System Failure (An Adesa Fanfic) [Originally by Littlewolf65]

Chapter 10

Adam's POV
"Hey, Adam?"

I jumped at hearing Ty's voice and turned. I couldn't help but raise my eyebrows as I saw Alesa standing beside and a little behind him, her gaze flicking between the two of us, a little smile on her face. Ty shoved his hands into his pockets as he came to a stop a few steps in front of me.

"Hey, sorry for not listening to you before," he said slightly awkwardly. "And for storming off like that."

"It's okay," I said instantly. "I mean... you did have a good point."

"Except that I was completely wrong," Ty said quietly, glancing back to Alesa a few steps away. "I just... don't understand how she could have emotions and yet still be a virus. It doesn't make any sense. But I do believe you now," he added quickly.

I beckoned for Alesa to join us and she did, bouncing a little on her feet. She stood very close to me and I wanted to put my arm around her but I stopped myself.

"So... you have emotions?" Ty asked Alesa. When she nodded a little shyly, he asked: "Do you know why?"

She shook her head. "As far as I can remember, I've always been like this."

Ty hummed a little. "You said that Adam found you in the glitch mainframe, right? Where were you before that?"

"I travelled around the backs of the servers," Alesa said, "staying out of sight for the most part. I didn't want to get into a fight with anyone."

"What about before that?"

"I... I don't know. I woke up somewhere and was told to spread chaos, but I didn't want to. I don't know how I got into the glitch mainframe either."

Ty frowned, tapping his chin a little. I couldn't see what he was trying to achieve with this mini-interrogation but his next words changed that. "Why would you be different to other viruses though?" he asked. "I mean, what would make you able to feel?"

"I don't know that either," Alesa said. "All the viruses I met wanted to destroy stuff. Adam was the first person I met who didn't."

I inwardly winced as I remember that the first time we met, I had my sword out and was completely willing to destroy her, but since she seemed to have glossed over that part I decided not to mention it.

"What about the other viruses?" Ty asked. "Did they have the same origins as you?"

"I didn't check. I think they might have."

"What are you thinking Ty?" I asked.

"There's gotta be some reason why Alesa's different to all the other viruses," he said. "Since she's a virus, it would be something to do with her code. If we can figure out what that is, maybe, just maybe, we could change the code of the other viruses so that they have emotions too. It would probably make them stop destroying everything. And if it's nothing to do with her code," Ty shrugged, "it might be something to do with her past. Before she woke up."

"Can you do that?" Alesa questioned. "I mean, change a virus's code while they're in the mainframe."

Ty shrugged again. "The only way to check is to ask Jason or Jin. They're the only ones who would be able to look at your code too."

"Wait, Ty," I said, suddenly getting a very bad feeling. "You're not suggesting that we take Alesa to the glitch base, are you?"

"If we want to find out why she's different to every other virus in existence, we need Jin and Jason's help," he reasoned. "They have access to information that we don't, I'm certain they'll know why Alesa has emotions."

"We can't take Alesa there, they'll kill her!" I told him.

"Only if we don't explain fast enough."

"I don't want to risk it."

I felt Alesa's hand wiggle into mine and she squeezed it gently, getting my attention. "I want to know why I'm different," she said quietly. "If I have to go to the glitch base to find that out, I'll do it."

I shook my head a little. "I- I don't want you to get hurt," I whispered so that only she could hear.

She smiled. "I won't get hurt. But if I get a chance to know more about my past, I don't want to miss it." She rested her forehead on my shoulder. "Please, Adam. This is my chance to know more."

"I don't know..."

"Adam," Ty said reasonably. "They're not going to kill Alesa if you and I are sticking up for her. They'll hear us out, you know that."

I sighed. Clearly, there was no way I could convince either of them to change their minds. "Alright, but tomorrow. And if it seems like we're not able to convince them, we get out of there, okay?"

Ty nodded. Alesa gave my hand another squeeze and I gave her a smile. Ty glanced down at our hands and then flicked his eyes between the two of us but he decided to say nothing.

???'s POV
"That's her?"

The figure beside me nodded, his bright orange tie clashing with the black suit he wore. "That's the one. She's gained their trust."

"Are you sure?"

"Are you blind?" he hissed. "Of course she has, look at them!"

I looked. The two glitches were starting to walk away from us, one holding the worm's hand. We had been watching the whole encounter from the edge of the little park and it did seem that the worm had indeed gained their trust. A smirk played on my face.

"Then she's our way in," I told the Trojan beside me. "Our ticket into the mainframe."

He nodded, his sunglasses slipping down slightly, showing his red-coded eyes that were alight with suppressed eagerness. "When should we act?"

I waved my hand in a calming gesture, averting my own coded eyes. "All in due time Bodil," I told him quietly. "We don't want to rush into this. Be patient." I watched the two glitches and the worm turn a corner and disappear from sight and allowed myself a wide grin.

I'm trying to think of a quote Sky says about Bodil40. The only ones I can think of is where Sky's yelling Bodil's name over and over again...

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Bai!