Code Lyoko: Revolutions and Evolutions

Chapter 45

Dear readers, thank you all so much for your continued support. This will be your last chapter until I return from my vacation. Without your support, this work would not be possible, and I am incredibly grateful. I thank God for his help with allowing me the vision to plot this chapter as well as a layout for future chapters. Thank you all, and I'll see you next chapter.-Pagliacci-11

Jacqueline was silently walking home from the factory. The sky was overcast with outlets of the sun shining through; the air oppressive in its humidity. Jacqueline as she walked thought on all that had transpired. She had bought more than enough time. The independent project had been shattered, and that was a major victory. In a way, Jacqueline knew that the justification of funds to build another form of countermeasure to Lyoko and North-Gate would be a very tricky and tedious matter. The government, while willing to do all that was necessary to stop both projects, Jacqueline knew instinctively that a financial black hole for what was deemed a terminated project was in the eyes of the state, wasteful.

Jacqueline smiled to herself. In many ways, she knew this game was, in fact, one of patience. Had North-Gate lost progress? Yes. But for Jacqueline, to deal with an active threat that had far more significant real-life ramifications for the project's longevity was a justifiable sacrifice for her loss.

Jacqueline tapped into her implant and contacted Terry. Once connected, she asked, "Damage assessment, what our most impactful losses?"

Terry replied, "Thanks to our action, we only lost the colonization extrapolation protocol. That is the most substantial loss. The rest of the losses were not so many losses as being severely inhibited in progress. It's nothing that redoubling the energy output from our external sources can't remedy."

Jacqueline replied, "Very good. Better than I thought, honestly. So, what next you think?"

Terry replied, "We have time now. A bit of breathing room, but we will prepare the harvester subroutine for our reserves. That way, we get a greater return for our investments for the unit development."

"That would be wise," Jacqueline replied. "Have them standby in the vicinity of the factory. I have a feeling we'll have a showdown there soon enough."

"Very good. How many active units? Remember, the place isn't as isolated as it looks, we have to account for civilian bystanders."

Jacqueline pondered this then said, "We'll have three detachments. Two underground, one above within the factory. Download the layout of the sewer system and the factory into each unit's routines, so if our friends visit the factory, they are oblivious to the units' presence."

"Done. What about reinforcements if things get really hairy?"

"Have the mechanics on standby along the various rooftops. They are small enough to be placed on those locations, and none be the wiser. If things get too far, we'll instate Icarus to take the field."

"Sylvie, it will take time to instate Icarus. What's plan B for reinforcements?"

"What about Yolanda's Redirection Principle if we had a few of those as the literal supports?

"That would more than work!" Terry replied, "I'll start their production right now. We'll have three, one for each infantry unit."

"Think ahead, Terry." Jacqueline replied, "If they figure out the linkage between the two, we're screwed. Instate the self-preservation protocol. Once that is implemented, it will be a literal patience match. The opposition will exhaust resources. We use the encounter, and we observe the patterns and methods. Capture all the bodies we can to better the soldiers and their technology. Once done, they will be reprocessed based on their performance."