Chapter 9

"The informant has sent us a transmission," Brown said, as Smith entered the office. Jones handed him a slip of paper.

Delay in re-entry due to Sentinel action. Will get Ibrox tomorrow at
0730. Entrance at 2nd and Lake.

Cypher

Smith read the note and nodded. "It appears as if our informant is carrying out his end of the bargain. Perhaps we should speak to Mr. Reagan once this information is proved accurate."

"How shall we proceed?" Jones asked.

"We will follow them until they have re-acquired Mr. Thatcher. Then we shall attack, assuming they are returning to 2nd and Lake. It is an empty room, which would be perfect for getting him out." Smith nodded at Danielle who crossed the room and sat down on the sofa.

Brown and Jones' heads followed her in unison. "Congratulations?" Jones said, unsure if the code changes he was seeing within Danielle were positive or negative.

"Thank you," said Smith. He sat at his desk and began to review possible ambush locations in the vicinity of 2nd and Lake.

"What will you do if it is required to return to Source upon completion?" Brown asked. Smith ignored him and Danielle shifted uncomfortably.

"We will wait for them at 5th and Chesney. It is two blocks away from 2nd and Lake. It is an abandoned piece of waste ground. We will alter their route so that they will have to cross through it, regardless of which direction they are proceeding in."

"Excellent," Jones said. Brown nodded in agreement. "I will make the necessary arrangements," said Jones. "I will prepare for Sentinels standing by to attack their ship as we commence our attack. They will not escape from this."

Smith turned and looked at Danielle, "Would you like to see just exactly what powers that you possess, and our child will possess?"

Brown and Jones exchanged glances. Through their comm. Smith sent them small jolts to adjust any attitudes they were forming in regards to his terminology.

Danielle smiled and nodded. "Very well, you will come along to observe," Smith said, smiling at her. "But you will have this, in case you need it." Smith created a 9mm Browning Hi-Power Mark III that laid on top of his desk.

"Is it wise to bring her along in her condition?" asked Jones, "What if something happens?"

"She will be fine. She can manoeuvre like we can." Smith looked at her. "Stand up," he said to Danielle. She stood and walked to the middle of the room. He aimed the Browning at her. "Feel yourself become light. When I fire, you will simply avoid the bullet."

Danielle could feel the almost automatic change take place in her. She felt her very essence somehow shift. If she had a gun she would be aiming it at him and firing as the bullet left his gun. She felt her body shift, almost becoming translucent, in a blur as the bullet whizzed past her and then she re-centred herself back. Smith lowered his weapon.

"As you can see, Danielle has evolved." Smith said, smiling and sitting down.

"She is not as fast as we are," Brown observed.

"Her processor is not that of an Agents, but she can easily avoid the fire of a human," Smith countered. He removed his sunglasses. Danielle sat down again on the sofa.

"But she can not regenerate if she is injured. She will have to return to the Source," Jones said.

"That is true, however Danielle will stay out of any fighting. She is to observe."

"We cannot guarantee her safety," Jones was getting irate. "She will be in danger." He shook his head, "Smith I am urging you to reconsider this."

"She will come and I will not discuss this further. You have been instructed." Smith held his hand out towards the door, motioning them to leave. Brown and Jones exited the room quickly.

Smith rubbed his temples. He examined the Browning. It was nowhere near as heavy as his Desert Eagle but it was a fine gun for a woman. Matte black finish, a nice wide grip that was comfortable, it was an excellent gun. If they ever got around to creating women Agents as they had been promising they would for ages, Smith would recommend this piece as the weapon of choice for them.

"He is right, you know. I am touched, somehow, by his concern for me." Danielle rose from the sofa and walked over to him. She sat on the desk and ran her fingers through Smith's hair.

"I am here to protect you. You will be fine. I will not allow harm to come to you." He wrapped his arms around her and slid her off of the desk and onto his lap. Kissing her softly, he whispered, "You are mine. No one will hurt you."

"You know, when you were aiming at me, if I had a gun in my possession, I would have aimed at you."

"That is the Agent code I have uploaded to you that has given you the skills to move like we do and defend yourself as we would. However your processor is slower than ours so you must not use it too much or you will burn out your processor." Danielle picked the gun up off of the desk and she stood up, taking aim at the small chrome refrigerator which sat in the corner. Smith could not help himself but be turned on by watching her holding a gun, with one hand, aiming it as naturally as an Agent would. He smiled broadly, and sat back in his chair, taking in the view.

"Fire it, I'll make another one," he said.

Danielle squeezed the trigger and watched as the bullet floated through the air, smashing into the fridge and leaving a bullet hole in the centre. She lowered her weapon and smiled.

Smith stood up and ran his hands up her body from behind. "You are a natural, my dear," he murmured into her hair. She turned around and they kissed passionately, feeling the heat of their attraction rising between the two of them. She felt a burning inside of her for him, and she wanted him again. She located the place, and the people, and whispered the location to him. Then they were there, on the Island of Santa Cruz within the Galapagos Island chain, having occupied two scientists in the middle of the isolated, volcanic beach who were monitoring tortoises. Smith removed his black jacket and dropped it in the rocky sand. He unbuttoned his shirt and was amazed at the warmth of the sun that seemed to permeate him, and how the light bounced off of her blonde hair. Danielle ran her fingers up his chest and removed his shirt.

"Oh Danielle," he breathed, at the touch of her fingers on his skin, "I will love you forever, I swear I will." She smiled at him, and kissed his lips gently. "I love you too Smith. Underneath a mangrove tree shielded by prickly pears, they made love again, as the golden orange sun set on the islands, causing the tortoises to retreat inland for the night, and the giant sea lions to totter up onto the beach and call to each other through the descending dusk.

* * *

Anne-Marie was startled at the bell that rang at the front desk. She went to shout for Danielle to get it and then remembered that Agent Smith had taken her and had not given her back yet. She resolved herself to have serious words with Smith next time she saw him about Danielle having a job to do just like he did, although she reasoned that he probably wouldn't care and just threaten to eliminate her or some idle threat as he always did. Making her way slowly through the files, she saw an older woman, plainly dressed, standing on the other side.

"May I help you?" Anne-Marie asked.

"Yes. My name's Margaret. I've been sent by the mainframe as I understand there is a vacancy in your department." Her accent betrayed that she was Irish.

"There is no vacancy," Anne-Marie said. "You've been given false instructions."

"I'm afraid there is, dearie." Margaret handed Anne-Marie a file with a note attached to it.

TO: Anne-Marie, Intelligence Department 0.040392.2
From: Smith 0.040234.1
RE: Danielle

Effective immediately, Danielle is no longer a member of the
Intelligence department. Due to upgrades she is now classed as Beta
Agent (Female) 0.040234.1.1 If the trials are successful she will
become a prototype Female Agent, upon which all female Agents will be
modelled.

I regret that I have had to take her from you and Patricia, as I
daresay there is quite a backlog of work that has been generated in
her absence, but I am sure you can understand that she will be put to
more effective use as a Beta Agent (Female). The woman who is
replacing her will be more than capable of doing Danielle's job. And
I sincerely doubt she will have much of an effect on the Matrix's
first biggest libido.

We will see you very soon, sister.

Smith

Patricia stifled a yawn as she walked out into the waiting room. "What's going on?" she asked, sleepily.

"Danielle's been replaced. Smith's turned her into an Agent. And I think they're getting married." Anne-Marie read the letter again, in disbelief. "I can't see Danielle as an Agent, somehow."

"Is this her replacement?" Patricia asked, pointing at the old lady.

"Yeah," Anne-Marie replied. Patricia looked Margaret up and down in disbelief.

"At least they could have sent a good looking man."

Margaret shifted uncomfortably, "Well, girls, where shall I begin? This place could use a tidy. And shall I put on a nice cup of tea for us? Ah, go on, you know you want some."

Anne-Marie and Patricia walked away, in a daze. Margaret started wiping the counter with her sleeve. "The least they could do is show us where the kettle is," she murmured under her breath.

* * *

Jones and Brown watched as Smith got out of the car, and walked around to the passenger side to open the door for Danielle. First they saw the black leather court shoes, the long legs encased in black trousers, and then the black suit jacket, double breasted and very neatly fitted, with a white blouse underneath. In place of a black tie, she wore a grey pearl necklace. Hair was sprayed back in perfect blonde waves, matching grey pearl stud earrings in her ears, and to top it off, black sunglasses and an earpiece. The agents could see the bulge of her weapon in her hip holster. She smiled at them from across the road and walked next to Smith, matching his pace.

"Female agents," Brown said, just audible for Jones to hear, "this is what has been missing from my existence. I can't wait for them to create more."

"This certainly would be a distinct advantage to being an Agent." Jones shook his head, "That is sexy."

"What was that?" Smith asked Jones, hearing full well what Jones had just said about Danielle.

"I said it's nearly time to get underway," Jones said. Smith smirked at him and Danielle smiled.

* * *

Trinity, Cypher, Mouse, Switch, Apoc and Morpheus were all ready to be jacked in. Tank was loading them up into the construct and equipping them with guns before loading them into the Matrix. Cypher looked around nervously as they materialized, fully expecting to see Agents at any time. He only hoped that he wouldn't get killed in the process.

Morpheus, Mouse and Switch were staying behind at 2nd and Lake to get the equipment ready to free Ibrox once he was there. Trinity, Cypher and Apoc were to go and claim Ibrox at the park. Apoc drove while Trinity rode in the front with him and Cypher rode in the back.

As they slid through the city streets of the Matrix, Cypher longed to be back here, back in his home and out of the rotten cold of the Nebuchadnezzar He kept looking around him, nervously, for any sign of the Agents. Trinity turned around and looked at him.

"Is there any reason you're so fidgety?" she asked.

"No, no. Just an upset tummy," Cypher replied, patting his stomach. "A little too much of the homebrew last night."

Apoc laughed. "I don't know how you can drink that stuff."

"After eating that snot we chow on it's easy," Cypher replied. Apoc nodded and turned the corner. "So, ah, Trin," Cypher said, "Do you really believe this guy's gonna lead us to The One?"

"Morpheus does," Trinity said. "That's all that matters."

"But what about you? What do you think? Do you even believe there's a 'One' out there?"

"I think that there must be someone out there because there is no other way for this war to end otherwise."

"I don't know, I just am unsure," Cypher watched a man and woman kissing on the corner of the street as they drove past. In their black suits they almost looked like Agents.

Apoc pulled up along side the park. Trinity told Cypher and Apoc to wait for her and she went in.

* * *

"Ah, Trinity," the Oracle greeted her. "You're looking well."

"Thank you for protecting Ibrox for us. Morpheus believes that he is the link to the One."

"I believe Morpheus might be right about that." The Oracle looked over at Ibrox who was sitting calmly, meditating, in white robes. "We've had a little word with him. He was starting to get a bit nervous. I understand you've had some problems down in Zion."

"Yes, the Sentinels were attacking the gates. It was retribution for the ambush."

The Oracle motioned for Trinity to sit next to her. "You do a very good job, you know. But sometimes I know you get so lonely on that ship. It must be terribly isolating for you being there, alone."

Trinity nodded. "I miss human contact. Physical contact. Cypher, well, I know he would be willing to help me but I am just not interested."

"You will fall in love, Trinity. Rest assured you will not be alone forever. The man you fall in love with will be The One. That is your purpose."

"You mean?"

"Yes, Trinity. Morpheus will find The One, and you will love him. Much as she loves him now, you will love The One."

"Who is 'she'?" Trinity asked, puzzled.

"Everything and everyone has a purpose. Life is but one large equation, and you are a part of it. There is a man living in the Matrix right now, of whom you will assist him to find his purpose. You will love him and he will become The One. And on the other side of the equation, there is another woman in the Matrix who is in love with a man. And their experiences will set the whole scenario in motion. The war is going to end soon, Trinity. You all are very close. Do not lose heart and give in to others' lack of faith. You will overcome."

"Is the other woman in love with The One?" she asked.

"The man she is in love with is not the One. He is, however, tied to The One. Their paths have been tied since the beginning of time. You face a choice, Trinity. This man whom she loves has great power. He could end the war peacefully if he chose to. She provides a control for him. She completes the equation and gives the world balance, much the same as you do. He has much anger in him but she has quelled those storms within. You will have to choose whether you will incite his tempests again or if you will keep the waters placid. He has enough rage to envelop the whole Matrix and he will do, if not stopped. ."

"How will I know what to do?" Trinity asked.

"You won't, child." She handed Trinity a sweet wrapped in a shiny yellow wrapper. "But you will trust your instinct, not knowing any other way." Trinity shifted uncomfortably in her leather catsuit. She walked over to Ibrox and tapped him on the shoulder. "Let's go."