Disclaimer: We don't own the Matrix. You should know this by now. I do own Jinx.

Authors' Notes: This is cowritten by Aquarian Wind and myself. Make sure you give credit to both authors. Jinx is not, and will never be a mary sue.

"I have told you before, there's no escaping the nature of the universe. It is that nature that has again brought you to me. Where some see coincidence, I see consequence. Where others see chance, I see cost." ~Merovingian

Constrained Tribulation


"You give me Neo, or we all die, right here, right now." Trinity cocked her gun as she held her hand steady.

The Merovingian calmly sipped his wine as he looked down the barrel towards his accuser. "Have you not figured it out yet? You're too late. Neo is now in capable hands well away from both of us."

"Where is he?" Trinity gritted out as she moved closer to him. She was aware of the guns moving towards her, but she beyond caring for her own life. The risk was great, but the cause was even greater.

"You're ready to die for this man?" the Merovingian asked out of pure curiosity. The simplicity of the matter tasted strange in his mouth. She wanted her lover back, and she was willing to give anything for him. How could someone believe in the purely idealistic notion of love? Were there political negotiations involving saving the One, or did the matter stretch only to signals from the heart.

She cocked her gun back farther. The slightest pressure on the trigger would signify his deletion and the removal of every program and human in the room. Interesting. "Believe it," she stated forcefully as she burned holes into his eyes with her own gaze.

"Follow me," Persephone answered as gracefully rose from the comfortable couch. The Merovingian glanced over to her and raised an eyebrow slightly. She promptly ignored him. Trinity glowered at him in suspicion, but the Merovingian only looked back at her in contempt. Morpheus reluctantly pulled back his guns as Seraph did the same. They eyed each other in agreement as the followed the Merovingian's wife through the sea of guards.

At the edge of the stairs, Morpheus noticed his first in command did not follow. "Trinity," he commanded warningly. Trinity withdrew her guns immediately and flipped them into her concealed belt loops. She glared at him in loathing as she silently followed her captain. The Merovingian smirked back at her.

Trinity watched her back as she followed Seraph and Morpheus. The Exiles were up to something, and she wasn't one to not guard her captain's back. She turned her focus back on Persephone and gritted her teeth in annoyance. She wanted to wrap her hands around the slim neck and slowly strangle her until not a single breath was left in her body. The jealousy was only kept at bay by the need to save Neo.

Morpheus kept his frustration outwardly unnoticeable. His first command was right to be on edge, but she surrounded herself with tension. He nearly sighed as Trinity glared at the doorman. His instincts were picking up on something, but he couldn't put his finger on it. As they entered the parking lot, the club vanished behind them. Was it another trick of the Merovngian?

"What?" Trinity whispered as she turned around. Both Persephone and Club Hell were gone. "Shit," she muttered as Morpheus whipped out his phone.

"What happened?" he growled into the phone as Trinity watched the spot where the club had just been. How could she have trusted the Exiles into leading them to Neo?

"What do you mean? Nothing has happened," Link answered as he watched the code stream down the monitor. Nothing had changed.

"Send out a trace program. We need to know where that building went," Morpheus said as he stood beside Trinity. The parking lot continued in all directions. Nothing moved except Seraph as he waited patiently for them.

"They're waiting for us," Seraph told Trinity as he started towards the exit. Trinity easily caught up to him.

"Who?" she asked as she made sure Morpheus followed. Morpheus nodded for Seraph to continue first.

"The rogue programs. They will find us, and they will attempt to destroy us if we do not go to them first. It is a matter of survival to them, and they do not care about sides in your war. The Exiles only see strategy when it is placed against them. I am only a guide. From here, I will leave you, but the chateau can only be found again by another Exile," Seraph answered as he strode towards the Oracle's home. Trinity wanted to follow, but held herself back. Seraph would be of no further help.

"The trace program is complete. The catch came up empty. It seems the Merovingian knows how to cover his tracks," Morpheus commented as he walked forward with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Do we know an exile willing to help us?" Trinity asked as her self-control claimed her once more. Only a clam focus would help them get Neo back now. She had once centered her life around her missions to get by with Zion's command, but they had taken Neo. If she had to destroy the whole goddamn matrix to get him back, then so be it.

"No, but we do have someone who can," Morpheus answered as they passed potential on the sidewalk. Cars drove past the same way they had for the past one hundred years of this matrix. Agents could attack them at every second, and they to get out quickly.

"Who?" Oh, god. Don't let it be her. Why did the past have to come back and bite her for every mistake she ever made? She would stay calm. She would not overreact, but if she got in their way, there would be hell to pay. She couldn't control everything, but she could have an opinion on this.

"Jinx Travirez." Damn.

"Is there anyone else?" she asked. There was no hint of whine in her voice, no hint of pleading. Couldn't a woman just ask not to be tortured every once in a while?

"You cannot run from your past, Trinity. Jinx is both convenient and capable of taking care of her own. She is the only one we can use at this point," Morpheus stated firmly. There would be no arguing. When Morpheus put his foot down on something to be done, it got done whether you helped or not.

"Dial Zion," Trinity answered as she fixed her gaze on the back of the phone booth. Morpheus looked at his command questioningly.

"Just do it," she answered as he handed her the line. She built her mental walls once more as she placed the cool metal against her ear.

"Get Jinx Travirez on the line, now," she demanded. She had a feeling the operator would waste no time in doing so. She was going to do this her way, and nothing would stand in her way.

The Merovingian thoughtfully tapped his wineglass as he gazed at his beloved wife. They were no longer gracing Club Hel with their presence, and the twins guarded the doors leading adjacent to the room. "What are you up to my love? Once he regains consciousness, we cannot keep him here. Undoubtedly, his friends will find some way to attract our attention away form him. Do you have something in mind?" he inquired as he leaned back into the couch.

"My dear husband. You do not truly believe he can find his way out of here once he awakens, do you? An opportunity has presented itself to us. You needed to assign the twins a new challenge, and the One cannot possibly leave this place unless we allow it. Every door leads to our choice, and we could keep him here forever if we needed too. There is no code for him to read, and we need him," Persephone's smooth tone held a slight hint of seduction. She wanted this badly enough to use any method of persuasion. Why?

"I do believe you have an alternative motive, my sweet. Does using him against me in some way bring you joy, or is he there to bring revenge against me? He is a danger to the chateau, and he is a danger to us." The answers rolled off his tongue just as smoothly as her own. This was a game to her, and she was threading hot water. He adored watching her in her thrill of cat and mouse. He would dangle this in front of her until she willingly gave him what he wanted.

"It is not him I want, but I do desire his love's jealousy. I want to her begging me to let him go. I want to be able to understand the human emotions when they put through extremities only the strongest can survive. They will be at my mercy at the worst possible time," Persephone purred as rested her chin on her hands. The wild look in her eyes almost made him agree right then and there. The game would continue.

"He is a threat to the society we have built our lives on, and you want to throw it away for a simple game of love and jealousy. Why should I agree? I'm sure you can find another way to amuse yourself in the sheer boredom of your nights without me. The twins do not need an immediate challenge presented to them. You have messed with their lives more than enough to keep them busy for a month. Why should I accept this debacle challenge?" The Merovingian leaned towards her slightly.

His eyes met hers as a flicker of panic crossed her gaze and died. A twinkle of mischief held in her look as she masked it with layers of innocence and bemusement. Their gazes locked as the battle of wills began. She desired this more than anything else in a long time, and she wouldn't give it up to assure the safety of the exiles. A grin pulled at the corners of her mouth, and he lifted her chin in slight defeat.

"If he stays here, the twins will assigned by my direct order to do as they please with him. You will not be able to play your games on him until after I am assured he will not bring my home to ruin. It is only for your safety and that of my own. He will try to use you as a means to be set free, and his freedom is something I cannot allow. After the trials, you may do with him as you please under strict limitations," he replied as he held her gaze longer. He could see the fury building behind the wide orbs.

"What limitations?" Persephone questioned suspiciously. It would just like her husband to reinforce his allowances in his own private war. She was always roped into his games and needed to know beforehand the rules, so she could bend and twist every one of them. She licked at the corners of her cherry lips in anticipation.

"You will not get romantically involved with him under any circumstances. I will have at least one of the twins with him at all times." He could see the wheels grinding in her brains. He knew of her secret rooms, and what went on in them. They would be blocked for the time being.

"And if I do not comply?" she murmured as she raised an eyebrow. He knew what she was up to. It would not continue on his watch.

"Then, you will be punished as every Exile in this building is when they do not follow my commands. I can have it arranged specifically for you, my love. Do not test my patience with your mind practices. It will not work this time," he whispered as he leaned towards her full lips.

"Merv, I would not treat him the same as I do you. My heart belongs to you, but he has captured my interest for the time being. I have been loyal to you, and will remain so. Why do you not trust me on this? I only conceive my own plans for the good of the chateau and our relationship," as she spoke the soft words, she inched closer to him and her hands brushed his. Only her dramatics set off warning bells in the Exile's mind.

"You gave the rebels the keymaker, ma chèrie. The time will come when your 'planning' will be our downfall. I will allow this only because I am intrigued by the emotions of the rebels. If they come, I shall have Morpheus as he is one of the key leaders. If more rebels follow, it will be on your head, 'Sephone," he whispered as he brought her closer. She smirked beneath him.

"Je t'aime pour ç'est moment. I will not disappoint you, Merv. Neo will provide us valuable information, which will ensure our survival until the end of this matrix. The twins will help me extract information from him. I'm sure after a little unique persuading, he will be entirely willing to put forth everything we need to know," she whispered encouragingly.

"Persephone," Mero warned. This was not her place to outright disobey him. She had been a program once, and she knew the consequences of his temper.

"Oh, it won't be sexually or romantically involvement. I know as well as you do, there are other methods of convincing techniques," she purred into his ear. She was setting up her trap nicely. The bait was set, the net was ready, and he only needed a tiny bit of assistance to jump in blindly.

He pushed her away. "What are you going to do?" His wineglass lay forgotten as wine spilled drip by drip on the blood red carpet.

"What would you have me do? After all, I'm only a simple minded housewife," the sarcasm dripped from her lips as she bent down to pick up the wineglass. It nearly shattered in her hands.

"I'm may forbid you yet from seeing him at all. I do suggest you hold your tongue while I address the twins. I may not be so pleasant later on tonight," he growled as he strode towards the door.

"It's only a matter of time, Merv," she whispered as she brushed off her dress. Her hair fell limply over her shoulders as she walked the other way.

"Indeed it is," he whispered back as he opened the door.

Authors' Notes: R/R please. Next chapter should be out soon.