Chapter 25
Doc didn't know what to say or do at that moment. Smith was heavily sedated in his human host. As he slept, Doc noticed his rapid REM pattern.
"Indigo..." He said under his breath.
It was at the moment he started to dream, something he had never done before even as a machine. The image in his head made him thrash in his sleep.
He saw the image of Indigo running down the hall screaming as Cutter was beating him down. It was like he was watching a movie and he was helpless to stop it.
He twitched violently.
And just as Neo had done before, he watched as Cutter leaped into him making him explode from the inside. He could still hear Indigo's screams.
By this time he was thrashing.
He watched as Indigo ran from Cutter, he wanted to shout at him.
"STAY AWAY FROM HER YOU BASTARD!" He yelled in his sedated state.
But yet all he could do was watch helplessly as he caught up to her, the woman he loved being held tightly in his enemy's grasp. He watched as he plunged his hand into her chest, laughing manically the whole time.
"Agent loving whore!" He hissed.
"NOOOOOO!" Smith yelled as he awoke to find himself in Sick Bay. Doc looked at him strangely.
"Talon, are you alright?"
Smith was shaking, he now knew for the first time what a nightmare was. He now fully understood as to why Indigo was so afraid for him and it was all because of Cutter. There was no telling what he could do, especially since he had the same abilities as Neo before him.
"Talon?"
Finally Smith looked at Doc.
"Are you alright?"
Smith nodded.
"What the hell happened to you in there?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're not yourself?"
Doc just looked at him suspiciously.
"Talon, do you remember anything that happened?"
Smith swallowed hard and started to speak.
"I wish that I could but I just don't remember anything."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes I am sure. Maybe I'm not myself. But then again if I'm not me then who am I?"
"You're showing a lot of unusual neural activity. And some cross-synaptic firing as well as signs of recent trauma, with fresh fibrotic scarring throughout your cortex. But yet, you seem fully functional."
Just then Smith leaped from his bed and with one swift move he had Doc pinned against the wall.
"What the hell is wrong with you!"
"I'm sorry, you seem like a good man and I don't want to have to hurt you."
"What do you want?"
"I want to know where the guards have taken Indigo."
"Why do you want to know about Indigo?"
Smith lifted Doc up to where his feet where no longer touching the ground.
"Please tell me!"
Doc could tell there was something different in Talon who was now Smith. He could see it in his eyes and hear it in the sound of his voice. At that moment it was becoming clear to him as who Talon had really become.
"Oh my God. It can't be." Was all Doc could say.
"Look in my eyes doctor. Yes it is me. The one you call Smith."
By this point Smith had loosened his grip on Doc.
"Wouldn't it have been easier for you to kill me?" Doc asked him.
"No." Smith responded.
"Why are you here?" Doc asked.
"To protect Indigo."
"What?"
"And because I love her and I miss her very much."
Finally Smith let go of Doc. His first instinct was to run but yet something compelled him to stay. He wanted to hear what the agent who was now human had to say.
"She can't know that I'm here yet."
"Why?"
"I'm afraid that if I reveal myself too soon, it would be too much for her and it could place all of us in danger. You have to promise not to breathe a word of this to the rest of the crew."
"I understand. But until then you have to not act so machine-like. You have to be more human."
Smith nodded.
"Is there anyway I can see her?" Smith asked.
"I will see what I can do."
Just then Captain Belle walked in. She was a pale short thin woman with cropped bleach blonde hair. Her personality made up for her size as she was very commanding without saying a word. Smith kind of guessed by her demeanor that she was the captain of this vessel.
"So Doc, how is our patient?" Captain Belle asked.
"A clean bill of health actually." Doc lied to his commanding officer.
Captain Belle looked at Smith.
"So Talon, will you be able to resume your duties?"
"Yes ma'am." He responded.
"I'm glad to hear it. I was afraid that with our recent situation, we wouldn't have another Bane incident on our hands."
Little did Captain Belle know that Smith was right under her nose as she made that remark. She excused herself from Sick Bay and left Doc and Smith alone. They made sure that the coast was clear so they could speak more. Doc let out a sigh of relief.
"That was close." He said.
"Yeah no kidding." Smith concurred.
"Meet me back here at 0400 hours. Until then act human. Understand?"
"Understood." Smith answered.
Smith exited Sick Bay and explored the ship. Doc hoped he would remember where Sick Bay was again.
"Now that's true love." Doc said to himself.
Doc's thoughts drifted back to Agent Kinney back when he was a young operative in the matrix. He remembered how handsome he was in his black Prada suit and how good he looked out of it. He remembered all the great times they had together in The Castro district of the matrix but he knew it couldn't last when he and Agent Kinney said their goodbyes. Doc hadn't stepped inside the matrix since. It still pained him knowing he lost the love of his life all those many years ago. Under the circumstances, losing a love like that would make some bitter. But with what Doc had just seen recently, he decided that he lost Kinney years ago, but he would be damned if Indigo would lose Smith. It was his belief in love that made him keep his promise to Smith. To not reveal him to anyone and he would make good on his promise.
