Chapter 48
Skulker drummed his fingers over the counter, boredom eating away at his mind like a million tiny bugs filling his head. A slow smirk spread upon the face of the virus sitting next to him at the bar. The virus with the transparent dome covering his head and displaying his brain for all to see, something that Skulker decided with time got more disgusting to stare at, watched his stupid little screens for what seemed like every hour of the day. Or what Skulker guessed to be every hour of the day. Time really didn't hold the same meaning to viruses that it did for users. There was nothing really known as "night" or "day" on the NetZone, and time only really became relevant when users programmed in time sensitive data into their programs, like scheduling important appointments on different days of the week.
Skulker heaved a breath, his eyes slipping half shut as they remained locked on the virus beside him. The virus was back in one of those quiet moments where he didn't want to be bothered while he focused on his data for what reasons Skulker could only guess at since the virus never cared to fill him in on anything. Twisting around on his seat, Skulker leaned back against the bar and rested his arms upon the countertop. Green eyes swept around the noisy gathering within The Vortex. Johnny stopped by for a visit, his announcement being sounded by the loud rumbling of his motorcycle when he arrived. The blond virus spent most of his time hanging out in a dark corner with his girlfriend Kitty. Johnny's arms snaked around the woman's waist, practically dragging her into his lap. Purple lips stretched over her face as Kitty leaned her head in toward him. She caught his mouth in a quick kiss then pulled back slightly, nipping gently at his lower lip.
Skulker sneered at the cozy couple. His attempts to woo Ember failed at every try. Now, every time he got near her, Ember's hand inched toward her guitar, a threatening gleam glowing in her green eyes when he opened his mouth to speak to her ever since the time they popped out of the NetZone to attack that human gathering known as a football game. He scratched his head over that little puzzle, not certain what he said that set her off in such a rage at him.
Skulker was almost tempted to actually ask Johnny for some advice on the topic, but the biker virus wasn't exactly the greatest to go to for romance advice. Johnny and Kitty had their share of ups and downs, mostly caused by Johnny's wandering eye as he checked out other female programs and viruses. Kitty didn't appreciate being ignored by her boyfriend like that, and their fights could become rather spectacular. There were still cracks in a hub section of the NetZone where many programs lived and met to converse with each other from one of their bigger fights.
Ember was, of course, pointedly ignoring him as she worked, refusing to come anywhere near the bar where he sat. She chatted with Spectra at one of the other tables while the corrupted program Bertrand sat grumpily beside her, his mouth with the bushy mustache covering the upper lip twisting downward as he was forced to listen to the girl talk between the two female viruses. There were moments when both Ember and Spectra would glance his way, and Skulker didn't miss the sneers they sent him before they returned to their talk. Skulker's mouth pressed in a tight line, realizing their conversation was likely about him, and from those sneers, he could guess that what was being said didn't paint him in the best of lights.
With a sour expression, Skulker turned back to the virus sitting next to him at the bar. "So," he started slowly, frowning when the virus didn't immediately give him his attention, "are we planning on making a real move sometime soon? Or are you content just toying with Phantom by sending those dinky little spiders after him?"
Red eyes turned away from the screens to stare at Skulker over the top of the black shaded glasses the virus wore. "Those dinky spiders were a lot more effective than any of your plans to simply blow stuff up until Phantom appeared for you to make a poor attempt at capturing him."
Nose flaring, Skulker narrowed his green eyes with an insulted feeling rising in him. "My plan at least would be fun," he grumbled, folding his arms as he leaned on the bar. "What fun is your plan? All you've done is sat back in the shadows while your toys go off to play with my prey." He still hated working with this virus. The fact that he was basically forced to sit on the sidelines ever since that football game didn't help with his mood. He was a hunter by the nature encoded into his makeup. Sitting idly by as some other virus toyed with his prey made him rather irritated, and he resisted the urge to punch the other virus and show him that Skulker wasn't just some pathetic no name virus that could be used and tossed aside. He was the greatest hunter on the NetZone!
"Your prey?" The virus chuckled, his shoulders quaking with mirth, as he shook his head. "I believe the prey goes to the one that actually manages to capture it, and the victor in this case would be me." A smug smirk spread onto his face, and Skulker's hands closed painful around his biceps as he ground his teeth, resisting that growing urge that strongly said he should punch the other virus in that smug as hell face.
"How exactly are you the victor?" Skulker demanded as he leaned toward the virus, putting his face right in front of the other virus' face. His eyes narrowed, his mouth thinned, and a darkness filled every line etched onto his face in his most intimidating of glares, though it didn't seem to have any effect on the other virus. "All you've done is given a human the means to fight us. Good job on that one, by the way. And those little spiders of yours haven't done much of anything beyond giving Phantom the runaround. Where exactly is your victory?"
A chuckle bubbled out of the virus, and Skulker got the distinct impression that he was missing out on the joke. "They've been doing a lot more than simply playing with our prey." He moved one of the screens over for Skulker to take a look at the data displayed upon the translucent plate.
His mouth pulled downward as Skulker's eyes read over what he saw. His brow pinched in confusion at what showed on the screen. "Is that-"
"Phantom's unique coding? Why, yes it is." A smirk cut across the virus' face, and Skulker was really growing to hate that expression. "Thanks to that suit I so kindly passed onto the human, and for good reason, I've been able to monitor Phantom during their fights. His coding is," he paused, seeming to roll over his thoughts in his head, "unusual, to say the least. I've never seen coding like that before."
"I can't say I have either," Skulker mumbled, baffled by the strange sequence upon the screen in front of him. Who could ever think of writing up a program like this? Even the most sophisticated of programs and virus he saw on the NetZone weren't coded anywhere near the same level of intricate design as Phantom. But that fact only made him want Phantom as his trophy all the more. Something this unique would need a special place in his trophy room. Once he managed to capture Phantom, of course. For that, he would have to do something about this virus. He lifted his eyes to stare at the amusement on the other virus' face. Skulker doubted the virus would give up his plans involving Phantom without a fight.
"And that's why I needed time to create a virus that would be able to latch onto Phantom." The virus closed out every one of his screens, for the first time in a long while since they met. His certainty over his victory in this matter appeared clearly in the triumphant expression upon his face. "And it seems my plans have bore fruit. The corruption has already begun. It won't be long now before he's one of us. Just another virus causing wreckage to the peace of the NetZone."
"I don't accept that as your victory." Skulker stood, his height allowing him to loom over the other virus. He didn't care for this whole changing Phantom plan that the virus had in the works. The Phantom that he first encountered was the Phantom that Skulker wanted to capture. That Phantom was his prey. Not some changed virus version of him. "I'll capture Phantom before your stupid little plan can succeed."
A rumbling laugh rose from the virus as he stood up on his spiny legs, putting his height several inches over Skulker. "You say that like you think I haven't succeeded already." A dangerous look flashed across his face, but Skulker glowered, refusing to look afraid in the face of the other virus. The noise in The Vortex quieted as everyone turned their attention to the pair, curious to know what was happening between them. "My virus has already taken root inside Phantom. He's already changing at this very moment. There's nothing you can do to stop what's already started. And why would you want to stop it? Once Phantom is a virus, he won't be in the way of the rest of us. We'll all be free to do what we were created for without interference." Something in his voice hinted at some other motive for the virus' plan, a strange note that set him on edge, but Skulker couldn't guess at what else the virus had up his sleeve.
"I agreed to help you only because I thought it would help me get closer to my goal of capturing Phantom. We clearly have very different objectives." Skulker's fists closed, knuckles aching with the desire to throw a punch at the nuisance in front of him. All the sitting around and being given scraps of information about the virus' plan built up, frustration piling upon frustration to the point of snapping. "I guess this is where we part ways."
"Unfortunate." Sincerity almost sneaked into his voice, the shades once again hiding his eyes. "You could have made an excellent servant."
His eye twitched as the term circulated through his head like that broken record analogy that users sometimes said. A laughable thought really, but the comment fueled his veins, or what passed for veins in a digital being, with a raging fire. "I am no servant!" Skulker jabbed a finger into the virus' chest with each pointed word.
No amusement showed in the virus' face as he bowed his head to stare at the finger still digging into his chest. "You're not a very good hunter either."
Those words ignited his anger, green eyes blazing at the insult. Skulker drew back a fist in preparation for a punch. His knuckles ached from how tightly his hand was clenched. His fist drove forward, aiming straight for the face the he wanted so badly to punch for quite some time now. Cold metal wrapped around his midsection, jerking him backward with a hard yank that pulled him to the ground. His back slammed into the floor with a jarring force. He grunted, staring in a daze at the ceiling.
Clink, clink, clink.
The sounds of the spiny legs tapping over the hard surface of the floor neared him, and in less than a moment, the virus appeared over him. Skulker assumed the virus was staring down at him, not able to actually see his eyes behind the sunglasses. One needle sharp leg pressed its tip against Skulker's throat.
"You'd be a fool to try getting in my way." The virus dug his leg just a bit more into Skulker's throat, scraping at the metal flesh there. "I will finish what I've set out to accomplish." He pulled his leg away from the hunter's throat. When he walked toward the exit of The Vortex, all viruses moved out of his way. Several moments of silence passed after he left before the murmuring started, a dull background noise in Skulker's pounding head.
"That was smooth." Ember appeared over him with her hands on her hips. A bland look entered her half lidded eyes as she frowned.
"That went exactly as I planned." Skulker groaned as he forced his body up into a sitting position. The scrambled sensation in his brain made the room spin for a brief moment. He leaned forward, holding his head in his hand.
"Sure you did. And you pulled it off spectacularly." Ember rolled her green eyes. "And what exactly was that all about?"
"Our friend there," Skulker sneered at the term because they were hardly friends, "plans to make Phantom a virus."
One delicate eyebrow lifted at him. "Seriously?"
"Yeah, and I have a bad feeling about it."
midnight: Poor Danny just can't catch a break. =(
maltese: Yes, Danny, thinking about Vlad is a good thing. Just go with it~ Haha, I don't think there's much hope in seeing Calvin change. orz
Sammi: In school, maybe. Danny should watch his back in case Calvin tries to do something after he leaves school. D:
DB-KT: Aren't I always? 8) Haha, maybe. XD
Just Will: Maybe? But they are a pretty crazy organization. I mean, blowing up a whole dimension? And they didn't even stop to think of the consequences. -.- I always thought the whole portals through time thing was a bit weird though. Haha, that's probably a good plan to get the Thermos back. XD;; Calvin's basically a jerk. orz And change in the social hierarchy of school does not sit well with him. Especially when Paulina and Dash turn against him.