See Prologue for disclaimer…

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed.   Reviews are what keep me going, and so if you've read the fic and found it to be even a little bit to your liking, I'd love to hear from you! *g*

Chapter 4: Plans

The sun streaming down into the large office, it was obvious that it was a beautiful day.  The large room, which always tended to look dark and intimidating, was now filled with light, illuminating the inner details of the office.

Pictures adorned various shelves around the room, not to mention countless books that could be found neatly shelved wherever there was space.

As for Leila, the sun seemed to match her mood as she sat behind her desk, a smile plastered on her face.   She was writing a letter, a long one by the looks of it.   It wasn't really clear what she was writing, except for the words 'Dear Neo' at the head of the paper.

Pausing to look out the window, she didn't seem surprised to see that the sun was no longer there, in affect, plunging her office into total darkness.

Hearing her door creak open, she squinted through the blackness to try and see who it was.  It didn't look as if anyone had entered, merely just someone opening the door and then closing it again. 

Not really interested in whom it could have been, Leila looked back down at her desk, which she could barely make out in front of her.  She had to finish that letter, it was so important…

In a split second later however, the lights turned themselves on, showing her to be face to face with none other than Agent Smith.

It wasn't apparent as to why he was on her side of the desk, but Leila ignored him completely, continuing on with her letter.   That didn't last long however, as Smith suddenly grabbed her, hoisting her onto her feet.

Oddly enough, she didn't feel scared, just curious, wondering just why exactly he had grabbed her.

He appeared to be looking at her rather intensely, although it was hard for her to tell due to the presence of his sunglasses. Yet it did look as though he was trying to read her thoughts…if that were even possible.

"What do you want…?" she heard herself ask him.

All she got in return was a small smirk, which hadn't been unexpected.

"What I've always wanted from you…" he eventually answered back with the same smooth tone he always seemed to possess.

She wasn't sure what he meant, but she didn't really have time to question it as she was pulled towards him.   Leila barely had time to register being kissed so roughly by the man…no, program, in front of her.

Disgusted with herself for actually losing her bearings at his display of…affection, as it might have been called, she wasn't prepared for the rough shove backwards that she received a second later.

She had to brace herself on her desk to stop herself falling.  Even then, it took her a few moments to realize that there was now a Desert Eagle pistol directed at her head, as Smith uttered the last words she'd ever hear.  "…for you to die."

As the shot went off, all Leila could do was stand ramrod still…

* * *

Bolting upright in her chair, Leila banged her head against her small, yet rather hard, desk lamp.  Ignoring the fact that she had knocked over her chair, she rubbed her head gingerly as she looked anxiously around her office.

"I need to get more sleep…" she sighed, realizing that it had only been a dream (or rather, nightmare).

Picking up her chair, she sat back down slowly, taking in her surroundings.  It was still evening, her desk lamp the only source of light in room.

Leaning back, she pinched the bridge of her nose, the stress of her situation already beginning to get to her.

What the hell had made her dream of such an interesting occurrence?  Besides the fact that she had been partnered with Smith, nothing remotely out of the ordinary had happened the day before.

She had spent the rest of the day taking care of massive amounts of paperwork, as well as meeting with various Agents, who each spent quite a while trying to update her on the status of the Rebellion.  After that, it was back to paperwork of the 'normal' kind, as she was still considered a lawyer by profession.   And just like any lawyer with a big caseload, Leila had apparently fallen asleep at her desk.

Taking a look at her watch, the time read '4:30 am'; still the middle of the night…or early morning, depending on which way you wanted to look at it. 

Not having had the time to go home or even get a change of clothes, she looked tired and disheveled, her blouse un-tucked and wrinkled, with her hair tousled and uncombed. She was a mess really, and frankly…she knew it too.  It didn't really look as though she cared however, as she was more pre-occupied with the thought of having left Smith all alone yesterday.  That might not have been such a wise decision.

It had been more than twelve hours since she had last seen or heard anything from the Agent, as she had walked into her office without a second thought.  She was now regretting that move.

Taking the time to take a shower and put on a fresh set of clothes, Leila was at least satisfied that the frazzled look she had going for her was now gone.

It was now five o'clock in the morning, and she was wide-awake, wondering just what exactly she was supposed to do so early in the morning.   But maybe it was good that she was up this early.  Sure Smith didn't need to sleep; yet she didn't want the Council to just assume that she spent more hours than necessary sleeping for no reason whatsoever.

Pushing the button on her intercom, she requested to see Agent's Williamson and Ryan.  They were by far her greatest assets, obeying orders and carrying them out without any hesitation…except on a few minor occasions.

The boy she had met with earlier had been taken home by Agent Richardson…that she was sure of.  Yet so far she hadn't heard anything from the said Agent, despite the fact that he was to report back to her no matter what time of the day it was.

Niobe was everyone's primary target right now, whether the rebel herself, knew it or not.  With Neo suddenly gone, Morpheus and the remainder of his crew appeared to have dropped off the radar screen.  Surprisingly, it was Niobe and her crew that felt to take on where Morpheus had left off.   It was only a matter of time before they were all taken care of.

The door to her office now opening, she was happy to see that along with the two she had requested to see, Agent Richardson had accompanied them.

"You wished to see us," Agent Williamson stated, standing slightly more in front of the other two. 

Leila had not made him the leader of the pack, nor did she think that the Mainframe had either, but the Agent had apparently taken it upon himself to take on the responsibility.  That was fine with her, as long as he didn't screw anything up.  Even with sentient programs, she worried about egos.

"Yes, I did.   But it appears as if the Agent that was in question can now answer for himself…" she said, leaning back against her desk.   "…Any complications I should know about?" she added, directing the last bit to Agent Richardson.

"The boy's memory has been modified and his injuries treated" he responded on cue.

Eying the Agent suspiciously, Leila had the feeling that that wasn't all.  If it had only been the boy's memory and injuries to fix, then it would have taken much less time for Agent Richardson to report back to her.  Apparently, Agents could lie, even if it was only by omission.

"You're leaving something out…" she said, staring down at the Agent that was the target of her scrutiny.

"Due to Smith's arrival at the residence, there was moderate to severe damage caused to the building.  It therefore required that the coding restructure itself in order to restore everything to its original state…" he continued, still appearing unfazed.

"…The noise level at the time apparently increased to a disturbing level, causing residents of the surrounding area to take notice" Agent Ryan added.

"I take that means that you had several people to deal with" she directed back at Agent Richardson, who gave a curt "yes" in response.

"We are to now wait for the boy to make contact with Niobe" Agent Williamson stated.

"Yes, so far everything is going as planned…except for a few new developments" she responded, watching as the three Agents looked at one another.

"Developments…" said Ryan.

"…of what kind" ended Richardson, who seemed to show a slight curiosity.

Smiling at her fellow Agents, she shrugged, going back around to her side of the desk, and taking a seat. 

The only new development that worried her was the one in which she now had to deal with a Smith as her partner.  Which meant that even though the original Smith did not know of his new, upgraded self, the Smith that she was working with sure as hell did.

She didn't trust either Smith, which left her in a very precarious situation.  Leila had read through the Agent's file long ago, and had at once become fascinated by the unique program.   He had done things that no other Agent program had even thought of doing, and that included making a deal with a human.  Unfortunately, it appeared as if Mr. Reagan had never had a chance to see if Smith would have lived up to his end of the bargain.   Maybe it was time for her to give it a shot.

The three Agents still waiting patiently in front of her, she let them leave, making sure that they were out of her office before picking up her phone and dialing a number.

As the phone rang, Leila eventually heard the faint 'click' of someone picking up on the other end.  She received no 'hello' to go along with the person picking up the phone, but she didn't waste any time as she promptly started talking.

"It's me.  Put him on the phone" she ordered, already impatient at the thought of her plan…no matter how insane it was.

She didn't hear anything on the other end of the line, but as no one had hung up on her, she took it as a sign that whoever it was, had gone to fetch the individual she wanted to talk to.

"Who is this…?" she eventually heard come from the other end. 

It was the familiar sound of the weary old man whom Leila had had an interesting meeting with only a few days before. 

As the Program Keeper, he was an invaluable asset to her, or to anyone that was able to use him for their own devices.   It had been his job to keep a record and a copy of every single program that had ever been created or used within the Matrix.  Unfortunately, as with many data programs, his memory was limited, and as time went on, the System created a new Program Keeper, transferring all of the previous program's information, into the newer version. 

This now meant that he was no longer needed and could be deleted.  Of course, as with many programs facing extinction, he chose to forgo deletion and now existed as an A-Level threat to the System.  Yet there was one thing that the Mainframe had failed to keep in mind…the Program Keeper still had memory left…no matter how small it was.

 "It's your dear old friend…" Leila responded warmly, hoping to get what she wanted.  "I need you to tell me who the latest upgraded Agents are."

Hearing another one of those long sighs from the old man, she hoped that he wasn't about to be stubborn.  He knew a lot about the newest programs that the Mainframe had to offer, and Leila would be damned if she didn't get the information she needed.

"You know them…" he responded.  "The only new sentient programs that I have a record of, are E51690 – 11156 and E51690 – 11157…yet these are only modified versions."

A completely baffled expression on her face, Leila sighed herself. 

"I meant give me names…not their damn numbers!" she answered back, her frustration growing. 

"Very well…" he stated calmly.  For him, time was of little consequence, which meant that he could most likely drag this conversation on forever.  It did appear however, as if Leila wouldn't be able to wait that long.   "…I believe you're familiar with Agent Brown and Agent Jones."

Whatever she was expecting, it certainly hadn't been that.  Jumping out of her chair, and this time not hitting her head against anything, she tried to think of something to say.  Sadly, nothing came to mind.   The Program Keeper however, took the time to explain.

"As you have read both Smith and the others' files countless times, you are aware of the fact that after the three Agent's encounter with Neo, the Mainframe immediately ordered Smith to report for deletion.   Since he was in part, structurally connected with the other two, the Mainframe also considered ordering them to report for deletion as well.  There had been too much of a risk that their coding had been corrupted.  In the end however, it appeared to be too much work, if that was even possible, for the System to destroy the two of them and create two more Agents.  So it was then ordered that both Agents be modified, the structure of their coding checked for any discrepancies, and then be reassigned back into the Matrix." he finally finished, sounding more tired and weak than when he had started.

Recovering quickly from her temporary state of astonishment, she didn't bother even saying 'thank you', before slamming the receiver down in its place.

Agents Brown and Jones…while not as dominant as Smith had been, they were certainly still at the top of the list.  And now she had a chance to meet them.  This was turning out to be a much better day than expected.

Practically running out of her office, she threw open her door, causing it to slam against the wall behind it.  The two secretary-like ladies sitting behind their desks didn't even flinch at the loud sound that Leila had caused.   They were definitely not human, or they would have jumped out of their seats.

As they had most likely been assigned to her and Smith for a reason, she took the opportunity of using the two ladies, rather than looking for the two Agents on her own.

Walking up to the desk nearest to her, Leila watched as the middle-aged woman looked up.

"Can I help you, Miss Varzideh?" the lady asked almost robotically.

"Er…yes" she replied, although not quite sure just how to word her request.  She had always gone with the blunt approach…it was better she stuck with it now, too.  " I need you to contact Agent's Brown and Jones."

Expecting some sort of 'I cannot comply with that request' type of response, Leila was again happy to see that the lady merely nodded quickly and looked back down at her computer screen.

To Leila, it just looked as if the lady had gone back to whatever she had been doing, leaving her to stand there like an idiot.  Seconds ticked by and she still hadn't received any response.  Now glaring at the woman, Leila was ready to walk out and find the two on her own.  Yet it seemed as if the lady had actually been doing something, as she heard a voice behind her say "they're here".

Turning around, she recognized the Agent that had spoken up, to be the one from the previous day who had told her that she needed an access card.  The jerk.

"You mean…they're here, here?" she asked him, wondering just how in the world her request had gone through so fast.

Merely receiving a 'look' in response, the Agent moved aside, revealing another two suit-clad gentlemen.  They were here.

"Hello boys, nice timing…"she said cheerily, finding the efficiency of everyone to be pretty damn good.

They looked the same as in their file photos…one tall and very broad shouldered, the enforcer type no doubt, and the other shorter and more agile looking…definitely the faster one of the group.  But overall, appearances were just that…appearances.  When it came to tracking and killing, both were probably equal in their capabilities.

"I have a mission of sorts, for you both…" she continued, as the two Agents looked on. 

Unlike Smith, they didn't have that annoyed type of look that he was so prone to having.  This made things much easier.

"…Your former comrade is no doubt wandering around somewhere in this city, although I can't say for certain where.  It is imperative that I meet with him…as soon as possible."

Noting the look that passed between the two Agents, she knew that they were questioning her motives.  They did after all, work for the System, which meant that what she was asking them to do was probably crossing the line.  But frankly, she didn't care.

"I do not understand…" Agent Jones spoke up, not really computing what was being said.  "…We were required to abandon all of our searches for rogue programs.  It is no longer our priority."

He definitely was the talkative one of the bunch.  But that was always a good quality with where she was concerned.  She had had difficulty getting Agents to even answer her questions in the past.  At least she didn't have to worry about that with this one.

"It may no longer be your priority, but it is now my number one priority, and I need your help to do it" she answered back, walking towards the two of them.

"You have the ability to request other Agents to be sent to assist you.  There is no need for us" Agent Brown now answered, his voice indicating that they still were not picking up on her reasons for requesting them.

"True…" she agreed, tilting her head to one side as if thinking about it.  "…however, you have a history with him, and I think that that may come in handy.   I am not about to take any chances."

Strolling past the two Agents, she made it clear that this was the end of the conversation.  All they needed to do was to find Smith and detain him.  She didn't think that it was that hard to do.  Except maybe for the slight fact that there were probably countless Smith's everywhere in the city.

They didn't need telling twice as Leila promptly heard the footsteps of both Agents, falling in line behind her.

"When you find him, call me" she said, making for the elevator.

Allowing them to enter, she watched as the doors closed, the two Agents now on their way downstairs and heading to track down their former leader.

* * *

The Core Network was buzzing with activity as the main streets were packed with people, all rushing to go somewhere they thought that they just had to be. 

It was your typical downtown, the skyscrapers slowly decreasing in number as one went along, leading right into the deserted area of the city.

The abandoned building that had housed the old weary man only two days prior, now seemed even more derelict.  The sign out front read "Jenson's Lumber Mill" in large yet very faded, green letters. 

Luckily for Smith, he did not have to deal with being amongst the mass population of humans, who lined the pavement only blocks away.

He had eventually been able to get up and out of the position he had been in during his time at the boy's home.  It had been unfortunate, but now he was aware of the situation, and could take an appropriate course of action.

As a rogue program, he understood that he could no longer have access to any of the Mainframe's information; causing him to rely on either using his own duplicates, or tracking down other exiled programs.  While he usually opted for the former, this time around, he needed someone who had information that he could not find out himself.

The Program Keeper had been one of the most important programs that had been created by the System.  All Agents knew about it, although there had never been any need for its use, at least not with Smith.

It hadn't been long before Smith's 'change', that the older version of the Program Keeper had been classified as 'outdated'.   It was only a matter of time before he found out, just what exactly the old program was now up to.

Entering the lower level of the building, his crisp dark suit and polished shoes stood out amongst the stale air and dirty floors.  He didn't mind however, as his focus was only on one thing in particular.

The only things visible were a chair and a desk, no sign of anyone else in the surrounding area.  But he knew…there had been someone here a short while ago, the coding of the room showing that there had been major changes in its structure fairly recently.   The Program Keeper had been here…yet there was no telling where he could be now.

He had never been the patient type, and all these new scenarios were directing him off his track.  Even his duplicates were having a hard time finding the answers to the questions he still had.  And new questions had arisen within the last forty-eight hours, ones which needed answers; the only person capable of doing so, was the one person he could not find.

His hands balled into fists, Smith moved his head to one side and cracked it.  It was an unnecessary action, but one which always seemed to indicate when he was angry or frustrated.  In a flash, the desk, which had been on its four legs, was now in pieces on the floor, having been thrown violently against the wall.  Things were not going well for him.

He was sick of everything…sick of Mr. Anderson, sick of the Rebellion, sick of the System, and frankly just sick of both the humans and the machines in general.

With one last glance around the room, Smith walked towards the door, hoping that maybe something on the main level of the factory would be of help.  What he saw however, made him stop in his tracks, as a look of faint surprise graced his face.

Out of the shadows, two individuals approached…namely Agent Brown and Agent Jones.  Apparently they had not been deleted as Smith had thought they'd been.

"Well I see that you both are still very much active.  It is like a reunion of sorts, although I assume that you are not here to assure me that I was missed," he said smoothly, noting that both his former colleagues appeared ready to strike.   They had been sent to capture him; something that did not really surprise him in the least.

Brown and Jones were still plugged in, making it clear that there was no possible way for the ex-Agent to relate to them how he felt, or what his new purpose was.  

"You are corrupted" Agent Jones replied tonelessly, not even bothering to show his distaste. 

They had all once worked as a single unit, doing their jobs as one…and always getting it done.  Now, they were pitted against each other…the head of them now staring off with his two associates.

Smith's smile vanishing, he kept his expression neutral, not bothering to appear threatened. 

"Unfortunately Agent Jones, you are not capable of understanding what I have become, what my purpose is…" he said, motioning his hand to encompass their surroundings.  "I am now much more than a tool of the System."

"It is irrelevant what you assume yourself to be.  Our mission is to detain you" Agent Brown answered curtly, seeming impatient as he took the time to look over at Agent Jones.

It had been a long time since Smith had interacted with sentient programs like himself, but he had not forgotten the mannerisms and movements which indicated an Agent's course of action.

Watching as both Brown and Jones approached, Smith raised an eyebrow, wondering if the two of them thought that they would be able to hold him down.  He hated being underestimated.

"I believe you have yet to be introduced to my new colleagues" he said, prompting both the Agents to glance around.

Countless Smiths had now entered from the single door behind them, encircling both the original Smith and the two Agents.   There must have been twenty or so, all within ten feet of their targets.

"Certainly you didn't think that I would be easy to detain" he sneered at them, obviously displeased at their arrogance.

Both the Agents took a step back, unsure of what they were to do.  All they had been ordered to accomplish was to detain the ex-Agent; they had not been given any other relevant data on their former partner, other than he was corrupted and would soon be captured and deleted.

"Goodbye Agent's Brown…Jones" Smith sighed, slowly removing his glasses and looking rather bemusedly at the two of them.

All at once, the twenty Smiths leaped forward, jumping well into the air and preparing to grab hold of the two Agents.  Yet none of them ever expected to suddenly bounce backwards in midair and slam back into the walls behind them.

Both the Agents looked around, no doubt more confused than before.  As for Smith himself, his eyes were wide, wondering just what exactly had happened.

The Smiths around them beginning to slowly get to their feet, the sound of a single pair of footsteps could be heard descending the stairs. 

Forgetting momentarily about the situation they all were in, all heads turned towards the door, a slightly stunned Smith looking on, ready to kill just about anyone who walked in.

"You know…" a feminine voice started from the staircase, opening the door and eying the situation. "…in the Core Network there are certain barriers present, basically made of coding so condensed that it can act as an impenetrable wall."

The voice was unfamiliar to Smith, although by the looks of it, the female was undeniably human.  No human, other than members of the Rebellion knew anything about the Core Network, leaving Smith to watch this girl in front him closely.  There was no point in killing her right away.

"Of course, only a few people know that such barriers exist…most of the programs within the Matrix are also completely oblivious to it.  Unfortunately, it's still hell to get a hold of a decent barrier coding, even if you do know about it."

Moving forward and standing directly in the sun's rays, the girl appeared overly confident, something that most humans naturally were.  She was young, and obviously arrogant, standing beside Agent's Brown and Jones as if she were taking a stroll through the park.

"Lucky for me…I've got people that owe me a few favors here and there…and voila!" she said smiling, her hands clasping together to make her point.

"It is however, unlucky for you…" Smith answered back, his mouth twitching at the sides.  This female may have known about the structure of the System, but she did not take into consideration that she was still only human.

"Really? How so?" she asked in response, appearing to be truly curious as to how it was that she was just so unlucky.   "You cannot touch Agent's Brown and Jones, nor can you touch me.  I don't see how that makes me unlucky in any way."

It was obvious that she had made a point, as all the Smiths looked expectantly at their predecessor.  The human was obviously a rarity…knowing things, or at least appearing to know things that could possibly stop him in his tracks.   He wasn't however, about to wait and find out.

While he had never used it since his 're-birth', Smith soon had his Desert Eagle out, and not hesitating, pulled the trigger, sending a bullet straight at her.  It shouldn't have surprised him then, that a loud sound emanated from a few feet in front of where the girl was standing. 

The bullet had slammed into a non-existent wall, flattening into a silver shaped disc on impact.  Falling to the floor with a small clatter, the bullet had sadly, not done its' job.

"What part of 'impenetrable', did you not understand?" she responded darkly, obviously annoyed that the ex-Agent hadn't believed anything she had said. 

Agent's Brown and Jones, realizing it was probably the best time to take action, immediately reached for their weapons simultaneously, stopping suddenly as the human spoke up.

"I don't need him dead," she stated firmly, looking at the two of them; and then realizing that the countless other Smiths seemed ready to lunge again, she gave Smith a friendly reminder.

"I would have hoped that you remembered that you are no longer an Agent of the System.  Adding that to the fact that right now you pretty much can't try and clone yourself by using the Agents and myself, you should try and remember that you can still be destroyed" she said, walking towards one of the Smiths that lined a side of the room. 

Eying the Smith clone up and down, she smirked as she saw his hands constantly ball into fists as she inspected his suit, his tie, and his sunglasses.  Not to mention her taking the liberty of walking behind him and inspecting what could only be the nape of his neck, and his back.

"I just want to talk…that's all" she said to the Smith in front of her, not bothering to address the 'original'.

"I'm listening" Smith replied through gritted teeth, slightly unnerved at the fact that he didn't appear to have control over the matter.

Laughing softly, she turned her direction towards the one and only.  "No no…I'd rather converse somewhere that didn't have this much 'anxiety' in the air."

Turning around, she walked back towards the door, pausing to address the ex-Agent once more.

"Well, follow me then" she said, now already half way up the stairs.

This presumptuous girl was practically threatening him into following her.  Smith was not one to take orders, especially not from a human girl.  Yet, everything was going wrong, thus resulting in him having no choice but to follow the girl up the stairs.

The sun now having risen, it was now clear that she had known exactly where to come. Two black Mercedes were parked directly outside, both of them housing what looked to be Agents in the driver's seats.  This human was working for the System.

"Please…get in the car" she said, motioning towards the first Mercedes.

Either this human thought he was stupid, or she was insane.  Smith assumed that it was most likely both.

Raising an eyebrow in response, it was quite clear that he would rather not get in the vehicle.

"Oh don't worry.  If we wanted to you destroyed, you would have been gone a looong time ago" she emphasized, making it clear that he didn't have an option.

As the girl went to open the door, she gestured for him to go in.

Walking cautiously forward, it was obvious that whatever this human was thinking, he would not find out on his own. 

Entering the vehicle, he moved towards the far side of the car, allowing the girl to enter.  She was actually going to sit next to him…voluntarily.  This was definitely a new occurrence. 

As she closed the door beside her, she leaned forward towards the driver's seat, giving the Agent an address.  Settling back down in her seat, she focused her attention on the rogue program. 

"Just another fact I should mention.  We're still in the Core Network, meaning that you can't touch me…" she started, and then added on an afterthought "…well, you can technically 'touch' me, but I'm assuming that any physical contact with me on your behalf would be to either injure or kill me.  So please keep that in mind in case you get any homicidal tendencies."

So far Smith hadn't said much, which bothered her to no end.  Hell, if it were her, she would have been asking questions left and right.  But that's what was different about them: she was human and he was a program.

"You apparently know who I am, but I have yet to know who I am spending my time with" he started, his eyes never leaving hers.

Receiving a small chuckle in response, Smith frowned.  This was not the reaction he had anticipated.

"How silly of me…my name is Leila" she said kindly, even putting out her hand to shake his.

Whether or not he had actually thought about declining to shake her hand, he didn't show it as he courteously gave his hand to her in response.

"You are not with the Rebellion…" he stated, briefly calculating the risk of trying to break her hand with his own.

"And how exactly do you figure that, Mr. Smith?" Leila asked him, as if already knowing the answer.

All she got in return was another arch of the eyebrow, and another question in return.

"What do you want Miss…Leila?"

"Well, it's an interesting story actually…" she stated, preferring to look out the window rather than at the ex-Agent as she spoke.  "…I was recently required to work with a partner, one which I believed to be more of a nuisance than anything else.  This partner, whom I've only had for less than 24 hours, has already become a pain in my ass.  And yet, this said partner of mine has actually been given the task of capturing and destroying the most wanted rogue agents within the Matrix…and lo and behold, you're on the list."

It was a quick summary of a long and complicated story, but it would have to do for now.  She wasn't about to divulge any more information than she had to…not until she got what she wanted.

For the next few minutes, silence enveloped the car, Leila keeping her eyes on the passing scenery, and Smith keeping his eyes on her.

The trip wasn't long however, as the car finally stopped a few minutes later.

They were now in front of what looked to be a quaint little French café.  It was still early in the morning, yet there were several groups of people already sitting outside on umbrellas, sipping on coffee and eating freshly baked pastries.

The smell of bread wafting through the car, Leila quickly opened the car door, getting out and waiting for Smith to follow.  A deal would be made…whether the ex-Agent was aware of it or not.

To Be Continued…