Thanks to all reviewers!!!!!!!!!!! *kudos to all!* Here's Ch 2, hope you
like it. Smith is...kinds mean in it though. But I suppose that is as it
should be :-)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHAPTER TWO: The Town
Smith watched closely as the Matrix's version of the moon rose slowly in the sky. Soon it would be time, the time he had waited ten long years for, the time when he would possess the most powerful weapon possible against Zion short of the access codes themselves.
Silently, he slid out of his seat and stepped up to the now-familiar door. He'd kept his eye on the house over the years, but had never visited again, instead keeping in contact with the parents by phone only.
They knew he was coming, and they were grateful. Grateful that he was saving them the expense of fully raising a child, grateful for the offer they had been given in exchange for the girl, but most of all, grateful that he was taking away the child everyone had called insane. Yes, they had called his brilliant pet insane. They would never know exactly what they had been mocking, he would see to that.
He rapped firmly on the door, which swung open instantly.
"Thank God you're here." The woman held the door open and motioned him inside, but he stood his ground firmly.
"Where is the child?"
The woman smiled warmly. "She's hardly a child anymore, although I'd be the first to admit she still acts like one. Still hears voices and jabbers on about a 'matrix' or such nonsense.." The woman shook her head sadly. "Poor thing, I'm afraid she's cracked, Mr. Smith."
Agent Smith's expression remained unchanged, but hidden behind his sunglasses, his eyes sparkled. "Excellent. Now, I say again, where is the child?"
"There's no hurry, why don't you come in and rest awhile."
In an instant Smith had a gun aimed right between her eyes. "Where is the child."
The look of horror in the woman's eyes would have been enough to break the heart of any human, but Agent Smith was as far from human as anything could get. Although he resembled them in everyway, from physical appearance, to expression, even down to clothing, he was pure machine. A quality he was more then thankful for.
"She-she's down in the town, celebrating her birthday."
Smith's gun didn't budge. "For your sake, I hope she is not with any friends. I specifically requested she never have associates."
"Oh! Don't worry, she doesn't! All the young people her age were scared off by her odd ways. She'll be alone."
"And you are, as stated, her only living relative."
"Of course."
"Good." Smith's lip twitched ever so slightly, then he pulled the trigger.
~~~~~~~~~~~
The car came to a screeching halt at a corner of the only intersection, right outside the town's main attraction: 'Bob's Bar and Grill'. It was a small town joint, fairly seedy, one step up from the highway stop "Eat's", and repulsive as it was to Smith's senses, he strode through the open door into the main room.
'Room" was an overstatement. 18 x 20 feet at most, and home to three tables, six chairs, and four barstools, Smith felt certain that the creation of 'Bob's Bar and Grill' must have been a glitch in the Matrix. Despite his feelings about the people and the place, he knew it was in his best interest to keep it quiet and not upset the other customers - the less suspicion, the better.
Ignoring the stench of greasy food and liquor, Smith eyed the room's inhabitants one by one, his gaze finally resting on the sole occupant of the bar.
With a hand on the counter and the other clutching a half-full glass, Nikki Roberts sat, swinging her stool back and forth with a determined look on her face. At Smith's approach, she looked up, a smile breaking onto her face. "Hi!"
Smith stopped directly in front of her. "Miss Roberts?"
"That would be me!" Nikki was the picture of a typical country girl - young, innocent and cheerful. She studied him for a moment. "Hey, I remember you! Uncle Smith! Welcome back!" She held out a hand, which Smith pointedly ignored.
"Your memory works surprisingly well." His lips barely moved as he spoke.
Nikki peered up at him. "Is there any reason it shouldn't?"
"Lets just say, if one single human has a reason for memory gaps, you are that one." His face was calm and emotionless, his eyes hidden behind his dark glasses. "Now, if you would come with me please, Miss Roberts."
Nikki gave him a suspicious glance. "Why? I've got no reason to leave, it's my birthday, and I'd like to spend it celebrating."
Smith slowly raised an eyebrow. "I can give you a reason." HE drew his gun and shoved it into her ribs. "Now decide."
Nikki gulped and looked at him with shock and disbelief reflecting in her blue eyes. "You wouldn't."
"Don't push me, Miss Roberts."
She studied him for a moment longer, and slowly a grin spread across her face. "You can't shoot me. You obviously want me for something, and if I'm dead I'm worthless."
Smith lowered his gun. "Excellent. Now come with me."
"You don't get it, do you?" She smirked. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Really." It was a statement, not a question. In one swift move, he grabbed the front of her shirt and had her halfway across the room.
"Hey!" The bartender growled. "What about her tab?"
Every so carefully, Smith removed his glasses, leaned forward, and looked the bartender in the eye. "Unless you like payment in a much more distasteful way, I suggest you make it one the house."
The burly man was not intimidated. "Just who do you think you are?"
Smith let his gun peek out from underneath his coat. "I am - government enforcement. You will do as I say."
"Yes, sir!" The man's eyes widened as he back up. "It's on the house, sir!"
"Good." After replacing his gun, Smith turned back to Nikki. "It's time to leave."
"But I just got-"
"Now." Smith grabbed the front of her shirt and forcibly dragged her out of the building, shoving her into the backseat of the car and sliding in after her. 'So much for not making a scene', he thought, as the car pulled away from the curb and headed for the open road.
Once the town was far behind them, Smith removed his glasses and studied the girl slumped in the seat beside him. His mind computed the details effortlessly.
She was short, 5'1 or so, with a slightly boyish face and a nicely curved figure, with a long brown braid hanging nearly to he waist. Not exactly agent material, but he could change all that.
Nikki scooted over as far away from him as possible, and glared at him for a while. After a few minutes of silence, she spoke. "You know what I think?"
Smith raised an eyebrow.
"You're not really my uncle."
"Correct. How did you come to that conclusion?"
Nikki shrugged."Nobody names their kid Smith Roberts, that's just too much. And my parents were each the only child in their families." She grinned again. "I'm not stupid."
"I don't imagine that you are." Smith leaned forward. "Now, ask."
"Ask what?"
He sighed. "I'm not here to play games, Miss Roberts. Fun is not my Business."
Nikki's brow furrowed. "I figured that, and I assume you want me to ask what exactly your business is? Or at least what you want with me?"
"If you had said that immediately, there would have been far less trouble."
"Why is that so important to you?" Nikki raised an eyebrow.
Smith's glasses returned to their place. "You see, Miss Roberts, in time, you will learn to tell me everything. You have to trust me, you have no other option."
"Oh yeah?" She scoffed. "I have a home to go back to, even if everyone there thinks I'm a nut. A lot they know."
"Do you really want to go back there? To face their scoffing, their disbelief and even their hatred?" Smith whipped off his sunglasses and got in her face. "I understand you, Miss Roberts. I recognize what you're going through. I, and Only I can help you find yourself."
Nikki slumped back into her seat. "Is that so? Then what exactly do you understand about me?"
The corner of Smith's mouth twitched ever so slightly. "You may recall the conversation we had several years ago, where you informed me of your ability to sense both worlds at once."
"Hold it, hold it!" Nikki held up a hand. " 'Both' Worlds?"
"Yes." Smith continued, his voice characteristically low and precise. "Both the Matrix, and what you humans call the 'real' world. I have use for that ability."
"Why? Or, what use? What real world? How can you understand? How did you find out?"
"That, Miss Roberts, will be explained in due time."
Nikki's brow furrowed. "Where exactly are you taking me?"
Smith slipped his sunglasses back on and returned to facing the front. "All in good time, Miss Roberts, all in good time."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There's chapter two! I'll have a third one up in about three days! R&R please, tell me what you think, whether it be good or bad. That is...I can take CONSTRUCTIVE criticism :-)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHAPTER TWO: The Town
Smith watched closely as the Matrix's version of the moon rose slowly in the sky. Soon it would be time, the time he had waited ten long years for, the time when he would possess the most powerful weapon possible against Zion short of the access codes themselves.
Silently, he slid out of his seat and stepped up to the now-familiar door. He'd kept his eye on the house over the years, but had never visited again, instead keeping in contact with the parents by phone only.
They knew he was coming, and they were grateful. Grateful that he was saving them the expense of fully raising a child, grateful for the offer they had been given in exchange for the girl, but most of all, grateful that he was taking away the child everyone had called insane. Yes, they had called his brilliant pet insane. They would never know exactly what they had been mocking, he would see to that.
He rapped firmly on the door, which swung open instantly.
"Thank God you're here." The woman held the door open and motioned him inside, but he stood his ground firmly.
"Where is the child?"
The woman smiled warmly. "She's hardly a child anymore, although I'd be the first to admit she still acts like one. Still hears voices and jabbers on about a 'matrix' or such nonsense.." The woman shook her head sadly. "Poor thing, I'm afraid she's cracked, Mr. Smith."
Agent Smith's expression remained unchanged, but hidden behind his sunglasses, his eyes sparkled. "Excellent. Now, I say again, where is the child?"
"There's no hurry, why don't you come in and rest awhile."
In an instant Smith had a gun aimed right between her eyes. "Where is the child."
The look of horror in the woman's eyes would have been enough to break the heart of any human, but Agent Smith was as far from human as anything could get. Although he resembled them in everyway, from physical appearance, to expression, even down to clothing, he was pure machine. A quality he was more then thankful for.
"She-she's down in the town, celebrating her birthday."
Smith's gun didn't budge. "For your sake, I hope she is not with any friends. I specifically requested she never have associates."
"Oh! Don't worry, she doesn't! All the young people her age were scared off by her odd ways. She'll be alone."
"And you are, as stated, her only living relative."
"Of course."
"Good." Smith's lip twitched ever so slightly, then he pulled the trigger.
~~~~~~~~~~~
The car came to a screeching halt at a corner of the only intersection, right outside the town's main attraction: 'Bob's Bar and Grill'. It was a small town joint, fairly seedy, one step up from the highway stop "Eat's", and repulsive as it was to Smith's senses, he strode through the open door into the main room.
'Room" was an overstatement. 18 x 20 feet at most, and home to three tables, six chairs, and four barstools, Smith felt certain that the creation of 'Bob's Bar and Grill' must have been a glitch in the Matrix. Despite his feelings about the people and the place, he knew it was in his best interest to keep it quiet and not upset the other customers - the less suspicion, the better.
Ignoring the stench of greasy food and liquor, Smith eyed the room's inhabitants one by one, his gaze finally resting on the sole occupant of the bar.
With a hand on the counter and the other clutching a half-full glass, Nikki Roberts sat, swinging her stool back and forth with a determined look on her face. At Smith's approach, she looked up, a smile breaking onto her face. "Hi!"
Smith stopped directly in front of her. "Miss Roberts?"
"That would be me!" Nikki was the picture of a typical country girl - young, innocent and cheerful. She studied him for a moment. "Hey, I remember you! Uncle Smith! Welcome back!" She held out a hand, which Smith pointedly ignored.
"Your memory works surprisingly well." His lips barely moved as he spoke.
Nikki peered up at him. "Is there any reason it shouldn't?"
"Lets just say, if one single human has a reason for memory gaps, you are that one." His face was calm and emotionless, his eyes hidden behind his dark glasses. "Now, if you would come with me please, Miss Roberts."
Nikki gave him a suspicious glance. "Why? I've got no reason to leave, it's my birthday, and I'd like to spend it celebrating."
Smith slowly raised an eyebrow. "I can give you a reason." HE drew his gun and shoved it into her ribs. "Now decide."
Nikki gulped and looked at him with shock and disbelief reflecting in her blue eyes. "You wouldn't."
"Don't push me, Miss Roberts."
She studied him for a moment longer, and slowly a grin spread across her face. "You can't shoot me. You obviously want me for something, and if I'm dead I'm worthless."
Smith lowered his gun. "Excellent. Now come with me."
"You don't get it, do you?" She smirked. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Really." It was a statement, not a question. In one swift move, he grabbed the front of her shirt and had her halfway across the room.
"Hey!" The bartender growled. "What about her tab?"
Every so carefully, Smith removed his glasses, leaned forward, and looked the bartender in the eye. "Unless you like payment in a much more distasteful way, I suggest you make it one the house."
The burly man was not intimidated. "Just who do you think you are?"
Smith let his gun peek out from underneath his coat. "I am - government enforcement. You will do as I say."
"Yes, sir!" The man's eyes widened as he back up. "It's on the house, sir!"
"Good." After replacing his gun, Smith turned back to Nikki. "It's time to leave."
"But I just got-"
"Now." Smith grabbed the front of her shirt and forcibly dragged her out of the building, shoving her into the backseat of the car and sliding in after her. 'So much for not making a scene', he thought, as the car pulled away from the curb and headed for the open road.
Once the town was far behind them, Smith removed his glasses and studied the girl slumped in the seat beside him. His mind computed the details effortlessly.
She was short, 5'1 or so, with a slightly boyish face and a nicely curved figure, with a long brown braid hanging nearly to he waist. Not exactly agent material, but he could change all that.
Nikki scooted over as far away from him as possible, and glared at him for a while. After a few minutes of silence, she spoke. "You know what I think?"
Smith raised an eyebrow.
"You're not really my uncle."
"Correct. How did you come to that conclusion?"
Nikki shrugged."Nobody names their kid Smith Roberts, that's just too much. And my parents were each the only child in their families." She grinned again. "I'm not stupid."
"I don't imagine that you are." Smith leaned forward. "Now, ask."
"Ask what?"
He sighed. "I'm not here to play games, Miss Roberts. Fun is not my Business."
Nikki's brow furrowed. "I figured that, and I assume you want me to ask what exactly your business is? Or at least what you want with me?"
"If you had said that immediately, there would have been far less trouble."
"Why is that so important to you?" Nikki raised an eyebrow.
Smith's glasses returned to their place. "You see, Miss Roberts, in time, you will learn to tell me everything. You have to trust me, you have no other option."
"Oh yeah?" She scoffed. "I have a home to go back to, even if everyone there thinks I'm a nut. A lot they know."
"Do you really want to go back there? To face their scoffing, their disbelief and even their hatred?" Smith whipped off his sunglasses and got in her face. "I understand you, Miss Roberts. I recognize what you're going through. I, and Only I can help you find yourself."
Nikki slumped back into her seat. "Is that so? Then what exactly do you understand about me?"
The corner of Smith's mouth twitched ever so slightly. "You may recall the conversation we had several years ago, where you informed me of your ability to sense both worlds at once."
"Hold it, hold it!" Nikki held up a hand. " 'Both' Worlds?"
"Yes." Smith continued, his voice characteristically low and precise. "Both the Matrix, and what you humans call the 'real' world. I have use for that ability."
"Why? Or, what use? What real world? How can you understand? How did you find out?"
"That, Miss Roberts, will be explained in due time."
Nikki's brow furrowed. "Where exactly are you taking me?"
Smith slipped his sunglasses back on and returned to facing the front. "All in good time, Miss Roberts, all in good time."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There's chapter two! I'll have a third one up in about three days! R&R please, tell me what you think, whether it be good or bad. That is...I can take CONSTRUCTIVE criticism :-)