The

Matrix

Regenesis

"Holy shit!" Nick yelled as he remembered to keep his eyes on the road. Fighting for control of the SUV, he dodged more traffic as Ghost and the agent fought relentlessly.

Then suddenly, the once daytime sky turned dark and menacing. It was almost as black as the cars tailing the grey SUV.

"What the hell?" Nick said aloud. Then time seemed to slow to a standstill. Everything from pedestrians to traffic to the agents pursuing them froze in place. But Nick and Ghost seemed unaffected by the strange occurrence. The Asian man got down from the roof of the SUV and sat next to Nick.

"That's not supposed to happen." Ghost said.

"What?" Nick asked, still confused by the whole ordeal.

"That," Ghost answered, motioning towards a small green dot that appeared to float in the sky high above the cityscape. The dot grew larger and larger. With a flash of light the dot exploded and the green code spilled out onto the city. In seconds it consumed everything it touched. Skyscrapers were eaten away, cars disappeared, and people fell over into the green sea.

"Uh, that doesn't look good." Nick stammered, trying hastily to undo his seatbelt and run for it. To him, it could have been the aliens landing for all he knew. He looked over at Ghost, who pulled out a cell phone and dialed in some numbers.

"Niobe," Ghost said, "Now would be a wonderful time to get us out."

"Us?" Niobe answered, "Your passenger's not going anywhere. He hasn't been freed yet."

"Well1 whatever you can do would help us a lot more than doing nothing."

"I'm on it." Niobe hung up.

"Is your friend going to help us?" Nick asked, looking fearfully at Ghost.

"I certainly hope so." Ghost answered, "If we don't-". But the Asian man couldn't finish his sentence. He disappeared in a shimmer of green code. Then, with a flash of green and white, the Matrix wave cascaded over Nick's SUV. Nick tried to scream, but no sound came out. There was only blackness.

"Is he alive?"

"I don't know. I don't know how could've gotten here."

"Maybe he was here all along."

"That can't be. I saw him in the Matrix. His mind had not been freed then."

"We should tell Morpheus immediately."

"Should we wake him?"

"Is he even alive?"

"Only one way to find out."

Nick couldn't feel a thing. His eyes wouldn't open and his ears had this incessant ringing in them. He tried to move, but his muscles ached horribly. Nick even tried to think, but it seemed his brain wasn't in the mood.

"Awaken,"

A voice was calling him. Who was it?

"Awaken,"

Nick struggled with himself. He conjured up all his might and barely opened his eyes. He instantly wished he hadn't. A light was shining in his face and caused his eyes to burn.

"Can you turn that damn thing off?" he groaned. A figure that might've been a man walked by his vision and pressed a button. The light ceased its attack.

"Are you alright?" came the figure's voice. It sounded like the Asian man Nick had picked up.

"No," Nick said, covering his face with his hand. "I feel like hell. Why do my eyes hurt?"

"You've never opened them before."

"What?" Nick was even more confused.

"You need some more rest."

"Rest," Nick said, slipping out of consciousness, "Yeah, that's a good idea."

In his humble dwelling amidst Zion's countless corridors, Kidd was having dreams like none he'd had before. The funny thing was, he'd had these dreams before, but now they were much more real. Instantly, he awoke and tumbled out of his bed.

Kidd was clearly startled by the ordeal and scrambled to find clothes.

"I've got to tell Councilor Hamman," He said to himself as excitedly pulled a shirt over his head. Then the young Zionist rushed out of his apartment in a frenzy.

Outside, Zion had changed very little since the last battle with the machines. Most of the men, however, spent their days at the dock, trying to rebuild what was left. They were making considerable progress, but it would be several months until the construction was completed.

Pushing his way through the crowds, Kidd finally made his way down to the lower levels of the city where the council was stationed. He found Councilor Hamman/s door and knocked rapidly.

"Come in." Hamman said in his grandfatherly voice. Without hesitation, Kidd bolted into the room to tell Hamman of his great news.

"You seem a little jittery today, Kidd." Hamman said.

"Sir," Kidd stammered, "I had a vision!"

"What kind of vision?" the councilor asked.

"It was Neo, sir! He's back!"

Councilor Hamman sighed. "Kidd," he started, "The last any one saw of Neo or Trinity, they had gone up to the surface. No one makes it up there and lives to tell the tale. Not even the One."

"But he was in my dream, councilor! Neo told me his job was not yet finished and that he would return! I've felt his presence. I know he's here."

"I'm sorry," the councilor said, "But dreams are just what they are; dreams. Tell you what; they're still looking for volunteers to rebuild the dock. Why don't you go lend them a hand?"

"Yes sir," Kidd said, looking down at the ground. Rising slowly, the youth drudged out of Hamman's office, just as a messenger rushed by him. The messenger hurried into the councilor's chambers.

"Councilor Hamman." the messenger said, bowing, "We've just received a transmission from the Logos II. They found something they need you to see."