-blushing for all your compliments- I thank everyone of you for giving me reviews and encouragement!
Don't worry, I'm going to write the story till the end. For me school has already begun, probably that's the main cause of my bad mood.
Chapter11: He's waiting for me
Neo!
Trinity woke up with a gasp, her shaking fingers clutching tightly the rough blanket under her, her face covered in sweat. She breathed slowly to calm herself, then she bit her lip hard to avoid her mouth let out any sound, even if she didn't know why she was doing it. Images of the recent dream still burned in her mind, which caused her to feel as though she was going to throw up in any second. Not the first images, though. It had been a beautiful dream... well, until... she swallowed hard.
A deep relief instantly filled her when she realized that her fast pounding heartbeat wasn't the only one she could hear in the immediate vicinity. Slowly, she lifted her head from the place where it was resting, which appeared to be Neo's midriff, and glanced at him with sad yet hopeful eyes, bringing one hand to his left cheek to trace the line of his jaw, in a gentle and delicate touch. His expression would have seemed totally peaceful and relaxed, if it hadn't been for a few lines on his forehead and his arched eyebrows, all signs that revealed his actual state.
She clenched her hands in fists as her thoughts wandered on who had caused all that.
Trinity was sharply awakened from the sea of unconsciousness by the echo of loud noises coming from somewhere around. She lifted herself up in a sitting position, looking confused at first, until it her. The sewers... Hypno... Neo... they're close... they're fighting!
As she swiftly jumped to her feet she realized with joy and satisfaction that the making-weak effect of the sedative was totally gone, her body had returned strong and nimble as it had always been. Well, now she would have made Hypno pay for everything he had done... even if she suspected, or rather knew, that Neo was already doing it in her place.
She started to run down the tunnel, following the clear and distinct noise of beating, and she soon arrived to a point where the passage ramified in two directions; one went straight, the other bent on the right, and just from this last one were coming the noises.
Trinity stepped into the dim lighted space of the hole, cautiously but at the same time hurriedly, just in time to see Neo pick up something from the ground and run it into Hypno's lying body, that winced violently. She heard a choked whimper as dark red liquid poured on the ground, forming a large pool, yet she didn't care. It was over, Neo was there, and that was all that mattered.
"Neo!" she called, a rush of joy and relief running trough her body like a drug.
At the sudden cry, Neo turned abruptly and glanced at her as if he couldn't believe she was there before him, safe and sound, then an expression of relief and happiness painted on his face.
Trinity started to run toward him, growing more and more impatient at every step she did. On the other hand, Neo was about to stand up, desiring nothing else but to hug her tightly into his arms and never let her go, when, unexpectedly, a blooded hand grabbed his throat, forcing him to turn. The One found himself staring with surprise at the dying Hypno, who smirked cruelly at him, as if to say "This isn't over".
The program's coal-black eyes began to shine silver, until they seemed gems lightened inside by invisible flames, while his hands moved to Neo's head to press at his temples. As burning pain started to spread from his head to the rest of his body, Neo struggled to try and pull away but, despite his efforts, he couldn't. He couldn't stir anymore. His body was like frozen.
He let out a long and agonizing scream as the pain hit the bottom in every inch of his body, then he was engulfed from a very bright green light, there were spirals of code running all around him, imprisoning him, like a cage. And then him.
In this last hours I've had the chance to know your woman. A very beautiful creature she is... quite lovely.
Slimy bastard! Why the hell don't you leave her alone?!
Because I want her...
You don't even understand what you're saying... you're just a machine...
That doesn't mean I don't know things about you humans...
Stop it...
Neo closed his eyes shut and covered his ears with his hands, he didn't want to see the code anymore, he didn't want to hear Hypno's voice anymore. He just wanted everything to end.
Oh, it will end, don't worry... but my way.
Trinity stopped dead in her track, her face contorted in horror. Just a few second earlier she was running to go and hug Neo, and now the whole tunnel was glowing green, hiding him from her view. She rushed to the bunch of code, trying to go trough it, but she was thrown away as if there were an electric wall. Desperate, she called him loudly, and she felt her heart shatter into million pieces the moment she heard him scream in pain as he had never had.
The light of the code was too bright, dazzling. Despite herself wanting to see where Neo was, Trinity was forced to close her eyes and cover her face with her arms as the light suddenly spread around like the explosion of a grenade, before it gradually dissolved, leaving behind the usual half-darkness hovering over the now only two persons alive.
Trinity's cloud of thoughts was broken as she heard Link's voice calling Morpheus. He sounded so worried that she reluctantly managed to tear herself away from Neo, yet not before adjusting the warm blanket to better cover him, wrapping it tenderly around his shoulders, from where it had slipped. She planted a soft kiss on his forehead, that was creased with an emotion she couldn't quite describe - maybe pain, or anger, she really didn't know - , then she tiredly raised from the seat placed near Neo's chair and left to join the operator in front of the monitors.
"What's wrong?" she asked in a harsh tone, while the captain appeared behind them.
Link was punching noisily on the keyboard buttons. "Hypno... his code appears and disappears, lightens, over and over again... I don't know why he's doing this..."
Trinity narrowed her eyes, staring at the code.
"He's waiting." She said.
"Waiting?" Link glanced at her questioningly. "Waiting for what?"
She was silent for a while, a troubled expression haunting her face.
"For me... he wants me to go in." She eventually hissed. Hypno was waiting for her. Neo was waiting for her.
"Neo?" Trinity's voice called softly once her eyes had readjusted to the dim light of the place after the explosion of code. She quickly spotted his figure half bent on the ground, near Hypno's dead body. He was trembling and staggering, his hands gripping tightly his own shoulders, his breaths coming out fast, too fast. Worry filling her again, she ran to help him and she remained stunned as he threw a pretty hard blow at her with his left arm and pushed her away, taking a few steps back.
"... Neo...?" she repeated hesitantly, surprised by his action, as she tried to approach him again.
He hissed at her something that her ear didn't manage to catch as he backed away again, still without looking at her. She frowned. "What...?"
"Get away!" he yelled harshly, lifting a hand menacingly toward her, causing her to wince in shock. There was a long moment of tensed silence, only broken by Neo's rasping breathing. And then his voice again, yet this time it was low and almost scared. And it scared her.
"Trin, please, do it..." he pleaded as he finally made eye contact with her. She couldn't hold back a faint gasp; his eyes, those beautiful eyes weren't brown anymore. They were dark, dark as a hole without end. "Go away from here before he-"
He was cut off as his body began to spasm uncontrollably, his now black eyes widening in the extreme, and he fell to his knees, gasping. Then his gasps slowly faded and left the place to odd unpleasant laughs.
He lifted his head and smirked at her. No, it couldn't be...
"I have to admit your beloved Neo is stronger than I thought. It took me quite a while to get total control of his mind." Neo's voice said, in a tone she had never heard from him. He wasn't Neo anymore.
Trinity opened briefly her mouth, then closed it again. She couldn't say anything. She was literally torn between shock, worry, and rage.
"Well? What are you going to do now?" Hypno asked ironically, tilting his head to one side. His eyes and his smirk looking so wrong on Neo's face.
She didn't answer. Although she had regained her strength, she really didn't feel like fighting him. Physically and mentally. Not yet, at least. "Please, get out of there..." Neo's words echoed inside her mind. I will, Neo, I will... but I'll come back to save you.
Trinity turned sharply and started to run. Hypno grimaced and shrugged, as if he had expected that, then he chased after her. She reached the ramification and took the other passage, the one from which Neo had come, running faster and faster as she heard Hypno close behind her. The tunnel was long and without other ways, so she continued to follow it until she arrived to a rather big space, that seemed a cross. She glanced around as she stepped in, and her restless eyes were soon attracted by something lying on the ground, before the entrance of a tunnel. She went to pick it up and recognized it as Neo's trench coat, and in a pocket she found his cell phone. Obviously, he had left them there purposefully. Damn it, Neo... always putting my life before yours...
The noise of Hypno's footsteps approaching urged her to continue her escape. As she ran she dropped the coat and opened the cell phone, dialling Link, who was quick to answer. "Operator."
"Link, it's me."
A long a sigh of relief could be heard. Then Link's voice broke in. "Trinity! At last! What the hell happened? I can't find you, neither Neo, Morpheus has gone nuts, and-"
Shit, the code barrier. Of course Link and Morpheus can't see us. Damn you, Hypno... she cursed mentally. "Never mind, just stay ready when I get to the exit. I'll explain everything later." She interrupted him.
"Which exit?"
"The phone booth we used to get in." We...
"Are you ok? Sure you don't want-"
"Link."
"Huh... alright. See you later."
Just a few seconds later she regretted not having asked help. Maybe Link could have found a way to help her, even if they couldn't see her. I feel like I've been running for hours. Great, I'm practically lost. she thought frustrated. She was about to pick up the cell phone and call the ship again, when, unexpectedly, a little figure appeared in front of her, and Trinity almost crashed into it.
"What...?"
"Trinity!" a shrill yet soft voice said as a pair of big emerald eyes looked up at her.
The woman recognized the person instantly. "Jenna?" she said surprised. The little girl nodded. "What are you doing here?" she asked impatiently, confused. She didn't mean to sound annoyed, yet she heard Hypno approaching, they weren't safe there.
"I came to help you." She explained briefly. "Follow me."
Jenna didn't wait for an answer and she started to run down the underground alleyways of the sewers, with certainty, as if she knew perfectly where to go. Although she was still confused, Trinity chased after her, deciding she could trust the girl, and she breathed in relief as they soon made it to the exit. Climbing a ramp of stairs, Trinity noticed the door was nowhere to be seen... no doubt on who had got rid of it.
They rushed out of there and then out of the alley, stopping in the middle of the main street, where soon the phone started ringing. Trinity entered the phone booth and picked up the receiver but hesitated, turning to look at Jenna. The girl smiled at her and started to walk away quickly, toward the Oracle's building. "Go, Trinity, don't worry for me."
Even if not reassured, Trinity placed the receiver to her ear, mentally thanking the Oracle for her help, when, suddenly, there was a blur of black and a loud horrible bang. She watched helpless and in horror as Jenna was slammed into the opposite wall, her little fragile body falling then to the ground. Her shocked eyes met Hypno's once more, before her mind was sucked into the phone, reconnecting to her body in the real world.
Trinity slowly exited the phone booth and let her eyes wander around briefly. As she noticed Jenna's body wasn't there anymore she wondered what had happened after she had left the Matrix. Poor Jenna... program or not, she was just child. Hypno would have paid even for that.
She headed directly for the alley which took to the entrance of the sewers, walking with calm footsteps and shoving an expression full of determination. No other emotion shoved on her pale face.
It had took her quite a while to persuade Morpheus to let her go in, she had never seen him so worried, but she had insisted until he had given up. She was sure she would make it.
As soon as she arrived she glanced at the dark rectangular hole where the door had once been, and she wasn't startled as Neo suddenly came out of.
"I knew you would have come." He said as he gave her the most satisfied smile of his repertory, while a hateful smug look played on his face.
She just glared at him. "You didn't leave me any choice."
He gave her a fake apologetic smile. "Really? That's my prerogative."
Always so damn self-confident. But this time will be different, more different. she thought as her hands quickly reached for her guns, that hang from the belt tied around her waist. She raised them toward him and cocked them, her index fingers already positioned on the two triggers. "Well. This is my prerogative." She hissed coldly.
He barely flinched. I'm not able to use Neo's abilities yet, but I will learn soon. And she won't kill me. She won't kill him.
She seemed to guess what he was thinking. "Are you sure?" the emotionless tone of her voice managed to affect him a bit. He scowled at her. "You won't."
"And why?" she asked, her face stony.
Hypno looked uneasy, almost confused. "Because... you love him."
She smirked. "Good point."
Then he realized what he had said. Why the hell did I say that? I don't even know what is it... and I don't want to. he thought angrily, glaring at her for the first time. She just shrugged and, before he could do anything, she pulled both triggers.
One of the bullets missed and ran itself into the brick-wall. The other didn't.
Hypno's eyes widened as the bullet hit him and he looked at her in disbelief. Theoretically, she wouldn't have done it. Never. Yes, he didn't know what love was, but he'd learned she was too fond of Neo to do something that would have taken her lover away forever. So why...?
Then he realized what really had happened. But it was too late. He fell limply to the ground.
Trinity slowly approached the body and glanced down at it, lowering her guns and sighing. "You were right, bastard." she said. "I wouldn't have."
A.N. I still haven't decided if make Hypno live or die... uhm...
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review!