Disclaimer: I don't own the matrix, or the One but I did make all the
other characters in this chapter.
CHAPTER 4: Surge
Artemis opened her eyes as Box unplugged her and Korby. She sat up and looked at Korby, rubbing her face. They had just finished a training session and he had hit her pretty hard. "You weren't kidding when you said that you were a boxer in high school."
Korby winked at her and slid out of the chair. "Maybe you could show me some more moves after lunch."
"Korby, I told you- you know the moves, you just need to do them. We will practice after lunch no matter what. Today, you'll be trying the Jump."
The jack grinned at her and ran off to the galley. "You'd never believe that it was a whole month ago that he was in his cabin, crying in disbelief. Now he can take on the whole damn Matrix."
Box stepped in front of her and folded his arms. "The Matrix is one thing. An agent is another."
"Yeah," Artemis said. "Any word on you-know-who?"
"Actually-"
Artemis' heart skipped a beat and she looked up.
"Yes. I think we may have found him."
"Where? What's his name?"
"He's living in New York. His given name is Robert Chance and his chosen name is Surge.
"And you think he is the One?"
"Yes."
No matter how excited Artemis was about Surge, she had to take Korby on his jump. Gaim had designed the program. Most designs are set in the city atop tall skyscrapers and you had to jump from one to the other. This one was set on a cliff face. It could be used for training in three levers: jump across the ravine, jump from hanging on the side of the cliff, jump from the bottom of the ravine.
Korby scanned the horizon. He turned to Artemis and gulped. "What should I do?"
Artemis readjusted her crooked shades. "You jump. This is the hardest test for a rookie. You have to jump from here- " she pointed at the ground "-to there." And she pointed to the other cliff, which was 200 meters away. Korby sharply inhaled. "Without falling. The key is to remember this: free you mind. Once you can do that, anything in the Matrix is possible. Free your mind."
With that, she jumped across the ravine and landed safely on the other cliff. She turned to look at Korby expectantly.
Later at dinner, Korby looked very upset. Artemis tried to explain, but Strike got there first. "Korby, nobody makes their first jump. We didn't expect you to. The good thing is, you tried. Because you tried, you learned something. We're proud of you for that."
Artemis stared at Strike. She'd never talk this way to a rookie. Strike usually treated them like dirt until a new recruit came in. Why was she being so nice to Korby?
But Strike had already left the galley.
CHAPTER 4: Surge
Artemis opened her eyes as Box unplugged her and Korby. She sat up and looked at Korby, rubbing her face. They had just finished a training session and he had hit her pretty hard. "You weren't kidding when you said that you were a boxer in high school."
Korby winked at her and slid out of the chair. "Maybe you could show me some more moves after lunch."
"Korby, I told you- you know the moves, you just need to do them. We will practice after lunch no matter what. Today, you'll be trying the Jump."
The jack grinned at her and ran off to the galley. "You'd never believe that it was a whole month ago that he was in his cabin, crying in disbelief. Now he can take on the whole damn Matrix."
Box stepped in front of her and folded his arms. "The Matrix is one thing. An agent is another."
"Yeah," Artemis said. "Any word on you-know-who?"
"Actually-"
Artemis' heart skipped a beat and she looked up.
"Yes. I think we may have found him."
"Where? What's his name?"
"He's living in New York. His given name is Robert Chance and his chosen name is Surge.
"And you think he is the One?"
"Yes."
No matter how excited Artemis was about Surge, she had to take Korby on his jump. Gaim had designed the program. Most designs are set in the city atop tall skyscrapers and you had to jump from one to the other. This one was set on a cliff face. It could be used for training in three levers: jump across the ravine, jump from hanging on the side of the cliff, jump from the bottom of the ravine.
Korby scanned the horizon. He turned to Artemis and gulped. "What should I do?"
Artemis readjusted her crooked shades. "You jump. This is the hardest test for a rookie. You have to jump from here- " she pointed at the ground "-to there." And she pointed to the other cliff, which was 200 meters away. Korby sharply inhaled. "Without falling. The key is to remember this: free you mind. Once you can do that, anything in the Matrix is possible. Free your mind."
With that, she jumped across the ravine and landed safely on the other cliff. She turned to look at Korby expectantly.
Later at dinner, Korby looked very upset. Artemis tried to explain, but Strike got there first. "Korby, nobody makes their first jump. We didn't expect you to. The good thing is, you tried. Because you tried, you learned something. We're proud of you for that."
Artemis stared at Strike. She'd never talk this way to a rookie. Strike usually treated them like dirt until a new recruit came in. Why was she being so nice to Korby?
But Strike had already left the galley.