Christian Hayes is 27 years old. He is 5'11, around 190 lbs, with shoulder length brown hair and a goatee. He has brown eyes and is somewhat of a firebrand, he was wanted by the "agents" before being removed from the Matrix for a long list of criminal activity. Our story picks up shortly after he has been released from the Matrix by Captain Mavis of the Katana, who has Morpheus with him as an "observer". As this scene begins, Christian is speaking to Captain Mavis and Morpheus just after having been freed from the Matrix.

"How are you feeling?" asked Captain Mavis.

"Better, but still a bit confused about everything," replied Christian.

"It will take some time for you to get adjusted to things. I was surprised we were asked to retrieve you so soon, but he felt it was necessary."

Morpheus stepped forward. "As soon as you feel ready Chrisitan, we have to go back in"

"And why is that?"

"I believe that you are a key piece of a very large puzzle, the solution to which can only be found inside the Matrix."

Christian laughed. "No offense, but I think you have the wrong guy, I'm no hero."

"I'm not looking for hero, I am looking for answers. We have been detecting some unusual activity from the Matrix lately and you seem to be influencing it"

"I do? And how is that?"

"We tracked the problems in the Matrix to a small series of code sequences in the programming. You were one of them."

"What about the others?"

"We haven't been able to pinpoint them yet, but I'm hoping you can help us do that. Get some rest. In the morning, I'm taking you inside, there's someone you should meet."

"Well, I guess if that's what I have to do...."

Morpheus smiled and both he and Mavis left the room.

.............................

Meanwhile, in the Matrix....in a deserted alley, a strong wind has kicked up. An identified person has been running from something, but he can't out run it. The person screams loudly and violenty and then...silence. The person has been replaced with Agent Smith. Smith smiled.

"And so it comes full circle..." said Smith.

.............................

Next Morning, Morpheus and Christian are back inside the Matrix. They stand on what should be a bustling street, but there is nothing around except buildings and empty roads.

"What's going on here? Where is everyone?" asked Christian.

"I don't know, perhaps the problems in the Matrix are greater than we feared," said Morpheus, "Follow me"

Morpheus and Christian head down the block, with Smith watching from a distance, with an evil grin on his face.

Morpheus leads Christian to a basement apartment, inside is the Oracle.

"Hello Morpheus" said the Oracle. Then she looked at the man beside him. She gestured for Morpheus to leave and then spoke.

"Christian...I was beginning to wonder when you would show up."

Christian looked dumbfounded. "How do you know my name?"

"Darling, I know most everything about everyone in this place."

"Ok, well then maybe you can explain why I'm standing here right now."

"You're here because you hold the key to keeping the Matrix intact."

"Lady, I don't know what you are smoking, but - " The Oracle cut off Christian before he could say more.

"Let me put it to you like this. You have a decision to make, a decision that will decide not only your fate but the fate of everyone in the Matrix. I'm sorry I can't be clearer but you must earn the knowledge for yourself."

"And what if I make the wrong choice?"

"Who's to say what's wrong? You are assuming the wrong choice would be the one that destroys the Matrix, but wouldn't that choice, in certain circumstances, be the right thing to do?"

"I hadn't thought of that"

"Now we are getting somewhere." The Oracle smiled and scribbled something down on a piece of paper and handed it to Christian.

"You need to go here tonight, just you, not Morpheus or anyone else. There you will meet the 'others' and your task will be made clearer."

"Now just a -" the Oracle cut him off again.

"I know you are full of questions and uncertainties, but believe me, this meeting tonight will make the path much clearer to you."

"I still don't know what to make of all of this, but I'm going to go to this meeting. Out of curiousity, if nothing else." Christian bowed his head and then left the room, rejoining Morpheus. Morpheus stopped him from saying anything.

"What was said there stays with you, let's go." Morpheus and Christian headed outside, there are now some people on the streets, but it's pitch black. As the two round a corner they are confronted by a gang of six men in their late 20s.

"You're in the wrong part of town boys..." says the leader and then looks closely at Morpheus' sunglasses. "Say, those are nice. How about you give them to me and I might decide NOT to kick your ass."

Morpheus smiled. "You try to take these glasses from me and I promise you will regret it." The gang leader laughed. "Is that a threat homes? Because you picked the wrong guy to threaten! Boys, let's get him!"

The gang members split into two groups of three and pounce on Morpheus and Christian. Morpheus makes short work of his attackers, Christian has more difficulty with his, but with the help of a four foot long steel pipe, he is able to dispatch them eventually, though he takes a cut on the lip.

"Not bad," said Morpheus, "Not bad at all". As he finishes speaking, a car pulls just down the street. Out step two agents, though neither is Smith.

"Who the hell are those guys?" asked Christian.

"You don't want to find out, let's go." said Morpheus, already taking off. As Christian and Morpheus run from the agents, Morpheus grabs his phone and calls the Matrix tech on the Kitana. "Blade, now would be a good time for an exit."

"I've got one for you, it's one block north in an empty mechanics garage."

"Understood." as soon as Morpheus finished speaking, the sound of gunfire rang out. The Agents are gaining.

"Damn, this is intense!" yells Christian as he and Morpheus approach the exit. He pulls out his own weapon, an uzi and sprays bullets blindly behind him, hoping to hit something, before disappearing into the garage. Both men escape.

The agents step into the garage and survey the room.

"They have escaped."

"I thought you said we would catch them by surprise."

They are joined by a third agent...Smith.

"Don't worry....they'll be back. It is inevitable." .........................................................

"Sentinels?" asked Captain Mavis.

"Don't worry they didn't spot us, we're safe" said Andara, the Kitana's navigator.

"For now," said Captain Mavis, "Run a full scan on the EMP, if they come back, I want to be ready."

"Yes sir."

In the ship's mess, Christian has just finished eating in preparation for his "meeting" tonight. He knew he'd be going in alone and that scared the hell out of him. Sure he could fight, but the prospect of going somewhere he'd never been before with absolutely no help did not comfort him any. What had that old lady got him in to anyway? He had no more time to ponder his thoughts as Morpheus entered the room.

"It's time..."

Christian quickly "jacked in", materializing in an empty hotel room. Blade's voice came over his phone. "So what do you need??"

"Light weapons, pistols and semi-automatics, stuff that won't hold me down much."

"Coming right up. Go out of the room and turn left. Inside that room is box with your stuff in it."

Christian kicked in the door and opened the box, which was absolutely loaded with guns and ammunition.

"Well now we're talking," he said to himself as he loaded up. Now, feeling that he was well armed enough for most any conflict, he left the hotel, jacked a car and took off down the street. A second black car followed him all the way through town, with Smith and another agent inside. Smith turned to his partner and smiled.

"I told you they'd be back..."