Matrix 4: Resurrection…

Chapter 1:

Neo woke with a start, head throbbing. His surroundings were vaguely familiar, his old home, before he had been freed from the matrix nearly seven months ago. How he had got here, he didn't know, the last thing he remembered was the crater in the middle of the thunderstorm, and a strange deathly sensation coursing through his body, but then his memory went blank. He stood up, though his muscles protested wildly, and cleared his head. O.K. I have to get to the Oracle, or should I wait, Maybe Morpheus will contact me, but then again, he probably has better contact with the Oracle. How did I get here anyway? His mind filled with a hundred more questions, but he put them aside and concentrated on what he would do. He would go to the Oracle, if she was still alive, if she ever was alive, can programs live, and did the war end? What happened? He focused his mind again, and directed his attention towards flying. Nothing happened. What? He tried again, still nothing happened. He started to lose control, but stopped himself. Instead, he stepped outside, and walked towards the train station.

…

The oracle felt the sensation again. At first it had just been an uneasy feeling, but it had continued to plague her, upsetting the new, clean, harmonious world since the war. It had been just a day since, and already there were disturbances in her mind. It was a vision, a recurring one. The death of Neo, a falling sensation, and a man silhouetted against the sun of the matrix. She had told Seraph to contact those in the real world, but after the war, Zion was most likely being re-built, and there were none inside of the matrix with whom she could contact. She had, of course, learned of Neo's re-insertion, and of the no- longer-needed function of the 'one'. If Neo is out there, she thought, I hope he doesn't do himself harm, for the loss of his powers could well have sent him out of his mind.

She heard a knock at the front door. She walked to it and greeted Neo as she opened the door.

'Neo', she smiled warmly, 'I have to say, I didn't expect you to have thought to come for quite some time. Come in, I have something important to speak to you about.' She stood aside as he stepped over the threshold.

'Oracle I-'

'I know, your powers have gone, but the machines deemed it necessary when you were re-inserted to remove your powers since they couldn't tell how you would chose to use them after you didn't need them. I gather you have discovered that the war is over, since the streets are safe, and the 'Smith' program has been deleted.'

'Why would they think it necessary to remove-'

'Power corrupts men, and since there is no need for your powers to exist, the machines would not want to risk any corruption in their perfect new world.'

'I see'

'However, I believe that you may have more need of your power than you did before.' She looked at him seriously. 'Neo, I have been troubled by a vision of your death, and I think I can tell who it is that wishes you most harm.'

'The Frenchman'

'Yes Neo, he is out for your blood and he is a very persistent individual. You have escaped him twice already and he will not have you slip through his fingers again. He is out for revenge for all the trouble you have caused him.'

'I see', He sighed, 'so what am I supposed to do?'

'I honestly don't think there is much you can do, and I don't think you can evade his programs for long without your powers, so I suggest you accept the help I am going to offer you and wait for some contact with the real world, before you can get out again.'

'What help are you offering?'

'I'm offering Seraph's protection and a refuge in my house, where we can travel between places using the doors.'

'Is there much of a choice?'

'That would depend on your wish to survive.'

'In that case I accept, but I have one final question…'

'I know. The war ended when the machines used your body as a conduit to delete the 'Smith' drive, effectively ending the war.'

'Could Smith have survived?'

'No. Not unless he was recreated, but I doubt there would be someone foolish enough to do that.' She lit a cigarette, 'I don't suppose you want to take up smoking.'

'No.' He turned to leave, but then he had a sudden thought. 'I- you don't think…'

'I'm afraid not, she died her final death in the machine city.'

'Oh…'his expression turned grim, and he turned and left the room.

After the initial celebrations, the rest of the time since the machines left had been spent clearing the rubble and the corpses and disposing of them, while the council planned the new city of Zion. Morpheus, meanwhile, had been thinking hard about Neo and Trinity. When this mess is cleared, he thought, I will contact the Oracle, and see if she can tell me any more of what is happening inside the matrix. He did not know what sort of a place the matrix had become. It could be in ruins for all he knew. There was a knock at the door.

'Come in', he said.

'Hi.' It was Niobe. 'Can't stop thinking about what happened to Neo.'

'Me too.'

'Do you think he's still alive?What about Trinity...', she trailed off.

'I'm planning on consulting the Oracle once this', he waved a hand round at the carnage, 'has been sorted out.'

'I was hoping to go sooner. Today in fact.'

'With all this-'

'I think we can manage without two people, besides, I won't be able to rest easy untill I find out what happened to them.'

'You're probably right. I suppose I could see if there is a plugin that can be salvaged, and you'll need to let the Elders know about this before we can go.'

'Thanks, it means a lot, if it's any consolation.'

'It always is', he smiled faintly, and started to think about where there would be a safe plugin point.