Yes, it is finally here - the sequel to 'The Second Hope'. If you haven't
read it, don't worry, it's pretty easy to pick up what's going on. Lots of
people have requested this, so I hope this makes them happy and is adequate
to your standards, and does justice to the first one. Hope you enjoy it!
Oh, and it's set around June, just so you know, because that's when I
actually started writing it. When I was supposed to be revising. *guilt*
Disclaimer - I own neither the Matrix, nor any of the characters, but all the characters in this that aren't in the Matrix are of my own creation.
Chapter 1 - A New Mission
Asha glanced around the crowded room. It was full of people, all of whom could turn into agents at any second. She would have no chance against an army that size. But she was the only one who could complete this mission, and it was essential.
She tucked an unruly strand of hair behind her ear, and strode through the crowd. As she went, she looked around for possible escapes. Her short time as a crew member on the Nebuchadnezzar, and her encounters with agents, had taught her that danger can come from anywhere, and often in the direction you least expect it.
There, at the front, was the man she needed to see. She made eye contact, and maintained it, even though he couldn't see her thoughtful dark brown eyes through her sunglasses. She stopped in front of him.
"Ticket for the Matrix: Reloaded, please," she said.
The guy looked at her outfit with raised eyebrows. "My God, you're obsessed," he said, "What, do you think you're Trinity, or something?"
Asha smiled. The guy could never understand how close to the truth he had come.
Asha scuttled through the doors just as the lights went down. She shuffled past people who were already sitting, causing much muttering and grumbling, but one glare from Asha silenced them. There was something unnerving about her gaze; and also no-one wants to pick a fight with a Matrix obsessive.
* * * * *
As the lights went up again, Asha blinked. That was weird. For one thing, Tank was still alive - but where had he gone? And. Neo wasn't the One? What was up with that?
Asha shook her head, and stood up, joining the crowds of happy looking Matrix fans, already chatting nineteen to the dozen about how ANNOYING that ending was, and how HOT Neo had been, and how November had never seemed further away. She ought to get back to the Nebuchadnezzar, but she felt somewhat reluctant. It had been nice going to the cinema again, feeling like an ordinary teenager. Sometimes she wished it could have stayed like that. She pulled out her phone.
"Operator."
"Tank, do you have to say that every time?"
"Sorry, Asha, but it's regulations."
"Right."
"How was the film?"
"Strange. for one thing, you weren't in it."
"Oh."
"I need to talk to Morpheus."
"OK." She heard him call Morpheus. Usually all the crew would watch the monitors while someone was in the Matrix, but Asha had proven herself when not only her life, but Neo and Trinity's lives had been in danger as well.
"Yes?"
"Morpheus, this film was really strange. Tank wasn't there, Agent Smith wasn't an Agent any more, and they said that the Prophecy wasn't true!"
Morpheus was quiet for a moment. "That is strange," he said, "All I can presume is that they decided not to continue to record real events, but continue the story to make money. It also makes the public presume that if the Matrix WAS real, it would have been destroyed by now."
"Ah," said Asha, "Sneaky. Got an exit for me?"
"Couple of streets away. Athelstan Road."
"Got it." She put her phone in her pocket and looked around. Several people were looking at her very strangely - well, she had just been talking to someone called Morpheus on a phone. That wasn't good - agents could detect any disturbance in the Matrix. She turned away hurriedly and started up the street.
She walked along, not making eye contact with anyone, trying not to look like she was hurrying, but very eager to get out of there. Suddenly someone caught her shoulder.
"My God, you're the girl who's missing!" said a middle aged man, "What's your name, uh, Asha Warner!"
"No I'm not," said Asha quickly, shaking her shoulder from his grasp.
"Yes you are!" he said, "Don't worry, dear, we'll get you to the police station."
"I'm not Asha Warner," said Asha insistently. She glanced around. Everyone was looking round at her. She realised with a tremor of fear that agents could realise what was going on, and come in any second. She turned to run, but the man grabbed onto her arm.
"Don't worry, dear. Are you running away from someone?"
"Let me go!" said Asha. She fought to make him let go of her, but his grip remained strong.
"Don't worry, we won't let anyone catch you, you're safe," said the man, trying to be reassuring. Asha rolled her eyes; he just didn't get it. She could see people watching and talking to each other. She jumped when she saw someone with a suit and sunglasses, but it wasn't an agent, thankfully. But she had to get away, now.
"Look, I'm sorry about this," she said. She jumped into the air and kicked him in the stomach; she didn't know her own strength, and didn't want to risk brain damage. The man doubled over wheezing, and released Asha's arm. She sprinted off down the road, calling over her shoulder "Sorry!"
After running for several minutes, she stopped. There were no footsteps behind her; she hadn't been followed. She couldn't remember cinema trips being this complicated before. Quietly, she made her way to the phone box near Athelstan Road.
Disclaimer - I own neither the Matrix, nor any of the characters, but all the characters in this that aren't in the Matrix are of my own creation.
Chapter 1 - A New Mission
Asha glanced around the crowded room. It was full of people, all of whom could turn into agents at any second. She would have no chance against an army that size. But she was the only one who could complete this mission, and it was essential.
She tucked an unruly strand of hair behind her ear, and strode through the crowd. As she went, she looked around for possible escapes. Her short time as a crew member on the Nebuchadnezzar, and her encounters with agents, had taught her that danger can come from anywhere, and often in the direction you least expect it.
There, at the front, was the man she needed to see. She made eye contact, and maintained it, even though he couldn't see her thoughtful dark brown eyes through her sunglasses. She stopped in front of him.
"Ticket for the Matrix: Reloaded, please," she said.
The guy looked at her outfit with raised eyebrows. "My God, you're obsessed," he said, "What, do you think you're Trinity, or something?"
Asha smiled. The guy could never understand how close to the truth he had come.
Asha scuttled through the doors just as the lights went down. She shuffled past people who were already sitting, causing much muttering and grumbling, but one glare from Asha silenced them. There was something unnerving about her gaze; and also no-one wants to pick a fight with a Matrix obsessive.
* * * * *
As the lights went up again, Asha blinked. That was weird. For one thing, Tank was still alive - but where had he gone? And. Neo wasn't the One? What was up with that?
Asha shook her head, and stood up, joining the crowds of happy looking Matrix fans, already chatting nineteen to the dozen about how ANNOYING that ending was, and how HOT Neo had been, and how November had never seemed further away. She ought to get back to the Nebuchadnezzar, but she felt somewhat reluctant. It had been nice going to the cinema again, feeling like an ordinary teenager. Sometimes she wished it could have stayed like that. She pulled out her phone.
"Operator."
"Tank, do you have to say that every time?"
"Sorry, Asha, but it's regulations."
"Right."
"How was the film?"
"Strange. for one thing, you weren't in it."
"Oh."
"I need to talk to Morpheus."
"OK." She heard him call Morpheus. Usually all the crew would watch the monitors while someone was in the Matrix, but Asha had proven herself when not only her life, but Neo and Trinity's lives had been in danger as well.
"Yes?"
"Morpheus, this film was really strange. Tank wasn't there, Agent Smith wasn't an Agent any more, and they said that the Prophecy wasn't true!"
Morpheus was quiet for a moment. "That is strange," he said, "All I can presume is that they decided not to continue to record real events, but continue the story to make money. It also makes the public presume that if the Matrix WAS real, it would have been destroyed by now."
"Ah," said Asha, "Sneaky. Got an exit for me?"
"Couple of streets away. Athelstan Road."
"Got it." She put her phone in her pocket and looked around. Several people were looking at her very strangely - well, she had just been talking to someone called Morpheus on a phone. That wasn't good - agents could detect any disturbance in the Matrix. She turned away hurriedly and started up the street.
She walked along, not making eye contact with anyone, trying not to look like she was hurrying, but very eager to get out of there. Suddenly someone caught her shoulder.
"My God, you're the girl who's missing!" said a middle aged man, "What's your name, uh, Asha Warner!"
"No I'm not," said Asha quickly, shaking her shoulder from his grasp.
"Yes you are!" he said, "Don't worry, dear, we'll get you to the police station."
"I'm not Asha Warner," said Asha insistently. She glanced around. Everyone was looking round at her. She realised with a tremor of fear that agents could realise what was going on, and come in any second. She turned to run, but the man grabbed onto her arm.
"Don't worry, dear. Are you running away from someone?"
"Let me go!" said Asha. She fought to make him let go of her, but his grip remained strong.
"Don't worry, we won't let anyone catch you, you're safe," said the man, trying to be reassuring. Asha rolled her eyes; he just didn't get it. She could see people watching and talking to each other. She jumped when she saw someone with a suit and sunglasses, but it wasn't an agent, thankfully. But she had to get away, now.
"Look, I'm sorry about this," she said. She jumped into the air and kicked him in the stomach; she didn't know her own strength, and didn't want to risk brain damage. The man doubled over wheezing, and released Asha's arm. She sprinted off down the road, calling over her shoulder "Sorry!"
After running for several minutes, she stopped. There were no footsteps behind her; she hadn't been followed. She couldn't remember cinema trips being this complicated before. Quietly, she made her way to the phone box near Athelstan Road.