Chapter Two: Tell me what you think. It's very late. And I'm dead sober. So you

know. It could go either way.

Xixie
Tank tried to bandage Trinity's arm, but Neo kept getting in the way. Usually he'd have

looked to Trin to tell him to scram, but she seemed as anxious to have him on hand. Not

that Tank didn't understand. Watching Neo die hadn't been easy on any of them. He

guessed Trinity deserved to keep him in sight for a while. If you really thought about it,

the two hadn't been out of actual contact with one another since it happened. Not in the

Matrix, and on the ship, well it wasn't that big a ship. They were pretty much always in

yelling range. So Tank tolerated the fact that Neo insisted on looking over his shoulder,

and the fact that Trinity kept pulling Neo over to her side just as Tank was about to stitch

or tape or wipe.

Morpheus looked in on them just as Tank finished. "Trinity. I need to speak with you."

Trinity stood, grabbing Neo's hand. They joined Morpheus on the bridge. He glanced at

their hands, noting silently that he hadn't asked for Neo, but let it go. "Why is the

Deviance on its way here?"

Trinity took a breath. "I found something out when we were out of contact." Dropping

Neo's hand, she sat in the pilot's chair next to Morpheus. "I was using my phone to

program the hard line. When we were interrupted by the agents, it was still connected.

As soon as I got away, I tried to call Tank, but I was still plugged into the machines

system, the phone was. They were talking. I listened to two agents-a male and a

female." Morpheus looked surprised at this. They had never come across a female agent

before. "Exactly. They were discussing a new type of agent. One specifically designed

to find Neo."

Morpheus interrupted. "They called him by name?"

"No. They called him the human who killed Smith. The woman about to say

more, but they had traced me. An agent took over a kid on a bike and attacked me. He

sliced me with a piece of metal just as I ran by. Just before I dropped the phone, the

woman spoke about a human prophecy. I think the agents know about our search for the

One."

Morpheus thought before speaking. "Why did you tell the Deviance to rendezvous

without speaking to me first?"

Trinity looked straight at her commander. "I knew how difficult it would be to establish

contact once we were on the ship. The agents know about Neo. They know what he

looks like and what he can do. They have created something specifically designed to kill

him. We need to know what that is. They have people who are very good at getting into

the Matrix and ferreting out information. I want them to do that."

"Pusher."

"Yes."

Neo had been silent for this exchange. "Why can't I go in and look for the information?

I can read the code directly. All I have to do is find one of the new Agents."

Trinity answered. "You can't do it, because you aren't going back in until we figure this

out."

"What? That's ridiculous. I'm more capable than anyone of taking care of myself."

"I know. But we don't know what this new thing is. And I don't want you to put

yourself in unnecessary danger."

"Trinity--"

"That's it Neo. You're out."

Neo was silent for about five seconds. "If I'm out, you're out."

"What? No."

Before Neo could respond, Morpheus interrupted. "Okay. Both of you. The Deviance is

on its way. We have no reason to enter the Matrix until they get here anyway. So this is

a non-issue. I don't want arguing."

Although Morpheus held no illusions as to their not arguing. Of the four months Neo had

been on board, the two had been together for three and a half. And they fought all the

time. Morpheus didn't say anything. Partly because they seemed to enjoy it and always

made up before nightfall. Partly because the one time he tried to mediate the pair had

turned on him. He didn't particularly enjoy his first officer telling him to mind his own

business in less than polite words.

"Neo. I'd like to talk to Trinity privately." It was obvious neither wanted get too far

from the other, but Morpheus' tone brooked no argument. "I'll send her right to you in a

minute."

Neo looked at Trinity, but moved through the bridge and headed for his cabin.

"You're bringing Pusher here, purposely?"

"He's the best. Next to Neo. We can trust everyone on that ship. And Pusher and I are

fine now."

"Will he be fine about Neo though?"

"He'll have to be when he finds out that he's the One."

Morpheus looked thoughtful for a moment. "Okay, Trinity."

"I'm going to go find Neo."

Morpheus looked at his first officer. Five months ago she would have rather died than

admit she needed someone. Now she wanted Neo in almost constant sight. Not that Neo

was any better, and Morpheus understood. Neo was like a child in the Matrix. He knew

the fear that all Resistance fighters had, only peripherally. The fear was what generally

kept you alive. Neo had other means, but they weren't fully developed and Trinity feared

for him. Morpheus held the same fear. Pusher was the best shot. At least Trinity had

heard the Agents talking. If any other Resistance members had overheard the

conversation, they would have contacted Zion perhaps, but nothing would have been

done. Morpheus nodded. "Go find Neo. We'll be seeing the Deviance tomorrow about

this time."

Trinity stood.

"Oh, and Trinity. Maybe you should tell Neo about Pusher before he gets here."

Trinity sighed. "Yeah. I'm about to."