Vick says: chapter 7 now...the mission and meet Sonic through Joyce's past...hope you people are enjoying this long trip among the souls of a crew of heroes.

Feedback point : vickpena@yahoo.com.mx please use encrypted email engine with fake DNS address, I suspect agents have been chasing me...

Disclaimer. Agent Smith, the Matrix and other characters related are property of other very creative persons and not mine, a fan who wants to write an entertaining and interesting Sci Fi piece based in this outstanding saga.

The Matrix

Firewalls

By Vick

Vickpena@yahoo.com.mx

The Agent and the Hacker.

Chapter 7

Shiva upgraded

Jeremy stopped and opened a door.

"This was Sonic's quarter..." he sighed. "Now it is yours."

Shiva didn't move.

"I don't think I can..."

"It is this or the engine room but Freud don't accept visitors when he is servicing the engines." Jeremy walked into the room. "Come."

She reluctantly followed.

It was a small room with no windows, she wouldn't miss them knowing there was nothing to be seen, a small uncomfortable-looking bed without blankets was there...the room had only one metallic chair and a little collapsible table embedded in the wall across the bed.

Beneath the bed she saw a two drawer set. She chuckled at the irony...she had nothing...her personal belongings were just imaginary.

Jeremy sat in the chair.

"Joyce removed Sonic's things," he stated.

"Oh," she replied, sitting at the edge of the bed. It was as uncomfortable as he thought.

"Poor girl," he continued, "They were in love and even when they tried to be together as much as they could tragedy found them...it is a sad story...but we have to live our life as good as we can."

"Keep it short " Shiva said, she wasn't feeling in the mood to talk about him, not when she knew she was partly responsible for his death.

"Deal." Jeremy nodded. "I will tell you about his mission."

"Please..."

He rubbed his eyes.

"Zion is the last human city on Earth...it is hidden underground near the Earth's core where there is still warmth...all of those who had been freed live there...it is a city of brave people who want to survive...we are their army... an army of fifty ships against a million Sentinels...Zion's mainframe is protected by a strong security interfase ...we...the Captains of these ships, know the codes for Zion's mainframe...and Smith want them...if he gets access he will be able to destroy our security systems and find the way in..." Jeremy breathed deeply "a month ago...a tragedy occurred...the Captain of one of our ships was caught and he gave Smith the codes...the crew of his ship pulled the plug but it was too late..."

"Was Zion destroyed?"

Jeremy shook his head.

"Fortunately not," he admitted. "Sonic was able to kick them out of our systems feeding them with a fake location but they copied some files from our server...at first, we didn't know how much damage they inflicted...we concentrated on improving our security systems and rebuilt our networks..."

"What happened then?"

"Our ships have been systematically hunted down, one by one...they copied the password for the hovercrafts GPS ...when one Sentinel is near a ship all they do is to access it to confirm its existence...we used to simply sit there when we found one, all systems shut down, making no noise until they were gone...now...thats simply ineffective. If we do that we turn into sitting ducks...we have to fight which will attract more Sentinels...."

"How many ships are left?"

"Enough ships," was the answer. "But we live in these ships, these are our homes and our duty is to be here in the sewer systems ...we cannot simply go hide in Zion..."

She felt the imminent danger hanging over her head. "We could be spotted anytime."

Jeremy nodded.

"Sonic gave us some time...remember that day at your office when he deleted the Employee Data Base?" She nodded. "His last job was to infect the Sentinel network with a virus that would make The Mordecai invisible for some days and until Matrix's anti virus programs kick in," he explained. "That will allow us to upload our firewall but it will mean the other ships will serve as decoys..."

"Sonic made it? The firewall?"

"He was a very skilled hacker, Shiva, but he also knew he had limitations... so he searched for a partner...a person who would help him develop the Firewall system and upload it..."

She opened her eyes wide. "Me?"

"You. He had to approach you and tell you about the Matrix...he wasn't supposed to play games with you or die in the process but he lacked modesty...and he challenged you..."

Shiva sighed, "How can I help?"

"Tomorrow, Jung will update you and you'll continue with Sonic's work"

"Where does that Firewall have to be uploaded?"

"In the building you worked for Smith," Jeremy informed. "He wanted to have you there because he knew you were the only one who would capture Sonic...even better if he tried to reach you..."

"Smith knows about the Firewall?"

"We don't think so" Jeremy admitted " but we know he wanted him because he had access to Zion's mainframe...a thing you'll do too...so...keep this in mind...if you're caught...say a little prayer and prepare to die because we won't allow them to have the codes...it is something we have to do..."

Shiva pondered the matter for a couple of seconds.

She found that she had no choice.

"I'll do it..."

"Excellent " Jeremy said. "It will be risky but if we succeed, Zion will be safe and so our ships...we need more warriors for this war."

"Ok...quit the speech" Shiva interjected, raising her hand. "I will do it because it is the only thing to do. I can't and I will not go back to my life...so...I have to try to make this better..."

"That's the spirit"

"Don't misunderstand my reasons..." Shiva shot, angrily.

"Now, take a rest," Jeremy said, rising and walking to the door.

"Alright."

"One more thing..." Jeremy stopped at the door, facing away "I think it would be better if you don't try to talk to Joyce for a while...she is deeply hurt because of Sonic's death, and she may want to make you the one responsible..."

With his words still hanging in the air, the Captain left.

She tried to sleep but even when she was completely exhausted she couldn't...so she spent the entire night trying to sort her feelings and thoughts and find the way to adapt herself better to her present position. She was a practical person by definition and she would do as she said...she would help those people and would develop the Firewall program, then...she would try to find a way to live as normal as possible.

The night aboard the Mordecai consisted in shutting down the lights so, when the lights went on again she understood it was time to get up.

She was putting her boots on when the door was knocked and a very serious Jung walked in.

"Ready?"

"To be honest..."

"I'll upgrade you...hope you slept because this will be tiring."

And it was...Shiva learned that day the woman with blue eyes and long black hair never lied... a valuable asset she would treasure in the future. For good or for evil.

She sheepishly sat in her chair and was connected.

"Ok...on our way..." Jung said, sitting in her chair and typing some commands with her right hand while selecting a micro disk among some others in a tray amid two monitors with her left...when she found the one she was looking for she inserted it in an I/O device next to the keyboard she was using. "On your mark..." she typed some more. "Get set..." the last sequence was entered. "Now...Go!" she finished, hitting the 'LOAD' button on a touch screen.

Shiva's body stiffened in her chair and her eyes clamped shut...the monitors where her vitals were diagramed seemed to enter to an state of hyperactivity as her heart pounded hard, her adrenaline levels increased and her brain activity sizzled.

An instant later her eyes snapped open.

She was breathing heavily.

"Thats was..." she gasped for air. "That was great!"

Jung was changing the micro disk, placing it above the I/O device.

"I learned how to fly all kinds of helicopters!" she said, mystified "I always wanted to learn to fly..."

"What you know..." Jung said, nonchalantly, "It is just the beginning"

Shiva looked at her in disbelief.

"What?"

Jung hit the LOAD button again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

At the end of the last micro disk, Shiva not only knew all kind of martial arts, Stealth assault, combat strategies, how to use any existent weapon...no... She also knew all about Zion, all of their history and chain of command, she was also a skilled hovercraft pilot and knew everything about it...

Jeremy smiled, walking into the deck "How is she doing?"

"Fine," Jung said, dryly, adding a micro disk to the pile above the supplement drive. "She has successfully learned all of the basic operations programs."

"I am Wonder Woman!" Shiva said, in some sort of trance like state. "Give me more!"

Jung hit the LOAD button.

Computer's Romance: Joyce's Story.

Joyce stopped the Mordecai and consulted the navigational charts in a little holographic screen. According to it, the ship was now in the convergence of two tunnels, one of them came directly from the surface and the other from a deeper level. This last one was blocked by some collapsed walls.

She didn't want to go to the surface but moved the Hovercraft inside that tunnel, knowing there was a way out a mile up, when the ship found said escape route she used it to get to an open space flooded with water, the scanners informed her the dept of the water well, it was eighty feet...enough to camouflage the ship.

The cavern was dark and the water probably was as dark as the cavern...the perfect spot to work.

Joyce hated to sink the ship in those places but it was the only way to work without interruptions.

"Diving to five-zero feet," She said when the ship landed on the water. "Engine disengage in five...four...three...two...one...now."

Joyce used a touch screen to shut the engines down.

The ship began to sink, steady...slowly and until it was at 50 feet...the water was so contaminated it was impossible to see a thing on it so they based all of their trust in the ship's scanners.

A hologram fed by the sonar built a digital representation of the cartography of the well, there was a flat space at 50 feet...Abraham placed the ship there.

He sighed, relieved.

"Want to go swim, eh, Joyce?"

"Get lost, Abraham," she said "I don't know why we do this in the fist place, this ships are old and are not supposed to be a submarine ...why if the pressure cracks the hull? Or the engines fails to takes us out of here?"

Abraham was turning the lights off. "Relax...we have done this a lot of times."

"I know," Joyce shivered, "But look around you...that water must be radioactive or worse..."

"You're acting like an old woman," Abraham said, stretching his arms "Much like my old piano teacher."

Joyce shook her head "Do you think she will do the job?"

Abraham shrugged his shoulders

"I don't know," he admitted. " Sonic believed in her."

Joyce sighed.

"Do you remember when I first got here, Abraham?"

Abraham nodded. "I do...you looked so fragile and confused I thought you wouldn't make it the first week."

"Thanks for your honesty, Abraham."

"My pleasure," the man said, leaping to his feet. "Want something to drink?" he offered "I heard Freud has been cooking some more of his so called 'Beer'."

"Do you remember that time we gave some to that friend of yours called Morpheus?"

"Yeah...the poor guy was sick for two days"

"Then forget it" she waved at him "I will stay here doing my watch."

He nodded and left.

Joyce sighed, her eyes focused in the water.

She visited her past.

***

"How do you feel?"

She couldn't keep her eyes open, they hurt too much, but she wanted to see who was talking to her.

The source of the voice moved around her...it was friendly and warm...

"I'm cold." she managed to say and her voice startled her because it was so different to what she remembered...it was low and grave "so cold..."

"That's because you're naked," the voice explained. "But don't worry, I will fix that."

Confused, she tried to sit but her body didn't respond so she stayed there...her eyes closed...feeling the lacerating cold of that place...her mind was a turmoil of feelings and memories...

The last thing she remembered was the University's Gym ... three persons...Jeremy, Jung and Abraham...and the way out from the Matrix.

After the red pill everything was foggy and the first thing she remembered about it was the voice asking how she felt.

Well, she felt like hell.

"You're going to sleep now, Joyce," the voice said as the rough blanket landed over her "You'll feel better once we reconstruct your muscles. for now... there is nothing you can do."

She shivered.

"I'm scared."

"I will be here with you all the time," the voice promised. "I won't let anything bad happen to you."

The girl once named Catherine Simmons slept.

When she woke up she felt better...not enough to get up...but better...her eyes didn't hurt anymore and her throat felt clean.

She saw the back of a man, next to her...he was bald and had a strange plug of some kind in the back of his neck...and he was removing needles from her right leg, one by one, carefully placing them in something out of her sight that clinked when the needle was left there.

Joyce moved her hand and touched the man. He, startled, left what he was doing and swirled.

She saw an intelligent looking man with brown eyes...his face was the one of a person who you'd like to talk with, the one who wouldn't lack stories or jokes...

"Ah...had a nice sleep?" he asked and she recognized the voice. A nice addition to the rest of him.

"Who are you?" was the answer.

"I am your guardian angel but please call me Sonic."

"What are you doing to me?" She asked.

"Oh...this?" he showed her a needle "This is a little trinket we use to help your muscles to feel strong again."

"Why?"

"You've never used them before." he explained, patiently and spun around to continue "Let me finish with this and I will show you around."

"Were are we?"

Sonic continued removing the needles while explaining her where she was and what the ship's mission was ...she listened with full attention, asking as many questions she needed to fulfill her curiosity...one moment she was Catherine Simmons, Computer Research assistant of the University of Connecticut and the next she was on board a hovercraft...with outlets all over her body and almost two hundred years in the future in the company of man called Sonic.

True to his word, the man showed her the ship, not without giving her clothes first, of course.

She followed him like a zombie, not believing the amazing pieces of technology she saw...monitors, computers, devices so strange their functions were a mystery and the persons there...all of them with the same outlets she had.

She recognized the others and was scared by a tall man with angry face. Freud.

Sonic smiled and assured that man was the best friend there was.

"Look at me, " he said, solemnly, after Jeremy showed her the world as it was. "I was afraid too...we all did." He smiled and took her hand in his. "I assure you this is not easy but you have to be strong...your life depends on it."

"I won't make it."

"You will, " he assured so vehemently she almost believed him "And I will help you do it...I will be your protector and you'll make your best to learn, ok? I need a partner."

She got lost in his eyes and found herself unable to say no as long as he was there with her.

In the weeks to come, that man was with her all the time, helping her, guiding her, making her stronger, training her and making her be another crew member... wining her heart in the process.

A love story among the ruins of a civilization.

"it seems you have now a protégé," Freud said once.

Sonic nodded and continued welding a piece of metal frame to repair a hole in one of the metal floors "Yeah..."

"Why?"

Sonic stopped his work " I think she was not ready for this... have you seen her Bio? The girl had a good promising life and Jeremy woke her up...she deserved to be happy even if she was living a lie."

Freud folded his arms.

"She was about to finish at her University, she had a loving mother and father, a bunch of good friends and a life without problems...do you think she deserves this?" He opened his arms wide "A metal sardine tin where all she is learning will put her life in danger? I don't think so. Ever since I saw her I knew she didn't deserve this life...if I could...I would keep her out of all this shit...she is so warm, funny--not like us--bitter people who fight for their lives with mechanical attitude."

"She made her choice."

Sonic spit. " Bullshit."

Freud sighed, "That is why you keep helping her to adapt here?" the man smiled "Or is there another reason?"

Sonic shifted uncomfortably, "I don't know what you're implying."

"You do..." Freud arched an eyebrow "We all had a life but you re so much worry about her."

Sonic kneeled to resume his job.

"Listen, kid, I'll give you a piece of advice." Freud stated pulling him up " if you have something to say to her go do it now... time is precious here. And we don't know how much we have left..."

"Yeah...yeah...Tempus Fugit..." he quipped, releasing from his grip " I have nothing to say to her..." he added, walking away into the corridor. "I think I finished here..."

"You're lost kid " Freud sighed deeply and shook his head continuing Sonic's job.

He never knew she was standing around the corner.

***

The training continued.

Freud loaded the program for that day and folded his arms.

Joyce found herself in a Japanese Dojo.

Sonic was on the other side dressed in white Chinese martial arts uniform

"Remember The Karate Kid?" he asked, smiling.

"I hated that movie," she replied, "But I like Jackie Chan."

Sonic's smile vanished as he assumed a fighting stance.

"You were updated with all existing martial arts," he explained. "You can use them and be faster and stronger than any person inside the Matrix...but you have to clear your mind and focus... the power of your attack won't depend on your physical strength but in how powerful you think it is..."

Joyce assumed a Kung Fu stance.

"Are you trying to tell me I can beat you?"

"Let's see."

Silence fell over them as they moved in a circle, measuring the other...Joyce was breathing calmly...focusing in his movements.

He attacked.

She saw a fist coming directly to her face and moved left with amazing speed, she grabbed his arm and, without problem, sent him flying to the other side of the Dojo.

Sonic landed on his feet.

"Good," he said. "More."

She prepared the attack and, with a short cry she charged against him.

He stood in his place, waiting for her.

Fist and feet struck with phenomenal speed from every angle but each and every on of them was blocked with effortless grace.

Joyce stepped back and changed her stance to a Thai Box posse.

Sonic attacked with a jump kick, she ducked to avoid it and, when he fell, a sweeping kick was waiting for him.

But he wouldn't wait to be on the floor to continue with his attack and back kicked her when still in the air.

Joyce fell to her back, the breath knocked out of her body.

Sonic wouldn't wait... she had to be ready for the real thing or she would be death....

Joyce escaped by miracle when he tried to hit her while she was on the ground.

Sonic would've continued attacking her but she managed to hit him in the stomach...he stumbled back.

Joyce leaped to her feet, teeth clenched, fists ready.

"You need to focus, Joyce," he said, angrily. "Don't think I won't hit you if I have the chance...you will have to fight harder if you want to survive."

"Shut up and fight."

"Ah, anger..." he replied. "There is nothing more wrong to fight than anger. it is useless here. It won't add to your adrenaline...it will only mean you're not focused!"

"You hit me, bastard"

"I did," he admitted with calm voice "And so will the people you'll have to fight once you're ready."

"Won't you shut up?" she cried and charged against him once more, this time, her attack is not planned and she is thrown to the ground again, this time, landing near a table with spears, sables and other weapons.

"You have a nice technique, Joyce," Sonic said.

She rose, feeling sweaty and beaten but she still had a little business to solve with her so called guardian angel...No man would dare to hit her...never...he'd show him....

A tiny little smile cracked Sonic's face.

Sonic attacked her, something incredible to see because he hit so fast it is impossible to see his fists. Joyce blocked as many as she could and hit him one or two times but she was kicked so hard she landed three meters away.

Panting, on her hands and knees and spit out blood, speckling the white floor of the Dojo.

Sonic kneeled down next to her.

"I..." she babbled, " I thought you said there was no way this would hurt."

"I never said such thing..." he replied. "I said you'd have to focus...and think on how powerful your attack is...listen, Joyce...don't try to attack me with your muscles but your brain." His voice softened. "Use your mind to direct your attack and let your body follow...I need you to understand this...I won't be there to protect you forever and I don't want you to die...ok?" he helped her up. "Now...again."

He resumed his stance.

Joyce breathed deeply, Sonic rolled his eyes "Do you really believe it is air what you're breathing?!" he barked "We are inside a virtual reality, now, fight!"

Joyce did it.

The speed of the blows rose like a drum solo that seemed impossible to sustain, Joyce attacked but this time, it was a different kind of attack, her face was calm and her fists and legs were faster...her kicks and blows were so hard to block, Sonic was literally pushed back until he was caught by a single blow in the jaw.

He fell down.

Joyce looked at him, proud.

"Excellent," he said, recovering and splitting some blood to the floor.

***

"Ouch..."

Sonic smiled while cleaning the wound in Joyce's mouth.

"I thought it was a program..." she managed to say

Sonic chuckled. " Your mind makes it real."

They were alone in the infirmary.

"I heard you talking to Freud," she said when he finished. He looked away and smiled.

"Where you eavesdropping?" he tried to make it sound like a joke but his voice betrayed him, sounding sad.

"No," she said, matter-of-factly. "It was a coincidence."

"How much did you hear?"

"Enough."

"I see." he pushed the little cart he was using away and faced her. "And?"

She was seated in the edge of the bed.

"I want to know...."

"Know what?"

He tried to step back but she held him by the waist.

"Why are you so worried about me?"

He didn't answer.

"Sonic?" she asked, "I have the feeling that I just met you but you know a lot of things about me ...how?"

He separated.

"I was the one who chose you for this crew...I know everything about you...your life is nothing but a file I could access with a single touch in my terminal, remember? "He cocked his head toward the nearest monitor. "Listen, Joyce, you are here because of your computer skills. And I hate it, because you had a wonderful life and I feel like if I stole something from you...I've never felt this before but it is the truth...you maybe don't picture this in the way it really is but your life is gone...your dreams are gone...nothing will ever be the same and I am the one who chose destiny for you...." A pause. " So I decided to help you being stronger and prepared for the horrible things you'll face...the world...the agents...even you..."

She was speechless.

"I cannot bear the thought of you being dead because of me...you deserved a good life..."

Joyce approached him. "I do not regret being here," she stated, taking his hand.

"But..."

"You don't chose my destiny, I did."

"Joyce..."

"Will you be here with me?" she said, her voice soft, their eyes locked "Will you?"

"I will."

"Then I will be fine." she hugged him "I need nothing from my old life if you're here..."

Sonic kissed her bald head.

"I love you, Joyce."

"I love you, Sonic."

"Talking to someone?"

Joyce trembled when a hand fell over her shoulder.

She looked up and saw Freud.

"I was just thinking about Sonic."

Freud nodded and sat in the pilot's chair.

"Jeremy wants you in the next mission, you are the only one who know where Sonic was working...so you have to go with her to..."

"Yeah, yeah...if you want to hack the Matrix you have to do it from inside." She quoted "You know, Freud...I once told Sonic I didn't regret being here but now that he's gone I am not sure anymore...if I knew a way to get back to my life...I'd do it...just to rip this pain out of me."

Freud was a man of experience thanks to his life inside the Matrix...and what he smelled didn't like him...

He smelled a possible traitor...