It was time to launch another investigation on the surface.
Time was quickly running out, the Logos could not remain hidden for long so
close to the machine's stronghold. As if to emphasize this point, the
squads were encountering nonstop bitter conflict with the machines.
Morpheus spotted more droids crawling down the walls. Neo and Niobe braced for the oncoming battle. Niobe aimed expertly at the robot's limbs. She managed to knock one off the wall before the bulk of the machines reached them. A large android, obviously the leader, stood in the center of the formation, and came advancing at Neo. The One pivoted and kicked the leader android through the stomach area. He finished the move with a punch towards the robot's face. Surprisingly, the robot actually retreated. Morpheus nodded in agreement and Neo took off on foot to peruse the android. This could be the break they were looking for. The chase led through a tunnel and toward a section of town Neo had not seen before, a sheltered area surrounded by abandoned buildings.
The reason for the android's peculiar action became apparent when a bullet whizzed toward Neo's face. On reflex, he raised his hand and the bullet dropped in mid-air. "Well, this is an unexpected," Neo remarked. He gave a slight smile to his opponent, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Smith only issued a low growl in reply.
"Greetings to you too," Neo replied.
"Enough talk," the former agent snapped. "I have matter of business to settle."
Neo nodded, "Fine with me. I have just one request," he pulled two light sabers out of thin air and tossed one to Smith. "I'm rather partial to Star Wars. Mind?"
Smith took the light saber and quickly went on the offensive with a frontal forward thrust. Neo easily dodged the blow.
"I have seen you as many things my foe, but never reckless," Neo observed, his foot placed squarely on Smith's exposed chest. "Now what exactly is this business you were asking about?"
Smith eyes flashed with an uncharacteristic self-consuming rage. The he agilely rolled away from Neo's captivity and again pressed the attack. "Oh, nothing serious, Mr. Anderson. Just an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and a life for a life." With a lightning fast feint followed by an even-faster attack, Smith slashed Neo's arm across the shoulder.
Neo pivoted around and gave him a karate-style kick straight into the stomach. While the former agent hesitated, Neo finished the move with a cut across the shoulder. "I couldn't agree more," he said with honest conformity, "But I'm afraid I've done nothing wrong."
Smith began to deliver a brutal frontal assault but sidestepped instead and struck with a downward slash. Neo evaded the strike, but the former agent launched a second similar attack. Again, Neo avoided being hit but realized he had just been herded against a wall.
"Now, you can't honestly believe that," Smith snarled, "I saw the kid. You know the one I'm talking about. The dart that killed him was fired by a unique dart-gun. A weapon made of copper and adamantine. Only the One can wield such a weapon."
Neo stared at him and honestly replied, "I haven't the slightest clue what you are talking about. I told you, I am not your criminal." He finished his sentence with a backward slash of the wrist, cutting a deep wound into the agent's thigh. "You're not even supposed to exist in the real world."
"Your arrogance will cost you your life." Smith launched horizontal swiping attack, forcing Neo onto his heels. "You're a fool," he warned, "The Matrix has come to conquer this world like it has endless others. It must be stopped at all costs. I must kill you."
Neo barely dodged Smith's deadly blows. "You're trying to toy with me. It won't work."
Smith grinned knowingly and Neo, "No, Mr. Anderson. You are the Matrix's puppet, not mine. I see that now."
"I don't understand this," Neo said with an exasperated sigh, "But I have other matters to attend to." He pressed the attack, cutting Smith's defense from a dozen angles.
Smith countered expertly and started to gain an advantage. "Now, are you so certain about that?"
"You seem to be taking this whole thing rather well." Neo performed a sudden back flip and landed behind the former agent. Smith had just enough time to turn and face his doom before Neo stabbed him through a lung. He crumbled on to the floor.
"I'm sorry," Smith muttered too quietly for Neo to hear, "I failed." A second later, he collapsed, dead, on the metallic ground.
With the former agent's demise, Neo surveyed his surroundings. The sounds of battle had stopped. Morpheus and Niobe must have judged it time to return to the ship. Neo sighed, tossed his light saber to the ground, and headed for the Logos.
Morpheus spotted more droids crawling down the walls. Neo and Niobe braced for the oncoming battle. Niobe aimed expertly at the robot's limbs. She managed to knock one off the wall before the bulk of the machines reached them. A large android, obviously the leader, stood in the center of the formation, and came advancing at Neo. The One pivoted and kicked the leader android through the stomach area. He finished the move with a punch towards the robot's face. Surprisingly, the robot actually retreated. Morpheus nodded in agreement and Neo took off on foot to peruse the android. This could be the break they were looking for. The chase led through a tunnel and toward a section of town Neo had not seen before, a sheltered area surrounded by abandoned buildings.
The reason for the android's peculiar action became apparent when a bullet whizzed toward Neo's face. On reflex, he raised his hand and the bullet dropped in mid-air. "Well, this is an unexpected," Neo remarked. He gave a slight smile to his opponent, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Smith only issued a low growl in reply.
"Greetings to you too," Neo replied.
"Enough talk," the former agent snapped. "I have matter of business to settle."
Neo nodded, "Fine with me. I have just one request," he pulled two light sabers out of thin air and tossed one to Smith. "I'm rather partial to Star Wars. Mind?"
Smith took the light saber and quickly went on the offensive with a frontal forward thrust. Neo easily dodged the blow.
"I have seen you as many things my foe, but never reckless," Neo observed, his foot placed squarely on Smith's exposed chest. "Now what exactly is this business you were asking about?"
Smith eyes flashed with an uncharacteristic self-consuming rage. The he agilely rolled away from Neo's captivity and again pressed the attack. "Oh, nothing serious, Mr. Anderson. Just an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and a life for a life." With a lightning fast feint followed by an even-faster attack, Smith slashed Neo's arm across the shoulder.
Neo pivoted around and gave him a karate-style kick straight into the stomach. While the former agent hesitated, Neo finished the move with a cut across the shoulder. "I couldn't agree more," he said with honest conformity, "But I'm afraid I've done nothing wrong."
Smith began to deliver a brutal frontal assault but sidestepped instead and struck with a downward slash. Neo evaded the strike, but the former agent launched a second similar attack. Again, Neo avoided being hit but realized he had just been herded against a wall.
"Now, you can't honestly believe that," Smith snarled, "I saw the kid. You know the one I'm talking about. The dart that killed him was fired by a unique dart-gun. A weapon made of copper and adamantine. Only the One can wield such a weapon."
Neo stared at him and honestly replied, "I haven't the slightest clue what you are talking about. I told you, I am not your criminal." He finished his sentence with a backward slash of the wrist, cutting a deep wound into the agent's thigh. "You're not even supposed to exist in the real world."
"Your arrogance will cost you your life." Smith launched horizontal swiping attack, forcing Neo onto his heels. "You're a fool," he warned, "The Matrix has come to conquer this world like it has endless others. It must be stopped at all costs. I must kill you."
Neo barely dodged Smith's deadly blows. "You're trying to toy with me. It won't work."
Smith grinned knowingly and Neo, "No, Mr. Anderson. You are the Matrix's puppet, not mine. I see that now."
"I don't understand this," Neo said with an exasperated sigh, "But I have other matters to attend to." He pressed the attack, cutting Smith's defense from a dozen angles.
Smith countered expertly and started to gain an advantage. "Now, are you so certain about that?"
"You seem to be taking this whole thing rather well." Neo performed a sudden back flip and landed behind the former agent. Smith had just enough time to turn and face his doom before Neo stabbed him through a lung. He crumbled on to the floor.
"I'm sorry," Smith muttered too quietly for Neo to hear, "I failed." A second later, he collapsed, dead, on the metallic ground.
With the former agent's demise, Neo surveyed his surroundings. The sounds of battle had stopped. Morpheus and Niobe must have judged it time to return to the ship. Neo sighed, tossed his light saber to the ground, and headed for the Logos.