One and Two and Three

Many apologies for the delay, NaNoWriMo (Failed), Finals and then Xmas break with no internet.

Mazon and Two had picked up a showing at a run down theme theatre of 'Rocky Horror Picture Show.' The lobby had been covered in paraphernalia; the workers all dressed up as characters, the whole nine yards. They now sat in a darkened theatre, fans in wardrobe dancing infront of the screen, everyone participating, throwing popcorn and standing to do the Time Warp as the situation called. They were just finishing the Touch-a Touch-a Touch Me song when Two looked around and shook his head. Leaning in to Mazon he stood.
"Something's wrong." She looked up at him curiously.
"Oh yeah? Your spidey-sense tingling?" he nodded, straightening
"It would seem." Mazon also stood and they strode out of the theatre.
"What's going on?" He frowned, concentrating and looked down at Mazon.
"Our Ex-Employer seems to be… interrupting things at home." It felt strange for Mazon to hear one of the Twins refer to anything as 'home' but nodded and looked around, laying a hand on Two's shoulder as he prepared to phase out.
"Allow me. My method is… faster." He cocked his head,
“Will your ‘method’ work against the Merovingian’s firewall?” She considered that for a moment.
“I think so, I should be able to get us there if you can focus his firewall on you.” He nodded as she closed her eyes, pictured the apartment building and zapped them into Two's room. Putting a finger to her lips, she motioned for him to be silent. He nodded and felt around with his mind, leaning in to whisper in Mazon's ear.
"Keyes is in One's bathroom, One is just outside the door, talking."
"What's he saying?" Two closed his eyes.
"We're very cross to have been stopped. One is telling Merovingian that we were about to take a shower."
"Is he buying it?" Two shook his head.
"We always were a bad liar." Mazon nodded.
"Interfere then. I'll check in with Keyes." Two looked doubtful but nodded, watching her disappear, then straightened his tie a little and walked out of his room.

One was confronted with Merovingian and four new employees of his. They were all tall, thin and slightly green, wearing draping leather, a few piercings, all bald. He looked at them for a moment then grinned to himself, of course, Aliens. He sighed and sat down on the loveseat, holding the clothes over himself still, trying to look nonchalant. Merovingian frowned and moved over, sitting in the other loveseat, across from One. The goons standing around him.
"Well?" he asked angrily.
"Well what?" One replied, determined to make this quick.
"Well what is all this? You were to kill two little girls and report to the house. And what do you do? You disappear again! No report, leaving me to only assume that the job is done! And you know I hate assuming! De merde salopes! And what is this you are wearing! There was a time when you were fully dressed in my presence!" One kept his face stoic and hoped that Merovingian's new help couldn't feel human presence.
"We were about to take shower." Merovingian huffed.
"A shower! Oh that is rich! And why do you have all of your clothes right there hm?" One paused, trying to think of an answer when a door opened and Two walked out.
"What is going on out here?" One and Merovingian stared at Two's sudden appearance, One recovering quickly. Two stopped infront of Merovingian and raised his eyebrow at the four silent entities behind him. "What are you doing?" Merovingian opened his mouth to speak as Two passed him and sat on the couch, but One answered first.
"He wished to have a report." They shared a grin and turned to Merovingian whose mouth was working soundlessly.
"What is this insolence?" He looked at the four hulking programs behind him. "You see? You see why I chose you?" the four were expressionless and Two wondered idly if they were capable of frowning or quirking eyebrows mockingly. That was the problem with most cronies these days, no class. Merovingian turned back to the Twins. "I do not understand this attitude towards me, your employer! Have I treated you unfairly? Have I not given you leave, calling upon you only in dire circumstances? And now this! Why?" The Twins were about to answer when One's bedroom door opened.

Keyes was attempting to silently zip up her dress which was giving her more trouble then she would’ve liked, but she was still shaky, her breath still a little erratic, her body a little heavy. Suddenly Mazon appeared from her, Keyes leapt back, barely containing a yelp and glared at Mazon who shrugged. Then looked around.
"I wish we hadn't hacked in and just entered this time." She whispered, receiving a headshake from Keyes.
"Remember what happened last time we tried that?" Mazon nodded grumpily, then motioned.
"So what do we do now?" Keyes sighed and shook her head.
"Can you just zap us out of the apartment? Then we can call and boot up the exit." Mazon concentrated and shook her head.
"We’re too close to the Merovingian, his little firewall is stopping me from doing everything except phasing out. I only got us as far as the lobby, Two had to phase us up here. And I'm hooked up like you, so it would be… bad."
"Fuck." Mazon nodded and leaned towards the door.
"Can you hear what their saying?"
"Well Merv's pissed, guess the Twins told him about their little career change." Keyes grunted softly.
"Knew we should've taken him out instead of playing Jenga."
"You sure? Then you wouldn't have been able to…" Keyes grinned a little.
"Shut up. This isn't the time. Do you think we can still take 'em out?" Mazon cocked her head towards the main room and thought for a second.
"It feels like there's about four cronies plus the Merovingian. I think we should be fine."
"Gauge power levels?" Mazon listened again and stepped back. "What? What is it?"
"They're new…."
"What are they taken after?"
"Aliens I think." Keyes nodded.
"Well then, any thoughts?" Mazon squinted at the wall, mentally spreading the coding to watch the heated conversation.
"I think we should make an appearance." Keyes grinned, finishing the zipper on her dress.
"Good."
"How many guns to do you have?" Keyes looked down at herself. She’d left her coat in a pile next to One’s bed. It had all her guns in it.
"Two Desert Eagle .50's, two standards and the shotgun, they’re out by the bed." Mazon nodded and concentrated, pulling out her only gun. She looked at it for a second and sighed.
"I got four magazines on this."
"I have a couple of those." Keyes led Mazon into One’s room and quietly picked up her coat. She reached into a pocket and produced two clips for the gun. Mazon stared at them and shook her head.
"What else do you keep in that coat?" Keyes tilted her head.
"Oh, herbs, berries, bubblegum, a bobble-head geisha.” Mazon grinned and shook her head.
"Whatever. Shall we?" Keyes nodded and stepped forward, opening the door.
"Keep your guns visible but don’t have them in hand. We'll go for quiet threatening for now." Mazon muttered to Keyes who nodded let Mazon walk through first, herself following her usual two paces behind.

The Twins, Merovingian and the four silent beings all looked over at One's door to see Mazon walk confidently out in her shining leather cat suit, high heels and trench coat. She was followed a couple of steps behind by Keyes, garbed in dress and coat. Her hair was mussed, the spikes bent down instead of straight out now. They made their silent, threatening entrance and walked past Merovingian, Mazon not even bothering to notice him, but Keyes grinning sadistically down at him as they moved forward. The Twins stood and moved to take places behind the loveseat which Mazon passed, taking a spot behind it by the Twins, leaving it for Keyes who sat, crossed her legs and looked at Merovingian with amused disdain, one eyebrow arched very slightly. Merovingian found himself staring at the two of them. Inwardly sorry that none of the women who frequented his restaurant were as such. He could see the Trinity in Mazon. And the other one, she'd told him her name was… Keyes? No matter. These were girls to be watched. The Twins obviously protected them, and that made Merovingian both all the more curious and exceedingly, intensely angry. He was about to voice something very much reflective of this but Keyes had begun talking.
"Merovingian, how very… expectant to see you again."
"Oh you think so? I must admit I am a bit surprised. You see, I expected that both you and your friend here would be deleted by now. Something I am… disappointed greatly about." He said, shooting a look at the Twins who seemed to be sizing up his newest employees. Keyes grinned coyly and leaned back, uncrossing her legs only to cross them again. Letting Merovingian get a good look at her guns, which were in easy reach with the exception of the shotgun. Merovingian worked his tongue against his front teeth, keeping his lips firmly together, glaring at Keyes who grinned and continued.
"You see, Merovingian," she said it as if humoring a child who was slow in the head. "there has been a little… change of employment." At this the Twins shifted, arms behind their backs, looking down at him meaningfully. "And it is permanent. And I swear to you, these… replacements of yours don't stand a chance. But…" she paused, holding up a hand to stop him as he was about to interrupt. "as I am not as foolish as your self, I promise you this. I will stay and make sure the job is done right." with this she kicked at the coffee table, flipping it forward, hitting the Merovingian and sending the loveseat Keyes was in backwards. As if on cue, the other three ducked, Mazon pulling out her slide action. Keyes giving each Twin a Desert Eagle .50 and arming herself with the shotgun. They crouched behind the tipped loveseat and prepared to fire, One hissing in Keyes' ear.
"We do not appreciate our apartment being used as the location for this fight!" Keyes grinned at him and said,
"It won't be in here for long. I want the two of you" she was speaking to both Twins now. "to stand up and let them see you phase out. Solidify on the roof. We'll be there in a second." Two looked from Mazon, who was nodding decisively to Keyes who grimly popped up long enough to empty a round into the head of one of the alien programs.
"We do not like this plan!" he insisted, backed up by One. She shoved them back.
"Well too bad! Just do it okay?" her voice held a slight pleading tone though she looked firmly at both of them as they stood and phased out, sinking into the ground slowly enough for Merovingian to notice and shout commands. As One's head passed Keyes she grinned and made a kissy-face, earning one back before they were both below the floor. Turning she stood and fired another round into an alien, noticing that the first one she hit wasn't getting back up. Keyes grinned a bit and ducked back down.
"They can't take bullets very well. The one you've been peppering is bleeding everywhere and the two I've hit haven't gotten back up." Mazon nodded, dodging around the loveseat to fire another couple of rounds into the third one who slowed considerably.
"The fourth one is missing an arm, curtsey of the Twins I assume. With all the shooting Merovingian's let his firewall down. Can we go now?" Keyes inhaled and nodded on the exhale.
"Don't let them see us do it." Mazon nodded and laid a hand on Keyes' shoulder, zapping them up to the roof. Where they materialized, still crouching. Straightening, Keyes looked around and grinned, opening the shotgun and calmly loading two more shells. She slammed it shut and felt arms wrap around her from behind. Grinning she bent her head backwards to grin up at One who sighed and let her go.
"Now tell us exactly why we had to go first." She smiled and rested the shotgun up on one shoulder.
"Because when Merovingian saw the two of you go, he would have to obviously assume that we were already gone. Because there's no way a trafficker of information like him would allow a little detail like Mazon's powers to go unnoticed. So, thinking all four of us were gone, he'd move in, giving the two of us a chance to blast his precious Aliens a bit more before joining you boys." Two spoke up.
"And why didn't we do that the other way around? What if he'd known about Mazon's powers and expected the two of you to stay?" Keyes shifted her weight to one foot, scratching absentmindedly at a calf.
"Because I wanted to make sure about his Aliens."
"Make sure of what?" Mazon asked.
"They’re based, just like everything else, off of our rules. What we believe Aliens to be like, tall, bald, green, limited muscle make up and defense systems and outstanding offensive weapons and high intelligence."
"Which means?" Mazon probed.
"Which means, you let them get a hit in, you're done for. The best way to take them out has got to be hand to hand. Not letting them get a chance to use any technology. It also means a blast to the head with a shot gun will either kill them or stop them long enough for deletion." The Twins and Mazon stared at Keyes who smiled innocently and rested the tip of her index finger on her lower lip. "What?" Mazon sighed and grinned, patting Keyes on the shoulder while the Twins merely shared a look.
"So?" Two asked.
"So what?" Keyes answered, feeling very superior at the moment.
"So how long do we have before they figure out we're up here?"
"Oh not long. They'll probably be here any minute. And when they arrive, we'll know."
"Know what?"
"Everything we need to about them. Look I want the two of you" she motioned to the Twins. "to handle the Merovingian. Mazon, you finish up the Alien you've been hitting, and I guess I'll take the last one." She grinned and cocked her shotgun. "Everyone got it?" there was silence for a moment, Keyes feeling truly on top of the strategy world before One spoke up.
"No."
"…What?" she asked, feeling her ego deflate.
"Keyes, humans shouldn’t fight programs, especially programs that other programs in the party know nothing about. Your assuming everything these Aliens are is based off popular belief. Are we?" Keyes blinked, looking from One to Two, suddenly feeling sheepish.
"I…I guess not…"
"Exactly. You let us handle the Aliens. And you and Mazon can do whatever you want to Merovingian." Keyes pouted a little, scuffing a boot on the rooftop and sighed, muttering her answer. Mazon grinned and nudged her friend who frowned.
"Keyes says okay" Mazon interpreted to the Twins who visibly relaxed just as the door to the rooftop swung open and Merovingian and the remaining two Aliens stepped out onto the gravel playing field. The four turned to the three and they stood there for a moment, staring each other down.
"Remember" Keyes said bitterly. "Hand to hand. You let them get a hold of their technology and… well…" she shut up, stepping back in line by Mazon, who readied her own gun, prepared to take down the Merovingian. Keyes decided to mend her fall from battle strategist grace by pulling Merovingian down with her. "Hey Merovingian! What's wrong? Can't your new flunkies stand a little lead to the system?" he glared at her and pointed, the Aliens changing direction to head towards her. The first one was staggering from the beating it had taken from Mazon in the apartment, swerving in its path several times, bumping into the second with the missing arm who hissed and bit at its fellow. Keyes aimed towards the Merovingian grimly, hearing the Twins open fire on the Aliens who paused and reached inside their coats. Producing very large and scary guns, which they aimed at the Twins. Keyes looked from the Merovingian to the Aliens to the Twins and frowned, hearing Mazon open fire on the Merovingian. Making up her mind and deciding everyone could yell at her later, Keyes turned the gun from the Merovingian to the Alien with one arm, taking aim at it's head and firing. She saw the shot go right where the Alien’s head was, but its head wasn’t there any longer. It had fallen under the Twins’ fire and the other Alien wasn’t looking much better. Everything slipped into bullet time as Keyes cocked the shot gun again, swinging it around to the Merovingian who combat rolled and picked up one of the Aliens' abandoned weapons. He turned it at Keyes, who fired the shotgun at Merovingian's head just as he pulled up the gun and fired it towards Keyes. It came slowly from the barrel, her own shot going wide and whizzing past the Merovingian's head. The round, if that's what one could call it, spiraled towards her, it seemed gelatin like and had a neon greenish tint. She furrowed her brow and watched it enter her gut slowly, splattering over her and spreading out. She dropped her shotgun and everything shifted back to real time. Keyes staggered and reached to touch the gelatin, which circled her waist, beginning to cover her legs and upper torso. Looking from it to the Merovingian who fell under the guns of Mazon and the Twins, Keyes staggered again, the stuff felt like the silver-ish liquid that had covered her during her freeing process. It was not a pleasant thing, feeling the cold, cold stuff seep into her skin, covering her fingers and seep up the back of her neck, rounding, oozing into her ears, nose and mouth. She shut her eyes and whimpered, falling to her knees. Everything she felt with in the last week slammed into her suddenly, hitting her like a ton of bricks. The elevator, the truck, the explosion, the slow healing, the Twins, Mazon, the Merovingian. She fell onto her back, her eyes screwed closed as she felt the stuff cover the final inch of skin. She was enclosed. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't think, she found she was beginning to forget the feeling. Keyes reached out with her mind, trying to latch onto the pain, knowing that at least that, at least the pain was real. What met her was a cold wall, enclosing her from every direction. She opened her eyes and saw everything in a greenish tint, oppressive and unwelcoming. The walls pushed past skin, blood and bones, to her very mind. She knew, she felt her code changing, altering her to something… something whose body in the Real World was fading. She was dying, she was living, and everything in the Matrix began to make sense to her.

“Keyes!” Mazon yelled as the stuff hit her friend, who staggered and went down. She and Two stayed where they were, filling the now dead Merovingian's body with lead, making sure nothing would survive. One fell to his knees beside her body, suddenly aware he was still in the bathrobe. He raised his hands to touch her, but paused, something about her was changing. Not tearing his eyes from her body he shouted
"Mazon!" one of the guns stopped and he felt her presence next to his, then across from him, on the other side of Keyes' body. She looked at her friend and closed her eyes concentrating. After a moment Two joined them, satisfied with Merovingian's state of deletion. After a second, Mazon's eyes shot open and she fell back onto her bum, mouth agape.
"What is it?" One insisted, his fear growing steadily inside his gut. Mazon shook her head several times and closed her mouth swallowing hard before stuttering out
"She's… it's…changing her…"
"We know! What to?" she shook her head again and looked up at One and Two, confusion raging across her features.
"A program…"

TBC

Review! Classes start Tuesday and that'll be pretty time consuming but here's hoping for more updates.