Author's Note: Aaand the next one! :D Buuut I gotta say that the next chap will take a bit longer, since I do Not have much time the next week :/ I'm sorry in advance, but believe me, ist's worth the wait! :D
ENJOY, programs, and PLEEEEASE REVIEW!
END OF LINE
/Beta Test/
It felt unfamiliar.
Zuse had gotten out of the elevator and landed into his own Afterlife-Party thereby. It felt strange to not have been involved from the beginning on. He had always liked to help with the preparations, had taken care of various organisational tasks, just as a club owner should do it. He just liked to have control over everything. Though, when he had come in here now, he'd realised that he had lost control a long time ago. Of course he had. Otherwise she would be here with him now. Otherwise he would dance with Susan now.
Instead, he just put on his faked smile, greeting a few programs, did smalltalk with them. He had intended to banish Susan out of his mind for this evening, actually, but his guests made it extremely difficult for him.
"Have you been at the games?", a young man with long blonde hair asked excitedly.
"Of course! Who hasn't?", Zuse answered with a laugh.
"What a scandal, isn't it? That this wonderful fighter is actually a traitor!"
"Yes, I was surprised, too..."
"Oh, for you especially it must have been terrible! I mean, I've often seen you dancing with her and so on..."
Zuse shrugged, grinning. "Dancing partners come and go. I am happy, as long as I still have programmes that are giving me such a great time like you do, my dear!"
"Ah, I'll drink to that!"
Laughingly they clinked glasses.
'How I hate this guy...', Zuse thought, while smiling widely at the program.
Somehow his guests annoyed him so much at the moment. Usually, the cheerful faces, the dancing bodies, the laughter around him lifted his spirits. He had always thought, THIS exactly was the reason why he still did all that, why he still ran a club after the Purge, because this job just made him incredibly happy. But now he'd like to yell at all of them, what despicable hypocrats they were, that idolise a fighter at first and then let her fall because of some simple words. He just couldn't understand how they could fall for CLU's lies so easily, at the Purge back then and now too. He just wanted to be alone at the moment.
Suddenly somebody touched his shoulder.
"Castor,", a waitress said with hushed voice. "there's somone waiting for you at the bar. It's important."
Zuse turned around, spotting CLU himself, how he just let Shaddix take his order. The faked smile on his lips faded instantly.
What was HE doing here? What was he up to?
Zuse apologised to his dialogue partner, quickly swallowed the fury that had been coming up inside him at the sight of CLU, and put on a wide grin again, as he strolled over to the bar.
"Look, programmes! The liberator himself is here!", he called and the guests cheered loudly. Their screams dinned in Zuse's head.
"One has to allow oneself a short break sometimes!" CLU raised his glass to the programs. "The drinks are on me this evening!"
After the excitement had died down a bit and the programs had gone back to doing what they were before, Zuse leant at the bar next to CLU.
"To what do I owe the honour, your majesty, hm?", he said with a grin.
CLU sipped on his drink. While speaking he didn't deign to look at Zuse. "Hey, am I not allowed to come into your cool club without any ulterior motives?"
"Of course! It's always a pleasure to welcome programmes of such high rank. It increases popularity, you know?"
"Well, I admit though..." He put his drink down and looked at Zuse, smiling. "... that I wanted to talk to you, my friend."
"You don't say..." Zuse exchanged a short look with Shaddix.
"Yep. About business and a few other things."
"Well, then tell me about it! I am at your service and hang on every word you say, my dear CLU!", he answered with a sweeping gesture.
CLU just stirred around in his drink with the little umbrella that had been in it. "Hm... No. Not yet. At first, I wanna enjoy this party and then, when all guests are gone..." He stood up, laying his hand on Zuse's shoulder with a wide smile. "Then we can talk, man." He emptied the glass, put it onto a tablet of a waitress and attended to his subservient programs.
Shaddix bowed his head before CLU, gave Zuse a short concerned look and left as last.
"Hey, may I dabble in drink mixing?", CLU asked, smiling, didn't even wait for an answer and positioned himself behind the bar.
Zuse watched him suspiciously.
CLU was playing with him. He stretched his patience intentionally, for no reason. He either was sadistic by nature, or he wanted to see Zuse suffer a bit in particular. The latter was probably a little bit more likely, since CLU knew about the friendship between Zuse and Susan.
"So.", Zuse said nervously grinning. "What did you want to talk to me about?"
"Quite a few things, man.", he answered, while preparing a drink. "For example... hm... let's see..." He touched his chin in faked thoughtfulness, then flicked his fingers and pointed at Zuse with a smile. "Oh yeah! Where's Susan, Zuse?"
"How am I supposed to know?", it came back laughingly. "I presume she derezzed somehwhere in agony. After a fall of such height she would have needed very much help to survive..."
CLU's smile faded. "Do you think I'm deaf and blind? I know that YOU helped her."
Zuse sighed, still with a grin on his face. "I really have no idea what you are talking about. Besides, how should I've been able to help her? There are certainly dozens of sentries in the arena."
"Appearently not enough...", CLU grunted. "Listen, I didn't get you from the streets to let you stab me in my back. More than a hundred cycles I let you be, didn't even let you get watched..."
"Oh, don't exaggerate! Don't you think I recognised your little spies?"
"Not enough either it seems, considering that so many programs could escape me through you... just as Susan..."
"I repeat: I have not the slightest idea wha-"
"DON'T TAKE ME FOR AN IDIOT!", CLU yelled, banging on the counter. He glared at Zuse, trying to calm himself down, since he knew that he could still need him...
"Are you really trying to threaten me in my own club?", Zuse asked unimpressed.
"Your club... Remember who gave you all of that? I could take it from you at once and you would be a nobody again. So, would you be so kind as to tell me where you're hiding her?"
Zuse leant onto the bar stony-faced. "Even if I knew it, I would not tell you and you know that. So, why don't we just save our breath and simply leave this unnecessary conversation?"
For a few moments, they were just staring at eachother angrily. Then CLU's face relaxed again and he smiled. "You're a rebellious little fellow, you know that?"
"I don't like the 'little fellow' part, but I admit that your statement corresponds to the truth."
He eyed Zuse and said after a little pause: "Okay. Let's stop talking about Susan. I don't need her for my purposes. Whereas YOU..." He grinned lightly, sipping on the self-prepared drink. "... could prove to be absolutely useful."
"Useful? In what sense?"
"I would like to know what the programs are talking about. If they're still loyal to me. And if not, I need names. Like, of the members of this little resistance group."
"I understand." Zuse smiled bitterly. "You want me to be your snitcher, am I right?"
"If you want to call it that..."
Zuse raised one brow. Did he really think, he would betray his principles? "I am sorry, but I have to refuse your offer. I will not sound the guests in my club out and then sneak their secrets."
"And if you didn't have it anymore, your precious club? What would you do then? You're a damn good survival artist, but you know as well as I do that you can't bear a life on the streets. You always have to be the center of attention, right? Same with Susan..."
There a wide grin spread over Zuse's face. Apparently, CLU was jealous, what amused Zuse enormously. "Ah! This is not only about business, isn't it? The great liberator has feelings! Oh, it must have been awful to hear that the beloved got her... pleasures... elsewhere..."
Right in this moment the elevator doors opened. Zuse turned around and swallowed.
Three programs stepped out of the elevator: Jarvis, CLU's submissive servant, Rinzler and Kurtz, who got pushed forward brutally by the system sentry.
"He doesn't want to tell anything, Sir.", Jarvis said.
CLU smiled, walking over to them. He gave Kurtz, who was on his knees now, a long lasting look. Then he turned to Zuse again. "Y'know, your club is cool. Really good drinks here. It'd be a pity if the same thing happened to it as to the old one. But, hey, I'm not a monster! I give you time until our next meeting, which will be soon by the way, to think it all over. You have complete freedom of decision, man!" He looked into Zuse's eyes. "I think, you'd be the right one for this job. Or what do you think, hm?", he asked Kurtz.
The man looked up to Zuse, seeking help, but he was just paralysed.
CLU had found the resistance. If he had Kurtz, he had the others too, or, what would be more probable, he got them deleted. Without mercy. What if he did the same to him? Zuse didn't want to die, by any means. But abandon his whole attitude towards freedom for that? CLU had built him his club after the Purge, indeed, but he didn't ask him for that, did he? He owed him nothing. Still... Seeing Kurtz like this now... He absolutely didn't want to end like this.
CLU enjoyed having power over Zuse. He didn't have a choice. He had to accept or he would share this pathetic program's destiny. Though, CLU was okay with both, actually. Zuse would be perfect for his plan, yes, but watching this annoying guy die... wouldn't make him unhappy either.
"Rinzler.", he said without interrupting the eye contact to Zuse and the sentry stepped forward. CLU nodded, whereupon Rinzler took his disc from his back, separating it into its two halves.
"Wait, NO!", Kurtz shouted, but it was too late. Rinzler only needed a blink to cleave the program lengthways.
Zuse looked at the cubes on the floor, thunderstruck.
"I wish you a good evening, Zuse!", CLU said and disappeared into the elevator with his two henchmen.
Even a long time after the elevator doors had closed, Zuse stood there speechlessly.