Title: Shadow Stalkers
Author: trin_chardin
Summary: What if viruses were vampires?
Categories: Action/Original Character
Author's Note: Sorry this came out so late. Muse went a'wanderin'... -_- Anyway, here's another chapter. Hope you like it. ^_^
Disclaimer: I don't own the Matrix concept or anyone/anything in it - but I do own the original characters.

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Shadow Stalkers
Chapter 4

Three Agents were coming down the park pathway. They were familiar faces. One of them walked a step ahead of his two companions. When they reached the bench, that one went on to stop in front of Morpheus.

"Morpheus."

The newspaper went down.

"Smith."

"It's been some time."

"It has."

The Agent turned and nodded curtly to Neo and Trinity.

"If you're ready, let's go. We have a table for six."

The program turned on its heel and continued with its colleagues to walk across the street. At Morpheus' nod, the others trailed warily in their wake. It was a quaint little Chinese restaurant. Zaa and Avi took a table inside, while Morpheus, Trinity, and Neo followed the Agents into a private room. The rest of the team took their positions outside. Rak dodged into the neighboring alley where the back exit was, while Del sat down outside the French bistro next door.

Once inside the room, Trinity sat in the chair closest to the door, pushing her prop aside and twisting her hair up. Gone was her placid maternal expression, replaced by a stern mask. Morpheus took his seat between her and Neo, while the Agents sat directly across them. After the waitress had taken their orders, a tense silence followed. After a moment's stare down with Smith, Morpheus finally clasped his hands before him and leaned forward.

"Why do you need us to deal with these viruses?"

Smith's face tightened at his words, but he did nothing to refute them.

"Your kind created them. You can find the cure."

"Do you seriously believe we would create something that hunts us down?"

"Well, you are a suicidal lot," Smith stated deprecatingly. "No one within the Matrix could create it. Only someone outside could do that. ...And do you really think all humans are so self-sacrificing as to wish all that is good for - what do you call them? Coopertops? I am certain our last encounter proved that not all rebels are happy that they left the Matrix. They may even envy those left inside. Think what that could do? ...But, let's give them the benefit of the doubt." Sarcasm laced the Agent's words. "Suppose it isn't someone you 'freed'. Once you've 'saved the world', do you really think there will be room for everyone on your dying planet? Enough resources? Have you ever considered that Zion may have other plans for those within the Matrix?"

By then, Neo's lips had thinned to a line.

"Shut up, Smith," he hissed at the Agent.

The program just smirked and leaned back in its chair.

"And I thought you rebels preached about the truth."

"Can we stick to the business at hand?" Morpheus said coldly. "So, you need us to find the cure. But, why would we need you?"

"The Matrix is still ours. I should think you'd remember that. You can't do anything without our help. How can you find a cure when you know next to nothing about the disease? And what good is it in the first place if you can't get near the source?" Smith sneered. "Would you actually risk your precious One?"

Morpheus remained silent.

"I thought not. Besides, you claim that you want to save the people oblivious to your cause. How can you save them if they're dead?"

"What do you mean?"

"We compared these viruses to vampires. The two do share similar traits. As of the moment, they are restricted by such parameters as nocturnal environment and territorial lines. They cannot feed during daytime settings or enter private areas without the invitation of the territorial host. Only public zones are open to them. However, even that is changing." Smith frowned. "One of them entered a building and killed an Agent inside. They are evolving. It will not be long before they can hunt during the day. ...They are also growing in number. They corrupt the programs of their victims and change them to follow theirs. If the corruption does not stop, the Matrix will be forced to reboot - "

"And everyone inside dies."

"Correct."

"...You want an alliance."

Smith's eyes bore into a smirking Morpheus.

"Do we have a choice?"

"We will have to discuss this with Zion."

"Feel free to do so. It's not just our existence on the line. As each second slips past, we come a step closer to your mythical apocalypse. The fools in Zion may think you do not need the people within the Matrix. But, consider this. If you have no coopertops, you have no rebels. And if you have no rebels, who will fight your war? We can actually start over. The question is...can you in a new Matrix?"