|
|
By Rainbows
***
Mega stared thoughtfully at Neemon who was studiously eating her breakfast. For some reason, unknown to Mega, Neemon had laid off with the sarcasm recently. At the same time though, she had withdrawn into herself. Mega stopped thinking about her though as Tank slipped in beside her with his bowl of slime.
He grinned at her while saying, ‘You look like hell.’
Mega gave him a light punch in the shoulder before replying, ‘I was rather disturbed last night. My neighbours were noisier then usual.’ Mega gave a pointed glance to Trinity and Neo, who shared the room next to her. Neo blushed while Trinity, Tank and even Morpheus started laughing. Mega grinned, just as Tank had earlier. It was good to know that she could still make the gloomy inhabitants of the ship laugh.
Morpheus then spoke, causing the small room to break into silence. ‘Trinity, when you’re done take the ship up to broadcast depth. We’re taking Neemon to see her.’
‘See who?’ the quiet words were the first Mega had heard from Neemon in days.
Neo raised his eyes from his bowl and looked at Neemon. ‘The Oracle’.
***
Neo starting setting up Neemon’s recliner where she would jack into the Matrix for the first time. Tank sat at the computers, flexed his fingers, then started to type with incredible speed.
Trinity who was at her recliner suddenly noticed someone was missing. ‘Where’s Healer?’
The rest of the crew looked about. He was missing. That hadn’t even noticed. Neo finally answered, ‘Most likely in the infirmary.’
‘Hell, what is it with that guy and the infirmary?’ Trinity was shaking her head as she went to get Healer.
‘I guess he likes himself a lot.’ Mega said as she rolled her eyes. She then noticed Tank shaking with silent laughter. ‘Why are you…Oh’ Mega had realized that her comment could be taken more way then one. ‘Sicko’ she said to Tank. He was laughing too hard too reply. Now it was Mega who was shaking her head as she walked over to her own recliner.
Soon Trinity returned with an upset looking Healer behind her. Trinity had obviously had a few choice words to say to him. The laughter ceased and Mega could feel a nervousness in the room, one that she shared.
Mega never felt comfortable in the Matrix. Despite her superior combat skills and ability to break the rules, Mega still felt vulnerable, exposed. Mega watched Tank with a slight smile on her face as he connected the crew. Healer, Neemon, Morpheus, Trinity…herself.
***
I would never get used to the harshness of the pin entering the back of my head. I felt myself almost scream with pain as my mind was torn away from my body. I had had the slightest hope that entering the Matrix would be less painful then entering the training programs. No such luck. The others were used to it, why couldn’t I be. Oh yeah, that’s right. Like Healer had said, I was the ship’s reject. Bound to be different from them in every way possible.
Suddenly my eyes opened and I realized that I was in. I looked down at myself. Unlike the training programs where I had worn black, here I was in white. Dark white cargo pants, stark white singlet, and a creamy white bomber jacket. I looked up and saw that everyone else was with me with the exception of Neo. They all wore black. They all had shades and I didn’t. Oh great, once again I was different. We waited there silently for Neo to come.
***
‘What on…’ Tank frowned, his hands pausing momentarily over the keyboard. He had been about to put Neo in when his eyes were distracted by the Matrix code running across the main screen. ‘Oh shit.’
‘What?’
‘You can’t go in. There’s an agent.’
‘Like hell I’m not going in. They’ll need my help.’
Tank knew that Neo was right. He had to just hope that Morpheus would agree. Tank quickly turned back to the computer and started putting Neo in. ten the words were repeated. ‘Oh shit.’
‘WHAT?’
‘You can’t go in. There’s too much disturbance at the hardline.’
***
Mega wondered where Neo was. Sure it took a long time for Tank to get people in when he had no help but this long? Mega hoped that Tank was okay, turning slightly so that the others couldn’t see her face. She had fear on it, fear for Tank. After hearing what happened with Cypher, Mega was scared for Tank. Very scared and she didn’t want the others to know. Then out of the corner of her eye, Mega saw a slight movement near the door.
She knew at once. ‘Agents’ And all at once the room exploded into action. Mega crouched then sprang up at the SWAT team who were with the agent. She aimed several hard kicks at one of them then grabbed his gun and shot him. Nearby her, Morpheus was doing the same. Trinity grabbed her own gun and started shooting, just as the SWAT team had the same idea. Healer gave a yelp and ran underneath the desk. Nobody even noticed Neemon who was standing by the hardline, not even the agents. Mega turned and punched another SWAT person, then kept moving not even stopping to notice him fall to the floor. She ran up a wall and flipped to land behind the agent who was fighting Morpheus. The agent started to turn in surprise.
‘Which little brat- ’ He would never finish his sentence as Mega shot him in the head. A crackle of green electricity ran over the body, disappearing to leave an old woman’s body there. Morpheus was saved from the sure death the Agent would of given him.
Mega then heard Trinity call out. ‘Mega!’ Now it was Mega turning to meet the silver gun that an agent held in his hand. A single click and Mega fell to the ground.
***
I ran over to Mega, and still I was unseen by the agents. Neo appeared where I had been standing moments before. Morpheus spotted him, ‘Neo get the hell out of here and take Neemon. Now.’ The words were frantic and screaming as Morpheus struggled to hold off another agent.
Neo shook his head, ‘Trin you go. They need me here.’ With that Trinity grabbed my wrist in a painful grasp and started to run at a phenomenal speed. I struggled, pulling my wrist out but I still continued to follow Trinity as we jumped between roofs, dove down staircases and flew into the night. Finally Trinity stopped. I did too as she turned to face me.
***
Neo concentrated, ignoring the noise of death and anger that surrounded him. The green lines of the Matrix came, giving out a slightly phosphoresce glow. He thought of Trinity, running to escape these agents and with a single cry, wiped out the coding that made up the agent fighting him. The room buzzed with the same green electricity Mega had seen earlier.
***
Tank shouted with joy as Neo destroyed the agent. He then turned to the silent figures of his crew that rested behind him. Tank wiped the blood off Morpheus’ mouth. Then he noticed Mega’s control screen. He noticed the long, flat line on it. ‘No’ he whispered. It couldn’t be true.
***
Healer walked over to Neo and almost fell before him. ‘Neo, that was amazing. The way you just turned the Agent into nothingness. You bypassed all the rules of chemistry, physics, computer programming. You will save the world Neo. I am so glad I am your friend Neo.’ By now Healer was practically dribbling over Neo, to the disgust of Morpheus and Neo. ‘You were so wonderful. I am proud to be called your servant. Oh Neo, I just love it. You’re our hero.’
Neo gave Healer a long, cold stare. How Neo hated Healer fawning all over him. Finally Neo answered. ‘And you’re our coward.’ Neo would not forget how Healer had run away from the danger when their lives were in trouble.
Healer gaped at Neo in surprise. What did Neo mean? He watched and sighed as Neo and Morpheus began to walk away.
***
Trinity stared at Neemon who was talking in a calm voice. ‘I’m tired of this war Trinity. I’m tired of fighting my own useless war. You think this bullet isn’t real?’ her voice was dangerously quiet as Neemon put the gun she held to her head. The moonlight glinted off it, bathing Neemon’s face in silver light. ‘No!’ screamed Trinity. She tried to stop her. It was too late. Neemon had pulled the trigger. Surprisingly, Neemon wasn’t dead yet. ‘Welcome to the real world, huh Trinity.’ Her eyes closed for the last time. Neemon had walked the path.
***
Epilogue ‘I just wish she had been able to see you. Maybe things would of turned out differently.’ Trinity’s words to the Oracle were tired ones. The Oracle paused, as if searching for something. She then found the words. ‘Trinity, I wouldn’t of had anything to say to her anyway.’
