The battle continues, and things are starting to get epic. How epic you ask? So epic, that I'm going to have to add a Shakespeare quote to do it justice.
"Cry 'Havoc!' and let slip the dogs of war." – Julius Caesar
Your reviews are always appreciated.
Part 38
Odd descends into another dream. He drifts into a chasm filled with light. The light intensifies and then dies down, revealing a scenic landscape with downtown Paris in the background. Odd is at first enamored with the beauty of the surrounding forests, but he quickly hears the sounds of industrial work behind him. He turns to see he is in the outer section of a nuclear power plant. Billowing smoke stacks and the hum of machinery replace the soothing sounds of nature around him. He puts his hands on his hips.
Odd: Well that didn't last long.
The arrival of an armored truck with the hazardous material logo emblazoned on the side pulls up next to him. An unidentified man in combat apparel approaches the vehicle, holding a clipboard. Odd notices a sidearm on his belt. He senses that the nature of the dream must be linked to the truck, so he follows the soldier. When the soldier enters the armored truck and sits in the front passenger seat, Odd phases into the backseat. He sits behind the soldier and a driver, who wears a similar uniform and a soldier's cap. From the back, Odd can't get a good look at his face, but he sees that the driver has blonde hair. The other soldier goes over the final details.
Transport Guard: It seems that my original driver was replaced, so I figure you're his replacement…
The driver briefly glances over to the guard and curtly nods.
Transport Guard: Not much of a talker, huh? Fine. The last one was a real chatterbox anyway. Just get us back to base safe and sound. I don't have to remind you how dangerous the stuff we're carrying is.
They begin driving. Odd hangs quietly in the back, waiting to see how things unfold. Several minutes pass. The road they are on passes by a busy intersection with an entrance onto a major freeway. The driver goes past it. The guard growls in protest.
Transport Guard: What are you doing soldier?! We missed our turn back there! Turn us around!
The driver looks around, pretending to look for a place to safely turn around. He ends up turning onto a somewhat abandoned road. The guard, thinking the driver is about to turn around and go back the way they came, doesn't say anything. But when the driver continues without any sign of stopping, the guard becomes incensed.
Transport Guard: Do you have a problem with your hearing soldier? I told you to turn us around!
The driver turns onto another abandoned road.
Transport Guard: No not that way, the other way! Stop this truck! Stop this truck! He glares at the driver and yells at the top of his lungs. SOLDIER I ORDER YOU TO STOP THIS TRUCK! In a flash, the guard's hostility vanishes. He looks at his driver with trepidation. He points at him with uncertainty. Wait a minute, are you even a soldier?!
The driver's head suddenly pops up. Through the rearview mirror, Odd catches a glimpse of the man's face. He instantly recognizes him as Moriarty. Instead of being surprised, he merely sinks back into his seat and shrugs.
Odd: Should have guessed…
Moriarty suddenly stops the truck. The guard reaches for his firearm and points it at Moriarty.
Transport Guard: Put your hands in the air and get out of the truck now!
Moriarty stares at the gun for a few moments, staying eerily calm. Then his old Army training kicks in. He points the gun away from him and tries to wrench the firearm away from the guard's hand. In the confusion, a shot goes off and flies out the windshield. Even in the dream, the sound is deafening for Odd. Moriarty manages to disarm the guard. He then pulls a wad of paper towels from his pocket. The overpowered transport guard stares at Moriarty with fear and confusion.
Transport Guard: Who the hell are you, a terrorist?!
Moriarty: In the eyes of the wrong people, yes you could say that. But that's no concern of yours. He forces the wad of paper towels against the guard's nose. I hope you like the smell of chloroform.
The guard struggles, but eventually the drug does its work, and he falls limp with unconsciousness. Once the guard is dealt with, Moriarty checks his side view mirrors. A white van pulls up behind the armored vehicle. A man in a hazmat suit emerges from the vehicle and starts opening the back of the armored truck. Odd takes a closer look at the man's face and realizes it is Waldo Schaeffer. Moriarty gets out of the truck and Odd follows. Moriarty watches as Schaeffer carefully pulls out a uranium fuel rod. He begins walking toward the white van.
Schaeffer: Was the gunfire really necessary?
Moriarty rolls his eyes and motions to the unconscious guard.
Moriarty: Tell that to him. Taking a gun away from a man is not easy, and I'm not as young as I once was.
Schaeffer seals the uranium rod in a metal box.
Schaeffer: Then let's hope we don't need to get a new battery any time soon. Pulling off such a daring robbery isn't something we can easily repeat.
Odd's dream drifts back to the factory. In the supercomputer room, Moriarty and Schaeffer cautiously put in the uranium fuel rod while wearing hazmat suits. From the outside, the supercomputer looks mostly finished.
Schaeffer: Gently…gently….
Moriarty: I know. You don't have to remind me.
The battery is placed inside the machine and successfully sealed. The battery reads a 100% charge. Schaeffer breathes a sigh of relief. He takes a moment to look at the large and impressive supercomputer.
Schaeffer: Just look at it André. A quantum supercomputer. With this, we can finally turn the tables on those power-hungry government agents.
Moriarty's reaction is far more reserved. He takes off his helmet.
Moriarty: Yes. We have most of the hardware down. Now comes the hard part…the programming itself.
Schaeffer: We'll figure it out. We can make this happen. He looks at the computer again. We have to…
The dream drifts to another scene. Moriarty and Schaeffer work in the scanner room, which is mostly bare and incomplete. They seem to be near completion on the first scanner. Schaeffer works behind the scanner with the wires while Moriarty works with the scanner's hardware.
Schaeffer: If I reroute these wires and configure them to the monitoring port upstairs, we should hold a firm connection.
Moriarty puts in a screw, appearing to not pay any attention. He only grunts in response.
Schaeffer: Of course, we can't allow the cabins to overload, or our atoms will be permanently separated.
Moriarty: Uh huh.
Schaeffer: And we'll have to complete the work on the digital axes before we can even consider such a jump. The digital void would swallow us whole.
Moriarty rolls his eyes and mutters under his breath.
Moriarty: Right….can you hand me a wrench?
Schaeffer peeks from behind the scanner, looking quizzically at Moriarty.
Schaeffer: Is there something bothering you?
Moriarty: Oh no…nothing at all.
Schaeffer, not sensing Moriarty's bitter sarcasm, smiles and continues working.
Schaeffer: Good. Because I need help with the back couplings…
Moriarty stands up and stuffs his hands in his coat pockets. He looks away from Schaeffer. His face is dark and brooding.
Moriarty: I mean…aside from going from being a respected scientist to becoming a wanted fugitive of the law...losing almost all of my former colleagues to the agents that hunt us…disguising myself as a-He says the following words with disgust- postal worker…and to top it all off, I'm currently working with you on a machine that is most certainly going to tear our molecules apart!
Moriarty finishes, fuming at his partner. Schaeffer sits there quietly, not too eager to ignite a confrontation.
Schaeffer: Things in our lives have never gone according to plan. He sets his tools down. One minute we're playing with a malfunctioning robot in a dirty Parisian apartment, the next we're working for a top-secret NATO installation, and right after that we're running from the very thing we created. We never made plans André. Things just happened the way they did, and we can't change it.
Moriarty: Be that as it may, I don't trust my well being in the confines of your science fiction machine. He starts walking away and then stops. Better yet, I just don't trust you…
Schaeffer: Something you have made quite clear to me many times. He stands up. Call it fantasy, call it madness, but I will make this thing work. Moriarty turns around and notices with surprise that Schaeffer is shaking. He senses a growing desperation behind his colleague's dark tinted glasses. You have it easy. You can afford to criticize plans and stop to think about whether they will work because you have nothing more to lose. I don't have that luxury. I still have something to protect. He touches the outside of the scanner and squeezes tightly. And I can't sleep at night, not till I know that there is a place to hide from the men that hunt me and the thing I must protect. I have to find a way to escape to a world without danger.
Moriarty stares at Schaeffer, and then briefly glances at the scanner next to him. He shakes his head.
Moriarty: It is still madness.
Odd moves higher to the lab room. This room is also unfinished. The holomap screen shows only a rudimentary outline of what will be Lyoko. The monitor looks like it has just become functional. Instead of the rotating command chair, Moriarty and Schaeffer have an old wooden chair in front of the monitor. Moriarty works at the computer while Schaeffer works on the elevator door.
Moriarty: All four sector axes stable and holding. Rotation around central core at 85% efficiency. Quantum computation is normal. Carthage sphere's sector data streams at 60% completion. He runs another diagnostic. Landscape of four sectors at 50%...He stops himself…What the…sector landscapes?! What is all this?!
He turns to Schaeffer, who stops what he's doing and gives Moriarty a somewhat guilty look.
Schaeffer: I…might have taken some creative liberties on the layout of the axes in my spare time.
Moriarty blinks at Schaeffer several times and rubs his forehead, incredulous of what he just heard.
Moriarty: So…let me get this straight. We are being hunted by the most secretive and powerful people in Europe and are working a tight deadline as the last defence between them and an age of surveillance and mistrust….AND YOU'RE ADDING SCENERY?!
Schaeffer: I couldn't care less about your view on my work! He rubs his temples vigorously, indicating his growing psychological distress. I…have been working around the clock on this project, spending my sleepless nights on detail after detail, all the while wondering if my work will lead to success or tragic failure. If I have to add a little downtime to beautify my creation to keep myself sane, then who are you to question me?!
Moriarty sits in his chair quietly, absorbing the words of Schaeffer's outburst.
Schaeffer: Well?
Moriarty: To keep yourself sane? Moriarty observes Schaeffer's increasingly disheveled state. His beard is unruly, his eyes are red, his hair is a mess, and he looks far thinner than before. Are you sure you're not already too late?
Schaeffer pushes his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. He speaks to Moriarty through clenched teeth.
Schaeffer: Just….run the trial program.
Moriarty turns his attention back to the computer and obeys. He centers in on Carthage and begins to launch the trial program.
Moriarty: Interception commencing. The blue walls surrounding Carthage begin to rotate. Old Soviet codes circulating normally. He types in a few more keys and makes some last minute adjustments. All systems operating normally. Standing by for interception.
For several minutes Carthage is inactive, registering no signs of outside interference. Schaeffer moves closer to the monitor and Moriarty sits with rapt attention toward the screen. They check the clock every fifteen seconds, feeling the pain of possible failure with every passing minute. The two start to become more and more impatient. Moriarty covers his face with his mouth while Schaeffer paces behind the chair.
Schaeffer: Come on…come on. Take the bait…
Five seconds after Schaeffer says this, Carthage registers positive for Project Carthage interference. The two scientists react with relief and excitement at the success.
Moriarty: Our old friend has bitten the worm, now for the fun part. He activates Carthage's defenses. Commence data encirclement.
On the digital scale, Project Carthage's attempt to interfere with Lyoko's systems is turned on its head. Moriarty and Schaeffer's Carthage intercepts the interfering program and captures it, relinquishing its data in the process.
Schaeffer: The fragment has been neutralized. Excellent. We now know that Lyoko can cause trouble for Project Carthage, at least on the small scale.
Moriarty: Very true. But it needs a lot of work before- Another window pops up.-What is this?
Moriarty and Schaeffer examine the files. It is a very detailed analysis on Germany's military capabilities. Images of tanks and the latest research in new defense technology fill the page. Schaeffer, quickly after realizing what it is, turns away.
Schaeffer: Oh I see. That fragment from Project Carthage must have released some of its captured information. I see that our pursuers have already been hard at work elsewhere. He shakes his head. It's so terrible knowing that your own creation is being used for something that you so vehemently disagree wi-Schaeffer notices that Moriarty is still reading the files, paying no attention to him. André, you really shouldn't be reading that.
Moriarty doesn't answer. His eyes glue themselves to the documents.
Schaeffer: André we really need to get rid of that sensitive information…
Moriarty's face glows with a somewhat sinister excitement as he reads against Schaeffer's wishes.
Schaeffer: Enough, you've read enough! Delete the documents already!
Moriarty: It was just…delivered to us…on a silver platter. He scrolls down and stares with increased wonder. Project Carthage has gotten even better in our absence. Now it can glean anything and everything from its victims. He whistles. Whoever could control this monster could control the all of the sensitive information in the digital world!
Schaeffer nods with agreement, more than slightly unnerved by the enthusiastic way Moriarty has pointed this out.
Schaeffer: Yes. Exactly. That's why we have to stop the French agents. This is too much power for one group or….one person to control. It isn't right.
Moriarty keeps his eyes on the computer. For a second he doesn't respond. Then, Schaeffer hears a slight chuckle from his colleague. That slight chuckle develops into a very strange laugh. Moriarty then turns around, giving Schaeffer a disturbed look.
Moriarty: It isn't right? Isn't right? You still believe in that?
Schaeffer: Believe in what?
Moriarty: Right. Wrong. The ethical guidelines that supposedly run our world. The big fairytale that even we scientists have fallen for…
Schaeffer stares at Moriarty with his mouth agape.
Schaeffer: The big fairytale? What are you talking about? Even my darling little Aelita knows there's a difference between right and wrong.
Moriarty nods his head and looks up at the ceiling.
Moriarty: Yes. Such things appear to be obvious to everyone. And yet here we are, having committed no crime worthy of punishment, running from the very people who do wrong. His face becomes clouded with rage. Ethics may have guided our decisions before, but following those guidelines didn't save our careers. It didn't save Gaspard….A tremor of despair breaks through his angry expression…or Antea.
Schaeffer: Do we have to bring that up now?
Moriarty gets out of his chair.
Moriarty: As a matter of fact, we do. You see I spent many nights wondering, questioning why this has happened to us. He points vindictively at Schaeffer. It's not enough to just blame you for the tragedy. No, that answer isn't good enough. It goes beyond that. He paces across the room. The nature of his steps becomes more erratic as he continues. I never believed in God, but I did have a humanist view of the world. I believed in the inherent value of human beings. I believed that fundamental injustice could not dominate the world. That ideology kept me content for many years…He then lowers his head and tightens his fists. He starts to lose his voice…and in one fell swoop my whole world came crashing down on me. We, the ones who did right, were forced to run, while the ones who did wrong pursued us and forced us into hiding. For a long time, I couldn't make sense of it, and I couldn't sleep. But now I finally understand. He moves to Schaeffer and grabs him by the collar. The French agents beat us because they had the power to do so. They stole Project Carthage because they could. They turned us into criminals because they could. Don't you see?! Ethics, it's a load of garbage. The only thing that gets you anywhere in this mess of a world is power. Only might is right…
Schaeffer lets his friend finish his monologue, and then slowly removes Moriarty's hands from his collar.
Schaeffer: If you truly believe that, then why are you helping me? He motions to their surroundings. Why bother with all this?
Moriarty: Because we have the ability to stop them, and therefore since we have the ability, we are obligated by right of our own power to use it. He turns around to the computer monitor. However, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about the results of our experiment.
Schaeffer: What are you talking about? They went better than expected!
Moriarty: Yes. On a small scale. But what happens when we continue to experiment on a larger scale? What happens when we try to perfect our methods, using up more and more of Project Carthage in the process? Schaeffer listens closely, starting to see where Moriarty is going. What will inevitably occur is that the French agents will find out and capture us before we can even complete our project. We are going to fail unless we can take out the program as a whole without leaving any window for them to find us. But how can we take it all out before testing it on a larger scale first? He shakes his head. We are really stuck here.
Moriarty and Schaeffer stand quietly in the room, thinking over this potentially hostile situation. While Moriarty goes into deep thought, obvious signs of growing fear become evident on Schaeffer's face. He nervously digs his fingers into his beard, thinking over the unfortunate truth Moriarty has spoken. His throat begins to tighten, and the palms of his hands become clammy with sweat. A growing anxiety develops in its eyes, a strong anxiety that is concealed behind his dark glasses. Moriarty moves toward the door.
Moriarty: Don't misunderstand me. We're not giving up. I'm not going to allow them to win. But we simply can't continue without some other way of going about this. The only way we could do at the moment is by finishing all of our work in one day. Moriarty grimly laughs at this impossibility. But we can't pause time.
Moriarty leaves. Schaeffer slowly takes his seat by the monitor. He rubs his glasses and looks back at the screen, checking the results again. He searches through the data captured from Project Carthage and deletes it. As he finishes up, a slight creak in the walls catches his attention. His head spins toward the direction of the noise.
Schaeffer: Hello? W-Who's there? He gets no response. André, is that you?
Silence is his only answer. Schaeffer then returns to the computer. The second he does that, the creaking in the wall gets louder. Schaeffer turns around again, this time far more anxious then before.
Schaeffer: Who's there?! The creaking becomes louder. Schaeffer begins cowering in his chair. His body shakes. I-I'm not afraid of you….
A rat comes out of the hole in the wall, walking around the chamber with disinterest. Schaeffer breathes a sigh of relief, but his nerves are still on high alert. He turns back around. He places his hands on the sides of his head.
Schaeffer: I have to calm down. If this keeps up, I'm going to lose my mind. He looks up at the results again. He hangs his head. He's right. We wouldn't have enough time. His mind suddenly pulses with an idea. He sits upright in his chair, caught off guard by the sudden revelation. A slight, somewhat crazed smile forms on his face. Or…do we? He opens up files detailing the most fundamental components of the supercomputer's software. An image of several quibits shows up. Quantum computation, combined with the energy of a nuclear-powered supercomputer. Could it really be done? He looks at his keyboard with uncertainty. That uncertainty eventually transforms into a newfound resolve. I'll never know unless I try.
A day later, the elevator takes Moriarty down to the lab room. He keeps his hands in his pockets. He looks neither happy nor especially distressed.
Moriarty: I hope I can convince him to hold off on the project for a little while. Or we are both doomed…
The elevator doors open. Moriarty takes a step to walk out, but his feet quickly become frozen to the floor. The formerly dilapidated lab room has been converted into the state of the art facility it is today. The walls are finished. The monitor has been greatly improved. The command chair has been added. The holosphere has been perfected. Moriarty loses his ability to breathe. He backs up against the elevator wall.
Moriarty: How…how is this possible? Just yesterday, none of this was here!
The command chair moves slightly. Moriarty trains his eyes on it. He can see the back of Schaeffer's head. His fellow scientist speaks into a video diary.
Schaeffer: June 6, 1994….Day 1,835. Lyoko has been performing brilliantly against Project Carthage. I am cautiously optimistic of complete success. Xana also worked well in the latest termination trial. In other news, all three scanners will soon be fully operational, and I am confident that Aelita and I will be able to…He turns around when he notices that Morairty is behind him. At first he regards his partner with an unusual level of fear and hostility, but his combative look eventually dissolves into a calmer one of pure annoyance. Pause transmission. The video diary obeys the command and pauses. Schaeffer shakes his head. I knew I was forgetting something. Locking the elevator every single time is annoying and very hard to remember sometimes.
Schaeffer's words make absolutely no sense to Moriarty. His head spins and he lowers himself closer to the floor. He begins rubbing his eyes.
Moriarty: This…this is a dream. This has to be a dream!
Schaeffer: Oh no. It's no dream. This is all so very real. Schaeffer makes his command chair spin several times, almost like a loony kid who's been hyped up on caffeine. Isn't it all wonderful?!
Moriarty: No! What the hell is going on?! How did this happen?!
Schaeffer groans.
Schaeffer: André, I've explained this to you so many times that I know exactly what you will do. He lists the steps off his fingers. First you start off with shock, then vigorous questioning, then disbelief and denial, and finally shock again. He turns back around. So please, spare me your usual nonsense.
Moriarty digs his fingernails into his scalp with frustration.
Moriarty: You are raving like a madman! Tell me what is going on this instant or so help me-
Schaeffer dismisses him with a wave of his hand.
Schaeffer: Vigorous questioning, right on schedule.
Moriarty slams his fist against the elevator wall.
Moriarty: Waldo!
Schaeffer: How rude. You know that isn't my name anymore. It's Franz Hopper now. I'm pretty sure we established that before the return trips to the past.
Moriarty: The return to the…what?!
Schaeffer spins around and folds his hands together. He is clearly exasperated with his confused partner.
Schaeffer: Since you insist on not letting me get work done until I explain everything again, I might as well give in. A couple of years ago, exactly yesterday to be precise, I discovered a tool locked within the fundamental laws of quantum computation, a power that allows one to reverse the very fabric of time for a brief period. Moriarty's face becomes frozen with disbelief. The sheer magnitude of his colleague's statement makes him unable to respond. Schaeffer opens the return to the past program, showing the computer model of Earth. Every detail of June 6, 1994, can be repeated indefinitely thanks to this program. Everything, down to the moment your alarm goes off, takes place exactly as it transpired before. With the exception-He motions to the supercomputer monitor-of this supercomputer…and myself, now that I have been scanned in one of the cabins downstairs. The data I work on for every June the 6th is saved and added on the next day, giving me all the time in the world to develop Lyoko without getting caught.
Moriarty looks at his friend in horror. His eyes grow wide as the knowledge of his colleague's obvious insanity hit home.
Moriarty: You have truly gone mad…Utterly and completely mad. Turning back time?!...The pressure has obviously gotten to your head. He walks toward the command chair. I'm sorry but I have no choice but to relieve you of control of this project.
Schaeffer grabs Moriarty's wrist.
Schaeffer: Madness you say? Then how would I know that you work up at 6:30 this morning precisely, having slept through your alarm? And how would I know that in your rush to get to work that you burned your toast, although you did it only on one side while the other half still tasted like bread? And at 7:30 a passing bus splashed mud on you while you were walking on the sidewalk? And finally, how would I know that at 10:45 two teenagers tormented you by letting their dog off the leash and allowing it to attack you? He tightens his grip on Moriarty's wrist. Now my old friend, answer me that.
Moriarty pulls himself out of Schaeffer's grasp. He suddenly looks at his surroundings again. He moves over and touches the finished walls. His fingers tremble. He knows it is not an illusion. Schaeffer's knowledge of what has happened to him earlier in the day hit him like a ton of bricks. The blood pounds in his head. He becomes woozy and nauseous. But he maintains some composure as he comes to accept this impossible reality.
Moriarty: You…you freak. You actually did it. You have broken the laws of our very universe. In the midst of his astonishment, he realizes something. But, why…why leave me in the dark? I'm your partner. Your colleague. We abandoned everything for this wild dream. Why was I left out?
Schaeffer: Oh André…or should I call you Sébastien now…you never would have believed me now matter what I told you. There was no way you were getting into that scanner. You made that very clear to me so many years ago…
Moriarty groans.
Moriarty: It was only a week ago!
Schaeffer: And don't you recall what happened yesterday, or what you call yesterday? You personally trampled on the guidelines of right and wrong, the only thing that has kept us going when all seemed lost. He pushes his glasses higher up his nose. He forms a slight, eerie smile. I can't have you working on MY project when you have become so morally deficient…
A pit forms in Moriarty's stomach in the face of this grievous accusation. But he quickly shakes it off.
Moriarty: You're playing with the laws of time, and you call me morally deficient?!
Schaeffer's expression of smug confidence suddenly cracks. The muscles in his face twitch and tremble. A dark pall of fear and paranoia seep through his mask of control. He begins to make strange, unintelligible sounds under his breath. He looks at the floor and starts muttering gibberish. His breathing becomes more strained. He suddenly perks his head up, glaring at Moriarty with hostility. Moriarty backs up, amazed that he has made such a radical mood change.
Schaeffer: They're…they're after me. It's only a matter of time before they find me. But the return trips…no they're not enough. He suddenly points at Moriarty. And you, you're working with them. You're…YOU'RE A TRAITOR! I KNEW IT! YOU BETRAYED ME!
Moriarty: You're spouting nonsense! I never did any such thing! You lost faith in me!
Schaeffer: Don't lie to me! I know you've sharing secrets with them. I can hear your voice in these walls, whispering to them!
Moriarty: Listen to yourself! You've become completely paranoid!
Schaeffer: Paranoid?! He clutches his armrests and bends forward, with his head almost touching his knees. He begins laughing hysterically. I should have been more paranoid! Then I wouldn't have lost my wife and my freedom! But I know how to fix you…He goes back to the computer. I'll just repeat this day over again like usual. He starts up the return to the past program. Have fun repeating this day over again. I'm glad we had this talk, even if you won't remember it.
Moriarty watches in awe as the program starts up. But as the Earth model rotates on screen, it occurs to him that he cannot allow Schaeffer to continue, or he will be right back at square one. He reaches for the keyboard and tries to stop him.
Moriarty: You think I'm just going to watch while you put my life on a permanent rerun?!
Schaeffer tries to enter the finishing keys and push Moriarty away at the same time.
Schaeffer: Stop! If you cause me to mess up, there's no telling what will happen!
Moriarty: Then stop!
Schaeffer: Never!
Schaeffer manages to launch the return to the past, but his finger slips on a few of the keys. The system registers an error right before a blinding light emerges from the holosphere and sets the world back once again. Back in Moriarty's small apartment, he wakes up with his clock showing 6:30. At first he is disoriented, but then he bolts up in bed. His face is covered in sweat and the look in his eyes is distant and disturbed. He rubs his forehead.
Moriarty: I…I remember. The day before. Or more like…today that was supposed to be the day before. He gets out of bed and looks at himself in the bathroom mirror. He touches his face. This is real. Real déjà vu. I have lived this day before. He looks intently at his reflection. But now what?
Hours pass. Moriarty goes about his day. He walks down residential neighborhoods of Paris in his mailman uniform. He overhears the hum of a bus behind him. He stops walking and turns around.
Moriarty: Oh no, I need to run! Moriarty tries to bolt, but in spite of his best efforts, the bus passes by and splashes mud on him. He quietly absorbs the indignity and keeps walking down the sidewalk. Great, I get to relive this again.
A couple of hours later, Moriarty puts the mail on the driveway of one house and starts running. Two mischievous teenagers in the front yard see him and let their Rottweiler off its leash. The fearsome canine takes off after Moriarty down the sidewalk. The teenagers laugh hysterically as Moriarty is forced to flee with the dog biting off the lower half of his left pants leg. As he rounds the corner and escapes the dog's clutches, he trips over himself and lands on the sidewalk. He lies there for a moment, wallowing in the humiliation.
Moriarty: And I couldn't avoid that either. He slowly gets up. I know everything that's going to happen to me, and I still can't avoid it.
Later that night, Moriarty prepares for bed. He drifts into the covers, exhausted from the repeated nonsense he's been subjected to. He sits up again.
Moriarty: What's the point of going to bed? In a few minutes or so, he's just going to repeat the day and I'll start all over again. How long is he going to keep doing this? He grimaces at the thought of repeating the same day continuously. I need to tell him and get him to end this nightmare. He then gasps and pulls the covers up to his neck. His face becomes full of dread. But seeing how crazy he's gotten lately, what will he do with me if he knows that I can remember everything? He shudders at the thought. I don't even want to think about that…
A blinding light enters his room. Once again, Moriarty wakes up at 6:30 with his alarm going off. Moriarty reluctantly gets up and goes about his day again. He attempts to avoid burning his toast, only to end up spilling his coffee on himself. He tries to avoid the bus, only to run into a cyclist. And to top it all off, the Rottweiler still chases him even though he intentionally avoids delivering mail at that house. Moriarty hobbles away from the dog while the canine tears up his mail bag.
Moriarty: June 6th, 1994. It seems I was destined to have a terrible day no matter what I do. Another day is repeated. Moriarty tries to avoid the same events again, only to create new ones or fail to avoid the old ones. The dog tackles Moriarty, growling at him and ripping his shirt collar apart. How many times is he going to repeat this day? The day repeats again, with similar results. The dog rips off his pants leg again. This is Hell. The day repeats once again. This time the Rottweiler makes away with one of Moriarty's shoes. Moriarty fumes and pounds the cement sidewalk with his fist. He looks behind him to see the dog taking the shoe to his young and immature masters. The teenagers laugh at this display of loyalty. One of them takes the shoe and throws it in the yard. Sure enough the dog returns it, and the two play fetch with the shoe. Moriarty glowers at them. Is this what I get in return for my selfless sacrifice for the French people? One of the teens punts the shoe into a large tree in the yard. The dog circles around the tree, barking at the shoe that is now stuck up there. More laughter ensues. These…these punks. Are these the people I have sworn to protect? Are these the people for whom I sacrificed my career, my freedom, my well-being? Moriarty stands up, still glaring at the teens, who don't pay any attention to him. Every day it's the same. Every June 6th I encounter the people who I am supposedly protecting. And this is the reward I get…Moriarty turns around and limps down the sidewalk. And now that the last person in my life has fallen into madness, what is the point? He looks up at the sky. What is my motivation?
Several nights later, Moriarty sits in bed exactly an hour before Schaeffer is due to reset the day. His apartment is dark. His mailman uniform is strewn across the floor. He hasn't gone to work for several days. A pizza box from earlier in the day lies in the corner. Although his clothes aren't disheveled and his body is normal, the faraway look in his eyes indicates that his mind has been stretched to its limits. Several tally marks lie near his bedside. He reaches for the chalk.
Moriarty: 16, no 18. Definitely 18 days. He tries to put eighteen tallies. He then erases two. No it has to be 16. It hasn't been 18 yet. But I feel like 18 is correct. He adds the tallies again and erases it just as quickly. No no no! Sixteen. It has been sixteen days! Or has it?...Oh I've lost count! Maybe it's been 17 days. He throws the chalk down to the floor. I can't take this anymore! He gets out of bed and puts a coat on. I'm confronting Schaeffer. I don't care what he does to me. Anything is better than living in this hell.
He checks himself in the mirror, trying to make himself look somewhat presentable. As he does so, his vision blurs. He holds his head as flashing lights pop up in his field of vision. Dark splotches appear to take form on the wall as he starts to hallucinate. While his mind reels from the strange episode, a voice calls out to him from behind the glass mirror.
Reflection: Are you living in Hell, or have you been presented with a golden opportunity?
Moriarty instantly closes his eyes and tries to block out the voice.
Moriarty: You are not real. You are a figment of my imagination. A hallucination brought on by the mental stress of these return trips.
Reflection: Of course I am. But since I represent a portion of your unconscious mind, you should still listen to me.
Moriarty: And why would I do that?
Reflection: Because I recognize a part of your desires that you refuse to acknowledge. His reflection tightens its fists. The urge to use Lyoko for our own quest for power.
Moriarty looks at his talking reflection. He then runs his fingers through his hair and whistles in exasperation. He holds his hands up in defeat.
Moriarty: That's it. I've lost it. I've officially fallen into madness…
Reflection: Is it madness- The reflection tilts its head to the side- or enlightenment?
Moriarty: I'm currently having a conversation with my own overheated brain…He laughs with a sad and frightening desperation in his voice…I don't think the answer is that hard to come by.
Reflection: You're wrong. Madness is sitting on a gold mine of digital power at your fingertips and doing nothing about it. Running away from an opportunity to pull yourself out of hiding and humiliation is cowardice. The reflection puts its hands behind its back. Cowardice and madness are a bad combination.
Moriarty turns his back on the mirror in an attempt to ignore him.
Moriarty: I may be mad but I'm no coward. I stuck my neck out to save the privacy and freedom of Europe. I have lost everything for the sake of that cause. He turns back around, stomping towards the mirror, suggesting that he might be about to punch it into pieces. What you are asking me to do is exactly what the French secret agents are doing, using Project Carthage to start their own hegemony on the continent. This is the very thing I have been fighting against. He presses his nose against the glass, looking straight into the eye of his reflection. Why on Earth would I become the very thing that I have scientifically and ethically opposed from the very beginning?
The reflection gives his counterpart an evil smile. The malicious look of glee present on his own face unnerves Moriarty, causing him to back up from the mirror.
Reflection: 'Ethics is a load of garbage. The only thing that gets you anywhere in this mess of a world is power. Only might is right'. Weren't those your exact words?
Moriarty struggles with a reply.
Moriarty: I admit that is true but-
Reflection: Then why hesitate?
Moriarty: There is a difference between the ability to do something and the desire to do it. He shakes his head and chuckles. I don't want to use Lyoko to give me power…He throws his hands up in the air, expressing his view that the mere thought of it is lunacy. That's just absurd.
Reflection: What? Are you scared? If morals aren't stopping you, then it has to be fear. Anyone else in your position wouldn't hesitate. The agents hunting you haven't hesitated.
Moriarty: Aha! He points at the reflection, feeling that he has caught it in a trap. I knew it! You just admitted that you want me to become like them. Well sorry, but that is never happening!
Reflection: You got it all wrong. I don't want you to be like them. I want you to be better…
There is a pause as Moriarty thinks over what to say. The reflection presses its hands against the glass, as if it is trying to escape it.
Reflection: Here are the facts my dear friend. You are sitting on a perfect weapon of power, one capable of probing every secret of every military on Earth and wrecking their communications. Your former friend who has clearly betrayed you again has lost his sanity but is unaware that you can remember everything from his return trips. He will never suspect that you are using the supercomputer for your own private campaign. The reflection's face moves closer to the surface of the glass. You know as well as I do that on June 6, 1994, Schaeffer is not at the factory all the time. He has a little girl to take care of after all. Spy on his house at the Hermitage, and in a few days you will have his schedule planned out perfectly. You will know when you can work and when you cannot. And then….The reflection's face becomes full of mad excitement…when you finally have things prepared and Schaeffer is still not the wiser, then you can wreak havoc. The world will fall into chaos and will be completely at your mercy.
Moriarty releases his defensive stance as he processes his counterpart's long speech. The anger and fear directed toward his other half begins to subside. While most of his conscious mind still stubbornly refuses the idea, a certain part of him finds it intriguing. A kind of hunger develops in his eyes. He starts to see that what the reflection is suggesting is an extreme but surprisingly realistic possibility. Moriarty paces around, burdened with a reluctance that is not as strong as it was a few minutes earlier.
Moriarty: Even though I can, I just simply don't want to. He racks his brain, searching desperately for something to change the subject and get his mind of the idea. Besides, within a few months, Waldo should be done with Lyoko. Project Carthage will be done with, we will still be safe, and I'll be able to move on with my life.
Reflection: What life?! His voice becomes more threatening as he challenges Moriarty. Being a postal worker?! Is that what you really want?! No, you want something more. You deserve more. Way more than this. The reflection's comments sting Moriarty. He feels his argument for a future life caving in on itself. What about France? Didn't you want to make it strong? Isn't that what the far-right nationalist of your youth always wanted? You can do that…right here. All you need to do is pull the trigger…
Moriarty feels himself breaking down from the inside. The idea of being a postal worker his entire life, being degraded like the incident with the dog, comes across to him as unacceptable. A cluster of strong emotions pushes him to the brink. He puts his foot down.
Moriarty: I will not accept that humiliation. I refuse to. But suggesting a grab for power as the only alternative…it's irrational.
His reflection points at him, becoming ever more aggressive in his persuasion.
Reflection: Just look at yourself! Look how far you've fallen! You've lost your career, the woman you loved, the man you called a friend, and your own dignity. There's only thing that remains…He points to himself…Me. I'm the only one you have left. Everyone else is gone. All of them. Don't you see? He starts addressing him in a pleading tone. I'm all you've got. There's only one place you can go. And that's toward power, and a lot of it.
The hunger Moriarty experienced earlier increases twelvefold. The temptation to abuse his knowledge and resources, combined with the anger, guilt, and frustration of years of disappointment and tragedy, build into a climax that breaks down the last traces of resistance. Beads of sweat drip down his forehead as his mind and body reel with the struggle. The reflection folds its arms and goes it for the killer blow.
Reflection: Think about it. You can either give in to our desires and make yourself great or you can refuse and die alone in this apartment. The reflection shrugs. Your choice.
Moriarty looks down at the floor. He turns from side to side, gazing at the walls. He imagines dying, old and alone in that same apartment, without any gratitude for the sacrifices he has made. His anger and lust for power reach a critical point. He balls his fists and punches the walls.
Moriarty: NO! The blows leave his knuckles bloody and create marks on the walls, but he keeps going. He continues until he tires and his knuckles become thoroughly bruised. At last he stops. He slowly rises to and turns to face his reflection again. His face meets that of his reflection. He matches the evil smile of his other half. He giggles, then chuckles, then laughs hysterically as the last vestiges of an upright and sane Moriarty vanish without a trace. He rubs his hands together. So…A criminally insane look develops in his eyes…when can we get started?
Dream shifts. Moriarty enters the lab room alone. He takes possession of the command chair and sits down. He quickly gets to work.
Moriarty: Schaeffer takes a break on June 6th, 1994 from 11 am to 2 pm. Three hours. Three hours to work every day. He hacks into the factory cameras, erasing his presence from the footage. He is a man of habit. No doubt that habit is one of the few things keeping him functional in the midst of his insanity. If I play my cards right-He smiles wickedly-He will never know I'm here. Scene shifts to Sector Five, where the data streams flow to and from Carthage. Green lights appear around the data streams, collecting the gathered intelligence from Project Carthage. Instead of using Lyoko to destroy Project Carthage, I will use Lyoko to capture it. Thousands of classified documents detailing secrets about European nations and their military capabilities are downloaded into Moriarty's personal files. Recent research into nuclear and chemical warfare becomes part of his collection. The days pass. Moriarty's knowledge and power grows. Within weeks, Moriarty has tons of information on France's rivals and allies. As his resources grow, he begins targeting his enemies. Documents revealing the French agents as "Les Invisibles" are absorbed by his research as he directs Lyoko's power to actively sifting through Project Carthage data. Photos of the different agents in their black suits and sunglasses become easily accessible. The one missing piece is The Director, whose existence is mentioned by the documents but whose identity remains a mystery. So these are the people who have ruined my lives. He creates an advanced malware program. Time to return the favor. The malware program is launched, and Moriarty surveys its progress with glee. This is getting really fun.
More days go by. The green lights absorb more and more information from the data streams. He increases the rate of information retrieval. Time marches on, and Moriarty spends more and more time working, pushing his limits with his small window of opportunity. When his quarry of captured data becomes incredibly large, he begins moving in a more aggressive direction. At the end of one of his work periods, he pulls up the blueprints of a Russian military satellite. Moriarty examines the data while scratching his chin. Without any hesitation, he interferes with its orbit.
Moriarty: Let's ground you…The Russian satellite in space takes a nosedive from orbit, falling into Earth's atmosphere and burning into a crisp. Moriarty monitors its descent until it is reduced to burned chunks of metal. He shrugs. Uh…I'm bored again. Let's see what my old hunters are up to today…
The chaos continues. Moriarty, no longer content with staying put while his information arsenal grows, uses Lyoko's increasing power and captured Project Carthage programming to inflict more destruction. He personally shuts down the London Heathrow Airport for a day, grounding dozens of flights and sending air traffic into chaos. Several emerging websites from Fortune 500 companies are infected, ruining profits. The value of the Japanese Yen is artificially inflated, giving a major headache for world economies. All in all, the damage is not enough to permit anyone to connect the dots, but it is more than enough for a certain someone to relish in his work. One day, after surveying his work following a recent nuclear power plant scare in Belarus, Moriarty sits back in the command chair, fully satisfied with the intoxication of power.
Moriarty: I've spent my whole life letting the world kick me from behind. He watches several news stories in separate windows on the monitor, taking in all the fruits of his labor. His heart pounds with excitement while the hunger to cause more incidents escalates within him. He drums his fingers on the armrests. But no more. He leans forward, almost pressing his face to the monitor screen. This time I'm the one doing the kicking! I can achieve what no despot has ever been able to accomplish: the complete domination of the human race. I am in total control, and this world will have no choice but to bow down to me…
He is interrupted by a familiar voice from behind.
Schaeffer: The world will bow to no one, especially you…
Before Moriarty can do anything, a hand covers his mouth and a sharp pain goes into his neck. His world goes black. Several minutes later, Moriarty comes to, extremely groggy and confused. He feels around his surroudings. He finds himself in a narrow space encased with cold metal. He tries to stand but his muscles resist.
Moriarty: Where, where am I? Moriarty looks around and sees that he is inside one of Schaeffer's scanners. It takes a few moments for his brain to process the danger. When it does, he starts to panic, frantically looking around. What's going on?
Schaeffer walks around the corner and stands in front of the open scanner with his hands behind his back.
Schaeffer: Exile. That is what's going on. Seeing Moriarty struggling, he pulls out one of his hands from behind his back, revealing an empty syringe and needle. Don't bother getting up, you've been drugged.
Moriarty: What is the meaning of this? And what did you mean by exile?!
Schaeffer: You didn't think you could pull this charade on me forever did you? I've used the return to the past far more than you have. And I've lived this day long enough to tell exactly when something seems out of place. Moriarty looks helplessly at Schaeffer as he continues to explain. Did you think your tampering with Project Carthage would slip past me? Did you think your little stunts on the world stage would go unnoticed? Schaeffer chuckles with a wild, paranoid look in his eyes. I've been convinced some imaginary enemy was sneaking behind my back for months! How did you think you could get away with it when I live in a constant state of suspicion?
Moriarty scowls at Schaeffer in disgust.
Moriarty: You paranoid lunatic! He spits at him. How dare you do this to me!
Schaeffer: Don't try to make this about me! I know what you've been doing behind my back. Your megalomania has finally done you in good this time! You've transformed yourself into a worse enemy than the ones we ran from!
Moriarty quickly shouts down his old friend with venom spewing out of every word.
Moriarty: Don't put me in the same league with those bastards! I am better than they will ever be!
Schaeffer stares coldly at Moriarty, clearly not satisfied with his response. He remains quiet for a moment before delivering his ultimatum.
Schaeffer: André, this is your last chance. Give up on this crazy conquest plan, and I will not exile you to Lyoko. He extends his hand toward him as an olive branch. His look toward Moriarty softens. The emotions of condemning his best friend awaken in him, and genuine pain replaces his former anger. An expression of slight hope appears on his face. I was wrong to leave you out of our project with the return to the past. Let's put this behind us. He motions to the factory around him. Our work is almost finished. We can perfect Lyoko and destroy Project Carthage once and for all. We can move on with our lives. We can finally be at peace.
Moriarty's gaze meets Schaeffer's, and for a moment it looks like he might yield. But he shakes it off just as quickly. A countenance of hatred is aimed directly at Schaeffer. He scoffs at the offer.
Moriarty: So you can live the life of a respected teacher while I let my life rot as a postal worker! No thanks! I can do so much more with my life, and I will not hold back. He points up at the top of the scanner. Besides, this thing won't send me to Lyoko. It will only fry me. And you don't have the guts to do that.
Schaeffer's soft look disappears, quickly replaced with a visage of paranoid resolve. He turns his back on Moriarty and starts to walk away. His pace toward the elevator is slow and reluctant.
Schaeffer: I'm sorry it had to come to this. You give me no choice.
Panic starts to set in as Moriarty senses that Schaeffer isn't bluffing.
Moriarty: Wait, what are you doing? Stop! The scanner doors shut close. Moriarty feebly reaches for the metal door. He begins sweating profusely. Don't do it! IN THE NAME OF GOD DON'T! The scanner warms up and begins to transfer him. Moriarty looks up at the scanner, which hits him with a blinding light. NO! NO!
Moriarty is successfully virtualized. In the Desert Sector, a dark amorphous smoke cloud hovers above a tower. Schaeffer speaks to him from the factory.
Schaeffer: This is your home now André. I'm sorry to say that I haven't perfected human like virtual bodies, but you'll be glad to know that my pointless attempts at scenery will allow you to escape the drudgery of your imprisonment. Feel free to collect as much information as you wish. You can do no further harm here.
Moriarty has no mouth or face, but a pulsing red energy inside his smoke cloud glows brightly in response to his voice.
Moriarty: Like hell I'm going to accept that!
Moriarty wanders throughout the sector, ultimately traveling to the others. For weeks, he explores relentlessly, learning more and more about his new home. Finally, after circling a tower in the Forest Sector for a long time, he manages to activate it.
Schaeffer: What…what are you doing?
Moriarty: Turning my prison into my domain….
He moves to the Mountain Sector. He hovers over several rocks. The rocks then turn into humanoids. As Morairty continues to move, his monsters begin to pop up all over Lyoko.
Schaeffer: Stop this! You are abusing Lyoko's power. You are ruining my creation!
Moriarty: And you ruined my life, so it's only fair that I destroy your precious toy. But I'm not stopping there. I will be a constant thorn in your side! I will overturn your precious world until your potential refuge becomes your living hell! You have made a mistake making an enemy out of me! He flies over the Ice Sector as scorpions march below him. I will be the Iago to your Othello…the Salieri to your Mozart…the Moriarty to your Sherlock Holmes!
Schaeffer: Yes. It's true. A Moriarty is what you are now. The old André I once knew is dead. All that's left is his twisted, empty shell. You are my sworn enemy now, and so I have no other option…an army of krabs marches forward, meeting the scorpions in battle…but to send Xana to destroy you.
Battles rage over Lyoko as Xana engages Moriarty. The smoke monster now known as Moriarty gains more power and fights his attacker, but to no avail. His monsters grow fewer and fewer in number. One by one the sectors fall into Xana's hands, until he has no other recourse but to flee into the digital sea. While he sinks into its depths, Schaeffer continues to deride him.
Schaeffer: You can't keep going forever. This is my world, and you have nowhere to run.
Moriarty disappears into the abyss.
Moriarty: And pretty soon, neither will you.
Some time later, Moriarty revolves around the South Pole of Carthage. His form enlarges to that of a smoky black and red skull. He growls and shouts loud enough for the entire sector to hear.
Moriarty: WALDO, COME OUT! I KNOW YOU'RE HERE!
Below him, a swarm of bright little orbs approaches.
Schaeffer: Looking for me?
Moriarty takes one look at him and immediately breaks into a hearty, insidious laugh.
Moriarty: That is your form?! Oh how the mighty have fallen!
Schaeffer: May you rot forever in Hell for revealing the location of the Hermitage! You have forced me to this drastic point! Now step aside…
Moriarty: Oh no. You didn't think I was going to let you pull the plug without a fight, did you? He grows more menacing and reaches his tentacle arms toward Schaeffer. His eyes are ablaze with murderous intent. And I'm not going to miss the opportunity to kill you! His smoke cloud starts to envelop the bright orbs. I'm going to savor every second of this!
Moriarty entangles Schaeffer in his tentacles, but right when it seems that he has won, a bright light breaks through his grip and burns him.
Moriarty: AHH!
Schaeffer: Be gone Moriarty! You are finished!
Schaeffer slips by Moriarty into the Core Chamber of Lyoko. Moriarty tries to follow, but a program from Xana keeps him out. He struggles against the shield desperately.
Moriarty: You fool! If you do this then we all will be shut down!
Schaeffer enters the Core.
Schaeffer: A necessary sacrifice. To keep you and Xana from destroying the world, I must destroy my own.
Schaeffer powers down the core. Immediately Carthage goes dark. The Sectors vanish, and all traces of Moriarty, Xana, Schaeffer, and Aelita are snuffed out. Lyoko is sealed in perfect darkness and silence. Odd drifts in the inky blackness, letting the invisible currents carry his body.
Odd: Well I guess that's it then. We have everything we need to know. He looks around. Now I just need to find a way to wake up. How am I going to do that?
While Odd thinks over a possible exit strategy, a restless presence churns from behind him. He feels a chill move across his shoulders.
Moriarty: Hey, what are you doing here? Odd turns around. From out of the darkness Moriarty appears, clearly not happy to see Odd. Get out of my head…
Odd faces Moriarty with his usual amount of caution and restrained fear. Even though he had floated aimlessly in the void for some time, he feels more alone next to Moriarty now than he did before.
Odd: I could say the same thing to you.
Moriarty: You're not the one whose memories are being downloaded into a dream and played back like a DVD. He glares spitefully at Odd. Did you think I wasn't going to notice you stalking around the most personal parts of my mind?
Odd shrugs.
Odd: It was worth a shot. I figured not talking much was the key to keeping you from noticing me.
Moriarty: Be that as it may, you have overstayed your welcome. Get out.
Odd: I'd love to. But that's not under my control. I have to wait for my alarm to go off, or for Kiwi to jump on me, or for Ulrich to talk loudly in his sleep while dreaming about Yumi…
Moriarty stuffs his hands in his pockets, slightly amused by the situation.
Moriarty: Then it looks like we are at an impasse. How annoying. I don't suppose I could kill you here, could I?
Odd: Probably not.
Moriarty sighs, obviously disappointed with that limitation.
Moriarty: In that case, did you enjoy the show?
Odd: Your memories are always both interesting and disturbing. I can't say it's clear whether I hate or enjoy experiencing them.
Moriarty: I'm intrigued. Now that you've seen everything, do you hate me more, or less? He smiles at Odd. Are you even more determined to destroy me, or are you convinced that I am merely a victim of circumstance, a miserable creature to be pitied?
Odd takes time with his response, choosing his words carefully.
Odd: I am just as determined to destroy you as ever. If I was any more determined, it would become an obsession that would destroy me. And as for your memories…He folds his arms across his chest...you definitely went through a lot of stuff that you didn't deserve. I can't deny that. But what has happened to you does not excuse your decisions. No one forced you to become what you are.
Moriarty: You fool. Were you even listening to my dream? He reaches his arm forward and clenches his fist as if he grasping some intangible object of desire. Power was the only thing I had left. I was boxed into a corner with only one door left to go into. I had no other choice.
Odd: You always had a choice. You could have reconciled with Schaeffer. You could have put your Carthage days behind you. You could have lived a normal life.
Moriarty shakes his head.
Moriarty: When you can take power, you take it. That is the law of nature. Might is right. That's how the world operates, and neither you nor I can change it. Those who choose to ignore it become the losers in this merciless world. And losing was definitely not an option for me.
Odd lowers his eyebrows in anger.
Odd: Stop acting like the mere access to power forced you to do this. You had a choice. So what if the guys in black abused their power. That doesn't mean you had to play their game. Every day, you wake up, choosing to go about creating your hellish world. Even now, you still have a choice. You can still stop this. Odd pauses, somewhat caught off-guard by the direction of his own conversation. He struggles over his words a second time. You…can still stop this…
Moriarty looks at Odd in confusion.
Moriarty: What are you talking about?
Odd does nothing for almost fifteen seconds. He keeps his head down, staring at the blackness below his feet. Revulsion kicks in as his mind starts to work out a rather drastic idea. He takes a deep breath, resisting the urge to condemn Moriarty as he is accustomed to. Instead, he slowly raises his hand to Moriarty in the form of an offer. Moriarty watches the gesture, greatly humored by Odd's surprising behavior.
Moriarty: What's this?
Odd: Your last chance.
Moriarty: Pardon me?
Odd gives Moriarty a deadly serious look.
Odd: Give up on this madness. You and I, the rest of the warriors, Kadic, France…we don't need to be fighting. The people who hunted you are gone. You've had your revenge. So end this insanity. Stop it, before it's too late. It's true that the Lyoko Warriors hate you. We want you to meet a horrific end, but we want to save the world more. If you give up, I could convince Jeremie to help you. We could give you your body back. Your real body…You can have your normal life back. You can finally have some peace.
Moriarty stares dumbfounded at Odd for a second. Then he bursts out laughing, completely floored by Odd's compassionate and unexpected gesture. He finally calms down and wipes his eyes.
Moriarty: Oh Odd, you never cease to amaze me. I have to say, you are finally starting to act like a man. But if you think I'm going to stop now then I'm afraid you are the one who's insane. I finally have everything I need in place. France is in the palm of my hand. I've pretty much won the fight already. No Odd…your olive branch is appreciated but denied. I've waded in too far to stop now. This world will bow to me. Surrender is not an option and it never will be.
Odd lowers his hand. He looks at Moriarty with some level of sadness.
Odd: I knew you would say that. But I thought it would be appropriate for me to give you the same chance Schaeffer gave you. Odd turns his back on him. But I see that both of our efforts were pointless.
He drifts away from Moriarty while his sworn enemy continues to taunt him.
Moriarty: It's been fun Odd. Enjoy yourself in these next few weeks. Pretty soon you will have nowhere else to hide.
Odd looks over his shoulder.
Odd: And pretty soon, neither will you.
Odd dissolves into the darkness as his dream comes to a close.
The die is cast. The War between the Lyoko Warriors and Moriarty cannot come to a peaceful solution. It is the point of no return. Is the suspense killing you yet? Let's have some reviews and I might just speed things along…