Chapter 4: Nightfall.

As Morpheus uttered his end-of-day prayers at the upper platforms of the city, Gabriel contemplated the whole of his existence in the lower floors. The lights went out in rows from top to bottom of the city, finally darkening his face at the end of the sequence.

"I have had a dream," Gabriel began. "I was in an exhibit hall of some sort, and on display were strange monsters of dark metal. Suddenly, these beings came to life, attacking innocent bystanders in the artificial world I was once a part of. Did any of that really happen?"

There was a man standing next to him. The man who was destined to be the savior of worlds both real and unreal. The man called Neo.

"I think that's for you to decide," he said.

"Yes. I suppose so," said Gabriel.

"Are you feeling all right?"

He sighed. "That's all anyone ever asks me. I'm starting not to like it."

"Is that because you're still not?"

Gabriel smiled.

Neo resumed. "You know, I never thanked you for what you taught me."

The boy seemed flummoxed. "I don't..."

"You helped me understand that it was my mind that warped and changed in the dream world -- not the objects around me."

"I... wasn't showing you anything you didn't already know."

"Well, maybe I did know. But it took someone like you to help bring it out." He extended his hand. "Thank you."

He shook it. "You don't need to thank me. I should be thanking you. It was you who guided me into this world."

Neo beamed. "I wasn't showing you anything you didn't already know."

Gabriel could help but smile again.

Footsteps approached from behind. "What are you all smiling about?"

They both turned to see both the operator and gunman of the Logos trudging up the path, each carrying large canisters of water.

"Where are you going with all of that?" asked Neo.

"Niobe's quarters," said Ghost. "She wants a bath."

"Would ya shush?" said Sparks. "Just because he's 'The Savior' doesn't mean he has to know everything that goes on behind closed doors!"

"I still believe the truth is much more concise," Ghost argued.

The operator let his canisters hit the floor with a hard THUNK. "Yeah... You know what I think? I think you just wanna hurry over to Niobe so you can dry her off when she's done."

Gabriel's eyes bulged.

"The child doesn't need to hear this," Neo insisted.

"Oh, come on," said Sparks. "How old is he, anyway? Eight? I've heard worse stuff when I was five."

"That doesn't give you the right," said Ghost.

The operator turned back to him. "Oh, and what gives you the rare and honorable privilege to stare at Niobe's naked butt?"

"I don't stare," he said calmly, "and I don't indulge in sexual thoughts. The female body is a vessel that commands the utmost respect and authority."

Sparks scoffed. "Course, course. I suppose you pray every night for her health and well-being since her back-thing from the incident."

"If you're referring to the captain's mild spinal injury after the sentinel ambush years ago, then yes."

The operator looked to Gabriel. "I expressly told her not to take the mechanical line to avoid the squiddies, but did she listen to me?"

"If she did listen to you, we'd all be dead now," said Ghost.

"So because of that heroic decision, you get to help her towel off. How convenient."

Neo snickered to himself.

Sparks picked up his canisters. "Oh, aha ha ha. Don't get me started on these jugs we have to sacrifice over to her." He frowned as he adjusted them on his shoulders.

"It was a simple choice," said Ghost. "Either we give over our combined week's worth of water to her, or we climb up to the surface with buckets."

"You forgot the third choice," said the operator. "We find out what the hell is wrong with the filtration system."

Gabriel tugged at Neo's sleeve. "What are they talking about?"

"The filtration system, you mean? That's how Zion's water supply is recycled. The foundry's been working non-stop to get it repaired. I've never actually been to the place, though."

"Can I see it?" the boy asked.

"No, you cant," said Sparks. "Because no one is allowed in there anymore."

"He's right," said Ghost. "If people found out that their supply was compromised, it could cause mass panic."

"That's not what anyone wants," said Gabriel, understanding. He watch the crewmen as they continued their haul over to the footpath.

Somewhere in the distance, they could hear a girl screaming.

"Who was that?" Neo asked.

Gabriel knew. "I have to go now." He strolled off into the darkness. Before he knew it, he had reached the supply room. He knocked. "I know someone is in there."

"Go away!" said the girl behind the door.

"You can't stay in that confined space forever." He let the last few words flutter out of his mouth, surprising himself.

The girl came out of the room. It was Christina.

"I see you've changed your mind," he said. "May I ask what is wrong?"

She turned away. "I wanna be with my mom."

Neo caught up with them. "Phew, I thought I'd lost you. What's going on?"

"She wants to be with her mother."

"But she's an orphan."

"I'm not an orphan," she maintained. "I still have a mother."

"Your mother wasn't real," Neo insisted. "Every Potential is an orphan, including me."

"No!" she cried. "I don't believe you!"

Neo looked sorrowful. "She was a projection, something there to help you grow. My parents were the same way. I'll never forget the day I found out about them. It hurt so much."

Tears welled up inside her. She knew he was right.

"But that's how you know you're human."

Christie wept in the savior's arms, her sobs fading into the night.