Mystic Kyra: Thanks for the review! I really appreciate it!

For all of you out there who read this and didn't review it, SHAME! No, not really. But please review it, okay? (I'm insecure...lol)

Okay, that was weird. I woke up in a dream. Really weird. Mmmmmph. Hold on, if it happened once, it's perfectly logical that it could happen again. "Owwwww." Okay, I'm awake. Raven sat up in the chair and shivered. It was cold. She pulled a torn long-sleeved red shirt on over her thin black undershirt and tucked her booted feet under her. Why did I wake up? That was easily explained. The music was on loud. Really loud. I guess my foot slipped or something. She glanced over the multiple screens, checking various pressure readings and thermal scans, and last, the Matrix. "I guess everything's alright." And then Raven's headset rang. "Gaah! Okay, who is this and how did you call me?"

"I didn't mean to scare you, but if I did, I guess it's just an added bonus."

"Mom?"

"No, it's your father."

"Ha, ha, ha. I laugh. Why did you call?"

"I'm supposed to tell you that your presence is requested at a council meeting with in the next two hours."

"Fuck. Did they say why?"

"No, but I have to warn you." Trinity lowered her voice slightly. "There's talk of treason."

"What? Me? I never." Raven growled in righteous indignation. "I swear, I'm going to kill something."

"Look, I suggest not incapacitating the guards this time. Oh, I have to go, someone's coming."

"Try to do something..."

"I know." Click. Trinity hung up, leaving Raven alone in a silent ship.

The Fallen tore down the worn out pipelines, growing ever closer to Zion. Raven sat alone at the controls. Sometimes it was nice to be the only person in a ship. You could still go into the Matrix (as long as you set the programs correctly), there was no one to bother you, no one you had to talk to, and you could drive as fast as you damn well pleased. Raven didn't like people. Of course, she had a certain natural communion with the rest of the human race, but so does everyone. It always seemed that whenever she was trying to work on something, lesser minds got in the way. Small wonder they called her the Ice Queen. The temperature monitor bleeped. The temperature had risen 10 degrees in the last minute, a definite sign that Zion was en route. The temperature monitor bleeped again. She was close now. Better let them know she was coming. "This is The Fallen, requesting entrance through Gate...3, is it?"

"Hey, Raven. What's up?"

"Just open the gate, Kid. And could you try not to tell people I'm coming this time?"

"Yes, your highnessness. Whatever you say."

As the Fallen settled its ponderous bulk among the few remaining ships in the Zion hangar Raven grabbed her laptop and headed out the door with one goal in mind: Get to my room before anyone-

"Hey, Raven!"

...too late. "Judas! Hey, bro! What's up?"

A smiling young man, the mirror image of Raven's perfect features, walked over, cutting gracefully through the crowd. "We've missed you." The friendly smile on his face disappeared, to be replaced by deep concern. "Are you feeling alright?" He touched her forehead gently with the back of his hand, barely missing the silvered band that encircled her head. "You don't look so hot."

"I'm fine, alright? God, why does everyone keep asking me that! And besides, I always look that hot." She smiled, white teeth dark in comparison to her pale skin. "Honestly, J. Don't worry about me. After all, I am only a minute younger that you. I can take care of myself."

Judas sighed and ducked his head, running slender fingers through his ear-length black hair. "Yeah, I know. I just worry sometimes."

"You worry too much."

"I try." He shook his head. "Wait, there's someone you have to meet."

"Look, if he's another of your 'brilliant' hackers I refuse to be set up again. The last one was soooooo boring. All he wanted to talk about was the IRS thing."

"He's not one of those."

"Then who is he?"

"Will you hold on, I was just getting to that part? Parker. Roger Parker. Heard of him?"

"Is he the new one? I dunno, I've been out for so long..."

Judas motioned over another young man. "He's not that new, he came in a while before you left last time. You might have missed him." The young man finally reached them. He was attractive without meaning to be so, with rumpled red-gold hair and deep hazel eyes bordering on green. "Raven, Roger. Roger, Raven."

Roger smiled shyly. "It's great to meet you. I've heard so much about you already, I couldn't wait to see if it was true." He slid one hand around the back of his neck, clearly a nervous habit. "I guess everyone was right, you are kind of hot."

The slow smile spreading across Raven's face broke out into a grin. "Really. And what else, pray tell, did they say about me?"

"Look...I...oh, fuck." Roger began beating himself upside the head. "I always do things like this. Stupid, stupid, stupid..."

Raven grabbed his wrist. "Hey, it's fine. Really, I'm flattered." A faint look of recognition crossed her face. "You know, this might sound weird, but I know I've seen you somewhere before." She caught his eyes and held them in her icy blue gaze. "A dream." Roger could feel himself slipping into those eyes, falling into her gaze and losing all he knew. It was like a spell, a spell that was broken only when Raven's eyes rolled back and she started coughing.

"What...hey...are you okay?" Roger put one hand on her shoulder and could feel the muscle tremors beneath his fingers. "Are you alright?"

Raven convulsed and dropped to her knees on the cold metal floor. "Get...Judas..." she gasped, barely getting the words through a rapidly closing throat. She slumped forward, blood now dripping from in between her tightly gritted teeth. Suddenly she retched, and the metal bands around her head, legs, and upper arms sent out a shock that traveled the length of her body. She shivered and collapsed.