Consider this an early New Year and late Christmas present. Things are really starting to heat up now….
Part 33
The digital void turns from blue to purple as the Skid enters the periphery of the core. The Skid cuts quickly in between different pathways, trying to confuse the turrets. Finally the Skid enters a major conduit to the core and maintains pursuit. The Skid crosses into the danger zone, but no turrets open up. For a moment the Network is quiet. But the tranquility is soon shattered by the approach of the Black Skid from behind. The dark counterpart follows the Skid closely. Within the black cockpit, the harpy Dark Aelita clutches the controls. She adjusts her sights and locks on to her prey. The malevolent glint of her master shines in her eyes.
Dark Aelita: Rather persistent, aren't they?
A few responses come from the Nav Skids.
Dark William: The fifth time this week I believe.
Dark Ulrich: That cyberbridge of theirs is annoying. I wish Master would let us take it out.
Dark William: They clearly insist on being continuously destroyed…
Dark Yumi: ….I don't see a down side to that…
Dark Aelita: Quiet! I can't kill and listen to your drivel at the same time!
She charges her weapons and focuses. She hesitates for only a moment.
Dark Aelita: Fire!
A torpedo swims through the void toward the Skid. The Skid dodges to the side just in time. Dark Aelita is not amused.
Dark Aelita: You're not going anywhere…
Three more torpedoes stream towards the Skid. This time they hit their target and explode in a flurry of bright light. Dark Aelita sits back in the cockpit.
Dark Aelita: Easy as usual.
The Skid starts to come apart, but instead of exploding, the Skid merely fades out of existence. Dark Aelita regards this with suspicion. She leans forward.
Dark Aelita: What is this? No explosion? That's not normal.
Dark Ulrich: Did you hit them or not?!
Dark Aelita: Of course I hit them! I blew them into oblivion. But something isn't right…
The Dark Skid continues quietly through the void. Dark Aelita scans the area, trying to assure herself that her prey didn't escape.
Dark William: Come to think of it, don't we usually see a blue light when they-?
Dark Aelita suddenly becomes agitated.
Dark Aelita: Wait! My radar is pick-
The rest is cut off when the Dark Skid undergoes a sudden collision. The Dark Warriors reel from the impact. Red warning alarms go off.
Dark Ulrich: What was that?!
A shadow passes through the corner of Dark Yumi's eye. She points.
Dark Yumi: Over there! There they are!
Dark Ulrich suddenly turns his head.
Dark Ulrich: No! Over there!
Dark William notices something below.
Dark William: No! They're down there!
Dark Aelita growls in frustration.
Dark Aelita: They can't be in three places at once! Where are they?!
A sudden second collision leaves the entire Dark Skid spinning in circles. Dark Aelita lands headfirst on the controls. She slowly looks up. Greeting her sight is the image of the Skid quickly bearing down on them. A torpedo slams into their shields. The perspective switches to Aelita, who has turned the hunter into the hunted.
Aelita: The projection decoy worked like a charm, Jeremie. They are at our mercy.
Scene shifts to the lab. A somber but deeply focused Jeremie gives out orders. At his side are Christophe and Natalya, who eagerly watch the battle. Christophe's eyes are glued to the screen, chafing from the desire to be in the battle with them.
Jeremie: Okay…now's our chance. He looks up. We finish this today.
Aelita doesn't waste any time. She releases the Nav Skids.
Aelita: Tear them apart! Finish them before they have time to release as well!
Ulrich, Odd, and Yumi separate and go straight for their target.
Odd: I'm hungry. Who's up for 'sitting duck'?
Yumi: I am. But we should probably roast it first.
Ulrich: Agreed.
A torrent of torpedoes slams into the Dark Skid, eliminating its shields. The Dark Skid fires back, but the attacks are disorganized and the three easily avoid them. They come back into formation.
Yumi: Alright, altogether now…
Ulrich stares down his opponent, hungry for destruction.
Ulrich: Fire!
The second wave blows the Dark Skid to pieces within seconds. Shortly afterwards, the turrets open up. Aelita begins retreating.
Aelita: Fall back. We've done our part. The Nav Skids follow her out of the core zone. Now let's hope we gave William enough time.
Several passages away, William closes in on the core. He remains intensely focused, not letting any detail of the passage before him escape him. The core comes within his sights.
William: 100 meters. Come on…Just give me a little more time…
The turrets finally start to appear. They quickly hone in on him.
William: No. I've come too far to let you stop me.
His Nav Skid spins in circles as the turrets open fire. Experience has crafted his reflexes enough to allow him to glide through the hail of fire. He takes no damage and keeps going. The end of the passage is within sight. Jeremie watches, stunned that their likelihood of success has skyrocketed. He quakes with disbelief and excitement.
Jeremie: He….he's going to make it! HE'S GOING TO MAKE IT!
Natalya leans in, nearly knocking Jeremie out of the way.
Natalya: Keep going William! Blow him to hell!
Right as William reaches the exit of the passage, a large turret stands in his way. William doesn't flinch. One torpedo blows it out of commission before the turret can even fire. William passes into the large circular space. The massive core greets its sight. Its pyramid structures continue to rotate around the glass sphere. For a brief moment, William allows himself to take in the sheer wonder and size of the structure. But that moment lasts only a split second. The feeling is quickly replaced by hatred and an absolute longing to see Moriarty destroyed. The feeling becomes so strong that William almost forgets how to target the core. He lines his sights, boiling with anticipation and incredulity that this is actually happening. William wastes no time.
William: Moriarty, I imagined you dying in many different, horrible ways. He places his finger over the trigger. But right now, I don't think I could ask for a better end than finishing you off myself while my girlfriend cheers me on. So that being said- He fires his torpedo- ROT IN HELL!
The torpedo hits its target perfectly. A small explosion from the impact is soon followed by a large one. A beam of light streams from the core. William reacts quickly and ducks out of the way right before the blast blows him away. The blast continues through the surrounding area and unexpectedly comes out of the infected zone and destroys the Skid and the other Nav Skids before they can even react. The blue light of the cyberbridge recovers them. Back at the core, the blinding light subsides. William looks up, expecting the whole thing to be gone. But to his horror, the sphere is still there. There is only a large hole in it, brimming with electricity. William's hopes sink into oblivion.
William: WHAT?! IT'S STILL THERE?!
Jeremie quickly becomes alarmed.
Jeremie: Still there? What do you mean it's still there?!
William: The core isn't destroyed. It's just damaged!
Christophe: What?!
Jeremie: Well then fire again!
William desperately charges up a final torpedo. At the same time, the electricity spreads from the core into the pyramids. The pyramids begin randomly redirecting it at William. William barely avoids it.
William: WHOA! That was too close…He lines his sights again. I'm not letting you drag this on Moriarty. YOU DIE TODAY!
William fires again, and the torpedo hits its target. Another beam of light, larger than the one before, nearly wipes William's Nav Skid out. The light then gradually clears like before. William looks….and is then crushed to see nothing more than a larger hole in the core.
William: No…
Jeremie: William?! William what happened?!
A terrifying three second pause ensues.
William: It's still there….
Natalya gasps and Christophe's jaw drops. Jeremie's voice shakes with desperation and rage.
Jeremie: THEN FIRE AGAIN!
William: I can't. I'm out of torpedoes!
This news suddenly reminds Jeremie of Odd's vision. The mental imagery of a Nav Skid ramming into the core invades his mind. His brow becomes damp with sweat.
Jeremie: Okay William, d-don't do anything drastic. Just hold on a second. I'll think of something.
More electricity comes out of the core.
William: Too late….
The pyramids cut loose with a large volley of attacks. William and his Nav Skid are extinguished. He stumbles out of the scanner and immediately loses feeling in his legs. He goes down hard. The other warriors come to his side.
Aelita: William?
William: So close….He slams his fist on the floor. I WAS SO CLOSE!
No one says anything. The promise of victory has been viciously robbed from them, and they aren't taking it well. Jeremie, Christophe, and Natalya emerge from the elevator. Jeremie's face looks haggard and dejected. He walks into the scanner room with the pace and vigor of an old man. He grimly looks at his comrades.
Jeremie: Our offensive strategy may need some adjustment…
Later that morning, Jeremie, Aelita, Odd, and Ulrich sit in Mrs. Meyer's class. They sit at their seats, listening to the steady tone of Mrs. Meyer's lecture. At first glance, the warriors seem bored, but a simple look at the students' clothing reveals a different emotional state in the room. There is a mix in the classroom between those wearing the black shirts and blue jeans of The Order, and those who are wearing more individual attire. It is not an equal mix. Those wearing the uniform of The Order hold the majority in the classroom. Occasional looks of contempt pass around the classroom. The most obvious look of hatred comes from Herb, who takes time to look back and glare at Jeremie every now and then. Odd nervously taps his fingers on the table, trying to not make eye contact with anyone. Aelita looks up at the clock, praying for the class period to end soon. Ulrich shows no visible reaction. He merely takes notes and acts normal, as if purposely sending a message to enemies in the classroom that he will not intimidated. Jeremie sits back, calmly observing the situation and keeping his cool. Fearful of drawing too much attention to himself, Jeremie withdraws into his own thoughts.
Jeremie: If only William had pulled it off today. We might not have had to deal with this…..Everyday it just gets worse and worse. What has it been….almost two weeks since the dance? He looks around the room. The atmosphere just keeps getting more hostile.
Mrs. Meyer writes on the chalkboard.
Mrs. Meyer: And if we remember that sin 2x is also the same as 2 sin x cos x, then the problem is easily solved. She pauses. And that's that. That wasn't too hard was it? She smiles, giving most of its pleasantness toward those wearing black shirts in the classroom. Once you break a problem like this down, it's nothing more than a large assortment of simple steps.
She lays the chalk down.
Mrs. Meyer: It's important that you memorize these trigonometric identities. Knowing them could mean the difference between solving a complex problem like this and staring at it in utter confusion. Oftentimes students are stumped because they simply forget that these identities can work in their favor. So keep these in mind, okay?
The Order members quickly respond together.
The Order members: Yes, Lieutenant Meyer.
Mrs. Meyer's smile broadens as she erases the chalkboard. It is clear that she is still enjoying her new title.
Mrs. Meyer: Without these identities, problems at this level seem impossible. They are confusing and difficult at best. One might call it organized chaos….She turns to address the students. She walks around the desk, revealing a black skirt hanging just below her blue top. The Order insignia is conspicuously attached to her shirt. It's comforting to know that we have these identities to solve this mess. To bring…order into chaos.
Her kind stare evaportates as her eyes move toward the more rebellious students.
Mrs. Meyer: Yes, that's right students. With these identities you can bring even the most difficult problems into line.
Aelita leans closer to Jeremie.
Aelita: She's stopped talking about math, hasn't she?
Jeremie: Yes. She stopped a long time ago.
Mrs. Meyer: Needless to say, I expect you all to know these identities perfectly for the upcoming quiz.
The Order members: Understood, Lieutenant Meyer.
Mrs. Meyer: Very good. So in the last few minutes of class, let's take a look at a few more example prob-She stops speaking when she sees César leaning back lazily in his chair. She coughs. César, would you be so kind as to assume the ...proper posture in class?
He doesn't answer her. He just continues to sit back pretending to be asleep. Judgmental eyes begin to focus on him. Mrs. Meyer becomes visibly irritated. Sissi, who is sitting next to him, nudges for him to stop, but César doesn't budge.
Mrs. Meyer: César, that wasn't a suggestion. When you are in my class, you will sit properly. Do you understand me?
He starts snoring. A couple of students stifle their laughter. Mrs. Meyer turns red with rage.
Mrs. Meyer: This is the fourth time you have challenged me this week, César. I am not amused. This is dreadfully unbecoming of you. She stands up. Do you think that just because you are a prince you can ignore everything I say?
César: No. Being a prince has nothing to do with it.
Mrs. Meyer: Then why do you do it?
César remains quiet for a moment. Sissi, seeing her chance, tries to talk some sense into him.
Sissi: Please just sit up. Don't do this, you're causing a scene.
César glances over at Sissi with a mischievous smile on his face. He then turns back to Mrs. Meyer.
César: I give teachers the same amount of respect that they give themselves. If they have no self-respect, then why should I treat them any differently?
A pen can be heard dropping in the room. Mrs. Meyer's eyes widen and her face turns a deeper shade of crimson.
Mrs. Meyer: How dare…
César: Usted es la mascota de Renard (You are Renard's pet). You go along with this silly game just as much as him. Sometimes I feel like you take it more seriously than him. You suck up to him as if this little charade at school meant the difference between life and death. And that, Lieutenant Meyer, is why I don't respect you.
Mrs. Meyer explodes.
Mrs. Meyer: YOU! TO THE PRINCIPAL NOW!
César: That brings up another problem….I don't know which man to go to. I'm at a loss. Do I go to Renard or Delmas? Debe ser uno de los dos (It has to be one of the two).
Paul Gilliard stands up, cocking his fist and spitefully glaring at the prince.
Paul: You Outcast piece of-
Mrs. Meyer: Paul! We will not say that word in this classroom! Do you understand me?!
Paul: But he-
Mrs. Meyer: Sit down! Paul reluctantly obeys. And you, César, leave this classroom immediately!
César gets up to leave. As he reaches the door, he turns back around.
César: One more thing….don't assume too much Paul. I don't represent anyone other than myself. I'm on nobody's side in this game of yours.
He exits the classroom, leaving the door slightly ajar. Mrs. Meyer slams it shut. Several seconds later the bell rings. Mrs. Meyer burns in anger, realizing that César wasted her last few minutes of class.
Mrs. Meyer: Well, I guess that's it then. I guess we need to end class.
She moves in front of her desk. Everyone in class stands up. The Order members stand at attention. Aelita reaches over and squeezes Jeremie's hand. Jeremie doesn't react.
Jeremie: Here we go again…
Mrs. Meyer leads the classroom in a salute to The Order. They do it flawlessly together without thinking. It has become second nature to them. But the warriors, Sissi, Claire, Theo, Azra, and a few others abstain. Immediately hostile stares are directed at them. Mrs. Meyer is no exception. Their response doesn't seem to surprise her, but it is clear that she considers it just as disrespectful as César's earlier stunt. She lowers her arms, prompting The Order students to follow her example. She sighs.
Mrs. Meyer: I'm sad to see that some of you still won't embrace the new way of things here at Kadic. I'm truly disappointed. I hope that one day you see the good of what we are doing. Foregoing a culture of discipline and community…it's a wonder some of you still get good grades.
She signals for the class to leave. They do so. Jeremie is the last to exit. As he reaches the door, he looks over his shoulder.
Jeremie: Maybe we still get good grades because it's impossible in math to grade on personal preference…
He walks out of the room without leaving Mrs. Meyer a chance to respond.
The clock strikes noon at Kadic. Students mill about, either going to classes or lunch. Faculty walk around normally, indicating business as usual. But the separation between those with black shirts and Order patches and those without is still very much apparent. In the middle of the courtyard, Milly and Tamiya let their voices be heard.
Milly: Come get the latest issue of The Kadic Herald!
Tamiya: Brand new issue! "Should Kadic be worried about its wiring and infrastructure?"
Milly: Also, "Rumors of subversion intensify. Who are 'The Outcasts'?"
Tamiya: And a special interview with Dr. Renard regarding his opinion of France's place in the European Union!
Milly: Grab them while you can! Stay in the know with The Kadic Herald!
A small crowd gathers around the top journalists of Kadic. Meanwhile all of the warriors walk past them and cross in front of the cafeteria. Yumi, Ulrich, Odd, and Christophe walk ahead of Jeremie, Aelita, William, and Natalya so as to avoid too much suspicion. As the last four warriors cross in front of the cafeteria door, they see an eighth grader being thrown out. He falls to the ground. Paul Gilliard walks out the door, followed by Hiroki and Johnny. All of them are wearing black shirts and Order patches. The eighth grader fearfully looks up at them.
Paul: And if I see you intimidating younger students into giving up their dessert portions again, I will personally see to it that you eat your own fist. Got it?!
The student gets up and starts to hurry away from his attackers.
Xavier: Y-yes! No problem! It won't happen again!
He takes off. Hiroki and Johnny give each other high-fives.
Johnny: Too cool!
Hiroki: I enjoyed that way too much!
Aelita grabs Jeremie's hand. She moves closer to him. Jeremie looks at William. William nods and starts to pick up the pace. Jeremie turns to Aelita.
Jeremie: Just keep walking…
Aelita: I'm really glad Yumi didn't see that.
Jeremie: I know. I know.
They pass the cafeteria and start walking towards the science building. Jeremie looks up and sees the first group of warriors walk into the building. He motions to William.
Jeremie: Let's go around and take the other entrance.
William: Are you sure? Seems a bit unnecessary.
Jeremie shakes his head. He looks from side to side, eyeing the black shirts around him. Several of them give him uninviting looks. He walks in front of William.
Jeremie: We're taking the other entrance…
The three other warriors follow. They pass by the front of the science building, shrouded by the shadows of the trees in the courtyard. Jeremie continues to keep a watchful eye for a trouble. This watchful eye of his notices Moriarty walking with a woman he has never seen before. Though they seem to be having a pleasant conversation, Moriarty appears to be struggling with a painful are within hearing range.
Moriarty: You'll have to excuse my limp today Ms. Durand. I'm afraid I had a bad spill this morning. My ankle is a little messed up.
The well-dressed Ms. Durand smiles, ignoring a groan of pain from Moriarty.
Ms. Durand: Oh it's perfectly alright. Not your fault anyway. I've always want to meet with France's new hero. Although you might want to get a cast for your ankle.
Moriarty politely brushes that idea aside.
Moriarty: Oh it's nothing. It will be better in no time. So how do you like your visit to Kadic so far?
Jeremie raises an eyebrow. Aelita looks questioningly at him.
Aelita: Visit?
Jeremie motions for Aelita to be quiet. The four slow down their pace so they can hear. The cluster of trees partially hides them from sight.
Ms. Durand: I'll be honest with you Dr. Renard. I was a little creeped out at first by this new Kadic. What with your Order thing and all. I was worried you were creating a cult here!
Moriarty: A cult?! Why that seems a little ridiculous don't you think? Did you think we were brainwashing them?
Ms. Durand laughs.
Ms. Durand: Oh I know it's silly. But your approach is so unusual. She looks off to the side. She sees a student drop her books. At first the student appears upset, but within a moment's notice three Order members show up and offer her aid. Ms. Durand marvels at this display of academic brotherhood. But now that I've seen it for myself, your way of doing things here may be just what Lincoln needs. We've had discipline and favoritism issues for years, yet we still scored higher than Kadic for the longest time. But now you're trouncing us! She notices a biology class outside. The teacher shows them the fruits of several bushes. The students observe him with complete focus. If your little roleplaying can do this much good for Kadic, then who's to say that it can't work for Lincoln as well? Why-Her face lights up- forget Lincoln! All of France could follow your example!
Moriarty: Well….let's not get crazy here. I'm not sure how that would even be possible.
Ms. Durand: I suppose you're right. But do you think we could apply your policies to Lincoln?
Moriarty scratches his chin and appears conflicted, pretending to not be comfortable with the idea.
Moriarty: Hmmn…I suppose so. Once Ms. Kensington leaves for your school, I'm sure we could work….something out.
They walk away. William, Natalya, and Aelita watch them leave, utterly speechless from what they have just heard. But Jeremie merely shakes his head in disappointment and keeps walking. The other three head after him.
Aelita: Jeremie wait!
William: Hold up! William catches up to him and grabs him by the shoulder. Jeremie reluctantly turns around. Moriarty's trying to expand The Order, isn't he?
Jeremie: Of course. Did you honestly think he would stop at Kadic?
William and Natalya's mouths drop, shocked that Jeremie is not surprised by this at all.
Aelita: You knew that this would happen?
Jeremie: Didn't I tell you that Moriarty wants to make a dangerous political movement? How can he do that if he doesn't expand to other schools?
Aelita quickly understands. She gets a sickening feeling in her stomach.
Aelita: So being the hero of France and getting Kadic to turn on us is only the beginning…Why stop at one school in France...
Natalya: When you can have….all of them.
Aelita smacks her forehead.
Aelita: Idiot! Why didn't I see it before?!
William, blown away by the magnitude of what he has just heard, leans against the trunk of the tree.
William: Dear God….I was so blind.
Jeremie: I guess I should have made my suspicions a bit clearer. Of course, I wasn't totally sure that would be his method of approach until just now. But I thought you were all thinking the same thing I was. He awkwardly rubs the back of his neck. I suppose I didn't want to pressure you too much with what you already knew.
The four silently linger next to the science building for a few moments.
Natalya: So what do we do now?
Jeremie: Now…we go to the meeting. He turns around. We're already late.
The four descend down to the basement of the science building. The walls around them are solid stone. Dim fluorescent lights brighten the windowless space. The four walk together in silence. As they approach one large metal door, they are greeted by the other four warriors.
Yumi: Why'd you take so long getting here?
Jeremie: We could ask you the same question.
Yumi: We caught Emmanuel snooping around the hallway. We had to disperse. Didn't want to compromise our location. And you?
Jeremie approaches the door.
Jeremie: I'll tell you later.
He knocks on the door three times. A metal slot revealing two suspicious eyes watch them.
Léon: Password?
Yumi clears her throat.
Yumi: The only order at Kadic is the one that maintains multiculturalism, tolerance, and moderation.
The gatekeeper rolls his eyes. He is clearly annoyed.
Léon: That was last week's password.
Yumi: Oh for the love of…why did you change it?
Léon: What do you think? It was too long! I need the new password.
Yumi groans. She turns back to the others.
Yumi: Anyone hear know it?
For a moment no one says anything. Then Odd pipes up.
Odd: Uh…Renard sucks?
Léon thinks this over for a moment. He then closes the metal slot and starts to open the door.
Léon: Close enough…
The door opens. The figure of a spry and scrawny brown-haired ninth grader motions them down another small hall. He goes to a second metal door and opens it.
Léon: Head on in. We've already started.
The warriors pass by Léon and walk into a crowded and dank room. Pipes run above them on the ceiling. A boiler in the corner keeps the room relatively warm. The warriors take a seat in the back. Immediately after they sit, they realize that the chairs they are sitting on are old and squeaky. Odd tries to move around to test just how old and squeaky his chair really is, but a sharp look from Aelita stops him. They turn their attention to Jim, who speaks to the small crowd without a podium. Michael Reilley stands next to him, awkwardly watching him pace around.
Jim: …Despite Renard's claims, there is nothing wrong with the administrative building's wiring. I checked it myself. Why it was only replaced a few years ago. It doesn't make logical sense to blame old wiring when the wires aren't old to begin with. The facts don't add up. So we must campaign to reveal another of Renard's clever lies. I would recommend anonymously writing opinion pieces for The Kadic Herald.
Mrs. Hertz stands up.
Mrs. Hertz: Jim, what exactly is preventing them from not printing our opinions?
Jim: Absolutely nothing. Luckily I anticipated that and came up with a backup plan. He smiles ridiculously, obviously proud that he had the wits to conjure up a "backup plan". If they refuse to print the truth, then we'll create our own newspaper. We'll compete with The Kadic Herald for the school's attention!
Some Outcast members clap at this. But Delmas speaks up before the applause gets too loud.
Delmas: But what is stopping Renard from outlawing other newspapers on campus?
Jim: Absolutely nothing. He points into the crowd. Which is why I came up with a backup plan to my backup plan! Show them Reilley!
Michael Reilley holds up flyers. Then, after receiving a nod of approval from Jim, he throws them into the air, causing them to land everywhere in the room. Some students and faculty react negatively to this unnecessary mess. But Jim is enthusiastic.
Jim: You now see my point. Newspapers can be stopped. But individual flyers cannot. We can act individually, handing out the truth whether they want it or not. They can't stop all of us. And if they are really determined to stop us- He clenches his fist and confidently shakes it in the air-then we'll throw them out of our windows, spreading them around the school. Truth will rain down on Kadic!
Michael Reilley throws some more flyers, but Jim waves for him to stop.
Jim: Um, Reilley they get the point.
Reilley: Oh…sorry.
Jim: But just in case…..I have a backup plan to my backup plan to my backup plan. Some more intelligent students and faculty roll their eyes at this. If paper does not work, then…we have technology! We'll send out mass emails and make it so that they don't know who it came from. Jim stops pacing. I'm going to be honest. I have no idea how to do that. But I'm sure Jeremie does. So we'll rely on him for that.
Jeremie, who zoned out when Jim said 'backup' too many times, suddenly wakes back up.
Jeremie: Wait….I'm doing what now?
Jim: The point is…we are going to find ways to get around the propaganda here at Kadic. And the other point that is just as important as the first point because it is….He freezes up on his own thoughts…it is….has no less value than…oh never mind. The other point is that Renard's story about the wiring is a lot of nonsense. Which of course raises the question of why we had the terrible accident during the….Jim stops in midsentence when he realizes Ulrich is in the crowd….uh you know what I'm talking about. We don't know why it happened, but we certainly can't blame it on the wiring.
Jim remains silent for a few seconds. The look on his face demonstrates his regret for mentioning the incident in front of Ulrich. During that interlude, the Outcast members remain silent. Yumi wraps her arm around Ulrich's shoulder. Ulrich remains stoic amidst the silence.
Jim: Yes….moving on. There is one more thing I need to mention before I go. You know that our last meeting place, the giant study room above the library, was compromised by The Order. It appears that they have done quite a bit of spying, and we now know who to blame. It turns out one of our new students, Angeline Maillard, has been using her…how shall I say….feminine prowess to get information on us. One of our male members was apparently seduced into giving away information. I'm not going to mention who…He coughs…Bastien….Several girls scowl at Bastien, who sinks lower in his chair…but I'm warning male Outcasts to beware her female charms and more importantly…. keep it in your pants!
Some of the more immature Outcasts chuckle at this. Mrs. Hertz glares at Jim, and Delmas lowers his head in shame.
Delmas: Please tell me he didn't just say that.
Nicole: He did sir…
Jim: That about wraps up today's meeting. We will reconvene tomorrow night at 8. Be here…or else. People start to stand up and walk out. I'm also going to need help picking up these flyers before you go. They keep exiting at the same pace. Or not…
Ulrich stuffs his hands in his pockets and walks behind Yumi toward the exit. He suddenly feels his arm grabbed from behind. He turns around to see the large figure of Jim standing next to him. The look Jim is giving Ulrich is full of pained empathy. Ulrich quickly tries to pull away, sensing what is to come, but Jim holds him back.
Jim: Hey, hold on now. I just want to talk.
Ulrich: No need. I don't need your apology…you didn't do anything wrong.
Yumi stops and turns around. She observes the situation cautiously, praying that Jim isn't too forceful with him.
Jim: I'm not here to apologize. I just wanted to let you know that I am terribly sorry about what happened. And that I'm here for you in case you want to talk.
Jim carefully watches Ulrich's face, expecting either tears or an angry outburst. He gets neither. Instead, Ulrich just stares blankly at Jim. His face is as cold as stone.
Ulrich: Thank you Jim. But you don't need to bother. I'll be fine.
Jim: If that's how you feel, then I'm not going to push you anymore. I just wanted to let you know.
He lets go of Ulrich's arm. Ulrich quickly retreats back to Yumi, avoiding Jim's gaze. The two start walking.
Jim: If you change your mind, I'm still ready to listen. He sighs. I remember how I felt when my father died…
Yumi and Ulrich stop walking. Yumi looks over her shoulder, completely stunned at this unexpected news.
Yumi: Jim, you never told us-
Jim: It's at the top of the list of things….I'd rather not talk about.
The warriors eat lunch in the cafeteria. Instead of their usual table near the windows, the warriors have moved into the far back corner of the dining area. The place is packed with loud students, which allows for their presence to mostly go unnoticed. The group of eight sits quietly together, their minds only partly on their meal. All eyes are on Jeremie, who folds his hands together in thought. Ulrich occasionally gives Jeremie stinging looks, which Jeremie tries his best to ignore. William proceeds to interrogate Jeremie.
William: So enlighten me. Why on Earth would you keep Jim in the dark about this? He's the leader of the resistance here. Shouldn't he know Moriarty wants to expand?
Jeremie: It's not that simple William…
Natalya: Why not? We need to warn the rest of the Outcasts of what Moriarty plans to do, right?
Jeremie: Do we? Is that really a good idea?
Christophe becomes confused.
Christophe: What do you mean? Why wouldn't it be a good idea?
Jeremie: I can think of several reasons. First, telling Jim and the rest of the Outcasts that Moriarty plans on expanding The Order could inadvertently bring our allies at school too close to our secret and the magnitude of Moriarty's actual plan.
Christophe: I…don't follow.
Jeremie scratches his head, trying to think of a way to explain this easily.
Jeremie: Moriarty wants to take over the world. We know that. The rest of the Outcasts don't. They believe Moriarty's plan involves taking over the school and achieving some permanent hero fame in France. We are both working toward the same goal, to stop Moriarty, but our goal is on a much larger scale. Our involvement with the Outcasts allows us to maintain a delicate balance between fighting Moriarty in the real and virtual world. But…if we tell Jim that Moriarty is spreading The Order elsewhere, then we reveal that Moriarty's plans are political as well. If Jim and the rest of the Outcasts know that Moriarty's plans don't stop at Kadic, their reactions could work against us. For instance, it may prompt the Outcasts to do something desperate to stop him…
Aelita: Or intimidate the group into giving up…once they realize that they are dealing with something far out of their league.
Yumi nods with understanding.
Yumi: And it could cause Jim and Delmas to question how we know all these things about Renard. Then things could really get dicey…
William: Nevertheless, Delmas and some of the other faculty in the Outcasts must have some suspicion that Moriarty wants to turn himself into some kind of national demagogue. Or at the very least they will soon enough…
Ulrich: William's right…I mean….He idly stabs his fork into his food. The Outcasts are going to find out sooner or later what Moriarty is going to do. He gives Jeremie a cold look. Why should we keep them in the dark?
Odd: Yeah….Odd sips some water and wipes his mouth. Why not tell them so we can prevent Moriarty from expanding? We can react quickly.
Jeremie nods in agreement with Odd, but his obvious lack of enthusiasm with the idea reveals his disapproval.
Jeremie: Reacting quickly is exactly what I'm afraid of. If we are not careful, we could react too quickly, and give Moriarty a distinct advantage over us.
Yumi looks quizzically at Jeremie.
Yumi: Now I don't follow. How could we react too quickly?
Jeremie doesn't immediately reply. Instead, he looks at his companions, who are eager for answers. He looks doubtfully at them, wondering to himself if they will be able to understand. He looks down at the table and takes note of the saltshakers, napkins, sugar packs, and other lunch-related things around him. He suddenly smiles and snaps his fingers. He grabs those things and begins to arrange them in a certain way. The warriors stare at Jeremie, caught off guard by his strange behavior.
Aelita: Jeremie, what in the world are you-?
Jeremie: Just bear with me for a moment….
Jeremie reaches across the table and takes a bottle of hot sauce out of his hand. Not surprisingly, Odd is not pleased.
Odd: Hey! I was using that!
Jeremie: Sorry Odd. I need to borrow it for a moment to explain something important.
Odd: More important than hot sauce?!
Yumi: Odd, be quiet.
Jeremie holds the hot sauce up.
Jeremie: Okay, pretend this hot sauce is Moriarty.
Odd: I'd rather pretend it was on my food….
Ulrich: Shut up Odd.
Jeremie: As the head of The Order, he is in the center of a highly disciplined network, one that involves control through hierarchy. He assembles large sugar packs in a circle around the hot sauce. A head needs subordinates, so pretend these packs are Klotz, Emmanuel, Meyer, and the other top dogs in The Order. He puts smaller packs around the large packs. And of course you have the regular members. He stops the demonstration for a second. Now imagine what happens when Moriarty expands. He puts a knife and fork at different end points of the sugar pack ring. He then puts a ketchup and mustard bottle at the other ends of the knife and fork respectively. Each of these points jutting off of the main circle would be other schools. And the bottles would be local head of The Order, controlling that district. He lays sugar packs around the bottles. And of course you would have subordinates under them in the same fashion. My diagram only shows you two schools, but imagine this on a massive scale.
Christophe's eyes widen.
Christophe: A huge invisible network, stretched all over France….
Jeremie: With Moriarty maintaining control over all of them. Local heads would have some authority-He puts the hot sauce bottle on top of a metal box of napkins-but ultimately Moriarty remains in command. Jeremie leans back in his chair for a moment. The Order's rigorous discipline and organization combined with his hero status makes his plan very feasible. The utensils I've laid down represent lines of communication back to Kadic, where Moriarty controls all the strings. Communication between schools is the key for Moriarty to maintain power.
Odd: That's fantastic Einstein, but what does this have to do with not telling Jim about Moriarty's plans?
Jeremie: Patience Odd. I'm getting there. I set up this diagram to show you how easy it would be for Moriarty to spread The Order from school to school. People like Ms. Durand will spread the word, and before you know it schools in Paris will all look like Kadic. France will easily follow. My point is that I don't think it is possible to prevent Moriarty from expanding. He has too many resources at his disposal. We could try to warn other schools before it's too late, but The Order could easily use their test scores and manipulative powers to make us look like the bad guys. And they will succeed.
Christophe suddenly becomes agitated.
Christophe: So you're saying we should admit defeat?!
Jeremie: No Christophe. That's not what I meant. I'm just admitting that preventing Moriarty's expansion is impossible. It's important for us to accept that fact, because it determines our next move.
Yumi scratches the side of her head.
Yumi: Okay so stopping the spread of The Order to the other school is futile…I got that part. But how does that determine our next move?
Jeremie smiles and adjusts his glasses. He is clearly enjoying having the rest of the warriors in such rapt attention. He clears off his Order diagram.
Jeremie: Alright, let's look at the issue from our angle. He holds up a salt shaker and places it back on the table. This is Jim. And this…He puts some sugar packs haphazardly around the salt shaker….is the rest of the Outcasts.
Ulrich raises his eyebrow.
Ulrich: How come we aren't in a circle?
Jeremie: Because we honestly don't have the kind of organization and discipline The Order has. We value freedom of thought and individualism. Those are great values, but they come at the price of being outmatched in organizational strength. He taps the top of the salt shaker. If we tell Jim now, it's not hard to think what his response will be. He will try to match Moriarty and expand the Outcasts to other schools as well.
Natalya shrugs.
Natalya: Well, isn't that a good thing? Don't we want to do that? That could give us a major edge.
Jeremie bites his lip. The look on his face speaks to the doubt creeping into his mind.
Jeremie: Yes and no. If Jim goes ahead with his plan, I foresee two possible scenarios that will come of it. And both are not good.
Aelita's face becomes grim.
Aelita: What are they?
Jeremie: The most likely one is this…Jeremie puts two forks next to the salt shaker. He places the ketchup and mustard bottle at the other end of the utensils. Jim will try to warn other schools and set up our influence before The Order does. This may seem like a good idea, but once The Order does move in, it could prove disastrous. Moriarty will come in showing off all the great things about The Order, and he will manipulate the other schools into thinking our warnings were complete lies. And those schools will believe him. They will turn on Jim…He takes the forks away…and our own expansion effort would fail. We would be left isolated, and at the mercy of a massively growing organization.
Some of the warriors shudder at the thought. They can see the truth in Jeremie's prediction.
William: Okay, what's the other one?
Jeremie: The second scenario is slightly better. In this scenario, Jim does set up the Outcast influence successfully. The Order comes in, but they are unable to get rid of us. We succeed in matching Moriarty's level of expansion.
Christophe: Sounds good so far. Where does this go wrong?
Jeremie: The problem is that we don't have the rigorous organizational structure Moriarty has. And if we spread-He sits up a pepper shaker and parmesan shaker some distance away from the salt Jim.-eventually our chain of command falls apart. Local leaders will pop up, and they will pursue their own policies to deal with The Order. Notice I didn't put utensils connecting Jim to the other leaders. They won't respect Jim as the head like The Order would to Moriarty. Our goals and efforts would be confused and misguided. In this scenario, Moriarty uses his superior organization-He uses the hot sauce to knock the salt shaker over. Grains of salt spill onto the table.-to divide and conquer.
Ulrich growls in frustration and bangs his fist against the table. A pair of murderous eyes look down at Jeremie
Ulrich: So you're saying we're screwed?! That the Outcasts can't fight back?!
Yumi lightly touches his shoulder.
Yumi: Ulrich, please….calm down.
Ulrich keeps his mouth shut, but his body remains tense. Yumi, seeing that Ulrich can't be comforted right now, sadly looks away from him. Jeremie continues, putting out of his mind that frightening stare Ulrich was giving him.
Jeremie: I never said that Ulrich. I just said this would happen if we tell Jim now.
The wheels in Aelita's head begin to turn.
Aelita: So…you're saying-
Jeremie nods.
Jeremie: Yes. It's all a matter of timing. He sets the salt shaker back up. If we wait until The Order has already expanded, then the game changes. I don't think it's possible for Moriarty to manipulate an entire school, so wherever The Order spreads, there will be those who will oppose it. Students and faculty will see firsthand how corrupt and twisted The Order really is. But, like in Kadic, they will be the oppressed minority. They will become desperate looking for something to oppose this madness. He taps salt Jim again. That…is when we come in. By the time the rest of the Outcasts catch wind of this, schools will already be infected and those desperate minorities will come looking for someone to lead them. He puts forks on the table, connecting salt Jim with the pepper and parmesan shaker. Having no other choice, they will follow the Kadic Outcasts' lead, and division can be avoided. He clears off the shakers and utensils and leans back in his chair, reveling in his own genius. And that's how we match Moriarty on the national scale. We need our enemy to clear a path for us before we move in. Not the other way around.
The entire table is quiet as the warriors try to absorb all of what Jeremie has spoken about. Most of the warriors gradually warm up to Jeremie's reasoning. But Odd doesn't look so confident. He taps his spoon against his glass. His nervous look tells the other warriors that this extended talk about Moriarty spreading his power has made him feel uncomfortable. William finally breaks the silence.
William: I get it. It's all part of your strategy. You want Moriarty to make the first move.
Jeremie: Exactly. It's like a game of chess. He looks down at his food. And France is the chessboard.
Aelita makes a face. She then shakes her head in disapproval.
Aelita: I don't know Jeremie. You are assuming a lot. You can't be sure the schools will respond that way.
Jeremie: I admit it's a gamble. But I'm sure that if we try to spread now, Moriarty will overshadow us. If there's one thing I don't doubt, it's his power to manipulate. I think my plan is the safest bet.
Aelita doesn't seem to be satisfied. She looks down at the table.
Aelita: You are probably right Jeremie. Your plan could very well work. But even so…think of the consequences.
Jeremie: Consequences? What are you referring to?
Aelita: Jeremie…think about it. Two opposing groups spread throughout all the schools in France…it's a perfect recipe for all out violence!
The conversation is interrupted by the sounds of people in the cafeteria getting up and crowding around the window. Outside, they can hear the sounds of cheering and fighting. Sissi pushes her way through the crowd. She looks outside and frowns.
Sissi: Oh no….not again!
Ulrich: Sissi, what's going on?
Sissi turns around.
Sissi: Henri and Jean-Baptiste. They're at it again.
Scene shifts outside. The Order member Henri faces off with Jean-Baptiste. Henri rolls up the sleeves of his black shirt. Behind him, some Order members cheer him on. Mathias is at the head of them all.
Mathias: Do it Henri! He passionately gives him The Order salute. Crush this outcast!
Jean-Baptiste spits on the ground. His companions Theo and Romain cheer him on.
Theo: He's nothing Pujol! Waste this loser!
Henri makes the first move. Jean-Baptiste stays on his toes, inviting his approach. Henri starts off with a right hook aimed for his forehead. But Jean-Baptiste ducks and punches Henri in the chest. Henri doubles back, but doesn't let the pain hold him for long. He kicks Jean-Baptiste in the stomach, sending him to the ground. But Jean-Baptiste grabs his foot and brings him down with him. The fight turns into a dirty struggle on the ground. Both sides continue to cheer their guy on. Jim then appears on the scene, shouting for everyone to break it up. He picks Henri and Jean-Baptiste by the collar. He glares at both of them.
Jim: You two again?! If you keep this up both of you are going to be expelled!
Jean-Baptiste wipes some blood from his cheek. He whispers to himself.
Jean-Baptiste: Some leader you are…
The group crowded around the window starts to disperse. Aelita, seeing that the fight is over, restarts the conversation.
Aelita: Fights like that are getting more and more common Jeremie. Imagine that on a national scale. If the tension gets any worse, expansion could turn this whole thing into a bloodbath.
Yumi stops eating, having suddenly lost her appetite. She looks up at Jeremie.
Yumi: Aelita does have a point. Do we really want to start something like that?
Odd shudders.
Odd: Fights would break out all the time….it could get out of hand quickly.
Jeremie: Very true Odd. But the situation is already 'out of hand'. Would you prefer the alternative…not fighting back?
The warriors vehemently deny Jeremie's claim, William chief among them.
William: Never…Jeremie's plan is tough to swallow, but it is necessary. He looks around the table, making sure all the warriors hear. If Moriarty wants to expand, we have no choice but to match him.
Yumi: That's true but…
Jeremie: But what?
Yumi: It's just that-She pauses and takes a deep breath.-so far your plans have only been combatting Moriarty here on Earth. So far you have mentioned nothing about Lyoko. Everything you have talked about can work, but don't forget that we can't permanently beat Moriarty that way. We need a Lyoko victory, and you have not said a word about how to do that. William hit that core twice and it only made Moriarty suffer a limp. Destroying that core was our strategy….how are we supposed to eliminate Moriarty if the core has such strong defenses?
Everyone's eyes turn to Jeremie. He quickly feels uncomfortable. He hesitates for a moment. Then he looks down at the table and groans.
Jeremie: Have I ever told you how much I hate it when you stare at me like that?
Aelita: But she does bring up a good point. What's our next course of action?
Jeremie empties his glass in one final sip.
Jeremie: Do you want to know the real truth?
Ulrich: It would be helpful…
Jeremie: The truth is-The group leans in with anticipation.-I haven't the slightest clue.
The table becomes silent for about three seconds.
Odd: Thanks for filling us with confidence, Jeremie.
Jeremie holds his hands up in defense.
Jeremie: Hey, I'm sorry. Moriarty has me stumped right now. Multi-agent research has gone nowhere with him, and he has shown us that the core approach is not that easy. The only thing I can say is that blowing up the core is not off the table...it will just take far more hits then we thought.
Natalya: Can't you think of an easier way?
Jeremie: For the moment, no. But I may in the near future.
Yumi: What makes you say that?
Jeremie stands up and picks up his tray.
Jeremie: Whenever I've been stumped, the Hermitage has always offered something to help me. Maybe Franz Hopper has something in there that might help me, and I have just overlooked it.
Odd becomes apprehensive at the idea.
Odd: You want to go back there?
Jeremie: Yep. Anyone want to come with me to help?
Odd forms an X by crossing his forearms.
Odd: No thank you! That is a PTSD attack just waiting to happen. Count me out.
Aelita: I…don't really feel like going back there right now.
Yumi: I'm way behind on schoolwork.
Ulrich picks up his tray and leaves the table, avoiding eye contact with Jeremie.
Ulrich: I've got class.
Jeremie looks hopefully at William and Natalya.
Jeremie: What about you two? I know that afternoon classes happened to be cancelled for you today. Do you have an excuse?
William turns a little red. Natalya smiles mischievously and leans her head on his shoulder.
William: Actually Jeremie, we were hoping to spend some time at the mall….alone.
Natalya: We've wanted to do this for a while…and we finally get the chance. If you think we're not taking this opportunity, you're crazy.
William: R-right. Sorry Jeremie, I don't usually ask for a rain check on Lyoko business, but I'm doing it now.
The warriors start to leave the table. Jeremie shrugs with indifference.
Jeremie: Fine. I guess I'll do it myself.
Christophe: Wait! Christophe stands up. I haven't been to this place. I want to check it out for myself. Let me help you.
Jeremie: Oh…well I guess I didn't think about you-
Christophe: Oh come on….let me do something! Are you going to keep me on probation forever?! If it means finding a way to beat Moriarty, I want to help!
Jeremie holds out his hands to signal for Christophe to calm down.
Jeremie: Okay okay! You can come with me. I warn you that it's not going to be very exciting, but if you insist, I'll bring you along.
Christophe's face brightens with excitement.
Christophe: Alright! When do we go?
Jeremie walks past the table and puts his tray away. Christophe follows him.
Jeremie: Meet me at the beginning of the path into the forest in ten minutes. I'll show you the way from there.
Christophe: No problem. I'll see you then!
Christophe runs out the door. Jeremie watches him leave and shakes his head.
Jeremie: Ugh….he's still acting like a rookie. But I guess if I didn't allow him to do this he would go crazy…
Ulrich sits in music class in the midst of an extremely boring lecture. Ulrich sits in the back, and quickly becomes so bored that he barely notices the music teacher begin a movie for the class to watch. The lights turn off and the movie begins to play. The program has something to do with the history of music, and within five minutes half the class is asleep. The room has been made very warm due to the approach of winter, and that combined with the darkness makes it difficult for Ulrich to stay awake. Before he even realizes it, he finds himself dozing off. As he falls asleep, his mind drifts into a dream. He finds himself in the hospital at his father's bedside. Ulrich solemnly listens as the heart monitor adds some sound to the silent room. His mother sits on the other side of his father. Her face has been twisted with despair beyond the point of tears. Ulrich can't bear to look at his mother, but the sight of his peaceful but comatose father is not much better. He eventually ends up looking at the floor. His mother stands up.
Mrs. Stern: I'm going to the bathroom. Will you be okay…alone with him?
Ulrich keeps his gaze on the floor.
Ulrich: Why not? He's not going anywhere.
Mrs. Stern considers a response to this, but decides against it. She walks out of the room and the door closes behind her. Once she leaves, Ulrich lets out a deep sigh. A few seconds pass.
Mr. Stern: You have the nerve to come and see me…?
Ulrich gasps as a few years are taken off his life. He stares at his father. His eyes are open, and they are staring murderously at Ulrich. He speaks to his son through his oxygen mask. His voice sounds more metallic than before.
Mr. Stern: You failed me….
Ulrich stands up and backs away from his father.
Ulrich: No…you…you can't. How can you-?
Mr. Stern: Why am I stuck to this bed for the rest of my life?
Cold sweat drips down Ulrich's face.
Ulrich: I…I…
Mr. Stern: ANSWER ME SON!
Ulrich: I don't know why!
Mr. Stern: LIAR!
Ulrich loses the ability to stand. He lowers himself onto the floor and sits against the wall.
Mr. Stern: You allowed your friends and enemies to play with my body…LIKE IT WAS A TOY! DO YOU HAVE ANY REMORSE?!
Ulrich: It's not my fault! If you weren't so greedy, you wouldn't have put yourself in this mess!
Mr. Stern: And if you weren't so weak, I might still be walking today…
Ulrich sits there, speechless in front of his father. His cold eyes of judgment remain transfixed on Ulrich.
Mr. Stern: Fine. If you couldn't save me, the least you could do is avenge me.
Ulrich: Moriarty will pay for this, I swear it!
Mr. Stern: Not him you idiot! My murderer…kill him.
Ulrich becomes desperately confused. His body starts to shake.
Ulrich: Your murderer…what are you-The air is suddenly sucked out of his lungs. He presses his back harder against the wall. Jeremie?!
Mrs. Stern: Yes. An image of Jeremie appears next to Mr. Stern's bed. KILL HIM!
Ulrich: NO! I would never…I COULD NEVER DO THAT!
Mr. Stern chuckles.
Mr. Stern: That's not what I see…
Ulrich suddenly feels something in his hand. He looks down and sees that he is wielding a knife. Ulrich starts to feel sick.
Ulrich: No….No!
Mr. Stern: Go ahead son….The image of Jeremie walks toward Jeremie. Ulrich tries to let go of the knife, but his hand is glued to it. His hand involuntarily starts to stretch toward Jeremie. He tries to resist, but there is no stopping that blade. His father laughs hysterically. DO IT!
Ulrich wakes up in an alarmed state. He looks around. The movie is still going on, and half the class is still asleep. Ulrich tries to take a few calming breaths. His heart is still pounding, and his body is covered in sweat. Ulrich looks down at his desk, completely overwhelmed by what has just happened.
Several kilometers away, Jeremie and Christophe look through Mr. Schaeffer's small library. Jeremie sits in an old chair, studying a book closely. Another stack lies next to Jeremie, ready for him to read. Christophe taps the books on a shelf sitting at eye level. He tries to seem interested, but his disappointed look tells Jeremie that this is not the Lyoko mission he wanted. Christophe pulls a book off the shelf. It releases a cloud of dust. Christophe coughs and starts to go into a sneezing fit. Jeremie looks up.
Jeremie: Are you allergic to dust?
Christophe coughs again.
Christophe: Just a little.
Jeremie: Then I'm afraid The Hermitage may not be the right place for you.
Christophe: Ah man…Christophe wipes his nose. Did Aelita seriously used to live here?
Jeremie: That's right. Jeremie flips a page. She was trapped in Lyoko for almost ten years. The place kinda fell apart during that time.
Christophe: Those men from the government…you said that was the reason Aelita and her father had to hide. Do we know anything about them?
Jeremie keeps his eyes on his book but answers Christophe's question.
Jeremie: We know a little. We know that they know a little about Moriarty, ever since Moriarty killed two of their agents…
Christophe drops a book to the ground.
Christophe: He did WHAT?!
Jeremie: Christophe, don't drop those books. They're fragile! He pauses. Yes. He did. And I hate to sound cruel, but I didn't lose a whole lot of sleep on it….not after what they did to Aelita's mother…
Christophe stops asking questions, sensing that he has hit an emotional chord with Jeremie. He sits down to read the book he dropped. He groans.
Christophe: I hate to complain, but I'm not understanding a word this guy is saying. I won't be able to help you much.
Jeremie: I didn't think you would. Just do what you can. Keep an eye out for important things.
Christophe: Such as?
Jeremie: If there's any mention of virtual molecular theory or weaponized protocols for dynamic and malicious programs, let me know.
Christophe's face becomes blank.
Christophe: I haven't the slightest clue what you just said.
Jeremie: Oh, and if there's any mention of anything to do with the Romans or the Punic Wars, tell me. It might be a hidden code for something important.
Christophe: Romans…right-Christophe scratches the back of his head.-at least I know who those are…or were.
He looks through the book. He studies it intensely, but Jeremie looks up and discerns that Christophe is still very much confused. Jeremie goes back to his work. A silent ten minutes passes. As Jeremie expected, Christophe soon grows tired of his current book and looks in another one. Another silent minute passes. Suddenly Christophe perks up.
Christophe: Hey, I might have something here.
Jeremie looks up, expecting it to be nothing.
Jeremie: What?
Christophe: This page says something about Cannae. Cannae had something to do with the Romans, right?
Jeremie, now a lot more interested than before, gets up from his chair and takes a look.
Jeremie: The Cannae Initiative... Jeremie takes the book from Christophe and gives it a closer look. Interesting. Jeremie sits down. You're right Christophe. Cannae has to do with the Romans. In fact, it has to do with a major battle in the Second Punic War.
Christophe: I thought I had heard it from somewhere. So what do you think it is?
Jeremie: I think this page is an encrypted launch code for a special program.
Christophe: What kind of program?
Jeremie: Well, I'm not exactly sure but-
Christophe: But what?
Jeremie pauses, taking some time to read before replying.
Jeremie: Hopper…or should I say Schaeffer…liked to hide his programs behind the historical meaning of the things he named. For instance, Scipio conquered Carthage. Scipio used to be the password to enter Carthage in Lyoko.
Christophe: Okay that's great. But what does that have to do with this Cannae Initiative?
Jeremie's eyes remained glued to the page. Christophe starts to notice that Jeremie is not moving…..or blinking. Christophe then realizes that Jeremie's hands are trembling on the worn pages. Jeremie pushes his glasses farther up the bridge of his nose. Christophe approaches Jeremie, now slightly concerned for his comrade.
Christophe: Jeremie…what is the importance of the Battle of Cannae in Roman history?
Jeremie swallows and doesn't answer right away.
Jeremie: It was…the worst defeat of the Romans in the Second Punic War. Hannibal of the Carthaginians utterly annihilated the Romans. The Roman legions were absolutely crushed and the Roman Republic was brought to its knees. Even after they won the war and defeated Carthage, the legacy of the battle continued to haunt the Roman imagination for centuries.
Christophe slowly begins to understand why Jeremie is so nervous. A slight chill passes through his body.
Christophe: So if the Battle of Cannae was that horrific…then this Initiative…
Jeremie: …May have something to do with annihilating a virtual entity.
Christophe: But that's a good thing, right? Don't we need something like that to fight Moriarty?
Jeremie: Or it could be designed with annihilating something else. I don't know. Every good thing Schaeffer's knowledge has given us has been named after something positive for the Romans during the wars. I'm nervous as to why he decided to name something after a terrible defeat.
Jeremie gets up from his chair and paces around. He turns his back to Christophe and walks to a window to get better light. While he does so, a specter crawls out of the wall behind Christophe. Neither of them notice it.
Jeremie: Problem is, once I decode this mess, I'm worried about what will happen if I start it up. Either it's very good or very…very bad.
The specter attacks Christophe. Christophe silently chokes and goes to his knees. His hands latch onto his throat as his body turns grey. Jeremie is too absorbed in his reading to notice.
Jeremie: Hey, and there's something here on the bottom too. I don't think this is part of the Cannae Initiative. Hmm…interesting. Jeremie then starts to notice that Christophe has been oddly quiet. Jeremie turns around. Christophe?
The figure of Christophe rises from the floor. He opens his eyes. Jeremie's body freezes when he sees the eyes of Moriarty staring back at him. But he doesn't have the luxury to freeze for long. Christophe grabs a nearby lamp and hurls it at Jeremie. Jeremie ducks out of the way and flees into the hall, bringing the book with him. Christophe is close behind him. Red electricity shoots from his fingers, making a hole in a front window. Jeremie busts out the front door. Christophe charges behind him. Jeremie hugs the book close to his chest.
Jeremie: So that's how it is, huh? He manages a smile. Moriarty your timing just gave yourself away. I'm not letting you get to this book!
Christophe answers Jeremie's defiance with a blast that nearly takes Jeremie's head off. Instead, it punctures a hole in a tree. Jeremie gets off the path and runs into the woods, hoping to lose Christophe. He reaches for his phone, trying to dial and run at the same time.
Jeremie: Come on…come on! I can't afford to be alone in the woods with him…
Aelita and Odd hang out near the vending machine. Odd stares at his hot chocolate. Aelita reaches to press the button to get some hot chocolate herself, but Odd's disgusted reaction convinces her otherwise. Odd spits it out.
Odd: Ugh! That was terrible! Even Kiwi would have cringed at this!
Aelita gets a phone call. She answers it.
Aelita: Hello? She listens for a moment. Then she gasps. Her cup falls out of her hands. Where are you?!
Odd: Trouble?
She doesn't answer him. Her attention is on her conversation.
Aelita: Okay, I'll try to get everyone. But Natalya and William are still at the mall…
Meanwhile Natalya drags William into a women's clothing store in the mall. William appears reluctant but he gets little choice in the matter. Natalya looks through some expensive clothes while William just enjoys her presence. Natalya picks up a small and somewhat revealing outfit and holds it in front of her body.
Natalya: What do you think of this one?
William turns several shades of red.
William: It….um…it's very nice.
Natalya gives him a playful look as she puts it back.
Natalya: You just wanted me to put it on, didn't you?
William gets defensive.
William: I…I never said that!
Natalya: You didn't have to. Natalya looks off to the side. She becomes excited. Oh look! Clothes on clearance! Let's go!
She takes off without him.
William: Hey, wait up!
He runs after her. He enters another department and finds her staring in the mirror while wearing a white winter jacket. She quietly looks herself over, taking in her looks. William stops and lets her continue. She looks at herself from several angles. While she does so, William can't help but notice how beautifully the white jacket goes with her light blonde Russian hair. It makes him almost feel nervous. Natalya glances over at William and shakes her head.
Natalya: I know. I'm very vain, aren't I?
William: You take pride in your appearance. There's nothing wrong with that. It's important to remember how amazing you are.
Natalya smiles.
Natalya: Most girls would say you're being corny. She walks over to him and gives him a light kiss. But I know you are telling the truth.
Warmth rises to William's face. The look in Natalya's eyes is making his insides melt. He's not really sure what to say.
William: Well, you do say I'm a terrible liar.
Natalya: No doubt about that. She picks up another outfit. I'm going to try this on. Wait here for me, okay?
William: No problem. She leaves. William awkwardly stands in place. He rubs his forehead and sighs. Man, what is wrong with me? I can hardly even talk to her.
He drifts through the department, pretending to look at clothes.
William: Talking to girls didn't use to be this hard. But she's just so incredible…I can't think straight when I'm around her. It's almost too much. He pauses. I need to stop being so awkward around her. After all, she's my girlfriend now. What's my problem?
The familiar metallic voice returns.
Xana: Your pathetic issue makes me long for the human capacity to vomit.
William: Shut up! No one asked you.
His phone rings. William picks it up.
William: Hello? William's eyes widen. What?! Christophe?!
Natalya walks up to him, holding the outfit she just tried on.
Natalya: Okay it's decided. I have to get this. It's just too cute for me to-Natalya notices that William isn't paying attention to her.-William?
William: Hang on Jeremie. I'm coming! He hangs up. I have to go. Moriarty possessed Christophe and he's after Jeremie.
Natalya gasps.
Natalya: Oh no! Christophe could really hurt him!
William: I know. That's why I have to go.
Natalya folds her arms across her chest.
Natalya: You mean we have to go.
William: You're insane if you think I'm going to let you-
Natalya: I'm not helpless you know! I am a Lyoko Warrior too!
William's expression becomes deadly serious.
William: Natalya, you haven't seen what a possessed human being can do. I have. Believe me when I say this is out of your league. You could get hurt badly.
Natalya: And so can you! Which is why I'm going with you.
William: Natalya please-
Natalya: Your arguing is pointless. I'm following you whether you like it or not. She stomps her foot on the ground to make her point clear. So are we going or not?
William growls with frustration, recognizing that Natalya is not going to be moved.
William: God you're stubborn! Fine... I know that it's impossible for me to convince you otherwise. But you will follow my lead. Got it?
Natalya: Deal!
William: Alright let's go. The entrance to the forest is not that far away.
Ulrich, Odd, and Yumi virtualize onto the Ice Sector. They check the area. It seems to be clear of monsters.
Odd: Anyone see anything?
Ulrich: No.
Yumi: Pretty clear from where I'm standing. But it's not like Moriarty to attack us right away.
Aelita virtualizes onto the ice in front of them. She stands up and points to a nearby cave.
Aelita: The tower is in that cave, and from what I could tell it's pretty deep in there.
Yumi: Then we better get started.
Odd: Fighting Moriarty underground in close quarters…He grimaces as the other three make their way into the cave…I can hardly wait.
The four enter the cave. Aelita takes the lead. The passage starts out wide, but begins to narrow as the warriors press on. Eventually it gets to the point that they have to walk single file. As the distance between them and the light from the surface increases, the passage darkens. The warriors can still see, but they keep their hands on the walls of the passage as an added precaution. Odd breaks the silence.
Odd: I think it goes without saying that I don't like this.
Yumi: I didn't know there were towers this deep in the ice….or that it gets this dark down here.
Aelita: Quiet. The monsters could hear you.
Yumi: I don't think any monsters could fit in here…
Aelita: Keep on your guard nonetheless.
They continue deeper into the cave. After two minutes of silence, Aelita reaches the end of the narrow passage. They enter into a medium-sized cavern. A small waterfall falls into a pool at the center of the cavern. Light from the surface streams into the cavern due to the space in the ceiling created by the waterfall. It helps illuminate the room.
Yumi: Do you know where to go from here?
Aelita: The passage straight ahead. That should be it.
She starts to walk forward, but Odd suddenly tenses. He tackles Aelita right before a saber pierces her. Instead the weapon pierces the ice. Aelita looks up to see what she just avoided.
Aelita: Thank you Odd.
Odd: I knew I sensed something wrong.
Yumi: That saber. It can only mean one thing….
They look toward the dark passage where the sword came from. Sure enough, Dark Ulrich emerges, accompanied by a group of tigers. Ulrich pulls out his sabers.
Ulrich: Him…
Yumi stands by Ulrich, blocking the way to Aelita and Odd.
Yumi: We'll handle them. You two get to the tower.
Aelita: Alright. We're counting on you.
Aelita and Odd start to run toward the other passage. Dark Ulrich snaps his fingers. The five tigers charge, attempting to follow the two. Yumi and Ulrich stand their ground.
Yumi: Oh no you don't!
The five tigers come into contact with the warriors. After a flurry of saber swings and fan strikes, three tigers are destroyed. The other two make it past Yumi and Ulrich and continue on their way. Ulrich goes to his knees, his shoulder sparkling with electricity. Yumi looks over.
Yumi: Are you okay?
Ulrich's expression is cold.
Ulrich: Two got away…
Yumi: Yes. But he didn't.
Both stare at Dark Ulrich, who appears malevolently calm. He pulls out his one saber.
Dark Ulrich: This is a bit unfair, don't you think?
Yumi: Shouldn't have thrown your saber away.
Dark Ulrich brings the saber up to his mouth. He takes a moment to enjoy its sharp beauty. He likes the blade.
Dark Ulrich: Looks like I'll have to make do with one…
Jeremie continues running through the forest. He is panting and sweating, with the book still tightly clutched to his chest. Jeremie looks over his shoulder, keeping a constant lookout for Christophe.
Jeremie: If I can just circle back to the Hermitage without him noticing, I should be able to sneak into the sewers and get to the factory.
Jeremie sees something out of the corner of his eye. He instinctively stops and hides behind a large tree, hoping that Christophe didn't see him. He holds his breath and stays deathly still. A drop of sweat quietly runs down his cheek. He peeks his head out to air is quiet. Jeremie stays still for a little while longer. When he still fails to hear any noise, he decides to make a break for it. As he runs through the woods, he begins to see the outline of a white house in the distance. A wave of relief passes over Jeremie.
Jeremie: I'm almost there…
Out of nowhere, Christophe leaps in front of his path. Jeremie stops in his tracks. He takes several steps back. Christophe steadily approaches him, not seeming to be in any hurry. Jeremie holds the book close. Christophe begins to speak in his regular voice.
Christophe: Come on Jeremie, don't be shy. Hand over the book and we can peacefully go our separate ways.
Jeremie: You know I can't do that Moriarty. I'm not going to let yout take what may be our only hope to defeat you.
Christophe laughs.
Christophe: Your only hope? What makes you so confident that that's the case?
Jeremie takes a few extra cautionary steps away from Christophe.
Jeremie: Why else would you possess Christophe and desperately try to get this book away from me? I knew this information would be helpful the minute you decided to attack me. Jeremie smirks. You would have been better off letting me have it and doubt whether it could actually help us.
Jeremie confidently stares down Moriarty, thinking he has won. But the Moriarty-possessed Christophe seems completely unfazed. Moriarty's lack of a reaction quickly makes Jeremie start to lose that confidence.
Christophe: Who says that my actions justify your hypothesis? It could be that the program you possess is truly terrible and I only want it for myself. Have you ever considered that?
Jeremie starts to experience a creeping feeling of doubt. He looks down at the book, wondering if his attempts are truly futile. But he shakes the doubt off.
Jeremie: Even if that's true, then it still doesn't change the fact that I can't let you have it.
Christophe: Be reasonable Jeremie- A red ball of electricity materializes in his hand.-I really don't want to kill you just yet, but I will if I have to.
Jeremie interprets the threatening presence of Moriarty's lightning to mean that the conversation is over. He turns and runs. Behind him he hears an explosion. He quickly assumes that it was Christophe throwing that lightning ball, but he doesn't stick around to find out. He breaks off into a sprint, but he doesn't get far. A painful kick from behind forces Jeremie to the ground. He keeps hold of the book. Christophe approaches him.
Christophe: We both know I'm leaving here with this book. Whether you live through it is up to you.
Jeremie glares at Moriarty with obvious hate.
Jeremie: …You can't have it…
Christophe: You can be so stubborn sometimes.
Jeremie: Christophe, don't let Moriarty do this. Fight him off!
Christophe: Do you honestly think two trips to Lyoko are enough for him to resist me? All that talk of him fighting me…he couldn't even fight me for more than a few seconds. You really should have given him more experience.
Jeremie frowns.
Jeremie: Maybe I should have.
Moriarty: Now if you would be so kind….I'm taking that book!
William: I don't think so…
Before Christophe can respond, William appears from the shadows and punches Christophe in the jaw, temporarily stunning Moriarty. William gets in front of Jeremie.
William: Jeremie, go now! I'll handle it from here.
Jeremie: Right!
He starts to run. Christophe watches Jeremie like an enraged predator seeing his prey escape.
Christophe: You're not getting away from me that easily!
Christophe tries to take after him. William moves to intercept him.
Christophe: Out of my way! His hand sparkles with electricity again. Or I'll kill you!
Natalya: NO YOU WON'T!
Christophe looks up in surprise to see Natalya leap from a tree branch wielding a large stick. The stick connects with Christophe's head and knocks him out of commission for a few seconds.
Natalya: William, are you okay?
William: I'm fine. Looks like our plan worked.
A deeply annoyed Christophe raises his head. He sees that Jeremie has disappeared from sight. He curses in anger.
William: It's over Moriarty. Jeremie's made it to the sewers by now. He'll make sure to hide that book from you in a place you'll never find it.
Christophe stands up, wiping the dirt of his pants. He starts to chuckle to himself. That chuckle turns into a laugh. A deep, hysterical and evil laugh. Natalya shudders and withdraws closer to William.
Natalya: Watching Moriarty make Christophe look so evil…it's just terrifying…
Moriarty: William, do you honestly think Jeremie can hide that book from me forever? I will rip apart all of Paris to find it if necessary. But in the meantime- The Moriarty eyes burn in Christophe's pupils with murderous intent. I might as well eliminate two pupils for the inconvenience…
Back in the ice cavern, Ulrich makes the first move. Despite lacking one of his sabers, Dark Ulrich is able to guard his quick attacks. Ulrich's two sabers and Dark Ulrich's single saber push against each other. Ulrich looks back to Yumi.
Ulrich: Yumi, now!
She throws her fans. They move in an arc, heading straight for Dark Ulrich's back. But the Moriarty warrior sees it coming and is able to jump out of the way, leaving Ulrich to deal with the fans. Ulrich knocks one of the fans out of the way, but the other cuts across his side. The fans return to Yumi's hands.
Yumi: Sorry…
Ulrich: Forget it.
Dark Ulrich now goes on the attack. He goes into super sprint, attempting to devirtualize Ulrich. Ulrich sidesteps just in time and swipes at Dark Ulrich's leg. Dark Ulrich falls and rolls onto the ice, landing right in front of Yumi. Yumi raises her fan, attempting to finish him off. But Dark Ulrich kicks upward and knocks her off her feet. He then takes advantage of their confusion and pulls his other saber out of the ice. Ulrich and Dark Ulrich begin another duel. Ulrich fights aggressively, but Dark Ulrich seems to be patiently waiting for Ulrich to make a mistake. When Ulrich takes a swing at Dark Ulrich's head, the dark shade ducks and sees an opening. He adjusts his hold on one of his sabers and prepares to stab.
Dark Ulrich: Gotcha.
Ulrich is pulled away from Dark Ulrich's counterattack just in time. Dark Ulrich angrily turns around to see Yumi just finish using her telekinesis. Dark Ulrich charges her and strikes at her. Yumi cartwheels out of the way. Dark Ulrich growls.
Dark Ulrich: Triplicate…
Two extra Dark Ulrichs appear and surround Yumi in a triangular formation. Ulrich tries to stop them, but one of the clones breaks formation long enough to hit him with the blunt edge of his saber with the full force of a super sprint. Ulrich goes down hard. Yumi holds her fans at the ready, preparing for the worst. Dark Ulrich spares some time to boast.
Dark Ulrich: It's a good thing I can only devirtualize her. After all, we both know your track record when it comes to….Dark Ulrich's look becomes sadistic….saving loved ones.
Ulrich opens his eyes, feeling the sting of his words. They hit him harder than his opponent's saber.
Yumi: Shut up you scum!
Dark Ulrich: Tell me Ulrich, do you feel devastated now that your father is now a vegetable? Or are you just sad that you weren't able to do it yourself?
Yumi: I said shut up!
Dark Ulrich ignores her. Ulrich is still lying on the ground, staring at the ceiling.
Dark Ulrich: Such a pitiful fate. Your father wouldn't have wanted it to end that way.
Ulrich suddenly grips one of his sabers tightly.
Dark Ulrich: You know, if you ask nicely, maybe Moriarty could enter his life support system. He could put the wretch out of his misery!
Yumi: You monster!
Dark Ulrich continues to gloat.
Dark Ulrich: Oh you should have seen it! You should have seen how pathetically he writhed….when Jeremie burned him from the inside out.
Ulrich snaps. In less than a second, two of the clones are eliminated in a burst of yellow light. He viciously attacks the third one, striking without mercy or forethought. The look in Ulrich's eyes is pained and murderous, and Dark Ulrich enjoys every second of it. Yumi watches painfully as her boyfriend attacks madly like a demon.
Yumi: Ulrich, PLEASE STOP!
Ulrich doesn't stop. He attempts to pin his opponent against the wall of ice. At first it appears to be working, but the moment Ulrich tries to finish him off, Dark Ulrich somersaults over him and lands behind him. Dark Ulrich gives Ulrich a roundhouse kick to the face. He falls down next to Yumi, who kneels to check on him. Dark Ulrich does not attack, but rather leaves them be so he can gloat some more.
Dark Ulrich: All the anger in the world is not going to change the facts Ulrich, you know that as well as I.
Yumi still kneeling next to Ulrich, opens one of her fans.
Yumi: You sick freak….You're just like your master!
She throws her fan. Dark Ulrich blocks it without even blinking.
Dark Ulrich: So many conflicted emotions: anger, despair, regret…possibly even some happiness. Problem is you have no idea how to deal with any of them.
Ulrich steams with rage. His hand reaches for his sabers a second time.
Dark Ulrich: I don't know what's worse for you. The pain of losing your father…or the knowledge that you will soon have to deal with the disgusting mess he left behind.
Ulrich stands up, preparing to shut his mouth up for good. Dark Ulrich walks toward him. His smile becomes a wicked grin.
Dark Ulrich: Or perhaps it's because you're horrified by your own passionate desire to make Jeremie pay for what he did!
Ulrich's sabers fall to the ground. The anger evaportates from his face and transforms into a paralytic despair. The fire drains from his eyes. He goes to his knees and stares blankly at the ground. He pays no attention to his weapons. Yumi looks down at him. She can hardly recognize him with the look of indescribable pain on his face.
Yumi: Ulrich?
He doesn't respond.
Yumi: Ulrich?!
Still nothing. He doesn't even move.
Yumi: Ulrich come on! Stand up and fight! I need you right now! Don't just sit there! She becomes desperate. DO SOMETHING!
Ulrich remains motionless. Dark Ulrich revels in the moment, taking in the blessed sight of Ulrich's inner torment. Back on the outside, Christophe attacks the couple. William and Natalya duck out of the way just in time to avoid a devastating punch. Instead the punch slams into a tree, causing the entire trunk to shake. William arms himself with a large stick. Christophe attacks him and grabs the stick with his hand. His hand sparkles with electricity, but nothing happens to the wood. William smiles.
William: Nice try. Xana already tried to pull that one on me. You know wood doesn't conduct electricity.
Speaking of the devil, Xana takes this moment to interrupt.
Xana: Now's your chance! Use my power to kill him!
William pushes the thought aside, but he loses focus as a result. Christophe notices his lapse in attention and drives his fist into his stomach. William heaves from the blow and goes to the ground.
Natalya: William!
Christophe reaches his hands down, attempting to touch William's forehead. William senses the danger and desperately reaches for the stick. He manages enough force to knock Christophe off his feet. William stands up and swings the stick at Christophe's head. But Christophe grabs the stick before it reaches his temple. He tightens his grip and shatters the stick like a twig. William steps back. Christophe stands up. Natalya grabs a stick, thinking of following William's example, but William warns her away.
William: Stay back Natalya. Getting in close range with him is suicide.
Natalya: I have to do something! I mean, I don't want to hurt Christophe but-
William: Believe me-He maintains a constant watch over Christophe, looking for any sudden movements.-that is the least of your concern.
Christophe watches William, waiting for him to make a move. He can tell that William is being very cautious. Christophe relaxes. Without warning, he turns and aims his left hand at Natalya. William's body goes on full alert. He runs straight for Christophe.
William: NO! Don't you touch her!
Christophe, seeing his chance, lifts his right hand and smacks William with a palmful of electricity. William collapses to the ground. Natalya lets go of her stick in shock.
Natalya: You…..sick…
Christophe: So predictable. Now that I've got the strong one out of the way-He turns to Natalya- I guess it's your turn!
In a flash, Christophe runs to Natalya's side and sends her hurtling onto the ground. The wind is taken out of her lungs. She spends a few moments on the ground, gasping for air. The shadow of Christophe's figure soon overshadows her. She looks up. Christophe's hand sparks.
Christophe: What do you say I add another gravestone to the Dikau family line?
The look in Natalya's eyes turn from fearful to furious. She grabs a fistful of dirt and flings it into Christophe's eyes. She takes advantage of his momentary confusion and takes out his legs. Natalya then prepares to stomp on him, but Christophe grabs her heel. He pauses, staring up at the sky.
Christophe: How annoying…
Christophe electrocutes Natalya. Her scream stirs William awake. He looks up to see Christophe about to place all of his fingers on Natalya's forehead. Natalya looks over at William. Her eyes scream for help. William immediately realizes that Natalya is completely at Moriarty's mercy, and he has no time to run over and save her.
In the cavern, Ulrich remains catatonic. Yumi's pleas go on deaf ears.
Yumi: Ulrich, what's wrong with you?!
Dark Ulrich: You might as well give up. He's a bit out of commission right now.
Yumi tries to shake him, but once again it does no good. She lowers her head in despair. A second later, she feels herself knocked down. She looks up to see Ulrich devirtualizing before her eyes. Dark Ulrich looks over her. He holds up her fans.
Dark Ulrich: Missing something?
Yumi searches the ground around her. Sure enough, her fans are nowhere to be found.
Dark Ulrich: Speed has its advantages.
Yumi crawls away from Dark Ulrich.
Dark Ulrich: Seeing that you're unarmed, I might as well catch up to your friends.
Yumi probes her brain for ideas. Her eyes wander to the ceiling of the cavern. She notices that it is covered with ice stalactites. An idea crosses her mind. She smiles and closes her eyes. Dark Ulrich's confidence wanes.
Dark Ulrich: W-what are you doing?
Yumi: You're not going anywhere…
Yumi's telekinesis shakes the stalactites. The stalactites begin falling from the ceiling. Dark Ulrich tries to make a run for it, but it is too late. The whole arsenal of stalactites falls, destroying them both. The sound of the cave-in carries into the passage that Aelita and Odd are following. Aelita turns around.
Aelita: What was that?
Odd runs backwards, firing at the tigers chasing them.
Odd: Your guess is as good as mine, but we have no time.
Aelita: Right. She looks forward. We're almost there. I can see the tower!
In the forest, Christophe prepares to finish Natalya off. But he is interrupted by a sudden blast of electricity. The specter within Christophe howls in pain. He goes down, incredulous of his sudden circumstances.
Christophe: What….WHAT WAS THAT?! He searches around until his eyes rest on William. He notices that his prostrate opponent's hand is sparkling. Christophe stares in disbelief. Ya….YOU?! YOU DID THIS?! THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE! Christophe pauses. Unless…
William stands up. The energy in his hand increases. William can feel Xana's pleasure emerge from his subconscious.
Xana: I guess your secret's out…and all to protect the Russian female.
William: I had no choice…
Christophe suddenly breaks out into laughter.
Christophe: Oh…Xana! Will you ever cease to be a nuisance?! Oh William, why have you hidden this from me for so long?! Don't you know what this means?
William sprints with the speed of a specter and pins Christophe to a tree. His hand latches onto his neck.
William: No. And I don't want to find out.
Christophe: Oh you're no fun….Christophe's head leans back against the bark. Anyway I guess it's too late to catch up to Jeremie. No point in sticking around. Christophe looks off into space. And it seems like I don't have a choice. The tower is deactivating. Oh well….this little game of ours was still worth it.
The Moriarty eye fades from Christophe's pupil. He goes limp and falls into William's arms. Natalya gets up and walks to William.
Natalya: Is he alright?
William: He's fine. He's just passed out. Let's get him back to Kadic.
William puts Christophe on his shoulders, and the two walk together back to the school.
Natalya: Are you alright?
William: A little banged up, but nothing serious. You?
Natalya: Same. The two are silent for a moment. Natalya's face darkens with concern. William, what's going to happen now that….Moriarty knows?
William shrugs in an attempt to not look worried.
William: I have no idea.
In the auditorium, a meeting of The Order commences. Moriarty walks onto the stage, this time without a limp. Everyone stands up at attention, student and faculty alike. Moriarty gets up to the podium. He gives them the salute. The Order members respond likewise.
Moriarty: Strength through discipline. Strength through community.
All: Strength through discipline! Strength through community!
Moriarty: Thank you. You may sit.
The Order members obey. Moriarty goes straight to business.
Moriarty: First things first. It has come to my attention that fights between us and the Outcasts have increased. I am disappointed to hear this. Moriarty calmly adjusts the microphone. At first I thought it was just an unfortunate result of misunderstanding between our two groups. I also feared that we had been a little too aggressive. I thought they would eventually see reason. But now I see that that is not the case. Moriarty looks at his followers, his face full of noble resolve. The Outcasts are fundamentally hostile to The Order. Though it breaks my heart to admit it, I fear there is nothing we can do to change their minds. I believe our school psychologist could explain this better than I can. Hans, if you please.
Klotz gets up and joins Moriarty at the front.
Klotz: The students we believe to be involved in the Outcasts for the most part have had a history of discipline issues. They also have had a bad history of working with others. In my opinion, some of the more extreme ones could even be diagnosed with an anti-social personality disorder. At best, they have the false notion that the school is against them. At worst, they can be sociopaths. I'm afraid that such problems are hard for one to correct.
Moriarty takes over.
Moriarty: Though we can feel sorry for their inability to join us, we cannot condone their unwarranted hostility towards us. We are The Order. This is not just a class experiment anymore. Moriarty pauses, letting the full weight of his words hit home. This is a revolution in French education! We have the potential to change years of corruption and inefficiency. We have already come so far. He points to the crowd, using his powers as a demagogue to its fullest extent. Shall we allow the Outcasts to stop what we have worked so far to achieve?!
A resounding and angry no echoes through the auditorium.
Moriarty: That is what I thought. That is why I am ordering you to resist the Outcasts' efforts to subvert us. Do what you must to make them stop. It should go without saying that violence should be a last resort. We are not savages after all. We want a peaceful movement. But that does not mean that we bow down to them and don't stand up for what we believe in! Do I make myself clear?
All: YES COMMANDANT!
Moriarty: Good. Then can move on. Ms. Kensington, will you join us on stage? The drama teacher comes up and stands next to Moriarty. It saddens me to say that our dear comrade Ms. Kensington is moving to Lincoln next week. We are going to miss her, but I am confident that she will do her part to spread The Order to other schools. Which reminds me…Ms. Durand, you can come up here too. Ms. Durand walks up on stage with them. She is wearing a black dress. The Order patch is pinned to her chest. Ms. Kensington will not be alone. Ms. Durand has grown tired of the lack of discipline and poor scores at Lincoln. She has embraced our ideology. The Order members quake with excitement, wondering what this means. Fellow Order members, this is our future. No longer will we be limited to the gates of Kadic. This is the start of a new beginning! Moriarty becomes very animated. He holds his hands out to demonstrate the magnitude of what he is saying. A glorious change in which France rises out of stagnation! Where it is respected once again! A change that strengthens the power of the dutiful citizen and drives society's leeches into the dark! My friends, this is when The Order ceases to be a school project-A large flag of The Order falls down from the ceiling behind Renard.-and becomes a movement…FOREVER ETCHED IN HISTORY!
The Order breaks out into glorious applause. They stand up, chanting, "COMMANDANT! COMMANDANT! COMMANDANT!". Moriarty stands there, smiling widely and soaking in the wild euphoria of the moment.
Video entry # 590
I had hoped that Franz Hopper would have something in his old house that might help me, and sure enough he didn't disappoint. These notes on something called the Cannae Initiative….they might be promising. After Moriarty's possession of Christophe, I knew that I had come across something very important. I also knew that Moriarty wasn't going to stop until he got a hold of that book. So I uploaded everything I deemed important from that book into a secure file. Moriarty is going to have to go through quite the obstacle course just to touch it. I then destroyed the book, just in case there was anything in the book Moriarty might want. I'm proud to say that we have won this round. I might be on to something here. I truly hope that this Cannae Initiative will work out for us. At the rate things are going at school and in France, we need a miracle, and fast.
Anyway, it's a good thing that no one was seriously harmed in the attack. Christophe is still passed out in his room. Aelita is taking care of him…..and by the sound of that angry shouting down the hall, I would guess that he's just woken up. I didn't think he would be too happy about being possessed. Well, lesson learned; don't put off uploading the inhibitor program into our new recruits. I am considering adjusting my policy with them. After all, we can't protect them from Moriarty any longer. Right now I'm still against it, but the more I think about it, the more I realize we need all the help we can get. But I'm not willing to change anything right now.
…..And César's just come in with three girls. Which is probably my cue to stop this recording. I will continue this tomorrow.
Ulrich and Yumi sit in Ulrich's room. Yumi sits on Odd's bed, looking at Ulrich. Ulrich lies on his bed, clearly moping. Kiwi walks over and tries to lick Ulrich's hand, but he shoos him away. Yumi sighs.
Yumi: Ulrich, what happened back there?
Ulrich: Nothing.
Yumi: Ulrich…
Ulrich: We're not talking about this any more.
Ulrich rolls on his side away from Yumi. Yumi closes her eyes. She exhales in frustration.
Yumi: Ulrich you need to…
Ulrich: No.
Yumi: Ulrich, you're acting like a child. Face the facts. You froze in there. You couldn't fight. You lost your nerve.
Ulrich grunts.
Ulrich: Thanks for reminding me.
Yumi: You let your guard down. Your dark half was able to defeat you.
Ulrich: Don't you think I know that?!
Yumi: He got into your head.
Ulrich: I know…
Yumi: It could have cost us the mission.
Ulrich: Enough…
Yumi: You let your emotions get the better of you.
Ulrich turns around and sits up in bed. He glares at Yumi with desperate eyes.
Ulrich: ENOUGH! WHAT?! WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!
Kiwi yelps and hides behind the dresser. Ulrich hyperventilates, still glaring at Yumi. Yumi doesn't react at all. Instead she silently gets up and walks over to Ulrich. She places a hand on his shoulder and leans in close to him. She whispers into his ear.
Yumi: Let it go.
Ulrich's eyes widen.
Yumi: You're in pain. You desperately try to hide it…but I know you. This recent tragedy has crushed you. You hate yourself for being upset about losing a person like your dad. You can't make yourself accept it. You also hate yourself for being angry at Jeremie. Simply put, you're lost. You don't know how to deal with it.
Ulrich says nothing. He stares off into space as Yumi's words take effect.
Yumi: You want to save face for the rest of the group. I respect that. I truly do. But this is too much for you. Or anyone. You need to deal with this.
Tears well up in Ulrich's eyes. Yumi sits on his bed and hugs him.
Yumi: Stop being ashamed of yourself. He's your father. Nothing can change that. Even if my father was like that, I would still cry if he was gone. She leans her head on his shoulder. So just….let it go….
Ulrich breaks down. He starts to cry profusely. Yumi allows him to cry on her shoulder. Ulrich completely lets himself go. The two sit there, letting Ulrich mourn. They sit there for a long time.
Odd withdraws into another dream. This time he is back in the Carthage facility, and the atmosphere is festive. The scientists are gathered in the common room and are celebrating. Champagne and other drinks are being passed around. Odd shuffles around the room, completely confused.
Odd: What's going on now? Has everyone lost their minds?
He moves to the other side of the room. The scientists seem to be crowded around a TV. Odd passes through the crowd to watch. On screen, he sees a bunch of people breaking down a wall. The people on screen are waving the German flag. Odd starts to connect the dots.
Odd: The Berlin Wall. I've seen photos of it but this….this is unreal.
Odd's attention is drawn away to the sound of more laughter. A man and a woman are sitting on a couch. He recognizes them instantly.
Schaeffer: Another round! Let's drink to the end of the Soviet era!
Antea chides him.
Antea: Dear…are you drunk? My, what would Aelita say?
The red-faced Schaeffer laughs it off.
Schaeffer: What our precious little angel doesn't know won't hurt her.
As the festivities continue, Odd sees a familiar presence lingering against the wall. He does not seem to be interested in the party, and the rest of the scientists ignore him. But Schaeffer waves him over. Moriarty seems hesitant, but eventually complies.
Moriarty: I guess this would be the appropriate moment to celebrate.
Schaeffer: André! Lighten up and have a drink! Our mission is over!
Moriarty shrugs. He fills up a glass with champagne.
Moriarty: I suppose a little wouldn't hurt anything. He takes a sip. But now that we're finished, what do we do now?
Schaeffer: Oh we'll think of something. I'm thinking of moving back to my hometown and going into teaching. He slumps over close to Antea. Do you think Aelita would like that?
Antea smiles.
Antea: She would like that very much.
Moriarty does his best to follow Schaefer's example. He relaxes and joins the party. For a moment, he forgets his troubles. He even does his best to be friendly to Schaeffer. But in the midst of a conversation among Carthage scientists, he catches sight of Gaspard staring awkwardly at the party. He frowns and walks out. Moriarty, sensing that something's wrong, follows him out. He calls out to him in the hallway.
Moriarty: Mr. Depaul, why the long face? Moriarty holds up a wine bottle with a hint of intoxication to his movements. Come drink with us!
Gaspard politely smiles, but the look on his face tells him that there is something wrong.
Gaspard: I'm not feeling up to it today.
Moriarty: Oh come on! At least come to celebrate the end of the Carthage project.
Mention of the Carthage project has made Gaspard cringe. Moriarty's smile disappears.
Gaspard: I….was meaning to tell you this after the party, but the project is not over.
Moriarty stares at Gaspard, unable to register what he has just said.
Moriarty: But…that makes no sense. The Soviet Union is falling apart. NATO has ended our mission. Why are we continuing?
Gaspard nervously twiddles his fingers.
Gaspard: There's been a slight change in management. The information we collected is….very valuable. We are being moved….to Strasbourg, France.
Moriarty: France?! Moriarty shakes his head, unable to believe his ears. Why are we moving there?
At that moment, two men in black suits and sunglasses come down the hall. Gaspard turns around and suddenly turns pale. He backs up and addresses them nervously.
Gaspard: Gentlemen, sorry to keep you waiting. I just got a little caught up.
Moriarty lowers his eyebrows.
Moriarty: Who are you?
Agent 1: Who we are is not important.
Agent 2: What's important is that your team is now working for us.
Moriarty looks at Gaspard, trying to understand what is going on. The look on Gaspard's face is strained.
Moriarty: What is going on? Is this some kind of joke?
Agent 2: It would be best if you let us ask the questions.
Agent 1: Speaking of which, are you the scientist who worked on the Soviet Firewall Project?
Moriarty: Yes, why?
Agent 1 pulls out a manila folder.
Agent 1: Then we have an assignment for you. If you succeed, you will be sufficiently compensated.
Moriarty looks at the folder. The front cover reads 'TOP SECRET'. Moriarty looks up.
Moriarty: I don't understand. What am I supposed to do?
The agents turn around and walk away.
Agent 2: The instructions are inside. We'll stay in touch.
Agent 1: Good luck. And tell no one.
The two agents disappear. Moriarty continues to stare at the folder in disbelief. He levels his gaze at Gaspard, who still seems a little off.
Moriarty: What have you gotten us into?