Page 2 of Not With the Eyes

Ready for battle, she headed back downstairs, through to the rear of the house where their operations, such as they were, was located.

There were screens up everywhere, Dixie's little programs constantly scanning for anything remotely important, shuffling information around to whichever party needed to look at it to figure out whether it really was. In one corner was the equipment needed to maintain the systems that kept Dixie functioning and Leland from getting his dumb ass killed being entirely too altruistic.

Byron, thankfully, was already there, sparing Oberon having to stand around waiting for him. "How is your darling today? Did you two get adequate cuddles?"

"Shut up, Oberon, or I'll put you and Scones in one of those get-along shirts I'm always seeing in home videos and bad sitcoms."

"How do you have time for either of those things?"

"More like impossible to avoid when the twins are on the premises," Byron replied with a smile. "What did you want to talk to me about? Does it have something to do with the fact Lachapelle and a great many other key figures are going to be here in the States soon?"

"Of course it does. Don't tell me you already have a party planned?"

Byron gave him a look. "You're not the only one here who sees an advantage in need of taking."

"One can hope," Oberon said with a sigh. "What are you plotting? I'd like to be prepared for how you're ruining my hopes and aspirations."

Before he could answer, the door opened, and Scones stepped inside, somehow managing to make the room seem smaller with his sheer presence. Biting back several choice words, Oberon moved as far away as she could, arms at her side, ready to act. The slightest excuse, and she'd drive her pointy heel into his nutsack.

"It's funny how obvious it is when you're thinking about maiming or killing me."

"It's funny you think I'd ever waste a single second of my time thinking about you."

Scones rolled his eyes.

"Enough," Bryon said. "Both of you sit down so we can get this done."

"I'll stand, thanks," Scones replied.

Oberon didn't move.

Byron rolled his eyes that time, and then swept an arm out, banishing most of the screens around the room and bringing up one large one instead, right in the middle, so they could all see it clearly. The door opened, admitting Dixie and Leland, who took seats as the door closed and locked behind them.

"All right," Byron said. "In two weeks, the vast majority of the G.O.D. is going to be gathered here in the US, at their military headquarters in New Denmark. While I would love to be able to wipe them all off the map then and there, that sort of thing is only going to work in our fantasies."

"I could still get a few of them," Scones said.

"You also wouldn't get out alive," Byron said. "Stupid waste of an asset, and also, I don't like getting my friends killed if I can avoid it."

Scones stared, clearly taken aback, but only gave a bare nod.

Byron twitched his fingers, making the map move, zoom in on a particular state, city, building. "This is the International Records and Archives Hall of the G.O.D."

Scones whistled. "You lot really do like to play with fire."

"Think we're playing with a good deal more than fire, hoss," Dixie said.

Oberon stared at the blue-print image of the building, anticipation burning in her chest. So close. Finally, after so many years of waiting and wondering, she was so close. "So what do the Anti-Heroes need in the archives? Surely our precious sentient computer here can already access anything and everything we could ever need to know."

"Sentient computer," Dixie said, rolling his eyes. "I ain't a bunch of chips that can think. And no, I can't access everything. The archives run on an isolated system, completely separate from everything else, accessible only by way of terminals within the building. Place is locked down tighter than whatever has you staring at the schematics like a hungry cat watching a fish tank."

Oberon tore her eyes away, leveling her gaze on Dixie. "Shut up."

Dixie grinned.

"You still haven't answered my question," Oberon said. "What do the Anti-Heroes need there?"

"Destruction," Bryon said. "Copies of certain files for our own use, and otherwise complete and utter destruction. The G.O.D. is already crippled thanks to the destruction of the Mason System and the recent deaths incurred. They're taking serious hits politically and publicly. If we destroy the archives, that is one more pillar toppled, destabilizing them further." He shifted the screen to zoom in on schematics on the inside of the building. "This is going to be a small job; just the three of you. Oberon and Scones will get inside the archives and establish a connection that Dixie can use to access the archives, download what we need, and then destroy the whole mess from the inside out while the two of you ensure the whole building comes down as well."

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