Chapter Eleven

While a puzzled Crystal was scratching her head in confusion, Trinity and the real Neo discussed the purpose of the robotic Neo.

Trinity cleared her throat and began, "Neo, I know you want the machines to think this robot is you and that he's going to join their side, but..."

"I know, I know, you think that if the resistance finds out they'll attempt to kill me. However, you have nothing to worry about because I've got all under control."

"Alright, I'll trust you then and hope for the best. Hopefully, this robot will end the war at last..."

Although Trinity said this out loud, she was secretly thinking of the dire consequences that could come from using this type of robot that had barely been tested..

Suddenly, Crystal burst in, out of breath from running the fastest she had ever run in her life. Sliding to a stop, she exclaimed in a panicky voice,

"I saw Neo with a sentinel! What should we do, Trinity?"

Oh great, Crystal has to know to the plan know or she'll blab to the whole resistance, thought Trinity with deep distrust and suspicion. Trinity sighed and said in an irritated voice,

"No, that was a robot. The real Neo is right here," Trinity pointed to Neo, "and I'm afraid that now you must know that we have a plan to end the war by using this robot. Happy now?"

Crystal blushed at how ready she had been to suspect Neo, the Chosen One, of being able to switch sides so quickly.

"Alright, I'm much more trusting than I once was, so I'll believe you and go back to sleep," said Crystal keeping her compusure as she walked swiftly to her bed.

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After Crystal had cleared her mind of ever suspecting Neo, her thoughts turned to Peter, a subject she had barely thought about since she had been so busy decifering the Machine's messages to the Resistance.

She still thought of him with a certain pang in her heart, but she was beginning to think that maybe she was more over him than she thought. He rarely entered her thoughts anymore and she was ready to believe that she could face him with the utmost coolness. However, she still had the fleeting feeling of wanting deeply to turn him human still. Crystal just wanted to know if it was possible for Peter to love her. All these thoughts made it extremley difficult for her to sleep and she was up all night trying to decide whether she was over him or not. Finally, the morning came and she fell to sleep out of exhaustion.

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In the morning, she got ready to be plugged in once again and spy on the machines to decipher their intentions on invading Zion anytime soon.

As soon as she got into the Matrix, Peter stood in front of her, smiling as if she were the most welcome sight in the world.

"Crystal, I've missed you beyond words," he said lovingly with tears in his eyes as he took her into his arms. Crystal pushed him away and retorted,

"What? How can a program have feelings?"

"But I'm a human now! The machines felt they had no longer any use for me as a program so they made me into a human in order to escape the questioning that would arise due to my dissappearance."

Crystal was overcome with emotion as she remembered all the love for him she still felt and she gave him a passionate kiss which at last Peter responded to.

"Oh, Peter! We'll be so happy together!"

Suddenly, two agents appeared behind a bewildered Peter and handcuffed Crystal.

Although Crystal had been trained in mortal combat, the agents had stuck a pen filled with a chemical that rendered her helpless and all she could do was whisper weakly as she drifted out of conciousness,

"Peter, please help me, please..."