Chapter VI
*****
Softly, deftly,
Music shall surround you...
Feel it, hear it,
Closing in around you...
Open up your mind,
Let your fantasies unwind,
In this darkness which
You know you cannot fight,
The darkness of
The music of the night...
The Music of the Night, from The Phantom of the Opera
*****
AndrAIa felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to face a slightly worried Dot, organizer in hand. "Oh, Dot." She saw the look on the other woman's face. "Is everything all-right?"
"Have you seen Enzo today?," Dot asked.
"No, not since yesterday." AndrAIa looked anxiously at her friend. "Are you worried about him?"
"I don't know, AndrAIa... I have a weird feeling, a premonition, I guess."
Dot suddenly yelped as a pair of icy hands grabbed her waist.
"Scared ya!" Bob wrapped his arms around Dot's waist.
"Don't do that!," Dot scolded him.
He kissed her on her cheek. "You know you like it."
"Hey, have you seen Enzo today?," she asked him. "Yeah," he replied. "I saw him leave this morning with what's-her-name name. I guess he's showing her around."
"You mean that girl that showed up in the game?," asked AndrAIa. "Morgan?"
"Yeah, that's her."
"She kinda of creeps me out," AndrAIa said. Bob and Dot looked at her questioningly. "I'm not really sure why... just something strange. We still hardly know anything about Morgan."
Dot bit her lip in thought. "I think I'll talk privately with Morgan when she and Enzo get back. Until then, I'm going to do a little investigating."
*****
Morgan took a deep breath. "Ever since I can remember, I've never known my true home. I don't know who my family is. All I know is that they are long gone. The... people who took me in never told me of my past, and I learned that I would not get any answers from them. When I was fifteen, I ran away. I began searching for my the life I had forgotten, system by system, game-hopping. That's basically my life story."
Enzo touched her hand. "I'm sorry."
Morgan shook her head. "It's not your fault. It's no one's fault."
He played with a straw. "Maybe you'll find something here, some link to your past."
"That's the same thing I hope every time I arrive in a system." Morgan sighed. "And I'm always disappointed."
He took her chin in his hand and looked into her eyes. Instead of the normal blue, they were dark, so dark with pain they were almost black. "You still might find some thing to help you on your search. I'll help you." Morgan blushed slightly at his touch. She put her own hand on his, and pulled it back down onto the table. "Thanks."
Lies! Why must my life be full of lies?! I don't know how long I can keep this deception going.
Enzo stood up from the table. "Would you still like me show you around, my lady?" He smiled broadly and offered his arm.
Wiping the tears from her face, Morgan stood up next to Enzo and took his arm. "Of course, my lord." She giggled, music to his ears.
Together, they walked out of the diner.
*****
"This place is so beautiful." Morgan and Ezno sat side by side on a park bench. "What is it called again?"
"Floating Point Park."
She sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Maybe I'll just stay here, in Mainframe."
Enzo looked down at her, surprise very obvious in his face. "Really?"
She smiled up at him. "Well, I'm not sure. Depends on the company I keep."
"Ma'am." The two sprites turned around to see two police binomes standing on zip-boards behind them. "We're under orders from the Command.com to see you back to the Principal Office. She would like to speak with you."
Morgan looked questioningly at Enzo. He simply shrugged his shoulders. She obediently whipped out her zip-board and got on. The binomes headed back to the P.O. closely followed by Morgan and Enzo.
From the frying pan into the fire, thought Morgan moodily.
*****
"Morgan, please, come into my office." Dot smiled warmly. "Uh, yes ma'am."
"Just call me Dot. Everyone does." She patted Morgan on the shoulder and motioned her inside, pulling the door closed behind them.
Dot sat down at her desk and the younger woman seated herself in the chair across from the Command.com.
"You don't need to worry," Dot said, seeing Morgan's concerned expression. "I only want to talk with you."
"Then why did you send those officers after me?"
"I just wanted to speak you with as soon as possible."
Crossing her legs, Morgan rested her elbows on the arms of the chair. "All-right, then shoot."
"For starters, I ran a search on you over the entire Net; this is standard procedure."
Morgan inhaled sharply. What did she find? Dot didn't seem to notice any of the young woman's apprehension.
Dot continued. "I found a few vague references to a... Morgan la Fey. That's your full name, correct?" Morgan nodded as she mentally breathed a sigh of relief. Thank the User the Guild covered up my trail.
"Other than that, we have no other information about you. Would you like me tell us a little bit more, for the Archives? Then we'll see about making you an official citizen, if you would like that."
"Um, sure." Morgan told Dot her sad tale as she had with Enzo. When will the lies stop? When she was done, the Command.com nodded her head. "We'll try our best to help you, and I welcome you to Mainframe, Morgan."
Dot stood up and shook Morgan's hand. Her hand... it's as cold as ice! The older woman forced herself not to whip her hand back.
As the mercenary stood up, Dot walked to the door and opened it. "I hope you choose to stay in Mainframe. If you don't, I hope you'll enjoy your stay."
"Thanks." Morgan stepped back outside the office, thoroughly relieved.
Dot smiled. "Whenever you would like to begin a search, just come on in." She moved back inside her office and disappeared from view.
Enzo appeared at Morgan's side. "Everything all-right?"
"Yeah, she... Dot just wanted to talk with me."
"Would you still like to continue on the tour?," he asked.
"Of course, just let me do something real quick. I'll be right back."
Enzo took her hand and kissed it. "I'll be waiting here, my lady." Morgan smiled and headed down the hall back to her room.
*****
Morgan closed the door behind her and sat down on the bed. She clicked the middle of her icon and a dark vid-window popped up in front of her. She spoke to it. "I am sorry to announce it this, but I have decided to resign from the Guild of Assassins."
"What!? Morgan, what do you think you're doing!?"
"That is my decision, and that is where I stand."
"Mor-" She closed the vid-window, cutting the speaker off. I hope that was the best thing to do. But I feel so... happy here. I have nothing else to lose... Ohh, User, I hope they don' do what I think they're going to do.
*****
"Am I correct in assuming you that you heard that conversation with Morgan?"
The assassin stared up into the darkness which was the council. "Yes sir."
"Then you know what is to be done."
"Yes sir."
"You are dismissed, Arren." He bowed low and walked out on silent cat feet.
*****
"All ready?," Enzo asked.
"Yep," Morgan replied. "Show me the rest of Mainframe."
*****
"Wow, this place is so... busy!," Morgon commented as she gazed around her. She and Enzo walked down the middle of Buadway, side by side. "Well, that's Baudway for you," Enzo said.
"I think I could grow to... like this place." She smiled up at Enzo and put her hand in his. Her hand began to grow warm in his hold. Enzo looked down into her eyes; they were now a bright and joyful blue.
He leaned his head down toward her. She closed her eyes.
"Warning: Incoming game." The forbidding voice of the system administrator tolled. "Warning: Incoming game."
Morgan opened her eyes and looked up as the familiar hole open up in the sky over them. Binomes scattered. She sighed. "Do these games always manage to interrupt like this?"
Enzo sighed. "Usually." They watched as three sprites zipped toward them. Then the game cube slammed down with an ominous thud.