Code Name X

2-Dude, even having nothing is better than having a girl's name

'Life is about the people you meet and the things you create with them. So go out, and start creating.'

5/11/2500

Esme

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ben asked slowly.

"Same as you. I got caught." he was speaking English with a very strong Irish accent. "Took them a lot longer to find me, though."

"Do you want me to break your face?" he said threateningly.

"Think you can do it now?" the newcomer mocked.

"Whoa, whoa, what is this?" Maren said, stepping between them. The two boys were still looking ready for a fight, and neither looked like they wanted to answer. "One of you spit it out."

Ben sighed. "We used to know each other."

"I'd never have guessed." Maren said sarcastically. "Why do you want to kill each other?"

"I'm not telling you my life story." Ben growled.

"Why not?" Max asked, only smirking slightly.

"Fine! We got into a fight, I gave him a permanent limp and he gave me this." he pointed to his scar. "That enough?"

"Yeah, I suppose." he replied. "So, what's your name?"

"Hacker." Maren and Iris simultaneously gasped.

"You're Hacker?" Maren said. "That is so cool!" he glared stonily.

"What's your actual name?" Max asked.

"Doesn't matter." he answered shortly, turning his glare on Max. So cheerful.

"When did they catch you?" Maren asked him.

"It was just after Runner came one day, 31st of October, I think."

"They followed him to us." Maren told him. "We thought they'd have got you too."

"But how did they follow him? I mean, did they know what he was doing? I know they didn't know where I was, I upgraded the security that day. It had to be you guys."

Maren gave him a look of loathing. "Oh really?"

"Yes. I was perfectly okay before that."

"Well in that case-"

"Okay, calm down!" Iris said from the corner. "It makes no difference whose fault it was. All that matters is that four of us were imprisoned because we got caught, and we probably won't ever know why."

"Whatever." Hacker replied. Funny how Maren seemed to get into arguments so quickly...

Max opened his mouth to say something, but before he could get a word out, the door was cautiously pushed open. A pretty red haired girl walked in and was about to speak, when Max beat her to it.

"Emilie! You're alive!" he yelled in French. She grinned and gave him a hug.

"Of course I'm alive!"

"Yeah, sorry about, you know..." he trailed off awkwardly.

"It's okay." she said, switching to German. "Though next time, just accept that I am always right."

"Fine."

"Are you two dating?" Maren asked out of the blue.

"No!" they said at the same time.

"We're partners in crime." he said.

"No, you're the criminal, and I somehow got dragged into it." Emilie corrected him.