A/N: Well, well, well…here we are at last…the last real chapter of this little
ficcie. I can't believe it. My baby is all grown up. *Sniffle* …Well, there
is the epilogue after this, so don't get too down. Keep the reviews coming
and tell me what you are thinking! Sorry this took so long. Harry Potter 5
was stealing all my attentions for about 5 days. Good book, but very sad for
certain fangirls. Don't worry, I won't spoil. Cookies to Ninya Elfstone (AKA
crashed) for your kind review! Also cookies go to Rei for posting! You've
been the best!

Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to the creators of the Matrix
and are not mine. The song lyrics are from Pocahontas and cookies to
Kreeesten H. for getting them for me. Glitch is the only thing in this
chapter that belongs to me. No using her without my permission.

Rating: This is a light PG-13 for thematic events and overall creepyness.
Oh…just a warning…I hope you don't mind needles. ^_^ I've kinda given up on
ranting at the parents for now…if your kids have read it this far…you should
be hung by your toenails and beaten with a big stick.

Now to the chapter! Fasten your seatbelts! See you at the end!


Chapter XV: Dry Your Eyes

If I never knew you, If I never felt this love
I would have no inkling of how precious life can be
And if I never held you I would never have a clue
How at last I find in you the missing part of me
In this world so full of fear full of rage and lies
I can see the truth so clear in your eyes so dry your eyes
And I'm so grateful to you I'd have lived my whole life through
Lost forever if I never knew you
I thought our love would be so beautiful
Somehow I know we make the whole world right
I never knew fear and hate could be so strong
All they leave are worthless whispers in the night
But still my heart is saying we were right…
******

The room was small; not much larger than Glitch's living room. The walls
were bare and painted a sickly yellow green that reminded Glitch strongly of
a hospital or a nursing home. A thin rectangular window stretched across the
top of the far wall and to Glitch's left, a curtain was drawn to divide the
room.

Two men clad in dark suits exactly like Smith's stood side by side a few
paces into the room with their hands clasped behind their backs. Dark square
sunglasses hid their eyes rendering their faces totally unreadable. One was
about two inches taller than the other but that was the only thing that
distinguished them. They gave off the aura of being manufactured.

After Agent Smith had closed the door, the taller man spoke. His voice was
deep and devoid of any expression. "Is this the informant?" He asked
plainly.

Smith gave the barest of nods.

"And she has requested that her entire memory be deleted?" He inquired.

Smith nodded again, fighting to keep his features schooled.

"She does know that this is not normal procedure." He asked.

"I have informed her of this." Smith replied with yet another nod.

Glitch was growing agitated. The two nameless Agents, (she assumed the other
two men were Agents) had yet to even acknowledge that she was in the room.
They were treating her as though she was inferior to themselves, like a
child who didn't know what was best for herself.

"A full memory erase is a deviation from the original plan." The shorter
Agent stated rather stiffly, taking a step towards Smith.

"I understand this." He answered evenly, not shying away. "However this
would take less time."

The nameless Agents considered this for a moment before the taller one
spoke. "It will. Perhaps this will be for the best."

Agent Smith then turned to Glitch. "Are you ready, Simone?"

She took a deep breath through her nose and nodded firmly. The Agent closest
the curtain took it by the edge and pulled it back.

The sight that lay beyond it made Glitch's stomach twist. The curtain had
concealed a metal chair bearing restraining straps on its legs and arms.
Behind it was a tall machine, which resembled a heart and lung monitor in a
frightening fashion. Various sensors hung limply from their white cords
across the back of the chair. To the right of the chair was a tray of
medical tools. Some appeared to be commonplace items such as tweezers and
forceps but also on the tray were what appeared to be a pair of pliers and a
set of handcuffs. She didn't even want to speculate what any of the tools
were for.

A lump seemingly the size of a grapefruit rose in Glitch's throat at the
sight of it all. This was it. All her life was about to come unraveled and
before her were the tools with which it was going to be done. Oddly enough
however, she was more nervous about the procedure rather than the
repercussions. She felt Smith's hand on the small of her back and she
glanced back at him briefly. He guided her to the chair and helped her sit
down.

"Lean your head back here." He instructed gently, placing his cool hand on
her forehead.

The shorter of the other two Agents glanced up at Smith, clearly unfamiliar
with his treatment of the woman. Meanwhile the taller Agent busied himself
filling a syringe with a thin silver liquid, which he placed on the tray. He
then began to attach the sticky sensor pads in various places on Glitch's
head and throat. When this task was done he stepped away and stood quietly.

The shorter Agent was now changing the dials on the bizarre machine behind
Glitch's chair. She craned her neck around to try and see what he was doing.
As she did, Smith leaned over her and touched her shoulder gently.

"How are you feeling?" He asked softly, glancing at the machine behind her
which had begun to hum softly.

"I'm alright." She answered, trying with all her might to sound casual.

"Your heart is racing." Smith informed her with a slight smile.

Glitch smirked up at him. "A racing heart hasn't killed me yet."

Smith's smile deepened as he bent to give her a soft kiss on the lips. "That
is a good thing." He whispered.

By now, the other Agents (who up to this point had been merely shooting the couple
wary glances) were making no attempt to hide their staring. They were just
short of having their mouths gaping open.

Smith looked up at them. "Is everything in place?" He asked sharply.

Both Agents nodded together.

Smith nodded, standing up straight. "Excellent." He strode over to the
whirring machine and began to punch in codes on its various keypads. When he
was satisfied that everything was in order, he turned to the other agents.
"I will be administering the serum." He said in a monotonous voice.

The taller Agent took the syringe from the tray and handed it to Smith,
who thumped it twice to remove the air bubbles. He then turned it over twice
in his hands as though holding it was physically difficult. His eyes slid
from the needle to Glitch who looked almost serene. He leaned over her and
swept her hair back away from her neck. His fingers hesitated as they knit
themselves in the ebony strands and his face tensed.

Glitch reached up and touched his hand. "I'm ready, Agent Smith." She
whispered, fighting back the tears that burned like acid at the back of her
throat. "I know what I'm doing. I know that the next time I see you…if I
ever see you…I won't remember you."

Smith neared the syringe to Glitch's throat, the needle poised to pierce her
skin. "You won't remember me, Simone," He said hoarsely. "But I will always
remember you."

She smiled at him then, her gray eyes glittering with tears of acceptance.
"Do it, Smith. You'll see me on the other side."

Smith gave a shuddering sigh and plunged the needle home. Glitch winced
slightly as he began to inject the serum and then she lay quiet. She took a
few deep breaths as she gazed up at Smith, whose handsomely chiseled face
still loomed over her. She could hardly believe her eyes as she watched a
single tear snake out from under Smith's dark glasses

"Could a machine really cry?" was her last thought before darkness swallowed
her mind.
******