Author's Notes: Hi, everyone! I need you guys to do me a favor. If I haven't updated again by Tuesday evening, send me an email. I plan on updating twice on this story next week, and twice on my other one, so feel free to go to all extremes to get me to write.
Come Back to Me: Chapter 5
The ground trembles beneath me. The air is quivering as I upload myself into the main control. I programmed the computer so that it would not detect where I am. They cannot understand my reasons behind this, so I do not want them to me follow me to my graveyard. My sanctuary. If I can't comprehend what is to come, how will they grasp it.
Everything around me has stopped. It's as if time itself has stopped in its cycle to watch my every last moment. My body shows no trace of blood now, and I welcome the change. My breathing has eased beyond my earlier gasped. I'm no longer forcing myself forward to meet this end. My feet are carrying me towards final destination. No one seems notice I'm even here in these godforsaken streets. It makes it that much easier.
They're following me, both the good and the bad. Let them come. If and when Morpheus finds me, I'll deal with it. That is, if I'm still alive by then. I know why the agents hate us so much. They need us to survive. They hate that dependence they have upon most of mankind, but most of all; they hate those of us who have escaped because we not share their dependence. I hope it to be their downfall. Actually, I know it to be their downfall.
They're coming closer still. My feet have stopped in the middle of a busy square in the Bronx. The hairs on the nape of neck are beginning to rise, but I'm paralyzed in every aspect of the word. I will not run, nor will I hide. I can feel their eyes on my back. They aren't running towards me, they're sauntering in a predator approach. I will not become their prey. Not while I still have one last rebellious breath in me.
Is Morpheus coming? He'll only see a caged cat fighting her way to the surface. I'm not even human anymore to the eyes of every agent before. Some might even that I'm just a machine with no emotions whatsoever. The irony of it all almost makes me laugh maniacally at the agents before me. There's only two now, but there will be more. There's always more.
"Link, has anyone made coffee?" Morpheus asked as they walked down to the bay together. Link nodded thoughtfully.
"Trinity made some about five minutes ago. She and Neo refused to let me make it for some odd reason," Link added.
"As no one seems to know," Morpheus answered dryly. Someone snickered behind them, but a sharp elbow in the gut cut it off.
"Eizuz, Aurelie, can you scan the minor computers in the lower bay for us? You have cleanup duty tonight while we're in the matrix."
"See? I told you what happen if we spied on people. Eizus, you…" Aurelie's scolding voice trailed off as they rounded the corner that led to the ladder.
"Have Neo and Trinity secured Bane yet?" Link took a serious turn as they too rounded the corner past the ladder.
"Physically, yes. Mentally, we're working on it. That's our main purpose of going into the matrix right now. It's long past time that we had done something about the current situation." Morpheus casually walked down straight halls with his hands behind his back. He walked with a purpose, but not in any hurry. That was, until they reached the construct room. Niobe's form was almost unrecognizable. Her hair was dried in a dark red, and she was coughing up blood by the minute.
"Link, pinpoint her location," Morpheus commanded as he strode over her convulsing form. "Neo, Trinity, I need you up here now!"
"I can't!" Link rushed with panic in his voice. "She's put enough blocks up to take an hour to crack." Footsteps resounded in the not so empty hallways.
"Shit," Trinity breathed from the doorway. Neo cursed in every language he knew.
"We're going in. Now," Morpheus said as he set up the nearest chair.
"How are you gonna find her in there," Link questioned doubtfully.
"We'll find her. Load us up," Morpheus commanded.
Neo felt the usual tingling sensation during the three seconds it took to load him into the matrix. Potential hosts rushed past him as they went home for the day. He noticed that weapons had already been given to him by Link, and his six-inch dagger had been placed in his left boot as usual. He didn't want to leave Morpheus or Trinity alone, but he took to the air without much of a second thought.
Flying just above the highest buildings, he scanned over the code that stood out the most. Potential hosts flooded into a sea of code that barely left room to define their shapes. A few spare agents stood out, but weren't causing harm at the present moment. A stray Agent Smith wondered toward the edge of an empty alleyway. There were several more in Central Park. There was nothing out of the ordinary in Manhattan, so he moved onto Stanton Island.
Seeing still nothing out of place, he moved onto the Bronx. There seemed to be a riot of sorts uptown, but one of the main squares in the downtown area caught his attention the most. Hearing his cell phone ring, Neo stopped in mid-dive. "Yes," he answered impatiently.
Link voice flooded into his hearing. "Morpheus and Trinity ran into some trouble. Where are you?"
"Two hundred feet above Niobe. Where are they?" Neo tapped his foot on the thin air. People were starting to stop and stare. Neo ignored them.
"They ran into a few Agent Smiths in Times Square. Seems as if they came from Central Park."
"They did. I'll be there after I help Niobe." Neo flipped off his cell phone as he dove again towards Niobe. He barreled into three that were ganging up on her. Swiftly rising to his feet, Neo jumped over an agent who had tried to kick his feet out from under him. Kicking up towards one agent, he twisted in the air elbow another in the air. He heard a sickening crack as the second agent collapsed with a broken neck. The agent fled the body of that host to another nearby.
Using his curved dagger, he swung wildly towards the general direction that Agent Smith was in. It embedded itself right above the copy of Agent Smith's ribcage. He caught a glimpse of Niobe's almost shocked face as she fell behind him. Grabbing the dagger and yanking it free from Agent Smith's copy, he gathered the limp form of Niobe up in his arms and took flight again.
Frowning to himself, Neo scanned Times Square. Trinity and Morpheus were heading in two different directions. Trinity had gotten a motorcycle from the curbside, and had jumpstarted it. She was racing away from four agents that were hot on her trail. She seemed to silently communicate with him even from there. He took Niobe towards Morpheus' direction where he was heading towards the crosstown metro. He hadn't chosen the best of cars for protection, but it was perfect for Neo. He took a high dive towards the convertible in its ninety mile an hour speed. Morpheus had somehow managed to get on the highway through back alleys.
Neo deposited Niobe into the shotgun seat and yelled towards Morpheus, "Are you on a suicide mission? Why the hell do you have a convertible?"
Morpheus yelled back, "It wasn't a convertible until I had to go under something that shaved the top and back windshields off entirely. Wasn't my first choice; go help Trinity. I'm on my way out now."
Neo nodded as dodged the few bullets that grazed the side of Morpheus' car. Flags were ripped off their poles as he flew by. Plants were overturned and fruit stands disheveled. Neo pulled two of the agents out of their cars and threw them into traffic. Cars swerved to a halt behind him as they tried to avoid the agents who were now at a standstill. Trinity took the motorcycle up a ramp on a trailer tractor. The motorcycle flipped as it went over a bridge and landed in flames on the highway below. Trinity had jumped off in mid somersault to land in Neo's awaiting arms.
"Why do you always fall?" Neo whispered into her ear as he changed directions yet again.
"Because you'll always catch me." She countered as he flipped open his cell phone.
"Link, we need an exit," He said into the phone. Trinity tightened her grip on him with only one arm around her.
"Corner of Houston St. Payphone," Link answered as Neo hung up. Trinity relaxed her grip slightly as Neo brought his other arm around her.
"How's Niobe doing?" Trinity asked she watched the buildings pass below.
"I'm not sure she was still alive when I picked her up. I'm just not," Neo answered with a shake of his head. Neo lowered them down towards an empty alleyway. Adjusting his shades, Neo walked into the blaring sunlight. He stopped dead when he saw the building across the road.
"What is it?" Trinity asked in her calm tone. None of her worry leaked through. There's no code on that building. There should be even the slightest hint of code, but there's not. It's like the room I was in with the Architect. It's there, but wasn't programmed there. Why?" Neo inquired as he stepped towards the building. The ringing of a phone brought him out of his thoughts.
"We'll check it out later. We don't have time, now," Trinity urged him on. He handed it to Trinity first as was his usual habit.
Back in the construct room, Niobe's heart rate was flatlined. Link buried his head in his hands as Morpheus sat back in shock.
Author's Notes: So how did my first attempt at action/adventure on this story go? Good? Great? What were you THINKING? I'm kinda sorry about Niobe, but I had to finish what I started. These ideas just keep popping up left and right. Actually, email me Sunday to tell me to start the next chapter. I should be able to spend a few hours a day on these chapters instead of doing it all at once. I will have this done by Tuesday at midnight East Coast time though, if someone sends me a threat to start writing right this minute though. *Grins* I love those. Although, reviews usually work just as well… Ja ne ~Insane Pineapple from Naboo
Responses to reviews:
Dreamingofani: Of course. I always make sense of illogical logic. I love that cd! On my last story, I had this unusual POV with a mix of third and first. It was sort of similar to a camera going in and out of focus. It seemed a little more dramatic to have hers in first person though. I'm a very indecisive person at times. It always seems to cause confused people…
Kurt: You were about three chapters too late to tell me that. If you read my author's notes in chapter four, you'll find out that I realized that a bit too late, but like the way I'm going with this story.
Lovewildfire: Thanks! I seem to just start writing and all these random thoughts come to me. I work them in, but it still seems to confuse people sometimes. Thank You! I finally got a characterization right on this story. I'm so happy now! Sorry, you had to wait so long. Next one *will* be out Tuesday.
Aquarian Wind: You know, that would make a very interesting AU. Wow, you're giving me a lot of ideas. Not exactly what you're saying, but things I can actually work in. Very interesting points. If Neo was a machine, all hell would break loose. I love chaos; it's just so fun to work with. I have yet to see the Animatrix. Is it good? I have nothing to do next week, but to sit around and write fanfiction. Maybe I can see it then.
Diamond-Dancer: I was thinking maybe "Riot Girl" by Good Charlotte when she's in kick butt mode. I'll have to look up Counting Crows. Thank you so much! Say thanks to your cousin as well.