New chapter, sorry it's taken so long. I'm trying to make this whole story better, and have a whole ton of homework, as well. I might be leaving soon, but I'll try and finish this story first.
Chapter 10 - Shocks
"Now," said David, sitting down in a chair opposite Falcon and pulling one over
for Calypso as well – without touching it, Falcon noticed – "You already know
about the original prophecy that was made about her, I trust? That she would
have to make a choice-"
"And Neo's life would depend on it, I know," said Falcon.
"Right. Well, recently another prophecy was made. Only a couple of days ago,
wasn't it?" he asked, turning to look at Calypso, whose lips were twitching as
though she was trying not to laugh, "Wonder Neo went to see the fortune-teller,
and she told him. But we have our own ways of finding out."
"What did it say?" asked Falcon, a sense of dread growing inside him.
"Well," said David, "It said that if the choice was made correctly, then the
Matrix would be destroyed soon afterwards. But…"
"But what?"
"But if the second hope was dead, then everyone still plugged into the Matrix
would die as well." For a moment this statement hovered outside Falcon's mind,
but then it plunged in. Hard.
"If she isn't alive, we… we fail?"
"Exactly," beamed Calypso, "Tough luck, snookums."
xxx
Asha gradually became aware that she wasn't dead yet. She was still on the
floor, in the same position that she'd fallen. She could feel the burning pain
where she'd been shot, and could feel a spreading wetness there; which, she
realized was her own blood. Her head span. She may not be dead yet, but it
couldn't be long.
But strangely, she didn't start to feel any less conscious. Though she felt a
strange longing to be able to embrace the calm darkness that had begun to spread from the back of her mind, her body was reluctant to die that easily. She felt a little sad. It would be so easy, just to die now. But her grasp of reality was
becoming stronger and stronger. Apparently her body wasn't ready to let go just
yet.
'Your mind is making it real.'
Asha started. Was someone in the room talking to her? She tried to reply, but
found that she couldn't really move. She realized that she still had her eyes
closed as well, but had no desire to open them just yet.
'Don't move,' ordered the voice, as if it could tell what Asha was thinking,
'Stay still. But keep fighting. This isn't real. Your mind is making it real.
Everyone has a time to die, and this isn't yours.'
xxx
No-one had said anything in the room for a minute or so. Falcon glanced at Asha.
David was standing in front of her, between Calypso and her, but he could see
her. He saw the blood still spreading slightly from the wound. Suddenly he felt
a glimmer of hope inside him; that meant she was still alive. He watched her
with increased intensity, looking for any signs of movement.
Calypso saw Falcon's eyes on Asha. "You like her, don't you?" she said, "You
don't even know it yet. That's why you're feeling like you've been shot
yourself. It's not just that you're worried about the war. She's the only person
who's been a real friend to you. Natural human response is to bond with her – a
deeper bond than you yet realize."
Falcon's mind was spinning. He fought to keep his eyes on Calypso instead of on
Asha. Neo needed to get there soon – but he didn't want Neo to come, did he?
"Doesn't this situation seem rather familiar?" she continued, watching him with
an enjoyed vigilance, "Someone having to watch the life of someone that matters
to them slowly dwindle away. Except you, unlike Asha, don't have the opportunity
of saving her."
Right then, if Falcon could have done anything, he would have hit her, even
though he knew she would shoot him before he could even try. Glancing at Asha
again, he thought that he could see a slight change in her facial expression,
though it could have been his imagination. Calypso probably thought that she was
already dead. He had to keep her distracted. "You said this prophecy had
something to do with me?"
"Ah yes," said Calypso, settling back in her chair. David remained standing.
"Well, this mission of yours only succeeds if the second hope is still alive.
But a threat was predicted – and that threat would be from the person who cared
about her the most. Which, as you already know yourself, is you."
Falcon tried to think of a reply for this, but realized that she didn't intend
there to be one. So he concentrated on what she'd said – she didn't mean –
"That's right, pigeon," she said gleefully, "You're going to be a threat to
Asha. Realize what that means? Even if she gets out of here, you're going to get
her into danger again. It's been seen. If anyone kills her, it's going to be
you."
Falcon shook his head. "No," he said, "No. I'd never do that."
"Don't be so sure," she said, "Things can change a lot in a week or so.
Remember, David?" She turned and smiled at him. He met her grin with a passive stare. "You were the apple of the Council's eye before you joined the agents."
David didn't say anything, but Falcon noticed that his fists were clenched. "You
remember what happened don't you? How everything changed. Of course you
remember. I bet you can still remember her screams-"
David suddenly erupted into movement. He threw Calypso against the wall, and hit her round the head. As she fell over, he grabbed onto her collar, pulling her
fact so that it was five inches from his own. "Don't," he said, "talk about that."
Calypso looked into his eyes with a steely glare, as if she could see something
there that Falcon couldn't. "I should have known," she said in a voice so cold
that it made Falcon shiver, "I should have expected as much from a human. You
don't think the machines will stand for this, do you?"
"No," he said. Suddenly he put his hand against her forehead and screwed his
eyes shut, his face tensed as if with pain, but Falcon realized that it was just
intense concentration. Calypso closed her eyes as well, and her face looked as
though she was struggling against some outer force; but suddenly she went limp,
and David dropped her. David stood over her, his face unreadable in the
semi-darkness of the room. "And I don't care any more."
She stayed there for a moment, but then faded away, leaving nothing where she
had been. Falcon watched all this in disbelief. It took a few seconds to realize
what had just happened. Suddenly it sunk in, and he leapt across the room to
Asha's side. "Wake up, Asha," he said, shaking her, causing her head to roll
onto its other side – he could see dust still on her cheek. "Please wake up."
"Move," said David from behind him. Falcon span round.
"What the hell – what – what happened?"
"A technique all sentient programmers learn," said David quietly, "Immediately
shuts down the program. Sends them back to the Source."
"But – but – why?"
"I have my reasons," said David, glancing at him for the first time. "If you'll
get out of my way-"
"What? No!" said Falcon, "You just lured Asha here, you nearly killed her, and
stood by when Calypso shot her – you don't think I'm going to trust you, do
you?"
"No," said David exasperatedly, "But I did just kill a program that was intent
on killing you, so don't you think you can cut me a little slack?"
Falcon hesitated, then moved aside. David immediately knelt down next to her and
closed his eyes. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"Neo's not the only one who can retrieve bullets," said David. His voice was
sounding distant, as if getting further away. He took a deep breath, and thrust
his hand into her chest. Asha's face tensed slightly. Falcon watched him with
bated breath. His face was screwed up with concentration, and after a few
agonizing seconds, he pulled out his hand. In it was a bullet. He threw it away
over his shoulder.
"Asha!" he called, shaking her shoulder. She didn't move. "Asha, wake up. You've
seen 'The Matrix' lots of times. You should know that this isn't real. WAKE UP,
you silly girl! Don't make me come in there!"
Falcon could have sworn that he saw her smile slightly.
xxx
Asha suddenly felt an intense pain inside her chest. Her face contracted
slightly with the pain, but it was quickly over. Then she heard the voice again,
calling her name. She felt more and more in the present, the darkness was
withdrawing from her mind. Finally she opened her eyes, and saw something she
wasn't expecting. David's face, not far from hers, and Falcon nearby, a look of
complete amazement on his face.
"David?" she said, sounding as stunned as Falcon looked. She tried to sit up,
but a stabbing pain in her chest stopped that, and she fell back on the floor
again. "Ow. David? What happened?"
"He just saved your life," said Falcon, as if he couldn't quite believe it
himself. He quickly added, "I think."
"He what?" She turned her head to stare at David in disbelief, "Correct me if
I'm wrong, but didn't you just let Calypso shoot me?"
"I did."
"You brought me here willingly, where you let Calypso shoot me, in order to draw
Neo here and kill him as well?"
"I did."
"... What?"
"We don't have time for this," said David, getting to his feet and trying to
help up Asha. The pain in her chest made her stagger slightly as she got up, but
she stood on her feet, steadying herself on Falcon. "There are Smiths nearby.
Lots of them. Waiting for when Neo gets here to attack. Neo's not far away. You
both have to go and meet him, and then get to an exit."
"What about you?"
"Well, I'm guessing that the machines are aware of what's happened, and right
this moment they're sending agents to bring me back to the Source," said David
lightly, shrugging, "Such is the price of being the hero."
"No you're not," said Asha, "We're taking you back with us."
xxx
Misao, Demon Master – I have already been bestowed with the title, 'The Queen of Evil Cliffies'. Hopefully this one isn't AS evil. And I believe Orlando, if he's anyone's, is Kate Bosworth's. Sorry. If he's not, my friends will be the first ones after him. I'll be the one sitting back at home, reading a magazine and tutting, "Kids…"
Im a Brandybuck – Hurray!!! Someone gasped!!!! MISSION SUCCESSFUL!!!!
Eowyn Skywalker – And so you should have a bad feeling. Things only get worse from here.
LiMiYa – Guess ya did find out in this chapter. Hurray!
Trinity144 – (gasp) NOT FLYING MONKEYS! Along with attack chickens and penguins, I DON'T KNOW HOW I'LL COPE!!
Misao, Demon Master – Oh, hi again. I'm loved? YAAAAAAAAAY!!!!