Disclaimer: I do not own the Matrix triolodgy or any of the characters from it.

This version of the Matrix is a carryon from Revolutions with a few changes. Neo and Trinity didn't die, Neo wasn't blinded by Bane, and Smith is back. His clones are no longer around, but Smith is still bad news- he's found a way to plug people from the matrix into the "real" world, and along with this new knowledge, he's teamed up with the machines and found himself a whole new army. This time, it really does look like the end…

It had certainly taken some getting used to. It was over 4 years since the truce between Zion and the machines had begun, and since then, all had been peaceful. Morpheus had even had a new version of The Nebuchadnezzar
made, with updated technology, a new name (The N2), and a whole new crew. Well, not a whole new crew; Neo, Trinity and Morpheus were still aboard, but on Kid's eighteenth birthday he had been granted permission to join the ship, and three others had also been enlisted; Rain, Steel and Gunn. Kid had been in a good mood ever since getting granted the job.

Good mood until today.

It was around three hours off dawn when news reached the council, and since the fear caused was so big, it didn't take far to spread. An hour later, it was absolutely fact.

Smith was back.

"It's impossible," Trinity shook her head in disbelief as the N2's crew ate breakfast in near silence, broken only by these words.

Neo had a flash back to the day that he had fought Agent Smith in the Matrix and seen him die- or so he thought.

"Not impossible." Neo muttered. "Inevitable."

Trinity stared at Neo as he looked blankly into his breakfast bowl, as though waiting for something.

"What do you mean Neo?" she whispered as the rest of the crew talked amongst themselves.

Neo wasn't entirely sure how to answer. After a long pause he gave a little shrug and replied softly:

"Just something Smith said."

Trinity sighed and continued to eat her meal, not speaking to Neo again until Morpheus entered.

"Neo, what's wrong?" she asked, looking at Neo's blank expression and untouched food.

Morpheus spoke before Neo could say anything.

"I have received word from the council that Smith has formed an alliance with the machines." He spoke in a brave tone, with a slight hint of worry. "As you know, this could either mean peace or war for Zion."

I'm opting for the second. Neo thought, staring into his bowl, still full to the brim.

"Knowing Smith, he will try everything possible to turn the machines against us, but, with any luck, they will not come as easy as he hopes. If we can reach them before him, we may have a chance."

"But it's practically suicide, Sir!" Steel cried. He was the 19-year-old systems operator/hacker that had replaced Link early last year when he left to be with his new family.

Morpheus looked stern. "Then it's no different from most other days, is it?"

The crew fell deadly quiet.

"As I was saying," Morpheus continued. "If Neo and Trinity can reach Machine City, I think we are in with a chance." A few of the crewmembers nodded, but others didn't do anything.

At that moment, a messenger knocked on the ship's main door. Morpheus answered swiftly and the pair exchanged a few dark looks and brief words. After a few seconds, Morpheus returned and sighed.

"Apparently there's more." He looked around gravely before speaking once more. "Smith has found a way to plug people into our world, and they have the same privileges that we have in the matrix."

"What do you mean?" Steel asked, looking confused. "That they can use downloads too?"

"Exactly." Nodded Morpheus.

Many of the crew swore violently at this point.

"That's enough." Morpheus hushed them a minute later. "We have to attend a meeting immediately with the other ships' crews."

Everyone stood up and began to leave, but Neo didn't move. He was still staring at his breakfast as though waiting for something. Trinity lightly squeezed his shoulder and said smiling: "It's time to wake up, Alice." Before leaving to join the crew in the assembly room.

Neo sighed and slowly followed.