Sorry for the long wait. Exams and other end of the year stuff made things difficult. Enjoy.
Part 32
Back at the trustee parlor, Mr. Stern continues to sweat in his chair. The rest of the trustees look at him, fascinated the same way a passing driver looks at a roadside accident. None of them make a move to help. Moriarty patiently pulls up a chair beside him, pretending to attend to him. He feels his clammy palm. Mr. Stern makes little to no response. He is withdrawing into a catatonic state. Moriarty grumbles.
Moriarty: Curse you Jeremie. This specter won't give in. He examines him more closely. Looks like the tower is going to have to fall first.
Christophe ducks behind the punch table. He whispers loudly into the earpiece.
Christophe: Jeremie….Jeremie please answer me!
He gets no response. Christophe looks over his shoulder to see Moriarty calmly relaxing in a nearby chair. Christophe's blood boils. He tosses the Bluetooth out of his ear.
Christophe: Screw it! In a leap of boldness, Christophe jumps on top of the table, causing the trustees some alarm. He glares at Moriarty with vindictiveness. I can't let you win!
He jumps and rushes toward Mr. Stern. Moriarty lackadaisically looks over his shoulder and fires an electric shock through his hand. The attack launches Christophe back onto the table. The punch bowl spills on him and begins dripping on the floor. Christophe painfully groans and tries to move. Moriarty stands up.
Moriarty: If you really want to be a "Lyoko Warrior", then it's only fair that I treat you like one. In other words, you're going to get electrocuted a lot. You might as well get used to it.
Christophe stares at the ceiling, unable to respond.
Moriarty: But I would recommend you stay right there. Unless of course you want more. His hands sparkle with power. And believe me, you little nuisance, I'd be only too happy to oblige.
Christophe rolls over with some difficulty and falls onto the floor in front of his enemy. He holds his side and struggles to rise. Eventually he falls completely flat on the ground. Moriarty raises an eyebrow.
Moriarty: No? Okay, have it your way. Pity, I was really hoping to find an excuse to zap you a few more times.
A fat trustee approaches him.
Bessette: What do you want us to do with him, sir?
Moriarty: Just make sure he doesn't leave the room. We need the lovebirds to continue to think that everything is okay.
Bessette: Of course.
As Moriarty gets up to walk around, Christophe reaches for his foot in a fit of desperate rage. Moriarty steps on his hand in annoyance.
Moriarty: God you're stubborn. Bessette, make him quiet for a while, if you know what I mean.
Bessette: As you wish sir.
Bessette picks up Christophe and begins to put him in a sleeper hold. Christophe threatens Moriarty through strangled breath.
Christophe: Jeremie….will find out…others will….stop you.
Christophe begins to go limp under the increased pressure. Moriarty smiles at him.
Moriarty: Will Jeremie figure out things have gone wrong? Probably. But acting on it may prove a little more difficult than they think.
Downstairs, Emmanuel takes a break from the dance to go to the refreshment stand. He pours himself a glass of water. César walks by and wipes his forehead.
César: Dios (God), she's a handful. What was I thinking?
Emmanuel: Girl problems again?
César: Pues….sí y no (Well, yes and no). I'm not really a guy with girl problems. I'm a guy with a girl who has problems. Those are two different things. If a man is successful with girls, then should we say he has problems with them? Should a man be judged by the quality of his girl? If feminists believe that it is not the man that makes the woman, then it follows that the reverse should be true. Isn't that fair?
Emmanuel takes a sip.
Emmanuel: That sounds pretty philosophical. Do you always look at things so deeply?
César: La vida es un misterio (Life is a mystery). Do you agree with that statement?
Emmanuel: If my basic understanding of Spanish is correct, then yes I do believe it. Of course-He begins tapping his glass-I've always thought action was better than constantly thinking about things….He eyes César intensely….if you know what I mean.
A brief look of understanding takes form on the prince's face. He turns his back on Emmanuel.
César: Maybe I do. Maybe I don't.
Emmanuel: Have you thought about our offer like I asked?
The prince turns around and gives him a dramatic look of exhaustion.
César: Hard not to. You people won't give me a moment's rest.
Emmanuel: And….what do you think?
César gives him a fake look of pained indecision to annoy Emmanuel.
Emmanuel: The Commandant would be honored to have you. People in The Order would respect you, treat you as a superior. Sounds good, doesn't it?
César thinks for a second. He then spontaneously claps his hands.
César: Felipe!
In an instant, Felipe and several bodyguards emerge from behind curtains and various dark places and rush to their prince's side.
Felipe: ¿Mi Señor? (My lord?)
César: Tengo hambre. Váyase a un restaurante chino y cómpreme arroz frito. (I'm hungry. Go to a Chinese restaurant and buy me fried rice.)
Felipe: Yo regresaré muy pronto. (I will return very shortly)
Felipe and the bodyguards disappear. César's face becomes smug.
César: Do you really think I need more people to treat me as their superior? I would pick a better bargaining chip if I were you. Emmanuel appears frustrated, unable to think of a way to keep the ball rolling. César walks over to the punch bowl. But…Emmanuel looks up. I would be lying if I told you that your little project doesn't….interest me. A good distraction from the normal. And I hate normal.
As César pours the punch, Emmanuel grins.
Emmanuel: Stick with us, and I guarantee that you won't have to deal with normal ever again. César starts to lift the glass to his mouth. And as an expression of our good faith… He reaches out to grab César's arm. The prince stares at him in alarm. I'm going to let you in a little secret. He leans closer. Drinking that punch may not be the best idea.
Odd jumps onto a boulder and fires from the high ground. His nearly impeccable aim takes out the three cobras approaching him. The scorpion keeps coming. The black stinger points at him like a tank gun and fires. A red laser passes centimeters away from Odd's head. Odd sprints down to face the monster. The scorpion stops midway up the rise to pummel Odd with his stinger, but misses. Odd goes underneath the scorpion and claws one of his legs out from under him. The monster rolls over on its side. Odd leaps onto the shell to finish him off, but he looses track of the scorpion's tail. From the corner of his eye, Odd sees a white light coming from the stinger. He turns around just in time to witness his right leg become frozen. He struggles to free himself.
Odd: Not good.
The stinger rises again to finish the job with a physical blow.
Odd: Really not good…
The stinger comes down. Odd manages to pivot his free leg and position his body away from the attack. The stinger pierces straight through the monster's own eye. A small beam of light comes through the shell. Odd smiles.
Odd: Idiot…
The monster explodes, freeing Odd from the ice. He lands on a nearby rock. Expecting a respite from fighting, he starts to get up. But his cat eyes open to see two mastodons plowing up the path towards him. Two jets of fire stream toward him. Odd nearly freezes in place from shock, but instinct finally forces him to flee the line of fire. He retreats higher up to the tower platform. He looks down to see the massive beasts slowly moving up the steep incline. Odd looks at his wrist and groans.
Odd: These guys certainly aren't going to make it easy for me. What are you doing Jeremie? I can't do this on my own.
The dance reaches its peak. Students enjoy themselves with a series of contemporary popular songs coming from the band. The joy of the moment makes both Outcast and Order members forget their hostility, although a few occasional angry stares are thrown about now and again. Jeremie gives Aelita a deep kiss. When he pulls away, he wipes his forehead and takes off his glasses.
Jeremie: Okay, I really need to talk to Christophe now.
Aelita: Yeah, you're probably right. Just make it quick.
Jeremie walks with Aelita to find a somewhat quiet place to talk. He goes over to the refreshment stand. He leans over on the table and talks while Aelita begins eyeing the punch.
Jeremie: Christophe, is everything okay? Is Mr. Stern safe?
No answer. Aelita pours herself some punch. Jeremie clears his throat.
Jeremie: Christophe, are you okay? Christophe, answer me!
Shift to Christope lying on a rug unconscious upstairs. Bessette looks over him. He hears the sound of Jeremie's voice yelling. Intrigued, Bessette reaches toward Christophe's ear. He pulls the earpiece out and holds it up to his face. He stares at it like a naïve child. After a few seconds, Bessette's fist closes and crushes it. He drops the pieces on the floor. Back downstairs, Jeremie becomes worried. Aelita sips the punch and looks over at Jeremie. She quickly matches his concern after one look at his face.
Aelita: No…it can't be. Impossible. We had everything in place.
Jeremie's fist hits the table.
Jeremie: Three minutes Christophe! You couldn't hold Moriarty off for three minutes!
Aelita: Wait Jeremie. We don't know anything. Should we automatically assume the worst?
Jeremie: Of course not. This is Moriarty we are talking about…..He grimaces…We assume beyond the worst.
Aelita: We still have time. The specter couldn't have yielded to Moriarty's influence just yet.
Jeremie: You're right. Round up the others. We need to move now.
Right before the two spring into action, Theo stumbles in their direction. Without warning he falls on Jeremie's shoulder. Jeremie nearly falls over from the surprise.
Jeremie: What the..? Theo what the hell's wrong with you?!
An empty cup falls from Theo's left hand. Jeremie's eyes widen. A weak Theo looks up at him. Jeremie hears the clattering of plastic hit the floor. He turns over to see several people lower themselves down onto the floor. They begin to fall asleep. Bastien leans against the wall.
Bastien: So….tired.
He falls asleep. A cup of punch falls out of his hands and rolls onto the floor. The air is taken out of Jeremie's lungs as he begins to put the pieces together. He turns around to Aelita.
Jeremie: Aelita, stop! Don't drink the punch!
Aelita, realizing Jeremie's meaning, tosses the drink onto the floor without hesitation. Jeremie looks back at the dance floor. At least a quarter of the dancers are starting to pass out. Theo grumbles, catching Jeremie's attention.
Theo: Those Order pricks….they poisoned us.
He lowers his head and plunges into a deep sleep. Jeremie gently lowers him onto the floor to let him sleep. He grabs Aelita's hand.
Jeremie: Come on! We have to find the others before they-
Aelita: Oh! She grabs her forehead. Jeremie…I think it's starting to hit me.
Jeremie: No! Not now! I need you to stay awake!
Aelita: Feel…so weak.
Jeremie: Snap out of it! Come on!
The two push through the disoriented crowd. Jeremie desperately looks around for familiar faces. After a few terrifying seconds, he manages to locate Ulrich and Yumi standing near the stage. Yumi has a glass of punch that is slowly rising to her lips. Jeremie tries to scream for her to stop, but the words don't come out. Luckily though, a hand grabs Yumi's wrist. Yumi looks to her left to see Ulrich stopping her. The stern look on Ulrich's face as he looks around the room indicates that he figured out the problem just in time to stop her. Jeremie and Aelita push forward to reach them.
Jeremie: That was too close. Thank you Ulrich.
Ulrich: No problem. I'm guessing Moriarty wanted to make sure we wouldn't leave this dance.
Jeremie: Yes, we need to find William and Natalya quickly or-
Aelita sleepily leans on Jeremie's shoulder.
Aelita: Jeremie…I can't…stay awake.
Jeremie: Yes you can, just hold on a little longer!
Aelita goes to her knees and falls down on the hardwood floor. She instantly falls asleep. Jeremie shakes her.
Jeremie: Aelita! Wake up!
His attempts elicit no response. Aelita remains completely passed out on the floor. Jeremie reluctantly accepts reality.
Jeremie: Moriarty, I'll have your head for this!
Yumi bites her fingers in alarm.
Yumi: Please tell me this drug only makes people fall asleep….
Jeremie: I don't think Moriarty wants to start randomly killing students yet. He lightly touches Aelita's hair as she sleeps. Anyway-The confidence in his voice falters just a little bit-that thought is too horrifying for me to think about right now. He slowly gets up. Okay, now where are William and Natalya?
Ulrich: Found them…The tone of Ulrich's voice immediately discourages Yumi and Jeremie. Over there…near the door.
The two follow Ulrich as he moves past the speakers and leads them near the exit. William sits against the wall with Natalya resting her head on his lap. Several cups of punch surround the two. The warriors' hearts sink. William musters the strength to raise his head.
William: Dancing….makes me really thirsty.
Natalya manages a laugh.
Natalya: You…call that….dancing?
Her voice trails off as she falls asleep. William can barely keep his eyes open.
William: Thought it tasted funny. I'm sorry….can't even move. I-
William's eyes close and do not open again. He falls into a state of deep breathing. Jeremie clenches his fist until the veins in his hand become visible.
Jeremie: Great. Now what do we do?
Ulrich: My dad's probably in trouble now….but we can't just leave them!
Jim enters the room as conspicuously as possible. He thunders past the warriors onto the dance floor.
Jim: Alright, what is the meaning of this?! Why are you all falling asleep?! I know the music in here is lousy but it can't be that bad!
Yumi motions to the door.
Yumi: They're in good hands. Let's go. Sticking around is not going to solve anything.
The three slip out the door as Jim tries to sort out the mess. Emmanuel watches them go and slinks away to a corner to avoid Jim's suspicion. When the trio reaches the main door of the building, Ulrich looks back at the stairs leading up to the trustee party. A look of hesitation is on his face. Yumi grabs his wrist.
Yumi: Come on, we can't stay here!
Ulrich: I can't just leave. Let me help him.
Yumi: No way.
Jeremie: Do you think Moriarty is just going to let you waltz in there and free your dad in front of an army of mindless trustees?
Ulrich bites his lip.
Ulrich: But…I can't just let Moriarty take my dad. No matter what he's done I can't leave. And not to mention Christophe is at his mercy as well.
Jeremie: We can't do anything here. The best thing you can do for him is fight with Odd on Lyoko. And the same goes for Christophe.
Yumi places a hand on his shoulder.
Yumi: Besides, it's not Moriarty's style to just kill a Lyoko warrior outright. Jeremie's right. We need to go.
Ulrich stares up the stairs a little bit longer. He takes a deep breath and then points his index finger up the stairs.
Ulrich: Don't give in to him! Do you understand me?! You always lectured me on being tough, so don't go weak on me now!
He puts his hands in his pockets and turns around, passing in front of Yumi and Jeremie.
Ulrich: Let's go.
Moriarty sits in a chair next to the catatonic Mr. Stern, appearing to be very relaxed. He talks with Ulrich's father as if he were an old friend.
Moriarty: So anyway, once I had Klotz under my control, the rest actually weren't that hard. Teachers are funny that way. You'd be surprised how easily they can be duped. Once grades and school camaraderie significantly improved, no one seemed to oppose. And then when I got Chardin and Meyer in my pocket, they gradually helped me procure the rest.
Mr. Stern barely blinks. His eyes focus on the ceiling.
Moriarty: But it still required some work. Not like the students. They were much easier.
Mr. Stern lets out a deep sigh.
Moriarty: Oh, you don't find this interesting. Okay, how about a different topic? International politics, perhaps? I always thought the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would be a lot calmer if Egypt just annexed Gaza. Israel doesn't want it, so why not give it to them? What do you think?
Mr. Stern mutters something incoherent. Moriarty leans closer, putting his hand behind his ear to listen.
Moriarty: I'm sorry, what was that? I couldn't hear you.
Girard approaches Moriarty.
Girard: Sir, Mr. Delmas is coming up to visit the party.
Moriarty's grip on the chair arm suddenly tightens. He looks over at the pitiful Mr. Stern.
Moriarty: Rats. We can't have Delmas seeing him in this condition.
Girard: What would you have us do?
Moriarty's eyes wander around the room. He points to the corner.
Moriarty: Put him in the closet for now. I'll figure something out.
The trustees pick up Mr. Stern and obey his orders. Meanwhile Christophe begins to stir. Moriarty looks down with disgust.
Moriarty: Oh yes, I almost forgot about you. Moriarty picks him up by the collar. The semi-conscious Christophe stares blankly into his face. Now you listen to me very carefully. Delmas is coming up to the party. When he does, you are going to get up and smile like a good little idiot, okay? As far as you know, nothing is wrong. Understand?
Christophe: And if I don't?
Moriarty: I would prefer not to kill Delmas. At least not yet. Christophe's face becomes pale at this. But I will not hesitate if you force my hand.
Christophe: You're bluffing! You wouldn't kill our principal! No one could get away with that!
Moriarty: Maybe. But do you really want to take that chance?
Moriarty's calm, murderous look unnerves Christophe. Seeing that he has won, Moriarty lets go of Christophe's collar. He pats his head and walks away. Christophe remains transfixed in an expression of horror.
Moriarty: That's what I thought.
The door opens, revealing Mr. Delmas. Christophe, noticing his presence, quickly gets to his usual post. Moriarty holds out his hand to greet the principal.
Moriarty: Jean-Pierre, how nice to see you. I wasn't sure if you were going to join us.
Delmas blatantly walks past him without shaking his hand.
Delmas: I thought I'd just drop by for a little bit.
Moriarty: Of course. It's always a pleasure to have you.
Delmas: Glad to know I'm always…A slight hostility emerges in his voice….welcome.
Moriarty: Yes, so how are things going downstairs? Are the students having fun?
Delmas sits down.
Delmas: Funny you should mention that.
Moriarty: And why is that?
Delmas scratches his beard at the question, as if he has been waiting to be asked this.
Delmas: I'm afraid it has gone quite badly. Appears someone had the nerve to drug the punch bowl. A sleeping drug. A quarter of the students are passed out because of it.
Moriarty fakes alarm.
Moriarty: My God! That's terrible! But….shouldn't you be down there helping them?
Delmas: Oh they aren't in real danger. Jim has a hold of the situation. But I figured I should let you know as soon as possible.
Moriarty rubs his forehead.
Moriarty: Well….thank you for that. Anyway, definitely a student. And he or she will be punished.
Delmas: Oh punishment is a given. But it's curious….
Moriarty looks at Delmas warily.
Moriarty: How so?
Delmas taps the armrest and looks through his glasses somewhat threateningly.
Delmas: In all my years of student pranks, this by far is the most elaborate. This student must have done his homework. Getting hold of a drug that puts people into deep sleep, finding one that is tasteless in liquids, and knowing just the right amount to put in the punch….that requires some serious research. That's some pretty thorough planning for one student….don't you think?
Moriarty, acknowledging the hidden accusation, pretends to be lost in thought.
Moriarty: True. I guess it couldn't have been just any student…
Delmas looks around the room.
Delmas: Well, that's strange. Where's Mr. Stern? Jim told me that he had arrived. Where is he?
Moriarty loses no time with an answer.
Moriarty: Oh, he went to the bathroom. Something he ate didn't agree with him. He should be back soon. But why don't you go check on those students? I'd be more comfortable knowing for sure that they were in no real danger.
Delmas: Oh, I'd prefer to wait here for Mr. Stern. But if you really feel concerned about the students….Delmas indifferently leans back in his chair…then feel free to check on them yourself.
A twitch of frustration passes through Moriarty's face. The polite refusal sends a clear challenge to him. Delmas sits in front of him, quietly enjoying his predicament. Meanwhile Moriarty, like a professional chess player, contemplates his next move.
Ulrich and Yumi appear in the scanner room. Jeremie's voice can be heard from up above.
Jeremie: Looks like Odd managed to keep the tower safe, but hurry up. He's taking a beating out there.
Yumi kicks her heels off as she walks to the scanner.
Yumi: Ahh….I've been waiting for an excuse to throw these off. They kill me every time.
Ulrich: Then why do women wear them?
Yumi enters the scanner.
Yumi: I don't know. Ask every fashion-obsessed woman that forces us to conform. I don't make the rules. I'm just forced to follow them.
Jeremie: Ahem…focus please.
Ulrich: Right. We're on it.
Yumi exhales in anger. A pained expression takes shape on her face.
Yumi: I'll make sure he gets an extra special beating this time.
The scanners start to close.
Ulrich: Don't worry Yumi, we'll get him back.
The two are virtualized onto the mountain platform. They quickly draw their weapons.
Ulrich: Alright Odd, we're here.
Odd runs on all fours past them.
Odd: Great but get down!
Yumi: Get down? She looks up. Ahh…get down!
Ulrich and Yumi leap out of the way just before a stream of fire cooks them to a crisp. The shocked warriors slowly rise.
Odd: Mastodons.
Yumi: We noticed….
The two monsters roar with ferocity. They come up onto the high platform and slowly edge toward the warriors. Odd, Yumi, and Ulrich back up.
Yumi: So much for the high ground.
Odd: Sorry. I tried to hit them from above, but they wouldn't give me a moment's rest to attack.
The two trunks aim toward them and begin to glow red hot.
Odd: Ideas?
Yumi: They're big and stupid. We're going to have to use our brains to gain an advantage.
Ulrich: …Speak for yourself. Super sprint!
Yumi: Ulrich!
Ulrich charges straight up the middle. The mastodon on the left of him aims his trunk to finish him off. Ulrich runs up the side of the right mastodon and launches off of him right before a ring of fire slams into the mastodon. The right mastodon trumpets in annoyance. At the same time Ulrich hurtles toward the left mastodon and cuts off his golden trunk. It falls to the mountain floor and disintegrates. The massive beast looks down at his disappearing appendage with confusion. Disorganized flames come out of what's left of his trunk. Ulrich rolls on the ground and looks up to admire his handiwork.
Odd: Nice job! You disarmed him!
A trumpet quickly reminds Odd that the other mastodon wasn't alone. He ducks right before a stream of fire cooks his pointy hair. He gets up and fires laser arrows. They hit the monster's head but miss the Moriarty eyes. The monster moves toward Odd.
Odd: Uh…I think I just made him mad!
Yumi: Good. She gets her fans at the ready. Then distract him for me.
Odd continues to back up before the angry beast.
Odd: Somehow I feel like that's not going to be a problem…
He leads the monster around the tower, making sure that the dumb beast doesn't remember its original mission. A few laser arrows graze the eye on the monster's ears, but don't do enough damage to kill him. Fire pummels straight toward him. Odd summons his shield and defends himself as the fire bears down on him. He grimaces from the struggle. A tremor of fear is evident in his face.
Odd: Y-yumi, now may be a good time!
Yumi emerges from inside the tower and takes the monster by surprise. She leaps off the wheel of the steamroller and throws her fans. They cut the monster's ears off. The mastodon howls and rolls over onto his side, sending a shockwave onto the platform. The monster disappears.
Yumi: Okay. One down. Hopefully Ulrich's taken care off-
Ulrich: Ahh!
Yumi and Odd turn to see Ulrich hanging on to one of the mastodon's tusks. It flails him around like a rag doll. Ulrich has dropped one of his sabers, and is struggling to strike the eye on the tusk. Fire spews out of the stump and spreads around the platform like ripples in a pond. Yumi and Odd jump up to avoid the flames.
Odd: Hang on Ulrich-He goes on all fours. I'm coming!
He runs and jumps off a rock, attempting to land on the monster's tusks and then jump onto its head. But a spastic head jerk by the monster makes Odd lose his balance. He falls and lands on the ground right in front of the steamroller wheels. Odd looks up just in time to see his legs get flattened. He devirtualizes. Ulrich grunts.
Ulrich: Stay still and die!
Yumi throws one of her fans at the monster, aiming for its left ear. But she misses and the fan turns around to return to her. But Ulrich, seeing the fan come into his path, uses his saber to bat the fan toward the monster's other tusk. The tusk is cut clean off and the mastodon is finally put out of commission. Ulrich lands on the ground and stretches.
Ulrich: That thing tries to throw you like a bull.
Yumi: Are you okay?
Ulrich: I'll be alright.
Yumi: Jeremie, we've defeated the monsters, but more are bound to come. Whatever you need to do, do it quickly.
Jeremie: Noted. Scene shifts to the lab room. I'm doing what I can on my end. He enlarges the inhibitor program screen. Only 4% left?! Are you kidding me?! Ugh…..no matter.
Jeremie goes to work. A rotating green figure representing Mr. Stern's body appears on screen. The bracelet around his wrist glows red. Several red lines spread out from the bracelet and encompass his body. Jeremie zooms in on those red lines to reveal letters of code that are constantly shifting. Jeremie scratches his chin.
Jeremie: This should do the trick.
He attempts to remove several critical pieces of code, but the invasive program resists. Jeremie tries several different times, looking for a weak point. Each time he is greeted with failure. Jeremie's face becomes strained.
Jeremie: Well I didn't exactly expect this to be easy…
Yumi: Jeremie, any progress?
Ulrich: The scorpions are coming back.
Jeremie: I know, I know. Just do what you have to do for now. Moriarty is not going to let me remove this parasite without a fight. He reverses his steps and begins to try again. Let's try another configuration. Jeremie attempts to split up the parasite and remove it from Mr. Stern's body, but the result is the same. A red exclamation point appears. Jeremie digs his fingernails into his palm. God I hate that sign! Fine. Jeremie cracks his knuckles. If you won't go quietly, I'll force you out!
Jeremie starts to take the reserve power from the supercomputer and transfer it to the inhibitor program. Odd starts to walk out of the elevator.
Odd: Hey Einstein, you ever been bulldozed before?...Because it's not fun.
Jeremie: Not now Odd. I'm trying to get us out of this mess.
In Lyoko, the wires around the tower begin to glow, feeding it with strong pulses of energy. Three scorpions attack Yumi and Ulrich. One strikes its tail at Ulrich, but a quick dodge and a swipe of the blade cuts the stinger off. He sprints underneath the monster and cuts it in half from below. Yumi telekinetically throws a rock at one of the scorpions, knocking it off the edge. Yumi manages to take out two of the other scorpion's legs, but the crippled monster manages to freeze one of Yumi's legs. As Yumi tries to free herself, the monster changes weapons and fires a laser. It hits Yumi in the lower abdomen. The scorpion attempts to fire again, but Ulrich throws his saber from several feet away and skewers the monster. He then frees Yumi.
Ulrich: Are you alright?
Yumi: Not really. She looks up. One more hit like that and I'm done for.
Ulrich: Jeremie!
Jeremie: Hold on! His eyes are glued to the loading screen. It starts to move at a snail's pace. Jeremie smiles. I'll download that program even if I can't remove Moriarty's parasite.
In the trustee parlor, Delmas impatiently looks at his watch and then looks up at Moriarty. Moriarty keeps up the impression of normalcy in spite of the difficult situation. Suddenly his gaze becomes a little distant. His fingers start to tighten. But Moriarty quickly grabs a hold of himself.
Moriarty: Okay Jeremie, if that's how you want to play.
In the Network, a tremor of power is emitted from the core and spreads through the void. The power of the parasite suddenly increases. Jeremie's progress stops.
Jeremie: What?! No!
Shift back to Kadic. A slight groaning sound is heard in the direction of the closet Moriarty hid Mr. Stern in. Delmas looks up suspiciously. Christophe musters a glare in Moriarty's direction. Moriarty coughs a little.
Moriarty: Uh…sorry. Throat is a little dry. He smiles at Christophe. Could you get me some water please?
Christophe: Sure…as he pours the glass he lowers his voice so no one can hear. I hope you choke on it…
Jeremie glares at the screen in frustration.
Jeremie: Fine. I'll take more power.
Odd: Uh Jeremie, isn't taking more power a little risky?
Jeremie: This is an emergency Odd. Moriarty can't win this round.
Another pulse of energy slams into the tower. Ulrich and Yumi look up.
Ulrich: Please tell me that was a good sign.
The loading screen starts to move again. Jeremie crosses his fingers and Odd moves in to watch.
Jeremie: Come on…just a little more.
Moriarty's hand begins to twitch. Delmas pushes his glasses up.
Delmas: Something wrong?
Moriarty grabs the twitching hand to make it stop. He shakes his head.
Moriarty: Oh nothing….He looks away and makes a mental note that Delmas has to go. He takes a drink of water and whispers to himself. Jeremie, do you honestly think you can overpower me?
He snaps his fingers and another pulse spreads from the core. The loading screen stops again. Jeremie curses Moriarty in several different ways.
Jeremie: We need more! More!
Odd: We don't have any more. You used up the reserves.
Jeremie: I'll go outside the reserves if I have to. Jeremie furiously types and tries to do the process all over again. Another red exclamation point appears. Jeremie fumes. I hate that sign!
Odd: What happened?
Jeremie: The tower is overloading. It can't take any more. We've reached our limit.
Odd: Meaning?
Jeremie: ….We are going to stay stuck at 98%. And there's nothing I can do to make it load any more.
Moriarty settles back in his chair.
Moriarty: Victory…
Delmas checks his watch again.
Delmas: Mr. Stern has been gone an awfully long time. Is he okay?
Moriarty restrains the urge to zap Delmas' smirk off his face. Before he can come up with a calm reply, Delmas' phone rings. Delmas looks down at his phone and reluctantly answers it.
Delmas: Hello?
Scene shifts to the hallway outside the nurse's office. Klotz is on the phone with several adults standing behind him. They don't seem to be pleased. Klotz paces the floor as he talks.
Klotz: Mr. Delmas, you need to come to the nurse's office right away.
Delmas: What? Why?
Klotz: It seems some students had a bad reaction to whatever was in that punch….A sly grin takes shape on Klotz's face. And some parents are here too.
The color drains from Delmas' face.
Delmas: What?! Parents are here?!
Klotz: Yes. And they're demanding to speak with you.
Delmas' grip on his phone tightens.
Delmas: Hans, we agreed not to inform the parents until we got the situation under-
Klotz: With all due respect Mr. Delmas- Klotz's confidently raises his voice to silence him.-the situation has changed. Students were in trouble. I had to act.
Delmas seethes with a mixture of fear and rage as the message sinks in. Moriarty's look of undoubtedly evil glee makes him even more upset. He remains quiet for a moment.
Klotz: I couldn't leave the parents in the dark about this. That would be an enormous breach of responsibility.
Delmas: Y-yes. You're right.
Klotz: The parents are wondering why the principal isn't here in person to explain what's going on.
Delmas: I-I understand, I'll be-
Klotz cuts off Delmas again.
Klotz: Oh and one more thing. Klotz speaks slowly so the news will dig into him like a knife. Your daughter was one of the ones who had the reaction.
Delmas stands up. He immediately heads for the door.
Delmas: I'm coming right now.
The door shuts behind him. Moriarty watches him leave. Bessette walks up next to him. Moriarty looks at his minion for a moment.
Moriarty: Well, don't just sit there like a possessed entrepreneur. Get him out of the closet!
Jeremie sits back in his chair, completely lost for solutions. He remains transfixed in a position of defeat. Odd frowns at the sight of Jeremie being so unresponsive. He timidly tries to talk to him.
Odd: J-Jeremie….what do we do?
Jeremie doesn't move a muscle.
Odd: Jeremie? Jeremie?!
Ulrich and Yumi's voices join in.
Ulrich: Jeremie, more monsters are coming!
Yumi: We can't hold them off forever!
No response.
Yumi: Jeremie!
Ulrich: Are you working on saving my dad or not?!
Still nothing. Jeremie seems to be withdrawing into himself.
Yumi: Jeremie we need a response! What is the situation?!
Ulrich: Come on, what are you doing?!
Odd grabs his shoulder and lightly shakes him.
Odd: Jeremie SAY SOMETHING!
Jeremie's face tightens. Odd gets up in his face.
Odd: We are counting on you. DO SOMETHING!
Yumi: Before it's too late!
Ulrich: My dad's screwed if you don't act!
Jeremie shuts his eyes and slowly starts to speak.
Jeremie: Don't you think….I KNOW THAT?!
Everyone is silent. Jeremie hyperventilates with rage and despair.
Jeremie: I don't have an answer, okay? I don't! Moriarty has made this impossible. There's no way to upload the program with that parasite, and there's no way to remove the parasite. In other words…we…are…screwed. Moriarty's won.
The silence deepens. Only the hum of the factory can be heard in the room. After ten seconds or so, Ulrich's voice breaks the silence.
Ulrich: There's…nothing we can do?
Jeremie: None that I can see.
Yumi finishes off a few humanoids. She looks over at Ulrich. He is still fighting, but the way he holds his sword and the look on his face tells her that Ulrich is becoming emotionally burdened. She can see him desperately trying to bury the emotions and maintain his tough composure. The sight pains her.
Yumi: There has to be a way. Think outside the box Jeremie. There must be something you overlooked.
Jeremie: I don't see how this parasite is leaving unless Moriarty wants it to leave.
Odd: Well, maybe we do something to make it want to leave.
Jeremie gives Odd a condescending look.
Jeremie: Odd, there is nothing Moriarty wants more than to have Mr. Stern under his thumb. There's nothing I can do to…Jeremie suddenly freezes in thought…to…wait a second. We could…Jeremie shakes his head. No...I couldn't! What am I thinking?! He pauses in disgust. But after a few seconds, his mind starts to reconsider. But…then again…we are running out of options.
Odd suddenly becomes eager.
Odd: What? What?! What can we do?!
Jeremie bites his lip.
Jeremie: No. It's crazy.
Odd: Tell me!
After some reluctance, Jeremie turns to face Odd. He takes out his earpiece to prevent Yumi and Jeremie from hearing. His conflicted look demonstrates that his mind is working over something forbidden. But eventually the look softens.
Jeremie: Well, there is one advantage we haven't really explored. You see…His face becomes grave…Moriarty does want Mr. Stern alive.
Odd pauses as an unnerving chill works its way through his insides. He backs up and shakes his head, looking at Jeremie in disbelief.
Odd: Jeremie…are you seriously suggesting that we-?!
Jeremie: Moriarty needs to be coerced to back down. The only way to do that would be to threaten Mr. Stern's life.
Odd opens his mouth but no words come out. He looks at Jeremie, incredulous that these words are coming out of his friend's mouth.
Odd: Jeremie, please tell me this is a sick jo-
Jeremie: A specter is predominantly made up of electricity. Its amorphous body contains an electric current. Normally 40 milliamperes flow through a spectrified host. He turns to look at the image of Mr. Stern on his computer screen. He gazes at it as if it were a scientific specimen. But if one were to increase the current….the host body could be put at risk.
Odd holds out his hands and starts to become very agitated.
Odd: Jeremie, listen to yourself! You're talking about putting a human being in danger. And not just any human….Ulrich's dad! Jeremie slowly lifts his eyes up to look at Odd as he continues to plead with him. Jeremie, you can't do that.
Jeremie's face becomes deadly serious.
Jeremie: Putting Mr. Stern in danger would force Moriarty to remove his parasite and allow me to finish uploading the program. It could work.
Odd shakes his head in disgust.
Odd: That sounds like you want to play an insane game of chicken with Moriarty. If Moriarty doesn't back down you'll kill him!
Jeremie: We've run out of options Odd…What would you have me do?
Odd: Something other than that!
Ulrich's voice comes through the earpiece that is sitting on Jeremie's lap.
Ulrich: Jeremie, what's going on?
Yumi: What are you planning?
Jeremie closes his hand around the earpiece to prevent himself from hearing them. He grits his teeth in anger. He inhales deeply.
Jeremie: What am I supposed to tell them? That we're doomed? Or that I have a way to fix this?
Odd rubs his forehead with his fingers and walks around in a circle. The elevated tension is making his hands shake. He slowly starts to speak again.
Odd: I don't know Jeremie. But there has to be another way. No matter what happens, I can't let you do that. You have to understand. He pauses. I have enough to live with already. I couldn't live with myself if I let you do it. So please! The look on his face becomes desperate. Don't do it.
The two face each other, carefully observing one other's reactions. Odd appears emotional but determined. Jeremie's face is unreadable. He looks off to the side for a moment to consider Odd's words. His eyes drift toward Odd's direction again. His friend's resolution hasn't dropped at all. Realizing that Odd can't be convinced, Jeremie exhales slowly.
Jeremie: Alright. I won't.
A huge weight is lifted off Odd's shoulders.
Odd: Thank you.
Jeremie: There may be another way though. If I were to divert power from the factory itself, I might be able to boost the supercomputer's reserve energy.
Odd: Will it be enough to stop Moriarty?
Jeremie: Most likely not. But it's the only thing we can do.
Odd: What about the tower's risk of overloading?
Jeremie hesitates.
Jeremie: I'll….find a way. I have to. Jeremie quickly goes from indecisive to firm in his demeanor. We have no time to waste. Go to the assembly room. I need you to find the circuit breaker and start turning on the power. I'll tell you what to do from there.
Odd still seems confused, but Jeremie's expression prevents him from having any doubts. He nods.
Odd: You can count on me.
Odd heads for the elevator and presses the button to go up. The doors slowly close. Odd impatiently taps his foot as the elevator begins to rise. He gets ready to make a break for the assembly room as soon as the doors open. But the elevator unexpectedly stops. Odd looks around in confusion. The lights in the elevator turn off.
Odd: What the-? Odd places his hand on the door expecting it to open. It doesn't. Odd tries to force it open. It doesn't budge. He stops to catch his breath. Jeremie the elevator's busted.
No response.
Odd: Jeremie….what's going on? I can't help you if I'm stuck-Odd abruptly stops speaking. His eyes widen. The blood in his veins runs cold. He gasps with sudden understanding. He begins shouting. No…NO! JEREMIE DON'T DO IT! DON'T!
Jeremie sits in his command chair with his fingers folded together. Odd's yelling comes through the walls, but he remains unfazed. His eyes become cold and unyielding. He takes a moment to wipe his glasses with his shirt.
Jeremie: I'm sorry Odd. He puts his glasses on. I only wish that the plan I told you was a possible solution. But you didn't give me a choice. Odd continues to shout for him to stop. He ignores him. If you can't live with yourself, then it's only fair that you share no blame for what I'm about to do.
He puts on his earpiece again. He speaks to Ulrich and Yumi like a general in command.
Jeremie: Yumi. Ulrich. We have a solution. Odd and I are working on it right now. It shouldn't take us that long.
Yumi: What are you going to do?
Jeremie: It's too complicated to explain. The important thing is that you two hold on a little longer.
Ulrich receives a laser to the leg.
Ulrich: Some things never change.
Yumi's fan flies in a wide arc, cutting down the rest of the humanoids. It gracefully returns to her hand.
Yumi: We'll do what we can Jeremie, but hurry up.
Jeremie: Don't worry…..I won't let you down.
Jeremie refocuses on the data on Mr. Stern. He opens the bar representing the current in Mr. Stern's body. He looks at it….and hesitates. His finger hovers over the key. He swallows and a drop of sweat runs down his forehead and onto his cheek. His stomach becomes cold. For several tense moments, he does nothing. But finally, as if against his will, his finger presses it. The milliamperes rises to 50.
Jeremie: Need to make sure it's not flowing near his heart. After adjusting the program, Jeremie sits back. Okay, Moriarty. Let's see if you want to play ball.
Back at the trustee parlor, Mr. Stern, who is now sitting back in his original chair, gasps for breath. Moriarty turns around in surprise. The sound gains Christophe's attention as well.
Christophe: I'm guessing that wasn't supposed to happen.
Moriarty: No.
Moriarty feels Mr. Stern's wrist. As usual the billionaire doesn't respond. Moriarty's grip tightens after a few seconds. There is a combination of anger and admiration in his face.
Moriarty: My, my Jeremie. You're taking that route? How deliciously….Moriarty grins from ear to ear…evil of you.
Christophe leans forward on the table.
Christophe: What route? What are you talking about?!
Moriarty shocks Christophe into unconsciousness without a second thought.
Moriarty: Quiet! You'll just get in the way again. The trustees watch Christophe's body fall to the floor without a single visible reaction. Meanwhile Moriarty kneels by Mr. Stern's side. He monitors him with a mixture of determination and intrigue. So that's the way you want to go? Fine. Let's see how far you're willing to push your luck.
Scene shifts back to the factory. Odd's yelling continues to be heard through the wall.
Odd: Jeremie it's not too late! STOP RIGHT NOW BEFORE YOU DO SOMETHING YOU REGRET FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!
Yumi: Jeremie, what is that I'm hearing in the background?
Jeremie: Oh nothing, it's probably just some rats in the ceiling. Just keep doing your job.
Ulrich: No monsters for now Jeremie. I'd suggest you work fast before the tower becomes endangered again.
Jeremie clasps his hands together and rests them under his nose. He loses himself in a moment of thought.
Jeremie: Ulrich's right. Better move now. He cracks his knuckles and places his index finger over the key again. Didn't think Moriarty would go for 50 milliamperes. He presses it. So let's try 60 milliamperes!
Moriarty feels a slight jolt go through Mr. Stern's limp body. Moriarty shakes his head.
Moriarty: Stern is mine Jeremie. Do you really think I'm going to give him up to you that easily?
Jeremie watches in disappointment as the red lines in Mr. Stern's virtual representation fail to disappear. He bites his fingernails in frustration.
Ulrich: Jeremie, whatever you're doing, is it working?
Jeremie: It's….getting there.
Ulrich: Is my dad okay?
The question hits Jeremie like a brick. His lip quivers as he musters the nerve to answer.
Jeremie: He's going to be fine, Ulrich. Just give me some more time. I'll get him out of this. He lowers his voice. That's a promise. He adjusts the current again. Okay, 70 milliamperes.
This time, Mr. Stern's body jumps from the dangerous increase in current. A strained gasp comes out of his mouth. Moriarty becomes very nervous at first, but eventually settles down once he realizes that Mr. Stern's heart didn't give out. Jeremie frantically adjusts the specter.
Jeremie: Oh no…please please please. Mr. Stern's body stabilizes. Jeremie wipes his forehead. Whew, that nearly damaged some vital organs….Okay any second now….
Jeremie waits for the parasite to be removed. He sits on the edge of his seat, hoping Moriarty will cave. But after fifteen seconds of waiting, his hopes are dashed. His fist tightens.
Jeremie: No….He looks at the screen. He's going to make me keep going.
He leans back in his chair uncomfortably, considering his options. Meanwhile Odd's protests continue to dig into his mind like nails on a chalkboard. His palms become clammy, and his forehead becomes damp with cold sweat. Yet the look in his eyes doesn't change. He goes back to the keyboard and increases it another 10 milliamperes.
Jeremie: I'm not playing around Moriarty. I'll keep raising this current until you crack.
Mr. Stern's groan becomes animal like and full of pain. This time Moriarty is not smiling. His eyes drift toward the metal bracelet, but he quickly brushes the thought aside.
Moriarty: No. I'm not buying it Jeremie. You don't have the guts to pull through.
Back at the lab, warning exclamation marks appear on screen. Several parts of Mr. Stern's virtual body glow red, indicating imminent damage to those areas of the body. Jeremie covers his ears. His fist slams on the armrest.
Jeremie: SHUT UP! I don't need reminders!
Another warning screen appears.
Jeremie: NOW WHAT?! He examines it. A large amount of power drained from the core….Jeremie's body tenses. That can only mean one thing.
Yumi and Ulrich's attention is suddenly called to something in the distance. A shadow is looming forth in the mountains. The ground below them begins to shake. Yumi looks off to the side. She sees several pebbles shake up and down with each passing thud. The grip on her fans tightens. As the pounding gets closer, Yumi and Ulrich see two armored snake heads peak out above the mountain peaks. The whole monster appears from behind a series of mountains as it thunders toward them. The scaly hands hold tightly to the narrow path as the massive beast maneuvers toward them. Yumi and Ulrich back up as the monster's invisible eyes catch sight of its two puny opponents.
Yumi: J-Ja-Jeremie?
Jeremie: The Leviathan?
Ulrich: What was your first guess?
Jeremie bites his fingernails. His other hand clutches so tightly to the armrest that his knuckles turn white. After a few seconds pause, he begins to calmly give orders.
Jeremie: That tower cannot fall, do you understand? It cannot. Do whatever you can to stop him, and I'll try to help you out the best I can. Tell me exactly what you need to face him.
Yumi warily watches the heads as they threateningly gaze at her.
Yumi: We're going to need vehicles….and God himself.
The monster unleashes a dreadful high-pitched roar. Ulrich and Yumi duck for cover, fearing instant annihilation.
Ulrich: Jeremie!
Jeremie: Coming up!
The Overwing and Overbike appear under the shadow of the approaching beast. The two get on their vehicles, expecting the Leviathan to physically smash them at any moment. Fortunately the steep ridge leading to the tower proves problematic for the beast. After only one step onto the ridge, the rocks begin to give. The bridge leading to the tower collapses. The slow monster looks at the inconvenience with annoyance. It stretches its long necks toward the tower and snaps at it, but it proves to be just out of reach. Ulrich turns to Yumi.
Ulrich: That was convenient.
The left head opens its mouth and begins to charge a purple blast. Yumi points at it.
Yumi: That's still not going to stop it from blowing it to bits. Our best move is going to be distraction. You attack the left head and I'll attack the right. We'll keep him occupied until Jeremie finishes up. Let's go.
Ulrich: Wait!
Yumi: What?!
Ulrich: ….You mean his left and right, or ours?
Yumi groans and rolls her eyes.
Yumi: Just attack!
Ulrich: Got it…
The two fly off the platform and head toward the monster. They circle around the heads, gaining the Leviathan's attention. Yumi throws her fans and Ulrich attempts to cut the neck, but it does negligible damage. The two pull back to avoid devirtualization. The two fly around the monster with expert attention, leading the long necks in a tangling chase for their opponents. As the left head goes under and then above the right neck, Yumi gives Ulrich an excited look.
Yumi: You thinking what I'm thinking?
Ulrich: A little game of Leviathan Twister? Absolutely…
The two go at the monster a second time, this time with the intention of tangling the monster into a knot. At the same time, Jeremie watches from his computer screen. His anxiety triples and more drops of sweat reach his shirt collar. He pulls on his stifling collar to prevent himself from feeling strangled.
Jeremie: Ulrich and Yumi could never last against that thing. I don't have much time. Minutes no…..Seconds with that thing! I need to act now. His index finger hovers over the key again. So why am I hesitating? I….I can't afford to. I need to act now! His fingers drum on the armrest. If I go any higher, I risk killing him. At the very least, this increase will do permanent damage to him. I…CAN'T DO THAT!
He is quiet for a moment. The only sounds are the computer humming. Odd's screaming from within the walls has finally begun to cease. Jeremie lowers his head.
Jeremie: Maybe Moriarty will run out of power. After all, he is diverting all of it to defending his parasite and the Leviathan in addition to keeping up his mortal form, which is a pain on all its own. Jeremie then shakes his head. No. I almost forgot. He can access Odd's mind now to keep his core intact.
Scene shifts to Odd, who is panting inside the elevator. His fists feebly rest on the metal wall. He appears exhausted. After a few deep breaths, Odd slips onto the floor. His body goes limp and he slips into a deep sleep.
Jeremie: Which makes me wonder what kind of impact Moriarty could have on Odd…..But more importantly, it means power shortage isn't a problem for him right now. So testing the parasite again would be useless. Jeremie clutches his hands against his temples, coming apart from this seemingly insurmountable obstacle. He kicks the bottom of his chair, essentially resigning himself to the defeat. But then, a glimmer of hope passes through his mind. He slowly removes his hands from his head. But now that I think about it, Moriarty sent the Leviathan in just after I raised the specter's current to 80 milliamperes. Jeremie drums his fingers on the keyboard. That monster is Moriarty's trump card. And what do you do with a trump card? He smiles eerily. You send it in when you get desperate. When everything else has gone wrong and you're in trouble. That's it! Moriarty's desperate. He sent in the Leviathan because he wanted to get rid of the tower quickly. Which means he's afraid to go up another rung on the ladder with me. Jeremie's face expresses reckless confidence. And I will exploit that weakness. Let's go to 90!
The current goes up again. Mr. Stern screams bloody murder this time. Moriarty covers up his mouth. He frantically turns to his trustee puppets.
Moriarty: Check downstairs! Make sure everyone is cleared out and no one heard that! We have to keep the attention on Delmas and away from here!
A few of them shuffle out. Moriarty wipes his benefactor's forehead. Moriarty's right hand shakes. He tries to make it stop, but it doesn't do so easily. He sighs.
Moriarty: Sometimes I feel I made myself TOO human for my own good. Mr. Stern's body quakes, and Moriarty can tell Mr. Stern is reaching dangerous levels. One more stunt like that and….no….Moriarty's stare hardens and becomes unrelenting. Jeremie knows that the next one is more than likely going to kill him. Jeremie is terrified of stooping to that level again. He won't do it….he can't do it. He gazes out the window towards the factory. I'm calling your bluff Jeremie.
Back in Lyoko, the Leviathan has managed to tie himself into a double knot. The monster heads scream and glare at each other, as if they were blaming the other for the mess they're in. Ulrich and Yumi hover at a safe distance, admiring their handiwork for a moment.
Ulrich: The price of enormous size is stupidity I suppose.
The right head lurches forward and charges up a blast.
Yumi: We've put him in a jam but he can still fire at us and the tower.
Ulrich: You're right. Let's take out its eyes.
They fly towards the enraged monster, who appears to be eagerly wanting to get a second shot at them. The two large eyes come within attack range. Ulrich sheaths one of his sabers and flings the other into his right hand, ready for a single stab.
Ulrich: You're mine. Right before he strikes, a thought occurs to him. He remembers hitting the Leviathan in the eye and it not working. He veers off right before one of the heads swallows him. YUMI!
Yumi: What?!
Ulrich: This monster will only die if we hit both eyes. Let's try to hit them at the same time!
Yumi nods, barely able to pay attention to Ulrich at all in the face of this restricted but still incredibly powerful monster.
Yumi: Okay let's do it.
Yumi and Ulrich split up. Ulrich spins his Overbike and divebombs the awaiting monster. As he gets closer, he looks at Yumi for the go ahead. She nods. Ulrich maintains a firm grip on his single blade.
Ulrich: Just a little closer…
The left head opens its mouth and charges up a blast.
Ulrich: Now!
He leaps off his Overbike and comes crashing down onto the monster's head barely avoiding its teeth. He rolls on top of the white dome head. When he rolls over the eye, Ulrich digs his sword into it to hang on and destroy the monster at the same time. The Leviathan roars in pain as cracks form on its left head.
Ulrich: Yumi now!
Yumi tosses her fans at the monster. But the right head flails around, causing the fans to ricochet at the last moment. Yumi stares in humiliated disbelief.
Yumi: I missed…I can't believe I could miss something so hu-
Yumi is knocked off her Overwing by the right head. The Overwing bounces off the edge and Yumi lands hard on the mountain platform. Ulrich watches the scene crestfallen as the monster head below him begins to disintegrate.
Ulrich: That… didn't exactly go according to plan.
The second head turns its attention away from Yumi and refocuses on Ulrich. Its mouth opens, revealing its vicious teeth. Ulrich somberly braces himself.
Ulrich: Not again…
The head swallows Ulrich whole. The rest of the left neck disintegrates, finally freeing the right neck of its previous imprisonment. Yumi struggles to her knees.
Yumi: Jeremie, Ulrich's eliminated. The Leviathan is about to-
A purple blast slams into the tower. The shockwave knocks Yumi off her feet again. Jeremie stares at the screen in horror. His mouth is agape.
Jeremie: No. NO! A few more hits and it's all over!
Yumi, seeing disaster unfold before her very eyes, stumbles to her feet. She picks up her fans. The monster remains transfixed on the tower.
Yumi: Hey! Stay away from the tower! She throws one of her fans. It lands against its back leg. The monster doesn't react. I'm the one you need to pay attention to!
She angrily arcs her second fan at the monster's neck. This time the fan hits a sensitive spot, and the Leviathan notices. It curves its neck back toward the tiny warrior. Yumi becomes uneasy.
Yumi: Well, I got his attention…
Back at the factory, Jeremie begins to feel the pressure build to its breaking point. His face and hands have become clammy and damp. His breathing is labored and tense. His eyes focus on the computer screen in a sort of otherworldly fixation, as if he is not really there.
Jeremie: Moriarty…. hasn't caved….Those words take its toll as the full brunt of reality sets in. A human life is hanging by a thread, and he is the one holding the scissors. What do I do? Yumi….she won't last very long. But…the next step is….almost certainly death! I promised to save Ulrich's dad….not kill him!
Yumi cartwheels out of the way just before the beast blasts her to oblivion. She comes back up and gazes at the head, praying to God for a lucky shot. Jeremie still remains in his catatonic struggle.
Jeremie: Options….OPTIONS! He tightens the muscles in his face until his veins begin to appear. I NEED OPTIONS! He then shakes his head. BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY!
Yumi runs under the Leviathan's legs, causing some much needed annoyance for the massive beast.
Jeremie: If I do it…Mr. Stern will probably die. An icy chill settles in the pit of his stomach. But if I don't….millions of euros…maybe more will go to fund a campaign of terror and conquest! Can I allow the world to suffer that for the sake of one life?! He gasps. What am I saying?! I sound like my old self again!
One of the Leviathan's back legs tries to crush her. Yumi jumps out of the way, but she trips in the process. The shadow of the monster looms over her.
Jeremie: Doing nothing would be catastrophic. I must act….As desperation sinks in, Jeremie begins to rationalize. If I go up another level, Moriarty will certainly cave. No doubt about it. But another 10 milliamperes is unacceptable. Maybe 5. Wait no! That will show Moriarty that I'm giving in too! Then he'll continue to goad me! The chance of Mr. Stern living is higher if I keep increasing the current by 10. But soon doubt works its way in. But the chances are still slim at best.
Yumi tries to crawl away from the monster. Jeremie is beside himself.
Jeremie: Franz Hopper, Aelita,….God someone tell me! WHAT DO I DO?!
A tail comes down on Yumi. The satisfied monster quickly turns his attention back to the tower. Jeremie opens his eyes to see the large Moriarty dot about to open fire. Panic sets in, to the point that Jeremie doesn't bother to check if Yumi has been devirtualized or not.
Jeremie: No…NO! He's going to end it here and now!
The Leviathan prepares to fire. With the precious luxury of time stripped away from him, Jeremie becomes undone. In a moment of rash split-second decision making, Jeremie raises the current again. Several kilometers away, Mr. Stern's body undergoes a horrendous bout of tremors. Moriarty yells in alarm.
Moriarty: DAMN YOU JEREMIE!
He rips the metal bracelet off of him. Jeremie immediately notices and rushes to curb the current and upload the program. The inhibitors are successfully uploaded, but Jeremie hardly reacts. His mind has been sapped, unable to process the magnitude of what he has just done. Mr. Stern's body collapses to the floor. Moriarty suddenly regresses into a rage, kicking over some nearby chairs. The trustee puppets avoid his wrathful presence. Moriarty glowers in the direction of the factory.
Moriarty: You desperate, crazy fool. You have complicated things for both of us. I will kill you earlier than I wanted to if you keep this up, if your teammates don't beat me to it. He points to the trustees. Go get help now! Call an ambulance! He electrocutes a power outlet, causing the area around it to turn black and burnt. A short circuit has just critically injured Mr. Stern!
Jeremie remains frozen in the command chair. He does not speak or move. He just stares at the computer while the myriad of exclamation marks warning of critical damage to Mr. Stern's body bombard the screen. The deluge digs into Jeremie's mind, making him unable to function or even think. Ulrich opens the hatch to the scanner room. Yumi follows close behind.
Ulrich: Jeremie, the elevator's busted! What is going on?!
Yumi: Were we too late?!
They rush up right next to him.
Yumi: Did your thing to free Mr. Stern work?
No answer. Just more staring.
Yumi: Jeremie….stop staring off into space and answer us!
Ulrich quickly loses patience. He angrily grabs Jeremie's shirt collar and hoists him up. His desperate and aggressive eyes hone in on Jeremie's face.
Ulrich: I have no time for this crap! ANSWER ME! DID YOU DO IT OR NOT?!
Jeremie looks at Ulrich blankly. Slowly his expressionless countenance turns into one of indescribable pain. It causes Ulrich to pause. Jeremie begins to speak softly.
Jeremie: We…..won…
Yumi: That…THAT'S FANTASTIC! Jeremie you did it!
Ulrich's grip loosens, but his conflicted reaction indicates that he doesn't want to give in to hope.
Ulrich: You….you saved my father?
Jeremie opens his mouth to answer, but no words come out. His eyes start to plead with Ulrich, causing some more confusion for his friend.
Jeremie: We…beat Moriarty.
Ulrich: I know that. You already said it. But did you save my father?!
Jeremie: I…I…
Odd: Just the opposite…
Ulrich and Yumi look up with surprise to see Odd standing above them on the upper beams of the computer interface. He stares down at Jeremie, his fists tightened. His terrible eyes bury into Jeremie's soul like a righteous god passing judgment.
Yumi: Odd?
Odd: Jeremie….do you mind explaining to Ulrich what happened? Or do I have to do it for you?
Ulrich: Explain what to me?
Odd doesn't answer. His silence unnerves Ulrich. He begins to grow fearful. He turns around to the computer screen. A chorus of red exclamation marks surrounding a digital representation of his father greets his visage. Ulrich's hands grow cold. He turns to Jeremie, his eyes full of unimaginable horror.
Ulrich: What…did you do?
The warriors run back to Kadic. As they reach the main building, they see an ambulance and a large crowd gathered around. Ulrich's heart sinks at the sight.
Ulrich: No….
They reach the edge of the crowd. William, Natalya, and Aelita quickly greet them. They seem a bit groggy, but the effects of the drug appear to have worn off. The three warriors simultaneously look at Ulrich. They are not smiling. Ulrich stiffens. Aelita reaches forward and touches his shoulder.
Aelita: Ulrich, we-
Ulrich withdraws from Aelita's touch. He looks around at his friends. They all silently take pity on him, and it only makes Ulrich feel worse. He lifts his head.
Ulrich: Is….is he gone?
Brief silence.
William: We don't know.
The crowd's attention is drawn to the front entrance. Paramedics wheel a stretcher toward the ambulance. Ulrich tenses, afraid of what he might see. But eventually, against his comrades' advice, he looks. The lifeless form of his father with an oxygen mask attached to his face is dragged to the ambulance. Right behind them, Moriarty and Delmas follow.
Moriarty: Be careful. These stairs can be a little dicey.
Delmas: Dr. Renard, remind me again how this happened?
Moriarty: Now is not the time to discuss Kadic's faulty wiring, Mr. Delmas.
Ulrich exhales in hot anger. Part of him burns to attack Moriarty directly, but he doesn't move. He just stands and fumes helplessly as his father is put into the ambulance. Other people around Ulrich see him and quickly make the connection. Ulrich is greeted with another wave of terrible pity. He sinks to his knees and covers his face in the grass. Yumi kneels down next to him.
Yumi: Ulrich…
Ulrich sniffs.
Ulrich: You bastard. You couldn't even do this one thing for me. This …one…thing. Even now you have to make me suffer. You selfish monster…
Yumi: Ulrich, the paramedics want to know if you want to ride with him.
Ulrich responds violently but remains in the same position.
Ulrich: NO! I can't look at him! I won't! He doesn't deserve to have me at his side! He'll just give me that look again. I can hear him now. His voice deepens in an imitation. 'Son, you messed up again. You idiot, you couldn't even save your own father'.
Yumi touches his back shoulder. A tear runs down her face at the sight of him suffering so much.
Yumi: Ulrich, don't think like tha-
Ulrich: I can't go with him. I can't go with him because he's right. He's right, don't you understand?!
Jeremie, who has hung in the back of the group this entire time, tries to come forward. His voice shakes with shame.
Jeremie: Ulrich, there are no words to tell you how sorry I-
Ulrich's tone becomes wrathful.
Ulrich: You….
He stands up and decks Jeremie without a second thought. Aelita quietly gasps as he falls to the ground. He rubs his cheek and helplessly looks up at Ulrich.
Jeremie: I deserved that.
The ambulance pulls away and the crowd watches them leave. Ulrich stares at Jeremie for a few seconds and then turns his back on him. He walks away. Yumi watches with concern.
Yumi: Ulrich, where are you going?
She follows him. Slowly the crowd disperses, and the warriors join them. But Jeremie remains on the ground. He rolls over onto his side and stares at the dirt. He cups it in his hand and then lets it fall again. His eyes radiate pain and guilt. He feels the dirt again.
Jeremie: We aren't very different, are we?
He rolls back onto his back and stares at the sky. The world around him becomes quiet. He breathes in the night air. A minute later rain begins to fall onto his face. He doesn't pay it any mind. Instead he begins to mutter to himself.
Jeremie: Murderer….The rain comes down harder, soaking his face and suit. He goes back onto his side again and pulls his knees into his chest. He stares off into nothing. I did it again.
The air becomes colder. Jeremie hugs himself tighter. He takes off his glasses and lets them sink into the mud.
Jeremie: I crossed that line again. I blew my second chance. There are no third chances. He closes his eyes. When he opens them, they are full of tears. That's it…..I'm finished.
Aelita: No you're not.
Jeremie looks up with surprise to see Aelita staring over him. Jeremie quickly expects a vindictive look, but none comes. He speaks to her cautiously.
Jeremie: What are you still doing here?
Aelita gazes down at him mercifully. Rain drips off her beautiful pink hair.
Aelita: Getting my boyfriend to come out of the rain.
Jeremie: You're still calling me that? Jeremie's face darkens. Hasn't Odd told you what I have done?
Aelita: He has.
Jeremie's mind stops in disbelief.
Jeremie: Then, why are you-?
Aelita: You didn't fail Ulrich. We all did. The moment we decided to lower our guard and leave everything to Christophe, we failed Ulrich. And I was the one who pushed for it the most. More tears well up in Jeremie's eyes. And then as usual we made you do the impossible.
Jeremie's heart swells with gratitude, but a pang of self-criticism makes him spiral down again.
Jeremie: Don't try to ignore the simple facts, Aelita. Just leave me.
Aelita grabs his shoulder and forces him to sit up. Jeremie rises and looks at Aelita in wonder. She puts his glasses on him and smiles.
Aelita: I am not abandoning you Jeremie. Not again. I will not let Moriarty tear you apart again. We still need you. She embraces him, giving him a feeling of warmth amidst the cold rain. And I still need you even more.
Jeremie's eyes turn out steady streams of tears. He finally breaks down and cries openly in Aelita's arms. She holds him close.
Aelita: Come on. Let's get you inside.
In the infirmary, Christophe begins to open his eyes. He sees the blurry image of Yolanda patting a wet rag on his head. Once his memory returns to him, he bolts up and grabs Yolanda's arm, causing her to yelp in surprise.
Christophe: Where am I?!
Yolanda: The infirmary, Christophe. Please calm down.
He looks around. Several students lie in beds next to him. Several parents are with their kids as well, although they are currently staring at Christophe due to his outburst. He then refocuses on his own body. He is shirtless, with his suit folded on the table next to him.
Christophe: What happened?
Yolanda: You were knocked out by the short circuit in the trustee parlor. But don't worry, no permanent damage was done.
Christophe: Short circuit? Christophe's face becomes grim. Wait. Mr. Stern. What happened to Mr. Stern?!
Yolanda, not expecting this question, freezes up. Her sad look tells Christophe all he needs to know. He lies back down.
Christophe: I failed them.
Later on, Ulrich emerges from inside a hospital door. He briefly stands in the hallway, listening to the sound of crying inside. A tear comes down his own face, but he quickly wipes it away. He puts his hands in his pockets and walks toward the vending machine. As he inserts a euro, he notices a familiar girl in a chair next to him. He is taken by surprise.
Ulrich: Yumi?
Yumi: Figured you would come by this way eventually.
Ulrich: What are you doing here? It's very late, shouldn't you be asleep?
She turns her head and looks him in the eye.
Yumi: How can I sleep?
Ulrich doesn't have an answer for this. He sits down next to her.
Ulrich: Thank you for coming anyway.
Yumi: I wasn't going to sit by while you deal with this. You've never done that to me.
Ulrich sighs and leans his head back.
Ulrich: Very true.
An awkward pause ensues. Ulrich looks over at Yumi's face. She is biting her lip, signaling to Ulrich that she is conflicted about something.
Ulrich: It's okay. I know you're dying to ask.
Yumi blushes, slightly embarrassed that Ulrich could see right through her.
Yumi: Did…he make it?
Ulrich rubs his forehead. His eyes gaze at the white, polished floor.
Ulrich: Yes and no. He's alive, but he's in a coma. Not dead…but not far off either.
Yumi: When do they say he will wake up?
Ulrich rests his hands on his knees. He runs his fingers through the fabric. He closes his eyes and speaks in an emotionally strained voice.
Ulrich: To tell the truth, the doctors say it's doubtful he will… ever wake up.
Yumi lets the full weight of the truth sink in for a moment.
Yumi: So it's permanent…
Ulrich: Very likely so.
Yumi lowers her head.
Yumi: How is your mom taking this?
Ulrich: Not well. She may not have liked him, in fact part of her still wants to murder him, but he's her husband all the same.
Yumi: Both of your relationships with him were….complicated at best.
Ulrich: Yeah…and now to make things worse…those vultures from my dad's business are already calling my mom. Seems a coma puts one's finances and estate in major limbo.
Yumi starts to think over this. She reaches an inevitable realization.
Yumi: So, if that's the case, what does that mean for you? I mean, you are his heir…
Ulrich clasps his hands together and rests them on his forehead. A look of disgust takes shape on his face.
Ulrich: I don't know. And I don't care.
Back in Kadic, Odd starts to dream again. He too wanders in a hospital, but in a different place and a different time. The dream leads him to a single room at the end of the hall. He sees a blonde-haired man staring at the door, clearly hesitating to go in. The lab coat makes Odd think that he is a doctor, but another look makes him realize that it is Moriarty again. He is slightly older than he was last time. Odd walks up behind him, knowing full well that Moriarty can't see him.
Moriarty: I can't just…go in unannounced like this. He looks up. And it still pains me but…I can't just not see them. It wouldn't be right.
He takes a deep breath. He reaches for the door.
Moriarty: Here goes nothing.
Immediately upon opening the door, Odd is greeted with Schaeffer's voice. He seems to be talking childishly to someone.
Schaeffer: Well aren't you a little cutie. So small and pretty. It's a good thing you mostly got your mother's genes.
Odd's eyes become as wide as saucers.
Odd: Mother's genes? Wait….My God, is this what I think it is?!
Odd follows Moriarty into the room.
Schaeffer: Oh you are just so precious! Let's see if she can follow moving objects. Here's my finger…Pause…Oh dear it appears she is biting my finger.
Antea: Honey, please stop smothering her. She's still adjusting…
Schaeffer: Oh right, sorry I guess I got carried aw-
Schaeffer stops when he notices Moriarty in the room. Both turn to stare at him, caught off guard by his presence.
Schaeffer: André.
Moriarty: I know this isn't exactly expected. He rubs his hands together. But I believe I once promised an old friend to be there for the birth of his child.
Odd turns his attention to Antea, staring in wonder at the small bundle in her arms.
Odd: Yes…no doubt about it.
Antea and Schaeffer look at each other, waiting for the other to take the lead in this situation. Finally Antea speaks up.
Antea: Yes. Of course. I don't see why not.
Schaeffer: I suppose it's only fair we let you keep your promise.
Antea adjusts her hold on the bundle. The bundle responds by turning over in its blankets. A small infant face peaks out of the fabric. An infant face with a tuft of light pink hair. Odd stares dumbstruck at the sight. Moriarty draws closer to get a better look. Antea looks at the pink bundle with the warm affection of a mother.
Antea: André, I want you to meet our daughter Aelita.