Title: The Kingdom of Hell. V2.0

Author: TheRedPony

Rating: R, consensual sex and language.

Feedback: Please and thank you.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Matrix nor any thing else related the films. It is not my world, just my playground.

Story Notes: Chapters 1-9 are benign re written completely. Story will shift focus, and will fill in a lot of the gaps.

With our decadent minds

And our innocent lines

You'll be playing our games

With your bodies in flames

When delirious fun

Has seriously begun

You'll be down on your knees

You'll be begging us please

- Depeche Mode

The Merovingian gazed at the boy sitting across the desk at him. He was tall and lengthy, with short-cropped hair, and a punctiliously neat appearance. The boy was wise beyond his age, and had been a merciless negotiator. Then again Her Lady would only be sending the best to punish him. His day had long sense gone to hell in a hand basket so why should he be surprised that the devil had sent her minion to him.

He had never actually met Her Lady, or L by her given name. Well possibly given, she could have changed it. And of course she wasn't really the devil, but it was all fine to think of her like that. Making deals with her had turned out to be a lot like selling your soul. He knew almost nothing about her, except that she paid for her info very well, and those in her favor called them selves the demons of hell. They were not all rouge programs, the boy who sat before him was human, this he knew, but why she would have humans in her staff he did not know. They were always aware of the Matrix when they came, but they did not read like the rebels whom had hacked there way back in. She was a mystery, and she was old, as old as the Architect. It unnerved him; he did not like to have a client who could not even be bothered to come to his restaurant. How could he impress them then, with his money and bodyguards? Well it turns out the witch had been impressed, but not with him, with the Twins. This was even more of an insult. She wanted to buy them from him. You couldn't just buy away the Merovingian's bodyguards. Really in this place who needed money when you had power. It appeared however that this girl had power like he did.

Her lackey, this boy who sat before him was accompanied by one of his own guards. Master Xiao the whelp had called him. Well Master Xiao, whatever the hell he, was starting to creep him out. The man stood behind the boys' chair. He had stood there for four hours, and even the Merovingian's own three guards had to retire to sit. It wasn't the standing though that was creepy it was the complete and utter stillness, bar for the meticulously slow rise and fall of his chest. They were dressed exactly alike the boy and the man. Both had black suits with deep red shirts under the pressed black coats. Both had black boots with very odd, and very deadly silver spurs in the toes.

The older man looked a bit like Neo, The One, they called him, well he was the fucking One that made such a mess of his house. He was different in many respects, from Neo though. His hair was not black, but a multi highlighted sort of red blond. It looked like his programmer couldn't decide which colour would go better and so gave him both. Well if he had a programmer that was. This man didn't feel like a program, but he sure in hell didn't feel like a human. He had an intriguing face as well. It did not have the lines of years to mar it but it seemed very wise and old. Neo was cocky and arrogant; things that the Merovingian did not appreciate but could still sanction. This man however had none of this. He had no perceivable ego.

The boy nodded the man, and finally this one, Xiao, moved. His black glasses caught the light and glittered lime green then flame red, as he cracked his neck. He smiled and turned his gaze to the Merovingian. He had fangs rows of double serrated fangs. Definitely not human, the Merovingian noted. "You will reconsider my friend. Have you ever met an agent?"

"Oiu?! What do you think I am? Of course I have seen an agent." His accent was ridiculously heavily with French overtones.

"Were you frightened?"

The Merovingian hesitated, caught between saving face in front of these two, and the knowledge that every one was frightened of agents and every one knew it. "Quoi ainsi?" He snapped, "So what, every one is afraid"

"Not every one" The man slowly shook his head. His voice was cold glass, and as still as the rest of him. "We do not run from agents. We have immunity from many. And their numbers are ranked in the Kingdom of Hell."

"You do not have agents. Its some stupid rumour you swap around to make people fear you." His voice sounded sure, but his eyes betrayed his fear. He had heard this, he had heard of then agents with glasses like this mans, who's black finished danced in green and red.

"Any one who has met her lady knows that she always travels with four agents at her side. You would not want to make her mad would you? Agents can be a dreadful hitch in any ones plans." His voice had risen slightly, as if he was excited by the idea of a good fight.

"So let me guess, this is your back up plan? If I do not sell you the brothers, you threaten me with agents." The quirky French had hardened to a knife-edge tone.

"Their not brothers, Ya know. I thought you would be at least half way smart enough to see that." Moues spoke up

"Shut up boy, I have had it with you." The Merovingian reached in his desk to pull out his gun, but before he could, Xiao had leapt over the desk, and kicked into the Frenchman's arm. The bone splintered violently, and he with drew his arm with a scream.

The Merovingian bodyguards were up and armed as soon as they saw the black streak. All their guns were trained on Master Xiao, and this had been a mistake. The Boy stood form his chair, and in one clean motion had thrown three knifes, one each into the jugular vein of the henchman. They fell to the floor gurgling blood on to the silver grey carpet.

The man looked at the bodies on the floor and sighed, "Honestly you keep such poor company."

Mouse spoke again "We want you answer today, now. Don't be stupid; Neo took out your guards. Do you think we will have any problems with them?"

"That man and his team are no ordinary humans."

"You forget M., neither am I. Your answer?"

"The twins lost to him too." It was a last desperate plea. His voice wavered for the first time. The twins were his best. Were would he be with out those white bastards.

"That is irrelevant they will be trained. Your answer?"

The Merovingian hesitated. Then Xiao drew the gun from the desk he had been reaching for. Cocked the trigger and pressed it too his temple, his over hand clenched on the broken arm.

"ALRIGHT! Their yours" The man gasped, cursing slightly under his breath in French. "But I still expect payment." Xiao put the gun away.

"Of course M. we are civilized gentlemen, your payment will be happily delivered, we will be coming for the twins tomorrow at noon, until then they are yours. Oh and should you need anything." The boy held out a white business card, emerald letters were embossed on it. "Mouse, Demon of Hell Ext. R118" and that was it.

"You will know what to do with that should the need arise. Remember tomorrow at noon." The boy and the man both left the office with economy of stride, and clipped the door shut behind him. Leaving the disheveled man sitting alone, fuming in his anger and nursing a broken arm.

***

They were strolling down a long French blue hallway, when screams caught their attention. It was the Merovingian screaming. "Good" they thought together. "The bloody prick deserves it" They were two mirrors of the same body; flawless and pale white albino skin. One looked to his brother, and in the same instant Two returned the glance, they were simply One and Two they needed no names. Their eyes met for an instant gazing at their own faces both before them and in the reflection of his shadows glasses. Rarely did they speak for words were wasted, they knew each other's thoughts, and not in a simple reading of minds but as one mind in two bodies. All One had to do was reach his mind for Two or the other way about, and they knew how much each other hurt, or if they needed help, all emotion, all things were shared. They had not one secret from each other; they knew each other's minds and bodies, their limits, every breath of their personality. It was no quixotic thing what they shared, but a bond so deep, to think of life with out his other could crush them. The slinked up to the door and waited, sensitive ears strained for a taste of what was happening. Of course they could have entered and defended their master, but why when he had beat them and used them.

They did not have to wait long. They jumped backwards as two men walked through the door. The younger's eyes turned to look over the twins. He nodded with a curt gesture; every movement he made seemed starched and planned. Now they could tell these were messengers of Her Lady with out a doubt. The pressed black trousers and crisp black blazer always buttoned neatly; the shirt and tie were always the made from the same fabric, and although the colors changed from time to time, they were always rich and dark. This time the shirts and ties were a deep shadowy crimson much the color of blood that has let to sit. On their face they wore sunglasses, squared with a slight sweep to the tail of them, but they were very formally shaped non-the less. The glasses of her ladies demons, were always the same color, Onyx black that iridesced with bands of lime and blood red hues, this last edition to hide the secrets in their eyes.

The man was a bit too proper, too precise to be real; it made the château look like cluttered mess in his wake. The same as setting fine china on a table along side paper plates. The other was a tall boy, with messy brown hair. He had less of a look of over stated perfection, and more of a friendly impish face. His face had an ancient aura to it too; it wasn't warped with years just patriarchal. Had the twins been human, they might have said he appeared an old soul.

"She will be most pleased with her new acquisition I am sure of it." The man stated, he nodded again this time even less noticeable and quickly, he turned on his heals and clipped down the halls.

"Don't mind him. He cranky because he hates playing the messenger boy, but he just paid you a compliment. Come tomorrow at noon, you best be ready to go. She is going to meet you personally, you should be honored."

"Who is going to meet use?" One spoke for the two of them.

"The Devil of course." The reply was flat and mater of factual.

"We are her new acquisitions?" The twins normally unvarying expression, because exasperation, fear, suspense and most of all confusion rolled into one."

"You two look like you just hit with a car mates. Relax a bit, and remember noon." The boy flashed a true smile then followed his guardian to the elevator. They both vanished with a soft hiss of closing doors metal doors. The crystal ring of their heeled boots, equipped as always with silver spurred toes, hung echoing off the long hall.

***

For a moment they stood dumfounded. Then they in turn snapped down to the elevator. They fidgeted waiting for the lift to come back to this level. They never fidgeted, but this was not any normal day.

"She can't be worse then him" One whispered.

They stepped in the elevator their smiles growing to all out grins. "No nothing is worse…" "… But we'll be all right. So soon…" "… We will be done of him…" "…His stupid accent…""no more stupid restaurant…""… only twenty-six hours …" They grinned at each other, beautiful smiles, like mirrored reflections. It dint mater whom had said what, they probably could not have told you. One thought for two bodies, to them it was heaven.

They never really smiled unless they were alone together. Together they were free. Two slipped his arms around the waste of his twin, and One laid his hand on his twins' cheek, the other hand pulled them close together. The kiss was short but emblazoned by new hope and the trill of adventure. A tongue slipped out and grazed the others lower lip. Then teeth, careful, to leave no marks. One gasped, and Two took the opportunity to slip deeper into the warm welcome of his twins' mouth. His tongue trailed and flicked One's pallet and warred with his tongue.

They could not remember when they first knew. It had always been this way; there love for one another was the purest form of their bond. They were not brothers; they were reflections of the same being. Neither was the original or the clone they just were and they were beautiful together. The kissed again, the joy at the new freedom from there heartless master mounting. Not only were they going to the great realm of hell, but also they would be going in style, personally requested by Her Lady, the Merovingian had never even seen her, in the clubs they had herd programs speak of her. She wasn't a program at all the rumors went, but a different kind of machine. She was built to be a perfect fighter and spy for the humans. But she and her genetically engineered comrades had turned against men, in the Great War. They were allies with the machines. Rumors even spawned that she helped to write the Matrix.

Two slipped his hands between them, popping buttons from his lovers' vest and shirt open with deft hands. They traveled like white doves caressing each new inch of bared flesh. One moaned gently at the skilful fingers of his love. Two's fingers grazed laggardly over his skin, their eyes always locked through the shadowy realm of those inky glasses. Leaning forward, lips were caught in fiery kisses and burning paths worked their way over Ones body in the wake of Two's hands.

The elevator opened its doors with a low hiss and the twins grinning like school boys dragged each other too their lavish rooms. One opened the door, and pulled Two inside. The instant it was closed he was on the other, kisses and hands roaming like wild animals over his lovers' body, truly his soul mate. One grabbed Two's hands however and held them tight.

"Come" He whispered and dragged the white creature with him towards the bed.

One, laid his twin down on the bed, and then drew his razor.

"Play nice"

"We always do"

One slid the blade so that the cold steal edged and pricked at Two's skin. It left little red marks but it was a testament to their skill with the blades as not as single drop of blood was spilled.

The blade drew down over the white silk shirt. He parted the jacket so it lay like pools of glistening mercury around his lovers' body. One loved just to watch Two's body. It was the same as his own, but his essence filled it out in a way no other soul could. This was his alter. Small silver buttons fell loose with a pass the silver blade, and one watched the sensual way they rocked back and forth, as Two's breath came more ragged.

They wore not normally ones for late morning fucks, but this was a special occasion.

One finely flicked the buttons of Twos chest and they fell to the floor with a wry hand. The glittering sound as they fell reminded One of empty bullets casings to the floor. He liked that sound. They heard it when they fought side by side. This was one of the few activities he enjoyed more.

Ones blade traced lines on the newly presented skin, of Two's chest. One never cut his lover, never would he do any thing that would hurt him, at least not hurt him a lot. He grinned and replaced the icy steel with his burning mouth.

"Off" Two mouth as he struggled out of his coat and other top garments. One sat back and let him do as much; he loved to watch Two in this sort of frenzy. The jacket was tossed to the floor, along with the vest and not destroyed shirt. Some how he had managed to remove the tie and tie pin along with it ad hadn't wrong his neck. Panic can let use do some amazing things.

"This would be easier if we would stop sitting on our legs and let us faze" Two was gasping. "We hate it when you prevent us from doing it"

One looked down at him eyes widening. True if they concentrated hard enough they could keep each other from changing form, but One had been too distracted to do that. "We do not hold stop us from fazing? What do we mean?" In fact One had been wondering why Two had been so patent and not fazed out of his clothes yet.

Two pushed him self up "We are not stopping us? Then how…" He stopped mid sentence, they new the answer to that, it was how the Merovingian controlled them. A device he had written, it was no bigger then a beeper but he could use it to prevent them from fazing. It was some how attached to their coding, they never found out how it worked but they knew it did, and that was enough.

"That bastard" One hissed.

"You should not speak of you master like that my pretty little pearls. One might think you were disloyal." The Merovingian stepped out of a dark shadow. There was a walk in closet there with a door inside of that, which connected to their bathrooms. At first they had thought it a novel thing. Now they knew it was a handy way for the Merovingian to use his keys to get any were in the château, and never be herd entering.

Two was sitting up into Ones arms, as one still startled his legs.

"Are you boys being naughty again?" The Merovingian strode across the room and drew a black knife from his belt. His arm was heeled a bit of manipulation of his code has fixed that, but the felling pain was still fresh in his mind. He wanted them to feel a hell of a lot before they were going to leave. The twins where sitting statue still, as he took the blade to Two's flesh. A red welt split and wept crimson on the white of Twos pale skin. The Merovingian had cut them before but his next move startled them.

Leaning in, he licked the length of One's ear who shuddered at the sickening heat. "Lick if off."

One shook his head no.

"Do it. You know what I can do if you don't." His hand slipped inside of his pocked to the small black device, to punctuate his point. Two arched up, and let out an eerie mechanical scream. He collapsed back down shuddering, it was the worse pain any program could deal, it was their code being pulled apart strand by strand, "Its so much fun messing with your code, but I think your minds will be more fun to fuck up." He shoved One's head down towards Two's shoulder "Clean your brother up, of I will pick you apart byte by byte."

One looked into Two's eyes looking for forgiveness, understanding at this violation, anything. Twos hands came up and touched One's sides, but his eyes clamped shut. Ones pink tongue tentatively darted out and licked away the seeping blood. Two clenched and One drew back.

"We cant, it is too deep, it will hurt us." The Merovingian's hand stroked ones soft cheek, and then drifted into the not unpleasant feeling of his course dreadlocks.

"Is it too deep? We wouldn't want to hurt us know, would we." His voice was condescending, with sarcasm dripping like acid from its cold edges. He grasped Ones jaw with his right hand, and crushed him with a bruising kiss. The other hand laid on Twos cut, and he dug a finger deep in the warm red depths. Both Twins gasped in shared pain. Then man pushed One back down over Twos body. "I want you to hurt your brother, you sot. If you don't I will, and that will hurt him a hell of a lot more."

***

Neo was frowning as he watched the new crewmembers approach they awaiting hovercraft. This Nebuchadnezzar was the reconstruction of the first Nebuchadnezzar that had been destroyed by the machines. Most in Zion, while they acknowledged the skill of its crew had no desire to join the so-called Widow Maker of Zion's fleet. So they Neb, as it was called in common, was left with an odd assortment of new crew members who for some reason or another had not flatly refused to join it. Ammit the human raised by a program, and Wyvern the slightly jumpy man who claimed to actually like the food slop.

A young boy with a shaved head walked in tattered clothes towards Neo. This boy had been a last minute addition, and the rest of the crew was already on board. His name was Fish and apparently he was known by Ammit another one of the new shipmates. She had not said so specifically but has spoke well of him at the news of the change. Fish bowed his head to Neo as he entered, and smiled honestly to him. His black ruck-sac, rustled as he walked, eyes gazing over the construction of the new ship. Fish entered the large area at the top of the ramp and smiled at the faces that surrounded him. He nodded to Morpheus, it as common custom for a new crewmember to officially introduce them selves to the captain, but he merrily stood and waited until Ammit move to stand beside him.

Ammit was tiny, not much for then five feet but she was a feral little thing. Her skin was a soft olive color and her hair was ink black, cropped short and level just above her ears. She was the adopted daughter of Anubis, a now exile program who had once been in charge of compiling the file information of all minds who died in the Matrix, this included rebel's. Anubis had grown compassionate to the human cause and there for had been slated for deletion. Zion owed a few considerable favors to Anubis who had kept their secrets guarded from the mainframe and worked to insure the files of deceased rebels never made it into the non-existent hands of the Mainframe. Well Anubis had cashed one of those favours in when agents had started eyeing his daughter. Ammit was sent here for safety, not that she didn't take many risks as a valuable crew member. Her value was not the issue; it was just that many captains were uneasy having a program-raised girl in their crew. Morpheus was willing to take the risk, because of the gift that she possessed. A trick she had learned from Anubis allowed her to read files instantaneously. All she had to do was look into a program or humans eyes and she knew what they were thinking, and a good many of their memories should she peer deep enough. Even if her gift was limited, the captain of the Nebuchadnezzar felt it might come in very handy.

"Captain Morpheus, this is Fish. He doesn't talk much but when he does its always something important." Fish nodded his head again

Morpheus returned the gesture "I can appreciate that Fish, welcome to the Nebuchadnezzar" Fish's grin widened. "Why don't you show him to his room while we wait for clearance to leave, Ammit." The tiny girl took the taller boys black sack and led him from the room.

Neo had entered and closed the hatch door. "Great, a program's little girl, a spaz, and a mute" Neo thought to him self, he knew that these were not things he should be thinking, but he thought them anyway. Being in Zion always made him this way. To many people all following him around giving him things he didn't want, people glaring at him thinking that this was what he wanted. Why couldn't they just leave him alone?

***

It had taken over an hour before they were cleared to leave Zion; security had become absurdly tight as of late. But now they were out in the open, if it was not for the scorched skies above and the destroyed cities below, then you could be actually quite free and happy out here. Well the sky was scorched and the ground was ruins but social time always helped to lift a new crews sprits. At current they were all gathered in the main bay of the ship. The ship was filled with the pleasant hum of human life. Neo sat in an operator's chair and kept an eye on the Matrix while at the same chatted with the others in the crew. Link was telling stories about Neo fighting agents to Wyvern and Fish who listened raptly, Wyvern jumped in all the right places, laughed were he ought too and looked most generally concerned at the right moments. Fish however sat silently the whole time and smiled.

Eventually the conversations came around to why the new shipmates had chosen to join the crew.

"Every one knows what they say about the Neb's crew members, why did you accept?" Link asked

Wyvern spoke first "I'm not the bravest soul there is, but so help me I plan on doing something important. The other ships don't long half the time doing real work as this one does. I want to do at least one important thing, for my people"

"This is a noble reason Wyvern, and you discredit your self, it takes a very brave person to make such a choice." Morpheus commended, Wyvern blushed slightly.

Ammit spoke next "My father always told me the smallest person can sometimes make the biggest difference. I want to do something, not just sit in Zion, my reasons are not as noble as Wyvern, but I can't stand to be underground all the time. Besides the other captains wont have me." The last sentence was nearly uttered in a whisper.

Trinity spoke this time. "Your father is Anubis, Ammit. Along with the Oracle he is one of the most important programs we have contact with. With out him we risk loosing Zion's codes every time a ship captain entered the Matrix. It is an honor to have you with use. Is it true that you can read a personals thought and memory files"

Ammit nodded, "I will have to show you one time Trinity, and thank you for such kind words. So many people fear me because I was raised by a program and think I must be a traitor. Either that or their worried their heart will get eaten by a little girl."

The tense air was broken at the pun about her, name and the crew laughed happily even the normally reserved Morpheus laughed as well.

Ammit turned to face the boy. "Fish I was pleased to here you were coming, but please tell us why you joined."

The boy had not spoken one so far on the trip, even though they were a few hours in. All eyes fell on him. If any one had expected him to have a tiny mouse like voice, they were wrong.

" I would eat the grapes." His voice had been melodic and crisp, and it wrung out clearly I the silence of the ship. His usual silence gave his voice a deep punctuality too it. A smile appeared on his face, grinning towards Ammit. The wrest of the crew looked dumb founded and Ammit giggled harder at this.

Link poked her lightly in the shoulder. "Care to translate kid?"

"He's referring to a famous Zen Buddhist koans, their riddles or stories that are made to be illogical. They say one ought to meditate on them to better understand the failings of logic, and grasp the Great Emptiness. The story goes like this…

A traveler, fleeing a tiger that was chasing him, run until he came to the edge of a cliff. There he caught hold of a thick vine and swung himself over the edge. Above him the tiger snarled. Below him he herd another snarl, and behold, there was another tiger, peering up at him. The vine suspended him half way between two tigers. Two mice, a white mouse and a black mouse, began to gnaw at the vine. He could see they were quickly eating it through. Then in front of him on cliffside he saw a luscious bunch of grapes. Holding onto the vine with one hand, he reached and picked a grape with the other. How delicious!

The story is very old and one of my favorites. That was a perfect analogy Fish."

Wyvern scratched his head. "I am not sure I understand Ammit"

She smiled, "Don't worry about it Wyvern I am used to translating Zen in to plain English." She giggled again. "The first tiger is what the traveler flees. He can never go back that would be death. He cant go forward either because death awaits him there too. The mice are time. In the end we will all meat out tiger and pass away, but the traveler decided instead of mopping about death and fearing it he would make the best with what he could until the time came." Fish nodded back to her.

"You were right Ammit, he doesn't say much but in five words he managed to some of the reason why I think all of use are here." Surprisingly it had been Neo who had spoken. He turned away form the group and went back to watching the waterfall of green symbols on the computer screen.

Morpheus stood up. "Its late perhaps it was time we turned in."

The other crewmembers mumbled their good nights and headed off to their bunks.

************

Merovingian is meaner, Twins are more angsty, Mouse is quirkier, Xiao is more indifferent, Fish is more wise, Neo more a pain in the ass, and a whiny boy "I don't want to play with you any more you big MEANY agents! Now I'm going to fly away. " Get over your self Patsy. Life is GREAT!

This plot I think will work out much better. KOHv1.0 was interesting but it rambled and got lost and made no sense in a few spots (a lot like me) 2.0 should be a totally different plot but lead to the same end.

I need Beta reader, Please please please! Please don't tell me the fic had spelling/grammar/ errors in it. I already know that lol. Don't be the typo KGB, unless you plan on backing that up with some Beta work. Garr! Ill sick cranky Xiao on you!!!!

See the pretty blue review button. Click the pretty button! Type! Good reader Good! I know you see this. Don't know what to type? Never reviewed before? Are you shy? Just type 808 and I will know that I am loved.

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