Disclaimer: Cybersix and all related characters do not belong to me! Maggie (M17) is my own creation.

Maggie fidgeted as she waited in the main hall of the large mansion. She was dressed in a an ordinary pair of blue bellbottom jeans and a black blouse, rather then her standard M-17 uniform. In a short while, Von Riechter would be going back to his laboratory in the jungle, but not before personally overseeing that his new unit and his cloned son saw eye-to-eye.

Von Riechter hadn't told her much about "Jose", but from what he had told her, she dreaded the meeting. Still, she didn't know what to expect.

Ever since she had agreed to work for Von Riechter, things had been getting better. Even though he was an inconsiderate snob most of the time, there where the occasional times when he would praise her success, and tell her how much he believed she would succeed where all other creations had failed.

The destruction of Cybersix

The way he described the Cyber, Maggie was more then nervous about encountering her. Cybersix was supposedly incredibly powerful, and had beaten many of Von Riechter's past creations, and she had seen more then enough of her share of his creations so far. It had been a week since her father's death, and since then, she had watched Von Riechter make new creations, from standard Fixed Ideas, to mutated genetics freaks.

It fascinated her, the concept of bringing intelligent and powerful life from nothing but some calculations and science equipment.

Now, Von Riechter was packing up some equipment, and heading back to the jungle. Though she would never dare say so out loud, Maggie didn't want him to leave. True, most of the time he was a sadistic creep, but he had done nothing to physically or mentally hurt her, and had taught her how to properly use her new powers.

He also had taught her to overcome the migraines caused by the tracking capabilities in her brain, so that whenever she used them, there was only a small, barely-audible hum in her ears. It was strange, how a person could completely forget about their own father, but learn to appreciate a mad genius that had violated her humanity.

Then again, the mad genius had never beaten her near death...or anything else.

Maggie straightened as she heard approaching footsteps, and took a deep breath. In a moment, the room filled with three Fixed Ideas, and Von Richter. He came towards her, and smiled.

The use of her first name suggested he was in a good mood, since he often resorted to just calling her M-17.

"Maggie, I would like you to meet, Jose!"

She nodded respectfully, but couldn't keep her mouth from dropping. Standing behind Von Riechter, upright and rigid, was a small, ten year old boy.

"Uh....Hello!" Maggie said in a not-so-serious voice. She couldn't believe she had been nervous about Jose.

He was just a kid.

Jose meanwhile, looked up at her with a mix of noninterest and resentment. He was easily intimidated, and in the past week, he had heard more about his father's favorite new creation, then ramblings on how he would kill Cybersix.

Maggie didn't miss the snobby look on his face. It was as if he where saying, "I'm better then you, so back off!"

"Hello M-17!" The small boy responded. His voice confirmed her suspicions. He didn't like her. He didn't like her one bit. She didn't like him much either.

They watched each other intensely, almost throwing knives at each other with their eyes. Von Riechter however, seemed completely unaware of the power-stare down that had unfolded before him, as he almost cheerfully droned on about how powerful M-17 was, and how much she would wipe the floor with Cybersix's face.

Then, with a nod to Jose, and a "I know you will destroy Cybersix and make me proud" look at Maggie, Von Riechter departed from the room, followed by the Fixed Ideas.

Being the only ones left in the room, gave Jose the privilege of opening his mouth, and his ego. "So, your father's newest failure! I can't wait to see Cybersix defeat you!" He scoffed, circling her like a pint-sized hawk. "Don't be so sure junior!" Maggie responded sarcastically, as she folded her arms, and gave him the most non-interested look she could manage.

"Be careful M-17! You may be father's favorite, but if I where to tell him that his new precious unit is disobedient..." He smiled devilishly. M-17 came through right there. "Don't threaten me, *little boy*," She hissed. This angered Jose even more, as he seemed to arch his shoulders like a psychotic cat, baring his teeth and snarling.

"I AM NOT A CHILD!" Jose screamed, jumping up and down.

M-17 leaned against a wall, next to a giant picture of Von Riechter. "Then do yourself a favor and don't act like one. For Von Riechter's clone, I would expect more then some whining jelous brat...it's disappointing!"

Jose look stunned, knowing that M-17 had calculated where his anger ranged from. "What do you mean, jealous?" He laughed, trying to make it look like she was brain-dead if that was her opinion of the source of his anger.

It didn't work.

"I mean, that you obviously must be more intelligent then you look right now, and you strive so much for your father's approval that you are immediately intimidated if he shows interest in anything or anyone else...right?" Maggie asked him. The sarcastic, smart-assed M-17 left for the moment, as Maggie waited for his answer.

Realizing that there was no way he could get out of it, Jose squinted his eyes, and clenched his fists, furious. However, at her next words, the fury evaporated into complete wonder.

"You deserve it!"

Jose looked stunned. "You...you really think so?" He asked. Maggie nodded. "It's better to have a father that hides his opinions of you...rather then displays them...I should know!" Maggie said, as her eyes filled with tears. The memories of her parents abuse on her where still fresh in her mind. She had a feeling they where the memories she would never be able to forget.

She wiped away the tears casually, but not before Jose noticed. He was silent for a moment, and when he spoke, his voice had softened considerably. "Yes...father told me of your origins.." he trailed off. Even for someone like him, the thoughts of a father abusing his only daughter in such a horrifying and often perverted way, was in a word, sickening.

"So...you truly believe you can destroy Cybersix?" He asked, changing the subject. Maggie straightened, and nodded. "Yes! I owe Von Riechter as much!"

There was a pause from both sides, as they seemed to be re-contemplating their opinions for each other, and changing them for better ones. "What will you do when you kill her?" Jose asked. Maggie shrugged. "I don't really know, Von Riechter suggested either I stay with you as a personal bodyguard, or come to work for him in his lab as an assistant," she said. Jose nodded. "I'd like it if you...maybe stayed here!" Jose said, trying to sound casual about the idea. Maggie smiled, and nodded. "Yeah, why not!"

With the mood of a power struggle lifted, Jose and Maggie left the room, after which she challenged him in a round on one of his video games.

THE END

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