The city of Zion was alive as it had not been for some time. The normal look of desperation and self pity on the numerous faces was replaced by one of hope, a change brought on by a single, yet glorious, thought: freedom. By now, everybody had heard the news of the One's Awakening, an event which had been the focus of their lives for many years. They finally had a champion to fight for their cause, someone who could defeat the seemingly invincible Machines, and free humankind. They had hope.
This thought was the focus of every mind in the entire city, including one boy who should have been concentrating on other, more important things. He was still very young, not yet ready to leave the safety of the city, but he still had responsibilities, as did everyone. It was his job, as part of his training, to keep an eye on the endless stream of data that was the true form of the Matrix. He was actually very good at it, able to notice complicated patterns quickly, allowing him to follow what was happening in that world easily. But the monotony of it did wear on him, and he often found himself daydreaming of being out there, heroically battling the evil hoards of Machines for all humanity. Through others, of course, as he had no manner or desire to go into the Matrix himself. He'd have to be a guide, an assistant to the real warriors, which suited him just fine. Like everyone else he despised the Machines, and wanted to see them all destroyed, yet he knew his limitations. He knew he was most helpful in the real world, assisting those who could make a difference. Which is why he spent all his time studying to be an Operator, dreaming that maybe one day, he'd actually be able to send the One himself into the Matrix to destroy the Machines once and for all.
It was this daydreaming that allowed him to miss the event when it occurred, existing for mere seconds as a brief abnormality in the endless data stream displayed on the three computer screens arrayed in front of him. All he saw was a flicker out of the corner of his eye, but that was enough to arouse his suspicion. Since the data stream was recorded for just such and event, he was able to call back the last few minutes on a fourth screen to see what he had missed. What he saw sent chills through his body and tied his stomach in knots. For one long moment, all he could do was stare at the green symbols rolling past on the screen in front of him in silence. Finally, he came to his senses, and scrambled for the comm line that would patch him into his commanding officer's office.
"Yes," the general said flatly from his headquarters deeper inside the defence building.
"Sir, this Watcher Post 2," the boy said. He could hear the fear in his own voice, but he didn't care. This was too important for vanity. "There's something here you need to see."
"Try it again," Neo shouted over the noise in the Nebuchadnezzars' dismantled bridge. "But slowly this time! We don't have many of these computer's left." Deeper inside the ship, Tank rolled his eyes. He knew better than anyone how dear these devices were, but he just let Neo rant. It helped him relieve the stress. It couldn't be easy being the almighty One, the saviour of humanity, the hope of all mankind. It isn't that great being his operator either, Tank thought, a smile crossing his lips.
Tank started to slowly bring the power to the refitted bridge back up to full, praying silently that nothing would blow out. He'd spent months with a tech team from Zion repairing and refitting the Neb so it'd be fit to carry Neo into the heart of the Machines mainframe. Or something like that. Tank had no idea why they were going to all this trouble, really. Sure, he felt better with the two new, state of the art EMP cannons mounted on the Neb's hull. And the new armour that covered the entire ship certainly helped him sleep better at night. But without more warriors, ships, and supplies, all these new toys were just for show. Neo was just one man, and the Neb was just on ship; they couldn't win the war on their own.
A shout of triumph came from the bridge, and Tank let out a sigh of relief. One problem fixed, two hundred and forty eight to go. Neo came sailing down the ladder from the bridge, landing on the deck with resounding thump. "Good work, Tank," he said as he hurriedly walked past him. "What's next?"
But before Tank could answer, a shrill ringing called both of them back up to the bridge. As he climbed off the ladder, Tank saw from the soft glow of the monitors that power had been restored to the bridge, but half of the control panels and screens still remained dark. The systems would have to be brought online later, another painstakingly slow job.
The ringing was coming from the communications console, letting them know that someone was trying to contact them. Neo toggled the switch to answer the call, and an image of General Arcus, looking very upset this morning, filled the screen. The general was the brains behind the war, and it wore on him heavily. "Neo," he began in a tired, yet rough voice, "We have... an issue, that needs your personal attention immediately. We need you down in the command centre right away."
"General, we just got started bringing the systems back online here, and..." Neo was cut off by the figure that had appeared from somewhere off screen.
"Neo, it's serious," Morpheus said, "We're sending a transport for you. Tank, you'd better come too. Be here in ten minutes." With that, the screen went blank again. Neo and Tank shared a look of concern. What could be more important to Morpheus then getting his ship back in working order? Neo and Tank shared a worried look then went outside to wait for the transport.
"A very beautiful day. Don't you agree?"
The sombre agent looked around at the leafy green surroundings, then gave his new partner an appraising look. He never would understand why the Mainframe had decided to give this, their new creation, such a disgustingly human quality as emotions. He didn't find the Matrix good or bad, it just was. That's how things were, and there was no reason to comment on it. It was a waste of time and energy to do so.
"Why did you bring us here?" the agent asked dully. "I though we were supposed to be finding this... One. This Neo." The agent couldn't stop some of his doubt for this new creation's abilities slip out. She was seemed to be too erratic, whatever she was. To call her an agent would be almost blasphemous, as she was nothing like the Agent base program at all. She was a unique creation in every way, designed with the ability to handle any situation that might occur during her mission, like an agent, but with only a single purpose; destroy the One. That was the extent of the knowledge held by the agents on this new weapon, whom they were supposed to work with, but knew nothing about.
"Have faith, brother. I know how to lure this rabble-rouser into the open. Just be patient." They continued to wait in the park that she'd led them too, watching the humans passing, completely unaware of the true nature of their lives. Then, finally, she sprang into action. She walked casually towards a human, a mere girl, who was walking towards them. She had no idea who or what they really were, nor did she really seem to care. The agent followed his partner's lead, but he kept his distance. If she was made a mistake, she was on her own.
She walked up to the young girl and stood so she blocked her path. "Do you know who I am?" she asked calmly while fixing the girl with an intense, icy glare.
"Um, no," the girl asked cautiously. She couldn't have been more than twelve years old, and probably had more to fear from her fellow man then anything else in the park. "Should I?"
A vicious grin split the lips of the programmed woman as she stared down at the nervous little human. "Yes, you should." Her hand sprang up from her side and clasped onto the girls head, holding it in an iron grip. Fear flashed across the girls face, and she panicked, nearly screaming out, but only for a second. After that, she went completely limp, and appeared to be unconscious, except her eyes remained locked onto those of her captors. They were filled, not with fear, but something else, something stronger, yet different. She couldn't turn away. The new weapon tilted the young girls head up so their faces were only centimetres apart. "My name," she said in a dark whisper, "is Nyx." A tear of joy rolled down the girls cheek, and a smile spread across both of their faces. "Now," Nyx said as she released the girl, "I have a little job for you. One of most importance."
"My God," Tank exclaimed after watching the recording made by a young lad at a Watcher Post only hours before.
"Exactly." The General hit a key to freeze the playback on the screen built into his office wall. "That happened last night. We don't know what it was, exactly, but we know it's bad, whatever it is." The general sat down in the old artificial leather chair behind his desk and faced the three men standing in front of him in his small, uncluttered office. "What do you think?"
"I think we just saw the birth of another agent," Tank replied.
Neo thought for a moment. "No. It wasn't right. The pattern was... different somehow." Tank still had a hard time remembering that, now that he knew who he was, Neo could read and understand the Matrix code better then anyone living. "It was a another sentient program," Neo allowed, "but not an agent."
"Whatever it was, it's powerful," Morpheus added. "What we could understand of it's program showed it too be almost limitless in agility, speed and strength. There were also attributes which we couldn't completely comprehend." Morpheus took a deep breath before going on. "This could be something the Machines have created to eliminate you, Neo. Or at least to neutralize you for a time, so they can regain control of humanity. Without you around, they can reintegrate the individuals we've already awakened back into the power plant, and we'd be back where we started. Hell, they might even be able to crush the resistence. Then there'd be nothing left of humanity."
"Why don't they just attack me here, in the real world?" Neo asked. "I'd be practically defenceless."
"That's a good question. I wish we knew the answer. Whatever it is, it lies with this... thing."
Neo nodded his head in resignation. "Then there's only one thing to do. I have to face it, find out what we're really up against."
"I'm coming with you," Morpheus said.
"No, you can't. It's to dangerous. For anybody. I'm going in alone."
"Well you're not getting rid of me that easily." Tank said. "You'll need somebody to pull your ass out of the fire. But how are we going to get to broadcast depth? The Neb's still in a pile on the docking bay floor, remember?"
"Leave that to me," the general interrupted. "You two be prepared to leave in two hours. There'll be a ship ready to take you out by then." And with that, Tank and Neo left the general's office to gather the few things they'd need from their living quarter's.
"Neo, wait!" They turned around and saw Morpheus trotting down the hallway towards them. "I need to speak with you. It's important." Tank, sensing the urgency in Morpheus' words, decided to give them their privacy, and continued on his way alone.
"What's going on, Morpheus?"
"Neo, I have a bad feeling about this. I don't know how to explain it... I just don't think
it's a good idea for you to go in by yourself."
"Morpheus," Neo said, "I understand that you're worried about me, but you know I can handle myself in there better than..."
"No, I don't," Morpheus interrupted. "Not this time. There's something strange going on here. Something that might be too much even for you to handle. Bring somebody with you. They can just stay hidden and keep an eye out, in case something goes wrong."
Neo opened his mouth to argue, but consented. "Alright. But not you. You're too important to loose on a stunt like this."
"So are you," Morpheus replied, a smile on his lips. "I'll send Stark along. I've been training him for the last few weeks. He's young and eager, but competent."
"Good. Just make sure he knows what he's getting himself into with all of this." Neo shared a knowing smile with his old friend. "I better go if I want to say goodbye to Trinity before I leave."
"Good Luck," Morpheus called after him.
"What do you mean they don't know what it is? How can they not know what it is? Neo, I don't want you risking your life over some glorified typo! I love you, and I don't want to lose you again." Trinity's words kept echoing through Neo's head as he walked down the crowded street that wasn't a street, watching the faces of people who weren't really there. He still found it a little eery, especially when he saw places and things that had, at one time, been a part of his life. He tried to silence the voice of his love as best he could. All it could do now was distract him.
With the immense control he held over the Matrix, Neo's very presence here would alert every agent the Machines had. That's why he didn't want to bring anybody else along. The agents normally kept there distance from him in the Matrix, since even they had a will to exist, but one or two might be foolhardy enough to try and challenge him, and he might not be able to stop them before somebody was hurt. Neo continued to watch the crowd carefully. He should be able to spot an agent before he was found out himself, but this new creation he was looking for might be a different story. No need to prove Trinity right by getting himself or his colleague hurt by a this thing because he was distracted.
Stark had picked out a position near the end of the street, leaning against an old brick building where he could see everything. His job was to observe and assist if possible. Neo had stressed that last part, and he seemed to understand what that really meant: stay out of the way, and keep an eye out for trouble. Morpheus had been right about this kid. He was certainly capable, and very eager to please, a trait Neo thought he might find annoying with time.
"Neo!!!" The shrill cry made him spin around, his long black coat floating about him. "Neo!!!" He couldn't find where the scream was coming from. He shared a worried look with Stark over the heads of the people on the sidewalk, but he just shrugged. He didn't know where the voice was coming from either. Some of the people in the crowd were looking around too, but most of them simply walked on, uninterested. Neo kept searching for the voice, and then he saw her. She was young girl, maybe eleven or twelve, with long blonde hair cascading down her back, clothed in a simple, green school uniform. How does she know who I am?, Neo thought to himself. She walked towards him from the other side of the street, heedless of the cars flying by at her heels. Neo looked at her and was taken aback. Pure hatred flared in her sharp, blue eyes. "Neo." She was only a few feet away from him now, and he could almost feel the hatred radiating from her. Suddenly, she lunged at him with surprising speed, clawing for his throat. Neo easily stepped aside, making sure she didn't fall in the process. Something was horribly wrong here.
Neo stole a glance towards Stark, who was watching intently but, thankfully, staying put. Adding someone else to this wouldn't help at all. When Neo turned back to the deranged girl, he found himself staring down the barrel of a .37 Magnum. He barely was able to get out of the way of the bullet as it flew past his ear. In another fluid motion, he pulled the gun from the girls hands and turned it on her. Where had that come from?, he thought quickly. When she had approached him, the girl had been unarmed, he was sure of it. Now that she was covered by the gun, the girl seemed to calm down a bit, although she still growled at Neo as he backed her into an alley, away from the gaping and frightened crowd. "Who are you?" he demanded.
"Die, asshole!" she screeched, kicking at his shins and groin. Neo reached out and touched the girls head, and she stopped screaming and kicking at him. With the gun still pointed at her, Neo pulled out his cellular phone from his coat.
"Operator." Tank promptly answered.
"I need you to run a test program on this girl. She's out now, but I don't know for how long."
"No problem." A few moments passed as Tank ran the program over the girls input feed into the Matrix, then he came back on. "This kids got some serious problems here."
"You're not kidding. What's wrong with her?"
"I don't know. I've never seen anything like this. According to this information, her body was taken over by an agent, but only subconsciously. She still has control over her actions, but her motives are someone else's. It's like she's been brainwashed." Tank worked his keyboard for a moment. "Hang on, I think I can purge the influence."
"Please do." The girl began to stir, and Neo prepared himself. If Tank hadn't finished yet, the girl would still want to rip him apart. Putting the phone and gun away, Neo took a few steps back to give them both some room. The girl blinked, then looked sleepily around the dark alley. Her eyes opened wide in alarm, and she started to stagger away from the wall.
"Who... who are you?" she asked, her voice quivering with fear and uncertainty. "Where am I?"
"It's alright," Neo said, trying to calm the girl down, "I'm not going to hurt you. My name's Neo. I'm a friend. Are you alright?"
"I... I think so. What happened? How did I get here?"
"What was the last thing you remember, uh..."
"Amanda," she replied shakily.
"Amanda. Do you remember anything at all?"
"Uh, yeah, I think so. I was walking to school this morning and... there was this woman. She was dressed all in, like, black leather with these dark sunglasses. She looked like a business woman or something. Except she seemed too... I don't know weird."
"Yes, go on," Neo coaxed.
"I was walking past her, and she stepped in front of me. I tried to go around her but she wouldn't let me. She asked me if I knew her name, but I'd never seen her before. I thought she was nuts or something." The girl started shaking now, fear creeping into her voice. "Then... then she crabbed my head. Hard. I heard her talking to me, but she wasn't talking, you know? Her lips weren't moving or anything, it was like she was in my head. My whole body went numb. I just hung there all limp, being held up by her hand on my head. The voice in my head started telling me things. Such horrible things..." Amanda collapsed into Neo's arms and sobbed and Neo held her in disbelief. Could this thing he'd been looking for have done this?
After a few minutes, Neo leaned the still crying girl against the wall of the alley. He was going to get Stark, drop Amanda off at a hospital, then get the Hell out of here, before something else happened. Neo walked out onto the still crowded street, and looked for Stark at the stairs. He wasn't there. Neo ran down the street, limiting his speed so he didn't draw attention to himself, and stopped at the place where his companion had been. Panic flashed through his mind as he searched for some clue as to where he had gone. He found a small, crumpled, piece of paper lying at the foot of the stairs. He opened it and found it was stained with small droplets of blood. He read the short message that was typed on the scrap.
"It begins" was all it said.