Tell it softly to me baby, you never meant no one no harm
Your wonderland’s a mirror baby, it’s swiftly fading like your charm

— Melissa Etheridge

Chapter 7: Hard Drives & Soft Ware

            Xero stirred slightly, her head shifting against the syscop’s abdomen. Rielle moved, adjusting her hips and shoulders, her hand coming to rest comfortably against the top of the hacker’s head. Gentle fingers stroking dark tresses coaxed the hacker to consciousness. Xero didn’t bother to open her eyes. Listening with her skin as well as her ears, she felt Rielle’s heartbeat quicken in her chest. Taking a moment to listen to her own body, Xero was aware of blood surging through her veins like fire. Turned on by the passion and violence she’d witnessed, Rielle’s touch did nothing to quell her desire. Rather, it fueled what was burning within. Hell bent on seduction, the hacker shifted again, her shoulder rubbing against juncture of Rielle’s thighs. As she’d hoped, a slight gasp and shudder were audible. With a the faintest hint of a smile, Xero stilled her body, leaving her shoulder where it was. Let the syscop think she’d drifted back off to sleep--she could be very patient when motivated.

            Waiting, listening, the hacker contemplated the heartbeats she heard, enjoying the warmth of the syscop’s body beneath her cheek. Breathing easily, she focused on the scent of the smaller woman’s skin. Water was the first image that came to mind. Clean spring water. Rielle smelled like spring. She could pick up the faint traces of the herbal soap at Henry’s house and the smell of leather coming from her own jacket that Rielle still wore. Leather did something for Xero, a powerful something.

            Moving her head slowly, she brushed her cheek against the silk shirt covering Rielle’s abdomen. She could feel rock hard muscles twitch and move. The fingers that gently touched her hair didn’t still; rather they continued their gentle assault. “Xero, are you awake?” Rielle whispered.

            The hacker turned onto her stomach, nudging the syscop’s center one more time in the process. Dragging her chin across taut muscles she slowly brought her eyes up. Gazing up the length of Rielle’s body to vibrant green eyes, she whispered one word in response. “Yes.”

            The syscop swallowed visibly, her body tense, heartbeat fast. The hacker ignored the signals of fear and lowered her face, slowly nuzzling the smaller woman’s flat stomach. With practiced slowness she brought her body up the length of Rielle’s until she was gazing down into those sparkling green eyes once more. As she’s hoped, she saw two emotions warring for dominance in those eyes: desire and fear. Xero enjoyed both. “If I try to kiss you, are you going to bite me?” she purred seductively.

            Rielle smiled, feigning a bravado she clearly didn’t feel. “You’re going to have to find out.”

            Xero smiled. A lazy tongue slipped out and moistened Xero’s lips. “Maybe not,” she whispered.

            “Chicken,” Rielle gasped back.

            Xero lowered her head slowly, so slowly that Rielle was sure she’d scream in frustration. At the last possible moment she avoided the syscop’s lips and brought her mouth to rest on Rielle’s neck, just below her ear. With infinite care she nibbled, licked and kissed a fiery path down the syscop’s neck. When she lifted her face once more, it was Rielle’s mouth that sought out hers, crushing against her in a soulful kiss.

            The hacker didn’t disappoint. With deliberate care Xero sought out the secrets of the smaller woman’s mouth. Almost too gentle, she teased the tongue and lips of her companion, making her whimper with need and shudder with desire.

            “Is this what you want?” she murmured softly, her lips making another descent down the column of the syscop’s throat.

            “Yes,” Rielle panted as the hacker’s teeth toyed with the top button of her blouse.

            “Why?” she asked teasingly. “Because I’m a hacker?” Button conquered, she slowly drew her tongue across the exposed flesh, making Rielle jump.

            “No,” the syscop managed as she felt a strong hand slide up the outside of her leg. “Just you,” she finally stammered.

            If Xero had been listening for even a moment, the words would have touched her. Two words she’d never heard in her life, but they were missed in her singled minded pursuit of surrender.

            Lifting herself up on her hands, she hovered over the syscop’s body for a moment. Rielle’s gaze was riveted on the piercing blue of Xero’s eyes as she drew her hands up muscular forearms and bulging biceps to tangle in the hacker’s dark hair. “You’re not playing games with me are you Rielle?” Xero asked gently. While it was just a line, designed to put responsibility for whatever followed on her partner, a part of her was genuinely interested in the response.

            There was no faking the desire thrumming through her veins or the delight she was experiencing in each quiver, each noise the other woman made. Xero’s enjoyment was completely real, even if her sentiment was bullshit.

            “No, no games,” Rielle husked, drawing the hacker’s face down once more.

            “Up yours, Paula,” she thought before engulfing Rielle’s mouth in a passionate onslaught. Wrapping one arm around the syscop’s waist, and the other behind her neck, Xero moved back never breaking the contact of their kiss.

            First drawing the smaller woman up as she made it to her knees, she brought Rielle’s hips up to straddle her lap as she sat back. Keeping a strong arm wrapped around Rielle for support, she brought the hand from behind her neck to her blouse to continue the assault on the buttons of the black silk garment.

            “You smell fantastic,” Xero murmured truthfully as lips began to devour exposed skin. Rielle smiled, throwing her head back in pleasure, fingers tangled in soft, black hair, holding Xero close.

            “Yes,” she breathed when the hacker’s questing mouth found a grateful breast. Xero luxuriated in the sensation of soft skin moving beneath her lips and teeth. While it had been some time since she’d enjoyed this type of intimacy with anyone, that alone didn’t quite explain the fiery rush that shot through her.

            She undid the rest of the buttons with her free hand as her mouth trailed across Rielle’s chest to the other breast. Using just her lips at first, then teeth and tongue she smiled as the syscop groaned, forcing more and more of herself into the hacker’s welcoming mouth.

            “God, Xero,” she panted, “this is so…so good.”

            “Better than your wife?” Xero thought to herself with a wicked grin. She might be bent, but she could be an amazing fuck when she wanted to be. “More,” she mumbled against Rielle’s skin. “You’re so beautiful, gotta have more.”

            Carefully, gently, she trailed her blunt nails across the skin of the syscop’s back under her blouse as squeezed a firm hip with her other hand. The signal was clear. Xero wanted more skin.

            If Rielle wanted to take the opportunity to slow down, to think about what was happening, she didn’t get it. Xero fell backwards on the couch, bringing Rielle with her as she stretched her legs out. Filled with the sight of the turned on hacker writhing beneath her, Rielle smiled all to happy to claim hungry lips once more. She was hardly aware of her jeans coming off until she felt hot hands running up and down the sides of her legs. Grateful she still wore her blouse, open as it was, and the leather jacket, she didn’t feel nearly as exposed and vulnerable as if she’d been completely nude.

            Squeezing firm hips through the fabric of her underwear, Xero’s hands were strong, but soft and gentle at the same time. Rielle found it distracting. It was nothing however, compared to the heated words whispered with ragged urgency.

            “Rielle, please,” Xero savagely whispered, “let me fuck you.”

            The rawness of the language and emotion behind it renewed the syscop’s fear as well as heightening her arousal. She couldn’t find the voice to answer, only nod slightly. With a huge grin on her face, Xero brought Rielle down for another deep kiss as the two of them worked together to remove the offending piece of clothing. Mission accomplished, Xero slowly drew her fingertips up the length of Rielle’s thighs, guiding the smaller woman’s body forward.

            Rielle settled herself, kneeling on either side of the hacker’s face as Xero’s eyes shined up at her brightly. Even from this position of power, Rielle couldn’t help but feel a bit intimated by the woman nestled beneath her. Strong hands guided the syscop’s hips where the hacker wanted them. Taking a few moments to simply enjoy the view up Rielle’s body, Xero let her hands wander. She touched soft skin, firm muscle and nipples erect from arousal. Finally she drew her attention lower, to the soft down and aching body just beyond her mouth. She brought her hands down, to touch Rielle gently, almost reverently.

            The syscop gasped at the contact, fighting her instinctive desire to crush her body against the mouth that was making her wait. “You’re incredible,” Xero murmured, locking eyes with Rielle once more. “Thank you for this.” With that she claimed Rielle, making her sob audibly.

            “Oh god,” she murmured over and over.

            Using strong hands to guide and support the smaller woman’s body, Xero took her time. With a slow assault against the other woman’s senses she licked and sucked as if she had all the time in the world. After long minutes the repeated chant of “oh god” had changed to “fuck yes” and inwardly the hacker beamed.

            As Rielle neared her climax, riding Xero’s mouth in a steady rhythm, the door opened and two figures entered.

            “Xero, the bar’s closed and… oh my god,” Blue gasped in stunned amazement. The sight of Xero, fully dressed, reclined on the couch against the far wall of the room with Rielle, naked from the waist down moving rhythmically over the hacker’s face was unexpected to say the least.

            “Holy fuck,” Ska chimed in at her side. Both women could only see Xero’s dark hair as it spilled over the end of the couch and Rielle’s back as she moved up and down.

            Too taken with the demands of her own body, Rielle either didn’t notice or didn’t care about the intrusion. Xero did notice however, and waved them away with one hand. It took Blue a moment to notice the signal, too stunned by what she was watching. Finally catching on, she began to back through the doorway, reemerging a moment later to drag Ska bodily from the room.

            Refocusing her efforts, Xero provided the attention needed to send Rielle’s muscular body into a torrent of spasms and quivers. “Yessssss,” she groaned as the wave of her release washed over.

            Xero was distracted by Rielle’s release. It gratified her in a way that was unsettling. That made her think of Xena, which made her think of power, which brought her thoughts back to Paula. With shaking fury, she lashed out at the woman who thought she was better than Xero, and more deserving of Rielle.

            With trembling hands, Xero guided her fingers over the syscop’s back. Rielle, just regaining control of her body from the power of her orgasm, found herself responding once more. Disappointed that she wasn’t touching the statuesque hacker in turn, she put that thought aside as her body sang out again, demanding release.

            Xero teased with her chin, grinning up at her like a kid at Christmas. “Don’t make me stop,” she whispered, consuming Rielle once more. The second wave hit her, every bit as strong as the first. Her hip began to cramp just Xero shifted, laying Rielle lengthwise on the couch.

            “Please,” Rielle panted, “lemme rest,” as warm fingers began to playfully tease at her core.

            “Is that what you really want?” Xero asked, her voice rumbly and soft even as her fingers continued to touch.

            “Oh god,” Rielle gasped as two fingers made their way in. Coherent thought was washed away bright colors danced before her eyes. Xero’s touch wasn’t demanding or forceful, but there was an insistence about it that wouldn’t be denied. Again and again Rielle came, each time feeling a bit more out of control, and more distant from her partner.

            “Xero, please. Hold on a minute,” she said clearly. A little concerned at the hacker’s failure to respond she tried again. “Xero, stop. Lemme rest.”

            Concern led to panic as she called Xero’s name and got no response. The sensual touches continued, only now they felt more like an assault. “Xero, I mean it. Get the fuck off of me!” she demanded, trying to force the hacker away from her breast to no avail. Finally, she shoved with her hips as if she wanted to raise her legs to better feel what her lover was doing.

            Xero backed off a little, only to find a foot solidly meeting with her chest, shoving her off the couch. “What?!” she demanded eyes blazing.

            “Are you fucking insane?” Rielle shouted, angry as she grabbed for her jeans, not bothering with her underwear.

            “What?” Xero asked again, clearly baffled. “Suddenly remember you’re married?” she demanded acidly.

            Insight sank in as Rielle furiously buttoned her blouse and fought back tears. “Xero, were you fucking me? Or fucking over Paula?”

            Without waiting for an answer she stormed from the room. Right into the midst of the assembled hackers.

            Rielle hesitated for only a fraction of a second before marching to the door on the far side of the bar. Xero stopped in the doorway, the eyes of eleven curious hackers watching her intently.

            With the briefest glance at the women assembled, Xero called out to her lover. “Rielle, wait.” The syscop ignored her and had gotten as far as the bar’s entrance. “Please,” Xero tried again. “Don’t go.”

            Several jaws around the room dropped as hackers stared at Xero as if she were mad. Rielle froze in her tracks, but didn’t turn around.

            “Why?” she asked quietly, her voice strong.

            Distracted, Xero ran an unconscious hand through her hair, blue eyes focused on Rielle’s back. “You know I can’t solve this Ares thing without you,” she said flatly. “It seems to be important to you.”

            Rielle took a deep breath and turned around. Her eyes were red, but she wasn’t crying. With a nod she walked back to the table where everyone but she and Xero was seated. “Fine.” The tone of her voice spoke volumes to everyone in the room.

            Absently Xero wiped her face with the back of her hand. Blue looked at her disgusted. “For God’s sake, Xero, go wash your face.”

            With a slight nod, she turned and headed for the bathroom. No one said anything until the hacker got back. Rielle could feel the eyes of all assembled stealing glimpses of her. But to her surprise, the looks were not hostile. Rather they were respectful and almost admiring.

            Blue nudged Ska and looked pointedly at the back of the bar towards the kitchen. “Wasn’t there some surprise you were working on?” she asked quietly.

            “What?” the waitress shot back, perplexed. “Oh! The food. Good thinking.” Hurriedly she got up and drafted a couple of willing volunteers to help.

            Xero returned shortly thereafter and took a seat at the opposite side of the table from the syscop. “Okay,” she grumbled without preamble, “where are we?”’

            Jenbob cautiously glanced at Rielle before answering. “Ska’s fixing some breakfast, MaryD and TrueNorth are helping her. We’ve been here for a couple of hours you know.”

            The hacker took a deep breath and nodded. “Anyone have a chance to dissect Bat’s hard drive?”

            “I took it to Shadow,” Trillbaby replied. “She says it’s beyond New Tech. Totally state of the art. The Pipeline project wasn’t supposed to be nearly that far along.”

            “How do you mean?” Wordee asked, grateful for a topic of conversation that didn’t involve the two women seated at the table who were glaring at each other.

            “Shadow says that for this Ares thing to be run from outside the system all commands would have to be programmed ahead of time. The thing runs too fast to be jockeyed from outside.” Trillbaby explained.

            “But that would mean whoever it was would know exactly what Bat would do. We saw on her drive that she tried to disconnect a number of times,” a new voice chimed in across from across the table.

            “Lunacy is right,” Blue agreed. “Bat might have been sloppy about some things, but not when it came to getting out of trouble.”

            “But if that’s true,” Xero countered, making sure all in attendance were listening. “Then this Ares entity is operating from inside the system. It doesn’t have an outside source we can simply disconnect.”

            Rielle smiled slightly. This was something the hackers needed to understand and Xero had found the way to make the point without bringing up things like ‘godhood’.”

            “So it really is a virus?” Ska asked, as she brought several steaming plates of food to the table, and began to place them in front of the hungry hackers.

            “Maybe it’s a new syscop technology,” Robin ventured. “It would give them an edge…”

            “But syscops don’t work that way,” TrueNorth protested, setting down the plates she carried as well. “Their only alliance is to their company, and this thing smells like government.”

            “That isn’t exactly true,” Rielle countered. “Before their loyalty to the company they work for there are federal statutes that come first. There are enough federal watch dogs to make sure syscops protect the statutes before company interests.” Picking up her fork she absently began to eat the breakfast handed her. A few moments later she realized no one else had spoken. Looking up she realized that twelve pairs of eyes were staring at her. Xero’s expression was clear. It smacked of “you’ve really stepped in it now.”

            “How, exactly do you know that?” Delirium asked, her voice calm.

            Rielle shrugged and scooped up another forkful of food. “I’ve been a syscop for eight years,” she said before popping the fork into her mouth. “These eggs are really delicious.”

            Xero rolled her eyes and shook her head. Hell was breaking loose.

            “You brought a syscop to the ‘horn,” Delirium demanded hotly.

            “Are you nuts?” Jenbob added around a mouthful of food.

            “She’s a syscop?” Robin uttered, absolutely stunned.

            “Rielle contacted me the day Bat got unsubbed, telling me she thought something would happen. We’ve been working together to try to get to the bottom of this,” Xero explained.

            “I’ll say,” Ska muttered then stifled an “ouch!” as Blue kicked her in the shin under the table.

            “And how exactly did a syscop find the ever elusive Xero?” Lunacy demanded.

            Xero shrugged. “She tapped me online while I was doing a job.”

            At that point several women laughed shaking their heads in disbelief. “Inconceivable,” Wordee muttered. “The Princess Bride, 1987.”

            Rielle slammed her fork down loudly. All eyes turned back to her. “Xero uses seventeen different encryption programs, but not randomly. Encryption and retrieval set ups are determined by the number of computer outlets at the location where she’s hacking. She usually moves in during a back up session and waits until the lag between backup and verification to tag her data. Most of her programs are written in Torvek although she prefers Aldon for overseas jobs. She’s difficult to catch because she goes after anything and everything.”

            Shining green eyes scanned the table. “Blue is a specialist. Most notable in medical research heists, syscops tend to leave her alone since she generally goes after the bad guys anyway. Jenbob is difficult to trace since the hardware she uses is so antiquated. With custom software she’s able to get the job done surprisingly quickly, leaving a trail so messy syscops with seniority won’t go near it.

            “Wordee specializes in Entertainment heists. She’s known for making improvements in projects, most notably dialogue, before the stolen work gets to it’s buyer…”

            “I think they get the point, Rielle,” Xero growled as the assembled hackers sat looking dumbfounded. In a few sentences she’d just exposed the elite of the hacking world as simple technicians.

            “So this thing is just a ruse to grab some collars?” Ska asked, reaching into her pocket.

            “Don’t bother with the knife, Ska,” Rielle warned. “As I originally told Xero, I have no intentions of arresting anyone. I’m not technically a syscop at this point. I’ve been on a leave of absence, vacation, and most recently committed to a psych ward. If I were to show up at Archive now, I’d be locked up as fast as any of you.

            “Forgive my asking,” Robin said calmly from her seat next to Wordee, “but why should we believe you?”

            Rielle shrugged. “Because I’m rich, and married.” All eyes instantly shot between the syscop and Xero. “Not to Xero, obviously.”

            The hacker couldn’t believe it. The trump card she had to hold against Rielle had just become useless because Rielle had just given it to everyone else. Marriages were easy to come by. Quick, efficient and with expiration dates if you wanted. Along with the convenience of temporary commitment came a stiff penalty for people who would violate such contracts. It was one thing to joke about sleeping with a married woman, but no one usually believed it because married people didn’t cheat. Not if they didn’t want to lose everything they owned should they be caught.

            Everyone in the room had a shot at successful blackmail should Rielle want to hold on to her possessions. Everyone could ruin her financially with a simple phone call to the syscop’s wife. The hackers were impressed.

            Casually, Ska got up from her chair and walked over to Rielle. “Between you and me, you’re too good for Xero. Want some more eggs?”

            At that the room breathed a collective sigh of relief. All except for Xero, who at this point was inclined to believe the waitress. The hackers ate in silence, broken occasionally by the rave reviews for Ska and TrueNorth’s cooking.

            “You know,” Ska explained. “Not everything sucks with the net being down. Managed to confuse the delivery truck. Seems we got a crate of real eggs and ground coffee that was destined for the Beverly Hills Hotel.”

            “These eggs are real?” Trillbaby gasped, not having touched hers yet. “I thought they were soy.” In moments, everyone started clamoring for seconds. Fresh brewed coffee followed and before long, even Xero’s icy mood warmed somewhat.

            “So how are we going to fight this Ares thing?” Vada asked, with both hands wrapped around a steaming mug.

            “We have to get in the system and fight it there,” Xero explained. “I’ve given that some thought. I think what we need is a virtual reality tank.”

            “Full sized?” Jenbob asked, jaw dropping once more. “With oxygenated gel? Where are we gonna steal something that big?”

            “Jenbob’s right,” Blue agreed. “You can’t move those systems around, too touchy.”

            “And there’s only a few high end ones in the country,” Lunacy added.

            “I know,” the blue eyed hacker agreed. “If the tank can’t come to us, then we go to it. The best virtual tank system in the country is right in our own back yard.”

            “You can’t mean military?” Ska asked. “They’re in on this mess?”

            Rielle’s eyes widened in understanding. “No, she means… Disneyland?”

            Xero smiled.

            “Hackers take the theme park, this’ll be good,” Ska quipped with a laugh.

            The hackers and Rielle spent the next several hours working out a plan to get into the theme park and capture a virtual reality tank. For the moment it seemed that the syscop had been accepted as one of their own as the women argued back and forth over how best to proceed. Frequently she and Xero stood on opposite sides of disagreements as to how best to proceed which the hacker found frustrating.

            “I still say Missy should coordinate the efforts to guard the perimeter of the park,” Lunacy suggested for the third time. To everyone’s surprise, both Xero and Rielle shook their heads.

            “We’ll have LN and Amazon Julie do that at the park,” Xero countered. “We need Missy here coordinating the stuff with Shadow.”

            “She’s too recognizable,” Rielle added. “There will be Disney security there as well as syscops. Trust me, Missy would be recognized.”

            Xero nodded again. “Rielle is right. Listen, I asked Shadow to try and get a word through to the President--where are we on that?”

            “We don’t know,” Wordee explained. “Message seems to have gotten through, but we can’t tell if she read it, trashed it, or is planning to squash us.”

            “When we start closing off systems in the park, it’s my guess the National Guard will be called out. We’ve got to let her know what’s up, not what we’re planning, but that we’re planning something. Maybe when the time comes she’ll ask the Guard not to blow us to kingdom come.” Xero ran her hand through her hair once again and looked at her watch.

            “I’ll keep on that,” Jenbob offered.

            “Good,” Xero agreed, standing. It was clear she was restless, as they all were. Assembled in one group, they were taking risks, big risks and they knew it. Pacing back and forth, the tall woman tried to wrap things up.

            “How are we going to keep the employees out of the park?” Ska asked. “We’re talking maintenance crews of around thirty thousand.”

            “It’s going to be risky, but we’ll have to get onto the nets and send out work cancellation messages. It isn’t that unusual for shifts to be rescheduled. As long as individual crew members don’t talk about it to much to each other, I doubt they’d suspect,” Rielle reasoned.

            “It’s a good plan except for the risk,” Blue added. “If it comes to logging on to the general nets, I nominate Xero as guinea pig.”

            All eyes turned to the hacker at the end of the table who glared back at Blue with open hostility.

            “I’ll handle the notices,” Rielle said in a tone that would brook no argument. “Xero is getting into the VR tank, she’s already doing her part.”

            “You’re not getting on the nets, Rielle.” Xero growled. “Don’t think Ares hasn’t figured out your little part in this by now.”

            “I’m missing something here,” Robin observed.

            Rielle turned her gaze to the hackers seated around the table, making eye contact with each one. “When Xero and I left after the wake, we went to Bat’s ex-husband’s house. Xero logged on using a Ronin workstation and nearly got fried in the process.”

            “Holy shit,” a couple of the hacker’s breathed.

            “It sounds weird,” Rielle continued. “But the thing is looking for her. Specifically.”

            “With Xero’s ego, that isn’t surprising,” Ska quipped. “I’m sure we can work out the specifics of who logs on for what later. If you split it up evenly, everyone’s taking the same risks, agreed?”

            The hackers looked around the table at each other before nodding their heads, making the vote unanimous.

            “We’ve got someone making reservations for everyone at the hotel,” Xero continued. “We’ll head over there tomorrow morning. We’ll need the rest of the day to get in touch with everyone.” She stopped to write something down on a napkin and handed it to Ska. “Here’s the address of a car we can use. Have someone go pick it up. We’ll scope out Disney’s system tomorrow night, but won’t make our move on the park until Friday. That should allow more time to get word through to Taborn if she’s listening. In the meantime, keep your mobie units charged and on. That’s going to be our only mode of communication. Do we have enough cash to cover all of this?”

            Delirium nodded. “We’ve got some cash here and the money from Bat’s vault. There was some left after the wake. If people share rooms we should be able to handle everything.”

            Xero was about to dismiss everyone when Blue spoke up. “If you don’t mind my asking, Rielle, what are you going to do?”

            The syscop smiled. The hackers were cautious, she couldn’t blame them. “I honestly didn’t have anything in mind. I’d be happy to accompany anyone who needs help…if you’re worried about me calling Syscop Central.”

            A few people laughed at that and some others smiled. Rielle was treating them with respect. Hackers ate that up. As the group broke up and people began to leave, MaryD walked up to the tall brooding hacker.

            “What are you going to do, Xero?” she asked.

            “If we’re lucky, she’ll crawl under a rock,” Blue shot back under her breath.

            While Xero never really thought of these people as her friends, she had grown accustomed to a certain amount of professional respect. That seemed to have been replaced by the Rielle MacGab fan club mantra, Xero Sucks.

            “I’ve got stuff to do,” she answered calmly, then glanced at Rielle. “Can I have my jacket back?”

            Rielle looked down at the black leather jacket she still wore. For some reason she couldn’t bear the thought of parting with it. While things between her and the hacker were a mess, it was the only tangible bit of evidence that there was in fact something between her and the hacker. “No,” she refused. “Consider it payment for services rendered.”

            “Just who was servicing who?” Xero shot back hotly. 

            “That’s what I’d like to know,” Rielle replied, then turned and walked out the front door.

            Rielle waited outside for the other hackers to join her, leaving Xero alone in the Pub. Several women broke off into smaller teams to tackle their assigned tasks. Rielle joined Blue, Ska, and Jenbob as they headed for Blue’s car. “Got any ideas?” Blue asked as she opened her passenger door for Rielle and Ska.

            The waitress crawled into the back seat of the ‘40 Camero grumbling, as Rielle settled herself in the passenger seat. “If we head to Studio City I’ve got an idea about contacting the Disney employees safely.”

            Blue exchanged glances with Ska and Jenbob in her rearview mirror. Hacker and waitress shrugged indifferently; they didn’t have any better ideas. Following Rielle’s directions, Blue drove them to a small building off Laurel Canyon just past Ventura Boulevard.

            “So what’s this?” Blue asked as she and the others got out of the small red car.

            “It’s an Archive automated switching station,” Rielle explained. “If we can get inside, I we can use the automated retrieval system to send the messages.”

            “Say no more,” Ska assured her with a grin. Taking her knife from her back pocket, she wedged the blade in between the security panel and the door. Popping it off, she then adjusted several wires, causing the door to open silently.

            “I can see why the hackers keep you around,” Rielle observed as she took something from her purse. Easing her way inside, she made sure the building was vacant before waving the others in.

            “Shit! She’s packing a gun,” Ska exclaimed noticing the small high-powered taser in the syscop’s hand.

            “Would you be quiet, Ska?” Rielle demanded with a hiss. “There could be maintenance crews lurking around. Come on, we need to get to the switch nodes.”

            “Fancy equipment,” Jenbob commented, looking at the rows and rows of data banks that lined the walls of the building. “Redundant back-ups, fast processors, and serial channel switching-- not too hard to hack.”

            Rielle smirked. “I’m glad you think so. Half of these data banks are for recording not processing. Archive has an entire department of set up to simply watch hackers hack and then incorporate capture systems and defense codes into their networks.”

            “No shit!” Ska breathed, impressed.

            “Here are the switch nodes,” Rielle announced when they made their way to the center of the small building. Taking a seat at a readout station, Rielle selected a control panel and smoothly popped the plastic covering from the console.

            “Is this the main artery?” Blue asked taking a small palm-top unit from her pocket.

            “Yes,” the syscop answered pulling a couple of cables from the rest. Unplugging one, she handed it to the hacker who inserted it into the back of her unit. A series of symbols appeared simultaneously on the console monitor as well as the palm-top screen. As the hacker worked, keying information into her unit and watching the screen intently, Rielle looked around the room until she found the maintenance log. She read through the entries and checked her watch.

            “Okay,” Rielle announced. “Crack the Disney database and see how many third shift workers are scheduled tomorrow. You can set up the palm top to pass through the message. Since this is an automated station, it’ll send one message after the next until the list is finished. We’ve got about forty minutes until the maintenance crew is due.”

            Blue nodded without saying a word, her finger flying over the keys. Her brow furrowed in concentration she worked carefully and quickly searching for the right database and setting up subroutines to notify the employees. After about twenty minutes of careful work, she unhooked the cable from her palmtop and reattached the wires. “That should do it,” the hacker announced, running an absent hand through her short salt and peppered hair. “It’ll take about fifteen minutes to get through the list, scrambling after each one.”

            “I guess that should take care of it then,” Rielle replied with a smile. “So, what’s next on our agenda?”

            Jenbob and Blue looked nervously at each other. “Well,” Blue began. “There are some people who haven’t been on the nets we should be contacting. Hackers that are offline but we could really use their help for this heist. A few are in the area and we can drop by in person.”

            “But?” Rielle prompted sensing the hacker’s unease. Then with another grin she caught on. “You’re torn between babysitting me and bringing a known syscop into the homes of semi-retired hackers.”

            “That would about sum it up,” Ska concurred brightly.

            “This sounds weird to say,” Jenbob allowed. “But for a syscop you seem like a decent person. I mean...”

            “How about this,” Rielle suggested amused at the situation. “You can drop me off at the psych unit because I need to check in on my wife. When I’m done there, I’ll swing by Xero’s and have a look around, to see if Helms’ camp is still interested in her place. I’ll grab some fresh clothes for her and meet you guys back at the ‘Horn. Here’s my mobie unit code. If you want to reach me just buzz. You can trace the signal to see if I am where I said I’d be.”

            “For a syscop, she’s pretty quick,” Ska observed, smiling broadly at the others.

            After a quick wave, the red Camero sped out of sight leaving Rielle MacGab outside the Westwood PsychTech Medical Building. It didn’t take long to obtain a visitation pass and be escorted to a waiting room. Minutes later, her wife was ushered inside. Rielle noticed that in the standard issue medical sweat suit Paula James looked as rumpled as Xero had the night she’d shown up at her door before Bat’s wake. Dark circles under her eyes and unkempt hair made it clear she’d done much venting and no sleeping.

            “You’ve got a lot of nerve coming here,” Paula seethed as soon as the orderly departed. Rielle took a deep breath and waited. She had this coming, not that the knowledge would make it any more pleasant. “I take it you’re here to have me released?” she asked a bit uncertainly when Rielle sat down and made herself comfortable in a visiting room chair.

            “No, I’m not here to get you out. I don’t have that authority. I’m here to make sure you’re okay--and to apologize for what’s happened.” Rielle’s voice was kind and calm, trying not to push the angered woman.

            “I’ll soak you for every fucking penny, Rielle,” Paula seethed. “It’s bad enough you lie about getting over your Gabrielle infatuation, it’s bad enough you take up with some hacker you’ve been stalking, but to do that and then send that thug after me when I’m only trying to help you--”

            “By having me committed,” Rielle added.

            “Yes,” Paula agreed. “By having you committed. You need to be committed, Rielle. You’re going too far. If you don’t get me out of here within the hour, I swear I’ll take you for every penny. I’m not joking. We’re married. That still means something. You fuck up like this within the confines of a contract and it costs you big time. It’s going to cost you and it’s going to cost her.”

            “Is that your big worry, Paula? How much can you make from this failed deal?” Rielle shook her head sadly.    

            “It’s all I’m left with!” the dark haired woman shouted. “How can I compete with the little fantasy you’ve created for yourself? I tried to love you and succeeded at that for a good two years before this shit happened. It’s been clear for a while you don’t love me, I’m wondering now if you ever did.”

            “I tried,” Rielle whispered sadly. “I really tried. But I didn’t know what was missing until I found it.”

            Paula fought back against angry tears as Rielle waited, her own gut wrenching in regret for the pain she’d caused. “I hope you remember this a long time, Rielle.” Paula warned. “Because it isn’t over between us. I’m not out of your life and I’m most certainly not out of your fucking hacker’s life.”

            The syscop’s eyes narrowed slightly. “This is between me and you, Paula. Leave Xero out of it.”

            “Oh no. It became a threesome the second she entered the picture. If you drop her now, and get some help and work with me-- we can rebuild ‘us’. If you don’t-- if you walk out of here and join her, then I swear I will destroy that bitch until there is nothing left.”

            “What you’re destroying,” Rielle replied calmly, “is any hope of a reconciliation. I can understand your hurt, I can understand your anger at me, and I can even understand your anger at Xero. But vengeance is different. You can’t bully me into feeling something I don’t. I’m sorry, Paula but you can’t--but that’s what you’re trying to do.” Standing in one fluid motion, Rielle headed for the door. “The hold says you’ve got two days left in here. By the time you’re out, my task will be finished and we’ll be able to sort out ‘us’.”

            Paula stood and tried to block the door. She was met by two orderlies who restrained her. “I swear, Rielle, you haven’t heard the last of this. I will get out and when I do that hacker of yours is dead meat!”

            Stinging tears came to the syscop’s eyes as she hurried down the hall, away from the visitation room. Knowing she was doing the right thing in helping the disagreeable hacker didn’t make the hurt she caused her wife any easier. Her thoughts on the bus back to Topanga were a clouded collage of memories. There had been good times with Paula, certainly, but she also remembered the bad times. The times that reminded her that the Marketing VP was not the other half of her soul. Not her destiny.

            Her thoughts drifted then to Xero, the woman she was convinced was Xena. The rude, abrasive, manipulative thug who had used her hours before. She laughed bitterly to keep from crying, the irony was too perfect. She was turning her back on a woman who truly loved her she stood by a hacker who clearly did not. “This is as bad as C’hin,” she mumbled, marveling at how she had a knack for finding herself in difficult situations.

            Rielle stopped several blocks away from Xero’s apartment building. Composing her thoughts, she adjusted her sunglasses and easily, seamlessly shifted into ‘syscop mode’. The coast was clear and no official vehicles were parked on either side of the narrow rustic street. She checked the charge on her taser and ran a hand through her strawberry blond hair. With confident steps, she approached the front of the building. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, no sign that someone had died here less than a fortnight ago. She rode the elevator to the third floor and stepped out. Turning down the hall, she walked to the end, to the hacker’s apartment. The door was closed, a security seal locking the door in place. Not having the expertise at break-ins possessed by a certain fifteen-year-old waitress, Rielle took out her Archive security badge. Hoping for the best, she swiped it through the reader. Holding her breath, she wondered a moment if her clearance status had been revoked. She was about to give up when the light glowed green and with a ‘click’ the door unlocked.

            Shutting the door behind her, Rielle entered the apartment. Things looked very much as they had when she’d been there before. Certainly, the body had been removed, but the couch was still in the same place, now with a stain showing where Bat’s remains had been. Turning away from such grisly reminders, she moved into the living room, navigating the obstacle course of computer cases and wires strewn around the floor.

            It was clear that the inhabitants of the apartment had spent most of their time in the living room, either working on one of the workstations present, lounging or eating. A large trash can near the main entertainment console had a collection of empty Pepsi cans and pizza boxes. Other than the equipment and the couch, the room was sparsely furnished. A doorway through the main room led to a bathroom. It was small, had all the essentials and was neat yet spartan. The hallway opened up on each side into a private bedroom. Rielle stepped into the closest one, deciding instantly that it did not belong to Xero.

            The room was fairly well furnished with a bed, dresser and chest of drawers as well as a modular work table. What was most striking about the room was the fact that so little wallspace remained uncovered. Movie posters, photos and other graphic prints literally covered the walls and ceiling of the small room. The deceased hacker was clearly a fan of movies and other forms of entertainment. Two framed posters dominated the wall space across from the bed. One was the blurry image of a flying saucer with the words “I Want To Believe” printed below. The other was a large advertisement for an X-Files Movie. “Trust No One, We Mean It: X-Files 17” was printed in holographic letters over a series of photo montages from the film. Curiously, Rielle looked around the room, trying to piece together what Xero’s business partner had been like. One drawer in the dresser was filled with minidiscs, each one labeled in some kind of code. The other drawers contained clothes, which were more or less folded. Her tastes appeared fun loving and upbeat if not a bit mismatched.

            A small medical bag was open on the dresser. Upon closer investigation, Rielle could see that it was a maintenance kit for the deceased woman’s mechanical eye. Small tools as well as a variety of medicated solutions were positioned neatly in their respective compartments in the kit. A trading card, in an elaborate frame was positioned behind the medical kit. Rielle blinked in surprise, while she wasn’t much of a collector herself, she well knew the value of pre-plague items. This was a promotional trading card from the very first X-Files movie. The two main characters were featured with the words “The X Files: Fight The Future” printed below. Turning the frame over there was a hologram of authenticity for the card and the date: June 1998. There was also a hand written inscription along the edge of the frame that read, “Sorry about the other day, that crap had nothing to do with you. I mean it. -- Xero”.

            “Quite a gift for an apology, Xero,” Rielle muttered as she continued to look around the room.

            Deciding that there really wasn’t anything to be discovered in the dead hacker’s room, Rielle headed across the hall to Xero’s. Upon entering, the contrast was striking. The bed consisted of a mattress in the corner, neatly made with clean sheets. The room was well lit with sunlight streaming in from the window across from the bed. Walking over to it, she could see some trees and a walkway three stories down. The furniture consisted largely of used shipping crates, durable plastic boxes that stacked neatly on top of one another. A compact, yet powerful net retrieval system was set up on a small work desk, clearly a unit used for checking the news nets and daily business. The setup in the living room was clearly for hacking; designed to be set up or taken down and concealed quickly. This unit in the bedroom was obviously for legitimate uses. Rielle sat down at Xero’s chair and did a quick scan of her databases. Calling up frequently visited net nodes and the most recently accessed data, Rielle fought back guilt at going through the other woman’s files. Instead, she focused on the purpose for it--to see if there had been any other intruders besides herself. She checked the time stamps on the various files, noting that if anyone had gone through the system they’d been careful about it.

            Pushing away from the desk, Rielle surveyed the room. There weren’t many personal effects present on the few shelves in the room. An old battered ID chip, the kind that would be pinned to a young child’s clothing, a scented candle in a blown glass candle holder, a ceramic bowl containing some loose credit slips, and a vintage bottle of wine. Deciding not to invade the hacker’s privacy further, she decided to pick up some clothes for the other woman and head back to the ‘Horn. She found a small duffle bag near one of the crates and emptied it of its contents, some tools and drives, most likely from an onsite job. Opening the first storage crate she sorted through the clothes selecting two different pairs of jeans. One blue and faded, the other grey and fairly new. The same crate contained an assortment of t-shirts. Her eyes landed on a plain grey, one. It was soft to the touch and Rielle smiled, picking it up. It still smelled faintly of fabric softener and the hacker making the syscop’s head swim. She also chose a black tshirt, this one with an ornate design from the Hard Rock Cafe. Moving over to another crate she opened it, blushing first at some of the more intimate objects contained therein. Moving the aforementioned toys to the side, she then grabbed three pairs of socks and three pairs of underwear. A black pair instantly caught her eye, the cut of the garment and silky fabric making her smile. She also selected a green pair and finally a pair that was bright red. “Might as well give her a choice,” she muttered.

            Before she could zip up the small duffle, Rielle heard the unmistakable click of the front door opening. In an instant she scanned the interior of the room. Already standing near the bedroom window, her first impulse was to duck outside, but as there was no balcony, it was out of the question. The closet was on the far side of the room and she wouldn’t have time to duck inside. Setting the duffle carefully down on the mattress, she silently dropped to the floor, pressing herself against the bed.

            “I’m inside,” a male voice announced from the living room. “The lock wasn’t jammed and the place seems quiet. You sure your contact had the right apartment?” the voice continued after a pause. Most likely talking on a mobie unit, Rielle decided. “I’m checking the main systems now, they’re clean. I’ll check the ones in the bedroom next.”

            Rielle took a very slow and careful breath. Almost willing her consciousness out of her body, she remained still. Not so much as darting her eyes to the door when she heard the man enter, she simply observed the movement from her peripheral vision.

            “I’m at the other machine,” he announced, sitting in Xero’s chair. “The drive is warm on this one,” he continued, getting up cautiously. “But this thing could be hooked up for remote retrieval. I tell you, Mr. Ares, I haven’t seen anyone. Yes sir, I’ll check there now sir.”

            Rielle heard the man cautiously step toward the closet and ease the door open, then the sound of movement as he spun towards the opening, most likely with a weapon drawn.

            “Damn,” Rielle thought to herself. Forcing herself to breathe slowly, she took a couple of careful lungfuls of air. Gradually coiling her muscles, she readied her body, easing upward. Then there, over the edge of the bed, she could see him. Mobie earpiece attached to his ear, taser drawn, he was watching the far corner of the room, where the open door left a dark shadow. He could see into the shadow if he moved towards the far side of the bed where Rielle was hiding. Before the final step however, he turned to make sure the space was vacant. It wasn’t.

            Rielle’s foot shot out, striking the man in the knee. The blow was startling more than anything else, but it was enough to knock him off balance. Before he could steady himself, Rielle was on her feet, both hands at the man’s face. With blinding speed she grabbed the back of his head and chin, and with a firm snap she broke the man’s neck.

            He slumped onto the bed, the taser gun falling from his hand. Rielle didn’t touch it, but could see by the setting that it had been modified to kill. Taking the mobie unit from the dead man’s pocket she unplugged the ear piece.

            “What was that?” a smooth metallic voice demanded from the mobie unit speaker.

            “Your thug had a slight accident, Ares,” Rielle answered, standing beside the window, cautiously looking out.

            “So, little Gabby finally showed up on the scene,” Ares replied, sounding amused. “How’s our Xena doing?”

            “Just fine, Ares,” Rielle shot back. “But you’ll find that out for yourself soon enough.”

            “You’re bluffing, little girl,” the God of War taunted back. “There’s no way she recovered from our previous encounter. Give it a rest, Gabrielle. You’re screwed this time, might as well bend over.”

            “We’ll see about that,” Rielle shot back.

            “What?” Ares sounded offended. “You don’t think I know your angle? Nice trip to Disneyland to use their VR tank? Go ahead, you’ll get no trouble from us. I’d love to destroy Xena face to face.”

            Genuinely surprised that the God of War knew their plans, Rielle’s mind raced. But how, unless…? A spy. Thinking frantically, Rielle realized that it was now or never to use that to their advantage. “Glad you finally got the message. Your little spy isn’t too bright. We’ve been trying to set this up this showdown for some time.”

            “You’re bluffing, bard,” Ares growled.

            “Just keep telling yourself that,” Rielle replied cheerfully, breaking the mobie unit connection. Tossing the mobie on the bed, Rielle looked over at the dead agent. Carefully, she removed the wallet from his jacket pocket and quickly scanned its contents. Unsurprisingly, there wasn’t any ID. Putting it back, she leaned over his still form and opened the bedroom window. With a heave, she lifted him back up, and tossed him from the third story window. A publicly discovered body would keep Helms busy for a while anyway, covering his tracks.

            By the time she descended the stairs and emerged from the building a small crowd had gathered gawking at the well-dressed corpse. Rielle was surprised to see a familiar face in the growing crowd.

            “Robin,” she called, “what are you doing here?”

            The hacker was clearly surprised to see the syscop and fidgeted nervously. She had short dark hair and dark eyes. A bit overweight and a touch malnourished, she was a perfect example of what could happen to hackers that didn’t take steps to stay healthy. Reflexively, she pulled a cigarette from her pocket and lit it, not caring that the activity was highly illegal. “Blue sent me to check on you. Said you’d be here. You’re on your way to the ‘horn, right?”        

            “Yeah,” Rielle nodded in agreement. She adjusted the shoulder strap on the duffle. “I’m taking some clothes to Xero. You coming?”

            “I’ll catch up with you later,” Robin said after a long drag from her smoke. “I’ve got to check in with some other hackers before heading over, I’ll see you then.”

            “Fine,” the syscop agreed, turning away from the grisly sight and heading for the Saddlehorn Pub & Grill.

            Xero fidgeted in the Pub like a caged tiger. She knew it was stupid for her to be out and about. Still recovering from her near unsubbing, she didn’t have the strength or desire to fight her way out of any trouble. Of course, trouble found her anyway, she mused. This time in the form of one very attractive syscop. It wasn’t any use, try as she might, her mind continued to wander back to either Rielle or Xena. And both trains of thought were rather distracting.

            She didn’t understand why she gave the syscop a second thought. But she did. An image flashed in her mind, warm skin beneath her hands. Distracted she pulled at her lower lip with her right hand. The scent of the syscop lingered on her fingers. Closing her eyes at the memory, she firmly put aside the realization that she’d blown it with the younger woman. “I don’t see why I should care anyway,” she thought. “Except that I do.”

            Getting up, she wandered around the pub some more, her eyes finally landing on the portable disk reader. Fishing a mini-drive out of her saddle bag, she put it in the reader, quickly scanning over the files entered. When she found what she was looking for, she plugged the feed line of the large monitor into the unit and headed over to a near by booth. As an afterthought, she returned to the kitchen and drew a beer from the tap at the bar. The pub was closed on Tuesdays and she decided to make full use of the solitude. Making herself comfortable in the booth, Xero flipped the drive controls with one hand and watched the stored files on the large monitor. Briefly searching through the information sent to her by Rielle, she stopped on the visual files. Letting the program do its work, she sat back and watched selected episodes of a 90s television show.

            Xero was mesmerized by the images flashing before her eyes. Hours had passed and night enveloped South California but the hacker hadn’t moved. She was so engrossed that she didn’t notice anyone had entered the building until she heard the gentle voice from behind her.

            “‘The Lost Mariner’. That was one of my favorite episodes,” Rielle commented quietly. Xero nearly jumped out of her skin, blue eyes blazing hotly into green. “I’m sorry, I thought you heard me,” Rielle soothed.

            “How long have you been standing there?” Xero demanded.

            “Long enough,” Rielle answered cryptically. “Relax will you, it wasn’t like you were jacking off or anything.”

            The hacker’s eyes blazed. “I don’t like being snuck up on.”

            Rielle saw the seriousness in the other woman’s expression and backed off. “I’m sorry. Really. I just got here. I opened the front door and you were kinda engrossed in the show.”

            The hacker shrugged. “S’okay.” She looked past Rielle for signs of any one else. “Where’s Blue and Ska?” she asked.

            “They dropped me off at the psych unit. Either they decided I was trustworthy, or they didn’t want to hang around. I went by your place, picked up some clothes for you and then caught a bus back here. I still need to pick up my car from last week.”

            “Oh,” Xero said as she turned off the monitor and mini drive. “You went to see Paula?”

            Rielle shrugged. “Yeah. She and I needed to talk. In all honesty you did me a favor. Whatever credentials you used to get her locked up are sticking like glue. She won’t get out until day after tomorrow at the earliest. Hopefully Ares will be a bad memory by then.”

            Xero didn’t know what to say, so she got up from the booth and headed for the kitchen muttering, “I’m glad you worked things out.” Reaching the safety of the cookware she looked around for something to prepare.

            “I didn’t say we worked things out,” Rielle clarified, following Xero into the kitchen and leaning against a stainless steel counter. “In fact, my marriage is a mess.”

            “And that’s my fault?” the hacker asked defensively, selecting an assortment of pirated fresh vegetables.

            “I didn’t say that.” Rielle watched as Xero began to chop the vegetables. “I mean, sure, you’re a factor, a very big factor in what’s going on, but that’s not to say it’s your fault.”

            “Why?” Xero asked, her voice chillingly neutral. “I fucked you over, didn’t I? Invalidated your marriage contract in a building with witnesses? I don’t have a problem copping to it.”

            Rielle opened her mouth to speak then quickly closed it. She studied the hacker for long moments before choosing her words carefully. Still worked up over being forced to kill, even in self-defense, a fight with the moody hacker was the last thing the syscop wanted. “I don’t know why you’re so angry about earlier, when personally I think I got the raw end of the deal.

            “My relationship with you was a problem in my marriage long before today,” Rielle said with tight control. “Before you met me even. I felt a connection with you from watching your exploits online. I know who you are, even if you don’t, Xero. Is it helping me to know you could care less whether you’re screwing me or some groupie? No. But I’ve got to get beyond that and focus on what’s at hand. When this is over, provided we survive, then I’ll have the time I need to work through what I’m feeling. Maybe then I’ll kick your ass.”

            The hacker nodded absently, seemingly focused on sauteing the vegetables.

            “Mind if I ask why you did it?” Rielle asked tiredly.

            “Why I made a play for you?” Xero asked, looking up from her cooking. “Are you nuts? Why wouldn’t I? You’re…desirable, Rielle, get over it.”

            “So that’s it?” Rielle challenged. “You were just hoping to get laid?”

            “No,” Xero replied honestly. “Look, kid. I don’t know why. So why don’t we just drop it.”

            “Don’t start that ‘kid’ bullshit with me, Xero,” Rielle shot back, her temper flaring. “You know I’m no kid. You feel connected to me, don’t you? And you don’t want to admit you can feel that way with anyone.”

            “You’re flattering yourself,” Xero replied icily. “In more ways than one.”

            “Am I really? You seriously think I’m that sweet and innocent. I tell you, at times I wish I were. Tell me something, hacker. You ever kill anyone in your line of work?”

            Xero grabbed a few eggs from their chilled container and broke them over a bowl. “Personally? No,” she answered, picking up a whisk and mixing the eggs. “But I know full well that a number of my jobs have resulted in people getting unsubbed for one reason or another. Suicide, murder, sometimes even natural causes.”

            “I’ve killed seven people in the eight years I’ve been a syscop. Four women and three men. Five were with a gun and the other two with my bare hands. You still think I’m innocent?” Rielle asked quietly.

            Xero shrugged. “Yes. I don’t care how many people you had to kill. You still believe in good conquering evil simply because it’s good. It doesn’t work that way--it’s a toss up. You think you can change me. You can’t.”

            “If that’s true, then why are you here helping? Fixing me an omelet even?”

            Xero briefly met Rielle’s eyes and turned her attention to her cooking once more. “Because I’ve got nothing better to do.”

            Rielle laughed out loud, rolling her eyes in frustration. “Blue is right, you are an asshole. Fine. You’re an unchangeable monster, I accept it. What you don’t seem to realize, Xero, is that none of this is new to me. Sure it hurts, yes, it’s frustrating, but I’ve been here before. You watched the show, you saw what happened. Gabrielle betrays Xena. Xena lies to Gabrielle. The two of them face a lifetime of challenges. I remember it all. Just how worked up do you think I can get over you, when I’ve had to deal with the Destroyer of Nations and an angry horde?

            “I’m really pissed at you right now, Xero, and I’m hurting. But I’m not going anywhere, I’m not leaving you, and I’m going to see this thing through no matter what.”

            Xero handed the syscop her omelet without saying a word. It didn’t matter though; her expression said it all. She feared Rielle was insane, and hoped she was not.

            The two sat down to an awkward silence at the bar. Each focused on her food, neither woman spoke or looked at each other. Rielle finally cleared her throat turned to the hacker. “This omelet is really good. Where did you learn how to cook?”

            Xero shrugged. “I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time.”

            “So had Xena, but she never got the hang of cooking.”

            Distracted, Xero shoved a piece of tomato around on her plate. “Maybe she did,” she said quietly. “Maybe she could cook just fine but didn’t want Gabrielle to know. Perhaps it was important for Gabrielle to have something up on her.”

            “Maybe,” Rielle allowed, studying the hacker thoughtfully before pulling herself back to business. “You know, we’ve got to do some planning for tomorrow. It’s one reason I came back here instead of just picking up my car. You need to pick some generals.”

            Xero frowned at her. “For what?”

            “It’s looking like there may be as many as three hundred hackers in the park on Friday. I need to know who you trust to keep things organized. We’re going to have to count on them while you’re fighting Ares.”

            “Why don’t you just do it?” the hacker asked indifferently.     

            Rielle looked away as if she’d been stung. “If that’s what you want, fine. So who do you want to run the VR tank? I thought it might be me.”

            Suddenly, Xero realized the slight she’d just handed the syscop. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. “You’re right, Rielle. I’m sorry. I do want you operating the VR tank. Something screws up there and I’m dead. While you’ve got your own reasons for wanting that, I think you’ll be able to exercise more restraint than the others.”

            “Don’t count on it,” the syscop warned, then softened. “I think Blue should be in charge of the general operation. The others listen to her. The fact that she has no love for you and is helping anyway says a lot.”

            Xero nodded. “She can deploy the others. We’ll need three basic teams for security, communications, and operations. Have Jenbob troubleshoot our security, I’m sure she can enlist the Amazon to help. We’ll need someone guarding the door that no one is going to get through--Moira and Sue should also be on that detail and they can enlist LN and Deb for general ass-kicking.” With a sigh, she closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Suddenly it was clear just what needed to be done and who should be doing it. “Ska, Puck and Kanvil should head for the communications center. They can cause trouble all over the park from there. They’ll also have to keep communication with the ‘Horn going. Shadow, Missy and Trill will need to keep trying to reach the President. I’d prefer the national guard not to fire on us if that’s at all possible. Wordee, MaryD and Cat can coordinate the teams of people in the park. I only want Blue, Ska and Wordee to have contact with you. You’ve got to know what’s going on but I don’t want you distracted. A couple of well timed car wrecks should tie up the freeway enough to keep people away from the park if this thing takes too long. And each team should have two shifts; we don’t need any gaps or screwups.”

            “Do you realize what you’re doing?” Rielle asked softly when Xero stopped to open a fresh bottle of water.

            “You said plan, so I’m planning.”

            “But it’s how you’re planning. As a hacker working alone, when did you learn to coordinate the efforts of 300 people?” Rielle looked at Xero seriously. “This morning, between us… did it actually jog your memory.”

            If Xero weren’t exhausted she might have been able to summon the energy to lie convincingly to the syscop. As it was, she didn’t even try. Empty blue eyes looked at Rielle, defeated. “That was just you and me Rielle,” she said quietly. “No Xena.”

            Rielle nodded and pushed her plate away, standing up quickly. “No biggie,” she said even though her body language screamed otherwise. “I’ve got to get going. I’ll start handing out mission assignments and take my car back. Oh, and one more thing-- Ares is expecting you.”

            “Look, Rielle--” Xero started to say, gently taking the syscop’s arm. She didn’t give a fuck about Ares at the moment.

            “No,” Rielle shot back, yanking her arm from the hacker’s grasp. “Just don’t…say anything. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” She hurried from the pub leaving Xero alone in the quiet building.

            “Shit,” the hacker mumbled as she kicked over a bar stool.

            Xero opened her eyes at a gentle rocking and she realized she was on horseback. Confronted by a wild mane of ebony hair directly in front of her, the hacker turned her attention to her side, surprised by the thick forest of trees. Gradually the trees thinned out a bit and she could see the ocean far below as the horse neared edge of the cliff. Pulling the horse to a stop, Xena surveyed her surroundings, then nudged the war horse away from the cliff’s edge.

            “So, what’s up, Xena?” Xero asked, wondering where her companions were. “Still pretty pissed huh?” The warrior didn’t respond.

            Looking beyond the warrior’s muscled form, Xero noticed a slight glint coming from a near by tree. In moments they reached the tree. From horseback, Xena only had to reach slightly above her head and pull the round metal object from the tree trunk.

            “So that’s where it came from?” Xero commented as the warrior tied the metallic disc to her belt with a strip of leather thong.

            The two continued to ride in silence as Xena made her way back down the cliff on a winding, narrow trail. Reaching the beach once more, she headed for a small group of men. Xero recognized Borias instantly.

            “Xena, where have you been?” he asked, his eyes noting the metallic disc at the warrior’s waist. “Some of the men were beginning to think you’d run off or something.”

            “Is that so?” she inquired dryly, her voice devoid of humor.

            Several men were unloading supplies from the warship while others were reloading those supplies into several wagons as well as onto a collection of war horses in mismatched tack.

            “Maybe she had second thoughts about fighting in Greece?” one man said from the deck of the ship. “Lacks the stomach to kill her countrymen.”

            In one fluid motion, Xena grabbed the chakram and threw it away from the ship. It ricocheted off of the wagon wheel, a barrel of water (which it sliced open), a metal bracing on the ship’s mast, and cut a deadly swath across the sailor’s throat. He kneeled over, dead just as the disc hit another barrel and headed for Xena. She caught it easily, noting with satisfaction that there wasn’t any blood on the deadly weapon. Several sailors eyed their fallen comrade warily before returning to their tasks with renewed fervor. Borias rolled his eyes, appalled but unwilling to confront the blue eyed demon.

            “Are we going to stop by your home town for supplies?” he asked as Xena smoothly dismounted.

            “No.” She raised her voice loud enough for all to hear. “No one, and I mean no one is to go to Amphipolis. Anyone who steps within the city gates is a dead man.” Lowering her voice , her gaze fell on Borias. “There are several places we can stop to pick up men and supplies as we head inland. I’ve a taste for wine, Borias, I think our destination is obvious.”

            He considered her words, eyes shining with understanding. “We’re headed for Cirra.”

            Xero rode behind Xena as she made her way across Greece. Several times they were intercepted by men specifically wanting to join her army. The hacker was struck by how quick and decisive the warrior was in determining eligibility. She’d dismount, walk over to the perspective soldier and either kill him on the spot, or tell him to report to one of her lieutenants. At times even Borias seemed a little put off by her cold blooded ruthlessness.

            As they crested a small hill, Xena dismounted, leaving Xero alone on the horse just as the hacker caught a glimpse of Janice and Mel also on horseback off in the distance. That gap closed quickly and the thunder of hoof beats grew rapidly. As Janice Covington neared, Xero could make out unmasked rage. It was clear that Janice was after her, and Mel was doing her best to get between hacker and archeologist.

            “Xero, run!” Mel screamed although the hacker had already moved forward into the saddle and kicked the warhorse into a gallop. She passed by the edge of some farm land, barely noticing the rows and rows of grape vines thriving in the mild climate. Steadil,y she heard the archeologist gaining, the hoof beats and loud breathing of both horses ringing in her ears. She didn’t spare as much as a glance behind her but tried to veer off in another direction. It was a mistake. Janice Covington was clearly much more skilled on horseback than she was and anticipated the move. In moments she heard a snap then felt a searing sting as a bullwhip curled around her neck, cutting off her air.

            The next instant she was flying from horse back, airborne for the briefest instant before hitting the ground behind Janice’s horse at full gallop. She couldn’t figure out why her neck simply didn’t snap. She managed to squeeze two fingers under the whip, letting her lungs get some much needed air. It was little consolation as the ground ate away at her skin.

            Speeding over the rocky terrain, she managed to grasp the whip in both hands above her head, transferring the dragging force from her neck to her arms and shoulders. Holding firmly to the wound leather, she pulled for all she was worth, snapping the whip from Janice Covington’s grasp. Her body stopped moving as the horse sped off, leaving her to fight for. She was dimly aware of Janice’s return, her attention focused on getting the whip unwrapped from her neck.

            “Give me one goddamn reason not to kill you, you fucking asshole!” Janice yelled as she leapt from her saddle. Fury emanated from her like a furnace.

            “Would mentioning Ares help?” Xero croaked rubbing her neck. She was bleeding from numerous gashes and scrapes and felt almost as bad as she did when she last encountered the God of War.

            Mel reined her horse to a stop and gracefully dismounted joining the other two. Xero glanced at her before turning her attention to Janice once more. “What the fuck are you so steamed about?”

            “What am I--” Janice said incredulously as she lunged for Xero once more. Mel was instantly at her side stopping her. Unable to break free of her lover’s arms, she glared at the hacker. “That little stunt you pulled on Rielle, what do you think?”

            “I figured as much. Didn’t know it was a killing offense where you come from.”

            “Xero, you’re only getting the treatment you think you deserve,” Mel said seriously. “I think it’s Xena beginning to come to the surface. Obviously you’re feeling bad about it or Janice wouldn’t have done what she…”

            “So now it’s my subconscious controlling you two?” The hacker laughed bitterly. “This just gets better and better.” She handed the whip back to Janice and let the smaller woman help her stand. Without comment, she mounted the horse behind the archeologist and rode back to the grazing horse she’d been pulled from. “That was a test, wasn’t it?” She asked Janice as they neared her horse.

            “How do you mean?” the archeologist replied carefully.

            “Things are gearing up for Ares. I think you want to see if I can handle it. If I’ll fight back.”

            Janice turned around in the saddle to study the hacker closely. “If that’s true then you just failed, didn’t you?”

            “I can’t fight you,” Xero replied with a grin, walking over to Xena’s horse. Regardless of how much she wanted to wring the archeologist’s neck, Janice looked like Rielle. With her feelings about the syscop in turmoil, Xero couldn’t imagine attacking the archeologist now.

            “But you can treat someone who looks just like me as if she were an insignificant piece of meat,” Janice growled, still furious. Stung, the hacker looked down and was quiet. “Well…fuck!” Janice finally exclaimed in frustration. “Let’s get out of here. We’ve got the birth of a monster to witness.”

            As the three rode back to Xena and her army, Mel nudged her horse to move along side Xero. “Whaddya want?” the hacker grumbled.

            Mel shrugged demurely. “Just to know how it all went, before things got ugly, that is.”

            Xero turned her steady gaze into identical blue eyes that returned her stare unflinchingly. “You don’t strike me as the type to kiss and tell, Melinda.”

            “I’m not, but I suspect we have a number of things in common. A weakness for strawberry blondes being one of them.”

            “Well, the whole thing was screwed. Except for the beginning. I don’t know what happened.” The hacker focused her eyes on the expanse of fertile farmland around them. The day way bright and the air uncomfortably warm.

            “Yeah, but it’s a dry heat,” Janice quipped, riding up along side them and cutting into the hacker’s thoughts.

            “Janice, if you don’t mind, I was trying to have a private conversation with Xero,” Mel told her lover sweetly.

            “You think she’s going to be honest with you? Mel, she can’t even be honest with herself. It’s easy to mix lust with rage and then play out some scenario in your mind instead of paying attention to the person you’re actually making love to. God forbid you respond to the intensity of feeling that’s thrumming through your partner. Isn’t that right, hacker?” Xero didn’t answer. The archeologist rolled her eyes and addressed her lover once more. “Ole Xero has got some bizarre ideas about sex. How many women have you fucked? Fifty, sixty? And yet, you’ve only been touched, what, a half dozen times?”

            “Janice!” Mel implored, blushing furiously.

            “I don’t see why it should matter to you one way or another,” Xero commented coldly, glaring at the archeologist.

            “It matters because it’s symptomatic of one of the larger things wrong with you,” Janice continued, undaunted. “You want me to spell it out, fine I will. The big difference between Xena and Callisto was that Xena learned to feel. No, Xena isn’t much of a feeling creature now, but she’ll get there. Callisto never did and it destroyed her. You, my friend, are rowing that same boat. Jump ship now and you may have a chance, but  keep this up and I guarantee you’ll scare Rielle off.”

            “I think we agree she’d be better off then.” the hacker commented acidly.

            “Sure, I agree.” Janice nodded emphatically. “But that isn’t my decision to make. She’s decided to see this thing through. The question is, would you be better off? I’m asking you,” her expression softened, “no, I’m begging you, to make sure she doesn’t regret it. I spent too many wasted years knowing in my heart I was related to Gabrielle and hating myself for it. I owe Gabrielle everything.”

            Xero studied the archeologist for a moment, then turned her attention to the Southerner. “What about you, Mel?” she asked. “You gonna beg me not to mess up my life?”

            Mel smiled warmly with a loving gaze that included Janice as well as Xero in its scope. “Not at all, love, you’ll do just fine. If Xena could live out her days with Gabrielle at her side, and if Janice here could look past my spoiled, rich upbringing, I don’t doubt that you’ll find a way through this, especially since Rielle already loves you very, very much.”

            Xero shook her head baffled at the complete lack of hostility or pity in the Southerner’s face.

            “Honestly, Mel,” Janice added teasingly. “I didn’t have a problem with the money.”

            “I swear you two deserve each other,” the hacker finally swore under her breath.

            The three women joined up with Xena just as she was discussing the fate of Cirra with Borias and two other men. “There’s only forty of us, so don’t take stupid chances. They’re going to put up a fight so have your men stay sharp. Kill ‘em all if you have to. If the women and children are smart they’ll stay inside until we take what we want and go. We’re here for supplies, nothing else,” she stressed, looking pointedly at the man next to Borias. “I see any man wasting valuable time with women and children I’ll slit his throat.”

            Then, blue eyes shining brightly with destructive passion, Xena, of Amphipolis gave the signal and led the attack on Cirra. The Warrior Princess fought with gleeful savagery, slicing her way through one knot of resistant villagers then the next. The vision of death that rode through the village on horseback that day was not the man of bones used to frighten children. No, the death that charged through Cirra was a woman--beautiful, graceful, but nothing like the mothers that the frightened children clung to for comfort.

            Xero watched, numb at the vibrant life spilling from bodies onto the Cirran dirt everywhere she looked. A man with a pitch fork was stabbed through the gut, another with a rake was decapitated. Two villagers dumped oil in a horse trough and set it ablaze trying to keep the horse mounted killers at bay. Xena’s well trained steed jumped the obstacle easily and the two Cirrans were gutted for their trouble. A hideous scream brought Xena’s attention back to the trough.

            One of her men had shoved a villager into the blazing oil. Covered in flames, he screamed and instinctively ran for cover. Several of her men laughed at the pitiful attempts the running inferno made to save his life. He made it to one open door and fell down, dead and still in the door way, the smell of charred flesh filling the warrior’s lungs.

            In seconds, the house caught fire. Thatched roofs, dried from the summer heat couldn’t withstand the tongues of flame lapping up from the burning doorway. Already burning out of control, the flames spread from one house to the next, billowing black smoke adding to the confusion and carnage of the attack.

            Xero watched in stunned silence as building after building caught fire, the hiding inhabitants of Cirra too terrified to leave their burning buildings and take their chances with the cold blooded killers outside. The cries of dying women and children added to the din of death that enveloped Cirra that day.

            Borias fought his way over to Xena who studied the scene with cool detachment. “Get some men over to that storage building before it catches fire,” she instructed. “ I came here for Cirran wine, I sure as Tartarus ain’t leaving without it.”

            Knowing better than to question the order, Borias headed off. Xena watched him go until something on the ground diverted her attention. Running from a burning house, a young girl stopped short at the sight of the mounted warrior in her path. Cheeks stained with tears, her soft brown eyes glittered with rage and hatred. Her back straight, head held high, the young girl glared at the warrior. “Why!” she screamed.

            Xena smirked at the girl, kneeing her horse into a trot as she headed down the street, leaving the child alone in her fury. But not quite alone. Xero walked over to the child, kneeling in the dirt in front of her. “Callisto,” she whispered, her voice choking. “I’m so sorry.”

            The child, unable to see the hacker before her, stared at the receding warrior. “I don’t know who you are,” she said calmly, “But you’re going to pay for this.”

            “Truer words have never been spoken,” Mel said, putting a gentle hand on Xero’s shoulder. “You’re still paying for it.” With a gentle pull she urged the hacker away from the carnage she couldn’t change.

            “And so is she,” Xero whispered.

I would bleed to love her

— Lindsey Buckingham

Chapter 8: Battledrills

            The noise made by returning hackers woke Xero from her sleep. Twisting her head from side to side didn’t do much to relieve cramped muscles so she stopped and opted to check her watch instead. As she suspected she’d been out for more than eight hours. Easing out of the booth she headed for the center of the pub where she met Blue, just coming in from the front.

            “There’s a bag of clothes here,” the hacker said, looking as happy to see Xero as one would be getting an audit notice from the IRS.

            “They’re mine. Rielle dropped them by last night.”

            Blue looked around the pub. “And didn’t stay? I’m glad to see she’s catching on.”

            “Just drop it, Blue,” the raven haired hacker warned, towering over the shorter woman. “What happened after you guys left yesterday.”

            Blue shrugged and headed for the kitchen where she began making coffee. More hackers entered the building, gravitating towards the kitchen and the prospect of hot java like moths to fire. “Rielle worked out a game plan for contacting the most Disney workers utilizing remote access systems. She’s good, figured out a way to use cop encryption codes. We dropped by on some locals that haven’t been at the ‘horn for awhile and told ‘em what was going on. A few more are going to meet us at the hotel, but the majority will contact us in the park tomorrow. We managed to drag Demeter out of retirement, but didn’t take Rielle with us to do it. Turns out she’s the cop who put her away.”

            “Good to know. MaryD will be glad she’s back.” Xero commented, accepting the mug of hot coffee that Blue handed to her. “What’d you guys do with Rielle when you went to see Demeter?”

            “We dropped her off at the hospital so she could see her wife. I guess she went by your place to get your clothes when she was done.” Blue took a sip from her own cup and smiled approvingly at the flavor. Looking around at the assembled hackers her smile began to fade. “Where’s Ska, I thought she was making breakfast?”

            “Chill, Blue,” Tess soothed moving behind the counter and gently shoving the muscular woman out of the kitchen. “Ska, Puck and Kanvil went to pick up the car. I’ll get breakfast started.”

            “While we’re waiting,” Wordee suggested, pulling out a input pad, “why don’t we get these room assignments taken care of for tonight? We’ve got enough rooms if we double up.” Every one nodded their assent and she went down the list of names. “Should we just do this alphabetically and be done with it?”

            “Can’t,” Jenbob said shaking her head. “That would put Grace and Gwen in the same room and they broke up.”

            There were more nods and Wordee duly noted the information on her pad. “Me and Jenbob can share a room,” Julie, the statuesque Amazon offered with a sly wink. A few knowing glances were exchanged around the table and the information was duly noted.

            “Good idea Julie,” Wordee agreed. “Why don’t we take care of the people here first. Who’ll room with me?” Several people spoke up at once and she eyed them suspiciously. “Thanks, I think I’ll wait and ask MaryD when she gets here.”

            Two hours later a pub full of women continued to bicker and argue over rooming assignments. “You simply can’t put Della and Chris in the same room-- they’ll kill each other,” Sharon explained for what felt like the tenth time.

            “Anyone with a problem is asking to get their ass-kicked,” LN commented with Deb nodding her agreement. “This isn’t like that vacation a bunch of us took to Las Vegas, it’s one stinkin’ night for chrissakes.”

            “Try explaining that to my wife when she finds out I’m staying with my ex’s ex,” an unseen voice called from the far end of the pub.

            “Well if you’d have married a hacker then you’d have someone to room with, wouldn’t you?” someone else taunted from the doorway.

            In moments the pub was filled with the din of thirty women all talking at once, loudly. A shrill whistle erupted and the room fell silent once more. From the center of the throng Xero looked at her now silent colleagues, a fierce scowl on her face. Taller than most, she was easily visible. When she spoke her voice was calm, quiet and had the faint edge that she was waiting for any excuse to go postal and kill someone. “Those of you that have someone in mind you can room with and not face repercussions at home, tell Wordee. Then we’ll match up the names that are still left. Anyone complaining about her room assignment at that point will get switched to my room. Is that clear?” People were quiet for a moment then began to pair off, informing Wordee of their sleeping arrangements.

            “You handled that like a general,” Rielle commented, making her way to the center of the room.

            “How long have you been here?” Xero asked.

            “Long enough to be amused.”

            The hacker frowned. “I know things look a little chaotic right now, but when we get to the hotel and start planning the thing, I think they’ll settle down. Bat handled the arrangements when we went to Vegas and somehow it seemed more organized...”

            “Relax,” the syscop assured her. “If you’ve got faith in them, that’s all that matters. They’re in this for you, ya know.”

            Xero looked around nervously, hoping no one had overheard the syscop’s comment. “They don’t know that, and if you want them at the park tomorrow, we’ll keep that little detail to ourselves.” Catching sight of someone, she nodded down to her companion. “Ska and the others are back, it’s time to get this show on the road.        

            The women moved outside, to sort out rides to the park. Rielle scowled up at Xero when she noticed the car parked out front. “You stole my wife’s car?” she asked incredulously.

            “You didn’t say it belonged to her wife,” Ska said, the color draining from her face. Puck and Kanvil glared accusingly at Xero.

            “Relax, Rielle,” Xero said with a shrug. “It isn’t like she can use the car until day after tomorrow anyway.”

            “And what if something happens to it?” The syscop demanded.

            “Nothing’s gonna happen to it.”

            “Shit, you two sound married,” Ska grumbled, then ducked behind Puck and Kanvil when both women turned an unamused glare in her direction.

            “Shouldn’t she be in school or something?” Rielle deadpanned causing a burst of laughter from all in hearing distance save the waitress. “I’ll drive Paula’s car, Xero you can drive my car. Lets get going.”

            Check in at the hotel went smoothly. Working out sleeping arrangements ahead of time speeded up the process considerably. With only a few people switching at the last minute the throng of hackers disappeared into the hotel shortly after arrival.

            Xero found her room without any trouble. She’d been given a large suite on the thirty second floor with windows that looked out over the mouse shaped pool. Since everyone was planning to meet there, she made quick use of the shower. A habit since childhood days in the orphanage she was showered and had her hair washed within five minutes. Opening the small duffle bag Rielle had packed she poked through the clothes. The syscop had packed several pairs of underwear, skimpy black, metallic green the god awful red ones Bat had given her as a joke. There were three pairs of white socks as well and two different pairs of jeans, one blue and faded the other grey and not as worn. She had two t-shirts to choose from a well worn soft gray one and a black one that said Hard Rock Cafe: Bajor on it. Deciding on the black underwear, grey shirt and faded jeans, Xero dressed. She had just donned the flannel shirt, and was about to pick up her socks when a light knock rapped at the door. With an unconscious gesture she flipped her still wet hair behind her shoulders and answered the door.

            “You’re early,” she commented when she saw Rielle standing just outside.

            “They arranged for my room to be across the hall from yours. It was a quick trek,” the syscop replied, glancing back at the door to her room all of 10 feet away. She entered the room, easing a heavy bag from her shoulder. Depositing the drive reader on the table she moved to the window to check out the hacker’s view.

            “Who are you sharing it with?” Xero asked, watching the other woman intently.

            Rielle turned from the window and smiled. “Jealous?”

            “Curious,” the hacker clarified.

            “What if I told you it was Blue?” Rielle pressed, watching the hacker closely.

            “I’d say you should get some earplugs. I’ve heard Blue snores something awful.”

            “You don’t know first hand?”

            Xero smirked, all to willing to play the syscop’s game. “Last time Blue and I were in the same bed, neither of us were sleeping.” The color drained a little from the syscop’s face and she realized she’d made her point. “But that was a long time ago and she’s been rather pissy with me ever since.”

            “To answer your question,” Rielle said stiffly, directing the conversation away from the hacker’s conquests. “I’m not sharing a room with anyone. Wordee said there was an extra, and they didn’t have the heart to put me in here with you.”

            “How thoughtful.”

            “I thought it was,” Rielle insisted, determined not to let the obnoxious hacker get the best of her. “And you rate this big room all to yourself because…?” she asked dryly.

            “Because we’re meeting in here and I don’t mind sleeping with twenty-five empty pizza boxes.”

            A Loud knock on the door announced more arrivals and Rielle let her retort die on her lips. Eight hackers had arrived bearing boxes of pizza, bottles of soda and a variety of other foodstuffs. The earliest arrivals staked out the prime sitting positions on the couches and bed present in the suite. Food and serving dishes littered every available surface and within minutes it was hard to move through the throng of bodies. At the earliest opportunity Rielle drifted into the crowd to chat with hackers that had now become friends. Telling herself she didn’t care, Xero ate a couple pieces of pizza, her mind still working on plans for the upcoming battle.

            The crowd was large and loud and within minutes of the last arrivals Security knocked on the door with a complaint.

            “Who’s the skinny geek-bob?” someone asked when the lone security officer made his way into the room.

            “I need to speak with whomever is in charge?” he announced looking around a bit dubiously.

            “Why?” someone else asked reaching for another slice of pizza.

            “The gentleman next door is complaining.”

            Wordee made her way to the guard, annoyance etched on her face. “I asked to get this whole floor. He declined our offer to switch rooms.”

            “He’s still complaining,” the guard insisted.

            “We’ll see about that,” Julie offered with a toothy grin, and slipped from the room.

“Are you ladies here for some sort of convention?” the guard asked, trying to make small talk, stalling for time.

A silence as ominous as death settled over the room as every mouth stilled. The guard looked ready to wet himself. “What did you call us?” Ska asked dangerously, glaring up at the guard.

“Not a smart move, bob,” LN whispered to the guard, eyeing Ska warily. “If you start running now, you just might make it to the elevator.”

Before anyone else could comment, Julie strode back into the room, a confident swagger in her step. “Funny, I talked to the guy. And he swears he has no complaints.” She looked around at the silent faces, all staring at the guard. “Don’t everyone thank me at once,” she grumbled.

“Right. Good,” the guard agreed, backing away from the hostile throng. “You la... folks enjoy your stay.”

The room erupted with laughter as he closed the door behind him.

After several moments of high fives and congratulations, the room began to settle down. Xero waited until every one had something to eat before making her way to the table at the end of the room where Rielle had deposited her drive reader. After flipping a couple of switches the machine, she removed Rielle’s drive and inserted the drive she’d been working on. The projecting the readouts onto the far wall.

She put her mobie unit on the table and adjusted the volume. “Shadow, Missy you guys there?” she asked.

“Clear signal, no worries,” came the disembodied voices. “We’ve got a clean channel, what about your location?”

Xero waited until the chorus of greetings subsided before answering. “The room checks out. We’re clean. Now that we’re all here, have you guys had any luck with President Taborn?”

“We can tell that she’s gotten the messages, or someone pretty high up has at any rate. Missy has been working over the data we’ve lifted from the tracer nodes.”

“That’s right,” the other voice continued. “The White House is treating this like internal terrorism. They think we’re terrorists, and that the virus is a terrorist as well. I don’t think they’re getting much sympathy from other countries. We’ve been stingy with our technology and now our allies say we deserve what we get.”

“So it’s definitely the Pipeline Project, then?” MaryD asked curiously.

Xero pressed enter on the drive reader and a medical analysis of Bat’s last online session appeared on the wall. “Shadow says it’s ‘like’ Pipeline but worse.”

“Xero’s right,” the voice emanated from the mobie unit. “Bat looked at a screen and was trapped by a very fast stream of information. Unfortunately with her eye, I’m sure she was able to read it as opposed to just seeing static. The thing locks you in that it runs a direct line to your brain, making it self-destruct the body. This is what Pipeline’s designed to do, but even the most conservative estimates put that technology about twenty five years away.”

“Shit,” someone murmured from the back.

“Okay,” Demeter reasoned, catching Rielle’s eye and looking at her suspiciously. “How do you propose we stop it? One syscop, three hundred hackers and a virtual reality tank--mind connecting the dots, Xero?”

There were some disgruntled murmurs, making it quite apparent that not everyone in the room knew or appreciated that there was a syscop in their midst.

“Before you guys form a lynch mob,” Missy’s disembodied voice said through the tiny speaker, “her days at Archive are over. There’s a buzz on the cop nodes, seems a lackey of Helms met an unfortunate fate in the rosebushes underneath Xero’s bedroom window. Broken neck. The syscop’s prints were found in the apartment and the Senator is out for blood.”

“Why didn’t you say something?” Xero demanded incredulously.

“Say what? I killed a thug this morning, can I have a gold star?” Rielle shot back from her seat on the couch. “I told you we only get one shot at this, that the timetable was stepping up. Did you think I was joking?”

Jenbob looked thoughtfully at the combatants while she refilled her cup. “I don’t know about you, but if the syscop is willing to throw away her career and her marriage to stop this thing, I’m inclined to think she’s on the level. We know why we’re here; let’s focus on what we need to do.”

“Unless this is an elaborate trick to get three hundred hackers in one place,” someone challenged from near the bathroom. “That would be quite a score, one syscop bringing in three hundred of us at once.”

“What about you, Xero?” Wordee asked. “You’ve got the most to loose if we get caught. Do you trust her?”

“Trust, hell,” Ska muttered under her breath. “She was screwing her for godsakes.”

“Like that means anything,” Blue muttered back.

Xero glanced over at Rielle. The syscop looked as curious as the hackers to see how she would answer. “I believe Rielle is here to deal with Ares. I think it would be reasonable to expect her not to go after any and all hackers helping out.” 

“It isn’t me you have to worry about,” Rielle continued, trying to reassure the assembled outlaws. “As Missy told you, I’m as hunted as you are, more so because Archive obviously believes I’ve switched sides. The bigger problem is going to be securing the park long enough to get Xero to the tank, then deal with Ares. It’s not unreasonable to expect the National Guard or local cops to surround the place. Executive order is going to be the only thing saving our collective asses when this is all done. Syscops would have to get in line behind city, state then federal agencies when it comes to going after all of you.”

The room grew quiet as everyone considered the implications. “Relax, guys,” Demeter said, breaking the silence. “Prison food’s not that bad.” Tension broken, eyes drifted back to the tall woman in the center of the room.

“Did someone get a map?” Xero asked looking from Blue to Delirium.

“Right here,” Ska announced, handing Xero a thickly folded stack of paper. As the hacker unfolded it, she turned a narrow gaze on the waitress. Ska tried to suppress a grin and failed. “I can’t help it,” she explained. “Cartoon maps were the only ones they had left at the gift shop. It’ll work and it beats the risk of logging on.”

With a resigned sigh, Xero opened the next file on her drive and pointed to various locations on the brightly colored map. “I’ve drawn up operational teams. The team leaders and their contacts are highlighted. Some of you will go into the park tonight and take in the shows. We want to make sure this VR tank is up and running and that everything looks normal. The control room for the tank should be located here, under the Matterhorn,” she explained pointing to a central area on the map. “Three teams of twenty will need to hide in the park after it closes. Team One will take cover in the river, here. Team Two will go to this area of the back lot and Team Three will go to the information hub. We need that hub down before we can make any other move. I’ll be in position to get to the control room. When Ska gives the signal, Robin and LN will get my team in the control room, then they’ll move back to get word to the teams at the water park, sports park and Epcot center. These areas will have to be closed down as well since whoever comes after us will have to go through those positions first.”

Kanvil stood and pointed to an area on the map behind It’s A Small World. “We’ve found a breech in their security net. We should be able to sneak some weapons into the park here, then they can be stowed out of sight until dark.”

“Put ‘em under the drawbridge to the castle. There’s enough metal in the bridge to fool the security scans,” Rielle suggested. “It’s also fairly close to the VR control room.”

“Why the hell is it under the Matterhorn, anyway?” Ska asked, lifting another piece of pizza from a passing tray.

“The holo projection systems run under the park and up through the river,” Missy answered from the mobie unit. “It’s the same configuration as Disney World. The light system, pyrotechnics, and holographic projectors run through a series of node computers all linked to the main hub.”

Jenbob looked at the phone dubiously. “And there’s a small thermal exhaust port right below the main port, but it’s ray shielded so you’ll have to use proton torpedoes,” she muttered.

“Star Wars, 1977,” Wordee said triumphantly. “But I see Jenbob’s point. This is high end stuff. We’re not going to be able to keep cops out of the park for long. How long will you need to get rid of the virus?” she asked looking at Xero.

The tall hacker looked at Rielle. “If I get my ass kicked it won’t take long, if I make some headway it could take up to half an hour, I guess.”

The assembled hackers began to grumble a little in disappointment until Rielle spoke up. “It isn’t as bad as it sounds,” she insisted. “You’ve said yourself that the car wreck on the 5 freeway will buy some time. If you can just keep things chaotic for about forty five minutes to an hour, there’s a good chance most of you will get out of the park unnoticed. It’s either that or take your chances with the entity on the nets. It’s knocking off more hackers than syscops after all.”

Seeing Rielle’s point all too clearly, the groups began breaking down into command teams. Minor modifications and alterations were made to various plans, but the main organizational structure was left intact. There wasn’t much for Xero to do at that point. No one had questioned her appointments of team commanders, and the only one who would be in the control room with her was Rielle. Since the syscop didn’t seem very interested in talking to her at the moment, Xero contented herself with watching the swimmers in the pool outside the window, thirty-two floors below.

When all the food was gone, the hackers began to leave in small groups. Most decided to head to the park to take in some shows and meet back at the room for breakfast.

“You guys coming to the park?” Ska asked the remaining group as she fished her ticket out of her pocket.

Jenbob, Blue, and Wordee looked at Xero inquiringly. “I’ll skip it,” Xero answered, running a hand through hair still slightly damp. “I’m sure I’ll see enough of the place tomorrow.”

“Cool,” Ska replied. “Then, how about loaning me some cash for dinner?”

“You just ate,” Xero reminded her.

“Here.” Rielle offered handing the waitress her ticket. “I don’t feel much like going either. I’m sure you could sell my evening pass.”

“Thanks, copper,” the waitress replied with a grin. “In spite of what everyone says, you’re alright.”

“But she just ate,” Xero repeated.

“That isn’t the point,” Rielle shot back, her temper flaring a little. “Maybe she wants a t-shirt or something. Christ, Xero, quit being such a hard ass.”

Wordee, Blue, and Jenbob chuckled which only annoyed Xero even more. “Fuck you, Rielle,” she muttered.

“In your dreams, hacker,” the syscop shot back, turning and heading for the door.

“Do all your one night stands give you this trouble?” Jenbob asked, smiling broadly.

“Evita, 1997,” Wordee added without skipping a beat.

Xero stood gazing out the window until she’d heard the last of the hackers leave. Annoyed and frustrated, she paced back and forth like a caged animal. “Fucking syscop,” she muttered to herself more than once. There was something about the woman Xero couldn’t grasp. She was too confident at the strangest times then surprisingly shy and vulnerable when the hacker least expected it. “She’s doing it on purpose,” she grumbled. “I know, she’s trying to drive me insane.”

Xero stopped in her tracks, knowing she’s heard the phrase somewhere before but not knowing when. She was almost certain she’d not been the one to say it. Flopping onto the bed she stared at the ceiling. Feeling restless and moody, sleep was the last thing on her mind. She hit the remote control panel on the stand by the side of the bed and looked down past her feet at the monitor in the console at the far wall.

Ignoring the images on the screen, her eyes landed on Rielle’s bag still sitting under the table where she’d left it. Shutting off the monitor, she sat up on the edge of the bed and debated. She could return the bag, giving her a legitimate excuse to go across the hall to the syscop’s room. Or ignore it and see if Rielle would come looking for it. Pushing herself off the bed, Xero retrieved the bag from under the table and rummaged through its contents. A wallet, mobie unit, taser, papers, a pack of gum, a brush, all the usual contents of a syscop’s purse and none of it important enough to warrant a frantic search. That being the case, she closed the bag and headed across the hall to return it.

Xero knocked on the door, glancing over her shoulder at the room she’d just left. She was about to go back when Rielle’s door opened. The hacker swallowed reflexively. “You forgot your bag,” she mumbled.

Rielle looked up into blue eyes that did their best not to stare. Tooth brush in one hand, she was dressed in an oversized t-shirt, nothing else. “Bring it on in,” she replied returning to the bathroom.

“At least you were still up,” Xero continued as she put the bag down near the bed. She rubbed the back of her neck and debated whether or not she should simply leave. She’d made up her mind to go when Rielle stepped out of the bathroom, blocking off her only avenue of escape.

“Leaving so soon?” the syscop inquired calmly.

Xero gazed down; her slight smile gave nothing away of the battle being waged within. “I didn’t really think you’d want me to stay,” she said simply.

Rielle walked past the hacker and stood in front of the large window. The Magic Kingdom sparkled in the distance. “To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure myself whether or not I want you to stay,” she said quietly as she watched the sparkling lights. She turned back to see Xero studying her closely. “Just how brave are you feeling tonight, Xero?” 

“Brave enough,” the hacker answered quietly.

Coming to a decision, Rielle stepped away from the window and joined the hacker near the bed. “Then tell you what. You let me undress you, and by the time I’m done I’ll have made up my mind if I want you to stay.”

“Sounds a little risky for me, doesn’t it?” Xero replied, her voice deep and warm. “You change your mind and I’m walking back to my room naked.”

Rielle laughed as she circled the hacker. “Your room is across the hall, dear. I think you’d manage. Not that I’ve found you very shy about your body up to this point. So, what’ll it be?”

Xero turned and looked at Rielle. Gazing deep into the syscop’s vibrant green eyes she searched for some clue as to what the syscop had planned. Finding none, she had no place to turn but her own heart and mind, which were screaming go and stay alternately. Always shrewd, she decided to play it both ways as long as she could. “I’ll stay, see what you have in mind,” she announced.

Shaking her head slowly, Rielle’s expression turned very serious. “No, Xero,” she said in a voice barely above a whisper. “Either yes or no. If you stay, you agree to stay until tomorrow morning, not just until you decide you’re uncomfortable. It also means I’m running this show. You keep your hands to yourself unless I say otherwise. If you can’t give me at least that much, then I’m not interested.”

“I thought you were undecided,” Xero teased gently.

“I am. And I admit you’re getting the short end of the deal here. You’re going to have to take the risk. Decide for yourself if it’s worth it to you or not.”

Rielle looked up into troubled eyes. Xero closed them briefly. When long eyelashes fluttered open once more the syscop found her gaze trapped by piercing blue. Xero’s expression surprisingly unguarded. 

“Yes,” the hacker whispered, giving the only answer she could.

Rielle swallowed once, Xero’s submission hitting her like rolling thunder. She walked a slow circle around the taller woman who stood patiently still. Xero was waiting now, waiting to see what the other woman had in mind. Knowing this was her last, best chance to get through to the warrior bubbling just below the surface, the syscop took her time.

Gazing up the length of the hacker’s body, Rielle noticed that even in bare feet, the other woman was easily over a half foot taller than she. The green and black flannel shirt was open, hanging loose over a gray t-shirt which was tucked into faded blue jeans. The shirt cuffs unbuttoned, they were draped around elegant wrists almost obscuring a heavy black wristwatch from view. Xero watched intently as she circled like a shark.

“Why don’t you have pierced ears?” Rielle asked quietly when she stopped in front of the hacker, studying the taller woman’s features with interest.

For an instant Xero considered cutting retort, then changed her mind. “It never really occurred to me to pierce them,” she admitted. “It wouldn’t really serve any purpose.”

“And pierced nipples serve a purpose?”

The hacker smiled seductively. “Yes, they do.” Then, glancing down, she added, “but I only did it after loosing a bet.”

Rielle stepped behind the hacker, smoothing her hands over the broad shoulders covered by flannel. Taking a step forward, she pressed her cheek against the hacker’s strong back, in between the shoulder blades. Letting her hands wander down the length of muscular arms, she tried to memorize the contours beneath soft fabric. Bringing her hands to the front, feather light touches traced over the buttons of the shirt and flat abdomen beneath. “You have nice muscles.” she murmured. “What do you do to work out?” Moving in front of the hacker, she continued to trail her fingers up and down the open edges of the shirt. Fingers lightly grazing the t-shirt beneath as she traced the flannel.

“I...ah... just the usual stuff at the gym. Weights and the...uh, climbing wall mostly.” Try as she might, Xero was finding concentration difficult.

“Oh,” the syscop replied thoughtfully. Moving back behind the hacker, she brought her hands back to the flannel shirt’s collar and eased her fingers underneath. Slowly she began to pull back. Stepping around to face the hacker once more, she eased the shirt over strong shoulders. With deliberate care she guided the shirt off the taller woman’s body, letting it fall to the floor.

“Cold?” she asked as she guided her fingers over the fine hair of the hacker’s forearms. She smiled at the gooseflesh appearing in the wake of her touch.

“No,” Xero breathed, her voice throaty and ragged.

Rielle’s eyes drifted up and down the statuesque woman standing in front of her. She noticed that the hacker wasn’t wearing a bra. That much was obvious from the jewelry plainly visible beneath the snug t-shirt. Lightly, she brushed her hands over the surface of the gray cotton. Erect nipples strained against the material as skilled hands traveled over the hacker’s breasts. She could feel Xero’s eyes on her as she let her gaze brazenly trail over the hacker’s body. She smiled, enjoying the effect she was having on the taller woman. 

“Put your arms around me,” Rielle instructed.

Xero swallowed nervously. Stepping forward, she felt the softness of Rielle’s hair brushing against the bottom of her chin. Strong arms moved, encircling the smaller woman in a close embrace. Red gold tresses brushed against her arms as she held the syscop. The feel of Rielle’s arms wrapping around her waist, and slow hands brushing against her back was electrifying. Xero desperately wanted to brush her cheek against the soft crown of strawberry blonde hair resting against her chest, but didn’t. Standing still, she did as she was asked but nothing more.

Rielle smiled into the soft warmth of Xero’s chest. She could feel the roughness of blue jeans against her thigh and was grateful for the t-shirt protecting her stomach from the chill of nickel buttons. One of Xero’s arms was wrapped around her shoulders, the other draping across her back and resting near her hip. It felt sublime. Her hands continued to brush across the gray t-shirt, slowly tracing the muscles beneath. Gradually she brought her hands down to Xero’s lower back and began to untuck the shirt. As soon as she had the room, she slipped her hands underneath, trailing her fingers over warm skin. Her smile broadened when she felt the steady hammering of the heart beat beneath her cheek.

“Where do you get your clothes?” Rielle whispered against the hacker’s chest.

The hacker’s eyes closed, momentarily stunned by how intimate the question seemed at the moment. “Usual shops at the mall,” she replied, her voice reaching Rielle’s ears as a soft rumble through her chest. “Whatever’s on sale, I’m not that picky.”

Rielle stepped back, a slight smile on her face. “I think you are,” she countered. “You know you’re beautiful and you wear things that make you look magnificent.” Still gripping the bottom edge of the t-shirt, she untucked it as she brought her hands to the front.

“So, you think I look magnificent?” Xero asked, doing her best to smirk.

“Do you want me to?” Rielle challenged, green eyes blazing. Xero looked away not trusting herself to answer. “How do you see me?” she asked, reaching up to Xero’s cheek, drawing her eyes back.

“I think you’re gorgeous,” the hacker admitted honestly. “Infuriating, but breathtaking.”

Rielle laughed. “The same can be said for you, Xero, and more so.”

“Maybe,” she admitted. “So, does it always take you this long to undress someone?” she finally asked.

Stepping back, Rielle let her fingers trail over the hacker’s abdomen beneath the grey t-shirt. “You’ve got something better to do?” she asked, a wry smile on her lips. “A date perhaps? Honestly, Xero, this is one of the few civil conversations we’ve had. I’m in no mood to end it.”

“I can think of something better than talking,” the hacker murmured.

Drawing her hands slowly up the sides of Xero’s torso, she pulled the t-shirt off the taller woman’s body. Xero assisted by bending over when the shirt got up around her shoulders so the shorter woman could pull it over her head. Standing back up, long black hair fell around her shoulders in disarray. 

“I’ve got news for you,” Rielle murmured quietly, trailing her fingers over the newly exposed skin. “This isn’t about fucking.”

Xero didn’t reply, but watched in mute silence as Rielle traced the contours of her breasts with feather light touches.

“Did it hurt?” she asked, tracing the hoop pierced through the hackers left nipple with her finger. Experimentally she lifted the ring with her finger tip, noting the shudder that rippled through the hacker’s frame in response.

“Yeah, it hurt,” Xero answered, fighting to keep her voice casual and failing. 

“I’m a little surprised you don’t have your belly button pierced,” Rielle commented, fingers still playing with the small gold hoops.

“Who says I don’t?” she asked, her voice tight as another shudder shot through her body. Rielle’s eyes flashed up in question, and Xero couldn’t help but grin. “It’s in my right front pocket. I don’t wear it if I’m going to be on the bike a lot, sometimes it catches. I forgot to put it back since our trip up north.”

Taking the cue, Rielle reached into the pocket of the hacker’s tight fitting jeans, noting with satisfaction the breath that caught in Xero’s throat as soon as her hand made its way into the pocket. Fishing around for a moment, she withdrew a gold ring, identical in shape and size to the rings already adorning taut nipples. “Another bet?” the syscop asked wryly as she stooped to find the hole where it belonged.

“Yeah,” Xero admitted, trying not to flinch as Rielle’s light touch tickled her abdomen. “I’ve lost three bets that ended up in piercing.”

“So which breast did you pierce first, the right or left?” 

“The left,” Xero answered with a gasp as Rielle threaded the ring through the tiny hole at her belly button. There was something so intimate about that act. It certainly never felt that way when she removed or replaced the jewelry herself.

Task finished, Rielle took note of the three matching rings, smiling with approval. “I like them.” Moving her hands to the hacker’s breasts once more, she added, “especially these.” 

Xero gasped audibly when Rielle smoothed her palms over each breast, gently tugging on the gold hoop with her thumb and index finger when she finished. “Don’t start... something you’re not willing to finish,” she groaned, warning threading her voice.

“I could say the same thing to you, Xero.”

“How d’ya figure that?” the hacker asked as Rielle stepped behind her once more, trailing her hands along the taller woman’s warm skin. Her jaw clenched shut when Rielle stepped close, very aware of firm breasts pressing into her back, separated by only a soft t-shirt. The muscles of her back twitched as aroused nipples made their presence known. At the same time, Rielle’s hands had snaked around her waist, moving down the outside of her thighs.

“You can’t irresponsibly make love to me and be done with it. Is that what you were expecting?” The hacker winced at the stinging words, even though the syscop’s voice held no rebuke. “I’m not just some body for you to get off then move on,” she continued, drawing her hands up the tops of muscular thighs. “My heart is on the table here, and you think you can play without meeting the stakes.”

“I never asked for your heart,” Xero replied, her voice tight as Rielle’s fingers grasped the top button of her jeans.

“No,” Rielle allowed, undoing the button and trailing her hands down to the next. “But you got it anyway. Tough break.”

“Don’t make a big mistake even bigger,” the tall woman murmured quietly, covering the syscop’s hands with her own and holding them still.

“Relax, Xero,” Rielle whispered back placing a soft kiss between the taller woman’s shoulder blades. “I’m not going to hurt you, and this time, you aren’t going to hurt me.” 

With a gentle nudge she freed her hands from beneath the hacker’s and undid another button. Strong fingers proceeded to the next as Rielle inhaled deeply, nuzzling her face into the soft black hair that hung down well past Xero’s shoulders. The faint scent of leather from the outlaw’s jacket mixed with traces of the shampoo she’d used to wash her hair. To Rielle’s senses, it was home, a home she’d not seen in two millennia. With the final button released, she slowly brought her hands back up to the waistband of the jeans. As she eased her hands inside, Xero’s head tipped back, more hair tickling her face a little as it brushed past. In a smooth movement, Rielle pushed her hands down, bringing the blue jeans down with them. Gracefully, she crouched down, trailing her cheek along the length of Xero’s body. With the jeans piled on the floor, she stood, slowly trailing her hands up the outside of the hacker’s legs as she moved.

Without removing her hands from the hacker’s torso, Rielle moved to stand in front of the statuesque woman, dressed in nothing, save for her underwear and wristwatch. Xero leaned forward her eyes focused squarely on Rielle’s lips but was stopped by a warm hand against her chest. “Not yet,” Rielle whispered. “I still haven’t made up my mind.”

Closing her eyes in frustration at the rejection, Xero righted herself and waited. Then thought about escape. Calling the whole damn thing off and leaving. But she’d given her word, and unknown to most, it was one of the few things that she thought had any value. If the syscop was playing games, she admitted, then she was screwed. For the first time in many years, she was positively scared. Like using a muscle long atrophied, opening her heart to the syscop would likely tear it. “Why are you doing this?” she asked quietly, her voice thick with ragged emotion.

Rielle smiled kindly as she drew her hands down each side of Xero’s left arm. She let her fingers drift over the bulky wristwatch for a moment as she considered her answer. “In all honesty, Xero, I’m doing this because I want to. Not only that, I feel like I have to. You hurt me, and you know you did. If I don’t exact some sort of payment from you I don’t think you’ll be able to respect me.” Carefully, she brought the hacker’s wrist up to her face and placed a series of soft kisses from the inside of the elbow to wrist. “I know that respect is as close to love as you’re able to manage right now.”

“What makes you think I’ll ever be able to love?” Xero asked, mesmerized as Rielle kissed her palm them moved her lips back to the watch to undo the wristband with her teeth.

There was no answer as the syscop continued to work. Watch finally freed, Rielle let it fall from her teeth into her hand. Turning her back on Xero, she walked to the bed and gently set the watch on the bedside table. “I have my reasons,” she said sitting on the edge of the bed. “You don’t need to worry about it. Now, come here.”

The words may have been a command but the soft voice that relayed them caressed Xero like a gentle request. Stepping out of her jeans she moved to the bed and stood before Rielle, her face a map of uncertainty. 

Rielle reached out to trace the waistband of the hacker’s underwear. Outlining the black garment with her fingers she traced low over the Xero’s hips and the french cut high up the thigh, the silky material left little covered and less to the imagination. “I’m going to ask you to do something,” she said, a slight blush coloring her cheeks, “and I don’t want you to laugh at me.”

“Do I have to do it?” Xero asked, some of her customary sarcasm creeping into her voice.

Grinning openly, the syscop eased her hand into the waistband of the garment. “Yes, you do. You already agreed to.”

“All right then,” the hacker answered reasonably, surprised her voice was so calm. “Ask away.”

“I want you to hold me while I sleep,” she said finally as she drew the underwear down long muscled legs.

“Sleep?” Xero asked, without the slightest trace of humor to her voice. “You’re going to sleep?”

“I’d like to,” Rielle answered quietly, sounding a little insecure. “I didn’t sleep much last night, I was trying to sort things out.” She got into bed, pulled back the covers and moved over leaving room for Xero to join her. “Besides, you owe me. I held you every night at Henry’s.”

Blue eyes widening in surprise, Xero opened and closed her mouth several times. “You held me?” she blurted at last. Feeling a little nauseous, she sat down on the edge of the bed.

“You were thrashing around a lot,” Rielle explained. “Henry was worried about you hurting yourself. When I held you, you quieted right down. Relax, Xero, it isn’t like I took pictures or anything.”

The syscop’s sarcasm cut through her racing thoughts, bringing her back to the here and now. “It isn’t that,” she stammered. “What I mean is...I...I...” Giving up she shrugged. “It’s nothing.”

“Xero,” Rielle asked gently, resting her chin on the hacker’s firm shoulder. “When was the last time you spent the night with a lover?”

Swallowing nervously, Xero looked down at her feet for a moment before turning her head and meeting Rielle’s gaze. “I...um... don’t do that.”

“Don’t want to spend that much time with ‘em huh?” 

“Something like that,” the hacker answered with an almost bashful grin.

Rielle considered asking why, but suspected she already knew the answer. Moving from orphanage to orphanage had obviously taken its emotional toll. She couldn’t begin to speculate at the abuse the older woman may have suffered. She’d read stories about the so called “kid farms,” always hoping things weren’t as bad as they seemed. She was dealing with a woman who was brilliant, violent and emotionally infantile. It was a dangerous combination. But she was committed now, bound to the warrior in a hacker’s skin before they’d even met. If nothing else, it was her duty to prepare this woman for the upcoming battle. Xero would need to be able to reach inside herself and find more there than she ever imagined. Rielle knew that it was her connection to the volatile hacker that would be the something more.

            “It isn’t that hard,” Rielle suggested, pulling Xero into the bed. “Move that arm here, no, not quite that much. There you go. Now, I go here.” Curling up against the hacker’s side, Rielle rested her head on a shoulder that fit so well it seemed designed for the purpose. Born of a habit several lifetimes old, she threw one leg over the hacker’s and wrapped a secure arm around Xero’s middle. “Think you’ll survive?” she murmured into a warm chest rising and falling with measured breaths.

“You can honestly sleep like this?” Xero asked, trying to sound cross.

“Oh yeah,” Rielle purred, snuggling close. “Just so you know, you can move around a little, you won’t wake me up.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Xero answered dryly. Taking the cue, she shifted her position, getting as comfortable she could under the circumstances. Every movement seemed to bring the syscop closer, until more of her was resting on Xero than the bed. With her right arm wrapped around Rielle’s body, she let her hand slip under the t-shirt where it came to rest against soft skin. Not knowing what to do with her other hand she rested it on the arm stretched across her abdomen.

Rielle snuggled a bit more in approval. “You’re perfect, Xena, absolutely perfect,” she mumbled, barely coherent. By her next breath, she was sound asleep.

            Xero gazed down at the crown of strawberry blonde hair resting on her chest. The syscop had just called her ‘Xena’ by mistake and the hacker wasn’t sure how she felt about it. “Lights, off,” she called to the empty room which suddenly became bathed in darkness.

Xero listened to the steady rhythm of her companion’s breathing for long minutes before she became accustomed to its soothing pattern. It wasn’t so bad she decided. Asleep, the syscop was all softness and curves snuggled tightly against her body. It was a marked contrast to the woman who when conscious ran the gamut from shy to confrontational. For a moment, Xero considered sleeping herself. The peaceful slumber of her companion was having an almost hypnotic effect. She changed her mind, deciding she didn’t want to share the tranquil moment with two ghosts from the past. ”This is tranquility?” she wondered. The word felt foreign in her mind but she was unable to come up with a better one.

Thoughts that would normally wander were focused squarely on the here and now. Like an anchor, her sleeping companion kept her attention riveted on the peace at hand. With a rare sense of centeredness, Xero thought about the events that had brought them together. Like a page from some deranged story, the death of a friend led to an imminent battle against evil at the happiest place on earth. Risking her life against a known killer because the sleeping woman at her side said she was a reincarnated ancient Greek hero? It was nuts. Almost as crazy as the hotel full of hackers who were equally prepared to risk imprisonment or death for the greater good. Then there were the dreams. The haunting visions of a life she could feel but not remember.

Rielle shifted in her sleep, interrupting the hacker’s thoughts. The hand that rested around Xero’s middle moved up to cup an ample breast. The syscop sighed contentedly bringing a smile to the hacker’s lips. ”What do you dream about?” Xero wondered stroking her companion’s back tenderly. ”Dead archaeologists, ancient battles? Or do you dream about the future? An ideal warrior perhaps, who’ll come down from the clouds and win your heart? I’m sorry, Rielle, but I don’t think it’s me.” Turning away from disappointing thoughts, she returned her attention to the present. Content to simply exist in that moment with the woman at her side, Xero listened to her companion’s breathing and filled her senses with the scent and feel of soft skin. Minutes stretched into hours bringing with it a sense of completeness as blissful as it was foreign to the hacker.

Xero was so enjoying the intimate quiet that she was almost disappointed when the syscop began to stir. Breathing became more irregular and less deep; moments later Rielle was nuzzling Xero’s shoulder as she woke.

“You are sooooo comfortable,” she murmured, her voice sleepy and warm, caressing the hacker’s skin. “Did you sleep?”

“No,” Xero answered quietly, not wanting to break the spell of contentment that enveloped them.

“Kept watch did ja?” she teased placing a light kiss on the hacker’s clavicle.

“Something like that.” Blue eyes closed in pleasure as a second kiss joined the first, this time at the base of Xero’s throat. Rielle shifted her weight once more and stretched out on top of the hacker’s body. The lips at Xero’s neck became bolder, kissing a warm path along a pulsing vein.

Her mind swimming with heady memories, Rielle considered biting Xero on the throat. Baccahe remembrances darted through her consciousness, making her pulse throb. Regretfully she decided against it. Xena the fighter had already bubbled to the surface as Paula’s failed sword fight had amply proven. Coaxing Xena the lover to the surface would be best accomplished by gentle touches to start. There would be time for wild abandon, Rielle promised herself there would, but not right now.

The room was nearly dark--the only source of light were the vibrant colors from the sparkling signs outside. With the blinds closed, bits of hue seeped into the room casting a variety of shapes and shadows in random patterns across the bed and floor. Rielle arched her back, gazing down into the face below. A warm sliver of light from the window made it’s way onto the bed and fell across Xero’s face making her eyes appear almost violet. Rielle slowly descended on the waiting mouth, her eyes closing as she moved. Without the distraction of sight, she focused on the warm, wet lips moving beneath hers. Basking in the sensuous onslaught, Rielle moved her lips over the hacker’s, delighting in the kiss they shared. When a warm tongue caressed her lower lip she invited the other woman inside, tongues caressing each other in a dance of heat and passion.

It was a desperate need for air that drove their mouths apart, leaving both women panting and hungry for more. “I like the way you kiss,” Rielle breathed, although it was a gross understatement.

“There’s more where that came from,” Xero nearly growled, reaching up for more.

“Not so fast,” Rielle countered pulling her head back a little and out of the hacker’s reach. “Think you can remember who it is you’re with this time?” she asked gently.

Xero flinched, as if she’d just had ice water dumped on her. Aroused and growly, thrumming with sexual energy, the last thing she wanted to do at the moment was think. “I don’t know,” she answered honestly. She lay still, waiting for Rielle to make the next move.

“I’ll remind you,” Rielle rasped, leaning down for another scorching kiss. Her tongue forced its way into the hacker’s mouth seeking out its secrets with abandon. Xero gently sucked on the tongue filling her so deliciously. After a few moments she released the syscop, savoring the sweet taste in her mouth that lingered. Lips sliding from Xero’s mouth, Rielle tasted a fiery path across the other woman’s face. She nipped teasingly at the hacker’s cheek, kissed dark eyebrows tenderly and skillfully traced the outline of an ear with feather light touches of her tongue. Making her way back to hungry lips she luxuriated in the warm wetness that caressed her in return.

Rielle could have kissed Xero all night and would have, if the aching need of her body hadn’t become so insistent. The hand caressing at the base of her spine, and the other threaded through her hair resonated with a touch she’d not felt in lifetimes. Her body buzzing with recognition, she was determined to fulfill every desire before the enigmatic hacker changed her mind.

Xero wasn’t about to change her mind. She simply laid back and let it happen. Even moreso than the day before, it was clear being on top did something for the syscop and Xero saw no reason to tamper with success. She had to admit, it was doing something for her, too. Smiling down, Rielle cupped the sides of her face with tender hands, and kissed her deeply. With an involuntary sigh, Xero kissed back, loving every moment of it.

In one smooth movement Rielle sat up, straddling the hacker’s hips and throwing the covers off of them in the process. The sudden chill made Xero’s nipples stand even more firm and erect than they’d been a minute ago, if that were possible. With a sexy smile Rielle drew the t-shirt over her head, leaving her as nude as the hacker. Garment discarded, she lowered her body, her own erect nipples, brushing teasingly against the rings threaded through the flesh of the other woman. Xero gasped, feeling very decadent at the delicious weight that settled itself over her. Looking up into radiant green eyes, she felt tremors pulse through Rielle’s body as she drew her warm hands up the syscop’s back.

“Say my name,” Rielle instructed, as her lips made the acquaintance of Xero’s throat once more.

“Rielle?” the hacker responded, a little baffled by the request but enjoying Rielle’s attentions none the less.

“Do it again,” Rielle breathed, her mouth working down the length of Xero’s throat. “Only lower your voice a little.” She emphasized her point by drawing her tongue down the length of the hacker’s jugular vein, making the other woman shudder appreciatively.

“Rielle,” Xero tried again, hoping she didn’t sound as self conscious as she felt.

“Almost, baby,” the syscop panted, holding onto Xero’s strong biceps and using the leverage to push her body slightly lower. 

Xero could feel Rielle sliding smoothly against her body, the sensation making her dizzy with desire. “Rielle,” she purred, her voice a velvety rumble deep within her chest.

The syscop sighed, momentarily paralyzed by her own body’s reaction to the sound. “That’s perfect,” she breathed. “God that gets me wet.” With her face resting in the valley between the hacker’s breasts, she took a moment to simply enjoy the pangs of pleasure resonating in her body at the sound of her lover’s voice and the strong hands gently carassing her back. She would have been content to stay there forever had her attention not been captured by the glint of metal.

Even in the near darkness, the gold hoop pierced through Xero’s nipple captivated the syscop’s attention. Surprised that she found the sight of such a sensitive body part pierced by metal an utter turn-on, Rielle came to a decision. Closing her eyes, she decided to explore the warm pulsing woman beneath her without the assistance of her most utilized sense. The instant her eyes closed she became acutely aware of the warm hands on her back, moving in slow languid strokes. Bringing her own hands down the sides of Xero’s body, her finger’s lightly trailed over heated skin until they came to her side. Pushing up with both hands, Rielle lifted her body just a bit from the hackers; enough to let her breasts swing freely and brush against Xero’s. For just an instant she felt the cold metal brush against her own nipples, the sensation positively arousing. Settling down once more, she briefly nuzzled the hacker’s shoulder, getting her bearings before moving her lips lower. With her chin and cheek lightly trailing over soft skin, she kissed her way to the prize she sought.

Xero’s encouraging groan would have told her she was right on target had she not already discovered that fact with her lips. The gold hoop was cold, but warmed quickly in her mouth. She flicked her tongue over the tip, the rigidness of the ring complimenting the rigidness of the nipple it pierced.

“Fuck, yes!” Xero gasped, and Rielle could tell by the movement of the body beneath her that the hacker had just thrown her head back, arching her body to offer more of herself to the syscop’s ministrations. Swirling her tongue around the nipple brought out a new series of gasps, but even they did not compete with the near growl that erupted from Xero’s throat when Rielle threaded her tongue through the ring and tugged slightly.

Xero’s mind struggled to keep up with the myriad of sensations coursing through her. There was warmth, from the body and mouth of the woman moving so erotically above her. There was also cold, from the warm breath being blown across a wet nipple. The metal ring cooled quickly transmitting that chill along it’s surface into Xero’s body. There was pleasure. As Rielle gently played with the ring, it felt as though she were being caressed from the inside as well as outside. There was also a little pain as the tugging on the ring drew the occasional jolt from Xero’s body. It was a pain she’d gladly endure though, so mixed was it with the wonderful things happening to her.

Rielle’s strong hands continued to kneed the firm muscles of upper arms as the syscop shifted position, kissing and tongueing her way across the hacker’s chest to the other breast. She teased the larger woman mercilessly with a series of gentle nips and kisses all around the sensitive flesh, up and down the soft curves but not quite touching the nipple. “Come on,” Xero groaned, trying to position herself directly in front of the syscop’s mouth.

Green eyes fluttered open and Rielle looked intently at the hacker’s face. A mosaic of lust, desire and passion, Rielle was hard pressed to imagine when she’d seen a more magnificent sight. “Come on what?” she asked, her voice dripping with playful innocence.

Xero moved suggestively underneath her, a sultry smile easing across her face. “Come on, Rielle,” she groaned, her voice husky and rough. “You know what I want.” Unable to restrain her sigh, the Rielle had to fight to keep from swooning at the incredibly sexy voice that seemed to penetrate to her very core. “I want to feel my body in your mouth Rielle. All of it. I want to feel that warm wet tongue all over my breast and making love to my nipple. Don’t tell me you don’t want that too.”

The syscop was stunned she didn’t come right then and there. There was no doubt her nether region was a flood plain at this point and the hacker’s sexy voice did nothing to stem that tide. All to happy to comply with the other woman’s request, she gave Xero everything she wanted. Circling the graceful slope with wet kisses to start she then sucked as much of the warm flesh inside her mouth as she could, the hacker gasping her encouragement all the while. A bit rougher than before, she toyed with the nipple and ring threaded through it. Grasping the gold hoop in her teeth, she gave it a gentle tug and was rewarded with an incoherent pant from the woman below her. Encouraged by the response, Rielle positioned the nipple in her mouth between her teeth then carefully bit down, using gradual but firm pressure. The moan of rapture that met her ears this time told her that the hacker was getting close to her release. Enough so that if she didn’t slow down now, her partner would orgasm before she could touch her anywhere else.

Rielle drew her tongue across the top of Xero’s breast one last time in parting then continued to kiss her way downward. “Say my name again,” she instructed midway to the hacker’s navel.

“Rielle,” Xero murmured without hesitation. She stiffened up a little though when the syscop reached the ring at her navel. Looking down the length of her body her eyes were serious even though her cheeks maintained the flush of arousal. “Don’t go down on me,” she said flatly.

“Okay,” Rielle replied, opening her eyes, the disappointment clear in her voice. “Can I ask why?”

Xero swallowed once and tried to shrug nonchalantly. “I don’t need it,” she said, tousling Rielle’s hair with her hand.

Frowning, the syscop moved up the hacker’s body until she was able to look the older woman square in the eye. Placing a hand on either side of Xero’s shoulders and straddling a muscular thigh, she lowered her weight, making sure Xero could feel the slippery contact of her body. “This isn’t about needing,” she reasoned seductively. “This is about wanting.” To make her point she flexed her hips, moving back and forth slightly across the hacker’s thigh. Xero gazed up through eyes heavy lidded with pleasure. “Can you feel that?” Rielle asked. “That’s me wanting you--very badly. If you won’t let me taste you, will you at least let me touch you?”

Rielle pushed back again and the smooth glide of the syscop’s warm center across her skin nearly undid her. Struggling to maintain self control, she whispered, “It isn’t necessary.”

“You don’t lie very well,” Rielle countered. Shifting back and forth again, she closed her eyes enjoying the sensation. “Bend your knee,” she requested as she continued to slowly slide and grind her body against the hacker’s. “Know what I think?” she asked almost conversationally, shifting the position of her arms to get better balance. “I think you’re afraid of me. Afraid of what I can do for you.”

Xero watched transfixed as the syscop artfully rode her thigh. Flexing the muscles of her leg, she noticed Rielle smile in approval. She watched as the other woman picked up a steady rhythm, lifted one hand from the bed and brought it to her breast, tugging at a ringless nipple. “Are you afraid of feeling?” Rielle asked, her voice breathy and urgent. “I’m feeling you, right now. Is it killing me?” She opened her eyes again and watched Xero as her movements became more frantic. A few more strokes and she was teetering on the edge of her release. “Please,” she begged. “Let me in.” 

Staring in wonder was all Xero could do when Rielle’s face transformed into an expression of pure rapture. She was held by the green eyes that captured hers, sharing that most private of moments with her completely. Distantly, she was aware of the warm body pressing down on her thigh, the slight sensation of vibration, the primal groan of release and the warm wetness running down, drenching her skin. But none of that compared with those eyes. Eyes that were open, inviting and held nothing back. She didn’t know what to say.

Luckily she didn’t have to. When the tremors stopped and Rielle’s body stilled, she leaned forward, skin slightly damp from exertion, sliding easily against the hacker’s. She kissed Xero, a kiss that was tender, warm and completely lust provoking. “Care to reconsider your position?” she murmured, lightly trailing the tip of her tongue along Xero’s lower lip. “Because I really want you.”

“Yes,” the hacker gasped, smoothing her hands over the firm muscles of Rielle’s back and squeezing firm hips.

“Yes, to what?” Rielle insisted, wanting to make sure she and the hacker had come to an understanding.

“Yes to everything,” Xero replied, her voice almost pleading. With a wry grin she added, “Rielle,” in a low rumble that was pure velvet to the syscop’s ears.

There was no hiding the grin that lighted Rielle’s features as she began her slow torturous descent of Xero’s body once more. The sound of her name kept falling from the hacker’s lips, nearly making her forget exactly what it was she was doing. There was something about that sound that completely unglued her and she heard the melodious tones not just from the hacker’s voice, but pouring out of every pore in her lover’s skin. She closed her eyes again, enjoying the sounds caressing her ears, the gentle touches on her back gliding over her body, and the comforting taste of familiar skin in her mouth. Simply put, there was nothing better in the universe than loving Xena, whether Xena knew who she was or not.

She felt the first tickle of curly hairs brush against her abdomen as she moved down toward Xero’s navel. The sensation of warm wetness against her middle followed close behind. It took all the restraint she could muster to keep from simply diving in and enjoying everything her lover had to offer. Resisting temptation, she took her time. She knew what Xero needed, and that she’d need to be careful to keep from scaring the volatile woman. She was teetering on the brink. What she was about to do would either break down any remaining barriers between them or drive Xero away forever.

Her nostrils flared picking up the scent of skin, passion and the faintest traces of soap. She smiled as the soft hairs brushing against her neck tickled a little. Slowly bringing her hands down the length of Xero’s body, she brought them to the larger woman’s thighs and with gentle pressure urged them apart. The hacker complied, but the tension evident in the coiled muscles made her uncertainty clear. She massaged the strong thighs with her hands as she nuzzled her chin into the collection of soft fine hairs at the hacker’s center. Stretching out her body she brought her arms under Xero’s thighs and back up to the hacker’s breasts as she paused to breathe in the scent of her lover, still passionate and wonderful after two thousand years. She moistened her lips in anticipation, inching ever closer. With her eyes closed she relied on even the most minute movements of the body below her to guide her. Reaching out tentatively with her tongue, she was gratified to find she was right on target. Xero gasped, and Rielle only prolonged the other woman’s torture by lightly teasing the outer lips with her tongue. 

Strong hands threaded through the hair on the top of her head urging her forward. The request was clear. Move or be pushed. Rielle didn’t have to be asked twice. Moving forward she opened her mouth and embraced as much of Xero as she could with strong confident lips. 

“Rielle, yes, Rielle.” The hacker’s words floated down to her ears like a caress against her soul. She reached out with her tongue covering the distance from bottom to top in one slow decadent stroke. She murmured her appreciation at her lover’s taste; an essence she’d been too many years without. Inwardly, she beamed. This was going to be good.

Something out of place caught her attention at the top of the hacker’s opening. Eyes still closed she brought her tongue back to investigate further. Xero gasped and shuddered as a result. Tentatively Rielle brushed her tongue back and forth across the nub of nerves at the top. She nearly opened her eyes in surprise at the round circular hardness she felt pierced through a bit of skin just above the tumescent bundle. It was slightly different from the hoops she was currently playing with at the hacker’s nipples. This one had a slight bulge, a bead, on the hoop which rested on the clitoris. Rielle was delighted by the discovery, and very turned-on. A physical manifestation of the hacker’s vulnerability, the fact that Xero trusted her here and now not only enough to be intimate, but to be intimate with a very real weapon at her disposal, was almost too much to take. The slightest careless tug could cause real pain, but Xero trusted her enough not to hurt. Rielle lovingly traced the ring, caressing it like the gift she felt it was. Each tender touch shot straight to the hacker’s core then ignited a fiery path to her heart. Rielle felt warmed beyond belief basking in the bonfire she was building in Xero.

Dexterous fingers continued to play with rigid nipples as an equally dexterous tongue manipulated its treasure. Xero’s groans and urging formed an incoherent stream of sound that Rielle found irresistible. While she found it hard to fathom the other woman could possibly be enjoying this as much as she, she was gratified to no end that she was. Shifting her body slightly, Rielle got more comfortable, she intended to be at this for some time.

Xero was honestly surprised she hadn’t passed out yet. What Rielle was doing was indescribable. While she understood the mechanics of it quite plainly, there was no accounting for why it felt so fucking amazing. There was good, and there was fantastic, but this was far beyond. Alternating between lightly teasing, forcefully probing and playfully lapping, the syscop’s mouth was all over. Each gentle tug at the ring resonated in delicious sensations inside her body while the syscop’s masterful tongue caressed her from the outside. With the bead on the ring rubbing her in a delightfully random fashion, maneuvered and guided by Rielle’s ministrations, she was sure she’d explode. Her hips began moving of their own accord some time ago, meeting the thrusts of the other woman’s tongue enthusiastically. The syscop was accommodating, but only to a point, forcing Xero to climb that peak to sheer bliss slowly.

The hacker’s body began to tremble. Afraid of fracturing into a million pieces, she needed to be grounded. As wonderful as she felt, there wasn’t much more she could take. “Please...Rielle,” she panted fighting to get the words out. “Inside...please...Rielle.”

Understanding perfectly, Rielle gave the hacker’s left breast a final light pinch and brought her right hand down near her mouth. Teasing at Xero’s opening for a couple of moments, delighting in the slippery wetness that greeted her, she slowly thrust three fingers deep inside.

“Gods...yes,” Xero groaned meeting each thrust of the syscop’s hand and tongue with her powerful hips. “You’re...so...so...fuck yes!” she breathed as her body began to quake. “Rielle...Rielle...Rielle...” she panted over and over; the sound resonating in the syscop’s ears and driving her on. Lifting her hips she cried out one final time before her world became nothing but exploding colors and sensation. “Gab...rielle!”

Rielle could feel the tears running down her cheeks before the rolling wave finished its course through Xero’s body. She held on feeling each of the squeezing pulses with her tongue and fingers. When the last of the pulsing vibrations stilled she slowly removed her mouth, then carefully removed her hand from the hacker’s center. Crawling up the length of the statuesque body once more, she gazed down into shining blue eyes, feeling happier than she ever had before.

“Why the hell are you crying?” Xero mumbled, barely able to speak, brushing away a tear with a tender caress.

“I’m happy you’re back, Xena,” Rielle sobbed, kissing the woman below her passionately.

“Anything for you Gabrielle,” Xero whispered holding the crying woman gently and drifting toward sleep. “Anything for you.”

A loud grunt then a laugh caught Xero’s attention. She blinked, disoriented a moment, then realized she was standing in the middle of a lavishly furnished tent. Her eyes narrowed. At the moment, this was the last place she wanted to be.

“I hate to disturb you,” Janice offered gamely from across the tent. “But we’ve still got work to do.”

“Are you aware of everything that happens on the other side?” the hacker asked, still feeling too content to get very angry.

Janice Covington shrugged. “Sort of. I mean we really can hear the thoughts of the living, but in your case I made a few assumptions based on your radiant glow and the love bites on your neck.”

Another grunt and Xero’s attention was drawn to the copulating figures in the middle of the tent. The hacker watched but her expression was uncharacteristically disinterested.

Janice noticed and couldn’t help but tease. “What?” she asked in mock amazement. “No commentary on technique?”

Xena was on top of Borias, straddling his hips and moving with a languid slowness that was clearly driving the other warrior to distraction. She was fully clothed, save for her weapons while Borias wore only a thin shirt. At the sound of a commotion outside, Xena commented, “Dagnon has returned from scouting, Borias.”

He shook his head emphatically. “Make him wait.”

Laughing, Xena gave him two more strokes then calmly stood. “Ah, but Borias, we can do this any time.” Exposed and cold, the large man groaned in frustration. He made a grab for the air where Xena stood adjusting her armor. Easily she moved out of the way and began to don her weapons. “I suggest you take matters into your own hands until I get back.”

“Xena,” Borias warned. “You’re crazy to go into Amazon territory alone.”

She turned to glare at him. “No, Borias. Crazy is walking into Amazon lands with armed guards. We don’t have enough women in our force to serve as a suitable entourage. Amazons are touchy about custom and I know their customs.”

“Just be careful,” he warned, his eyes narrowing as she left the tent.

“So what’s the deal with the Amazons?” Xero asked Janice as the two followed Xena towards Amazon territory.

Janice adjusted the brim of her felt hat against the morning glare and reined her horse in slightly. Her mount was a deep chestnut and a bit more high strung than Xero’s midnight black horse. “It’s about territory. Xena wants all of it. For now though, she’s content to go up against the Centaurs and leave the Amazons out of it provided they stay out of her way.”

“If the Amazons go for it, they’re nuts,” the hacker observed. “Xena isn’t going to keep her word.”

“They know that,” Janice replied as Xena dismounted her horse and waited for the Amazon sentries to descend from the trees. “They just hope they’ll be able to kill her before she destroys them.”

With the hissing sound of ropes, the Amazon sentries descended, twenty-five armed women in total surrounding the Warrior Princess.

“Twenty-five armed guards,” Xena commented with a smirk. “I’m flattered.”

One woman stepped forward, shoving the feathered mask up on top of her head as she moved. “My name is Melosa, what is your purpose here, Xena?”

“Melosa...Melosa,” Xena muttered to herself trying to place the lineage of the woman slightly older than herself. “Next in line for the throne if I’m not mistaken. Why don’t we take steps to ensure you get your shot at being queen. Take me to Aigh-Meigh.”

Melosa considered the woman standing before her a moment before nodding once. “Very well, follow us.”

“Are you crazy?” an adolescent girl demanded. The older woman standing next to her quickly silenced her.

“Velasca, that’s enough. You’re here to learn, not to participate,” the older woman scolded.

Xena’s eyes narrowed on the youth. “The Centaur wars must be taking a toll if you’re training brats this young.”

The youth lunged out at the warrior, but Xena had already stepped around her, not even noticing the attack. Joining Melosa, she walked at the woman’s side towards the Amazon village.

“We have no quarrel with you, Xena,” Melosa explained as they neared the village. “As Aigh-Meigh will remind you, we simply desire to be left alone.”

Xena smiled, a thin predatory smile. “I can’t help but wonder, Melosa, if it’s me you fear, or the prophecy.”

As they neared the Queen’s hut, Melosa stepped aside allowing Xena to enter. “Does it matter, Warrior Princess?” she asked. “Both herald doom for the Amazon nation.”

Queen Aigh-Meigh stood on a raised dais. Each side of the room was lined with armed guards who stood at attention, their weapons poised. “I think we would all feel better if you would disarm yourself, Xena,” she said in a soft melodious voice. “Glaphyra, please attend to our guest.”

A young blonde woman standing near the dais approached Xena; fear and interest warred for dominance in her sculpted features. Xena smiled, a slow sultry smile. She could kill the Queen or anyone else in the room weapons or no quite easily. Unstrapping the scabbards, she handed them to the young woman, letting her gloved fingertips graze a pale forearm.

“What’s she after?” Xero asked, stepping in front of an Amazon guard to get a better view.

“You can keep Melosa, three guards,” Xena announced flatly, “and her,” she added with a nod to the blonde woman collecting her chakram, “but I want everyone else out.”

The Queen shrugged indifferently. “Very well.” Xena tried to hide her surprise but didn’t quite succeed. “Xena, I know why you’re here, what it is you want. I’ve consulted with an oracle and do not believe your plan to conquer the Centaurs and Amazons will be successful.”

“She’s good,” Xero allowed with a smile.

Janice shrugged. “Unfortunately she gets killed in a few weeks, trying to save Velasca’s mother. Xena was not the only subject she and the oracle talked about. Melosa will become Queen and Velasca will run away to another village where she will hone her fury. Velasca’s mother is the Queen’s consort.”

“Does she come back to cause problems?” the hacker asked, eyeing the young girl with interest.

“Not for you,” the archeologist replied. “She was a pain in the ass for Gabrielle and me though.”

When the others had filed from the hut, Xena accepted the offered wine cup from Glaphyra and sat down on a near by bench. “I have a painfully simple request,” Xena said conversationally after an experimental sip. “I plan to fight the Centaurs and I want the Amazons to stay out of it.”

“What makes you think we’d intrude?” the Queen asked curiously. “We are at war with them, after all.”

“Because going after the Centaurs while they’re preoccupied with my army would be a strategic move on your part. Just remember, my men are just as capable of killing Amazons as Centaurs should any get in their way.”

“I don’t doubt that, Xena,” Aigh-Meigh agreed. “And it’s also possible that you suspect we might take umbrage with you stealing the Ixion Stone.”

Xena smiled, a dangerous predatory smile. “So one of my scouts is an informant?”

“Not at all. As I said, I consulted an oracle. Xena, we’ve no intention of interfering. We don’t need to . Your battle with the Centaurs will not be won, and you will leave their valley without the stone. As a matter of fact, you will leave something of great value in Kalipas’ care.”

The warrior rolled her eyes, clearly not believing a word she’d just heard. “As long as we’ve come to an understanding then.”

“Of course,” the Queen assured with a genuine smile. “Please stay with us tonight as our guest. I’ve taken the liberty of arranging lodging for you. Glaphyra will show you where it is.”

Xero followed the Amazon, warrior and archeologist from the hut shaking her head in disbelief. “That was too easy. Even if she’s telling the truth, Xena isn’t going to buy it.”

Janice nodded in agreement. “Sure, but if no Amazons show up at the battle, there isn’t much she can do now is there?”

Two unarmed guards followed the group to the hut. Obviously assigned to keep an eye on the village’s guest, Xena invited them inside. In time, all too familiar sounds emanated from beyond the bamboo walls.

“What is up with her? And I thought I was bad,” Xero muttered.

Janice smiled warmly at her companion. “Well, Xena’s hormones are kind of out of whack. She can’t really help herself.”

“What do you mean?” the hacker asked, peeking in an open window. “Shit! She’s getting it on with all three of them.”

“I mean,” Janice explained slowly, “that she’s pregnant. Some women get sick, she apparently gets insatiable. She’s about three months along.”

She doesn’t look it,” Xero commented after several long moments of study through the open window. “So why is she starting in on a war when she’s going to need maternity leave in six months? I can’t really see her waddling around, ready to drop, and still commanding the troops.”

Janice frowned. “That’s exactly why she wants the Stone. With that kind of power she’ll be unstoppable, contractions or no. In the meantime, all she has to do is get the war off to a good start and she’ll be able to do most of her commanding from her tent. She’s been easing her troops into that pattern. Trust me, they won’t know the difference.” 

Xero and Janice waited outside the hut until morning. From the sounds of it, no one got any sleep that night. As a result, Xero wasn’t too surprised to see all three women request the permission to leave with the warrior the next morning.

Janice frowned . “Glaphyra is genuinely infatuated, unfortunately for her. As for the others two-- they’re trained assassins. They’ve underestimated Xena, and as a result they won’t see tomorrow.”

“Xena kills them?” Xero asked.

“          No, they killed each other when it became evident they’d be turned over to Xena’s men. There are some fates worse than death.”

“What about the girl?”

Janice sighed. “She stays with Xena for a couple of years. If she knew Xena was pregnant, she wisely never said so. Xena never showed very much. Borias wasn’t very happy about sharing Xena but there wasn’t much he could do. He didn’t have anything against Glaphyra, and enjoyed sharing his bed with the both of them well enough, but I think he saw what Xena was doing to her and realized it had already been done to him.”

“What’s that?” Xero asked, interested.

“Xena has a way of bending people to her will. Even if her will is completely self destructive. She can’t see beyond power, what it does and how it makes her feel. That kind of single minded self absorption doesn’t wear well on the innocent, or not so innocent bystanders. Borias even tries to talk Glaphyra into leaving, but she’s too far gone. She’s convinced that there is this big wonderful world out there and that Xena is just the blood-thirsty warlord to show it to her.” Xero shot her a questioning look and Janice waved it off. “What I mean is, Glaphyra is convinced she can change Xena.”

“I didn’t think that even Gabrielle thought that.”

“You’re right, Xero. And I’m glad you said it. Xena is the one who made the decision to change, while the bard was the one who helped her keep her resolve. Not to hit you over the head with the proverbial sledgehammer, but that’s exactly what Rielle is trying to do for you.”

“Yeah, I know,” the hacker admitted quietly.

In a surreal blu,r the days came and went until Xena was alone in the forest giving birth to her son. Alone except for the two unseen figures that sat with her, enduring her cries of pain and anguish.

“God, this is messy,” Xero groaned when Xena’s water broke. Squatting over a clean blanket, the warrior braced herself against a couple of large boulders, her hair plastered to her face and neck with sweat.

“I think the birth is a little early,” the archeologist commented. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the shock from finding Borias’ murdered remains didn’t speed things up a little. She handled his leaving in her typical fashion, but even as twis...er...tormented as she is, she certainly never wanted to see him dead. I think she loved him as much as she could love anyone in her current state.”

“So if Aigh-Meigh could see this coming,” the hacker said between contractions, “that Xena wouldn’t get the stone, that Borias would die, how did she not see her own death?”

“I’m sure she saw that too. Knowing it’s going to happen doesn’t mean you can avoid it. Put it off maybe, but not avoid it--”

Her words were cut off by Xena’s anguished gasp. Helpless to do more than watch, Janice and Xero endured the pained hours until Xena held her newborn son in her arms. Dressed in a cloak lightly dusted with ashes from Borias’ funeral pyre, Xena wrapped up the baby and carried him from through the forest. Her companions watched as she left a message for a Centaur sentry. 

The note was not discovered for some time and it was several hours after that before Kalipas made his way through the dense forest. In that time, Xero and Janice watched as Xena rocked her baby, nursing him, and softly singing an old lullaby.

Neither woman spoke as Xena negotiated her arrangement with the Centaur. When she left, she managed to get some distance before collapsing in a heap of exhaustion and anguish. After a few short hours of sleep she bathed in a stream and headed back to camp with new instructions for her army. 

Unquestioned, Xena’s commands to break camp were followed. Xero and Janice Covington followed close behind until she retreated to the confines of her tent and Glaphyra’s arms. While it was very clear to the hacker just who was using who, Xero realized as she and Janice walked away from the encampment that she felt relieved. The fire of blind ambition still burned brightly within Xena, but the sinister fuel of hatred had been tempered somewhat. It made sense in an odd way to the hacker. She’d just brought a new life into the world, and even owning the world still wouldn’t top that achievement.

Continued - part 6

Bard's Page

Return to the Academy