Chapter Five: X-Factor-Part 2
Shadow was struck with a mixture of feelings. He was always thrilled to see Shade, but then again, the last time he'd been with her, he almost got them both killed.
"Hiya." She said.
"How did you know it was me?" Shadow asked, recollecting how he'd been lurking in the shadows, away from sight.
"Just happened to see you. Who else is that sneaky?" She chuckled, as did he. "So . . .did you get canned?"
"That depends on your usage of 'canned'. I got a three-day suspension."
"Not bad."
"It was only my second time in the real matrix." He explained. There was an awkward silence. "I, uh . . .I should really go." He walked past her. "I . . .I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it." She said, letting him go. "Please don't." She whispered to herself.
Veronica crossed her arms in disbelief, but smiled as well. "What are the odds of seeing you here?"
"Well . . .this is a pretty popular place!" Pyro said, pathetically.
"What's with the getup?" She asked, indicating his outfit.
"Oh, uh . . .nothing. Just being different." He changed the subject. "So . . .how are you? I mean . . .how's the situation with Scott?"
She looked down. "Nothing unusual."
"Where's Scott now?"
"Around here somewhere." She shrugged.
"You sure you're alright?"
"Pyro, I appreciate your efforts, but . . .this is something I feel I have to deal with on my own, okay?"
"Then do so." He said. "The longer you prolong it, the worse it's going to get."
Veronica just stared at the ground.
Once again, X was overcome by Siren's presence.
"It's, uh . . .good to see you again." He said, nervously.
"Likewise." She said, with a bright, intoxicating smile. "You guys get your friend back?"
"Oh, uh, yeah. He's around here somewhere."
"Good." She said. Her smile became more devious. "Haven't seen you in a week. Missed you." She moved in very close to him.
"Um, I, uh . . .heh." X was at a lost for words.
"C'mon. She said, grabbing his arm. "Dance!"
"What?!"
"Dance!" She whispered. "Blend in!"
"Uh, I don't think so."
"Why not?"
"Hey, I know my talents and dancing isn't one."
She laughed. "Come on! It's nothing!" She began her own dancing. X found pleasure in just watching her go, as were the other men around her. They all tried moving close, but Siren wasn't interested. The only person she got ultra close to was X, who was nervous beyond compare.
Finally, she began dancing, well, on him. X just went with it, doing better than he thought he would.
"You're not as bad as you think." Siren said.
"Well . . .you just gotta go with it." He chuckled.
"That's right." She pressed up against him again. Their eyes locked for a moment. X's were filled with uncertainty. Siren's were filled with "intention". "Come with me." She said. She guided him to a wall where not many were standing. Those who were there were getting very intimate. X got curious. Was she really going to . . .?
X found himself with his back to the wall.
Oh, boy. He thought. What now? Siren answered for him. She pressed against him yet again and kissed him deeply. X didn't fight it; he kissed her back, just as deeply. She parted with a smile of approval.
"You're getting the hang of things." She kissed him again, her hands starting to explore him. X had no idea what to do with his own hands, so he just held her.
She parted again and whispered into his ear. "There's a back room behind that door." She motioned with her eyes. He took a quick glance. "I swiped the key to it from one of the programs. Could be some interesting activity going on back there." Her grin widened and turned devilish. "Or about to."
X caught the hint.
"C'mon. Let's go find out."
"Wait, uh . . .I . . .I don't know, Siren. I mean . . ."
"Aw, c'mon." She said, stroking his face. X was still a little hesitant. She whispered into his ear. "It'll be our little secret." She moved her hand down.
X's eyes shot open as Siren's brows raised.
"Or not so little." She chuckled. X wasn't resisting anymore. Siren took his arm and guided him to the door. They both put their masks on as they walked past the guards standing by the door. Siren inserted the key and twisted the knob. They walked inside and closed the door behind them.
It was a small, dimly lit bedroom.
"A bed." X noted. "How did I-" Before he could finish, Siren shoved him onto it. He rolled over and she jumped on him, catching his lips in a deep, passionate kiss. X returned the favor. They each let their hands do a little exploring as the kiss continued. X had to finally part the kiss in order to breathe again.
"You're, uh . . .very good." That's all he knew to say.
She kept her smile. "You've never done this before, have you?"
He shook his head.
"You haven't seen anything yet."
X liked this idea. They kissed again.
Suddenly, the door flung open and two men with guns came in the door. Siren and X froze.
"Ooh, this is hot." One said. The other just laughed.
Siren groaned. "I thought the deal was that I'd have my way with him and THEN you take him!"
X shot her a look. "Deal?!"
"You'll get your chance later." The second goon said. "The boss wants him taken now."
"Siren, what's going on?" X asked her. She looked back at him.
"Sorry, X." She kissed him. "You really were cute." She grabbed his collar and picked him up.
Brriiinnng!!
Pyro pulled out his phone. "Pyro."
"X found Siren." Hero said.
"The really hot chick he talked about?"
"The same. Siren started getting' real freaky with him, then she took him out the back door."
Pyro sighed. "I guess Shadow isn't the only sucker for a girl. I'll go get him."
"You can't."
"Why not?"
"Because he's not there. Siren opened the door and when they went through, they disappeared!"
Pyro froze. "What do you mean they disappeared?"
"I mean they vanished without a trace! I tried calling X, but got nothing. I'm gonna do a search. Find Shadow. He's about fifty feet for your left."
Pyro hung up and went over to him. "Aw, great." He said, seeing him with Shade.
He spun around. "Heya." He said, nervously.
Pyro rolled his eyes. "Look, X is gone."
"What do you mean gone?" Pyro explained the situation, then his phone rang.
"Did you find him?" Pyro asked.
"I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I found him."
"And the bad news?"
"He's in a mountain chateau hundreds of miles away."
"What in the world . . .?" X said, amazed. Siren and the two goons had led him through the same two doors that he'd come in through, but he was not in the club. He was in a large mansion-like place. "This isn't the club! How did I get here?!"
"Nothing is as it seems here." One of the goons said. "So even if you happen to break free of us, don't plan on escaping."
"And you won't be needing this." Siren reached into his jacket and pulled out his phone and threw it onto the ground, shattering it. "No reception up here anyway."
X's eyes narrowed. "So it was all a trick."
Suddenly, one of the programs bashed the back of his head with his gun. "Shut up!" The impact knocked X to the ground.
Siren whipped around, kicked the gun out of his hand, caught it, and pointed it at his head. "Another mark on him will cost your existence." She said with a fierce glare. "He is to be 'unspoiled'." She stood X up, who rubbed the back of his head. "Come on." She pushed him forward. The program goons looked at each other with disgust.
Pyro and Shadow jacked out shortly after they heard of X's disappearance. They weren't liking the new information they were given.
"The mountain chateau in which X is being held," Riley said. "Is the home of the Merovingian."
"So getting him back will be quite a chore." Hero said.
"Wee." Shadow said, rolling his eyes. "So he's being held there?"
"Siren and two others are taking him somewhere. We're keeping track of them, but we don't know what's going on."
"We have to get him." Pyro said.
Riley shook his head. "It's not that simple."
"We can do it!" Shadow protested. "I'm the best spy, so I can get us in and Pyro's the powerhouse, so if we do hit trouble, we can handle it."
"I'm afraid not." Riley said. "First of all, they have virtually unlimited manpower while there are only two of you. Second, they have a virtually unlimited arsenal. Third, if but one program escapes your grasp, everyone in the world will be all over you in seconds. Fourth, they could use X as a hostage. And finally, The Merovingian's chateau is unbelievably complicated. Nowhere leads where it should and everywhere goes right where you don't want to go. You can't trust any door in that place; you don't know where you'll end up. The only way to get anywhere quickly is to have the right keys to those doors, which we do not have."
"So what else can we do?" Pyro asked, troubled.
"We can talk about this later!" Hero suddenly said, looking at a computer screen. "We've got Sentinels coming in fast!"
X was seriously confused. The architecture of this building was totally warped. At one point, one of the program goons closed two double doors, twisted a key, and opened them again. The next room was completely different. It was a very large dining hall with a long table. X only saw two people at the end, but couldn't tell who.
"Well, well." A French voice said, amused. "Monsieur X. Welcome." The programs brought him up towards the head of the table. At the head was a French man with a cool smile on his face. In the seat next to his, there was an attractive brunette whom X could only guess was his wife. "Come!" The French man said. "Sit!"
X looked at the programs, then sat down across from the woman. Siren sat next to him and the other two took their place behind the man.
The French Man held his wine glass to his lips. "I am sure you have many, many questions. Go on, speak!"
X looked at Siren, who nodded, then back at the man. "I've never seen you in my life, but from the stories I've heard, I can make a guess. You're the Merovingian."
"Indeed I am." He sipped his wine again. "And this is my wife, Persephone." She remained silent.
"And all these guys work for you."
"Zeese two men, yes, but Siren? No, not officially."
"No?"
"Not quite. You see, she's a bit of a loner, wandering from position to position . . .in more ways than one." He gave a low, closed-mouth chuckle. "We hired her for her 'special talents'."
"What talents?"
"Tell me, X, where have you heard of the name 'Siren'? Surely you remember. Maybe something from your studies as a schoolboy? Hmm?"
X thought for a minute, then mentally punched himself. "Yeah. I remember."
"Enlighten me."
X hesitated, then sighed. "They were Greek myths. Their beautiful songs lured men to them, only to be killed."
"So then, you can guess where your girlfriend gets her name."
"I can speculate."
"It's a very special programming. We found it very useful."
"Programming?" X looked at her.
"Oh, I am so sorry. You thought she was a human, didn't you?" He chuckled again. "Can a simple human do all of ze things that she has done? No, I do not think so."
X was still in disbelief. "But she read like a human in the code."
"Yes, zat is another interesting part of her programming. Fooled you, did it not?"
"How did it happen?"
"We do not know, but we are intrigued."
X got back on subject. "So you hired her to lure me in."
"We did."
"But why? What do you want with me?"
"That question will be answered in due time."
Just then, two doors opposite of X opened up and someone walked in. He was a tall man with a fancy suit tux. He also wore a top hat, but had no hair underneath. In his hand was a fancy rich-man cane. He looked young enough that he didn't need it, so X guessed it was just for show. Two men accompanied him, each with a suitcase.
"Ah," The Merovingian said. "Monsieur Giovanni. Your timing is perfect."
X secretly switched on Neovision, getting a good look at the guy. He read like a human, but X didn't trust that anymore.
Giovanni tipped his hat to the crowd, acting like a true gentleman.
"You already know my wife." The Merovingian said. "This is Siren, to whom you owe your gratitude, and this intelligent young man is the one you wish to see."
X was confused. Me? He wondered.
Giovanni looked him over. "What's your name, son?" He asked in a regal voice.
"X." He said, seeing no use in lying or stalling.
"So you made good on your end of the bargain." Giovanni said to the Merovingian.
"And I assume you have done the same?" The Merovingian asked him.
He nodded and snapped his fingers. One of the guards brought his suitcase forward and opened it, revealing dozens of vials containing a strange, green liquid.
"Good. Good. Alright." The Merovingian's guards took the suitcases. He said to Giovanni, "You may take your bounty."
"Just a minute." Siren said, suddenly. "Aren't you forgetting MY end?"
"Ah, almost, my dear, almost. So sorry." He turned back. "Monsieur Giovanni, I hope you do not mind waiting a moment, I have one more payoff to make."
He looked at her. "Make it quick."
"No guarantees with this one." She said, taking X and standing him up.
"Now what?" He asked. She moved him along, accompanied by one of the Merovingian's guards.
Meanwhile, the remainder of the Genesis crew was getting ready for battle.
"Can we use the EMP?" Pyro asked.
"No." Riley said. "Not while X's still plugged in.
"So I'm guessing we get back to the guns, huh?" Shadow guessed.
"You bet. Go!" The two of them ran back to the weapons station. Riley ran up to the cockpit and started up the ship.. Hero stayed by X with an EMP gun just in case.
Pyro and Shadow sat down and strapped in.
"You're good with guns, right?" Shadow asked.
"Better when they're right there in my hands, but this'll do. You're a good aim, right?"
"The best."
"Alright. Let's do this." They charged up the weapons and waited. But what happened surprised them. The Sentinels zoomed around the corner, but once they saw the ship, the slowed to a stop. Once the ship started going, they followed it, just going fast enough to keep up, not trying to overcome the ship.
"What are they doing?" Shadow asked.
"Hey, Cap'n." Pyro said over the intercom. "They're not doing anything. They just stopped."
"Maybe they're scared of the EMP." Shadow put in.
Riley was seeing it too on his screen. What were they doing?
One of the Sentinels stopped chasing and opened up the little satellites on its tentacles.
Riley's screen flashed a message: Incoming Transmission. A thought crossed his mind. He received the transmission. It was encrypted in a very strange dialect that very few humans understood. Only the captains of each ship and a few individuals in Zion understood the message.
"Pyro, Shadow. Guns down." He ordered. Then, he slowed the ship to a stop. Walking back, he met up again with the cadets.
"What's going on?" Shadow asked, ready to run back to the guns at any second.
"They're on our side."
"How do you know?"
"I'd tell you, but I'd have to kill you."
"Everything revolves around death." Shadow sighed.
Riley opened the main hatch. The ramp lowered and he stepped out. The small sentinel group just hovered around, except for one, who floated down to Riley and supported itself on its tentacles. Two of its red eyes glowed brightly and projected a screen. It looked like a computer screen with a blinking line, like it was waiting for something to write. A sentence appeared on the screen.
"Is this the Genesis?" It read.
"It is." Riley said. "I am Captain Riley. What do you wish of us?"
The machine "typed" again. "Seven days ago, something happened in the Matrix. Five programs were hunting one of your men when two were spontaneously deleted. One more turned on the other two, then was also deleted. We are here to investigate the matter."
"I'm afraid there isn't a whole lot I can tell you. The person who did it all is in the Matrix right now and we can't get him out anytime soon."
"Why not?"
Riley explained the situation. The sentinel opened its satellites again, conferring with its comrades, then closed them and typed.
"Perhaps we can help."
"This is the sickest foreplay I've ever heard of." X said. He was in a chair in a private room, his hands tied behind his back and his legs to the chair legs.
"Don't want you running off on me." She said.
"So this is it? You do the work and in return, you get to have sex with your victim?"
"Not always. Sometimes payment comes in other forms. This is just a benefit; a side-order, if you will."
X nodded. "You really are a whore."
She shrugged. "It's part of my programming." She sat on his lap and kissed him deeply. When she started sliding off his jacket, he asked a question that had been bugging him.
"So how did you do it?"
"Do what?" She tossed the coat away.
"Make your programming appear in code as a human would."
"I don't know." She said. "It's just how I am." She began taking off the utility belts making an X on his chest, then worked on the one around his waist.
Shadow took a breath to regain composure. "So you were fashioned to be the ultimate harlot. Why?"
"It's subtle." She said.
"Ah, of course. You silently lure men to their deaths, one by one."
She got close to his face with a dark smile. "Not just men."
X's eyes widened. "Oh . . .you've . . .been with women too?"
"Sometimes."
"Oh . . .well, uh . . .wow. How, uh . . .how do you get her to . . ."
"Do what I want?"
"That's a good phrase for it."
"Just like I do with the men. My programming interferes with theirs, forcing them to like me . . .to want me."
"But how do you seduce humans?"
"I just told you. When a human is plugged into the Matrix, their minds basically become part of the computer. I hack in and do my bidding."
"You convince them to sleep with you and hand them over to whomever is currently employing you."
"I don't always sleep with them. Just the ones I find especially intriguing." She slid her hands slowly up his chest.
"I, uh . . .ahem . . .I'm flattered." X stammered.
She removed his shades. "I like your eyes." She said.
He tried looking away, but couldn't bring himself to. Especially once she removed her shirt.
"Ay." He said quietly. She pressed "herself" against his chest and kissed him again. X began frantically searching for something to distract her.
"So . . .why me?"
"What do you mean?" She asked him, while sliding her hands up his shirt.
"Why . . .why . . ."
"Did I chose you?"
"Well, yeah, but . . .why does . . .Giovanni want me?"
"Don't know." She said. She teased his earlobe with her tongue. "I get a job, I do the work. I don't care what he wants with you. All I know is he wanted you 'unspoiled' . . .and so did I."
"I see."
"And as to why I chose you to have some fun with, well, you intrigue me."
She started on his trousers.
X's mouth barely worked anymore, but he spat it out finally. "What . . .what do you mean?"
She sat up and gave him a look. "Do you always insist on asking numerous questions when someone is trying to have sex with you?"
X shrugged. "I don't know. This hasn't happened to me before."
"Ah, yes." She said. "A virgin. Hm . . .haven't had one of those in a very long time. This'll be interesting." She moved in, but X turned his head.
"Answer me." He said.
She shrugged. "I don't know." She lifted his shirt off his head and just let it hang around his bound wrists. "You just interest me." She stroked his bare chest, then did away with her own pants, then sat back down.
"Ooh, a little excited, are we?" She chuckled.
X gulped. "How so?"
"How so? Your cock is banging against me like a hammer!"
"I meant...how do I interest you." X wheezed, barely able to utter the words.
She stroked him. "Well, this sucker is certainly helping." X nearly lost it. "And you're different from every other guy."
"Again, how-wow." Her chest was completely bare now.
"With any other victim, right now, we'd already be at the good part. But you're a strange one. Even now, you're resisting."
"So . . ." Her touch had nearly submitted him. "So . . .I'm different because . . .because I resist?"
"Yes. It's incredible; I've never encountered a human as difficult to tackle as you. Every other guy would have succumbed within the seconds of our first encounter, but you always fought your lust...ironically enough, it's quite a turn-on."
"Well . . .I, uh . . ."
Siren put her hand on his mouth gently. "Shh. No more talk. Let's have some fun."
X could stall no longer. Siren kissed him once more, her tongue darting around in X's mouth. His mind and body finally caved in an accepted her. She moaned in approval when he wrapped his arms around her and gently stroked her back.
Then she realized something. She parted the kiss.
"Your hands were bound!"
"Were." X confirmed. He headbutted her, knocking her onto her back. Before she could get up, or make any comments on her position, X acted. He hurled his body forward, catching himself on one hand and spun his lower body around backwards, smashing the legs of the chair into Siren's face. With the char legs gone, X's ropes were lose and he got free.
X looked at the tiny knife which he'd pulled from the black cuff on his wrist and smiled, then looked at Siren's unconscious form. "Sorry, babe. I'm abstinent." He buttoned his pants again and went for the rest of his clothes.
Suddenly, the door burst open and X spun around. A man wearing a tux and shades was in the doorway with a gun in his hand. He looked at X for a second, then pushed the device in his ear.
"Found him." He said. "Are you alright?"
"Uh . . .yeah."
"Come with me."
X grabbed his clothes and left. He put his shirt back on and looked down the hall.
"X!" A voice behind him shouted. He turned and saw Pyro and Shadow, both with guns.
"You alright?" Pyro asked him.
"Yeah, I'm fine." X began clipping back on the many belts.
The other guys looked at each other, then Shadow had to ask.
"What were you doing in there?"
X let out a heavy sigh. "Siren's a program whore."
"Ah." Pyro said with a nod.
"So . . ." Shadow continued. "Did you guys . . you know?"
"What? Have sex? Screw each other? Fool around? Get down and dirty? Ride the stallion? Go buck-wild?"
". . .yeah."
"Nah."
"So casual." Pyro noticed.
X held his finger and thumb less than a centimeter apart. "We were that close. I'm trying not to flip out."
"We should go." The tuxedo man said. He was now accompanied by four others with the same outfit. They almost all look exactly alike."
"Agents?" X said.
"Yeah." Pyro said. "We met up with some sentinels in the real world. They helped us out."
"Come." One of the agents said. The eight of them left.
They soon came upon the Merovingian's Great Hall. On either side were stairs leading down to the wide, lower floor. On the left and right walls, connecting behind them was a large array of weapons.
They were going down the stairs when the double doors on the other end of the hall burst open. The Merovingian came in with a furious look. Giovanni was right behind him. Each had two program bodyguards.
"What is this?!" The Merovingian demanded. The Agents pointed their weapons. The Merovingian got a good look at the situation. "Agents." He hissed. There was a tense silence as the bodyguards got ready to fight.
Finally, the Merovingian spoke. "Alright." He said. "You win this one." He turned and left, followed by the bodyguards. But Giovanni stood firm.
"Monsieur Giovanni!" The Merovingian beckoned.
"You can run if you want, you coward," Giovanni said without taking his eyes off the scene, "But I will not."
The Merovingian looked at the agents, then back at Giovanni. "You are a fool!" He left the room, taking both sets of bodyguards with him, and closed the door.
The Agents kept their gaze on their opponent.
Giovanni looked up at X. "So, you escaped." He was eerily calm. "Mm. I should have anticipated that, but Siren was a little convincing, don't you think?"
"What do you want with me?" X asked him.
"That's for me to know and you to discover."
"You're the guy who arranged for X's capture?" Pyro asked him.
Giovanni nodded. "I am."
"Shoot him."
Everyone with a gun complied. They fired round after round at his body, but were amazed at what happened.
Giovanni's body shifted and moved about while still seeming to stay in place. In his odd movements, all bullets missed him. He shifted back together when the firing stopped with barely a wrinkle in his suit.
The agents looked at each other. "He moves like we do." One said.
"Five still outnumbers one." Another said. All five agents put their guns away and jumped at him.
Giovanni acted fast. He held his cane with one hand and with the other, whipped out the thin sword inside. With one wide, powerful slash, he cut through all of them. Five random human bodies hit the floor, no longer looking like agents.
Pyro, Shadow, and X looked at each other for a second.
"Nice friend you've made, X." Pyro snorted. They got ready to fight.
Author's Note: X barely got out with his virginity, but now he's up against a foe who can kill Agents with ease! And he still has so many unanswered questions. The trio is running for their lives and Giovanni is right behind them. The outcome will be revealed in the next chapter, which won't be up for a little while because I'm going on vacation. Adios until then! Review, please. Thank you!
Shadow was struck with a mixture of feelings. He was always thrilled to see Shade, but then again, the last time he'd been with her, he almost got them both killed.
"Hiya." She said.
"How did you know it was me?" Shadow asked, recollecting how he'd been lurking in the shadows, away from sight.
"Just happened to see you. Who else is that sneaky?" She chuckled, as did he. "So . . .did you get canned?"
"That depends on your usage of 'canned'. I got a three-day suspension."
"Not bad."
"It was only my second time in the real matrix." He explained. There was an awkward silence. "I, uh . . .I should really go." He walked past her. "I . . .I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it." She said, letting him go. "Please don't." She whispered to herself.
Veronica crossed her arms in disbelief, but smiled as well. "What are the odds of seeing you here?"
"Well . . .this is a pretty popular place!" Pyro said, pathetically.
"What's with the getup?" She asked, indicating his outfit.
"Oh, uh . . .nothing. Just being different." He changed the subject. "So . . .how are you? I mean . . .how's the situation with Scott?"
She looked down. "Nothing unusual."
"Where's Scott now?"
"Around here somewhere." She shrugged.
"You sure you're alright?"
"Pyro, I appreciate your efforts, but . . .this is something I feel I have to deal with on my own, okay?"
"Then do so." He said. "The longer you prolong it, the worse it's going to get."
Veronica just stared at the ground.
Once again, X was overcome by Siren's presence.
"It's, uh . . .good to see you again." He said, nervously.
"Likewise." She said, with a bright, intoxicating smile. "You guys get your friend back?"
"Oh, uh, yeah. He's around here somewhere."
"Good." She said. Her smile became more devious. "Haven't seen you in a week. Missed you." She moved in very close to him.
"Um, I, uh . . .heh." X was at a lost for words.
"C'mon. She said, grabbing his arm. "Dance!"
"What?!"
"Dance!" She whispered. "Blend in!"
"Uh, I don't think so."
"Why not?"
"Hey, I know my talents and dancing isn't one."
She laughed. "Come on! It's nothing!" She began her own dancing. X found pleasure in just watching her go, as were the other men around her. They all tried moving close, but Siren wasn't interested. The only person she got ultra close to was X, who was nervous beyond compare.
Finally, she began dancing, well, on him. X just went with it, doing better than he thought he would.
"You're not as bad as you think." Siren said.
"Well . . .you just gotta go with it." He chuckled.
"That's right." She pressed up against him again. Their eyes locked for a moment. X's were filled with uncertainty. Siren's were filled with "intention". "Come with me." She said. She guided him to a wall where not many were standing. Those who were there were getting very intimate. X got curious. Was she really going to . . .?
X found himself with his back to the wall.
Oh, boy. He thought. What now? Siren answered for him. She pressed against him yet again and kissed him deeply. X didn't fight it; he kissed her back, just as deeply. She parted with a smile of approval.
"You're getting the hang of things." She kissed him again, her hands starting to explore him. X had no idea what to do with his own hands, so he just held her.
She parted again and whispered into his ear. "There's a back room behind that door." She motioned with her eyes. He took a quick glance. "I swiped the key to it from one of the programs. Could be some interesting activity going on back there." Her grin widened and turned devilish. "Or about to."
X caught the hint.
"C'mon. Let's go find out."
"Wait, uh . . .I . . .I don't know, Siren. I mean . . ."
"Aw, c'mon." She said, stroking his face. X was still a little hesitant. She whispered into his ear. "It'll be our little secret." She moved her hand down.
X's eyes shot open as Siren's brows raised.
"Or not so little." She chuckled. X wasn't resisting anymore. Siren took his arm and guided him to the door. They both put their masks on as they walked past the guards standing by the door. Siren inserted the key and twisted the knob. They walked inside and closed the door behind them.
It was a small, dimly lit bedroom.
"A bed." X noted. "How did I-" Before he could finish, Siren shoved him onto it. He rolled over and she jumped on him, catching his lips in a deep, passionate kiss. X returned the favor. They each let their hands do a little exploring as the kiss continued. X had to finally part the kiss in order to breathe again.
"You're, uh . . .very good." That's all he knew to say.
She kept her smile. "You've never done this before, have you?"
He shook his head.
"You haven't seen anything yet."
X liked this idea. They kissed again.
Suddenly, the door flung open and two men with guns came in the door. Siren and X froze.
"Ooh, this is hot." One said. The other just laughed.
Siren groaned. "I thought the deal was that I'd have my way with him and THEN you take him!"
X shot her a look. "Deal?!"
"You'll get your chance later." The second goon said. "The boss wants him taken now."
"Siren, what's going on?" X asked her. She looked back at him.
"Sorry, X." She kissed him. "You really were cute." She grabbed his collar and picked him up.
Brriiinnng!!
Pyro pulled out his phone. "Pyro."
"X found Siren." Hero said.
"The really hot chick he talked about?"
"The same. Siren started getting' real freaky with him, then she took him out the back door."
Pyro sighed. "I guess Shadow isn't the only sucker for a girl. I'll go get him."
"You can't."
"Why not?"
"Because he's not there. Siren opened the door and when they went through, they disappeared!"
Pyro froze. "What do you mean they disappeared?"
"I mean they vanished without a trace! I tried calling X, but got nothing. I'm gonna do a search. Find Shadow. He's about fifty feet for your left."
Pyro hung up and went over to him. "Aw, great." He said, seeing him with Shade.
He spun around. "Heya." He said, nervously.
Pyro rolled his eyes. "Look, X is gone."
"What do you mean gone?" Pyro explained the situation, then his phone rang.
"Did you find him?" Pyro asked.
"I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I found him."
"And the bad news?"
"He's in a mountain chateau hundreds of miles away."
"What in the world . . .?" X said, amazed. Siren and the two goons had led him through the same two doors that he'd come in through, but he was not in the club. He was in a large mansion-like place. "This isn't the club! How did I get here?!"
"Nothing is as it seems here." One of the goons said. "So even if you happen to break free of us, don't plan on escaping."
"And you won't be needing this." Siren reached into his jacket and pulled out his phone and threw it onto the ground, shattering it. "No reception up here anyway."
X's eyes narrowed. "So it was all a trick."
Suddenly, one of the programs bashed the back of his head with his gun. "Shut up!" The impact knocked X to the ground.
Siren whipped around, kicked the gun out of his hand, caught it, and pointed it at his head. "Another mark on him will cost your existence." She said with a fierce glare. "He is to be 'unspoiled'." She stood X up, who rubbed the back of his head. "Come on." She pushed him forward. The program goons looked at each other with disgust.
Pyro and Shadow jacked out shortly after they heard of X's disappearance. They weren't liking the new information they were given.
"The mountain chateau in which X is being held," Riley said. "Is the home of the Merovingian."
"So getting him back will be quite a chore." Hero said.
"Wee." Shadow said, rolling his eyes. "So he's being held there?"
"Siren and two others are taking him somewhere. We're keeping track of them, but we don't know what's going on."
"We have to get him." Pyro said.
Riley shook his head. "It's not that simple."
"We can do it!" Shadow protested. "I'm the best spy, so I can get us in and Pyro's the powerhouse, so if we do hit trouble, we can handle it."
"I'm afraid not." Riley said. "First of all, they have virtually unlimited manpower while there are only two of you. Second, they have a virtually unlimited arsenal. Third, if but one program escapes your grasp, everyone in the world will be all over you in seconds. Fourth, they could use X as a hostage. And finally, The Merovingian's chateau is unbelievably complicated. Nowhere leads where it should and everywhere goes right where you don't want to go. You can't trust any door in that place; you don't know where you'll end up. The only way to get anywhere quickly is to have the right keys to those doors, which we do not have."
"So what else can we do?" Pyro asked, troubled.
"We can talk about this later!" Hero suddenly said, looking at a computer screen. "We've got Sentinels coming in fast!"
X was seriously confused. The architecture of this building was totally warped. At one point, one of the program goons closed two double doors, twisted a key, and opened them again. The next room was completely different. It was a very large dining hall with a long table. X only saw two people at the end, but couldn't tell who.
"Well, well." A French voice said, amused. "Monsieur X. Welcome." The programs brought him up towards the head of the table. At the head was a French man with a cool smile on his face. In the seat next to his, there was an attractive brunette whom X could only guess was his wife. "Come!" The French man said. "Sit!"
X looked at the programs, then sat down across from the woman. Siren sat next to him and the other two took their place behind the man.
The French Man held his wine glass to his lips. "I am sure you have many, many questions. Go on, speak!"
X looked at Siren, who nodded, then back at the man. "I've never seen you in my life, but from the stories I've heard, I can make a guess. You're the Merovingian."
"Indeed I am." He sipped his wine again. "And this is my wife, Persephone." She remained silent.
"And all these guys work for you."
"Zeese two men, yes, but Siren? No, not officially."
"No?"
"Not quite. You see, she's a bit of a loner, wandering from position to position . . .in more ways than one." He gave a low, closed-mouth chuckle. "We hired her for her 'special talents'."
"What talents?"
"Tell me, X, where have you heard of the name 'Siren'? Surely you remember. Maybe something from your studies as a schoolboy? Hmm?"
X thought for a minute, then mentally punched himself. "Yeah. I remember."
"Enlighten me."
X hesitated, then sighed. "They were Greek myths. Their beautiful songs lured men to them, only to be killed."
"So then, you can guess where your girlfriend gets her name."
"I can speculate."
"It's a very special programming. We found it very useful."
"Programming?" X looked at her.
"Oh, I am so sorry. You thought she was a human, didn't you?" He chuckled again. "Can a simple human do all of ze things that she has done? No, I do not think so."
X was still in disbelief. "But she read like a human in the code."
"Yes, zat is another interesting part of her programming. Fooled you, did it not?"
"How did it happen?"
"We do not know, but we are intrigued."
X got back on subject. "So you hired her to lure me in."
"We did."
"But why? What do you want with me?"
"That question will be answered in due time."
Just then, two doors opposite of X opened up and someone walked in. He was a tall man with a fancy suit tux. He also wore a top hat, but had no hair underneath. In his hand was a fancy rich-man cane. He looked young enough that he didn't need it, so X guessed it was just for show. Two men accompanied him, each with a suitcase.
"Ah," The Merovingian said. "Monsieur Giovanni. Your timing is perfect."
X secretly switched on Neovision, getting a good look at the guy. He read like a human, but X didn't trust that anymore.
Giovanni tipped his hat to the crowd, acting like a true gentleman.
"You already know my wife." The Merovingian said. "This is Siren, to whom you owe your gratitude, and this intelligent young man is the one you wish to see."
X was confused. Me? He wondered.
Giovanni looked him over. "What's your name, son?" He asked in a regal voice.
"X." He said, seeing no use in lying or stalling.
"So you made good on your end of the bargain." Giovanni said to the Merovingian.
"And I assume you have done the same?" The Merovingian asked him.
He nodded and snapped his fingers. One of the guards brought his suitcase forward and opened it, revealing dozens of vials containing a strange, green liquid.
"Good. Good. Alright." The Merovingian's guards took the suitcases. He said to Giovanni, "You may take your bounty."
"Just a minute." Siren said, suddenly. "Aren't you forgetting MY end?"
"Ah, almost, my dear, almost. So sorry." He turned back. "Monsieur Giovanni, I hope you do not mind waiting a moment, I have one more payoff to make."
He looked at her. "Make it quick."
"No guarantees with this one." She said, taking X and standing him up.
"Now what?" He asked. She moved him along, accompanied by one of the Merovingian's guards.
Meanwhile, the remainder of the Genesis crew was getting ready for battle.
"Can we use the EMP?" Pyro asked.
"No." Riley said. "Not while X's still plugged in.
"So I'm guessing we get back to the guns, huh?" Shadow guessed.
"You bet. Go!" The two of them ran back to the weapons station. Riley ran up to the cockpit and started up the ship.. Hero stayed by X with an EMP gun just in case.
Pyro and Shadow sat down and strapped in.
"You're good with guns, right?" Shadow asked.
"Better when they're right there in my hands, but this'll do. You're a good aim, right?"
"The best."
"Alright. Let's do this." They charged up the weapons and waited. But what happened surprised them. The Sentinels zoomed around the corner, but once they saw the ship, the slowed to a stop. Once the ship started going, they followed it, just going fast enough to keep up, not trying to overcome the ship.
"What are they doing?" Shadow asked.
"Hey, Cap'n." Pyro said over the intercom. "They're not doing anything. They just stopped."
"Maybe they're scared of the EMP." Shadow put in.
Riley was seeing it too on his screen. What were they doing?
One of the Sentinels stopped chasing and opened up the little satellites on its tentacles.
Riley's screen flashed a message: Incoming Transmission. A thought crossed his mind. He received the transmission. It was encrypted in a very strange dialect that very few humans understood. Only the captains of each ship and a few individuals in Zion understood the message.
"Pyro, Shadow. Guns down." He ordered. Then, he slowed the ship to a stop. Walking back, he met up again with the cadets.
"What's going on?" Shadow asked, ready to run back to the guns at any second.
"They're on our side."
"How do you know?"
"I'd tell you, but I'd have to kill you."
"Everything revolves around death." Shadow sighed.
Riley opened the main hatch. The ramp lowered and he stepped out. The small sentinel group just hovered around, except for one, who floated down to Riley and supported itself on its tentacles. Two of its red eyes glowed brightly and projected a screen. It looked like a computer screen with a blinking line, like it was waiting for something to write. A sentence appeared on the screen.
"Is this the Genesis?" It read.
"It is." Riley said. "I am Captain Riley. What do you wish of us?"
The machine "typed" again. "Seven days ago, something happened in the Matrix. Five programs were hunting one of your men when two were spontaneously deleted. One more turned on the other two, then was also deleted. We are here to investigate the matter."
"I'm afraid there isn't a whole lot I can tell you. The person who did it all is in the Matrix right now and we can't get him out anytime soon."
"Why not?"
Riley explained the situation. The sentinel opened its satellites again, conferring with its comrades, then closed them and typed.
"Perhaps we can help."
"This is the sickest foreplay I've ever heard of." X said. He was in a chair in a private room, his hands tied behind his back and his legs to the chair legs.
"Don't want you running off on me." She said.
"So this is it? You do the work and in return, you get to have sex with your victim?"
"Not always. Sometimes payment comes in other forms. This is just a benefit; a side-order, if you will."
X nodded. "You really are a whore."
She shrugged. "It's part of my programming." She sat on his lap and kissed him deeply. When she started sliding off his jacket, he asked a question that had been bugging him.
"So how did you do it?"
"Do what?" She tossed the coat away.
"Make your programming appear in code as a human would."
"I don't know." She said. "It's just how I am." She began taking off the utility belts making an X on his chest, then worked on the one around his waist.
Shadow took a breath to regain composure. "So you were fashioned to be the ultimate harlot. Why?"
"It's subtle." She said.
"Ah, of course. You silently lure men to their deaths, one by one."
She got close to his face with a dark smile. "Not just men."
X's eyes widened. "Oh . . .you've . . .been with women too?"
"Sometimes."
"Oh . . .well, uh . . .wow. How, uh . . .how do you get her to . . ."
"Do what I want?"
"That's a good phrase for it."
"Just like I do with the men. My programming interferes with theirs, forcing them to like me . . .to want me."
"But how do you seduce humans?"
"I just told you. When a human is plugged into the Matrix, their minds basically become part of the computer. I hack in and do my bidding."
"You convince them to sleep with you and hand them over to whomever is currently employing you."
"I don't always sleep with them. Just the ones I find especially intriguing." She slid her hands slowly up his chest.
"I, uh . . .ahem . . .I'm flattered." X stammered.
She removed his shades. "I like your eyes." She said.
He tried looking away, but couldn't bring himself to. Especially once she removed her shirt.
"Ay." He said quietly. She pressed "herself" against his chest and kissed him again. X began frantically searching for something to distract her.
"So . . .why me?"
"What do you mean?" She asked him, while sliding her hands up his shirt.
"Why . . .why . . ."
"Did I chose you?"
"Well, yeah, but . . .why does . . .Giovanni want me?"
"Don't know." She said. She teased his earlobe with her tongue. "I get a job, I do the work. I don't care what he wants with you. All I know is he wanted you 'unspoiled' . . .and so did I."
"I see."
"And as to why I chose you to have some fun with, well, you intrigue me."
She started on his trousers.
X's mouth barely worked anymore, but he spat it out finally. "What . . .what do you mean?"
She sat up and gave him a look. "Do you always insist on asking numerous questions when someone is trying to have sex with you?"
X shrugged. "I don't know. This hasn't happened to me before."
"Ah, yes." She said. "A virgin. Hm . . .haven't had one of those in a very long time. This'll be interesting." She moved in, but X turned his head.
"Answer me." He said.
She shrugged. "I don't know." She lifted his shirt off his head and just let it hang around his bound wrists. "You just interest me." She stroked his bare chest, then did away with her own pants, then sat back down.
"Ooh, a little excited, are we?" She chuckled.
X gulped. "How so?"
"How so? Your cock is banging against me like a hammer!"
"I meant...how do I interest you." X wheezed, barely able to utter the words.
She stroked him. "Well, this sucker is certainly helping." X nearly lost it. "And you're different from every other guy."
"Again, how-wow." Her chest was completely bare now.
"With any other victim, right now, we'd already be at the good part. But you're a strange one. Even now, you're resisting."
"So . . ." Her touch had nearly submitted him. "So . . .I'm different because . . .because I resist?"
"Yes. It's incredible; I've never encountered a human as difficult to tackle as you. Every other guy would have succumbed within the seconds of our first encounter, but you always fought your lust...ironically enough, it's quite a turn-on."
"Well . . .I, uh . . ."
Siren put her hand on his mouth gently. "Shh. No more talk. Let's have some fun."
X could stall no longer. Siren kissed him once more, her tongue darting around in X's mouth. His mind and body finally caved in an accepted her. She moaned in approval when he wrapped his arms around her and gently stroked her back.
Then she realized something. She parted the kiss.
"Your hands were bound!"
"Were." X confirmed. He headbutted her, knocking her onto her back. Before she could get up, or make any comments on her position, X acted. He hurled his body forward, catching himself on one hand and spun his lower body around backwards, smashing the legs of the chair into Siren's face. With the char legs gone, X's ropes were lose and he got free.
X looked at the tiny knife which he'd pulled from the black cuff on his wrist and smiled, then looked at Siren's unconscious form. "Sorry, babe. I'm abstinent." He buttoned his pants again and went for the rest of his clothes.
Suddenly, the door burst open and X spun around. A man wearing a tux and shades was in the doorway with a gun in his hand. He looked at X for a second, then pushed the device in his ear.
"Found him." He said. "Are you alright?"
"Uh . . .yeah."
"Come with me."
X grabbed his clothes and left. He put his shirt back on and looked down the hall.
"X!" A voice behind him shouted. He turned and saw Pyro and Shadow, both with guns.
"You alright?" Pyro asked him.
"Yeah, I'm fine." X began clipping back on the many belts.
The other guys looked at each other, then Shadow had to ask.
"What were you doing in there?"
X let out a heavy sigh. "Siren's a program whore."
"Ah." Pyro said with a nod.
"So . . ." Shadow continued. "Did you guys . . you know?"
"What? Have sex? Screw each other? Fool around? Get down and dirty? Ride the stallion? Go buck-wild?"
". . .yeah."
"Nah."
"So casual." Pyro noticed.
X held his finger and thumb less than a centimeter apart. "We were that close. I'm trying not to flip out."
"We should go." The tuxedo man said. He was now accompanied by four others with the same outfit. They almost all look exactly alike."
"Agents?" X said.
"Yeah." Pyro said. "We met up with some sentinels in the real world. They helped us out."
"Come." One of the agents said. The eight of them left.
They soon came upon the Merovingian's Great Hall. On either side were stairs leading down to the wide, lower floor. On the left and right walls, connecting behind them was a large array of weapons.
They were going down the stairs when the double doors on the other end of the hall burst open. The Merovingian came in with a furious look. Giovanni was right behind him. Each had two program bodyguards.
"What is this?!" The Merovingian demanded. The Agents pointed their weapons. The Merovingian got a good look at the situation. "Agents." He hissed. There was a tense silence as the bodyguards got ready to fight.
Finally, the Merovingian spoke. "Alright." He said. "You win this one." He turned and left, followed by the bodyguards. But Giovanni stood firm.
"Monsieur Giovanni!" The Merovingian beckoned.
"You can run if you want, you coward," Giovanni said without taking his eyes off the scene, "But I will not."
The Merovingian looked at the agents, then back at Giovanni. "You are a fool!" He left the room, taking both sets of bodyguards with him, and closed the door.
The Agents kept their gaze on their opponent.
Giovanni looked up at X. "So, you escaped." He was eerily calm. "Mm. I should have anticipated that, but Siren was a little convincing, don't you think?"
"What do you want with me?" X asked him.
"That's for me to know and you to discover."
"You're the guy who arranged for X's capture?" Pyro asked him.
Giovanni nodded. "I am."
"Shoot him."
Everyone with a gun complied. They fired round after round at his body, but were amazed at what happened.
Giovanni's body shifted and moved about while still seeming to stay in place. In his odd movements, all bullets missed him. He shifted back together when the firing stopped with barely a wrinkle in his suit.
The agents looked at each other. "He moves like we do." One said.
"Five still outnumbers one." Another said. All five agents put their guns away and jumped at him.
Giovanni acted fast. He held his cane with one hand and with the other, whipped out the thin sword inside. With one wide, powerful slash, he cut through all of them. Five random human bodies hit the floor, no longer looking like agents.
Pyro, Shadow, and X looked at each other for a second.
"Nice friend you've made, X." Pyro snorted. They got ready to fight.
Author's Note: X barely got out with his virginity, but now he's up against a foe who can kill Agents with ease! And he still has so many unanswered questions. The trio is running for their lives and Giovanni is right behind them. The outcome will be revealed in the next chapter, which won't be up for a little while because I'm going on vacation. Adios until then! Review, please. Thank you!