Interdependence Chapter 8: A Close Call, a matrix fanfic

Well, I DIDN'T get as many reviews as I would've liked, but I just realized that with the speed I'm writing the story at It'll be a miracle if I finish before November next year, when Matrix Reloaded comes out. (YAY!!!) So I REALLY have to pick it up, which would be hard with 3 projects and the finals after Xmas… :S

From now on I'm gonna thank everybody who reviews my story personally at the end of each chapter, so if ya want the honor, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!! Come on, please? My story can't be THAT boring! (If it is someone tell me – please, it's better to be honest!!!)

Well enough babble HERES THE CHAPTERR!!! (yaaaaay no ones exited)

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"It was us who scorched the sky."

They must have been wrong. They must have been wrong, because Neo was feeling sunlight.

He was floating on water, slowly drifting away into the sun.

Suddenly, a voice cut into his consciousness. It was a female voice, calling his name, demanding him to answer.

"Neo! Are you there? Can you hear me? Please answer Neo. I know you're allright! You've had an accident, but you're okay, so please answer me now!"

The voice was calm and solemn, like steel, but he could feel worry settled deep in it.

He knew that voice, as well as he knew his own. It was Trinity. She was never the one to go ballistic, to give way to her emotions. He smiled at that.

Trinity. He loved Trinity. He would answer to her.

"Trin?"

His voice sounded hoarse and strange, as though it was not his own.

A sigh of relief came from the radio, and in the background came Morpheus's voice, "I told you he'd be all right. He's stronger than that."

Neo realized he was coming back, and the pleasant vision of the sun and the sensation of floating on water were gone, like a blanket ripped off of his face. He was back in the pod, back in the world that was too real, hard, and full of pain. His head hurt terribly, and so did his left shoulder.

But he was alive, and Trinity was there, which made it all a hundred times better.

"You've had an accident, Neo," Trinity repeated, still in her calm voice, but not without a tone of relief, "You were being followed by a squiddie, and then crashed into the Big Spike and your pod fell."

Neo was thankful that Trinity had explained the situation, for all that's just happened was really hazy in his mind, but he was more relieved just to hear her voice.

"Yes. I know." He said. It was an effort to get the words out, but he knew he had to. "What happened to the motherfucker? Where is it?"

"Tank took care of it."

Meanwhile, Tank was busy with the second machine. When he took out the one that's chased Neo, the second squiddie snuck up from behind and almost got him, if it wasn't for Shift's warning. He had no time to turn around, aim, and fire, so he decided to play tag with the squiddie. As a from of strategy, he started leading it in circles around the precipice into which Neo had crashed, which was referred to the 'Big Spike', which was to be avoided while navigating through the tunnels.

Going faster and faster, Tank was making the circles tighter and tighter. It was dangerous, but the squid had the disadvantage of its long tentacles. Soon the circles became so tight, no one could tell whether the squid was chasing Tank, or Tank was chasing the squid.

So the hunter became the hunted.

As Tank came dangerously close to the Spike, what he had been waiting for happened – the sentinel's tentacles got caught on it.

Tank chose that moment to fire. He was too close to his target, so right after firing he yanked the controls madly, shooting straight up just as the missile impacted the sentinel from behind. A third explosion resounded through the catacombs. The burning debris shot into all directions, and some of it reached Tank's pod as it shot up away from the explosion. He heard clanking sounds as some of the debris hit the pod's hull, but did not damage it.

Now two of the machines were finished, but according to the data, there was still a third one lurking somewhere. And Tank didn't have any more missiles.

"Neo?" he called into his radio, praying that his friend was all right.

"Yes, I'm over there, under the spike thing. Look for the white parachute."

"I know where you are, I'm coming for help."

"No," Neo said solemnly, "There isn't anything you can do. Return to the ship. I'll take care of the situation myself."

"And I see you doin' a real good job!" Tank exclaimed, "No man, there ain't no way I'm leaving you here like that. You can climb aboard my pod and then we'll both go back to the ship." Tank headed his pod into Neo's direction.

"Listen, Tank, there's no time for that. Another squiddie's out there, and you're defenseless without your missiles. It'll destroy you in no time. At least I have a missile left, so I've got a chance of survival. Now, I'm not going to repeat this: Go back to the ship."

Neo wished he was as sure as he sounded. He couldn't aim the missile from his position and the launch system was fried. He was as defenseless as Tank, with the added fact that he could not get away, but he did not want to sacrifice his friend as well as himself.

Tank was hesistant. "But-"

"Who's the boss here, Tank?" Neo cut him off. "If no one will listen to me, then how the hell is this gonna work?! Now, I command you to go back to the Neb."

Tank sighed. "All right, man, I will, but I really hope you know what you're doing. I really do." With that he zoomed off towards the Neb.

I wish I did, Neo thought. "The third squiddie is here" Shift spoke through the radio. Immediately, Neo spotted it, coming out of the gloom at the end of the tunnel. Its sensitive radar detected working equipment, and it locked in on the pod.

It saw Neo.

He was thinking frantically. As he checked the launch system again, the sign 'System Not Functioning' lit up the screen. Neo cursed angrily and punched the control panel in frustration.

The sentinel was already heading towards him, not making things any easier.

Suddenly, he was struck with an idea. The missile could self-destruct. He could reprogram it in a matter of seconds through the pod computer. If the bomb exploded while the sentinel attacked the pod, it would be destroyed. But so would Neo.

Unless he had time to escape.

"Neo, we're gonna use the EMP now" Shift spoke, "It will disable the pod as well, but don't have a choice."

"No!" Neo commanded, choosing 'Self – Destruct' from the missile options. "Do that only if I tell you, I have a better plan right now."

The screen said, The missile will self-destruct in __ minutes

Neo glanced up from the screen and got a shock – the squiddie was so close he could almost see the details of its front. He thought he saw something that resembled eyes.

Glancing back down, Neo gingerly typed in '00:10' and hit 'set', hoping that 10 seconds would give him enough time to escape.

And so the countdown began.