Matt knelt so that Inez could ease off his back as she leaned against a generator. She felt bad that her ankle sprained and this was causing Matt more problems to deal with.
"Stay here." Matt told her. She deactivated the mask so she could give him a harsh look.
"Does it look like I can go anywhere?" Inez checked as Matt examined her posture. He went over beside her and apologized with a pat. For some reason, the moment he touched her she began to feel extremely warm in the suit. Matt's electric blue stare gazed into her own, and she slowly felt herself melt from the inside-out.
Matt leaned closer, his own lips merely hovering over her own lips as he recognized the situation. It was a dark, low-security power plant where his girlfriend was vulnerable with an injury and he just so happens to realize how freakin' beautiful she was and it ALMOST made him forget everything.
Almost.
"Are you going to leave me hanging?" Inez carefully moved her lips so that they weren't touching his. Matt leaned back and got up.
"For now, yeah. I'll be back for that favor." Matt folded her arms, silently shaking her head as Matt walked briskly into the darkness, disappearing behind a tank.
/
Matt spotted the bridge to the main power source as he checked his surroundings. He honestly thought this was too easy.
It could be a trap?
Matt wanted to risk it. If he could cut off the source, he and the gang would be able to move in closer to Hacker's ship. He jogged down the bridge as he jumped the flight of stairs. Staring at the generator box that stood five feet from him, he stared at the wires all connecting to it.
The big red sign read DO NOT TOUCH.
The irony.
Matt wielded the metallic rod that was included with the suit he jacked as he felt the weight increased as sparks emitted from it. He lifted his arm, and with a strong swing he slashed the set of wires from his far right. And he worked clockwise, going on a batting spree as sparks and electricity stormed around him. He lifted his arm to draw a final blow to the main box, causing the whirling from the turrets and other machines around him to finally die.
Max exhaled as he sheathed the rod and made his way back to Inez; everything much darker than before. Little did he know...
"Well that was a breeze." As Matt chuckled, "Now about that favor-"
He halted to a stop when he saw a pair of glasses left where Inez was.
His heart sank.
And he became blinded with rage. He shakily reached down for her spectacles as he sprinted off into a dash.
The suit got hot.
He didn't know where to go.
But all he knew was that he needed to find Inez. Exiting the plant, he saw the kidnapper. He didn't think twice to chase after him. Dressed differently from everyone else, he wore an all sleek black outfit that reminded Matt of a biker. His helmet was also all black as he stood a bit taller than Matt expected when he got closer. And he saw that Inez was slung over his shoulder like a pile of meat.
He was glad they were in the darkest alleys of the city, because he was able to move freely and more quickly without attracting attention.
"LET HER GO!" Matt growled as he was feet away from the adult kidnapper. He made no attempts to stop, and instead to keep going. This infuriated Matt even more as he equipped the rod.
The black kidnapper wasn't interested in fighting with Matt, but lure him and the girl far away as possible. He climbed up a fire escape with one hand, as he lurched himself up on the rooftop. Matt caught up quicker behind him as he follow his leaps across building to building. Matt made a final resort and equipped his rod once more. Feeling the weight in his hand again, he hurled it at the kidnapper as it hit him in the lower back. He groaned loudly in pain as he stumbles and falls. His grips on Inez loosen as she sprawled out on the rooftop, unconscious.
Matt walked up to the struggling kidnapper, "How dare you try to take her away from me." As he grabbed the man by his neck. He struggled and groaned.
"Wait!" He pleaded, "Don't hurt me Matt."
Matt flinched at the man who called his name. "How do you know my name?"
"Because." As he reached for his helmet and revealed the glass cranium that incase his brain. Turning around was the aged face of an old friend. Matt stumbled back, his mask deactivated.
"D-Doc?" Matt stumbled with the words.
"Yes Matthew. But for undercover reasons; I prefer if you called me Jet." Dr. Marbles insisted as he go to his feet, brushing himself.
/
Slyder and Jackie made it to the entrance to, what other's called, The Hive. They were stopped at the entrance by two guards. They were fully away everyone around them were going haywire with the power outage. Now, they were waiting for some air assault by their comrades.
"We can't let anyone past here." The guards ordered. "Not until the power comes back on."
"This is an emergency." Slyder told the guard No. 2978. He pointed a electric spear at his jugular. He leaned back.
"Are you disobeying my orders, medic?" No. 2978 growled. "Get your ass out of here."
"You heard him Medic 206." Said No. 2983.
Jackie puffed herself as she turned on her telecommunicator.
"These assholes needs a piece of our medicine." Jackie planned wickedly.
Slyder chuckled. "My evil girlfriend."
They back away at the same time as the guards thought they were retreating. But they turned back around and spin-kicked them in the head. Stunned, Slyder and Jackie wasted no time to knock them out with their metal rods. The two guards lied on top of each other as the two teens dragged their bodies to a shaded area. Slyder grabbed their rifles and passed one to Jackie. Deactivating their masks for a moment, they took deep breaths.
Slyder glanced over at his girlfriend as she wiped a sweat on the side of her face. She caught him staring and gave him a flirtatious look. He averted his glance blushing.
"I'm going to assume you know how to use that." Slyder trusted her.
"Duh, my dad was in the army. He taught me how to use some of his guns when we went up north." Jackie grinned as she flicked Slyder's forehead. He blew a strand of hair out of his face as he and Jackie reactivated their masks.
"Alright then my impressive girlfriend." Slyder chuckled as they continued to haul a knocked-out Digit to the Hive.
/
Matt followed Dr. Marbles to his secret hideout as he carried Inez. Matt nestled her closer to his chest as questions formulated in his head.
"I don't know if I should be pissed or happy to see you. Because you save our lives, but at the same time I can't help but to think this is partially your fault. All of this." Matt told the doc. Dr. Marbles sighed.
"I know Matthew. Everything I've done this far was for a reason. And sad enough, there will always be consequences." He told the earth boy. "I promise after this there will be no more lives that will be sacrifice for the problems we made."
"We? You mean the four of you? My dad, Dr. Alvin, Hacker and...you?" Matt asked. Inez stirred. Dr. Marbles lead the way to his hideout through a tunnel as they entered a basement that reminded Matt of a lab. He placed Inez on the table as Dr. Marbles turned on a lamp. He began to gather medical supplies for Inez and began to spoke:
"Yes. We all corrupted the future for Cyberspace when...our silly arguments lead to bigger conflicts. I didn't take Hacker seriously and I was forced to choose a side. At the moment, I went with your father, but realize the cruel intention Dr. Alvin had planned for him after the accident...I had to isolate myself. And I came back to stay with Motherboard, and that's when I built Digit." Dr. Marbles said. "For a short time he worked for Hacker for undercover reasons, but he told me that Hacker had very cruel intentions and couldn't live up to that, he was better off with me. "But my brain told me there will be a great war in a few years, but I could prevent it."
"And how did my father come around to building a clone of me?" He asked, folding his hands.
"Your father thought Dr. Alvin was going to kill him. That was his first thought. But also, he admit that he missed you." Dr. Marbles voice softened, "He couldn't figure out why the portal between our world and yours kept opening, and each opportunity he missed to come back."
Matt leaned back, unable to grasp the information, "It wasn't his fault...?"
"No." Dr, Marbles said. "None of you."
"I'm such a terrible son." Matt buried his head in his arms. He yelled and beat his Dad like he was the worst thing in his life. He didn't sit down and listen because he was blinded with rage. He blamed the four years of isolation, but more now himself for letting that consume his and...forget who he used to be.
"Look here." As Dr. Marbles handed him a hand-mirror. Matt stared at hit, seeing a darker reflection of himself. Snarling, angry, filled of rage, emotional.
"What do you see?" He asked.
"I see myself the beginning of my senior year. Like I wanted to kill someone." Matt looked away.
"Look again." Dr. Marbles said. Hesitantly, Matt looked at the mirror and saw himself. But...not really.
"It's me, but..." Matt squinted as he noticed the blue jacket and the slight scowl. "No...it's Max. Why is he here?"
"Because he's part of you. More than you know." Dr. Marbles said. "It was inevitable when he undergone the human transformation. It's a darn miracle almost."
"Isn't he going to die though? When I die?" Matt asked.
Dr. Marbles grimaced, "It depends on what you two decide to do."
This made his heart sank. It was coming together. Matt's father created Max so that his own fate could be replaced with Max. So that he wouldn't die; but would Max.
"This is the key to ending all of this. Destroying CYRUS, reversing all of this." As he remember Max's words.
"The microchip..." Matt figured it out. Inez grumbled as she began to wake up.
"Matt?" She groaned as he rushed to her side, gripping her hand. He deactivated her mask so she could breathe better.
"I'm here." He assured her as he kissed her forehead. "It's okay, the Doc is here."
Inez began to sat up as she rubbed her head. "Where are we?" Then her gaze set on Dr. Marbles "Doctor...Marbles?"
"Hello Inez." He smiled. Inez got on one foot just to embrace the Doctor in a tight hug.
"We thought you were dead! What are you doing here?!" Inez asked.
"Doc been working undercover. It seems that Hacker is only slightly smarter than he was. Typical." Matt grinned.
"I managed to convince him that he brainwashed me. Right now he's in hibernation. But it won't be long now until he wakes up. He has an hour and 15 minutes." He said hurridly. he rested Inez back as he began to take out painkillers and syringes.
"Uh? Doc?" Inez chuckled nervously, "What are you doing?"
"Your ankle is sprained no? I suggest a quicker healing process is a boost of adrenaline and...our own little dose of painkillers." As he prepared the syringe. Matt gripped her wrists down as Inez was starting to panic.
Did she tell anyone that she does NOT like needles? Oh no, she didn't.
"It's okay. Just look at me." As Matt intercepted her gazed and had her in a trance under his gaze. She felt a slight pinch and then it was gone. She got up and stood on both feet; the pain gone as she felt...stronger.
"Done." Dr. Marbles said, packing up. "You should hurry."
"Where are you goin' Doc?" Matt asked.
"To see your father." Dr. Marbles nodded. "And call in more reinforcements. I trust that you'll be taking care of Hacker and CYRUS?"
"Right." The two teens nodded. Exiting the lair, Matt and Inez went one way as Doc turned the other.
"Good luck." He waved as he dropped down from the rooftop. The teens turned their head to the Hive; awaiting them was the final chase. The end of corrupted beginnings. The solution to all their problems.
Matt and Inez held each other unconsciously as they glanced at each other one more before activating their masks.
"Ready?" Matt asked his girlfriend.
"Yeah." As they both charged, sailing rooftops and other buildings.