The Matrix: Legacy
Twenty-Two
Makeover

Morgain was the one who noticed the random, generic car following Horizon's on their way to the mall to buy their costumes for the club party. Her eyes narrowed behind their sunglasses when she saw it match every move they made.

She wasn't afraid that it was the guys who worked for that annoying French guy: she figured that she wouldn't have noticed the subtle ones and that the unsubtle ones would have blown the freeway apart. Besides, it had been two years since her escape, and he hadn't coma after her once since then.

She didn't warn her friend, however, until they had parked near the entrance. 'We're being followed.'

Horizon turned Morgain around, pretending to use her mirrored sunglasses to check her make-up. "Two men. Kinda tall, wearing suits and dark sunglasses. They look like Feds, but even Feds aren't that obvious... I think, anyway."

Morgain sighed and signed, 'Well, let's shop and see if one of us can't sneak a closer look.' Within an hour, they had ascertained that the news wasn't good. They worked for the same group as Gunner did, according to Horizon, the group that Gunner had been trying to back out of. If they were coming after the two girls, that meant his repeated attempts to pull out were worrying them.

Then Morgain saw a pair of familiar faces. 'Double trouble. Horizon, I think it's time for a makeover.'

Horizon followed Morgain's look. "Twins? They look like pimps."

'Nope. I think they're enforcers for that French guy who kidnapped me. I want to look like someone else. Now.'

Horizon nodded.

One and Two certainly had not expected to run into the sister of the One's woman at the mall. They themselves were there for a 'business meeting'. Unfortunately, their contact had received word that his old organisation was onto him, so he had had to cancel.

This aggravated them, as they despised malls.

They noticed the men following the two girls first, actually.

"Two. Look over there. Some humans are attempting to stalk someone."

Two followed his brother's gaze. "Interesting. We think Cujo could probably do a better job." Then his eyes caught a familiar face. "Well, well... it would appear that they are stalking little Avalon and a friend."

One raised an eyebrow as he saw the girls. "This will not do... the deal is only good as long as she and her friend are unharmed."

Two agreed. "We may have to do something about this."

"Yes, we may. We may even wind up accidentally injuring one of these fools."

Their faces twisted into identical smug smirks.

"Look, One. We think that Avalon has seen us," Two said to his brother.

One turned his head slightly as the Hispanic girl turned a bit, stretching. "Hmm... that's the girl who prevented Vlad from kidnapping the little Exile. We are intrigued."

"Yes, we are...."

The Twins watched the two girls rise and casually stroll into a store. The men immediately followed them, earning a sigh from Two. "Subtle, they are not."

"Indeed. Incidentally, isn't that store connected to the one next to it via a storage room?"

"We believe it is."

"Do we think those girl know that?"

"Yes, we do."

"Do we think their pursuers know that?"

"No," Two grinned, "we do not."

Sure enough, the two girls walked out of the connecting store and casually sauntered in the general direction of the nearest mass-produced "Goth" store. The Twins decided to rise and meander towards the store where the girl's stalkers were. They felt like causing mayhem.

Horizon pulled Avalon into the store's dressing room. 'They following?' Avvy signed, and Horizon peeked through the curtain.

"No... those albino guys stopped 'em... shit, that had to hurt!" Horizon winced as a line of red was drawn up one guy's chest.

'That gives us time to work. Come on - we have to change our appearances.'

"How?"

Avalon looked speculatively at Horizon's hair.

"Oh, hell no!"

---------

One and Two watched a pair of vinyl-clad young women walk casually out of the store connected to the "Gothic" store. Both wore sunglasses and one looked exactly like Trinity save one detail: Part of her hair had been sprayed with hot pink hair spray. The other girl was shorter than Trinity's doppelganger, black hair braided to her knees - well, black where it hadn't been sprayed neon blue.

"Nice makeover," Two commented. "We wonder if she realises that she looks even more like the One's woman now."

One noticed the unhappy look on her face. "We rather think she does," he replied.

Two looked a bit closer, then nodded. "Yes. Human females are amazing creatures."

One shot his brother an odd look. "Say again?"

"When they prepare for a date, it can take up to four hours to do so. But if there is an emergency, they can completely alter their appearance in a half-hour or less."

One took a moment to ponder this mystery. "Amazing."

"Yes."

"We're bored."

"Yes, we are."

"He's not going to show up."

"We agree. Shall we return to the château?"

One nodded.

---------

Cain woke next to his pale-skinned lover, thinking about Abel's odd behaviour. He ran his hand through the sleeping Luna's hair, freezing as he finally realised the cause of his cousin's problems.

Abel had fallen for the human.

An odd emotion surged through Cain then. How could a mere human have captured Abel's heart? Abel deserved someone better than a human who would forever live trapped in the shadow of the One's woman. He would have to make Abel see sense... or better yet, get the girl out of the picture entirely....

Cain then looked at Luna, a former moon program, and an idea began to form in his mind.

---------

The Logos at last berthed in Zion, and the weary crew disembarked. There had been too many close calls with those Sentinels controlled by the Merovingian. Sparks made his way to his room, muttering about decent sleep, while Niobe sought out Morpheus. Ghost made his ritualistic pilgrimage to the graves of Neo and Trinity - mostly Trinity - and Krsna went off for business unknown, leaving Danaë to herself.

"Danaë!"

Or not.

She turned with a half-smile to the young man charging from the APU barracks. "Hey, Kid," she greeted the now-twenty-year-old man, "how's it going?"

"Pretty good," he grinned enthusiastically. "The APU corps are up to full ranks now."

"Great!" she exclaimed, smiling at his excitement at this feat.

"How are things on the Logos?" Kid asked her.

Danaë sighed. "Not too good... everyone's getting exhausted what with all the Squiddies, and Ghost is just getting worse."

Kid slung a companionable arm around her shoulders. "Why don't you drag him to the Gathering tonight? He can at least drink and forget, since the lot of you are on enforced shore leave for a week."

Danaë made a face. "A week? I bet Niobe loves that."

"I'm sure we'll hear her yelling any minute now."

"Any more news on that human/program?" Danaë asked next.

Kid shook his head. "For awhile, they thought it was me - I'm the only known case of self-substantiation, after all." He grinned. "Deadbolt had a fit when he found out that some wanted me banned from the APU corps until I was cleared. As I recall, his exact words were along the lines of 'This kid helped save our asses four years ago. A lot has changed since then, however, he is not another Bane, he is not another Cypher. He stays!'"

Avalon's jaw dropped. "Deadbolt said that?"

Kid nodded. "I guess he figures I'm one of the best the APU corps has, and since that French guy is taking control of the Sentinels, it's only a matter of time before he tries to hit Zion when the ships are out."

Danaë sighed. "That Merowhatsisface sure can hold a grudge."

Kid nodded. "I'm sure you would know more than any other ship." He then changed the subject before it could get back to the Logos' problems. "So, you going to the Gathering?"

Danaë nodded. "Isn't everyone?"