"As far as I can remember, my child, the Matrix clan and the Destro Virals have been at war. Destro planted himself here shortly after Mainframe was created. Your great great grandfather and my father fought to keep them away, weakening them and destroying the others. The only ones that remain from that group are Trojan, Melissa and their children." Phong explained to the young female sprite holding her baby brother in her arms.

"Is there any way to get rid of them permanently?" she asked, pulling her hair away from her face back into a ponytail. She was excited about being in the Principle Office. Father rarely let them out of Twin City and they were only permitted into Baudway to help their mother. "Phong, why haven't you figured out a way to drive them out. We don't need Virals in Mainframe."

"It isn't that easy, Dot," her father said from behind her, picking up Enzo he sat on the floor beside his daughter. "Phong is in charge of the binomes and they are easily contaminated. It would be easier to stay away from them rather than fight them. The binomes would lose out in the end."

"Don't we get conamited?" Enzo asked sounding out the word carefully.

"No, kiddo, we don't. If a sprite gets contaminated by a virus they will be slave to the viral but sure enough the sprite would disintegrate. Our programming doesn't make us that susceptible." Ruffling Enzo's hair he got up and returned to work.

"Susceptible means we resist their take over." Dot answered before Enzo could ask. "Dad, is it okay if I help Phong in the archives?"

"I don't mind. Phong are you sure it is okay with you? Dot can ask a lot of questions," her father told Phong.

"I don't mind, Corbon. I could use the help. Should we drop young Enzo at Dot's?" Phong answered.

"Leave him here. I'll be going home soon. I just want to check out that new weapon," Corbon told Phong, "I still have the nullification project I am working on."

"Well good luck, Corbon. Dot come along, we must not tarry. If Trojan discovers the archives are being opened he may attack." Phong said.

Corbon watched his 1.7 daughter follow his friend out the door, picking up Enzo "Come on, kiddo, let's go. Your mom is probably waiting at the diner for us." Leaving the Principle office, Corbon didn't notice the small virus that stood in the shadows listening.

"Father, will be very pleased to hear this," the alto virus said softly.

"Father, will be pleased to hear what?" ask a shrill voice from behind him.

"That is none of your concern, sister dear. I thought you were with mother wreaking havok upon the citizens of Twin City." His voice was lined with disgust.

"Actually, mother went to assist father. I got bored so decided to bother you. I like Twin City. Should father ever defeat it, I'm going to ask him if I can have it," his sister answered.

"That would be grand. To have you as far away from me as possible is a blessing," he told her.

"Now Megabyte, anyone listening to us would think that you didn't like your sister. We should head back before we are spotted," she told him before disappearing.

"I don't like you, Hex," Megabyte said, annoyed, walking deeper into the shadows to where he hid his bike, "And if my plan goes the way I want it, I won't have to deal with you any longer."

(Author's note: Hexadecimal inherited her father's powers and Megabyte his mother's strength.)

"Melissa, bring in my next subject to experiment on will you." Trojan told his wife, cringing as she cackled away from the room, I despise that voice. If it wasn't the center of her power I'd remove it.

Melissa floated back into the room dragging an old sprite in behind her. "Here he is Trojan, darling. Ha ha ha ha, I hope you didn't count on him being conscious. I had to knock him out for a moment, he should have his wits in a moment...if he had any to begin with."

Biting back a shout, he turned and smiled at his random but strong spouse,  "Melissa how am I going to test if this new experiment works if I don't have a conscious test subject TO TEST IT ON!"

Trojan lifted the old sprite above his head and carried him to his work table. He felt something appear behind him,  "Hexadecimal, dear, how was your day? Did you find anything you enjoyed to toy with in Twin City?"

"Father, I like Twin City. I want it when you take over Mainframe, I shall enjoy living there and having the sprites under my control," Hexadecimal said sweetly, moving closer to see what her father was working on, "A new way to enable us to infect sprites."

"Yes, my dear daughter, I want to make certain that Mainframe has no unbeknowst heroes or rebellion when my takeover is complete...it is important to our entire family that we know this formula if it works...where is that ungrateful brother of yours? He hasn't the intelligence to possibly create this and I would like to ensure my heir has no conflict when he takes over my place. Not that I ever intend to become deleted."

"I saw Megabyte by the Principle Office. I tried to speak with him but he was behaving rather rude, he had some important information for you and refused to tell me." Hexadecimal pouted floating to the other side of her father's work station. Her father's work fascinated her and she loved to show an interest even if it was feigned on occasion...besides appearance must be kept as father's little girl.

"He was probably afraid you would steal his announcement. Your brother's best quality was always strategizing even in his powers are quite mundane to your own. AND WHAT WERE YOU DOING AT THE PRINCIPLE OFFICE. YOU ARE TO REMAIN HIDDEN AT ALL TIMES." Trojan told Hexadecimal watching the old sprite as he began to awaken slowly,

"Ah I see our guest is awake. You have been honored with the privellege of becoming my next test subject, Drake Matrix."

"Corbon won't let you get away with this, Trojan. My son will come after you and delete you for this final insult against our family." Drake told Trojan reaching out to fight the viral he felt his hands pulled behind his head. Turning his head he saw a large Red and Blue Robot held him, its eyes focused on him but it didn't say a word. Turning back to Trojan he watched as his viral enemy removed his Icon,

"What are you going to do? Infect it? You know it won't work I'll be delete before it takes complete effect."

"Oh know, you don't under Drake. I have come up with a new way to infect your kind, if this experiment does as I want it. I'll be able to not only infect you without severe causing you damage but I will be able to make you my slave."

"Trojan before you do anything. Can I play with him for a while? The last sprite you gave me to experiment on got deleted by an energy lash." Melissa told Trojan walking towards him seductively in hopes to get his approval.

"I'll get you another sprite, Melissa. How many times do I have to tell you not the play so roughly coming up with sprites is trying, darling." Trojan told her shaking his head in disgust.

"Corbon and Megram will stop you. My children won't allow this to happen." Drake shouted, feared lined his voice and soon became thick in the air. Drake watched as Trojan began to insert some strange code into his icon before infecting it, when completed Trojan put the Icon back on the old sprite's body and watched the results. Drake began to shake uncontrollably and started to fall off the station. When he landed on the floor and didn't move Hexadecimal and Melissa moaned in disappointment.

Deleting the formula from his station records Trojan glanced down at the body in dismay before he shrugged his shoulders.

"I guess I'll just have to try harder with the next batch file. Melissa, Please removed this body. I don't care what you do with it just remove it and delete the experiment from your records it was a flop. Dicer assist my wife."

Staring down at the body he watched as it disappeared from his sight along with his wife. Dicer followed soon after "Finally some peace and quiet. Hexadecimal tell me about your day."

"Father do you dislike mother? You act as though you do." Hexadecimal asked her father who sat up the throne he materalized behind him. Creating her own throne she sat across from him.

"No, Hex, your mother's randomness is maddening sometimes. I am glad you inherited my intelligence and power and the only thing you posses from your mother are her looks and not her randomness. Unlike Megabyte who only inherited my looks and keen strategizing plans if not my intellect...your mother only gave him his strength." Trojan said looking over Hexadecimal at his son. "I see your brother has decided to finally make an appearance. What is the interesting news you have for me, my heir.

"Father, I was spying Phong and Corbon. It would appear they are creating a new antiviral weapon in the Principle Office supposedly more powerful than the one that killed off your parents. Also Corbon has been working on an anti-nullification project to revise the nullified sprites and binomes. I thought that must interest you." Megabyte sneered at his father. He entered the Tor smiling but when he noticed Hexadecimal and his father sitting across from each other he began to sneer.

"Well, we can't have that. Now can we." Trojan said aloud, "Hmmmm....Hexadecimal what do you say we send them a small deletion gift. I'm sure on of my own Trojan horses will be good enough. Unless you have another plan of course, Megabyte."

"I was thinking of sending Hexadecimal over there to destroy the place herself or maybe mother who knows...speaking of Mother, where is she I thought she might be here to hear my great news." Megabyte asked a wicked smile returning to his face, his mother was his favorite viral unit.

"Hexadecimal can't go that is a foolish plan and having your mother go is out of the question. I think the horse is the best idea, it can be loaded into the houses basic functions." Trojan snapped at his son, he disliked seeing him smile at the mention of his mother. Megabyte was his heir even if he did prefer Hex, not his mother's. "Your mother is probably in her private lab...go check and ask her to send Dicer here."

"Dicer, guard the door don't allow anyone in. Even my beloved Megabyte." Melissa told the robot before turning work on Drake Matrix. Smiling with satisfaction as she heard the robot slam the door.

"Dicer was always one of my greatest creations." She picked up a this energy blade and saw going to cut his PID when his eyes suddenly opened.

"Ready to obey, Master." Drake Matrix said in monotone getting up slowly he bowed down to Melissa.

Melissa cackled as she realized what had just occurred. Trojan deleted the information to this test...ha, now I have the power to take over Mainframe and the rest of the net. Trojan has always thought small only wanting Mainframe, when he could have the Super Computer. Thank the User that Megabyte has my views about power....

"TAKE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN GET!" A knock on the door caused her to turn, "I SAID I DIDN'T WANT TO BE DISTURBED, DICER!"

"Its me, Mother." Megabyte...I must ensure this test doesn't have any side effects before I teach my darling son how to harbor it. "Mother I need to speak with you."

"In a moment my dear," Melissa told Megabyte. Elevating Drake Matrix she placed him into a hidden compartment in her lab ordering him to be quiet until she ordered him to speak again. Turning to readjust her appearance she called, "Come in."

Megabyte knew better than to go barging into his mother's lab, until he could overpower her it wasn't a good idea to upset her. He opened the door and entered his mother room, kissing her cheek he stood in front of her a smile shining on his face. "Mother, Corbon Matrix has recreated the original viral weapon and has devised a way to make it more powerful than the first. Also he working on a way to revise nulls to their original form. Hexadecimal will lose her control over them."

"Boo Hoo, my dear son, I don't care about Hexadecimal and her powers. My main interest is you and your ruling of the Net. I will deal with Corbon and his anti-Viral project my beloved child don't worry, your reign of Mainframe and the net won't be hindered. If his null project works you won't have to worry about your sister disturbing your ruling she'll be under your control and you would be able to marry her as you see fit or just make her your slave. If you do remember, she isn't your actual sister. Your father is the only link that relates you two, I just amuse him until I can find a way to get rid of him and his precious Hexadecimal." Melissa rambled on pacing back and forth before Megabyte. Turning to her son, she patted him on the arm gently, "Megabyte, my love, go relax...review those combat files I stole from your father's files."

"Yes, mother." Megabyte said turning to leave. He turned back to look in the room for a final time, smiling at his mother. While walking down the corridor he strategized to figure out a way to get into his mother's room, "Someone was hiding in her compartment and I am going to find out who it is."

Opening her lab door she smiled as she saw her son doing her bidding, "Good son, I'll make sure you rule is secure." Locking her door she turned and commanded, "DRAKE MATRIX!" When Drake came out of the compartment she began to give him commands, "I want you to go to the principle office and destory the antiviral weapon your son has created. Afterwards I want you to come back I have other orders for you. First tell me if do you know if your son has other plans."

"In his lab, he has plans for the anitvirus and the null program." Drake answered with a bit more spirit but the same obedience.

"Then go and do what I asked. I expect to see you in a few gigas." Melissa order opening a back enterance to the Tor, "Go out through that doorway, you'll find an underground pass that will take you to level 31 make sure that you are not seen by anyone until you reach the principle office. I don't want Trojan to know you exist."

"Yes, Master." Drake answered doing as he was bid he exited in out the entrance. Melissa smiled as she began to devise a way to get into her husbands storage to get the equipment she needed to recreate the last test project she would call insert into her own protocol function before doing so to her son.

"If I can add the ability to control sprites to my own function I should be able to do the same for Megabyte. Then I will be able to delete the formula so no one can create a cure or an way to immune sprites from it." Melissa spun around randomly pleased with her latest discovery.

"Hex, dearest, I think I'm going to pay a visit to Corbon Matrix. I don't want him to think he can get impression that I am going to allow him to take away my precious child's powers and minions without any repercussions." Trojan told his daughter. Dicer moved into the room walking slowly.

"Dicer, I want you to protect Hexadecimal and make sure she doesn't get injured just in case any of the Matrix clan decide they want to attack the tor."

"Yes, father, though I'd rather see you place Corbon Matrix in his place. He has not right trying to ruin my fun...I don't hurt the nulls, I just control them." Hex told her father, glancing over at her father she put her disappointed face on, "I don't want him to protect me."

"Its for you own good, daughter. Hex, I want you to stay in your chamber my love. Create Scuzzy in case you get lonely, dearest. Even better take my mirror and explore the net you'll find something amusing there." Trojan told her getting up he bent forward and kissed her head, "Remember don't let Megabyte see your mirror. I don't trust your brother, he's up to something I just haven't figured it out yet."

"Very well, father." Hex answered placing on her obedient face. When her father disappeared she created Scuzzy and walked to her chambers. "I'll go to my chamber. I'll even look through my mirror but I won't stay there for long." Laughing quietly she sat down on her throne and looked out her mirror at the Super Computer waiting for her chance to leave.

"Sir, your father is missing." A tall red sprite informed Corbon at the dinner, "We were informed that he was last seen in the Destro sector known as Ghetty."

"I want a brigade on the border. If my father's there he'll manage to escape. I don't want any problem from the virals if he does, blast them out the sky." Corbon said.

The red sprite left the diner and Corbon turned to his wife Meg who was carrying Enzo, "My reason for functioning I have to go find my father. I'll be back."

"Corbon, some of the CPUs called from Twin City. Trojan has been spotted wreaking havok around our neighborhood. Someone has to attend problems there." Meg told him handing Enzo to Cecil. "I'll take a few anti viral units and head over home.

"Madame, I am not a spritelet sitter." Cecil complained to Meg.

"I know, you're a server but right now you've just been upgraded. Keep an eye on him and vidwin Phong and ask him to bring Dot by the diner. Cecil, if anything happens to my son, I'll use you for scrap metal." Meg told him walking out the door beside Corbon, "I'm heading over to the Principle Office to get that new weapon of yours. Now is the best time if any to test if it works."

"I'll take care of the problems at home. You head over to the border and see what is the matter. First let's drop by the Principle office and pick up the weapon, I made a smaller compact size at home. I'll use that one to deal with Trojan." Corbon said hoping into a CPU transport. "Get in, we'll get there quicker."

"Dad!" Corbon shouted as he spotted his father beside the antiviral weapon, "Be careful, it is not fully tested." Drake turned towards Corbon his eyes were clouded for a moment before they became clear. "Dad?"

"Corbon, Melissa has devised a way to control sprite......AHH...MUST DESTROY ANTIVIRUS WEAPON! MUST DESTORY CORBON MATRIX!" Drake stammered out picking up the weapon and aiming it at his son.

"DAD! Don't do it. You don't know what you are doing!" Meg screamed walking closer to Corbon's side. She paled as she watched father point weapon at son, listened as it began to charge and closed her eyes as she watched an energy beam charge towards Corbon. Pushing Corbon to the side, Meg took the full blow of the beam.

Catching his wife as she hit the floor, Corbon turned to find his father point the weapon at him. Closing his eyes, Corbon kissed his wife and waited for the beam to hit him. A cry of pain from his father caused Corbon to look up quickly. Three CPU officers attacked Drake, Corbon watched helpless as his father fell to his deletion on the floor. A piercing scream came from behind him as he watched Dot run forward holding Enzo, "MOM! MOM!" Corbon caught Dot as she fell towards the floor. "Dad...Mom?" Reaching over to touch her mother's face, Dot hugged Enzo closer to her as her mother began to delete away. "NOOOOOOOO!"

Pulling Enzo and Dot into his arms, he hugged them close. A hand fell on his shoulder, he knew it was Phong and didn't trust himself to turn around just yet. "Phong, I need ten CPU units to attack Ghetty.. I have a score to settle with the Destro clan. They won't win." Turning to look at Phong, "Old friend, please keep the kids here. And protect them."

"Daddy, NO! You can't go. We can't lose you too. Please stay here. Send the CPU's to fight Trojan and Melissa. Please!" Dot begged her father grabbing on tighter as he started to pull away. Enzo started to cry louder as Corbon picked him up from his sister's embrace and hugged him closely. Placing a small kiss on his forehead and then Dot's, Corbon walked out the door, listening to his daughter's cries, in his arms he carried the antiviral weapon.

"Well, what do we have here?" Trojan's deep voice broke the silence of the lab Melissa was ransacking. "Are you looking for something, wife?"

"Actually I am Trojan. I'm looking for the plans to the Antivirus weapon. A little floppy told me they were here as well." Melissa answered cooingly, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to put an end to the nullification program Corbon is creating." Trojan answered. A large metal structure sat on the table, "This must be it. Now I must find the plans." Scrummaging around the basement lab, he turned as he located the plans for the nullification project. Reading the plans, he played with a few buttons on the nullification project to reserve the polarity.  Burning the plans in his hand, he turned to Melissa "I found them, my dear Melissa. I hope you found what you were searching for, because we need to leave this Twin City before this timer goes off."

"What are you looking for mother?" a soft voice asked from behind corner the two viral units. Hexadecimal came into view, walking towards both mother and father. She loved to watch them work together.

"She's looking for an antiviral weapon plans...HEXADECIMAL, YOU WERE SUPPOSE TO STAY AT THE TOR! ITS-" Trojan bellowed to his daughter cutting it short as he heard a weapon charge from behind him.

"I wouldn't move if I were you, Trojan. Your viral nanos are over. Move against that wall." Corbon said softly and deadly as he stalked to the two viruses. "You deleted Meg, and now I'm going to cure the system of you." Hexadecimal floated behind Corbon in hopes to distract so her parents could escape. Corbon turned quickly and pointed the weapon at Hex, "ANOTHER VIRUS!" Firing the weapon at Hex, Trojan reappeared before his daughter and took the force of the weapon placing her in a protected field. Melissa took advantage of the situation and turned to leave, Corbon moving faster than Melissa could imagine and fired the weapon that hit her side in dull force as it bounced off the wall.

"FATHER! I'M SORRY!" Hex cried as she hugged her father's deleting body towards her. Turning to look at Trojan she watched as he turned on her mother, "I WON'T LET YOU HURT MY MOTHER." Appearing before Melissa, Hexadecimal placed a hand on her mother and they both disappeared.

"Crash and Burn! There is only one place they could have gone." Corbon said before striding out the door, ignoring the vengeful cries of the virus Trojan.

"Mother, are you alright?" Hexadecimal asked as she and Melissa landed in her private chamber. Her mirror was still focused on the Principle office.

Melissa looked over the child she hated and her eyes narrowed as she realized Hexadecimal was still alive, "I'm alright child. Please, fetch Dicer for me." Melissa began to cackle as she devised a plan, I'll have Dicer delete the child.

"Yes, Mother." Hexadecimal said looking confused. Her mother's random thoughts barely made sense to her. Leaving the room she began to search for Dicer.

"Stupid girl, you think I care for her. Pitiful." Melissa said aloud turning to look at her surroundings. She noticed that Hexadecimal's room was similar to that of her husband's or rather deleted husband's. Glancing at the mirror, she could not believe what she saw. "THE SUPER COMPUTER. THE STUPID GIRL HAD ACCESS TO THE SUPER COMPUTER!" Her mind reeled with the realization of how simple it would be to attack the Super Computer, especially since she knew how the portal devise on the mirror worked.

"Mother, I have Dicer here." Hexadecimal said from behind her rushing into the room as she heard her mother screaming. "Are you alright?"

"I will be in a moment. Dicer, destroy Hexadecimal." Melissa said as she turned back to the mirror, "Dicer stop for a moment. Hex, you pitiful excuse for a virus, did your father ever tell you how to properly use the mirror."

"Mother, I don't understand....Father said the mirror was only used to look into and nothing more." Hex said confused by the realization that her mother was trying to delete her. "Mother, why are you doing this?"

"I am not your mother my dear. My sister is. That was until the Matrix clan deleted her. I despise you." Melissa told Hex, before ordering Dicer to delete her outside. "Now let's see." Melissa said examining the mirror she began to open a portal. A commotion behind her caused her to turn and she watched as Corbon Matrix raised the antiviral weapon towards her. "Now, Corbon..."

"I'm going to delete you and your family." Corbon said charging the weapon. When he pulled the trigger to fire, he felt a piercing stab wound in his back. Pulling the trigger, the blast hit the mirror at Melissa's side causing her to fall back through the portal. Turning slowly he watched as Megabyte's expression went from angry to dangerous.

"My mother will be avenged!" Megabyte announced his hands tightening around Corbon's neck. Grabbing the weapon from Corbon he crushed it in his hands, "You won't be needing that." The CPU's rushed into the Tor causing Megabyte to drop Corbon and attack. Three CPU units grabbed Corbon and  dragged him out of the Tor.

"Sir, we have to get you to the Principle office." On of the officers told him as they repaired his wounds in the transport.

"WARNING INCOMING GAME! WARNING INCOMING GAME!" The systems voice warned everyone as it landed on them just within Ghetty's border.

"CRASH AND BURN! WE DON'T NEED THIS NOW!" Corbon screamed as he rebooted injured and tired into the game.

"Dot, I'm sorry. I have terrible news." Phong said his hands reached out to the young sprite that was comforting her baby brother.

"Just spit it out, Phong. Please." Dot answered sadly, her head hung low as she waited for Phong's words.

"A game arrived in the system before we could get your father out of the Tor. He was badly injured according to the CPU's that survived the attack. They lost the game, your father was nullified. " Phong wiped the tears that fell from Dot's eyes as he continued, "Twin City was nullified as well, we don't have many details but we know that it was your father's project that lead to its nullification. The last audio we have states that Trojan and Melissa were the last people in his laboratory."

"So, we have no family, friends and no where to live." Dot said in a defeated voice. Wiping the tears from her eyes she stood up slowly, "I guess I'll just have to find us a place to live. Phong, watch Enzo please, I have a diner to run." Dot handed Enzo to Phong and ran out the room.

"So much like her father and mother, she's survived - but to what cost." Phong said sadly carrying Enzo over to the cot. Pulling the blanket over the boy who was sucking his thumb between tearful hiccups.

Shaking his head sadly, Phong went into his office and placed a mail for assistance. "This is Phong, Command.Com of Mainframe. We need assistance, Twin City was just deleted by virals, we need assistance. Send us a Guardian." Closing the vidwindow, he placed it in the Internet out pile. This will take hours to get to the super computer. It cannot be delayed any longer.

Hexadecimal walked tiredly back into the Tor. No one was around, it didn't matter anyways, she thought with a deep laugh. No one cares if I survive or get deleted. Walking towards her chamber, she removed her mirror from the wall. Noticing the damage she began to laugh and cry at the same time. Scuzzy crawled out from the shadows and revealed to Hex what had occurred. "SEE WHAT YOUR GREEDINESS GOT YOU MOTHER. "  Glancing at the mirror she ordered it to show her, Twin City, she watched as it blew up. "Father." Hex cried, the realization of his death caused her mind to snap. "HA HA HA HA HA HAAAAA!"

"What are you laughing about sister? Our parents are dead." Megabyte informed Hex from behind. Dismissing her he turned to search for Dicer, "Where is Dicer?"

"In pieces outside the Tor. Your mother ordered him to attack me." Hex answered smiling as she floated down to Megabyte, "Well I must be going now. I'm going to take over the sector that was once known as Twin City. I think I'll rename it. Lost Angles, how does that sound."

"Absolutely horrid. Make sure you stay there, Hex. I don't want to see you again." Megabyte told her.

"Don't worry, I have no intention of imposing. Come Scuzzy." Hex said sweetly before disappearing.

Megabyte looked around the ruin Tor and laughed triumphantly. "It is all mine! And the first thing I'm going to do is get some troops, I don't like being attacked by surprise. I'll have minions to do my fighting." Megabyte stepped outside the Tor and walked over the Dicer's red and blue parts, "Two robots would be better than one."

Something crawling across the ground green caught his attention, "Corbon Matrix - or could I say father Matrix. You'll be my reminder of this day. I'll keep you and as an insult to your memory I'll make you my pet." Megabyte announced squeezing the green null between his hands.

Dot Matrix zipped out the Floating Point Park to mourn. Glancing at the Tor, her eyes narrowed in hatred. "I WON'T REST UNTIL I FIGURE OUT A WAY TO FREE MAINFRAME FROM VIRAL THREAT!" Dot vowed tears streaming down her face, she turned away from the Tor and headed towards the diner to take her parents place.