Disclaimers: Don't own 'em. WB, the Wachowski's, and Charles Dickens do.
Fiction, not fact.
And now, chapter 4 of…
A Matrix Christmas Carol
(A deserted city street, around 3 AM)
(We see Smith just as we last left him, slumped against a light post, all alone. While he is not asleep, his eyes are closed. However, a very bright light brings him around. He takes a look towards it and immediately sees, at the center of it, a dark figure. He is wearing a full-length coat, with a hooded robe over it. We cannot see his face. He looks very spooky. Smith looks very nervous.)
Smith: I take it that you are the Zionist of Christmas Future.
(The hooded figure nods.)
Smith: I also take it that you're here to show me what hasn't happened yet, but what will happen in the future.
(The hooded figure nods again.)
Smith: I gotta say… I fear you, worse than any of those that have visited me yet so far.
(The hooded figure just stands there.)
Smith: You don't say much, do you?
(Hooded figure just stands there again.)
Smith: Could you at least let me have a look under that hood? At least let me have that.
(The hooded figure takes off his hood to reveal… Neo!)
Smith: Mr. Anderson?
Neo: Thanks. It was getting a bit too warm under there.
Smith: They sent you to teach me about Christmas?
Neo: Hey, I'm as Christmas-y as the next guy. But I'm not really supposed to talk.
Smith: Why?
Neo: I dunno, it's in my contract. It says that I have to be spooky and intimidating.
Smith: ... Okay.
Neo: But I'm not gonna wear that hood. It's just too uncomfortable. But from this point on, I'm not allowed to even speak to you.
Smith: Hmph! Suit yourself. Well, let's get this over with. My time is precious to me.
(Neo points Smith in the direction that he wants him to go. All of a sudden we see a bright flash of lightning, and the construct changes. We see the outside of the Agent HQ building where Smith and the agents under him work. They go into the lobby to find Agents Johnson, Jackson, and Jones talking on their way out.)
Agent Johnson: So when did he delete?
Agent Jackson: Uhh, sometime last night, if I recall.
Agent Jones: So when's the funeral?
Agent Jackson: Sometime in a couple of days. I dunno, I wasn't really planning on going anyway.
Agent Jones: Why not? He was still a fellow agent.
Agent Jackson: Yeah, maybe, but that was it.
Agent Johnson: But if we don't go, there might not be anyone at all at his funeral.
Agent Jones: Yeah, we should make up a party and go. The three of us.
Agent Jackson: I'll tell ya what: I'll play ball if they provide lunch, but only if they provide lunch. I expect to be well-fed for this.
Agent Johnson: I'm sure they will.
(The three agents laugh.)
Agent Jones: Oh well, see you guys in a couple of days.
Agent Johnson: Later.
Agent Jackson: Happy grieving…
(Exit the three agents, laughing, leaving Smith and Neo alone in the lobby.)
Smith: What is this? A program's just been deleted, and all they can think about is food. And it sounds like he was one of their own. Have they no respect?
(Neo just stands there and says nothing.)
Smith: What's going on here? And what does this have to do with me?
(Another flash of lightning, and Smith finds himself in an empty, but strangely familiar bedroom. The room is empty except for a bed in the middle of it, with a covered up lump on it. The lump is in the shape of a corpse. Neo stands beside the bed, pointing for Smith to lift up the covers. He hesitates, then reaches to do so. He suddenly stops just inches short.)
Smith: No. This is something that even you can't make me do. (takes a step towards Neo) I don't need to lift the sheet to know that this program is dead. And I refuse to do so until you show me somebody that feels some sort of… emotion over this program's deletion!
(Another flash of lightning, and Smith finds himself in a rundown section of town, indigents and drunken hoodlums littered about. Neo leads him towards a small pawnshop and has him go inside. Once inside, he finds a woman working behind the counter. It is Zee, Link's wife. Moments later, we see the Trainman enter, carrying a large sack full of various items, which he sets upon the counter.)
Trainman: Hey look, Zee. Just came into a mother lode of nice stuff. Had to have belonged to some rich guy, but I found it just lying on the street.
Zee: Mmmhmm, sure. "Just lying on the street."
Trainman: What? You think I stole it?
Zee: Hey, I wouldn't care if you did. Just show me the stuff, and maybe we'll talk.
(Trainman begins taking out the items from the sack. Among them are… Smith's Desert Eagle handgun, his bar set, and some of his dishes. Smith is quite flabbergasted.)
Smith: What the… Those are my things. What are they doing in such a place like this? Or for that matter, how did this guy come into them in the first place? He couldn't have broken in – I'd have caught him for sure.
(Zee looks at the items. She soon finds Smith's alarm clock. The display is broken, but when she plugs it in, she sees that it still works.)
Smith: (disbelief) No, that's not my clock. Yes, it's similar, but…
(Zee finishes examining the items, then does some figuring in her head, the Trainman waiting anxiously.)
Zee: Hmmm… I can give you $200 for all this. But not one cent more.
Trainman: Gosh, you've got a hard heart.
Zee: I'm always nice to you guys. That's why my business isn't booming.
(Zee laughs as she gives Trainman the money. Smith looks disgusted.)
Smith: I ask you to show me some feeling over the guy's deletion, and all you can show me is greed and avarice? That's not good enough. I figured you were smart enough to understand that by emotion I meant sorrow and grief. Let me see some tenderness for this program!
(Another flash of lightning, and Smith finds himself standing in front of Agent Brown's home. Neo points towards the door.)
Smith: What's this? There must be some mistake. Your fellow human brought me here earlier.
(Neo just stands there pointing, saying nothing.)
Smith: Right. (goes inside)
(Inside we see all the children except Tim huddled around Mrs. Brown. Peter, the oldest son, is reading from the Bible.)
Peter Brown: "… and Jesus said unto his disciples, 'Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.'" (closes the Bible)
Mrs. Brown: Very good, Peter. (is trying to sew, but cannot finish because her eyes hurt) This color hurts my eyes. It makes them red, and I don't want to show red eyes to your father when he gets home.
Katrina Brown: He walks much slower than he used to.
Mrs. Brown: Ironic, isn't it? He walked so much faster when he would carry Tim, but now that he's gone, he walks slowly.
(Agent Brown arrives home, alone.)
Agent Brown: Hello, children.
The kids: (at random) Hello, father.
Mrs. Brown: Hello, darling.
Agent Brown: Hello.
Mrs. Brown: Did you go… you know?
Agent Brown: Yes, I did. I promised Tim that I would go, every day after work. I promised him that we would all come by every Sunday.
Mrs. Brown: I think that's wonderful.
The kids: (at random) Me too… I do too…
Agent Brown: (after a pause) He was a blessing to us all, wasn't he?
Mrs. Brown: Yes he was.
Peter Brown: Yes he was.
Agent Brown: He was such a joy to have around, and now…
(Agent Brown suddenly chokes up. He goes over to the fireplace mantle, fighting hard to hold back tears. Mrs. Brown and the kids walk over to console him.)
Agent Brown: (still holding back tears) I'm fine. Really, I am.
Mrs. Brown: Oh honey, you mustn't grieve so.
Katrina Brown: Mum's right, father. You still have all of us.
Agent Brown: (regaining his composure) You're right. And every single one of you is a blessing. Yes, we all must be strong. Tim would have wanted that.
(Agent Brown returns to the middle of the room with the rest of his family.)
Agent Brown: By the way, Agent Thompson called me into his office today because he saw that I was sad. He asked me why, and I told him. And he said that he was really sorry, and that if there was anything that he could do to help us out, then we shouldn't hesitate to call on him. Lovely fellow, he is. I think it's great that he's taken over as Agent in Charge, ever since… well, you know…
(Smith, who has been watching this whole scenario with Neo, turns to him.)
Smith: Well done. You have finally shown me someone who cares about this program's deletion. I'm ready now… Take me home.
(A flash of lightning, and Smith finds himself in the middle of a graveyard during a windstorm.)
Smith: What is this? I thought you were going to take me home.
(Neo says nothing, but instead motions for Smith to follow him. Smith does so. Neo stops at a single grave, covered with snow, and points to it.)
Smith: (sighing) All right, I'll look at it, on one condition: that you answer me this question. Are these scenarios of things that are certain to happen, or scenarios of things that might happen only? I just want to know: will some sort of altered life somehow change these things?
(Neo points again, saying nothing.)
Smith: What a conversationalist they've sent me.
(Smith finally brushes away the snow covering the tombstone. It reads: "Agent Smith." Smith is horrified.)
Smith: No, no! No, no, no, no… I'm not the program I was. I promise that I won't be the program I was.
(Smith falls at Neo's feet, Neo just standing there watching.)
Smith: I swear that I will honor Christmas and will keep it in my heart the whole year round. I will allow all three forces of Christmas Past, Present, and Future to work within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they have taught.
(Tears begin to well up in Smith's eyes as he continues.)
Smith: Please tell me… that by honoring the spirit of Christmas that I might somehow change the course of these events. Please tell me… that I might somehow be able to… chisel away what is written on this tombstone. (breaks down crying) Please… spare me…
Neo: (after a pause) What a wuss.
(After a few moments, we see Smith raise up, tears still in his eyes. However, the scenario is gone, and so is Neo. Smith is back in his bedroom. Upon seeing this, he stops crying, and feels great relief.)
Smith: Oh Mr. Anderson, thank you. Thank you. I have every intention of keeping my promise. I will honor Christmas in my heart and keep it the whole year round. I promise this to all three Zionists… and to you, Merovingian. Thank you… Thank you…
TO BE CONCLUDED…
Well, that's chapter 4. The last chapter will be coming VERY soon – with any luck in time for Christmas. Until then, please R&R – I do love getting those :-D