Part III
Bob stiffened in fear as the being began to speak.
"Ssso thisss isss the sssyssstem I�ve heard so much about. Mainframe." It glanced around the tranquil scene. "It looks so peaccceful. Oh, how rude of me. I forgot to introduccce myself." The creature paused as if it were going to clear it�s throat, although one could not be sure if the thing even had one. Bob could not determine where the creature�s voice originated from. "I am known asss Zip Drive." It smiled evilly.
"Why are you here, Zip Drive?," asked Bob as he stepped forward, his gun aimed point-blank at the creature�s head. Behind him there were several clicks and whirs as the others drew out and directed their various weaponry, which had remained hidden for the sake of the wedding ceremony.
"Isss that really any of you bussssinesss, Guardian?" With a cold smile, Zip Drive waved its clawed hand in Bob�s direction. "It is not a good idea to make trouble with me." Bob�s gun was torn from his grasp as he was flung through the air back into the crowd, knocking down several sprites and binomes. Matrix and Enzo helped Bob up as the Guardian glared at the creature. Still lying on the ground near Bob, Turbo began to stir.
"You�ll eventually figure out what I�m doing, but by then it will be far too late." Zip Drive scowled at Bob. "Guardian: You have been warned not to interfere," wagging a sharp clawed finger at Bob. With a spring, the thing leapt up into the sky and disappeared with a flash of bright light.
"Now, that is not tha propa way ta end a weddin� ceremony," said Mouse in her thick Southern accent as everyone put away their firearms and other weapons.
Dot picked up her skirts and ran over to her husband, her veil flying out behind her. "Bob, are you all right?," she asked anxiously, her eyes full of worry.
"Just a little bruising," Bob replied as Dot embraced him. "What about you, Turbo?"
"Nothing broken here," said the now conscious Prime Guardian as Mouse and AndrAIa pulled him to his feet. "I don�t know how in the Web that thing got on me, or where for that matter. But Zip Drive seemed to only use me to get into Mainframe. I hope."
"If we only knew why Zip Drive is here," said AndrAIa, her forehead furrowed in deep thought. Matrix slipped a hand around her waist.
"Come on, maybe Phong knows something about this," said Bob, as he started to walk over to the older sprite still standing under the alter. "Wait a nano." The Guardian paused in mid-stride. "Turbo, is there any record of Zip Drive or something like it in the Super Computer?"
"I just checked, Bob," Turbo said as he returned his key tool, Copeland, back to its normal mode. "Nothin�.
"Oh, well," sighed Bob heavily as he, Dot, and the other sprites joined Phong.
"Oh, my friends this is not good," said Phong. "While this creature was talking to you, Bob, I managed to run a limited scan on it. I was afraid that a more complex one would be detected by Zip Drive."
"Well, come one suga, spit it out!," Mouse growled, growing impatient.
"The scan only revealed the genetic traits of the organism. Zip Drive is the female offspring of a virus and a guardian." A startled gasp rippled through the crowd of binomes and sprites. Turbo and Bob cast troubled glances at each other. "She has also been partly infected by a web creature."
A shiver ran through Dot. The Guardian felt it too; he pulled her closer.
"This is just great," said the Prime Guardian sarcastically. "We still have no idea what Zip Drive�s powers are, or what in the Web she plans to do with them."
"Are you really sure this is the right thing to do, Phong?"
Dot and Phong stood leaning over a vidwindow in the Principal Office. It displayed a map of Mainframe. Turbo and Bob leaned over the other side. "I am sure, my child. This is the safest place in Mainframe," Phong reassured the Command.com. "He�s right Dot," said Bob, reaching across the vidwindow and putting a hand over Dot�s. "What other choice do we have?" Turbo nodded agreement. "I�ve got backup coming in from the Super Computer to strengthen your forces."
"All right, then," sighed Dot. "Vidwindow Access: Principal Office." Four huge vidwindows popped up around the Principal Office. "People of Mainframe: We have a threat among us called Zip Drive." Half of the Vidwindows displayed the only known picture of Zip Drive. "We do not know what she plans to do or the extent of her powers. Only that she is dangerous. Be on the look out for any strange disturbances or sightings of Zip Drive and report them straight to the Principal Office. Vidwindow out."
"Hmmm. Look, Scuzzy. Finally, something interesting in Mainframe."
Hexedecimal gazed in to her mirror. "I finally a female sibling to talk to instead of boring old Megabyte," said Hex as her mask changed from a expression of boredom to an evil grin. "Perhaps my dear sister can help me make some mayhem." She cackled as she pet Scuzzy on his head.