Disclaimer: The Matrix belongs to Warner Bros. and the Wachowski brothers. I don't own Smith or anybody from the film. The other characters may or may not show up later. If anything is familiar to you from this or any other movie I don't own it. I'm just playing with them.

Chapter Ten: Dirty Thoughts

It was a boring day on the highway. It was hot and several vehicles were on the road. The traffic was slow and several parts of the roads were congested. But suddenly lots of sirens could be heard. Smith led the row and he was followed by 10 or 15 police cars.

"We should turn off. There is a traffic jam in front of us."-said Kate.

Smith had already downloaded the road map.

"Don't worry, Ms. Thompson. There is an on-ramp about 100 meters ahead. It isn't used."

"Why?"

"Because it hasn't finished yet."

"Oh. Now I'm calm."

Suddenly a truck changed lane and broke through the median strip. Now it was proceeding towards them opposite to the traffic. And an other car approached them from behind. Both vehicles were driven by an Agent. But before they reached them Smith managed to turn off and the truck hit against the cars behind them. But it didn't over. The truck was turned around and went after them with several cars. As Smith was driving along the road lots of bullets hit against the car.

"It's getting annoying."-said Smith. - "Grab the wheel!"

"What are you doing?"

"Just keep the car on the road!"-said Smith and leaned out of the window and drew out his gun.

He leveled his gun at the Agent in the car behind them. Then he fired and the car overturned and hit against the truck. But it didn't stop it. It drove over the car.

"Drive in zigzags and don't let them overtake us!"- said Smith and reloaded his gun.

Then he climbed out onto the roof. Then he reached the trunk. Kate sat behind the wheel. Smith jumped over the truck. From it's hood he shot the Agent and then he climbed next to the door and stroke the window. Then he pulled the wheel aside. The truck turned across the road and leaned on its side and started sliding. Smith jumped and started running in front of it. The cars behind hit against the truck and they exploded immediately.

Kate stepped on the brake and stepped out. She could hear and see the explosion. She didn't know exactly how to feel. Smith was an Agent. She was a member of the Resistance. And it was a really extraordinary situation. An Agent wanted to protect her, save her life. She really didn't know how to handle it. But she suspected that Smith wasn't sure either. He wouldn't have a lot of experience with people. And with females? He must be very inexperienced. And it makes ...

"Hey! Stop, Kate. What's wrong with you? OK. OK. It must be the shock. Yes! That's it! You have Dave. And he is very cute, intelligent and he is a HUMAN. Smith is an AGENT, a MACHINE. He is arrogant, dangerous, rough and has a superiority complex. He doesn't care about others. He can't feel and who knows if he has a ... No! That's impossible! Why I am thinking about his... No! It's ridiculous. You are in a great trouble Kate Thompson. Don't make it worse or more difficult!"

Finally she managed to get rid of those thoughts. They really bothered her and finally they made her angry.

Nobody survived that accident. Except Smith. He could jump in time and he didn't need an other body. So he gained time. The nearest human being was far away from them. Smith was walking towards the car and Kate. She was sitting next to the car. Smith stopped opposite to her. She turned her head towards him and stared at him. He was dirty. His earpiece and his sunglasses were missing. And there was a quite huge scar on his cheek and several smaller on his arms. They were staring at each other but finally Smith said:

"Are you waiting for me to say something?"

"Yes!"-said Kate as she stood up.

"Can you expound it?"

"Bastard!"- shouted Kate and punched Smith in the head.

He let her do it. But just once. He turned back and grabbed Kate's fist when she wanted to hit him again and didn't release it. Then Kate lifted her other hand but because of her dislocated shoulder she didn't put out too much strength. But Smith grabbed her other hand too and pressed her against the car. Now in spite of her pain Kate could feel that Smith had every necessary member in the right place. Now these dirty thoughts again! Why? But the pain helped her forget about them. She clenched her teeth. Two teardrops ran down on her cheek. Smith watched them falling down and then he looked her in the eye.

"It hurts, Smith!"

"I know."

"Sadist! Unhand me!"

"Have you finished?"

Kate nodded so Smith loosened his hold on her hand but he was still holding them.

"You should try to cooperate, Ms. Thompson. I don't want to hurt you. Why do you provoke me?"

"I'm sorry, Smith. But at least try to understand me. I lost my father and then came this day. It may be an average day for you but not for me."

"Consequently you hit me. Really logical, Ms. Thompson."

"I'm sorry. I just had to find an outlet for my nervous activity."

"Next time find some other way."

"OK."- said Kate but she was hold his stare.

"What are you staring at?"-asked Smith.

"You."

"I know. But why?"

"I wonder how it is possible that these nice eyes belong to a creature like you?"

"I'm only available in a set, Ms. Thompson."-said Smith and he was smiling(?).

She was smiling at him too.

"It was a joke, Smith?"

"Yes."-said Smith and released Kate and stood back. - "Now we should find an acceptable place for the night."

"We could go to a hotel."

"Bad idea."

"Really? Why?"

"Well, I'm look quite well. But you and the car would catch too much attention. And we don't need it."

"Oh. I'm sorry about my existence, Smith."

Smith fixed her with an icy stare.

"OK. All right. Just don't give me that look."

Smith was still staring at her.

"Well, I have a fiend. She and her husband use to have a little B&B not far from here. I don't know if they still have it but it worth trying. If it meets your requirements?"-asked Kate.

"Necessity knows no law."-said Smith.

"So is it a yes?"

"Something like that."

"Great! Shall we go?"

They got into the car. The bullets knocked several holes in the windscreen and it was full of cracks too. So Smith struck it with his fist. Kate could see him dying and rose again so this little thing didn't matter at all.

"You aren't an average agent, are you?"-asked Kate as Smith removed the windscreen with his fist.

"You noticed?"-asked he as he started the engine.

"Yes."

"And what else do you know about me?"

"I noticed that you are a sticker-type."

"What?"

"You seemed to be very devoted to life today afternoon. So did that 3 men."

"And you want to know why?"

"I know. You are not human. You are a sentient program. An Agent of the Matrix."

Smith glanced at her but he looked calm.

"How much more you know?"-asked Smith.

"Everything, the whole story."

"So you are unplugged. That's why the Agents couldn't destroy you by taking your body."

"And is it a problem?"

"No."

There was a lull in the conversation. Finally both of them admit what the other had suspected for a long time. And both of them was glad that they cleared this up. For Smith it would have been useless not to admit the obvious. But he was satisfied that Kate didn't lie to him. She could have lied. She didn't know about her file at the Agency. Perhaps she wasn't a hopeless creature. She was different from the other humans with whom he had dealt before. She didn't look scared. And she looked at him in a strange way at the car. What was that in her eyes? Not fear. Something else. And she didn't find his closeness annoying. It was he who finally stood back. Her reactions? High blood pressure, rapid pulse, sweating hands, shortness of breath, dilated pupils. Why? Did he attract her? Females are so illogical sometimes. But he will have enough time to observe her and find answers. And he will. He have never dealt with a female before. But he found her more interesting and complex than males.

But at first both of them have to learn how to live together, how to handle the other. They had very little in common. Almost nothing. Just this case and her father. But Smith was fed up with this case and he didn't want to talk about her father either. Because sooner or later she will ask about it and then he won't lie. But although he wasn't very familiar with human feelings he knew that telling her that he had killed her father couldn't have been the best start of their "relationship".

Kate didn't want to think. She was afraid that THOSE thoughts might come to her again. It wasn't normal and she knew it. She also knew that it was becoming a problem but she couldn't help herself. She just couldn't get him out of her mind. When he stood so close to her. She could feel his heartbeat, his breath. That's insane! She tried to list everything against him. Again and again. She knew what was right. And it seemed so easy in Zion or on the ship when they were talking about Agents. If you see an Agent, run. Yes. But she didn't want to run. Her superiors were mainly males. What did they know? And that few women haven't even seen an Agent in a way she could see Smith. But she never knew how hard it would be to do the right thing. HE makes it so hard. Why does he have to have those eyes? Those "I can read your mind" eyes. And that smile. If it was a smile. It doesn't matter. At first it was a surprise to see him smile. She didn't know he knew how. It looked good on him. Too damned good. OK. She was thinking about him again. It's ridiculous. Or as Smith would say: illogical. With capital letters and several exclamation points. He drove her to distraction. That was why she punched him. She didn't know if he was aware that he aroused emotions in her. At least she hoped not. She didn't want him to know about it or to use it against her. But she will have enough time to find answers.

Both of them were lost in thought but Smith broke the silence:

"Why Thompson?"

"Excuse me?"

"Your name. Why Thompson? Your father was Potter."

"Thompson was my mother's name. After she died and my father got a high position in Zion I decided to change it."

Smith nodded but he remained silent. So did Kate. Later she just navigated. But that was all. And finally they reached the B&B.

But it is an other story.