Thank you to:
leeloo_dalas_multipass84, thanks for reviewing, and I'm sure to keep you hanging on the edge of your seat for a while yet, I've got quite a few surprises lined up, like what EmyLyii realised NTS stood for.
richard the pedantic. I don't really know. It seems so. I'm just updating faster cus I know how frustrated you lot get when I don't update quickly!
Zaneta, hey thanks again. I'm glad you like! And I know you show the same passion in your work, too, so don't you stop writing your fics.
angel of darkness 4585. Don't worry, the next chapter is already written, so it will be up Monday or Tuesday, depending on how much I'm into writing the next chappie.
EmyLyii, hey, nice to hear from you again! Oh, and yes, you are right. And if you read this chapter carefully, you might notice some other things, but I'm sure you have already figured them out.
and thanks to GreyElvenWarrior (I put the thanks at the bottom, as it is about my other fic)
A.N., may I once again remind you that the main character in this fic is named Sapphire cus I've loved the name since I was a little girl, and the reason my pen name is SapphireNight is cus I couldn't use my real name, and so used my fav other name. I know its weird that I'm writing a fic with the main character called part of my pen name, but I had the plot kinda worked out for a while, and I'm keeping the name, because that is who she is.
Enjoy!
*~*~*
~To Morpheus, and the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar II.
There is a person we would like you to unplug. Her name is Sapphire, and she means a lot to us. She is wearing blue, and will meet you in the 'Unreal Club' in half an hour. Unplugging facilities and escape routes in the old hotel "Lafayette" opposite have been checked and are fully operational.
Her pod being kept at the far east side of the Power Plant, just to the side of the Fields. You will need to negotiate with the machine tower for her release. To do this you will need to mention "NTS".
She will want to see the Oracle when she is recovered. It would be best if this is done as soon as possible. Take care of her.
NTS "Matrix Angels" ~
Morpheus stared at the message. It had come about two minutes after he had returned from visiting the Oracle with Niobe's new recruit. Morpheus had of course told his crew that they would probably be expecting the message the moment he was out of the jack-in chair, and had been in mid discussion about the conversations and revelations he had had when the message had arrived. Of course, he had to admit that he wasn't surprised. There had been far too many surprises for him in the last half-hour for him to have been totally shocked by another one. However, Link had the most amusing expression of shock on his face that Morpheus just wished he had a camera right there for blackmailing purposes.
One thing it did show, however, was that this NTS thing, the logo Rabbit had seen, and the Matrix Angels were connected. What else would give the scared kid comfort other than the ones that had found him first, and had contacted the Logos? Why would he have to negotiate the release of a mind with the mention of those three letters?
He guessed he would find out sooner or later, and knowing the day he was having, it was most likely to be sooner. He would just have to wait 30 minutes to find out. In the mean time, he began to pilot the ship to its new destination, and readied the crew for the arrival of the new girl.
29…
28…
~*~
Sapphire stood there at the back of the 'Unreal Club' with the two Matrix Angels. She was wearing a very vibrant short blue dress, which matched her blazing shoulder length red hair and soulful green eyes. The Matrix Angels were wearing their usual black, and were reassuring her again that things would be alright. She would manage in the real world.
"I don't know how long it will take you to recover once your out, it takes different times, depending on age and other things. It might be that you'll recover a lot quicker than normal, but I don't know for sure." The man was saying.
Sapphire took a deep breath and gave a nod, trying bravely to take this all in and at the same time keep herself from losing her composure and having a panic attack.
The woman gave her a small smile, and put her hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, Fire. Everything will be okay."
The man, however, was looking past Sapphire's head at the entrance to the club.
"They're here." He said softly, almost mournfully.
Sapphire stood there, looking at the two as if they were the last things on the Earth. She couldn't take it anymore, and she dashed forward, enveloping the two in a hug. The woman smiled a little, and patted her back. The man was close to tears.
"Good bye, Little One." He managed.
"Good bye, Dad, Mum." She said, before they separated.
Sapphire's mother gave her a kiss on her cheek before she turned to leave. And then they were gone.
She took a few deep breaths, before slowly turning round and making her way to the entrance to the club, where a coloured man wearing a long leather jacket was waiting, his eyes searching the club.
She instantly recognised him as Morpheus from her parents descriptions of him, and from a drawing her mum had once done. She was a very good artist, a talent Sapphire had inherited among a lot of other things, like her hacking abilities.
She moved her way through until she was directly in front of the captain, and gazed up at him. He was nearly a head taller than her, but she ignored that fact, as she pulled the stunt her mother had suggested. It was in fact done the same thing she had done to her dad the first time they met, and that was a story that had been told again and again to Sapphire. Although Sapphire was only going to attempt the first part here, identifying and addressing the target by their hacker name. Here we go.
"Hello, Morpheus."
His mouth opened in surprise. She kept her face neutral, hiding a little smile.
"I guess I should have expected that." He muttered. "Follow me, Sapphire."
She followed him. Her demeanour was calm and collected, and even though she was burning up inside, she showed none of it. It was a useful trait her mother had taught her. It was a shame that she couldn't practice it on her parents, as they saw right through it. She had learnt that it was almost impossible to hide anything from them, which had yet again been proved a week ago, when she had hacked into the IRS database. Her father had actually been very proud with her when they found out, but her mum had put her foot down and punished her. She remembered the looks on her parents faces when the newspaper had been unfolded to see the front-page headline blazing at them. Her dad had almost burst out laughing, whilst her mum had turned the most amazing shade of red. Her punishment was actually a rather enjoyable one, although she didn't dare tell them that. It was to properly fight/train with one of their friends, a program called Seraph. Although she had trained with him on a regular basis, he had pulled out all the stops this time, and she only realised later that he was testing her, seeing if she was ready to be unplugged. She had passed. And that was why she was here now.
Sapphire obediently followed Morpheus down the street and into an abandoned hotel/apartment building. Although it was dank and decaying, the place seemed oddly familiar to her, for some reason. It was strange and creepy, as if it were haunted, but she knew ghosts didn't exist. Real ones, anyway.
She was led into room with only two very worn red arm chairs in it. The billowy floor length curtains at the back of the room moved the rubble and several broken bricks that were scattered around beneath it. There was also a large brown stain on the curtain, creeping down onto the floor, that looked to be many years old.
She took a seat in the chair nearest to the door, seeing for the first time the small wooden table standing between the two chairs with a glass of water waiting upon it. Morpheus took the other seat, and removed a metal container from his pocket. She could tell he was trying to figure out what to say to her, so she decided to start.
"I already know, Morpheus. About the Matrix, about the real world, I understand what's been going on. I have for a long time." she said quietly. "I have already made my decision. I need to see it for my self now. That is why they contacted you."
Morpheus nodded and took the two pills out of the silver case. He placed them onto both hands, and moved them forward, towards the girl. She knew what to do. As she reached out to take the red pill, he hastily cautioned, "Are you sure? There is no turning back."
She gave a small laugh and swallowed the red pill with the water. "I've been sure all my life."
Morpheus was still looking curiously at her when he took his mobile* out of his pocket and hit a speed dial number. Sapphire could just about hear the other end.
"Operator."
"Link, have you got her?"
Sapphire looked up quickly as she recognised the name, from her parents.
"Um, yeah…"
"Yes or no. It is a simple question."
Link gave a sigh. "Yes, we have her, and she is ready, but you sure as hell are going to get another surprise."
Morpheus rolled his eyes. "I'm sure about that." he muttered as the line was disconnected. He then led the girl into the neighbouring room, and prepared to unplug her.
*~*~*
* or cell, if you prefer, but I'm English, so I call it a mobile.
if you have any questions about my fic, don't worry, just ask them in a review. I don't mind how silly they might seem, but I will answer them, cus I know how annoying it is if you don't understand something in a fic and you don't want to embarrass your self by asking. So don't worry, I'll explain things again, I don't mind what it is you don't understand. I'll even try to send a picture of the logo I described if you want, just tell me and leave your email.
And thanks to a reviewer for my 'You only live thrice' fic.
GreyElvenWarrior, thanks so much! I'm blushing so much, I've got my Matrix Angels blushing! Oh, and thanks so much for the complement, its not every day I get one like that! And that was the 60th review for 'Thrice'! Bring out the party poppers!