CHAPTER FOUR
It did not take long for the Oracle's prophecy to begin to unfold. Seven months and three days later, Neo received word that a group of scientists in Scandinavia had begun developing machines running on Artificial Intelligence.
He heard the news on a rather hot, sticky day; it was Sunday, and Trinity was sleeping, after a fitful sequence of nightsweats, nausea and fatigue. He'd woken early, pulled on his running shorts, and circled the block several times before collapsing, panting, on a park bench. He was exhausted, and he was dismayed to suspect that his powers were slowly dwindling away. He sighed, massaging his aching neck and wriggling his feet, constricted by his running shoes. He'd been up all night, comforting, caring for and worrying about Trinity. He was physically and emotionally drained.
'Hello, Neo,' a voice appeared, as if from nowhere; startled, Neo whirled around and relaxed when he saw the Oracle approach. She slowly, deliberately, settled herself on the bench beside him. She did not speak for a few moments; rather, she pulled a cigarette from her pocket, delicately lit it, and inhaled.
'Where did you appear from?'
'It doesn't matter, Neo.' She paused, and blew a smoke ring through the air. Her entire manner was artless, well-practiced. Such an action would ordinarily have been considered vulgar by any normal standards, yet with the Oracle, it was almost beautiful; so delicate. 'Nothing does. I have news for you. And you may not like it.'
Dread and panic clutched at Neo's nerves. Trinity! The baby! What could possibly be wrong? 'Is it Trinity?' he asked, panicked and, chuckling slightly, the Oracle responded, 'No. It is something else.'
'What, then?' A wave of relief broke over him. He exhaled.
'Artificial Intelligence has begun again, Neo. Scientists in Scandinavia are developing machines to do a whole lot of unnecessary bidding. They haven't finished yet; oh no, they have a few years longer before they are to perfect their creations. But what I can see as happening once this occurs is not good news. I see a continuation of the matrix. But I also see what you and Trinity - and your baby - can do.'
'My baby can help?' Neo asked, stunned. It was not what he had expected.
'You are the One, Neo - you always will be. But your child will have something special, I can see...as does Trinity, of course. As a trio, you will be able to do great things.' The Oracle flicked away her cigarette, eyes settling on a far-off point. 'But I warn you, that the road won't be easy. You'll see things you ain't gonna want to see. But I believe in you.'
Neo shifted his feet. 'Will our other children do the same?'
'I can't answer that, Neo.'
'But do you know?'
'I will not say. There are some things you need to know, and others you don't. For now, this is all you need to know.'
'How can I help?'
'Keep watching the papers. Make sure you are keeping up to date. In May next year, there will be a forum held in Stockholm about these machines. You must go. It is imperative. Take your child, and Trinity. You will be safe.'
'All of us?'
'Yes, all of you.' The Oracle stood, closed the clasp of her handbag and smiled slightly. 'And, by the way, Neo...I wouldn't worry about your powers if I were you. Incompetence is merely a state of mind. If you believe you cannot do it, if you believe you are defeated, then you sure as hell can't.'
'But I run out of energy.'
'Again, a state of mind. You were born the One; nothing will ever change it.' She smiled again. 'Goodbye, Neo. I daresay I will see you soon. And buy new shoes. You might roll your ankle with those.'
Neo looked down at his tattered running shoes, worn from days and days of endless running and muddy storms. When he looked up, though, the Oracle was gone.
It did not take long for the Oracle's prophecy to begin to unfold. Seven months and three days later, Neo received word that a group of scientists in Scandinavia had begun developing machines running on Artificial Intelligence.
He heard the news on a rather hot, sticky day; it was Sunday, and Trinity was sleeping, after a fitful sequence of nightsweats, nausea and fatigue. He'd woken early, pulled on his running shorts, and circled the block several times before collapsing, panting, on a park bench. He was exhausted, and he was dismayed to suspect that his powers were slowly dwindling away. He sighed, massaging his aching neck and wriggling his feet, constricted by his running shoes. He'd been up all night, comforting, caring for and worrying about Trinity. He was physically and emotionally drained.
'Hello, Neo,' a voice appeared, as if from nowhere; startled, Neo whirled around and relaxed when he saw the Oracle approach. She slowly, deliberately, settled herself on the bench beside him. She did not speak for a few moments; rather, she pulled a cigarette from her pocket, delicately lit it, and inhaled.
'Where did you appear from?'
'It doesn't matter, Neo.' She paused, and blew a smoke ring through the air. Her entire manner was artless, well-practiced. Such an action would ordinarily have been considered vulgar by any normal standards, yet with the Oracle, it was almost beautiful; so delicate. 'Nothing does. I have news for you. And you may not like it.'
Dread and panic clutched at Neo's nerves. Trinity! The baby! What could possibly be wrong? 'Is it Trinity?' he asked, panicked and, chuckling slightly, the Oracle responded, 'No. It is something else.'
'What, then?' A wave of relief broke over him. He exhaled.
'Artificial Intelligence has begun again, Neo. Scientists in Scandinavia are developing machines to do a whole lot of unnecessary bidding. They haven't finished yet; oh no, they have a few years longer before they are to perfect their creations. But what I can see as happening once this occurs is not good news. I see a continuation of the matrix. But I also see what you and Trinity - and your baby - can do.'
'My baby can help?' Neo asked, stunned. It was not what he had expected.
'You are the One, Neo - you always will be. But your child will have something special, I can see...as does Trinity, of course. As a trio, you will be able to do great things.' The Oracle flicked away her cigarette, eyes settling on a far-off point. 'But I warn you, that the road won't be easy. You'll see things you ain't gonna want to see. But I believe in you.'
Neo shifted his feet. 'Will our other children do the same?'
'I can't answer that, Neo.'
'But do you know?'
'I will not say. There are some things you need to know, and others you don't. For now, this is all you need to know.'
'How can I help?'
'Keep watching the papers. Make sure you are keeping up to date. In May next year, there will be a forum held in Stockholm about these machines. You must go. It is imperative. Take your child, and Trinity. You will be safe.'
'All of us?'
'Yes, all of you.' The Oracle stood, closed the clasp of her handbag and smiled slightly. 'And, by the way, Neo...I wouldn't worry about your powers if I were you. Incompetence is merely a state of mind. If you believe you cannot do it, if you believe you are defeated, then you sure as hell can't.'
'But I run out of energy.'
'Again, a state of mind. You were born the One; nothing will ever change it.' She smiled again. 'Goodbye, Neo. I daresay I will see you soon. And buy new shoes. You might roll your ankle with those.'
Neo looked down at his tattered running shoes, worn from days and days of endless running and muddy storms. When he looked up, though, the Oracle was gone.