Chapter 36: The Key

Dan flew slowly through the tunnels of the real with Brandan as co-pilot and Isaiah on holographic trying to find a place for them to sit down and broadcast from. They had been flying for what seemed like hours but was only minutes.

"So what exactly did they tell you?" asked Isaiah.

"Not much really just that Cho Wei is trapped in some kind of room in the Matrix and he needs us to get her out. Why exactly is something I'm not at all sure of," explained Brandan.

"Strange how can someone get trapped in a room?" asked Dan.

"Could be any number of things," said Tarra entering the room and sitting down in the one free chair. Images kept flashing by on Isaiah's holographic scanner, scattered debris, several sentinel squads, and some clear tunnels.

"I'm not finding anything Dan, pick up the pace we need to get deeper into the broadcast depths."

"Will do." Dan pushed down on the accelerator and the ship picked up in speed.

"I'll take us to junction 211. It's usually pretty clear based on reports."

"It's also where we get the weakest signal strength. We'll only have the option of two or three of us," said Brandan. Isaiah kept scanning.

"What's our ETA?" he asked.

"Just inside fifteen minutes."

"Tarra come down to the broadcast zone with me and help me get the terminals ready," said Brandan. Tarra and Brandan headed down to the broadcast zone where the others were waiting.

"Parker did you get to do a full systems check?" asked Brandan.

"No we never got to, there wasn't enough time, but I'm quite sure that we don't have anything to worry about," said Parker. Isaiah came down the stairs after finding a broadcasting point and they began to get the system ready for broadcasting. Tabatha, Brandan and Isaiah all sat down in their chairs and waited for Dan to give the go ahead. "How much longer Danny boy?" asked Parker.

"I'm sitting it down now guys you can start your upload." Tarra, Colin and Saba each pushed in a connector needle for each person.

"Alright guys here we go good luck and play safe. Call me if you need me." Parker typed in the access codes and they were loaded into the construct program.

Brandan looked at his two crewmen and was hoping that they would be able to handle what was coming at them.

"Alright guys here goes," he said. The world literally pieced together around them and they were standing in an old hotel inside the main city. Brandan took out his phone and contacted Thadeus. "Thadeus we're on our way," he said.

"We'll be here waiting." Thadeus sounded as though he was at his wits end with this situation. Brandan put away his phone and they set out on their way to this strange room.

Isaiah looked around on the way to their destination. The city they were now walking through was a city that when he was younger he only dreamed of visiting. It was the city that everyone went to when they had finished school. He still couldn't help but wonder at the skyscrapers that reached what seemed like beyond the clouds. Although now the city and what it stood for seemed to sicken him, this was the one point in the matrix that the machines had almost absolute control over everything that went on. All the people that were still trapped in the matrix crowded the streets pushing and shoving their way through like animals trapped in a cage. Isaiah looked at Brandan he could tell that he was still slightly shaken from the failure of the last mission. It also seemed like he was uneasy about this mission for some reason, may have been the fact that it was only the three of them going in. They walked into a building and took an elevator to the top level, they stepped off and could see Thadeus standing next to a maintenance door.

"There he is," said Tabatha. They walked over to him.

"Captain Brandan it's good to see you guys are well, I just wish it was under better circumstances," said Thadeus.

"As do I. Mind explaining how this happened?" he asked. Thadeus shook his head slightly then turned to face the door.

"We were after a couple of exiles and once we had dealt with them we were headed to an exit. Cho Wei made it to it first but this wall and door appeared around her. Seraph the Oracle's guardian has informed me that this is reminiscent of the Merovingian although we can't figure out what the purpose of this is. Seraph seems to think that the only way to open the door is to use a key that the Key Maker will have to sculpt for us."

"Sounds complicated," said Isaiah.

"Yeah I know and guess who has the Key Maker?"

"What who?" asked Brandan. "The Merovingian, I need to stay here on look out and Captain Niobe is awaiting word from the commander, this is why I asked for your help. And I know you're wondering about the rest of my crew, truth is some of our broadcast equipment was damaged in a sentinel attack and is currently under repair. That is why we need you three. You need to get to the Merovingian's Chateau and get the key for us and bring it back here so we can open the door and free Cho Wei," explained Thadeus.

"No problem Captain Thadeus, we've dealt with the Merovingian before and came out on top. Don't worry we'll get the job done."

"I knew I could count on you." Brandan and the others walked away from Thadeus leaving him there. He took out his phone and called Parker.

"Operator."

"Yeah Parker very shortly we're going to need some wheels."

"Head two blocks north and it'll be waiting for you."

"Sounds good." Brandan put away his phone and they headed out. They walked the short distance to the car and got in with Tabatha in the drivers seat and started toward their destination not really even knowing where it was. Brandan got on the phone with Parker.

"Yeah Parker you've dealt with the Merovingian where is his chateau?" he asked. Parker typed in some information and waited briefly.

"It's about five hundred miles north of the city up in the mountains."

"Are you kidding how are we gonna get there?"

"Hold on I'll see how close I can get you with a hack you might have to exit back into the construct and be reloaded." Brandan waited for a few seconds while Parker checked his hack list to see what he could do to get them closer. "Hm, luckily his chateau happens to be overlooking a small town that's only a mile or so away."

"But is there a hard line there that we can load into that's the question?"

"Tracing." Parker tapped in a few commands as the computer did a hard line trace. "I've got one, town square payphone. Get back to the hard line so I can reload you." "Done." Brandan closed his phone and put it in his pocket.

"We have to go back to the loading point Parkers got to reload us to the right spot. It's too far away for us to drive to the Merovingian's Chateau." Tabatha looked forward and pressed on the gas.

"Aye Captain."

They pulled into the lot and parked the car.

"Let's move." Brandan took out his cell phone and called Parker.

"Operator."

"Is the exit clean?"

"Yes sir all clear."

"Alright talk to you soon." The three of them got out of the car and headed back to the exit. They approached the ringing phone, Brandan nodded at Isaiah, he nodded back and put the phone to his ear fading away. "You next," said Brandan looking at Tabatha as he put the phone back on the jack. She nodded acknowledging his order as the phone began to ring again she walked over and put the phone to her ear. Brandan placed the phone on the jack one last time waiting for it to ring he looked at his surroundings and just as the phone started to ring he placed it to his ear returning to the construct program. Brandan opened his eyes to be inside the construct program he took out his phone.

"Parker how long before you reload us?" he asked. Parker hit some keys.

"It'll be a few minutes Captain I have to set you up at the proper loading point." Parker hit a few more keystrokes. "Alright I got it, just try to lay low you're going to stand out a bit get to the bowels of the Merovingian's Chateau you can enter through the large sewer duct I'm uploading the location that you should find the Key Maker in, but it's only based on speculation." Brandan looked at Tabatha and Isaiah.

"Load us in Parker." Their surroundings changed to that of a small abandoned house dust and cobwebs were visible everywhere. Brandan gave the signal and began to walk Tabatha and Isaiah followed. The three of them walked out of the back door of the house and into a grassy field.

"Do you two have the location?" asked Brandan looking to each of them. The two of them nodded and they kept walking through the field when they came to a large sewer drain.

"This is what I was afraid of," Tabatha sighed as she stepped up into the drain, "Just remember it's not real." Brandan and Isaiah followed her into the drain.

"Sure isn't but that smell sure feels real," said Isaiah as the tunnel they walked into started to dip and lead down.

"Come on guys focus on the situation we don't know what we're going to encounter into here," said Brandan as he pulled out his cell phone, "and we have no cell phone signal in here." Brandan put his cell phone away and kept walking it wasn't long before they came to a door at the end of the tunnel. They step through the door and walk into a basement like structure, they take a look around and the tunnel the walls are cracking and in places moldy showing their age. The cement tiled floor has different strange markings on every other tile, visible at the end of the tunnel is a wall of metal bars beyond there are lights and deeper tunnels. At the end of the tunnel there is a corner.

"Wow that's welcoming," said Isaiah taking in the scenery.

"The key maker should be held in a cell that's a floor above us," said Brandan as he took a few steps in and removed his glasses, "keep your guard up guys." Brandan put his glasses back on and they started to walk in. Tabatha and Isaiah followed looking around suspiciously.

"Do you think they know we're here?" asked Isaiah. Tabatha looked at him sharply after looking around the room a bit more as they continued to walk.

"Yes, they do, there's no way for them not to, it's the Merovingian." Brandan looked back at both of them. The two of them quieted down.

In the ship Parker and Colin are watching the code as Brandan and the others walk through the tunnel. Parker leans in closer to the screen noticing something unfamiliar.

"Hey Colin do you see that?" he asked. Colin leaned in closer.

"Yes I see it."

"I've never seen code like that before in the Merovingian's Chateau."

"Call them." Parker types in the information puts his mouth piece up.

"Dammit no signal."

"Shit, what do we do?" Tarra leans in from behind them and looks at the screen.

"All you can do," she said, "trust they can take care of themselves."

Back inside Brandan, Isaiah, and Tabatha had made it deeper within the labyrinth. Isaiah turned quickly at a noise.

"What was that?" he asked. The others turned as Isaiah looked around he saw a rock roll to the ground.

"This place is falling apart," said Tabatha, "let's keep moving." Tabatha turned and walked forward ahead of them.

"Tabatha wait," said Isaiah. No sooner had Isaiah uttered the words the wall beside Tabatha exploded and a humanoid form came rushing at her. As the wall exploded Tabatha shielded her face from the debris that flew to her from it. The exile that burst from it came at her swinging Tabatha dodged his attacks with ease as she focused herself, time started to slow as she attacked her opponent coming at him with her feet flying. Tabatha grabbed him and threw him into the wall, causing it to crack and the man fell to the ground. Tabatha looked back at them.

"That is a nice hiding place." Brandan looked at her then looked ahead. "And now that we know there's no reason for them to keep hiding." Isaiah took a look around.

"I say we get moving let them come." They turned around another corner and came to a large door. "There should be a large room on the other side of this door." Brandan puts his back to the door and looks at Tabatha and Isaiah, they each look at him then at each other and remove their guns from their holsters, Isaiah removing his handgun from underneath his jacket and checking the clip, Tabatha removed her dual guns and flipped them each around in their respective hands to inspect them and took them in her hands ready to fire.

"Ready when you are Captain," she said. Brandan nodded and took out his gun after checking it.

"Let's go." Brandan gave them each one last glance and the three of them burst through the door guns at the ready. They come through the door and there is nothing to see each of them look at their surroundings there is nothing to be seen. They look at each other in confusion, they hear someone breathing.

"Shh do you hear that?" Isaiah looked around again then looked up to see 4 men standing on the ceiling pointing their guns at them. "Shit!" The three of them dispersed as the men opened fire on them returning fire. Isaiah returned fire on their attackers and backed behind one of the many pillars in the room. The stone chipped away from the pillar as the bullets collided with it. Isaiah new he had to find a way to disarm them and take them out, he took one last breath and began to focus himself, the seconds seemed to slow as Isaiah stepped out into view the bullets slowed and he moved easily between them. Isaiah opened fire again at them as he jumped into the air. Isaiah focused his hardest and managed to change his center of gravity. Isaiah shocked the men as he now stood on the ceiling between them, punching one in the face knocking him off the ceiling, as he hit the ground Tabatha grabbed him. Isaiah split kicked the two that stood on either side of him and Brandan engaged them on the ground disarming them. Isaiah quickly turned to the last of them and wrapped his legs around the mans neck quickly doing a backflip dropping to the ground and dropping them both to the ground landing with his weight on the mans neck. Isaiah came out of his focus and got to his feet quickly looking back at the man that he was confident should be dead. The man jumped to his feet quickly and pulled out a weapon.

"Dammit, what kind of exile are you?"

"The kind that doesn't die easily my friend," he slithered. The exile came at Isaiah swinging the weapon a shimmering dagger. Isaiah ducked and maneuvered around the weapon as quick as he could, he grabbed the mans hand and flipped it around at him forcing the knife into the mans stomach.

"How's that?" said Isaiah. The man smiled at him and kissed him on the lips briefly.

"Not good enough little boy, wanna play." Isaiah ripped the knife out of his body and through it on the ground. Isaiah began a relentless combo attacking the man from every angle he could. Isaiah focused again slowing time punching the man with a low attack causing him to bend over, as the exile bent over he back flipped kicking him in the face sending him flying through the air. Before he could hit the wall Isaiah sprung into the air and drove his foot into the mans chest and crashing him to the ground. The exile did a back flip knocking Isaiah into a nearby wall. Tabatha grabbed the exile as he fell from the ground and forced her gun into his stomach opening fire and emptying and entire clip into him. The exile looked up at her and smiled.

"Not good enough," the exile's voice was deep and engulfing. He broke her hold on him and kicked her back into a wall. The exile through another punch at her Tabatha dropped to the ground and the exile's fist went into the wall breaking through the ancient stone getting his fist stuck. Tabatha jumped to her feet behind him and grabbed him by the head and snapped his neck then kicked him into the wall.

"Was that?" Tabatha turned her back to look to Brandan who was tangling with the other two exiles.

"Tabatha look out!" yelled Isaiah as he knocked the exile he was fighting against the wall. The exile she had been fighting lunched at her, Tabatha focused and jumped into the air looking down as the exile looked up at her. Tabatha smiled down at him then shot down on his face with the heel of her boot crushing his head into the ground, she twisted her boot and jumped a few feet from the body and looked at him.

"What the hell are these guys?" The man got up and smiled at her with blood running down his face. "Your time is coming." Tabatha dashed at the man and attacked him with a high kick that was successfully blocked by the exile. The exile fought back attacking her in full force. The exile punched her in the face and she counterattacked him grabbing his arm and pulling him into her elbow. Tabatha began to focus and started to pummel the exile's chest then grabbed both of his arms and flipped off his chest sending him flying several feet from her. Tabatha glanced at Isaiah nodding to him thanking him as he continued to fight. The other two exiles hit he ground and jumped to their feet Brandan walked up to them and opened fire on both of them at point blank range until the clip was empty and threw the gun to the floor. Both of them rushed at him he ducked one punch and jumped a kick. Brandan hit the ground and grabbed both men by the arms and pulled them together elbowing each of them in the face. He pushed one of them down and pulled the other one into a knee to the gut then uppercut him into the air then jumped kicked him into the wall. Brandan turned his attention to the other exile that was now running at him. Brandan focused and lifted into the air and kicked the man in the face then dropped to the ground.

"Ah," Isaiah called out in pain. Brandan turned to face him and could see that the exile had Isaiah subdued and in a hold with the knife to his throat.

"Isaiah!" Tabatha and her attacker both stopped and looked at each other then to Isaiah in the choke hold.

"Give up now or I'll cut his throat," slithered the exile.

"Don't do it, kill them Brandan." Brandan and Tabatha looked at each other then to Isaiah and lowered their hands to their sides. One of the exiles came up behind Brandan and knocked him out with a club. "Dammit," said Isaiah. The exile leaned into Isaiah and licked his ear then knocked him out and dropped him to the ground. Tabatha looked at both of them as the other three exiles approached her from all sides. Tabatha looked all around her for an exit. Tabatha saw that there was another door at the other end of the room.

"That's it." Tabatha focused her hardest and jumped into the air at the wall, she dashed all along the wall toward the door, the exiles opened fire on her but she kicked the door open and slipped through and dashing as fast as she could down the hallway and got her back to a corner. Three of the exiles burst through the doorway.

"He will be very displeased with us for this," said the exile that she had been fighting in his deep gurgling voice.

"Tell Cujo we have a worry he needs to take care of," slithered the other.

"Great," said Tabatha walking down the hall, "I have to complete the mission, I'll deal with them later."

Parker, Colin and the others were watching the code as all was happening.

"Man you've gotta send me in there, they're going to kill them," said Colin jumping into one of the broadcast terminals.

"We can't, not yet, those exiles would have killed them by now if they were going to I don't think that our regular fighting method is going to kill those bastards," explained Parker. Saba looked at Colin then him.

"What do you mean Parker?" Parker typed in some information and one of the screens changed to a body of one of the Merovingians exiles. "I thought I'd never dealt with one these exiles before but it turns out they are in my database. When these programs went exile they chose to be vampiric and much like vampires only a few things will kill them, stake to the heart or complete decapitation."

"How many people keep a stake on hand?" asked Tara.

Tabatha turned a corner and came to some steps that she was sure would lead her to where she needed to be. Tabatha took a quick look around and dashed for the steps and ran up them. She came to another long hallway that seemed to go forever it was lined with cells from which she could hear movement. Tabatha stepped into the hall as her shoe clicked several cells came alive and people were staring at her. Tabatha slowly approached the first cell she came to.

"Where is the Key Maker?" she asked the inmate. As she looked at him she realized that he had no eyes and his mouth was sown shut. She backed away from the cell and started to walk again.

"My eye's they took my eye!" cried one of the inmates.

"Where is the key maker?" Tabatha could hear the sound of metal scraping and what sounded like a rusty wheel turning. She ran toward the sound as it got louder and louder as she got closer. Tabatha finally came to the cell and looked in. A small Asian man was sitting in the room the walls were lined with keys that sparkled in the small amount of light from the cell window. The man sat facing a crewed machine that she now came to realize was a grinder. "Are you the Key Maker?" The man stopped what he was doing and looked back at her.

"Are you Tabatha from the Navras?"

"Yes but how did you know that?" she asked confused. The Key Maker stepped up to the window holding a key.

"I know only what I must know," he held up the key, "I believe this is the reason you're here." The Key Maker passed her the key.

"Thank you."

"Now go you must leave here before they find you," the man pulls out another key. "This key will get you out of the chateau and back to your friend."

"What about Brandan and Isaiah where will they be taken?"

"They will be fine now go you have to trust me use the key on the last door you came from." Tabatha nodded and ran back the way she came. Tabatha ran as fast as she could bounding down the steps she came up from and ran to the door. She stuck the key in the door and opened it. The door led to what looked like the construct program but it was a long hallway of doors, she stepped in and closed the door.

Parker was still watching closely as Tabatha walked through the door and closed it. "Where did she go?" he asked. Colin was still with him.

"Don't worry about it she's awake what about the others?"