Shaking his head in absolute confusion, the man turned to his companion who was just as perplexed as he.

"They were here."

"I can see that."

"And now they're not."

"Again with the obvious. Do you think that Smith guy got them?"

"No, he's a little obsessed with finding and destroying the One, it's kind of part of his programming."

"Ah." The hulk of the Grusealog lay with more than necessary stench in the open stretch of forest.

"I must admit, I'm impressed with the molding of this software, she must have spent hours on it."

"You're kidding right?" John asked with a laugh. "She could do this in a measure."

"A measure?"

"You know, like a bar, a collection of beats, less than a phrase…" The Hunter looked completely perplexed.

"I am not programmed with an extensive musical terminology menu."

"More's the pity. We could really use it." The other man smiled.

"I'm sure what you have will be adequate." A hint of a smile quirked at the corners of the Hunter's lips.

"I hope so." The spluttering Frenchman appeared in the doorway.

"My beautiful bluestone room! What has that little virus done?" He could barely finish the sentence as the digital hand enclosed his throat and his programmed breath support failed.

"If you ever call her that again…" Hissed the owner of the hand, barely inches from the other man's face, eyes flashing with a similar program to hatred. The threat was unfinished as he threw the Merovingian into the mound of fleshy code that was the monster.

"I see that she has been more cunning that I expected." The Merovingian straightened his suit, standing as he did.

"You tried to kill her with a viral form that has been more than banned from this version of the Matrix. I think I might just delete you, it would make the whole place much cleaner." Again the change in the code was clear to all watching and if there were ever something more dangerous to avoid than Agents, it was an angry program with as much power as this one had.

"Whoa there, Diablo, are you sure you want to get all…"

"Mute it John, this virus almost infected Zoe."

"Of which I am fully aware, although why that is such a bad thing I still don't get." Diablo turned on the guardian program.

"Are you totally outdated you megafool? Grusealogs delete slowly, normally attacking the essential programming last, leaving it's victims to reboot every few seconds, which gives it more code to devour and takes a very long time to fully delete anything."

"Precisely why I have one in my possession, until that little…"

"Trend carefully my love, you don't want to make him any more mad, you can see how it affects his programming." The woman had appeared silently, running her hand seductively along the broad shoulders of the Hunter, watching for any change that might be useful to her. She would not yet divulge her secret.

"Oh my Persephone, what would I do without you? You keep me from leaving this horrible place."

"Or she does now," whispered John to his fuming friend, "until recently he was constantly playing with the mortals." Eyes flicking to his comrade, Diablo smiled wryly.

"That is why I'm here you know."

"Yeah, looks like that's not a problem anymore huh?" The smile died on the shorter of the two as a shudder ran through the other's sturdy frame.

"Code." Swore the Hunter.

"Diablo, buddy, pal, what the Source is going on?" John tried to assess what was wrong with his partner in crime, who was now on his knees in pain.

"Don't you know," purred Persephone, "when a Hunter's mission is completed, they return to the source. But someone is fighting." Her hand cupped the strong cheek mockingly. "You want her back don't you now my darling Hunter. It's really quite sad, my husband could give you a chance to find her, but that would mean you would become what you hunt."

"Diablo, no! I'll find her, I'll make sure nothing happens to her, don't do it!" John was on the verge of hysterical, making the pained program look him in the eyes.

"John, you failed before."

"I won't this time, I swear on all this digital. Please, go back to the Source, it'll all work out right in the defragging I know it will." The woman offered the Hunter a small red pill.

"Take this and you can stay here and find her." She said enticingly. Diablo shook his head.

"I don't want anything from you." Another major shudder ran through his image, tearing a scream from his throat. His voice began to fail. He turned to John.

"I swear Diablo, I swear I'll keep her safe."

"If you don't I'll make sure you're next on my list."

"Sure man, I can adapt to that." With a final groan the Hunter collapsed, looking scarily similar to the lump of virus that the women had killed earlier. Persephone shrugged.

"Such a shame he had to go. I was just starting to like him." She strutted out, her husband following in puppy-like adoration. John reached into his jacket pocket, retrieving a mobile phone.

"Ser, we have a problem, he's gone… No I mean really really gone. Close enough to deleted… I'll be there as soon as I can." With a regretful look back, the guardian program left the forest glade where the bodies still lay and would until someone in the employ of the Frenchman reprogrammed the room to how it had been.

*~*

A/N: Okay, I know I've been away for ages on this story, but I had to get inspired. Which I did. I thought this might make things a little more interesting. *Grins evilly* Please review so I know that Diablo didn't get reformatted without a purpose. *Cackles insanely*

Oh, and thank you to all the people who read this story even if you don't review :D THANK YOU!!!

Take a Guess: Hiya Cam! *Waves* By the way, I am fully aware that you didn't read the story or you would have made a funnier joke than the spelling :p. See, I do know you! Go me! Please ignore this one, he was just being bored and humoring my persistent demands that he read one of my stories. :D And look, Diablo might never come back, is that close enough to deletion for you?

Beguile: Thank goodness I got him partially evil and stuff! Such a relief. I was just hoping that I wasn't going to get attacked by chickens AND by Smith. (Sorry, chicken thing is from 'Speak and ye shall find' and Da Buffster.) What am I going to do, I think I'll write some more. Any ideas? :p Hope to hear from you soon.

Trinfan: I'm glad you already have a pen, that means that if one breaks, you have a spare :D I don't mind if you repeat yourself and I'll just say that I am very glad to give this story to the world. I mean, to have people like Zoe and Caitlyn and Diablo and John, it's just really great :) And I reply to reviews because it lets people like you know I appreciate your replies and I look forward to them. This is my way of thanking you for the effort you took to reply to my work.