AND THERE WAS ONE
Disclaimer: I didn't make up Agent Jones or the Matrix, but I did create all the other characters in this chapter.
CHAPTER 1: AGENTS
Running used to be an enjoyable sport for Artemis. She was even on track at her high school. The wind in her face, she would sprint towards her goal: the beautiful red ribbon. It was a reasonable target. But a phone booth in an alley some 20 blocks away? It was moments like this one that made her wonder why the hell Artemis took the red pill, why she chose to be unplugged. She could have been one of the coppertops she was passing. An old man walking his dog. Nothing simpler than that. Until the old man morphed into Agent Jones, who raised a gun and fired. The shot was a miss but it was close enough. Artemis picked up speed. She was now running about forty miles an hour. Just three more blocks, she told herself. This isn't fatigue. My brain is making me think it's fatigue. In reality, Artemis was back on the Daedalus, jacked in and a fresh cup of glop waiting for her. Glop. That's something to look forward to.
Artemis leaped into the booth as the phone began to ring. She picked it up. "Box, get me the hell out of here," Artemis muttered as she watched Agent Jones jump over a passing semi-truck with ease. Then she was back in the chair.
Box unstrapped Artemis and she slowly stood up. Box looked at her, his face showed concern. "What went wrong?"
"I don't know." Artemis rubbed her hands together. "I was trying to locate- him. And an agent jumped out and tried to shoot at me. I swear to God, they get closer every time." She rubbed her arm where the bullet had sped past her. Box handed her a wool cap which she pulled over her six- inch hair. Artemis moved swiftly to the computer and stared hard at the screen. "Why hasn't he come back yet? Where could he be?"
Box softly touched her shoulder. "We'll find him. This Goddamn war can't last forever." Artemis felt eternally grateful for his sympathy. 'He may only have known me for two years,' Artemis thought. 'But it's like he knows me front to back.' Box turned the desk lamp off and pushed his chair in. "C'mon, it's time for lunch. I know you're hungry." 'Damn, he's good. Front to back, alright'. Artemis followed him down to the galley.
At that moment, a coppertop named Mark Lucas had logged into his computer. He had two new e-mails, both from someone he met on some chat room, called Artemis. Both where addressed to his own chosen name, Korby. He glanced at the subjects: "Matrix" and "They have you" were not unfamiliar to him. Korby had received messages like this before, after he had discussed a thing called the Matrix in that chat room. He sipped his tea. It needed sugar, but never mind that now. He clicked on the message titled "Matrix".
Disclaimer: I didn't make up Agent Jones or the Matrix, but I did create all the other characters in this chapter.
CHAPTER 1: AGENTS
Running used to be an enjoyable sport for Artemis. She was even on track at her high school. The wind in her face, she would sprint towards her goal: the beautiful red ribbon. It was a reasonable target. But a phone booth in an alley some 20 blocks away? It was moments like this one that made her wonder why the hell Artemis took the red pill, why she chose to be unplugged. She could have been one of the coppertops she was passing. An old man walking his dog. Nothing simpler than that. Until the old man morphed into Agent Jones, who raised a gun and fired. The shot was a miss but it was close enough. Artemis picked up speed. She was now running about forty miles an hour. Just three more blocks, she told herself. This isn't fatigue. My brain is making me think it's fatigue. In reality, Artemis was back on the Daedalus, jacked in and a fresh cup of glop waiting for her. Glop. That's something to look forward to.
Artemis leaped into the booth as the phone began to ring. She picked it up. "Box, get me the hell out of here," Artemis muttered as she watched Agent Jones jump over a passing semi-truck with ease. Then she was back in the chair.
Box unstrapped Artemis and she slowly stood up. Box looked at her, his face showed concern. "What went wrong?"
"I don't know." Artemis rubbed her hands together. "I was trying to locate- him. And an agent jumped out and tried to shoot at me. I swear to God, they get closer every time." She rubbed her arm where the bullet had sped past her. Box handed her a wool cap which she pulled over her six- inch hair. Artemis moved swiftly to the computer and stared hard at the screen. "Why hasn't he come back yet? Where could he be?"
Box softly touched her shoulder. "We'll find him. This Goddamn war can't last forever." Artemis felt eternally grateful for his sympathy. 'He may only have known me for two years,' Artemis thought. 'But it's like he knows me front to back.' Box turned the desk lamp off and pushed his chair in. "C'mon, it's time for lunch. I know you're hungry." 'Damn, he's good. Front to back, alright'. Artemis followed him down to the galley.
At that moment, a coppertop named Mark Lucas had logged into his computer. He had two new e-mails, both from someone he met on some chat room, called Artemis. Both where addressed to his own chosen name, Korby. He glanced at the subjects: "Matrix" and "They have you" were not unfamiliar to him. Korby had received messages like this before, after he had discussed a thing called the Matrix in that chat room. He sipped his tea. It needed sugar, but never mind that now. He clicked on the message titled "Matrix".