Chapter One: Betrayal (Part B)

The professor staggered back and released a gasp of pain and surprise.

            “No.” The professor said, covering his wound with his hand.

            “Your defiance is almost admirable.” Max said aiming again, “But well wasted.” He fired again and this time the bullet nailed into the professor’s right leg.

            He crumpled and responded, “Go on and kill me.”

            “I will not kill you.” Max said, “I want to see you in pain not a coffin. Although you are not begging for me to stop like I imagined you would. Ah! I have an idea!”

            Max snapped his fingers and two men stepped out of the shadows. One was holding an unconscious man and the other a young girl.

            “Charles! Sharon!” The professor cried, “Don’t hurt them!” Max held up his hand to his ear and said, “What was that? Is that a plea for mercy?” Max then giggled like a three-year old and waved to the men.

            “Do you remember them professor?”

            The professor looked at the men. They both wore matching black and blue uniforms that allowed them to blend in with the shadows.

            “Victor. Chris. Yes. Two of my first assistants.” The professor said then shuddered as the pain of the shots vibrated throughout his body.

            “Set them down. They won’t wake for a little while longer.” Max said to the assistants.

            The two henchmen set the two on the ground and pulled out guns like Max’s.

            The professor’s eyes widen as he saw the guns.

            “No! Don’t!” The professor shouted, “Don’t hurt them!”

            “More pleas? My, my professor. Where is that defiance now?” Max said walking over, “Ready to concede?”

            “Yes.” He replied, “Just don’t hurt my kids.”

            “Good.” Max said then turned to the two men, “Grab him and place him at his computer.”

            The two came over and grabbed the professor by his arms. He groaned as he was lifted up and dragged to his computer.

            “Dad don’t!” A voice shouted behind them all.

            Victor turned around just as Sharon kicked him right between the eyes. The man groaned and began falling backwards throwing his gun into the air.

            Charles came up a grabbed the gun and fired once at Chris hitting the goon square in the chest. The second goon fell to the floor holding his chest.          He then turned and shot at Max who dodged it at the last second.

            Victor rubbed his face and punched at Sharon who dodged and retaliated with her own attacks.

            “Boy am I glad I got her those Martial Arts classes.” The professor said to himself. Victor fell to the floor within seconds as Charles shot at Max who ran out the doorway.

            “Dad! Activate the security system!” Charles shouted back as he ran after Max.

            The professor looked at the screens and set his right hand to work.

            Within seconds the screens dimmed and the side two went blank.

            “Wait. This isn’t right.” The professor said typing more keys when the screen flashed. The image of Max took hold of the screen.

            “Greetings professor.” Max said, smiling thought the screen, “If you are watching this it means Rudy is dead and I didn’t get access to the data. But that isn’t too bad.”

            “What did he do?”  The professor asked himself as Sharon walked up to the screen, behind her father.

            “You see way back when I was your apprentice I planted multiple polymorphic viruses on your system just in case something happened. The viruses will search through your entire system and organize a kind of ‘pathway’ in which I can gain access by remote control. Now I understand your system might have located many of the viruses but I guarantee a few still are there.

            “What I’m saying in this is quite simple. Though I may have been pushed back a few weeks the viruses will ensure that I gain the data. See you again Professor.”

            The screen went blank and the professor looked at the keyboard, blood staining the ground.

            “Dad come on, we need to treat those wounds.” Sharon said, reaching for her father.

            “Later.” He replied, “Right now we need to figure out a plan of action.”

            Sharon paused and looked at her father.

            “Max got away.” Charles said, entering the room. “What happened?”

            “Max planted viruses as a fall-back plan in case he couldn’t get though the system.”

            “Couldn’t you just isolate the viruses?” Sharon asked hopefully.

            “No. The system reverted to its default program.”

            “What is that?” Charles asked.

            The Professor snickered, “An old video game I created a long time ago.”

            “What! A game?” Sharon cried, “What does that have to do with anything?”

            A smile touched the old man’s lips.

            “A lot more than you realize.” He said looking up, “Most likely the viruses have configured themselves to enter the game now. We need to destroy them.”

            “How?” Charles asked.

            “By sending help into the game itself.” The professor replied trying to get up, “I know of a few people that will help us.”

            “Dad, let us help you up. We’ll bandage the wounds.” Sharon said, grabbing her father’s right arm.

            “That sounds wonderful.” The Professor said and the two began to help the limping, bleeding man away.

            “So what people do you have in mind?” Charles asked.

            “Some friends of mine… They just don’t know it yet.”
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