Part 5: Give me a call…
Neo's head was spinning. Nothing seemed to make any sense. The entire crew of the Indy had been killed, except for Kismet, who had been carried off by the Squiddies. They had come there looking for her. Whether it was for the codes alone or that the Agents had discovered her relationship to him, no one could say. He needed some place to go, somewhere out of the steel confines of the Neb. Somewhere where they didn't know who he was, what he had done, what he could do. He needed strangers.
He needed the Matrix.
Neo sighed and leaned back against the bench. He knew the smell of flowers, hot dog vendors, and car exhaust wasn't real , but it was comforting in its own way. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander. Yes, he would have to find some way to save Kismet, but for now, he just needed room to breathe.
"Hi, there."
He opened his eyes slightly, only catching a glimpse of red and hearing the rustle of fabric. He sat up, staring after the woman in the red dress. He remembered the other woman from the training program, remembered Mouse. Something inside twinged. He stood up and walked after the woman.
Her dark black hair was styled to perfection and there was a certain authoritative stride about her that didn't quite fit with the sex-symbol appearance. Neo reached out a hand and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Yes?" She turned around, blue-gray eyes sparkling.
He gasped. "Kismet…"
Her eyebrows furrowed. "I'm sorry, you must be mistaken. My name's Tasha. Tasha Anderson."
Neo remained frozen with shock. Kismet looked at him, a puzzled expression on her face. "You know," she murmured, "I just got the weirdest feeling that I knew you a long time ago…"
Suddenly, her whole frame shuddered and her expression changed to a soft, sad smile. "They're taunting you, Neo," she whispered, brushing his cheek with the back of her hand. "They're showing you something you can't get back again. Let me go, Neo. Write my name on the wall and let me go."
Just as suddenly, she shuddered again and the confused look was back. "Listen," she said, "I've really gotta go. If you'd like to hook up or something later, just give me a call." She pressed a business card into his hand. "I'll see you later."
With that, she walked away, leaving a shattered Neo behind her.
Neo pulled his cell phone from his coat pocket. "Tank, it's Neo. I need you to write down this number for me." He looked at the business card. "815-216-1350. It means something. Figure it out. Also, where's the nearest exit? There's something everyone needs to hear."
Tank gestured to the screen. "All right, ladies and gentlemen. After several hours of hard work and brain power – "
"I helped him," Link interjected.
Tank glared at her. "Anyway, the phone number is a message. Each number is a letter. At first it didn't make any sense." He pressed a few keys and the initial decode came up. "See? H-E-A, B-A-F, A-C-E is nonsense, seeing as zero isn't a letter. But, if you take out the hyphens and assume that the ones aren't 'A's, but 12, 16, and 13…." He pressed a few more keys. The letters changed. "H-E-L-P M-E."
Tank looked back over his shoulder at the assembled crew. "Help me."
Neo leapt for a dive chair, but Trinity grabbed his arm. "No, Neo! That's what the Agents want. All of this is a giant trap."
He glared at her, but she continued. "Listen, you said Kismet told you to write her name on the wall." When Neo didn't answer, she explained, "There is a wall in Zion's dive room reserved for the names of those who die in the Resistance. When someone is killed, a person close to them is selected to write their name and a message on the wall. She wants you to let her go. This phone number is a trap by the Agents."
She waved a hand at the decoded message. "Kismet wouldn't want you to risk yourself for her."
"But…" Neo murmured. "Why give me the phone number then…?"
Trinity sighed. "She's had her memory erased, Neo. She's the Agent's puppet now. The part of her that does remember you told you to stay away. She wants you to live because she knows she won't."
Neo bit his lower lip. "I'm gonna go back in, but not for Kismet. There's somebody I need to talk to."
He pressed the button for the Oracle's floor. He noticed the initials carved on the wall and ran his fingers over them in boredom. "I wonder who Kym is," he murmured absently. Suddenly, it was his floor. He headed down the familiar hall, inhaling its musty smell. When he arrived outside the Oracle's door, it opened as his hand reached for the knob.
"Welcome, Neo," murmured the priestess on the other side. "We are terribly sorry."
"There was nothing you could have done," he said, shifting his gaze to the floor.
"Come in. She's waiting in the kitchen."
Neo practically glided past the living room with the potential children, surely floating blocks and bending spoons. Had he looked, he would have noticed that the normally active children weren't moving. They followed him with their eyes and a few cringed, as if they could feel something when he passed.
Neo stepped into the kitchen, unconsciously scooting to the right in order to avoid the vase that may or may not have been put back together. There was a shattering sound and someone in the living room yelped. Neo looked down at the pieces of green vase lying near his feet.
The Oracle smiled sadly at him. "I didn't have time to tell you I'd moved it," she sighed. "I suppose it was bound to happen, though." She gestured to a plate of sugar cookies on the counter. "Take one." Neo obliged, nibbling on it nervously. "I'd ask you to sit but…" Neo sat on a kitchen stool.
The Oracle raised an eyebrow. "That was unexpected."
Neo took the cookie out of his mouth. "I thought you knew everything."
"Almost." The Oracle sank into a chair. She sighed deeply and suddenly looked much older than Neo had ever seen her look. "It's getting crazy, Neo."
Neo took another bite of the cookie. "I came to ask you…"
"About Kismet?" The Oracle chuckled. "God, she was a bright girl. It's obvious she's your sister."
Neo ignored the past tense. "Is there any way I can get her out?"
The Oracle lit a cigarette, taking a long drag before answering. "Maybe. It's hard to tell. So much static…You could try to unplug her, but you should know…Mostly, they don't make it through the second time."
"But there's a chance?"
She shook her head. "My, you're the optimist. Yes, she might make it. She might not. The Agents could pull her themselves and make you watch, for I all I can say." She shrugged. "It's your choice, Neo. Because you don't believe in fate."
He smiled. "No, but I believe in kismet."
"What are you going to do?" Trinity asked.
Neo stretched, popping his back in three places. "About Kismet? No idea. Right now? I'm gonna go to sleep and take it from there."
Neo was dreaming. Kismet was sitting on the edge of a roof, legs dangling over the side and swinging. Wind ran through her hair as she smiled at him. She laughed and slid gracefully off the edge. Neo screamed and looked over the edge, but she had disappeared. He turned around and saw Kismet standing on the roof behind him. She was wearing black pants, a black shirt, and a red leather jacket. She held up her right wrist, to display the bracelet hanging there.
It was a cross, hanging upside-down. Neo asked her why the cross was wrong. She told him so that when she held it it was right-side up, demonstrating by laying the crucifix in her palm. It did indeed now face the correct way. She smiled sadly and said she had to go. Neo pleaded with her to stay, but she said she had someone else to visit. She kissed him good-bye and vanished.
Neo woke up drenched in cold sweat. He put one hand to his forehead and drew deep panting breaths. Had that been real? Was it just some panic-induced dream or had Kismet been trying to talk to him? If she had been, how had she done it? What was going on?
Neo closed his eyes and sighed. He wanted to save Kismet. She was his sister; he couldn't leave her. But if what the Oracle said was true…About them not surviving…
He shook his head frantically. No, not going to think about that.
What if the Agents had her tracked so heavily he wouldn't have time to get near her before he was filled with more bullets than he could stop?
Not going to think about that.
What if the Oracle's other suggestion was true? About the Agents unplugging Kismet without getting her consciousness out? Making him watch her die? Letting him know it was all his fault?
Not going to think about that.
What if he could get her out? Bring her home?
He'd think about that.
*****
Hey, everybody! I know; long time, no see. It's been kinda hectic lately so updating's been out of the question. I hope you like this chapter and I'll get six up as soon as i can.
See later!
Peace, love, and donuts everyone!
^_^ \/
Neo's head was spinning. Nothing seemed to make any sense. The entire crew of the Indy had been killed, except for Kismet, who had been carried off by the Squiddies. They had come there looking for her. Whether it was for the codes alone or that the Agents had discovered her relationship to him, no one could say. He needed some place to go, somewhere out of the steel confines of the Neb. Somewhere where they didn't know who he was, what he had done, what he could do. He needed strangers.
He needed the Matrix.
Neo sighed and leaned back against the bench. He knew the smell of flowers, hot dog vendors, and car exhaust wasn't real , but it was comforting in its own way. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander. Yes, he would have to find some way to save Kismet, but for now, he just needed room to breathe.
"Hi, there."
He opened his eyes slightly, only catching a glimpse of red and hearing the rustle of fabric. He sat up, staring after the woman in the red dress. He remembered the other woman from the training program, remembered Mouse. Something inside twinged. He stood up and walked after the woman.
Her dark black hair was styled to perfection and there was a certain authoritative stride about her that didn't quite fit with the sex-symbol appearance. Neo reached out a hand and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Yes?" She turned around, blue-gray eyes sparkling.
He gasped. "Kismet…"
Her eyebrows furrowed. "I'm sorry, you must be mistaken. My name's Tasha. Tasha Anderson."
Neo remained frozen with shock. Kismet looked at him, a puzzled expression on her face. "You know," she murmured, "I just got the weirdest feeling that I knew you a long time ago…"
Suddenly, her whole frame shuddered and her expression changed to a soft, sad smile. "They're taunting you, Neo," she whispered, brushing his cheek with the back of her hand. "They're showing you something you can't get back again. Let me go, Neo. Write my name on the wall and let me go."
Just as suddenly, she shuddered again and the confused look was back. "Listen," she said, "I've really gotta go. If you'd like to hook up or something later, just give me a call." She pressed a business card into his hand. "I'll see you later."
With that, she walked away, leaving a shattered Neo behind her.
Neo pulled his cell phone from his coat pocket. "Tank, it's Neo. I need you to write down this number for me." He looked at the business card. "815-216-1350. It means something. Figure it out. Also, where's the nearest exit? There's something everyone needs to hear."
Tank gestured to the screen. "All right, ladies and gentlemen. After several hours of hard work and brain power – "
"I helped him," Link interjected.
Tank glared at her. "Anyway, the phone number is a message. Each number is a letter. At first it didn't make any sense." He pressed a few keys and the initial decode came up. "See? H-E-A, B-A-F, A-C-E is nonsense, seeing as zero isn't a letter. But, if you take out the hyphens and assume that the ones aren't 'A's, but 12, 16, and 13…." He pressed a few more keys. The letters changed. "H-E-L-P M-E."
Tank looked back over his shoulder at the assembled crew. "Help me."
Neo leapt for a dive chair, but Trinity grabbed his arm. "No, Neo! That's what the Agents want. All of this is a giant trap."
He glared at her, but she continued. "Listen, you said Kismet told you to write her name on the wall." When Neo didn't answer, she explained, "There is a wall in Zion's dive room reserved for the names of those who die in the Resistance. When someone is killed, a person close to them is selected to write their name and a message on the wall. She wants you to let her go. This phone number is a trap by the Agents."
She waved a hand at the decoded message. "Kismet wouldn't want you to risk yourself for her."
"But…" Neo murmured. "Why give me the phone number then…?"
Trinity sighed. "She's had her memory erased, Neo. She's the Agent's puppet now. The part of her that does remember you told you to stay away. She wants you to live because she knows she won't."
Neo bit his lower lip. "I'm gonna go back in, but not for Kismet. There's somebody I need to talk to."
He pressed the button for the Oracle's floor. He noticed the initials carved on the wall and ran his fingers over them in boredom. "I wonder who Kym is," he murmured absently. Suddenly, it was his floor. He headed down the familiar hall, inhaling its musty smell. When he arrived outside the Oracle's door, it opened as his hand reached for the knob.
"Welcome, Neo," murmured the priestess on the other side. "We are terribly sorry."
"There was nothing you could have done," he said, shifting his gaze to the floor.
"Come in. She's waiting in the kitchen."
Neo practically glided past the living room with the potential children, surely floating blocks and bending spoons. Had he looked, he would have noticed that the normally active children weren't moving. They followed him with their eyes and a few cringed, as if they could feel something when he passed.
Neo stepped into the kitchen, unconsciously scooting to the right in order to avoid the vase that may or may not have been put back together. There was a shattering sound and someone in the living room yelped. Neo looked down at the pieces of green vase lying near his feet.
The Oracle smiled sadly at him. "I didn't have time to tell you I'd moved it," she sighed. "I suppose it was bound to happen, though." She gestured to a plate of sugar cookies on the counter. "Take one." Neo obliged, nibbling on it nervously. "I'd ask you to sit but…" Neo sat on a kitchen stool.
The Oracle raised an eyebrow. "That was unexpected."
Neo took the cookie out of his mouth. "I thought you knew everything."
"Almost." The Oracle sank into a chair. She sighed deeply and suddenly looked much older than Neo had ever seen her look. "It's getting crazy, Neo."
Neo took another bite of the cookie. "I came to ask you…"
"About Kismet?" The Oracle chuckled. "God, she was a bright girl. It's obvious she's your sister."
Neo ignored the past tense. "Is there any way I can get her out?"
The Oracle lit a cigarette, taking a long drag before answering. "Maybe. It's hard to tell. So much static…You could try to unplug her, but you should know…Mostly, they don't make it through the second time."
"But there's a chance?"
She shook her head. "My, you're the optimist. Yes, she might make it. She might not. The Agents could pull her themselves and make you watch, for I all I can say." She shrugged. "It's your choice, Neo. Because you don't believe in fate."
He smiled. "No, but I believe in kismet."
"What are you going to do?" Trinity asked.
Neo stretched, popping his back in three places. "About Kismet? No idea. Right now? I'm gonna go to sleep and take it from there."
Neo was dreaming. Kismet was sitting on the edge of a roof, legs dangling over the side and swinging. Wind ran through her hair as she smiled at him. She laughed and slid gracefully off the edge. Neo screamed and looked over the edge, but she had disappeared. He turned around and saw Kismet standing on the roof behind him. She was wearing black pants, a black shirt, and a red leather jacket. She held up her right wrist, to display the bracelet hanging there.
It was a cross, hanging upside-down. Neo asked her why the cross was wrong. She told him so that when she held it it was right-side up, demonstrating by laying the crucifix in her palm. It did indeed now face the correct way. She smiled sadly and said she had to go. Neo pleaded with her to stay, but she said she had someone else to visit. She kissed him good-bye and vanished.
Neo woke up drenched in cold sweat. He put one hand to his forehead and drew deep panting breaths. Had that been real? Was it just some panic-induced dream or had Kismet been trying to talk to him? If she had been, how had she done it? What was going on?
Neo closed his eyes and sighed. He wanted to save Kismet. She was his sister; he couldn't leave her. But if what the Oracle said was true…About them not surviving…
He shook his head frantically. No, not going to think about that.
What if the Agents had her tracked so heavily he wouldn't have time to get near her before he was filled with more bullets than he could stop?
Not going to think about that.
What if the Oracle's other suggestion was true? About the Agents unplugging Kismet without getting her consciousness out? Making him watch her die? Letting him know it was all his fault?
Not going to think about that.
What if he could get her out? Bring her home?
He'd think about that.
*****
Hey, everybody! I know; long time, no see. It's been kinda hectic lately so updating's been out of the question. I hope you like this chapter and I'll get six up as soon as i can.
See later!
Peace, love, and donuts everyone!
^_^ \/