"Angel!" The English accented voice suddenly came at me from somewhere within the room. I jumped and looked around me and there, in the middle of the hospital room, was One and Two standing side by side.
"Open up the window and turn all the lights in here on." One said to me. I did as he wished, and after turning on the last light I turned to face two very different Twins. Their clothes were now complete without a wrinkle or bloodstain or tear on them, their sunglasses were back, and they looked totally healed and well like they were supposed to be.
"We feel like ourselves again!" They both said together, Two running his hands over his shiny silver trench coat and smiling.
"Angel, come at us and try to hit us." They both motioned for me to come at them.
"I don't want to hurt you." I replied—a little concerned.
"Don't worry, you won't hurt us. Just try and hit us. C'mon!"
I soon got up enough nerve to run at the two Twins with my fists out in front of me, but before I could hit one of them the one I aimed for disappeared into his translucent ghost form then reappeared after I had gone past. I swung my arm around at the other one, but he too disappeared and reappeared after my arm had gone through him. Before I knew it, I swung my hands and fists back and forth while hitting nothing but air as the Twins continued to quickly disappear and reappear around me. After awhile I started to think that they enjoyed our little game and wanted to play with me, especially Two who seemed to find it fun to change the place he stood each time he disappeared—and staying transparent for awhile until I found him. After I found him he would become visible and break out in laughter, and I have to admit that his laughter was contagious for I too started to laugh after several times of finding him. Once he crept up behind me and playfully and gently tackled me then disappeared before I could catch him. It was clear that the Twins and I were having the time of our lives. It was a wonder that one of the nurses didn't come in there to see what the ruckus was about. For a good while, the Twins continued to play their game with me, disappearing and reappearing here and there. It must have been part of their 'ghost instincts'. Ghosts are known to be playful and mischievous and the Twins certainly had that in them. The game of hide and seek mixed with tag finally came to an end when I started getting tired.
"Yes! We have our powers back!" both Twins said together as they high-fived each other.
"Now let's go kick some Merovingian code!" Two evilly smiled at his brother while rubbing his hands together in a revengeful way. One evilly grinned back at his twin.
"Not just yet. Let's finish testing our powers. Watch me go scare one of those nurses out in the hall." One nudged at Two before disappearing through the wall. A couple of seconds after, I heard a woman's scream down the hall. I just sighed and shook my head at the Twins' playful behavior. One suddenly reappeared through the wall and stood beside Two.
"Man, she almost got me with her clipboard! A little slower at phasing and I would have had it up the side of my face." One rubbed his cheek as he spoke.
"Excuse me," I started. "If you two would be so kind as to come back down to Earth, there are some questions I'd like to ask."
"Sure." both twins said at once.
"What did,"
"you have,"
"in mind?"
"First off, how did you manage to heal yourselves and get your coats, glasses, vests, and ties back?"
"I fixed our code back to the way it's supposed to be." One answered.
"Is this your code?" I asked as I pointed to the scrolling code on the laptop's monitor.
"Yes."
"Can you program weapons?"
"You mean these babies?" Two pulled out his pearl handled razor and flipped it open. Falling into his old habit, Two started to twirl his razor around. Not looking at where he twirled it, he slammed his hand into One.
"Ow! Hey, watch where you twirl that thing!" One angrily shoved Two's hand away from his stomach and glared at him through his dark glasses. One, then, ran his hand over the area of his white vest where Two's razor hit him. "Be careful with that, will you?" he scolded.
"Sorry." Two said just above a whisper as he shrunk back and slowly closed and tucked his razor back into his pocket.
"Sure, we can program weapons." One walked toward the computer.
I glanced at Two, who stood quietly with his head lowered, his hands behind his back. I wasn't about to say anything, but I really loved Two. He was so sweet and even though he acted tough, he also acted like a child at times, which made him sweeter. Ever since I rescued the Twins, I was for some reason drawn to Two and felt for him. I loved One too, but Two somehow managed to steal my heart more than his brother. It was hard to explain. I smiled and motioned for Two to come over next to me. He didn't hesitate to do so, and eagerly walked up beside me. Feeling sorry for him because of the way One had yelled at him, I slowly and carefully placed my arm around him and gave him a slight hug. He did the same to me.
"The reason I asked is because Smith tried to kill me when I went to the hotel to get my laptop," I continued my conversation. "And Agent Brown is outside the front entrance to this hospital right now guarding it. I had to use the parking garage entrance to get inside here."
"Okay, that is a problem," One breathed as he continued punching at the laptop's keyboard. "But one that's easily solved."
"But Smith moves too fast for weapons," said Two. "You've seen how he can dodge bullets."
"You're forgetting one thing," I said. Two looked at me. "We aren't in the Matrix."
"It could work then. It's worth a try anyway." Two said after a long thought.
"Really, at the moment, anything's worth a try, my dear brother." One added.
Suddenly a slight knock was heard at the door. One looked at Two and me then the two twins started darting about.
"Quick! Get into your bed, Two. The nurse must not know we're healed."
The Twins let me know when they were ready for me to open the door. A nurse stood on the other side as I opened the door wide enough for me to see who it was.
"I need to take the temperature of the patients in this room." she said.
"Uh… we're busy at the moment. Can you come back in a few minutes?" I nervously said. The nurse sighed a little.
"Ok, I'll be back in 20 minutes."
"Good!" I said, closing the door again. "We have 20 minutes, guys, before she comes back." I said to the Twins as they leaped out of their beds and resumed their position at the laptop.
"Angel, look out the window and tell me what you see." One pointed toward the window, not even taking his eyes off the computer monitor. I walked over and peeked out through the blinds. The room we were in was right over the hospital's main entrance and there was Brown walking around.
"Brown's walking around like he's waiting for someone." I turned to the Twins.
"Okay, keep your eyes on him." said One, quickly running his pale fingers over the buttons of the keyboard. I continued to watch the agent like One had told me to do. Suddenly Brown disappeared in a flash of green code and was gone.
"What happened?" I ran over to the Twins.
"I put him back in the Matrix." One snickered. Two began to laugh a little. "I hacked into his code and transported him back into the Matrix world." One turned a grinning face towards me.
Before we could do anything else, another knock was heard at the door. I rolled my eyes and glanced at my watch.
"It hasn't been 20 minutes yet! That nurse needs to learn to read a clock."
The Twins were about to get back in their beds.
"No, wait a minute and I'll go see who it is."
I walked over and opened the door. I gasped as Smith put his hand on the door and forced it open. I walked backwards and up against one of the walls as he came in and closed the door behind him. I wanted to warn the Twins, who were busy looking at the computer, but nothing came as Smith glared at me.
"Well, well, what have we here?" His deep voice cut the silence. The Twins spun around at hearing his voice. They walked closer together to hide the computer from Smith's view.
"Seems like you two have made a miraculous recovery," Smith said to the Twins as he stopped close to me. I gulped a little when he glanced at me.
"What's it to you?" Two nervously asked.
"Nothing, but the Merovingian will be pleased to hear. He wants you two to come back."
"What for? So he can finish what he started the night he beat us and kicked us out?" One coldly said as he reached behind him and closed the top of the computer.
"He didn't say. He just wanted me to find you and bring you back." Smith's frown was longer than ever. His deep and slow voice sent chills down my back. Seeing him on a TV screen was ok, but seeing him in person was a totally different experience.
"You can just go back to him,"
"and tell him we want no part,"
"of him anymore."
Both Twins glared at Smith from behind their sunglasses.
"I take it you aren't coming with me then." Smith said as he walked closer to me.
"We aren't." the Twins replied and nodded at once.
"I think you will." Smith forced an eerie and creepy smile as he slowly placed his arm around my shoulders. My heart skipped a beat at feeling his evil touch. Then I suddenly felt a sharp pain go through my left shoulder and turned my head to see Smith's powerful hand squeezing my shoulder. I gasped with pain as his fingers bore into me.
"I understand that this human here is pretty special to you." Smith looked up at the Twins, his fingers baring harder into my shoulder. My eyes started to water with tears and my teeth gritted together even more at the pain. It was all I could do to keep from screaming out in pain.
"Leave her alone!" I heard Two angrily shout at Smith. Through my tear filled eyes, I saw Two try to make his way to me, but Smith stopped him.
"Stay back or the human girl really gets it." Smith whipped out his pistol and pointed it at my face. I was too overcome by pain to really notice the gun at that time.
"You harm one hair on her head and I'll—" Two gritted his teeth.
"Or you'll what?" Smith sneered. "You aren't in the Matrix anymore. You're in the real world. You have no power here. The Merovingian didn't program your powers to work here, remember?"
The Twins looked at each other and smiled.
"That's what you think." they both said in unison. One quickly phased into the floor and reappeared behind Smith, holding his razor to Smith's neck.
"Get Angel out of here!" One shouted to Two as he struggled with Smith. Two ran to my side and helped me out of the room and out into the hall.
"You ok?" Two asked as he rubbed my shoulder.
"Yeah, I think so," I smiled. "You've got to get the computer." I weakly added as I continued to gasp for air. Two ran back into the room and came back out with the laptop tucked under his arm.
"Let's get out of here." Two grabbed my arm.
"What about One?"
"He'll be here soon, now let's go!"
Both Two and I ran down the hall and to the elevator. We nervously walked up and down the area as we waited for the elevator to get up to our floor.
"What is taking that thing so long? We're only on the second floor." I said, punching the 'up' button again. Finally the lift came and opened.
"Agent Johnson," I shouted to Two. Two ran and shoved the laptop in my arms and whipped out his razor. Both Two and Johnson faced each other in silence.
"Move away from the elevator, slowly." Two motioned with his razor for Johnson to move. Johnson held his hands in the air and slowly moved away from the elevator doors. Two walked into the elevator and motioned with his dreadlocked head for me to do the same. Punching the first floor button, Two continued to hold his razor in front of him until the doors shut completely.
"Duck down," I told Two. "The last time an agent was on the other side of an elevator door when I was in it, he started shooting through it."
Both Two and I scrunched down and covered our heads waiting for the bullets, but none came. Once outside the hospital, Two and I breathed.
"Feels good to finally be out of that place." said Two, looking around him.
"What about One?" I asked, worried.
"He'll be along."
At that moment, One appeared through the pavement beside me, nearly scaring the wits out of me.
"Sorry, Angel, I didn't mean to frighten you." One apologized as he placed his hand on my shoulder.
"What happened to Smith?" Two looked around for the agent.
"Well, we struggled for some time, then I phased when he became too strong for me to handle. I suppose he's still up in the hospital room." One looked up at the window above us; Two and I followed as we too looked up.
"So what's next in stopping the Merovingian?" I suddenly asked, changing the subject.
"First, we've got to find Neo." One took the laptop from my hands and opened it.
"Neo? He's here too?" My eyes bugged a little.
"Sure," Two grinned. "Only this time we'll be working with him."
"If he'll believe we've actually turned to his side," muttered One. "I overheard the Merovingian say once that Neo lives in one certain area of the city. Ah! Right here," One pointed to an area of a map he had somehow programmed into the computer.
"Great! Let's go." said Two.
