Max felt the impact of his back hit the stairs as a jab of pain tore through the side of his ribs. He became traumatized. He never felt this amount of pain...no, it was in his head. He winced as Matt got up to strike a blow, his instincts kicked in as he stopped Matt's fist and pinned him down with his face on the mat.
"Calm down, brother." Max growled.
"Shut your goddamn mouth." He spat. Inez and Jackie observed the violent sibling rivalry. They shoved off each other as Max stood near the kitchen as Matt was still leaning on the stairs.
"I don't need your harsh threats to know my place. It doesn't even matter! I'm more concerned about what's going to happen if any of you get caught there by Hacker!" Max roared. "Apparently; you don't care! So Doctor Marbles chose you four to save Cyberspace? All I see is a bunch of selfish children!"
Max gave his brother a growl and an angry glance, "You should be ashamed." As he teleported.
/
Matt growled, raking his hair with his hands as the migraines returned. He was so stupid.
When he promised Dr. Marbles that he would bring the squad back together and save Cyberspace, he wasn't ready to deal with the romance and a shifty-ally aside. He put his feelings above everything else and he's suffering the consequences. Surely Dr. Marbles would be shaking his head.
Matt returned upstairs, confronting the girls. His glanced turned to his best friend Jackie, who only get his eyes for a moment.
"He's right." She grimaced, "Max is right."
Matt flinched, but his shoulders naturally sagged. Then he turned to face his girlfriend. She didn't meet his eyes. He tried to reach out to her as she pulled back. Inez's eyes bore right into his; angry and irritated.
"For once Matt, couldn't you just trust me?!" Inez raised her voice. "I always had a plan, and, the more you intervened the more you screw it up!"
"I'm sorry." Matt shut his eyes as Inez brushed past him, knowing better he couldn't chase after her. He felt at the lowest, unable to watch her run out the house as he curled back into the bed with Jackie getting ready to prepare some breakfast.
/
Outside, Inez took off her glasses to wipe her tears. Her vision was blurred as she caught a glance of someone standing in the shadows of a tree. Red-hair, a dark blue jacket, and a stiff pose. She put her glasses back on as Max leaned on the tree with a stale-face. Inez disregarded her tears as she approached the red-headed android.
She slapped him across the cheek. Max turned as he glanced at the fiery mortal.
"That was for pissing Matt off. That was not called for." Inez said.
"He threw me down the stairs." Max snarled, "I'm sure it'll be alright. Young love isn't it?"
Inez's eyes narrowed, "What would you know?"
"You're right, I don't." Max narrowly stared straight into the eyes of the young girl as he held his palm up.
Inez hesitated, but placed hers on top the cold palm of his.
"Tell me where you want to go." Max said.
"First, Slyder's garage." Inez said. "And then I need to go back to Icesotope Mt."
Max flinched, "Why do you know about that place?"
"It was the last place Matt and I were. We almost ran into Hacker. I had a feeling he was following our trail." Inez shivered. "Now, could you take me to the garage now?"
Max did not have to hear it twice as he teleported both himself and the mortal into Cyberspace.
/
They appeared behind Slyder's garage; able to access the backdoor as they saw him working at Digit's core. His outer shell to scrap as his complicated interior was revealed. It disturbed but also astonished Inez. Slyder looked up and almost said 'Matt and Inez', until he felt the blood grow cold as he picked up on the blue-jacket and harsh expression of Max. He immediately growled.
"What are you two doing here?" He finally said. Inez flinched.
"I'm trying to dig up more information on Hacker. We ran into some trouble yesterday and I didn't exactly get what I wanted." Inez stated.
"But why isn't Matt with you? Did he get sick again?" Slyder asked.
"Yeah. Jackie agreed to take care of him." Inez said. "The reason Max is here, is very long story."
Slyder folded his arms. He clearly didn't approve any help of Max with Inez; and especially with the harsh relationship going on between him and his brother, it made Slyder more edgy about him.
"Obviously I don't trust you." Slyder directed his attention to the android.
"Who doesn't?" Max said.
"But..." Slyder refrained to retort about his remarks, "If Inez trusts you; it's for a good reason. She's our little angel. Anything happens to her and it's hell from all of us; especially from Matt."
Max tried to refrain anymore snark remarks about them, finding it difficult to act...nicer, "Fine."
Inez stepped in, "It was unfair how you abandoned us Slyder. I understand it got a bit personal,...but we had always stick together."
"Trust me Inez, after Jackie left I almost couldn't work on Digit." Slyder turned around fully, gripping the stool. "But I realized that some of my feelings have to come after work...but no matter what I'll always have you guys beside me." As he held up the lock necklace. Inez flinched. A tear almost left her eye as she shook her head.
"How much longer?" She asked.
"Two more days for sure." Slyder smiled weakly, knowing that two more days was actually many more in Cyberspace. He was completely sleep-deprived. Energy and other caffeine drink bottles laid around as his eyes were rounded with black. Inez grimaced.
"This isn't good for you. Two more days for sure right?" Inez made sure.
"Inez, I'll be alright. Just watch out for Jackie for me...I know it's been hard. I'll make it up to her. You just find what you need." Slyder's eyes shifted to Max direction, "Protect her; if you have any sort of humanity in you or some compassion..."
"I don't need to, to know that I have to." Max said with a hint of annoyance.
"Let's go." Inez turned as she left Slyder's garage. She gave him one last assuring glance as they hoped for each other's success. But as they both disappeared behind Slyder's door, his face became harden with caution. He didn't...know for sure, if Max had any humanity inside him. That bit of DNA of Matt's is what helped create him; so if what Matt said is true, why doesn't he show even an ounce of it?