Notes: Hi! Thanks to Matrixfan101 for the tip off bout the anonymous
reviews- id probably never have realised otherwise! Thanks also to anyone
who's reviewed my story so far. I'm really grateful. Anyways, here's the
next installment. Don't worry, all will be revealed soon, so hang in there
if you're a little confused!
Stepping through the door into the infinite hallway, Trinity couldn't help but shiver. Just the presence of the Merovingian made her skin crawl, and now she was relying on him to free her lover. But as the door leading out to the hallway outside of the Oracle's flat swung shut, and Trinity gazed down the blinding white corridor, lined with blue doors, she realised that she had made the right decision, giving that it was the only option that she had at this present time. It would be worth it, she reminded herself, if she could have Neo back.
Morpheus however was a little more pessimistic, cursing Trinity for letting her emotions blind her to the pressing situation and the dangers associated with trusting the Merovingian. Not one to leave his partner stranded in the company of the most dangerous man in the matrix however, Morpheus went along with her, constantly watching the Merovingian, and being alert enough to protect the both of them.
For a while, they simply walked down the corridor, led by the Merovingian himself, and his small group of hitmen in tow. Eventually, they came to a halt outside a door, completely identical to all the others, and extremely non-descript in the scheme of things. He pulled a small key from his tailored-jacket pocket, and opened the door, standing to one side, allowing the others to enter before him.
Trinity and Morpheus found themselves back in his Chateau, fully restored to its original splendor an glory after Neo had torn it apart. The pillars looked as though they had never even been touched, and the majestic statues where perfectly placed and polished. Trinity's surroundings flew straight over her head however, and fully determined to simply just get down to business, she turned to the Merovingian as he followed them through the door. Catching her urgent glance, he simply nodded her in the direction of the doors at the other side of the grand entrance hall, before walking straight past her, resuming his lead once more, and taking them through the door and then into the sitting room they had occupied not long before when taken there by Persephone.
The three sat down, though the bodyguards remained standing, adopting a hostile posture, guns firmly held in their saucepan lid sized hands.
"So," began the Merovingian brightly. Trinity wished she could share his lighthearted tone in such situations. "I have not brought you here needlessly. I can save Neo, but to make it worth my while..." he trailed off, raising his eyebrows slightly.
"What do you want from us?" asked Morpheus, unwillingly to play along with games.
"Once I have freed Neo, I will be requiring his help." His business-like manner suddenly kicked in, his facial expression becoming most serious. "Though I wish to discuss the reason with Neo himself personally..." he paused, the glint returning to his eye, "...rather than just his entourage."
"Will Neo be able to return to us after you have discussed these matters with him?" asked Morpheus, appearing unfazed by the reference to himself as Neo's entourage.
"Why of course, Morpheus."
Morpheus would have liked a little time to discuss the deal with Trinity, or to think it through, still not at all trusting of the Merovingian. Though Trinity, once again, did not even ponder the deal any further than the thought that Neo would be returned to her side.
"Fine." Her response was quick, too quick for Morpheus' liking, though he supposed he should have expected it. He could see that she was suffering, though he couldn't help but fee a sense of dread, wondering what she had let them all in for.
"Goooood," replied the Merovingian, his smarmy smile broadening as he clasped his hands together with a loud crack. Morpheus was sure he saw Trinity wince slightly. Possibly realisation of what she had done had occurred to her, though he wasn't going to ask and make her feel worse.
The Merovingian stood quickly, crossing the room and heading to a cocktail cabinet, quickly pouring himself a small drink, without offering to his acquaintances. He knocked it back and left the room in an obvious haste, beckoning for them both to follow. Which they did.
He took them to a large side room, filled, to their surprise, with computer systems, appearing to show the Matrix. Everywhere they looked, green lettering was flashing, and wires sprung from all over. Morpheus doubted he'd seen such complex and advanced computer systems even in Zion. After a second, once he'd adjusted to his surroundings, he began to notice the programmers, all sitting at small desks, tapping away relentlessly on the keyboards. He counted around seventeen of them, though not a single one even looked up as they entered the room. He noticed that the Merovingian had begun quietly conversing with one of them, and leaning forward, he attempted to listen to what was being said. He glanced across at Trinity, noticing her do the same.
"I'd like to introduce you to the programmer who will be arranging your savior's transition back to the Real World," stated the Merovingian, turning suddenly, catching them both a little off guard.
"I don't understand," replied Trinity. "How does this work?"
"Aaaah, Trinity," he said smoothly, "it is a complex mind that questions everything. Though this should not be viewed as bad thing. You are being let into a little secret of mine by entering this room. I control more of the Matrix than you could ever know, but it s my business to do this." He turned back to the programmer for a few moments, as if actually attempting to create an element of mystery and suspense. "I can tell you that Neo is being held in a portal though, and this is not through any work of mine. But it is reversible... if you know how."
Trinity couldn't help but feel that the Merovingian had another agenda, and that all of this, as he once put it, was just a game. She loathed his manner, and his sarcastic tones, his blasé attitude towards what was the most important thing in her life- Neo. The whole time, she just felt so trapped, more so than she had ever felt in her life, and it was mainly down to the fact that she had been forced into a situation where her only source of hope was this man that she despised with such a passion. Not long ago, he had been trying to kill them all, but a sudden change of heart had occurred, spurring him to want to save Neo. If there was another option, she'd take it willingly, and she knew that Morpheus was becoming slightly intolerant of the Merovingian's games also.
But what else was there to do?
They both watched eagerly, as the programmer carried out an elaborate process, throwing up numerous codes and sequences onto the screen, but whizzing by so fast that their eyes could barely keep up.
Again Trinity asked. "How does this work?"
And this time, she got her answer. "We are rearranging parts of the code. It will alter Neo's surroundings, adding a telephone to them. I suggest you leave now, if you wish to be with him when he awakes." Immediately, Trinity turned to leave, but was stopped in her tracks.
"But you must respect my conditions and our deal." He turned to his pack of guards. "Seize him," he added, pointing to Morpheus.
Fats as lightening, Trinity was at her mentor's side. "What do you think you're doing?" Her tone was menacingly interrogative. Morpheus had not moved, his features as calm as always.
"I'm making sure you return with Neo," he replied, not hesitating for a second. "Morpheus will not be harmed, as long as you return."
Trinity looked up at him, a feeling of guilt beginning to overwhelm her. She had not meant to put Morpheus in any danger, but even now, she was hoping deep down that he would agree to the Merovingian's terms. Anything to save Neo.
And to her relief, Morpheus nodded.
She had to admit that his lack of communication was beginning to worry her. Though his mood had been somber since the Neb had gone and the prophecy had failed to be fulfilled. Morpheus was just another worry on her list, though she felt that his problem was a little less pressing that the disappearance of Neo. It seemed selfish, but she knew that Morpheus would agree. For a moment, she simply held eye contact with him, in an attempt to reassure him, then turned and left the room, reaching for her phone as she did so, to contact Link.
Stepping through the door into the infinite hallway, Trinity couldn't help but shiver. Just the presence of the Merovingian made her skin crawl, and now she was relying on him to free her lover. But as the door leading out to the hallway outside of the Oracle's flat swung shut, and Trinity gazed down the blinding white corridor, lined with blue doors, she realised that she had made the right decision, giving that it was the only option that she had at this present time. It would be worth it, she reminded herself, if she could have Neo back.
Morpheus however was a little more pessimistic, cursing Trinity for letting her emotions blind her to the pressing situation and the dangers associated with trusting the Merovingian. Not one to leave his partner stranded in the company of the most dangerous man in the matrix however, Morpheus went along with her, constantly watching the Merovingian, and being alert enough to protect the both of them.
For a while, they simply walked down the corridor, led by the Merovingian himself, and his small group of hitmen in tow. Eventually, they came to a halt outside a door, completely identical to all the others, and extremely non-descript in the scheme of things. He pulled a small key from his tailored-jacket pocket, and opened the door, standing to one side, allowing the others to enter before him.
Trinity and Morpheus found themselves back in his Chateau, fully restored to its original splendor an glory after Neo had torn it apart. The pillars looked as though they had never even been touched, and the majestic statues where perfectly placed and polished. Trinity's surroundings flew straight over her head however, and fully determined to simply just get down to business, she turned to the Merovingian as he followed them through the door. Catching her urgent glance, he simply nodded her in the direction of the doors at the other side of the grand entrance hall, before walking straight past her, resuming his lead once more, and taking them through the door and then into the sitting room they had occupied not long before when taken there by Persephone.
The three sat down, though the bodyguards remained standing, adopting a hostile posture, guns firmly held in their saucepan lid sized hands.
"So," began the Merovingian brightly. Trinity wished she could share his lighthearted tone in such situations. "I have not brought you here needlessly. I can save Neo, but to make it worth my while..." he trailed off, raising his eyebrows slightly.
"What do you want from us?" asked Morpheus, unwillingly to play along with games.
"Once I have freed Neo, I will be requiring his help." His business-like manner suddenly kicked in, his facial expression becoming most serious. "Though I wish to discuss the reason with Neo himself personally..." he paused, the glint returning to his eye, "...rather than just his entourage."
"Will Neo be able to return to us after you have discussed these matters with him?" asked Morpheus, appearing unfazed by the reference to himself as Neo's entourage.
"Why of course, Morpheus."
Morpheus would have liked a little time to discuss the deal with Trinity, or to think it through, still not at all trusting of the Merovingian. Though Trinity, once again, did not even ponder the deal any further than the thought that Neo would be returned to her side.
"Fine." Her response was quick, too quick for Morpheus' liking, though he supposed he should have expected it. He could see that she was suffering, though he couldn't help but fee a sense of dread, wondering what she had let them all in for.
"Goooood," replied the Merovingian, his smarmy smile broadening as he clasped his hands together with a loud crack. Morpheus was sure he saw Trinity wince slightly. Possibly realisation of what she had done had occurred to her, though he wasn't going to ask and make her feel worse.
The Merovingian stood quickly, crossing the room and heading to a cocktail cabinet, quickly pouring himself a small drink, without offering to his acquaintances. He knocked it back and left the room in an obvious haste, beckoning for them both to follow. Which they did.
He took them to a large side room, filled, to their surprise, with computer systems, appearing to show the Matrix. Everywhere they looked, green lettering was flashing, and wires sprung from all over. Morpheus doubted he'd seen such complex and advanced computer systems even in Zion. After a second, once he'd adjusted to his surroundings, he began to notice the programmers, all sitting at small desks, tapping away relentlessly on the keyboards. He counted around seventeen of them, though not a single one even looked up as they entered the room. He noticed that the Merovingian had begun quietly conversing with one of them, and leaning forward, he attempted to listen to what was being said. He glanced across at Trinity, noticing her do the same.
"I'd like to introduce you to the programmer who will be arranging your savior's transition back to the Real World," stated the Merovingian, turning suddenly, catching them both a little off guard.
"I don't understand," replied Trinity. "How does this work?"
"Aaaah, Trinity," he said smoothly, "it is a complex mind that questions everything. Though this should not be viewed as bad thing. You are being let into a little secret of mine by entering this room. I control more of the Matrix than you could ever know, but it s my business to do this." He turned back to the programmer for a few moments, as if actually attempting to create an element of mystery and suspense. "I can tell you that Neo is being held in a portal though, and this is not through any work of mine. But it is reversible... if you know how."
Trinity couldn't help but feel that the Merovingian had another agenda, and that all of this, as he once put it, was just a game. She loathed his manner, and his sarcastic tones, his blasé attitude towards what was the most important thing in her life- Neo. The whole time, she just felt so trapped, more so than she had ever felt in her life, and it was mainly down to the fact that she had been forced into a situation where her only source of hope was this man that she despised with such a passion. Not long ago, he had been trying to kill them all, but a sudden change of heart had occurred, spurring him to want to save Neo. If there was another option, she'd take it willingly, and she knew that Morpheus was becoming slightly intolerant of the Merovingian's games also.
But what else was there to do?
They both watched eagerly, as the programmer carried out an elaborate process, throwing up numerous codes and sequences onto the screen, but whizzing by so fast that their eyes could barely keep up.
Again Trinity asked. "How does this work?"
And this time, she got her answer. "We are rearranging parts of the code. It will alter Neo's surroundings, adding a telephone to them. I suggest you leave now, if you wish to be with him when he awakes." Immediately, Trinity turned to leave, but was stopped in her tracks.
"But you must respect my conditions and our deal." He turned to his pack of guards. "Seize him," he added, pointing to Morpheus.
Fats as lightening, Trinity was at her mentor's side. "What do you think you're doing?" Her tone was menacingly interrogative. Morpheus had not moved, his features as calm as always.
"I'm making sure you return with Neo," he replied, not hesitating for a second. "Morpheus will not be harmed, as long as you return."
Trinity looked up at him, a feeling of guilt beginning to overwhelm her. She had not meant to put Morpheus in any danger, but even now, she was hoping deep down that he would agree to the Merovingian's terms. Anything to save Neo.
And to her relief, Morpheus nodded.
She had to admit that his lack of communication was beginning to worry her. Though his mood had been somber since the Neb had gone and the prophecy had failed to be fulfilled. Morpheus was just another worry on her list, though she felt that his problem was a little less pressing that the disappearance of Neo. It seemed selfish, but she knew that Morpheus would agree. For a moment, she simply held eye contact with him, in an attempt to reassure him, then turned and left the room, reaching for her phone as she did so, to contact Link.