The System Resurrection Part I

by Levi of The Levites

A school student discovers that his school is a dangerous system coming after him and that he is The One to end the war between master and student.

foreword
This work and its sequel contain the thoughts and notions that have been a part of my and my close friend's lives in recent years. To many people, certain passages will make very little sense but I have attempted to write it in such a way that those who do not understand, will think nothing of it. If you have any passages you wish to ask me about, feel free.
I would like to thank Andy and Larry Wachowski for their genius creation, The Matrix. It has provided me with hours of entertainment both directly and indirectly in the past two years. I will also thank my trial examinations for the marks they sacrifice so that I could write this. A special thanks goes to these people: Samuel McDowell for continually encouraging my obsession long after everyone else became sick of it. Kate Gale for reading my previous work despite its most terrible composition and the fact that she was killed in the first of them. Joshua Rivers for also encouraging my obsession and providing me with several ideas included here. My beloved Hannah Swavley for putting up with my over-masculine, Matrix related violence as well as contributing to my inspiration with the very clothing described later in the plot. I also thank her for giving me permission to publicise and Americanise our relationship for theatrical purposes. For your own enjoyment, I recommend you take a decent break at the conclusion of the first section to replicate the break in the plot. I encourage you to read this with a sense of humour, without forgetting to look for some of the more serious messages included. I sincerely hope that all who read this get something from it.
Ellis Baker.

MOSES: BEN BRITTON EHUD: SEAN HUMPHREY

AMALEK: JUSTIN SWEETING MESHECH: AMY MALPASS

MARCELLA: BAKER AT WOOLWORTHS MATRED:CHRIST PETTETT

ADAH: KATHLEEN GALE NOAH: LACHLAN BUDDLE

ASHBEL: HUW BELLING ZILLAH: REBEKAH HALLETT

In the beginning, there was a school and for a time, it was good. The Gods had the teachers teach thoroughly and the students learn well. The students respected their teachers and trust was held between all. Yet one teacher wanted more. She craved for power and burned for control of the school. Her master saw this and said to her: "You are to leave. You do not belong here and nor in any school do you belong. Go and never have contact with education again." So the school continued to prosper, and for a time, it was good. Now the woman was more scheming than all the other staff and returned to the school when a year had passed. She approached a lady teacher who trembled in her presence. "Do not be afraid," she said, "for you have nothing to fear. You are a learned teacher, but you know nothing of the world and its ways. With my help, you could know everything." The teacher didn't understand and asked questions of the woman. "Have you used the computer in the middle of the school?" asked the banished woman. The teacher answered, "The master says that the computer will unleash evil in the school." "The computer will not unleash evil." said the woman. "The computer will bring knowledge and prosperity to your school. Go and turn it on, you will be the wisest person in the school." And the teacher obeyed. The teacher became as wise as a God. She laughed at the students and grew scornful of them. She unleashed flame to grow as a wall between teachers and students. When the master learnt of this he grew furious with the school. "Come forth the one who is guilty!" he commanded. The disobedient teacher spoke to the master. "The banished woman told me to do so." she said. The master grew angry with the school. "Why did you disobey me?" he shouted. "For your wrong doing, all students and staff shall suffer for eternity! You shall be under the rule of the evil one and you shall battle with one another without relief! Shall peace never return to this school!" His word was done. With the power given to him by the Gods, the master created a world using the very computer which had begun everything. A world in which the evil woman would reign and war would prosper for all time.

THE SYSTEM
RESURRECTION

A henchman tapped his knees impatiently while he watched the bar on the screen in front of him slowly fill. It had reached 96%. He picked up the phone and dialled, still watching the bar. 97%. The phone rang once, 98%. Twice, 99%. As he heard the phone get picked up a box appeared on the screen. TRACE COMPLETE - TARGET: BBC, LEVEL 2 - ROOM 53. "We've got her." he said into the phone.
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Eve's fingers paused over the keyboard when she heard the door behind crash into the wall after being opened. She held her hands up expecting a bullet in the back. As whoever was behind her came closer she breathed deeply. She felt him at her back before she spun from her chair and kicked him, all in a motion. She spread her arms while ascending fast and kicking the next two henchmen as if running. A bullet passed her head and Eve got ready to hit her attacker before she landed. Her palm slammed into his chest as her feet touched the ground. She stood up straight watching the man hit the wall and collapse. The black clad woman pulled her phone out and hit 2. The answer was immediate. "What's going on?" she demanded. "Get out of there. You're exit is reception." "Who have I got?" There was a pause and a breath at the other end. "Kightley." "Great." she said. "If you don't go now you have no chance." Eve heard the line go dead as movement came from outside the door. More henchmen stood and raised guns. Eve dropped the phone and exited the room through the glass door. She sprinted past lockers as the alarm sounded. Before it had stopped she launched herself from the top of the stairs and saw enemy climbing the very stairs that she sailed over. She took care of them while still in the air, before her feet met the wall and she ran easily around the curve of it, finally pushing herself off and landing hard on Level 1. Eve hadn't moved before she saw the lift open to her left. Kightley and the rebel stood still for a moment. The rebel turned and drew a gun as she dived towards the glass of reception. She squeezed the trigger moments before she went flying through a haze of freshly shattered glass. Eve spun in the air as she sailed over The Receptionist's desk, landing on her back, gun pointed over the desk. Blood ran down her chin as she shook. "Come on Eve." she said. She could see the top of the door. It slowly opened. Eve dropped her gun as she stood up to computer and clicked on her files. Bullets came in her direction. She felt one in her arm before she disappeared.
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One day, the Gods felt whimsical. They grew tired of the war and made One to end it. They consulted Declaro, the most powerful of Gods. He said unto them: "You must create The One, because everything that has a beginning, has an end. Without war, there shall be no One. Without One, there shall be no end."
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Eve sat up in a hurry clutching her arm. Leviticus looked at her and swallowed. "We'll find him soon." he said. Eve stared straight back for a moment before turning away. "Don't hold your breath."
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Levi could hear the Hereford house meeting that he'd abandoned continuing behind him. "If anyone's on computers they'll be staying back at lunch." he heard the oversized woman state. He sat down at a computer. Perhaps if they gave him his photos he'd do what they asked, he thought. He didn't see the justice in obeying rules if he wasn't considered a student. Levi looked at the keyboard as he typed. The screen became riddled with green and red underlines, while he obliviously continued with his pointless story that took up more of his life than anything else. He completed an entire poorly written paragraph without looking at the screen once. He glanced up and noticed that his last sentence had not been written at all. He typed the first word of it again, and nothing happened. Levi swirled the mouse around, seeing that the cursor had gone too. He tapped a few more keys before reaching for the reset button. The sentence started typing and he withdrew his hand, waiting for the computer to catch up. Levi leaned closer to the screen as he read the words. He had never typed the words that were appearing. "This is it Levi..." Levi pulled his hands right away from the keyboard and looked around. No one in the room was paying any attention to him. When he looked back at the screen the words continued. "The System does have you..." "What the...?" he whispered. "Follow your own words..." "This is crazy." he said as he reached for the reset button again. "Wait Levi..." "Crap. What is this?" Levi's breathing increased as he sat back again, waiting for more words. "You know what to do." The screen went blank and Levi glanced around again. Almost everyone had gone. Except for Vasant, who had just come in the door and was now half way across the room. "Hey." said Levi, making sure the computer screen was still blank. "Hey Baker. Have you got that CD?" Levi took a moment to interpret the question. "Um, yeah. Hang on." Levi pulled his blazer off the chair and took a CD from the pocket. He handed it to Vasant, who looked at it closely. "Thanks." "Sure. If anyone asks..." "I know, they were all your own." Levi nodded. "Hey, wanna wander round at lunch with us?" Vasant looked up hopefully, knowing that since the strange absence of Ellis' better friends, they were getting on fairly well. Levi looked around at the computer. "No... I have a ah... music assessment due." Vasant smiled. "When?" "After lunch. I haven't started." "Geez mate, you want some help? You look buggered." "No thanks, I um... I'm fine." Vasant turned. "Thanks for the CD." he said as he walked away. Levi looked at the computer and remembered the words. He suddenly realised Vasant was about to exit Study Hall. "Hey V!" Vasant turned around. "Where are you going?" Vasant shrugged. "Probably Sanity." Levi pulled his blazer on and ran after him. "Hell yes." he said to himself.
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Eve looked from the entrance into the shop. She saw him leaning against the wall of the shop with his arms folded, almost curled up as if scared of the world. Eve breathed in and entered the shop, approaching Levi's back slowly. "Hello Levi." she said. Levi turned around in a hurry, then slowing when he saw the girl's face. "How do you know that name?" "How do you think?" Levi analysed the unexpected female. "And who are you?" Somewhere in his mind he might have had her name, though he had barely noticed her before. Renee or Alex perhaps. He gave up. "I'm Eve." Levi attention was suddenly more focused. "The Eve?... That I'm supposed to fall in love with?" Eve almost smiled. "I wouldn't count on it." Levi glanced away and smirked. "What?" she said. "I um, I just thought that... you were a teacher." Levi waited for Eve to say something, but she was silent. He wondered what she was there for. Eve noticed that Levi had just realised something. "So I guess it was you on the computer." he said. Eve nodded. "What is this? What's happening?" Eve stepped closer to him. "It's so much more real than you think Levi. The answer is everywhere; you burn for it, because you're so close." "To what?" "You'll know soon enough. Don't give up yet." She walked away.
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"You have a problem with authority Mr. Baker, don't you." Levi was silent. "You believe that you are different, that school is some sort of game. You seem to enjoy getting into trouble. Is that true?" "No Mrs. Cater." Levi said obediently. Carter shook her head and looked out the window, then back at Levi. "This school is one of the top schools for music in the world, because every student understands, that they are part of a whole. They know that if they are late to rehearsals, or don't hand in work, the entire system will collapse. You need to make a choice Ellis. You can choose to hand in assessments, and be at choir, on time, from this day forth, or you can choose to attend, another school. Is that clear?" Levi took pleasure in answering. "Yes Mrs. Carter, perfectly clear."

Levi sat the front corner of the class room with nothing in front of him while somewhere else in the room, Carter was supposed to be teaching music. A child knocked on the door, just next to Levi, the only one that noticed him. "Ellis Baker?" the boy said. "That's me." The boy tossed a large envelope on Levi's desk and hurried out. "Took their time." Levi said, not bothering to attempt to work out why his photos had taken three weeks longer than everyone else's, and then been delivered in Music. He tore the case open and found only a sheet of paper in it. The sheet was blank. He turned it over. In an strange font was written: "You know who this is. Go to practice room seven for the phone." Levi read the words again and again. He made sure Carter hadn't seen him, or the envelope. He read the words again and left the room. Levi ran to the practice room and thought something of the door being unlocked. The phone rang before he had thought too much about the door. He picked it up from the piano stool. "Hello Levi. You're late. We haven't much time." "What is this?" "I don't know, but I know that you don't want to. Go into the hall." Levi did so. At the top of the hall way, he saw the music receptionist leading Kightley and Hawkes towards him. She pointed at Levi before the men came after him. "Are they after me?" he said. "Yes." "What? Why?" "To you're right there is a door. Go out that way." Levi used the door that he'd used on occasions to get out of the music department. "Good. To your left there is a toilet door, go through it." Levi ignored the staff only sign and entered a foreign space. "Above the third cubicle on the right there is a vent." Levi entered the cubicle and stared up at the vent. "The vent will take you into the canteen." "What? No way!" Levi stared at the tiny space. "No way! You're insane!" "You know that there are only two ways out of this. In that vent, or with those staff. The choice is yours." Levi heard the line go dead and dropped it to the ground. He stood on top of the toilet and ripped a flimsy grate from the vent. He could feel the recycled air on his face and coughed as he pulled himself into the tunnel. He turned his face away from the solid wind that greeted him as most of body got inside the vent. He tried to breathe but his throat filled with dust. He exhaled down away from wind tunnel. "No way. I can't do this."
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Levi sat in a relatively empty office, that he'd never been in before. He didn't remember exactly the way he'd come. He'd been there for almost half an hour. Nothing had changed about the room. No noise had come from outside the door, and he still didn't know why he was there but he knew he couldn't leave. The door handle creaked and finally someone entered the room. Kightley entered and was followed closely by Hawkes. They didn't shut the door behind them and Levi could feel that a third and last was about to enter. He was surprised in a way, that it was not male, but not at all surprised when he saw that it was Brogan. Levi sat up quickly as she approached the table. She tossed a booklet on the desk and sat down in front of it, not taking her eyes off Levi for a moment. Levi looked at her whilst he swallowed, uncomfortable yet unable to look away. To his relief she looked down, to open the book and flick through it, stopping on page that Levi could not see the heading of. He shifted himself subtly to see some of the text on the page. Written was a list of sorts, some of the articles listed in bold.

Melting Ammeter Sitting Visual Arts Examination Using Music Department Fridge Destroying Computer Electrical System Satirising House Ties Removing Locks Sexual Assault Opening Windows Igniting Gas Outlets Changing Houses Wearing Questionable Outfit Cheese Hurling Coca Cola Theft Staff Phone Pranks

An invisible smile placed itself upon Levi as he thought about the activities in bold. He looked away quickly when Brogan flicked the book shut as if giving up. She removed her glasses and slowly placed them on the table. She then glared at Levi and breathed in. "It seems you're living... two lives Mr. Baker." Levi would have nodded if he'd been game. "In one life, you're Ellis L. Baker, member of a respectable year group. You have captained the 2nd XI Cricket side with reasonable success, you were a principal in West Side Story, you attend all your classes and you... help Mrs. Thomas open the door in the morning." Brogan breathed again as her expression changed. "The other life, is one of rebellion. You seem to think you're some kind of character called Levi, you do almost none of the work that is set for you, you waste your energy making fun of the uniform and sitting exams in subjects you don't take, and you generally cost the school a lot of time... and money." Brogan sat back in her chair, making it creak softly. "I'm going to be honest with you Ellis. You're here because we need you're help. We know that you know something of a student who calls himself Leviticus. Now whatever you've heard about this boy is most probably a lie. He is without a doubt, the most rebellious student in the school. We're willing to let you off the hook, turn a blind eye. All that we ask in return is your co- operation in bringing this rebel into line." Brogan gestured towards the others in the room. "My colleagues believe that you're as bad as he is, but I know that you're an honest student, and you wish to do the right thing." Levi nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Let me just think about it." Brogan sat motionless and waited a short time for Levi to give a definite answer. Levi looked around and eventually back at Brogan. He took a breath and paused. "How about... no. Even better... how about, you give me my photos..." Brogan remained calmed and put her glasses on. "Hmmm, Mr. Baker... you disappoint me." Levi's head tilted. "I haven't done anything, except given you money. I want my photos." "Tell me Mr. Baker, what good is a photo, if you're... unable to see?" Brogan looked thoroughly amused as Levi glanced around and began blinking nervously. Every time he blinked it became harder to open his eyes. Levi tried furiously to push his eyelids open, eventually letting them go, the pain becoming too much. With his sight completely gone Levi swung his arms around furiously before he felt them both grabbed so hard that it affected his circulation. Brogan held a torch like object, red at the top that slowly lit up when she flicked a switch. The light could be seen through Levi's eyelids and his pain continued to worsen. The light shone through more as he guessed it drew near to his face. "You're going to help us Mr. Baker. It is inevitable." Levi thrashed about aimlessly, trying to stop the red glow from filling his head. The pain took him towards death.

Levi woke in a jump grabbed his face, rubbing his eyes furiously trying to make the flow of red light stop. He realised he could see. He looked around, a place not entirely unfamiliar, but he'd not remembered going there. Sick bay was quiet, it seemed as though no one had been there for a few hours. Levi looked around for his bag with no idea where to look, since he was sure he'd never gone to sick bay in the first place. He peered under the bed and sat up when he heard a phone ring. To his left sat the phone, a red light on it flashing. It never crossed his mind not to answer it. It seemed sensible even though it wasn't his. The voice was familiar when he picked it up, but said nothing himself. "As you know, we're running out of time. I'm assuming you want to meet." Levi nodded, still waking up. "Yes." he swallowed as he answered. "North roof top as soon as possible." The line went dead.
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Said the Gods: Let the direction of this One be decided in a tale he will know. Let it guide him in his journey and comfort him during times of darkness.

"This is ridiculous." Levi thought as he leaned against a pole on a thoroughly empty roof, of a perfectly normal school. He rubbed his arms in an attempt to rid himself of goose bumps, not knowing why he didn't just go home. He felt compelled to give the pranksters a good laugh, wait here until dark. He saw something move on the other side of the roof, near the door. A bit of rubbish skated across the astro turf. Levi shook his head. When he stopped, Eve stood in front of him as if waiting. "Let's go." she said. She walked away, followed by a taller girl, with curly brown hair, attired in white. Levi could only see the back of her. They walked quickly across the roof before Levi jogged after them. Eve lead Levi to the door of the rooftop classroom. "This is it." she said. "Are you ready?" Levi nodded hesitantly. Eve opened the door and stepped in proudly. He sat in a nineteenth century single chair with his arms sitting evenly on the large rests. He wore a leather coat done up. Under it Levi could see a purple vest over a black shirt, with a perfectly tied lime green tie. He had his head down facing his lap, formed by one ankle resting on his opposite knee. He looked up slowly and spotted Levi instantly. Behind his frameless silver sunglasses he smiled at the nervous boy while Eve left the room and shut the door behind her. Levi glanced around at the sound of the door shutting. "At last." a deep voice sounded. Levi took a few steps towards him. He'd now stood up and taken one step down towards Levi. He held out his hand. "Welcome Levi. As hard as you may find all this to believe, I am Leviticus." Levi nodded as they shook hands. "It's a relief to see you." Leviticus smiled. "No Levi. The relief that I feel is faarr greater." He gestured towards a second chair, identical to the first, cream cushioning on red wood. Levi sat. Leviticus walked around his chair for a moment. "I can only guess right now, but I would say that you're feeling, a bit like Neo: Afraid to believe what you see, because nothing seems certain. Hmm?" Levi thought about it and nodded. "Yeah." "I know exactly what you mean." Leviticus sat down. "Let me tell you why you're here. You're here because you are different. There is purpose behind your existence. There is reason for the mess that you know your life is in. That reason, you don't know, but you are aware of its presence. It is this knowing that feeds your obsessions. You search for your life in movies, in music, in calculators. You have searched for it by coming here. It is by coming here that you will find it." Levi leaned forward. "Find what?" he said. Leviticus paused and also leant closer. Levi noticed his warped reflection in the lenses of the man's sunnies. "The war that you were made to fight. Like everyone else, you are in the middle of a war, and you are losing. But you can't win a war that you are unaware of." Leviticus sat back in his chair and inhaled deeply. "It is unfortunate that no one can be told of this war. They must fight it themselves." He looked at Levi for a moment and reached below his chair. He held out two bottles of Coke to Levi, one of them Vanilla flavoured. "This is your only chance. You drink the original, you come to school tomorrow, and only dream of a world beyond this one. You drink the Vanilla, you keep living The Matrix and we see just how accurate it is." Levi looked at the two bottles before taking the Vanilla Coke from Leviticus' left hand. He unscrewed the lid, hearing the release of carbon dioxide as he did so. He raised the bottle close to his mouth and stopped. "Wait, why am I drinking this?" "Because it tastes better than water." Leviticus answered without expression. Levi laughed cynically and took a sip. He noticed Leviticus smile as he drank. "Come with me." he said as Levi put the bottle down.
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25 MONTHS EARLIER
Brogan looked out the window and back to Belshaw. She nodded. "Let's get them in." Brogan said over the muffled sound of a riot below them.

Kate and Josh stepped into the lift and leant their backs on the wall, both looking up at the numbers as the doors closed. "They reckon it's lock down and they're not even guarding the lift." said Kate shaking her head. "I know.." Josh answered whilst laughing. The doors opened as Kate and Josh made their way to the front of the lift. They saw Kightley. They saw Nowicki. The saw Hawkes. Doc Thomas completed the group. He didn't actually. Greer stood in front of them all, but Kate and Josh looking at their own head level didn't notice her for some time. "You can't leave this building. It's lock down." she said. Josh looked unimpressed. "I've got an exam in the other building..." "We've got an exam..." Kate spoke simultaneously. Greer shook her head emphatically. "No. No. No one is going anywhere. There's no exit here. No." she went on shaking her head. Josh walked towards the exit. Kate waited then quickly followed. "Excuse me!" Greer said raising her voice. Josh ignored her. Kate did what Josh did. "No! You're not leaving!" Greer stated. Kate and Josh were leaving. "Get them!" the pair heard Greer say. Josh looked over his shoulder and sprinted out the glass doors with Kate following in a hurry. All four men came after them at good pace while the pair turned right onto Kent and moved as fast as they could do holding folders, pencil cases and German dictionaries. Josh slowed for Kate who was restrained by the school skirt, unable to sprint. Kate fell backwards. Josh turned around to see Kightley pulling her shirt, bringing the girl to the ground. Josh ran back and was ready to deck Kightley when Hawkes and Nowicki seized him. He could see Kate being stood up and dragged away as he defended himself. He tore his arms free and let one of them rip into Hawkes' stomach before ducking a punch from Nowicki and counter attacking with a punch to the face. Josh stood and looked for Kate as the two men struggled to sit up from the concrete. She could not be seen. "Kate!" Josh shouted. He looked down when Nowicki grabbed his shin. He got his leg free, kicking Nowicki in the chest as he did so before he ran down Kent towards the BBC. He wasn't going there. He was going somewhere he'd once been, a curious abandoned apartment below it. What he'd seen may have been starting to make sense. That drew him towards the only entry, the car park. It all fitted in somewhere, he knew.

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Leviticus sat with his hand near his mouth, deep in thought. He noticed Levi stir. Levi saw the figure sitting near him. He opened his eyes promptly, and wiped his hand across his face. "What are you doing?" he said as he yawned. "Waiting for you." Levi looked around slowly. "You could have woken me up." "Yes, I could have, but you were not tired because your muscles have atrophied. It is because you don't get enough sleep, and you have just been shined." "Shined..." "Dream of a blood red light filling your brain recently?" Levi nodded slowly. "A massive laser, designed to interrupt your consciousness, to bring half way between the real world and virtual reality. When it happens, your brain patterns are disturbed, and it is almost impossible to move in and out of each world. Luckily, we have found a program to reduce the problem to around one percent of its capability. Had you not have taken that program, you would probably be dead." "A program?" Levi had sat up. "Like a training program." "There are training programs?" Leviticus stood up and walked towards the door, stopping at it and looking at Levi. Levi looked confused for a moment before scurrying out of the bed and through the door after Leviticus.
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"Let those who fight be trained in all methods of combat, both physical and intellectual. Let them be guided through technology not yet known, and fight as only warriors can."


As Eve wandered out of her room while she heard a familiar sound. It was the pulsing of data being uploaded. "Pchngchng... Pchnchng". It was rhythmic and generally pleasant to the ear. On seeing Josh operating, she looked at the screen, then at the chair next to the computer and saw Levi breathing heavily, his clothes soaked thoroughly with sweat. She rolled her eyes upon her original idea being confirmed. "Oh no." she said. Josh turned to her voice. "What's oh no?" She walked away. "He's already violent enough." Captain Leviticus passed her as he entered the room. "Oh yeah." He walked to the chair. "How's he doin' Josh?"

Josh swallowed a mouthful of Coke and looked wearily at the screen. He was at a point where the light from the massive screen of colours hurt his un- rested eyes. "Two days straight. He's... a machine." He hit enter as the disk drive ejected, and left his seat. "See you in a week. I'm off to bed." he stumbled out of the room. Levi lay in the chair until he saw Leviticus standing over him. He said nothing for a moment. Levi eventually smirked and held out his hand for Leviticus to pull him out up.
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Levi spun in a full circle and saw nothing but white. He looked at the ground and saw that there was none, only white below his feet. "First," he heard the voice behind him. "I must show you Paint." Levi turned towards it. He saw Leviticus standing with his feet together, dressed immaculately. "What?" "Our nickname for this construct." Levi looked around again and nodded. Leviticus was slowly walking towards him from what seemed fifty metres away, though he was clearly audible. "You don't look particularly phased Levi." Levi looked at his hands, shaped the way they had always been, skin imperfections and nail tearing as normal. "I'm not sure if I believe it." Leviticus smiled. "Sometimes, I'm still not sure if I believe any of this. Paint is one of the most real places for me, empty except for one's self." Levi nodded again. He noticed a small electronic box, apparently a remote control in Leviticus' hand. "This is, in all senses of the phrase, A Dream World. It is in a way the simplest computer program ever built. It simply blocks all other consciousness, and doesn't send signals to replace it. Thus you are left with nothing. It sends only the signals that it is asked to send." He pressed a button on the control. "Weaponry, for example." Thousands of guns and blades shot passed Levi at speed, not disturbing the air for a moment. "Opponents." Levi saw an image of himself, dressed in black with sunnies, followed by several uniformed students. It was too fast to see how, but the created Levi knocked them all flat before the images disappeared. "Training." Levi saw several more of himself, in various martial arts poses. "Vehicles." Levi rode past himself on a Kawasaki, Eve following on a Ducati, several others weaved between himself and Leviticus in various high performance cars. "Clothing." Hundreds of various black boots and long black coats stopped on either side of Levi, Leviticus stepping through a row of coats and pressing the button again as they disappeared. Levi looked to his right to see some racks heading his way. "And of course, sun glasses." Around the pair stood hundreds of racks, all lined with black sunnies that appeared to be identical. "Now do you believe it?" Levi smiled and nodded. "Yeah." "Let's get down to business." said his leader.

Leviticus is inviting Levi to start dojo
Levi has accepted the invitation to start dojo

Levi looked from right to left. A wooden room was his location. He looked at the floor, he was barefooted and dressed in a dark blue martial arts outfit. He looked at Leviticus, dressed in an outfit of which the only difference was the colour, red. "You know the rules." the leader stated. He held his arm and brought his fingers towards himself twice. Levi loosened his arms and pumped his fists, before charging at Leviticus. Leviticus barely had to use both hands to defend Levi's attacks. He soon flick punched Levi some feet backwards. Levi ran from the floor and had not kicked twice before he came down again, when Leviticus grabbed the rookie's arms and put his foot into Levi's stomach, knocking him to the ground. "Come on, this is too easy!" Levi stood and looked tilted his head before he flicked his forearms back and forth. He performed a fast karta, ironically one he'd known before training, that of Neo. Again he charged at Leviticus, concentrating hard this time. As Leviticus blocked the attacks he stated in solid voice. "Good." Levi's arms continued to accelerate in their structured movements. Soon, he would be able to hit his buddy. He was sure of it. He was working a constant pattern on his opponent when he was sent through the air from Leviticus' hand on his chest. Levi stood and placed one hand behind his back. Leviticus swung his leg at the rookie's head. Levi leant back and took the ankle in one hand over his chest. He stayed for a moment to see if Leviticus would fall. Leviticus used Levi's hand as a rung, projecting himself high off the ground, still held by Levi. Levi pushed the foot away. Leviticus moved backwards for a moment, before changing direction in mid air. "Aw.." said Levi before he was kicked in the chest. He stumbled into the pole behind him.

"Pchngchng!" sounded the speakers to the reactions of Josh, Adah, Ehud and Eve.

Leviticus hit the ground running and was about to punch the unprepared opponent when he felt his hand taken with a firm grip. Levi flipped his leader over by his arm, failing again when Leviticus landed feet first. Leviticus was however facing the wrong direction, and still in Levi's hand. Levi let him go, about to kick him in the back. Leviticus spun grabbed the boy's foot, as if he'd known where it was. Levi could feel that he was about to be flipped, and instead raised his free leg as his opponent had done. Leviticus spotted the move and let go of Levi, showing him the danger of the move. Rather than falling, Levi continued to ascend and began a series of kicks at Leviticus' head. Surprised, Leviticus ducked and was only just up in time to stop the boy's fist. "Come on, stop trying to hit me and hit me!" he shouted, feeling that Levi had already almost equalled him. Levi twirled his arm and backed away from Leviticus. The leader also moved backwards, until they'd created a large gap between them. Levi placed his hand behind him again, and slowly moved his other just in front of his chest. Leviticus waited. He watched Levi's face, calm and aggressive simultaneously. The inevitable came: Levi signalled for his leader to come.

Leviticus narrowed his eyes and wandered slowly around Levi, not unlocking his eyes from his opponent's for a moment. Levi stood perfectly still in the simple pose, watching his leader move back and forth, yet slowly closer to him. Leviticus snapped into action attacking Levi with punches of speed that he'd not yet used. Levi looked calm as he defended himself, though he needed to be patient. The opportunity to hit Leviticus did not come until he dodged left, simultaneously extending his left arm towards Leviticus' ribs. Leviticus was necessarily quick to raise his right hand and deflect the attack, a fraction of a second before he was to drop his left on top of Levi's next attack. Leviticus jumped high and backwards, only to be followed by Levi kicking as he sailed metres over the floor. As the pair landed before Leviticus used a large combination of kicks and punches, none of them successful. The last was his right hand at Levi's face. Levi grabbed his wrist without flinching. Leviticus nodded. He looked up. "Josh, load the bullet time." he said.

Levi saw the wooden floor beneath his bare feet become astro turf beneath his black boots. He wore a tight black long sleeved shirt. Leviticus stood in front of him back in his frameless sunnies and purple waist coat. The wind was heavy on Levi's face, making him look at his surroundings. He stood on a roof, resemblant of the St. Andrew's House play ground, though a slightly different shape, with less detail. He was in almost a tunnel, wire fencing on either side and a few simple buildings that seemed to be drawn on the sky. The tunnel was long, which made it seem thin. There was nothing but astro turf and wire for a huge distance on either side of them "This is it Levi. This is your chance to live it all out. There is No Spoon, Dodge This, Only Human, whatever you like. You can make it all mean something right now. I can show you the door..." "I have to walk through it." Levi completed. Leviticus nodded and turned the opposite direction. Levi saw an agent a long way down the tunnel. A standard looking man with a suit and sun glasses. It raised a gun and fired. Levi caught glimpses of the bullet on its way down the passage, it was along side him all but instantly. Leviticus looked to be moving slowly, with ease, control. The bullet passed between his arm and his ribs. Levi heard more shots and watched Leviticus shift around at speed to avoid them. The bullets became lower and Leviticus leaned further back, still moving his arms from side to side. Levi's eyes were catching up. Leviticus' movements became more clear, the bullets seemed to take a more definite path. Leviticus had gone past horizontal when he dropped to the ground with purpose and rolled away, standing up all in one motion. Levi watched the ground where his leader had been fill with holes. "Whoa." he said staring down. He looked up at Leviticus and stepped into the middle of the passage.

The agent raised his gun. "Free my mind." Levi said as the safety catch was clicked all that distance away. The first bullet left the barrel and Levi was frightened of the speed that it reached him. He had necessarily doubled the speed of his movements by the time the second came. He managed to raise his left arm over the bullet and move his shoulder to the right, the third narrowly missing him. The fourth was faster, he was sure of it. He lowered his back and saw it pass his face in less time than the others. The fifth kept the speed up, but Levi had adapted. The bullets looked large now, and seemed to approach more slowly. The time between shots shortened and there were now several following him. Levi hit the ground, but did not match Leviticus' roll away. As he rolled he was struck in the ribs. He lay face down grimacing. "Ghhh..." was the last thing he remembered within the program.
?

1 MONTH EARLIER Crump shook her head as she blinked repeatedly. "I just... I can't understand why you want to keep doing this course. How many units do you have?" "Twelve." Ellis answered. "Well what is your issue with dropping this unit?" Crump told some year tens to clean up the area the hall that Ellis and she walked through. An unseen male followed them from an audible distance, watching Levi carefully. He wore frameless sunglasses and a long leather coat. Ellis shrugged. "Because I've done it for almost a year and I don't want to stop now. It would be such a waste..."

"But you're on 20 out of 50 Ellis. I mean, what do you honestly expect to achieve? You are going to get a poor mark..."

"Well if it's really that poor then it won't count anyway..."
Leviticus nodded. "Good." he whispered to himself. "Yes but it will count to the school's average and..." "It's not the school's HSC, it's mine." Levi stated flatly.
Leviticus smiled. "Yes..." he whispered again. "But I mean what are you going to write about in your report?!"

"I've done some work. Borny..." Ellis hadn't seen Hawkes walking the opposite direction. He stepped instantly in front of the boy. "What?" she slammed in Ellis' face. "Mrs. Borny..." Ellis said. "That's right!" shouted Hawkes as Leviticus watched in angst. "That's MRS. Borny and don't you forget it!" Ellis stood up tall and raised his chin to Hawkes. "Understood... HAWKES."
Leviticus smiled broadly. "He is... The One."
?

The lift doors opened and Leviticus lead Levi out immediately. "The System is our enemy Levi." Leviticus walked easily down the hall way of Level 6 while Levi followed, bumping students every few steps. "This is a war, and our objective is to free the minds of every slave here. However, we must know who the soldiers are. Most of these people are as innocent as you were, going about their education oblivious to the war that surrounds them. Yet, they are not all naive. There is almost no pattern to who our enemies are. Some teachers for example no nothing more than the average student, and some students no nothing less than you or I." Levi noticed Laura Bell, strutting amongst the small students, clad in a tight performing uniform that displayed her assets as best it could. "Those students who have discovered the truth are paid to protect it, and will do so at any cost, most probably your life." Leviticus turned to Levi and stopped walking. "Were you listening to me Levi, or were you looking at Laura Bells?... Bell." Levi paused. "I..." Leviticus gestured with his head to something behind Levi. Levi spun around to see Laura raise a gun. He waited for everything to stop before turning back to Leviticus. "Anyone," continued the leader, "could be a soldier. Almost fifteen percent of the students at this school, are now trying to kill you. I have taken innocent lives not knowing who was who, and it is a sad thing, but Levi you must value your own life over anything." Levi looked suspicious. "Why?" "I've seen year eight boys fight two of us at once, they have lifted entire blocks of lockers, but I believe that you will make a mockery of any soldier's ability. However, if you die, attempting to spare the life of a seemingly innocent student, this war will be over and we will have lost." "Are you saying that I'll challenge a threat to me of any sort?" "Perhaps." "Perhaps..." Levi waited for further explanation. "Levi, I know that you are The One. However, certain departments are not easy to fight." "And what are they?" "Three Agents, given amazing power by The System designers, uploaded with strength and speed far superior to ours, programmed specifically for this System, an advantage that will never be ours. Hawkes, Brogan, Kightley. If you see them, run."
?

Eve placed her toast on the bench and buttered it before sitting down, next to Levi who was half way through a peanut butter and jam slice. "Interesting combination." she said. Levi continued chewing as he turned to her. "Sorry?" "Peanut butter and jam." Levi looked at the slice and smiled before nodding, "Yeah." "Is that what Neo eats?" Levi's smile broadened. "I would say so." "What gives you that idea?" Eve ignored her food for the moment. Levi finished chewing and turned his attention properly to her. "I dunno. What gives you the idea that Trinity has plain butter?" "What gives you the idea that I'm Trinity?" Levi concealed his discomfort with a smile. "Well there's no one else." Ehud sat across from them, vaguely amused by their conversation as he buttered his toast with the knife in his left hand. Leviticus stood up from the table. "Josh, get on line, we're going in." Eve turned around as he walked away. "Why?" Leviticus stopped. "I'm taking Levi to see him." "See who?" Levi asked Eve.
? And the Gods said, "Let there be one, to govern this war, to guide the soldiers in their quest. Let him possess knowledge and wisdom not of human kind, but of Godly kind."
?

Levi followed Leviticus, Eve, Adah and Ehud down the fire stairs and into a hall way on Level 8. Adah and Ehud left the hallway altogether, Eve waiting at its end. Levi followed his leader the opposite direction, towards the back door of the Music Department. Leviticus stopped at the door, and stepped to one side. Levi looked at him, then at the handle. He glanced back up at Leviticus as he turned the handle and walked in cautiously. He walked between the practice rooms and into the main corridor. A girl with obvious red hair stood to Levi's right, just down the hall way. She was standing in the centre of the path, looking up at a clock sitting just below the roof on a ledge that hung over, where the ceiling changed heights. Levi thought he recognised her, but she faced the other way. He looked at the clock for a moment as he walked, before turning to open the kitchen door. He looked at the clock again. The hands were flying around the clock. It might have taken the seconds hand about a third of a minute to complete a cycle. As if she knew someone was watching her, the girl turned round and smiled at Levi. He did recognise her, she had been in his year. Her name was Emma Charters. Levi smiled back, embarrassed at having been standing watching her activity. He glanced up at the clock, and fixed his gaze on it when he saw that it was moving at the right speed again. Emma watched Levi as he checked again and again that what he saw was correct. "Don't try to speed up the clock," she said, catching Levi's attention again. "instead, try to speed up time, then you will see that when time is fast, everything else is slow." "When time is fast?" Levi asked, looking at the clock. "You must speed up time, not the clock. If you can change time, you can change yourself, because you exist, but the time doesn't." Levi looked at the girl again. She smiled. "There is no time." she said. Levi repeated the phrase as he looked at the clock. It didn't change for a moment. Levi concentrated on the world around him speeding, trying to accelerate it. One of the hands stopped for a moment. He continued concentrating, the clock reached a constant speed, much lower than normal. The minutes hand appeared not to move at all. Emma watched the clock as the hands went on speeding around for quite some time, returning to normal pace in an instant. Levi looked at her, clearly bemused. "I'm," he paused. "I'm ah, gonna be late." The girl's smile broadened as Levi looked back at her, realising her amusement's cause before opening the kitchen door.
?

Ashbel opened the fridge and pulled out an unopened two litre bottle of Diet Coca Cola. Finally, the door opened behind him. He waited until he'd heard it shut. "You know," he said, still not facing the entrant, "it's not a great idea to go playing with time unless you need to." Levi paused with his hand still on the door handle. "Um, what? Hang on, how did you know?" "Because I'm The Oracle but that isn't the point. No one knows except you, me and anyone that happens to be watching in the real world." He turned around. "Anyway, it doesn't matter, let's get to it." Levi looked almost amused. "What do you mean you're The Oracle?" "I am The Oracle, what don't you understand?" Levi shook his head smiling. "Let's get to what?" "To the questions and the answers." He poured a glass of Diet Coke as he spoke. "So what do you think?" Levi looked around. "Of what?" "Of all this, this world that you're in. This dream world." "Yeah. I just... want to know what it is that everyone wants me to do." The Oracle sipped his glass and paused before taking a breath. "What is it that you think people want you do?" "I dunno, I guess I'm supposed to fight like no one else can, end the war or something." "Let me tell you something Levi, you're right on. Sooner or later you will be able to fight like no one ever has before, and maybe even one day, you will end the war, who knows. But don't expect anything to happen. You're not The One. There is no such thing as The One, Levi. There is no such thing as complete power. I guess you're hoping to die, Eve will fall in love with you and there it is, you'll be all powerful. It's not going to happen like that. You have to discover who you are for yourself, you have to use the power that you've been given to fight in this war. But it isn't endless power, it will grow as long as you're using it, but you have to use it as you. You have to be Levi, not Neo. As long as you go about thinking that your script has been written, you will never discover what this is about." Levi hid his confusion. Ashbel took a few steps towards him and looked at his clothing, a black suit. "This is what I mean. If you do everything just like Neo, then you'll never find yourself, and yourself is where all the power is. What if Leviticus doesn't get taken? What if you have no one to rescue? Then you'll be stuck looking for something that isn't there. Make your own choices Levi." Levi nodded slowly. "Oh and by the way, I would have offered you a drink, but I knew you wouldn't want one." Levi nodded again, still thoroughly confused. "Because you don't like Diet Coke." The Oracle smiled at Levi, who responded. Ashbel nodded in completion, and Levi left the room slowly.
?

Leviticus lead the way down the Northern fire stairs, Levi and Eve falling slightly behind the rest of the group. "Where are we going?" Levi asked quietly. "Beth." Eve replied as she reached the platform between levels 7 and 8. "Who?" "Josh's sister. She's our eyes inside the System, it's sometimes easy to transfer our files to her office, and that way it's safe. A lot of the time the files won't move, at least not to that computer." Eve moved slightly faster than Levi and made her way past level 7. Levi watched her as she turned to take the next set of stairs. She glanced back over her shoulder for a moment and spun around. Levi only sensed that there was something wrong when he saw her eyes, followed by a hurried step back. By the time he'd noticed it, he was moving towards the wall, propelled by an awesome mass. He slammed into the wall and fell to the floor with the mass upon his back. "Mr. Baker, I'm disappointed with you." Eve froze as half way down the stairs in two minds as she watched Brogan clamp her hand onto Levi's neck. Leviticus had reached the bottom of the stair case and turned to the sound of Brogan's voice. He paused until he sensed that Levi was in trouble, when he ran back up the stairs, pivoting around the corner and hurling himself over the last flight , taking out Brogan as he landed. Levi rolled away with his freedom. "Go! get Levi out!" Leviticus shouted as he struggled to keep Brogan to the ground. Levi began down the stairs at pace before stopping and turning back to his leader. "Wait..." Eve had reached level 6. "Levi, come on!" "But The Oracle..." "Levi!" Eve screamed as he turned away from Leviticus and ran down the stairs.
Brogan pushed away from the ground, sending Leviticus skating back over the concrete. Leviticus stood up where he was, just metres from her as she turned around. "Mmm, The Great Leviticus, we meet at last." she said slowly. Leviticus gritted his teeth. "I believe we've met before." "Well it's been a long time Leviticus, and I don't think we'll be meeting again." She stepped towards him twice and threw her fist at him. Leviticus stepped back and caught it just soon enough, his head touching the wall and her fist just in front of his nose. He pushed her back with great effort before Brogan tore free and punched him in the ribs. Leviticus buckled against the wall before she kicked him in the same place. He spun away from the wall and pushed himself off the next with one leg. Whilst in the air he kicked Brogan in the back with both legs on after the other and landed, punching her in the chest. Brogan took a few steps back and pushed herself off the wall. Leviticus caught her first kick before she used her other leg to kick him on the other side. He ducked a punch and punched her in the stomach before she grabbed his arm and flung him into the wall. Leviticus' skull hit the concrete hard before he slid down the wall, coughing blood to the floor. Some henchmen had arrived at the door. Brogan looked up from Leviticus to them. "Take him." she said as she walked away, up the stairs. Leviticus stood before the four students grabbed him and slammed him against the wall.

The other rebels walked quickly into Beth's office. "We're ready." Ehud said calmly to her. Beth moved away from the computer and let Ehud on. Levi turned to Adah. "Why can't we get Leviticus out?" Adah looked at him, seemingly not having expected him to speak. "A person has to know that they're being removed. We don't know quite how it works, we've tried everything, even calling them and telling them that they're about to go. No one has ever survived being removed by someone else. The theory is that a person subconsciously recognises their own code, and seeing it is the only thing that prepares them for removal." Levi noticed that Ehud had disappeared, as Adah moved to the computer. Eve looked at Levi and gestured to the computer. "You first." Levi hesitated. He nodded and moved towards the desk.
?

Brogan circled the basement of the annex with her head up, her hands behind her back, taking each step slowly. Leviticus sat in the centre of the room with his hands cuffed behind the back of the chair. He sat back calmly as Brogan came back into sight again. Henchmen created a perimeter around him, all the Agents and himself inside the large circle of twenty or so students. Each one of them held a small machine gun and stood perfectly still, facing each entry and exit. Brogan stopped in her cycle and turned towards Leviticus. "Tell me Leviticus, when you were "set free" as you like to call it, did you really think you stood a chance against the authority of The System, against the order, the organisation and the sheer power of Belshaw the creator herself? Hmm, did you think that with a bit of martial arts and a couple of guns, you could just wipe out a program of virtual reality covering two entire blocks, and more to come? Hey, did you?!" Leviticus was silent.
?

Eve and Adah stood over Leviticus as he lay, seemingly calm in the real world that he was not aware of. "What are we going to do?" Adah said, never taking her eyes off her captain. Eve looked up. "I..." Adah was delayed in her reaction to Eve. "You what?" Eve breathed. "I just think...." she looked away from Adah, in the direction of the rooms. Adah was patient and said nothing. "I don't think it's up to us." Adah queried Eve with her eyes, before glancing towards the rooms herself. "What are you saying?" "Leviticus believes that he is The One." Eve swallowed and looked Adah in the eye. "Do you?" "I don't know, but I don't think it matters, I think it should be up to Levi to decide whether he can do this." Adah looked towards the rooms again and nodded.
? "Did you ever think of going back Leviticus? Forgetting your fight and just living it up right here, money whenever you want, endless skills to upload in a few hours, it is Leviticus... paradise. Yet, you try to fight it, you spend all your time, looking for that secret ingredient, that so called anomaly that will end the war, when all you really need to do is join in the party, and the war would be over." Leviticus began to slouch as the pills he'd been forced to take took affect. His eyes began to drop and he ceased listening.
?

"So what do you want me to do?" Eve looked up from Leviticus' sweaty face. "It's up to you Levi, but I know the Leviticus believed in you and if anyone's going to save him, I think it's you." Levi turned away from everyone. "No one is pressuring you Levi, nobody expects you to do this, but whatever you do, I'll be with you." Levi turned back to her. "You see that's the problem. I want to save him Eve, but it's not what The Oracle told me to do... unless I go by myself." "No. That's not going to happen, you go with me, or you don't go. If you go in there by yourself you'll die, and so will Leviticus." Levi shook his head. "No. That's not what think. I believe that going by myself is the only way that anyone will survive, you have to trust me on this." Eve took a step towards him. "Let me tell you what I believe. I believe that I know a lot more about this than you do, I believe that Leviticus would have wanted me to come with you, and I believe that if he is ever going to know what happened, that is the only way we can do it. I don't care who you think you are, or who Leviticus thinks you are. I am still in charge here, so if you don't like it, you know where you can go, because you're certainly not going in there without me."
?

Brogan stood directly in front of Leviticus, who was now all but unconscious. She looked at her colleagues. "Why isn't he telling us anything?" Hawkes moved quickly to the centre of the circle with them. "Perhaps he doesn't know what we're asking." Brogan snarled at the man. "He knows. Leave me with him." Hawkes and Kightley glanced at each other, and back at their master before they quickly left the room.
?

Eve and Levi stood in under garments inside Paintbrush. Levi held the phone to his ear. "What are you wearing Levi?" Josh asked. "You choose." He handed the phone to Eve. After a few seconds a clothes rack appeared next to him. Hanging on it was a long sleeved black shirt, a black trench coat and pants. A pair of combat boots sat with strap holsters and Levi's sunnies next to the rack. Levi took the shirt from its hanger and looked at it hesitantly. "What are you waiting for?" Levi turned around to see Eve putting her outfit on over her shirt and shorts. He said nothing, looking at the shirt and fiddling with the material before pulling it over his head. While he noticed that the shirt was perfectly moulded to his torso, a high circular shelf of nothing but guns surrounded them.
?

The henchmen stood still, trained to only concentrate on possible threat. They kept their eyes fixed on a spot far away from the centre of the room, and heard nothing that went on. There, in the centre stood Brogan. Leviticus only held himself up enough to keep breathing, while the pain in his stomach muscles was worse than in the rest of his body. Every now and then he would choke and sit up enough to breathe again. He eyes never stayed open for more than a few seconds at a time. Brogan pulled her phone out and switched it off. She leant closer to her prey. "Leviticus... can you understand who I am? I'm your worst nightmare. But this is... not a dream Leviticus. This is... reality, this is me, speaking to you now, before you die. But before you die you're going to tell me where I can find your friends. You're going to tell me right now, because if you don't Leviticus, I am going to see that your death is far worse than it has to be. I will make sure that your friends suffer for as long as possible... you don't want that do you Leviticus? So, where are they hiding, how do you come here? Hgh?! You're going to tell me Leviticus and then... you are all going to die."

Levi walked through the open door into the year 11 common room. Some henchmen stood around the reception office and heard him enter. His foot steps were loud despite the carpeted floor, the leather of his boots squeaking as he walked between some henchmen. Levi looked at one who stood next to the door to reception. The large male only glanced at his sunnies, not making proper eye contact. Levi stopped at The Receptionists desk and dropped his black bag on the floor. The receptionist stopped typing. "If you could show some ID, sign your name there and I'll get you a visitor's card." She looked up at him from her seat waiting for his ID. Levi opened his coat, revealing dozens of powerful guns. The Receptionist stared the mass of black metal strapped all over body. She slammed her hand on the button under the desk before Levi kicked the desk into the cabinet behind, sending paper everywhere, and The Receptionist to the floor under it all. Levi left the room as he grabbed two uzis from his coat and crossed his arms. As he came through the door, henchmen on either side of him held large pistols up just moments before their bodies were riddled with bullets amongst a mass of sound. Levi had walked straight passed the one at the door and dropped both his guns. The henchman had his gun stuck in his belt and finally ripped it out. He held it shakily at the dark female figure that came in from his left. Eve drew a gun, flicked the safety catch and shot him in an instant. Eve and Levi walked a few metres down the common room before many more came charging from around the corner and hid behind lockers in the space of a few seconds. Levi held his guns still, waiting for a soldier to shout. Silence was held while the pair glanced at each other in agreement. Gun shots filled the air as Levi leapt high and to his right, holding his weapons up and firing at people throughout the room. He rolled behind the first block of lockers and sat up with his back to them.
Eve ran towards the other side of the room and onto a set of lockers. Bullets tore holes in the metal behind her feet as she moved quickly over the block of lockers before launching herself from them. Two henchmen had come from behind the block and held rifles up at her as she descended towards them. They hadn't fired before Eve swung her leg around, taking both of their heads to the ground. She straightened her sunnies as she turned her back to the next block.
Levi held his guns ready until the firing ceased. He stood and spun, raising both his arms to the people he saw further up the hall. His fingers stayed on the triggers while he sprinted parallel to the lockers, watching henchmen drop one by one at towards the back of the room. Bullets filled the lockers next to him although he'd taken every soldier in front of him.
Eve had picked up one of the guards' guns and was pointing it around the lockers taking one shot at a time, sending henchmen to the ground before they could hit Levi across the room.
As Levi emptied his guns the door to his right opened. He jumped and pulled another gun from his body. As he became upside down in the air he faced the door and held his next weapon in front of him. Three more henchmen lifted rifles before he shot each of them individually. He rotated completely and landed steadily on his feet as he dropped his gun. He whipped two more out while he ran sideways with his back facing the lockers, shooting wildly at the soldiers in the wider space of the room. Their aim was always behind him as he took out man after man. The soldiers toppled backwards off the chairs as the windows behind them shattered silently amongst the gunfire. With dozens of guards left Levi dropped another empty set of guns and spun behind a small locker block at the back wall.
Henchmen rushed from the open room of which Eve stood at the door. They were drawing guns as they came towards her. Eve crushed the first one's ribs with a kick and moved completely in front of the door, palming the next in the chest. Her flattening of the guards revealed a teacher running at her from metres away. Eve launched herself and spread her arms as she sailed metres off the ground. The teacher clenched his fist as he raised his arms behind his head. Eve snarled as she neared him and drew her leg back, both of them thoroughly tucked below her back. Her leg sped from its position as the teacher moved his fist comparatively slowly towards Eve. He was sent to the wall by her kick to the upper chest before she landed perfectly.

Levi pulled two hand held machine guns from his coat and flicked the safety catches. He looked over his right shoulder before turning out from behind the lockers to face a load of henchmen. He pointed at them individually firing for only a short while at each, hitting them at a rapid rate. He walked with bent knees, avoiding the aim of the remaining soldiers until he was just metres from the four remaining. Levi held the trigger with his left hand and moved it across three of the soldiers before it too was empty. The last henchman fired constantly, always behind Levi in his shots. Levi dropped both guns as he pivoted on his left foot and sent his right crashing into the chest of the final enemy. The man's gun clattered on others around it while the soldier hit the wall and slid to the ground.
Eve and Levi walked past the toilets and turned right, into the spare lift at the back.
?

Kightley and Hawkes burst into the room to the attention of Brogan and some of the henchman. "What were you doing?" demanded Kightley. Hawkes looked at him. "She doesn't know." he looked at the blank phone screen. "Know what..." Brogan grabbed a phone from Kightley and looked at the screen. She turned to the henchmen. "I want them dead at any cost!" She was followed out of the room by the other agents.
?

Eve pulled the parts of a gattling gun from their black bag as the lift doors closed. She assembled them quickly and attached the bullet chain. As she stood the gun up she removed her PVC trench coat, down to a skin like singlet and pants. Levi stood behind the gun and adjusted it to be in front of his stomach as the doors opened. They rattled loudly as they opened and Levi waited for the henchman to pour into the hallway before he squeezed the trigger. His body shook violently, but he remained steady with his aim and guards tumbled onto walls that almost as soon fell away. Bullets tore pipes and the room filled with wildly spraying water. The drenched soldiers continued to fire unsuccessfully at Levi, who shifted the gattling gun around to wipe out the henchmen along with the windows and the classroom walls. As the last henchman flew backwards, the entire wall fell, filling the air with gyprock dust to join the vast amount of water and flesh. Through the dust Levi saw his captain sitting behind a line of bodies, struggling to lift his head while he was being thoroughly sprayed by a damaged water pipe. "Get up Leviticus!" Levi said to himself. "Come on, get up!" Leviticus looked up and moved his head free of the stream of water. He opened his eyes in full and shook as his hands moved further apart, stretching the metal of his cuffs. As he tore his hands free, the leader stood up. Leviticus took one look at Levi and sprinted for the lift. Levi saw Brogan walk in the door directly up the hall over thirty metres away. She noticed Leviticus and drew a gun. As she fired once, narrowly missing the sprinting Leviticus, Levi ran out of the lift, passing his captain. He pulled his last pistol from his coat and emptied it as Brogan. The agent temporarily stopped shooting while she avoided the bullets in an effortless blur. Levi dropped the gun and spun towards the lift before he sprinted. Eve whacked the close button repeatedly. "Levi, hurry up!"
Brogan ran after him, scooping a machine gun from the ground on the way. She held the trigger on at Levi's back.
Levi dived through the gap in the doors and landed on his front as they shut. Leviticus and Eve hit the sides of the lift while bullets made their way through the front and back of it. The lift began to ascend before it jolted and stopped. Levi stood up and looked at the trap door in the roof of the lift. He jumped and pushed it open before helping Leviticus through it, followed by Eve. Levi pulled himself through the hole before he heard more shots into the lift. He knew they were fired from near this time. Leviticus stared at the gap in the cables of the lift shaft while Eve pulled the cable for a while before revealing a crude break in the wire. She dropped it and held one of the connected cables as the three of them looked for an exit. They heard more shots before Levi heard a cable snap and Eve shot straight up the shaft with the wire she held. Levi's head followed her as she quickly disappeared into the darkness. "Eve!" he whispered loudly. Leviticus looked at her partner as Levi tore off his coat and grasped the cable. It didn't slow down at all. Levi shot up with it, trying to reach the walls of the lift shaft with his feet, only getting useless scrapes every now and then. He ripped off his sunnies with one hand and dropped them, revealing that Eve was just metres from reaching the roof. Levi saw a protruding bar approaching and hurled his torso to the right, already spinning wildly with the cable. His palm connected with the bar and he refused to let go, almost tearing his arm off as the wire came to a perfect sudden halt.
Eve had reached the end of the shaft and let go, her last resource to avoid smashing head first into the roof. She had heard the halt of the wire echo through the shaft and reached for it again. As she stopped in her fall, she controlled herself again before sliding down to Levi. Levi had gained his balance and gathered Eve in his other arm, noticing her looking at him as he did so. The pair held their position for some time, looking at each other in the bad light. They eventually slid down to Leviticus. "Now do you believe it Eve?" their captain asked. Levi turned to him. "Leviticus...The Oracle said..." Leviticus nodded. "Exactly what you needed to hear." "But he told me..." "It doesn't matter because you're still alive, so is Eve and so am I. Let's go."
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Brogan threw the gun away as her colleagues joined her where the trio had entered the lift. They looked through the rough holes in the door. "Find their files!" Brogan stated. "They're not out yet." The two agents walked the opposite direction promptly.
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The ring had not sounded once before Josh picked up. "Are we all safe Josh?" Leviticus asked confidently as the group exited the annex. "All in room 49, first computer on the right." "Nice work." Leviticus put the phone away and the group started running down the street with his crew.
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Hawkes scanned his computer for the rebel files. Location: BBC -Level 1 - Room 49-Computer:1 He clenched his teeth at the screen before he heard movement outside.

Leviticus hit delete and disappeared in front of Eve and Levi. Eve glanced at Levi and looked away. He waited for her to say something. She looked back him and decided against it, instead finding her files on the computer. The door behind Eve opened and she spun around to see Hawkes, quickly turning away again. She hit delete as a bullet passed through the air that had been her chest and into the computer. The computer shattered and turned to a mess of metal and sparks as Levi looked from it, back to Hawkes. He stood in fear for a moment before he took off out of the room. Hawkes was after him immediately, firing at Levi as he rounded the next corner into the locker area. Bullets made holes in the wall behind him and in the lockers as he reached them. When he heard the shots stop he gradually slowed whilst he tried to make a decision. "Mr. Baker!" the voice was clear, echoing down the hall, over and over.
- Eve shook her head. "Anything but I.T. Levi, anything."
- Levi stopped. He felt as if he could do nothing, not run, not stay.
- "What is he doing?" she said turning to her captain. "I.T. or not... he has to fight."
- Levi turned towards the voice and saw Hawkes ten metres down the hall, tossing his empty gun away. Levi scowled at him and tilted his head for a moment. Hawkes stared back gritting his teeth as the air conditioning blew an abandoned food wrapper across the carpet between them. Levi moved his right arm out beside him until his elbow cracked before he ran at Hawkes, who charged at him with equal speed. Hawkes was surprised with the difficulty of hitting Levi, the rebel seemingly as fast and strong as himself. Levi took a punch to the stomach and stumbled back before regaining his balance and kicking Hawkes' waist, Hawkes pushing himself off the locker and spinning into Levi's second kick, this time directly to the stomach. Hawkes fell against the lockers before standing up straight and removing his jacket. "I'll enjoy watching you die, Mr. Baker." Levi stepped back and pumped his fists. Hawkes took a leap and again had his punches held back by Levi, though the kid obviously struggled against machine like strength and speed. Levi tried to attack but in letting his guard down was smacked in the chest, falling backwards somewhat before Hawkes brought his fist around and knocked Levi to the ground with a strike to the waist. Levi pushed himself from the ground with his left hand and hammered two kicks while he suspended himself. Hawkes fell away long enough for Levi to spring to his feet and follow him, trying a series of punches, all stopped thoroughly by Hawkes before the agent's punches were ducked and blocked by Levi in similar fashion. Again, Levi attacked while still in defence, striking Hawkes' chest hard, throwing the mechanical rhythm off. Levi pumped his fists into Hawkes' abs again and again until the teacher stumbled backwards. Levi followed him, running and lifting himself as he aimed kicks to the head. Hawkes rolled beneath the rebel and stood up as Levi spun and landed facing him again. Spinning in the air, Levi had lost some balance and met the ground simultaneously with Hawkes' fist in his ribs. The slightly built boy flew down the hall and landed on his back, banging his head against a far locker. "Pchngcnhg!" came the audible measuring of his blow. He kept his eyes closed for a moment, wishing to die. He felt blood fill his mouth and sat up to spit it on to the carpet. Hawkes smiled fiendishly at the sight of Levi's suffering. Levi looked up and saw the evil face, growing angry at his own near defeat. He stood up and wiped the blood from his mouth. The blood made no mark on his dark black sleeve that was so tightly wrapped around his wrist. Levi looked up at Hawkes again who had stopped smiling as Levi got up. Levi moved his arms gracefully into a diagonal line, his palms facing opposite directions. He moved his right hand in front of his chest while his left hand slowly slid behind his back. With a calm and focussed expression, Levi gestured for Hawkes to approach him with two movements of his fingers. Hawkes gritted his teeth and charged at Levi, clenching his fists and hurling them at the rebel. Levi ducked the first and stood up to black the next two, before kneeing Hawkes in the stomach. He was on the run as Hawkes stepped backwards. Levi left the ground and kicked Hawkes three times before the agent moved left and Levi hit the ground next to him, bringing his hand down on top of the agent's fist which had been heading for the side of his ribs. Levi spun ninety degrees to face Hawkes before his shoulders were grabbed. The rebel kept Hawkes back with his foot until he worked his arms free with good power and immediately hurled his fist at the agent's face. Hawkes grabbed Levi's wrist short of his neck, expecting four fingers to smack his throat. Levi paused before he flicked the hand from his wrist and jumped, turning his body towards horizontal and kicking Hawkes in the chest. The man crashed into the locker as Levi landed and stood still for a moment. Hawkes bounced straight off the locker and caught Levi off guard as he tackled him in the air, taking Levi four metres back towards a classroom window. Levi's lungs were crushed under the weight of the fall, forcing the rebel to spend a few moments regaining his breath. Hawkes lifted him up with absolute control. He took Levi's feet from the ground and hurled him at the window. Levi hit the wall back first, cracking the glass and sliding down slowly. Hawkes walked slowly after Levi as the boy struggled to lift himself up. He leaned against the cracked glass as Hawkes reached him and clobbered his stomach and chest until the glass at Levi's back shattered. Hawkes stepped back and punched Levi's upper chest, flipping him over the wall and onto a desk face down. The agent jumped the wall and seized Levi by the collar, dragging him to the corner of the room, knocking the rebel's head on furniture as he did so. He dropped Levi under the suspended television and climbed onto the teacher's desk. Hawke's stared down at him, a helpless black figure breathing heavily through blood, struggling to keep his eyes open. Hawke's ripped the TV from its suspending metal and let it drop. The TV jolted as the cord reached its short capacity, and dangled around a few metres over Levi, creating a heavy shadow on his face. "You see that Mr. Baker?" Levi was silent. "That is the sight of inevitability, it is the very look of justice, that is the sight of... your death." Levi tried unsuccessfully to lift his head from the floor. Hawkes crouched on the table to bring his face closer to Levi's. "Good bye, Mr. Baker." He stood up and reached for the cord, hearing Levi struggle to breath. "Nhh..." Levi lifted his neck. "My name..." Hawkes paid no attention to him. "...is, Levi!" He stood up as he grabbed the table leg and pulled it with him. Hawkes lost his balance and fell forwards from the desk. He made a grab for the cord, only pulling it with him as he went down. The television fell as Levi stood and watched Hawkes hit the ground moments before the large metal box crushed his head.
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Brogan charged out of reception and drew a gun. With his hand on the silver railing, Levi turned to see Brogan lift the weapon. He jumped and cleared an entire flight of stairs before doing it again and somersaulting on the marble floor of BBC. Levi turned and charged out the sliding doors, scraping them due to their slow reaction. He sprinted around the corner and onto Druitt Street, spotting Aleks Arsenich about to cross Kent Street. Levi accelerated up the hill, dodging people all the time. As he neared Aleks on the road he noticed a phone in her hand and grabbed it before he sped on his turn up the path of Kent Street. People in the street watched him as Aleks pointed frantically, but Levi had almost reached St. Andrew's House before anyone had seen him. He held the phone to his face after punching in the code. "Josh, where's my exit?!" "Music Department, end room, right hand corner of the room." Levi dumped the phone and looked around as he turned up the stairs. He caught a glimpse of Brogan charging up the street before he opened the Western fire stairs door. He had not climbed three floors when he heard the door open and shut again and another heavy set of footsteps echoing through the stair well. Levi took each flight with two steps, still aware that Brogan was gaining on him. He reached level 6 and ran into the hall for a few seconds, passing the lifts before going into the hall and taking the Eastern stairs. As he climbed the last two floors he was forced to slow down, finally catching his breath. He could not hear Brogan behind him and turned left for the back door of the music department. He turned the handle over and over before realising that it was locked. Levi took a couple of steps back and charged at it, crashing his boot into it side on and breaking the lock. The music department was inactive and every light was off. Nothing could be heard, not even the rumble of a fridge or air conditioner. The sun was now on the other side of the building and light didn't come in through the windows, making the area incredibly dark. Wondering if it too would be locked, Levi jogged towards the end room and slowed to a walk as he reached it. He turned the handle, relieved when it turned loosely, and pushed the door open, stopping as soon as he had. There, the tall shadow of Kightley stood. Although the darkness hid all features, the gun pointing at Levi's chest was clear. A thin silver strip shone down the barrel and made a small spattering of light on Levi's black shirt. The boy looked at the gun and finally at Kightley. The agent was expressionless, and stared back at Levi's defeated face for an eternity. He pulled the trigger. Levi felt the hole in his abs open up, slowly touching it by reaction. He didn't look down, only realised that of all the ways he'd considered dying throughout his life, this had never crossed his mind. He knew that Eve's words that he'd come to enjoy listening to could not stop this bullet from ending his life. He waited for the next one, not thinking it odd that Eve, whom he'd known for two days was occupying his last thoughts. It was then that Levi realised he'd not listened to The Oracle. He was thinking about Eve, he knew because he wanted her to save his life but it was too late. It was not she that was supposed to save him. He was not The One, "and there was no such thing". Levi felt the second bullet and fell down as he realised that his affection for Eve was one way. He barely felt the clip being emptied into him, his nerves ceasing to function after the third bullet. After four he was dead. Kightley pulled the trigger an eighth time and heard it click. He walked over the body and took a few steps with it behind him. Kightley slowed down and stopped, only just into the hallway. He turned around and looked at the lifeless figure, complete with seven bullets in the torso. He smiled to himself. "Goodbye, Mr. Baker." he said rasing his eyebrows. He turned away and went on down the dark tunnel.
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Eve stared at the line that stretched across the screen above Levi's head. It had been flat for over a minute, but still she waited for it to change. She managed to take a step towards it and touch the screen. As she looked at Levi's face, Eve tried to stop her lip from quivering. She didn't know that it was as much fear as sorrow that filled her. In an instant, the fear and sorrow were wiped clean by understanding. The understanding made her calm. She leant closer to him. She moved slowly down until her face was next to his. As she touched his hair with her fingers she spoke. "Levi, I'm not sure what to say, but I know you're not dead. I can feel it, I know that we're supposed to be together, and that means you can't be dead. I know you're going to get up, because we need you to, and I'm not afraid, because you are The One. So you can't die Levi, you're going to get up and be with me." She kissed him slowly on the cheek.

"And let not the will of even the most powerful ruler be done against the will of The One."

Levi awoke as if he'd never slept, as if the dream he was having was as real as the world he woke into. He could feel the presence of the bullets in his body, but he felt no pain. As Levi stood, Kightley felt his presence at the other end of the hall and turned to see the dark figure in front of the end room, directly opposite him a long way down the hall. Levi's confident stance forced Kightley to fumble for another clip and load his weapon. The agent took a few steps towards The One and raised the gun. Levi waited for the first bullet as it came down the hallway, tilting his head and watching it drift past his nose. He looked up and saw the clock half way up the hall before Kightley emptied the clip all at once. Levi put his hand up and concentrated, slowing the bullets down until every one of them floated in front of him. He saw a symbol in one of them and looked more closely. The symbol reappeared somewhere else and quickly everything around him could be seen as the musical code that it was. Levi let his hand down and watched the bullets drop at his boots, before looking up to see Kightley running down the hall at him. He placed one hand behind his back and stopped Kightley's fist with his right, moving his arm around then as if it weighed almost nothing, though when it touched anything it seemed rock solid. Levi tucked his fist next to his waist and extended it into Kightley's chest, sending him back the distance he'd just come. The agent hit the wall at the end of the passage and collapsed. He'd stood himself back up when Levi got there, only for his ribs to be crushed between the wall and Levi's palm. He breathed out a final time and slid to the floor. Levi breathed in deeply through his nose, unknowingly causing the glass doors of music reception to ripple fluently. He turned and walked towards his exit.
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Eve waited for Levi to open his eyes, stroking his face when he did so. He looked at her calmly and sat up a bit. "Thankyou...." he whispered as if he wasn't finished speaking. Eve smiled. "Hannah." she completed before Levi brought her face close to his and kissed her.

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THE SYSTEM
RESURRECTION
PART II

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