Aleen Leon's heels echoed as she walked up the ramp, followed by three men. "Open," she ordered. The door was slid open with a loud bang. Mr. Spencer jumped and glanced back, seeing her walking towards him.
"Please tell me you've begun," she said, frustrated. "I...I haven't.."
She grabs him and shoves him to the ground. Standing over him, she aims her pistol at his forehead. "Say that again?" She sneered.
"I...I need more supplied. From Hexcorp," Mr. Spencer said quickly. She raised her hand. "Go," she said to her men. "Get this incompetent worm his toys."
They nod and turned on the heels, exiting the warehouse. Aleen helped him up, her pistol again resting on his forehead.
"I expect three thousand of your bombs by tomorrow," she warned. "Or there will be problems."
He nodded quickly, a pathetic whimper escapes his lips. She pushes him right into the table and storms out the warehouse.
She stepped into the waiting limo. The doors slammed shut, and the car sped off without a word.
The spider's camera's lens swivel in the direction of the car, the footage beaming right to Jaiden's monitors. The man drank from his crystal cup, the whiskey burning his throat, his grip on the cup tightening.
"Good morning!" T.I.F.F.A.N.Y greeted cheerfully, popping up in front of the monitors. He didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the now empty street. Her face moved behind the blue screen, her cartoon eyes blinking in curiosity.
"Aleen Leon...you're still spying on her?" The AI groaned.
"Call Allen Mace. It's time they know how to fight," Jaiden instructed, setting down his glass.
He passes a hand through his messy orange hair. "Are you sure, Jaiden?" T.I.F.F.A.N.Y turns to her creator.
"Yes," he replied, serious. "Aleen is on the move and she might be closer to her goal. Whatever is it."
He rubbed his face, the alcohol making him woozy. "I keep telling you," The AI began. "Whiskey won't help."
Jaiden reached over and took out a cigar. "You want to know what your name means?" He asked as he lit the butt.
T.I.F.F.A.N.Y.'s eyes sparkled. "Yes please!"
"Your name...." he began, blowing out the smoke. ""It stands for Terrific, Insightful, Fantastic, Funny, Amazing, Newbie and YOLO."
T.I.F.F.A.N.Y.'s eyes dimmed, her bright smile faded into a pout. "Seriously? Not funny, sir," she groaned.
Jaiden let out a chocked laugh then fell quiet. He snuffed out the cigar in the cup, and reclined in his chair.
"I'll tell you this," Jaiden said, saddened. "You bear the name of my daughter. If she were...."
The heavy oak door to his study creaky opened, cutting off his words mid-sentence.
Chi-Chi darted in, barking loudly. T.I.F.F.A.N.Y groaned before shutting off. Jaiden's forlorn look transformed into a smile at the sight of Chi-Chi. "My precious princess," he cooed, turning his chair.
He scooped the Pomchi into his arms and scratched her back, kissing her head affectionately. Mr. Mace walked, closing the door. "Good morning," he bowed slightly. He spots the cup and frowns. "Have you been...medicating again, sir?"
"Sir, someone's here to see you," T.I.F.F.A.N.Y chimed in, showing numerous heavy duty vans parked outside. Several people filed out, their jackets adorned with the words, "FBI."
Chi-Chi barked at the monitor. Jaiden frowned. Mr. Mace straightened, his shoulders tense. "T.I.F.F.A.N.Y," he asked, standing up. "Are Bartholomew and Rufus in their kennels?"
"Yes sir," T.I.F.F.A.N.Y answered.
"Tell the girls, to go down in the basement, Allen," Jaiden instructs him. "Training will commence and I'll convince the FBI to leave me alone."
Mr. Mace bows and exits the room. "T.I.F.F.A.N.Y, make them—"
He pauses rubbing his temples as a foggy thought slipped through his fingers.
"Sir?" T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. said, worried. "Never mind," Jaiden said, dismissively. He headed towards the door, Chi-Chi in tow. "I advise you don't speak to them while drunk, sir!" The Ai shouted as he shut the door behind him.
The women scurried down the stairs. Mr. Mace shut the metal door and locked it. "What's goin' on, darling'?" Jada asked and he descended. "Nothing to worry about," Mr. Mace smiled reassuringly, though a slight tightening of the jaw proved otherwise.
He clapped his hands and the lights turned on. A fighting ring was illuminated by the lights. Laila whistled, a smug smile appearing on her face. Ciema gulped, adjusting her glasses. Jada clapped her hands, laughing.
"Today's lesson is fighting," Mr. Mace smirked.
"Let's get to it, gramps," Laila turned, returning the gesture.
The FBI agents were led by the chauffeur into a conference room, the purple glass table gleaming in the light and purple chair lined both sides. The agents sat down and a green screen, with white podcast sound waves, appeared.
"Good morning, Jaiden," Special Agent Bowman said, leaning forward. "доброе утро," the lines moved barely.
"Are you drunk, Jaiden?" She asked, smugly. "It's time already?"
There was a long pause. Bowman exchanged looks with the other agents.
"Sorry," the voice lines moved slowly. "I did drink this morning."
Bowman scoffed at his words. "Take this seriously, Jaiden," she urged. "We haven't come to chat."
"So... this an interrogation now?" the lines expanded. "Tell Cornelia that I appreciate this, but I'm not into this stuff.... and no....I won't date her daughter—but I appreciate the sentiment."
Bowman glanced at her right hand man who shrugged. "Be serious," she insisted.
"Serious?" The lines raised, showing his rising anger. "I will never take your government seriously. Not after that circus you called a trial! You let those men walk, and you knew they were guilty!"
T.I.F.F.A.N.Y popped up next to the green screen, laughing nervously. "C-Calm down, sir," The Ai said, cheerfully. "Let's not dwell on the past."
"I suggest you listen to your friend here," Special Agent Bowman advised. "Or things will get messy."
The sound lines lowered, indicating he had calmed down.
"Now, Jaiden. Let's talk business."
Laila dodges a swing from Mr. Mace. The butler glanced to his left and moved out of Jada's jump kick. "Goddamn —Jada, stay out of my way!" Laila warned, teeth gritted shut.
"Sorry, sugar," Jada apologized, stepping back. Meanwhile, Ciema had snuck up the stairs and pulled on the handle of the door. It didn't budge.
"Ms. Fredrick, please participate," Mr. Mace called, making him jump slightly. "Yeah, girl," Laila huffed, sweat pouring down her forehead. "It's fun!" Jada panted heavily.
The room reeked of effort—the women's skin glistened, their clothes soaked with sweat.
"I...have to use the bathroom," Ciema lied. Mr. Mace sighed and went towards the rope. "Just stay away from the conference room," he warned. He ducked through the ropes, with the ease of someone who's done it a thousand times.
"Why?" Jada asked, sitting on a stool in the corner. "Shareholders," Mr. mace replied, smiling. Ciema smiled back, the expression only tight and unconvincing
"Highly unlikely," she thought, her mind racking with what's really happening upstairs.
Ciema stepped aside and followed him upstairs as Laila glanced at Jada.
"I don't know what's goin' on in the brain of hers, sugar," Jada admitted. "We'd better figure it out. 'Cause it's messing my training," Laila said, pointing at herself.
Jada laughed as Laila reached for her bottle.
Meanwhile, in the conference room.....
"Today, one of the mafia dons, Giuseppe Greco, has come to us for protection," Special Bowman explained.
"What could have happened in the Underworld for him to run to the law for help?" The green screen asked, teasingly. The comment made T.I.F.F.A.N.Y giggle.
"Well, 3:00 a.m., this very morning," Special Agent Bowman leaned back. "Our database was hacked. Care to comment on that?"
The lines froze mid-wave, his silence palpable even tough he isn't physically present.
She raised an eyebrow in response.
"I want my lawyer," he replied, the lines moving on the green screen.
She slammed her fist on the table, standing to her feet. The action shocks the AI. "Don't play with me, Jaiden. We found traces of her code in our computers. You sent her to hack us!"
"How dare you!" T.I.F.F.A.N.Y gasped, his blue screen turning red. "I...Hacking? Do I look like a hacker to you? I'm a friend, a pal, a great AI. Not a Hacker!"
Mr. Mace stood by the door of the basement as Ciema stepped into the hallway. "Don't do anything foolish," he warned. She nodded and he closed the door. She heard the locking mechanism and crouched down, sneaking for the conference room.
Maybe Jaiden was in there.
She saw a dark oak and headed for it but her shoulder was grabbed. She yelped and turned around to come face to face with an FBI agent.
"Who are you?" He asked, glaring.
"Uh..." she stammered, looking around. "I'm Jaiden's sister. Just snooping around."
The man tilted his head, unimpressed. "His sister's dead."
"Oh....sorry. I'm his distant cousin," She corrected, her knees rubbing together.
The man's frown gave way to a smile. "That makes sense. I see the resemblance actually."
Ciema adjusted her glasses. She forced a smile, the urge to punch him barely restrained.
Inside the conference room, Bowman paced around the table.
"Jaiden, the traces we found are identical to her code," She points at the AI who growled at her. "Just admit it. You've started the Amazons Initiative again!"
"I did no such thing," the lines raised.
"How about you come out and face me in the flesh," Bowman suggested.
The lines froze before moving again. "So you can arrest me?"
The door burst open and Ciema grunted as the man pushed her inside. T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. gasped at the sight. Ciema stumbled forward, catching herself on the edge of the table. Her glasses slipped down her nose, and she shoved them back up with a glare.
"This woman was outside the room," The man said, pointing at her. "She claims to be his...cousin."
"You've slipped up," Bowman sneered. "You thought you can sneek them past us. That girl— she's one of them. Scrubbed files and of course the attitude. She's an Amazon, for sure. You're going to jail for a long time."
"That woman...." the line froze mid wave. "Is my cousin's sister."
"He's speaking the truth," She turned to her right-hand man. "Says here she is his relative."
Bowman turned from Ciema then back to the green screen.
T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. giggled at the woman before blowing a raspberry.
"If you're done wasting my time," the lines moved. "Please get out of my house."
"That's him asking nicely," T.I.F.F.A.N.Y chimed in, her blue screen now displaying a rapidly descending countdown sequence. "You've got thirty seconds!"
Bowman gritted her teeth in fury. "Tell me something," the line expanded. "Did you get authorization to come here? Cause I could contact the agency, and find out....."
Bowman exhaled sharply. Turning on her heels, she stormed out the room, her men following behind. The door shuts and Ciema sighs in relief.
They exit the house and stepped into the waiting vans. "He played us," her right-hand man muttered. Bowman didn't respond. The doors were slammed shut and the vehicles drove off, filing after the other.
"Are they gone?" Ciema asked. The AI nodded.
"Never do that again," the lines moved. Ciema stood up. "I was just—"
"Just nothing. Leave," the lines dropped.
Ciema shuffled to the door and exited the room. The door squeaked closed.
"That whole debacle gave me a headache," the lines moved. "I'm going to get another drink.
"Sir don't—"
The green screen shut off and T.I.F.F.A.N.Y sighed.
She stared at the blank screen for a moment longer. "You promised not to drink when you're upset."
A beautiful Chinese woman knelt down beside the hot tub outside. The bubbling water soothed Jaiden's aching muscles as he sat within.
"Here you go sir," she smiled sweetly. Though shadows hide his face, they couldn't conceal his face. "Thank you," he praised quietly. She nodded and stood up, walking away elegantly, though their was fleeting concern on her face.
His hand slapped the surface of the water invitingly. "Come on, my princess," he cooed, his gaze fixed on Chi-Chi, who stood hesitantly at the edge of the tub. She tipped her paw in the water then immediately recoiled, whining. "Come on," he bade her, clapping his hands gently.
The Pomchi whined but jumped in. She swam strongly towards her master. He reached out for the bottle of whiskey in her mouth. However, she was enveloped in by bubbled for a second before re-emerging, the bottle absent.
Jaiden smiled yet scooped up his dog. He lifted it out the water, the water dripping into the tub. "You did good," he assured her, kissing her nose. "You did good."
He set her down at the tub side and reached down. He lifted up the bottle. Popping it open with his teeth, he downed the liquid in one gulp and "ahhed" at the sensation in his mouth.
He stared up at the trees, the smirk fading. "Nature is boring," He muttered, turning to his Pomchi. "Too much time to think. I don't see why there are so many...trees..."
Chi-Chi shook herself and waddled away. "Come on, don't be like that!" he called before downing down more whiskey.
Back in the basement, Ciema descended the stairs as Laila crashed to the canvas, groaning. Jada lowered her leg, grinning.
"Goddamn....good job," Laila grunted as she got to her feet.
Mr. Mace spots Ciema, who looked away. He frowned. "You two," he ordered, his tone serious. "Go upstairs now."
Laila and Jada exchanged looks but shrugged and exited the ring. They ran past Ciema and scurried up the stairs. The metal door slamming shut indicted they've left.
"You didn't go to the bathroom did you?" Mr. Mace asked her as he exited the ring. He hopped down and stretched his arms, loosing his joints. "The FBI left earlier then expected."
"I...I apologize for that, Mr. Mace. I just..." she took a deep breath, her nervousness evident. "What exactly...what we're going to do for Mr. Maximofff....is it...legal?"
Mr. Mace's expression softened. "Jaiden will never put any of you in danger."
Ciema scoffed in response. "Easy for him to claim in his comfy little fortress. He'll be here, safe in the comfort of his mansion—"
"Jaiden is not a coward," Mr. Mace cut in. "He is always behind his Amazons, always. I can assure you of that. What he does isn't right at all but...it's what's best. The light burnt him once so he's resided to the darkness."
A shadow of sadness flickers across his face.
Ciema gave him an apprehensive look. "Why is he in this...darkness?"
"It's a long story, But he'll tell you," he promised, smiling.
Ciema nodded, convinced for now. She followed Mr. Mace up the stairs. He lets her go through first then he leaves, shutting the door. The lights shut off, covering the room in darkness once more.