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.

25. Chapter 25

Looks like I have to apologize….again. But as you can see, this installment is a lot longer than usual, so hopefully you will be satisfied with that. The fight continues and France teeters on the edge of chaos. What does Moriarty have in store for them? How will the warriors respond? Obviously I know that answer, so just start reading already.

Part 39

The Order holds a rally in a small soccer stadium to the south of Boulogne-Billancourt. Students from across Paris come to give their support, but the group from Kadic is by far the largest. Other supporters appear in the trademark black and purple of the Order. Some curious observers sit in the back of the stands. Before the ceremony begins, Emmanuel and his sister Angeline walk down the stadium steps to the Kadic section. His hammer necklace dangles beneath his loose fitting long sleeve black shirt. He and his sister move across their aisle in front of fellow students.

Emmanuel: Excuse me, pardon me.

The two force their way through to their seats. He finds himself standing next to Mathias. They share a curt greeting and then focus on the center of the field, waiting for Moriarty to show up. While Emmanuel's eyes dart around, he sees Herb to the left of Mathias. He notes with alarm that he is carrying The Order flag for Kadic.

Emmanuel: Hey…Herb turns to face him…just what the hell are you doing carrying MY flag?

Herb: This flag isn't yours. It belongs to all of us. And if you remember correctly, Chardin told us not to fight over it. He holds his head up arrogantly. The least you could do to honor his memory is to respect his wishes.

Emmanuel: That doesn't negate the fact that it's the duty of the Commandant's most trusted student to wave it.

Herb: Yes, and that's an honor you have lost…

The Order students of Kadic stop what they're doing and watch with anxiety as the confrontation between the two heats up. Angeline steps in front of Emmanuel, glaring at Herb.

Angeline: How dare you…have you forgotten who was selected to be the student trustee?! What gives you the right to-?

Emmanuel places a hand on her shoulders.

Emmanuel: Angeline, let me handle this- She backs off, respecting his wishes. He forms a fist in his right hand and approaches Herb. You want to run that by me again?

Herb swallows nervously in response to Emmanuel's obvious attempt at intimidation. But he does manage a verbal rebuttal.

Herb: F-F-Face the facts. You were absent from the last Order meeting in the auditorium. And you didn't show up for the one at the park four days ago. Herb smiles maliciously, becoming bolder with every accusation. In fact, you've been missing Order events left and right for the last two weeks. Care to explain that to your loyal subordinates?

The Order members look at Emmanuel with suspicion. Herb's statement has done its work. Even Angeline waits eagerly for her brother to answer. Emmanuel fidgets a little, feeling the pressure on him. At the same time, he searches his brain for an answer that seems to escape him.

Emmanuel: I…I've been. I've been….The necklace starts to glow. Emmanuel becomes temporarily lost in a frozen stupor…I…I've just been studying a lot lately.

Herb pretends to think for a moment, enjoying having the upper hand for once.

Herb: Hmm…interesting. That's a pretty lame excuse to forego Order events that many times. But what makes it worse is that it doesn't hold water. You've been missing classes as well, including ones with the Commandant! He turns to his fellow students, grinning as he goes for the killer blow. What's the point of studying when you don't show up to class in the first place? And furthermore-He turns to Emmanuel- how can he claim to be the Commandant's most trusted student when he doesn't even show up to his classes anymore?

The other students begin to talk under their breath as the pressure starts to mount. Mathias, still caught between the two, rubs the back of his neck uncomfortably.

Mathias: You know, I hate to say it, but he's got a point. You've been really MIA lately, and we're starting to ask questions…

Emmanuel looks behind him at the other Order students. There is a mixture of coldness and confusion among them as they scrutinize him. Their faces are full of distrust. Faced with public humiliation, Emmanuel takes his seat.

Emmanuel: Fine. Keep the flag. He shoots Herb one last piercing glare. Try not to break your arms.

Herb smiles with glee.

Herb: Oh Emmanuel, if I didn't know better, I would say that sounded like a threat.

Mathias holds his hands out between them, establishing himself as peacemaker.

Mathias: Enough. Both of you. The Commandant is about to make his speech, so let's put our differences aside for a little bit. Herb and Emmanuel look in opposite directions, making it known that they grudgingly accept his advice. Mathias puts his hand on Emmanuel's shoulder. Hey, don't sweat it. He leans in closer to Emmanuel's ear to whisper to him. No one likes this creep anyway. He's just taking advantage of your absence. Just stop disappearing, and you will have their respect back in no time.

Emmanuel: Thanks for the consolation. I guess I needed it. Emmanuel turns his head to face him. His eyes catch a glimpse of Mathias' hand, which looks somewhat bruised. What happened to your hand? Your knuckles look all beaten up. What happened to you?

Mathias quickly removes his hand from Emmanuel's shoulder. He pauses awkwardly, hesitating to respond.

Mathias: Oh…this? He forces a smile. It's nothing. I was trying to blow off some steam after bombing a test and I punched my gym locker. Not my smartest move…

Emmanuel: Well, whatever the case, you must have hit it pretty hard.

While the crowd continues to gather, a lone student in a black hoodie enters at the back of a large group. This large group does not wear the uniform of The Order. Most of them are spectators and some have the red maple leaf of Canada on their T-shirts and hats. The student at the back picks up a cellphone and conceals it under his hood as he makes the call. His signature Texas accent quickly reveals his identity.

Tobias: Alright then, I'm inside. Neither the Order nor the Canucks have noticed me yet.

Back at Kadic, Jeremie and Jim listen to Tobias on speaker phone in an abandoned classroom in the science building. Jeremie takes notes on his laptop while Jim checks the door to make sure no one is listening.

Jeremie: Okay Tobias, good work. Do you have any questions before you proceed?

Tobias: Yeah, just one small one…He speaks to Jeremie in a harsh whisper. Remind me why I was chosen to do this?

Jeremie: The visiting students from Alberta who were invited by The Order provided the perfect cover for one of us to infiltrate the meeting. We needed you to fill the role of someone from rural North America.

Tobias: But I'm American, not Canadian!

Jeremie shrugs.

Jeremie: You're the closest thing we had. Just keep your mouth shut and your accent won't give you away. Make sure you keep a sharp eye on the group as well. Do they seem to be especially interested in this Order rally?

Tobias overhears a couple of the Canadians talking.

First Canadian: Eh, I'm already bored. Remind me why we came here again?

Second Canadian: The hell if I know. I'm not the chaperone. Hey, did you see the hockey game last night?

First Canadian: It was that or American reality TV. What do you think I chose?

Tobias: Uh…define interested…A large cheer rings out from the other side of the stadium. Wait, I think Renard has arrived.

At the center of the field, Moriarty waves to the crowd with a microphone in his other hand. The more radical members in the stadium immediately start chanting "COMMANDANT! COMMANDANT!". Moriarty does the cross-armed salute.

Moriarty: Strength through discipline! Strength through community!

The stadium replies in a deafening roar.

Stadium: STRENGTH THROUGH DISCIPLINE! STRENGTH THROUGH COMMUNITY!

The crowd breaks out into applause and cheers again. Moriarty allows the spectacle to continue for a few seconds and then raises his right hand for quiet. The crowd instantly becomes silent, leaving an uncanny vacuum in its wake. Moriarty lifts the microphone to his mouth.

Moriarty: Ladies and Gentlemen of the Order and associated guests, it's my privilege to speak to you today. Our very presence here is evidence of our emerging success. Some of you who were with me from the very beginning know that we started out in a single classroom. We progressed to park rallies, political debates, and finally…He motions to the field…even our nation's favorite sport is now accommodating us. That alone should make you proud to be a part of this movement. I know I am. But now that we have progressed this far, now that we have made national and even international news, one burning question remains: What do we do next? We have reached a critical point, one that requires us to either rise or decline. Countless grass-roots movements have fallen apart at the seams because they lacked direction. We cannot allow that to happen to us. If we do, everything we have worked for, everything we have clamored for from our government will be for nothing. That's why I am telling you that the time to act is now. Moriarty pauses before going into another lengthy explanation. These cowardly and heinous atrocities have rocked France to its core. France is now looking at us to see how we respond. The world is watching to see how we respond. As you may have heard, critics in the press and in other….underground subversive groups…

Tobias: You think he's talking about us?

Jeremie: I think sneaking in to a rally to listen to his plans counts as subversive.

Moriarty: ….have recklessly and maliciously predicted that we would respond to these crimes with inexcusable acts of violence. In essence, they have accused us of being capable of the same level of inhumanity that has plagued our nation. They have painted us as radicals no better than the Islamic Republic of France. Will this outrage be tolerated?!

A resounding NO echoes throughout the stadium.

Moriarty: Then let's make a statement. One that this nation will be unable to avoid. I am not advocating violence at all, despite what the enforcers of the status quo may believe. But I am advocating a show of strength, a march en masse to show that although we respect law and order, we will not feebly accept the blows against our country. And I have just the ideal place to march-

Moriarty is suddenly interrupted by some shouting on the other side of the stadium. All eyes and ears turn to Section K in the stands, where a small group of teenagers and adults emerge from the walkway and begin verbally lambasting The Order. They carry megaphones and signs wish messages that condemn The Order. Several of the signs have a large O on them, the symbol of the Outcasts.

Outcast Group: THE ORDER IS A POISON TO FRANCE! DOWN WITH THE COMMANDANT! END FRENCH FASCISM NOW!

The sudden entrance of this Outcast group immediately provokes a chorus of boos and catcalls from the crowd, demanding that they be quiet. Moriarty stands there in the field, waiting patiently for the intruders to heap abuse onto themselves. Tobias watches the scene with confusion and fear. Jeremie contacts him, snapping him out of his shock.

Jeremie: Tobias, what's going on there?

Tobias: It's one of our Outcast branches. They've crashed the party!

Jeremie: What?! All on their own? Jeremie places his hands on his head. Oh this is bad…We told them to stay away from that rally!

Jim: It must be the group from Lincoln. Those guys never listen to me.

Jeremie: Yeah, and it's about to backfire on them big time!

Back at the stadium, a girl spokesperson for the Outcasts calls out to the crowd with her megaphone.

Outcast Spokesperson: People of France, stop supporting this movement! It's an extremist time-bomb directed by a madman! France is not doing great right now, but this is not the answer! Stop before it's too late!

The cacophony of jeers pummels them more intensely than before.

Order Member #1: Shut up you left-wing pansy!

Order Member #2: You're not welcome here!

Order Member #3: This is the future. Get used to it!

They rain down similar insults to try and silence her, but the spokesperson holds firm.

Outcast Spokesperson: Please…I am trying to appeal to your sense of reason. Your tactics and agenda are dangerously similar to movements that created the last World War. Do not let this demagogue sway you to his side. She points at Moriarty, who is still standing quietly. He is a master manipulator trying to turn you into monsters! If he succeeds, then France will become a hotbed for far-right militants who will persecute the minorities in this country!

After the third round of angry verbal abuse, Moriarty finally decides to step in. He calmly makes eye contact with his opponent.

Moriarty: Now, now. This may be a free country and you have the right to freedom of speech, but the last part you said about minorities is simply not true. He points to the crowd. I'll have you know that we have representatives from every minority group in France within our midst. And they don't feel threatened at all by us.

Outcast Spokesperson: That's because they haven't figured out yet what you really want!

Moriarty covers his mouth, feigning disbelief in response to her comment.

Moriarty: Are you saying they're stupid? Too dumb to figure out my "evil plan"? How is that respectful to minorities?

The spokesperson falters with embarrassment, realizing she has been tricked.

Outcast: No…that…that's not what I meant! The crowd continues to torment her. He's twisting my words around!

Tobias: Jeremie, this is bad. Renard is making mincemeat out of her. At this rate, the whole Outcast movement will be ruined!

Jeremie turns to Jim.

Jeremie: Call their leader. Tell them to back off now!

Jim obeys but gets no response.

Jim: They're not answering! He anxiously looks to Jeremie for help. What should we do?

Jeremie: You're the leader! You're supposed to decide!

Jim stammers and talks rapidly as a result of the unbearable pressure resting on his shoulders.

Jim: Uh…I-I-I'm not sure. I haven't been this nervous since my run in with the beaver. And when I get nervous, I have nothing to use but my instincts.

Jeremie: Then use your instincts!

Jim takes a deep breath and becomes calm.

Jim: You're right. I have to take charge! Jim takes the cellphone from Jeremie's hand and bellows a command at Tobias. Tobias, initiate the emergency distraction protocol! CODENAME: TIGER ALPHA!

Jeremie's head hits the table.

Jeremie: On second thought, maybe instincts were a bad idea.

Tobias loses a few brain cells as he processes that unintelligible request. He replies in a much louder voice than he intended.

Tobias: What?! What the hell are you talking about?!

Several Canadians in front of him notice his accent and turn around in surprise.

First Canadian: Hey, you're not from our group…

Tobias smiles innocently and starts backing away.

Tobias: I don't suppose any of you guys are Dallas Stars fans…

Moriarty begins speaking again, saving Tobias from further questioning.

Moriarty: It's like I've been telling my critics all this time, you have misunderstood our central message. Just because we want a strong and patriotic France does not mean we won't accept those who aren't ethnically French. Our enemies don't belong to specific races. Our enemies are those who purposefully and deliberately drain French society by being parasitic, subversive, and generally selfish and unhelpful. Those who refuse to help build France up are in turn consciously or subconsciously working to tear it down. That's how it works.

Outcast Spokesperson: But many of the neighborhoods you claim to be parasitic and subversive are mostly composed of minorities. You can't get around that fact.

Moriarty: You do have a point. He shrugs. It is an unfortunate fact that many minority groups who find themselves unable to assimilate to French society in turn have the potential to drag French society down…

The spokesperson addresses Moriarty with renewed confidence, feeling she has scored a major victory.

Outcast Spokesperson: So you admit that minorities are The Order's enemy!

Moriarty: No. I admit that their communities need work. And I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. If they can come to terms with our vision of France, I see no reason for our relationship to be strained. And as a symbol of good faith….He turns to the rest of the crowd again…the location for our march against terrorism will be the suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois!

The crowd reacts with stunned silence. The Outcasts look at each other in horror and the spokesperson trips over her words.

Outcast Spokesperson: Clichy-sous-Bois?! You're going to march in one of the roughest parts of Paris?! You're going to provoke the people there into a fight!

Moriarty: If they are civilized people like ourselves, then we should have nothing to fear. The citizens of Clichy-sous-Bois should see it as an act of solidarity. Moriarty smiles with an evil glint in his eye. But if the confrontation does not go as peacefully as planned, then…my dear…it will be proof that YOUR ideology is flawed, not ours.

Tobias speaks in a hushed whisper over the phone.

Tobias: Jeremie, are you getting all this?

Jeremie turns slightly pale. His fingers hesitate on the keyboard of his laptop.

Jeremie: Unfortunately….He curses under his breath…That psychopath is going to ignite a firestorm…

Moriarty mercilessly continues with his counterattack.

Moriarty: And another thing-He looks off to the side-I'm getting rather sick of being called a fascist. We are not fascists, or xenophobic extremists. So stop comparing us to monsters when you don't know anything about us. Why, we're not even on the same level as the National Front…

NF Supporter: TRAITOR!

Moriarty and half the stadium turn their heads in response to the sudden outburst in the crowd. A man at the south side of the stadium on the front row shouts at Moriarty. He and several people beside him wear shirts with the French tricolor in the form of a flame, which is the symbol of the National Front.

NF Supporter: You've turned your backs on us! His friends nod their heads and begin shouting with him. We thought you had something big going here, but you're just as spineless as our politicians!

Moriarty levels a murderous gaze at the troublemaker. He quickly eases the look when he remembers that he is being watched by thousands. He resumes his calm and collected expression and approaches the recent disturbance with caution.

Moriarty: I'm sorry. But I really have no idea what you are talking about.

NF Supporter: Don't play dumb! We in the National Front thought you could do a lot of good in this country, but you've caved in to pressure in an attempt to please everyone. Well, we're not buying it! The Order should be joining us to do what needs to be done in this country, not denouncing us!

A woman in another section steps up to counter him.

Order Moderate: No way! The Order should not be that radical! If you neo-fascists want to take control, then I want nothing to do with it!

Arguments start to break out on both sides. The crowd in the stands becomes sharply divided between those who agree with the National Front and those who are for a more moderate stance. Moriarty holds his hands out for peace, hoping to pacify any current divisions.

Moriarty: People of The Order, this is not the way to behave. I'm sure we can work something out. We may not agree with each other but cooler heads need to prevail. Now please stop this!

To Moriarty's chagrin, the crowd does not obey as eagerly as before. They seem more interested in fighting each other than paying respect to their leader. Tobias watches as the crowd angrily starts yelling amongst themselves. The Canadians start to get nervous.

Second Canadian: I told you this was a bad idea. Think we should get lost, eh?

First Canadian: We should have done that twenty minutes ago.

Even in the Kadic group, some of the students clash. Emmanuel waits for Moriarty's next move with disappointment.

Emmanuel: We're not supposed to consider the National Front as friends? But that makes no sense. Everything we've worked for has been moving in that direction!

Paul Gilliard, who sits behind Emmanuel, interjects.

Paul: Hold on a minute, I didn't sign up for that!

Emmanuel: Then what did you think you signed up for? The Order is all about strength and building a new and independent France. Isn't that what we both want?

Paul: Yes, but they…they're too extreme for my taste.

More arguments break out in the stands, bringing the entire rally to a standstill. Moriarty watches the chaos with increasing anxiety. He becomes visibly flustered as he loses control of the situation. His pleas for calm become more and more urgent.

Moriarty: People, this is your Commandant speaking! We can work this situation out! If you could just give me a minute to….

He is drowned out by the shouting. As the conflict reaches a critical point, several disgruntled Order members leave the stadium in a huff. Half the stands start to empty without any regard to Moriarty. As Moriarty starts to lose his firm composure over the disaster, Tobias watches with muted optimism.

Tobias: Okay, did not see that one coming.

Later on Ulrich, Yumi, and Jeremie talk together in the lab room. Jeremie sits in the command chair with his back facing the computer. Yumi puts her hands on her hips and loses herself in thought for a moment.

Yumi: So, The Order is finally starting to suffer from some infighting?

Jeremie: That's right. Thanks to Tobias, Jim can finally start the Outcast meeting tomorrow with good news. He gives his friends a slight frown. I guess we could use that.

Ulrich: If it's good news, then why are you acting like it's bad?

Jeremie: Moriarty is far too good for this to continue indefinitely. He'll solve this issue rather soon and make The Order stronger than ever. All we can do is enjoy his temporary discomfort. My primary concern is that the Outcasts will get their hopes too high and build themselves up for disappointment. And of course-He shakes his head with exasperation-we have the matter of Outcast branches doing whatever the hell they feel like regardless of Jim's orders…

Ulrich rolls his eyes.

Ulrich: Man, you sure are a ray of sunshine. Even when there's good news you still manage to find a dark side to it…

Yumi: Yeah, and don't forget, if the Outcasts from Lincoln hadn't intervened, Moriarty would never have lost control of the crowd.

Jeremie: A lucky break. Don't assume that wanton recklessness is going to pay off every time.

Ulrich laughs.

Ulrich: Why not? It's worked for me so far.

Jeremie: Hilarious. He turns the command chair around to face the computer. We've chatted long enough. I think it's time we checked in on Aelita and the others. Jeremie puts his earpiece on. Aelita, how are things going over there?

The scene shifts to the Network, where the Skidbladnir drifts in the open blue sea. Two of the Nav Skids remain attached to the Skid while two others swim around it. Aelita answers Jeremie from the cockpit.

Aelita: All good so far. Natalya and Christophe are certainly enjoying their Nav Skid training.

Christophe zips by, spinning around in circles.

Christophe: THIS…IS…AWESOME!

Natalya flies past him, moving around erratically and holding onto the controls for dear life.

Natalya: AH! How do you stop this thing?!

Aelita: Well…more or less.

Odd and William watch the spectacle from their motionless Nav Skids.

Odd: I'm bored. When do we join in?

William: This is not a game Odd. We aren't just here for practice. We are still on a mission.

Odd: Right, right. Send Jeremie's little prototype into one of the black things…blah blah blah….

Jeremie's voice butts into the conversation.

Jeremie: Not just a prototype, it's the trial program for the Cannae Initiative. If we can inflict damage onto one of Moriarty's corrupted databases, then it might be a sign of success for taking him out for good.

William: If it's that important, why not fire it at Moriarty's core and see if it works? That way, we can finish this whole thing today?

Jeremie responds in a rather condescending tone.

Jeremie: William, don't be so naïve. The odds of eliminating Moriarty completely with such a rudimentary weapon protocol are 8% at best. I've decoded enough of Waldo Schaeffer's third level of encryption to know that the Cannae Initiative involves separating the virtual base pairs in an entity's DNA sequence code, but little more than that right now. So my synthesized product isn't fully developed yet. At this point hitting the Core will more than likely backfire and make Moriarty immune to the Cannae Initiative….or do something spontaneous and random to the Network like engulfing the Internet with millions of photos of last year's top female swimsuit models.

Odd leans back in his Nav Skid, clearly entertaining the thought.

Odd: I'm not seeing a down side to that…

Aelita: Anyway Odd….Her tone toward him is slightly patronizing after that last comment…Jeremie and William are right. We should probably put this practice on hold and move on with the mission.

Christophe: Okay…He starts to move back to the Skid…Let me just test out the weapons first.

He charges up a torpedo, aiming at the Skid. Aelita stares in horror.

Aelita: Christophe, stop! You don't know how to use those yet!

The torpedo goes off, destroying Natalya's Nav Skid as she tries to dock with the Skid. A blue light envelops her and takes her back to Lyoko. William looks at the area where Natalya once was and fumes in anger.

William: Christophe, you idiot! You blew up my girlfriend!

Christophe: Um…sorry. It was an honest mistake.

William: Sorry?! If it wasn't for the Trans-Network Cyber Bridge, you would have killed her! He shakes his fist at him. I should be honor bound to blow YOU up for doing that!

Christophe laughs uneasily.

Christophe: William, you wouldn't do something that drastic, would you? I mean…He turns to Aelita for help… Aelita would never let you do that, right?

Aelita smiles mischievously and moves her right hand playfully toward the controls. She releases William's Nav Skid.

Aelita: Oh…perish the thought.

William's Nav Skid approaches Christophe, causing him to back up uneasily.

Christophe: William…come on. Let's be reasonable. A torpedo narrowly misses Christophe's Nav Skid. AH! Christophe starts to flee William. The two engage in a humorous chase around the Skid. Jeremie, don't just sit there! Call off your attack dog!

In the factory, Jeremie pretends to think over the issue while Ulrich and Yumi laugh their heads off.

Jeremie: Hmm…you know, it wouldn't be hard at all to get the mission done with three people.

Christophe: Not funny Jeremie! DO SOMETHING!

Several minutes later, the Skid moves into the outer rim of the Moriarty-infected Network. Aelita hangs close to the edge of his territory.

Aelita: We better be careful. If we go any deeper inside, his turrets will open fire on us.

Christophe looks to his left and stares into the thick purple haze. The black narrow passageways leading to the Core appear menacing, as if inviting him to his own doom. He strains his eyes and just barely gets a glimpse of the Core in the distance. His expression becomes deadly serious.

Christophe: So…that's really him. What he really is. A giant parasite infecting this Network…

Aelita: That's right Christophe. He's straight in front of us.

William: But don't get any bright ideas. We've tried to destroy him several times and failed. We came very close to losing Ulrich one time. Attacking him is not a good idea right now.

Christophe stares intently down the passageway, chafing for a chance to move down there and blow several holes into Moriarty. He presses his hand against the glass.

Christophe: That being said, I want to be here when we do attack and finally destroy him.

Jeremie: God willing, you might get your wish. Now let's get this over with. Aelita, target the large database at your 3 o'clock and fire the trial weapon.

The Skid rotates at Aelita's command and aims at a long, black obelisk in the infected zone. The Skid's torpedoes warm up, emitting a green light before firing. Then the weapon goes off, hitting the obelisk dead on.

Aelita: Direct hit. Standing by for effect…

The black database begins to crack. The infected shell starts to fall off, revealing the normal aqua blue database underneath. Aelita reacts with initial satisfaction.

Aelita: It seems to be working Jeremie. Moriarty's corrupting power is receding.

To her dismay, the shell's destruction abruptly halts, splitting the database evenly between a corrupted and non-corrupted half. Aelita frowns. Odd, William, and Christophe watch with disappointment.

Aelita: I'm sorry Jeremie. The trial weapon was only able to remove half of Moriarty's presence.

Aelita waits for a response, expecting Jeremie to be upset and frustrated. But he is quite the opposite. The happiness in his voice quickly becomes obvious.

Jeremie: Half? Are you serious?! Fantastic! In the factory Jeremie raises his fist in the air from excitement while Yumi, Ulrich, and Natalya look at each other in confusion. That means we're halfway there!

Aelita: But Jeremie, 50% efficiency is…

Jeremie: 50% more than we had to start with. This is excellent!

Christophe: Wait, does that mean, if we attack Moriarty now, we could eliminate half of his power right now?!

Jeremie: Well theoretically yes, assuming we could get past the turrets. But we shouldn't. If we give Moriarty a taste of this program, he'll apply a countermeasure and develop an immunity against it. Our victory relies on a one-shot certain kill scenario. We can't afford to squander the opportunity now.

Christophe folds his arms across his chest and looks longingly back at the Core.

Christophe: Yeah, I understand.

The Skid turns back around toward Lyoko.

Aelita: Okay Jeremie, we're heading home now.

Jeremie: Be sure you send me the recorded data on the Skid's log.

Aelita: Will do. I-She stops midsentence when something below the Skid catches her eye. The Skid starts to slow down.-What…what is that?

Jeremie: What is what?

Odd, William, and Christophe look below. They too gaze wide-eyed at the scene.

Odd: That's not normal.

William: Not in the slightest.

Christophe: What's it doing?

Jeremie: Hello…I can't see what you see…can someone give me answers here?!

Aelita keeps her eyes pinned at an emerging pink energy field slowly start to grow from the bottom up toward the Skid. Bit by bit, millimeter by millimeter, the energy field gains in size, approaching them at the speed of a glacier. Aelita looks to her left and her right. Her breath is taken away when she sees this pink energy field building around the infected zone of the Network. She looks up and feels her blood run cold when she sees the energy field growing above her, reaching downward to connect with the bottom half. Aelita's voice becomes weak and grave when she finally contacts Jeremie.

Aelita: Jeremie, it's a wall. All around the infected area, two energy fields grow from the Southern and Northern poles of Moriarty's territory, reaching inward to eventually form a solid sphere. He's building a wall around the corrupted Network!

Half an hour later at the factory, the entire group stands behind Jeremie at the computer. Jeremie cracks his knuckles and inhales deeply to calm his nerves. He begins to type.

Jeremie: Okay, moment of truth…

On the outer rim of the Lyoko Network access gate, four objects resembling satellite dishes react and aim directly at Moriarty's emerging shield. All of them glow white as Jeremie modifies the Trans-Network Cyber Bridge into a weapon. Jeremie wavers before launching the attack. A bead of sweat drips down his forehead.

Jeremie: This is the strongest thing we have in our arsenal. If it can't break through, then it is truly indestructible. He moves through with the attack. Here goes nothing.

The dishes fire, converging together in a massive blast that barrels toward the pink energy shield. The impact is so powerful that it shakes the very Network. For three solid seconds, the enormous blast hammers the shields. But when it dies down and Jeremie checks the results of the attack, his heart sinks.

Jeremie: Nothing. The energy wall around the infected zone remains unharmed and continues to expand at a snail's pace. Not even a scratch. Jeremie takes his earpiece out and sadly turns to face his friends. I'm sorry guys. That energy wall simply cannot be broken.

The wheels in Yumi's head begin to turn and she suddenly appears very uncomfortable.

Yumi: But if reaching the Core is the only way to defeat Moriarty, how do stop him when the walls close up?

Jeremie: Simple. We can't. The warriors become extremely alarmed when Jeremie unveils this dire news. They look at him with panicked faces, desperately hoping that their leader didn't just say that. On the outside, Jeremie looks grimly calm, but Aelita can tell by the trembling in his hands that he is coming undone on the inside. Our only choice is to go in and destroy Moriarty before the walls close up.

Ten seconds of silence goes by before William finally breaks it.

William: How long do we have?

Jeremie: I can only give a rough estimate, but most likely three weeks. Maybe less.

An aura of desperation and despair sinks into the factory as the full weight of the oppressive time limit falls on their young shoulders. Natalya covers her mouth and stares off into space, looking like she might lose it at any second. Odd sits down and hugs his knees close to his body. Aelita walks toward Jeremie and takes his hand, holding it tight and refusing to let go. The rest are too overwhelmed to even react.

Ulrich: Three weeks. We have three weeks to save the world…

Ulrich feels a hand on his shoulder. He turns around to see Christophe looking confidently at him, radiating with a hope and courage that makes Ulrich envious. Everyone, including Jeremie, turn to Christophe, blown away by his positive reaction.

Christophe: Three weeks? Well, then…we'd better get started.

The next day Lucas Maes washes his hands in one of the dormitory bathrooms. Herb approaches the sink to the side of him and washes his hands as well. Knowing full well that Herb is a big shot in The Order, Lucas tries to avoid eye contact. But as Herb reaches for a paper towel, he catches sight of several bruises on The Order member's right hand. Curiosity gets the best of him before he can rein his mouth in.

Lucas: Y-Y-Your hand…

Herb shoots him a dirty look, making Lucas feel uneasy.

Herb: What about it?

Lucas: W-What happened t-t-to it?

Herb looks back at the mirror as he dries his hands. He stuffs the wet paper towels into the trash can and turns his back on Lucas. He answers his question in a sarcastic tone.

Herb: I hit a punching bag too hard.

He exits the bathroom. A minute later, as Lucas walks down the hall, he thinks over Herb's slipshod explanation.

Lucas: P-Punching bag? That m-m-makes no sense. You can't b-bruise like that from a p-punching bag. Lucas probes his mind for a possible explanation. A sudden memory takes him back to his old middle school days in Belgium, where he was viciously bullied. He recounts how several adolescent punks beat him up after school, with one of them punching him in the face. He then remembers how the day afterward he saw the same thug walk down the school hallway. As he hid behind a locker, he noticed that the bully had several bandages wrapped around his hand; the same hand that had hit him in the head. But h-hitting a human sk-kull can…He stops in his tracks as a major revelation dawns on him. T-T-THAT'S IT!

He starts running down the hall. On the floor above, Azra is tending to her recent wounds. Her room is bare and frugal, with only one small poster written in Turkish adorning the walls. The lack of décor makes the room feel larger and emptier than it really is. But she is not alone. Bastien Roux kneels next to her, putting a little disinfectant on her arm.

Bastien: Now hold still, this is going to sting a little…

Azra winces from the pain but quickly recovers her smile. She looks at Bastien somewhat awkwardly while he re-bandages her arm.

Azra: You know, you didn't need to do this for me. She looks off to the side. …Or get new bandages for me at the nurse's office.

Bastien: Don't be silly. It was on the way. Besides, you've been cooped up in your room too long. I-He rubs the back of his neck and smiles nervously- figured you could use some company.

Azra: That was sweet of you to think of me. I admit I've been a little lonely…

The two meet each other's eyes. They stare at each other for a moment, frozen with a loss for words. Some heat rises to their faces as the exchange becomes more embarrassing. Azra fakes some pain in her right shoulder to break the tension.

Azra: Ow! My shoulder…it's bothering me again.

Bastien: Here, let me have a look…

Azra: No! I mean-She backs up closer to the wall.-it's not really that bad. She clears her throat and changes the subject. So, how's Claire doing? I haven't seen her around much.

Bastien frowns and takes out several other medical supplies Nurse Yolanda lent him.

Bastien: She has been investigating on her own nonstop, trying to find out who did this to you- Evidence of a strong temper boiling under the surface appears on Bastien's face at the mention of the merciless attack on Azra. I swear, if she ever finds out who did this-He balls a fist-I'll make them pay big time.

Azra watches Bastien's reaction with curiosity, stunned by how animated he has become for her sake.

Azra: Wow…how…noble of you. She forces a smile, trying to turn the heartfelt compliment into a joke. It's really unlike you.

Bastien: Oh come on. When have I not been noble, especially with a lady?

Azra gives him a cold look and folds her arms across her chest.

Azra: Angeline. Venom and perhaps some jealousy drips from her voice at the mention of that name. Does that ring any bells?

Bastien is struck with panic when Azra mentions her big messup with the main seductress of The Order. The intense glare Azra inflicts on him makes him queasy. He lowers his head with shame.

Bastien: I'm really really sorry. I…He lowers his head further. He works up a sincere apology…gave into weakness. It should never have happened. I hurt the Outcasts, but even worse, I lost you and Claire's trust. Can you ever forgive me?

Seeing Bastien in such a penitent position softens Azra's heart. Almost against her will she loses a lot of the anger from that betrayal. She sighs.

Azra: Yeah whatever. I guess I can't criticize you too much. It's not like the Outcasts have too many girls that can match Angeline.

Bastien: That's not true. In a flurry of excitement, Bastien inches closer to Azra, looking intently at her. I can think of a lot of girls in our group who are far prettier and nicer than her!

The shortened distance between her and Bastien in addition to the weight of his comment makes her heart pound feverishly.

Azra: L-Like who?

Bastien loses the ability to speak as he finds that he has fallen into his own trap. He begins to stumble on his words.

Bastien: I…His face moves closer to hers. Azra shows no signs of resistance. I…

Lucas bursts through the door at that exact moment.

Lucas: AZRA!

Bastien and Azra, completely caught off guard at the worst possible moment, turn in alarm toward the sudden intruder. Both of them blush from the sudden interruption.

Bastien: It's not what you think!

Azra: We're not…Can't you knock before entering a girl's room?!

Lucas completely disregards the two's sharp statements and prepares to deliver his message.

Lucas: Azra, I k-know who one of the p-p-people who attacked y-y-you is!

Azra: What?!

Bastien stands up, very eager to hear the news.

Bastien: Who is it? Tell me now!

Lucas: Herb. Herb was de-definitely one of them. He had b-b-bruise on his knuckles. C-Can't be a coinc-c-cidence.

Bastien stands still for a second, inhaling deeply through his nose. Rage overtakes his features and his muscles tense up. The blood in his head begins to roar. He tightens his fist until the veins are visible. Lucas watches Bastien with concern, somewhat worried that he will take his anger out on the messenger.

Lucas: B-Bah-Bastien?

Bastien: So….that creep had the audacity to hit Azra…a girl…. in cold blood? He cracks his knuckles. He looks at Lucas, his heart and mind hellbent on vengeance. That is the last mistake he will ever make.

He rushes out of the room, slamming Lucas out of the way and runs into the hall. Azra hobbles toward the door.

Azra: Bastien no! Don't be an idiot! She watches helplessly as he rounds the corner of the hall. THE ORDER WILL KILL YOU!

Midday sets in at Kadic. The Lyoko Warriors minus Odd and Christophe make their way to the cafeteria for lunch. They march around with more caution than usual, for they see a lot of Order members around them. Aelita receives the nasty looks from them with sadness.

Aelita: I remember when this school had a sense of community…when we weren't divided because of ideology. They pass the vending machine facilities, where the purple fleur-de-lis is spray painted on the wall. Not anymore. Now we're completely divided. There is no one who is neutral anymore.

No one deigns to give a response, not even Jeremie. He is too lost in thought and anxiety to do so. Meanwhile Ulrich overlooks a poor math test he recently got back.

Ulrich: Alright that does it. I've run the numbers on this test. I should have gotten a 75. But the evil Moriarty suck-up known as Mrs. Meyer took off five points for "subversive behavior". Can they even do that now? Is this what the school has finally come to? Openly taking off points for being a part of the Outcasts?

Jeremie: It's the steady slope Ulrich. You start out with a few changes until they gradually become absurd. That's how all totalitarian regimes work.

Five second pause in the group.

William: Where's Odd and Christophe?

Yumi: They ran ahead to be first in line. Christophe got excited because they're serving salsberry steak and fries for lunch. And Odd is well…Odd. No explanation needed there.

Aelita: If only we had power equivalent to Odd's appetite. She turns to Jeremie, trying to cheer him up. Right Jeremie? We'd beat Moriarty in-Her attempt is obviously not working on him-no time….

Jeremie's sour mood becomes contagious, and pretty soon they all have an invisible dark cloud hovering over their heads. They stay this way for a few moments before suddenly running into Lucas. The Belgian student pants as he approaches them.

Lucas: Outcasts h-help! T-Trouble. B-B-BIG TROUBLE!

William: Whoa slow down there Lucas. What's going on?

Lucas: Bah-Bastien! He's lost it! I f-figured out Herb hurt Azra and t-told them both, and n-now he's out for bla-bla-blood! The warriors quickly get the message and become alarmed. The l-look in his eyes. S-s-scary. No s-s-stopping him now!

Ulrich: We're going to have to, or it will cause a riot!

Jeremie: Everyone to the cafeteria! If we hurry maybe we can-

They hear a loud bang in the direction of the cafeteria building.

Natalya: Did someone just violently throw open the cafeteria doors?

Jeremie: Crap….

In the cafeteria, Order and Outcast members alike watch in shock as a furious Bastien looms in the doorway.

Bastien: WHERE IS HE?! WHERE IS HERB?!

Herb, who sits at a table with Nicholas and some other Order members, nearly chokes on his food as he hears his name called. Before he realizes what is happening, Bastien spots his prey and stalks toward him. The other Order members, initially overwhelmed by his tenacity and killer look, start to back away. Herb sits frozen in his seat while Bastien corners him. The avenger pauses a moment, and then in a frightening display of anger, knocks over Herb's table, scattering trays of food everywhere. Herb turns to Nicholas.

Herb: Nah-Nah-Nicholas…HELP ME!

Nicholas wisely chooses to run off and leaves Herb to face his fate. Bastien picks Herb up by the shirt collar. Herb is too frightened to look directly into Bastien's ferocious eyes.

Herb: What do you want with me?

Bastien inspects Herb's right hand and sees the bruises. The hatred in Bastien's eyes intensifies.

Bastien: You hurt Azra. You struck a defenseless girl. Now…you're going to die.

Herb: You…you wouldn't hit a guy with glasses would you?

Bastien: No. I wouldn't.

Herb feels a temporary relief, naïvely thinking he has escaped disaster. But Bastien soon dashes his hopes when he drives a fist into his stomach. Herb smarts from the blow.

Bastien: At least-He hits Herb again-not in the face.

He flings Herb onto the next table. His victim desperately tries to crawl away, but Bastien will have none of it. He grabs his shirt from behind.

Bastien: Hold it! I'm not done with you yet!

Mathias: BASTIEN!

Bastien turns around to see Mathias and Emmanuel emerge from the pack of students gawking at the scene. Both appear determined to confront him. Mathias pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

Mathias: Do you think we're just going to sit by while you beat the crap out of one of our guys?

Emmanuel: Let go of him. Now…

Bastien: He attacked Azra! He dared to hit a defenseless girl! Some of the girls in the cafeteria cover their mouths and gasp, shocked by the news. I'm just paying him back for what he did. An eye for an eye!

Emmanuel remains eerily calm in the face of Bastien's outburst.

Emmanuel: Haven't you heard? An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.

Mathias: This is your last chance, Bastien. He points at him, revealing his bruised hand. Let go of him.

Bastien catches sight of the damning evidence and immediately seethes with a newfound rage. He lets go of Herb and launches himself headlong at Mathias.

Bastien: You…you did it too!

An unexpected roundhouse kick from Emmanuel knocks Bastien onto his back. The left side of his face becomes bruised. Mathias jams his foot onto Bastien's abdomen, making his victim reel with pain.

Mathias: Don't take it too personally, Bastien. Think of it more as an act of service to my country. He stomps on Bastien again. Kind of like what I'm doing right now.

Emmanuel viciously kicks Bastien and Mathias continues with his own form of abuse. Several Outcast students in the cafeteria shout in protest, but the presence of other Order members available to back them up discourages them from a fight. At the cafeteria line, Odd and Christophe watch in outrage as the merciless attack continues. Seeing that no one else is going to stop them, the two exchange glances. They nod their heads and slowly move toward Emmanuel and Mathias. Mathias keeps dishing out some brutal justice.

Emmanuel: Alright. Give it a rest Mathias. I think he's had enough.

Christophe: Yes, but you haven't.

Emmanuel and Mathias look up in surprise. Odd hits Mathias in the side of the head, stunning him before he can fight back. Both Christophe and Odd raise their fists to fight as they stand side by side.

Christophe: How about I go for the racist traitor, and you go for glasses?

Odd: Sounds good to me.

A true fight begins in earnest. The students in the cafeteria explode into an uproar. Emmanuel and Mathias are no strangers to fighting, but Christophe and Odd are quick and able to hold their ground against them. Paul and Henri of The Order move in.

Paul: This has gone far enough!

Henri: Looks like we have to teach these Outcasts some order…

Tobias steps in and blocks them from reaching Emmanuel and Mathias. He drives his right fist into his left palm, flexing his rather impressive Texas-bred muscles.

Tobias: Teach us, huh? We'll I'd be happy to learn, but I warn you- He gives Henri a nasty uppercut to the chin.-I've never been a really good student.

Complete pandemonium breaks out in the cafeteria. The Outcasts and The Order clash in an all out brawl. The built up tensions of weeks of mostly nonviolent conflict boil over into this one heated moment. Even the girls fight each other, pulling hair and hitting each other. Rosa, the cafeteria lady, hunkers away in the kitchen, too terrified to step in to stop the mayhem.

Rosa: Students please! STOP THIS CHAOS!

The fight quickly progresses against the Outcasts' favor when it becomes clear that they are outnumbered. But three Outcast ringers, Theo, Jean-Baptiste, and Romain enter the cafeteria from the back.

Romain: A cafeteria fight and we weren't invited?!

Jean-Baptiste glares at his Order prey, eager for violence.

Jean-Baptiste: We'll have to fix that.

Theo: Gentlemen, pick your Order prick and destroy him. The one who pummels the most will earn the one Eurovision ticket we have. May the best man win!

The battle intensifies and spills outside the cafeteria. The warriors arrive, awestruck at how fast the situation has deteroriated. Aelita covers her face and Jeremie shakes his head sadly.

Natalya: We have to stop them!

William: I don't think that's really an option at this point.

Aelita: Whatever the case, the last thing we should do is join-

Angeline: Yumi! Natalya!

The two girls turn their heads in the direction of the demanding voice. They turn to see Angeline and Anais holding Isabel by her hair. The Brazilian girl twists and writhes to get herself free.

Isabel: Let me go!

Yumi and Natalya quickly become infuriated at the sight. While Anais handles Isabel, Angeline glowers haughtily at the two female warriors. While she is as still as beautiful as ever, the look of incredible cruelty on her face is too disturbing to overlook.

Angeline: So nice of you to join us! I was getting bored.

Isabel screams.

Yumi: Let her go!

Angeline: Don't worry. We're almost finished with her. She moves her index finger to the hemline of her shirt, pulling the fabric down seductively in the direction of her breasts. And when I'm done with her I think I'll move on to your boyfriends!

While Ulrich and William look at each other awkwardly, Natalya and Yumi blaze with anger on the inside. The invisible claws of a woman's fury come out, primed for a nasty fight. Natalya colorfully addresses Angeline in Russian and Yumi rolls up her sleeves.

Yumi: That does it. Let's get her!

Natalya: Right behind you!

Aelita: NO!

Aelita's pleas fall on deaf ears. Yumi and Natalya scrap with Angeline and Anais, resulting in a rather ugly clash. Meanwhile Ulrich and William, noticing that the Outcasts are outnumbered in the brawl, become pumped up to fight as well.

Ulrich: Forget stopping this thing. We need to help our fellow Outcasts!

William: Right. They are our allies. This is what we are supposed to do.

Aelita: Please don't!

Jeremie and Aelita step in front of them.

Jeremie: This isn't our fight! Any further confrontation will only fan the flames of this violence!

William and Ulrich look at each other for a brief moment.

William: Want to go fan some flames?

Ulrich: Yep.

William and Ulrich throw themselves into the fight. Both of them pounce on a couple of unsuspecting Order students and hurl them flat on the ground. Thomas and Nicholas soon rise to the challenge to face them. The brawl goes on with no signs of letting up. It seems the whole school has been sucked into the mayhem. Several students lie on the ground or hobble, evidence that the fight has taken its toll. Jeremie and Aelita hide behind one of the side buildings near the cafeteria, refusing to become a part of the madness.

Aelita: This is awful! Jeremie what do we do?

Jeremie: There's nothing we can do. The hatred between our two sides has been building up to this point like a pressure cooker, and now that the pressure's been released, we can't stop it. At this stage, the only one who can interfere is-

Jim: ENOUGH!

Jim's booming voice in the courtyard makes everyone participating in the fight halt abruptly. Everyone turns to see Jim and Mr. Delmas marching over to the cafeteria, looking ready to bring down the ultimate punishment. The usual goofy and incompetent Jim comes onto the scene with an expression of terrible anger. The students, temporarily forgetting their brewing enmity between them, suddenly cower in the face of Kadic's authoritarian figure. The large gym teacher pushes his way through the crowd and busts into the cafeteria. All of the students silently gasp, remembering the disciplinary might of a man who has dominated the campus long before Moriarty arrived. Jim walks in, pauses for a brief second, and then focuses his intense gaze directly at a random Order member, nearly making the kid wet his pants.

Jim: YOU MIND TELLING ME WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!

The kid cannot reply and quickly backs away in terror. Jim looks down at the floor, where tables, chairs, and food are scattered everywhere.

Jim: OH A MESS! Well that's it…I get it…Jim looks around the room, pretending to be slightly humored in the midst of his uncontrollable anger…it's fun to make a mess isn't it?! You like to make a mess of this place, don't you?! Well then don't mind me! He kicks over a chair and steps on a tray. I'LL JUST JOIN IN! The students look at Jim uncomfortably as the display continues. What's the matter?! Is it no longer fun? No longer fun to make a mess and beat each other senseless?! When no one answers, Jim walks to the center of the room. GOOD, BECAUSE I NEVER THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY AT ALL! He points to the scattered furniture and food on the floor. CLEAN THIS UP RIGHT NOW AND CLEAN IT UP TOGETHER! Fix this now and just might not expel the whole lot of you!

Mr. Delmas walks up behind them, putting his hands on his hips as he surveys the carnage. He notices with a heavy heart that several students are so beat up that they can hardly stand. His lower lip trembles and there is a tormented look in his eyes. Unlike Jim, he does not seem angry but rather emotionally and mentally unstable. In some ways, the Kadic principal's tortured visage is more frightening than Jim. He weakly begins to address the students.

Delmas: Before you do that, I want everyone to send the most injured students to the infirmary right away. Nurse Yolanda will determine if any of them need to go to a hospital.

Jim: Mr. Delmas, should there not be more punishment than just cleaning up the cafeteria?!

Delmas almost shakes with rage at the question, unnerving even Jim in the process.

Delmas: Oh there will be….There will be. But for now I'm going to make an example out of the one who started this whole mess! He suddenly grabs Herb's arm. COME WITH ME!

Herb stammers in shock as he is dragged toward the door. He covers a bloody nose with a paper towel.

Herb: What?! Me?! I….I WAS THE VICTIM! Bastien attacked me without provocation!

Delmas stops walking and shouts down Herb in a thundering voice.

Delmas: AND WHAT ABOUT AZRA?! WHAT WAS YOUR PROVOCATION?! Herb stares at his principal, stunned and terrified. That's right. She has informed me of what you did, and you're not getting away with it. Not now. Not this time. His grip on Herb's wrist tightens to the point of pain. Herb begins to shake. Rest assured Bastien will endure my wrath as well, but I have far more respect for a young man who stands up for a young lady than one who hurts her! I may not be able to expel you, Herb Pinchon. BUT I AM YOUR PRINCIPAL, AND YOU WILL LEARN TO FEAR ME AGAIN!

He pulls Herb out of the cafeteria. Jim then faces the rest of the crowd.

Jim: You heard your principal. Get the injured students to the infirmary!

The guilty parties quickly go to work, eager to avoid another round of the gym teacher's wrath. Thirty minutes later, after most of the wreck has been cleaned up, the six warriors who went into the cafeteria hobble over to Jeremie and Aelita, who wait patiently for their comrades to show up. The two geniuses behold a sorry sight. Odd and Christophe are being supported by Ulrich and William. Both look like they have taken the worst of it, with bruises and black eyes from being in the thick of the fight. Yumi limps with Natalya in tow. Yumi has a large bruise forming on the side of her face and cut marks from Angeline's sharp nails. Natalya's left ear is bloodied and covered with a bandage, and her hair is disheveled. Ulrich holds his stomach and has a bloody nose. William looks like he has weathered the fight better than the rest (most likely because he was doing more of the injuring instead of getting injured) but he too looks battered. As soon as they show up, Jeremie stands up to face them. The injured warriors fear an impending lecture, but Jeremie holds his hands up to calm their nerves.

Jeremie: Before you ask, I'm not mad. Not even a little bit. He puts his hands in his pockets. I'm no fool. I know that nonviolent confrontation with The Order is not possible at this point in Moriarty's game. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't be smart about it.

Odd spits out some blood.

Odd: Jeremie, Christophe and I had to step in…He wheezes…no choice.

Jeremie: Maybe not for you two. But the rest of you have no excuse. The minute we showed up you should have realized that the fight was out of control and already in The Order's favor. Besides, you had to have known that Jim was on his way. But your personal interests were more important. He turns toward the two female warriors. Yumi, Natalya, you seemed more interested in settling a longstanding catfight with Angeline in a misguided attempt to hold onto your significant others. And speaking of your significant others-He then glares at William and Ulrich-You have even less of an excuse! You just wanted to beat the crap out of as many Order people as possible!

Ulrich and William nod with acceptance.

Ulrich: Very true.

William: I won't deny it.

Yumi: Jeremie, we didn't do it just for us. The Outcasts were in trouble. We had to help!

Jeremie walks up close to Yumi and looks her in the eye.

Jeremie: Knowing when and when not to help your cause is the difference between a soldier and a general.

Aelita: Jeremie's right. We should use our heads to fight The Order. Fists should be a last resort.

Jeremie adjusts his glasses. He hesitates before continuing.

Jeremie: Actually Aelita, that's not what I meant. The warriors pay close attention to Jeremie, wondering what he is about to say. Jeremie gives them a look of unyielding intensity. I meant that we should have waited for an opportunity to ambush them when they least expect it. We shouldn't rush into their battles. We should pick our own!

The warriors, Aelita most of all, look at Jeremie as if he is from Mars. Jeremie remains unfazed and deadly serious.

Jeremie: You want to teach them not to mess with our own? Don't rush into the fray like kids. Wait until they are weak and unsuspecting. That is how you truly intimidate them. Jeremie turns his back on them and starts walking. Anyway, I need to take care of some things in the factory. Coming Aelita?

Aelita, still stunned by the previous comment, forces a reply.

Aelita: Uh…yeah

Aelita takes off, and the warriors take the opportunity to rest Odd and Christophe on the bench. Odd leans back and looks at the sky.

Odd: Does anyone else thing Jeremie is REALLY in general mode right now?

Ulrich: Yes.

Yumi: No doubt about it.

Natalya: But this time…he's actually really scary.

William: Hey guys, give him a break. I mean, he is pretty much our general. He turns to watch Jeremie disappear into the woods. Even from the back, William can tell that Jeremie is holding his head up high. And we are at war. And Jeremie knows more than any of us that war isn't pretty or kind. Jeremie keeps walking in front of Aelita, not bothering to talk to her. The kindness appears to have been zapped from his face, replaced by a cold and firm resolve. And like a good general, he is doing what he must to win this war.

Two days later in the neighborhood of Clichy-sous-Bois, the banners and legions of The Order descend in full force. An army of black and purple soon marches down the streets filled with graffiti. They pass by housing projects and buildings that are hollowed out, serving as grim examples of urban decay on a large scale. Combat boots hit the dirty streets in perfect unison. At the front of the marching brigade, Moriarty and Klotz stay together. Klotz glances behind him.

Klotz: Commandant.

Moriarty: Yes?

Klotz: No disrespect, but I'm surprised that most of them came together as they did. With our current divisions over the National Front fiasco I was sure-

Moriarty: Yes that certainly was inconvenient. And I'll be honest. It gave me quite a scare. But never underestimate the human ability to put aside personal squabbles for a greater good.

Klotz: Incredible. You really know how to keep them together. He still seems unsure. He glances back at the stone faces behind him. Even so, they are acting like nothing happened the other day.

Moriarty: Don't be so naïve. Klotz turns back around to look at Moriarty. Right now I bet they secretly want to fight again, but if there's one thing that both sides agree on…Moriarty exudes his trademark grin of pure malice…it's that marching into these rotten streets and showing the residents the power of The Order is too great an opportunity to give up.

Klotz: That's all fine and good for the long term, but what about when this thing is over?

Moriarty: Oh don't worry about that. We will handle the situation. You just focus on the here and now.

As The Order march moves into the more populated areas of the suburb, the residents begin to take notice. Parisian police show up, setting up barricades along the sidewalks to keep the locals away from the members of The Order. Moriarty storms by with his large force. His presence provokes the ire of the residents. Several of them call out at them from second story windows, insulting them and demanding that they go home. One middle-aged Afro-French resident, who has seen his fair share of hard times, angrily approaches the police barricade.

Resident: What is the meaning of this? What are these fascists doing here?!

Police Officer: Marching apparently…

The angry resident steams at the officer's sarcastic response.

Resident: I can see that much. What I want to know is why you are allowing them to do it!

Police Officer: It's within their rights. So long as they remain peaceful about it, neither you nor I have any right to interfere with it.

Resident: Don't give me that crap! He points at the officer. You're here to support them. This is an invasion! A crackdown! Don't think we've forgotten what you did to us back in 2005!

Police Officer: Your conspiracy theory is entertaining but no. We are just here to keep the peace.

Moriarty's voice interrupts the two.

Moriarty: People of The Order, halt!

His army of followers obeys. They stay deadly quiet, and the watchful citizens follow suit, wondering what this so called "Hero of France" is planning. A megaphone is handed to him and he starts to speak.

Moriarty: People of Clichy-sous-Bois, before we march any further, let me take this opportunity to make our intentions clear. We are not here to threaten you. We are not here for violent purposes. The residents start to pay more attention. Although we are here to protest the plague of terrorism in our country, we are not labeling you as the culprits. Even though three of the suicide bombers came from this area, we are not as heartless as to believe the community itself is to blame. We know that people from this neighborhood have also died from these heinous crimes. Rather, you should see this as an act of solidarity. France is changing before our very eyes. Change can be scary, but it can also be exciting. Change is happening in our favor. I do not mean any offense, but I can guess that you don't want your community to remain in the same condition it is now. Fall in with The Order, and we can change that. We want to improve France, and you can be a part of that improvement.

The angry resident from before butts in.

Resident: Liar! You'll try to improve France by shipping us in boats back to Africa the minute you gain power!

The people join with him and jeer at Moriarty and The Order. The atmosphere becomes hostile and the police warily watch the crowd. Moriarty addresses them in a harsher tone.

Moriarty: It doesn't have to be this way, but if you insist on making yourselves enemies of The Order, don't expect us not to respond in kind.

Resident: I knew it! He doesn't care about us at all. He and his Nazi friends are here to scare us!

The surrounding residents become more and more hostile to The Order. Back towards the middle of The Order group, the Kadic supporters stay put. Many of them still have bruises and bandages from the fight with the Outcasts, and none of them look too eager to face these people on the fringes of French society.

Mathias: This is getting bad. He looks at Angeline and notices that her brother is not at her side. He groans. And Emmanuel is a no-show again.

Angeline cringes. The words from Mathias seem to make her very uncomfortable. She bites her lip.

Angeline: He said he would be here. He promised…Her gaze becomes distant and pained…Why? Why did he come up with another ridiculous excuse? The Order is his life…

Mathias: Yeah…anyway, the Commandant doesn't seem to mind. Come to think of it, I've never heard him complain about his absences. Not even once. Does he even care?

A violent anger erupts in Angeline's eyes. She twirls her head to Mathias and gives him the death stare.

Angeline: Don't…ever say that again! The Commandant cares. He has to!

Herb: She's right. Mathias twists his head to see Herb, who stands at the head of the Kadic pack. You can question Emmanuel's motives if you want, but I won't have you speaking blasphemy about the Commandant. We will just have to continue on without him.

Paul Gilliard, who stands behind Mathias, speaks up.

Paul: Yes, but what about you? Didn't Delmas forbid you from coming to any Order events off-.

Herb glowers with anger at the mention of Delmas and his punishment.

Herb: I'd watch your tongue if I were you. Our dear principal may have the guts to give me orders with Jim around but we all know who has the power in this school! Don't you ever question me again, understand?

Herb turns back around. Mathias folds his arms across his chest.

Mathias: There he goes again. Someone taps him on the shoulder. He sees that it is Paul, who doesn't seem to be in a great mood right now. Huh? What is it?

Paul: You have to do something man.

Mathias: Do something? About what?

Paul: About Herb. We can't deal with him. If Emmanuel keeps being absent, then he'll be in a perfect position to replace him. We can't have that.

Mathias: I know, but what do you want me to do about it?

Paul: Simple. Paul looks left and right and lowers his voice. Replace him.

Mathias' eyes widen with surprise.

Mathias: What?!

Paul: We want Emmanuel back, but if he is permanently missing, we need someone to lead the students. If we have to make a choice, then we'd rather have you do it.

Henri: He's right. Mathias sees Henri and Morgane have joined the conversation. You're always at Emmanuel's side. You've followed his example well. If there's anyone who deserves to be our new leader, it's you.

Morgane: Yes. I've heard some of the others talk at school. I can't speak for the guys but the girls in my class would definitely support you.

Mathias: But…what about Angeline? Couldn't she do it?

Morgane: Ordinarily yes but-She whispers into his ear-you know she's a real headcase without her brother. We all like her but she's too unstable.

Paul: Face it man. You're no Emmanuel but you're the closest thing we have. You have to save us from Herb.

Henri: You've got to get rid of that weasel. We want you, not him.

Morgane: You'd make a great leader!

Mathias listens intently, amazed that his Order comrades appear to trust him so much. The smiling and eager faces of his friends fill him with a confidence that he did not have before. In addition to that, ambition swells in his mind as he imagines himself at Moriarty's side. He smiles and turns a threatening eye toward an unsuspecting Herb Pinchon.

Mathias: Okay. Don't get too comfortable Herb, because I'm coming for you.

Jeremie and Aelita stay busy in the lab room, glued to the monitor screen. Both of them have bags under their eyes due to their lack of sleep over the past couple of days. Jeremie wipes his forehead and drinks from a soda can. He exhales.

Jeremie: The scanner is almost repaired. All that remains is for us to clean out the last terabyte of Moriarty's presence, rearrange it, and finally- He rubs his head-reboot it.

Aelita: We're almost there, Jeremie.

Jeremie solemnly nods.

Jeremie: We should have started fixing it two days ago. But the Cannae Initiative- Jeremie groans-Ugh I'm so sick of those two words I could throw up.

Aelita: We were making so much progress. The third level of encryption is 60% complete! It's only natural that we focused on that instead of the scanner.

Jeremie: Very true, but we should have dealt with the scanner first. No point in making big plans to eliminate Moriarty when we can't even prevent Emmanuel from walking in the front door.

Jeremie continues his work for another twenty minutes. At one point Aelita takes control, allowing Jeremie to rest. After a long, tedious process, a green exclamation point appears on the screen. Aelita's face beams with joy.

Aelita: Jeremie!

Jeremie is startled awake and looks around with confusion.

Jeremie: What? What?

Aelita: Look! Jeremie rushes to her side. The scanner data disappears and reboots. It's almost completely fixed. She looks at Jeremie, radiating with hope. All we need to do is wait seven minutes and the Emmanuel nightmare will be completely over.

Jeremie sighs with relief and quickly wraps his arms around Aelita, causing her to blush.

Jeremie: Aelita, I love you! Now we won't have to do the unthinkable.

They share a quick kiss. But just as things seem to be going in their direction, Aelita catches sight of something on the camera monitor. Her heart sinks.

Aelita: Jeremie…

Jeremie: What? What's wrong?

Aelita's look of hope is replaced with despair.

Aelita: Remember when you were talking about Emmanuel knocking on the front door?

Jeremie looks at the camera monitor. Sure enough, he sees Emmanuel jump onto the factory floor. Jeremie's hands latch onto the top of his head. He tugs on his hair.

Jeremie: No! NO! Seven minutes! We just need seven minutes! WHY NOW?!

Aelita: Because now is the best time….no…the only time for Moriarty to use him again! Aelita turns to Jeremie with concern. What do we do?!

Jeremie quickly regains his composure and barks an order at Aelita.

Jeremie: Find as much spare wood and metal as you can. If we hurry we might be able to seal the boiler room entrance. It may not be much, but at the very least, it'll slow him down. Go! I'll handle the elevators!

Aelita nods and climbs down the stairs to fetch the materials requested. Jeremie runs to the keyboard and starts locking the elevators.

Emmanuel: A vain gesture Jeremie…Jeremie looks up to see Emmanuel looking down on him from the top of the computer interface's support beams. Or were you just trying to get Aelita out of the way so she wouldn't get hurt?

Jeremie steels his nerves and holds his ground against Moriarty's trusted servant.

Jeremie: That may have had something to do with it, but that's not important right now. He pauses for a moment. Emmanuel, if there's any part of you that can hear me, stop this right now! The person you call your Commandant is going to kill you. Jeremie points to the floor below him. If you go to Lyoko we can't be held accountable for what will happen to you!

Emmanuel pulls his hammer necklace from under his shirt and dangles it in the air.

Emmanuel: I guess I could. But that would be violating my duties as a student trustee.

Jeremie eyes the necklace with understanding.

Jeremie: So that's it…

Emmanuel leaps from the ceiling and kicks Jeremie in midair, sending him sprawling onto the floor. He wipes the dust from his shirt.

Emmanuel: You really should have invested in a guard dog. Emmanuel starts walking only to find out that he is being held back. What?

Jeremie has hold of Emmanuel's heel and desperately holds on from his position on the floor.

Jeremie: I will not….let you enter Lyoko again…I will not have someone else on my conscience! He reaches upward. I have to get that necklace!

Emmanuel smirks at Jeremie's desperate effort.

Emmanuel: You're too late.

A solid kick to Jeremie's wrist forces him to let go. Emmanuel slips away to the scanner room. With only five minutes left in the reboot cycle, the slightly infected scanner welcomes Emmanuel and virtualizes him. Jeremie stays on the floor, banging his fists several times.

Jeremie: Seven minutes…was that too much to ask?! He growls and cranes his neck toward the ceiling. God do you ever give me a break?!

Aelita soon returns, carrying wood and metal scraps in her arms. She soon drops them when she sees Jeremie on the floor. Panic materializes on her face.

Aelita: Please tell me he didn't-

Jeremie: He did. The super scan goes off, warning of an activated tower in the Forest Sector. Jeremie moans in response. How typical of Moriarty. Activating the tower after Emmanuel is already there... He slams his fist against the floor again. Idiot! I should have fixed the scanner when I had the chance!

An uneasy silence settles in the room. Jeremie remains on the floor. Before Aelita can say anything, Jeremie's head turns in her direction. A tear forms in his eye as determination and guilt wage war in his waking thoughts. He clenches his teeth.

Jeremie: Call the others. He pushes himself up from the floor. If Moriarty wants to play chicken again, then we have no choice but to oblige him.

The Lyoko Warriors soon get word of Moriarty's attack and answer the call. They go through the sewer entrance and make their way to the factory as quickly as possible. Some of them, especially Christophe and Odd, still hobble from their extensive injuries. As they climb the ladder to the manhole cover on the bridge, Moriarty delivers his ultimatum to Jeremie and Aelita.

Moriarty: My dear friends, how nice to see you again. I'm sorry that I've been too busy to deal with you lately. Jeremie and Aelita silently simmer in anger while Moriarty goes on. Since Emmanuel has already gotten your attention and I have a feeling that you want to avoid small talk, I'll cut right to the chase. Scene shifts to Clichy-sous-Bois, where The Order continues its march and futile attempt to appeal to the masses there. The police officers stand at attention, nervously hoping that the confrontation doesn't explode into violence. Meanwhile, a single specter crawls into an unsuspecting officer and takes control. As we speak, my faithful followers are marching into Clichy-sous-Bois. The locals here aren't being too friendly toward us, but they are surprisingly restraining themselves from violence. It appears they need some…encouragement.

An officer next to the possessed one takes a moment to remark on the situation.

Police Officer: What a nightmare. These protesters better leave or things might get ugly. He looks over his shoulder and sees several schoolchildren gawking at the scene from behind one of the buildings. Though it is midday, the kids seem to be in no hurry to return to their school and leave the spectacle. He swears. And to make things worse, we have kids here! He turns to his companion. Keep a sharp eye out, Marcel. I don't like where this is going.

The possessed officer glances behind him at the children. He sees their curious faces and moves his hand down toward his sidearm.

Marcel: Nonsense. It will go just fine…

Back at the factory, Moriarty continues the explanation.

Moriarty: In exactly six minutes, my possessed enforcer of the law will target an innocent. Jeremie and Aelita turn white with horror from the threat. Knowing this community's history, I do think you know where this is going.

Jeremie shakes his head with disbelief.

Jeremie: You idiot! If you set that neighborhood ablaze, you'll be caught up in the chaos too! Is that what you really want?!

Moriarty: Oh Jeremie your concern for me is touching. But I think I can handle myself.

Aelita: You may be superhuman, but your followers aren't! Are you seriously going to endanger the very people you've manipulated?!

Moriarty ponders the thought for a moment.

Moriarty: When you put it that way it sounds very harsh, Aelita. Scene shifts back to Moriarty in his human form with his steadfast army in tow. The Order members stand at attention, secretly glaring at the hostile mob around them with increasing disgust. But I wouldn't worry about them either. You might even say I'm doing them a favor.

Aelita yells at the monitor.

Aelita: How could you?! Our fellow students are out there!

Moriarty: Don't be so foolish. Herb turns to the students behind him. The students nod and subtly position their feet to a more defensive stance. Herb reaches into his pocket and reveals a small taser weapon. He taps it against his pants leg, gleefully wondering if the residents will have the gall to attack them. You should know that they are not your fellow students anymore. War is war. The Lyoko Warriors slip down the ropes onto the factory floor, wincing from the impact. They trudge to the elevators, ready to face Moriarty once again. Our conflict has leaked out of Lyoko's boundaries long ago, and there's nothing you can do to stop it. So I would worry less about The Order and more about how you can stop me.

Moriarty finishes his usual introduction and vanishes from the monitor. The warriors enter the scanner room and listen to Jeremie's instructions.

Jeremie: I wish I had good news for you guys, but I don't. The infected scanner is fixed, but Emmanuel got in before we had time to repair it. I'm afraid you know what that means. The Lyoko Warriors swallow the news in grim silence. The stakes are really high this time. We have six minutes before a full-fledged riot breaks out in Clichy-sous-Bois, a disaster that will play right into Moriarty's campaign of extremism. The scanner doors open. Aelita, Odd, and Yumi take the lead and enter first. We cannot let that happen…under any circumstances. Ulrich, Natalya, Christophe, and William watch as the scanners warm up to deliver the first responders to the battlefield. Good luck…and do what you must.

Natalya looks at the floor. She takes hold of William's arm.

Natalya: Who is going to be the one to…do it?

William: Whoever has to…

The Lyoko Warriors are virtualized into the Forest Sector, at the edge of a large sinkhole. Several tree logs lead diagonally to the center of the hole, where the activated tower stands. The logs are intertangled with each other, making a path down to the tower difficult. Below the web of logs rests a pond of knee-deep water. The warriors take a moment to contemplate their options. Ulrich puts his foot at the edge of the hole.

Ulrich: Any idea how to navigate this?

Aelita's wings pop out.

Aelita: If I can see the tower, then I can fly to it. No need to deal with those logs. Of course Moriarty would never make it this ea-

She is interrupted by several strange and harsh bird squawks, followed by the flap of wings. Natalya looks up at the sky.

Natalya: We have company!

A group of ten vultures fly in from the north and attempt to take the warriors by surprise. Natalya notches an arrow and Yumi prepares to throw her fans, but they are soon caught off guard when they hear the noise coming from a different direction.

Odd: Don't tell me…

Jeremie: Look out! There's an entire flock of them heading your way. I'm counting twenty-four, no twenty-eight about to surround you!

Sure enough, the sky above them soon fills with vultures. The warriors drop their weapons, abandoning any hope of beating them. A shower of lasers descends on them.

Yumi: Quick! Hide in the logs!

Seeing no other way to escape, the warriors try to slide down the logs toward the tower. But the many obstacles and the lasers above cause all of them to lose their footing and fall. Aelita is hit in the left shoulder and tumbles down into the network of logs. By the time she has fallen several layers deep in the web, a hand reaches out to grab her. She looks up to see Christophe greeting her.

Christophe: I got you.

He pulls her up onto the log he landed on. The forest entanglement shakes under the pressure of the vultures' continued bombardment.

Christophe: It looks like Moriarty wanted to make sure flying wasn't an option. Or vehicles for that matter…

Aelita: And to make things even better, we're separated from the others.

Christophe examines the terrain. He does not see the warriors, but he does pick up the sound of several other potential warriors up ahead. He turns back to Aelita.

Christophe: I don't suppose calling them would be a good idea…

Aelita: No. She looks around. I have a feeling we're not alone in this jungle, and not in the good way…

Jeremie: Aelita makes a good point. From his vantage point in the factory, Jeremie locates the various green dots scattered throughout the environment. I can't locate any extra monsters, but they could easily be concealed. I have found William. He's not that far from you. Try to meet up with him and get to the tower before you know who shows up.

The two warriors nod. Christophe and Aelita jump onto the log below them.

Christophe: Alright, let's get going.

Several meters to the left, Odd and Yumi crawl through a particular dense part of the web.

Odd: Are we headed in the right direction?

Yumi looks around.

Yumi: We should be. This entire network is slanted down toward the tower. As long as we keep descending, we should get there.

The pair pushes their way past the dense section and start moving forward at standing level. Yumi holds on to the logs above her for support.

Yumi: Do your best to keep your balance. If we fall off, there's no telling where we might end up.

Odd: Haven't you heard that cats always land on their feet?

Yumi: Hilarious…

Odd's cat ears suddenly pick up something. He stops and can hear a low, menacing growl. Yumi hears it as well and stops walking. They share a worried look.

Yumi: I just realized….with all these logs around us.

Odd: Yeah…Odd's left hand moves to his right wrist. It's the perfect environment for tigers.

Another growl much closer to the pair startles them. Yumi reaches for her fans and catches sight of a tiger to her left.

Yumi: I got you! Yumi throws her fan, but it misses and ricochets off the logs. Or not…

The growls grow louder and approach them from every side. Odd and Yumi stand back to back, fearful of an imminent attack.

Odd: I don't like this…

A single tiger pounces on Yumi, knocking her off the log.

Odd: Yumi!

Yumi destroys the tiger on the log below them and stands up.

Yumi: Don't worry, I'm oka-

Several lasers nail her and she vanishes.

Odd: Just my luck.

The tigers appear, surrounding Odd and waiting to pounce. They growl at him, but Odd responds with a hiss of his own, provoking them to make their move.

Odd: Alright ladies, if it's a catfight you want, it's a catfight you're going to get! He leaps up to the log above him and latches on with his claws. He begins running and dashing between the logs on all fours. Come and get me!

The tigers comply and a battle of feline agility soon commences. A little bit farther away, Natalya and Ulrich find themselves dealing with five other tigers encircling them. The two stand at the very bottom of the entanglement, wading in the forest water. Natalya aims straight for the center of one of the tiger's skulls. She lets it fly. The tiger devirtualizes quickly, but the other four take the successful hit as a signal to start their attack. Natalya tries to reach for another arrow, but a tiger starts to pounce on her. Ulrich defends her and takes out the monster. He then turns around in time to shove both sabers down another one's maw. Natalya fires a second arrow. It grazes the tiger's leg and the monster fires in response. Natalya turns brilliantly white and the hit ricochets off her and destroys the tiger. But as soon as her invulnerability dies down, the last one comes from behind and devirtualizes her. Ulrich cuts it down, frustrated that he couldn't defend her. He sheathes his sabers.

Ulrich: Jeremie, I lost Natalya. How are the others doing?

Jeremie: I'm afraid Yumi's already down for the count as well. Odd is busy entertaining some feline friends. Christophe and Aelita are trying to meet up with William. I'd suggest you do the same. Jeremie checks the countdown. Hurry, you have less than four minutes to deactivate it.

Ulrich: Right.

He starts to wade forward in the water. Suddenly the logs above him start to creak. He glances over his shoulder. A second, louder creak soon follows. Ulrich's hands slowy reach toward his sabers.

Jeremie: Ulrich, what's wrong?

Ulrich: He's here…

Ulrich pulls his sabers out and remains deathly still. The slow movement of the water laps against his knees, producing the only audible sound in his area. His eyes dart from left to right. He remains utterly expressionless as he listens for anything out of the ordinary. One abrupt creak catches his attention and in a flash he spins around and comes face to face with Emmanuel's hammer. He slams his sabers against the blunt weapon and digs his heels into the ground. He somersaults and lands behind Emmanuel. The two face each other. Ulrich stares at him for a total of two seconds and charges in a super sprint. He attempts to cut Emmanuel down before he can react, but Emmanuel's reflexes are faster than he anticipated. He is greeted with the full weight of the hammer and vanishes. Jeremie watches Ulrich's virtualization card disappear.

Jeremie: And so the nightmare begins again. We're going to need everyone together to fight him. He readjusts his earpiece. Odd, are you there? I need you to get together with William, Christophe, and Aelita.

Towards the southern edge of the sinkhole, Odd has been caught in a corner. The logs have blocked his escape, and the tigers are stalking toward him.

Odd: That's not really easy at this point. I have one way out, and that way's not looking so hot right now.

Jeremie: Please Odd. We only have three and a half minutes before chaos breaks loose. We can't afford to have anyone else devirtualized.

Odd: I guess it's all up to me as usual. Odd raises his wrist, ready to fire. What are you waiting for scaredy-cats? I'm right here!

The tigers move in. Odd fires madly at his attackers, but there are too many to hit all of them. The last two remaining monsters take him out. Jeremie's anxiety rises another notch with the loss of Odd.

Jeremie: No…we're not going to let him win this time. He shuts his eyes tightly. We can't let him win this time!

William stands in a dry section of the forest floor surrounded by water. He hangs his two-handed sword over his shoulder. The sound of splashing makes him spin around and point his sword in the direction of the noise.

Christophe: Easy-Christophe and Aelita appear from below a low-hanging log.It's us.

William lowers his weapon, breathing a sigh of relief.

William: Are we the only ones left?

Aelita: I'm afraid so. This terrain has made us fall apart quickly.

Jeremie: The terrain is not the only problematic factor…

Christophe's expression darkens.

Christophe: He's shown himself?

Jeremie: And already defeated Ulrich.

Out of the corner of his eye, William perceives a shape moving. His virtual body goes on high alert. The grip on his hilt tightens.

William: And he's not wasting any time. He faces Christophe and Aelita. Get going. I'll hold him off as long as I can.

Christophe: On your own? Shouldn't we both stay and let Aelita make a run for it?

Jeremie: Don't argue. The scene shifts back to the lab room, where the timer continues to count down on the monitor. You have two minutes and thirty seconds before this thing goes off. If he defeats both of you Aelita won't have any backup. So go!

Christophe reluctantly turns and leaves with Aelita. William watches them go and then does an about face.

William: I know you're there Emmanuel. Come on out. You're not going farther without going through me first.

Emmanuel appears to his right and hits his hammer against William's sword. The shockwave creates waves in the water below them. Emmanuel's face is cool and pitiless.

Emmanuel: I wouldn't expect anything less.

Emmanuel swings at William's head. His opponent ducks and then somersaults backwards. Using a log as a springboard, William tries to come in for the kill. But Emmanuel jumps out of the way. The two then face each other in another quiet standstill. While William contemplates his next move, Xana's voice enters his thoughts.

Xana: Incredible.

William: What?

Xana: Your mind is calm. Your attacks are not half-hearted. Any notion of pity is being surpressed. You're actually ready to kill him.

William: I am.

Xana: Then forgive me if I try to savor this moment of ruthless efficiency.

William: It's not like I'm enjoying it. You keep that to yourself.

Emmanuel hits his hammer impatiently into the water.

Emmanuel: Are you done talking to yourself?

William: Sorry, just chatting with an old friend.

Emmanuel's hammer lights up. He swings and a swathe of energy sails toward William. William goes into super smoke and dodges it. Emmanuel pretends to swing his hammer to the right to hit him. William moves to the left and is nailed by the hammer. He transforms back into his virtual body and goes to his knees. Emmanuel towers above him.

William: You, you can hit me even when I'm in smoke form? Emmanuel doesn't answer but lifts his hammer to put him out of commission for the day. William stares at the water. I know you're not truly yourself right now Emmanuel, but why? Why all this? Why support Moriarty?

Emmanuel doesn't hesitate to reply.

Emmanuel: All of France's enemies must be hammered out of existence. I wanted a new Charles Martel to follow, and my new master serves that role nicely. Emmanuel devirtualizes William. I need no other reason…

Meanwhile, Christophe and Aelita see the tower up ahead.

Jeremie: Less than two minutes! PLEASE HURRY!

Christophe: Shut up! We're doing our best!

Aelita: Come on, just a little farther…

Aelita is grazed by Emmanuel's hammer without warning. She lands in the water behind Christophe.

Christophe: Aelita!

Jeremie nearly has a heart attack as he watches the scene.

Jeremie: One more hit like that and it's all over!

Emmanuel jumps from log to log and stands in front of Christophe. The two enemies share a look of deep enmity. Christophe's feelings of rage begin to come to the surface. He stomps his feet in the water and seethes with anger. Emmanuel seems intrigued by his opponent's lack of composure.

Emmanuel: So, you're the one who is most eager to kill me. How ironic it is that you're also the least capable of doing it.

Emmanuel catches sight of Aelita trying to slip past him. He strikes his hammer into the water. A wall of solid white energy cuts across the pond, blocking off the way to the tower. Emmanuel's armor and body glow with the curtain of energy behind him.

Emmanuel: No one is getting past that easily. Moriarty doesn't like cheaters. His eyes widen. The only way through is to end my life!

Aelita rushes to Christophe's side.

Aelita: Come on! Let's do this together!

Jeremie: No, you need to stay back. You can't afford to fight anymore. Let Christophe handle it!

Aelita: But there's no way he can do it alone!

Jeremie: Well…DO SOMETHING! We only have a minute and thirty-

Christophe: I SAID SHUT UP!

Jeremie and Aelita stop their argument, silenced by Christophe's sudden outburst. Christophe holds out his hands. The weapons on his wrists warm up.

Christophe: I'll do this on my own.

Emmanuel scoffs at the bold statement.

Emmanuel: Predictable as always. Let me guess…this is the point where you give me one last speech where you explain that you're going to kill me but that it's still painful in spite of our history…

Christophe: Well, I might have considered that-Christophe aims and fires his discs.-But I don't have time!

Emmanuel blocks them with his hammer and moves in. Christophe narrowly avoids getting hit by the hammer. He spins around and fires again, only to be denied.

Emmanuel: Face it, you can't land a hit on me. An energy shield hits Emmanuel's back. He spins around to see another energy field in her hands. I thought you were going to play fair. Christophe tries to ambush him from behind. Emmanuel deflects the discs with his hammer without even looking back. Don't think for a second that I forgot about you.

Aelita: Christophe, look out!

Emmanuel attempts to nail Christophe on the top of his head, but his opponent manages to avoid it and flip over Emmanuel's head by launching himself off his opponent's weapon. Christophe quickly gets to his feet. At the same time, Jeremie bites his fingernails as time continues to ebb away.

Jeremie: Seventy seconds left.

Christophe kicks up some water to use it as a distraction. He fires through the water at Emmanuel. But his opponent sees through the ruse and easily knocks them down. Christophe keeps firing, hoping to get a lucky break, but it never comes. He runs out of discs.

Christophe: Are you kidding me?! I'm out already?!

Emmanuel shakes his head with disappointment.

Emmanuel: How sad. Emmanuel stretches his arm back. You're boring me now. It's time for you to be hammered out of existence as well.

A band of energy emerges from the swing of his hammer and barrels toward Emmanuel. In a split second, Christophe assesses the situation and makes a final decision. He jumps above the band of energy and concentrates all of his pent-up energy in his chest. His speakers light up. Emmanuel gets one glimpse of Christophe in midair and has just enough time to recognize what is about to happen. A concussive blast of sonic energy shakes the area. Emmanuel is knocked up in the air. He starts dissolving into black smoke. By the time he is half dissolved, Christophe gets a look at his opponent's face. For a brief moment in his mind's eye, Christophe sees the same boy who he used to call his friend. The mental imagery takes him back to a memory of his elementary school days. At a field by a river, two boys play a one-on-one game of soccer. The gaps between trees serve as goals for both children. A younger Emmanuel kicks it past Christophe into the net.

Emmanuel: Another goal! He stops to think. What is that now…ten goals to zero?

Christophe, who dove to try to block the ball, gets back on his feet.

Christophe: That was a lucky shot. I'll be ready for the next one!

Emmanuel: You said that six goals ago.

Christophe: Well this time, I'll really be ready!

Emmanuel takes the ball again and bounces it off his foot.

Emmanuel: If you say so…

The two duke it out again. For a solid minute, they are even in their match. But Emmanuel's talent and agility get the better of Christophe and he slips in another goal.

Emmanuel: And that makes number eleven. He yawns. Come on man, I'm bored and hungry. Can't we give it a rest?

Christophe gets off his knees.

Christophe: Not yet.

Emmanuel: I don't get you. I've trounced you every single time. Why do you keep this up?

Christophe breathes heavily for a few seconds. He then breaks out into a laugh, which confuses Emmanuel. He greets his superior opponent with a sly grin.

Christophe: Because if I can win once, it will be enough. He points at Emmanuel. You're better than me at soccer, math, running, swimming, and pretty much anything I can think of. But if I work hard enough, I will be able to beat you in something. It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow, it may not be next year, but I will beat you in something. And I won't stop working until I do!

Emmanuel listens to the speech with a stunned expression. After considering his words for a little bit, he shrugs and laughs it off. He extends his hand to Christophe.

Emmanuel: Cool. I like your toughness. You may not be the best but you don't quit. So go ahead and work to beat me. They shake hands like grownups. And when you beat me in something, I'll be there to congratulate you. I won't be a sore loser about it. I'm not like that.

Christophe: Awesome! Now I really can't wait for that day!

Emmanuel: Alright, but don't expect me to go easy on you. You're going to have to earn it…

Back in reality, Christophe watches the final vestiges of Emmanuel disappear from sight. He remains frozen in place while Aelita runs to the tower. He stands there, lost to the world around him. He sinks to his knees, causing ripples to form in the water around him.

Christophe: Yeah…I didn't have time.

Back in Clichy-sous-Bois, the officer reaching for his pistol suddenly faints and falls to the ground. Confusion ensues among the officers, but order is quickly restored. The residents continue to simmer but keep their distance. At the front of the march, Klotz sees that Moriarty is deep in thought.

Klotz: Commandant, is something wrong?

A half-smile appears on his leader's face.

Moriarty: Yes. He had to be the one to do it. It wouldn't work any other way…

Klotz: Pardon me?

Moriarty: Never mind. Signal the brigade leaders to take a left at the next street. We're done here.

A somber silence falls in the factory as Jeremie goes over the final details of the battle. While everyone seems to be in various degrees of pain, Jeremie's expression sets him apart. His face is hollow and worn out.

Jeremie: It's over.

Long pause.

Natalya: I don't suppose Moriarty will give him a delayed devirtualization this time?

Jeremie: It's possible, but not likely. I wouldn't hold my breath on it.

Seconds later, Aelita and Christophe come up together on the elevator. All eyes focus their gaze on Christophe. Aelita reaches to touch his shoulder but withdraws at the last moment. Christophe says nothing and greets their stares with guarded and feigned indifference. A tight emotional seal has wrapped over him, and some of the more intelligent warriors can tell that he is doing his best to keep it in his place. Christophe taps his foot on the floor and looks at the ceiling.

Christophe: Did I do it in time?

Jeremie nods.

Jeremie: Yes. The riot was averted.

Christophe: Good. He turns away. I would hate for that all to be for nothing.

The warriors depart with little conversation to speak of. Later that night in the men's bathroom, Christophe sits on a bench outside the showers. He wears shorts and no shirt. Students pass by him and he barely detects their presence. He rests his chin on his fists, remaining silent and still for what seems like hours. He hears someone approaching him. He looks up. It is Jeremie.

Jeremie: Hey.

Christophe: Hey.

Jeremie: Can I sit down?

Christophe: Sure. The bench doesn't belong to me.

Jeremie sits. For a little while they sit side by side, not uttering a word. Christophe lifts his head up slightly.

Christophe: Did you…do what I asked?

Jeremie: Yes. It's been eight hours. I've scoured all of the sectors. There is no trace of him at all.

Christophe: Thank you. I don't like being unsure about it…

They remain silent for a little longer.

Jeremie: I just wanted to say that-

Christophe: I don't need any sympathy or consolation. I did what I had to. That's all.

Jeremie's tone becomes far stricter.

Jeremie: No. You will listen to me. There's something you need to understand. After you did what you did, several members of the gang came to me in private and confessed that they weren't sure that they would have the guts to do what was necessary. I know William was, but he simply couldn't do it. Jeremie's look softens. I just want to remind you that no matter what pain you're feeling right now, you saved lives today. And that counts for something. You're a strong Lyoko Warrior, Christophe. Stronger than I could ever hope to be…

Christophe swallows saliva and hesitates to respond. He leans back and rests his head against the wall. His hands tremble slightly. That trembling passes from his hands to the rest of his body. He opens his mouth, waiting a bit for the right words to come out.

Christophe: Most of you guys have to carry painful things as a result of our fight against Moriarty. Aelita has to deal with the loss of her parents and her family's history with Moriarty. William has to carry around Xana inside his head. Odd has to deal with PTSD from Moriarty's trauma. You have to deal with the time you went crazy and the loss of Mr. Stern. He faces Jeremie. You older warriors have already been through enough. It's time for the new guy to carry the weight. We all have to carry something painful, and now it's my turn. Christophe looks at his hands as they tremble. He can't help but imagining seeing Emmanuel's blood on them. He closes those hands into fists. I made an oath as a Lyoko Warrior to fight Moriarty with everything I have, and I am a man of my word. So…I will carry my burden-He loses his voice for a moment-even if it is very hard to carry.

Jeremie tries to say something in response, but he is suddenly cut off by a scream coming from the showers.

Bastien: STOP! GET AWAY!

Jeremie and Christophe bolt up from the bench and enter the shower area. In the third shower stall, they see Nicholas and Thomas from The Order attacking a naked and still injured Bastien while hot water still falls on him. At the head of front of the pack, Herb watches his thugs do his dirty work. Herb looks at the two intruders with disdain.

Herb: I would highly recommend you leave. There's nothing to see here.

Christophe's blood boils intensely and Jeremie's reaction is by no means tame. Christophe's five fingers curl into a fist.

Christophe: I'm going to wipe that smile off your face…permanently!

Jeremie places a hand on Christophe's shoulder. Christophe turns to his friend. Jeremie's face is now strangely calm, though he can sense a powerful anger still resonating under the surface.

Jeremie: Herb, I'm giving you one warning and one warning only. Call off your attack dogs.

Thomas stops hitting Bastien.

Thomas: Hey, who you calling dogs?!

Herb raises a hand, signaling his lackey to back off. He raises an eyebrow at Jeremie.

Herb: And if I don't? Are you and muscle-for-brains going to attack us on your own?

Jeremie: Of course not. Christophe looks at Jeremie in disbelief. Christophe is still beaten up and too weak to fight…even if he says otherwise. And I am not much of a physical fighter. But…I have an edge on you that will force you to leave him alone.

Herb breaks out into laughter.

Herb: Please, what could you possibly do to me?

Jeremie grins, obviously pleased that Herb has taken his bait. He slicks his hair back and pretends to be cool and oblivious to the situation. But then he shoots Herb a vicious look that makes Herb weak in the knees.

Jeremie: Or you'll never be able to shower in peace!

Herb: W-What?!

Jeremie: That's right. Jeremie's stare becomes crueler as he takes a few threatening steps toward Herb. The Outcasts will repay you triple for what you are doing to Bastien. We will pummel you when you are most vulnerable and do it without mercy. He chuckles to himself. I will even get the three Outcast pack dogs on you. I think you know who I'm talking about.

Nicholas steps in front of Jeremie.

Nicholas: You think we're just going to allow that to happen?

Jeremie: What? Are you two goons going to defend him every time he takes a shower? Are you that dumb? He refocuses his glare on Herb. What kind of leader are you when you rely on your boys to do all the work for you?

Herb begins to shake in the face of this new and rather terrifying Jeremie. His opponent gets up closer to his face. Thomas and Henri are too stunned to intervene. Christophe stares in wonder and a beaten Bastien slowly lifts his head up to watch.

Jeremie: It doesn't matter how much you outnumber us. We will find a way to get to you, and we will make your life a living hell. So…what's it going to be, Herb?

Herb stammers, taking an uncomfortable amount of time to make his reply. Jeremie's intense gaze rattles him. His old bravado a minute ago is nowhere to be found. A few seconds later he manages to collect himself.

Herb: I….I…

Jim throws open the door to the shower area. The door slams against the wall so hard it makes everyone in the room turn in surprise.

Jim: STOP THIS ATTACK IMMEDIATELY!

Herb: Jim, oh thank goodness you're he-The gym teacher lifts Herb up by the collar and directs his wrathful stare at The Order leader.-w-what are you doing?

Jim: Don't play dumb with me! I received a tip that you and a couple of others were going to gang up on Bastien. Jim looks over at the shower stall. Bastien forces himself to stand. Jim's anger triples in intensity. AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU CAN'T COVER UP THE EVIDENCE!

Herb: Sir, please let me-

Jim: SHUT UP! The thunderous response silents Herb and intimidates even Jeremie and Christophe, who are still caught up in the scene. Jim takes a moment to let his wrath fester and become ripe before hitting his victim with a storm of words. You know Herb, when I started this job, I made a personal oath that I would never, under any circumstances, swear at a student. He lowers his eyebrows. But out of all the rotten apples I have had to deal with, you are the one who has made it the hardest to keep my promise.

Thomas and Nicholas slowly start to back away, hoping to escape unnoticed. But Jim's watchful eyes latch onto them before they move more than two steps.

Jim: AND DON'T THINK YOU'RE GETTING AWAY THIS EASILY! I'LL MAKE SURE ALL OF YOU HAVE HELL TO PAY!

Herb lowers his head and starts to mutter under his breath.

Jim: What was that?

Herb raises his head. He trembles with a mixture of hurt and black anger that are beyond words.

Herb: I said what else is new?! Jim is so stunned by Herb's reckless statement that he doesn't say a word. Herb begins to laugh. I've been punished all my life, becoming the butt of every joke, receiving the knuckles of every punch. I've been nothing but a mat for other students to step on at this school. And when I try to do some punishing of my own….He points at Jim…you come in to enforce the injustice! Herb's expression becomes so enraged that it reaches the point of a frightening mania. Is is any wonder-He looks up at the ceiling-is it any wonder that I resorted to this?!

Water from the leaky shower faucets drip down, filling the void of silence left by Herb. Jeremie watches Jim carefully, wondering what he might do. The gym teacher inhales through his nose and exhales. He then releases his grip on Herb's shirt collar. Some of his anger slackens and moves in the direction of disgust.

Jim: Do you think I was never your age? Do you think I was never bullied? I have news for you-He motions to his large body-I wasn't always as impressive as I am today, and life wasn't easy for me. The kids in my school were brutal. It didn't matter to them that my mother was struggling to provide for the two of us, or that I had recently lost my father in a peacekeeping mission in the Congo. None of that mattered. But when I hit puberty and became bigger and stronger than them, did I pay them back for every injury they gave me? He gets in Herb's face. NO! Having the ability to inflict equal damage on those that have hurt you does not make you a man. Taking the high road and retaining your dignity in spite of your pain does. He takes hold of Herb's shoulder and motions to the two other offenders. Let's go…Jeremie, Christophe-The two warriors suddenly stand up straight, afraid of suffering the aftershocks of his anger-Help Bastien to the infirmary. And find him some pants while you're at it…

Several minutes later, Christophe and Jeremie return from the infirmary to the boys' hallway. Neither of them says a word for a while. Christophe occasionally glances at Jeremie awkwardly. He finally manages to break the silence.

Christophe: You were…pretty scary back there.

Jeremie: Nothing compared to what Jim did to him.

Christophe: Did you really mean what you said to Herb? About attacking him in kind when he was most vulnerable?

Jeremie nods casually.

Jeremie: Every word of it. Moriarty has made it quite clear that our allies are never safe from harm. The only way to push back is to remind Moriarty that his allies aren't safe either.

Christophe: No offense…but that's pretty harsh. We don't want to stoop to his tactics to deal with our classmates that have strayed to his side, do we? Christophe's eyes suddenly widen with realization. He looks away. His voice becomes very soft. Of course, I have absolutely no room to talk.

Jeremie's hand touches Christophe's shoulder.

Jeremie: You and I aren't that different, Christophe. We both know that we have to win. It's going to be messy, but we have to win. We simply must win and that's all there is to it.

Before they make it to their rooms, Christophe and Jeremie run into Tobias and Lucas. The two exchange students stand in their way in the hall.

Jeremie: Guys, what are you still doing up?

Lucas: We h-heard what h-h-happened.

Tobias: Is it true they beat the tar out of Bastien when he was just taking a shower?

Jeremie's expression sours and he adjusts his glasses.

Jeremie: Unfortunately, yes. We were there.

Christophe: It was really ugly.

Tobias: I was afraid you would say that. Lucas and I have been thinking and- He looks at Lucas. Lucas nods with encouragement. Tobias sighs.-we've decided that we have to leave.

Christophe: What? Now?! Both Jeremie and Christophe become deeply concerned. You can't be serious…

Tobias: We are. We were planning on telling the rest of the Outcasts tomorrow, but you might as well know now. We can't do this anymore.

Lucas shakes his head.

Lucas: T-Too dangerous in this s-s-school. In this c-country…

Tobias: We can't go on like this, fearing what Renard might do next, looking over our shoulders at every turn. It's too much. And not to mention-He hesitates to deliver some brutal honesty- we are foreigners. This isn't our fight. We just need to go back home.

Jeremie: But the Outcasts need you. Tobias, you saw how big the crowd was at the soccer stadium. This is a major problem and we need your help.

Christophe: We already lost César. We don't want to lose you two too!

Tobias holds his hands up in defense.

Tobias: You're right. I did see that crowd. I listened to every word. His face darkens. A sense of hopelessness looms about him. That's when I understood that one person wasn't going to make a difference against something that strong and powerful. And after that fight-He touches the side of his face, which is still bruised-well, that was the final straw.

Lucas: And it's not l-like our p-parents gave us a ch-ch-choice.

Tobias: He's right. They have been paying attention to the news and they don't like what they see happening in France. Now that the United States has finally determined that I ain't a health hazard and reapproved my passport, my parents are ordering me to come home on the double. And I guess Belgium has done the same. There is no debating it.

Lucas hangs his head in sadness.

Lucas: We're sorry. W-We did our b-b-best….

Tobias: But it's time for us to leave.

Jeremie and Christophe briefly exchange looks and come to the understanding that this is an unwinnable battle.

Jeremie: Are you not even staying for the rest of the semester?

Lucas: No. We l-leave as soon as pos-possible.

Jeremie frowns and reaches to shake their hands. Both of them do so.

Jeremie: Well, I suppose there's no helping it. Goodbye and good luck. I'm sorry we caused you so much trouble.

Lucas forces a weak smile.

Lucas: It's o-okay. I survived….b-barely.

Tobias: Don't apologize. You are the sane ones here. And besides, all of this will make for excellent stories back home.

Christophe: Yes. Please tell everyone you can about what's happening here. If more people know about the problem here, together we can make things very difficult for Renard.

Lucas nods, clearly pleased with this nonthreatening way of helping the cause.

Lucas: Yes. It's t-the l-least we could do.

Tobias tips his baseball cap to Christophe and Jeremie. The two foreign exchange students take their leave.

Tobias: So long guys. Thanks for understanding. Tobias starts walking but then turns around. Oh, I almost forgot. If it's any consolation, Isabel has decided to stay.

Jeremie: Really? I thought she was the most eager to leave.

Tobias shrugs.

Tobias: So did I. But she has changed her mind for some reason. I'm not sure, but my guess is The Order girls have pushed her too far, and now the fight has become real personal. Who knows? All I now is we can't do the same. He turns back around. So keep an eye on her for me, will ya?

Jeremie and Christophe wave goodbye.

Jeremie: We will. Take care.

Lucas and Tobias walk away. Jeremie and Christophe wait until they are out of earshot and then talk privately.

Jeremie: I should have seen that coming. All of these foreign students have no incentive to hang around in the midst of such a nightmare.

Christophe: I just wish we could convince them otherwise.

Jeremie: I do too. It's a real shame though.

Christophe looks at Jeremie with peaked interest.

Christophe: What do you mean?

Jeremie: It's a real shame…no I guess it's a good thing that they don't know that- Jeremie's expression becomes grave and serious.-if Moriarty succeeds, fleeing back to their own countries will not be enough to protect them.

The night slowly transitions to day and approaching winter sunlight falls onto the scenic campus. Students begin to wake up and trudge to the showers and breakfast. But in the basement of the one of the dormitory buildings, two young adolescents who are already awake and dressed pass the time in one of the spare rooms. Over the course of the semester this windowless space has become one of The Order's many popular hangouts. An Order banner is pinned to the wall and the space is complete with chairs, a refrigerator, and a couch. Mathias Burel sits on the couch underneath the banner with a sly and superior grin etched onto his face. Henri walks about the room, laughing while drinking a soda.

Henri: You really knew how to throw him under the bus. Ratting Herb out to Jim? That's pretty underhanded. He takes another sip. I like it.

Mathias takes in the praise from his comrade, beaming with a false modesty.

Mathias: I can't take all the credit though. Herb is his own worst enemy. Even I think he went way too far. But I knew he was going to do it.

Henri: Yeah, no way he was going to let that humiliation from Bastien go.

Mathias: Exactly. All I had to do was wait for him to do the inevitable…Mathias makes an execution motion across his neck…and go in for the kill.

Henri: And that you did. Though I wonder if you really spelled his doom. Henri sits down on a chair and puts his soda on a nearby table. Beating Bastien to a pulp might be the last straw. Even Delmas could manage a way to expel him with something that outrageous. I wonder if the Commandant could even put a stop to it.

Mathias: He definitely has the power. The question is whether he will use it. He rubs his hands together, working over a sinister fantasy in his mind. With all the trouble he's caused, the Commandant may determine that he's more trouble than he's worth. And with him out of the way and Emmanuel still acting strange…

Henri smiles, eager to finish his comrade's sentence.

Henri: Then there's no one stopping you from being the student leader of The Order. Of course…He motions to himself in a not so subtle way….There's always a need for a right hand man…

Mathias shrugs at the idea.

Mathias: I figured you had your motives for backing me up on this. Not that I blame you…Mathias loses himself in another positive fantasy…either way, the future is looking bright.

Paul Gilliard suddenly bursts into the room. The two Order members look up in surprise. The unexpected interruption makes them slightly nervous that they have been caught in a compromising position. But Mathias overcomes the feeling and addresses the intruder.

Mathias: Paul, what's wrong?

Paul looks pale and distraught. He swallows and clears his throat before answering.

Paul: It's Emmanuel. He's gone.

Henri: What? Gone? What do you mean gone?!

Paul: I mean gone! He's nowhere on campus. He's gone missing! The temporary confusion between the two evaporates into serious worry. The police are already here.

As the campus becomes more active, news of the awful truth spread like wildfire. Outcast and Order supporter alike receive the news with astonishment. Before long the Parisian police arrive, and the student crowd soon surrounds them. Jim and several other teachers, regardless of their allegiance, help keep the distance between the officers and the students. Chief of Police Benoit arrives on the scene, quickly greeting Mr. Delmas. After a brief conversation between the two, Mr. Delmas motions for someone in the crowd. All eyes turn to a shaking and frail figure approaching the two men. Her eyes are dark red and splotched from tears. Her hair is a mess and she wears a black sweater and sweatpants. Her attire and appearance are so unusual that it takes several seconds for students to recognize her as the once beautiful Angeline Maillard. Seeing her in such a poor state, even Benoit's hard look softens in her presence. Delmas touches her lightly on the shoulder.

Delmas: It's going to be okay. This gentleman has a few questions for you to answer.

Jim and Delmas escort Benoit and Angeline into the main building. As they walk past, rumors and concerns spread among The Order crowd. The students all dressed in black and purple begin to recognize that their fearless leader is not present for this crisis.

Morgane: Where is the Commandant? Why isn't he here for this?

Louis: This has to be some sort of mistake. The Commandant would never ignore something as serious as Emmanuel's disappearance.

Anais: A mistake?! You saw Angeline's face. This is no mistake, this is serious!

Amongst the younger students, Hiroki and Johnny also propose their theories.

Johnny: You don't think the Outcasts did this, do you?

Hiroki scoffs at the thought.

Hiroki: Please, those cowards wouldn't dare try to hurt him. And even if they did, it won't be long before they regretted it.

Johnny: Then, he just deserted us?

Hiroki: No! How could you say such a thing?! Hiroki starts to become visibly upset as doubt creeps into his own words. Emmanuel would never, never just run off. His words lose their strength. Especially now…

Mathias, Paul, and Henri watch the teachers and police force move into the main building. A heavy silence entangles them. They stay eerily still in the back of the group, slowly trying to understand the disappearance of Emmanuel. The sight of their comrades so worried and fragile fills them with unease. Paul and Henri turn to Mathias, looking to him for answers. Mathias becomes slightly overwhelmed, realizing with trepidation that he is the closest thing The Order has to a leader.

Paul: Well, what do we do now?

Henri scans the crowd in vain for Moriarty. He shakes his head.

Henri: Klotz isn't here either. He rubs the top of his head and grimaces. Maybe we should get Herb.

Mathias: NO! Anything but that. He's been confined to the dorms anyway. No….I asked for this…He stops himself…well not this specifically, but that's not important. We have to make a decision without him. He freezes as more and more people listen and look to him for direction. He stumbles on his words for a second. Fi-First off…we need to let the police do their job. And since they're here, we should not target the Outcasts. At least not until we know more. But in the meantime we should….we should-Mathias musters what courage and leadership skills he can. He finally comes to a decision and speaks up.-our main priority should be to find the Commandant and inform him of what has happened.

At the corner of the building, William watches the scene from behind the shadows. A chilly breeze moves past him. He hugs his jacket closer to his body. Gradually the crowd disperses, and what remains of The Order at Kadic follows Mathias' lead. William continues to stare off into space, not saying a word. From inside the building, he can hear Angeline begin to cry again, followed by the police urging her to remain calm. William warms his hands in his jacket pockets. He turns around and starts walking to class.

William: Winter's coming. His feet trudge across the mud and dirt. I wonder if I will ever see the spring.

Many kilometers away toward the center of the city, Moriarty and Klotz spend time at a luxurious but rather secluded condominium. In this condominium, the two men sit in a small parlor cut off from the rest of the residence. The two representatives of The Order are dressed nicely. Moriarty has discarded his lab coat and now wears a royal purple button-down shirt, while Klotz sports a black button-down shirt. They sit in elegant chairs across from a somewhat short and old man. The elderly host has pure white hair with a large bald spot on top. His face is wrinkled with sure signs of age, but his dignity and sense of purpose stay strong. He is none other than Jean-Marie Le Pen, the chairman and founder of The National Front in France. He rubs his hands together.

Le Pen: My apologies for the secrecy and calling you here at such an early hour. But you see, I am a man who likes to keep exchanges of this kind quiet and out of the public eye.

Moriarty: A form of prudence that no doubt has brought you this far.

Le Pen glances at Moriarty with an obvious flair of arrogance.

Le Pen: I am not interested in flattery Dr. Renard, I am here to talk business.

Moriarty conceals his anger at the reproach with a brighter smile than usual. But Klotz, recognizing that his superior was not pleased by that comment, decides to make the first move.

Klotz: As you are already well aware Mr. Le Pen, we're having some of an issue with divisions in our ranks. Specifically with regard to whether our organization should be united with yours or not…

The leader of the National Front grunts in response, absorbing Klotz's remark with scorn.

Le Pen: An alliance with The Order? I highly doubt it. The National Front already has a Youth wing to bolster our ranks. We don't need you.

Moriarty: Agreed. Moriarty adjusts his collar, matching Le Pen's coolness in the face of the rising tension. And with all due respect, The Order doesn't need the National Front or you.

Le Pen eyes Moriarty with slight interest. Moriarty maintains his firm gaze, sending a signal that he is not intimidated by this aging political figure. Le Pen shrugs and reaches for a coffee mug on the table. He takes a sip.

Le Pen: Well that's reassuring. When you contacted me, I was slightly concerned that you would want a merger between our two groups. And that was not what I wanted.

Klotz: We promise you that is not the case. The Order wishes to stay as it is.

Le Pen: The issue with that is that our two groups have very similar ideologies. It's only natural that there would be some overlap.

Klotz adjusts his glasses. He has a somewhat devious smile on his face. Moriarty watches his protégé go to work while he remains quiet for the moment. He starts to realize that Klotz's mannerisms, his tone of voice, even his facial expressions now bear a striking resemblance to his own. The master manipulator exudes a slight smile, overjoyed that he has transformed a timid school psychologist into a brilliant and cunning right-hand man.

Klotz: Unfortunately Mr. Le Pen, that overlap is doing us some serious harm. More and more of your people are flocking to our side and demanding some….adjustments. Some are demanding a merger. Klotz takes a moment to clear his throat. As you could imagine, that puts us in a precarious position. Some of your ideals are…Klotz's smile brightens as he gingerly treads on thin ice...a tad too radical for our tastes. There is also the problem that your organization has a very controversial history with the French public. Though we do respect you, we unfortunately have to keep our distance from you.

Le Pen: That is understandable. He leans back on the couch. He gives his guests a smug look. But don't think that keeping your distance from me will save you from falling into disfavor with the majority of the French public. Right now The Order is young. But soon enough your ideals will not sit favorably with most people and your popularity will fall.

Klotz: While I'm afraid we don't agree with your theory, we would still like you to do us a favor and help us deal with the situation.

The leader of the National Front gives Klotz a puzzled look.

Le Pen: And what exactly do you want me to do?

Klotz: It's rather simple really. All we want you to do is make a public announcement stating that although you appreciate The Order in many ways, the National Front does not have the same goals and ideals. And you must encourage your own supporters not to get too involved in our movement. Klotz looks Le Pen straight in the eye, proud that he has been so clear and eloquent with such a major French political figure. That is all.

Le Pen rubs his chin, thinking over Klotz's proposal.

Le Pen: Okay. That makes sense. Only one thing. Why should I help you? What's in it for me?

Moriarty finally breaks his silence and takes over from where Klotz left off.

Moriarty: Simply put, I can move things in the right direction for you…

Moriarty intentionally stops talking and has some coffee while he lets the fishing lure sit in the water for Le Pen to take.

Le Pen: How so?

Moriarty: Even if The Order is a failed enterprise, you must admit that I have brought more people into the arms of the French right than you have over your entire career. And I can continue to do so for the time being. Our numbers continue to grow in spite of our latest divisions. But if we alleviate those tensions, it will allow us to grow further. And the extra time you give us will be useful to you.

Le Pen: Go on…

Moriarty: If The Order crashes and burns further down the road, then you will have the advantage of catching the windfall from all of the people I have coerced to my side. In other words, The Order's loss is The National Front's gain.

Le Pen taps his fingers on the coffee table. Though he appears somewhat unimpressed, his eyes gleam with some admiration for Moriarty's shrewdness.

Le Pen: Interesting. You do make a convincing argument. Though it seems like this deal only works in your favor because you believe that I am wrong about your organization's demise.

Moriarty: Naturally.

Le Pen: So from my point of view, I have nothing to lose from this deal. I just need to work behind the scenes to make sure you stay around a little longer…

Klotz: Exactly.

The elderly man smirks and adjusts his glasses. He eases himself off the couch and reaches out to shake Moriarty's hand.

Le Pen: Gentlemen, you have yourself a deal. I will make sure that the National Front and The Order stay their separate ways.

Moriarty accepts the handshake.

Moriarty: I had a feeling you would see things our way.

Le Pen: Yes….He breaks off the handshake and moves toward the door…Though I have a policy of being nothing but brutally honest, I might as well wish you the best of luck Dr. Renard. He opens the door. My assistants will see you out.

Moriarty stands up.

Moriarty: Wait just a moment, I have one question.

Le Pen looks back at his guest with some measure of impatience.

Le Pen: Yes?

Moriarty: Would you by chance be attending Eurovision this month?

Jean-Marie Le Pen stares at Moriarty for a moment, surprised the randomness of his question. He looks off to the side for a moment and then nods his head.

Le Pen: Ordinarily I wouldn't, but a very important donor to the National Front who also happens to be a higher up in the European Broadcasting Union is coming to Paris for the event. And we thought the concert was the best place to meet. Why do you ask?

Moriarty cracks open another smile, but there is a certain malevolence behind it that escapes the naked eye.

Moriarty: I was just wondering if you would like to meet me as well, as I am also attending the event. In case there is anything else we need to discuss…

Le Pen quickly turns his back on Moriarty.

Le Pen: I'll think about it.

He exits without bothering to let Moriarty reply. The two are left alone in the spacious and ornate room. Moriarty quickly drops his charming act. He mutters under his breath.

Moriarty: That is the last time I brownnose a politician.

Klotz: Careful Commandant. He might have cameras around here.

Moriarty scoffs at the notion and paces the room.

Moriarty: Oh let him listen. He's too arrogant to think this plan could backfire on him. Moriarty lets the anger from Le Pen's demeaning tone simmer, building it up for a later date when it can be unleashed. But on the surface, he is unnervingly calm. He shoots a smile in Klotz's direction. How sad it is that age does not always produce wisdom.

The day passes and night falls on Paris. At a Gothic church in front of a city park, a late mass is being held. A small gathering of the faithful takes their seats in the pews, awaiting the message of God. The lit candles in the church combined with the images of Christ and Catholic saints paint a scene of haunting beauty. Shortly before the mass begins, Yumi Ishiyama enters, wearing a black blouse and skirt. She takes a seat near the back and remains quiet. Two minutes pass. Ulrich then sits next to her, wearing a green collared shirt and black pants. Yumi gives him a half-smile.

Yumi: Cutting it a little close, aren't you?

Ulrich: Hey, you have no idea how hard it is to get permission to leave campus nowadays.

Yumi: Right. Things just keep getting worse and worse.

Both of them stay quiet for some time.

Ulrich: Is that why we're here?

Yumi: I suppose so…

Soon afterwards the priest Rosaire enters, followed by altar servers and a deacon. The mass commences. Rosaire performs the opening liturgy and calls the people to prayer. Further on in the service, he gives the homily. He opens it with a scripture reading from the New Testament.

Rosaire: Today's scripture is from 2 Corinthians 4:7-9: "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed, perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed". This is the Word of the Lord.

Congregation: Thanks be to God.

Rosaire looks down at the altar and then back at the congregation. He takes a lengthy pause before beginning.

Rosaire: Fear. I look around this sanctuary and I see it on all of your faces. For some of you, it may be the reason you are here. Because you are afraid. And given the nature of current events in our country, one would be completely justified to be afraid. I see this same fear on the faces of other French men and women on the streets. It is pervasive. And its effects are already starting to be seen. Many of those fearful faces have turned into a mob of black and purple, marching on the streets of cities across the nation. His hands touch the edges of the altar. I think everyone here knows what I'm talking about. Joining together into one loud extreme voice is one way to deal with fear. But is it God's way? I would argue that is isn't. At the time this book was written, the early Church was surrounded by hostile forces seeking to destroy it. They feared for their very lives. That kind of fear in times of uncertainty has a particular and dangerous impact on the human psyche. Individuals begin to realize just how weak and vulnerable they are to danger. And that fear can foster an extreme response to make up for that weakness. His expression becomes increasingly solemn as he continues. But ultimately this fear reveals a critical error in judgment. As humans, we naturally assume that the strength to endure hardship must be supplied from ourselves. But that is not the case. The beauty of the Gospel is that we will never suffer hardship alone and we will never have to. Yes we may be afflicted….sometimes terribly afflicted by the trials of an uncertain future. Yes we may be bent-His face suddenly lights up with a fiery passion that surprises his congregation-but we can never be broken! He lifts his right hand to the ceiling. God is our refuge, and as long as that is the case, we can walk into the valley of the shadow of death and not be afraid! It is true that I do not know what lies in wait for us, but take comfort in the fact that Satan's goal in all of this will be thwarted!

Rosaire goes on with his powerful homily. After a while the mass comes to a close and Rosaire prays and dismisses the congregation. Ulrich and Yumi silently walk out of the church. A terrible chill greets them outside the door. Yumi shivers.

Yumi: I so did not dress for this weather.

Ulrich: Yeah, I should have known better too. It's December after all.

They move down the front steps and start walking down the sidewalk. Yumi glances at Ulrich. His expression is unreadable. She looks away, but curiosity prompts her to glance at him again. He still appears indifferent.

Yumi: Well?

Ulrich: Well what?

Yumi: Well, what did you think?

Ulrich looks up at the night sky. He inhales through his nose and sighs before giving a response.

Ulrich: William's brother has a knack for public speaking, but I'm a tough sell. I have nothing against religion or anything, but the fact remains that God has allowed some terrible things to happen. He centers his eyes on the sidewalk. Maybe I can overlook letting my father die, but letting Moriarty get this far is unacceptable. I don't see why I should believe in him when he's left the world completely undefended against him.

Yumi stares at Ulrich for a moment. Then she looks forward and nods her head.

Yumi: Yes, leaving humanity undefended is unacceptable.

Ulrich: Exactly…

Yumi: But you're wrong.

Ulrich stops walking. He turns to Yumi and gives her a puzzled look.

Ulrich: Wrong? About it being unacceptable?

Yumi shakes her head and smiles. Her eyes shine with a kind of radiance Ulrich hasn't seen in a long time.

Yumi: No, about leaving humanity unprotected. He didn't abandon the world to that madman. He made sure that he would not be unopposed. And the proof-She points down at the side of the sidewalk-is right here. Ulrich looks down into a clear puddle gleaming at the side of the road. His reflection stares back at him, accompanied by that of Yumi's. Ulrich's eyes brighten with understanding but stay glued to the little puddle. The air suddenly feels warmer. Don't you see? He never abandoned the world to Moriarty. He has been fighting him from the very beginning of this mess…

A glimmer of sunlight pierces through Jeremie's room. At first it centers on the empty space where César's bed used to be, but gradually it shifts to his door. It is 6 AM. Jeremie stays awake at the computer, having woken up rather early to continue his work on the Cannae Initiative. After two hours of work, he catches a lucky break and reaches the last barrier to complete the decryption. In front of him is a digital model of human DNA. The double helix structure rotates slowly, giving Jeremie a full perspective on the subject he is examining. There are no instructions. There are no hints as to what he is supposed to do. He is simply given the model and expected to solve whatever he is supposed to solve. Jeremie at first tries separating the base pairs that lie horizontally between the spiraling strands. But no matter what code or algorithm he uses, he comes up empty. He situates the adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine in different patterns, hoping to get a result. But every time he tries, the program merely rearranges what he did and returns to its original state. Realizing that separating base pairs isn't working, he zooms in on specific nucleotides, hoping to find a chink in the digital armor. But his luck fails him. Frustrated, he stares at the model for some time, hoping to glean the slightest bit of information from the impossible problem. He grimaces and rubs his head.

Jeremie: I was certain the final answer had to do with digital polynucleotide separation. What am I missing? I've exhausted every scenario with the base pairs….He groans…I should have brushed up on my biology before trying this.

Jeremie eyes his clock. It's 7 AM now. He taps his fingers on the desk.

Jeremie: 20 minutes till I have to get ready….but I can't stop now. I can't leave this computer when I'm just so close. He drums his fingers on his head, trying to reorient his brain back to the basics. Separation. I know that the answer has to do with separation. But the base pairs aren't cooperating. His mind overheats as it claws for answers. For a moment he feels desperation start to give way to frustration and despair. He combats the feeling and continues demanding his brain for answers. Then, when his brain cells are almost at the point of giving up, he looks at the problem in a new light. What if I'm not supposed to separate the base pairs? What if….what if it's something else? Something that's been staring at my face the entire time. He zooms in on the DNA model. He looks for any clues he might have missed along the spiraled strands of the helix. Then, he comes across an anomaly along the spiral at the junction between a biopolymer and a base pair. He scrutinizes every detail of it. What are you trying to tell me here, Hopper? Why is that there? He begins to play around with it a little. After exploring it in detail, he triggers a protocol that highlights the two biopolymers. Intrigued, Jeremie tries some of the formulas he used before. At first nothing happens, but after the third trial, the whole model begins to change. Jeremie watches in awe as the biopolymers separate from the base pairs, and suddenly every nucleotide is cut apart and separated by white lines until the whole structure is reduced to nothingness. Lines of code suddenly appear and form a long sequence of data. Jeremie's eyes widen in wonder as everything comes together. A final product comes together labeled: CANNAE WEAPONIZED PROTOCOL. Finally the stream of data stops. The encryption is complete. Jeremie looks at the screen for a full five minutes, unable to comprehend what his eyes are telling him; he has succeeded. I….I get it now. He almost laughs with hysteria from the euphoria of triumph. It's so terrible but so beautiful….and it can work! IT CAN WORK!

Jeremie gets up and is at the point of running to Aelita's room to tell her the good news. But a sudden message pops up on his computer screen. Jeremie does an about face, fearing that he might have reacted prematurely to his success. The message is sent under the simple alias "D". The message reads: Glad that you have finally succeeded. Meet me in the Bois de Boulogne Park. I will be at the second bench on your left next to the botanical gardens. Please arrive promptly at noon. And come alone. –D

Jeremie raises an eyebrow at the message. He reacts initially with contempt, fearing Moriarty is trying to take the wind out of his sails by laying a trap. He scoffs at the message and attempts to delete it.

Jeremie: No way Moriarty. I'm not falling for your desperate tricks. You're not going to lure me in a corner and kill me that easily.

When he tries to delete the message, a second message pops up. It reads: P.S. Not all of Les Invisibles have perished. Despite the irreparable damage Moriarty has done to us, our mission remains the same. Also, think about it for a moment. I knew exactly when you finished your work on the Cannae Initiative. If I was Moriarty, don't you think I would have interfered?

Jeremie stares at the secondary message dumbfounded. The infallible logic of the stranger catches him off guard. Plus, the mention of Les Invisibles peaks his curiosity.

Around noon Jeremie finds himself in the Bois de Boulogne Park, ignoring the voices in his head warning him to stay away. He wears a gray jacket over his red shirt and stuffs his hands in the jacket pockets. His feet trudge over dead leaves and his eyes take in his surroundings. The trees around him are leafless and lifeless. To his left lies a small pond idly collecting algae. He crosses a bridge over the pond and makes his way down a path lined by the barren trees. There is evidence of flowers and other colorful plants having been in the area recently, but they have since receded. Jeremie sees a faded plaque that reads: BOIS DE BOULOGNE BOTANICAL GARDENS. Jeremie looks up and to his left. Sure enough, on the second bench, an old man in a black trenchcoat and hat sits patiently for him. Jeremie freezes with hesitation, fearing some kind of ambush. He looks around, half-expecting Les Invisibles agents to appear out of nowhere and arrest him. But the gruesome images of the massacre Moriarty sent remind him that this scenario is very unlikely. Convinced that he can't lose this opportunity, Jeremie sits down next to him on the bench. The two face forward, staring at the dead trees. After a minute, the middle-aged man clears his throat.

Director: So, how long until it's ready?

Jeremie: The supercomputer is still running a diagnostic. It will take some time for the program to become synced with our systems and become fully operational.

Director: Usually I am not an impatient man, but it better not take three weeks…

Jeremie feels his pulse increase dramatically. He looks at the man from the corner of his eye, wondering how much he knows about Lyoko and their mission.

Jeremie: I know. I highly doubt it will, but my fear is that it may be cutting it close…

The two stop chatting for a little bit. Jeremie's eyes dart in the man's direction.

Jeremie: Okay I'm here. So tell me…how did you get access to the supercomputer and my own personal files?

Director: It was difficult dealing with a machine that complicated, but we managed to sneak our way in and observe you. We figured it would be easier to avoid detection when you and your team were dealing with a far more pressing threat. And we were right.

Jeremie feels somewhat embarrassed knowing they managed to sneak past his watchful eyes.

Jeremie: I was very thorough in dealing with security, especially after Moriarty came around.

Director: Ah…but we had been monitoring you before Moriarty's resurgence.

Jeremie: Then you know about Xana, don't you?

Director: We watched it grow into a dangerous threat and then be defeated at the height of its power. And we have you to thank for that.

Jeremie stares at the Director with a perplexed look. The Director appears very calm, as if this whole conversation is completely normal. Jeremie taps his forehead trying to think.

Jeremie: So you knew about our fight with Xana, and you didn't arrest us?

Director: No.

Jeremie: And you didn't interfere?

Director: Only to observe you.

Jeremie: Why? Jeremie's face begins to cloud with anger. An old resentment, fueled by the tragedy of his girlfriend's life, starts to come up to the surface. You had no problem ruining the Schaeffers' lives in every conceivable way. Why not do the same to us?

The Director regards Jeremie's anger with a lack of interest.

Director: It would have not been very smart. We only discovered about your Lyoko group and Xana after Xana escaped from your supercomputer. We picked up a massive surge in electromagnetic energy and followed the trail of breadcrumbs back to your factory. When we realized that Waldo Schaeffer's work had fallen into the hands of a bunch of middle-school kids, our natural reaction should have been to stop you. But Xana was already on the loose and we had to acquire the humility to accept that you understood the situation better than we did. Plus, capturing middle-school children from a well-known boarding school is frowned upon in a liberal democracy. We reserve that for a last resort. And we never had to do that, although we came close several times. And when Moriarty came around we had reasons to fear our own annihilation. We knew he would stop at nothing to have revenge. So, all in all, we have kept our separate ways up till this point.

Jeremie absorbs the answer with rapt attention. His anger starts to soften a little. While the explanation does make sense, Jeremie does feel a wave of revulsion and fear for what could have happened.

Jeremie: If you had to, would you have done it? Make us disappear, like Antea Hopper? Destroy our families for good?

Director: Yes. If it meant saving France I would have done it. But I would have loathed the decision greatly.

Jeremie: Do you have any idea how much that disgusts me?

Director: Do you have any idea how unethical nearly starting a nuclear war is?

The Director's sharp retort silences Jeremie rather quickly. He looks away.

Jeremie: Touché

The Director takes a deep breath.

Director: I didn't come here to defend my actions Jeremie. I came to tell you what you are up against.

Jeremie blinks several times in confusion. He looks at the Director like he's from Mars.

Jeremie: Don't you think I should be telling you that?

Director: Ordinarily yes. But I know what Moriarty is really after, and I have spent a good deal of my time making sure he does not get it.

Jeremie: World domination. Isn't it obvious?

Director: And how will he go about doing that?

Jeremie: Easy. Manipulating the masses to make himself leader of France. That's what The Order is for.

Director: And then he's the President of France. Then what? Do the United States, Russia, China, and the rest of the world simply bow to him?

Jeremie: Of course not, then he'll probably…Jeremie stops for a moment and rubs the back of his neck. The pause becomes uncomfortably long. Well, my initial guess was that he would gain access to the world's nuclear weapons and force humanity to surrender unconditionally.

The Director looks off into space and nods with understanding.

Director: Simple enough, but why would Moriarty need to be elected president for that to happen? Could he not simply take power from The Network?

Jeremie: That's what we thought. But after a while he reversed his strategy and appeared on Earth. We are still not a hundred percent sure why, but I believe he wanted to do what he enjoys the most: to humiliate us and manipulate as many people as he can. He's not practical like Xana was. He wants the most fantastic route to victory, not the most efficient.

Director: All of those are very true. His visage suddenly becomes very grim. He looks up at the sky and pulls his hat closer to his eyes. But it is not enough to explain his behavior. Don't you think he would keep the nuclear weapons as a backup at the very least?

Jeremie: To do that would require either activated towers or spheres. Both of which would not go unnoticed by us. Given the sheer amount of power the Core expends to do maintain his human form and construct that shield, I highly doubt he has enough reserves to infiltrate the world's nuclear stockpile.

Director: Which once again goes back to the big question: Why did he abandon those spheres? Speaking purely from a realistic point of view, why did he do it?

Jeremie stops to think. A long silence passes between them. While he considers the possibilities, bird noises fill the void of their conversation. The tranquil sounds of nature in the midst of looming disaster irritate him greatly. He shakes off the temporary annoyance.

Jeremie: From a realistic perspective, I honestly don't know.

Director: As I thought. Quite simply, it's because he can't access the world's nuclear weapons.

Jeremie raises an eyebrow.

Jeremie: Pardon me?

The Director raises his right hand to ask for patience.

Director: As leader of Les Invisibles, I have been privy to a lot of information you don't know and are too busy to find out. For instance, you probably don't know that after the nuclear war scare, the fear of cyber warfare caused nations to bring their best and brightest together to strengthen their security in that area. As it stands, the level and complexity of global cyber security has increased threefold. The massive effort in cyber counterintelligence made it difficult for even Moriarty to maneuver. At the very least, it made it impossible for him to go completely unnoticed before having absolute control of the world's nuclear arsenal. So he had no choice but to radically change his strategy.

Jeremie nods with understanding. He scratches his chin, dwelling for a moment on the significance of this information.

Jeremie: Okay, then the million dollar question is what is his endgame now?

Director: The Harbinger.

Jeremie: The what?

Director: The Harbinger. Otherwise known as France's greatest and most dangerous weapon.

He fishes into his coat pockets and gives Jeremie a sheet of paper with the schematics of a small data storage device. Jeremie double takes when he looks at it.

Jeremie: This looks exactly like a flash drive.

Director: In many ways it is. But make no mistake. Inside that little device is the mother of all malware programs. It puts all possible forms of cyberwarfare to shame. In laymen's terms, it is a mega-virus, a self-replicating, highly adaptable digital monster purposefully designed to simultaneously infect the world's computer networks, spreading down routing paths like a plague until it has devoured everything in its path. Jeremie's eyes widen as the Director's description continues. Within a matter of hours, it could wreck the world's interconnected economies, shut down global communications and power grids, send false information to nations' militaries, and even cause meltdowns in every nuclear reactor on the planet. And those are only the things I can think of off the top of my head. The Director's face suddenly appears to be cast in iron. It is France's most desperate weapon. And it can fit into the palm of your hand…

Jeremie's hand trembles on the page. He swallows saliva as his throat tightens.

Jeremie: Okay, second million dollar question: Why on Earth does the government have such a terrible device?!

Director: Simple. So that the President of France can confront any enemy, no matter how dangerous, if the very survival of the nation is at stake. That way, even the most insane opponents can be intimidated into backing down. Of course in the wrong hands it could…

Jeremie: Conquer the world overnight?! Jeremie becomes highly animated and must restrain the urge to try and strangle the old man. His hands tense up. Are you telling me the President knows about this super-weapon?

Director: Of course not. None of our executives ever know the truth. Only Les Invisibles know. We would have to inform the President in such an emergency of the weapon's existence. All he would have to do would be to go into the Presidential safe room in the Élysée Palace and activate the program by plugging it into any available computer connected to a server. Of course, now we will have to take the secret to our graves.

Jeremie: Except Moriarty knows about it….

The Director solemnly nods. A slight tremor runs across his face, but it vanishes just as soon as it appears.

Director: Yes. During Project Carthage, we used him to develop the Harbinger's firewall evasion protocols. But the entire thing was a collaborative effort by us and the scientists at Carthage who weren't part of Schaeffer's rebellion. That's why Moriarty needs it. He can't recreate it on his own, so he must become President to use it.

Jeremie stands up and shouts at the Director.

Jeremie: CAN'T YOU JUST DESTROY IT?!

Director: No. Only the President can access that room. We were willing to inform him if everything seemed lost, but Moriarty killed us off beforehand.

Jeremie: YOU IDIOT!

Jeremie pulls at his hair and looks at the sky, not able to believe what he is hearing.

Director: Please stop. You're making a scene.

Jeremie slowly sits down, feeling completely overwhelmed.

Jeremie: So if he is elected, all is lost.

Director: Elections are in a year, but with the shield developing in the core…

Jeremie: We have less than three weeks. Jeremie covers his face with his hands. Is there any hope that he couldn't be elected? I mean, this is still a democracy…

The Director shakes his head sadly.

Director: No. The Eurovision concert will end any hope of that.

Jeremie: Eurovision? What does this have to do with Eurovision?

Director: In exactly three weeks, the concert will take place right here in Paris. Jean-Marie Le Pen and his daughter Marine will be there. They are Moriarty's only obstacle for garnering the full support of the far-right. Moriarty will kill them and other innocents in the arena, with the world watching in horror. The consequences of such an attack will finally set France over the edge of no return. Extremism will take root in the nation and Moriarty will be the only light shining in the darkness.

Jeremie stares at the ground, looking completely worn out just listening to the Director. He bites his lip and breathes deeply through his nose.

Jeremie: You're completely right. It is the perfect time to put France fully in the palm of his hand. There will be no more room for moderates. So tell me…what do you want me to do, now that I know this?

The Director shrugs.

Director: Nothing that you weren't already going to do. I just thought it would be best for you to know Moriarty's intentions, so you don't go into these next few weeks completely blind. He puts his hands on his knees, indicating that he is about to stand up. And with that I think I must be going.

Jeremie: Hold on. Jeremie's voice becomes very stern. You're not getting away that easily. I still have some questions. First and foremost, why on Earth would you create such a weapon? I have heard you talk about France's security, but I'm not convinced. He lowers his eyebrows with increasing scrutiny. What's your motivation? What made you go to such extreme lengths?

The Director looks Jeremie in the eye for a few seconds, and then glances behind him at the pond. The crystal clear waters put him into a kind of a trance. He sighs.

Director: When you've seen Nazis enter your home as a little boy, threatening your mother and turning the place upside down, and you can do nothing but crawl under the kitchen table and hide….maybe then later in life you become desperate to prevent that from happening again and work tirelessly to prevent it-He lifts his head up toward the midday sun.-until you become the very monster you tried to stop.

Jeremie's harshness ebbs. Behind the old man's cold eyes, he detects a high level of pain and paranoia. He imagines himself in the Director's shoes, cowering under a table and crying while soldiers shout in harsh German at his mother. He then sees himself growing up as a young man, fearful and hateful of everyone around him, with nothing but fierce patriotism as his motivation for existence. He can see his hatred gradually fester like an old cheese with age, until he becomes willing to go to any means to defend his nation, even if it means hurting others. And Jeremie can in the end see himself as an old man, having a conversation with a young boy such as himself, warning him of the consequences of his actions. Jeremie leans back on the bench.

Jeremie: One more thing. About…Antea Hopper….Jeremie looks away from him…we still don't know what happened to her. Please, tell me the truth. For Aelita's sake….

Director: …I suppose there's no longer any point in withholding the truth. He pauses again. He speaks the following without any emotion or obvious sentiments of remorse. After we abducted her, we interrogated her to try and find out where Schaeffer and Moriarty were hiding. My men tortured her….more severely than I intended. During one of their "breaks"…..the agents under my command tried to pressure me to let them use more extreme methods. I had already come to the conclusion that she didn't know anything, but they weren't convinced. Before they could get their way, she privately begged me to end her misery. His right hand trembles slightly. I complied with her wishes…

Jeremie absorbs the information with a quiet sorrow. He closes his eyes.

Jeremie: Thank you.

Director: Now that you know, in return I need you to do me a favor.

Jeremie: What's that?

Director: As far as it is in your power, please protect my son from the coming turmoil.

Jeremie: You have a son?

Director: Yes, and he is very close to you. He's your gym teacher after all…

Jeremie takes three seconds to process the statement. His mouth drops a little, and he struggles to speak for a moment.

Jeremie: You're….you're Jim's dad? Impossible! Jim told me that his father died in the Congo!

Director: A necessary lie to keep my family safe while I served my country. He stands up. Out of all the terrible things I have done in my life, abandoning my family has to be the worst. He turns around and walks away from Jeremie, waving him a final goodbye. Try to keep him safe.

Jeremie: W-Wait a minute. He bolts up from the bench, watching the Director leave. Where are you going? Now that you've told me everything, what happens to you now?

The Director briefly looks over his shoulder. To Jeremie's great surprise, he smiles at him.

Director: Now I'm probably going to go on a trip. Travel somewhere where it's warm….very warm. I think that could do me some good.

The Director leaves Jeremie without another word of explanation. He walks slowly down the stone path and out of the park. As he goes on his way, a layer of clouds moves from the west and blocks out the sun halfway. The air becomes colder. The Director keeps walking. After about fifteen minutes, he arrives at a dimly lit apartment in a crowded neighborhood. He walks inside and places his hat on the coatrack. He steps over scattered papers into the kitchen, which is full of dirty dishes that will never be washed. He sets a kettle on the stove and makes a pot of tea. After a few minutes he walks from the kitchen into a small living room, carrying his cup of tea. The minute he rounds the corner, an intruder greets him, sitting in his own chair. Moriarty greets him with a bloodthirsty smile.

Moriarty: You're late.

Director: Sorry. Traffic was a bother.

The two stare at each other, listening to the steady tick-tock of the grandfather clock in the corner of the room.

Moriarty: Did you honestly think I wouldn't be watching Jeremie's movements?

The Director takes a long sip of tea.

Director: I never had any such illusions.

Moriarty: You knew I was here, didn't you?

Director: I knew the moment I walked in the door.

Moriarty: You can't run from me any longer.

Director: I'm not running. He drinks some more. I knew you would never stop hunting me, so I figured I might as well stay where I was and get comfortable.

Moriarty: You're going to die.

Director: I'm an old man. Death takes us all eventually…

Moriarty's hands electrify and get ready to strike.

Moriarty: Some more painfully than others.

The Director stares at his attacker with an unimpressed look.

Director: Do you think I'm intimidated by you? As far as I'm concerned, you're a spineless failure of a scientist and a human being, and you will always be. Moriarty boils with murderous anger as the Director continues. No amount of power can change who you really are. Moriarty stands up, the energy in his hands growing. Deep down inside you still fear me, and you hate me for it. The fact that you're here proves you're weak, that you're so afraid that you have no choice but to come here and kill your nightmare.

Moriarty's entire arms become potent weapons.

Moriarty: YOU WRETCH! His pupils light on fire with sheer, unbridled hatred. I WILL END YOU!

The Director throws the rest of his tea into Moriarty's face. He holds out his arms, inviting Moriarty to do his worst.

Director: THEN WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! COME AND KILL YOUR NIGHTMARE!

Moriarty lunges on him with animalistic rage. With his left hand he grabs the Director's neck and pins him against the wall. With the other he punches him in the stomach, sending lethal amounts of electricity into his victim's body. The Director has an uncontrollable seizure. He can neither breathe nor cry out in pain. The life drains out of his very eyes. Moriarty temporarily stops the current and leans forward to whisper into his ear.

Moriarty: Have fun in Hell….

The Director coughs up blood, with some of it landing on Moriarty's face. He manages to give on final weak reply.

Director: …I'll see you there…shortly.

The Director falls dead in his killer's grasp, leaving Moriarty alone in the dark apartment.

Inside the sewers and away from watchful eyes, Jeremie gives his account of his meeting with The Director. The warriors listen intently, not uttering a word until Jeremie has finished. For a long time, no one says anything. William, who maintains watch near the sewer path to the gym, decides to speak first.

William: So, Moriarty does have to be elected to become a world dictator…how ironic…

Yumi: I can see why you decided to speak down here. If there is even the slightest chance Moriarty has bugged the factory recently…

Jeremie: Everything would be undone. And we don't have that option. The Cannae Initiative will be ready in two and a half weeks or so. If Moriarty knew that information, we would be doomed. Our attack has to be unexpected.

Ulrich: But he does know that we have to act soon. He will be expecting something. If he doesn't know we have the Cannae Initiative ready, he has to at least know that we are getting close.

Natalya nods in agreement. While she puts up the façade that she is ready to handle this, her eyes reveal an intense fear that she is trying desperately to hide.

Natalya: Yes, and isn't two and a half weeks cutting it really close?

Jeremie: Yes. That's why every minute we have counts. Once the program is ready, we have to be ready to move at a moment's notice.

Aelita frowns.

Aelita: It looks like we will miss Eurovision after all.

Odd: Sounds to me like you two shouldn't be there anyway.

Jeremie: Forget the concert. In fact-Jeremie assumes his general mode again.-forget The Order. Forget the Outcasts. Forget your schoolwork. Forget all other obligations. From this point forward, we have to be completely and totally dedicated to Moriarty's annihilation. Until the Cannae Initiative cuts him apart and reduces him to infinitesimal scraps of data, the Lyoko Warriors have to be ready for this final battle.

The Lyoko Warriors do not hesitate to respond.

Odd: We're with you Jeremie.

Yumi: We'll finish this war.

Ulrich: Even if it ends up killing us.

Natalya, slightly jarred by Ulrich's dark comment, tries to shake off the pressing anxiety with an outward show of bravery. She grabs Jeremie by the shoulders and looks straight down at the concrete floor.

Natalya: I-I'll do whatever I can to help! Even if I'm terrified I-I-I…

William touches her shoulder. His grip is firm but caring.

William: We're all scared out of our wits. But we will fight anyway.

Christophe, who has remained somewhat aloof from the group, suddenly comes closer to the others. He avoids eye contact with everyone. A quick glance at him reveals that he has not had much sleep lately. There are dark lines under his eyes and his gaze is distant and removed from the situation.

Christophe: He…he made me commit murder. And that is a crime I will never forgive. Let's kill him.

Yumi: Agreed.

Odd forces a smile.

Odd: I think I'm ready to save the world a second time.

Ulrich: As long as I don't have to do it a third time….

Jeremie: So, we're all on the same page. Good. Get some rest. We will need it over these coming weeks.

The warriors disperse and start walking back to the gym entrance to Kadic. Jeremie and Aelita hang in the back. Aelita touches his hand.

Aelita: There's still one thing you haven't told me.

Jeremie: Yes?

Aelita: What did the Director say about my mother?

Jeremie stops walking. He looks away from her and takes a deep breath. With a deep reluctance, he pulls Aelita close to her. His voice trembles as he whispers into her ear. The warriors in the front stop walking and look back in surprise when Aelita starts audibly crying. She cries into Jeremie's shoulder. Jeremie's face becomes encased in pain as he turns to the others.

Jeremie: After this, there will be no more crying. Once these three weeks are over, we will all be happy again. And we won't cry all the time. Do you understand? Tears fill his eyes due to grief and paralyzing fear. None of us are going to die! I won't let you die and you can't let yourselves die! The tears run down his face. We are going to beat Moriarty and live! Don't you get it? That is an order. He pauses to get control of himself. I'M ORDERING YOU NOT TO DIE!

N.B: In the episode "False Lead", two government agents showed up in response to Xana framing Jeremie for a government infiltration. But they launched a return to the past and the agents didn't show up the second time. Therefore, the Director would not remember that event.

N.B. 2: I know that in the Evolution universe, Antea is still alive, but I started writing the story before Evolution came out and I already had planned out her fate before I watched it. My story obviously diverges from the canon on several points, so it's not surprising that not all of the details would match up.

Okay, enough buildup. The epic climax is next. The final confrontation is upon us. Is the suspense killing you? It should be. How long until I update? Let's try to get some reviews and you won't have to wait long.