Notes: sorry I haven't updated for ages, I've just been really busy. Thanks
to all my reviewers and to geekgurl for being my own personal spell check!
*
Hours passed. Trinity slept.
Neo remained locked in his battle of words, theories and indecision with the Merovingian, though with each passing moment, the true fate of the one became increasingly apparent. He must kill Smith, help the Merovingian, free the human minds...and end the war.
And as the Merovingian stated, he had no alternatives. It he was truthful in his words, then there were already a horde of human minds locked in an eternal portal, just waiting for the end. Smith had gone insane. His hatred of the Matrix had grown beyond control, as had his power, and his ambition to crash, or rule, the system. All of what the Merovingian said made sense. It was almost as if he'd just offered Neo the missing pieces in his jigsaw of theories. It all made sense now.
Trinity's strength was recuperating. Her whole body was feeling revitalised, the process being fast-forwarded by her subconscious urge to stand at the side of her partner in love and war. Her eyes slowly opened, revealing to her the bright light above her. Blinking, she realised she was lying on the very same bed that Neo had just hours before her. The room was silent, except for the consistent beep of the monitors around her. She carefully lifted herself up onto her elbows, inhaling deeply, before swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, and crossing the room to the ladder. She glanced back at Bane, lying motionless, still forgotten, discarded in light of recent events.
"I'm going in after Neo," she declared as she raised herself to the main deck. She doubted she'd ever felt so full of energy, though if she was honest, her sudden energy burst was largely made up of an unstoppable adrenaline at the thought of being able to hold him again, and feel him hold her back. He'd brought her back to life on that rooftop. She felt obliged to make him see that it was the best decision he'd ever made.
The looks she received from the rest of the crew were pessimistic however. Captain Roland took a step towards her, placing a single hand on her shoulder. She couldn't help but feel his look was slightly patronising. And she hated to be patronised.
"Don't argue with me," she stated with unintentional force as Roland opened his mouth to speak. He simply retracted his hand, knowing Trinity well enough to be sure that he wouldn't win if he argued with her.
*
Her leather-clad form emerged in the exact same spot in the Meorvingian's hallway that Neo had stood, not long before her.
"I'm in." She spoke in hushed tones down her cell phone. "Where to now?"
"I dunno," replied Link. "It looks like they've gone through one of those weird doors again, 'cos I've lost them. I'm trying to get a lock on them now. Try the front door behind you. I think they headed through that."
Trinity spun on her heel, cursing t the squeak her shoes made on the highly polished floor. Though before she had the chance to open the door herself, it swung open voluntarily. Sharp instincts forced her to throw herself behind a nearby pillar, shielding her from view, as two sets of footsteps echoed around the hall. Glancing around the pillar, she saw two agents.
"We need to find him now," pointed out one of them, in the usual monotone voice utilised by agents.
"Both of them are here," murmured the second his hand reaching up to his earpiece as he concentrated heavily on what was being spoken through it. Trinity only wished she could hear it.
"The first AND the second anomalies. They're together. Here."
"Can we take them both on?" asked the other agent.
"Remember," replied his acquaintance, "they are still..."
"Only human."
As they walked briskly away, Trinity's head spun at what she'd witnessed. Who was the other anomaly? Could it be...?
Trinity thought out loud. "Merv."
*
Neo's mind was far from set, but he realised that the Merovingian was right about one thing at least- what alternative did he have. And as a result of this blur of a notion, Neo followed the Frenchman as he led him through to the small lounge area where he had witnessed Persephone kill one of her husband's bodyguards not so long ago. He watched as the Merovingian gently pulled at a book to swing open the bookcase and a second later, Morpheus appeared from the stone corridor behind.
"Morpheus," Neo sighed, his voice tinged with relief. Morpheus simply nodded solemnly.
"Neo has a proposition for you, Morpheus." It was obvious that the Merovingian did not intend on hanging about.
Realising his cue, Neo stated, "We are to co-operate with him." For a second, Neo could swear he saw Morpheus wince slightly. He desperately wanted some time alone with Morpheus to talk him through all that had happened. All that he knew. Though the opportunity was unlikely to present itself with the Merovingian remaining in control of the situation. After an eternity of deafening silence between the three men, Morpheus nodded again, demonstrating that his trust in Neo would never dwindle.
"Where is Trinity?" asked Morpheus, realising for the first time that his comrade was absent.
"She's exhausted," Neo glanced warily at the Merovingian, who never missed a trick, he had found. "She'll be here soon."
"What is it we are to do?" Morpheus' face remained stony as he turned to face his nemesis.
*
Trinity dared not hesitate. Not in this place. She did not have the luxury of time. It was never on her side. Ducking out from behind the pillar, she proceeded to follow the agents, giving them barely a few seconds to get ahead, though she knew they'd lead her straight to Neo. And she had to warn him. The Merovingian wasn't who he said he was. And though at this point she knew so little about the situation she had a gut feeling that a great deal of deception was taking place- deception that not even Neo would be able to see past.
*
"Tell him, Neo," it was a command rather than request. Reluctant to appear weak to the Merovingian's commands, Neo hesitated before turning to Morpheus.
"The Real World isn't real at all. It's just an extension of the Matrix, created by the machines to throw us all. It's more control. It was built to make the rebels think that they were actually free. Zion, the Neb, the machine city- they're all just more programmes. They don't exist." Neo paused, registering the shattered look on Morpheus' face. It was difficult to work out what he was feeling, though Neo remembered how he had felt receiving this information. He had to tread carefully. "I know this is hard, Morpheus," he continued, "but you have to try and believe me."
"Who told you this?"
"The Oracle. When I was unconscious I was locked in a portal with her. And she told me." Again, Neo hesitated, waiting for Morpheus to get his thoughts in order. His expression was blank, as if all that he'd believed, felt and saw could not be trusted. He could no longer trust even his senses, something which he felt had left him when he'd been 'freed'.
"But we can still escape, Morpheus. That's why we must trust in the Merovingian now," he gestured to the smug Frenchman at his side, who's eyes had been fixed upon Neo, as if he was clocking his prize. "He wants me to destroy the Smith Virus," continued Neo. "Each time Smith takes over a body that person is transported through cyberspace. They are trapped in a portal as I was. But we can free them from there. We can awaken the whole human race. We'll win, Morpheus." Neo's voice was full of triumph, as if his new dream was this. A world full of humans again. A REAL world, truly.
Morpheus simply turned to face the Merovingian. "Why are you helping us? What's in it for you?"
"Aaaah," smiled the Merovingian, "can you not just be trusting of me for a moment, or has my reputation preceded me. It is true I have my interests in this, as neo understands. I want power of the Matrix as I once had. I want to rule over all programmes. The machines are taking the power from me, and it is not to my liking. If Neo destroys the Smith virus, I have power again, and you have the Real World."
Morpheus removed his glasses, and looked directly into the unmasked eyes of the One. So trusting, so true. It shall be done Neo. I believe this is what the Prophecy meant. You shall defeat Smith, and the Human race will proceed to victory. The war will be over, Neo."
He then turned to the Merovingian. "I do not trust you for an instant, but Neo does, and I shall follow Neo wherever he may go, because I know, that as long as there is a breathe in his body, he will not give up. With him, I do not believe we can lose."
Calmly, he replaced his sunglasses.
*
Hours passed. Trinity slept.
Neo remained locked in his battle of words, theories and indecision with the Merovingian, though with each passing moment, the true fate of the one became increasingly apparent. He must kill Smith, help the Merovingian, free the human minds...and end the war.
And as the Merovingian stated, he had no alternatives. It he was truthful in his words, then there were already a horde of human minds locked in an eternal portal, just waiting for the end. Smith had gone insane. His hatred of the Matrix had grown beyond control, as had his power, and his ambition to crash, or rule, the system. All of what the Merovingian said made sense. It was almost as if he'd just offered Neo the missing pieces in his jigsaw of theories. It all made sense now.
Trinity's strength was recuperating. Her whole body was feeling revitalised, the process being fast-forwarded by her subconscious urge to stand at the side of her partner in love and war. Her eyes slowly opened, revealing to her the bright light above her. Blinking, she realised she was lying on the very same bed that Neo had just hours before her. The room was silent, except for the consistent beep of the monitors around her. She carefully lifted herself up onto her elbows, inhaling deeply, before swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, and crossing the room to the ladder. She glanced back at Bane, lying motionless, still forgotten, discarded in light of recent events.
"I'm going in after Neo," she declared as she raised herself to the main deck. She doubted she'd ever felt so full of energy, though if she was honest, her sudden energy burst was largely made up of an unstoppable adrenaline at the thought of being able to hold him again, and feel him hold her back. He'd brought her back to life on that rooftop. She felt obliged to make him see that it was the best decision he'd ever made.
The looks she received from the rest of the crew were pessimistic however. Captain Roland took a step towards her, placing a single hand on her shoulder. She couldn't help but feel his look was slightly patronising. And she hated to be patronised.
"Don't argue with me," she stated with unintentional force as Roland opened his mouth to speak. He simply retracted his hand, knowing Trinity well enough to be sure that he wouldn't win if he argued with her.
*
Her leather-clad form emerged in the exact same spot in the Meorvingian's hallway that Neo had stood, not long before her.
"I'm in." She spoke in hushed tones down her cell phone. "Where to now?"
"I dunno," replied Link. "It looks like they've gone through one of those weird doors again, 'cos I've lost them. I'm trying to get a lock on them now. Try the front door behind you. I think they headed through that."
Trinity spun on her heel, cursing t the squeak her shoes made on the highly polished floor. Though before she had the chance to open the door herself, it swung open voluntarily. Sharp instincts forced her to throw herself behind a nearby pillar, shielding her from view, as two sets of footsteps echoed around the hall. Glancing around the pillar, she saw two agents.
"We need to find him now," pointed out one of them, in the usual monotone voice utilised by agents.
"Both of them are here," murmured the second his hand reaching up to his earpiece as he concentrated heavily on what was being spoken through it. Trinity only wished she could hear it.
"The first AND the second anomalies. They're together. Here."
"Can we take them both on?" asked the other agent.
"Remember," replied his acquaintance, "they are still..."
"Only human."
As they walked briskly away, Trinity's head spun at what she'd witnessed. Who was the other anomaly? Could it be...?
Trinity thought out loud. "Merv."
*
Neo's mind was far from set, but he realised that the Merovingian was right about one thing at least- what alternative did he have. And as a result of this blur of a notion, Neo followed the Frenchman as he led him through to the small lounge area where he had witnessed Persephone kill one of her husband's bodyguards not so long ago. He watched as the Merovingian gently pulled at a book to swing open the bookcase and a second later, Morpheus appeared from the stone corridor behind.
"Morpheus," Neo sighed, his voice tinged with relief. Morpheus simply nodded solemnly.
"Neo has a proposition for you, Morpheus." It was obvious that the Merovingian did not intend on hanging about.
Realising his cue, Neo stated, "We are to co-operate with him." For a second, Neo could swear he saw Morpheus wince slightly. He desperately wanted some time alone with Morpheus to talk him through all that had happened. All that he knew. Though the opportunity was unlikely to present itself with the Merovingian remaining in control of the situation. After an eternity of deafening silence between the three men, Morpheus nodded again, demonstrating that his trust in Neo would never dwindle.
"Where is Trinity?" asked Morpheus, realising for the first time that his comrade was absent.
"She's exhausted," Neo glanced warily at the Merovingian, who never missed a trick, he had found. "She'll be here soon."
"What is it we are to do?" Morpheus' face remained stony as he turned to face his nemesis.
*
Trinity dared not hesitate. Not in this place. She did not have the luxury of time. It was never on her side. Ducking out from behind the pillar, she proceeded to follow the agents, giving them barely a few seconds to get ahead, though she knew they'd lead her straight to Neo. And she had to warn him. The Merovingian wasn't who he said he was. And though at this point she knew so little about the situation she had a gut feeling that a great deal of deception was taking place- deception that not even Neo would be able to see past.
*
"Tell him, Neo," it was a command rather than request. Reluctant to appear weak to the Merovingian's commands, Neo hesitated before turning to Morpheus.
"The Real World isn't real at all. It's just an extension of the Matrix, created by the machines to throw us all. It's more control. It was built to make the rebels think that they were actually free. Zion, the Neb, the machine city- they're all just more programmes. They don't exist." Neo paused, registering the shattered look on Morpheus' face. It was difficult to work out what he was feeling, though Neo remembered how he had felt receiving this information. He had to tread carefully. "I know this is hard, Morpheus," he continued, "but you have to try and believe me."
"Who told you this?"
"The Oracle. When I was unconscious I was locked in a portal with her. And she told me." Again, Neo hesitated, waiting for Morpheus to get his thoughts in order. His expression was blank, as if all that he'd believed, felt and saw could not be trusted. He could no longer trust even his senses, something which he felt had left him when he'd been 'freed'.
"But we can still escape, Morpheus. That's why we must trust in the Merovingian now," he gestured to the smug Frenchman at his side, who's eyes had been fixed upon Neo, as if he was clocking his prize. "He wants me to destroy the Smith Virus," continued Neo. "Each time Smith takes over a body that person is transported through cyberspace. They are trapped in a portal as I was. But we can free them from there. We can awaken the whole human race. We'll win, Morpheus." Neo's voice was full of triumph, as if his new dream was this. A world full of humans again. A REAL world, truly.
Morpheus simply turned to face the Merovingian. "Why are you helping us? What's in it for you?"
"Aaaah," smiled the Merovingian, "can you not just be trusting of me for a moment, or has my reputation preceded me. It is true I have my interests in this, as neo understands. I want power of the Matrix as I once had. I want to rule over all programmes. The machines are taking the power from me, and it is not to my liking. If Neo destroys the Smith virus, I have power again, and you have the Real World."
Morpheus removed his glasses, and looked directly into the unmasked eyes of the One. So trusting, so true. It shall be done Neo. I believe this is what the Prophecy meant. You shall defeat Smith, and the Human race will proceed to victory. The war will be over, Neo."
He then turned to the Merovingian. "I do not trust you for an instant, but Neo does, and I shall follow Neo wherever he may go, because I know, that as long as there is a breathe in his body, he will not give up. With him, I do not believe we can lose."
Calmly, he replaced his sunglasses.