Chapter 35 Who to Sacrifice? (Ultimatum)
A.N. – So, this episode covers just Ultimatum. Nothing new, except a few changed scenes that follow the original, but play out differently. Let's begin.
Short Summary – When Xana tries to get the warriors to offer Aelita to Scyphozoa in exchange for Odd and Yumi, it becomes a race against time to save them from Xana's clutches.
Disclaimer – I do not own Code Lyoko or the story idea. I am just a fan of the show, and the idea was submitted by James Marshall.
The gang was gathered on the ground floor of the factory as Jeremy was demonstrating a way to help deal with people possessed by Xana. "So, this thing can destroy someone who's under Xana's control?" Yumi asks.
"It isn't a thing, it's an EMP bomb," Jeremy explains. "When activated, it will create an electromagnetic field affecting anything electronic. And since someone who's possessed by Xana is held together by a forcefield-"
"Uh, Jeremy we got class in 20 minutes, so can you give us the cliff notes version?" Odd asks.
"Bomb explodes, guy under Xana's control obliterated."
"Like no more?" A asks.
"It won't take them out, but who knows if it will stop Xana, but if allows us a few minutes, then this will definitely help."
"Let's hope so" A replies, knowing all too well that with Xana knowing the keys are nearing, he's gonna do everything in his power to try and take them.
"Only problem is, this is just a prototype. We still need a mini version" Jeremy replies.
Aelita's Point of View
Aelita, along with Jeremy and Ulrich, were bored out of their minds in music class. Suddenly, Nicolas opens the door. "Delmas has just kidnapped Della Robbia and Ishiyama!"
"Xana" Jeremy says, knowing that he is the only one to target them.
"What kind of nonsense is this?" The teacher demands.
"It's true. He even beat up William Dunbar."
"Great. Since A brought William to Lyoko, Xana is targeting him now" Ulrich says.
"No, he isn't. If that were the case, Xana would have captured all three of them. Xana must not know that William has been to Lyoko" Aelita tells him. What they don't know is the A told Xana that she was going to take him to Lyoko. But as for Xana, he didn't see William as a good bait target.
Jeremy gets a message oh his phone. It shows the eye of Xana. "A message from Xana. Aelita, 2 o'clock in the ice sector to give herself up to the Scyphozoa. If not, Odd and Yumi will be liquidated!" Jeremy reads in horror.
"We don't have time to lose. Let's go" Ulrich says.
"Okay" Jeremy agrees.
"I want everybody in their seats right now!" The teacher demands.
"Plan B?" Ulrich asks.
"More like plan A" Jeremy says contacting her.
A's Point of View
A was examining her Lyoko band device. She remembers Jeremy's explanation about it, but now with his EMP device, she hopes this won't fry her device. She goes over to a desk and starts to open it up. She finds it is made of electronic components. "These are all easily replaceable, but what makes this thing allow us to access Lyoko? Is it just feeding off the signal the supercomputer emanates?"
"A, are you there?" Jeremy says quietly.
"Problems back home?"
"Xana has given us an ultimatum. Yumi and Odd are in danger. You have to rescue them, because from where we sit, we're in no position to do anything."
"Okay, I may have a method of finding them."
A exits and goes to the source. "Xana, here, now!"
Xana appears. "Now what? I'm in the middle of something."
"Where did you take Odd and Yumi?"
"Why? So, you can stop my plan?"
"Your ultimatum? I said no killing!"
"Well this decision is not up to you now is it? I want those keys, and you're not helping like you promised. So, we'll see if they value Yumi and Odd more, or their only hope of stopping me, Aelita."
"You know, I can stop you if needed. I may not have the keys, but I can still deactivate towers."
"Sure, but risk revealing who you are to your friends."
A knew she couldn't tell the others yet. She was no use on Lyoko. "Fine, but Jeremy has other methods of dealing with you."
She exits back to the real world.
As A exits she pulls out her laptop. She knows that Xana would have taken their phones, but not deactivated them. She pulls up a tracker from back in the day (It's the tracker that Jeremy used to find her in William Returns.) and finds their signal emitting in the city. She looks up the address and finds them. "Refrigerated warehouses. Sneaky place. Seems right if looking to end someone quietly." She dials Jeremy.
"A, anything new?" Jeremy asks.
"I found them. They're both in the refrigerated warehouses. I just tracked the cell signals."
"Okay, that helps. We'll try to get there."
"No! If you escape focus on getting to the factory. I'll handle the principal."
"Good luck."
She then sees Jeremy's bomb on the ground.
Aelita's Point of View
The others were at the academy about to get away after classes are cancelled due to the kidnapping of Odd and Yumi, as well as the disappearance of principal Delmas, who is the key suspect. But as they were about to leave, Sissi told the police to question them as well.
"Hey, what about those guys? You should question them too; they're always scheming with Odd and Yumi" Sissi tells the police.
"Stern, Belpois, and Stones" Jim calls them out.
"Definitely not our day" Jeremy quietly says.
"I wouldn't be surprised if they knew something about what happened to my father" Sissi adds.
"Come on, you three. Follow me" the detective orders them.
"Ready?" Ulrich asks.
"Go!" Jeremy says as they take off.
"What? Hey! Come on, get back here!" Jim orders.
They try to run away, but only Ulrich escapes.
"Nice going Sissi" Jeremy comments on their situation. "You really messed up this time. It so happens we're the only ones who can help your father."
"What do you mean?" She asks.
"Your father is possessed" Aelita tells her straight up, since it doesn't matter. One return in time and she'll forget everything.
"Oh yeah, right. Like in hospital of horrors? And he's been taken over by a demonic entity who will make him do unspeakable things?" Sissi says, describing Xana briefly.
"Well basically, that's about it" Jeremy replies.
A few minutes later, Sissi is told about what they must do in order to save her father. "So, in order to help my father, you have to go and deactivate a tower that's in a virtual universe?"
"That's right."
"My last question…why should I help a complete wacko pathological liars, huh?"
"It's not us you'll be helping, it's your father" Aelita insists, hoping she'll do it for her father. "You have to trust us, I'm begging you."
A's Point of View
A was looking over the bomb and she managed to activate it. "Bingo! Now to find Odd and Yumi" A says as Ulrich arrives. "Where are the others?"
"With the police, being questioned. You know where they are right?" Ulrich asks.
"Yeah, the refrigerated warehouses. I just don't know which one they're in."
The two take off to find them with the EMP.
Aelita's Point of View
Aelita and Jeremy were waiting for Sissi's questioning to be done. They're only hope of rescuing Odd and Yumi was either A or Ulrich. Suddenly, the detective come out of the office. "Evacuate the school!"
The three the run in the park with Sissi. "Thanks for trusting us Sissi" Jeremy says to her.
"Don't mention it. But if your story about a virtual world turns out to be phony, you're gonna regret it" Sissi warns him.
Jeremy gets a phone call from Ulrich "Ulrich, where are you?" There is a pause. "Xana's ultimatum expires in 15 minutes." He hangs up as they arrive at the passage in the park. "Sissi, what are you doing?"
"I'm coming with you. Remember, my father is involved in this. And I wanna check out this virtual world business you've been blabbering about."
A's Point of View
A and Ulrich arrive at the refrigerated warehouses, Ulrich searching each room. "We gotta be quieter about this, or Xana's gonna know we're coming" A tells him.
"We don't know where they are" Ulrich responds.
"Well most likely the one where he is holding them is probably open so Xana cannot get surprised."
Ulrich realizes she's right and they continue on to find open rooms.
The two see a light emerging from one of the rooms. "Ulrich, look over there" A whispers to him.
"Think he's there?" Ulrich answers.
"Only one way to find out." They approach as Xana's ultimatum expires. Suddenly they hear screaming from the same one. They get there and find Odd and Yumi at the mercy of Xana.
"Jeremy, that bomb you made, it won't blow away the principal, will it?" Ulrich asks. There is a pause. "Watch out!" He pushes the bomb, and it explodes, knocking out the principal, but also destroying Ulrich's phone.
"It worked!" Yumi says.
"Yeah, but it wrecked my mobile" Ulrich replies.
"We should get to Lyoko" A says as she aims, trying to open up her Lyoko door but finds out her Lyoko band is also fried. "Guess that answers that question."
"Guess we got to get to he factory, let's go" Ulrich says.
The four are on the bridge as the principal runs on the water and blocks their way. "Get to Lyoko. I'll take care of him" Ulrich explains.
"Not alone," A says. "With my training, he won't stand a chance."
Ulrich jumps up into the air and is able to kick the principal. He shoots out a bolt of electricity. Minutes later, Ulrich is lifted and thrown into a pole. With his back turned, A tries to choke him out, but the principal grabs her and flips her over his head throwing her on her back. She opens her eyes to find the principal staring her down.
Ulrich recovers and rushes the principal. He notices and turns around to electrocute him. "Bonzai!" Sissi says as she hits him with a stick, knocking him out. "Ulrich, are you okay?" The principal wakes up and Sissi holds out a hand as he approaches them. He prepares to electrify them. "Daddy, no. Leave him alone!"
The principal is now torturing Sissi and Ulrich. A rushes up to him and tackles him. "Sorry Xana, but you went to fat this time," A says now staring him down. He lifts her up and throws her next to where Ulrich and Sissi are. A struggles to get up but can't due to the pain. He approaches them with both of his hands electrified. Suddenly, he collapses. "Thanks Aelita."
"Ulrich, are you alright?" Sissi asks.
"I am thanks to you" Ulrich replies.
"What about her?"
"I'll be fine. Might have a broken arm, but that will soon be reversed" A replies.
"Is he…" Sissi says, looking at her father.
"No, just knocked out. Don't worry" Ulrich tells her.
"What's gonna happen to him now?"
"Nothing. Everybody will forget everything about today, except for me and Ulrich as well as the others" A tells her.
"It's true" Ulrich adds.
"Then you'll remember this kiss" Sissi says as she kisses him.
The return in time happens just as everyone except Yumi and Aelita saw everything.
A has joined the group in the courtyard right before classes start. Luckily for her, the return fixed her Lyoko band. The bell rings and everyone heads off, except for Ulrich. "So, you won't tell Yumi or Aelita right?"
"They won't know. I can't say the same for Aelita, but that's different story" A replies.
"Thanks. I wasn't really expecting that."
"I wasn't expecting to see you and Yumi kissing on Lyoko either."
"Just leave that between me, Yumi, and you."
"Again, can't say the same for Aelita."
Ulrich heads off as A disappears back to Lyoko. This alliance to Xana was becoming harder and harder. She wasn't really wanting to betray her friends in multiple scenarios, but she needed to ensure her future one way or another.
A.N. – And thus ends this chapter. I can't say for next time, but it might be a combo chapter. Not sure, got to see hoe A Fine Mess turns out. PM me with story ideas! Review with questions or comments! I will respond! As always, till next time! See ya! -lyokowarrior97