♦♣♠♥♠♣♦~CHAPTER 16: WILLIAM~♦♣♠♥♠♣♦

I sat up out of view, behind the tower. Just before XANA had devirtulized me I'd used supersmoke and gotten out of the way. I looked around the tower just in time to see Yumi and Aelita get devirtualized and Coda to go flying.

I noticed Jeremy hiding like I was. XANA approached Coda, thinking it was just them. "You see, Coda? How pointless they are?" He grabbed her arm as she scrambled back and yanked her up. I was torn between wanting to help her and wanting to know more about what was going on. I chose to wait, for the moment.

Code tried to pull away, but XANA yanked her back and held her to his chest with one arm. He rubbed her cheek with his other hand and Coda struggled again, more desperately. I snuck closer. Suddenly Jeremy lept at XANA, swinging with his green staff.

XANA threw Coda to the ground and held up his hand, easily deflecting Jeremy's staff. I noticed a red glow appear around Coda in a red dome, keeping her almost laying on the ground. Jeremy paused and XANA touched his forehead. Jeremy froze then was devirtualized.

"There. That's all of them. William, you can come out. I know you're there." XANA said. I hesitated and XANA sighed. He flicked his fingers in my direction and I went flying out of my hiding place. I hit the ground and slid a little bit.

I stumbled to my feet, dragging my sword, as XANA pulled Coda up. He kept a vicelike grip on her arm (I knew because Coda was shooting him and clawing at his hand, but he didn't even blink at her), but turned to me. "Well, my two favorite pawns. This is perfect. I can take care of two birds with one throw." XANA smiled and moved closer to me.

I held my sword up in front of me. "What do you want XANA?" I asked.

"You know very well what I want." XANA answered.

"I don't mean long term, I mean right now." I said. I stepped back again, XANA was getting a little to close for comfort.

"Right now? I want both you and Coda in the digital sea." XANA suddenly threw Coda straight at me. She hit me hard and I dropped my sword as we fell over the edge. Coda started whispering and suddenly hit me in the chest exactly like when she's hit XANA the first time we'd gone to Sector 5. As I was pushed down I summoned my sword and swung at Coda. I was devirualized a little before I hit the digital sea and I hoped my hit had done the same for Coda.

♦♣♠♥♠♣♦

I stumbled out of the scanner and looked around. Odd was waiting for us, but I couldn't see Coda. "Did I get her?" I asked.

"I think so. It's just taking longer for her to be rebuilt." Jeremy answered over the intercom.

"Back where you belong, Belpois?" I asked.

"Yes. Being a Lyoko Warrior...it's not for me. Besides, that's your job." Jeremy replied as another scanner opened. Coda stumbled out and leaned up against the side of the door, holding her side.

"Don't ever hit me again, please." She said looked at me. She moaned and whimpered, her head tipping down.

"I know how you feel, Coda. He's hit me before. Right through the stomach, I might add." Ulrich said. "But come on up. We're about to do a return to the past."

Odd, Coda, and I moved into the elevator. Coda stood in the middle with Odd on her left and me on her right. We rode up in silence and reached the Supercomputer in no time. Coda bounded forward right up to Jeremy.

"Ready, Coda?" He asked. She nodded eagerly. "Return to the past, now." Jeremy hit a key, there was a bright flash of white, and suddenly we were at school, once again playing soccer. It was right before Aelita had showed up.

It was a piece of cake to beat Sissy's fan club, considering we'd already done it. Coda didn't show up this time though. We finished our game.

"So, where's Coda, Aelita?" Odd asked taking a drink of his water.

"Probably still in her room." Aelita answered.

"Let's go see what she's done to it." I suggested.

"Why not?" Jeremy stood up and led the way off. I glanced at Odd and saw him glaring daggers at me.

"What?" I asked him in an undertone. Odd just glared and moved ahead. "Jealous much?" I thought to myself.