Chapter XIII
*****
One look at love and you may see
it weaves a web over mystery.
All raveled threads can rend apart
for hope has a place in the lover's heart
Hope has a place in a lover's heart.
Hope Has A Place, by Enya
*****
"Noooo!!"
Morgan fell to her knees, screaming in emotional anguish, her hands clutching at the sides of her head. "It can't be true… it just can't…"
"Oh, my dear, but it is." Arren lifted up her chin in his frigid hand. "Reality can be so harsh."
She recoiled and stared up into his pale face, her eyes dark with rage. "You think this is all a wonderful joke, don't you?!" Morgan got up and stepped back, disgusted to be so near her brother.
"Isn't life an immense jest, sister dear?" He smiled nonchalantly, crossing his arms.
Her fury finally erupted in an enraged howl. Morgan leaped at Arren, her sword aiming straight for his grinning face.
Nanos before he would have been skewered upon his sister's sword, Arren murmured something incoherent, and waved his hand at Morgan. She gasped as she was suspended in mid-air. Her sword was ripped from her hand by invisible forces and flung several feet away. Morgan glared down at her brother. "If I didn't know better, you could have been one of the filthiest User-damned viruses I ever met."
"Such manners, Morgan!," Arren chided. He shook his head sadly, as if disappointed by her conduct. "What would mother think of you now? Such language…"
The assassin walked in a circle around his sister, rubbing his chin, his dark eyes narrowed in thought. "Now, should… I dispose of your companions and -" the delight of such a thought was obvious on his face "-your little… boyfriend first, or you?"
Arren was roughly tackled. With his concentration broken, the force field around Morgan shattered and she landed lithely on her feet.
He looked up from where he was lying on his back to see a tall green sprite pointing a gun to his head, and pushing a knee into the assassin's chest. "You'll have to get through me before you touch her again."
Arren smiled wily. "Ah, so I finally meet the suitor! Enzo Matrix, correct? Have you been taking good care of my sister?"
"Shut the FAQ up and tell me why you're here." Enzo pressed his gun into Arren's neck.
"Enzo! No!" Morgan was suddenly at his side. She grabbed his arm and tried to pull him back. "You don't know what you're doing!"
"Morgan!" Enzo turned to her, keeping his gun at Arren's throat. "But he just threatened to delete you!"
"You can't interfere!," Morgan said angrily. She stared intently into Enzo's astonished eyes. He saw her own eyes were filled with fear. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into!" She dug her nails into his arm and tried again to wrench him off her brother.
Morgan felt a pair of hands firmly grip each of her arms as she was hauled up. She turned around to see that Bob and Matrix had finally caught up with Enzo. "Stop! You don't know what you're doing!," she yelled at them.
The two older Guardians appeared unfazed by her outburst. "Let Enzo take care of him," Bob said gently. "You need to get back to the infirmary." They started to drag her farther from Enzo and her brother.
"I wouldn't recommend doing that, gentlemen." Arren grabbed Enzo's gun by the barrel and violently flung it away. He stood up and carefully brushed himself off.
"Stop right there!" Enzo pointed Cursor at the Arren. "Cursor, stasis field!"
"Energy dissipation!" A bolt of energy leapt out from Arren and destroyed Cursor's command. Arren smiled. "Not so easy, is it, Guardian?" He emphasized the title, mocking Enzo.
"Let me go!," Morgan screeched. With a burst of strength, she broke free of the Guardian's grip and darted between them, moving with unnatural speed. She appeared in front of Enzo and spoke coldly to her brother.
"Leave them. You quarrel is with me."
To her surprise, Arren laughed. "Oh, but I can't do that. Besides taking you and your original target out, my assignment has been extended to you little circle of friends!" He gestured to the men around her, and then to the four sprites rapidly approaching on zipboards.
Matrix's annoyance had been growing all this time. He finally spoke as he drew Gun. "Not without a fight, you won't!" He bionic eye began to spin as he targeted Arren.
Bob reached out a hand and pushed down Matrix's arm. "Wait. Let me talk to him." Matrix looked doubtfully at his friend, but did not stop to question Bob.
He stepped forward in front the others. Morgan tried to stop Bob, but Enzo and Matrix held her back. Nooo, she thought despairingly, it's all going wrong…
Bob held up hands to show that he had no weapons, though everyone there knew better than that, including Arren. He had been thoroughly informed about his targets.
"I'm Guardian 452, of the system Mainframe. State your name and function."
Arren smiled cordially. "I am Arren." His eyes darkened. "But you may know me as the Raven."
Bob's chestnut eyes widened. The Raven… "Why are you here?" He sounded disgusted.
AndrAIa and the others cam up behind them. She slipped her hand into Matrix's. "What's going on?," she whispered. "Who is Bob talking to?" Matrix squeezed her hand, but did not answer.
"For her." Arren gestured to Morgan. "And for the rest of you. My orders where very clear."
Bob stepped forward, energy balls forming in his hands. "Who sent you?!"
"First, I tell you why."
Arren raised his arms over his head and shouted. Everyone was blown off their feet in a soundless explosion. But Morgan alone stood her ground. "Leave them alone!," she yelled. She rushed at him again.
Her brother grabbed her by the neck, and pulled her close to him. "Do want me to show him, my dear?," he whispered in her ear. "Do you want me to them what you are?" He stared into her eyes.
No, she mouthed silently, shaking her head, as tears ran down her cheeks.
"Sorry, my darling. Can't do that." Arren released his choke-hold and grabbed Morgan by her dark hair, leaving her gasping and unable to move. He turned her around so that they were face to face.
As the others began to get up, he pulled off her coat and dropped it carelessly on the ground.
"Morgan is one of us!," Arren shouted. He flipped out a small knife and ripped down the back of her shirt. Enzo drew in a sharp breath, and the others gasped.
Upon her bare back, Morgan bore the mark of the Guild of the Assassins, making her one of the most feared predators in the Net. The red and white ying-yang and the swords; one represented death, the other life. Red for corruption, white for supremacy.
Arren dropped his sister roughly. Morgan began to sob quietly. Oh, User now they know.