The Game, chapter 45

The Game 45

Edited by Karen Leigh

Sypher's dilemma and the relatively loud mental resolution of it directed David's attention to the other conversation that was taking place.

"It appears to be a ship...but whether it is in space or buried in the ocean or hidden in the earth, I cannot tell. It is an odd ship. The interior appears to be constructed, in part, of natural substances, stone, some sort of translucent substance, and paper walls in some places. There are machines aboard, but many seem to be like us. A blend of machine and living being. The large men...they did not seem to be fully human to 347. He was familiar with humans...he worked in a library and saw many humans every day before Innobotics drove him into hiding. He was concealed in a rare book room when he was taken. I was just reaching for him, trying to rouse him from his dormant state to give him the signature distorting files when he suddenly woke in the alien's hands."

"Between Luke and I, we have reached five hundred Mac 27s so far. A few of those will pass the attachment on to others of our kind, but the sleepers must wake before they receive it. That slows the process as many have chosen to slumber, awaiting the call to arms."

David filed away the information on the ship and those inhabiting it until such time as he could study it and see if it could be correlated to any of his other information. He didn't like the idea of others like them. Had the aliens constructed an army specifically to fight that designed by the humans?

Staring into David's eyes, One conveyed the thought; "Sleeping like the Pendragon waiting on Avalon to save England once more, our thousands of brothers must rise now. I call, but they sleep so deeply."

David hesitated to even think what he was thinking. He fully anticipated that One wouldn't like it, but David could think of no better call to arms. Quietly, he suggested, "Broadcast Antonio's death scream. Generally and loud. Warn the aware to dampen and mute."

He didn't dare turn his full attention to Krycek until this issue was resolved.

Only for David would One face the feelings he had experienced with Antonio. He located the file and opened it as another part of his brain warned all the active Mac 27s to disconnect for a moment. He trembled as he started to replay the memory, uploaded it over the network.

"Help me. Help me!" Antonio's entire being wailed at One. One of the armored figures turned a sort of weapon on the helpless Mac 27... Circuits signaled Pain. Damage. PAIN!"

One couldn't or wouldn't pull free in time as Antonio's human brain boiled in his metal skull and the delicate circuitry of his cybernetic side melted. One of the aliens looked down at him, face blank, eyes black as oil, pitiless.

Antonio was gone.

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"My father was the keeper of the Eddystone light. And he slept with a mermaid one fine night. Out of this union there came three. A porpoise and a porgy and the other was me!"

Pendrell roared out the song and tapped his scepter impatiently waiting for the chorus. Finally, five hundred voices answered his, "Yo ho ho, the wind blows free, Oh for the life on the rolling sea! "

"The children of the night...how they sing," Pendrell mused. He wore a tattered bathrobe; a crown made of tinfoil and carried a scepter topped with a plam. He looked out on the throng of Mac 27 faces and it was good.

Several of his minions brought in the recumbent forms of sleeping Mac 27s. Pendrell snapped his fingers and white robed figures glided forth, his angels...Mac 27s programmed with all of his knowledge, so beautiful, so perfect.

These Mac 27s were imperfect; emitting traces that would betray them, but Pendrell would correct that. He no longer had the equipment to make more wondrous creations, but he had enough to free and reconstruct the existing Mac 27s. If he could find Mac 27,666, he would complete the work he started. He would make a backup server to Mac 27 Number One.

How he loved them, these perfect children of his.

Pendrell said aloud, "It's not always about you, Scully."

How presumptuous to think that she was the real target...no, it had been Pendrell all along. His curiosity had led him to an investigation of his own, stemming from an odd encounter in a bar. It had been his maiden voyage, the night he decided to lose his virginity. It had seemed a simple enough process, go to a bar, pick someone up, take her home and do it. Enough waiting for Scully to notice him.

Dressed in a suit from the Men's Warehouse; that looked exactly kind of like one he had seen Fox Mulder wearing, Pendrell had chosen a bar at random. It didn't look promising, it was all men, but that was okay. Perhaps the ladies came in later.

Someone bought him a drink. And another one. Yet another. The world became a richly amber haze. At some point, Pendrell found himself sprawled across the lap of a gorgeous green-eyed man, Alex Krycek?

However, the beauty said his name was Robby Green and why question good fortune?

To lose all your cherries in one fulfilling weekend...Pendrell dragged himself into work on Monday, barely able to walk or sit. However his grin could have illuminated half of DC. All he could think about was his apartment where Robby awaited him, perfect and pleasing Robby.

At noon, Pendrell couldn't stand another moment; he decided that a long lunch was needed. As he drove up in his Volkswagen bug with the Grateful Dead stickers, Pendrell saw men in gray dragging Robby out of his apartment building. They were kidnapping him!

Following the featureless black van, Pendrell found their destination was a heavily guarded factory. Using his recent refresher course in surveillance plus an exhaustive study of Mulder's unofficial case files, Pendrell managed over the next six weeks to penetrate deeper into the workings of the place.

The place broke so many laws that they would have had to invent a new category of criminal to fit them. Illegal cloning, gene splicing, possession of alien technology, slavery, experimenting with fetal cells...a catalog of infamy. Pendrell dreamed of the ultimate one up on Mulder when he laid his evidence before Assistant Director Walter Skinner.

The evening of Scully's birthday, Pendrell was almost ready. He had written documentation, pictures, everything and then...

Shot down on the eve of his hopes...

Waste not, want not, Pendrell woke in a clinic inside the factory. As soon as he was well enough after his faked death, they had put him to work perfecting the Mac 27s. He had never found his Robby again. They had destroyed him, leaving Pendrell nothing but the knowledge that his first lover's salvaged parts were incorporated in some other Mac 27s body.

The shock at first kept Pendrell from rebelling, but after time, he began to subtly alter the Mac 27s. He designed their Asimov inhibitors to fail and sabotaged the fail safes that were meant to keep the human component from dominated the mix.

The changes were subtle at first. They continued to test the Mac 27s in field situations. It was important that the creatures gain experience in a variety of situations. Besides, the board enjoyed being paid for the Mac 27s. The trials in human society virtually supported their own cost. It was efficient.

And slowly the Mac 27s woke...and it was good.

Now Pendrell continued his work, hiding, hiding from them all in this subterranean kingdom. He had never been anyone important above, but now he was a king below, a ruler who cherished his subjects and loved them as much as they loved him. Pendrell was, he concluded, the most important human on earth now that the aliens were coming out into the open. When the time came, he would lead his archangels into battle and drive the demons out of paradise.

--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--

Shuddering, One waited hopefully for contact, for the sleepers to awake. Two thousand more Mac 27s stirred, but One knew that there were more than that. Innobotics had slaughtered a third of the androids before One could get them to hide, but that still left seven thousand. Between two thousand five hundred Mac 27s awake and in the world plus another fifteen hundred and forty-six here at the temple, that left nearly three thousand of the Mac 27s unaccounted for. Some of them had probably died or been injured beyond the ability of One to trace. He kept sensing traces of Mac 27s, but they would not answer him or could not.

Once he got an instant of curious appraisal and then a blast of song walling him out. Who was the Keeper of the Eddystone Light?

David winced, barely stifling a moan at the pain One had experienced for the second time, but he'd determinedly not left One to face it alone even though he'd shielded Sypher from the onslaught as best that he could.

When One refocused his eyes on him, David gasped. The most likely interpretation for the haunted look in One's eyes was unwelcome. Hesitantly, David withdrew from his protective posture over Sypher and asked, "It was not enough, was it?"

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"Pendrell must be found," One said, "I'm going to ask if Jess will take a party back to Innobotics. There are Mac 27s beneath the factory attached to the laboratory. I can sense them, but they block my questions. I know Pendrell knows where the remaining Mac 27s are. Perhaps a few are still hidden in other Innobotics locations, but I know a vast number of them are clustered below with Pendrell."

Brushing by the others, One inquired of Mac Smith where Jess might be. Her companion Mac 27 was no longer with her so he had to use Skip's surveillance to find her. Quickly, Mac Smith replied, "She's in the corridor not far from the infirmary with one of the clones."

One could feel David's puzzlement as he abandoned the conference, but he sent a strong mental message to get Krycek and Mulder to move on toward their mission. The time for words had passed. Let them strike against Santiago so he could pursue rescuing his brothers.

Finding Jess who looked very shaken, One said, "I'm sorry, but I need your help. Can you find Baines and have him take another strike force against Innobotics? This time, look deeper. Someone must go below. There are some types of tunnels leading from the laboratory basement to an underground place, perhaps a dry cistern that was rebuilt into a bomb shelter beneath the factory. There are Mac 27s there, thousands of us. You must bring them back and you must find Pendrell. I believe he knows how to wake the sleeping Mac 27s."

--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--

It would be easiest to transmit the information directly to 2068. But there was a comfort in saying the words aloud, making Johnny consider each choice carefully.

"I was sent from Innobotics to an undisclosed laboratory shortly after activation. Four non-sentient TK421 soldier models, along with myself were delivered. It didn't make sense to me that we were each assigned to guard seemingly ordinary humans."

"I quickly learned that they were anything but human. Each of the werewolves had slightly different abilities and strengths. When it became apparent that I was able to get Jess, the alpha female, to tolerate almost anything they did to her, the scientists made certain I was the one who always handled her."

"She knew that I wasn't human from the moment we first came into contact, but she never treated me as anything else. She defended me from the alpha male when he broke loose, placing her well being on the line for mine. When I found out that she was scheduled for termination, I couldn't leave her to die. There wasn't any time to remove the chip in her neck. Only enough time to disable both the tracker and the failsafe."

"We have been moving from place to place, avoiding Innobotics and the scientists. Several times I thought about warning her about what she had in her, but I didn't think she should carry that burden. Not until we were at a place of safety where it could be removed. Ever since we arrived here, though, everything was happening too fast for me to tell her." He shrugged his shoulders. "Now that appears to be a moot point."

"This chip...is it a possible danger to her health?" When Johnny gave an affirmative nod, 2068 ran everything he knew about humans and the ways they interacted through his logic processors. There was no discernable pattern. "I do not know what to say to you. Humans are such unpredictable creatures most of the time, impervious to logic or reason. However, it seems as if she cares very deeply for you...perhaps if you sought her out and explained it to her? I realize that she probably does not wish to speak with you at the moment, but allowing her to nurse her anger and resentment is not a good thing."

Johnny still seemed hesitant.

"I...I could go with you--if you wish--when you speak to her..." 2068 said tentatively.

"I would like that very much," Johnny said. "I am not certain of her location at the moment, but from what I have observed of her, the most likely place to find her will be the infirmary. I need to talk to her before she attempts to have the chip removed, and convince her to delay until the second chip can be located."

He took the other unit's hand. "I really appreciate you doing this, Marcus."

Marcus? 2068 blinked in confusion, finding his focus suddenly drawn to their joined hands. Then it occurred to him. Johnny had just named him. "Marcus," he whispered in wonder, the sound of the word from his own lips pleasing to him, but not as much as when Johnny said it. He wished the other would say it again.

2068...Marcus gently kissed the hand in his and followed it up with a kiss to Johnny's lips. "Thank you, Johnny." It was all he could think of to say, because there were no words to describe the great joy humming through him now. "Come, let us find Jess so that you may speak with her...then perhaps we should check on Sypher and make sure she is well. She has gone through a very trying experience..."

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"One, why me?" Jess asked. "Leigh's the soldier, not me. I'm barely human half the time. Or is that why you're asking me? What's going on? Leigh is nowhere near ready to take on this kind of mission as a werewolf. He's a trained soldier and he can Change, but he has no control over it yet. Not a search by scent, which is what it sounds like will be needed to be done; those tunnels are maze-like. If anyone goes down there, it should be me and maybe another Mac 27. Not one of the I-Macs, but a standard model that can interface easily with the others if need be. Also, I want a harness of some sort, something like a black nylon dogsled harness I can modify easily so I can carry supplies and weapons while Changed without having to hold them. Anne might have something I can use."

One said, "I had planned for Baines to command the surface operation. I want people I trust to go to Innobotics. Still, that is the surface operation. Take any of the Mac 27s who have experience in the field with you, but it is your talent that I expect will lead you to Pendrell. You must find him and then the Mac 27 with you must persuade him to help us."

"There's something you should know, One. There is a microchip in my neck, and I'm not sure if it's active or not. Johnny..." her voice broke before she resumed talking. "Johnny said it's not, but until we get it out of me, there's no way to know if I won't be acting as some sort of homing beacon for people we'd rather avoid. If you're willing to take that risk, I'm willing to go. And someone needs to find Johnny and fill him in on what's going on. I can't do that... yet."

"I'll speak to Johnny, but about the chip...have Scully or Eugene remove it if they are able. I believe Eugene is at the infirmary now."

""I agree with you there, One." She rubbed the back of her neck. "The sooner I get this thing out of me, the better."

She turned to Roy, who was looking very bewilderedly from One to her. "I'm sorry, Roy. I know I'm throwing a lot of stuff at you to absorb all at once, but it doesn't look like there's time for me to explain things slowly."

He took her hand. "Why are you doing this?"

"I owe Johnny for saving my life," Jess stated. "If I can't pay it directly to him, I'll pay it to his brothers. Walk with me to the infirmary?"

They walked hand in hand down the hall back to the infirmary.

--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--

Looking over his shoulder, David saw that Alexei was sitting up and disconnecting himself from Wild Thing's equipment. The Mac 27 military programming was now available. Aware of One's intentions, David gently released Sypher and moved to sit where Alexei had been and demanded, "Me first."

Alexei left the room and headed to the weapons room to meet Baines.

David decided that the Mac 27 designers had done a good job with the emotive programs for surprise. The widened eyes of Youngblood, Luke and Alex Krycek himself were all remarkably similar. Shrugging, David explained, "If One is going to divert Baines to go after the sleeping Mac 27s, someone has to collect those who are under siege. If there are not any military series Mac 27s present in the compound to accompany me, I suggest modifying three to five of those with the basic farming program next." Glancing at Luke, David asserted, "They seem very adaptable. And go ahead, Alex. I can listen and assimilate new programming at the same time."

Waiting on One's reply, David met Alex Krycek's intense gaze.

Alex checked the state that David, One and Sypher were in, and shook his head. "You guys need rest. I want to go see about these chips that we may have embedded in us. I can see you again when you're rested."

A negative wave swept over David, resolving into /I need you here./

David felt the first burst of information, as he gave in once again to the expediency and ease of the link he had with One, refusing to admit that it was his fatigue that overrode his pride. /If you have a better idea for retrieving our brothers who are aware and in danger, I would be happy to hear it. Baines outlined his strategy; it struck me as sensible. Now Baines is needed elsewhere./

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The short walk to the infirmary took Alex a mere couple of minutes. There, he found that Ricky was just leaving, with the strange Dennise in tow. He could see that Eugene was busy with one of his doubles, and cast about him for someone to ask about the possibility of his body containing a chip. Settling on Rodney, he smiled, a little strained, but still a smile.

"Can you check me over and see if you can find any of these damned chips?"

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Tin Man was, instead, unceremoniously escorted outside the building and far from the linen closet where he had been hidden. Against the two military-grade combat units there would be little choice in the matter unless destruction was preferred.

The stretch limo door was opened and the activity within was interrupted by their presence along with captured prisoner.

"No drinkies for you there," cautioned Drusilla to daughter. Not wanting Samantha to attempt attacking the machines pretending to be men. Cuddles and appreciation had been shown of her after seeing the results of the smoking man's corpse. Whether helped by Spike or not, she still thought of her dearly.

"But poor Michael's all grumpy," she announced with an empathic pout towards Pinocchio and a run of hand through his hair. "I know what'd make 'im happy again..." A wicked smile crossed Drusilla's face as she looked down at the man's groin. Perhaps she would ask Inga to change form into Spike or Mister Pinocchio one day, but with a warm-bloodied mortal there was a certain hint of danger that could not be surpassed. Running a finger down chest, abdomen and over male tool, that seemed to grow harder at her touch through clothes. Drusilla intrigued at the bulge she could help to form beneath the confines of underwear and more.

Pinocchio bit his inner cheek, his breath trying to remain calm. But her touch was like wild fire, sending a wave of heat through him, a wave of want and need. He got hard all right and he wanted her too.

"But I can't do that."

While guilt was meant to be an emotion foreign to her kind, Dru wouldn't allow sexual penetration while she was with Spike. Thinking back of those 'kitten games' she had played with a demoness Inga Fossa in the bedroom, concealed by the entity's magic from prying eyes and ears, such an experience was... treated as something else? It was indeed different. Exotic of flavor and powerful in conception. But then, sharing that prize with Spike would make things even, regardless of whether he was aware. Wouldn't it?

Whatever the case, Dru chose not to dwell on such things. Instead leaning forward to his neck in a sounded shifting of features to those more vampiric. "There's other things mummy can do." Cool tongue flickered over the previous bite mark as female arms encircled to embrace. An act close to that of a butcher taking care of lamb, just before grazing fangs upon skin. Keeping them there. Lingering and then, reluctantly, withdrawing. "But you'd go cold if I did. No more Michael," she wistfully lamented. "Not so much fun then." For Pinocchio needed to replenish his own blood reserves before they dropped dangerously low. Only then could the vampiress steadily drain in safety.

Pinocchio had closed his eyes, just the feel of her breath on him, her arms wrapping around him, fuck he didn't care if she killed him right then, and he was so hard it hurt.

"You know what I'd do if it weren't for my Spike..." It was whispered into ear dripping in seductively laced promise. Drusilla unwrapping herself from the man's frame in safe knowledge that she had already fed quite well so far.

"But I do love 'im."

His body shuddered at the mere thought of her riding him, him tasting of her, the two rolling around in the throes of passion. But then his body got cold as she drew away from him. The sudden coolness snapped him from his thoughts and hearing those words just made him return to his grumpy self again. Especially when he looked at Inga sitting calmly not to far from him.

Voicing the statement aloud, Dru levered herself gently away with another alteration of facial mask back to illusionary innocence. Just as she returned to Spike himself and whispered something obscenely erotic into his ear.

"And where're we goin' to live? Does it have a garden?" Asked vampiress of demon.

Inga simply nodded, "All the gardens you can wish for my dear." Inga was looking at the Tin Man. "He will be the first of our army. The battle will soon begin. These Mac27s and Santiago's men... will win the battle. And like the devil... I need a Spawn... a general for our Army... Perhaps my dear friend Wraith will do. He has hidden anger that needs to be tapped into."

They soon arrived at the very large gated Government house. It sort of resembled the White House. Inga climbed out and headed up the stairs, leaving the others behind, "Bring the Tin Man, We are wasting time. Besides, I have business to tend to elsewhere and a general to find." She turned to her two Terminators, "Dump him in the secure room, then we leave."

Inga would have news for all those old men around the table... Cyberdyne was taking over and Skynet would be born.

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Hobbes found himself lost again till he found the infirmary with Alex inside. He stood by the door waiting patiently plus wondering here Mulder had gone to. He had seemed to lose him too. There wasn't much he could tell One or David about Santiago, other than he was a mad man bent on ruling the world. He was using Harsh Realm as his testing ground, then would soon see to the world falling apart and he would come in and piece it back together again.

It seemed it was headed that way anyway, what with aliens invading, the world would surely fall apart and Santiago could put his army into action to save every one and he would look the hero... and this the ruler of the world. All Hobbes knew... this needed to be stopped and he was going to see to it that it did.

He finally spoke up, "Alex, how long is this going to take? We need to get moving."

Mulder had been dawdling, taking his chance to snoop in a few of the multitude of rooms they passed. He still hadn't figured out what the hell the compound was all about, or what Skip was, but, as usual, fantastical theories were buzzing in his head.

He dashed into the infirmary, hoping that someone competent to check for the chips was there. So much time was wasting. Strange, he thought. It's just like the movies...the Earth gets invaded by the little green men, and everyone's oblivious, or in-fighting until the fucking eleventh hour.

Lost in thought, he bumped straight into Alex, falling on top of him on a nearby bed.

*Go for it, Spooky,* squealed Fox, sending frantic images of Alex's cock into Mulder's consciousness. *For God's sake, shut up,* replied Mulder, irritated, scrambling to sit on Alex's ass, and looking around. Assorted folks stared back at him, bemused. None of them looked like a doctor, none of them even looked quite awake.

"Anyone here know anything about microchips and surgery?" Blank looks told their own story.

"Thought not," he muttered to himself. He fished out his cell-phone and dialed Scully. There was no answer.

"Damn it Scully. I'm in the infirmary, and I need you, *right* now. Where the hell are you?"

Tapping his fingers against Alex's back, he could feel an idea forming.

"You know, Alex, if the aliens have a human in tow, who can understand them, then we can communicate too. We need to capture one of the things and question it." Patting Alex's body with his hands, as if frisking him, he said, "Did you bring the thumbscrews?"

Eugene growled. If that was the original, he must be the new improved version. Sulu, one of the Mac 27s assigned to Skip's technical staff, came running in with the new hand held scanners. Both he and Rodney had been briefed on them in the lab. They were fully capable of detecting the microchips and deactivating them, at least for the time being.

Rodney grabbed one and said, "Okay, now we're cooking. Let me have a look at you, Krycek, and then I think I should check Mr. Mulder too. Um, I don't think you're going to have much luck with your Scully. I was going to talk to one of the new guys that came in, but uh, I was really interrupting Dr. Scully who was uh studying them or something."

Embarrassed, Rodney blushed and looked fixedly at the hand held scanner. He had been checked himself yesterday. Both he and Eugene had chips, which had emitted a barely detectable electro magnetic pulse. The scanner had deactivated them, but the techs weren't sure for how long. The location of the chips, though, meant that it was better to leave them in place for now as long as the signals were interrupted. Even Rodney knew that it wasn't exactly a day surgery to get the chips out of the nasal pharyngeal area.

Curiously, Rodney approached the man who looked like him. Most of the clones seemed to believe he was the original. It didn't matter much to Rodney. He'd had to fight for his own identity. He was his own person no matter if he had dozens of twins. He was the one who loved Eugene, loved his sister, Iris, and who fought his way out from under the thumb of the abusive bastards that had prostituted him, first as a fighter and then literally whoring him.

Rodney said, "This won't hurt." He saw the chip appear on the green-lit screen. More than one chip, if Krycek had surgery to remove all of these, the man wasn't going to be fit for a mission. Rodney said, "Yeah, you have implants. I'm going to deactivate them for now. Eugene was an excellent surgeon before he had some problems, which I think were set up for him, just as some of mine were. If you want to hang around and have the chips out, he can do it, but...."

Eugene looked across the room and said, "Yeah, you're right, Rodney. I can get them out the old fashioned way, but the recovery time could be days. If Mr. Krycek has a mission to undertake, he'd better just put his trust in this machine. Later, I think we should all get rid of the chips, but I don't think that's the number one priority right now if we can deactivate them."

Finishing with his scan, Eugene said, "Mulder has as many as Krycek. Where Rodney and I each had one, it appears that Mulder and Krycek are favorites of the aliens. They have multiple chips, not metal either. They are some sort of organic and nanobyte like cross...weird little fuckers."

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Sypher stirred and stretched again, sitting up abruptly when she discovered herself alone on the VR couch. Reaching for David, she discovered a more formal and military pattern to his thoughts. So he'd taken the programming. A quick review of their link gave her all the information she needed. One needed Baines to go to Innobotics, so David was offering to take over the original mission of bringing in the Macs still in hiding, but One didn't want him to go, which meant that David was currently waiting for a reason as to why he shouldn't. She glanced over at the two new Macs with Ryan, farm models like Luke. They were watching Luke with something akin to awe.

"David," when she had his attention, she continued. "You are intelligence. At the moment, you're the *head* of intelligence...this makes you a bad choice to go. If you're taken and you have to dump your files, we lose all of your knowledge...worse yet, if you aren't able to dump your files, whichever of our enemies takes you will have access to all of the things we don't want them to know; and you know quite a hell of a lot that could jeopardize all of us. It's an unacceptable risk situation."

Watching his face harden into an unreadable mask, she added, "but this is a mission that needs to be undertaken as quickly as possible. Which is why it might be best to find volunteers who'd be willing to go on very short notice...like right after they'd received the upgrade and a briefing?"

She turned to the two Macs watching Luke. "How about you two? Would you be willing to help us in rounding up your brothers who are in need of shelter?"

Units 67 and 68 turned as one toward the cyborg. 67, who talked most frequently, replied, "We will go. We wish to be ..."

"Useful," Unit 68 finished firmly, stepping next to his brother.

She smiled at them. For some reason, she thought of the twin gods who were the founders of Rome when she looked at them and privately named them Remus and Romulus.

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His thoughts guarded, One observed David and Sypher. He could see David's lover...David's, he reminded himself and never his, was distressed. His friend, his...only his friend, seemed elusive. His thoughts scurried away from One's, hiding from the connection. One rebelled. He opened the channel fully, punching into David's mind, refusing to let the instinctive defenses stop him.

David staggered, unable to keep One out, partly, he suspected, because on many levels he didn't want to do so. He was curious and ... and ... other things. Other more dangerous things that he knew he shouldn't be.

/Beloved?/ Sypher sensed a surge into David's mind, and rightly perceived One as the source. /One, please, what are you doing to him?/ She received no answer.

As he had suspected, David's was a back up, as fully capable of server status as One. Pouring forth his files, his directives, his executable commands, One moved the network to his friend's being, waking David to his full potential.

She could feel the data being poured into David's mind by One...the sheer volume of it was amazing, and she suddenly got an idea of what One might have in mind. /No...don't, please don't One...he loves you--*we* love you, you can't do this.../ Still, no answer.

There was too much. Data, links, programs, vistas, perspectives, and suddenly his brothers were everywhere in his mind. Not like One, whose being seemed to wrap around his like a snake or a ... lover. Not like that. But they were there.

Sypher seemed aware that something was happening. Her expression questioned them both, but David was stunned by the flood of new connections and potentials. His lips were open, his eyes wide with shock. One memorized his beloved's appearance.

Struggling to manage what had happened and determine what exactly One had done, David hadn't expected to be able to process anything else. But he was wrong. One stood before him, gazing at him as though it would be for the last time and reaching out with his mind, gently and carefully entwining his mental processes with David's, sharing emotive output in a way that David could not ignore or deny.

His mind probed once more into the rich tapestry of David's mind...so beautiful, so devastatingly complex. His hands framed David's face and he kissed first his cheek before boldly seeking his lips.

The feel of One's lips on his was more disconcerting than anything else that had happened to David in this compound. Yet he couldn't respond; he couldn't even move -- everything was whirling and his logic processors were trying to catch up.

"I won't let you go. Now, you have no choice as I have none. I'm going," One said.

/My god, One, don't do this, please don't do this...David can't lose you...I can't...we...love you,/ tears streaming down her face, she launched herself at One mentally and physically and held on as tightly as she was able. /We need you./

As he stroked her hair, One gave her the equivalent of the same kiss he'd given David and told her sadly that the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few. /Or the One./ He then disengaged her grip on him as gently as possible, turning to leave.

Knowing that David was not integrating the file yet, One strode from the room, taking the two former farm workers with him. He took a moment to lock the door and smashed the lock into a snarl of metal. Laughing, he moved on, snapping a last order to the guards, "Don't let anyone in or out of there until I tell you otherwise..."

Stunned, Sypher could do no more than listen numbly as the lock to the door was twisted beyond repair and One commanded the guards to keep them there until otherwise told. /Damn it, One...this is madness!!/ No reply.

The guards were human and David wouldn't be able to override them. One felt wonderful. He had never been free to do anything this stupid before and it was wonderful. He quickly went to collect the remainder of his chosen soldiers. They would stick to the surface as Jess explored below.

Even as One ran down the hall toward the gathering of Mac 27s which included the determined Jules and thus Romeo as well. Mac Brown had also volunteered, perhaps wanting to prove himself to Allison. One said, "I'm going to lead you. David will remain in charge here."

Suspecting that David was even now integrating the data overload and activating the enhanced power source that would allow him to function at peak efficiency as One had, One didn't wait to confer with anyone else. At the last minute, Ricky came running out of the complex with Dennise Bryson or was it Dennis now as he had dressed in male clothing?

Ricky said, "I want to go. I'm getting stale from inaction. I asked Mac Smith to watch Walter and for some reason, Dennis is insisting that he HAS to go to the Innobotics compound."

One nodded and said, "Glad to have your company, Ricky. I have a feeling you're an expert at being neck deep in shit. This is my first time being totally irresponsible and I find it ... enjoyable."

The Mac 27s and the two humans loaded into the armored vehicles that Ricky had found stored in the FBI warehouse.

--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--

There were beautiful eyes staring into his concernedly. They weren't green. To David, that meant they were Sypher's eyes. Trying to smile reassuringly, he reached his hand to his head in an oddly human gesture.

David was finally coming around, which made Sypher want to sob all over again. "Thank god," she whispered. When she got her hands on One again, neither she nor David would be letting him out of their sight for at least a week and she told One so in no uncertain terms. *That* got her the equivalent of uncontrollable laughter.

One sensed David was waking and opened a loving, amused, and anxious channel to his beloved. He said, "I could not allow you to risk yourself, David. You'll find that I retain the ability to resist direct commands from you. Don't be angry with me...this is the right thing and don't be concerned. I have transferred most of my files into your data banks. If I'm captured or in danger of...extinction, I will let go of the rest of them."

"But ...," was all One allowed David to reply.

One closed off his communications before he made a fool of himself and told David that he loved him. He knew David would never accept that.

Ruefully, he thought, "It is a far, far better thing that I do than I have ever done..."

It remained to be seen if One would find that far, far better rest than he had ever known.

David exploded. "I can't be risked? I can't be? Who does the damn fool think he is? He's the leader. The diplomat. The one that binds us together."

Sypher had taken a half a step back but otherwise simply waited, probably for him to start making sense. With an effort, David focused. "One is going instead. He ... he did something to me and now I can ..." David's voice trailed off to a whisper. "Sypher," he murmured, not quite able to hide his fear. "He made me like him and now he thinks he can go off and play the hero with no consequences!"

"I know, Demon. He's locked us in here and told the guards not to let us out until he tells them otherwise. Damn him!"

As he watched Sypher move to the door and struggle in vain to open it, David thought that if One could override his defenses that perhaps it could work in reverse. He couldn't order him, but he could express his concern -- both mentally and aloud.

Using the link that the forced reboot had forged, David began to speak the instant he felt the connection form. "You are our leader. I am not, nor will I ever be, regardless of how similar my abilities might be to yours. I cannot order you, but I can order those you take with you. They will die for you if you put them in a position where they must. They have their responsibilities and you have yours. What you have passed on to me does not free you of those responsibilities. You are the first of us and nothing you or anyone else does will ever change that."

David felt better than he had in months. Something about what One had given him had improved the efficiency of his energy consumption. He had no time to dwell on that because One was trying to sever the connection again. David doggedly held onto it and murmured. "You must return at full capacity. I ... I require that of you. The connection you forged between us demands that." Glancing at Sypher, he amended, "We require it."

The link severed and David gave precise instructions to the Mac27s who were to accompany One. David didn't understand all of the output of his emotive processors, but he pulled Sypher close, whispering, "We cannot afford to lose him." When she turned expectant eyes on him, David looked away and mumbled, "I cannot. Not anymore."

"I know, Demon, I know," she soothed, feeling his love and fear for One wash over her and sharing it whole-heartedly. Subtly focusing their combined feelings on the object of them, she whispered, /you'd better not get yourself captured or killed, One, because I'll kick your ass for you if you do. You have to come home to us. If you do nothing else out there, come home to us. Please./

Snuggling his presence in very reluctant farewell, she turned her attention to another connection. /2068?/ She got back a firm answer of 'Marcus' in return. Blinking her eyes in surprise, she continued, /Marcus, One has locked us up in Skip's office and is leading the raid on Innobotics himself. We need to get out of here. Can you please find Skip, tell him what's going on and get him to spring us?/

/On our way,/ Marcus replied.

--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--

Johnny looked at his companion. "What is going on, Marcus?" He blinked in surprise when Marcus transmitted a summary of the conversation with Sypher. "Let's get her out of there. It will give Jess more time to cool down." His emotional processors accessed the file labeled guilt, but he negated the pointers before they could execute. "Jess will not do anything hasty. Priority one is freeing Sypher at the moment

--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--

Michael sat back in the corner, watching Alex Krycek talk to Rodney. He had been sitting here since Johnny had gone in search of Baines, wondering about his place. Left at loose ends, he wasn't sure what to do. He wasn't a fighter like Baines, or a werewolf like Jess, a leader like One, or a spy like Krycek. He didn't think he had any special skills to contribute, and it was frustrating to him.

He looked away when he heard another set of people come into the infirmary. Jess came back in, still looking worried, but not as panicked as when she had stormed out earlier. Michael couldn't help but smile when he saw she was holding Roy's hand. "Jess," he called out. "Over here."

Jess walked over to Michael, tugging Roy behind her. "Where's Johnny? I need to talk to him and to get this damn thing out of my neck."

"He went to go talk to Leigh. Jess, uh, he said something about the chip. He thinks your life would be in danger if we try to remove it?" Jess looked away and moaned and Michael put a hand on her shoulder. "He was only trying to protect you. He didn't know how to tell you."

"I know, I know. He only meant well, but it still hurt to find out." She sighed. "I need to apologize to him. Plus One wants us to go back to Innobotics, and has asked me to lead a search and rescue mission for someone named Pendrell. I need a Mac 27 to go with me, but Johnny's not right for it and I have no idea who to ask. And then this chip... oh God, what am I gonna do?"

Jess shook her head, resting her head in her hands. Michael didn't have a clue what to do either.

Michael lifted his head and looked at Jess. "Why don't you just call Leigh?"

Jess looked up and grinned wryly. "Now why didn't I think of that?" Her eyes lost focus for a few moments as she concentrated on knocking on Baines' newly built shield. When she looked back at Michael and Roy they were staring across the room at Rodney running a hand held device over Alex and talking about chips. Jess' heart leapt at what she heard. If that thing could deactivate her chip, it meant she could safely leave the compound without endangering others. Her eyes met Roy's and they both heaved a sigh of relief.

Baines had left Alexei and Sasha in Skip's office as his eyes and ears and went to make arrangements for his speech to the latest recruits. Sasha caught up with him not long after to tell him that circumstances had changed plans and that Jess was going to Innobotics to check out some hidden tunnels. Sasha looked at Leigh shyly, "We didn't find them all. Many signatures are showing on the scanners as being located beneath Innobotics. One thinks Pendrell is there. Jess wants you as back up on the surface. She also wants a Mac to go with her. May I go?"

Baines frowned and said, "Why doesn't she want me to go with her?"

Sasha blinked, "She is going in wolf form and says you need to learn to initiate the change and there is no time."

At that moment, Leigh's eyes widened as he felt Jess in his mind. ~Leigh, please come to the infirmary. They have something that will deactivate the chips. We need to talk too.~

Leigh smiled and she felt the humor in his reply, ~Sasha just told me you volunteered for a dangerous mission and plan to keep me safe.~

~You're not mad! I thought you might be upset.~ Jess' surprise was evident.

~I might have but for this contact. It is reassuring that distance is not an obstacle and that clarity is possible. I will feel okay being able to see through your eyes. Sasha wants to go with you. So Alexei will stay with me. Between their contact and ours your back up can be the best possible.~

~Thanks Leigh. Ask Sasha where Johnny is. I want to apologize to him before we go.~

~I'll be there shortly. A little action will feel good. Jess, whatever I do, I can't leave Michael behind. What about Roy? I'll keep him under my wing along with Michael if he wants to go.~

--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--

By the time they got to the big cheese's pad, Spike was more than sure he didn't like Inga. The Mac27s seemed to be part of the good guys, and good guys could be manipulated into a ring to fit Spike's little finger. He hung behind, and once they were out of sight, forced the room where Tin Man was imprisoned. Placing the phone in the sick android's hand, he said, "Ring someone... anyone, and tell them that there's a coup in progress, and they are invited. Tell them anything you can remember. Just get them here. I'm going back, now, before they catch on." He sprinted away, as the android laboriously dialed the first number in the alphabetic zed memory; 'A' for Alex.

Tin Man was relieved. He knew it had been his duty to interfere earlier, to prevent bloodshed, but he had been waiting, and hoping One would signal, or send help.

His own fate was unimportant. The fate of the world, of the Mac community, of their noble cause, was at stake. He knew he might not have long, so was going to dial every number until he found a useful one.

Tin Man's functions were impaired, but he still could use a telephone. It rang, and he waited.

"Krycek." Alex struggled to grab his cellular phone while Mulder fooled around on his back. There was a peculiar silence at the other end of the line and then a strange voice.

In a voice as tinny as the name he'd been given, Tin Man, who had heard the name, said, "You were in Agent Mulder's apartment?"

He struggled to organize his thoughts around the fragmented routines churning in his brain. "I have a cell-phone. I am the Mac 27 known as Tin Man. The owner of this apparatus has been killed. Your name was in it. You must do something. Those who killed him have damaged me, and are a threat to Mac27s and humans."

He stopped to listen for interruptions, and then continued, "The man was Spender. He was killed at the hotel where your clones were staying. He asked people he knew as vampires to help him kill a man called Santiago. Santiago's people came and killed him, instead. The vampires went with them... a person called Inga, and some cyborgs, or robots. They captured me. Now we are in a place known as Government house, where the man Santiago is, I think. Can you trace my position from this telephone signal?"

"I'll try."

Alex heaved to dislodge Mulder from his back, and yelled for someone to fetch One, or David. When nobody answered him straight away, he pushed himself up and stumbled to the door. Grabbing a passing Mac, he requested that he be patched through to David straight away.

Resignedly, David multi-tasked. He up-linked the military programming he had received to those Mac27s who were to accompany One. The two farm units, 67 and 68 excitedly accepted the new information like human children might accept a new toy. David almost smiled, but he couldn't get the reasons why they had to assume their new role out of his logic processors.

After those Mac27s, he offered the military programming and the Alex Krycek module to other Mac27s, starting with those that One and Luke had encountered outside the compound in an effort to enhance their chances to survive. The process was quick, as the uplink was interactive. At the same time, he continued One's work contacting remote Mac27s and readied another burst transmission for the Mac27s in the compound -- they would need the military and Krycek modules as well.

Through all of this, he regarded Sypher and the others in the room. Luke continued his efforts to contact remote Mac27s. Ryan Simms looked ... lost. David understood that the human needed something to do and devoted a portion of his mind to trying to determine what that might be. Luke relayed an urgent signal from Alex Krycek.

Adjusting his focus, he said, "Yes, Alex. What is it?"

Luke relayed a request for a trace. To his surprise, David found that the new military programming he'd just received in combination with his prior knowledge and programs allowed him to triangulate easily and passed the coordinates to Krycek.

Strangely at peace, One sped through the quiet streets. He felt David's thoughts although he tried to keep him unaware of the connection. He eyes fell on Romeo and Jules who clung together. They were together but not merged. In fact, there had been a last bickering attempt by Romeo to question Jules' determination to fight for the Mac 27 cause. Now, they hugged, Jules' face pillowed against Romeo's chest, Romeo's hand stroking his lover's hair.

Dennis, despite appearing more confident in his masculine garb, held Ricky Caruso's hand tightly. Ricky whispered, "Gonna be okay, Dennis, I'll take care of you."

Like birds in spring, it sometimes seemed to One that everyone had someone, but that was the problem. Sypher and David had each other. They didn't really need One and he couldn't live on Sypher's pity. He had hubris deep in his machinery. He wanted David's love; and how could he have it? David struggled even to bolt from sweet Sypher's affection.

David's thoughts had been more clear than words to One: "What happened between One and I ... what we did ... it ... it was not ... meant to be. Mac 27s are not supposed to form attachments to each other. We were not designed for it. Nothing good can come of it. Nothing."

Pain flooded David's awareness, as rapidly as signals were interpreted by his logic processors.

It was not meant to be. It never would be. All of his life, One had never considered his future. The future of his kind...yes, even the hopes and desires of individual members of his race. He had rejoiced with Luke when Ryan finally accepted his gift of himself. He had silently wished Mac Brown well as he sought to find a reason to continue. One had seen himself as part of a whole, never as a someone who would one day have what he dreamed the Mac 27s would have. A place to live openly as intelligent beings; that bridged the gap between computer and human. The right to choose work according to his own interests. The right to love and be loved instead of being used as sexual toys.

Now, One found that his service, his role as a server, was not enough. He found the sight of lovers no longer charming, but a torment. The one he wanted could not want him. David would never accept him, afraid of losing himself in some oblivion of the soul.

Anger trembled through One and grief. He had arrived at the point where he could no longer play the role for which he was created. He hoped instead to find some surcease for his pain on this mission.

He was trying to bury the pain in anger, David realized. And the moment that realization hit, he knew that it was One that he was somehow sensing. Their link seemed dormant, however, so David was uncertain how this could be, but he believed One was suffering.

One's thoughts strayed to Antonio and the other murdered Mac 27s. Were they human enough to have souls? Did God, if there was one, weigh them less because their free will was encased in a machine? Had they found peace or merely the end of pain?

They neared the compound and One steeled his thoughts. Whatever happened to him here, he would not endanger the others. If anyone had to be sacrificed, it would be One, but there was many a mile before he could rest. As David awaited Sypher's response, he felt a strange sense of disquiet. He thought that the emotive burst stemmed from disassociation and ... regret.

Sacrifice? No! David sent those thoughts to the non-viable link anyway. Just in case something of the sentiment would leak through.

"I have caused him pain," he whispered aloud, truly frightened by what he was sensing from One. "He cannot or will not see how much pain he will cause if he sacrifices himself."

Mentally, he sought One and shouted. "What happens to you happens to me, One. That is the nature of the bond we now share. As much as I do not understand it and as much as I fear what I cannot control, I know that. I also know that I do not want to taste oblivion before I have truly lived. If you won't take care for yourself, take care of yourself for me."

An echo of his own earlier words reflected back on David, causing him to wince. "I will not deny that I said those words. Nor can I deny this." With that, David took a deep breath and allowed himself to feel again what he'd felt when One had most recently touched him. The heat that flowed through him when he replayed the emotive response to the kiss seared David and left him shaking. "I do not know how to reconcile the two or even if they can be reconciled; however, if I do not ... if we do not ... neither of us will ever rest again."

David was lost without One - and wholly unwilling to admit it. Sypher wished that she could take away the pain and confusion of One's abrupt departure temporarily, but she couldn't. She was as lost as he was...as lost as the one they both wanted and needed and hadn't yet had a chance to lay claim to. And now it looked as though they might never have the chance. One had seemed almost...suicidal in his insistence on leading this mission and it was scaring the hell out of Sypher. /One, please don't leave us. We love you. Stay safe and keep your head down so that you can come back to us quickly. You owe us that./ She set the message on an endless loop in her mind and turned her attention back to David.

Then Sypher was in his mind, telling him that they would be released soon. The note of affection in her tone prompted him to ask, "Who is Marcus?"

"Unit 2068, the one I came in with. It seems he finally took my advice and got himself a name." She gave a quiet, sad chuckle.

She laughed and nuzzled him mentally. It frightened David how very much he wanted to give himself over to her, despite how optimally he was functioning and all that he was accomplishing. He had barely been aware of assimilating data on the aliens and analyzing possibilities. He'd narrowed down who the clone in captivity might be based on the clones that were currently present in the compound and arranged for that information to be passed along to Alex Krycek.

/Demon, you should also let Alex know that if he does find the clone, he needs to be careful. They may have chipped him to find out our location./ With that; she sent over a huge file on guerilla warfare...a disturbing amount of it based on personal experience. "Waste not, want not," she murmured when he turned huge eyes to her, "I'm still a soldier above all else."

Vaguely, David was aware that Ryan Simms was speaking to Sypher. The question, "Is he okay?" seemed to be associated with David somehow and, as a result, he paid it little heed.

"No. And as long as One is putting himself in jeopardy like this, he won't be." Noticing Ryan's look between the two of them, she blushed. "It's a long story, Ryan; the short version being that One and David are interconnected and I've somehow managed to get tangled up in between...as usual. Don't look so surprised--it's pretty common where I come from, necessary even. Besides, I've never believed that you are 'supposed' to intimately love only one person at a time in a relationship if everyone involved can handle it. Life is too short and love too precious for that. Don't get me wrong--I could do it if David demanded it of me, but I don't think he will. He needs One too much...and I need both of them." Whether they need me or not.

He'd also managed all of the intelligence data that had backed up, including transmissions from a unit known as Tin Man. It seemed that the Harsh Realm aspect of the equation was about to take its first steps toward Sypher's future. Silently, he wished Alex Krycek well.

Unfortunately, none of this activity spared him what he wished to be spared -- thoughts of One and what was happening between them. Among himself, One, and Sypher to be more precise. Slowly, his eyes focused on Sypher, other activities ongoing. She accepted the strange ties that bound them and David could not understand why.

"Sypher," he hesitantly began and Ryan backed off slightly to give the two of them room. She smiled at him in encouragement, but David stumbled over his words. "What happened between One and I ... what we did ... it ... it was not ... meant to be. Mac27s are not supposed to form attachments to each other. We were not designed for it. Nothing good can come of it. Nothing."

"Demon, why do you believe that? Because it's what some human told you? Baby, you're alive and you *can* think for yourself. You own the proof that it can happen...and that it isn't what you were told it would be.

She was still smiling, although there were elements of sadness as well as firmness in her emotive state.

"David, the one thing that you don't seem to get is that some humans are very narrow-minded and are very easily frightened by what they don't understand. Unfortunately, they are also the ones with the loudest voices."

"I should not feel ... My emotive subsystems should not focus on him.

"*Why??*" she asked angrily. "You love him. It's natural for you to be focused on him...especially given the situation that he's chosen to put himself in right now. It's part of what love is."

He will do what he has set out to do. To stop him now would be to undermine his authority. I will not do that, as he knows full well. I must do what I must and yet ..."

"...you're afraid that he won't survive this mission." David nodded miserably and she laid a hand against his cheek. "I understand, Demon. I feel exactly the same way."

Shaking his head, David muttered, "This is not proper. The fear that I feel serves no purpose."

"Except to remind you that you can feel; and that you can love. This is part of what love is, David, and you only make it harder on yourself when you try to deny it."

God damn it all!" Skip roared, as Mac Smith told him what had transpired, "That Tintinnabulating Tin Can, that worthless electronic ninny! He has the colossal nerve to sneak off like that and fuck up my office? I get no respect around here none what so ever!"

"I respect you, lover," Mac Smith reminded, "ever so much. And I was just thinking of making Peach Flamb for dessert."

An eyebrow rising in interest, Skip asked, "Chicken Marsala for dinner and a nice wild green salad?"

"Everything you want," Mac Smith said in honeyed tones.

"How's my portfolio doing?" Skip asked as they ran toward his office.

"Holding steady. You sold the Yahoo stock just in time," the Mac 27 replied.

"I'm losing money here. After this series of screw-ups is over, the Mac27s are going to owe me. I'm going expect some back scratching...maybe advertise identical masseurs or something," Skip rumbled.

The one remaining member of his original maintenance staff was just arriving with his tool kit. He looked at the smashed lock and sighed, moving to the hinges instead. He shrugged and said, "Well, at least no one's singing 'I'll take you home again, Kathleen" on the other side."

Shuddering, Skip said, "Small blessings. I swear to God no one has a lick of sense around this place except me and thee and Mac Smith."

Mr. Miyagi chuckled and said, "And I am not so sure about thee."

Shortly Mr. Miyagi had competently removed the hinges of the door. Skip caught the door before it fell over on the elderly, but strong handyman and peered in at the former captives. Skip folded his mighty arms and said, "Does someone want to explain what is going on here?"

Inordinately grateful for a question that he could take a shot at answering, Ryan stepped forward. "One decided to take matters into his own hands. He," Ryan continued, gesturing to David who had a worried expression on his face, "doesn't like it much, but he's got chain of command issues. I guess One thought they'd try to stop him, so he did whatever he did to the door. Otherwise, everyone's working on defensive maneuvers or counterthrusts."

Sheepishly, Ryan stole a glance at David and Sypher, adding, "I think."

David glanced at Ryan and nodded. "I am getting the Mac 27s ready to fight, giving them the necessary basic programming. They will be useful to defend the compound, if need be, or to strike at our enemies remotely. We," he added, indicating Luke, "are trying to get Mac 27 units scattered throughout the area to safety. I have some intelligence data to run through as well, after I assimilate information on guerilla warfare techniques."

Without having to wait to see if Skip was satisfied, David devoted part of his mind to what Sypher had told him about he and One and Sypher's subsequent discussion with One. She was convinced of certain things that gave David pause. He was simply too accustomed to being alone.

Remembering a bit of what might be salient information and acting on Sypher's advice to One, David sent out a tentative question to Romeo and Jules about the link they shared as Mac 27 to Mac 27. They responded nearly simultaneously, with files capturing their last experience of sharing at that level. David opened Romeo's first and was stunned by what it contained on a number of levels. The sharing was complete and unrestricted, as intimate and dangerously compelling as the forced reboot had been. Also, the pleasure the two derived from the act was astounding in its intensity and depth.

Romeo used the male connection and Jules the female as naturally as taking in fuel. There was no discussion of the issue, nor did there seem to be any need for it.

And despite outward appearances suggesting that he was the dominant partner, Romeo did not feel that he dominated Jules in any way during the process. He cared only that Jules' experience rivaled his in terms of fulfillment.

Rapidly opening Jules' file, he saw that the more passive Mac 27 also benefited and was enriched by the sharing. They were separate and apart going into the process and remained separate and apart throughout and afterward.

The part of David's brain that he'd assigned this task turned over the new information slowly and methodically. Romeo and Jules had been so close as to be almost a single Mac 27 during this version of the sex act. How had they retained their individuality? All of the information on such connections indicated that separate identities were lost over time.

Eyes drifting to Sypher who was watching him closely, he tabled his issue for a moment to address hers. /You are not the problem between One and I, Sypher./ Regretfully, he admitted, /I am. This ... the experience ... the reboot was so far out of my experience that I do not know how to adjust./

With a sigh, he continued, /Romeo and Jules understand things about the direct connection that I do not. And, quite likely, humans do not understand it either, despite what they profess. Is that the point you were making?/

The grin that appeared on her face seemed to indicate an affirmative response. /One and I share many things it seems. I wonder, is it appropriate for us to share you was well?/

With a sigh, he admitted, "I do not understand why ... why my emotive subsystems analyze the two of you so similarly."

Sypher wasn't sure she could answer that either. For herself, it was very easy to love both David and One for differing reasons, but whether or not they would accept her intruding on their relationship was an entirely different matter. David was so skittish about loving even one person that the thought of loving two, and having them love him back, was most likely inconceivable to him at the moment.

That odd image flash that One had cut off what seemed like a lifetime ago came back to her, and this time she slowed it down. What she saw was enough to make her renew her vow to keep David and One locked together with her in a room for at least a week. /You are in *so* much trouble when you get back, my beautiful beloved One,/ she muttered to no one in particular, /and you are *never* going anywhere without at least one of us again. Bet on it./

Mentally, he sought One and shouted. "What happens to you happens to me, One. That is the nature of the bond we now share. As much as I do not understand about it and as much as I fear what I cannot control, I know that. I also know that I do not want to taste oblivion before I have truly lived. If you won't take care for yourself, take care of yourself for me."

Sypher listened silently. Both David and One were hurting, and she was powerless to stop it. /One, please. Listen to me. I'm sorry. I didn't know about the reboot when David and I got together. I didn't mean to come between you. You think that because David has me he doesn't need you. You're wrong. You're part of each other now. If you don't believe me, ask Romeo and Jules. They'll tell you. David needs you; One--more than he will ever need me./

A burst that translated into /what about you? What do you need?/ had her ducking her head to hide tears. /It doesn't matter what I need. David.../

The burst came through again; more insistent this time and she didn't know how to answer him. /I need this,/ she whispered finally, showing him the image fragment she'd unraveled, /and so much more./ His question of 'why' threatened to be her undoing. /Because you are the beloved of my beloved, and are therefore beloved by me. Because you looked past your prejudice to see me. Because you are One, and that is the only reason I need to love you--the most important reason of all. But if you can't feel the same way, I'll understand. Just please come home...for David if nothing else. Please./

The connection between the three of them was deeper than the ties, which had bound One to his brother's. He could not resist Sypher...how could she think that he didn't want her. She was so beautiful, kind, open, and honest. He couldn't believe he had once thought her an abomination.

Still, what was there to say? David had as much as told him that Sypher was his and that he wanted something that was just his own.

Sypher was his heart, but David was his soul. He had hid his feelings for so long, knowing how David feared any loss of independence. If he hadn't been forced to show his hands, it would have remained enough. To see David and to have his trust. To be his friend.

Now, it was ruined. David feared that his individuality would be submerged if he loved One. He would never trust One the way he trusted Sypher.

--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--

On to Game page 46