Code Lyoko: Revolutions and Evolutions

Chapter 12

John headed back out to his car, and as he drove back to Kadic, his mind felt much relieved. Maria was here that would help with the scope of what he had to do. The team was now officially back together, and he'd have it no other way.

At that moment, John got a notice of a voicemail from Jean-Pierre, "John, the passive energy that you have incorporated has proven true! Active and passive, as you have explained and through it, we're meeting more than half of our weekly energy quota in the past two days! You have done amazing work! Report to my office, and we can discuss future developments."

John smiled to himself and then turned on his speaker to Amy, "Amy, the initiative is proving fruitful activate the subverted siphon for a test run, I think we have all our necessary pieces in play."

"Understood, thank you for your diligence, John," Amy replied.

John hung up his phone, thinking, "It's easy when you have someone as good and trusting as Delmas to help pave the way. Your contributions won't be forgotten, old man."

In time, John pulled into Kadic, and he heard as he exited the car a tremendous clamor in the back of the campus as if the whole student body were in jubilation. After he checked in, John headed through to the back and saw all the student body seating the bleachers cheering as Jeremy and Herve tested themselves on the track. John was watching and headed up alongside Jim.

"Hello, what's going on here?" he asked.

"A classic match of brawn and brains by Belpois and Pichon. I tell you, John, this brings back memories."

"Who's doing better?" John asked.

"Belpois is ahead of Pichon by two, and they're going to go until they are done with the timer which has four minutes and ten seconds left on the clock."

John nodded, "Excellent." As he continued to watch.

"Hey John, Suzanne has wagered twenty on Pichon for the run and twenty on him for some computer stuff in a bit. Jean-Pierre has bet thirty on Belpois for technology and ten for the track, Meyer has bet forty on Belpois for computer and twenty on him for the track, do you want in on this action?"

"John smiled, "Twenty for Jeremy on track and forty on Herve for computers."

"Ah, I love a good betting man," Jim said with a smile.

The run went on, and as the clock wound down, the match was on and off for a neck-and-neck run. Herve was ahead by two laps, and in time Jeremy beat him eclipsed him by topping his two by one. All the while through the tug-of-war, John's words reverberated in Jeremy's head. Jeremy knew this was just another form of limit, a self-imposed limited he endeavored to beat. The key was not so much speed as it was endurance. Jeremy focused on his heartbeat, the steady rhythm thum-thum, thum-thum. Two minutes left, and Jeremy slowed a bit as Herve sped ahead. Jeremy knew this was fine; let Herve gas himself out.

As Herve ran, he was thinking long and hard on what he was doing, what Amy had told him. He remembered most of all what she had said as the classes had assembled to watch this spectacle that there was no shame in throwing this aspect, put in an effort, but it was not the end of the world, not at all if he lost. And so, this was Herve's mentality, to give them all a show to appease them. The real battle would be in the gym, the real battle that was indeed in many ways already decided in his favor. If this temporary humiliation was needed, so be it. The future had far greater things for him in mind.

The clock ran down how down to the last minute and a half. Jeremy saw Herve winding down, so he pressed his advantage, faster and faster, soon he had passed Herve. He was pleased about that. This was as good as in the bag. Jeremy continued, however, a steady pace, the burning and seizing being beginning to creep up once more upon him. "No," he thought, "onward, still onward, overcome this last barrier. Damn this pain!" the pain in his ribs reverberated more and more. Jeremy gritted his teeth, but he wouldn't cave. Faster, faster, faster, almost there now. Two more steps, and he'd be two laps over Herve with no way to make up the distance. Faster, faster, his heartbeat, stronger and stronger the pain until finally, he passed. Jeremy continued, as he watched the clock, twenty seconds left.