Neo was aware of Smith standing not three meters away from him; he could clearly see the sun glinting of the sunglasses that covered the Agent's eyes, the completely blank expression that betrayed nothing… This was a far more deadly foe than the last time, yet he was finding it difficult to focus, to gain the concentration that would be needed against this threat. He kept seeing Reye's deconstruction replaying in his mind. She was only a kid; she hadn't deserved to die like that.
Looking up, eyes suddenly totally focused on his enemy, Neo let go of his earlier reasoning; the AI were ruthless, deadly machines, they had to be stopped. He was the One; it was his appointed task to stop them.
"How?" Raphael dared to ask, entire consciousness focused on the scene unfolding in the physical construct.
"Did you really think that we were the only ones that could deconstruct undesirable elements?" Lucifer replied mildly, attention held by the actions of human and Agent.
"Only the Enforcers have that ability." Raphael almost snapped, nervously irritable.
"Only the Enforcers?" Lucifer sounded like he was on the verge of laughing.
"Half of his code may be a copy of mine but that is all. The rest came from that Ophanim."
"That Ophanim…"
Raphael paused, "The experiments to increase their possible interaction with the physical construct produced only ambivalent data." He said cautiously.
"Only in the latter trials. There was one early success."
"Who?" Raphael demanded, though his voice now wavered with uncertainty.
"You should know… You deconstructed him."
The reply was stunned silence.
"Still…" Lucifer mused, "This would be a case where the copy had come to replace the original."
"You knew?" Accusation now.
"How could I not? The code you tore from him as he fell had already been altered to incorporate similar sub-routines to ours."
"But you didn't stop me."
"No. I could not know if the alterations were stable or not. It was possible that you might create only an Advanced Agent instead of one with the potential to become an Enforcer in all but name. And when the Agent you produced seemed no more than the others…"
"Then we have produced a weapon to use against the human 'Neo'."
"Perhaps… You are truly vicious, Raphael, utterly vengeful but that is not enough to deal with this human. You see no reason behind their workings and there in lies the flaw… one that many of us possess. And yet, Gabriel had that knowledge, that understanding…"
Raphael waited for Lucifer to continue, though the last revelation was now something that he could already guess.
"Understanding of humanity… It is the key to their control."
Perhaps only a second had passed within the physical construct but Smith was aware of the contents of Lucifer and Raphael's conversation. He had the distinct impression that Lucifer had allowed him to eavesdrop and thus learn the truth of the situation, the better to aid his conflict with the human. Anderson, also called Neo, made no move, seeming to be waiting to see with Smith would do. Smith didn't move, the human was already apparently prey to troubling thoughts, which would damage his effectiveness. He would wait for Anderson to make the inevitable mistake.
A second was all it took, for Anderson to loose control and launch his attack. As a fist came towards his face, Smith moved at the last moment before impact. Predictably the human overbalanced but quickly swung round to face Smith again. He looked stunned but also enraged. The next blow came just a fast as the first, Smith easily dodging before impact. Another and Smith repeated his tactic. Eventually the human would wear down.
Neo stuck out desperately, unnatural speed and strength apparently failing him as each blow failed to contact. Each time he thought he was close; Smith would suddenly be gone only to appear in some different direction at a distance too far to have moved within the given time. Agents might have certain abilities but they still had to work within the given rules, Neo reminded himself. But if that was the case why was this one, to all appearances, practically teleporting out of the way? Even with his apparent abilities, Neo couldn't even see Smith move the distance between each location. Around them the code appeared to simply be opening and closing gaps of unreality at the Agent's whim.
He continued to attempt to strike Smith, who did nothing but dodge his blows, expression as blank as before, not apparently bothered by Neo's attempts at all.
Smith watched the human, watched his growing desperation and suddenly there it was, the mistake he had been waiting for.
Neo stuck out but the blow faltered. He knew he'd overextended his range as soon as he'd begun to strike but by then it was too late. Smith grabbed his wrist, dragging him forward while landing a vicious blow against his shin. Thrown off balance Neo pitched forward, falling to his knees.
Gaze quickly snapping upwards; Neo fought back his shudder… at the calm expression of the Agent standing over him.
TBC…
Win Tsun is a truly vicious technique…
00:27, 12/05/02