In The Tale of the Renegade Virus , the title character is a computer virus come to life as a short titanium being with its brain above the head and cables for hands. When Simon tries out Mr. Poe's virtual reality computer game, he ends up in a world controlled by the virus, who intends to control Simon's brain to escape the computer, though a cable implanted in Simon's hand. He gives Simon fifteen minutes to make it out, and causes him to seem to be sent back to school before Simon suffers misfortune then realizes he's still in cyberspace. As Simon runs after being humiliated, the virus taunts him, then rides Simon's bike, which was under a giant lock forcing Simon to run home before, to follow him. Through the home computer, Simon learns the virus was created by Evan and placed into the computer as revenge for Simon's pranks going too far, which is why Simon's experience included Sonya dumping him for Evan, his being late and humiliated at school like he caused Evan to be, and his being locked from where he wanted to go and the lock on his bike since he took Evan's bike and switched their lockers' locks. Evan reveals the virus has gone out of Evan's control since he meant it to torment but not harm. The virus causes their connection to end before Evan can say what the password to exit the program is, but a message in the computer reveals it's Evan's lock combo. Simon triumphantly prepares to leave, but the virus binds him to his chair so he can't press Enter to do so. As he approaches to set his cable into the port and take over Simon's brain, Simon manages to hit a closer key once any will work, and escapes. Unknown to anyone, the virus' gloved cable-hand can be seen as he prepares to emerge the custodian's garbage can, meaning he has also emerged.Gary, knowing Tucker probably gave his computer a virus which inspired the story, responds to Tucker's approval of Simon's forgiveness by confirming that the virus remains. Show less «