Author’s Note: I use “User” time and measurement in this story, not any fancy Mainframe timeline – mostly so I don’t confuse myself. Also, the title was gotten from the Savage Garden song "Promises".

Matrix struggled with the hold Daemon had on him, trying in vain to put the gun down. The weapon had slid from its holster upon some accord that was not Matrix’s own, and now hovered, frightenly pointed at the weakened Guardian at his feet.

“Finish him…” the virus breathed, her bright red eyes gleaming with the taste of battle. “Finish him, what use is he to you? You can then be the One…”

Matrix’s hand trembled, his inner turmoil combating with her infection. “I won’t…” he managed out through gritted teeth, feeling his eyes lock upon the empty brown ones, staring up at him in desolation. A nearly limp blue hand clutched at the uniformed shoulder, trying to hold together the tears wrought by Daemon’s claws.

“You will…” Daemon hissed. “You are mine. I have infected you; you are of my will, just like all the other Guardians…”

Matrix closed his eyes tightly, wanting to look away from his friend – his hero. Desperately, he tried to put the gun down, put it back in the holster, but his hand wouldn’t obey him.

“Finish him…” Daemon growled, her patience ebbing.

“I’m sorry, Bob…” Matrix whispered, feeling his finger close on the trigger…

With a startled cry, Matrix awoke, his body jerking into a sitting position as his eyes flew open. AndrAIa was roused by his movement, her delicate hand touching his shoulder as he shuddered. Even her light caress startled Matrix and he jumped, staring at her for a moment before bowing his head.

“Another dream?” AndrAIa asked softly, and Matrix nodded. AndrAIa sighed. “They aren’t real…”

“They seem it…” he murmured, his eyes drawn to the window and Mainframe’s “night” life.

“Hey,” AndrAIa said, lightly, trying to tease him out of his melancholy. “Where’s that big, strong Matrix I know and love?”

Matrix bit his lip and swallowed hard. AndrAIa quieted, disturbed by this change in his usual attitude. Gently, she rubbed his back. “It wasn’t like your usual dreams, was it?” she inquired in a whisper.

Matrix shook his head slowly, a lone tear trailing down his cheek.

“Oh, lover…” AndrAIa breathed, wiping the tear away. “What happened? Why are you so upset?”

Matrix looked up at her, blinking his eyes. The artificial gold one was cold and lifeless, but his natural violet one held so much emotion that AndrAIa nearly gasped aloud. She had never seen Matrix – not the Matrix he had become – like this, so vulnerable and afraid.

“What happened, lover?” she asked again, her voice trembling.

“I…” His voice choked and he stopped, scowling as if he held his voice chip responsible for everything that had gone wrong. “I dreamed that Daemon infected me and…” Matrix trailed off, turning away so she couldn’t see his face.

“And?” AndrAIa pressed, her chest tightening in worry.

“She made me delete Bob,” Matrix finished, voice small.

Bob closed his eyes, trying to mentally ease the throbbing in his shoulder. The floor felt cold and hard beneath his crumpled body and he struggled to get to his feet. The Guardian knew that he had to leave this place, to get away from…

Daemon?

“Finish him…” a voice hissed. “Finish him, what use is he to you? You can then be the One…”

Who was she speaking to? Bob forced his eyes open, his head stopping when he found himself looking down the barrel of a gun. Time seemed to slow and stop, his entire world constricted to the dark hole hovering before his eyes.

There was more speaking, but Bob didn’t have the strength to focus on the words. Some dim part of his consciousness kept insisting that this was all a dream and nothing more, but the pain in his shoulder made that terribly hard to believe.

Bob looked up at Matrix, who had turned his face away. The gun wavered slightly and Matrix’s voice came out in a hoarse whisper. “I’m sorry, Bob…”

The Guardian’s eyes widened as he saw Matrix’s finger tighten on the trigger…

Bob gasped aloud and his eyes snapped open. He closed them again and let his body relax when he saw that it had, indeed, been a dream, and he was in his bedroom. Sliding out of the bed, he walked slowly over to the window, looking down at the occasional binome wandering along the street. His hands clenched on the windowsill, and he dearly wished he had somebody to talk to.

Part of him wanted to open a VidWindow and call Dot, but considering it was the middle of the dark-cycle, she probably wouldn't appreciate that much – especially if it was just because the “fearless” Guardian had a bad dream. In a way, Bob envied Matrix and AndrAIa – how ironic that two sprites that theoretically should be almost young enough to be his children should have a more advanced relationship than he and Dot.

The thought of Matrix made him stop cold, and a shiver ran down his spine, the details of his dream coming back to him. This was ridiculous; it was probably just the stress of everything attacking him. He hadn't even KNOWN about Daemon until after the crew of the Saucy Mare had rescued him from the Web, and he had certainly never come face to face with the virus.

Anyway, the idea of dreams predicting the future was simply laughable. Things may occasionally take an unusual turn, but they had meaning and logical order!

Bob grit his teeth, his thoughts leading him to a whole other topic. Daemon was - HAD - infected the entire Guardian collective... the entire collective, save Matrix and himself. The two of them should be trying to find a way to stop this virus, not hiding out in Mainframe and leaving the other systems to Daemon's mercy...

He clenched a fist, placing it between the wall and his forehead. What were two Guardians - or a Guardian and a renegade, to be more exact - going to do against the entire collective and a virus strong enough to infect them all?

Bob immediately chastised himself. He and Matrix weren't the only ones able to fight. In something like this, it was almost a given that Dot, Mouse, AndrAIa, Raytracer, and the others would assist them.

Anyway, he didn't think they'd exactly have a choice whether or not they battled Daemon. Mainframe was once again hooked up to the Web, making it accessible to the outside worlds. It was unlikely that Daemon would tolerate having two sprites with Guardian programming out of her control. It probably wouldn't be long before she came to them.

Bob shook his head morosely and looked out at the sky, which was just beginning to lighten. And just when they had hoped things were getting better...

Matrix and AndrAIa slowly approached Dot’s Diner, smiling a bit as they opened the door. Bob was walking around the place with Enzo perched on his shoulders. They wandered over to Dot, who smiled up at them fondly before shooing them away. Cecil was having a conniption fit, something about how they couldn’t be “fooling around like that in a place of establishment!”

Matrix’s grin faded a bit as he watched them, memories of an earlier time when Bob used to do the same with him flashing through his mind. It was like watching a scene out of the past, except both Bob and Dot had changed significantly.

“What’s wrong now, lover?” AndrAIa asked quietly.

Matrix sighed and shook his head. She had to be the most perceptive sprite he knew… “Nothing.”

AndrAIa clenched her jaw, grabbed Matrix’s arm, and rather literally hauled him out of the Diner. He was silent as she dragged him over to Floating Point and shoved him into a bench. Raising an aqua eyebrow, she asked, “Are you going to tell me what is going on?”

Matrix coughed. “You do realize you’re the only one that can shove me around like that…”

AndrAIa crossed her arms. “I fully realize it and I intend to take advantage of that fact.” Her face fell and she sat down next to him. “Matrix, you’re worrying me. You are acting so different…”

“It’s just…” Matrix sighed heavily. “I don’t know. I want so much for… for Bob and Dot to be proud of me, but… with Enzo around, they just don’t need me anymore. Things can go back to the way they WERE. And I feel like I’m just a haunting reminder to them of… of everything we went through.” He looked up at her. “And… I feel like… I make them uncomfortable. Who I am. What I’ve become. Bob told me… back on the Saucy Mare, when we met up again… that I had done what I needed to do to survive and that he had done the same. But he can fit in again and I just…”

“You’re trying…” AndrAIa said softly. “Surely they can see that.”

“Sometimes, I just don’t know. Y’know…” he trailed off, looking up at the sky. “If I didn’t know better, I would hate Enzo. He’s… me, and yet he’s not. And he’s taking my place, but yet… I can’t hate him.”

AndrAIa smiled and ruffled his hair. “Now, see? You are getting better, out of that violent Game mode. The old Matrix would have just deleted him.”

Matrix’s brow came together and his face tightened a bit. “I know…” was all he said.

“Bob, tell me about the time you met the WebRiders!” Enzo pleaded, trying to alleviate his boredom now that Bob had gotten tired of carrying him around.

“That one?” Bob laughed, sitting next to Dot, one arm draped around her shoulders as she typed. “But you’ve heard that one a milli…”

A loud crash rocked Mainframe, causing a shockwave big enough to send Dot, Bob, and Enzo crashing to the floor. “What was that!?” Enzo cried, covering his head with both arms to prevent injury by one of Dot’s datapads.

Dot rose to her knees and looked out the Diner window. “It’s… a portal!”

Bob immediately rose to his feet, moving to stand beside her. “A viral portal…” he muttered darkly.

The same shockwave that had hit the Diner managed to make its way all the way over to Floating Point. While it wasn’t as strong there, it was enough to alert Matrix and AndrAIa that something was going on. Instantaneously, they were on their feet, eyes scanning what they could see of Mainframe. AndrAIa noticed uncomfortably that Matrix’s targeting eye had spun around and was glowing a dark red.

“See anything, Sparky?”

Matrix narrowed his eyes, the red light flickering. “Portal,” he announced shortly. “We have to get back down there.”

“Couldn’t have put it better myself,” AndrAIa said grimly, pulling out her zipboard. Matrix did likewise, and they sped off toward Dot’s Diner.

Bob and Dot both left the Diner, their expressions severe. Enzo started to follow him, but stopped abruptly when Dot ordered him to stay with Cecil and Frisket, who was growling in the direction of the portal. The young Sprite watched the two go sadly, wanting to follow, but knowing better than to argue with his sister when she used that tone of voice.

It didn’t take much searching for them to find out where the portal had left its unpleasant occupant. Binomes were swiftly exiting the area, nearly running Bob and Dot over as they forced their way through the crowd. A horrifying sight was waiting for them, something that nearly sent the two of them back the way they came.

In all rights, it shouldn’t have frightened them as much as it did, but something about her appearance… The virus was a haunting thing, her right side as innocent and delicate as a doll, all smooth lines and perfect prettiness. But her left side had the look of death about her, the smooth lines turning knobby and wrinkled, cruel metallic scars marring what should have been the face of a goddess.

Her eyes were almost a mocking parody of Matrix’s, the left one a glowing red and the right one a light baby blue. Her mouth was open in a loud cackle, delighted in the fear that the binomes showed her by fleeing.

“Daemon’s come to play…” she cooed, her voice not that of an insane virus, such as Hexadecimal, but of a purely mechanical minded one.

“Ah don’ think so, sugah,” Mouse drawled from opposite Bob and Dot, both of her swords drawn. Raytracer hovered behind her, his feet planted firmly on his surfbaud and his eyes hard. Matrix and AndrAIa sped down from Floating Point, unconsciously completing a ring around Daemon.

Daemon smirked at them all and turned slowly, smiling wider when she saw their unconscious shudder at her appearance. “Do I disturb you?” she asked innocently. “I can leave easily enough. All you need to do…” She trailed off and met each of their gazes one more time. “Is give me your Guardians.”

Mouse spat something incoherent and both AndrAIa and Dot unconsciously stepped in front of Matrix and Bob, respectfully. “Over my deleted icon,” Dot growled lowly, her violet eyes snapping in anger.

“Really, my dear, I don’t think that should have to be necessary. Come now, Guardians, isn’t it in your code to ‘mend and defend’? If you just surrender to me, I shall not harm your friends. It is really the best way for you to help them…”

“Right. We turn ourselves over to you, and once we’re infected and out of the way, you will take over Mainframe?” Bob shot back, trying to hide how his hands were shaking. He had never thought that Daemon would find them so soon…

“And if you do not?” Daemon said, her voice rising in pitch to a loud growl. “Who’s to say that I shall not destroy this place anyway?” Energy crackled in her hands and she flung it at one of the buildings. The ball of light hit it and the place was completely nullified before their eyes. “My offer is your only choice, Guardian.”

“Or not…” Matrix muttered, stepping away from AndrAIa. “Gun, command lock. Full delete.” The weapon sprang into his hand and he leveled it at Daemon, his eye pulsing red.

Daemon made a tsking sound, slowly strolling towards Matrix. He faltered a bit, not having expected her to react like she had. “Matrix, Matrix…” Daemon chided mockingly. “You really shouldn’t play with toys like that. You never know where they might end up being pointed.” Abruptly, she lashed out with one iron hand, grasping Matrix’s arm and shoving the gun around to point at Bob. Matrix jerked away from her, eyes widening, and let the gun clatter to the ground.

Silence soaked into the area, broken only by Daemon’s soft laughter. Both Matrix and Bob were staring at the gun, transfixed by what they seemed to have narrowly missed. AndrAIa, Dot, and Raytracer were looking at the two Guardians, but Mouse’s attention was focused solely on Daemon.

While Daemon was watching what her actions had wrought with an amused smile, Mouse slowly crept forward, her eyes fixated on the virus. Silently, she raised one of her swords, fully intending to strike Daemon down where she stood. *It almost seems too easy…* the mercenary thought fleetingly. *She caught the Guardian collective, and yet I can just walk up to her and…* Her thoughts broke off as she yelled, thrown back by the force of Daemon’s power. Head cracking on the hard floor, Mouse’s swords flew off in opposite directions, leaving her lying helpless and dizzy.

Daemon advanced on this new victim, but Raytracer interposed himself between the two, scooping Mouse’s limp body up in his arms and backing away from the virus. Her fists clenched and she glared at them. “I grow tired of these games. You must see by now that I can and will destroy this system if my demands are not met. You will have my word that I will leave your friends in peace provided you come with me and cooperate.”

“What good is the word of a virus?” Dot demanded. “And anyway, don’t you think it was a little arrogant of you to come here alone to challenge us?”

Daemon threw back her head and laughed, the sound a deep and throaty cackle. “You fools. Just because you defeated Megabyte does not make you the elite. Need I remind you that I took the Guardian collective down – every single one of them is at MY control. All of them, except those two.” Her hunger to control every single Guardian there was showed in her eyes as she gazed at Matrix and Bob. “As for my word…” Daemon’s voice dropped and her eyes slitted. “It may not be much, but it is all you have.”

“We won’t give up that easily,” Bob vowed harshly. “We haven’t come this far to let you walk all over us.”

“Brave words, Guardian.” There was no respect in Daemon’s tone when she spoke his title. “There were many a Guardian who said those exact same things to me.” She paused, looking down at the ground with a small smirk curling her lips. “Including the Prime Turbo.”

“Liar!” Matrix snarled. “Turbo fought you…”

“Oh, indeed he did,” Daemon said calmly. “But even the strongest fall. I did SO enjoy his threats, and then his pleas, when I finally broke him.”

Bob turned his head away, unable to stop a shiver from running through his body. He had always looked up to Turbo; the Prime Guardian had been an admirable sprite, even when he had ordered Mainframe deleted. To think that he had fallen... What hope had he against this virus? A wave of hopelessness settled in to the pit of his stomach, and Bob was unsure if it was some trick of Daemon's or his own fears. Dot reached out to take his hand in hers, but it was of small comfort.

“I grow weary of this,” Daemon snapped impatiently. “Either you join me, or I destroy this entire system. It is a simple enough thing to understand, is it not?”

AndrAIa opened her mouth to speak, but Daemon waved a careless hand had at her. “No doubt you are going to reiterate Miss Matrix's sentiments about my ego level. I assure you, I can destroy this system with little effort should I see the need to.”

“Why should we believe you?” AndrAIa challenged, her eyes shining defiantly.

Daemon whirled on her, eyes furious. “Need I give you more proof, child?” the virus hissed. “Because I can.” Whirling, she demolished two more buildings, her eyes sparkling with a cruel delight at the destruction she was causing. “Is that proof enough!?”

AndrAIa actually shrank back, horrified at what she had drove the virus to do. All those innocent binomes…

“Stop!” Bob commanded. He stepped slowly away from Dot, who uselessly grabbed at his sleeve. “Stop it, Daemon.”

Daemon cocked her head at him, studying the Guardian. “Does this mean that you’ve decided to agree with my demands?” Bob hesitated and Daemon raised another ball of dazzling energy. “Or shall I…”

“NO!” Bob took a shaky breath, unable to believe that he was doing this. “No, you are… correct. My code is to… to mend and defend. And if this is how I must defend my system, so be it.”

“Bob…!” Raytracer said, his voice choking off with shock. Everyone else stared at him, not knowing what to do.

“Good…” Daemon trilled, licking her lips slowly. Eyes flashing to steel once more, she glared at Matrix. “It must be both of them, however!”

Matrix clenched his jaw, rebellion rushing through his body. He couldn’t do this; he couldn’t surrender. Everything he was, everything he had become and stood for protested the notion. He had finally started to overcome the violence that the Games had engraved into him; this would destroy all the progress he had made.

Slowly, he looked up at Bob; his hero, the older brother he’d never had… Standing there and trying to appear strong despite the fact that he was setting himself up for imminent deletion. Bob had the ability to sacrifice himself for his friends; would Matrix be the better sprite for following Bob’s example or refusing to surrender?

Looking down, he saw AndrAIa next to him, her eyes pleading with him to not do this. How could he leave her behind? They had stuck through everything together; she had stood by him when she’d had no reason to. Was it fair to her to abandon her now, or would she be better off for it?

Was it worth his life to save the ones he loved – no, unless they managed to take Daemon down with them. If he could save Mainframe, it would be worth it. Once more, Matrix remembered something else Bob had said to him on the Saucy Mare: ‘We’ll take care of Megabyte and then Daemon – together.’

Matrix slowly pulled away from AndrAIa, his eyes meeting Bob’s. Daemon smiled, pleased. “Very good…”

Bob looked away from Matrix to glance at Daemon. “Before you take us,” he said lowly, “I need to say goodbye.” His eyes flickered to Dot, who was watching him, tears swimming in her violet eyes.

“How… sweet,” Daemon sneered, rolling her eyes, but waved a hand blithely. “Very well, very well. Make it quick.”

Bob walked over to Dot, catching her up in a hug. She clung to him, her voice fierce. “You said you wouldn’t leave me again,” she hissed accusingly.

“I have to…” he mumbled, face pressed close to hers. His actions hidden from Daemon’s sight, he fumbled with Dot’s icon, pulling it off and managing to unhook his own as well.

“What are you doing?” Dot demanded in a whisper, and Bob hushed her.

“Keep crying,” he ordered softly. “I need you to keep something safe for me…”

Even though their embrace was a long one, it was over much too soon for Dot. Before she was ready to let him go, Bob had pressed her icon into her hand. He turned away and started to go, but Dot caught his arm and turned him back to face her.

“I love you, Bob,” she whispered, and kissed him quickly, turning away so he wouldn’t see her tears. She didn’t like what was happening, but she knew that simply because of Bob’s code and his entire way of life, he would sacrifice himself if there were a chance that he could save Mainframe.

Bob hesitated for a moment before he walked slowly away, head held high as he faced Daemon. Matrix had gone to give his own goodbye to AndrAIa, and he too moved away to meet the virus.

“Ready?” she inquired, voice jeering the both of them. Daemon gave no time for them to answer; she simply created an abrupt portal, roughly ushering both of the Guardians through. Shooting one last smirk at the inhabitants of Mainframe, Daemon ducked through as well and the portal vanished, leaving behind no trace of its presence.

“Enzo…” AndrAIa whispered, one hand reaching up as if to call him back. It was too late, of course; the portal was gone. Dot said nothing, just stood there clutching her icon and trying to still her soft tears. Mouse had just gotten her head cleared and looked at Raytracer, who shook his head slowly.

They were all unable to shake the feeling that the “battle” had been won too quickly. AndrAIa looked away from where the portal had been, her eyes smoldering. “We have to try and rescue them.”

“Sugah…”

“No. I don’t care if they so-called sacrificed themselves to save us. We have to rescue them and we have to stop Daemon. Those two are the last Guardians with clean programming. If she infects them…”

“There will be no one left that didn’t have their programming infected,” Raytracer finished grimly.

Reminded of her icon by their conversation, Dot reached up to reaffix hers to the front of her shirt – mostly to feel the comforting familiarity of the object on her shirt, but gasped at what she saw.

Instead of its usual black and white colours, her icon was now yellow and black – the colours of a Guardian icon.

Bob walked stiffly between a pair of Daemon's Guardians, trying to stifle the urge to run for freedom. Matrix walked ahead of him, his larger body blocking most of Bob's view of what lay ahead.

Despite the outward calm Bob hoped he was conveying, he couldn't help but feel panic swell in his throat. He had never surrendered before, at least not seriously surrendered. Yet, here he was. In the belly of the beast. At Daemon's non-existent mercy because he had put himself there...

To save his friends. He must remember that, at all costs.

They turned a corner and walked through an archway. Ahead of him, Bob could see Matrix stiffen. He wanted to talk to the other sprite, ask him what he saw, but had a feeling that any words would be greatly frowned upon by their ‘guards’.

“I'm terribly sorry to have made this such a long, drawn out affair,” Daemon's voice said contritely from behind Matrix, and Bob's guards moved him around so he could see her. “I'm sure you must be TERRIBLY anxious to join your comrades.”

Matrix growled something under his breath and groped for his gun, only to find that it wasn't there. He paused and stared at the empty holster, expression battling between shocked and relieved. Bob wondered at this, but remembering his dream, was strangely comforted that Matrix DIDN'T have his gun.

“Awww...” Daemon cooed with a snicker. “Did you drop your little gun back in Mainframe? Pity.” Daemon unsheathed her claws in an almost bored fashion, and studied them with great interest. “Your defiance is almost endearing, you know. Still pathetically loyal to your friends, determined to keep them safe at all costs.” She let her viral claws slide back into her hands and looked up at them with a cruel smile. “It's such a shame that I really couldn't follow up on my word.”

Both Bob and Matrix straightened, their eyes meeting each other’s and then Daemon's.

“What do you mean?” Bob choked out.

“Come now. Did you really believe that I would permit that little system to exist?” Daemon scoffed. “As soon as we left, I sent my troops back in there. I'm afraid that your friends are all dead.”

Matrix uttered what sounded like an incoherent roar and leapt at Daemon, his hands scrabbling for her throat. She caught both of his wrists tightly, meeting his gaze squarely, her eyes two glowing red holes. At first, Matrix fought her fiercely, trying to break away from the iron grip, but as his struggles slowed, Bob realized what was happening.

Daemon was infecting him. And Matrix didn't have the emotional strength to fight her off. Numbly, Bob realized that he had to get away, that he had to keep his programming safe. For the good of everyone else, if not...

Blindly, he bolted for the door, surprising everyone in the room enough that he got a head start. Daemon screamed for the infected Guardians to follow him. Bob ducked through the hallways of the Principal Office, trying to keep down the emptiness that threatened to overwhelm him. Running almost on instinct, he made it outside and into the streets. Stumbling into the back allies, he appeared to have eluded his pursuers.

Staring down at his hands, it occurred to him that he ought to find some way to camouflage himself - his present state was a bit noticeable. There weren't too many blue, Guardian/keytool interfaces running around the Supercomputer.

Looking down at the trash at his feet - the back alley he had stumbled into appeared to be true to the large city stereotype - he found a coat that was just a tad bit too big, as well as a hat that clashed horribly with the jacket. Not caring, Bob put them both on and started wandering the alleys.

Now that he was out of immediate danger, the emptiness he had fought off earlier was coming back, and in full force. To have come through everything, only to have it all destroyed by Daemon. All of Mainframe... Dot...

Bob raised a shaking hand to cover his mouth, trying to fight back the tears. It almost angered him, he wasn't the type to cry. No matter what he had been through, he hadn't cried...

His rationalizations were useless, that much was obvious as his tears increased, forming rivers down his cheeks. Sinking to the ground, Bob buried his head in his arms, trying to get his emotions under control.

He had to get them under control. Daemon had to be stopped, and Mainframe had to be avenged.

Matrix jerked his arms back, trying to wrench his wrists out of Daemon's grasp. She just smirked at him eerily, amused by his efforts.

“Really, Guardian Matrix, do you sincerely think that will work? I'm infecting you as you struggle; even if you do get free, I can still take you over.”

Matrix ignored her, his eye pulsing red. Bob had gotten away, he thought. Part of him was furious at Bob for leaving him to fight Daemon alone, but the part of him still able to process rational thought knew that there had been no choice. With Mainframe gone...

“Why do you bother fighting? All your friends have been deleted, your home destroyed. I'm sure it will be no time at all before my Guardians catch that foolish friend of yours, and then he'll be infected or deleted. You have nothing left to fight for.”

Matrix glared at her, eyes cold. “No. I have everything to fight for.”

“Then you have everything to lose,” she snarled, her hand snapping forward to cover his icon. “It was amusing to try and do this the long way, but it grows tiring.”

Matrix felt the viral infection run through his programming. He stiffened, then crumpled to the ground.

“Get up,” Daemon commanded, and he did so. She smiled. “Go find Guardian 452 and bring him to me - dead or alive, however you can manage it.”

Matrix nodded curtly and left, his icon glowing with the yellow tendrils of Daemon's infection.

Dot sat in her room, curled up in a chair by the window. She stared silently out at Mainframe, feeling numb and alone.

To have lost both of them again… Once more, something had come into her life and taken from her the two sprites that meant everything to her.

How she hated Daemon, with her cocky ways, entering Mainframe and knowing exactly what buttons to push to get Bob and Matrix right where she wanted them.

Dot turned away from the window, resting her forehead in the palm of her hand. Her icon weighed heavily on her chest, constricting each breath she took with the press of one more responsibility. What had Bob been thinking, giving her the Guardian programming? Why not Mouse or AndrAIa or Enzo…

Enzo. He was worried about her, Dot knew, but she wasn’t sure she could face him like this. He reminded her too much of…

Of course he did. They were the same sprite, effectively. Weren’t they? Or was Enzo just undeleted RAM, just like those Users they had fought off when the system had crashed? Was he simply as unreal and insubstantial as them, only existing from former programming? Matrix was Enzo, the original Enzo, the one that she had lived with all those years, which made Enzo… a clone?

Dot shook her head violently, trying to toss those thoughts from her mind. That wasn’t what she should be thinking about now – she shouldn’t be thinking about it at all! Right now, she needed to come up with a plan to save Bob and Matrix.

But her infamous mind failed her, and as time passed and no plan came to her, she grew more and more devastated. Dot buried her face in her hands and tried to hold back tears; she had hoped to never feel this useless again…

Mouse sighed and looked at the door to Dot’s room. “This is not good,” she growled softly. “We’re gonna need her help – and AndrAIa’s – if we’re gonna pull this off.”

Raytracer nodded grimly. “Look… I’ll go talk to AndrAIa, you talk to Dot. Maybe we can knock them out of this depression they’ve worked themselves into.”

Mouse agreed with a quick dip of her head and Raytracer left. The hacker waited until he was gone before she slowly turned towards the door and entered.

“Sugah?”

Dot looked up, hastily wiping tears from her face. “Oh, Mouse, I was just…”

Mouse cut her off. “We are not goin’ though this again.”

Dot managed a small smile and Mouse sat down next to her. “Now, what’s the matter?”

Dot’s face fell again and she turned away. “What do you think? I lost them AGAIN, Mouse. I just got them back and things were going so well…”

“So you’re gonna sit here and cry about it? Give up on them?”

Dot glared at her. “What am I supposed to do?”

“Rescue them, for a start.”

“But Daemon…”

“Daemon seems to me like a first class liah and manipulatah – she’s a virus, for cryin’ out loud! Ah think we can get into the Supercomputah and, if not stop her, at least get Matrix and Bob out.”

“So you have a plan.”

Mouse snorted. “Plan? Heck, no. Tha’s why we need you, Dot. You’re the level headed one, remembah? We need you with us so we don’ run headlong into dangah and get ourselves deleted.”

Dot looked down at the floor and Mouse lay a hand on her arm. “Sugah, you need to snap out of this. Ah’m not a leadah, none of us are, not like you are. You know when it comes to plannin’, you’re the best we’ve got. We need you. Bob and Matrix need you. You can’ give up hope.”

Dot swallowed and looked up, wiping a few more stray tears from her cheeks. “You’re right, Mouse.” Struck by what she had just said, Dot smiled wryly. “When did that start happening?”

“Sugah, Ah’ve ALWAYS been right.”

Raytracer knocked gently on the doorframe to AndrAIa’s room and heard a soft, “Come in…” He did so, and paused just inside the doorway. AndrAIa was sitting on the bed, legs curled under her. Her chin was resting in one hand as she stared out the window at the bustling city below her. He walked around the bed to sit in the chair opposite her, and was shocked to see that silent tears were trailing down her cheeks.

Slowly, she focused on him with her wide teal eyes. “Hi, Ray.” Her voice was quiet and subdued, trembling a bit under the weight of her sadness.

“AndrAIa…” Raytracer said slowly. “We need to talk.”

“About what?”

“About… this. Look, I know you’re upset about what happened, but…”

“But what?” Her voice turned hostile and angry.

“You need to snap out of this and help us try to save them. You can’t just sit here crying, that won’t help them at all.” He sighed. “Look, Mouse is talking to Dot; I’m hoping you’ll be as reasonable about this as I hope Dot will be. I can’t even imagine what you must be going through, but… We all want to help them.”

“Then why did you let them go with Daemon in the first place?” AndrAIa demanded.

“What could we have done to stop her?” Raytracer shot back. “Did you want to try and tell that virus no? Bluffing or not, she probably could have destroyed quite a bit of Mainframe if we made her angry. As much as I hate to say it, Bob and Matrix probably did all that they could do; just like us. And now we have to do all we can do to stop Daemon.”

AndrAIa didn’t answer him, just turned back to staring out the window. The WebSurfr hesitated, not sure if he should stay or go. Abruptly, AndrAIa stood up and grabbed her trident.

“What are you waiting for? Let’s go.”

Bob crouched behind a crate propped up in the alley, trying to not make any noise. At the opening of the narrow dead-end street, he could hear the Guardian and binome troops with her. He had never imagined that he would be running from a Guardian…

“I was certain that I saw him run down this way, ma’am…”

“Well, obviously he didn’t, you incompetent fool!” The Guardian’s voice was harsh, and Bob could vaguely picture its owner. He hadn’t gotten a good look at her while he was running, but he thought that she was one of the cadets that he had trained with. A name eluded him, but he could remember a smiling violet girl, with short black hair that swung to her chin line.

The more Bob thought about her, the more he was certain that this was indeed her – and the more he was enraged by what Daemon had made her. Anyway, even if it wasn’t, she was probably like this one now…

“And if he’s NOT here, then why are we wasting are time standing around doing nothing? You had better find him, or Daemon’s going to punish all of us!”

The binomes returned with a chorus of, “Yes ma’am” and “Right away!”

Bob waited until it had been quiet for at least five minutes before he ventured out. Looking around, he sighed. Hiding out in alleys wasn’t going to get him anywhere; he needed a plan. Unfortunately, he wasn’t that good at plans; he’d always been able to leave that to Dot.

The thought of her nearly brought on a new wave of depression, but he resolutely pushed it away. That wouldn’t help him at all, not now. He needed to be in control of himself if he was going to continue to elude the Guardians.

Adjusting his hat, Bob stepped out onto the street once more and started to hunt for a clothing shop. He would need to find a disguise; his present state was all too noticeable. Now, if he remembered correctly…

“There he is!”

Bob spun at the voice and his eyes widened when he saw Matrix a few feet away from him, pointing an accusing green finger at him. Quickly, he looked to the other sprite’s icon and grimaced when he saw the yellow tendrils covering it.

Belatedly, he realized that by standing there, he was making it all the easier for his pursuers to catch him. Throwing all thoughts of secrecy to the wind, Bob took off running, Matrix and his team quick on his heels.

Dot looked around at everyone. “We need a plan.”

“Well, Ah coulda told you tha’, sugah,” Mouse drawled, leaning against the wall.

Dot glared briefly at her before clearing her throat and continuing. “We need a plan, and as much as I hate to say it, the best action might be to wait until we get to the Supercomputer to make one. When we get there, we can find some base of action and find out where Matrix and Bob are…”

Raytracer raised his hand, cutting her off. “It seems to me that we should be concentrating on stopping Daemon, not rescuing Bob and Matrix.”

Everyone quieted and AndrAIa looked at him, her teal eyes accusing. “What are you saying? Don’t you want them back? What do you mean, we should…”

“You’re looking at it that our Guardians are all that matter. But what about all the others?” He looked at each of them in turn, but it appeared that only Mouse understood what he was saying. “I’ve been out there since Daemon took over – you have too, AndrAIa. I was almost deleted for traveling the Net without ‘authorization’ – meaning, the good word of the Guardians. Matrix saved my life, albeit unwillingly, and I want him and Bob home safely as much as you do. I just think we need to get our priorities straight.”

Mouse stepped in. “If we don’ take care of Daemon, who will? We owe it to everyone.” Dot looked like she was about to protest and Mouse glanced at her. “They would understand, Dot. Both Matrix and Bob are Guardians – to mend and defend, remembah? If they’ve been infected, YOU are now the last Guardian left, whethah you like it or not, sugah.”

“I’m not the last Guardian,” Dot snapped. “I’m not a Guardian at all. I’m just keeping this safe until we defeat Daemon…” Her voice trailed off as Mouse crossed her arms. Everyone else remained silent, looking at the two women. “Fine,” Dot growled softly. “We stop Daemon first and worry about them later.”

“But Dot, I want to come too!” Enzo cried, placing his hands on his hips as he glared up at his sister.

“I told you once, Enzo, you’re not going. It’s too dangerous!”

“But Matrix went through more danger than this when he was just like me…”

“You are not Matrix!” The words came out harsher and louder than Dot had intended and the crowd around them grew dead silent.

Enzo backed off a little. “I’m sorry, Dot…”

Dot knelt down in front of him, placing her hands on his shoulders. “Enzo… it’s not your fault. Look, I’m sorry I yelled. But I just don’t want to put you in danger because… I don’t want you to be like Matrix when you get older. He went through so much more than he should’ve had to and…”

Enzo hugged her tightly and Dot returned the favor. Her earlier contemplations about Enzo came back to haunt her, but she shoved them from her mind once more. It didn’t matter what he was; he was here now and just as real as anyone else…

“Look, sugah, Ah hate to break up the happy lil’ party, but we really should get goin’…”

Dot sighed and stood. “I’m coming, Mouse.” She looked at Enzo. “You be good for Phong and Cecil, okay?”

“He will be fine, my child,” Phong said, fixing Dot with a level stare. “But things do not get done by standing around and talking about them.”

Dot grimaced a bit and turned towards Raytracer, Mouse, and AndrAIa. “Well…”

Raytracer shrugged. “Here goes nothing.”

Bob struggled to keep one foot moving ahead of the other, knowing that he didn’t dare stop. Matrix was still going strong, although how he could maintain his stamina, Bob didn’t know. Panting, he rounded a corner and shakily ducked into a darkened doorway, closing his eyes and trying to catch his breath as his pursuers dashed by.

Slowly, he opened his eyes and let them adjust to the dark and smoky interior. Nearly all the occupants of the establishment were staring at him, and Bob realized that this was not a place like Dot’s Diner, or even Al’s Wait and Eat.

One binome scowled at him, waving something that vaguely looked like a weapon. “What are YOU doing here? Never seen you around here before.”

“I’m new in town,” Bob retorted, not in the mood to deal with uppity binomes.

A rather buxom data sprite walked out from around the counter, her clothing covering more than one would have thought it would. “Don’t mind him, he’s just sore forgot what it’s like to be running for your…” Her voice trailed off as her gaze landed on Bob’s icon. Voice turned icy, she said, “I’m sorry, sir, but you’ll have to leave. We don’t cater to YOUR kind.” The last was said with a sneer, her voice holding thinly veiled contempt.

Bob sighed, but he was too tired to argue the point. Turning back towards the door, he carefully checked to make sure that there was nobody coming, then made his way slowly down the alley, hunching his shoulders under the coat and pulling the hat down farther over his distinctive degraded hair.

Ray and Mouse had pooled their knowledge of portals and the Supercomputer to take great care that their “attack team” entered a mostly unpopulated area of the system; obviously, they couldn’t take the usual routes, for Daemon would be monitoring those. Therefore, the emptiness of the alley did not surprise any of them.

“Now what?” AndrAIa asked, her voice hushed out of sheer paranoia, as they stood around, gazing at the high walls of the buildings that framed the small street.

“Now we find a place to hide in while we plan,” Dot said softly. “Mouse, do you know of any…”

“Freeze!” a sharp voice bit out and the four Mainframers complied most willingly when they saw that they were surrounded by armed binomes. A sprite stepped out of the shadows, his dark hair hanging lank around his pale face.

“Who are you and what is your business here?” he asked quietly. Dot stepped to the front, her violet eyes flashing as she realized that this sprite was no lackey of Daemon’s. For one, he bore no trace of infection; for another, what business would a minion of Daemon’s find in darkened alleys such as these?

“We are here on a mission,” Dot said calmly, drawing about her all the confidence that she could muster.

It was plain by his nearly blank gaze that he was not the least bit intimidated by her show. “And what mission could a lot such as you have here, within the infected Supercomputer?”

“We are here to save our friends.” The words slipped past her lips before she could restrain them. “If you must know,” she added tightly, trying to conceal her slip.

“If your friends are here and in need of saving, it is almost certain they are beyond help,” the Sprite said coldly, turning away from her. “I must ask you to leave; actions such as you might cause would be most harmful to my own plans.”

“And what are those plans?” Dot demanded. This stranger had, after all, ordered the same information from her.

He looked over his shoulder at her. “To stop Daemon.”

“In that case, we should be working together; our goals are of the same.”

His eyes narrowed. “You said that you wished to save your friends; now you speak of stopping Daemon. I can only assume from that that your friends are Guardians – in which case, they will be dead if they are not already.”

“And who are you to say this?” AndrAIa demanded, growing weary of remaining silent.

His gaze shifted to hers. “I am the leader of the rebellion against Daemon. All Guardians are shot on sight, killed without mercy. They are beyond help; having been infected by that virus, there is no hope for them.”

AndrAIa’s jaw tightened and her trident was out in one swift movement, extended and the tips placed beneath his chin. To his credit, the only sign of shock he showed was a quick blink, but his troops reacted quickly. They all shifted their targets to rest upon the furious woman.

“Don’t you ever say that,” AndrAIa snarled, heedless of the guns pointed at her. “There is always hope, something I learned a long time ago.”

“Then you are all the more fool for it.”

The trident shifted like AndrAIa was going to stab the rebel, but Mouse reached over and knocked the weapon away. The troops relaxed minimally, regaining locks on each of the four Mainframers once again. Dot became profoundly glad that they’d had the foresight to disguise her icon and place it more out of the way than it usually was, so as not to attract attention to her.

“I want the four of you to leave; now.” His order was definite, but the Mainframers were not inclined to obey.

“We have just as much right to be here as you,” Dot told him stiffly. “And considering we are both intending operations which are illegal, I doubt you really have the authority to order us elsewhere.” Calmly, she pulled a gun from her side holster. “And you are not the only one with toys, as AndrAIa has demonstrated.”

The sprite raised his chin, eyes judging Dot silently. “Very well then. But you are fighting a loosing battle. Both sides outnumber you, and as of now, both are your enemy.” As quietly as he had come, the rebellion leader faded back into the shadows, taking his troops with him.

“Charming fellow,” Raytracer said dryly as both Dot and AndrAIa reholstered their weapons. “We do seem to make friends so easily.”

Dot looked at her companions. “I think we need to find Matrix and Bob even more now; with this rebellion, they stand even less of a chance of getting out of this.”

“If they haven’ been found already,” Mouse said grimly. “It just doesn’ get any bettah than this…”

It was as if the scene at the bar had been foreshadowing for events to come. Every clothing store Bob managed to find his way into turned him away once they saw his icon. None of them wanted to be caught helping the Guardian Daemon was hunting, but it seemed that none of them could bear to turn him in.

Bob wound his way deeper into the alleys, feeling the bitter taste of hopelessness and defeat in his throat. How could he defeat Daemon when he couldn’t even get past running from her troops? You couldn’t very well attack someone when you were running away from them…

A bolt of light zipped past his head, narrowly missing his ear and Bob whirled around, expecting to see one of the infected Guardians standing there. But the alley was empty, save for him, and silent, save for his ragged breathing. “Hello?” he called into the inky blackness, squinting his eyes to try and see if he had perhaps missed someone in the shadows.

Another beam of light shot out and Bob jerked aside, staring as it disintegrated a crate. “Who’s there?” he demanded, not liking the fact that he couldn’t see his enemy.

A woman stepped out of the shadows, holding her gun steady and level at Bob’s chest. She was clothed entirely in black with only her pale pink face and hands showing. Gray hair was pulled back tight from her face, tied out of the way with a black clip. Her icon was the plain white and black of a normal citizen, and Bob wondered why she was shooting at him.

“Hello, Guardian.” Her voice was flat and unemotional, as steely and cold as her eyes.

“Look…” Bob said quietly, slowly moving backwards. “You can put that gun down, I’m not going to…”

“Shut up.” She inched closer, gun not wavering. “I know who you are. You are the Uninfected one. But that won’t last. She’ll catch you and then you’ll be just like all the rest. Better to get rid of you now, before you become a threat.”

“I don’t think so…” Bob muttered, clapping his hands together suddenly. She cried out and flung up an arm to protect her eyes as a bright light flashed and Bob bolted. It cleared before he got out of sight and she cried something unintelligible at him, firing her gun uselessly after him.

Mouse looked up as something flashed off in the distance and she heard firing. “Ah wondah what that is…” she mused quietly.

“Something probably left better alone,” Raytracer told her, slipping his hand firmly into hers and pulling her along. “We need to find a place to spend the night; and hopefully to hide from that sort.”

Mouse nodded and pulled away from him, sliding around to the lead. She, out of all of them, was the best informed regarding the Supercomputer. “Like Ray said, first things first, we find a place to set up shop,” the hacker said over her shoulder, addressing Dot and AndrAIa. “Then we find out where Daemon is. Ah don’ know if she would be set up in the Principal Office or not…”

“Most likely,” Dot said grimly. “If she can take over the Guardian collective, I’m sure that taking the Principal Office wouldn’t be that hard. And I also doubt that a virus would be able to resist.”

AndrAIa shook her head. “HOW are we going to get into the Principal Office? It would be hard enough to get into Mainframe’s without authorization, but the Supercomputer’s…?”

Mouse grinned at her. “You forget, sugah, that you are in the presence of Mouse, hacker of the first degree.”

AndrAIa rolled her eyes at Dot. “How could I forget…”

Mouse stopped in front of a warehouse and looked around before tapping on a section of the wall. It slid aside and she grinned. “Looks like they haven’t found it yet,” the hacker announced, ushering everyone inside. It was a tight fit, but once they were inside, everyone felt much more comfortable.

“What is this place?” Dot asked, looking around at the cramped quarters.

Mouse had gone to one end and was looking over some things that had apparently been left there. “This is one of my old haunts; I had been afraid that Bob had reported it when he arrested me that one time, but it appears that he didn’t.” She shook her head. “I must remember to thank him for that next time we see him.”

“If we see him again…” Dot murmured, looking away.

“None of that…” Raytracer admonished her. Mouse walked back over, bearing some blankets.

“I know it’s not much, but it’s all I have. We should get some rest; it’s been a long day.”

“That’s the understatement of the century…” AndrAIa muttered, taking one of the blankets from Mouse and curling up in a corner. Dot accepted one as well, but unlike her companions, it took her a much longer time to get to sleep.

Where are you, Bob…?

Daemon paced along the stretch of her office in the Principal Office, fury radiating off of her every move. “How hard can it be for you to catch ONE Guardian?” she demanded, whirling to face the hapless three in front of her.

“He’s very good at eluding us, ma’am…” the purple-skinned female said.

“I can see that, you ninny,” Daemon snapped. “It’s quite obvious, considering you still haven’t gotten him!” Stalking forward, she glared up at Matrix. “And what about you?” she hissed. “You should be able to catch him, you know him…”

Matrix clenched his jaw. “I nearly had him.”

“Nearly’s not good enough!” Daemon shrieked. Her fury focused on the last Guardian she had sent to retrieve her escaped prisoner and her eyes seemed to glow red. “But at least they saw him and gave chase. You have not even found him yet.”

“I…” the sprite stammered, but Daemon didn’t let him finish. Lashing out, she killed the sprite with a simple burst of energy before looking back at the first two. “That should give you incentive enough to try harder, now hadn’t it?”

The purple skinned girl nodded tightly and Matrix just kept staring at the opposite wall.

“Get out,” Daemon ordered, and they obeyed quickly. Stiffly, she walked back over to her desk and sat down, clicking her nails on the polished surface.

“You won’t get away with this,” Turbo growled softly from behind her and she turned to him, ironic smile twisting her face.

“Still defiant after all this? You amaze me. I would have thought you’d have been broken by now.”

“It will take more than this,” he snapped, gesturing with one hand at his infected icon. “I will see you fall, Daemon.”

“Hm,” Daemon mused, looking away from him. “I don’t see why you see the need to bore me with those useless lines, but if you must, I suppose I shouldn’t bother to stop you. False hope leads to many downfalls.”

“So does false arrogance.”

Daemon raised an elegant eyebrow, leaving her grotesque side facing away from the former Prime Guardian. “You should be telling yourself that, Turbo. Really, who’s going to stop me? Bob?” She laughed harshly. “My Guardians are sending him on a wild flight throughout the system, I doubt that he’ll manage to make it this far on his own.”

“There are rebellions…”

“I know there are, you fool. And I know that none of them are powerful enough to take me down. They merely kill the Guardians, it is of no concern of mine.” She waved a hand at him, absently calling up a document. “Now, go away; your mindless chatter annoys me.”

“You are indeed arrogant beyond belief that you allow me to roam freely when you know you don’t have complete control.”

“And you are stupid beyond belief because you keep returning to me.”

Turbo paused a bit before turning away, clenching his fists as he stormed out. Once the door had slid shut behind him, Daemon raised her head to gaze in the direction he had gone. In reflection, she tapped a finger on her chin, wondering if it wasn’t best that she eliminate the Prime Guardian. The amusement of having him around to mock was growing thin.

Once they were out of the Principal Office, Matrix turned to Celosia, his violet hued companion. “He is more cunning that I thought he would be.”

Celosia sniffed and brushed back a strand of hair. “He is a trained Guardian; he was one of the best before he was sent to that little… town… you call Mainframe.”

Matrix scowled at her. “He did a lot of good in that little town.” Something within him struggled with that statement; if he had done so much good, why was Matrix hunting him? Bob was his friend, his hero…

Matrix stopped in his tracks, holding one hand to his head and squeezing his eyes shut. Why was he so confused…?

Celosia stopped and looked back at him, her brow furrowed. “What is wrong with you? You know Daemon wants that Guardian found; you are foolish for standing around and wasting time.”

He should stop this, he should… Matrix shook his head fiercely. He should get going, he didn’t have all day; Daemon wouldn’t tolerate another failure.

Bob looked over his shoulder, letting a small sigh of relief escape when he saw that he had indeed managed to make it past the female Guardian without being seen. Quickly, he moved down the alleyway, wishing he had a place to rest. He’d only caught a bit of sleep the previous night, being too paranoid to be able to stay in one place for long. Dimly, he recalled that some of Mouse’s havens had never been taken care of when he had been to the Supercomputer last, but he couldn’t remember where any of them were.

Leaning against the wall, Bob paused to rest. He wondered if he shouldn’t try his luck out in the more populated areas of the Supercomputer, but Daemon had probably shown his holo to every type of law enforcement they had. It looked like he would have to find a way out of the Supercomputer; perhaps he could find his way back into the Web and get the help of the Web Riders…

The soft crunch of boots on dirt sounded and Bob froze, hoping it was just a fluke and whoever it was would go away. The sound just grew louder as the person approached. Holding his breath, Bob slipped away from the wall and made his way quietly down the alley. The farther away he got, the more he picked up the pace until he was once again darting through the back roads.

Rounding a corner, Bob skidded to a halt, looking at the dead end before him. He started to turn around and go back the way he had come when he heard boot steps.

“Freeze.”

Mouse knelt by a panel near the Principal Office, Dot standing next to her, keeping guard. “I don’t like standing out in the open like this…”

“We don’ have a choice, sugah,” Mouse bit out through the cutters she had clamped in her mouth. “Don’ worry, Ah’m almost done…”

“I hope so…” Dot murmured, fingering the handle of her gun. AndrAIa and Raytracer were a ways off from Dot and Mouse, keeping a watch of their own.

“Just a bit more… Got it,” Mouse announced quietly, shutting the panel. “That should disable the foremost security systems; Ah can’ get the ones inside until Ah get to an access panel furthah in.”

“And how are we going to get in?” Dot inquired. “Just waltz right in the front door?”

Mouse gave her a wan grin. “Precisely.”

AndrAIa sighed and resisted the urge to pace. “What could be taking so long?”

“I’m sure that not even Mouse can just easily hack into the systems of a Principal Office, AndrAIa,” Raytracer said patiently. “We are just going to have to…”

Mouse and Dot came walking up, their steps tense as though they wanted to run. “Ah’ve got the first few sets of security systems offline, but Ah’ll have to take care of the rest from inside,” Mouse announced.

“What’s the plan?” AndrAIa asked, looking at Dot.

Dot shot a glance at Mouse and sighed. “We go in the front door.”

“That’s some plan,” Raytracer said with a grimace. “You sure it’s going to work?”

Dot looked at him. “Ray… I’m NEVER sure if my plans are going to work.”

“Oh, well, that’s very comforting…”

Mouse sighed. “Let’s get goin’.”

Bob slowly turned around, his pounding heart having taken up permanent residence in his throat. “Matrix.”

Matrix narrowed his eyes and kept the gun leveled at Bob. “Don’t talk to me. You’ve caused enough trouble; I’m just going to take you to Daemon and…”

“Matrix, you don’t want to do this…” Bob took another step forward, knowing that he was grasping at straws. If he could get through to the other sprite…

Matrix grabbed Bob’s arm roughly, pinning him in place. “I said not to talk,” he growled, poking Bob in the chest with the gun before holstering it. Uselessly, Bob struggled in Matrix’s grip, knowing full well that anything he tried would be futile. Still, almost by some instinct or bit of his programming, he couldn’t just let himself be taken, not even by his friend.

A woman appeared in the alleyway – the same one that had been chasing him before, and Bob saw that she was indeed one of his old classmates – and viewed the scene with a smug satisfaction. “Daemon will be pleased.”

Matrix scowled, wrenching Bob’s arm behind his back and shoving the Guardian ahead of him. “I know that,” he snapped. The woman shrugged and walked off. Bob thought he almost heard a note of sadness in Matrix’s voice as he repeated, “I know.”

Dot, Mouse, AndrAIa, and Raytracer made it past the first two sets of doors before they were stopped. A guard put out a hand to halt Dot’s passing, causing those behind her to halt as well.

“What is your name and business?” the binome demanded.

Dot smiled down at him, the expression forced. “Dot Matrix. And I’m here on… personal… business.” Smiling fading abruptly, she kicked the guard over and the four Mainframers took off down the hallway, hearing the guard behind them rise and make his way to a microphone.

“Intruders have entered the building; I repeat, intruders have entered the building!”

“Well, boys and girls, here’s where it gets interestin’…” Mouse announced, skidding out of the way of a bolt. She ducked behind a stack of crates and landed in Raytracer’s lap. Dot and AndrAIa had taken similar refuge on the other side of the hallway. AndrAIa leaned over and jerked back abruptly.

“There’s about a dozen binomes, give or take, all armed. Now what?”

Mouse looked at her wrist screen and grimaced. “Now we split up. Daemon is about three floors up, from wha’ Ah can tell, has an office or somethin’ up there. Ray and Ah will distract those binomes while you two head up a few levels.”

“We will?” Raytracer muttered in her ear.

“Ah thought you wanted a girl who would take risks,” Mouse muttered back, grinning at him.

“If you say so…” Dot said hesitantly.

“Go!” Mouse demanded. “We’ll covah for ya!”

Dot and AndrAIa hurried off while Mouse leapt out of her hiding area, drawing her sword out of its sheath and roaring at the top of her lungs. The binomes shooting at them stopped and stared at her, giving Mouse enough time to take out three of them. Finally, it sunk in that they should do something and they started attacking again in earnest.

Mouse tossed Raytracer a gun she’d had holstered at her side and he joined her in attacking. “Times like this I wish I had my ‘baud!” he shouted at her over the din.

“Ah told ya, sugah, you can’ brin’ toys like that when we’re tryin’ to be secretive!” Mouse yelled back, grinning as she knocked over another binome. “It’s a little noticeable!”

Raytracer laughed and dodged another attack. He was about to retort to Mouse’s comment when his eyes widened. “Mouse, behind you!” Rapidly, he raised his gun and Mouse turned, but the Guardian that had appeared in the doorway was quicker. A beam of light shot from the keytool at the Guardian’s wrist, hitting Mouse and knocking her across the hallway to slam into a wall.

Dot fired another shot off down the hallway and turned to look at AndrAIa. “This is taking too long! By the time we get there, Daemon will have left or gotten reinforcements.”

“I know that!” AndrAIa retorted. “But unless you have a better idea…”

Dot glanced at the access hatchway next to AndrAIa and grinned slowly. “Actually, I think I do…”

The door slid open and Daemon raised her head, smiling when she saw who entered. Ignoring Matrix, she focused her attention on Bob. “You led us on a very merry chase, didn’t you?” Daemon rose and walked over to them. “It appears, though, that you were merely delaying the inevitable.”

“Those same lines? I swear, every virus I’ve met up with has said something to that same effect. It appears, Daemon, that you viruses don’t have the wit to think up your own…”

Daemon snarled at him and lashed out, catching the Guardian’s shoulder with her claws. “And it appears that every Guardian I’ve infected has had the poor taste to try and insult me. What is it with your false bravado? I can see through you, Guardian: you are afraid.”

Bob stared into her eyes, trying to mask his fear. Daemon chuckled lowly, reaching out to tap his icon lightly. “How easy it would be to just take this, Guardian; you really are quite defenseless to stop me.”

“What will you do once you’ve gotten me?” Bob demanded. “You’ll have all the Guardians, what purpose will you have?”

“I’m sure I’ll find something,” Daemon said wryly. “There are many systems out there that haven’t heard of the Guardians and could care less what you are. I will just continue to take over system after system…” She spread her hand to cover Bob’s icon and he shut his eyes, almost as a reflex.

The door sounded from behind him. “As Bob would say, I don’t THINK so!”

Mouse slid to the ground noiseless and Raytracer squeezed the trigger on the gun. A bolt of light shot out, but the Guardian ducked out of the way. Another beam came from the Guardian’s keytool, but it missed Raytracer.

“Give it up, rebel!” the Guardian snapped. “You’re outnumbered!”

“Right now, I think I only see you! You and me, it’s a fair fight.”

“Obviously, you aren’t looking hard enough.” Raytracer turned to see another Guardian standing behind him, plus a third dragging Mouse to her feet. They shackled the hacker’s hands behind her back and she looked up, giving Raytracer a tired grimace.

“Surrender now,” the first Guardian said, stepping forward, his keytool aimed at Raytracer’s chest. The Surfr scowled at him, but flung his gun down to the ground in disgust.

Daemon’s jaw dropped, her eyes flaring up in her fury. Bob turned, free from Daemon now that her hand had slid from his chest to hang at her side. When he saw Dot and AndrAIa standing in the doorway, his eyes widened and he let out a strangled gasp.

Dot walked briskly past him to glare at Daemon. “Surprised to see us?”

“You shouldn’t have come here,” Daemon growled, her eyes flashing. “You’ve sealed your own death, fool!” With that, she leapt at Dot in the same instant that Matrix advanced on AndrAIa. The Game sprite’s eyes flickered in confusion for a moment before she caught onto the fact that her beloved was infected.

Dot kicked Daemon away from her and darted further away. Daemon hissed a bit, pulling herself up off the ground and stalking Mainframe’s Command.Com with almost feline-like grace. Bob gathered his wits together and tackled Daemon, knocking her to the ground. Her hiss became a full-fledged roar and she tossed him aside, letting Bob slam into the desk.

Matrix reached for AndrAIa, but she darted out his way, supremely grateful that she was more nimble than he was. Her heart pounded with fear for both herself and him, but she couldn’t let that show. He turned and lunged at her again, but she jumped out of the way. AndrAIa knew that she couldn’t keep this up; sooner or later she was going to have to find a way to stop him.

He got hold of her leg, tripping her, and she realized that it was going to have to be sooner. In her scramble to get up, her hand brushed her trident and she nearly pulled it from her belt before pausing. That wouldn’t do her any good; the last thing she wanted to was to HURT Matrix, especially if they could find away to reverse Daemon’s infection.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bob hit the desk and knock something off of it. Matrix stumbled over it and tumbled to the ground. Seeing her chance, AndrAIa quickly poked him with one of her nails, sending him into unconsciousness.

Across the room, Dot was still battling with Daemon, and not being very successful at it. Quickly pulling her trident from her belt, fully aware that this was an eerie reenactment of Matrix’s battle with Megabyte, AndrAIa threw the trident javelin-style at Dot and yelled, “Dot! Catch!”

Dot looked up and saw her throw it. Reaching up, she snatched the trident out of the air and thrust it forward just as Daemon leapt at her. The virus was instantly impaled upon the weapon and stumbled back, staring at it.

“How… is this… possible?” Daemon wheezed, still transfixed by the energy seeping out of her body. “I… conquered… the entire Guardian collective… and yet… you…”

Dot looked down at her, face cold and hard. “Nobody messes with my family and lives,” she said bitterly.

Daemon laughed, the evil chuckle gasping and throaty. “I… see. Well, Dot… Matrix… it’s too bad for you that… infections don’t… disappear when the virus… dies.”

Dot glared at her for a long moment, lower lip trembling, before she grasped the handle of the trident firmly in both hands and yanked it out. Snapping it back into the compact mode that AndrAIa carried it in, Dot turned her back on Daemon and stalked off, leaving the virus dying on the floor behind her.

Now that the battle was over, the rush of combat seemed to seep out of Dot and she slumped, handing AndrAIa her trident and stumbling over to help Bob up. He rose slowly, staring into her face as though he still couldn’t believe it was her.

“She told me that… Mainframe was destroyed…” he whispered hoarsely. “I thought I’d lost you…”

Dot smiled sadly, tears welling up in her eyes. “I thought I’d lost you too… again…”

Bob gathered her up in his arms, holding her tightly. Dot sniffed and felt a couple tears trail down her cheeks. A few drops of water landed on her head and she realized that Bob was also crying. “I love you…” he whispered softly before kissing her.

AndrAIa looked over at Bob and Dot, trying to fight down the lump in her throat. She couldn’t blame them for reacting like they did; she certainly would have done the same thing. That is, if Matrix hadn’t been infected…

Looking over at Matrix’s crumpled form, AndrAIa clenched her fists, feeling hot anger rush through her. Part of her was glad that Daemon was dead, but the other part… Oh, the other part wanted her to be alive so AndrAIa could kill her herself, take revenge for what had been done to Matrix…

The door slid open and AndrAIa whirled, her trident snapping out – in her keyed up state, she nearly attacked the sprite that entered.

Turbo reeled back, putting up his hands as though that would protect him from the sharp spear of AndrAIa’s trident. Bob and Dot had separated, both of them scowling at Turbo.

“Daemon’s dead,” Bob said harshly. “Your ringleader…”

“Not mine,” Turbo said quickly. “She never completely infected me.”

AndrAIa’s trident never wavered. “She told us that she had.”

“She lied.” Turbo’s voice was nearly a plea, as though he was begging them to believe him. “You need to get into the Principal Office command center to delete her taint, I know the codes, I can help you…”

“Why should we believe you?” Dot demanded. “You’re infected, you probably just want to get into the command center and…”

“I could get into the command center with or without your help,” Turbo said dryly. “I have all the passwords.” He looked up, turning his gaze from Dot to Bob. “I know passwords you don’t, Guardian. You need my help. We have to get rid of this.”

Dot glanced up at Bob, keeping her hand firmly entwined in his. AndrAIa never looked away from Turbo, but she too awaited his decision. He knew this Guardian better than any of them; hopefully, he could make the right choice.

“All right,” Bob said quietly. “We’ll trust you. For now.”

Dot sucked in a breath as they walked into the command center of the Supercomputer. “This is amazing…”

Panels and lights were everywhere and the room itself had to be at least three times as big as the one in Mainframe. Turbo walked briskly over to a panel and reached out like he was going to touch it, then drew back. Looking over at Dot and Bob, he said, “I think I’ll need help from one of you. I’m not sure what will happen if I touch this while still infected.”

Dot immediately stepped forward. “I’d better; who knows what would happen if Bob touched it.” Reaching the panel, she looked down at that mess of keys. “What do I do now?”

Turbo began to walk her through it step by step while Bob watched. AndrAIa was standing by the door, situated so she could keep an eye on both Matrix and them.

“Dot?” AndrAIa said hesitantly. “You might want to hurry it up. It looks like Matrix is starting to get up, and I’m not too sure that it would be good if I knocked him out again…”

Dot nodded stiffly as she and Turbo started to work faster.

Raytracer scowled at the wall, kicking his foot against it once again in a useless gesture of frustration. “I do not believe this.”

Mouse looked up at him from her seat on the floor, raising an eyebrow. “Believe wha’?”

“That we are stuck here! We should be out there helping...”

Mouse sighed and looked at the door. “It would be so easy to get out of here...”

Raytracer stopped and stared at her. “You can get out of here?”

Mouse shrugged. “Of course!”

“Then why didn't you mention it BEFORE?”

“One, Ah was nearly unconscious because that idiot Guardian thought Ah was here for target practice. Two... Ah've nevah tried escapin' with more than one person before.”

“You could at least try.”

“Ah’m not tryin’ and then find that you’re still stuck in here. Ah’m not leavin’ without you.”

Raytracer sighed. “I see your point… I don’t like it, though.”

“You think Ah do?” She ran a hand through her hair. “Ah don’ know wha’ to do. We should attempt to escape, but maybe Dot and AndrAIa can handle it.”

“And maybe they can’t.”

Mouse chewed on her thumbnail, staring at the door thoughtfully. “Maybe we should just try this the old fashioned way…”

“You know, when I said that you should hurry, I was hoping you would hurry faster than that...” AndrAIa said, voice bordering on impatient.

Dot's fingers flew over the keyboard as Turbo kept dictating. “This isn’t exactly easy,” she snapped.

Bob glanced at AndrAIa. “Is he awake yet?”

“Getting there…” she replied grimly. “I could paralyze him again, but I don’t know if that would harm him or not. I’ve never had to worry about it before.”

“For now, let’s not,” Bob cautioned. “Dot, can you…”

“I am going as fast I can,” she said acerbically. Muttering under her breath, she added, “You’d think they’d make these virus scans easier to get at manually!”

“Bob, I think he’s waking up…”

“*DOT*…”

“I said I was going as fast as I can! Turbo, now what?”

AndrAIa had moved away from the door. “BOB!” Bob exchanged a quick glance with Dot before racing outside. Dot bit her lip, concentrating everything on following Turbo’s instructions. Outside in Daemon’s “office”, AndrAIa was hovering a few feet away from Matrix as he slowly got to his feet. Bob skidded to a stop right behind her.

“I don’t know what to do!” she muttered to him. “I could knock him out again easily, but…”

“I know. Let’s just see what happens… Maybe he’s not infected anymore…”

Matrix turned to face them and they could see that his icon was still disfigured by the infection.

“Then again, maybe not…”

“Where’s Daemon?” Matrix growled.

“Dead,” Bob replied simply.

“Matrix, just stay there!” AndrAIa ordered. “I don’t want to hurt you…”

His eyes narrowed. “I don’t think you need to worry about THAT.”

AndrAIa pulled out her trident and extended it as Matrix took a step forward. “I wouldn’t, if I were you.”

“Any time now, Dot…” Bob hissed under his breath and AndrAIa shot a quick glare at him.

“Don’t YOU have any tricks up that Guardian sleeve of yours!?”

“Not really… AndrAIa, look out!”

Matrix grabbed the trident, swinging it around – and AndrAIa with it. She dug her heels into the ground and grasped the trident tighter, refusing to give it up. “Matrix, stop it! Don’t do something you’ll regret later!”

“Don’t worry, I wo…” His voice trailed off and his eyes unfocused as a green light suddenly whipped through the room. It’s intensity brightened and AndrAIa threw up a hand to cover her eyes. Dot’s triumphant cry of, “GOT IT!” rang from the other room just as Matrix sank to the ground for a second time.

“Would you two cut the racket down in there…?” one of the Guardians demanded, opening the door to storm in and scowl at Mouse and Raytracer.

“Now!” Mouse cried, bracing herself to jump the Guardian. She got midleap before faltering and crashing to the ground. “Wha’ the…?”

Raytracer stared at the green light enveloping the Guardian. “I don’t know, but let’s get out of here!” he snapped, grabbing her hand and hauling her to her feet. Together, they dashed out the door and down the hallway.

AndrAIa knelt next to Matrix, his head cradled in her lap. He was out cold, the green light still flickering over him. Bob, Dot, and Turbo hovered around them, still leery about letting AndrAIa near the infected renegade. Still, the tendrils around his icon were shriveling, thrashing like living things, as they died and disappeared. The yellow scars at his temples were fading and his breath relaxed.

Matrix stirred and slowly sat up. Bob, Dot, and Turbo took a hesitant step back as he slowly shook his head and blinked his eyes, focusing on AndrAIa.

“Andi…?”

She just smiled and threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. He held her gingerly, as though he was afraid she would break. “She… she’s gone then?”

“She’s gone, lover,” AndrAIa sighed, holding him tighter. “And this blasted nightmare is over.”

“I, ah, wouldn’t be too sure about that…” came Ray’s voice from the doorway and they all looked up. Ray and Mouse were shoved through the door, followed by armed sprites. A cloaked figure came forward and Dot’s eyes narrowed.

“You.”

The rebel leader drew back his hood. “Very perceptive, Miss. I warned you that we would be your enemies; in a way, I respect you for ridding us of Daemon, but we have a mission to complete.”

“We ran the virus scan,” Dot snapped. “Daemon is dead and the Guardians are no longer infected. You have nothing to fear from them any longer…”

“Says you. How are we to know that all traces of Daemon’s infection are gone?”

“Don’t you trust the hardware of the Supercomputer?”

“I don’t trust the Guardians.”

“If you do this, you will be committing murder.”

“I will be keeping systems safe.”

“You will be condemning them!” Dot took a step forward. “If you kill the Guardians, we will have no one left to protect us.”

“They haven’t been protecting us since Daemon---”

“That’s where you are wrong,” Turbo intervened. “Even infected, we provided a safeguard against things. If you kill the Guardians, you subject every single system in existence to unspeakable things.”

The leader’s eyes narrowed and he raised his gun to point at Turbo.

“You think he’s joking?” Ray spoke up. “I’ll tell you something, mate, I come from the Web. The wild Web, not the nice little space you lot use to travel. There are hundreds of things out there that stay away simply because of the Guardians. You get rid of them, and you’ve set yourself up for deletion.”

“Why should I believe you?” he snapped, not looking at the WebSurfr.

“Why shouldn’t you? Hey, believe me, I’ve got no great love for the Guardians as of late either. They wanted me deleted. But I’m looking at this the logical way.”

“You certainly seem to care enough about taking care of everyone,” AndrAIa said coyly. “Wanting to get rid of the Guardians and all because you don’t trust them. If Ray’s right – and I’d rather suspect he is – if you kill them, you’ll destroy all you’ve worked for.”

Nobody moved for a long time, and it seemed as though time itself had stopped. Finally, the rebel leader lowered his gun and stepped back.

“Very well.” Looking coldly at Turbo, he added, “But I will have my eye on you and your Guardians, make no mistake of that.” Turning, he walked out, his troops following him.

Bob slowly turned away from the bustling party that was going full swing in the middle of Floating Point park. He could just make out the outline of a seated figure, far away from the lights and friendship of the crowd. Winding his way through the throng of sprites and binomes, Bob left the lighted circle and walked over to Matrix, sitting down next to him.

“What’s processing, big guy?”

Matrix shrugged, his eyes searching the darkened dome that encased Mainframe. “It’s just… hard to believe that we took down Daemon.” He paused, looking down at the grass. “Or, I should say, that you guys did.”

“There was nothing you could have done, Matrix. Not infected…”

“Turbo fought it,” he said bitterly. “I should have been stronger…” Matrix closed his eyes, sighing heavily. A small grin touched his lips and he shook his head ruefully. “That’s always what it is with me, isn’t it? Being stronger.”

Bob didn’t say anything, words failing him. Matrix glanced over at the Guardian. “I’m sorry, Bob. I know… I know that I was infected, but… I can’t believe what I did.” He paused again. “I had a dream before Daemon attacked. I dreamt that she infected me and… and that she made me delete you. It was… Even after all I’ve been through, that was, I think, the one thought that scared me the most.”

“But you didn’t. We made it through this, just like we made it through Megabyte’s attacks. And maybe one day, we’ll trip and fall, but for now, let’s just enjoy the victory we’ve got.” Bob put a hand on Matrix’s shoulder, causing the other sprite to look at him. Giving the renegade a small grin, Bob added, “Besides, it just isn’t the same without you there.”

Matrix smiled back as they stood and walked back to the others. Their friends welcomed them back into the party with smiles and hugs, including both Guardians in their circle of friends.