Morpheus was brought back into reality by Neo's whisper "Agents! 2 of them, from that way" he pointed in the direction Shadow had come from. Trinity and Morpheus ran in the opposite direction as fast as they could. As they passed out of sight, two suits came into view. Shadow recognized them as the pathetic would-be assassins she had fended off so easily before. Janice had warned her about them before she went missing, and now it all made sense to her. The agents skidded to a stop when the saw Neo, hoping in vain they hadn't been seen. Neo was about to dissipate one of their programs when Shadow sensed a third going for Neo from behind.
She became visible again and cried "Stop!" The 3 agents turned to face her "I'm the one you want!"
The 3^rd agent's eyes widened "Who are you?"
Shadow tore off her mask. "Chris?"
He gasped "Angela! I--they told me you were dead" he stammered, obviously struggling to think up a believable lie. The truth was he knew about the agents, who now had him brainwashed beyond all hope of recovery. Shadow saw his only possible release from agenthood was death.
Shadow's face darkened "They are correct. Angela died the night you left her!" Her voice echoed off the concrete walls of the giant pipe.
The 1^st agent spoke "Agent 3, this is your final assignment: Kill her!"
Shadow took a breath and whispered "My name, is SHADOW!" She jumped at him and entered his program. He dissipated in a flash of green light before he could even draw his gun. The other two agents ran. Shadow was only vaguely aware of their footsteps as they faded away. She fell to a kneel, dropping her head and shoulders down as well. Neo bent down beside her and lifted her chin with a lover's tenderness. Her black layers of hair were sweaty and wild, and her dark eyes held tears, where they waited to trace lines down her face.
"You loved him?" It was more of a statement.
"Yes" she replied blandly
"Then why did you do it?" he asked. Shadow gently touched the ground where her beloved Chris had stood only minutes before.
She looked up, into Neo's eyes and whispered "Because I had to." Then a single tear left her eye and rolled down her otherwise unchanged stone face.
She became visible again and cried "Stop!" The 3 agents turned to face her "I'm the one you want!"
The 3^rd agent's eyes widened "Who are you?"
Shadow tore off her mask. "Chris?"
He gasped "Angela! I--they told me you were dead" he stammered, obviously struggling to think up a believable lie. The truth was he knew about the agents, who now had him brainwashed beyond all hope of recovery. Shadow saw his only possible release from agenthood was death.
Shadow's face darkened "They are correct. Angela died the night you left her!" Her voice echoed off the concrete walls of the giant pipe.
The 1^st agent spoke "Agent 3, this is your final assignment: Kill her!"
Shadow took a breath and whispered "My name, is SHADOW!" She jumped at him and entered his program. He dissipated in a flash of green light before he could even draw his gun. The other two agents ran. Shadow was only vaguely aware of their footsteps as they faded away. She fell to a kneel, dropping her head and shoulders down as well. Neo bent down beside her and lifted her chin with a lover's tenderness. Her black layers of hair were sweaty and wild, and her dark eyes held tears, where they waited to trace lines down her face.
"You loved him?" It was more of a statement.
"Yes" she replied blandly
"Then why did you do it?" he asked. Shadow gently touched the ground where her beloved Chris had stood only minutes before.
She looked up, into Neo's eyes and whispered "Because I had to." Then a single tear left her eye and rolled down her otherwise unchanged stone face.