Code Lyoko: Reincarnated, twenty years later

Chapter 24- The cortex

So who is Green Phoenix?

"Tyron is the leader of green phoenix," grandma explained. "Using Waldo's memory erasing machine, he stole my memories and forced me to marry him."

It had been a couple of days since grandma returned. We sat at the Hermitage after dinner as she explained everything. "But, that's impossible," Skylar interjected. "The novels and sequel are two alternate realities!"

"And this is another reality," I said. "It's very likely."

"Novels?"

"I'll explain later," Mum said.

"I found it by chance and was able to escape using the scanners, but I was in the form of a pink sphere."

"Because adults can't go to the digital worlds, as they have more traumas," Dad said. "Did you transfer your genetic structure to Lyoko's tower to be materialised here instead of back there?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I remember you being fairly close to destroying the cortex."

"Yeah. Something urgent came up," I nodded. "But now, we can finally go back and destroy it for good! Shall we go tonight?"

"Shouldn't we get Ruby and Yumi's memories first?" Mum asked. "I'm sure Ulrich would finally be at ease."

"We need to find Mrs Hertz though," I said.

"I can help with that." Grandma smiled sweetly. "I know her digital address. Not hard to hack into, especially if you have a supercomputer like yours."

Dad smiled. "I don't deserve any credit, Franz Hopper was the one who built it after all."

"Yeah, but you were the one who recreated Lyoko," Skylar said.

My mind was blown. My dad recreated Lyoko? I remember the journal mentioning it but I thought Ruby did that! "So tonight. We'll destroy the cortex once and for all." Mum smiled.

**************

The group had gathered at the factory once again, with the exception of Odd, Daze, Alex and Rick who couldn't leave campus that night. Grandma, mum and I stepped into the scanners. "Woah, woah, woah. Grandma. You're coming with us? After everything we did to bring you back?"

"She's right," Skylar nodded. "Please stay here. Besides, we'll need someone to go get the others if something goes wrong." She nodded at us as she let Skylar on. "See you on the other side."

****************

We all fell to the floor as we waited for Kyoko and Ulrich. Once again, Yumi hadn't come to Lyoko because she didn't have her memories and because the skid could only hold five people. As we entered the cortex, I was directed to the tower and Dad activated it for our own purpose.

"I want to go!" Skylar shouted.

"Then, I want to go too!" I said.

"I'll go as well, Jeremie," mum sighed. "Someone needs to babysit them."

"Alright," Dad said. "Teleportation."

We faded with a glitch. We landed just above the air and fell down. It was outside, in Switzerland, in the snow. I'm thankful that our avatars don't feel the cold or heat. We peeked around the corner as we opened the front door. The lab was huge. "Think you can use your power?" I asked.

"Maybe," Skylar shrugged. She disappeared with a glitch. She walked up to the reception lady and knocked her out, possibly with a swing to the neck. She reappeared again. "Where to now?"

"Take a left," Dad instructed. "Then take a right at the second corridor and another left." We tiptoed around. Everyone in the lab seemed so frantic. Had they already reacted to our attack? "I have bad news. We're going to need some help back here."

"We're not exactly having it easy back here either," Skylar sighed. "If only we had more help."

"I have an idea," I said sheepishly. "You know how Ricks power basically allows him to teleport to anywhere he's been? What if he could teleport to the cortex?"

"Long distance teleportation?" Dad question. "What if something goes wrong and he ends up on the digital sea?"

"It's a risk we'll have to take," she said. "Maybe, he'll be able to bring the others with him too! Remember when he teleported that whole block?"

She said that looking at me. "Yeah! Dad, we have to give it a go."

He sighed. "Alright, we'll call them."

"In the meantime, we're going to have to hurry up and find the supercomputer."

Dad directed us some more, only problem was that the supercomputer room was heavily guarded by guards. "This is not going to end well," Skylar sighed. We can't use our weapons, it'll kill them!"

"I guess it's time to try my power?" I said. I held out my hand. Nothing. If my power was pause, could I pause time? Or the movements of my opponents? I clicked my fingers. Everything froze around me. I guess I can pause time. I ran over to the first guard, unbuckled the sword and hit the nape of his neck to make him fall unconscious. I did it to all the guards, so when I continued time, they all fell to the ground.

"What the-"

"Power," I nodded to Skylar's confusion. "How do we get in?"

"Leave it to me," mum smiled. She placed a hand on the touch pad. A quiet angelic hum was heard and the door beeped open.

We entered but we're bombarded by guards and Tyron himself, someone who was lacking hair at the top of his head. I snapped my finger and proceeded to knock out everyone except us and Tyron.

When I finally resumed time, he was shaken. Skylar unbuckled her axe and held it above her head. "Later, Green Phoenix. Hope Dido takes care of you in prison." She swung her hand down. "Jeremie, bring us back in."

We glitched back. I was asleep but was awoken by the sudden shaking of the skid. "Energise!" I brought Kyoko and Ulrich back and headed for the digital sea upon mum, dad and Ulrich's kind 'suggestion'.

I dived, leading me to the digital network, and from the corner of my eye, I could see the sphere of the cortex glow and explode. "Did- did we do it?" Kyoko asked. "Was that it? That was easy enough."

"Easy for you to say!" I screamed. "You weren't the one who had to pause time to knock everyone out unconscious!"

"You stopped time?" everyone asked.

"Yeah," I deadpanned. "Isn't that what pause means?" I grinned though no one could see it.

****************

"That's one down. Two more to go," dad said as the five of us emerged into the lab. "Let's work on the memories tomorrow."

"No need," Daze said as the elevator door opened once more. "Whilst you were all on your super secret mission, Mrs Hertz got in contact with me. She said that she's found a way for us to enter unnoticed and get the memory removing machine."

"Alright," Kyoko nodded. "When?"

"Tomorrow afternoon."

"We have classes," Skylar said. "I could skip school."

"And I want my memories back," Yumi added. "This is all so confusing if I don't."

"We will," Ulrich reassured. "I promised."

Skylar grinned sheepishly. "Lovebirds," she muttered.