By: RoeBoot

Part 2 - Unhappy Anniversary

Mainframe - Before the Web War

Bob heard the alarm clock icon window ringing. He had awaken sixty microseconds ago, but remained in bed, unable to reformat his sleep mode. There had been more lost sleep modes then he cared to have these past few days. As Guardian of Mainframe he needed the right amount of sleep. When he asked Phong about the best remedy, the old Sprite offered two things, B-tree tea and a good ear to listen with.

Bob got up. He had time for a data shower and a cup of juice before starting his day. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a horrible sound, like someone dragging Skuzzy by his tail. He then realized it was Mike singing in the shower. Bob still hadn't figured out why he still shared his apartment with the overly annoying media sprite.

Bob walked up to the bathroom door and knocked. "Mike! Don't use up all the hot data!"

Bob heard the data jets turn off. Then he listened to Mike gargle with some sonic mouthwash. Mike came out, a towel draped over his shoulders.

"The commode awaits you, sir," Mike said.

"You're up early," Bob noted.

"I've got a busy schedule today. I have an interview, therapy section, and TV viewing time gig all rolled into one."

"Still seeing Hexadecimal?"

"You gave me the rehab job. I figure I'll butter her up with some charm, show her 'It Came From The Web,' and then get her perspective on trying to destroy Mainframe. After all, I've got to get all the info I need for the documentary, 'The Lives of Mainframe'."

Bob rolled his eyes.

"There is only one major problem," Mike continued, "I still haven't gotten the most important profile for telling this true story." Mike put his hands up to one of his eyes, framing Bob in it like a camera lens. "All of Mainframe wants to hear your stories, Bob. When can I interview you?"

"Not today Mike. I have a full schedule."

"You're the numero uno Sprite in this story Bob. Everyone wants to know your angle! The drama! The intrigue! The close brushes with deletion! The true story of our local Guardian! On the anniversary of his arrival to Mainframe!"

"Well, the only angle you're getting today is Lost Angles! Now use the lost part and get to it!" Bob slammed the bathroom door in Mike's face.

Mike stared at the closed door for a moment before saying, "Megabyte would be easier to interview than you!"

* * *

Bob stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, recalling that look on his face once being on someone else. Dot lost her confidence once when Megabyte tried to frame her for stealing sector one zero zero zero's PID codes. He almost broke her spirit. He felt that forming inside himself. If he allowed his confidence to undo, he wouldn't be fit to be a Guardian anymore. Worse he knew exactly what was formatting it.

"Glitch! Review saved E-mail."

He found the message and reread it for the twenty third time since it first arrived.

From: Guardian 344 of Freespace
To: Guardian 452 of System Mainframe

Bob. I know there are better ways for me to say hiya but I have been warned by Turbo to inform all Guardians with knowledge of Guardian Laser Jet's nullification of any possible linkups to the incident. Cadet Guardian Buck Wall was nullified in a game while in Freespace. I found his null in the center of a crater similar to the one you and Guardian Mack described to the review board after Laser's nullification. I don't understand how or why this happened and I don't expect much more of a proper explanation now. I must tell you that Reso didn't take this very well.

If anyone deserves the truth about what happened, she does. I hope this little secret the Guardian High Command is making us keep comes out soon, for her sake as well as yours. As you can figure I packed off Buck to the Super Computer for Pixie to examine. She may be E-mailing you shortly.

Take care of that little hard drive System of yours.

Chip

P.S. If you ever see Mouse, tell her I said hi.

Bob filed the letter under classified with the three dozen others he placed in the file. So. It was still happening. And he was still as powerless to halt it as when Laser got nullified.

Bob spoke to his reflection. "You are a Guardian! You protect your system until the day it crashes! Not until the day you crash!"

The statement did nothing to reboot his confidence. He sighed. He had to get going. He had promised Dot he would bring Enzo to the Principal Office so they could learn about Mainframe's native plant life from Phong. If he could get his 262 to cooperate. Then he had to patrol the edge of Ghetty-Prime before zipping to the Lost Angles access bridge to check if Mike got out all right. Well Mike, he thought, I do have a full schedule so I won't be able to give that interview.

Bob never knew how full and empty it would eventually become.

* * *

Dot sat at one of the diner booths collating her transactions from the past minute. She juggled several vidwindow calls between studying her profit margins and rescheduling the energy forum meeting. Every now and then she glanced out at Bob working under the hood of his 262.

Again.

She noticed he seemed more frustrated then normal in his attempts to tune up the interrositer. Bob had been in a bad mood for a long time. Enzo told her that Bob had snapped at him. When she asked what had caused it Enzo said he'd been talking about a school project to test the intelligence level of nulls at running mazes. She decided to overlook it and told Enzo not to bring it up again.

Maybe this mood swing would pass.

Dot had just begun a conference call with Al when Bob bumped his head on the car's roof. It wasn't the first time he'd ever done it, but this time Bob exploded with rage.

"You stupid corruptible air car! I should send you over to Old Man Pearson's Data Dump so he can undo you!"

Dot took off her eyeglasses. Her work had to wait for a while. So much for it passing. "Something's come up Al. I'll talk to you later."

"WHAT?"

She cut the vidwindow link and called for Cecil.

"Yes Madam."

"Cecil, could you access me a air car tray? I have to deliver an order personally."

* * *

By the time Dot came outside, Bob's retort of his car had file-degraded into a complaint of himself.

"Some traditionalist I am. Mend and defend. I can't even fix an interrositer!"

Dot cleared her throat to get Bob's attention. He looked up from the 262 's engine to see Dot holding a tray with an energy shake, some chips and a burger. There was also a small piece of pi with a candle stuck in it.

"I think you need a break," Dot offered.

"Thanks," Bob said taking the shake from the tray, trying to ignore the pi.

Dot clipped the tray onto the driver side of the air car. "A classic car like this deserves a classic touch. My father told me about how he used to go to an old diner in the Twin City where the waitresses used zip skates and glided around the cars parked outside taking orders of energy drinks and chips to customers. That's how I picked the look for this place," she gazed at the Diner. "I wanted to remember something that made my father smile."

She looked over at Bob. He still seemed incredibly gloomy. He must have noticed her eyes were tearing up at the mention of her father. He seemed to ignore it. Bob put the shake down on the tray as Dot continued, "Bob what's bothering you? You haven't been yourself in the last fifty cycles."

"Me? I'm all right."

"I know you Bob. And we know what today is. Something is wrong."

"No. Really I'm okay."

"You can always tell me the truth."

Bob glared at her in surprise and anger. "Lying?!? Are you saying I'm lying?!"

Dot realized her bluntness had been a bad error message to Bob. "I'm sorry Bob. I didn't mean to be so honest. It's just that Enzo is worried and I wanted-"

"To insult me, Miss Matrix! Well thanks for your concern but I don't need it or your handouts!" Bob slammed his hand down on the tray, upsetting the entire contents onto the ground. Part of the energy shake spilled onto the front of Dot's outfit. The pi landed on Bob's boot, mostly intact with the candle still stuck upright. Shocked by his actions, Dot restrained herself from wanting to hit him, and simply walked away.

Bob looked down at the mess he made and swore under his breath before calling out. "Dot! Wait!"

Dot walked through the diner's doors without looking back. As Bob approached, Frisket woke from the nap he'd been taking in the doorway. The dog got to his feet and immediately began to bark at him.

"Frisket! Back off will you?"

The dog didn't care for Bob's tone.

* * *

Cecil handed Dot a towel to wipe her outfit off. The customers in the diner were both looking and trying not to look while whispering about what happened outside so as not to let on that they saw the fight. Dot blinked hard, distressed and hurt but not willing to cry. She preferred to be angry and at this point, wouldn't have cared if Bob were kidnapped by Megabyte.

Dot heard Bob scream. At first she chose to ignore it. Then she heard her customers gasp and Frisket sounding as if he were chasing someone.

"Uh oh," she said and headed for the door.

Cecil glided after her saying. "Madam, in my opinion, perhaps you should let the dog eat him."

"Bad idea. We would have to get a new Guardian and with how sour Bob has been lately he'd give Frisket an upset stomach."

When she got outside and looked up the block, she saw Bob had climbed up a light pole. Frisket had managed to strip off one of Bob's boots, the one that had the pi on it. The dog licked it clean but instead of choosing to use it as a chew toy, he left it at the pole's base and continued to snap at Bob's heels.

Dot went over to Bob's car and picked up the burger. She then ran over to Frisket. "Frisket! Here boy!"

The dog looked over to her. Seeing the food, he stopped his assault on Bob and began to wag his tail. He had never gotten a snack from Dot for doing this before. He thought-processed the idea that maybe if he chased Bob more often he'd get food.

"Come on Frisket! Go fetch!" Dot tossed the burger down the block.

Frisket barked and went after it.

Bob looked down at Dot. "Thanks. I thought you would have left me up here."

"That thought did process," she replied bending over to pick up Bob's boot. "I'm surprised you didn't use Glitch."

Bob jumped down and took the boot from her. Leaning up against the pole, he pulled the boot back on while saying, "If I used Glitch on Frisket the situation might have gotten worse." Somehow the candle had managed to stay on Bob's boot. Bob shook it off. "Besides I had it coming to me. I've been acting like a dipswitch."

"Only when you're not acting preoccupied. I don't want to remind you about the Mainframe motto again but..."

"We Mainframers stick together," Bob recited before she said it. Bob sunk down, not caring what it looked like to be sitting under a lamp post in the middle of the day, having binomes stare at you as they past by. The candle was still there. Bob wanted to crush it. Instead he took it in his hand. "It's all this anniversary stuff going on. I don't want today to be remembered like this!"

"What do you want it to be remembered for?"

Bob continued to lean against the light pole and crossed his arms.

Dot turned sad. "I guess it was a bad idea, wasn't it?"

Bob nodded. "I know by coming here I made a difference, but to try and change it to a happy occasion if only to make Enzo or the rest of Mainframe feel better. It's not a good idea. We both needed time to heal. We still do. Your father. The Twin City. My partner. All in one cycle. That day wasn't a happy time. I came back to make a difference."

"But you're a hero to Mainframe, Bob. You deserve to have the anniversary of your posting be remembered."

Bob tried to get Dot off the subject. He decided to admit the worst. "I got an e-mail from a Guardian named Chip Relay. He works out in Freespace."

"Freespace needs Guardians?" Dot asked.

"Every place needs Guardians now. The Web is becoming more and more of a threat every new cycle. Anyway, Chip told me that a new Cadet Guardian named Buck Wall was nullified in a game last second."

"Was he a friend of yours?"

"No. I don't know him. But he was Chip's new partner. I feel so sorry for him. It's why I've been so upset."

"Why did Chip tell you?"

"It was mandatory."

"To give you bad news? Does the Collective tell everyone when some dies in the line of duty? Or just you to make you feel worse?"

"Dot. Don't give me the third degree on this? Okay?"

"I only wanted to have you talk." Bob got up and walked back to the air car's engine. Dot said trying to reboot the conversation. "This isn't the Super Computer anymore Bob."

"That new air car dealership you partnered with take trade ins?" he asked suddenly.

"Yes."

He slammed the hood shut on the 262. "I think it's time to give up on mending this tear."

"You've never given up before."

"It's time for a change."

"Bob, changing things won't make the past different."

Bob gave her the same look he did earlier. "I live here now. I don't need to be thinking about the past. Only the future. Are you clear about this?"

"I won't be until you tell me exactly why."

Suddenly, a rumble erupted and the sky turned from pleasant blue to a raging purple.

"WARNING. INCOMING GAME."

"Oh no!" They groaned in unison.

Dot added, "There goes my schedule."

"It's going to land a bit block away from here," Bob stated activating his zip board. "I can handle this one alone."

"No. I want to go with you."

Bob knew not to argue with her. There was no time for it.

"Okay. Let's go. I hope this one is easy."

* * *

"REBOOT!"

Bob and Dot were instantly assimilated into the game. They were wearing futuristic uniforms, a sort of cross between a police officer and a military outfit. Each had a multi round firing gun, a belt of hand grenades, and a helmet with special scooping. Bob didn't need to consult Glitch. He recognized the game.

"Phalanx!" he exclaimed.

"What's Phalanx?" Dot asked.

Bob didn't answer her. He studied the surrounding area as the sudden rush of anguish and guilt overshadowed him.

"Bob?"

"I wish you weren't here," he said finally.

"What's wrong?" Dot was now nervous.

"We have to stop the User from taking over the planet's power system," Bob said. "We're part of the planet's security force. The User will be heavily armed. We have to defeat him before he reaches the lower level. He can take twelve shots from our weapons before he's deleted, but he can delete us in three." Bob asked Glitch for stats. "We have to find the User right away."

He began to walk down one of the semi darkened corridors. His concerned look made Dot more anxious. Was this game going to be worse than the Funhouse?

Dot began to study the surroundings as she followed Bob. There seemed to be a minimal amount of light available which would explain why the User needed to access the power station. The area branched out into a network of corridors leading to different doors. Some were open, others not.

Bob studied the layouts Glitch relayed to him and began explaining. "We need to follow this corridor until we reach a ventilation shaft that will lead us to a footbridge. The User will need to use it to reach the end of the game. We'll make our stand there."

A sudden rumble of gunfire could be heard nearby.

"The User?" Dot asked.

"Definitely. The Aggressives in this Game are very hostile. We'd better make sure we don't do anything to make them come after us."

"Bob!" Dot pulled him back from stepping off a ledge he had not been looking out for. "Watch where you're going!"

"Thanks. I should have seen that."

"You're right, you should have!" she raised her voice at him. "What's wrong Bob? Tell me or I won't go another space forward!"

"I can't tell you."

"WHY NOT?!"

"Because its' classified."

"Classified?!"

"Just trust me until we get out of this Game. Then I will try to tell you what I can. Okay?"

"All right, but just concentrate. The sooner we get the User, the sooner this is over."

"Right. Come on."

"Which way?"

"Ride side corridor. There's an Energizing Station nearby. The User will have to come through here to restore lost power."

"Bob!"

When Dot shouted his name in warning, Bob dropped to the floor to avoid the energy beams slicing the corridor air above him. Laying flat on his stomach, Bob opened fire then rolled himself behind a metal pillar. Dot crouched behind a second girder across from his, firing a few beams of energy at their opponent.

"I hit him twice," Dot told Bob.

"So did I! We've got to deplete him! Fast!"

The User backed up the corridor, firing to protect himself. When Bob heard the clip of the User's weapon empty, he jumped up and fired. The User's mistake cost him half of his power as he was struck three more times.

"Basic," he stated as he ducked behind the pillar again. "Move on my signal."Bob glanced out. The User left his safe zone and bolted down the corridor. "Go!"

Bob led Dot across the top of a wall nearby to cut off the User from his goal of reaching the recharging station. The User came around the corner at that exact moment. Bob and Dot opened fire, causing him to backspace the way he came.

Bob said, "Now all we need to do is get to the bridge before he does. Glitch! Line!"

A length of cable with a metal grappling hook attached itself to the ceiling of the corridor.

Bob pointed to the vent above them. "Once we crawl through that shaft we'll be at the footbridge." He put his arm around Dot's waist and used Glitch to hoist themselves up. "Hold on."

Dot put her arms around Bob's neck as they were lifted into the air.

Bob told Dot to pull the vent off without dropping it. "We don't need any Game Sprites hearing us."

"Just don't drop me instead." She pushed the grading up with one hand, managing to slip it inside the shaft without losing hold. She then scrambled inside the space. "It's pretty dark in here." She began to crawl forward as Bob entered after her.

"Glitch. Flash light."

The beam cut threw the darkness. A small slurping noise got their attention. The light passed over a lime-green lizard-like creature sitting to one side of the ventilation tube.

"Ew! What is that?" Dot winced.

"Newts. There's always one inside the colony ventilation shafts. Come on."

* * *

Dot soon learned that the footbridge was extremely narrow and extended over a chasm that had to have a bottom, but visually seemed not to exist.

"We have to cross that?" she commented.

"No. The User has to. We only need to if the User gets past us. You go behind that pole and keep watch. I'll stay here to draw him in." Dot did as told, crouching behind the metallic girder for protection.

Bob then whispered to Glitch. "Glitch. Game scan." Glitch sent out a radial sensor sweep. The User was nearby. There were other signals too. Game Sprites. "Glitch. Reconfigure. Scan again." There was nothing but the same signals as before. Bob wouldn't believe it. Something else had to be there. He yelled, "Glitch! I need to find the truth!"

Dot peeked out. "Bob? What's wrong?"

Glitch zeroed in on one sprite. A Chaotic? Something about this was a warning but Bob had no memory. And what if Glitch wasn't sure either?

"They're coming," Bob said.

"What? There's more than one User?"

"No," Bob corrected. "It's just one User. Get ready."

"Bob! Behind you!"

Bob whirled, firing his game weapon first before fully identifying the opponent. The burst of gunfire bounced off a Game Sprite's body. Bob looked up at the opponent. The sprite bore resemblance to a Web creature. It stood upright, making it look like a humanoid scorpion. The colors of its skin were black with a silver gray head and arms which were equipped with pincer shaped hands. Even more threatening were the thick mandibles on its mouth. It looked down at its unaffected chest, then back up at Bob, snarling at him. The saliva dripped off those threatening jaws. The glint in its green eyes chilled Bob. The beast sprite actually spoke to him.

"That tickled."

"Glitch! Wide field energy beam!"

The bolt of energy shot out at the creature. It was knocked over the edge of the chasm adjoining the bridge. Bob crept forward, uncertain if the sprite had hit bottom.

"Bob! Watch out!"

The User charged up behind Bob, striking him across the back of the head before he had a chance to protect himself. Bob fell back dazed as the User pointed his pistol at Bob's face.

"NO YOU DON'T!" Dot screamed opening fire.

The hits from her weapon forced the User to retreat before he could harm Bob. Running low on energy, the User began a desperate final push to win the Game. He ran for the bridge. Dot knelt next to Bob as he tried to shake off the blow he took.

"How are you?" asked Dot.

"My head's spinning faster then a hard disk drive."

"You stay there. I'm going after him."

"Dot! Wait!"

She headed across the bridge, putting off her earlier apprehension of its narrow width and long drop down. When she had just reached its midpoint, she heard the same snarling sound that greeted Bob. The strange sprite had pasted himself right in Dot's path as if he hadn't been there a moment before. Dot pointed the weapon at him despite knowing it would have no effect. The sprite knocked it from her grasp into the chasm below. Dot knew the sprite stood more then three arm lengths' away. How had he reached her?

Then Dot noticed the sprite's left arm had grown three times its length, taking on the look of a three pronged whip. The sharp tips of the arm crept towards her.

"Glitch! Line!"

A grappling hook clamped onto the ceiling above Dot's head. Bob swung over, grabbing Dot and landing on the other side. The sprite screamed in rage as Bob withdrew the line. He took one of the game grenades, pulled the pin, and chucked it onto the bridge's end. It exploded, dropping the Game Sprite into the chasm. Again, Bob heard no sound to indicate the creature was deleted.

"Come on," Bob grabbed Dot's arm. "We have to get that User."

"I lost my weapon."

"You'll have to take mine."

"I hope you'll tell me that thing is a Chaotic Game Sprite and it won't be bothering us anymore."

"I wish it was, but I don't have the time to explain now. The User has to be close to the power station control by now. Hurry."

* * *

The sprite didn't "die" this time. He clung to the bridge remains by the length of its whip like arm. Angry, he swung himself onto the bridge's far side.

"You're not escaping me," he called out, not knowing if they heard him or not. "I never lose at my game. Not to a sprite or a User."

* * *

"There he goes!" Bob shouted.

The User had taken enough hits to slow him down, but not to stop him. He limped along just within sight. Bob handed Dot his weapon. "He's down to ten percent power. Two dead on shots will finish him. I'll be just behind you covering your back. If you see the Game Sprite, yell."

Dot nodded and took the point position. When she saw the User dash out towards the corridors center, she fired one shot, nicking him. As she advanced, Bob requested to Glitch for a game scan. The Keytool picked up the same signature he had gotten earlier. The game had put the most dangerous class of sprite ever discovered back in play. The Game Sprite came out of the darkness and advanced on Bob.

"Dot! Run!"

She did as ordered almost wanting to disobey. The User ran on ahead of her, closing in on his goal. Bob and the Game Sprite were nearly eye to eye with each other. At this range he could easily stop him from uttering any command to Glitch. However, he seemed to be studying him for a moment as if looking at a familiar face. He had the same sensation as well and The Game Sprite's next words seemed to confirm it.

"Can you fly, Guardian?" the Game Sprite chuckled.

He grabbed him by Bob's uniform collar and threw him over his shoulder. The wall at the end of the hallway came up fast.

"Glitch! Air mat!"

The Keytool threw itself forward, changed into the shape of a large cushion and placed itself against the wall just before Bob reached it. He bounced off and landed on the floor. Glitch reformed itself and reattached to his arm. Bob turned to see the Game Sprite charging at him.

"Glitch-!"

The Game Sprite slapped the Keytool from Bob's wrist and then struck Bob in the face, knocking off his helmet. Dazed but not defeated, Bob scrambled to get his footing calling out. "Glitch! Re-!"

The Game Sprite kicked him in the ribcage, sending him into the wall. The Game Sprite pulled Bob up by his neck. Bob couldn't catch his breath. His side hurt. Cold. Numbness. Pain. Fear. They were visiting him as an old nightmare.

Bob gasped. "Why... are you... doing this?"

"Because the game itself is nothing compared to the prey that enters it," the Game Sprite declared.

"Who taught you this? You're a Game Sprite."

"Not just any Game Sprite," the creature pointed to an icon imbedded on the center of his chest with pride; a triangle surrounding a circle, surrounding a square. Within the design were two letters, AI. "You can call me PhAIge. I'll tell your girlfriend you were a little too late to save her, Guardian."

The Game Sprite threw him aside and stomped down the hallway to find Dot. Bob processed what had occurred as he fought to stand up. He called him Guardian!

"Glitch! Return!" Bob ordered. The Keytool flew to Bob's armband. Bob tried to run but the pain in his ribs slowed him down. "Hold on Dot! I'm coming."

* * *

Dot saw the main power panel at the far end of the biggest hallway in the Game's interior. Large malfunctioning, sliding doors made it into a dangerous obstacle course that could crush her or the User at any unpredictable moment.

"Bob. Where are you?" she whispered to herself.

The User hid behind a pole, waiting for a chance to get through while avoiding Dot's line of fire. He fired on her position as he rushed the first opening door. Dot returned fire, missing him by game inches as he passed through the opening as it began to close. Dot's last shots bounced uselessly off the metal barrier.

"Nulls!" she snapped. "I can't let him win!"

Jogging over to the steel door. She removed a grenade from her belt preparing to use it to blow open the door. She heard the sound of fighting on the other side. The growling noise meant the User had run into something very nasty and determined to stop him. If she were lucky the suspected game sprite might finish the job. The door opened and Frisket came hulling out his jaws holding the User's laser weapon in his teeth. Although he got the dog off of him, the User now lost his primary weapon.

"Frisket! I don't why you're in here but I'm glad to see you!"

The dog wagged its tail to her. Dot saw someone come out of hiding from behind Frisket. Enzo stepped out. The child sprite wore the same type of uniform she did.

"Are you glad to see me too?" he asked.

Dot scowled at him. "No! You know I warned you not to play game's without-"

Frisket dropped the weapon and snarled. Dot saw a shadow with grayish sliver markings in the corner of her visual range. The Game Sprite looked as tranquil as a pack of hungry nulls with her as the next victim.

"Uh oh," Dot murmured.

"Time for you to erase," PhAIge cooed as it came at her.

"Catch!" Dot yelled throwing the grenade his way.

PhAIge did exactly as Dot requested, catching the device as it arched towards him. The Game Sprite held the explosive a brief moment.

"No thanks. Already had one," he responded.

PhAIge tossed the grenade at the opening door, blowing it off and imploding the one after it, while causing the User to slam against the hallway wall. The User struggled to get up.

"Now where were we?" the Game Sprite continued.

Frisket leaped at PhAIge. He caught the cyberdog in same fashion he had deprived Dot of her weapon earlier. Frisket fought to free himself as PhAIge's tentacle arm as the notorious Game Sprite used all its strength to hold him. PhAIge then raised its right hand, ready to jab the dog.

"Glitch! Containment field!"

The beam energy wrapped hold of PhAIge, pinning him. He lost hold of Frisket and struggled to get free. It seemed all too clear that the Keytool function would hold him. Bob head PhAIge scream in defeat.

"Get the User!" screamed Bob.

Dot needed no prompting from Bob. She turned towards the User who now staggered for the instrument panel on the far wall. Dot ran a short distance, dropped to one knee and pointed her weapon, arming the small rocket mounted on the gun's top.

The Guardian stood over the snarling Game Sprite. "Who taught you to hate Guardians?! Who made you hunt us?!"

PhAIge spat at Bob, the only answer he would receive.

Dot put the scope up to her eye and aimed. She pulled the trigger, firing the projectile, which sailed past the User and struck the power station panel blowing it apart.

In those last nanoseconds, the wounded Guardian cried in anguish at losing the one clue to Laser's deletion.

* * *

"GAME OVER."

The Game Cube environment yielded to the Baudway sector. Dot had never been more relieved to see a Game leave. Then she turned and saw Bob. He held his right arm close to his abdomen, not wanting to move it. Enzo looked up at him, suspecting he was hurt. He had always saw Bob walking away from a game unscathed.

Bob tried to take a step but with the game finally over and the natural adrenaline wearing off, he felt the sharp jabbing in his side. It was a very noticeable reaction to pain.

"This is not good," he whispered. As Dot walked up to Bob, he managed to smile. "Sorry you went with me?"

"Not anymore," Dot said.

Civilians and CPUs slowly had converged on the scene, also surprised to see their Guardian showing injury. Dot looked at the closest CPU. "Get me a med vac unit here now!"

"No!" Bob said. "Glitch! Car!" The Keytool flew away to retrieve the vehicle. Bob said to Dot, "When the car comes, drive me to the Principal Office. I'll get treatment there."

"It would be easier to have a med vac do it."

"It would give Megabyte more information then he needs to know." Bob gestured his eyes to the crowd of onlookers. Dot saw the binome in a trench coat among the spectators.

"I see your point," she frowned.

* * *

Observe.

It was the keystroke function in a Viral spy's program file. Find out what went on in Mainframe for his infectious leader, Megabyte. Find anything to aid in Megabyte's attempts to rewrite the city in his image. And if the opportunity occurred to gain access to the Super Computer, he'd gladly take it. The Viral Binomes were an extension of his ears and eyes kept constantly online to any file type of activity.

One on its way to spy on CPU activity saw the small commotion break out on Baudway sector from a hiding place in a nearby alleyway. When he got closer and got a better look, he smiled. He figured Megabyte would be happy about this.

* * *

Observe.

It was the keystroke function in Scuzzy's program file. Watch what went on in Mainframe for his mistress of chaos Hexadecimal and report back to her when he found anything interesting. Especially if it involved her infectious brother Megabyte.

Scuzzy had been scurrying his way towards Silicon Tor, trying to find any other data to get his mistress out of the stupor the Paint Program fiasco caused her. When the trouble on Baudway broke out, he went right for it. His keen white eyes stared at injured Guardian for a few nanos to take in acute video for playback. Scuzzy sensed that Hexadecimal would not be happy about this.

* * *

"Car's here Bob!" Enzo announced.

The 262 air car parked itself close by. Bob walked over to the passenger side and climbed in without any help. Dot got in the driver's seat. Enzo and Frisket hopped in the back. Dot gunned the engine and flew away. The crowd of binomes were dispersed by the CPUs. The Viral binome tripped over Scuzzy as they both headed in separate directions.

* * *

Bob sat in the front seat, eyes closed and sweating from the discomfort. Enzo peeked around the driver's seat. Dot shushed him before he might say anything to disturb Bob. All Dot wanted was Bob to rest from both the psychical and mental pain he was in. But how long would it take for both conditions to heal?

"Dot? Look," Enzo said softly.

The small computer screen on the dashboard of Bob's car was lit up with a touch-sensitive interface:

EMERGENCY Guardian PROTOCOL READY TO SEND.
DO YOU WISH TO PROCEED?
A. YES
B. NO

Dot leaned forward and pressed "A,"

SENDING MESSAGE TO SUPER COMPUTER. STAND BY FOR RESPONSE...

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