A/N: This chapter is short but I like so I'm going to keep it. Only three more chapters to go!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
The car ride to Switzerland was quiet. They decided a train would take too long so Aelita rented an SUV for the seven of them and they were off. Their classes were put out of their minds as their minds instead raced with thoughts of Laura and Tyron. Ulrich offered to drive so his focus would be on the road and his mind wouldn't try bring his visions back. Yumi sat up front with him, keeping him focused on the road and to their destination. Aelita sat in between William and Odd. She refused to acknowledge Vivien and Jeremy since they started driving. Instead, Aelita focused on Laura and Tyron. Odd and William tried to keep light conversation but the tension in the car was too high and they eventually gave up. Jeremy was still mad at Vivien and vice versa so they were quiet as well.
Aelita's mind wouldn't stop racing. She was terrified not only for her mother but for her friends. Going to confront Tyron put them all at risk but she hoped going for the element of surprise would help them and maybe they would get out of there safely. She seriously doubted it though. Knowing Tyron, he was probably waiting for them behind his desk with an evil smirk on his face.
Tyron's lab was out in the middle of nowhere. The building looked like a normal science building with about three flors. It was white with several windows. The front door held a keypad for entry. Aelita walked right up and entered the correct key. Either he didn't change it since she escaped those three years ago or he changed it back because he knew they were coming. Aelita suspected the latter.
Aelita walked with determination to Tyron's lab while the others followed, weary of their surroundings. Yumi held on to Ulrich's hand, squeezing it as a constant to reminder that he was by her side. Ulrich played with his cigarettes, wanting to take a smoke but one look from Aelita told him now was not the time. Odd followed directly behind Aelita. She wasn't acting like herself and he was worried. He knew she was worried about her mother but it was like something in her switched. William didn't know what to think while Vivien and Jeremy took the lab in, the scientist in them showing a bit.
Aelita walked into Tyron's office with no trouble. She wasn't surprised to see Tyron behind his desk with Laura by his side. Laura smirked when they entered while Tyron remained emotionless. Aelita tilted her head to the side, smiling slightly. Just like she suspected.
"Hello, my dear," Tyron greeted. "We've been expecting you and your little friends. Although, we weren't expecting Jeremy's little girlfriend. How are you, Vivien, darling?"
Vivien shuddered at the pet name. "How do you know who I am?"
"The new Lyoko you helped create was brilliant. I knew it wasn't done by an amateur when I found your signature. I traced it back and found you. You are on the waitlist for M.I.T., are you not? And you thought this would help you get it?" Tyron smirked at her. "Well, Vivien, darling, too bad you won't be around to attend."
Vivien shuddered again, moving closer to Jeremy and William.
"Cut the dramatics, Tyron. We're here. What do you want from us? From their program?" Aelita snapped.
"Aelita," Odd was startled at her tone.
Tyron smiled. There was his feisty girl. Just like her mother. "You know what I want, Aelita. It's what I've always wanted. I want to control XANA and your friends' program has helped me do just that."
Yumi gasped, squeezing Ulrich's hand tighter as Vivien and Jeremy shook their heads.
"That's not possible. XANA isn't in our program," Jeremy answered.
"We checked it multiple times," Vivien added.
"But you forget, I still have the skeleton code to the old Lyoko which does contain XANA. Now I can recreate what you helped destroy four long years ago and finally control XANA. Oh, the things I can do with it," Tyron explained.
"And Laura? Why? Why did you help him?" William asked, his voice breaking slightly at the question.
"Why else? You six stole something from me and without my permission. And I didn't even know it! But now I do and you are going to get what's coming for you," Laura snarled.
The door opened and Tyron's lackeys filled the room, circling the gang.
"What are you going to do with us?" Ulrich yelled, pulling Yumi closer.
"Take Jeremy and his darling girlfriend to the lab and lock them up. Take the others to the virtualization room. Wait until I get to the control room before you virtualizate them," Tyron commanded.
"No!" Aelita screamed as a lacky grabbed her. "No, you can't do this!"
"Oh but I can, my dear."
The gang tried to fight the lackeys off but they just fought back and won. Two of them dragged Jeremy and Vivien in the opposite direction as the rest were dragged to a huge room with ten yellow pads. They threw them in the room, bolting the door, waiting to force them on the pads.
Vivien and Jeremy were thrown in an empty lab with a jail cell. The lackeys threw them in the cell, locking it. One stayed behind to watch the door as the other left to help with the other six.
"No!" Jeremy screamed, pounding on the cell.
"Jeremy, it's no use," Vivien grabbed him, pulling him away before he could hurt himself.
"But the others! Aelita! Didn't you hear him? He's going to virtualize them! He's sending them back to Lyoko probably with XANA's monster waiting to attack and kill them," Jeremy cried.
"I did but hurting yourself isn't going to save them. We have to think of a plan so we can save them," Vivien reasoned. "I just don't get why he didn't want to virtualize us."
"Probably because you don't have a Lyoko form and mine isn't developed as well as the others."
"Or he needs us for something else," Vivien added. "But what?"
The door to the lab quietly opened and a lady walked in. She had long pink hair that was pulled up in a ponytail and she wore a white lab coat, similar to Tyron's. Jeremy gasped when he saw her. "Aelita?"
The lady smiled and shook her head. "I'm Aelita's mother, Anthea."
"You're alive? And okay?"
She nodded. "For now. I heard my daughter came back to the lab with her friends. I was afraid she would try to rescue me again and get us both killed but instead she went straight to Tyron which will also be her downfall if she's not careful," Anthea said. "I saw that they split you up. Tyron will probably call for me soon but I wanted to make sure you two were okay."
"We're fine. How do we get out and save the others?"
Anthea opened her mouth but her phone beeped before she could speak. "That's Tyron. I have to go before he finds where I am." She smiled sadly at the two before leaving the room.
"Ugh!" Jeremy groaned, slamming his fist against the wall. "Now what?"
Vivien stared at the door to the cell then looked down at her purse that the lackeys forgot to take away. She looked up at Jeremy, smirking.
In the virtualization room, the others were freaking out. Ulrich and William tried to fight the lackeys but they both ended up getting knock to their feet with a bloody nose and lip. Ulrich tried to go at them again when Yumi stopped him.
"Ulrich, please," she begged.
Ulrich wrapped his arms around her, rubbing circles on her back.
Instead of fighting, Aelita took to yelling at the window up above them. She yelled insults, pleas, everything she could think off until a sound stopped her. It was the sound of the door opening, revealing Anthea. She stood emotionless in front of them.
"Mom?" She cried, taking off in a sprint towards the door. A lackey stopped her, throwing her backwards. She hit the ground hard, causing the others to circle her and help her but she didn't care. She looked at her mom, longing to hug her again, to feel her mother's gentle touch. "Mom?"
"I'm so sorry, baby," Anthea answered. She nodded at a lackey and they immediately grabbed the gang and forced them each on a pad. "I'm so sorry."
Aelita screamed as she was carried to the pad, trying to kick her way out. "Mommy, don't!"
Anthea's emotionless features flicked for a moment, her heart hurting for her daughter but she immediately composed herself.
As soon as the six were placed on a pad, straps circled their feet to hold them in place. A large, clear tube came up from the floor, encasing them. Tyron and Laura smirked from the control room above. He motioned for Laura to do the honors. She grinned, typing the commands.
"Transfer. Scanner. Virtualization."