Title: Shadow Stalkers
Author: trin_chardin
Summary: What if viruses were vampires?
Categories: Action/Original Character
Author's Note: Sorry...my internet server's been down the past few weeks. Hate it with "the fire of a thousand suns...that's a direct quote". -_- Thanks also to those who've taken the time to review, not only to praise, but to point out areas of improvement. It was much appreciated. ^_^
Disclaimer: I don't own the Matrix concept or anyone/anything in it - but I do own the original characters.
-----
Shadow Stalkers
Chapter 7
"Do you have the pattern of the corrupted code, Del?"
Morpheus leaned over the young programmer's shoulder as her fingers flew over the keyboard. She nodded jerkily at his question, fingers never stopping. At the main monitor a few feet away, Tank continued to forward collected data to her. Even though Smith had terminated the other Agent, its contaminated program could still be seen in the scrolling code of the Matrix. The corruption leeched slowly into its surroundings even as the System struggled to contain it. All over the Matrix, things were slowly falling apart around its oblivious inhabitants. Seconds seemed to be slipping away faster and faster.
"I think I'm onto something," she muttered breathlessly.
"That's good. Keep on working at it," Morpheus encouraged.
He moved away from her and headed towards Tank and the perpetually present Alt. At the moment, Trinity was sparring with Rak in the Construct. Avi was the only one down below as she rested in her quarters. It would be her shift after Zaa.
"How's Neo and Zaa?" Morpheus asked Tank.
"They're just about to leave the Matrix."
"Then, pull out Trinity and Rak. I don't want to risk them being too near the containment room with an Agent around."
"Aye, aye, Captain."
As Alt attended to Rak's minor injuries, Morpheus turned to Trinity.
"Get some rest - "
"What about you?"
"You need it more. We're taking over during Rak's shift. Tell him to get some shut-eye and wake up Avi. She's up next."
Trinity nodded tersely, lips pursed in disapproval. Her captain watched her disappear down the dark corridor with Rak and then went back to Tank.
"Are they in?"
"They are now."
Morpheus heard light footsteps behind him. He turned to find Avi stifling a yawn. With a small smile, he motioned for her to take a seat.
"Are you ready for your shift?"
She just smiled wanly in return.
"It'll be alright," he reassured her. "Neo will be with you."
With a terse nod, she started to stretch her lethargic limbs. Despite the tension, she managed a cheeky grin when her lover was pulled out.
"Out on a date with another woman?" She teased him after a quick kiss.
"Oh, our chaperone made sure it didn't go far," was his dry response.
Even Alt had to smile at that.
"Be careful, Avi," Zaa continued in a more serious tone.
"Always, love. Always." She flashed him a pensive smile.
One last kiss and she went in.
Zaa stood behind Tank to watch the view screen until Morpheus told him to rest. The Chinese man nodded after a while and with one last look at the monitor, he left. Inside the containment room, Avi and Brown went over the few witness reports that existed. As they did, Del collated the new data. Then, she called the others' attention with a soft curse. They turned to see her gingerly holding out a sprained wrist.
"Shit."
"Tank, take over," Morpheus ordered. "Alt, can you take her to the infirmary?"
"Yes'ir."
In the cool stillness of the med station, the tension was thick. Alt for all his feigned indifference could not ignore the feelings the other had professed just recently. Yet, he also could not find the words to break the walls that had suddenly risen between them. It was Del who did so.
"You hate me...don't you?"
"I don't hate you."
"But, you don't love me."
"Del - " A soft sigh.
"...Why? Just tell me."
"I can't answer that."
"Why not?"
She leaned in closer, her tear-stained face uplifted to his. To Alt's dismay, he realized that he was trapped between her and the counter...and he could not find it in himself to push her away. She was so close. He could smell the soft scent of standard soap in her hair. That and a whiff of her. Just her. If it had been a different situation, he would have smirked at the persistence of his analytical side.
"Del, you - "
Morpheus cut himself off and cleared his throat in embarrassment. Averting his eyes from the sight, he started to move away from the door he'd just opened.
"You're needed inside the containment room," he finished flatly.
"...Yes, sir."
She turned her head towards the wall to wipe her eyes dry. When Alt saw her face again, it had been schooled into a mask that gave nothing away. Without another word, she followed Morpheus out the door and down the corridor. Only when the echo of her last footstep had faded away did Alt let himself answer the questions that lingered in the air like ghosts.
"I do love you, Del. I do," he whispered to himself. "But, I'm too old for you."
He examined his worn hands with their slender long fingers. They were still shaking.
"Too old for a young girl who hasn't seen enough to know what love really is. Love is beautiful. Precious because it is hard-won. But, it is also long hours of waiting for what will not return... Despair in death... Cold nights alone... Love is also loss. ...Infatuation isn't love, and that is all you have to offer me now. Infatuation and innocence. ...Besides I am too old for you," he repeated.
In the oppressive silence, his words sounded hollow, even to himself. His righteousness was a bitter comfort, but he persisted on clinging on to it. After all, it was all he had left.
Author: trin_chardin
Summary: What if viruses were vampires?
Categories: Action/Original Character
Author's Note: Sorry...my internet server's been down the past few weeks. Hate it with "the fire of a thousand suns...that's a direct quote". -_- Thanks also to those who've taken the time to review, not only to praise, but to point out areas of improvement. It was much appreciated. ^_^
Disclaimer: I don't own the Matrix concept or anyone/anything in it - but I do own the original characters.
-----
Shadow Stalkers
Chapter 7
"Do you have the pattern of the corrupted code, Del?"
Morpheus leaned over the young programmer's shoulder as her fingers flew over the keyboard. She nodded jerkily at his question, fingers never stopping. At the main monitor a few feet away, Tank continued to forward collected data to her. Even though Smith had terminated the other Agent, its contaminated program could still be seen in the scrolling code of the Matrix. The corruption leeched slowly into its surroundings even as the System struggled to contain it. All over the Matrix, things were slowly falling apart around its oblivious inhabitants. Seconds seemed to be slipping away faster and faster.
"I think I'm onto something," she muttered breathlessly.
"That's good. Keep on working at it," Morpheus encouraged.
He moved away from her and headed towards Tank and the perpetually present Alt. At the moment, Trinity was sparring with Rak in the Construct. Avi was the only one down below as she rested in her quarters. It would be her shift after Zaa.
"How's Neo and Zaa?" Morpheus asked Tank.
"They're just about to leave the Matrix."
"Then, pull out Trinity and Rak. I don't want to risk them being too near the containment room with an Agent around."
"Aye, aye, Captain."
As Alt attended to Rak's minor injuries, Morpheus turned to Trinity.
"Get some rest - "
"What about you?"
"You need it more. We're taking over during Rak's shift. Tell him to get some shut-eye and wake up Avi. She's up next."
Trinity nodded tersely, lips pursed in disapproval. Her captain watched her disappear down the dark corridor with Rak and then went back to Tank.
"Are they in?"
"They are now."
Morpheus heard light footsteps behind him. He turned to find Avi stifling a yawn. With a small smile, he motioned for her to take a seat.
"Are you ready for your shift?"
She just smiled wanly in return.
"It'll be alright," he reassured her. "Neo will be with you."
With a terse nod, she started to stretch her lethargic limbs. Despite the tension, she managed a cheeky grin when her lover was pulled out.
"Out on a date with another woman?" She teased him after a quick kiss.
"Oh, our chaperone made sure it didn't go far," was his dry response.
Even Alt had to smile at that.
"Be careful, Avi," Zaa continued in a more serious tone.
"Always, love. Always." She flashed him a pensive smile.
One last kiss and she went in.
Zaa stood behind Tank to watch the view screen until Morpheus told him to rest. The Chinese man nodded after a while and with one last look at the monitor, he left. Inside the containment room, Avi and Brown went over the few witness reports that existed. As they did, Del collated the new data. Then, she called the others' attention with a soft curse. They turned to see her gingerly holding out a sprained wrist.
"Shit."
"Tank, take over," Morpheus ordered. "Alt, can you take her to the infirmary?"
"Yes'ir."
In the cool stillness of the med station, the tension was thick. Alt for all his feigned indifference could not ignore the feelings the other had professed just recently. Yet, he also could not find the words to break the walls that had suddenly risen between them. It was Del who did so.
"You hate me...don't you?"
"I don't hate you."
"But, you don't love me."
"Del - " A soft sigh.
"...Why? Just tell me."
"I can't answer that."
"Why not?"
She leaned in closer, her tear-stained face uplifted to his. To Alt's dismay, he realized that he was trapped between her and the counter...and he could not find it in himself to push her away. She was so close. He could smell the soft scent of standard soap in her hair. That and a whiff of her. Just her. If it had been a different situation, he would have smirked at the persistence of his analytical side.
"Del, you - "
Morpheus cut himself off and cleared his throat in embarrassment. Averting his eyes from the sight, he started to move away from the door he'd just opened.
"You're needed inside the containment room," he finished flatly.
"...Yes, sir."
She turned her head towards the wall to wipe her eyes dry. When Alt saw her face again, it had been schooled into a mask that gave nothing away. Without another word, she followed Morpheus out the door and down the corridor. Only when the echo of her last footstep had faded away did Alt let himself answer the questions that lingered in the air like ghosts.
"I do love you, Del. I do," he whispered to himself. "But, I'm too old for you."
He examined his worn hands with their slender long fingers. They were still shaking.
"Too old for a young girl who hasn't seen enough to know what love really is. Love is beautiful. Precious because it is hard-won. But, it is also long hours of waiting for what will not return... Despair in death... Cold nights alone... Love is also loss. ...Infatuation isn't love, and that is all you have to offer me now. Infatuation and innocence. ...Besides I am too old for you," he repeated.
In the oppressive silence, his words sounded hollow, even to himself. His righteousness was a bitter comfort, but he persisted on clinging on to it. After all, it was all he had left.
