Title: Shadow Stalkers
Author: trin_chardin
Summary: What if viruses were vampires?
Categories: Action/Original Character
Author's Note: Still struggling with writer's block, but muse has been more cooperative lately. I won't look a gift horse in the mouth. Hope it lasts. ^_^
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 6

Neo idly fingered the collar of his jacket as they materialized inside the Matrix. Ever since this mission had begun, Morpheus had instituted a new rule - plainsclothes. He called it hiding in plain sight. Blending in with the regular coppertops made it harder for Agents to pinpoint them with normal Matrix vision. That came in handy if they needed to flee the scene. Hopefully, it would be just as difficult for the viruses. The strict no-leather dress code also made it easier to conceal weapons in clothes and handy props. Trinity's 'baby carriage' from the last insertion had held a bomb. That had been another safeguard. Zion hadn't wanted to risk the chance of the Agents getting their hands on Morpheus again. They had still been updating the codes to the mainframe during that outing. Now, they had a brand new set of codes, which left Morpheus in the dark until the end of this mission.

An innocent smile was flashed at Smith. The Agent was obviously annoyed at their abrupt appearance, while its colleague had visibly tensed. A hand was frozen near its concealed weapon. With no shame, it withdrew its hand at the sight of Neo and nodded towards a door.

"If you will follow me," Brown stated in a curt tone.

Neo nodded at Zaa and the two trailed behind the two Agents. Although his posture hinted of easy confidence, his mind was set at the edge, wary of betrayal. He had caught the end of the Agents' conversation and it did little to reassure him that everything was aboveboard.

However, when he stepped into the other room, it was hard not to let his guard slip. They were still in the restaurant, the dingy surroundings said as much. It was obvious that the Agents didn't want to risk setting up a 'bridge' to their own building. Neo doubted that it was in respect of neutral ground on the Agents' part. Rather, they must have wanted to avoid an obvious hot spot.

The room's walls were a dark red, which was marred by peeling paint and a thick layer of dust. Used furniture was piled up in a jumbled stack. They were barely seen in the dim light of a single hanging bulb. Yet, the small confines comfortably held a table at its center. Five chairs surrounded it with one already occupied. It was the creature there that truly held Neo's attention.

A young working-class woman fidgeted in the chair for one moment. Then, the outlines of her slim figure blurred and a ramrod-straight Agent materialized. The image erratically flickered from one to the other, giving the appearance of a specter. The woman was clearly frightened. Her eyes were a wide, watery blue and whenever the apparition morphed into her, a babble of words escaped her lips. Her darker side, on the other hand, seemed to be the picture of detached calm. It was a jarring contrast.

"Where is the other one?" Neo finally broke the silence.

Smith turned from his silent conversation with Brown.

"The human killed himself as the others did."

With a growing feeling of nausea, Neo realized that not all the dark red in the room was paint. Lips pursed, he nodded briefly at Smith.

"Well then...shall we start?"

The Agents sat down on familiar steel chairs. Neo had to hide a smile at the sight of them. It was a clear attempt to recreate the atmosphere of their interrogation room. The man took the seat next to Smith and motioned for Zaa to take the one farthest from the Agents. A slender folder sat on the metal tabletop. Flipping it open, Neo tried to block out the woman's prattle as he skimmed through the material. He finally handed the duplicate to Zaa for safe-keeping and turned to the distraught woman.

"Have you communicated with the Agent?" He asked Smith.

"He has been corrupted. Communication is prohibited."

"Not even verbally?"

"His gibberish was as bad as hers when he first spoke. He stopped talking yesterday."

"So, we're left with her."

With a mental sigh, Neo gathered his nerve and suddenly reached across the table to put his hand on the woman's. Startled, she paused for a second. There was another shape-shifting and the hand was jerked back.

"Stop that," Smith snapped.

The hand was sullenly returned to the table and Neo regained possession of it. The woman had come back again, but so had her babbling. Ignoring her words, Neo held her gaze and spoke.

"Azura, that's your name, isn't it?" The woman nodded with a pitiful sniff as Neo smiled at her. "That's a nice name. Now, Azura, we're here to help you."

"What's happening to me? Am I going crazy? ...Am I going to die? I don't want to die!"

"You won't die. Not if you tell us what happened. If we understand your condition, we can find a cure. We want to help you. Let us. Tell us what happened."

"I don't remember! I don't! It's like a blur - "

Morph in...out.

"I've forgotten things I should remember. My age - "

"Her memory bank's been corrupted," Smith stated flatly.

"Am I married? I remember a little girl. No, a boy - "

"Azura, focus," Neo prodded kindly. "What happened that night?"

"It was dark. Well, it was night after all..." A nervous laugh.

In...and out.

"I was on my way home. Then, I was in an alley. How did I get there? I don't remember! I -am- going crazy!"

"That must have been the moment Johnson was corrupted," Brown noted.

"You aren't," Neo reassured the woman. "What else do you remember? You were in the alley. Were you alone?"

"No...there was someone else. It was so cold. I remember that. My neck felt numb...and it was wet. But, it wasn't raining - "

"Did the other person say anything?"

"He was telling me to drink. ...Drink what? I don't remember!" She wailed. "What's wrong - "

"Shut up, human!"

Neo was thrown back as the hand he held was forcefully yanked away. They all watched in morbid fascination, while big hands wrung at their own neck. They'd morph into slender ones that tore at a non-existent hold as the woman screamed. Then, they'd clutch at the neck once more. The body collapsed to the floor, twitching violently as it continued to morph. Then, a shot rang out. Guns drawn instinctively, Neo and Zaa turned on the Agents. Smith gave them a tight-lipped smile as he raised his hands in mock-surrender. He still held his gun in one hand. After a tense moment, he returned it to its holster.

"I believe we have learned all we can from Mrs. Plath. ...Shall we leave the Matrix now?"