The squad collapsed in Slyder's room; all catching their breath as they experienced cross-dimensional time lapse. Matt's heart rate quicken; and his head started to pound.

"What time is it?" Jackie crawled over to a box of cold Chinese food. She felt starved. A few bites and she was back to her old self.

"It's 9:10 PM." Inez said as she stretched. She suffered the least of the side effects. Matt wondered why they were all feeling so differently when they left Cyberspace.

"We should head back home." Matt managed to stand up; blinking multiple times to gain his proper vision. "We'll see you later Slyder...Slyder?"

The gang saw Slyder knocked out on his bed; snoring. Jackie sat beside him, playing with his messy brown hair.

"Guess we're all a bit worn out huh?" Jackie said.

"We'll leave you with him. Night Jacks'" Matt said. Both him and Inez left the house to head back home; the night still young and the moon lit the sidewalk. Matt admit that he felt more at ease with Inez now than he was a couple of days ago; he felt things were going back to the way they were...almost.

"You seriously scared us there Matt. It's too early to risk your life like that..." Inez confessed. Matt looked at her as this went on.

"I just want all of us together." Matt confessed, "It's too early to seperate...and dangerous."

"Please Matt, just understand what I'm trying to say..." Inez pleaded. Matt flinched.

"You want me to be more of a coward? I'm sorry but that's not what I do." He insisted. Matt didn't want to argue with Inez about this at this time. He just wanted to lay down and sleep the migraines away.

"Look, Matt." Inez stopped him with a hand on his arm. He stopped to look at her; her brown eyes in the path of the moonlight made her eyes sparkle. Matt stood in his place, wanting to just stare at that pretty face all day. It made him flashback to the small moments where he would merely forget he's in class and unconsciously stare and watch her. Whether it was setting behind her or beside her. He wondered if Inez ever saw him looking at her that way.

"Yes?" He replied lowly. They stood in silence as all you could hear was the night bugs and the lowest hum of the streetlights.

"Why are we arguing like this?"

Matt grimaced, unsure how to answer the question. Was it a trick? Is she trying to make him slip?

"Because, that's what we usually do." Matt said. "And try to prove who's always on top."

Inez scoffed, "Is it really?"

Matt played dumb, "What are you talking about?" He wasn't sure he could afford to admit his feelings to Inez. With so much at stake...

She grimaced, "If that's how it's going to be then I'm not going to be the one to say it first."

Matt flinched, "You keep thinking that."

Without another word from each other; Matt walked Inez home with a low goodnight before heading back to his own place. With a turn of his house key, he silently entered his lonely castle and retreated to his room; collapsing on his bed.

With that, Matt had a disturbing dream.

/

Matt stood in a laboratory, along with 20 other scientists that were busy looking through papers, recording results, and working on computers. Matt looked up at the tall glass capsule.

He saw Max. Max was suspended in green fluid with thousands of wires; made of copper, titanium and steel, penetrating through the center of his chest and out his back. Metal cuffs clung on his calves and forearms as he remain unconscious under the flow of electricity that ran through the wires. It made Matt shiver because he was looking at a mere image of himself there.

"How is he doing doctors?" A man stood with his hands behind his back. His hair was deep red with a bit of white growing in the front. This startled Matt.

"His vitals are stable and he should be ready by tomorrow." said one doctor. Matt stepped forward; aware that they didn't mind him. He tried to look at the man's face; but his voice was masked with darkness.

"Dr. Alvin, I must speak to you outside." The man said. Dr. Alvin looked at him with cobalt eyes with no whites. It made Matt flinch.

"Yes Dr. Terabyte." Dr. Alvin followed behind him. Matt followed as well, curious of what the two had to discuss. Dr. Terabyte, continuing to stay faceless as he peered up at him.

"When this procedure begins you are in charge of Max. I'll be leaving shortly and I don't tend on coming back." Dr. Terabyte said.

"Sir?" Dr. Alvin blinked.

"Max doesn't need to know who I am." Dr. Terabyte grimaced.

"I don't understand sir, but if it's your orders I will follow." Dr. Alvin said. "The boy-"

"He's not a boy; he's an android. If he ever realizes I gave him a single ounce of humanity it will be the last thing you wish he didn't do." Dr. Terabyte warned. Matt grimaced. He couldn't imagine Max being part human. Not an ounce of soul in him.

"Yes...sir." Dr. Alvin said. Dr. Terabyte carried his suitcase.

"I should be going now. And whatever happens tomorrow, be sure Max sees you first. He will abide to you only." He said as he put on his hat. Dr. Terabyte disappeared past the white doors as Max felt a reason to follow still. Dr. Alvin stood there until he started to disintegrate to dust. Matt realize his dream was about to end; he had to follow Dr. Terabyte.

He ran through the doors and saw Dr. Terabyte slowly making his way to the light. Then he begun to speak.

"He doesn't need to know" His voice echoed as the light engulf the two men, "That I have a real son back on Earth."

/

Matt woke up drenched in sweat; his headaches pounding his head; and his vision blurred. His vision was masked with ribbons of red, startling him as he rolled out of bed. He tried to support himself and grab his medication. Looking at the time; 9:13 AM. It's been over 24 hours. It's been too long.

He rushed to grab his tablets, and collapsed on his knees by the toilet to hurl his guts out. He felt like pure shit.

Clutching his medicine, he removed the cap with clumsiness, and swallowed four tablets and scooped a few handfuls of ice-cold tap. He sank into the bathtub and curled into a ball; traumatized.