Scene One

A dark room is lit by only the light from a computer screen. The shadow of a person is outlined in this strange darkness. The only sound is the occasional typing from the person's bony fingers. A small smile creeps across the person's mouth as they complete the symphony of hitting keys. The screen flashes with a "Transmission Complete" sign. A door slides open suddenly, shedding light into the small room where many objects clutter the already cramped space. A man in his forties looks up from the computer. He cowers slightly at the sudden burst of light, raising his hand in front of his glasses-rimmed face.

"Is it finished yet?" The familiar voice asks. The person standing in the doorway is outlined by the blinding light, only revealing a dark figure.

"Ye-yes," the once threatening-looking, but now sheepish man squeaks out.

"Well, where is it man, we haven't got much time!" The voice bellows. The man lifts a shaky hand, and quickly pushes a red button, that causes a small compact disc to eject from the desk top.

"It's here, just like you wanted it." The man can barely keep his hands steady as he cautiously holds the disc out in his hands. This disc is swiped quickly out of the man's hands, and pulled up to the face of Agent Bennet.

"I knew you would not let me down. Remember you must not tell anyone of this."

"Sir?"

"Don't question me, just do as I say!" The older man swivels back around in his chair hurriedly and pretends to be working intensely on something. Bennet holds the small disc as if it were the most valuable thing in the whole world.

"This will show them, everyone." He smiles wickedly and pockets the small silver disc, walking briskly out of the cramped room. The door slides shut, leaving the old man alone again.

Scene 2

Ro walks down the aisle, gliding her hands across the glass. She suddenly stops and presses both of her hands up on the glass. Zee almost knocks her over as he notices that she has halted.

"Oh, Zee, look at him, all locked up." Ro pouts as she watches the small and fragile puppy shiver in his small cubicle. She turns to look up at Zee. "Don't you think it's horrible?"

Zee studies the animal for a moment. "Being locked up is a horrible thing as I have gathered, but is he not locked up so that he may be chosen to go to a better place?"

"Yeah, but, do they have to keep them in these small little rooms?" Ro looks up and down the aisle, seeing all of the other dogs restrained by a sheet of glass.

"If this upsets you so much, why do you come here? You know that it would be very difficult if we had a pet with us."

"Zee, you don't always come here to buy something. Sometimes you come just to imagine, you know," she turns her attentions back to the puppy, "about what it would be like to have a dog, or any pet for that matter. I mean, if I had a real childhood, I would have had a..." Ro stops herself before continuing. She looks back at Zee who is watching her intently.

Guiltily, he asks, "Do you regret helping me, because you have to sacrifice your own childhood?" Ro is shocked by this question, but soon is laughing. She takes Zee's arm and leads him away from the dogs.

"Look, remember, I chose to come with you. If I hadn't come with you, I still wouldn't have a childhood." She watches him register this. "Now come on, let's go look at some goldfish!"

"Goldfish? But all they do is swim around. They don't create any enjoyment." Ro rolls her eyes.

"That's not the point with fish. Come on, I'll show you." Ro turns down another aisle. Brightly colored fish swim through the large wall to wall tanks. Zee watches every fish and is able to name every kind. He begins rambling off the whole list of them, giving their scientific name. They pass by a worker cleaning the fish tanks, who hears this strange rambling. Ro notices his staring, and jabs Zee.

"Cut it out, Zee." She smiles up at the young man. Ro tries to laugh, "He's studying for his marine biology test." She continues to lead him down the aisle, leaving the confused worker.

"Here." She smiles and stops at a smaller tank. Many little fish flit across the water, their gold glinting in the store's ceiling lights. Zee stands there for a few minutes.

"Is this it?" he asks, puzzled. Ro smiles.

"Well, it's not just playing with the pet, I guess, it's the responsibility that, you know, somebody depends on you." She sighs heavily. "Something I wish I had." Zee looks worriedly at her. Lately she has been commenting on how she wishes she could do other things. He only wants her to be happy, and feels that he is the cause of her unhappiness.

"Ro, if you really want, I suppose we can get a goldfish." Ro begins to laugh. "What?"

"Oh, yeah, right. Can you see me running around with a fish tank?" She stops laughing when she sees the expression on his face. "Oh, you're really serious." Ro watches the fish again. "Well, as long as I'm not paying." She laughs at this too, as they go in search to find someone to scoop out a fish for them.

Scene 3

The NSA agents are all in their hover craft, scoping out a large town. Agent West has snuck on headphones which receive radio signals, and is quietly playing air guitar. Agent Bennet is nearing the end of a very long lecture, and is now hovering behind West's chair.

"Agent West," he calls impatiently. West cannot hear him, and really starts to get into the air guitar. "Agent West!" West is now rocking back in forth his chair. "WEST!!" Bennet flips West's chair around, scaring West and causing him to shriek like a girl.

"Take those off!" West does so, folds them carefully and pockets them. "Now," Agent Bennet continues," Since Agent West has demonstrated how much energy he has, he will be our look-and-find man." West stares blankly into space. "He will travel on foot around the whole entire town with his holomorphic viewers, searching for Zeta."

"But, sir -" West protests.

"No, West, I don't want to hear it. Now if you want some backup, Agent Lee will assist you."

"Sir, don't you think I could be more useful if -"

"Would you people stop questioning me!" Bennet shouts. "No, Agent Lee, I don't think so. You and Agent West have managed to botch every mission in an attempt to capture Zeta since he's escaped. I think it is time to try something different. Something he wouldn't expect. I will bring in Zeta if it is the last thing I do! So please sit down and shutup!" Lee shifts uneasily in her standing position.

"Sir, if you think -"

"You do not know what I am thinking Agent Lee, and do not play psychiatrist! Now sit!!!" Lee obeys and turns her chair around, avoiding Bennet's glare. He is breathing heavily, and staring around the room wildly. He watches his hands shake uncontrollably, and brings them to his forehead. He speaks again, but in a softer voice. "Continue this course for now, I will rejoin you momentarily."

He exits the main room, and enters a small and private room with one metal bench. He breathes in deeply and shakes his head. Out in the main room, the agents stare at each other with puzzled and frightened expressions. Agent Lee's screen suddenly lights up with incoming mail. She accepts it, and slowly reads the following message:

Abort your mission. It is not cleared with the NSA and therefore invalid. Return to headquarters or consequences will follow.

The message is short, but causes great confusion in Lee's mind. Why was their mission invalid? There is a growing suspicion in Lee's mind that Bennet knows what this message means, and it has to do with why the Agent is having a nervous breakdown.

Scene 4

Ro happily watches a goldfish swim around in her small, rectangular tank which is sitting on a table at a local Groundwire. A container of fish food sits next to it, and she gleefully adds some into the tank.

"Don't you think you've added enough food? That's three times in twenty minutes." Ro smiles at Zee's comment.

"Oh, but feeding is the fun part."

Zee has been scanning the web, and Ro leans over to look at his screen. "Do you know when the opening is?" Zee's eyes move quickly across the screen flashing with random things.

"Yes, tomorrow, at noon."

"And you're sure that this museum is where Dr. Selig is going to be at?"

"Oh, yes. He is going to be one of the speakers there tomorrow. From what I've researched, he has put a lot of his own money into this museum."

"Hey, what is this a museum of?"

"Popular literature throughout the ages."

"Litter what? What kind of museum is that? I thought Dr. Selig deals with science stuff."

"Well, he must have a love of good writing."

"Wow, what a weird thing. So, we are actually going to see, like, really big books and stuff?"

"If you are referring to novels, then yes. For one exhibit they will show a series that came out many years ago, for example, something about a wizard. You see-" But Zee is cut off when a man enters the shop, a weapon drawn. People scream and are ducking under tables.

"No body move, okay?" He spins around, holding his gun out in front of him, as people are still running around. Zee quickly stands up, afraid of what might happen to the innocent people around him. Ro is right behind him as he walks over to the man.

"Stay back!" the slightly chubby man shouts, shaking the gun. Zee reaches for the man's arm, grabbing it tightly, and twisting it. The man lets out a yelp and drops the gun. Ro darts for the gun, and carefully puts it on safety. Zee twists the man's arm into a more comfortable position, but still holds on to him tightly.

"Who are you?" the man asks.

"Someone you don't want to mess with.," Ro answers for Zee. The man moves strangely and takes out a small disc.

"You don't happen to be Infiltration Unit Zeta?" Zee steps back slightly and Ro gasps.

"Hey, do wanna take this outside or somethin'?" Ro asks, now very angry with this crazy man. From another pocket, the man takes out what looks like an electric device of some sort. He switches it on, and a thin electrical current buzzes on the edge of it. He shoves it into Zee, whose holographic self begins to flicker, and people begin to scream again. It seems that Zee is paralyzed and does not move, as he struggles to hide his robotic form.

Ro wastes no time, and jumps into the guy's back, pulling at his arms. "Let go of him, you freak!" she yells, but her attempts seem to make no difference to this man. Zee watches helplessly as, with the other hand, the man plants the small disc into one of Zee's outlets.

He retreats from Zee, knocking Ro onto the floor. Zee falls over and cannot move for a few minutes. People who were hiding underneath tables were now beginning to circle around Zee. Ro jumps up and sees the mob looking strangely at the still figure. Spiritedly, she begins pushing people out of her way to reach Zee.

Finally, she manages to fall through a gap in the crowd, and helps Zee up. "That guy was a psycho, wasn't he?" She looks around at the blank faces who don't respond. Meeting defeat, she first picks up the goldfish tank, and then hurries out of Groundwire, supporting Zee along the way.

Scene 5

The next morning, Agent Lee and West are driving along a magway, with West lazily letting out a yawn. "West, we have to stay awake," Lee warns and hands him the holomorphic viewers. "Now, to keep you awake, let's stop for a while and look around." West stretches and scratches his head.

"You know this is so stupid. We might as well not even try. Bennet sent us out here to punish us. Maybe we should just go out to lunch and then sight seeing." Lee sighs and rolls her eyes.

"Do not under estimate Bennet. I think he is up to something." West sits up.

"You mean, he really gave us the important job?" Lee decides not to let West in on the message that she discovered.

"No, not that exactly, but, I-I just have this feeling..."

"Well, let's not waste time and get to work!" With West now feeling enthusiastic, Lee decides it's a good time to start their search, and for her to keep an eye out for Bennet's activities. She exits the magway and heads for a restaurant.

"Wait, so now you want to go sight seeing?" West asks, very confused.

"No, but, you just reminded me that I'm really hungry."

Scene 6

Ro enters into a nice restaurant. The fragrance is overwhelming as she sniffs happily. Zee enters behind her. He searches the room cautiously for any sign of that man, and after seeing no sign of him, they both approach the hostess.

"Two," Zee says, and the woman smiles, pulling out two menus.

"Right this way." The stout, brown-haired woman weaves her way through tables and chairs, with Zee and Ro following her. "Here, this should accommodate your needs." She places the menus down at the table, while Ro quickly situates herself, and begins to scan the menu. "A server will be right with you."

Ro lets out a very large sigh when the woman leaves. "Mmm, nice fancy food. Just what I was in the mood for." Ro smiles happily as she tries to figure out exactly what she wants. "What do you think, garlic potatoes or a loaded baked potato?" Ro looks up when Zee doesn't answer, and sees that he has placed the menu directly in front of him. She laughs slightly. "What are you doing? You aren't going to order, too?"

"It's Agent Lee and Agent West. They've just walked into the restaurant." Ro spins around and sees them being lead to a table close to theirs. She avoids their gaze and turns back around, ducking low beneath her menu.

"Great, now my perfect meal is ruined." Some violins play softly in the background as a server approaches the table. "Can I start you off with a drink?" The server bot asks as Zee and Ro hide behind their menus.

"Um, sure, let's see," she whispers, "how about a soda?"

"Which kind?"

"Why don't you just, um..." Ro looks behind her quickly at the agents, "mix them together and the I'll just decide from there." The server bot cannot comprehend this.

"Come again?" Ro sighs.

"Just, anything." The bot still does not know exactly what to do.

"And you, Sir?" the server bot asks this automatically.

"You know what, he is allergic to drinks, he won't be needing anything," Ro answers. The server bot backs up.

"One," and then Ro's recorded voice comes up,"'anything' coming right up." The server bot moves away.

"Zee, how are we going to get out of here?" She pulls his menu down, and is shocked at what she sees. Zee still looks like, Zee! "Zee!" Ro whispers sharply, "Why the heck don't you change?" She puts his menu back up.

"I don't know. Ever since yesterday, my whole functioning process has been a little off, and now, I can't even change my outward appearance."

"Okay, weird, and still a big problem." Ro looks back as Agent West is being served his food. "As usual, the people that get seated after us get food before us!" She watches as West picks at his strange dish uncertainly. Ro turns back around with a smile on her face. "I have an idea. When you see me distracting the two agents, you head for the kitchen and exit through there."

"But-"

"Hey, it's the only way. Don't worry, the agents will be so embarrassed, it will give me more than enough time to run." Without another word, Ro rises from her chair and makes her way toward the agents' table. She begins to overhear Agent West's conversation.

"What the heck kind of food is this?" He picks up his piece of meat with his hand.

"West, show some table manners!" Lee whispers harshly.

"Well, next time, I pick the place to eat. I'm not eating this garbage." By this time Ro makes her way up to the table, unnoticed by the two fighting.

"Something wrong with the meal?" Ro asks West. He answers without looking up.

"I'd say so. What kind of flavoring is this? Slime and onions?" Ro smiles and looks around at the other people enjoying their meals. She raises her voice.

"Are you saying that our cooks are not qualified to cook your meal?!" A few people turn to look at the agents' table. West turns around, and gasps as he sees who it is.

"Who, what are you doing here? I-" He begins to draw his weapon, but Ro's words stop him.

"A weapon?!! Only because your meat was a little burnt!!" More people look up.

"West, holster your weapon, cool it." Lee whispers as she hides her face.

"You selfish pig!! All you care about is helping yourself!! You are ungrateful with the food you can afford!!! Well, don't you know that other kids are starving in Japan, so eat it, just eat it!!!" Now everyone in the restaurant has turned to look at them. Ro smiles happily as she runs from their table and out the doors. The agents are left, meeting the cold stares of the other costumers. West laughs nervously.

"Just a little burnt. Hey, I can deal with it." Lee sighs.

"Come on West, we've got an accomplice to catch."

Scene 6

Ro is running as fast as she can while laughing. She runs around the building, searching for Zee. "Zee!" She calls. A hover car pulls up beside her. It is silver and is shaped in a hot new style. "Nice ride!" Ro comments. Zee opens the door.

"Come on, get in!" Ro hops in, and they speed away.

"Do I really have to go on this boring tour?"

"I suppose it doesn't matter." Ro suddenly becomes frantic as she searches for something.

"What's wrong?"

"Where is spike?"

"Spike, who's Spike?"

"The fish of course!" She is still looking around in the car. "I thought you said you had him?" Zee thinks for a moment.

"I thought I did." Zee looks at Ro. "I can't remember. Sometimes, I feel, well, how can I put it, disconnected."

"Zee!" Ro yells. A car was directly in front of them ready for a head on collision. Zee quickly swerves to the right. "Look, I know we're in a hurry and all, but, do you really have to be going this fast?" Ro is gripping the sides of her seat.

"I-I can't help it." His voice begins to sound monotone.

"I can't believe you lost Spike." Ro folds her arms and stares out the window as Zee stays silent and contentedly watches the road.

Scene 7

The new building of the museum is surrounded by a large crowd. An old man stands with a younger looking one, holding a pair of large gold scissors.

"...And if it wasn't for this man here, Dr. Selig," the younger man refers to the old man holding the scissors, "none of this would have been possible. So, without further hesitation, Dr. Selig, if you please." The man motions to Dr. Selig who takes the scissors and cuts a red ribbon blocking the entrance of the new museum. The crowd applauds as the group moves into the museum. A silver car pulls up and Zee and Ro quickly get out and run up the steps after Dr. Selig.

"Dr. Sel-" Zee begins to call, but he falls over.

"Zee, what's wrong with you!" Ro rushes over. He gets back up.

"I don't know." Zee looks around as more of the crowd disappears into the museum. Dr. Selig is no where in sight. "We have to get inside."

"So you're saying I have to go on the tour?" But Ro soon changes her mind as the agents pull up, and begin running after them. "Well, I've always wanted to know about good literature. Come on!" Ro pulls him through the crowd as the agents chase after them.

The museum is huge, with many different levels, each one a different genre of literature. Ro quickly leads Zee onto an escalator. The sign reads Horror and Tragedy.

"Shouldn't we try to find Dr. Selig?" Ro looks around wildly.

"Right now, I'm worried about us." She jumps up and down in place, blocked by people all around here on the escalator. "Can't this thing move any faster?" They have finally reached their destination, and empty into another large level. Ro runs to the left with Zee following. "We gotta try to blend in with a group of people." Ro quickly runs by a Romeo and Juliet exhibit. "Uhh, not in the mood for that." She keeps looking, and finally joins a crowd around an exhibit she never heard of. A speaker is spilling out information of a novel called "Of Mice & Men."

"Strange name for a book." Ro and Zee pretend to be listening to the synopsis of the the book. In a glass case, a worn copy of this book was placed carefully on a podium. Throughout the synopsis, Ro noticed some startling similarities between the book, and her own life with helping Zee.

"...As for the ending, we wouldn't want to ruin it for those of you who have never read the book, but because it can be labeled as a tragedy, you will guess that the ending is very tragic." Ro bites her lip. Hopefully, this isn't a foreshadow of things to come. Ro has become so engrossed in the exhibit, that she hasn't noticed small changes in Zee's behavior. Suddenly, a great commotion erupts beside her. She turns to see Zee beginning to smash in another exhibit. He has shed his holographic form and is now Zeta's form. People begin scattering everywhere.

"Zee!!" Ro yells, as she rushes over to him. "Zee what are you doing?" He doesn't answer her, and begins walking toward her. Ro backs up slowly. This is the first time in a while she has actually been frightened of Zee.

"Cut it out Zee," her voice shakes. Ro finally plants herself on the ground, directly in his path. He approaches her, and with no emotion, throws her to the side. She screams and falls hard on to the floor. By this time, the security is running up the stopped escalator, followed by Agent West and Agent Lee.

"Stop! Put your weapon-er-just stop!" Yells one of the guards.

"Zee!" Ro keeps yelling. Zee does not answer still, and he begins to activate has laser gun, melting another exhibit. One of the guards fires at him, and Zee then fires back at the guard. Zee hurries to one of the supporting posts of the building, and with all of his might, pushes at it.

"Zee! What are you doing?" The post starts to crumble, and a horrible groan comes from the ceiling above them. A security guard radios someone on his walkie-talkie.

"Evacuate everyone on level four!" Someone garbles an answer back.

"Infiltration Unit Zeta, this is the NSA. Do not move." Agent Lee calls, holding her weapon steadily in front of her. Zeta does not respond, and continues to push on the support post.

"What is wrong with him?!!" Ro yells at the agent.

"He's a killer! What did you expect?" West answers hastily. Parts of the ceiling begin to crumble and fall to the floor.

"I have a feeling Agent Bennet has something to do with this." Lee holsters her weapon. "All of you, evacuate here, we can take care of it." The security guards willingly leave, running quickly down the escalator.

"Agent Bennet!" Ro calls over the noise. "What would he have to do with this?"

"I'm not at liberty to say at this moment!" More of the ceiling begins to cave in.

"I don't think you have much choice!!" And then, it clicks in Ro's mind. The man yesterday had inserted some kind of disc into Zee. Perhaps that was making him act like this. "Do you think someone could have given Zee a virus?!!"

"A virus?!! I don't know, it seems far fetched!!" Lee answers. Ro doesn't have time to answer. She rushes over to Zeta.

"Zee, you've got to snap out of it!" He hits her, sending her sprawling on the floor. Ro hears Agent West yell as a piece of ceiling falls on him. "Zee, you are hurting innocent people. I thought you told me you didn't want to anymore!!!" He pauses for a moment, looking at her. He is about to hit her again.

"Go ahead. I thought you had changed." He stands frozen for a moment, and then sinks to the ground.

"Ro, what's happening to me?" Ro kneels down next to him.

"I don't know," Zee is struggling with something inside of himself, "But I think it has to do with that man yesterday. Remember?" Zee is trying to stifle a scream.

"I don't know, I - can't - process - ......"

Ro searches his outlets. "He like, put something into you, a disc or something, I think it's causing you to malfunction."

"Hurry, I'm...-I'm-....losing control..again.." His movements become frenzied again, and Ro ducks around his arms. Agent Lee is still standing there, motionless, and watching while Agent West beats on the piece of ceiling lying on top of him.

"Here," Ro pulls out a small disc, and Zee falls over, silent. "Zee, Zee." She shakes him cautiously. "Zee," she whispers, "Come on, wake up. I'm sorry I got made at you about Spike." She sits for a moment with her head resting on her knee.

"No, don't be. You really wanted a pet." Ro looks up to see Zee in his human form. She is overwhelmed and gives him a hug. Ro then laughs and pulls back.

"Sorry. You really scared me there tinman." They both stand. Agent Lee is bewildered by this and she watches them walk over to her. Ro is hesitant as she watches Agent Lee draw her weapon.

"Here," Ro throws the small disc to her. The agent catches the disc. No one seems to notice the sounds coming from Agent West. "Now how is Bennet involved?"

"Agent Bennet?" Zee asks.

"I have a theory that the NSA ordered Zeta's pursuit to be stopped. They felt that he placed no threat to society since there has been no evidence of anyone being harmed. So, perhaps he had something to do with putting a virus into Zeta's system-"

"To make it look like that I was dangerous," Zeta finishes.

"Exactly. I'm, I'm afraid that the NSA will see the security video and start up the pursuit again. You're one opponent that has actually gotten to Bennet, and he is determined to beat you."

"LEE!!" All three look down at the piece of ceiling holding Agent West to the ground. Lee considers the situation.

"Um, I better help him, but, um, you shouldn't go anywhere, right?" She moves toward the rubble.

"Come on!" Ro grabs Zee's arm and pulls him to the emergency exit. Lee lifts the large piece off of West. He immediately gets up, weapon drawn. He carelessly fires it at an exhibit.

"West!"

"Sorry!" He says hurriedly. "Hey, where did everyone go?"

"They got away."

"Oh man! My one chance, and that stupid ceiling fell on me!" He kicks at a piece of rubble.

"Well, at least you're okay, and we can tell Bennet that we almost caught him."

"Yeah," West says sarcastically," Another mission we botched!"

"Oh," Lee says slyly, holding the disc, "I think we can persuade him to consider us top agents again."

"What? How?" Agent West scratches his head.

"Come on, we better report back."

Scene 8

Zee and Ro have managed to find another car, and they are now riding smoothly on a major magway, heading for another city. Ro is studying her hands.

"Look, I'm sorry that you didn't get to talk to Dr. Selig. We were so close."

"It's better that I didn't. Who knows what I would have done with him with that virus in me."

"Good point." They sit in silence for a few moments.

"Ro, I am sorry I lost your goldfish."

"Zee, that stupid goldfish doesn't bother me."

"What, but I thought you wanted a pet? I thought you wanted the feeling of someone depending on you." Ro smiles at him.

"Zee, I realized that pets aren't that only ones that can give you that feeling. People can give you that feeling too. And I've realized that, well, I think, you depend on me. You know, I like that feeling."

"I do depend on you. And I only want you to be happy."

"I am, because, I depend on you also. I haven't depended on someone else in long time."

Ro then reaches into her back pocket and takes out the worn copy of "Of Mice & Men." She opens it up and begins to read.

"Ro! Did you take that from the museum?"

"Oh, they won't be missing it! Besides, I want to know how it is. I hate cliffhangers." Ro doesn't feel like confessing that she's worried this story will parallel their adventures, and wants to see the possible outcome. She doesn't want these adventures to end in tragedy.