~Chapter Three~

It had been a week since Eileen had returned from Control Central and two weeks total since Clyde had received the disturbing cyber-mail from Abaddon. Things seemed to be going well and the children had quickly learned all the uses of their Skwak Pads. It had become Marbles' new favorite toy in fact. With no suspicious actions from the enemy to be found, Clyde was able to focus more on his work as a computer technician.

"Perhaps Abaddon was bluffing after all," Clyde thought to himself as he handed his son a floppy disc.

It was a warm summer afternoon, one which the thirty-two-year-old cyborg had chosen to spend with his son. He was teaching Marbles the very basics of computer technology, knowing the young cyborg had every intention of being a computer technician himself someday.

"You see son," Clyde explained, "Even the best technicians in the world cannot stop a computer virus if it's severe enough. In that case, the owner would have to purchase a new one. With floppy discs like this one, the person can save important files from the infected computer and transfer it to the new one."

"Daddy?" Marbles asked, looking up at his father.

"Yes Marbles?" Clyde replied.

"What would've happened if the Grand Posha had gotten a virus like that?"

"You mean the one that had his consciousness transferred into a computer program?"

His son nodded.

"Well," Clyde began, "Those are different types of computers altogether. In most cases, an Encryptor Chip would be installed. But that's yet another reason why transferring someone's consciousness to a computer is such a rare thing. Supposedly, death from a computer virus is more painful than any illness a cyborg can get. But, you'll learn more about that when you go to college."

Marbles smiled at the thought of studying nothing but computers. However, his father still worried, in the back of his mind, if Marbles would even see his seventh birthday.

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Meanwhile, Eileen and Melissa were having a picnic in the woods, spending some much needed mother-daughter time.

"I always miss you so much when you're at Control Central," Melissa said as she sipped her water.

"Same here Melissa. I wish I could bring you & your brother with me sometimes."

"Why don't you?" Melissa asked, "We both would love to meet the cyber-ruler in person."

"When you're older dear," Eileen replied, tousling her daughter's sky-blue hair. "My little girl truly is beautiful," she thought to herself.

Eileen was right. Melissa was an extremely attractive child, having inherited only the very best features of her relatives. From her mother, she had inherited soft pink lips & eyes as blue as sapphire. Melissa's aunt had given her that sky blue hair which fell in soft curls just past her shoulders. But, probably the most unique thing about Melissa was her skin. She inherited both of her parents' blue skin, a color rarely seen on the faces of cyborgs anymore. Add a petite frame and a height a few inches taller than most children her age, and the end result was a cyborg with all the beauty & radiance of a queen.

"What?" Melissa said after a couple seconds of her mother just staring at her dumbfounded.

"I was just thinking," Eileen said, still playing with a strand of her daughter's hair that'd fallen loose from her pigtails, "How I am so lucky to have you as a daughter!"

Melissa smiled innocently. "Thanks!"

Eileen looked at her watch. "We'd better get back now," she said, "You know the boys can't be left alone too long!"

The two laughed as they got their things together and went back home.

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By 9:00 P.M that night, the entire family was exhausted and ready for bed. It had been a long and enjoyable day for everyone. Eileen and Clyde tucked their children into bed and went to their own room.

"Marbles is certainly learning quickly for his age," Clyde said as he brushed his teeth in the adjoining bathroom, "Just six years old, and my boy can already install a Firewall."

"We certainly do have a pair of cyber-prodigies in the family," his wife replied as she climbed into bed.

Clyde spat into the sink and was about to join his wife when he remembered something. "Eileen," he said, "I have to quickly check my cyber-mail to see if Larry has replied back yet. It shouldn't take long. You just go to sleep, ok?"

"Alright dear," Eileen said, yawning, "Good night."

Clyde looked through his inbox. Larry still had not responded. Clyde figured the cyborg had forgotten his login information again.

"But what's this?" Clyde said to himself when he saw a cyber-mail addressed from Sir Dalhart.

"Urgent! Please Reply ASAP!" the title read.

Clyde quickly opened the message, wondering what could possibly be happening over at Control Central. His golden-brown eyes widened in shock and fear when he realized the message was not from Sir Dalhart. In fact, it wasn't even a 'message.'

"It can't be!" Clyde thought.

But it was...

Abaddon really HAD traced the Bensons' whereabouts. And he had sent Clyde a Logic Buster…