Sorry I haven't updated in ages. Sixth Form ultra increase in homework.

Chapter 8 - Australia

"David?" said Asha in surprise, "What does he want?"

"To talk to you, apparently," said Tank, and, after a moment, handed her the headset. Asha took it apprehensively and put it on her head.

"David, what do you want?"

"Hello, Asha. How lovely to hear from you as well. I trust that you're well?" David sounded the same as he always did. Confident, assured, and ever so slightly irritating.

"I doubt you're just phoning to enquire after my health. What do you want?"

Asha could almost hear him rolling his eyes. "As a matter of fact, I have some information for you. Your little friend, Falcon. You lost him, didn't you?"

"Yes," said Asha, getting wary, "So?"

"Tut tut, Asha, you really should look after your friends more carefully. You can't keep losing them, can you?"

Asha flinched slightly. She didn't know whether David had meant that in a hurtful sense, but it didn't matter either way. It still brought back memories, and she was even more wary than before. "Look, make your point."

"Very well, I will. But only because it's you, Asha darling." Asha rolled her eyes and was glad that Tank couldn't hear this conversation. He continued in mildly disinterested tones. "I might just know what's happened to him." Asha let out a squeak of surprise and delight before she could stop herself; she could have sworn that she heard David laugh slightly on the other end of the phone, but when he continued, he sounded serious. "He's been captured. I don't know why. If you come into the Matrix, I can take you to him."

Asha very nearly leapt to her feet and demanded Tank to load her up. But then she hesitated. "Why should I trust you? Both of the last times I've come to meet you, agents have turned up."

"Now that's not nice. But I'll humour you. One, because both those times you also only escaped because of me. Two, because it would be easier to save Falcon with my help than without it. Three, you don't have much of a choice, do you?"

Asha hesitated. David sensed her wariness. "Look, I'll tell you. He's in Broome, in Australia. It's up to you whether you come or not. Ciao, darling." He hung up. Asha slowly took off the headset and gave it back to Tank.

"What did he say?" asked Tank, sounding surprised.

"He said to come into the Matrix," she said, "He knows where Falcon is. Apparently Broome, in Australia. Try running a search on him."

Tank pressed several more keys. "There he is," he said, pointing, even though Asha could clearly see his signal now on the screens. "Broome. A small town on the coast of Australia." He paused, frowning at the screen. "Asha, this is an operator's nightmare. There's only one existing entrance, the one that Falcon and his partner used to get there, and even that one's a bit away from where he is. If that's disabled while you're in there, it could be a long time before I could get you out."

"I see," said Asha, mind racing. As far as she could see, there was only one thing she could do. She got to her feet and marched over to one of the empty chairs.

"What do you think you're doing?" exclaimed Tank as she pulled down the monitors next to it, "You're not still going in, are you?"

"Of course I am. What, did you expect me just to sit here and leave him there?"

"But it's too dangerous. We don't know who's got him."

"I know. That's why I need to go now." She glanced at Falcon's sleeping body. "David might be going to help me. He might be waiting to kill me. But if he's helping me, I'll be able to get Falcon out of there. And if it is a trap, if I go now, Morpheus and the others won't come with me. As I see it, that way I minimize our losses. If the worst comes to the worst, all you lose are Falcon and I. We're not necessary to win this war. My part in the prophecy has been fulfilled. So load me up," she finished, glaring at him, "Now."

Asha stepped out of the closed shop that was the drop-off point for that area. She'd never been to Australia before, and never imagined that she'd come trying to rescue her friend from whomsoever had captured him. She closed her eyes, trying to sense anything. Nothing. This silence worried her more. Surely, if this was a trap, she should be able to feel agents somewhere around?

She pulled out her phone. "Tank, can you see David anywhere?"

"He's waiting in an apartment building near you," he said, "The same one that Falcon's in, I believe. I can't tell if anyone's with him, or get an exact room location, the picture's not very clear."

"I'll find him. Where are Morpheus and the others?"

"On their way back to the ship. You realise that I'm going to have a hard time trying to explain this to them?"

"I know. Chances are they'll follow me. Which is why I need to do this quickly. Try to keep them there."

"I don't know how I'll be able to persuade them."

"Remind them what happened in London."

Tank smiled. "All right. Good luck."

Asha hung up and set off towards the apartment building. She'd been hoping that 'The Matrix' wouldn't be as big here in a small town in Australia, but no such luck – there were still posters for 'Reloaded' around, and she passed a group of girls her age discussing 'Revolutions' animatedly. One was saying how sad she'd be if Neo died, another was saying how sad she'd be if Agent Smith died (she couldn't help smiling at that) and the others seemed to be slightly hyper. She kept her head down and soon arrived at the building. The door was locked, but she dealt with that quickly and pushed it open, breathing in a dark musty smell that made her cough.

The lights were off in the lobby. It didn't look like anyone lived here. The floor was dusty, there were notice boards in the corner with yellowed notices about charity events – from two years ago. Asha walked quietly across the floor, still trying to sense any movement. Still nothing. She accidentally kicked a McDonalds carton, which skittered across the floor, sounding loud in the silence. Where was everyone? "This is just like a horror movie," she thought, and smiled to herself.

"So this would be the part where the axe murderer comes out of the darkness?" said a voice behind her. Asha span round. She knew that voice. And only one person she knew seemed to enjoy seeing what she was thinking.

"David!" she said, "Why is Falcon being held here? Isn't it a bit-" Her voice failed as he pulled out a gun in a lightning-quick movement and held it to her head.

"Sadly, I couldn't find an axe on such short notice," he said, "Sorry I don't fit into your comparison."

Asha stared from the gun to David again, feeling completely shocked. Firstly because David was here with a gun, and secondly that David was here with a gun and pointing it at her, and thirdly that she'd actually come here voluntarily, fully aware that this could happen. "I knew it," she said coldly.

David rolled his eyes. "Gosh, really? You knew it was a trap, and you came in anyway? 'Lord, what fools these mortals be!', that's what Puck says, isn't it? Now, are you going to come along like a good girl, or am I going to have to persuade you?"

"I'd like to see you try," said Asha, tensing slightly. Her eyes sparkled a challenge to David, who, smiling slightly, put his gun away. For a moment, they both stood there, Asha with one arm behind her back and the other arm in front, inviting him to fight. Suddenly David shot into movement, and Asha was ready.

Asha slashed forward with one arm, but David leant to the side, bringing round his own as he did so. Asha blocked it with her other arm, pinned it to her side and leapt upwards, swivelling sideways, bringing her foot towards the side of his head. David leant backwards, sending both her leg and the rest of her over him, and she landed on her feet behind him, spinning round immediately to block the kick that she knew was forthcoming. And so it went on.

They circled each other, jabbing and striking with their hands, blocking each other in one seamless fight, both moving faster than lightning. Asha kicked out, David would block it, then counter-strike with a slice from his arm, Asha's elbow would be there diverting it into empty space. As they fought, Asha's mind was racing. What was going on? Had David been on the side of the machines all along? She didn't want to think that.

She leapt up onto the wall, grabbing a notice board from it and quickly ripping one of the surrounding pieces of wood from it. Twisting round, she pushed off again, flying at David with the wood held over one shoulder. David didn't even blink, but quickly brought his own piece flying from the board into his hand, and blocked Asha's blow. He then swung the wood at her head, and she leant over backwards so that it whizzed just over her chest, and she jabbed out towards his legs. He jumped to avoid it and brought the wood swinging downwards as he fell, adding the momentum of his drop to the force behind the swing. Asha leapt away across the hall so that it hit the floor, kicking away from the wall as soon as she hit it, the frame held out it front of her. So it went on, swinging and thrusting the pieces of wood at each other, spinning and ducking the blows. The pace quickened until Asha didn't think about what she doing; it just happened as it came.

Suddenly David kicked out with one foot, completely changing the sequence she thought he'd been following; caught off guard, Asha took the full force of the kick and flew across the other side of the room, hitting her head against the wall, stars flashing in front of her eyes. Before she could get up, she heard David's footsteps race across the room and felt something sharp jab into her neck, and suddenly everything went black.

xxx

An attempt at describing a fight scene – please tell me what you thought of it.

Im a Brandybuck – Didn't get to go in the end, but my friend did. She said he was really cool.

Nina Hikari – I updated... but not very soon... sorry...

Eowyn Skywalker – (whine) Why isn't there another caption contest yet?

Calliope-Elven-Agent – Poppit? Sounds like some kind of Pokemon...

LiMiYa – Thanks!