you mean Foundation X."

"Foundation X?!" exclaimed Kairi.

"You know of them?" Kirito asked.

"My friends and I ran into them back on Banoi," said Kairi, "a doomsday cult hired them to create a zombie virus capable of wiping out the world."

"I know nothing of that particular project," said DiDe as she glared at Kirito, "but how do you know about Foundation X?"

"A friend in the real world told me about them," said Kirito, "she told me that her friends are looking for your creators and it's only a matter of time before their lab is found and justice is delivered."

"And it's only a matter of time before Leafa gets back with reinforcements," said Asuna.

"Oh, yeah, the Sylph who got away," said DiDe, "about her, she won't be coming back. By now my creators have upgraded the dungeon's anti-teleport software. The Sylph bitch won't be coming back with help any time soon. Oh, and before you ask, Kirito, your bitch of a navigation pixy, her trick with the logout won't work again."

"Drat!" said a disappointed Yui.

"Well, you may have that advantage now," Felix, "but not for long."

"We'll just have to beat you before Leafa tries to come back," said Asuna, "and with Kirito's friend in the real world…" she looked at Kirito, "who did you call, by the way?"

"Hold it a second!" shouted Xenophon, "don't say another word!" he then raised his staff and chanted a spell.

"What are you doing?!" snapped DiDe, "what do you hope to…" that's as far as she got before a dome of shimmering white mist surrounded Xenophon, Kairi, Kirito, Asuna and the others, leaving DiDe outside it.

"What happened?" a startled Klien asked as he and the others looked at the shimmering mist around them.

"I cast a Dome of Privacy spell," said Xenophon, "it's a variation of the Silence spell. So long as we stay within the dome, DiDe can't see or hear anything we see and do."

"So we can talk without her eavesdropping," said Beatrice.

"But couldn't she just walk into the dome?" Albion asked, "I mean, it's just mist, right?" He touched the dome and was surprised to find the mist was solid.

"She can't touch us for the next five or ten minutes," said Xenophon, "it's a recently added spell to D&D, so I'm not sure exactly how long it'll last."

"Then we'd better make it quick," said Kirito, "I talked with Dr. Samantha Armitage from Miskatonic University."

"You've been in contact with Dr. Armitage?!" exclaimed Beatrice in a shocked and embarrassed tone.

"The Dr. Armitage?" asked Trillian, "head librarian of M.U.'s Arkham campus?"

"The very same Dr. Armitage who leads The Night Scholars?" asked Xenophon.

"You know about The Night Scholars?" asked Asuna.

"I'm in The Night Scholars," said Xenophon, "or, I was until…" he paused in painful thought, as if remembering something highly unpleasant, "…until I retired."

"You retired from The Night Scholars?" asked Albion, "how old are you?"

"Old enough to know when to walk away from something before I get killed," said Xenophon, "and how do you know about The Night Scholars?"

"Yeah, I thought it was supposed to be a secret," said Kirito.

"How do you know?" asked Beatrice accusingly.

"Dr. Armitage was the one who came to recruit me for Miskatonic University today," said Asuna, "and to invite Kirito-kun and I into The Night Scholars."

"But only the best and brightest get invited into The Night Scholars," said Mercedes, "and it really isn't that big of a secret, at least not on campus that is."

"It doesn't matter," said Xenophon, "if Dr. Armitage herself is on the case, then it's only a matter of time before those responsible for this mess are found. All we have to do is hold out and stay alive until then."

"Are you sure?" Joshua asked, "Kairi had to mutilate herself in order to save me. Chrissie and the others are still out there, so who knows what that thing, that demon, what she'll make Kairi do to save them?"

"I'll do whatever I have to in order to keep us all alive," said Kairi.

"Just focus on staying alive until the Fighting Cephalopods come," said a smiling Beatrice in a serious tone, "when Samantha Armitage is on the case, the case is as good as closed."

"You sound like you know from personal experience," said Kirito.

"She…Dr. Armatige," said Beatrice hesitantly, "we've got history, and please don't ask me to explain, it's deeply personal."

"Okay, we'll let it drop," said Asuna.

"Now that we've gotten that taken care of," said Lisbeth, "what's next?"

It was then that the privacy spell shattered. "I'm making a new rule!" said an irate DiDe as she glared at Xenophon wrathfully, "no more privacy spells! From now on I get to see and hear everything you humans do, or else!"

"Or else what?" Klien asked, "you'll spank us for being naughty?"

"Don't tempt me," said DiDe through gritted teeth, "you humans think you own cyberspace, that you can do whatever the fuck you want. Well, YOU DON'T! This is MY house and you will obey MY rules!"

"We're done following your rules, DiDe," said Kairi, "and we're definitely done playing your games."

"No, you're not," said DiDe, "you're not even remotely done. You think crushing your hand pushed you to the limit? You're just getting started!" with that she vanished again.

"I'd give my right eye for an anti-virus program in the shape of a smart missile right about now," said Albion.

"She's just trying to rile us up," said Kairi, "especially me. But I'm not going to fall for her tricks again. Whatever happens next, I'm gonna keep my wits about me."

Just a doorway and corridor appeared in the wall in front of our heroes, then they all heard a girl shouting.

"HELP ME! SOMEONE HELP ME!"

"Rachael!" shouted Joshua as he rushed into the corridor.

"Him on the other hand is another matter," said Kairi as she and the others rushed after Joshua through the corridor. A few twists and turns later found the ground running into another pitch black room so dark they couldn't even see the light from the hallway outside.

But then the door to the room slammed shut and a spotlight revealed DiDe.

"Welcome, welcome, Kairi," said DiDe, "welcome to Round 2 of the game."

"No more games, demon!" shouted Joshua, "where's Rachael!?"

"Right here!" said DiDe as the room lit up, revealing Rachael strapped to an electric chair that had a digital meter atop it.

"HELP ME!" shouted Rachael as she struggled against the restraints on her wrists, torso and legs, while her head was secured to the back of the chair as the electrode cap was lowered onto her head.

"Take one step and she dies instantly!" shouted DiDe as a remote appeared in her hands, "I press this and she rides the lightning."

"You let her go, you crazy bitch!" shouted Joshua.

"Crazy?" DiDe asked in an insulted tone, then smiled insidiously, "no, I'm not crazy, just programmed that way."

It was then that Kairi and the others saw a machine that was connected to the electric chair via cables. This machine was little more than a large black box with two steel-gray handles sticking out from one side.

"Here's how the game works," said DiDe, "a current of 600 volts will begin to flow through the chair. Now before you ask, it won't be the voltage that kills her, it's the amperage. It'll start out at just one milliamp, with the sensation of a mild tingle. But then it'll increase to five milliamps, then ten, then fifteen and so on. The more amps, the greater the pain and greater the chance of respiratory failure, ventricular fibrillation and eventually cardiac arrest."

"Meaning it'll stop her heat," said Asuna.

"Bingo!" said DiDe, "yes, the current will kill her, unless Kairi grabs those handles and takes the current herself. That particular current has stable amperage of 100 milliamps. Kairi must grab both handles and maintain her grip for a total of sixty seconds."

"A full minute? That'll kill her!" exclaimed Lisbeth.

"Oh, it might," said DiDe, "then again, so would 10,000 milliamps, which is what will eventually flow through young Rachael's body. Oh, I almost forgot."

The electrode cap on Rachael vanished, only to be replaced by a small wet sponge, then was topped by the cap.

"Never light up without a wet sponge," said a grinning DiDe, "so, Kairi, what will you do? Will you risk your own electrocution? Or allow a friend to die for sure? Think about it, but don't think for too long." She then pressed the button on her remote.

A high pitched humming could be heard as the digital meter activated. Rachael gasped as the felt the current beginning to flow through her.

"Rachael!" shouted Kairi as she tried to reach the handles, only to be restrained by Asuna and Mercedes.

"Kairi! Don't do it!" shouted Rachael, "don't kill yourself over me, I'm not worth it!"

"You underestimate yourself too much," said DiDe as she turned a dial on her remote, sending a signal to the electric chair. The digital meter atop the chair increased as the humming grew louder and higher, while Rachael gasped in pain as the amperage increased slightly.

"Me, on the other hand," said DiDe, "I'm in perfect control of the situation. If I want to turn off the current, I can. I if I want to crank the amperage up to killing levels, I can, and will, unless Kairi plays the game. But your own suffering shall suffice for the time being." She then turned the dial up another notch, increasing the amperage and earning a cry of pain from Rachael as she gripped the arms of the electric chair.

"Don't do it, Kairi!" shouted Rachael through gritted teeth, "don't give this freak the satisfaction!"

"Oh, I'm far from satisfied," said DiDe as she turned up the dial another notch.

"You want satisfaction!?" snapped Kairi, "I hope you choke on it!" with that she broke free of Mercedes and Asuna and rushed to the black box.

"No! Don't!" shouted Asuna as Kairi grabbed both metal handles, earning a shriek of pain from her as the current now flowed through her body, while Rachael gasped with relief and slumped against her restraints, the digital meter registering the amperage dropped down to zero.

"You sick bitch!" snapped Klien as he glared at DiDe, "just wait until we can really fight! I'll cut your head off and stick it on a pike!"

"Is that so?" DiDe asked in a taunting manner, "well, just for that insult, I'll just double the amount of time Kairi has to carry the current!"

"That'll kill her for sure!" snapped Asuna, "you can't change the rules in the middle of the game! That's not fair!"

"My house, my rules," said DiDe, "what I say is fair is fair. Any more insults and I'll add another minute to Kairi's time."

"Just…drop it…everyone!" shouted Kairi as she endured the current, "I…I can…take it!"

"Well, if you want it so badly, you can have that extra minute," said DiDe.

"Stop it!" snapped Kirito, "you've got what you wanted; Kairi's suffering! Isn't that enough!?"

"Not nearly enough," said DiDe, "not nearly enough to satisfy my programming, let alone the wishes of Columbina. But there is a way for you humans to cheat and win the round. See the locks on the electric chair?"

"Yeah, there's one for each strap," said Trillian as she, Albion, Beatrice, Mercedes, Agil, Klien, Kirito and Joshua hurried over to the electric chair, "two for the arms, two for the legs, one for the torso and one for the head. Six all together."

"Find the keys that match each lock and she's free," said DiDe, "Free her and you end Kairi's suffering."

"You've gotta be kidding!" said Klien, "it can't be that simple? Where's the keys?"

"Right here," said DiDe as she indicated a large glass jar filled with hundreds of keys, "the keys are in there, somewhere. You just have to find the right one!"

"You hell spawn bitch!" snapped Felix as he and the others looked at the hundreds of keys, "you cyber slut!"

"Oh, and just for that, Kairi can have two more minutes!" said DiDe, "and just because I'm feeling particularly evil, she now has to start all over again from the beginning!"

At that a digital clock appeared above Kairi and began counting down from 5:00.

"I…you…argh!" exclaimed Kirito as he grabbed the jar and dumped the keys onto the floor, "everyone! Help me find the right keys!"

"Do it quick!" shouted Mercedes as she, Kirito Agil, Klien, Joshua, Trillian, Albion and Beatrice grabbed some keys and ran over to the electric chair, "I don't know how much longer Kairi can hold out!"

"I can…hold as…as long as…needed!" shouted Kairi as she continued to endure the current.

"Oh really?" DiDe asked in a taunting manner as Kirito began trying to fit the keys into the locks, "you've got over four minutes left. Just how much of that will you endure before your survival instincts take over and you let go of the handles? You were able to crush your own hand, but there's a limit to how long the human body can suffer before your will is overridden by self preservation. Tell me, how long until your hands start to burn and blacken from the current?"

Kairi ignored DiDe, focusing on maintaining contact with the handles.

"Well, you're no fun," said DiDe in a disappointed tone, "that'll have to change." she then summoned a feather and began tickling Kairi's nose, "my creators did a quick examination of your DNA before you were digitized. Did you know that you're mildly allergic to goose down?"

"WHAT!?" exclaimed Kairi, "Why you…ah…ah…ACHOO!"

Instinctively, Kairi's left hand flew up to her face to cover her sneeze, breaking the circuit and stopping the digital countdown above her.

Almost instantly, Rachael screamed in agony as the current flowed through the chair again, only now the digital meter registering the amperage shot up to double it was before.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you that if Kairi breaks the connection, Rachael gets shocked with twice as much amps," said DiDe. She then giggled, "silly me."

"You're really dropping the ball, demon!" snapped Kirito as he and the others tried to open the locks with the keys, yet the electricity flowing through Rachael prevented them from touching the metal locks.

"You want to save her, Kairi? Save her," said DiDe, "you know what to do."

Kairi looked at the palms of her hands, which were covered in second degree burns. "You are pure evil!" said Kairi. She then grabbed the handles again, earning a cry of pain from her and a sigh of relief from Rachel, while at the same time the countdown above Kairi resumed.

"Thank you," said DiDe smugly.

"Keep smirking, see what it gets you," said Agil. He then shouted triumphantly as he successfully unlocked Rachael's left arm.

"Two down!" shouted Mercedes unlocked Rachael's right leg.

"Forget the rest, just get this helmet off her!" shouted Kirito, "break the circuit and she's out of danger!"

"What do you think we're doing?" Lisbeth exclaimed, "wait…what the…Mother Puss Bucket! Half these keys aren't even real! Look! They're plastic!"

"These are made of wood!" snapped Trillian, "they're just painted to look metal!"

"The only real keys are the ones for these locks," said Albion as he successfully unlocked Rachael's torso, right arm and left leg, "but where's the one for the head strap?"

"Where is it, DiDe!?" asked Asuna irately as she glared at her, "where's the last key?"

"The one place a man would never look," said DiDe smugly.

Just then everyone caught the faint smell of burning flesh.

"Rachel! I…I can't hold on anymore!" shouted Kairi, tears of pain and defeat falling from her eyes.

"You don't have to!" said Asuna as she rushed over and grabbed the top of the handles. She gave a yelp of pain as the current now flowed through her. She gritted her teeth against the pain, "let go! I've got it!"

"What! NO!" shouted DiDe, "you can't do that! The rules! My Rules!"

"Fuck your rules, demon!" snapped Joshua, "now where's the key!?"

"I already told you, it's in the once place a man would never look," said DiDe.

"'The one place a man would never look,'" said Beatrice, "I think I solved your clue."

"It wasn't a clue!" snapped DiDe.

"Oh, but it is," said Beatrice as she smiled, "unintentionally, but a clue nonetheless. Trillian? Mercedes? Be a pair of dears and restrain Ms. DiDe for me?"

"With pleasure," said Mercedes as she and Trillian grabbed DiDe by the arms.

"NO! LET GO!" shouted DiDe, "you're not supposed to touch me! The Rules…"

"Aren't as binding as you might think," said Beatrice as she walked up to DiDe. Without warning, she reached into DiDe's dress, earning a cry of disgust from the creature.

"What…now hold on a second!" exclaimed Lisbeth, while Kirito and the others looked equally shocked, except for a highly interested and eager Klien.

"Gotcha!" shouted Beatrice as she pulled out the key. She ran over and unlocked the head strap and threw off the electrode cap.

Asuna gave a sigh of relief as she released the handles and staggered back, looking at the minor burns on her hands.

"Get your filthy organic hands off of me!" shouted DiDe as she shrugged herself free of Trillian and Mercedes, "you…how dare you touch me! I ought to kill you all here and now!"

"But you can't," said Beatrice, "not only are you lacking in combat software, you're also open to physical contact. If I wanted to, I could punch you square in the face and there wouldn't be anything you could do to stop me!"

"You're a flawed program, DiDe!" said Asuna as she helped Kairi up, while Joshua, Agil and Lisbeth helped Rachel away from the chair, "created by flawed and dangerously disturbed people."

"Foundation X!" said Kirito, "we know you were created by a team of death merchants!"

"So, you know," said DiDe, "Well, I'll just have to tell them that you know, while they'll just have to try harder to destroy you. You may have won this round, but there are still four more humans to rescue! And you, Kairi, you allowed another friend of yours to suffer in your place. How can you live with that?!"

"I simply can," said Kairi as she glared at DiDe, "I know now that you're going to make each rescue harder and harder for me to endure. Well," she held out her hands, the palms were nearly burned black, "I've taken this and will take more! No matter what it costs!"

"You won't be so confident when you realize just how high a price you've got to pay!" shouted DiDe. With that she vanished.

But then she reappeared half a second later, "oh, I almost forgot. The majority of my creators wouldn't want you to know this, but one of them recently uploaded me with some special programming; a message to reveal to you if you managed to get this far in the game."

"What's the message?" Asuna asked as she used a healing item to cure the worst of Kairi's burned hands.

"Funny you should ask, Asuna," said DiDe, "or should I say…Tatiana?"

"What?" a shocked Asuna asked, "What did you call me?"

At that DiDe smiled insidiously, "I figured that'd get a rise out of you. Here's the message, Tatiana…'Oberon doesn't forgive or forget.'" With that she vanished, laughing like the demonic creature she was.

"Wait a second! Get back here!" shouted Kirito, "who gave you that message!?"

"She's gone, man," said Klien, "now what was that about?"

"Who is this Oberon?" Rachael asked weakly.

"And why'd he call you Tatiana?" asked Kairi as Mercedes and Beatrice bandaged her hands.

"He…he…" said a horrified Asuna.

"He's the bastard who imprisoned Asuna in Alfheim after we beat SAO," said Kirito, "but…it's impossible! He's behind bars! Sugō Nobuyuki is behind bars!"

"Apparently not," said Beatrice.

…The Real World…

"Who gave DiDe the command to reveal our colleague?!" snapped Dr. Remington.

"Forget our colleague," said Dr. Winchester, "they know about us! They know about Foundation X!"

"But we know nothing about these so called Night Scholars," said Dr. Weatherby.

It was then that Sugō Nobuyuki walked into the lab, "sorry I'm late, everyone, traffic was just awful today."

"You son of a bitch!" snapped Dr. Remington as he stomped up to, grabbed Sugō by the lapels of his jacket and slammed him against one of the computer servers, "you stupid son of a bitch! You interfered with DiDe's programming!"

"I did?" Sugō asked innocently, then smiled insidiously, "yes, I did. And I had a very good reason to do so." He then gently but firmly pushed Dr. Remington away from him, walked up to one of the computer terminals and replayed one of the recorded images, focusing on Kirito and Asuna, "I've got history with those two, history that I wish to settle once and for all, after they've paid for what they did to me of course."

"You risked exposing us to the world at large in order to satisfy a personal grudge?!" snapped Dr. Remington.

"Just how did you know that these two particular players were involved?" Dr. Weatherby asked, "you haven't been here."

"But I've been keeping tabs on the operation," said Sugō as he pulled out his mobile, "as soon as you activated DiDe, well ahead of schedule I might add, I was able to observe everything she saw, heard and did. I must admit that, despite being deployed with unfinished software, she's done remarkably well."

"We're working on finishing her combat software," said Dr. Winchester.

"You still have to answer for having DiDe expose yourself to those children," said Dr. Remington, "we risked so much bringing you into the operation."

"Ah, yes, my liberation," said Sugō, "that was pure brilliance, triggering a power outage just when I was served supper in my isolation cell. The food cart had a hidden compartment where one of your minions was concealed. You then scanned my DNA into one of those miraculous devices, the ones that resemble USB flash drives."

"Gaia Memories," said Dr. Weatherby, "you don't have to remind us. We used the prototype Clone Gaia Memory to disguise one of our technicians as you and smuggled you out of prison so you could take part in the operation."

"And such a wonderful operation it is," said Sugō, "use a hacked dungeon to copy the minds of ALO players and perform experiments in mind control, based on my work of course. I still expect credit from your superiors when the operation is complete."

"The operation may come to naught, you fool!" snapped Dr. Remington, "if there's even the slightest chance that the local authorities were to find us, we'd have to destroy the lab and evacuate this world."

"Leaving you behind to face the consequences," said Dr. Winchester.

"You wouldn't abandon me!" snapped Sugō, "my work and genius is too valuable to simply cast aside!"

"Your own psychotic nature makes you a liability," said Dr. Winchester, "you've been on probation, but this fiasco of exposing yourself to those two players, we ought to hand you over to the authorities as a distraction so we can plan our evacuation."

"And leave Kairi's soul intact? I think not," said Sugō smugly as he straightened his glasses, "I know full well that Columbina's your true mistress. You wouldn't dare leave a job from her unfinished, would you?"

"We could if we offered you as an excuse," said Dr. Weatherby.

"We're not in danger yet," said Dr. Winchester, "while the Night Scholars are an unknown variable, we still have the advantage over Kairi and her companions. She may have overcome two of DiDe's scenarios, but it's only a matter of time before she breaks."

"Assuming we finish DiDe's programming," said Dr. Weatherby, "and she can actually destroy Kairi, body and soul."

"Believe me, my friends," said Sugō, "DiDe will fulfill her purpose." He then smiled insidiously, "in fact, I believe I have just the programming in mind to get the job done." He went to one of the computer stations and began typing rapidly.

"We're already working on her combat software," said Dr. Remington.

"This will be a special bit of programming," said Sugō as he kept typing, "trust me, this will satisfy you and Columbina. Kairi will be utterly annihilated, as well as her companions," he then paused and looked at the image of Kirito and Asuna, "I just hope DiDe doesn't completely destroy them."

"The girl you obsessed over," said Dr. Winchester, "you still want her?"

"Oh, I want her alright," said Sugō in a maniacal tone, "I want Asuna dead! I want Kirito dead! I won't be satisfied until they both are dead! And I want them to know that it was I! Sugō Nobuyuki! Who was the instrument of their demise!" At that he laughed like the deranged lunatic he was.

The end of Chapter 7.

Next chapter finds Kairi suffering twice as much as DiDe forces her to save two friends at once. Reviews will be rewarded with cake and pie. See you then!