Hello lovely little people out there who read my stories! Not that I'm
assuming you're little, unless of course you're hobbits, and it would
actually be really cool to have hobbits review my story, but I don't know
how they would because how are they going to access fanfiction from Middle
Earth? Oh, and they're fictional... that's kinda a reason for them not to
be able to review... shut up brain... Sorry the last chapter was so short,
but this one's nice and long, and it'll answer a couple of your questions!
Maybe.... Enjoy!
* * * * *
Chapter 10 - The First Hope
The boy turned off the cell phone and put it into his pocket. He was only about seventeen, yet his entire body radiated menace. Menace and danger. He wasn't wearing a suit, like the agents, but a black T-shirt and trousers with a black leather jacket. His dark hair fell slightly onto his face, just brushing the top of his sunglasses, but he made no effort to brush it away.
"Who - who - who are you?" asked Asha, unable to keep her voice from shaking. The boy smirked slightly.
"Oh, but surely you should know that," he said. His voice was ice cold, and made Asha shiver. "After all, I know who you are. Asha Warner, the second hope, newest member of the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar. Well, I - I was the first hope."
He took a step towards her. "We're both very similar, Asha. We were both... ah... 'unplugged' in the fifteenth year of our lives, and thrust into a world we didn't recognise.
"But here is our difference," he said, stepping towards her again. Now he was standing right in front of her. Asha wanted to run, but found that she had frozen, and couldn't take her eyes off his sunglasses. He continued on. "You believed everything that you were told. You believe that you are fighting for what is right. However, when I came into this world, I realized where the real power lay. I embraced that power, and look at me now, Asha." He took off his sunglasses. "Look at me now."
His eyes were icy blue, as cold as his voice. There was a sort of flame burning in them, but they gave off no warmth. As soon as she saw them, Asha felt fear grip her entire body, so much that she could hardly breathe. She started to edge away backwards, feeling behind her for the wall.
"Keep away from me..." she said, "Keep away!" She spun round to run, to do anything to get away from those eyes.
"Oh, but why would I want to do that?" Asha stopped dead. Now the boy was right in front of her. She edged away again, trying to get as far away as possible. "Yes, Asha, look at me now. I have the power to move about freely in the Matrix - and out of it. Like when I went from the Matrix onto my old ship, and killed everyone." The cold flame in his eyes brightened, and started to walk towards Asha again. "I can move anywhere I want in an instant. I can move things. I can overpower minds, Asha..." he said. Asha was now right up against the wall, and the boy was immediately in front of her, looking down on her. "You can do that too. All you have to do, is take my hand, and I'll take you where you can learn the full extent of the power you have."
He held out a hand. Asha felt an overwhelming urge to take it. But her mind struggled to resist, and she fought to keep her hand by her side. She could gradually feel her resistance being beaten down. She wanted more than anything to run, to fight, but she felt that the only thing she could do was take his hand. Unwillingly, her hand started to move towards his. She was almost crying as she watched it.
Suddenly a foot came out of nowhere and kicked the boy in the chest. Asha blinked, and saw Trinity in front of her, fighting to keep the boy away from Asha. The boy parried her blows easily, and grabbed onto Trinity's wrists. He pulled her towards him.
"Trinity!" he said, in a mocking tone, "Long time, no see. How are you, now that Neo is dying? Won't have anyone to look after you any more, will you?"
Trinity looked as if she was longing to hit him much harder than she had before, but while he was holding onto her wrists that was impossible. She gave him such a look that normal people would run screaming, but he just laughed. Trinity fought to get away.
Asha suddenly felt in control of her mind again, and summoned all her strength. She jumped into the air, and kicked the boy around the head. The boy tried to block the blow, but in doing so, had to let go of Trinity. Trinity, regaining her strength, helped Asha to beat off the boy. The boy fell back onto the pavement.
"Asha! Come on!" said Trinity, and grabbed onto her hand and leapt up onto the roof of one of the buildings. As they ran away across the rooftops, Asha glanced back. The boy was on his feet again, and watching her go.
"Remember what I offered, Asha!" he called, "Remember what I said."
* * * * *
Trinity led Asha to a phone booth that wasn't too far away. Morpheus was waiting for them there. He gripped Asha by her shoulders. "Asha, are you all right?"
Asha nodded. She couldn't stop thinking about what could have happened if Trinity had come a few seconds later.
Morpheus watched her face, and seemed to understand. "You first," he said as the phone started to ring. Asha nodded, and picked up the receiver. She felt as if she was falling, and then opened her eyes. She was back on the Nebuchadnezzar. Tank reached up and pulled the plug from the back of her head. She sat up, feeling a bit dazed about all that had happened. She watched Trinity and Morpheus wake up. Trinity immediately ran to the medical bay, where Neo was still lying as if asleep. She resumed her old position, sitting beside him, looking for any change.
"I don't understand it," she said, "He's healed from the bullet wound already, so it can't be that. What's wrong with him?"
Morpheus walked over to Asha. "Do you know who that was?"
Asha nodded. "I think it was the boy you unplugged who joined their side."
"What did he say to you?"
"He said..." Asha shivered as she remembered those eyes. "He said that he was now powerful, that he could move freely from the Matrix to the real world. He said that I could do that as well. He wanted to take me somewhere where I could learn to use my powers properly."
Morpheus nodded. "They're trying to get you as well, Asha. It seems that David is now more powerful than agents, since he move about freely between the real and the Matrix."
"David?"
"Well, yes, Asha, he has a name."
Asha shook her head. She couldn't picture him having a name.
"But that's the point, Asha. You can be more powerful than him. You just haven't realised it yet." Morpheus took her shoulders. "With Neo as he is, you're the only hope we have, Asha. We don't want to lose you as well."
* * * * *
Agent Smith walked up to David. He personally disliked him, felt that he was too full of himself, but he was essential to their plans - for the moment.
"She got away," he said.
"I know," said David, "Didn't talk to her for long enough. That damn Trinity turned up. Another few seconds, I would have had her."
* * * * *
Asha lay in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She couldn't possibly sleep, she was still running over the events in her mind. Every time she thought about the boy, she shivered. She remembered how close she had come to relenting.
"How are you, Asha?" said a voice.
Asha sat bolt upright. Leaning against one of the walls was David.
Asha felt her heart stop. "I wasn't expecting that," she said weakly.
The boy smiled mirthlessly. "Most people don't. Those people on my old ship certainly didn't expect it."
Asha felt afraid. But amazingly, not as afraid as she had been in the alley. Trinity and Morpheus weren't far away. She could run and get them.
"Thinking about fetching someone?" said David, "And how, may I ask, do you plan to get to the door?"
Asha got up and ran for the door. David vanished and reappeared, instantly, in the doorframe. Behind him, the door slammed shut all by itself. Asha backed away.
"What do you want?" she asked feebly.
"What do I want?" said David, "Now lets see. What do most people want? Power, Asha. Power. That's what most people want. But I'm not like most people, so I'll just settle for you joining us."
"I'm not going to do that," said Asha, "Not for anyone."
"Really?" said David, "Not even, say, for Neo?"
Asha was about to snap back, when she realised what he'd said. "You know what's happened to him, don't you?" she said, "You know why he's like this."
"Asha, Asha, Asha," he laughed, "Know why? I'm the REASON why."
Asha felt her heart stop. "What did you do to him?"
The boy took a step forward. "Oh, not much. His mind's just wandering around the cyberspace of the Matrix, hopelessly lost. And that's where it will stay, unless..."
Asha shook her head. "No..." she said, "No, I won't. I won't go with you."
"Oh, now Asha, show a little compassion," he said, "So maybe you won't for Neo. You'll just let him stay asleep, with Trinity by his side, forever. But maybe you'll consider it - for someone else? Say... for Jon?"
Asha felt that if she got any more shocked, her head would explode. But she felt most of her fear leave her, replaced by blinding rage. "What have you done to him?"
"Nothing yet," said David, "But I could, any moment now. He could be hit by a bus. He could be pushed over a cliff. He could just suddenly die, just like that-" He clicked his fingers. "-and no-one would ever know what happened to him."
Asha felt like she was going to be sick. "You wouldn't," she said, "I don't believe you."
"Really?" he said, "You don't think I'd do it? Your records have you down as intelligent... Why don't you just give in, Asha?"
"Because then I'd become like YOU," she said.
"Touché," he said, "But I can see your future Asha. You will give in."
"What?" said Asha.
"You have your Oracle. I have my own sources. I've seen your future. You will join us."
Asha felt anger bubbling up inside her. "I'm not going with you!" she shouted, and tried to hit him.
He grabbed onto her wrist. She suddenly felt as though she was falling. The Nebuchadnezzar vanished, and she and David were flying through the code of the Matrix. Asha looked around in fear.
"I don't think you have a choice this time," he said.
* * * * *
Im a Brandybuck - Well, you don't have to wait until Monday, cos I updated today! I couldn't wait either...
KnowInSight - *watches muffins* Muuuufffiiiinnsssssss..............
Cirfia - Mad evil. Now that sounds like a combination that's, um, not very nice.
Kit - Thanks Kit! Hope this chapter answered a couple of questions for you.
Mako - You're not annoying. You're like me. But then again, I'M annoying...
Tanuki Yasha - Whoa, eighteen 'really's. That's really a lot of reallys. Mmmmm....... quadruple chocolate muffin with chocolate chips and chocolate sauce.......
Yilantri - Wow. Moon of wisdom. That's a new one......
* * * * *
Chapter 10 - The First Hope
The boy turned off the cell phone and put it into his pocket. He was only about seventeen, yet his entire body radiated menace. Menace and danger. He wasn't wearing a suit, like the agents, but a black T-shirt and trousers with a black leather jacket. His dark hair fell slightly onto his face, just brushing the top of his sunglasses, but he made no effort to brush it away.
"Who - who - who are you?" asked Asha, unable to keep her voice from shaking. The boy smirked slightly.
"Oh, but surely you should know that," he said. His voice was ice cold, and made Asha shiver. "After all, I know who you are. Asha Warner, the second hope, newest member of the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar. Well, I - I was the first hope."
He took a step towards her. "We're both very similar, Asha. We were both... ah... 'unplugged' in the fifteenth year of our lives, and thrust into a world we didn't recognise.
"But here is our difference," he said, stepping towards her again. Now he was standing right in front of her. Asha wanted to run, but found that she had frozen, and couldn't take her eyes off his sunglasses. He continued on. "You believed everything that you were told. You believe that you are fighting for what is right. However, when I came into this world, I realized where the real power lay. I embraced that power, and look at me now, Asha." He took off his sunglasses. "Look at me now."
His eyes were icy blue, as cold as his voice. There was a sort of flame burning in them, but they gave off no warmth. As soon as she saw them, Asha felt fear grip her entire body, so much that she could hardly breathe. She started to edge away backwards, feeling behind her for the wall.
"Keep away from me..." she said, "Keep away!" She spun round to run, to do anything to get away from those eyes.
"Oh, but why would I want to do that?" Asha stopped dead. Now the boy was right in front of her. She edged away again, trying to get as far away as possible. "Yes, Asha, look at me now. I have the power to move about freely in the Matrix - and out of it. Like when I went from the Matrix onto my old ship, and killed everyone." The cold flame in his eyes brightened, and started to walk towards Asha again. "I can move anywhere I want in an instant. I can move things. I can overpower minds, Asha..." he said. Asha was now right up against the wall, and the boy was immediately in front of her, looking down on her. "You can do that too. All you have to do, is take my hand, and I'll take you where you can learn the full extent of the power you have."
He held out a hand. Asha felt an overwhelming urge to take it. But her mind struggled to resist, and she fought to keep her hand by her side. She could gradually feel her resistance being beaten down. She wanted more than anything to run, to fight, but she felt that the only thing she could do was take his hand. Unwillingly, her hand started to move towards his. She was almost crying as she watched it.
Suddenly a foot came out of nowhere and kicked the boy in the chest. Asha blinked, and saw Trinity in front of her, fighting to keep the boy away from Asha. The boy parried her blows easily, and grabbed onto Trinity's wrists. He pulled her towards him.
"Trinity!" he said, in a mocking tone, "Long time, no see. How are you, now that Neo is dying? Won't have anyone to look after you any more, will you?"
Trinity looked as if she was longing to hit him much harder than she had before, but while he was holding onto her wrists that was impossible. She gave him such a look that normal people would run screaming, but he just laughed. Trinity fought to get away.
Asha suddenly felt in control of her mind again, and summoned all her strength. She jumped into the air, and kicked the boy around the head. The boy tried to block the blow, but in doing so, had to let go of Trinity. Trinity, regaining her strength, helped Asha to beat off the boy. The boy fell back onto the pavement.
"Asha! Come on!" said Trinity, and grabbed onto her hand and leapt up onto the roof of one of the buildings. As they ran away across the rooftops, Asha glanced back. The boy was on his feet again, and watching her go.
"Remember what I offered, Asha!" he called, "Remember what I said."
* * * * *
Trinity led Asha to a phone booth that wasn't too far away. Morpheus was waiting for them there. He gripped Asha by her shoulders. "Asha, are you all right?"
Asha nodded. She couldn't stop thinking about what could have happened if Trinity had come a few seconds later.
Morpheus watched her face, and seemed to understand. "You first," he said as the phone started to ring. Asha nodded, and picked up the receiver. She felt as if she was falling, and then opened her eyes. She was back on the Nebuchadnezzar. Tank reached up and pulled the plug from the back of her head. She sat up, feeling a bit dazed about all that had happened. She watched Trinity and Morpheus wake up. Trinity immediately ran to the medical bay, where Neo was still lying as if asleep. She resumed her old position, sitting beside him, looking for any change.
"I don't understand it," she said, "He's healed from the bullet wound already, so it can't be that. What's wrong with him?"
Morpheus walked over to Asha. "Do you know who that was?"
Asha nodded. "I think it was the boy you unplugged who joined their side."
"What did he say to you?"
"He said..." Asha shivered as she remembered those eyes. "He said that he was now powerful, that he could move freely from the Matrix to the real world. He said that I could do that as well. He wanted to take me somewhere where I could learn to use my powers properly."
Morpheus nodded. "They're trying to get you as well, Asha. It seems that David is now more powerful than agents, since he move about freely between the real and the Matrix."
"David?"
"Well, yes, Asha, he has a name."
Asha shook her head. She couldn't picture him having a name.
"But that's the point, Asha. You can be more powerful than him. You just haven't realised it yet." Morpheus took her shoulders. "With Neo as he is, you're the only hope we have, Asha. We don't want to lose you as well."
* * * * *
Agent Smith walked up to David. He personally disliked him, felt that he was too full of himself, but he was essential to their plans - for the moment.
"She got away," he said.
"I know," said David, "Didn't talk to her for long enough. That damn Trinity turned up. Another few seconds, I would have had her."
* * * * *
Asha lay in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She couldn't possibly sleep, she was still running over the events in her mind. Every time she thought about the boy, she shivered. She remembered how close she had come to relenting.
"How are you, Asha?" said a voice.
Asha sat bolt upright. Leaning against one of the walls was David.
Asha felt her heart stop. "I wasn't expecting that," she said weakly.
The boy smiled mirthlessly. "Most people don't. Those people on my old ship certainly didn't expect it."
Asha felt afraid. But amazingly, not as afraid as she had been in the alley. Trinity and Morpheus weren't far away. She could run and get them.
"Thinking about fetching someone?" said David, "And how, may I ask, do you plan to get to the door?"
Asha got up and ran for the door. David vanished and reappeared, instantly, in the doorframe. Behind him, the door slammed shut all by itself. Asha backed away.
"What do you want?" she asked feebly.
"What do I want?" said David, "Now lets see. What do most people want? Power, Asha. Power. That's what most people want. But I'm not like most people, so I'll just settle for you joining us."
"I'm not going to do that," said Asha, "Not for anyone."
"Really?" said David, "Not even, say, for Neo?"
Asha was about to snap back, when she realised what he'd said. "You know what's happened to him, don't you?" she said, "You know why he's like this."
"Asha, Asha, Asha," he laughed, "Know why? I'm the REASON why."
Asha felt her heart stop. "What did you do to him?"
The boy took a step forward. "Oh, not much. His mind's just wandering around the cyberspace of the Matrix, hopelessly lost. And that's where it will stay, unless..."
Asha shook her head. "No..." she said, "No, I won't. I won't go with you."
"Oh, now Asha, show a little compassion," he said, "So maybe you won't for Neo. You'll just let him stay asleep, with Trinity by his side, forever. But maybe you'll consider it - for someone else? Say... for Jon?"
Asha felt that if she got any more shocked, her head would explode. But she felt most of her fear leave her, replaced by blinding rage. "What have you done to him?"
"Nothing yet," said David, "But I could, any moment now. He could be hit by a bus. He could be pushed over a cliff. He could just suddenly die, just like that-" He clicked his fingers. "-and no-one would ever know what happened to him."
Asha felt like she was going to be sick. "You wouldn't," she said, "I don't believe you."
"Really?" he said, "You don't think I'd do it? Your records have you down as intelligent... Why don't you just give in, Asha?"
"Because then I'd become like YOU," she said.
"Touché," he said, "But I can see your future Asha. You will give in."
"What?" said Asha.
"You have your Oracle. I have my own sources. I've seen your future. You will join us."
Asha felt anger bubbling up inside her. "I'm not going with you!" she shouted, and tried to hit him.
He grabbed onto her wrist. She suddenly felt as though she was falling. The Nebuchadnezzar vanished, and she and David were flying through the code of the Matrix. Asha looked around in fear.
"I don't think you have a choice this time," he said.
* * * * *
Im a Brandybuck - Well, you don't have to wait until Monday, cos I updated today! I couldn't wait either...
KnowInSight - *watches muffins* Muuuufffiiiinnsssssss..............
Cirfia - Mad evil. Now that sounds like a combination that's, um, not very nice.
Kit - Thanks Kit! Hope this chapter answered a couple of questions for you.
Mako - You're not annoying. You're like me. But then again, I'M annoying...
Tanuki Yasha - Whoa, eighteen 'really's. That's really a lot of reallys. Mmmmm....... quadruple chocolate muffin with chocolate chips and chocolate sauce.......
Yilantri - Wow. Moon of wisdom. That's a new one......