The Games of Moriarty

by Ragnarok777

Xana is gone. Victory has been achieved by the Lyoko Warriors. But a simple test to understand William's nightmares of Xana unveils a new enemy: Moriarty. This evil entity wishes to play a series of games that shake the Lyoko Warriors to the core.

20. Chapter 20

I have no excuse for tardiness. But hopefully this long chapter will make you happy.

Part 34

In the region of Normandy in northern France, the small city of Rouen sits on the edge of the Seine River. The scenic urban landscape and the countryside surrounding it paint a beautiful picture of France at its most serene. The scars of vicious fighting between Allied and German armies following the D-Day invasion are long gone. In its place is a quaint little city with a blend of medieval and modern architecture. In this little city there is a school called Lycée Jeanne d'Arc. Unlike Kadic, the school is very modern. It contains very large windows and has a unique design that gives it a very metallic feel. It is this school that Patrick Belpois, Jeremie's cousin, calls home. He emerges from the front entrance at midday as the bell for lunch rings through the halls. He walks into the sunlight and covers his eyes from the surprisingly bright glare. There is strong chill in the air, and Patrick can see his breath. He pulls his leather jacket closer to his body. As he makes his way into the courtyard, he notices a girl bundled in a light blue coat and white scarf. Patrick smirks and sneaks up on her. He gets up right behind her when she isn't looking.

Patrick: Boo.

The girl whirls around in surprise and immediately hits Patrick in the shoulder.

Jacqueline: Ah! I hate it when you do that!

Patrick: Maybe, but did you have to hit me in the shoulder?

She sticks her tongue out at him.

Jacqueline: You deserved it! She shivers and jumps up and down. Oh I hate the cold!

Patrick: Come on! It's not even the middle of November yet.

Jacqueline: It's freezing!

Patrick: You've lived next to the Mediterranean too long. It's going to get much colder soon.

Jacqueline groans.

Jacqueline: NO! Don't say that!

Patrick: Sorry. It's the truth. Welcome to Rouen…

Jacqueline groans again and starts walking.

Jacqueline: Whatever. Let's go to lunch.

Patrick walks briskly to catch up to her. As they walk together, Patrick notices that several students around him are wearing black shirts and blue jeans. At first he thinks nothing of it, but when he notices that an oddly large number of people are wearing it, he starts to wonder what's going on. A male student passes by them. He sees a strange purple emblem sewed onto his black shirt. Patrick turns to Jacqueline.

Patrick: What's with the black clothes? Are we getting a new uniform or something?

Jacqueline suddenly becomes excited.

Jacqueline: Oh I completely forgot! A new club has formed on campus. Do you remember the Inter-Scholastic Symposium last weekend?

Patrick: Uh no…

Jacqueline: Oh that's right…you were sick. Well anyway, some representatives from this national club came and started to get everyone's attention. Rumor has it that it is the newest fad across France. It's all about strength and community and the pride of being a French citizen. It's caught on like wildfire!

Patrick: Interesting. Patrick rubs his chin. What is this new club called?

Jacqueline: The Order.

Patrick: The Order? Patrick repeats the name in a mocking tone. Sounds like some sort of cult.

A new Order member at the school overhears them and gives him a dirty look as they pass. Patrick frowns.

Patrick: Jeez…what was that all about?

Jacqueline: You said The Order was a cult. He has a right to be a little insulted.

Patrick: It just has a strange name to it. I mean…remember what happened when someone formed a fight club at that school in Strasbourg?

Jacqueline: That was just a bunch of dumb guys who got inspired by an American movie. Besides, there are girls in The Order.

Patrick: What does that have to do with anything?

Jacqueline chides him.

Jacqueline: It means that we can keep you boys from doing anything stupid like in Strasbourg.

Patrick: Ha! I'm insulted! He holds his head up high. We are fully capable of doing stupid things even with girls around. They reach the entrance to the cafeteria and get in line. So how did this Order thing start anyway?

Jacqueline thinks for a moment.

Jacqueline: I'm not sure. She waves her index finger at him. Don't quote me on this, but I've heard it all started at some school called Kadic.

Patrick's interest suddenly increases.

Patrick: Did you say Kadic?

Jacqueline: Yeah, have you heard about it?

Patrick: I spent a day there one time, and my cousin Jeremie goes to school there as well.

Jacqueline: Really?! Well did you know that Dr. Renard, that teacher we keep hearing about, is said to have created The Order?

Patrick shakes his head, trying to absorb all of this information.

Patrick: No. This is all news to me. I guess I've been out of the loop.

Jacqueline: Then you should go to the meeting tomorrow night with me.

Patrick looks at her questioningly.

Patrick: What?

Jacqueline: Oh come on. It'll be fun! Let's see what these guys are all about.

Patrick: Oh…I don't know…

Jacqueline: Please….Jacqueline makes a puppy dog face at Patrick, which greatly annoys him…Don't make me go alone.

Patrick rolls his eyes in resignation. He shrugs.

Patrick: Okay I'll go with you.

Jacqueline yelps like a schoolgirl and hugs him.

Jacqueline: Thank you!

Patrick eases out of her embrace and adjusts his leather jacket.

Patrick: But afterwards, I'm going to call my cousin Jeremie. If this thing started at Kadic, then he should know all about it. I want to get his opinion before I commit to anything.

Jacqueline: Cool! And he can tell us things about Renard!

Patrick: Yeah I guess he could. He smiles broadly. I'm sure Jeremie has all kinds of interesting stories about that guy.

Ulrich sits in the hospital at his father's side. Once again the only noise is the beep of Mr. Stern's heart monitor. Ulrich leans forward in his chair and rubs his hands together. He takes a deep breath as he stares at the ground. He then raises his head, looking at his father.

Ulrich: The doctor's have told us that it is very unlikely that you will ever wake up.

He pauses, as if expecting an answer from his comatose father. Ulrich continues, chuckling to himself.

Ulrich: It's kind of funny actually. You're permanently in a coma and I feel like I can finally talk to you. How about that? He shakes his head. Unbelievable.

He clutches the armrests of his chair.

Ulrich: I doubt you have, but I think I've finally made peace with what has happened. It's not been easy….but I think I've finally arrived. He is silent for a moment. I wonder what you would say to that. Nothing good I think.

Ulrich inhales and leans back in his chair.

Ulrich: The people at your firm have stopped fighting about who takes over. Seems all of them were afraid about a battle royale for your spot. They were worried about their families. For the sake of stability they want me to take over when I reach an appropriate age. Ulrich laughs. And I think they also decided that because they are afraid that you will wake up one day. Even while in a coma you still scare them…

The smile on Ulrich's face fades.

Ulrich: I think you know what that means for your company. I'm running your empire into the ground, and I'm not asking for your permission. He twiddles his thumbs. The good news is that Jeremie might be on the verge of finding something to end the war with Moriarty. You can rest easy knowing that.

Ulrich looks up at the ceiling and continues talking.

Ulrich: No matter what happens, we will make Moriarty pay. He looks down at his motionless husk of a father. A twinge of pain enters his conscious thoughts. I used to think otherwise, but even you don't deserve this. You wouldn't have wanted to go out like this. Hell, if you were able to talk to me you'd probably beg me to pull the plug…

Ulrich stands up and looks out the window to see the sunlight shine onto Paris.

Ulrich: There are so many colorful ways I could describe you. But all in all, the only thing I can say is that you are a hard man. Nothing more. You are a hard man. And can I really blame you for that? Your own father was a hard man, and his father before him and so on. We Sterns keep inheriting this hardness. Ulrich tightens his fist. But not anymore. It ends with you. He turns back to look at his father. He notices that his father's lips are almost forming a smile. Don't get too excited…you are still held responsible for what you did.

He walks over to his father's side. Ulrich somewhat reluctantly reaches down and touches Mr. Stern's lifeless hand.

Ulrich: I cannot condone you, Dad. He puts the lifeless hand in his. Ulrich's face becomes resolute and passionate. But I will avenge you. A single tear escapes from his eye. It rolls down his cheek. I promise you I will.

Aelita walks to Jeremie's room. She knocks on the door. When there is no answer, she decides to open the door.

Aelita: Jeremie, why aren't you answer- She stops in midsentence when her eyes catch hold of the sight before her. What the-?

Jeremie has passed out on his desk, but he is not alone. His roommate César has taken it upon himself to place a stack of fedora hats on Jeremie's unconscious head. At this point, he has at least seven hats stacked on top of Jeremie's cranium. He gingerly puts the eighth one on, doing his best to not tip them over. Aelita stares at the whole thing in disbelief.

Aelita: César, what are you doing?!

César looks down on his creation with pride.

César: Hola princesa rosa (Hello pink princess). I was just working on my latest masterpiece.

Aelita gives him a funny look.

Aelita: So you're an artist too?

César: No. But you have to admit, it is a work of art. However, I can't take all the credit. Your boyfriend's uniquely shaped cabeza makes it a lot easier.

Aelita rolls her eyes and approaches Jeremie.

Aelita: Jeremie…

No response. She shakes him.

Aelita: Jeremie!

Still nothing. Aelita sighs, realizing that only her secret weapon will do. She raises her voice and makes an unusual proclamation.

Aelita: Jeremie, Odd has asked me out!

Jeremie bolts upright from his slumber, which knocks over several hats in the process. He looks around in confusion and then focuses on Aelita.

Jeremie: Oh….Aelita. He sighs in relief. Don't do that to me. Even as a joke. The stack of hats on his head leans over and blocks his eyes. And speaking of jokes, why is there a stack of hats on my head?! He quickly turns his still blind gaze towards his roommate. César….

César starts to sneak out of the room.

César: Lo siento, no hablo tu idioma. Tengo que irme. ¡Chao frikis! (Sorry I don't speak your language. I have to go. Bye geeks!)

As César exits the room, Jeremie removes the mountain of hats from his head. He tries to fix his disheveled blonde hair.

Jeremie: That guy…..at least it was just hats this time…

Aelita folds her arms across her chest.

Aelita: Jeremie, why are you collapsed in front of the computer….again?

Jeremie puts his glasses back on and stares sleepily at the computer screen. It contains an image of a piece of paper with several lines of encrypted code, represented by various strange symbols. Jeremie groans.

Jeremie: Just working on the Cannae Initiative. It's a challenge, but Schaeffer can't hide his secrets from me forever.

Aelita: Jeremie, did you even sleep last night?

Jeremie: Uh…I guess I didn't.

Aelita: Jeremie, you can't do this to yourself! You'll work yourself to death! Jeremie ignores her and begins working again. Aelita exhales in frustration. This happens every time you find something like this.

Jeremie becomes defensive.

Jeremie: Aelita, something this important can't wait! What we have here could be the deal breaker! It's essential that I get it now! He places his head on the desk. But getting the right key and code to decode this encryption is harder than I thought. Even our own quantum supercomputer is having trouble. Jeremie shakes his head. Your father has really got me stumped this time.

Aelita: Maybe it's difficult for a reason….in case some other party got a hold of it.

Jeremie frowns.

Jeremie: Very true. But I can't let that stop me now. Not when I'm so close…

Aelita: Jeremie, you're not close at all…you've barely scratched the surface of this thing.

Jeremie throws his hands up in the air.

Jeremie: I know! I know! Which is why I have to work harder and not take any breaks!

Jeremie starts typing but Aelita gets in the way of him and the computer. She puts her hands on her hips.

Aelita: Oh no. Wrong answer. You need a break. Working until you collapse isn't going to solve anything. You will be more efficient if you relax.

Jeremie somewhat rudely pushes her aside.

Jeremie: There is no time for that!

Jeremie starts to work again, but suddenly the screen goes black. He stares at it in horror.

Jeremie: NO! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!

Aelita twirls the electrical plug in her hand playfully. Aelita puts a hand on the back of his chair and starts pulling him away from the computer. Aelita hums to herself. Jeremie is more than reluctant.

Jeremie: Wait! Come on! JUST FIVE MORE MINUTES!

Aelita is completely unmoved.

Aelita: Looks like we're going to have to do this the hard way…

Jeremie and Aelita take a walk through the woods late that evening. As they walk along the path, Jeremie seems to lighten up a little bit. Aelita holds his hand and rests her head on his shoulder. The night is a little chilly, so the two stay close together. Jeremie breathes in the night air.

Jeremie: I got carried away again, didn't I?

Aelita: Oh no more than usual…

Jeremie looks down at Aelita.

Jeremie: Are you mocking me?

Aelita smiles with childlike glee.

Aelita: No more than usual…She looks up at the night sky through the trees. Isn't this nice?

Jeremie: Yes…very nice.

Aelita: Much better than working yourself to death on the computer, huh?

Aelita expects an immediate response, but instead she feels Jeremie's body become tense. She looks up to see that the smile has evaporated from his face. He stares solemnly at the ground.

Jeremie: Aelita, don't you understand?

Aelita: Understand what?

Jeremie: It's for moments like this that I work so hard. I want to be able to walk in the woods with you, without fear of Moriarty. I want to be able to do these things for a long time. I work so hard so you and I and the others and the rest of the world can continue to enjoy these things. He suddenly pulls Aelita close to him. Moriarty threatens this…so I work hard because I'm terrified of losing these things.

Aelita stands close to him, rendered speechless by Jeremie's words. Slowly, Aelita begins to smile, but it is somewhat bittersweet. She buries her head in his jacket.

Aelita: Please don't talk about stuff like that. Not now…

Jeremie: I'm sorry. I ruined the mood again. The embrace ends. They keep walking and let go of each other's hands for a moment. Jeremie looks up at the sky again. He takes a good look at the full moon. The moon looks amazing tonight, huh Aelita?

No answer.

Jeremie: Aelita?

Still no answer. Jeremie looks behind him and notices that Aelita is gone. Jeremie becomes alarmed.

Jeremie: Aelita?! Where are you?

The woods around him are quiet. Jeremie starts to freak out.

Jeremie: Oh no….I made her upset with that stupid speech! He smacks himself in the forehead. He stands there and groans. But then his head perks up again. Jeremie suddenly appears anxious. Or worse…..His face turns a deep shade of red…She's playing that game again…

Aelita's voice calls out from somewhere in the woods. Her tone is creepy and a tad bit….naughty.

Aelita: Scyphozoa…

Jeremie's face becomes even redder than before. He looks around, as if expecting an attack.

Jeremie: Aelita not this again! You know this embarrasses me!

Aelita's tone becomes playful. Jeremie still can't pinpoint the location of the voice.

Aelita: But Scyphozoa wants to play…and no one's around…

Jeremie walks cautiously down the path, waiting for her to strike. He is still blushing.

Jeremie: Aelita this is really silly…

Aelita: I'm coming to get you…

Jeremie: Aelita will you stop fooling around?

Aelita doesn't respond. The woods are quiet. Jeremie's mind goes on alert, looking for an ambush. But he is no match for the wily stealth of Aelita. She runs up behind him and hugs him from behind. She taps her fingers on his stomach.

Aelita: Tentacles!

Jeremie turns the color of a tomato. He sighs with defeat and halfheartedly plays along with her.

Jeremie: Oh no, I'm going to lose my memory.

Aelita spins him around to face her. She gives him a mischievous look.

Aelita: You better not. You're going to want to remember this.

She aggressively kisses him. Jeremie's eyes widen at first, but then he calms down and kisses her back. He pulls her off the path and they make out under the shadow of a tree. They lean against the trunk and lie next to each other, saying nothing. Jeremie takes this moment to rest.

Jeremie: If the others knew we played this game, we wouldn't hear the end of it.

Aelita: I wouldn't worry about it too much. After all, I know Ulrich and Yumi occasionally play the swimming pool attack game.

Jeremie: Say what?!

Aelita: Better not mention it. Both of them would die of embarrassment if they knew I knew about it.

Jeremie: I'll keep that in mind. The two sit there for a while, not saying anything. Jeremie looks off to the side. I think it's about time we head-Jeremie's sentence stops short. He looks down the path. He sees an orange glow in the distance. What is that?

Aelita: What is what? She looks over in the distance and also sees an orange glow. It…it's coming from the Hermitage.

Jeremie gets up.

Jeremie: Let's go check it out.

Jeremie and Aelita walk down the path, following the glow. As they get closer, the glow gets brighter. Pretty soon the two can hear the distinctive sounds of something….burning. A breeze blows in their direction, carrying with it the smell of smoldering wood. Aelita stops walking. In an instant, a wave of realization makes her blood run cold.

Aelita: No…

She begins sprinting. Jeremie chases after her.

Jeremie: Aelita wait!

He follows her into the clearing. He joins her at the front gate of the Hermitage, where Aelita is staring into a scene of horror. The Hermitage is on fire. The shingles fall to the ground as the old abandoned house is ravaged by the blaze. Aelita stands there dumbstruck, unable to react. Jeremie glances over at Aelita, unsure what to say. The two stare helplessly as the last vestige of Aelita's old life literally goes down in flames. Jeremie, saddened by the sight, looks away. But as he does so, he notices another figure in the nearby trees, watching the house burn. He swivels his head in that direction to get a closer look. The flames from the house cast just enough light for Jeremie to recognize the figure as Herb Pinchon. Jeremie immediately understands and is immediately enraged. He takes a few threatening steps in his direction.

Jeremie: HERB! YOU DID THIS?!

Herb focuses his gaze on Jeremie, but otherwise shows no reaction. Jeremie on the other hand, is livid. He closes his hands into fists and screams at him.

Jeremie: You set this house on fire?! Why?!

Herb still doesn't say anything, so Jeremie continues.

Jeremie: Do you follow Renard so blindly?! Did you ever stop to think about what you were doing?!

Herb turns his back on Jeremie and disappears into the shadows. Jeremie, still furious, picks up a stone and throws it at the tree where he was standing. He then grabs his head and shouts in anger. He kicks the dirt around his feet and curses. He looks back at the fire and then lowers his head in defeat. Jeremie takes some time to calm down and then approaches Aelita, who is still unresponsive. He puts his arm around her shoulder.

Jeremie: Moriarty is tying up loose ends. He must have wanted to make sure I didn't get anything else from this house-He looks back at the burning house. The whole thing is starting to fall apart.-and I think he succeeded.

Aelita is still gazing at the conflagration, fully immersed in its destruction. She begins to stutter.

Aelita: It.. 's gone.

Jeremie starts to lead Aelita away from the fire. She is incapable of protesting.

Jeremie: I know.

Aelita: A-All gone…

Jeremie: Yes Aelita. It's gone…

The next morning Yumi, Odd, William, and Natalya occupy the rec room. Yumi and Odd sit on the couch, watching TV. Odd holds a can of soda in his hand and occasionally takes a sip. William and Natalya are toward the back, sitting at a table. William works on some homework while Natalya is on her laptop. It is unclear whether she is working or not. While flipping through channels, Odd comes across a talk show. The guest is Moriarty and some other person the two don't recognize. Odd looks over at Yumi, and they wordlessly agree to watch it. They turn it up. William becomes annoyed.

William: Can you take that drivel somewhere else? I am trying to work.

Yumi: I can't move this TV. You however, are fully capable of moving to a more academic environment than the rec room.

William: Regardless, I don't want to listen to Moriarty right now. His talk show days should be our vacation from him. Why subject yourselves to him even more?

Yumi gives William a defiant look.

Yumi: If you want to be in the dark about Moriarty's schemes, be my guest. But some of us refuse to do that, right Odd?

Odd's eyes are focused on the image of Moriarty. He forms a gun with his hand and takes several fake shots at the TV.

Odd: I just wish I could make him do something embarrassing live on television. Like in that American movie where God gives some random guy all his powers…

Yumi gives Odd a strange look.

Yumi: Um, yeah. I'm sure we would all love to do that.

The attention is drawn back to the program. The host starts up.

Host: Today I'm honored to welcome our two guests, who will be debating the nature of the EU in light of the continuing economic crisis. On my left we have Nigel Landen-A bald man on his left nods to acknowledge his name-a Bristish member of the European Parliament. He has been outspoken in his criticism of the EU's treatment of Greece. In one of his most recent speeches, he argued that the EU had stripped Greece of its democracy. And on my right we have Dr. Sébastien Renard-Some people in the audience clap at the mention of his name. Moriarty gives a humble smile. It makes the two viewers in the rec room want to vomit.-In a very short time this regular high school teacher has gone from national hero to conservative extraordinaire, becoming a regular guest on radio shows and lecturing in several French universities. Though he is not officially involved in politics, rumors abound of his possible entry in the upcoming French legislative elections.

Moriarty holds his hands up in a defensive manner.

Moriarty: Well let's not get carried away…

Host: My apologies Dr. Renard, I'm only reporting from the latest surveys…The host turns to face the audience. The subject of debate today is Greece. Why are they still suffering and Europe along with them? Has Greece not been strict enough with its austerity measures? Or has the EU been too hard on them? Dr. Renard, what are your thoughts?

Moriarty starts off, speaking in a polite tone but making his point clear.

Moriarty: Austerity has not failed Greece. Greece has failed Greece. It was their economic irresponsibility that got themselves into this mess. The European Union has generously given them loans on the condition that they clean up their mess. But their budget deficit is anywhere but improving….I think it is safe to say how well those bailouts were used.

Nigel Landen angrily interrupts him.

Landen: There you go again, blaming it on the Greeks and calling them lazy!

Moriarty calmly retorts.

Moriarty: Excuse me, but when did I ever say that the Greeks were lazy?

Odd takes a sip.

Odd: Like you needed to say it outright…

Landen: Of course the bailouts aren't enough. Too much of that money is being used to pay back private creditors. Greece can never repair its infrastructure if the conditions against them continue to be as unfair as they are!

Moriarty: Even if what you are saying is true, Greece would try to satisfy the angry cry of their voters, not that of Europe. They are politicians after all, it is in their nature.

Landen fumes at this subtle attack on him but continues his argument.

Landen: Greek politicians are risking their necks for the sake of Europe! Their homes are surrounded by angry Greeks demanding legitimate representation. Greek politicians have no choice but ignore their constituents. The European Union is holding a gun to their heads. They are doing everything they can for the sake of 'austerity'.

Moriarty: And what choice did the European Union have? They are desperate to keep their heads above water to maintain a common currency. They know that a monetary union is only as strong as its weakest link. That is why Greece is under so much fire. As the economic leaders of the EU, France and Germany have the duty to maintain financial solvency. Irresponsible nations must understand that misconduct does not come without a price. No offense Mr. Landen, but as a Briton, you don't understand the magnitude of what this means for us. You still use the pound. You don't have the cloud of Greece's disaster hanging over your head.

Landen: Regardless of whether or not I'm a Briton, the fact still remains that the pressure on Greece is excessive. Not only is it excessive, it is criminal. The Troika's intervention in Greece's affairs has deprived the people of their freedom. Landen suddenly becomes more vocal. The quest to keep the euro above water has come at an unacceptable price!

Moriarty taps his fingers together, answering Landen's emotional statement with a firm air of pragmatism.

Moriarty: Greece chose to be in the European Union. They must understand that agreeing to be in that Union comes with a level of responsibility. In their current state, Greece has two choices. He holds his hands out in front of him to illustrate those choices. Either buckle down and suffer the short-term consequences, or give up and end the threat against the rest of Europe.

The host interrupts the two.

Host: Are you suggesting, Dr. Renard, that Greece has to leave the euro?

Moriarty: Yes, but the sad truth of the matter is that would only be a temporary solution.

Host: Are you talking about the financial consequences of Greece leaving?

Moriarty: No. I'm not talking about Greece. I am talking about the European Union in general. The whole idea of a union, especially a common currency, is a flawed idea in and of itself. The host and Landen give Moriarty shocked looks, not expecting this sudden disavowal of the European Union. Europe made that decision when the economy was going well and there was an era of good feelings following the Cold War. But it was a short-sighted decision, and we are reaping the consequences. Greece is evidence that one nation could throw the rest out of balance. Even if we take Greece out of the equation, another nation would take its place. You see Mr. Landen, I have nothing against the Greeks personally. It is just the sad truth that a union of nations is bound to have a weak link. Why should France and Germany suffer at the hands of nations like Greece? France's economy has the second largest economy in Europe. Why should they have to share with irresponsible nations? I say, let the strong nations thrive! And let the nations like Greece buckle down and stop relying on others to solve their problems. Competition among nations is what made Europe strong! Forcing them to work together only weakens it.

Landen interjects.

Landen: Dr. Renard….really? The end of the European Union? Have you forgotten that the EU represents more than just a monetary and political union? It is a symbol of peace and brotherhood among Europeans, who wasted centuries fighting amongst themselves. What you are suggesting is…very extreme.

Moriarty shrugs.

Moriarty: Extreme problems demand extreme solutions. That is the nature of things. You and Europe can ignore that, but until you come to your senses the problem will only get worse.

The argument continues, but it is clear that Moriarty has the upper hand. Occasionally the audience applauds him when he says something they want to hear. Odd frowns with visible hostility.

Odd: Disgusting…

He takes another sip of soda. Yumi changes the channel.

Yumi: I think I've stomached enough...

As the other two switch to another program, Natalya starts to look at her phone. In an instant the peace of the rec room is shattered by a glass-breaking female scream. William nearly falls out of his chair. Yumi drops the remote. Odd spits out his soda….all over Yumi. Yumi is not pleased.

Yumi: ODD! She looks at her shirt. YOU CLUTZ! Look what you did!

Odd coughs and wheezes, clutching his chest. His face is pale and he seems on the verge of a panic attack.

Odd: I'm sorry….I guess I was a little busy trying not to have a heart attack! He glares at Natalya, who is grinning like a little schoolgirl. WAS THAT REALLY NECESSARY?!

Natalya is too excited to appear contrite. Her eyes are locked on her phone.

Natalya: I'm sorry, but my life just got TURNED UPSIDE DOWN! I've been following Angela Becotte's twitter account, and she just tweeted that she is at our local mall right now! And she is answering questions from a crowd of fans as we speak!

She screams with delight again. William grimaces, still trying to recover from his girlfriend's first outburst.

William: Angela who?

Natalya lowers her eyebrows and throws a magazine at him.

William: Hey what was that for?!

Natalya: No boyfriend of mine should not know who Angela Becotte is! She's only one of France's latest fashion divas! She's appeared several times on the front cover of Elle magazine.

William: Right…can't imagine why I haven't heard of her…

Natalya looks down at her phone and gets up.

Natalya: I simply have to go to the mall RIGHT NOW!

William: Whoa, hold on Natalya. He looks at the clock. We have chemistry in ten minutes. You can't leave Kadic now!

Natalya turns to her boyfriend and gives him the puppy dog eyes. She puts her hands together and silently begs. William begins to groan.

William: Oh no…not this again…

Natalya: Please William? Can't you cover for me…just this once? She turns up the charm. Please….?

William is reluctant.

William: Natalya…..you can't just go running off…

Natalya leans in close and whispers into his ear.

Natalya: I'll come right back. She gives him a peck on the cheek, causing William to blush. I would really appreciate it, William.

Odd, who has now calmed down, rolls his eyes at the scene.

Odd: He's done…

Sure enough, Odd's prediction comes true. William sighs in defeat.

William: Alright but hurry back….and don't get caught!

Natalya: Thank you thank you thank you! She kisses him and bolts for the door. See you all soon! I'm going to tell you all about it!

She exits the door. Yumi stands up and groans, still bemoaning the state of her shirt. She starts to walk away.

Yumi: Thanks a lot. Now I have to wash this off in the bathroom.

She leaves the rec room through another door. Odd tosses the empty aluminum can into the recycling bin. He turns his attention back to the TV. William puts on his backpack and walks past Odd.

William: Well, I guess it's time to cover for Natalya. He shakes his head and smiles dreamily. I'm going to have to find a way to say no to that pretty smile.

Odd laughs.

Odd: Let me know when you succeed Casanova…

Yumi enters the women's bathroom and does her best to get the sticky stain out of her shirt. As she does so, she notices some is on her pants as well. She huffs in exasperation. In the background she hears a toilet flush. The stall door behind her opens.

Yumi: That idiot…these are my favorite pants.

Isabel: Had a bit of a spill?

Yumi turns around to see the Brazilian girl walk up and wash her hands at the sink next to hers. Yumi smiles warmly.

Yumi: Odd had a bit of a freakout and sprayed soda on me. She gets a damp paper towel and wipes the stain. Eating and drinking with boys always carries a certain amount of risk I suppose.

Isabel: And they have the weirdest tastes too. César insisted that I try this special coffee that the royal Spanish family drinks. It tasted awful. Isabel mimicks César's voice. 'But it is so pure…it'll go straight to your soul.' Isabel rolls her eyes. Straight to my bladder is more like it…

Yumi laughs.

Yumi: Yeah caffeine tends to do that. Just another reason why I try to avoid having soft drinks too often.

Isabel: True. But I can't go without caffeine. I couldn't survive early morning classes without it.

Yumi: Yeah, I get it. She throws the paper towel into the trash can. Isabel goes to dry off her hands. So, I hate to pry, but…are you still dating César?

Isabel exhales in disgust.

Isabel: That prince may have the body of a Greek god….but he's not for me. I mean, he isn't even capable of dating one girl at a time. Don't get me wrong, he can be sweet sometimes but he's just….so arrogant.

Yumi nods with understanding.

Yumi: I thought you would say that. I bet you're done having every girl give you envious and hateful looks.

Isabel: Oh don't even get me started on-

Isabel is interrupted by two other girls walking into the bathroom. Their Order shirts and pants immediately make Isabel and Yumi wary. Yumi quickly recognizes Anais Fiquet, who is giving her a rather mean look. Yumi doesn't recognize the raven-haired girl behind Anais, but her tight and revealing clothing immediately makes Yumi dislike her. The raven-haired girl disappears into a stall without a word. Anais, however, rudely bumps Yumi out of the way to examine herself in the mirror. Yumi's blood begins to heat up.

Yumi: Was that really necessary?

Anais doesn't look at her. She continues to check her appearance.

Anais: You were in the way.

Yumi: Really? That's your excuse? What if I was using that mirror?

Anais condescendingly glances at Yumi.

Anais: Please. As if there was something worth looking at…

Yumi gasps from the stinging insult. Her blood begins to boil. She lets her instincts take over and readies her arm to teach this Order girl some manners. But another arm holds her back.

Isabel: Don't do it Yumi! She glares hatefully at Anais. She's just trying to get a rise out of you…

Anais: Oh….how sweet. The Brazilian skank is trying to keep the peace…

Isabel's mouth drops. In an instant, she lets go of Yumi and lunges for Anais. This time it is Yumi who holds her back. Isabel curses at Anais in Portuguese. Yumi level her eyes vindictively at Anais.

Yumi: I don't even recognize you anymore. You used to be so kind….what has Renard done to you?

Anais: He's made me see that I've been wasting my potential. And he's shown me who my enemies really are.

Yumi and Isabel are quiet for a moment, too disgusted to speak. Meanwhile the toilet flushes and the stall door opens.

Isabel: You witch! You made us your enemies. Not the other way around!

Angeline: I'm afraid that's incorrect. Yumi and Isabel turn to the other girl with surprise. They had almost forgotten that Anais had not been alone. Angeline nonchalantly walks to the sink and continues to speak as she washes her hands. We chose community. You chose subversion to that community. You are the ones who decided to become our enemies. The Outcasts didn't have to happen.

Yumi points her index finger as Angeline dries her hands.

Yumi: Wrong! The Outcasts had to happen because what The Order is doing is wrong! We had to stand up for what's right!

Angeline shrugs and throws her paper towel away.

Angeline: Right…wrong. Everything's black and white to you, isn't it? But it's natural I suppose. Everyone in a war wants to believe that their side is just. People have done that for thousands of years. What makes you any different?

Yumi: For starters we believe in individualism and freedom.

Angeline reaches into her purse and pulls out some lipstick. She thoroughly and methodically runs the lipstick over her lips, making her now ruby red lips constrast greatly with her pale white skin. She presses her lips together to even it out. All the while she shows no emotion but general coldness.

Angeline: Individualism….what is that but a euphemism for selfishness?

Yumi's eyebrows lower in anger.

Yumi: Being an individual is not selfish. It's what keeps us human. It reminds us that every human being is special in their own unique way.

Angeline takes a few steps toward Yumi. Yumi shows no signs of being intimidated.

Angeline: Do you truly believe that?

Yumi: Yes. Every human being is worthy of being respected.

Angeline: Then that would imply that Anais and I are also worthy of your respect.

Isabel scoffs at this statement

Isabel: We can't respect people who don't respect themselves.

Anais: That's it! I've had it! She struts over to the bathroom door and opens it. Let's go Angeline. It's obvious we can't even use the bathroom without having to deal with Outcast nonsense.

An extra wave of animosity overtakes Yumi once she hears the raven-haired girl's name. Her stomach tightens when she looks back at her rival.

Yumi: So you're Angeline….You're the girl who has been seducing Outcast guys.

Angeline gives Yumi a 'guilty as charged' smile.

Angeline: Yes. What of it? It's rather easy to get in to guys' heads…She motions to her rather large chest…provided one has the right…assets.

Yumi grinds her teeth together in disgust.

Yumi: Emmanuel was bad enough…who would have thought that his sister would be even worse?

Angeline holds both hands in front of her chest in an expression of fake pain, as if she had been stabbed in the heart.

Angeline: Oh! You just had to make this personal, didn't you? Okay….fair enough. Two can play this game. She flips her hair. Since you brought up my brother, let's talk about your boyfriend…

Yumi's eyes widen, having been caught off guard by Angeline's mention of Ulrich. Anais, who is still standing in the bathroom, smiles maliciously. Isabel looks at Yumi anxiously, wondering what Angeline is about to do. Yumi cautiously glares at Angeline.

Yumi: What does Ulrich have to do with this?

Angeline dismissively turns her back to Yumi.

Angeline: Oh nothing really…She looks over her shoulder with a fake look of concern…except that Bastien isn't the only one with a weak side for me.

A combination of shock and jealousy assaults Yumi's mind. For a moment, she is speechless. But it quickly passes. She stomps her boot on the floor.

Yumi: No. Ulrich would never…

Angeline: Granted…it was just a passing glance….but I don't think I've ever seen a boy look at me the way he did. She looks at Yumi innocently, sensing her growing discomfort. You should have seen him, Yumi. He couldn't keep his eyes off me…

The veins in Yumi's hands suddenly become visible. She shakes her head.

Yumi: You….you're lying.

Angeline: Not convinced? Why don't you ask him yourself? See his reaction and then tell me I'm lying. He won't be able to hide the fact that his eyes followed me up and down.

Yumi's body begins to shake.

Yumi: Ulrich…doesn't do that.

Angeline: By the time I walked by him, I bet he didn't even know his own name.

Yumi: Shut up…

Angeline: And while I'm at it, I might as well ask you to tell Aelita that Jeremie ogled me as well. She laughs. And he was even more blatant about it. Angeline paces in front of Yumi, who is still out of it. I guess I can't fault them too much. She talks to Yumi in a mockingly sweet tone. It must be terrible to have girlfriends with no sex appeal whatsoever…

Yumi shakes with rage, but Angeline notices a tear stream from the corner of her eye. Isabel steps in front of Yumi.

Isabel: STOP IT!

Angeline: I really should take pity on him. Perhaps I should visit him soon. She walks up Yumi and whispers into her ear. He deserves to know what a real woman feels like.

Yumi snaps. In an instant, she has her hands around Angeline's neck. Her unfeminine strength comes out and she pins Angeline against the wall. Angeline's look of confidence suddenly disappears. She stares into Yumi's murderous face with a tremor of fear.

Yumi: If you so much as breathe on Ulrich…..I'LL KILL YOU!

Anais runs forward to stop Yumi, but Isabel blocks her. The two get into a scuffle. Anais pulls her hair. Isabel screams. The scream distracts Yumi long enough for Angeline to knee her in the stomach. Yumi bends over in pain. Meanwhile Isabel tries to fight back and receives a scratch mark across the face. Angeline tries to backslap Yumi, but Yumi grabs hold of her wrist and pulls Angeline into a headlock. Yumi tightens her grip a little bit. Angeline begins to have trouble breathing and struggles. Yumi tightens some more, but the sound of Angeline gagging makes Yumi relent. She throws Angeline to the floor and forcefull removes Anais from Isabel. The two stumble out of the bathroom, eager to get away from The Order girls. As they hobble down the hallway, they see César come around the corner. He quickly looks up and smiles at them in his typical flirtatious way.

César: ¿Señoritas, por qué estáis caminando como borrachas? (Girls, why are you walking like drunks?) The prince suddenly notices the scratch marks on Isabel's face, and the fact that she is crying. His smile dissipates. He walks toward them, his face full of concern. Isabel….you're hurt! He gingerly touches her face. A little blood gets on his fingers as a result. He stares into Yumi's eyes, trying to understand, but Yumi's face is unreadable. He turns back to Isabel. Who did this to you?!

At that moment the two girls emerge from the bathroom in pursuit of Yumi and Isabel. But when they see César, they stop in their tracks. César stands up to face them. The fact that Angeline and Anais also seem disheveled allows him to deduce what happened. The two parties say nothing to each other. During those silent moments, Yumi witnesses a change in César. Instead of slouching, César stands up straight and tall. The indifferent look in his eyes suddenly transforms into a firm and disapproving stare. His once carefree facial expression is clouded over by anger. For the first time, César appears less like a mischievous rebel….and more like a real prince.

César: What…happened here?

Anais stutters, trying to answer, but Angeline cuts her off.

Angeline: Nothing that concerns you.

César turns Isabel's face toward The Order girls. She is still crying.

César: You're telling me this doesn't concern me?!

Angeline doesn't have an answer for this. She just gives César a cold, unrelenting stare. There is no hint of remorse in her face. A chill goes down the prince's spine.

César: No puedo creer que el cuerpo de una diosa pudiera esconder el alma de una diabla. (I can't believe the body of a goddess could hide the soul of a devil.) With a sad look on his face, César reaches into his pockets. He pulls out a purple Order patch and stares at it for a moment. He then throws it toward the girls. It lands on the floor in front of them. This little game of yours has gone too far. I should have never even considered joining you. Tell your brother that he can forget his little offer. The next time I meet him, it won't be as a potential ally, but as an Outcast…

With that stunning statement, César takes Isabel's hand and leads her away from the scene, leaving Yumi alone. The two girls in front of her still don't say anything. Yumi takes a moment to purposely step on The Order patch César left. Then she too walks away.

William opens the door to the rec room. He drops his backpack onto the couch and sits down. He grabs a soda from the mini fridge and pops it open. He takes a swig and leans his head back.

William: Whoever said it's impossible to die from boredom clearly never went to a chemistry class at Kadic.

He looks around the room. He is the only one in there. William frowns and looks at his phone. He checks the time.

William: She should have been back by now….what's keeping her?

He turns on the TV. It is a talk show. Fearing that he may see his enemy on screen, he changes the channel to an action movie and settles down. Once he is comfortable, he reaches into his backpack and pulls out a textbook. He starts reading and highlighting. Ten minutes pass. William looks at his phone and frowns again. He cranes his neck toward the door, expecting Natalya to come in any minute. Disappointed, he goes back to his work. Five minutes pass. William again looks at the door. Nothing. He growls in annoyance.

William: She probably went on a shopping spree. I can never leave that girl in a mall alone.

Satisfied with the dismissal of the situation, William goes back to work. As the minutes pass, his annoyance grows. He looks at the door, waiting impatiently to lecture Natalya on her mall misdemeanors. But Natalya doesn't show up. The minute hand on the clock on the wall continues to turn, and William's glances toward the door become more frequent. Slowly but surely, his feelings of annoyance change into anxiety. He checks his phone and looks at the clock, becoming more and more alarmed by the passage of time. Seven minutes go by. William is no longer amused by the delay. He reaches for his phone and picks it up. He starts to look for her contact number, but decides against it and puts the phone down.

William: No I shouldn't. It would make her think I'm being too controlling…

William tries to focus on his work again, but to no avail. Two more minutes pass, and there is still no sign of Natalya. Finally William can't take it anymore. He picks up the phone and calls her. He impatiently taps his fingers on his knees as he waits for her to pick up. After what seems like an eternity, he starts to hear noise from the other line. William takes a deep breath.

William: Finally! What's taking you?! You were starting to worry me.

Moriarty: Hello William.

William is shocked into utter silence. His heartrate increases threefold. The look of relief on his face is soon replaced by one of sheer horror. His grip on the phone tightens. His other hand begins to shake. Moriarty slowly speaks to him, letting every word sink in like a knife.

Moriarty: I was wondering when you would call…

A drop of cold sweat falls down William's now pale face.

William: What are you doing on Natalya's phone?

Moriarty: Oh I was just taking over for her. It's hard to answer a call when one is currently….tied up.

William's shock ebbs away. He comes back to his senses, and is in turn overcome by conflicting feelings of panic and anger. He menacingly addresses Moriarty.

William: What have you done to her?!

Moriarty: It seems that the Angela Becotte thing was only just a rumor. Things like that can happen. But don't worry. She's having a wonderful time in spite of that.

William starts to recognize the sounds of someone squirming and making strange unintelligle sounds. It sounds like someone who's been gagged. William visibly shakes with rage.

William: You son of bitch…I'LL KILL YOU!

Moriarty: Anger….good. Anger is very good. Feed that rage of yours. You're going to need it very soon.

William: LET HER GO!

Moriarty: We both know I can't do that. But to be nice, I'll let you talk to her.

After a few seconds, William hears a different voice.

Natalya: William!-She sounds like she is near tears.-I'm scared…

William: Where are you?!

Natalya: There….there is this lake…and we're on an island in the middle of the lake and he's here and-Sounds of struggle are heard. Her voice is then heard through her gag.-Hmphf…Hmmf!

Moriarty: I think that's quite enough. As you can see, Natalya is quite alive and well. Whether she stays that way is up to you.

William stands up, and kicks over the coffee table. His blood seethes with inexplicable fury. He comes close to subjecting Moriarty to intense verbal abuse, but for Natalya's sake he bites his tongue. He bites it until he can taste a little blood. He tries to speak calmly.

William: What do you want?

Moriarty: Oh nothing too serious. Just a gentleman's challenge.

William: A gentleman's challenge? What are you talking about?

Moriarty: It has come to my attention that Xana has left you with some considerable power. I was not planning on him still being around, so it is very important that I deal with this now. I need to know just how powerful you really are.

William slowly begins to follow Moriarty's train of thought.

William: So you want to face me? On Earth?!

Moriarty: Exactly. One on one. A direct showdown. No towers. No monsters. No Lyoko weapons. Just you and me. If you win, I give you back Natalya. If you don't….He chuckles…well you get the idea.

William grips his phone until his knuckles turn white.

Moriarty: Oh and you can't tell your friends. If you do, you can say goodbye to Natalya for good.

William stands there alone in the rec room, unable to speak. There is silence on the line for a few seconds.

Moriarty: So what do you say? Are you interested?

William: I don't have much of a choice, do I?

Moriarty: No, you are quite right. As your little girlfriend already told you, we are on an island. The lake is in a wooded area near the suburb of Saint-Cloud. It has a low population density, so no one should be around to see us. Interesting fact, your friends have been here before. Xana even launched an attack there. So you should have no trouble finding us. Once you get there, just take a raft and head for the island. We will be waiting for you there.

William looks out the window in the direction Moriarty is speaking of. The full weight of the situation comes down on him. He turns his attention back to the phone conversation, his voice now far more confident.

William: Alright. I'll come. He lowers his voice. But you have just signed your own death wish. I am going to kill you and end this whole nightmare….today.

Moriarty sounds legitimately ecstatic.

Moriarty: Oh confidence! I can't wait! No hurry over here. Natalya doesn't have all day.

William ends the phone conversation and swears like a sailor. In a fit of anger, he knocks over a few chairs. He takes several deep breaths, letting the feeling of righteous fury fill his senses. His old acquaintance enters his thoughts.

Xana: I do remember the island he is talking about. I nearly destroyed it.

William talks demandingly to his interior companion.

William: Lead me there….now.

Xana: I can show you the way, but we will need transportation.

William busts out of the rec room and storms into the courtyard.

William: We'll take Yumi's moped. I'll ask for forgiveness later.

Xana: For once you are thinking efficiently. But you do realize you are bringing us into the fight of both of our lives. Moriarty will try to extinguish both of us. He will not hold back. We need to work together if we are going to live.

William locates Yumi's moped and enters the code to open the lock on the bike rack. He gets on.

William: Yes. I was just thinking about that. He turns on the engine. I think it's time we talked about this….deal of yours.

In the courtyard, Yumi walks briskly and angrily toward the vending machine building. Ulrich walks behind, pleading for her to listen.

Ulrich: Yumi, come on! What's the deal?!

She holds her head up high with disgust and continues walking. Ulrich rubs his forehead and groans.

Ulrich: Yumi, we've been over this. It's not logical to do this to me if I don't know what I did wrong!

She leans against the wall of the building and crosses her arms over her chest. At the same time, Aelita wanders over to where she is standing. The usually cheerful pink-haired girl has her hands in her pockets and looks at the ground grimly.

Yumi: Don't act dumb. You know what you did.

Ulrich grabs his head in exasperation.

Ulrich: No, that's what I've been trying to tell you! I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DID!

Yumi glances over at Ulrich unyieldingly and then turns her head away from him.

Yumi: If you can't remember, maybe you should talk to Angeline. Maybe that will…..She grinds her teeth together…refresh your memory.

Ulrich pauses for a moment, looking at her in confusion. Then his mouth opens and he turns red. Ulrich tries to speak, but his mouth and throat become dry. The vindictive look Yumi then gives him quickly becomes unbearable. He looks away from her spiteful gaze and stares down at his feet in shame.

Aelita: Do you remember now?

Ulrich purses his lips together and swallows, his anxiety skyrocketing. He slowly begins to speak.

Ulrich: Oh….that. She…she told you?

Yumi mockingly imitates his voice.

Yumi: Oh yeah…she told me.

Aelita: And you can tell Jeremie I know about him too!

Ulrich scratches the back of his neck, trying to think of a way to rectify this situation. Finally he takes a deep breath and prepares to face the music.

Ulrich: Okay, whatever she told you, I guarantee it was exaggerated.

Yumi lowers her eyebrows with such unbridled aversion that Ulrich wishes his mouth could disappear into his face.

Yumi: That's your excuse?! 'It was exaggerated'?

Ulrich: I….I….

Yumi: Did you or did you not gawk at her?

Ulrich begins to feel a chill around his neck, like icy hands slowly strangling him. Ulrich shuts his eyes.

Ulrich: Yes…I did.

Yumi raises her right arm and curves it toward her left shoulder. Ulrich, expecting a slap, closes his eyes again and winces. Yumi stays in that threatening stance for a moment, considering whether or not to do it. But gradually her face softens and she lets her arm fall to her side.

Yumi: No. I won't even bother. She turns her back on him. Even though you deserve it.

As the two walk away, Ulrich desperately takes a few steps in their direction.

Ulrich: Yes I messed up! We both did. I admit that! But Yumi….it was a moment of weakness. I didn't see it coming.

Yumi: Keep telling yourself that…

Ulrich moans with frustration.

Ulrich: Yumi please! You…you know the way I feel about you. Yumi stops walking. Ulrich's voice softens when he sees her pause. No other girl could possibly change that. And you know it. Yumi looks over her shoulder, showing some weakness from Ulrich's words. Look into my eyes and see for yourself if I'm telling the truth.

From out of the blue, Angeline struts by and walks into Ulrich's path. She nonchalantly touches his shoulder and swings her body close to him. Her chest comes in contact with his. Ulrich, taken off guard by her sudden presence, turns pale and red at the same time. Yumi's heartrate elevates with sudden rage at the sight.

Angeline: Why don't you just let me look into your eyes and I'll tell her?

Ulrich: You….where did you-?

Angeline puts a finger over Ulrich's lips to silence him.

Angeline: No, don't speak. She looks deeply into his eyes. I'm trying to concentrate

Angeline pushes her chest against his. Ulrich's eyes, as if possessing a mind of their own, wander downward. Yumi notices this and fumes.

Yumi: UNBELIEVABLE!

She storms off with Aelita in tow. Her exit snaps Ulrich out of his trance.

Ulrich: Yumi, wait! She keeps going and leaves Ulrich and Angeline alone. Ulrich burns with self-loathing and immediately pushes Angeline away from him. You….this is your fault!

Angeline looks down at her shoes, paying no attention to him.

Angeline: Don't blame your weaknesses on me. She gives him a pitiful puppy dog face. This is all on you.

Ulrich's facial muscles tense as Angeline glibly dismisses him. He aims a threatening index finger toward her.

Ulrich: Don't be so arrogant! We're on to you. We know you are trying to seduce Outcast guys and cause division in our group. And I'm warning you right here and now to stop. We won't allow you to cause trouble, especially in our relationships.

Angeline: And just what are you going to do to stop me? She lightly touches Ulrich's biceps. Use your impressive male strength to hurt me if I get out of line? Ulrich recoils from her touch. How terrible. I thought you were a gentleman.

When Angeline attempts to glide her fingers toward his face, Ulrich intervenes and grabs her wrist. He aggressively pulls her close to him and whispers into her ear. His voice becomes deep, firm, and threatening.

Ulrich: I don't hit girls. He leans a little closer. But there are several Outcast girls, including my girlfriend Yumi, who would have no problem doing it for me. And don't think for a second that I would feel bad about it…

Angeline cranes her head close to Ulrich's neck and smiles widely. She inhales the scent of his clothes, prompting Ulrich to tighten the grip on her wrist. Angeline winces ever so slightly and gently moves away from him. Ulrich lets go of her wrist, but he continues to stare at her with hate. Angeline spins around and looks over her shoulder, making sure Ulrich has a clear view of her butt. She relishes at the sight of his conflicted disgust. She grins from ear to ear at him.

Angeline: Oh I like you….I can see why Kadic girls used to swoon over you. Yumi must be paranoid at the thought of other girls making a move on you. She pauses. Alright pretty boy. I'll play nice…for now. But as for your little threat, I should warn you that my dear brother is very protective of me. And he has a very short temper…She flirtatiously waves at him. See you later.

Angeline walks away, taking with her Ulrich's sense of self-respect. Ulrich remains in the courtyard tightening his fists and looking sadly in the direction Yumi had gone.

Several kilometers away, the Parisian metropolis yields to some sparse pockets of temperate European forests. On the side of a local highway, a green lake shines in the bright sunlight. On the banks of this lake, a black moped lies discarded on the side of the road. Twenty meters away, a lone paddler in a raft heads toward the island. He aggressively digs his paddle into the water, eager to get to the island as fast as possible. Gusts of wind blow through William's hair, giving it a wild look. A log stands in William's watery path. He angrily knocks it away. He continues toward the shore, breathing deeply and calmly to keep himself under control. As he gets closer to the wooded island, the anticipation in his mind builds up to the point of dizziness. But William remains in control. After what seems like an eternity, he reaches the shore and immediately jumps out, landing on the muddy bank. William looks around and listens for any movement. There is an eerie quiet and stillness to the island. The only ominous sign to the place is the steady wall of clouds in the west that is slowly shrouding the land in silence and approaching darkness unnerves him, and for a moment, he feels genuine fear. But hatred of Moriarty returns to his thoughts and his fear begins to ebb. Taking advantage of this moment of confidence, he forcibly breaks the uncomfortable silence.

William: I'm here Moriarty! As promised! Now give me Natalya, or I swear you will be sorry!

After a brief pause, Moriarty comes into the clearing. He is wearing his lab coat and walks toward William as if nothing is wrong. William is greeted with a sadistic smile.

Moriarty: William, you got here earlier than I expected…

William: You've kidnapped Natalya…did you think I would take my time?!

Moriarty: No, I guess you have a point there.

William: Where is she?!

Moriarty feigns confusion.

Moriarty: Who?

William bares his teeth at Moriarty like an animal rabid with fury. He clenches his fists until the veins are visible. Moriarty snaps his fingers.

Moriarty: Oh right…her. He points toward the center of the island from where he came. William looks where he is pointing and sees Natalya tied up to an oak tree. She's right over there.

Natalya sees William and immediately begins squirming. She calls out to him through the gag. William is overcome by both relief and fear with the knowledge that his girlfriend is alive but still very much in danger. He recklessly runs toward her.

William: Natalya, I'm coming!

Xana screams in his mind.

Xana: NO YOU FOOL!

Xana's warning stops William just before a blast of electricity fires dangerously close to his head. He turns to see Moriarty holding his hand out toward him. His fingers are still smoking. Moriarty waves his finger, reprimanding William.

Moriarty: No no William. You know what it will take to get Natalya back. You have to either make me surrender or destroy my human form. Purple electricity appears in Moriarty's hand again. The glow gives his face a murderous hue. Of course, I won't go easy on you.

William longingly looks in Natalya's direction. Despite her desperate state, it seems that she is the one worried about him. Her eyes radiate a fear that makes William regret ever allowing her into this nightmare. He looks at the ground, brimming with outrage that fate has worked against their relationship. Xana's voice interrupts him.

Xana: Slave, if you wish to save the Russian female, it stands to reason that you not do anything rash. There is no possible situation in which we aren't forced to fight him. We must do this…His metallic tone grows stern. But I do not plan on dying today. And if we want to survive, you can't hold me back. You need to allow me to manifest my full power.

William doesn't say anything to Xana. Instead, he keeps his eyes on Moriarty and throws his jacket onto the ground. He rolls up his sleeves and steels his spirit.

William: Alright, fine. Let's not waste any time! I want to kill you quickly!

Moriarty snickers.

Moriarty: Very well then. It's about time I silence you…permanently.He takes off his lab coat and hangs it on a tree branch. Then he takes off the white dress shirt underneath, revealing a white sleeveless undershirt. Moriarty then reaches down and rips off the bottom few inches of his nice pants, making them cut off at the knee. Moriarty lowers himself into a squat, glaring at William with wicked determination. For the first time William gets a full look at Moriarty's sleek and muscular frame. William flinches just a little, struck with anxiety in the face of his physically intimidating opponent. As if sensing his hesitation, Moriarty stares at his thick forearms. There will be no psychological games this time William. Rest assured this contest will be purely physical. Balls of purple electricity manifest in his hands. His hair starts to stand up a little. I've been itching for an excuse to unleash my raw power!

The static in the air causes William's arm hairs to rise. A bad case of goosebumps soon follows, instigated by a strange chill passing over his body. William rubs his arms to conquer the sensation. He wipes his black hair away from his eyes and glowers at Moriarty. He spends a few seconds concentrating on his enemy, imagining a large pool in his mind filling up with hate and draining out fear. He drives his right fist into his left palm and eyes Moriarty with the drive of a predator. He is ready.

William: Okay Xana. Enough stalling. Give me your power! He shouts so Moriarty can hear him nice and clear. HOLD NOTHING BACK!

Without delay, a tidal wave enters William's unprepared mind. His heartrate skyrockets. His spine vibrates with electricity, sending shockwaves into his clenched teeth. His vision turns red and locks onto Moriarty like a specter. A flurry of images and urges overwhelm him. Mental pictures of major cities like Paris, London, New York, Tokyo, Moscow, and others falling to the march of Xana's robotic armies enter his thoughts. The red cavern in his subconscious mind is pulsing with energy, and Xana's entangled form sends him one message: CONQUER. In this instant blood rushes to his head in such a fury that he nearly falls over. But William stands on his feet. He screams with a metallic overtone to his voice as his body is encapsuled in glistening red electricity. As uncontrolled rage toward Moriarty intoxicates his senses, Xana's presence fully enters his conscious brain.

Xana: Slave, I will fight with you, not control you. You have just as much experience fighting him as I do. It would be counterproductive to try to control you. I have but one order for you: show no mercy….

A red ball of lightning appears in William's hand. His red target vision locks on to a motionless Moriarty.

William: That shouldn't be a problem.

He fires at his enemy. Moriarty ducks out of the way as the blast hits a nearby tree and splits in cleanly in half.

Jeremie works in the isolation of the lab room. He types in an encryption protocol into the computer and enters it. He scratches his chin as the program loads.

Jeremie: Come on…come on work.

After a few seconds, the program ends with a red exclamation point. Jeremie sighs and massages his forehead. Behind him the doors to the lab room open. Jeremie lazily looks over his shoulder to see Christophe in the elevator. Jeremie frowns.

Jeremie: Christophe, we've already went over this. You're on probation. You can't just show up to the factory whenever you feel like it.

Christophe stuffs his hands in his pockets and walks into the room.

Christophe: Calm down. I came here because I haven't heard from William in a while. We were supposed to study together in the library an hour ago, but I haven't heard from him at all. He looks around the room. I thought he might have been on a mission or something.

Jeremie: Well as you can clearly see, William's not here. Now if you would excuse me, I'm working on an alphanumeric sequence to decrypt the Cannae Initiative and I can't have any distractions.

Jeremie continues working, but Christophe doesn't move.

Christophe: I think you're taking this too lightly. It's not like William to neglect his obligations. Jeremie ignores him. Christophe's face darkens. And no one's seen Natalya either.

Jeremie rolls his eyes and chuckles.

Jeremie: If both of them are gone, then it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out what they're doing. Jeremie waves to signal for Christophe to leave. Everything's fine. Just let me work.

Christophe shakes his head.

Christophe: That's what I thought too. Except for one thing….Christophe walks right up to Jeremie so he can hear him loud and clear. Moriarty's missing too.

Jeremie: Moriarty is on a talk show right now.

Christophe: No. He isn't…

Jeremie stops typing. He looks down at his keyboard, sensing some uneasiness beginning to form in the pit of his stomach. He turns around to face Christophe.

Jeremie: Come again?

Christophe: The talk show he was scheduled to be on isn't showing him. He points to the monitors. Go ahead and check the TV.

Jeremie reluctantly obeys. A new screen pops up, showing a woman in a red pants suit sitting on a leather couch.

Female Host: …once again we want to apologize to our viewers for not having Dr. Renard with us. Apparently an urgent personal matter came up and he couldn't make it. Instead we are going to go straight into our discussion panel. Today's topic will include…

Jeremie mutes the program, letting her words sink in.

Jeremie: Urgent personal matter? Jeremie activates the super scan. It comes up empty. But there are no towers activated. He runs his hand down the back of his neck. What is he up to? Moriarty never misses an opportunity to be in the spotlight.

Christophe: I don't like assuming things, but-Christophe bites his lip-do you really think it is a coincidence that all three of them are missing…at the same time?

The island shakes with the lights and sounds of battle. A three-pronged electrical blast flies out of Moriarty's fingers. A red forcefield emerges out of William's forearm, deflecting the attack onto the water. The calm tranquility of the lake is shattered as the smooth surface of the water reacts to the explosive charge. William charges forward at inhuman speeds, his fingers sparkling with power. He comes within striking distance of Moriarty and prepares to drive his fist into his chest, but Moriarty leaps fifteen meters in the air to avoid the attack. William hits the ground instead, causing the ground around him to shatter and crack from the impact. While in the air, shadowy specters peel off of Moriarty like a snake's skin. The shapeless globs surround William, attempting to overwhelm him with numbers. But Xana's crest pulsates in William's eye and a ring of red voltage encases him. The specters burn from the forcefield and dissipate without a struggle. William reaches his arm forward. An electrical current runs from his shoulder to his index finger, resulting into a web of electricity targeted at Moriarty. A round purple shield of energy deflects the blast up in the air, reverberating in the sky like a lightning strike in reverse. William separates himself into three identical clones of himself and attempts to surround Moriarty. They form a triangle around him. Moriarty looks at all three opponents warily, waiting for either a simultaneous attack or an individual one. It turns out to be the latter, as the three Williams fire beams of lightning all at once. Moriarty pivots and lets himself fall on his back. His quick reflexes cause two of the clones to hit each other with the other's attack. Moriarty points his fingers toward the third remaining William and fires. The two blasts collide and erupt in a rainbow of light. The shockwave knocks William backward. He lands in a cluster of sticks, resulting in his left hand being cut up. William masters the pain of the impact and examines his bloody hand. But he has little time to rest. A ball of energy slams into the stick pile right as he leaps out of the way and runs to the safety of the trees. The cluster erupts into flames. As if on cue, Moriarty's face peels away, revealing a ravenous smoking skull engulfed in black flames. His laugh becomes demonic.

Moriarty: Come out come out wherever you are! You can't hide forever William!

Moriarty's burning eye sockets catch the movement of something in the clearing in front of him. Two identical waves of purple voltage fly from his hands at the target. The blast misses but lands all the way on the other side of the lake, causing a transformer on the side of the road to explode. A tremor moves through Moriarty's eyebrows as he scans for any signs of William. He slowly moves forward into the patch of trees.

Moriarty: I don't like waiting William. Running away is so unlike you, especially in front of your girlfriend. The heat around Moriarty's skull grows stronger. Show your face!

A rustling in the tree above him prompts Moriarty to look up. William is standing on a tree branch. His free hand is formed into a fist and brims over with electricity. Xana's voice mixes with William's.

William: Right after I fix yours!

William pounces with such ferocity that the ensuing punch knocks Moriarty's burning skull cleanly off his torso. The skull clatters onto some tree roots and dissipates. Moriarty's body grows limp and collapses onto the ground. Gray ooze starts to come out of the decapitated head. William breathes heavily and stares down at the scene with a mixture of disgust and fascination. The sparks in his hand begin to die. Across the clearing, a restrained Natalya becomes nauseous at the sight of Moriarty's human form in such a repulsive state. William cautiously approaches the motionless hulk. In stunned silence he kicks Moriarty's leg. No response. A tingling moves through William's nerves.

William: Is….is it really over? Just like that?

The cold silence in William's mind is quickly shattered by his multi-agent companion.

Xana: No…far from it.

At that moment the pool of grey ooze begins to solidify. It collects in little balls that absorb smaller balls and grow bigger. Eventually they form into one solid sphere. Moriarty's legs suddenly come to life and lift Moriarty's torso off the ground. William's skin crawls and he backs away from the sight in disbelief. The sphere on Moriarty's neck begins to change. Sinew and muscle spontaneously emerge from the formless ooze. The jaw reforms and opens like a heinous corpse returning to life. A strange guttural sound emerges from the monstrosity's newly formed vocal cords. Blue eyes swollen with red blood vessels pop out of his eyesockets, starting with the left one and ending with the right. Natalya's face turns white. Gradually Caucasian skin emerges and blonde hair forms on the top of his head. As William's hands shake, thunder roars and a few drops of rain hit his sweating cranium. Moriarty cranes his neck just as the finishing touches on his nose are finished up. He emits a strangled exhale and quickly grabs his forehead. His right eye becomes blocked by his hand, but the left eye gazes at the pale figure of William with arrogant loathing.

Moriarty: ….That…hurt.

Back in the factory, the conversation continues. Jeremie drums his fingers together, pondering over the possibilities.

Jeremie: I admit that this is strange, but we don't have any proof that anything's wrong. We have heard nothing from either of them, and Moriarty hasn't activated a tower.

Christophe: Maybe, but my gut is telling me that something's wrong. That 'urgent personal matter' really worries me.

Jeremie throws his hands up.

Jeremie: Even if you're right, we don't have any way of finding out if anything's wrong.

While Jeremie tells Christophe this, his eyes catch on to the computer monitor, which is still showing live TV. A twinge of curiosity begins to take hold of him.

Christophe: Wait, turn up the volume. Something's going down near Boulogne-Billancourt.

Jeremie turns his chair around and complies with Jeremie's request. A familiar newslady appears on screen. A digital graph of the sections of Paris appears next to her.

Diane: A string of significant blackouts have hit the commune of Saint-Cloud a few minutes ago. Meteorologists have blamed the thunderstorm for the power outage. Though the storm's arrival was predicted, there has been an unusually high amount of lightning activity near a local lake. Jeremie leans in with more focus. The strange activity is believed to have been caused by an old lightning rod that sits on an island in this lake. Jeremie's eyes widen. We have footage caught by amateur videographers of the light display from the lake's shore.

The clip is shown. A grainy cellphone video focuses on the outline of an island in the distance. Jeremie shakes his head in disbelief.

Jeremie: I don't believe it…it…is that island!

Christophe: You've been there before?

Jeremie: Xana attack. Long story.

The two continue to watch the screen. Lightning suddenly flashes around the area, hitting the island at an angle. The filmmakers hoot and holler at the impressive sight. But a second blast nearly knocks them off their feet. Suddenly fearful, the filmmakers curse and the video takes confused footage of the grass and highway as the group runs away. Diane returns to the screen.

Diane: If you live in the Saint-Cloud area, please for your own safety stay far away from the lake area.

Jeremie reverses the clip. Christophe looks at him in confusion.

Christophe: Hey, what are you doing?

Jeremie: Something doesn't seem right. He rewinds the clip to right before the first lightning flash. The instant it ignites, Jeremie pauses it. Unsatisfied, he tries it again. And again. Jeremie brings the clip back and slows it down condsiderably. Come on…

Christophe: What are you doing?

Jeremie remains absorbed in the screen.

Jeremie: Just a little more….He plays the clip again at an eighth of its normal speed. The lightning goes off again. Jeremie pauses it. His mouth drops. My God…

Christophe: What?!

Jeremie: Look! He shows him the freezed frame. Lightning is flashing, but the end of the bolt is aimed toward the sky. He lets the clip move slowly, and the bolt goes up into the sky. Christophe's eyes become as wide as saucers. Jeremie wets his lips nervously. That lightning didn't come from the sky. It came from the island TOWARDS the sky.

Christophe: What does that mean?! Jeremie begins to zoom in toward the island. Christophe shakes his head. You don't honestly believe you'll make anything out zooming in with such a bad quality video, do you?

Jeremie cracks his knuckles.

Jeremie: Of course I can. He brings the image closer to the island. Once the image gets too grainy he takes a moment to pause and clear it up. This goes on for a tense minute. Finally the image is close enough for Jeremie to see a strange figure. It is black with a bright red tinge around its outline. What's this?

Jeremie begins to clean up the frame. A few corrections allow both of them to notice a purple blot close to the black image. As Jeremie makes the frame steadily clearer, the both of them begin to sense a deep pit in their stomachs. Their eyes take in a noticeable image of black hair and clothes that reminds them of someone they know. The purple image, as it becomes more defined, also give them a hint of familiarity. Jeremie's fingers sweat as he becomes engrossed in his task. Christophe swallows. Nothing is spoken between them, but the same fear is slowly but surely working its way into their minds. Jeremie keeps working until the image is startlingly clear. Christophe's mouth drops. Jeremie wordlessly takes his glasses off, rubs them, and puts them back on again. Their eyes hone in on the shocking frame. The black figure they see before them is William, and the red tinge turns out to be a red ball of energy in his hands. The purple figure is Moriarty with purple electricity encompassing his entire body. Both are charging each other, the intent to kill in both of their eyes. Jeremie and Christophe stare in indescribable awe and horror at the glorious and terrifying scene. Jeremie begins to stutter.

Jeremie: How did he….W-why did he?

Christophe points a shaking index finger at the screen.

Christophe: H-Hey….isn't that Natalya?

Jeremie looks in the background. Sure enough, between the both of them, the barely distinguishable image Natalya stands tied up to a tree. Jeremie looks away, suddenly feeling nauseous. He leans over in his chair and groans. Christophe puts a hand on his shoulder.

Christophe: Jeremie…..Jeremie are you okay?!

Jeremie's eyes and face are locked in shock. He doesn't look up, but eventually a shaky voice manages to slip out of his mouth.

Jeremie: Call the others. Tell them to get here. Now.

Christophe nods his head without question and pulls his phone out. His fingers shake as he searches for contacts. He picks Ulrich first and begins pacing.

Christophe: Come on come on….PICK UP! After what seems like an eternity, the ringing stops. Ulrich! Jeremie needs you to come to the factory right away! Pause on the line. Yes it's urgent! Another pause. HURRY! We found William and Moriarty having a major superpower specter battle on an island in Saint-Cloud. Pause and Christophe lowers his eyebrows in anger. He yells into his phone. NO I'M NOT ON SOMETHING, IT'S THE TRUTH! Let the others know that William and Natalya are in extreme-Interruption from the other line. Christophe growls. WHAT DO YOU MEAN YUMI AND AELITA WON'T ANSWER THEIR PHONES?! Another pause. This is no time for you and Jeremie to be in THE DOGHOUSE! Jeremie comes out of his shock a little when he hears this. Yet another pause ensues. Fine! Just get Odd and get over here NOW!

Grey clouds cover the island. Rain comes down and soaks the two of them to the bone. William stands across from Moriarty, his chest heaving. Scratch and bruise marks dot his face and his black shirt is torn in several places. His fingers glow red as he considers another attack. Moriarty doesn't look much better. His wet blonde hair droops haphazardly over his eyes. There is a large gash on his stomach, though it is beginning to heal. His spectral body fluctuates, which tells William that he is starting to weaken. Moriarty moves the hair out of his eyes and creates a web of purple energy around his hand. The corners of his lips curl into a sadistic smile.

Moriarty: You can't afford to get hit by me now. He unleashes an attack from the tips of his index and middle fingers. NOT IN THIS RAIN!

William jumps backwards, narrowly avoiding the attack. But he accidentally trips over a tree root and lands on his back in a patch of thorns. William's body tenses as he endures the unexpected pain. William supports himself on the tree root and slowly rises to his feet. He reaches his right hand behind his back. A red ball of electricity forms. He tosses it at Moriarty.

William: The same applies to you!

Moriarty ducks. The ball lands on a tree, sending chunks of charred bark in every direction. The tree ignites in flames, which are quickly doused by the intense downpour. William's eyes catch sight of a rather large rock to his left. Before Moriarty can recover, William grabs it and lifts it above his head. While Moriarty is still on his knees, William heaves the small boulder at him as a bolt of lightning lights up the sky from above. Right before the rock crushes his skull, Moriarty punches the oncoming rock, sending a wave of energy through his fist. The rock crumbles into pieces, though Moriarty grimaces from the impact. Nevertheless, he doesn't lose an opportunity to give William a goading look.

Moriarty: How herculean of you! Such marvelous strength for someone your age! Moriarty lifts a tree branch that was cut off by the fight earlier. It is three times his size. But now it's my turn.

Moriarty swings it behind him like a baseball bat and launches the enormous projectile at him. Unable to block the attack, William becomes fully spectrified and allows the branch to move right through him. As soon as William returns to normal, a deep, throbbing pain pierces his spine and spreads to the rest of his body. As he struggles to stomach the pain, Xana's voice speaks to him.

Xana: Slave, we cannot afford to spectrify like that again. My reserve power in that area is completely gone. Do it again and it might paralyze the both of us.

William places one foot in front of the other, placing all of his focus on Moriarty, who is calmly awaiting for him to make his counterattack.

William: And if I don't, Moriarty might kill the both of us. I'm running out of options here Xana.

Xana: Unfortunately slave, you are right. William's red target vision refocuses on Moriarty. We must finish this quickly. Moriarty clearly has more stamina than I possess. The longer this fight drags out, the narrower our odds of victory become. We must kill him. Now.

In the blink of an eye, Moriarty switches from his calm defensive position to charging William at breakneck speed. A small bolt of electricity forms in his hands, and he grasps it like a spear.

Moriarty: Xana is not as powerful as he used to be. Moriarty leaps in the air and prepares to bring his bolt down. Now I've got you on the run!

William reaches out and stops the bolt with the palm of his hand. A red pulse shoots from his fingers, reflecting the impact of Moriarty's strike right back at him. Moriarty screams and lands on his backside. He quickly gets up as William approaches. As the two return to their regular stalemate, Xana engages William in a mental conversation.

Xana: Slave, let me speak to him.

William: What, why?

Xana: I want to remind this inferior lifeform who he is dealing with.

William hesitates, but seeing as it would be suicide for Xana to betray him right now, he allows Xana to use his vocal cords. Xana addresses Moriarty in his usual demonic and metal voice.

William/Xana: I'm not running anywhere. William's fist and forearm become encased in red light. I'm here to finish what I started.

Moriarty chuckles, delighted to hear Xana's voice.

Moriarty: So this is what happened to you…..How terrible it must feel to be brought to such a degrading state. Trapped inside a Lyoko Warrior, doomed to die when he does…which should be very soon actually. I guess I'm doing you a favor.

William/Xana: Termination of my life is no favor. I still have a job to do. And you will perish this day.

Moriarty: Such bold talk. A three pronged lightning strike heads for William. William summons a red energy shield. Moriarty increases the pressure. But is killing me really a good replacement for your doomed dreams of world conquest?

The duo growl and shove the lightning strike back at him. The shock manages to hit the bottom of Moriarty's leg, sending him into a nasty body spasm.

William/Xana: No. But may I remind it that it was I who drove you into the digital sea….NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!

Two sparkling orbs of purple light take shape in Moriarty's hands.

Moriarty: And may I remind you that it was I who prevented your resurrection!

William summons two equally powerful orbs of red light in his hands.

William/Xana: Your memory fails you. You had help!

The two warriors rush each other and clash. Their orbs collide into a chaotic stalemate. The electrical friction builds up between the two as both try to gain the upper hand. The rain continues to pound them. Both William and Moriarty's hair stand on hand as the static electricity builds in the air. The rocks and stick rattle as the pressure around them mounts. The two giants stare into each other's eyes, neither one showing signs of yielding. Moriarty leans forward.

Moriarty: I couldn't have envisioned a better battle than the one we are having now. It is all so…perfect.

William grunts and resumes his normal voice.

William: What are you…talking about?

Moriarty laughs hysterically and stairs up into the storm-devoured sky. His eyes roll into the back of his head as he increases his pressure on William.

Moriarty: What am I talking about? WHAT AM I TALKING ABOUT?! His laughter progresses into a frantic mania. LOOK AROUND YOU WILLIAM! I am no longer a high school teacher, nor are you a high school student. We are no longer mortal men. Moriarty stares blissfully into the heavens. WE HAVE TAKEN OUR RIGHTFUL PLACE AS THE TRUE GODS OF THIS EARTH!

William digs his feet into the earth to brace his body against the pressure. He reaches into himself, searching for the resolve to continue the struggle. He lowers his stance and looks back into Moriarty's cold senseless eyes with a fire blazing in his own.

William: I….am no god. I am just a Lyoko Warrior here to save his girlfriend. And you….ARE A MADMAN THAT MUST BE KILLED!

William gives one final push in Moriarty's direction, and the orbs explode in a flood of light.

In the lab room, Ulrich and Odd stare dumbfounded at image of William in the computer monitor. Jeremie and Christophe hang back, watching their reactions.

Ulrich: Holy (Expletive)

Odd: William must have been really eating his vegetables.

Jeremie: Not the time for jokes Odd. William and Moriarty are blowing that island to pieces. I can't even begin to imagine what's going on over there.

Odd raises his hand in the form of a question.

Odd: Um, have we addressed the mammoth in the room regarding HOW William got his powers?

Christophe: Jeremie thinks he has been hiding his abilities…which he might have gotten as a souvenir from Xana.

Ulrich curses and shakes his head.

Ulrich: There we go again. Secrets among the group biting us in the butt.

Odd: That still doesn't resolve the bigger mammoth in the room regarding WHAT are we going to do about it? This is a non-Lyoko issue. Odd throws his hands up. We're powerless. Our best option is to hope William wins, which I don't need to remind you is a crazy gamble even by my standards!

Jeremie runs his thumb over his front teeth, his mind working over an idea.

Jeremie: Not necessarily…

Odd: Oh great...the great mad Einstein is at it again.

Jeremie: While you guys were hurrying over here, I've been thinking outside the box. I've been considering something we haven't tried. In the past, allowing you to fight on Earth with your Lyoko powers hasn't been a problem. It was just a matter of location….materializing you wherever a replika supercomputer was located. But theoretically, I think I could do the same thing on Lyoko….to materialize you onto the island as specters.

Ulrich's eyes grow very wide. Odd digs his index finger into his ear.

Odd: Um…did I hear you right?

Jeremie: Yes. Just hear me out. If the Skid docks at a regular tower in Lyoko, I can materialize you as a specter in the vicinity around the supercomputer. And since the island is just within the supercomputer's vicinity, theoretically I could send you there.

Odd: There's that word again. 'Theoretically'. I hate that word.

Ulrich: Odd does have a point Jeremie. This is a bit much for us coming right out of the blue. Are you sure you can do this without serious problems?

Jeremie clutches his armrests and looks at the floor sadly.

Jeremie: Honestly….no. I'm going out on a limb here. Normally I would spend a lot more time developing this, but we don't have that luxury. I highly doubt that William can singlehandedly defeat Moriarty, even with this power that he has hidden from us. And don't forget that Natalya's life is also on the line. Two Lyoko Warriors' lives are in danger. Jeremie lifts his head and addresses the two with the tone of a general. Can I count on both of you to save them?

Ulrich takes a deep breath.

Ulrich: Of course.

Odd somewhat anxiously rubs his hands together.

Odd: I'm….not looking forward to facing Moriarty head on like this….but I'll do what I can.

Jeremie: Excellent. Odd will drive the Skid. He has the most experience with it. I'll handle my end and try to find out if the girls can let us out of the doghouse long enough to help us. In the meantime….Lyoko Warriors…head for the scanners! Ulrich and Odd go for the elevator. Christophe watches them enter with silent envy. The elevator closes and Christophe's face drops in disappointment. But Jeremie looks over in his direction. He folds his arms across his chest and clears his throat. Christophe….when I told the Lyoko Warriors to head for the scanners…I meant ALL of them.

Christophe's head jerks up, his mind kindling a long-buried hope. He points to himself.

Christophe: You mean….

Jeremie: Someone has to guard the Skid while they take the jump. Congratulations Christophe, you've found the emergency you've been waiting for.

Christophe beams with amazement. He pumps his fist and jumps in the air. He hits the elevator button and spins around.

Christophe: Thank you thank you! Don't worry Jeremie. I won't let you down!

A crater steams in the center of the island. Tree branches and trunks lie littered about while the center of the blast is covered in ash. The thunderclouds continue to crack overhead, but the rain has stopped. A calm wind blows through the area, rustling the broken and charred leaves. A few meters away from the edge of the ring, Natalya slumps against her restraints, desperately wanting to sit down. Her face is covered in ash. Her eyes struggle to open. She looks around the debris. There is no sign of either William or Moriarty. Panic returns to her face and she begins to struggle against her restraints. She screams through the gag, trying to call out for William. But her calls are unintelligible, and the rope holds despite the explosion. A minute passes. Toward the north end of the ring, a pile of tree branches begin to shake. The shaking grows until a mini explosion blows the tree branches in every direction. Emerging from the smoke is a tattered and injured Moriarty. His body drips with his own grey blood. He holds his left arm, which appears to be injured, while his right hand sparks. He limps around the debris. As he wanders around, Natalya gets a glimpse of his face. The anger and drive she had previously seen is gone. It has been replaced by exhaustion and the pragmatic but intense animal desire to survive. He pays no mind to Natalya but calls out hoarsely to his opponent.

Moriarty: WILLIAM! He coughs intensely, losing his voice temporarily. Are you out there?! He stalks around. Come on! Don't tell me you're dead already! I deserve a better fight from you than that!

Several meters in front of him, a bloody hand reaches out of a small hole in the ground. Another bloody hand reaches up to join its twin. Gradually a grime-coated and beaten William pulls himself up from the hole. He manages to get completely out, and promptly falls to the ground. He struggles to maintain consciousness. He is bleeding from a wound in his side, which he holds with his hand. The wound is pretty bad, and he is losing blood fast. William looks down at it in despair. Xana speaks to William weakly.

Xana: Slave….we must…..caulderize the wound.

William looks down at the open gash. The loss of blood is steady and dangerous.

William: What did….you have in mind?

Xana: If you will allow me…

William: I do.

Xana: Then my apologies in advance.

William: Wait….what do you mean…AH!-Xana causes William's hand to burn the open wound. William screams like an animal. His cry is heard throughout the entire island. Moriarty watches with a sort of fascination and admiration. Natalya winces, feeling almost as much pain as he is. The pain is intense and excrutiating, but the burn closes up the wound and the blood loss stops instantaneously. But William can only focus on the pain. He swears with wild abandon. MOTHER OF GOD! STOP! MAKE IT STOP!

Xana finishes. William continues howling. The world around him begins to spin.

Xana: No slave! Don't pass out from the pain! We must….continue!

But neither William nor Xana can make their joint body move. Several times William places his palms on the dirt and tries to rise. But each time he fails and ends up lying on the ground. A smile forms out of Moriarty's bloody lip. He limps toward William and charges up his hand. Natalya emphatically shakes her head, calling out curses and pleas through her gag. William grimaces and lifts his head, but his attempt to rise fails. He lies helplessly before his enemy. Moriarty calmly inspects William's sorry state.

Moriarty: I recognize power when I see it, and I give credit where credit is due. You were a worthy opponent to say the least. You are by far my favorite warrior to fight. Moriarty shrugs. Unfortunately I still have to kill you.

Natalya chokes on her gag screaming at Moriarty. Moriarty charges up his hand. William closes his eyes. But in the blink of an eye, two flashes of light come between the two. Moriarty fires but his blast is deflected….by a saber. Moriarty's mouth drops as the two specters of Ulrich and Odd appear before him. They draw weapons and step in front of William. Moriarty takes a few steps back, gaging his options. He lets his eyes calmly look from side to side, trying to give the impression that he still has the upper hand. He holds his hands up.

Moriarty: Well well. To what do I owe this pleasure? You too as specters again? He laughs while the looks on the warriors' faces remain firm. Why this reminds me of the good old days when I was researching your movements during the latter part of your Xana conflict. But where are the girls?

Ulrich: Can it Moriarty! This little game of yours is over. We're taking William and Natalya home.

Odd steels his nerves and aims his wrist at Moriarty, blocking out the wave of painful memories that assault him.

Odd: Get out off here now or we will attack!

Ulrich rubs his sabers together.

Ulrich: And we would be more than happy to do so.

Moriarty stands there in the clearing for a moment, doing nothing. Then he examines his hand as he rubs his fingers together.

Moriarty: Hmm…when you put it that way, I guess I have no choice but to-He swings his right arm at William, attempting to fire in between them.-OBLIGE YOU!

Odd summons his shield and protects William from the blast.

Ulrich: Odd, guard William! I'll take care of Moriarty!

Moriarty cackles hysterically.

Moriarty: Please! If William couldn't handle me, what makes you think you can?!

Moriarty fires a purple blast that Ulrich easily avoids with his speed. Ulrich charges and Moriarty loses his smile of confidence. Moriarty fires again, but Ulrich super sprints and comes right up to Moriarty's side. Ulrich prepares to strike.

Ulrich: Because you're way too slow!

Ulrich strikes and multiple gashes are made in Moriarty's body. Ulrich jumps in the air and inflicts more wounds. After only a few seconds, Moriarty is covered with bleeding gashes. The deep injuries whet Ulrich's appetite to cut his opponent to pieces. He slashes at Moriarty's shoulders, attempting to sever Moriarty's arms. Moriarty lands on the ground, clutching his wounds and scooting away from Ulrich. But Ulrich isn't letting up. He raises his sabers and attempts to finish him off. Moriarty fires another wave at Ulrich, which he deflects with his saber. Ulrich cuts Moriarty's throat and gray ooze pours out. Moriarty falls to the ground. Ulrich raises his swords and prepares to continue the slaughter. But the look on Odd's face sours. He calls out to Ulrich.

Odd: Ulrich enough! Forget Moriarty! Free Natalya!

Odd's statement causes Ulrich to pause. He looks down at Moriarty. His enemy is motionless and even appears to be, at least in terms of his human form, dead. Ulrich sheathes his sabers and walks away. He moves over to Natalya and cuts her restraints. She slumps into his arms. Ulrich removes her gag. She coughs and takes some deep breaths.

Ulrich: Are you alright?

Natalya doesn't respond. She leans on his shoulder, shaking violently. Her lip quivers and the look in her eyes is tormented and distant.

Ulrich: Natalya? She doesn't respond. Ulrich frowns. Must be in shock.

While Ulrich attends to Natalya, Moriarty's eyes open. Seeing that no one is paying attention to him, Moriarty grins wickedly. He weakly and secretly lifts his right hand, aiming toward Odd.

Moriarty: You fools.

Odd's head begins swimming. His shield disappears and he rests his paws on the ground. A powerful and inexorable wave of weakness washes over him. His eyes grow heavy and his breathing slows. William's eyes narrow in confusion as the strength of his protector is drained away.

William: O-Odd?

Meanwhile Ulrich is supporting Natalya on his shoulder. He brings her into the clearing.

Ulrich: It's okay Natalya. It's all over now. William is alive. We're going to be alright. He puts his left index finger near his ear. We're all good on this end Jeremie.

Jeremie: Moriarty?

Ulrich smiles as the wounds in Moriarty's body begin to heal. His limbs start to twitch back to life.

Ulrich: Don't worry about him. He's not moving anytime soon. Odd's eyes close. His muscles relax and he falls on his face next to William. Ulrich catches sight of Odd collapse. His smile fades. Odd?

Natalya makes a sudden, unintelligible cry and points at Moriarty. The dead figure has been raised, with his wounds almost completely healed. Moriarty looks over his shoulder, grinning from ear to ear at a completely shocked Ulrich. Ulrich extends his saber, his hand shaking. His voice takes on a more desperate tone.

Ulrich: Jeremie….what's going on? Moriarty is….back on his feet.

Jeremie's voice comes through Ulrich's comlink.

Jeremie: What?! Impossible! There's no way Moriarty has any more reserve power. Unless…Jeremie is quiet for a few terrifying seconds. Oh no. Is Odd very weak right now?

Ulrich continues to stare in disbelief and horror as the last of Moriarty's wounds close up.

Ulrich: Yes why?

Jeremie: I was afraid of that. It's their psych-connection. Moriarty is taking extra power from Odd!

Moriarty's arms glow and extend, sparkling like two electric swords. Moriarty licks his lips with sick delight.

Moriarty: Round two, shall we?

Ulrich: Natalya run!

Natalya, despite her shaken state, willingly detaches from Ulrich and flees back toward the trees. Ulrich raises his sabers for another fight, but at that moment, his body begins to fade in and out. Ulrich tries to touch his chest. His hand goes right through. Ulrich nervously tightens the grip on his sabers.

Ulrich: Jeremie, what's going on?

Back in the lab, Jeremie watches as red exclamation points pop up around Ulrich's spectral body. Jeremie runs his fingers through his hair and digs his fingernails into his scalp.

Jeremie: OH NO! It's an energization address error!

Ulrich: ENGLISH?!

Jeremie: Your spectral body is unstable. You can't be teleported back to the Skid. If Moriarty deletes you here….

Moriarty's right arm extends in a wide band of electricity. Moriarty throws it at him like a whip. Ulrich barely jumps out of the way.

Moriarty: Who's slow now?!

Ulrich: Jeremie, you better fix it or I'm a goner!

Jeremie wipes his forehead and begins to work frantically.

Jeremie: I'm working on it! I'm working on it! Hold on! Another exclamation point pops up. Jeremie yells in frustration. Not another connection default! Can this get any worse?!

As if on cue, Christophe's voice joins the conversation.

Christophe: Uh Jeremie…Back in Lyoko in the desert sector, the Skid lies docked at a tower on the edge of the sector. Christophe holds his right wrist with his left hand. In front of him a small pack of tigers starts to appear over the ridge. Sensing he is outnumbered, Christophe edges back toward the tower. I've got company!

Jeremie's head hits the keyboard.

Jeremie: Of course….He pounds his fists on the armrests. COME ON GIRLS, PICK UP! WE'RE DYING OUT HERE!

Yumi and Aelita enter the front gate of Kadic. Both appear to be depressed, but not as upset as they were before. Aelita nibbles on a candy bar. Yumi puts an arm on her shoulder.

Yumi: Do you feel better?

Aelita: Yeah. She gives Yumi a bittersweet smile. It's amazing what chocolate can do to improve your mood. No matter what happens to you…

Yumi: Plus misery does love company. She places her hands on the back of her head. What are we going to do with them?

Aelita: I was thinking the same thing. I'm still very angry but….She looks up at Yumi…are you thinking of breaking up with Ulrich over this?

Yumi sighs and looks up at the trees.

Yumi: No. I'm pissed but I can understand how Angeline might have got into his head. It's not fair for me to leave him just because he looked at her the wrong way. Plus that idiot needs me, especially after the situation with his dad. And honestly…I need him.

Aelita: Good. Aelita looks away. I thought you would be upset with me if I decided to forgive Jeremie so easily. I didn't like the idea of you encouraging me to break up with him.

Yumi: We've got bigger problems to worry about than our relationship issues. We can't allow ourselves to become emotionally vulnerable to Moriarty. A sudden break up would leave us compromised. So neither of us should end our relationships. She smirks. But that doesn't mean we can't scare them into remembering to keep their eyes on us.

Aelita: I'd say ignoring them for a couple of hours should do the trick.

Yumi: Yeah….Yumi's smile fades. Only one problem. What if Moriarty did something in the meantime? What if their calls were actually important?

Aelita: I wouldn't worry about that. I recently established a link between my phone and Jeremie's superscan. If a tower was activated by Moriarty, I would know. Besides, Moriarty is busy with his propaganda appearances. We have nothing to worry about.

Yumi and Aelita round the corner and approach the back side of the administrative building.

Yumi: Yeah, you're probably right. Ulrich was just acting despera-She stops speaking and looks over toward the portico. In between a bush and some steps a set of bikes and mopeds lies against the wall. Yumi looks around.-Where is my moped?

Aelita: It's not here?

Yumi: No. And I had it locked up. Though I think the guys might know the combination. She suddenly tightens her fist and exhales in rage. Ulrich….did he seriously think taking my moped would convince me to forgive him?!

Aelita: Whoa…hold on Yumi. We don't know what happened.

Yumi pulls out her phone.

Yumi: I'll call Jeremie. Hopefully he can shed some light on the situation.

The phone rings. Almost instantly the call is answered on the other line. Yumi scowls, preparing to give Jeremie a hard time.

Yumi: Jeremie, would you be so kind as to-Yumi is cut off by Jeremie's yelling. Yumi's scowl dissipates. Moriarty's what? Kidnapping?! The island?! ULRICH'S WHAT?!

The phone nearly drops out of Yumi's hand. Aelita grabs Yumi's arm.

Aelita: Yumi, what's happening?!

Yumi: The factory. Now. Run! The two start running. No don't run! SPRINT!

The pack of tigers converges on Christophe's position. Christophe goes into a squat, preparing for the onslaught. Jeremie speaks to him. His voice is shaky and sounds increasingly nervous.

Jeremie: Christophe….I cannot emphasize this enough. If those monsters get to the Skid….Ulrich and Odd are doomed. You cannot let that happen. You wanted action. Here it is. HOLD THE LINE!

Christophe aims at the closest tiger. He closes his left eye and steadies his hand.

Christophe: I said I won't let you down. He cocks his wrist. I am a man of my word.

The first disc launches and cuts the first tiger to pieces. The six remaining keep charging. Christophe selects another target and fires. Another tiger goes down, but the rest are closing fast. The tigers open fire at him. Christophe rolls to get out of the way. He gets up and fires several at once, but his aim is sloppy. All of them miss their targets. The tigers pounce on him. One tackles him, sending him rolling underneath the Skid. His chest sparks from the loss of lifepoints. He looks up to see four tigers turning their attention to the Skid. The fire point blank, pounding against the Skid's shields. Christophe grimaces.

Christophe: No!

The one remaining tiger steps in front of him, growling menacingly. The monster gets on top of Christophe, preparing to bite his neck. But Christophe grabs the jaws and pushes them away from him. The back of the tiger's throat glows with an impending laser strike. Christophe repositions his hand in such a way that his wrist is aimed toward the back of the throat. He smiles victoriously.

Christophe: I don't think so.

He fires, destroying the tiger. Immediately he gets up, his mind reinvigorated for battle. He lifts both of his wrists and opens fire. Two of the tigers easily fall to his attack. He points at the last two, but surprisingly the two monsters retreat.

Christophe: What's the matter? Had enough already?

Christophe's feeling of victory is cut short. The two tigers stop around a cloud of smoke that appears to have come from nowhere. The smoke swirls in the form of a tornado. Christophe nervously touches his wrist.

Christophe: That's not William.

Dark William emerges out of the black cloud. He points his massive sword at him.

Dark William: How right you are. He motions to the two tigers. Finish off the Skid. I'll handle this one.

Christophe: Oh no you don't!

He fires at the tigers, but Dark William turns to smoke and slithers up to him and reemerges at his side.

Dark William: You're out of your league rookie. He kicks Christophe squarely in the chest, sending him face down onto the ground. This is pathetic. The other shades won't give me any credit for finishing the likes of you.

Dark William lifts his sword, but Christophe flips over onto his back and crosses his armoured wrists to block the blow. Dark William increases the pressure, but Christophe holds on.

Christophe: Then I can't imagine how humiliating it will be when I defeat you.

Christophe knocks the dark warrior's legs out from under him. Christophe takes the opportunity to get up and fire at his opponent. But Dark William is quick. He jumps up and deflects Christophe's numerous attacks. Meanwhile the tigers continue to eat away at the shields. Jeremie chews his fingernails.

Jeremie: Come on Christophe! Pull through! He reconnects with Ulrich. Ulrich, please tell me you're still alive.

Scene shifts to the island, which looks even more wrecked than it did before. Ulrich hides behind a tree trunk as Moriarty's lightning barrage continues. His body has deteriorated to the point of almost being transparent to the naked eye. Ulrich looks over his shoulder.

Ulrich: Barely! What's the status on fixing me?

Jeremie: I'm working on it. I know it can be fixed, but I need more time.

The trunk is blown to pieces. Ulrich is thrown a couple meters away. He stands up and raises his sabers to block Moriarty's relentless strikes.

Ulrich: THAT'S NOT A LUXURY I HAVE RIGHT NOW!

Just when Moriarty seems on the verge of victory, a rock lands on the side of Moriarty's head, temporarily cutting off the attack. Moriarty growls as his face begins to heal.

Moriarty: Who did that?!

Natalya is seen hiding in the thicket, holding another rock. The fear in her face has eroded. It has been replaced with righteous outrage. She heaves it at him, but Moriarty easily destroys it before it reaches him. Moriarty then summons specters that crawl in Natalya's direction. Ulrich steps in and cuts them apart.

Ulrich: Natalya, stay down!

Natalya obeys, but Moriarty attacks Ulrich with renewed vigor and once again Ulrich finds himself fighting for his life. A still barely conscious William watches the scene from afar. He nudges the motionless Odd.

William: Odd….get up….Ulrich...needs your help.

Odd begins to stir. His eyes weakly open to see the one-sided conflict transpire before him. Odd quickly tries to lift himself up. He makes little progress, but the intensity in his face increases as his eyes lock on to the hateful image of Moriarty.

The elevators open with the two girls panting from the run.

Yumi: We're here Jeremie. We're really-

Jeremie doesn't react but points downstairs.

Jeremie: Scanners now. Talk later. GO!

The girls obey. They break a record getting into the scanners. Jeremie starts up the virtualization process. Back in the desert sector, Christophe continues to hold Dark William back with his long range weapon. Christophe keeps his sight set on Dark William, making sure he doesn't try anything.

Jeremie: Good news Christophe. The cavalry is finally on their way.

The tigers launch another volley. The shields turn red and the Skid gives off a warning alarm. Christophe curses.

Christophe: Too late for that. The shields are pretty much gone!

Christophe reluctantly takes his attention off Dark William and destroys the tigers. The Skid is saved, but Christophe has lowered his guard. Dark William seizes his chance and slashes. Christophe tries to back up but the blade cuts across his abdomen. Christophe falls to the ground again, critically low on lifepoints. As Dark William raises his sword, he notices Yumi and Aelita appearing over the ridge. He snarls malovelently and Christophe smiles.

Christophe: I win. Aelita and Yumi will keep the Skid safe.

Dark William shakes his head.

Dark William: No. I still have time to finish you and the Skid!

Before Dark William makes his final move, Christophe concentrates his anger around his pectorals. His speakers begin to light up. Dark William, sensing the danger, quickly stabs Christophe. But as the pixels on Christophe's face fade away, the pressure in the speakers builds to its maximum. Christophe beams with a half-disappeared mouth.

Christophe: Too late.

Right before Christophe disappears completely, a music shockwave rocks the surrounding area and destroys Dark William. A minor earthquake ensues but luckily the Skid survives mostly untouched. Once the shock passes, Yumi and Aelita run to the Skid.

Yumi: It's okay Jeremie. Christophe has saved the Skid!

Jeremie lets loose a huge breath of relief.

Jeremie: Thank God! Alright, I'll energize you inside and teleport you over to the island.

Aelita: But the Skid's still vulnerable! One of us has to stay behind.

Jeremie: No. Not when Moriarty is personally fighting us. We'll have to take the risk. I'll do what I can from my end to fix the shields. The two energize into the Skid. But be warned. This address error I'm dealing with right now could affect you as well.

Ulrich rolls over behind a rock, his body smarting from a vicious strike from Moriarty. His body fades in and out of existence. His sabers delete before his eyes. He looks up at the sky, feeling hope drain from him. He closes his eyes as he hears Moriarty approach.

Ulrich: Jeremie…

Jeremie: It's okay Ulrich. Help has arrived.

Ulrich looks up. Moriarty peers over the rock, hovering triumphantly over his prey.

Moriarty: What an ignoble way to die…

He reaches his hand back, but he screams when his body is engulfed with an electrifying pink light. He falls and supports himself on the rock. Breathing heavily, Moriarty turns around to see the two specter girls face him. Yumi opens and closes her fans tauntingly. She looks around and takes in the destruction of the island.

Yumi: Seriously boys? We're gone for only a couple of hours and things fall apart this badly?

Aelita: Yumi, don't you think they all have suffered enough?

Yumi: Yes I suppose getting pounded by Moriarty is a substantial punishment. I think it would be a good time to save the day now.

Ulrich groans from behind the rock.

Ulrich: You call that an apology for being late?!

A clearly unamused Moriarty fires a single electric skrike at them. Aelita and Yumi separate to avoid it. Aelita fires at Moriarty's legs. Yumi swings her fan and lodges it in his chest. Their enemy, fully drained from the previous fights, caves to the dual attack and falls to his knees. His breathing becomes irregularly and inhuman. A few drops of grey ooze drip down from his forehead. Yumi and Aelita cautiously approach.

Yumi: Even you have your limits Moriarty. She rips the fan out of his chest. Moriarty promptly utters a strangled cry. Yumi looks to Aelita. Let's send him crawling back to the Network.

Aelita: Agreed. She summons an energy field. We'll both do it.

Yumi and Aelita get ready to destroy his human form at the same time. But suddenly their bodies start to fluctuate. Alarmed, they look at their arms and legs.

Aelita: NO! NOT NOW!

Yumi: Jeremie what's happening?!

Jeremie grabs hold of the keyboard and nearly rips it from the monitor. He swears bloody murder.

Jeremie: I CAN'T GET A BREAK TODAY! The energization address error has spread to you!

The ever watchful Moriarty slyly looks up from his defeated posture. In a flash he grabs the two by their necks and hoists them up. An electric current running from his hands to their necks renders them unable to fight back. Moriarty tightens his hold on the two without pity. His utterly ravaged appearance now only highlights his lust for pain.

Moriarty: Now, who's going to be crawling back to the Network again?

As the two cry out for help, the others on the island find themselves too afraid or unable to come to their aid. A fading Ulrich grasps onto the rock that separates him from Moriarty, desperately reaching out for Yumi. William makes audible sounds of protest but still can't move. Natalya hides behind a tree and closes her eyes. But directly in front of the two victims, one feline warrior is eyeing Moriarty with an abyss of loathing. Despite the weakness he is suffering, his emotions give him a strong dash of adrenaline. He digs his claws into the dirt and slowly gets off his feet. He stumbles forward, keeping his vision on Moriarty. Once he starts closing the distance, he and Moriarty's eyes meet. At first, Moriarty looks on with some alarm to see a warrior still standing. But Odd's obvious fatigue makes him confident again. He holds up the two female warriors higher.

Moriarty: What do we have here? The icing on the cake? The cherry on top of the sundae to such a successful day?

Odd doesn't answer but silently raises his wrist. Moriarty smirks dismissively.

Moriarty: Why do you always insist on forcing me to make you reach new lows? Please tell me….Moriarty's head turns around his neck 180 degrees. Once his head spins back around, his face becomes engulfed in black flames. The shadows of specters revolve around his head. His voice becomes demonic….HOW'S YOUR CONDITION?!

Odd's virtual skin crawls and his heart leaps into his throat. Immediately the memories flood back. Dark caverns in Sector Five devoid of light and unheard pleas of mercy occupy his thoughts. Odd feels another attack coming on. To make matters worse, Odd can feel Moriarty drain power from his body again. With his senses overwhelmed and body weakened, Odd can barely stand. His sight and the nightmarish display before him become blurry. He undergoes the torment of a racing heartrate and exhaustion at the same time. His knees begin to buckle. Moriarty lauds his superiority over him.

Moriarty: Isn't it so comforting to know that the one person I can't kill is absolutely no threat to me? Moriarty turns his attention to the girls. Now watch your friends die.

Something inside Odd snaps. Revulsion and an unconquerable desire to forbid Moriarty's actions strengthen his resolve. His spirit comes back alive. He turns to face the fearful performance in front of him. He fights the initial reaction of animal like fear and tries to look through the terrifying smoking skull. The memories wreak their usual havoc, but Odd creates a mental block. He shuts the door to his terror, repeating in his head words of confidence that he has practiced to survive attacks. He fills up the well of fear with anger and a burning hunger to end the madness. Odd grabs his left wrist and digs his claws in. The pressure and loss of lifepoints jolts him awake. He digs his heels into the dirt. Odd aims at Moriarty as he increases the current subjected to Yumi and Aelita's bodies. The confident grin on Moriarty's face falls.

Odd: I've waited far too long for this.

A single laser arrow hits Moriarty square in the chest. Before Moriarty can recover from the first impact, Odd lets Moriarty taste another hit. Moriarty drops the girls and gasps. His arm muscles contract violently. Moriarty watches in horror as his arms start to become as flimsy as rubber. Moriarty's complexion becomes white and his forehead starts to drip with cold sweat.

Moriarty: No! I'VE REACHED MY LIMIT!

Moriarty's muscles cramp unnaturally. Moriarty howls and Odd watches the new development with disgust. He aims at Moriarty again. Moriarty looks up and yells in a sudden wave of panic. He narrowly avoids the laser arrow and starts crawling on all fours. With surprising speed, Moriarty bolts away from the scene, avoiding Odd's arrows. Moriarty reaches the edge of the island. He dives into the water and swims away. Odd chases him to the shore and looks out. But there is no sign of Moriarty. He has vanished into the lake. Odd drops his wrist. He looks out on the water, feeling neither disappointment nor victory. He stands there for a moment, hearing for the first time a peaceful quiet around the island. The clouds pass over, and a fading sunset greets Odd's gaze. Jeremie interrupts the tranquility.

Jeremie: Odd…is it over?

Odd: Yes.

Jeremie: Everyone alive and accounted for?

Ulrich, Aelita, and Yumi slowly get up, their bodies still fluctuating. Natalya emerges from the trees and runs to William's side. She cries profusely, telling him all at once how worried she was and how scared she was and how sorry she is for causing this whole mess and that she feels just terrible. William doesn't respond, but his eyes listen to Natalya with understanding. Odd looks away.

Odd: Yes.

Jeremie takes a moment to breathe. He sounds just as exhausted as everyone else.

Jeremie: We got through this….with the skin of our teeth. Long pause. I'm fixing the specter problem. We should be able to get all of you out of here in three minutes.

Odd: Okay, I'll see what I can do from here. Odd looks over at William. William is probably going to need the hospital.

On the side of the highway, electric crews work on the power lines. Several of them work in the air using their cranes to reach the wires. Their boss watches them from the ground.

Head Technician: Come on! That transformer should have been fixed ten minutes ago. Saint-Cloud is not going to wait forever for its power.

The crew workers grunt and pick up the pace. The head technician folds his arms across his chest. Before he gets back to work, the sound of water splashing behind him catches his ears. He turns around to see two several tattered youths stumble out of a raft and walk towards them. A blonde haired girl carries the boy on her shoulder. The crew workers stop working and stare at them in confusion.

Head Technician: What the hell happened to you too?

Natalya pants and looks pleadingly into the technician's eyes.

Natalya: The island…..lightning…..my boyfriend's hurt. Please help….

Parisian hospital. It is night. Rain falls steadily on the windowsill. The warriors stay at William's bedside. William is awake, but his droopy eyes indicate he is very close to falling back asleep. Natalya wipes his face with a rag. There are two bandages on her face, but other than that she is fine. Jeremie looks at the nurse's report and whistles.

Jeremie: A separated shoulder, a grade II concussion, cuts and bruises all over your body, and of course the burn left by our old pal Xana. He puts the report down. At the rate of hospitalization we are going through, France is goint to have a bankrupt healthcare system.

William: My…He sleepily rolls over….bad.

Jeremie: I hate to say it but it could have been far…far worse. Warrior duty for you is going to be put on hold for a while.

William: Oh I'll be fine on Lyoko.

Jeremie: Don't argue with me. You lost that privilege when you hid this secret of yours for so long. Jeremie turns around and looks at Christophe, who has been quietly standing in the corner. Besides, we have more than enough talent to replace you for the time being.

Christophe holds his head up high. Odd pats him on the back. Christophe takes out his headphones.

Christophe: Feels good to be off probation. He takes a deep breath. But I have to be honest. At first I was just happy to be back in the game. But when things got serious…I mean really serious…then I stopped being so eager to fight. His facial expression becomes stern. I became more concerned about doing my part to make sure William and Natalya…and everyone came back alive and well.

Yumi: We're glad to hear you say that Christophe. You're starting to sound like a real Lyoko Warrior.

Aelita: He is a real Lyoko Warrior. He became what a Lyoko Warrior is all about: a person who puts aside his personal ambitions and problems for the greater good. She bites her lip in shame and sighs. At least….ideally…

Jeremie moves toward her.

Jeremie: And ideally a Lyoko Warrior is also faithful to his word at all times. He looks at Aelita apologetically. Unfortunately some can't always live up to those standards.

Aelita smiles wryly at Jeremie.

Aelita: But ideally...She puts her hands on his shoulders…a Lyoko Warrior also forgives.

Jeremie wraps his arm around her waist.

Jeremie: And thank God for that.

Yumi raises an eyebrow at Ulrich. She sarcastically chastises him.

Yumi: I don't know. I'm having second thoughts. What can you say to make me convinced I can trust you? She points at him warningly. Choose your words carefully.

Ulrich thinks for a moment. Then he snaps his fingers.

Ulrich: Yumi, you know that if you were kidnapped like Natalya-He points at William-I would gladly end up on that hospital bed to get you back.

Yumi turns a little red, not expecting so strong a response. She coughs.

Yumi: Yes um…well…She kisses him. I think that was good enough.

Ulrich: Uh huh…sure.

Natalya clutches the rag tightly. She looks down at the floor. She mutters something in Russian to herself. Odd notices her response.

Odd: Natalya, something wrong?

She stays silent for a moment. William lifts his head slightly to meet her gaze.

William: Natalya?

Natalya: I want to fight.

William: Excuse me?

Natalya lifts her head up. Some tears appear in her eyes. Her face becomes pink with anger. She moans with disgust.

Natalya: I want to fight. This all happened because of me. I was careless and fell for one of Moriarty's traps.

Yumi: Natalya, it could have happened to anyone.

Natalya: No. I've been burying my head in the sand for too long. I can't ignore what Moriarty is doing any longer. I can't ignore that he is now my sworn enemy and that he has no problem killing me. If I'm a Lyoko Warrior…She sniffs and stands up straight like a soldier. Then it's time I start acting like one.

Aelita looks questioningly at Jeremie, who listens to her without expression. Aelita scratches her temple.

Aelita: Natalya, are you sure? You are still very inexperienced when it comes to-

Natalya: I should have followed Christophe's example. I should have been on the battlefield instead of the mall. But I can change that now. I don't want to be the damsel in distress again! She exhales and tenderly moves her fingers across William's forehead. I didn't ask to be a Lyoko Warrior. She looks up, giving everyone a look of relentless confidence. But the fact is I am one, and I want to see this through to the end like the rest of you.

Her speech silences the room. The other warriors look at each other, searching for disapproval in anyone's face. But they find none. Finally all eyes turn to Jeremie, who sensing the attention, merely shrugs.

Jeremie: Okay. He puts his hands behind his back. You are already in danger, so no use in protecting you. We can use all the help we can get.

The others clap for the arrival of a new official Lyoko Warrior. Some minutes pass and the group lingers about. Odd eventually separates himself from the others and starts staring out the window. His gaze into the rain is solemn and unreadable. He feels a hand on his shoulder. He turns to see Jeremie looking at him.

Jeremie: Everything okay?

Odd smiles but the smile disappears rather quickly.

Odd: Yes and no. I feel freer from Moriarty than ever before right now.

Jeremie: You made us really proud to day. You faced your demons again. Your condition might be close to going into remission.

Odd: Yes. But Moriarty's attempt to tie up loose ends with William and Xana tells me that he is close to moving his endgame into action. Odd pauses, letting the rain serve as the only noise between them for a few moments. I know he's getting close. He looks out the window. I can just sense it.

Back in Rouen, Jacqueline and Patrick walk out of the main school building. Jacqueline shivers and huddles close to Patrick. She groans overdramatically.

Jacqueline: Oh the cold got worse!

Patrick: Seriously Jacqueline, I think you're in the wrong country.

Jacqueline: Well it's not like I live in Finland or something!

Patrick chuckles.

Patrick: Maybe you should study abroad there. During the winter…

Jacqueline: Not in this lifetime! She exhales, watching her breath condense in the air. She turns back to Patrick. Well….was The Order meeting all I told you and more?

Patrick reluctantly nods his head.

Patrick: It was definitely….interesting. I really love their passion and organization. They really believe they can change France. And our country could use that kind of confidence. Still…I will want to talk to Jeremie first.

Jacqueline: Whatever you say Patrick….You know you want to join.

Patrick: I am going to need a little more convincing before I start to wear black and purple all the time.

Jacqueline rolls her eyes.

Jacqueline: As if your current wardrobe is any better…

Patrick: Hey, I'll have you know that-He stops when the sound of wheezing-wait…what's that?

Jacqueline: What's what?

Patrick points ahead, where a dark figure is lying on the sidewalk.

Patrick: Over there! That guy looks like he needs help!

The two run over and investigate. When they get a closer look, they see that he is young, more than likely a student around their age. The boy coughs. Patrick grabs his shoulder.

Patrick: Hey buddy are you-The student turns over, revealing a bloody face and nose. Patrick double takes.-Oh God!

Jacqueline: What happened to you?

The student holds his head.

Student: It was….The Order. They ambushed me out of nowhere.

Patrick backs up and Jacqueline listens with incredulity.

Jacqueline: The….Order did this to you?

Student: I gave some of them a hard time and….next thing I know I'm lying face down on the courtyard.

Patrick's face becomes grave. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the Order patch he had been given. He turns it over in his hand and meets eyes with Jacqueline. Both of them stare at the patch. For some reason the symbol seems more threatening and warlike than it had before. Patrick swallows saliva.

Patrick: Jacqueline, I think we should rethink our membership…