Machine's Secret
written by
Digitah


i don't own any of these characters, nor do i pretend to. don't sue me
because i haven't any money!never will!the characters HACKIT AND XYLA
belong to me!

please review this time folks! be honest now!


REWRITTEN VERSION!

WRITER'S NOTICE: ITALICS ARE FOR MEMORY (WHICH WILL NOT OCCUR IN THIS INSTALLMENT OR THE NEXT), AND ALSO FOR THOUGHTS OCCURING AT THE MOMENT.

She walked along the dead bodies with almost too much comfort.Her programmed feelings were ruthless and sinister.Any normal human would have cringed at the sight of dead bodies and run out like a little coward.She thought.But strangely, she did not.She was enough like a human to feel, but was not repulsed by the sight of a dead body.

"Fuckn' Anderson." She blurted out with a laugh of pride as she placed the disk in her small purse, which she always carried around.These humans are so forgetful.She thought to herself again.Forgetful enough to forget a vital piece to succeed in their resistance?She questioned.

"Yes." She mumbled out loud.They obviously are!She thought as she stared down at her purse which held the ever so important disk which "Anderson", as she called him, left behind unknowingly.She stayed in the wharehouse foe a second thinking of the man she wnated to help until she heard a noise no human would have ever heard.She realized who, or what rather, they were, and ran the hell out of there as fast as she could,trying not to leave a trace of her being there.


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It seemed as though she had been knocking forever, but Hakcit was definitely taking her sweet time. When the door finally opened she had finally grown impatient.

"What took you so long?" She asked with frustration in her voice.

"Get a key, you practically live here." She said with her tired voice.She invited herself in and sat down on the worn out couch of the small apartment.

"What is it this time, Xyla?" She asked yawning.

"I have something for you." She said with a firm tone.

"Oh. What could it be?" Hackfit walked around to the back of the couch and placed her hands on Xyla's shoulders.

"Perhaps something interesting for you." Xyla took a cigarette out of her purse and lit it.

"What is it?"

Xyla took the disk out of her purse and flashed it in front of Hackit's face. "This." She took the cigarette out of her mouth and placed it on the ashtray on the coffee table in front of her. "I think it's some sort of program."

Hackit rolled her eyes and took the disk out of Xyla's hands to observe it's profound shinyness. "Well of course it's a program.What else could it be?Unless it's some stupid game."

Xyla took her cigarette."No way.It's something more."

"How would you know?" Hackfit was curious.

Xyla took a quick glance at Hackit. "Judging by where I found it, it has to be something of great importance." Xyla put her cigarette out and took out another.

"I'll check it out for you.I know you want me to.That is why you're here isn't it?"

"I come by almost everyday for various reasons."

"I know. I'm just teasing." She said as she walked back to her console in the corner of the room.

"I'm going to take a shower, change, and then leave." Said Xyla as she put out her second cigarette.

"Go ahead.But I put your stuff in the hallway closet, it was crowding mine." Hackit placed the disk into her drive.


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He felt like a complete idiot.Perhaps if he were normal like everyone else, he wouldn't have these thoughts going through his mind.But since he was the "One", the thoughts would continue to irritate him.He couldn't explain how he just left that disk behind.He knew it wasn't lost.He couldn't just lose it.Or could he?He distinctely remembered putting it securely in hid coat pocket, or so he thought.He couldn't sleep.That was it!His frustrations had bothered him enough.He left his quarters, trying not to wake Trinity on his way out, and walked around the main deck asking himself the same question over and over in his mind.Where did the disk go?He never took it out of his coat pocket to begin with, so what the hell was going on?There had to be some greater force involved, such as the greater force of an agent.But no!He thought.That explanation seemed right, but held no absolute logic.If an agent had known, he or it, as he preffered to call them would have been there at the exact same time he was.The thought was driving him crazy.He couldn't think of a logical explanation for the loss of that disk!That's it!He thought.He couldn't take the bullshit anymore, and began taking his frustration out on the wall.He kicked it so many times that his leg was about to fall off.He also called the attention of Tank and Trinity.

Tank ran to Neo and held him back from the wall.

"Calm down Neo.Do you want to wake the whole crew?"

Neo was still kicking, even though he was now kicking air.

"Neo, stop it."

Trinity's voice brought Neo back to earth.

"What the hell are you doing?" Came Trinity's voice again, this time with a scolding tone.

"Calm down Neo.Take it easy." Tank let go of Neo and let him walk about again to set his mind straight.

"What was that all about?" Asked Tank with his eyes fixed on Neo.

"Nothing. I was just thinking."

"Yeah, I wonder what you were thinking about."

Neo didn't care what anyone thought.His mind, immediately returned to the same thought.That stupid disk!He was obviously concentrating deeplr on this subject, because when he notice again, Tank was gone and only Trinity remained staring at him.

"What is it Neo?" She asked with concern in her voice.

"It's that stupid disk! That's what's it!It's driving me crazy!I couldn't have just lost it, I couldn't have!" His anger painfully showed.

"Why Neo?Because you're the "One"?Because you're the "One", you think you can't lose things?"

She had a point and that annoyed him."No. I would accept that it's lost, if it were lost."

"Then where is it? You didn't have it."

"I don't know." He pressed his eyes shut. "But I didn't lose it.Someone has it and I'm going to find out who."


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Xyla wlaked out of the room with a new outfit on, and her hair was still wet.

"Xyla." It was Hackit who called her name.

Xyla walked into the living room where Hackit's console was located. "What is it?" She asked.

"Where did you get this disk from?I've never seen anything like this before.

"Really?" She raised an eyebrow. "What type of program is it then?" Xyla was anxious for an answer she already knew.

"It's some sort of viral program."

"Some sort of viral program?"

"Yes.But I 'd like to know what it's for."

"What else are viruses for Hackit?They only do one thing.Destroy things."

"What could it destroy though?" Hackit then realized why this program was so special to Xyla. "You know something don't you?You knew it was a viral program all along?"

Xyla slipped her boots on."No." Xyla finished zipping up her boots. "Not necessarily.All I know is that someone will be looking for it very soon.Which is also why I will be leaving shortly." Xyla began to brush her hair, which was a difficult task since it was long and curly.

"When will you be back?" I hope not too long.

"I don't know." Xyla answered as she slicked her hair back into a ponytail. "Perhaps as soon as tomorrow.If not, don't worry about me, I always come back."

Hackit believed Xyla.She always did come back.Even though sometimes she was away for three days at a time without hearing from her.

"How do I look?" Was the next thing Hackit heard which broke her short period of thought.

Hackit stared at Xyla, beginning from her toes.Xyla always wore her black boots which only went up to her shins.It's a good thing they only go up there and not further.Next, avery tight black leather skirt, which showed off a piece of her small figure.Damn it!She always has to look good!Hackit couldn't help but feel a bit envious of her friemd.Her black shirt was also very tight, showinf off the rest of her figure.Damn shirt!It makes her bust look twice as big!More green envy from Hackit.And finally her hair which was always pulled back into a ponytail, with the rest of it hanging all the way down her back.What a knockout!Hackit thought.I look like a popsicle, and she's got it!Truthfully, Hackit thought she looked incredible...in that dominatrix sort of way...but her sarcastic side got the best of her."Where's your whip?" Was all she managed to say.

With Xyla's special talents, she knew everything Hackit was thinking."Perfect." She smiled. "Thankyou Hackit." Xyla's tone couldn't be more excited or eager. "Well.I'm off." With that Xyla took her things from Hackit's couch, not to mention a coat, which covered her latest ensemble.

Thank goodness. Thought Hackit of the gesture.Although the coat only covered up to the point where Xyla's skirt ended, it was still a good gesture.

As Xyla always did and had to do, she pulled a cigarette out of her purse and lit it.She smiled at Hackit as she approached the door to leave. "Would you mind keepong the disk?Until I get back I mean?"

Duh!Of course! "Yes, of course."

"And Hackit.."

"Yes?"

"I found out you were in trouble this month, so I payed your rent."With that Xyla left Hackit again.


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It was clear in her mind that Neo was obsesses with this new theory of his.He wouldn't stop talking about it.As long as there was an excuse for that disk being gone, he kept his mind straight.He wasn't the only one to blame though.Everyone's high expectations of him made him feel uneasy and self-conscious.He could never make a mistake or be "normal".Most of the crew would rather be in awe of him, than to treat him as any other human being.The morning after his "episode" on the main deck, Neo walked into the mess hall, only to find Trinity sitting there, eating some of that cold crap!She looked at him tenderly, hoping that he wasn't mad.He served himself some food and sat across from her.

"Are you still going in?" She asked.

"I already told you what I planned to do.I'm going to find that disk, no matter what!"

Trinity didn't like his tone a bit, and those last three words bothered her. No matter what? She thought. "What's that suppose to mean?" Her tone was inquisitive, yet soft, so as not to alarm him.

"It means I'm going to find that disk, that's all."

"Neo, I don't like the sound of this.It's just a disk.Not even real, Neo.Can't you see what this is doing to you?" The concern in her voice was growing.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Trinity.But I appreciate it, I really do.You're trying not to make me seem stupid.You're trying not to make me seem stupid for losing that disk.Well I'm not stupid!" He pounded his fist on the table.

"Neo!Calm down." Her fear was now growing. Fear of him?

"I won't calm down! I'm not stupid!I don't lose that disk!" His anger was painfully evident through Neo's snarling.

"I don't care about a damn disk Neo!" She tried to keep her composure behind her fear.Why should she be afraid though?Neo would never lay a hand on her.In their, so far short, but strong relationship, Neo had proven to be the man that reciprocated her love.The "One", yes, but not thifigure of the resistance, the "One" for her.A perosn to confide with, and have a future with.

"I don't care if you don't care about the disk!This is now past the disk!I'm not suppose to lose things!Do you know who I am now?!!!!!!"His anger was boiling now.

Trinity had never ever seen him this angry before.Her hear had escalated to maximum proportions.She actually, for a second, believed that Neo might strike her.What he had just said also shocked her.This meant, that he actually believed that he could have no flaws because he was the "One".

"Neo." She began, barely above a whisper.The fear now deep within her. "Listen to yourself.This thing...I don't know what it is...this yearning to be flawless." She could barely go on.All he needed to do was raise his hand and strike. "You don't have to be flawless.You're jst a human being." She had begun to wonder why no one had barged in yet.Maybe no one wanted to interfere with an argument of theirs, or maybe no one could hear anything at all.

Neo slowly stood and headed for the door.His anger wasn't gone, but he felt he should leave.Trinity also stood and tried to reach out for his arm to try to console him.

"Don't touch me!!!" Without noticing, he pushed her away.

END OF PART I