The heavy breathing emanating from his chest, the cool air filling his lungs, the taste of the air, dry. He felt it all, falsely. He knew it was false, but wanted, needed, it to be real. The world was too much, digital and real. To many responsibilities were piled on mankind.
He opened his eyes, he saw darkness at first. An engulfing, welcoming. darkness. It took him in. He lay on what seemed like a soft floor, a blanket under him. His weapons were removed. His clothes were on. His coat covering him.
He sniffed the air; he smelt a strong yet welcoming aroma. Tea. Green tea to be exact. Tetsujin remembered what that tasted like, and felt happy. The real world hardly had anything anymore.
He wanted to move, but fatigue took over him. So he just lay. And realized he had failed to do what he had come inside to do. His mission ended by someone, who Tetsujin thought a friend. The whole situation baffled him so. He felt then as if he should just give up, and let the Matrix take him.
"I thought you were stronger than that my friend." Tetsujin heard a voice, a familiar voice, and the voice of the man or machine, whatever he was, that betrayed him. Seraph. "I did not betray you. I must put on an act. At this time, we are not being watched. So I can speak freely, and drop the act."
Tetsujin rolled over to face the direction from which the voice came. He saw the silhouetted figure of Seraph. The figure was there, and Tetsujin saw part of his face, illuminated by flame.
"Would you like some tea?" Seraph asked as if this were a normal situation, and as if Tetsujin had come for a visit.
"It's not real." Tetsujin replied simply.
"Just because it is not real, does not mean you cannot drink it. I remember when you did not know of the Matrix, you loved tea. Why do you refuse it so now?" Seraph asked.
"Yes I used to love it, but I will know it's not real, and all it will do is taunt me, and make me want to return to the Matrix, oblivious. For one of its programs you forget that the Matrix is designed to control humanity plugged in and unhooked alike." Tetsujin said answering Seraph's question.
Seraph nodded, but handed Tetsujin a cup anyway. "If you know it is not real than it will not take control of you." He poured the tea.
"I'm sorry for snapping. I haven't been inside the Matrix in about 10 years. It's hard. When you get used to something it's easy to forget and learn to accept it. But when you have gone through that, and not gone for a while, when you return it's hard. I have to relearn." Tetsujin responded. He looked at the tea. "What the hell" he took a sip.
Seraph also took a sip. "Of course, I could be putting on an act for you as well. Being a double agent but really siding with your enemy." Tetsujin stopped drinking and looked towards Seraph. "If you wish to be cautious, you should have waited to see if I would take a drink first, or else you could have been poisoned, and you would be dead. Did I teach you nothing?" Seraph was starting to bring Tetsujin's defenses back up. "Good, you are becoming cautious again. In this new Matrix, so to speak, you must always stay cautious, you know nothing about it."
Tetsujin understood the point Seraph was trying to put across. Trust no one, no matter whom. Even if you had been acquainted with them before, this is a new Matrix, which no one knows anything about. Therefore, no one can be trusted.
"Seraph, answer this for me. Is the Merovingian present in this Matrix?" Tetsujin asked, regaining some hope for his mission.
"Yes, he has been in his nightclub hideout. Why do you ask?" Seraph did not want, nor need, Tetsujin to commit any stupid deed.
"I have to get information from him." Tetsujin replied quietly.
"You plan on fighting him. I know you do. You did not bring all those weapons to fight those zombie creatures. You did not even know about those." Seraph said.
"Yes, but those weapons will be needed to get to him. I have to go through many guards." Tetsujin replied as an excuse.
"If that is your mission, I am inclined to help any way I can. And whether you want me to or not, I will help." Seraph stood up. Tetsujin did also.
Seraph went to a closet and got out Tetsujin's weapons. He gave them to him. Tetsujin got them on, and then put his coat on. Seraph grabbed a pair of handguns.
"After this, there is no turning back. Are you ready to begin this battle?" Seraph tested Tetsujin's motives.
"Yes, I am positive."
"Then-"Seraph snapped his head to the door. The handle was turning. Seraph motioned for Tetsujin to be still and quiet. Seraph quietly bolted the door. The door started to shake. Someone was trying to get in.
"SERAPH!" shouted a voice from the other side. "I CONTROL YOU, AND IF I DIDN'T I AM NOT A TOTAL FOOL. YOU CAN'T HIDE ANYTHING FROM ME!"
"We must go." Seraph said unusually calmly. Tetsujin turned towards a wall. They were moderately thin. Tetsujin stiffened his shoulder. Got into a ramming position, ran towards the wall. He threw all his weight into the ram. The wall buckled before him. Tetsujin flew through. "That will work" Seraph responded.
Tetsujin got up, and both Seraph and himself, ran as fast as their feet would take them.
The door flew off its hinges. Smith walked in the room. He saw the broken down wall. But did not run after Seraph and the boy, were he still an agent of the system he would, but not now.
I obviously misjudged Seraph; he must be stronger than last time I took control of him. Ah, well. Smith thought to himself.
Smith began to walk out, but stopped, looked over his shoulder, grabbed the door on the floor, and placed it back on its hinges. He walked out.
Zach was the first done with his breakfast. He walked to the operator's chair to check on the Matrix. Funny how Tetsujin didn't join us. He always loves to talk with us. Well, I suppose stress does that to you.
Zach got to the operators station. The Matrix was red in some places. He could also read it better. He saw... Tetsujin. He snapped his head to Tetsujin's station. Tetsujin had plugged himself in. Zach ran back to the mess room.
Zion was completely lifeless. Or at least so quiet it seemed that way. The usually illuminated towers, and levels, stood there now dark, and desolate. No life, or sign of life, in the city.
Zee walked through Zion. She was the only, or one of the only, humans not to be plugged in to any kind of program when the Matrix rebooted. Link was one of the people who had been plugged in. So had their 2 children. Ana had been practicing her Tai chi, and Derak had been listening to old music of the last, human civilization.
She felt so alone; she had no one to go to. Just herself, and Zion. She had tried to find food, but all the quarters had been locked down. This was so hard.
She also felt bad for her Nephew, Load. She had no idea about his whereabouts. He was operating on the Nebacanezzer II. She did not find out his fate.
Worst of all. She had no idea what had happened to her leader, the human leader. Morpheus had not been seen in a long time. And Zee prayed to her Gods that he had not been taken over by the Matrix. Because if he had, there was almost no hope.
Its time like these where she wished Neo were still around. But that were more impossible of finding out, than Morpheus's fate.
For Zee, all hope was lost.
The humans were their allies. If there were a problem the machines would do what they needed to, to help.
The machines were connected to the mainframe node. They were trying to hack Zion; at this point it was all they could do.
They came upon the program that was blocking the machines out. They recognized this program. They had created it, The Matrix. The Machines got taken over within a few minutes....