Title: New lives: Chapter Four

Author: Stormhawk

010101

"You've got some nerve Motoki," One hissed as the beautiful exile leant against the Twins' SUV. "How do you know I won't just kill you right here and now?"

"What? Didn't the bounty already get collected by those two brain-dead vamps?"

"Your point being?"

"Well if the bounty has already been collected, what incentive is there for you to kill me? And haven't you heard, don't kill the messenger?"

"Message? From who to who?"

"From my new boss to yours," she said as she put a teddy bear on the hood. "The message is: meet us tonight, 10.30 p.m., in the old power station to discuss the state of the world."

"So there is some truth to the whole new power thing. So how many does this new guy have working for him?"

"My master deals in quality, not quantity."

"So therefore, he has almost no one working for him and he has to use scare tactics to make himself seem more powerful than he really is."

"He could kill Mero in the blink of an eye."

"So could we all, but the world doesn't work like that."

"Ever wondered why?"

"Motoki, just be glad you're out, some of us no longer have a choice," Two said as he walked up with Pixel.

Motoki grinned, "that doesn't sound like the kind of thing a dedicated employee would say."

'Shut up Motoki!" One yelled, "evidently, you never knew how Mero's world worked, even when you were a part of it."

"Ooh, I made the ghosts angry, I'd better leave before he sicks Caster on me. Goodbye Twin One…"

"No one calls me that," One muttered.

"One, Two, Pixel," Motoki said as she looked at each of them in turn before she picked up her bear and walked away.

"So how was that?" Motoki whispered to the bear.

"Very good," Grimoires, in the guise of a bear, replied. "Those are examples of your old employer's inner circle employees?"

"Not the fairy so much, but definitely the Twins. Those twins are respected and even feared within this world. Them and Vlad are the ones Mero has the most faith in."

"This is going to be easier than what I thought."

"Motoki?"

Motoki looked up and saw Divelle, a werewolf she had been on a couple of jobs with.

"Moto is that you?"

"No Di, it's just someone who looks like me."

"So how you been? Still working for the frog?"

"Not anymore. You?"

"My last job went bad, I'm between jobs right now."

"And your opinion on his frogness?"

"Like everyone, hate him."

"And if there was someone who had a definite chance of beating him? A new power in the world that wasn't a French pervert?"

"Where is he and how do I get a job?"

"Master?"

"Yes. I shall trail her."

Divelle's eyes goggled, "did that bear just talk?"

"Di…"

"I am not going to work for a teddy."

"The word shapeshifter mean anything to you?" she pulled a card from her pocket, "come here in an house. Be ready for a fight tonight."

"Done deal scissors," Di said as she walked away.

Grimoires assumed his human form as soon as they got to an alley. "You seem to have a lot of faith in her," he commented.

"Divelle is an excellent fighter, human or wolf…she's a werewolf…and we need more than just us two," she flinched as soon as the words were out of her mouth.

"I smell fear on you Motoki."

"I was afraid you were going to reprimand me for acting above my place, master."

"Every thing you have done has been acceptable. We need more fighters, but not too many. I don't want a lot of people working for me, just a functioning pack."

"Well that'll spin the world when you beat Mero," she said as they entered the backdoor hallway.

"Is he really that integral to the running of this world?"

"Master, you have no idea. Mero is…well with you in the picture…well the world hasn't ever worked any other way. Before you there were four powers: the system obviously, Mero, Lilith who controls London and Vorateu."

"I have not heard you mention that last one."

"Vorateu is the leader of the exiles from the old world. Their group is 'members only' and they don't have much to do with anything. There is a standing hatred between Mero and Vorateu, but I'm not sure what their history is."

"And Lilith?"

"I was one of Mero's lot, and we didn't have a lot to do with Lilith. We're at war basically, they capture us and they torture us to death, we catch them, we either torture them or leave them to rot in the dungeon."

"I see."

"At least your system is efficient, and you don't have to buy lunch."

"I only have two prisoners, we should go hunting tomorrow," he said as they walked out of the hallway and into his home.

"You may get lucky tonight and catch one of the people that comes with Mero."

"True Motoki, true."

"Di will be here in about an hour, is there anything you need me to do?"

"No, but I shall go prepare and decide how best to test her."

001010

"Boss!" Two yelled as the trio knocked on the door, "boss!"

Carlson opened the door, "the wood's antique, don't piss him off by breaking it."

Pixel froze as she heard the voice, but she couldn't see its owner as both twins were blocking her line of sight and continued to do so as they walked into the office.

And then she saw him, "Brown?" she whispered, but shook her head and walked forward, "who the hell are you?"

"Carlson," he said with a shrug.

"You look like Agent Brown."

Carlson growled lowly in his throat.

"And sound like him too."

"I'm guessing you didn't get the non-existent memo. Boss, can we put out a memo so someone doesn't accidentally shoot me one of these days?"

"Is this really the time for this?" Mero muttered as he drained his wineglass.

"I'm Carlson, I used to be an agent. More than a century ago. Me and the bastard are made out of the same basic code. Any other questions?"

"No…" she replied, still reeling from this revelation.

"Well good."

"Now…" Mero said, "what is the problem?"

Two and One looked at each other while Pixel continued to stare at Carlson. "Motoki is alive and working for this new power," One said, "we're to meet them tonight to talk about the world."

"So he finally decides to show himself. Did you get a name by chance?"

"No luck boss," Two said, "guess we'll find out tonight."

00010101

A backdoor opened and Di knocked on the inside of it. "Anyone home?"

"Come on in Di," Motoki yelled from somewhere within the cavernous mansion, "close the door behind you."

"Welcome to my home," a proper and cultured voice said from beside her.

She turned and saw Grimoires in his human form. He was a tall man with white hair, a tight fitting suit and a loose silk shirt with eyes that tinged on golden.

"Hello sir," she said, having never expected this kind of man had been a teddy bear.

"Come this way," he said as he walked into the next room.

Di was impressed, shapeshifters of course, could make themselves look like anyone and to an extent, anything, but he impressed her. The way he carried himself and the slinky but predatory aura he exuded with every step.

Beautiful, and lethal.

"I don't even know your name yet," Di said. Her accent was mixed, she and her sister had both been London werewolves. Much to the dismay of her fellow countrymen, they had never quite grown out of speaking with a cockney accent.

To this day, her sister was accused of just imitating the accent.

Herself on the other hand had unconsciously grown somewhat out of it, having spent half a decade with a boyfriend from the deep south. The Cajun had a croc tattoo that often from the back of his neck to his ankle, seeing it come to life was an awesome sight.

So now her accent was a strange cockney/Cajun half-breed.

She couldn't place her possible new boss's accent. It was cultured and old, like hearing a dead king speak. Aristocratic. It was odd for a shapeshifter, because they spent most of their lives hiding, they rarely for the chance to, as it were, fall into character.

"My name is Grimoires," he said as he spun around to look at her, his voice ending in a growl. "And this," he said as he started to change, "is my true form."

Di stood stock-still as she watched the handsome man fluidly shift into a large cat/lizard creature.

"By the mainframe," she whispered.

"Does it scare you?" he purred.

"He has a tendency to do that," Motoki said as she sipped some tea at a low table.

"He does? Great…"

"You got to see Alister first, count yourself lucky."

"Who?"

"Alister Greydon, if Bruce Wayne was real, he would be Alister. This guy…well before he became a hot lunch…"

"Lunch?" Di squeaked.

"He tasted strange," Grimoires commented as he licked his lips, "he had several unfamiliar chemicals in his body."

"Drug user," Motoki clarified. "Before he was…replaced, he owned a bunch of companies but he didn't have to do anything more than attend a couple of board meetings a year. And…"

"The rest can wait," Grimoires said, "are you ready to be tested?"

"Tested?"

"You didn't think I would hire you without seeing your skills did you?"

"I thought you said he was different to Mero."

"I told him how Mero decides on the ones he doesn't handpick. He decided it was as good as way as any. It'll be slightly different though."

"Oh?"

"You're going to be fighting him."

"Shit…"

"If you survive three minutes, you're hired."

"What if I kill him?"

"Trust me wolfsbane, you won't."

"So I'm my own bane am I?" Di asked as she started to assume her werewolf form. "Try again scissors."

"Sorry Lupin."

"Grimoire…" Di said, "isn't that a spell book or something? I thin I heard it on Buffy…"

"You're right, but you should be concentrating on this. Master?"

"I'm ready."

"Three…two…one, fight!" Motoki said and smirked to herself.

Divelle beared her fangs and let go a howl.

"I do hope," Grimoires said lazily as he flicked his tail from side to side, "that your bite is a lot better than your bark."

"Dogs bark," Di screamed as she ran at him, "and I'm a wolf!"

Grimoires swiped her aside with nothing more than the movement of his right paw. "You aren't even try. Motoki, I am beginning to become less than impressed."

"Well I'm just getting started," she said as she picked herself up.

0110

Slightly less than three minutes later, Grimoires sat back on his haunches, "it is over."

Di didn't argue, she licked at her wounds as she started to slowly change back to her normal form.

"Well wolf, don't you want to know my verdict?"

"Give her a minute master, you whupped her pretty good."

"Motoki, did you just say 'whupped'? I thought such moronic colloquialisms were beneath you."

"Sorry master, Di says whupped, I pick up bad habits from her."

The beast managed to convey an arched eyebrow, something that was impressive given his bone structure. "Indeed. And why am I giving her a minute?"

"When Di…a lot of wolves as a matter of fact, get injured, their minds revert to a base level. Their animal side helps to keep them alive when they get hurt. It's easier to let the animal care for the wounds, as a 'higher' mind tends toward panic."

"You could have said that with fewer words."

"Master, is my speech pattern annoying you?"

"A wise hunter notices everything around them. The fact that you aren't as succinct as you usually are indicates that your mind is preoccupied."

"Well dug…er…master. I am preoccupied and tense. We're going up against Mero's lot tonight, you've pissed him off so much he'll bring a contingent consisting of half the chateaux as well as some of his contractors."

"You believe my plan is flawed?"

"It's a brilliant show of bravado and to a point, testosterone. Unfortunately, you are dealing with a man who tends to execute people who are annoying him. You're a true challenge, but you aren't running with your pack anymore, it's just me and you."

Grimoires arched his back and walked over to her, "and the wolf."

"Di? This counts as a pass?"

"My intention was never for her to approach winning, merely I wanted to see the extent of her skills. For one of hits world, they are impressive."

"When her higher brain function resumes, I'm sure she'll be glad to hear that."

"It has, and I am."

"I have to say well done wolf. A couple of times you came close to being my pre-battle snack."

"I only warrant a snack? Thanks boss."

"Di…" Motoki said in a warning tone.

"I am not The Merovingian. You shall not refer to be as 'boss'. You will call me master…"

"I do not call anyone master," Di spat.

"Well this is a good time to start."

"Moto…" Di said, a pleading look in her eyes.

"Motoki has no problem with it, why do you?"

Motoki stood up and whispered something into her friend's ear. Di blinked and nodded, "that I can do."

Grimoires looked at his servants, "what's going on?"

"Nothing Grimoires-sama, nothing at all."

Grimoires blinked slowly once, then again, "Grimoire-sama?"

"Translated from Japanese, it means…"

"Motoki, I am as Japanese as you, don't forget that. Wolf, I suggest you clean yourself up, the bath is on the second floor. Motoki's room is two doors down from that, change your clothes as well."

'Yes Grimoires-sama," Di said as she left the room.

Motoki sat down at the low table, "tea?"

"Yes," he said as he shifted to Alister's form. "Now do you want to explain to me why she's calling me Master Grimoires in Japanese instead of English?"

"Master, she has a problem with that word. At least if she says it in Japanese, it doesn't seem the same to her."

Grimoires blew on his tea to cool it, "tell me why. The better I understand the minds of those who work for me, the better I can use them to my own advantage."

"When Di first got exiled, she got separated from her sister and contracted a virus. It made her weak and she was captured by humans and put in a freak show. They treated her badly and she had to call them all 'master' because she was 'nothing more than a freak, no better than an animal.' She didn't escape them for a long time."

"I see. You'd best prepare as well."

"Yes master."

0101010

"So who's coming?" Pixel asked Two as she sat down in the lounge area of the twins' room.

"You, me, the guy who's locked in his room playing my PS2…" he said loudly and pointedly.

One opened his partition, "I'm playing yours because you stood on mine."

"I said I was going to get you a new one…"

"I wanted to finish this game."

"So go play," Two said as he put on his jacket.

"Nah, we'd best be getting down there. If we don't, we won't get a seat."

"Is Carlson coming?" Pix asked quietly.

"You were looking at him like you'd seen a ghost," One commented.

Pix shook her head, "well, he does look exactly like Brown."

"Brown's an evil bastard," Two muttered. "He's also formidable. The closest we've ever come to getting rid of him is when One nicked his back. Not that you or anyone else would ever know, bloody jerks don't scar. The most damage we've ever done to one of them and there's no proof of it."

"I'm sorry guys," she said, "but you know, nothing stays the same forever."

"Yeah," Two groaned as he dropped down beside her, "one day the all mighty Mainframe will get tired of these agents or they'll stop being efficient and we'll get a new bunch of suits to fight. The new bunch will probably be even more impossible to kill. The future's so bright…"

"Not the word I would have used," One said, "well, we going to go?"

"Back to the list," Two said, "you, me, him, boss, the wolf brothers, the vamp duo, ex-suit…"

"You don't like him?"

"He's Brown's twin brother…and twins are something we know about. Ex-suit and ex-rebel. Plus he's a loner and does everything the boss says to the damn letter. What is there to like about him?"

"Feeling's mutual hairy scary," Carlson muttered as he walked up behind them. "Boss is ready to go?"

"Everyone's here already? I thought it would have taken a while."

Carlson shrugged, "us, boss, the wolf boys and the vamp double-act? You guys are the last to arrive, boss sent me to come get you."

The trio looked at each other, "I thought there was going to be more than that," Pix said as she stared at Carlson.

"This whole thing is a power game and boss is calling the new guy's bluff."

"And if we turn up and there's an army like Lilith's?" One asked.

Carlson shook his head, "logistically it's unlikely, tactically it's unsound and it's stupid. If he had an army like that, we wouldn't be meeting in an old powerhouse. There hasn't been a lot of unusual activity to indicate that either."

"So logical agent-boy," Two said.

Carlson scowled, "I haven't been an agent for more than a fucking century. Let. It. Go."

"Ooh…Brown's widdle brother is mad at us," One said as he danced around Carlson.

Carlson smirked, "your momma works for Lilith!"

A look of smouldering hatred crossed over both of the Twin's faces. Carlson took two steps back and then ran. The ghosts phased and chased him. He beat them into Mero's office by less than three feet.

He calmly walked across the office. The twins went solid and followed him, scowling at the ex-agent. Pixel sucked her wings back into her back and shook her head in disbelief. The three men were acting like kids fighting in the playground.

She looked up at the twins, "you guys have a mother?"

"Not now Pixel," Two said.

"Well," Mero said as he stood and looked at his motley crew, "let's go."