Seriously, people. Review. I know not many of you read it, only around 50 or so, but still, PLEASE REVIEW! If you review, more chapters will get on. It's not a threat, simply saying MORE will get on quicker if you review. Sometimes, however, I won't be able to write, but on days that I can… Well, anyways, enjoy as always!
Cipher's Code Ch36
"Who's she?" Spider jerked his thumb nonchalantly as a new presence entered the shallow gathering of the Hackers.
"Jade." Rogue stepped out of the shadows beside the silent person, whose hawk-like eyes were eying them all warily. Spider tensed slightly when her gaze flitted towards the twin, wicked katanas on her back, which emitted a high pitched, ringing sound, only heard by the Hackers due to their biologically enhanced features, who stoically took it all in.
"She can speak for herself, can't she," Spider argued, taking her cold eyes in suspiciously, noting that she had not shown any sign of emotion since their gathering.
"She doesn't talk much," Rogue interjected, but Jade stepped forward, and he fell silent, as if a switch had been pulled.
"I'm here because Rogue wanted me on the mission," Jade said quietly. Again, Spider, reflected, the voice was emotionless, as if this whole thing was a mere trivial mater for her. "If any of you get in my way, or try to stop me, I will not hesitate to kill you."
Charming person, Saire thought wryly. "I didn't say that an assassin would be necessary, Rogue," Saire said slowly. "Don't think I don't know why you brought her."
"You've got it all wrong," Rogue grinned, shaking is head mockingly. "She's my partner; we're in this together. If she doesn't go, I don't go. Comprehende?"
"You still haven't changed at all, even after all this time," Saire said quietly. "Don't forget who you're working for."
"Working for," Rogue reminded Saire grimly, "I'm not joining you. I'm done with the Hackers."
"We've already established that," Saire replied silkily. "Have you told Jade the plans?"
"We're set to go," Rogue nodded in affirmative. "Just tell us where and when, and we'll be off in the morning."
"We're going as a team, remember," Spider flashed. "This isn't one of your bounty jobs; this is the Resistance we're talking about here."
"You don't trust me?"
"No," Saire said shortly, "I don't." Saire knew, inside, that the only reason Rogue wasn't gone already was that Saire knew the coordinates of the Resistance, and Rex's murderous killers. If he wasn't kept on a short leash, he would tear the place apart to get to Desaro and Kero. Apart from that, Saire knew how to handle the temperamental Ex-Hacker. As for Jade, the leader of the Hackers thought as he looked towards Jade, she could be a problem. Saire recognized those dead, lifeless eyes from one who had extensive training in the usage of death. Those eyes won't hesitate to kill, Saire reflected. I'll have to keep an eye on her.
For Saire, information was his weapon. And while he knew Rogue like none of the other Hackers ever did, save for Rex, Jade gave nothing away apart from her ruthless methods, and the wicked blades on her back. She's a Stygian, concluded Saire as he eyed her katanas warily. There were two clans of mercenaries in this part of the world, Saire knew, and only one of them possessed the Electra, the enhanced blade that was capable of not only splitting human flesh, but cutting through hardened amour on reploids through a thin membrane of plasma, activated by the encoder's touch. It was a unique weapon, only able to be used by the select few who gave the blade the coded DNA pattern, and generally, only one person was able to use it- the assassin. Not even the maker of the weapon encoded his own genetic pattern in the sword for the assassin's brief ceremony, where they would then be released from the harsh discipline of their masters and released into the world a trained killer. It was the lack of gloves that made him realize which one she belonged to, however. Usually fingerprints represented a problem for them evading the law, but the Stygians, who had long before mastered the art of never being seen, had no use for the cumbersome things that only got in the way of usage of the Electra. Something even more curious about her, Saire gathered, was the open cage, and a lone black and white feather remaining, a tattoo on her left and right shoulder. Deserter was the meaning. But why? Under Saire's intense gaze, Jade shifted away, hiding the tattoo.
"24-11." The Prophet spoke for the first time there, holding up a slowly revolving transmitter, set to self-destruct upon usage. The small, lawless town before them had not endeared itself to Saire, but he could not condone risking Desaro, Kero, and their minions being set loose on the people. He knew firsthand how ruthless they could be.
We're here," Spider announced, fondly taking in the Resistance's skeletal frame- the aftermath of their escape. "What next?"
"We await the arrival of the true Resistors," the Prophet said silently. "They will be here soon."
"What are you blathering about," Jade began coldly, but was stopped by Rogue, who still was in awe of his uncanny ability to sense the future.
"Quiet, Jade," he said. "Just wait."
Sure enough, a rumbling sound could be heard as sand was spewed in every direction, and Allouette stepped out, shaking the dust out of her eyes. "Am I glad to see you guys or what," she exclaimed, taking off her helmet to view them more clearly. "We thought you had disappeared with the rest of the left wing. I take it that was your doing after all?" he raised her eyes at Saire, who scratched his head guiltily.
"So you know as well," Saire asked Allouette.
"That the Resistance is no longer what it once was," Allouette guessed. "Yes. That's why we hid underground, trying to see when we could retake it without those usurpers taking it over completely."
"It's harder than you might think," a new voice coughed, prying him above the hole. "But we're doing all we can," Colbur replied grimly.
"I thought you had left," Saire said incredulously.
"They wanted me gone," Colbur agreed, "and I did too. They've underestimated us, though. Come on down and meet the rest of the gang."
Below, Colbur lifted a hatch, calling out the secret code so that they may enter.
"No way!" Spider's mouth dropped as they saw what the Resistance had done. Instead of a dusty, dank cavern, a gleaming hallway stood, with heavy tanks in one corner, and hundreds of filthy, hungry, but determined people behind it. "Thanks, Naomi," Colbur said to the Advent that had lifted the hole.
"Is all the Resistance here," Rogue said, slightly in wonder. Not many things could shock him like that, but this was right up there.
"We're called the Resistors now," Naomi said lightly. "It's hard to believe we could be booted out our home so easily, but we're doing all we can do fight them." She paused as a small smile broke loose on her stern features. "Were you really the ones who set of those bombs? I was on duty when they came- you could have felt it even from here!"
In his peripheral vision, Saire could see Spider signing autographs from the admiring Advents who had seen the explosions.
"Yeah, we were. What's the news on the battlefront?" Saire propped himself down on a chair, where several Advents scurried off to spy on the Resistance's invaders.
"We've still got a few good eyes in there," Colbur said, "but we figured it risky if too many are there. Desaro and Kero rule it now with an iron fist- ever since the blowout," Colbur referred to Spider's explosions, "they've blocked all exits. We can't get any more of our men out."
"It's a nightmare," Allouette agreed wearily. "I wonder what Ciel would do in this situation…"
"You're doing great," informed Colbur, patting the dejected former apprentice to Ciel on the back, "she will be so prod of you once she gets back from whatever forsaken journey those desecrators have taken them on."
"So you don't believe that Zero put them in charge," prompted Saire. "I checked those entries- they haven't been tampered with.
"They may not have been tampered with, but that wasn't Zero," Allouette said
firmly. "There's no way he would have placed the people who sent Cipher away in charge. Maybe a firm death grip perhaps, but definitely not at the top seat."
"I didn't come here for a conversation," Rogue reminded Saire, "I came here to do my job, and from what you guys are saying, I can't do that."
"Forgive me, Saire," Allouette said coldly, "but for the life of me I can't fathom why you brought this creature here."
"We came to do our job," Jade cut I quickly, loosening the straps to her blades, "not to join your freedom fighting force. Can we do it or not? Either way, we're getting paid."
Don't worry, you will get your money," Allouette replied smoothly, "just stay low for a while, would you? If it was as simple as bursting in and eliminating the problem, we would have done it by now. Long ago, in fact. The issue is finding out who is still loyal to Zero and Ciel or not."
Slightly riled, Rogue sat back down, but remained silent. "So what now?"
"We wait. That's all we can do for now."