Can dreams be real?
I am standing in my living room facing the panoramic picture window that covers the entire wall of my living room. I run towards it throwing a small crystal ball at it and leaping out into the air through the broken glass that is falling everywhere. I turn my body around as I begin to fall towards the ground and I see him jumping out after me. I continue to turn so I can see where I am now falling. I see a truck stop right below me full of pillows. I think to myself "why is there a truck full of pillows stopped directly in the path of my fall." Then I wake up before I hit the truck.
I sit up with a jolt, and I find myself in my bed soaked with what I hope is sweat.
"Damn it… same fucking dream." I say to no one in particular.
"What the hell does it mean? And it is three in the morning again."
I try falling back asleep, but there is something about it that doesn't make any sense. I mean I don't even know who he is. It's the same damn dream.
"What does it mean?" I whisper to myself as I drift off to sleep again.
The alarm goes off and I wake up with a groan and it is daytime now.
"I can tell that it is going to be one of these days."
Getting dressed quickly I glance at the clock again.
"And now I am late"
Still… that dream, that guy… what does it mean? I had decided to just skip the shower and went extra on the cologne.
"Hehe, too much cologne and people are going to ask questions." I laugh inside myself.
I feel funny as I drive to work. It was as if the world has gotten smaller since those dreams started. Like my life is much greater in comparison. I glance at the people along the streets, sitting on benches, playing in the park. What is it in my mind that bothers me so much about my dreams and about my life?
Hmmm, the bosses face gets all red while he yells at me. That vein gets bigger and bigger every time I seem to see him. I mean if he goes on any longer it will burst all over his office. "Uh oh, he's about done" I think to myself. "Yes sir" I say respectfully and quickly head to my cubicle. Still… that thought, that dream, these questions I just can't seem to get it all out of my head so I can focus. It's like I am not truly here, or as if it were all a dream somehow. I sit at my desk and stare at my computer for a couple hours before I start working. The work I do also seems unimportant now. It is like it doesn't really matter anymore, because something better might come along. I get through it all quicker then I usual do, and I spend the rest of the day wondering around the building carrying paper with me to look like I am busy. Next thing I know it is time to go home and I feel tired so instead of going out I just head straight home.
As soon as I get to my apartment I jump right onto my computer like I usually do, and then log onto that message board I found a couple months ago. I start a few chats here and there while doing a bit of surfing on the side.
"Let me see… what an I looking for." I state out loud to no one in particular. I sit there and stare at the screen for several minutes until I get pinged by an unknown user whom I haven't met yet. I decided that I might as well send a message back.
Marty"Hello, um Saber and who might you be?"
Saber"Would you like to know the truth?"
I sit there for a moment realizing that I had a dream about this. So I just stared at the question.
Marty "The truth?"
Saber "You know what truth I speak of."
No way, I have to be imagining this. I think I would reply, but I usually wake up by this time, or at least in my dream I do.
Marty "What is the matrix?"
Saber "Follow the white fox to his hideaway."
Marty "What does that mean?"
Follow what Fox? Who is this Saber and what does she mean?
*Ping! Ping!*
Well, at least my search is done for tonight. Still… I would like to know what it is. The Matrix has been a curious topic that a few people have been chatting about on line. Mostly I wonder if it has something to do with me. It's late, I'll go over this stuff in the morning.
I shake myself awake dripping wet from my sweat again. "What the hell is wrong with me? Why can't I sleep like normal? And why the hell am I having these weird dreams?"
My alarm goes off and I decided to skip work today. "Fuck work" I say as I see the office number pop up on my caller ID. Besides I have to go over the new stuff I downloaded off of the net last night. "But first, I need a little food." Looking around my apartment I find that I haven't been grocery shopping yet this week so I decide to take a few minutes to go over some of the info. Thinking to myself "Most of it is just a waste of my time." I stare at the page as I am reading. "In fact all of it is." I growl at my computer, and trash it all. The only good lead I found last night was from that Saber lady. Whoever she is, although I do wonder what she meant.
I get dressed and leave my apartment to find myself standing outside my building. The second I look into the street a van drives by with a cartoon picture of a white fox on it. For some reason my full attention was on that van and I suddenly had the urge to follow it. My only problem is that my car is in the garage.
"A white fox on that van!" I whisper to myself.
I look around and there is a group of motorcycles parked in the street with one a bit separated from the rest, so I jump onto the bike and take off after it. I had no clue what came over me, but it was drawing me towards it. I followed it all the way across town and the van pulls into a garage that happens to be next to a club called The Hideaway.
"Odd" I think to myself. I dump the bike in an alley and walk up to the door. "The Hideaway" I mumble to myself as I stare at the sign.
"You going in or what?" a rough deep voice calls from the man at the door.
"What kind of a bar is this?"
"It's a place where you can drink and dance all night long if you want to." He sounded like he was in a commercial or something.
"But its the middle of the day." He ignored my question and quickly replied.
"So which is it? IN or OUT? I don't have all day. Plus there are people waiting." He points behind me and sure enough there was a line with what seemed like a hundred people were waiting.
"What about all these people standing in line?"
"Are you going to argue with me or go inside?"
I nodded in response and quickly went into the bar.
"What was that all about?" I think to myself as I glance over my shoulder at the bouncer.
Inside I couldn't see much. On top of being crowded it was also dim and very loud. My mind is rattled from the heavy bass of the speakers and for a moment my stomach felt all queasy. I walk thru the crowd and up to the nearest bar where I was handed a drink and a massage to go to the back of the bar by the broken light.
"Excuse me sir, do you know who told you to give this to me?" I shouted
He chuckled and turned his back to me ignoring my question. As I leaned further over the bar a crowd rushed up, and I was shoved out of the way. "Ass holes" I shout to the group, then downed the drink, and set it on a table nearby. I wander thru the bar checking out the place and finally found myself at the back staring at a broken light and the few people that surrounded it. One of which was wearing all leather that reflected the light. "Well, I guess she must be Saber." I thought to myself. So, I walked right up to her and before I knew it someone turned me around and pushed me up against the wall. The guy places one hand on my hip and the other on my shoulder holding me there firmly while he leans against me pressing me to the wall with all of his strength. I freak and fight back a little when he whispers into my ear.
"Marty, it's me Saber"
I stare at him with wide eyes unable to grasp at the notion of his reason for leading me here.
"Before you start I should tell you that they are watching you. That you are in danger and that if you want to know more then follow me." I glance around at the surrounding group of people watching us and then back to his face. "Okay, I will follow you." I whisper into his ear. He grabs my hand and leads me out the front door where a man was standing wearing a suit. He pulls a large gun out of the holster and aims it at us firing many shots. Before I realize what is really going on, I was picked up by Saber as he ran away from the suit with the gun, and faster then I could even imagine. His speed seemed unrealistic, yet we were going faster then some of the cars on the street. At least that is how it felt. I grab on tight and close my eyes, I can feel the wind against me, and all I can smell is the cologne that he is wearing.
Is this a dream?
"Its okay now, Marty. We got away."
"Who was that guy and what the hell is going on!"
"You need to calm down and listen to me Marty. You wanted to know what the Matrix is right."
"The Matrix?" I think about my situation for a moment. "Yes, yes I do. I have been asking that question since the dreams started. All of this started when I stumbled across the mention of the matrix while I was chatting with some friends on line a while back. I think I was 8 or something. Its hard to explain what it is about my world that makes me feel as if it is all fake or phony…"
"Marty!"
I look at Saber, tears cover my face.
"Look, its hard to explain, the Matrix I mean."
"But I thought you had all the answers, or at least answers to the questions I had already asked?"
Saber paces away from me and back then puts a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it gently. Staring at me with a deafening pause before he speaks again.
"I have been watching you for about a year now. I was learning about you and about your questions of the Matrix."
"What?"
"You see I said it was hard to explain… the Matrix I mean. It is complicated to tell you what it is. I would have to show you, but you have to really want to know about it."
His stare holds me in my place.
"Only until we are sure that you are willing to open your mind to us, will you be shown what the Matrix really is."
"So what are you telling me then?" I asked quietly.
"What I am saying, Marty, is that you are not ready, at least not right now to know the truth. I will contact you. The same way I did before. Until then you are to keep quiet. And stay hidden from anyone and everyone."
"What am I suppose to do about food and my work"
"Well, I just brought you some food that will last you a week, two at the most. And as for work, well, just don't go."
"How did you… WHAT? When did you… do all of this?"
"I probably know more about you then you do."
"Now we should go. We have lingered here too long, and I have to get back. I will see you as far as your apartment. Then I will leave you till we meet again."
Quietly we walked back to my building, hiding from who knows what, possibly that man who shot at us, I don't really know. Saber was surprisingly quiet. I felt clumsy next to him. Fortunately it didn't take us long to get me home. We said goodbye and I walked thru the security doors and onto the elevator. He watched me until the doors closed between us, and then I was alone. I stood there quietly. Listening to my thoughts and thinking about all that has happened tonight. I surprised myself that with all of the excitement I was actually quiet relaxed, almost like I was finally in control of myself, or that because this world doesn't seem that real to where I shouldn't be afraid. The doors opened and the hallway was darker than usual. I quietly moved to my door and step into my place. The door squeaks loudly as it echo's down the hall. I swear I saw someone standing down at the far end, but I ignored it and went inside. I didn't turn on any lights but suddenly felt scared, like there was a presence in the apartment with me that I should fear. I quickly reached over to flick on the switch. There sitting on the couch was that man that shot at me in the alley near the club. At least he looks like the same guy. And two other men were standing next to him. I glared at them trying to show that I wasn't scared. The one sitting chuckled and introduced himself.
"I am Agent Smith, and you are Matthew James are you not."
"That is my name, and why the hell are you in my apartment Mr. Smith?" Quite a bit of irritation is in my voice.
"I would like to ask you a few questions." His voice was a little halted between his words like he was trying to be extremely slow for my benefit.
"Now if you would come with me, I could drive you to my office where we can go through the proper procedures."
"It is 4 in the morning, Mr. Smith, and I would like to go to bed." I pause for a moment for a reaction. "We could just do this tomorrow morning so the two of us can be rested and in better moods."
"Now Mr. Johnson, we could do this the easy way, or the hard way. You choose."
I suddenly remembered where else I have seen him, and for some reason I knew of a way to get out of here but it was crazy. There is no way I could do that.
In one of my dreams I am standing there in my living room facing the big panoramic picture window that covers the entire wall of my living room. I run towards it throwing a small crystal ball at it and jumping out thru the broken glass that is falling everywhere. I start to turn and as I look back to see him jumping out after me. I continue to turn towards the direction that I am now falling. I see a truck stop right below me full of pillows. I think to myself "why is there a truck full of pillows stopped directly in the path of my fall." Then I usually wake up before I hit the truck.
"No way" I mumble to myself.
"You are coming with me no matter what you say Mr. James."
He starts moving around to my left reaching out his arm to grab me.
I throw all logic out of my head and trusting in Saber I grab the crystal ball of the coffee table and run towards the window. I throw the ball just like I do in my dream. I jump thru the glass like my dream. And turn to see him coming after me. He has his gun drawn and is firing at me. And just like in the dream I turn to see a truck but it has not stopped. It's moving along the street below. My mind races and I panic. "I am going to die." Then I see him. Saber on top of the truck firing some kind of a machine gun at that agent guy. Then I black out.
I didn't have any dreams this time… My mind was blank for however long I was out…
As I open my eyes I am laying on a cold table, my eyes hurt so I close them. I call out at the voices I hear.
"Who is there?"
"Relax Marty." It is Sabers Voice.
"Saber what happened to me?" I get a little excited.
"The answers are coming, just get some sleep."
More time passes.
I don't know if I am sleeping or if I'm awake.
"Are you there Saber?"
"Saber?"
"I am here Marty." His voice feels soothing to me. He places a gentle hand on my head.
"Why can't I move?"
"You have never used your muscles before so we have to fix that?"
"What does that mean? Did that truck hit me?"
"No Marty just relax and sleep. I promise that you will learn everything soon."
I drift off to sleep again exhausted from the talking. My eyes hurt, my body is sore, and I can't move. What is it that he will not tell me? Why is everything such a god damned secrete with everyone all of a sudden. When will I get some fucking answers?
I slept another dreamless night… it is nice to get some sleep for once without any interruptions.
I wake up lying in a bed this time. My eyes are still a little sore but when I open them I can see the room I occupy. Kind of looks like a room on battle ship or something rather similar. An IV is hooked up to my arm. I look it over and pull the pin out of my arm, but it comes out of this piece of metal that is apart of my arm. Worried I look at my other arm, and legs. These things are all over my body. Then I jump as the door to my room opens. I jump off of the bed and back away from the door.
I look the guy standing there up and down and then began to cry. "Saber, is that you?"
"I am sorry Marty that I was not here when you woke up. But if you could follow me I can show you the rest of the place and maybe answer some of the questions you were asking before."
He pulls a blanket around me and hugs me gently. "Now follow me."
We walk thru a series of hallways that resemble my original thoughts of a ship. "Are we on a boat?"
"It looks that way doesn't it? Actually we are on a hover ship."
"A hover ship?"
"My hover ship, I call her Pristene."
"This is the main deck. And here is my crew. This is Brain, here is Anne, this is Watt, and of course Ram."
Brian is quite a bit older then myself, but he seems to appear strong. I would say in his 40's probably. Anne is a young girl probably 18 or 19. Watt is a skinny white guy that doesn't seem to have those plugs in his arms or legs. And then Ram, he looks like he needs some sun. I don't think I have seen a white guy as white as that.
"Crew I would like you to meet Marty." I politely shake their hands.
"Now you wanted to know what the Matrix is… Well, sit down here and I will show you. Now this is going to feel strange, but bare with me."
With that he pushes something into my head making my mind hurt more then I can even describe. But it only lasted but a moment when I opened my eyes I found myself in different surroundings.
"Now this is a loading program for the Matrix."
"So you mean we are in a computer?"
"I told you it would be weird Marty? But think about it our hair and cloths are different, and the plugs in your arms and head are gone."
"Kind of like a video game thing?"
"Well, that's one way of looking at it. I guess from the world you had surrounded yourself with I am not surprised that you are taking this so well."
"Well, I do feel like I have lost something. Any friends that I made and any of the family that was still here and there…"
"They were all created along with you to make you think that they are important to you."
"What does that mean?"
"That the matrix cannot tell you who you are. That is all that the machines wanted you to know, or rather experience so that you would accept the world they pulled over your eyes."
"But why?"
"Well… the reason of why is so that we can be their power source. The human body is like a natural conductor that the machines were able to tap into so that they can have energy to run."
"Why us, why humans?"
"As far as we know, or can tell, the machines hate us and need to control us, because they hate the idea of us having our own personalities and opinions. All in all you could say they feared us."
"So, then where did they come from? Are they from outer space? Or did we create them?"
"We unfortunately did create them, but not the ones that are keeping us in that prison. We created the first AI that spawned an entire race of machines that eventually won our world and made us as we were in the matrix."
"So we started the whole thing by just creating an artificial intelligence then, so that in our own superior knowledge of science we created our demise. But how did it all happen?"
"Well from the bits and pieces of our human history. Around the end of the 23rd century we created our beloved AI and we all lived together harmoniously. Humans owned machines and everyone was happy. Except for the machines that is."
"So then what happened after that?"
"What we do know is that the machines grew so quickly and efficiently that they soon realized that they didn't need us humans. They created their own city, which now covers the entire surface of earth. They tried over and over to convince the humans to see them as equals, but since the machines were initially made to aid and be tools for the humans…"
"Kind of like slaves?"
"Well kind of, I think the humans so long ago thought of machines as their possessions and could not see the machines as equal. Humans weren't able to look past that thought of machines getting the same rights as humans."
"Kind of like the people that fought for equal rights for humans of different color, gender, and sexual preferences. Which is what started the downfall of the human race right?"
"No the downfall came after the war, which we were not ready for. Time and time again our soldiers were killed, so for a last drastic effort we destroyed the sky."
"How ignorant and simple minded we were to make such a drastic decision."
"Drastic decision yes, ignorant no, we knew the effects of what that will do, so we prepared for the worst and created an underground city, a few miles under the surface of the earth to wait out the destruction of the machines. You see they relied on the energy of the sun, so the humans thought 'get rid of sunlight and the machines will die.' A smart decision, but rather hasty in reaction."
"So there were some that survived from the past that helped us that were born in the matrix?"
"Unfortunately no, those that survived that dreaded destruction of the sky, eventually died, either from machines or from starvation."
"But Watt doesn't have those plugs in his arms."
"Well, his grandparents were freed from the matrix many years ago and have since then past down family."
"Oh, well that makes sense."
"So, what do you think so far Marty?"
"Well, for one I understand my indifference to that world even though I do miss it. Second, I can't wait to see what the real world is like. Besides, if what I figure the matrix is really like then I should have lots of fun. If I go there that is. Now that I am unplugged from it."
"We will get to that later. I should tell you though that it won't all be fun. But it is dinner time so we must get out of here and eat. Then tomorrow you will start your training."
"My training?"
"I will explain it to you tomorrow."
Dinner was nothing like I was going to expect. That runny soupy like stuff had no flavor to it, but they all shared their escapes from the matrix, so it didn't seem all that bad. I was glad that I wasn't crazy or anything about the reality of the matrix, but I am not too sure about being here. I can't help but think about the things I loved to do. The computer games I loved to play. How I had just gotten my apartment to look the way I wanted it to. Mostly though, I am going to forever wonder about my mom and dad still in the matrix somewhere. I wonder if I will ever get to see them again.
So, here I am sitting in what looks to me like a dentists chair with something stuck into my brain and I am waiting for my "training" whatever that may be. The operator is Watt, he and I bonded some last night as he talked to me about the matrix and how sometimes he wishes he could join us inside, and learn how to do the things we, or that I will learn to do.
"So, what is on the agenda Watt?"
"Saber would like you to start out a little easy, so you are going to learn basic protocol on the matrix."
"What does that mean?"
"You will see my friend you will see."
Then suddenly I was thrown into a room where information was thrown at me so fast and so continuously that in normal circumstances I would have missed 99% of it if not all, but for some reason I learned it all and mostly I learned how the matrix works, the rules that can be broken. About the people still plugged into the matrix and so on. Most of it was just information though.
I open my eyes again and look at Watt. "That was a trip."
"Well Mr. Marty there is so much more. Now that was all the protocol. If you are feeling up to it, its time to start the basic combat training."
I look at the monitor next to me and smirk. "So I get to learn some martial arts huh."
"More then that my friend."
And again I am pulled back into the matrix where various types of martial art were programmed into me. It seemed like several hours went by as I trained one martial arts fighting style after another. All the kicks, all the punches, and all the pokes, throws, and maneuvers seemed very exciting at the time.
I had thought to myself after it was all over, and I was ready to collapse onto my bed. "What was all this for? Why was it that I was to train like this, and learn all of that information? Why all of this fighting, all this knowledge that I needed to know. Was I a soldier or was this just incase I am needed. Laying on my bed I quickly fall to sleep and the dreams came to me like before all of this. Vivid and clear were my dreams as they tell me what if this and what if that. Who am I to be, and where this path might be taking me. Of course they are just dreams, but I have come to trust my dreams and believe that they are telling me something important. One character I keep seeing though was that agent fellow. It is as if he is stalking me in my dreams. That agent Smith character.
I get shaken awake by Watt as he tells me that it is morning and my training wasn't finished though I did accomplish most of it there is only just a little left.
"Rise and shine Marty, and welcome to the rest of your training. I am sorry that I have to wake you so early this morning, but we would like to finish the rest as soon as we can."
"How can you tell weather it is morning or evening?"
"We made clocks. Besides the body tells us when we are tired and need to sleep and when we need to be awake. We all just happen to be on the same sleeping cycle here on this ship."
(Smiling) "Well, it shouldn't take me long to get used to your cycle, although if all experiences in the matrix, or in the training simulation are that extreme I will be sleeping a lot."
"You get used to it, now today all we have to finish is your combat training. I am surprised that we had gotten as far as we did yesterday. Most people can't even get thru the informational portion without getting tired. I must say you are one impressive little guy. Now let us get started."
He types a few things on the keyboard and there I was smack dab right in the middle of the training program again. The room he places me in is as basic as it gets. Black floor, black walls, yet there is enough light to see from one end to another.
"Okay so what next?"
"Sit tight, I have created a few little programs for you to warm up with."
Suddenly a door opens on one wall and in pours several people that look the same. They all appear to look that of the Agent Smith I had ran into while still plugged into the matrix. They all line up along the perimeter of the room. One walks out and faces me evenly spaced across the room.
"Who is this guy?"
"He is just a training program for you.""No, you know what I mean, who is he really?"
"He goes by the name Agent Smith. He is one of many programs written into the matrix to keep people like us from changing things on them. Like a virus program on a computer, he goes around fixing glitches that happen in the matrix. Do you remember that power outage in New York?"
"Yeah"
"That was a glitch that was affected by our attempt to rewrite part of the matrix. We would have been able to accomplish our task if it wasn't for his meddling."
I get into my first stance and get ready for his attack.
"So anything that can't be explained like aliens, ghosts, and stuff rather similar are all causes of changes made to the matrix."
"Yup, now lets party."
I fight one after another of these programs. Each program was unique from the other, in that they all acted different. I mean different fighting styles, and different techniques. Where one was very offensive another was very defensive. When Watt noticed that one on one was a bit too easy for me he had them attack in twos, threes. It started to get very difficult but with all the fighting techniques I had learned I defeated every one until there was no more left in the room. I felt myself getting faster and faster, and was amazed at how quickly I was making myself grow and learn more about this computer world. As soon as my last foe was down Saber walked thru that door that all the agents did before.
"I see that you are improving very quickly. You seem to flow from one technique to another with great ease and I can tell that you are faster than most were who had trained before you. I believe that it is time for you to accompany us into the matrix and help us with another child who is ready to unplug from the matrix. He has asked us to help him get free. There are a few rules that you must abide by while in the matrix. One is to avoid as many people as you can. If you are not one of us then you are one of the centium programs, or as we call them an agent. Every mind that is not ready to be awakened has the potential for the agents to take control of their bodies. Two if you ever see an agent you run. Every one of us that has stood their ground with an agent has died. Three keep your mind on the objectives that are given to you, but be mindful of what you see and feel. This is your first mission with us and if I am right it will not be your last."
As he gives me his speech the rest of the crew walks in thru the door one by one to take their place in the circle. Then as quickly as a simple blink of an eye we are in a different room. It is full of weapons. My cloths were different too.
"Man this "residual self image" thingy is a little hard to get used to."
Ram laughs at my comment. "It is a bit tricky, but once you got it down it's a piece of cake."
"So how do you get a handle of it and not end up naked or something?"
Serenity sounds a little annoyed. "Look its simple, just close your eyes and imagine what it is that you would like to look like and that is it… simple"
I close my eyes and think to myself.
"Let me think, first there is my perfectly bleached hair. Next I am dressed all in black. Lightweight trench coat, collared button-up-the-front long sleeved shirt. Then, how about big cargo pocket pants. Then to finish it up, Army boots. Funny, I believe I look just like that character called Neon in that movie about the robots… and… the… humans."
I open my eyes and I look just like I had imagined, but I was a bit irritated about something.
"One thing has been bugging me since I first talked to you Saber. If the computers didn't want us to know about the real Matrix. Why the hell did they allow such a movie about this same damned scenario?"
"We are wondering the same thing, but our first thought was that someone wrote the movie into the matrix program without the machines knowing. Another thought was that it was their subliminal way of telling us humans that it didn't really exist."
Saber told me this as his arm is around me and his hand is resting on my hip. I still don't know what it is but I always feel safe and comfortable when he is around me. Weather he is just talking to me, or just standing near me. I don't know if it would be wise to tell him my feelings for him, yet I wonder if he already knows. I have a feeling that he knows more about me then I think he does.
I open my eyes and I am standing next to everyone else in a small dark room in what appears to be a warehouse. Everyone stays silent as we make our way through the building to a specified exit where a vehicle was waiting. It is night time and a little chilly out. We seem to be in what used to be a place where cars were stored. I look in all directions and see no lights anywhere. Brian and Anne wait behind to keep our exit safe while Ram, Saber and I go on to find this child. Ram is to drive while I and Saber sit in the back of the car. Ram knows where we are going and begins to drive. Saber stays silent the entire trip, as do I. We come near a town when the car stops about five miles away. The silence is finally broken when Saber gets out and tells me to get out. He gives Ram some orders, and then Ram takes off back in the direction we came.
"I hate not knowing what is going on Saber."
He looks at me and pauses for a long moment before answering me.
"We are to head to that town over there. There is a vacant house which will act as our base of operation. I will brief you on our walk, but you have to keep up with me."
We walk towards the town as he tells me all that I needed to know, but most of the walk we were silent. I wonder if it is a good time to talk about certain, personal, feelings that I have with him. I stay silent though as to not complicate things now.
"What are you thinking about Marty?"
I am startled by his sense of timing "nothing" I reply
"I know that you still have many questions you would like to ask me. If there are any that you would like to ask. Now would be a good time. We are alone where no one can see or hear us."
"Not even Watt or Anne or Ram?"
"They are most likely monitoring out status, but they cannot hear us. We were in silent mode once Ram pulled away from us."
"Umm, nothing comes to mind right now… Saber"
"I can sense something in your voice. Something in the way you speak to me, or the way you act when I am around you. Like unspoken words that need to be freed. Like your need to escape from the matrix?"
I think to myself. "I can't talk about this now. It's the wrong time… yeah the wrong time, and inappropriate."
He stops and looks at me as I seem so small and insignificant next to him.
"What are you afraid of? When I was just a name on a computer screen you could tell me anything. How you were feeling, more importantly how you felt about me."
He turns and continues walking. I stand a moment then jog to catch up next to him.
"Things are a bit different now.""How so?"
"It is hard to explain""Then don't."He stops again and grabs me. I jump back releasing his grip startled by his action. He stares at me for a moment in the dark and then gently raises a hand and grabs my shoulder.
"I know how you feel about me and I can tell you that it isn't all a waste of time. The Oracle told me that…"
"The oracle?"
"The Oracle told me that the very next one I will free would love me. That he and I will not only work together but we will fight side by side as well. That we would be together."
I blush although he probably couldn't tell. "You know I wasn't sure if you felt the same way about me. I mean it was as if there was more between us. Like a stronger bond such as a soul mates. I was just scared to say anything since everything has been so intense up to this point."
I look at the ground and kick a rock.
He raises a hand and grabs my chin lifting my eyes to meet his.
"I knew how you felt about me before we even met face to face that first time. When I found you I knew then, just like I know now. Remember before you were freed from the matrix I could read every thought, and know every feeling."
I look down again.
"I didn't know what to expect when I first met you in the real world, but I am glad that your face was the first image that I had seen when I woke up."
"Now that this is out of the way we can now continue with the mission without any failure."
And he starts off towards the town again.
"What? You mean that we might have failed if this was not spoken of?"
"Possibly, although we will not know will we. We do have a job to do so let us finish it."
It doesn't take long for us to reach the town after that.
We had made it to that house that he spoke of where a computer was already set up and running for us. He logged onto the computer and contacted the child. Saber talked to the kid for a while, and we stayed the night in the house. I got to see a picture of the child we were there to save.
"He can only be like 13 or 14!"
"The younger minds have less to break away from.""Except for their family.""Unless they have already accepted the truth. Now be on your toes. I am expecting an agent or two to show up. I don't want to risk a battle, and I would rather keep this mission as silent as possible."
"OK Saber."
He squeezes my shoulder then pulls me into a hug. I breathe in his scent deeply and I feel happy inside and hope that he feels the same. I hold him a little longer before I let him go. He smiles at me and squeezes my hand.
"Be careful."
"You too Saber"
We started patrolling and letting our crew know that we have to stay for a while before we came back. Silence mode was back on and even Saber and I couldn't speak as to not let anyone know of us occupying the old house. It was my watch and I paced between the two windows we are looking though. Suddenly I see a child running down the street towards us and behind him a man in a suit is following him yelling.
"Um Saber," I grab his arm and shake him. "I think it is time." I point out the window.
"Damn it is too soon." He pops open his phone and calls Ram. "Get over here quick he is on the move and we have to get going."
"Yes sir, Saber. I will be right there."
With that said he grabs my arm and we run down stairs and bust through the front door.
The three of us stop there in the street while the child runs to me surprisingly, and I push him behind me placing me between the agent and the child.
"So, I was right you did have something to do with this." It was a similar halting tone that was used back when I first met Smith. It gave me shivers. We stand there for a few moments, the boy shivers behind me scared of the man.
"What do we do Saber?"
"Ah, Mr. James so you did survive that fall. It is a shame though because now you are really going to die."
He rushes forward and begins throwing punches at me. I desperately try to dodge them, for he is faster than I am. Somehow, I turn and jump giving him a hard blow to his head with my foot. He turns and shakes off the blow, and turns to face me again.
"So we have learned a thing or two Mr. James. This is going to be fun."
Again he rushes at me attacking me fast and hard. Saber jumps in and the two of us push him back keeping our advantage. Ram pulls up and Saber grabs me pulling me from his kick. I grab the kid and toss him into the car with ease. "Get him out of here. We will catch up with you shortly."
I slam the door and Ram speeds off towards the direction he came from. The agent knocks Saber down and begins what would have been a fatal blow to his head when I jumped in and kicked him about fifty yards away from us. I pull Saber back onto his feet.
"Are you okay Saber?"
"Yes, now let us finish him for good."
The fight that broke out between us and the agent was crazy. We threw him around like he was a dog's toy. We almost lost it when Saber was knocked down and in pain. The agent stopped and stood a few feet away glaring at my friend. I rush over to him and check to see if he is ok.
"We have to go, he is killing us."
"You poor pathetic humans, although it has been awhile since I have had a decent brawl I would have expected…"
"Shut up you stupid bastard! You may be a computer program, but I can still kill you!"
"Then let us finish this Mr. James."
"You haven't herd? My name isn't James anymore it's Marty."
As soon as I finished that phrase he leapt at me and we went at it again. It was even more intense then before, and the way he wouldn't stop coming made me feel helpless since I couldn't do anything but defend myself. All I could do is hold my ground and hope that he makes a mistake. It seemed like hours went by as his relentless attacks never stopped. I did get one satisfaction though. It pissed him off that I had lasted as long as I have and he still hasn't killed me yet. Finally I saw an opening and with one devastating punch I sent him flying through the air. He hits the ground then bounced and flopped until he stopped right next to Saber. He screamed as the agent stood up and grabbed him by his neck and began to squeeze.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
"Resorting to threats are we. My only wonder is would you be able to stop me anyway." He glared at me and sneered. "The only way to find out is too…"
I still don't know how I did it but before he got that last word out I had moved from where I was, close a hundred feet away to right up next to him in less then a second. What was also interesting was that I had broken his hold on my friend and was lifting him high in the air with one arm and my hand wrapped around his neck.
"I told you to not to… Now I am going to kill you." I began squeezing his neck.
"Good bye creep." SNAP!
I toss him aside and turn towards a bewildered Saber."How did you do that? You were over there and then you were over here."
"You were in danger, I wouldn't be able to live if you didn't."
I help him to his feet and we walk back into the house. I hug him tightly and I smell his scent which fills my senses. We walk over to the exit phone and stand there a moment holding each other.
"Are all missions this exciting?" He chuckles a little and smiles down at me. Even when he is hurt and beaten as he was he still seemed bigger and stronger than me.
"Depends on which missions you want to take." He smirks and then cringes slightly.
"We should get you out first. I won't be far behind."
"See you in the real world love." Then he places the phone to his ear and disappears into oblivion. The phone rings and I follow him into our world.
In all the years that followed we were never apart. I loved him more then anything that the world could ever offer and he reflected the love back just as strongly. I wasn't sure then how I still felt about waking into such a world of fighting, misery, and chaos, but I do know for sure that I would follow him into the machine's city, even if it meant that we would die, only as long as we died together.
The End
Now as for the war against the machines? That is a different story.