Welcome to The Real World
Chapter 3: Of Agents and Oracles
Pheonix slammed the car door shut and looked around. This was the first time she'd actually been into the Matrix itself since they'd unplugged her and Saber. Now here they were, back in it again.
She couldn't say she'd looked forward to it-because she hadn't. But at the same time, Pheonix had been infinently curious as to what the Oracle would tell her. She knew some of what she'd told Trinity and Morpheus, and ALL of what she'd told Neo, but she wanted to know what she would *personally* say to her. And this time, she didn't think there were any cameras watching.
She glanced at Saber, knowing that they were thinking the same thing. Saber had on a pair of high-heeled boots, and she wore a sleek, shiny tanktop and pants. Pheonix, on the other hand, wore a loose black top, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, clunky army boots, and loose, comfortable pants. And *somebody* had apparently thought it would be funny if her hair was in little braids. She was *so* going to get Tank for that when they got back.
She pushed her glasses up higher on her nose, and for the billioneth time wished she didn't need them. Couldn't she have contacts or something? But nooooooo, her stupid Residual Self Image kept sticking them on her. Blasted computers.
Ah well, time to get this over with.
***
"After you," Morpheus said with a little smile.
Saber mentally growled, but simply opened the apartment door and stepped inside. A woman met her just inside, and smiled sweetly. "Come in," She said in a gentle voice, and led Saber and Pheonix into a living room like area.
Saber scanned the room. Remembering what the room looked like in the movie, she noticed that the people around the room were dramatically different. While they had been children before, now they were teenagers, and one adult, who looked extremely nervous. Saber casually sat down on the couch, and watched as Pheonix sat on the floor next to a teenager with purple hair and an eyebrow ring, with whom she was soon deep in conversation.
She sighed, and slid down in her seat. She'd never been good at waiting. Or sitting still, for that matter. Less better at sitting still. Apparently finding the truth hadn't changed that. She shifted positions, sitting on her ankle. But then it started to go to sleep, so she moved again. And again. The girl on the couch next to her was giving her odd looks, and that one adult glared at her like she was some immature little kid.
Just as Saber was about ready to get up and start pacing, she jumped when she heard her name. "Wha...Huh?"
"Saber?" The woman who had shown her in smiled at her. "She will see you now."
"Uh, right." Saber lept up, and practically ran into the kitchen. The Oracle, a small, kind of heavy woman with frizzy, greying hair, was up to her elbows in soap suds.
"Just have a seat, deary," she said distractedly. "I'll be with you in a minute."
Saber awkwardly took a seat at the table, and glanced around. Her eyes landed on a fly on the wall, and lazily watched it climb.
"What are you looking at?"
Saber jumped, and realised that the Oracle had moved, and sat across from her at the table, smiling in a motherly way.
"Uh...know thyself." Saber said quickly, remembering the plaque.
"Is that what it says?" The Oracle smiled, looking mildly surprised.
Saber, puzzled, looked at the plaque. The Latin phrase that had been on the plaque had changed to a different Latin phrase.
"It says 'I think, therefore I am'." The Oracle smiled happily.
"Meaning...?"
"Think." The Oracle smiled wider.
Saber bit her lip, thinking hard. "Does it mean that if I think hard enough, I can change things in the Matrix?"
The Oracle smiled softly, then rose and went to the cupboard. "Danish?"
Saber gave her a blank look. "Say what?"
"Would you like a Danish? I had the urge for one this morning, so I had one of my Children go get one. But then when they got back, I discovered I didn't really want one after all. Do you ever feel like that?"
Saber looked in the plastic package the Oracle held forward. "All the time."
"Well then, this should taste especially good." She nodded, and Saber reluctanly took a bite.
The Oracle slowly sat down, and put on her glasses. She looked at Saber for a moment, chewing slowly on the Danish, then said, "I'm not going to give you a lecture on obeying authority, Saber. You're probably going to hear enough of them in the months to come. However, I will tell you this. Morpheus knows what he's doing. And everything he's doing, he's doing it because he believes that it's the best thing. Trust him, if nothing else."
Saber smiled slowly at that. "I guess you're right."
"Of course," The Oracle smiled, then rose. "Would you be a dear and send your friend Pheonix in? I need to have a word with her as well."
"Sure," Saber said, and got up. "Thanks."
"Just doing my job."
***
Pheonix slowly siddled into the kitchen. being very careful to avoid the vase.
"Hello dear," The Oracle smiled at her. "Have a seat."
Pheonix swallowed, and slowly sat down. "Any pearls of wisdom?"
"Many. But only a few for you. Have you ever heard the phrase 'Veni, Vedi, Vici'?"
"'I came, I saw, I conquered'. Julius Ceasar said that." Pheonix shrugged. "So?"
"Did you realise that unconciously, that's what you've been doing?"
"Huh?" Pheonix looked with bewilderment at the Oracle, who was grinning like the Chesire cat.
"You realised what the Matrix is, so you 'came'. Then you began to understand how to figure it out, so you 'saw'. Then, you began to change things. You have begun to 'conquer'." The Oracle smiled. "You have been unconciously living the words of Ceasar. For instance, walking through walls."
"Yeah, how was I able to do that anyway?" Pheonix asked, sitting up. "Morpheus doesn't know."
"You did it because you didn't realise you couldn't. Noone ever specifically said, 'Pheonix, I've tested walking through walls, and it doesn't work, so don't bother trying.' Even if you did try after you heard that, you probably wouldn't be able to do it because you don't think it can be done. Don't listen to anybody when they tell you something can't be done. Never."
Pheonix smiled slowly. "So, I can do almost anything?"
The Oracle smiled. "Don't start thinking too highly of yourself. You can't do *anything*. You can do a great many things that noone has even thought of doing before. But noone, not even Neo can do anything they want."
Pheonix shrugged. "But, I could try, right? I mean, I don't know the limits of what I can do."
"No one does. That's why you can do the things you do, because you don't know what the limits are. Just don't forget that this is a world based on rules. You can break some, and bend others, but someday you'll break a rule for which there are consequences. Don't ever give up, Pheonix, but always be careful about it."
Pheonix slowly shook her head. "So I can push the barriers, but not too far?"
"Precisly." The Oracle rose and went to the cupboard, returning with a cake tin. "Cupcake?"
Pheonix looked inside. There were two cupcakes, both identical with white icing, except for one thing. One cupcake had a red jellybean on top, one had a blue. "Is this some kind of joke?" She demanded, angry.
"Of course not. Make a choice."
For a long moment, Pheonix stared at the two cupcakes. Then her hand slowly reached inside, and pulled one out. Calmly, she plucked the red jelly-bean off the top and popped it in her mouth. "I made my desicion," she said calmly, proudly. "And I will stick with it."
The Oracle smiled like a proud mother. "I knew you would."
***
Pheonix left the room, to see Saber talking quietly to the girl she'd been talking with. The girl's name was Shadow, and she was also unplugged. Not by Morpheus, but by another group of computer hackers, rebels. She was a little older than Pheonix, but not by much. She seemed to be what most people thought of when they thought of computer hackers, a girl with attitude and jewellary in odd places and dressing always in black.
Pheonix sighed. Shadow was a really nice girl, but she was a little, well, *wild* compared to what Pheonix was used to. Not that she was complaining, it was just that she wasn't used to spending time with that type of person. Sure, she'd been the one to initiate conversation, but she had been nervous, lonely, wondering if her desicion to enter the truth had been the right one. She'd needed comfort, solstice, another opinion. She needed to talk to someone she didn't know, someone who would look at her situation with fresh eyes. And of all the people in the room, she was sure that this girl, Shadow, would be the most honest, the most understanding.
And she had been right. Shadow had completely understood, had sympathised with her when she told her that, despite how annoying they often got, that she missed her parents, her three brothers, her little sister. How she wished at times that she had just ignored the things she found on the computer and gone on with her life. She knew that was impossible-honestly, now that she'd seen it, she *needed* the truth, and she knew she would never go back. But she had needed to say it, needed to get her fear out in the open. She couldn't talk to anyone on the Neb, because they all already had opinions on what she would say. But she had to say it to *someone*.
And she felt better for doing so. But *how* had the Oracle known about her doubts, her fears? Freaky.
She shook her head to clear it, and said, softly, "Saber?"
The older girl jumped, and glanced at Shadow. The purple-headed teenager smiled, and Saber stood up. "All ready to go," She said briskly.
Pheonix nodded, and they headed out into the hall where Morpheus waited. He rose when they entered, and motioned to the door.
Together, they walked out.
***
Morpheus turned the key, the others sitting in the back of the car, waiting. The car didn't start. Frowning, he turned the key again. Still it didn't start. Trinity, who sat in the front seat beside him looked at him in puzzlment, and Saber, Pheonix and Viper leaned over the backs of their seats to see what was the matter.
"Is something wrong?" Saber asked nervously.
Morpheus popped the hood, and they all climbed out. "The spark plugs are missing," he frowned. "Does anyone know how this happened?"
Trinity and Viper looked at each other. "We were guarding the car the whole time," Trinity frowned. "Nothing happened to the car."
"Oh, no..." Viper said slowly.
"I don't like the sounds of that," Morpheus said.
"There was this guy that walked past, in the alley, and I thought maybe I was seeing things or something, but I thought I saw the guy walk past again. Do you think...they changed something or something?"
"Quite likely. Since they didn't know where we are, they couldn't just attack, but they can change everything, even if they don't know where it is." Trinity shook her head. "What do we do, Morpheus?"
"We get out other ways. Trinity, Viper, you come with me. Saber and Pheonix, you'd better take the subway system to get to the rendezvous. It'll be safer, they won't be looking there." He adjusted his glasses, and sighed. "Go. Now."
Pheonix and Saber turned, and raced along the street. For the first time since they'd entered the Matrix, Pheonix was actually glad she was wearing loose, comfortable clothes. It would have been pretty hard to run in skin-tight leather. She grabbed the cellphone she'd been given out of her pocket, and dialed. The line was busy.
"Great," she muttered, and hurtled after Saber. They raced along the street, dogging pedestrians, jumping over benches, even leaping over the hoods of cars when they raced across the street against the lights.
Saber raced down the steps of the subway, and Pheonix followed, flipping open the cell phone again. This time, when she dialed, the phone actually began to ring. "Operator," came the voice on the other end.
"Tank, this is Pheonix."
"Yeah, Firebird, I heard. You and the others split up. Head downtown to the warehouse sector. The roof of the building on the corner of Dawson and Wellsy."
"Thanks, Tank. And don't call me Firebird." Pheonix flipped the phone shut, and called to Saber, "Downtown!"
Saber nodded, and tossed tokens at the ticket taker. Together, they jumped over the ticket stiles, and raced into the station. There, they paused, waiting nervously for the subway to arrive. Saber was reading the posters as Pheonix looked around when Pheonix froze. "Uh, Sabe?" She asked, tapping her friend on the shoulder.
"What?" Her friend asked, not moving.
"You might wanna see this," she said slowly, pointing discreetly behind them.
Saber slowly turned around, and paled. "Agent!" She hissed.
"I noticed," Pheonix said sarcastically. "Did you notice how young he is? He's the same one that I saw when we escaped the first time."
"Great," Saber groaned. "It would at least be better if there were anyone else actually in the station."
Pheonix glanced around, trying not to attract the agents attention. Sure enough, there was noone else anywhere, not even the ticket agent. "So, what do we do?"
"Nothing, and hope he doesn't notice us." Saber hissed.
Pheonix glanced discreetly over her shoulder, to see the agent walking towards them. "Nothing doing, Sabe. He's already on his way."
"Uh, hope the subway gets here really soon?"
"You know subways. Never there when you need them!" Pheonix yelled the last part of her speech, spinning and slamming a kick in the agent's direction. She missed, of course, in that he ducked, but before she could move her leg back, he slammed back up again, caught her leg, and flipped her.
Pheonix hit the ground with a thud, and rolled out of the way as the agent slammed his heel into the place where her face had been a moment before. Saber angrily struck at the agent, but he too avoided her attack.
Distracted by Saber's continuous attack, the agent didn't notice Pheonix slowly move, then suddenly scissor kick him, knocking him to the floor. She lept up, and smirked at the agent still lying on the floor. "Wimp."
His reaction was immediete. Before either girls could move, the agent slammed his legs out, and with a snapping scissor, threw both the girls to the ground at once. Saber let out a groan, and clutched her shoulder. The agent ignored her, and lunged at Pheonix. He slammed his elbow into her throat, and Pheonix let out a painful gasp.
"Admit it!" He snarled.
Wheezing, Pheonix rasped "Get...off!"
"Admit it!" He practiaclly yelled. "Admit I'm not a wimp! Admit it!!"
Taking advatage of his disraction, she brought her hands up and slammed them into his gut. He let out a gasp, but didn't release his hold. Instead, he twisted, and together the two fell off the platform and onto the tracks.
Saber limped to the edge, and looked over. Pheonix and the agent were struggling mightily, and for a moment, Pheonix broke free. Before she could get away though, the agent snagged her again, and locked her in a vicious headlock. "You disappiont me, Miss Morgan," he growled.
Pheonix twisted, trying to get loose. "The name is Pheonix!"
He laughed. "Is it?" He squeezed the headlock tighter. "I always thought your name was Heather Morgan."
"It was. In another lifetime." Pheonix bared her fingernails, and dug them into the tender part of the agent's hands.
"Ouch!" He yelled, and while he was off guard, Pheonix pulled herself out of the way.
And not a moment too soon, either. Just entering the station was the long awaited subway. Saber used her good arm to help pull Pheonix up, and she got on the top seconds before the subway raced past the spot where she'd just been. She glanced down a moment, not seeing the agent.
"C'mon," Saber growled, and raced into the door of the now stopped subway. Pheonix paused a nanosecond, and followed her. The car was completely empty, and the two looked back and forth nervously. "Too empty," Saber frowned. "Too suspicious."
A door at the other end of the car opened, and in stepped the agent. "I'll say," Pheonix gasped, turned, and jumped onto one of the seats.
"What are you doing?!" Saber cried, backing away from the agent, who was steadily and purposely walking towards them.
Pheonix reached up, and plunged her hands through the roof. "There is no spoon," she snarled, and with a grunt, pulled herself *through* the roof.
Saber watched as the agent paused, his eyes wide, and bit her lip. "Alright Pheonix, we've take this your way." She lept up onto the seat, took a deep breathe, and pulled herself through.
Pheonix helped her friend up onto the roof, and grinned ferally. "I'd like to see him try *that*."
*SLAM!*
Both froze.
*SLAM!*
"What was that?"
*SLAM!*
Saber swallowed. "I think he's trying."
*SLAM!*
Both let out a cry as a fist suddenly plunged through the roof immedietly in front of them.
"Move!" Pheonix yelled, and began skidding along the top of the roof, avoiding the top of the tunnel, and cautiously skirting the hole that the agent had made in the roof. Saber followed cautiously, but as she passed the hole, the agent's hand shot out and seized Saber's ankle.
"Hey!" Saber yelled, and with her other shoe, slammed her pointed toe into the agent's hand. There was a yelp, and the agent released her foot. "Sheesh, man that agent *is* a wimp," she growled as she continued crawling.
Suddenly, they emerged into the light, and Pheonix yelled, "Here's our stop!" and lept off.
Saber followed. They barely even had hit the ground before they started running. "Where are we going?" Saber yelled.
"Dawson and Wellsy!" Pheonix called over her shoulder as they left the subway and emerged onto the street.
There was silence for the next few minutes as the girls sprinted down the streets. Pheonix was frankly amazed at it all. Before she'd left the Matrix, she *never* would have been able to do this-she would have been doubled over long ago, unable to breathe. It was amazing what knowing the truth and realising what she could really do could do to a person.
Pheonix spotted a street sign-Dawson-and called, "It's coming up, Saber!"
The other girl didn't respond, but just followed. Together, they ducked into the little alley at the side of the building on the corner, and raced to the fire exit.
"Stop!" A voice suddenly yelled, and both turned just long enough to see the same agent emerge from the subway station behind them, gun drawn. Then both ignored him and began barelling up the fire escape.
Bullets whizzed at them, ricocheting off the metal, sometimes getting dangerously close. When he'd emptyed his clip, he began racing up after them. Pheonix reached the second last balcony, and as she turned to help Saber up, the gun spoke again. Saber, who was almost up to Pheonix, let out a cry of pain, and stumbled, blood spurting from her leg.
"Saber!" Pheonix yelled, and running forward, helped her friend limp up the last few steps. "Get up there," she growled, pushing her friend up the last stairs. "I'll deal with him."
****
Tank stared at the screen. "What does that kid think she's doing?!?" He yelped. "Firebird!" He yelled at the screen. "This is no time to be noble!"
***
The agent wasn't expecting Pheonix to be pressed against the wall when he turned the corner. Neither did he expect her to kick out, knocking the gun out of his hands. "Hey!"
So it was easy to guess he didn't expect her to slam forward and body check him hard enough to send him hurtling over the railing of the fire escape.
Granted then, it was her turn not to expect something-him to snag her boots and drag her over with him.
Pheonix let out a gasp of fear, and her hands reached blindly-and caught the railing. There was a painful jerk as her arms were nearly ripped out of her sockets, and a sudden jerk on her leg as the agent clinging to her leg also slowed.
She grit her teeth, and looked down. The agent was clinging to her leg, and through gritted teeth, he growled, "Don't move. Just don't move."
She looked up at the railing, and ignoring the agent's order, began to drag herself up and over the railing.
"I told you not to move, you idiot!" The agent yelled, and Pheonix felt a sudden jerk on her leg that pulled her back down. She almost lost her grip, and tried to contain a yelp of pain.
Suddenly, the weight on her leg was gone, and she looked down in surprise. The agent had let go, and swung so that he landed on the balcony below. He glared at her, then began to steadily, slowly march up the fire escape again.
Pheonix growled, and pulled herself up, and over the railing. Not wanting to repeat that, she turned and raced up the ladder, seconds before the agent reached her. Panting, she emerged on the roof to face Morpheus, Viper, Trinity and Saber-steps ahead of the agent.
The agent pulled himself up behind her-just as the phone began to ring.
He pulled a gun out of his jacket, and trained it straight on Morpheus. "Don't answer that," he growled. "Just let it ring."
Pheonix swallowed, and narrowed her eyes. He was an agent, sure, but he reacted oddly-acting like a typical teenaged male with weapons on a power trip, in fact.
In that moment, she decided to act. She stepped to right in front of the agent. He paused, staring at her in confusion.
She lifted her hand, holding it in front of his face, then suddenly plunged her hand *into* his face. Her hand should have emerged on the other side, but though she plunged her arm in up to the shoulder, it didn't come out.
Jaws dropped, and even Pheonix's face was shocked, like she had no idea that what she'd been about to do was *this*.
Then she pulled her hand out, and stared at the agent in shock, who looked at her like she'd just told him that the Matrix was gone.
Pheonix slowly turned, and stared at the others. "Guys," she said slowly, swallowing, "Meet Agent Minor."
****
Well, what do you think? Sorry for the delay on it coming out, but don't worry, I hope to have chapter four out soon!
Please R/R!
Chapter 3: Of Agents and Oracles
Pheonix slammed the car door shut and looked around. This was the first time she'd actually been into the Matrix itself since they'd unplugged her and Saber. Now here they were, back in it again.
She couldn't say she'd looked forward to it-because she hadn't. But at the same time, Pheonix had been infinently curious as to what the Oracle would tell her. She knew some of what she'd told Trinity and Morpheus, and ALL of what she'd told Neo, but she wanted to know what she would *personally* say to her. And this time, she didn't think there were any cameras watching.
She glanced at Saber, knowing that they were thinking the same thing. Saber had on a pair of high-heeled boots, and she wore a sleek, shiny tanktop and pants. Pheonix, on the other hand, wore a loose black top, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, clunky army boots, and loose, comfortable pants. And *somebody* had apparently thought it would be funny if her hair was in little braids. She was *so* going to get Tank for that when they got back.
She pushed her glasses up higher on her nose, and for the billioneth time wished she didn't need them. Couldn't she have contacts or something? But nooooooo, her stupid Residual Self Image kept sticking them on her. Blasted computers.
Ah well, time to get this over with.
***
"After you," Morpheus said with a little smile.
Saber mentally growled, but simply opened the apartment door and stepped inside. A woman met her just inside, and smiled sweetly. "Come in," She said in a gentle voice, and led Saber and Pheonix into a living room like area.
Saber scanned the room. Remembering what the room looked like in the movie, she noticed that the people around the room were dramatically different. While they had been children before, now they were teenagers, and one adult, who looked extremely nervous. Saber casually sat down on the couch, and watched as Pheonix sat on the floor next to a teenager with purple hair and an eyebrow ring, with whom she was soon deep in conversation.
She sighed, and slid down in her seat. She'd never been good at waiting. Or sitting still, for that matter. Less better at sitting still. Apparently finding the truth hadn't changed that. She shifted positions, sitting on her ankle. But then it started to go to sleep, so she moved again. And again. The girl on the couch next to her was giving her odd looks, and that one adult glared at her like she was some immature little kid.
Just as Saber was about ready to get up and start pacing, she jumped when she heard her name. "Wha...Huh?"
"Saber?" The woman who had shown her in smiled at her. "She will see you now."
"Uh, right." Saber lept up, and practically ran into the kitchen. The Oracle, a small, kind of heavy woman with frizzy, greying hair, was up to her elbows in soap suds.
"Just have a seat, deary," she said distractedly. "I'll be with you in a minute."
Saber awkwardly took a seat at the table, and glanced around. Her eyes landed on a fly on the wall, and lazily watched it climb.
"What are you looking at?"
Saber jumped, and realised that the Oracle had moved, and sat across from her at the table, smiling in a motherly way.
"Uh...know thyself." Saber said quickly, remembering the plaque.
"Is that what it says?" The Oracle smiled, looking mildly surprised.
Saber, puzzled, looked at the plaque. The Latin phrase that had been on the plaque had changed to a different Latin phrase.
"It says 'I think, therefore I am'." The Oracle smiled happily.
"Meaning...?"
"Think." The Oracle smiled wider.
Saber bit her lip, thinking hard. "Does it mean that if I think hard enough, I can change things in the Matrix?"
The Oracle smiled softly, then rose and went to the cupboard. "Danish?"
Saber gave her a blank look. "Say what?"
"Would you like a Danish? I had the urge for one this morning, so I had one of my Children go get one. But then when they got back, I discovered I didn't really want one after all. Do you ever feel like that?"
Saber looked in the plastic package the Oracle held forward. "All the time."
"Well then, this should taste especially good." She nodded, and Saber reluctanly took a bite.
The Oracle slowly sat down, and put on her glasses. She looked at Saber for a moment, chewing slowly on the Danish, then said, "I'm not going to give you a lecture on obeying authority, Saber. You're probably going to hear enough of them in the months to come. However, I will tell you this. Morpheus knows what he's doing. And everything he's doing, he's doing it because he believes that it's the best thing. Trust him, if nothing else."
Saber smiled slowly at that. "I guess you're right."
"Of course," The Oracle smiled, then rose. "Would you be a dear and send your friend Pheonix in? I need to have a word with her as well."
"Sure," Saber said, and got up. "Thanks."
"Just doing my job."
***
Pheonix slowly siddled into the kitchen. being very careful to avoid the vase.
"Hello dear," The Oracle smiled at her. "Have a seat."
Pheonix swallowed, and slowly sat down. "Any pearls of wisdom?"
"Many. But only a few for you. Have you ever heard the phrase 'Veni, Vedi, Vici'?"
"'I came, I saw, I conquered'. Julius Ceasar said that." Pheonix shrugged. "So?"
"Did you realise that unconciously, that's what you've been doing?"
"Huh?" Pheonix looked with bewilderment at the Oracle, who was grinning like the Chesire cat.
"You realised what the Matrix is, so you 'came'. Then you began to understand how to figure it out, so you 'saw'. Then, you began to change things. You have begun to 'conquer'." The Oracle smiled. "You have been unconciously living the words of Ceasar. For instance, walking through walls."
"Yeah, how was I able to do that anyway?" Pheonix asked, sitting up. "Morpheus doesn't know."
"You did it because you didn't realise you couldn't. Noone ever specifically said, 'Pheonix, I've tested walking through walls, and it doesn't work, so don't bother trying.' Even if you did try after you heard that, you probably wouldn't be able to do it because you don't think it can be done. Don't listen to anybody when they tell you something can't be done. Never."
Pheonix smiled slowly. "So, I can do almost anything?"
The Oracle smiled. "Don't start thinking too highly of yourself. You can't do *anything*. You can do a great many things that noone has even thought of doing before. But noone, not even Neo can do anything they want."
Pheonix shrugged. "But, I could try, right? I mean, I don't know the limits of what I can do."
"No one does. That's why you can do the things you do, because you don't know what the limits are. Just don't forget that this is a world based on rules. You can break some, and bend others, but someday you'll break a rule for which there are consequences. Don't ever give up, Pheonix, but always be careful about it."
Pheonix slowly shook her head. "So I can push the barriers, but not too far?"
"Precisly." The Oracle rose and went to the cupboard, returning with a cake tin. "Cupcake?"
Pheonix looked inside. There were two cupcakes, both identical with white icing, except for one thing. One cupcake had a red jellybean on top, one had a blue. "Is this some kind of joke?" She demanded, angry.
"Of course not. Make a choice."
For a long moment, Pheonix stared at the two cupcakes. Then her hand slowly reached inside, and pulled one out. Calmly, she plucked the red jelly-bean off the top and popped it in her mouth. "I made my desicion," she said calmly, proudly. "And I will stick with it."
The Oracle smiled like a proud mother. "I knew you would."
***
Pheonix left the room, to see Saber talking quietly to the girl she'd been talking with. The girl's name was Shadow, and she was also unplugged. Not by Morpheus, but by another group of computer hackers, rebels. She was a little older than Pheonix, but not by much. She seemed to be what most people thought of when they thought of computer hackers, a girl with attitude and jewellary in odd places and dressing always in black.
Pheonix sighed. Shadow was a really nice girl, but she was a little, well, *wild* compared to what Pheonix was used to. Not that she was complaining, it was just that she wasn't used to spending time with that type of person. Sure, she'd been the one to initiate conversation, but she had been nervous, lonely, wondering if her desicion to enter the truth had been the right one. She'd needed comfort, solstice, another opinion. She needed to talk to someone she didn't know, someone who would look at her situation with fresh eyes. And of all the people in the room, she was sure that this girl, Shadow, would be the most honest, the most understanding.
And she had been right. Shadow had completely understood, had sympathised with her when she told her that, despite how annoying they often got, that she missed her parents, her three brothers, her little sister. How she wished at times that she had just ignored the things she found on the computer and gone on with her life. She knew that was impossible-honestly, now that she'd seen it, she *needed* the truth, and she knew she would never go back. But she had needed to say it, needed to get her fear out in the open. She couldn't talk to anyone on the Neb, because they all already had opinions on what she would say. But she had to say it to *someone*.
And she felt better for doing so. But *how* had the Oracle known about her doubts, her fears? Freaky.
She shook her head to clear it, and said, softly, "Saber?"
The older girl jumped, and glanced at Shadow. The purple-headed teenager smiled, and Saber stood up. "All ready to go," She said briskly.
Pheonix nodded, and they headed out into the hall where Morpheus waited. He rose when they entered, and motioned to the door.
Together, they walked out.
***
Morpheus turned the key, the others sitting in the back of the car, waiting. The car didn't start. Frowning, he turned the key again. Still it didn't start. Trinity, who sat in the front seat beside him looked at him in puzzlment, and Saber, Pheonix and Viper leaned over the backs of their seats to see what was the matter.
"Is something wrong?" Saber asked nervously.
Morpheus popped the hood, and they all climbed out. "The spark plugs are missing," he frowned. "Does anyone know how this happened?"
Trinity and Viper looked at each other. "We were guarding the car the whole time," Trinity frowned. "Nothing happened to the car."
"Oh, no..." Viper said slowly.
"I don't like the sounds of that," Morpheus said.
"There was this guy that walked past, in the alley, and I thought maybe I was seeing things or something, but I thought I saw the guy walk past again. Do you think...they changed something or something?"
"Quite likely. Since they didn't know where we are, they couldn't just attack, but they can change everything, even if they don't know where it is." Trinity shook her head. "What do we do, Morpheus?"
"We get out other ways. Trinity, Viper, you come with me. Saber and Pheonix, you'd better take the subway system to get to the rendezvous. It'll be safer, they won't be looking there." He adjusted his glasses, and sighed. "Go. Now."
Pheonix and Saber turned, and raced along the street. For the first time since they'd entered the Matrix, Pheonix was actually glad she was wearing loose, comfortable clothes. It would have been pretty hard to run in skin-tight leather. She grabbed the cellphone she'd been given out of her pocket, and dialed. The line was busy.
"Great," she muttered, and hurtled after Saber. They raced along the street, dogging pedestrians, jumping over benches, even leaping over the hoods of cars when they raced across the street against the lights.
Saber raced down the steps of the subway, and Pheonix followed, flipping open the cell phone again. This time, when she dialed, the phone actually began to ring. "Operator," came the voice on the other end.
"Tank, this is Pheonix."
"Yeah, Firebird, I heard. You and the others split up. Head downtown to the warehouse sector. The roof of the building on the corner of Dawson and Wellsy."
"Thanks, Tank. And don't call me Firebird." Pheonix flipped the phone shut, and called to Saber, "Downtown!"
Saber nodded, and tossed tokens at the ticket taker. Together, they jumped over the ticket stiles, and raced into the station. There, they paused, waiting nervously for the subway to arrive. Saber was reading the posters as Pheonix looked around when Pheonix froze. "Uh, Sabe?" She asked, tapping her friend on the shoulder.
"What?" Her friend asked, not moving.
"You might wanna see this," she said slowly, pointing discreetly behind them.
Saber slowly turned around, and paled. "Agent!" She hissed.
"I noticed," Pheonix said sarcastically. "Did you notice how young he is? He's the same one that I saw when we escaped the first time."
"Great," Saber groaned. "It would at least be better if there were anyone else actually in the station."
Pheonix glanced around, trying not to attract the agents attention. Sure enough, there was noone else anywhere, not even the ticket agent. "So, what do we do?"
"Nothing, and hope he doesn't notice us." Saber hissed.
Pheonix glanced discreetly over her shoulder, to see the agent walking towards them. "Nothing doing, Sabe. He's already on his way."
"Uh, hope the subway gets here really soon?"
"You know subways. Never there when you need them!" Pheonix yelled the last part of her speech, spinning and slamming a kick in the agent's direction. She missed, of course, in that he ducked, but before she could move her leg back, he slammed back up again, caught her leg, and flipped her.
Pheonix hit the ground with a thud, and rolled out of the way as the agent slammed his heel into the place where her face had been a moment before. Saber angrily struck at the agent, but he too avoided her attack.
Distracted by Saber's continuous attack, the agent didn't notice Pheonix slowly move, then suddenly scissor kick him, knocking him to the floor. She lept up, and smirked at the agent still lying on the floor. "Wimp."
His reaction was immediete. Before either girls could move, the agent slammed his legs out, and with a snapping scissor, threw both the girls to the ground at once. Saber let out a groan, and clutched her shoulder. The agent ignored her, and lunged at Pheonix. He slammed his elbow into her throat, and Pheonix let out a painful gasp.
"Admit it!" He snarled.
Wheezing, Pheonix rasped "Get...off!"
"Admit it!" He practiaclly yelled. "Admit I'm not a wimp! Admit it!!"
Taking advatage of his disraction, she brought her hands up and slammed them into his gut. He let out a gasp, but didn't release his hold. Instead, he twisted, and together the two fell off the platform and onto the tracks.
Saber limped to the edge, and looked over. Pheonix and the agent were struggling mightily, and for a moment, Pheonix broke free. Before she could get away though, the agent snagged her again, and locked her in a vicious headlock. "You disappiont me, Miss Morgan," he growled.
Pheonix twisted, trying to get loose. "The name is Pheonix!"
He laughed. "Is it?" He squeezed the headlock tighter. "I always thought your name was Heather Morgan."
"It was. In another lifetime." Pheonix bared her fingernails, and dug them into the tender part of the agent's hands.
"Ouch!" He yelled, and while he was off guard, Pheonix pulled herself out of the way.
And not a moment too soon, either. Just entering the station was the long awaited subway. Saber used her good arm to help pull Pheonix up, and she got on the top seconds before the subway raced past the spot where she'd just been. She glanced down a moment, not seeing the agent.
"C'mon," Saber growled, and raced into the door of the now stopped subway. Pheonix paused a nanosecond, and followed her. The car was completely empty, and the two looked back and forth nervously. "Too empty," Saber frowned. "Too suspicious."
A door at the other end of the car opened, and in stepped the agent. "I'll say," Pheonix gasped, turned, and jumped onto one of the seats.
"What are you doing?!" Saber cried, backing away from the agent, who was steadily and purposely walking towards them.
Pheonix reached up, and plunged her hands through the roof. "There is no spoon," she snarled, and with a grunt, pulled herself *through* the roof.
Saber watched as the agent paused, his eyes wide, and bit her lip. "Alright Pheonix, we've take this your way." She lept up onto the seat, took a deep breathe, and pulled herself through.
Pheonix helped her friend up onto the roof, and grinned ferally. "I'd like to see him try *that*."
*SLAM!*
Both froze.
*SLAM!*
"What was that?"
*SLAM!*
Saber swallowed. "I think he's trying."
*SLAM!*
Both let out a cry as a fist suddenly plunged through the roof immedietly in front of them.
"Move!" Pheonix yelled, and began skidding along the top of the roof, avoiding the top of the tunnel, and cautiously skirting the hole that the agent had made in the roof. Saber followed cautiously, but as she passed the hole, the agent's hand shot out and seized Saber's ankle.
"Hey!" Saber yelled, and with her other shoe, slammed her pointed toe into the agent's hand. There was a yelp, and the agent released her foot. "Sheesh, man that agent *is* a wimp," she growled as she continued crawling.
Suddenly, they emerged into the light, and Pheonix yelled, "Here's our stop!" and lept off.
Saber followed. They barely even had hit the ground before they started running. "Where are we going?" Saber yelled.
"Dawson and Wellsy!" Pheonix called over her shoulder as they left the subway and emerged onto the street.
There was silence for the next few minutes as the girls sprinted down the streets. Pheonix was frankly amazed at it all. Before she'd left the Matrix, she *never* would have been able to do this-she would have been doubled over long ago, unable to breathe. It was amazing what knowing the truth and realising what she could really do could do to a person.
Pheonix spotted a street sign-Dawson-and called, "It's coming up, Saber!"
The other girl didn't respond, but just followed. Together, they ducked into the little alley at the side of the building on the corner, and raced to the fire exit.
"Stop!" A voice suddenly yelled, and both turned just long enough to see the same agent emerge from the subway station behind them, gun drawn. Then both ignored him and began barelling up the fire escape.
Bullets whizzed at them, ricocheting off the metal, sometimes getting dangerously close. When he'd emptyed his clip, he began racing up after them. Pheonix reached the second last balcony, and as she turned to help Saber up, the gun spoke again. Saber, who was almost up to Pheonix, let out a cry of pain, and stumbled, blood spurting from her leg.
"Saber!" Pheonix yelled, and running forward, helped her friend limp up the last few steps. "Get up there," she growled, pushing her friend up the last stairs. "I'll deal with him."
****
Tank stared at the screen. "What does that kid think she's doing?!?" He yelped. "Firebird!" He yelled at the screen. "This is no time to be noble!"
***
The agent wasn't expecting Pheonix to be pressed against the wall when he turned the corner. Neither did he expect her to kick out, knocking the gun out of his hands. "Hey!"
So it was easy to guess he didn't expect her to slam forward and body check him hard enough to send him hurtling over the railing of the fire escape.
Granted then, it was her turn not to expect something-him to snag her boots and drag her over with him.
Pheonix let out a gasp of fear, and her hands reached blindly-and caught the railing. There was a painful jerk as her arms were nearly ripped out of her sockets, and a sudden jerk on her leg as the agent clinging to her leg also slowed.
She grit her teeth, and looked down. The agent was clinging to her leg, and through gritted teeth, he growled, "Don't move. Just don't move."
She looked up at the railing, and ignoring the agent's order, began to drag herself up and over the railing.
"I told you not to move, you idiot!" The agent yelled, and Pheonix felt a sudden jerk on her leg that pulled her back down. She almost lost her grip, and tried to contain a yelp of pain.
Suddenly, the weight on her leg was gone, and she looked down in surprise. The agent had let go, and swung so that he landed on the balcony below. He glared at her, then began to steadily, slowly march up the fire escape again.
Pheonix growled, and pulled herself up, and over the railing. Not wanting to repeat that, she turned and raced up the ladder, seconds before the agent reached her. Panting, she emerged on the roof to face Morpheus, Viper, Trinity and Saber-steps ahead of the agent.
The agent pulled himself up behind her-just as the phone began to ring.
He pulled a gun out of his jacket, and trained it straight on Morpheus. "Don't answer that," he growled. "Just let it ring."
Pheonix swallowed, and narrowed her eyes. He was an agent, sure, but he reacted oddly-acting like a typical teenaged male with weapons on a power trip, in fact.
In that moment, she decided to act. She stepped to right in front of the agent. He paused, staring at her in confusion.
She lifted her hand, holding it in front of his face, then suddenly plunged her hand *into* his face. Her hand should have emerged on the other side, but though she plunged her arm in up to the shoulder, it didn't come out.
Jaws dropped, and even Pheonix's face was shocked, like she had no idea that what she'd been about to do was *this*.
Then she pulled her hand out, and stared at the agent in shock, who looked at her like she'd just told him that the Matrix was gone.
Pheonix slowly turned, and stared at the others. "Guys," she said slowly, swallowing, "Meet Agent Minor."
****
Well, what do you think? Sorry for the delay on it coming out, but don't worry, I hope to have chapter four out soon!
Please R/R!