"Wait." Matt told her. He was trying, trying his best to find the decent humanity within him to be nice to her. He wanted to hear her out; but was only afraid of being rejected harshly again. That was his deepest fear.
Inez met his eyes. She too was hurt after what she done to Matt. She couldn't forgive herself afterwards and blame herself for making Matt change into almost a completely different person. She felt he had every right to hate her after all.
"Tell me." He demanded. "Tell me why you refused to be my friend anymore."
Inez lowered her eyes, "I didn't know what to think Matt. I was traumatized after...that day. I didn't know how to speak, what to do. And then when I saw you, I was afraid of you. It was an unnatural feeling that I wish had gone away. But it never did."
Something else ached Matt. Something that was never brought up. He realized that it was something that stabbed him in the chest and caused most of the pain. The migraines kicked in as he clutched his head with both hands. He could hear an annoying sharp sound zone in and out.
"Matt!" Inez shook him.
He woke up, the sound silent and the pain ceasing. He felt slightly lightheaded.
"How long you've been having those?" Inez sat closer.
"About a year now. The meds were working fine until recently. I'm just stressed out." He mumbled. Then he felt a soft warmth envelope his had. It was Inez holding his hand; assuring and comforting him. He would think of retracting his hand, telling her to back off like she knew him, but he didn't. His heart was thawing from ice, opening up to Inez and the others. He didn't feel that much anger towards her like before.
"Inez...there's something I have to-"
Matt, sat back from each other as they heard footsteps approach the door. Slyder and Jackie came in with Chinese food and soft drinks.
"Chinese anyone?" Jackie raised a brow.
/
The day ended faster that Matt hoped it would, barely remembering the pain and the three bullies that were after him. He would worry later on of how he was getting to school; that his bike was wrecked.
"What are you going to do about those guys Matt?" Jackie asked.
Matt shook his head, "Nothing. It isn't worth it."
Slyder frowned, "They used a weapon."
"I should've been in the hospital." Matt replied cheekily.
"Guys." Inez stepped in. Matt and Slyder both ceased to silence.
"Matt, I know those guys, and they're not going to stop." Jackie said.
Inez took only a few moments to think, "What if..."
"What?" Matt asked.
"You can always join us on the way to school. I mean, we basically live by each other." She offered. "It would make sense to stick together."
Matt grimaced, "Then you all will be involved as well."
Slyder shook his head, "Doesn't matter, the Cybersquad sticks together."
Slyder put his hand out, one by one, Jackie and Inez doing in. Matt hesitated, missing the all-for-one cheer with the old gang. He felt nostalgia to the pits of his stomach. And he put his hand out over Inez.
"Cybersquad. Let's roll!" As it was the first time Matt smiled in a long time.
/
That night Matt had more confidence and continue working on the old SWAK pak. He thought he could script and hack some codes and get it up and running. Though, the SWAK pak was unreliable when it came to communication.
He had took the surface off the SWAK pak, revealing copper wires and chips designed uniquely to fit the walkie talkie.
"M-A-MM-A-TTT" Matt felt a bone-chilling voice call his name. He swiftly turned around and saw no one. He assumed it was his head messing with him again.
"h-e-lp." He heard the weakening voice cry out. He knew that voice. He couldn't be going crazy. He turned around but then out the corner of his eye a beaming light shone brightly in his dim-lit room from his laptop monitor. It was the portal.
"Dr. Marbles?" Matt talked to the portal. But it didn't reply as it sucked him into the warp and through the vortex.
/
Matt fell on a hard-metal surface, slightly dazed. He knew right away where he was; the world of Cyberspace. It was very dark, and it seemed like thunder and lightning struck from all around. Matt got to his feet, brushing himself off trying to recognize his surroundings. There were junk everywhere, but when he looked up, he could recognized the skyscraper-high structure from a mile away. He rubbed his shoulders as he realized he was in his lazy pajamas and socks and felt quite chilly.
"The control center...Motherboard." He was horrified at the destruction of the control center of Cyberspace. It was nearly ruins and seem abandoned for a long time. A horrible feeling pooled in the pit of his stomach.
Matt approached the control center, when he was pulled down by someone. He thrashed back and was about to throw a punch when he recognized his old friend.
"Dr. Marbles?" He recognized the doctor. He wore a large fedora to cover his glass-cranium, and a high-collar lab-coat concealing his face. He place a finger to where his lips would be and gestured to follow him. Matt didn't question him.
They walked two miles without a word, Matt uncomfortably shifting about as he stared at the angry sky of Cyberspace. Something was defiantly wrong. They resided at an old observatory, too almost in ruins and covered with moss-like grass.
"Matthew." The doctor said as they took shelter in the observatory.
"Dr. Marbles...I...what..." Matt was loss of words. He haven't seen Doc in three years; having so many questions he wanted him to answer.
"I know this is very, very difficult to take in. But for now, we don't have much time." Dr. Marbles removed his disguise and started up the computers in a section of the observatory. Matt shifted as he followed behind Doc.
"Time is never on our side. But,...what happened here Doc?"
"A lot Matthew. A lot of changes. That's why I need you to be patient and hear what I have to tell you. Do you understand?"
"Not exactly, but shoot." He resided to an old chair.
"Everything started to go wrong after you earthlings left. I believe Slyder has told you what you've...done." Doc emphasized.
"I didn't do it Doc...I mean,...I don't..." Matt was becoming frustrated at his jumbled memories. He could not recall what he did that day. But the thought of him killing Hacker sent shivers down his body.
"Matt. I know you didn't." Doc admitted. Matt's head snapped up.
"What?"
Doc silenced Matt, the observatory more quiet than the wind. His eyes shifted about.
"We don't have time Matthew. You have to listen. It was all a big trick. Hacker did this."
Matt wanted to protest and curse; but he had to hear everything.
"I haven't got the full details, but Hacker is behind all of this. He faked his death and the blame was put on you because he wanted to get rid of you earthlings." Doc grimaced. "I don't know what Motherboard did, but they say that she had severed the connection between our worlds. But I don't believe that."
"But Inez said she saw me. With her own eyes." Matt narrowed his eyes.
"She did. But it was an illusion created by Hacker as well. He tempered with your memory, that's why you have amnesia and the migraines."
"I can care less about the pain Doc, I want to know if I can get my memory back and find out exactly why he's messing with my head." Matt demanded.
"I don't know Matthew. Most likely Hacker recorded that specific memory to a microchip and has it safely locked away somewhere. And that's not the only issue." Doc hissed. Then, there was an earthquake.
"DOC!" Matt yelled as he steadied himself and held onto a post. Doc scrambled to his computer and retrieved a few items. He placed them in a bag and gave it Matt, struggling to stand n the shifting ground. The rumbled ceased as a silhouette of a ship hovered over the observatory.
"Hacker found me." Doc grimaced. "You have to go Matt. Tell the others!" He held the bag towards Matt and shoved him back. "Hacker must be stopped once an for all."
Matt was stunned. He couldn't say anything. He wanted to know what was the bigger danger. And he didn't want to leave Doc in danger.
"GO!" As Doc gave him one last shove as he fell back into open space into a portal; seeing the last glance of Doc and Hacker's ship retrieving a struggling Doc before the observatory completely collapsed.